Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace (A Jennifer Scales Novel, Book 1)

Book Description

She knew that growing up would mean changing. But Jennifer wasn't prepared for the blue scales or the claws, since no one had told her that she came from a bloodline of weredragons. Her greatest challenge? Protecting herself from her family's ancient enemies and preparing herself for fierce battles. And that's a lot to expect of a girl just coming into her own.

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-12-31

Jennifer Scales is just like any other fourteen-year-old girl. She's going through some...changes. But it's all normal, right?

Not exactly. In JENNIFER SCALES AND THE ANCIENT FURNACE (don't let the title keep you away; it's not what it sounds like), Jennifer's parents tell her some...surprising news. She's going to be changing a lot more than most people do at her age. In fact, she's going to be getting scales, horns, and claws--at least some of the time. Jennifer is a weredragon, from her dad's side of the family (her mom never has a tail the way Jennifer and her father do), and her parents waited to tell her until the day of her first morph. Whenever there's a crescent moon, Jennifer, her father, her grandfather, and so many other seemingly normal people turn into dragons.

That gives Jennifer a lot to deal with. She's got her friends (who she can't tell), school, and, well, being a fourteen-year-old girl. She's got to put her life on hold, though, when she goes to her grandfather's farm to become a dragon, and learn the skills she needs for that (at first, even standing up is hard!). Jennifer (and all weredragons) also has some ancient enemies, though: beaststalkers (humans with the power to hunt weredragons) and werearachnids (people who turn into giant spiders every crescent moon). As if starting high school wouldn't be hard enough!

JENNIFER SCALES AND THE ANCIENT FURNACE is a fast-paced story that I read all in one sitting! The writing isn't particularly remarkable, but it's simple enough to keep the reader focused on the story. The characters all seem pretty realistic, if a bit removed from the narrative. The idea is pretty original--a great spin-off of the less original, and more often written about, idea of werewolves. MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi's writing allows the reader to easily suspend disbelief, and every bit of the story seems as if it could be happening right now, despite what common sense tells us.

This is a fantastic and unique young adult fantasy novel that every fantasy fan (and perhaps those new to fantasy) should read! If you do, you'll certainly want to pick up the next book in the series, Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light (Jennifer Scales Books).

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

Great new YA series.......2006-06-07

I loved it. Jennifer is a character that so many of us can relate to....even before she turns into a dragon. The dialogue is great and the characters are very real, something I like in my fantasy reads. I have a hard time relating to perfect and noble characters. I want my characters to have bad moods and hissy fits. Thanks to Ms. Davidson and Mr. Alongi for a great new addition to my classroom library.

Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace.......2005-12-04

This is a wonderful book! Great for teenagers and Adults. If you like Harry Potter - you must READ this book!!!

This book would make an excellent children's movie.......2005-11-19

SERIOUSLY!!! I found this book by accident. I read some of Mary Janice Davidson's adult books, but I never expected to find one in the young adult section. I will definitely re-read this book, but first, I have to get it back from the person to whom I loaned it!!! I can't wait for the next book!!!

If you like the Dragons in Our Midst series by Bryan Davis, you will love this book. Both start out with a similar premise: a teenager discovers that their dad is a dragon, making him (in this case "her") a halfling.

Jennifer, our heroine, begins to notice that something's wrong after she makes a game-saving kick during a school soccer game. At first, she assumes that everyone can jump, flip, and kick the winning score; however, she quickly learns otherwise when she finds out that her friends now think that she's on drugs.

When Jennifer actually turns into a dragon, she has to learn a whole new way of life, beginning with how to walk. Once she learns the basics and goes to dragon school, she becomes much more comfortable in her dragon skin. After she becoming somewhat competent, she participates in a brief successful quest and, with a little help, saves the day.

However, the story wasn't that simple. In order to function in the world, Jennifer had to quickly learn to accept who she is and come to terms with her parents. In REAL life, this doesn't happen until about age 22.

While Jennifer struggles to accept herself and her parents, she also has to deal with others' perceptions of her. By the end of the book, she finds out that, while she is miraculous and beautiful to some people, she is cursed and hideous to those she least expects. Jennifer faces betrayal and prejudice from some of her "friends" while she works to save her family. In the end, she discovers that HER perceptions of other people aren't always correct. After all, she didn't notice that her mom was a superhero, and she never knew that her grandfather was a bigot.

