VACANT POSSESSION

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VACANT POSSESSION
HILARY MANTEL
Manufacturer: PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RWH18K

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Vacant Possession
David Barton
Manufacturer: David Barton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0907559069

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Vacant Possession

Manufacturer: HARPER PERENNIAL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GVIT7E

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Laugh as things fall apart.

black humor at its best

Vacant Possession
Hilary Mantel
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Self-Help & Psychology | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Mantel, Hilary | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805062718

Book Description

A dark and uproarious tale of revenge.

Ten years have passed since Muriel Axon did her ma in, ten years of living in a mental asylum. But Muriel has not forgotten her welfare worker, Isabel, or her neighbor, Colin. Nor has she forgiven. There are still scores to be settled-and vengeance to be wreaked. In a novel that is wildly funny and daringly wicked, Mantel brings the full force of her black humor to bear on a cast of characters that is by turns wacky and malevolent. As Muriel dons disguises to get back at the world that imprisoned her, we follow a trail that is wonderfully macabre with enough twists and turns to qualify this book as a thriller.

Customer Reviews:

Laugh as things fall apart........2001-12-26

I don't think I've ever known a book with such misleading cover blurb. If anyone can "lie back and laugh yourself silly" while reading this, as the UK edition proclaims, I'd like to meet them. Yes it's a satire that hits all its targets, yes it involves situations and characters that are bigger and more grotesque than would occur in real life, but these characters are so sympathetically drawn that you feel for them deeply in their lives, hamstrung as they are by circumstance, coincidence and those family ties that bind. The book is a abject potrayal of Thoreau's dictum that most men (and women) lead lives of quiet desperation. If you can laugh yourself silly at that, and I don't belive Mantel intends you to, perhaps you can laugh at all human suffering. The intricately laid out plot reels you in like a thriller, giving hints but never spoiling the twists. I found this book immensely satisfying and Mantel is a fine writer (as I also know from 'Fludd' and 'A Change of Climate') whose work I intend to read more of.

black humor at its best.......2000-07-26

One doesn't have to have read Martel's previous novel featuring these unsavory characters to enjoy (?) its successor. What a nasty piece of work is our Muriel Axton! Admittedly, her horrendous upbringing by a lunatic mother gives her meager brain sufficient cause to seek sadistic revenge upon those she sees to be her enemies, but how fortuitous it is that fate so often cooperates with her! Martel is positively brilliant at keeping the convoluted plot going full pace at all times --the reader is never absolutely certain as to just what will happen, but knows that whatever does, it will not be pleasant. The mordant wit is most enjoyable to those of us who appreciate such nice touches! Regardless of the genre she chooses, Martel is a gifted writer and a pleasure to read.

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Vacant Possession (Acting Edition)
Don West
Manufacturer: Samuel French Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0573122806

Vacant Possession (Ninepenny Novels, 15)

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Vacant Possession (Ninepenny Novels, 15)
Wilfred Graham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SNSESO

Vacant Possession: A Story of Proxy Decision Making (Living Literature)

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Vacant Possession: A Story of Proxy Decision Making (Living Literature)
Hazel E. McHaffie
Manufacturer: Radcliffe Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Medical Ethics | Physician & Patient | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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Vacant Possession
Hilary Mantel
Manufacturer: Owl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O5ZXPS

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Vacant Possession
Eileen A. Clark
Manufacturer: New Playwrights' Network
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0863191266

Vacant possession;: A study of Britain's 50-year-old 'housing problem.' (Hobart papers)

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Vacant possession;: A study of Britain's 50-year-old 'housing problem.' (Hobart papers)
John Carmichael
Manufacturer: Institute of Economic Affairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006CFKSO

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Lots and lots of history

YOU WANNA BE RICH??? OK BUT REMEMBER ..YOU ARE A VAMPIREEEE!

Noble Blood
Clanbook: Ventrue (Vampire: The Masquerade Clanbooks)
Richard Dakan , and Deird're Brooks
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Vampire | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Clanbook: Tremere (Vampire: The Masquerade Clanbooks)

ASIN: 1565042557

Customer Reviews:

Lots and lots of history.......2001-11-03

This book covers a lot of ground. It looks at disciplines, some info on the feeding restriction, some example characters and history and history and history and history. More than half of this book looks at the history of the clan. Much of the description of the clan is taught in terms of the history around the lesson learned by the clan. As history goes, this is well done, but if you are wanting a consice description of the clan you will not find it here.

