Book Description
In eighth grade Kevin Schuler is a popular kid with a decent, if not stellar, record on the track. Yet after fate takes him off a bus that crashes and kills his fellow students, including his girlfriend, Kevin inexplicably becomes a track phenomenon. Separated from his memory and distanced from his own life, he effortlessly smashes records and gains national attention, until he finds that he can no more remain apart from himself than he can from the ground beneath his feet.
Customer Reviews:
Introspective and humble.......2007-09-12
"Introspective and humble," of course, refers to the narrator. The author, on the other hand, seems a tiny bit in love with his creation - and for good reason. Jackson's writing aims high and often exceeds its target. It can be best described as: gentle, wry, uplifting, mellow, and/or lonely. His characters manage to display the depth and thoughtfulness one rarely finds in teenagers while remaining realistic, a feat of writing to be applauded. Jackson eschews the typical route of finding poignancy and conflict in his protagonist's battle with his body. Instead, Kevin's running takes the passenger seat, and the heart of the story emerges from his struggles with his memories and his grief. We never learn exactly why Kevin changed so completely after his teammates' deaths. It's okay, though. I like wondering.
Don't bother!!.......2007-05-24
I'm a runner. I thought I would enjoy reading a book about someone who shares this passion but I was quite wrong. Jacksons writing style bothered me from the first page and I feel purchasing this book was a waste of money. I'm highly dissapointed with this.
Hometown Connection.......2006-03-08
Once I picked up this book I just couldn't put it down until I was finished! Having grown up in the same town as the author and particpating on the same track team, this book just formed an intriguing connection with my past. Jeremy did an excellent job developing his character and a story that appeals to just about anyone who participates in this occupation called life.
Jeremy P. Amick, Author of "Metaphysics and Coffee"
Life at These Speeds.......2005-10-26
I loved the book. It seemed though that it caught attention to most track team members. Im not in track but i enjoyed the book but through some parts of the book I had trouble getting through it. It seemed to go slow for me like it was too drawn out. The author did an exellent Job connecting Kevin with teens around the states.
Running From Tragedy.......2005-02-21
Kevin Schuler, the high school running star in "Life at These Speeds," has to be one of the most aloof first-person narrators I've ever experienced. While frustrating at times, this narrative technique forced me to experience the same nearly-maddening difficulty establishing an emotional connection with Kevin as do his friends and family in the novel. The result is a powerful depiction of a psychologically fractured adolescent's struggle to overcome a tragic experience and reawaken his dormant emotional core.
While running pervades this novel and the author clearly has an affinity for the sport, success on the track is not central to the conflict. Indeed, running becomes for Kevin the ultimate escape mechanism, through which he's able to while away his adolescent hours and achieve admiration among his peers while avoiding his repressed trauma. Kevin rarely, if ever, seems in jeopardy of failure on the track, as if the emotional trauma he has sustained is so brutal that he's become completely numbed to the discomfort associated with the intense training sessions and record-breaking performances that he ticks off with ease. This lack of emotion is effective in a literary sense, yet it renders the descriptions of training and racing somewhat hollow.
All in all, this is a strong novel with sufficient depth to satisfy the literary crowd and enough track and cross-country content to please readers of running fiction.
-Kevin Joseph, author of "The Champion Maker"
Book Description
He's back. Sir Apropos of Nothing, the best reviewed anti-hero in modern fantasy makes his triumphant return and gets a severe "Tong Lashing" for his troubles.
Yes, the hero who reviewers have described as "Swiftian" -- Locus, "Schopenhauerian" -- Kirkus and "Cyclopian" -- Kirkus again -- and many other big words, has survived the events in his previous outing, The Woad to Wuin, events that would have killed a lesser man. Which is impressive considering it's hard to find a lesser man than Apropos: A con man, a knave, a scalawag...and those are his finer points.
