Customer Reviews:
Dancing Truth's Tightrope.......2007-01-25
After reading Hornblower and Bolitho, I thought I would give the army a try. Fraser is an excellent teller of historical fiction with a touch of Jeffery Deaver for fun! Quite graphic in his portrayls of the characters and events, Flashman delves into the whys and not just the hows.
Yes, Flashman is a roque, but if given the chance - wouldn't we all?
Harry Situations in China.......2006-09-05
This book was the tenth in my chronological review of the life and times of Harry Flashman. While this installment has its share of common lilly livery and ribald cadmanship, its combination with historical perspective and analysis of choices during a campaign turned the "Dragon" into one of the more serious installments in this stellar series.
In a way that carries more than superficial similarity to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" Harry is sent up river on an ill defined diplomatic mission (Paul Bremer in Iraq avant la lettre). This track gives Fraser an opportunity to provide quite some background on the political tensions in mid 19th century China and the extreme ferocity of the carnage. After some dallying, our hero reaches his destination and hooks up with history's most powerful concubine. Fraser has always done a lot of research on Flashman's most powerful love interests and in this book he again produces a detailed and intriguing three dimensional character study. In addition, I thought that his discussion of sects that implemented a precursor to Maoist communism very interesting.
At the end of the book Fraser spends quite a bit of time in discussing Elgin's (we are talking here about the son of a father who took the infamous Greek Marbles) choice to destroy the monumental Imperial Gardens to punish the Imperial family without doing the suppressed population too much harm. While a point could be made that both father and some were wrong, there is the irony that the son, while having better justification, robbed the world of one of its treasures while the poorly justified senior may have ended up doing mankind a favor.
As always Fraser delivers another lively history lesson. Highly recommended.
Thanks again, GMF........2006-02-23
Typically fantastic Flashman novel- hilarious, politically incorrect, unpredictable, historically informative, and a page-turning, ripping great read. The only thing you know for sure is that our yellow-bellied anti-hero will end up with the girl, the medals, the credit and the loot. As usual, we learn about a historically significant, but generally forgotten chapter of history- the Taiping Rebellion (bloodiest civil war in history and second bloodiest war ever, after WW II) and the Anglo-French expedition to Peking, resulting in the destruction of the Old Summer Palace, one of mankind's most impressive artistic/architectural treasures. Great book.
Huzzah for Harry!.......2005-08-14
I hope Mr. Fraser lives a long life so he can continue chronicling the life of Harry Flashman. Once again Mr. Fraser's writng is crisp, witty and really draws you into the story. There is danger, romance (the tawdry sort of course),action and derring do (not by Flashman). His historical detail is unbelievable. If you love history, read this. If you don't, read this and you will.
Flash Harry is unleased on the Chinese.......2005-07-30
Another one of the great books on that Cad Sir Harry Flashman VC. Mr Fraser is to be complimented on his wonderful editing of the old soldiers memoirs ! I just hope that he finds the time to keep up the excellent work!
Average customer rating:
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Flashman Y El Dragon (Harry Flashman)
George MacDonald Fraser
Manufacturer: Edhasa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literaria
| General
| Literatura y ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: 8435035263 |
Average customer rating:
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Flashman and the Dragon
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HR1YII |
Book Description
For readers who love Alice Hoffman and Susan Isaacs, for the 50,000 practicing wiccans in North America, for women who like smart, funny, fast-paced mysteries, Rosemary Edghill's Bast novels are a real treat. Bell, Book, and Murder contains all three Bast novels, Speak Daggers to Her, Book of Moons, and the first softcover edition of The Bowl of Night. Reviewed in USA Today.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant!.......2007-04-20
This collection of Rosemary Edghill's "Bast" mysteries is a wonderful introduction to a talented writer and a no-nonsense look at modern Pagans.
Edghill's wonderful observations on the human condition elevate "Speak Daggers to Her" from a curiosity to a keeper. Modern witchcraft, murder by magic, and Goddess-given justice take a back seat to the wonderful and complex character of the protagonist.
