The Beet Queen: A Novel (P.S.)

Book Description

On a spring morning in 1932, young Karl and Mary Adare arrive by boxcar in Argus, North Dakota. After being orphaned in a most peculiar way, they seek refuge in the butcher shop of their aunt Fritzie and her husband, Pete; ordinary Mary, who will cause a miracle, and seductive Karl, who lacks his sister's gift for survival, embark upon an exhilarating life-journey crowded with colorful, unforgettable characters and marked by the extraordinary magic of natural events.

The bestselling, award-winning author of The Painted Drum, Louise Erdrich dazzles in this vibrant and heartfelt tale of abandonment and sexual obsession, jealousy and unstinting love that explores with empathy, humor, and power the eternal mystery of the human condition.

Customer Reviews:

A disappointing read.......2006-10-25

I chose this book for my book club because I had read Erdrich's other novel, The Master Butcher's Singing Club, which was flawed, but still great reading. I was so disappointed in this novel. It did not meet my expectations. I expected the wise and wonderful writing I encountered in The Master Butcher's Singing Club, but was given plot twists that were just plain silly. The author ruined her opporunity to say something profound with Sita's death by throwing in dead body humor a la "Weekend at Bernie's." Although for the most part I found her characters compelling, I felt like this book had very little to say. I am less inclined to try her other novels after reading this one.

Simply an amazing book.......2006-01-20

This book is amazing and a truly beautiful work about the human spirit. The characters are numerous and complex, and the way the book skips around in terms of characters and time keeps you on your toes and keeps the story interesting -- you never know what to expect.

It was really the highlight of a recent vacation -- I couldn't put it down.

Determinedly bleak.......2005-03-01

I started this novel after reading Erdrich's Love Medicine. While it is clearly not as lyrically written, it is more accessible, and I admired Erdrich's inventiveness as she creates a very unique set of characters. I never finished "Beet Queen", quitting not that far from the end. When Celestine's child turned out to be so impossible, it was the last straw. "Beet Queen" is just too determinedly bleak, to no higher purpose I could discern or discover in reading reviews here.

Off The Beaten Path.......2005-02-04

From the mesmerizing first chapter I was hooked. This is an adventure that makes you want to turn the pages quickly. I've noted that others have characterized this book as "bland," yet, isn't that the point? To truly feel the emotional palate of the characters, there can't be a big surprise at every corner. If you finish this book feeling confused, depressed, and a little hungry for her next book, then this author has done her job. If you like "cookie cutter" stories, then this book isn't for you.

Many Voices, Many Stories - One Powerful Novel.......2004-12-19

Louise Erdrich once said that her novels fell "together like a quilt, a crazy quilt,", and The Beet Queen is no exception. The author has constructed a powerful novel out of many voices and individual stories. The novel begins in 1932, with young Mary and Karl Adare getting off a train in Argus, North Dakota by themselves. A moment of fear sends Karl running back to the train, and Mary in the other direction, towards her aunt's house. This division between them sends them on different paths. Mary grows up as the despised cousin of lovely Sita, the foster daughter of Pete and Fritzie who own a butcher shop. Karl is eventually sent back to Minnesota to grow up in a Catholic children's home. The people who know them - Sita, Celestine, the Chamber of Commerce president Wallace Pfef, and finally Dot, the Beet Queen of the title - add their voices to weave a story that goes beyond Karl and Mary to include the entire town of Argus. Spanning forty years, the novel encompasses changes not only within the characters but in the town and the times in general.

Erdrich's characterizations are complex and heartfelt, especially since the multiple points-of-view allow us to see the characters from both inside and out. When characters describe the same incident from different perspectives, we get a deep understanding of what is at stake for each.

The Beet Queen is one of Erdrich's finest novels. Fans of Erdrich's will recognize some of the characters that appeared in the earlier Love Medicine and in her later books, but you don't need to be familiar with the author's work to become engrossed in this one. Highly recommended.