This time out, Apropos finds himself out to sea...literally. Yes, our rogue knight winds up adrift in hostile waters after a "friendly" game of chance with a wizard turns ludicrously deadly. But once again Death is thwarted (or perhaps it simply wants nothing to do with him) as Apropos winds up a stranger in a strange land. A land called "Chinpan," populated by people who speak a different language and live by a code of honor, neither of which Apropos can comprehend.
And yet in Chinpan, Apropos slowly begins to examine his life and question whether he can aspire to true greatness. To become more than the hard-bitten cynic he's always been. He may yet be able to find a happy ending among a gentle people who are willing to accept him, faults and all. And he acquires a teacher who may even be able to set him on a road to true enlightenment.
But events conspire to pull Apropos in unexpected and dangerous directions. For his presence in Chinpan does not go unnoticed. What does the mysterious criminal organization known as the Forked Tong want with him? How do their plans tie in or conflict with the criminal Skang Kei family, and their enigmatic leader, Skang Kei Ho? What of the Mingol hordes? And what will be the fate of the Chin clan, including Double Chin, Cleft Chin, Kit Chin, and little Kit Chinette?
By turns hilarious and tragic, Tong Lashing leaves no signature moment of adventure unpummeled. Mysterious shadow warriors, demented rulers, martial arts lessons, ritual suicide...all that fun stuff and much more in this, the latest (and last?) adventure of Sir Apropos of Nothing.
Customer Reviews:
As good as the first? Hard to say........2005-04-27
I won't bother going into the plot - read the book. I will say that I'm having a hard time deciding whether this book is better or worse than the first, which was incredible. This 3rd book in the Apropos series is also incredible. The second book wasn't that consistantly great but I still liked it. Anyway, here are the good and bad of Tong Lashing:
Good:
1) The poking fun of other fantasy literature was exquisite. It gave you that feeling of "hey, I read that book! I'm hanging with the IN crowd!"
2) Puns - everyone's talking about the puns. The puns are great. Sure, they make you groan, but groaning's fun, and if you don't like these puns then you need to groan up.
3) There's some INCREDIBLE insight into the human condition, morality, etc. I'd hate to meet the girl responsible for Peter David's ability to write about these things. In D&D terms, I'd say he probably has a 19 or 20 in his Wisdom.
4) This book is totally absurd.
Bad:
1) Others have harped on the ending. I don't QUITE have a problem with the ending. I think there's definitely room for another book, despite those others, who shall rename maneless. Still, if this really is the end, then Peter was having a BAD DAY when he finished the book. Talk about train-wrecks. I think I would have preferred an ending more in line with the other two books, overall. I will say that the ending was incredibly interesting.
2) There's this one part, and if you've read the part you KNOW what I'm talking about, which gave me the willies. I'm conflicted on whether this was actually a bad part, because it was also pretty funny. But I'm technically "afraid" to call it a good part :)
Ok, there weren't really any true "bad" parts, but what can I say - this book had it all. I think the first book will forever remain perfect in my eyes, but Tong Lashing kind of pushed the envelope.
a more introspective Apropos.......2005-01-18
Thanks to angering a powerful supernatural being (so what's new?), Apropos is shipwrecked and washes up in the alien country of Chinpan. Everything about Chinpan is different from what Apropos is accustomed to, from their looks to their odd over-developed sense of honor. He stumbles upon a small farming village, made up mainly of the Chin family, and to his surprise, makes himself at home with them as a simple farmer. He is encouraged to study with the village's revered teacher, Chinpan Ali, who begins to teach Po how to empty himself and find peace. Apropos finds himself in the unusual position of being happy-and he waits for the axe to drop. Which, naturally, it does.
Chinpan Ali is murdered and Po seeks vengeance-biting off way more than he can chew. Again, what's new?! He angers the Hamunri Clan, the criminal organization the Forked Tong, the Tong's Skang Ke family, the Anais Ninjas, and pretty much everyone else he encounters. The Imperior, the head of the Skang Ke family (Skang Kei Ho), an annoying person named Mitsu, and a former acquaintance also make Po's revenge-and life-more difficult and he goes from one bizarre situation to the next.