In "Book of Moons", Bast continues to ponder the imponderables while solving murders, this time involving a purloined antique that could prove Mary Queen of Scots to be a practitioner. And underneath it all, the question -- if there's something you want, something you think you need to have to survive as the person you think you are, what price is too high to pay for it? (By the way, if you think that question only refers to the thief ... you haven't been paying enough attention.)
"The Bowl of Night" is the darkest of the three books that make up the trilogy. As in all three, the main character's doubts and inner conflicts play just as large as the murder and mayhem that propel the story into the "mystery" genre. (Because there is, after all, no mystery / occult / New Age / feminist / metaphysical / inner growth / self help genre. Yet.)
Great Service.......2006-03-16
The book arrived promptly and in perfect condition. It was a perfect transaction.
subtle magic.......2005-08-12
the authour has made an interesting twist on the standing idea
of the night time detective. the shame is that it is now some years since according to the copywrite she has yet to return
to add to more stories to a rich tapestry.
Great stories to curl up on the couch with.......2005-07-21
I was introduced to this trilogy through "The Book of Moons," and immediately fell in love with Ms. Edghill's writing style. I've read the entire trilogy over and over, and they've now become cozy friends when I just need to relax for a little while with a cup of tea.
What I find refreshing in her novels is how real and everyday most of the characters are. Contrary to the normal media portrayal of those who follow Pagan faiths as either dark, sinister people who scurry into dark corners and live in a strange "underground" reality OR... whacked out New Agers who are stuck in the hippie era, Ms. Edghill writes them honestly-- real people. Working real jobs. Wearing everyday clothes. Talking like everyday people. With no preaching whatsoever.
Amazing.
Each of the story is a murder mystery. The fact that the community involved in each of these books is Wiccan/Pagan is the flavor for the setting, but the easy route to blame the murders on unseen forces isn't used, which I greatly appreciated.
My non-Pagan friends have also enjoyed the books, and appreciated the subtle explanations for faith-specific terms that they might not have known otherwise.
I highly recommend the series. They're fun, easy to read, and easy to escape into-- just what leisure reading is all about.
A real Witch.......2004-10-16
It's so wonderful to finally find a writer who tells about the true, every day life of a "real" witch. I'm so tired of trying to find good Pagan books and always seeing stories that remind me too much of "The Craft". I would recommend this book to anyone!
Average customer rating:
- Werewolf Novel With Bite
- Execrable writing, don't waste your money
- Awesome Werewolf book...
- Moonwarriors
- Moonwarriors
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Moonwarriors
Rusty Nugent
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Dark Fantasy
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1413726593 |
Book Description
Set in the 8th century in Romania when it was still known as Dacia, Moonwarriors tells the tale of a werewolf warrior named Walter Volknor. Once an innocent farm boy, he is out for revenge against Avatar, a master vampire that has slaughtered his family. The werewolf begins a crusade to destroy the evil vampire race. Other compassionate wolves join him in his obsession. Four wolves in particular, Golarin, Bordak, Mary, and Stytentos, aid Walter in his many adventures and become his best friends. Throughout Dacia, fear and honor are heaped upon his name and in due time, he is a beloved champion for werewolves and humans alike. However, just as his dreams of living a vampire-free existence are coming to fruition, a chain of tragic and horrific events unfold, leaving the land of Dacia in shock. This is the first tale in the Moonwarriors saga.
Customer Reviews:
Werewolf Novel With Bite.......2006-06-09
By AL J. Vermette: Publisher & Editor of Werewolf Magazine & Blood Moon Rising Horror Magazine.
In the sub genre of horror fiction the werewolf has seen many new tales told over the last few years. One such novel Moonwarriors stands out among others of its kind for its author Rusty Nugent has a storng passion for the creatures that he writes about.
