Amazon.com
"It was our secret. That's all it was. Lots of people have secrets, don't they? The world runs on secrets. What kind of place would the world be without them? Our secret was harmless. It did not hurt anybody."
The secret that Millicent Moody, widow of jazz great Joss Moody, refers to may have been harmless in life, but when Joss dies and the truth is exposed, it ends up affecting more people than she ever imagined. It gives nothing away to reveal right off that Millicent's late husband was, in fact, a woman--something Millie has known all along but that the Moodys' adopted son, Colman, only discovers after his father's death. Titillating as the subject matter initially seems, in Jackie Kay's capable hands Joss's gender-bending becomes almost a side issue in a novel that is, at its heart, concerned with the essential nature of love.
Kay tells her story from many different perspectives--the doctor who signs the death certificate, the mortician who prepares the body, the opportunistic biographer looking to make a buck and a name for herself, the musicians who knew Joss--but it is Millicent and Colman who bear the brunt of both the pain and the responsibility for telling the tale. Millie Moody is a tremendously sympathetic character; her love for Joss is so powerful, so right that the reader never questions the decisions this odd couple made in life. "I didn't feel like I was living a lie," Millie tells us. "I felt like I was living a life." Colman, on the other hand, is more difficult to like. Though it's easy to understand his anger and confusion upon suddenly learning that the man he regarded as his father for 30 years was actually a woman, one also has the sneaking suspicion that he wasn't a particularly lovable guy before the revelation, either. Still, by the end of Trumpet, there's hope for Colman, peace of mind for Millie, and a satisfying rendering of love in all its permutations for the reader. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
"Supremely humane.... Kay leaves us with a broad landscape of sweet tolerance and familial love."--The New York Times Book Review
In her starkly beautiful and wholly unexpected tale, Jackie Kay delves into the most intimate workings of the human heart and mind and offers a triumphant tale of loving deception and lasting devotion.
The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret, one that enrages his adopted son, Colman, leading him to collude with a tabloid journalist. Besieged by the press, his widow Millie flees to a remote Scottish village, where she seeks solace in memories of their marriage. The reminiscences of those who knew Joss Moody render a moving portrait of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, one that preserved a rare, unconditional love.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Novel!.......2006-07-03
Here's a contemporary novel well worth the read. The story is basically about a trumpet player whom everyone thought was a man until the truth is found out at the latter's death. The novel is divided into mainly three first person narrators: the widow of the trumpet player, his son, and a journalist who wants to ghostwrite a book on the whole thing.
I'll be honest, I never really had any interest in Jazz, or scottish culture (it's a scottish novel, written by a gay black woman, who's also scottish) but that novel makes it all mighty interesting; and the writing is great. The different voices are excellent. The whole book is like how others pictures that person who wasn't a man but was believed by all to be one. It may not seem so, but it's perfectly credible, and besides, this was inspired by a true story.
The cover of my book says it has won the 1998 Guardian Fiction Prize; pardon my ignorance but I don't know of it, just thought it might be worth mentionning here.
I really recommend it for those who wish to read something contemporary, and of quality. It's really mighty. Jackie Kay is formerly a poet, this is her first novel.
Heart and Soul .......2005-09-29
I read this book several years ago and enjoyed very much. I was surprised to find that the author, Jackie Kay, is mainly a poet. The premise of the book is sensationalistic but the execution of the story and its characters is precious and nuanced.
Many people want to know how Millie stayed with Joss once her true sex was revealed. However, Millie had already fallen in love with Joss regardless of his/her race. She accepted her "husband" fully(in for a penny, in for a pound). All couples have peculiar rituals unique to themselves. Gender is not mitigating factor. I don't think love transcends all, but it does make room.
The important thing is that Joss created a life for herself. The author alludes to the fact that Joss's fellow musicans were aware of her true sex and accepted her anyway.
While Joss's son Colman comes off as a petulant brat and his collusion with the tabloid journalist is repugnant, the story does allow for his redemption.
The writing is beautiful and atmospheric.
A short review.......2004-11-07
Let me just say that this novel brought me close to tears by the time I finished it. It was one of the top 3 novels I read in 2003, and one of my favorite novels of all time.
Satisfying Conclusion Makes it Worthwhile.......2004-06-19
I'm surprised to have given this book 4 stars. I started out struggling to finish keep up the reading for much of it. I'd done a little research on the author, and it seemed this work was going to end up being some gender-issue, multicultural, diversity advocacy. Which it is. But the author, for me, managed to transcend these themes in the overall plot. The ending is what saved the book.
The main character Joss Moody is a famous jazz musician. He married and adopted a child and lived a long successful life. But he had a secret - Joss was really a woman. The world is shocked upon Joss' death, to find out this secret. Joss' wife Millie and their adopted son Colman must deal with the public's morbid fascination. Millie experiences resentment and fear; she feels there was nothing wrong with her marriage, her spouse. But the adopted son Colman, now in his 30s, feels rage and shame when he discovers, along with the public, that his father was really a woman. He seeks "revenge" by collaborating with a tabloid author on a tell-all book. Millie is enraged by her son's duplicity. In the end, all appears to be well, but it's a long painful path.
