17-year-old Lucy Scarborough lives with her foster parents, as her single mother went insane at the time of her birth. Lucy has no true feelings for her mother, and doesn’t care what happens to her. But Lucy’s life changes forever after one traumatic night, after which her good friend Zach Greenfield finds and brings to her Miranda’s (Lucy’s mother’s) diary from when she was still sand. Zach, Lucy, and Lucy’s foster parents learn that Lucy’s family has been cursed for generations: Every Scarborough girl will have a baby girl at eighteen and will go mad upon that child’s birth. The only way to end the curse is to complete three “impossible” tasks: Make a magical shirt, without any seams or needlework; Find an acre of land between the salt water and the sea strand; Plow [that land] with a goat’s horn and sow it all over with one grain of corn.
All the other Scarborough girls before Lucy had tryed to end the curse and failed. But they were alone, and Lucy has her parents and Zach for support and advice. Lucy knows that she absolutely must complete the tasks, for her own sake and her baby’s.
An immensely sreative novel based on the classic ballad Scarborough Fair and cleverly set in modern times, Impossible will keep readers turning pages. Sometimes, though, the author will suddenly hurl an event or development at the readers, throwing her (or him!) off-kilter for a while.
Rating: 4 stars
For more information visit http://www.nancywerlin.com.
In Oscar Wilde’s infamous Faustian novel, the Picture of Dorian Gray, a painter named Basil Hallward becomes infatuated with a portrait’s subject, Dorian Gray. Realizing he won’t be young and handsome forever, Dorian states he’d sell his soul if his portrait would age instead. With his wish fulfilled, Dorian takes up hedonistic pursuits of beauty and fulfillment of the senses with his new friend, Lord Henry Wotton. As Dorian continues in his sinful debauchery, his portrait ages and becomes more grotesque.
Some time ago, Uncertainprinciples said:
“It’s an absolutely amazing book, with one of my favorite quotes of all times: ‘I can resist anything but temptation.’ How well does that quote define the actual theme of the book?”
Perfectly, especially because Dorian meets and gives into temptation after temptation, starting with remaining handsomely young. The hedonistic Dorian makes sure he’s seen among Society at the proper events, becomes enamored with a string of women, and takes to visiting opium dens. It is also implied that Dorian’s relationships with some young men goes beyond platonic. With the consequences of an angry well-to-do family and shame and loss of status all around, he blackmails one of them to keep their secret. Even when Dorian knows he’s behaving atrociously, he makes no correction simply because he can get away with it and his secret is safe.
Wilde also comments about the decadence and indulgence of Victorian society in general. Anybody who was anybody was expected to attend extravagant balls and dinners and the opera. If they didn’t, tongues would wag and they would be shunned. Wilde also criticizes such attitudes and social laws in his satirical Lady Windermere’s Fan. The division between the classes and the snubbing of the lower class by the upper class are also apparent. It can be said that Dorian was slumming it when he secretly visited the opium dens in the poor parts of London. Of the opinion that only the lower classes commit crimes, Lord Henry says:
“I should fancy that crime was to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary sensations”.
The Picture of Dorian Gray was ill received and controversial when it was published in 1891. Not only did it portray Victorian society in a poor light, but homosexual relationships were not something to be mentioned. Such topics went against Society’s genteel grain. During the premiere of the Importance of Being Earnest in 1895, Wilde was brought to court by the Marquess of Queensberry for indecent relations with his son and prosecuted, for which he did two years of hard labor. Wilde wrote his last piece after his release, a poem titled the Ballad of Reading Gaol, and passed away in Paris in 1900.
The gothic horror is eerie, phenomenal, memorable, has quite the ending, and I highly recommend it. So far this is my favorite of what I’ve read by Wilde. I look forward to reading more of his works, starting with Earnest. By the way, Gross Indecency: the Three Trials of Oscar Wilde by Moises Kaufman is a great play.
Snippets from the Picture of Dorian Gray’s preface:
“The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim. The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things… Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault… There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all… The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium… Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue are to the artist material for an art… All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbols do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors… When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself… The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless.”
A few years ago I read Alexander Waugh’s marvellous biography of five generations of his family, Fathers and Sons. Alexander is the son of Auberon (’Bron’) Waugh, whose scathing and hilarious columns I used to read in Private Eye when I was a teenager. Bron was the son of Evelyn, author of cynical 1920s novels like Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies and Scoop, all of them wonderful, and, much later, Brideshead Revisited. Evelyn was the brother of Alec, an untalented hack and erotomaniac, and they were the two sons of Arthur, a rather strange, over-religious late-Victorian literary gentleman. Arthur’s father was a mid-Victorian sadist known as ‘The Brute’ who enjoyed locking his son in a cupboard all night and firing off guns in his ear without warning. A classic English upper-middle-class family in other words.
With material like this to work with a biographer can hardly go wrong, and Alexander’s task was made easier by the fact that all of these men, except the Brute, were copious writers of letters and diaries. Alexander claims to have some 12,000 letters in his house – I think that’s what he said – and there are many more in various libraries and universities. His book is wonderful, not just because of the bizarre anecdotes it contains, but as a case study of weird parenting passed on through the generations. Interviewed by Peter Craven at MWF, Alexander did not disappoint, providing more than an hour of entertaining anecdote which almost lived up to Craven’s characterisation of him as the finest biographer since Boswell wrote The Life of Johnson.
Arthur Waugh, having been brutalised by his own father, devoted extraordinary love and attention to his older son, Alec, convinced that Alec would be a sporting and literary genius. In fact Alec was nothing of the sort, and it was the neglected Evelyn who became the literary star, with books that his father regarded as contemptible. Evelyn got his revenge by portraying his father in absurd and demeaning guises in his fiction. In one of Evelyn Waugh’s short stories, ‘Mr Loveday’s Little Outing’, a lunatic is taken for a day out by a lady on a bicycle, whom he then strangles, before returning happily to the asylum. This is a not-too-subtle dig at Arthur Waugh’s fetish for lady cyclists.
Evelyn Waugh, according to Alexander, was a pretty good father to his own son, Auberon – although when Bron nearly killed himself with a machine gun while doing national service in Cyprus, Evelyn refused to visit the young man as he lay close to death. Evelyn’s diaries are full of derogatory references to his children, but according to Alexander that is because he was: a) unusually honest about how irritating one’s children can be, and b) he always wrote his diaries in the evening when he was pissed. Alexander’s own father, Bron, seems to have been the best when it came to parenting skills, although now Alexander considers him to have been almost excessively supportive. When Alexander was kicked out of school for pushing the maths master’s cupboard down a flight of stairs and smashing it (he thought it contained a secret stash of women’s underwear) Auberon wrote in his son’s defence to the headmaster, saying “Vandalism is no more senseless than playing tennis.”
There are too many stories to go on quoting them so you will have to obtain the book if you want to know any more. The serious point to the story, I suppose, is the many ways in which parents can mess up their children’s lives, whether through lack of love or excess of it.
I must add a word of praise for the interpreter at the event who provided signing in Auslan for the deaf. This woman was highly skilled and watching her was a treat even if you could hear perfectly. I suppose she has worked at a lot of gigs but it cannot be every day that she has to translate sentences such as “Arthur enjoyed watching the undulating bottoms of young ladies as they rode their bicycles” or “My Uncle Arthur discovered the joys of self-abuse while on his knees in the school chapel one night.” It was a magnificent effort.
After the deflating letdown of “The Fourth Reich”, I once again ventured into the waters of end-times fiction. This time it was the Left Behind series with best selling authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
The Left Behind series has unfortunately degraded into a curious franchise of movies, spinoffs, video games, comics, t-shirts and probably bed covers with matching pillow cases eerily reminiscent of Star Wars ( or perhaps rather Space Balls? ). Yet for the sake of this review I’ll stick with the original 13 book series.
The story is about the events immediately following the aftermath of the pre-tribulationist concept of “the rapture”. It takes us through the interweaving stories of a pilot, a reporter, a pastor. Many other characters are introduced as the series moves along and subsequently exterminated in ever creative fashions.
The first book is all well and good, while the second is more buildup. The third book, “Nicolae” is by far the best of the bunch due to its political intrigue. I’m not sure what it is with Anti-Christ figures and the name “Nicolae”, but I suggest all you good parents be suspicious of little Nicki and to inspect him for any 666 birthmarks. I’m just saying.
From books 4 on, it quickly spirals into drudgery. It’s like Hall and Oates music: you’ll listen to it on the radio, maybe even tap your fingers…but it’s otherwise not memorable and simply an empty experience. Not bad, just not good. OK, let’s put it this way…I can summarize each book after “Nicolae” by the following dialogue:
Buck: Hey, our friend Joe just got shot through the head. Y’know, this reminds me of John 3:16.
Tsion: Yes Buck, and we must inform the world on the Internet because people always look to the internet for religious guidance.
Buck gave a grim look, because he knew many more of them would die in the days ahead. But he was cool with that.
Ray: Hey, let’s pray!
Look folks, I’m as evangelical as they come, so I have to wonder…do any of us REALLY talk like this?? Maybe I need to broaden my social network. Or maybe I’m better off leaving well enough alone.