When band of vampires invade the home of a family of peace loving werewolves they kill all but one. He is Walter Volknor and he sets out on a one wolf crusade to find and kill the evil lord of the undead Avatar. Along the way others with the same powers as he will join him in his quest and together they will rid the world of the nosferatu.
Nusty Nugent's writing is fast and clean as he tells his tale with the skill of a master writer, a la King and brings the reader into his world and holds them there until the very last page.
For fans of Werewolves and vampires this book is a must and unlike the movie Underworld with the same creatures at war there are many hand to hand battles of the two creatures in their fight to kill eachother
AL J. Vermette: Werewolf Magazine/Blood Moon Rising
Execrable writing, don't waste your money.......2006-05-21
OK, folks here's the deal. I was running low on reading material so I did a search on Amazon for books rated five stars within the horror genre, hopeful of finding a hidden gem that has eluded me so far. This book popped up with six five star reviews, and it appeared to feature vampires versus werewolves with ancient Eastern Europe as the setting. That all sounded pretty darn good so I swapped some electronic money with Amazon and two days later here it was. What a waste.
Before you dismiss me as a crank on the versus of six votes to one, check out my other reviews. This is my 128th review on Amazon and only the second time I have dealt out a one star review. I only write a bad review when I absolutely feel like I have to warn others not to waste their money on the basis of misleading advertising. The writing in the book is so awful that I staggered through twenty pages and then couldn't stand it any more. Every noun has at least two or three adjectives and every verb has an equal number of adverbs. Mr. Nugent is perhaps the worst example I've seen in years of the writer who tells rather than shows. Frankly, I am not sure if there is a plot in this book or not, I simply couldn't get that far, when the first twenty pages of deeply inept characterization kept throwing out lines like "a thing of beauty, of power, of deep emotion. A thing of gentle, tender kindness." Twenty pages of that stuff. A good writer doesn't build characters by shoveling drivel like that at his readers. He builds characters by showing the readers the protagonist engaged in acts which display his beauty, or his power, or his kindness. The mantra "actions speak louder than words" is even truer for writers than for others.
This appears to be a self-published book with little or no editing and some reviews by friends or family. I hate giving a bad review but in all conscience I felt cheated when I got this after I had read the other reviews on here. This is a book which, with it's simplicity, could perhaps appeal to a younger reader in the under 13 age bracket. I don't think any literate, discerning adult reader could get much farther than I did with this one so save your money and order some horror from Dan Simmons or someone of his caliber.
Awesome Werewolf book..........2005-07-30
First of all, I am truly happy to know "Moonwarriors" author Rusty Nugent and just by getting to know him, I could tell this would be a very compelling and compassionate book. I loved the book to pieces. I thought the characters were very strong and I especially like the fact that he introduced us to a very strong heroine, Mary. I could not put the book down. I wanted it to go on so I could read as to what happens to the surviving characters but look forward to his next novel. Anyone who wants to read a really awesome book about Werewolves vs. Vampires, pick this one up. It will be worth the time.
Moonwarriors.......2005-07-14
This is a novel that you just can't put down. From beginning to end it keeps you enthralled. Brilliantly written in everyway possible. The tale of Walter Volknor and his comrades is amazing. This is by far the best fantasy novel I have read for some time. If your fascination is werewolves versus vampires, then look no further! Moonwarriors will take your imagination on an adventure that you will never forget. It is definately a MUST READ!
Moonwarriors.......2005-07-13
This book is fabulous for any one who loves werewolves, fantasy thrillers, or a good story of love and friendship. Rusty Nugent's writing style is amazing. His ability to use discriptive words and draw out the characters' real passion makes them feel as real the reader. From start to finish the book is fantastic and will keep the reader hooked. A must for any creatures of the night fan
Book Description
From the cover of Time to Desperate Housewives, the phenomenon of women in midlife experiencing a period of tumultuous personal upheavala breaking pointhas reached a peak in our culture. Today, more than 15 million baby boomer women report having a midlife crisis compared to 14 million men. In The Breaking Point, Wall Street Journal columnist Sue Shellenbarger looks beyond the numbers to discover the root of all this angst and examine the ways, both successful and not, that women are navigating this crucial transition period. Drawing on original research data and interviews with more than fifty women, The Breaking Point uses real-life stories to illustrate the different archetypes and modes the course of reinvention follows. The book also shows women how to avoid the pitfalls of a midlife meltdownruined relationships and jettisoned careersand instead transform this turbulent time into a period of personal growth that will enrich the rest of their lives. Once every decade or so a book comes along that defines the collective experience of an entire generation. Provocative, insightful, and resonant, The Breaking Point is just such a book.
