Jail To Jail: Autobiography of a Survivor of the 1915 Armenian Genocide

Book Description

Jail to Jail is the personal account of an Armenian soldier in the Ottoman army during the First World War who survived the genocide of his people. Accused of desertion while on medical leave in the summer of 1915, he was dragged form one prison cell to another for three years on his way form Marash, Turkey, to Mosul, Iraq, where he was set free.

He endured constant beatings, hunger, torture, humiliation, and endless walks in shackles. He witnessed and heard about the gruesome mass atrocities against men, women, and children during his journey.

After being set free, he was recaptured and sent to die in labor battalions with thousands of other Armenian men. He survived by the sheer force of his faith, the kindness of strangers, and by giving of himself to those who were physically and spiritually more needy than he was.

After the war, he returned to the ruins of Marash, then found and married his fiancé, only to escape to Athens after Turkish Kemalist forces attacked the French occupiers and harassed the repatriated Armenians. Ending up in a refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon, he served the destitute refugee Armenian communities of the Middle East as a touring preacher.

Customer Reviews:

An important legacy.........2006-07-08

My great grandfather had similar experiences in Ottoman Turkey, being drafted into the Turkish army as a doctor, and then being forced to flee the ensuing genocidal massacre.

This memoir is an important piece of Armenian history that should be coveted, and is also an important piece of evidence, despite those who would deny the events ever happened.

Customer Reviews:

biased account of the butcher.......2003-02-21

Arafat who derides the Isrealis(Zionists as he calls them) as monsters and who secretly wishes the nazis had finished the job is glorified in this book, an extension of Harts even more biased work "Arafat: Terrorist or peacemaker". Terrorist is the answer. Harts extensive interviews with those close to Arafat make for an incredible work. Yet Hart takes their statements as fact. he fully indulges the arab obsession with the idea that Jews control American politics and the American media. He fully indulges the antisemetic ideas that Zionism is racism. he fully approves of Arafats bloodthirstyness that led the butcher to walk into the U.N with a gun on his hip. Hart goes onto allow his lying interviewees to distort the truth sourounding 'Black September' showing how sopposedly Arafat had no role in the murder of Isreali Athletes.

Nevertheless the book sheds light on Arafats extenive enemies amoungst the Arab states. His experience in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where his terrorists were bashed into submission. But testamount to the one honorable characteristic of arafat he has never given up.

Hart will always be a biased man, who never realized the terrorists in front of him were butchers of children and the heroes of the Isreali state that they wish dead are the true reightous people of the middle east.

Terrorists or Freedom Fighters: Yasser Arafat and the P.L.O.......2002-01-03

From his earliest beginnings as a student leader in Cairo, to his current position as Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (P.L.O.), Yasser Arafat is unquestionably the heart and soul of Palestinian nationalism. Author Alan Hart paints an almost heart-rending portrait of Arafat, whom he describes as a selfless leader who has devoted his life to his people and his cause. Hart's central thesis is that Israel is well aware that the P.L.O. is willing, and has been for some time, to establish peace on the basis of UN Resolutions 242 and 338. Israel has rejected this initiative because it will require them to withdraw to the borders it occupied before 1967 and allow the establishment of a Palestinian mini-state. In Arafat's own words:

". . . when it (Zionism) is destroyed, . . . our two peoples (Jews and Palestinians) can live together in real peace. That is the day our dream of a Democratic State of Palestine will come true."

Quite a statement from a man who once boasted that he would, "drive the Jews into the sea!" Has he changed? Hart says he has. Israel, understandably, is not so sure.

Hart provides insight to the inner workings of both the P.L.O. and Arab regimes, who give lip-service to the Palestinian cause, but have sought to "play the Palestinian card" for their own, ignoble purposes. His analysis of their reasons for doing so provides interesting reading. He also says Arab regimes, the Mossad, and the CIA have used dissident P.L.O. factions to wreck Arafat inspired peace initiatives. The analysis is intriguing but not totally convincing.

