Book Description
A contemporary noir, Already Dead is the tangled story of Nelson Fairchild Jr., disenfranchised scion to a northern California land fortune. A relentless failure, Nelson has botched nearly every scheme he's attempted to pull off. Now his future lies in a potentially profitable marijuana patch hidden in the lush old-growth redwoods on the family land.
Nelson has some serious problems. His marriage has fallen apart, and he may lose his land, cash and crop in the divorce. What's more, in need of some quick cash, he had foolishly agreed to smuggle $90,000 worth of cocaine through customs for Harry Lally, a major player in a drug syndicate. Chickening out just before bringing the drugs through, he flushed the powder. Now Lally wants him dead, and two goons are hot on his trail. Desperate, terrified and alone, for Nelson, there may be only one way out.
This is Denis Johnson's biggest and most complex book to date, and it perfectly showcases his signature themes of fate, redemption and the unraveling of the fabric of today's society. Already Dead, with its masterful narrative of overlapping and entwined stories, will further fuel the acclaim that surrounds one of today's most fascinating writers.
Customer Reviews:
Insightful Noir.......2006-08-11
Denis Johnson gives us, in Already Dead, a fascinating look into the dark side of the human condition. Criminals. Land owners. Drifters. Cops. Three dogs. ... Denis Johnson attacks interesting questions with stylistic prose and subtle humor. The book is sometimes frightening. Sometimes scarey and always entertaining. The book is generally dark and explores our emotional and psychological darkness fearlessly.
If you might like a thriller that emphasizes literary brush-strokes and has a strong story then you may find this work to your liking. Those looking for quickly moving populist fiction may find it tedious, however... Johnson does tend to linger on the personal point of characterization.
Worth the effort.......2006-02-07
I read this book for the first time ages ago, during the year that my book THE YEAR OF YES takes place. My male roommate (and sometime crush) threw it at me and yelled "Oh My God! It's The Best Book I've Ever Read!"
This made me both suspicious and intrigued. Zay often loves books I subsequently determine to be just too guy-ish for me. Big on the existentialists, and Beat poets, both of which I like, but in much smaller doses.
In any case. I opened Already Dead, and had a hard time, as other readers have said, for about the first 100 pages. Despite a whole lot of gorgeous writing, it took me forever to read. However. By the time I got to page 101, I found my entire brain reformatted into the universe of the book. To me, that means a book is definitely worth it. The book has a lot to do with altered states of consciousness - drug-related, paranoia related, blood-loss related and even witchcraft-related (it's a California gothic, after all, and there's a coven of blonde witches), and that's how you feel as you read it. Much has been made of Johnson's fantastic short story collection Jesus' Son, and it's deserved. Already Dead drops you deeper into Johnson's strange, wonderful, technicolor world. Just when you think you're going to drown, it sends down a rope to bring you up. Just the first paragraph...stunning.
''Van Ness felt a gladness and wonder as he drove past the small isolated towns along U.S. 101 in northern California, a certain interest, a yearning, because he sensed they were places a person could disappear into. They felt like little naps you might never wake up from -- you might throw a tire and hike to a gas station and stumble unexpectedly onto the rest of your life, the people who would finally mean something to you, a woman, an immortal friend, a saving fellowship in the religion of some obscure church."
It's fabulous. I mean, come on. There's a 6 foot nine inch tall guy named Frankenstein in this book, and his scene making love to the protagonist's tiny mistress is one I may never forget. I'd also recommend -in conjunction, if you'd like a few days of Northern California alternate lifestyle immersion - T.C. Boyle's Budding Prospects (Boyle is a brilliant writer. This isn't his best book, plot-wise getting a bit derailed, but it's absolutely worth a read, particularly in the company of Already Dead.)
A lotta book.......2005-10-16
I read, and re-read this book in the last year. After the first read, I was puzzled. How can one read a book so late into the night, when I should have been sleeping, so many times and not feel satisfied at the end. I found the answer in the second reading. The quality of Johnson's prose is astounding. Descriptions, metaphors, similes fighting eachother for supremecy page to page. I'm not a critic, so excuse me if I only sing this novel's praises.
