Ben, In the World: The Sequel to the Fifth Child

Amazon.com

In a 1957 short story, "The Eye of God in Paradise," Doris Lessing brought to life a disturbed and disturbing child, a "desperate, wild, suffering little creature" who bit anyone who approached him. This child haunted not only the story's protagonist but the author. She first revived him in a powerful 1988 novel, The Fifth Child, pondering this strange offspring of an otherwise idyllic middle-class family. Who, or what, was Ben? Beast, goblin, throwback, alien, or a "normal healthy fine baby"? Lessing wrestled with these questions without ever quite managing to answer them.

She takes them up again, however, in Ben, in the World. Now 18, but looking 35, Ben is estranged from his family, forced to find his way in a basically hostile world. His yeti-like appearance invariably evokes fear or amusement. And his other habits (including an appetite for raw meat) hardly allow him to blend into the crowd:

He would catch and eat little animals, or a bird.... Or he stood by the cow with his arm around her neck, nuzzling his face into her; and the warmth that came into him from her, and the hot sweet blasts of her breath on his arms and legs when she turned her head to sniff at him meant the safety of kindness. Or he stood leaning on a fence post staring up at the night sky, and on clear nights he sang a little grunting song to the stars, or he danced around, lifting his feet and stamping.

After three fictional encounters, Lessing knows Ben well. She constantly intervenes to direct the reader's response to him, to the people who surround him, and to his (sometimes unlikely) experiences in Europe and South America. His misery and alienation remain the focus of the novel. Yet they are offset by the odd individuals who offer Ben their friendship--and finally, by his wayward quest to find people like himself. --Vicky Lebeau

Book Description

At eighteen, Ben is in the world, but not of it. He is too large, too awkward, too inhumanly made. Now estranged from his family, he must find his own path in life. From London and the south of France to Brazil and the mountains of the Andes. Ben is tossed about in a tumultuous search for his people, a reason for his being. How the world receives him, and, he fares in it will horrify and captivate until the novel's dramatic finale.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Disappointment, But Instead a Gift to Readers.......2006-08-09

It's true that Ben, In the World is not half the book that The Fifth Child is. But it's not really meant to be. It's aspirations are smaller, and (ironically, given the character) more individual, more singularly human.

Since I first read The Fifth Child, I've often wondered what would happen next, when that strange little boy became a man and went out into the world. This book delivers, and in so doing, it makes you feel for Ben in much the same way you originally felt for his mother.

It's a gift to readers who loved The Fifth Child to offer this strange and wonderful book, and it's evidence, too, of Doris Lessing's remarkable range.

A rather disappointing sequel to "The Fifth Child".......2006-02-10

Ben is now eighteen. Broad face, delineated features, a perpetual stupid grin on his face. Most people compare him to a kind of misshapen dog. He roams the streets of London with gangs of miscreants. Later he is taken by Matthew Grindly to a cider farm to pick apples but one of the workers snatches away the envelope containing his pay. A couple, Johnston and Rita, use Ben to carry cocaine to Nice where they abandon him. Then a film maker, Alex Beyle, spots Ben and takes him to Brazil where he vaguely plans to use him in a film about a prehistoric tribe.
The novel unfortunately lacks the intensity one can find in "The Fifth Child". Although one can feel some measure of pity for Ben being dragged around and exploited by various people, the story is not as powerful and gripping as it was in the first novel.

Ben, In the World: A Story Like No Other.......2006-01-10

Doris Lessing proves her literary genius in her novel, Ben, In the World. The author manages to draw her reader into the story of the miserable, friendless main character, Ben Lovatt. His story is memorable and relatable. Likewise, the chain of themes and literary devices Ms. Lessing moves the novel in such a profound and intelligible way.
Ben is a "different" character from the average protagonist in a novel. Many of his traits resemble Grendel in the John Gardner novel of the same name. He is tall, and questionable in looks. Other characters do not believe he is completely human or completely an animal. The New York Times Book Review says, `"He is more poignant than Frankenstein's monster just because he has hope"' ("Critical Praise") Ben Lovatt is a character like no other; Doris Lessing's depiction of the main character of this story is exceptional.
Ben, In the World is a novel everyone should read. Doris Lessing is an amazing storyteller. She captures her reader in well-expressed, interesting stories. She helps the reader to empathize with the outcasts of society. Ben, In the World is a classic in its own right.

