Average customer rating:
- An engaging novel about lesbian parents
- a rare find
- good base to story, flags somewhat as goes on, good close
- "But love or something is not only deaf, but mute"
- Not as gimicky as it may sound...
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A Seahorse Year: A Novel
Stacey D'Erasmo
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
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| Literature & Fiction
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Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
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Lesbian
| Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Gay & Lesbian
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Parenting & Families
| Gay & Lesbian
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Tea: A Novel
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Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties : A Novel
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The Night Watch
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Babyji
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ASIN: 0618439234 |
Book Description
Stacey D'Erasmo's new novel, following the highly acclaimed Tea, is a powerful and beautiful book about a pivotal year in the life of a quintessentially modern family. In contemporary San Francisco, an extended family is transformed by the emerging breakdown of a troubled adolescent boy. The lives of those who love Christopher -- his mother, Nan; her lover, Marina; his gay father, Hal; and Christopher's loyal girlfriend, Tamara -- are pushed to the edge by something new in him that mystifies them all. When he runs away, far into the woods of nothern California, their assumptions about themselves and one another are sorely tested. They might not, they discover, be quite so modern as they once thought. Even the dried seahorses on Marina's windowpane rattle unnervingly as if to announce a time like no other. In precise, lyrical language, A Seahorse Year explores love at the limits of bearability. It is wise about the things we do out of love that often have both redemptive and disastrous consequences. Difficult questions that have all the tough complexity of real life are asked; devastating truths are revealed in the answers. Michael Cunningham described Tea as "pure and profound, a ravishing book." A Seahorse Year is an even richer, more luminous achievement.
Customer Reviews:
An engaging novel about lesbian parents.......2006-01-23
I am so sick of reading the same lesbian novels over and over again. Coming out stories. Predictable romances. So it was really nice to read a lesbian book that was about something other than *being a lesbian*. There were good complex characters and enough plot to keep me turning the pages. Really nice visual images too, done in a way that didn't annoy or slow things down too much.
All in all a satisfying read!
a rare find.......2005-12-12
This is the kind of book that comes along so infrequently--a truly insightful, empathic, lovingly crafted look at the real stuff of life: relationships, identity, culture, our place in the world... all that. D'erasmo's voice struck me as utterly transparent. Although I admired her use of language from time to time, I never had the feeling I was being pushed or prodded along in my thinking, only that I was discovering this peculiarly vivid (and vividly peculiar) little nexus of individuals as they were--as they are, even, because they are still alive for me. It's not uplifting, or side-splittingly funny, but if you read novels for all those other reasons that many of us do and can't articulate, this is a tremendously worthwhile book.
good base to story, flags somewhat as goes on, good close.......2005-03-29
A Seahorse Year sounds from its premise as if it's trying a bit too hard: lesbian mother raised in abusive household raising about-to-be-diagnosed-with-schizophrenia adolescent son with the help of his gay searching-for-love dad and her lesbian searching-for-love-and-herself lover/artist. All set in San Fran of course. And at times, it is true that it does strain a bit. But perhaps the most endearing and insightful aspect of Seahorse is that amid this scattershot collection of "modern family" lies the same old pitfalls, fear, flaws, jealousies, bravery, compassion, and love as lies in the "traditional" family.
The book starts a few days into Christopher's having run off, the first concrete sign of his worsening illness. As they cope together and individually with his disappearance, we are introduced one by one to:
his mother Nan--gay, confused and guilt-ridden over Christopher's disappearance, angry over her lover's still supposedly secret affair, and with only a small family support system of her own due to her abusive childhood raising.
Marina--Nan's longtime partner, an artist struggling for years to capture the "true" Tree image she paints non-stop and to find just what her life is up to, including her relationships with Nan, Nan's son, Christopher's father, and Shiloh--the much younger girl she is cheating on Nan with.
Hal--Christopher's father, a well-off gay accountant semi-famous at one time for his role in an extravagant gay stage show. A man of numbers and a man who is falling in love even while his other life falls apart.