YOU WANNA BE RICH??? OK BUT REMEMBER ..YOU ARE A VAMPIREEEE!.......2001-01-04

This book seems like a guide to the busisness guy...BOY don't you remenber that you are a creature of the night? The history part of the book is poor conpared whith the other clanbooks and even whith the old one,the large part of the book explains the so call :ventrue society,something pretty booring after reading the same stuff in all the white wolf books that spell the word VENTRUE....guys.. the clan has a lot of potential for many things not ongly to be a large corporation owned by inmortals there are almost no new disciplines ,and one merit...the art wasn't great except shy's portraits and other ventrue of note could have been added...for such clan whith that much potential this book coul have been MUCH better

Noble Blood.......2000-09-09

There is good material in the new edition of CLANBOOK VENTRUE including many of the new CLANBOOK series' standard features- clan disciplines explained, discipline variations given, a new merit, a sample brood, noteworthy Ventrue, player character templates, and MIND'S EYE THEATRE stats. There is exploration of Ventrue history (and its revision over the years) and detailed description of the clan's organization. The "Secret Masters" material from the original book seems to have been dropped, though- a problem only because of discontinuity with the Dark Ages Ventrue material in LIBELLUS SANGUINIS I.

The Sabbat material, although limited, is OK and includes territory shifts between Sabbat and Camarilla in the 19th century US. Templates include an antitribu follower of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice (no Honorable Accord, though) and a really mean anarch who could easily be Sabbat instead. (This installment's Sabbat typo is omission of the designation "antitribu" on the appropriate templates' sample character sheets.)

A major problem is that, like the original, this new book lacks specifics about the Ventrue weakness. Although it examines how Ventrue neonates develop their restricted feeding preferences and how preferences change, specific preferences are not listed either for the player character templates or the noteworthy Ventrue. (This is omitted in most VtM supplements, unfortunately- a notable exception being NEW ORLEANS BY NIGHT, if you can find it.) No examples of or guidelines for playable feeding preferences are discussed.

However, to be fair, there is helpful, practical discussion about how Ventrue establish and conceal their herds. (To offer more explicit advice: playable Ventrue characters generally require strong Herd ratings.) Also, except for the "Vitaephile", you can probably guess prey restrictions for the player character templates from their descriptions. Still, contrast this with the much clearer handling of derangements in the new CLANBOOK: MALKAVIAN.

Average customer rating:

Wanna play a Ventrue? Get this!

A history text

But of corse Darling

But of corse Darling

Lacks substance
Clanbook: Ventrue (Clan Series)
Andrew Greenberg
Manufacturer: White Wolf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565041291

Customer Reviews:

Wanna play a Ventrue? Get this!.......2000-10-06

I had previously only played a Malky, so when a friend gave me this book, I was intrigued. Lots of history, ideas for how to play, and other goodies make this a real treat. If you wanna have lots of fun in this game, be a Ventrue. Allow the snob out!

A history text.......2000-04-07

The lineage of the Ventrue Clan is a long one, and the staggering amount of power the clan has achieved clearly stems from this illustrious history. Still, while the history offered in this book is invaluable to a good storyteller, the information is presented in a dry and uninteresting fashion. What's more, too much attention is paid to the clan's history and not enough to it's present or future. Still, one of the best thought through of the clanbooks.

But of corse Darling.......1999-12-10

For all of you just starting out this book covers many of the must know areas, but don't fool yours self and think that it will give you any grate insight to a very close mouth society. The innermost workings and structure of the Clan are almost impossible to understand, without being well placed in a developed city. Many a Prince is only a happy target placed there to give others freedom to move with out being seen until it is far to late. Power and nobility are our birthright none shall change this. MORANA THE ELDER

But of corse Darling.......1999-12-10

Lacks substance.......1999-05-07

This Clan-book completely misses the point, we already know the Ventrue are the money-makers of the Camarilla. What we wanted from a Clan-book was what was not obvious, the secrets of the Clan, the Outcasts, etc. What we got was useless drivel and quite frankly a waste of money and time.

Clanbook - Ventrue - A Sourcebook For Vampire The Masquerade

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Clanbook - Ventrue - A Sourcebook For Vampire The Masquerade
Andrew Greenberg
Manufacturer: White Wolf Game Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1K3HE

Average customer rating:

CLANBOOK: VENTRUE, THY KINDRED'S KEEPER
Andrew Greenberg
Manufacturer: White Wolf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MJDOFC

Customer Reviews:

Don't waste your money!.......2006-12-27

This book is a joke! Don't even think about buying this book, unless you are a complete novice at cooking. I put this book on my wishlist, thinking it would give me some good recipes that I could whip up quickly, after coming home from work. What I found, aren't even really recipes, just lame instructions on how to go to the grocery store and buy a bag of salad and some dressing, etc. This book should be titled "Cooking For Dummies"!!

