Book Description
Newly translated for this edition.
A young Frenchman, Joseph Timar, travels to Gabon carrying a letter of introduction from an influential uncle. He wants work experience; he wants to see the world. But in the oppressive heat and glare of the equator, Timar doesn't know what to do with himself, and no one seems inclined to help except Adèle, the hotel owner's wife, who takes him to bed one day and rebuffs him the next, leaving him sick with desire. But then, in the course of a single night, Adèle's husband dies and a black servant is shot, and Timar is sure that Adèle is involved. He'll cover for the crime if she'll do what he wants. The fix is in. But Timar can't even begin to imagine how deep.
In Tropic Moon, Simenon, the master of the psychological novel, offers an incomparable picture of degeneracy and corruption in a colonial outpost.
Customer Reviews:
Dark as the African Continent Itself.......2006-03-18
The prolific Georges Simenon wrote a number of roman durs, or hard novels, which have more of a noir edge to them than his traditional mysteries. TROPIC MOON is a good introduction to them as we follow young Joseph Timar to Africa. In search of job experience and maybe a bit of adventure, he quickly finds himself in way too deep. He almost immediately sleeps with the hotel owner's wife, the morally ambiguous Adele, and quickly thereafter finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation in which everyone else seems to know what is going on while leaving him in the blank.
TROPIC MOON, however, is more than just a crime novel. It is a raw depiction of conflict. After learning, in a rather cold and even humiliating way, that Adele has slept with almost every male character in the book, Timar becomes more and more obsessed with her, especially driven as she appears to be somehow implicated in the murder. Adele walks the tightrope of trying to draw Timar closer personally while seeming to protect him from the dark underbelly of the conspiracy.
This drama is set against the larger picture of colonial Africa, in which whites and blacks live in two different realities. It is a world of moral confusion and comes to the foreground as the details of Adele's involvement become more and more focused. The ending, although a bit weak, leaves Timar in the same state of confusion as the African continent on which the action unfolds. TROPIC MOON is a quick and worthwhile read.
Average customer rating:
|
Tropic Moon
Georges Simenon
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000SZ7NQG |
Average customer rating:
|
Tropic Moon
Simenon
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000M6KGKG |
Average customer rating:
|
Flint/steelsparks on tropic moon-night. (Short Fiction).(Short Story): An article from: Kola
Lorris Elliott
Manufacturer: Black Writers' Guild
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
 General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B0008FP7B4
Release Date: 2005-07-30 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Kola, published by Black Writers' Guild on September 22, 2002. The length of the article is 4380 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: Flint/steelsparks on tropic moon-night. (Short Fiction).(Short Story)
Author: Lorris Elliott
Publication:
Kola (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2002
Publisher: Black Writers' Guild
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
Page: 16(11)
Article Type: Short Story
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
A seductive new novel of treasure, temptation-and tantalizing pleasures.
In a fortress on the cliffs of Dover, former lovers meet again-in a storm of dangerous secrets, buried gold and long-denied passion....
Totally enchanting. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
A fascinating, glittering, and sometimes dangerous world. (Mary Jo Putney)
A breathtaking and powerful love story. (Romantic Times - Top Pick)
Another triumph. (Affaire de Coeur)
Download Description
"A seductive new novel of treasure, temptation-and tantalizing pleasures. In a fortress on the cliffs of Dover, former lovers meet again-in a storm of dangerous secrets, buried gold and long-denied passion...."
Customer Reviews:
Absorbing Historical Romance.......2006-05-27
Jo Beverley is an author whose complex plots and outstanding characterization have drawn many to her books. This is the second in the "Three Georges" series (the first, a novella from In Praise of Younger Men, was probably the best novella I have read in years). Beverley spins an absorbing, suspenseful tale. her books are not only well-written; they are not the usual historical regency, and have plenty of unique aspects to keep her work among the freshest and most outstanding of today's historical romances.
Past choices and emotional pain.......2004-02-17
There's plenty of those in this book. Beverley makes the reader feel the weight of the characters' mistakes and the pain it has caused them -- and the way those mistakes continue to influence their decisions. Because Susan had so hurt Con in the past and because he is still dealing with emotional wounds from war, he hurts her in this book -- sad, perhaps even cruel, but totally human. Forgiveness is one of the themes of this novel.
