Book Description
From Kiana Davenport, the bestselling author of Song of the Exile and Shark Dialogues, comes another mesmerizing novel about her people and her islands. Told in spellbinding and mythic prose, House of Many Gods is a deeply complex and provocative love story set against the background of Hawaii and Russia. Interwoven throughout with the indelible portrait of a native Hawaiian family struggling against poverty, drug wars, and the increasing military occupation of their sacred lands.
Progressing from the 1960s to the turbulent present, the novel begins on the island of O’ahu and centers on Ana, abandoned by her mother as a child. Raised by her extended family on the “lawless” Wai’anae coast, west of Honolulu, Ana, against all odds, becomes a physician. While tending victims of Hurricane ‘Iniki on the neighboring island of Kaua’i, she meets Nikolai, a Russian filmmaker with a violent and tragic past, who can confront reality only through his unique prism of lies. Yet he is dedicated to recording the ecological horrors in his motherland and across the Pacific.
As their lives slowly and inextricably intertwine, Ana and Nikolai’s story becomes an odyssey that spans decades and sweeps the reader from rural Hawaii to the forbidding Arctic wastes of Russia; from the poverty-stricken Wai’anae coast to the glittering harshness of “new Moscow” and the haunting, faded beauty of St. Petersburg. With stunning narrative inventiveness, Davenport has created a timeless epic of loss and remembrance, of the search for family and identity, and, ultimately, of the redemptive power of love.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful!.......2007-09-09
This was the second set of Mikasa Italian Countryside that I ordered. A few pieces had minor imperfections, but you have to look hard to see them. Still a great value and excellent service.
A story of love and family and the unsafe world created by the march of progress.......2006-04-22
I've becoming quite a fan of Kiana Davenport. Her themes are always about her native Hawaii. Her characters are symbolic as well as real. And her stories never fail to keep me up well past my bedtime. I read her latest book in a couple of days and just couldn't put it down. This was in spite of the fact that I generally knew what was coming. In fact, I welcomed it. Because, in the end, I knew there would be a happy resolution. And there was.
This is the story of a Ana, young native Hawaiian girl born in the 1960s. She's being raised by her extended family because her mother has deserted her. It's a house full of aunties and uncles and cousins who eke out a sparse living in rural Oahu, about a two-hour bus ride from the busy and bustling Honolulu. This is Ana's story, but it is also the story an unpleasant chapter in Hawaii's history, that of nuclear testing on its beaches, with the resultant illnesses of the people and devastation of the environment.
Against all odds, Ana grows up to be a doctor. She is not a happy person though. She has been shaped by the loss of her mother and is always angry. Even when she becomes ill, and her mother returns, she continues living behind emotional defenses.
But there is another character in this story. And, unlike Ms. Davenport's previous books, this character is not a native Hawaiian. He comes from far-away Russia and has experienced anguishes that make Ana's story pale by comparison. When Stalin came to power, this man's father was sent to a labor camp in the frozen north. His mother followed him, living in a house of ice with other women whose husbands were in the camp. During a secret visit to his father, Nicolai was conceived and the hardships he endured as a baby made me wince in horror. Later, he becomes a street urchin, starving and abused. However, he somehow manages to become a documentary film maker. And he specializes in filming the awful results of his country's nuclear testing.
Yes, he comes to Hawaii. He meets Ana. But this is not a simple love story. There are twists and turns and the reader is forced to view the unsafe world created by the Cold War and the march of progress.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I am fascinated by books about the Hawaiian people. And I am equally fascinated by books about the frozen north. Put these both together in a fast-paced story which also has a message, and I'm hooked.
Lush is the word.......2006-04-20
If a book can be described in a single word, lush would be the one for Davenport's novel, House of Many Gods. Her stunning gift for description of place is evident not only in the passion she infuses into writing about her green Hawaii, where the part-Hawaiian author lives, but also to the passages putting us into the faded glory of St. Petersburg and the madness of modern Moscow. She takes us from "ancient serrated valleys, green velvet cliffs, then, tiny hidden beaches like opals" to "a room that could be crossed in eleven steps, life lived on an intimate scale" while outside are "the spires of St. Basil's cathedral, like giant swirling Dairy Queens." With Davenport, you are there.
For those not familiar with Hawaiian history, Davenport weaves in just enough background without slowing down the complex plot-and it is a big one, spanning generations, military presence, and several love stories in language that reaches poetry at times.