fabulous new young adult team.......2005-09-21

This is a wonderful book! The story line is entertaining and well thought out. The characters are interesting and well developed but most of all it's a fun read. Mary Janice Davidson is primarily known for her paranormal romance books (none of which you'd let your teenager read...well you shouldn't let your teenager read. I guess I can't speak for everyone.)This book has all of her strengths (humor and realistic dialogue)with none of her weaknesses (little or no description and an abrupt ending). Perhaps this is the influence of Anthony Alongi. The story reads nothing like anything Ms Davidson would have written on her own and the reader definitely benefits from Mr. Alongi's contributions to the book.
They have captured what it is like to be a teenager dealing with parents during a difficult time of your life. The teens act like teens and the parents act like parents. You can see and understand everyone's point of view. Often when writing for teens the parents are made out to be ogre's or so incredibly detached from their kids lives that you can't imagine having parents like that or being a parent like that. These are real people dealing with extraordinary circumstances.
It's witty, creative, well thought out fantasy. I can't wait until the next in the series comes out. YES! It's the 1st of what I hope is a long long series. The world deserves more fantasy written for intelligent teens that treats them like intelligent teens.

Amazon.com

Did you ever want your protagonist to make a citizen's arrest, but you didn't know the process? If the answer is yes, then turn to this volume from the Writer's Digest Howdunit series. It has all the information your sleuth needs for busting open the big case, including an overview on Internet hacking and descriptions of how real crime victims have solved their own cases. This book is recommended for mystery fans as well as scribes. I wish I had this back when I was reading those Encyclopedia Brown stories!

Customer Reviews:

Some good info.......2001-03-08

When I first started reading Amateur Detectives, I felt that it needed much more than it offered, however as I kept reading the book kept getting better and better. As the book starts off, it talks about the history of amateur detectives, which is specifically geared towards detective novelists. I found it fascinating to learn where some very established writers got their inspiration.

The biggest (and best) section of this book talks about state and federal weapon regulations. It talks about concealed fire arms as well. It was very interesting to read the different laws per state, and especially interesting to read about my own state. I really have learned a lot about the gun regulations. This section really makes up for the slow beginning of the book.

A vague analysis on amateur detectives.......2000-12-08

Elaine Raco Chase and Anne Wingate base the premise of this book as helpful based on the "one-must-do-one's-own-reading" premise; of the mystery novels we like, in order to write one of our own with believable characters and an interesting plotline. Although I totally agree with this suggestion, I can say this is hardly news for any serious writer of any genre. It is so how we are presented with a very extensive list of suggested reading, where all types of amateur detectives display their wit and wisdom (Chapter 1). I have found it very helpful indeed as reference for a bibliography on mystery novels. Later on, the book explains different laws for citizen's arrest in each and every one of the States of the Union. This is unfortunate (and very long), since it will only help you if you are setting your novel in the United States of America, making the book a prejudist one. The authors argue that whenever they requested information from other governments, they were ignored. I don't quite really know what to make of them as researchers.

A chapter that can summarize the first intention of the book is the one called "Resume of an amateur detective" (Chapter 3). However, it is very superficial and it won't provide any more information about creating your own amateur sleuth than you may be able to find elsewhere or come up with from your own writer's imagination, AFTER you have done the required and fruitful reading. There is also a chapter with lots of internet resources but, unless they are very general (such as the Library of Congress or the White House), it becomes invariably outdated (this also applies for the chapter on laws of the United States which change, at least, every year). I think nowadays most writers would be capable of using a search engine and find whatever it is they are looking for on the internet and more.

Spend your money on novels........2000-03-29

If you've read enough mystery novels to be considering writing one, nothing in this book will be new to you. The authors basically offer examples of what has already been done with amateur detectives, which can be useful in its way, but it's no substitute for doing the reading yourself.

In addition, the book has a distracting number of typos and spelling errors; for example, the authors--or editors--can't seem to decide whether Frederic Brown's first name should have a "k" at the end or not, so they spell it both ways at various points in the book.

IMHO, the book's best use is as a reading guide to amateur detective novels--but check it out of the library if you want to use it for that.

This book is wonderful!.......1999-09-10

I am a beginner mystery writer & was unsure as to how my amateur sleuth would solve crimes. I have searched local bookstores for a book like this & am so glad I found it! The authors have done a remarkable job with their research and I am very appreciative. This book is a wealth of information that I won't only use in writing, but also in my personal life. I plan on buying all of the Howdunit Series because this one has been so informative. I now have an "edge" on creating a believable sleuth with reliable detective abilities thanks to this book.

Excellent General Reference.......1999-08-05

"Amateur Detectives" offers a variety of tools used to create a believable novel. The authors give good examples of electronic, legal, and resource devices used to solve a mystery and/or write about solving one. More notible is that they provide the reader with resources of resources. It is also an easy and enjoyable read.

Book Description

Cardinal Richelieu is dead, a victim of poison.His heir, niece Francoise Marguerite de Palis, arguably the most gifted Sorciere in France, takes over his powerful spy ring, The Cardinals Eyes, and sets out to find her uncles killer.

