Book Description
"Dramatic....One of the most ambitious and accomplished debut novels in recent memory."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
This brilliant novel chronicles the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in World War II. Central to the story is one Chinese family: Claude, raised to be more British than the British and ashamed of his own heritage; his father, Humphrey, whose Anglophilia blinds him to possible defeat and his wife's dalliances; and the redoubtable Grandma Siok, whose sage advice falls on deaf ears.
Expatriates, spies, fifth columnists, and nationalists—including the elusive young woman Ling-Li—mingle in this exotic culture as the Japanese threat looms. Beset by the horror of war and betrayal and, finally, torture, Claude must embrace his true heritage. In the extraordinary final paragraphs of the novel, the language itself breaks into Chinese. With penetrating observation, Vyvyane Loh unfolds the coming-of-age story of a young man and a nation, a story that deals with myth, race, and class, with the ways language shapes perceptions, and with the intrigue and suffering of war. Reading group guide included.
Customer Reviews:
A GIFTED WRITER.......2006-12-02
A brilliantly-written, moving book about the takeover of British-occupied Singapore by the Japanese in WWII.
This story is ingeniously told through masterful writing which is at times poetic, at times cryptic and always beautifully descriptive.
The superbly-drawn characters are utterly human, believable and many-layered. No cliches or stereotypes here.
This novel is political, historical, psychological, and deeply emotional. It seems to transcend time and place.
A startling first novel of Nobel Prize quality.......2005-03-21
An American reader confronted with a passage of Chinese characters might think: "Well, this is Chinese text so if it were read aloud it would come out as Chinese." This however is completely false. The tens of thousands of incredibly complex Chinese characters are ideograms, they represent not sounds but meanings such as man, flower or war. As a matter of fact, there are many Chinese languages such as Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien. All of these spoken languages sound entirely different but they are all written in the same set of Chinese characters. A long time ago the Japanese also adopted Chinese characters to write their language which is of course completely different from Chinese. The practical Japanese use an alphabetic script as well, so in practice a passage of Japanese writng might consist of a mixture of Chinese ideograms and alphabetic symbols. It is clear therefore that if you were erudite enough you could write any language including English in Chinese characters. Conversely, if you were to read aloud a passage of Chinese text you could do so in any language including English. Chinese text in other words is sound-independent, language-independent or as we might say tongue-independent.
In this book, near the end, the English text is occasionally replaced by passages of Chinese characters which are of course incomprehensible to the average American reader. This does not mean that the author has switched from English to Chinese but only that she has abandoned (or broken) the tongue. This is one meaning of the book's title, but only the metaphorical meaning.
There is a literal meaning as well. At the end of the book, the main character Claude Lim cuts out (or breaks) his own tongue. This operation is described in very clinical detail reminding us of the fact that the somewhat intimidatingly brilliant author is in fact a practicing physician who writes Nobel Prize quality novels in her spare time. The reason Claude cuts out his tongue is that he is an "English educated" Singaporean Chinese which meant in the colonial pre-war period that he was taught only English and could not speak a word of Chinese. After the Japanese conquest in 1942 and related personal events, Claude rejected his English education and wished to revert to his Chinese heritage. Since he could speak only English he accomplished this by cutting out his tongue ao that he could no longer speak any language but make only grunting sounds.
The reader may be pleased to hear that in modern independent Singapore Claude Lim's linguistic dilemma can no longer occur. English is now the primary language of education for all Singaporeans but each ethnic group is also taught their "mother tongue" whether it be Malay, Tamil (a southern Indian language) or (Mandarin) Chinese. So there are four official languages in Singapore and every Singaporean of normal intelligence is at least bilingual.
Well, it has taken me the space of a longish Amazon review and I have managed to explain only the title. To explain the body of the book as well is obviously beyond the scope here. But perhaps you can see what I mean when I describe this book as of Nobel Prize quality. I do not mean that Vyvyane Loh will receive the Prize in the near future since the Swedish Academy will not award it for a first novel. What I mean is that there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that she will receive the Nobel eventually. This book has the literary quality and the depth that would be expected. It is also has the exotic setting that is evidently much liked in Stockholm. So congratulations Vyvyane, a great literary future for you is assured.
