Average customer rating:
- For People Who Like to Read Too Much Into Everything
- Dark humor and delightful drawings
- Disappointing for a Recently Initiated Gorey Fan
- An original and admirable work, but not entirely typical of Gorey
- Volume Eleven Of The "Encyclopedia Of Unimaginable Customs"
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The Curious Sofa: A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary
Edward Gorey
Manufacturer: Harcourt
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ASIN: 0151003076 |
Amazon.com
As the New York Times writes of Edward Gorey, "His satires (often of tawdry Victorian mysteries) are not mere commentaries on the manners and mores of a distant age; they are inventive narratives about evil adults, mischievous children, illicit lovers and improbable beasts." Or, in the case of The Curious Sofa, improbable furniture. As Gorey tells us on the cover, this is "a pornographic work" (pornographic horror, in fact) with a picture on every page. And yet there's nary a nipple (nor a drop of blood) in sight. (For those who want some extras to pass around there's a 10-copy assortment with The Gashlycrumb Tinies.)
Book Description
Gorey’s naughty, hilarious travesty of lust-now reissued in a special gift edition. “A master of the genre of graphic storytelling and a brilliant draftsman” (New York Times Book Review).
Customer Reviews:
For People Who Like to Read Too Much Into Everything.......2007-05-13
Well honestly, I fully enjoyed where the book allowed my imagination to roam, until the very end. By the end I was terrified. I guess Gorey really has a knack at providing us with doorways into our own minds. Also, I suppose a child could read this and still have no idea what the hell was going on (who does know?). There'd just be that question of why people were having a party naked (although cleverly covered by way the author's own unique sense of arrangement). Truely a book any Gorey lover MUST add to their collection.
Dark humor and delightful drawings.......2007-05-07
...with a large splash of innuendo, this book has content that is more adult in nature, but still clever and amusing - although those who buy it because of the title will be disappointed.
Disappointing for a Recently Initiated Gorey Fan.......2007-03-09
I admit, the only other Edward Gorey work I have read was "The Gashliecrumb (sp?) Tinies", which I found devilishly hysterical, but this one just left me cold. It was full of amateurish double entendres that lacked the subtlety to make them fun. Instead he just repeatedly referred to the unusual endowment of the male characters. All in all, not at all recommended.
An original and admirable work, but not entirely typical of Gorey.......2006-03-22
THE CURIOUS SOFA: A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary is one of Edward Gorey's works in which the story is told through delightful pen-and-ink drawings with witty captions. A 1961 send-up of Victorian pornography, the book's thirty pages tell the adventures of Alice, a young woman swept into a long series of sexual adventures. THE CURIOUS SOFA's cleverness lies in that on one hand it reveals nothing obscene--one would hardly have to fear if a young child came upon the book. A good example caption is: "Downstairs the three of them played a most amusing game of Herbert's own invention called 'Thumbfumble.' They then sat down to a sumptuous tea", which is accompanied by an entirely innocuous drawing. Yet, for the adult the book is ultimately the most filthiest thing this reader has ever encountered outside of some Cocteau Twins lyrics.
The artwork of THE CURIOUS SOFA is rather spartan: generally just characters and furniture against a white background. It resembles more his first work THE UNSTRUNG HARP than the later works of the 1960s that became typical for him: Edwardian figures with beards and lots of fur coats.
This is an entertaining work, and Gorey does masterfully show that, paradoxically, sometimes horrors and obscenities can be maximally revealed through being concealed. However, I would not recommend it to the Gorey neophyte, as it is not the best example of his work. Instead, try THE LOATHSOME COUPLE or THE BLUE ASPIC. THE OTHER STATUE is also good. Those are all books from his most fruitful style of the late 1960s and highly recommended reading. Save this one for if you've come to enjoy Gorey.
Volume Eleven Of The "Encyclopedia Of Unimaginable Customs".......2004-11-21
In a typically odd work by Edward Gorey, the protagonist, Alice, gets her eyes opened to many new experiences by companions of various sorts (including Colonel Gilbert and his wife Louise, both of whom have wooden legs, and Donald, a sheepdog). All these new activities are strangely suggestive, but not what most people would actually call pornographic; after all, the book is only illustrated with Gorey's discreet little drawings.
