Book Description
From the author of The Good Earth comes the story of Madame Wu, a woman whose surprising decision to retire from married life and select a concubine for her husband upsets her extended household. "A searching, adult study of women written with high seriousness and sympathy." - The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
better than the movie.......2007-05-15
The movie was good but it doesn't follow the book and the book is much better.
Thoughtful ..........2007-03-30
I would have never picked this book up if it weren't for my book club. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down till I was finished with this book. It is a very moving and thoughtful book ~~ opening my eyes to something else that I would have never thought of reading.
This book is about Madame Wu, who decided to retire from married life at the age of 40. She suggested a concubine for her husband as she believes very strongly that his needs need to be met ~~ just not by her. Her excuse is that she didn't want to bear any more children, but that is just a public excuse, one she offered to everyone who asked. The truth is, she didn't love her husband and wanted to retire from that part of her marriage. Needless to say, it unsettled the entire family ~~ even the concubine was unsettled. It reverberated throughout the entire book till the very end, when everyone seems to have moved onto their own problems.
This is a book on a busy wealthy Chinese family. It is about traditions and ideas, non-traditions, love and finding purpose in life. It is about family relationships between father, son, mother, son, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, friendships, and even between mistress and servant.
Madame Wu never thought she'd find peace and happiness till one of her sons' instructors came along. He was a Jesuit priest and they struck up a friendship based on conversations (which she remembered after his death). He literally changed her life and thought process. From being a woman who always did what she was told, she was liberated to being a free-thinking woman who strove to find peace in her soul.
It is a book that I would recommend to all readers ~~ and it is definitely a book for a book club to discuss! It is a timeless classic novel ~~ and definitely a great introduction to an author that I have heard about but never have read. I can't wait to read her other books!
3-30-07
Powerful, Rereadable Book For Me.......2006-08-08
Wow. I find Pearl Buck to be an author that really holds my attention, and write about complex characters that I don't really always like, but in the end, because of the author's writing and vision, I come to see them as really complex human beings.
This book, in particular, I think is really spiritual. I really wish that I had a book group to discuss this book with. At the beginning, I didn't really care for or understand the main character, Madame Wu. She decides after her 40th birthday party, that her husband can have a concubine and that she can turn inward. In the beginning, this is really quite a difficult concept for me, but in a way, it's also very liberating. It's a form of birth control for her, and also a way to keep her husband satisfied. In the end, Pearl Buck, as an author, really shows this woman to be very multidimensional, and I feel, quite spiritual and not so superficial as I think she starts out to be.
In the background, there are daughter in laws who are more liberated than Madam Wu, and the chafe at the idea of a concubine. They are too modern for that and would not stand for having a concubine in the house. Some of this is quite historical fand relates gently to the communist revolution. Also it is showing generational differences and lack of understanding between generations. In the end, Madame Wu, I feel , is far more liberated than her daughter in laws, no matter how modern they are.
There is also a DVD of this story, and I think the DVD cover is on the book cover that I read. If it shows a white man in an embrace with a Chinese woman, as if they were about to kiss, I want to warn you that this Hollywood image is not really the book at all. And in fact, that picture does not occur in the book either. Really, that image is an abomination of the book.
I do know, by reading Pearl Buck, why she is a Nobel prize winner in writing. For me, it's this. She helps you to see characters (people) that you might really hate or disagree with in real life as real, very multifacted people. And though I might not always come to agree or fully care about her characteres, through her writing, I will learn to understand and respect them more than I would have if I had not read the book. And more than that, Buck weaves in real history and fact and makes is very interesting.
Please read her books. You won't be disappointed.
Duty Changed Through Love to Joy.......2006-03-22
After reading and thoroughly enjoying her novel, "Pavilion of Women" (written in 1948), it was not difficult for me to understand why Pearl S. Buck earned the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature in 1938. As a natural storyteller, Buck allows one to enter the heart and mind of her main character, the beautiful and accomplished Madame Wu, so fully and painlessly by using simple explanations that seem so effortlessly illumined that they transcend the cultural differences of a mid 20th century China and allow this magnificent multi-dimensional creation to speak as a fully flesh and blood universal woman.
