Resurrection Row

Book Description

What an odd sight! The dead body of a peer of the realm sitting upright in an empty hansom cab. He had been decently buried once before, Inspector Pitt knew. There was something terrible amiss. Despite doctor's claims of death by natural causes, Pitt insisted on serious digging to unearth the truth--even if it killed him.

Customer Reviews:

Thomas and Charlotte Pitt vs. Grave Robbers.......2007-08-07

Resurrection Row, by Anne Perry, is the fourth entry in the very solid Victorian England mystery series featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. This book features a very solid case involving grave diggers and a good deal of gallow;s humor. This is a very enjoyable series as written by a gifted author who provided a great sense of place and setting.

This book is a solid three (3) star read. Great for series continuity and the growth of the Thomas and Charlotte relationship.

plotholes.......2006-02-01

Anne Perry can write some pretty decent mysteries but this isn't one. At the denoument of the best Agatha Christie mysteries, with a gasp of epiphany we suddenly see all the pieces fall into place - the psychological clues we had dismissed, the ironies we underestimated, the character interrelationships that had been only hinted at - and it all makes sense; we are embarassed when we realize the solution was unique. In Resurrection Row, the disinterment of the bodies is a very brilliant and daring introduction to the mystery, but the relationship to the murder could have been much more cogent and psychologically compelling (vengeful intent to embarass,religious zeal, etc), rather than almost an afterthought. Moreover, the rationale for the disinterments was flimsy and the murder could have been concealed much more easily and intelligently other than by this particular conceit.

Ghoulish Humor Amid Victorian Hypocrisy.......2005-09-28

Seldom do I remember laughing aloud at ghoulish humor . . . but this book caused me to do so several times.

While most of the novels in this distinguished series feature the mannerly side of Victorian England, Resurrection Row shifts its focus to an unusually intriguing mystery. Out of the fog, a seemingly drunken hansom driver looms. Upon further inspection, the "cabbie" turns out to be a "deadie" . . . a recently unearthed corpse. Why would anyone do that? From that premise, the mystery deepens in tantalizing ways.

In the background, Ms. Perry also looks more closely at the plight of the working poor and the upper class hypocrisy towards the poor and sexuality.

Many readers have come to depend on finding a central role for Thomas Pitts' wife, Charlotte, in this series. Charlotte is clearly off center stage in this one. Her main connection is to her former brother-in-law who becomes a potential suspect in the case.

The story meanders a bit away from the mystery through long red herrings in the book's middle. Had that part been edited down, I would have thought this was a five-star mystery.

As it is, Resurrection Row is great fun . . . unless you don't enjoy any aspect of ghoulish humor.

Another Hit in the Pitt Series.......2005-05-27

I am really enjoying the Charlotte and Pitt series - the mixture of social conscience and crime. They are both lovable characters. I really enjoy Aunt Vespasia's role in Perry's books, she seems to be someone I would rather enjoy knowing. A great read, for those who haven't read these in order, I would highly suggest it, I look forward to seeing what Charlotte, Emily, Dominic and the rest are up to in each novel.

Read in One Day.......2004-10-12

This book was so good I just couldn't put it down. So many bodies, so little graves. I enjoy Thomas and Charlotte so much. He doesn't let the "upper crust" get the best of him and he tries to put his personal feelings behind when he is trying to solve a murder plot. I like the way Thomas and Charlotte talk to each other and she helps him see things in a different way. I enjoyed the plot and for the first time I guessed who the murderer was (only because of a clue read in the linees). I like the fact that the series goes along as their lives do and their daughter is growing and their family is moving along also. I was just a little bit disappointed that there wasn't more about Emily's new son,especially since Dominic was someone they both knew. But that is so small its hardly worth mentioning.