Although there are several stories interwoven here, the complicated relationship between Ana, the main character, and her mother, Anahola, a single mother who left her child by choice with family and moved to San Francisco, is particularly compelling-and authentic. Davenport is a marvelous storyteller. --Lorraine Dusky
Noke, Kiana, Noke!.......2006-04-08
Having read both of Kiana Davenport's other books, I eagerly awaited the release of this book and immediately pre-ordered it when the option was available.
When the book came, I looked at the cover and then at the premise of the story. I knew that this one was going to strike home a little bit more than the others (being set on the Wai'anae Coast...just down the hill and down the freeway in my childhood memories), so I let it sit on my shelf for a month before I read it.
What do I love about this book? Like the others, it brings to my rememberance the awesome history that all Hawaiian people share. Kiana is brilliant at weaving her fictional characters within the context of Hawai'i's history and always with an unflinching view toward the rape and damage that our people and our islands have experienced from the beginning. Most importantly, it brings it to the attention of people who only see a vacationing spot in June with smiling hula girls and help staff, mahalini (newcomers) who set up residence on the island for some years and believe that this gives them the right to be called kama'aina (technically Native Hawaiian, though some will say this may also mean "long-time resident"), and those who are just plain curious about these islands whose existance holds its people captive our whole lifelong - even when we move far away to escape its hold on us.
Exquisite.......2006-03-22
I heard about Kiana's book, when, while doing my own book tour, I saw her interviewed on Connie Martinson Books. I was so impressed with her I bought her book that afternoon and have since devoured all of her books. Kiana is not just a fantastic fiction writer; she is a poet, a master of understanding people's deepest dreams, wildest fears, hidden motivations, and greatest moments. She covers the worst and the best of what it means to be human in her stories, and the characters come alive; I found myself thinking about them when I wasn't reading the book and had to remind myself they were not real. Hawaii is my favorite place on this earth and she has given it to me with striking details and history I would never have known. Thank you Kiana.
Book Description
In 1999, Sarah was a typical bride-to-be, flustered with wedding details. Then the groom called. "I don't want you to panic, but I might not be able to come to our wedding..."
So began Sarah Smiley's life as a military wife. As a former Navy brat herself, Sarah knew better than anyone that weddings and funerals-even childbirth!-take a backseat to Uncle Sam. But just as the young syndicated columnist gets comfortable with the military wife's routine, her husband is sent away for unexpected deployment. What follows is a true test of strength and wit. From getting locked out of the house in cowgirl pajamas to wrestling with the temptation of infidelity, Sarah exposes it all with candor, heart-and knowing humor.
Download Description
A former Navy brat and present-day Navy wife, Sarah Smiley knows better than anyone that weddings and funerals-even childbirth!-take a backseat to Uncle Sam. And it seems that every time the young, nationally syndicated columnist gets comfortable with her routine, her husband is sent away for an unexpected deployment. What follows is a true test of strength and wit that even Sarah's nit-picking mother-in-law couldn't have prepared her for. From raccoons in the attic to getting locked out of the house in cowgirl pajamas to developing a crush on her handsome doctor, Sarah learns that growing up means taking a leap-and sometimes going a little overboard. In this memoir, she exposes it all with candor, heart, and a whole lot of laughs.
Customer Reviews:
A Greatly Enjoyed Read.......2007-06-29
A friend passed this book along to me, and while I was leery at first, I was thoroughly impressed with Sarah Smiley's account of the partner side of deployment. I am the long-time girlfriend of a military man and have experienced two deployments with him. I could whole-heartedly relate to many of Sarah's experiences and found her description of deployments from the spouse's perspective right on in many respects. What I appreciated most about her book was the humor with which she wrote. Not only was she able to make me, the reader, laugh at her actions and beliefs, but I could tell she was laughing at herself. This author truly has a fine gift of storytelling. Though I thought the book wrapped up and resolved her issues rather quickly, by the end, I found myself wanting to read more by this author about her life. I highly recommend this book, and I hope the author has another out soon.
