Book Description
In a story as exciting as any science fiction adventure written, Samuel R. Delany's 1976 SF novel, originally published as Triton, takes us on a tour of a utopian society at war with . . . our own Earth! High wit in this future comedy of manners allows Delany to question gender roles and sexual expectations at a level that, 20 years after it was written, still make it a coruscating portrait of "the happily reasonable man," Bron Helstrom -- an immigrant to the embattled world of Triton, whose troubles become more and more complex, till there is nothing left for him to do but become a woman. Against a background of high adventure, this minuet of a novel dances from the farthest limits of the solar system to Earth's own Outer Mongolia. Alternately funny and moving, it is a wide-ranging tale in which character after character turns out not to be what he -- or she -- seems.
Customer Reviews:
Some Informal Remarks Toward the Modular Calculus, Part One .......2005-11-25
TRITON is the story of Bron Helstrom, an ex-Martian gigolo residing in a male dormontory on Triton. Delany's "science" is ludicrous to say the least, but his characterizations and portraits of society breaking apart into tribes of people with similar notions or physical appearances is fascinating. Bron's exposure to some street art shakes him up and by the end of the book Bron is not the same character he was at the beginning. This book is a tough read, but it is worth the effort. If you want accurate depictions of satillite life, see Arthur C. Clarke's Odyssey series; if you want to explore the eternal mysteries of sexuality and gender, then read TRITON and join Bron on his quest for finding his place within society.
Great novel!.......2004-03-01
This is a hell of a good book. Reading it a second time through, I was most impressed by Delaney's subtle irony--Triton is an itnensely comic novel. But it's also a profound interrogation of gender. Delaney's important, and Triton is a great read.
Delany Loses It.......2002-08-27
It was with this book that Delany systematically began to dash the hopes of fans who had breathlessly awaited every new book up through "Nova". The writing skill is still there, no question. But Delany's pornographical and intellectual self-indulgence begin their corrosive process on his work. How sad. All that imagination and storytelling skill undermined by meaningless (and often tasteless) philosophical and sexual noodlings. In a parallel universe, Delany kept writing appealing and entertaining books in the vein of his early science fiction. Too bad we don't live in that universe.
A different view........2001-11-30
A book is a machine to generate interpretations, as Eco wrote. Thus, not one interpretation can be the correct one, and all we can do is to add to what other people have experienced at some point while reading a book.
Due to my own life experience, I perceive, perhaps, several more levels to this novel. The first time I read it, about 20 years ago, I was 10 and didn't understand many of the subtleties. However, the fact that the main character was so out of touch with the reality around him and that he had failed miserably to adapt to his changing surroundings, and, in the end, finds a "way out" for all the wrong reasons, made me think.
And think hard.
This book forced me to re-examine my own motivations several years later, because, besides the humour (sometimes even mockery) of our current socio-political systems, the book has a point. Bron Helmstron, the main character, becomes a woman not because he feels he's one, but because he wants to please the image of women she had as a man. He becomes a woman created from an intellectual male psyche.
Of course the issue of gender is at the core of the novel. Adaptation, sexism (Bron is perhaps the last old-mindset sexist in this heterotopic future) and monosexism -that is, the loving yourself as a projection but in a different gender role.
I asked myself many questions after re-reading this book at 22 (I'm a male-to-female transsexual): what are my motivations? I'm doing this as a rebellion against the rigidity of gender in our society? Am I doing this because I'm so selfish I've fallen in love with my own image in a different gender-role? Am I doing this out of selfishness, or because I've failed adapting myself to the world? Or because I'm so utterly sexist that, by adhering to the stereotype of what femineity should be, I am trying to put order to my own world?
This is one of my "top ten" books of all times. It made me grow as a person, and discover in myself that, unlike Bron, I was going through this route because I wanted to be honest with myself, not out of selfishness or emotional laziness.
Highly recommended if you don't mind some pretentiousness and have an open mind -and some background on feminist theory wouldn't hurt.
today the world trade center fell. Delaney showed how.......2001-09-12
In the light of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center
today, I was immediatley reminded of "Triton", and the way the
war was fought in that book. The attack on the gravity
generators on Triton was similar in many ways to what happened
today in New York City. I have not identified the here and now
with a Sci Fi novel so strongly since Chernople blew up and I was
reminded of Lester Del Rey's "Nerves"! ...
