Book Description
Meet Judge Dee, the detective lauded as the "Sherlock Holmes of ancient China"
Fans of Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series will thrill to this reissue of the first volume in Robert van Gulik's classic Chinese Murders series.
The Chinese Bell Murders introduces the great Judge Dee, a magistrate of the city of Poo-yang in ancient China.
In the spirit of ancient Chinese detective novels, Judge Dee is challenged by three cases. First, he must solve the mysterious murder of Pure Jade, a young girl living on Half Moon Street. All the evidence points to the guilt of her lover, but Judge Dee has his doubts. Dee also solves the mystery of a deserted temple and that of a group of monks' terrific success with a cure for barren women.
Customer Reviews:
very fun read, very unrealistic.......2007-09-04
I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them. However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing. The truth is almost the exact opposite.
If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had no consistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior. The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.
Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace. The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed. For serious offenses against the state, thousands of families could all be executed.
Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court. In reality, this was never done (as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court). Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.
Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc). They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times. It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal. They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.
The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normallyeuphemism - binding their feet). From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also. 10% of girls probably died from this treatment.
Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.' A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.
We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times. In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art. But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.
So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.
A Wonderful Read .......2007-02-07
The Judge Dee Mystery Series by Robert Van Gulik are paperbacks that I keep after I read them. In fact I have purchased every one that Amazon offers. These are superb Asian-flavored legal mysteries, impressive because of the historical accuracy and insights about the Chinese character given by Van Gulik. In this book one of the cases the Judge solves (there are 3 different cases) is the mystery surrounding the death of a young girl on her wedding night. Needless to say Judge Dee gets to the bottom of the murder and solves all 3 mysteries. It's important to note that Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a real Magistrate known for his wisdom in China, and his stories became a part of the folklore of China. Robert Van Gulik was fascinated by the tales of this judge and wrote a fictionalized series featuring the Judge in the early 1950s. If you enjoy well crafted myteries that are full of wit, clever plot devices, action and adventure as well as great descriptions of food and culture, you'll love all the Judge Dee Books just as I do.
superb Asian-flavored legal mysteries.......2005-03-11
Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS in which Judge Dee solves the mystery surrounding the death of a young girl, where all the evidence points to the guilt of the deceased lover. on her wedding night.
Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a Magistrate known for his wisdom & wit in China, & his stories were a part of the local folklore. Robert Van Gulik, who had a historian's interest in China in the early 1950s, was fascinated by the tales of this judge, & finally collected & fictionalized them into four volumes.
The wit, ingenuity, & genius of Judge Dee is well reflected. Remember the old tales of King Solomon the Just -- well, give them an Asian flavor, a touch of Old China -- & you get Judge Dee.
All of Judge Dee's books are most pleasurable - - worthy of 10 stars!
The best of the Judge Dee Mysteries.......2002-08-21
The Chinese Bell Murders is another of the classic Judge Dee mysteries authored by Robert Van Gulik. This book, along with the Chinees Maze Murders, is probably the best of the Judge Dee books.
The plot of this story involves three disparate events, a rape/murder, shenanigans in a Buddhist temple where women with fertility problems are apparently giving birth due to divine interventions, and a corrupt businessman who is involved in a bloody family feud. Along the way, Judge Dee and his assistants have an encounter with the bell that is the title of the story. Van Gulik ties up everything in a tidy package that is engrossing and gives the reader an insight into ancient China.
What is impressive about this book is the historical accuracy and insights about the Chinese character given by Van Gulik, no doubt due to his service in the Dutch foreign service and his credentials as a Sinologist. The Buddhist influence in T'ang Dynasty China and the corruption of monks was a constant problem and Van Gulik is not complimentary in his portrayal, which is similar to the unfavorable portrayals of Buddhism by Chinese writers throughout history. Also, the corruption of businessmen in China and the conflict between northern and southern China is well portrayed. Only a Chinese or somebody who is familiar with China can understand the nuances and conflict.
As one of the original five Judge Dee books (this one is the second book in the sequence), the detail and the plot are very much in line with the famous Chinese stories of the day, albeit in a more compact form. This lends authenticity and makes these stories better than the later Judge Dee stories, which are still good.
