Customer Reviews:
A Finely Woven Tapestry.......2001-01-22
De Wohl's effort to portray the last days of our Lord's life through the eyes of a somewhat callous and hardened Roman centurian, Longinus, is wonderfully played out in this novel.
De Wohl does justice to many of our biblically familiar characters (i.e., Martha, Mary, Caiaphas). This novel is well researched and will take you back in time to get a glimpse of the social and political climate in which the Son of Man entered history and changed it forever.
The story of the crucifixion is compelling in and of itself. De Wohl's best credit is that he doesn't ruin it. He lets the story evolve and he does not indulge in the temptation that most, I gather, would have in writing about God. He doesn't purport to know the mind of Christ.
Buy the book. It is a clear and orthodox presentation of Our Lord which every person would benefit from reading. Christian, non-Christian, protestant, Catholic; all will enjoy this novel.
Good, but...........2000-11-10
The writing is excellent, the plot is well thought out and tied together, it's historically accurate. Overall, one of the best Christian fiction pieces I've read--right up until the end.... It would be a 5, if it weren't for the emphasis on Peter as the 'leader of the Apostles' and Mary at the end, which begins to smack of Catholic lore, rather than fiction wrapped around true events.
De Wohl's masterpiece.......1999-09-05
This is the best novel that deals with Christ's life, death, and Resurrection that I've ever read. It's solidly, unabashedly orthodox and pulls together the Gospel accounts in a brilliant weave of history and imagination. Unlike other novels of the genre, it doesn't try to "explain away" the supernatural... it simply presents it and invites the reader to believe. But it also does not attempt to enter into either the mind of the God-Man Jesus Christ or his immaculately conceived mother Mary. Although HIDDEN VICTORY by Fr. Herbert Smith, S. J., does an admirable job of trying to understand what God and the Blessed Virgin Mary may have thought and felt, I also appreciated De Wohl's implicit understanding that such a task is impossible. While the meditation might be fruitful, it is also something to approach cautiously.
This is why I think De Wohl's technique of presenting the story from St. Longinus' point of view, rather than Christ's or Mary's, works so well. Here is someone like ourselves, sinful as we are sinful, who tries to grasp the cosmic events swirling around him. When, by God's grace, he is brought to belief, we cheer and see our own struggles reflected in his while praying for the same triumph that he experienced.
All this sounds very lofty. I hope I haven't scared off people who are simply looking for an entertaining novel. Those people will find such a novel in THE SPEAR, but they will also find so much more!
Powerful, realistic portrayal of a man's journey to faith..........1999-06-09
I was moved by this beautifully written story of Longinus, the Roman soldier believed to have been present at Christ's crucifixion. Not only is this an interesting look at Rome and Israel 2,000 years ago, but it is most importantly a powerful story of Longinus' conversion from a bitter, revenge-driven man to a repentent, joy-filled soul. Inspiring, and a very good read!
An eye-witness account of the crucifixion.......1998-11-14
Cassius Longinus is a man searching for ...something. He is not sure what. He does not believe in the Roman gods, but he knows he should believe in something. He lives for revenge and he lives for the love of two women and somehow it isn't enough. The elusive Yesua (Jesus)seems to bewitch everyone who comes in contact with Him. Cassius avoids Him until after the crucifixion. This novel is exciting and has some romance and also makes you think. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
Poisoned plums, a cryptic scroll picture, passionate love letters, and a hidden murderer with a penchant for torturing and killing women lead Judge Dee to the heart of the Governor’s garden maze and the answers to three interwoven mysteries. The Chinese Maze Murders represents Robert van Gulik’s first venture into writing suspense novels after the success of Dee Gong An, his translation of an anonymous Chinese detective novel from the sixteenth century.
Customer Reviews:
very fun, very unrealistic.......2007-09-04
I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them. However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing. The truth is almost the exact opposite.
If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had no consistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior. The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.
Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace. The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed. For serious offenses against the state, thousands of families could all be executed.
Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court. In reality, this was never done (as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court). Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.
Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc). They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times. It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal. They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.
The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normallyeuphemism - binding their feet). From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also. 10% of girls probably died from this treatment.
Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.' A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.
We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times. In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art. But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.
So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.
A favorite Judge Dee mystery.......2007-04-18
Judge Dee is a very busy magistrate in "The Chinese Maze Murders." At one point in his whirlwind of activity he wearily tells his trusty lieutenants he can't believe "that it is only one week since we arrived here in Lan-fang!" Indeed, even before Judge Dee and his three wives, children, household and judicial assistants, and four carts can arrive in the border city that is his new assignment, they are accosted by ruffians. Then, in Lan-fang, they discover a strongman and his brigade in control of the city, and the judge must use his wits and his four loyal men to depose the outlaws. As Judge Dee maneuvers to exert his rightful authority, he reckons with the inheritance issues of a recently deceased governor whose property includes a hundred-mile maze; investigates a locked-room murder of a renown general; and searches for a missing, possibly kidnapped young girl. Not to mention attending to his normal tribunal duties on the bench and defending against imminent attack by foreign soldiers whose leaders sense an opportunity to seize Lan-fang. When does Judge Dee get to sleep? As the author himself notes, "The magistrate is a permanently overworked official."
Robert Van Gulik wrote a series of Judge Dee mysteries in the mid 1900s. "The Chinese Maze Murders" was first published in 1957, and, true to the author's intent, it "gives a general idea of Chines court procedure" in the 7th century. In fact, a real crime-detecting "Judge Dee" existed: Ti Jen-chieh (630-700 AD). Before Van Gulick authored these and other fictional exploits of "Judge Dee," he translated an 18th-century Chinese novel entitled, "Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee." The three main crime plots in "The Chinese Maze Murders" are borrowed from 16th-century collections according to Van Gulik.
"The Chinese Maze Murders" is an intricate weave of suspense, excitement, shrewd puzzle detection, political intrigue, and human psychology. Certain sexual themes and the judicial tortures and executions described in the book designate this a mystery for mature readers.
It's good to see a new edition being released. The attractive, colorful art work on the cover is an eye-catcher, while the black and white illustrations throughout the text remain those the author himself drew to punctuate the story. A nice copy to own, read and re-read.
chinese culture fan.......2005-09-25
This book, offers a glimpse into chinese culture, which is the reason I enjoyed it.
Learning about China through detective stories.......2005-07-19
I like detective stories and detectives, from Sherlock Holmes to Wallander. However, I have grown tired of the usual Western settings, and fed up with squalor for squalor's sake, or even for the sake of proving one's literary talents.When I came across in an Italian translation the French novels by the Tran Nhut sisters, I realized that detective novels can be an effective means for learning about new cultures, countries, ages, civilizations. I quickly came to suspect that the Tran Nhut's main investigator, mandarin Tan, was a variant of an original sleuth, but who was he? Well, I soon found out by reading an interview with the Tran Nhut sisters, who candidly refer to Rober van Gulik's Judge Dee. Van Gulik's style is quaint and amazingly precise in the description of buildings, furniture, and vegetation. One does have the feeling of having left the slums of any Western city for good, no longer is the depressed reader led to identify with an even more depressed character like Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander. Judge Dee is consciencious, high minded, and rather inscrutable. He is often busy with many other administrative and political problems, crime being only one sector of his multifarious duties. The whole of Imperial China opens up for us in this novel, including a contrast between Taoism and Confucianism.
great story from a dark age.......2005-01-23
Of the fairly extensive Judge Dee-series, 'The Chinese Maze Murders' comes out as one of the best. Written in 1956 by Robert Van Gulik, Dutch diplomat and scientist on ancient China. His Judge Dee is a 20th-century copy of a Chinese magistrate who lived from 630-700. Old Judge Dee had a reputation for solving complicated crimes, and thus lived on in Chinese folk tales for many ages afterwards. Van Gulik's Judge Dee-plots partly come from these tales.