I had a few questions about the plot, things that didn't seem to make sense, as I do with most books. And, as with most books, by the end these "inconsistencies" become reasonable "suspensions of disbelief." For instance, in addition to "revenge", Colman's main motivation in working on the tell-all book is money. He needs it. But Joss was wealthy. Joss loved his son, so where is the inheritence? Eventually I figured maybe Joss left it all to his wife, or knew his son was terrible with money and so didn't want to leave him any, or that Joss' assets were jointly held with his wife, etc. And how could Millie stay on with Joss after she found out he was a man? Unconditional love I figured, which is a big theme of the story.
So after a long, hard slog, the conclusion really saved the book for me. Kay manages to pull off the "love is all that matters" theme in a believable way. All the pain and suffering that Millie and Colman experience upon Joss' death, these issues sort themselves out by the end, and the author does this in a convincing and satisfying way.
Pure poetry.......2003-06-22
It was not a surprise to me to read, after finishing the book, that the author is a poet. This book moved with beautiful flow, so easy to read, and engaging. As another reviewer mentioned, the book is based, loosely, on the story of Billy Tipton. "Suits Me" is interesting, but it is an incredibly slow and arduous read and, in return, does not provide much insight into Billy Tipton and his journey. However, "Trumpet" does provide insight and the reader can't help but understand all the of the characters, their struggles and their joys. This is an amazing story and beautifully written.
Book Description
From her childhood in Chattanooga to her Harlem debut; from touring the Jim Crow South to showcasing in Shanghai and London, Valaida lived large, blazing a trail with energy and style. Based on the story of Valaida Snow, one of jazz’s first female trumpeters, this is an enthralling, seductive, deeply imagined novel. Candace Allen received her BA from Harvard before attending New York University’s School of Film and Television. A former Hollywood screenwriter and assistant director, she was the first African-American woman to become a member of the Director’s Guild of America.
Customer Reviews:
Kind of a letter to Ms Allen.......2007-08-13
Ms Allen,
What is it in your way of writing that I liked so much? Something that reminds me of Toni Morrison (a favorite)... Yes, I have it: a special knowledge ! You KNOW what you wrote about, you researched it well and long, you heard Valaida play (on records, no doubt), you lived it in your mind and your heart... It consumed you for a long time and you wrote, you wrote, you wrote. Maybe a bit too much, it is (maybe) a bit overlong book but...
I ADORED IT!
(I could make critics, some bits & pieces of it but I prefer to only say that.)
I write myself, never like you or Morrison, but I can feel all the work behind such a great novel, its panoramic scope, the polka dots of all the people and the places in it. And to agree with another reviewer here: As Spielberg made a great movie with Alice Walker's Color Purple, your book would do an extraordinary movie or series.
I must thank you for bringing Valaida Snow to life.
Who else could you write about?
Sincerely.
Average customer rating:
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The Trumpet-Major
Thomas Hardy
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Hardy, Thomas
| Classics
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Hardy, Thomas
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0543896803
Release Date: 2000-06-07 |
Average customer rating:
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A blast of trumpets (A Rinehart suspense novel)
John Creasey
Manufacturer: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
| Authors, A-Z
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| General
| Large Print
| Mystery
| Police Procedurals
| Thrillers
| Writing
ASIN: 003014101X |
Average customer rating:
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Blow Up the Trumpet in the New Moon
Douglas How
Manufacturer: Oberon Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
British
| Short Stories
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Canadian
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Short Stories
| Canadian
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0887509320 |
Product Description
Four western novels by Ernest Haycox, in matching red hardcover design, with gold lettering and embossed cover illustrations. The Border Trumpet (1939): 306 pages; Rim of the Desert (1940-41): 305 pages; Trail Town (1941): 298 pages; Alder Gulch (1941-41): 303 pages.
Book Description
TARA COLE SPECIALIZES IN REVENGEIn fact, she's an expert. Lace pillows filled with cat hair-for your least-favorite, most allergic relative; boxer shorts that set off metal detectors-for your cheating spouse; and her best seller at RevengeGifts.com: chocolates for your worst enemy, so you can watch gleefully as she packs on the pounds.Tara's best friend warns her that all this revenge is damaging her karma, but Tara doesn't care about her next life-she wants to enjoy this one. Besides, her kitchen is full of cranky ghosts. Tara figures she'll be the same one day, when she leaves the mortal plane.That might happen sooner than she thought, because someone has put a curse on her. A black cat, a black dog, even a black goat, appear, each followed by bizarre, almost-disastrous events. And it all started around the time Howard showed up. Howard says he wants to go into business with Tara, but it seems like he wants to go to bed with her. Unless he's the one who cursed her . . . . Is this karma coming full circle-or destiny knocking on Tara's door?