Customer Reviews:
What a waste of money.......2007-07-07
This book was recommended to me and I foolishly bought it without checking the reviews on amazon. That'll teach me! I should have borrowed the book from the library and saved the money for a really useful book. I am a white middle class 53 year old woman with a rollercoaster of a past. I did not feel a connection with any of the (probably) white upper middle to upper class women who had untapped talents and had been personally selected by the author or had referred to her for inclusion in this "study" (and I use the term loosely). I am coping with middle age just fine without breaking a collarbone or having sex with multiple partners. What do I have common with the CEOs or most of the other women in this book? Nada. Well, the lesson I learned from this book was not the one the author intended: check the amazon reviews before I buy a book!
All the stories together...........2006-04-25
...add up to more than any one book can offer.
I've been reading this book, along with several others that, together, help give us the "big picture" of what it means to be a woman in midlife. Our mothers didn't have these stories to share--or didn't believe that they had permission to speak the stories aloud. These books break the silence that so often accompanies stories of aging in our "growing younger" culture.
Also recommended: KISS TOMORROW HELLO: NOTES FROM THE MIDLIFE UNDERGROUND BY 25 WOMEN OVER 40.
a carbon copy?.......2006-03-23
This book reminds me of another book on the same subject by Martha Beck called Breaking Point: Why Women Fall Apart and How They Can Re-crete their Lives. I was very surprised at this similarity. Beck's book puts the situation into a well articulated social, political, historical and economic context. While Shellenbarger's seems to be more of just the stories. I'd recommend both for people to compare and enhance their understanding of the topic.
Interesting to read about the variety of women's lives.......2005-11-13
This book covers the midlife stories of a large variety of women. It has a number of interesting stories. None of the women really reminded me of myself, but then I'm a biochemist, an ecological economist and a patent attorney, which makes me pretty different from the typical woman. I'm 43 and certainly hope there will be some changes ahead for me in the next ten or so years. This is a great book for getting yourself excited about trying something new.
The author goes into considerable detail about her own midlife crisis. I thought it was rather odd that she describes climbing mountains in an ATV as communing with nature. As a hiker, I have an entirely different opinion of ATVs. I hope that other women do not follow her example on this point.
This book is very optimistic about what the future holds for women. I hope she's right, but I would recommend pairing this book with Howard Kunstler's "The Long Emergency" for a contrary view.
Extremely worthwhile reading!.......2005-09-07
This is a must read book for any woman approaching mid-life or well into it! Very insightful reading and most women will be able to relate to the information provided. The examples given of other women's experiences through this time of many changes are most helpful. I would very highly recommend this book.
Book Description
Everybody loves barbeque! Backyard barbeque guru Steve Tillet has collected 101 fantastic recipes for barbeque of all varieties-from appetizers to desserts to vegetarian solutions-proving that the grill is the best and easiest summertime cooking option.
Customer Reviews:
great shape.......2007-01-03
The book is in great shape and I got it at a reasonable time,
Thanks
Book Description
Commemorative Coca-Cola bottles hold a special appeal because of the variety of subjects displayed on the bottles - festivals, Christmas, anniversaries, sporting events, national companies, and more. This second edition is completely revised and updated to include the latest bottles. Over 1,000 commemorative Coca-Cola bottles from 1980 to the present are showcased in full color photographs. Complete alphabetical and manufacturer indexes to both eight-ounce and ten-ounce bottles help the collector quickly locate his bottle and evaluate it. The photos are accompanied by complete descriptions, dates, and current collector values. Grab a Coca-Cola Commemorative Bottles 2nd Edition and a smile! 2001 values. REVIEW: Due to how well book I was received by collectors, Helen Greguire produced book II. A large selection of colors, shapes, and rarities are included, as well as cross collectibles along with various pieces of literature including catalogs, posters, and advertisements.