As the title suggests, the plot revolves around the day to day happenstances of the oppressed `pavilion of women' that provides a wealthy Chinese gentleman's `happiness' in the form of siring future generations and keeping him pleasured as befits his rank as lord and master. Madame Wu, the one and only wife, on the day of her fortieth birthday decides quite calculatingly to acquire a concubine for this husband whom she has never loved, allowing her to rid herself within the complicated etiquette of the Chinese upper class of the burden of servicing her husband conjugally. As the mother of four sons, in her eyes and in the eyes of society, she fulfilled her duty as a wife. Fully knowing that she will continue to oversee the management of all who live under her domain, she nevertheless anticipates her retirement with relish, planning to read and self-educate herself within the confines of her father-in-law's well-stocked library. As a mother and mother-in-law, she must tactfully and eloquently steer her sons and daughters-in-law towards a rich and satisfying future in a newer less understood world while still buttressing the Chinese family infrastructure to continue what she herself withholds as traditionally correct.
As China plummets towards modern thinking and communism, Madame Wu discovers that she must make concessions. Thinking to arrange the marriage of her broader-minded third son, she hires an unconventional Italian priest, Brother Andre, to teach languages and the known sciences to better endow her Fengmo with the intellectual assets he now needs to captivate a more progressive bride.
Instead, the self-disciplined Madame Wu finds that she is mesmerized by the foreigner's gentle persuasiveness. With him she explores the idea of the soul and its ever pressing quest for freedom and realizes that throughout her life thus far she played the role of a wise albeit voyeuristic manipulator rather than that of thinking and feeling woman. Her gentle yet intense spiritual love for Andre reinforces Madame Wu's innate strength and enables her to make free, wise and joyous decisions that bring a warm happiness to the inhabitants under her domain.
Bottom line: While the storyline moves along nicely, what makes "Pavilion of Women" an absolute pleasure to read is the clarity of Madame Wu's portrait that Buck allows us to form first from the inner workings of Madame Wu's mind and then from the soaring aspirations of her soul as it communes with that of Brother Andre. Buck's language flows from one `pavilion' event to the next; her style is relaxed and easy to read, the development of Madame Wu's identity both believable and beautiful. Highly recommended for its ability to entertain and depict an alien culture.
Diana F. Von Behren
"reneofc"
To really know what love is . . . .......2005-07-06
This is an awesome and thought provoking novel by Pearl Buck. It makes one evaluate if they really know the true meaning of love, and life. I am a real Pearl Buck fan---just don't want to read any other authors right now, but this one stands out as my favorite! Enjoy!!
Average customer rating:
|
Pavilion of Women
Manufacturer: The John Day Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BGT96E |
Book Description
Rediscover the timeless tales of children¹s literature in this beautifully designed series from Pavilion. Exquisitely illustrated and published in uniform editions, these are a must for every child¹s bookshelf.
Customer Reviews:
One Of The Great American Novels.......2005-02-21
This edition of LITTLE WOMEN is great! First of all, there's the wonderful story of the March family in the years during and after the Civil War, as the 4 daughters -- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy -- grow to womanhood, experiencing joy and overcoming obstacles and tragedy. This edition stays true to the language and grammar used in the original. I have read versions of the novel in which the girls' grammar is cleaned up for them!
In addition, the introduction by Susan Cheever is first-rate; it is neither too long or too short, and she beautifully ties it to her own experience without being cloying.
Another reason why I so highly recommend this edition is because there is a glossary at the back to explain some of the obscure (to modern readers) terms and obsolete slang. Also, there's a nice essay/review by G.K. Chesterson, who warmly praises Alcott's book.