Customer Reviews:
Ah, Karma at last!!.......2007-06-12
I bought this book on Saturday the 9th of 2007. I was simply blown away by this book!! This is--almost---every womans' fantasy to have a job like Taras', revenge gifts for the person you want most to get revenge on!! It doesn't hurt any, either, by the ghosts that live with you too!!
I made an all out effort to read this book in one sitting, but sleep is rather important to me. I did manage to finish it up the next day. I sincerely love this book and hopefully, someday, it may become a movie. I feel that many people would simply love to see Tara in action on the big screen.
For anyone considering reading this book, I highly recommend it.
Tara is a woman that has had her share of bad luck and when she opens a business called Revenge Gifts, it takes off!! Unfortunately, between voodoo folks and ghosts and black colored animals, her life get a tad complicated. Never-the-less, she finds love and a kind of 'you keep to your side of the spiritual plain and I stay on my side' kind of relationship with the ghosts in her life.
Tara is a very independent woman and shows that anyone, with any bit of grit inside of them, can make a life and career for themselves, if they try hard enough.
Revenge Gifts
Great premise, execution falters.......2007-04-18
Loved the premise of this book and enjoyed the heroine and her wacky setup until the plot took off in directions that the writer wasn't up to managing. In particular, the romantic interest, Howard, came off as a creepy nebbish. (It's a romance, so he's important.) The writer was unable to convey his appeal to me, regardless of his appeal to the heroine. That failure and plot elements that did not work led me to feel that it was a very disappointing read. Probably this author will improve and be worth me trying her again in another few books. Unless she just has the one idea and never noticed that she did not execute it well.
An infectiously entertaining and refreshingly unique debut novel.......2007-03-17
No one is ever going to classify me as a reviewer of romance novels, but I do dip a few toes in the pool of romance once every blue moon or so. Technically speaking, Cindy Cruciger's delightful debut novel, Revenge Gifts, is a work of paranormal romance, so I think I'm sort of covered on this one. Ghosts, murder, voodoo, revenge: these are topics I'm quite comfortable with. And as for the romantic element of the story, it's by no means mushy or overly dramatic (despite the frequent use of the moniker "Muffin"). They say this is women's fiction, but I say that guys can enjoy this book just as much as the ladies, as it is wildly entertaining, consistently funny, and delightfully original.
We all have moments when we thirst for revenge against someone else - an unfaithful lover, a hateful boss, a nosy mother-in-law, etc. Wouldn't it be great if there was a merchant out there who catered to such needs, supplying all sorts of "gifts" designed to make your personal enemy pay for his/her actions? Tara Cole thought so, which is why she started Revenge Gifts from her home in the Florida Keys. This online site features a selection of goodies guaranteed to torment your worst enemies (anonymously, if you choose). Not surprisingly, her business is thriving. Her personal life, on the other hand, could use some work. It has been ten years since her last serious relationship, she is routinely pestered by a number of ghosts in her home, and she is now the recipient of death threats from a local voodoo priestess. Ah, but there is also a new man in her life (the aforementioned "Muffin," also known as Howard), and that makes living with a refrigerator-raiding, knife-throwing ghost and the threat of a voodoo curse (not to mention the bad karma her revenge gift business is calling down upon her head) a little easier to deal with.
As I said, I know next to nothing about the romance genre, but from what I have heard and read I get the sense that there is a lot of what I would call "fruit cake fiction" out there, with what is basically the same story turning up in one novel after another. Daring to be different, Revenge Gifts just doesn't fit your standard stereotypical romance. Tara Cole is not the type of girl to swoon, that's for sure, and I don't think there's anything swoon-worthy in play here, anyway. This is not a dramatic love story wherein two lost souls find in each other the mate each one has been searching for all of their lives. Howard's and Tara's relationship is more about the moment; it's sexy, it's fun, and both are really into each other, but that is about as deep as it goes for now.
Revenge Gifts is full of great characters and dialogue, with Tara herself really winning me over. She's a fiercely independent, somewhat mischievous, smart and sassy young woman who takes her crazy life in stride without ever losing her sense of humor (sarcastic as it is). To me, she's at her funniest and most charming during her most difficult moments - it's a good thing, too, because, difficult moments take up most of her time.
If you're looking for some kind of sappy, melodramatic romance, you might want to pass this one by. If you're up for some sexy fun, with a little weirdness on the side, though, Revenge Gifts may just have exactly what you're looking for.
Only the crazies laugh alone!.......2006-11-13
I read this book while vacationing in the Keys for a week. I enjoyed the characters and the plot a bit too much. My kids were very happy to tell me that I was weird because, "Mom, only the crazies laugh alone!" Well, now I belong to a new club, The Crazies, and I'm no longer alone. Thanks for the good time, Cindy.
