Average customer rating:
- Brilliant piece of expository writing on a controversial war
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On the Yankee Station: Stories
William Boyd
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 British
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Boyd, William
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Stars and Bars: A Novel
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Armadillo: A Novel
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The Destiny of Nathalie X
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Fascination: Stories
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A Good Man in Africa: A Novel
ASIN: 0375705112
Release Date: 2001-02-27 |
Book Description
Wiliam Boyd, winner of the Whitbread and Somerset Maugham Awards, introduces unlikely heroes desperate to redeem their unsatisfying lives.
From California poolsides to the battlegrounds of Vietnam, here is a world populated by weary souls who turn to fantasy as their sole escape from life's inequities. Stranded in an African hotel during a coup, an oafish Englishman impresses a young stewardess with stories of an enchanted life completely at odds with his sordid existence in "The Coup." In the title story, an arrogant, sadistic American pilot in Vietnam underestimaets the power of revenge when he relentlessly persecutes a member of his maintenance crew. With droll humor and rare compassion, Boyd's enthralling stories remind us of his stature as one of contemporary fiction's finest storytellers.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant piece of expository writing on a controversial war.......1998-11-15
Of all of the millions of words written about the contoversial war in Vietnam the ones in this book ring truest! Cdr. Nichols, a veteran of over 300 combat missions flown from carriers in the Tonkin Gulf and over 3,000 hours in the Crusader, knows how to bring the reader right into the cockpit with him. What a spectacular true story of a truly unusual war! Read it!!!
Average customer rating:
- It is hard to become of age!
- Fabulous book of short stories
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On the Yankee Station: Stories by William Boyd
William Boyd
Manufacturer: McNally & Loftin Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
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| Contemporary
| General
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| Letters & Correspondence
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| Short Stories
General
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Boyd, William
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: 0688031110 |
Customer Reviews:
It is hard to become of age!.......2001-10-21
A collection of stories about initiation. Killing Lizards is a marvellous story about a young boy shifting from killing lizards, as phallic symbols, to blackmailing his mother to get the love he wants from her, especially since the blackmailing tool shows the father does not control the mother any more.
I also loved Hardly Ever, as a frustrated initiation to sex for a teenager. His initiation is purely superficial, unable that he is to go through it, in spite of a real possibility he goes to sleep on (he goes to sleep, with a girl, when that girl is ready for more), but it is always compensated verbally by some bragging about with his school pals.
Gifts is even stranger. The young student is unable to get through his initiation and has to satisfy himself with some gifts. Everyone of his conquests presents him with personal or confidential elements. His poverty, caused by some postal strike, makes this experience even funnier, funny-strange, because the poorer he gets, the more private gifts he receives.
Boyd is a strange writer about frustrated, and even twisted, initiation for teenagers. Fascinating how they can live on this frustration that becomes their everyday food, or even fodder, the brain being more or less negated.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Fabulous book of short stories.......1999-04-05
This book was given to me by my college English professor. Even though it is out of print, it is worth finding and reading. The stories are short and reflect upon what emotions and feelings one goes through while growing up and going through this thing called life. I enjoy reading this book while around the pool and relaxing since the stories are short and not demanding of hard concentration. The reading is at a moderate level and the plots often provoke an assesment of the readers' own life and his reactions to situations. A very good book!
Amazon.com
Janny Wurts's justifiably skillful and lovingly composed Wars of Light and Shadow series joins the ranks of Robert Jordan's protracted Wheel of Time series, et al., as either--depending on which camp you hail from--the height of high fantasy or the deeply frustrating (yet persistent) problem with the genre.
All that said, Wurts has wooed many fans to her series with compelling characters, a tremendously complex (and painstakingly developed) web of plotlines, and distinctively lush and lyric storytelling. Grand Conspiracy represents part two of part three of a five-part epic--to her credit, Wurts broke the series' third story arc (Alliance of Light) into three parts only reluctantly. The action in this installment surrounds Arithon s'Ffalenn, the fugitive Master of Shadow and the victim of the title's grand conspiracy. Everyone's got it in for him these days, and even his beloved, Elaira, has been shanghaied by her Koriani cronies into playing a role in his betrayal--she must transform an innocent, Fionn Areth, into Arithon's double to draw him out. Grand Conspiracy delivers more of the same, perhaps lacking a bit of the action of previous installments; check out Curse of the Mistwraith if you're new to the series. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
On the world of Athera, two half brothers gifted of Light and Shadow stood together and defeated the Mistwraith. In defeat, their magical foe set its captors at odds, bestowing upon them a life long curse of enmity that has since woven three bitter wars and uncounted deadly intrigues.
Arithon s'Ffalenn, the Master of Shadow, is both mage-trained and masterbard, and the last living Prince of Rathain. His life has become the cipher upon which the fate of all the world must turn.
And the enemies who hunt him are legion. . . .
The Prime Enchantress of the Koriani Order has vowed to lure him by baiting her trap with an innocent. She insists his capture will cripple her arch rivals, the Fellowship Sorcerers.
Lysaer s'Ilessid, regent of Avenor and half brother to Arithon, has used his gift and charisma to forge an Alliance of Light sworn to destroy the Master of Shadow. A genius of statecraft, Lysaer has unified nations and inspired the fervent to hail him as an avatar.
In this time of merciless intrigue, fanaticism and gold are raising new armies, while distrust of sorcery has set off a purge of the talented mageborn--none more reviled than Arithon. Through clever manipulation of events, his very name has become anathema. And now the volatile hatreds that spearheaded this campaign against Shadow have overtaken all reason.