From "Little Women" to "Good Wives".......2004-11-28
Louisa May Alcott wrote many books, but "Little Women" retains a special place in the heart of American literature. Her warmly realistic stories, sense of comedy and tragedy, and insights into human nature make the romance, humor and sweet stories of "Little Women" come alive.
The four March girls -- practical Meg, rambunctious Jo, sweet Beth and childish artist Amy -- live in genteel poverty with their mother Marmee; their father is away in the Civil War. Despite having little money, the girls keep their spirits up with writing, gardening, homemade plays, and the occasional romp with wealthier pals. Their pal, "poor little rich boy" Laurie, joins in and becomes their adoptive brother, as the girls deal with Meg's first romance, Beth's life-threatening illness, and fears for their father's safety.
The second half of the book opens with Meg's wedding (if not to the man of her dreams, then to the man she loves). Things rapidly go awry after the wedding, when Laurie admits his true feelings to Jo -- only to be rejected. Distraught, he leaves; Amy also leaves on a trip to Europe with a picky old relative. Despite the deterioration of Beth's health, Jo makes her way into a job as a governess, seeking to put her treasured writing into print -- and finds her destiny as well.
There's a clearly autobiographical tone to "Little Women." Not surprising -- the March girls really are like the girls next door. Alcott wrote them with flaws and strengths, and their misadventures -- like Amy's embarrassing problem with her huge lobster -- have the feeling of authenticity. How much of it is real? A passage late in the book portrays Alcott -- in the form of Jo -- "scribbling" down the book itself, and getting it published because it feels so real and true.
Sure, usually classics are hard to read. But "Little Women" is mainly daunting because of its length; the actual stories flow nicely and smoothly. Don't think it's just a book for teenage girls, either -- adults and boys can appreciate it as well. There's something for everyone: drama, romance, humor, sad and happy endings alike.
Alcott's writing itself is nicely detailed. While certain items are no longer in common use (what IS a charabanc anyway?), Alcott's stories themselves seem very fresh and could easily be seen in a modern home. And as nauseating as "heartwarming" stories sometimes are, these definitely qualify. Sometimes, especially in the beginning, Alcott is a bit too preachy and hamhanded. But her touch becomes defter as she writes on.
Jo is the quintessential tomboy, and the best character in the book: rough, gawky, fun-loving, impulsive, with a love of literature and a mouth that is slightly too big. Meg's love of luxury adds a flaw to the "perfect little homemaker" image, and Beth just avoids being shown as too saintly. Amy is an annoying little brat throughout much of the first half of the book, but by her teens she's almost as good as Jo.
"Little Women" is one of those rare classic novels that is still relevant, funny, fresh and heartbreaking today. Louisa May Alcott's best-known novel is a magnificent achievement.
This Book Was OK.......2000-06-27
This book was good for a short read. It was not as good as the original little women. The book was about 4 sisters Joe, Meg, Beth, and Amy and what their life was like. If you are looking for a good short read this is one I would sugest.
Growing Up.......2000-06-14
Read the tale of four sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy as they grow up together. Learn about their hardships as they face each problem thrown at them side by side. This is a wonderfull book and is beautifully writen. I teches someone a lot about the value of family, friends, and true love. This book is more than what others amount to and would reccomend this author to anyone.
Average customer rating:
|
PAVILION OF WOMEN
BUCK
Manufacturer: COMPANION BOOK CLUB
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S37JBM |
Average customer rating:
|
PAVILION OF WOMEN
Manufacturer: Methuen & Co Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000G3LQ9K |
Average customer rating:
|
Pavilion Of Women
Pearl S. Buck
Manufacturer: Pocket Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GZSMVS |
Customer Reviews:
The Texan's Tiny Dilemma by Judy Christenberry (Lone Star Brides).......2007-01-02
Description from the book back cover:
4 Months + 5 Months = Baby! 1 Man + 1 Love = Marriage? As good as accountant Jim Schofield was with figures - he could count back and tell when Teresa got pregnant - he was bad with words like 'commitment' and 'marriage'. But when the stubborn Texan realised he was going to be a father, his bachelor days were numbered! Teresa Tyler had vowed not to burden Jim Schofield with the consequences of their one night together. But after having figured out her predicament, he was proposing a marriage for the sake of their babies. How could Teresa take Jim's help, his protection, and not have a chance at his love?