Christopher--the son who runs away, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, then is put through a series of treatments, all of which "work", though the cost to self is always a question.
Tamara--Christopher's girlfriend who sees him perhaps more clearly than others, though whether this is true or not is later held up for scrutiny.
We follow the family through Christopher's first disappearance, his diagnosis, several treatment regimens, and another more dramatic disappearance. The perspective shifts among the main characters and while the shifts are handled smoothly, they sometimes happen so frequently over so brief a time that the book feels somewhat cluttered so that the reader loses some sense of story and character because so much is going on. Some streamlining of sidestories, perhaps some more time spent in each perspective would have helped.
The sense of desolation, confusion, anger and resentment the situation creates is clearly and realistically conveyed. The characters are not saints. They are human beings and act both compassionately and selflessly and juvenile and selfishly in turn. And their lives, though they may revolve around Christopher and his illness during this time, do not stop moving in other areas.
At times, as mentioned before, the book seems to strain a bit in its plot and sometimes in its language--story turns that seem a bit contrived for sake of complexity or further drama, images that echo a bit too patly what is happening in the story. These flaws don't happen regularly enough to ruin the book, but enough so they are noted several times throughout. The story seems to run down a bit as well in the latter part, and while it picks up again, the more forceful narrative flow is sometimes overly dramatic as situations and characters start to turn somewhat unbelievable. But that part is over quickly and the end returns to a more realistic, quiet, and character-driven story. The end, in fact, with its ambiguity and its shaded resolutions (as opposed to a nice wrapped up happy ending) is one of the book's highlights.
Others are the relationship between Tamara and Christopher, which is beautifully depicted, and the view from Christopher's mind, which conveys not simply the sorrow and terror of mental illness, but also a more, perhaps "positive" isn't the right word but a side that is less filled with sorrow and terror but which offers a slant view of the world that has at times its own beauty.
Finally, the idea of whether you can truly "know" someone, or even yourself, is examined throughout all the book's interactions in full, complex, and moving fashion. Each must find their own way of answering that question and the author is true enough to her characters to let the answers, if they are found at all, differ.
Overall, a book with some noticeable flaws and one that would be helped by some streamlining, but also one that has a strong story at its center and a few good characters to carry the story's weight. Recommended.
"But love or something is not only deaf, but mute".......2004-08-18
Set in a trendy, latte drinking enclave of San Francisco, A Seahorse Year is an absolutely beautifully written novel that tackles the subject of mental illness from a pretty unique point of view. By portraying a strikingly contemporary family - two lesbian mums and a gay dad - D'Erasmo has probably single handedly discounted many of the myths associated with gay and lesbian parenting. If nothing else, A Seahorse Year indomitably shows that gay and lesbian parents are really not that different from straight parents.
The subject of teenage mental illness is the focus of this story with the narrative centering around five main characters. Christopher, Nan and Hal's teenage son is mentally ill and has recently gone missing. Nan and Hal are both gay and live separately, but are unequivocally devoted to Chris, each sharing parental responsibility. Nan's longtime partner, Marina, has been having an affair with Shiloh, a younger woman and is unable to break away from Shiloh but also unable to stay with her. Hal meets Dan and Dan forces Hal to come to terms with a middle age that seems miles away from his promiscuous past as a member of the glam-rock band Venus Flytrap. Neither parent is prepared for the discovery that Christopher has developed an acute case of schizophrenia.
The only person who seems to understand Christopher is his classmate and girlfriend, Tamara, but even this unique rapport - via the music of PJ Harvey - does not offer shortcuts to treatment and healing. The fragile family must find ways to cope, but each member encounters many stretches of solitude - told via internal monologue - between sporadic moments of connection. Nan feels as though she's spent her whole life "crashing into dark forests after love. She alone has done the questing and the tracking." And as the story goes on, she realizes that Christopher is endurably her life and her passion. Hal has a conservative streak and is devoted to his profession but he questions his success as a father, while also wondering about his ability to settle down with a man such as Dan. Marina is relegated to the periphery of the group - "an unhappy, bored and cruddy person," unable to help Chris or communicate with Nan, she seeks solace in the arms of Shiloh. Chris is isolated with his illness, "living in two elements at once: the now and the possible."