"The faces fused in a kaleidoscope".......2004-05-03
In BREAKING THE TONGUE Vyvyane Loh successfully brings to life the myriad of cultures and languages resulting in a rich tapestry of colors and flavors of Singapore, situated at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. The days of the British Empire are numbered as the Japanese threaten to invade Singapore in the days leading up to Second World War. Within the unstable economic and political landscape is Claude Lim, a young Chinese boy who was raised to only speak the language and admire the mannerisms of England. His parents taught him that the Chinese along with other non-whites are barbarians; the British are much more civilized and cultured. There is little uncertainty that the British will succeed in protecting Singapore from the Japanese menace.
Despite their initial beliefs the Japanese experience minimal difficulties advancing south through Malaysia towards Singapore. After his family flees to the relative safety of the countryside Claude is left behind to resume his studies. However, shortly after their departure the routines of everyday life are interrupted when the bombings begin and war becomes more apparent. Claude along with Brit Jack and Chinese Ling-li who strive to survive day by day while running a defunct medical clinic. They dodge bombs and the chaos of the streets to buy food and run the injured to the hospital without knowing when or if any type of normalcy will return to Singapore.
One of this novel's strengths is the manner in which Loh highlights and exposes the issues of cultural identity and belonging. There is Claude who is a devout Anglophile and who has essentially turned his back on his cultural identity, Jack who is British but is interested in the peoples of Singapore, and Ling-li who is strong pro-China. These three divergent individuals bunker down and explore their own cultural identity. Throughout the course of this book Claude slowly realizes that all his father taught him is not necessarily true. He begins to regret not knowing the various Chinese dialects and opens his eyes to the futility of his parent's choices.
BREAKING THE TONGUE is a book that is well worth seeking out and reading. It is filled with mystery, intrigue, and action and there's much to enjoy.
Singapore soap opera.......2004-04-27
In the middle of "Breaking the Tongue", Vyvyane Loh repeats Somerset Maugham's warning that:
"'A work of fiction ... is an arrangement which the author makes of his experience with the idiosyncrancies of his own personality.' In other words, if someone messed with him, he'd write him into a story."
It seems that most of the ethnic groups in Singapore must have "messed" with this Malaysian author and she's written them into a mean-spirited parody of life in the island state during the 1940's.
At the center of the action are the Lim's. Father Lim is a sadistic snob, who evicts a homeless family from their temporary shelter in his drainage ditch. Mother Lim is a mentally unstable self-mutilator with the morals and varnished claws of a cat. Junior is a whiny adolescent. Little Sister doesn't have a speaking part, but her Confucian saint of a grandmother makes up for it by reciting large tracts of Sun Tzu at the drop of a hat. The various members of the family detest each other and that is the only part of the book that truly makes sense.
Alert readers will have noticed by now that "Breaking the Tongue" is a farce, not a literal history of Singapore. It didn't take any `courage' to write, just a lot of spleen.
"It is too dark for recognition, it is war time.".......2004-04-09
Breaking the Tongue is a courageous, daring and unflinching account of the fall Singapore under Japanese invasion. Weaving the personal with the historical, Loh, has written an absolutely devastating account of the fall of the "the diamond shaped jewel of the Far East." The narrative centers on a young Chinese boy Claude Lim, who has been bought up along with his little sister to be totally British in action and thought - his family can't even speak Chinese. Claude is ashamed, uncomfortable, and quite mortified at his own traditions. His father, Humphrey, a banker, a man born to serve, and his decorative, wife Cynthia spend their time cow towing to the British rulers, and insisting that the family climb as far as they can up the ladder of British acceptance and colonial authority. They crave tradition, ceremony, and aristocracy, and they are forever grateful to the British "for their unfailing leadership, their unflappable disposition." Watching them with an air of authority, and traditional judgment is Grandma Siok, who surreptitiously tries to get Claude to accept his Chinese heritage, while constantly peppering him with advice and excerpts from the ancient Art of War.
Claude's life changes forever when he encounters Ling-Li, an elusive young Chinese nurse, who is acting as a spy for the British, and the stately Jack Winchester, a disparate traveler who has fallen maddeningly in love with the sites, sounds and smells of this colonial outpost. Jack and Claude form a formidable friendship, which is further cemented when Jack becomes sick, and Claude, on the eve of the Japanese invasion, with the "bombs falling and the claxons wailing" has to get urgent medical attention for him. When Jack and Claude stay to help Ling-Li with the sick, and war torn in a local medical center, both are led inadvertently into a web of intrigue, stratagems and safeguarded secrets. When the British and Australian forces crumble, so does Claude - "he loosens his hold on the world and falls." Finally, beleaguered by treachery and facing the horrors of torture he is forced to "grow up" and "face a lie of existence he cannot deny."
