Book Description
Promise Whittaker, the diminutive but decisive acting director of the Museum of Asian Art, is pregnant againand thats just the beginning of her problems. Her mentor, the previous director, has suddenly quit, and is on a dig in Chinas Taklamakan Desert. Her favorite curator has dropped a priceless porcelain bowl, once owned by Thomas Jefferson, down the museums steps. Another colleague has been embezzling from the museum to pay for her fertility treatments. And her far too handsome ancillary director is clearly up to no good. Promises offbeat efforts to hold everything together make her a character who, in the words of the Newark Star-Ledger, youll be falling in love with before youve turned the first page.
Customer Reviews:
Pottery, Politics and Poetry.......2007-09-09
The Bowl Is Already Broken is a witty and warm romp through a fictional museum in our nation's capital. It's a humorous tale of mystery, intrigue, office politics and the ups and downs of the average and not so average American life. Just like a good friend, you'll love these characters because of their quirks and flaws rather than despite them. Once again, Mary Kay Zuravleff has written a novel you hurry home from work to read. You won't want to say goodbye to these characters. Perhaps you can invite them over for dinner sometime soon to see how life is treating them now. A wonderfully good read.
Tart and Timely.......2006-08-29
Mary Kay visited my bookclub when we discussed this book, and we were all so excited about it that I insisted my husband read it too. He has since given several copies as gifts. Mary Kay's political commentary is subtle, but it's spot-on given an administration where the Smithsonian and everything else is up for sale and the world's oldest and richest cultures are viewed with suspicion.
We read The Frequency of Souls together too, and loved it. We can't wait to see what she writes next!
Witty and wise.......2006-05-24
Mary Kay Zuravleff is a talented writer with a wry sense of humor. She captures the nuances of life in Washington, D.C. and behind the scenes at an Asian art museum (very much like the Freer and Sackler Galleries) with style and wit. Her characters are real and not caricatures. While some readers may view this story as satire, for those of us who live in the nation's capital, the prospect of a museum being commercialized or turned into a food court may be closer to the truth than one would think!
I look forward to reading Ms. Zuravleff's next book.
Future of the Smithsonian.......2006-05-16
A quintessential Washington novel with culture, commerce and Smithsonian politics. The central conceit -- that the Freer Sackler-like Asian Museum will be converted into a food court -- meant to be comically hyperbolic, does not seem all that farfetched anymore!
Wry humor and lots of informed detail make this a worthwhile read.
Characters I loved-- couldn't put this one down.......2006-04-08
"The Bowl is Already Broken" blew me away! It is so so so good that I missed the characters afterward. Lots of wit and perfect proportions of both ne'er-do-well behavior and affection (if you don't know what I mean by that now, you will after finishing the novel!)
I so admire the way Zuravleff makes the reader care about a whole community of people. The structure is masterful the whole way through, and wonderfully echoes the zen-like themes. Even if you've no interest in Asian art or museums, the human-interest plot and subplots will keep you reading longer than you meant to. I had a delicious sense of "how are characters x, y, and z going to get themselves out of these messes" the whole way through.
Book Description
No woman could resist the pleasures he offered....
They are the Merricks, two brothers and a sister, restless, daring, proud. English by birth, they came to Scotland with their father to occupy McClairen lands. And there each would find a love as wild and glorious as the Highland isle they claimed as their own.
Fia, the only daughter, is the ravishing one. Raine, the second son, is the reckless one. Ashton is the eldest son. This is his story. . . .
The Passionate One
He was a notorious rogue with a reputation for hell-raising and heartbreaking. But family secrets forced Ashton Merrick to do his ruthless father's bidding--and escort Rhiannon Russell back to McClairen's Isle. Ash suspected that his father intended to make the innocent beauty his fourth wife. But he didn't expect the passions she would ignite in his own wary heart.
Watch for the next two books in the breathtakingly romantic McClairen's Isle trilogy,
The Reckless One and
The Ravishing One, coming soon from Dell.
Customer Reviews:
Very Intense Hero.......2006-06-09
I found this book very enjoyable. The author doesn't write as though she is talking to children. Ash was just a touch too moody for me but still quite likable. I will definitely read the sequels.