Murder and Mayhem in Ancient China.......2002-05-29
Yet another strong entry in Robert Van Gulik's series about a crime solving Imperial Magistrate in seventh-century China. In this book, Judge Dee has taken up a new posting in the large and flourishing district of Poo-yang on China's east coast. The district seems prosperous and relatively crime free, so the judge's retinue consisting of his faithful retainers Sergeant Hoong, Ma Joong, Tao Gan and Chiao Tai are all looking forward to an easy posting. But contrary to all expectations, the team has to deal with several crimes in the district soon after arrival. A young girl has been raped and murdered with her killer absconding and the judge is also asked to look into a long series of crimes committed by one of Poo-yang's wealthiest merchants Lin Fan by one of his victims who may have her own hidden agenda....To make matters more complicated, the judge soon learns that the monks in the wealthy Buddhist temple in the area may be preying upon unsuspecting women and cheating them of large sums of money by promising them that they will be able to conceive a child by offering prayers and money at the temple! This may seem like an overwhelming series of problems, but Judge Dee with the help of his assistants is able to clear up the various crimes with his usual flair and wisdom. Enormously entertaining, both for its wealth of historical detail about ancient China as well as for its finely plotted mysteries. Highly recommended for fans of the series and even those who are just looking for a good mystery read.
Customer Reviews:
Let's Have More in This Series.......2004-10-05
I recently read the Hell books by Holly Lisle (or at least the first three). The books are concerned with the presence of the hellraised on Earth and the interplay between Heaven and Hell.
In the third book, HELL ON HIGH, the devil discovers that one of the Fallen has completely disappeared. A hellraised private eye is enlisted to track down the missing Fallen and discover how it was accomplished. Meanwhile the mere existence of the hellraised has bolstered physicists into new areas of research. Established Laws of Physics are regularly broken by the hellraised so humans should be able to do it as well. The main project is a stardrive that will enable man to reach the stars.
These books were very enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the scenes in Heaven. This is the Christian Heaven, but all the other afterlife's exist as well and God spends time in all of them. But while this made for very enjoyable reading the author(s) seemed to have no concept of omnipresence. I do recommend these books to anyone who likes a bit of light fantasy that is tied together with well-thought out premises and ideas.
Hell on High - very entertaining!.......2001-03-23
I found this book to be very imaginative and entertaining. The book was extremely funny to read. After reading the book I had my husband read it. He enjoyed it as much as I did. I wish this author duo would come out with another book. The concept of Hell being released in Raleigh, North Carolina makes me thankful I live in Virginia. A must read!!!!
Goes beyond fantasy to touch on the realities of life.......1997-12-24
Being personally acquainted with Ted Nolan, the co-author of "Hell On High" prompted me to purchase this book. Expecting to read a rather bizarre fantasy purely for entertainment, I found a book intertwined with fantasy and irony. Taken as purely entertaining, the story stands alone as an interesting tale. However, one should look beyond pure entertainment. The religious and morale issues and lessons learned are passed to the reader in a sometimes humorous, occasionally serious and yet subtle manner. Upon completion of this book, the reader will undoubtedly have a greater sense of the strength of forces beyond our comprehension as mortal human beings. At the same time, a feeling of the ultimate goodness of the human spirit is both encouraging and enlightening. Holly and Ted have managed to create a blend of pure entertainment with a powerful message for those readers fortunate enough to find this book on their bookshelves.
Book Description
Shy Bladder Syndrome takes a cognitive-behavioral therapy approach, shown to help in most cases, to an embarrassing and often life-disrupting disorder. Simple strategies and exercises help sufferers overcome their fear of using public restrooms. Supporting materials discuss the therapeutic effects of disclosing the condition.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for those suffering from Paruresis.......2007-09-28
This is a great source of information for those who are afflicted with this life altering ailment. If you have paruresis buy the book. You can use it to gain knowledge about BBS, what treatments are out there, and even use it to educate your doctor about paruresis. However, you cannot rely on the author, psychiatrist Steven Soifer, for advise. He will not return E-mailed questions sent to him nor his web site. Other than that, the book is a must have.
You are not alone.......2007-03-22
If your wondering about buying this book I recommend you do. Don't stress you can always hide it and you never know it may just help. As a sufferer it took a lot of courage to buy this book. When I read it I cryed and I now know I am not alone. It has even empowered me to seek professional help and talk about this demon to close family and friends. I know I can beat this and this book has helped me on my pathway to recovery
A good book. Straight to the point........2007-03-13
Simply put: This book really does help those of us who suffer from this problem. Ill admit, this book didnt cure me, but then I didnt expect that anyway... What it did do, was allow me to fuction properly within the workforce, and enjoy a few drinks at the pub in the arvo.