Customer Reviews:
Coca Cola Commemorative Bottles: Identification & Value Guide .......2007-03-27
Has a limited number of bottles - there is not as many commemorative bottles as I was expecting. I could not use it for my collection.
A must for the Coca Cola Commemorative Bottle Fan........1999-09-28
Quality paperback book helps you identify and value over 800 bottles which are beautifully pictured in full life-like color. Covers 8 oz and 10 oz bottles. A brief description of the bottle accompanies each entry. Well indexed for easy locating. A useful reference book.
Great book for collectors.......1998-09-24
This book is great to have if you are a collector of Coca-Cola bottles.Being able to see what the bottles look like is nice.
Amazon.com
The Gertleys have assembled an expansive collection of do-it- yourself garden-structure projects, from simple to complex, for the would-be garden builder. Trellises, a planter box, raised beds, a simple cold frame, an inventive strawberry tower, a small greenhouse, potting benches and tables, a plant caddy, and even an elegant little seed-saver's box are among the dozens of illustrated plans available for the garden, along with instructions on the tools and materials needed for each project and suggestions on finishes and final touches that give plain structures an added elegance and visual interest. --Mark A. Hetts
Book Description
Attractive trellises, planting boxes, and other gardening structures can be expensive and difficult to find. The 18 projects in this book are a cut above the ordinary. Their classical designs evoke the craftsmanship and styling of an era gone by. From a simple string and stake row marker to a small greenhouse, these well-designed projects show how simple details can make garden structures both graceful and hardworking. Inspiring color photos, detailed drawings, and careful step-by-step instructions will help gardeners, homeowners, and woodworkers build a tool caddy, elegant plant supports, a potting bench, an outdoor sink, even a delightful seed saver's box.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book.......2006-01-14
REALLY nice garden projects, not too difficult to make if you have some type of power cutting tool. I keep coming back to this book for ideas. In fact, I've bought other book by the Gertleys just because I like their style so much.
Fair book.......2004-04-07
I have built four of the projects in this book.
Dimensions on the strawberry tower were conflicting. Measurements were wrong and some dimensions left out. Some of the projects in this book were not proof read. Lots of good pictures, but could use more detailed instructions.
Great Book for the Gardening Woodworker.......2001-07-10
The projects are not so challenging as to be overwhelming; they are fairly simple and can be completed in an evening or over the weekend. The exception is the greenhouse, which has a block waist wall and wood framing for the glass top. I am building the tomato towers and will start the strawberry tower to use next year. There are several smaller projects - a sting-line row marker, caddies and dibble that can be made with scraps you may already have.
I am blessed with a shop full of power tools and shop-made jigs, which makes ripping and cutting complicated angles easier, faster and more accurate, but many of these can be built with simple hand tools and attention to detail.
The book is well laid out, profusely illustrated with color photographs of the completed projects and clear construction drawings and plans. They even recommend specific woods for each project - mainly cedar - but I had a bunch of pressure treated yellow pine left over from other projects which I am using. They also recommend finishes for each project.
If you are looking for something to do when it is too hot, cold or wet to work outside; here's your book. Your garden will be more beautiful and efficient. Your plants will thank you.
power tools not necessary.......2001-05-20
I agree that the projects are very nice, but disagree that power tools are needed. Some experience is definitely useful, but I have been happily building these projects with only hand tools -- save the occasional drill for driving lots of screws!
