Amazon.com
Epic in scale and intimate in approach, White Teeth is a formidably ambitious debut. First novelist Zadie Smith takes on race, sex, class, history, and the minefield of gender politics, and such is her wit and inventiveness that these weighty subjects seem effortlessly light. She also has an impressive geographical range, guiding the reader from Jamaica to Turkey to Bangladesh and back again.
Still, the book's home base is a scrubby North London borough, where we encounter Smith's unlikely heroes: prevaricating Archie Jones and intemperate Samad Iqbal, who served together in the so-called Buggered Battalion during World War II. In the ensuing decades, both have gone forth and multiplied: Archie marries beautiful, bucktoothed Clara--who's on the run from her Jehovah's Witness mother--and fathers a daughter. Samad marries stroppy Alsana, who gives birth to twin sons. Here is multiculturalism in its most elemental form: "Children with first and last names on a direct collision course. Names that secrete within them mass exodus, cramped boats and planes, cold arrivals, medical checks."
Big questions demand boldly drawn characters. Zadie Smith's aren't heroic, just real: warm, funny, misguided, and entirely familiar. Reading their conversations is like eavesdropping. Even a simple exchange between Alsana and Clara about their pregnancies has a comical ring of truth: "A woman has to have the private things--a husband needn't be involved in body business, in a lady's... parts." And the men, of course, have their own involvement in bodily functions:
The deal was this: on January 1, 1980, like a New Year dieter who gives up cheese on the condition that he can have chocolate, Samad gave up masturbation so that he might drink. It was a deal, a business proposition, that he had made with God: Samad being the party of the first part, God being the sleeping partner. And since that day Samad had enjoyed relative spiritual peace and many a frothy Guinness with Archibald Jones; he had even developed the habit of taking his last gulp looking up at the sky like a Christian, thinking: I'm basically a good man.
Not all of White Teeth is so amusingly carnal. The mixed blessings of assimilation, for example, are an ongoing torture for Samad as he watches his sons grow up. "They have both lost their way," he grumbles. "Strayed so far from what I had intended for them. No doubt they will both marry white women called Sheila and put me in an early grave." These classic immigrant fears--of dilution and disappearance--are no laughing matter. But in the end, they're exactly what gives White Teeth its lasting power and undeniable bite. --Eithne Farry
Book Description
Zadie Smith’s dazzling debut caught critics grasping for comparisons and deciding on everyone from Charles Dickens to Salman Rushdie to John Irving and Martin Amis. But the truth is that Zadie Smith’s voice is remarkably, fluently, and altogether wonderfully her own.
At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England’s irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn’t quite match her name (Jamaican for “no problem”). Samad’s late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal’s every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith. Set against London’s racial and cultural tapestry, venturing across the former empire and into the past as it barrels toward the future,
White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily existence.
Download Description
Zadie Smith's dazzling debut caught critics grasping for comparisons and deciding on everyone from Charles Dickens to Salman Rushdie to John Irving and Martin Amis. But the truth is that Zadie Smith's voice is remarkably, fluently, and altogether wonderfully her own.
At the center of this invigorating novel are two unlikely friends, Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal. Hapless veterans of World War II, Archie and Samad and their families become agents of England's irrevocable transformation. A second marriage to Clara Bowden, a beautiful, albeit tooth-challenged, Jamaican half his age, quite literally gives Archie a second lease on life, and produces Irie, a knowing child whose personality doesn't quite match her name (Jamaican for "no problem"). Samad's late-in-life arranged marriage (he had to wait for his bride to be born), produces twin sons whose separate paths confound Iqbal's every effort to direct them, and a renewed, if selective, submission to his Islamic faith.
Set against London's racial and cultural tapestry, venturing across the former empire and into the past as it barrels toward the future, White Teeth revels in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life, flirting with disaster, confounding expectations, and embracing the comedy of daily existence.
Customer Reviews:
I'd Rather Have a Root Canal.......2007-09-26
I think I might have liked this book a lot more if I hadn't listened to this audiobook version. 22 hours of stereotyped Indian and Jamaican accents was enough to drive me up the wall. I'll have to wait a while and read the actual book without the distraction of grinding my teeth at the bad accents.