Like the first two Apropos books, Tong Lashing is filled with that bizarre humor that makes a Peter David book so darn good. Puns, the outrageous, satire, sarcasm and the just plain funny run rampant, making the reader groan and laugh at the same time.
Unlike the others, Tong Lashing is rather introspective. (Consider the dedication: "to all those who had the chance and passed".) Po begins to change, sometimes subtly, sometimes obviously, and to rethink his prior way of living. Whereas it used to be every man for himself and Po first, others start taking a more important role in his life.
While still enjoyable, and still a four-star book, I want to warn the reader that it IS different from the previous books. Not different in a bad way, but definitely different. There is a more serious tone to this book, with humor taking a back seat to Po's development, with an ending that leaves one confused and thinking, just like Po. If you've read the first two, you need to read this third-and possibly final-volume of Apropos' life.
The end to a wonderful trilogy.......2004-06-24
Although the second of this three books series is my favorite Tong Lashing was a wonderful read. After getting to know Apropos from the first two the third brings in more conflicts that he must face. Twists and turns in the story kept me wanting to read the book the entire day. David's brilliant sense of humor I commend once again; he is always leaving me laughing and has the creativity to bring in drama as well, I applaud. When you thought Apropos has been through just about everything David swings a few more curve balls to boggle the mind and say "What the?!..." This is a book I'm sure you won't be able to put down.
Oh Apropos, how I love you!.......2004-01-13
I have been a Peter David fan for a while and I think his Apropos books are hilarious and imaginative. And talk about wit! The third book is as wonderful as the previous two. The beginning starts off so amusing I was laughing out loud. And this keeps up in the middle. Towards the end I felt that the book was starting to let me down until the actual which redeemed the small setback.
This book is a must for any Peter David fan.
You'll never look at Asia the same way again........2004-01-10
I'm a big fan of puns. The more I groan, the better I like them. Peter David must feel the same way, because he's been responsible for a great many of the best groaners around. In fact, I haven't seen anybody make a pun like he has, because he not only makes the joke, but then he makes something useful out of it. It's a rare talent, and one that really makes his books worth reading.
Which brings us to Tong Lashing (see what I mean?), which is the third book in the Sir Apropos of Nothing series. The first book, also called Sir Apropos of Nothing, introduces us to the wonderful but extremely self-centered Apropos, a man who won't stick his neck out for anybody. David then gives us The Woad to Wuin, which brings Apropos to the land of Wuin, where he learns that he can sink to even further depths. David says in the acknowledgements that Apropos's future is up in the air. If that's so, it makes me sad, because he unfortunately didn't end it on a great note. Tong Lashing is still a very good book, but the tone is wildly variable, ultimately making for a disappointing finish.
I find myself with completely mixed feelings about this book, and I'm not sure if it's just me not getting the ending or what. The book is wonderful, with colorful characters, wonderful dialogue and witty asides (the book is told in first person, so the asides are written by Apropos). It's everything I loved about the first two books, and the jokes are even better then those. Up until the last 100 pages, I was going to call this the best of the three. Everything was just clicking, and I couldn't stop laughing, but yet being touched as Apropos learns even more about himself. He's always been unlikable, mainly because he is the complete anti-hero. In Tong Lashing, however, he starts moving beyond that, and showing that he can actually care for somebody.
But then the climax starts, the book all of a sudden turns very dark. This is a pivotal moment in Apropos's life, and it's very well done. He's brought down to the very bottom, the ultimate level of self-loathing as he realizes that he brought all of this death and destruction down on his friends. He's determined to avenge them, and he hatches a plan to bring down everybody in Chinpan. This is fine by itself. While the tone is dark (there are no real jokes by this point), it is very effective. However, then things go even worse, with a literally explosive climax that completely ruins the mood and tone of the book. I think David went way too far in this one, and if he's trying to make some point, it went completely over my head. This change in tone almost made my teeth clap together it was so sudden.
