Average customer rating:
- Reading this is an elevating experience.
- Gorgeous and Heartbreaking
- Exquisite
- Utterly gorgeous
- The Resurgence of the Romance Novel a la Steven Millhauser
|
The King in the Tree: Three Novellas
Steven Millhauser
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Enchanted Night: A Novella
ASIN: 0375415408
Release Date: 2003-02-18 |
Amazon.com
In The King in the Tree, Pulitzer Prize-winner Steven Millhauser's brilliant collection of three novellas, there's one human constant: deception. The lovers in these three long stories range from a contemporary American housewife to the legendary Don Juan to Tristan and Ysolt, but the love affairs recounted here never add up to a simple geometry of two. In "Revenge," a frightening monologue, a widow gives a tour of her house to her dead husband's mistress. In "An Adventure of Don Juan," that hot-blooded Spaniard heads to the cooler climes of England and unwittingly turns a love triangle into more of a love square. This tale is set in a country manor and has the lapidary beauty of a Gainsborough painting. If the first two stories are exquisitely done, the retelling of Tristan and Ysolt is a small masterpiece. The story of the lovers is recorded by Thomas of Cornwall, advisor to the king and reluctant protector of illicit love. He closes the book with these words, which could be a description of Millhauser himself: "I, Thomas of Cornwall, prince of parchment, lord of black ink, king of all space, summoner of souls, guardian of ghosts, friend of the pear tree and the silence of waves, companion to all those who watch in the night." This book joins Jane Stevenson's Several Deceptions and John Fowles's The Ebony Tower on the short shelf of magical novella collections. --Claire Dederer
Book Description
From the author of
Edwin Mullhouse and the Pulitzer Prize–winning
Martin Dressler: three dazzling novellas about the many shapes of love.
“Revenge” is a tour de force about erotic love and betrayal, told through the voice of a woman showing her home to a stranger with a disturbing secret. As the once-happy wife moves from living room to bedroom, she insinuates herself into her guest’s (and the reader’s) mind—and we witness the gradual unfolding of a carefully meditated scheme of revenge.
“An Adventure of Don Juan” and the title novella transform classic fables into immediate, wholly original tales of romance. The first puts the famous lover on a country estate in England, where he attempts to perpetrate a brilliant seduction only to discover something surprising about the human heart. In the mesmerizing “The King in the Tree,” Millhauser explores devotion and denial, casting the tragedy of Tristan and Ysolt as an engrossing tale of a king’s infatuation with his beautiful wife—and the agony of her betrayal with his own nephew.
Full of passion, trysting, and fatal pleasures, these three brilliant novellas are rich with the many gifts of our most persistently imaginative romancer.
Customer Reviews:
Reading this is an elevating experience........2007-08-13
All the over the top praise the other reviewers have given this work is justified. One can't help but to gush over it. Liked all the stories - each one got increasingly better. Extraordinary use of the famous Millhauser love triangles (sometimes quadrangles) - every story utilizes this technique. The best thing about Millhauser is that he understands this about the nature of love (and lust and hate): it is rarely a neat and tidy relationship between two people. Rather, it is almost always a complex web of interactions, contextualized between the lover and the object of the lover's desire, who usually only obtains that status when compared against another love or lover! Deep stuff, huh? Deep stuff that Millhauser portrays perfectly in this collection. Not to mention the beautiful, fluid langauge. Not to mention the lush imagry. Not to mention the interesting pacing ..... It could go on and on. Anyway, get this book, because after you read it you'll feel glad to be alive simply for the experience of discovering a fine work such as this one.
Gorgeous and Heartbreaking.......2006-03-04
I LOVE Steven Millhauser. I own almost all his books--read them one after the other, within the span of weeks. His only flaw in my mind is slow-pacing, but my eye didn't skip over anything in King in the Tree!! I read the Tristan and Ysolt story word by word--something I never do.
Exquisite.......2003-12-25
The three novellas contained in this book are perhaps the most exquisite I've ever read and it pains me to see this beautiful book with but three reviews previous to mine. Anyone who hasn't read "The King in the Tree" is really missing something extraordinarily special.
The first novella, "Revenge" was simply not to my taste but it is perfectly crafted and oozing in irony and sarcasm. Your taste might be very different from mine and this could well end up being your favorite among the three. It is the least "flowery" and the one told in the most spare, but perfect, prose.
