Average customer rating:
- What is a Creole?
- What is a Creole?
- Coming Through Slaughter: Ondaatje's musical novel
- Zippity-do-dah-crap
- Question
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Coming Through Slaughter
Michael Ondaatje
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 British
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ASIN: 0679767851
Release Date: 1996-03-19 |
Book Description
Bringing to life the fabulous, colorful panorama of New Orleans in the first flush of the jazz era, this book tells the story of Buddy Bolden, the first of the great trumpet players--some say the originator of jazz--who was, in any case, the genius, the guiding spirit, and the king of that time and place.
In this fictionalized meditation, Bolden, an unrecorded father of Jazz, remains throughout a tantalizingly ungraspable phantom, the central mysteries of his life, his art, and his madness remaining felt but never quite pinned down. Ondaatje's prose is at times startlingly lyrical, and as he chases Bolden through documents and scenes, the novel partakes of the very best sort of modern detective novel--one where the enigma is never resolved, but allowed to manifest in its fullness. Though more 'experimental' in form than either The English Patient or In the Skin of a Lion, it is a fitting addition to the renowned Ondaatje oeuvre.
Customer Reviews:
What is a Creole?.......2005-05-20
In light of the confusion of the use of the term "Creole" in this book, readers must understand that the first usage of the term was by the Portuguese (crioulo) to describe their mixed offspring in Cape Verde and elsewhere. Eventually, it was used to describe any peoples born in the New World. In Louisiana, it was used first to describe all peoples born in Louisiana, and later used to distinguish French Louisianans from Cajuns and Americans. Free people of Color, who were also of French descent, did not begin to use this term until after the Civil War. They used it for the same reasons as their French cousins, to distinguish themselves from the Americans.
What is a Creole?.......2005-01-28
I read the book not because I'm a fan of detective fiction, but because I wanted to learn a bit more of the history of Jazz and New Orleans: Fulmer's book more than fulfilled my expectations. Now I want to read his latest book to see what additional glimpses of Jazz and New Orleans Fulmer describes in it.
A few have criticized Fulmer because he called St. Cyr a Creole. Their argument is that St. Cyr is partially black and Creoles are never even partially black. However, they are wrong. The true origin of the word Creole is Spanish. This was the name given to the descendant of a Spanish-born mother and father when their child was born away from Spain. Later the term Creole was also used by the French to indicate a person born away from France whose parent were both born in France.
The original Creoles were indeed not mixed. However, the term Creole also has for some time been used as Fulmer uses it. It is a name given to the mixed blood descendants of blacks and the original French and Spanish settlers. Check your dictionary.
Coming Through Slaughter: Ondaatje's musical novel.......2004-06-27
I originally read this book as part of a fiction workshop. Unlike some other class-assigned readings, this book became a treasured part of my personal collection. Its form is rather unconventional -- it's rather like reading a novel of poetry. Admittedly, it can be hard to "get into," but I found that the more I read in one sitting, the greater impact Ondaatje's prose had on me. For me, Coming Through Slaughter was one of those rare gems that hovers over you until you've completed it. You find yourself thinking of Ondaatje's characters even when you've put the book away; they linger after the last page in the same way they seem to exist in the realm of the book -- a dream-like haze.
The story is one of Buddy Bolden, a real jazz musician in New Orleans in the early 20th century. None of his music survives, but he is said to be one of the founders of jazz. And so Ondaatje explores the small pieces of Bolden's historical truth, creating a character and an entire book that revolves around his life, his love affair with music, his love affair with a woman, and the audience's love affair with him. Other historical characters emerge from the text, like E.J. Bellocq, a man who photographed prostitutes from the Storyville area of New Orleans.
There are a lot of beautiful descriptions of abstractions, particularly of music (the way it looks, its color, the way it's created) and of emotion. As some other reviewers have suggested, they are descriptions tangible enough for a deaf person. And yet there is an ethereal element in Ondaatje's writing that makes it seem as though something much greater eludes you; it adds to Bolden's presence in the book.
This is the first book I've read by Ondaatje, and I hope to read more.
Zippity-do-dah-crap.......2004-02-06
I've been forced to wade through a lot of boring crap in my life: Thomas Hardy, Jane Urquhart's Changing Heaven, Leviticus, and this book was one of the biggest bores of them all. Nobody seems willing to admit to the fact that everything Ondaatje writes is tedious, self-indulgent and overdone. This guy sits around for 10 years with this thumb up his ass and at the end of it this is all he has to show for it. True, he's not bad looking for an old Sri Lankan guy, but that's no reason to let this guy continue churning this stuff out. My advice to him would still be that it's never too late to go into a new line of work.