At first glance, A Seahorse Year may seem steeped in melodramatics, but in reality, the novel has a psychological complexity and a lyrical beauty, which yields no easy answers on the questions of love and family dysfunction. There's also the deeper theme of the transformation of the counterculture: San Francisco, the city of free love becomes the city of the bourgeois as parents Hal and Nan act and react to Chris's illness just like a conventional married straight couple. D'Erasmo alternatively dips into the rich inner lives of the five characters, and, at times, this causes the narrative to become a little cluttered. But generally, the author manages to offer strong voices with insights into the nature love and acceptance that are emotionally spot-on. Mike Leonard August 04.
Not as gimicky as it may sound..........2004-08-15
I'll admit that I had no intention of reading this book at the onset. I met the author after she gave a rather mousy-voiced reading of this book at an independent bookstore, and after speaking with her (I have a collection of signed books), I felt compelled by her lovely personality and the book's cover to buy it -- a purchase that even overdrew my bank account!
The premise: an unorthodox family of a lesbian mom, gay father, with their respective lovers and their shared adolescent son (really not so abnormal for San Fran?) discover that the son, Christopher, is in the initial stages of mental illness.
After hearing this set-up, I was a bit turned off. As a lover of the simplicity of a good story, I found the premise a bit overblown. And after reading the first hundred pages or so, I was on the brink of giving up on the author's development of the story. I really hated phrases that she used such as "Christopher always thought..." or "Nan always believed..." to characterize the main players in her book.
That waned, understandably, as the story progessed, and I found myself wrapped up in a gripping story of the limits and bounds of love within a family.
In essence, the plot and course of events in this book are inconsequestial. What is important is that Stacey D'Erasmo has a knack for created images that give the reader pause, small details that leave a lump in your throut or that just linger and entice you to turn the page. An overdrawall fee well spent.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of Fun.......2007-03-08
My two-year-old loves finding the seahorse and pointing to where it's hiding. I have to say that it's not quite so brilliantly genius as Clare Beaton's How Big Is A Pig, which is fun and teaches on so many levels, but it's still cute and a lot of fun.
An inspiration for a Blizzard.......2006-03-21
We got this book from the local library and during a blizzard we made a 6 foot mural based on this book. I'm no artist, but it kept my kids entertained the entire day and now hangs in my son's room. Naturally, we had to buy the book!
Beautiful illustrations.......2005-03-02
The illustrations in this book are beautiful as they are made from fabric collages.
The section at the end on the coral reef and the different animals is a nice touch.
My two year old likes this book a lot as he loves fish.
Customer Reviews:
unbeleiveable!.......2007-04-11
i started reading this series 3 years ago in the 5th grade and i must say, it has touched my heart in a way that no other series anywhere has. i still think about it and read it and i really wish it would never end, but it did and i went into a period of mourning for 2 weeks. this is the most touching series ever. but it definitely isnt all serious. it is mostly non stop joking and hyperactivity. many call it " marmalade boy on acid" i must agree. the original anime released in japan is very good, but many very important things from the books were cut out and very stupid things were added, but i still loved it, even though i was dissapointed. the new english sub on dvd has even more cut out due to so must unnecessary "americanizing" and the voice talents irritate me.
PLEASE read this entire series from start to finish before you see the anime!
Parents: ok, there are a few cuss words and the use of the word "pimp". this largely has to do with the fact that the main character, sana, has no idea what those words mean. it is just a very hyper romantic comedy, centered around family. it is a great series for kids 11 and up.