"An Adventure of Don Juan" was my favorite because of its overriding sense of melancholia, something I like in a book. In this novella, Don Juan's adventure at an English manor house is quite different from his adventures in Spain or other parts of continental Europe. I loved every word of this novella, from the first to the last.
The title novella, "The King in the Tree" is a heartbreaking retelling of the story of Tristan and Isolde told from the viewpoint of Oliver Cromwell. As the Amazon editorial review says, this novella is a small masterpiece. While I preferred the second novella just a little more, I do have to say that I finished reading this one with a sense of awe. If Millhauser can write something this crystalline in its perfection, this moving, this absolutely beautiful, then I feel the man can surely write anything at all. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever been fortunate enough to read. This is what every "would be" writer should aspire to.
If you love good fiction and you haven't read "The King in the Tree" you are really cheating yourself. Buy or borrow a copy today. This is probably the most beautiful book and the most perfectly crafted book I've ever read. I feel so lucky to own a copy.
Utterly gorgeous.......2003-08-27
This dazzling collection should be of interest to all lovers of Interstitial Fiction, for Millhauser is a master at blending different genres -- myth, fantasy, surrealism, historical fiction and Romance, contemporary realism, horror -- into elegant, innovative, and utterly gripping stories. He is, quite simply, one of the best writers of our day -- and this collection of three stunning novellas is not to be missed.
The Resurgence of the Romance Novel a la Steven Millhauser.......2003-08-21
Anyone who has had the pleasure of taking a journey between the two covers of a Millhauser book will approach this selection of three novellas with particular glee. Steven Millahuser has revived the glory of Romance Novels and yet has done so with his unique skill and vision. He has an obvious love for the Grand Epics of the past and here he delves deeply into the tale of Don Juan, transporting the Spanish lothario into the prim and measured world of England, finding a startlingly altered view of love among the proper Brits. His retelling of the legend of Tristan and Ysolt (Isolde) is even more beautiful than the versions we know so well. His explorations of all the agonies of love's commitments overlay the exquisite longings in this tale of chivalry, fidelity, and passion. It is impossible to read this novella without hearing Wagner's lush 'Liebestod' ringing through the air.
Millhauser is at his finest in the first of the three marvelously written and conceived novellas in this colection. In what appears to be a simple tour of a house that is on the market he manages to tell us of a marriage troubled, doomed and revenged in a simply eloquent monologue by the surviving wife. How much of this tale is purely cerebral, the workings of a mind gone mad, and how much is the actual distillation of revenge on the perpetrator of a failed marriage and death of a husband is left to us to determine.
Millhauser writes with elegant and eloquent prose, asking us to linger over his pages the way we might linger over a painting in a museum walk. And indeed his stories are written as though derived or inspired from just such experiences. Stunning writing this!
Book Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 551 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: Steven Millhauser. The King in the Tree: Three Novellas.(Book Review)
Author: Marvin J. LaHood
Publication:
World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: 78
Issue: 3-4
Page: 95(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Long ago, the gods forged Twelve Swords of Power and threw them on the gameboard of life for men to scramble over. But they forged too well; the Swords could kill the gods themselves.Now the great Mindsword reenters the world of men, bringing others' mindless devotion to him who wields it: Prince Murat of Culm, who intends to give it to Princess Kristin of Tasavalta. But first he draws it--and receives worship from his own son, from the princess herself, and from a horrifying "ally."It is up to Prince Mark of Tasavalta: his wife and kingdom, and the world, all may be lost to the Mindsword.
Customer Reviews:
A FUN READ.......2007-05-13
I WOULD RECOMMEND TO ANYONE TO READ THE COMPLETE SERIES FRED SABERHAGEN WROTE ON THE SWORDS BOOKS. PLAIN AND SIMPLE, FUN READ
Gift.......2007-02-11
I purchased this book as a gift, and the receipient is very happy with it
Saberhagen gives up on an overarching plot for Lost Swords.......2002-02-06
The tantalizing hints concerning some sort of overplot for the Lost Swords are here abandoned, as Saberhagen abandons any pretense of writing novels that aren't self-contained.
It's a passing good story, well written and interesting, as per usual Saberhagen, but the slippery slope of events that gets the main plot going is weaker than readers familiar with Mr. Saberhagen have come to expect. The story involves Prince Murat (from the 1st book of Lost swords), and his failed attempt to bring the Mindsword to Princess Kristin as a gesture of friendship. The bad guy is the former Dark King, Vilkata, who we last saw fifteen years earlier, being cast into a snowy mountain abyss by Vulcan, after having lost his eyesight, magic, and wits.