Download Description

" JACK RABBIT SPEAKS A tall figure stands alone, waiting to be engulfed in flames. It is the Burning Man, the giant wooden centerpiece of Nevada's famous weeklong arts festival. Every year, thousands flock to the middle of the desert to push the limits of creativity and outrageousness. Dex Edden is not one of them. A computer programmer, Dex has come to the wild and wooly festival only to please his boss. Out of the blue, he will be a witness to murder. When a masked visitor enters the RV where Dex and his boss are camped out, Dex's tiny oasis in the middle of the weird and unnerving festival scene is shattered in a moment of blinding violence. Now Dex is wanted by the killer, who fled into the desert -- and by the police. For Dex, survival depends on blending in with the oddballs and eccentrics in an alien landscape. For on the final, fateful night of Burning Man, the flames will rise -- and the masks will come off.... "

Customer Reviews:

Good playa reading.......2006-01-30

.... and by the way, not the only one fiction involving burning man --- you read this and it's pretty much like waqndering for the playa (only that it's actually better to be there for real).

Good book!!!!

Must Read For Burners!!!.......2005-11-11

This book is SOOOO fun, great descriptions, great insights, I have been savoring it.

I don't know if I would like it as much if I were not a burner but it is very descriptive if someone is looking for a narrative of someone experience rather than an essay about the concept of the event.

2 Thumbs up!!

Burners like to read!.......2005-09-16

Captain Fun (Cortez) does a great job of capturing the flavor of the most unique place on Earth, Black Rock City. As he shows our hero Dex the ropes, we get to see the playa again through the eyes of a virgin. Fun also does a great job of explaining the customs of BRC very well, gifting, participating, leave no trace, and my favorite, safty third!

I loved reading this book because it took me on one more playa adventure while I was decompressing in the default world.

Let this story of murder be a lesson to you all that BRC isn't for everybody. Newbies and virgins think twice before you make the trip to Nowhere...Darth Bunny is out there!

Welcome Home.......2005-09-14

A wonderful read for a burner who misses home. It really reminds you of all the reasons you fell in love with BRC to begin with and makes you miss it that much more.

still burnt on Sunday.......2005-09-12

it's Sunday Morning. I woke up at around 9 something, as I have been for months now - even on the Playa. I picked up the book that I've been reading since Thursday on the Playa. A book call 'The Man Burns Tonight" by Donn Cortez... or should I say, Captain Fun. I can say that because I got the book from Captian Fun himself. He gave it to me while chatting on some tower, sharing a smoke, in a drunken haze called SantaCon. Black Rock City had it's SantaCon on Wednesday. It rivaled many of the local LA SantaCons that I've participated in. We bar-hopped many of the best bars in Black Rock City. It was on the top of one of these bars where I met Captain Fun. We chatted about the random excitement and joys that is Burning Man. He then gave me his just published novel & signed it for me. I do remember giving him one of the last of my custom postcards. I might have even placed proper postage on it. I can't remember because it is around that point when it all became a blur.

So i finished the book this morning. I have to say, it was one of the most fun & exciting books I've ever read. I had a couple issues with the plot, you could say there were a few holes in them, but overall it worked itself out. The thing I enjoyed the most were the characters. The story emphasised the true body of Burning Man, the people - The citizens of Black Rock City. Throughout the novel were interviews of various Burners. Although they are supposed to "fictional" they felt very real. They each had their own personal views of what Burning Man is or means to them. I would find it hard to believe that Captain Fun created all those thoughts & feelings himself, unless he's schizophrenic... which is possible. But in all seriousness Captain Fun was down to earth and... Fun. And so was his character in the book, aptly named, Captain Fun.

The story revolves around a virgin Burner by the name of Dexter Edden, or just Dex. In the beginning he witnesses the violent murder of his boss, who dragged him out to the desert against his own better judgement. He runs for his life away from the killer and gets lost in Black Rock City. He eventually meets & becomes friends with various citizens who decide to help him prove his innocence. "...Dex is wanted by the killer... and by the police."

The book is fast paced and full of wonderful characters. I don't know if the characters were genuinely fleshed out with prose or if my own biased Burner mind was able to fill in the blanks. It didn't matter because all the characters felt very real. It felt like I was really there on the playa. I could see the colorful lights and feel the drying wind. I could also taste the playa in my mouth - Or that could be because I was just there and I havent cleared up completely. Mmmm, playa dust.

