Cheat and Charmer: A Novel

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characters take over an author

Engrossing

So good!

Well written and engrossing

Intelligent Fiction

Cheat and Charmer: A Novel
Elizabeth Frank
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812969618
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Book Description

Twenty-five years in the making, a first novel that has already been compared to The Sun Also Rises and The Last Tycoon, Cheat and Charmer is certain to be one of the most admired literary debuts of the season. Written by Pulitzer Prize—winning biographer Elizabeth Frank, Cheat and Charmer is a masterful and richly detailed work of fiction–a Tolstoyan novel of marriage, sisterhood, art, politics, compromise, and betrayal set in Hollywood, New York, Paris, and London of the 1950s.
Dinah Lasker grew up in the shadow of her sister, Veevi, a stunning beauty and emerging star who enchanted both the Hollywood set and its imported New York literati. But Veevi’s home was also a hotbed of political activity, owing to her marriage to Stefan Ventura, a Bulgarian filmmaker and high-profile Communist. At the end of the 1930s, when things go badly for him in Hollywood, Ventura and Veevi flee to Paris and into the lengthening shadows of Hitler and fascism.
Cut to 1951, when Dinah is subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee, which threatens to ruin her husband, Jake, and derail his successful career as a Hollywood writer, producer, and director unless she cooperates. Can Dinah live with herself if she names Veevi–whom she both loves and loathes–in order to save her husband and preserve her idyllic married life? The choices Dinah makes set in motion an unforgettable chain of events. Like Anna Karenina, Dinah must face the consequences of her choices and her needs.
Written with elegance and style, Cheat and Charmer grippingly dramatizes the interior lives of Dinah, Veevi, Jake, and their social circle. Spanning decades and following complex characters on their impassioned pursuits through America and Europe, this is a novel of grand scope, about love and deception, idealism and accommodation, the lies we live, and the truths we cannot avoid.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

characters take over an author.......2007-10-09

After reading some glowing published reviews of this book, I was expecting it to focus on the HUAC hearings, and their effects on the people who participated in them. The first third or so of the book does just that, exploring how a lie affects the heroine, Dinah. However, the book doesn't end there--Frank is so skilled at creating believable, complex characters that she seemed unable to stop them from continuing to tell their stories even after her points about HUAC were made. By the time I got to the end, I was wondering what exactly was the main purpose of the book. It seemed as though it could have followed the characters until each of their deaths, and it ends up as a sprawling portrait of a disturbed family, rather than the meditation on integrity that it starts out to be. The book switches from using a personal story to discuss larger political ideas into just a personal story, and I found that disappointing. The stopping point, when it did come, seemed timed to underscore the idea that Dinah, although less conventionally pretty than her sister Veevie, was a worthier person. But I knew that all along--Veevie was never in the least likable, and I don't understand why the author thought the audience would need to be convinced of this over and over. (I also never understood why any of the other characters liked Veevie.) I was very frustrated at the position Dinah was left in when the book finally ended, but despite these issues, I am in awe of Frank's writing talent. I just hope her next book has a tighter focus.

Engrossing.......2005-12-03

This is possibly the best book I've read in many years. It carried me into the lives of Dinah and Jake to the point that I felt like I was living with them and feeling their laughter and pain. Elizabeth Frank may well be one of the best writers of our time. Although it took place in the 50' it is truly a timeless work of art. Bravo and Encore!!!

So good!.......2005-01-19

I bought this book because the cover looked intriguing -- very F. Scott Fitzgerald. As with The Great Gatsby, I was not disappointed, though for very different reasons. I immediately was drawn into this world of secret Communist gatherings and flashy Hollywood soirees. The characters were definitely memorable, though not always likable. In fact, I found myself wanting to learn more about them, even those I believed them to be morally repugnant. Elizabeth Frank is a wonderful storyteller. I'd read anything else she'd write! I highly recommend this book!

Well written and engrossing.......2004-12-30

Elizabeth Frank is a superb writer. Yes, the plot lines are a little soap opera like, as other reviewers mentioned, but that only highlights Frank's ability to turn predictable events into fascinating commentary on adult life. Her insights are fresh and her details delicious. I was so sad to see this novel end. It took twenty five years to write - I'll be too old to read her next novel! I'm tired of Hollywood stories and yet I found Cheat and Charmer to be a true star.