In the meantime, someone in a writer's group suggested this book should get the Nobel Prize--I wouldn't go nearly that far. I know what I'm supposed to say about how it's a wonderful portrait of the immigrant's dilemma of assimilation versus maintaining tradition and the second generation immigrant's confusion about his/her roots. And how it illustrates modernity versus antiquity with the whole FutureMouse debacle. And I should say how relevant the conflict between Muslims like Samad and Millat and Christians/atheists is in the post-9/11 world. Finally, I'm supposed to say how magnificent it is that the author wrote this magnificent book at the tender age of 23.
Having mentioned all that, I still didn't like this book--and not solely because of the problem I mentioned at the beginning. I think what was missing here was that most basic, primal need: to actually LIKE someone in this book. Simply put, I wouldn't want to know any of the characters in this book. Samad, Alsana, and Millat are loud, pushy, and often obnoxious while Maggad is stuffy and dull. Archie and Iree are timid and weak, with Iree being especially whiny to boot. Clara is practically nonexistent after the first couple chapters. As a reader, was there one person I could latch onto and root for? Not a one.
That was the most grievous problem, but not the only one. The constant authorial intrusions into the narrative became quite irritating, interrupting the flow of scenes with snide comments and sidebar discussions. The lengthy histories of just about every minor character and organization also became tedious, also making for too many characters, none of whom I could care less about. Then of course one of those minor characters makes a sudden reappearance at the end, which really didn't make much sense and seemed like a clumsy attempt at unleashing a surprise plot twist. I was also confused at the rather abrupt way in which Iree rapes one of Samad's sons. Again, this is probably another clumsy attempt at a plot twist. It certainly made me lose whatever sympathy I had left for Iree.
For the obligatory plot summary, this is the story of two families. Samad is a Bengali who immigrated to London and eventually was arranged to be married to the much-younger Alsana, who gave birth to twin boys. Samad is torn between his Muslim beliefs and the temptations of the non-Muslim world, especially a music teacher. This transgression leads to guilt that he partially alleviates by sending one of his boys back to Bangladesh, while keeping the other at home. One boy turns out to be a secular atheist and the other a fundamentalist Muslim who joins a group known as KEVIN, sort of a poor man's Nation of Islam, not to be confused with terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda. Meanwhile, Archie Jones was left by his wife and determined to kill himself until Fate intervenes and he winds up at a New Year's Eve party where he meets the young Jamaican woman named Clara, whom he marries and they have a chubby daughter named Iree, who loves one of Samad's boys but feels ashamed by her weight and half-Jamaican heritage. Eventually a third family is drawn into this with the father of that family genetically engineering a mouse called the FutureMouse that is opposed by Samad and one of his sons and supported by the other. And that leads to a final epic showdown of sorts settled by the aforementioned secondary character appearing out of left field to wreak havoc.
So as should be obvious, I really didn't like this book. Maybe if I read it again I'll feel differently--that's happened before. In the meantime, I'd recommend another stunning book by a 23-year-old woman: "The Heart is A Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers. Also, if you want a better book on Muslims around the Indian subcontinent I'd recommend "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie.
That is all.
Yes, Zadie Smith IS that good!.......2007-09-24
I loved this book so much, I wanted to beg all my friends to read it so I would have someone to discuss it with!
Zadie Smith is a superb talent.
Simply Superb.......2007-08-26
"White Teeth" came highly recommended by a trusted reader and I've finally gotten around to reading it. The story revolves around three families, three cultures, three religions (Chalfenism among them) and three histories. Is it good things or bad things that come in threes? Set in London yet rooted in Jamaica and Bangladesh, "White Teeth" is a convergence of class, history, and culture. The Jones' are an interracial English/Jamaican couple brought together by their individual need to flee. Archibal fleeing the chaos of a marriage seized by mental illness; Clara escaping the grip of the Jehovah Witness religion that threatens to permeate all aspects of her life. The Iqbals' are an arranged marriage, brought together by cultural and religious history. Samad conflicted by a history he fears will be erased by the present; Alsana, strong and willful, yet unable to absorb aspects of western culture that are foreign to her religious beliefs. The Chalfens are an agnostic English couple brought together by the desire to further a tradition of intellectual and liberal empire. Marcus, a scientist from a long line of intellectuals, is engaged in research that could alter the genetic makeup of humanity in ways that could eliminate the randomness of genetic mishaps and malfunctions (the very randomness that is seen by some as the will of God); Joyce a horticulturalist and essayist with an overbearing need to nurture and cultivate everything and everyone around her.