Those friends and allies who stand in Arithon's defense are hobbled, or hazed, into retreat. And the Master of Shadow himself has fled from the curse's relentless insanity, seeking refuge at sea. Yet, for Arithon, the most pressing danger lies ahead. Elaira, the Koriani Enchantress who holds his heart, is about to be given the irrefutable command by the head of her order to help arrange his ultimate betrayal.
Customer Reviews:
The best yet :).......2006-08-01
If you've read any of my reviews for the other books in this series, you're probably wondering at the number of 5 stars I've been assigning these books, but in all honesty, I couldn't assign this book anything less, and wanted to give it more.
The complexity of the book, and indeed the series as a whole, is simply breathtaking.
In this book, the Koriani witches develop a plot to snare Arithon s'Ffalenn, Prince of Rathain and Master of Shadow. While Lirenda, the second in command of the Koriani develops the plot, the Prime Matriach (leader of the Koriani) develops her own masterful plot both against both Lirenda and the Fellowship Sorcerers entrusted with the care of Athera.
The tension slowly built in the book, yet the last 100-150 pages were unstoppable page-turners, making it hard to put down.
I do strongly recommend reading the prior books first, to develop a full understanding of the characters. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Another compelling volume!.......2005-07-12
Janny Wurts continues her Wars of Light and Shadow series in this engaging book. Although of the best characters (Arithon) does not appear until a little later in the book (around page 80), the rest of the book more than makes up for his lack of presence early on. The book also features one of Ms. Wurts' best endings, leaving the reader wanting for more. Fortunately, the sequel is just as enjoyable. To fully appreciate this book, one should start at the first book in the Wars of Light and Shadow. That volume is Curse of the Mistwraith.
Janny Wurts on the decline........2003-01-10
I'm a big fan of Janny Wurts since her Empire trilogy and I swallowed the first novels of this series in rapid succession so far. The tale of Arithon and Lysaer and the Curse of the Mistwraith that has doomed the half-brothers to eternal enmity proceeds after an interlude of several years. During this time Arithon has spent years overseas in the search of the lost Paravians while Lysaer has once again increased his political machinations to consolidate his righteous crusade against his hated brother. The relative stagnation of the feud is interrupted when Morriel, leader of the Koriani witches, employs the full power of her magic order to finally bring down Arithon.
Wurts' major strengths that I appreciated so far are her ability to spin complex and intruiging plots containing elements of high fantasy, politics and passionate affairs of the heart. And a willingness to let her main protagonists suffer and her knack in exploiting these small tragedies to further raise the stakes in the story itself while enhancing the emotional attachment of the reader to the protagonists.
Alas Wurts has reached a level where she simply starts to wear out these talents. Her style of narration in Grand Conspiracy is full of heavy flowery phrases that it just gets annoying. She looses herself in the complexity of her plot, wanting to follow too many individual yet somehow linked story lines with the same intensity (i.e. chars like Jieret, Lirenda and other secondary protagonists). Also I think that she exaggerates in showing the falseness of Lysaer's crusade and the way he and his minions use various instruments (one being the same black art of spell casting that Lysaer is accusing Arithon of abusing) becomes rather stereotype. But the most annoying factor has become the level of whining and self-pity shown not only by Arithon, something we're used by now, but also a large scale of other characters (Elaira, Jieret, Fionn Areth and even to some degree the Fellowship Sorcerers). The biggest disappointment is Elaira, who still fails to win free from the hold of her Koriani sisters on her life and soul. Instead we get to see her once again exchange "heartbreaking" scenes of longing and dispair and of course lots of forgiveness between her and her lover Arithon. Where has the innovative passion gone from Ships of Merior when Elaira and Arithon discover their love during a combined magical effort to heal a fatally wounded civilian (a scene which will probably be among my all time favorite episodes in fantasy/sci-fi literature).
Of course Grand Conspiracy has still its strengths. Wurts' application of various types of magic and the descriptions of spell casting as a delicte art are first class. And the long awaited appearance of Davien the Betrayer occurrs with such a careful and elaborately carved introduction that I'm really eager for more of Davien in the next sequels.
But as a conclusion these few highlights aren't enough to make up for many disappointments in the overall progress of this otherwise great fantasy series.
Actinic.......2002-03-04
The Wars of Light and Shadow series continues with, in my opinion, by far the best work so far. This series has captivated me from the beginning: this book was one of the most compelling and intricately crafted works of literature I have ever read.
I think Janny Wurts has stopped pandering to the thrill-a-minute faction of her readership and started writing for herself. Her style has blossomed and intensified a thousandfold. This series began with a promising paradox and the cruellest of curses and has gone on to extend and explore the possiblities of those origins in devastating style.
The tormented exiled prince, Arithon S'Ffalenn, Master of Shadow, who is so utterly human and so desparately unlucky that you cannot fail to love him, is, as ever, in hiding, maintaining leagues of seawater between himself and the seeresses who hunt him by magical means and seek to bring him to his doom as a convicted sorceror. As soon as he sets foot on dry land they can track him, and should he disembark on the same continent as his brother Lysaer of the Light, curse-induced madness will fall upon him to the extent that he will let no-one and nothing stand in his way until his brother is dead. His entourage of swordsmen, seamen, and the Mad Prophet Dakar, are a motley crew. Dakar is drunk most of the time, but when needed to work a powerful enchantment he usually rises to the occasion. He must save the dark prince from himself as often as he has to guard him from his enemies, and this creates a perverse and abiding tension in the relationship between the unlikely duo.
