Average customer rating:
- Historical Novel About Eastern Europe From Pre WWII to the end of The War
- A Disapointing Read
- Deeply satisfying human drama
- The panorama of wartime intrigue
- Night Soldiers: A novel
|
Night Soldiers: A Novel
Alan Furst
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Popular Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Book Clubs
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Polish Officer: A Novel
-
Dark Star: A Novel
-
Kingdom of Shadows
-
The Foreign Correspondent: A Novel
-
The World at Night: A Novel
ASIN: 0375760008
Release Date: 2002-07-09 |
Book Description
Bulgaria, 1934. A young man is murdered by the local fascists. His brother, Khristo Stoianev, is recruited into the NKVD, the Soviet secret intelligence service, and sent to Spain to serve in its civil war. Warned that he is about to become a victim of Stalin’s purges, Khristo flees to Paris. Night Soldiers masterfully re-creates
the European world of 1934–45: the struggle between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia for Eastern Europe, the last desperate gaiety of the beau monde in 1937 Paris, and guerrilla operations with the French underground in 1944. Night Soldiers is a scrupulously researched panoramic novel, a work on a grand scale.
Customer Reviews:
Historical Novel About Eastern Europe From Pre WWII to the end of The War.......2007-08-10
The author writes very authoritatively and realisticially about events leading up to WWII beginning in 1934 and continuing till the end of the war. The main character was Khristo Stoianev, a young Bulgarian whose younger brother was murdered by a group of local fascists. Khristo was recruited into the NKVD and subsequently sent to Spain as an agent. He began to become disillusioned with Soviet politics and moved to Paris to try to live a normal life as a waiter. But, once involved in espionage it's not easy to break away. He was imprisioned as a result of a purge. But released by a Priest. He was thus free to return to his homeland and attempt along the way to cause problems for both the Germans and Russians. The key message I got from the interesting read was how the original idealism faded away with reality. A worthwhile read.
A Disapointing Read.......2007-05-13
Based on the good reviews from Amazon readers, I was really looking forward to this novel. Unfortunately, it is very long winded and boring. I resorted to skimming the text just to get through with the book.
Deeply satisfying human drama .......2007-02-22
Alan Furst's Night Soldiers, takes us first to 1934 Bulgaria, where 19-year-old Khristo Stoianev witnesses his younger brother being beaten to death by local fascists simply for being a smart-aleck. As a result, Khristo allows himself to be recruited to go to Moscow and train with the NKVD, the Soviet spy service.
Though intelligent and thoughtful, Khristo has almost no real power over his own life. Instead, he is buffeted through the conflicts of his time, serving the Soviet cause in the Spanish Civil War, struggling to find love and dignity in pre-war Paris, and surrendering to the inevitability of fighting the Germans as part of the French Resistance. Finally taking a gamble on the meaning of friendship and his past, he journeys through the heart of eastern Europe to help an old friend and perhaps regain his own humanity.
Night Soldiers is episodic in plot, with each episode in Khristo's life only loosely linked to that which came before. Through no fault of his own, Khristo seldom drives the events of the story, and is instead often the victim of the unseen forces of history. The book's central weakness is that the many people who touch Khristo's life are not nearly as well defined as they should be, robbing the story of some of the emotional impact that it could have had.
Yet Night Soldiers is a superior book. I'm not familiar enough with the period to know whether Furst made any historical boo-boos, but I doubt it. I felt deeply immersed in the real history and geography in each of the many different settings of the novel; I feel that if I traveled the Danube on a tugboat, I would see the shining mountains, river flotsam, and fishing villages at each turn of the river just as Khristo sees them on his final epic journey.
More importantly, Night Soldiers is deeply satisfying as a human drama. The exciting thriller aspects are certainly present, but they're secondary to the re-creation of one man's life emeshed in the great historical forces of the 20th century. Khristo seems real, one small human who finally stops trying to tell the good guys from the bad guys and simply puts it all on the line to be a decent human being.