Intelligent Fiction.......2004-11-22

with deeply nuanced characters who are not espcially likeable. The thing I loved about this book is that there are no easy answers. All of these characters make choices that have long reaching results. If you believe that ethics are situational; that choices are neither morally good or bad (in and of themselves), this book will make you pause. The author does an outstanding job of showing the emotional consequences of seemingly simple choices. The history of LA in the 50s (I lived it), the blacklist and the movie business all ring true. This is one of the best books I have read this year. I literally read it in a 24 hour period and was sad to see it end.

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Of cheat and charmer,: A novel
Elliott Nugent
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007E3BFA

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OF CHEAT AND CHARMER = A NOVEL
NUGENT ELLIOTT
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HGUV60

Customer Reviews:

*I LOVE THIS BOOK*.......2006-07-28

This is a terrific book! Robert is one guy you definately fall for! The jumping each other every time they meet at first is a little much, you hardly view it as reality...I only wish. But I'm reading for entertainment and escape not research! It is a very hot read. Lots of sex! Some laughs but I found myself really likely both the main characters even if Grace is a little flighty. I recommend it highly.

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A Cry in the Wilderness
Marie Guay & R.L. Cook
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Biblical | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 155395212X
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Product Description

John the Baptist: desert madman or prophet of God? John is charismatic and controversial. A rugged looking Nazarite, his hair and beard have never been cut and he wears a goat hair tunic. He speaks with authority. His dais is a rocky knoll. Annas, the dethroned Chief Priest knows a secret from John's past. How and to whom he preaches and baptizes till his death at Macchaerus, Herod's stronghold in the desert comes with many surprises.

There he was, standing on a large knoll above the river's edge. He had a head of thick black hair that had not felt a razor in years. His body was lean. The veins looked like ropes attaching the limbs together with the muscular body. Coal black eyes expressed his determination of his mission. He wore animal hides and a leather belt with well-worn sandals on his feet. Many called him a 'desert madman', others, a 'desert prophet'. His voice was sharp and there was an air of urgency about him.

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Conductor's Guide to Strauss' Thus Spake Zarathustra and Dance of the Seven Veils from Salome
Gerard Schwarz
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000E8JN9M

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The Egyptian Helen: Awakening scene. Salome : dance of the seven veils, Interlude, and Final scene
Richard Strauss
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Opera | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006PHCG4

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Sneaky but nice corporate warrior coalesces warrior corpus.

A guy gets put in charge of a bunch of misfits thanks to some political manoeuvring. They have serious morale and efficiency issues, but he tries a bit of lateral thinking from another sphere to get them working together. Needless to say, those that moved him there live to regret the new power base that he puts together. A fun book.

Start of new series - Needs to develop more.......2007-05-30

Robert Asprin starts out on a new series of books to complement his ongoing MYTH series. In this one the premise is different. What happens when you take a very successful and rich young man - who has made many millions in business - and turn him loose on the worst military organization in the galaxy?

The book starts with a funny anecdote: It seems that this rich young man (Willard Phule) was on patrol duty guarding a colony while interstellar peace negotiations are underway. Somewhat to everyone's surprise, he manages to convince the captain of his ship to swoop in on the colony and strafe the enemy camp. What he does not know, is that the camp is also populated by his allies who are concluding cease fire negotiations! Obviously, this stunt gets him into trouble. The Space Legion should put him in prison, or shoot him for these actions, but then there would be no story. So, instead, the Space Legion bosses decide to promote him to Captain and put him in charge of a whole company of misfits who are known to be so bad that the Space Legion isolated them on a planet where their job is to guard a swamp. Since the Space Legion is considered to be the joke of all the military commands, this is really a bad posting.

Willard Phule adopts the name of Captain Jester for this assignment both to safeguard his name from the previously mentioned action, as well as to hide the fact that he is the son of the biggest supplier of munitions in the galaxy. So, not only is he incredibly rich due to his family, but he has also spent years in business buying and selling companies and has been incredibly successful and made immense amounts of money before joining the Space Legion. Now he takes this expertise - and his butler - and joins the bumbling Omega Company.

The main part of this story is one that will be familiar to many. A new commander takes over a group of misfits and through personal example and confidence building measures, turns the group into a cohesive working unit that accomplishes more than can be expected.