While reading I was struck by the similarity between Arafat and Israeli terrorist turned politician, Menachem Begin. Both are/were dedicated nationalists who stop/stopped at nothing to achieve their goal. Ironically, the goal is/was the same: establish a homeland for their displaced, disenfranchised peoples on the same real estate. Both have committed immoral acts in the name of a higher morality. Both have blood on their hands!

Hart's work is obviously biased toward Arafat and the P.L.O. Readers should compare it with Begin's book, "The Revolt: Story of the Irgun," to learn how successful terrorists play first the terrorism and then the political card to achieve their ends. Is the P.L.O. sincere in its stated desire for peace? If so, can Arafat control dissident Palestinian elements that are currently conducting suicide attacks throughout Israel? We can only hope so. Only when this problem is solved will the people of the world feel safe boarding commercial airliners again and will Americans be able to resume feeding instead of bombing the Afghanistans of the world.

A non-true story of a COWARD leader........1999-11-07

This is a fiction version of ARAFAT's life. He is a complete coward. And his people and the people of the region there know him best. He is a leader with many faces, betrayed his country and his religion.

This book is just a fake mirror.

Alan Hart does a terrific job of showing us the real Arafat........1999-03-20

Contrary to popular belief, Yasser Arafat is not the wild and psychotic terrorist as depicted by the media. Alan Hart does a spectacular job of telling the true story of Arafat's life and how he has been the lone man in reviving Palestinian identity. For those who want to hear the actual facts of the Middle East crisis, this book is a must!

An unbias history of the complexities Arafat faced........1998-09-19

Hart does an excellent job at describing the difficult task Arafat faced as the leader of the PLO. Through many interviews it seems Hart has brought both perspective views together and concluded that there is more to Arafat than the media has shown. He has described the many factions within the PLO which Arafat had risked his life to challenge. Hart shows the real Arafat, a moderate, not an extremist as he has been portrayed in the past.

BEHIND THE MYTH: YASSER ARAFAT AND THE PALESTINIAN REVOLUTION

Average customer rating:

BEHIND THE MYTH: YASSER ARAFAT AND THE PALESTINIAN REVOLUTION
TONY WALKER ANDREW GOWERS
Manufacturer: CORGI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0552138576

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Les sept vies de Yasser Arafat
Christophe Boltanski
Manufacturer: B. Grasset
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Nonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 2246496012

The Rants, Raves and Thoughts of Yasser Arafat: The Leader in His Own Words + Those of Others

Average customer rating:

The Rants, Raves and Thoughts of Yasser Arafat: The Leader in His Own Words + Those of Others

Manufacturer: On Your Own Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The Rants, Raves & Thoughts of Yasser Arafat is the latest title in a brand new series of thoughtful, and thought-provoking titles dealing with various leaders in our time. The goals and inspirations of this new series on the modern world's leaders is to explain, in their own words and in the words of others, what makes them so ruthless. The books demonstrate what a talented group of free-thinking writers and graphic designers can do with access to a database of information and a limitless imagination about how to let the words of these powerful people reveal who they are, what they believe, and what they hope to achieve. The Rants, Raves & Thoughts of Yasser Arafat lets you step inside the head of the Palestinian leader, from his views on peace with Israel, martyr attacks, the Middle East, and the United States.

Time Magazine November 11 1974 The Palestinians Yasser Arafat * Special Section: World Food Crisis

Average customer rating:

Time Magazine November 11 1974 The Palestinians Yasser Arafat * Special Section: World Food Crisis
Time Magazine
Manufacturer: Time Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LCUFPW

Average customer rating:

Yasser Arafat (Leading Lives)
David Downing
Manufacturer: Heinemann Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 140340125X

Average customer rating:

Yasser Arafat (Middle East Leaders)
Bernadette Brexel
Manufacturer: Rosen Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Middle East | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0823944697

Average customer rating:

Not the best on the subject

Solved: The Riddle of Illness by Stephen E. Langer, James F. Scheer

Best book on Hypothyroidism ever!

