The Tattoo Murder Case (Soho Crime)

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Disturbing Series of Murders

A classic.

Post War Dead Culture Intrigue

Intricate Portrayal of Art and History

Mesmerizing

The Tattoo Murder Case (Soho Crime)
Akimitsu Takagi
Manufacturer: Soho Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Takagi, Akimitsu | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569471568

Amazon.com

If you read mysteries for insights into other cultures and different periods, this excellent translation of the first novel by Akimitsu Takagi, who became one of Japan's leading crime writers, is an eye-opener. In 1947 Toyko, the limbs of a murdered woman are discovered in a locked bathroom. Her torso--covered with intricately beautiful tattoos by her late father, a highly controversial artist--is missing. A doctor finds the body, and his detective brother is put in charge of the case. They bumble around until the doctor's friend, jokingly called "Boy Genius," leads them to the murderer. Fans of golden-age mysteries by S. S. Van Dine and John Dickson Carr should enjoy this unusual combination of ingredients.

Book Description

Miss Kinue Nomura survived World War II only to be murdered in Tokyo, her severed limbs left behind. Gone is that part of her that bore one of the most beautiful full-body tattoos ever rendered by her late father. Kenzo Matsushita, a young doctor, must assist his detective brother who is in charge of the case, because he was Kinue's secret lover and the first person on the murder scene.

The Tattoo Murder Case was originally published in 1948; this is the first English translation.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbing Series of Murders.......2004-09-08

I like the post-war Tokyo setting of this story. References are made to the horrors and trauma of war suffered by former Japanese soldiers. It also describes the wide discrepancy between different groups of people as they hold onto wealth and status, or madly scramble to grab them. We also see glimpses of black market and yakuza life styles. The murders are creepy and disturbing, and the psycho-sexual world of tattoo customers is nicely underlined. I'm not sure I quite believe the Boy Genius as a viable character, but I'm going to read the other books by Akimitsu Takagi as they become available.

A classic........2002-06-25

Takagi's masterpiece combines the virtues of a mystery story that is in the same league as Conan Doyle's very best stories, with an intricate description and analysis of the effects of the second world war on Japanese society. The choice of the tattoo as leitmotiv was really a stroke of brilliance. On the one hand it plays a central part in the solving of the murder plot. Moreover, the taboo status that has surrounded the tattoo due to Western influences on the land of the rising sun, gives the (sexual) fascination of its admirers a metaphorical depth. As such, I disagree with a previous reviewer who saw Kenzo's ongoing fascination with Kinue as a manifestation of necrophilia. I feel it represents an expression of nostalgia to the pre-western "good old days".

In closing, the translator deserves some kudos for the excellent translation. The subtly inserted short explanations provide the novice with direct understanding with many concepts and the atmosphere of the original text has been carefully preserved.

Post War Dead Culture Intrigue.......2002-04-18

Akimitsu Takagi's The Tattoo Murder Case is a crime novel that fits comfortably into its genre. The nourish elements are all presenting the narrative. The troubled detective is following the trail of a crime that has inherent mystery surrounding both its perpetrator and its victim. But the novel is more enthralling than just these basic details. The detective, Kenzo, is locked in the culturally ruined Japan of post World War Two. The after effects of the Atomic Bomb are scattered throughout the narrative. This leaves a dark residual cast over all of the characters. The sense of a seedy underworld is revealed to reader as the narrative carries on. Another aspect that is uncovered is the sense that Kenzo is trapped in a necrophiliac relationship with the dead tattooed woman who has been stripped of her prized full body designs. This post-mortem aura surrounds all of the characters and draws parallels to the `dead' world in which they live. A strong commentary is made on the after effects of world war. Altogether it is a fantastically well crafted novel that will draw readers into an unfamiliar cultural moment and a mystery with uncertain outcome.

Intricate Portrayal of Art and History.......2002-04-09

Mythical and traditional history, present life and conditions in Japan, and ideals of beauty and art versus respectability appear embodied through the expertly designed tattoo on one of Takagi's characters. The Tattoo Murder Case is as intricately woven and colorful as the bewitching tattoo. The combination of the three tattoos create the mystery through illusion and provide the only clues to solve the case.

