Book Description
"There is only one pleasure, that of being alive. All the rest is misery," wrote Cesare Pavese, whose short, intense life spanned the ordeals of fascism and World War II to witness the beginnings of Italy's postwar prosperity. Searchingly alert to nuances of speech, feeling, and atmosphere, and remarkably varied, his novels offer a panoramic vision, at once sensual and finely considered, of a time of tumultuous change. This volume presents readers with Pavese's major works. The Beach is a wry summertime comedy of sexual and romantic misunderstandings, while The House on the Hill is an extraordinary novel of war in which a teacher flees through a countryside that is both beautiful and convulsed with terror. Among Women Only tells of a fashion designer who enters the affluent world she has always dreamed of, only to find herself caught up in an eerie dance of destruction, and The Devil in the Hills is an engaging road novel about three young men roaming the hills in high summer who stumble on mysteries of love and death.
Customer Reviews:
A modern Italian master of fiction.......2003-07-10
Cesare Pavese represents the fictional equivalent of the verismo school of Italian cinema that flowered after WW II. There is a stark poetry, irony, and cool restraint about his fiction, as well as a gritty realism that was a new thing in Italian literature of the time, oddly reminiscent in a way of contemporaneous Italian movies such as "Bicycle Thief" and "Open City."
This selection of short novels contains Pavese's best novel, the war story _The House on the Hill_, as well as several other worthy works; among them, the danse macabre _Among Women Only_ and the road novel, _The Devil in the Hills_, are high on my list. The early novel, _The Beach_, is a bit lightweight, but entertaining.
Although Pavese was in many respects a politically engaged man, that's not the primary thrust of these works. Later, after Pavese decided to join the Italian communist party, he attempted at times to inject political elements into his work, with somewhat problematical results. His inspiration is more litotic lyricism than political act-up. The novels in this volume are free of any hint of an overt political "message," so if you are allergic to such things, you're in luck.
According to the translator, Pavese's famous last novel, _The Moon and the Bonfires_, was deliberately excluded from the selection for that reason. Nevertheless, _The Moon and the Bonfires_, too, contains some fine writing. Admirers of _The Selected Works of Cesare Pavese_ might also check it out. The character Nuto from that book is to some degree taken from central casting (genus "wise and noble peasant friend"), but that's (to my mind) a small defect, because the book is moving.
Pavese also wrote interesting short stories and poetry. They've been available at times in English translation. The poetry is available in Geoffrey Brock's translation under the name _Disaffections_ -- and that volume's intro contains some good remarks on Pavese's poetic technique, as well as being a decent translation.
As for the short stories, interested readers might want to check the availability of second hand editions, if they prove hard to find. They're slighter than the novels, but are definitely worth a look.
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Selected Works of Caesare Pavese
Cesare Pavese
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus & Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding
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ASIN: 9997413520 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on June 22, 2002. The length of the article is 306 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: Cesare Pavese. The Selected Works of Cesare Pavese.(Brief Article)
Author: Jeff Bursey
Publication:
The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2002
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: 22
Issue: 2
Page: 234(1)
Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
Pavese's nine short novels make up the most dense, dramatic and homogeneous narrative cycle of modern Italy, and also - I will add for the benefit of those who think this factor important - the richest in representing social ambiances, the human comedy, the chronicle of a society. But above all they are works of an extraordinary depth where one never stops finding new levels, new meanings (Italo Calvino, in L Europa Letteraria, December 1960)
Customer Reviews:
great story and good reading but..............2001-01-21
didn't anyone find the ending a little wierd?
don't want to give it away but those who read it, don't you feel it was a little crazy?
Read it in 1 day!.......2000-10-02
I found this book in a big box at a garage sale and paid a quarter for it. I came home and began to read it, not able to put it down, I finished it very early in the morning! I really loved the quick pace and snapping writing. My husband was amused to see me laughing while I read, especially since I had just been complaining about 3 other books I also bought and just knew I could not read after the first few paragraphs. I don't have the time or patience to try to figure out what author's, with too much time on their hands, are trying to say as they over-describe objects with obscure comparison. Sherryl Woods just found a new fan, I'm already thinking about which of her books to read next! The actual story was not as addictive as her style of writing, clear, fast-paced and very entertaining!
