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121. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris | |
![]() | Hardcover
(2010-09-28)
list price: $21.99 -- our price: $10.99 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0316038393 Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Sales Rank: 24 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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122. Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins | |
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(2010-08-24)
list price: $17.99 -- our price: $7.98 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0439023513 Publisher: Scholastic Press Sales Rank: 42 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. Reviews
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123. Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne | |
![]() | Kindle Edition
(2009-10-04)
list price: $1.99 Asin: B002RKSZJO Publisher: Public Domain Books Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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124. I Still Dream About You: A Novel by Fannie Flagg | |
![]() | Kindle Edition
(2010-11-03)
list price: $26.00 Asin: B003EY7JLC Publisher: Random House Sales Rank: 19 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) So here's the dilemma: how can a respectable Southern woman, who wants everything neat and orderly, who has a responsibility to always look her best, and who cannot bring shame either to the South or to her former title of Miss Alabama, neatly commit suicide? Particularly when her condo doesn't have a gas stove, she can't use a gun (because the newspapers will be all over that--Southerners and their guns, you know), and her car is leased by her business so she can't wreck it. And to make matters worse, life keeps interfering with her perfect plan. The Whirling Dervishes come to town. A hair appointment looms (and that pesky 24-hour cancellation policy), parking tickets and bills need to be paid first, there's too much goat cheese in the refrigerator, and there's a mystery to be solved in one of the old mansions on the hill.
Such is the dilemma for Maggie Fortenberry, a former Miss Alabama beauty queen who has endeavored to create a picture-perfect life--a "neat orderly way of being" that she envies in other people's lives. She is so busy admiring everyone else's seemingly perfect existence and punishing herself for her private transgressions that when we meet her in this story she is composing (on perfect stationery- with unfortunately a less-than-perfect pen) her suicide note. She approaches her suicide plans in the same calm, orderly way she has tried to live her life: making a list and being careful not to leave any loose ends or mess. What a wonderful book. Fannie Flagg has such a gift for writing quirky, funny, and compelling characters including the eternally optimistic Hazel, the "biggest little real estate woman in the world", super-smart but ice-cream addicted Brenda, and Babs Bingington, the New Jersey-born real estate agent who is marching through Birmingham like "Sherman taking Atlanta." Not to mention Leroy, the love-struck goat. Flagg has nailed Southern culture and Southern womanhood for all its strength and silliness. And beneath her humor is compassion-- for the characters, their lives, and their stories. This is a book about dreams--dreams lost and dreams found. The dreams of youth--and how to find new dreams when you are no longer young and "have nothing to look forward to" as Maggie laments. Maggie grew up in "Magic City" above a movie theatre called "Dreamland" but her life hasn't been magical or dreamy-- or maybe it has and she just doesn't see it from within her depression and the seething rage just under the surface of smiles and perfection. Even her home doesn't reflect a real life: it must be immaculate because it is the model home for the condo complex shown by realtors to potential buyers. Ironically, the act of ending her life is what ends up saving it: as Maggie puts an end to all the activities she's hated but did because she was supposed to (canceling her gym membership for example) she finally starts to own her true self. Where that leads makes this book a wonderful adventure. Fannie Flagg, who has written two of my favorite books, Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man: A Novel and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe: A Novel, has done it again. "I Still Dream About You" is another funny, sad, heartfelt story. I realize it's trite to say that you'll laugh and cry--but you will. Enjoy!
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I couldn't read this fantastic book fast enough. Our main character Maggie feels as if there is nothing more in this life for her, so she has planned her own death. She gives away her clothes, closes her bank account; has basically everything all planned out. But one thing after another keeps happening so she has to delay her death.
All the characters are just fabulous and so full of life you can't help but chuckle outloud throughout the book! I really wanted to get more in depth in what happened between Maggie and Charles though but it never did. That didn't take away from the book though. Brenda is a real hoot - her and her ice cream and sweets.. too funny! Ethel, her purple hair and all, what an image in my mind! I sure did love all the memories of Hazel though! Fannie's books always have women in such a wonderful bold scene -- very awesome to read! Every time Maggie gets ready to go down to the river and then something happens to delay her, I think God is speaking to her. What made this book even better is the bit of mystery about what they find in the trunk in the attic at Crestview! Nothing like a good little mystery hidden deep in a wonderful book like this! Perfect book to read this holiday season all warm and toasty inside -- Enjoy! Fannie Flagg is worth the wait!
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Once again, Fannie Flagg manages to find humor in everything, from a pending suicide to a midget Real Estate agent.
Maggie Fortenberry had no more reason to live. It wasn't anything specific; the former Miss Alabama was just done. Finished. Her note was just about written when her best friend, Brenda, phoned with tickets to see the Whirling Dervishes. Maggie, always the lady, hated to disappoint, so she postponed her plans. And things KEEP cropping up, in a most humorous fashion. In I Still Dream About You, the characters are vibrant and personable, from Maggie and Brenda to Hazel, "the biggest little real estate woman in the world" and Ethel, always in purple. Readers will even enjoy Babs, "the Beast of Birmingham" and her horrid antics used to steal clients away from Hazel's agency. The characters are full of dreams. Hazel's dreams, not only for her agency but for her life, inspired her employees long after she died. Hazel held them together. Even Maggie's final delay for her Big Decision was inspired by Hazel. The book occasionally gives us small glimpses back in time. They are nicely written and easy to follow. I Still Dream About You is witty and charming and even surpasses Flagg's other works (which include Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and A Redbird Christmas). The only problem with this book was the wait between this and the last. Fannie Flagg may be in her 60s, but her writing shows no signs of flagging. May she continue to write for us.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Fannie Flagg has come up with another winner. A book that might seem predictable, but how on earth can this come out? A book about a genteel lady planning her suicide should be depressing, but it is not. What can be depressing about a woman who needs a cheap watch to time the process of glue drying, who is spared from the expenditure by pressing her rooster kitchen timer into service, instead? This is, yes, a hoot, and also, yes, a love letter for her hometown of Birmingham. Her last book was Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, also about a woman's declining years. It was life-affirming and hilarious, so this one should not surprise me--but it did. Where Fannie Flagg's pen is concerned, I am happily gullible. The short chapters are a treat--they keep the reader blinking to keep up. Enjoy!
