Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommend.......2007-02-17
I am extremely happy to have found books by Paullina Simons. I have ready almost every book and love each one. "Tatiana and Alexander" has been my favorite so far, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much had I not read "The Bronze Horseman". I cannot wait to get my hands on "The Summer Garden". I highly recommend this book.
Paullina Simons does it again.......2006-10-05
I really couldn't imagine this book even coming close to be as great as The Bronze Horseman and I was wrong. I fell in love with Tatiana & Alexander in the first book and it grew even more in this one. I am so excited to read the third in the series- The Summer Garden. I am hoping that Paullina will keep writing about these amazing characters.
Good..... But not as good as The Bronze Horseman........2006-08-23
'Tatiana and Alexander' was quiet a good read; Though having read the 'The Bronze Horseman' I felt that there was too much Summarising of the first book. It was still an enthralling read but could tend to be somewhat tedious in parts, so much so that I skipped a few pages to get onto the more interesting bits. Overall; if you like the Bronze Horseman you will be sure to enjoy Tatiana and Alexander, but I don't think the second installment of this trilogy has the same appeal that the first novel possessed.
.......2006-08-14
This is the love story of Tatiana, young Russian girl, and Alexander, son of Americans who came to the Soviet Union in the 1930's. The story is split between Tatiana, who manages to escape to the US while pregnant, and Alexander, from the time he came to the Soviet Union throughout WWII. Simons is a talented author and great storyteller, who is comfortable touching on touchy subjects such as soviet politics, the treatment of prisoners, etc., which gives a lot of credibility to the story. The Soviet Union and WWII are more than a background to this story and I learnt a lot through the experiences of Alexander and how he managed before and during the war as an American at heart. To me this wasn't the best book by Paullina Simons (the best being The Girl in Times Square), but I enjoyed it a lot and it will touch a lot of readers.
An exceptional read but REAL slow at first.......2006-07-25
As always, the first will always be the best and the most memorable but like myself and many others, I simply cannot get enough of Tatia and Shura.
TATIANA & ALEXANDER is the sequel to THE BRONZE HORSEMAN, both, by Paullina Simons. I felt that TATIANA & ALEXANDER was a very emotional story compared to the first novel. Critics say that this novel was almost as well written as the first, and that the characters were more developed. However, to me, it WAS more emotional and it pained me to the point that I cannot go on any further. It took me a WHOLE year to finish this novel, just because I was busy with work, university, and boyfriend (we know how boyfriends can take A LOT of our time). But I knew I had to finish it to know what becomes of Tatia and her Shura.
I felt that it was excurciatingly slow at first. It seemed like the story brightened up and took a turn of fate when I was three quarters of the way from finishing it. I get bored easily when a novel drags on, part of the reason why it took me a year to finish.
There is also a final novel of the Bronze Horseman series called THE SUMMER GARDEN. I will not spoil the story but reading this novel is not a necessity unless you are a fan of Tatiana and Alexander. But, you DO have to read TATIANA & ALEXANDER for your heart to have rest and your mind to be at peace.
Happy Readings!
Book Description
The much-acclaimed biographer's unflinchingly honest, wise, and forgiving portrait of her own famous parents: two wildly talented Russian émigrés who fled wartime Paris to become one of New York's first and grandest power couples.
Tatiana du Plessix, the wife of a French diplomat, was a beautiful, sophisticated "white Russian" who had been the muse of the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Alexander Liberman, the ambitious son of a prominent Russian Jew, was a gifted magazine editor and aspiring artist. As part of the progressive artistic Russian émigré community living in Paris in the 1930s, the two were destined to meet. They began a passionate affair, and the year after Paris was occupied in World War II they fled to New York with Tatiana's young daughter, Francine.
There they determinedly rose to the top of high society, holding court to a Who's Who list of the midcentury's intellectuals and entertainers. Flamboyant and outrageous, bold and brilliant, they were irresistible to friends like Marlene Dietrich, Salvador Dalí, and the publishing tycoon Condé Nast. But to those who knew them well they were also highly neurotic, narcissistic, and glacially self-promoting, prone to cut out of their lives, with surgical precision, close friends who were no longer of use to them.
Tatiana became an icon of New York fashion, and the hats she designed for Saks Fifth Avenue were de rigueur for stylish women everywhere. Alexander Liberman, who devotedly raised Francine as his own child from the time she was nine, eventually came to preside over the entire Condé Nast empire. The glamorous life they shared was both creative and destructive and was marked by an exceptional bond forged out of their highly charged love and raging self-centeredness. Their obsessive adulation of success and elegance was elevated to a kind of worship, and the high drama that characterized their lives followed them to their deaths. Tatiana, increasingly consumed with nostalgia for a long-lost Russia, spent her last years addicted to painkillers. Shortly after her death, Alexander, then age eighty, shocked all who knew him by marrying her nurse.