Customer Reviews:

Quite Enjoyable!.......2006-07-05

The infamous Cardinal Richelieu is dead, poisoned by one of his many enemies. But who? Long the defender of France and its monarchy his death creates not only havoc but a mystery for his dearly loved but baseborn niece Francoise de Palis, Comtesse de Pau and the unprofessed, closeted leader of his legion of mole's and assassins, known as The Cardinal's Eyes. Francoise swears revenge and aligns herself with her adversary, Captain Jean de Treville of the King's Musketeers. To complicate affair's she must also reveal she is a potent Sorciere with the ability to shape-shift. Together with the help of Musketeer's and Cardinal's Eyes alike they stray dangerously in pursuit of not only a murderer but a famous jewel that could well be the key to an entire conspiracy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Demarest's witty and sarcastic style which added a brilliant originality and vivacity to the tale. At times Francoise seemed lacking in the cleverness (hence the four stars) one would think would be vital to her position, still, the author manages to use this flaw in a positive way to illustrate the Comtesse's womanly side in a rather intriguing fashion.

The Cardinal's Heir was a brisk, compelling and by a stoke of brilliance, humorous read that I would heartily recommend to readers of both historical fiction and fantasy alike.

a great romp.......2006-05-13

Echoes of Dumas! Ms. Demarest has written a noble tribute to Dumas' adventures. I had great fun reading it. And it's one book, one beautiful, not a freakin' series, book. Pick this one up if you can if you like true heroines and heroes.

All for One and One for....Herself?.......2005-10-25

I occasionally by books without carefully reading the blurbs, sometimes I seem to buy them unconsciously. When this happens I have a tendency to doubt my judgment and stick the book on a back pile. Such is what happened to The Cardinal's Heir, which languished for a year in my catacombs before I finally decided to read it. Now I fear that I have done the writer a disservice. The book is good, actually very good, and my review would have been more helpful a year ago, when it was more available and the writer's hopes were high.

Blame it on Cardinal Richelieu, who I've never liked. But, the good Cardinal dies quite early in the book, and the real star is Francoise Marguerite de Palis, his niece, who inherits the leadership of the Cardinal's Eyes, his spy network and must set about proving the worth of a woman in the excruciating politics of the court of Louis the XIII. Francoise is a hard pill to swallow - she is intelligent, deadly in her own right, fixated on finding Richelieu's killer, and a sorceress to be reckoned with in a France that still burnt witches.

Men, of course, are a complication in Francoise's life. André de Sorlin - faithful companion and master assassin, Jean de Tréville - Captain of the Musketeers and often Richelieu's opponent, and her husband - a man of little or no character and a great deal to pay for. Thus it should be since deep down below the plot line, this is a romance story Jaki Demarest deserves some note for creating one in which the plot is more important than the love scenes. She even indulges in some wanton character development, which makes this much more of a novel then a break neck passion fest.

Francoise's quest to solve her uncle's assassination keeps expanding. There is more at risk than just the lives of a few political enemies. Something darker is afoot, something that revolves around a ruby the size of a small Cadillac and a sorcerer who has no intention of stopping once his greed is satisfied. Although this tale is almost entirely fantasy it draws heavily on period France. So you will occasionally get an education in spite of yourself. And don't be too stunned when D'artagnan and similar characters wander through with bit parts. The tale is a confection, one that doesn't take itself too seriously. I wouldn't mind running into a sequel someday.

Marvelous Historical Fantasy.......2005-03-29

Demarest has a deft and skillful hand with politics; the book is interwoven with subtle moves and countermoves, all made by a tremendously enjoyable heroine. Francoise is a delight, as is Andre, and the friendship between them is particularly compelling.

The dialogue is swift and sharp, the characters are three-dimensional and the plot is fast-paced. I loved this book, absolutely loved it and would recommend it highly, especially to any woman over thirty. It's probably wasted on the young.

Horrendous.......2005-02-18

Before I bought this book, I was fairly excited about reading it. It looked promising; the plot seemed interesting, as did the characters. I'm a fan of mystery, and The Cardinal's Heir seemed like it would have a fairly mature one.

Ugh.

I couldn't have been more wrong. This book is horrible. After reading 30 pages, I felt like I couldn't go on. The way Demarest writes is painful to read. Her attempts at wit fall very short-I LOATHE authors who try to be witty, but in a very conventional sense of the word. It's horrible, no? That's what happened here.

The dialogue, which, for me, absolutely needs to be well written, was atrocious. No other word can describe it. Demarest has set in the story in the mid 1600s, but the characters, especially Francoise, speak as we do today, slang included. It made me cringe every time I read the word "Yup." The only person that I liked were her husband-NOT enough.

The story also has absolutely no depth whatsoever. Yes there's a murder, but the whole thing still feels like a big ball of fluff. It's much too light. When you finish it, the most it'll get out of you is a "Well. Huh." And maybe you'll chuck it across the room like I did.