On the other hand, Con is my least favorite of the Georges for some reason. This book didn't live up to my expectations of him from his appearances in other Beverley books. Susan is a strong heroine and their love is deep and genuine -- it merely takes time and circumstances to get through the remnants of the past.
Often Beverley's books contain dark elements; this one is a case in point. The previous Earl of Wyvern was insane, a madness that manifested itself in torture and debauchery. Con's explosive reaction to this is fact is quite memorable. But the book has some very disturbing imagery because of this theme.
Perhaps the most engaging character in the book is Con's friend, Race de Vere. He shows up later as a hero in his own right, but he is absolutely delightful in this book and provides some much-needed lighter moments.
There are spans of narration, description, and inner monologue, but perhaps not as many as it might seem. This book is more slowly paced than many historicals and than many of Beverley's books. All in all, I'd place it on a par with St. Raven -- good, but quite dark and not her best. I might have given this book three stars, but it's a gem with compared to so many books out there; so I'm giving it 4.
I would give this 3 1/2 stars.......2004-01-25
I have just discovered Jo Beverley and started with the Arranged Marriage and have read them all so far in order (except Miles Story). And I have read them all in a week - so the stories are all fresh in my mind. I found this book book really boring. I agree with some of the other reviewers this just lacked something. But I do love her writing and am psyched to get started on the next book.
Okay - too much blah..........2003-10-28
This book was an okay read. It wasn't that good. Beverely talked wat too much and didn't let her characters talk! That is to say that there wasn't much dialogue and even though Beverely converyed the characters feelings quite well, she repeated herself too much. She kept on saying the same things all the time, she described too much and basically after the all the blah, blah, blah I got bored! I thought the plot was good and Con was great. The heroin needed to be worked on a bit more becuase she seemed too selfish and quite frankly she was so unbelievably annoying you wanted to burn the book. How can she evn think that she deserved another chance at Con after what she did to him. And believe me I was a fifteen year old not so very long ago and I know that at that age I would have had the sense to see that Con was the perfect guy for me and I would have never let him slip away! Just because he wasn't an earl! 15 year olds aren't that dumb! The "love scenes" or "sex scenes" as would be the correct term for them were sizziling hot and if you like that sort of thing then they were great - even though there weren't many of them! The most disapointing aspect of this book that the end was very abrupt - and when I say very, I mean VERY abrupt - and by the end of it I wasn't convinced that they were in love.
The only reason I gave this book 3 stars instead of two is because I liked the part when Con goes crazy, starts hacking down the torture room with an ax and then starts ruthlessly kissing her. That scene was really good. Plus when all is said and done Jo beverley is a good writer and even though I'm not fond of her style (no dialogue) her language and writing skills are superb.
Not one of her best, but still better than most........2003-09-27
All of Jo Beverley's books I have read so far distinguish themselves from the rest for their originallity and the quality of their writting. This is not an exception, that's why I'm giving this book 3 stars. I would give it 3 1/2 stars if it was possible, but I don't think it deserves 4 stars. Beverley is really a talented writer, but in my opinion this is not one of her best efforts.
The first half was really good, it was full of deep feelings, regrets, suppressed love and sexual tension. Those are always ingredients that make me enjoy a romance novel. But afterward I could not understand the reasons that kept them appart (his half commitment to Lady Anne, who is not even in love with him) To think that they would have actually forsake their love just to avoid her some dissapointment really annoyed me, because it would have been unfair to all the parts involved, including Lady Anne, who deserves better than a husband who is in love with another woman. It also denies the deep love and need that up until then I believed they felt for each other, because if that were the case, how could they calmly resign themselves to part and walk away from each other? This was the first flaw I found in the book.
The other one was that the only love scene between them (although passionate) is marred by lies and misunderstandings. The book really needed at least another love scene, one that would not have come about after he treated her like a whore and she permitted it, instead of being properly offended and hurt and setting him straight.
I would have preferred the first time they made love after so many years apart, to be more tender, more spiritual, like the coming together of two parts of a whole, the reunion of soulmates. Because that's what they are. There was nothing really wrong with the love scene, just with the events that led up to it.