'The Chinese Maze Murders' takes us back to the provincial town of Lan-Fang. Situated far away, at the huge Chinese Empire's north western border. Judge Dee, newly arriving there, has been appointed its magistrate. He gets into trouble rightaway, and has to deal with three complicated crimes on top of that. All set in Chinese society around the year 680.
As usual, Van Gulik extensively explains the ways Judge Dee solves his crimes. He takes them on bit by bit, so by ending this book their logic complexities will be fully clear to you. After a delightful read. You'll be impressed by the ingenious way Van Gulik has set up his plot.
Book Description
Tales there are of ancient Nithia, a city buried in the sand for countless generations. And there is a statues, it is whispered, in a building in these forbidden ruins, carved from an impossibly huge pearl: the treasure of a lifetime.This is Conan's quest--the treasure with which he can achieve anything.But others have heard the whispers that tell of the statue, this Grim Grey God: Jade, the mysterious empress of the thieves' guild; Toj, the most deadly assassin of Hyborea; and two of the most dangerous necromancers alive. These last seek the statue not for it fortune, but for its power--the power to end the reign of light and begin the rule of darkness. Only Conan dares to stand against them......But he is too late?
Customer Reviews:
Best non Howard conan i have ever read!!!.......2006-07-07
This book is action packed like a previous review said "i never wanted to put it down". Its also got some hyborian history about the fall of the powerful acheron emrpire. Definitly recomend this book.
Good But Not Great.......2000-05-15
While I enjoyed the book (it was quick and entertaining escape), it was not the author's best effort. Do not get me wrong, the book is a fun read. However, I did not think the bad guys were particularly well developed, and Conan's character seemed to flip-flop between being an ale-swilling loser to being a hard-fighting barbarian with a conscience (in my opinion, its always better for a real "good guy" to win). Go ahead and read this book, but then read "Conan The Destroyer."
I never wanted to put it down........1999-10-19
One of the best books I've ever read in my life. It kept me reading it, I never wanted to put it down.
An Admirable Howard Pastiche.......1997-12-02
Many have come along in the years since Robert E. Howard created his heroic character Conan to continue the Conan legacy. Though none have matched Howard's vivid portrayals of the distant legendary past with Howard's genius for brevity and clarity, many have still created enjoyable stories. Among these is Sean Moore's latest novel. The story is engaging and moves rather quickly. And Moore does a nice job of creating plots within plots. The mixing of sword and sorcery in this book is also well balanced. The only disappointment was the weak ending. The story wrapped up far too quickly and the "bad' guys were beaten too easily. Finally, the editor of the book could have done a better job at catching the several typos and grammatical mistakes. If you like the Conan mythos, you should enjoy this novel.
Book Description
This is the first book to systematically explore the biological psychological causes of eating disorders and how to control them using the principles of rational emotive therapy (RET) and cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT).
The Art and Science of Rational Eating teaches RET principles of unconditional self- acceptance; how to always accept and endorse oneself--even when some eating or other behaviors are self-defeating. This is the path toward successful self-control and weight control.
Albert Ellis, Ph. D., the originator of RET and CBT, has worked closely with associates Micheal Abrams, Ph. D., and Lidia Dengelegi, Ph. D., to develop this unusual self-help book devoted especially to eating disorders. It is a needed self-help book for those suffering from bulimia and anorexia.
Customer Reviews:
The content of this book does not match the description.......2006-04-08
The message of this book is that most human beings are genetically predetermined to be fat by the current standards of society( there is a lot of truth to this). You can try to lose weight, but you will most likely fail to keep it off, so you are better off not trying to lose weight and accepting yourself as you are. Should you be foolish enough to try, the authors offer some diet tips mixed in with REBT (cognitive therapy) all while reminding you that failure is likely.
The authors only give the reader examples from their weight control therapy groups of people who try to lose weight and fail. The examples that are painted in a positive light are patients who decide that losing weight is not worth the discomfort and who learn to accept being heavy. People who try to be fit are painted as being shallow and wasting their time on a triviality.
