Amazon.com
Louise Erdrich's The Master Butchers Singing Club is a powerfully told story of love, death, redemption, and resurrection. After German soldier Fidelis Waldvogel returns home from World War I to marry his best friend's pregnant widow, he packs up his father's butcher knives and sets sail for America. He settles in Argus, North Dakota, where he sets up a meat shop with his wife Eva, who quickly befriends the struggling yet resourceful Delphine Watzka. Delphine, who runs a vaudeville show with her balancing partner Cyprian Lazarre, has returned home to Argus to care for her alcoholic father. While most of this emotionally rich novel focuses on the changing landscape of small-town life as seen through Delphine and Fidelis's eyes, Erdrich does a masterful job of illuminating hidden dramas through her secondary characters. Erdrich's portrayal of these various townsfolk, including members of the Master Butchers Singing Club, truly shows off her storytelling talent. Her ability to infuse each character with a distinct and multifaceted personality makes this novel an intimate and thought-provoking adventure. --Gisele Toueg
Book Description
Having survived World War I, Fidelis Waldvogel returns to his quiet German village and marries the pregnant widow of his best friend, killed in action. With a suitcase full of sausages and a master butcher's precious knife set, Fidelis sets out for America. In Argus, North Dakota, he builds a business, a home for his family—which includes Eva and four sons—and a singing club consisting of the best voices in town. When the Old World meets the New—in the person of Delphine Watzka—the great adventure of Fidelis's life begins. Delphine meets Eva and is enchanted. She meets Fidelis, and the ground trembles. These momentous encounters will determine the course of Delphine's life, and the trajectory of this brilliant novel.
Download Description
What happens when a trained killer discovers, in the aftermath of war, that his true vocation is love? From the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of Love Medicine comes an enchanting, richly imagined world "where butchers sing like angels."
Customer Reviews:
A Continually Surprising Treat for Good Listening or Reading.......2007-09-18
Seldom has a novel surprised me in as many ways as The Master Butchers Singing Club did. Be careful that you don't read any spoilers: Those plot details could neutralize at lot of the pleasures you'll receive from the book. One of my favorite reference librarians told me that this was a book not to be missed, and she was right!
If you like to listen to books being read, I highly recommend the unabridged cassette version that the author, Louise Erdrich, reads. Ms. Erdrich has a wonderful way of bringing her vivid book to life through her pauses and emphasis that adds nuance to the story. Although her voice isn't commanding, her quiet tones rang deeply inside me. The experience was like hearing my aunts tell a story about their German-American in-laws during the Depression and World War II.
The book has so much to recommend it that it's hard to focus on just a few areas. Those who love multigenerational family sagas will be pleased to see that the book has that quality. Those who appreciate novels with a strong sense of place will find themselves delving deeply into the ins and outs of Argus, North Dakota. People who like to read about overcoming hardship and loss will love this book. Readers who dislike being able to anticipate what comes next will be continually fascinated by the plot's many unexpected twists and turns, especially in the beginning. For people like me who love character development, the book offers a full development of not only the main characters . . . but also many of the secondary characters. Those who love novels that deeply explore a few themes will be fascinated by Ms. Erdrich's take on the rewards of doing one's duty and her suggestions about the meaning of life.
The book begins with a story not unlike Gunter Grass tells in Peeling the Onion about his experiences near the end of World War I. With difficulty, German sniper Fidelis Waldvogel makes his way home after the armistice to keep a promise to his best friend, to marry his dead friend's fiancée, Eva Kalb, and to be a good father to the child she is carrying. From their marriage, Fidelis learns that he is better at loving than at killing, even though he has done much killing in the war and as a butcher.
Fascinated by a slice of machine-made bread from America, Fidelis decides he must live where people do such things. Taking only his butcher's knives, his father's sausage recipe, a suitcase full of sausages to sell for his passage, and his beautiful singing voice, Fidelis heads for Seattle . . . only to end up in Argus, North Dakota where his sausages and money run out. Eventually, he reunited there with his wife and child.
Next, we meet Delphine Watzka, a native of Argus, who is touring in a variety act with Cyprian, a balancing whiz, whose male beauty attracts her. When she tires of providing her stomach as the foundation for his gymnastics, they return to Argus where she finds her alcoholic father, Roy, in a terrible state. The two pitch in to take care of Roy and clean up his horrible messes.
From there, the lives of Fidelis and Delphine begin to interact as Eva hires Delphine to help with the butcher's shop and household chores. You'll also meet the men who join Fidelis in his singing club.
The book has more than its share of heroes, heroines, and villains. They make nice contrasts with one another.
