Nights of Rain and Stars

Book Description

A New York Times Bestseller

Four travelers with nothing in common but a need to escape meet in a Greek taverna high above the small village of Aghia Anna, and are thrown together in unexpected ways when tragedy strikes.

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"Four strangers, with nothing in common but a need to escape, meet in a Greek taverna high above the small village of Aghia Anna. From Ireland, America, Germany and England, they have each left their homes and their old lives, when a shocking tragedy throws them unexpectedly together. Fiona is a young nurse, trying to make her family understand her need to follow her own path. Thomas desperately misses his young son and fears that his ex-wife will come between them. Elsa abruptly left her career as a television presenter, but someone from her past refuses to let her go. And shy, quiet David is determined to make a stand against his overbearing father. With these four is Andreas, the taverna owner, who badly misses the son who left home nine years ago and has never returned. Nights of Rain and Stars is the story of one summer and four people, each with a life in turmoil. With the help of Vonnie, a middle-aged Irishwoman who lives in the village and is now a near-native, they find solutions - though not necessarily the ones they anticipated..."

Customer Reviews:

3.5 Stars, not quite as good as previous Binchy books.......2007-07-28

NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS by Maeve Binchy
July 28, 2007

Amazon Rating: 3.5/5 stars

I hadn't read a Binchy book in quite a while. NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS, I have to admit, will not be one of my favorite Maeve Binchy books but it still was enjoyable. The story takes place in Greece, where a group of tourists bond after a touring boat catches fire and many people, locals and visitors, are killed. The tragedy brings these people together, bonding them as friends.

Elsa is a beautiful German television reporter who is running away from her life. She remains a mystery to her fellow travelers, as she does not want to talk about her past. Fiona is from Ireland, who is visiting Greece with the man she thinks she loves, a man that no one approves of back home. Fiona thinks her family and friends simply do not understand her boyfriend, but her new friends in Greece can see the reasons why. David is running away from his family business. His parents love him but expect him to take over once his father is no longer able to work, and David loathes their entire lifestyle and what he thinks they represent. And finally, Thomas, the Californian, is dealing with his recent divorce and is trying to run away from a situation that he doesn't want to face - his son will soon have a new stepfather, and Thomas feels he may get in the way of his son's new life. Yet he yearns to be with him again, to be his father and have a real father-son relationship, not just the occasional phone call.

While the four new friends bond and learn about each other, two locals also have their own stories. Vonni is a mystery to everyone, at least to the newcomers. Her past goes back to Ireland, and the tourists wonder what brought her to Greece in the first place, and why she has never gone back home. She acts like a mother figure to them, giving them advice even when the advice is not wanted. And last but not least, Andreas is an elderly man who regrets what he said and did to chase his son away to America, a son who does not want to return home.

I'm not sure if my tastes have changed over the years, or possibly Maeve Binchy's style has changed as well, but I didn't enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed some of her previous books, including TARA ROAD, my introduction to Maeve Binchy (through the Oprah Book Club). Maeve is great at creating and writing about characters you grow to love, but most of her books were set in Ireland, and I am wondering if this was the problem with NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS, which was set in Greece with an international set of characters. I felt the people in this book were not quite "real", that they were not really contemporary characters but characters from another era. I also felt the novel was just a reason to publish another book, maybe her publisher was expecting another one, so here it was.

Overall, while I was able to finish the book and was able to enjoy reading about the various characters in NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS, I didn't quite buy who they were. It felt like I was watching a made for TV movie, from the seventies, no doubt.

A Refreshing Change.......2007-04-05

This novel is a bit different from Binchy's others. The uplifting tone and Greek setting will draw you into the inner circle of the four characters' meeting.

flimsy.......2007-03-16

A friend loaned me three Binchy novels. I read "Nights of Rain and Stars" first. I just finished "Evening Class" and I see why reviewers who have been her fans were so disappointed with "Nights of Rain and Stars." Big contrast! "Evening Class" was a fun read. "Nights of Rain and Stars" was like an outline of a novel - sketchy, undeveloped, barely interesting.

And I felt that the four vacationers, if they really had any respect for the community that suffered this tragedy (which compels them all to linger), would discreetly move on rather than gawking at the aftermath and projecting their own emotionalism onto the real pain of strangers.

I Don't Understand the Negative Reviews.......2007-03-12

"Nights of Rain and Stars" is one of my favorite books by Maeve Binchy.

I read many of her books and loved them all, this was no different. I enjoyed every page, was never bored. I loved the setting in Greece, enjoyed all of the characters.

I truly don't understand the negative reviews. It appears to me that readers get so disappointed when an author takes a different turn, writes about a different place. I found it a refreshing change. I think if I was an author, I would get tired of writing about the same country, the same kind of people and the same kinds of problems, like an actor gets tired of playing the same role, I imagine an author gets tired of writing the same kind of books...so, I say, thanks Maeve, for a refreshing change from your routine.

