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"The plane slips from a spool of blue, stitches a confident loop in the sky. Willa stands by the hangar as the Moth roars above her head, growl of open throttle. The single figure in the rear cockpit waves as the plane flies low over the harbor airfield and then pulls up into a vertical climb. Up and up, the line so straight it could have been drawn with a ruler, could have been a harp string, the plane a note ascending."
Grace O'Gorman, the star-bright aviatrix of Helen Humphreys's debut novel, Leaving Earth, adores her Moth--a two-seat, open-cockpit biplane. It's the 1930s, and together they have wowed the world with stunts, solo long-distance flights, and other record-breaking trips. Glamorous "Air Ace" Grace feels most at home aloft, as opposed to down on Earth, in Toronto, with her husband. That, along with her competitiveness and affinity for fame, is why she's setting out to break the world flight endurance record. She teams up with a young female flyer, Willa Briggs, to circle Toronto for 25 days in August 1933.
In a spare yet warm style, Humphreys unfurls the pair's airborne life. She conjures the physical miseries it inflicts on the body--brought on by rain, cramped space, exhaustion--and makes the subtleties of that exhaustion clear as a cloudless sky. But beyond descriptions of physical discomfort is the emotional distress and elation Willa goes through, to which the author gives exquisite nuance. There's loneliness that forces introspection, yet joy washes over Willa, too--joy for a stripped-down life in the sky with Grace, with whom she is falling in love. Over the roar of the wind Grace and Willa develop a poetic sign language. Around this and around the experience of the sky, Humphreys winds Willa's highs and lows.
Following the Moth's flight is 11-year-old Maddy, whose father and Jewish mother work at a fading amusement park on the Toronto Islands. Maddy worships Grace and so naturally spends her August days tracking the circling biplane. Meanwhile her parents worry about work in the face of the depression and watch a growing anti-Semitism invade their home. From the earth and the sky Humphreys shapes a keen story about human frailty and potential, set when aviation was all about glamour, and World War II not so far away. Here, fear spreads and intimacy blooms. --Katherine Alberg
Book Description
In 1933, two women aviators try for the longest flight-endurance record while, in Toronto below, war looms.
Leaving Earth was Helen Humphreys's debut, and it brought the beauty of her poetry into the story of two women's love of flight and dream to excel, even if it took all their courage and strength and even their lives. Novice flyer Willa joins Grace, heroine of the skies, in what becomes an intimate journey of friendship. Yet the clouds that gather above are echoed by lurking dangers below for Maddy, a young fan of Grace's, and her Jewish mother and uncle. Anti-Semitism is spreading. Maddy's mother, a true fortune-teller, is beat up by thugs, and the swirl of events reverberates on earth and sky.
Customer Reviews:
Leaving Earth.......2004-10-01
'Leaving Earth' by Helen Humphreys is an engaging story of two women aviators from the 1930s in Canada. It's a tale of two women Air Ace Grace O'Gorman and Willa Briggs defying convention and other odds, taking to the skies in their Moth for an endurance test to break the record of non-stop flight of 25 days. The book captures the exhilaration of flight itself and reminded me of the reasons why I love flying so much. The story moves with the pilots circling endlessly over Toronto Bay, inventing a new sign language to communicate when their paper and pencil flies away in a storm. It tells us of Maddy, a 12 year old girl who idolizes them and who would trade in her own mother for Air Ace Grace, not least because Maddy fears the prejudice against her mother's Jewishness as Canadian anti-Semitism gathers momentum.
A lovely book, very evocative and draws us into the flight with a profound sense of aviation and a passion for leaving earth. Recommended reading for anyone who loves the thrill of taking off and staying in the air. Never mind Jet lag.
A bumpy ride.......2003-04-25
The main story was excellent - the story of two women attempting to set a world record for flight endurance in the 1930's. The secondary storyline of rising anti-Semitism didn't seem to fit in very well. There are subtle hints of more than just feminism.
In flight.......2003-01-07
In August 1933, the famous aviatrix Grace O'Gorman recruits the inexperienced Willa Briggs to accompany her in breaking the world flight endurance record. While circling Toronto, the women must deal with fatigue, the weather, and the sabotaging efforts of Grace's husband. Meanwhile, on the ground, anti-Semitism erupts and affects some of those connected with the women. Unable to communicate with words in the sky, Grace and Willa find new ways of communicating that change their views of the world, and Willa, with this new awareness, finds her feelings for Grace becoming more complicated. "Leaving Earth" is a magical and adventurous story, based on some true events, about women challenging the often-stifling roles of the 1930s. The book glimmers and comes alive, showcasing Humphrey's lush style in her first novel.