Book Description
This collection of letters from across the United States written in each child's own hand, offers active duty soldiers and veterans and their families comfort, reassurance, and a delightful dose of humor.
Customer Reviews:
Reviewed by Ashley Denis.......2007-06-13
This collection of letters was both colorful in its words and in its pictures. Whether children are asking our soldiers to please come home safe, what guns they use in Iraq, or telling them about the pets they have in their homes, these children are all very aware of what is going on in Iraq; they know they are there fighting for our freedom and risking their necks to do it.
As you turn the pages, taking a look into each child's perception of the war, and learning what questions they desire to ask of our soldiers, you'll notice you have an array of emotions. Laughter is not a stranger as you read through these letters, especially when you read something like "how do you take a bath?" or "I have lots of friends here. Some are tall like a house, and some are short, but I like them anyways." Other times you feel your heart wrench at how considerate some of the letters are; "Try not to get hurt, ok? One thing the earth doesn't need is more hurt people." Or "You make me confident in everything. You make me feel safe in what I do." Statements like these are raw and real emotions that children are pouring out in their letters to these men and women in Iraq.
It is so inspiring in reading about the concerns children can possess for people they don't even know, as well as the innocence of a child when they ask the most simple of questions because they are truly interested in what type of food these men and women like to eat, and where they live, and what they do in their spare time when they are not being soldiers.
I found myself laughing on one letter, and crying on the next. Not only is this book a compilation of letters to our soldiers, I believe it is also a small piece of the positive side of life; an inside scoop into a child's creative mind as it spills over onto the letters with which they write; "I hope this letter from me will make you feel at home. I hope this letter will make you feel a little less scared. ...Whoever gets this letter, please don't die. If you do die with my letter so that will let the world know that I care for each and every one of you out there in the war."
I think Tim, says it best in his letter when he says "if you get hurt, make sure you get to a doctor!"
A warm tribute filled with children's sincerity.......2007-06-05
"I pray for you every night before I go to bed."
While volunteering to assemble care packages for our troops serving in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Barbara Warfield Baldwin and her daughters came across heartfelt and compelling letters to the troops from local children that served to brighten the Baldwins' days. Dear Soldier is the compilation of many of these letters and pictures.
Meant to uplift the troops' spirits as well as boost the morale of the general public, Dear Soldier will have you reading out loud to whomever is in the room. The honesty and sincerity of kids is great. With phrases like "I hope that yall find that Osama Bin ladin," and "My brother says that he wants to be in the war. I'm thinking I might join him," you can see why these letters mean so much to our troops. And with lines like, "you might think I'm stupid but I made it to forth grade so I make A's and B's, so there," you can't help but laugh and share.
These letters and drawings are photocopied so you don't only get to read them, but see the handwriting and erase marks. Seeing what is important to the children as they were writing is precious. My primary criticism is that for some reason a couple of letters were repeated in the compilation. But don't let that sway you.
Armchair Interviews says: This is a great book to give as a gift, especially to our serving troops.
just precious!.......2007-02-19
I saw this book in the store, read part of it...and cried..lol. This is one of the most precious things I have ever seen! As an Army wife, and a soon to be teacher, I got this book to use at home and in the classroom. AMAZING!
Such a Great Little Book.......2007-02-16
I bought five copies to hand out to several military units. They are morale boosters. Those kids are awesome and so endearing. Thanks doesn't do justice the range of emotion their letters caused.
Awesom book.......2007-01-01
This is such a wonderful book and as vet of Viet Nam War I really appreciate the authors for doing this book. Whether we support the war or not we need to make sure the veterans aren't treated awful like many from my generation were. These are brave men and women who are at war to help keep our country free. I personally do support the war and President Bush's efforts to defeat the terroists. I have been involved helping veterans over 30 years.
Book Description
AMELIA BY DAY
From nine to five, she was Amelia Beauchamp, typical small-town librarian. But when the sun went down, she was miniskirt-clad cocktail waitress Amber Champion. And she'd caught the eye of the town's biggest rake, Tyler Savage. The name said it all -- and this was one Savage, "Amber" knew, who would never be interested in her if he knew who she really was. She had to keep playing the game . . .