I love stories about Ireland and Scotland, but loved reading about Greece too, loved the water, the sun, the story line, the food, the characters, their lives - loved it all!

KC
New Jersey

Great Book!.......2006-11-04

This is one of my favorites books by Binchy. It's a tad bit more uplifting than some of hers and makes for a great read.

Nights Of Rain And Stars - Large Print Edition

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Nights Of Rain And Stars - Large Print Edition
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Doubleday Large Print/Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0739446800

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Nights of Rain and Stars
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: ORION PAPERBACKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

ASIN: 0451214951

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Nights of Rain and Stars
Binchy Maeve
Manufacturer: Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Nights of Rain and Stars

Manufacturer: McArthur & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTBNYC

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Nights of Rain and Stars
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: Penguin Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nights of Rain and Stars

Manufacturer: McArthur & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Nights of Rain and Stars -- (8 CDs - Unabridged - 9 1/2 Hours)

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Nights of Rain and Stars -- (8 CDs - Unabridged - 9 1/2 Hours)
Maeve -- (Read by Terry Donnellly) Binchy
Manufacturer: Penguin Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nights of Rain and Stars : A Novel
Maeve Binchy
Manufacturer: McArthur & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Nights of Rain and Stars : A Novel

Manufacturer: McArthur & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Book Description

Everyone who knew Faith Usher knew she always carried a bottle of poison around with her, so when she dies after drinking champagne, everyone from the police to her friends to the father of her child assumes she killed herself. Nero Wolfe's ace assistant Archie Goodwin is the only one who insists it was a murder. As the portly detective investigates, all the people he talks to seem to be trying to get him to stop investigating, which of course only makes Wolfe all the more stubborn. The devilish question he has to answer is, How do you solve a murder when everyone connected to the victim swears it's a suicide?

Customer Reviews:

Good mystery & an entertaining read.......2007-08-31

Champagne for One begins with Archie Goodwin getting roped in to attending a somewhat unusual dinner. A small group of "unfortunate" young women (unmarried but had children) are paired with men of society in an attempt to broaden their horizons. It's sort of an odd premise but it does provide a great setup for Archie to practice his flirting skills. As you might guess, this being a Nero Wolfe novel, one of the young ladies swallows poisoned champagne and dies at the party. Most of the people there believe it's suicide, but Archie was watching her and knows she didn't poison the glass. From there, we are treated to a mystery with all the usual twists and turns until you're practically certain that no murderer will ever be revealed. And then, of course, Wolfe reveals the killer.

Champagne for One is a good read. It isn't quite up there with the very best Wolfe novels but it is far from the worst. The characters are probably better than average, the humor typical of the series is present and accounted for, and the mystery is more than interesting enough to hold the reader's attention. I probably wouldn't give this to a first time Wolfe reader if I wanted to be sure they'd get hooked on the series, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a fan looking for their next fix of the corpulent detective.

Champagne for One.......2007-02-08

I first heard this Nero Wolfe mystery on the A&E TV series. I enjoyed seeing how close the program was to the book.

Unwed Mothers..........2005-09-07

Who knew?

Fetal alcohol syndrome just was not on the radar when Rex wrote this one. Faith Usher, a guest at a special banquet honoring illegitimate moms, dies shortly after drinking a champagne toast.

It as the murderer's hard luck that Faith's chosen usher is Wolfe's assistant, Archie Goodwin. It just won't do to have Archie's date die right in front of him...

This one, like "The Mother Hunt," addresses Stout's preoccupation with society's conventions around maternity. And of course "The Father Hunt" talks about paternity, and sometimes how it's wiser not to know some things...

Pleasant. Lightly comic.......2005-06-13

This is anything but hardboiled crime - more like light musical crime. An odd genre that has a murder as the central plot device, but we're all meant to be well aware that, like in cartoons, nobody really gets hurt: the victim will get up, dust themselves off, and be ready to be done in or doing-in in the next novel. The TV drama based around this series suits it perfectly, with the same cast taking turns in different roles throughout. Still it's an enormously popular style, so safe in the knowledge that we're deep in convention we can have a nice time playing in a situation that in reality would be awful.

While Stout never goes over the top (which is why I stopped at a B - I smirked occasionally but never laughed out loud), the characters and manor of dialogue are not too distant from a Wodehouse novel. Stout's narrator is dryly humorous rather than ingenuously hilarious. He has his moments:

"It is always a temptation to monkey with locks, and one of the best ways to test ears is to enter someone's castle uninvited and, while you are looking here and there for something interesting, listen for footsteps on the stairs or the sound of an elevator. If you don't hear them in time your hearing is defective, and you should try some other line of work when you're out and around again."