'Already Dead' more than lives up to its title. Each character is doomed in one way or another. The privilege we have as readers is to absorb the mood, the nuance of the characters, the multi-demensional context and the quality of the writing.
This is a big book. It drags at times and while there will be moments when you will search in vain for a plot. But the story and the writing provides the will to finish this novel.
Neat and tidy? No.
Juicy plot? No. But such is life.
Reads like a first draft.......2004-04-10
Everything characteristic of Johnson is here - the poetic style, the originality, the brilliantly and efficiently sketched characters, the eccentric and engaging themes, the vision of transcendence - but it's just not a polished work. It's extremely long, meandering and often losing the thread of the plot; disturbed by meaningless shifts in the method of narration (from first to third person to retrospective documents), marred by far too much stream-of-consciousness rambling, such as a series of letters written by a lunatic which hold no interest at all; the characterization, also, doesn't feel concrete, and the most important characters (Van Ness in particular) have a weak presence in the narrative, and their motiviations are often unclear, while minor characters recieve huge amounts of attention and then are suddenly forgotten. The themes also seem a bit too overt at times, and Johnson verges on self-satire, in one episode in particular which bears a suspicious and unflattering resemblance to his earlier 'Angels,' and in another passage which annoyed me unreasonably, where he makes referrence to a specific album by the Violent Femmes, which seemed entirely personal and unrelatable.
I'd always wondered why his other novels were extremely short. This would explain it.
Ok..........2003-07-09
This is the first review I've written, but I felt I had to throw my two cents in about this book. This book moves REALLY slowly, if your someone who likes a plot to capture you from the first couple pages (even chapters) this isnt it. I agree with all the reviews on one point, his prose is excellent. Very poetic, but this book was tough to get through. I normally rifle through books fairly quickly because they caputer me and keep me wanting more. With Already Dead I felt I had to force myself to keep going, hoping it would get better. The book is good, but its just too slow for me. I did make it to the end and am happy to have it on my bookshelf. Thats pretty much all I have to say. Its not a bad book in the least, but not my cup of tea.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on March 22, 1998. The length of the article is 1684 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: Already Dead: A California Gothic. (book reviews)
Author: Irving Malin
Publication:
The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1998
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: v18
Issue: n1
Page: p229(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
Okay Read.......2007-03-20
I must say I was a little disappointed in the first and the last story in this book. Sandra Kitt's tale 'Serenade' was interesting, but I found it left a lot of things up in the air. And Eboni Snoe's tale 'Beguiled' was good, but too wordy at times and took to long to get to the good parts. Now, 'Fovever Yours', by Francis Ray definitely made the book worth reading. I am a huge Francis Ray fan and all I can say is she did it again! I love the romance between Tory and Kane. I love the way the families and friends are involved with the couple story.
Thanks!!.......2005-07-08
Loved having all three books together. Yes they were once available as individual
books. That is no reason to give this book a bad review. That being said these are great books and as always I loved the Sandra Kitt book the best. These are great romance/mystery writers at their best. Thanks again.
Previously released novels...repackaged........2005-03-17
After receiving this anthology, I realized that I'd read each of these books almost 10 years ago as single novels. Some of the first to debut from then Pinnacle's line of Arabesque novels. The sad part is that the way Af-Am literature (and my own self for that matter) has developed, I wasn't nearly as enthralled by these stories as I was 10 years before.
Serenade, originally a 1994 release by Sandra Kitt, tells the story of Alexandra and Parker. Lovers more than 10 years before the current story, Alexandra was crushed when Parker left without warning or explanation. Now Parker is an accomplished musician and Alexandra a struggling singer. Passion reignites between the two. Although Alexandra's younger sister, a spoiled brat at the least, presents a formidable obstacle for these two to resume their relationship where it was abort 10 years ago, the story tells of their path back to each other. Sandra Kitt is a wonderful writer and it shows in this story, despite the annoyance of the baby sister's interference to the main storyline.
