The Dog of the Marriage: Stories

Book Description

Amy Hempel's compassion, intensity, and illuminating observations have made her one of the most distinctive and admired modern writers. In three stunning books of stories, she has established a voice as unique and recognizable as the photographs of Cindy Sherman or the brushstrokes of Robert Motherwell. The Dog of the Marriage, Hempel's fourth collection, is about sexual obsession, relationships gone awry, and the unsatisfied longings of everyday life.

In "Offertory," a modern-day Scheherazade entertains and manipulates her lover with stories of her sexual encounters with a married couple as a very young woman. In "Reference # 388475848-5," a letter contesting a parking ticket becomes a beautiful and unnerving statement of faith. In "Jesus Is Waiting," a woman driving to New York sends a series of cryptically honest postcards to an old lover. And the title story is a heartbreaking tale about the objects and animals and unmired desires that are left behind after death or divorce.

These nine stories teem with wisdom, emotion, and surprising wit. Hempel explores the intricate psychology of people falling in and out of love, trying to locate something or someone elusive or lost. Her sentences are as lean, original, and startling as any in contemporary fiction.

Customer Reviews:

The Dog of the Marriage.......2007-03-08

Not as good as I had hoped based on the reviews. But I'm an old guy. I'd guess it would be appreciated more by college age women. Or women period.

Intense and without equal.......2006-11-20

There are many people who try to imitate Hempel's style, but in the end no one can touch the true depth of the original. The density of her work, where almost every sentence (nay, maybe even every syllable) contains every level of storytelling thin and superficial readers like "Gracie" obviously missed, is phenomenal. Hempel may not be a quick read, but she is certainly worth the extra effort.

Also impressive about Hempel is how she is able to subtly shift her tones in her stories. There is a constant level of precision and tight editing to her words, even in humorous, sad and even terrifying moments. Her tight language persists whether describing the freedom of being on the open road or being the victim of an attempted rape. Yet the differing tones of these moments come across clearly. This is masterful writing.

The stories of this collection, much like a lot of Hempel's other work, plot themselves through the emotions of the characters involved. In "Reference #388475848-5," an appeal regarding a traffic ticket involves the entirety of the narrator's life, and stories like "The Afterlife" and "Offertory" examine the connections people forge that may not be lasting, but do offer some individual solace. "Jesus is Waiting" and "The Uninvited" explore emotional purging through outer activity (through obsessive driving or volunteering at a rape crisis center), but like the true stories of life, nothing ever resolves easily, and often can't.

Hempel does at times play the metaphor or intensity cards a little too hard with pieces like "What Were the White Things?" and "Memoir," but overall this is yet another strong collection of fiction from a writer with a scary level of talent--in a sentence, she has the ability to summate the emptiness and joys of a life...yet, she still has more to offer with the very next...

Peculiarly Bewitching.......2006-07-12

A collection of enamoring short stories. The clever precision of writing takes you in, anticipating artful climaxes. In the traditional sense they were somewhat anticlimactic, however, they did give the unexpected and the desire was fulfilled. Tradition easily set aside as the stories gave the reader a thickly gossamered glimpse into the author's personality which I found amusing, parchly humored, and peculiarly bewitching. I couldn't put it down till I finished, but soon found myself wanting more.

Not appropriate.......2006-05-18

I purchased this book based on the highly positive reviews I read here. I intended to donate it to our high school's library in honor of the teacher who offers the women's lierature course.

Sadly, the first page precluded me from making the donation. I did not find much to applaud in the latter pages either.

Disappointed.

Not gripping enough for the flight to Los Angeles.......2005-06-15

Saved the book for my flight hoping for escape from seatbacks and crying babies. Alas, the introspective, detached narrative of some genuine losers didn't provide the hoped for transendance. That's not to say it's not beautifully, craftily written. Even poetic.