Prince Lysaer of the Light, however, is loved by his people, would never stoop to sorcery and rules with wisdom, humanity and impeccable judgement. Only one problem: he is perpetually insane in his determination to crush Arithon S'Ffalenn at all costs. His abiding hatred of his brother poisons every decision he makes, and his apparent kindness, wisdom, humanity and judgement are all simply means of achieving this one obsessive aim. He needs allies, and he has the gift of winning men's hearts wherever he goes. He is probably the most evil character I have ever had the pleasure to come across in fantasy literature. More men, women and children die in his campaign to defeat his already defeated brother than have ever been threatened by Arithon's occasional fits of madness. And yet he plays those around him to perfection, seducing them with his charismatic glamour and blinding them to the terrifying truth.
Arithon just plays music, and this to ease his soul from the plaguings of a deeply troubled conscience and his intellect from the frustration of thwarted magical ability. One of the novel's chief ironies is that he cannot even practise magic: his powers have been blocked and no recent charge of sorcery against him can possibly be true.
I love the way Janny Wurts plays with your morals, preconceptions and affections in this novel. I love the grim and violent hopelessness of Arithon's existence and the allure this lends to his already captivating character. I love the evil shining compassion of Lysaer s'Ilessid and the spiralling allegories you can trace through history of men who stood for the Light and committed unthinkable acts of darkness in its name.
But most of all I love Janny Wurts's command of the magical. The Fellowship Sorcerers and the Koriani Sisterhood, practising two very distinct forms of magic, the Sisters influencing the course of human events to their own ends and the Fellowship magicians attempting to protect and maintain the balance of the ancient paths of power, do battle on a grand scale, in a power play that is much more than a sideshow to the main action of the novel.
I would wish to ask the author a direct question: why are all the bad witches female, and all the good magicians male? With her twisting of accepted norms and examination of every angle of preconception and prejudice I'm surprised at this. But it's just a thought. The novel's wonderful, and you absolutely positively have to read it. Be prepared to read it slowly, savour each phrase and shade of meaning, and use your brain. Nothing worthwhile ever came easy....
Many levels.......2002-01-08
Wurts has created a work that transcends Fantasy. Her suberbly crafted writing stretches our vocabulary, weaves a brilliant imagery, and gives deep insight into the human spirit. The intricacy and scope of the plots and sub-plots leaves plenty to the imaginations of those who delight in unravelling mysteries and guessing future developments in the novel.
It's rich in character development. I have followed Arithon's development as a character with the same enjoyment as I did Ursula K. Le Guin's character, Ged. She has real skill with major and minor characters, using them to continually reflect new angles and interpretations of the themes and characters of the series.
Wurts harkens back to a time when the land was held as something sacred. The Paravians represent lost innocence, and the compact a reminder that we borrow the land from future generations. Her descriptions of magic are multi-sensory journeys that take us towards a more subtle understanding of what world consciousness is and touches on the oneness of everything.
What I found most valuable in these books was the portrayal of the causes of conflict, and the machinations of war. She puts war and greed under an unforgiving spotlight, but also refuses to typecast. Lysaer is portrayed both as liberating leader and protector of the people and deluded tyrant. Arithon is at once freedom fighter and terrorist. We are not asked to choose a side and blame the other, but encouraged to have compassion and understanding, and to see the whole picture. We are shown graphically that war leads to further wars, there is never an end to them, unless there is dialogue and an attempt towards mutual understanding. We are not allowed to give into euphoria after 'justice' has been served, but read on and discover the horrific consequences. It makes us question what is true justice, and whether there is a place for human compassion in it.
The curse itself is an accurate and menacing metaphor for blind, ignorant prejudice that has the same effect on the leaders and followers of this world, as it does on Athera. She powerfully describes the effects of illusion and delusion that create mobs and narrow-minded communities. She neatly portrays blinkered opinion and assumption and shows how they develop into reasons for wiping out other ethnic groups.
When you read her books, suspend judgement. Don't get lost in plot and in trying to interpret the Black Rose Prophecy. Use a dictionary for the more difficult words. Let her writing take hold of your imagination and leave youself open to seeing the parallels of Athera to Earth. Identify with the characters, experience them as aspects of yourself. Make it a journey of discovery. Read each book twice.
Average customer rating:
- Another excellent sci-fi fantasy!
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Darkscape: Redemption (Darkscape)
R. Garland Gray
Manufacturer: LTDBooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost
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Predestined
ASIN: 1553165551 |
Product Description
BOOK 2 OF THE DARKSCAPE SERIES At the crossway of the stars lies a haunting darknessĀ
Death. Redemption. Peace. Declan de Douglas wanted them all. Once a rogue warship commander, now dubbed the Douglas Savage, he seeks atonement for past sins by serving the clan he almost destroyed. A sudden attack, a terrible injury, and he is collared and sold into a brothel's slavery. To strengthen clan ties, Princess Fallon MacKendrick finds herself betrothed to a man she detests. A chance meeting with the enigmatic Douglas Savage and Fallon is determined to find a way out of her betrothal contract and have him for her consort. Except finding him in an offworld brothel--victim of an identity wash--pulls her into a nightmarish plot instead. Theirs is a dangerous journey across hostile star systems where a sweeping vengeance threatens the tenuous peace. And where battles of the heart and body kindle a hot and forbidden passion. But even true love may not be enough to light the shadows in a warrior's dark soul nor save a princess's lonely heart.... Second in the Darkscape Futuristic Romance series.