I first read "Forever Yours" when it was released in 1994. One of the first in the line of Arabesque novels (then published by Pinnacle). The story of Kane and Victoria was intriguing. Victoria, a woman who has been scorned many times, refuses to be hurt by love again. After her grandmother insists that she marry or lose her beloved business due to Victoria's inability to repay a well-timed loan from her grandmother, Victoria takes matters into her own hands and looks for a husband-for-hire. Kane, a strong stubborn brother, agrees to consider marriage to Victoria, but he doesn't want to play by her rules. The tension that ensues carries this somewhat less than realistic story nicely. You'll enjoy watching the two strong-willed lead characters struggle for power as they both try to get want they want from the relationship.
"Beguiled" also originally released in 1994 was not a favorite of mine as a single book and was the weakest of the anthology her. It tells the story of Raquel who loses her job and decides to go dancing at a Miami nightclub ?!? I guess she wants to dance her troubles away. Instead she ends up being swept into a totally unrealistic adventure that drifts from the Caribbean to Central America. This story includes Snoe's trademark foray into otherworldly, magical scenarios. All in all just not my cup of tea...
Book Description
The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook
Every year, millions of people visit Colonial Williamsburg's re-creation of eighteenth-century America for the ambience, the education, and the unparalleled experience of glimpsing our prerevolutionary past.
Williamsburg's fascinating form of time travel encompasses not only the architecture and the artisans, but all the details of our rich cultural heritage, including the food. And The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook presents that food, our nation's culinary heritage: from stews and slaws and soups to puddings and pies and pot pies--nearly 200 recipes in all. Focusing on Williamsburg's Southern roots and coastal proximity, the dishes owe their inspiration to the distant past, but their preparations have been tailored for contemporary palates--no need to run out and get some suet in which to cook your mutton over the open hearth.
Here are perennial standbys such as Brunswick Stew, Standing Rib Roast with Yorkshire Pudding, Virginia Ham with Brandied Peaches, and Cream of Peanut Soup, as well as Spoon Bread, Lemon Chess Pie, and Mulled Apple Cider. There are also unexpected twists on age-old favorites, such as Oyster Po' Boys with Tarragon Mayonnaise, Oven-Braised Gingered Pot Roast, and Carrot Pudding Spiced with Cardamom.
Just as the historic town of Colonial Williamsburg is a singular adventure in understanding our nation's history, so too this cookbook is a unique appreciation of our culinary history. In April 1772, George Washington, writing about one of the taverns in Williamsburg, noted, "Dined at Mrs. Campbells and went to the Play--then to Mrs. Campbells again" --twice in a single week. The hearty fare that George found so enticing is enjoying a profound renaissance, and The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook will enable home cooks to relive the great American culinary tradition--the ultimate in comfort food.
Customer Reviews:
Regurgitated material.......2004-07-24
Do not buy this cookbook. This book is a rehash of recipes that have been written about in many cookbooks for just about forever. The photographs are lovely but the recipes have a definite 1950's "Colonial Revival" aura about them. This is not really the fault of the author. The Tavern Cookbook is just a marketing tool for Colonial Williamsburg.
And having eaten in the Taverns I can tell you that the "chefs" are not even using these recipes. The Tavern food of today has a "boiled in a bag and reheated" taste. A very processed - "not cooked here" feel to the food. So stay away from the Taverns and do not buy this "Colonial Revival" cookbook.
Great food equals a great cookbook!.......2004-04-21
On a recent trip to Colonial Williamsburg for the weekend, my wife and I decided to forego the Atkins diet for a few days and enjoy all the wonderous treats this historical city had to offer. We were not to be let down and the cuisine was incredible. Naturally, being a bit of the chef myself, I thought owning the cookbook containing these recipes would at least be close enough to the real deal. I was wrong; the Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook more than matches the real deal!
From recipes like Peanut Soup (a King's Arms Tavern favorite) to Ham Relish (Adrianna Campbell's) to the main course Filet Mignon Stuffed with Oysters (and wrapped with bacon, I might add), this book gives explicit directions on preparing and serving these 18th century treats. You will be able to host your own colonial times dinner party. The pictures are crisp and beautfiul, though not every dish was given a treatment sadly. Still, there are more than enough visual aids to adorn your dinner with the proper utensils and table-top accoutrements.
If you enjoy cooking and would like to add the cuisine of Williamsburg's colonial taverns to your cache, this book is a must-have. Even if you just enjoy cooking or would like to explore new culinary horizons, I highly recommend this item. Trust me you will NOT be disappointed. Eat heartily and enjoy!