When you finish this book, I hope you'll think about where doing your duty can bring unexpected rewards and satisfactions.
Depth of Emotions.......2007-09-14
Excellent read, rich characters, intriguing plot. After WW I, immigrents to the US find their way to ND and struggle to succeed in a small town. The characters are woven together in such a unique way, the reader is kept moving along, intensly engaged in their lives and emotions as if they are family members. The authors' unusual plot twists and steadfast characters make this an interesting and captivating read.
Wonderful. Close to perfect........2007-08-02
This is a wonderful tapestry of fascinating quirky characters. The descriptions of surroundings are like a painting without every being tedious. I loved this book. The only disappointing thing was that no one ever gets to be happy in this book -- well maybe the love between Fidelis & Eva comes close. Since life is made of real joy, as well as sadness, after a while the constant disappointment seems contrived. BUT that is a small small complaint. I really love these oddball complex characters. I think this one will stay with me a while.
A Tapestry of Tragedy and Joy ........2007-07-19
Like a wonderful song in a minor key, Erdrich tells just how it was when life was simpler and darker. She never falters in her need to shock you and soothe you and shock you again. I loved it from cover to cover.
Engrossing Read.......2007-04-19
Louise Erdrich has been a favorite author of mine for many years and this book is no exception. After reading the first sentence you are immediately drawn into a tale full of the joys and sorrows that make up human existence. The book is beautifully crafted, the narrative rich and the characters absorbing. I highly recommend every project Ms. Erdrich has had a hand in from her novels to her poetry, she is a master wordsmith and storyteller.
Average customer rating:
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Master Butchers Singing Club
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1417667338 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Wind Speaker, published by Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA) on May 1, 2003. The length of the article is 936 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: We all sing together: eighth novel has everything we've come to expect from talented Chippewa writer. (Rare Intellect).(The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich; A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry; Out Of Muskoka by James Battleman)(Book Review) (book review)
Author: Suzanne Merhot
Publication:
Wind Speaker (Newsletter)
Date: May 1, 2003
Publisher: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA)
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Page: 22(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
3-book set by Louise Erdrich.
Average customer rating:
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The Master Butcher's Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: Flamingo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000O8OPHM |
Average customer rating:
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The Master Butchers Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000OF2HSE |
Average customer rating:
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Master Butchers Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: HarperLargePrint
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000OES522 |
Average customer rating:
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The Master Butchers Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: HarperAudio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000OES3JM |
Average customer rating:
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The Master Butchers Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Erdrich, Louise
| Native American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000OEQID0 |
Average customer rating:
- All the Nero Wolfe books are gems ...
- Enjoyable, but not the right reader
- Excellent entertainment
- Top Form
- Wolfe saves a murdered who didn't murder anyone
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The League of Frightened Men
Rex Stout
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Stout, Rex | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553762982
Release Date: 1995-01-02 |
Book Description
Paul Chapin's college cronies have never completely forgiven themselves for the tragic prank that left their friend a twisted cripple. Yet with their Harvard days behind them, they thought it was all in the past - until a class reunion ends in a fatal fall, and mysterious poems swearing deadly retribution begin to arrive. Now this league of frightened men seeks Nero Wolfe's expert help. But are Wolfe's brilliance and Archie's tenacity enough to outwit a most cunning killer? This is the second mystery in the Rex Stout's Wolfe series, originally published in 1935.
Customer Reviews:
All the Nero Wolfe books are gems ..........2006-10-09
I don't understand someone who would think that any of the Nero Wolfe boosk were not good. Of course some are better than others, but frankly, his worst is better than the best of just about anyone (well, Raymond Chandler is an example of someone who you may prefer, but for gods sake, he's a legend).
The man deserved the Nobel Prize. Oliver Wendell Holmes considered him the best of all the detective writers. I agree.
Enjoyable, but not the right reader.......2006-07-03
I love Nero Wolfe mysteries and this was very enjoyable. But in my opinion they chose the wrong reader. The narrator sounded very good being Nero Wolfe. But all the Nero Wolfe stories are written from the point of view of his legman, Archie Goodwin. The narrator did not at all sound like Archie.
I don't regret the purchase but I wish they would choose another narrator for further stories, one who sounds more like the cocky, streetwise Archie, who doesn't know what 'rancour' means.
Excellent entertainment.......2005-10-20
I love Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin! This book was definitely up to their standards!
Top Form.......2004-10-08
I really loved this book even before I read "Stout Fellow" by "O.E.McBride." Her insightful analysis of all of Rex Stout's work confirms what I already suspected: Rex Stout's earliest books were his best.
