Book Description
#1 international bestseller Ian Rankin sends Inspector John Rebus into the dark streets of Edinburgh's flesh trade when a shocking murder exposes an even more sinister underworld.
Inspector John Rebus has confronted Edinburgh's most hardened criminals, its bloodiest crime scenes, and its most dangerous backstreets--but nothing could prepare him for what he finds on Fleshmarket Alley.
In the city's red-light district, men go to live out their fantasies, and women with no other choice sell their bodies to make a buck. It's a neighborhood of lost inhibitions, scruples, and dreams. In its seediest clubs, refugees seeking asylum in Scotland are subjected to the whims of the most ruthless characters in the crime world--men Rebus knows all too well.
With his singular knack for making crime captivating, Ian Rankin delivers his most explosive mystery to date, fulfilling the promise millions of readers in the United Kingdom and America have seen throughout his accomplished career.
Customer Reviews:
Murder and Once Again John Rebus is in the Thick of it.......2006-12-01
Detective Inspector John Rebus and DS Siobhan Clark have been relocated from their old and familiar offices to Gayfield Square, which isn't all that far away. It's a well to do district, but close to Knoxland, which is one of Edinburgh's low rent housing development's.
And it's in Knoxland that an illegal immigrant is found stabbed to death. While trying to solve the case Rebus is forced to think about the fact that the powers that be would like him to retire, however police work is his life, he has nothing outside of that, so he has no intention of being made redundant, not now, not ever.
Knoxland is home to many immigrants, legal and otherwise and it's occupants have been the source of many racial attacks, so naturally it looks like a race crime. During his investigation Rebus learns much about the difficulties illegal aliens must face in Scotland. Including the legal ones, like the detention centers women and children are locked up in as they wait to find out if they are going to be allowed entry or if they're going to be deported.
Also, as this case is developing, Siobhan is approached by the mother of a teenage girl who has disappeared. Siobhan worked the prior case of the missing girl's sister three years earlier. The girl had been raped and then killed herself, so even though the case is now out of her jurisdiction, Siobhan decides to work it anyway.
And to make Rebus's and Siobhan's life even more complicated, they are called out to a bar in Fleshmarket Alley (Fleshmarket Close in the British version) where the remains of an infant and a woman have been discovered under the concrete floor during renovations.
The genius of Ian Rankin is that he can connect the dots, make us believe that as impossible as it might seem, all these cases are connected, but of course, it takes Rebus and Siobhan a while to put it all together and that makes for just one very, very good story. Mr. Rankin has given us plenty of John Rebus books and they just keep getting better.
Reviewed by Vesta Irene
A betrayal.......2006-03-29
I'm halfway through this book and like other readers, will probably give it up as soon as I find another book to read. I feel betrayed by an author who lures you into spending your money buying his book and your time reading it and then proceeds to batter you over the head with a political agenda. Never mind that I realize most of his points are valid; he could have gotten them across more effectively by just allowing the situations to speak for themselves. If an author feels he must espouse a cause, please let him do it subtly or, even more honestly, express his views in non-fiction. We get such a ceaseless diet of this type of thing every day from the media that some of us would like to just enjoy a good mystery, especially from an author we had trusted to deliver one.
Not the best but Still Love Rebus.......2006-02-05
Note to TV watchers: a completely different plot than the TV show of this name!
Way too many characters and subplots for me to keep track of. And Rebus seems less of a tortured soul than in the other books. But I still love to be with him and Siobhan. And, of course, ridiculous that they changed the title.
If you have only seen the John Hannah version of Rebus, I'd like to say that the book are, while still dark, far wittier.
My first taste of Rankin...I'll have more, please........2006-01-14
Am so glad I discovered this entertaining author--I know, I know, he's been around a long time, where have I been? That having been sad, many of our newest authors of police procedurals should take a lesson from this master. It can't be just about the story...it has to be about the writing. This guy can pen some snappy dialog...you can practically hear it jump off the page, just the way 3-dimensional people talk. He makes it seem so effortless.
So why did I only give it 4 stars? The plot was a little disconnected, perhaps too much going on to maintain the cohesion that I would've liked. I will definitely seek out previous works though...they're sure to be a lively read.