Revenge Gifts what a good idea.......2006-08-17
I just finished this book and really enjoyed it a lot. The characters are well drawn and the story is just a hoot. Have fun.
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The Mini Voodoo Revenge Book and Gift Set
Inc. Sterling Publishing Co. , and
Mark Shulman
Manufacturer: Main Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Wicca | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Witchcraft | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1402712316 |
Book Description
The bestselling Voodoo kit—complete with a book of spells, soft doll, and pins—now comes in miniature at a great low price. The package may be smaller, but revenge is just as sweet!
Stick it to ‘em in miniature! If you’ve got obnoxious, irritating, and aggravating folks in your life, why not give them what they so richly deserve? Nothing channels rage better than these sacred rituals and chants, all translated and fully updated for the modern household. Page after page reveals the mysteries of the ages, including plenty of evil, vengeful acts to wreak havoc on telemarketers, roommates, neighbors, and pesky in-laws. Make that bill collector pay for taking your hard earned money. Cut the snob down to size. Teach that ingrate some appreciation. It’s so easy. So go ahead—enjoy hours and hours of satisfying occult activity at home and work. If life doesn’t stick it to people the way it should, that’s what the little pins are for.
Customer Reviews:
Portable and effective.......2004-05-26
Cleanliness is next to... any way you do not have to get hair samples and fingernails for this system. Everything you need is wrapped up in this simple kit. I find it more intimidating at work than leaving a salary survey on your desk. You will also find your read Swingline stapler where you left it.
My boss complains of aches and pains. Now spotting this doll tacked to the cubical wall suspects something is afoot or a head; but just can not pin it down. The kit actually comes with "The Mini Voodoo Revenge Book" by Mark Shulman, a 2.75 inch by 6 inch voodoo doll, and eight 1.5 inch pins.
Average customer rating:
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101 Revenge Tricks
Chris Pilbeam
Manufacturer: Crombie Jardine Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1905102593 |
Average customer rating:
- You'll Laugh, You'll Cry...You'll poke someone in the Eye
- Much better than psychobabble "Anger Managment" therapy!
- They cared what I think
- This is so funny
- You can't go wrong
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The Voodoo Revenge Book & Gift Set
Mark Shulman
Manufacturer: Main Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Wicca | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Magic | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1402700512 |
Book Description
You're fuming and steaming, and more than ready to help justice take its course! The time has finally arrived to put that long-overdue hex on your enemies--and you want a kit that contains all the necessary goodies for carrying out the curse. Here it is: the magic-packed box you've been looking for.
· The Voodoo Revenge Book: The anger management program you can really stick with!
· One Doll: for doing that voodoo that you do
· Pins!: to get out your anger
It's everything you need to take care of business--so your foes had better beware!
Customer Reviews:
You'll Laugh, You'll Cry...You'll poke someone in the Eye.......2003-04-18
This book cracked me up. I read this in one sitting, and nearly fell off the couch, laughing. The "poetry" is absolutely atrocious, but the book is so funny the "poetic" curses are forgivable. I bought this kit as a joke, and found the helpful booklet to be amazing Stress Therapy.
I didn't really need to poke anyone in the eye--the book relieves your stress with humorous scenarios of revenge, listed in a convenient format which enables quick-reference for various situations that may arise. Feeling Stressed? Yeah, me too. The doll isn't really necessary, but it makes a great statement. Have this delivered to your workplace and open it at your desk, during lunch!
The author conveniently provides instructions for making your own "Voodoo" doll, in-case one isn't enough.
Much better than psychobabble "Anger Managment" therapy!.......2003-03-31
Save yourself thousands of bucks in psychotherapy bills! Why pay big bucks for anger management therapy psychobabble, when you can buy the voodoo kit to help you with your anger issues for ten bucks! The humor alone is worth a dozen therapy sessions. By the way, the term shrink, came from witch doctor, so this one fits the bill.
They cared what I think.......2002-12-17
I went to the voodoorevenge.com website and they ask you to come up with your own voodoo and if they like it they will put you in the next book. You should read this book and you will have a lot of great ideas about how to get your revenge.
This is so funny.......2002-10-21
You should buy the Voodoo Revenge book with the voodoo doll. It is so funny and it works.
You can't go wrong.......2002-10-15
With this funny book, all the great ideas and the voodoo doll that comes with the book (and pins!) you can't go wrong with this fantastic and funny package. get your today.