The panorama of wartime intrigue.......2006-11-25
The first in Alan Furst's series of novels about ordinary people caught up in intrigues and espionage before and during WWII, NIGHT SOLDIERS is one of the longest of these books and often characterized as one of the best. The canvas is truly immense, encompassing village life in Bulgaria, France, and Bessarabia, not to mention Moscow, Seville, Madrid, Paris, New York, Prague, Budapest, and even life along the Danube. At the same time, Furst's command of fine historical and character detail is precise and thorough; it seems literally incredible that he knows so much about so many countries during a time in which he never lived. There are times when the novel becomes as berserk as a Hieronymous Bosch painting, given that there's not much really to tie everything together other than the central character of Khristo Stoiaev, a Bulgarian recruited to spy for the NKVD, the Maquis, and finally the OSS; the early sequences involving Khristo's training in the USSR are a bit dreary, and the final sequence along the Danube does seem to wear on quite a bit. The middle sections of the novel in revolutionary Spain, Paris on the eve of invasion, and the French countryside during the Occupation are absolutely engrossing, however, making the novel as a whole difficult to put down. I recommend this especially for readers interested in what it was like for non-military combatants to survive the second World War.
Night Soldiers: A novel.......2006-11-17
This is my third Furst novel while it has gotten great reviews from others I don't believe this is the best of the series but still good.
What I greatly enjoy about all of Furst novels set in this time period, just before and during the early days of WWII in Europe, is Furst puts a real human face on the average people of Western Europe, He clearly shows the confushion and denial among both the Western governments and their people as fascism took hold in Europe.
Furst's are worth reading as we debate our own "pre-war" and "early war days" in the first major conflict of the 21st Century.
Average customer rating:
|
The Uncanny X-Men #215 (Old Soldiers, Volume 1)
Chris Claremont
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
X-Men
| Characters
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Comic Strips
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Marvel
| Publishers
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000U540Q0 |
Product Description
The Uncanny X-Men issue #215. March 1987. Old Soldiers.
Average customer rating:
|
NIGHT SOLDIERS - A NOVEL
Manufacturer: HOUGHTON MIFFIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HI2D8W |
Book Description
Mrs. Jeffries and the rest of Inspector Witherspoon's staff must solve the murder of a ruthless businessman with a shady history.(Paperback Forum)
Customer Reviews:
Another smashing Upper Edmonton Gardens mystery!.......2005-11-04
This is quite a delightful series, and each little book is a gem in its own right. The characters are very real and believable, and they are what make the stories. After 17 or 18 books, I feel that I know these characters very well indeed, and I look forward to reading the next installment. In this book a man is found knifed on the step of an empty house that is not his own, and Inspector Witherspoon is symied as he tries to find a suspect as well as a motive. But his staff are on the job as usual, and even though it's almost too late when Mrs. Jeffries figures it out, they still manage to make it on time to prevent another murder. Come meet these warm and wondeful people, and you will enjoy them too.
I never thought I would love Victorian Mystery...boy was I wrong. .......2005-10-07
I always thought Victorian Mysteries were boring and stuffy with long drawn out plots. I am now eating my words! I loved this book. The peek into the life of a Victorian households help was wonderful. The added fun of watching them solve a mystery was just plain wonderful. Sherlock Holmes would have loved Mrs. Jeffries and her band of merry helpers!
Delightful Book.......2001-08-17
This is the first book I have read in the series, but I absolutely loved it and plan to read the others. The characters are very lovable and I enjoyed the Victorian England setting.
Great characterizations.......2001-06-13
Scotland Yard Inspector Gerald Witherspoon is a legend because he has solved every homicide case ever assigned to him. What no one knows, including the Inspector, is that his loyal staff of servants secretly assist him by obtaining information and serendipitously feeding it to him so he thinks he thought of it himself. Their loyalty is rewarded by how well he takes care of them, a radical departure for most Victorian households.
