Book Description
Published two weeks after his seventieth birthday,
Ada, or Ardor is one of Nabokov's greatest masterpieces, the glorious culmination of his career as a novelist. It tells a love story troubled by incest. But more: it is also at once a fairy tale, epic, philosophical treatise on the nature of time, parody of the history of the novel, and erotic catalogue.
Ada, or Ardor is no less than the supreme work of an imagination at white heat.
This is the first American edition to include the extensive and ingeniously sardonic appendix by the author, written under the anagrammatic pseudonym Vivian Darkbloom.
Customer Reviews:
Ada, our ardors and arbors.......2007-05-24
"Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle", Nabokov's longest novel, is also, indisputably, his most involute. Without having read his entire oeuvre (nearly half-way through!) I can still assert this with confidence - and I'm sure most Nabokov fans would concur. Those who have read "Lolita" or "Pale Fire" will already be aware of the density of his writing, his penchant for allusions, puns, his rouguish tendency to deceive the reader. Some readers object to this; they like their prose "simple and sincere", easy to digest, as straightforward as possible. I would advise such readers to stay far, far away from this book.
I must concede, my first attempt wasn't a success. I got about half-way through before slamming it down in a frenzied rage (as I am wont to do). It was exhausting. "Nabokov has gone too far," I remember saying. But a few weeks later I had the strange urge to return to it, as if summoned by the characters. I'm glad I did - I'm glad they did.
Even for the Nabokov aficionado, accustomed to the density, "Ada..." proves startlingly abstruse. The first fifty pages in particular - in which he focuses on the genealogy of the family (the prefatory family tree is indispensible) and the Terra/Antiterra business - are apt to bewilder and discourage the ardent reader. It does then become less challenging, as the protagonist and "writer" of the book, Van Veen, travels to Ardis, the magnificent New England manor, where he meets and falls in love with his cousin (whom we discover, in the first chapter, is actually his sister). Their life-long love affair is persistently condemned and thwarted. But keep in mind that Nabokov himself isn't interested in condemning or advocating incest. As he said in an interview: "Actually I don't give a damn for incest one way or another. I merely like the 'bl' sound in siblings, bloom, blue, bliss, sable."
But the book is more than a 600-page cornucopia of enticing allusions and puns. It is an astonishing paean to memory, love and imagination. The prominent criticism of Nabokov's work is that he is so over-concerned with stylistics that his novels lack depth or poignancy (ugly word, but apt!). This accusation is not wholly unjust - at times he goes overboard; maybe he'd even admit that himself - but when he's at his best, Nabokov is unparalleled (well, nearly), both in emotional and aesthetic literary perfection.
I couldn't say that "Ada..." was Nabokov's greatest achievement - "Lolita" remains for me his total masterpiece - but this may well change upon rereading the book, which I most certainly will do.
Rich Characters.......2007-05-14
Lots going on here: great descriptions, complicated characters, interesting combinattion between historic and fictional period.
"by turns ecstatic and esoteric...".......2007-02-15
I haven't read Lolita, and am now somewhat mystified by my decision to begin reading Nabokov with Ada, his longest and arguably most complex work. The narrative is extraordinarily rich, not so much a generational saga (as the subtitle, "A Family Chronicle" suggests) but the measured, persistently vivacious pulse of a lifelong love affair between the novel's principal characters and narrators, Van and Ada.
Ada and Van are remarkable in their unfolding complexity, their abundances and deficiencies, their engaging humanness. Their lives are saturated with the sensual joys of sex and nature, a fullness that also includes the pleasures of language and literature. For me this is one of the most rewarding aspects of the novel, the warm embrace of the body and the mind in a celebratory vision of the world. And because the book is a memoir narrated by Van, with additions by Ada, the novel also functions as an exploration of memory, time, meaning and signifigance.
The prose is by turns ecstatic and esoteric, rapturously lucid and inscrutably convoluted. This is due, in part, to the novel and it's characters being tri-lingual, with substantial portions of dialogue written in a tumbling mixture of English, French and Russian. But the text itself is effusive and complicated, riddled with continuous verbal and thematic puns, allusions to Russian literature, ironical references and other demonstrations of cleverness, only a few of which are selectively explained (or further complicated) by 16 pages of accompanying endnotes.