Great!.......2006-01-13
I think this series is really great. It's interesting, it's fun, and it's got some good jokes in it so it isn't too boring! I think this was a pretty good conclusion to the series - I wish Miss Obana would write more! I recommend reading books 1 through 10, because there are a lot of references to past occurances in the future books. (Although I started by reading book 8 and later read the others.) If you like manga and aren't too opposed to romance, I highly recommend these books!
Fun Manga for boys or girls.......2004-02-01
Manga or graphic novels are not necessarily all serious or contain very adult issues. Some do, it's true. . .but the Sana's Stage series is a fun if not overly dramatic tale of a little startlet and her writer mother. I think females will be able to relate best to this type of manga but boys may like it too. Not all readers of manga are children nor are they unintelligent - some of us like escape and read these like others would read PEOPLE or comic strips. Be sure to read #1 - #10 to get the full story. Enjoy the endulgence.
Average customer rating:
- Stultifyingly Boring ... and Unlikely To Boot In At Least One Area
- Not Free SF Reader
- Yamabushi's mini reviews XVI
- SF adventure at its' best.
- Interesting Twists
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Legacy of Heorot: Legacy of Heorot
Larry Niven ,
Steven Barnes , and
Jerry Pournelle
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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Barnes, Steven
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Niven, Larry
| ( N )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
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Pournelle, Jerry
| ( P )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Adventure
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Beowulf's Children
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Footfall
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Protector
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ASIN: 0671695320 |
Customer Reviews:
Stultifyingly Boring ... and Unlikely To Boot In At Least One Area.......2007-09-13
As numerous other viewers have already stated, this is one of the worst efforts to ever spring from the minds of Niven and Pournelle. A guaranteed insomnia cure.
Even the name of the hero is hokey - Cadmann??? Why not Dirk or Apollo? what's wrong with a hero, for once, named Orville? But where I find it unlikely - given that we, as science fiction fans, readily accept the premise of a human colony on the fourth planet in the Tau Ceti system - is when one of the characters is careful to "blow his smoke away from her face...."
Now, come on! This is who knows how far into the future, they've just traveled for 100 years in an induced coma, and where every ounce of weight is presumably measured in terms of fuel, and they've brought along cigarettes?? Or the seeds to grow tobacco plants maybe?
Even the fact that some idiot would still be smoking at that distant future date is hard to fathom. Then again, maybe THAT is the ultimate science fiction.
Read it only if you've run out of Sominex.
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
A group of settlers on a planet include a lot of your smart scientific types. There is, however, one of your hard nosed, pragmatic security and military experts. He is not happy with how everything is set up.
Cue horror movie plot. Animals are eaten/disappear and Beowulfesque monsters roam, although they are just the local lifeforms, with their rather odd breeding cycles. Reminiscent of Heinlein's Stobor of course.
This is really pretty ordinary.
Yamabushi's mini reviews XVI.......2007-02-09
one the best books I've ever read, absolutely perfect in every regard
SF adventure at its' best........2006-03-21
Why Hollywood has not made a movie from this book is a mystery to me. It has a creature that would eat the "Alien" for a snack and come back for the "Predator" as the main course. Adrenalin-pumping, fast-paced thriller set on an Earth-like planet being colonized by humans. Everything goes well, until they tangle with the 'Grendel', than all hell breaks loose. One of those stories that can be read and re-read, (I usually read it about once a year.) Very good SF which requires literally no suspension-of-disbelief. Has lots of lessons on ecology intertwined with the plot. I love it!
Interesting Twists.......2004-07-10
Very good read. Niven does a good job of creating an alien world with an alien ecology. The solution of one problem creating a much bigger one was unexpected and refreshing.