Product Description
Three Volume set includes: The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat. A journalist and public official before becoming editor of American Heritage magazine, Bruce Catton won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his Civil War history A Stillness at Appomattox. As for this monumental Civil War trilogy, first published in the 1960s, historian Henry Steel Commager appraised: "better than any other history of our Civil War it combines narrative vigor, literary grace, freshness of view and independence of judgment, and a kind of catholic spirit which embraces the whole vast tumultuous scene." The first volume opens with the Democratic Party's Charleston convention in 1860 and the split that resulted in two Democratic candidates, followed by the Republican Convention and Lincoln's victory. The country first drifted and then was swept into war, even as Lincoln and Jefferson Davis were declaring that a peaceful solution could be found. The second volume shows how the Union and Confederacy slowly reconciled themselves to an all-out war, and how the statures of Lee, Grant, Sherman, Jefferson Davis, and many others emerged. McClellan's character is impaled here in extracts from his arrogant letters. In the final volume, Lincoln remains resolute in the belief that a house divided against itself cannot stand, while Jefferson Davis struggles valiantly for political and economic stability. Catton traces the most bitter years of the war here, from the fighting at Fredericksburg to the surrender at Appomattox and the end of the Confederacy, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Each book includes a section of color maps, and the three volumes are contained in a blue and red box.
Customer Reviews:
An Author Who knows his market.......2004-07-08
I like this guy because he never tries to sell you something other than what you know you are already getting. Sure his charecters in the 35th Maine can wax, wane and moan about the injustice of slavery and the horror of canabalism but it is always limited.
Eventually he just shuts up and tells a good story. Therefore this book is engaging and you can turn off your mind. You still care for the charecters on some level but you do not have to think a lot.
One of a series.......2003-06-26
I have read the whole "missing regiment" series. It's good, addictive and very, very thorough and realistic. Some people may be shocked by the cruelty of some scenes, but the books try to show part of what a conflict is.
You will have to read most or all the books in the series to really appreciate it. Pity that for now Mr. Forstchen has interrupted this series.
"Awesome Story; The Characters Really Come To Life".......2002-08-24
This is the first book I have read in "The Lost Regiment" series. I've had this on my to read list for quite some time and now must ask myself "why did I wait so long?" Forstchen did an excellent job making these characters flesh and blood people you come to care about. Many of them are either beaten down by 8 years of fighting Rebs and the Horde, or have actually come to love war. While Col. Keane seems a clone of real-life Maine Col. Joshua Chamberlain of Gettysburg fame, I did like the self-doubt that kept cropping up in him throughout the war. It made him more of a real person instead of some super leader-type. Still he goes out and does his job, even though he has to do some very unpleasant things that will eat at his soul forever. You also really felt the sense of desperation of the humans as the Horde keeps winning one battle after another, threatening the civiliaztion they worked so hard to build. Very good battle scenes, especially the dogfight between the human and Horde airships. I definitely want to read more of "The Lost Regiment" series.
Excellent installment in this series.... 4.5 Stars.......2002-07-03
This was a good follow up to the first two. Once again, the humans are at war. This time against a more maodern army using gunpowder and flying ships.
Forstchen does a very good job in keeping the reader interested. Apparently, the aliens of this worl at one time were a very advanced space-faring race. Something dramatic happened to them many thousands of years ago to push them back to their current state as nomadic warriors. Forstchen hints around at the incredible machinery that they used to have. At one point, the Merki come up with an engine that they dug out of one of the graves of the "ancients". Apparently some kind of nuclear reactor. Several Merki die as a result of harnessing the engine...
Anyway, the Merki are a band of warriors that are triple the size of the previous Tugar. And, they are using similar weapons to what the humans have. The Merki can field between 350,000 and 500,000 soldiers. They do have a fault. They do not believe that fighting humans is dignified. Or that using these new human weapons is glorious.
This is an excellent book with a surprise ending. It leaves you wanting to immediately go on to the 4th in the series. Unfortunately for me, I don't have the 4th... Yet.
Fun Science Fiction War Story.......2001-12-22
The Merki, evil creatures of the Horde (or Chosen People), are invading the nation of Rus. It is up to Colonel Andrew Keane of the Union's 35th Maine to lead his troops into battle and defend his new country. The Merki are enemies who consider human beings to be nothing more than cattle and/or pets, they must wipe out Keane and his Union soldiers. Interestingly enough, the Merki are also fighting for their way of life. As twisted as it seems, you almost feel sorry for them, if the Merki were a little less gruesome you could come to admire their culture. However, the Merki dine on human flesh and perform weird ritualistic murder/torture on their human cattle. In order to defeat the Merki, Colonel Keane must drag Rus into a mechanized 19th century industrial society. To make matters worse the Merki create their own invention, a dirigible like balloon. This leaves the humans behind the technological curve because the Merki's airforce can perform airborne reconnaissance and aerial bombing raids. One of the best chapters in the book revolves around the invention of the balloon by the human population. Forstchen adds a lot of interesting ideas to the war.
"Terrible Swift Sword" by William R. Forstchen is a neat blend of science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. It is the 3rd installment of "The Lost Regiment" series. Forstchen is a good writer and I like his style. The story has a quick pace and the author uses snappy dialog to keep the plot moving. So far I enjoy the series and I recommend the books to readers that enjoy some science fiction mixed with historical fiction. My only criticism is that in "Rally Cry", the first "Lost Regiment" installment, Forstchen included a map which helped me visualize the battle field, however, here no map is included.