Worth a read.......2000-09-16
Not the first book in the wonderful Book of Sword series I would suggest, if your alread in the series it keeps the story going. Previous books in the Lost Book of Swords are better, after reading I got the impression Fred Saberhagen was ready to finish off the series.
Average customer rating:
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The Asutra
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GTDNDQ |
Customer Reviews:
Classic Vance.......2002-09-17
This is the only Durdane book I've read so far, unfortunately they seem to be out of print. It's a typical Vance book; Our hero has strange and resourceful travelling companions. He acts on impulse at critical junctions and saves the day? It's a fast paced book, entertaining and engrossing.
His second best!.......1999-12-22
Why do people always relate on the Tchai saga? This Durdane adventure reveals all the richness of Jack Vances' talent.Follow the driven heroe in his colourfull encounters: people, beasts, behaviors, with the "stranger in a strange land" feeling. It's not just "science fiction".
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The Asutra
Jack Vance
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MZYOG4 |
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The Asutra
Jack Vance
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LZBR92 |
Average customer rating:
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THE ASUTRA - DELL 3157
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRAOSU |
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The Asutra
A. E. Van Vogt
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LU8VE6 |
Average customer rating:
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The Asutra
Jack Vance
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PVX5KG |
Product Description
First publication of this novel in its original serialized form. These issues also contain stories by Parul Darcy Boles, Barry N. Malzberg, Miriam Allen deFord, Laurence M. Janifer, Brian Lumley, Dennis Etchison, Ray Bradbury and others.
Book Description
”
New Jews is a thoughtful, persuasive case for why the Diaspora matters.”
—Secular Culture
"Offers a new way to look at contemporary Jewry, not just its present complicated realities, but the history behind the recent departures. Well researched, deeply contextualized, and written in a sprightly manner,
New Jews demonstrates that Jews at the beginning of the twenty-first century have created new spaces, new places, and new faces in which to live and by which to present themselves."
—Hasia R. Diner, author of The Jews of the United States, 1654-2000
"This is a wide-ranging work..there is a definite shift afoot in thinking about matters of Jewish identity, and this is a worthwhile and useful effort toward articulating new directions."
—Central Conference of American Rabbis Newsletter
"
New Jews makes the provocative argument that the Israel-Diaspora dichotomy no longer exists. In a series of engaging ethnographies of Jewish communities in America, Russia and Israel, Aviv and Shneer reveal a new generation of Jews embarked on a renaissance liberated from old ideologies and committed to creating homes where they live. A celebration of pluralism, this sure-to-be controversial book finds Jewish unity not in slogans but in the common search for new identities."
—David Biale, author of Cultures of the Jews: A New History
"The authors (provoke) the reader to respond. And this is Aviv and Shneer's greatest achievement with this book: to force us, gently but insistently, to consider the global implications of a world where Zion is a given and not a proposal; where perfectly respectable Jews emigrate from Jerusalem and make pilgrimages to New York; where, indeed Los Angeles is the center of a Jewish universe."
—The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
"Breaking new ground, these talented authors shake our foundational assumptions about Diaspora. A must-read not only for Jewish studies scholars, but for those who wrestle with the ambiguities of being "at home" in more than one place. Aviv and Shneer provide us with a grand journey and a grand book."
—Debra Renee Kaufman, author of Rachel's Daughters: Newly Orthodox Jewish Women
For many contemporary Jews, Israel no longer serves as the Promised Land, the center of the Jewish universe and the place of final destination. In New Jews, Caryn Aviv and David Shneer provocatively argue that there is a new generation of Jews who don't consider themselves to be eternally wandering, forever outsiders within their communities and seeking to one day find their homeland. Instead, these New Jews are at home, whether it be in Buenos Aires, San Francisco or Berlin, and are rooted within communities of their own choosing. Aviv and Shneer argue that Jews have come to the end of their diaspora; wandering no more, today's Jews are settled.
In this wide-ranging book, the authors take us around the world, to Moscow, Jerusalem, New York and Los Angeles, among other places, and find vibrant, dynamic Jewish communities where Jewish identity is increasingly flexible and inclusive.
New Jews offers a compelling portrait of Jewish life today.