Another visit to the community of Whispering Wind.......2000-08-05
In a grocery store in New York City, Heather Reed gazes at her wailing child and realizes, after three years, that she can no longer accept the extraordinary responsibility of single parenthood. As she tells her irrepressible daughter, Angelique, they are going to find her father. Their search leads them to Whispering Wind, Wyoming where an unsuspecting Todd Winston now resides. Todd has been promoted to producer of "Megan's World", a successful home fashions network. After relocating from New York, Todd has just about accepted Whispering Wind as his home though he indulges himself with frequent trips back to the city. He's a man who is detailed, organized, and basically a control freak due to a tragic accident which took place when he was seventeen years old.
From the time of their reunion, Todd and Heather find themselves still strongly attracted to each other and marginally as much friends as they used to be. But Todd finds it hard to look at Angel and not remember his consuming sense of guilt. A sense of guilt that was hammered home years ago by his father. He is afraid that being in contact with any child below the age of four will result in that child's death due to his irresponsibility.
Sherryl Woods has created a wonderful, if fictional, community. Whispering Wind is full of colorful and supportive characters. Todd and Heather are both helped along by friends and help their friends in turn. The author fully illustrates the fact that this is a close-knit community. The narrative style is light and engaging and makes for a good and easy read. I gradually came to like Todd and Heather but would have liked more access into their internal thoughts than was allowed. A prime example: if I had known what was behind his fear of caring for babies, I would have been able to understand and even sympathize with his harsh treatment of Heather and Angel at times. As it was, I did enjoy the story overall and loved revisiting the community I was drawn to in the prequel. And in the end, I was glad to experience and believe in Todd, Heather, and Angel's happy ending.
A great read!.......2000-07-29
After finally admitting to herself that she cannot raise her daughter, Angel, alone anymore, Heather Reed, a waitress/actress in New York, decides she needs help in raising her....mainly the help of her daughter's father, Todd.
Finally getting used to living in Whispering Wind, Wyoming after having spent most of his life in New York, Todd Winston, a former Broadway actor turned executive producer to media mogul Megan O'Rourke of Megan's World Productions, is shocked when Heather shows up one day in Whispering Wind. Having tracked him down, Todd is in for a double shocker when Heather informs him he's the father of Angel, the daughter he never knew he had.
But a family secret from years ago leaves Todd with a "No kids, ever" outlook and he instantly rejects Angel, offering Heather money to take his child and go back to New York. Heather knows he's keeping something from her so she refuses his money and takes a job as a waitress at the local diner giving Todd time to deal with the fact that he's a father and to wait for Todd to open up about his reasons for not wanting Angel in his life.
But Todd never reckoned on Angel making her way into his heart with her own special magic and it's not until Heather does something drastic that Todd finds out his life has changed forever and that it would never be the same without Heather and Angel in it.
Watching how Heather and Todd reacted to one another was wonderful and seeing Angel blossom under the attention of Todd and those all around her made me smile. If you've read AFTER TEX, you'll be seeing a few familiar faces and you'll feel like you're visiting old friends.
Beautiful story.......2000-07-22
Actress Heather Reed can no longer deal with her precocious or is it devilish three year old daughter Angelique. The straw that broke Heather's back was the tantrum in the Manhattan store. Desperate for help, especially some quality time away from her beloved brat, Heather decides to visit Angel's biological father, Todd Winston in Wyoming.
When Todd left for Wyoming to produce Megan's World, he had no idea he sired a child. Now, he finds his ex-girlfriend in town accompanied by a child who looks like a female Todd. Heather tells him the truth, sending Todd into a deep panic as he looks at the child like she is an unwanted virus. Heather tries to learn why he has such a deep aversion to children. The townsfolk of Whispering Wind play matchmaker, trying to bring the two of them together. As Todd and Heather rekindle their love, she wonders if he will accept Angel as part of a package deal.