If uve got this syndrome, give it a read, u cant go wrong.
An important reference book.......2007-03-09
This book helped me substantially get over this secret condition. However it is not a substitute for getting to support groups and active work.
It is however the defining and original book on this topic, by educated authors who have been affected by the condition themselves.
My only criticism is that it is not totally comprehensive in the treatment side of it, if you are trying to recover on your own.
Never received the product.......2007-01-04
I can't write a review because I never received the book
Average customer rating:
- Plank Grilling
- a hit at any barbecue party
- can do!
- No flameout, just wonderful flavor
- New Flavor Sensation
|
The Plank Grilling Cookbook: Infuse Food with More Flavor Using Wood Planks
D. Guillen ,
M. Everly ,
M. Lowrey , and
G. Bernsdorff
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Plank Cooking: The Essence of Natural Wood
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Planking Secrets: How to Grill with Wooden Planks for Unbeatable Barbecue Flavor
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Fire & Flavor Grilling Co. Gourmet Single Serving Grilling Planks, Cedar, 4-Count Package (Pack of 3)
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Fire & Flavor Grilling Co. Gourmet Grilling Planks, Cedar, 2-Count Package (Pack of 3)
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Assorted Wood Planks by Outset, Cedar, Alder, Cherry, Maple, Hickory, White Oak
ASIN: 1570614741 |
Book Description
Planking — grilling atop a slab of wood — adds a lush, smoky flavor to foods with none of the labor-intensive mess of traditional pits and smokers. Though sales of planks are skyrocketing, there are few resources available that enable backyard cooks to take full advantage of this easy, exciting technique. The Plank Grilling Cookbook answers this growing need with an extensive array of recipes and helpful advice. Among the inventive offerings are entrees, such as Tuna with a Hoisin-Sherry Sauce, Lemon Herb Roast Chicken, Meat Loaf with Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce, and Sizzling Lamb Fajitas; vegetables and side dishes such as Stuffed Artichokes and Corn Guacamole; and even desserts, from Peach Sorbet to Pecan and Cinnamon Stuffed Apples with Caramel Sauce. The book helps readers choose between the different types of planks — cedar, maple, alder, hickory, cherry, and oak — and also features how-to and safety tips for successful plank grilling.
Customer Reviews:
Plank Grilling.......2007-07-22
The "Plank Grilling Cookbook" not only provides excellent instructions for plank grilling but also provides a number of tasty recipes. With cedar, alder wood, etc.. planks, grilling has never been easier and the results better.
a hit at any barbecue party .......2007-03-11
There is no more pleasant a presentation than plank grilling a dish outdoors on the grill and then presenting the (cooled) plank to your guest to eat their feast directly off the plank. Try the salmon with peach mango salsa; a gourmet delight with easy preparation. (I served a party of twenty in this manner which received ovations and salutations!) These Sacramento girls know how to do it. The book has easy to folow recipes and great hints on just about anything you want to grill.
can do!.......2006-06-11
i was wondering if the adverage cook could do these meals without getting frustrated and i ventured out to Williams Sonoma to see what was available , easy to find or get organized. actually, no problem but deciding plank flavor, and what to try first!!! we decided fish first and everything needed was easy to find but which recipe! good book. we bought four for birthday gifts to cooks we know and they were equally impressed and liked the meals selected in the book. good job!!!
No flameout, just wonderful flavor.......2006-06-04
Skeptical at first that anything could be cooked while sitting on a wood plank in a red hot grill, I made sure to have an open beverage container handy in case of flameout. What a surprise when I first looked in to see how things were going. Beatifully controlled smoke was really infused into the steaks we were cooking, and I couldn't believe the flavor. The cookbook realy helped with suggestions on how to soak the plank, how long, what type wood to use and the receipies are well written and simple to follow. From now on, it's the only type of grilling I'll be doing. Can't wait to try all the other receipies, and plank combinations.
Dennis Lowrey
Project Engineer in Algeria
New Flavor Sensation.......2006-06-02
Grilling on a plank adds a new twist to flavor and these recipes are incredibly delicious. Its a must for hunters - the recipes for game are really good. Just a note, the recipes work without a plank too - they don't have that added "twist" of the wood flavor - but they are still very tasty. The book has good instructions and some interesting reading.