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I was so pleased to see a new book by Fannie Flagg, and could hardly wait to read it. And, I wasn't disappointed! The story about Maggie, who is so ready to leave her life behind and just end it all. But, things just keep happening and she just can't just leave, she has to take care of the problems. In typical Fannie Flagg fashion, she weaves the story of all the people involved in Maggie's life and leaves you wanting to find out more about them. I love this book.
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125. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli | |
![]() | Kindle Edition
(2006-02-11)
list price: $0.00 Asin: B000JML9AY Publisher: Public Domain Books Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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126. Cutting for Stone (Vintage) by Abraham Verghese | |
![]() | Paperback
(2010-01-26)
list price: $15.95 -- our price: $8.67 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0375714367 Publisher: Vintage Sales Rank: 23 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Throughout this magnificent novel, this question is answered affirmatively over and over again. Whether your brother is your identical twin, an orphaned child, an unfortunate neighbor, or a stranger, each person deserves to be cared for.
Beginning in India, the story progresses to Africa where it remains until the protagonist immigrates to America. Marion, the narrator of this fictional autobiography, is one of a set of identical twins. His birth and life at the mission, Missing, provide the basis for the conflicts and triumphs contained in the novel. The historical backdrop, Ethiopia's internal conflicts and coups, impart additional depth to the book's realistic atmosphere. The title "Cutting for Stone" is taken from the Hippocratic oath, but may also reflect a double meaning. The biological father of the Marion and his twin, Shiva, is Thomas Stone, a famous surgeon. In what may be a subconscious effort to emulate and impress their absent parent, both become skilled surgeons. They are "Cutting for Stone". This is one of the most outstanding books I have been privileged to read. Verghese is a skilled writer and draws the reader into the book immediately. The characters are strong, interesting, and very human; the conflicts are realistic and keep the pace of the novel moving forward. Even minor characters are sufficiently well developed so that the reader would like to know more about their lives. There is gentle humor, emotional turmoil, and great personal triumph throughout the book. Allow yourself the luxury of time to read "Cutting for Stone" without interruption. If you do not, you will find yourself thinking about the characters and wondering what is going to happen to each one. In my opinion, that is the mark of a great book - the author has captured your attention and quietly demands you give it to nothing else. When a book as fine as "Cutting for Stone" is involved, you are more than happy to comply. You can, if necessary, read this book in multiple sessions without losing interest or forgetting what has previously occurred. Had I been allowed to rate this book more than five stars, I would have done so. It is truly a masterpiece.
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127. Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama | |
![]() | Hardcover
(2010-11-16)
list price: $17.99 -- our price: $8.99 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 037583527X Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Sales Rank: 32 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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128. America by Heart : Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag by Sarah Palin | |
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(2010-11-23)
list price: $25.99 -- our price: $12.49 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0062010964 Publisher: Harper Sales Rank: 45 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review Since the publication of her bestselling memoir, Going Rogue, in 2009, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has traveled the country extensively. She has visited cities and towns in almost every state, dropped in on military bases, given talks and speeches to small groups and at massive rallies. Throughout her travels, she has had the privilege of meeting thousands of Americans—ordinary men and women who have shared with her their hopes and dreams, their love of country, and their fears about what lies ahead. Governor Palin, inspired by these encounters, celebrates in her new book the enduring strengths and virtues that have made this country a beacon of liberty and hope for the rest of the world. America by Heart is a highly personal testament to her deep love of country, her strong roots in faith, and her profound appreciation of family. Ranging widely over American history, culture, and current affairs, Governor Palin reflects on the key values that have been such an essential part of her own life and that continue to inform her vision of America's future. Reviews ... Read more |
129. The War of the Worlds by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells | |
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(2009-10-04)
list price: $0.00 Asin: B002RKSCAQ Publisher: Public Domain Books Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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In each case, Wells uses the trappings of science-fiction and popular literature to lure readers into what is essentially a moral lesson. THE TIME MACHINE is essentially a statement on the evils of the English class system. THE INVISIBLE MAN addresses the predicaments of the men and women to whom society turns a blind eye. And THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is a truly savage commentary on British imperialism and colonialism. This is not to say that it isn't science-fiction--for it most certainly is, and moreover it is science-fiction well grounded in the scientific thinking of its day: intelligent life on Mars was believed to be entirely possible, and Wells forecasts the machinery and weapons that would soon become all too real in World War I. Set in England about the beginning of the 20th Century, the story finds a strange meteor landing near the narrator's home--and from it emerge Martians, who promptly construct gigantic and powerful killing machines and set about wiping the human population of England off the face of the earth. The Martians and their machines are exceptionally well imagined, the story moves at a fast clip, and the writing is strong, concise, and powerful. And to say the book has had tremendous influence is an understatement: we have been deluged with tales of alien invaders (although not necessarily from Mars) ever since. But there is a great deal more going on here than just an entertaining story. Both the England and Europe of 1898 were imperialistic powers, beating less technologically advanced cultures into submission, colonizing them, and then draining them of their resources. With THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, Wells turns the tables, and imperialistic England finds itself facing the same sort of social, economic, and cultural extermination it has repeatedly visited on others. The upshot of the whole thing is that Wells ultimately paints the English habit of forced colonization as akin to an invasion by horrific blood-sucking monsters from outer space--and even goes so far as to suggest that if the present trend continues we ourselves may follow an evolutionary path that will bring us to the same level as the Martians: ugly, sluggish creatures that rely on machines and simply drain off what they need from others without any great concern for the consequences. If we find the idea of such creatures horrific, he warns, we'd best look to our own habits. For these monsters are more like us than we may first suppose. And this, really, is why the novel has survived even in the face of advancing scientific knowledge that renders the idea of an invasion from Mars more than a little foolish. THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is a mirror, and even more than a century later the Martians reflect our own nature to a truly uncomfortable degree. A memorable novel, and strongly recommended--at least to those who have the sense to understand the parable it offers. --GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)--
You've seen the 1953 movie, War of the Worlds, and want to read it in book form? Well, then don't look here. Herbert George Wells wrote this book in 1898, a mere one year after The Invisible Man, and two years after The Island of Doctor Moreau. The moviemakers of the 1950s made a wonderful movie, but one that, alas, bears very little resemblance to the original! This book is one of the crowning examples of nineteenth century fantastic fiction. It is a gripping story that masterfully combines horror and suspense, keeping you at the edge of your seat until the final page. I am lucky enough to possess the 2001, Books of Wonder edition that contains fourteen wonderful, full-color, full-page illustrations plus the two-page illustrations on the front and back, all done by the masterful Tom Kidd. It is very well made, and would make an excellent addition to any library.
