The Desert Rose : A Novel

Book Description

Pulitzer Prize-winner Larry McMurtry writes novels set in the American heartland, but his real territory is the heart itself. His gift for writing about women -- their love for reckless, hopeless men; their ability to see the good in losers; and their peculiar combination of emotional strength and sudden weakness -- makes The Desert Rose the bittersweet, funny, and touching book that it is.

Harmony is a Las Vegas showgirl. At night she's a lead dancer in a gambling casino; during the day she raises peacocks. She's one of a dying breed of dancers, faced with fewer and fewer jobs and an even bleaker future. Yet she maintains a calm cheerfulness in that arid neon landscape of supermarkets, drive-in wedding chapels, and all-night casinos. While Harmony's star is fading, her beautiful, cynical daughter Pepper's is on the rise. But Harmony remains wistful and optimistic through it all. She is the unexpected blossom in the wasteland, the tough and tender desert rose. Hers is a loving portrait that only Larry McMurtry could render.

Customer Reviews:

Pointless, mindless, plotless, etc........2006-04-26

This is quite possibly the worst supposedly good book I have ever read. On the grammatical level, every other sentence contains a comma splice. I know that sounds like a minor nit to pick, but consider this: that is no exaggeration -- at least half of the sentences have exactly the same structure: "Jessie had already had her sedative and was a little groggy, she sort of dozed off while they were getting her room ready." Here's a paragraph-long sentence from the first page: "Ross was always thinking up funny names for things, it kept her laughing right up until they had Pepper, plus about a year more, and then she and Pepper took him down to the bus station behind the Stardust one day, he was going to check on a job doing lights for a show up in Tahoe, and had just sort of never come back, although Pepper was as cute a little girl as anyone could want and Harmony herself at the time had been said by some to have the best legs in Las Vegas and maybe the best bust too, although that was long before she had ever done topless, so that only Ross and a few of her old boyfriends really knew the whole story there." That is a SINGLE SENTENCE, ladies and gents! It becomes mind-numbing at some point, which is actually helpful in wading through this complete drivel. I only read the whole thing because I thought something interesting might happen. Let me spare you the anguish: Nothing ever happens! Nobody learns anything, or does anything, or thinks anything at all! I only cared about the characters in the sense that I wanted them all to fall into a tar pit together. I was very disappointed when this did not happen.

The abject badness of this book actually made me angry. In the foreword McMurtry admits that he crapped out this steaming pile while he was in the middle of writing Lonesome Dove, which I can only assume is a better book. It would be difficult to imagine otherwise.

I would agree with one of the other reviewers that an editor of some kind should have looked at this book pre-publication... but I think that would have resulted in an empty dust jacket. The blurbs and the foreword were certainly better-written than the text of the book.

Please note that Amazon does not allow zero-star reviews; one star is definitely not deserved.

A Disappointing Book From A Talented Writer!!!.......2005-10-08

In this book the author introduces the reader to Harmony and her rebellious daughter Pepper. Harmony goes through the usual Mother and Daughter Trials and Tribulations which the reader is supposed to feel empathy for. Harmony's own life is a mess so I don't know how she is supposed to be of any great help to her daughter. Harmony also works as a topless Las Vegas Showgirl and although I did not expect her to be a Candidate for Mensa she comes across in this novel as an airhead who no doubt would have been the subject of lots of "Blonde Jokes". As Judge Judy says "Beauty fades but dumb is forever". I give this book 5 stars because the author has succeeded in describing life in the town of Las Vegas where nothing is real and it is all a maze of smoke and mirrors.

Sad and sweet all at once.......2005-09-02

Set in tawdry Las Vegas, the story is about Harmony, now hitting 40, and once a real show-stopper on the Strip. But life has stopped being good for Harmony, and nothing in her life - her career, her lovelife, and especially her daughter Pepper - is going right. But she's a trooper, and nothing gets her down for long. McMurtry gets the sweetness and sadness of Harmony just right, even though at times her innocence comes across more as just ignorance of the ways of the world. Well done.