Download Description
They call him the Douglas Savage--a rogue warship commander from the clan war, now a tarnished trader seeking redemption for past sins. She is the gifted Fallon MacKendrick. She sought his help to gain her freedom--a proud and desperate princess--drawn to the infamous man and his myth. Theirs is a treacherous journey across turbulent star systems where old secrets and a sweeping vengeances stirs. And where a fiery and forbidden passion could destroy the new and fragile peace or force a cynical warrior to face his heart and true destiny.
Customer Reviews:
Another excellent sci-fi fantasy!.......2005-12-13
Declan de Douglas has been given a second chance at life; he has been reborn with the Matrix incorporated into his body and he has family members. However, he is not happy; he feels he needs to earn their forgiveness because of his involvement in what almost destroyed the de Douglas clan. Choosing to help solidify trade agreements with the other clans, he has also become the protector of his brothers family. Always living on the outskirts of his life, never fully excepting the second chance he has been given.
Princess Fallon had a chance encounter with Declan that awoke her desires to be more than an object to adorn the arm of a fat dignitary from another clan. Blessed or cursed with telekinesis and pre-cognitive abilities, she has always kept to the shadows, but now she wants a life. When the opportunity presents itself to cause her own ruin, thus nullifying her unwanted marriage contract, Fallon goes to the brothel claiming to have a man who looks like the man of her fantasy, Declan. Only Fallon discovers the man isn't a double, but Declan himself, without his memory and wearing a control collar of a slave.
Brought together by another chance meeting, Declan and Fallon find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic disaster. One step ahead of war, they flee from her jilted fiance, the owner of the brothel and something more omnipotent than either could even begin to understand.
R Garland Gray has written another exceptional novel. She continuously amazes me with how imaginative her stories are. While I can honestly say I liked THE REBEL LORD more than REDEMPTION, overall, there are several qualities about Fallon I really admired and therefore she is more memorable to me. I really admire her for being able to look at what she has: opulence, wealth and everything that comes with this status and yet she is able to recognize she has wants that are not being met. Granted this isn't an unusual situation for a heroine, but I really like how everything was written out.
Declan spends a large part of the story without his memory and I truly sympathize with his situation. He is rejecting his new body because he feels unworthy and only through the discovery of true love with Fallon can he finally accept both the actions of his father and himself.
Who the villain is, is fairly easy to figure out. However between dealing with escaping from the brothel and figuring out what the enemy is trying to do, R Garland Gray has written an action oriented story. Combining this with her ability to write romantic and sexual tension, REDEMPTION is a very enjoyable story that I highly recommend.
Book Description
When How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet was published in 1999, authors Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer were hailed for their fun and outlandish approach to vegan cooking, taking it out of the realm of the staid and the boring to create truly original animal-free dishes. Six printings and 40,000 copies later, How It All Vegan! was a BookSense 76 selection in the US and is Arsenal's bestselling title to date.
The Garden of Vegan: How It All Vegan Again! picks up where the first book left off. Tanya and Sarah, vegan chefs extraordinaire, have created truly delectable, truly original new recipes that manage to leave the animal products (including butter, milk, cheese, and honey) where they belong, with their natural owners. Where How It All Vegan! was, in many ways, a bible for the uninitiated vegan, The Garden of Vegan goes one step further, offering recipes for a more sophisticated palate that add funky twists to familiar dishes bursting with colour and flavour. At the same time, they are fun and easy to prepare, even for those of us who find boiling water a challenge.
Whether you're a full-time vegan or just interested in creating fabulous animal-free meals, The Garden of Vegan will lead you into temptation with its inspiring array of vegan goodies. So skip that steak and forget that fish. It's time to discover how it all vegan, again! Two-colour throughout.
Now in its 6th printing.
Customer Reviews:
Decent basic cookbook.......2007-07-03
Good things about this cookbook:
* Cheap, easy, fast recipes
* Contains quite a few recipes that I return to
Bad things:
* Many repeats from How it All Vegan!
* The index is not terribly user-friendly
* Many recipes are bland or just plain odd. I use them as starting points, and add my own ingredients from there
Overall, I use this and How it All Vegan! enough to keep them around, especially as I fill them up with my comments and additions. I have four vegan cookbooks, and I use the two by Kramer and Barnard about 1/4 of the time.
From hating to cook to loving it!.......2007-05-24
I am not one who usually enjoys cooking and when I turned vegan I had a really hard time staying committed. I saw this book at Barnes and Noble when looking for a completely different book and I am so glad I choose this one! So many of the recipes are easy to make and they are GOOD! My dad is one of those people who thinks tofu is for wimps and I got him to try the tofu chimichanga and he actually liked it! I am always excited to cook now that I have this book. I never go hungry and I have been able to stick to my vegan choice for quite a while now.
They have several other topics in the book including what you can use for cleaning up, party ideas and pampering as well. My favorite parts are the guilt-free cookies...
Definitely a fantastic book even if you are not vegan.