Try it!!.......2006-10-26

Review Update: Completed all the recipes in the book, and am almost all the way through a second time
My boyfriend and I LOVE this book. If you love efficiency, you will too. It's not gourmet - you probably wouldn't impress anyone with these recipes, but they're tasty, well balanced, and sooo easy. The book just makes life simpler by doing all the planning for you - you know that every night, you'll have everything you need to make a quick, healthy, hot meal.
I think we found about 4 recipes in the book total that we didn't like very much - and we simply modified them a bit and are now happily working our way through a second time. Everything I said in my original review (below) is still true...we have a quick, easy, low-clean up dinner every night, a healthy home-cooked lunch every day and we've been spending about $3-$4 per meal to do it.

Original Review: Three Weeks In
You need to try this book - it's fantastic. My boyfriend and I have been using it for a few weeks now and can't stop talking about how great it is. Every night, we make dinner, eat it and have all the dishes done within half an hour. We pack the leftovers in tupperware and have lunch for the next day. The best part is that we don't have to plan or make up shopping lists, and the food is (amazingly) both tasty and healthy. Of course, there are a few dud recipes - I think in three weeks we came across two dishes that we didn't like very much, but we've taken notes on how we'll substitute something else next time, and are still really excited about the book.

Positives in our experience
1. We're saving a lot of time
- No more planning or making up shopping lists
- Shopping is a breeze- the shopping lists in the book are categorized
- We honestly spend only about ten minutes every night on dinner (except Sunday, when it's just a few hours)
- Less preparation = less clean up.

2. We're saving money
- The meals are very well sized. Because the meals are designed for four, we eat half for dinner and half for lunch the next day. It's the perfect amount for us- no eating out, no buying lunches!
- So far, we've been spending about $90 each week on the necessary food. That's feeding two people, two meals a day, six days a week...not bad at all for healthy, home-cooked food, and that $90 also includes the money we spend on breakfast items.
- Less impulse buying. We know exactly what we need, so we don't end up buying things we never eat. We go into the store with a mission, and don't stop to think things like, "well, maybe we can eat this later this week"
- We have our shopping lists planned for the next 12 weeks. That means we can look ahead and buy non-perishables when they're on sale, but only buy as many as we'll use.

3. We're eating well

Negatives:
- Every now and then we end up with half a can of something left over, or something like that. However, this is pretty normal when you're doing any kind of cooking. Not a big deal.
- The books calls for a lot of frozen/canned vegetables instead of fresh. Of course, this is how you can afford to have quick meals, but sometimes it's nice to substitute the fresh stuff.

This Book is a Lifesaver.......2006-10-17

I have enough 30-minute cookbooks to open my own bookstore. While the recipes in them are good, at times, they take more than 30-minutes to prepare when trying to help a 6-year old with homework. This book makes a overwhelmed grandma cry. I cooked on Sunday and Monday I picked up my grandson from daycare, prepared dinner, helped with his homework, got him ready for bed and cleaned the kitchen all before 9:00 p.m. I'm usually up until midnight cleaning and preparing for work the next day. Thank you, thank you Dena Irwin. My search is over.

This cookbook rocks!!!! .......2006-09-25

I have a shelf full of highly rated cookbooks, but always had issues with finding the time, experience, and organization to use them. Domestic I am not, but eating out all the time is expensive and unhealthy so I found this fantastic little book (thanks for all the reviews, everyone).

This book is perfect for us beginners and/or busy people!

I have been using this book for three weeks, and it has been a lifesaver in my home! Sure the Sunday recipes take an hour or two (this is when it useful to get a wife, husband, older child, or roommate to help out) but the weeknight recipes are SUPER EASY (5-15 minutes max). Furthermore, I really love how the book compiles grocery lists for each week. The recipes are healthy balanced meals (low-cal, low-fat and low-sodium) and come with nutritional lists (great for those of us watching our weight).

One final note: The portions are generous, and serving sizes are 4 (great for families). But if you only have 1 or 2 people in your home it's adviseable to half the ingredient portions once you get your feet wet.