Looking for love in all the wrong places..........2004-02-21

Not a typical McMurtry novel;but then again none of his are.I've had this book for a long time as well as it's sequel "The Late Child"and for a change of pace decided to give it a try.
It is a great read.Somewhat like "Tems of Endearment";but more along the lines of "Cadillac Jack";which was my first McMurtry novel and probably my favorite.As a matter of fact I would'nt have been surprised if he has shown up somewhere;maybe at one of Myrtle's garage sales.
McMurtry has put together a great bunch of characters who all belong with one another.Kind of like the cast you find in a novel by Erskine Caldwell,Kinky Friedman,Hunter Thompson or even Steinbeck.These characters come from a different slice of life . These are the personal lives of the people who live very public lives in the Las Vegas entertainment world.In spite of it all, these are real people.Mc Murtry shows it is a tough world and eats up the workers and gamblers and spits them out when they reach the end of their prime or run out of cash.Rather than being Rednecks I guess you'd have to call them Pinknecks.They are somewhat akin to those loveable characters we know as Carnies.
Anyway, the book is a great,fast moving read with a surprise on every turn of a page.A lot of characters and I'm glad I made notes as they appeared so I could keep track of them.
Liked it so much I'm reading "The Late Child " next to see what happened to all these characters.It's surprising that so much time went by between this book and the sequel--12 years.

Stunning, lyrical novel.......2001-06-16

Poignant, beautiful, complex character-driven novel a must for McMurtry fans.

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Desert Rose A Novel
DJ design George Corsillo, inner flap dJ crease Larry McMurtry
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JD2JDY

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Desert Rose A Novel
by Larry McMurtry
Manufacturer: S&S,NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JD0K4E

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A delightful read and different from the typical regency romance fare

Could not finish it! UGH....

Terrific characterizations

Just okay - no thrill seeker here!

Original Hero and Heroine where she is just as smart as he is.
Untie My Heart
Judith Ivory
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Ivory, Judith | ( I ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0380812975
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Book Description

Stuart Aysgarth, the new Viscount Mount Villiars, doesn't know he's playing with fire when he inadvertently runs afoul of Emma Hotchkiss. True, the exquisite Yorkshire lady is a mere sheep farmer, but she also guards a most colorful past that makes her only more appealing to the handsome, haunted lord. Emma has come to him seeking justice -- and Stuart is determined that she will not leave until she has shared her secrets ... and his bed. Her clever revenge scheme must fail in the face of his soft words and tender caress -- and then he turns the tables on his bewitching adversary, seducing her into a daring deception of his own ...

Customer Reviews:

A delightful read and different from the typical regency romance fare.......2007-06-29

An enjoyable read overall. I'm immediately struck by Judith Ivory's attention to settings. Some may find her descriptions a bit tiresome, but I find it adds to the reading experience considerably, and Ivory excels at adequately setting the scene with luminous sights, resounding sounds, redolent smells and shivering touches. The only descriptions I found monotonous: rehashing Stuart's handsome, tall, broad-shouldered and muscular physique again and again with different words. I think I get the idea, he's handsome. Although the hero Stuart's character conforms to convention both in appearance and personality, the heroine Emma's does not and the novel belongs to Emma's glib humor and unsavory history. In fact, many parts of the novel had me laughing out loud because of Emma's mature humor. I was happy to read about a heroine's struggles to overcome her trust issues for a change and overcoming her demons.

Another very fun aspect: Emma has retired from a career as a hustler and con artist, only to become embroiled in a con game years later with the hero, a game she really want to be a part of. The plot was good, I thought there should have been more scenes dealing with the current con game or flashbacks relaying Emma's prior games. Unfortunately, the plot's pacing seemed to stagger and linger trying to paint a deeper relationship between Stuart & Emma. Still, even these efforts were substantive, as you really get a sense of a burgeoning connection between Emma & Stuart. They have common interests and habits, whether that's in matters of intimacy or art or shady dealings. Definitely, their connection resonated, and the sparks were visible and natural rather than staged.

I found Judith Ivory's characterizations exceptional and they resonated. Demons haunt both the hero and the heroine, both must overcome a tortured history, and both have somewhat of a bad streak in them (not just the hero). Judith Ivory's prose is good (albeit a bit confusing to follow at times since we're often treated to 1-sentence paragraphs), and I was very appreciative of Ivory's attention to settings. This isn't just another regency romance comprising of a series of conversations/dialogues and seductions. The plot was good, but once again I would have liked to see more about of the con games. Finally, the romance and passion was palpable, substantive yet steamy.

My complaints?