The authors claim to know a lot about nutrition, dieting and fitness. Yet, they recommend going on extremely low calorie diets because they think seeing fast results will keep people motivated. It is believed that crash diets are responsible for the yo-yo effect they decry and contributes to raising body weight set points. The authors also minimize regular exercise as a fat loss tool, claiming it helps a little, and is good for health, but it doesn't contribute much to serious weight loss. No wonder so many of their patients give up on trying to lose fat and focus on acceptance.
The book has an interesting discussion about bigotry and the bigotry against heavy people.
I believe people who read the front cover of this book where "The sensible, sure-fire way to lose unwanted pounds" is printed will be disappointed. The contents of this book do not match the descriptions of it. This book is not a manual for making weight loss work. This book is about calling into question why people try to lose weight and encouraging people not to do so.
If you are interested in learning to use REBT(cognitive therapy) as a tool for learning how to have better eating habits "How To Stick To A Diet" by Windy Dryden is a far better choice.
Dr. Abrams is the man!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2004-07-17
I was lucky enough to take an Abnormal psychology class with Dr. Abrams. He is a strong believer in REBT. I was also fortunate to be given this book as a gift. Being the know-it-all that I am when it comes to fitness, i was hesitant to read this book. The authors do an excellant job in something that no fitness book(at least that I have read) has done before, and that is tackle the mental aspect of long-term fitness and health. I found the book very helpful in helping me to change my irrational thinking. I strongly urge anyone on the quest to look and feel better about themselves to pick up this book.
A classic.......2000-01-16
I recently picked up a copy of this book because of my interest in the work of Ellis. Apparently Abrams and Dengelegi are terrific researchers. They have added alot of clearly presented biological research to the work. Excellent.
Well researched book on the psychology of eating.......1997-05-06
Although not a "diet" book per se this is the best in that category. Rather than provide the right way to eat, it demonstrates through extensive research that body weight is the result of a complex interplay of biological and behavioral factors. The authors first seek to teach self-acceptance, then the rational-emotive/cognitive behavioral methods to maximize self-regulation. The case vignettes presented throughout the book both add to its entertainment value and its applicability
Average customer rating:
- Read for the writing, not the recipes
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Hors D'Oeuvre and Canapes: The Classic Edition
James Beard
Manufacturer: Quill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Appetizers
| Meals
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0688042260 |
Customer Reviews:
Read for the writing, not the recipes.......2001-05-27
Unfortunately, the recipes in this book haven't aged well. I imagine that they would have been a big hit--in 1947. But get this book just to read Beard's thoughts on food and preparation. It's not at the level of his later books, but still enjoyable.
Book Description
Includes a brief description of each item with production date and significant variations. Pricing information is provided for numerically listed items in good, excellent, or new condition. Features the hobby's most accurate pricing data, compiling information from numerous sources around the country. Offers tips about how and where to buy toy trains, and insuring your collection
Covers Lionel's OO, O, Standard, and 2-7/8" gauge and large scale trains. Photo section features significant new products. Features a convenient, lay-flat binding.
Customer Reviews:
Essential Price Guide.......2007-03-02
When it comes to concise and easy to use price guides to Lionel Trains I have found Greenberg's Guides to be invaluable. It breaks the catalogue numbers down into eras or distinct ranges of years of production and lists price ranges based on condition in a very orderly fashion. If you sell or buy on eBay this is a valuable tool. Greenberg's Lionel Trains Guides and publications are all first rate and come highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
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Greenburgs American Flyer Pocket Price Guide 1946 2005
Manufacturer: Kalmback Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Reference
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Toys
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Model Trains
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0897785282 |
Book Description
Provides collectors with current market prices for American Flyer trains produced between 1946 and 2005. Includes a brief description of each item with production date and significant variations. Pricing information is provided for items in good or excellent condition.
Includes prices for other prominent S gauge manufacturers (S-Helper Service and American Models).