Loh paints a portrait of a colony undergoing enormous upheavals. On the brink of multi-ethnic unrest, Indians, Malays, the Fifth Columnists and the Chinese are all vying for political superiority and are all intent on furthering their own agendas. This is a newly forming world where everything else is coming into being or disintegrating into fragments, transitions and struggle. Racism is also rife as the occupying British laud it over the native Chinese, employing them as servants and restricting them to particular areas. "It's like sorting rice - white-not white."
The final part of the novel details the horrors of the Japanese invasion and the retreat of the mighty Britannia. The invasion leaves a landscape of battered fields, blackened villages, a setting fetid with corpses. In Singapore there are burning death houses, the disbelieving are maimed, the air is singed, and the Harbour is bombed and torched. Claude runs from a world "distinguished only by shades of charcoal and light." Breaking the Tongue seduces us through beautiful, stark and uncompromising language. There is a grace and simplicity of voice in the narrative that is impossible not to like. This is a gorgeous, ambitious, larger-than-life story - a real literary and artistic achievement. Mike Leonard April 04
Amazon.com
Beautiful Isabel Darling is the only child of an infamous madam and an unnamed nobleman. When Isabel discovers her mother's diary and learns that her mother didn't die of natural causes, but was murdered to prevent the publishing of her racy memoirs, she vows to unmask the murderer. But to do so, she must leave her quiet life and enter the social upper-crust world of Regency London's ton - a move that she manages with a bit of deft emotional blackmail. Bent on ferreting out a murderer, Isabel isn't prepared for opposition in the form of Justin Culver, the handsome, cynical Duke of Lynwood. Justin has nothing but contempt for his father, who has always been a notorious womanizer, but he'll take whatever steps are necessary to prevent Isabel from publishing the details of his father's sexual escapades that are included in her mother's memoirs. Vowing to thwart Isabel's investigation, he finds himself caught up in her search, becoming her protector from physical danger and the threat of scandal generated by her inquiries. Engaged in a battle of wills with the determined Isabel, Justin finds his iron-clad heart softening toward the beautiful blackmailer. Isabel is a woman with a tarnished reputation and a scandalous heritage. Justin is a powerful man determined to live a life of virtue and good reputation. Unfortunately, Justin can't help but be affected by Isabel's extraordinary beauty and Isabel can't help but be seduced by the man she grows to know as both opponent and lover. Set against the glittering backdrop of high society, Her Secret Affair is a great read for those who enjoy historical detail, intriguing mystery, and sensuous love scenes. --Lois Faye Dyer
Book Description
She was an innocent in a world of scandal....The only child of a notorious madam, Isabel Darling will risk anything to find the man who murdered her mother-even if it means blackmailing her way into the exalted world of London society. Even if it means indulging her forbidden dream to take her place among the aristocracy. And even if it means battling Justin Culver, the Earl of Kern-the one man who can ruin her quest for justice.Arrogant and powerful, Lord Kern vows to stop Isabel. Yet, as they engage in a clash of wills, the fiery commoner threatens to breach the wall around his hardened heart. She alone can make him neglect duty and decorum: she alone can cause his downfall. And she alone can bring him to the heights of true love....or the depths of betrayal.
Customer Reviews:
Not your average heroine..........2006-03-03
I picked up this book several years ago and put it down very quickly since I found the two main characters to be pretty despicable -- ahhh, but in the world of romance things are seldom what they seem! Isabel is a bit more "seasoned" than your usual historical romance heroine, albeit virtuous! And as motives become untangled, Justin turns out to be very loveable. This is the first Barbara D Smith novel for me, so I look forward to reading more...
Another of her books I couldn't put it down..........2001-07-23
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I really enjoyed this book. I like her style of writing and the characters she creates. This had romance, a spellbinding mystery and a great twist at the end. Again I recommend this good read.
Skip this one..........2001-01-16
I have read several of Barbara Dawson Smith's books but this is the only one I can't even bring myself to finish. I started it months ago, but I never finished it. I didn't care about either of the characters to wonder how everything ended. I found Justin, the "hero" in this book to be pompous, arrogant, and downright mean to Isabel. Pass on this one...