Them: A Portrait of Parents is a beautifully written homage to the extraordinary lives of two fascinating, irrepressible people who were larger than life emblems of a bygone age. Written with honesty and grace by the person who knew them best, this generational saga is a survivor's story. Tatiana and Alexander survived the Russian Revolution, the fall of France, and New York's factory of fame. Their daughter, Francine, survived them.
Customer Reviews:
And Racist too.......2007-08-19
Her parents were indeed revolting.. and it is perhaps instructive to be assured again that all families were not invented by Norman Rockwell. But did she need to do her own revolting racist screed against gypsies to excuse her grandmother's behavior? Not the parents opinion, but her. Quite nasty.
charming memoir.......2007-06-07
I was enchanted by Ms. Gray's beautifully written memoir. She has lived through some dramatic world events with vivid front-line experiences and yet was able to share them in such a personal and loving way. History, accurately recalled, yet presented so naturally, makes for very compelling reading. I loved this book!
A touchstone for thinking of my parents and my life..........2007-04-14
Thank you, Mme. du Plessix Gray for this evocative, brilliant memoir. This was the last book my Mother read before she died in August 2006. She was 10 years older than you, and had the same history, a Russian girl who came to New York, and even dated the same man as you did. She knew all the names in the book and lived the young Russian emigree's life in New York City. Your beautiful writing made me think about the role of my life in that of my parents' lives -- it was just such a great book for me to read in this mourning year. I know this is a highly personal reaction but I am hoping you will read this review. Your book unleashed a dreamlike state for me to probe into the colorful lives of my mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles -- from whom I am descended. The dead have informed our lives and are always with us. It is a gift.
Hypnotic and Revolting.......2007-03-08
I'm a fan of Francine du Plessix Gray ("The Women of the Marquis de Sade" is stunning) so I picked up this book with anticipation.
Mrs.du Plessix Gray did not let me down but the parents she is remembering in this "trio-biography" left me absolutely cold. Plessix Gray takes us through her mother's life in Russia, the literary world there, the Revolution, her escape to France, their Parisian life, meeting Alexander Leiberman, their life as a family in war-time France and finally imigration to New York. It is from the time of that new life in New York that "THEM" began to start gripping my throat. One watches the rise of the Leibermans in the fashion and art worlds of uptown New York in the 1950s and 1960s with astonishment and incredulity. They appeared to me to be of modest talents but had the exquisite knack of being in the right place at the right time, were fully convinced of their own superiority in addition to being snobs of the first order. Plus, as exotic, artistic European refugees they were fashionable just after the war and they knew how to throw a party. Voila: Attitude + Style + Connections + New York = SUCCESS (it was ever thus). It is the evolving psychological portrait that she draws of Tatiana of Saks and Leiberman of Conde-Nast that is chilling then disgusting and in the end pathetic, that held me in a hypnotic state, like a snake with a frog. It's a very interesting voyeristic look at a world that has a minimum of interest for me but it is a world that had a certain significance on American culture for good or for bad. What really captured me was Francine's own story, her childhood, her relationship with "THEM" (as if you could have one) her teens & young adult life on into her adult married and professional life. So there she was, a natural writer, being given a ringside seat to this peculiar, manipulating, ambitious couple of human beings joined together for lives that came to no good end. Yes for me it was Francine who shines through both as an evolving human being and a writer, writing in her smooth, clear voice, that made it a worthwhile read. The truth is that I could hardly put it down but by the time I did I immeadiately wanted a bath, a shower and a shampoo.
Fabulous.......2006-10-04
I absolutely loved this book. Du Plessix Gray describes her parents' lives with insight, intelligence, honesty and humor. She offers us a behind-the-scenes look into a world that its inhabitants were obsessed with keeping hidden from view. The degree to which her parents' lives intersected with the history of the twentieth century is amazing. Unlike most memoirs, Du Plessix Gray delves deeply into the historical context. The pace never lags; I was enthralled from the first page to the last.
Book Description
The recent murder of Anna Politkovskaya is grim evidence of the danger faced by journalists passionately committed to writing the truth about wars and politics. A longtime critic of the Russian government, particularly with regard to its policies in Chechnya, Politkovskaya was a special correspondent for the liberal Moscow newspaper Novaya gazeta. Beginning in 1999, Politkovskaya authored numerous articles about the war in Chechnya, and she was the only journalist to have constant access to the region.