Because the book is narrated by Van --"vain Van Veen"-- a certain amount of such embelishment and playful pretension is natural, even amusing. Nabokov seems to be extending his celebration of fullness through the size and complexity of the book itself. However, this tri-lingual density holds readers at a certain distance, and begins to feel more like the indulgences of a self-congratulating wordsmith than the craft of a gifted and sensitive writer. For this reader, it made for a somewhat long slog...
(3.5 stars)
huge fan of most V.N. but not this!.......2006-07-16
mon, i have de PHD in de comparative literature (true!) & my favorite novels be de "Lolita" & de "Pale Fire"; i have read ALL
Nabokov--& a number of de texts multiple times, mon. excepting dis piece of...unmitigated indulgence...perhaps N. was too close to de material. i no know. remember udder of me heroes--VS Naipaul & Paul Theroux--agreeing that NO ONE HAS READ THIS NOVEL. dees odder people be lying tru der teef, mon, if dey say dey made it tru dis turgid murk of a mucky-sloppy morass. avoidski, kiddies.
mon, havlf way tru de novel i realize "i couldn't possibly care less 'bout dees oafs, dees pawns in de hands of yes, de master, my favorite novelist, Vladimir... it truly an excercise in solipsism, mon"
Life is somewhere else .......2006-07-11
"Lolita" is Vladmir Nabokov's most famous book - but those who are able to read his "Ada or Ardor" that may not be his best. It is actually hard to pick one of them. Both novels are superbly written and unforgettable for different reasons. It seems to most readers that "Lolita" is easier to read, the plot is easier to follow and so is time and place. "Ada or Ardor" requires more attention, more ability to untie our bounds to reality and exploit an unknown world, as if life is not here, but in another place.
This place has a name, it is called Antiterra, and this is where narrative is set. `Where it is' is not the proper question - but reader should wonder what it is. And it requires quite a complex answer, that may take the whole book. Therefore, one should stop wondering and dive beneath the surface of the narrative, and get acquired with its characters. "Ada or Ardor" starts with an interesting quotation that could be from Tolstoy's "Anna Kariênina", but it is not. From the on, the narrator - and the reader, as consequence - starts to investigates the effects of memory and passion in the life of the characters - mostly Van, the main one, who falls in love with Ada, his cousin.
With "Ada or Ardor", Nabokov is dealing with the terrain where Proust is the king: memory. But in his version of a character trying to regain the lost time, Nabokov is also a master of language, narrative and effect. This novel is one of the most complex that readers can find in English - or any language, for that matter. There is a plot to follow, but it is the least important qualities when it comes to this narrative. The writer is more concerned with bringing his characters memories to life. And so he does with charm, intelligence and beauty.
Nabokov relation to the language is very peculiar. He has the ability to transform poetry into prose without making it read like pretentious. As a matter of fact, his superb language becomes vital to the narrative that unfolds slowly, on its own speed. This is when readers have to forget what they've experience with another books and let Nabokov's narrator conduce them to an unknown world, where earthy moral, judgments, feelings and relationships are not the law.
"Ada or Ardor" is more than a book, it is a complex and unforgettable reading experience. Its themes may cause strangeness, and the way Naobokov deals with them may disturb readers and leave others open-mouthed - but never indifferent. Since we are living an age where it is rare to book cause any commotion, "Ada or Ardor" stands as a unique piece that can cause the strongest feelings in its readers.