His latest case involves wealthy nabob Harrison Nye who goes out late one night following a dinner party. His corpse is found at the home of a woman who vanished two months ago. No one provides answers to why Harrison was there or what happened to the woman. It will take the combined forces of the Inspector, Mrs. Jeffries leading her staff and tons of blind luck to prevent any more murders from occurring, but even that may prove not enough.
MRS. JEFFRIES PINCHES THE POST is a fun to read amateur sleuth-police procedural tale due the varying personalities of each of the likable servants. This is one of the more complex who-done-its in this series because none of the facts tie together and clues seem scarce and not quite forthcoming. Emily Brightwell continues to brighten the well being of her fans with entertaining mysteries.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
Another smashing Upper Edmonton Gardens mystery!.......2005-11-04
This is quite a delightful series, and each little book is a gem in its own right. The characters are very real and believable, and they are what make the stories. After 17 or 18 books, I feel that I know these characters very well indeed, and I look forward to reading the next installment. In this book a man is found knifed on the step of an empty house that is not his own, and Inspector Witherspoon is symied as he tries to find a suspect as well as a motive. But his staff are on the job as usual, and even though it's almost too late when Mrs. Jeffries figures it out, they still manage to make it on time to prevent another murder. Come meet these warm and wondeful people, and you will enjoy them too.
I never thought I would love Victorian Mystery...boy was I wrong. .......2005-10-07
I always thought Victorian Mysteries were boring and stuffy with long drawn out plots. I am now eating my words! I loved this book. The peek into the life of a Victorian households help was wonderful. The added fun of watching them solve a mystery was just plain wonderful. Sherlock Holmes would have loved Mrs. Jeffries and her band of merry helpers!
Delightful Book.......2001-08-17
This is the first book I have read in the series, but I absolutely loved it and plan to read the others. The characters are very lovable and I enjoyed the Victorian England setting.
Great characterizations.......2001-06-13
Scotland Yard Inspector Gerald Witherspoon is a legend because he has solved every homicide case ever assigned to him. What no one knows, including the Inspector, is that his loyal staff of servants secretly assist him by obtaining information and serendipitously feeding it to him so he thinks he thought of it himself. Their loyalty is rewarded by how well he takes care of them, a radical departure for most Victorian households.
His latest case involves wealthy nabob Harrison Nye who goes out late one night following a dinner party. His corpse is found at the home of a woman who vanished two months ago. No one provides answers to why Harrison was there or what happened to the woman. It will take the combined forces of the Inspector, Mrs. Jeffries leading her staff and tons of blind luck to prevent any more murders from occurring, but even that may prove not enough.
MRS. JEFFRIES PINCHES THE POST is a fun to read amateur sleuth-police procedural tale due the varying personalities of each of the likable servants. This is one of the more complex who-done-its in this series because none of the facts tie together and clues seem scarce and not quite forthcoming. Emily Brightwell continues to brighten the well being of her fans with entertaining mysteries.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
It was impossible, Joanna knew. When she betrayed her lover Antryg Windrose to the Council, he had been sentenced to death. Then she had believed his brain was possessed by the Dark Mage Suraklin, though now she knew that Suraklin had chosen Gary Fairchild. But guilty or innocent, Antryg was separated from her by the awesome Void between the worlds, far from any hope of rescue.
Nevertheless, she had to save him. Suraklin was planning to gain immortality by placing his mind in a computer that would get its power by draining the life-force from all on both worlds, dooming everyone to eternal misery and hopelessness. And only Antryg was strong enough a wizard to challenge the Dark Mage.
Once again, Joanna dared the fearsome tunnel through the Void, praying desperately that Antryg still lived and that she could find help to free him. If not...But she refused to think of that.
Customer Reviews:
You wish you could invide them over for lunch!.......2004-06-02
OK. You pick up a book.
You open it.
The first sentence is:
"The worst thing about knowing Gary was dead was seeing him every day at work."
You want to know a little bit more, don't ya?