And one more thing, although this is only my personnal preference, Jo Beverley seems to think that the ability to kill (and actually having done it) makes her heroes more desirable. I'm really not crazy about soldiers, or ex-soldiers or men that kill as if it was not a big deal. That was one of my few complaints about "My Lady Notorious" (Cyn Malloren story) and "Devilish" (his brother, the Marquess of Rothgar story)from the Malloren series.
But except for the above mentioned issues, the book is still quite good. Just not up to the high standards I expect from Jo Beverley after reading the Malloren series.
Product Description
A renewed romance with smuggling thrown in takes place in the south of England in 1816.
Average customer rating:
- Poor writing, stilted dialogue, and an uninspiring romance
- Fair-to-good effort from this author
- YUMMY !!!
- One greatly told story
- Pitiful, obvious writing and predictable plot
|
Bride of the Dragon
Patricia Phillips
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Accessories:
-
philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0843943408 |
Customer Reviews:
Poor writing, stilted dialogue, and an uninspiring romance.......2004-07-15
Bride of the Dragon is one of the least enjoyable historical romance novels I've ever read. (And I read a lot in the genre.) This book spans over a year of time, with the couple spending many months apart. When they are together, however, the romance between them rings false.
For instance, the hero declares himself to have fallen deeply in love at first sight, but manages to find time to fondle and kiss a serving woman when he thinks his betrothed isn't around. He manages to talk his lady love into bed, convincing her that his fooling around meant nothing. "Listen to me, Isobel. Lawri means nothing to me. No woman means anything to me --except you. Don't you think I wished it was you I kissed...and touched?". Surely, no woman would fall for this standard line of cheating men everywhere! (Lady Isobel does.)
The book jacket summary of a woman won as part of a tournament prize is resolved early in the book, leaving the happy couple to fight the plague and the military threat of neighboring pagans. This ugly environment of death and despair is periodically broken into for romantic liasons, which seem unreal and inappropriate considering the terror the two are facing.
The dialogue throughout is stilted and unnatural.
For example, when the hero awakens from a months-long illness to find his wife looking rather ragged and dirty she exclaims, "Though I realize my clothing's shabby, I'm the same inside. Out of love for you, sweetheart, I sank to this depth. You know I couldn't leave you. We belong together." He cries at her sacrifice. "Thank you, darling".
Historical details are often erroneous. The plot has giant holes and convenient lapses in logic, which save the couple time and again from a cast of just-plain-dumb villains. The hero proves that he is incapable of protecting anyone, leaving every fight he engages in near death and staggering around in a wash of blood. Neither he, his wife, nor the supporting cast have any human characteristics. They are broad-stroke caricatures with the sort of cheesy lines and cliched actions found in the lowest quality of soap operas.
Save yourself the aggravation and avoid this book. If you are looking for a talented historical romance writer, I suggest Kathleen Woodiwiss, instead.
Fair-to-good effort from this author.......2003-07-09
I have read a few "Patricia Phillips" and have generally liked what I read, but unfortunately I'm never really enthusiastic about her writing. I have to agree with the reviewer who said this one was flat & uninteresting. It was the kind of book where, while your'e reading it, you think about ways it could have been better. Personally, I thought the hero & heroine got together too quickly & without much character development, & the plot did smack of a 'formula'.
YUMMY !!!.......2002-11-05
This book was a fantastic and delicious treat. I often read many books at one time but when I started this book I put all the others on the back burner! Lady Isolbel and the Dragon Knight are spellbinding as they traverse through various life-threatening experiences. There is someone within their midst that cannot be trusted..a terrible evil spreads and wipes out whole villages. Lady Isolbel and Morgan of Nels (AKA Dragon Knight) are hot, hot, HOT! The descriptions of the land and the castles of the time are unbelievable. Be prepared to be transported across the seas through mist and fading light into a brilliant action-thriller with lots of action or EVERY kind. This is an awesome read and I assure you that you won't be disappointed. This is my first Patricia Phillipis book and I'm searching for more!
One greatly told story.......2002-01-04
This is a very well written story with a touching tale of love and kinship. I had to read this tale straight through. I have read this book twice in 3 days. I am purchasing everything that I can that Patricia Phillips has wrote to date.