Although the interactions of the parental units creatively and humorously explore the historical affects of colonization on the colonized and the colonizer, it is the lives of the next generation of Iqbals, Jones and Chalfens that allow the author to explore issues of cultural, religious and class differences between the western and eastern hemisphere. Irie, the biracial daughter of the Jones', is burdened not only with the trials of adolescence within the pop culture of a modernized England but also with the history of colonized Jamaica and the salvation sought by her grandmother through the doctrine of the Jehovah Witness faith. Millat and Magid, the Cain and Able offspring of the Iqbals' are challenged with questions of identify in the face of an Islamic tradition that seems at constant odds with the more liberal communities within which they live. Joshua, the Chalfens' progeny is also trying to navigate the choppy waters of puberty as he realizes that the lineage he's inherited may be at stark contrast to the person he's becoming.
"White Teeth" is a spectacular debut novel. Smith has unleashed a level of creativity typically found in seasoned writers. She has created memorable, lively characters each with a unique voice that highlights the diversity of London while simultaneously calling attention to the commonality of experience inherent in the legacy of oppression. I particularly enjoyed the cleaver way in which Smith uses teeth as a metaphor throughout the novel. For certainly history is deeply rooted in who we are as individuals, a people, a nation. While there are times when we must extract ourselves from our history to forge a path that allows us to live up to our full potential, our history will always be the pulp at the center of who we are and invariably impacts our future. This is great text for group discussion. Highly Recommended!
Great.......2007-08-23
Paid for expedited service & I received that & more. Would definitely recommend for purchases. Fast & efficient service.
90% Brilliant... .......2007-07-24
Zadie Smith is very, very funny and extremely imaginative. This book has many moments of genius. Most seasoned writers do not have a quarter of her talent.
The terrific characters are laced with sorrow, irony and pettiness. She creates worlds within worlds and shattered dreams within dreams. Almost perfect, and then the last 50 pages or so go off track. I suspect the author was just plain exhausted and couldn't fathom how to tie everything together. Why couldn't an editor tell her to go back and fix it? Such joy and then such sorrow.
Customer Reviews:
such a good book.......2007-10-05
One of the best books I have read in a long time. I didn't want to put it down. Hilarious and smart!
Sometimes wonderful, sometimes self-indulgent: 3+ stars.......2005-08-18
The beginning of Zadie Smith's debut novel White Teeth is marked by an extraordinary voice: confident, affectionate, satiric, witty. Archibald Jones attempts to kill himself in a car outside a Muslim butchery while pigeons fleeing from the murderous butcher leave streaks of purple excrement across his windshield. Archie's life is spared by the irate butcher because ". . .dying's no easy trick. And suicide can't be put on a list of Things to Do in between cleaning the grill pan and leveling the sofa leg with a brick." This irreverent, comic beginning launches the novel into Archie's life and into that of his best friend Samad Iqbal. Archie, given a new chance at life, marries the much younger Clara, the daughter of a Jamaican Jehovah Witness mother and a passive, emotionally absent father, while Samad, who is always striving to be a good Muslim, enters into an arranged marriage with Alsana, a woman who was not even born while he fought alongside Archie during World War II. Their children - Irie Jones and the twins Millat and Magrid Iqbal - struggle to find their niche in their overwhelming white British surroundings. If Smith had left her novel at that, at exploring the cultural rifts that divide the families and their cultures, this book would have succeeded admirably; however, the author departs from this course to explore a world that contains a snobbishly intellectual English family, genetic engineering, radical Islam, and the end of the world as predicted by the Jehovah Witnesses. While these separate plots often serve as metaphors for the struggle to assimilate, they simply don't do enough to engage the reader. The result is a tedious, wholly unfunny second half. Characterizations that were done so well in the beginning become lost in the noise of the rest, making it difficult to care about what happens to Smith's inventions. Plot turns begin to feel forced, and reactions, unnatural. Most disappointingly, the witty voice of the narrator fades into the background, and is never as strong as it is in the first hundred pages.
The novel owes much to the literary tradition of Victorians such as Dickens and Thackeray, who wrote sweeping novels with comic and/or biting wit. Smith's range is impressive for a first-time novelist, but her skills and literary instincts are not yet honed enough to carry off the sprawl of such a complex concept. Despite this, her descriptions and characterizations are first-rate, even if they get lost among the rest, and her turns of prose can be astonishing.
