Book Description
When we first met him in Rabbit, Run (1960), the book that established John Updike as a major novelist, Harry (Rabbit) Angstrom is playing basketball with some boys in an alley in Pennsylvania during the tail end of the Eisenhower era, reliving for a moment his past as a star high school athlete. Athleticism of a different sort is on display throughout these four magnificent novels—the athleticism of an imagination possessed of the ability to lay bare, with a seemingly effortless animal grace, the enchantments and disenchantments of life.
Updike revisited his hero toward the end of each of the following decades in the second half of this American century; and in each of the subsequent novels, as Rabbit, his wife, Janice, his son, Nelson, and the people around them grow, these characters take on the lineaments of our common existence. In prose that is one of the glories of contemporary literature, Updike has chronicled the frustrations and ambiguous triumphs, the longuers, the loves and frenzies, the betrayals and reconciliations of our era. He has given us our representative American story.
Customer Reviews:
"Reduxing Rabbit".......2007-07-31
Like other readers I read the Rabbit novels as they were first published. I won't dwell on the story lines and spoil your reading. They are poignant, crisply written stories well worth reading and rereading, with Updike's poetic touch on the narrative and excellent dialogue. I first read the books as sheer entertainment, and indeed these books will entertain you, even as they jog your senses with the saga of their tragic anti-hero. On rereading the novels the entertainment was still there, but I focused on deeper meaning. The Rabbit novels inimitably get you thinking about yourself and whether you learned from mistakes, yours or others. The delight about any novel and these in particular is that you can pause, ponder, rewind, or fast forward if you are bored. I was never bored with these books. And whatever your age, neither will you.
When a novel becomes a friend.......2007-04-23
There is always that sad feeling at the end of a great character-based novel. It's as if you just got to know and love someone and they vanish. This series is spectacular for so many reasons, but I particularly love how well I know Rabbit by now (I'm in the 3rd book), as if he were a friend of many years. Updike does an impressive job of weaving details throughout the entire series that makes the reader understand, and believe.
a labor of love..........2006-08-31
as a primarily non-fiction reader, i was drawn to the rabbit series by the NYT list of top fiction novels of all time.. I decided to give Mr. Updike a try, and lugged around this behemoth of a series!
updike's novels are interesting especially when you consider the historical context of the times in which they were written. for example, his references to sex and overt sexual language were highly controversil at the time of his writing.
Reading the series allows you a seat of the passenger train of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, each which their overriding "isms". An enjoyable read.
I did it!.......2006-01-02
I have to admit it: finishing this 1500 page tome, which consist of the four Harry (Rabbit) Angstrom novels, each longer than the one before it ("Rabbit Run," "Rabbit Redux," "Rabbit is Rich," and "Rabbit at Rest"), gave me a sense of accomplishment. Updike is a truly great writer, but his prose can be ponderous at times, particularly in "Rabbit Run." Some of these characters, including Rabbit himself, can be quite frustrating, especially over the course of four books.
Updike's placement as one of the greatest American writers of the last half of the twentieth century, stems from, I believe, his descriptive abilities, whether it be describing the flora in a garden, typical patter on a golf course, sexual scenes, or an angioplasty procedure. The books are spaced ten years apart in time, and Updike does a nice job setting each in the context of its time, although I'm not so sure these novels work as a "time capsule" in that the characters are only peripherally involved in, or concerned with, the seminal events of those eras. Most of the characters don't really change all that much, with the notable exception of Janice, Rabbit's wife, whose character blossoms with each consecutive book. Rabbit, himself, always remains sex and death obsessed, understandably more of the latter as he grows older. He does grow on the reader, though, even after making one poor choice after another. In "Rabbit at Rest," we finally see Rabbit have a relationship based on pure love: that with his grand-daughter Judy.
If you're interested, I reviewed each book separately on this web-site, giving "Rabbit Run" three stars, and the other three books four stars. I believe that consolidating all four into a single volume was worthwhile, since there are so many references to past incidents of which which the reader would not be aware, unless s/he has read the prior Rabbit novel(s). Based on the events that are recalled, sometimes it seemed as if Rabbit has spent his life in a cave, only to emerge every ten years for a few months to experience some traumatic event chronicled in the four books that comprise this series.
