The Last Will and Testament of Senhor da Silva Araujo

Book Description

New Directions is proud to introduce the masterwork of Cape Verde's greatest living writer, Germano Almeida: an ironic and original tragic-comedy from a new voice in African literature. Everyone in Cape Verde knows Señor da Silva. Successful entrepreneur, owner of the island's first automobile, a most serious, upright, and self-made businessman, Señor da Silva is the local success story. Born an orphan, he never married, he never splurged—one good suit was good enough for him—and he never wandered from the straight and narrow.

Or so everyone thought.

But when Señor da Silva's 387-page Last Will and Testament is read aloud—a marathon task on a hot afternoon which exhausts reader after reader—there's eye-opening news, and not just for the smug nephew so certain of inheriting all Señor da Silva's property.

With his will, Señor da Silva leaves a memoir that is a touching web of elaborate self-deceptions. He desired so ardently to prosper, to be taken seriously, to join (perhaps, if they'll have him) the exclusive Grémio country club, and, most of all, to be a good man. And yet, shady deals, twists of fate, an illegitimate child: such is the lot of poor, self-critical Señor da Silva. A bit like Calvino's Mr. Palomar in his attention to protocol and in his terror of life's passions; a bit like Svevo's Zeno (a little pompous, a little old-fashioned, and often hapless), Señor da Silva moves along a deliciously blurry line between farce and tragedy: a self-important buffoon becomes a fully human, even tragic, figure in the arc of this hilarious and touching novel - translated into Spanish, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and now, at last, English.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2005-06-02

I finished this book and immediately read it a second time. Germano Almeida has written, with sly humor and meticulous prose, an enchanting story encompassing one man's struggle with the imperfections of passion and life.

Book Description

In September of 2004, Dr. Charles Marsh arrived at the Kriegmoor Psychiatric Institute in Bayfield, Wisconsin, anxious to take on his new duties, eager to distance himself from the scandal that had forced him to resign his previous post. Among the patients assigned to Marsh at this time was a young woman named Kari Hansen, a college student who had suffered a nervous collapse during a school-sponsored anthropology dig a year previously. Subsequently, Ms. Hansen began experiencing what hospital records referred to as “a series of vivid hallucinations;” her own words described visions of an “alien” intelligence, a heretofore unknown kind of life form which appeared to her as shadows, often of indeterminate shape, occasionally taking on the form of man. Dr. Marsh came to believe these shadows were real.

Shadows in the Asylum collects, for the first time anywhere, Ms. Hansen's patient records, as well as records belonging to a number of Dr. Marsh's other patients and the related historical evidence that led the doctor to his astonishing conclusions to present a bizarre story of insanity that blurs the line between fact and fiction.

Customer Reviews:

An Innovative Addition to the Horror Genre.......2006-05-24

When any given publisher releases a book with a theme in which it specializes, such a work does not necessarily warrant attention; chaff gets pretty thoroughly mixed with palatable morsels in many cases, and this is as true with horror -- more true, perhaps -- than with many other genres. But when a reputable regional publisher releases a bona fide horror title, it makes a conscientious fan wonder whether it might not be worth a closer look.

This is certainly the case with Emmis Books' Shadows in the Asylum: The Case Files of Dr. Charles Marsh, an innovative work written by D.A. Stern, bestselling author of a number of Blair Witch Project adaptations and spinoffs. Not only does it warrant a closer look, its innovative structure both encourages and compels one.

Unlike more traditional books, Shadows in the Asylum's story unfolds in the form of a variety of documents, including medical records, newspaper clippings, historical documents, journal entries, email messages, and even the scribbled notes of its central character. This makes a passive reading of the book difficult and challenges the reader to glean the information that will reveal the secrets contained within its pages.

Events in the book revolve around the title Dr. Charles Marsh, a man with a dark past who has recently assumed a position as a psychologist at an asylum in Wisconsin. Marsh soon develops an interest in one of the institution's patients, a woman who suffered a mental breakdown while on an archaeological dig in northern Wisconsin and now claims to be haunted by spectral monsters. From that point onward, the lines between patient and healer begin to blur, and Marsh is inexorably drawn into a struggle with his uncertainty about what is real and what is imaginary, and what can be addressed with the tools of science and what cannot.