Politkovskaya's second book on the Chechen War, A Small Corner of Hell, offers an insider's view of this ongoing conflict. In this book, Politkovskaya focuses her attention on those caught in the crossfire. She recounts the everyday horrors of living in the midst of war, examines how the Chechen war has damaged Russian society, and takes a hard look at the ways people on both sides profited from it. Now available in paperback, A Small Corner of Hell ensures that Politkovskaya's words will not be erased.
"[A Small Corner of Hell] skips harrowingly from year to year and place to place. The arch-villains are the Russian death squads, venal and brutal, and the complacent, lying politicians and generals who profit from the illegal trade in booty, oil, and captives. Her heroes are not the Chechen resistance—a gangsterish and ill-fed lot—but the long-suffering civilian population, whose natural grit and solidarity has gradually dissolved under the relentless brutality of daily life."
—Economist
"A personal, unblinking stare at the casualties of war."
—Jonathan Kaplan, Los Angeles Times
Customer Reviews:
Wow!.......2007-05-14
This book was a real eye-opener. Russia is up to it's old tricks and the rest of the world isn't hearing much about it. This is a very sobering, very human, perspective on the atrocities happening in and around Chechnya. I highly recommend this book. Given that Russia went in to Cechnya before the U.S. went into Iraq, you'll wonder what the hell we were thinking and why hasn't anyone learned from this?
Dispatch from Chechnya Review.......2007-04-04
Hard to read -- conditions/events so horrendous -- not for kids (obviously)...
This is Journalism!.......2006-12-09
This review applies to Small Corner of Hell and Putin's Russia. I read almost all of Anna's books and reports for Novaya Gazeta. It always struck me how dedicated and fearless (sadly she paid the ultimate price) she was to helping regular civilians living in Chechnya, and not just Chechens but Russians too. Her critics acuse her of being pro-chechen, but she also did plenty of reporting about Russian families who got stuck in the basements of Grozny during Russian carpet bombing campaign and for whom nobody in Russia really cared. She also wrote about regular Russian soldiers who are basically used as modern day slaves (Russian army is not voluntary).
If you are a Western reader trying to understand the roots of this conflict, Politkovskaya's books are probably a wrong choice. For that you have to read some history books addressing Russian history of the last 200 - 300 years. Start with Richard Pipes or something similar. Her books are reports of what's going on there now. As such they are great examples of what the REAL journalism should be. They also serve as a good source on what's really going on in Russia today. They would make a good foundation for a War Crimes Tribunal for both Russian and Chechen sides (or are they really just the same Gang), which hopefully will take place some day.
Finally, as others pointed out here the Publisher Weekly reviewer frankly does not know what he is talking about. He probably thinks Kim Jon Il is a legitimate ruler because 98% of North Koreans "vote" for him, too.
Biased?!!!.......2005-05-25
Yes, it is a shock therapy book. It is filled with some of the most cruel and bloody imagery. But this shock therapy is needed, both in Russia and in the West. Because that imagery is not a figment of somebody's imagination nor is it some particularly violent page of the world history book long turned over and forgotten. It's reality. It's happening right now, right at this moment. Even now, 3 years since the book's last interview with Akhmed Zakaev took place. And virtually nobody outside of Chechnya has a good idea what is going on there.
Yes, the author sympathizes with the Chechen CIVILIANS, and the word 'civilians' should always be emphasized. She has nothing good to say about the separatists/terrorists (which do you prefer, by the way?). Except the fact that she - and, upon reading this book, me too, by the way - can understand the ever-increasing number of people who are willing to fight the federal forces 'till the last drop of blood.
Yes, the author is somewhat biased. But, then again, who isn't. And it's hard to be unbiased when you see a 6-year-old boy helping gather the remains of a man who stepped on a landmine into a plastic bag that was bought from those same people who put the landmines there in the first place.
Disregard the (so obviously Russian) naysayers - if someone's brainwashed, it's them. Putin's puppet media does wonders, trust me. Read this book, read something that presents an alternative point of view, and form your own opinion.
Flawed But Few Alternatives.......2005-04-16
In looking for substantive reporting on the Chechnya conlict, one quickly finds that there is simply not much out there of note. Titles tend to range from academic histories of the region to cursory reporting (though in the last year or so, this seems to be changing a bit). It was with this in mind that I picked up this book. While the author clearly has invested her time and labor in the region, the book does not have any coherent narrative flow and doesn't provide much background or context for the events being covered. Also, one gets the sense that the translation may be much too literal, losing the author's passion and intended meanings in the process. It is a disciplined read, but given the paucity of alternatives, probably worth the effort if you are interested in the conflict and the region.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on September 23, 1999. The length of the article is 1974 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: Tribunales, nueva arma política.(Rusia)(TT: Juries, new political weapon.)(TA: Russia)
Author: Alexander Serikov
Publication:
Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: September 23, 1999
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: 46
Issue: 2414
Page: 58
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
He would sell his warrior soul to possess her. . . .