Ash is delicious; Brockway is on fire.......2006-02-24
I haven't been able to get this book out of my mind since I finished it. Ash is one of the most memorable, most desirable heroes I have ever encountered in a novel; and The Passionate One is such a dark, lush book. Jo Beverley seems tame in comparison with Brockway - and the second I finished The Passionate One, I went and bought the rest of the trilogy. Frankly, if the others are even half as good I will be delighted.
I think that when it comes down to it, there are two things that distinguish Brockway's writing:
1. She *will* go there. There are thousands of books about tortured heroes, about rogues that reform, about the bad boys you can't help but love. But most of them are really about nice guys who just seem bad; ordinary men with a thin veneer of wickedness. Ash has a heart of gold, but the rest of him is pretty well corrupted. He isn't a sheep wearing wolf's clothes; through the novel he is manipulative, ruthless, strategic and terrifyingly self-controlled. He's a real wolf.
Ash's self-control, his charisma, and the honesty and intensity of his emotions made him one of the most delicious characters I have ever encountered.
2. Brockway writes beautifully. I think at times her writing is overly contrived, and there are moments where characters say things that are piercing or intense but I don't really get it. She's in danger of becoming too precious, or too stylized. But, at least in this novel, she does a really marvelous job of writing evocatively, creating atmosphere and fleshing out every scene with just the right words. Her writing is always in service of the plot - the people and places come to life, rather than being crushed by her florid pen.
I didn't find Rhiannon quite as compelling as Ash, but she was a remarkable heroine. The book is excellently put together; it's a real page turner, and the characters are well developed and their actions seem natural, believable. Especially with the secondary characters, the sister, brother, and father, this is really important: it's a human drama instead of a thriller.
Good Story.......2004-03-30
After not being thrilled with All Through The Night, my first Brockway story, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The storyline was interesting, the h\h chemistry was wonderful, the writing superb. Ach, a couple scenes took my breath away.
I can't imagine anyone, who likes a good historical romance, not enjoying this story.
Beautiful love story!!.......2004-03-13
I bought this book, because for starters, my daughters name is Ashton, and secondly because I love anything written in Scotland back in the day. This book was soo wonderful. Ash was for sure a passionate man and Lord, I just fell in love with his character! I found myself wondering throughout the book how CB had managed to make him so passionate and loving, yet so tough and strong. I felt like I was there, going through it all with Rhiannon and Ash. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!!!! Now on to Raine's story, The Reckless One!!
The Best of the McClairen Trilogy!.......2003-10-21
Ash Merrick is one of the best tortured heroes ever created! He's lived his entire life under the power of his cruel, murderous father, Lord Carr. He witnessed his mother's death at Carr's hand, was forced to take part in a bloody vendetta that was not his own, and then languished in prison for two years while his father lived a life of luxury off of his dead wife's riches. Ash leaves prison a scarred man, outwardly and inwardly. There, the basest, ugliest part of him was unleashed, and he began to truly loathe what he had become. What drives him now is his desire, at any cost, to free his younger brother from his own cell. Far from the typical "rake," Ash denies himself any pleasure or vanity, not only because of his singleminded quest to save his brother, but also one senses that he finds himself utterly unworthy and incapable of happiness. It simply doesn't enter his mind.
Ash is sent to England to fetch his father's ward whom he has never met. He knows not why Carr has shown a sudden interest in the girl, nor does he care...until he meets the lovely, innocent and spirited Rhiannon. Ash, cynical, world-weary, and jaded, is bemused by Rhiannon's determination to believe him a charming gentleman as she draws out the soft, hidden part of him and binds him to her with a love he'd thought himself incapable of, and one so powerful that he feels he must protect her from it.
The attraction becomes undeniable, but Rhiannon is about to marry another. Ash, as her ward's representative, has been invited to stay in the charming community of Fair Badden until the happy nuptials. Unable to resist, he accepts, and flames ignite between he and Rhiannon. Ash comes to the determination that he must leave...until he realizes Rhiannon's life is in danger.
Wonderful, rich storytelling with a very sexy, well-drawn hero, a likable, charming heroine, and an intriguing plot. The romantic scenes are exceptional - equal parts tender and erotic. Ms. Brockway is a true talent.
Product Description
Exclusive 2-in-1 Club Edition featuring The Passionate One and The Reckless One
Book Description
A young man is suddenly startled awake. He has no memory. He knows only one thing for certain: Someone is trying to kill him.