Product Description

The sequel to the touching, bitter-sweet Spirit Dogs; Heroes In Heaven returns with an expanded cast of canines running from the abused to the over-indulged, creating a deeper understanding of dogs and the people who own them. Extra hankies required.

Customer Reviews:

STEPPING UP.......2006-11-17

Sometimes we are called upon to step up and see the bigger
picture. The one that contains not just us, but those closest
to us. Whether it's our family, our circle of friends, or our
workmates, when we are assigned the task we need to shine.
But what if this request came in Heaven? Just when you
thought you could relax you find out the tests are just
beginning.

Susan Kelleher's first Spirit Dog book, Heroes in Heaven,
introduced us to Ivan, a spunky Australian Shepherd who
has just finished one of his lives and arrived in Heaven.
He learns that he's been there before and may leave and
come back again, but first he needs some hero training.

In this book Ivan has been chosen to lead others like himself,
newly arrived, and a bit confused, as to what happens next.
With Ivan at the helm, well most of the time anyway, we get
a behind the scenes look at not only his training but how he
helps the others prepare for their next lives.

Personally, I think this should be required reading. No, not
for your canine pal, for you. If we could only take the time to
sit down with our family, friends, or workmates and like Ivan's
group evaluate what values make us "whole" people, think
how much richer our time here on Earth could be.

World of canines and spirit.......2005-10-02

Many thanks to Author Susan Kelleher for giving us a spiritual perspective to the world of our canine friends. So happy to hear more from this unique voice who is as entertaining to read as she is knowledgeable about this unusual subject matter!

Life Between Lives and spiritual growth.......2005-09-29

Spirit Dogs: Life Between Lives is a wonderful adventure of spiritual growth. One will immediately be drawn into the story and the adventure. It is a representation of learning to listen to ones self, listening to spiritual guides, and seeing beyond the deceptions in life.

Call of the Wild has company.......2005-09-26

I guess every century needs a great, great book about dogs, and this one only had to wait five years to acquire one. This novel not only features well-developed, fascinating canine characters, but also is full of suspense. In the middle, I literally could not stop reading because I HAD to find out what was going to happen to these wonderful dogs! In the end, the author has managed to use the sensitive subject of death as a vehicle to provide lessons for all of us humans on how to enrich our lives and care for each other. This was truly one of my great reading experiences; if you read it, you will love dogs AND the human spirit forever.

Book Description

Based entirely on research from peer-reviewed journals and randomized controlled trials, Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff is a complete program to prevent and rehabilitate rotator cuff injuries for athletes and non-athletes alike. In less than 100 pages, readers will learn precisely how the rotator cuff works, what can go wrong with it, and then are guided step-by-step through an evidence-based program that takes just minutes a week to complete. Drawing from the latest rotator cuff research, Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff is especially useful for those who have been diagnosed with either a partial or full-thickness rotator cuff tear, experience shoulder pain, do upper body weight lifting, play a sport or have a job that involves repeated arm motions above shoulder level, have been diagnosed with "impingement syndrome," or for anyone simply wanting a healthy and properly functioning rotator cuff.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource on treating and preventing injuries..........2007-09-06

This is a great book that concisely explains the anatomy and physiology of the rotator cuff including the bones, muscles, biomechanics, etc. in just enough detail for the average person to understand. It also describes how to distinguish between different types of injuries, how to approach rehabilitating them and collects a lot of rotator cuff injuries in one small volume. While the book is rather expensive for its size, it packs a lot of well-explained information into a small space.

I'm an ex-physiology teaching fellow and scientist. I thought this book was great and turned something that is often difficult to explain into something anyone who can read can understand. The diagrams are good and the book contains no unnecessary detail.

I also agree with other reviewers that while Jim Johnson isn't an expert on rotator cuffs, his book is thoroughly researched and he does have a PT credential and has undoubtedly had 15 years of clinical experience in a teaching hospital environment. This suggests he has a very good nuts and bolts understanding and hands-on experience.