What begins as entertaining fiction begins to take itself way, way too seriously. The characters turn into cardboard-cutouts going through very predictable hoops. And the Anti-Christ…oh man…
OK, here’s the deal. I expect the Anti-Christ be somewhat more intelligent than, say, your average NASCAR viewer. Nicolae begins as a rising star but becomes strikingly similar to Wile E. Coyote chasing the Christian Road Runner. This guy in reality couldn’t get elected to the city council of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan let alone have all the leaders of the world give him their power, so it seriously lacks believability.
Come near the end of the series, Nicolae becomes such a cartoonish political figure I half expected him to roll out an ACME guillotine while writhing his hands. As a reader you don’t want him to meet his demise because he’s evil. You want it because he’s a freaking idiot.
And Jesus, well…he’s very…( looking for the right words )…Baptist.
I don’t envy an author who must try and do justice to adding Jesus in a novel. Unfortunately, Jesus comes off like an actor stealing his own lines. Here is where LaHaye and Jenkins drop the ball. The authors forget that they are writing FICTION, and instead feel they must “stick to the script” and not deviate from the acceptable evangelical norm.
Truly good books take artistic license. Unfortunately, the Left Behind series sacrifices creativity and originality and instead seeks more to convince the reader of the pre-tribulationist rapture instead. It is often overly preachy, and to any student of Biblical eschatology, is exceedingly predictable.
The books accomplish in 13 what should have been done in 3 or 4. It rambles on, and you are only along for the ride so you can see the end. I suggest reading books 1, 3, and 13. There you go, and you’re welcome.
The authors are now making a PREQUEL series…which seems redundant if you ask me considering you KNOW the outcome. But I guess writers have kids to feed too.
Squeeks by with 3 Stars out of 5. Give it a 4 if you’re a member of the Southern Baptist Convention.
NEXT UP: The Christ Clone Trilogy by James Beauseigneur…
Like most people, or maybe unlike, I go back and revisit my ideas to see if they’ve changed. There’s almost no way to keep personal likes and dislikes out of review. If something makes you mad, or upset, or just violates your principals, maintain an emotional distance just doesn’t happen. In my work I deal with data and form my opinions based on facts, but even there two people can look at the same data and see different things. If opinions vary when dealing with numbers and facts vary, it’s inevitable that reactions will vary even more widely when forming opinions on books – after all, a book is intended to elicit a reaction from the reader.
So I went back and revisited some of my reviews to see if I still felt the same way – positive or negative – about some of the books I’ve reviewed. To do this, I looked primarily at those I like the best and the least. I don’t give any A reviews and even fewer F reviews, so the lists aren’t long, but I did include a few B books that might be deserving of a second look.
The Best
Single, White Vampire by Lynsay Sands – Grade A- would change to B-
I just recently re-read this book and it is good, but not THAT good. The story is lightweight fun with a few too many plot flaws to make an A grade.
The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie – Grade A- is unchanged
It’s just that well done that what flaws it has are complete irrelevant.
Here Kitty, Kitty by Shelly Laurenston – Grade A – is unchanged
If there a perfect balance between humor and romance in the paranormal shifter world, Shelly Laurenston does it here. She did it in Christmas Pride in The Mane Event. I just love Angelina and Nik and think Des and Mace. Their place on my keeper shelf is secure.
The John Rain Series by Barry Eisler – Grades include A, A- is unchanged
This collection of 6 books about assassin John Rain has both of my ultra rare A ratings and two more A- ratings. The international intrigue, assassin, black ops genre just doesn’t get done better than these and they just as good today as they were when they were when published. In a genre where relevance is often measured by next week’s headlines, the fact these books remain complete engrossing and believable is saying something.
Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Thayer – Grade A- is Unchanged
This is a book that long after the initial reading remains a personal favorite for a variety of reasons. The story has many elements to it that keeps the plot moving, twisting and turning through a labyrinth of old lies and crimes and current ones going on. Great off-beat characters, a core romance that is as quirky as the people in a romantic suspense novel that’s laugh at loud funny while keeping a dead serious core.
The Killing Floor by Lee Child – Grade A- is Unchanged
What can I say, a bloody, violent novel that created a protagonist so memorable he’s in his 13 book this year. Few subsequent books matched the pacing – or the gore – of this one, but what a way to launch your writing career! It’s everything an action thriller should be.
Accidentally Were? and Witch, Vamp, Were? By Anne Douglas – both A- and Unchanged
These two novellas are just great. Good characters, good story and the foundations of a really fascinating urban fantasy. Tightly plotted and written, each seems a great deal more than they are – and Witch, Vamp, Were? still has the funniest voyeurism scene I’ve read.
Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz – Grade A- now B+
The plot just wasn’t A- material. Close, but no cigar.
Alexandria by Lindsey Davis – Grade A- now B
This historical whodunit was not Davis’ best work, but it came during a drought of good books so it seemed better than it was.
Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase – Grade B+ is now A-
Whatever I thought was a flaw here just isn’t. A creative, original, well paced historical romance that’s far more about attraction than sex. Just about as good as historical romance gets – funny, great historical detail, well developed plot and characters that are completely memorable. In addition to Mr. Impossible, Lord Perfect, The Last Hellion, and Lord of Scoundrels are some of the best Regency novels ever written and all sit on my keeper shelf.
Many books I read never get reviewed, there’s just no time to do them all. That’s especially true of all the ebooks, mostly novellas, that I read.
The Worst
Only Pleasure by Lora Leigh – Grade F- revised Grade C- for story and F for enjoyment.
My reaction to this was a reflection of the complete lack of credibility of the heroine and her reactions to the so-called ‘hero’. The idiotic justification for criminal behavior at the beginning of the books that still drives me right over the edge. Despite these huge issues, I should probably have done what I did with Maya Banks’ Sweet Persuasion, give it two grades.
Sweet Persuasion by Maya Banks – Grade B- with an F for enjoyment is unchanged
Nothing I can do about this. In the real world, where this story is set, we mere mortals are constantly asked by our court systems to indict men who abuse women that swear they were willing participants. Where is society supposed to draw these lines? How do we know how much is a kind of emotional blackmail and how much true willingness. This book just crossed a line when making the heroine’s continued participation in her personal fantasy dependent on never using a safe word. This goes way past any comfort zone I have on both an intellectual and visceral level. It did, however, inspire an editorial on BDSM in general.
Riding Double by Evie Adams- Grade F- is unchanged
This erotic ebook novella had nothing. No plot, characters or pacing. Just sex and stupid, selfish, boring people. Some things do NOT improve with age.
Mari’s Men by Stormy Glen – Grade F- is Unchanged
Another ebook that’s a complete waste of bytes. An incoherent plot, redundant paragraphs and sentences and plain bad writing makes for an utterly dumb novella that could be used as the perfect bad example in any creative writing class.
The Lords of the Satyr Trilogy by Elizabeth Ambler – Grade F is changed as follows:
Nicholas – D+ enjoyment F (So much promise and then magical dildos?)
Raine – D- enjoyment F (Sex with a hermaphrodite and didn’t notice the penis?)
Lyon – DNF
I still sincerely dislike these books and think both the plots and the characters lack credibility, but the writing quality is good – lush and smooth. Too bad the plots and characters weren’t as richly drawn.
Not too many changes, and certainly no major rethinking, but enough to know that some decisions are driven by external factors that have little to do with the book. In Part Two, I’ll be doing a list of ‘favorites’ that includes many books that I haven’t reviewed.
14-year-old Jessica White is far from happy when she moves to Lume, a remote island off the coast of England. As her parents dive into remodeling the old house, Jess discovers an abandoned cottage on the property. Inside the cottage is a supernatural presence known as Epsilon who, through a series of clues and antique documents, educates her about an ancient evil threatening Lume. The documents seem to have been written by Sebastian Wren, a boy who lived in the 19th century and whose life events are strangely mirrored by hers. Sebastian, too, was working with Epsilon.
As the evil grows stronger and Jess’s time to stop it grows shorter, Jess’s mother becomes influenced by the dark force, making her act in a way that makes her seem hypnotized, or possessed. Jess learns that she must find a certain relic that will help the darkness but, given to Epsilon and the One he serves will bring blessings upon the land of Lume. But she is starting to doubt that epsilon is really a creature of light.
Dark, suspenseful, with a few laughs thrown in, this book will have reader’s hearts racing as they attempt to solve the riddles ahead of the characters. The Riddles of Epsilon is a gem, not to be ignored among Twilight and Harry Potter.However, one key flaw in the writing sometimes forms a hitch in the flow of the story: Some solutions to problems seem to come too easily, without hindrance, and events are not put into proportion. For example, in one instance, Jess makes it across the island, on foot, when evil is at it’s height, without trouble (and in what seems, by the description, to be less than an hour).
Rating: 4 stars.
For more information visit: http://www.theriddlesofepsilon.com .
From the preface It is a truth widely acknowledged that Camilla Lawrence in The Wise Virgins, is a portrait of the author’s wife, Virginia Woolf. Leonard Woolf began this novel while the couple was on honeymoon is Spain, a month after their marriage on 10 August 1912.
The story behind the story in this lovely Persephone book (no 43) was as interesting to me as the story itself. That’s not to take anything away from the story which I loved.
