Book Description
A brief, lyrical novel with a powerful emotional charge,
Rules for Old Men Waiting is about three wars of the twentieth century and an ever-deepening marriage. In a house on the Cape “older than the Republic,” Robert MacIver, a historian who long ago played rugby for Scotland, creates a list of rules by which to live out his last days. The most important rule, to “tell a story to its end,” spurs the old Scot on to invent a strange and gripping tale of men in the trenches of the First World War.
Drawn from a depth of knowledge and imagination, MacIver conjures the implacable, clear-sighted artist Private Callum; the private’s nemesis Sergeant Braddis, with his pincerlike nails; Lieutenant Simon Dodds, who takes on Braddis; and Private Charlie Alston, who is ensnared in this story of inhumanity and betrayal but brings it to a close.
This invented tale of the Great War prompts MacIver’s own memories of his role in World War II and of Vietnam, where his son, David served. Both the stories and the memories alike are lit by the vivid presence of Margaret, his wife. As
Hearts and Minds director Peter Davis writes, “Pouncey has wrought an almost inconceivable amount of beauty from pain, loss, and war, and I think he has been able to do this because every page is imbued with the love story at the heart of his astonishing novel.”
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Old men still feel deeply.......2007-08-14
Pouncey has written a fine and well-plotted story dealing with events in WW I and WW II with an appreciation for history as well as for his characters, fully formed people who come alive under his skillful hands.
Wake me when it's over.......2007-06-10
Typical of a male perspective and characteristic of American authors, this "Novel" was nothing more than a airport read at best. From Pouncey's Freudian explanations of human behavior to the character MacIver finally slipping away at the end, I was left with the feeling that this book could have easily passed as a rough draft for a great novel or could be the results of a creative writing class at a junior college. If you are looking for a mild read to pass the time, say in a bathroom, or want to get away from socially relevant literature for a moment, this would be a great book.
Bar far the best thing I have read in a decade........2007-04-30
As a former student of both literature and WWI, I can say with no doubt that "Rules for Old Men Waiting" is by far the best book I have read in at least a decade. Only a few books come to mind when I try to think of books I have enjoyed nearly as much: "All the Kings Men", "Hawk Moon" by Sam Shepard, "The Brothers Karamazov", Churchills' "Memoirs of the Second World War". Despite its brevity it paints more vivid pictures than volumes ten times its length and in some of the most effective and beautiful language I have ever encountered. And while it is indeed beautifully written, it is neither pretentious nor overdone. A tale different but yet reminiscent in its honesty and power, and humour, of "A River Runs Through It". Well done Mr. Pouncey. And many thanks.
a sad beauty........2007-02-25
an emotionally powerful novel that drags the reader through the dirt of old age. the ways in which failing health and dying loved ones leave us less and less self-sufficient, where memory and imagination become the riches we cling to in our final days, are all over this book. the story of robert maciver's diminishing days contains a story he is himself writing about men at combat in the first world war. at first i was not thrilled to see this coming, as the story within a story device is a literary gimmick i do not much care for, but in the end the tale which maciver works out is a thrilling piece in its own right and effectively ingrates itself within the whole of the novel without seeming gimmicky at all. this was a very fine work about loss (in several forms), love, memory (and its duel head nostalgia). a piece of literature by a superb craftsman.
Masterful and Eloquent.......2006-11-29
I was attracted to this book by an ad in the New Yorker. Both the title and the dust jacket were intriguing. After reading several Amazon reviews, I bought it. A wise decision, to say the least. It's a masterful, eloquent work, artfully combining youth, marriage, family death, depression and World War I. I look forward to Peter Pouncey's next book. A 5-star rating is an understatement.
Book Description
The crime-solving doyenne of the Dewey Decimal System, Miss Zukas is back in circulation!