Book Description
Linda Crowsey Over the past 32 years, the popularity of this annual price guide has grown, and it's now one of our top-selling doll books. Each year Linda Crowsey, long-time collector and author of our popular Madame Alexander Store Exclusives Limited Editions, updates values and listings and adds new color photographs to produce a completely revised book. The alphabetical listings include nearly every Madame Alexander doll, and the newest store specials - issues from Belk Legget Department Stores, Madame Alexander Doll Club Convention dolls and those exclusive to members only, Neiman-Marcus dolls, QVC/Home Shopping Network exclusives, United Federation of Doll Clubs, and many more. All of the Alexander favorites remain, with updated prices given for the classic Cissy, Little Women, Wendy, Scarlett O'Hara, Alexander-Kins, and Ballerina dolls, plus hundreds more. The sizes, dates, outfits, and current values given for every doll listed, as well as the representative sampling of sharp color photographs, assist the collector in identification. This book is an indispensable volume for every collector and is sure to continue to be one of our most popular doll titles.
Customer Reviews:
Madame Alexander: 2005 Collector's Dolls Price Guide (Madame Alexander Collector's Dolls Price Guide).......2006-03-20
Excellent, concise, up-to-date
Average customer rating:
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Powersports 2005: here's looking at you.(Editorial): An article from: Powersports Business
Joe Delmont
Manufacturer: Ehlert Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Sports
| Subjects
| Books
| Baseball
| Basketball
| Biographies
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Coaching
| Extreme Sports
| Football (American)
| General
| Golf
| Hiking & Camping
| Hockey
| Hunting & Fishing
| Individual Sports
| Miscellaneous
| Mountaineering
| Other Team Sports
| Racket Sports
| Rodeos
| Soccer
| Softball
| Training
| Water Sports
| Winter Sports
Industry
| Automotive
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Sports
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
Sports
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B00081WCNY
Release Date: 2005-08-01 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Powersports Business, published by Ehlert Publishing Group on December 27, 2004. The length of the article is 755 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Powersports 2005: here's looking at you.(Editorial)
Author: Joe Delmont
Publication:
Powersports Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 27, 2004
Publisher: Ehlert Publishing Group
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Page: 6(1)
Article Type: Editorial
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Powersports Business, published by Thomson Gale on September 25, 2006. The length of the article is 495 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Powersports Business 2005 winners and losers.(FINANCIAL)(sporting goods industry)(Statistical table)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
Powersports Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 25, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 9
Issue: 13
Page: S62(1)
Article Type: Statistical table
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Toys & Prices is the most highly regarded value guide for toy
collectors; this revised and updated 2005 edition will be in
fierce demand! This comprehensive annual price and
identification guide features 31,000 listings for toys from the
post WWII era to present, and now contains the most
comprehensive listing of toys ever assembled. Inside,
collectors will find everything from tin wind-ups to Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Every chapter contains new listings, expanded information,
and updated prices from the foremost toy experts from around
the country. This edition offers collectors up-to-date pricing
for their favorite toys as well as accurate, detailed listings, and
more than 2,000 photographs for easy identification. This is
the guide toy collectors and dealers have been waiting for.
Customer Reviews:
12th Edition Toys & Prices 2005.......2005-10-09
This was a complete disappointment. They reduced the size of the book from 8 ½" by 11" to 7" by 10". This in itself is not so bad, but they reduced all the information in this book as well. They no longer cover any antique toys at best they only deal in vintage / classic toys. If your ideas of antique toy cars are Red Line Hotwheels you will like this book. If you are looking for Aircraft, American Paper Toys, Animal Drawn, Banks, Dollhouses and Miniature Furniture, Erector Sets, Farm Toys, Lionel Trains, Movie, Radio & Television Toys, Ramp Walkers, Schoenhut, Ships, Soldiers, Sparklers and Plunger Toys, Steam Toys, Wooden Toys, Cast Iron Vehicles and anything else before the 60's forget it! This has been reduced to nothing more than a baby boomer's toy guide. If you enjoy Antique Toy World, this book is not for you! If you like Toy Shop Magazine, well that is all this is. If you own the 11th Edition of Collecting Toys, hold on to it and get a second copy before you waste your money on this dreadful price guide.
