Some Fun: Stories and a Novella

Book Description

Nelson is an extraordinary chronicler of the fraught relationships between parents and children and husbands and wives. With her particular understanding of the threats and vulnerabilities of wild adolescence, as well as the complicated, persistent love that often lies dormant beneath the drama of rebellion, she illuminates the hidden corners of her characters' lives.

The shy, shoplifting sixteen-year-old protagonist in the title novella is trying to understand how to become an adult while going through a year of family disaster. We watch as she dabbles in the same adult behaviors that so repulse her about her parents (binge drinking, sex) while maintaining so much of her adolescent insecurity and confusion. "Dick" is a moving story about a mother who, having lost her daughter to the vicissitudes of adolescence, has a compulsion to protect her innocent, preadolescent son from the aggressive and encroaching post-9/11 adult world. The homeless teen at the heart of "Eminent Domain" is a pampered Houston rich girl who has, for her own reasons, taken to the streets.

Radiating an emotional intensity that unifies the entire collection, each of Nelson's stories both captivates and unnerves. As her characters run the gauntlet of often bewildering family tensions and trauma, she alternates hope and despair, resentment and love, in perfectly recognizable proportions.

Weaving wonderful observation with quick wit and striking insight, Some Fun is a timely and provocative inventory of the state of family in America -- and proof of why Nelson is one of the most important writers at work today.

Download Description

One of the most award-winning, critically acclaimed story writers working today, Antonya Nelson has a list of accolades that is astonishing for any writer, but especially for one as young as she. With her newest collection, Nelson once again proves herself worthy of her stellar reputation, delivering seven taut, striking stories and a brilliant novella, all exploring the tensions of troubled family relations. Nelson is an extraordinary chronicler of the fraught relationships between parents and children and husbands and wives. With her particular understanding of the threats and vulnerabilities of wild adolescence, as well as the complicated, persistent love that often lies dormant beneath the drama of rebellion, she illuminates the hidden corners of her characters' lives. The shy, shoplifting sixteen-year-old protagonist in the title novella is trying to understand how to become an adult while going through a year of family disaster. We watch as she dabbles in the same adult behaviors that so repulse her about her parents (binge drinking, sex) while maintaining so much of her adolescent insecurity and confusion. "Dick" is a moving story about a mother who, having lost her daughter to the vicissitudes of adolescence, has a compulsion to protect her innocent, preadolescent son from the aggressive and encroaching post-9/11 adult world. The homeless teen at the heart of "Eminent Domain" is a pampered Houston rich girl who has, for her own reasons, taken to the streets. Radiating an emotional intensity that unifies the entire collection, each of Nelson's stories both captivates and unnerves. As her characters run the gauntlet of often bewildering family tensions and trauma, she alternates hope and despair, resentment and love, in perfectly recognizable proportions. Weaving wonderful observation with quick wit and striking insight, Some Fun is a timely and provocative inventory of the state of family in America -- and proof of why Nelson is one of the most important writers at work today.

Customer Reviews:

Fun is a 3 Letter Word.......2006-08-23

"Some Fun" is the newest collection of short stories by Antonya Nelson and as in the past these stories and a novella ("Some Fun") deal with families in turmoil, families adrift: most drowning in a quagmire of their own lack of communication, substance abuse, mis-placed loyalties, unheard cries for help and of course...Love.
"Dick" concerns boyhood friendship or more to the point a warped version of boyhood friendship in which Dick is not at all happy that his friend Cole has moved to Colorado without saying goodbye: "(Dick and Cole) were children who deferred by instinct, not peacemakers but peacekeepers, knobby-kneed guys who had to be prompted to eat and encouraged to defend themselves against the other boys..." Then Dick disappears.
"Flesh Tone" is a "Ghost and Mrs. Muir"clone about a boy (Evan) whose mother (Merry) acts as his counselor long after she is dead: "Evan did not care if Merry was his secret; Merry had taught him the beauty of a secret life, the one unmeasured by others, and if unmeasured then unjudged, unknown in the most fundamental way, something held close as a heartbeat, a phantom voice near the ear, the most intimate of places."
"Only a Thing" can be summed up by its first line: "You could compare a certain kind of love affair to a car wreck. You don't expect it, but when it does happen, it seems inevitable--even overdue."
But it is in the novella, "Some Fun" that Nelson can stretch her formidable, and in this example very Raymond Chandler-like, writing licks: "Summer has come to the desert and wrapped the daylight around the dark like a hot fist holding a cold bullet."
"Some Fun" deals with a broken family: the mother Eve, an alcoholic, beautiful, yet tragic, Claire, the oldest child and the one who holds the family, consisting of her two brothers, together and Eve's ex-husband who has escaped into the arms of a fitness guru, Gweneth: "There is no way not to mock that woman's name. It is also difficult not to mock her appearance, because she isn't striking, and Claire's mother is. Claire's mother has thick dark hair...tragic European looks...she wears clothing the colors of red wine, dark chocolate, rich cream and in the style of another century, elegant, adult."
As with all children, adult or not, of alcoholics Clare's main concern is her mother's drinking. She looks for evidence of her mother's sobriety everywhere: is the bottle of wine from last night still in the refer? How many empties are in the trash now as opposed to last night?
"Some Fun," the short stories as well as the novella is Antonya Nelson at the zenith of her writing powers and observational skills and as such it is required reading for anyone interested in the fine art of contemporary writing.