Solved: The Riddle of Illness

Great book that shows what hypothyroidism can mimic

Solved: The Riddle of Illness
Stephen E. Langer , James F. Scheer , and Wayne W. Dyer
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Solved: The Riddle of Weight Loss: Restore Healthy Body Chemistry, Lose Weight, and Overcome Chronic Fatigue

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

Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic

Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health

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

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0658002937

Book Description

Discover the amazing secrets of the thyroid gland and learn how managing it can control arthritis, obesity, depression, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, circulatory conditions, impotence, and Alzheimer's disease. Fully updated, this classic work presents simple, effective ways to manage one's thyroid and make the most of life.

Customer Reviews:

Not the best on the subject.......2007-07-04

Symptoms of hypothyroidism may be caused by one of the two mechanisms. First, widely accepted by modern medical practice, is the inability of the thyroid gland to produce its hormones. This may be due to the primary failure of the thyroid or insufficient production of TSH by pituitary, appropriately called secondary hypothyroidism. Second, virtually unaknowledged mechanism of hypothyroidism is the inability of tissues to properly react to the thyroid hormones. By analogy with type 2 diabetes, this condition has been coined type 2 hypothyroidism. There is no discussion of this phenomenon in the book, and this is its major drawback.

The books lacks focus and attempts to give advice for various problems not only from the point of view of hypothyroidism. In many instances, such as management of obesity, for example, this is done poorly, and that chapter is full of unsubstantiated recommendations. So are many others. I expected more focused discussion of health problems in the context of hypoactive thyroid.

Chapter "For doctors" is more interesting, but pays much attention to the classical symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism, when there is no problem diagnosing this condition. The whole point of the book is to attract attention to the fact that clinical presentation of this disease more often than not is subtle and not obvious.

In summary, I would not recommend this book as the primary source of information on hypothyroidism.

Solved: The Riddle of Illness by Stephen E. Langer, James F. Scheer.......2007-01-03

I give it a three because I had to think about which book it was....Informative, useful, a book for layman and professionals....worth the read.

Best book on Hypothyroidism ever!.......2004-07-10

I've read a lot of books about hypothyroidism, but this, BY FAR, the best book I have ever read on the subject. It is also easy to read, and very very interesting. I was blown away by all the research and links to other health problems (heart attacks, cancer, skin disorders) presented in this book. I recommend it to anyone who feels they may have a thyroid disorder. It's amazing!

Solved: The Riddle of Illness.......2003-06-21

I read this book and was amazed at the wealth of information. I have been to many Doctors who told me I was normal. Now I know after reading this book, that I've had many of the symptoms of Hypothyrodism for years and could not find a Doctor who was educated on the subject. Since reading this book, I found a Doctor who is schooled in alternative care and was open to read this book. He has been treating me and I feel like a new person. I gave him a copy of this book and he is using it with his patients now. I am forever grateful for this book.

Great book that shows what hypothyroidism can mimic.......2002-07-29

I have the older version of this book and it is so good I'm sure this one is even better. I was amazed to see how many other diseases hypothyroidsim can mimic.

Book Description

1,001 Delicious Desserts for People with Diabetes presents a wide range of desserts suitable for a diabetic diet. Its palate-pleasing illustrations and recipes include Peanut Butter Cupcakes and Double Coconut Cream Meringue Pie. Each recipe adheres to nutritional guidelines.

Customer Reviews:

Too many carbs!.......2002-12-28

I cannot understand how anyone with diabetes or a carbohydrate intolerance of any kind could eat any of these items. They are so high in carbohydrates. I follow a low-carbohydrate regimen for health reasons (not vanity), and I could safely eat none of the recipes found in this tome. I returned the book

Average customer rating:

Very good book for beginners in keeping pet birds.

Let's Celebrate Pet Birds
Dr. Lafeber
Manufacturer: Lafeber Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Equine Science

New Perspectives on Microsoft Office XP, First Course, Windows XP Edition (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology))

Exotics and Wildlife: A Manual of Veterinary Nursing Care

Veterinary Clinical Parasitology, Seventh Edition

ASIN: 0960152628

Customer Reviews:

Very good book for beginners in keeping pet birds........1998-01-11

This book is an good guide for the beginner in keeping pet birds. It saved the life of at least one Conure I know by giving good data on feeding. Although they kind of push the Lafeber bird food products, the information is good, and should greatly assist in the integration of a new pet bird into your flock!