Funny but not hilarious.......2007-06-09
It was a good read of displaying life as a military wife. I am an army wife but i was able to relate it her adventures an navy wife. It was funny but not hilarious like people made it seem. But all in all i would recommend it. I finished it pretty fast
Great Read.......2007-04-09
This is NOT a guide so if you are looking for a guide or how-to book this is NOT the one to pick up. This is a humorous look on the life of one military spouse during the deployment of her servicemember. It details her goofups and her smart moves. Great laugh and definitely an easy read. You want a guide don't get this book but if you want something to giggle over and read to pass away the time then pick up this book. You'll be surprised at how real she is and how it seems she is talking directly to you detailing her anecdotes from her experience during a deployment.
Going Overboard: The Misacventures of a Military Wife.......2007-03-31
Wonderful! So true! Your husband doesn't have to be a pilot for a wife to have this happen. My husband is with the Air Nat'l Guard and a fireman and is in Iraq for a 4month deployment "we" volunteered for! All those feelings happen! It was so reassuring first to know I wasn't alone and second to know that reservists and national guardsmen go through the same feelings too! God Bless the military and God Bless their spouses and families for supporting them and what they do! Tammy Schnitker
Entertaining and Moving.......2007-03-30
She's been billed as "the Erma Bombeck of the homefront," and in her nationally-syndicated column, Sarah Smiley certainly uses humor to convey truth about life as a military wife. But in "Going Overboard," Smiley serves up something different.
Tracing her husband's year-long overseas deployment, she offers a candid, unapologetic look at her own insecurities and idiosyncrasies and, in the process, allows us to accompany her on a perilous journey from dependant (as the military calls spouses and children) to independence. The book jacket insists it's funny, but I didn't laugh - I cried. Several times. I'm guessing you will, too.
Average customer rating:
- I Didn't Hate It
- In Need of a Good Editor!
- Gone Overboard
- good quick read
- A Wonderful De-Stresser!
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Going Overboard
Christina Skye
Manufacturer: Island Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Skye, Christina | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Steel, Danielle
General | Contemporary | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Code Name: Princess
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Accessories:
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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0440235758
Release Date: 2001-04-10 |
Book Description
Carolina Sullivan needs a man's body bad....
Only the most gorgeous hunk will save fast-track photographer Carly Sullivan's job, but finding the right man isn't easy when you're on a ship in the middle of the Caribbean and the model you hired turns out to be a disaster.
With her hopes sinking faster than the Titanic, Carly spots the most beautiful man she's ever seen. Ford McKay swears he's a rancher from Wyoming, but Carly has her suspicions. Then all hell breaks loose in their island paradise and the sexy stranger is all that protects Carly from a hail of bullets.
Ford McKay knows that mixing business and pleasure can be murder, and he's not about to compromise his current mission for an obstinate redhead who can't forget her camera for a nanosecond. But when Carly is wounded, the rugged Navy SEAL can't just walk away.
As fate forces the two into excruciatingly close quarters, Ford finds his heart taking a tumble. Soon the straight-arrow SEAL discovers that with the right woman, going overboard can be unforgettable.
Customer Reviews:
I Didn't Hate It.......2007-07-23
This was my first Christina Skye book and I would have to say that overall I enjoyed it. However, I do agree with some other reviews that it jumped around a lot and you were never sure where the characters were; first they were on a cruise ship, then the island, then Paradise Cay, then someone's guest house, back to the cruise ship and finally held hostage somewhere, there was too much moving around. I also found the ending a little hurried; it went from of course beating the bad guys to "I Love you Forever" to eight months later to an epilogue still later.
In Need of a Good Editor!.......2007-07-09
First, there's the place where the author refers to "President Franklin" - you know, the guy on $100 bills? Let's see, what number was he?
Then there's the silver Audi that follows the heroes - this is on an island in the Caribbean, mind you - that turns out to be "registered to a couple of tourists from Iowa" - who, naturally, shipped their precious car down to an island so they could drive it around on their vacation.
Flaming stupidity like this makes me laugh in all the wrong places. Not that I expect that much from romance novels - they're meant to be easy, escapist reads - but the errors in this one were egregious.
Gone Overboard.......2005-03-24
I found this book a light delightful read with many funny scenes in it.. I loved the way that the Ms. Skye went about putting these two charcters together and then the times that they had.. This was my first book by Skye but it will not be my last.. The title of this book really fit well as you will be taken overboard with laughter when you read this..
good quick read.......2004-11-28
This is the first book of this author's that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the banter between the characters. I loved the vivid descriptions of the characters and the exotic settings. The action kept the story moving. I couldn't put it down. I'm a big fan of military romance (Navy SEALs in particular). I didn't give it a 5 star rating because it doesn't compare with others I have read. If you like military romance, you should read this book. It's middle of the road between being really weak and too heavy. If you're looking for something a bit heavier, or with a bit more action with the romance, I suggest Suzanne Brockmann's SEAL Team16 series.