Customer Reviews:
Israel is the heart of the Jewish people .......2006-12-07
It is true that the Jews have lived outside of Israel for over three- thousand years. It is also true that many Jews who live outside of Israel feel at home where they live, and have no intention or dream of living in Israel.
But it is also true that the central religious vision of Israel centers on a people living in the land of Israel. For those who live by Mitzvot living in Israel is mandated by the fact that only here can one do a maximum of Mitzvot. For those who connect deeply to the Promise and Covenant which are at the heart of the Biblical vision of the world it is clear that living in Israel and helping build a special society is the commandment of God.
There are other reasons for living in Israel including the fact that it is the only place in the world where one can live in a society that follows and breathes to the rhythm of the Hebrew Calendar.
While this book speaks about the variety of Diaspora communities and their pulsing life it minimizes the fact that assimilation, and intermarriage are constantly depleting the Jewish people in the Diaspora.
The Jewish community in Israel is the most rapidly growing large Jewish community in the world and it is expected that in less than two decades it will contain the majority of Jews in the world. In Israel intermarriage, and total assimilation are minimal. In fact Jews who come here from all over the world with minimal Jewish knowledge, deepen in Jewish knowledge and connection here.
It is however only fair to point out that Israel is today threatened by many forces, including those of radical Islam. There is no 'guarantee' that it is the safest place for a Jew to be. There is I believe only a guarantee that it is the place where one can take one's communal responsiblity as a Jew in the deepest and most serious way.
What a short memory!.......2006-04-10
Just one century ago, some Jews in central Europe thought that it was "the end of the Jewish diaspora". Well, you know what happened, some other people thought that it should be the end of Jewish diaspora. In Israel, even if they are not THE center of Judaism, they still can protect themselves, and offer a shelter to some people, like Russian, Argentinian or Ethiopian Jews, when needed. Let us hope that it won't be needed anymore, but if it does, you'll be welcomed in Israel.
Great book!.......2006-02-23
These are the authors who wrote Queer Jews, if you've read or heard of that. It's basically a series of articles about how Jews have put down roots all over the world, that those roots are centers of Jewish life, and that we should stop thinking of Israel as THE center. There are articles about queer Jews in New York and what it means to be gay in Israel versus the U.S., Russian Jews in Moscow and which Jewish organizations there are funded by international donors and how those differ from homegrown ones, an article about remembrance trips and trips to Israel for high school and college-aged Jewish students, an article about Holocaust museums and how the Holocaust gets portrayed as this special awful case where Jews are victims of the Worst Crime Ever, but everyone should pay attention because evil can be anywhere, and more. Anyway, I like the book a lot.
Book Description
What can you do in fifteen minutes? Homework? Housework? Doubtful! Make a fantastic dish? Definitely! With the Recipe Hall of Fame Quick & Easy Cookbook, preparing great fare is not work - it's a snap!
From the Best of the Best database of over 12,000 recipes, editors Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley have selected over 500 easy recipes. Wow guests with 15-Minute Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo. Delight a neighbor with Busy Day Lemon Cheesecake or Six-Minute pecan Pie. With choices like Lazy Man's Fried Chicken, Easy Enchilada Pie or Pizza Burgers, they'll love every bite. Any you know your prep time is cut to a minimum.
Customer Reviews:
New favorite!.......2006-10-12
This has become my second favorite cookbook in my collection. They have wonderful recipes that are very fast and simple to make. The good thing is that they are things you would want to eat, rather than foods you've never heard of like many cookbooks out there. The most important thing though is that the food has TASTE. I grew up in the South on soul food, so believe me, this stuff is not bland. I highly recommend it and I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes.
LOVE IT!.......2006-09-23
I consider myself a pretty good cook and am always looking for new recipes for my picky family. So if you're considering this one, get it. I've tried quite a few of these recipes, and all have been winners. A couple needed a little tweaking to suit my personal tastes, but all in all this is a great collection! I will be using this cookbook for many years to come!
Family Favorites.......2006-04-22
I've been a cookbook collector for years. This cookbook is full of delicious recipes that have become my family's favorites. There are recipes in here that I have had at potlucks and wanted to know how to make the dishes, like Caramel Apple Salad (amazing). My husband loves the Banana Split Dessert. The non-dessert recipes are great, too.
I'm buying a copy of this cookbook to send to my Mom.
Well Worth The Price!.......2004-03-08
I had purchased this a few weeks ago.