ANGEL MINE is a humorous contemporary romance. The lead charcaters are a warm duo and Todd's reaction to his daughter is both sad and amusing. However it is the eccentric townsfolk that make this novel worth reading. Their reaction to the New York invasion (also see AFTER TEX) is priceless. Sherryl Woods known for her romance and mystery novels has written a fabulous romantic romp in returning her readers to wonderful wacky Whispering Wind, Wyoming.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
When the "Gold Fever" epidemic sweeps the nation in 1849, people drop everything to chase the dream of striking it rich. Follow one family's itch for adventure from California to the Rockies to the Yukon - and discover a Christmas gift more valuable than gold. When Jeb Monroe succumbs to the fever, it's "California or bust." Will the rich banker's daughter, Aggie Wells, accept the spiritual riches Jeb has to offer before he must leave, penniless? The first time Jarrod McLeod dips his pan in the river, he strikes gold- in the form of a wedding band! Though he finds the woman to whom it belongs, she refuses to take the ring back. Will Angel Taylor also refuse Jarrod's proffered Christmas gift? Promised in marriage to a stranger, Charlotte Vance is headed to the Klondike - and struggling to control her feelings for Gabe Monroe, the brother of her betrothed. What will become of Charlotte when both men refuse to marry her? Traveling to Alaska to claim an inheritance from her father's business partner, Alexandra Peters receives a less-than-cordial welcome from Philip Monroe. What will it take for Alexandra to thaw the ice encasing Philip's heart. Four Christmases in gold country prove life's most priceless gifts come not in the form of polished gold - but from the vast riches of a loving heart.
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AAA California's Mother Lode Guide Map: Angels Camp,California Caverns,Columbia,Downieville,Empire Mine,Jamestown,Malakoff Diggins,Mariposa,Marshall Gold Discovery,Mercer Caverns,Moaning Cavern,Murphys,Nevada City,Railtown,Sutter Creek,Volcano (730335006810, 2007-43547505)
ACSC , and
AAA
Manufacturer: ACSC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map
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ASIN: 1564136817 |
Product Description
A map plus details on California's storied Gold Rush country, including historic towns, points of interest and the colorful personalities of the period. Explore Series 2007. Folded Map.
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Angel Mine
Sherryl Woods
Manufacturer: MIRA Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NU0RAK |
Average customer rating:
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An Angel Named Zabar
Bob Miller
Manufacturer: Hats Off Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1587364379 |
Book Description
Zabar is quite a guy . . . dresses appropriately for every occasion, speaks well, and is very caring. But he has a big job to do, and if his matter-of-fact words of wisdom fall on deaf ears, watch outâhe's not afraid to use the wrath of God to get his point across. Some are receptive to him and his message, others aren't. These stories are a small sampling of events that take place around the world at every moment. Zabar and the others like him stroll in and out of our lives like the wind. For lack of a better understanding and description, we simply refer to these events as miracles.
Customer Reviews:
Intresting.......2006-04-20
I love this book."I have always wandered" do Angels really appear, to People here on Earth.Well after reading this book by Bob Miller.I now believe, they do appear "to the right People at the right time" in the right place".Makes me want to go to Browns Mountain.I wonder would I meet Zabar there, or would I meet Bob miller.Either one would be an Angel to me.Thank You Bob for writting this wonderful book.
Average customer rating:
- Inspirational Storytelling that Surpasses All Others!
- Realistic,sensitive,and intimate story of a family trial.
- Congratulations to Deborah!
- Loved it!
- This is an amazing book!!!!
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Angel, Mine
Deborah Milton
Manufacturer: The Fiction Works
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: 158124021X |
Product Description
In that instant between the end of one heartbeat and the start of the next, everything had changed. One minute, Clare English was the happily married mother of two healthy children. Now her tiny daughter has been diagnosed with leukemia. Clare comes close to losing her faith, and her sanity.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational Storytelling that Surpasses All Others!.......1999-05-25
Every mother at one time or another, with unfailing certainty, has an overwhelming fear that her child will unexpectedly be taken from her by accident or death. Clare English is no exception. She's the strong-willed loving mother of Maggie and Adam, the faithful determined wife of Greg, and the life-long unconditional friend of Gwen. And God's on her side...after all, he finally gave her the beautiful little girl she'd been asking for all of her life. Now, life was good. Really, really good.
Then came the apple...the apple little Maggie bit into, leaving blood behind on the sweet fruit. A worried Clare discovers traces of red all over Maggie's teeth. Her gums were red and swollen. Clare is stunned a few hours later to find herself taking her precious little girl to the hospital to be tested for leukemia, and she prays, desperately, "Please don't let my baby have cancer!"
Yet Maggie does have the dreaded illness and Clare's perfect world comes crashing down around her as she enters the fight of her life for her daughter, her family, her faith, and most of all, herself.