A Wonderful De-Stresser!.......2003-05-31
If you are looking for a romantic getaway (in your head, anyway) then Going Overboard will be hard to beat. The energy and sparkle starts from the very first paragraph and never lets up yet gives you enough breathing space to absorb the characters' personalities. This isn't heavy stuff so if you need something to lighten up your day or even complement the mood if you really are going on vacation, then Going Overboard will be just the thing. The protagonist, Ford McKay is incredible as far as the looks department goes but Skye has also made him an articulate, caring male. Not just an overload of testosterone who thinks the way to a woman's heart in this day and age is by being a jerk (for some inexplicable reason, these creatures seem to proliferate the romance genre these days!) An unexpected development - Daphne, Carly's best friend, turns out even more attractive a person than the heroine and begs to have a book of her own! I can't wait to know if this is to be!
Product Description
Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
Average customer rating:
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6 Books: 1- Hot And Bothered: Four Steamy Tales of Love and Seductionthat Will Leave You... / 2- Going Overboard / 3- Bet Me (Jennifer Cruise) / 4- Sun Kissed / 5- Tongue in Chic / 6- Sex, Lies, and Online Dating (Unboxed Set of Sexy Chic Lit Contemporary Romance Books)
Christina Skye ,
Christina Dodd ,
Jennifer Crusie ,
Jennifer Cruise ,
Catherine Anderson ,
Lori Foster ,
Laura Bradley ,
Victoria Marquez ,
Gayle Callen ( , and
Rachel Gibson
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W22OZ0 |
Product Description
6 Books: 1- Hot And Bothered: Four Steamy Tales of Love and Seductionthat Will Leave You... / 2- Going Overboard / 3- Bet Me (Jennifer Cruise) / 4- Sun Kissed / 5- Tongue in Chic / 6- Sex, Lies, and Online Dating, in either Hard or Softcover, (See Seller Condition Comments), Shipped in one package to save on shipping costs.
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Going Overboard
Carol J. Perry
Manufacturer: Pages Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction | Water Sports | Sports | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0874064856 |
Average customer rating:
- This book deserves a second printing
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Going Overboard
Lucy Gwin
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Social Groups | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0670343609 |
Customer Reviews:
This book deserves a second printing.......1999-09-26
Definitely up there with some of the greats. An honest, insightful, hilarious account of one woman's struggle with the male dominated culture of Louisiana gulf coast oil rigs and their support boats. It makes Gregory Jaynes' book, Come Hell on High Water, look like a Readers Digest summary.
Lucy Gwin is a rare author, who's talents have been unaccountably overlooked.
Average customer rating:
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Going Overboard
Manufacturer: Bantam Dell Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739417061 |
Product Description
She's got it all: Warm sun. Cool Breeze. Hot guy. And, she's going to find out how dangerous paradise can get.
Average customer rating:
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Going Overboard (Harlequin American Romance, No 463)
Wilding
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Harlequin American Romance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
Regency | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373164637 |
Customer Reviews:
A cruise on the Titanic, anyone?.......2004-12-01
A holiday on a houseboat. To Andi, it sounded like the perfect way to spend some time with her pregnant little sister Nicole, before the big day. She hadn't counted on getting stuck on the Moby Dick of houseboats without a pilot. But when she found herself marooned with gorgeous but incredibly stuffy Chance Jefferson, her hormones went into overdrive
After a near case of shipwreck and an emergency class in Childbirth 101, Chance knew he was in over his head. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd been able to keep his hands off his irritating but oh, so sexy shipmate. After all, he knew he'd eventually find a way off the houseboat from hell. But if he fell for Andi, would he sink or swim?
Book Description
Everything that means anything to you is taken away in seconds. No warning. No explanation. Nothing. AUTUMN: THE CITY is the first sequel to the acclaimed horror novel AUTUMN (now available as a free download from www.theinfected.co.uk). A virulent disease rips across the face of the planet, killing billions of people in less than twenty-four hours. A small group of survivors cower in fear in the desolate remains of a silent city. As the full extent of the devastation caused by the disease is revealed the desperate people fight to keep thousands upon thousands of plague victims at bay and to continue to survive from day to day. They fight to stay alive. The unexpected appearance of a company of soldiers again threatens the survivor's fragile existence. Do they trust this sudden military presence? Will the military bring them hope and answers, or just more fear, pain and destruction? Far more than an ordinary sequel, AUTUMN: THE CITY expands on the nightmare of the first novel and takes the reader closer to discovering what caused the death of billions of people on a single inauspicious September day.