Unsure of whom to trust, he is reacquainted with eight companions-trainees of an enigmatic figure known as Maestro. As he attempts to unearth his past and outwit an unseen enemy, skills he never knew he had come into play. And it soon becomes clear that there is far more than his life at stake...
"A genuine page turner...like a roller-coaster ride of fusion fiction." (Neil Gaiman)
Customer Reviews:
empty.......2007-10-01
I couldn't get past the immaturity of the writing and the main character, Halloween. So page 50 was it for me.
a decent first effort.......2007-06-01
Author Nick Sagan is the son of astronomer Carl Sagan. As a boy in the 1970s, Nick's greeting, "Hello from the children of planet Earth," was recorded for NASA's Voyager Golden Record (a phonograph with audio and visuals depicting human life) and sent into space for aliens to discover. So it is only fitting that Nick Sagan's first novel fits snugly into the sci-fi fantasy genre.
Idlewild is the story of 19-year-old Halloween (birth name Gabriel), who wakes one day with no memory of his life or surroundings. The world seems oddly...off. The people he meets are just as bizarre. Slowly, he begins to recover aspects his memory and realizes that he is one of ten students in a futuristic virtual school, taught and cared for by computer programs. Similar to the Matrix, he and his classmates are actually (physically) plugged into virtual reality equipment in the real world, where their bodies are nourished. Their minds, however, are fed within the virtual system. However, one student is missing, presumed dead, and Halloween suspects he is next.
Interspersed with the story of Halloween and his eight strange friends is that of three scientists attempting to save humanity from an early 21st century plague called the Black Ep. The relation between both storylines is revealed throughout the book.
The plot starts out strong and shows potential as a dystopian, cyber-punk novel, but falls apart halfway through. Neil Gaiman called this book a "roller coaster ride" of a story, but I think that's just his nice way of saying the book takes too many quick, sloppy turns. An element of surprise is always welcome in fiction, but Idlewild becomes choppy - as though Sagan couldn't decide where he wanted to take the plot. The climax seems to come out of nowhere and doesn't quite satisfy, while the ending is too rushed.
Such faults could possibly be overlooked if Sagan's writing compensated for the plot flaws, but sadly that disappoints as well. The characterization of Halloween is a trifle cliché (typical angst-ridden teenage goth boy), and the other characters are never fully developed.
That said, the idea behind the story is provocative, and despite its poor execution in this first book, there might be enough potential to be continued. I read the excerpt included of its sequel, Edenborn, and the post-apocalyptic vibe did spark some curiosity in me. If Sagan improved his writing style and got all the kinks out, Edenborn might be worth reading. I would, however, skip Idlewild and watch the first Matrix movie instead.
Good - but more so as a prequel.......2007-05-27
I picked up this book's sequel, Edenborn, and read that in one day before even looking for this book. At first I was a little lost but the story quickly introduced all of the characters well enough that I didn't need the prequel to get through it. Later I picked up Idlewild to see where it all came from. Where Idlewild really shines is as an introduction to the premise for much better stories. It's passable, and a fun read, but getting to Edenborn is so much more worth it. I have yet to read the third installment, Everfree, but if this trend continues it may well be the best of the lot. If I could give a recommendation, I would say to read this book only if you plan to read the sequel(s). All are short, fast, fun reads. So worst case scenario, if you don't like them you will have wasted a minimal amount of time. And if you DO like them, then they're well worth a little time.
I very much enjoyed this book.......2007-05-07
Sagan is not a brilliant story teller, the plot is somewhat predictable, there is nothing overwhelmingly new here, yet i very much enjoyed this trilogy. For all its being derivative, for all the truth that if his name were Smith it might never have been printed, there are moments in these stories that are just wonderful and ring true in ways you don't often see in SF.
Couldn't Put The Book Down!.......2006-11-25
I read Edenborn before I read this book, so I was relieved when the then-mysterious "Halloween" that had been showing up in the sequel was finally described fully to me.
I fell in love with Halloween and his world right away. From his obsession with death to his rebellious nature, I was in love. The plot moves fast and I enjoyed Halloween's philisophical ramblings and ponderings. I liked how Sagan gave us a "villian" we could know and love, and the ending broke my heart. The finale was not as exciting as I had hoped for, but the rest of the book made up for it.
Good exciting read!