The sofa itself is contained in a room lined in polar bear fur, is upholstered in scarlet velvet, and has nine legs and seven arms; when the machinery starts within it Alice shudders and the book concludes in a delightfully ambiguous manner, in what may well be one of the strangest endings of any of Gorey's books.
I like Gorey, and this is a good little book, but is not actually one of my favorites, as I think there are others more whimsical, and a few are even stranger. For Gorey lovers this is a great little book, but understand that it is quite small, which makes it a questionable value, particularly in light of the excellent compilations available.
Book Description
Beatrice can handle a troubled young duke -- but the boy's dangerously appealing cousin Devlen is another matter entirely . . .
Customer Reviews:
Lovely.......2007-08-01
Having survived Cholera and losing both her parents, Beatrice finds herself on the verge of starving to death if she doesn't find employment soon. She finds herself as nanny to difficult seven year old Robert, Duke of Castle Crannoch, an orphaned little boy who is under the care of his uncle Cameron who lost the use of his legs in the same accident that killed Robert's parents. Upon her arrival she meets and is charmed and intrigued by Cameron's son Devlen, who is himself independently wealthy and the only person who seems to have genuine concern for young Robert. When several attempts are made upon Robert's life, it seems that Cameron who has always coveted the role of Duke is up to foul play...in order to protect Robert, Devlen and Beatrice must work together. The problem is they are attracted to one another and it would be against propriety for the virginal governess and Devlen to start an affair. However, the attraction wins out and they find themselves unable to stay away. The danger to Robert increases and they must put his safety above all.
I found the love scenes intensely sensual but not bawdy. The characters are so honest with one another that its incredibly refreshing and makes the story even better. The child Robert is an endearing child prodigy, more defensive than unlovable. Cameron and his wife Rowena, complex and mysterious. Just an overall great book.
Pleasant rewrite of Mary Stewart's "Nine Coaches Waiting".......2007-07-08
A young woman without family or close friends takes employment in a sinister castle, as governess of its young heir, an unattractive little boy whose guardians are his wheelchair-bound uncle who covets the title and his uncle's second wife. The child suffers disturbing nightmares that he is being watched as he sleeps... then one day shots are fired while the governess and boy are out walking in the woods...
Equally as disturbing to the governess's peace of mind is the boy's grown-up cousin, son of his uncle by his first wife, who has an acrimonious relationship with his father.
The governess must find out who or what is threatening the boy, and resolve her own feelings for his cousin at the same time.
I am a huge Mary Stewart fan, so from the moment Cameron Gordon wheeled himself into Beatrice's room and revealed himself a Leon de Valmy the book had to work hard to please, and it succeeded in being a pleasant read. The original was set in contemporary France; this in 19th-century Scotland, but there is a French-speaking servant who lends an air of mediterranean mystery to the plot.
The hero is enticing and the heroine likeable, so although they are fairly stock regency characters I wanted to know their story.
One major niggle was that Cameron Gordon, the second son of a Duke, would have received the honorary title of Lord Cameron Gordon and his wife that of Lady. Others of Ms Ranney's books I have read contain similar errors, but maybe, being British myself, I am over-critical. (Robert's father would not have taught the child himself at home either but let that pass)
All in all, I recommend this book, and also highly recommend the original!
Waste of time.......2007-06-29
In the past, I have enjoyed Karen Ranney's books and found them well written with great characters. However, this one was a dud and I am not sure I will be returning to her in future.
For a start, I find it annoying when there is not a single clue as to when a story is taking place, particularly if it is "historical". Why not tell us when the action is set? Also, I am not sure exactly what sub-genre this books fits into. At first, I though it was vaguely "gothic" in the sense that Victoria Holt's books were many years ago - you know the sort - governess comes to work in isolated spooky house, dark and mysterious hero, weird children in the schoolroom. However, I soon brushed that notion aside and decided it might really be simply a book about the Child from Hell. The main character in this book - at least the one who manipulates the H/H's actions - is the seven year old Duke of Breckin who might as well be 57 for to judge by the dialogue the kid should be a member of Mensa. He is unlovable and not particularly pleasant and was only a means to moving along the action of the book.