With each and every page, the reader can't help but to imagine "what if this were my child?" We see the tremendous strength of a loving family and friends and the power of prayer through this challenging, life-threatening ordeal. Angel, Mine reminds us of the precious gifts we've received from God and readers will be forever touched by its heartfelt inspiration. Deborah Milton has created a story so real, so intense, it's hard to believe it's fiction. Get out your kleenex, as you'll certainly need them as you follow along with Clare, feeling her emotions, experiencing her pain and her joys as a mother, a wife, and a child of God. If this book hasn't been made into a movie yet, it should be. It is certain to captivate any audience from start to finish. I commend Ms. Milton on a job of inspirational storytelling that surpasses all others I've seen.
Realistic,sensitive,and intimate story of a family trial........1998-09-29
This book reads as though the author were speaking it, in a face-to-face meeting with the reader. It is so realistic, one feels as though she is Claire's next-door neighbor, going through a very frightening experience along with her.An intimate, inside look at an awful trial.
Congratulations to Deborah!.......1998-09-21
What a writer. I could not believe that the story I had just read was not true! It's a wonderful story of love, hope and courage. As a nurse I highly suggest this book as a gift to cancer patients and their families.
Great job Deborah and I look forward to reading any future work you may have coming out.
Be Blessed!
Loved it!.......1998-09-03
'Angel, mine' is a very poetic and sensitive account of a mother's worst nightmare. Although Deborah Milton is one of the best new Christian writers to come along in quite a while,this book is definitely not just for christian readers. She handles her subject matter with a style that's all her own, injecting humor at always just the right time. I actually found myself crying at times, and laughing at others. And most importantly, I came away from the book with a newfound respect for the bone marrow donor system. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
This is an amazing book!!!!.......1998-09-02
I've read the book Angel Mine by Deb Milton and I just want to say that it's so wonderfully written that you don't want to put it down. Deb Milton is such a great author, Does she have any other books coming out soon????
Average customer rating:
- an eloquant account of Mother Jones
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Mother Jones the Miners' Angel: A Portrait (Arcturus Paperbacks ; Ab 145)
Dale Fetherling
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0809306433 |
Book Description
This biography details the legacy of the most extraordinary woman labor agitator in American history.
The life of Mother Jones “is an epic, and it is the shame of American writers that it has never been told,” George West wrote in the Nation in July 1922.
“She is a great woman,” he added, “unsung because of our tradition of cheap gentility.” The truth of West’s lament has endured until now.
Mother Jones lived a century. Born in 1830, widowed in 1867 in Memphis, and suffering the loss of her husband and four children from yellow fever she moved to Chicago, where her business as a seamstress was destroyed by the great fire of 1871. Thus tempered by adversity, she came to have a lively sympathy for the downtrodden laboring classes, and she devoted the rest of her life to seeking the betterment of the workingman—especially the coal miner.
In the course of her career as a labor agitator, Mother Jones took part in some of the most momentous battles in American labor history: The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, the Haymarket Riot of 1886, and the “Debs Rebellion” of 1894. Her last big effort took place during the 1919
steel strike, as she neared her ninetieth year.
For half a century Mother Jones was an impious Joan of Arc, an industrial Carrie Nation, who took up the workingman’s cause without question and fought his battles without compromise. Dale Fetherling’s big and important biography for the first time gives her full story, with eloquence and sympathetic understanding.
Customer Reviews:
an eloquant account of Mother Jones.......2000-06-08
One of the more definitive books on Mother Jones,"Mother Jones, the Miners' Angel" provides readers with a discerning and penetrating look at one of America's more prominent labour agitators.
Joining the labour movement in Chicago after the death of her husband and daughters, Mother Jones became an prominent organizer due to her almost unparalleled oratory skills.
As one of the founders of the Social Democratic party (1898) and the Industrial Workers of the World (1905), Mother Jones was active in organizing miners, garment workers, and streetcar workers. Due to her effectiveness in organizing labour she was persistantly persecuted by authorities and in 1913 she was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder on trumped up charges. The sentence was commuted and in 1914 Mother Jones again played a prominent role in publicizing the massacre of 20 people by machine-gun fire during a Ludlow, Colorado miner's strike. Throughout her years of involvement in labour Mother Jones was continually a vocal advocate of laws to end child labour.
Author Dale Fetherling has written an eloquant account of one an union organizer and agitator that should inspire constructive social action in whoever reads it.