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130. Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset by Suzanne Collins | |
![]() | Hardcover
(2010-08-24)
list price: $53.97 -- our price: $27.92 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0545265355 Publisher: Scholastic Press Sales Rank: 26 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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131. Persuasion by Jane Austen | |
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(2009-10-04)
list price: $1.99 Asin: B002RKSZWG Publisher: Public Domain Books Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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It is a novel of second chances. Anne Elliot, no longer in the bloom of youth, is a grown woman of 27 or 28 years. Eight years ago she had been happily in love with a handsome man named Frederick Wentworth. But, unfortunately, due to his financial status, and Anne under the influence of her family and close friend, was forced to reject his marriage proposal and they parted ways. But now, he is within her closest circle once again. Circumstances led to Anne staying with her married sister, Mrs. Muskgrove, while her own house was being let to Wentworth's sister and husband. Wentworth visits his sister and on calling on the Muskgroves finds Anne among them. Anne finds Wentworth, not only looking as good as he ever did, but is now Captain Wentworth, who has made his fortune. Wentworth, still angry with Anne over being rejected, causes him to treat Anne very cooly. But over many weeks of contact here and there, you catch on that Captain Wentworth isn't all that oblivious to Anne anymore, because of all the little 'glimpses' he throws at Anne. The tension between the two is amazing. You can sense a connection between the two, even though they are on opposite ends of the room. In Bath, the tension builds and builds until it culminates into one of the most moving and romantic reunions ever. The letter that Wentworth writes to Anne declaring his love is bound to bring a tear to your eye and a pang in your heart. Happily, all ends well, but throughout the novel you can easily sympathize with Anne. No longer youthful and no longer as pretty as she used to be, she is full of self-consciousness and confusion. She still loves him after all those years, but she cannot act upon her desires. Austen, yet again, excels in portraying her characters. Anne and Captain Wentworth are full and delightful characters that one must love. Her descriptions of Anne's vain father and snobbish older sister, Elizabeth, hit the mark on satirizing the members of society during that time. She wittingly describes how everyone tolerates Mrs. Muskgrove's hypochondriatic self and how everyone deals with her in their own way. There is not so much dialogue between characters in this book, compared to Austen's other novels. Most of the book is in observation of Anne's character and feelings, which makes it so much easier to relate to everything that Anne feels and you understand her situation all the more. This is a wonderful novel, with many qualities, differing from those of Austen's previous novels, to enjoy and admire.
This book has meant different things to me at different times in my life. I have often reflected why I find the story so fascinating and believe it is because it so accurately portrays the human spirit and exposes our flaws and strengths with such transparency. Jane Austen reveals those who are so superficial that they see no goodness or worth other than beauty and wealth (Anne's father and sister); those who are so dependent that they do not listen to their own heart - but instead leave their most important decisions for others to make (Anne herself); and those whose pride has been wounded. And perhaps what is so captivating, Austen lets the reader vicariously "undo" an error in judgment. This is an excellent and timeless novel.
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132. Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen | |
![]() | Hardcover
(2010-08-31)
list price: $28.00 Isbn: 0374158460 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Sales Rank: 40 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul—the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbor, who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter’s dreams. Together with Walter—environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, total family man—she was doing her small part to build a better world. But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz—outré rocker and Walter’s college best friend and rival—still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become “a very different kind of neighbor,” an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street’s attentive eyes? In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom’s characters as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time. Reviews
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133. The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch | |
![]() | Kindle Edition
(2010-12-02)
list price: $9.99 Asin: B003P9XMFI Publisher: AmazonCrossing Sales Rank: 23 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I am reviewing from the Advance Reader's Copy Uncorrected Proof.