Average customer rating:
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Ada or Ardor : A Family Chronicle
Vladimir Nabokov
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Nabokov, Vladimir
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ASIN: B000OFVWEY |
Average customer rating:
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Ada Or Ardor a Family Chronicle
Vladimir Nabokov
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-hill Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Nabokov, Vladimir
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History & Criticism
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Nabokov, Vladimir
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ASIN: 0070457239 |
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ADA OR ARDOR: A FAMILY CHRONICLE
Vladimir Nabokov
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Nabokov, Vladimir
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: B000NSG9EU |
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Ada or Ardor: a Family Chronicle
Vladimir Nabokov
Manufacturer: Fawcett Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Nabokov, Vladimir
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ASIN: B000KWKEOK |
Average customer rating:
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Ada or Ardor a Family Chronicle
Vladimir Nabokov
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Nabokov, Vladimir
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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ASIN: B000OFR6BM |
Customer Reviews:
action-packed thriller .......2006-04-14
She never met her father as he died in a plane crash twenty-eight years ago just before she was born. However, Dr. Libby Wilson has come home from the lower Forty-Eight to Alaska with a need to know whether someone murdered her father on the day he was to marry her pregnant mother as she suspects his business partner killed him since the will was not changed and he instead of his daughter or his fianc?e inherited all.
Libby hires Carson Dodge to salvage her dad's plane that crashed into Evening Lake, Alaska. Carson admires Libby's courage and agrees to help her with her quest by bringing up the plane as she wonders whether her theory will prove right. Meanwhile someone, she assumes her prime suspect, will do anything including murder to prevent the plane rising out of the watery grave.
This action-packed thriller is made even stronger by the lead couple. Libby is fixated on the truth and her obsession grips the decadent Carson who finds her bravery intoxicating; he believes he has EVERYTHING TO PROVE to her that he is her champion. The powerful lead couple and strong support cast including the Alaskan geography make for a delightful exhilarating romantic suspense that the audience will read in one sitting.
Harriet Klausner
Another enjoyable story by Nadia Nichols.......2006-04-13
EVERYTHING TO PROVE by Nadia Nichols
April 12, 2006
I can always count on an enjoyable book when written by Nadia Nichols, and EVERYTHING TO PROVE is no exception. The story takes place in the beautiful state of Alaska, with the prologue detailing the story of a young man, Connor Libby, a Vietnam War Vet, who is about to marry his girlfriend, Marie Wilson, an Athaspakan Indian who worked for him and his godfather, Daniel Frey. Connor's father, Ben Libby, had been a very wealthy man, but when he passed away, his business went to Daniel, his business partner, making him Connor's guardian. Daniel never kept it a secret his disdain and hatred of the Indians that lived near the surrounding areas, and he was not happy that Connor had decided to marry Marie. On the day of their wedding, as Connor is flying his plane to meet Marie in her home village, his plane crashes and disappears into the deep lake across from their cabin, taking Connor with it. Connor's faithful dog, HoChi, a three-legged dog Connor saved in Vietnam, escaped the sinking plane but rumors had it that the dog's spirit haunted the grounds after that fateful day.
Twenty-eight years later, Libby Wilson is in Alaska searching for answers about the father she never knew. She can't yet prove that Connor was her father, making her the rightful heir to the wealth held by Daniel. But she suspects that Daniel had something to do with her father's death. Her mother Marie never fought for the inheritance due to Libby, and continued to live in poverty to this day. Libby wanted to right what was wronged all those years ago, and despite her mother's warnings, she travels to the Lodge at Evening Lake, where her father's plane reputedly crashed, hoping to find the answers to her questions and to prove that she was indeed the daughter of Connor Libby.
Libby asks the owner of a salvage company, Carson Dodge, to help her locate the plane. Despite a horrific diving accident that nearly took his life only 6 weeks before, he accepts the assignment to dig up the plane, but because of other engagements he can only devote a week of his time. She promises him a down payment of $5000, money she does not have, and although she does not tell him exactly what he is looking for in that plane, she promises him $150,000 for compensation, knowing that once she proves who her father is, she will have enough money to pay Carson. Carson imagines all sorts of treasures hidden in that plane, not realizing that all Libby wants to do is find the remains of her father which would help prove her paternity.
Libby is up against a lot of challenges. Carson can barely change his clothes, let alone dive or handle a boat by himself because of his injuries. And Daniel Frey, now a very old man, had never stopped hating the Indians. When Libby comes to interview him under the pretense of a study for the Libby Foundation (Daniel doesn't seem to notice the coincidence of her first name), Daniel becomes nervous, and spies on them as they slowly try to find where the plane may be located in the depths of the cold lake.