Book Description
This manual is aimed at trainers and administrators in police service who are trying to build a solid explosive detecting K9 team. Ron Mistafa covers Canadian and US laws regarding possession of explosive materials and devices, criminal acts related to these and using a K9 team in fighting these crimes. The book will assist in building and training a K9 explosive detector team from the ground up. This book was written to help those departments who do not yet have an explosive detection dog, or who are not completely satisfied with their present system of training standards. The book is not the answer, but is more a series of helpful hints to set your unit on its way to more meaningful training and confidence. It places a lot of emphasis on effective and efficient training, which in turn produces very confident Detection Teams who search with high degrees of efficiency, effectiveness and safety. This book is designed for the experienced handler or trainer, but can be easily followed by the beginner as well. However, as with any dog unit aspect, always train with someone who has a lot of experience or is an expert, especially in explosive detection.
Customer Reviews:
hey try it........2000-06-29
i have not bought the book yet, but i have had books like those, there good books all i am gonna say is try it, cause i am going to buy it when i get back from vacation, if u collect old action figures u know why i rate this book good, i will write a nother review after i get it. anyways give the book a chance its better than the Unoffical guide to Transformers,(dont get that one)its not worth it, so try this book out.i am sure u will enjoy it.
Great toy guide, but to general.......2000-06-26
This book surprised me in beeing very fresh and uptodate even though it was written 4 years ago, it feels as if it is truely is timeless and contains a wide range of toys even though I must admit that I for one thought that it would contain more info on the specific toylines instead it contained general information on the toys in general, which is a shame realy - there are some mistakes made in this book they are not everywhere but they are not hard to find either - recomended to toy dealers in generall but if you are looking for info on one particular series then you'd better pass this one by and look for a book on the topic in question
Amazon.com
This first collection of Henry Mitchell's garden columns was one of those instant classics, a book which quickly earned a permanent place on thousands of bedside tables. Though written for the Washington Post, these tales of the city garden travel well. This book, often dog-eared and battered, is found in gardeners' homes all across the U.S.--not just in the South, but in Minnesota, Alaska, and the other Washington. After reading a single page--any page--you'll realize why. Many gardeners quote Mitchell's line, "It is a great joy the day we discover that we can learn things without actually having to make the mistakes ourselves." He regales us with his mistakes, recording the frustration caused by stubbornly planting where his beloved dogs insisted on sleeping or by thoughtless activity ("I speared a superb lily bulb today"), hoping we will profit from his own gardening mishaps. We can and do, but we profit just as much by his company as his advice, which is so clearly the fruit of long and direct experience.
Book Description
Although Mitchell offers invaluable tips for novices and seasoned gardeners, readers take particular delight in his opinionated observations--witty, urbane, and fascinating.
Customer Reviews:
Worth a second try.......2003-04-25
I bought this book a few years ago based on the reviews. When I got it I tore into it and was sorely disappointed. That's the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars.
Why even 4 stars you ask? Well, about a month ago, for whatever reason, I picked it up again and now I LOVE IT!
Henry Mitchell is dry - like the soil under an oak. But he's terribly warm and fuzzy once you get to know him. I write a newsletter for my local garden club and have found quote after quote that I want to use for future issues. They're not la-dee-dah quotes that speak vaguely about the lovely joys of gardening. BLAH! Rather, they're jewels that point fingers at snobby gardeners and kill-joys who scold children for picking crocuses.
This is not a "pretty picture" book. It's sort of a how-to in an essay form. But more than that, it's great writing by a wonderful author on a topic I am crazy for.
Read and read again.......2001-12-29
The two books I have read cover to cover as gardening advice and as literature are this book and Christopher Lloyd's Adventurous Gardener. I have shelves of gardening and horticultural books.
It gives you more each time you read it.
please reprint this book!.......2000-06-18
I first read Henry Mitchell in the Washington Post when my husband was receiving cancer treatment at NIH in 1982, and when I realized that his columns were collected in The Essential Earthman I immediately bought a copy. I have subsequently owned (and loaned out and thus lost) two or three more copies. As each planting season arrives I remember how much I've missed reading Henry's wisdom, and I berate myself for having loaned out (and lost) those books. So for the sake of upcoming generations of gardeners (and the old hands among us), would someone please reprint this valuable book? It's a book to read in the depth of winter and the heat of summer, in a spacious country garden or a tiny city yard, for beginning gardeners and old timers with permanently-stained hands. There never has been anyone quite like Henry Mitchell on gardening, or on life, for that matter. Grouchy, opinionated, funny, informative, brutally honest--his words will never go out of style.