This English edition of "The Hangman's Daughter" is Lee Chadeayne's translation of "Die Henkerstochter", by Oliver Potzsch. (There's an umlaut over the "o", but I don't know how to make that!) The mystery's last chapter is titled "A Kind of Postscript", where Potzsch describes how he is a descendent of the real-life Kuisl executioner family. He uses the name of a real forebear for his protagonist, Jakob Kuisl, the offical town hangman. This is very interesting stuff. As is made clear in the novel, executioners were necessary for carrying out legal death sentences, but they and their families were shunned outcasts. They pretty much married only within other executioner families. In addition, executioners were the torturers back when a confession through torture was the legal method of determining guilt. Humans have unlimited ability to rationalize anything. So a suspect is tortured until she confesses to the crime. She is not guilty until she confesses. The torture continues until she confesses, after which she is put to death, or until she dies from the torture without confessing. The moral of the story is, don't make anyone mad enough to blame you for something. This segues into Inquisitional torture. It wasn't just the church that held trials for accused witches. Anybody could claim injury from a witch, and the secular authorities held their own trials for witchcraft. This is certainly what happened in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials.* And this is what happens in "The Hangman's Daughter". A midwife is accused of witchcraft and murder. Jakob Kuisl must legally torture her for the politically expedient guilty verdict the village council desires. However, Jakob doesn't believe she's guilty, and takes it upon himself to find the real murderer. The mystery takes place in Schongau, a village in 1659 Bavaria (there was no German state yet). I'm not sure when Bavaria outlawed legal torture, but I'll take Potzsch's word for it that it survived in Bavaria to this time. I liked the characters in this book. Actions and reactions ring true, even if they are sometimes over the top. You have the super-practical Jakob who still has to get drunk the night before an execution. His daughter, cut from the same cloth. Simon, son of the local quack, who can't get any respect because he's into new-fangled medicine instead of bloodletting and purging. The court clerk, intelligent, but willing to cut any corner to avoid a scene in his town. The village burgomasters, running the gamut from young & idealistic to old & drunk. I'm rating "The Hangman's Daughter" four stars for the plotting and characterization and five stars for the historical interest. It is a long book and can get just a bit wordy. Incidentally, don't let the occupation of Jakob Kuisl worry you. There is no graphic violence or even graphic language. * Though the accused in Salem were mistreated before sentencing, only one was technically tortured. Eighty-year old Giles Corey refused to enter a plea, as a protest against the court's mania. In an effort to force a plea, the court ordered that stones be piled on his chest until he couldn't breathe. It took him two days to die and he never entered a plea.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) The sensory-descriptive writing of Oliver Potzsch takes one back in history to that place in time near the end of the Renaissance and before the Enlightenment where beliefs in witches empowered by the devil were still strongly held in the Bavarian town of Schongau. His startling prologue about the gory execution of Elisabeth Clement in October 1624 by Jakob Kuisl's father, the town executioner, sets the stage for the novel's main story thirty-five years later involving Jakob as the new executioner, his daughter Magdalena, and her love interest Simon Fronwieser, the town's physician's son. The witch trials and executions of numerous women from years ago have cooled down, but the recent death of a child bearing a witch's mark threatens to revive them. Since the child and some of his comrades who turn up missing were with the midwife Martha Stechlin, she is arrested and held in the town's keep to be tortured by Kuisl for a confession. Martha assisted Kuisl's wife in the birth of Jakob's own children. He, his daughter, and Simon believe she is innocent and act as detectives to find the true murderer with the hope of saving Martha from execution.
One of the elements that makes this novel so moving is that Kuisl doesn't enjoy torturing and killing innocent people. He has a conscience. He also believes in God, although he finds God more in the beauties of nature than in mankind. Nonetheless, he inherited the job from his father who inherited it from his father. It is just a job, and when he tortures innocent people, including Martha, he realizes that if he didn't do it, someone else would. His affection for Martha, even assisting her to endure the suffering he inflicts, is unforgettable. It is also interesting that he has the same interest in herbs and natural medicine (including alchemy) as the midwife. In fact, he also shares this interest with Simon who, unlike his father who is old school, seeks the benefits of newer advances in medicine and comes to the hangman's house to read books from his private library which include works by Paracelsus and a book titled "Surgical Armory" by Johannes Scultetus, the city physician of Ulm, which "was so new that probably not even the University of Ingolstadt had acquired it yet". Other interesting aspects of the story involve a shadow-lurking, scarred character with a hand of bone known as "the devil" as well as a treasure hunt. One is also introduced to political figures such as Johann Lechner, the court clerk, whose desire to sacrifice the "witch" for the good of the community will rub many readers the wrong way, although it contributes to the tension of the novel. If one is wondering about the novel's title, one will have to read the story to find out why Potzsch chose it, although some may read it and still wonder why the author chose this title since Magdalena's role may seem minor compared to that of Jakob Kuisl and Simon Fronweiser. Personally, I believe the title is a good one (and that she plays a critical role). Again, I want to emphasize that the author is a master wordsmith when it comes to setting the mood of time and place. Not only the social dynamic with its beliefs about certain professions (including the belief that a respectable doctor shouldn't court or marry a hangman's daughter), but also the physical surroundings - including the practice of dumping the contents of chamber pots in the streets - is described very well. Although I read an advance reader's uncorrected proof copy, I plan to purchase the final publication when it comes out.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is an extremely well-written tale of murder, suspected witchcraft, and ultimate evil set in the mid 17th century in Bavaria. The main protagonist is the hangman of a small town, whose job it is to torture folks to extract confessions from them, and then to execute them by various means.
When a young orphan turns up dead, the townspeople immediately leap to the conclusion that witchcraft is involved, and that the town midwife is the witch. She's thrown into prison and the hangman, reluctantly, must extract a confession from her so that she can be burned at the stake, and thus quell the unrest in the town. Unfortunately, other orphans are found dead, the panic increases, and the pressure on the hangman to get the whole business over increases exceedingly. To save the midwife he must discover who is behind the childrens' deaths, and he is aided in this quest by the young town physician, and his own daughter. It's an exciting book, and there is true evil lurking behind the scene in the area. There's plenty of action, a subplot concerning the love between the physician and the daughter, and coincidences abound to move the story forward, and to place several characters in severe jeopardy. This is a book well worth reading, for it tells us of a different time and place, where peoples' beliefs were more attuned to a world populated by demons and other evil spirits, and the bad things that occasionally happened could be blamed on them, or on fellow townswomen who were called out by jealous neighbors as witches. There are some parallels to our own time, but they are minor, and don't interfere in this exciting and interesting book, which I highly recommend.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) There is an almost guilty pleasure in reading The Hangman's Daughter. The writing - and translation - is wonderful; the story glides along, quietly reeling you in until it's almost impossible to put the book down; and the ending is really fascinating. I especially appreciated the short author's note on the history behind the book and its setting.