Average customer rating:
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The Legacy of Heorot
Larry; Pournelle, Jerry; Barnes, Steven Niven
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Authors, A-Z
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Fantasy
| Gaming
| Large Print
| Media
| Science Fiction
| Writing
General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0575040157 |
Book Description
World-renowned spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle conveys simple wisdom that transcends any particular religion, doctrine, or guru. His best-selling book is a modern classic in the fields of personal growth and spirituality. This is his second deck developed for both spiritual students and mainstream seekers. Fifty durable, heavy-stock, 4-color cards contain key words on the front side and a quotation from Tolle’s best-selling book on the reverse side. They are packaged in a boxed deck format that features a die-cut frame on the front cover that props up to display a card with a favorite inspiration or an especially needed focus. The deck is a thoughtful gift for a loved one or an admired colleague.
Customer Reviews:
Pure awareness.......2006-11-04
When we are rooted in Being we need no more pointers to guide us to self realization. Yet with that said, if we still feel that we are not completely aware of are true Identity these cards can awaken us by allowing the words to penetrate beyond the thoughts that keep us trapped in fear. They will do their job if we will allow them to, and even that is not quite right. Consciousness will transform us when we surrender to what is, no matter what the situation, condition or life challenge we may face. When we no longer resist what is we are free. Use everything, including these meditation cards to bring you to pure awareness.
A Great Gift.......2006-08-27
A friend gave me this card deck for my birthday. I am grateful for this: I would not have thought to buy it for myself as my chosen practice is Zen.
The timeless Presence of which I am reminded, and at times drop into, from reading these cards is priceless. Picking one at "random" always points at what I need to hear, to contemplate, in that moment. What a gift!
A great way to use The Power of Now at work.......2006-01-30
This is a great way to bring The Power Of Now to work. The cards come in a display box that has a little easel built in to it. You choose a card to fit into the easel, where it sits nice and secure-it can't fall out.
You'll want to read or listen to The Power of Now first, however. These cards are just a brief excerpt of the masterwork.
Only in the Presence of NOW can you Find Peace.......2004-04-14
This is a most beautiful deck of inspirational quotes from Eckhart Tolle who continues to bring us the most simple yet Divine message of the power, peace, joy and fulfillment we can attain, when we enter into NOW.
I love just pulling out a card at random, because the message always helps me to remember to stay centered, and as a result, it has only added benefit to my life. The cards are sturdy, on high quality stock, and can always make a great gift to anyone who is frazzled, or wants to simply learn from the wonderful messages the cards offer. Highly Recommended! Barbara Rose, author of "Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE" and 'If God Was Like Man'
Editor of inspire! magazine
Book Description
For admirers of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle’s wisdom now comes in a highly accessible form — an elegant boxed set of color cards. Each inspirational card expresses a quotation from the book on one side and art on the other to aid busy people with their daily meditations. Topics covered include discovering portals to the now, rising above thought, transforming suffering into peace, and creating enlightened relationships.
Customer Reviews:
Go beyond the words.......2006-11-04
Do not get lost in the words that these cards convey. As Tolle would say;"the words are only pointers, they point to the truth, but are not the truth that they point to." Let each card inspire you to go beyond the words and you will feel your Being that is always there yet obscured by identification with the mind.
You don't really need these inspiration cards because you are always already free. You are the deep peace, space and love that you search for. That is already the case. If you are not experiencing peace, sapce, love, a lightness in evrything that you do, feel, or say, then allow these cards to take you to the cliff and then let go of the saftey net. You already are!
Transformative Information.......2005-08-19
"Acceptance of what is immediately frees you from mind identification and thus reconnects you with Being. Resistance is the mind." - Eckhart Tolle
The profound truths found in the bestselling book The Power of Now has transformed many lives over the last few years. Author Eckhart Tolle experienced a profound, instantaneous awakening and now shares his wisdom with millions across the globe both in person and through his books and audios.
The Power of Now deck is comprised of 52 cards; the words on these cards were chosen by Tolle to convey the power of the book in a few short sentences. You can pick a card at random to contemplate its message, choose one daily and reflect on it throughout the day, or even pick a card once a week for meditation. Once you've worked your way through the whole deck, profound insights will permeate your consciousness, resulting in more joy and light and less trauma in stress. In fact, it's quite possible your entire life will change as a result of digesting and applying the wisdom found in The Power of Now deck.