Thought it would be better updated.......2005-08-12
I really thought this book would have been better updated from the previous year. It said it was...but not for the items I really wanted. And alot of the pricing was the exact same price as last year. I must say I was disapointed! :-(
The BEST guide for your die cast prices and values! .......2005-07-21
Has the best variety of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars as well as other diecast toy vehicles. Easy to use and understand. I highly recommend this book.
ALWAYS A FAVORITE.......2005-02-18
The Krause book of Toys and Prices has long been a favorite of mine. It is comprehensive, layed out well in its format and sections, as well as providing informative information on the hobby or business of toy collecting. Each year Krause does a better job of including more modern day toys as there are so many companies now producing toys specifically for a collectors market. Like any good book the Krause guide provides manufacturer, year and of course condition based prices.
While No one guide can ever be totally comprehensive, Krause is one I buy every two years or so along with the Schroeder toy price guide. Those two I think provide the best wealth of information and accuracy of any toy price guides.
Considered to be the toy bible for serious collectors.......2005-02-08
Browse through favorite childhood toys and learn just how much they're worth now in the new twelth edition offering the latest updates in what is justifiably considered to be the toy bible for serious collectors and antique dealers -- Toys & Prices 2005. While small black and white photos and a sampling of color photos are included, the meat of Toys & Prices 2005 lie in alphabetically arranged listings organized into 23 main categories, from games and lunch boxes to space toys and more. Three price ranges reflect different condition ratings: especially valuable considering it's a medium which typically is difficult to preserve from young players.
Average customer rating:
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Designing a Place Called Home:Reordering the Surburbs
James Wentling
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Residential
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Home Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0412991918 |
Average customer rating:
- "USED" IN THE BEST SENSE OF THE WORD
- A passionate buyer with a conscience
- A fine memior!
- Simon Callow is a pretty remarkable writer
- I aggree with "Opportunity is where it knocks"
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Love Is Where It Falls: Ths Story of a Passionate Friendship
Simon Callow
Manufacturer: Fromm Intl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Humor
| Movies
| Music
| Performing Arts
| Pop Culture
| Puzzles & Games
| Radio
| Sheet Music & Scores
| Television
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Theatre
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0880642572 |
Amazon.com
In the summer of 1980, actor Simon Callow met the legendary playwrights' agent Peggy Ramsay--it was love at first sight. A strange sort of love, given that it was "between a 70-year-old woman and a 30-year-old gay man, and was never going to be consummated physically," as Callow succinctly puts it. But love it was--an intense, passionate affair that lasted several years during which Ramsay showered Callow with gifts, spiritual and material, despite his continuing relationship with his Egyptian lover, Aziz Yehia.
Like creatures from a bygone era, Ramsay and Callow were bold, huge personalities, their almost daily letter writing filled with histrionic emotion and grandiose discoursing on art and life. Callow manages to turn the letters into an elegant, riveting narrative, exploring the complex triangle between himself, Ramsay, and Aziz; Aziz's depression and eventual suicide; the affair's inevitable cooling off; and Ramsay's decline into dementia and ultimate death with a remarkable lack of sentimentality. Reading the openhearted love letters of an intensely private and at times vulnerable woman makes for some discomfort, but there is no doubting Callow's love and tenderness for his irascible subject, nor the sincerity of his emotion for her and his enduring respect and responsibility for her memory. --Alan Stewart
Book Description
"A magnificent memoir . . . a poignant, gut-wrenching, and intimate story of a remarkable relationship . . . captured brilliantly in [Simon] Callow's exquisite style . . . When Callow met Peggy Ramsay, the celebrated agent, they made an instant soul-deep connection, which was inexplicable to all . . . Considering Ramsay's age (she was at least 70 when they met) a love affair was extremely unlikely. However, passion runs a mysterious course . . . In addition to being a prolific and talented film and stage actor, Callow is also a marvelous writer. Already having authored a masterful biography of Orson Welles, Callow approaches the genre of autobiography in this poignant and touching work. The story is a breathtaking real-life fairy tale of love, anguish, life, and death." (Booklist (starred review))
Customer Reviews:
"USED" IN THE BEST SENSE OF THE WORD.......2001-05-16
I sat down last night to read a chapter or two of this book that had been recommended to me for over a year. I literally could not put it down and finished it 6 hours later, at 5:00 a.m. It is, quite simply, one of the most moving, beautifully and tenderly and honestly written memoirs I've read in years.