Average customer rating:

Fred Stays with Me
Fred Stays With Me
The book stays with you as well

Fred Stays With Me!
Nancy Coffelt
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Divorce | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0316882690

Book Description

Told from the point of view of a young child whose parents are divorced, Fred Stays with Me follows a girl and her dog, Fred, from one parent's house to the other's, giving her a sense of continuity and stability. With a simple text and childlike language, the story expresses and addresses a child's concerns, highlights the friendship between child and pet, presents a common ground for the parents, and resolves conflict in a positive way. Tricia Tusa's charming and whimsical artwork adds a light, happy feel to this poignant--but not overly sentimental--story.

Customer Reviews:

Fred Stays with Me.......2007-09-12

I have searched for books to help my 4 year old daughter better understand life after divorce. I have not found a book yet that shed a positive family dynamic until Fred Stays with Me! Our family experience was fortunately far more positive than many of the books on the market that deal with divorce suggest. We tried a few others and the father always seems disinterested or abusive. While I recognize these subjects are important for some families, I applaud the author and illustrator for making divorce the background. My daughter adores the book. It has sparked wonderful conversations about our family situation.

Fred Stays With Me.......2007-06-07

For the last 14 years I have taught Positive Divorce Resolution, a 4 hour course for divorcing parents in Florida and this book is my all time favorite. It is simple, clear, a real pleasure to read.

Fred Stays With Me is the first and only book that has you pulling for the child every step of the way. Very well written, well illustrated and complete in its message: kids need to be considered, kids need consistency, kids need support. I would like for every judge in family law and every attorney who practices family law to have a copy in their waiting rooms. I will keep Fred Stays with me on my list of recommended reading for parents.
Thank you Nancy Coffelt, for writing this book!

The book stays with you as well.......2006-11-05

Maybe it's a little too soon to start cooing loudly over a 2007 title. And not just any 2007 title but a JUNE 2007 title. Maybe. And maybe it's too soon to start mentioning it to my patrons when they ask for picture books that concern a topic all too common in American today; divorce. Maybe. And maybe it's too soon to start whispering words like "fabulous pictures" and "sensible touching plot" and "must-own title" around Nancy Coffelt's, "Fred Stays With Me". Maybe. Or maybe a blogger like myself should start as early as possible to help rustle up some support for what I strongly believe to be a must-have 2007 pick. Picture books come and picture books go but I think there's gonna be one thing we can all agree on in the upcoming 2007 season... "Fred Stays With Me!"

Says the young girl hero of this book, life can be inconsistent but not when it comes to her dog Fred's living status. Whether she's living with her mom one day or her dad the next, "Fred stays with me!". Of course, it's not as if Fred is a perfect pet at all times. When they're at her mom's he likes to bark at the next door neighbor's poodle. When they're at her dad's, Fred eats every sock you can find. Still, the pup is a constant in the little girl's life. So much so that when each of her parents make the point that Fred can't stay with them, our heroine declares long and loud that there is no question of Fred staying with one parent or another. After all, "Fred stays with ME!" Realizing this, her mom and dad find ways to work around or change Fred's less than desirable habits and all is well in the end.

Now you would think with the sheer number of children of divorce living in America today that there would be a plethora of excellent picture book titles out there reflecting those kids' living situations. Now I'm going to sit you down and ask you a question. Have a seat. You ready? Okay. Look me in the eye and name five books written for young children that are really excellent, talk about divorce, and are instantly relatable. Can't come up with five? I'll make it easy on you then. Come up with three. No, wait, two. Come up with just two titles. Remember, they have to be "good". Not the usual Mommy-And-Daddy-Don't-Live-Here-Anymore Mr. Rodgers knock-offs clogging bookstore shelves nationwide. Honest-to-goodness smart books of divorce are as uncommon as sweet summer rains in December. They can happen, but they're rare. "Fred Stays With Me!" is the very definition of rare too. Few books really capture the heart of a character's story like this book manages to do. The little girl in this book accepts her situation. It's not perfect but she has something constant in her life that she can always count on. Her Fred. And Fred's no saint himself, but with a little pushing on the girl's part, her parents can learn to adapt to the dog's messy ways. He doesn't fit perfectly into their lives but he fits perfectly into their daughter's, and they simply are going to have to accept that. "Fred doesn't stay with either of you. Fred stays with ME!" Says it all right there, it does.