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Perdona, Pero Ese Libro Es Mio/excuse Me, but That Book Is Mine
Lauren Child
Manufacturer: Lectorum Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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( C ) | Autores e Ilustradores, A-Z | Infantil y juvenil | Libros en español | Formats | Books | Carle, Eric | Carroll, Lewis | Cleary, Beverly | Cole, Joanna | Colfer, Eoin | Cousins, Lucy
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ASIN: 8484882489 |
Average customer rating:
- A disappointment, sorry to say
- extremely subtle, occasionally difficult, and enigmatic, but 1st rate scifi
- An entertaining, thought provoking read
- As thought-provoking today as it was when first published
- Delany has a lot more than 5 stars in his pocket
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Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
Samuel R. Delany
Manufacturer: Bantam Dell Pub Group (Trd)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States
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Delany, Samuel R.
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Similar Items:
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Dhalgren
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Nova
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Babel-17/Empire Star
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Atomik Aztex
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Einstein Intersection
ASIN: 0553050532 |
Book Description
Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand is a science fiction masterpiece, an essay on the inexplicability of sexual attractiveness, and an examination of interstellar politics among far-flung worlds. First published in 1984, the novel's central issues--technology, globalization, gender, sexuality, and multiculturalism--have only become more pressing with the passage of time.
The novel's topic is information itself: What are the repercussions, once it has been made public, that two individuals have been found to be each other's perfect erotic object out to "point nine-nine-nine and several nines percent more"? What will it do to the individuals involved, to the city they inhabit, to their geosector, to their entire world society, especially when one is an illiterate worker, the sole survivor of a world destroyed by "cultural fugue," and the other is--you!
Customer Reviews:
A disappointment, sorry to say.......2007-09-25
Delany is a highly-regarded science fiction author known for his notoriously hard-to-read novels (such as this one, or Dhalgren). As a voracious reader of sci-fi, I had to eventually give him a try. Stars in My Pocket is the book I tried, and I hate to say it, but it was disappointing. The book has an Agenda, big time, and really very little story. It seems that, back in 1984, Delany, a gay black man, decided to try to shake up the "straight" world with a book that turns our notions of "normal" sexualtiy inside out. But even in 1984, this was familiar territory, and the trail had been blazed by James Baldwin Another Country in "mainstream" fiction, and of course Heinlein in Time Enough for Love and I Will Fear No Evil, among others. So, the "strangeness" factor is not enough to carry the book, which is too bad, since there's not much of a story here. And as Heinlein and others have shown, a novel need not lack a plot while investigating what it means to be human. Though the preface proclaims that the book is "the most truly galactic novel ever written", I'd have to say I've seen it done much better elsewhere. A good recent example is the Golden Age trilogy by John C. Wright [start here:The Golden Age (The Golden Age, Book 1) ]. The 6000-world backdrop of this book are just part of the Agenda, which is to force diversity down the reader's throat, and damn the sales figures. It's a shame, because I happen to be sympathetic to Delany's cause. But if you want to change the world, why not write something that will be widely read? From what I've read here, I'm guessing Delany is not capable of seeing beyond the bounds of his race and sexual gender. Either that, or he is just writing for himself, and doesn't care who buys his books. In either case, I will pass on Professor Delany from now on.
extremely subtle, occasionally difficult, and enigmatic, but 1st rate scifi.......2007-05-14
I wrestled with this novel more than usual. It is vividly written, a genuinely beautiful style that evokes a brilliantly conceived future world without completely explaining what is going on. If this is something you enjoy unravelling - even re-reading - this is a true masterpiece of scifi that can stand on its own as a fine novel. It is of the same caliber as Octavia Butler or Frank Herbert, in my view.
This novel plays with the reader in a number of unusual ways. First, there is the race of the protagonists: it makes a difference in the plot and meaning depending on how you picture it in your mind's eye. Second, there are so many basic plot/theme inferences that there are many different ways to connect the dots. While confusing, it is also a challenge. Third, there are many seemingly unrelated incidents, which may indeed form a whole if you can recognise the overall pattern of the tapestry. It is deliciously mysterious and fearfully evocative.
Spoiler warning. My reading of it is that there is a crisis, with the strangely destructive and apparently unknowable aliens. Into this, a learning disabled man miraculously survives a completely destroyed planet and with the help of technology assumes the charisma of an enlightened despot, which establishes a cult following of a frightened populace. But what is so amazing about this is the detail of the world as imagined, from the turtle-like nature species to the bizarre practices of an elite family (they taste rocks while hunting).
Warmly recommended.
