Amazon.com
Sometimes a book can be utterly full of holes and you still can't put it down. In Mrs. Kimble, first-time novelist Jennifer Haigh follows the marital career of Ken Kimble, opportunist, serial husband, and all around schmuck. The first section, set in Virginia in the 1960s, revolves around alcoholic first wife Birdie. As we enter the story, Kimble has already left her alone with two small children she is ill equipped to raise on her own. Kimble's absence in this section sets the tone for the book, which is not so much about Kimble himself as it is about the women he dupes over the years. Next up is Joan, a Newsweek reporter recovering from a mastectomy at her late father's home in Florida. A wealthy, confident woman left unsteady by breast cancer, she falls for Kimble, who now turns up in a hippie-ish incarnation. In the final section, Kimble weds Dinah, who had been his children's babysitter back in Virginia. Their marriage unravels as, at the end of the book, Kimble's secrets are revealed one by one. Unfortunately, the central secret of the book is never laid bare: how did the man get to be such a jerk? Other problems are never dealt with, either: we never believe a whip-smart woman like Joan could be so transparently snow-jobbed. We never understand why Dinah stays with an aging crook. Nevertheless, Mrs. Kimble is still engrossing. Haigh is so gifted at creating vivid scenes and strong characters, we find ourselves surrendering our disbelief despite our better judgment. This isn't the terrific book it might have been, but it's still a superior read. --Claire Dederer
Book Description
In her masterful first novel Mrs. Kimble, Jennifer Haigh delivers the riveting story of three women who marry the same man.
Ken Kimble is revealed through the eyes of the women he seduces: his first wife, Birdie, who struggles to hold herself together following his desertion; his second wife, Joan, a lonely heiress shaken by personal tragedy, who sees in Kimble her last chance at happiness; and finally Dinah, a beautiful but damaged woman half his age. Woven throughout is the story of Kimble's son, Charlie, whose life is forever affected by the father he barely remembers. Kimble is a chameleon, a man able to become, at least for a while, all things to all women -- a hero to whom powerful needs and nameless longings may be attached. Only later do they glimpse the truth about this enigmatic, unknowable man.
Download Description
"E-Book Extras: ONE: Author's Note; TWO: An Interview with Jennifer Haigh; THREE: Reading Group Guide
In her masterful first novel Mrs. Kimble, Jennifer Haigh delivers the riveting story of three women who marry the same man.
Ken Kimble is revealed through the eyes of the women he seduces: his first wife, Birdie, who struggles to hold herself together following his desertion; his second wife, Joan, a lonely heiress shaken by personal tragedy, who sees in Kimble her last chance at happiness; and finally Dinah, a beautiful but damaged woman half his age. Woven throughout is the story of Kimble's son, Charlie, whose life is forever affected by the father he barely remembers. Kimble is a chameleon, a man able to become, at least for a while, all things to all women -- a hero to whom powerful needs and nameless longings may be attached. Only later do they glimpse the truth about this enigmatic, unknowable man.
"
Customer Reviews:
Intricately woven lives.......2007-09-05
After reading many of the other reviews, what I liked most about the book was the clever ways that Jennifer Haigh animated inanimate objects. Also, that I chuckled quite a bit about some of the phrases with which I grew up and have forgotten, to wit - okey dokey, suit yourself. And the one that really had me laughing out loud was when the first wife said to herself, "I had never met a divorced person before." (No one was divorced where I grew up!) I enjoyed reading it, and would refer it to others.
The wives reminded me of being so dependent on someone else, that they themselves did not have a personality of their own. Maybe I was like that once.
Forgettable.......2007-08-26
I'm sorry, I found this book a total bore. None of the characters were particularly remarkable or interesting--although, my heart went out to little Charlie. I couldn't figure out why Mr. Kimble married the first wife. Not much in it for him with that one except youth. And what was he doing while he spend so many hours away from home? Was he truly engrossed in his business or was he with other women? There are just too many people like him and too many dumb women in real life to make this book interesting. Nothing unique about it. If I hadn't been stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing else to read I wouldn't have read it. It makes the good books out there seem so much better.