Customer Reviews:
The Texan's Tiny Dilemma by Judy Christenberry (Lone Star Brides).......2007-01-02
Description from the book back cover:
4 Months + 5 Months = Baby! 1 Man + 1 Love = Marriage? As good as accountant Jim Schofield was with figures - he could count back and tell when Teresa got pregnant - he was bad with words like 'commitment' and 'marriage'. But when the stubborn Texan realised he was going to be a father, his bachelor days were numbered! Teresa Tyler had vowed not to burden Jim Schofield with the consequences of their one night together. But after having figured out her predicament, he was proposing a marriage for the sake of their babies. How could Teresa take Jim's help, his protection, and not have a chance at his love?
Issued as book #4 in the 2006 Christmas Selection.
Amazon.com
This is the first of E. E. "Doc" Smith's six Lensman books, and although it isn't as fast-paced as later Lensman novels, it sets the stage for what is perhaps the greatest space-opera saga ever told. Through a series of vignettes spanning millions of years, readers will learn how the titanic struggle between the good Arisians and the evil Eddorians first came to pass, and about how humanity was chosen (and bred) to assume the awesome power of the lens. A short foreword by science fiction scholar John Clute puts the entire series into perspective.
Book Description
From the atomic age in Atlantis to a world remote in space and time, two incredible ancient races, the Arisians and the Eddorians, are in the midst of an interstellar war with Earth as the Prize. The Arisians, using advanced mental technology, have foreseen the invasion of their galaxy by the corrupt and evil Eddorians, so they begin a breeding program on every planet in their universe. Their goal...to produce super warriors who can hold off the invading Eddorians. Read by Reed McColm 9 CD's 10 Hrs.
Customer Reviews:
Greatest Saga in Science Fiction History.......2007-09-17
I read the Lensman series in the 1960s. It's what turned me into a science fiction fan. Star Wars pales in comparison to the epic nature of this series. Triplanetary and Gray Lensman are my favorite books in the series. Every SF fan should add this series to their collection.
Super Reader.......2007-08-27
The introductory novel in the Lensman series is not that great, and perhaps is almost an afterthought prequel. It introduces the overarching conflict between the Arisians and the Eddorians, and jumps through ages of human history, including Atlantis, until getting to the current setting.
The Arisians have started programs to breed fine warriors on many planets, through subtle manipulation.
At the end of this prequel, the Galactic Patrol is formed, flight between stars is possible, and the First Lensman is given his Lens. The Lens is a jewelled band that gives the wearer great mental and enhanced physical powers. Only those in the Arisian breeding line are capable of wielding it, and becoming superhuman. This applies on any planet.
"Galactic Patrol" is THE classic 1950's space epic.......2007-08-19
The Lensmen series comprises the following books:
1 - Triplanetary
2 - First Lensman
3 - Galactic Patrol
4 - Gray Lensman
5 - Second-Stage Lensman
6 - Children of the Lens
Without exaggeration, the "Galactic Patrol" series is one of the greatest classic space epics ever written, it's one of the greatest archetypes of the genre as a whole, and virtually all of the modern masters of the genre have paid open homage to it.
Originally appearing as a series of pulps in "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine back in the 1930's & 1940's, and later re-published in 1948 with several new introductory chapters added to the front of Triplanetary (book 1), this series, along with the other great classics of the day (Flash Gordon, and John Carter of Mars) influenced an entire generation of readers, some of whom later went on to become Masters of the genre in their own right.
* The hit series Babylon 5, for instance, is a direct homage to the Galactic Patrol, and is very loosely based on it (re: Vorlons vs Shadows = Arisians vs Eddorians, Rangers = Galactic Patrol, etc.)