Can't Live Without It.......2007-02-05
I am an avid vegan cookbook collector and this is my favorite one of all! It has a ton of recipes, and they all come out tasting incredibly delicious despite being so easy to make. I can usually flip through this for a few minutes and realize that I can make several of the recipes with whatever I happen to have on hand -- no special shopping trips required. The book is worth buying for the "You-Must-Make-This-Dressing" alone. It's fantastic! Other faves are the Portobello Mushroom Bake (my meat-eating family loved it) and the Sensational Sundried Tomato and Chickpea Soup. Heaven in a bowl. If you're looking for cheap, easy and delicious recipes that will wow your family and friends AND which you can whip up on a weeknight when you're pressed for time, this is the cookbook for you. If you're trying to decide between this book and Vegan with a Vengeance, I recommend starting with this one.
Very helpful if you have allergies.......2006-07-27
My 10 month old daughter has many food allergies and this book is super helpful in making her yummy foods. She, and my entire family, are always pleased when another delicious treat comes out of the oven.
Yummm-y!.......2005-05-10
Ok, so I just tried one dish so far- made the mashed potato and fennel with gravy dish,=]mmmm Delicious!!!!! It took a while to make (I'm kinda slow...too) ...ok, like 2 hours (I'm really slow hee...and the dish is just time consuming in terms of cutting up the veggies..but if your fast/have it cut already..GREAT). But the results are yummmmm
And I'm not even vegan!...yet :p
Oh, and I really like this book because the recipes are easy! The ingredients are easily found in health food and regular supermarkets.
Amazon.com
Modoc is the joint biography of a man and an elephant born in a small German circus town on the same day in 1896. Bram was the son of an elephant trainer, Modoc the daughter of his prize performer. The boy and animal grew up devoted to each other. When the Wunderzircus was sold to an American, with no provision to take along the human staff, Bram stowed away on the ship to prevent being separated from his beloved Modoc. A shipwreck off the Indian coast and a sojourn with a maharajah were only the beginning of the pair's incredible adventures. They battled bandits, armed revolutionaries, cruel animal trainers, and greedy circus owners in their quest to stay together. They triumphed against the odds and thrilled American circus audiences with Modoc's dazzling solo performances, only to be torn apart with brutal suddenness, seemingly never to meet again. Hollywood animal trainer Ralph Helfer rescued Modoc from ill-treatment and learned her astonishing story when Bram rediscovered her at Helfer's company. His emotional retelling of this true-life adventure epic will make pulses race and bring tears to readers' eyes. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
Spanning several decades and three continents, Modoc is one of the most amazing true animal stories ever told. Raised together in a small German circus town, a boy and an elephant formed a bond that would last their entire lives, and would be tested time and again; through a near–fatal shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, an apprenticeship with the legendary Mahout elephant trainers in the Indian teak forests, and their eventual rise to circus stardom in 1940s New York City.
Modoc is a captivating true story of loyalty, friendship, and high adventure, to be treasured by animal lovers everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
Modoc Review.......2007-07-27
I have never been so emtoionally touched by a true story (and fictional) as this! I read it on a trip and could not stop crying (happy and sad)! I have been telling my family, friends, aquaintances, and even my veterinarian (after seeing an elephant picture in the waiting room) about this book -- in other words, I can't stop talking about it! The life journey of Bram and Modoc, which spans 70 years, is simply amazing! Went on line to read more and found out Kevin Costner is negotiating to direct and star in making Modoc into a movie! I will be the first in line!!!!!!!!
Elephants are a miracle.......2007-07-09
It may not be the most well written book I have ever read, but I guarantee that you will
NEVER look at an elephant again the same way that you did before reading about Modoc. If only I had the room, I would have an elephant in my back yard.
Heart and Soul-Satisfying Tale.......2007-03-28
This account of Modoc and Bram's life together is more passionate than scholarly. Those who expect "true" to mean factual may be dissatisfied, while those who are empathic and therefore content with verisimilitude may be deeply moved by the more profound connotation of "true" found in this story. Despite the occassional distractions well documented below, I found myself to be among the latter group. The mystical elements, I must say, could not possibly offend, except perhaps those coming from a most severely constrained belief system. The adolescent male sexuality would offend my 10-year-old daughter,and the mating scene of the Maharaja's elephants would horrify her, but there is an abridged version of the story for children. Of great value is the model of patience in these two characters. Bram exhibits initiative without aggression, and consistently waits for the right moment to act. Modoc seems to me the embodiment of deep faith in life. These are rare qualities in a modern adventure story. I was left whole-heartedly embracing the spirit of Modoc, and have since been moved to explore the extensive website of the Hohenwald Elephant Sanctuary for retired and ill circus and zoo elephants. The emotional impact of this story made a passive stance impossible for me in feeling the plight of captive elephants.
Modoc: A fictional tale of true beauty.......2007-02-17
Let me start off by saying that I do love this book. It's a beautiful story that is well written and filled with emotion. Admittedly, this book had me in tears a few times. It is definitely aimed at tugging the heart strings.
What disappoints me about this book is that it claims to be a true story, when it is indeed mostly fiction. There are only tiny bits of fact in there, and those facts are mostly exaggerated. Things that started tipping me off:
1. The author describes most of the Indian elephants (aka Asian elephants) as having tusks. In reality, tusks on Asian elephants are pretty uncommon.
2. The author describes Modoc as having tusks, even to the end of the book soon before she died. Yet in the pictures in the book, the elephant shown has no tusks at all.