Also the "romance" was much too rushed, way too early. Not even one hundred pages in, and they're already having an "affair." Very unbelievable.

All in all, everything about the book felt like it was written by an anxious 12-year-old. Demarest's biography on the back does nothing to refute this claim.

John Paul II's heir.(Editorials)(Benedict XVI will consolidate legacy)(Editorial): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

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John Paul II's heir.(Editorials)(Benedict XVI will consolidate legacy)(Editorial): An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

Manufacturer: The Register Guard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000AJQJTW
Release Date: 2006-07-14

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on April 20, 2005. The length of the article is 588 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: John Paul II's heir.(Editorials)(Benedict XVI will consolidate legacy)(Editorial)
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: April 20, 2005
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: A12

Article Type: Editorial

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Curb your cravings and satisfy your appetite with this filling diet.

As every dieter knows, the element missing from nearly every weight-loss plan is the most important aspect of a successful diet-fullness. But true satiety is about eating foods that provide nutrients that aid in digestion, help nutrient absorption, boost your metabolism, keep your body healthy, and offer the taste and variety that will curb your cravings.

Fill Up to Slim Down shows you how to satisfy your hunger on fewer calories by eating specific foods that can help you rein in your appetite. With this program, you'll never feel as if you are on a diet as you:

- eat six times a day-three meals and three snacks!
- burn excess body fat and control your appetite with moderate exercise
- reduce stresses that cause you to overeat, raise your cholesterol, and contribute to weight gain
- learn to make healthy choices about food for your body and your heart

Customer Reviews:

Fill Up to Slim Down.......2005-08-15

This book is a total joke designed to make money and provide NO useable information. The title makes you think there is salvation to losing weight and that is not the case. Just a gimmick to fleese money from fat people.

A Sham.......2005-07-10

The premise of the book looked good - find the foods that give you the most bang for your buck calorie-wise. So the first couple of chapters discussed how 240 calories worth of potatoes are more filling than 240 calories of ice cream. Fine.

That said, there are three major problems I have with this book:

(a) They ought to leave it at that. Why make it into a diet? Not every book about food has to be a diet. Do they think they're Atkins? I'm already on Weight Watchers, so I don't need a diet program. A book about filling foods would be fine, thank you.

(b) They lie. It says on the cover that you can eat the foods you love and still lose weight. Then, as you read the book, it tells you to avoid this, avoid that.... So apparently, you CAN'T have your cake and eat it, too.

(c) Other than the list, the book just repeats the same old junk you've heard a zillion times - eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise, blah blah blah.

Luckily I took this one out of the library, as it is certainly not worth the money.

Too full for junk food.......2005-02-11

If I were to recommend one diet book of the dozens I have read over the years, this would be it. The book helps break down the day into about 6 smallish to medium meals, which is in stark contrast to the 3 large meals most Americans eat while snacking on junk trying not to starve in-between.

They lay out all of the healthy foods, including plenty of snack choices. While a lot of this is basic info for the experienced dieter, actually putting it to use gets plenty of results. For the first week or so of following the new meal style, I felt so full (a feeling I was unaccustomed to) that I was almost queasy. But after a week, your stomach adjusts and you'll never have that empty gnawing hunger feeling again!

I started working out two weeks before I started following these diet layouts, so after 6 weeks of exercise (4 weeks on the new meal plan) I have lost over 15 pounds and 6 inches off my waistline. I'm still a big girl, but I've already dropped 4 pants sizes! I have my favorite 'fat jeans' set aside for one of those annoying after pictures - where I'll look like someone trying on MC Hammer pants.

For an easier change to the plan - start small, adding snacks like apples and baby carrots with peanut butter and have a small salad right before dinner and there's no way NOT to lose weight. The only disagreement I have is in the way this diet views fat, I allow for a bit more in my day (but limited to the days I work out).

If anyone else out there is having success with this book, leave a review - reading them is not only fun but inspirational!

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Fill Up to Slim Down

Manufacturer: DEEP BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTAUI2

Average customer rating:

Easy and Quick

Whole-foods vegan recipes

Everybody's Vegan Cookbook
Ro and Joanna Piekarski
Manufacturer: Integral Yoga Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Vegan | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Low-Fat Diet | Special Conditions | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0932040500

Book Description

Share the joy and ease of delicious, deeply nourishing, environmentally friendly food. Everybody's Vegan Cookbook presents a caring approach to mealtime choices based on a conscious philosophy of holistic thinking, healthful eating, and compassionat

Customer Reviews:

Easy and Quick.......2007-10-02

I collect cookbooks and am always looking for ways to cook vegan without hassle. Practical ideas are available in this cookbook. They give the cook several options of ingredients in almost every recipe, whick I like.
It tells you easy ways to go camping, hiking or if your fridge is somewhat bare. You don't need to go out and buy a lot of weird ingredients or spices to enjoy this cookbook and for the newby Vegan, it has made the change over simple for me.