Taking place in 1660 in Germany (those of you familiar with the alternative fiction world from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay will immediately be comfortable with this setting as it's the same era as that game), the book follows the story of a murderer or murderers hunting some of the town's children. The protagonists are the hangman (who does not believe the most "convenient" suspect is actually guilty), the hangman's daughter (an herbalist who is toying with becoming a midwife), and a young doctor who is growing increasingly frustrated with the state of medicine (or lack thereof) practiced during this time period. While the doctor may be a somewhat familiar archetype, particularly if you've read Ariana Franklin's series starting with Mistress of the Art of Death, I think it's reasonable to assume that during this time period, a number of these types of young professionals helped to propel the Renaissance into the Enlightenment; thus, I don't think the doctor character detracts in any way. Throughout the story, there are a number of mysteries that pose interweaving threads. It's such a pleasure to read as Potzsch brings these threads together, then back away from each other again, then together again, over and over. All the while, one is thinking, "Well, this obviously means that X and Y are related" and then 20 pages later, "Oh, I see, X and Y could never be related...no, no...it must be that X is the cause of W and so that means that...." The result: a book that, by page 90 or so, is near impossible to set down. Who is killing the children? Why? And why just some children and not others? Why couldn't the "convenient" suspect have done it? When will folks realize that some of the clues clearly contradict others - or maybe they do realize it and the "truth" is a bit more scary to them? And why does the hangman understand intuitively but yet is struggling to put clue 1 with clue 2 with clue 3 (and so on) together to build a better picture of who might be doing this? Okay, and who put clue 4 there? That throws off the whole puzzle the reader was building up until that point. Oh, but wait a minute...what about.... There's murder, witchcraft, mercantile intrigue, political intrigue, and just plain ignorance and superstition all working together to hide facts and confuse clues. Just brilliant. The Hangman's Daughter is one of the best historical fiction / mystery / suspense books of 2010. I was really pleased to see that this is a series; I'm really looking forward to seeing the characters develop. I'm a bit leery to draw the comparison as inevitably someone will vehemently disagree, but in terms of historical mystery / suspense, Potzch has created a setting and story just as enjoyable as Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Frankly, it's enough to make one want to learn German just to read the others in the series; I may check out Amazon's sister in the UK to see if they are already translated.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Readers used to historical fiction like the Brother Cadfael series will be impressed, entertained, and thoroughly engrossed by The Hangman's Daughter, a murder mystery set in the small Bavarian town of Schongau in 1659, some years after the end of the Thirty Years War, which had devastated almost all of Germany.
It is a murder mystery - several children are found murdered - but it encompasses much more than this. On each child is found a mysterious sign - witchcraft? An old man decides at the last minute to give a valuable plot of land to the church instead of to his son, who had intended to use it to expand his business. The church decides to build a leper commune on the property, and numerous burghers are concerned about the damage this will do to their reputation and trade. The construction on the site is repeatedly disrupted by vandals. A ruinous fire breaks out at a goods warehouse in town. The town doctor is not from the area, is not fully accepted by the community, and is something of a quack; his son is in love with the daughter of the village hangman, a thoroughly unacceptable match. The hangman himself is forced by the town council to begin torturing a woman accused of witchcraft and the murder of the children, though this woman, a midwife, in fact helped in the birth of his own child. The town clerk wants all of this over and resolved before the representative of the Elector comes down from Munich. There is quite a lot going on in the little village of Schongau. Throughout, the story is well imagined, and settings and situations redolent of the era, the atmosphere just right. People are forever tripping over chamber pots, the instruments of torture are not merely shown but used, the nature of herbal medicine both medicinal and spurious arise often, and the politics of a small Bavarian town very believable. Of course the fears of witchcraft and the kind of whispering campaigns that can destroy a village in a few weeks are front and center throughout the novel. The author himself is a descendant of the Kuisl family of hereditary village hangmen, which makes some of the characters historical, and which helps enhance his appreciation of the good and bad side of the family business of killing and torture. This is first rate historical fiction, and a good mystery story as well.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) If you're in the market for a refreshing twist in historical fiction, how about casting the protagonist as the local hangman who is also kind, compassionate, and wise, and when he's not crushing fingers in the thumbscrews or breaking bones on the wheel, he's mixing up potions and unctions, filling the homeopathic needs of the townsfolk? So it is with first time author Oliver Potzsch's "The Hangman's Daughter," a roller coaster ride through 17th century Bavaria on the coattails of Jakob Kuisl, the hangman of Schongau. A child - barely alive and not for long - is fished from the raging Lech River. A mysterious tattoo is crudely inscribed on his shoulder blade, leading to fears of witchcraft at work. The path leads back to the unfortunate Martha Stechlin, the gracious midwife to whom most of the town are in debt for the deliveries of their children. But Schongau is a superstitious town in a suspicious time where the horrors still linger from a witch hunt seventy years past that saw more than 60 local women burned at the stake. So Martha is hauled of to the town keep's dungeon, scheduled for "questioning" - with all the requisite tools - at the hands of the hulking Kuisl. That another child, bearing the same strange mark, turns up murdered while the midwife is in irons is of no consequence; the town's hysteria only escalates and a frightened populace clamors for Martha's confession and subsequent execution. Kuisl, however, is convinced of Stechlin's innocence and, certain that it is a serial killer and not the devil who's on the loose, strikes out with his daughter and a young physician to find the perpetrator before poor Martha is fried.