Well for one, I thought for a novel which wasn't in a hurry to end, ended too abruptly and too soon. The ending could have been much better crafted; we read about a proposal yet the answer to that proposal is simply assumed. I hold romance novels to a higher standard as far as endings go.

Secondly, I was put off by the prevalent references to the hero's beauty and handsomeness. Well I suppose the romance rage is having tall, dark, chiseled and perfectly handsome heroes attracted to very ordinary, below-average looking heroines. I get that romance novelists wish to cater to their predominantly female readership who enjoy reading about an experienced, perfect, and handsome hero instantly falling for ordinary heroines. But seriously, I think 2-3 references and descriptions to the hero's handsomeness would suffice, not 20!

Here's my biggest pet peeve: why in the name of Zeus's bunghole are heroines allowed to describe their hero as handsome (over and over) and yet heroes don't describe their average-looking heroines -- whom they find ineffably attractive -- as beautiful?! It's as though Judith Ivory was going out of her way to avoid having her hero think of her heroine as beautiful even though he's hopelessly attracted to her! I mean she even has a double chin (flab underneath her real chin), and he's attracted to her like a hormoned-crazed stallion, yet nope, I see the words "cute," "round," and "ample," used to describe the heroine from the hero's perspective, but the one word conspicuously absent: beautiful. You know, if a handsome guy is so instantly attracted to a woman like UNTIE MY HEART's Stuart is attracted to Emma, they do on occasion view their heroine as beautiful.... So why the hesitation to use the word "beautiful" to describe the heroine?! Oh and by the way, the picture of the thin, fit heroine on the inside cover is nothing like the heroine described in the book! Alright, enough of my rant...

The Story.

Stuart Aysgarth, the new Viscount Mount Villiars, returns to England from the Continent only to find his avaricious Uncle Leonard claimed the viscountcy in his absence. Although Stuart reclaims the title and estates, he discovers his Uncle Leo may have hoisted off with a couple items from Stuart's childhood he would like returned desperately: an ugly statue and his mother's earrings. Unfortunately, most of Stuart's lucrative accounts related to the viscountcy have been frozen, and it will take some time to free them. UNTIE MY HEART isn't bashful describing Stuart's handsome appearance and in many different ways. Stuart embodies perfection: tall, muscular, broad-shouldered, graceful, big strong hands, striking, attractive face, dark hair and dark eyes. Other than the stutter he's mastered, Stuart hardly exhibit a single fault in appearance.

Thirty year-old widow Mrs. Emma Hotchkiss is a sheep farmer, attempting to make a humble living after a very unsavory stint as a con artist with her late husband. Her sheep farm lies right down the street from the Viscount's seat at Castle Dunord. Emma exhibits a knack for humor, and I was often reminded of Elizabeth Hoyt's Georgina from THE LEOPARD PRINCE. Blond-haired, blue-eyed Emma is described as very round, very woman, pudgy, plump and with very generous curves. She captures Handsome-Stuart's interests however, and Handsome-Stuart immediately requests a liaison after an initial meeting.

The novel begins as a speeding 8-horse carriage bearing the Viscount Mount Villiars' seal runs down and kills Emma's only male sheep, detrimental to her upcoming sheep season. After failing to secure a recompense from the Viscount for her grievances, Emma decides to return to some old, shady habits, conning her way to acquire what she rightfully deserves: 50-some pounds.

When Stuart discovers mysterious loss of a paltry 50-some pounds from his frozen bank accounts, he tracks the account to a specific bank branch and location. Only to discover that his neighbor, the delectable Mrs. Emma Hotchkiss (known to him before as Miss Muffin) has duped him of the money. He then discovers her history as a con artist from the past and enlists her help in a confidence game of "poke and send" to reacquire the statue and his mother's earrings from Uncle Leo. Stuart threatens jail for conning him out of the 50-some pounds and Emma agrees to Stuart's request as a result. They share a very steamy love scene right off the bat, far from cliche.

The confidence game takes off there, as Stuart and Emma engage in a fun game to con Stuart's Uncle Leo out of what belongs to Stuart by right. In the process, both grow closer and the game helps them defeat their demons from the past.

An entertaining read, and I could have used more scenes from the con game rather than Stuart & Emma's burgeoning love.

Could not finish it! UGH...........2007-03-08

The only positive note in this novel was the writing, which went deep into characterization and had many descriptive ruminations of the Hero-Stuart- and the Heroine-Emma. But even that could not save the abysmal lack of qualities in Emma's character.