Whole-foods vegan recipes.......2006-11-27

This is the first vegan cookbook I ever bought and is still the one I turn back to for simple healthy recipes without lots of exotic ingredients. Emphasis on whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. Perhaps the only "exotic" ingredient called for is rice syrup, which is used in place of sugar in all recipes that would normally call for it, like cakes, cookies and breads. Great book for experienced and non-experienced vegan / vegetarian cooks alike!

Book Description

This colorful book is a fascinating compendium of the hand-made, mold blown glassware produced for use in homes and businesses from the early twentieth century, on through the Depression era, and into the 1950s and '60s. This beautiful glassware, produced in Morgantown, West Virginia, is displayed in over 860 color photographs. The decorations that adorn this brilliant glassware are illustrated among the photographs. The reader will become familiar with the striking colors, etchings, cuttings, and cased filament stems used to make Morgantown glass distinctive and immediately appealing. Included in the text are a history of the Morgantown Glass Works (under various names and ownerships), a review of glass making techniques--including descriptions of specific techniques given by Morgantown employees themselves, and a survey of the decorative techniques employed by the firm. A detailed bibliography, an index, and values round out the presentation.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful and helpful reference .......2006-05-29

I love this book as it opened my eyes to the beauty and rarity of Morgantown Glass (Economy Glass, Old Morgantown Glassworks, Morgantown Guild also included as this company went through huge changes trying to survive the Depression.) The pictures are exceptional, the information relevent and well-researched. The only problem I have with this reference tool is that it is hard to navigate for specific items. The Glossary is wonderful, but a bit murky as to which name or number goes with which item. Regardless, it is a stunning addition for any American glass collector.

Excellent Reference Book .. Highly recommended.......1999-08-25

Very well done reference book. Many well done pictures and large variety of product. I highly recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Gave my creativity a jump start!

Blech! Save your time, save your money

The perfect gift

Inspiring and Practical

Absolutely Divine...

Interior Divine: Walking You Through the Transformation of Your Home
Jayne M Pelosi
Manufacturer: Acanthus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decoration & Ornament | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Living Spaces: A Complete Home Decorating Sourcebook

ASIN: 0975481088

Book Description

This book brings a fresh approach to interior decorating. It identifies simple, stunning ways to improve homes, and thus enhance life. Step-by-step, author Jayne Pelosi helps readers overcome the chronic areas where people get stuck in the design process, such as how to become inspired to decorate, how to select coordinating fabrics, and how to decide where to put color in a space. It is written in a practical and straightforward style laced with humor and a warm spiritual perspective. Interior Divine is not a style-based manual; Pelosi does not advocate one style over another, perhaps because she loves them all. Rather, throughout the book, she encourages readers to become acquainted with one's design personality and learn how to honor it in the design of their interiors. Replete with beautiful photography and helpful charts, Interior Divine is sure to become a staple in any interior design library.

Customer Reviews:

Gave my creativity a jump start!.......2007-05-08

Perfect!

"Loved this book! Jayne writes in warm and engaging style, making no judgments on which style is preferable over another. I read a chapter or two every night before I fall asleep and let her ideas percolate while I sleep. I like the fact that she displays both traditional and mid century modern styles in her photos. This is avery unique design book. "

I give it 5 stars

Blech! Save your time, save your money.......2007-01-30

Images of old furniture in tacky layouts with bad curtains pretty much sums it up. And what the heck is with all the cats?! I thought I bought a book on interior design, not cats. Do not waste your time, do not waste your money. Mine will be for sale soon if you need one, you can just buy mine for a buck or two and save your cash for something better. If you really liked the 70's and 80's, you might like this book.

The perfect gift.......2005-12-15

As a frequent reader of home design books and magazines, the title and the beautiful cover of this book immediately appealed to me. A quick review of the table of contents revealed that I had to have this book. Pelosi begins with the basics, moves into specifics, and then focuses on those special challenges we all face when trying to make our homes beautiful and appealing without spending a fortune. The pictures are gorgeous and inspiring and the author has an ability to write clearly and concisely with a great sense of humor. Whether you are looking for a single design solution or, like me, enjoy reading about interior design, this is the book for you...and it makes a great gift for your friends and family and colleagues and anyone who lives in a home. "Interior Divine" made my holiday shopping easier this year!

Inspiring and Practical.......2005-12-07

As an editor in the decorating/design publishing business, I've had the pleasure of interviewing Jayne Pelosi and editing her various articles. So I was delighted when she published a book. Her Interior Divine is not just inspiring and filled with good ideas, it arms you with what you need to know to actually take the next steps to a better home. And with Jayne's guidance, the concept of home is not just a pretty picture ripped from a magazine, but a place that supports you and energizes you. My favorite parts of the book deal with Feng Shui, a philosophy many of us have heard about but don't know how to implement in our own spaces. Pelosi makes sense of some home design Feng Shui basics that really can change how you feel about and in your home. Highly recommended.

