Fighting Gravity: A Novel

Book Description

Ellie Rifkin is a 19-year-old college student from a privileged Jewish background when she meets Gerard Babineau — 41, twice divorced, a hard drinker, and a practicing Catholic. Despite their glaring differences, they fall in love, marry, and have a child. When Ellie is again pregnant, Gerard stops to help a motorist on the highway and is seriously injured. Fighting Gravity looks at the dynamics of love between an older man and a younger woman while also confronting the question of religious faith in relation to sudden misfortune. “A tough, sad, angry, scary, and ultimately very touching story about the disintegration of a marriage, the mutilation of love, and the pain that life inflicts upon us and that we inflict upon one another. This is a splendid piece of writing.” — Tim O'Brien

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but..........2001-06-09

Peggy Rambach faced an enormous difficulty in trying to write a book about her disasterous marriage to Andre Dubus: how to maintain authorial distance. The approach she finally took will leave many readers frustrated--especially those who actually knew the real persons behind the fictional masks. The need to disguise who, what and where also makes it difficult to understand what is going on. The book is very elliptical--a series of narrative riffs that raise issues and then leave them forever dangling. The style, which employs a large number of sentence fragments, varies widely in tone, indicating that the book was composed over a long period of time in bits and pieces, in highly diverse states of mind. The most vivid (and quite humorous) parts are the ones satirically critical of Dubus's idiosyncratic personality and habits, which clearly drove her nuts. One cannot imagine a less compatible couple. Dubus was a charismatic character with a gift for performance--but no woman should ever have been foolish enough to marry him. If that's the theme of this book, then it was brilliantly done.

If you read one new novel this year, look no further. . ........2001-05-11

This is a captivating story of a courtship and marriage covering the spectrum, from deep love to gratuitous cruelty. The genuineness of the characters is not just a function of an old saw that this book is based on the author's own marriage. Any diary can make that claim. The genuineness is more the result of Rambach's extraordinary talent, as an observer, as a listener and as a prose stylist. She does not waste one word. Rambach can at one moment take your breath away, and at another moment make you laugh out loud (see Chapter 14). My only complaint is that she did not write more. Oh well, I will keep a close eye out for Rambach's next book.

Fighting Gravity : A Novel Advanced Readers Copy

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Fighting Gravity : A Novel Advanced Readers Copy
Peggy Rambach
Manufacturer: Steerforth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O6LAPE

Book Description

Our most death-defying adventures and wildest flights of imagination—the stuff such as dreams are made of—this is the realm of fantasy. And ever since ancestral storytellers created myths of monsters, lost worlds, dragons, and heroes, fantastical tales have transported us to these magical places beyond. William Morris, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Robert E. Howard are just a few examples of writers who sailed off the edge of their known worlds into those of their own creation.

In these beautifully illustrated pages, you will read of voyages launched by these celebrated commanders of the genre and more. Randy Broecker reveals how the fantasy story evolved over the centuries into the entertainment found in today's books, comics, and films. Collectors, aficionados, and readers of the genre will be amazed by the breadth of Broecker's history, and eager to make it part of their library.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent History of Fantasy Fiction.......2005-08-28

What do C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, William Morris, George MacDonald, Washington Irving, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all have in common? They all have written fantasy novels/stories in one form or another, and in one type or genre or the other.

This massive book gives an excellent detailed history of Fantasy fiction, including the writings of all the authors mentioned above. Moreover, the text is accompanied by some great illustrations, actual book covers, magazine covers, and art all aiding in the detail of the history presented.

This book is quite thorough in its history, making mention of classics such as the Iliad and Odyssey, Greek, Roman, Celt, and German mythology, as well as Arthurian mythology and tales. What is more, the book details fantasy fiction from the early 1900's to the present day (the actual date of publication for this book).

There are chapters devoted to the Pulps written from the early teens to the late fifties. H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and many more are detailed in the Pulp section of this work. The book also details what is known as 'High Fantasy' with works by Tolkien, Lewis, Terry Brooks, Peter Beagle, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and the like. All have works that are either historical sword and sorcery set in imaginary worlds with hybrid creatures, dwarfs, elves, warriors and the like. A genre which has become so popular that it dominates the fantasy market today.