200 wonderfully presented, highly recommended recipes.......2001-06-08
With recipes developed by John R. Gonzales, The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook brings the flavors and aromas of colonial Williamsburg's four taverns (Christiana Campbell's, Chowning's, the King's Arms, and Shield") and traditional cuisines to the modern family dining table. From Meat Patties in Crust; Celery Root Slaw; and Pot Likker Greens with Dumplings; to Broiled Bluefish with Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce; Yorkshire Pudding; and Buttermilk Pie, The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook offers two hundred wonderfully presented, highly recommended recipes which, while modified for the modern palate, owe their inspiration to our colonial history.
Book Description
Activity is spread across a variety of countries in Volume 5 of the 2004 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, which contains countries of the world P-SL. The stamps of the Philippines lead the way with more than 1,600 value changes. Other countries showing significant changes include Paraguay, Portugal, Saar, Romania, and Russia. In addition, about 1,100 changes take place in the stamps of the British Commonwealth area.
Amazon.com
The Beanie Baby craze may be on the wane, but bean bag creatures have lost none of their appeal. With a bit of polar fleece, a scrap of patterned velour, some very elementary sewing skills, and the help of Nicki Wheeler's winning Bean Bag Buddies, anyone can assemble a menagerie of cuddly friends, including animals both domestic and wild (dogs, rabbits, cows, rhinos, zebras), various birds or sea creatures, and even some space aliens. A few basic patterns yield dozens of easy variations; by using different fabrics and altering features slightly, a cow can also be a leopard or a monkey, or the same pattern can yield a crow, a flamingo, a seagull, and a parrot. Halloween and Christmas characters put in an appearance too (one pattern makes a snowman, a reindeer, and a Christmas tree). Wheeler's directions and patterns are easy to follow, and her designs are adorable without being cutesy. --Amy Handy
Book Description
"...very engaging...Beaming smiles and rounded, soft sides characterize these easy-to-make snugglies, whether they boast two dimensions, long and lanky appendages, little disembodied heads, or holiday costumes. This British designer has mastered the art of creating basic building-block patterns that can be enhanced by fabric, accessories, dimensions, and body additions....Few projects will resist the skill level of novices, and all include color photographs, illustrations of more complicated maneuvers, and good instructions."--booklist.
Customer Reviews:
Bean Bag Fun!.......2004-10-28
This is a very fun book and these animals are very easy to make! Anyone who likes to sew or enjoys stuffed animals will have a great time with this book. There is a fair amount of variety in types and styles of animals, plus it's very convenient that groups of animals share the same basic pattern (less cutting=good). This is one of the best stuffed animal pattern books I have used and would highly recommend it.
My only two critisms would be: 1) a few of the animals look a little too much like Beanie Babies...just my opinion! It would be nice to see a little more originality in a few of the designs. 2) some of the materials used in the projects are not easy to find. The author attempts to be helpful by providing the addresses of two stockists at the end of the book, but since I live in the United States and the stockists are in the U.K., it doesn't help me at all. It would have been more helpful is the author either provided a larger list of stockists worldwide, or gave some basic hints on ways to find the recommended materials. This didn't turn out to be a big deal to me as I used fleece for just about all the projects I made from this book, whether it was the recommended fabric or not and I've been very happy with the results.
Good book for beginners.......2002-07-15
Easy to follow instructions. My 9-year-old daughter and I finished the duck project in 2 hours and it wasn't one suggested for beginners. Overall, it was a fun project to work together. We can't wait to start on our next one, the polar bear. My suggestion is when tracing the patterns, use white gift wrapping tissue paper.