A story about one man and the three women who loved him.......2007-06-18
First, if you are the type of reader who does not read the prologue to a book - you will never get the ending to this one. lol Be sure to read everything cover to cover.
This book was very interesting...each section was from a wife's perspective, and it was also interesting to see how each wife was connected in one way or another. To me, this book is about survival. How these women survived when the man they loved walked out on them. You can't help but to adore all of the wives in this book - with both their differences and their similarities to each other. This is a good quick read.
Poignant, well-written.......2007-06-01
How much is a woman willing to give -- or give up -- for love? That is the question at the center of this book. The tale of the three wives of a handsome sociopath, Mrs. Kimble traces the wreckage Ken Kimble leaves in his wake. Each woman is distinctly different, yet each is willing to sacrifice everything for the man she loves. While it is at times unavoidably depressing -- like watching a train smash into a car stalled on the tracks -- the resolution is, indeed, a tale of just rewards and redemption.
The characters are finely drawn and all too real. The occasional plot clunker (Cohen's brother showing up on Dinah's doorstep???) keeps this from being a five-star novel. But I look forward to more books from Haigh in the future.
Powerfully thoughtful.......2007-03-07
Reading this book, I thought of so many things in my own life, the divorce of my parents and the divorce after that, teasing I'd both given out and received as a child, my own changes as a married woman. Mrs. Kimble tells the tale of a man who is unwilling to navigate the stages of life as they come:youth, marriage, family, work, love, and eventually growing old. Even in his thirties, he is haunted by the thought of growing old, though he likes to be looked up to. When an eighteen-year-old girl at his Bible college becomes pregnant from her "sessions" with him, he marries her and makes his first move to a secular life where he can sing his secret pop tunes and buy colored underwear. When his young thing turns old before her time two kids and eight years later, he lands another young thing in his trap and runs off with her to Florida. Only the babysitter, with a port stain birthmark the shape of Minnesota on her face, thinks its romantic.
In Florida, he makes another transformation, first to a bearded beatnik, and then when he realizes poverty doesn't suit him, no matter how pretty his young girlfriend is, he takes another step becoming a fake Jew to land a rich friend of his girlfriend's parents. She is a smart, successful woman who has had many men and thought there were always be more. There weren't. There was only the cancer, first in one breast, before Kimble and then in the other, leaving her dead. Kimble leaves town quickly, leaving his transient Jewishness behind but taking the millions he made from being connected with her family. Joan's kindness doesn't seem to have rubbed off on him, but he adopts her tastes and way of living.
We find the last Mrs. Kimble in Washington. Dinah Whitacre, the girl with the birthmark who had babysat the children he abandoned, is found working in the back kitchen of a restaurant. She's good at the job and comfortable, since no one can see her. The staring gets old. After hitting her with his car, Kimble takes care of Dinah much the way Joan took care of him years earlier, he even gets laser treatments for her face. After six treatments, they make love and by the time she heals from the accident, they are engaged.
Those are the broad masses of land in the story, but there are so many other tributaries with great scenery, the life long secret love between the first Mrs. Kimble and her childhood friend Curtis Mabry, the son of their black housekeeper. Though some reviewers asked what happened to make Mr. Kimble like he was, that was not a question that occurred to me. I wondered rather what it is in life that keeps all of us from becoming like him, afraid to stay and muddle through the ordinary details of relationships and parenting, always starting over as if life were a game of freecell.
It struck me that Mr. Kimble had been duplicitous long before he met Birdie (wife #1). He'd somehow convinced himself and others that he wanted to be a minister and live a life of sacrifice and giving to truly help young people. That it itself was a culmination of lies. I'd also think that the way he was able to act as though his children never existed, he didn't have a close relationship with his own father. At any rate, Mr. Kimble is just life, ordinary grass turned clover, cropping up all over with no thought for who or what he crowded out.