3. A circus owner on the hunt for *years* in a foreign country all for one elephant? I doubt that seriously.
4. No dates are given, and for being a work of "fact", I found it odd that no sources are ever listed except for very vague comments (i.e. saying that newspapers wrote articles, but never naming any specific paper)
5. Most information cannot be found except in reference to this particular book.
6. There is an act of a bull's mating with a cow (bull=male elephant, cow=female elephant) that seems way over the top and incredibly ferocious, quite unlike actual mating "rituals" among elephants.
After some extensive research, including research with the Circus Historical Society, I discovered that many elephants were named Modoc, the most famous being "Big Modoc" owned by the Ringling Bros Circus. In fact, Ringling Bros owned 3 elephants named Modoc, the youngest eventually being owned by Helfer, only years after being passed around from circus to circus. Helfer only owned this elephant for 3 years before she was passed onto another place, where she died at the age of 55, not 70 as the book claims. The elephant pics of one performing in the circus is that of Big Modoc, the elephant Helfer did *not* own. While a wonderful story, the bottom line was that Helfer made up most of what was going on. There is no elephant that went through the life that this fictional Modoc went through, there is no Bram Gunterstein...this is a story made up by a man who took an elephant he owned for three years and greatly exaggerated her life.
I also did take issue with the absolutely unnecessary writing style towards human sexuality. It was too graphic, and served no purpose except to throw in sex. The graphic details could have easily been left out without compromising the tenderness of the romantic relationships described in the story.
As I said, I do love this book. But I love it as a work of fiction, not as one of fact. I do not understand why Helfer would choose to make up a story and then call it true, because in my opinion, that greatly hurts his credibility. Unfortunately most people simply take him at his word without actually researching the truth behind the book. I believe the actual plot, writing style, and emotional depth make it a five star book. However, after my extensive research proved that Helfner fabricated almost all of this yet claimed it to be true, the credibility made me think "three star". Yet I couldn't justify rating such a lovely and romantic story so low, so I compromised and gave it four stars.
Please, do read and enjoy this book. But read it with the thoughts that the "greatest elephant whoever lived" merely lived in someone's imagination. It is a great love story that ultimately teaches that it's love, kindness, and affection that prove to be the best way to care for ANY animal. And even for a work of fiction, that is a lesson that is definitely applicable to real life.
Modoc book by Ralph Heller.......2007-02-15
In excellent condition and a truly inspirational story and example of how life SHOULD be lived with love.
Customer Reviews:
dangerous book.......2002-09-14
I would rate this a very dangerous book, as it contains a lot of incorrect information and also suggests - through pictures and the like - that antique clothing can be worn by modern people. The photographs some admittedly beautiful garments are amateurish, a number of garments and accessories - in particular bonnets - are incorrectly dated etc.
Total waste of money and not a good starting point for the serious collector.
Kay
What a Woman.......2002-01-19
Diane Snyder-Haug is a one-of-a-kind author, with an eye for style as well as a brain for history. . .This book should be mandatory for all students in design and fashion. . .Wish she were an instructor at MY school. Does she have an e-mail address?
Antique and Vintage Clothing.......1999-12-15
I was dissapointed in this book. The historical photos and clothing are great to see but unfortunately many are out of focus and over or under exposed. The author does not reference her sources for the clothing and as a result I find it hard to trust her dating methods. I would not recommend this as a professional reference book for the historical costumer.
Excellent guide for research and study!!!.......1998-11-03
This is an excellent book! I have read it over and over! The color photos are fantastic. The author gives a clear, easy to understand overview in each chapter. The value guide seems to be accurate. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is studying vintage clothing!
Excellent photos. A must for any Victorian lover.......1998-10-08
I love to recreate Victorian clothing. I have never come across a book with such clear photographs of clothing, undergarments, and hats. I also try to intergrate Victorian fashion into todays fashions and this book is an excellent guide.
Average customer rating:
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The Modernization of Public Education in the Ottoman Empire, 1839-1908: Islamization, Autocracy, and Discipline (Ottoman Empire and Its Heritage)
Selcuk Aksin Somel
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9004119035 |
Book Description
In drawings both small and monumental, Mark Lombardi creates visual narratives of the way money flows in our postimperial, transnational economy: from corporations to political organizations, from individuals to various ad hoc groups, most of them acting outside of and transcending national boundaries. Using graphite and colored pencil, and information culled from newspaper accounts, TV, and other sources in the public domain, Lombardi has developed a new type of history painting that maps the economic underpinnings of our global society.
Customer Reviews:
It's art at it's best.......2006-10-03
I recently saw Mark Lombardi's work at the Whitney (NYC) and was thunderstruck, not only be the content, but by the spiderweb of relationships that only great art can provide. Great art, like great comedy, shows us something, that we've been exposed to every day, in a new way that gives us insight into life. Words cannot describe the feeling, the impact, of the events listed, until you see it in his drawings. It's as though you've been allowed to crawl into the mind of a savant.
The Aesthetics of Power.......2004-09-10
What is so chilling about the front and back covers of MARK LOMBARDI: GLOBAL NETWORKS is not that "George W. Bush, Harken Energy, and Jackson Stephens, c. 1979-1990" (5th version, 1999) illustrates the nexus of big oil and terrorists, a notion we have become "used to," but that the direct nexus of Osama bin Laden and Big Oil is not found at Bush & Co. but at James R. Bath, whose political patronage flows not only from the Bushes but from Democrat and leading U.S. Senator (now retired) Lloyd Bentsen and his son Lan. The ability of big business to coöpt governance knows no party bounds.