An entertaining, thought provoking read.......2006-04-10
This novel starts out slow, as many of Delany's novels do. His creative use of language takes a couple of chapters to comprehend, but then his narrative and storytelling grabs you and keeps you completely involved in the story. The main character is "human" and there is the familiar human side of the story, but this is intertwined with the alien side of the story in a universe of many planets with different cultures.
I found myself filling in the many "blanks" Delany did not include in the story. Believe me, I am not complaining about the lack of details, he provides plenty. This novel is thought provoking and entertaining.
As thought-provoking today as it was when first published.......2005-04-10
Samuel R. Delany is a novelist and critic, currently teaching English and creative writing at Temple University. A renowned author of science fiction, he has won both Hugo and Nebula awards. Now the Wesleyan University Press has published a 20th anniversary edition of one of Delany's very best science fiction epics, Stars In My Pocket Like Grains Of Sand. The central issues Delany addresses in a fictional format (technology, globalization, gender, sexuality, multiculturalism) have become even more center stage with the passage of time. This anniversary edition will serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to Delany's imaginative and superbly skilled storytelling abilities with a science fiction novel that is as entertaining and thought-provoking today as it was when first published in 1984.
Delany has a lot more than 5 stars in his pocket.......2004-11-18
Delany is one of the greatest writers of any genre. This novel is simply brilliant, and every time I read it I find more reasons to love it. Although I'd love to see a sequel, I've always thought that leaving us all hanging for a book that will never come only strengthens the point of the book in the first place. Go back to it and read it again; everything you need is already there. The writing is alive and every word is packed with beauty and meaning. The passage near the end discussing the many possible meanings of arriving on a new world at dawn is just about one of the most effective---and affective---passages ever written in a science fiction novel. Delany's work is entertaining and important. But be prepared to think and wonder and stretch your mind.
Book Description
This innovative cultural critique offers valuable insights into science fiction, thus enlarging our understanding of critical theory.
Carl Freedman traces the fundamental and mostly unexamined relationships between the discourses of science fiction and critical theory, arguing that science fiction is (or ought to be) a privileged genre for critical theory. He asserts that it is no accident that the upsurge of academic interest in science fiction since the 1970s coincides with the heyday of literary theory, and that likewise science fiction is one of the most theoretically informed areas of the literary profession. Extended readings of novels by five of the most important modern science fiction authors illustrate the affinity between science fiction and critical theory, in each case concentrating on one major novel that resonates with concerns proper to critical theory.
Freedman's five readings are: Solaris: Stanislaw Lem and the Structure of Cognition; The Dispossessed: Ursula LeGuin and the Ambiguities of Utopia; The Two of Them: Joanna Russ and the Violence of Gender; Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand: Samuel Delany and the Dialectics of Difference; The Man in the High Castle: Philip K. Dick and the Construction of Realities.
Customer Reviews:
Critical Theory needs critical response.......2002-05-01
It's amazing that people can judge a book by reading excerpts on the net. Critical Theory and Science Fiction is not an easy read but CT never was or will be. You don't have to agree with the Marxist theories of Bloch and Adorno, Carl Freedman uses to make his various points, to appreciate his insights and the challenges he throws at the reader. That is what academics are supposed to do and not to wallow in old cliche's and easy answers. The "excursuses" (his term) into classic SF novels such as Stanislaw Lem's SOLARIS, Ursula Le Guin's THE DISPOSSESSED, Joanna Russ' THE TWO OF THEM, Samuel Delany's STARS IN MY POCKET LIKE GRAINS OF SANDS and the greatest SF writer, Philip K Dick's THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE are lessons every SF reader and writer should make their own. At least Freedman is raising the level of SF discourse beyond Star Trek Convensions or Star Wars hype.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on September 22, 1996. The length of the article is 3894 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.
From the supplier: Samuel R. Delany uses a fictional galaxy-controlling organization as a metaphor for the ways text controls reader response in 'Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand.' The Web not only selects which events take place, but how sentient beings perceive those events. Delany alters the shape of standard English for much of the novel to achieve a similar effect. Individual response to social framework in this novel suggests human possibilities are infinite.
Citation Details
Title: To see what condition our condition is in: trial by language in 'Stars in my pocket like grains of sand.'