Great concept; recipes not kid friendly.......2006-08-07

I'm a working mom of 4 boys, all under the age of 10. I really like this book and the overall concept. Having it state specifically what to make and how to use the leftovers from today to use as an ingredient in tomorrow's meal, is a huge time saving idea. The pre-made shopping lists are such a perk. The book is useable from the moment you open it; no lengthy reading required to implement it's plan.

I only deducted a star because the weekly plans are really geared for adults. There are at least two recipes in each week that I'll have to revamp completely to keep my four from turning up their little noses. Otherwise, great purchase for those who are cramped for time or who hate to cook.

Average customer rating:

Great to have a baby book for adoption...

We returned this item

A good Baby Book for Adoptions

Not what I'd hoped for...

Missing Critical Pieces for Adoptees

Our Chosen Child: How You Came To Us And The Growing Up Years
Judy Pelikan , and Judith Levy
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0740727095

Book Description

Parents record every milestone-from the first smile to the first day at school-in a child's baby book for posterity. Thanks to best-selling author Judith Levy, adoptive parents can now express their joy and love for a child in a baby book created especially for them. Our Chosen Child omits the traditional space for recording details about the pregnancy, labor, and delivery, highlighting instead the special preparations adoptive parents make and the excitement and anticipation they feel.In Our Chosen Child, adoptive parents can record family history and all the milestones of childhood through high school graduation. Additionally, Our Chosen Child includes the milestones that an adoptive family achieves. A page entitled "Waiting for You" acknowledges the many steps along the journey to becoming an adoptive family, such as completing a home study and getting references. On the page entitled "When We First Saw You" parents can capture the special moment when they first meet their intended child, whether as a newborn or as a five-year-old. The happy memories of the day the adoption is finalized are recorded on the "Adoption Day" page.Each page features original poetry by Judith Levy, such as this loving dedication: "You had a journey to make, A trip to come through, To parents who were praying, And waiting for you." Judy Pelikan's tender illustrations grace every page, making this book a beautiful keepsake.All adoptive parents will want to complete this treasury of memories for their own "chosen child."

Customer Reviews:

Great to have a baby book for adoption..........2007-03-09

I really like this book. Even though not everything pertains to my child, it is nice being able to have a place to put all of his "Firsts."

I don't mind that it focuses only on us, his adopted family. I have a special "LifeBook" which I created that tells him all about his birth family, including pictures and focuses on them. I think it is great for him to know that he has two families that love him! I also think that it separates everything so that it is not so overwhelming right now, while he is young.

If you want a great way to share your child's birthfamily information, I would highly recommend buying "LifeBooks Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child" by Beth O'Malley, MEd. It is a great help in not only creating a LifeBook, but also gives you ideas on how to explain to your child difficult things about his/her adoption.

We returned this item.......2006-11-07

We found this way too 'cute-sy' for our taste.
We much preferred "This is Me", which allowed for much more flexibility, as it's a binder. And it was not so cute-sy.

A good Baby Book for Adoptions.......2006-07-03

I was placed with my son when he was 22 months old. While this book is geared more toward infant adoption (wanting a lot of firsts as a baby book does) I am using it for his firsts with us. I have also asked his prior placement if they can fill in the information I don't have. It has pages for a naming Ceremony (I just wrote about them name we chose and why) My favorite pages are the ones where youput pictures of "Others who love you" I would recommend this book to any adoptive mom/dad and you can alter as you need it.

Not what I'd hoped for..........2006-06-07

This book, while obviously well-intentioned, leaves too much unsaid in the life of a child who joins a family through adoption, in my opinion. There's no space for including the child's biological roots or specifics about their birth family, but only a vague "other people who love you" page, for example.

I didn't feel comfortable using it OR giving it as a gift, so it sits in a box. I'll create my own lifebooks.

Missing Critical Pieces for Adoptees.......2006-04-28

I have struggled over posting this review---so here goes. 50 year ago my parents gave me a baby adoption book called" The Chosen Child". It was sweet but never talked about having a birth family.

Here we are in 2006 and adopted kids are getting the same message with the latest " Our Chosen Child". Part of their history--their birth history/birth parents---gets written off. Not mentioned. Not discussed. Judy, wish you had done your homework.