Average customer rating:

Resurrection Row
Anne PERRY
Manufacturer: St. Martin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OPDTIG

Average customer rating:

Resurrection Row 1ST Edition
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UD527S

Average customer rating:

Resurrection Row 1ST Edition
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SO5PXA

Resurrection Row : Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Mysteries #4

Average customer rating:

Resurrection Row : Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Mysteries #4
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: Recorded Books, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Mystery & Thrillers | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0788798731

Product Description

7 CDs Fourth in the series of Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mysteries, Anne Perrys Resurrection Row explores the dark undercurrents that run through the lives of the idle rich in Victorian England. After a wonderful night at the theatre, Thomas and Charlotte find themselves confronted with a corpse in the drivers seat of a hansom cab. Even more shockingit is the body of a peer of the realm who had been decently buried the week before. While the doctor insists Lord Fitzroy-Hammond died a natural death, the Pitts find the situation anything but natural. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Inspector Pitt begins his investigation within the proper channels while his intrepid wife Charlotte renews a tie from her past to get inside Lord Fitzroy-Hammonds world. But as they dig their way closer the truth, they find themselves in danger from forces who will do anything to keep it buried.

4 Titles in Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Series - The Cater Street Hangman - Callander Square - Paragon Walk - Resurrection Row

Average customer rating:

4 Titles in Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Series - The Cater Street Hangman - Callander Square - Paragon Walk - Resurrection Row
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000L9S7ZU

Product Description

4 massmarket Titles in Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Series - The Cater Street Hangman - Callander Square - Paragon Walk - Resurrection Row

6 Titles By Anne Perry Charlotte and Inspector Thomas Pitt Series : The Cater Street Hangman Callander Square Resurrection Row Death in the Devil's Acre Silence in Hanover Close Belgrave Square

Average customer rating:

6 Titles By Anne Perry Charlotte and Inspector Thomas Pitt Series : The Cater Street Hangman Callander Square Resurrection Row Death in the Devil's Acre Silence in Hanover Close Belgrave Square
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Product Description

multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

The historical evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Present day tracts on subjects of Christian evidence, doctrine and morals)

Average customer rating:

The historical evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Present day tracts on subjects of Christian evidence, doctrine and morals)
C. A Row
Manufacturer: Religious Tract Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008B0BUU

Average customer rating:

RESURRECTION ROW
Anne Perry
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTLUBU

Average customer rating:

RESURRECTION ROW
ANNE PERRY
Manufacturer: ST MARTIN'S
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VIHU04

Average customer rating:

I'm Mall Shook Up

hysterically funny tale of magic run loose in mall
Mall Purchase Night
Rick Cook
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Cook, Rick | ( C ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Limbo System

The Wiz Biz II: Cursed & Consulted (Wiz Biz)

The Wizardry Cursed

The WIZARDRY COMPILED

Wizard's Bane

ASIN: 0671721984

Customer Reviews:

I'm Mall Shook Up.......2002-03-14

When eerie events at the Black Oak Mall create a vacancy in the security guards, ex-cop Andy Westin shows up. Andy is a good guy, who has left the L.A. Police force because of the corruption and the violence. Being a mall guard doesn't pay a lot, but he is looking forward to being more at peace than he has in a long time. What Andy doesn't know is that the Mall is sitting right on top of an entrance to Faerie and his troubles are just about to begin.

Judy Cohen is a shop owner at the mall. She runs a little place called 'BellBookand' which, naturally, is a candle store. Business isn't great, but Judy is a positive thinker, and besides, she is also a practicing witch. Andy meets Judy, they really like each other, but Andy gets the whim-whams every time Judy mentions witchcraft. He also gets discomfited when little critters start to appear and disappear at the mall and when a ghost driven skateboard takes a shot at him. He really gets uptight when a beautiful elf woman appears and lays a spell on him. Even more so when Judy removes the spell and gives the elf a rash.