Book Description

Blacksmithing is one of the traditional “lost arts” deserving re-discovery by anyone interested in do-it-yourself building and crafting.

Charles McRaven discovered blacksmithing when he moved “back to the land” in the 1970s and shares his knowledge in The Blacksmith’s Craft. Creating one’s own tools and instruments from metal enhances woodworking, stonework, building, and restoration work. In his readable and humorous style, McRaven tells readers all they need to know to begin blacksmithing.

Simple and clear instructions, supplemented by step-by-step photography, show how to build a forge, how to make and/or acquire tools, and how to use those tools to create items of lasting beauty and durability.

This book belongs in the reference library of everyone interested in traditional American building crafts and culture, as well as those practical folks who want to make and repair their own metal tools, household items, hardware, or farm equipment.

Book Description

This book is intended for two kinds of gardeners: those who want to have an attractive home landscape but don't have the time, and for those who want to spend more time on gardening activites that are fun and less time on routine tasks and unpleasant chores.

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The Garden That Cares for Itself
Unknown
Manufacturer: Meredith Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JBZZXC

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Book written for the market

TERRIBLE

ALL PARENTS OF TEENS SHOULD READ THIS

The Good Enough Teen: Raising Adolescents with Love and Acceptance (Despite How Impossible They Can Be)
Brad E. Sachs
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Teenagers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Good Enough Child: How to Have an Imperfect Family and Be Perfectly Satisfied

When No One Understands: Letters to a Teenager on Life, Loss, and the Hard Road to Adulthood

You and Your Adolescent Revised Edition: Parent's Guide for Ages 10-20, A

Staying Connected to Your Teenager: How to Keep Them Talking to You and How to Hear What They're Really Saying

Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads: Dealing with the Parents, Teachers, Coaches, and Counselors Who Can Make--or Break--Your Child's Future

ASIN: 0060587407
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Book Description

Respected psychologist Dr. Brad Sachs helps parents to recognize their unrealistic expectations for their teenagers and to love, accept and nurture the family they have to its full potential. His approach frees them to discover acceptance of themselves and of their children.

The ages twelve to eighteen are often the most challenging and trying years for adolescents––and their parents. No other phase of life is characterized by so much physical and psychological change happening so quickly. And frequently the child parents had loved and understood becomes a teenager they hardly recognize––the child who loved music grows into a teen who wants to play video games rather than the piano; or the little girl who loved dolls becomes a teen who loves staying out with her older, rebellious boyfriend. The Good Enough Teen, however, shows you how to see your child's evolution as a window of opportunity––for you, for your child, and for your entire family. Rather than having you brace for your offspring's adolescence with your eyes shut and your jaw clenched, this book will help you to understand the invisible transformation teens are experiencing, as well as the ways in which your own adolescence intimately influences this understanding. You will find yourself better able to see even your child's most exasperating behaviours as steps in his or her striving towards maturity, rather than chronic problems or mean–spirited efforts designed to make you miserable.

The Good Enough Teen presents a developmental overview of what parents can expect from their children during adolescence, then delineates the five stages in the journey towards accepting a child for who he or she is. With prescriptive tools and strategies for parents, including checklists, quizzes, and exercises, and numerous case studies from the author's own practice, The Good Enough Teen is vital help for any parent with a teenager.

Customer Reviews:

Book written for the market.......2005-12-03

This book was written to cash in on the market, now there is a series of books about "Good Enough" people, just like "Men are from Mars" series. what next, the Good Enough Teen on a Date, How the Good Enough Teen diets, Good Enough Anorexic Daughter. this is drivel. The author admits in his prior work to suffering from Couvade syndrome, where he is jealous of his wife for bearing children and dreams of having breasts that provide warm milk. he is confused. He admits to being neglected by his father and traded for a can of gas when the family car broke down. the whole concept is of "good Enough" sends a terrible message of compromise to any child. the author is cleary narcissistic, possibly suffering from Asperger Syndrome, looking to make a buck to afford a good position in a home, where he can receive proper treatment.