On a more positive note--"Our Chosen Child" works very well for everyday life. Like a typical baby/child book. But not helpful for adopted kids and their families. Sorry. Beth O'Malley

Book Description

Découpage itself can be a fine art, especially when you use as subject matter photos cut from magazines featuring paintings, sculptures, and other works by your favorite artists. A master of the craft will teach you the basic techniques for working with flat and curved surfaces, backgrounds, motifs, finishing seals and glues, as well as the styles of sponging, gilding, antiquing, and distressing, plus oriental finishes, marble illusions, stone finishes, tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, and fresco. Then you're ready to try the author's own favorite projects that feature the art of the old masters, including an oriental screen, antiqued box, powder bowl, jewelry case, vases, plaques, ostrich egg, and drop-table. Dozens of "Handy Hints" reveal the artist's secrets for creating special effects.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-04-30

This book is great! I purchased it because I mainly wanted an easy way to make hobbled roman shades. I found articles on the net that tell you how to make roman shades but I did not feel that they explained the process well enough. So after purchasing this book Windows with Style: Do-it-yourself window treatments, I made the roman shades for my daughters bedroom, living room, and bathroom. It was easy. The calculations were easy to figure out. Every thing will come out right if you can use a ruler and do simple math. The projects can be done with a variety of fabrics. The alternative window projects like the shoji window screen and the hanging window planter are great too. I made the shoji window screen for my zen-themed bedroom and the hanging window planter for my kitchen. This gave me a convenient place to put my herb garden. Although many of the other projects in this book are of no use to me because they are not my style, I feel that I did get what I wanted and more from this book. Five Stars!

Excellent Window Treatment Resource.......2007-04-11

Very good resource for just about any kind of window decor you could possibly want.

Short Only On Instructions.......2006-11-25

I got four books in an effort to teach myself to properly sew drapes and curtains. This particular book was a learning experience in that I don't think that a window treatment could possibly exist that isn't included in here.

This book taught me what everything is called, generally how it's put together, what types of window treatments are best for certain areas, like small windows, or dormers. It was extremely interesting and educational.

I have to say upfront that if you are new to sewing, you will get lost fast in this book. I would say it is good for the intermediate or expert seamstress. There are beautiful color photos of each project, but there are little steps omitted, so it is not a 1-2-3 type of book. However, if you are already a fairly good sewer, you should have no problem with it.

I was impressed by the number of shades, roman, roller, and such that are included in this book. There is also a section on frosting glass and making Shoji screens. There just doesn't seem to be anything left out concerning the windows.

Overall, this book is very worthwhile for the learning experience. And I look forward to using it to make some shades when I am done with my drapes!

A great book for beginners.......2006-02-13

Having bought a new home in the fall, I was desperate for custom window treatment ideas and not interested in the local store offerings. Not having sewn for 25 years, I was cautious about getting in "over my head." This how-to book was full of "doable" ideas. I created shades for a guest bath and two bedrooms and am now working on the master bedroom. My ultimate goal is a newly constructed sunroom and even though the book doesn't seem to contain exactly what I am looking for, it provided me with great practice projects and something to show for it.

outdated.......2002-03-13

The ideas in this book are almost laughable. The projects that are shown wouldn't even look good with different fabrics. If you are into lots of ruffles and pouffy things everywhere, then this is for you. If you are into simpler window treatments with exquisite fabrics that complement a room, this isn't for you.

Average customer rating:

Very detailed.

Felt Tip Pen - Zora

The Best Biography I Have Ever Read

Captivating

Hurston's Life Soars

Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (Lisa Drew Books)
Valerie Boyd
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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I Love Myself When I Am Laughing ... and Then Again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader

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ASIN: 0743253299

Book Description

A woman of enormous talent and remarkable drive, Zora Neale Hurston published seven books, many short stories, and several articles and plays over a career that spanned more than thirty years. Today, nearly every black woman writer of significance -- including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker -- acknowledges Hurston as a literary foremother, and her 1937 masterpiece Their Eyes Were Watching God has become a crucial part of the modern literary canon.

Wrapped in Rainbows, the first biography of Zora Neale Hurston in more than twenty-five years, illuminates the adventures, complexities, and sorrows of an extraordinary life. Acclaimed journalist Valerie Boyd delves into Hurston's history -- her youth in the country's first incorporated all-black town, her friendships with luminaries such as Langston Hughes, her sexuality and short-lived marriages, and her mysterious relationship with vodou. With the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Depression, and World War II as historical backdrops, Wrapped in Rainbows not only positions Hurston's work in her time but also offers riveting implications for our own.

Customer Reviews:

Very detailed........2007-04-01

This is a very good book on the life of Zora Neale Hurston. It is very detailed and written very well. If you are interested in the life of this famous author this is for you.

