A Very Private Gentleman: A Novel

Book Description

"Crisp yet lyrical, simple yet intelligent....haunting, shocking, and tense."-BooklistThe locals in the Italian village where he lives call him Signor Farfalla--Mr. Butterfly--for he appears to be a discreet gentleman who paints rare butterflies. But as inconspicuous as Farfalla tries to make himself, his real profession is deadly, unbeknownst to the sometime brothel worker, Clara, with whom he sleeps. Of a certain age, and as his feelings for Clara intensify, Farfalla has resolved to make his next job his last--all the while sensing a treacherous circle closing in on him."With Farfalla, Booth has a created a rich, conflicted antihero whose clever rationalizations mask a soul weary with self-doubt....making us question our own moral values, our sense of right and wrong--and where exactly to draw the line."-Boston Globe"A psychological suspense thriller invested with life-and-death gravitas."-Seattle Times"There are echoes of Nabokov in this in this tense and poetic mystery."-Today (UK)

Customer Reviews:

A very boring gentleman.......2005-08-31

I seldom take the trouble to review unsatisfactory books, but I feel potential buyers should be alerted to this one. I slogged through the first fifty pages of A Very Private Gentleman in search of a story and gave up. (My wife gave up even sooner than I did, and she almost never puts aside a book she has begun.) There is not only not a story begun in the first fifth of this book, there is no hint that a story is soon to begin. What's there is a lot of very literary prose, and if that's your dish, you'll be sated. If it's not-if what you're after is a thriller-you're likely to be bored out of your mind.

A Very Different Book Than I would Have Imagined.......2004-09-29

I read Lawrence Bloch's Hitman series and I though this would be the European version, but was I wrong! The Bloch books focused in more on the witty comments and action between Keller and his handler.

Booth's book is focused on a previously unknown aspect of a high profile assissination (I won't spoil it for you) that no one really thinks about before.

The main character, Mr. Buttefly, is well written and complex as is the plot. I never could guess where the next chapter would lead, much less the book. The other supporting cast are equally enthralling and layered.

This book reminds of a cross between A Year in Provence and A John LeCarre spy novel.

Captivation.......2004-09-02

As a writer I have a intense love for books. I picked this book up at the library. The title interest me only because it contrasted the illustration of the book. When viewing the title I thought it immediately would be a love story. However, I immediately realize that a man was holding a gun and only part of his face could be shown. I begin reading the book. I came to love Mr. Butterfly. He seemed so complicated. At first it seems he is content with not having a true identity or noone with whom he can trust. However, the longer he stays in the Italian countryside the longer he realized that he wants something more. He finally got the chance to see what life would be like if he just settled. He could paint butterflies, sit at the bar with trustworthy neighbors, have intimate talks with his friend the priest, and fall in love with the beautiful young woman. Though his past and most important one of his "mistakes" ends up threatening his future. I have read too many books and realized how story like this end. What happens to the character. Time again I asked myself why am I still reading this. When I got to the end I realized the answer. Booth's language captivated me. Page by Page I waited for the inevitable yet hoping it would not happen. I loved this book, even in the the last sentence he leaves you wanting more. Not only for the story, but also for the character. I was intrugued by how the character was formed and most importantly his profession.

I couldn't finish it........2004-07-25

I thought highly of two other Martin Booth novels: Industry of Souls and Islands of Silence. Perhaps I wasn't patient enough, but I found Booth in this novel too self consciously trying to create a fascinaing character, whom I found only boring. I am writing this review only because I couldn't find another negative review.

a very good thriller.......2004-07-13

Come into Signor Farfalla's world as his past comes back to haunt him.
Where beauty & death cohabit quite comfortably.
Where anonymity is tantamount.
Where subterfuge & almost-truths are the language of the day.
Where contacts are made via convoluted means, goods are contracted for large sums of cash, projects are accomplished under cover...& a tranquil bright summer in a charming Italian river valley town is suddenly darkened by the arrival of the shadow-walkers...whose intentions he must fathom.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends A VERY PRIVATE GENTLEMAN as a very good read! Martin Booth's writing is tasty, smooth & piquant, like ripe peaches plucked from the tree; chilled with frissons of suspense, like perfect Italian icecream.

Could not put it down!

Average customer rating:

Super Reader

Awesome!