Some Fun!.......2006-04-13

I found this new Antonya Nelson book in my mailbox yesterday afternoon. I stayed up all night reading the stories, and finished around 5 this morning.

Some Fun is a remarkable collection, set in the rural and urban American West. These are mostly stories of families, the disappointments that fracture them, and the love and duty that hold them together, mother to son, daughter to mother, husband to wife, and so on.

Of course, that talk doesn't tell you much about the writing itself, which is so rich and full of the same contradictions life offers us that the reader is grateful, for once, to not be forced by anger (and, okay, lack of self-control) to throw the book across the room. No way, Jack. Even as I devoured the pages, I was careful to keep the dust jacket unblemished and the pages uncrinkled. Some Fun is a book I want to keep with me for a long, long time.

Amazon.com

Whether she's knocking over her juice, dripping yellow paint on the carpet, or ripping apart feather pillows, Harriet Harris is, well, pesky. She certainly doesn't mean to be. And she's always very sorry for her behavior afterwards. Her mother doesn't like to yell, so instead she reprimands her with a gentle "Harriet, my darling child." But as Harriet's shenanigans escalate, so does her long-suffering mom's blood pressure. It looks like one more mishap will put her over the edge. And when that edge is reached, Harriet's mother yells. She yells and yells and yells.

Readers on both sides of the family battlefield will wholeheartedly identify with the oh-so-real experiences of Harriet and her mom. Sometimes accidents just happen, and sometimes yelling just happens. But even when family members make mistakes, they still love each other, as these two prove when they start laughing and cleaning up the big feathery mess after the apologies and hugs. Mem Fox is an internationally known literary consultant and author of many picture books, including Boo to a Goose and Sleepy Bears. Marla Frazee's pictures are exactly right: Harriet's unruly hair and guileless expressions perfectly capture the soul of a 4- or 5-year-old. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Harriet doesn't mean to be pesky. Sometimes she just is. And her mother doesn't mean to lose her temper. Sometimes she just does.
But Harriet and her mother know that even when they do things they wish they hadn't, they still love each other very much.

Customer Reviews:

YOU MUST GET THIS FOR YOUR TODDLER!!!.......2007-03-15

When my son was born, my perfect daughter became a hellion, and I became a screaming lunatic. We have all visited the dark side, I think.

So, I bought this book about a two-ish to three-ish year old who makes a lot of big mistakes. She is not naughty, just little and curious. And the mother, who is trying to do laundry or pay the bills or eat lunch, it patient, and patient, and patient some more. And then Mom LOSES it. Then everyone apoligizes and hugs and laughs at how hard it is to be a human being - whether you are two or 32.

My daughter read this again and again, especially when we were driving each other crazy. If you have a little one, espec. one who is acting out because there is a new brother or sister, this book is for you.

By the way, Harriet does not have a new baby in this story. She is just a wonderfully messy kid.

This is terrific book with a catchy catch phrase. .......2006-12-30

We read this book a lot and the kids love it.

Great Book........2005-09-25

Love this book, it makes me and my daughter laugh. Will buy it as a present for others too.

Harriet could drrive me crazy!.......2005-09-21

This is a cute book about a small child and her mother. Harriet is the normal child who "accidently" causes problems for her mom. It is an easy read that anyone can relate to, whether you are Hariett or mom.

cute story.......2005-03-04

Harriet is your typical preschoolers. She is curious about the world. As she explores the world she gets into trouble. She really doesn't mean to be bad it just happens. Her mother tries not to yell but as the day goes on Harriet causes more and more trouble for her mom. Her mother breaks down and yells at Harriet. Harriet is very upset and starts to cry. Her mother then takes a deep breath and tell Harriet that she sorry.

