Frontera Street

Book Description

A richly imagined debut novel of friendship and forgiveness, Frontera Street explores the physical, cultural, and emotional borders that shape our lives. Carrying secrets and an unborn child, Dee Paxton leaves the affluent neighborhood of her youth and walks straight into Frontera Street Fabrics-a little shop in the barrio only blocks from her home, but worlds apart. Though Alma Cruz is not impressed with her new coworker, she can't help but appreciate her need for a friend. A single mother herself, Alma knows what it's like to raise a child alone-and she's not without her own secrets. But there is a price to pay for months of lies, and certain lines can be dangerous to cross.

"A warm and touching tale about the borders that keep us apart and the love that brings us together. Anyone who's ever struggled with a secret, found a new friend, or wondered about how the people on the other side of the tracks live will cherish a visit to Frontera Street." (Jennifer Weiner, New York Times bestselling author of Good in Bed)

Customer Reviews:

A trip along Frontera Street.......2006-04-18

This impressive debut novel will resonate with anyone who struggled - or is struggling - to figure out who they are and where they belong.

Book club contender.......2003-07-17

While Frontera Street carries a strong message about crossing borders, both physical and self-imposed, the story that reveals the message is unbelievably full of extreme highs and lows. From the loss of husbands, lovers, jobs and businesses to the excitement of new love, full scholarships, babies and quinceaneras, it is impossible to get to know these characters and their true selves. Back stories and dirty laundry abound but do not amount to real insight into each characters heart.

Both Dee, a white woman from the Westside, and Alma, a Mexican woman from the barrio, could easily be the same woman - struggling with backgrounds of rejection and loss, single parenthood and prejudice, but Barrientos has gone out of her way to make an important and single distinction between the two women - money. Dee's wealth is, ultimately, what keeps everyone happy and although the strength of the Frontera Street neighborhood bond comes through it is disappointing to watch Alma and her daughter leave the Street solely for the purpose of wealth and prestige.

Barrientos' writing is stylish and, at times, fun. By far the most engaging part of the story is a flashback detailing the story of "The Miracle Muffin." Initially a short story of its own, the description of the milagro and its effect on family, community, and faith is the most in-depth, provocative and endearing section of the book.

A good book club read, Frontera Street will provoke discussions about our own boundaries and the development of friendship, it also allows for interesting discussion on what it means to read about a character and feel as if you "know" them.

This Hispanic Texan loved it, too.......2002-11-13

The issues are real; keeping secrets from friends, facing your
own prejudices and problems from your family and past and
deciding what to pass along to the next generation, and crossing
over into a new world (crossing fronteras) emotionally,
spiritually and socially. It does "explain" culturally biased
terminology but that is because it switches viewpoints so that
the story is told from a "white" viewpoint and then from a
"mexican" viewpoint and then from a Mexican-American (Chicana)
teenager viewpoint and it lets you see the emotional, social
borders from many different sides. I found that the characters
were realistic in that they "think" like real people do. They
have faults and act on misconceptions and jump to conclusions.
As for the portrayal of Hispanic Women ... there was definitely
a difference in views between Alma (the somewhat traditional
Mexicana who rebelled in her own youth and resented whites who
mistreated her when she was a maid) and the teenage Socorro,
who was struggling with how much of her white and brown
background to bring forward into her own life.
I didn't find any degrading or condescending views which
were not included as intentional misconceptions and which are
later shown to be wrong like the "barrio/slum" thing; Also, I
know lots of real women (white and brown) that are single
parents and struggle with how to find a companion without
getting hurt again. I found it to be "very real" to me.
It's a great read and an excellent vehicle for discussion with
anyone who's ever lived along the Texas border.

a book you don't want to end!.......2002-10-24

Our book club read this book and every member loved it (which is unusual for our club). You get to know the characters so well you forget they are not real. The book deals with many real life issues such as the challenges of true friendship, failures of relationships, the ups and downs of life, cultural differences, and the support of family and friends. The author draws you in to the life of characters and it is an enjoyable ride. It is one of those books that you don't want to end.

Here's a chicana who loved it.......2002-09-29

This book is a great read! On a deeper level it is about crossing all kinds of borders. Each character has prejudices to overcome and it is touching to find out how they do that. While you read the story, you get to know Dee and Alma and Socorro as funny, loving women who live in a vibrant, welcoming neighborhood. Suddenly class or color doesn't matter to them anymore. It's a great book club pick because there's plenty to talk about!