Updike's introduction is very interesting, in that he's surprisingly revealing about his sources and inspiration. He even provides self-critique and analysis, which is quite rare amongst authors of this caliber.
Writing that constantly amazes.......2005-07-08
I am new to Updike, just finished the 4 Rabbit novels. I was astonished at the writing in these books. The ability to describe common scenes of ordinary life, the continual observations that ring true and make you nod your head while reading put John Updike above any other author I've read.
In my opinion, the best of the Rabbit novels are the first and last. Rabbit Redux was a letdown and the story was not very believable. A couple of things worth mentioning - these novels have a lot of profanity and a lot of explicit, even kinky sex scenes - adultery, swinging, it's all there. Some folks may be offended, despite the great writing.
One thing that took some getting used to - the author often makes very interesting, profound, humorous comments where it's not easily identifiable as coming from the author/narrator or the character. These observations/asides are what really makes the books so terrific. Rabbit himself is a pretty dull guy and it's Updike's genius that makes his story so compelling. There's a line toward the end of the last book that seems to sum up Rabbit as a man. This comment is obviously from the narrator: The smell of good advice always makes Rabbit want to run the other way.
Average customer rating:
- I LOVE this book
- Swashbuckling good fun!
- Brilliantly written! Knights, Royal Intrigue, and Love Awakened! Sensuous!
- The Woman Just Writes a Great Story
- A Medieval, Swashbuckling Romance-Filled Adventure!
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Through a Dark Mist
Marsha Canham
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Canham, Marsha | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0440206111
Release Date: 1991-10-01 |
Customer Reviews:
I LOVE this book.......2007-08-24
There is just something magical about this book...I love it. It was my first Canham book many years ago and I have always remembered it. The side characters are so funny and the Black Wolf is one of my top heros ever.
He does have that strong male personality typical in romance but he is also human with physical scars and terrible memories. I also really liked Servanne. She was a strong believable heroine. The following books in the series are also really good especially The Last Arrow.
Swashbuckling good fun!.......2006-06-08
A bit of a bodice ripper, but the plot moves, the secondary characters are wonderful, a perfectly EVIL villain and villainess. The author has her tongue planted firmly in her cheek. All in all an enjoyable read, a nice piece of fluff to spend the weekend with.
Brilliantly written! Knights, Royal Intrigue, and Love Awakened! Sensuous!.......2005-10-20
Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Canham's scintillating Scottish trilogy ('A Pride Of Lions' etc.) I did not hesitate to pick out 'Through A Dark Mist' from a number of other books offered me by a family member. I was not disappointed! This is an intelligent historical 'Robin Hood-like tale with a number of surprises! Royal & political intrigue abound, a misty forest and a deserted & crumbling abbey provide a great backdrop for the unfolding drama between the kidnapped Lady de Briscourt and the 'outlaw' known only as the 'Black Wolf'. An interesting assortment of brother 'outlaws' provide humour and insight into the man behind the myth; and a lovely golden royal Lady & her super- protective 'Biddy' test his sanity (and his resolve to reject any softer emotions) at every turn. Lucien Wardieu is a sexy hero, unrivalled in the lists and on the tourney circuit; he has experienced a excruciating betrayal at the hands of someone he loved and trusted, which saw him being 'left for dead' on the blistering desert sands of the Holy Land; his arch-enemy is the sexy and handsome but twisted 'Dragon' lord of Bloodmoor Castle. This book has it all! Like other offerings of Ms. Canham's, this is a beautifully-written book full of historical data that does not detract from the main storyline, and in fact does a superb job of painting a more vivid picture of the people and the times of the usurper Prince John 'Lackland', corrupt brother of King Richard the Lionheart. When the Black Wolf and the Dragon finally meet on the jousting field, the reader is immediately swept up in the pageantry and violence that was so typical of the times - colourful flags snap in the high winds, and family crests abound; chain mail and armour flash in the sunlight, Ladies dispense their tokens to favoured knights, all the while delicately fanning away the flies, heat, and dust; dangerous war horses prance and snort, daring anyone but their noble owners and their squires to lay hands on them; while behind the gates, the common rabble throw down their copper pennies in boastful wagers, munching on hot game pies and drinking cheap ale! The characters (primary & secondary) are brilliantly portrayed. Each one of them leaves an indelible mark on your emotions - the cheeky but loyal Sparrow most of all! I ached for the twins and Robert the Welshman, and their brave sacrifice. The goodbye scene in the donjon between Robert, Mutter, and Lucien is so beautifully written, juxtaposed as it was with the horror that was D'Aeth the subjugator's handiwork and 'tools of the trade'. This book offers history, humour, adventure, royal intrigue, steamy (literally, in one instance) love scenes, a surprising female fiend (!!), and a touching ending. I do not hesitate in recommending this book! A glorious read!