TERRIBLE.......2005-11-22

oh man this book was worthless. I tried the stuff in this book and now my kids hate me and my wife thinks I'm an idiot. Try another book. This one has ruined my family life.

ALL PARENTS OF TEENS SHOULD READ THIS.......2005-08-12

This is a fabulous book that I happened upon and could not put down. It should be titled, "What to expect from your teens and yes, it is normal". I found this book a fabulous tool with which to measure my teens progress against those of other teens without compairing them to the unrealistic expectations of many driven parents in our society and to take a step back and recognize the tremendous accomplishments that they make every day through good choices and responsible behaviors despite the occasional misstep. Teenagers are growing as rapidly as toddlers and this is a how to manual for all parents.

Book Description

Justin Tso, born and raised in Canyon de Chelly AZ, draws his spiritual nourishment from the mystery, drama, riot of color and miracle of nature that is this canyon which has allowed his paintings to illustrate not only the landscape but the many symbols that tell the stories, the legends, the deep beliefs of his people, The DinÄ, the Navajo.

Book Description

On November 25, 1970, Japan's most renowned postwar novelist, Yukio Mishima, stunned the world by committing ritual suicide. Here, Marguerite Yourcenar, a brilliant reader of Mishima and a scholar with an eye for the cultural roles of fiction, unravels the author's life and politics: his affection for Western culture, his family and his homosexuality, his brilliant writings, and his carefully premeditated death.

Customer Reviews:

Strange and quite pointless.......2006-08-04

MISHIMA: A VISION OF THE VOID is a peculiar essay on the life and work of the Japanese writer by Marguerite Yourcenar, a French author best known for her "Memoires d'Hadrien". The book consists of 151 pages in which Yourcenar waxes lyrically about Mishima's growth as an author, some of the themes of his books, and the persistent pessimism that seems to have led to his suicide.

This book is very weird, I can only marvel that a publisher initially accepted it, nevermind that it has been translated into at least English and Romanian. It offers no surprising perspective on Mishima's work, and cannot be used to get a brief plot summary of an unknown work, since it assumes that one has read Mishima's oeuvre (at least those works translated into foreign languages). One cannot gain from it any interesting facts about Mishima's life, and in fact Yourcenar assumes that one has already read the biographies of Scott-Stokes and Nathan.

MISHIMA: A VISION OF THE VOID may have value as a tribute by one author to another, but it should have been published in limited quantities as a pamphlet, instead of being pitched as a meaningful contribution to Mishima criticism. If you love Mishima, delight in his works and enjoy the two major biographies. Give Yourcenar's work a pass.

I should have listened to the previous two reviewers.......2004-05-25

As a fan of Mishima Yukiyos work, I hoped that the other two reviwers of this book were mistaken, perhaps close minded, or otherwise wrong. However, they are right on target. Part biography and part "literary analysis", the book does neither well. The first half of the book is almost exclusively summaries of Mishima's major novels, with lengthy qoutes and plot summaries with no serious analysis. As a reader I get the feeling that Yourcenar wishes to bath in the literary sucess of Mishima by retelling his novels. I would be willing to forgive the first half of the book if the second had contained sharp, clear analysis. Instead the book makes wild claims with no support (I particularly enjoyed the line to the effect of "Confessions of a Mask describes all young people in Japan between 15 and 25 after world war 2"). The Sea of Fertility - Mishima's masterpiece - recieved a page of discussion after a length plot summary.

Since I didn't listen to the other reviewers, I hope others will.

A tepid effort yet covers the basic facts.......2003-08-07

Yukio Mishima is clearly an enigmatic, unique, bizarre, and interesting artist. I read many of his novels years ago but little of his personal history. This brief biography by Marguerite Yourcenor gives the basics of the author's life. Yourcenor's occasional self-referential comments do not really detract from this biography but neither do they add to it. Reading this biography certainly doesn't make me want to run out and buy any of Yourcenor's novels. In any case, the pace of the biography builds up nicely to the finale of Mishima's ritual suicide in an almost comic close to his life. The beauty and symbolism of Mishima's final act are layed bare in visceral physicality by Yourcenor. While the overall writing style of the biographer is tepid, the brief duration and fact filled chronology of this biography make it a fair source for those wanting exposure to the esential biographical facts of Yukio Mishima's life.