Rebus Redux.......2005-12-01
Ian Rankin isn't the bestselling mystery writer in the UK for nothing. His main man (alter ego?) Inspector John Rebus is a living, breathing anachronism in a jaded world and it is a pleasure to travel in his orbit, even if it means being drunk an awful lot of the time, or so it seems. Rebus is one of those people who has apparently reached an equilibrium with his booze and has achieved a certain ability to operate where most of us would be on our faces. This book could drive you to join Rebus with its unstinting look at the treatment of immigrants and refugees in Scotland and elsewhere in the world and the vulnerability at the hands of a system where they are easily prey to fleshmongers and slave traders. It isn't a pretty picture and it isn't a pretty book, but the story is clean and solid and the story is one that absolutely needs to be told.
The murder that starts this book is almost incidental to the journey of discover that it causes for Rebus and his compatriots. There is a subordinate story that may or may not hook into the primary murder involving the search for a missing girl. It is a heartbreaking development following the suicide of her sister, who was raped and never mentally recovered from the ordeal. The rapist is now out of prison and we don't know what to make of this information. Did he nab her as well? When he turns up dead, she moves from potential hostage to potential murderer...but nobody can find her.
This is more quickly paced than most Rebus books and with denser plotting. You don't need to know Scotland to read this effectively, but it is a good idea to keep track of the story locations in your mind. It might tend to get a little confusing, and "place" means everything to the effectiveness of this story. As if that weren't enough, there is also a very unusual potential romance for Rebus in this book that will have you scratching your head right along with him!
Book Description
Kingdoms of Kalamar is a fully-detailed campaign setting for use with Dungeons & Dragons.
This comprehensive sourcebook provides a wealth of information on the nations of Tellene, their history, their politics, and their people. Includes details of religions, languages, laws, and all aspects of society.
Lavishly illustrated, including a 3' X 4' map of Tellene.
This volume contains all the information a GM needs to run an exciting, adventure-filled campaign.
Customer Reviews:
A RICHLY DETAILED CAMPAIGN SETTING.......2005-06-10
When I first started gaming over 25 years ago there wasn't much in the way of campaign settings other than modules. When it came to a world, you were pretty much on your own. Then TSR came out with the World of Greyhawk in the early 80'swhich at the time was quite wonderful. You got a couple of nice maps and two soft cover books detailing the lands and peoples of Greyhawk. Times have really changed! Kenzer and Co. have produced one of the most detailed and rich campaign settings ever for Dungeons & Dragons in this massive 272 page hardcover book.
"Kingdoms of Kalamar" introduces us to the lands and peoples of the continent of Tellene. The first two-thirds of the book detail everything you could possibly want to know about the area with a different chapter for each kingdom. These sections detail the climate, population, government & politics, military, temples, economy, underworld, and interesting sites of all of the cities and towns within each kingdom. Each of the various human peoples is described meticulously including their histories and migrations, physical make-ups, styles of names, even their alphabets.
The attention to detail is staggering as each city is give a one to two page synopsis that in addition to the info mentioned previously, also includes the city's history, notes on demi-human and humanoid populations, notable NPCs, and also provides anecdotes that can be used to develop adventures in these various regions. For example, we learn that in the city of Ospolen the daughter of Duke Letton has been kidnapped and the Duke is offering a reward of 10,000 gold pieces for her safe return.
"Kingdoms of Kalama"r is filled with political intrigue providing a framework for more than just the typical hack & slash gaming experience. We learn that the Empire of Kalamar was once much larger but the current ruling family has managed to lose nearly half its territories. The Duchy of O' Par declared itself independent just eighty years ago without reprisal and the Principality of Pekal rebelled against the empire over one hundred years ago and now the Empire is dead set on regaining the territory. These various notes and interesting sites will provide the DM with many solid foundations for adventures for player characters.
The selling point of any campaign setting is if it's just words on a page or if the world is truly living and breathing. Kingdoms of Kalamar is incredibly vibrant. While maybe some gamers find the various political intrigues of these lands unneeded in a role-playing game, I found that they added tremendous depth. So often, campaign settings tend to be very one-dimensional with flat histories and characters. Not so in "Kingdoms of Kalamar." In the east on the Kaotoon Island in Reanaaria Bay you will find Aasaer, the City of Pirates. Described as having "seedy taverns that litter every corner, murder victims rotting in the alleys, and prostitutes crowding the doorways", it's a location that sounds like a fun place to visit!
