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Jane Rosenal, the narrator of The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, is wise beyond her years. Not that that's saying much--since none of her elders, with the exception of her father, is particularly wise. At the age of 14, Jane watches her brother and his new girlfriend, searching for clues for how to fall in love, but by the end of the summer she's trying to figure out how not to fail in love. At twice that age, Jane quickly internalizes How to Meet and Marry Mr. Right, even though that retro manual is ruining her chances at happiness. In the intervening years, Melissa Bank's heroine struggles at love and work. The former often seems indistinguishable from the latter, and her experiences in book publishing inspire little in the way of affection. As Jane announces in "The Worst Thing a Suburban Girl Could Imagine": "I'd been a rising star at H----- until Mimi Howlett, the new executive editor, decided I was just the lights of an airplane."
Bank's first collection has a beautiful, true arc, and all the sophistication and control her heroine could ever desire. In "The Floating House," Jane and her boyfriend, Jamie, visit his ex-girlfriend in St. Croix, and right from the start she can't stop mimicking her beautiful competitor, in a notably idiotic fashion. "I'm like one of those animals that imitates its predators to survive," she realizes--one of several thousand of Bank's ruefully funny phrases. But even as Jane clowns around, desperately trying to keep up appearances, she is so hyperaware it hurts. Again and again, the author explores the dichotomy between life as it happens and the rehearsed anecdote, the preferred outcome. In The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, even suburban quiet has "nothing to do with peace." Bank's much-anticipated debut merits all its buzz and, more to the point, transcends it. --Kerry Fried
Book Description
One of the most eagerly anticipated books of the season--funny, sexy, wise fiction from the freshest new voice in women's writing.
"I don't admit to myself what I'm doing when I put my bike helmet on and ride over to the bookstore a few blocks away. I pretend that maybe I'm just getting another Edith Wharton novel. But I bypass Fiction and find Self-Help. I think, Self-Help? If I could help myself I wouldn't be here. There are stacks and stacks of How to Meet and Marry Mr.Right, and I take my copy up to the counter as furtively as if it were a girdle or vibrator..."
With a steadily growing cadre of readers who delight in her smartly comic and insightful writing, Melissa
Bank is an event waiting to happen. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing explores the life lessons of Jane, the contemporary American Everywoman who combines the charm of Bridget Jones, the vulnerability of Ally McBeal, and the wit of Lorrie Moore. As she works her way from defiant teenager to reluctant career girl, growing older and getting smarter, Jane maneuvers her way through love, sex, relationships, and the occasional perils of the workplace. She reluctantly succumbs to the questionable advice offered in a pop-psych book entitled How to Meet and Marry Mr. Right.
Accompanied at every turn by the ear-whispering authors (who bear an uncanny resemblance to two popular, hateful high school acquaintances) Jane makes a series of dating decisions that lead her in the right direction--but for the wrong reasons. Wise, poignant, and full of the kind of laugh-out-loud insight you just have to share with your best friend, Melissa Bank is the kind of writer readers have been waiting for: an original voice telling a universal story through characters we all love and recognize.
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Hailed by critics as the debut of a major literary voice, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing has captivated readers and dominated bestseller lists. Generous-hearted and wickedly insightful, it maps the progress of Jane Rosenal as she sets out on a personal and spirited expedition through the perilous terrain of sex, love, relationships, and the treacherous waters of the workplace. With an unforgettable comic touch, Bank skillfully teases out universal issues, puts a clever, new spin on the mating dance, and captures in perfect pitch what it's like to be a young woman coming of age in America today.
Customer Reviews:
Confusing and disjointed.......2007-08-17
First, the title is misleading. It's more about hunting and fishing for husbands as opposed to the more literal meaning. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fish, said to be the first "chick lit" novel, is really a series of essays focusing on a character named Jane Rosenal as she navigates her way through childhood, adolescence, and later adulthood.
There are great lapses in time between the stories, and they're not all put in chronological order, which makes me think that the stories are ordered according to some common theme--though I never really figured out what that theme was. I mean, I get that the book is about dating, but it was really confusing to be in a lot of ways. In addition, Jane's relationship with the much older editor was a little bit disconcerting to me. Also, there was one story that seemed really out of place: I got the impression that it was told from Jane's point of view after she'd had children and they'd grown up. But I couldn't figure out how that story fit into the general course of the book.