Extra points to the person who roped illustrator Tricia Tusa into this project as well. Ms. Tusa is a memorable illustrator. Even if you've never read any of her picture books, you'll recognize her style from innumerable book covers. Here, Tusa works with a purposefully limited palette. In an era of increased glam and glitz in the children's book industry, Tusa's muted autumnal colors come as a truly gorgeous compliment to Coffelt's low-key action. The entire book is told in golden brown, saffron, and peach watercolors. Tusa then creates characters that are sweet but never maudlin. She manages to create truly amiable people and animals that win your heart with just the slightest of glances at the cover. But when you see the little girl sitting in a tree showing Fred her paper dolls or holding Fred in a kind of makeshift spotlight as she explains that her pet is HER pet, you don't feel overwhelmed by sticky sweet emotions. You are instead facing actual honest-to-goodness raw and realistic feelings that Coffelt and Tusa offer up to you honestly. Add in the details Tusa is able to sneak in here and there (like the footwear-devouring Fred staring lovingly up at a single sock hanging on a line) and you've got yourself the only artist I can imagine Coffelt's book ever pairing with.

This isn't a book that unfairly plays with your heartstrings. It wins your heart fair and square and manages to be the number one best picture book about divorce ever written as a result. On that you can quote me. By far one of the strongest picture books you'll see on your shelves, and a book you should write down the title of right now so that you can remember it's shining face later on down the line. A strong remarkable creation.

Sleepytown Beagles: Panda Meets Ms. Daisy Bloom

Average customer rating:

For the monsters under the bed
Great Bedtime book!
Perfect for children of all ages!
The Perfect Bedtime Story!

Sleepytown Beagles: Panda Meets Ms. Daisy Bloom
Timothy Glass
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Dysfunctional Relationships | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1419636375
Release Date: 2006-06-22

Book Description

Sleepytown Beagles is a journey into a peaceful, calm and secure place children can visualize and drift off to sleep. Combined with this visualization is an educational story with the lovable characters of the Sleepytown Beagles.

Customer Reviews:

For the monsters under the bed.......2007-03-06

Ben Perry is afraid to go to sleep, and so is his beagle puppy, Panda. Even though Ben's mother checks under the bed and assures Ben that there are no boogieman or monsters hiding under there, Ben is still afraid, especially when he sees the dark shapes of the tree moving outside his window.

Ben's other two beagles hurry to comfort him, and beagle Penny tells Ben a story about when she was afraid on the Fourth of July when she was just a puppy. Will Penny's story help Ben and Panda go to sleep?

Sleepytown Beagles: Penny's 4th of July is a book geared for children ages four and up. I read the story out loud to my two-year old and my five-year old. It held their interest, though it definitely isn't for two-year olds. My five-year old thought the story was scary, but she likes the story enough to want to look at the book and pictures over and over, and has even asked me to read it to her several times.

The book isn't the best written story I've read, but my children didn't seem to mind. The book stresses how nice a place "Sleepytown" is for children (and beagles) and how sometimes we can take wrong turns and go to "Nightmareville" and if we do, we need to turn around and go the other direction.

It also stresses that we need to obey our parents, even if we are scared and just want to run away, because parents know best, so it has some good lessons for children to learn.

Parents might also want to check out their Web site for some coloring pages to print out. There are also some word search puzzles and a word jumble too.

Armchair Interviews says: Story that hits on a child's fear of night.

Great Bedtime book!.......2007-01-12

My four year old daughter looks forward to Sleepytown visits with her friends Panda and Gunner. It is her favorite bedtime book! Thank you Mr Glass.