The final one-third of the book features sections on the various organizations and groups of Kalamar, major languages, law in the kingdoms, and appendices on constellations, armies, and NPCs. The book also gives a description of each of the nearly four dozen Gods of the world with their names in the assorted languages, symbols, typical appearance, raiment colors, etc. A short history of the gods is provided as we learn that the Creator made fifty-four gods, each representing a different aspect of Her personality. The Gods eventually war amongst themselves and nearly a dozen are destroyed. Now they use the peoples of Tellene as their pawns, drawing power as their number of worshippers increase.
The book also has two large, fold-out maps with the entire continent of Tellene, beautifully done. A nice touch is that the developers did not mar the map with a grid. Instead they provided the nice touch of including a tear-out, clear plastic overlay with a hexagonal grid to place over the map.
Different people look for different things within a campaign setting. I don't like to have everything spelled out for me, taking the creative thought out of the game. "Kingdoms of Kalamar" provides a detailed framework from which the DM can create all manner of adventures from. This is an extremely well constructed world, ready to be trampled underfoot by your player characters!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Fantasy with Realism, Fantastically Well Done!.......2002-12-21
Though intended for use with Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition, this background-heavy, rules-light sourcebook can be used for just about any RPG system. Where most commercially available campaign worlds for gaming are based on someone's hodge-podge home game, the World of Tellene was built as a whole, with thought to plate tectonics, ecology, weather patterns, cultural migrations, wars, linguistics and sociology all taken into account from the start. Magic flavors the mix, but isn't responsible for illogical juxtapositions like an arctic climate at the equator or similar aberrant phenomenon.
Six human culture/ethnicities clash and mix to destroy or create nations; hobgoblin empires struggle to maintain and expand against hostile neighbors; elves, dwarves, gnomes and halflings try to keep their cultures living and free from the dominance of human influences. Orcs, giants, and monsters on the fringes of civilized lands exist logically according to their natures and resources, with realistic rivalries and goals.
Histories of peoples and nations, backgrounds for adventures, current events, languages, timelines, military forces and more are detailed here - while leaving future events entirely up to the DM and the players. The setting is also well supported by adventure modules, a Player's Guide, an Atlas, sourcebooks, and a web-community where the designers actually thrive on feedback from the consumers.
It's also the only Offical game setting produced under license for the D&D3e game system by a company other than Wizards of the Coast, with far greater quality standards than what mere d20 licensees produce.
Terrific World - the best out there.......2002-12-19
I have been a player of Dungeons and Dragons since around 1980 or so. I believe this is the best world sourcebook on the market, bar none. The world is a nice outline, but does not have too much detail where you feel straight jacketed into running a high magic world a certain way, like the Forgotten Realms. You get a lot of plot hooks in each chapter and there are lots of ways you can run the plot hooks. And, an added bonus from the design of the book is that it is very easy to just drop in a random module or adventure here. You're not so overwhelmed with details where it would take tons of work to modify a generic adventure. A thing I particularly liked is that you, the PC, can become the most powerful person in the world. In the aforementioned Realms, there is always Elminster or some near god-like bad guy. In Greyhawk, you have legendary characters going back to the game's creation. How can you outshine them? All in all, this book will give a DM a nice world that is quickly playable and easily adaptable to any campaign you want. If you want high magic, it's easy to add in dragons, magic items and whatnot. But, what is the Realms with Elminster and a magic shop on every corner? If you want to run a low magic world, you are all set. It's certainly easier to add the magic in than take it out
A very detailed world that is full of flavour.......2002-12-18
The Kingdoms Of Kalamar Campaing Setting is a very detailed book that skips completly over the "crunch" that seems to be a prequisite for most D&D book these days and instead get down to the serious buisiness of discribing the world.
Although many of the human realms are inspired by real world examples (Rome etc.) they still manage to portray a very different world. In the world of Tellene, humans dominate the world but are given heaps more flavour than the standard fantasy humans. Kingdoms of Kalamar uses human sub-races that each have individual appearances and culture.
The section on language further enhances this and although I may never find a practical use for them (apart from naming my characters of course) they add so much to the setting, showing that there is actual structure behind the some say bizarre place names of the setting.
The gods of the setting are, despite whatother reviewers have said, original and their depth is amazing. With information on the organisation of the churches, sacrafices and holy places, it is much better done than any other setting I have seen.
The minor sections of the book, like the armies of Kalamar, laws and section on Tellenes constilations are not entierly nesesary but they add even more detail to the setting already displayed.