The title of the book comes from a story placed at the end of the book, where Jane begins to date a guy she meets at a wedding. Se's so caught up in playing the dating "game by "The Rules," that she doesn't allow the guy to see who she really is. The book is well written, but there's a lot which didn't make sense to me and there didn't seem to be a "plot," so to speak, which is why I only gave this book three stars.
What I love about this guide.......2007-08-16
It's not about hunting or fishing LOL.
It's a humorous, yet poignant collection of short stories, all based upon the same likeable character - Jane Rosenal -who searches for love, self-understanding, and her place in this world.
It paved the way for smart "chick lit".
It's a great book for women to reflect on their own personal experiences with family, friends, and lovers.
Everytime I read it, I discover something deeper within each story.
I highly recommend this book for all young women out there. Melissa Bank hits it spot on!
so lame, I threw it across the room.......2007-08-06
I was anxious to read this because I read one of her stories in Redbook magazine. They advertised it as an exceprt from the book, however, that particular story appeared nowhere in the book. This was the first problem. The second problem was the book itself, which was not a novel, but a bunch of short stories. I was completely unaware of this until I got all the way to the ANNOYING MIDDLE CHAPTER, featuring a completely different protagonist. Finally, it dawns on me. So THAT"S the reason she keeps switching tenses! So THAT's the reason she keeps jumping around! So THAT"S the reason I hate this book so much I'm throwing it across the room! I think it was a lame effort to publish an unfinished novel in a hurry. She probably sent the first chap out and got a nibble, then ran out of time and since she couldn't get the chaps to gel, she called them short stories instead. Glad I didn't buy it at Borders.
A Book You Could Keep or Throw Back.......2007-07-27
(I'd give it 2 and 1/2 stars to be exact) The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing consists of 7 chapters- each that reads like its own short story- that follows one woman's relationships throughout her life. However, given that as the link, two of the stories don't really fit with the others. It's a very quick and easy book to read. It is also one of those oddities that entertain you okay while you are reading it, but once you put it down (and there are lots of good stopping points) you do not have an overwhelming desire to pick it up again.
Couldn't Put It Down.......2007-07-26
A good friend of mine recently recommended this book to me. At first I just sort of forgot about it but when summer rolled around and I was out of books to read, I sought it out. I am not a big reader and I have never been the type to sit down and read an entire book in a day. I read this book in 4 days. I could hardly wait to finish it. The story sucks you in with vivid depiction of life. It was an absolute joy to read. The stories were all different with mini-morals and yet they also wove into a much bigger message. There are so many characters and events in this novel that are so true and life like that it's easy to laugh out loud with them as well as feel their pain. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a thought provoking book with a few laughs along the way.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding plot, detective, and characters.......2007-02-12
The author weaves words into works of art! This writing is the stuff that made Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple, etc. The author is incredibly talented at telling a tale that is both unpredictable and delectable. I loved the three I've read thus far, and can't wait to read the last on my list. What a shame there won't be more Julian Kestrel mysteries.
Brilliant.......2006-07-18
This is one of the best historical mysteries I've ever read. And that's saying something, because I am very picky about historical mysteries.
This book combines everything I love about a mystery: a tight, intriguing, well-written plot, suspense, fascinating characters, red herrings, and beautiful prose. Kate Ross's writing is stellar. Her characters speak in the formal, upper class manner you'd expect from this time period, but her writing doesn't get bogged down with too much flowery, false, hard to read prose. The dialogue is simply wonderful - it's stylish yet simple to read.
Julian Kestrel is one of the best protaganists I've ever come across. He's a "dandy" and a darling of high society, but he's also compassionate, just, intelligent, hard working, and has a wonderful wry sense of humor. He is the kind of character you cheer for.
I understand that Ms. Ross has passed away and we only get to enjoy four books from her. I will now eagerly purchase the remaining three and treasure them.
Enter a new Sherlock Holmes.......2006-03-15
When I first read Kate Ross, I relaized that here was a lady who did extraordinary research on the Restoration Period in England and who could manage to spin a great yarn. I also began to note that she could manage as many as 30 characters in her tale and not bore the reader. Julian Kestrel is a remarkable detective, armed only with curiosity and deductive reasoning. He predates Holmea and shows the same remarkable accumen. It is only sad that Ms. Ross was only able to publish 4 of her works in her lifetime. Those 4 are gems, and those she might have written would also be gems.