Who is Ben?.......2005-05-31

An intense read, that convinces you the undercurrent of the Fifth Child's malevolence is about to break the surface, which it does not. I originally thought that Ben was autistic and not a genetic throwback, in this case the transitional form (if there was one) from Neanderthal to Cro-Magnum. The book suggests more than it delivers. But the moral/ethical drama of what road Harriet, Ben's mother, should have taken, hangs over her, the broken family, and read, like an executioner's ax.

Not a Fulfilling Sequel.......2004-06-17

The Fifth Child is one of my top five favorite books. Ben, In The World does not reach my top twenty. Although not a horrible book, I was really disappointed with Lessing's lack of focus on Ben. I found Teresa to be the most interesting character in the novel, especially her back-story. I was reminded of the film Run Lola Run because Lessing tried to give us so much story in such small snapshots and then ended them with "their story had a good (or bad) ending." It all seemed just too convenient, Ben's luck making him simply go through the motions in the novel; none of plot resulted from choices he made, rather other characters propelled the story except for the final anti-climactic (and only) choice Ben makes. I wish I had stopped with The Fifth Child and let Ben haunt my curiosity instead of trying to fulfill it with this book.

Ben, in the World : The Sequel to the Fifth Child

Average customer rating:

Ben, in the World : The Sequel to the Fifth Child
Doris LESSING
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OA5OI4

Customer Reviews:

excellent debut novel--quite unlike any other.......2006-03-05

This book, despite the rather silly cover, is very close to being a masterpiece. I wasn't quite sure what to think of its attempt to tell a mythic tale of survival in Africa, America, and Norway after a nuclear war but as soon as i started reading it I found myself completely engrossed. The whole thing is written in a unique collquial dialect that i found to be incredibly entertaining. Its hard to describe the qualities that make up Winter's Daughter--it is an adventure story, a keen look into psychology, philosophy and religion, politics, war--the scope of this novel is breathtaking. High schools should teach this book instead of Nathanial Hawthorne, who could bore a statue to sleep! I don't know what Charles Whitmore is doing these days but he accomplished something quite powerful and memorable with his first novel. I am going to recommend this to a lot of people and I am going to give it as a gift to my own daughter.

Winter's Daughter: The Saying of Signe Ragnhilds-Datter

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Winter's Daughter: The Saying of Signe Ragnhilds-Datter
Charles Whitmore
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PGS1J6

Average customer rating:

Sooooo Good....

Fresh Easy and Delicious

What a Gem!

A popular addition to the family cookbook collection

Great recipes, great pictures

Your Organic Kitchen: The Essential Guide to Selecting and Cooking Organic Foods
Jesse Ziff Cool
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Healthy | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Natural Foods | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Organic Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Organic Cooking: Eating Well: "300 Simple Organic Gourmet Recipes for a Healthier Life"

The Organic Cook's Bible

ASIN: 1579546625

Amazon.com

"To me," says chef-author Jesse Ziff Cool, "restaurants as well as home kitchens should be places where food is simply as pure as it can be, and always served with love." In Your Organic Kitchen, Cool has culled 160 recipes from her 25 years in the restaurant business and from her food-loving family to share with the public. Cool is an unabashed believer in organically grown and raised foods: pure foods equal healthier bodies, she says, plus foods raised without pesticides or hormone enhancements simply taste better.

Cool divides her cookbook into eight seasons, distinguishing, for example, between the first juicy strawberries of early summer and the bounty of fresh tomatoes and peppers in midsummer. Each section contains recipes for appetizers, main and side dishes, and desserts. She balances savory vegetarian options like Roasted Root Vegetables with Apples and Mustard with nonvegetarian dishes like Lamb Burgers with Caramelized Shallots.

Clear and straightforward, many of the recipes contain ingredients that you will already have on hand or that are easily purchased at your local market. To help you build an organic kitchen, Cool gives suggestions on how to begin stocking your pantry with organic spices, pastas, and grains. Essays on organic farms and companies crop up throughout the book--although they read rather like product advertisements and would work better if simply represented in the list of organic food providers in the back of the book. While Your Organic Kitchen is intended for organic cooks, you can still make the recipes if you don't have all organic ingredients, and you should--these recipes are too delectable not to try. --Dana Van Nest