Average customer rating:
|
Cool Restaurants London (Cool Restaurants)
Manufacturer: Te Neues Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
| ADA Compliant
| Environmental
| General
| Hotels, Restaurants, & Retail Spaces
| Museums
| Religious Buildings
| Residential
| Specific Styles
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Great Britain
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
London
| England
| Great Britain
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Dining
| Food & Lodging
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Italian
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Arts & Photography
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All French Books
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All German Books
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Travel
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Italian Books
| Italian
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
General
| Diseño Interior
| Hogar y jardinería
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
No-Ficción
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Automotriz
| Ciencias Sociales
| Crimen y Criminales
| Educación
| Estudios de la Mujer
| Feriados
| Filosofía
| Gobierno
| Hechos Verídicos
| Planeamiento Urbano y Desarrollo
| Política
| Sucesos de Actualidad
| Transportación
Prototipos de Edificios y Estilos
| Arquitectura
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
| Edificios Religiosos
| Estilos Especificos
| General
| Residencial
General
| Arquitectura
| Profesional y Técnico
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Inglaterra
| Europa
| Viajes y turismo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
General
| Viajes y turismo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
La Cena
| Comida y Hospedaje
| Referencia y Consejos Prácticos
| Viajes y turismo
| Libros en español
| Formats
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Cool Restaurants Paris (Cool Restaurants)
-
Cool Restaurants New York (Cool Restaurants)
-
Cool Restaurants Milan (Cool Restaurants)
-
Cool Restauants Amsterdam (Cool Restauants)
-
Cool Restaurants Barcelona (Cool Restaurants)
ASIN: 3832791310 |
Book Description
Cool Restaurants London. The eight million strong metropolis on the river Thames has long been a cultural melting pot and a trendsetter in art, music, fashion and, during the last fifteen years, well designed, scene-making restaurants. Cool Restaurants London presents a "best-of" selection of 25 hip London establishments with menus offering everything from Japanese fast food to Indian dishes to gourmet continental fare. One of four titles in teNeues' new Cool Restaurants series, this book is attractively designed with flexi-covers and packed with over 100 color photographs.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent graphic design book
|
Select A: Graphic Design from Spain
Manufacturer: Index Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 8489994676 |
Customer Reviews:
Excellent graphic design book.......2005-02-09
This is a very good book about the actual situation of Graphic Design in Spain. This is a fine book, with a nice production and printing quality and really big (+500 pages). It showcases some of the best works produced recently by some of the known and not-so-known spanish designers as Oscar Mariné, Javier Mariscal and Alberto Corazón.
According to the editors, one of the main reasons to make Select A was to show the quality of the Spanish Graphic Design to the world. And it is done. You can see several projects, ranging from Corporate Identity, to signage, to posters and brochures. Every project contains a technical file that speaks about concept, client and description. This is a VERY good book if you want to see something inspiring and fresh.
Amazon.com
Fire on the Beach is a wonderful book on a forgotten piece of history: The story of an all-black unit of the U.S. Life-Saving Service on North Carolina's "beautiful and unforgiving" Outer Banks. Stationed on Pea Island, near the hazardous "Graveyard of the Atlantic," the men of the segregated Station 17 showed that African Americans were just as capable as their white peers when it came to saving the lives of sailors and passengers whose ships foundered on deadly shoals. Their leader was Richard Etheridge, an inspiring figure born into slavery. He fought during the Civil War and later entered the LSS. Much of the book is a reconstruction of his life, and Civil War buffs will appreciate the extensive treatment given to his military service.
Yet Fire on the Beach is not a mere biography. It's a fascinating portrait of 19th-century Outer Banks culture, long before these isolated little towns became tourist destinations. Authors David Wright and David Zoby, for instance, describe "wreckers" whose main occupation--a surprisingly profitable one--was combing the beach for the detritus of shipwrecks. The town of Nags Head apparently derives its odd name from this weird heritage: "Many claim that the name Nags Head originated in an era when malicious wreckers would tie a lantern around an old horse's neck and lead it up and down the dunes. From the sea, the rising and falling light would give the impression of a ship safely moored in a harbor, taunting unsuspecting ship captains to sail to their destructions." Even without these manmade deceptions, the seas off the coast of North Carolina were plenty treacherous, giving Etheridge and his men lots of rescue work. Race is a necessary and fundamental theme of the book, and Etheridge knew he would have to defy white skeptics by proving his abilities over and over: "There was no room for error. The continuation of the black station could be compromised by any slipup, no matter how slight. Misjudgment or poor performance could result in his or one of his crewmen's dismissal. Inadequacies, no matter how slight, could lead to the reinstatement of a white keeper and crew. They had to excel if they were to maintain their station." Fire on the Beach ultimately rises above the parochialism of race: It is a gripping story about "a man among the men" and his harrowing exploits. When Wright and Zoby describe Etheridge's role in saving the crew of the schooner E.S. Newman in hurricane conditions, the skin color of Etheridge and his men does not matter at all. Fans of The Perfect Storm and Isaac's Storm--books that mix thrilling sea stories with calamitous weather--are sure to enjoy Fire on the Beach. --John Miller
Book Description
FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, THIS IS THE TRUE-LIFE STORY OF THE ORIGINAL COAST GUARD AND ONE CREW OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEROES WHO FOUGHT STORMS AND SAVED LIVES OFF NORTH CAROLINA'S OUTER BANKS.