The essay and annotations accompanying GLOBAL NETWORKS, by eminent art historian and critic Robert Hobbs, are a mating of the post-modernist perspective with a body of work whose subject matter happens to be the subject matter of post-modernist criticism - power structures.
Lombardi, who had been an abstract artist, became interested in the interrelationships of global players during the Savings and Loan scandal of the early nineties. At the time, he lived in Houston, so it's no surprise that he found a ripe field in the myriad, widespread and incestuous linkages of the oil industry.
Hobbs cites Herbert Marcuse as Lombardi's acknowledged aesthetical mentor. Marcuse was a "neo-Marxist" philosopher who asserted the sexual basis for class suppression in America and who became a darling of the New Left in the sixties. He has not fared well with the subsequent structuralist schools, who dismiss Marx and in turn Marcuse, and their respective dialectics, as obsolete. To me this dismissal seems wrongheaded, since it doesn't take rocket science to see, that through the mass media they control, global power networks use sex to render enervated and addled, and thus powerless, the majority they aim to subjugate and exploit. (Whether this constitutes coercion or bribery, as Hobbs asks, may be beside the point - perhaps sex is both.)
History also has come to the rescue of the New Left, since it is now generally accepted that the fall of the Soviet Union was the result of the strategic economic warfare waged by the United States in the Cold War, as predicted by New Left historians (such as Gabriel Kolko), not the inherent error of Marxism, as tory historians would have it.
As enlightening and ingenious as are Lombardi's illustrations, derived from scrupulously compiled index cards, the question occurs as to whether they rise to the level of art. The film critic Pauline Kael asserted that no matter how profound or truthful a movie, if it doesn't entertain it's no good. I believe the same applies to any work that aspires to art. Unless a picture has an aesthetic dimension, i.e. an element of beauty, it isn't art. It may be the brilliant and effective illustrations of a Norman Rockwell (who insisted he be called an illustrator) or Robert Maplethorpe, but its merits as art depend not on content but on form.
I think Lombardi was instinctively aware of this, for his Global Networks are more than just freeform flow charts but, when observed as wholes, organisms whose beauty depends not on what they mean but how they look. I'm reminded of the view of microbes through a microscope: a plague bacillus is just as beautiful as a penicillin bacillus. This dislocation between form and content, between "fictive" or "idealized" aesthetic and a given reality, between the "beautiful" aesthetic and the "ugly" reality, is at the heart of Marcuse's dialectic, upon which Lombardi has based his art.
And Lombardi's art has become painfully relevant in today's world. I say "has become," because Mark Lombardi died in 2000. I wonder if Lombardi's sense of vindication after 9/11, had he lived, would have been frustrated by his realization, that with the ascendancy of one of his "Global Networks," the Bush dynasty, the truth of art is trumped by the power of money. Perhaps, then, we must rely on faith in a future predicated on the belief, that such is not the case in the long run.
This volume, brilliantly conceived by Robert Hobbs, stands as a fitting memorial to an artist who demonstrates by his work, that the didactic can indeed be artistic, and that truth itself, whether pleasant or unpleasant, can be beautiful.
Book Description
A star during his lifetime, a legend after a bullet killed him at the age of twenty-five, Tupac Shakur was the most influential rap musician of his day–and the most misunderstood. Far from being the insolent “gangsta” that the press put forth, Tupac was a committed and fearless visionary determined to make a difference not only on the music scene but in the black community at large. Darrin Bastfield grew up with Tupac in a rough Baltimore neighborhood, rapped with him, fought with him, and performed by his side. Now in this vivid, highly personal memoir featuring never-before-seen photos of the rap artist, Darrin shows the world what Tupac Shakur was really like as a teenager destined for greatness.
In tight, edgy prose, Darrin follows Tupac through the seven years of their friendship. In Roland Park Middle School in the mid-1980s, rap was a kind of underground movement, and the kids with real talent always found each other. Tupac–new in town, a skinny thirteen-year old with shabby clothes and lopsided hair–may have looked uncool, but it soon became clear that he had the gift. When Tupac teamed up with Mouse, king of the beatbox, they blew the school away in their performance as the Eastside Crew. It was the first in a series of increasingly electrifying performances.
When Tupac went to the Baltimore School for the Arts, then it really started to happen. A new group called Born Busy, unforgettable performances at the Beaux Arts Balls, an eye-opening backstage encounter with Salt-N-Pepa, their tight friendship with John, known among black kids as “the cool white boy,” a series of love affairs with adoring girls, the wild nights of the 1988 senior prom–Tupac and Darrin lived though it all together, and in this memoir Darrin makes it all come alive again.
From the start, Darrin knew Tupac was a marked man, singled out by his charismatic gift. So it came as no surprise that Tupac made it big when rap went mainstream. What stunned Darrin was the violent turn Tupac’s life took once he relocated to L.A.–and how swiftly that violence engulfed and destroyed him. Vibrant, gritty, alive with the tension and spontaneity of rap music, this memoir of Tupac’s teenage years is a haunting portrait of one of the most important artists of our day.
Customer Reviews:
If one man can have this effect, imagine a whole society.......2007-05-03
I was always pulling up a blank on my mind when anyone mentioned Tupac. Not only that, I also never knew when his music was playing. All I knew was that he was a rap artist who was shot to death one unfortunate day. What I came to learn from this book was stunning not only in the stories about his past, but also stories about his family, particularly his mother. The time and place of his beginning is humbling; for a child growing up in an impoverished and dangerous city, Tupac has shown society that great people CAN come from even the poorest of places. His revolutionary ideas and strong, provocative lyrics showed not only that great people can emerge from the most unlikely of places, but also showed that our society is full of corruption and in desperate need of reform, starting with the less fortunate and oppressed.