I can't say enough about how wonderful the rest of the book is, though. Apropos is his normal self, but he has grown and the change is welcome to see. He is still cynical, knowing that every time he is happy something's going to happen to bring it down. Mitsu is the daughter of the Imperior, impulsive and headstrong in a society where women are not even second-class citizens. She is a product of her upbringing though, and one of the sticking points between Apropos and Mitsu is her willingness to sacrifice her handmaidens when she is being punished. We find out the secret of Mordant, and how he is able to talk. The Imperior is suitably insane, and just when you think he's being stereotypically dumb, David pulls a twist out of his hat and shows us a villain who's both insane and kind of smart too.
And then, of course, there are the jokes and puns. You've seen a couple of them in this review, and I don't really want to reveal any more. Probably the best one is a take-off on the Ninjas of old Japan (if you have no plans to read this book, email me and I'll tell you what it is). Peter David has a wildly humorous way of writing, though he is definitely somebody you'll either love or hate. Basically, I can say that if you like puns, you will love his writing. The jokes come fast and furious, and I loved reading about Apropos's feelings on life in general. He talks directly to the reader, writing this in his old age (so yes, it's obvious that he survives everything). Apropos often expresses his amazement that he still has readers, which can be a dangerous thing for an author to do. But David handles it with aplomb, knowing that he's got his reader hooked.
The best part about his puns is that they are more than just puns. He makes the Forked Tong a legitimate (and dangerous) criminal organization. The Ninjas could have been used for a joke and then discarded, but they become an integral part of the plot, and characters in their own right. Minor characters, to be sure, but still at least with two-dimensional. The joke becomes part of the plot, rather than just a rim-shot. Even the mad Scotsman Ronnell McDonnell actually gets a mention after he has strutted across the stage. In fact, any gamer will love the sequence with McDonnell and the magical role-playing game.
Still, we have to get to the end, and I felt very unsatisfied. It hit me like a two by four to the head, but not in a good way. David had better write another Apropos book to wash the taste of it out of my mouth. It is effective in one way, however. Apropos ends the book truly as Sir Apropos of Nothing. And he's finally satisfied with that.
I'm not, however.
David Roy
Customer Reviews:
Early environmental story for Doctor Who.......2000-10-11
As a general rule, people associate the era of the third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) with stories that make political comments about the real world. This book is based on a serial that was first broadcast in 1964 and looks at the possible dangers of insecticides.
The TARDIS arrives in 1964 and, due to an accident on landing, the ship and its crew are miniaturised. Much like the later "Land of the Giants" TV series, their adventures tend to centre on the threat of full-sized items to miniaturised people. As you can imagine, the insecticide DN6 becomes a major peril.
Running parallel with this story is one for the full-sized people. DN6 is under investigation, and its inventor will stop at nothing to prevent his own financial ruin if it is banned. While the actions of the full-sized people have consequences for the Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian, it is not towards the end of the stories do our travellers start to have an impact on them.
The novelisation is a straightforward adaptation by the prolific Terrance Dicks. While no literary masterpiece, it is certainly readable. You may have to excuse some very questionable science, but that's not something new with Doctor Who.
Book Description
How can you get a wholesome, delicious dinner on the table without spending time on long lines at the supermarket? Rachael knows how!
Her secret weapon is keeping plenty of versatile, flavorful ingredients in the cupboard, fridge, and freezer, combining these staples with just a few fresh items—never more then ten—to create delicious meals for every night of the week. In Express Lane Meals, Rachael provides her personal go-to list of must-have items—so you can do a big shop every week then simply zip through the Express Lane to make any of these 30-minute meals.
She divides the recipes into three categories: “Meals for the Exhausted,” “ Meals for the Not Too Tired,” and “Bring It On! (But, Be Gentle).” No matter which you choose you’ll learn handy tricks and shortcuts to get the most impressive-looking meals on the table in 30 minutes or less.
These are Rachael’s quickest and easiest recipes yet and a breeze to shop for—because you shouldn’t have to spend all of the time Rachael saves you in the kitchen standing in line at the grocery store!
RACHAEL RAY IS A VERY BUSY LADY . . .