This book is good to show that everyone had bad days. It shows that even parents have bad days and make mistakes sometimes.

I would recommend this book for read aloud times. There are not may words per page and will keep the attention of kids of all ages. They will be able to relate to Harriet in her day to day activities and how she sometimes just happens to get into trouble with out trying to.

Average customer rating:

Lots of sizzle in this charming story
There's a reason this book quickly hit the USA Today list!
Sometimes it's just meant to be . . .
I liked it
An Enjoyable Story

Drive Me Wild
Julie Ortolon
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440236185
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Book Description

He was a devastating TV anchorman who thought he'd seen it all...

With the face that launched a thousand newscasts, drop-dead-gorgeous TV anchor Brent Michaels returns to his Texas hometown--to be the "bachelor" in a Dating Game fund-raiser. He can't refuse his old friend Laura Beth Morgan's request. And soon, he can't refuse the shy do-gooder anything. The tomboy he remembered had blossomed into a beautiful woman. An irresistible challenge for the man every woman wants...

...until he rediscovered the girl next door.

Laura Morgan yearns to break free, just as Brent Michaels did. He'd come a long way from the boy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, the friend who kissed her once, then ran. But even as he warns her he's incapable of love, he's not running now. For Laura was stirring him like no woman had before, making him consider the "M" word for the first time, leaving him certain of only one thing: Laura Morgan could be his undoing....

Customer Reviews:

Lots of sizzle in this charming story.......2005-11-10

Fourteen years after leaving the small town and small minds of the residents of Beason's Ferry behind, ne'er-do-well Brent Michael Zartlich reinvented himself as successful Houston news anchor Brent Michaels. Laura, a blast from the past, and his only real friend from childhood has called asking him to participate in a "Dating Game" fundraiser. He agrees, provided she is one of the contestants, and proceeds to select her as his date. Sparks fly when he lays eyes on the former tomboy.

Laura has had dreams of leaving her small town too. Ever the dutiful daughter, she has been the caretaker for her daddy since her mother died years earlier. She decides to make a move for the summer by sharing digs with her artist pal, Melody in Houston. Now if she can just get her persistent ex Greg to quit thinking that they are engaged... and get her father to understand that it is time to let her make her own future.

In Houston, she and Brent embark on a passionate affair. While he wants to keep it casual, in the back of her mind, she is holding out for the brass ring, which Brent has told her time and again, he will not offer. But she ignores this, assuming she will turn him around. Soon, a lucrative job opportunity arises and has the potential to tear them apart.

Ortolon has created dynamic characters with lots of chemistry - they sizzle off the page. Secondary characters are well drawn out to, including new age diva Melody, who tries to get Laura to see all sides before making impulsive decisions.

There's a reason this book quickly hit the USA Today list!.......2004-05-04

...And it's because it's terrific! It's one of those heart-warming fun-reads about a home-town girl who falls for the bad boy (who has come home to do her a favor).

But oh, boy...this book is not without spice! Julie Ortolon knows how to write about people falling in love. (And the scene after Laura meets Brent in the bar is HOT!)

A great read!
Next, please!

Sometimes it's just meant to be . . ........2003-04-17

A first novel that really delivers! My first book by this author was "Lead Me On", then I read "Falling for You". I'm looking forward to reading "Dear Cupid" to bring me current (and can't wait for "Don't Tempt Me" due early in 2004). Ms Ortolon's obvious love of Texas and her feel for small town life add to the charm of her stories.

Brent Michaels has really made it. Handsome, wealthy Houston news anchor, he's come a long way from the abusive, wrong-side-of-the-tracks, poverty of his broken childhood. No one in the small town of Beason's Ferry ever thought he'd amount to much, so he left and never looked back. But a charity "Dating Game" event organized by the only friend he ever had brings him reluctantly back to his hated home town - on the condition that she is one of the contestants!

Laura Morgan, dutiful daughter of the town doctor, has never left Beason's Ferry. She lives a sedate, conservative life organizing charity events and occassionally dating the town pharmacist. She never misses the evening news watching Brent with pride, longing and a bit of envy, for she'd love to move to Houston and make her own life, but she's always felt a duty to stay with her father.

And so, when the former Brent Michael Zartlich selects Laura to be his date, they see each other again for the first time in years. There is obvious attraction on both sides, but Brent tries hard not to act on it. Laura's the white-picket-fence, two kids and a dog type and that life is definitely not for Brent. With the childhood he had, he's convinced he'd make a lousy husband and father and has no intention of ever trying. Laura assures him she's not looking for those things, and decides to move to Houston for the summer, get a job and pursue a relationship with Brent. Things go well until they get serious, of course and I think I'll stop there. You'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens!