Product Description
The second of a three volume epic: The Centennial of the Civil War. Director of Research, E. B. Long. Pocket Cardinal Edition. This volume tells the story of two turning points wich made the Civil Ward the most tragic and yet the most important in America's history, turning it from an act of suppressing rebellion into a war for human freedom.
Book Description
More than two centuries after his birth and almost a century and a half after his death, the legendary life and legacy of John Brown go marching on. Variously deemed martyr, madman, monster, terrorist, and saint, he remains one of the most controversial figures in America's history. Brown's actions in Kansas and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, provided major catalysts for the American Civil War, actions that continue today to evoke commendation or provoke condemnation. Through the prisms of history, literature, psychology, criminal justice, oral history, African American studies, political science, film studies, and anthropology, Terrible Swift Sword offers insights not only into John Brown's controversial character and motives, but also into the nature of a troubled society before, during, and after the Civil War. The discussions include reasons why Brown's contemporaries supported him, attempts to define Brown using different criteria, analyses of Brown's behavior, his depiction in literature, and examinations of the iconography surrounding him.The interdisciplinary focus marshalled by editor Peggy A. Russo makes Terrible Swift Sword unique, and this, together with the popular mythology surrounding the legend of John Brown, will appeal to a broad audience of readers interested in this turbulent moment in American history.Paul Finkelman is Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Tulsa College of Law. He is the author of many articles and books, including His Soul Goes Marching On: Responses to John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid and the Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference Peggy Russo is an assistant professor of English at the Mont Alto Campus of Pennsylvania State University. She has published in Shakespeare Bulletin, The Southern Literary Journal, Journal of American Culture, Shakespeare and the Classroom, and Civil War Book Review.
Customer Reviews:
Whose Legacy? A John Brown Biographer's Review.......2006-08-25
John Brown the abolitionist (1800-59) defied the ruling assumptions of the anti-slavery movement by taking up arms against proslavery forces, blending his own brand of militancy with a devout Calvinist piety that many historians still find difficult to comprehend. In the nearly 150 years since his failed raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, [West] Virginia, and his subsequent execution in December 1859, the nation has been divided over the real meaning of John Brown to the United States, and often the line that has been drawn between his critics and supporters has been nearly identical to the color line.
Sensitive to the renaissance of interest in Brown that became apparent in the 1990s, Peggy Russo, assistant professor of English at Pennsylvania State University at Mont Alto, developed and hosted a wonderful multidisciplinary symposium entitled "John Brown: The Man, the Legend, the Legacy," held on her campus in July 1996. A guiding presence at the conference was Paul Finkelman, now the President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law at Albany Law School. Among other works, Finkelman had already edited a collection of scholarly writings on Brown entitled HIS SOUL GOES MARCHING ON, published in 1995 (University Press of Virginia). A decade later these two scholars have published TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD: THE LEGACY OF JOHN BROWN (Ohio University Press, 2005), a collection of twelve essays gathered from the contributions of conference participants.
The book is prepared in an attractive paperback format and includes some classic illustrations and a basic chronology of Brown's life--the latter being somewhat helpful although marked by a number of errors in dating. The editors have divided the essays into five sections: contemporaries and supporters of Brown, Brown defined, behavioral analyses of Brown, literary representations of Brown, and Brown and cultural iconography.
By far the best section is the first, which features excellent historical research by Dean Grodzins, who provides insight into the social and political background of one of Brown's most notable supporters, the Rev. Theodore Parker. Likewise, Hannah Geffert, an expert on the theme of black participation in the Harper's Ferry raid, shatters conventional assumptions about the interest and support shown by local enslaved people in Brown's efforts. Jean Libby, perhaps the foremost documentary scholar on Brown since the late Boyd Stutler and Clarence Gee, provides insight into the life of Thomas Henry, a leading black clergyman that Brown tried--and failed--to contact and enlist in his efforts.
Other notable contributions are made by Israeli scholar, Eyal Naveh, who explains how and why Brown's image as a martyr was undermined in the post-Reconstruction era, and by Charles J. Holden, who shows how Southern writers in the post-Civil War used their hostile portrayal of Brown to justify the defeated South and its lost cause. On the other hand, William Keeney provides an equally fascinating discussion about the use of poetry by Brown's admirers just prior to the Civil War, and how their literary efforts were designed to circumvent what they found to be difficult questions concerning Brown and his methods.