The Woman Just Writes a Great Story.......2004-06-18
Great story; rich; 4 1/2 stars really. I am looking forward to reading The Last Arrow, about Lucien and Servanne's daughter. Truthfully, I intend at this point to read about every Canham book I can get my hands on. The woman writes a breathtakingly mature, dramatic, passionate novel, richly textured with great secondary characters who only enhance the experience.
Ms. Canham creates passionate couples without relying on sex to carry the entire story. And, Lordy, can she set a merciless tension level. The only reason I did not give this a 5 is because Ms Canham can write some female characters who truly start out as quite annoying...AND because I could have lived with a bit more romance\relationship development between our h\h. Not a big thing though
A word of warning regarding this story. It is a bit graphic in terms of physical violence\torture methods described (not quite so heavy as the Outlander Jack Randall\Jaime scenes but not light, either). No doubt historically accurate regarding punishments meted out in that time period but, nevertheless, not for the weak of heart...orrr...if it gets to be a bit too graphic, just skim over some of those descriptions. It will still be a great story. It's just not a real gentle story.
A Medieval, Swashbuckling Romance-Filled Adventure!.......2003-12-30
Filled with swashbuckling adventure, sweeping pageantry and the story of a passionate romance, Marsha Canham outdoes herself with this superb historical novel. Set against the dark forests and royal court of King John "Lackland's" England, Ms. Canham brings to life a unique version of the Robin Hood tale with this story of political intrigue, hatred, revenge and fated love.
Recently widowed, 18 year-old Lady Servanne de Briscourt has been bartered into her second marriage. Though she is beautiful and intelligent, her husband-to-be, King John's champion Lord Lucien Wardieu, Baron de Gournay of Bloodmore Keep, is more interested in the lands she will bring to her marriage than in the bride herself. In the large, dense forest known as Lincolnwoods, Lady Servanne and her armed escorts are ambushed on their journey to the up-coming nuptials by a band of outlaws armed with longbows. The outlaw leader, known as the Black Wolf, claims his name is Lucien Wardieu, the true Baron de Gournay - and that Lady Servanne is his hostage. The escorts are sent on their way, minus their weapons, to inform the pretender at Bloodmore Keep that his bride is being held captive.
This is one wild adventure! Family sins and throne-rocking secrets are exposed, royal power is unleashed, some pretty unsavory, depraved characters murder and threaten, love and passion sizzle, armored knights ride to battle and are thwarted by a band of merry and determined men and one woman. This novel has it all - from cliff-hanging escapades to steamy sensuality. The action doesn't stop until the last sentence on the last page. As usual Ms. Canham writes with elegance and flair. Her extraordinary characters just about leap off the page. This wonderful book is definitely a keeper!
JANA
Book Description
The human race is finished. Mankind is all but dead and only a handful of frightened individuals remain. Experience the end of the world from thirty-five different perspectives. These people have survived through chance, not skill, and they are a desperate bunch; cheating lovers, work-shy civil servants, permanently drunk publicans, teenage rebels, obsessive accountants, failed husbands, first-time cross-dressers, disrobed priests and more. Part-companion, part-guide book and part-sequel, AUTUMN: THE HUMAN CONDITION follows the individual stories of these desperate survivors through the early days of the nightmare and beyond. The final book in the AUTUMN series. Download the original AUTUMN novel free from www.theinfected.co.uk
Download Description
The human race is finished. Mankind is all but dead and only a handful of frightened individuals remain. Experience the end of the world from thirty-five different perspectives. These people have survived through chance, not skill, and they are a desperate bunch; cheating lovers, work-shy civil servants, permanently drunk publicans, teenage rebels, obsessive accountants, failed husbands, first-time cross-dressers, disrobed priests and more. Part-companion, part-guide book and part-sequel, AUTUMN: THE HUMAN CONDITION follows the individual stories of these desperate survivors through the early days of the nightmare and beyond. The final book in the AUTUMN series. Download the original AUTUMN novel free from www.theinfected.co.uk.