Intriguing and sensual........2000-04-27
Isabel Darling is a courageous woman of her time. She is determined to step into the shark-infested waters of the Ton to discover two things, her mother's murderer and her real father. She's willing to risk scorn and her life. The hero, Justin tries to thwart her because his father was one of Isabel's mother's many lovers. Isabel's mother was writing a book of memoirs and someone wanted her silenced. I didn't like Justin at first. He thought she wasn't his equal just because her blood wasn't blue like his, but once he saw the she was a human being, and started treating her as such, the author endeared him to me and Isabel. The story moves along at a fast pace as Isabel proves she's his match with her seductive plays and clever wit. The mystery of who killed Isabel's mother and who was attacking the other "ladies of the night" kept me glued to my chair. I also liked the way the author revealed Justin's secret and why he disliked Isabel in the beginning. This was the first BDS book I've read, and I'm looking forwarding to read Once Upon a Scandal as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Not her best book!.......1999-07-28
I hated the characters! The only charater that i did like and had intelligence was Helen(sister and fiance). I didn't like the plot at all.
Average customer rating:
- Entertaining and lively -- Recommended
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Her Secret Affair (Silhouette Special Edition, No. 1421)
Arlene James
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Silhouette Special Edition | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373244215 |
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining and lively -- Recommended.......2001-08-31
Single father Brodie Todd moved his comatose ex-wife and son back to New Orleans from Texas. On Seth's first birthday, his mother had been drinking when she fell into a pool and almost drowned. For the last two years she's existed in a coma. The New Orleans mansion needs extensive renovation, so Brodie hires Chey Simmons an architect specializing in renovation and restoration. While he hopes his ex-wife will yet awaken and go about her life as they had planned, and be the mother Seth needs, he holds even greater hope to include Chey in his life. When the ex-wife finally awakens at the most inopportune moment, the shenanigans begin.
With nine siblings, and thirty-one nieces and nephews, Chey knows the demands of family. Chey has other dreams and plans for her life than carrying on the family tradition of producing babies, however. She has no intentions of marrying because she wants to focus on her career. Impatient with her arrogant flirt, Chey still can't resist that attraction that draws her to Brodie. But many challenges must be overcome before these two can live happily in the mansion. While the mansion needs renovation, so do their priorities and responsibilities.
Set in New Orleans, HER SECRET AFFAIR captures the architectural and cultural dazzle of that city with flair. Unfortunately, overabundant description with excessive detail bogs the narrative flow at times. Nevertheless, these warm characters with strong family related challenges create an entertaining and lively read. Bold motivations and dialogue leave little doubt as to the desires of these strong characters that initially find themselves at an impasse. Strong secondary characters add zest to the mix as well. Recommended.
Product Description
Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
Product Description
multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.
Product Description
5 paperback books - Romance
Book Description
Edwards discusses spiritual gifts from a biblical perspective, and guides us in the discovery of our particular spiritual gifts through step-by-step exercises and challenging self-evaluation.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful, practical tool.......2004-04-19
This book was recommended to me by a counselling psychologist as part of my discernment process for the Episcopal priesthood. (Edwards is himself an Episcopal priest.) I found it very helpful not just in my own discernment, but in helping others discover their own spiritual and other gifts, at many levels. It has earned a permanent place in my bookshelf, and fear of losing it in a loan has caused me to buy "give-away" copies. These are pretty affordable; list price was only $10.95, and I've found sources here where one can get the book in excellent shape very cheaply.
Customer Reviews:
An elegant, mouth-watering, palate pleasing collection of truly tempting confections.......2005-10-14
The chocolate cake is an desert and celebratory icon. Chocolate Cakes: 20 Fabulously Indulgent Cakes by British confectionary expert Tom Philips showcases twenty superb chocolate cakes, each of which would make any special occasion truly memorable. After providing basic introduction information on chocolate, techniques of cake baking, cakes and sponges, fillings, coverings, and equipment, the fully illustrated, "kitchen cook friendly" recipes follow. The selected cakes comprising this outstanding and highly recommended compendium of specialized recipes includes: Praline Chequerboard Torte; Hedgehog; Chocolate Flower; Choc Cherry Fondant; Square Box of Chocolates; Ultimate Chocolate Truffle Cake; Chocolate Panel Cake; Bitter Fruity Ganache Cake; Round Chocolate Box; Valentine's Love Heart; Vertical Layer Torte; Yle Log; Christmas Tree; Floral Trail; White Wedding Dream; Fairy Cake Tower; Chocolate Croquembouche; Forever Frills; Easter Basket; and Tower of Flowers. Enhanced with templates, a list of suppliers, and an index, Chocolate Cakes is an elegant, mouth-watering, palate pleasing collection of truly tempting confections.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent book about a fascinating subject
- Exquisite photography combined with delectable prose
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Collectible Glass Rose Bowls: A History and Identification Guide
Johanna S. Billings , and
Sean Billings
Manufacturer: Antique Trader Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Glass & Glassware
| Antiques & Collectibles
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
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ASIN: 1582210098 |
Book Description
Organized by time periods, the book lists the primary bowl manufacturers along with the characteristics, folklore, and uses of their products.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book about a fascinating subject.......1999-08-09
The authors really knows their glass, and especially glass rose bowls. The material is presented in a clear, well documented manner and the pictures are just wonderful to look at. I highly recommend this book to glass lovers and glass collectors.