Of course you have to read the Silent Tower first, but you won't be bored.
Barbara Hambly is an excellent writer; she creates these Technicolor characters. They're priceless, detailed, 3-D and believable; I'd love to invite them over for lunch. (Especially Antryg; he's a corker. I can just see him waving his fork and expounding on turtle shells and Unreal Tournament and the Punic Wars and pretty much everything. I'd listen until my ears fell off.)
In general, this is an exciting espionage-ish book; they're wrecked, lost, captured, escaped, imprisoned, etcetera--you certainly won't be bored. It's a complex, highly plotted book, with lots of twists and surprises. She creates some very Lovecraftian monsters as well, so you can get some exercize by letting your flesh crawl. And you *have* to meet NineTenTwo, who looks like an H.R. Giger Alien but talks like a cardigan-wearing physics prof.
A Great Story! .......2004-03-02
Joanna has betrayed Antryg to torture, imprisonment, and horrific torment - and she's back in Los Angeles, a universe away and unable to help him. Gary, possessed by the dark mage, can open the void for her to cross and rescue Antryg - if she can follow.
What would YOU take with you if you were charging off to another world with the grand agenda of saving Antryg and stopping Suraklin from plunging both worlds into horrible, hopeless greyness forever to fuel his bid for immortality, once again constantly trying to evade capture, avoid monsters, and keep track of all the players?
This truly excellent novel wraps up the story begun in The Silent Tower. Never predictable, the tale is taut from start to finish as Joanna, Antryg, and a few surprising allies fight the good fight against staggering odds. It doesn't seem possible that they could win.
And what would it mean if they did?
Buy this book!
A slight correction to the description.......2003-12-20
The heroine does NOT have a worn computer disk. She has a worm program on a disk. This is important in the story.
My daughter and I love this book. Between us, we've gone through at least five paperback copies. The cover art for the paperback is absolutely fabulous and appropriate, too.
Amazing.......2001-10-28
This was the most amazing book I have read in ages - honestly. Hambly surpasses herself. A real tear-jerker. I ended up crying about 5 times in just the last few chapters. It absolutely screwed with my emotions, which is just how a like it, and a sure way to prove that I was living the book rather than reading it!
Read this book! Everyone! And enjoy it - I insist!
A great sequel to the Silent Tower.......2000-09-24
In The Silicon Mage Hambly continues the story of Joanna, a woman from Earth suddenly thrust into a treacherous world of dark magic and deadly danger. Joanna's task is to find her lover, the wizard Antryg, before the Dark Mage does. Sequel to The Silent Tower. Hambly's portrayl of the plight of the heroine is gripping and realistic. Great book!
Book Description
Following in the tradition of the bestselling Aunts, this delightful little volume offers an engaging, useful, nondenominational look at the role of godparents today. Written for anyone who is choosing godparents or has been asked to become one, Godparents is filled with fascinating tidbits, ranging from the history of godparenting, to the best gifts to give on various occasions, such as baptisms or naming ceremonies, and other important milestones in a godchild's life.
Customer Reviews:
Many Perspectives, Great Gift.......2007-07-14
We chose my sister-in-law to be our baby's godmother and she had some questions about what it entailed. I got this to pass along to her to answer some of her questions. This book covers many perspectives, from various religious veiwpoints to more secular ways of looking at godparenting. I found the personal accounts to be the most helpful in explaining how we felt about baptism and godparenting ourselves. I think this book could be helpful to anyone baptizing a child.
LOVED IT!.......2004-04-14
I received this book as a gift from my Godson and ended up purchasing it for my Godmother! It is written from the heart and is a delightful read.
PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR GODPARENTS.......2002-12-24
What a wonderful book -- a rich, fascinating history of the role of godparents, but written with a light, even funny touch. I got this for my daughter's godparents, and for my godchildren, and for my sister to give to her kids' godparents, and so on and so on. Thank you, author Michelle DeLiso, for pulling all this history and all these facts and so much wit together into such a great package.