Kemper Cogswell owns the mall and is determined to sell it. He has visions of running for office and needs the profits from the mall to fund his race. He has a Japanese firm almost ready to buy the Mall, but is beginning to realize that these conservative clients may find mysterious rats that eat plastic coat hangers a little too strange. Kemper issues orders that the weird has to stop and Andy finds himself messing with elves, brownies, drug dealers, air guitarists, thieves, a crazy news reporter, and even an ice troll. Even with Judy helping, this is not the job of his dreams.

Rick Cook has been writing light fantasy for some time now, and has a solid reputation. While he is no Tom Holt or Terry Pratchett, he is a good writer with the ability to pull off a nifty sight gag and the occasional over the top pun (this book's masterpiece, outside of the title, is 'I think it was a chocolate covered brownie"). Humor is a precious commodity at any time, and Rick Cook adds to the world's balance with a quirky story of magic that is half in the world and half out of it. Just avoid the fur safe and stay out of the way of the skateboards.

hysterically funny tale of magic run loose in mall.......1999-11-17

hard to believe that no one else read and reviewed this book. i'm buying a second copy for a friend that needs a good laugh and this is right up on the list. magic invades the mall just as the japanese are trying to buy it, and the bad magic is trying to take over for it's own purposes. prepare to laugh until your stomuch hurts!

Average customer rating:

Very helpful

10 STEPS TO PARADISE

Excellent book if you have hashimotos

Most Comprehensive Book on Thyroid Disease

HIGH QUALITY INFORMATION

Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health
Richard Shames , and Karilee H. Shames
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Special Conditions | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know (Revised Edition)

Feeling Fat, Fuzzy or Frazzled? : A 3-Step Program to: Beat Hormone Havoc, Restore Thyroid, Adrenal, and Reproductive Balance, and Feel Better Fast!

The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results

The Thyroid Solution: A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health

Accessories:

Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

ASIN: 0060082224
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Amazon.com

Depressed, overworked, or just feelin' old are common enough complaints. But when disparate symptoms such as joint pain, weight gain, and foggy-headedness join the ranks, it's time to think thyroid. As the "throttle" for the body's energy hormones, the thyroid affects every organ and cell; when it's in trouble, any variety of ailments--physical and mental--can occur. Trouble is, physicians are more likely to treat each symptom independently, with pill upon pill, rather than search for a root cause. Bolstered by 25 years of treating patients with low thyroid condition, husband-and-wife team Richard L. Shames, M.D., and Karilee H. Shames, R.N., Ph.D., ably explain the physical and emotional profiles of those diagnosed with the disease, why the proverbial deck is stacked against them, and how each patient can forge an effective path of treatment.

"Consider Thyroid Power a long, personal visit with a caring, prevention-oriented practitioner," state the authors. The journey begins with thyroid basics: how this little hormone-producing tissue operates, signs that things are amiss, how other illnesses compound the problem, and how to determine one's risk for hypothyroidism. Next, the Shameses discuss the labyrinth of diagnostic and treatment issues a patient must endure. Helpful and harmful supplements and environmental factors, repairing the immune system (the origin of thyroid troubles), and a rich, sensitive exploration of holistic healing nicely round out this valuable resource. A brief section titled "Show This to Your Doctor," penned by Richard, perfectly crystallizes the book and provides an effective tool for initiating a patient/physician dialogue. --Liane Thomas

Book Description

Fatigue; weight gain; depression; arthritis; high cholestrol; low sex drive; skin, digestive, and female problems; abnormal blood pressure -- all may be symptoms of low thyroid, one of the most misdiagnosed disorders in America.

Thyroid Power can help you determine whether you're one of the millions who suffer from low thyroid. It discusses food, vitamins, and natural remedies that support thyroid health;explains how to avoid environmental and emotional triggers; and offers tips from thyroid support groups. By following this clear 10-step program and working with your health practitioner, you can channel the incredible power of your thyroid into greater health and well-being.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful.......2007-06-27

I knew my infant son had a thyroid problem, my only problem was convincing the doctors there was a problem. This book is packet with great information and really got me up to speed on the thyroid. The only problem I had with the book was that there wasn't a section dedicated to pediatric thyroid problems and it doesn't list specific ranges for where the thyroid levels should be. Still this helped me do battle with the doctors and I got my son's treatment started.