Customer Reviews:
Zombies, with a twist.......2007-09-10
This novel is available to read for free online at the author's website. That being the case will have most of you scrambling to his website to read it. The kicker is that there are three more novels in the story that you must purchase in order to read them. The first one is in my opinion so mezmerizing a story that I could not just read the first one and let that be the end of it. The story begins in a common enough way almost to the point of being cliche. Upon later character development, it becomes apparent that we are not dealing with your average run of the mill type undead. And while the cliche types of violence will kill these zombies, you will have to read on to find out if you would really want to use them or not. This is the first Series of Zombie literature that I have read that actually shows you what it is like being on the undead side looking out in a way that is serious and saddening. BUY THEM....BUY THEM ALL. You won't regret it.
The stories you didn't see before........2007-05-27
David Moody, Autumn: The Human Condition (Infected Books, 2005)
Moody rounds out his Autumn series with The Human Condition, which contains a select few stories set in the Autumn universe along with passages from the points of view of a number of major and minor characters from the series. Without the plot structure of the first three novels, Moody was able to go back through the story and illuminate some of the nooks and crannies that were touched on, but never explored; it wouldn't surprise me to find that a number of the pieces here had there geneses in fan mail or newsgroup questions.
If you've read the original books (and if you haven't, read those first), you have a good idea of what to expect as far as the writing style goes. Those who've wondered about the living dead's method of killing in the novels will get their answer (no, they're still not eating people). Some character traits of people we met along the way are revealed. In general, if you read the first three, you'll want to read this one. ***
Some explanantion to the overall story.......2007-05-18
This "short stories of apocalypse" sheds some light to the overall story. We really get to understand what happens in Canada and how the military in UK reacts etc. A must read if you have read the previous triology
pretty weak..........2007-05-17
The "AUTUMN" series is pretty strong overall, until this addendum. The series as a whole is not terribly original (see "Omega Man," etc...) but the prose is excellent, and it is written in an absorbing, page-turning style, even if there is little original in its plot. This flashback addendum though is a big mistake, seemingly something added to milk the series. It focuses more on characters and attempts to shed light on them. But let's face it--what made the trilogy work was not characters but the page-turning suspense of "what happens next." Here, we already know what happens next. Plus, the stories are, for the most part, not terribly interesting in and of themselves. I would underscore that many of the stories are simply tedious, and thin. They shed little evidence on character, add nothing new. They are simply rehashes of what we saw enough times in the trilogy. Even the one or two individual stories that generate some interest are obviously out of place in the timeline. There is no suspense. It just seems pointless.
GREAT BOOK !!.......2007-05-13
This was a great book which captured and further developed charaters in the previous Autum Books. Easy Read, keeps with the rest of the series.
Average customer rating:
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Nine Poems: During an Absence, Human Condition, Lines for a Book, Merlin in the Cave: He Speculates Without a Book, Legal Reform, Autumn Chapter in a Novel, The Corridor, High Fidelity. (Poetry, Volume 86, No 3, June 1955)
Thom Gunn
Manufacturer: Poetry 1955.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L58JKC |
Book Description
In this superb new translation of the celebrated spiritual classic of wisdom, hope, and inspiration, Jean-Pierre de Caussade offers guidance for daily living in communion with God. This exemplary devotional work summons readers to holiness, reveals ways to conquer self-love and pride, and points the way for experiencing each moment as a sacrament.
The author shows how God speaks to us through every moment of every day. He encourages a joyous, affirming, selfless abandonment to God. By entering into such active contemplation and facing ourselves honestly and openly, the author assures us, we can achieve the comfort and fulfillment of a life suffused with grace.