An alluring laird...
He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart—until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistible challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length—but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve.
A prisoner in time...
She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite within her. Not even the barriers of time and space would keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about following the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side. . . .
Customer Reviews:
Beyond the Highland Mist.......2007-09-21
I love movies that make you cry, but when a book can do that to me! That's some author.
Okay.........2007-08-20
Well I love Karen Marie Moning's Highlander books. They are all really good!! however, this book made me mad. Hawk was a jerk, and Adrinne was just playing him for most of the book. If you want to read of good Moning book pick another one.
BTHM - highlander series.......2007-08-09
I found this book on my mother's shelf years ago, read it out of boredom, and I now own the entire series. I found that the plot for Beyond the Highland Mist was interesting, the characters were captivating (ooooh that lovely Adam Black!) and the sexual scenes were steamy enough for even me to blush a bit. I haven't read a whole lot of other authors, but those that I have read don't compare to KMM, even in this first novel. I recommend this book and the rest of the series to anyone who enjoys a good book to whisk them away from their life (at least for an hour or two). As to the comments of the heroine being a drag on the book because of her attitude towards Hawk Douglas... pooey. If you are paying attention, KMM goes into detail describing how the lovely Adrienne ended up with a poor opinion of "beautiful men". Get this book, send the kids to bed, and enjoy!
oh those highland boys!.......2007-06-27
I am completely hooked on the highlander series by Moning. It has everything you could want out of a romance novel. Buy it, but let me warn you, you had better have the rest of the series on hand because you'll want to keep reading and reading them!
Hot dude, weak plot.......2007-03-18
Beyond the Highland Mist is author Karen Moning's first foray into Highland time travel romance, a surprisingly well-populated subgenre. In this story, it's the woman who is the "fish out of water". Adrienne de Simone is hurled from the 20th century to the 16th, because the King and Queen of the Faeries are having a marital spat. The Queen of Fae has been admiring a particular handsome mortal who is incredibly handsome, well-endowed in the love department, and has the gift of charming and satisfying any woman he chooses. The King of Fae has the mischevious Adam Black find to punish Hawk Douglas by locating a woman for him who will be immune to his charms. They decide a modern woman will be a better bet. Adrienne fits the bill - she's smart, independent, and has sworn off men, having just been burned in romance. The Fae arrange it so that Adrienne is the woman Hawk has never seen but sworn to his king to marry. Luckily Hawk is secretly the nesting type, having equipped his castle with some impressive somewhat anachronistic comforts. All he needs is the right woman...
This book is not as complex and inventive as the later books in the series, but still enjoyable. Moning's sex scenes are highly charged and Adrienne is a sympathetic character.
As the series develops, you can see Moning becoming increasingly interested in the character of Adam Black. He finally gets his own book after six more books. That's what made me go back and start from the beginning, even though the books stand well on their own.
Product Description
This is a two in one book
Customer Reviews:
Great Characters, Steamy Romance, & Magic.......2007-01-18
I just finished Beyond the Highland Mist. Wow! I almost gave it up at first with the fairy scenes and the hunky highlander (Hawk), but the book revs up with Adrienne's arrival. She adapts quite well to traveling back four centuries and being forced into marriage in Scotland in 1510.
The pair spar their way through a good part of the book, but finally get past that. Unfortunately the fairy interference keeps their romance from running smoothly. There are some steamy seduction scenes along the way and Adrienne gets yanked back and forth between centuries, but it all works out in the long run.
The second book takes Grimm as the hero. He was Hawk's best friend in Beyond the Highland Mist.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from California Bookwatch, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 852 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: Brilliance Audio.(suspense novels)(Audiobook review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
California Bookwatch (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA
Article Type: Audiobook review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
Ancient legends come to life...as the Quest continues!
In Pretava, tales were told of
fearsome Demons, legendary warriors from far-away lands at the ends of the world. Though small in stature, it was said, they fought like creatures mad with blood lust, and few indeed had ever escaped their evil.
In living memory, no one had been brave enough - or foolish enough - to sail around the Devil's Horn. But now, blown hopelessly off course by the storm of magic, those aboard The Triumph have no choice. They are headed to
the forbidding shores of Drey. Has their search for an explanation of the mysterious fate of the Elves come to an ignominious end? Or are there allies - even friends - among the Demons?
The tendency today is to think of the fantasy genre as kid stuffÂ…but Trish Reynolds blows that theory out of the water. This is NOT your childrenÂ’s Harry Potter. Hang on for a ride full of adventure, dragons, and even sex. Fantasy is not exclusively for the younger set anymore!