Takagi weaves together the cultural history of Japan and the reality of the recently defeated country. The art of tattoo and the ancient stories told through the art fascinate many of the characters and introduce the readers to an aspect of this country's culturally rich past. However, in present day, the practice of this art is illegal and hidden away in secret shops, and the art is not accepted in society. Bombed buildings and mentions of American soldiers and trucks illustrate the physical aspects of the defeat.

The actual detective in the story, Kyosuke Kamizu, steps forward rather late in the novel at a point at which the police and other characters involved are struggling with overwhelming frustration. The "boy genius" fills the role of a Sherlock Holmes character. Kamizu steps ahead of the other detective characters because he seems to fill both the characteristics of rationality and ideals of a romantic. Rationality and romanticism are both necessary in solving this case because it includes aspects of physics, illusion, and art.

Mesmerizing.......2002-03-08

In a concealed part of society in Japan where tattooed men and women still let their kimonos slip off to reveal their elaborate designs, Kenzo finds himself ensnared by the tattooed temptress Kinue shortly before her death. With beautiful snake imagery throughout the novel, from the cooler skin of a tattooed body resembling a "cold-blooded reptile" to the legend of the curse where the "snake eats the frog, the frog eats the slug, and the slug dissolves the snake," tattoos are disappearing from murder scenes with as much ease as a snake shedding its own skin. Obsessions abound as Kenzo and his police chief brother investigate, coming up with such suspects as Mr. Tattoo, also known as Professor Hayakawa, who persuades tattooed people to leave him their skins after their deaths; Ryokichi Usui, a member of the Most Wanted list; Takezo Mogami, the rich and overly-jealous lover of Kinue; and Tamae, Kinue's sister who disappeared during the world war. Finally turning to the "Boy Genius" Kyosuke, Kenzo and his brother are taught the importance of a good chess game and learn the secrets behind the locked room murder. The book tantalizes the senses with feelings of lust, intrigue in viewing banned tattoos, tastes of elaborate Japanese dishes, and the minds games between the killer and the investigators. The designs of the killer are as intricate and intriguing as the tattoos themselves; readers will be as "spellbound" by the novel as a "frog hypnotized by a voracious, gimlet-eyed snake."

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The Tattoo Murder Case
Akimitsu Takagi
Manufacturer: Soho
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MVOVJS

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Songs of the Dancing Gods: (#4)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Chalker, Jack L. | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Horrors of the Dancing Gods

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River of Dancing Gods

ASIN: 0345347994
Release Date: 1990-07-14

Book Description

The evil Dark Baron has escaped and joined forces in the far North with the Master of the Dead to theaten all of Husaquahr with enslavement. Only Joe can stop them -- but Joe is no longer quite himself. In fact, he's not sure who he is!

Dancing Gods: Part Two (Vengeance of the Dancing Gods & Songs of the Dancing God s) (The Dancing Gods , Part 2)

Average customer rating:

Great, fast reading, odd concepts
The Smoothest Fantasy Series I've ever read!

Dancing Gods: Part Two (Vengeance of the Dancing Gods & Songs of the Dancing God s) (The Dancing Gods , Part 2)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345407717
Release Date: 1996-10-30

Book Description

A FEW ALTERATIONS
Throckmorton P. Ruddygore, master wizard, had troubles--again!
Ruddygore had defeated the Dark Baron and exiled him from the magical realm of Husaquahr to Earth. But he hadn't counted on the Baron's using an earthly computer to create even more effective spells.
Of course, the Baron couldn't use those spells. But the forces of Hell soon sent him a second-rank wizard who could--and together they worked a scam so that Ruddygore couldn't cross the Sea of Dreams to deal with the Baron directly. Now the Baron was developing a scheme that would surely result in Armageddon before its time.
Once again Marge the fairy and Joe the barbarian were called upon to do the dirty work. They had to return to their home world and stop the Baron--if they could . . .
And that would be only the beginning of their assignment!
"A damn fine storyteller . . . Chalker is a master."
--Orson Scott Card

Customer Reviews:

Great, fast reading, odd concepts.......2003-09-26

This is a GREAT series from "The River of the Dancing Gods" to "Demons of the Dancing Gods" to "Vengance of the Dancing Gods". If you read those three and like them a lot, just go back to "River of the Dancing Gods", do not pass GO, do not buy "Songs of the Dancing Gods" (the fantasy fades into more drama than you want with a series like this), just go back to "River of the Dancing Gods" and read the trilogy again. I love thse books and recommend them to everyone I know. JACK, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, I HART THOSE BOOKS SOOOO MUCH.
-------- this much -------.