Editor Russo likewise makes a most enlightening and entertaining contribution in discussing Raymond Massey's cinematic portrayal of Brown in two Hollywood classics, "Santa Fe Trail" (1940) and "Seven Angry Men" (1955). As Russo shows, the former portrayed Brown quite negatively, raising some scholarly criticism. However Russo does not mention that one of Brown's direct descendants actually tried to bring a lawsuit against Warner Brothers for maligning her forebear, and it was undoubtedly "Santa Fe Trail" that Malcolm X later criticized for having made Brown look like a "nut." Russo shows how the social and political context had changed between 1940 and 1955 when "Seven Angry Men" was released, and although Massey reprised his role as Brown in the latter, it was a very different film for reasons both positive and negative.
Notwithstanding these notable essays, TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD is a multidisciplinary collection and therefore bears the burden of contemporary perception and interpretation, some of it trendy more than grounded in thoroughgoing research. Most notable in this regard is the unfortunate section featuring behavioral analyses, the contributions of which are so decidedly biased, unfair, and to a degree meretricious that they have no value to those genuinely interested in studying the life of John Brown the man who lived.
Of course by including such contributions, editors Russo and Finkelman have remained faithful to their intention of presenting the range of views and interests coming out of the Mont Alto conference that, in my opinion as an attendee, included a degree of creative writing and visceral John Brown bashing. Still, the book's subtitle (The Legacy of John Brown) may be misleading since TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD is really more about the legacy of a fascinating and well-produced conference than about the abolitionist himself.
Multidisciplinary collections like this have their place, but their value for serious students of Brown's life and times is quite limited. For too long John Brown has suffered--perhaps far more than most controversial figures in American history--precisely because the image of him created by novelists, journalists, and others has been too readily embraced as factual. After a century-and-a-half of politically charged diatribes and sloppy characterizations, this biographer hopes that the 21st century will finally mark an era when John Brown receives the kind of fair-minded attention by historical researchers that he deserves. Despite the valuable insights of its editors and several of its contributors, TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD unfortunately extends the legacy of "knowlege production professionals" whose biases and unstudied presumptions have made a mess of John Brown historiography.
Louis A. DeCaro Jr.
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His terrible swift sword,
Norman Maclean
Manufacturer: Publ. by Zionist Organization of Canada, through arrangement with V. Gollancz, London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General
| Jewish
| World
| History
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| Books
ASIN: B0007IL1UI |
Amazon.com
Finding Your Religion is a guidebook for the perplexed--those who have lost faith in the religion of their youth and are not sure how to continue their spiritual lives. The book's author, the Rev. Scotty McLennan, has plenty of experience with the perplexed; he is a Unitarian minister and the chaplain at Tufts University. (He has also inspired and entertained millions of people indirectly, as the model for the freewheeling character Reverend Scott Sloan in Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury.) McLennan has structured Finding Your Religion on a model of six stages of faith--Magic, Reality, Dependence, Interdependence, and Unity. The book describes each of these stages in detail, drawing on McLennan's experience with students' spiritual searches and on his own search (which led him, among other places, to Harvard Law School and to ashrams in the Far East). McLennan's prose is clear and direct; he is very open to exploration, and very tough on laziness. "Pick a religious path and start walking," he writes. "Even if it turns out not to be the right way later on, you won't get anywhere spiritually without starting." --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
An Indispensable Guidebook for Those Seeking a New Spiritual Path, or Wishing to Reconnect to the Religion of Their Youth
Customer Reviews:
Good inspiration to start your search, but not much else.......2007-10-02
McLennan will not give you faith in any particular religion. He will open you up to the idea of adding religion to your life as well as tell you about some of the highs and lows to expect along the way. The best advice that McLennan gives is to get out there and start looking. This is quite an eye opener to the skeptic who thinks they need, can or have to believe everything before they walk through the church door.
McLennan's greatest weakness is failing to elaborate on key and conflicting differences between religions. He sees all religions as taking different paths on the same religious mountain, essentially saying there is no "wrong" choice. In truth, many religions have irreconcilable differences. One of these differences, which is somewhat glossed over, is the fact that, by in large, Buddhism in an atheistic religion. Does that really put it on the same mountain as monotheistic religions like Islam?
Also McLennan, a life long student of religion, provides a paltry list of recommended reading and organizations in the back of the book. Some of his most informed recommendations are left in the text only, leaving it up to the reader to take notes.
The only really unforgivable, but thankfully brief, flaw in the book is a several page plug for the Doonesbury comic strip. I understand McLennan using his connection with the comic as a marketing device on the front cover. We have never heard of him, so mentioning his connection with the comic builds interest in the book. Once we are hooked, however, he should not be trying to sneak in an off-topic testament to the power of the Doonesbury comic. This seems like a gross violation of the readers trust when people are coming to him for advice about religion. Thankfully this is near the end of the book and shouldn't detract much from the overall experience.
Helpful, Interesting, Well written.......2007-08-02
An excellent example of a book which in a friendly yet organized way strives to assist those looking for a faith or path that will be meaningful to them. The author through his work with students and adults in spiritual matters has not just theoretical knowledge but practical wisdom to impart to the reader. The many examples of persons seeking a path and how they went about it -- is one of the best things about this book.