These timeless spiritual reflections probe the mystery of faith, illuminate the nature of authentic contemplation, and help us recognize and carry out God's purpose in our own lives. They stand as powerful testimony to de Caussade's conviction "that there is nothing easier, more ordinary, more available to all than saintliness."
Customer Reviews:
Embrace the Present Moment as an Ever-flowing Source of Holiness.......2006-10-27
Each moment is another opportunity to surrender your heart to God. The Holy Spirit is ever about and within us, and time is simply the unfolding of His grace. The Sacrament of the Present Moment.
As another Jesuit, Fr. G.M. Hopkins, once wrote: "The world is charged with the Grandeur of God: it shines out like shining from shook foil, it gathers to a greatness like the ooze of oil crushed.."
This book is a manifesto reminding us that it is God in whom we live & move and have our being. He is intimately with us always, unto all time. Peace, then. Cultivate awareness of His presence. You cannot be harmed. Neither death nor sin can separate us from the love of God. Only our eternal refusal to seek His mercy & embrace Him can do that.
It's my theologumena that hell is simply the inescapable flame of that Love which the damned desperately wish to flee.
Some might catch a whiff of quietism in this book. It's true that the Quietists were all the rage in France at the time, but it's unfair to tar Fr. Caussade with that brush. Because the essence of his teaching is cooperation with grace, infused action on behalf of Christ. Even if it is humble, even if you don't understand what the point of it is, even if it seems futile or inconsequential. If it is good, even the simplest things are sweet in the eyes of God.
For it is not the act that makes us holy, but His grace. The act is is simply our little gift to God, proof of our love for Him. Like a child doing something simple & inconsequential for her parent, anything we can do is likewise pleasing to Him. This, as I'm sure you know, is also the teaching of our Little Flower, Dear St. Therese, one of the most luminous saints of Carmel, and Doctor of the Church.
The key to holiness, which is to say happiness & peace, is to pay attention to Him and love Him. We will inevitably be moved to do what He would have us do, which usually is something quite simple. Like our chores, loving our enemies, caring for our neighbors, and adoring Him.
When you love someone, you seek to please him. Love & you will be saved.
There's another book from the same place & era (early 18th century France) that is very similar, which I love deeply as well: 'The Practice of the Presence of God' by Brother Lawrence, another French Carmelite. Both of these books are sublime. Only Frere Laurent is even simpler and more limpid than Fr. Caussade, if that is possible (Fr. Caussade, though saintly and so obviously influenced by Carmel and Holy Francis, was still a Jesuit after all..)
I always picture Brother Lawrence enraptured, laying cruciform before the oven on the floor of his kitchen, slain by the mystery of the baking bread.. (Taste and see the LORD is good..) It's an arbitrary image, but I feel it catches what he was like. Blessed Sweetness, everywhere found, in my heart dwell most profound!
Anyway, these books always make me tearfully glad. Just thinking about them, and the men who wrote them.. The God who let it all happen. We are so blessed to be alive. To be given such a faith. I pray for all of you who read this. Blessings. Read these books.
Chers Pere Caussade, Frere Laurent et Ste. Therese, priez pour nous!
Surrendering to the Will of God.......2005-10-30
This is a classic of Christian literature about surrendering everything in our lives to the will of God. This is about as far from any type of a new age quick fix as you can get! While only a small percentage of Christians today might actually enjoy reading it, the writing is often inspired and eloquent. What this book encourages of all seekers is no easy task. To accept our lives and everything that transpires in them and in the world at large with grace and unwavering faith in God is something against which our false selves will often rebel. The general message of the book is to engage and suffer, if need be,
everything we are called to do while remaining steadfast in our desire to do only His Will. The ego needs to quit complaining and griping and criticizing so that the will of God might be known through the auspices of faith. As I said, no easy task.
For those who might be interested, Cynthia Bourgeault devoted a chapter in her book, "Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening" to something called Welcoming Prayer. This is a "technique" that was developed by a woman seriously committed to Centering Prayer. The inspiration for Welcoming Prayer was, in large part, this woman's love of the classic "The Sacrament of the Present Moment."
Sacrament of the Present Moment.......2005-08-24
Life changing. A simple, practical, daily way to become a saint. Truly a must read! A detailed explanation of God's love for us and the beauty of seeking His will. A book to reread and if followed, will bear fruit in all walks of life!