Crafted in fine, yet simple language, this book will have me thinking for days to come. It's an excellent novel.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Loop is in prison, and he has a couple of large problems, namely other cons that would be happy to remove him from existence. He gets a third when Lono is introduced to the prison popular, starting off a wave of violence.
Shepherd visits Lono for a chat. In the other issues, Jack takes a friend to visit a guy that has tigers, and gets pretty wild. Scratch some mafiosos and a tiger or two.
Book 7........2005-11-02
Here we have the seventh edition of my favourite ongoing series. This volume we see a return of characters we haven't seen in quite some time. The first story arch in this volume is a four-part tale set in a prison where we catch up on loop, who we haven't seen since volume 3. In the second arch is the return of the drug junkie jack daw. This is a great volume from the creators of the 100 bullets saga. Get it today.
Another Great Entry in an Already Great Series.......2005-05-22
100 Bullets is easily my favorite American comic series. It has a great story-telling style and mixes in a lot of elements from movies, and video games. Another great element of the series is that you don't need to have read any of the other trade paperbacks to understand what's happening in the one you're currently reading (although it does help a little to know why the character's are where they are). Samurai (which is a play on the Kurosawa masterpiece "Seven Samurai") has two story arcs "Chill in the Oven" and "In Stinked."
"Chill in the Oven" brings back the character Loop Hughes (who was arrested at the end of the Arc/TPB: "Hang Up On the Hang Low"), Loop has been in solitary confinement after attacking a fellow inmate named Nine Train, just as Loop is released back in the normal cells, with the other inmates, he is instantly warned that Nine Train is out to get Loop. A prison guard (Sgt. Dirtz) keeps hastling Loop (beating him, kicking him down stairs, giving him thinnly veiled threats). Loop just deals with this and tries to go about a "normal" existence in prison, but when he was out in the yard all that changed. Lono (who almost killed Loop in "Hang Up on the Hang Low", and whom everyone thought died in the comic "Night of the Payday") is put in the same prison (framed by Mr. Sheperd for robbing that bank in "Night of the Payday") to recruit Loop into the Minutemen organization. Lono, on his first night in prison, kills his cellmate and gets viciously beaten by prison guards landing him in the infirmary. I don't want to give away the rest of the plot (since I spoiled quite a bit already) but suffice to say it's a really well told story, that is definitely worthy of being in the 100 Bullets series.
"In Stinked" focuses on the character Jack Daw (last seen in "Sell Fish & Out To Sea" which is in "A Foregone Tomorrow" the fourth TPB), and Mikey Metcalf. The two are on their way to Atlantic City when they decide to stop at Mikey's cousin's house to crash there for the night. Harvey Metcalf (Mikey's cousin) runs and illegal "zoo" he charges people to kill the tigers he has there, and sells the various bits of the tiger to various sources for more money. Jack for some reason tosses his gun into the tiger's cage and sticks his arm in the cage (which the tiger almost rips off), truth be told I didn't much care for this particular arc. The only thing of real consequence is the part of when Graves gives Jack the gun (and the untraceable 100 rounds of ammunition), and explains to Jack how the person who screwed up Jack's life was Jack himself. Really this arc is a lot like a cliched action film. Pointless but you don't feel like you wasted your time with it. And it's good for learning more about Jack (a dormant minuteman). So if you love 100 Bullets, chances are you already have this volume. But if you don't it's definitely worth picking up.
Customer Reviews:
Collection.......2007-01-17
Daughter & son have this collection and really like the stories.
They say the books are very good.
I love these books they are a fine exsample of unicorn books.......2005-04-26
Mary Stanton is great at writing horse books and she uses real horse facts. I'm very fond of horse facts and I won the state 4H horse bowl. Stanton's one of the only horse book authors who's work I can stand to read. She also wrote The Hevenly Horse From The Outermost West and Piper At The Gate. They are very good. I highly rcamend this and all of the series! These are some of my favorite books.It's about a young girl who's princess of a wonderful land called Balinor but the evil Shifter Entia raises siege on Balinor. Atalanta Dreamspeaker sends Arianna and her bonded unicorn The Sunchaser through the Gap but the shifter has set a trap and Ari and Chase are nearly killed. Chase's horn is broken and Ari is wounded. Now she face's the challenge of reclaiming her kingdom.