The Smoothest Fantasy Series I've ever read!.......1999-06-17

Litterally...smooth. There's nothing complicated about this series. This is one of those types that you just sit down and say "I really could care less." and start reading. It isn't deep. These were the two major emotions it set off in me: that feeling when you were an adventurous kid, wanting to run down a hill with a big sword to clobber some big mean monster so you could save the most beautiful girl (who you knew would want you in return), and WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD POSSIBLY COME NEXT. Don't try to outthink it, even though you might be able to. Don't go into it with expectations, they probably won't be met. Just read it with a smile and you won't be let down!

Songs of the Dancing Gods (The Dancing Gods Ser., Bk. 4)

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Songs of the Dancing Gods (The Dancing Gods Ser., Bk. 4)
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVFULO

The Dancing Gods: Vengeance of the Dancing Gods, Songs of the Dancing Gods

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The Dancing Gods: Vengeance of the Dancing Gods, Songs of the Dancing Gods
Jack L. Chalker
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVCX46

Customer Reviews:

Another grab-you action title by W.W. Johnstone.......1999-09-04

This is yet another installment of the well witten, but not always well-edited (not the author's fault) of the Ashes series. I personally think that Mr. Johnstone has developed some of the best characters in recent fiction. Bear in mind that there are now 20+ titile in the series and I wait on pins and needles for each one. Not many authors can keep a series going this long. Till Martians wipe out the Rebels, Make mine Ashes!

Just Ashes.......1998-09-16

"Betrayal" is less strident than Mr. Johnstone's work, but it is still difficult to read. Rather than draw interesting characters, Mr. Johnstone resorts to trite stereotypes. The protaganist, Ben Raines, offers the only shred of interest in the book. Apparently, he is a brilliant military leader who enjoys risking his life in commando-style warfare behind enemy lines. Anyone who has actual combat experience knows that even the most skilled soldier can have an unluckly day (and greatly shortened life). Given the number of "Ashes" books on the shelf, Mr. Raines has a career only found in comic books. Overall, "Betrayal" was a bit better than "Hunted" or "Breakdown." My only thought is that Mr. Johnstone has found a group of people who will buy his books... no matter what he writes. If so, he is a good salesman, but I cannot possibly describe him as a good writer.

Law of the Circle (Harlequin Romance, 129)

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Law of the Circle (Harlequin Romance, 129)

Manufacturer: Harlequin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Harlequin Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373171293

Product Description

Why do men Always confuse Sex and Love?

Average customer rating:

Not really what I was looking for as an intro to vegetarianism

A Great Primer on Vegetarianism

Definitely worth the money

A Good Introduction

Great Intro to Vegetarianism

Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginner's Guide
the Editors of Vegetarians Times
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0028603869

Book Description

Is there one book that can answer all of my questions about becoming a vegetarian? Yes, Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginner's Guide is the only book written for beginner vegetarians or anyone just thinking about becoming one. It's packed with information written by the editors of Vegetarian Times, the leading authorities on the subject. Below are just a few of the hundreds of questions this handy book will answer. Will I get enough protein if I don't eat meat? Do I have to eat salad every day? How does a vegetarian diet help to prevent disease? If I'm pregnant, is it safe to be a vegetarian? Will my vegetarian children get the nutrients they need from a meatless diet?

Customer Reviews:

Not really what I was looking for as an intro to vegetarianism.......2006-11-27

The authors made quite a lot of effort to say that they aren't being preachy, but this book definitely has an agenda, which put me off a bit. I wanted a book that described how to switch to a healthy, plant-based diet, including organic milk products and free-range eggs. But the book is geared more toward promoting a way of life - past vegetarianism, and into veganism, animal activism, recycling, exercise strategies, etc.