While the works of horror master H.P. Lovecraft are evoked by the contents of this book -- and, along with the Blair Witch Project, invoked by the publisher in its promotional and backflap materials -- discerning readers will also detect the influence of an earlier by equally seminal father of the genre: Bram Stoker, whose Dracula is a compilation of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles, phonograph transcripts, and the like. Shadows in the Asylum takes this concept a step further by presenting it graphically as well as textually. (A technique, by the way, that would make this book an ideal prop for live-action horror roleplaying games like Cthulhu Live.)

It would not be right to include any spoilers or give away any surprises here, and so this review will forgo providing too many details of the horror that lurks at the roots of this compelling story (although the most fanatic horror aficionados already know what sort of creatures lurk in the cold wastes of the upper Midwest ...). For those looking for that exceptional work that transcends what they have come to expect from an often dissatisfying genre, however, suffice it to say that Shadows in the Asylum will not disappoint.

Original and engrossing - Twilight Zone-esque.......2006-01-25

I'm not a big fan of horror books, but if you liked the Twilight Zone, you will love this book. It has the single most important ingredient for a horror book: believabilty. You don't have to believe in the supernatural to enjoy this book; you just have to believe that there are those who do. The author does the rest, moving the plot and the characters along beautifully. The mystery and tension build quickly as Dr. Charles Marsh learns about his young patient. Does he begin to believe her because he is scientifically convinced that she is not hallucinating, or is his judgment impaired by his growing love for her (not to mention the drugs)?

The format of the book is a big part of the fun. This is not a straight narrative, but a collection of "documents;" some are handwritten notes, some transcripts of patient therapy sessions, some strange and oddly realistic excerpts from other "books". We get to know the characters quickly and easily through these documents, and the plot barrels along to the surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Product Description

a serious detective novel that explores the mind of the kidnapper in our society today

Moonstalker: The adventures of Gen. Sherman's drummer boy

Average customer rating:

Moonstalker: The adventures of Gen. Sherman's drummer boy
Richard L Hawk
Manufacturer: Beechwood Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

Quotes to memorize for everyday use.......1999-12-09

The many quotes that were arranged and can be found in this book are excellent for use in your daily walk and for much instruction in the Lord. I found these to be quite useful in understanding certain topics found in the Bible, and sometimes found Spurgeon's quotes to be quite humorous. If there is any quotation book to get, this is a must have!

Average customer rating:

The Uncommon Gourment Gets Even Better

Home Cooking with The Uncommon Gourmet
Ellen Helman
Manufacturer: Font & Center Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Uncommon Gourmet's All-Occasion Cookbook

The Uncommon Gourmet

ASIN: 1883280176

Book Description

The meals in this cookbook are a symphony of exciting flavors and food. Tailored to fit contemporary lifestyles, it encompasses distinctly American food, ethnic cooking, and creative cuisine. The more than 400 recipes will turn ordinary home cooking into extraordinary meals! Following in the footsteps of her much loved and successful books The Uncommon Gourmet and The Uncommon Gourmet's All-Occasion Cookbook, this companion presents more fresh, fabulous, and savory recipes.

Customer Reviews:

The Uncommon Gourment Gets Even Better.......2003-04-12

Once again Ellen Helman has shared with us her ability to create new and exciting recipes that are easy to understand, contain ingredients found in most kitchens or at almost any market, and are a perfect enhancement to all recipe collections. This time we are even allowed to enter into the Uncommon Gourmet pantry to
see the whats and whys or certain products.
The fruit and pudding section contains several "fast recipes" that are sure to put a perfect touch on the end of a meal. The Chocolate Pudding Cake brings back great memories of comfort food and the Peach Kuchen will convince even the diehard who "never touches dessert" that maybe some things are worth sampling.
I look forward to book four....