Exquisitely presented, distinctive designs.......2000-04-26
We've just finished building our strawberry tower, an obelisk to grow 90 strawberry plants in a couple of square feet of space. We're beaming from the rave reviews of friends who find our project attractive and functional. The Gertley's do a superb job of presenting their unique projects with gorgeous pictures in attractive settings. I have a whole list of projects I intend to create--and I know that each one will be classy and distinctive. This is a book for people who like to build garden projects that they know they won't see any where else around the neighborhood.
Average customer rating:
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New York Home Book, Second Edition
Ashley Group
Manufacturer: Ashley Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| How-to & Home Improvements
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1588620646 |
Book Description
The New York Home Book is a comprehensive hands-on design resource to building, remodeling, decorating, furnishing and landscaping a luxury home in New York City.
Whether interested in remodeling a kitchen or building a multi-million dollar dream home, the book can give readers the information they want to get the quality services and products they need. The Home Book compiles the most comprehensive list of design professionals who rank among the top ten in their respective fields. Let the Home Book do your homework for you! You'll find in these pages:
• More than 700 listings of professionals, specializing in 40 different trades. • Instructional information for choosing and working with architects, contractors, landscapers and interior designers. • More than 1,000 color photographs inspiring innovative interior and exterior modeling ideas. • A compilation of the area's top enhancement service providers organized by trade with easy-to-read listings.
Average customer rating:
- A Cautionary Tale
- I can't forgive Ken for wasting himself
- Compelling
- Brilliant but frustrating.
- Rip roaring!
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The Diaries of Kenneth Tynan
Kenneth Tynan
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
History
| Drama
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Arts & Photography
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Authors
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| British
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Kenneth Tynan: A Life
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PROFILES
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Lulu in Hollywood: Expanded Edition
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Notebooks
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I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
ASIN: 1582342458 |
Book Description
An intoxicating mix of aesthetics, theater, love, sex, and politics from the perspective of a man who often served as confidant to the glittering personalities of his age.
Irreverent, indiscreet, wildly funny, sad, shocking, and inspiring, the legendary diaries of Kenneth Tynan, arguably the greatest critic of the twentieth century, are above all compelling literature. For over three decades, on both sides of the Atlantic, Tynan was at the hot center of the theater and film worlds. He knew everybody, and everybody wanted to know him. His diaries-so resplendent with griefs and gossip-bear superb witness to the fame he courted and the price he paid for it.
Customer Reviews:
A Cautionary Tale.......2007-08-24
I suggest reading this as a cautionary tale: how a man with so much promise, talent and intelligence, saddled with insecurities and a taste for hedonism, left him broke and feeling like a failure at the end of his life. How terribly tragic. But this book is definitely not a downer.
However, knowing that Kenneth Tynan was a British literary critic, I had reservations about delving into this. I thought it could be a very dry read. Instead, it turned out to be laugh out loud funny, with some serious dish about famous people (the man knew EVERYBODY) and at the same time introspective and melancholic. This book is not for everybody, but for those with a love of brilliant prose and serious wit, the rewards are rich. - Susan Sayles
I can't forgive Ken for wasting himself.......2004-11-04
From THE DIARIES OF KENNETH TYNAN: "Whenever we solve the problem of dreams, we shall not be far from solving the root problems of human identity and creativity. Has anyone noticed the really inexplicable thing about our nightly narrative tapes? They have suspense. This occurred to me last night, when I was involved in a Hitchcock-type chase dream---in which, I suddenly realised, I did not know what was going to happen next. I did not know who would be lurking behind the next door; and I wanted desperately to know. What part of one's mind is it that harbours secrets unknown even to the unconscious? (For in dreams we are surely privy to the unconscious in full flood.) The theory that in dreams we tap a source of energy outside the individual psyche is powerfully reinforced by the presence of suspense."