This is one of those rare instances when I find it difficult to rate a book using the five star system. White Teeth is an ambitious, unconventional novel that ultimately tries to be too much. Readers who want to keep up on literary trends and celebrities will want to read this, since there is much to admire in Smith's work. Five stars for the beginning, three stars for the rest.
Average customer rating:
- White Teeth
- Uh, okay.
- A refreshing piece of Lit Crit
|
Zadie Smith's White Teeth: A Reader's Guide (Continuum Contemporaries)
Claire Squires
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
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White Teeth: A Novel
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ASIN: 0826453260 |
Book Description
This is part of a new series of guides to contemporary novels. The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years - from `The Remains of the Day' to `High Fidelity'. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question.
Customer Reviews:
White Teeth.......2005-02-12
Great book. Very vivid descriptions of language, character and the family structure of non-native society in London. I feel that this book could explain the conflict any transplant could experience in a foriegn land.
It almost explains, though, that once you have tasted the western world, there is no going back.
Didn't care for the ending, though-- too much like a Wes Anderson movie where the players all congregate toward one spot rather unnaturally.
If you desire wit, involved reading and changes in eras, White Teeth is definitely for you.
Uh, okay........2003-07-07
If you require a guide to Smith's execrable 'White Teeth', then I regret to inform you that you are too stupid to live.
A refreshing piece of Lit Crit.......2002-06-26
Before I'd read the book, this seemed like a dubious enterprise. Surely 'White Teeth' is too recent to reward (or deserve?) this kind of close critical attention. But in fact, this short book works well because of its chronological proximity to its subject, and you get a genuine sense of the author's enthusiasm for the novel - an enthusiasm that I share.
Briefly, this book consists of a chapter that sketches the pertinent details of Zadie Smith's career so far; a chapter that engages fully with the themes and qualities of the novel; a couple of chapters that look at how the book was reviewed upon publication and how it performed initially; and a concluding chapter that contains a wide selection of Discussion Points and a surprisingly thorough bibliography. Ms Squires is particularly good at illuminating Zadie Smith's stylistic techniques, and is also refreshingly well-researched on the novel's history in terms of its publishing life (agents, deals, marketing, etc).
I was not aware of this series ('Continuum Contemporaries') until I stumbled across this particular volume on Amazon. If the other volumes are of the same high standard, I will be impressed.
Average customer rating:
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Dientes Blancos / White Teeth
Zadie Smith
Manufacturer: Planeta Pub Corp
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ASIN: 849597164X |
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White Teeth
Zadie Smith
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White Teeth
Zadie Smith
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
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Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000K3JZ9Y |
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White Teeth
Zadie Smith
Manufacturer: Random House
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ASIN: 5551154629 |
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White Teeth
Zadie Smith
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIUW1U |
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White Teeth
Zadie Smith
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
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ASIN: 1417626283 |
Amazon.com
If you can imagine it, Fist of the Northstar is like a speeded-up version of Road Warrior. Everything in this post-apocalyptic action-adventure is intense, fast-paced, and over-the-top. The hero, Ken, has learned the secret of a sacred martial art method known as the Fist of the Northstar. In this method, focusing one's entire energy to strike the power points of an opponent's body can cause him to explode from the inside out. If you think Mortal Combat video games are entertaining, check out this manga.
Book Description
The legend returns! In a post-apocalyptic nightmare, one man named Kenshiro protects the innocent from evil with the ultimate assassin's fighting style, Hokuot Shinken.
Customer Reviews:
Ken versus Shin.......2001-09-24
After seeing many Fist videos, I took it upon my self to see where it all began. The artwork and characters remain reminiscent of the video series, but the artwork in the comic is greatly improved. While it remains brutal and gory, the story bests combat scenes of epic proportions... even if they are gory.
Ken finally defeats Shin only to realize that the one thing that kept him going had disappeared. But, in spite of that, he goes on, to protect the wasteland.
With interesting main characters and philosophical references. This is a Manga story not to be missed!
The Saga Begins..........2001-09-16
Martial arts and anime/manga fans who don't mind blood and guts will thrill to the story of the ultimate martial artist, Kenshiro, the man with seven wounds who calls himself the Fist of the North Star. If you're a fan of the anime movie, as I am and love the involving story and characters and the philosophy behind the action and drama, then this book series is a good place to start learning more of the warrior Kenshiro. For example, why his opponents seem to explode from his attacks, the origins of his martial art, and the true fate of his love, Yuria (her name is different in the anime movie though--Julia).