This book is a must for all fantasy fiction fans, collectors of fantasy novels and old pulp magazines, as well as for those who just love reading history and fantasy. The book is over 250 pages, filled with color art work, reads quite well and keeps the reader's attention throughout, all making it a wonderful addition to any library.

Fantastic Fantasy.......2002-08-03

This is a very interesting book. I think the illustrations are easily enjoyed by collectors, enthusiasts and just the average reader alike.

The commentary in addition to the images really gave depth to the Illustrated History. In addition, the formatting of the book, having sections for different strains of the fantasy genre, was very convenient.

Overall, a very fun and visually stimulating book.

A 'must' for any serious collector and reader.......2002-07-12

Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding fantasy reference guide which should be a 'must' for any serious collector and reader. From the earliest fantasy mythology epics to later publications and modern authors from H. Rider Haggard to Robert Howard, Fantasy Of The 20th Century surveys the major publications of the 20th century. A highly recommended reference, this is packed with color photos and insights alike.

For solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history.......2002-01-09

Solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history will appreciate Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century, a superbly presented survey of fantasy creators and their worlds. Full-page color photos of fantasy publications from magazines to pulp fiction accompany a coverage of notable authors, plots, and series titles alike. This will prove an especially inviting gift for that avid fan who 'has everything'.

Science Fiction of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History

Average customer rating:

WONDERFUL Scrapbook of SF history
Breathtaking
Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Worth 60 Bucks and Then Some....
visually great, slightly self-serving

Science Fiction of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History
Frank M. Robinson
Manufacturer: Collectors Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1888054298

Book Description

10"X13", cloth, 256 full-color pages, embossed and foiled dust jacket, vividly illustrated with images of film posters, magazines and books. This is an insider's view of the writers, illustrators and editors who made science fiction the most popular form of entertainment in the 20th Century.

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFUL Scrapbook of SF history.......2002-03-21

I'll be honest; when I first saw this book in a local store I wasn't sure I wanted it. It's very heavy (about 10-15 pounds) and expensive (about $60), but I sprang for it because I love SF and I wanted to see what a writer who loves it too had to say.
Frank Robinson is a dedicated writer, fan and historian. Not as dry as John Clute, but not as irreverent as Harlan Ellison, Robinson shows his love by sharing some truly amazing and wide-ranging materials dating from as far back as the 1890s.
A good, friendly companion if you want to take a SF literature course, or if you just want to sit down for a few weeks and read. HIGHLY recommended.

Breathtaking.......2001-05-01

This book is a beautiful collection of some stunning science fiction art.

Two things should be mentioned right away: first, that this is a book of science fiction art, not fantasy (there are no dragons, no unicorns, no elves), and second, that with the exception of a few science fiction movie posters, the art featured within are book covers and magazine covers.

This book itself is a work of art. It's large, it's heavy (printed on thick glossy paper), it's very colorful and has very fancy graphic designs. The layout is easy to see, eye-catching, and well spaced. Some of the featured covers are full-page. Most pages have two or three covers, a few have four. In other words, the pictures are never crowded together, and remain large enough to show detail.

Many of the covers are astounding. There are assorted rockets, saucers, aeroplanes, even a few flying globes. There are furry aliens, tentacled aliens, winged aliens, reptilian aliens, aquatic aliens, some tiny humanoid aliens. Heroes in skintight clothing, heroes in coverall jumpsuits, heroes in metallic spacemechs, heroes in Roman Centurion gear (go figure), heroes in clanky armorlike spacesuits. The women, especially in the earlier pulps and books, tend to be either scantily clad or in skintight clothing, and most are in various states of distress (being carried off by aliens). There are vistas of deserts, oceans, mountain ranges, desolate moonscapes, fantastic alien forests, fabulous spaceports. Many moons hang in the sky, and fantastic ringed planets.

Among the magazines included are Analog, Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Argosy, Astounding, Amazing Stories, Planet Stories, Science Wonder Stories, Locus. And more. Book covers range from forgotten novellas to bestselling classics. Movie posters from B-movie creature features to contemporary blockbusters. There really is a lot of art in this book.

The narrative, which is actually extensive, mostly follows the history of the sci-fi magazines and their circulation. The data is informative, but when the art is this beautiful, you won't be reading the small print except to see who did the drawing anyway. You'll lose yourself in this book!