Book Description

Organic products are now the fastest-growing segment of the food industry, yet chef and restaurateur Cool has been dazzling her patrons for more than 26 years with culinary creations prepared from organic ingredients. Much more than a cookbook, Your Organic Kitchen provides a history of organic farming, detailed instructions on how to stock your organic pantry, and hundreds of practical kitchen tips on cooking organically.This sumptuously illustrated cookbook is organized to make the most of seasonally changing local produce. With delights like early springs Orange-Steamed Chicken and Asparagus, autumns Pork Chops with Cherry Port Sauce, and the deep winters Parsnip and Beet Soup with Dill Cream, cooks will be inspired throughout the year. In addition to Cools own recipes, youll find tasty contributions from eight of her renowned chef-friends, including Alice Waters, Nora Pouillon, and Michael Romano.

Customer Reviews:

Sooooo Good...........2005-11-08

I do not follow an organic diet regularly, but the recipes in this book are so delicious! I have been renting it from the library for the last 3 months and have finally decided I HAVE to buy it! It is really worth the money! This book is very well laid out and has simple, delicious, healthy recipes.

Fresh Easy and Delicious.......2002-04-14

Because we raised free range hens for the eggs and have a large vegetable garden and savor the fresh fruit we have available I wanted the book in my home library. It is shy 300 pages and what I like about the book is the well laid out format. Like Why Organic? And Your Organic Pantry? And then the stages of spring, summer, fall and winter sections which get the reader back to the idea of eating according to the seasons.

I like what the author says in the Why Organic section of how food used to be grown organically and then things after world war 2 changed and quantity over quality became the key. Even though I note we as a country throw away more food than we grow or take to market. Many health problems came about when we went from natural to artificial means of growing food.

I was happy to see that the author discusses organically grown meats as well. And eggs as well as dairy items. Buying locally caught fish is her suggestion for fish and its a wise suggestion. And she even discusses the pros of wild game. Some people think that ranch raised pheasant is wild pheasant when in fact it is not.

The recipes are so vast and varied and its nice to see them listed according to the season. Like the sugar snap peas and potato cakes on page 22. The Orange steamed chicken and asparagus on page 31 is delicious and easy. The summer fruit pizza on page 136 is great for the hot days we have. And because we cook outside so much we love recipes like the Rosemary Grilled Figs on page 144 which is served with Warm Brie and kumquats.

The photography is great and like the best cookbooks the author lists calories, protein, carbs, fat, cholesterol, fiber and sodium.

What a Gem!.......2001-06-13

This cookbook is so heart-touching, easy-to-prepare and delicious! It is pleasant to the eyes, taste buds & soul. A Must have!

A popular addition to the family cookbook collection.......2001-02-16

With Your Organic Kitchen, Jesse Cool provides the kitchen cook with an essential, "user friendly" guide to selecting and preparing organic foods. From Banana-Walnut Shortbread, Black Beans with Corn Relish, Deep-Dish Summer Vegetable Cobbler, and Warm Brie with Kumquats, to Mediterranean Stuffed Whitefish, Tangerine Slaw with Salmon Roulades, Sweet-And-Sour Cabbage with Smoked Pork Chops, and Rosemary-Lemon Biscuits, this compendium of 160 delicious, nutritious, main courses, side dishes, and desserts will provide a popular addition to the family cookbook collection. These wonderful enthusiastically recommended recipes are enhanced with 120 color photographs and tips on how to create an organic kitchen in the home.

Great recipes, great pictures.......2000-11-04

I have to have good picutures to go with a great recipe to really enjoy it. This book has them.

The writting is a lot of fun, and the recipes are easy to understand and follow. They also taste great!

I have already made 4 dishes, and they all came out well.

I am glad that organic food has become so easy to get your hands on. It is so important to undersatnd what you are eating in this day and age.

Book Description

A highly illustrated guide to Linda Tellington-Jones' famous TTouch and TTEAM groundwork for horses.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-04-03

Finally a book which gives a complete overview of the many aspects of TTEAM work! I can imagine that it might be a bit overwhelming if you have never done any TTEAM, but if you have been to a course you will understand it very well. The book is very helpfull and suggests solutions to many problems.
The great thing is that Linda really thinks from the horse's point of view and is always looking why a horse does what he does and how you can work with him from there.