Godparenting.......2002-12-15
Compact, informative book for someone expecting a baby and the role they would want a godparent to play; someone deciding whether or not to accept the responsibility of godparenting; or someone needing to re-address the role. The personal stories quoted in the book from godparents and godchildren were very touching.
A beautiful book........2002-12-14
I loved this book. It is well researched and provides wonderful information on the rituals and customs of introducing a baby into a family/community. It's a good read for the religious and non-religious as it covers all aspects of the subject. Tender stories from Godparents and Godchildren are woven into the book. You can get some good ideas on developing rituals and activities with your Godchild that become future cherished memories. It makes you stop and remember how precious an experience it is to Godparent a child. It is a delightful book to present as a gift to parents, Godparents, and Godchildren. A very good book!!
Customer Reviews:
The best darn Chinese Cook book.......2000-02-11
in english. Simply put it explains in plain english the basic philosophy the Chinese have towards food, cooking and meals. The recpies are simple but the underlying principles behind the recpies are clearly demonstrated thanks to Mike Nelson's drawings. I got a used copy for fifty cents. Good luck finding a copy.
Book Description
Breitling-one watch has made this name famous worldwide, the Navitimer. In 1952 this watch was a real sensation, for the chronograph along with the calculator made it possible for the pilot to carry out all necessary calculations during the flight. This made the Navitimer a valuable on-board instrument at that time, and a valuable collectible today. But Breitling did not develop watches just for pilots and aircraft industry. This book shows the whole spectrum of the firm's products since its founding in 1884, and gives the reader an informed insight into more than 100 years of the firm's history. Many photos, old catalogs and advertising material support the informative text. With the help of reference numbers, the collector can also locate individual watches chronologically. This fascinating portrait of the Breitling firm will enthrall all who appreciate fine mechanical precision.
Customer Reviews:
Hmm, I am not sure what to say?.......2007-08-18
I like watches and must admit I was a lttle disapointed. It has some nice pictures, but not much information.
It has too many pictures from the advertisers and sadly is very out of date now, but I will keep it.
Not sure what to say about this........2007-08-18
I was a little surprised by the book, it's now 12 years old and outdated, the pictures are all black and white, and it does not have much writing, I read it from cover to cover in about 1.5 hours. The pictures are good quality, although many are from Breitling advertisements.
It would be nice to see it updated, in color and have some history behind it. It does not explain anything about the Breitling Emergency watch, it just shows a picture! I was a little disappointed.
Great book on the greatest watch maker in the World........2007-08-14
Great book, nice pictures throughout. Every Breitling watch owner should bbuy a copy. Not much writing, that was a disapointment, but the pictures make up for that, although, they are only black & white.
Great Pictures and nice book.......2007-08-12
Some nice pictures in here. Not much writing, I seemed to flip throught it in about an hour.
Pictures are of very good quality, but all black & white, I would recommend if you are a collector, I think its a little out dated now.
Good Stuff.......2004-03-25
This has some good stuff, but it is for a mixed audience, so none may be fully satisfied. For horologists, there is a fair amount of movements shown, with many of them "exploded" to show all of their parts. For historians, there is a lot of good old-time advertising and photos. For collectors, of course, you get to see a whole bunch of the product line back over a hundred years ago. The price list is minimal and ten years out of date, so it is not as relevant, but not completely useless either. Still, not a bad offering.
Book Description
This beginning-to-advanced-level carving book provides three projects designed to teach the carving skills needed to recreate any flower. Starting with a morning glory, this guide offers step-by-step instructions on how to carve and texture the flower and ideas for creating a beautiful finish with paints. Also included are close-up photographs of real flowers showing the variations in bloom, petals, and leaf groupings, as is a detailed examination of the power tools a woodcarver needs to create realistic carvings, including the bits and burs, flexible shaft machines, handpieces, and dust collectors.