Not very good........2003-03-25

This book is of little value to both Mishima fans and novices. The novices will want biographical information, of which Yourcenar gives precious little - sure, all the really important stuff is there, but it's outlined in a very sketchy, couldn't-be-bothered way - and certainly far less than either John Nathan or Henry Scott-Stokes. The fans will want information that isn't available anywhere else, of which there is none whatsoever in this book. So what does Yourcenar talk about? The literature, primarily. That would be good, if not for one thing - Yourcenar is an author herself, and she seems to be out to prove her own literary worth. Thus, the book is made of torturedly "sophisticated" sentences, bizarre assertions of the nature of "those who love life love death the most" (not an exact quote, but a very accurate paraphrase), and of course, some namedropping. Yourcenar mentions D'Annunzio, Cocteau, Lautreamont, and others, with very little cause. She also knocks down a few straw men here and there (randomly, in one footnote, she spontaneously accuses nameless people of accusing Mishima of being a snob, and proceeds to prove them wrong), and once proudly proclaims that Mishima was a reader of her own literary work. Bully for her, I guess.

The literary analysis really isn't that good, either. Admittedly, a cursory read may have the effect of helping people see why they like or dislike Mishima's writing, even if Yourcenar's own musings on the matter aren't very inspiring, but it really doesn't say anything. Some of the man's works are barely given a mention - the "discussions" of After the Banquet and The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea take up about a page, combined. Others are given whole chapters, but even then, there is little serious attempt at character analysis - for instance, Ying Chan, the doomed beauty of The Temple of Dawn, is described as "careless" or "thoughtless" or something to that effect, with no justification for this whatsoever, and no further attempt is made to understand her. The part dealing with The Decay of the Angel is effective, but only because it makes the reader remember that incredible novel - it is Mishima who is responsible for the effectiveness, and not Yourcenar.

So what's Yourcenar's point? Apparently, that Mishima had a special vision of a "Buddhist Void" unique to him that inscrutably exhorted him to commit suicide. That's about it. To this end, she gives probably a lot more attention than is necessary to some of Mishima's lesser, later political works - but almost none, paradoxically, to his essay Sun and Steel. This is why she glosses over biographical details - because in her opinion, they have little to no bearing on Mishima's life. A few anecdotes, such as the "green snake" incident, are related with much self-conscious weightiness, as if they held some kind of magical key to Mishima's work. All of these anecdotes are also related by either Nathan or Scott-Stokes in their respective biographies with much less sophomoric interpretations. Yourcenar continues with a rhapsodic summary of the story "Patriotism," which has no value to any reader who has read the source material, and only ends up conveying the impression that Yourcenar is far more fond of blood and death than Mishima ever was. She ends with a poetization of Mishima's last day, in which she waxes eloquent and ecstatic on the subject of ritual disembowelment and decapitation. This culminates in the last paragraph of the book, a completely unnecessary and grotesque extended metaphor that says nothing and isn't even worth reading.

When the book doesn't make goofy conclusions from its superficial collection of facts, it resorts to just praising Mishima's work. On this there is no argument from me, as I am a big fan of Mishima and agree wholeheartedly with Yourcenar's praise. However, her book contributes nothing new to the exciting field of praise, either. Truth be told, I have a hard time understanding why this book was even written. At 150 pages, it's barely even a book; it fails as a biography and as literary criticism. Even at its best, it just isn't very good; you'd do much, much better with either of the two primary Mishima biographies.

Average customer rating:
Mishima : a Vision of the Void
Yourcenar Marguerite
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I3430W

Average customer rating:
Mishima a Vision of the Void
Marguerit Yourcenar
Manufacturer: Farrar Strauss, and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OXEGT4

Average customer rating:
MISHIMA: A VISION OF THE VOID
MARGUERITE YOURCENAR
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus & Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OWUMTS

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