Fire on the Beach recovers a lost gem of American history. It tells the story of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, formed in 1871 to assure the safe passage of American and international shipping and to save lives and salvage cargo. A century ago, the adventures of the now-forgotten "surfmen" who, in crews of seven, bore the brunt of this dangerous but vital duty filled the pages of popular reading material, from Harper's to the Baltimore Sun and New York Herald. Station 17, located on the desolate beaches of Pea Island, North Carolina, housed one such unit, and Richard Etheridge -- the only black man to lead a lifesaving crew -- was its captain.
A former slave and Civil War veteran, Etheridge recruited and trained a crew of African- Americans, forming the only all-black station in the nation. Although civilian attitudes toward Etheridge and his men ranged from curiosity to outrage, they figured among the most courageous surfmen in the service, performing many daring rescues. From 1880 to the closing of the station in 1947, the Pea Island crew saved scores of men, women, and children who, under other circumstances, would have considered the hands of those reaching out to help them to be of the wrong race. In 1896, when the three-masted schooner E. S. Newman beached during a hurricane, Etheridge and his men accomplished one of the most daring rescues in the annals of the Life-Saving Service. The violent conditions had rendered their equipment useless. Undaunted, the surfmen swam out to the wreck, making nine trips in all, and saved the entire crew. This incredible feat went unrecognized until 1996, when the Coast Guard posthumously awarded the crew the Gold Life-Saving Medal.
The authors depict the lives of Etheridge and his crew against the backdrop of late-nineteenth-century America -- the horrors of the Civil War, the hopefulness of Reconstruction, and the long slide toward Plessy v. Ferguson that followed. Full of exploits and heroics, Fire on the Beach, like the movie Glory, illustrates yet another example of the little-known but outstanding contributions of a remarkable group of African-Americans to our country's history.
Download Description
Fire on the Beach brings a previously undiscovered chapter of American history and maritime adventure to light. It tells the story of the U.S. Life-Saving Service (forerunner of today's Coast Guard) and its "surfmen" who, in crews of seven, shouldered the dangerous work of saving lives along America's coasts. In the 1880s, the men of Pea Island, North Carolina, were one such unit, and Richard Etheridge -- the only black man to lead a lifesaving crew -- was their captain. A former slave and Civil War veteran, Etheridge recruited and trained a crew of African Americans, forming the only all-black station in the organization. Among civilians, attitudes towards Etheridge and his men ranged from curiosity to outrage, but they were some of the most courageous surfmen in the service, leading many sea rescues. When a hurricane hit the coast in the late 1890s, Etheridge and his men managed to save the entire crew of the wrecked E. S. Newman. This incredible feat went unrecognized for a century until 1996 when the Coast Guard posthumously awarded the crew the Gold Life-Saving Medal. Full of exploits and heroics, Fire on the Beach, like the movie Glory before it, depicts yet another example of the outstanding contributions of a remarkable group of African Americans to our country's history.
Customer Reviews:
Great story - not a great book.......2004-09-15
The story of Richard Etheridge is fascinating and inspiring. It is unfortunate that its telling here is tedious and uneven.
A gripping tale of courage and bravery........2003-09-23
Faced with several days of enforced inactivity as Hurricane Isabel bore down upon Baltimore, what I needed was a good book with which to pass the hours. There on my shelf was Fire on the Beach, purchased several months ago but set aside for just such a circumstance. As the wind howled around my apartment and rain slashed at my windows, I settled in to read.