The 52 cards are divided into five themes:
* Rising above thought
* The joy of being
* The power of being present
* The power of now
* Portals to the now
The cards feature the same green and yellow color scheme as the book jacket, with the theme printed on one side and a piece of wisdom or experiment on the other. The Power of Now deck is encased in a sturdy flip-top box that opens to the side, like a book. Some examples of these inspirational ideas include:
Try A Little Experiment: Close your eyes and say to yourself, `I wonder what my next thought is going to be.' Then become very alert and wait for the next thought. Be like a cat watching a mouse hole. What thought is going to come out of the mouse hole? Try it now.
Wherever You Are, Be There Totally - If you find you're here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally. If you want to take responsibility for your life, you must choose one of those three options, and you must choose now. Then accept the consequences.
Observe How the Mind labels an unpleasant moment and how this labeling process, this continuous sitting in judgment, creates pain and unhappiness.
Are You Worried? - Do you have many `what if' thoughts? You are identified with your mind, which is projecting itself into an imaginary future situation and creating fear. There is no way that you can cope with such a situation, because it doesn't exist. It's a mental phantom.
On a personal note, I have found the profound yet simple wisdom of The Power of Now to be utterly transforming. The insights found in the book and in this deck lift burdens, promotes clarity, and results in peace. Tolle has provided amazing tools to transform your life into one of grace, ease, and lightness. I know it's been true for me, as it has for millions of people worldwide.
(To see 3 card images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at http://JanetBoyer.com)
The Cards That Help You Come Back to NOW . Superb!.......2004-04-14
I love Eckhart Tolle's work, his profound messages, and how much of a positive difference they have made in my life. Any time I pick a card from this beautiful deck, it reminds me of the peace and stillness I can have when I am completely living in the moment. Each card brings a wonderful message that is far more than simple inspiration, they are the tools to help you strengthen your inner transformation so that you CAN attain a level of inner peace, and thus be able to share it with others in your personal relationships, you career, your home, thereby making a genuine difference in our world.
Highly recommended for people on the go who could always use the profound wisdom Eckhart Tolle brings us all.
Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Know Yourself: A Woman's Guide to Wholeness, Radiance & Supreme Confidence and Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE
Wow!!.......2003-06-04
This book points to so much truth it is amazing.
I think it is well written and written in a way that makes what is very philosophical easy to understand.His message is so simple yet so profound.
I have read many, many books on spirituality and the teachings of the great teachers and none has hit home as much as this.
I think this book could easily guide someone to a life changing way of Being. It has made me want to see the world in a whole new light. I feel enlightened just writing this!!!
I highly recommend it.
Power of Now.......2002-08-12
I just finished Power of Now and loved every minute of it. I read it after reading Present Moment Awareness, which is also an excellent book and I would highly recommend to anyone. It's not often that I find these type of "self-help" books interesting or of any enlightenment but both of these books have helped me focus on my life in a more satisfying and positive manner.
Books:
- A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali
- A Thousand Country Roads: An Epilogue to The Bridges of Madison County
- A Wild Ride Up the Cupboards: A Novel
- Amos : To Ride A Dead Horse
- An Architecture of the Ozarks: The Works of Marlon Blackwell
- As Hot as It Was You Ought to Thank Me: A Novel
- Beachcombing for a Shipwrecked God
- Black Mischief, Scoop, The Loved One, The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold (Everyman's Library Classics & Contemporary Classics)
- Blue Octavo Notebooks
- Bosque de los Pigmeos, El
Books Index
Books Home
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- The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program to Transform Your Body, Health, and Life--Adapted from NB
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- The Diaries of Lady Anne Clifford
- State Tax Actions 2001
- Cleaning Up for a Living: Everything You Need to Know to Become a Successful Building Service Contra