In this case, the humor is in the situations the Company finds itself and the clever ways in which Captain Jester solves the many problems. Being one of the richest men in the galaxy clearly does not hurt and Jester uses his money freely. We are also treated the story being told both by Phule (the majority) and occasional intercessions by his butler Beeker. This gives is the opportunity for some parts of the story to be told from another point of view.

All in all, this is a familiar story told in a slightly humorous vein. This is not anywhere nearly as funny as the MYTH books but I am told that it gets funnier later. I will certainly read the next few volumes in this series to see how it develops as this one was pleasant enough.

Great Comedy.......2007-05-18

I think all of Aspirins books are good but for satirical comedy his phule series really stands out. Time well spent

Great fun series.......2006-04-26

Just added all the new to me books to my wishlist - hint! Hint! Mother's day is coming. Read the other reviews if you want to know what it is about - I won't bore you with the same ole' But read these books - that is a command.

Hi-larious!.......2005-08-15

Willard Phule, pronounced "fool" is the son of the owner of Phule ammunitions, the largest and riches arms supplier in the galaxy. Willard is playing at being a soldier in the Legion, repository of the dregs of all military outfits everywhere. After completing a misguided strafing run on a peace treaty, Phule is sent by way of punishment to command an Omega Company, the worst group of 'misfits and losers' in the Legion. He takes it upon himself to whip the group into shape and sets in with a vengeance.

The witty dialogue and fast paced events of this book carry the reader straight into Asprin's world. Phule's belief in his Omega Company makes the company strive to meet his expectations. Phule throws money around to outfit his company with the best possible equipment, including custom uniforms and a remodeling of their whole facility into a paradise like hotel. Each character has an intricate personality and his or her own special quirk. One member of the company is an alien from another world who is a determined pacifist. Through Phule's leadership, the company's coming together is downright heartwarming.

Average customer rating:

Shame on you
Lighthearted, thoroughly enjoyable science fiction adventure
Phuled again
who the heck is Heck?
who the heck is Heck?

Phule Me Twice (Phule's Company)
Robert Asprin , and Peter J. Heck
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441007910
Release Date: 2000-12-05

Book Description

When the planet Zenobia is invaded, Captain Willard Phule is made their military advisor. But, unknown to the Zenobians, they're getting two Phules for the price of one. A robot double of Captain Phule appears out of nowhere. And only the real Phule knows who the real Phule is.

• 4th in the New York Times bestselling series

Customer Reviews:

Shame on you.......2003-11-06

Well, count me among those who say Asprin didn't have anything to do with Phule me Twice, or book three. I suffered through them though, they had a moment or two, but it was few and far between. Not that Heck isn't a decent writer, but he has almost no sense of humor.

Summary
Book three, this fool and his money were easily parted.
Shame on me.
Book four, fooled me twice.
Shame on you.

Lighthearted, thoroughly enjoyable science fiction adventure.......2002-09-08

Phule Me Twice is the latest lighthearted, thoroughly enjoyable science fiction adventure from Robert Asprin. Fourth in the Phule series, about a Legion captain and his unlikely crew of interplanetary rejects, Phule Me Twice follows the questionable Legionnaires as they are called to help a dinosaur-like ally race against a mysterious hidden invader. But Captain Phule's own superior officer has a grudge against him, and plans to wreak havoc in the most backhanded and scheming manner possible - by sending in an incompetant with both the ability and authority to royally foul things up! A loopy and engaging ride featuring quixotic personalities, double-take situations, and one deceptively resourceful android. Also very highly recommended are the previous Phule adventures: Phule's Company, Phule's Paradise, and A Phule And His Money.

Phuled again.......2001-09-14

Interplanetary high space opera miltaristic romp. Fans of the earlier book's will definetly enjoy this book, though it is not nearly as good as the first one which is still my favorite. however, this book does stand alone on its own, so anyone new to the series can pick it up and still have a enjoyable read.

who the heck is Heck?.......2001-07-13

something tells me that robert asprin isn't writing these books any more; for one thing, escrima went from being a no-nonsense chef with a minor accent to a latino/jamaican "homeboy" in book 3. the gambolt names are just preposterous, and not meaning to nitpick: is tusk a volton or a voltron? he's referred to as both.

who the heck is Heck?.......2001-07-13

Average customer rating:

A Phule and His Money
Too Bad
Absolute Garbage
I wish such a sequel had not been forcedly published
when good series get bad writers

A Phule and His Money (Phule's Company)
Robert Asprin , and Peter J. Heck
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441006582

Customer Reviews:

A Phule and His Money.......2006-09-24

This book has none of the belly laughs associated with the first two books. It is written in an entirely different style, leading one to wonder if Robert Asprin or Peter Heck wrote it.