Exquisite photography combined with delectable prose.......1999-08-04
Collectible Glass Rose Bowls is an excellent history of the glassmaking artistry of rose bowls. The book starts with a detailed explanation of rose bowls and then studies examples created in the different eras leading up today. Johanna also gives great details on the method of manufacture of the rose bowls that are pictured and a bit of history on the companies that produced each item. She explains and defines many glass terms that are useful in the study of other glass forms.
The photography is terrific. The fine workmanship in the rose bowls nearly jumps off the page. If you think rose bowls are simple and boring, you will change your mind in very short order.
Collectible Glass Rose Bowls is an excellent tutorial on the hobby of glass collecting. Even if you don't collect rose bowls, you will learn much from reading this very enjoyable book. This book is highly recommended for all glass collectors.
Book Description
A basic polystyrene ball wrapped in glittering threads of many colors. Whether a Christmas ornament, house-warming bauble, or a precious gift for a loved one, the unique Japanese art of temari can be a breathtaking dis-play of creativity. Seventy-five spectacular patterns will help you craft polystars, square crossings, hexagons, and overlapping triangles.
Customer Reviews:
Worst Instructions Ever.......2006-05-05
I am in the middle of making the first ball, what is supposed to be the easy ball. I don't understand what she is talking about. she is referring to the points on the ball with jargon that she has never defined, as far as I have found searching through the introduction. I am currently trying to do something called a herringbone stitch, but the only reference to how to do it are very simple line drawings of the preliminary stitches. At this point I have decided to just make up my own method that will look as much like the completed ball as possible. If I was going to have to just make up my own method, though, why did I get this book?!
This text would be improved significantly if the author would be more clear in her terminology (e.g. what exactly does AH refer to??) and including photographs, at least for the first pattern, of someone going through the process of making it, especially with regard to this herringbone stitch.
Disappointing Instructions.......2006-04-23
As others have pointed out, the instructions in this otherwise beautiful book are sorely lacking. I've done several Temari balls from Diana Vandervoort's first book, and had no problems. However, even doing the first one in Diamond's book left me very frustrated. She does not tell you how many rounds to make of each color, so you're left to try to count the threads from the photos. Not a good way to do it.
I'm going to purchase the next Vandervoort book...perhaps that will make me feel better about the whole craft!
Good source of ideas.......2005-02-02
I have two Temari ball books; one by Diane V (for beginners) and this one. Some of the instructions are hard to follow; sometimes I looked at the pictures and guessed about what to do. There isn't a lot of detail about how to start or end a thread, how many wraps to make, when to change colors, etc. And a couple patterns seem to be missing steps. But if you've learned to make Temari balls already, this book has beautiful, inspiring designs. One comment on her technique is that she has you start with a polystyrene ball and cover it with thread (without a batting layer or a yarn layer). This is a very slow way to start! And I think the batting layer and thread layer help anchor the knots in the balls making the finished product more secure.
I loved it!.......2004-03-12
I was completely new to temari when I found this book in the bookstore, and I fell in love in an instant! I have worked a number of the patterns, both simple and complex, and have had no problems at all. I especially like that there is such a variety of patterns to choose from, some other books out there will only give you less than 10 patterns per book.I would absolutely recomend it!
Pass on this one.......2003-11-30
No one should buy this book - especially a beginner. I learned the hard way. There are much better books on the subject. Pass on this one and save your money.
Book Description
From the pages of rare Victorian publications: 24 dazzling images of winged beauties fluttering amid pansies, lilies of the valley and other flowers.
Customer Reviews:
24 Flower and Butterflies Stickers.......2001-04-02
Average size is 1 inch by 2 inches. They are attractive stickers using more primary colors than pastels.