Our hero, Devlen Gordon is one-dimensional. I could not feel even the slightest pull of attraction and, sadly, I was bored by him. Our heroine, Beatrice Sinclair, was credulous to say the least. I simply don't accept that a school master's daughter, living in a small village, would be allowed by her neighbours to literally starve unless she was too stupid to ask for help. This scenario at the beginning of the book was just silly.
I found Cameron Gordon, Devlen's father, to be much more interesting although he, too, was not really a believable character. As for his second wife - let's get real. She was so OTT as to be hilarious - surely one of the most irritating characters I've come across recently.
The semi-gothic overtones of the story were annoying and not pertinent to the action in my view and if developed properly might have worked.
I could not finish this one. After some 200 pages I felt I was wasting my time as there are many other books in my TBR pile so I abandoned it without a second thought.
Well, I finally got my mystery....how disappointing!.......2007-01-12
Others have reviewed the romance aspect of this novel very well. I would like my review to focus primarily on the mystery.
I have often complained that writers of Regency romance novels seem to throw in a "mystery" when they don't have enough material to fill up their required number of pages. As a fanatical reader of mysteries I can say that most are totally insipid at their worst, easy to see through at their best. This book was neither of those. It was a romance novel with a genuine (read that as good) mystery woven throughout the framework of the novel. Then, for some reason, the author abandoned the story which was working so well and settled for only the physical side of the h/h relationship.
Beatrice and Devlen were so totally dissimilar that they were fascinating together. Who would win? Her with her proper upbringing and strong moral values or him, with his total disdain for all things proper if it interfered with what he wanted to do? You just knew the clash had to be sizzling when it came about. I was wrong. It didn't sizzle, it fizzled. Another of my pet peeves is too little dialogue between hero and heroine. In this case, WAY, WAY, WAY too much dialogue. They sounded as if they were participating in a debate. Would she surrender her virginity to him? Should she? Would he be the first man in her sexual education? Should he? It felt as if they were discussing the weather or some other innocuous subject. I'd read about it for so long that I no longer cared what happened. I actually felt like Beatrice, well, that's finally done.
The mystery surrounding the attempts on the life of seven year old Robert was truly the pivotal point of the story. Without the attempts on his life, this would just be another run-of-the-mill bodice ripper. Then tell me, why did the author abandon the mystery for such a long time and then settle the entire question on one measley page????? Had she run out of time? Run over her allotted number of pages? Or did someone say, "Sorry, kiddo, you need more sex scenes. Take out some of the mystery." To add insult to injury she committed the absolute no-no of mystery writers. She withheld information which would have allowed the reader to solve the mystery. This story required and deserved a much longer solution to the revelation of who was responsible for the attempts on the life of this child. The reveal was TOTALLY unsatisfactory. I am also completely flummoxed about the situation between Cameron Gordon and his wife Rowena. Why, in the name of heaven, did the author choose to make those details known about his condition after the carriage accident? What in the world did it add to the book? What was her purpose in writing it into the story? It was so bad I just shook my head in regret.
As a romance this novel was, for me, just average. As a mystery-romance it promised to be, and tried to be, very good. Too bad the author got in the way.
An Unlikely Governess.......2006-10-10
Beatrice Sinclair is on the verge of starvation after losing her family and most of her friends in a cholera epidemic. She accepts a position as the governess of the 7 yr old Robert,Duke of Brechin, who seems to be ill-mannered as well as believing someone is trying to kill him. The boy's rake of a cousin, Devlen, is the only one who seems to care for him, while Devlen's father who is the Duke's guardian, discounts his fears as overimagination.
The plot moves very slowly, as very little develops except atmosphere for two thirds of the book. It also makes little sense on several counts: 1. There is no explanation as to the animosity between Devlen and his father 2. Devlen is supposedly fond of Robert, yet discounts his fears as well as leaving him to uncaring caretakers while he goes off to Edinburgh, while a governess who knows him a few days immediately realizes the danger 3. No one seems to believe that the boy is in danger in spite of several obvious incidents 4. How can someone try to kill a 7 year old boy for months with so little success - especially if no one seems to believe he's in danger?!