Customer Reviews:
I begged for more!.......2006-04-06
reviewed by Angela Wilds for fantasynovelreview.com
Al'Fyndaln Half-Elven knows something is terribly wrong. Why can't he or anyone from the Tower make contact with his homeland, Ventra Jalum? It's as if everyone there has completely vanished. Desperate for answers and under the guise of being banished from Pretava, Fyndaln quickly outfits a ship and sets sail for his home. He is accompanied by three Krys desiring training from the elves. Suddenly beset by a magical storm, they are blown off course into uncharted waters and thus heading for a land reputed to be inhabited by demons.
At the same time in faraway Drey, an ancient shaman has a vision that could change the lives of three of his villagers, a vision of people arriving from over the sea in desperate need of aid. What decision will Lytika, her lover Rayger and her brother Garby make? If they refuse to take up the challenge, the entire world could be destroyed.
Meanwhile, the enigmatic Seeker is up to his old tricks. In his usual stumbling, bumbling way, he manages to be captured, charged as a burning wizard and condemned to be burned at the stake. In addition to Seeker's present predicament, his past is also presented in more depth in the Demons of Drey.
Trish Reynolds takes us on a journey across a storm-tossed sea to Drey, a land of mystery. We leave behind some old friends, learn more about others, and make some new ones on this journey. In her own special way Ms. Reynolds leads us through the land of Drey, a land with its own dangers, where Lytika and the rest must make tough choices about loyalties and what to do to help their friends. Do the needs of many outweigh the needs of one?
Then we go on to Ventra Jalum, beautiful land of the elves where more dangers, puzzles and challenges await them. Finally, we go to the mountains of the Siinyhi and see the dark elves and the power they are working to restore. Will the travelers be able to defuse the threat?
As I read The Demons of Drey, I was transported to magical places and exotic lands. I empathized with the characters as they made difficult decisions, decisions which could change the fate of a whole world. I felt their fear as they faced danger, felt their worry over captured friends and risky rescue plans. The second book in the Seeker's Quest series is again a read that I couldn't put down until the end. Then having reached the end, I begged for more! It's a must-read for sure.
Not another cliffhanger!.......2006-01-10
When I picked up this book my first thought was "Wait a minute, what happened to Laurel and Mykal?" They are nowhere to be found in book two of the trilogy. Soon I was engrossed in the story and forgot all about them anyway.
In The Demons of Drey, Book II of Seeker's Quest we pick up the story where we left off. The author introduces us to a whole new cast of characters that the reader quickly start to care deeply about. Some of the characters from Book I are also in evidence and the new and old characters are quickly embroiled in each others' lives.
Once again, Ms. Reynolds magically transports the reader into a new and beautiful world. We meet a new species. A species of myth and mystery quickly become like old friends. The many layered story plot from the previous book continues to twist and turn in this second book of the series.
Without giving away too many of the surprises in this book, it is hard to tell you all the questions that are answered from book I. But in the same paragraph the writer answers previous questions, 2 more are brought to the reader's attention.
Ms. Reynolds has a masterful way to turn a phrase. The characters are well rounded but still maintain their independence. I certainly hope that all the dangling plot twists are wrapped up in Book III, The Dragons' Legacy because once again this book ended with the main character in dire straights.
W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child
I was mad.......2005-12-14
Yes, I was mad when I started Demons of Drey and realised I wasn't going to get more of Laural and Mykal's story. But I soon forgot my disappointment as I was swept up in the second part of the epic story.
Seeker becomes more real and we meet a whole new group of characters to fall in love with. Once more I couldn't read fast enough, and then when I got to the delicious last few pages I couldn't go on until I knew that the next book was on its way.
I don't want these books to end...ever...
I begged for More!.......2005-11-22
Review of The Demons of Drey, a novel written by Trish Reynolds; Published by Pagan World Press, An Imprint of Dubsar House Publishing; cover art, book design, and illustrations by John Wayne Eastwood
reviewed by Angela Wilds
for www.fantasynovelreview.com
Al'Fyndaln Half-Elven knows something is terribly wrong. Why can't he or anyone from the Tower make contact with his homeland, Ventra Jalum? It's as if everyone there has completely vanished. Desperate for answers and under the guise of being banished from Pretava, Fyndaln quickly outfits a ship and sets sail for his home. He is accompanied by three Krys desiring training from the elves. Suddenly beset by a magical storm, they are blown off course into uncharted waters and thus heading for a land reputed to be inhabited by demons.
At the same time in faraway Drey, an ancient shaman has a vision that could change the lives of three of his villagers, a vision of people arriving from over the sea in desperate need of aid. What decision will Lytika, her lover Rayger and her brother Garby make? If they refuse to take up the challenge, the entire world could be destroyed.