And she knows you’re busy, too. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious, healthy, and home-cooked meal every night of the week. Not when cooking is as simple as this!
In Express Lane Meals, Rachael Ray is back and faster than ever! With her latest batch of recipes this beloved Food Network phenomenon takes her 30-Minute Meal concept to the next level, creating recipes based on staples from a well-stocked pantry and just a few fresh items—so few you’ll never be stuck on a long grocery line again.
YUMMO!
Customer Reviews:
Rachael cooks up another classic!.......2007-09-08
The idea behind this clever cookbook is to have on hand a certain amount of basic ingredients. Then, to complete one of the recipes in the book, all you have to do is stop by the store and pick up a few items on your way home from work- thereby qualifying you to use the "express lane"- hence the title of the book.
This particular cookbook of Rachael's contains not only easy to follow recipes, but also has a wide enough variety of them that will keep you from serving the same boring meals every night- a chronic problem at my house.
All in all a good cookbook that deserves a place on everybody's bookshelf, I give it five stars. Also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator if you have trouble sticking to a healthy diet.
Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals.......2007-07-29
Have not cooked anything from this book as of this date. I have enjoyed reading the recipes.
It's okay.........2007-07-11
I bought this book because I really like her. Unfortunately, you have no idea which recipes are good.. and which are not. The book is also not ideal for placing next to you while you cook. They should change the binding! Another minus.. no pic of what the finished product should look like. I understand it's a budget book.. but there has to be some features to make me want to buy another one.
I think I prefer browsing on Food Network... there are reviews from other cooks on whether or not it is good.
Probably will not buy any more of her books.......2007-06-29
I recently recieved this book and have found a few recipes I want to try. However, living in a small rural western town, some of the ingredients are unavailable. Not really a problem for me since I susbstutute ingredients quite often.
My biggest problem with this book at the moment is the index: totally useless. As I thumbed through the book perusing, I found a recipe entitled "Steaks with Tangy Corn Relish and Super Cheese and Scallion Smashed Spuds." A day later, I wanted to find the recipe for the corn relish...I looked in the index under "C" for corn...nope, not there. "R" for relish...not there either. Oh, I remember, it was listed with steak in the recipe...looked under "S" for steak...nope, not there either. I finally find it under "B" for beef.
Another recipe in the book included a Spicy Citrus Salsa...can't find it under Salsa or Citrus, but it is listed under "C" for Chorizo.
Maybe it would be faster to thumb through the book until I find what I'm looking for?
I want to try the recipes for the condiments - to go with other dishes I make, but I'm having a very difficult time of finding that specific recipe. When I do find the recipe, it's rather difficult to separate those specific ingredients and directions from the rest of the recipe.
I will be making good use of a highlighter in this cookbook.
Ingredients.......2007-05-09
I'm new to cooking fresh food daily and am actually starting to like it. This cookbook has been tremendously helpful in that the recipes are quick and easy and the 'to-buy' list is usually short. The portions are generally for 4 and there's only 2 of us so we always have left-overs, which freeze or reheat nicely. I'll go through the book and buy 2-3 meals worth on Monday (it's still fast, maybe not express though!) and basically be set for the week.
I wish the cookbook had a list of the recipes that use the fresh-purchase ingredients. This would make it easier to use up the fresh-purchased ingredients if not used in one recipe. I still recommend this for quick, easy, tasty meals.
Book Description
Tasteful, simple, fin-fish recipes covering all ways of preparation--baking, broiling, poaching, grilling, smoking, and sauting--including appetizers, salads, chowders, gumbos, and main courses, involving 26 varieties of fin fish. 21 drawings.
Book Description
Patti Playpal*t life-sized companion dolls were an enormous hit in the 1960s. These gorgeous dolls could actually wear the clothing of the children they belonged to! Patti Playpal dolls are in demand on today's collectors' market, although surprisingly little information has been available about them. This wonderful reference not only chronicles the Playpal Family with their original outfits and play sets, but also all of the other life-sized dolls of the era that have been a source of confusion to collectors and dealers alike. Finer points like original hair colors, hairstyles, and outfit variations are finally documented. Over 250 color photos, original catalog and television advertisements, and valuable information about the dolls and the prices they command today make this long-awaited resource an excellent addition to the library of all doll or toy enthusiasts.