Glad I found this one........1998-11-25
I liked everything about this book. It is like a strange dream you have one night and wake up not knowing how things are really going to turn out. If you like books you can feel and smell, you will like this great little read.
This book revels the intimacy of women........1998-09-27
This is a lovely book. Grace and Willa learn how to deal with discomfort in order to break the distance record. They learn that they do not have to speak in order to communicate. Maddy is a young girl at the age where girls fall in love with "stars" and she falls in love with Grace. this novel is about women and their connection to other women. It tells how women are able to adapt to any situation and work to make the best of it. It is the connection, that Grace and Willa learn that they cannot live without. I wanted more and Helen Humphreys leaves the reader wanting more.
Customer Reviews:
Like a Phoenix from the Ashes.......2006-05-21
Starting around 1999, White Wolf began revising their World of Darkness gamelines and pushing towards the Final Nights. Unfortunately, one of the first casualties were the Ravnos, when their Antediluvian woke up in Bangladesh, ran amok and was eventually destroyed, cursing his childer with his dying breath. We learned that the Ravnos were not merely wandering Gypsies, but a clan of demon-princes of India and the Near East, the rakshasa, ghul and djinn who created deadly illusions and fought with the Kuei-jin for control of Asia.
Unfortunately, the Clan's Indian heritage was never fully explored. Still, Clanbook: Ravnos revised was a definate (and much needed) improvement on behalf of the Clan. Beginning with a short fiction that showed Ravnos as tomb robbers, we are presented with some views that are very different from the stereotypes. As the book points out several times, the Ravnos are predators even more so than other vampires; their primal Beast urges them to commit crimes repeatedly. They aren't happy-go-lucky tricksters and kelptomaniacs... no, they are thugs, murderers, terrorists, car jackers... the most vile and decadent of criminals, becuase their very soul tempts them to sin.
The book also explores what is left of the Ravnos' history in India, explaining the story of Zapathasura (the Ravnos antediluvian) and his childer, their war with the Kuei-jin, Ravnos dominance of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, the different castes of Ravnos (Chandala, Sudra, Vaisya, Kshatriya and Brahmin), other Kindred in India, the Ravnos in the west, the British raj, current goings on in India (and the rest of Asia) and the Week of Nightmares. But the book is versitle enough for all Ravnos, mentioning the Clan's history in the west as well (particularly Africa and the Mediterranean, but also the Gypsies, whom the clan followed out of India centuries ago).
Other useful sidebars explore their relationship with the Gypsies (which aren't too good, considering most Rroma rightly consider them to be blood sucking parasites), how to avoid contact with Lupines, the Path of Paradox (Mayaparisatya as it's called in India), new applications of Chimerstry and Animalism, the Ravnos relations with their Beast, the war with the Kuei-jin, membership in the Anarchs and Sabbat, reasons for their hatred of the Gangrel, and so forth. A good chunk of the information is meant for the post-Week of Nightmares era. Thats not a bad thing, but this book REALLY pushes metaplot.
Thats probably my biggest problem with the book, actually. Don't get me wrong, the Week of Nightmares is a big thing, but at times it seems the book really tried to push the idea that western Ravnos fared better than their kin in India. To be honest, I found the material about the Ravnos activities in India to be somewhat more interesting. But thats easy enough to ignore. Also, I'm a little uncomfortable with using Bhopal as a backdrop to supernatural events. Over 15,000 people died in the real life Bhopal incident (and Union Carbide has never paid the survivors reparations).... that'd be on par with using 9-11 as a backdrop for supernatural conflicts. It's just bad taste imho. But all in all, this is a pretty good book, barring a few minor details.
EXCELLENT!!.......2003-08-12
My number one favorite clan...
This book gives great details on the destruction of the Ravnos antediluvian, the subsequent Week of Nightmares and the restructuring of the clan.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of this clan and anyone interested in the Week of Nightmares meta-plot.
almost a totally new clan........2001-05-31
The Ravnos clan has been decimated. The survivors are trying to lift themselves from the ashes of the Week of Nightmares. This is their story.