The romance between Beatrice and Devlin consists of a great deal of talking and very little action - neither very interesting. When their first sexual encounter takes place, it is preceded by three pages of dispassionate discussion in Devlen's bedroom as to whether it is or isn't a good idea. In the middle of the encounter itself, there is another long discussion of how uncomfortable it all is. "I'm very sorry but I did tell you" (Devlen) and "well that's done" (Beatrice, believe it or not) are samples of the inspiring dialogue. Emotion is never mentioned. Later, when finding Devlen taking a bath, the two of them have a discussion of what the other is thinking or feeling - physically, not emotionally - not very realistic or moving. Much of what is written seems to be written for effect, instead of because it develops either plot or characters. After reading it I felt like repeating Beatrice's line "well that's done."
Customer Reviews:
Another excellent prequel.......2004-06-04
"The Faithful Traitor" continues the story started in "The Forging of the Dragon." The first tale was a very solid prequel, explaining why Vicia-Heinox was created and what happened in the aftermath.
Unfortunately, in that aftermath, the wrong man, Seagryn, was blamed for creating the dragon. Instead, it was Sheth who had conceived of the idea (Seagryn's contribution was due to another individual, a tugolith -- a sort of elephant-like animal with rudimentary intelligence and speech -- sacrificing herself for him, as he was intended to be the other sacrifice as his altershape was/is a tugolith), but instead of catching the blame, Seagryn is wrongly accused.
This accusation has some basis in fact, mainly because Seagryn is probably the only person who can stop the dragon from feeding on people due to the unusual bond he has with one of the two souls that makes up that dragon. (In the forging, the two tugoliths lost their old identities, but the souls are still distinct. Basically, one of the dragon-heads hates humans and wants to do them dirt, while the other just wants to talk with the humans and get to know them as people. The second head is the good soul who sacrificed for Seagryn; the problem is, she, too, will eat humans as her preferred dish basically due to the other soul's influence.) He can sometimes stop them from feeding, and attempts to do so after the dragon attacks his village. He's seen trying to stop them, but that's misinterpreted.
The comedy of errors continues throughout the book, but it's interwoven with far more dire elements. In addition to the dragon, the remnants of the One Land have fallen under the sway of rogue traders, and the economy everywhere is miserable. (Bad enough to have a dragon randomly feeding, when the rest of the time you can't make a go of it anyway.) And many people are out to get Seagryn, including some of his erstwhile friends, and Seagryn's new wife isn't really safe, either . . . .
This is a very entertaining story on one hand, and a very moral tale on the other. Seagryn attempts to right wrongs that he didn't create, mainly because he can see that they need to be righted by someone -- and he's the best candidate for the job.
In addition, the minor characters (including Dark the Prophet and Paumer the former head of the trading combine/Conspiracy) have much more weight and heft than in Hughes' earlier trilogy about Pelmen the Powershaper.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys moral and ethical fantasy.
Five stars.
Barb Caffrey
Book Description
Mr. LaTournay, a wealthy New York merchant, desires her as his bride. Despite Georgette's objections, her British parents transact the engagement. Amid rumors of war and disastrous setbacks for British loyalists, Georgette meets her ideal: a masked, mysterious, yet devoted admirer who speaks of faithful love. Honor compels her to send him away, but she cannot forget him - even when she learns that he is a traitorous conspirator whose life is forfeit to the Crown. True to her vows, Georgette attempts to forget her secret love - until accusations bring her own loyalty into question. Surely Georgette cannot love a treacherous spy whose face she has never seen! Yet how can she bring herself to betray him? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents!
Customer Reviews:
Read it in two days.......2006-05-06
I loved this book. Once I started reading I couldnt stop. It took me a while to realize the plot, Jill is an amanzing author who write from her heart. I want to read all of her books. I also enjoyed Finely love by the same author.