Leonard Woolf has written a leisurely semi-autobiographical summer’s tale which is essentially an exploration of the roles and choices available to young men and women, especially women in English society at that time. 1912 was a significant year for the women’s suffrage movement and although this is not directly mentioned in the story, in the preface we are reminded of this and how it would have been in Woolf’s mind when he was writing it.
Harry Davis moves with his family to a new neighbourhood in the fictional Richsted (Richmond/Hampsted). Here he meets the Garlands and their four daughters. The Garlands are everything that the rather contrary and moody Harry wants to avoid. He finds them conventional, boring and dull. Even pretty, sweet, innocent Gwen with her obvious crush on Harry fails to hold his interest for long.
Harry’s interest lies with Camilla, his painting model who is everything the Garland girls are not. Unconventional, independant, intellectual but unable to return his feelings in the way he needs.
Harry spends his time alternating between family duty outings with the Garlands and hanging out with Camilla and her sister and friends, having philosophical conversations and not “doing” much. In between times he ponders the differences between Gwen and Camilla, the likely future for each of them and the future for him depending on who he chooses to pursue.
Leonard Woolf’s writing is so insightful with plenty of dry humour that I really appreciated. He paints a vivid picture of his characters and settings and reminded me that even though this was written nearly 100 years ago, there are still some choices to be made in life that haven’t changed.
As with the other Persephone books I have read so far, I especially enjoyed the elegant, non intrusive style of the writing. This is quite a reflective type of book, not a lot of action but one that I would definitely recommend.
Off the Tourist Trail: 1, 000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives. New York: Dorsling Kindersley, 2009.
What a gorgeous, gorgeous book! The photography alone makes this book amazing. From the moment it arrived on my doorstep I couldn’t wait to start turning pages and ogle all the great pictures. The concept of Off the Tourist Trail is brilliant. A team of experts searched cheaper alternatives to the well-known, sometimes more expensive travel destinations around the world. The chapters are broken up by interest: historical, beaches, sports, and cultural to name a few. Every destination has a paragraph dedicated to practical information such as how to get there, places to stay and budget. The “Need to Know” paragraphs are filled with location, maximum height and average daytime temperatures. Probably the most interesting spin to all the information is the “Forget” section. Each comparison adds a build-up and letdown component for the better known destination. For example, in the “Architectural Marvels” chapter the ever-popular New York City is compared with with the lesser-traveled Chicago. New York’s letdown (architecturally) is the fact that its architecture is spread out over several miles and at times, difficult to view.
An added bonus is the forward by Bill Bryson. I love the way he writes. The only drawback to Off the Tourist Trail is that it isn’t portable. Oversized and heavy, this is a book you can’t take in your carry-on. Do your research at home and save room in your bags for souvenirs.
At one point in time, I thought that the only way to write about a book or movie is to write reviews. So I read book and movies reviews, read up on them as well and started writing them. But I always felt very constrained by the form. There is a format and one must abide by that format. The format must have worked for a while but then I started outgrowing it. Till one day, it felt all wrong and I dreaded even writing reviews because I was trying to squeeze my reactions into a form that didn’t fit me. My reactions were very personal, my interpretations were shaped by my reading, and the structure of the review didn’t acknowledge it at all. But write I must. So I’ve started writing notes. The wonderful thing about writing notes is there is no one stringent form! I don’t have to worry about sequence as long as it is logically structured. I feel free; I can breathe and revel in the formlessness of writing notes.
I’m a very lucky girl in regards to the books I’ve been getting for review. They just keep getting better and better. Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson is no exception. It’s book one in a three-volume set titled Promises to Keep and one of the best historical novels I’ve had the pleasure to read in years.
New Zealand farm life in the 1880’s is hard and twelve-year-old Amy dreams of a life beyond the boundaries of her small community. Although snug in the warmth of her family’s love, Amy wants to be a teacher and experience the excitement of living in a city far from the isolated valley she calls home.
When losing her mother shortly after her birth, Amy and her older brothers are raised by an adoring father and strict, but loving Granny. Six months after Granny’s death, Amy is adjusting well to managing their home alone. When her father returns from a business trip with a new wife in tow, Amy and her brothers are shocked, but determined to make the best of it. Unfortunately Susannah finds farm life less than appealing and generally makes life miserable for all, especially Amy. Two and a half years later, Susannah’s younger brother comes to stay for the summer and Amy makes a choice that will change her life forever.
Although some of the plot is predictable in Sentence of Marriage, this in no way diminished the impact the story had on me because of the fresh way it was presented. The characters come alive on the page and with the breathtaking imagery drawn by Parkinson, the cinematic effect is undeniable. I felt as though I were watching the events unfold on a large movie screen. The author has a special gift for using specific words and phrases to bring the period and location into reality without it being overdone. The fact that I sat up reading until three-thirty in the morning, knowing I had to get up before six, speaks for how riveting the story is. I found it impossible to put down.
Not many people are totally good or totally evil and the author offers a superb mix of both good and evil characters with both good and bad traits existing in both. I was fascinated by Amy’s father, Jack, and enjoyed watching as different facets of his personality emerge. But one of the best characterizations I’ve ever seen is in Ms. Parkinson’s portrayal of Susannah—a selfish, conniving, self absorbed woman who seems, at times, to be on the verge of madness. Yet the author wisely gives the reader small glimpses of Susannah’s humanity, making her even more frighteningly real.
Negatives?? I screamed when I realized I’d read the last page. I wanted more, more, more, and I wanted it very badly. That’ s not a true negative though, is it? I have a feeling the story is about to take a decidedly even darker path, but I’m not worried about that. Sentence of Marriage has a darker, storyline, but the warmth, humor, love and affection emanating from the characters makes it both appealing and captivating. I’ll be buying a download of Book II in the Promises to Keep saga later this week and I heartily recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and even those who don’t usually.
I enjoy reading literature in translation if it is done well and Peter Hoeg, the Danish novelist is one of my favourites. Most famous for his excellent uber-thriller Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, Peter Hoeg returns to this genre in this intricately plotted thoroughly satisfying novel, his first in nearly ten years. It is a heady mix of ideas, philosophy and ruminations on the nature of evil all wrapped up in the package of a page-turning mystery thriller. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the novel lies in its preoccupation with sound, both natural and human made; from the gentle lapping of the waters in Copenhagen Harbour to the glimpse of the divine in Bach’s Chaconne. A challenging but thought provoking and ultimately uplifting piece of writing from a modern master.
If you liked this you could try Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow and Borderliners by the same author or anything by the following writers also in translation: Haruki Murakami, George Perec, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Cover Art for What Happened to the Afro? - Photo Courtesy of Dreamstime.com
Donna Kay Cindy Kakonge
Advisor: Dr. Martin Allor
Committee member: Dr. Kim Sawchuk
Outside Examiner: Dr. Lorna Roth
August 12, 1999
Afro Forever
Table of Contents
Intro – 3
Black Hair Framework – 5
Process Prologue – History and Development Salon Utopia – 19
Methodology – 27
Newsgroup Inviting Conversation – 30
History of Hair Politics – 31
Video-taped Interviews – 33
Outcome of Salon Utopia Exploration – 48
Real Time Conversation vs. On-line conversation – 53
Problems with Salon Utopia – 55
Conclusion – 57
Bibliography – 59
Gratitude List – 67
Appendix A: Management of Site – 68
Appendix B: Participant role in community – 78
Appendix C: Problems with the site – 82
Afro Forever:
Research Paper for Web-based Project
Salon Utopia
Intro
Transformation
In Loree’s Beauty Shop
hot combs sizzled
against
wet oily scalps
branding
grown woman fantasies
into tender young
heads.
Thick busy afros
became
long glossy black curls
transforming
natural Black queens
into
commercial mahogany princesses (Boyd, 14).
This poem by Julia Boyd from In the Company of My Sisters is tragic, but it happens all the time. Natural hair is transformed into something artificial.
“Fake boobs, Fake hair…some straight men don’t seem to care whether a woman is real or false.” – D.K.
The hair salon is the main site where the transformation takes place. This paper accompanies the web-based project Salon Utopia which aimed to transform its clients in a natural way. In the virtual realm, it is not yet possible to do any hairstyles to transform anyone, but the site did aid in transforming the source of where hair comes from, the head. The site also played a role in inviting people into the on-line community linked to the site, where the issues raised became an important aspect of this paper.
The objectives of this paper are many. I will begin with building a foundation for understanding the complexity of black hair politics, and hopefully this information will indicate how these issues have affected the formation of virtual Salon Utopia. Next, a history around the formation of designing the website and creating the on-line community will be presented in a journal entry style and essay format where no journal entries were made. This part will also include information on my perceptions of who would be part of the on-line community. Third, the paper will include a sense of the methodology used in creating the website and this paper. Particular attention will be focussed on my role as instigator/participant in Salon Utopia. Fourth, it will be briefly discussed how a discussion or a news group invites conversation. Fifth, a brief history of hair politics will be included. Next, video-taped interviews done with five black women in Montréal that are included on the Salon Utopia website (in transcript form) will also be included in this paper. Seventh, the outcome of the exploration in creating an on-line community will be presented and examined. Following this a comparison will be made of the discussion created in human contact and video-taped format, verses the on-line and absence of the physical form of discussion in Salon Utopia. And, finally, the problems of creating an on-line community will be discussed.