Download Description
Everything that means anything to you is taken away in seconds. No warning. No explanation. Nothing. AUTUMN: THE CITY is the first sequel to the acclaimed horror novel AUTUMN (now available as a free download from www.theinfected.co.uk). A virulent disease rips across the face of the planet, killing billions of people in less than twenty-four hours. A small group of survivors cower in fear in the desolate remains of a silent city. As the full extent of the devastation caused by the disease is revealed the desperate people fight to keep thousands upon thousands of plague victims at bay and to continue to survive from day to day. They fight to stay alive. The unexpected appearance of a company of soldiers again threatens the survivor's fragile existence. Do they trust this sudden military presence? Will the military bring them hope and answers, or just more fear, pain and destruction? Far more than an ordinary sequel, AUTUMN: THE CITY expands on the nightmare of the first novel and takes the reader closer to discovering what caused the death of billions of people on a single inauspicious September day.
Product Description
In a fresh, in-depth study of the Ugaritic text often called The Birth of the Beautiful Gods, Smith applies the tools of detailed philological analysis and recent theoretical advances in the study of myth and ritual to illuminate this text as a sophisticated, integrated whole. In a series of rituals and myths, The Feast of the Goodly Gods captures a ritual moment of cosmic integration between the beneficial deities and the destructive cosmic enemies, in particular the gods after whom the text is named. This important volume not only brings the world of this fascinating Ugaritic text to life, setting it clearly within its royal context, but also provides a model for the integration of philological analysis and contemporary theories especially ritual studies in the interpretation of ancient texts, including the Bible.
Average customer rating:
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The Autumn Marathon
Manufacturer: Artistic Ventures LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Fiction
| City Life
| Where We Live
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
School
| Issues
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0977149501 |
Product Description
Follow along with the colorful autumn leaves as they skip, jog, wait and hurry through their village...in a marathon of sorts! Feel the wonder and playfulness of motion as one leaf races the newpaper delivery boy to his next delivery, and feel lucky like the tiny leaf that gets to go to school in a liitle girl's pocket! "The Autumn Marathon" will take the reader from sunrise to sunse through a bustling, yet peaceful American village. Filled with wonderfully poetic alliteration, lush descriptive adjectives, and vocabulary to grow up with, this full-color picture book takes you into the life of fallen leaves. This tale will encourage the reader to look beyond what is visable, and undoubtedly get their imagination stirring! Autumn leaves may never look the same again!
Customer Reviews:
Enchanting story........2007-10-10
I own a copy of the book and have read it to my three children at home and have read it my older children's kindergarten and first-grade classes. Children love the story and listen to it interestedly and quietly--until they recognize things they've seen in their own neighborhoods, such as the train or a school building, then they burst with enthusiasm to tell their own experiences.
We've attended one of the author's speaking engagements at our local library, where there were about 20 children attending and Ms. Desjardins kept them actively engaged with the story and working on group projects. My middle son loves to write and paint and has been very inspired; he proudly calls himself "author and illustrator," too, of the small books he creates at home and at school. And, I must say, Ms. Desjardins' book has led me to notice more of the wonder during what has always been my favorite season.
Average customer rating:
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Brigham Young University Studies, Autumn 1969 (A Voice for the Community of LDS Scolars, Vol. 10 No. 1)
Alvin R. Dyer ,
B. Carmon Hardy ,
John Morgan ,
H. Kay Moon ,
John W. Welch ,
Wilford E. Smith ,
Walter L. Whipple ,
Steven C. Walker ,
Nissim Wernick , and
Lael J. Woodbury
Manufacturer: Brigham Young University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WUX6YA |
Product Description
Articles include:
Education- Moving Toward and Under the Law of Consecration, A Photographic Essay on the Old Lower BYU Campus, Man- the Pinnacle of Creation, Some Positive Functions of War, The St. Louis Museum and the Two Egytptian Mummies and Papyri, Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon, Death in the Theatre of Alejandro Casona, book reviews and more.