Hooked on Lawhead

Great trilogy!

this is a very juvenile effort, but maybe thats the point
The Endless Knot (The Song of Albion Trilogy, Book 3)
Stephen R. Lawhead
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Celtic & British Isles | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Lawhead, Stephen | ( L ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Silver Hand: Book Two in The Song of Albion Trilogy (Song of Albion)

The Paradise War: Book One in The Song of Albion Trilogy (Lawhead, Steve. Song of Albion (Westbow Press))

Hood (King Raven Trilogy, Book 1)

Byzantium (Harper Fiction)

Scarlet (The King Raven Trilogy, Book 2)

ASIN: 1595542213

Book Description

Fires rage in Albion: strange, hidden fires, dark-flamed, invisible to the eye. Llew Silver Hand is High King of Albion, but now the Brazen Man has defied his sovereignty and Llew must journey to the Foul Land to redeem his greatest treasure. The last battle begins, and the myths, passions, and heroism of an ancient people come to life as Llew faces his greatest test yet.

The ancient Celts admitted no separation between this world and the Otherworld: the two were delicately interwoven, each dependent on the other. The Endless Knot crosses the thin places between this work and that, as Lewis Gillies begins his ultimate quest, striking the final resounding chord in the Song of Albion.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-27

A solid fantasy trilogy, with the often useful hook of placing a modern man into the setting - with the twist that he becomes one of the great Celtic heroes, but not quite how you expect. The other thing is that he is an arts grad student nerd, too, so even more surprising. Not remarkable though, certainly would not read it again. Everything ends mostly happily.

Awesome!.......2007-06-27

I love Trilogies and when I saw all three of the Song of Albion series on sale together I decided to give them a try. I had never read SRL before, but the concept of this series really caught my attention. Needless to say I was hooked. I have since read just about everything SRL has written, since March!

As may have been mentioned before, the book takes a little while to get started (most Lawhead's books do), but it was all necessary backround and character development. I guess he could have just created a "time machine", but that wouldn't have been anywhere nearly as interesting a storyline Lawhead has created here. Part Fantasy, part historical fiction/speculation, I found this whole series both entertaining and educational and really created a good foundation for his other Celtic based storylines (i.e. Pendragon series, Hood, Celtic Crusades etc.) I don't know if it's just because this is first series of Lawhead's I read or what, but this is still my favorite SRL series, one which no doubt I will re-read more than once.

I would definetly start with the first book, The Paradise War, since this is a "true" trilogy, meaning it was meant to be a series right from the start and one book builds on the next with no "real" ending until the final chapter of this book.

Hooked on Lawhead.......2007-03-09

Mr. Lawhead is one of those authors that you discover and wonder why you have never read him before. I started out on his new book Hood and hve not stopped. I devoured the whole Song of Albion trilogy in out four days and have also just finished Bynantium. While his story lines are certainly not always the same, he is always an excellent and entertaining read. You should of course have already read the first two volumes of the trilogy before you read this one but The Endless Knot will definitely satisfy the readers need for conclusion even if a quirky one.

Great trilogy!.......2006-03-18

I love this trilogy. I've read it at least 3 times, and when I get home tonight I think I'll find it and start reading it again. Lawhead is an amazing fantasy writer and I've yet to read a book by him that I didn't like. If you love books that transport you to a different world (anything by C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, George MacDonald, or the Harry Potter books) you'll like these.

this is a very juvenile effort, but maybe thats the point.......2005-05-23

This is at times a very well written book. Usually in most adventure novels that I have stumbled across some of the actual conflicts are the most poorly written parts of the book. But here Lawhead shows himself time and again to have a strong hand in his profession if taken on such narrow guidelines. It is some other aspects of this book that drove me a little nuts reading this book. First of all, his main character Llew Silver Hand was a spoiled little brat. He is supposed to be a King to end all Kings, but instead I often found him to be no different than a highly spoiled pre teenager that I wanted to slap around. Secondly, the writing here is so incredibly sentimental that I felt like I was watching a scoop of ice cream being slathered with a gallon of chocolate sauce. The first third of his book has little to do with the plot, but was interesting nonetheless. I was enraptured by the descriptive power Lawhead displayed here as Llew surveyed his empire and wed his love. Then, the entire plot is hinged on incredible, and if you think about it, insanely far fetched occurrences. I mean come on, if your going to write a book at least iron out some of the harder to swallow aspects here. The worst was the incident in which Llew let a murderer several times over go because he claimed Nowl (I might have miss-spelled that) and because he did so Llew could not punish the murderer or he himself would have to relinquish his throne. Why wouldn't every criminal claim `Nowl'?