After Tynan left his job as dramaturg at the National Theatre, he pretty much floundered around for the rest of his life. I wish he had gone back to doing theater reviews. But I guess he was burned out on theater. Maybe he grew bored with the very medium of theater. He said he was profoundly bored with everything ("I shall die writhing in apathy"), but I'm not too convinced of that claim. I wish he had felt an artistic duty to his audience and had then carried out that duty. While reading this thing, I had an overwhelming urge to slap that cigarette out of his mouth and that hairbrush out of his hand and to sternly command him to "do do that voodoo that you do so well".
Compelling.......2002-06-20
I remember Kenneth Tynan from an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show shortly before his 1980 death. Until this book, I was unfamiliar with his work. Now I see what I was missing.
Not only was Tynan a highly skilled writer of prose, but as a critic he saw things for what they were, even if the majority disagreed. He gives Warren Beatty's pretentious and mystifyingly overrated film Shampoo the swift kick to the rear that it deserves, and even finds a fault with Paddy Cheyefsky's Network that I had not detected prior to reading his assessment of the film in his diaries. Tynan also has his say on economics ("Inflation rides high and I believe intentionally" he writes in 1973) and a myriad of other subjects including his preoccupation with spanking.
Overall, these diaries reveal a melancholy soul who found some solace in writing about his life and its disappointments in his journal. Most published diaries promise more than they deliver. Not Tynan's. His diaries are a compelling read.
Brilliant but frustrating........2002-03-19
Kenneth Tynan was a marvellous journalist. There is no-one writing for magazines or newspapers today (perhaps with the exception of Christopher Hitchens) who can so readily draw upon an apparently limitless well of wit, and do so in perfect sentences. All of his books are worth reading if you can find them second-hand: his early collection of drama criticism, 'Curtains', and the collection 'Profiles', are probably the places to start. For devotees of Tynan, who bemoan the paucity of his output in the last fifteen years of his life, the Diaries, splendidly introduced by John Lahr, can prove very frustrating. It seems everything conspired against Ken sitting in front of the typewriter and working his magic. His health was abysmal -- emphysema worsened by a heavy cigarette habit; he was preoccupied by a strange strain of socialism, which allows him to finish one entry with a call for action on the part of the workers and begin the next with an account of a tour through France, eating at three-star Michelin restaurants all the way; and he was rather excessively waylaid by a spanking-based dalliance with a mistress. That he managed to eke out portions of 'The Sound of Two Hands Clapping' and the profiles collected in 'Show People' is, on the evidence of the diaries, something of a miracle.
The diaries themselves make for very entertaining reading. There is plenty of celebrity gossip and, as befits writing not meant for public consumption, a good deal of invective. Sir Peter Hall, referred to throughout as 'P. Hall' is dealt with particularly harshly, and the relationship between Laurence Olivier and Tynan is fraught with ambiguity. There is also Tynan's almost comical political naivete; while there is certainly much that can be said for socialism and sexual liberation, Tynan's blatant hypocrisy (there are several references to his employing servants and nannies) and his very middle-class hatred of anything at all tainted by being middle-class, does not make for a convincing advertisement. I can only imagine how awful his 'spanking film', which he spends several years trying to find backers for, would have been. But these are, believe it or not, minor cavils, and actually add to the enjoyment of looking over Tynan's shoulder as he unburdens himself of his daily thoughts. (He certainly does not let himself off lightly, frequently despairing over his lassitude.) And the concluding entries, shadowed as they are by the reader's (and Tynan's) knowledge of his imminent death, are genuinely moving. I trust and hope there is more Tynan to be reissued soon. He's a fine companion.
Rip roaring!.......2001-11-20
To paraphrase another wit: This is some of the best fun you can have with your clothes still on. Was Kenneth Tynan the most sophisticated and intelligent critic of his generation? It's hard to think that he wasn't, especially after reading these diaries. Not only does he give you a grand notion of what theater can be, but he also gives you a guided tour of the international theater scene in the late twentieth century. What a grand tonic his intellectually sharp viper tongue is in these days of spineless critics. Bravo!
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Diaries of Kenneth Tynan
Manufacturer: BLOOMSBURY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GOX2D2 |
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