Author: Mary Kay Bray
Publication:
The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1996
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: v16
Issue: n3
Page: p153(8)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
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Book Description
A careful, reasoned study of the doctrine of election. Piper dissects Paul's Greek and the argument it conveys to present the picture of God and his righteousness painted in Romans 9.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent but heavy..........2007-06-11
This book is a tough read! But if you're trying to form your theology concerning predestination/election etc... then this book is a very scholarly presentation of the Reformed viewpoint based on a strong exegesis of Romans 9:1-23. John Piper rocks and this book shows why, even if you do disagree with Calvinism/Reformed Theology.
Must Read!.......2006-10-02
During a meeting at the Cove Piper suggested to me that this book is the least readable of all his books. It is NOT user-friendly to the non-Greek Bible student, in fact, this book was the catalyst for my own three year journey in Greek studies at a local Bible college.
This book covers every argument and every objection to the Reformed interpretation using sound Biblical exegesis. Piper meets the text at every level of Greek grammar and syntax and unpacks God's truth for his readers in plain English.
You'll be a Calvinist after reading this book.......2005-04-20
You ever wonder why Calvinists are Calvinists? Why many evangelicals believe in double predestination? How God can still be righteous even though He has decreed to elect only a certain portion of mankind? Those who want an excellent treatment of one of the most difficult topics of Christian theology should look here. In this book, John Piper tackles Romans 9:1-23 to show why the Bible teaches Calvinism. Without letting dogmatic and philosophical presuppositions guide his exegesis, Piper deals with the text as it is by examining the passage in its original language (Koine Greek). The work is heavily exegetical, but surprisingly easy to read (though knowing some Greek will help for sure). Piper goes over the passage section by section (Romans 9:1-5, 6-13, 14-18, and 19-23). He starts off using Romans 9:1-13 as a launching pad which reaches its climax in 9:19-23. It is well structured and organized. Piper sets up his argument by examining the redemptive-historical place of physical Israel (chapter 2). If Israel is God's elect people, why are the majority under His wrath in the present time? What has happened to God's righteousness and faithfulness? Piper, in a very convincing manner, explains that God's promise and faithfulness (according to Paul) have not failed because only a faithful remnant within physical Israel were/are saved. Also, God will someday save corporate/physical Israel near the end of the age (cf. Romans 11:25-26). Thus, God is not unjust. However, Piper does an excellent job still explaining why God is still just and righteous when He only elects a certain number among mankind for His salvific benefits--to display His glory and honour His own name. Piper also deals with the idea of the "righteousness of God" in Romans 3 (chapters 7-8): God's righteousness being not bestowing some righteousness unto sinners (Luther), but to act for His own name's sake and to show His glory (many may agree with Luther, but Piper's view cannot be ignored). He also explains what Exodus 33:19 means within the context of Romans 9, and explains what the "righteousness of God" means in the Old Testament (chapter 6)--which is basically the same as the Pauline meaning in Romans 3. Throughout the book, Piper basically tries to refute the common non-Calvinistic way of interpreting Romans 9. Romans Catholics and Arminians often argue that Romans 9 deals with national and/or temporal matters. Piper, through convincing exegesis, argues that Paul was dealing with individual and eternal matters. This is a good book that will vindicate God and the way He deals with the world and humanity. Piper's book should be read in all seminaries (Calvinistic and non-Calvinistic alike) in advanced theology courses. However, a note of caution should be mentioned. When Piper first wrote this book (1983) he was still highly influenced by his former teacher Daniel Fuller. One may notice some spots where he holds to the typical Kasemannian/Stuhlmacherian view of justification (i.e., justification by faith and law-keeping). Overall, though, this is a good book that should be read by all who are interested in what the Bible teaches on predestination.
Learn an Exegetical interpretation of Romans 9.......2004-03-19
I rate this book a 4 only to let the buyer know that there is some difficulty with it. In truth, I rate it a 5 for myself. This book makes a thorough exegetical interpretation of Romans 9.
You will learn why God is Justified in condemning sinners when He has "made me like this". You will learn how God is glorified is their condemnation. This book is very meaty and will take some thought. You may even have to re-read chapters to digest the wonders of the passage.
The negatives of this book certainly do not outweigh any of the positives. Many evangelicals desire meaty sermons, but when given one more than 20 mnutes, they complain. This book is not for the wimpy Christian who says he wants to grow in the Grace and knowledge, but only reads the "purpose Driven Church" style of books. It also quotes the Biblical text in their original languages, therefore it is not friendly to the layman in that regard. Trust me though, I can not read Greek, and I found the book to be a humbling experience in the light of God's truth being presented.