If you want a book better than this by a long long long shot, try George R R Martin's now four book series `Song of Ice and Fire'.

Average customer rating:

The Endless Knot: Song of Albion Book 3
Steve Lawhead
Manufacturer: A Lion Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J4NA2W

Book Description

Trillions of miles from an Earth in political and ecological turmoil, Captain Leo Davidson has crash landed on a different world -- a terrifying place where people are in chains...and apes rule. Here, beneath twin suns, humans are lower creatures to be cornered, captured and broken, suitable only for the amusement of their simian masters, for hard labor, laboratory experimentation, and breeding. But Leo Davidson has brought something unthinkable to the Planet of the Apes: rebellion. And in the all-consuming fire to come, a future will be determined...and a past as well.

Customer Reviews:

Apes Unleashed.......2002-01-12

In Planet of the Apes, Captain Leo Davidson crashlands on an unknown planet where apes rule and humans are slaves. After being captured, Davidson escapes and leads a rebellion against the feared ape leaders. After a devastating battle, the ape's army crumbles. In the end, humans and apes learn to get along and Davidson is left flying into the electromagnetic storm that origanally sent him to the weird planet.
I thought Planet of the Apes was a great story; it was exciting right until the very end. If you like science fiction stories, you should definitely read this book.

Where's the ending?!.......2001-11-16

The reason I bought this book, is I wanted them to describe the ending better than what I saw in the movie. Well in this book they leave off with Davidson leaving the planet of the apes and mentions nothing of his making it back to earth like it shows in the movie. So that is the only reason I would not reccomend this book, otherwise I really enjoyed it as it not only depicts the movie accurately, it goes beyond by describing the characters emotions and the thoughts. Oh well....you be the judge.

The Best book ever.......2001-10-03

Planet of the Apes Movie-tie book is the best book ever

A new Apes for a new world.......2001-09-14

I cannot believe the 2 bad reviews I just read of this book. I loved PLANET OF THE APES, this new book based on the world of Tim Burton. It was SO much better than the movie. William Quick did a fantastic job of bringing the new world of Apes to life, and it really makes me want to read even more stories. Apes are not dead!

An Unconvincing Novelization.......2001-09-08

Seems to me that the publishing house called William T. Quick and asked him to do the novelization of Tim Burton's film, and probably they also told him to do it "quick"!. Anyway, the result we get is a poorly written book, made without passion for the Planet of Apes theme and full of errors.

A proof that the author doesn't have much respect for the concepts behind "Planet of the Apes" is the fact that he continually names the Apes as "monks", "chimps", and -yes, beleive it-, "men" (as when he mentions "Attar's men" referring to Attar's troops).

Even worst is the fact that after introducing the Limbo character as an Orangutang (as it should be), for the rest of the story Quick calls him a "Chimp". Probably this author thinks that there is not much difference...

You won't find here much more insight into some characters that the film left underdeveloped (like Daena, Attar, Karubi). The landscapes are described without any life and the action is told in a confusingly and uninteresting manner.

In brief, I will only recommend this book for those Planet of the Apes fans (yes, I am one of those) that want to complete their collections.

Book Description

Recently, national headlines have announced the sexual crimes of Catholic priests and the ordination of an openly gay Episcopal bishop. In our day, the church is fragmented by staggering anxieties involving material stability, personal morality, and doctrinal purity. In Hope among the Fragments, Ephraim Radner reminds us that the church's shared hope is found in Scripture. Only by reading the Scriptures with Christ as the central figure can the church heal its divisions and claim its identity as a revelation of Christ himself, not merely his beleaguered ''instrument.''

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting!.......2006-04-23

This one was up and up and up! No downs at all. You find the hope you need in these fragmented times of ours. Wars and wars and hurt all around us, but there is hope. When we can hope for something to be better, it can be.

Hoping.......2005-10-16

It was the Archbishop of Canterbury's recommendation on the back of the book that first drew me to reading the new book by Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner. Hope Among the Fragments: The Broken Church and its Engagement of Scripture is a deep valley where Patristic and Anglican sources are woven together in essays on ecclesiology, sexuality and culture amidst the market forces of modernity. At points dense, it is also richly rewarding.