Question.......2002-12-10
Hello - This isn't a review, but a solicitation for advice. My girlfriend is an infrequent reader, but she read this book as part of an English class assignment and absolutely loved it. Can anyone out there recommend anything similar in style and/or subject matter (not necessarily about Bolden, but perhaps New Orleans and/or Jazz, etc)? I've made my own suggestions to her but none could pique her interest quite as much as this book has. Any and all serious recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Average customer rating:
- A great read despite the formula
- Disappointing
- I like the character of Sean, but the book is a let down.
- Mr. Greenwood's best book yet!
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The Cowboys: Sean (Cowboys)
Leigh Greenwood
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Greenwood, Leigh | ( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0843944900 |
Customer Reviews:
A great read despite the formula.......2000-03-15
After reading a dozen inane romance novels, how wonderful it was to stumble across Leigh Greenwood's Cowboys series! He uses tight plots, interesting characters, balanced couples, and the atmosphere of the West seems to spark every scene. They are a delight to read -- with one caveat. Space out your reading, for apparently they all have the same general plot, even the same sex scene. After reading three at once, I was able to point to sections in the fourth book and say, "covetous neighbor introduced here," "first sex scene here," "kidnapping here," and know that the woman would say "please" during the sex, which seems to consist of the same foreplay each time. It's fine to have a formula if it works well, and Mr. Greenwood's formula certainly does! Again, I emphasize how exciting and well-written (and crafted) his books are. But just don't read them all together or you'll get a serious case of deja vu.
Disappointing.......1999-08-29
Leigh Greenwood started us off with a great story in the series the Cowboys, with Jake she has created wonderful characters, with the potential of some great reading. I liked Ward, Buck, Chet, what happened to Sean? She made a buffoon out of him. Come on if your just going to mass produced books to keep on with the series stop now...The boys all have wonderful strong personalities but you would never know it with Sean. Also his closest friend Pete you'd never know from this story they were, or the strong family ties with the Maxwells and all the boys. Read the first chapter and the last two chapters and you'll have the story such as it is. Leigh Greenwood owes her readers an apology for this one.
I like the character of Sean, but the book is a let down........1999-04-25
Sean's characerter is one any woman would love. But to match him with someone like Pearl was a real disappointment. You have to wait six months for these books, and I really felt let down. I really felt like Sean deserved a better woman and story than what he got. Jake and the Randolph series was a lot better. I hope Leigh Greenwood goes back to his old style of writing for the next book.
Mr. Greenwood's best book yet!.......1999-02-02
Leigh Greenwood has outdone himself with Sean. Sean O'Ryan is a force to be reckoned with. His strong Irish character makes him the perfect hero. Even though he was orphaned as a child and turned away by his Aunt, he found good fortune when adopted by Jake and Isabell. Now as a grown man he is determined to find enough gold in the fields of Colorado to buy himself a ranch and find the perfect wife. But Pearl Belladonna can't be that woman. She is a woman who owns a saloon and flaunts herself in front of rowdy men every night for money. Okay, so she is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen with her flaming red hair (from a bottle) and her her lowcut dresses, but she's a
Definitely not his type.But in spite of his good intentions his heart has other plans. Pearl has a heart of gold more valuable than any he can find in the fields. Throw in a too charming crooked gambler named Rock and a few gunshots and you have a story! With lies, robbery and deciet, Sean doesn't know if he can ever forgive Pearl, but his love is tested to the limits when she is arrested and he learns that her daughter has been kidnapped. Like any perfect hero he comes to the rescue and saves the day. This book is filled with passion, fun, and the purest kind of unconditional love. Sean is a must read for all Greenwood fans.
Average customer rating:
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Ebony Marshal: Bitter
Sean Chandler
Manufacturer: branded black publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Westerns | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974691321 |
Product Description
Sometimes even the law can go bad.
He knew when he had heard the words that it wasnt going to be an easy task.
Bring in the Pattersons.
Roy and Orville Patterson, two former deputies who had ridden for the Judge, had went as rotten as an apple on the hottest day. Marshal Bates had wanted him to bring them in if he could or end their evil ways if he couldnt, but the situation had become complicated. To find the trail the two Deputies had ridden down would mean following them into the biggest range war this side of the Mississippi.
Can Deputy Tyler Musler find the two former Deputies before lead flies or will he be caught in the middle of something bigger than he imagined?
Customer Reviews:
Ebony Marshal Bitter.......2007-08-28
The old West still lives in tales like Ebony Marshal Bitter, brought to life
by the vivid imagination of talented author Sean Chandler. The tall men who
brought law and order to a wild land return to us in these tales.
Without men like Tyler Musler, the west would have remained in the hands of
outlaws and men who lived and died by the gun. These men held life cheap and
often killed for the mere sport of it so at the risk of their own lives,
lawmen made it possible for civilization and safety to settle in these wild
lands.