I work a lot of hours and I have a 2hour daily commute.
I decided I was tired of blah foods and wanted to do something about it.
So, I purchased some new cookbooks.
This one is one that I have been using the most.
I made a Chili Soup, Easy Brown Rice, Beef Stew, a Baked Rice dish.
At tops my prep time was around 10 minutes.
There is a lot to recommend in this book.
The recipes are easy and the ingredients are things that you would likely have in your cabinets or refrigerator.
They list where each recipe is from.
(As far as the state they got the recipe from)
The editor sometimes list additional things for the recipe.
Like in one recipe where it said Tomato Juice.
They added at the bottom that V8 was just as good.
Easy to read.
Sometimes you had 2-3 recipes on one page.
In the back of this book they list every cookbook they researched and got recipes from.
I have in addition to this their Best of Best Florida Cookbook.
They also have in the very back of the book before the index a couple of selections.
One is Equivalent.
Like 1 pound of flour would be 4 1/2 cups.
Then they have another area for measurements.
They also have Substitutions.
Lke 1 sliced cook bacon=1 tablespoon of bacon bits.
They give you Oven-to-Crockpot Cooking Time Conversions.
Pan sizes for baking.
Very good information and has made cooking much more enjoyable for me.
So far my partner has said only one thing about something I cooked and it was because *I* made cooked something too long and it was dryer than it should had been.
A great gift book.......2003-02-10
My mother bought this book for me after I got married, and it is great for busy families. The recipes are simple (and easy to jazz up if you so desire), and the food is straightforward and tasty. My mother-in-law saw so many recipes she liked, she purchased her own copy!
Average customer rating:
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Homer Laughlin China: Guide to Shapes and Patterns
Jo Cunningham , and
Darlene Nossaman
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Porcelain & China
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ASIN: 0764314831 |
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Maine Mining Adventures
C. J. Stevens
Manufacturer: John Wade Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Prospecting & Mining
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The Buried Treasures of Maine
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The Next Bend In The River
-
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals (Audubon Society Field Guide)
ASIN: 1882425030 |
Book Description
A mother lode of tourmaline on a mountain in Newry, a billion dollar discover of copper and zinc in Aroostook County, and mammoth pockets of amethyst in Stow are only a few of these Maine Mining Adventures. For the beginner, there are easy to follow instructions on how and where to find minerals and gold. Many locations are listed, and seasoned miners generously give advice and guidance.
Average customer rating:
- almost entiley fascinating
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The Tile Book: Decorating With Fired Earth
Elizabeth Hilliard
Manufacturer: Soma Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
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| Books
General
| Construction
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
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Decorating
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
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| Books
Decorating
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
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General
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| Home & Garden
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General
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Ceramics
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Similar Items:
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Tile Idea Book
-
1,000 Tiles: Ten Centuries of Decorative Ceramics
-
Complete Tile
-
Tile
ASIN: 1579590209 |
Book Description
A decorative mosaic, a fired earth floor, or a stylish kitchen countertop - all of these can be created using ceramic tile. The Tile Book considers the rich and varied history of tile and how it has been used around the world and through the centuries. Divided into three sections, this book contains everything one needs to know about decorating with this versatile medium. First, the book explores the history o f tile, from its origins in the ancient Islamic world through Dutch and English Delft and concluding with modern, twentieth-century design. The middle section o f the book gives inspirational examples of how one can use decorative tiles in t he home for flooring, as wall covering, in bathrooms, or even outdoors. Finally, the last chapter delves into the practicalities of laying tiles, caring for tile floors and counters, and sealing tiles for extended life.
Customer Reviews:
almost entiley fascinating.......2001-01-11
I enjoyed reading this book immensely....it was informative and inspirational. The history of tile-making is shown to be a long and worldwide affair. Some of the photographs are beautiful. I would have liked a little more detail on the techniques various cultures and artists used to make these tiles. Some of the 'advice' on using tile seemed a little banal, and I was frustrated at the lack of a bibliography. That said, I would highly recommend the book as a starting point for those interested in the history and variety of tile design.
Average customer rating:
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The Graphic Arts and French Society, 1871-1914
Manufacturer: Rutgers Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
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| Abstract Expressionism
| Ancient & Classical
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| Baroque
| Byzantine
| Constructivism
| Contemporary Art
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European
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General
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Paris
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ASIN: 0813512786 |
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Jimmy Smits: A Real-Life Reader Biography
Melanie Cole
Manufacturer: Mitchell Lane Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
People of Color
| Biographies
| People & Places
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United States
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Hispanic & Latino
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ASIN: 1883845599 |
Book Description
Biography of award-winning actor, Jimmy Smits, best known for his televison roles in "L.A. Law" and "NYPD BLUE."