Pitiful, obvious writing and predictable plot.......1998-07-08
I tried, really tried, to like this book, but no matter how many badly written, cheesy parts I skipped, there was always another on the next page. It is clear as day that the author makes Isobel dislike Morgan in the beginning to supply the generic Romance-Novel Conflict, making the conflict, and the plot in general, uninteresting and unbelievable. These characters never feel real, they lay flat on the page, and the reader never really cares whether they get together in the end.
Average customer rating:
|
The Dragon's Bride
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1162006994 |
Product Description
Publisher: Edition: 2001
Product Description
Although not penned as a sequel to The Devils Heiress (L1061), Dragons Bride introduces Con Somerford, Earl of Wyvern. Somerford inherits an earldom on the coast of England, which he has not visited for over a decade. Years of war and estrangement with his father have left him hard and alone and completely undesiring of the title or lands he now holds. In his absence, the estate became a smuggling center for the local town, led by none other than the girlnow womanwho continues to haunt his dreams. He and Susan Kerslake only knew each other for two weeks when they were both adolescents, but the afternoon of passion they shared on the beach beneath the cliffs burned a hole in his heart. The memories of her betrayal torment his mind and even in the wake of all the battles hes fought, none comes close to his war with her. As he rides in the darkness toward the empty castle, his mind is filled with thoughts of her when he suddenly comes face to face with Susan and her gun as she attempts to protect her fellow smugglers down on the beach. To safeguard her smuggling operation she has taken a job as the housekeeper in the empty castle. But upon his return, Con lets her know he expects her to perform the duties for which she is paid. Every tense moment between them is electrifying as old wounds are ripped open and healed by the power of love. The sensuality and sexual tension between this couple is just what Beverleys fans have come to expect and this truly is a story that will stand out in the mindsand heartsof romance readers everywhere.
Average customer rating:
|
The river dragon's bride,
Lena Leonard Fisher
Manufacturer: Abingdon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Missions & Missionary Work | Evangelism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008621DU |
Product Description
**** ($3.99 USA POSTAGE FOR ALL 13 BOOKS, WHICH WILL BE MAILED AT THE MEDIA - BOOK RATE WHICH IS SLOW SURFACE MAIL, 14- 21+ DAYS DELIVERY TIME). 13 - USED - CONNIE MASON PAPERBACK BOOKS, 1) A TOUCH SO WICKED, 2) SEDUCED BY THE ROGUE : (TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA) 3) THE DRAGON LORD : (TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA) 4) VIKING! 5) THE LION'S BRIDE, 6) LIONHEART,7) THE LAST ROGUE, 8) SHEIK, 9) TAKEN BY YOU:(TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA), 10) GYPSY LOVER: (TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA), 11) SHADOW WALKER: (TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA), 12)SIERRA: (TAPPED UPPED AT SPINE AREA, 13) THE PIRATE PRINCE.
Book Description
Catherine Asaro has won numerous awards for her Saga of the Skolian Empire novels, including the Nebula Award and two Romantic Times awards for Best SF Novel. Combining cutting edge scientific theory with grand romantic adventure, this series represents space opera at its finest.
The Final Key is the second half of the story arc known as Triad, which began in Schism. Schism ended with the Skolian Empire torn asunder by personal conflict within the royal family. With The Final Key, the Skolian Empire comes under all-out assault from its nemesis, the Euban Concord, who have undermined the Empire via subterfuge and assassination, leaving it ripe for conquest. The Skolian Empire's only hope? A young woman barely out of her teens who hasn't even complete her training as a cadet.
Customer Reviews:
Yet another entertaining piece of the Skolian saga.......2007-10-07
I'm a big fan of Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series. I've read them all (not always in order). This follows up Soz's days in the academy as a Jagernaut cadet and it doesn't disappoint. I enjoyed the other parts of the story that bring members of the Ruby Dynasty together in an often tumultuous turn of events when the Traders attack various Skolian outposts. Particularly interesting is Soz's brother Eldrin's downward spiral into drug abuse and the situation that forces him to go cold-turkey and quit, amidst war. Asaro's strong female characters are a welcome breath of fresh air and it's nice to see that the male characters aren't emasculated in any way. I did notice that all of her strong, beautiful, commanding females have black hair (like the author). Soz's mother Roca has metallic hair but it seems that there aren't any strong, beautiful commanding redheads or blondes in the Skolian universe. This (tongue-in-cheek)item aside, this book is great. I hope Catherine Asaro keeps on plugging away and churning out these books 'cause I love them and I'm waiting (impatiently) for "The Ruby Dice" to be available. Read this!