Librarian extraordinaire Miss Wilhelmina "Helma" Zukas wakes up on the morning of her forty-second birthday in the throes of more than one midlife crisis. Her championing a collection of local authors' works ignites a dangerous firestorm of jealousy and anger in tiny Bellehaven. She's blackmailed by her conniving boss, library director May Apple Moon, into attending group counseling sessions -- and two of the participants turn up dead. An obnoxiously bubbly new librarian is turning the head of Helma's longtime admirer, Police Chief Wayne Gallant. And worst of all, her uncuddly feline companion, Boy Cat Zukas, disappears.
Though she's been expressly forbidden to investigate (by the scheming Ms. Moon), it's Helma's nature to delve and research, and she figures there's nothing else now that she can lose. But too much nosing around in this case, and she's not going to make it to forty-three!
Customer Reviews:
A Good One.......2007-04-13
Although it alarmed me at first to find newly 42 year old Miss Helma Zukas off kilter and feeling in a "crisis" mode, it turned out to be a refreshing change of pace. I was, however, extremely relieved when she got her usual savoir-faire back late in the book.
I have come to rely on and be inspired by Helma's great supply of organization, tidiness, diligence, and what I think of as the Three C's: common sense, calmness, and civility. She sets clear boundaries and doesn't have to succumb to rudeness or vulgarity to preserve them. When is someone going to start a Miss Helma Zukas Fan Club?
I did find this book a bit worrisome, as I feared for Boy Cat Zukas's life.
Troubles for Miss Zukas.......2006-08-17
Erstwhile librarian, Helma Zukas awakens one day with a feeling of depression. Things go downhill from there as Helma's boss threatens to take away her pet project on local authors, male companion Police Chief Wayne Gallant becomes decidedly cool towards her, and Helma's cat is nowhere to be found. Helma's boss, Miss Moon, suggests that she begin attending counseling groups for the various problems which Miss Moon perceives that Helma has. While she begins attending the groups, Helma meets some local authors and some counselors who lead the groups. When two local authors are killed, Helma begins to investigate, despite the objections of Chief Gallant. Just to complicate matters, Helma's free-spirited friend Ruth comes to stay with her for awhile so that she can ponder the future of her marriage. This is the first new book in this series in 5 years, and will be welcomed by Jo Dereske's many fans.
Triumphant Return of Miss Zukas.......2006-07-07
In the 9th book in Miss Zukas Mystery series, we finally are able to return to the life of Ms. Helma Zukas, the exacting librarian who solves mysteries. After what seemed like an eternal wait for the next book in the series, Helma has returned...but a bit different from previous books in the series. She is a bit out of sorts, and seems to have a cloud covering her normally sharpened senses. She has just turned 42-years-old, and after her birthday, Helma has a hard time focusing on her work and her private life. Her co-workers and friends quickly notice, and it is not long before her therapy-fanatic boss, Ms. May Apple Moon, blackmails Helma into attending group counseling sessions to find "inner peace". Adding to Helma's confusion is that Helma's best friend, Ruth, has run away from Minneapolis and her live-in boyfriend, Paul. She quickly takes up residence with Helma, saying she was unable to paint while living with Paul. Helma is not one for a roommate, especially one so creative, messy, and free-spirited as Ruth, and her muddled state quickly goes from bad to worse. When a member of the first group therapy session that Helma attends is found murdered, Helma quickly jumps in to find a murderer. With the help of her long-time friend, Ruth, and in spite of the surprising absence of love-interest police chief, Wayne Gallant, Helma is able to stop a murderous spree with grace and precision.
This has always been a great series, and I had missed it in its absence. I love the character of Helma, and her precise mannerisms. She is very tidy, particular about how things are done, and very loyal to her friends. I loved how she allowed herself to have a growing fondness for her cat, Boy Cat Zukas, (what a great name!) in this book, and how she was such a great friend to Ruth. I was a bit dismayed at how small of a role that Wayne Gallant played in this book, and the misunderstanding that seems to hang between them. It was nice to see a small flicker of romance with a new character for Helma, and I am very interested to see how that might play out in future installments. I love this series, and am extremely happy to see its return.
The next book in the series is due out in April, 2007 and is titled "Catalogue of Death". The first book in the series is called "Miss Zukas and the Library Murders". Enjoy!