Please reprint this book.........2000-05-07
Dear Publisher...please reprint this book. I love Henry Mitchell. I was one of the 'blessed' because I actually read Mr. Mitchell's columns (both of them) for years. I live in the Washington DC area, and subscribed to the Post. Those of us who gardened locally were twice blessed because he was not only one of the best garden writers ever, he struggled with the heat, humidity, and high winds that attack us from all sides. Whenever I am in my garden I think of him. When I look at my Japanese Anemones I remember he said "Once you have them you'll always have them." There have been times when I thought for sure they were goners, but they always survived. When I see a little plant struggling under a bush, I remember him saying, "One of these days I'll have to crawl under there and pull it out." When I see a fish tank, I think of him and his horse trough. I miss him.
Henry Mitchell IS the Earthman.......2000-02-11
My original copy of "The Earthman" is in shreds. Why?
I have read (and re-read) The Earthman for more than 20 years. Every time I returned to The Earthman, I had a patient, passionate teacher by my side.
With Henry's guidance, I matured. I learned to accept the rains that turned my garden into a sea of mud. I learned to accept the dogs who had a deep need to explore and "investigate" my treasured plants.
Henry is my friend and mentor. I cannot imagine life in the garden without him.
Average customer rating:
|
Tone Tone: Marchen und Erzahlungen aus Kamerun (Literaturen und Kulturen Afrikas)
Manufacturer: Athena
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback
Folklore & Mythology
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Folklore
| Mythology
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ASIN: 3932740599 |
Average customer rating:
|
Grundzuge der neueren skandinavischen Literaturen (Grundzuge)
Manufacturer: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback
German
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ASIN: 3534080475 |
Book Description
Providing a wealth of information about the history of the ground-breaking comic, plus fascinating facts about key storylines and all the major characters‹good and bad‹that have thrilled fans since the comic's creation, Fantastic Four: The Ultimate Guide is an invaluable addition to any fans collection.
Customer Reviews:
Wow ~ ^^; fantastic book !!.......2005-08-26
it's real~ fantastic !! fabulous !!
It's a lot of informations about Fantastic 4 !!
now I know the secret !! ^^;
Thanks for Tom !!!
Incomplete History and Numerous Typos.......2005-08-01
I have several of the various Ultimate Guides now, and the Fantastic Four one, while informative, was definitely subpar. There are many typographical errors, which are a pet peeve of mine, and there seems to be little on Dr. Doom and barely a mention of Onslaught. Seeing as how Doom is the main FF villain and the FF were so closely involved with the Onslaught storyline a few years back, I would have expected more information on them. Not being a FF afficionado, I don't know if there are other areas lacking, but I wouldn't be surprised.
Strictly for Fans.......2005-07-26
The DK comics encylopediae are pretty good, especially the WONDER WOMAN edition they put out, but this one left me kinda flat. It was pretty dry to get through and I suppose it was a combination of the writing and the material (I was more of a DC guy, growing up).
It did little to pique my interest in the FF beyond the rudimentary knowledge I already had from the 60's/70's cartoon series and the recent hype surrounding the movie. While a comprehensive resource guide, I think this is strictly for diehard Marvel FF fans...plus, I was hoping to see some more charismatic character art.
Average customer rating:
- Almost like being there....sort of
- F.I.
- angry and deeply unintelligent
- An Exceptionally Brilliant Work of Intellect and and Heart
- A story omitted
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Fire This Ttime: The Watts Uprising and the 1960's
Gerald Horne
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
1945 - Present
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ASIN: 0306807920 |
Customer Reviews:
Almost like being there....sort of.......2007-09-25
_Fire This Time_ (a play on James Baldwin's title _The Fire Next Time_) documents the history and events before, during and after the 1965 Watts Riot in South Central Los Angeles.
For the most part, the writing is well done, especially when the author describes the events during the six days of the riot.
I had a couple of quibbles. The author does seem to describe many, if not most, of the people and institutions (government departments, media outlets, etc.) and either "progressive" or "right wing". Not that he is necessarily being inaccurate or wrong, but it just comes across as rather heavy-handed.
There are some instances of inaccurate research, though. On p. 28, the removal of the "Red Car" network, causing social isolation in Watts, is said to have happened in 1940. But Watts (and most of the southern part of LA County) actually enjoyed "Red Car" service until 1961. On p. 352, there is a reference to an LA Times article (on bus service) that leads nowhere (I actually checked the back issue of the newspaper, and could not find the article referenced). Some other issues, mentioned in the book, could have used a little more depth (like the Deadwyler shooting, p. 348)
So enjoy his ability to describe an historical event, take his politics with a grain of salt, and double check the references!