Average customer rating:
|
Carving Realistic Flowers
Manufacturer: L/C Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000EOEATY |
Average customer rating:
|
Casas y viviendas transparentes: Estructuras y elementos decorativos en cristal
Catherine Slessor
Manufacturer: Blume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Diseño de Casa
| Hogar y jardinería
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Diseño Interior
| Hogar y jardinería
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Automotriz
| Ciencias Sociales
| Crimen y Criminales
| Educación
| Estudios de la Mujer
| Feriados
| Filosofía
| Gobierno
| Hechos Verídicos
| Planeamiento Urbano y Desarrollo
| Política
| Sucesos de Actualidad
| Transportación
General
| Arquitectura
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Diseño Interior
| Arquitectura
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: 8495939053 |
Book Description
Examining recent developments in the relationship between glass and contemporary residential architecture since the early 20th century, this work looks briefly at the work of such innovators as John Lautner and Philip Johnson. An array of contemporary urban and rural houses in which glass plays a central role are presented, showing how glass integrates living spaces with local contexts, provides a strategy for interior illumination, and serves as an interior element in its own right. From a Mack Scogin Merrill Elam homestead in the wilds of Maine to a Parisian atelier by Damien Roland, the dwellings featured in these photographs present cutting-edge designs in all their diversity, as they celebrate this timeless medium.
Average customer rating:
|
Eighteenth-Century French Book Illustration: Drawings by Fragonard and Gravelot from the Rosenbach Museum and Library
Kimerly Rorschach
Manufacturer: Rosenbach Museum & Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fragonard, Jean-Honore
| ( D-F )
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Artists, A-Z
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Exhibition Catalogs
| Museums
| Museums & Collections
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0939084171 |
Product Description
Visitors to the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Phila. are amazed at the wealth of rare books, manuscripts, & works of art found within the walls of this small townhouse, maintained much as it was when the Rosenbach brothers lived here. Drawings by Fragonard & Gravelot, among other artists such as William Blake & Honore Daumier, decorate the wall of the second floor sitting room. This current exhibition has been organized to permit for the first time a detailed examination of several suites of drawings from the collection by Fragonard & Gravelot. Contents: Fragonard s Ariosto & Gravelot s Tasso: An Introduction; Gravelot s Working Method; History of the Drawings; Checklist of the Exhibition; & Illustrations.
Book Description
Anna Held (1870?-1918), the most popular musical comedy star in America during the two decades preceding World War I, epitomized everything that was glamorous, sophisticated, and suggestive about turn-of-the-century Broadway.
Famous as the first wife of legendary producer Florenz Ziegfeld, Held is less well-known as the brains and inspiration behind his Follies. Overcoming an impoverished life as an orphan to become a music-hall star in Paris, she rocketed to stardom in the U.S. From 1896-1910 she starred in hit after hit and quickly replaced Lillian Russell as the darling of the theatrical world.
Held's life was not without turmoil. She concealed her Jewish background and her resentful daughter (tucked away in European convents) and suffered through Ziegfeld's gambling problems and blatant affairs with showgirls.
After her divorce, Held returned to France. She braved the trenches to bring medical supplies and entertainment to the troops and was once briefly captured by the Germans. She returned to the U.S. to raise funds and star in one last show before dying of bone-marrow cancer one month before the armistice was signed.
With access to previously unseen family records and photographs, and careful research in libraries and archives, Eve Golden has uncovered the details of an extraordinary life. Anna Held and the Birth of Ziegfeld's Broadway reveals the truth about one of the most remarkable women in the history of theatrical entertainment.