There is only one reason I took one star from the review: some of the art is not identified. The publishers really ought to be ashamed of themselves for overlooking this, in an art book of all things. The entries are identified (although some of the artists' names have been lost, the publisher or sources are named), but the graphics of the cover (of this book) and the chapter introductions are not identified. Shame, shame! The chapter introduction plates are breathtaking, as are the inside-cover and dustjacket art.

This is a book of dreams and imagination. Normally I'd call this a "coffee table book" but not this time. HIDE this book and hoard it for yourself. It's a treasure.

Science Fiction of the 20th Century.......2000-07-14

Science Fiction of the 20th Century Author: FrankM. Robinson

This fascinating book is 100 percent sciencefiction/fantasy memories. I was especially intrigued because it was a birthday gift from my son, and I was one of the writers for Weird Tales magazine and a Brown University veteran-student during the late 1940's. Superb Magazine Cover Photos.

At first, I did a lot of skimming and admiring the book covers, but I recommend you read the book in chronological order, from beginning to end. Robinson's Science Fiction of the 20th Century is thoroughly researched and very well written. Delightfully, exciting and wonderfully informative, Robinson's book contains hundreds of superb, full-color photographs of science fiction and fantasy magazine covers, (wherever did they find them? and they are printed even sharper and more brilliant than when new!).

You will enjoy the beautiful, digitally-created science fictions pulp covers, many enlarged two times actual dimensions. (The average size of early pulp magazines was 6"x8", but they varied, depending on the availability of paper stock during four wars and the fluctuating prices of the pulp paper.)

Writers of Yesterday

Science Fiction of the 20th Century dates from the beginning of science fiction and fantasy genre, to the present revival in books, TV, Movies and Magazines!

The author, Frank M. Robinson gives fascinating and informative data on science fiction writers of past and present. He even reports that Hugh Heffner of Playboy fame, was a sci-fi addict. Playboy magazine has published outstanding science fiction stories and authors, such as Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury.

Final Notes

Robinson's book gave me an exhaustive, warm and nostalgic visit to fond friends, illustrations, covers, and writers of yesterday, and today.

Robinson's book even stimulated me to forage in my attic where I found a treasure chest of dozens of stories that I had written and published decades ago. I typed them into my computer, formatted them, edited, and now have a new book titled, Really Weird Weird Tales!, a compilation of science fiction and fantasy stories for a huge market, now reborn.

Worth 60 Bucks and Then Some...........2000-04-01

Although I'm not an expert on science fiction,I'm hoping to learn more about the genre so I can figure out what is best to invest time in reading, having already read Dune, Lord of the Rings, H.G.Wells, Jules Verne and some of the other basics. Buying this book was in part motivated by my desire to seek out some context and history of the vast sci-fi universe. The other motivation is that I collect particularly high-quality and esoteric art books and the other reviewers described the book as possibly meeting that criteria.

Having just received the book earlier today let me emphatically express that this is a fantastic work, beautifully illustrated, meticulously manufactured, and what I've read is very well written. This book emanates the kind of vital and exciting energy that I find to be most compelling in a "coffee table book." It really rouses interest in the subject matter it presents.

I've checked out other coffee table books on sci-fi, and some have looked good but none come close to this.