Potzsch tells a well-researched historical yarn with authority and plenty of action, rich in period detail from the politics and government of the war ravaged post-30 Year War Germany to the grisly tools and methods of the executioner to the herbs and ointments that served as remedies of the day. Readers familiar with Ariana Franklin's "mistress of the art of death" novels of Plantagenet England will find a lot to like here, as will fans of Umberto Eco's "Name of the Rose," or James Morrow's "The Last Witch Finder." Potzsch piles on the action to keep the pages turning, and serves up just enough education to keep away the guilty pleasure without degenerating to minutia. And while the ultimate plot unraveling may not win any prizes for irony or surprise, it certainly deserves high marks as a good old-fashioned thriller with plenty of suspense and just a hint of the supernatural. A somewhat uneven pace falters in spots, and If I were to quibble, I'd point out a few anachronisms in the language ("What's up?" and "screw around" in the 17th century?) but I'd fault clumsy translation more than the author. So while not a perfect novel, "The Hangman's Daughter" is an authentic and credible tale - a rollicking and raucous view of this unsettled slice of European history. Well done and well worth a read. |
134. On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection, or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life by Charles Darwin | |
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(1998-03-01)
list price: $0.00 Asin: B000JML90Y Publisher: Public Domain Books Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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135. Just Kids by Patti Smith | |
![]() | Paperback
(2010-11-01)
list price: $16.00 -- our price: $8.99 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0060936223 Publisher: Ecco Sales Rank: 27 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path of art, devotion, and initiation. Patti Smith would evolve as a poet and performer, and Robert Mapplethorpe would direct his highly provocative style toward photography. Bound in innocence and enthusiasm, they traversed the city from Coney Island to Forty-second Street, and eventually to the celebrated round table of Max's Kansas City, where the Andy Warhol contingent held court. In 1969, the pair set up camp at the Hotel Chelsea and soon entered a community of the famous and infamous—the influential artists of the day and the colorful fringe. It was a time of heightened awareness, when the worlds of poetry, rock and roll, art, and sexual politics were colliding and exploding. In this milieu, two kids made a pact to take care of each other. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create, and fueled by their mutual dreams and drives, they would prod and provide for one another during the hungry years. Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. It serves as a salute to New York City during the late sixties and seventies and to its rich and poor, its hustlers and hellions. A true fable, it is a portrait of two young artists' ascent, a prelude to fame. Reviews
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136. Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy) by Ken Follett | |
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(2010-09-28)
list price: $36.00 -- our price: $18.00 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0525951652 Publisher: Dutton Adult Sales Rank: 35 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I thoroughly enjoyed Ken Follett's epics, "Pillars of the Earth" and "World Without End". Though they are hefty tomes, the pages flew. Thus I jumped at the chance to read and review Follett's latest epic, "Fall of Giants" which promises to be the first in The Century Trilogy. When it arrived from Amazon at ~1000 pages and 4 inches thick, I found myself contemplating one of the advantages of having a slim Kindel (I don't). When the thing comes out in hardback in September it could be used a murder weapon!
But we all know that size doesn't matter when you've got an expert storyteller weaving an enthralling tale. I became so engrossed that I'd look up and 100 pages would have flown by. What is it that makes Follett so consistently "readable"? In "Fall of Giants" it's because the book is so well researched about the period (early 20th century especially WWI) with information on coal mining, trade unions, women's suffrage, protocols and manners of the minor royalty, politics, government, revolution and war. The story flows from this rich period but the riveting characters are at the forefront. Even the largely unsympathetic characters, such as the Earl, are made at least understandable because Follett thoughtfully portrays their motivations. There are few totally good or evil characters here, as it should be. (Though Follett seems none too fond of Russians and priests - be they Catholic, Anglican or Orthodox!) In past reviews I have criticized authors that I believe would benefit from more editing (e.g., Steven King, John Irving) so why don't I find Follett's book to be too long? Because there are no slow spots, no political point pushing, and no self-indulgent purple prose. I learned a great deal about WWI reading this novel, what led up to it and how it set the stage for WWII, which I hope is the subject of the next volume. It was fascinating to read about how the media and the governments of all the countries involved, lied to their people about how bad it was. One other thing that I believe readers should know going in: as mentioned, this is Part One of a promised trilogy but, like "Pillars" and "World" it is a stand-alone novel. The reader is not left gripping a cliff at the end. I recently very much enjoyed Connie Willis' "Blackout" which DOES end with a cliff hanger and I am glad I knew that going in; some readers didn't and felt cheated. You will not feel at all cheated at the end of "Fall of Giants". Enjoy!
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) This is a fantastic epic, the first in a planned trilogy by the author of The Pillars of the Earth (now a miniseries) and World Without End. I simply raced through the pages, unable to put this book down even though it was a hefty nearly 1000 pages.
The story moves seamlessly and logically, starting in 1911 and ending in 1925, and has a large cast of characters -- all so beautifully developed that the reader comes to care about each one -- the good and the bad. A helpful CAST OF CHARACTERS is provided at the beginning of the book that may be copied and used as reference, but it is really not needed as the reader is introduced to each and they are so memorable that it's easy to keep them straight. The families are American, English, Scottish, French, German and Austrian, Russian, and Welsh. There are Lords and Ladies, Dukes and Duchesses, Kings, Queens, Earls, Dukes -- even the servants, miners, and other assorted people populate this work of fiction. The author has also inserted real historical figures into the story, and their interaction with Follett's characters is very well done. Book one of the CENTURY TRILOGY is set in Europe before, during and after World War I. From a mining town in Aberowen, South Wales, to the drawing rooms of the privileged aristocracy in Russia, Britain, Germany, and to the War Room in the White House of Woodrow Wilson -- the narrative captivates as it tells the tale of the people involved in the conflict and their lives during this period of change in the world. The story is intriguing and complex, but eminently readable. The violence and gore that were present in Follett's previous works is absent here, and the action is fast and the storytelling fantastic. I have a fondness for historical fiction, and this work does not disappoint as the author has obviously thoroughly researched the era and has rendered it beautifully. I won't provide a detailed synopsis of this book since the product description on this page does that, but will say that it's a drama about life and love during these fateful years and I promise you that this will go down as being one of the best books you've ever read. I cannot recommend it highly enough and can't wait for the sequel! This book, however, has a very satisfying conclusion and can stand alone as you are not left with unanswered questions at the end! Historical fiction at its best.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) Fall Of Giants is another mammoth-size work of historical fiction from Ken Follett that you won't want to put down once you start reading it. I got so caught up in this 985 page advance reader copy that I finished it in about a week, which is super fast for me. Fall Of Giants, the first book in The Century Trilogy, follows the lives of five interrelated families as they move through the events of WWI, the Russian Revolution and the women's suffrage movement. Follett's characters are so richly developed and his narrative abilities are so strong that I felt that I was right along side each of these families as they moved through the major events in their lives. I highly recommend Fall Of Giants to you so that you can enjoy traveling with Follett's characters as they move from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering palaces of the super wealthy, to the corridors of power and to the bedrooms of the mighty. Do yourself a favor and be one of the first on line to get yourself a copy of this very entertaining, well-researched and memorable book. But be aware that your enjoyment won't come cheap -- the retail price of Fall Of Giants is $36. I think you'll find, however, that it is worth every penny.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) When Ken Follett's Fall of Giants arrived I was stunned at the size of the book. Nearly a thousand pages were before me. Then I wondered why I was surprised. We're talking Ken Follett here. Regardless of size, Follett's books are imminently readable and Fall of Giants is no different. Perhaps the most amazing fact is that Fall of Giants is simply the first installment of a promised Century trilogy. Amazing, but not surprising. I can't wait.