Many have heard the term “the founding fathers” and some might actually know whom the phrase refers. Nevertheless, the liberal Jihad is tirelessly and energetically engaged in educationally revisionist policies which the purpose of destroying the credibility of those founded this country, the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence and the Construction of the United States. Their end-game is simple. Destroy the character of the man and it reduces the moral value of his achievements. They have been operating for a long time with very little is any opposition.
“The Politically Incorrect Guide to The Founding Fathers” is leading the conservative opposition to provide the American public with the historical truth of these men. Biron McClanahan, PhD, begins by digging into eight myths perpetrated by liberals. The eight myths are America is a democracy, the founders believed everyone was equal, slavery was a sin, Paul Revere’s supposedly single-handed ride to warn Patriots against the Brits, Benjamin Franklin’s lack of sexual restraint, Jefferson and a concubine slave, Washington’s supposed affair and Hamilton’s supposed homosexual lover. In each case he presents conclusive evidence that these are historical myths without sacrificing the truth. Benjamin Franklin did have at two illegitimate children but not near the number he is accused of.
In chapter two McClanahan provides evidence that the revolution which these men lead was a very conservative one. He describes the importance of the Declaration of Independence, the question of sovereignty, experience and its roll and the uneasiness of changing governments. Chapter 3 deals with issues we deal with today and he looks at how the founders would answer our questions. A few of the issues he researches are the 2nd Amendment, whether the founders wanted a secular or religious government, the Fed and the extent of the Executive powers.
Section two covers chapters four through twenty-three. Chapters four through nine cover the founders who McClanahan calls the “The Big Six.” These are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin. One interesting fact he points out is that Hamilton was a first generation American. Madison is the individual who was able to convince President Washington to create a national bank. Washington gave in against his better judgement. Of course some would agree this is the precursor to the Fed although it was originally done away with. Interestingly, McClanahan seems to attribute Hamilton’s open disregard for the Constitution to the fact that he was not a part of the original revolution nor the creation of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Also, McClanahan clearly shows that the founding fathers were not immigrants but in fact third and fourth generation Americans.
In chapters ten through twenty-three McClanahan covers what he calls “The Forgotten Founders.” These are Samuel Adams, Charles Carroll, George Clinton, John Dickinson, Elbridge Gerry, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Richard Lee, Nathaniel Macon, Francis Marion, John Marshall, George Mason, Roger Sherman and John Taylor. Some of these names might not be familiar to you. One possible reason might be that these men were conservative in their political thought, believed in limited government and personal responsibility. These concepts are rejected by liberal politicians, educators, many political action committees as well as many religious organizations as well. McClanahan does a great job providing a historically accurate picture of these men and their beliefs while at the same time being true to the reality.
If you are looking for a book that could act as a primer for the real founding fathers I encourage you to consider “The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers.”
I just finished a new book by Andrew Clements called Extra Credit. You may have read some of his other books, like Frindle, No Talking, or The Landry News. This is the story of two sixth graders, an American girl and a boy in Afghanistan. They become pen pals because she has to do an extra credit project to keep from being held back in sixth grade. The letters flow back and forth and pretty soon there is an unusual friendship building between the two: they not only learn about each other’s completely different ways of life, they also learn to appreciate their own lives. Like Clements’ other books, this is a school story but also much more: it is a story of friendship and real learning. The bonus in this book is that you learn about life in Afghanistan, a country very much in the news these days.
it is my personal belief that everyone should read. whether you have time or not, you should always make time for it. honestly, i don’t get why it is so hard. the joys that come from being well-read or even semi-well-read, seriously! anyways… the way i pick out books to read is somewhat interesting to me. it’s all haphazardly chosen. i end up reading things now that most people have read in their elementary or middle school years (daniel quinn’s ishmael). other books, i pick up on whim (steven hall), word of mouth (anita diamant, alan weisman), or i’ve read the author before and found the writing style good enough for a second/third/fourth pick (laurie halse anderson, ellen hopkins, christopher buckley). usually, i have a penchant for picking out interesting and good reads, not that i claim that i have a notion about what constitute a good book, per se. out of the twelve books that i have read thus far, only two books really stand out to me: steven hall’s the raw shark texts and anita diamant’s the red tent.
the latter is kind of controversial, although i don’t see it. i suppose the thought of a red tent is the source of controversy but even then, it is still weird. the red tent is a first-person narrative of dinah,the girl from the old testament who was unspeakably “known” and the shame that came from the event. the red tent, for those who do not know already, is the dwelling which women of jacob’s tribe stay while menstruating or giving birth. the story speaks of the tremendous strength of women to overcome obstacles, while the men do stay as two-dimensional characters, even the ones praised in the old testament. diamant weaves an imaginative tale about dinah, the lone daughter of the four wives of jacob and the great responsibility she carries as she is expected to carry on the narrative of the women in the family so their stories are not forgotten in the male dominated weaving of history. this recreated history shows the possibility of the life that dinah could have lived. quite fascinating. B+
now, the raw shark texts can be described in short as thought-provoking. i say this because the intricacy in which steven hall deals with the problem of language and the mere probability that there is a whole world where concepts live between dialogue, the forgotten and letters, well, this is my kind of book. here is eric sanderson, the protagonist, who wakes up face down on a floor and he cannot remember a thing. nothing. as he analyzes his situation, sanderson discovers little notes and photos of what to do and what things are, a la christopher nolan’s memento. he is directed by the first eric sanderson to a doctor from whom he finds out that this is his eleventh complete memory lapse. life is relatively okay for him until he is attacked by a shark in his living room. a shark made of words and thoughts, who devours memories and essence. the story is then of unraveling what happened to the first eric sanderson, leading the second eric sanderson into a world of deciphering word maps into a land of un-space where words provide the strongest protection one can get. there are times where hall’s writing gets a little murky and convoluted, however if you think a mash-up of jaws, memento and random pop cultural references make for a good read, i highly recommend this. B
P.S. parenthetical asides are examples of recent reads. that is all.
Truman Capote’s birthday is coming up September 30th. He was born in 1934 and died August 25, 1984. To celebrate his birthday it is altogether proper for one to dine on what he told E. J. Kahn, Jr. in 1984 was his staff of life. Kahn was a reporter and writer and a New Yorker man, who published The Staffs of Life in 1985, drawn from his series in the New Yorker. The Truman Capote recipe for the staff of life was an Idaho potato, that is the variety Russet-Burbank, smothered with sour cream, heaped with the freshest biggest-grained beluga caviar, and washed down with 80-proof Russian vodka.
Conceding that TC knew he was speaking for the New Yorker and that he had many short days himself, it is possible for everyone who admires him to celebrate September 30th by serving the Truman Capote recipe. A few short cuts will not be out of line.
I checked several sources on the internet for caviar looking for the less expensive choices. Forget the beluga, you are looking down the line for something available and far less expensive. American Salmon Caviar or Roe, please I don’t want to fight over the names, is described as “initially buttery to the palate,” and “intense salmon flavor.” It sells for 9 oz. tin at $80, 8 oz. for $29, and 8.8 oz. for $25 depending on where you shop. Black Bowfin Roe at 8 oz. for $56. Golden Whitefish Roe at 8 oz. for $19.90, and 8.8 oz. for $20. Wasabi flavored roeat 8 oz. for $20. Wasabi is neither mustard or horseradish although it has the flavor and fire of horseradish.
If you did not happen to inherit and keep your grandmother’s mother-of-pearl plates and spoons you can buy your own at $45 per plate, and $4 to $38 for each spoon. You can however take a shortcut and use white plastic spoons and a small glass bowl from any store. Vodka is just vodka regardless of what the advertisers try to make us believe. What Russian ever paused to taste it? None.
And if at this point you have drifted back to TC’s story, A Christmas Memory, of how he recalled his great aunt Sook Faulk cooked for, loved, and nurtured a lonely little boy along side her fruitcake making and kite flying, you are reading the right blog. Not only do you have the wonderful story, TC’s powerful reading of the story, you can now have the original recipe passed from Sook to her niece Marie Rudisill and from her to her book, Sook’s Cookbook: Memories And Traditional Receipts From The Deep South, Updated Edition.
TC was an American wonder and we are justly proud of him. You can not name a comparable Englishman, Canadian, Aussie, or Frenchman. Celebrate and dine on Truman Capote. Charles Marlin
For some reason the British Isles has thrown up more than its fair share of eccentrics. Curing Hiccups with Small Fires is a collection of the most interesting, informative and amusing.
The English aristocrat, John ‘Mad Jack’ Mytton, provided Karl Shaw with the title of the book. He died a penniless debtor in prison. His premature demise was partly due to injuries he sustained after he set fire to his nightshirt to try and cure hiccups. Before he lapsed into unconsciousness he said, “Well, the hiccups is gone, by God.”
Then there’s the Scottish poet William McGonagall, who followed his muse to the general indifference of the public at large. He only managed to sell one of his verses, a rhyme to promote Sunlight Soap. The first few verses ran “You can use it with great pleasure and ease, without wasting any elbow grease, and when washing the most dirty clothes, the sweat won’t be dripping off your nose.”
With another 198 eccentrics of this type, Curing Hiccups with Small Fires is very dippable, the perfect book to waste a little time with.