The start of the novel and its plot-line had a lot of potential where Emma witnesses a stray lamb being trampled over by Stuart's carriage on his way back to his castle-his coming back home from Russia after many years was due to the sudden death of his father, thus making him the rightful heir.

After realizing the killed lamb was one of her own from her farm, Emma embarks on a mission to make the viscount realize his responsibility in the matter and pay his dues.

Unfortunately, the heroine's shallow and silly character as well as the lack of chemistry between her and Stuart just put a damper on the whole novel and I just gave up on finishing it because of it.

But the main reason for not being able to finish the novel was due to Emma's unattractive qualities as a heroine. I basically could not like a high-classed thief not matter how Ivory tried to portray her. Her shady past as a con artist-mainly counterfeiting checks from the rich with her late husband Zach just for the fun of it- was just plain wrong to me and I could not look past it. Ivory made Emma's character worse as she described her attraction to such a lifestyle and her constant attraction to "bad" boys who happen to like the same thing. The only reason why she and her late husband retired from such a life style was due to a cold dose of reality when Zach's sister got caught and died in prison.

How in the name of heaven could I ever want to read about such a heroine??? I just could not stand it when she tried to steal money from Stuart- when he refused to give her 50 pounds for her lamb, and then her subsequent rejection of his offer of 10 pounds- by counterfeiting his checks.

But the real clincher for chucking away the novel before I even reached half of it was the scene where Emma's attempt at stealing was halted by Stuart in a hotel room: The sexual tension was running high between them (not that I felt it) and one of Emma's ruminations was about her last sexual encounter-after her husband died- with a 17 year old boy, which never came to fruition.

I threw the book in disgust and sighed at the waste of money. I do not think I have ever read a more debased and shallow heroine in my life.

This author is a first for me, and because of her exceptional writing style, I will give her a second chance, provided I read about her heroine's character before I purchase one of her books.

Please skip this one though, you will not regret it.

Terrific characterizations.......2007-02-19

I recently discovered Judith Ivory, and I'm so glad I did. Of all the romance novelists that I have read, she's one of the very best. She has a really great, clear prose style and more importantly she's able to create rich, adult characters who grow and change over the course of the book.

Untie My Heart is one of my favorites of Ivory's novels. The plot is pretty complicated, but the upshot is that Emma Hotchkiss, a Yorkshire commoner with a small sheepfarm (and who used to be a criminal con artist 12 years ago in London) tries to steal 56 pounds from Stuart Aysgarth, the new Viscount in the neighborhood (because he ran over her prize lamb and won't pay up). When he catches her red handed, he demands that she help him con his uncle out of a priceless family heirloom or else he'll send her to jail.

The first half of the book is sort of slow-going and not very romantic. The hero, Stuart, is also pretty unlikable at first - really arrogant, seemingly incapable of sympathy, and very entitled. It took me quite a while to actually like the guy, but by the end of the book, I did (mostly because he realizes pretty quickly how awesome Emma is).

And the best part of the book is Emma. What a heroine! Born to Yorkshire sheep farmers, she seeks out every bit of knowledge of a more intellectual world. She's had a tough time of it, but she never pities herself and keeps her head focused. She's also not classically beautiful, but she doesn't really care. Most importantly, she's smart, and you buy that she's smart. She puts the whole scheme to swindle Stuart's uncle in motion and she never makes a mistake. There are very few romance heroines that are as interesting, as capable, and as complex, as Emma.

Just okay - no thrill seeker here!.......2006-09-03

I agreed with some of the other reviews on this book. It started off so slow and boring - I found myself skipping paragraphs at a time just to get to the main point of the story. By the middle, it eventually got a little better. It had some ridiculous sex parts in it - that just didn't seem like it fit the "time" it was written in, and had no type of chemistry between the two characters that lead up to it. The ending could have been better too. It was an okay book. Not one I would recommend with so many other good ones out there.

Original Hero and Heroine where she is just as smart as he is........2006-05-08

How can I not give 5 stars to an author that writes the heroine just as intelligent as the hero. That is just so refreshing to read. Judith Ivory also offers original stories and heroes. It's intelligent and witty and I appreciate that she doesn't give me corny dialouge and though you start off thinking her heroes are shallow people with faults you soon realize that all humans are flawed and that she is showing you how their love makes them better people. Like I stated it's just so smart and fun that you have to appreciate it.