Tyler had just recovered from gunshot wounds when a messenger brought word
that he was needed to go after the Patterson boys, former deputy marshals
gone bad. He was accompanied by three other deputies on this trip, an
Indian, a black man like himself and an older white man who did not think
they were his equals.
Trouble dogged their trail from the outset. Prejudice and suspicion rode
with the four men, keeping them on the edge of trouble among themselves.
Could this cause the failure of their mission? Will all four return home?
Along with the question of whether or not they find their prey, these
questions will keep you reading.
A book that goes beyond the ordinary shoot 'em up and chases on horseback,
you'll come to understand how a hard land makes a hard man if he is to
survive.
Recommended as a fine read for any western or historical fan. Enjoy. I
did.
Average customer rating:
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The Age of Chaos: the Multiverse of Michael Moorcock
Jeff Gardiner ,
Bob Covington , and
Michael Moorcock
Manufacturer: BFS Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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| Classics
| Comic
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Moorcock, Michael
| ( M )
| Authors, A-Z
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| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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ASIN: 0953868125 |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Helix imprint. 3 new stories of the Eternal Champion written by Michael Moorcock.
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Helix imprint. 3 new stories of the Eternal Champion written by Michael Moorcock.
Product Description
No.6 in a 12 issue series, April 1998.
Book Description
This is a novel set at the very heart of Michael Moorcock's multiverse, in Karadur, city of metal, steam and ancient families, the mighty clans of the metal. In six days, Max Silverskin, thief and trickster, must discover the secrets of his heritage or die from the witch mark - the silverheart - which will devour his heart. Lady Rose Iron, daughter of the leader of the powerful Clan Iron is thrown into an edgy alliance with Max as she searches for the secrets that could save the city's future. Captain Cornelius Coffin, head of the clans' security forces, is in love with Lady Rose and obsessed with capturing Max. And there are others, in Shriltasi, Karadur's underworld twin, who know the prophecy which says that only Max Silverskin can save both realms.
In Silverheart, Michael Moorcock and Storm Constantine have combined their talents to produce a novel which is both surreal and gothic.
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
This co-authored book is sort of an adjunct to Michael Moorcock's Multiverse. I think it was written with a computer game in mind, or something like that. Constantine took Moorcock's notes and input and finished off the novel.
The hero of the piece is Max Silverskin, a dodgy bloke who has to remove a magical mark, or he will cark it.
Society is divided by an allegiance to a particular metal, and Lady Rose Iron will be an ally of Max's. This makes him an enemy of her clan's security guy, who has the hots for Rose.
Questing ensues.
Enjoyable and sticks in your head.......2005-12-15
As a longtime sci-fi fan, I realized that I had never actually read any Moorcock besides Gloriana (which I didn't enjoy). Saw this and thought I'd try it. It was pleasant surprise - sucked me into the story, and I couldn't stop reading once it hit the end. A bit predictable in parts, but done well; the world was very well developed, and the mythos interesting. I find scenes from the book stick into my head now, and keep popping up when I'm trying to work. I'd read it again.
Unfortunately Dull.......2005-11-05
A fascinating setting marred by dull characterizations and a tiredly familiar rpg-cliche storyline make this book a profound disappointment. Silverheart is an ode to the typically unusual Moorcockian genre with none of the charm or the lyricism that infects the pages of an actual Moorcock novel. One gets the idea while ploughing through the pages that Moorcock's contribution to the book consisted solely of a few notes scrawled on the back of a napkin, giving the finished product the necessary decor yet none of the necessary structure.
Fortunately, its publication is immediately followed by a true-written Moorcock novel, "The White Wolf's Son".
Missed Potential.......2004-10-29
Initially this story posed some interesting characterisations and settings, hinting at the typicaly Moorcockian underlying brooding nature of the realm, its history and the background of the characters. However as the plot unfolds you might begin to feel that opportunities for the usual intrigue and depth, common in other Moorcock tales, are missed out on and the characters fail to achieve their potential. Not only that, the overall plot seems to suffer from a common problem found in a lot of 'trash fantasies' - things just happen for no apparent reason other than to satisfy some weak twist in the story. And as for the conclusion? what weak nauseating trash!
Having ready this directly after reading 'The Dreamthiefs Daughter', a true-blooded Moorcock novel, its plain to me where the weak link lies: Storm Constantine.
If you're a Moorcock fan then don't waste your money, borrow it from a library.
If on the other hand you're a Storm Constantine fan or like 'trash-fantasy' endings and plot twists then go ahead and buy - after all it may lead you to read further into the Moorcock multiverse and uncover some worthwhile and skillful writing.
Okay.......2004-02-09
I do not believe it is accurate to blame the failings (if so they are) of this book entirely on Storm Constantine. This was a collaborative effort. While Constantine may have essentially written the story, she was in liaison with Moorcock for its conception through to its completion, and Moorcock would have undoubtedly read all the drafts and given his approval, seeing as it has his name on the cover. I doubt Moorcock would have blindly allowed Constantine to write what ever she wanted, at the sake of his own reputation.