The entire book may be seen as a playing out of the them of "form". By "form" Radner means not simply aesthetics, but the visible and locatable Body of Christ. Thus, ecclesiology is never far from incarnation in his writing and sacramentality pervades his understanding of seeing hope as "clothed" in both the Church and in Scripture, neither being separable from the other (a premise drawn from Archbishop Michael Ramsey's great work, The Gospel and the Catholic Church, which permeates the book, being given explicit mention at its conclusion).

Reading Scripture is, for Radner, an "act of grace" (77). He considers some of the writings of John Keble who, in discussing "figural" readings of Scripture, mediates to us (just as he did to his own time) how the Church Fathers themselves read Scripture. Hermeneutics is inseperable from the providence of God, which includes not only the canon of Scripture (in both its Old and New Testaments), but history, nature, and personal discipline (81), the latter of which must animate our own reading of Scripture. "To remove the Scriptures themselves as the discardable vessel of these gifts is to wish that time itself were no longer the skin of our transformation, an almost gnostic yearning for release from a world that is felt to be cut loose from God" (108).

Such transformative reading is done together, and it is no mistake here that Radner immediately moves into a discussion of sexual morality; it is Pauline precedent to discuss moral issues within an ecclesiological context, for the two are bound up with one another. That marriage is a sacrament is denied by few; that marriage, being between a man and a woman, is an iconographic (151) window by which God's own desire for the Church (and the Church's desire for God) is expressed in two particular bodies, oriented towards redemption in their marital askesis, is something less willingly agreed upon. Yet, Radner opens up such a vista sensitively and poetically.

We are faced, then, again with ecclesiology. Despite bad bishops and despite novel teaching, what must take place is a return - not to "a Pelagian ratcheting up of the theological task" (202) where the theologian sees her or his vocation as "getting it right", but to the difficult work of discerning the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. Thus, Radner proposes that we are called to stay in the church that we have been given to, praying for its redemption and being conformed to the image of Christ through a foolishness that is God's own wisdom.

Only an Anglican in the United States could write a book of this sort. As the only Protestant group who has considered the historicity of its being located in the person of the bishop, Anglicans have long been an oddity on the American religious landscape. We have always claimed that historic faith ("the teaching of the Apostles, the breaking of bread, and the prayers") is inseperable from historic order ("the historic episcopate, locally adapted"), despite our many sympathies with various Protestants. Being self-conscious of this (as only Episcopalians can be, for it names us) is what lets there be a recognition that the Church truly is fragmented - a largely American phenomenon, now sadly exported throughout the world because of our hegemonic domination as *the* world power - yet called to be of a single form: the organically united "Body of Christ".

Average customer rating:
Cook Like a Chef: Techniques, Tips and Secrets from the Professional Kitchen to Yours
Chris Knight
Manufacturer: Whitecap Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Sugar: Simple Sweets and Decadent Desserts

Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen

Mangiamo! Let's Eat

The Professional Chef, 8th Edition

ASIN: 1552856127

Book Description

Cook like a Chef shows that the skills required to prepare wonderful meals are accessible to everyone. Even the most intimidated home cook can learn about techniques and tools to make cooking a joyous and satisfying activity. The 14 chapters of the book guide you through creating basic recipe foundations such as rich stocks and pastry dough to soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. With recipes such as Kumquat and Star Anise Braised Lamb Shank and Fig Tatin with Vanilla Mascarpone, your friends and family will be convinced that you can cook like a chef.

Average customer rating:

Excellent to provide a foundation for knowledge to build on.

A fun approach to studying decorative arts for the table.

The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique China and Silver: An Illustrated Guide to Tableware, Identifying Period, Detail and Design
Tim Forrest , and Paul Atterbury
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Porcelain & China | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Precious Metals | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain 1850 to Present (Kovel's Dictionary of Marks)

Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2007 (Antique Trader Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide)

Antiques Price Guide 2005 (Antiques Price Guide)

Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide 2007 (Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide)

Antiquing for Dummies

ASIN: 0821225057

Customer Reviews:

Excellent to provide a foundation for knowledge to build on........1999-07-27

This book is organized well, easy to understand and nicely illustrated. Provides a picture time line of the evolution of tableware and eating customs. Very interesting and helpful to the novice in developing an understanding of manufacture, style and utilization of table ware Readers shoul have an increased ability to identify pieces as to their origin, era and use. Only short coming was the book did not provide illustrations of the manufacturers marks. The author talked about them but should have shown them as they can help with the identification of the piece.