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UNTIE MY HEART (HARDCOVER)

Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739427423

Product Description

4 Titles By Ivory - Untie My Heart - The Proposition - Black Silk - Indescretion

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4 Titles By Ivory - Untie My Heart - The Proposition - Black Silk - Indescretion
Judith Ivory
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000NTELNU

Product Description

4 massmarket paperback Titles By Ivory - Untie My Heart - The Proposition - Black Silk - Indescretion

Book Description

Tom Godwin's story "The Cold Equations" rocked the science fiction world when it appeared. A pilot is on an emergency mission to a planet whose colony is doomed if he doesn't get there. He has just enough fuel to get there-then he finds he has a stowaway, a young girl wanting to be with her brother on the colony. If the pilot jettisons her through the airlock, the ship will barely make it to a landing on the planet. If he does not, the ship will crash and both of them as well as the colony will die. What will he do?Also in this volume are other unforgettable stories by Godwin, including his novel Space Prison, which poses another problem in survival: if hostile aliens have marooned you and hundreds of other people on a planet where they think you haven't a chance of staying alive, how do you manage not only to endure, but to get revenge? A large volume by a master of science fiction adventure with an extra dimension of speculation.

Babylon 5 2nd Edition - The Cold Equations

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Babylon 5 2nd Edition - The Cold Equations
Matthew Sprange
Manufacturer: Mongoose Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1905471270

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Featuring the space station that changed the destiny of an entire galaxy, the Babylon 5 RPG from Mongoose Publishing allows players to take on the role of characters from the award-winning TV series. This all new edition revisits one of the most successful sci-fi roleplaying games of recent years, bringing the game to an all new group of fans! Existing fans will not be disappointed, the rules have been tweaked so that the game is even better than before, and most importantly, is a stand-alone rulebook in its own right with no requirement for the use of another rulebook!

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5 Tales From Tomorrow

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ASIN: 4490005970

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Science-Fiction

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EIGHTEEN (18) GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION STORIES: Helen O'Loy; Memento Homo; The Bright Illusion; The Custodian; The Golem; The Cold Equations; The Dwindling Sphere; Don't Look Now; Seven Day Terror; Politics; Requiem

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ASIN: 044812128X

The Fate and Transport of Airborne JP-4 and JP-8 Aerosol During Cold Startup

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The Fate and Transport of Airborne JP-4 and JP-8 Aerosol During Cold Startup

Manufacturer: Storming Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 1423568648

Product Description

This is a AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSONAFB OH report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A904433. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: During cold startup (engine warm-up) procedures at northern tier bases, fuel aerosol (JP-4 and JP-8) is emitted before complete combustion of the fuel occurs. The time necessary for complete combustion to occur may be as long as 10 minutes. Hence, during these first few minutes, aerosol is emitted at relatively high concentrations. This research investigates the principle behavior of the emitted aerosol: advection, dispersion, evaporation, and settling. Using previous work in fuel jettisoning and evaporation as a foundation, this thesis investigates the physical factors affecting the airborne concentration of fuel aerosol at different times, the amount of fuel aerosol reaching the ground, and the times and distances necessary for the aerosol concentration to fall below the hydrocarbon standard after being emitted. Physical assumptions in the model are presented, and various atmospheric conditions are simulated for comparison.

FIVE (5) TALES FROM TOMORROW: Push-Button Passion; The Cold Equations; How-2; Deep Space; Exile

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FIVE (5) TALES FROM TOMORROW: Push-Button Passion; The Cold Equations; How-2; Deep Space; Exile
T. E. (editor) (Albert Compton Friborg; Tom Godwin; Clifford D. Simak; Robert Abernathy; Everett B. Cole) Dikty
Manufacturer: crest books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GK8B2S

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The Karamanov Equations
Marshall Goldberg
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0523001584

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A Russian physicist lies unconscious on an operating table in Paris. He alone holds the key to a powerful military secret...a plan capable of annihilating nations. Nicholas Sten, an American surgeon, also has a secret. He is the only doctor able to perforn the operation which may save the scientist's life. The CIA wants the operation to fail. Russia's KGB is there to make sure it is successful. Will the doctor's scalpel save a life but doom world peace?