Meanwhile, the enigmatic Seeker is up to his old tricks. In his usual stumbling, bumbling way, he manages to be captured, charged as a burning wizard and condemned to be burned at the stake. In addition to Seeker's present predicament, his past is also presented in more depth in the Demons of Drey.
Trish Reynolds takes us on a journey across a storm-tossed sea to Drey, a land of mystery. We leave behind some old friends, learn more about others, and make some new ones on this journey. In her own special way Ms. Reynolds leads us through the land of Drey, a land with its own dangers, where Lytika and the rest must make tough choices about loyalties and what to do to help their friends. Do the needs of many outweigh the needs of one?
Then we go on to Ventra Jalum, beautiful land of the elves where more dangers, puzzles and challenges await them. Finally, we go to the mountains of the Siinyhi and see the dark elves and the power they are working to restore. Will the travelers be able to defuse the threat?
As I read The Demons of Drey, I was transported to magical places and exotic lands. I empathized with the characters as they made difficult decisions, decisions which could change the fate of a whole world. I felt their fear as they faced danger, felt their worry over captured friends and risky rescue plans. The second book in the Seeker's Quest series is again a read that I couldn't put down until the end. Then having reached the end, I begged for more! It's a must read for sure.
The Demons of Drey.......2005-10-03
Hang on to your hats kids ! The second book in the Witch of Dragon Swan trilogy is upon us. Continuing where our adventurers left off in the first book (the fair ship Truimph adrift after a terrible magical storm), we learn of their fate. We also discover new races across the sea from Pretava. Ms. Reynolds expert story telling skills pulls us further into the saga, with no chance of escape (not that you would want to). The grand, detailed descriptions of the foreign environment and landscapes as well as the rich character development we've come to expect are all there, but now the thrilling rush of a totally unexpected twist is thrown at us. You will feel like your whole understanding of the "Old World" is terribly outdated. New heros are unveiled, so you have more good guys to cheer for. Just like a seasoned Dungeon Mistress, the author keeps your interest level keen by revealing surprises when you least suspect it. She keeps you begging for more ... We cannot stand the wait for the next installment to see how this epic saga of Good Vs. Evil plays out. Of course the good guys will prevail. I am sure of it (or am I ?)
Average customer rating:
- prednisone
- Review of Coping with Prednisone
- Reality is, this medication is a necessary evil
- The "Bible" for those on Prednisone
- This book was a life saver!
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Coping with Prednisone (and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines): It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?
Eugenia Zukerman , and
Julie R. Ingelfinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0312195702 |
Book Description
Approximately one million Americans per year take high doses of prednisone and related drugs (glucocorticoids) to treat serious illnesses and conditions ranging from asthma to rheumatoid arthritis to kidney disease to organ transplantation. Wile these medicines may have unpleasant, even devastating side effects, including gastrointestinal problems, intense mood swings, changes in hair and skin, and increased susceptibility to infection, they may also be the only treatment available for serious or life-threatening illnesses.When the world-renowned flutist Eugenia Zuckerman was prescribed prednisone to combat a rare lung disease, she teamed up with her sister, Julie R. Ingelfinger, a well-known specialist in pediatric nephrology and hypertension at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to write the first ever, comprehensive guide for patients undergoing this difficult treatment.Packed with everything your doctor didn't have time to tell you, including recipes, exercises, and tips based on personal experience, Coping with Prednisone is an invaluable handbook for health-care workers, caregivers, and especially for patients themselves.
Customer Reviews:
prednisone.......2007-07-16
Not too impressed, the title looks as if this gives a general explanation of the drug, but it mostly refers to lung conditions. In my case it is P.M.R. and the book gives no indication of this.
Review of Coping with Prednisone.......2007-06-13
I wish I had been able to read this book before I began a course of treatment with prednisone. I may have been able to avoid some of the side effects, or at least not have suffered the discomfort to the extent that I did. The author gives helpful advice. She was very disciplined in her approach to treatment. We may not all be able to stick to a program such as hers, but at least we would have the option. It was very helpful.
Reality is, this medication is a necessary evil.......2007-03-17
This book is a good primer for those who don't know what to expect when they are going to start prednisone. Prednisone is a tough drug to take over the long term, but it is very necessary and life saving to those of us on a long term regiment. This book is a good primer on what to start to expect when you start taking it, but the reality is your side effects while similar to most of us taking it, will be a little different to each person.
Will you gain weight and feel like a sponge around liquids? Thats pretty much a guarantee, but its how you deal with it mentally that will help you the most, because the alternative for most of us if we don't take it is not pleasant.