The simplicity of surrendering to God's Will.......2005-05-19
This book, translated by Katie Muggeridge, and with an introduction by Richard J. Foster, is an easy read, and it advocates a practice that I found simple and natural, though not always easy. Christians from all traditions should be able to engage his message.
Richard Foster sums it up well in the introduction when he says, "Cutting through the maze of religious obligations that so often encrust the gospel, he declared, `There remains one single duty. It is to keep one's gaze fixed on the master one has chosen and to be constantly listening so as to understand and hear and immediately obey his will.' And again, `the only condition necessary for this state of self-surrender is the present moment in which the soul, light as a feather, fluid as water, innocent as a child, responds to every movement of grace like a floating balloon." (p. xiii-xiv)
This is what "The Sacrament of the Present Moment" is all about. Implied is a sense of reflection, holy listening, of being aware of God's will and guidance. As we are aware of this will, we then surrender ourselves to it. Hence, the earlier title, "Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence." We are engaging God in the process, and he is engaging us. In so doing, we live in faith, abide in His love, and become like Him.
The other aspect of de Caussade's message that I liked is that it can be applied by anyone, not just monastic. He sees God's providence in our duties, our trials, or joys. He also realizes that it goes beyond formulas - that God's will often leads us to the unexpected. This mitigates against the risk of turning the contemplative life and spiritual disciplines into another list of "do's and don'ts."
I found this book to be life-changing, and is rapidly becoming one of my all-time favorites.
Caussade's Mystical Libretto for a Symphony of the Soul..........2005-01-24
Originally entitled SELF-ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE, Jean Pierre Caussade's brief, eighteenth-century, mystical masterpiece consists of a series of enlightening lectures--on the pains and pleasures of surrenduring one's will to God--that were first presented as spiritual direction to the Visitation nuns of Nancy, France, before finally being organized into this charming treatise on saintliness.
Much like the earlier, prayerful guidance offered through the meditations of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, Father Caussade's study hails the virtue of 'utter self-surrender to the divine Center' as a requisite both to the authentic spiritual journey and true faith, but also as a prerequisite to conquering one's passions and to living a committed, religious life.
The work contains enough reasoning to stand on its own as a spiritual guide, but fulfills its purpose more splendidly as a theological supplement to those engaged in the actual practice of mystical prayer. In this capacity, it makes a faithful companion to Father Thomas Keating's book on the proper method of Christian contemplation called OPEN MIND OPEN HEART.
For those souls bold enough to embark upon 'the road less traveled' it serves as an existential map to the highways and byways of orison--pointing the surest direction to the Eternal City--while at the same time faithfully highlighting many important psychological and philosophical landmarks along the way.
Each chapter acts as its own spiritual beacon--illuminating vast portions of the divine path--allowing one to sail further along currents of stillness, into deeper oceans of interior-silence, faster! In this manner, it proves indispensable toward the ultimate goal of every mystic or would-be spiritual master: that of Divine Union.
Entertain no doubt about it, though. The straight and narrow way is by far the most arduous and, despite its great simplicity, oftentimes the most perilous. However, it is not without pain but from within those intense moments of purest suffering that we can part, if only but for a brief moment in time, the veil of tears--to gaze directly into the heart of the matter--and distill the fitful fragments of truth behind all of the sorrow. And acting from the knowledge gained thereby, coupled with love, we can shape the disparate pieces of life's seemingly desperate puzzle into meaningful horizons of wholeness, salvation, and hope for tomorrow. This is the soul at its best!
Ultimately, it is when we recollect ourselves to the Divine Mystery that we can fully reap the ripened-fruits of our faith. For, when the spirit consents to rest in God--to say and truly mean 'Thy Will be Done'--then something wonderful happens: Alas, the divine action, infused with Grace, does its part to impart THE SACRAMENT OF THE PRESENT MOMENT.
*This review is dedicated to the memory of Cynthia Oti, talk show host and financial advisor extraordinaire, KSFO radio, San Franciso. She perished aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 261.