Nice timing - it's the sort of thing I'd expect to hear from John Clarke. The confident females we encounter sparkle in conversation, and most of the company is pleasant enough to be with. Stout makes the trip quite agreeable.

He puts himself under a bit of pressure with the frequent references to Wolfe's `genius' (I always prefer a writer to convince me of a character's outstanding attributes by their actions and dialogue rather than expecting me to just take their word for it that they're intelligent/funny/cunning or whatever), but part of the reason for this is he enjoys playing with the hierarchy and professional protocol of various detectives who enjoy sorting out their place in the pecking order, and need a grand master to aspire to.

This is not fantastic or powerful or stunning - but it was never meant to be. Stout was a prolific professional writer turning out another workmanlike product in his justifiably successful franchise - this is hardly his attempt at a masterwork, but it is a solid, enjoyable light crime novel.

It doesn't get any better than Nero Wolfe.......2004-04-26

If you are already a Nero Wolfe fan and are considering Champagne for One, I promise you won't be disappointed; it's one of the best. If you have never read a Wolfe book, this is a good one to start on. All the Nero Wolfe books are extremely funny and intriguing. In Champagne for One, the fat genius dectective Nero Wolfe has to solve the case of a girl who's death looked like suicide, but wasn't.

CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE - a Nero Wolfe Mystery

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CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE - a Nero Wolfe Mystery
REX STOUT
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GSBEJM

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CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE (NERO WOLFE)
REX STOUT
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000EZ1Q04

Product Description

When Archie Goodwin was invited as substitute guest at the elaborate dinner party for a group of young and eye-filling unwed mothers, not even Nero Wolfe could foretell that Archie was going to be involved in a peculiarly fiendish and horrible murder

The Nero Wolfe Primer (And Be a Villain, Black Orchids, Champagne For One)

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The Nero Wolfe Primer (And Be a Villain, Black Orchids, Champagne For One)

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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739420100

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Three Stories. And Be a Villain, Black Orchids and Champagne For One

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CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE
REX STOUT
Manufacturer: Collins Crime Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CKD17

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Champagne For One
Rex Stout
Manufacturer: Sphere
ProductGroup: Book
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L3Z8XK

Customer Reviews:

Good. Very good........2002-12-10

Not only is The Color of Magic the beginning of an amazing series, there is something about the book that you can't put your finger on that makes it one of the best I have ever read. Rincewind and Twoflower are good characters and the sheer randomness and hilarity of the books makes them excellent aside from everything else.

Where the laffs emerged........2002-01-31

Having started reading Discworld books further into the series, I was worried that the first two stories would be lacking in quality. I needn't have worried that standards or style would be inferior, in fact the first two books are now my favourite in the series.

Pratchett begins his exploration of the Disc with parody of the fantasy genre. Later on in the series he focuses more on developing the mechanisms and realism of the Discworld, but here there are more laughs, and more subversion of the genre.

The relationship between Rincewind the cowardly student wizard and Twoflower the naive, good natured tourist is always amusing and compelling. The plot is perhaps slightly less complicated than later books, but still strange and magical, while firmly rooted in the cynical common sense of the English.

Also the books feature my favourite Discworld character, the tenacious, slightly sinister Luggage! It's an easy read that flows well and has some spot-on humour.

Excellent Opening To Discworld Marred By Poor Publishing.......2001-01-07

I have reviewed the two opening books to Discworld separately elsewhere. Needless to say both works begin one of the most imaginative and original series ever to grace the world of fantasy fiction, and, because of their inseparable relationship in terms of story, their republication as one work makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, Pratchett's new publisher, Collins, has not presented these gems in a manner for which the work is deserving. The text is riddled with punctuation and spelling errors, at times forcing the reader to reread the text for sense, a problem that was equally in evidence in "The Fifth Elephant." Collins is fortunate to have this author now in their stable of fantasy writers---they certainly have no other fantasy author of his stature---and should feel a responsibility---to the work, to the author, and to the readers---to present Mr. Pratchett's marvelous fiction in a manner equal to the riches of its contents. For this reason, don't waste your money on an inferior packaged product. There are still good hardbound copies of the original publications around, if you desire these works in cloth, as I do, that justify their expense, both in terms of presentation and text. This is merely a shoddy reprint, undeserving of purchase, and it is for this reason I have given it only three stars. Pratchett's work deserves far better.

This is how it all began..........2000-06-03

There are now about 24 books in the DiscWorld series, possibly 25 if you live in Britain. But these are the two books that began the series. This is where it started.

I don't usually like parody. Harvard Lampoon's "Bored of the Rings," for example, has never impressed me. But Pratchett has brought parody, and parody of the fantasy genre in particular, to a new level in the DiscWorld series.