Customer Reviews:
It's more about Patty than I knew before.............2001-07-15
But not nearly as much as I was hoping to learn. The book is attractive with its many color photographs, but there just isn't much 'meat' to it, I'm afraid. Very disappointing.
Not definitive but welcome........2001-01-02
As a lover of the large dolls of the 1950's, 60's and 70's this book is a welcome addition to the world of doll collecting. The drawback is that any collector who wanders through Ebay and tracked sales over time in a spreadsheet could have done the same. Many of the photos in the book I had already seen and even bid upon! (Thus three stars) Nonetheless some of the dolls are truly pretty and beautiful.
For the newcomer, this is a great primer to get you started. I am still waiting for the really definitive book on large "Walker" dolls. Until that comes out Ms. Cross will have to do.
Average customer rating:
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Letter Perfect: Over 40 Alphabets for Needlepoint and Embroidery
Martha Sutherland
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Crafts & Hobbies
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Needlework
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Textile Arts
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ASIN: 0345342798
Release Date: 1988-09-12 |
Average customer rating:
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Joy-Bearing Grief: Tears Of Contrition In The Writings Of The Early Syrian And Byzantine Fathers (Medieval Mediterranean)
Hannah Hunt
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9004141235 |
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The Title-Page: Its Early Development 1460-1510
Margaret M. Smith
Manufacturer: Oak Knoll Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1584560339 |
Book Description
The late medieval manuscript's opening page was often ornamentally magnificent; however, this approach of announcing a text was not to be the title-page model for the printed book. The introduction of the printing press created the opportunity for a new way to open a book - a page devoted to its title and its producer. Several stages of the title page's development are described.
In detail here, with illustrations from the British Library: the blank page, the label-title, the label-title- plus-woodcut and/or printer's mark, and the decorative border. This is the first book dealing with the early development of the title page since A.W. Pollard's "Last Words" on the subject, published in 1981. Co-published with The British Library.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada, published by Bibliographical Society of Canada on March 22, 2002. The length of the article is 810 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: Margaret M. Smith. The Title-Page: Its Early Development 1460-1510. (book review)
Author: Julie Stabile
Publication:
Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2002
Publisher: Bibliographical Society of Canada
Volume: 40
Issue: 1
Page: 103(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
- Much Needed Bio on a Woman Many Loved Yet Even More Forgot
- Silk purse vs. sow's ear
- Overdue but uninspired
- Jehanne d'Arc and Mercedes: Two Saints in one Act.
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That Furious Lesbian: The Story of Mercedes de Acosta (Theater in the Americas)
Robert A Schanke
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood
ASIN: 0809325799 |
Book Description
In this first book-length biography of Mercedes de Acosta, theatre historian Robert A. Schanke adroitly mines lost archival materials and mixes in his own interviews with de Acosta’s intimates to correct established myths and at last construct an accurate, detailed, and vibrant portrait of the flamboyantly uninhibited early-twentieth-century author, poet, and playwright.
Born to wealthy Spanish immigrants, Mercedes de Acosta (1893–1968) lived in opulence and traveled in the same social circles as the Astors and Vanderbilts. Introduced to the New York theater scene at an early age, her dual loves of performance and of women informed every aspect of her life thereafter. Alice B. Toklas’s observation, “Say what you will about Mercedes, she’s had the most important women in the twentieth century,” was well justified, as her romantic conquests included such internationally renowned beauties as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Isadora Duncan, and Eva Le Gallienne as well as Alla Nazimova, Tamara Karsavina, Pola Negri, and Ona Munson.