This book is boring, mundane and stupid........2003-10-28
This book does not even deserve 1 star but frankly I don't believe I had any other choice but to click on that. I AM TELLING YOU NOW DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! Buy a good book like Lord of the Rings or a Redwall book anything with out stupid rainbow unicorns! This is the typical "Feel sorry for me I a little poor farm girl, O wait I'm a princess with a unicorn lucky me but the evil rich girl wants to take my unicorn *sob* *sob*" and then "O lookey now I found my home world and need to find my real parents". This book and all the rest were my light 30 minute reading I read them for humor not because they were meant to be funny but because they are so incrediably stupid that they are funny. But still if you want to read these books dont buy them its a waste of our natural resources. Use a Library.
unicorns of balinor #2.......2003-07-11
I think it is a great book. once you start reading it you wont be able to put it down! i love it sooo much I have probably read it 20 times. it is a great book for people of all ages!!
Ari and her story.......2002-09-02
Ari a young girl who lived on a farm with two foster parents and a horse named chase gos to Balinor with a spoiled girl named Lori. There Lori wants chase to her self and Ari had had broken legs so she gives chase to Lori and both girls come to a town where they stay at a Inn and Lori is a grand lady while Ari is her maid working as a stable hand for the owner and taking care of the unicorns that live there she mucks out, brushs them, and sleeps in a dirty barn where stable hands sleep. Then one night a mob trys to get Ari but a unicorn saves her and tells her Loris horse chase is a unicorn and has lost his horn and powers and Ari must get it back. Ari tells Lori that chase must get his horn back and so the lady and her maid and her horse and her dog go to seek the horn and Lori wants her horse to get back his true self. Its a long journey for the lady and her maid but with a docter who used to tend to Aris legs back home in the farm helps them. Ari wants to go home but some how this place where unicorns live draws her and when Ari is tired of serving spoiled Lori and helping the bosy docter she runs of with chase to find his horn. Ari and chase become good friends and they soon find chases horn and then chase is not a horse but Sunchaser a grand and powerfull unicorn and Sunchaser has begone to love this maid and stable hand more then the spoiled girl who owned him. So the unicorn and girl ride off to find the docter and the spoil girl and they both find a friendship that can never be broken. Ari wants to find out what her real past is she has a long way to go but the brave strong girl has found a friendship that will last forever. When they find Lori and the docter both women and girl are shocked that chase the horse is this this great unicorn sunchaser and Lori gives Sunchaser back to Ari and the docter is very nicer then she was . So for both Girl and unicorn friendship shines more then anything.
Book Description
In a place where mystic creatures wander the forests and dragons rule the sky, where magic is common practice and the seasons are ruled by the natural order, the delicate balance of the land would forever be cast into turmoil by an innocent of the wild. With the balance already disrupted by humans, one unicorn would find herself imperiled by forces she could never have imagined. To rescue her heart, Shahly must rescue the stallion she loves from the clutches of the humans. Driven by the love of her stallion, she must enter the world of the humans, known enemies of the unicorns, and put all she is and all she knows at risk to free him. She can't know of the dark forces at work, forces that could be the very undoing of everything she has ever known, forces that could mean the very extinction of her kind, and youth and inexperience conspire against her at every turn, as does her own heart. Before she can realize, she is so entangled with the role she must play to free him that her quest becomes a blur, and at times her very survival depends upon the actions of those around her, some wanting to protect her and others wanting her dead! But treacherous humans and horrific monsters are only part of her problem as another invades her heart, determined to unwittingly take the place of her stallion-and end her simple life as a unicorn forever. To complete her mission, she must battle the unseen forces around her, see through the deceptions, and win a hopeless fight with her own heart. And with only three days and nights to do this, she must rely upon the help of her kind's greatest and deadliest enemy, unaware that he has an agenda of his own.