This book follows Ken as he first takes on the gang of a mysterious fighters named King and proceeds to flatten them and finds out exactly who King really is--his friend turned mortal enemy, Shin, the Fist of the Southern Cross. The action unfolds as the reader finds out what happened to Ken's love and then an ultimate battle between the North Star and Southern Cross takes place in which only one can survive (guess which one? Since there are three other volumes...).
His next battle takes place against a seemingly invincible special forces operative who is taking part in a genetic cleansing of Earth to make way for a stronger race of man. He is then proved inferior to the legendary skill of Kenshiro.
Of course, with the good comes some bad. The artwork ranges bad to great and sometimes the line work and inking leave much to be desired. Also, Kenshiro doesn't ever seem truly challenged--he wipes the floor with everyone he fights with ease. A hero is only as good as his villains and his villains seem like weak hearted bullies who can only claim victory over the weak.
However, the overall saga of the Fist of the North Star is great and as good a martial arts comic there is.
There's something here........2000-08-15
My first entry into the "Fist of the North Star" story was the Streamline English dubbed version of the movie. At the time I found the movie to be somewhat entertaining, but essentially just a gore-fest with no real depth (expect for a few minor Biblical and spiritual references). I decided to get a copy of the first volume of the graphic novel series from Viz Communications, just to see what the original story was like. Before I read it, I skimmed it over, mainly looking at the pictures to see what the art was like. The charcter design and costumes seemed to be taken directly from George Miller's movies "Mad Max" and "The Road Warrior" (even more so from the latter). Upon seeing this, I thought that this might be an entertaining "Road Warrior" knock-off, but nothing more. Then I actually read the damn thing. I can't quite place it, but there's something here. Something that made me read the whole book in one sitting and then go out and buy the rest of the available graphic novels ("Night of the Jackal," "Southern Cross," and "Blood Brothers"). Both this book and the movie contain extreme gore and bloodletting that involve characters who look like they were either pulled out of the Mad Max movies or from pro-wrestling. But there's something here that wasn't in the movie. Something that makes me give it the five star rating seen before this review. Perhaps it's a deeper sense of its philosophy, a better understanding of its own spiritual references, far more suspence, and more involving characters. The movie seems to a perfect example of the problems of trying to compress such a large story into about two hours of film.
There's something here........2000-08-15
My first entry into the "Fist of the North Star" story was the Streamline English dubbed version of the movie. At the time I found the movie to be somewhat entertaining, but essentially just a gore-fest with no real depth (expect for a few minor Biblical and spiritual references). I decided to get a copy of the first volume of the graphic novel series from Viz Communications, just to see what the original story was like. Before I read it, I skimmed it over, mainly looking at the pictures to see what the art was like. The charcter design and costumes seemed to be taken directly from George Miller's movies "Mad Max" and "The Road Warrior" (even more so from the latter). Upon seeing this, I thought that this might be an entertaining "Road Warrior" knock-off, but nothing more. Then I actually read the damn thing. I can't quite place it, but there's something here. Something that made me read the whole book in one sitting and then go out and buy the rest of the available graphic novels ("Night of the Jackal," "Southern Cross," and "Blood Brothers"). Both this book and the movie contain extreme gore and bloodletting that involve characters who look like they were either pulled out of the Mad Max movies or from pro-wrestling. But there's something here that wasn't in the movie. Something that makes me give it the five star rating seen before this review. Perhaps it's a deeper sense of its philosophy, a better understanding of its own spiritual references, far more suspence, and more involving characters. The movie seems to a perfect example of the problems of trying to compress such a large story into about two hours of film.
This is an awesome book of action-packed heroic vigilance.......1999-04-10
This book is full of action and emotion. The martial arts action is a true winner. In the ravaged wasteland of a planet, one pure-hearrted man wanders the earth, protecting the weak, and making the evil suffer. Buronson does a great job in making you hate the bad guy, and makes your feel so satisfied when the bad guy gets what he deserves. And the illustrations are extremely incredible, nobody can draw an exploding head like Tetsuo Hara. Good job fellas, keep up the great work!
Average customer rating:
- Very good.
- The Federation competes with the Romulans
- Too slow-paced for me
- STNG #35 The Romulan Stratagem - A fantastic novel!