Absolutely Divine..........2005-12-03

As a new homeowner on a tight budget, I needed help designing my home to fit my personality. Jayne Pelosi's "Interior Divine" did just the trick. It was easy to read, simple to understand, and full of original ideas. I was so happy to finally find a book that clearly guided me through the home design process, yet encouraged me to express my individual styles and preferences.

Book Description

The period 1851 to 1929 witnessed the rise of the major European avant-garde groups: the Realists, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Symbolists, Cubists, and Surrealists. It was also a time of rapid social, economic, and political change, encompassing a revolution in communication systems and technology, and an unprecedented growth in the availability of printed images. Richard Brettell's innovative account explores the aims and achievements -- the beautiful and the bizarre -- of artists such as Monet, Gauguin, Picasso, and Dali, in relation to urban capitalism and expansion, colonialism, nationalism and internationalism, and the museum. Tracing common themes of representation, imagination, perception, and sexuality across works in a wide range of different media he presents a fresh approach to the fine art and photography of this remarkable era.

Customer Reviews:

Modern Art 1851-1929: Capitalism and Representation (Oxford History of Art).......2007-01-11

dry reading
condition fine

A Great Book to Own.......2003-01-25

One cannot own all the art books available but this one is close to being number one. The approach is refreshing, the text clear and interesting, the images fascinating, and include some paintings that I have not found in other books. However, as usual this book's cannon includes women artists, namely Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keefe and Imogen Cunningham but no mention of other important women artists, such as Paula Modersohn-Becker, who in my view should be included in any book about Modern Art.

MODERN ART 1851-1929: CAPITALISM AND REPRESENTATION

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MODERN ART 1851-1929: CAPITALISM AND REPRESENTATION
Richard R. Brettell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJW712

Amazon.com

Don't look to this book--a genuine autobiography, with no taint of the ghostwriter's art--for dirt and gossip, for hints on how best to interpret such bel canto roles as the heroine of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, or for help with developing a bel canto technique of one's own. The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland is a book for the true fans of the great Australian prima donna, one of the finest sopranos of all time, and one of the most hard-working and professional singers to appear in recent decades. Sutherland primarily chronicles her life as an operatic diva; she skips rather quickly through her childhood, even dealing with the trauma of her father's death on her 6th birthday in a single tight-lipped paragraph. You may find many more details than you need on her travels and performances, but what shines through is the portrait of a dedicated artist who readily acknowledges what she owes to her colleagues, and most particularly to her husband/coach/conductor, Richard Bonynge. Sutherland recreates a now-legendary time in the history of opera, and she does it with humor and a refreshing lack of pretension.

Book Description

A book for the true fans of the great Australian prima donna, one of the finest sopranos of all time, and one of the most hard-working and professional singers to appear in recent decades.

Customer Reviews:

Stupenda talent but stupenda dull.......2002-02-14

Who cares how fantastic she was in the theatre (and she was) this is a sad excuse for an autobiography. A date book jotted down for our pleasure. What fun!

No feeling, no emotion, no humanity.

Very different from what we witnessed on stage.

Shame.

Dull, dull, dull.......2001-07-07

Seeing Sutherland interviewed on television, I didn't expect much insight into her career from her -- her husband is clearly better at it. I had hoped that given time for reflection, something better than this would emerge. All that you really learn is how busy she was traveling here and there for engagements. It almost makes you believe that she wouldn't have had a career if hadn't been for Bonynge.

A nice history book, if that's what you're looking for..........2001-05-18

To be quite honest, I haven't finished reading the book. I am a big fan of the great Joan Sutherland, but the autobiography was not what I expected. As an aspiring singer, I was hoping that Dame Sutherland might write about any challenges that she may have encountered in her successful operatic career. Sutherland has an enormous voice and such a wide vocal range of any soprano that I've heard. It would have been wonderful if she had written about her voice lessons with her mother and how she came to attain an almost perfect technique (she's a dramatic coloratura, if you didn't know). (There is, of course, the very small chance that she was a natural and didn't have to work on her technique...but I doubt that).

The book contains many facts and details about where and when she performed, but it does not convey what her life was like. There was no sense of her emotions or feelings throughout the first bit that I actually did read. From reading the other comments on this book, it seems that it didn't get much better thereafter (and I didn't miss much).

How unfortunate. Perhaps one day a biographer might be able to re-create her life with the warmth and colour that make people interesting to read about.