10 STEPS TO PARADISE.......2007-06-20

I bought this book for my mother who had been diagnosed with thyroid problems. She was so relieved that outside of the quick treatment in the endocrinologist's office, she could, at her leisure, absorb the seriousness of her disease, be reassured she was not alone, and most of all that there were many others just like her ailing but with a road map to new health by truding the road to wellness together by following the ten steps in this book. With renewed determination, she is already onto step one and looking to step two.

Excellent book if you have hashimotos.......2007-06-14

I have been diagnosed with hashimotos for over 12months now and have been buying, borrowing and reading every book I can get my hands on. This book is the best of all I have read. It very comprehensively covers blending traditional medical solutions with "alternative" therapies to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

Most Comprehensive Book on Thyroid Disease.......2007-01-18

I have read many, many books on hypothyroidism including most of the ones rated as five stars by Amazon.com. This book was the most comprehensive and informative of all of the books I've read. If you're going to read one book, read this one. Not only does it discuss the thyroid and its complications and affect on all body systems, but it goes into detail about blood test levels, tests you should have, mind/body healing, a diet to follow, the level of vitamins and minerals we need on a daily basis, etc. I am the kind of person who needs and likes to have all of the information I can access to help myself. Although I have finally found a doctor that knows as much as me, - for years, I did not. Now my doctor and I share information.

If you have a thyroid problem, this book is well worth your time.

HIGH QUALITY INFORMATION.......2007-01-04

This book has very good discussion on the treatment of (usually) hypothyroid conditions. It tells you how to deal with marginal or non-indicating blood tests, usage habits, etc. I value this book.

Average customer rating:

Returning book immediately

Disappointing at best.....

Get Smokin': 190 Award-Winning Smoker Oven Recipes
Editors at Cookshack
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Canning & Preserving | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Barbecuing & Grilling | Outdoor Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Outdoor Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Smoked-Foods Cookbook: How to Flavor, Cure, and Prepare Savory Meats, Game, Fish, Nuts, and Cheese

Still Smokin: More then 150 New Recipes for Savory Smoke-Cooked Dishes

Home Book of Smoke Cooking: Meat, Fish & Game

Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor : Real Barbecue--The Tastier Alternative to Grilling

Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology

ASIN: 0762410078

Customer Reviews:

Returning book immediately.......2006-05-03

I ordered this book hoping to find some good recipes for BBQing but instead I found a book that would you give part of the recipe and then you need the secret ingredient, cookshack's rib rub. Most of the recipes require you to order different types of rubs from cookshack instead of giving you the information needed to make the rub.

Disappointing at best............2001-08-07

I purchased a Cookshack smoker over 5 years ago and have experimented with it off and on. While I realize that barbeque is more art than science, I have been frustrated by the lack of information on just how much wood to use with particular recipes. I pre-ordered this book in anticipation of learning some secrets and tricks in the use of the Cookshack smoker. I waited for more than a month for delivery of the book and upon receipt of it, I eagerly delved into it looking for answers to my many questions. To my great disappointment, this book offered absolutely no information that I hadn't learned from trial and error. How much wood should I use? The book suggests that I consult the Cookshack Operator's Manual. There are some general guidelines but the guidelines don't tell you what amount of wood works best with what amount of food. Although I have had some delicious food from the Cookshack, if I am cooking for guests, I use my Brinkmann smoker as I am more confident that the food will be cooked to perfection. The water smoker takes longer, but is more forgiving than the sealed, dry smoking Cookshack. People who like to smoke fish will find 48 pages of recipes. If you prefer beef or pork, the list is much smaller, 16 and 15 pages respectively. There are also small sections dedicated to sausages, lamb and game. In short, this is a book that should have been a digest for Cookshack owners and prospective buyers. At best, it is a generic guide for smoking recipes. It doesn't promote the product line and it isn't a worthwhile choice for anyone new to smoking foods.