Perfect for children of all ages!.......2006-11-20

As new parents, reading to and teaching our child is on the top of our priority list. Panda Meets Ms. Daisy Bloom blends an imaginative story with an important life lesson and the colorful illustrations capture our daughters attention. We loved it so much, we ordered it for our neice and nephew! We think this may become a regular bedtime book!

The Perfect Bedtime Story!.......2006-08-04

The Sleepytown Beagles are lovable, believable characters who will capture every child's imagination. Sleepytown Beagles, Panda Meets Ms. Daisy Bloom, is a whimsical story that weaves a fantasy journey around a valuable lesson. The calm, serene visions of Sleepytown will send your child off to a peaceful dreamland.

Average customer rating:

A true love story
A book you will read many times over...

Tank & Tiffany... A Love Story
Hal Herber , and Joan Herber
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Accessories:

ASIN: 1412040388

Customer Reviews:

A true love story .......2005-01-11

The authors provde insight into how much love can spring forth from the simple act of sharing life with a pet. So much love, in fact, that one Golden Retriever was not enough.

A book you will read many times over..........2005-01-04

Relationships are interesting, not only for what they reveal about our thinking, actions, and emotions, but also for the insights they provide into why we think, act, and feel as we do. In Tank & Tiffany...A Love Story, Hal and Joan Herber capture a 14-year relationship that they shared with their two Golden Retrievers. The Goldens, Tank and Tiffany, are extremely intelligent and perceptive--characteristics that their two-footed friends celebrate through seven exquisitely written chapters. Readers will discern within these chapters the mutual commitment and respect that marked this 14-year love story, which, though written by humans, was created in large part by Tank's and Tiffany's ability to communicate without words.

In fact, in a chapter titled "Speaking without words...," the two Goldens communicate precisely (and often in humorous ways) how they interpreted the well-meaning efforts of the taller members of the pack to care for them. For instance, consider the following brief excerpt involving Tiffany and Hal:

"...Tiffany was out in the back yard while Hal was cutting the lawn on his riding mower. Tiffany found a ball and wanted to play catch with Hal. She tried to run along side the mower but Hal ordered her away and told her to lie down. Hal continued to mow while Tiffany pondered the situation. Finally, as Hal came across the lawn, Tiffany got up and dropped the ball precisely on a spot Hal would have to cross if he kept on his chosen path. She stepped back to her designated place and waited."

This and any number of other telling situations would suggest that oral and written forms of verbalization are superfluous when it comes to teaching and learning in a tightly knit pack such as the one that Tiffany and Tank enjoyed. Of course, lessons learned from such encounters need not be accredited simply to communication between humans and Goldens. As a classroom teacher of 40 years and a German Shepherd lover of that many years plus 10, the value of being placed "in the learner's seat" from time to time has not been lost on me. Yet it took the stories of Tank and Tiffany to bring home the wonderment and humor of this learning process.

Careful not to exaggerate the qualities of Tank's and Tiffany's canine intelligence, the Herbers have written a book that avoids typical pitfalls such as attributing human emotions to animals or translating animal actions into human cognitions. Instead, readers--whether dog lovers or not--will find the stories told here to be engaging because they chronicle the simple joys and sadness that characterize any enduring relationship. That theirs is a relationship shared in pictures and words across geographic locale and time, within parameters that are neither neatly bounded nor predictable, will make Tank & Tiffany...A Love Story a book to be read many times over.

The Wemus: The True Story of an Extraordinary Dog and the Family She Loved.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic story about a dog and it's family

The Wemus: The True Story of an Extraordinary Dog and the Family She Loved.
Sharon Moore Philpot
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 1413728901

Book Description

The Wemus is the story of an extraordinary dog and the delightful family who welcomed her into their hearts. Written from the perspective of a mother, Paige Abbott relives for you several true and remarkable stories, taken straight from her personal journal-just as the events unfolded. Paige shares several heroic and scary adventures involving her children and their cherished pet. Her stories are amusing and heartwarming as the children grow up with The Wemus. Right from the start, The Wemus was a beloved member of the Abbott family and played a significant part in their day-to-day activities, until her poignant death nine years later. You'll laugh, you'll cry-you won't want to put the book down.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic story about a dog and it's family.......2005-11-06

This in-depth story about how a dog affects the family who owns it, is one I could not put down. The author's description of the area where the events took place is captivating. I recommend this book to dog lovers everywhere.