How does one describe a true, deep friendship? What makes it work and what makes it fall apart from time to time? London-1980: Callow, thirty years old (an actor at the beginning of an impressive career) met possibly the most important influence in his life: the seventy year old Margaret (Peggy) Ramsay, the internationally known, respected, feared and beloved theatrical agent.
What follows are the special fireworks of their loving friendship until Ramsay's painful, ugly, difficult death from cancer.
A knowledge and/or love of contemporary British theatre could only add to your enjoyment of this book, but anyone who has lived through an impossible love or friendship with a larger-than-life partner; anyone who has known and lost true love; anyone who enjoys reading beautifully fashioned prose--will treasure this book.
I, frankly, do not understand the reviewers below who feel that Callow shamefully "uses" Ramsay in this tribute to her and their relationship. Isn't that what lovers and dear friends do? Don't we all use each other? And get used by our partners? Not USED UP, mind you. But "used" in the best sense. Isn't that what we're here for? To take chances, risk hurt and be used by those we love? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
A passionate buyer with a conscience.......2000-05-04
Perhaps some of my fellow reviewers will consider me not only lacking in conscience, but also misguided and over emotional! I have literally just finished Simon Callow's book and feel compelled to write about it. I purchased my copy after I saw the play by Alan Plater currently running in London's West End, starring Mauren Lipman as Peggy Ramsay. I am half way through my life and this is the first time that a book (prose) has ever reduced, or rather heightened me to tears. I caught nothing of the author's opportunism, but only discovered that there are people who have a passion for life and love in all its many guises and whilst it is clear that many seem suspicious of such depths of feeling or indeed may deny its existence, this book serves as an inspiration and affirmation to those of us who may be deemed foolish enough to recognise and pursue it.
A fine memior!.......2000-04-05
A great writer and talent. This book is also a great memior ofLondon's theatrical scene. Simon didn't use Peggy and Peggy didn't useSimon. Rather, this work is a wonderful testament to a very close and very personal friendship. They were kindred spirits who shared so much in common. Peggy loved art and loved life and part of her mission was to educate Simon and pass her talents and knowledge onto him. This is at once a riveting and at times sad and melancholy piece of writing. Callow really brings Peggy to life and having been to London and being familiar with the West End I could really identify with this work. It paints a fascinating portrait and provides an exclusive insight into London's literary, artistic and theatrical scene. This is a finely tuned and astute piece of work and Callow should be congratulated on producing a sensitive, emotional and beautiful homage to a woman who was indeed talented, strong and influential.
Simon Callow is a pretty remarkable writer.......2000-01-23
Well, a book is a book, so I feel rather inclined to not include ethics in my review; after all, this is a memoir, and once we open the page, we open into an intensely private and personal world that, in a way, we are privileged to be in. Simon Callow is pretty much a remarkable writer, executing the events in the book with a sort of charm and also a keen observant pen, depicting situations and emotions so we may feel them also. I personally found this book touching and large-hearted, and I think that all these negative remarks about Mr. Callow is only relevant in making us dislike him, instead of helping us to decide whether or not to buy the book.
I aggree with "Opportunity is where it knocks".......1999-11-02
I was nauseous from reading this book. I ditto the comments of "opportunity is where it knocks." This book was so obscene in that Callow used so many people to get ahead. Waited util they died to capitalize on them. Callow is a creep.
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