Kalamar presents as a low magic campaign world but can be played at any level. One of the things I like most about Kalamar is it's versatility and the magic of the world is a prime example. There could easily be no magic or flying cities it's up to you. This differentiates this setting from those like the Forgotten Realms that are stuck at certain levels.
A mature look at slavery is one of the best things I like about the setting as it is fully integrated and can be used as a moral device for my players.
All in all the Kingdoms of Kalamar Campaign Setting is a very good buy for any game( because the D&D stuff in it is limited to some horse breeds, a few magic items and a NPC index) or indeed just as a source of ideas and material.
Best RPG for people who want a detailed setting.......2002-12-18
This book is one of the best-created campaign worlds I did ever encounter for a RPG. The design is not based on a few powerful characters or a book, but a complex evolution of races, cities and wars. The history and the religions based on this world makes it the best described and most accessible d20 setting available at this point.
A huge advantage of this setting is the rich support by modules and books, not only is there besides this book an Atlas of the world of Tellene, there are race descriptions, adventures and much more.
In short this world is believable to play in, an evolution where you can believe that actually would work if magic exists while not letting lose the major fantasy marks. I did only encounter as fast as I can recall now 1 book with a better fantasy world and that is Tolkien him self. So I can say without doubt that it is a book worth buying if you are interested in RPG.
Book Description
Paragons is the second campaign setting for the award-winning Mutants & Masterminds RPG. Into a world hauntingly like our own come people with superhuman powers. Are they the next stage of human evolution, the fulfillment of ancient prophecy, agents of supernatural forces or something else entirely? Paragons features a world grappling with the existence of powers beyond human understanding, and what happens when that power is placed in the hands of otherwise ordinary people. How will they change the world? How will you change the world?
Average customer rating:
- The Descent of Anansi
- Readable
- Great read!
- decent read
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The Descent of Anansi
Steven Barnes , and
Larry Niven
Manufacturer: Tor Science Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Barnes, Steven
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Niven, Larry
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Dream Park
ASIN: 0812512928 |
Book Description
It's the American Revolution all over again. But this time it's a ragtag band of space colonists vs. the United States. And the fate of the world hangs by a thread--200 miles above the earth.
Customer Reviews:
The Descent of Anansi.......2000-08-30
In the not-so-distant future, Falling Angel Industries is headquartered on a Lunar-orbiting space station, constructed from used STS External Tanks. FA has just produced 1,400 kilometers of the strongest cable ever produced-single-crystal iron suspended in an epoxy matrix, .8 millimeters thick. Two companies- Brazil Techimotores-Electronics and Oyama Construction have bidded for the cable, and Oyama has won. Transporting the cable from Falling Angel to LEO via the Space Shuttle Anansi/Ion Drive Tug Gabriel, the six-day voyage gives BTE enough time to join forces with a group of Iranian terrorists. Stealing and launching a Soviet Prometheus ground-to-orbit missile, they destroy the Gabriel and cripple the Anansi and cable re-entry pod, also killing an Anansi crewmember. With the Anansi stranded in orbit, with no way to re-enter and no way to get back to Falling Angel, BTE launches two Space Shuttles. Their mission: retrieve the cable, and finish the job that the missile didn't complete . . . . Destroy the Anansi and her crew.
Readable.......1999-06-08
I had a bit of trouble following some of what was going on. The romance seemed a bit forced to make the story more interesting.
Great read!.......1998-08-15
Wonderful book ! Pay no attention to other carping comments.The book that made me understand about tides. It has believable characters, great plot, tension--this should be made into a movie. I'm already casting the principal characters in my mind...
decent read.......1998-08-04
This book is a fluffy but fun read about some Brazilians going to the moon. It has a large cast of characters with difficult names. It reminds one of "Outland" more than any known space books. What the heck...it's a hoot. Not much substance but an entertaining airplane book.
Average customer rating:
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The Descent of Anansi
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HW4A1G |
Book Description
This book is a revelation to Americans who have never tasted real Cornish Pasties, Scotch Woodcock (a splendid version of scrambled eggs) or Brown Bread Ice Cream. From the sumptuous breakfasts that made England famous to the steamed puddings, trifles, meringues and syllabubs that are still renowned, no aspect of British cooking is overlooked. Soups, fish, meat and game, vegetables, sauces, high teas, scones, crumpets, hot cross buns, savories, preserves and sweets of all kinds are here in clear, precise recipes with ingredients and utensils translated into American terms.