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Frontera Street

Manufacturer: NAL Accent
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739427164

Gatos sin fronteras/ Cats without Borders: Andanzas Y Fortunas De Remo, Un Gato Callejero/ Adventures and Fortune of Remo, A Street Cat

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Gatos sin fronteras/ Cats without Borders: Andanzas Y Fortunas De Remo, Un Gato Callejero/ Adventures and Fortune of Remo, A Street Cat
Antonio Burgos
Manufacturer: Esfera
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Spanish Edition: Narnia… where a beast walks and talks… where an evil witch awaits… where a new world is about to be born. In a bold quest to save the life of a loved one, two friends inadvertently stumble into a new world where an evil witch wants to enslave them.

Cronicas de Narnia 6: El Sobrino del Mago

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Cronicas de Narnia 6: El Sobrino del Mago
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Andres Bello
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Narnia I - El Sobrino del Mago
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Destino Ediciones
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Narna 1: El Sobrino Del Mago
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Destino
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Cronicas De Narnia: El Sobrino Del Mago

Manufacturer: Planeta Pub Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 9703704263

El Sobrino Del Mago/the Magician's Nephew (Cronicas De Narnia/the Chronicles of Narnia)

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El Sobrino Del Mago/the Magician's Nephew (Cronicas De Narnia/the Chronicles of Narnia)
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Santillana USA Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Masterpiece of Insight.......2005-01-08

The Walkaway Clause (Tor Books) by John Dalmas is a unique and remarkable
masterpiece, which I cannot recommend highly enough to readers. I first read it many years ago and my appreciation for this work and for John's works in general has grown and deepened.

This is a remarkable and very insightful work, which has a number of levels of meaning which make this a very rewarding read. It has an engrossing plot, the main character, Barny Boru, is a interesting and very human figure, he is a contract eliminator for a future company, in a time when corporate business is carried out in an interstellar environment which contains worlds which are both in constant contact and some which are kept isolated due to their state of development, similar in many ways to our modern environment, with third world countries which should be protected from exploitation.

The main character goes to one of these worlds, Lokar, which is under an interdict, to eliminate a king who is supposedly interfering with the business of the company that hires his services. He discovers in truth that this king is a remarkable and very effective ruler who is not at all as he was described. So he is able to consider implementing the "walkaway clause" which is a provision that allows the "eliminator" to decide NOT to carry out the contract to which he has been assigned. Indeed the King in question is a central figure in a remarkable social experiment in advancing personal "sanity" and social effectiveness being led by an enigmatic and intriguing expert from off planet, and this social evolution become one of the most interesting elements of the book. There is a parallel plot line concerning zen and the philosophy of the main character, and so this is not only a engrossing story with stimulating human events, but also underlying and through provoking material on life and reality philosophy.

I won't ruin the plot for readers, but can say that the way that the people and the scenes are "painted" in this book is remarkable, and unique in quality and depth. The evocation of the "northern" Scandinavian type culture of the Lokar people, the plot twists with a quality similar to the fine writing of Anthony Hope and the Prisoner of Zenda allow some fine writing and story telling by Mr. Dalmas, and the very human quandaries and challenges of the characters keep the story fresh and alive throughout. Mr. Dalmas is a master story teller, and author, he describes the environment and the scenes with an artists eye, the weather, the people and their characters, the actions are all carried out in a way that is more real than real, raising the nature of this story to heights seldom achieved in print, making this truly fine literature. It turns out, from reading a bio of Mr. Dalmas on his own web site, that he had had a remarkable life of many varied experiences himself, and thus is able to bring to his writing the personal range of experiences which colors his writing so ably.

I found the plot development intriguing and the way that the main character undergoes changes in his own view of the world in which he lives not only believable, but very thought provoking for one's own view of reality, for there are many parallels with the story and our own time, with our similar challenges with mass society, elitist corporate ways and means of carrying out their policies which often have nothing at all to do with the good of our society, and also the motif which Mr. Dalmas continues in other works, of a "active philosophy" of life change and insight that is developed in an individual by some form of mind and character development is very ably integrated in this story.

I have gone on to read much of Mr. Dalmas's other works, but am moved to write this review for a fine work, indeed a masterpiece of literature and encourage any and all to read it not once, but many times.

There is some quite intangible quality to this work that is timeless and which rises above ordinary exposition and writing, it reaches beneath daily denial and ordinary life approaches to thinking and to reality, and speaks to a portion of our soul that seeks hope and clarity. I have found myself returning to Mr. Dalmas's books and specifically the Walkaway Clause in my own life in times of challenge, not for escape, but for elucidation and the cross patterning insight that comes sometimes subconsciously from reading stories that resonate with our own consciousness and aspirations.