Average customer rating:
Rosy, Rubber, and Sand Boas (Reptile and Amphibian Keeper's Guide)
R.D. Bartlett
Manufacturer: Barron''s Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Designer Reptiles and Amphibians: Advice on purchase and selective breeding of color morphs that display unusual patterns

What's Wrong With My Snake? A User-Friendly Home Medical Reference Manual (The Herpetocultural Library) (The Herpetocultural Library)

Rainbow Boas and Neotropical Tree Boas (Reptile and Amphibian Keeper's Guide)

Incubation of Reptile Eggs: Basics, Guidelines, Experiences

Boas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

ASIN: 0764132008

Book Description

Titles in the Reptile and Amphibian Keeper's Guides series instruct in all aspects of housing, feeding, breeding, and general maintenance of reptiles and amphibians. This guide deals with three varieties of terrestrial and fossorial snakes. Two varieties are from the southwest United States and Mexico, while the third (sand boas) are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Detailed information on keeping these constrictor snakes is supplemented with a wealth of instructive color photos.

Customer Reviews:

Collectible Cats, an Identification and Value Guide.......2005-01-19

This is a good book for what it is. Obviously one person did not agree and ranted on and on...and on about the book's mistakes. Errors are made to be corrected and Ms.Fyke is more than gracious about corrections in future publications. She is a lovely lady who truly loves cats, any and all cats and should be applauded for her dedication.

P.S........2001-11-28

And may I elaborate a little more? Boyd cats are marked with a big B and Mosser cats with an M. How she missed seeing these beacons of identity is beyond me. For example, the crouching cat she identified as BOYD is Mosser with an obvious M imprinted on the pontil and/or rump. The kitten on pillow (by BOYD) came in 46 colors . She writes that the example is a hard to find color. What color is it? What are the other colors?

This book is a waste of money. I would try to sell it but would not want to spread false, erroneous information to the well-meaning reader collector of cute collectible kitties! =^..^=

=^..^= What a Disappointment =^..^=.......2001-11-24

I was all excited to receive this book by Marbena "Jean" Fyke since I collect cat collectibles (mostly glass) and just as disappointed to see what is truly was-a subpar amateurish pseudo-compendium of mish mash.

For example, in the glass section (which I happen to be knowledgable about since I have 500+ pieces of glass cats) there were so many errors! For example, there are six glass cats shown on page 33. They are identifed as such: "may have been made by Boyd Glass or possibly Mosser Glass." Both companies are alive and well in Cambridge Ohio and can be telephoned quite easily to find out who owns this mould. (Mosser is still making these cats.) Then on page 30 is a blue milk glass cat on drum made by "Derteux." IT WAS MADE BY PORTIEUX! And this piece also came in white milk glass but no where is that mentioned. THEN on page 31 is a plate that is readily available and no hint as to the producer is given. Could the author not have called glass companies or even collectors to find out who made what? This is a "an identification and value guide" to "collectible cats." Who wants "maybe" info??? Not I.

Overall, many of the pictures are of poor quality-grainy, dark or blurry. Many idenitifcations are erroneous (as I mentioned) and the information about them is almost non-existant. Why not identify the producer, color, give measurements, material, anything!?! Without that info, I wonder how the author can venture a monetary value on an object she does not even know the name of! A six year old could make a better book report out of less.

I do not know why this author wrote this book as it is clear she is not all that educated about her topic.

Save your money for another collectible not this book. You would be doing yourself a favor! And adding to your collection at the same time.

Collectible Cats an Identification & Value Guide.......2001-11-18

I thought this book was very good. It has tons of color pictures to reference your collections. The book covers wide variety of cat collectible pieces, however I found it disappointing that the descriptions of pieces are somewhat vague. Otherwise I would have given her a 5 star. I would recommend to cat collectors. I find myself keeping it nearby for a quick look since I am always on the search for my next cat collectible purchase. I am looking forward to book three if there will be one.