Ready for More!.......2007-09-08
I turned my 16-year-old grandniece on to the Skolian world this summer...she loved it! As do I. However, I do wonder when Asaro's publisher is going to collect all those miscellaneous short stores in the series into one volume -- I'd like to read them to help complete the big story. In the meantime, I am awaiting the next novel in the series.
Plagarism is Sad, even when You do it to Yourself.......2007-08-09
I love the Skolian Empire series, however Mrs. Asaro has let herself and her readers down with this one. Granted I have yet to get into the meat of the book, but I don't think I can.
Mrs. Asaro plagarises the entire first chapter of this book directly from the prior novel, making changes so minimal if you don't force yourself to read the chapter you would never know she added the two or three sentences she did. The ENTIRE chapter is almost word for word from the prior book. The next chapter also plagarizes large swatches from the previous book, Schism.
This is nothing new with Mrs. Asaro, as she has been copying full sections of exposition between her novels for years. I couldn't tell you how many times the same passages about Raylicon and it's founding, or the history of the Ruby Empire, that come straight word-for-word from like 7 of the 11 novels she has out. While this is annoying to no end, the premise of her novels is so unique you find yourself overlooking this bad habit... you tell yourself since the books can be read in almost any order, Mrs. Asaro needs to relate the same information time and again so her readers can follow the stories without needing to have read the other books.
However, there comes a point when this becomes ridiculous. If you make your living writing, and you hold as many degrees as Mrs. Asaro, this level of plagarism is just sad. If she were in High School she would fail her classes, and if this were college she would be expelled.
Overall, great series, with a great premise, however it is overloaded with repeated chapters, paragraphs and lengthy exposition. Anytime you find yourself skipping whole sections of text this shows a lacking in the author.
A prequel and a sequel all in one.......2007-04-05
"The Final Key" is not only the sequel to "Schism"; it's also the prequel to "Primary Inversion," the book that launched Ms. Asaro's Skolian Empire series.
Here, Soz is just about finished with her cadet training when the Eubians manage to sabotage the Skolian defenses and create chaos.
A suspenseful and well paced battle scene is the centerpiece of the book, and a suspenseful and excruciating battle with drug addiction serves as a great B story. As is usually the case with Catherine Asaro, she makes her characters seem like real people, and maybe you'll relate to Soz's fears as circumstances force her to assume a role she's not yet qualified to fill, and the struggles of Eldrin to free himself from his addiction.
As a sequel, the book finishes the tale begun in "Schism" very neatly, but as a prequel, some of the suspense is lost, because longtime readers know what will happen to the various Skolians down the line.
Newcomers to the series obviously should not start here, but either with "Primary Inversion" or "Schism." (A time line at the back of the book will guide those new readers.)
Notes and Asides. To Ms. Asaro: can we have more about the Blue Dale Archers, please? To Ms. Asaro's publisher: can we please have the short stories, doubtlessly all published in different places, that are mentioned in the timeline in a one- or two-volume collection? Thanks.
Another great Skolian Empire tale--.......2006-10-27
Asaro's combination of physics, military, romance and space opera still pleases in this eleventh tale of the Skolian Empire. She's filling in parts of her history in the Triad books, which can almost seem a re-hash of previous events, but if you love her characters it is well worth reading. Triad takes place before the events of previous books. In this installment, trouble flares again between the Empire and the Eubians, who have incapacitated Kurj, the Military Key of the Empire through an attempted assassination, and have launched a surprise attack--putting nearly all the members of the Ruby Dynasty in peril: Soz, who is still a cadet, but on her first battle-cruiser, her mother Roca--captured by Eubians, her brother Eldrin--in the city under attack and beset by his own demons. I think I'd prefer reading about what happens to characters she hasn't written about yet, but I can read Asaro's books all day, any day--so whatever she wants to write about is welcome.
Book Description
Is abortion a woman's right?When does human life begin?Should we legislate morality?What would happen if the Socrates of old suddenly appeared in modern Athens? Peter Kreeft imagines the dialog that might ensue with three worthy opponents--a doctor, a philosopher and a psychologist--about the arguments surrounding abortion.Kreeft uses Socratic technique to strip away the emotional issues and get to the heart of the rational objections to abortion. Logic joins humor as Socrates challenges the standard rhetoric and passion of the contemporary debate.