Brent and Laura are both likeable characters, especially Brent - so smooth and confident on the outside, yet a bundle of insecurities inside, particularaly when dealing with the people from his past. A recommended read!

I liked it.......2003-02-15

You already know what it was about so I will just tell you what I think of it. I wish that it was fleshed out more. Like I would love to have actually had some more scenes that showed where they came from ya know. I think it was a little rushed I would have like more of all the story

An Enjoyable Story.......2001-04-29

I was looking for quick, light read one day. I picked this up and am not sorry I did. It was just what I was looking for.
It's about two old childhood friends who meet again. Brent is the bad boy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Laura is the good girl who grew up with expectations that she would always be the good girl.
Brent is now a famous TV anchor and is lured back to town for a fund-raiser. Laura is still in their hometown, still being the good girl. What people don't know is that she wants to break out of her good girl mode.Brent is not sure what to make of Laura the wanna-be-bad girl. Thus begins their relationship. A steamy one at that. This story is fast paced and alternately you will laugh and cry, as the two struggle to break out of the past and start new lives. They begin to understand what happened in the past and how it shaped their lives. After experiencing the ups and downs of their relationship, the two reunite and of course, live happily ever after.
I am looking forward to any more books by Julie Ortolon, as she appears to have a fresh writing style.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding!
Trash
Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence

Drive Me Wild (Heat)
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373691211

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding!.......2007-05-05

Here I am, late to the party. Not because I just read the book, but because I didn't think to check on reviews here until now. I see one yay and one nay so I thought I'd share my .02 worth.

I love this book. I love everything about it. The characters, Molly and Alec, are fantastic. Molly is a talented writer, but unsure of herself. Sweet and loving and beautiful to boot. I see why Alec is having fantasies. And Alec, well he's my favorite hero to date. I love the sweet, fumbling, humble, but sexy guy and I don't find him very often. Together these two are incredible. I have literally, hundreds of books, probably read thousands, and this is one I keep coming back to time and time again. From beginning to end it's just great. The love scenes are sweet and hot. Just the way I like them, but there's enough emotion in here to make me cry. Bravo!

Trash.......2005-12-31

This is a terrible story with terrible writing. Molly and Alec are friends first; Alec has been Molly's chauffer for about 6 months. Molly is a ghostwriter who wants to break into erotic literature, and Alec is a confused young 20something with no ambition and no usable skills. Molly and Alec hook-up sexually after exchanging just a few words. The book was terrible - the writing was drab and uninteresting, the characters were shallow and lifeless, and the `romance' was barely lukewarm - definitely not `heat.' Awful book, awful writing, a major ZERO RATING.

Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.......2003-04-11

After ten years of college, Alec Masterson is working on his fifth choice of a major and paying the bills by working as chauffer. Little does he suspect that his favorite client, Molly Drake, has him starring both in her fantasies and in her latest novel. Then Alec's actions as a Good Samaritan result in his being late to pick Molly up for an extremely important train ride into the city. Consequently, he offers to drive her from her home in Connecticut to her appointment in New York City. Anticipating good news regarding her latest literary venture, Molly says she hopes they will have something to celebrate on the way home.

A successful career ghostwriting cozy mysteries has Molly longing to have her own name on a book spine. Shifting genres, Molly pens a sensual romance. Unfortunately, her editor rejects her effort, suggesting she needs to get beyond her contrived and stilted sex scenes. Stunned and more than a little disappointed, Molly decides she needs practical experience. Soon Alec offers to help her "research" and they begin what believe to be a fling. It does not take long for them to drive each other wild!

Once again Vicki Lewis Thompson pens an absolutely sizzling romance in DRIVE ME WILD. Thompson's gift for bringing together opposites who refuse to compromise their intrinsic identities allows her characters to embrace their differences and revel in their individuality in a story where everyone wins. Moreover, Thompson breaks new ground as Molly and Alec daringly indulge their wildest fantasies, which could easily result in her fans rushing to the local video camera department. Indeed, Molly and Alec's naughty escapades will certainly inspire the most jaded of readers! This amusing romantic romp is filled with sensuality and sexuality while still providing a marvelous plot that really keeps the pages turning. DRIVE ME WILD earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

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Drive Me Wild
Julie Ortolon
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739409778

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Drive Me Wild
Sawyer Brown Cdcurb 77902
Manufacturer: CURB RECORDS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 6305323879

Average customer rating:

Excellent Read!

pleasant, charming going home
Drive Me Wild (Silhouette Special Edition, 1476)
Elizabeth Harbison
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0373244762

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Read!.......2002-06-20

I LOVED this book! The characters were real, the plot inventive and the writing was first rate -- one of those rare books you want to swallow in one sitting.