To my knowledge, no one has ever given an exegetical refutation of this work. A must for anyone desiring to grow in their understanding of God's Sovereignty.
God Bless
The best Reformed treatment of Romans 9.......2003-10-18
This book is definitely a sound defense of predestination theology and is one of the best books on the subject, period. Dr. Piper systematically goes through Romans 9: 1-23 and analyzes the text in the original Greek. Piper is a capable and qualified exegete and his knowledge of the Greek language and grammar is excellent. I believe that Piper does an excellent job of supporting his thesis and backing it up with solid exegesis, but there are still some lingering questions I have, and I don't believe this work is above scholarly criticism.
The positive aspects of this work are it's solid scriptural exegesis and it's coherent and cohesive system of argumentation. Piper does an awesome job of demonstrating why he believes the Reformed view of individual predestination is correct, and he supports his argument with solid evidence. I really wish someone from the opposing camp would produce a work of this calibre. Also, Piper's work is heavily supported by scholars and the research is simply phenomenal. Dr. Piper is to be applauded for his work because he doesn't ignore and brush aside objections or differing interpretations to his views, but instead interacts with them and shows why he believes they are incorrect. Finally, this work is very convincing and many if not most will find themselves agreeing with Piper's thesis by the time they finish this book.
That being said, I am not fully convinced that Piper's argument is correct for several reasons. First, Piper's opening defense hinges on the thesis that the list of privileges announced in Romans 9: 4-5 are soteriological in essence. Piper builds his case by showing that a word like uiothesia means divine sonship and is always used in reference to God's saving purpose. I wasn't convinced by this argument because the Old Covenant, or the Sinaitic Covenant, was by nature not a saving covenant. The book of Deuteronomy proves this over and over again because the whole purpose of this Covenant with Israel was to bestow physical and earthly blessings and not spiritual and salvific blessings. In fact, nowhere does God promise the Israelites salvation in return for obedience to the covenant in the Old Testament. Yes, physical Israel was called God's son in the Old Testament but this never implied salvific priviliges or rights. Second, I think Piper overlooks a key phrase in Romans 9:8 and that is the term "children of the promise." Properly understood, I think this phrase provides the key answer to Paul's question as to why not all of physical Israel is saved. In Galatians 3: 15-22 Paul deals with this issue and provides the answer as to exactly who or what constitutes spiritual Israel. The Jews were contending that since they were Abraham's natural descendants they must be saved since God made this promise to Abraham and to his seed. The Jews misunderstood the word seed and believed it meant all of Abraham's descendants. Paul refutes this idea and illustrates that the promise was made to Abraham and to his seed(singular), and that this seed is Jesus Christ. Therefore, in Paul's mind there are two Israel's: one is natural or fleshly Israel, and the other is the spiritual Israel or the children of the promise. I think Piper's idea of the two Israel's being the Israel of the flesh and the Israel of the election does not cohere with the total view of Pauline theology that is constructed from all of his works. Thus, Paul answers his objectors by showing that not all Israel is saved because not all Israel are children of the promise and that is what counts towards salvation.
In addition, Piper's insistence that faith is subsumed under the aegis of the actions of willing and running is extremely suspect. To support this view Piper refers to Galatians 5:7 and I Thessalonians 1:3 to prove that faith is an action of willing. Galatians 5:7 has nothing to do with this subject, and could only be remotely related if 5:6 is intended to be referenced as well. Galatians 5:6 speaks of one's faith working or operating through love; The Greek word energeia describes an operation, and therefore this verse is describing how one's faith works or operates, it says nothing about faith being a work. Therefore, Piper's reference to Galatians 5:7 is unwarranted and does not support his point. Similarly, I Thessalonians 1:3 seems to have in mind works of faith or an operative faith and not faith as a work. So again this verse does not support Piper's view that faith is some kind of work included under Paul's willing and running categories. The Greek word for faith is pistis and simply means trust. If I trust that an airplane will get me from point A to point B without crashing does my trust in that airplane's ability contribute to or faciliate it's operation? Obviously not!
For those of you who are confused about the 4 stars after reading this review don't be. This book is an excellent and scholarly piece of literature and one that nicely defends it's viewpoint. That being said, I did not agree with parts of it and that is why this review contains more criticism than praise. If you are a Calvinist looking to your strengthen your beliefs then read this book, if you are an Arminian wishing to challange your views then read this book.
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