I really enjoyed this book. I’ll tell you that right at the beginning to remove any sense of surprise. Which is nothing like the book at all.
The story concerns the senior executives of the Hammond Aerospace Corporation who find themselves in the Canadian wilderness on one of those off-site meetings to ‘decide’ things. The problem that manifests right at the beginning is an accident with their latest airliner, which unfortunately has managed to lose a few components during flight jeopardising orders in a cuthroat marketplace.
That is the least of their worries because when they get to their wilderness lodge they are ambushed by a posse of locals who appear to be after money. Lots of it.
Enter Jake Landry, a last minute guest of the execs (who wouldn’t normally be invited due to his lowly status). He’s the man that takes charge, and eventually saves the day.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every single word of every single page that I read except for the last ones. Joseph Finder is a successful thriller writer for one very good reason, he can create believeable plots and characters that ride a story-wave from Page One. The problem I had with this book (as well as the one I had with Paranoia), is that the hero of the hour takes the moral high ground when the big prize is in place. In Power Play, the CEO offers Jake a high-status adviser role within the depleted Hammond Aerospace executive community, yet he doesn’t accept.
WHY?
If it was me, the stress and trial of what I’d been through would make me want the prize. I’d take the money even if it meant ditching a few morals. However, what do I know? I’m the one writing the review, and not writing the bestseller. Keep doing what you do Mr Finder, but the ending seems a little contrived.
In this profoundly illuminating book, first published in 1948, renowned Swiss philosopher Max Picard expresses the nature and meaning of silence in poetic, lyrical, and honest language that helps call forth the silence that lies as the mostly unrecognized source of our own being. Without fanfare, the book “takes us back to the beginning of things.”
Demonstrating that silence can indeed be spoken about in a way that does not denude it of its power to transform and awaken, Picard takes us on a journey into ourselves, covering such topics (all chapter titles) as the nature of silence, the silence in speech, the ego and silence, knowledge and silence, love and silence, time and silence, the noise of words, and many more.
Even a few words from this book can help us understand, in an entirely new way, some of the many problems that face us in today’s noise-filled world, where communication consists mainly of sound bites designed to promote some personal, social, political, or spiritual viewpoint, agenda, or action. So, instead of attempting to “review” this book, I shall let you hear from Picard himself, offering some quotations that have impacted my own life.
“In every moment of time, man through silence can be with the origin of all things.” (p. 6)
“Silence contains everything within itself. It is not waiting for anything; it is always wholly present in itself and it completely fills out the space in which it appears.” (p. 18)
“Where silence is, man is observed by silence. Silence looks at man more than man looks at silence.” (p. 17)
“Not until one man speaks to another, does he learn that speech no longer belongs to silence but to man. He learns it through the Thou of the other person, for through the Thou the word first belongs to man and no longer to silence. When two people are conversing with one another, however, a third is always present: Silence is listening. That is what gives breadth to a conversation: when the words are not moving merely within the narrow space occupied by the two speakers, but come from afar, from the place where silence is listening. That gives the words a new fullness. But not only that: the words are spoken as it were from the silence, from that third person, and the listener receives more than the speaker alone is able to give. Silence is the third speaker in such a conversation. At the end of the Platonic dialogues it is always as though silence itself were speaking. The persons who were speaking seem to have become listeners to silence.” (p. 25)
“Today words no longer arise out of silence, through a creative act of the spirit which gives meaning to language and to the silence, but from other words, from the noise of other words. Neither do they return to the silence but into the noise of other words, to become immersed therein.” (p. 168)
“When the substance of silence is present in a man, all his qualities are centered in it; they are all connected primarily with the silence and only secondarily with each other. Therefore it is not so easy for the defect of one quality to infect all the others, since it is kept in its place by the silence. But if there is no silence, a man can be totally infected by a single defect so that he ceases to be a man …” (p. 70)
“There is an immeasurability in happiness that only feels at home in the breadth of silence. Happiness and silence belong together just as do profit and noise.” (p. 71)
For those interested in awakening to the miracle of their own wholeness, this is a book that, once opened, will be a lifetime companion. Just a few minutes of reading in the middle of your busy day can help you rediscover “the substance of silence” in your own words and actions–or at least show you how out of touch with silence your words and actions actually are.
All quotations From Max Picard, The World of Silence, Gateway Editions (Washington D.C., 1988). This review was first published in the August 2008 issue of The Journal of Harmonious Awakening.
The priest, the warrior, and the peasant; (August 22, 2009)
Another alternative title could be more realistic and comprehensive such as “Elder, male, and female” but it is not catchy enough. George Dumezil is a French researcher who can speak over 20 languages; he says “The first ten languages are the hardest to learn; then the remaining languages come pretty easy because it is the same routine and same thing”. George Dumezil wrote the trilogy “Myth and Epic” that describes the mythologies in Ireland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Germany, Roman, Greek, Ossetia (Caucasus region), and then links all these mythologies to their hierarchical transmission from the Indian Mahabharata and Bhagavat mythology. He calls this unifying mythology “The Indo-European mythology” and end up with a summary that this mythology is based on three fundamentals the Priesthood, Warrior, and Peasant classes with their respective Gods.
After over 40 years of detailed research to reach this common sense conclusion is a monstrous let down. Da! This classification of society is common to all cultures and civilizations and going pretty strong nowadays. (Over the three main Gods Justice, War, and Fecundity, there was always an all encompassing unifying God that was barely worshiped by the people because not symbolizing their trade or class). The Romans had the (Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus); the Scandinavian counties had Odinn reigning over the Val-Holl of (Porr, Mimir, and Odrerir); Ases was their unifying God; the Germans had Wotan reigning over their Walhalla. In the Near East mythology we had (Shamsh, Baal, and Ashtarout); El or Allah in the Arab Peninsula was their unifying God. In the Nile civilization we had Amon (Sun), Osiris, and Isis.
The major let down is this conventional direction of researchers of thinking top down or hierarchically. Well, after the Scandinavian got their mythology from Ossetia that got their mythology from Northern India then from whom did the Indian receive their mythology? If there are any written records that go many thousands of years in antiquity (not probable) we might discover that mythology transmission is no longer hierarchical but cyclical. Adopting the easy hierarchical line of reasoning is basically wrong; it is the wrong logic to consider; simply because it is conventional which consider that the King/Priesthood classes are the transmitters of culture and civilization. The Priesthood class is mainly the conservative maintainer of the status quo and barely the transmitter of much anything.
A more realistic and promising line of reasoning is to consider that it is the warrior classes that transmitted rituals, myths, and customs. It is the soldiers and sub officers who were in direct and daily contact with the conquered people; they are the ones who interrogated prisoners, facilitated trade and communication, and learned by osmosis the new culture and civilization of the subjugated people. The soldiers and sub officers returned to their hometowns and villages and disseminated their story telling testimonies and accounts of their war period.
The dissemination was quick because most soldiers were mercenaries from the neighboring countries to the powerful Kingdom. Once the war was over the soldiers were disbanded to return mainly to their families and spread the news of alternative rituals, myths, customs, and techniques of the conquered culture.
Since communication of central government of Empires with neighboring countries was not constant then the peasant classes managed to change their traditions for some time before the government realized the changes. When central government is strong then either of two possibilities was activated. If the mercenary warriors sided with the peasants then the King/Priesthood was defeated and the newer traditions and mythologies took roots. If the King/Priesthood vanquished then many varieties of sects and cults mushroomed in the neighboring kingdom.
Empires come and go but the tank sources for mercenaries were constant. These warriors came from mountain chain regions and high plateaus or desert regions. In “Indo-European civilization” the mercenaries flocked from the Turkish Anatoly Plateau and its extension in the Caucasus of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ossetia, Chechnya, Albania, and Romania. The people were known as Cherkessk, Kurd, Tatar, Parthian, Scythe, and so on. The other sources of mercenaries came from Central Asia such as Turkmenistan, Kirghisia, Tajikistan, and Mongolia.
The main central EMPIRE was Persia that extended many times from coastal Turkey to all of Afghanistan and part of Pakistan. Babylon and later Assyria empires were counties of current Iran that moved the Capitals to their provinces as central power weakened in Persia. The same is true for the Hittite Empire in Anatolia that expanded to Egypt and signed the first recorded peace treaty with Egypt after the battle of Caddish. The Hittite aided the Greek by all means to defeat the Empire of Troy: Troy was a major handicap to extending to the coast and building a navy.
The urban centers in plains rich with major water resources and large rivers hires mercenaries to defend or expand empires. The Near East region was City-States centers for Priesthood/learning class and peasant/skilled artisans class (the bread basket) that hired mercenaries for the war effort to defend the cities. Empires that could not maintain autochthones soldiers as majority of their armies vanished in no times.
When studying civilizations and their continuity we should never dismiss the main factor: climate. There are the cold, mild, and hot weather civilizations. Within these three categories there are the plain and mountain region people. Talking about “indo-European” languages or civilizations is stretching the imagination a tad too far and forcing issues.
It is not with the antiques written records of the elite class that civilizations and dissemination of culture can be described and comprehended but with archeological finds of daily living, rituals, and customs within homogeneous climatic regions.