AMBER BY NIGHT
Or did she? Tyler, it turned out, was well aware that proper Amelia and flirtatious Amber were one and the same -- and he was having a fine old time playing along. And as for romantic dinners and long, moonlit nights together, really, they were all part of the game. One which he had every intention of turning into reality . . .
Customer Reviews:
A True Romance.......2004-04-21
What does a librarian in a small town do when she wants to see the world and needs to buy a new car? If she's Amelia Beauchamp, she concocts a new personality and gets a job as a cocktail waitress.
When Amelia is dressed in sexy mini dresses and acting under the persona of Amber Champion, she is able to do all the things a librarian could never do, she even has the town hunk, Tyler Savage, after her.
Tyler Savage is the kind of guy who would never go out with a librarian. He's too gorgeous, too perfect. So she tries to turn him down, which only makes him want her more...
When she finally agrees to go out with him, he is convinced she is the woman for him. Amelia is torn and doesn't know if she can keep up pretending to be Amber.
If only she knew that Tyler was well aware of her secret double identity...
This Harlequin Silhouette Desire novel will make you laugh and cry. A true romance story.
A Harlequin Dreamers Review by Tiffany Ann
a charming story.......2003-04-01
Amelia is a buttoned up, small town librarian who was raised by her two old maid aunts. With her hair in a bun, horn rim glasses and dowdy clothes, she seems destined to be an old maid also. More than anything, Amelia wants to buy her own car so she can have some sense of freedom so she creates an alter ego, Amber who is anything but buttoned down. "Amber" gets a job in a nearby town as a cocktail waitress. Every evening after the aunts go to bed, Amelia sneaks out to become "Amber".
Tyler lives in the same town as Amelia but has never really paid much attention to the spinster librarian even though Amelia has had a crush on him for years. One evening he comes to the nightclub where "Amber" is working and falls in love at first sight with her. As he begins his campaign to win "Amber" for some strange reason he can't understand he also begins to notice Amelia. It doesn't take long for him to realize Amelia and Amber is the same person and quickly finds Amelia even more intriguing than "Amber".
Amelia's relationship with her two aunts that raised her is heartwarming. Tyler's understands that Amelia's relationship with her aunts is special and that if he wants Amelia, they come with deal. His campaign to win over the two old maids is very sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Enjoyable Read!.......2003-03-26
As a librarian myself, I love stories about libraries and librarians. This is a good one. Things didn't develop as I expected, and I really enjoyed the whole book.
A wonderful love story!.......2003-03-12
Amelia needs some extra money in order to purchase a new car. As a librarian in a small southern town and the niece of two spinster aunt's, she must conceal her identity and work at a club outside of town. To complete this transformation, she tosses aside her glasses and lets her long hair flow past her shoulders. Adding make up and new sexier clothes, Amelia becomes Amber. Enter Tyler, the town bad boy, who takes one look at Amber and realizes he has met the woman of his dreams. He tries everything to get Amber to go out with him but nothing seems to work. Finally, after a week of coming into the club every night, she agrees to a date. They have a wonderful time, but Amelia is starting to feel guilty for her deception. Fate steps in to help Amelia out. The day after their date, as Amelia was helping her two aunts in to church, she runs into Tyler. As the service proceeds, he sees a little of Amber in the staid librarian Amelia. He does not guess the real truth until he bumps into her again at the grocery store and sees Amelia with her glasses off. He recognizes her unique eyes and soon sees the other distinctive features that could only belong to his Amber. Amused and slightly venegeful, he decides to get a little revenge on the women who have plagued his days. He breaks up with Amber that very same night, then makes a beeline to the library the next morning in order to ask Amelia out on a date. She is completely confused since he has never giver her the time of day as Amelia. She turns him down, which fits right into his plan. He is determined to win her over as her true self not her alias. So, he turns away and does not talk to her for a week. During that time she quits her job. No more lies for her. She lost the man she loved because she had not been honest with him. Or has she? He calls her for another date in which she accepts. This starts the official romance of Amelia and Tyler.
Since I have already given a synopsis of most of the story, I will not ruin the ending. This is a very good book and would highly recommend it . The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that I didn't particularly like so much of the story involving the elderly aunts.
ok.......2003-03-02
You will enjoy this book if you're a fan of sweet, less realistic romance.
It being published under the Desire Series is decieving...