F.I........2005-09-21
As usual any book by Gerald Horne, Phd is very concise and intelligent. I have purchased this book and others of social conscience for my children, to see what the real america is all about. This book also shows that nothing has really changed on a subterranian level. The lesson that should have been learnd by the Wastts upheavel, has not made a dent. Unequal economics and the deliberated lack of funding for education and other social programmes are still, IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY allowed and accepted by the powers that be.
angry and deeply unintelligent.......2004-04-20
Poor Gerald Horne does his best to write a history of the Watts "Uprising" -- one of the few such "revolts" that targeted liquor stores as prime military targets. But his thinking is scattershot and he does not use the English language well. Still, some will be satisfied with the facts he has marshalled.
An Exceptionally Brilliant Work of Intellect and and Heart.......2003-03-22
Unequivocally there is no other treatment of urban racial unrest that can compare!
A story omitted.......2001-03-12
Gerald Horne's book, Fire This Time: The Watts Uprising and the 1960s is an extensive scholarly study into one of the United States' most violent riots and an event that characterized the civil unrest of the turbulent 1960s. Originally published by University Press of Virginia in 1995 and reprinted by Da Capo Press as a paperback in 1997, Fire This Time thoroughly examines the causes, conflict, impact, and meaning of the 1965 Watts Uprising. Horne, a noted black social historian, contends in his thesis that the Red Scare retarded Los Angeles' left based liberalism, once a progressive minded center of the working class in the United States. This move away from the left created a "vacuum that would be later filled by black nationalism" and eventually fueled the flames of the riot. Furthermore, this black nationalism manifested itself in the Nation of Islam, cultural nationalists, and the Black Panther party, all of which played a role throughout the uprising.(5)
Although Horne devoted some of his introduction to a brief survey of Los Angeles social history, he never made a convincing argument that the absence of a left based movement brought on by the Red Scare lead to black nationalism. This accusation coupled with the work's emphasis on class struggle gave the book a Marxist slant typical of many of the author's previous works. Instead, a more convincing argument might have been that racist attitudes and behaviors on the part of a white majority in the Los Angeles area resulted in South Central's devastated economic condition thereby leading to black nationalism. In the economic squalor of Watts, African Americans had no other recourse than to turn to themselves when society abandoned them. In essence, racism served as a catalyst for the emergence of the black nationalism that the author writes.
Horne chronicled the denigration of African Americans in Los Angeles by demonstrating the numerous ways in which government failed to treat them as equal. In chapter seven the author portrayed the Los Angeles Police Department as the "principal malefactor, the single offender in angering blacks to the point of insurrection. . . . [It operated] at the behest of the political and economic elites who administered the city." (134) Later, in chapter ten, the voting populous of the State of California betrayed blacks by passing the racially biased Proposition 14. This legislation repealed the Rumford Fair Housing Act in an effort to keep blacks out of white neighborhoods.(224) The remainder of this chapter describes the appalling housing, education, and religious opportunities afforded to blacks in Los Angeles thereby steering them toward black nationalism.
Horne superbly illustrated the importance of black nationalism's role in the 1965 uprising. He explained that due to years of repression and disenfranchisement African Americans had come to be stereotyped as the subordinated, dominated, or "female" race even behind Mexican and Asian Americans.(12) Black nationalism offered African Americans an identity the void of such stereotypes. In addition, black nationalism made no apology for being black and anti-white sentiments in Watts intensified. Organizations that celebrated black nationalism such as the Nation of Islam, gangs, and the Black Panther party grew in popularity along with a new cultural identity. Black organizations established in white society like the NAACP, with their lighter-skinned, middle-class leadership lost appeal.(13) The nonviolent message of Dr. Martin Luther King seemed diminished compared to the rising popularity of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam.(102) Clearly, by 1965 black nationalism championed the view that African Americans were no longer the submissive race dominated by white society. Blacks tired of the long, slow civil right movement demanded taking back economically depressed neighborhoods for themselves.