Book Description

With hundreds of new photos and updated values, this 'TV guide' includes cast listings, number of episodes, and peak rating positions. Collectibles from over 50 of the most beloved shows from the 1960s and 1970s are featured in this comprehensive guide. More than 1,300 color photographs of popular TV collectibles not found in any other guide fill its pages. AUTHORBIO: Greg Davis and Bill Morgan, authors of Collector's Guide to TV Toys and Memorabilia, host a TV toys website, 'The World of TV Toys,' at www.tvtoys.com. Their passion for TV toy collectibles runs deep. REVIEW: From the Beverly Hillbillies to Wonder Woman, this book features collectibles marketed during 46 television shows' original runs. Not only does this book bring back fun memories and recollections of favorite television episodes, but it also educates collectors on the current values for these items.

Customer Reviews:

1960's and 70's TV Toys & Memorabilia Delight !.......1999-09-28

This beautiful, completely revised, latest edition, 296 page volume has colorful, laminated hard covers. There are over 1,300 full color, sharp, large photos of very type of TV toy and memorabilia. If you were around in the 60's or 70's or enjoyed re-runs of some of these shows you'll really enjoy using and owning this book. Having the book is almost as good as owning the items! It includes shows from Beverly Hillbillies to Fantasy Island, to Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Partridge Family, Patty Duke, Welcome Back Kotter and Saturday morning shows. Estimated values are shown. Very, very nice book.

Greatest Book Ever Written.......1999-08-04

Tv Toys is the all time greatest book ever written for toy collectors. I haven't found anything that even begins to compare to this book. I wish that Mr Davis and Mr. Morgan would write more like it. Great job guys. Thanks

GREAT BOOK ON COLLECTING TV TOYS!!.......1999-03-18

This is a GREAT book for collecting TV Toys!! The book covers most hit shows from the 60's to the 70's. Ever see a Samantha doll from Bewitched? Ever see a Bewitched coloring book or a Brady Bunch Fan Club Kit? Well if you buy this book you'll see nice color photos of LOTS of TV Memorbilla!! The book has a nice forward in it by Erin Murphy who played Tabatha on the 60's hit sitcom "Bewitched". The book even has price ranges for the memorbilla listed. If you love classic TV or TV toys this book is for you! So take a walk down memory lane and pick it up today!! Or for other information visit the author's website at TVTOYS.com

Collector's Guide to TV Memorabilia 1960s & 1970s: Identification and Values (Collector's Guide to TV Toys & Memorabilia)

Average customer rating:

Really Fun Book of Vintage TV Memorabilia
26
*GREAT!*

Collector's Guide to TV Memorabilia 1960s & 1970s: Identification and Values (Collector's Guide to TV Toys & Memorabilia)
Greg Davis , and Bill Morgan
Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Popular Culture | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Radios & Televisions | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Performing Arts | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0891457054

Customer Reviews:

Really Fun Book of Vintage TV Memorabilia .......2005-03-27

I don't really collect this sort of stuff but I loved this book because it brought back my childhood buying Beverly Hillbillies viewmaster sets, Charlie's Angels puzzles, etc. Contains hundreds of color photos of all sorts of merchandise: TV Guides, dolls, comic books, lunch boxes, coloring books, records, cups, all sorts of toys, etc. The shows profiled with memorabilia are The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, Bionic WOman, Brady Bunch, Bugaloos, Charlie's Angels, Chips, Donny and Marie, Eight is Enough, Family, Family Affair, Fantasy Island, Flipper, Flying Nun, Gidget, Gilligan's Island, Good Times, Green Acres, H. R. Pufnstuf, Happy Days, Hardy Boys, I Dream of Jeannie, Josie and the Pussycats, Julia, Krofft Supershow, Kung Fu, Land of the Lost, Laverne and Shirley, Lidsville, Life & Times of Grizzly Adams, Little House on the Prairie, Love Boat, Mod Squad, Mork and Mindy, Nanny and the Professor, New Zoo Revue, Patridge Family, Patty Duke Show, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky & Hutch, That Girl, Three's Company, The Waltons, Welcome Back Kotter, Wonder Woman. There are estimated values for the items circa 1997 but I would argue few have really gone up since then due to the phenomeon of ebay where tons of this sort of stuff is now on the market and even if you don't collect it's a wonderful look back at when TV shows really merchandised to the hilt. The guys have an awesome collection!