Average customer rating:
- Super Reader
- An Alchemical Romance
- A difficult read...
- Puzzling but worthwhile
- It ain't Mervyn Peake, but the book comes alive...
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City In Autumn Stars
Michael Moorcock
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| Classics
| Contemporary
| General
| Historical
| Humor
| Letters & Correspondence
| Middle
| Old
| Poetry
| Renaissance
| Shakespeare
| Short Stories
Moorcock, Michael
| ( M )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0441106293 |
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
The Von Bek family is still involved with that whole Heaven and Hell thing. This time it is one of the descendants, named Manfred.
The French Revolution doesn't suit Von Bek, so he leaves, quickly. Going to Mirenberg, he gets involved with a Duchess, and an Angel?
An Alchemical Romance.......2003-11-01
This volume is not strictly a sequel to _The Warhound and the World's Pain_, since it takes place 150 years later. The hero is not Ulrich von Bek but his descendent, Manfred. The world, and the von Beks, have changed much in this interval- or have they? Instead of holy war tearing Europe apart, it is now the Terror and the spirit of Regicide that threatens to destroy it. Indeed, Manfred von Bek is a man of this new world. He has rejected Magic and the Mysteries (though he was once initiated into the Illuminati.) His Gods are now Revolution, The Rights of Man, and Science. Or rather they were, until his dreams of an enlightened utopia died in the blood filled gutters of revolutionary Paris. Now, he is now simply a wandering cynic out to secure his own fortune by any means necessary.
At least he was all this before a chance encounter with the Dutchess of Crete. This fascinating creature becomes an obsession with him. Indeed, he begins to doubt his own sanity in his relentless search for her. While he, himself, represents democracy, reason, and cynicism, the elusive countess is the symbol of royalty, magic, and idealism. Indeed she seems to be the mirror of everything he is not, or has renounced. It is almost like this mysterious, androgenous creature is his own female soul- his anima....
In his heated pursuit across Europe, the Ritter von Bek finds himself drawn to Mirenberg, which is paradoxically both the most magical and the most enlightened city in all of Europe. It is also the meeting place for the greatest gathering of alchemists that the world has ever seen. It is here that von Bek tries to cool his obsession for the countess, while filling his own pockets. It almost works, until one night he is abducted and taken to the catacombs deep beneath the city. It is here that he learns that the old tales concerning the Grail, and the Devil, are not foolishness after all. Moreover, he is about to find that the doors to the Mittlemarch are once again open to one of his ancient blood....
This hardcover edition has one of the most attractive dust jackets that I've ever seen. Moreover, I have read the book three times now- and even had it signed by the author. I considerate it to be something special for a novel.
A difficult read..........2000-09-04
...for one very simple reason--it's too damned long, and not very satisfying. None of the characters are at all sympathetic (quite the opposite in "The War Hound and the World's Pain," as I liked Ulrich von Bek very much), save Lucifer himself...sympathy for the Devil, you say? Maybe. I also gotbored rather quickly with Manfred von Bek's wanderings about the Deeper City; I really think Moorcock could have pared back quite a few of the details here, and the narrative would have improved immeasurably.
Puzzling but worthwhile.......1999-01-08
This is not an easy read, and it's probably too long by half, but it's far from Moorcock's worst. (See "The Sailor on the Seas of Fate" for a good example of Moorcock at his hastiest.) The pacing here is languid but the hallmarks of Moorcock's best work are here, albeit fitfully: his unique feel for the period and thorough knowledge of history and culture, and his ability to blend the historical elements with the fantastic. Casual readers should stick with the first book (Warhound and the World's Pain), but Moorcock aficionados should at least give this one a try.
It ain't Mervyn Peake, but the book comes alive..........1998-10-31
One of Moorcock's best fantasy novels. More in the tradition of Gloriana than the Elric or Corum books, City in the Autumn Stars relates the tale of a memeber of the Von Bek family, fleeing the turmoil of the French Revolution only to find himself entangled in an ever-expanding web of alchemical intrigue. Moorcock's use of alchemical symbolism and the various esoteric teachings that swept Europe at the time is an interesting plot device and it creates just the right kind of atmosphere for the fantastic events that develop. Don't expect him to always get his esoteric symbolism right however, he uses the material to spice up his story and develop his allegory in certain places, but the book is still a fantasy and you can't expect it to faithfully represent alchemy. It's a great read and a nice change from the vadhagh, rune-mumbling, albino doom ditties he's written in the past.