Customer Reviews:
Not for those with little time.......2006-08-07
I like to cook but don't have as much time for it as I'd like. I can do the recipes in this book on the weekends, but on workdays, they just take too long.
That's too bad, because the food is very good.
Recipes that the English really eat daily.......2006-03-12
Although the book has no pictures, the recipes taste and look like authentic British foods. The measures have been converted to standard American measures and some traditional British ingredients have been changed to easier to find American ingredients such as sour cream instead of creme fraiche; however, this book would be easy to use in any country. A good basic 'What the English really eat' cookbook!
One is sure to be pleased with the inside joke.......2006-02-23
The delight in this book is not only in the recipes, which I have enjoyed immensely. Jane Garmey's wit in the presentation makes one sense a wink at the poor reputation British food generally holds, just as her recipes give it the lie. Generally, British food at its best is wonderful... trouble is that finding it 'at its best' often requires a journey.
The volume is not exhaustive, but presents many classic dishes, most easily prepared (and some which would appeal to, for example, one so avidly traditional as to spend the two months it takes for genuine plum pudding.) It is a pleasant sampler of varied main dish, savoury, pudding, and tea favourites.
I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy cooking. There are many items here which do not require unusual effort or odd ingredients, and can have wonderful results.
off to an excellent start.......2005-10-24
I am an American who loves Britain and who has lived in England. I think British cooking gets a bad rap, and that's just what the author points out. Just yesterday I made the Brown Windsor soup and it's wonderful, so I'd say I'm off to an excellent start with this excellent book. Hooray!
A must for every kitchen..........2003-12-21
Like a previous reviewer I too have spent time in the U.K. (as I married a Scotsman). The recipes in here are the standards to British cooking. I've tried many other and this is by far the best for anyone wanting to cook British meals in the U.S. The measurements have all been scaled for an American kitchen and every recipe I've tried has come out wonderful. A LOVELY BOOK!!!!
Customer Reviews:
The Information You Need in Easy to Read Reference.......2006-02-08
The author gives clear and consice advice that really works. You will not be disappointed
Easy to Understand and Good Ideas.......2005-10-21
This book was great. My 3.5 month old labrador retriever already does "sit", "down" and "shake" on command, thanks to this book. He is also fully crate-trained. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Yet Another Useful Guide To Raising Labrador Retrievers!.......2005-01-21
Here is an attractive entry by author Liz Palika, a book that takes a loving look at America's singular and by far most popular wonder dog, the Labrador Retriever. As she points out so well, there are few other animals who draw such love from humans as a dog, and surely the Lab is the most loveable of the breeds. Here she presents the Labrador Retriever in all its wonder and does a yeoman service to the rest of us by enumerating all of the superb qualities the dog has to offer potential human enthusiasts. They are by reputation excellent working dogs, both as field dogs and as guide dogs for the disabled. They are also incredibly loyal, and the news services are often filled with wonderful and heartwarming stories of Labs crawling out on the ice to save their masters, often at considerable danger to themselves. Nonetheless, they stand by our sides.
Therefore, this book, "How To Train Your L:abrador Retriever" is a great tribute to the breed, and is chock-full with stories and photos that actively serve to substantiate what might otherwise seem as idle boasts and overethusiastic praise. In fact, for anyone who spends any time around Labs, like me, it is hard not to use superlatives when describing them. More than one of the stories herein will bring a smile to your face, a tear to your eye, and the idea in your noggin perhaps it is time to consider getting one of these incredible creatures into you rlife, and that of your extended family. they boost the energy level in any room they enter, are incredible chick-magnets, and have been shown to reduce high blood pressure and dissipate depression through their mere presence. This is a wond
ful book, and one I am sure you will enjoy!
Useful.......2002-01-26
A good useful book for anyone who needs some help training a Lab. Goes over a lot of general lab information as well as training tips.
This makes it easy!.......2001-03-03
This book makes training your Labador Retriver easy to train.
Book Description
Valuable new information on American Brilliant Cut Glass is presented in the Boggesses' most recent work, Diverse sources including 135 originals catalogs, patent records, magazine advertisements and personal interviews with people within the glass industry as well as collectors and dealers were used to complete this thorough study. Patterns, colored patterns and their variations, common and unusual shapes, changing terminology, and signature marks are all discussed in detail. Rare pieces, such as those appearing in Exhibitions, are also addressed. Over 950 photographs illustrate this comprehensive text.