If this were the first in a series, the series would founder and die at book two.

Too Bad.......2006-07-25

I loved Phule in the early books. Unfortunately, the series has been going downhill ever since Asprin began collaborating, apparently in an effort to increase his productivity. The latest entries in the series just don't have the same sense of fun that the early ones had.

Very disappointing.

Absolute Garbage.......2003-11-19

I enjoyed the first two books in this series enough to read them a second time, but this collaboration was absolutely atrocious.

Every indication seems to be that Asprin wrote an outline which Peter J. Heck attempted to flesh out into a book: Unfortunately, Peter J. Heck has no sense of character or comedy. I only got a few dozen pages into the book before throwing it against the wall in total disgust, but time and time again I saw scenes which -- if the old Robert Asprin had been executing them -- would have been hilarious. Here, however, they fell flat and lifeless to the pavement.

There are no laughs here. The characters and the scenes are forced. All sense of a point is missing.

No matter how much you loved the first two books, avoid this installment at all costs. Indeed, the closer the first two books are to your heart, the deeper this book will thrust the knife.

I wish such a sequel had not been forcedly published.......2003-09-13

I loved Book 1 "Phule's Company" and Book 2 "Phule's Paradise", but I hesitated to read this Book 3 because of these negative reviews. But finally I did read it, because I wanted to find out by my own eyes why this book was so badly reputed and how it was different from the previous two books.

Now I do know why. I expected it not so good as the previous books but so-so enjoyable, but I am disappointed. It's still tolerable that the nice mixture of humor, wit and warmth has changed to a noisy slapstick comedy. But I can't help feeling something is wrong; the characters's behavior and/or speech have delicately deviated from those in the previous books. Especially, Beeker has been deprived of his flavor. For example, Beeker calls the big brass "enemies". They are enemies indeed, but it is very unlikely for Beeker to use such a straight expression.

It might have been very difficult for any writers except the creator to reproduce the charm of this series. Or Asprin's memory and/or affection for this series might have faded in the long gap. Anyway, I wish such a sequel had not been forcedly published.

when good series get bad writers.......2002-12-12

Where did this book go wrong? Let me count the ways.

A captain who pores over the files of his people before meeting them in the first book, manages to forget between books two and three that he was told he was getting his requested chaplain and a Zenobian observer.

His top three officers also forget this.

Neither the chaplain nor the observer appear on the paperwork that the Sergeant is reading names off of.

Sushi goes from very formal english to very casual.

Escrima goes from being a Phillipino stick fighter speaking broken english to speaking perfect english, right down to the slang, and being a gambler who owes Sushi money.

No one recognizes the lizard lurking around the corners of the casino as a Zenobian, even though the company had first contact with them.

Everyone has gone from mildly competent (and lucky) to being the Keystone Kops.

Phule refers to the company as the Omega company, even though this had been established in the first book as being derogatory slang for the *type* of company, not their official name.

The humor was forced, the plot was contrived, none of the characters sounded right.

I could probably go on, but by this point, I hadn't finished chapter three, so I didn't think there was any point in reading the rest of the book. Needless to say, I don't think Mr. Heck bothered to read the first two books of the series, and it shows.

Customer Reviews:

A Phule goes to the casino- Phule's Paradise.......2007-09-13

General Outline:
In the second book of the Phule's company series, Phule and his company come into the sights of General Bliztreig when there normal CO takes a vaction. He assigns them to prevent the hostile take over of the Fat Chance Casino, hoping that they will manage to make fools of themselves in the spot light. Unfortunatley he doesnt take into account a Phule's luck which includes knowing when to let everyone else do what they do best, lots of his own money, and a very loyal legion. The bad guys and everbody else are in for one grand opening.
----
This book is a fast and fun read, I kept wanting to turn the page to find out how the characters dealt with the next situation. I had to dock one star because it seems that this book in the series was missing just a little bit of what made the first book so great, Phule beating it through his troops and everbody else's head (usually in some way that made you laugh) that they actually useful, they just had to utilize skills they had in a constructive manner. Hopefully the next few books are just as good as this one. All in all I would recommend this to any one looking for a light adventure comedy read.
m.a.c

Other Books.......2007-09-03

Casino crimewatch.