Customer Reviews:
An Alchemical Romance.......2003-11-01
This volume is not strictly a sequel to _The Warhound and the World's Pain_, since it takes place 150 years later. The hero is not Ulrich von Bek but his descendent, Manfred. The world, and the von Beks, have changed much in this interval- or have they? Instead of holy war tearing Europe apart, it is now the Terror and the spirit of Regicide that threatens to destroy it. Indeed, Manfred von Bek is a man of this new world. He has rejected Magic and the Mysteries (though he was once initiated into the Illuminati.) His Gods are now Revolution, The Rights of Man, and Science. Or rather they were, until his dreams of an enlightened utopia died in the blood filled gutters of revolutionary Paris. Now, he is now simply a wandering cynic out to secure his own fortune by any means necessary.
At least he was all this before a chance encounter with the Dutchess of Crete. This fascinating creature becomes an obsession with him. Indeed, he begins to doubt his own sanity in his relentless search for her. While he, himself, represents democracy, reason, and cynicism, the elusive countess is the symbol of royalty, magic, and idealism. Indeed she seems to be the mirror of everything he is not, or has renounced. It is almost like this mysterious, androgenous creature is his own female soul- his anima....
In his heated pursuit across Europe, the Ritter von Bek finds himself drawn to Mirenberg, which is paradoxically both the most magical and the most enlightened city in all of Europe. It is also the meeting place for the greatest gathering of alchemists that the world has ever seen. It is here that von Bek tries to cool his obsession for the countess, while filling his own pockets. It almost works, until one night he is abducted and taken to the catacombs deep beneath the city. It is here that he learns that the old tales concerning the Grail, and the Devil, are not foolishness after all. Moreover, he is about to find that the doors to the Mittlemarch are once again open to one of his ancient blood....
Product Description
On an Earth much like our own, individuals with extraordinary abilities have had a great influence upon history, and the development of society and its laws, since their first public appearance during the height of World War II. It is a place where extraordinary beings are more than individuals with god-like powers, they are also people with families, struggles, and personal victories. It is a place where anyone can rise to be a Hero, and become a Legend.
Dominick DiAngelo is married to a wonderful woman and is the father of two young boys, but he is also Vanguardian- the world-renowned Hero of Autumn Arbor, the City of Legends. Struggling to maintain a balance between his domestic life and his secretive duties as Vanguardian, Dominick s situation is a precarious one as his time away from home continues to cause undue strain upon his marriage.
Unfortunately, a power within VanCorp- a globally powerful corporation- has targeted Dominick for annihilation, vowing to destroy both his personal and professional life. Attacked by enemies at a public event rally meant to bolster Vanguardian s public image, Dominick suddenly finds himself in a race against time to uncover the motivation behind the attack and bring those responsible to justice.
But the plot against Dominick threatens to effect more than just one Hero, as Autumn Arbor is suddenly turned into a warzone. Vanguardian is just one facet of what Autumn Arbor s most dangerous enemy has planned, and in the end, the entire City of Legends could find itself plunged into darkness as lives are destroyed and power structures within the corporate and judicial systems are shifted. A shift that could mean an end to the era of Heroes within America.
Book Description
This unique and intensely personal memoir is about spirituality, not about religion,and it is alive with the raw energy of a journal and polisjed with the skill of the master storyteller.
Customer Reviews:
benedictine nun's autobiographical reflections.......2007-01-18
In this her most recent book, Sister Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun and author of twenty-five books, continues to think out loud about just what it means to know, love, and follow Jesus in our crazy, contemporary world. This is the third book by her that I have read, and I have come to appreciate her spirit and gift to do what good writers do, which is to connect with the every day experiences and aspirations of her readers. Using her own spiritual journal entries from across a four year period, she pushes, pokes and prods at the various dimensions of Christian living. In particular, I appreciated three themes from this book that also recur in her other works.
Chittister writes from very much "inside the box," the box that is the Roman Catholic Church. But no one likes to be boxed in, much less a feminist like her, and so one theme from this book is what I would call institutional frustration with the church. Our Christian institutions and churches often purvey a sort of "god of the system" that asks us at some level to sublimate our deeply personal identities to the group identity. But then we risk forfeiting conscience and becoming what she describes as "institutional robots." So, we try, often with very limited success, to change the institution for the better. Others just want to leave the church out of frustration. In the end, Chittister pictures herself as a "loyal member of a dysfunctional family" (p. 135).