The story revolves around five European families from 1911 to 1925. This period of time encompasses the First World War. The period of late the Victorian Age was a time when society was rigid with "manners". The upper classes new their place and weren't shy about letting everyone else know their place as well. If the code of conduct was firmly set for the upper classes and royalty, so was it set for the lower classes as well! If you were a member of the "working" class you knew who your "betters" were and behaved accordingly. Life was hard and took its toll on the masses. Follett does a masterful job at describing the world as it existed at that time and he spends a good deal of time examining the class struggle which went on in much of Europe during this time. His characters are so numerous that he provides an index of them at the book. In most cases he provides us with clear descriptions of those who inhabit his fictional world. I can only assume that character development will continue in the two additional books we are promised. I thought this was a strong point in Pillars of the Earth. The Fall of Giants is a sweeping novel not because of the time period it covers, only 14 years, but because of the story he is telling and because of the era in which it happens. Of all the authors I have read over the years it is James A. Michener that I remember most fondly. His stories are so complete that after finishing one you really felt as though you had accomplished something. You also learned because of reading them. The Source really gives one the sense of the complexities in the Holy Land. Texas, Poland, and Centennial, and others, not only told a story that entertained, but also taught the reader something. Ken Follett is, in many ways, the same. You will be much richer after reading Fall of Giants. I don't even think the length of the book is a negative. I suspect that a competent editor could have found a way to pare down the size. But some stories just take a while to tell. Cutting is always an option, but only so much "fat" can be cut before you're into the meat, and this book is meaty. Try reading Fall of Giants, I think you'll be glad. If you don't want to buy it, check it out from your library. I don't think you'll be sorry for the effort. I highly recommend. Peace always.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I've been on a bit of a Ken Follett roll, have just recently completed Pillars of the Earth, which I LOVED. So needless to say, I was thrilled to be able to read and review, Follett's new, Book One of the new Century Trilogy, Fall of Giants debuts on September 28th. What did I think? It is wonderful!
Book One spans a period of about 14 years, beginning in 1911 and covering the period before, during and after World War I. In this installment, five families: American, German, Russian, English and Welsh, all related in some way, must endure the effects of both the First World War and the Russian Revolution. Without going into all the characters (I think I counted 12), or the entire plot of this mammoth work, I'll just mention a few of the key players. There is Billy Williams who is just 13 when he is off working in the mining pits of Wales. Grigori and Lev Peshkov are orphaned Russian brothers, whose lives take dramatically different paths in life. There's the Fitzherberts who are wealthy aristocrats, and Lady Maud, finds herself falling in love with a Russian spy. Ethel, (Billy's sister) is the housekeeper for the wealthy Fitzherberts, challenging class distinction by having an affair with the earl for who she works. Gus Dewar is an American Law student, and son of a US Senator who finds himself in the War Room of Woodrow Wilson's cabinet. I'm extremely happy I didn't let the nearly 1,000 pages of this novel deter me. The pages practically turned themselves, and I was not disappointed. The review copy had a lengthy list of the cast of characters which was very helpful to refer back to. I am sure the finished copy will have something similar as well. There is a lot to take in with this novel, but I especially enjoyed reading about the underdogs of this novel: servants, miners, factory workers, and peasants alike. Class distinction is vividly portrayed. I thought all the info on WWI was interesting, and a lot to take in, as I am very rusty on this time in history. I liked that the author used some actual historical names in Fall of Giants: President Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, Kaiser Wilhelm, Lenin and Trotsky. By doing this, it made the story all the more engrossing and realistic. Another sweeping Follett epic, set in another place and another time - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED This novel's release date is September 28, 2010. This book would be a great choice as an eBook selection for those who have an eReader. It can be tiring on the hands if you read and hold the 3+ inch thick book for long periods. DON'T MISS THIS ONE! |
137. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks | |
![]() | Hardcover
(2010-09-14)
list price: $25.99 -- our price: $13.00 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 044654759X Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Sales Rank: 41 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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138. The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook Presents: A Magical Christmas Menu Sample by Dinah Bucholz | |
![]() | Kindle Edition
(2010-12-08)
list price: $1.00 Asin: B004G8PR1E Publisher: Adams Media Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review Looking to celebrate the tastes of this magical world all-year round? Then check out the Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook eBook and Print editions! Reviews ... Read more |
139. The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood by Jane Leavy | |
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(2010-10-01)
list price: $27.99 -- our price: $12.00 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0060883529 Publisher: Harper Sales Rank: 36 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
Editorial Review Jane Leavy, the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy, returns with a biography of an American original—number 7, Mickey Mantle. Drawing on more than five hundred interviews with friends and family, teammates, and opponents, she delivers the definitive account of Mantle's life, mining the mythology of The Mick for the true story of a luminous and illustrious talent with an achingly damaged soul. Meticulously reported and elegantly written, The Last Boy is a baseball tapestry that weaves together episodes from the author's weekend with The Mick in Atlantic City, where she interviewed her hero in 1983, after he was banned from baseball, with reminiscences from friends and family of the boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, who would lead the Yankees to seven world championships, be voted the American League's Most Valuable Player three times, win the Triple Crown in 1956, and duel teammate Roger Maris for Babe Ruth's home run crown in the summer of 1961—the same boy who would never grow up. As she did so memorably in her biography of Sandy Koufax, Jane Leavy transcends the hyperbole of hero worship to reveal the man behind the coast-to-coast smile, who grappled with a wrenching childhood, crippling injuries, and a genetic predisposition to alcoholism. In The Last Boy she chronicles her search to find out more about the person he was and, given what she discovers, to explain his mystifying hold on a generation of baseball fans, who were seduced by that lopsided, gap-toothed grin. It is an uncommon biography, with literary overtones: not only a portrait of an icon, but an investigation of memory itself. How long was the Tape Measure Home Run? Did Mantle swing the same way right-handed and left-handed? What really happened to his knee in the 1951 World Series? What happened to the red-haired, freckle-faced boy known back home as Mickey Charles? "I believe in memory, not memorabilia," Leavy writes in her preface. But in The Last Boy, she discovers that what we remember of our heroes—and even what they remember of themselves—is only where the story begins. Reviews
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140. At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson | |
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(2010-10-05)
list price: $28.95 -- our price: $14.46 (price subject to change: see help) Isbn: 0767919386 Publisher: Doubleday Sales Rank: 38 Average Customer Review: ![]() US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan |
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) I adore this book. I sat up late reading it, and I woke up at 4:30am (really) to continue reading it. I expect to press the book into the hands of several friends with a stern warning about returning it *immediately* after they finish.