Welcome back Miss Zukas!.......2006-06-27
I am thrilled to have Miss Zukas back - this is one of my favorite series! I love the stories, I love the humor, I love the evocation of place, and I love the writing, but I have a strong preference for character-driven stories, especially series, and that is one of the best part of these.
Wilhemina "Helma" Zukas has a very unusual personality, especially for the protagonist of a story. Methodical, meticulous, extremely neat and not particularly an animal lover, it is very unusual to have a character like this sympathetically portrayed. Authors generally to to either "cure" characters like this, having them discover that they really want to be loud, boisterous and reckless; or they turn out to be psychopaths.
Miss Zukas is an interesting mixture of individual certainty and slight social ineptness, especially when it comes to intimacy. She is certain of her values, her preferred way of life, and fearless in pursuit of matters of principle. She deals well enough enough with her colleagues, although she is not close to them, she is a perfect public servant to the patrons, and can be quite firm and forceful, but she is uncertain when it comes to close relationships, especially romantic, which in this book add greatly to her confusion.
Miss Zukas is balanced by her rather wild, artist friend, Ruth in what is in someways an unlikely pairing, but in other ways an understandable attraction of opposites. It supplies a great deal of the humor and human interest in the book. There is a nice cast of continuing minor characters as well.
Her reluctant relationship with the stray Boy Cat Zukas supplies a great deal of understated humor. Her mixture of fastidious relectance to have a pet and her inability to abandon an animal in need are very true to life.
There has been some concern about Miss Zukas as a librarian stereotype - being a librarian myself, I understand the concern. While someone like Miss Zukas might be likely to choose to be a librarian, I think that her colleagues are varied enough to make it clear that all librarians are not like Miss Zukas. The office politics, expecially with the library director, Ms. Moon, are only too real and too funny. The one thing that strikes me as odd is that Ms. Zukas seems to be able to get away from the library a lot, but she still works more than most literary characters.
In this story, Miss Zukas is having a midlife crisis and Ms. Moon leaps in to "help". Meanwhile, Boy Cat Zukas disappears, and Helma, although she really didn't want him in the first place, is still terribly worried. Just to add to her stress, her friend Ruth drops in for a visit while she resolves her own issues, nearly trashing Miss Zukas's apartment in the process. And this is before anyone gets killed!
I hope that this is only the beginning of a renewed spate of books.
So happy Miss Zukas is back.......2006-06-26
Three cheers! After a long wait, Miss Helma Zukas is back in our lives. The reviews below are more specific about the story line than I need to be here.
In real life, the author, Jo Dereske, has gone through the death of her husband since the last Miss Zukas mystery. In this book, there are touches of the author's personal grief and courage as she has Helma overcome deep personal feelings (unspecified) to reclaim the vigor of her life. I was very happy with the book and the promise of a new love in Helma's life.
Average customer rating:
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Bookmarked to Die
Jo Dereske
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OT0NAY |
Average customer rating:
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Bookmarked to Die
Dereske Jo
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NIB3O6 |
Book Description
A real-life thriller—the story of kickbacks and payoffs, of shady deals struck in secret with known felons; a story in which half a million people lose enormous sums—some their life’s savings—in the largest securities fraud of the 1980s, with names like Onassis and Bush numbered among the victims.
Customer Reviews:
Disturbing.......2007-03-06
Its not the best written story of a financial scandal and overly relies on several characters for the facts and anecdotes. That written, it is a disturbing look at what was allowed to happen in the key mid-tier brokerage firm as controls lapsed in the pursuit of profits.
An exciting read...........2006-03-09
This is not Eichenwald's best book. But it's still better than 95 percent of the junk that passes for thrillers these days. In fact, I would be raving over this book if I hadn't read Eichenwald's "The Informant" and "Conspiracy of Fools" first. Those two set a very, very high bar. This one doesn't clear it completely, but it still gets darn close.
Average customer rating:
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White Tiger, Blue Serpent
Grace Tseng
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
 Asian
| Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
| Literature
| Children's Books
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General
| Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
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Multicultural
| Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
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ASIN: 0688125166 |
Book Description
From a poor, infertile region of China came a young boy named Kai to confront a ferocious white tiger, a monsterous blue serpent, and the greedy goddess Qin -- and by his heroism to win prosperity for his people.
Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council
Customer Reviews:
Enchanting legend!.......2002-02-03
Great for reading with Chinese studnets. The goddess Qin tries to steal a beautiful brocade but has difficulty when a little boy decides to fight for it. Nice little chinese story with Chinese style illustrations.
Average customer rating:
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White Serpent Castle
Lensey Namioka
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives
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Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives
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Similar Items:
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The Samurai And The Long-Nosed Devils
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Island of Ogres (Zenta and Matsuzo Mystery)
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The Village Of The Vampire Cat (Zenta and Matsuzo Mystery)
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The Valley Of The Broken Cherry Trees
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Den of the White Fox
ASIN: 0804836094 |
Book Description
There was once a castle shaped like a writhing serpent and reputed to be haunted. According to legend, the daughter of a former lord of the region had thrown herself into the castle moat and changed into a monstrous serpent.
This exciting mystery follows Zenta and Matsuzo, two unemployed samurai warriors, or ronin, who arrive at the castle to uncover a web of intrigue, jealousy, and murder. This expertly crafted puzzler is as thrilling and sharp as a samurai sword.
Customer Reviews:
A great thriller.......2000-12-13
This is a story that I missed when it first came out -- but I went back to it after reading Eichenwald's new book, The Informant. This is fabulous -- full of twists and turns, a real legal thriller. The new book is better, but this one still kept me up late at night.
Enough of Crooked Stock Brokers.......1999-06-08
Enough of the likes of Darr and Harrison. This book jumped out at me and I instantly began to search the credibililty, honesty and background of my own stock broker. Have the financial houses no shame?
Average customer rating:
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Serpent in the Fold (D20 Generic System)
White Wolf Publishing
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Puzzles & Games
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ASIN: 1588461203 |
Book Description
A new approach for dealing with the most common--and seemingly intractable--battles of will between parents and children. Authoritative and sound, but lighthearted and guilt-free, all of the authors' suggestions work toward building a child's self-esteem.
Two simple but powerful ideas stand behind this book's advice for coping with children's behavior problems: you can change your child's behavior by changing the way you react to theirs; and you must accept that much of what unnerves parents is actually appropriate to the various stages of a child's development.
Change Your Child's Behavior by Changing Yours tackles thirteen particularly difficult situations that prompt most tugs-of-wills, including conflicts involving bedtime, dressing, eating, going places, shopping, and sibling rivalry. Each chapter opens with a section called "Sound Familiar?" that describes a scenario parents will quickly recognize. Authors Chernofsky and Gage then identify the development stage that is prompting the distressing behavior, help parents to relate the child's behavior in a somewhat parallel situation, and offer strategies for coping with and changing the situation for the better.
Customer Reviews:
Change Your Child's Behavior by Changing Yours: 13 New Tricks to Get Kids to Cooperate.......2007-01-10
I borrowed this book from the library, along with a few other 'parenting' books. I liked this one so much that I wanted to add it to my collection for future reference.
GOD, SANTA, THE EASTER BUNNY, AND NOW THIS!.......1999-11-24
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I had run out of ways to deceive my children. For years I have nervously lied to them about Santa, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, Pat Sajak, Hope, God, their father, and other mythical creatures. This tome opened my eyes to other fun little tricks I can play on my kids. I am thankful that this book came out; otherwise, I would have to begin educating them to the harsh truths of the New Millenium. Through the book's Scientological slant, I learned ways to kill their curiosity outright (!). This will make a great Christmas present for you and your children. Tell them SANTA gave it to you...
Books:
- Secret Prey (Prey Series)
- Seven Types of Ambiguity
- sex.lies.murder.fame.: A Novel
- Sharpe's Rifles (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #6)
- Silent Prey
- Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet
- Sotheby's: Bidding for Class
- South of the Border, West of the Sun: A Novel
- Spencerville
- The Black Angel: A Thriller (Charlie Parker Mysteries)
Books Index
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