I might add that it is enjoyable to read. Nothing like the typical textbook.
A good book for seekers........2007-06-26
I just recently bought this book, and I found it delightful to read. The author's tone is gentle and funny. The use of personal anecdotes also helps keeps the book interesting. There are many good ideas for how to find your way to a religion or form of spiritualty in your life in this book. One of the main ideas I really thought was useful, and hadn't thought of before was the idea of just picking a path, and walking. It may not be right, but you have to start somewhere which is the major point of this book. It also talks a lot about people's spiritual journeys which are inspiring to read, and to see how they came to their `end' (Although no one really finishes I think!) of their journey.
The book also has a section on further reading for each religion (Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism as well as others), which is helpful for finding out more. Although Rev. McLennan focused on the idea of doing more than just reading, the further reading section is helpful for those who enjoy reading spiritual books or want to learn more about different religions.
Overall, I found this book to be a really useful book to start off with in terms of spiritual journeys, and it contains lots of interesting ideas for starting points in spiritualty. Highly recommended.
We're All Travelers on the Spiritual Mountain.......2006-03-29
WOW - I found this to be a very thought-provoking, insightful, interesting read! The author writes in a wonderful, non-judgmental way, and because of this I was drawn into it from the start.
I actually purchased this book to help out a friend who is looking for "the right religion for her" - since she doesn't care for reading right now, I thought I'd share snippets from the book with her to see if it would help to point her in the right direction. Yet I found myself getting more "food for thought" than I had ever imagined - and for that I am grateful!
"Finding Your Religion" is about just that - finding the religion that resonates with your soul - the one that stimulates you, and helps you to grow.
Mr. McLennan helps one to see that they don't have to stay in the same religion for their entire life, and that as you grow and your perceptions change, your religious needs may need to change as well. This thought reminded me of the Gnostic Christian perspective that as we grow, and our perceptions change, our spiritual/religious beliefs will change as well. I feel that this idea also helps to remind us not to judge - we are all where we need to be based on our current thoughts/beliefs/perceptions...
I liked how the author uses the metaphor of a spiritual mountain. We are all climbing up that mountain, learning and growing along the way. At times during your climb you'll find a cross-road, and it's at these times where you need to decide if you want to try a different route (religious tradition), or if you'd like to stay on the route you're currently on - it's always your choice.
Just as there are many different levels while climbing up a mountain, the author shares several developmental levels of faith, and the types of thoughts one may experience at each of them. He emphatically reminds us that this these levels are not meant for pigeon holing ourselves or others, or judging higher levels as better than lower levels - but instead it's meant to free us from being stuck religously - afraid to change - as this could lead to a turning away from all religion, frustration, isolation, etc...
I really liked how his examples came from a variety of religious traditions/beliefs - I got to learn quite a few things I didn't know about various religions.
Some important things to ask yourself &/or think about when deciding on a religion are included, as well as discussions on such things as celebration & suffering - all of which I found to be quite enlightening.
One of the thoughts that the author shares several times throughout this book is that we all need a religion. He postulates that having a religion will help us to: find our way (when going it alone can get us lost real fast), be a part of a community, share in celebrations, experience our faith, and find a comfortable way to engage in some form of personal contemplation discipline (such as prayer &/or meditation).
Another analogy that he used - which I use often in my reviews, so I could really relate to it - is that of the blind men describing what an elephant looks like. Each one can only describe what they're feeling - so the person touching the husk thinks the elephant is cold and hard, the person holding the tail thinks the elephant is like a "living broom", and so and so on... If they fight amongst themselves, refusing to believe that the other could be right as well, none of them will ever get the "truth" of what an elephant really looks like. But, if they choose to listen to eachother, and to take each description into account, they have a much better chance of understanding the look of an elephant. The same is true for religion - there is so much that we can learn from just choosing to have an open dialogue with people of other religions - without trying to prove our rightness and their wrongness. Why not give it a try???
Also included is an appendix that describes further reading for each of the religions, as well as a website address and phone number for that religions headquarters - a great way to start your research!
Overall, I found this book to be an amazing, easy, thought-provoking read. As such, I would highly recommend to anyone searching for the right religion for them - It truly has a lot to offer.
A Good Spiritual Search Needs This Book.......2005-08-17
Finding your Religion is necessary for anyone searching for a religious or spiritual home. I enjoyed the stories of real people on actual searches. I found McLennan's approach that different paths can lead to a greater spiritual awareness to be comforting. We do not all have to land in the same spot.
Jackie Wellman
Books:
- Tuff: A Novel
- Understood Betsy
- Unframed Originals: Recollections
- What You Owe Me
- Wonder When You'll Miss Me: A Novel
- A Hole in Texas: A Novel
- A Sultan in Palermo (Islam Quintet 4)
- Ain't No River
- Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth A Novel
- Almost Perfect Moment, An: A Novel (P.S.)
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