The book never says you have to do any of those things, but they are constantly thrown in, even with whole chapters devoted to what I would consider off-topic subjects. (For example, out of only 6 chapters, 1 is devoted to being "Compassionate, Clean, and Green.") Although I agree with many of the authors' ideas, I did not want them forced down my throat when I was simply trying to learn how to replace meat in my diet.

If you are interested in a lifestyle book that promotes the common beliefs of many vegetarians in addition to describing basic nutrition and providing vegan-friendly dishes, this book is for you. If, like me, you want a crash course in how to use and eat a variety of new grains and vegetables along with dairy and eggs, you might want to keep looking.

Update: I found "The New Becoming Vegetarian" by Vesanto Melina and would strongly recommend that book as a better purchase. "Being Vegetarian for Dummies" is a close second.

A Great Primer on Vegetarianism.......2005-07-29

I picked this book up at the local bookstore and was able to finish it in one day. It is a quick, easy read that is informative without preaching at you. It is full of information regarding vegetarianism and veganism. It is a great step for those who are thinking about being a vegetarian and is full of useful facts. There is also a great chapter regarding the myths people hold about vegetarians.

It also gets into some depth the animals that are being exploited in the food farms. This book discusses the horrors they live in their lives along with how they die. There is a great chapter about nutrition also. I recommend you pick up a copy of Erik Marcus' book "Vegan:The New Ethics of Eating" to delve into these issues. He gets into much greater detail and its important to all new vegetarians to arm yourself with good facts when others start judging your new decision.

Overall, its a great book. It has some yummy and easy recipes. The section on how to stock up your pantry is great. I wish I had that list when I first became a vegetarian. It has great tips on how to work with tofu which is helpful if you have never even touched the stuff before. Good Luck, its a good read and very interesting.

Definitely worth the money.......2004-03-28

Just purchased this book a few days ago and am very pleased. It is a quick and easy read, packed with a multitude of information. This book manages to hit all major areas of vegetarian concerns, outlining the basics and giving suggestions for further reading. This book is a great springboard for getting you started in your new diet and includes a wonderful, not too complicated menu section.

A Good Introduction.......2003-07-28

As the other reviewers have commented, it is a good introduction and has some very enticing recipes (which I haven't had an opportunity to try yet, but I will). And, in general, I agree with all of the things that they say.

However, the book is far from flawless. First of all, anytime that the book refers to sodium or cholesterol, they mean milligrams, not grams. This is a potentially fatal difference if you are not aware of what is going on. Secondly, unlike they did with fat, the authors did not point out the absolutely crucial nature of cholesterol. Being an animal fat, it isn't present in vegetables, but it is an important dietary supplement in very small amounts for the manufacture and maintenance of cell membranes. Thirdly, they make a true statement that excess protein in your diet can hamper calcium absorption, and can even promote calcium loss, but they fail to mention that you would have to eat such high amounts of protein that you would know that something was wrong. Amongst other disorders you would experience are gout and proteinuria, a shedding of excess proteins in the urine. At least the latter and most likely the former would occur before you would have to worry about osteoporosis as a result of excess protein. So, take what they say about protein with a grain of salt; follow USDA guidelines and you should be fit and healthy. Also, consult a doctor or dietician to determine your ideal amount of protein as well.

Other than that, an excellent book both for those considering the path and those who have recently begun to travel it. I shall pass it on.
...

Great Intro to Vegetarianism.......2001-12-31

This is a great book to introduce you to vegetarianism. It starts off by giving you some reasons to go vegetarianism without being preachy or judgmental. It then debunks some of the myths and worries you may have about vegetarianism as well as educates you on what you'll need to know to eat healthy on a vegetarian diet. The comic drawings throughout are great, too. There's a section on stocking your pantry, followed by a section full of enticing recipes. The book ends with some other related issues that may or may not have factored into your decision to become a vegetarian (such as animal rights or animal welfare and environmental protection). Again, the authors don't preach or push. They leave it up to you to decide how far you want to go with things and what your underlying motivations are. There is also a section on vegetarianism if you're not the "average American" (i.e. you're pregnant, a teenager, a child, etc.). This is a wonderful book that manages to give a lot of information and help for beginning vegetarians without being overwhelming or confusing.