26.......1997-07-12

i love i

*GREAT!*.......1997-03-10

This book is very good for a collector of TV Memoralbilia.It also shows the top shows of each year.(60's-70's)This book has almost every TV show.They show wonderful color pictures of the items,and if an item is not shown it is listed.And the price is included.I recomend this book to an collector of tv

Book Description

Picture your painting on the front of a greeting card, ready to brighten someone's day. You can make it happen! This book shows you not only how to create beautiful cards, but how to sell them, too. To help you get started, Jeanette Robertson and a dozen other successful greeting card artists share what they've learned.

In 20 step-by-step demonstrations, you'll discover imaginative techniques for painting cards in watercolor, colored pencil and acrylic. You'll also find plenty of friendly business advice--everything from how to price and package your own cards to the fine points of submitting your work to greeting card companies. Maybe you'll sell your cards to friends, just for fun. Maybe you'll sell your original designs to greeting card companies. Or maybe you'll even start your own profitable company to publish your very own line of cards! It all starts on page 1.

Customer Reviews:

Painting Greeting Cards For Fun And Profit.......2003-04-16

I recently purchased this book and I feel that it is the best book that I have ever read on the subject of greeting cards. I was very disappointed with the reader that found so much wrong with the book. It appears to me that the fluff just might have been between her ears. The book contains all that anyone needs to know about creating and selling greeting cards and is done in such a way that the average person can easily find a way to create and market cards. Five stars from me..... Sally Bloss, Fayetteville, New York

great synopsis and information.......2003-04-09

I recently reviewed this book and am very impressed with how much the author has included in a very succinct way. I especially appreciated her section on card company profiles which illustrates a variety of styles desired by different companies. To know about and request card company profiles is a significant help. I also felt that her step-by -step approach is most useful and easy to understand.. I would find this book an excellent resource as well as a great tecnique book.

Not much here.......2003-02-08

The book is slim to start with, and page after page is devoted to reproductions of cards -- something anyone can see by visiting the nearest drug store.

Information about contacting greeting card companies is so scant as to be almost useless. For example, only a quick mention of query letters.

The section on self publishing is 4 partial pages long, with yet more samples of art work.

The book is so padded with fluff and white space that it's [not good]. I read it cover to cover in 40 minutes, and that included looking at the dozens of pictures.

This is the book you want............2000-10-09

As somewhat of an "insider" to the development of this book, I nevertheless feel compelled to praise both it and its author. After having been inspired and motivated by Jeanette and her Watercolor courses here in Central New York, I applied my improved skills towards actively marketing my art. An important part of my business is selling greeting card reproductions of my original watercolors -- all personally designed, assembled and marketed. I thank Jeanette for her encouragement and enthusiasm in this pursuit. And now, she shares this with anyone fortunate enough to read her book. Enjoy and create!

Great Guide.......2000-10-06

Recently my husband purchased a book by Jeanette Robertson entitled "Painting Greeting Cards for Fun & Profit".

For many years, I searched the local library and bookstores for a book on this very subject. The only library books on this topic are extremely outdated, and the bookstores in our area only carry books that deal with card-making as an originally-collaged craft, not as an artform that has the potential to be reproduced and marketed. I enjoyed Ms. Robertson's book immensely, not only because I learned valuable painting techniques, but also because it offered some rare insight into how greeting cards can actually be marketed and sold.

In an age where an increasing number of people are turning towards using their personal skills to marketable advantage, it is great to know that there is easy-to-understand, helpful reference material available.

"Painting Greeting Cards for Fun & Profit" is one of the best art books I have in my collection. I sincerely hope that more of these books will be available on the market in the near future.