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London Caffs
Edwin Heathcote
Manufacturer: Academy Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0470094389 |
Book Description
Where would we be without the traditional London caff?
Milk bars, ice-cream parlours and espresso bars are all a feature of the London landscape that were borne out of the 1940s to 1960s. It is a time when floods of immigrants set up their businesses providing frothy coffee to the city’s workers.
Today, many of these establishments still function as caffs and have their original elaborate and shiny machines that continue to dispense no end of steam and cups of tea, and still feature vinyl and tiled floors and walls.
This book provides an affectionate look at one of London's endangered species', featuring 28 caffs throughout the capital. Each example is accompanied by anecdotal captions which evoke the atmosphere and context of each place, as well as addresses and nearest tube stations, so that anyone wanting a fix of old-style London can go and find it.
Customer Reviews:
A little Gem..........2006-01-24
...if you are in the market for a book that gives you something of London that the usual, "Madame Tussaud is a must" guides don't then you must buy this!
It speaks of more than it's simple title suggests, for behind the facade of the greasy spoons, iconic British naffness and family run workhorses it describes is a fast dissapearing aspect of British culture, slowly being munched away by Burger dominance and Chain Gastro Pubs.
These places have an honest history and intigrity that speak so much of how Brits once supped and comunicated.
I would recommend a stay in London should include a fact finding walk and munch around some these cultural and architectural survivors.
Before we know it these places will be mocked up in Museums when we realise their significance too late. Visitors wishing to discover "real, workaday London" couldn't do much better.
A bonus is delightfully poetic writing style and stunning Photography.
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London Caffs
Manufacturer: WILEY JOHN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW5KDO |
Book Description
This is an expanded edition of Kinoglasnost: Soviet Cinema in Our Time. The book examines the fascinating world of Soviet cinema during the years of glasnost and perestroika-the 1980s. It shows how the reforms that shook the foundations of the Bolshevik state and affected economic and social structures have been reflected in the film industry. A new added chapter provides a commentary on the dramatic changes that marked the beginning of democracy in Russia. This book will be widely read by students and specialists of Soviet/Russian history, culture and society, and film studies, as well as by anyone with an interest in the transformations of Russian society. "What makes Kinoglasnost pre-eminent among current studies of the subject is the sustained attention Lawton pays to changes in the formal organization of Soviet cinema and in the cinema industry." - Julian Graffy, Sight and Sound, vol. 3 (July 1993) "Lawton's book now stands as a valuable work of history on one aspect of a collapsed system...This remains as a testimony of a fateful moment that has changed the course of history." - Louis Menashe, The Russian Review, vol.53, No.4 (October 1994). "The author constructs a complex, multilayered narrative of a steady and significant movement toward radical change in Soviet society, an account of the growing anxiety and the hope experienced by Russian filmmakers and the intelligentsia." - Ludmila Z. Pruner, Slavic and East European Journal, vol.38, No.4 (Winter 1994).
Book Description
An exciting and often terrifying adventure story, as well as an important precursor to such famous nineteenth-century slave narratives as Frederick Douglass's autobiographies, Olaudah Equiano's Narrative recounts his kidnapping in Africa at the age of ten, his service as the slave of an officer in the British Navy, his ten years of labor on slave ships until he was able to purchase his freedom in 1766, and his life afterward as a leading and respected figure in the antislavery movement in England. A spirited autobiography, a tale of spiritual quest and fulfillment, and a sophisticated treatise on religion, politics, and economics, The Interesting Narrative is a work of enduring literary and historical value.
Customer Reviews:
Beauty from Ashes.......2005-09-13
Of all the firsthand accounts known to us as "slave narratives," Vassa's description is unique in many ways. To begin with, he takes his readers all the way back to his African roots, shedding historically-confirmed light on almost lost ancient traditions. His discussion of the harrowing and epically sad capture and separation of he and his sister are among the most moving in this genre.
He then describes the despicable, inhumane conditions in the holds of the slave ships with a "you-are-there" writing style. Again, confirmed by other sources, these are some of the most often quoted accounts in historical texts. In this same chronological phase, Vassa also depicts the shared empathy among the enslave Africans, helping us to see how they collaborated to survive.