Customer Reviews:
Fun for Jimmy Smits Fans.......1999-04-17
I can't see anyone who is not a Jimmy Smits fan to be very interested in this book. But if you are a fan and collect Smits bits and pieces, be sure and buy a copy. Included are a few nice photos and a brief outline of the The Big Guy's life. Be warned--there are a few errors in the information, but mostly just little things a fanatic like myself would find jarring. Be warned too--it is a bit pricey for what you get, as it is definately at a juvenile reading level. All in all, as a devout Smits fan, I'm glad to have my copy of one of the few books about this publicity-shy hero!
Amazon.com
Oscar Hijuelos's sixth novel, A Simple Habana Melody, is as much a love song to prewar Cuba as the "simple melody" at the center of the book. That tune, named "Roses Puras," was written by Hijuelos's protagonist, the aging composer Israel Levis, in the 1920s for his protégé and secret love, the singer Rita Valladares. The novel is set just after World War II, when Levis has returned to his childhood home in Havana after many years in Europe, at first in Paris, then in Buchenwald, where he was interned by Nazis who ignored the crucifix around his neck and focused only on his Sephardic name. The bittersweet feelings Levis bears toward "Rosas Puras" ("Beautiful Roses"), his best-known song, were further complicated when a German officer, who had gathered some musically gifted inmates for a concert, asked him to play this catchy old tune, unaware that Levis had written it. But this is not primarily a war novel; it is a novel of memory, a series of visits to the beautiful, vanished world of Levis's childhood and youth seen through the lens of his later suffering. Written with the same richness of detail, sensuality, and musicality of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1990, A Simple Habana Melody contains even greater emotional depth and narrative complexity. --Regina Marler
Book Description
It is 1947 and Israel Levis, a Cuban composer whose life had once been a dream of music, love and sadness, is returning to Habana, Cuba, from Spain, where he has just recovered from the physical and spiritual malaise resulting from his experiences in Paris, then Buchenwald, during the Nazi occupation of France. (A devout Catholic, Levis had been mistakenly identified as a Jew because of his name.)When Levis arrives back in Habana, after an absence of many years, his mind is reeling with beautiful memories of his life in Cuba and in Paris before the war, a life of pleasure and excitement that he owes, in part, to an unrequited, nearly "chivalrous" romance with a certain Rita Valladares, a singer for whom Levis had written his most famous song, "Rosas Puras," or "Pretty Roses." This 1928 composition becomes the most famous rumba in the world and changes both American and European tastes in music and dance -- forever; and it is the song, symbolic of the composer's love for Rita Valladares, that sets Levis's life in Europe in motion.This is at once a love story -- for art, family and country -- as well as a portrait of Habana at the turn of the last century, when "the world was good." A Simple Habana Melody is a virtuoso performance from one of our most important writers.
Customer Reviews:
Literary and elegant.......2007-09-14
Few American writers write with the elegance of Oscar Hijuelos, particularly in the realm of fiction. This book succeeds in capturing with originality and sensitivity a culture, a particular personality, and a historical period. The prose is elegant and the mood is elegaic. For some North American readers, the main character Israel Levis may seem a contrivance or an implausibility because of his preciosity; however, I believe that's because it is difficult to appreciate the truthfulness of his experience and perspective on life without understanding the particular 'wing' of Latino culture from which he arises. I'd recommend that one learns a bit about the culture of the Carribean, Cuban culture, Latin American culture, and for that matter European culture prior to reading the book. It will help one appreciate the world of the story and the world of the character. Not to do so would be tantamount to reading a book like Angela's Ashes and having no knowledge of the existence of Ireland or Irish history and culture.
contrived and flat.......2007-04-16
We read this novel for Book Club, and all agreed that it did not live up to the glowing reviews. The characters were flat and unbelievable, the plot contrived. It's not that the situation could not have happened, but rather that the author wrote it clumsily, so that it did not come across as believable. In fact the heavy and clumsy writing detracted considerably from enjoyment of the book. The "subtitles" and translations in parentheses were quite annoying. None of us felt that there was any literary quality to the novel; it seemed more that Hijuelos was coasting on his reputation. If you want to read it, try the library first--I wouldn't recommend spending money on it.