Everything but the flight numbers.......1999-11-18

What a dull book. An engagement book, transcribed into 'autiobiography' makes for very dreary reading. There's every step of the way here too. I'm astonished she didn't include the trams stops and the flight numbers as well. Though not as uncharitable as Rita Hunter's, or as silly as Renata Scotto's autiobiographies, this tome has none of the excitement of Beverly Sills' wonderful book. It could have been. It's almost like Sutherland herself onstage: It was all there, but it could have been so much more exciting with a tiny bit more courage to let herself go.

A comprehensive chronicle of an historic career........1998-08-28

Fans of Joan Sutherland will welcome this book. The Australian soprano was, of course, one of the great singers of this century. Her career was a long and honorable one, throughout which she and her husband/colleague, Richard Bonynge, always strove to maintain the highest of vocal and musical standards. This book, her long- awaited autobiography, is subtitled, "A Prima Donna's Progress," and that is exactly what Sutherland gives us. Indeed, I cannot recall another singer's biography that gives so detailed an account of a career. Sutherland provides virtually a day-by-day record of what she sang, when, where and with whom, with occasional other incidents thrown in. One suspects that not a single operatic performance, recital, recording or television appearance has gone unmentioned. This is both the book's strength and its weakness. Often this autobiography reads as if Sutherland had simply opened up her old engagement calendars and scrap books and added some connecting prose. What we do not get is any real insight into what Joan Sutherland thought about any of this, nor do we get as much as we might like of personal anecdotes to flesh out the bare-bones facts. For example, other Sutherland biographies have given thorough accounts of that legendary first Lucia at Covent Garden in 1959. Here, we just get more of the same. One hoped for more from Sutherland herself. What was it like to work with Serafin? what did she learn from him? how did he rehearse and coach? Possibly, Sutherland's (by her own admission) notoriously bad memory prevented the inclusion of much information beyond what is in her own files and diaries. All the same, at times one feels exhausted and somewhat overwhelmed by the seemingly endless recitation of performances, recitals and recordings. In spite of the surfeit of factual information, one hungers for more personal insights into Sutherland's life. Surely, she was more than the sum total of her many engagements. But then, Sutherland has always been a very private person and, perhaps understandably, this book reflects that. Its tone is casual and breezy, leavened with flashes of humor, totally lacking in cattiness, and generous in praise of colleagues. In these respects, the book is a true reflection of the personality and character of its author. And perhaps the aforementioned sense of fatigue is deliberate. The author certainly gives a very clear sense of the enormous amount of sheer hard work involved in her career, and of the utter dedication and professionalism of Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge. Apparently, that is how they wish to be remembered, and it is a praiseworthy valedictory indeed.

The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress

Average customer rating:

still thirsty after all these words

The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress
Joan Sutherland
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0895263084

Book Description

Her extensive TV appearances and her populist touch have made Joan Sutherland one of the most beloved and well known opera stars in history.

Customer Reviews:

still thirsty after all these words.......2005-04-06

I agree with everything said so well in the previous review. Unfortunately for those of us who long for insight and instead are given a travel diary - often in verbatim transposition, I fear - a real thirst after finishing the book is not uncommon. I agree with Mr Bernabo that an editor in hiding cries out at times wishing to rescue us from another plane trip and another successful performance, but I must say that Caballe's biography (seemingly often lauded) suffers hardly a less dismal fate than does Prima Donna's Progress in that regard, and it claims not one but two biographers and who knows how many editors along the way. Perhaps Sutherland truly has no inclination to write about her art. However unwished for, such a thing is not utterly outside the somehow conceivable. It was once remarked that Sutherland would have preferred puttering in her garden to singing on the operatic stage for most of her life, and there is indeed a certain 'happy' aura around her art that could indicate perhaps such might be the case.

It doesnt matter. This book gets four stars because it is Sutherland in her own words, for richer or poorer. The title is wickedly original, the cover photo is perfect, and one is able, at least, to spend a few hours with an artist whose impeccable contribution will stand and conquer for all time. Let that be enough.

Sutherland and Bonynge: An Intimate Biography

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Sutherland and Bonynge: An Intimate Biography
Quaintance Eaton
Manufacturer: Dodd Mead
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0396089453

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The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress
Joan Sutherland
Manufacturer: Regenery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K4SYH2

The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress Inscribed

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The Autobiography of Joan Sutherland: A Prima Donna's Progress Inscribed
Joan Sutherland
Manufacturer: REGNERY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TTNTNW

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Joan of Arc
Ronald Sutherland Gower
Manufacturer: BiblioBazaar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1434628132
Release Date: 2007-06-18

Product Description

With Ten Illustrations

Average customer rating:

Good but flawed.