As for my opinion of the story, I found it a tad laboured and in places quite boring. Conversely, I found it in places unusual and interesting. In other words, it is an uneven story and thus difficult to review or to describe. I will however say that there are much worse examples of fantasy on the market. Silverheart is just unremarkable, but passable. I found Silverheart more enjoyable a second time. There is a lot of detail to absorb - possibly too much, as Storm backfills at every opportunity she gets, laying it on a little too thickly. Probably it could have used some slimming down.
I am not a Moorcock fan, but it seems Moorcock fans are not thrilled with this book. As a former Constantine reader (I've gone off her a bit since the mid-nineties), I can say I am disappointed though not surprised at the outcome.
The plot: In six days Max Silverskin, thief and trickster, must discover the secrets of his heritage or perish from the witch mark - the Silverheart - on his chest which will devour his heart. Lady Rose Iron, daughter of the leader of the mighty Clan Iron in Karadur, city of metal, steam and ancient secrets, is thrown into an uneasy alliance with Max as she searches out the secrets which may save the city's future. Captain Cornelius Coffin, head of the clans' security forces, is in love with Lady Rose and obsessed with capturing Max. And there are others, in Shriltasi, Karadur's underworld twin, who know the prophecy which says that only Max Silverskin can save both realms.
And a note to Amazon: Silverheart is a COLLABORATION between Michael Moorcock AND Storm Constantine. For reasons unknown Amazon omitted Ms Constantine below the title of this book. Not very fair considering she is responsible for fleshing out the story - you know, the difficult bit.
Book Description
With the election of Pope Benedict XVI, the world again witnessed the pomp and honor of the Swiss Guard, the Pope's Army. Bestselling author and Crisis columnist Robert Royal recounts the colorful history of the military guard that has witnessed every major Vatican event for half a millennium.
Customer Reviews:
THEY LOOK MEDIEVAL BUT BETTER NOT MESS WITH THEM.......2006-08-07
Yes the Swiss Guard around the Pope seem rather medieval in their uniforms, but their history and their training is far from uninteresting. This short but fascinating book gives the highlights of their foundation, their history and their present place in the life of the most influential religious leader in the world. Well worth reading and well worth gaining respect for an elite group of young men.
Could have been better.......2006-07-18
How I wish I could write a positive review of this book. Unfortuately, I cannot. This book starts out great and then becomes so bogged down with names, battles, and other details that it loses sight of its topic--the Papal Swiss Guard. There are no pictures, maps, timelines or other visual aids that would help the struggling reader, other than a small color spread of photos in the center of the book. I enjoy reading non-fiction books and I love studying the history of the Catholic Church, but this is the kind of book that causes people to hate reading history. Dry, boring with no sense of narrative. It was a struggle to get through it and I only did because I am very interested in the subject. The only section worth reading was the period about the Vatican during World War II. Maybe one of these days a writer will write a book about the Swiss Guard that is enjoyable as well as informative. This one "ain't it."
Excellent history of a colourful and very special bodyguard.......2006-07-11
This book is a small treasure for anyone who wants to have a glimpse into the long history of the Papal Swiss Guard. This bodyguard of mercenaries was created in 1506 and 19 years later suffered its greatest challenge, when it defended the Pope against the imperial troops of Charles V and lost 147 of its 189 members. The dreadfull sack of Rome was not enough though for the Papal Swiss Guard to eclipse from history and a few years later it was again on duty. Robert Royal presents this long journey through time in an eloquent way, embellishing it with many little known episodes and painting unforgettable portraits of the various commanders of that small but dedicated mercenary group (it has traditionally the status of a regiment despite its company size). Also useful, is the description of the present day Swiss Guard, the criteria for anyone wishing to become a member and the many changes that modern times have bring to its training, armament and duties. The book includes a section of 12 color photographs. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this colourful subject!
An in-depth study of the Swiss Guard's five-hundred year service to the Pope and the Vatican.......2006-05-06
The Pope's Army: 500 Years Of The Papal Swiss Guard, by Robert Royal (President of the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington D.C.) is an in-depth study of the Swiss Guard's five-hundred year service to the Pope and the Vatican. Informatively taking the reader through the Medici Popes, the sack of the Roman Empire, medieval sieges, the Napoleonic War, the unification of Italy, the imprisonment of the Pope, World War I and II, the resistance to the Nazi s, and collective information on more recent Popes, The Pope's Army is an invaluable documentation of the Vatican City and the Popes with respect to the dedicated military guard serving to protect of the papal well-being and safety for last the five-hundred years. The Pope's Army is very informative and strongly recommended reading.
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