Authors Wright and Zoby have written a thrilling account about the American Life Saving Service (ALSS), predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard. Their focus is on the life of Richard Etheridge, born into slavery, a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War, and later, leader of a courageous crew of lifesavers at Pea Island's Station 17 on the Outer Banks.
Richard Etheridge, probably the son of a white "Banker," raised and educated as part of his family, obtained his freedom fighting with the North Carolina Colored Volunteers (NCCV), under infamous Colonel Edward A. Wild. After the war, the scandel-ridden ALSS was reorganized and Etheridge was appointed Keeper of the station at Pea Island; the only black man to command a station up to that point. Etheridge was, indeed, a "man among men," risking his life time and again, driving his 6-member crew of surfmen to rescue sailors and passengers off unfortunate ships driven ashore by storms at least as furious as the one threatening Maryland on this day.
Here is a tale of daring exploits during an obscure time in American history; of courageous men of color fighting steep breakers and raging surf over shallow shoals while saving stranded survivors of doomed vessels before the deadly sea could claim them.
A fascinating account. Some might say it's black history. But it's more than that. It's about raw courage; about bravery against a treacherous enemy - the sea at its worst. Etheridge and his crew were black, but first and foremost, they were real men who willingly risked their lives daily for others.
I heartily recommend this work as an eye-opening account of a time along the Outer Banks before storms were tracked with high-tech equipment, and as a gripping tale guaranteed to hold your interest.
suberbly written, well researched.......2002-10-03
This history of the Pea Island Lifesavers is beautifully written so that the story captivates from start to finish. In fact, I wasn't sure that this was my kind of book, but the early, vivid description of the dangerous coast and the duties of the men who walked the Outer Banks looking for shipwrecks hour after hour convinced me that I had to read the whole book. Clearly well researched, this book taught me a great deal about the Civil War and U.S. maritime history but, more importantly, explored the humanity in our country's history. It takes saavy authors to recognize that the real beginning of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station begins not with its inception but with the lives of the men, namely Richard Etheridge, who served there. Because of the emphasis on people and place, the book reads quite like a novel and, therefore, can be appreciated by a wide audience. Fire on the Beach deserves to be read, for it demonstrates that history must be revealed and retold with all its contradictions, complications, and individuals.
Should be" Wild's African Brigade Revised".......2002-07-20
The book purports to tell the story of Richard Etheridge but the first third is about "Wilds African Brigade," a black brigade that committed murder, arson, looting and the hostage taking of white women in Tidewater North Carolina and Virginia in October and December 1863.
On its return to base in Portsmouth Virginia Brigadier General Wild was relieved of command and the brigade disbanded.
Entertaining History!.......2002-01-07
I am admittedly not a history buff. I do however treasure the three years I was lucky enough to live on North Carolina's Outer Banks. "Fire on the Beach" was recommended to me & now I would like to pass that gift on to anyone who reads these reviews. This book tells a fantastic tale of a man & a period of time that are both truly inspiring. It does not read like a "historical text", but more like a well plotted out novel. If you have any interest in Post Civil War South, Turn of the century maritime history, North Carolina's Outer Banks, or the US Coast Guard, do not pass this book up!
Average customer rating:
|
Been There, Done That: Through Treacherous Skies
Ron Butcher DFC CD (Ret'd)
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Biographies & Memoirs
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1412057973
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Product Description
A vividly-written memoir of pre-war life in New Brunswick, a WWII tour as a RCAF Navigator in RAF Bomber Command and post-war life in the RCAF .
Book Description
When ships were in trouble off the treacherous coast of North Carolinas Outer Banks, the courageous black lifesavers at Pea Island Station were first on the sceneand in the water. Through raging storms, pitch-black nights, and hurricanes, these surfmen performed amazing, death-defying rescues. For over seven decades, the intrepid crews battled fierce waves and racial prejudice. Ultimately, they received the recognition they richly deservedin 1996, more than a century after they broke the color barrier. Sink or Swim: African-American Lifesavers of the Outer Banks is the story of their heroism, their struggle, and their triumph.