Johnson is "magic"!.......2007-07-09

This is the second book of Jim Johnson's that I have bought. The first one fixed my back pains with a simple exercise to strengthen the Multifidus muscles.

The exercises in this book has significantly reduced pain and increased mobility in my left shoulder, allowing me to sleep through the night and lift my arm over my shoulder.

Review of, "Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff".......2007-06-13

I ordered this book for my brother-in-law who has experienced shoulder pain and not being able to lift his arm higher than shoulder level due to a rotator cuff injury he received in the past. I recommended it to him because of the wonderful results I got using the information in this book to treat my own right shoulder pain.

Having previously read, Jim Johnson's, The Sixty-Second Motivator, and finding it very helpful, I can tell you that I certainly had the motivation to try and stick with an exercise that would relieve my painful and restricting condition. And it sounded to me like my brother-in-law was in the same boat.

I used the Sidelying External Rotation exercise on page 55 of the rotator cuff book and got great results. The first time I tried it I could only manage to raise a 20 ounce can of pineapple about half way up less than ten times. I found the detailed instruction, precautions and notes particularly helpful and feel that carefully following them was why I experienced the gradual recovery. My wife sat beside me making sure I did the exercise slowly and exactly as the book states. After about four weeks I actually worked up to fully raising the can of pineapple 20 times. Later on I increased the weight little by little and began to feel good enough to resume some of the more physically demanding activities on our small farm.

Last week I was actually able to assist with harvesting our hay and didn't suffer during or afterward from any of the shoulder pain or stiffness that I had previously experienced many times. Yes, I was careful about what I did and how I worked, but for me to even attempt to try stacking a 60 pound bale of hay was completely out of the question a few months ago. I went from shoulder pain that caused me sleepless nites and not being able to lift my right arm any higher than shoulder level, to what I consider a darned good day's work.

This book is a real bargain and indeed I consider it invaluable when I think about how it helped me. And as you can see, I heartily recommend it.

So far, so good.......2007-05-11

Just as the book promised, I had a eureka! moment the other day. I bought this book because I have been having unidentified rotator cuff problems for years (I was a baseball and now am an avid softball player). Because everyone talks about rotator cuff tears, I assumed that's what my problem was. After reading Johnson's book, I was surprised and pleased to discover that my problem was most likely simply an impingement, and that no matter what your unspecified problem it is, it is likely to improve from his exercises (he cites the studies that prove this claim). Prior to starting his exercises, it was painful to soap up in the shower, sleep or do anything where I had to reach my back. Now, after just a month of the stretches and strengthening exercises I realized all of a sudden the other day (eureka!) that I have no pain in my shoulders! My range of motion is not where it should be yet in one shoulder, but it's improving. I still have a ways to go, but I'm encouraged by my progress so far.

Johnson's book is written to help people with all severity of rotator cuff problems. Anywhere from being unable to lift an arm overhead to near full utility of the joint. He also gives you measurements by which you can judge your flexibility, which is also nice to help you figure out what "normal" is.

I suppose the question still remains: why don't you just go to a doctor, idiot? I suppose the real answer is the inconvenience of going, the cost, and primarily, just that I'm a DIYer type my nature, and like to fix things on my own when I can.

The only reason I didn't go to 5 stars was because I got the impression from the book that Johnson is really just a guy (in the field) who reviewed some studies and came up with a program. Now, that's a great way to go about things, but I would not call him an *expert* on rotator cuffs. On the plus side, that does make him very easy to understand, as opposed to some of the surgeons out there who have written on the subject.

Average customer rating:

Women must read this.
Detailed anatomical guide to weight training
Excellent source of information
Womens strength training anatomy
An incredible reference manual!

Women's Strength Training Anatomy
Frederic Delavier
Manufacturer: Human Kinetics Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0736048138

Book Description

With information on strengthening and toning the legs, buttocks, abs, and back, Women's Strength Training Anatomy provides full-color, detailed anatomical illustrations of exercises for these hard-to-shape areas. What makes this book unique is that readers can see the muscles at work during each exercise, like an X ray of the body in motion.