Libby helps Carson find that missing plane, although he really wishes she would leave him alone. With some meddling by Libby's temporary landlady, Carson begins to notice Libby as more than just a future heiress. He sees the fire in her eyes, and begins to admire this woman who will do anything to get what is rightfully hers.
I enjoyed the story of Libby and her need to prove her paternity. Nadia Nichols has a way with words, always picking beautiful backdrops to set her stories. Her writing always seems to evoke feelings deep inside the reader, taking the reader to picturesque places that often seem to go hand in hand with the beauty of land where time has stopped. As I read this book, I could envision the beauty of Evening Lake, the poverty of the Indian village where Libby grew up, the trees, even the loon that was constantly warbling near the lake. I especially found one scene rather poignant, in which the dog HoChi waits for his master to return from the sunken plane, never leaving the shore. It's scenes like this that make EVERYTHING TO PROVE a well-worth read. Likeable characters including the cantankerous Carson, plus the backdrop of Alaska made this book a story to remember. -- courtesy of Love Romances
Book Description
The story of Emile Khadaji's mentor, who lived a life of desolation and thievery before training as a warrior by the Siblings of the Shroud-learning lethal skills that would some day forge a legend and conquer an empire.
Customer Reviews:
THE STUNNING PREQUEL TO THE "MAN WHO NEVER MISSED" SERIES.......2006-05-15
All of Perry's series of Matador novels (including BLACK STEEL and THE OMEGA CAGE) taking place in the same universe are marvels in adventure storytelling. To date he has written over 5 additional novels that either preclude or occur after the events of the MATADOR TRILOGY. Some like the Omega Cage have peripheral characters that come to the fore in their own harrowing and fantastic adventures to those like BLACK STEEL where one particular Matador confronts an evil bent on keeping a dark secret. In all of them we continue to get top-notch sci fi action adventure that puts Steve Perry head and shoulders above other writers. The 97th step does not disapoint
The Rise and Fall and Rise of Pen.......2004-11-06
I started the Matador Trilogy with "The Man Who Never Missed" as, I suspect, did most people. But the story starts 50 or 60 years before with the development of the boy who becomes the man called Pen. The word "Easy" is not in Pen's dictionary and he goes through three distinct life stages as the illusions of his life are shattered one by one. As a person who has had a few minor difficulties in life (nothing compared to the character of Pen) I was left wondering what is keeping this person alive. It seems to be the vague feeling that there is something out there. Some purpose or meaning. A reason for being. Happily, he finds that reason but it is more humble and, at the same time, more wonderful then anything he had ever imagined.
This is a wonderful book and a key part of the Matador series. If you like science fiction, religion, philosophy, ethics and morality then DO NOT MISS "The 97th Step".
If you are really old and you ever saw (and liked) the movie "Circle of Iron" then you will certainly like this book.
A pretty good prequel if you're a Matador fan........2003-12-11
Readers of Steve Perry's Matador trilogy will appreciate the background this volume provides, and in fact this makes a good chronological introduction for new readers of the series. The 97th Step is a novel primarily focused on character development, which is out of the ordinary in the sci fi genre. Your typical sci fi novel is far more focused on plot line and imaginative gadgetry. Although this book includes both of these elements, the unmistakable emphasis is on tracing the evolution of Mwili the farmboy to Ferret the thief to Pen the martial priest.
Make no mistake, the story includes some riveting action sequences and pulse-pounding suspense, and these definitely keep it interesting. However, there really is not much of a unifying plot other than as a "biography". The author makes liberal use of the flashback technique to recount Mwili's teen years and escape from Cibule, as well as Ferret's escapades with his former partner/lover turned nemesis, Gworn.