Average customer rating:
The Sustainable Vegetable Garden: A Backyard Guide to Healthy Soil and Higher Yields
John Jeavons , and Carol Cox
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Organic | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Vegetables | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops)

Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long

Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners

The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)

ASIN: 1580080162

Book Description

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

A New York Times Notable Book of 2002!

"Alexander's significant, welcome book gives us so much to think about in the moving story of two people, trying to find their way into the world and each other's lives"
—The New York Times Book Review

"An engaging study of the couple's courtship and marriage in light of the social customs of the period, both within and outside the African American community. . . Highly recommended."
—Library Journal, starred review

"Tells a fascinating tale of two compelling figures whose lives were intriguing, at times harrowing, and in many ways tragic. At the same time, Alexander investigates a broader topic. . .A riveting narrative."
—Martha Hodes

Sexism, racism, self-hatred, and romantic love: all figure in prominently in this scholarly-but nicely hard-boiled-discussion of the bond between the famous Paul Laurence Dunbar and his wife Alice. Eleanor Alexander's analysis of turn-of-the-twentieth-century black marriage is required reading for every student of American, especially African-American, heterosexual relationships."
—Nell Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, Princeton UniversityAuthor of Sojourner Truth, A Life, A Symbol

"Rich in documentation and generous in analysis, Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow advances our understanding of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century African American social and cultural history in compelling and unexpected ways. By exposing the devastating consequences of unequal power dynamics and gender relations in the union of the celebrated writers, Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Ruth Moore, and by examining the hidden underside of the Dunbars' storybook romance where alcohol, sex, and violence prove fatal, Eleanor Alexander produces a provocative, nuanced interpretation of late Victorian courtship and marriage, of post-emancipation racial respectability and class mobility, of pre-modern sexual rituals and color conventions in an emergent elite black society."
—Thadious M. Davis, Vanderbilt University

"Eleanor Alexander's vivid account of the most famous black writer of his day, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and his wife Alice, illuminates the world of the African American literati at the opening of the twentieth century. The Dunbars' fairy-tale romance ended abruptly, when Alice walked out on her alcoholic, abusive spouse. Alexander's access to scores of intimate letters and her sensitive interpretation of the Dunbars mercurial highs and lows reveal the tragic consequences of mixing alcohol, ambition and amour. The Dunbars were precursors for another doomed duo: Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Alexander's poignant story of the Dunbars sheds important light on love and violence among DuBois's "talented tenth."
—Catherine Clinton, author of Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars

" Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow debunks Dunbar myths... Lyrics asks us to consider the ways in which racism and sexism operate together."
— The CrisisOn February 10, 1906, Alice Ruth Moore, estranged wife of renowned early twentieth-century poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, boarded a streetcar, settled comfortably into her seat, and opened her newspaper to learn of her husband's death the day before. Paul Laurence Dunbar, son of former slaves, whom Frederick Douglass had dubbed "the most promising young colored man in America," was dead from tuberculosis at the age of 33.

Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow traces the tempestuous romance of America's most noted African-American literary couple. Drawing on a variety of love letters, diaries, journals, and autobiographies, Eleanor Alexander vividly recounts Dunbar's and Moore's tumultuous affair, from a courtship conducted almost entirely through letters and an elopement brought on by Dunbar's brutal, drunken rape of Moore, through their passionate marriage and its eventual violent dissolution in 1902. Moore, once having left Dunbar, rejected his every entreaty to return to him, responding to his many letters only once, with a blunt, one-word telegram ("No").