Average customer rating:
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Black Night, Amber Morning (Harlequin Superromance No. 467)
Tina Vasilos
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Harlequin Superromance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
Regency | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0373704674 |
Average customer rating:
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Satin By Night
Tom Crewe , and
Amber Wells
Manufacturer: Trafalgar Square
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0747255091 |
Average customer rating:
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Sleepless Nights
Tom Crewe , and
Amber Wells
Manufacturer: Liaison
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Adult Fiction | Anthologies | French | Gay & Lesbian | General | Sex in Literature | Victorian | Writing
ASIN: 0747250553 |
Customer Reviews:
Very entertaining.......2004-04-05
Nice story,a bit suspensful, you are kept wondering "will they be together in the end". Tastefully done sex scenes
Average customer rating:
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Tonight's the Night
Tom Crewe , and
Amber Wells
Manufacturer: Liaison
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Adult Fiction | Anthologies | French | Gay & Lesbian | General | Sex in Literature | Victorian | Writing
ASIN: 0747256268 |
Average customer rating:
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One Summer Night
Tom Crewe , and
Amber Wells
Manufacturer: Liaison
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Adult Fiction | Anthologies | French | Gay & Lesbian | General | Sex in Literature | Victorian | Writing
ASIN: 074725222X |
Book Description
This collection includes:
Ambush at Corellia
A trade summit on Corellia brings Han Solo back to the home world he left many years before. Arriving on the distant planet with Leia, their children and Chewbacca, Han finds Corellia overrun with agents of the New Republic Intelligence and finds himself part of a deceptive plan whose aim not even he understands. One thing is clear: the five inhabited worlds of the sector are on the brink of civil war and the once peaceful coexistence of the three leading races -- human, Selonian, and Drallan -- has come to an end.
Assault at Selonia
Imprisoned on the planet Corellia, Han Solo finds himself at the mercy of his evil cousin, Thracken Sal-Solo. Thracken plans to restore the Imperial system and seize total power -- no matter what the cost. Han has one chance to stop him. But to do so he must turn his back on his human cousin and join forces with a female alien. Dracmus was arrested as a ringleader in a plot against the corrupt Human League. Now she and Han will attempt a daring escape to Selonia in time to warn Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Lando of Thracken's plan. But can Han trust the alien to keep her word?
Meanwhile, other questions threaten the New Republic -- and the lives of millions. Who is behind the deadly Starbuster plot? Why is someone attempting to take possession of Corellia's powerful planetary repulsors? And what is the secret behind the mysterious Centerpoint Station, and ancient, artificial world of unknown origin that has suddenly -- and inexplicably -- come alive?
Showdown at Centerpoint
When a loyalist ship approaching Selonia is blasted out of space, Han Solo quickly realizes that rebel forces are turning planetary repulsors into weapons of immense destruction. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian manage to discover the terrifying secret of Centerpoint Station. It is the infamous Starbuster itself, and its next programmed nova, hard-wired in, is set to annihilate a chosen star, its inhabited worlds, and millions of innocent lives. There's only one way to stop it: blow up the station. But as a massive rebel fleet closes in on Centerpoint, Han, Luke and their friends will discover time is running out.
Then the true leaders of the rebellion reveal their identities, and issue their final ultimatum: The New Republic must withdraw all claim to power over the entire Corellian sector. With the future of Corellian freedom at stake, Han and those loyal to the Republic must somehow resist. But how can they possibly stop the deadliest weapon the galaxy has ever known?
Book Description
This book is about coming to vision through Christ.
Customer Reviews:
A Remarkable, Very Readable Work.......2007-05-03
Robert Barron's aptly titled book, "And Now I See: A Theology of Transformation" is a work that will potentially change your life, if only you invest the effort in its very readable, yet "dense" pages. They are to be pondered and incorporated into your heart. He synthesizes saints and sages, poets and writers, philosophers and theologians into a remarkable "symphony of voices" -- each enriching the others -- with Jesus Christ as the Conductor. The result is a mind- and heart-opening work, the likes of which you are unlikely to find anywhere else. This is not a book to be read or taken lightly, although a likely outcome is that your own heart will become lighter; and with time and grace, it will soar like a hawk. Our salvation is Fr. Barron's only interest. Chapter 13, "Jesus the Revealer of the True God: Christmas, Chalcedon, and the Cross", is itself worth the price of the book, even more. And while Fr. Barron has been extended deserved accolades (as on the front cover we see that he has entered the front ranks of contemporary American Catholic theologians), he writes for us -- the faithful. I cannot recommend this work highly enough. If it was possible, I would give it a sixth star.