Customer Reviews:
A Hard Read.......2006-09-25
This is one of those books that will surprise you in many ways. It was not what I was expecting - of course I did not have the subtitle, only the main title at that time. I was expecting a book on philosophy from Peter Kreeft, a professor of Philosophy. But it was three debates on issues surrounding abortion lead by Socrates.
The format is three discussions led by Socorates with three groups of people. The first is with a Dr. Rex Herrod (King Herrod) held in a hospital in Athens in the present time. The second is again with Dr. Rex but also with his friend, a philosopher, Professor Atilla Tarian (Atilla the Hun) who is an ethicist, and it is held at a Philosophy convention. The final is in a Psychiatric ward with "Pop" Syke, (Pop Psychology) the psychologist.
Each debate is written as a mini morality play, like those of classical Greek plays. Each is written as a dialogue and written somewhat tongue in cheek, filled with puns and word plays.
This book was not an easy read, in that the material it deals with is very difficult and very controversial. It raises many questions that most people on both sides of the abortion debate probably do not think about. It is easy to read in that it was written in an easy style and flows nicely.
The main focus of all three debates is when does life begin, and who will speak for the most helpless, the unborn. This is a tough read but one that will not leave the reader unchanged.
A thought provoking read on an important topic.......2006-07-04
Though parts of this book struck me as cheesy, an abortionist named Dr. Rex Herrod for instance. I think that Peter Kreeft has crafted a good analysis of the arguments around abortion, presenting a fair picture both sides of the argument. It's a short and enjoyable read. Kreeft can be accused at times of using cheesy dialog, but at least his writing remains unbiased and logical.
2 points for Socrates, zero for Keeft.......2005-12-11
Keeft does a fair job in parts of making Socrates "come alive" on a contemporary issue; that is, he replicates his style in many respects, and conveys much of both the humor, sarcasm, and earnestness with which Socrates argued. There is of course little reason to think the content of his argument is at all related to what the historical Socrates would have believed. This is a relatively minor point. However as an introduction to or serious treatment of arguments about abortions, this work is a travesty.
In the first section "Socrates" debates an abortionist who confessess immediately that he has no idea whether the fetus is a person or not, and does not have a clear definition of a person which he attempts to defend. Unsuprisingly Socrates trashes this position, but this will have little effect upon anyone who has thought seriously about the obvious fact that rational capacity is what most adult humans (including those sleeping, vegging out, or in temporary comas) have, and which human bodies which are brain dead or which have not yet developed brains do not.
In part two Socrates debates a "philosopher" whom we learn right away is a defender of "relativism and utilitarianism." Now either Kreeft is unaware that relativism and utilitarianism are incompatible philosophies, or he naively believes that other people, including real philosophers who defend abortion, are unaware of this. In either case he's wrong on fundamental points, and hence again it is no surprise both that "Socrates" can demolish this "opinion" and also that this has absolutely nothing to do with any serious philosophical defenses of abortion.
About the third section, where Socrates debates a pop psychologist who thinks that feelings are more important than truth, there's little more to say, and the conclusions drawn are obvious. If Keeft's point is that it is easy to knock down straw men, then he has accomplished something, but this is hardly news. If his goal was to argue that the *actual* arguments given by *actual* philosophers or medical professionals on this issue are incorrect, he has missed his target by a mile. Socrates/Kreeft spends most of his time showing that all of the supposed "arguments" for abortion are moot or seriously weakened if the fetus is a person. This is challenged by a few philosophers like Judith Jarvis Thomson or Jane English, whose arguments are simply ignored here. But even if we conceded the point, this simply emphasizes how useless the whole dialogue was because he *never* considers a serious argument that the fetus is, while human, *not* a person, though there are many in the philosophical literature which he could have drawn from here. Don Marquis, John Noonan, and Sidney Callahan have much more serious pro-life arguments in their widely-anthologized articles, which also try to seriously engage actual pro-choice arguments rather than simply ignore them in hopes that nobody will notice, and I would recommend their works over Kreeft's rather fluffy treatment.