* Star Wars too, is an indirect homage to early Sci Fi pulp action tales like GP.
* Gene Roddenberry, in all probability drew deeply from this series for inspiration, when he created the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek.
Although few people seem to make mention of it today, the Galactic Patrol tales USED to be omnipresent back in the 50's - radio shows, product tie-ins, kids playing 'patrol' in their back yards, you name it. It was essentially the Star Wars of our parent's and grandparent's generation.
Galactic Patrol successfully combined the best aspects of several genres:
* ACTION/THRILLER: the heroes and villains alike are all 2-fisted hard charging lead-from-the-font types, and the pace of action is relentless.
* MELODRAMA: Classic period dialog, straight out of the 20's 30's & 40's. Perfect fodder from the golden age of radio ... chock full of exclamation marks and purple prose.
* EPIC/ADVENTURE: Wide eyed wonder on a grand scale, replete with hard science and bug-eyed monsters.
What more can you ask for ?
Sure, a lot of the science doesn't stand up to close scrutiny, and the male/female gender roles are a bit dated by today's standards, but who cares ? That's all part of it's charm. Besides, this is all about high drama, action adventure, and pure concentrated escapism. These are the sort of books you read when life has you down, and you need to get away from it all, to a world where the action is fast, the rewards are immediate, and where the good guys win in the end, against impossible odds.
Highly recommended.
The grand-daddy of all galactic royal rumbles!.......2007-08-10
Two civilizations, the Arisians and the Eddorians, old beyond imagining and evolved to the point where their mental skills alone command energy and forces that are unthinkable for lesser species such as humans from our beloved Earth or even the reptilian Nevians, battle for dominance of the universe. In "Triplanetary", Doc Smith has left no room for doubt concerning the identity of the "good guys" versus the "bad guys". The Eddorians, quintessentially and unabashedly evil, have set themselves a modest but extraordinarily clear mission - "to tear down and destroy every bulwark of what the weak and spineless adherents of Civilization consider the finest things in life - love, truth, honor, loyalty, purity, altruism, decency and so on." The Arisians, of course, represent all of those virtues which the Eddorians are so bent on removing from the Universe.
"Triplanetary" is the grand-daddy of all space opera adventure novels - a non-stop, red hot action-oriented, plot driven space battle that is a positively orgasmic geekfest of techno-babble on steroids. One need only read a single chapter to envision the origins of the special effects in modern movie and television versions of Star Trek, Babylon 5, Andromeda or Battlestar Galactica. If you like your battles hot, your villains ugly and nasty, and your heroes manly (how could a hunk named "Conway Costigan" be anything but a two-fisted, steely-eyed man's man?), then you'll probably enjoy "Triplanetary"!
On this basis alone, "Triplanetary" is probably worth reading as the acknowledged progenitor of every space war novel that was ever written. One could even make a very strong case that Steven Spielberg, Gene Roddenberry and the entire world of special effects in visual media owe much to Smith's fertile imagination!
But does "Triplanetary" deserve membership in a library of what we now call science fiction classics? I think not. There is so much wrong with "Triplanetary" on the literary side, it's really quite difficult to know where to start.
Other than cartoonish heroic stereotypes, character development is negligible. Dialogue is stilted and the romantic interludes, in particular, are so trite as to be laughable. The raging purple prose is so positively brimful of superlatives and absolutes that one wonders how any progress was made at all, any goal achieved or any enemy defeated - barriers were impassable, obstacles were insurmountable, chances of success were only one in numberless millions, beams of destruction were relentless, forces were cataclysmic, objects were immovable, tractor beams were irresistible - well, it just got tiresome because this was the nature of the entire novel. Science, even as it was known at the time, was effectively ignored and technology in the novel crossed the line from imaginative into purely fantasy.
Recommended as a fast, enjoyable read from the standpoint of understanding the roots and growth of science fiction as a genre. But the novel has not stood the test of time and is weak gruel indeed compared to many of its contemporaries.