Disappointed But Not Transformed.......2007-01-10
I was very disappointed with Robert Barron's book. I did NOT "see" much of what he's driving at, except when he made analogies with stories, such as from the life of Thomas Merton in Chapter 4 or from a Flannery O'Connor story in Chapter 11. I thought the book would be something more understandable, along the lines of something by Henri Nouwen or Richard Roher.
I can see clearly now.......2005-08-24
Barron's writing is beautiful, almost at times poetic. His use of well known fiction to explain theology is unique.
A truly enlightening theology for today's Christian.......2001-04-17
Barron draws on religious writings ranging from the Old and New Testament,Augustine, Thomas Aquinas (the subject of one of his previous books),Martin Luther and Dante to more contemporary writers like Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, Paul Tillich, Hans Kung and Thomas Merton to position the story and meaning of Jesus' life in a profound new way. This book gave me, a lifetime seeker, powerful new insights into why Jesus really is the way, the truth, and the light. The writing style is intelligent, brilliant, yet wholly readable. You'll want to savor and underline many of the thoughts and observations. For example, the succinct interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount is reason enough to get and read this book. Barron, a priest who is a theology professor at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois, provides us with a fresh way of viewing the Trinity which gives new meaning to the divine love it represents and what the Trinity says about how we can make love, and thereby personal fulfillment and happiness, integral aspects of our lives. If your looking for a book that will invigorate your faith and spiritual life, then get and treasure this book. It's a reference manual that you'll go back to often for encouragement and counsel. You'll keep it handy alongside books by Richard Rohr, Anthony DeMello and Thomas Keating. If anything its brilliance, scholarship, and insights exceed any of these authors. This book may well be for you the next best thing to having your own spiritual director. It could be the basis of a turning around, a metanoia, that will change your life!
Going Beyond Our Mind and Religion to See Reality.......2000-05-30
I picked this book up knowing nothing about its content. As a reward, I received the most readable, sensible and well-supported view of Christianity I have ever read. This is not a religious book in the sense that it does not about Church or religions. (In fact, the author, Catholic Priest, seems to recognize that churchs and religions can be of the most difficult obstacles to understanding Christ.) Rather it is a book that focus on a multi-level interpretation of scripture and its call to transform our view of ourselves and our place in creation. This is done in part by reference to literary works be Dante, Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor and others in a successful effort to show a common search for the real Christ in us and in our midst. This book about transformation can transform the way you view the Bible and your place in and beyond the world. I set it aside to reread in two weeks and will probably do so several times.
As an aside, Barron is very similar to Richard Rohr in many of his views. (He quotes Fr. Rohr's works at least once.) If you find Fr. Rohr interesting, Barron, intentionally or not, follows and expands many of his themes.
Books:
- Trying to Save Piggy Sneed
- Vintage Munro
- Wheat that Springeth Green (New York Review Books Classics)
- When the Nines Roll Over: And Other Stories
- Where River Turns to Sky
- Who Will Run the Frog Hospital
- Yekl and the Imported Bridegroom and Other Stories of Yiddish New York
- You're Not You: A Novel
- 1,001 Ways to Make More Money as a Speaker, Consultant or Trainer: Plus 300 Rainmaking Strategies for Dry Times
- A Frolic of His Own
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- An Eighth Air Force Combat Diary: Combat Missions Flown with the 100th Bomb Group, England 1944-1945
- The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft
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- Private Parts
- Programming Embedded Systems: With C and GNU Development Tools, 2nd Edition
- Soil and Aquifer Pollution: Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids - Contamination and Reclamation
- Peregrinations: a man's journey
- Market Reform in Vietnam: Building Institutions for Development
- Anderson's Estate Planning Forms & Clauses
Tales of Neveryon
Flight from Neveryon
Return to Neveryeon (Return to Neveryon)
Neveryona, or: The Tale of Signs and Cities--Some Informal Remarks Towards the Modular Calculus, Part Four
Dhalgren