Felt Tip Pen - Zora.......2004-10-17

Valerie Boyd blew breath into Zora Neale Hurston's remarkable accomplishments. I felt as if I was riding alongside Zora while Boyd narrated the different scenes;Zora was like a felt tip pen, as creative as could be. Of course, I wasn't ready to get off the ride, but I believe Zora lived a fulfilled life with little bumps and potholes or life lessons along the way.

The Best Biography I Have Ever Read.......2004-08-04

Valerie Boyd does what most biographers cannot; she makes facts as savory as fiction. As a great admirer of Zora Neale Hurston--the woman, I had long been searching for a piece of work that captures her emminence and vitality. I stumbled across "Wrapped in Rainbows" at Borders and resolved then and there that I HAD to have it. I do not at all regret this choice. Order this book, and I guarantee that it will be one of the best investments you ever make! The chapters on the Harlem Renaissance and Zora's involvment with it are magical, and the sections detailing Zora's friendship and eventual fued with Langston Hughes are fascinating. I can't say enough positive things about this biography. If you admire the spunky and talented Ms. Hurston, you will NOT be disappointed.

Captivating.......2004-05-03

Valerie Boyd has written a truly fine book that details the life of Zora Neale Hurston. I didn't want to put it down and was very sad when I came to the end. Zora Neale Hurston was a phenomenal woman who lived her life the way she wanted without comprimising her independence and love of writing and folklore. The book is an adventure that gives the reader an intimate portrait of what life was like for a talented African-American female writer who did not receive the appropriate accolades or financial success while she was alive. I learned so many interesting facts about Zora's life, the Harlem Renaissance, racism, other well-known writers' (black and white) experiences, and have come away with a genuine appreciation for the arts and Zora's legacy. Bravo Valerie Boyd. You have done a remarkable job!

Hurston's Life Soars.......2004-02-14

Valerie Boyd has given us a brilliantly balanced portrait of Hurston as writer, folklorist, intellectual and human being. Given her research from interviews and published sources, Boyd weaves her narrative with quotes and analysis that gives insight into the life of a rather complex historical figure. So much insight allows readers to conclude that Hurston deserves to be canonized for having survived many tragic and important events relative to her personal history and American history in general. Hurston was a controversial figure in her time and Boyd generously provides evidence why readers should understand her from a historical and political perspective.

The friendship sparked between Hurston and Hughes--and its demise--is very a interesting chapter in Hurston's life. Boyd has readers wanting a reconciliation because, as Boyd declares, their friendship was one that was perhaps the greatest in American literature. Boyd is careful not to dismiss Hughes but elevate him in balance with Hurston's creative accomplishments during and after the Harlem Renaissance.

This book is a wonderful addition to reading Hurston's "Dust Tracks..." and "Mules and Men." Hurston fans will love this book for its emotional intensity. Scholars will get a fair insight and a generous dose of the humanity added to her intellectual accomplishments summing up Hurston as a true legend in American literature, African American literature and Women's Literature.

What is missing from this book? I would have liked to have read a bit about Langston Hughes' sexuality. However, such an issue would certainly border on the line of gossip. In any case, the issue proves irrelevant in this book.

Certainly the question about what parts of her life Hurston might have concealed from her own biography is important in this book. Boyd certainly has filled in the gaps as to the how and the why of several episodes in Hurston's life. What were Hurston's relationships with editors? What was the state of the publishing industry during Hurston's time? What fed Hurston's struggle for money even as a successful writer? Why does Hurston continue to matter? All these questions are answered and more.

In sum, Boyd's book defines the careful balance of emotion and scholarly research that paints a portrait of a truly historical figure who has defined culture like no other. Simply said, without Zora, there would be no Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, bell hooks or Maya Angelou.

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Wrapped In Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston
Valerie Boyd
Manufacturer: VIRAGO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OJLPBU

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Wrapped in Rainbows: the Life of Zora Neale Hurston
Valerie Boyd
Manufacturer: Virago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1860498566

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Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston.(Book Review) : An article from: Journal of Southern History
Elizabeth Robeson
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000CEXKGK
Release Date: 2005-11-23

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 818 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: Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston.(Book Review)
Author: Elizabeth Robeson
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Page: 934(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Wrapped in Rainbows. The Life of Zora Neale Hurston

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Wrapped in Rainbows. The Life of Zora Neale Hurston
Valerie Boyd
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUOS1Y

Wrapped in Rainbows: the Life of Zora Neale Hurston (Lisa Drew Books)

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Wrapped in Rainbows: the Life of Zora Neale Hurston (Lisa Drew Books)
Valerie Boyd
Manufacturer: Scribner Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7835E

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