Book Description
Once considered the most famous African-American resort community in the country, Idlewild was referred to as the Black Eden of Michigan in the 1920s and í30s, and as the Summer Apollo of Michigan in the 1950s and í60s. Showcasing classy revues and interactive performances of some of the leading black entertainers of the period, Idlewild was an oasis in the shadows of legal segregation. ÝÝIdlewild: Black Eden of Michigan focuses on this illustrative history, as well as the decline and the communityís contemporary renaissance, in over 200 rare photographs. The lively legacy of Lela G. and Herman O. Wilson, and Paradise Path is included, featuring images of the Paradise Club and Wilsonís Grocery. Idlewild continued its role as a distinctive American resort throughout the 1950s, with photographs ranging from Phil Gilesí Flamingo Club and Arthur Braggsís Idlewild Revue. Ý
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Collection of Photos and History.......2006-11-04
Having come from this area of west Michigan, Idlewild has always intrigued me. Stephens' book is the definitive work so far, and is well documented and researched. The photos are priceless. I would recommend this book for any student of black America.
Idlewild Review.......2003-08-09
This book is an exceptional and accurate account of historical Idlewild. Although it is slightly slanted based on the authors assessibility to information (a wide variety from one or two sources) they are execellent sources. Having grown up in Idlewild on Idlewild lake and gone to the local schools from pre-school through high school, I would recommend this book for any scholar or novice who is interested in the development of Black America in small towns; the rise and fall of the Black entertainment industry; and Black resort towns and Black Ghost towns.
Average customer rating:
- A Piece of Michigan Black Gold
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Black Eden: The Idlewild Community (Michigan)
Lewis Walker , and
Benjamin C. Wilson
Manufacturer: Michigan State University Press
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Idlewild: The Black Eden of Michigan (MI) (Images of America)
ASIN: 0870136224 |
Customer Reviews:
A Piece of Michigan Black Gold.......2003-01-29
This book brings forth information on another aspect of African American history that has been overlooked. When most people talk about Blacks and Michigan, they automatically think of Detroit. This is a very narrow view. Drs. Walker and Wilson have written other books on the Black presence in the Great Lakes State and "Black Eden" is another chapter in the ever-evolving story. Besides some technical information that many people might find useless, the story of Idlewild involves many famous African Americans. W.E.B. Du Bois, Daniel Hale Williams, and Madam C. J. Walker all vacationed at this resort; some even owned land there. Often referred to as the Apollo of Michigan, Idlewild showcased the best in Black talent. Segregation allowed the venue to be a staple on the now renowned "chitlin curcuit". Integration took some, if not all, of that away.
"Black Eden" is also the story of regular, hardworking Black folk who would pack up the car and take the family on a weekend of fun and relaxation at the beach. Part of it is a people's history. Part of it is the rise of the Black celebrity. I believe that this book has a place on any bookshelf.
Average customer rating:
|
OUTKAST IDLEWILD SELECTIONS FROM
OutKast
Manufacturer: HAL LEONARD CORPORATION
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Songbooks
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ASIN: 1423422775 |
Book Description
13 OutKast tracks "rich with color and energy" (All Music Guide), both new tunes and selection from their 2006 flick set in the Prohibition Era. Includes: Call the Law * Dyin' to Live * Greatest Show on Earth * In Your Dreams * Makes No Sense at All * N2U * Peaches * PJ and Rooster * The Train * more.
Book Description
Located in the scenic Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania, America's third oldest amusement park, Idlewild, was founded in 1878 as a picnic ground along the Ligonier Valley Rail Road. Its tranquil setting quickly established Idlewild as the premier place for church, school, and corporate picnics, as well as a recreational getaway for families. Idlewild added new amusements and facilities as its crowds continued to grow, but it always strove to maintain the picturesque landscape of the site. Soon a full-fledged amusement park was in operation, with throngs of visitors disembarking the trains from such places as Latrobe, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh. Home to unique attractions like Story Book Forest, the Rollo Coaster, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and the SoakZone, Idlewild has been the backdrop for generations of fond memories. Idlewild's proximity to the Lincoln Highway helped the park survive the abandonment of the railroad, and careful development by the Mellon and Macdonald families and the Kennywood Entertainment Company continue to help it thrive. This collection of photographs tells the story of how one of America's most beautiful theme parks has grown throughout the years.