J. Slack Winnipeg, Manitoba

Amazon.com

Self-invention, or rather, reinvention is at the heart of much gay culture. Being told that you should not be who you are encourages you to become someone else. But few gay men have self-invented with the panache and grandiloquence of James Lawrence Slatterly, who metamorphosed into the fabulous Andy Warhol superstar Candy Darling. Taking his/her cues from Lana Turner, Kim Novak, and Gloria Graham, Candy Darling became a walking testament to Hollywood womanhood. Although she appeared in several Warhol films before her early death in 1974, Candy Darling didn't need theatrical vehicles: she lived her life as a star. My Face for the World to See is a collection of her diaries, drawings, and thoughts. While there is nothing profound, the book is a moving record of a life and imagination that illuminated the cultural landscape and burned brightly and too short.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Genius.......2007-03-08

A great book - beautifully realized project on the diaries of Candy Darling, Warhol Superstar, famously immortalized by Peter Hujar in an image which was later used by the sublimely talented Antony Hegarty for the cover of his bands' (Antony and The Johnsons)CD; "I am a bird now" .

This book is a touching read and insight into Candy's mind.

"I can get very Joan Crawford about the whole thing.".......2005-06-20

Candy Darling was born James Lawrence Slattery in November 1944, and then re-emerged as Candy Darling some years later. During Candy's short exotic life, she gained fame as one of the stars from Andy Warhol's Factory. She starred in a number of films, including "Flesh" and "Women in Revolt" but died of Leukemia before the age of 30. The book "My Face for the World to See: The Diaries, Letters and Drawings of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar" is a collection of Candy's writing--and the content ranges from recipes, quotes, make up tips, lists, journal entries, and letters. The letters contain the essence of Candy's image: "I have always been a goddess above it all untouchable." And through many of Candy's statements, a glimpse of a certain unhappiness and loneliness can be seen. I loved Holly Woodlawn's memoir "A Low Life in High Heels", and I'd hoped that the book would yield a similar experience. Unfortunately the content here is a little thin. A few photographs and photographs accompany the text. What a shame that Candy Darling didn't leave a fabulous memoir for her fans--displacedhuman

great package.......2003-06-01

I was so impressed just by Darling's little pink-diary-with-a-lock-and-key packaging that, in itself, it may be enough to buy the book just to enhance the look of your bookshelf. Otherwise....Not much inside. Most memorable is a photocopy of a diary page of Darling describing what it's like to have once been known and then forgotten...or worse. The book has pages that make you regret you must hesitate for a moment before flipping to the next.

Kiss them for me...I may be Delayed.......2000-09-09

" It Glittered and it gleamed, for the arriving beauty queen" The words once sang by Siouxsie Sioux, describes the spiritual search for the ghost of Jane Mansfield. I guess the words itself in the title could have been uttered by Candy as she applied her favourite colour of lipstick by Revlon...Fire and Ice. While not an autobiography by any means, these are her words plain and simple. Little Jimmy from Long Island, grew up to be one of the Warhol "Girlettes" as she tried to emulate her favourite star, Lana Turner. The book is filled with basic odds and ends from little journals and scrap pieces of paper thrown together to cash in on the success of " I Shot Andy Warhol ". She considered herself a great actress and wanted forever to get the flaw between her legs taken off, but instead from illegal hormones died of cancer. Sadly, this is basically the only book out there that is a companion piece to " A Low Life in High Heels " By Holly Woodlawn, he fellow transgendered actor friend, rival, and sometimes, an enemy. Don't look for any special secrets (other than what it is a woman should where when going out, and a horrid recipe for a salad, ) about her life or anything, but random bitchy words and poems from someone who is lost to us forever except for two films and a photos taken by some of the best fashion photographers.

Somebody I always wanted to know more about.........1999-04-27

I've been interested in Candy ever since I saw her in "I Shot Andy Warhol" (played by Steven Dorff) I decided to buy this book because I have an interest in all things related to Andy, the Factory, and the entourage. It's very interesting- the entries are Candy's own handwriting, some of them go back to when she was in middle school. There are even pictures she drew herself. There are some nice photos too- even one in the front of her and Andy. Candy's writing is also very heartfelt- you can tell she desperately wanted to be something she wasn't. My favorite passage in the whole book is "You must be true to yourself no matter what the cost, it is the highest form of morality." My only complaint is that it should have gotten under the surface and told more about her life. But overall, I think Mr. Newton did a wonderful job. You feel like you get to know Candy throught this book, it even looks like it could have been her diary- it has a lock and key and everything. It's a good book for those who are interested in Candy, or things that went on in the Factory.

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