visually great, slightly self-serving.......2000-02-02

The book is a lavish, beautifully put-together work, with plenty of big colorful reproductions of classic pulp and contemporary cover art. There are a few mistakes (no, Cronenberg didn't direct the original Vincent Price version of 'The Fly'), but there's really one simple reason why I couldn't bring myself to give this book a 5-star recommendation. After having read it from cover to cover, there was a slight bad taste left in my mouth. Why? Because the author/editor, James M. Robinson, seemed a bit too relentless in his attempts to establish his own reputation and history in the field. Now I've read a LOT of science fiction in my time, but before I picked up this book I'd never even heard of James Robinson. So I was surprised by how often I came across reproductions of his book covers and/or mentions of his work. And they weren't presented in any sort of a 'personal note' type of format, nor do the captions for the illustrations even identify that the person who wrote the book being shown is the same as the editor who chose to include the image in this history. Rather, in most cases, you'll see Robinson's work discussed from the same third-person perspective as the other important works that surround it. This even extends, in one case, to including the work of another minor author apparently because it affords the opportunity to mention the fact that they'd collaborated with Robinson on OTHER projects. A quick count reveals cover reproductions of three of Robinson's novels (i.e. ALL of his science-fiction novels - he wrote a couple of techno-thrillers as well), a reproduction of a movie poster for a film based on one of those novels, and about five other mentions of his work in the text. A few of these would be fine - and the reproduction of one of his self-produced fanzines from the 1940's is a nice piece of nostalgia that certainly establishes his love of the genre. But it really felt like Robinson is trying to present himself as one of the more significant contributors to the genre. Personally, I just don't feel that Frank M. Robinson's fiction should be discussed more often than the work of Poul Anderson, or Robert Bloch, or Hal Clement, or Lester Del Rey or (to move to the end of the alphabet) Jack Vance or Gene Wolfe or Roger Zelazny. (Strangely enough, if you look up Frank M. Robinson in the index at the back of the book, he's not even listed. (Perhaps to make comparisons like this one a bit harder to do? Or maybe it's just sloppy indexing - SPIDER Robinson isn't listed in the index either, yet he's mentioned at least three times in the body of the book). At any rate, it really IS a beautiful book, and if you love this stuff as much as I do then you won't be disappointed by the overall package. It's just too bad that an editor somewhere didn't make an attempt to curb the author's self-promotion a little bit.

Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History

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Fantasy of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History
Randy Broecker
Manufacturer: COLLECTORS PRESS, INC.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OJLMBS

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Fantasy of the 20th Century An Illustrated History
Randy Broecker
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NBG230

Customer Reviews:

Final Treasures from a Twilight Zoner.......2001-12-24

The question that will immediately come to the minds of many Charles Beaumont fans regarding this new collection of thirteen previously-unseen stories is: What could possibly be left to publish? The author, best remembered for his outstanding teleplays for "The Twilight Zone," passed away over thirty years ago; and two earlier retrospectives--"Best of Beaumont" and "The Holwing Man" (a.k.a. "Selected Stories")--contained a total of eight unpublished (and uneven) tales between them. The happy news here is that, indeed, there are good pieces still remaining, and Subterranean (in full cooperation with Beaumont's son Christopher) has found several to include in "A Touch of the Creature."

The best among these is certainly "Adam's Off Ox," a charming backwoods deal-with-the-Devil tale written in an amusing country vernacular. Here is Beaumont's Devil: "He was a study, let me tell you. A big man it was, standin there laughin at Billy Spiker--big and ornry looking and by no stretch of the imagination just exactly right. For one thing, he didn't have no hair on his whole body, and you could say this for a fact because the old vulgarian was naked as a jaybird, without even nothin to cover his modesty! Head slicker'n a bean and flatter on top than two pancakes...When he smiled, you could see his sharp pointy little teeth set in a row, and his bitty eyes, like a fish's eyes, ony a deep bright bloody red."

There are at least three other very good stories in the book as well: "The Indian Piper," a strange and beautiful tale of a would-be criminal's redemption; "The Junemoon Spoon," more backwoods fun with a marvelous sting-in-the-tail at the end; and "Mr. Underhill," an ambiguous, unsettling offering which might have made an excellent "Twilight Zone." Along with a couple of near-misses--the interesting but overwrought "Resurrection Island" and "Fallen Star," which appears to be unfinished--there is enough quality material here to make the book worthwhile.

Alas, it must also be reported that about half the works in "A Touch of the Creature" are weak, uninspired efforts which will do Beaumont's reputation no good at all. Worst are four stories ("A Long Way From Capri," "Lachrymosa," "The Rival," and "A Friend of the Family") seemingly written for the women's magazine market of the 1950s--hackneyed, half-baked "relationship" tales with substandard characterization and pat, formulaic happy endings. Utterly without individuality or style, it is difficult to imagine Charles Beaumont having written them at all.

Yet lovers of Beaumont's work will feel nothing but gratitude to Subterranean Press for publishing "A Touch of the Creature." The reader unfamiliar with Beaumont should certainly not start here--"Best of Beaumont" or "The Howling Man" would be much more appropriate--but longtime fans will be surprised and delighted by the best of what this new volume offers. It is a tribute to the depth of Beaumont's genius that, more than three decades after his death, he still has a few wonderful tales left to tell.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic & well-told. LIFE Magazine.......1999-10-29

Apache is graphic & well-told as a photo story, which is rare indeed.