Prednisone is a wonder drug in that it can help a vast amount of diseases; for me its ITP and Sarcoidosis, which is great because of its availability and low cost of usage unlike other most costly drugs. But as others have said, its side effects can be harsh the higher your dosage. The key thing about this drug and i cannot stress it enough, is to take your dosage AT THE SAME TIME every time you are supposed to take it. This drug is hard enough to deal with, but missing a dosage by even a few hours will mess with you hard!
This being said, should you question taking the drug in the first place? Naturally yes, but if the doctor says you need to, don't mess around, take it because it will help. Tell your family and your close friends you are on this drug, because it will change you and the more they understand, the better off all will be, because some pretty nasty things can be said when you are mad and taking this drug.
Remember everyone's side effects will be a little different than those described in the book. Just know that you are not alone, because if there is one person who remotely says they like taking this drug, they've either lost there mind or never took it more than a few weeks in the first place.
One good side effect, is that when you goto a buffet you are pretty much guaranteed to get your money's worth!
The "Bible" for those on Prednisone.......2007-01-04
WHen my husband was put on a high dose of Prednisone and began having severe reactions to it, I looked for help to really understand what was happening--a friend mentioned this book so I got it and immediately felt like I had a real support system in place!! When my husband felt well enough to read anything, he also read it, underlining key passages, saying that it addressed his concerns and what he was experiencing--he is better now and weaned off of the Prednisone--hopefully won't need any more as the side effects are extraordinary! but thanks, Eugenia et al., for writing this guide!!!
This book was a life saver!.......2006-12-31
I was so fortunate to learn about and read this book very early in my treatment using Prednisone.
It helped me create a healthier diet and exercise program for myself (to avoid the average 50 pound plus weight gain associated with taking this drug for longer than 6 months)and most importantly, it helped me recognize symptoms of the drugs side-effects.
With the knowledge obtained from reading this book and talking with my physicians, I knew to ask my physicians about regular liver, kidney and eye examinations. I knew that the possible physical changes (pie face, thickening of the middle trunk area, hump at the base of the neck) were documented and that my body would return to normal eventually (nearly two years after stopping the medication in my case).
I have and continue to strongly recommend the reading of this book to anyone that is facing, has started, or is currently receiving this drug as treatment.
As the subtitle reads, "it may work miracles," and it has in my case, but the side-effects can be health threatening/altering if you and your physician are not aware of them and do not take measures to avoid them or treat them as soon as they appear.
Average customer rating:
- Coping with Prednisone
- Help available to those on Prednisone
- Prednisone, Pemphigus and Me
- Yes, the Prednisone lights are on, but nobody really is home
- Excellent source of information!
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Coping With Prednisone and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines : It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?
Eugenia Zukerman , and
Julie R. Ingelfinger
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Coping with Prednisone (and Other Cortisone-Related Medicines): It May Work Miracles, but How Do You Handle the Side Effects?
ASIN: 0312155026 |
Amazon.com
When flutist Eugenia Zukerman developed a rare lung disease and began taking the powerful drug prednisone as part of her treatment, she was subjected--with little choice and less preparation--to a barrage of side effects: intense mood swings, bloating, changes in her hair and skin, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Physician (and sister) Julie was shocked to discover how few materials were available to help patients cope with this difficult medication. Together, the distinguished sisters created a highly readable, easy-to-understand, and complete guide through the treatment experience.
Coping with Prednisone begins with the basics, leading readers through the many promises and perils of prednisone, from its side effects to a diet that promises to "beat the bloat and the munchies" with helpful recipes. What makes this guide compelling is not only the easy-to-chew, easy-to-digest presentation, but also the sisters' unique way through it. They include information on such common yet daunting problems as changing doctors, treatment for the very young and very old, long-term medication, and withdrawal from high-dose steroids. Tables analyzing generic and brand-name drugs, various preparations, and organizations that offer help conclude this outstanding and much-needed volume.
Book Description
Approximately one million Americans per year take high doses of prednisone and related drugs (glucocorticoids) to treat serious illnesses and conditions ranging from asthma to rheumatoid arthritis to kidney disease to organ transplantation. Wile these medicines may have unpleasant, even devastating side effects, including gastrointestinal problems, intense mood swings, changes in hair and skin, and increased susceptibility to infection, they may also be the only treatment available for serious or life-threatening illnesses.When the world-renowned flutist Eugenia Zuckerman was prescribed prednisone to combat a rare lung disease, she teamed up with her sister, Julie R. Ingelfinger, a well-known specialist in pediatric nephrology and hypertension at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to write the first ever, comprehensive guide for patients undergoing this difficult treatment.Packed with everything your doctor didn't have time to tell you, including recipes, exercises, and tips based on personal experience, Coping with Prednisone is an invaluable handbook for health-care workers, caregivers, and especially for patients themselves.