Note 1: I had the topic from “Smell of Time” (Odeur du temps) by Jean d’Ormesson who published three articles on George Dumezil. I didn’t read “Myth and Epic” and hope that d’Ormesson did.
Notes 2: The nomadic desert Jewish tribes could not invent but one God “Yahwa”; Jehovah ended up to be their warrior God. When the Jews of Moses got in contact with the Canaanites in Palestine, Yahwa was set aside during peaceful period to be resurrected during war period and his statues and temples approached to God Baal in order for the Jews to be hired as mercenaries.
“The task of man is not over until…” (August 22, 2009)
Elie Cioran, originally from Romania, wrote in French and became French. In his childhood, Cioran kicked human skulls, dug out of nearby cemetery, for football games with his companions. By the age of twenty Cioran lost the ability to sleep and lived an insomniac; “The French language appeased me as straight jackets appease the crazy” confessed Cioran.
Elie detested institutions, parades, and the enthusiasm of the masses. “As long as there is one God standing, then the task of man is not over” wrote Cioran. This post is not about Cioran who said “Without God everything is a void; and God is the supreme void.” This post is not about the void; I am suffering enough of this harsh plague. This post is not about God; that would be a long story. I have never advanced an inch reading about God; I avoid reading on that subject: The more I read the more I retrograde considerably emotionally and morally.
“We are all practical jokers: we manage to survive our problems and miseries” Cioran went on; I guess that I share his feelings. It follows to resuming his idea “the risk of having a biographer has never dissuaded anyone for hiring one” said Cioran. I am leaning that this sentence might be the subject of this post. If you are disgusted with your memoir then why hire someone to vomit all over you?
It seems that Cioran was the briefest and the least humanist of the rebels; he refused the Morand prize extended by the French Academy. “I have known all sorts of degenerations, including success. We live in the fake as long as we have not suffered. However, it does not follow that we enter into the real when we start to suffer; we just regret the fake. Yes, for over two thousand years Jesus is exacting his revenge for not dying on a sofa”
Reading or being in literature is simply a matter of pleasure. If you read for hidden messages among the books, for a cause, or for just research then you are not friend of literature; you have better make literature a job and get paid. If you read as means of gathering information and a source for enhancing your story telling prowess in society then it is fine but you are no friend of literature.
I love to read in the original language such as French, English, and Arabic. Translated works leave me with the carcasses that are the main stories, but the texture, flavor, and smell of the author’s style is lost. I don’t care for the stories: they are the same with a twist. I like to know the author and his culture. I hate to see authors’ photos on the book jackets: I like not to get biased in reading a book and comprehending the spirit and culture of the author.
Recently I read The Freedom of the Christian by Martin Luther on line at Theology Network.
Far from doing a book review now, although I do suggest you read it, is more so just to talk about the wonderful theology that Luther’s eyes were opened too.
When Luther first understood that he was saved by Grace through faith it totally changed him and he wrote many great works after that. He was said to write quicker than the printers could publish! I think the illustration I like most is the one he uses much of a prostitute marrying a King. He explains the doctrine of justification by faith in using this example. If a prostitute marries a King then when she marries him it doesn’t mean that suddenly she is not a prostitute and that she has not done all of the things she has done, but now because of her marriage to the King she becomes Queen because she is married to the King! In marriage don’t the Bride and Groom vow ‘everything I am is yours and everything I have I share with you’? So it is the same with Jesus imparting His Righteousness to us. When we are reconciled to God through faith in Jesus then, although we remain sinners, we become righteous by our association and joining to the Righteous One! Everything Jesus is becomes ours because of our joining to Him, and everything we have which is sinful he takes on Himself. I love this illustration and the greatness of what it illustrates.
This is the whole basis and essence of the Christian Faith, and it is what our freedom stems from. As I try to learn more of Jesus I want to learn to love this doctrine with all my heart as I realise that I am so sinful and that I am in desperate need of a great Saviour. Praise God for Jesus! Trough Him we are totally clean, totally free! This means we don’t have to try and earn God’s approval because Jesus has done this, and now God looks at us and is totally happy with us because He sees Jesus’ righteousness, this is truly awesome!
Title: The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History
Author: John F. Schmutz
Published on: 2009-01-19, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Binding: Hardcover
428 pages
ISBN-10: 0786439823
ISBN-13: 978-078643982
I have happily received a review copy of John F. Schmutz’s The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History. I can be counted among those whose interest in this remarkable 9 hour battle was piqued after watching the mesmerizing opening sequence of the film based on Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain.
Scenes of The Battle of the Crater in the trailer of Cold Mountain, a film by Anthony Minghella
It would be hard to find a similar military event in history that paralleled this one in terms of overwhelming potential for success run amok. Schmutz’s use of an opening quote about the July 30, 1864 battle by Ulysses S. Grant perhaps says it best…
The loss in the disaster of Saturday last foots up about 3,500, of whom 450 men were killed and 2,000 wounded. It was the saddest affair I have ever witnessed in the war. Such an opportunity for carrying fortifications I have never seen and do not expect again to have.
- Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to Major General
Henry W. Halleck, August 1, 1864.
According to Schmutz, his interest in the Battle of the Crater began with the discovery that he had “two direct ancestors in the battle, one with the 14th New York Heavy Artillery, which at the last minute, and without any preparation or forewarning, was chosen to lead the assault, with disastrous consequences.” (Preface) This seed germinated into one of the first studies to take a broad-brush approach to the battle, examining the events leading up to it, the country’s mood in its now third year of civil war, brutality committed against black troops, atrocities perpetrated by both sides, first-hand accounts, and the impact of the battle “on the body politic of both sides.”
Schmutz appropriately gives readers a sense for war in the trenches that were part of the Siege of Petersburg.
As both sides dug even deeper entrenchments and more infantry obstacles, the rolling farmland east and south of the city was soon churned into scenes resembling a moonscape. These tandem ramparts ran for twenty-six miles, crossed two major rivers, and traversed parts of four Virginia countries, from White Oak Swamp, east of Richmond, across Bermuda Hundred and south of the Jerusalem Plank Road below the city. No campaign of the war quite equaled the siege of Petersburg, which was the object of the longest military action ever waged against an American city. More battles were fought and more lives lost there than in the defense of any better-known Southern cities such as Richmond, Vicksburg or Atlanta. (p. 40)
Henry Pleasants
The excellent chapter titled “The Earth Movers,” reveals how Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants and the men of the 48th Pennsylvania, many of them coal miners, accomplished what Meade’s engineers mockingly called impossible, the building of a lengthy tunnel without detection by the Confederates. Receiving literally no support from Meade or his men, Pleasants overcame every challenge with ingenuity and innovation. As an example, he used a combination of miner’s bellows and fire to create draft to circulate air through a shaft built into the tunnel wall. This bit of creative thinking, the details of which are a must read, became what Schmutz called Pleasants’ “greatest engineering feat.” (p. 61)
Of note, Schmutz provides an impressive set of references in his appendices, something I always value in book a serious history. These include:
Organization of Opposing Forces on July 30, 1864 including Union and Confederate Corps, Division, and Brigade, and in some cases Company commanders and officers
Casualty counts by Corps, Division, Brigade and Unit
Medal of Honor Recipients and Confederate Roll of Honor Recipients by Corps including a brief statement about why they received the award
Union Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded by Corps, Division, and Brigade
Full and extensive Chapter Notes
An impressive Bibliography which demonstrates the extent of primary sources used in Schumtz’s research
I greatly look forward to fully reading this book and fully expect that a Highly Recommend will be forthcoming.
Kevin Levin as recently provided a review of The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History on H-Net here.
My previous post has a great piece of dialog from The Avatar, by Poul Anderson. But that is just barely scratching the surface of this fun book.
At first glance, this appears to be a light-hearted space opera that deals with first contact with an alien species and indeed, one may accept it at that. It does take the reader on a well-thought-out roller coaster ride that addresses xenophobia, socialism, technology and of course, what it means to be human.
I believe this 1978 paperback is out of print, but if you find one at a garage sale, library or bookstore, or Amazon, do yourself a great favor and grab it. Take the time to savor the writing as the like is seldom seen these days.
I give it my top rating and call it GREAT!
Many of my readers know that I used to be very active in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Poul Anderson, along with Marion Zimmer Bradley were among the founders of the SCA.
His device (coat of arms for the uninitiated) reflected his creativity as well as his sense of humor. It was a polaxe under a golden sunburst. Think about it.
Dark Destiny: The Sleeping Beauty Story Your Mother Never Told You
BY: Kym Hackenberger & Melody Lowe
PUBLISHED BY: Wicked Witch Productions, LLC
PUBLISHED IN: 2008
ISBN: 978-1440412417
Pages: 158
Ages: Teen & Up
Reviewed by Billy Burgess
Do you remember the evil stepmothers and queens from the classic Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales? Did you every wonder how they became evil? Authors Kym Hackenberger & Melody Lowe gives us the dark and twisted tale of how an innocent young woman became the Queen of the Dark Realm.
Elspeth, the oldest princess of Rookskrieg, is soon to marry Malcolm, the prince of Talonsbay. It’s an arrange marriage set up by their fathers. Neither Elspeth or Malcolm want to get married. Malcolm is womanizer and Elspeth just doesn’t love him. She wants to fall in love like her newly married younger sister, Isabelle, did.