And finally, let me once again praise the way that John evokes the scenes and the people he writes about. Mr. Dalmas is not only an author of fiction, but also an accomplished expert in silviculture and ecology, and joins other such accomplished authors as the late Charles Sheffield and others who not only write as master authors in the fictional realm, but are also masters of science and vision in life. We are indeed fortunate that John chose to add writing to his other achievements, and I am hopeful that he will continue to author works such as the Walkaway Clause.

Christopher Gerlach

ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 10, number 12 - December Dec 1986: Window; Walkaway Clause; Dreamwood; The S.O.B. Show; Phone Repairs; Stochasm; Jesse Revenged; Machines of Loving Grace; Presents of Mind

Average customer rating:

ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 10, number 12 - December Dec 1986: Window; Walkaway Clause; Dreamwood; The S.O.B. Show; Phone Repairs; Stochasm; Jesse Revenged; Machines of Loving Grace; Presents of Mind
Gardner (editor) (Ian Watson; John M. Ford; Cherry Wilder; Elissa Malcohn; Nancy Kress; John Barnes; Don Webb; Joe Haldeman; Edward Bryant; Connie Willis Dan Simmons; Steve Rasnic Tem) Dozois
Manufacturer: Davis Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KDQ2L8

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The Walkaway Clause

Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Excellent Read Very Informative

Bias Unmasked

A bit outdated...

Highly informative, very readable, but has gaps

Continental Divide

Goddess Unmasked: The Rise of Neopagan Feminist Spirituality
Philip G. Davis
Manufacturer: Spence Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan Thought? (The Student Library)

Hidden Gospels: How the Search for Jesus Lost Its Way

The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion

ASIN: 1890626201

Book Description

An important new book provides the first critical evaluation by a qualified scholar of the theological, anthropological, and historical claims of the "Goddess" movement, the most influential form of radical feminist spirituality. As its acolytes both within and without traditional churches grow in number, Goddess spirituality is one of the striking religious success stories of our day. Yet few have examined its purported ancient pedigree or its promises of sexual justice and social harmony, claims now exposed as a ridiculous but dangerous sham.

This book describes and analyzes the contemporary Goddess movement and outlines its broader significance in the current "culture wars." Davis challenges Goddess spirituality's claim to have been man's primordial religion, fostering peaceful, egalitarian civilizations until Indo-Europeans and Hebrews replaced it with patriarchal sky-gods and warlike social systems. He exposes the complete want of archaeological evidence for this claim, revealing the movement's true roots in the radical Romanticism of the nineteenth century-roots it shares with many a modern cultural pathology. Comparing it with genuine goddess religions of Asia and with other forms of Western neopaganism, Davis debunks Goddess spirituality's fraudulent promises of a new age of peace and justice.

As the century closes, Goddess spirituality has spread far beyond the exotic confines of witchcraft and environmental cults. In particular, it has infiltrated traditional Western religious bodies, academia, and medicine. Goddess Unmasked provides a long-overdue critique of this potent and disturbing malignancy.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Read Very Informative.......2007-05-20

Despite the obvious christian affiliation of the author, the material presented is unbiased, factual, and accurately summarized. A wonderful debunking of many of the most pervasive pseudo histories in modern western culture.

Bias Unmasked.......2006-12-07

I read this book a few years ago, as I was interested in the pagan movement and wanted critical material on it - not for an agenda, but just for my own curiosity.

Other reviewers have noted that the bias is evident from the cover itself. Quite frankly, I came away from this book respecting very thing he was trying to debunk, and it spurred me on to read more indepth on some his targets like Shelley and Goethe.

The bottom line on a book like this is that is fueled by a bias that makes everything within it suspect. While this book does provide a somewhat deeper analysis of the issue, readers are recommended _Triumph of the Moon_ by Ronald Hutton instead. Hutton is both unbiased and a more eminent scholar - he also makes the "goddess as product of romanticism" case in far fewer pages.