Paul Weiss
A note on the text........2007-07-03
This Aegypan hardback of Triplanetary is the text of the original version, as published in Amazing Stories in 1934. This is what Doc revised to become the latter half of the first book of his Lensman series. It is the first time the unrevised text has been published in hardback and I strongly recommend it for Doc's fans.
Book Description
Music of Silence shows how to incorporate the sacred meaning of monastic living into everyday life by following the natural rhythm of the hours of the day. The book tells how mindfulness and prayer can reconnect us with the sources of joy. “An invitation to join in quiet ecstasy, to rediscover sacred rhythms.” — Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Intro to Gregorian Chant.......2001-04-19
I purchased this complete with a copy of "Chant" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.
The beauty and stillness of this is enchanting and refreshing to the mind. We truly enter the world of sacred monastary in this way.
Just beautiful! Pax Domini!
Grounding-Thought Provoking.......2001-02-15
While walking the reader through the daily life of a monk's spiritual journey, this author also inspires the lay person to listen to the "Music of Silence".
Every chapter deserves contemplation. The book gives everyone a direction to follow, as the hours of the day flow.
I found it even more inspirational to listen to Gregorian Chant while reading. I especially like "CHANT" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos.
If you truly need a break from the hectic pace of today's life then this book is a must read.
It has become a permanent part of my library and look forward to reading more from this author.
The listened appreciation of time.......2001-01-06
The author discusses how time can be a deeply sacred part of the hours of our lives, and why an appreciation of time has been developed by the experts of the monastic orders. Nothing is as ordinary, or as sacred, as time. Far from being an infinitesimally small unit of measurement or a means of separating one event from another, time provides the means by which the still, small, silent voice of God may be heard. This is a book to take on a sabbatical journey.
Music of Silence A Sacred Journey Through the Hours of the.......2000-03-11
Steindl-Rast examines the moods implied in the canonical hours of the day. I have purchased both the book and the audio tapes of the book. The ideas expressed by Steindl-Rast are positive, valuable, and applicable to daily life. Prime, for example, occurring early in the day, according to Steindl-Rast, might be considered too early and simply an oh-no-here-we-go-again complaint. (my word, not his!) Or, it can be considered an opportunity, kind of a drumroll to our work of the day, preparing us to go ahead with energy and commitment.
Steindl-Rast uses a picture by Fra Angelico, which includes angels for each of the canonical hours, to explain many ideas. He also quotes the poets Robert Frost and Rainer Maria Rilke in his explanations of ideas. The excerpts of poetry are excellent and have led me to read more of each of these poets.
The music of which the author speaks is Gregorian Chant. And the words of the chants are the prayers and meditations that express the hours.
A high school music teacher, I have found the author's defining of the roots of words to describe their applications to be an excellent way to share vocabulary with my students. I have also found many ideas about music and a positive approach to life, all of which my students seem to appreciate.
This is an excellent book.
M C Papadolias
Books:
- Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances
- Pocketful of Names
- Queenmaker: A Novel of King David's Queen
- Sam's Letters to Jennifer
- Short Cuts: Selected Stories
- Slowness: A Novel
- Speak Rwanda: A Novel
- Star Bright!: A Christmas Story
- Stiletto 101
- Stronghold Builder's Guidebook (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Smythe Sewn Foiled Super Size Unlined
- History: Fiction or Science
- Bootmaker to the Nation: The Story of the American Revolution
- Deep Water Passage
- For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
- Independent Component Analysis
- Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response Manual and Desk Reference
- Falling Angels: A Novel
- Economic Development, Inequality and War: Humanitarian Emergencies in Developing Countries
- State of the World 2003
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Imperial Woman (Buck, Pearl S. Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck, 3rd,)
Peony (Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck Series) (Oriental Novels of Peal S. Buck Series)
Three Daughters of Madame Liang (Buck, Pearl S. Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck, 4th,)
Dragon Seed (Buck, Pearl S. Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck.)
A House Divided (Good Earth Trilogy, Vol 3)