With dozens of historic prints and photographs, this documentary history is the first book about the U.S. Lifesaving Services only all-black crew. Spanning slavery times, the Civil War, Emancipation, Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era, Sink or Swim recalls this little-known chapter in American and North Carolinian history. Mixing adventure and social discord, the informative, action-packed narrative will enhance young readers understanding of coastal conditions and how slavery and other racial barriers affected African Americans lives. Readers witness violent storms, courageous rescues, tragic losses, and the lifesavers ultimate victory over prejudice. Their story is both powerful and empowering; in fact, it was said that Alex Haleys next project, had he lived, would have been to tell the Pea Island surfmens tale.
Average customer rating:
|
STAR TREK CREW MEMBER'S EXPLORATION PACK
Sarah Hewetson
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Television & Radio
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Music
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Activity Books
| Sports & Activities
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Coloring Books
| Cut & Assemble
| Diaries
| Dot to Dot
| General
| Hidden Picture
| Mazes
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Star Trek
| Media
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Writing Stationery
| Book Accessories
| Our Favorites
| Gift Ideas
| General
| Thank You Cards
ASIN: 0689809069 |
Book Description
Prepare yourself to "boldy go where no man has gone before" with your very own Crew Member's Exploration Pack! This clever kit is chock-full of a galaxy of items which every intrepid space explorer will need.
Average customer rating:
|
Crews: Gang Members Talk to Maria Hinojosa
Maria Hinojosa
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Teens
| Subjects
| Books
| Audiobooks
| Authors, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Health, Mind & Body
| History & Historical Fiction
| Horror
| Literature & Fiction
| Manga
| Mysteries
| Reference
| Religion & Spirituality
| School & Sports
| Science & Technology
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Series
| Social Issues
Peer Pressure
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Nonfiction
| Violence
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Adoption
| Babysitting
| Bullies
| Disaster Preparedness
| Divorce
| Drugs
| First Day of School
| Friendship
| General
| Hygiene
| Illness
| Money
| Moving
| Multiculturalism
| New Sibling
| Nutrition
| Personal Safety
| Pet Death
| Phobias
| Popularity
| Potty Training
| Prejudice & Racism
| School
| Sex Education
| Shyness
| Sleep
| Social Skills
| Special Needs
| Tolerance
| Twins
| Weight
Similar Items:
-
Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.
-
Buried Onions
-
Krik? Krak!
-
American Born Chinese
-
Weetzie Bat
ASIN: 0152928731 |
Customer Reviews:
Crews.......2003-11-24
I thought this book was very good at showing how it accually is to live on the streets, because they talked to real people. I also like the way that they discribed the conditions that they had to live in so good. Maria was very good at talking to the people like they were haveing a regular converstion so it felt like you were there with them. It was also helpful that they had a glossery in the back of the book so if you didnt know what a street term ment,you could look it up and you would know what the gang members were talking about and/or discribing. Over all I think this book is worth while and I would suggest it to everyone intrested.
An amazing book..........2001-03-21
This book really made me think a lot about what a "loose cannon" really goes through to get how they are. Usually, the media exploits these types of people and they don't talk about how they got this way... But in this book, they tell you about their lives and how they get to the point where they are at and what they want in the future. Maria really did a good job and let the boys and girls speak their mind. Once you read this book, you will start to understand the Crew members and the atmosphere that they live in.So check it out because its something that will elevate your thinking about other human beings.
Books:
- Barnum Museum: Stories
- Branwell: A Novel of the Bronte Brother
- Breaking the Tongue: A Novel
- Buy the Chief a Cadillac: A Novel
- Cereus Blooms at Night: A Novel
- Changes at Fairacre
- Conflicting Sanity
- Dancing on the Edge of the Roof: A Novel
- Dancing With Einstein: A Novel
- Death in Midsummer: And Other Stories
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Essential Cosmic Perspective, The
- Damsels in Distress: A Claire Malloy Mystery
- Architecture of Silence: Cistercian Abbeys of France
- Basic Data of Plasma Physics: The Fundamental Data on Electrical Discharges in Gases
- Consumer Behavior: In Fashion
- Cases and Materials on Torts
- Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Beh
- The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art
- Architecture, Power, and National Identity
- Brought In Dead
Fiskadoro
Jesus' Son: Stories by
Resuscitation of a Hanged Man
The Stars at Noon
Seek: Reports from the Edges of America & Beyond