On the night of her sister’s wedding, she is embarrassed by Malcolm but is rescued by a dark and mysterious stranger, Jethart. She instantly falls in love him. They sneak around, but can only visit each other at night. Jethart isn’t like Malcolm or any normal man. He can turn himself into an owl and can cast magical spells.
During Elspeth’s wedding to Malcolm, Jethart appears and steals the bride-to-be. They elope, and, afterwards, Jethart takes Elspeth to his castle, Dubh Rathgart, aka the Black Fortress. She soon bares a son named Ossian.
Full of rage and lust for revenge, Malcolm starts a war with the Dubh Rathgart. He starts the chain of events that could destroy the kingdoms, and causes Elspeth to become the Queen of the Dark Realm.
Under 160 pages, this book is short and sweet, but at times the story feels rushed. Some of the dialogue feels a little flat. The characters are not developed enough. There was not one character I felt anything for. I did like that the chapters were short and kept your interest until the very end. Fans of fairy tales and pre-teens will enjoy reading this retelling.
This was one of those highly addicting but not well written vampire fatasy books that keep you up all night because you can’t put the damn thing down.
Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is Marked (a blue cresent moon-shaped outline appears on her forehead) by a Tracker vampyre while loitering at her locker. In this world, it is well known that some teens are chosen and marked to become vampyres. They are uprooted from their family and friends and sent off to the mysterious House of Night, where their bodies will either accept the change, or reject it resulting in death.
I thought the exposition was well plotted. The introduction to Zoey’s life was quickly but clearly and emphatically laid out so that we understood where she was coming from before delving into where she is destined to end up.
What happens to her at the House of Night feels real: a new school, new kids, new teacher, new expectations. The trials she endures are interesting and unique. I especially enjoyed the mix of traditional vampire lore with Indian lore.
My biggest issue was with the writing. “Heath struggled against Drew, but the kid was Broken Arrow’s senior linebacker, and truly ginormous” (p 15). Did my narrator just use the ‘word’ ginormous? Gag me.
The sentence structure was often weak: “”…I said before I could freakishly talk myself out of going out with the most gorgeous guy at this school” (p 254).
It often tried for humor and missed the mark: “I’d like to know just exactly where she got her clothes. Goth ho store?” (p 278).
Much of these faults, my intuition chalks up to the young co-author, Kristin Cast. Much of this writing is adolescent, instead of reflecting adolescence.
All the same, I’ll read the sequel tonight and hope it continues to excite my interest.
Malcolm Gladwell is the Author of The Outliers - Photo Courtesy of Chapters.ca
I find I have been enjoying everything that Malcolm Gladwell writes. So far, I have read The Outliers, recommended to me by a former boss of mine. I have also read Blink and as I write this I’m listening to an audio ebook of The Tipping Point.
The information I have gained from Gladwell’s books has been phenomenal. His message of practice leads to perfect success in The Outliers is something that could inspire anyone. He backs up his arguments with terrific examples and it is these examples that is the key to his gift in storytelling and educating.
Whether you buy the books, whether you check the books out of the library as I have – read Malcolm Gladwell. I doubt you will be disappointed.
Up until now I have enjoyed this series but it hadn’t really caught me the way the Mercy series had, until this book that is. Now I am enthralled with it but for entirely different reasons. Perhaps that is where as a reader I failed to do this series justice…subconsciouslyI kept comparing them and whilst they are set in the same world with known characters, these books are completely different.
The Alpha & Omega series is about Charles and Anna. Charles is the Marrok’s son and enforcer, he never gets close to someone in case he is ordered to kill them and although not an Alpha he is one of the most dominant wolves there is (apart from his father). Anna is an Omega neither dominant nor submissive, she just is, but at the hands of her old pack she has been sexually and emotionally abused. Whilst she wasn’t fully broken by them she is damaged but one thing she does know is that Charles (and his inner Brother Wolf ) love her and she loves them, no matter how hard it is for them all.
In this book Charles and Anna travel to Seattle to act as the emissaries of the Marrok at a meeting with the Alpha’s of the European packs, to discuss the Morroks plans to bring the North American wolves out into the open. But there are others there with plans of their own.
Whilst in Seattle both Anna and Charles learn to face her past and its scars, but more importantly begin to move beyond them and to accept who Anna is.
There is a tenderness in this book that is astounding to read, and a strength and depth of character to Anna & Charles that draws me into their story more and more. What I also admire about the way Ms Briggs has written this story is that she recognises that Anna can’t be ‘fixed’ and that her scars don’t just magically disappear because she loves Charles, that in fact love can conquer all but that it takes time and hard bloody work with lots of steps forward and back.
In my realtime life away from reviewing I am a counsellor who works with the parents and carers of sexually abused children and in this book I see some of the journeys that I have watched my clients make, and I not only applaud Ms Briggs for writing it but also for portraying it as accurately as a fast paced work of fiction can.
Anna is badly wounded and scared emotionally but she is not broken, even though she feels she is, she survived, but survival was all she could focus on and so she never sees the strength it took to survive the abuse…she sees it as a weakness that she allowed herself to be cowed and beaten down and a further weakness that it still affects her just a few short months later…but with the help of Charles and with her own innate strengh of character she is facing her past and and finding out who she is both as a woman and as an Omega.
Charles is equally wounded emotionally but for a different reason, in order to survive as his fathers enforcer he has not allowed himself to let anyone close to him, except Anna, and that terrifies him and tests his control. But Charles shows amazing love and respect for Anna by supporting her in finding her inner strength and in healing. He and Brother Wolf would like nothing better than to cocoon her in cotton wool to keep her safe, but he recognises that she needs to be allowed to fly,while he waits ready to hold and support her when she needs it.
There is one passage in the book that stands out for me, as pivotal to Anna’s healing process.
“Omega didn’t mean doormat. It didn’t mean weak. It meant strong enough to do exactly what it had to do in order to triumph, whether that meant cringing in the presence of dominant wolves or tearing her enemy apart.”
That passage for me holds true not only to Anna being Omega but also to Anna being the survivor of abuse. Just change the word Omega to Survivor and you have something that I try to help my clients see about themselves.
This book was amazing to read and is one that will live on my work shelf, books that are a mixed collection of fiction, education and biographical stories that I can recommend to clients (as appropriate) and their families to read, that offer some small insight and or perspective into what is happening in their lives.
Fiction can be a powerful tool and Ms Briggs wields it as only a master of her craft can.
I hit the library again yesterday, looking for Gorgeous Knitted Afghans. I didn’t find it, but I did find three others that looked promising. Hello, book reviews.
Note: Links take you to the Amazon site; please support your local bookstore.
BOOK #1 Knit So Fine: Designs with Skinny Yarn by Lisa R. Myers, Laura Grutzeck, and Carol Sulcoski. Published by Interweave Press.
Interweave has some excellent books out there, and this is no exception. After reading Julie’s Vogue Knitting reviews I started noticing what she noticed: that bulky yarn and bulky knits are being pushed forward as fashionable, when really they’re just unflattering. If you’re slender, you look dwarfed by the garment. If you’re plus-sized, you’ve just added extra width you don’t want or need. There are numerous other advantages to fine-gauge knitting as well, all outlined and detailed in the first few pages. After that: patterns. 21 of them, and every single one is extremely wearable.
The patterns are split up into four sections: Simplicity, Speed, Style, Shine – each one a perk of fine-gauge knitting. I want to make at least half of them, if not more. Which means this book is going on my list. (That’s a good thing.) The patterns also vary from scarves and hats to sweaters to a wrap dress. There’s even a pretty lace stole in there, which would be prettier if it wasn’t knit in Reactor Coolant Lime Green (not an actual colorway). The yarns are all appropriate for the projects, in terms of material and drape, so bonus points there. The instructions in the back are mercifully brief and specific to what is mentioned. (There’s even tips for picking up stitches and sewing in a zipper. Kudos!)
All in all, an excellent book, and one I hope to get soon.
Stardragon’s rating: 10 out of 10 butterscotch candies
BOOK #2 Luxury Knits: Simple and Stylish Projects for the Most Desirable Knitwear by Amanda Griffiths.
I’ll be honest. When I first saw the title, my reaction was “Uh huh.” Because, well. Luxury =/= simple, in my mind, and the whole thing just seemed too… Vogue Knitting-esque. But then I opened it up, and was pleasantly surprised.
The projects start off simple: drawstring bags, a pillow/blanket set, a hat and scarf set, bed socks. They then move up into cardis and sweaters with lovely details such as beads and lace that complement the yarn. All the patterns have multiple photos (including detail shots); the schematics are all put together in the back; and once again, the techniques included are mostly finishing techniques. Glancing at the patterns, I see that roughly half of them have some kind of waist shaping; but the lack thereof on the others easy enough to fix, if you’re an intermediate to skilled knitter.
Here’s the thing: these are all luxury yarns. “Luxury” generally is a knitter’s euphemism for “expensive” (cashmere, angora, mohair, silk, and blends thereof), and these projects are no exception. For instance, if you really want to make that lace sweater in Kidsilk Haze, it’ll put you out $203 for the smallest size. (And even if it is a silk-mohair blend, I have to wonder how warm a lace sweater would really be. And wouldn’t you have to wear something underneath because of the holes?)