Vanda Oosterhuis

Maybe I should've started with a video..........2005-09-03

I felt like I was "missing" something with this book. It's not an easy topic to put in book form, I guess. If I had started with the video, I probably would've gotten it faster. I also wish she'd have picked easier names for some of the exercises. Call me clueless, but I'm not going to easily remember what the heck Lick of the Cow's Tongue is with a name like that. The main complaint I have about this book is the insistence on using stud chains. If you have a properly halter trained horse (or a really sensitive one), you should never need to use one. I have a wary Spanish Mustang rescue mare who'd charge into the next county if I even attempted to use a stud chain on her (and she's the one that I got this book for).

My horse trainer suggested it for my 5 year old Mustang.......2003-04-17

My horse trainer suggested I look for material by Linda Tellington - Jones on Ttouch as she uses some of her techniques and suggested it would be good to be consistent in handling. I picked it up and started to read and couldn't put it down. I read the first 40+ pages and completed it the next day. Moreover I started using the techniques the very next day on the horse and what a difference it makes. As a first time adopter of a five year old range born and range matured Mustang sometimes I feel I need a little help. Book is extremely helpful, diagrams are useful and exceptionally well done. 5 *s +

Improve Your Horse's Well-Being: A Step-By-Step Guide to Tt.......2000-01-22

This is an outstanding book. Whether you are new to the Tteam system, or whether you have seen the videos and attended clinics, this book offers clear, step by step directions, with very helpful pictures. An extremely useful reference book. I have used Tteam on lots of different horses and seen immediate and positive results. This book gives very clear directions and instructions.

Wonderful, Colorful reference book for the Tteam and Ttouch.......2000-01-15

This book is by far one of the most comprehensive Tteam and Ttouch reference books. It shows you closeup pictures of how to do the Ttouch and how they are beneficial. The exercises are easy and anyone can do them. My horse was more attentive and trusting within just a few days of doing these excercises. I recommend using this book in conjunction with her video tapes. I sincerely recommend this book for anyone who wants to enhance their relationship with their horse and make it more of a partnership. It is fun for both of you.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not great........2005-06-29

This book is a great primer to understanding the Paleo-Indian culture. However, there are many gramatical errors and errors in the use of certain words. The book is difficult to read. A second edition is in order. The pictures of the paleo artifacts are good, but descriptions are difficult to understand since many pictures of the black flint tools are void of visual detail. A bibliography would be helpful, and a list of definitions would be more that helpful.

Average customer rating:

Very helpful!

Very disappointing

No new information

Helpful info in understanding your Hair Pattern

A fun, LIGHT read

Andre Talks Hair!
Teresa Wiltz , and Andre Walker
Manufacturer: Diane Books Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0788160729

Book Description

Andre Walker, Oprah Winfrey's stylist and world-renowned hair expert, shares his secrets on how to get the best cut, color, curl, texture, and style to accentuate natural beauty.

Walker, the hairdresser to the stars, here reveals secrets until now available only to his celebrity clients, including:

Get to know yourself and your hair

Hair care and feeding

The art of the cut

Making the chemical connection work for you

Caring for gray

Handling the hairy curveballs and expanding on what Mother Nature handed out

How to find the perfect hairstylist

This is the book for women of all ages with all hair types. Andre definitely talks about hair, and it is definitely worth reading.

With a special introduction by Oprah Winfrey, this is a book every woman should have!

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful!.......2006-04-20

A lot of common sense and not so common sense. I found the book very helpful for dealing with my type 2c hair. I've followed Andre's advice since reading the book and I've never been more content (I now have my hair under control when it used to tend to frizz with the slightest moisture...and I don't use frizz control products now). Your experience with the book may depend on your specific hair type, but for my moody hair, this contained a lot of the answers I needed.

Very disappointing.......2003-10-22

I have always admired Oprah's hair,so when I found a book written by her stylist I thought my haircare problems had been answered.Unfortunately this book is just full of Andre's personal thoughts and experiences rather than giving useful advice about hair.
As a woman of afro-carribean origin,I found the book focused on all types of hair which doesn't exactly help me out.Yes,he highlights the importance of conditioning hair, and the damaging effects of no-lye relaxers-which has prompted to change to a lye one.
His hair classification system of 4 basic types of hair is useful,but overall I have to give this book the thumbs down!
I have ordered books by Shamboosie & Lisa Akbari and I'm praying for a far better result.

No new information.......2003-05-23

Although heavily promoted, Andre's book did not provide any new information on how to care for hair. What I particularly disliked was the negativity involved in his presentation of the type 4 hair type. He just added another myth to the list by saying our only two options are to either crop our hair short or relax it. I don't recommend this book.