Back in the day: My life and times with Tupac Sharuk.......2007-01-23
Back In The Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk
Tupac was the greatest rapper/actor in history. But to get to the top he had to go through struggles in his childhoods. Thats why the theme of the story
Back in the in the Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk is to follow your dreams no matter what you had to go through and dont't stop unless
you have to. Tupac also teaches us to use our talents to enjoy our life. Darrin Bastfeild , the author of the book , go with Tupac adventures during his
high school years.So let talk about more of the theme.
Tupac actions of the theme was letting no one stop him from his talents. Every day he would wake up, go to school, come home or go to his freind house
and write raps, sleep then repeat the process all over. But one thing Tupac and the author always endured was both of them was poor although Darrin had
had a little more money then Tupac. So Tupac would borrow clothes from his friends or kids from the school bring him clothes. Any chances Tupac had to
to get a break he takes. For example Tupac and his friends almost had a break into Hollywood but the seruity guard caught them and the manager of Salt n' Pepa
reject them saying he had to cacth a plane. No matter how much he was rejected Tupac still had a break.
Tupac also shows the theme by the words out his mouth. One thing Darrin points out is that Tupac said he was little was that he wanted to be a revolvutionary
when he grows up. That shows Tupac known what he wanted to be which he did but did it in a different style such as a rapper and an actor.He always told
everyone what he wanted to be and he showed it. Like one of the Tupac wrote when he was growing up "We Work Hard" was what he did .He spoke out for
people like him while he and his mom was with the Black Panther movemment about the voilence in his nieghberhood. So not only did Tupac rap but he was also a
worker for peace.
Yes this theme is true because I had my own taste of bad karma. When I was born I had a blood infection so I stay in the hospital for fifthteen days. Around two
years old I had lead poisoning, which I miricaly survive and had to get surgery on on my ankle. At five my sodium level was to high. and only last year did I nearly
passed out because of my heart membrace I got when I was born. Still I'm smart, got accepted to a good school and go there and play an insturment in band.That
proves that the past can not predict your furture.
In the end Tupac achieved his goals. He starred in movies such as A Raisin in the Sun and made smash hits like Califoria Love. He had the world knowing what
his name was and rocking to his beat espcially in the black nieghberhoods of America. He known people like Biggy Smalls and Mary J. Bligh. Darrin almost went on
a tour with Tupac realized they had lives of there their own and went their seperate ways. Tupac shows just we can anything we want to as long as we set are minds
to it. But sadly, he was shot and died seven days later.
What makes the legend? This book let's you know...........2006-03-01
The book is the story of the author's life as it was when he grew up with Tupac. Even if you don't know who Tupac is (somehow I doubt that) you will still enjoy this book. The story is one of a man who plays the cards he was dealt and how no bad hand could hold him back. It gives you an appreciation of the artist, the author and of yourself all at the same time.
This is the book to read for Tupac fans as it is written in story-book format thus enabeling you not only to learn the specs of the life but also to be put in the shoes of someone who was near him before he was famous. Great book, great life, great read!! Pac4life haha!
Much better than I expected........2004-12-15
This is a good book, insightful and well written by Mr.Bastfield, it was clearly written as a labor of love and a need to document an intense kinship, that ended before it had a chance to mature in the later years of life. Since Tupac Shakurs untimely death there have been many people trying to capitalize on his memory, however this author and book do not fall into that category. For those who are interested in the somewhat awkward but always smooth teenager, who would one day become Rap musics greatest legend, this is a heartfelt account of the building of the man behind the myth, the carefree but yet fiercely determined ghetto kid, who had the right stuff to overcome the enormous odds stacked against him. Few have the courage to dream big and then pursue those dreams at all cost, this is a story and observations of a young man who did just that. The book falls short in some areas but overall is well worth reading, and a job well done by Mr.Bastfield.
A different view of Tupac (RIP).......2004-03-22
I liked this book quite a bit.
Mainly because it offered a different perspective than most other books about Tupac.
This book was written by a teenage friend who experieced the same things Tupac himself experienced. They 'shared the struggle' of trying to better themselves in a very harsh environment.
This book shows the almost relentless passion Tupac had to try and influence the world around him in a positive way. And the internal struggle he had with some of his actions. He knew of the contradiction and was trying to evolve. Too bad he was cut short in his quest.
One of the most telling insights to the basis of Tupac's personality is the answer to the question one of his earlist teachers asked. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
For those who haven't ever looked too deeply into Tupac's more intellectual and compassionate side, there is a surprise in store, Tupac's heart. For those of us that knew he was much more than a thug, you'll see more and more of his depth.
An easy read that kept me flippin pages..
Books:
- Parricide on the Pampa?: A New Study and Translation of Alberto Gerchunoff's Los Gauchos Judios
- Pasion De Historia
- Peter Whiffle - His Life and Works
- Plain Language: A Novel
- Ploughshares Winter 1991-92 : Traces of Struggle and Desire
- Rancher Ferrets on the Range (Ferret Chronicles)
- Returning as Shadows
- RUDYARD KIPLING SOMETHING OF MYSELF AND OTHER AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL WRITINGS
- San Remo Drive: A Novel from Memory
- Sextravaganza
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