This clanbook does a great job of actually recreating a clan. One of its key points is showing how the stereotypical Ravnos, a thieving gypsy, is all but extinct. The survivors are plagued with the same curse, but they break the mold. This book looks at the past history and culture of the clan but it also looks at the current culture which is much different. The Ravnos that seemed a little different from the stereotype are now the minority of the clan.
I loved how this book took a clan that has long been portrayed in a fairly two dimensional light and added depth and variety to it.
The flaws, in my opinion, are that the book focuses almost exclusively on culture and role-playing, its a little light on rules and new powers. Dont get me wrong, I loved the powers that are included, I just wanted more. Call me greedy.
If you ever liked the Ravnos before you will love them now.
Customer Reviews:
"Ravnos? Aren't they just some darn gypsy freaks?".......2000-07-27
The ravnos are one of the clans more shrouded in mystery than many of the others. It is for this reason that many people( players)take the thievery and vice for granted thinking that playing one of these guys is no fun. The book shows that they have darker secrets than imagined and that chimestry is one of the most useful disciplines, as I found out in Berlin with the 5th gen Ravnos. Even though most of them are gone now after the rise of their antedelluvian, this is still a good sourcebook to use if you're going to have one of the two remaining ravnos in your chronicle.
Just a quicky.......1999-12-21
I'm currently rating ALL of the clanbooks(since I own them all and the I Own It button has vanished) so here are my words on this. It's good, like them all, but not a clan I favor.
The Tricky and Cunning Ravnos.......1999-02-13
I have been a Vampire player for about 3 years and I have never had so much fun in playing any other clan as the ravnos... They are cunning and tricky, everybody must always watch out about where they are and what they do. They steal you while you aren't looking and they lie to you like it's really the truth. The Ravnos are powerful beings, with their chemistry powers. I apreciate the new merits and flaws that they put in the book and to all Vampire players... BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Looking Through the Tales.......1997-07-31
They're called thieves, liars, nomads, vagabonds.And they're proud of each of those titles.Cb: Ravnos offers insight on the most myterious of the clans for those who can read between the lines. Among the Romany, the idea a tale passes holdes much more importance than its resemblance to truth. Apparently threatened by a turmoil due by the increasing number of gorgio embraced recently, the elders still manage to cloak themselves in shadows and hide their secret agendas. Find the pulling strings. Discover the plans of Ramiq. Illusions and neonates cover secrets and schemes far deadlier...
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Blazin' Barrels Volume 8 (Blazin' Barrels (Graphic Novels))
Min-seo Park
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Blazin' Barrels Volume 7 (Blazin' Barrels (Graphic Novels))
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ASIN: 1595325654
Release Date: 2007-02-27 |
Book Description
Sting, Leanne McDuff, and Tammy have their hands full protecting Sting's family from ruthless assassins! Sting's father, Major Fleetwood, has been on the lam for years, and is now the primary target...or is he? As the assassins lurk in the shadows, they may have their sights set on someone much closer to Sting!
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Blazin' Barrels Volume 7 (Blazin' Barrels (Graphic Novels))
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ASIN: 1595325646
Release Date: 2006-11-28 |
Book Description
The Fire Bomber's blasts continue deep into the night as Sting and Tammy desparately try to put an end to the one-man fireworks show. But no sooner has Sting made the terrible decision to snuff the Fire Bomber out than a new threat announces itself: Major's Fleetwood's old nemesis has been put in charge of the army's leadership and he's sent assassins after Sting's family!
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Blazin Barrels 6 (Blazin' Barrels)
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ASIN: 1595325638
Release Date: 2006-08-29 |
Book Description
Sting may look harmless and naïve, but he's really an excellent fighter and a wannabe bounty hunter in the futuristic Wild West. When he comes across a notice that advertises a reward for the criminal outfit named Gold Romany, he decides that capturing the all-girl gang of bad guys is his ticket to fame and fortune! Filled with a colorful cast of unforgettable characters--Chuck Black, Maria Lopez and Leanne "Fast Sword" McDuff--Min-Seo Park has created one wild tumbleweed tale filled with adventure galore and plenty of shotgun action!