Customer Reviews:
Coping with Prednisone.......2005-08-10
As a woman with asthma and COPD - I spend a lot of time coping with prednisone. I suffer from Steroid Psychosis and a thousand other side effects from this drug that enables me to breathe but distorts my reality. When I started reading this book, I felt that at last, at long last - here was some validation for what I had been going through for a good many years. I will buy a copy of this book for each of my grown children so that they will be able to understand some of what I go through - I think they will understand me better. I, for one, am thankful to have stumbled upon this book. I highly recommend this to anyone taking prednisone or living with someone who does. It will help.
Help available to those on Prednisone.......2001-01-04
I cannot believe it has taken me so long to find this book. I am a long term prednisone user and am always looking for information about this drug, it's side effects and ways to cope with all those "things" prednosone does. The authors have compiled a wealth of information, including personal experiences, in a very concise easy to read book. (This in itself is signifacant to those of us with problems concentrating!) This book contains very accurate discriptions of the effects of long term prednisone use along with very practical advice on how to cope with the changes that occur. I could identify with many situations presented and found some very helpful advice. The advice is given by a prednosine user as well as a physician.
I would (and do) recommend this book to anyone beginning their treatment with prednosone, those who have been on prednisone and most of all to the family members and care givers of those on this "miracle" drug.
Prednisone, Pemphigus and Me.......2000-12-13
I have a rare, autoimmune disease called Pemphigus Vulgaris. When I was diagnosed I was placed on a high dose of prednisone in 1998 and I am still on prednisone to help keep my disease under control.
I knew nothing about my rare disease or about prednisone and found this book "Coping with Prednisone" which became my lifeline as to exactly what prednisone was, its side-effects and what I could do to help prevent many devastating side-effects of a drug that was to become my friend and my foe.
I still use it as my bible of information on prednisone and refer to it often, as new questions or problems arise. Although it isn't specifically written for my disease, I found it to be convenient to read and easy to refer to.
Actually, when I found the book was available on Amazon.com, I read a review here by someone else who had pemphigus and I contacted him via his email. I ordered my book and have never looked back.
I have come a long way since I bought this book back in 1998 and have become very knowlegeable about my disease and prednisone, including writing my own online newsletter about pemphigus.
So, I would highly recommend buying this book if you want to learn a lot about prednisone...no matter the disease or medical condition you may have that calls for you taking prednisone....especially if you have to take prednisone for more than a few months.
Yes, the Prednisone lights are on, but nobody really is home.......2000-08-09
I was placed on a long-term treatment using Prednisone two years prior to the initial publication of this book to combat kidney disease. I had only wished that time would have been in my favor and I could have had this book in hand on the first day that I started the regiment. It discusses all those things that doctors don't quite like to scare you with before you begin. This is the story, written in the style of a journal or diary of one person's endurance of the drug and the side effects that she experienced. She also recommends several ways to handle or compromise with the harsh side effects of a very effective medicine.
I purchased this book for two reasons. First, I wanted to somehow validate the crazy experiences that I was having. Those undergoing the therapy feel very much alone with their experiences and have a difficult time recognizing its merits. The severe behavioral problems that evolve in the recipient of Prednisone or other cortocosteroids are under some very harsh criticism by peers and family who do not personally understand the very constant, real and aggravating side effects. It is somewhat comforting to know that these behavioral problems are not a figment of the imagination, as our peers and family may suggest. The author(s) do a superb job of discussing those behaviors and suggest ways to get around them.
The second reason that I wanted to browse this book was to read about any complications that I may encounter when the drug treatment was finally stopped. This subject was covered very lightly, but I got the general notion of what to expect and the time required. I was satisfied with what the author related and those observations seemed good, true and accurate.
Being that a person on strong doses of Prednisone is somewhat out of character, it was a good idea that the duo published this book after her experience was complete. We patients are somewhat mentally hyper-emotional while undergoing treatment and I feel that a complete evaluation of the use of Prednisone would have only been useful if written by someone in a normal and emotionally-balanced state of mind.
This book is especially good for parents who are desperately trying to understand the reasons for the behavior of one of their children who must undergo this treatment. I am not sure that friends, siblings or other family members would find it helpful in order to completely understand what friend, brother or sister is experiencing. They'd still chalk us off as being "out of our gourd!"
In summary, I recommend this book to all who question the drug and its use as a form of validation, comfort of understanding or help in recognizing what to expect. It may be the written form of a self-help group, and in some cases, a "how to" book for getting through it all.
Excellent source of information!.......1999-05-23
I have been on Prednisone for almost 2 yrs. and I wish my Doctor had handed me this book 2 yrs. ago! It covers the side effects of this drug better than any other souce I have found. It also helped me understand that as I come off of using Prednisone that one is not instantly back to normal. I can certainly recommend this book.
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