A book of hidden gifts.......2006-08-25
I read "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love", and although I was impressed with the obvious writing skills of Hijuelos, I was also put off by the nearly brutal pervasiveness of its sexual content.
Still, I was willing to give Hijuelos another chance. I'm glad I did.
This is a quiet, thoughtful, subtle book. It captures the human condition in a way that raises the mundane successes and failures of life to the level of art. Not easy to do, since we tend to like characters in literature who go, boldly or not, to places and situations we will never see with our own eyes. By contrast, Israel Levis lives a life like all of us--marked not only by successes, but by the regrets of chances not taken and love not lived. Imagine a book where the character marks his life by the things he *doesn't* do--a book that devotes much of its time to...nothing. Now imagine that it all works.
Although it probably won't work for young readers. There's not enough "stuff" happening, and when it becomes clear that all that moodsetting is the actual story, I would guess a lot of young people will put it down and switch back to their television sets. But for those who are approaching middle age (or older), coming to grips with their own mortality, and starting to wonder how the great final slide will play out in their own lives, this is a book with hidden gifts. A fine book.
Two steps short of sublime.......2005-01-19
To this point I've found it difficult to separate Hijuelos's novels, all of which burst at the seams with humanity, sublime imagery, raw sensuality, and entrancing prose. HABANA MELODY does all these things too, but for the first time I found elements repetitive and digressive, even poorly edited. So while it still stands as one the best books of the year, I have to rate it a notch below the author's preceding and inseparable classics ... a small bump on Hijuelos's path to the Nobel Prize.
Solid craftmanship.......2004-08-06
The best I can say about this book is that it is wonderfully written. Hijuelos definitely is one of the best contemporary writers in America. Yet in this book he lacks his usual pace. Having read every one of his books, I must say this one was a bit disappointing. It has great lengths which could have been avoided. The fictous life story of Israel Levis also paints a picture of Cuba before Castro, which very few of us know about. Nevertheless it lacks a lot of substance. On some occasions - unfortunately - I had to drag myself through this book. I would not read it again, which I did several times with "Mambo Kings".
Book Description
This poignant and poetic 2003 Pulitzer Prize - winning play captures 1929 Florida at a time when cigars were still rolled by hand and "lector" were employed to educate and entertain workers. the arrival of a new lector is a cause for celebration . But when he reads aloud from Anna Karenina, he unwittingly becomes a catalyst in the lives of his avid listeners, for whom Tolstoy, the tropics and the American Dream prove a volatile combination.
starring: Jimmy Smitts, Herbert Siguenza, Winston Rocha, Adriana Sevan, Jose Luis Valenzuela, Onahoua Rodriguez,
Special feature: Interview with Jimmy Smits
Customer Reviews:
At last, some content.......2006-03-01
Given that most plays should be seen and not read, this play is, for contemporary drama, refreshingly ambitious. It takes on the question of the transformative nature of art in life. Art gives dignity: These people, after all, roll cigars. But in a world of dignified work, they dress to come to work, take pride in their craft, and spend their days listening to performances (like those attending the play, right?), analyzing characters and plot and performers. To be displaced by a machine is not only to lose the craft of their work--the hand-rolled fine cigar displaced by the MacStoagie--but to lose, in the din of tending the machine, the opportunity to listen to performance. Is the bottom line more important than art? The symbolism may be heavy-handed, but the dramatist, after all, must work quickly to make his point. Shakespeare it ain't, but I found it refreshing to read a play with aspirations to lofty content.
Loved it on stage!.......2005-11-14
I saw a university perform it and it blew me away! I saw the reviews and pictures for the broadway production and I feel that the more professional version is not doing the play justice as UTEP did. I still think that it is a beautiful well, written play.
Overrated Nonsense.......2005-08-08
Living near McCarter Theater in Princeton my AP English class got to go see a production of this play while it was still being work-shopped for Broadway.
Afterwards, my teacher asked what we all thought, of course first stating that she loved it so that all of the "favorite" students knew which opinion to take.
They all raised their hands and said they loved it to, however, no one could say why. Why not? Because everyone hated it.
I was the first to open the flood gate.
"I thought it was ridiculous. It has no real substance to the plot."