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't Put It Down!.......2000-08-09
Superbly written, exciting depiction of a magical yet increasingly scientific world. The first of a wonderful series, this book entices you to become part of the experiences of the war in Strand. The search for unicorns brings not only a possible weapon to the magical kingdoms, but also hope for the lone humans on the planet. The unicorns have much to teach the humans, but first their lives must be saved. Now the humans only have to convince the unicorns to help them.
The book was difficult to put down, in fact I found myself flying through it to continue on with the series. Keep in mind, that you too will soon have the entire series on your bookshelf so you can read the adventures again and a again.
Excellent.......1998-04-22
This is one of the best book I've read and I would definately recommend it. The ending is very surprising and original - not what you expect. Too bad this book cannot be brought in the UK though. Can't wait to read the sequel.
Where's more?.......1998-02-27
I want more John Lee!!! One Unicorn series is not enough. I tore thru them in no time, and can't wait to see more from this author.
Average customer rating:
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Unicorns of Balinor (#1, #2, #3, & #4)
Mary Stanton
Manufacturer: Apple (Scholastic)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Unicorns of Balinor
| Fantasy & Adventure
| Series
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000LJT6FK |
Product Description
First 4 books of series: #1 "The Road to Balinor"; #2 "Sunchaser's Quest"; #3 "Valley of Fear" and #4 By Fire, By Moonlight". Individual paperback books, no slipcase.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Book.......2006-11-29
After reading one online review of this book, I felt it must be referring to a different book. This book is full of ways to connect with unicorns on a spiritual level and doesn't focus on the history at all. I found this book to be filled with wisdom and insights and helpful exercises that really work. It is also very uplifting and positive. I plan to re-read it!
Okay book.......2003-08-12
It depends on what you want to read about. If you want to know how to meet a unicorn and have adventures with it, this book surely won't be your cup of tea. if you want to learn about the history of unicorns and their origins, buy this book. I bought this book online and I was a little dissapointed. if you want to buy this book, don't buy it online because you will be disspointed like I was.
Treasures of the Unicorn : The Return to the Sacred Quest.......2001-06-10
Ted Andrews has taken me from thinking of unicorns as a mythical animal to a deep appreciation, respect and gratitude for them. Learning from his wise teachings allowed a depth of understanding that I never knew existed.
The author starts with a basic understanding and overview. Then leads the reader to undercover and explore the energies of the unicorn in more ways than imaginable. As with all of his writings, he uses many varied and different ways of working with these energies. Because of his vast knowledge in so many different techniques the reader can explore and find which method feels best to them, from meditating to dancing.
Learning to use these energies and techniques has helped facilitate much positive personal change in my life. It can do the same for you.
Alicorn Lore.......2000-01-28
I must say, I was surprised when i did get this book, it contained more information than I had expecte. I have a few other of Ted Andrews book, and when i saw that he was the author of a unicorn book, I decided to go ahead and get it. I do believe it is the first of its kind I have ever seen, you dont see that many books on the magickal attributes of the unicorn that go so in depth. I appriciate this book being written, many books talk about the unicorn, but its nice to have so much in one place. This really was the book that I have wanted for a while now.
Average customer rating:
- lovely
- The Unicorn Hunt Young Reader Review
- I couldn't put it down!
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THE UNICORN HUNT (First Quest)
Elaine Cunningham
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Cunningham, Elaine
| ( C )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Adventure
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| General
| Graphic Novels
| High Tech
| History & Criticism
| Series
| Short Stories
| Space Opera
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0786901055
Release Date: 1995-02-07 |
Customer Reviews:
lovely.......2002-03-14
A well written, easy to read fantasy. It has that real-magic feel that's hard to find. As the "first quest" series title suggests, there is a definite Moral, "be yourself," which gets a little heavy-handed before the end but doesn't take away much from how enjoyable this book is.