Yeah, if being in the military wasn't enough of an issue, having to watch over a casino rather than mess around there doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, either. This is exactly why Phule and his now highly efficient company get sent there, as payback for showing up those who expected this whole venture to be a failure. It is just ok, really.

Fun book........2007-01-10

Fun quick read. Author has a great sense of humor. This is not a book for you if you are looking for an intellectual read.

Excellent continuation.......2005-07-29

This book carries the lovable, laughable characters into a new world of fun. I was impressed with the fun, intrigue and keeping true to the original book.

An enjoyable and quick read........2005-02-23

Another side-spliting romp with Phule and his rag-tag crew. But, this time they are casino guards.

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Phule's Company
Robert Lynn Asprin
Manufacturer: New York: Ace Books, Inc. 1990
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXKH20

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Phule's Company (Legend Books)
Robert Aspirin
Manufacturer: Time Warner Books UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Phule's Company and Phule's Paradise Sold as Set

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Phule's Company and Phule's Paradise Sold as Set
Robert (ed) Asprin
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000KKENXA

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Phule S Company 3
Robert Asprin
Manufacturer: Legend
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0712653503

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Phule's Company
Robert Asprin
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NVM1Q2

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Phule's Company
Robert Asprin
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MTC49E

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WITH THE MIND'S EYES

Kushner makes you aware of the sacred things in your life.

Eyes Remade for Wonder: A Lawrence Kushner Reader (The Kushner Series)
Lawrence Kushner
Manufacturer: Jewish Lights Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Theology | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Kushner, Lawrence | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1580230423

Amazon.com

Eyes Remade for Wonder: A Lawrence Kushner Reader, by Lawrence Kushner, with an introduction by Thomas Moore, collects some of the best writings by one of the most insightful rabbis in America. Kushner writes with profound reverence for the silence that surrounds his words. He believes that the essence of religious seeking is to "devotedly, stubbornly, compulsively return again and again to that line between noise and silence, hoping against hope to find a way to say what finally cannot be said. If it could be said straight out, you wouldn't have to try to find a better way to say it. If you couldn't speak it at all, then you'd have to resort to such nonverbal modes of communication as art or dance or music. The thing about spiritual truth is that it wants to be spoken. It is too important, too transforming, to be left alone in silence. It seems to have speakable content." This book begins with a selection of writings on cultivating awareness of God, the self, and the world. It moves on to explore the bedrock of Jewish religion, sacred text. Later chapters describe mystical, ethical, and political aspects of Jewish spiritual life, concluding with an excellent selection of meditations on the revelatory power of daily life. Kushner sees divine light glinting off his eyeglasses, shining through telescopes, and beaming out from lighthouses. Eyes Remade for Wonder is excellent devotional reading, and a fine introduction to Kushner's wide-ranging mind and empathic spirit. --Michael Joseph Gross

Customer Reviews:

WITH THE MIND'S EYES.......2000-06-09

Revelation is like a dream where nothing is without meaning, yet everything is taken from images seemingly incongruous, disconnected among themselves. As in facing a mosaique with the pieces still spread in a casual manner, so man must face the mysteries of faith: with confidence and constance, devotion and awareness. I believe this is one of Kushner's messages: the author is surely one of the masters of "liberal" Judaism, and he hands out to his readers this precious anthology. In a delicate balance between tradition and modernism, between common sense and the respect for values, Rabbi Kushner presents a model of contemporaneous approach to Judaism, where the need for divulging and integration in society does not mean relinquishing the depths of meditation on man's and the world's great themes. "Close your eyes and listen. This is the voice of your Self."

Kushner makes you aware of the sacred things in your life........1999-06-16

I had never read anything by Lawrence Kushner before, but had heard some of his commentaries on National Public Radio. Recently a friend gave me this book as a birthday present.

What an absolute pleasure it has been to read! Each essay is usually only a few pages long so it is an easy book to find time to read.

He is a great writer, with a wonderful sense of humor, but he delivers some amazingly creative insight and makes you look at your world and what you believe in in a completely fresh new way.

I would highly recommend this book since it is a sampler of his best writings, with a mix of new and previously published material. You will not be disappointed, this is a wonderful read and a great gift.

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