Yet, I have a hard time summarizing the book in a manner that will make you understand my enthusiasm. When I tried to explain to someone why this book was so wonderful, she crinkled up her nose and gave me a "You gotta be kidding" look. This book discusses so many topics, from the history of the toilet to the reasons behind the 1851 Great Exhibition to the impact of world exploration on furniture building, that any description sounds like Bryson threw a jumble of facts into a book and had done with it. On the other hand, I explained to my friend just one of the anecdotes (the one that ends with "Nothing -- really, absolutely nothing -- says more about Victorian Britain and its capacity for brilliance than that the century's most daring and iconic building was entrusted to a gardener") and she got interested. And she giggled. Because somehow, amazingly, Bill Bryson ties together this collection of historical anecdotes and "what really happened" within a clear and recognizable structure: the Victorian parsonage in which he and his wife live, which was built in 1851. The chapters walk us through each room and the items within it. In "The nursery," for instance, Bryson debunks the oft-cited premise that "before the 16th century there was no such thing as childhood;" talks about Victorian tools for childbirth (and how a doctor's reluctance to adopt obstetrical forceps in 1817 changed history when Princess Charlotte died in childbirth); discusses the slow evolution of child labor laws; and mentions how Fredrich Engels embezzled from his family business to support his friend Karl Marx in London. And, honest, that's just a sample. Bryson doesn't flit from one subject to another, or at least it never seems like it when you're reading; he goes into exhaustive depth about a lot of subjects, like the fascinating person you wish you were seated next to at a dinner party (but somehow never seem to be). And besides: He is funny. Bryson has a wonderful droll sense of humor that made me laugh aloud many times, though it never gets in the way of imparting information. On several occasions I interrupted my husband to read him a a section of text -- something that usually annoys him -- and he forgave me every time. Here's one of them, in a section about the popularity of household servants: "At Elveden, the Guiness family estate in Suffolk, the household employed sixteen gamekeepers, nine underkeepers, twenty-eight warreners (for culling rabbits), and two dozen miscellaneous hands -- seventy-seven people in all -- just to make sure they and their guests always had plenty of flustered birds to blow to smithereens." There's plenty of ways Bryson could have said that formally, but the insertion of his personal view made me giggle. (And, oh, estate visitors managed to slaughter over 100,000 birds every year, so those staff were not idle.) By the time I finished reading the book, I was struck by several things: How often coincidence influences history; the number of brilliant technical innovations introduced by people with absolutely no business sense (one example: Eli Whitney and his partners demanded a 1/3 share of any cotton harvest, without recognizing how easy it was to pirate the design of the cotton gin); how often people were oh-so-sure of things that weren't so (like what causes disease); and how many amazing inventions we take for granted. I urge you to buy this book. If nothing else, reading it will mean that YOU are the fascinating person whom everyone wants to sit next to at the next dinner party.
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?) If this book were a house, it would be one of those charmingly odd edifices put up by a single builder with a determinedly eccentric vision. The floor plan might be odd, and it might be a little hard to say exactly what architectural style it is, and on occasion you might find a gable where you'd expected a chimney. But you'd love it anyway.
_At Home_ doesn't really have a theme, or an argument to advance. Rather, it's an interwoven fabric of anecdotes, historical tidbits, excursions, diversions, and useless but fascinating facts. Its organization (as a tour of the author's house) is just enough to give it structure and keep it from being a mere collection of curios. To pull this off requires absolutely top-notch writing skills--and Bryson has them. Still, this isn't a book to read in search of a cohesive understanding of much of anything. Rather, it's a book to be rambled through, eying the delightful scenery. (There's a more-than-passing resemblance to James Burke's _Connections_ series.) For example, the chapter on "The Passage" touches on the Eiffel Tower, the Vanderbilts, Thomas Edison's mania for concrete houses, the telephone, and the biggest mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. I'm not sure how much information any given reader will retain, but with writing this good, who cares? This is a big, sweeping story. It combines very broad historical scope with closely-observed minute detail. I did spot one or two places where Bryson's facts are incomplete or open to dispute. (To take a trivial example, the relationship among bushels, quarts, and liters is mis-stated.) I'm happy to let them go as quibbles; in general, Bryson is pretty good at overturning anecdotal history and providing a good, well-sourced, thoughtful synthesis. So don't look for a thesis, and don't approach _At Home_ as a textbook. Its joys are those of breadth, not depth. Step right in. Wander around. Make yourself comfortable. You might even get a little lost, but you won't mind. |
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