His ongoing narrative offers one of the more balanced looks at slavery. Vassa clearly tells the horrors of this evil system and the people responsible for it. At the same time, he often shares accounts of Europeans and White Americans who befriended him. In fact, his positive statements about non-Africans lend further credence to his critique of the many evils of slavery.
His narrative also contains unique elements in his descriptions of his path toward freedom and his life as a freeman. We learn that in his era, for a man of his race, it was barely more tolerable to be free, given the hatred that he still endured.
Though some reviewers tend to minimize or criticize it, his conversion narrative is classic. In fact, it may well have been the standard from which later testimonies were crafted about how "God struck me dead." Perhaps the evangelical nature of his conversion turns off some. However, if we are to engage Vassa in his other accounts, we must engage him here. Further, coming as it did later in his life, it is easy to see how his account of his entire life is entirely shaped by his conversion experience. Clearly, Vassa sees even the evils that he has suffered as part of a larger plan. In doing so he never suggests that God condones the evils of slavery. Rather, he indicates that God created beauty from ashes.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," and of "Soul Physicians" and "Spiritual Friends."
Amazing Primary Source History.......2005-06-28
Hemingway said of Tillie Olsen's "Tell Me a Riddle" that, however many readers it may have, it will never have enough. He expressed my feelings about this book. Yes, the "Autobiography of Frederick Douglass" is critical to achieve an understanding of the obscenities of black slavery in the New World, but Equiano's remarkable account dramatizes it in ways even more diverse. He summarizes in his single life the whole span of slavery, from his kidnapping as a child from Africa to the fiendish brutality of Caribbean sugar plantations. But he is also a celebration of the indomitability of the human spirit at its most resilient: from his insistence, against all odds, on his own worth as a person, his acquisition of seafaring and business skills, his achievement not only of literacy but of an Englishman's 18th century eloquence.
I didn't think I could learn more about the particular brutalities of slavery, but I did. An example: in the Caribbean some slavemasters "rented out" their slaves by the day to other masters for excruciating toil. Their temporary masters sometimes "forgot" to feed them lunch, and moreover sometimes sent them back to their masters without payment. For retribution, their masters then beat the slaves! This was a new twist for me, and reminded me that the psychological torture--imagining the starved and exhausted slaves returning to their masters, knowing what was awaiting--often outstripped physical torture for cruelty.
But this is no litany of abuses, and Equiano is careful to spare us gratuitous outrages. He lived the equivalent of five or six lives within his timespan, and the book likewise breaks up into episodes: the African years--during which he chronicles a clime of abundant food and privileged childhood; his adventures at sea, serving several captains on mercantile ships that faced enemy fire and perils of every kind; his strivings to buy his freedom in the Caribbean and North America; his conversion to Christianity; and his settling as a freeman in England with marriage to a British wife.
As with most primary source documents, there are lulls in the narrative. The writing about the author as a Christian aware of his "sins" (he who has so overwhelmingly sinned against) is as familiar as it is ironic. Episodes in the seafaring accounts will be of more interest to afficionados of Melville or Conrad. But what is finally amazing is Equiano's moderation and modesty in describing a most remarkable life. One wonders how many hundreds of thousands of uprooted Africans succumbed to the brutalization and denial of their self-worth for every one who managed to salvage some shred of dignity, but one is nevertheless grateful to Equiano for putting his own example in writing.
It is writing for the ages. I wonder whether it should be required reading, for high school students, for example. Perhaps it's a bit too difficult or tedious for everyone in that age group. But at the very least it should be mentioned in the same breath as Douglass's books. I was 62 before I'd even heard Equiano's name. This remarkable account should be better known.
A fascinating story.......2004-08-06
Many people -- including myself -- read science fiction and fantasy novels to see new vistas of the imagination, alien cultures and circumstances in which we could never imagine ourselves. Sometimes we look to distant futures or galaxies without remembering just how alien the planet we live on can be!