The author's thorough academic research of the black nationalistic movement in Los Angeles brought a human characteristic to the story of Watts. The stories, in many cases tragedies, spoke of people affected by the riot and demonstrated an uprising directed against the LAPD and the "well-to-do."(340) A careful analysis of the events that followed the Watts Uprising showed a significant "white backlash" to the violence that propelled Ronald Reagan into the governor's mansion and eventually the White House.(281) Finally, Horne revealed that little changed since the 1965 revolt and the Rodney King Beating Trial of 1992 sparked similar civil unrest.(358)
The author extensively drew on the papers from Governor's Commission on the Los Angeles Riots and transcripts from the McCone panel both governmental studies into the uprising. Horne used records from various city and county agencies along with studies and oral histories from Southern California universities. The most valuable primary sources came from The Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research which is located in what was once the curfew zone and is a depository of numerous historical facts on the Watts community. At this library, Horne collected oral histories from residents in conjunction with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the riot invaluable to his study.(423) Before the extensive notes the book is 364 pages and includes a map of Los Angeles and photographs from the period.
Product Description
Includes black & white photographs
Average customer rating:
- Wonderful read
- You've got to be kidding me.
- In response to the "Edgar Nominee" Review.
- An Edgar nominee
- Interesting Read
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Southland
Nina Revoyr
Manufacturer: Akashic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Book Description
"[A]n absolutely compelling story of family and racial tragedy. Revoyr's novel is honest in detailing southern California's brutal history, and honorable in showing how families survived with love and tenacity and dignity."-Susan Straight, author of Highwire Moon
Southland brings us a fascinating story of race, love, murder and history, against the backdrop of an ever-changing Los Angeles. A young Japanese-American woman, Jackie Ishida, is in her last semester of law school when her grandfather, Frank Sakai, dies unexpectedly. While trying to fulfill a request from his will, Jackie discovers that four African-American boys were killed in the store Frank owned during the Watts Riots of 1965. Along with James Lanier, a cousin of one of the victims, Jackie tries to piece together the story of the boys' deaths. In the process, she unearths the long-held secrets of her family's history.
Southland depicts a young woman in the process of learning that her own history has bestowed upon her a deep obligation to be engaged in the larger world. And in Frank Sakai and his African-American friends, it presents characters who find significant common ground in their struggles, but who also engage each other across grounds-historical and cultural-that are still very much in dispute.
Moving in and out of the past-from the internment camps of World War II, to the barley fields of the Crenshaw District in the 1930s, to the streets of Watts in the 1960s, to the night spots and garment factories of the 1990s-Southland weaves a tale of Los Angeles in all of its faces and forms.
Nina Revoyr is the author of The Necessary Hunger ("Irresistible."-Time Magazine). She was born in Japan, raised in Tokyo and Los Angeles, and is of Japanese and Polish-American descent. She lives and works in Los -Angeles.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful read.......2006-12-27
My wife found a reference to this novel in one of her Japanese language newspapers and suggested that I buy and read it. Am I ever happy that I did! Nina Revoyr has written a wonderful, gripping novel about some very tough times in our country, and has done so with understanding, compassion and feeling. Readers who lived through the era following World War Two will recall the ugly racial tensions of the era with all its denial, and the firestorms that erupted in Watts and other places as a result. Those who didn't live through it will get a harsh dose of reality as the protagonist searches for the killer of four black young men during the Watts riots, and the unexpected outcome as she discovers who the killer was.
I like Nina Revoyr's writing, I do not at all understand those who brush it off with comments like "trite," "mediocre" and "unrealistic." Having lived through that particular period in our history, I found the book very realistic. I hope Nina Revoyr keeps writing so that I can enjoy more of what she does. I couldn't put this book down.
George Polley
Seattle
You've got to be kidding me........2006-11-17
Praise you see for this book in reviews reflects the reverence people have for the subject matter and not the writing. If they were, in fact, addressing the author and her style, you'd see more words like "trite," "superficial" and "untalented." I had to check the "About the Author" section multiple times, just to make sure I wasn't being forced to read the self-published manuscript of a graduate student.
For everyone who read The Jungle and towards the end grew exasperated by unnecessary twist after unfeasible twist, this book will seem familiar. At least Sinclair had an excuse--he was writing a weekly feature in a newspaper. Revoyr, on the otherhand, has not justification for what can only be describe as mediocre writing. Okay, the main character is both a law student, a lesbian, asian, in a faltering relationship, estranged from her parents, her grandfather died, and she's investigating the 50 year old murders of 4 black teenagers. Her grandfather was the only asian in La who liked black people, and he was sent to an internment camp, and he served in WWII, and his store was torched twice by rioters, and he was an email aficionado in 1994. Are you serious? That's only to two characters--let us not forget her bisexual, biracial friend, her aunt who rejects the institution of marriage, the man who Jesus told to pick up bowling, a boy's father who killed 8 of his comrades in Korea without repercussion, and score of other entirely other implausible characters.