Average customer rating:

Dog of the Marriage Stories
Amy Hempel
Manufacturer: SIMON & SCHUSTER @ TRADE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N71VIU

Average customer rating:
The Haunted Monastery and the Chinese Maze Murders: Two Chinese Detective Novels, With 27 Illustrations by the Author
Robert Hans Van Gulik
Manufacturer: NY : Dover (1977)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KG07BG

Average customer rating:
THE HAUNTED MONASTERY AND THE CHINESE MAZE MURDERS: TWO CHINESE DETECTIVE NOVELS, WITH 27 ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR
Robert Hans Van Gulik
Manufacturer: Dover Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXFGUI

Customer Reviews:

Last Call for Camelot.......2001-07-27

This is the final time we see Modred in the series. Too bad, for being a "bad guy" I liked him. But then again, I'd never want to meet him in my life doing his "profession". The new detective will be interesting to see how well he interfaces with the rest of the group and I can't wait till he get's in an arguement with Broom. That will be the funniest thing to see in a long time in this series.

Okay, but not all that good........1999-08-21

I didn't like this book very much, bucause in it, Modred's stone merges with an under-cover agent who gets Modred's memorys, but has amnesia. In this book, modred gets pretty much out of the rest of the series.

Okay, but not all that good........1999-08-21

Average customer rating:

The Wizard of Lovecraft's Cafe

Manufacturer: Questar
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HIRXGO

Book Description

How am I supposed to help my kids when I can't manage my own ADD? Unlike many other parenting books, When Moms and Kids have ADD recognizes that ADD is a family affair. Rather than offering parenting advice that may be highly unrealistic, this book starts by addressing a mothers needs, helping her to understand the importance of getting help for herself before she can succeed in helping her kids.

Customer Reviews:

Great Starting Point for Mothers with ADD.......2005-12-14

This 79 page book has a very ADD Friendly and filled with practical tips and suggestions for mothers who along with their children have ADD. For those readers who are looking for more in depth solutions and support the book suggests additional resources to help the readers take additional steps.

Disappointing from box opening to back cover.......2005-06-22

First let me explain that this book was only -79- pages long but it still cost me as much as a 200 page paperback. They even paginated the resource pages and the author pages, which brings the actual content of the book down to just 68 pages. And this was the "Expanded Version". I was both surprised and disappointed, but thought well, perhaps good things come in small packages.

So I flipped through and first noticed that there is no table of contents and no index making it not very user friendly even for someone without ADD.

The sections are only 1-2 pages long, which is good if you can't maintain focus for long, but this book is just a rehash of info available in other ADD and parenting books. It was a waste of my money and I was disappointed.

I need someone to tell me how to stay focused and on task when I am continually pulled off-track by my kids. This book didn't help.

How do I stick to a schedule when I CAN'T set one up to begin with? This book didn't help.

How can I help my kid learn to handle frustration when I am also easily frustrated by his temperament? This book didn't help.

How can I make decisions in the store when my kids are either distracting me or running off? This book didn't help.

How can I keep my kid from wandering off at the zoo while I am distracted with the exhibits and the friends we came with? This book didn't help.

How can I maintain focus in a conversation and not forget what I was talking about 2 seconds ago when I am continually interrupted because my kid can't remember to not interrupt? This book didn't help.

My advice; keep your money and try another resource. Maybe spend it instead on a session with an ADD specialist who also happens to be an ADD mom, because this book...well, you know.

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