So. Good patterns, for the most part; expensive fibers, but if you could substitute (or save up a lot, I guess), that’s okay too. Buy it? Yeah, probably.
Stardragon’s rating: 8.5 out of 10 butterscotch candies.
BOOK #3 Classic Knits: 15 Timeless Designs to Knit and Keep Forever by Erika Knight.
After scoring big time on the first one, I was hoping to get lucky again with this book. Well… Looks like my luck kinda ran out.
The introduction is surprisingly brief (but printed in size 32 font, so it takes up two pages). It claims that “classic is a contemporary collection… considered, crafted, and constructed to enhance and flatter the female form.” Okay, this I can work with. Makes sense, right? We want our clothes to be attractive, yes? This is the kind of stuff women are desperate to hear.
So, I beg of you, WTF is up with the patterns?
A casual sweater, knit in bulky-weight wool; 3 sts/inch. A wraparound jacket, knit in super-bulky wool; 2.25 sts/inch. A tank top, knit in super-bulky wool (???); 4.5 sts/inch using size 17 needles. A boatneck sweater, knit in super-bulky wool; 3.5 sts/inch. Did we not just discuss that bulky knits are not flattering to any figure and will approximately double your weight? Also (and this was gleaned from Knit So Fine), “classic” knits – the twinsets from the fifties, nipped and tucked sweaters from even earlier – achieve their delicate, classy look from fine gauge and shaping to flatter women’s bodies. There is no shaping whatsoever on these designs, and I fail to see how a superbulky jacket is at all “classic”.
Also, how in hell is a messenger bag knit out of kitchen twine “timeless”? Cotton or hemp, I could see; and that’s what I thought it was, when I saw the picture. But kitchen twine?! HUH?!
Another thing. 15 patterns; all but four use some kind of Rowan yarn. I’m not saying, I’m just saying. (And is it me, or does the model look like Kiera Knightly?) Also, there are no schematics for the garments. At all.
Don’t get me wrong; there are some wearable things in there. Lace camisoles, a cardi or two, and a cute little bolero. The scarf and gloves are okay, but you could find better on Knitty or Ravelry. All these are knit at appropriate, sane gauges and would look rather nice with a bit of effort and some good yarn. But buy the whole book for four or five patterns? Pass.
Stardragon’s rating: 5 out of 10 butterscotch candies.
That’s it for now. I should be back in a few days to post some FO’s.
Elie Wiesel has brought illumination to the reader, once again, in his biography on the life of Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac, known as Rashi. Although it is short on pages (107 pages including a glossary), it is nonetheless strong in spiritual content and compelling in its message.
From the Preface of his book on Rashi, and also from the back of the jacket, is this blurb regarding Wiesel’s thoughts and feelings on Rashi.
“Ever since childhood, Rashi has accompanied me with his insights and charm. Ever since my first Bible lessons in the Heder, I have turned to him in order to grasp the meaning of a verse or word that seemed obscure.”
And, Wiesel has also written with great insight as to Rashi’s feelings on the Jewish community as a whole, and what brings life into the community. Wiesel’s words are lovely, well-articulated and speak to the mind as well as the soul. Illumination fills each page, through Torah stories, Biblical references, commentary and Medieval history. Rashi’s work has appeared in every Talmud printing since as far back as the fifteenth century.
Rashi studied devoutly. He was constantly searching, searching for deep meanings and inspiration in the Torah, searching for a new interpretation of a Biblical verse, in order to clarify its meaning. His life was devoted to the truth, and he searched for it until his dying day. He believed in being honest and truthful, even when he had no concise answer. If he didn’t have the answer, he would say so, unlike other scholars. When he could no longer write, he gave oral dictation to his grandson, Shmuel ben Meir, who completed Rashi’s “commentary on several tractates of the Talmud“.
“He is my first destination. My first aid. The first friend whose assistance is invaluable to us, not to say indispensable, if we’ve set our heart on pursuing a thought through unfamiliar subterranean passageways, to its distant origins. A veiled reference from him, like a smile, and everything lights up and becomes clearer.” From the Preface, and also the back of the jacket.
Wiesel brings us a look at Rashi’s life and his works. From commentary to interpretations of Midrash, the reader is enlightened on Rashi’s journey through the Torah, and his deep love of his fellow Jews. Rashi’s concern for humanity is clear, and his writing speaks of such, almost to heartbreaking proportions. He watched the Jews suffer through the Medieval superstitions and religious hatred, and his heart ached for what once was, and for the individuals who suffered during the tumultuous Crusades, unnecessarily, in the name of religious sanctions.
Rashi, by Elie Wiesel, is gift to the modern world. Each page is a reflection of not only Rashi’s life and work, but of his Talmudic brilliance. The book is a tribute not only to the perseverance of Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac’s (Rashi’s) work, but a tribute to the magnificent and heartfelt writing of Wiesel, himself. The book is written with sensitivity, admiration and deep respect for the man that Wiesel considered to be not only a great Master and French Talmudic Scholar, but also a person he could turn to in time of duress and need, a person who offered “first aid“, when it was necessary for healing.
I’ve been on WordPress for some months now, reading the posts and journals of others, just like a lurker, and haven’t posted a single thing here.
A monkey at a typewriter could do better, so maybe I should get moving and post something. It would be better to be typing the lyrics to a nonsense-verse song here than to just have a blank page that shows nothing. So what have I been doing?
I’ve been spending a lot of time here, reviewing a wide variety of books, music releases and assorted products.
Have been interacting socially on Facebook a lot more than previously.
Had been spending far too much time here and on other forums on that site. It’s all to easy to get involved in the back and forth discussions in on-line forums, but to what end?
I used to spend far too much time refuting very abusive comments made here by a very nasty troll who had it in for women who chose to breastfeed in public. One has to learn at some point that once cannot argue with a truly ignorant (or bigoted) mind.
Have been having fun watching my son grow from a boy to a young man in his early teens. It’s quite enjoyable to see him doing the things that give him pleasure in his world, from making faces at his Beta (fish) and getting responses, to seeing his enjoyment as he plays new games with his Nintendo DSi, to seeing the wonderful results that he gets with his new Fuji Finepix S700 digital camera… probably the best creative investment that I ever made.
Have been eyeing Amazon’s Kindle quite a bit, realizing that it may well be the future of books as we know them.
Have been enjoying the fact that fall is coming, and that I’ll be able to get in more time on my MTB (mountain bike) as the weather cools.
It’s amazing what one can come up with when one looks around and thinks for a few minutes.
Maybe it’s about time!
Technorati Tags: jargontalk, facebook, social networking, kindle, book reviews, Amazon
The Socs have everything, the Greasers have only themselves… or so it seems. Ponyboy and his siblings and friends stick together to keep themselves safe from the Socs power-hungry outlashes and keep them out of trouble. Ponyboy realizes throughout the book that the Socs have problems as well as feelings to and they aren’t so different. But… most of the kids are hard set against each other. One night after being scolded one too many times by his older brother Darry, who Ponyboy doesn’t really think cares about him, Darry slaps him and Ponyboy decides to run away. He gets his friend Johnny who convinces him to stay, but it’s too late, the Socs have found them and they are in trouble way over their heads… After an unthinkable accident, Johnny and Pony think they have to run away and enlist Dally’s help to get away. See why they had to escape and what happened after. A classic, this book is written by a 16-year-old girl and the lessons are still relevant to todays social clashes and gangs.
The sky is falling for the Caspers of Chicago, a family of cowards: for Jonathan, a paleontologist, searching in vain for a prehistoric giant squid; for his wife, Madeline, an animal behaviorist with a failing experiment; for their daughter, Amelia, a disappointed teenage revolutionary; for her younger sister, Thisbe, on a frustrated search for God; and for grandfather Henry, who wants to disappear, limiting himself to thirteen words a day, then twelve, then eleven, until he will speak no more.
Each fears uncertainty and the possibilities that accompany it. When Jonathan and Madeline suddenly decide to separate, this nuclear family is split, each member forced to confront his or her own cowardice, finally coming to appreciate the cloudiness of the modern age. With wit and humor, THE GREAT PERHAPS presents a revealing look at anxiety, ambiguity, and the need for complicated answers to complex questions.
About the Author
Joe Meno is a fiction writer and playwright who lives in Chicago. A winner of the Nelson Algren Literary Award and the Society of Midland Author’s Fiction Prize, he is the author of four novels, The Boy Detective Fails (Akashic 2006,) Hairstyles of the Damned (Akashic 2004,) Tender as Hellfire (St. Martin’s 1999), and How the Hula Girl Sings (HarperCollins 2001.) His short story collections include Demons in the Spring (2008), a finalist for the 2009 Story Prize, and Bluebirds Used to Croon in the Choir (TriQuarterly 2005.) His online serial, The Secret Hand, runs through Playboy magazine at playboy.com. His short fiction has been published in the likes of McSweeney’s, Witness, TriQuarterly, Mid-American Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, Washington Square, Other Voices, Gulf Coast, and broadcast on NPR.
He is a contributing editor to Punk Planet magazine and is a professor of creative writing at Columbia College Chicago. Two short films based on Joe Meno’s work have been recently produced: Our Neck of the Woods, which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and the forthcoming Tender as Hellfire.