Kate Ross' death put an end to beautifully written books.......2002-03-29
I have read all of Kate Ross' books and was enthralled by each one! Go right now and order her four books. I can't put into words how much I enjoyed them. You will too. Julian Kestral, the protagonist, is one that you will not easily forget. I loved all of them.
I mourn Julian Kestrel.......2002-02-11
I mourn Julian Kestrel, and even more, I mourn Kate Ross, the gifted writer who created him. I would have read ten, twenty or more Kestrel books, but alas, there are only four. In WHOM THE GODS LOVE, Kestrel investigates the death of a "golden boy" who turned out to have a nasty way of ferreting out other people's secrets and turning them to his advantage. The question is, which of Alexander Falkland's many victims finally killed him? Like Anne Perry, the late Ms. Ross touched on the social problems of the time, but her touch was lighter. I recommend WHOM THE GODS LOVE and all the other Kestrel books to anyone who enjoys the work of Anne Perry and Dorothy L. Sayers.
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Dear People Whom God Loves
Manufacturer: Self Published
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000G7EKO4 |
Average customer rating:
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Those Whom the Gods Love
E. B. Alston
Manufacturer: Righter Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974773514
Release Date: 2005-03-01 |
Book Description
Two brutal racial murders occur in Jacksonville, North Carolina. A reluctant Vietnam veteran, along with a beautiful partner named Bess, goes undercover to bring the murderer to justice. It adds up to a fast moving story of romance, intrigue, violence and thrills. Alston weaves a gripping story set in the early 1960s against a background of life in a Marine town adjacent to Camp Lejeune.
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Those Whom the Gods Love
Clare Layton
Manufacturer: Bloody Brits Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 193285939X |
Book Description
"Clare Layton is one to watch . . . highly enjoyable and thoroughly recommended."-Ian Rankin
"A tense and gripping thriller."-
The Mail on Sunday
Oxford, 1970: A young and promising student hangs himself, leaving his friends and family stunned. His girlfriend claims he raped her, but his friends can't believe it. London, 2000: Ginty Schell, a young, ambitious journalist, focuses on the group's notorious story. As they fight to save their reputations, she finds her own life rocked to its foundations.
Clare Layton was born and still lives in London. She has also written mysteries as Natasha Cooper.
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Whom God Hath Joined
David R. Mace
Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0664245102 |
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Whom God Loves
Vivian Hollis Mayne
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1425105890 |
Book Description
As a member of the Kimmage Garrison (comprised of exiles from England) WILLE MacNAMEE fought in the General Post Office in the 1916 EASTER RISING. Through a strange quirk of fate he was one of the very few volunteers from that garrison to survive.
Meanwhile, in Parnell Street (around the corner from the G.P.O.) while the City of Dublin burned, the widow MARY O'DWYER, grappled with hoards of stockpiling customers in her FAMILY DAIRY. Until shortages and the threatening flames forced its closure. Thankfully the dairy escaped unharmed. And Mary thanked the Good Lord for his blessings which included the non involverment of any of her seven offsprings in the Rising. However, on the day of the surrender two incidents associated with the RISING brought immeasurable sorrow to Mary and her family.
Later as a P.O.W. in the Frongoch Camp in Wales, Wille became friendly with Mary's son, Peter. As members of the IRB (The Irish Replican Brotherhood) both men joined Collins' secret 'net work.' Shortly afterwards Peter introduced Willie to his two younger sisters, NANCY and JANE, when they came to visit from Dublin. For Willie and Jane it was love at first sight.
During the rest of their stay in Frongoch, Willie and Peter, together with many other nationalists, became immersed in Collins' secret plans to wage guerilla warfare in Ireland after their release, which occurred on the 22nd December. However, Willie's clandestine association with Collins afterwards caused great unhappiness in his romance with Jane. Foremost was the mother's intolerance and prejudice against the renegade republican, Willie, keeping company with her daughter. Eventually Willie had to make a choice.