Wonderful. August 12, 1999........1999-10-28

What a wonderful book. APACHE is beautiful.

Stunning! August 12, 1999........1999-10-28

What a beautiful book. It's really stunning. I'm envious. I hope the publisher does as well with it as I think they should.

It's beautiful. August 12, 1999.......1999-10-28

APACHE is a beautiful, really beautiful book.

Magnificent! August 12, 1999.......1999-10-28

APACHE: The Sacred Path to Womanhood is magnificent. It, the photography and writing, deserves an award.

Average customer rating:

Truthful Recipes!

Fiesta a celebration of latin hospitality

Fiesta! A Celebration of Latin Hospitality
Anya Von Bremzen
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Latin American | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Kosher | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0785813640

Book Description

Full of recipes that capture the zest and exuberance of Latin food as well as the joyous spirit of the Latin people, this cookbook will introduce you to a slew of spicy taste sensations that combine style and panache with an easygoing, carefree approach. Fiesta food is vibrant, friendly, generous, and simple. It adds sparkle to casual Sunday dinners, backyard barbecues, informal cocktails, and certainly ¾ wild Latin parties. Short essays, side notes and the recipe introductions are included.

Customer Reviews:

Truthful Recipes!.......2003-01-07

If you truly enjoy the flavors of the Mexican culture...this book is for you. The format is clear. The final products taste exactly as you would expect per recipe and required spices. Have a good Margarita. Use the book. Have a memorable dinner!

Fiesta a celebration of latin hospitality.......2000-06-13

Muy bueno, lo recomiendo. Las recetas son muy variadas y simples. Con gusto latino autentico. Incluye recetas Espanolas, Chilenas, Peruanas, Brasilenas, Puerto Riquenas y Venesolanas! Facil de reproducir platos tradicionales con productos encontrados en los Estados Unidos.

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cypress knees

Carving Cypress Knees: Creating Whimsical Characters from One of Nature's Most Unique Woods
Carole Jean Boyd , and Jack A. Williams
Manufacturer: Fox Chapel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fun with Paper & Wood, Stones & Knives | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Wood Spirits and Green Men: A Design Sourcebook for Woodcarvers and Other Artists

Carving Found Wood: Tips, Techniques & Inspiration from the Artists

ASIN: 1565232712

Book Description

Cypress knees—stumps found in swamps of the southeastern United States that protrude from the water and vary in shape, size, and color—are the subject matter of this carving guide. Known for their excellent carving properties, cypress knees and their history are discussed as well as carving preparations and alternative options for those without access to this Gulf Coastal wood. Other chapters cover methods of pattern preparation and how to individualize carvings according to the unique, natural shape of each piece of wood. Readers will also benefit from a section on troubleshooting and step-by-step demonstrations on how to carve a wood spirit, Santa's face, and an elf.

Customer Reviews:

cypress knees.......2007-03-12

This is a great book which is a must for learning to carve cypress knees. Great pictures and clear instructions. Thanks J Mallory

Book Description

Contents: Biographical sketches on Raymund Lully: A Problem of Personality; The Illuminated Doctor of Majorca; The Universal Science; The Hermetic Doctor; An Historical Research; The Science of Alchemy; The Mystical Doctor-Cornelius Agrippa: The Agrippa of Legend; The Youthful Magician; "The Occult Philosophy"; Astrology and the Mystery of Numbers; Storm and Stress; Agrippa's Character; In the Depths; The Vanity of Arts and Sciences; Mysticism and the Reformation; Agrippa as Alchemist; Last Days; What Magic Owes to Agrippa-and Theophrastus Paracelsus: Early Life and Travels; Wanderings and Death; As Above, So Below; Doctrine of Signatures; Necromancy; Origin of Diseases; Magic; Alchemy; Astrology; Comparison with Other Mystics; A Christian Occultist.

Customer Reviews:

Great Bio's!.......2005-10-04

I especially like the bio on Paracelus who truly set himself apart from his contemporaries and advanced the science of toxicology. Agrippa is also fascinating - he persevered with his gifts and knowledge under great persecution of heresy. I didn't know anything about Lully before I read the book. In all cases, Waite does an excellent job of bringing these early light-bearers of science and medicine to modern man's understanding.

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