A keen scholar like Chittister is also full of provocative questions about important issues like women's ordination, the place of gays in the church, global justice, and, as a member of a Benedictine community, obedience to the institutional church. But critical questions are just what the church often suppresses, obscures, or responds to with superficial and ideological answers. We can acquiesce to this, too, out of fear of being wrong or even punished. But Chittister does not want to live the Christian life asking other people's questions or accepting their answers, so she keeps asking, seeking, and knocking: how does the Christian relate questions of personal conscience and intellectual integrity to churchly fidelity?
Personal failure and struggle are also prominent themes for Chittister. The problem, it would seem, is to foolishly accept perfection as our standard or goal. But that goal is an oppressive one, and a set up for failure, for no Christian this side of heaven will ever reach it: "The problem, of course, is that we fail. We know ourselves to be weak. We stumble along, being less than we can be, never living up to our own standards, let alone anyone else's. We eat too much between meals, we work too little to get ahead, we drink more than we should at the office party. We're all addicted to something. Those addictions not only cripple us, they convince us that we are worthless and incapable of being worthwhile. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of the worst order because it traps us inside our own sense of inadequacy, of futility, of failure" (p. 195). Instead, we ought to view failure as "among the best friends of the soul" (p. 91). Rather than subscribe to the unattainable, we should come to appropriate the "sanctifying nature of mistakes and calculations" (p. ix).
Chittister begins her book with a well known story of the seeker who asked the monk just what they did in the monastery: "Oh, we fall and we get up, and we fall and we get up, and we fall and we get up again." Beyond the institutional frustrations, the stymied but important questions, and the realization of but limited progress, she encourages us to hear God's voice to keep going, to "find the me in me" (p. 111), and to cultivate a sense of being at home with yourself because of the extravagant love and grace of God.
A Book for All.......2006-07-03
This book by Sr Joan Chittister is inspirational and confirming.
All believers who wonder, once in a while, if it is all true - no matter what comprises the "all", will find solace and consolation in this book. Sr Chittister answers your doubts and fears by putting hers on the line. Written beautifully, as are all her books, this one has you saying 'Yes, that's me!' over and over. I would recommend it to all who are interested in their own personal spiritual growth.
Jeanne MacCoy, San Leandro, California
As Always, The Best.......2006-03-19
Joan Chittister always has the best sense of melding together the human with the divine, the natural with the supernatural, reality with theology. She's done it again.
Disrespectand Disregard.......2006-01-20
I only wish I had the option of a "0" star rating. This book disrespects and disregards the teachings of the Church. This was particularly frustrating to me since I converted to Catholicism only a year ago. I have dedicated myself to Christ and His Church and try my best to align myself with it completely. The Church and all of its teachings (particularly regarding faith and morals) are true - as Catholics we agreed to submit to those teachings when we made our Profession of Faith at Confirmation. The stand the Church takes on the issues discussed in this book and the stand the author takes are polar opposites. I have never been so saddened by a book - and sad for the author who seems to have fallen away from the Catholic Church. What she says is completely heretical - a term that I don't use lightly. Complete lack of regard to the teachings of the Church is denying the truth of the Church. She should not be writing as a Catholic unless she actually is Catholic. As far as I am concerned, she has already left the Catholic Church. This is evident in her answer to the question: "Why do you stay in the Church?" Her answer: "Why do I continue to align myself with an institution so closed, so heretical, so sinful? Because Jesus stayed in the synagogue until they threw him out. That's why." She is in no way aligned with the Church. This book (if it is not already) should be banned by the Church. I pray for Joan, that she may convert back to Catholicism.
FOR HERESY.......2005-07-15
Five stars for heresy!!!!! Well Sr. Joan, if you think its important for women to be priests, you better find another Church. It ain't never going to happen in this Church. The book is a brilliant treatise on what is wrong with most nuns who do not wear habits. If you want to know how feminist nuns convince themselves they are still Christian READ THIS BOOK!
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Catholic New Times, published by Thomson Gale on December 4, 2005. The length of the article is 663 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: Called to Question: A Spiritual Memoir.(a book by Joan Chittister)(Reprint)
Author: Teresa F. Wilson
Publication:
Catholic New Times (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 4, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 29
Issue: 19
Page: 17(1)
Article Type: Reprint
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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