Acknowledgements: warm bodies and cold equations.(Editorial): An article from: Extrapolation

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Acknowledgements: warm bodies and cold equations.(Editorial): An article from: Extrapolation
Donald M. Hassler
Manufacturer: Extrapolation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Extrapolation, published by Extrapolation on September 22, 2003. The length of the article is 581 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: Acknowledgements: warm bodies and cold equations.(Editorial)
Author: Donald M. Hassler
Publication: Extrapolation (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2003
Publisher: Extrapolation
Volume: 44 Issue: 3 Page: 281(2)

Article Type: Editorial

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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COLD EQUATIONS & OTHER STORIES
TOM GODWIN
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLC9VI

Digital solution of modified Berggren equation to calculate depths of freeze or thaw in multilayered systems (Special report - Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory)

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Digital solution of modified Berggren equation to calculate depths of freeze or thaw in multilayered systems (Special report - Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory)
George W Aitken
Manufacturer: U.S. Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007EWV9M

Book Description

"Lee probes far beyond the rags-to-riches tale, though Bishop Jakes'riches remain. He devotes much of the book to what he sees as Bishop Jakes' dual nature: businessman and preacher."—Dallas Morning News

"A clearly written, thoughtful interrogation of the financially successful, though morally suspect, merger of business and religion achieved by this African American preacher-millionaire."
—Choice, recommended

"Shayne Lee, an assistant professor of Sociology at Tulane University, has provided us with the first critical examination of the most influential African American preacher of our time. A socio-cultural biography of sorts, the author examines T.D. Jakes rise to prominence from the hills of West Virginia to multimillion-dollar religious corporate enterprise. But this book does more than follow the development of T.D. Jakes and his ministry. As the author puts it, Jakes becomes 'a prism through which the reader may learn more about contemporary American religion.' Lee contends that Jakes is an embodiment of traditional American cultural ideals and the postmodern features that inform what it means to be American in this contemporary moment."
—Pop Matters

"Most of the public knows about the Bishop T. D. Jakes who graced the cover of Time magazine, preached "Woman, Thou Art Loosed!" and filled stadiums across the country with throngs of weeping fans. But how many know about the Jakes who boasted that he didn't have enough garage space for his luxury cars, said Jesus was rich, and once tried to evict the owners of a home he had just purchased though they only had a week to pay off their debts? That portrait of Jakes comes courtesy of T. D. Jakes: America's New Preacher. Shayne Lee, a sociologist and professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, asks hard questions about Jakes' ministry."
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Jakes has risen from poverty in the mining towns of West Virginia to a multimillion-dollar faith industry based in Dallas, benefiting from the controversial trend toward prosperity religion. Lee examines the rags-to-riches life of Jakes in the broader context of changes in how Americans view religion."
—Booklist

"Lee offers an intriguing exploration of Jakes's popularity. His entrepreneurial spirit and multimedia approach have endeared him to millions, while his lavish lifestyle and focus on Christians' right to material prosperity continue to spark criticism. Lee avoids heavy jargon and effectively pares his study down to the essentials, making this an accessible portrait."
—Publishers Weekly

"Places an important contemporary African American religious leader in the context of recent trends in American religion in general and also of certain traditions of the Black Church in the African American experience. Lee's description and analysis of the phenomenon that is T.D. Jakes helps us gain a greater understanding of contemporary American religion and of African American religion as at once patently distinct but also quintessentially American."
—Milmon Harrison, Ph.D., author of Righteous Riches: The Word of Faith Movement in Contemporary African American Religion

T.D. Jakes has emerged as one of the most prolific spiritual leaders of our time. He is pastor of one of the largest churches in the country, CEO of a multimillion dollar empire, the host of a television program, author of a dozen bestsellers, and the producer of two Grammy Award-nominated CDs and three critically acclaimed plays. In 2001 Time magazine featured Jakes on the cover and asked: Is Jakes the next Billy Graham?

T.D. Jakes draws on extensive research, including interviews with numerous friends and colleagues of Jakes, to examine both Jakes's rise to prominence and proliferation of a faith industry bent on producing spiritual commodities for mass consumption. Lee frames Jakes and his success as a metaphor for changes in the Black Church and American Protestantism more broadly, looking at the ramifications of his rise—and the rise of similar preachers—for the way in which religion is practiced in this country, how social issues are confronted or ignored, and what is distinctly "American" about Jakes's emergence. While offering elements of biography, the work also seeks to shed light on important aspects of the contemporary American and African American religious experience.