A fun approach to studying decorative arts for the table........1998-10-16

The reader is taken on a tour through the ages from the 16th century to the Retro period. Each general period, representing changes in design, style and use, begins with a table setting demonstrating functionality. Feature articles focus on important changes or developments in each period. A new perspective and understanding is, indeed, imparted.

Book Description

This book can change the way you see things! Come face to face with human clones, virtual surgery, high-tech creatures, surreal mutants, intergalactic scenes, killer fish fingers, and many other optical illusions. Paintbox No. 2, the follow-up volume to the best-selling Paintbox No. 1, presents the latest fascinating works from the Vienna Paint Studio and other internationally renowned image procession workshops in Europe, Asia, America, and Australia.

Customer Reviews:

Better than the First.......2002-07-28

Simply better than the first... and it's on my bookshelf now.

Stunning Photographic Work in Advertising.......2001-12-09

I got this book from a local bookstore. Only one was available and the cover was not in a very good condition. But I find the content stunning... the combination of photographs and no faults with the manipulations/modifications done could have easily fooled many in earlier days. Today we know such mastery is possible powerful computer software.

This book eye candy to me.

Eyecatching Effects and Stunning Ideas.......2001-12-01

Sometimes we come across advertisements (eg. posters) that catch our attention and make us wonder---"How REAL!!" and amaze us. This book is filled with wonderful pictures, carefully designed, composited, etc. with consideration of details such as shadows to make things realistic. Everything in the pictures blends well with other elements in the pictures. With the power of today's photo editing software, some of these may not be difficult to produce but for the rest, they seem like wonders to me. Imagination and skills are essential.

If you are in advertising and designing, it would be a great challenge to yourself to try to produce similar effects in the book. Or if you are just looking for a book that shows you great pictures in advertising, you will find this book to be an eye-candy. However, this book does not teach you how to produce the effects; which, I think is not the aim of the book.

I am happy to have a copy of this book.

Collection of Good Examples of Digital Image Manipulation.......2001-06-14

This book is chocked of photographic pictures that are skillfully modififed to blend seamlessly. Some of these may be done by using plug-ins, but others require more effort, skill and thought. For example, you cannot just mask an object and paste it on another photo; need to consider shadow, lighting, etc. and I think the pictures here involved such considerations. Great work. When I look at the pictures, I think, "That's great..." and a great challenge to me to produce similar results.

I am also intending to get "Paintbox No. 2" !!

Quantel Paintbox Artistry.......2000-01-28

Paintbox No.1 shows the power of image manipulation. With a simple digital pen these artists blend together images that will amaze your eyes. Pages upon pages of eyecandy!

Average customer rating:

Incredible resource and idea book
Image manipulation in full color gorgeous reproduction

Paintbox No 1
Vienna Paint
Manufacturer: Consortium Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1564962822

Customer Reviews:

Incredible resource and idea book.......1999-09-28

At last -- a USEFUL coffee table book. These guys at Vienna Paint really have it together, and they aren't shy about telling the reader how they composed all these amazing images! Get a copy immeidately, if not sooner!You'll be glad you did!

Image manipulation in full color gorgeous reproduction.......1997-09-04

If you are involved with graphics or just love beautiful imaging, this is the ultimate book. When I found it on the shelf amidst a hundred similar books of highest-quality design work, this was the one that most attracted me. You really have to see it to know how beautiful it is

Paintbox No. 1 - Imaginative Art and Design Using Electronic Image Processing

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Paintbox No. 1 - Imaginative Art and Design Using Electronic Image Processing
Albert Winkler , and Andreas Fitzner
Manufacturer: Prestel Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V1WXBW

Product Description

Welcome to the realm of visual visions, in which everything imaginable is possible, and everything impossible imaginable. Paintbox is the magic word for all art directors, graphic artists, photographers and other creative heads if new, witty and interesting pictures are concerned that cannot be produced by using a photograph only. Vienna Paint is the name of a studio with two paintboxes which is known for the best images in Austria since 1988. Albert Winkler and Andreas Fitzner, the founders of Vienna Paint have collected their own and the most beautiful pictures from 14 further studios all over the world.

Book Description

Body and Soul concentrates on the creative and cultural dilemmasÑboth personal and politicalÑthat affect the individuals in Aldrich's films.

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