Customer Reviews:
Great subject, but author in need of a good editor.......2001-05-06
Eve Golden's book about Anna Held is an enjoyable light read. She provides a wealth of information about one of our first media celebrities. I liked the subject of this book tremendously, but had a big issue with the editing, or rather, the lack of it. Specifically, I was distracted by the inclusion of material in parentheses on nearly every page. Sometimes the verbiage in the parentheses was additional information and other time it was author's commentary. This material should have been moved to endnotes, incorporated in the text, or in the case of author commentary, eliminated. It was so distracting, that everyime I turned a page I found myself scanning for the multiple parentheses first! Ms. Golden is not a bad writer. In fact she is quite good. But honestly, were all the parentheses necessary?
a great book.......2000-10-24
Those hoping for a trashy sensationalist bio from this author will be disappointed. That is not to say that they will not be entertained, enlightened and educated and even perhaps raise their future expectations of "show biz biographies". Ms.Golden's previous two biographies, on Jean Harlow and Theda Bara were witty, well-researched and humane investigations of two film figures whose public personas had been hidden behind decades of myth and melodrama. In Anna Held, Ms.Golden has rediscovered a figure in entertainment history who has been largely, and illogically forgotten. It is as if , in a century's time, Streisand had slipped from the public imagination. It would have been easy to write a melodramatic biography of Anna Held (her short life certainly justifies it) but Ms. Golden has gone deeper and placed her resolutely within her time, and therein lies the success of her book. Anna's times were turn-of-the-century Europe and the United States, and with her talent for bringing alive historical times, Ms.Golden presents a fascinating and insightful picture not only of Anna and the entertainment world she lived in, but of the bigger social context. want to know what the early days of motoring were really like? it's there. Want to know what wearing a corset actually entailed? It's there. Does this sound dry and over-scholarly? Fear not. Ms.Golden, known for her humorous column in Movieline magazine, has brought a dry and witty humour to Anna's story. Ms.Golden has, for this reader, achieved something really special: she has made me care deeply about an otherwise forgotten figure. Anna Held emerges from Ms.Golden's book alive and charming as all hell, and in doing so, the author has made a forgotten character unforgettable.
Interesting life of a forgotten star and her times.......2000-07-08
Not much has been written about the former music hall and vaudeville star, Anna Held, brought to fame in this country by Florenz Ziegfeld, and who turned out to be his first wife. I was surprised to learn of her early difficult childhood and her Jewish origins. Most interesting of all is how the author weaves in facts about the life in her times, especially early history of the automobile and of women's tortuous underwear, i.e. the corset! My lack of 4 or 5 stars is not for the content, but for the editor who missed a lot of spelling and syntax mistakes. It is a worthwhile read if you are interested in late 19th and early 20th century life and stage performers.
Fascinating look at the birth of Broadway..........2000-06-13
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Ms. Held's life and career as well as the development of Ziegfeld's Broadway. It is well-documented and researched but not the least bit dry--in fact, I couldn't put it down once I started. I highly recommend this book!
FEARLESS.......2000-04-25
I GREW UP HEARING ABOUT MY GREAT,GREAT AUNT ANNA HELD. THOUGH THE FAMILY HAD PRESENT DAY TONY AND EMMY WINNERS,ANNA ALWAYS HAD THE BIG BROWN EYES,THE TINY WAIST AND UNCLE FLO. UNTIL I READ THIS BOOK I ONLY KNEW THE FANTASY NOT THE FEARLESS .....ANNA HELD
Books:
- Nightingale's Lament: A Novel of the Nightside
- Our Lady of the Lost and Found: A Novel of Mary, Faith, and Friendship
- Payback Is A Mutha
- Phantom Waltz
- Philosophy Made Simple: A Novel
- PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives
- Pouring Light: Layering Transparent Watercolor
- Reading the Enemy's Mind : Inside Star Gate--America's Psychic Espionage Program
- Red Is for Remembrance
- Rubyfruit Jungle
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President
- Meet Me at Midnight
- Insect Pheromone Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: The Biosynthesis and Detection of Pheromones an
- Laboratory Manual for General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
- Landscape Painting Inside and Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio With Oils
- Organizational Behavior & SAL CDROM Pkg
- Murder, She Wrote: Destination Murder
- Aurora Place: Renzo Piano in Sydney
- Frei Otto, Complete Works: Lightweight Construction - Natural Design
- Lilith: A Metamorphosis