If you're in the mood to read a heartfelt love story with some wonderfully steamy scenes, don't miss this one. I even loved the atmosphere -- the sleepy, small town, with flashbacks to the innocence of young love.

Oh, and there was a lot of great humor in the story too. This book had it all!

pleasant, charming going home.......2002-06-11

Elizabeth Harbison has a nice writing style, a good voice, with bright spark of humour. Too bad the story is rather forced (not her fault but with series romance structure!!)

Luke Stewart was in love with Grace Bowes 17 years ago, but she married his best friend and move away. And those embers have remained banked. They flare to life again when Grace comes into to interview for a job. No longer the golden girl, part of a golden couple, she is divorced with a 9 year old son and so desperate for a job and willing to do anything - including learn how to drive a school bus.

Romance naturally follows, with Grace still determined to return to the big city once she gets on her feet.

Just a little too weak on the reasons why she wants to leave the love of her life for the big city a second time, forcing her characters to go through the motions, instead of letting the plot move them. (The books quick pace is as fault here. With a longer length, she could have devoted more time to this).

Luke and Grace are achingly 'real', and she gives teenage uncertainity, of a romance that never dies a strong treatment.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Horn Book Magazine, published by Horn Book, Inc. on March 1, 2000. The length of the article is 384 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: Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild!(Review)(Children's Review)(Brief Article)
Author: M.v.p.
Publication: The Horn Book Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2000
Publisher: Horn Book, Inc.
Volume: 76 Issue: 2 Page: 184

Article Type: Book Review, Children's Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

4 books by JULIE ORTOLON 1 Shipping Charge (JUST PERFECT - TOO PERFECT - FALLING FOR YOU - DRIVE ME WILD)

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4 books by JULIE ORTOLON 1 Shipping Charge (JUST PERFECT - TOO PERFECT - FALLING FOR YOU - DRIVE ME WILD)
Julie Ortolon
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PSSRAM

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DRIVE ME WILD (SPECIAL EDITION S.)
ELIZABETH HARBISON
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OWKIS8

Book Description

Gone are the days when anxiety was an uncommon affliction. Today, it’s a chronic, low-level interference that affects everyone, sometimes with devastating results. In Strength in the Storm, one of the 20th century’s great spiritual teachers addresses this issue. Drawing on his observations of modern life and his teachings, this compact book shows readers how to make the small choices every day that help them build better families, work environments, and communities — transforming themselves in the process. With gentle wisdom and humor, Easwaran offers specifics on finding the calm center of chaos. He urges readers to take their time, showing how it is the mind, not external events, that drive a sense of urgency and restlessness. He stresses meditating on words that embody one’s highest ideals, allowing them to take root and bring about wonderful life changes. Additional inspirational passages invite the reader to achieve deeper healing and reflection.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2007-02-18

I purchased this book as a requirement for a class. After reading it I recommended it to several friends. Easwaran presents challanges to a person in changing there life by learning to slow down. There is something for everyone in this book whether you're looking for ways to better your life or just want an awakening to what's going on in your life, because it definitely has you take a good look at yourself. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Introducing readers to an uncompromisingly conceptual and helpful system of ideals and coping techniques.......2006-01-09

Strength In The Storm by Eknath Easwaran is an unusually insightful collection of philosophical perception and societal interpretation of the everyday tedium encountered in the course of ordinary daily life. Introducing readers to an uncompromisingly conceptual and helpful system of ideals and coping techniques, Strength In The Storm astutely guides its readers through life's universal issues as they present themselves. Strength In The Storm is especially recommended reading for those who are searching for an instructive and "user friendly" guide for seeking happiness and obtaining contentment, as well as those who find themselves chronically unhappy with their daily struggle with situational stresses, relationships, or the seeming indifference of the world around them.

Strength in the Storm - Creating Calm in Difficult Times

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Strength in the Storm - Creating Calm in Difficult Times
Eknath Easwaran
Manufacturer: Jaico
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

For anyone struggling in today's anxious world, Easwaran delivers time-tested, practical skills to reduce frustration, anger and stress. In Stength in the Storm, Easwaran points out that we can't control weather outside, but we can control how we respond. By training our minds we can learn to -Cope more effectively with irritations of everyday life -Be at our best under stressful, confrontational and challenging situations -Recover more quickly from major stressful incidents -Improve relationships and become more patient

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