- ST-TNG: The Romulan Stratagem
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The Romulan Stratagem (Star Trek The Next Generation, No 35)
Robert Greenberger
Manufacturer: Star Trek
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ASIN: 0671879979 |
Book Description
On a mission to an unexplored planet near the Klingon/Romulan border, the U.S.S. Enterprise™ travels to the planet Eloh to negotiate Federation memebership. But upon arrival, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his diplomatic team find themselves face to face with Commander Sela, an old Romulan enemy -- who's there to convince the Elohsians to join the Romulan Empire.
When a series of fatal indidents casts suspicion on both delegations, Data must form an uneasy alliance with Sela to prove the innocence of the Starship Enterprise™ crew -- or lose a sprategic stronghold to the Federation's greatest enemy.
Download Description
On a mission to an unexplored planet near the Klingon/Romulan border, the U.S.S. Enterprise travels to the planet Eloh to negotiate Federation membership. But upon arrival, Capt. Picard and his team find themselves face to face with Commander Sela, an old Romulan enemy--who's there to convince the Elohsians to join the Romulan Empire.
Customer Reviews:
Very good........2007-03-29
This is a solidly above-average Star Trek novel, with a very interesting and worthwhile plot, more cerebral and less standard than most, while still maintaining enough drama and action to suit most tastes. It has excellent characterizations, good pacing, and is reasonably if not superbly well-written, with only a few of the sort of proofreading errors that I generally complain of (and those somewhat more subtle and with words that are easier to mistake than some books make: "complementary" colors, rather than "complimentary", which might even be arguably correct, although it seems wrong to me; "diverted" instead of "averted"; "breath" used as a verb, rather than "breathe"; "peaked" her curiosity instead of "piqued"; bombing "sights", rather than "sites" (twice in three pages). Not a bad count, compared to many mass-market paperbacks. The other reason I have for not granting it five stars is that I found the subplot with Ro Laren to be pretty irrelevant and unnecessary to the main storyline, if not completely without interest, and thought that it was not really concluded very well. But the main storyline mostly made up for that with a VERY interesting and plausible ending.
The Federation competes with the Romulans.......2004-03-31
The Enterprise is called on a diplomatic first contact mission to a world which has only recently achived a world government after ages of war amongst themselves. However, when they arrive they find a Romulan warbird orbiting the planet and discover the inhabitants are entertaining both the Federation and Romulan Empire as possible allies as they step into the interstellar community.
A few days into negotiations, terrorist atacks on the planet implicate Geordie LaFordge, and possibly the Romulans in a plot to use force to sway the decision of the planet's leadership. Data, investigating the atacks, forms an alliance with Commander Selar, infamous daughter of Tasha Yar, for the purpose of investigating the attacks and clearing both Federation and Romulan involvement.
Meanwhile, Ensign Ro Laren has a young suitor who she's trying to let down easy as Commander Riker gives advise on wooing a woman to him, not knowing who he's wooing. An interresting sub-plot which brings some humor to break up the intense negotiations going on. Altogether a good, though not spectacular, book worth the time to read.
Too slow-paced for me.......2004-02-08
This story is of a type more often found in the Original Series: the Federation and one of its enemies are competing directly for the allegiance of a newly star-faring civilisation, the Elohsians. Both sides try to show their best features, with the Romulans of course doing their bit to sabotage the Enterprise crew. The premise is really good but the author fails to make a good story out of it. Much of the early book is taken up with conferences and banquets and such, where the Romulans and the Elohsians do their best to needle and provoke the Enterprise crew, and they in turn do their best not to show how irritated they generally are. I don't know whether it's excess empathy with the crew, but I did not enjoy these scenes any more than they generally do. The Elohsians are also rather arrogant and conceited. You expect and get that from the Romulans too, and both together were too much. The book later moves on to explosions and some fighting, and this reveals that the author's writing style is just too flat, too uninteresting for the events he is presenting. To top it all off, there is a sub-plot involving Ro Laren, intended mostly for comic relief. It has long winded scenes too, and the humorous events do not make up for the amount of time spent getting to them, let alone provide a good counterpoint to the rest of the book. While some of the book is good, overall the entertainment value is just too low to be worth reading.
STNG #35 The Romulan Stratagem - A fantastic novel!.......2003-11-02
"The Romulan Stratagem" is author Robert Greenberger's first solo Star Trek novel and if you read the author's notes at the beginning of the book, you'll see that it was a labor of love for him to write this novel and it paid off extremely well. What I find surprising about this novel is that it was released as a paperback because I truly believe it had earned a hardback release.