This book is a joke--and that is sad considering what a serious topic it is. I literally cringed with the turning of each new page, fearful of the lunacy I knew awaited me. It's like Revoyr threw in every possible cliched, and extreme character trait she could think of, and then an editor told her "why not shoot for the moon and make them all gay?"
And of course, it is all epitomized by the cover. It's a photograph of an old store front, with the title photoshopped in from WordArt. Like everything else in this book, we find big plans and little effort with a grand finale of poor results.
In response to the "Edgar Nominee" Review........2004-04-05
It's obvious to me that the person writing this review did not read the book well. The people who died in the freezer were four Black boys, not Japanese. Because this book is about race relations, this is an important distinction.
As far as the book itself, it's enjoyable...a page turner. There are parts that are a bit overdone or that drag, but overall the book was very well-written and researched.
An Edgar nominee.......2004-02-27
Sometimes I am amazed by the sheer volume of books the Edgar committees must consider. Surely they must feel even more overwhelmed when they are faced with the daunting task of having to consider a very long book written in a leisurely manner and difficult to get into. Forget about why they would consider SOUTHLAND. How the heck did they ever have the time, energy or motivation to read this?
Jackie Ishida who is Japanese American, is faced with the death of her grandfather, Frank Sakai. As she sorts through his will with her aunt, they note the will contains a name they never heard. As Jackie investigates who this person is, she comes upon a story of three young Japanese men being trapped in the freezer located in the shop of her grandfather. The deaths occurred during the Watts Riots in 1965. Who were they and why were they never mentioned before?
There is a problem with this book. It is well written with some truly beautifully conceived vignettes each revealing that the book is carefully constructed with much thought. However, there is a supreme lack of inertia that not only threatens but finally manages to overwhelm the complex plot with pacing being the ultimate casualty. The story just goes nowhere for what seems like forever. However, just when the frustration level reaches it's peak, the story begins to coalesce. The separate characters begin to merge through both time and space toward the common goal of getting at the truth. This is a heartbreaking tale told with great compassion. It is a book meant to be read leisurely and thoughtfully. In this hectic world in which we live, many readers might find it hard to give this book the careful reading it so very much deserves. Kudos to the Edgar Committee for taking the time and effort to read this one. Akashic Books also deserves our gratitude for taking the chance.
Interesting Read.......2003-07-16
This is the second book by Nina Revoyr but the first one that I have read by her. It is a story set in Los Angeles during 1930 to present and is the tale of a Japanese family and a murder that takes place during the Wattýs uprising in 1965. There were 4 black Negro boys found murdered in Frank Sakaiýs walk-in freezer. His grand daughter has found something in an earlier will leaving money to a man named Curtis Martindale and when she goes to find him, she finds out that he was one of the boys found in the walk-in freezer. Jackie, Frankýs granddaughter, teams up with a man by the name of James Lanier who was a cousin to Curtis to hopefully find the truth.
The story goes from Frank being a young boy in Angeles Mesa to present day when he has just passed on. He has left a box of items that Jackie has went through to see if there are any clues for the $40,000, Frank left in cash. Whether the money should go to her aunt to help in the buying of a house or it should go to Curtis Martindale who is in the first will that was written. If it should go to Curtis Martindale, why should it have gone to him? Was there something that Frank did not share with the rest of the family?
It took me a while to get used to the book jumping from one time frame to another and also from one person to another person. But I am glad that I stuck with it, because it is a very well done book. There is also a lesbian relationship that Jackie is trying to work out for herself in this book that adds to the adventure in this historical fiction book. Overall, I thought the book well done and I am very happy to have read it.
Customer Reviews:
A compelling ground-level report.......2002-01-14
Conot was the first person given access to many of the reports of the uprisings, and he interviewed 1,000 people and got written statements from 500 others. He weaves all these together into an as-it-happens narrative in which the events unfold on the level of the individual actors, from the people caught in the middle at street level, to the governor and his officers. In doing so, he created a sociologically significant page-turner.
Product Description
What had begun as a routine arrest in a Los Angeles slum raged for six days and nights as the most violent, most destructive race riot in American history.
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