Lee contends that Jakes's widespread success symbolizes a religious realignment in which mainline churches nationwide are in decline, while innovative churches are experiencing phenomenal growth. He emphasizes the "American-ness" of Jakes's story and reveals how preachers like Jakes are drawing followers by delivering therapeutic and transformative messages and providing spiritual commodities that are more in tune with postmodern sensibilities.

As the first work to critically examine Bishop Jakes's life and message, T.D. Jakes is an important contribution to contemporary American religion as well as popular culture.

Customer Reviews:

Good balanced view.......2006-10-12

Before reading this book, I often dismissed T.D. Jakes (who I would mock as "T.D. Takes" and "T.D. Fakes") as a rank hustler who pimped the emotions and pocketbooks of desperate women and who exploited the Black family crisis for his personal gain.

This unauthorized biography is neither a kiss-up volume or a bash session. It is a well-balanced view of how Thomas Dexter Jakes raised himself up from poverty in West Virginia coal country to become all but the heir apparent of Billy Graham in today's culture.

The good and bad are shown here. The ghostwritten books, the skullduggery with other preachers, his ruthless treatment of tenats on his property are mixed with the good he has done to and for many people (including his family) and others who are searching for answers at a time when stable families are in far too short supply.

So while it is not likely that I will spend any money on any of Jakes' books or campaigns, I have a smidgen of a bit more respect for what good he does while aware of his flaws, which is true of most human beings.

It lays bare the facts and lets the reader decide.

Without a doubt, an awesome book.......2006-07-15

This book takes a look at one of the strongest emerging religious leaders of this country. I was fortunate enough to have taken a couple of classes with Professor Shayne. The book was about Shayne's research of the life of Bishop T.D. Jakes. From a variety of angles, Shayne demonstrates how Jakes was able to comodify religion and become successful with it by integrating it with pop culture and by blurring the lines that once divided people of different denominations. I greatly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Good .......2006-04-11

This is a fair book that deal with a complex subject and man. There will be some that think that any analysis of Bishop Jakes written by a secular writer will be slanted, but the author does a great job of presenting a balance picture. Dr. Lee is not a Jakes partisan , but he is not a hater. He explores how Bishop Jakes enter the national spotlight and what he has done to stay there. One thing that was missing from the book was a meaningful discussion on how people like Bishop Jakes and other "Super Pastors" are impacting religion and faith in this country and overseas. But this book is a good start

From a student of the writer..........2006-04-04

I am enjoying your book extremely and I love that it is on a subject that I
would otherwise probably never look to learn about or that even really I would
think, interest me. I never knew the breadth and extent of the vast
televangelist market, and the work of ministers such as Jakes, not only as men
of God but as businessmen. Although I personally am not religious, this
"updating" of the religious industry is completely fascinating. I especially
enjoyed(just as the cynic I am), all of the hypocrisies and oxymorons offered
by men such as Jakes. He is not very different, in fact, from someone like
Paris Hilton, who has made her success by marketing everything she can, and
successfully I might add! Its interesting especially because you want to both
love him and hate him all at the same time. ALthough many of his methods and
lavish lifestyle are controversial, it is important to acknowledge not only his
brilliance as a marketing machine and businessman, but in the end he does offer
a certain hope and message which (though I may not agree with it per se) does
in fact speak to hundreds of thousands.

It's about time!.......2006-02-27

Almost a decade ago a classic book called The Black Church in the African American Experience warned us about a fast growing Neo-Pentecostal movement threatening the traditional black church. It's about time someone picked up their mantle and let us know what Neo-Pentecostalism is all about!

This book is the best work on the black church since Lincoln and Mamiya's classic study back in 1990. Lee picks up right where they left off and provides us with probably the most lucid explanation of how what he calls a "Neo-Pentecostal revolution" is a dominant force in contemporary American religion by using Jakes as its powerful general. The author argues that Jakes is part of a "faith industry" that turns spiritual gifts into "valuable commodities" (in other words, cash cows). Lee uses Jakes to diagnose and forecast the changing American religious landscape in it's hypercapitalist, postmodern form. This book is a must read (and easy read too) for religion scholars and average people (like me) who have been wondering for years why Jakes is so popular. I have a new respect for Jakes and yet Lee raises new concerns as well.

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