The Unicorn Hunt Young Reader Review.......1999-12-05
I thought it was a good book...it will prob. be better once I actually finish it...
I couldn't put it down!.......1997-09-01
I read this book in two hours it was easy to read
and interresting. So far I've read it three times
and I plan to read it again. The way she developes
her characters is very well done, and the plot is
great. It is a great introduction to fantasy for
younger readers.
Average customer rating:
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The Unicorn's Quest
Jonathan Soule
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1424124913 |
Book Description
Alyssa Turner's day started out strangely enough. She was seeing blue bath water, flashing lights in the sky, as well as large, brightly colored butterflies just outside her living room window. But little did she know that what her younger brother had found—a genuine living Tigerflower—would pull them both into the strange and dangerous world of Tanzal. Here, she will find herself in the middle of a growing magical war between good and evil—a war where she and her inborn magical power are the keys to winning for both sides.
Customer Reviews:
WOW.......2005-08-16
This book is a really good book. When I read it I did not want to set it down
Product Description
9 Piers Anthony Books: 1 Apprentice Adept: Unicorn Point / 3 XANTH: The Source of Magic, Question Quest, Dragon on a Pedestal / 1 CLUSTER: Viscious Circle / 4 INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY: With a Tangled Skein, For Love of Evil, Wielding a Red Sword, And Eternity, (Unboxed Set of Fantasy / Sci-Fi Novels from several series) , Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.
Book Description
There is hope for your dyslexic child—
here are practical ways to achieve real progress!
Not just a reading problem, dyslexia can affect many areas of your child's life—including understanding words, descerning left from right, and counting money. These problems can have a devastating effect of your child's self-esteem and can make you feel powerless to help.
But you can help your dyslexic child. Eileen Cronin, Ph.D., founder of The Raskob Learning Institute, has studied dyslexia for many years and has developed a working program that parents can use to help dyslexic children significantly improve their reading, writing, and spelling. Beginning with a simple test that you conduct at home Cronin presents you with a comprehensive and holistic program that any parent or teacher can easily use.
Inside you'll find these helpful chapters:
• Is Dyslexic Real?
• The Growing Mind
• Parenting the Dyslexic Child
• Help at School
• Helping the Dyslexic Child with Reading
• A Monster Called Homework
• And Many More Chapters Filled with Invaluable Information
With Eileen Cronin's guidance, you can begin right away to help your child overcome dyslexia and achieve greater self esteem.
Customer Reviews:
Helping Your Dyslexic Child: A Step-By-Step Program for Help.......2002-03-30
Easy to read. The best part about this book is that it gives you actual exercises to do with your child to help them. For this reason alone I am going to purchase this book.
I felt that this book did not provide enough resources........1998-12-08
This book did not offer enough resouces for parents. It was also pessimistic in terms of the outcome for dyslexics. It was very helpful in terms of identifying characteristics that are not often associated with dyslexia,yet it still appeared to be very general in catergorizing these characteristics. One of the methods for teaching reading skills, however was very helpful but other methods should have been given as well.
Books:
- Mysterious Skin
- Naked Prey
- No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith
- No Second Chance
- Of Love And Other Demons (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century)
- Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (Winterson, Jeanette)
- Passion Bay (Moon Island, Book 1)
- Pasta Imperfect: A Passport to Peril Mystery
- Pilgrims Progress in Today's English
- Point of Entry: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Lady in the Water
- Beneath the Tree of Heaven
- The Mango Season
- The Third Millenium
- Wildflowers: Designs for Applique & Quilting
- Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil
- A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya
- 1-8oo-Ziggy
- The Forgotten Heroes: The Story Of The Buffalo Soldiers
- Grass Roots: From Prairie to Politics : The Autobiography of Alice Sachs Hamburg
Baker Towers : A Novel
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman
Lost in the Forest: A Novel (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
The Glass Castle: A Memoir
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