This one can be forgiven some narrative excesses (the pink tie and soup, for example) in fair exchange for some of Wolfe's best Wolfeisms. The one about membership in the Hardvard Club is in this book.
And finally, Paul Chapin is a much better "Moriarty" than Arnold Zeck. He's much deeper and more complex, in fact, than virtually any other of Stout's other characters, doubly subtle by the way in which his villainy is propounded.
Fetishism, kinky stuff - all here more so that in anything else of Wolfe's that comes to mind. And it is expertly read in audio.
Wolfe saves a murdered who didn't murder anyone.......2004-07-19
A bit longer than most of Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, but still well worth the read. This is also one of the earliest Nero Wolfe books so there are a few differences between it and later stories, which made it even more interesting.
A good read, a great story line, and great value for the money compared to the $9 or $10 for a 90 minute movie, not including the 20 bucks for popcorn and soft drink.
Product Description
Has everything a goood detective story should have - Mystery, suspense, action....a pleasure to read.
Product Description
Thirty men live in terror while a hate-twisted genius celebrates his murders in verse - and promises more to come. Nero Wolfe tackles his strangest case....
Product Description
This Audiofy audiobook chip packs Michael Prichard's full 9 hour reading of "The League Of Frightened Men" on a tiny memory card. A single Audiofy audiobook chip, hardly larger than a stamp, holds a complete digital audiobook, and saves the last listening position automatically, unlike CDs. With an SD memory card slot or low-cost adapter - like those for digital cameras - this Audiofy audiobook chip can be played on Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh desktop computers or laptops (Microsoft Windows XP/2000/Me/98, or Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above) or transferred to Apple iPod media players. Audiobook chips also move seamlessly to most Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld PDAs with SD expansion slots, as well as Treo and Windows Mobile "smartphones" (Palm OS 5.2 or Windows Mobile 2002 and above)... From one of America's best-loved writers, Rex Stout. This second mystery featuring eccentric detective Nero Wolfe and his able assistant, Archie Goodwin, is deemed "the most interesting psychological study... and a treasure trove for a rich variety of Wolfean aphorisms," according to Robert Goldsborough's introduction to Bantam's Crime Line edition.
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Will O' the Wisp
Pierre Drieu LA Rochelle , and
Martin Robinson
Manufacturer: Marion Boyars Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Psychological & Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0714506133 |
Amazon.com
"A young friend who visits often asked me one day to explain what my book is about. 'It's about the child I was,' I said, 'about ghosts ... and about things that last." These are the first words of the epilogue to Mireille Marokvia's luminous memoir, Immortelles, but they could serve as the prologue just as well. Writing at the end of a long and fascinating life, Marokvia, who was born in France in 1908, survived World War II in Germany as a Frenchwoman married to a German citizen and immigrated to the United States after the war. She chooses to concentrate on more intimate, if not less cataclysmic, events of her early childhood. To a child, small events can be intensely meaningful; Marokvia describes the overwhelming rage and sense of betrayal she felt when the family doctor, who had assured the 5-year-old Mareille that he would marry her, brings his fiancée for a visit. When she hears later that the doctor and his bride-to-be had suffered a minor automobile accident--in just the place that Mareille had imagined such an event occuring--she is savagely, ecstatically pleased.
It is this utter lack of sentimentality about childhood that makes Immortelles so memorable. Marokvia writes about the savagery of children matter-of-factly--Mareille's pleasure in the doctor's accident; the two little girls who want to burn her at the stake as a heretic.She also straightforwardly details the habits of adults, which children often see more clearly than their elders.
Customer Reviews:
Immortelles:Memoir of a Will-O'-The Wisp.......2000-06-30
This is one of the best books I have read for a long time. Its simple and innocent--a hard find in todays hard core literature. If you are looking for something gentle, serene and real, something belonging to the world gone by almost a century ago then this is it!
Wonderful.......1997-07-04
Profoundly moving in a pure spirit of a world no longer existing. Reminds me of starched clothes and hand-carried water pails
Average customer rating:
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Were-Wolves and Will-O-The-Wisps (Ohio)
Dirk Gringhuis
Manufacturer: Mackinac State Historic Parks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mythology
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0911872140 |
Book Description
French legends in tale and song brought to Mackinac by the voyageurs during the French fur trade. Rich folklore deals with ghosts, goblins, and other creatures. Illustrated.