Pratchett's writing in these early books, as you would expect, isn't nearly as good as it gets later, but his characters are just as wonderful and his sense of the absurd is working overtime. There are outright parodies (Cohen the Barbarian, a lifetime in his own legend), homages (Firtz Leiber's Ffahrd and the Grey Mouser) and horrible puns ("luters, I expect"). No fantasy novel emerges unscathed.

Like most parodists, the plotting here is weak, with Rincewind, the most incompetent wizard in literature, and Twoflowers, the quintessential tourist, careening from disaster to disaster. In later books, Pratchett's plotting is impeccable, but here it's just not that good. But you don't read these two books for the plot, you read them for the laughs, for the fun of recognizing characters and books, and for the sheer hysterical madness.

The books are a delight. I caution you against reading them in bed - your laughter will disturb your partner - but otherwise whole-heartedly recommend them.

These two stories should have come in one book to begin with.......2000-02-24

I'd give this book a five, but as someone else said- you have to leave room for his future works which get better. The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic were Pratchett's first two novels, and possibly the funniest stuff I've read yet. I'm usually into the more serious works of fantasy fiction, but reading this parody of the genre left me in stictches.

It takes a bit to get into it because it starts off by describing this world as being a flat disk carried on the back of four giant elephants who in turn, are on top of a enormous turtle. Don't ask. Then we meet our heroes: A short tourist with four eyes who doesnt speak the language, and has enough gold to capture the attention of every lowlife thief and robber. The tourist's luggage which is made from the magical wood of a special pear tree and as a result- it has a mind of its own, many feet and teeth and follows the tourist everywhere. And the third main character is Rincewind... a failed, coward of a wizzard who can't learn any new spells because he accidentally memorized one of the eight most powerful spells on the disk- a spell so powerful that no one knows what it does and he dare not say it. In fact all other spells are AFRAID to go near it.

This is just the beginning. Pratchett's wit and spaced-out imagination take the reader on a wild ride where nothing in fantasy is sacred. Now these first two books come together in one book, and I say thats the way they should have come from the beginning. The first book ends with a cliff-hanger (disk-hanger) that is neatly resolved in the second story. And hardcover is a plus, because this IS a classic that belongs on any fan's shelf. It is highly recommended as a breath of fresh air to any fantasy fan- serious or not.

I think I liked it even better the first time I read it eight years ago at 16. Oh... and if you are Brittish- add one star! They all love Pratchett!

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multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

Compact Discworlds 1-4: The Colour of Magic / The Light Fantastic / Equal Rites / Mort

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Compact Discworlds 1-4: The Colour of Magic / The Light Fantastic / Equal Rites / Mort
Terry Pratchett
Manufacturer: Orion Publishing Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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Some new info, some old info, all helpful

Beyond Cellulite

EXCELLENT Source of Knowledge and Reference for Health/Life

Beyond Cellulite: Nicole Ronsard's Ultimate Strategy to Slim, Firm and Reshape Your Lower Body
Nicole Ronsard
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Weight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Weight Maintenance | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The Cellulite Solution: A Doctor's Program for Losing Lumps, Bumps, Dimples, and Stretch Marks

The Cellulite Secret: Why You Have It and How to Lose It

The Butt Book: How to Build a Non-Cellulite and Fat-Free Butt in 9 Weeks

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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

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ASIN: 067973936X
Release Date: 1992-03-03

Customer Reviews:

Some new info, some old info, all helpful.......2005-07-16

I was really surprised to learn about the sodium/potassium balance that plays such a big role in cellulite. I was very impressed with the author's encouragement to eat raw fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and sprouts etc. I have been studying (and practicing) raw foodism for a little while on and off and considering this book was written in 1995 (and that was the second edition!) I am truly glad to see that the raw food movement is - once again - not a new concept and truly is the best way to eat. The ideas that she presents are fairly basic, but then again, she has an almost vegetarian way of eating which also is encouraging. Even though some of what she writes would seem obvious, it goes beyond. It's worth purchasing and seeing if it makes a difference in your life.

Beyond Cellulite.......2000-01-27

Beyond Cellulite is a brilliant book which mainly focuses on a new way of life rather than a get healthy quick routine. It covers everthing from diet and excersise to mental health. If you feel yourself slacking, read a couple of chapters and you will be back on track. I followed it when I was pregnant. As a result I had a wonderful pregnancy, a better figure and no cellulite after my baby was born. Unfortunately, I lent the book to a friend who never returned it. Hence visiting this site for another copy. Good Luck!

EXCELLENT Source of Knowledge and Reference for Health/Life.......1999-07-09

Nicole Ronsard has presented everything you need in "laymans' terms to understand your body and it's reaction to everything you do and consume. Very Simply stated, and very easily understood as well as GREAT reading! This book beats all others about the Practice of HEALTH and how easy it is.

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