Couldn't put the book down.......2005-12-13
This book is really good light reading. I couldn't put it down once I started it because Jill had such a good plot and there were "twists and turns"...it kept me reading to see what was next. It was historical and it had a Christian moral to the story. I've read a few more of her stories and they're all fun to read.
Fantastic historical fiction.......2005-11-30
What a great historical romance! My family was visiting from out of town over the holiday and kept asking..."What IS that story you keep reading." The plot was totally engaging and the ending was satisfying. I don't study Revolutionary War history, but I like reading it. I don't know if all of the fine details were accurate or not, but it sure felt like I was there right down to the corset! The characters seemed so real and I really identified with them. I loved the fact that I sort of figured out who the spy was, but the heroine didn't know. I wanted her to figure it out and see how she reacted, so the plot kept me hooked to the end. I also liked the fact that she got married halfway through the story and it didn't end with one platonic kiss. I hate that! Well worth your while to read this historical. Jill Stengl has never disappointed me yet!
Marvelous Tale of Love and Betrayal.......2005-03-27
Faithful Traitor by author Jill Stengl is a marvelous tale of love and betrayal set in pre-Revolutionary War New York. Heroine Georgette Talbot longs for love and marriage with a man who will be faithful to her and share her faith. But her parents want her to marry, Mr. La Tourney, a man of wealth and position. Love, if it is to be found, will come later.
Mr. La Tourney, though respected, is a man whose reputation worries Georgette. While she contemplates a relationship she cannot abide, a mysterious stranger enters her life, who speaks of faithful love, the kind Georgette craves.
Will Georgette be able to forget her mysterious admirer and marry a man she cannot trust? Worse, when evidence surfaces that threatens her masked stranger, can she bring herself to turn him in to save her own reputation? Who then will carry such faithful love to the end?
Faithful Traitor swept me away, not only because it is a delightful romance, but because of the rich history and attention to detail. This is one romance you won't want to miss!
Product Description
Seagryn was a wizard, which was bad enough. But now he had become a ravaging monster. Book I & II of Wizard and Dragon.
Book Description
Hysterectomy is the second most common major surgical procedure performed on women in the United States. Because of new nonsurgical treatments and the rising opposition to the procedure from women's and patients' groups, hysterectomies are performed less frequently than in the past, but many disorders of the uterus -- fibroid tumors, uterine and cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and uterine prolapse -- still may require surgical treatment. For some women, the decision to have a hysterectomy is an easy one; for others, it is a difficult choice associated with concerns about risks, discomfort, and female identity.
In Hysterectomy: Exploring Your Options, experienced gynecologists Edward Wallach and Esther Eisenberg provide complete and up-to-date information about every aspect of the procedure. Written with compassion for all women, this indispensable guide explains the anatomy of the uterus, describes the symptoms of gynecological disorders that may require hysterectomy, discusses the full range of diagnostic tests and treatments, provides details of the surgery itself and postoperative recovery, includes details about other approaches to treatment, and examines long-term consequences involving sexual and reproductive issues as well as hormone replacement therapy. Also included is useful advice about how to talk with your doctor and case studies illustrating the real-life experiences of a variety of women.
In Hysterectomy: Exploring Your Options, women will find the information they need to work with their physicians to make informed decisions about their health care.
Customer Reviews:
Professionally written, conservative & unbiased........2007-07-04
I purchased this book along with the Essentials of Hysterectomy. This book covers things in a professional, conservative and unbiased way. If you are looking for just the facts, this book delivers. Published in 2003, it breaks down the topics into parts: Anatomy & Diagnosis, Fibroids, Endometriosis, Uterine Prolapse, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding, Pelvic Pain, Infection, Adhesions & Cancer. Then it talks about surgery and what to expect in the hospital. The last part of the book talks about hormone replacement therapy and sexual & reproductive issues. It has simple diagrams scattered throughout to demonstrate the anatomy. At the end of each chapter, a summary is made with the major points. Written to college level, I also enjoyed the Essentials of Hysterectomy that says nearly the same thing with humor added in here and there for interest sake. An informative and straightforward book.
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