This is a remarkable story of tragic romance among African-American elites struggling to define themselves and their relationships within the context of post-slavery America. As such, it provides a timely examination of the ways in which cultural ideology and politics shape and complicate conceptions of romantic love.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Analysis of Race and Gender Relations.......2005-11-10

I think that this book was excellent in that it provides a foundation for finding new ways to analyze history, seeing as how the history we are generally taught excludes people who were not members of mainstream society. A history that only focuses on mainstream society does not represent all of society and almost behaves as if other people did not exist or play major roles. Eleanor Alexander acknowledged that while there was not much documentation on the courtship and relations of the African American middle class, she was trying to start from the limited sources that werre available to provide a new perspective. In addition, this novel touched upon some very real issues that are known but underplayed, including the racism and self-hatred that was very prevalent among black people and the patriarchal society supported sexism that degraded the value of women. Eleanor Alexander never once claimed that her ideas were facts, but she provided valid reasons to support her claims. For example, she explained the fact that Alice's history is undocumented but she allowed room for the possibility that Alice may have unofficially told of her own history in her short stories. She also presented proof in Alice's own words that Alice disliked darker-skinned blacks and that Paul, a dark-skinned black who exhibited self-hatred because of his color, disliked yet desired light-skinned women, the closest to the American definition of beauty, a white woman. Alexander posed questions that would make the reader think "Was this a possible factor?" However, she did not attack Alice or Paul or make claims that could not be validated. Perhaps she may have appeared critical in her analysis of Paul and Alice and even society as a whole, but most importantly, she was objective. She did not make up things that were not true, and perhaps learning the negative truths about someone as famous as Paul Laurence Dunbar or his wife is unpleasing, but I appreciate her honesty. Another magnificent thing about this book is its analysis of gender relations and some of the practices that still exist today. The past does shape the present, and an excellent example she used was of rape and how society attributed more blame to the woman, as if the woman somehow did something to deserve it, and that is still a widespread problem today. Therefore, it is important that we are provided with an encompassing presentation of history that allows us to see how many problems arose in the past and why they are still perpetuated today. Like any writer, she has the right to present her ideas, and she deserves credit for the fact that she presented them with documented primary sources that urge us to consider at the very least the possible validity of her claims.
It is understandable if one says that she scratched upon surfaces that she did not follow through deeply, but it is important to keep in mind that she stated repeatedly that there was limited documentation and that she was merely trying to provide new possibilies that would stir more people to follow her lead and delve deeper.

Not what I was looking for.......2005-08-20

I wanted to read a book about Paul and Alice Dunbar after reading some of their love poems and love letters to each other. I always found them a joy to read. I felt like the author analyzed too much in the book, to physiological for me. It almost seems like the author had something personal against Alice. It was always some physiological reason why Paul acted the way he did. Alice was portrayed as being stuck up because she was light skinned who thought she was better then dark-skinned people even though she married Paul who was dark-skinned. The fiction books that Alice wrote, the author took them to mean that is what Alice really thought, so I guess that mean that all fiction books are really nonfiction. How can you know what a person really think about something, unless you are that person? This view on Alice and Paul was not what I was looking for. I did learn some things about the black culture of that time.

Close, but no Cigar.......2002-08-28

This book is riveting and provided fascinating new information about Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Moore Dunbar. At the same time, it scratches the surface in too many places, relying on feminist cliches instead of substantive analysis. This is clearly a dissertation that was published with out the skilled editing that allows the author to reach new conclusions. Too many times, I feel that a window had been opened for me to get a glimpse into lives, then swung shut before insights had been fully explored.

Two Talented People - One Tragic Story.......2001-09-23

Paul Laurence Dunbar was a magnificent poet who is not known as well as he should be today. Alice Moore is a fascinating woman who deserves to be remembered in her own right. Together they would have seemed to be the perfect couple, living charmed lives. Sadly, their relationship was far from perfect. This book enables us to understand the forces that made these two talented people what they were, that drew them together, and that pulled them apart. Too often, African-American history deals only with slavery in the past and urban poverty in the present. This book shows the "ebony elite" that is too little known, in both its proudest and most difficult aspects. It is a fascinating story of individuals and of the culture that impacted their lives in many unfortunate ways. A compelling story, well-written.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books