A bit outdated..........2005-11-05

A fascinating look at the origins of some portions of the early origins of neo-pagan belief. Personally,I enjoyed the sections on Romanticism and its connection with the movement. However, I am bewildered that the author and most of the reviewers posting here have made the absurd assumption that all Wiccans and Neo pagans are credulous enough to believe that they are directly practicing an ancient religion passed down directly from the Pre-Christian past, or some "goddess time" that never existed. I should hope that kind of thinking went out of the movement in the 1970s. It's a new religion that takes scraps of inspiration from a past that's murky at best in the scholarly sense, though beautiful in its fragmentary state, and is more concerned with being relevant to the present. As a Neo pagan with a shelf full of scholarly works on archaeology, contemporary sources and literature on the subjects covered in this book I am amused that someone took so much time and trouble to paint postmodern Pagans with such an old-fashioned brush.

Highly informative, very readable, but has gaps.......2003-08-21

There is no way to write a book such as "Goddess Unmasked" and not infuse the subject with one's own philosophy. In former times, writing a treatise on a subject naturally assumed you were coming from your own point of view, and that was OK! Now, one is supposed to be "impartial"-- but that's a crock; nobody really is impartial. We are all filtering information through our own lights.

That having been said, Davis' "Goddess Unmasked" is a valuable book, well-written, interesting and informative. It is particularly excellent in covering the rise of Occultism and philosophies such as Rosicrucianism and Theosophy. The author shows links of Theosophy to Anthroposophy and even the dark philosophical underpinnings of Naziism, which adopted particular mythology and philosophies of that time along with their political and military agenda. There is a good overview of Wicca (from a non-Wiccan, of course.) The author contends Wicca is really a late development, an outgrowth of the philosophical and mystical writings of such (yes, whisper it!) men as Bachofen and not an ancient religion as Wiccans hold as true.

What's missing in "Goddess Unmasked" is a study of the growing popularity of the worship of Mary, and the throngs that turn up to see apparitions in plate glass windows. Whether or not this is mainstream religion and authorized as official dogma, it is worth analyzing if this phenomenon is related to the rising popularity of feminine deities. Despite this oversight, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the rise of esotericism and paganism in modern culture.

Continental Divide.......2003-07-21

This is an excellent book and belongs on anyone's shelf who has any interest in contemporary "spiritualism"; and/or know people moving into the realm...which is almost everyone. Some wag once said, "There are only two kinds of people, dichotomists, and no-dichotomists". On this issue of feminist spirituality/goddess seeking, anything to make me starry-eyed hoopla, one only needs to read the customer reviews to see clearly the great chasm between the Judeo/Chrisitan faith ...and all other belief systems. It is no accident that the first sin in the Bible has to do with deciding for ourselves right and wrong, ...that we "can be like gods ourselves". That very process defines all belief systems that compete with the J/C belief system. That we can "invent our own god, invent our own reality, and invent our own afterlife"...."Everyone's belief system is just as valid a any other's"...."Your God punishes, but our god allows everything; for there is no right or wrong". So we divide precisely here: Either clear definitions and demonstrations of right and wrong...OR... Moral Relativism. First we whine about being traumatized and oppressed...then we find a "religion" that gives us warm and fuzzy feelings, and lends us starry eyed awe, fear and respect (by god, or I'll cast a spell on you). All you have to do is allow yourself to be blindfolded, and led into the Candlelit Coven, be the sex object for that evening, and share a little blood mixed with wine, and "abra cadabra"..you're a "force to be reckoned with". Unfortunately, Hell is a real place, prepared by the Judeo Christian God for all who fall for the lie that we can be like gods ourselves. Later, in Hell, as you lie down on a blackened earth, burnt beyond recognition by our sun's change from a hydrogen fusing to helium fusing star...and you discover there is only one thing to eat, vermin...and you are the only thing they have to eat. Be prepared to stay awake round the clock so you can pick off the ticks, scorpions, and leeches. Forget finding a tree to hug...or to cut down for a warm, fuzzy fire...it's all been burned up, along with your SUV and your designer clothes, and your feritility goddess necklace.

GODDESS UNMASKED: THE RISE OF NEOPAGAN FEMINIST SPIRITUALITY.(Review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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GODDESS UNMASKED: THE RISE OF NEOPAGAN FEMINIST SPIRITUALITY.(Review): An article from: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life
Charlotte Allen
Manufacturer: Institute on Religion and Public Life
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Institute on Religion and Public Life on February 1, 1999. The length of the article is 1753 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: GODDESS UNMASKED: THE RISE OF NEOPAGAN FEMINIST SPIRITUALITY.(Review)
Author: Charlotte Allen
Publication: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Refereed)
Date: February 1, 1999
Publisher: Institute on Religion and Public Life
Page: 38(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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