Joan Sutherland
Norma Major
Manufacturer: Trans-Atlantic Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0356126935

Customer Reviews:

Good but flawed........2004-04-12

As opera buffs well know, Joan Sutherland was the greatest coloratura soprano of the second half of the twentieth century. This book, by the wife of recent British Prime Minister John Major, is a decent, competent, workmanlike biography, but not a truly excellent or outstanding one. Major has done most of her homework well, and there is much about the book that is attractive. It is readable and is about the right length (the biography itself is 248 pages long). The book includes a comprehensive catalog of Sutherland's performances (40 pages, with cast lists, conductors, locations and dates of performances, from her earliest public appearance in Sydney in 1946 to her farewell gala at Covent Garden on 31 Dec. 1990), usefully chronicling an exceptionally long, rich, and varied international career. It also includes a discography (14 pages) and a role listing, giving each role she sang, when she first sang it, and how many times she sang it. There are two sections of photographs, well chosen but fuzzily reproduced in the edition I have (the American Little, Brown edition of 1994).

Major makes a reasonable effort through most of the book to be fair and even-handed, not falling into the trap of being excessively partisan and uncritically laudatory (the gushing "fan" biography) but showing obvious sympathy for her subject. If anything, however, the balance is too strongly tilted to the sympathetic side, too eager to justify whatever Dame Joan did or didn't do, and in particular too eager to say kind things about her final performing years (when her voice was in decline), editing out negative review comments and quoting the favorable ones. (Like most prima donnas she sang too long and didn't retire until she was well over the hill at 64.) Sutherland's shortcomings as a singer (despite her excellence, she did have some) get minimal treatment, and one of them, the increasingly hooded, covered, hooty, or throaty quality of her midrange after the mid-1970s, is never mentioned at all.

The writing is for the most part utilitarian but undistinguished. There are too many small evidences of failure to edit/proofread carefully--carelessness for which the publisher is primarily to blame. The book has an index, although its usefulness is reduced because it indexes only proper names, the names of operas, and opera roles. In addition, it is arbitrary and unreliable (for example, the book does much quoting of reviews by critics, some of whom are indexed, while others are not). But the most substantial fault of the book, in my view, is the failure of the text of the biography to deal at all with a major component of Sutherland's life work: her very important and extensive recording career. This is a grave shortcoming, not to be glossed over, and for some it may be decisive. Given the book's subject, I find it inexplicable and inexcusable.

One example: the recording that announced to the world the arrival of a major new singer, Sutherland's groundbreaking, extraordinarily ambitious two-LP recital The Art of the Prima Donna (recorded in 1960), came as a revelation to opera buffs everywhere, who hadn't heard coloratura singing of this caliber since the days of Sembrich, Melba, Tetrazzini, and Galli-Curci (indeed, Sutherland proved to offer certain qualities that none of them could match). It would be hard to overemphasize its importance. It reached a far wider audience than Sutherland's live performances of the time, and aroused awareness of and interest in her throughout the operatic world. It is not even mentioned in the text.

A second example: in mid-career (1972) Sutherland took the unexpected, venturesome step of recording the Princess in Puccini's Turandot, a taxing, heavy dramatic soprano role, notorious for its demanding high tessitura, but far removed from the coloratura flights and bel canto roles Sutherland was noted for. Many found her assumption of it surprising, risky, even ill-advised. She confounded the naysayers, however, and opened a new chapter regarding her range and versatility by making a decided success of it. Although she never sang the role in the opera house, and had never professionally sung any other Puccini role up to that time, this success pointed the way to her taking on a dramatic soprano role like Leonora in Il Trovatore (as well as another Puccini role in Suor Angelica). This recording is also of particular interest in that, besides boasting a powerhouse cast including Pavarotti, Caballe, Ghiaurov, Krause, and Pears, it was the only recording Sutherland made since the early 1960s which husband Richard Bonynge did not conduct (the conductor was Zubin Mehta), and is regarded by many critics as the best Turandot ever recorded. There is no mention of any of this in the text.

These are but two examples. Her many other landmark recordings, her entire extensive, three-decade recording career (1958-1990) and enormous recorded output--so important in establishing an international audience for her, spreading her international reputation, and now comprising her living legacy--are either ignored or dismissed in cursory asides. Sutherland made a huge investment of time, energy, and dedication in her recordings. What were her recording sessions like? How did she and her colleagues feel about them and interact in them? Which ones went well and which ones didn't? How were her various recordings received by critics and public, and what impact did they have on her career? At first I thought that Major was saving this material for a separate chapter on Dame Joan's recordings, but alas, that chapter never arrives. Major is simply not interested in (or wasn't willing to research) this vital and enduring aspect of Sutherland's work; instead, her focus is unremittingly upon the live performances, and, to a lesser extent, the personal life. Even the discography is flawed, because it gives only year of release of recordings, not the much more important recording dates (which should have been readily available from Decca/London), and is therefore less useful than it ought to be.

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