Helpful info in understanding your Hair Pattern.......2003-03-12

If you have purchased any of the more current books on black hair care, then I think you should buy Mr. Walker's book. He began the classification of the 4 hair types that some many other authors are referring to (i.e. kinky, 4b hair or coarsly curly 3c type, etc).

I think this is a good book to purchase if you have begun a library on black hair care. Keep in mind it was written in 1997 and I think it would be great if Mr. Walker updated this book w/ a 2003 edition.

A fun, LIGHT read.......2002-10-01

I bought this book at a half-price book store and I am very content with my purchase. If I had bought it full price, I probably wouldn't have been as content. It's a very light beginner book that has some basic information in it, such as the different hair types, and fun commentary on each of them. However, the descriptions and "secret techniques" are somewhat embryonic. Take the "Growing Your Hair Long" section for example: Walker recommends that you get trims as necessary, and hide akward growth phases under clips and hats. ...No really, that's it. That's the "secret technique".

In sum, while an amusing read, this book is not a hair bible. I would not recommend it to those who are looking for guidance on ... well, just about any hair questions. Great for Oprah fans, and those who cannot get enough of expert books on hair.

Average customer rating:
Andre Talks Hair ! -
Andre Walker -
Manufacturer: Simon Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QSA5JC

Book Description

Pop Art: US/UK Connections 1956-1966 examines the critical transatlantic cultural exchange that led to the decade-long development of classic Pop Art. This publication explores the impact on British and American artists of post-World War II American popular culture as disseminated in the mass media of film, recorded music, advertising and television. While Pop Art drew its influences from many sources, include abstract and figurative modes in painting and advertising, assemblage, and early happenings, it is these mass cultural influences that are the most crucial. The main emphasis of the book is on the resultant ''pure'' aspects of Pop--its hard-edged imagery and its use of photographic media and reproduction processes. Pop Art: US/UK Connections 1956-1966 is the first major American publication focusing on how a dialogue between British and American artists provided the genesis of Pop Art. Many readers will be surprised by this full account of the complex history of Pop Art, which involved a series of successive developments, first in London and subsequently in New York and Los Angeles. Featuring extensive documentation of works from all of Pop Art's major figures--British and American, famous and less well-known--Pop Art: US/UK Connections 1956-1966 also presents essential essays and interviews devoted to all things Pop.

Customer Reviews:

Not Just Antother Hip Coffee Table Book.......2001-04-19

Pop Art: U.S./U.K Connections 1956-1966 is a great read for those facintated with the Pop Art movement. The color plates are really good and so is the writing. It's an informative look at the parallels between the Pop Art movement in the U.S. an the U.K. The book includes the icons of the era along with some lesser known artists and works. It presents an interesting perspective suitable for both the beginner and expert art enthusiast.

Book Description

Brotherhood in Rhythm tells the story of their personal and professional triumphs; their legendary gigs with Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway; their struggles with racism; and their performances in such classic movies as Stormy Weather, Down Argentina Way, Orchestra Wives, and Sun Valley Serenade.

Customer Reviews:

What a disappointment!.......2002-08-03

How anyone could take the most facinating subjects in the world (the Nicholas Brothers) and make it dull, dead, BORING is beyond me! But this author has done it. I hope she has another career goal, because her writing is just awful and she conveys NO excitement, fun or even history. She glosses over Fayard & Harold's actual history and instead focuses on describing each tap step of each routine--and even to me, as a tap dancer, DULL! I want to hear their stories, for goodness' sake. I KNOW their dancing!

A scholarly analysis, but not a biography.......2000-10-10

I would recommend purchasing Ms. Hill's treatise on the dance and historic origins of the Nicholas Brothers' dance styles and choreography. However, those who seek a detailed biography will be disappointed, as this book was aimed to be a scholarly work, not a biographical one. The book has little mention of their personal life, marriages, divorces, activities apart and completely ignored many foreign films they made in the 1950's. Harold's marriage to Dorothy Dandridge is mentioned only in passing, and his extensive career in Paris for a decade was only lightly researched. No personal family interviews were apparently done. Although excellent as a dance resource, those seeking a more well-rounded insight on the personality and life of these two genious entertainers will be better served by a biography, which Ms. Hill's book does not aim to be. It will make a great companion work to a still much-needed in-depth look at their lives.

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