Can't Believe It's Not Socrates.......2005-09-10
Kreeft does a good job of capturing the character of Socrates as it has been recorded in the books that are believed to be actual accounts of conversations with him. Kreeft's Socrates helps modern men thoroughly examine the issues of abortion in a logical manner. The book also has humor that fans of the straightforward Socrates reasoning will especially enjoy.
Another pros and cons list.......2005-06-24
Overall, I think this book is a fair representation of the issue. The book is a debate among four characters, written like a Socratic dialogue. At the end everybody still basically believes in what they already brought to the table with little or any, change. The question at hand is: Is abortion right or wrong, do circumstances change that answer, and if so, why? All that aside, the four characters:
Socrates- your typical gadfly
Rex Herod- an abortion doctor
Atila Tarian-a utilitarian philosopher who is pro-choice
Pop Syke- a psychologist that tries to discredit Socrates via psychoanalysis
Cons:
1) I am by no means a feminist like some other critics, but I agree that having a woman in this dialogue would be appropriate. In fact, as Kreeft mentions in the book, that men tend to be more pro-choice than women. Most, if not all of the active pro-lifers I know are women! So having a woman here could really only strengthen the argument. Also, just for fairness, adding a pro-choice woman might help.
2) This is just one issue, where try as we might, logic often breaks down. Emotions and subjectivity always enter the discussion, despite our loftiest philosophical intentions.
Pros:
1) I think it defines the real heart of the issue well: Either you believe that a fetus constitutes human life or you do not. Women's rights are important, and women do have the right to go through with this procedure in most countries; what critics must understand is that the morality, and not legality, of this action is the premise of the book.
2) A spinoff of 1, the book demonstrates that morality and legality are not the exact same thing in our country, yet suggests that in a more idealistic sense they probably should be. This argument is right out of Republic, where wisdom and virtue are not very optional.
3) There are 3 people arguing the position that Kreeft dislikes, and only one arguing the alternative. I think most of the best arguments for the "pro-choice" position are articulated within the book (women's rights, democracy cannot legislate morality, fetus is not truly human). If this book was written by a pro-choice apologist, I would expect these arguments to prevail. However, this is not the case and thus people should expect to see counterarguments that are well prepared and delivered. Depending on your stance, this could be a pro or a con.
4) The book is true to life as opponents attack Socrates by calling him a man without compassion; since Roe v. Wade, both sides have often viewed the other as merciless.
5) I don't know why critics say that women's rights is a non-issue in this unfolding argument. Women and their stake in this issue is the main argument of the third and forth characters introduced, Tarian and Syke. I could see how people would dislike the idea that the personhood of the fetus, and not the mother's rights, is the central factor in deciding abortion. However, Kreeft makes a case, a rather strong one, for that being the central issue on the morality of abortion.
6) Again I would like to reiterate that the book brings up a fascinating philosophical question: Just because it is legal, does that make it moral? Should the laws of a country represent moral truths? If so, what would that mean for abortion laws if abortion is immoral?
I've just come to expect 1-star ratings from some of the critics of Kreeft. I might add that as I read their criticisms they don't sound like those of someone who actually read the book. The book covers the major rhetoric that has occurred since Roe v. Wade. I like Kreeft, and thus have a bias that I admit. Nonetheless, I hope my opinion has been helpful to you.
Books:
- True Confessions: A Novel
- Trusting Soul : Collected Stories & Drawings
- Under Kilimanjaro
- Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth
- Veronika Decide Morir
- Vinegar Hill (P.S.)
- Waiting for White Horses
- Wild Ginger: A Novel
- Willful Creatures
- Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Woodrow Wilson
- The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented
- La guerra del fin del mundo
- Landscape Architect's Portable Handbook
- Oblagon, Concepts Of Syd Mead
- Moduli Spaces of Curves, Mapping Class Groups and Field Theory
- Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches
- My Glimpse of Eternity
- Iniquities of the Father
- You Can Afford to Stay Home With Your Kids: A Step-By-Step Guide for Converting Your Family from Two
The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (New York Review Books Classics)
Dirty Snow (New York Review Books Classics)
Monsieur Monde Vanishes (New York Review Books Classics)
Three Bedrooms in Manhattan (New York Review Books Classics)
Red Lights (New York Review Books Classics)
![The Dragons Bride [UNABRIDGED] (Audiobook)](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21ec88JGckL.jpg)