More than a record of her personal life and infamous romances, this account offers the first analysis of the complete oeuvre of de Acosta’s literary works, including three volumes of poetry, two novels, two film scripts, and a dozen plays. Although only two of her plays were ever published during her lifetime, four of them were produced, featuring such stage luminaries as John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, and Eva Le Gallienne. Critics praised her first volume of poetry, Moods, in 1919 and predicted her rise to literary fame, but the love of other women that fueled her writing also limited her opportunities to fulfill this destiny. Failing to achieve any lasting fame, she died in relative poverty at the age of seventy-five.
De Acosta lived her desires publicly with verve and vigor at a time when few others would dare, and for that, she paid the price of marginalized obscurity. Until now. With “That Furious Lesbian” Schanke at last establishes Mercedes de Acosta’s rightful place as a pioneer—and indeed a champion—in the early struggle for lesbian rights in this country.
Robert A. Schanke has edited a companion to this biography,
Women in Turmoil: Six Plays by Mercedes de Acosta, also available from Southern Illinois University Press.
Customer Reviews:
Much Needed Bio on a Woman Many Loved Yet Even More Forgot.......2004-04-20
This is an interesting account of her life. I found that there is even more information at the author's website - take a look and you'll learn more about this woman...There is a paperback coming out soon so check out the site and come back to get the paperback!
www.mercedesdeacosta.com
Silk purse vs. sow's ear.......2004-04-16
Schanke's previous book on the stage actress Eva Le Gallienne was a knockout, and this one suffers in comparison. Perhaps the character of Mercedes was just too hard to pin down, and this may not be Schanke's fault. Acosta's work seems slight and dated, and no amount of cutting and pasting is going to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. This leaves her as a curiosity, a woman who must have been something in her prime, when so many gorgeous women succumbed to her; and then as a victim of what we would now call "erotomania," desperately clinging to the hope that someday Garbo would smile on her again, even though she must have known that "outing" Garbo in her insipid memoir "Here Lies the Heart" (which Le Gallienne heatedly called, "The Heart Lies and Lies and Lies") wasn't the way to curry favor with such a private individual. The last chapters of the book are pathetic in extremis, it's almost hard to believe Mercedes stayed alive from week to week she was so poor and abject, having no money of her own and totally dependent on charity from others. She was like Job in every way except, of course, genitally. But then again Job was probably pretty annoying too. Schanke does a fine job putting together the pieces of a fabulist's life, jigsaw pieces from many different puzzles.
Overdue but uninspired.......2004-02-23
De Acosta has long needed an biography since her own autobiography "Here Lies the Heart" often feels fictional. While Schanke gets the facts and corrects some of the autobiography's inaccuracies, he does not ever convince one that this was a story worth telling. The vitality and outragousness of her own book makes de Acosta a compelling figure, but the recitation of facts in this one does not.
This book has a hard task: telling the life story of a mediocre writer best known for who she had sex with. And while the book does not make a strong case for de Acosta being worth the attention, it is quite facinating for anyone interested in gay history. In addition, the figures arround Mercedes (such as her sister, Garbo, Poppy Kirk) emerge as intriguing in a way that de Acosta does not.
Jehanne d'Arc and Mercedes: Two Saints in one Act........2003-12-10
I guess it took the Roman Church 500 years to rehabilitate, integrate, and neutralize a troubling voice from the past. Mercedes de Acosta had no such qualms and reincarnated Jehanne in the person of Eva le Gallienne in the 1925 production of Jehanne d'Arc.
Robert Schake's " That Furious Lesbian": The Story of Mercedes Acosta is a sustained effort to peel away the recurring labels that obliterate the magnificent other that was Mercedes.
Schanke's re-creative efforts, stemming in large part from Mercedes' poverty driven sale of her "Aspern Letters" to the Rosenbach Library, are well worth the attention of those still capable of amazement before those bolides which burst through Victorian conventions into a new century.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Theatre History Studies, published by Mid-America Theatre Association on June 1, 2004. The length of the article is 686 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: "That Furious Lesbian": the Story of Mercedes de Acosta.(Book Review)
Author: Billy J. Harbin
Publication:
Theatre History Studies (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 2004
Publisher: Mid-America Theatre Association
Volume: 24
Page: 151(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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