Equiano's account -- generally a clear, crisply written and unsentimental account with detailed descriptions of the places he visits, with the occassional sermon or rare florid description (Dr. Charles Irving's device "renders fresh Neptune's briny element") -- shows a whirlwind series of adventures, from his time as an Igbo village prince, to his enslavement and trek to the African coast under a series of masters, to his horrendous voyage across the middle passage, his amazement at the terrifying new world he was brought into, his conversion to Christianity, his service in the Seven Years War, his attempts to buy his freedom, and his varying adventures as a sailor. The account goes on to include his disastrous expedition to the North Pole and subsequent spiritual crisis upon such a close touch with his mortality, his management as a commissar for an attempt to settle freed blacks in Sierra Leonne, and, finally, his marraige (something touched on very cursorily, perhaps because he didn't wish to add too much to new editions of the book, which was initially completed before his marraige, or possibly because he was very busy raising his daughters, lecturing, and testifying for the abolitionist cause).
Some parts of the account seem, perhaps, slightly too convenient. One might be tempted to wonder if Equiano's memories, as a ten year old, of the customs of his people are shaped by his desire to retrospectively turn them into Jews, or if his account of, upon hearing that a book contain words, holding it to his ear is borrowed from countless other accounts of the "primitive" who misunderstands the nature of the written word, or if his account of himself as a determined fighter for the integrity of the Sierra Leone colonization project, undermined by the other corrupt managers of the project, who stole from the Exchequer and undersupplied the intended black colonists isn't a biased portrayal in his favor. Overall, though, the records that have been recovered by historians have been favorable to Equiano's story, and inaccuracies are remarkably rare for a book so extensive and often written from memories thirty-years old.
Good Book.......2002-02-09
This book presents an interesting and unique view into the world of slavery. Buy it...now!
This book is a gift from a great man who lived 200 years ago.......2001-03-22
An amazing story of a young man kidnapped from his African village as a boy, transported to the Caribbean from island to island and his dealings with the people who were in power. How he gained his freedom, then lost it, then gained it again. His struggle to reconcile what the Bible taught about kindness with what he saw the "Christians" actually doing to slaves. This book is essential reading for anyone living in the Caribbean who wants to understand the mental slavery that still exists there to this day. Its THE guide to "self-help" that beats all others. Its the story of a wonderfully determined man.
Book Description
Olaudah EquianoÂ's capture by slave-traders at the age of ten took him from life in what is now Eastern Nigeria and thrust him on a fateful journey that would submerge him in an incomprehensible world. He emerged a gifted writer and has provided insights into centuries of slave trading and why the relationship between black and white seems always in favor of white. First published in 1789, EquianoÂ's engaging narrative, written in English, describes his life before and after his capture—looking forward to recognition as a descendant of a chief; working on slave ships; traveling to the southern states of America, the West Indies, Europe, and the Arctic; and fighting a war. He eventually grew to be an extremely confident man who, even in the worst slavery imaginable, never lost his sense of purpose or his humanity. After buying his freedom, he was an ardent supporter of abolishing slavery. Written with a sense of literary history, EquianoÂ's account corrects wrong impressions about Africa and explores what it is like for an African to find himself suddenly alien in a world that considers Africans as not quite human.
Customer Reviews:
History of the others.......2005-12-29
The African slave trade is one of the great stains of human history. Much has been written about it by European - white authors, though unfortunately, there are very few recollections of the slave trade by actual slaves. This book is one of those works. The author, Olaudah Equiano, was born in Nigeria and captured as a child and sold of to slavery in the New World. He eventually accummulated enough money to free and educate himself, and make his way thru the world as a free man. This book is his story, told by himself. He retells his kidnapping, his trip from Africa to N. America, his service to different masters, how he bought his own freedom, and then his life as a free man. He retells both the punishments he endured, the work he had to do, and the opportunities denied to him while he was a slave. Overall, a good book to read about the life of a slave.
Well written with attention toward the truth, not opinion........2001-03-06
I'm not sure if the person below read the book. Equiano was 11 when he was enslaved.
A must read for anyone interested in the horror of slavery.......1997-12-06
An amazing story of an amazing man. Olaudah Equiano tells the story of his life with such clarity and recollection it is hard to put this book down. A slave, who at the age of 7, was kidnapped from his village in Africa and subsequently enslaved for 11 years until which time he could buy his freedom. His life was filled with both horror and wonder. He witnessed great events and horrific injustices. He tells these tales with clarity and an unusual objectiveness. A boy, who at age 7, did not read or write or even know of the white man. Olaudah grew to learn and have great command of the language in which he would retell his tales. This is not only an impressive work, it is more so coming from a former slave. It is a must read for everyone interested in the struggle for life that these people endured for over two centuries.
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