Book Description
In the rural America of the past, a woman's reputation was sometimes made by her cherry pie or her chocolate layer cake, or her biscuits. As America modernized and women left the home to enter the paid labor force, mastery of cooking remained a sign that a woman took her gendered responsibilities seriously. Ironically, over the course of the twentieth century, as ready-made foods and kitchen appliances made home cooking less essential and labor-intensive, culinary skill continued to be perceived not only by society but often by women themselves as a measure of a woman's true value. This book shows how cooking evolved during the twentieth century as new challenges arose to replace the old. Still tied to the kitchen, women found that instead of simply providing sustenance for the household, they now had to master more complex cooking techniques, the knowledge of "ethnic" cuisines, the science of nutrition, the business of consumerism, and, perhaps most important of all, the art of keeping their families happy and healthy.
Customer Reviews:
History meets cooking meets gossip.......2001-11-11
What a great book! Mcfeely's writing is so effortless and chatty you may not realize how much there is too learn.
She takes you, historically speaking, from the time when women HAD to bake the family bread (and had to remember the correct, locally produced flour that would actually work) to where we are blase about our optional and hands-off bread machines.
She gives mini-bios on people important in cooking history, and also her opinions on them--she cheerfully skewers Irma Rombauer (Joy of Cooking) for being opinionated yet admires Rombauer's personality just the same.
She is strangely taciturn on Martha Stewart--arguably the best known cook today. A criticism here and there on how Martha's _techniques_ are difficult, but nothing like her pleasant gossip on Julia Child and on Rombauer. Is Mcfeely, too, afraid of Martha's wrath?
This is a history book and a social criticism that is also a lot of fun to read.
Customer Reviews:
Exellent, informative book.......2001-11-19
As someone who has been working with wood for over 20 years I thought there's not much about sanding that I didn't know. The credentials of the author, Mr. Nagyszalanczy, who was Senior Editor of "Fine Woodworking" magazine's was deciding factor in purchasing this book. And the book is a delight! It is exceptionally well written in easy-to-understand fashion, and not a bit supercilious. Moreover,instead of being merely a dry manual on sandpaper and abrasives the book gives an excellent overview of wood finishing; the woodworking tips alone are worth buying this book. The author is straight in his opinions; the emphasis is made on modern tools and techniques, as opposed to "traditional" methods. It can't be said better about traditional rubbing out as being arcane. The recommendations in the book are given from the practical perspective and always make good sense. Superb illustrations. Highly recommended!
Customer Reviews:
A Great Book .......2005-03-23
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's quite informative and there are a lot of marvelous photos of various types of china and glass in this book. They show diverse styles and patterns throughout the centuries and cultures. There is also a good section on how and where to store your china and glass. Such amazing things they can do with glass. I was impressed. I really liked the section on the art of the table. Can't get enough of the elegant table settings! Such beautiful kitchens in this book as well. It's a great book. I only wished it were longer.
Average customer rating:
- An Essential Book for Beckett Fans
- Excellent theatre biography
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Billie Whitelaw...: Who He?
Billie Whitelaw
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312139292 |
Customer Reviews:
An Essential Book for Beckett Fans.......2006-05-22
Billie Whitelaw's autobiography surpassed my expectations. Far from being one of the celebrity fluff bios, Ms. Whitelaw's book goes into detail about her relationship with Beckett and his plays, and talks extensively about her methods for mastering them. In addition, she provides valuable insights into other great figures in theater and the movies, and into the creative process itself. She also talks about her own life in an interesting and lively manner. First rate from beginning to end. Don't miss it.
Excellent theatre biography.......1998-03-02
Billie Whitelaw has written a very intelligent autobiography. Her painful memories of her childhood during World War II in England are very interesting. Her experiences in the theatre and some of the great actors she has worked with are a theatre goers delight. She also tells of a painful marriage with a great deal of candor. Well worth reading by a classy lady.
Average customer rating:
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BILLIE WHITELAW...WHO HE?: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Billie. Whitelaw
Manufacturer: John Curtis/Hodder & Stoughton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0340606207 |
Books:
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- Seduction of Water (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
- She Flew the Coop: A Novel Concerning Life, Death, Sex and Recipes in Limoges, Louisiana
- Stone that the Builder Refused
- Strange Fits of Passion: A Novel
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