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The Amazing Spider-Man #167 : Stalked by the Spider-Slayer (First Appearance of Will O' the Wisp - Marvel Comics)
Len Wein
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General
| Comic Strips
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General
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General
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ASIN: B000S6DDHI |
Book Description
To Wake In Tears is the revolutionary book that introduced the herb marshmallow root to the IC community back in 1998. It was the first book to look at IC from a holistic perspective claiming that IC is not just a bladder disease. In order to truly heal from IC, the whole body must be treated. Within the story of how the author healed herself from a severe case of IC are a multitude of practical, safe, helpful tips for IC patients to use to help themselves heal. Like Simone's other two books (Along the Healing Path and Awakening Through the Tears), this book is empowering, inspirational, and ground breaking in its discoveries of various physical connections with IC, as well as offering ideas of how to address them safely, naturally, and without the use of toxic medications and invasive medical procedures.
Customer Reviews:
A must read for anyone dealing with IC.......2007-10-06
I applaud Catherine M. Simone for taking the time to write out her story. As anyone who has been dianosed with IC, or any family members trying to understand what this disease is all about, this book is a must read. I have felt pretty alone in trying to deal with this, and I think that most people are. Reading her words, feeling her pain and crying her tears with her through the bad times gave me comfort of someone elses understanding. My husband gained alot of understanding also, he's been such a dear help to me and trying to live with this disease.
I haven't tried all the things Catherine has done to be able to live her life IC free, but I learned so much from her, another IC paitent, not a doctor or a nurse or a friend who happened to read about the next "cure all" treatment I should try. I am trying to get my disease under control and I am anxious to try out her suggestions. I hope to be where she is now one day with my disease gone (and she can even drink Orange Juice again!); nothing else I've read even gave me hope that it is even possible.
If I've learned anything in the 3 years it took to get dianosed and the year I've been trying to deal with having IC, I have learned no two bodies are just alike and what hurts one IC paitent may not hurt another, and what heals one IC paitent may not heal another; but it's worth a shot.
The bad parts of this disease are written in such a way as I felt all she was feeling, the lowest of the lows and the lonliness that comes in the middle of the night when you wake again for the 10th time in a night to go to the bathroom, but it is balanced with the good of seeing life go on; and not just go on, but thrive and flourish and most importantly heal.
Thank you Cahterine, your words blessed me.
From one IC patient to another.......2007-03-09
Catherine Simone's emotional chronicle about her experience with interstitial cystitis is a must read for anyone suffering with this sometimes debilatating condition. It has been my experience as well that some traditional doctors with their traditional methods can often do more harm than good. Read this book and find out how Catherine took control of her own health with great success. Be sure to also read her follow up "how to" book, "Along the Healing Path," which continues to give the IC patient a sense of hope and empowerment.
Gives IC patients hope.......2006-11-05
This book is very well written and an easy read. She offers many new aspects to this devastating illness. I personally have already tried many of the methods she used to heal herself and have been feeling much better. After 10 years of battling this illness and several doctors visits I found hope in her words and a better understanding of IC.
Hope.......2006-08-06
Before I came across this book, I thought I was doomed to live with IC for the rest of my life. After reading this book about Cath who had severe interstitial cystitis and many more ailments that seem to come along with this disease, I realized that there is hope in regaining my health. She tells her story of how she recovered from the nightmare she was living and shares with us what she did to recover. It's amazing she survived that horrendous experience! Thank you Cath for all the hope you give us with this book! :)
Have IC? Here is Someone Who Really Knows How You Feel.......2006-04-06
This review was written by Dawn R. Mahowald
When life is very difficult with IC, it is helpful to know that there is someone else out there who genuinely understands what you are going through, like Cathy Simone does. While there are other inspiring books for people with painful chronic disorders, this one can really reach out and touch the person with IC.
It is also great that Cathy shares her journey and discoveries on what helped her with IC and what didn't. As the western medical community and researchers struggle with this disorder, it is heartening to know that people with IC often do find additional help in the form of complementary medical practices, lifestyle changes, diet changes, and focusing on other things in life that give us meaning, like close, supportive relationships with other people.
When I work with people with IC, I often refer them to this book. I recommend it not just for the self-help ideas and suggestions it provides, but also for the story of someone who has successfully worked their way through a disorder that can sometimes look impossibly hopeless and tangled.
Books:
- The Mercy of Thin Air: A Novel
- The Million Dollar Divorce: A Novel
- The Mismeasure of Man
- The Namesake: A Novel
- The Pearls of Lutra (Redwall, Book 9)
- The Pleasure of My Company: A Novel
- The Quilter's Apprentice
- The Sacred Shore (Song of Acadia #2)
- The Saving Graces: A Novel
- The Seductive Impostor
Books Index
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