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Whom the Gods Love
Joan Alexander
Manufacturer: William Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Africa | History | Subjects | Books | African Studies | Algeria | Angola | Benin | Botswana | Central Africa | Comoros | Democratic Republic of Congo | Djibouti | East Africa | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Ethiopia | Gabon | Gambia | General | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea Bissau | Ivory Coast | Kenya | Lesotho | Liberia | Libya | Madagascar | Malawi | Mali | Mauritania | Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia | Niger | Nigeria | North Africa | Rwanda | Sao Tome and Principe | Senegal | Sierra Leone | Somalia | South Africa | Southern Africa | Sudan | Swaziland | Tanzania | Togo | Tunisia | Uganda | West Africa | Western Sahara | Zambia | Zimbabwe
General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0434018147 |
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Lost and Lurking
Manly Wade Wellman
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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After Dark
ASIN: 0385171552 |
Book Description
While they are giving care, the nation's 25 million family caregivers rarely get a rest. Gone are the days when you could rely on others to do the work of caring for a loved one in your family. America's healthcare system throws many of the vital decisions, costs and burdens back on the family.
This book clearly defines your vital role in developing your loved one's care plan. It teaches you to deal successfully with managed care organizations, home health services, and especially your loved one; and arms you with the knowledge and skills you need for deciding if your loved one's care is appropriate, if your doctor is the right one, if something more is needed. From wills and powers-of-attorney, to practical tips for dealing with disabilities, to long term care options, to battling stress and depression -- the "shared wisdom" in this book comes not only from the experienced editors of Today's Caregiver Magazine, but also from the inspiring personal stories of readers of the magazine who have learned to "stand up to the system when the system no longer stands up for your loved one."
Customer Reviews:
on time and in good condtion.......2006-11-12
the book came on time and in good condition. I am very happy with the service
A Must-Read For Caregivers!.......2004-07-11
Caregiving usually doesn't happen gradually. Families are often thrust into the situation because of a crisis, without any experience on how to manage the overwhelming stress, responsibilities, legalities, and medical aspects. Gary Barg has done an excellent job sorting it all out with 'The Fearless Caregiver', guiding the reader through the maze. Very easy to read, motivating, empowering, and highly recommended!
Gary was a welcomed guest on my Internet Radio Program, 'Coping with Caregiving' on wsRadio. Online archive available.
Jacqueline Marcell, Author, Elder Rage.
A Must-Read for all Caregivers!.......2002-04-05
It is about time that someone tackled the issues that caregivers face. It can often be a lonely and confusing time. I was a caregiver for my mother a few years ago and looked everywhere for a book like this. I needed something to walk me through all of the things I didn't understand. This a well-crafted, easy to read and understand book that all caregivers should read. I wish it had been available five years ago! I recommend it highly.
The Fearless Caregiver.......2002-03-02
I recently purchased this book by Gary Barg. It is a terrific source for all caregivers and has every aspect that needs to be addressed in it. It takes you through every part of caregiving, from how to take care of yourself to attending to legal matters promptly. There is a list of ideas to help make your patient safe in his/her surroundings. This is valuable tool for every caregiver. It is superbly written and easy to read. It has been placed in our Parkinson's Library for our members to read.
Great help for Caregivers.......2002-01-30
This book compiles a variety of articles and poems, helpful practical hints and thoughtful commentary on the difficult task of caring for a loved one. As the owner of an internet list for caregivers of Parkinsonians, I have recommended it to others, and have received feedback from them, which indicates they found it "worth every cent" of the cost. The format is very readable, with short pieces suited to the busy lives of caregivers.
Books:
- The Horus Hersey vol. IV: Visions of Death: Iconic images of the Imperium, betrayal and war (The Horus Heresy)
- The Last Picture Show: Artists Using Photography 1960-1982
- The Left Hand of Darkness
- The Legacy of Homer: Four Centuries of Art from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris
- The Letter of Marque
- The MacGregors: Robert & Cybil: The Winning Hand\The Perfect Neighbor (Macgregors)
- The Monster Book of Manga: Draw Like the Experts
- The World's Greatest Sex and Scandals
- Understanding Aesthetics for the Merchandising and Design Professional
- Unknown Quantity: A Real And Imaginary History of Algebra
Books Index
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Good in Bed