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Vegetarian Beginner's Guide
Vegetarian Times
Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UTHFC2

Customer Reviews:

If you can only buy one, this is the ONE!!.......2001-10-15

Unsurpassed information on the CKCS--all cav lovers must read this book!!

Very informative and up to date.......1999-11-26

This book is full of great advice for anyone from a novice Cav. owner to serious exhibitor and breeder. Beautifully illustrated with an excellent chapter on grooming with progressive photos.

Loved It.......1999-07-09

Outstanding book. Excellent pictures and good information on nearly all aspects of the Cavalier. The best I've seen on this breed. I'm impressed.

Average customer rating:

design and make curtains and drapes

Okay for Basic Curtains

Design & Make Curtains & Drapes
Heather Luke
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0882668501

Book Description

More than 25 window treatment projects including fully-illustrated instructions for layered silk sheers, embroidered linen drapes, heavyweight door curtains, and more.

Customer Reviews:

design and make curtains and drapes.......2004-07-21

This a good beginners book. It gives a lot of good basic instructions. The pictures and directions are clear and easy in understand. And although it does seem to focus a bit on hand sewing instead of the machine, there is no reason why you can't use either one to make your curtains. I especially like the large full color photos of the finished products.

Okay for Basic Curtains.......2000-04-03

This book was okay for examples of basic drapes without valances. Emphasis was on hand sewing techniques instead of machine sewing. I can't speak for the reader of this review but I use the machine for practically everything. Also, not much instruction or examples of decorative embellishments which lift a drape from bland to something special. Bottomline: Okay if you wish to make simple drapes (by HAND) without swags, jabots, valances, etc. If you are looking for something more -- purchase another book.

Mini dressings for mini rooms: How to make curtains, drapes, bedspreads, and other accessories for the bedroom

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Mini dressings for mini rooms: How to make curtains, drapes, bedspreads, and other accessories for the bedroom
Jackie Stephens
Manufacturer: Craft Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00070I37A

Book Description

From pale yellows to bright, orange-yellows, it is a color that can be found in many of today's households. Yellow in every room of the house is explored in this volume of top-level interior-design work. Interiors in Yellow will inspire you to try the color yellow in new and innovative ways in your home.

Each of the lush, beautiful books in the Interiors series presents a variety of rooms in the featured color. See how professional designers handle color in a room, whether it be full washes of rich color on the walls or intricate printed patterns in the upholstery. Each book includes examples of color in every room of the home-kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms-in every style-Country, Contemporary, and Victorian. Use these affordable volumes as references to make the most out of color in your home.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Decorating On A Grand Scale.......1999-09-12

Gorgeous photos of majestic rooms and homes. I had no business buying this book, can never hope to achieve the overall level here, but HAD to have it! Look closely at the details to pick up some fabulous ideas to fit into your real-life home. Good book to have on hand in case you win the lotto!

Yellow Canary Uranium Deposits, Daggett County, Utah. United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey Circular, No. 312

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Yellow Canary Uranium Deposits, Daggett County, Utah. United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey Circular, No. 312
V. R. Wilmarth
Manufacturer: Washington
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Fundamental flashback, blowoff, and yellow-tip limits of fuel gas-air mixtures: By Joseph Grumer, Margaret E. Harris, and Valeria R. Rowe (Report of investigations ... Dept. of the Interior. Bureau of Mines)

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Fundamental flashback, blowoff, and yellow-tip limits of fuel gas-air mixtures: By Joseph Grumer, Margaret E. Harris, and Valeria R. Rowe (Report of investigations ... Dept. of the Interior. Bureau of Mines)
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Investigation of the Yellow Pine zinc-lead mine, Clark County, Nev (Report of investigations / United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines)
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Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
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Open-file report / United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey

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Open-file report / United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey
James A Erdman
Manufacturer: U.S. Geological Survey
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Tectonics of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea (Open file report / United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey)

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Tectonics of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea (Open file report / United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey)
Hsiang-lung Chin
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Yellow Rose: 5 1/4" X 8 1/2" Lightly Ruled, Features Both Old Testament and New Testament Scripture on Each Interior Page, Stain Re

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Yellow starthistle : AKA:Centaurea solstitialis : a menace to the west! (SuDoc I 53.2:Y 3/4)
U.S. Dept of Interior
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management]
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Binding: Unknown Binding
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Book Description

Clamshelled package includes a 4 inch PVC figure of General Halftrack with a 5` x 8`, 128 page black & white collection of strips featuring him!

Book Description

She was a black woman, and she flouted convention. In an age that put ladies in the parlor and preferred them to be seen and not heard, she was nursing the British wounded, not in hospital wards with Florence Nightingale but on the Crimean battlefields—and off them, she was running a restaurant and hotel. She purveyed homemade pickles in England; she mined for gold in Panama. For unabashed individuality, Mary Jane Grant Seacole knew no peer. Yet Punch, the Times, the Illustrated London News all ardently touted her, and Queen Victoria herself entertained her. Mary Seacole—childless widow of Horatio Nelson’s godson and “good ole Mother Seacole” to the soldiers at Sebastopol—was Britain’s first black heroine, and this robust, engaging biography by social historian Jane Robinson shows why. In a narrative driven by colorful adventure, Robinson charts Seacole’s amazing odyssey from her native Kingston, Jamaica, to her adopted London, via Panama, where she lent her doctoring and nursing skills to catastrophic outbreaks of cholera and yellow fever, and the Crimea, where she founded the famous British Hotel. Seacole makes numerous other eventful stops along the way, and everywhere, even in the face of disappointment, disaster, and loss, her indomitable spirit prevails.

Customer Reviews:

Not academic, but VERY interesting!.......2007-05-22

This was an interesting read on a woman of color who was clearly passionate about her mission. However, I could've done without some of the rather highly subjective opinions the author intersperced throughout the book. I felt doing that brought the credibility down a notch. Who cares about the 'catfight' mentality between Mary and Lola Montez? However, I am glad that the author exposed Florence Nightingale for the self-righteous racist she was!

I would not recommend this book for any serious historian or in a classroom, but for just independing study and an interesting read suited to 21st century tastes, then it's got what you're looking for....

A Great Britain.......2006-01-18

I used to think the surname of Mary Seacole (1805-1881) was a slave-name. Imagine my surprise when I opened this captivating new biography and discovered she born Mary Grant, and married Edwin Horatio Hamilton Seacole - who was probably an illegitimate son of Admiral Lord Nelson.
Jane Robinson's unravelling of Mary's own illegitimate roots in Jamaica is also fascinating. Frustrating though Jamaica can be, however, writing of Mary's mother, `perhaps she was Jane, Mary's middle name' and then proceeding to call her Jane throughout, is naughty.
Not much is known about Mary, but what there is amply justifies this otherwise splendid biography. Motivated by a passion to be useful - and rich - Mary followed in her mother's footsteps by opening a hospital-hotel dispensing native remedies near Sevastopol, in 1855, to tend to the British soldiers in the Crimean War. By dispensing booze with her herbal medicines, she earned Florence Nightingale's opprobrium. But the common soldiers whom she mothered loved her, as did some high-ranking officers related to Queen Victoria. Despite short-term bankruptcy caused by the end of the war, Mary thus became medicinal `rubber' to the future Queen Alexandra. The soldiers held a benefit festival for her too, and she raised further funds by writing a best-selling autobiography.
The 19th century contained many obstacles that stopped mixed-race women from achieving ambitions. Mary overcame many - yet ultimately it was white Florence, not black Mary, who became the heroine of the Crimea. Recently, though, Africa has reclaimed her as a role-model. When Patrick Vernon, whom I interviewed in November's edition of this magazine, created his 100 Great Black Britains poll in 2003 (www.100greatblackbritons.com), Mary Seacole won.

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