Book Description
The New Design series celebrates some of the finest graphic design talents each featured city has to offer. This city-by-city tour is the insider's guide to dozens of design firms that are making an impact on the industry.
Selected by designers for designers, the work in these pages reveals what makes graphic design in Los Angeles. Fresh, new, and filled with vitality, this is a valuable collection for all design enthusiasts, from advertising and media afficionados, to artists, educators, students, and all those with a strong interest in contemporary design.
Average customer rating:
- A GREAT MAN TASTEFULLY REMEMBERED
- Where's George?
- A Classic, I Will Never Stop Listening
- At Last The Truth About Beatle George
- A Waste of Time and Money
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George Harrison: A Tribute
Geoffrey Giuliano
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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ASIN: 0553525891
Release Date: 2001-12-04 |
Book Description
"The Beatles exist apart from myself. I am not really Beatle George. Beatle George is like a suit or shirt that I once wore on occasion, and until the end of my life, people may see that shirt and mistake it for me."–George Harrison [Newsweek, October 23,1995]
Of the four legendary Beatles, he is often referred to as “the Quiet One,” but behind this innocent-sounding moniker stands one of the towering giants of rock and roll. From the guitarist’s early days in working-class Liverpool, through years of super-stardom with the Fab Four, and onward into a life of spiritual devotion and bold musical invention, George Harrison: A Tribute takes you through nearly four decades of rock history in the Quiet Beatle’s own aptly chosen words. Joining him in these rare audio clips are fellow Beatles Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr, longtime associate Alistair Taylor, and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the venerable spiritual leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement that has so passionately captivated Harrison for most of his adult life.
“It doesn't matter if you're the greatest guitar player in the world. If you're not enlightened, forget it.”–George Harrison [Zen Guitar]
This remarkable tribute gives listeners a rare glimpse of George Harrison’s transformation from lovable pop star to seasoned solo musician, and illustrates how his rich spirituality propelled the artist to champion humanitarian causes and gave him the strength to face a bitter divorce, ill health, and a vicious assault. George Harrison: A Tribute celebrates the journey of the musician, film producer, activist, and survivor-- a journey which, like the traveler himself, is an extraordinary mix of the spiritual and the down-to-earth. It is a gripping, inspiring, and at times amusing portrait of one of popular music’s highest-soaring talents.
Customer Reviews:
A GREAT MAN TASTEFULLY REMEMBERED.......2004-02-01
I thought this was a very good overview of George Harrison's life and times. Giuliano wites and narrates beautifully and the many fine interviews with George are a real hoot. God Bless You George!
Where's George?.......2003-03-13
He certainly is the "quiet beatle". Giuliano couldn't even find enough on George to fill a cassette. Instead we get an endlessly long press conference featuring John & Paul. George might have been there. Then another endless prattle from his discredited Yogi. This is not a tribute to anyone. It's a travesty. Giuliano is a parasite & should quit feeding off of dead Beatles who cannot defend themselves from his ilk.
A Classic, I Will Never Stop Listening.......2002-08-05
Dear Geoffrey,
I would like to contact you by e-mail, but it sems to be impossible to find your address. So maybe this will get your attention.
This is the best audio have heard in a long time. I mean the only thing better than this is actually talking to George himself.
I just want to thank you for making me, a very hardcore Beatles fan, you make me appreciate what I grew up with. I mean, what our children is listening to now they won't remember when they are our age. Thank you again.
At Last The Truth About Beatle George.......2002-08-05
Ever an engima, George Harrison was the heart and soul of the Beatles and Geoffrey Giuliano, in his usual frank, forthcoming and insightful way given us the George harrison we always felt was there but we could never quite grab hold of. The script and naration are first rate as is the rare montage of interviews with and about the legendary, mystical musician. A must for any even casually interested sixties pop music fan! A brilliant work!
A Waste of Time and Money.......2002-01-16
Given the low quality of Giuliano's previous Beatles works there is little reason to believe that he has now put out something worthwhile. ... And why should someone who has written so negatively about Paul McCartney be trusted to do a tribute to George Harrison? There are enough good Beatles books out there that a person doesn't have to waste his time with Giuliano's creations.
A quote from George Harrison's only sister, Lou (Louise) is in order here. She asked, "What credibility does he (Giuliano) have when in his book he didn't even have George's name right?" (She was referring to one of his earlier books about George.)
...
Books:
- 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
- Death Kit: A Novel
- Divining Women (P.S.)
- Don't Move: A Novel
Books Index
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