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Blazin' Barrels Volume 10 (Blazin' Barrels (Graphic Novels))
Min-seo Park
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Blazin' Barrels: v. 2
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Blazin' Barrels: v. 3
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MaryJane Butters’ sense of purpose is as big as the Idaho landscape where her organic farm is nestled. She wants nothing less than to reconnect us all with the food we eat and the heritage of farming that belongs to all of us, and nothing more than to empower and encourage rural women everywhere ... she is cultivating not just a farm but a philosophy of living. — Body & Soul
Carpenter, waitress, janitor, upholsterer, secretary, milkmaid, wilderness ranger, environmental activist, entrepreneur–the founder of MaryJanesFarm has worn many hats in her day, but none more proudly than that of modern-day farmgirl. Speaking to the farmgirl in all of us, MaryJane Butters offers a captivating introduction to the organic lifestyle, resurrects forgotten domestic arts, and shares lessons gleaned from her diverse background and two decades of life as an Idaho farmer.
Whether you simply need encouragement to embrace a more authentic, wholesome lifestyle or you’re looking for guidance on building a greenhouse, chopping firewood, hosting a town event, caring for a flock of chickens, making your own butter, growing a winter salad, or choosing a water filter, MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook is both an inspiration and a practical road map for farmgirls of all stripes.
Dreams are MaryJane Butters’ business, and she has always pursued them without pausing to consult conventional wisdom.
— House & Garden
MaryJane Butters, a natural teacher, has a gift for simplification, and makes it seem that everything she does is easy and attainable.
— The New Yorker
Customer Reviews:
Ideas and Inspiration.......2007-07-18
This book is a varied collection of short articles and essays by MaryJane Butters. Butters was born into a family of modest means, a family that had mastered living well while making do. In this book, Butters reflects back on the lessons she learned while growing up, and as a lone fire watcher on an isolated mountain top, a single mother, and a value-added farm business woman. To get readers started on their own self-sufficiency projects, Butters includes recipes for cook-at-home meals, jams and jellies, even tooth powder. She provides patterns for simple sewing projects, and plans for a tent cabin for outdoor living. Such varied content makes the book hard to classify. It has too few recipes to be a cookbook, too few patterns to be a craft book, and the autobiographical material is too brief and scattered to be a memoir. Nevertheless, the self-sufficiency theme provides a strong framework that knits the book together into a cohesive whole.
I was rather skeptical when I picked this book up. I couldn't figure out if Butters was trying to sell me something or tell me a story. Certainly, because she addresses so many topics, from upholstery to chicken raising, she is able to provide only brief sketches of her ideas. For more detailed information about how to actually undertake many of these projects, you'll need to rely on specialist books. But inspire, she does. As I began reading her essays, I found myself drawn into her story, and her messages: if you can dream it, you can do it. Try it, and you'll find a way. Live healthy, live well, and share.
A Treasure!.......2007-07-07
I have bought 8 copies of this book, for myself and to give as gifts. I'll probably buy more as the occasions arrise! This book covers more than crafts, sustainable living, recipies and folklore. It takes one to a gentler and more beautiful place where one can visit for a while and enjoy the traditional values and lifestyle that has somehow been lost along the road from there to here. The author has an obvious love for her subject and she brings a lifetime of experience and knowledge to share with her readers.Practical, nostalgic, beautiful photos, lots of clear instructions. The world would be a much happier place if there were more Maryjanes.
Enjoyable, but overated.......2007-06-27
Nicely presented book - too much text that says very little.
Glossy, but lacking real content.
maryjane's farm.......2007-06-19
i don't cook but bought the book for the pictures and the back to basics feeling.
Mary Jane is the best!.......2007-05-15
This is book is FABULOUS!! I originally checked it out from the local library, and read it cover to cover, and then decided I had to have a copy of my own. It is full of beautiful pictures and great stories, for anyone who is or wants to be a farmgirl at heart. It covers just about everything anyone would want to read or think about if you love the country and wholesome living. MaryJane makes you feel like you are sitting right there on her back porch, sipping lemonade with her. It is a comforting, enjoyable book to read, and I continually come back to it to refresh my thoughts, or to get a good project idea. Buy it today!
Books:
- Life Is Paradise: The Portraits of Francesco Clemente
- Love and Other Games of Chance: A Novelty
- Making Waves #1
- Man or Mango? : A Lament
- Mr. White's Confession: A Novel
- Night's Lies
- Nine Nights with the Taoist Master: Deluxe Study Edition
- NuyorAsian Anthology: Asian American Writings about New York City.
- Officer Friendly: and Other Stories
- Patriot Dreams: The Murder of Colonel Rich Higgins, USMC
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