Are there definite anatomical differences in the way men and women should build their bodies? According to the best-selling author and illustrator of Strength Training Anatomy, the answer is an overwhelming yes! Exercise variations based on a woman's unique anatomical features are also covered, helping to isolate muscles and make each exercise more effective.

Make your workouts work harder for you! If you work out to strengthen and shape your body or if you help women get stronger and more defined, this is one book you need for understanding the female form and getting the most from your exercises.

Customer Reviews:

Women must read this........2007-07-23

An excellent guide to people wanting to take over their workouts. Nice explanations about fat in women and how to train those particular areas. Simple language and beautiful illustrations will provide you the required information to know how to move yourself when performing an exercise, what you can vary, how and what to avoid. Some technical language is used. Highly recommended.

Detailed anatomical guide to weight training.......2007-06-22

This book is nice if you're serious about weight training. It is very helpful to see what should be moving and how it should be moving. This book is not really to teach you how to do exercises.

Excellent source of information.......2007-05-25

The book is a great tool. It is very concise and easy to understand. Very helpful for any woman trying to target areas.

Womens strength training anatomy.......2007-05-22

Well I really would like to review this book, it seemed excellent and I had heard really great things about it - even from my gym instructors.
However after over a month I still havent received and now I have to haggle with Amazon about it. Boo !

An incredible reference manual!.......2006-10-04

I work out regularly, and when doing strength training, I frequently have questions about which muscles I am working, whether I am performing the moves with correct form, etc. This book, designed specifically for women, is an excellent strength training reference manual. It focuses specifically on the areas which tend to give women the most difficulties, the abs, back, legs, and buttocks (including the hips).

If you check Amazon's "Look inside this book!" feature, you will see that the illustrations are incredible--clear and superbly detailed (although, like another reviewer mentioned, I do think that the female models should have been more appropriately clothed at times). The use of color helps the reader to easily see which muscles are being worked, and the use of labels provides quick identification of each individual muscle. In particular, I appreciated the close-up shots, as these served to highlight exactly how certain parts of the muscular/skeletal system perform; I also especially liked the female versus male anatomy comparisons. The text which accompanies the drawings is concise as well as easily understandable.

Although I sought out this book for the purpose of better understanding my body's movements during exercise, for those wanting to use this book to build their own lower body strength program, it would be excellent. The author provides full-page descriptions of each exercise, often offering several different versions of the exercise on subsequent pages as well as variation insets on the same page. Other within page insets offer form tips, including some illustrating what NOT to do. The exercises are mainly gym-style, using various machines and other equipment which you would find in a typical fitness center, but some of the exercises require no equipment, and alternate methods for working each muscle are always given.

I agree that this book would have been even better with the inclusion of upper body, yet I found it to be more complete than the author's companion work which does address full body (Strength Training Anatomy). Highly recommended as an extremely valuable addition to any woman's fitness library.

Average customer rating:

Athletic Strength For Women
David Oliver , and Dana Healy
Manufacturer: Human Kinetics Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0736046321

Help female athletes avoid injury and maximize performance: excerpted from "Athletic Strength for Women," with permission from Human Kinetics.(STRENGTH ... An article from: Coach and Athletic Director

Average customer rating:

Help female athletes avoid injury and maximize performance: excerpted from "Athletic Strength for Women," with permission from Human Kinetics.(STRENGTH ... An article from: Coach and Athletic Director
David Oliver , and Dana Healy
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Coach and Athletic Director, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1189 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: Help female athletes avoid injury and maximize performance: excerpted from "Athletic Strength for Women," with permission from Human Kinetics.(STRENGTH & CONDITIONING)(Reprint)
Author: David Oliver
Publication: Coach and Athletic Director (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 75 Issue: 1 Page: 89(3)

Article Type: Reprint

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Preseason training, strength, and flexibility measures associated with athletic injuries in female collegiate athletes

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Preseason training, strength, and flexibility measures associated with athletic injuries in female collegiate athletes
Jill Elizabeth Palokangas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006DKLA0

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Strength Training for Beauty
Edie Leen
Manufacturer: Anderson World
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0024998109

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