I guess one thing that was a bit of a turn-off for me was the author's undue emphasis (in my humble opinion) on sexuality. Admittedly this is part of Mwili/Ferret/Pen's personal history and character makeup, particularly as it relates to other figures like Shar, Gworn and Moon. However, this is not an element I usually look for in this genre (in fact, it's normally absent altogether), and I personally prefer to keep it that way. Call me an old-fashioned prude, but I remember the days when plenty of great sci fi novelists wrote excellent stories without the need to inject gratuitous sex. But for this, I might give this book 4 stars.
But don't let my personal hangups turn you away from an otherwise good book, and definitely a great trilogy. The Matador series is a very enjoyable read, and The 97th Step makes it complete.
A Matter of Enlightenment.......2003-02-17
The 97th Step is the fourth novel written in the Matador series, but is the first in internal chronology. It is the story Mwili Kalamu, a farm boy from Cibule, who ran away from home at the age of fourteen and who is destined to become Pen, the teacher of Emile Antoon Khadaji.
Leaving Cibule, he takes the name of Ferret and becomes a lane runner, living at the fringes of society and stealing to make ends meet. During this period, he becomes the partner of Bennet Gworn, a fellow laner, but then has to abandon him when a heist goes bad. Later, he becomes the partner of Stoll, smuggling illegal merchandise, and meets Shar, an exotic dancer who sees him as a soul mate. All falls apart, however, when Gworn gets out of prison and comes looking for him.
After Gworn kills Stoll and Shar, and he kills Gworn, Ferret tries to forget with drugs and alcohol, but the memories still fester in his mind. After a long period of continual intoxication, he meets his old martial arts teacher, Dindabe, in a bar and agrees to resume his studies. The workouts flush the poisons from his system and he begins to regain an interest in life as he regains his proficiency in the arts, but he still lives from day to day, with no long term interests.
Dindabe introduces him to Moon, a Sister of the Shroud, and encourages him to become her student. Ferret goes with Moon to the training center on Manus, near Wewak, New Guinea. Although doubting his own commitment, he takes the name Pen and gradually becomes engrossed in the program and finally graduates.
This novel is a tale of enlightenment. Pen has no real faith in himself, for everyone around him has either turned against him or died. Before Pen could accomplish anything, he must recognize himself as a person and have faith in that person.
Recommended for Perry fans and anyone who enjoys tales of martial arts in a SF setting.
Dedicated Reader.......2000-06-21
I have read all of his books and he has got to be one of the most outstanding authors around. This particular book I would consider his masterpiece.
Book Description
Prayers That Avail Much® for Teens has sold over 100,000 copies and the Prayers That Avail Much, Book Series has sold over 3 million copies, proving themselves as staples in the book market nationwide. A timeless classic, Prayers That Avail Much® for Teens is filled with scriptural prayers that are specific to the needs teenagers face today. Thousands of teens have already discovered the secret of praying the Scriptures, and now with a fresh updated cover many more can enjoy God's best for their lives through prayer. Topics include:
* Before An Exam
* Meeting New Friends
* Handling Peer Pressure
* Your Future Spouse
* And many more!
Customer Reviews:
Great Spiritual Tool for Teens.......2002-10-20
I recieved this book from a lady in my church when I was about 15 years old (I'm now 27). I have to say that this book was my source of help and guidance when there were no one else to talk to. It is direct,to the point and single out some of the major concerns and areas needed to be talked about in a teens life. I now use the book to help the youths I minister to by purchasing them in quantities of 4-10 at a time and giving them out as gifts. I recomend it for any teen, or young adult.
Average customer rating:
- This is a great and useful book.
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Prayers That Avail Much for Teens (Prayers That Avail Much)
Manufacturer: Harrison House Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Prayer
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ASIN: 0892748435 |
Customer Reviews:
This is a great and useful book........1999-06-28
This book is the ideal book for any teenager. Prayers that Avail Much for Teens will help give you guidence and understanding to praying and talking to God. You don't have to memorize the pray(s) word by word. You can just use it as a guideline and work your way from there. The pray(s) give you helpful references to the Bible so you can further your knowledge about that particular subject.
Every Christian teen needs to have this book. It's awesome and very helpful.
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- Charlie Russell Journal
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