"That's because the language is the point"
"Well the language is the worst part. Why would poor factory workers speak in absurdly flowery metaphors? Especially ones that stupid ('Does the bicicle miss the boy?')?"
My teacher flipped out at this.
"You don't understand! That's what literature is all about! Metaphors!"
The woman, asides from being a gigantic b**ch, was merely blinded by what reviews had told her to think and by her crush on Jimmy Smitts.
A month later, the New York Times, reviewed the play after its Broadway premiere. They said pretty much exactly what I thought. I was going to bring the review into class, but why bother? The woman already hated me.
PS. One earlier reviewer discussed how it was impossible to determine from the production the the daughter was raped. During a Q&A afterwards, Emily Mann stated that they were having problems deciding how to show this. I agree with the reviewer that they clearly didn't come to a good solution.
A Bit Predictable and Formulaic With A Few Good Moments.......2004-11-24
I haven't seen a production of this play, so I'm judging only by the quality of the text on the page. As stated by a few other reviewers here, the play is just very predictable. Characters are narrowly drawn and perform like puppets used by the playwright to make a point about how the world is about to change from one that is warm and vital to one that is harsh and mechanized. Not exactly breaking new ground here, so it's odd the play earned a Pulitzer Prize. Maybe the production adds nuances that the written text just doesn't have (a good director can make even modest material come alive.) This play felt contrived and agenda-driven, not in a hugely in-your-face way, but more in a piece-of-fluff way. I can't imagine it surprised the author as he was writing it - which isn't good - and it probably won't surprise anyone reading it. It's old news and a bit tired.
"Today we are baptizing our new cigar...Anna Karenina.".......2004-10-07
Winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Anna in the Tropics recreates the Cuban-American community in Ybor City, Florida, in 1929,with its color, its cockfights, its close relationships, and its love of romance. Santiago and his wife Ofelia own a cigar factory, where the sometimes illiterate workers roll cigars and, to keep from becoming bored, hire a "lector" to read to them. Romantic stories spice up their lives, and since they have finished Wuthering Heights, they now look forward to a new novel, Anna Karenina, read by a new lector, Juan Julian.
Conchita, one of the workers whose marriage with Palomo has grown stale, soon finds herself reenacting Anna Karenina, as she has a passionate affair with Juan Julian, and then tells Palomo about it. Marela, daughter of Santiago and Ofelia, also fantasizes about Juan Julian. Reality intrudes on romance, however, when Santiago's gambling on cockfights results in partial ownership of the factory going to Cheche, his half-brother, who now wants to introduce machines to speed up production. He also wants to eliminate the lector, to the workers' further dismay.
In language that is often lyrical and sometimes fanciful, the action unfolds, with discussions evolving about the nature and importance of literature, the enduring values of their culture, the importance of love, and the possible effects of "progress" on traditional values. The characters, though not fully drawn and sometimes too obviously following plot lines of Anna Karenina, are, nevertheless, interesting and unusual as they try to do the best they can during trying times. To celebrate their happiness with the story of Anna Karenina, they decide to create a new cigar in her honor, and to have Marela serve as the model for the cigar box, but their happiness is as fragile and temporary as the idea of a "family" of workers making cigars without machines.
When disaster strikes, it affects the entire factory, and the characters must decide to what extent it is possible to remain in a fantasy world when reality has reared its ugly head, and to what extent it is possible to hold on to the past when the survival of the factory may depend on progress. The obvious themes, their rather thin development, and the plot lines which parallel Anna Karenina show playwright Nilo Cruz's desire to give significance to this tragedy, though the characters do not develop fully on their own. Unique and unusual in its approach, however, the play beautifully captures a time and place in history. Mary Whipple
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on March 31, 2000. The length of the article is 837 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: Cine grande en la pantalla local: A calentar butacas.(TT: Great cinema in the local screen: to warm up armchairs.)(Reseña)
Author: Gustavo Lafarge
Publication:
Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 31, 2000
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6
Issue: 370
Page: 21
Article Type: Reseña
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on August 4, 2000. The length of the article is 448 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: La hija del horror.(TT: Bless the child.)(Reseña)
Publication:
Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 4, 2000
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 6
Issue: 388
Page: 21
Article Type: Reseña
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on January 28, 2001. The length of the article is 729 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: Milenarismo diabólico: La bendición.(TT: Evil of the millennium: The blessing.)(Reseña)
Author: Pedro Crespo
Publication:
Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 28, 2001
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 56
Article Type: Reseña
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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