Average customer rating:
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Idlewild
Nick Sagan
Manufacturer: COLUMBIA MARKETING LTD REM
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SHM9SQ |
Average customer rating:
- a great satire of American politics and history, a great comedy of ideas.
- Worst book ever!
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Idlewild
Mark Lawson
Manufacturer: Pan Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0330344501 |
Customer Reviews:
a great satire of American politics and history, a great comedy of ideas........2005-08-30
I'm suprised there aren't many more reviews posted here, as 'Idlewild' is one of my favourite novels: an excellent satire of American politics, history and celebrity since 1963, especially as a send-up of JFK-Marilyn worship. It's in the great tradition of the 'What If?', the historical 'counter-factual', such as asking what would have happened if the South had won the US civil war. In this case, the President takes a bullet, but makes it through, and Monroe survives her overdose. As I've always been a Kennedy-skeptic, I thought it was brave of Lawson to suggest that JFK might have had to take the blame for the Vietnam war and become a national pariah: sacrilege to the Kennedy cultists.
Lawson jams in a tremendous number of clever ideas and his dialogue is terrific. He has a sly and cynical British view of some of America's historical obsessions.
(I noticed a possible pun in the title: the novel is speculative and we often talk about two kinds of speculation: 'idle speculation' and 'wild speculation'. Just a thought.)
I'll conclude with my all-time favourite President Kennedy quotation: when the Bolshoi Ballet company were touring the USA, an aide suggested that JFK could meet them. Jack refused and said 'I don't want to be photographed with a bunch of Russian fairies'. What a guy.
Worst book ever!.......2005-04-21
I usually will finish a book, even if it's not that hot, but this book was painful to finish. I skimmed through to the end, hoping for some redemption, but this book sucked. It is quite possibly the worst example of pen to paper. I wish I could get back the time I wasted on this book. Thank God it was from the library. This book should have a negative stat rating.
Book Description
What happens when the Dalai Lama meets with leading physicists and a historian? This book is the carefully edited record of the fascinating discussions at a Mind and Life conference in which five leading physicists and a historian (David Finkelstein, George Greenstein, Piet Hut, Arthur Zajonc, Anton Zeilinger, and Tu Weiming) discussed with the Dalai Lama current thought in theoretical quantum physics, in the context of Buddhist philosophy. A contribution to the science-religion interface, and a useful explanation of our basic understanding of quantum reality, couched at a level that intelligent readers without a deep involvement in science can grasp. In the tradition of other popular books on resonances between modern quantum physics and Zen or Buddhist mystical traditions--notably The Dancing Wu Li Masters and The Tao of Physics, this book gives a clear and useful update of the genuine correspondences between these two rather disparate approaches to understanding the nature of reality.
Customer Reviews:
This is more about Modern Physics than Buddhism.......2006-07-16
Although he does say a few things about Buddhist philosophy, the actual role of the Dalai Lama in these discussions turned out to be acting as the perfect "straight man" for a presentation of some of the bizarreness of modern physics: intelligent but not indoctrinated into the belief that everything "scientific" is necessarily correct.
Most of the material is more-or-less orthodox Quantum Mechanics. Some of the more far-out concepts, as Finkelstein admitted, may not last as long as the end of next week.
Combining Modern Physics with Buddhism.......2004-07-26
Edited by Arthur Zajonc, this slim volume is a series of discussions between five leading physicists and a historian have with the Dalai Lama. It's an attempt to bring together: Quantum theory, Doctrines, Religion - World Religions, Religion, Buddhism - General, and Cosmology.
It is surprising to see how close the relationship might be. Back in 1962, Murray Gell-Mann began to fit the known elemental particles into a series of eight 'families.' Gell-Mann called this beautiful symmetry the 'Eightfold Way' after the Buddha's 'Eightfold path to truth.' This correlation or merger seems to have continued.
In this book, the discussions are far ranging over the nature of matter itself, the experimental evidence, and the nature of the mind and its logic. It is not intended to be a textbook on modern particle physics, but it almost is. Well worth reading.
Books:
- The City and the Pillar: A Novel
- The Courage Consort
- The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
- The Dork of Cork
- The Guns of August
- The Hamilton Case: A Novel
- The Harris Family : A Novel
- The Hound of the Baskervilles: Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes (Oxford World's Classics)
- The Late Mattia Pascal
- The Madonna of Excelsior: A Novel
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