I found Robert Greenberger's writing style to be extraordinarily well paced and his knowledge of Star Trek in general shows on the pages, his characterizations are "spot on" and his usage of guest characters in the story is beyond reproach. I especially liked his usage of Ensign Ro Laren, one of STNG's best non regular characters. "The Romulan Stratagem" clearly puts this author in my top ten Star Trek authors list.
The cover art for this novel is above average for the time in which this novel was published.
The premise:
The Enterprise is on a mission to the planet Eloh, which is dangerously close to the Klingon/Romulan border, to negotiate its potential Federation membership. Upon arrival though, a Romulan Warbird shows up and it's commanded by Commander Sela and she's there to "negotiate" with the Elohsians as well, hoping that they will soon join the Romulan Star Empire.
A series of fatal incidents brings suspicion upon both delegations and Data must form an uneasy alliance with Sela in order to prove the innocence of the Enterprise; at stake is this strategic stronghold, vital to the Federations vigilance of the Romulan Star Empire.
I highly recommend this novel to any and all fans of Star Trek fiction. Author Robert Greenberger's work with this novel deserves all the praise that is possible for it. {ssintrepid}
ST-TNG: The Romulan Stratagem.......2003-03-11
Star Trek-The Next Generation: The Romulan Stratagem written by Robert Greenberger is a Captain Jean-Luc Picard vs. the Romulans book. In this book the Romulan Picard is pitted against is an old nemisis Commander Sela. There is a fleshing out of the Sela character in this book. This book fills in some of the gaps in logic for the Sela character making for an interesting read.
This book's premiss starts out as a routine mission to an unexplored planet near the Klingon/Romulan border called Eloh. The Elohsians are negotiating for membership in the Federation, but the Romulans have interest in Eloh as well. When Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise arrive at Eloh with a diplomatic team they find Commander Sela there trying to convince the Elohsians to join the Romulan Star Empire.
Faced with a decision, Picard must find a way to convince the Elohsians that joining the Federation is a much better choice, but with the Romulan involved treachery, deciet, and guile are the standard. Sela is Tasha Yar's daughter as she has appeared in previous TNG television series and we know she can be a worthy advisary, and she has her sights on Eloh.
There is a sub-plot with Data/Sela as Data must form an uneasy alliance with Sela making for an interesting plot twist. Twists and turns abound in this book as Picard trys not to lose a strategic advantage, as Sela trys not to lose the planet Eloh to the Federation as a stratedic stronghold so close to the Star Empire.
Mystery, intrigue, and action-adventure abound in this book as the author gets the Romulans right with deciet, deception, and guile.
Product Description
6 massmarket paperback Titles in Star Trek the Next Generation Series - 32 Thru 37 - Requiem - Balance of Power - Blaze of Glory - Romulan Stratagem - Into the Nebula - Last Stand
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
When Mai Pham--chef and owner of the renowned Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California--left her home and her grandmother in Saigon in 1975, just days before the city fell to communist rule, she never thought she'd see either again. Happily for her, she returned 20 years later to rediscover her roots and reconnect with her 100-year-old grandmother. Happily for us, she's written Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table, in which she shares that journey--and the vibrant cuisine of her homeland. She weaves a stirring tale of rediscovery; of visiting with cooks in market stalls and street cafés and home kitchens; and, perhaps most importantly, of rediscovering her "favorite food on earth," pho, the noodle soup often referred to as the national dish of Vietnam.
Pham begins with a chapter on dipping sauces, condiments, and herbs, which, she explains, are the true backbone of Vietnamese cooking. She explores culinary variations: the "rice bowl" of the southern peninsula and the French- and Indian-inspired foods of Saigon; the more robust style of the cooler central region of Hue; and the straightforward style of the mountainous north. And she shares the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food. Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef is at once salty (from the ubiquitous fish sauce), sweet from the fruit, and tangy and spicy from Chili-Lime Sauce. Ginger Chicken is bright with the flavor of ginger and spicy with dried chilies; caramel sauce adds body and an intriguing sweet and smoky element to the dish. And of course, one can't forget the beloved pho, which gets a whole chapter to itself. The traditional Hanoi-style Vietnamese "Pho" Rice Noodle Soup with Beef is fragrant with anise and ginger and thick with velvety noodles and delectably rare beef suspended in the hot broth.
Featured throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of the country and its people, stories of Pham's childhood, and enchanting tales of the history and people of Vietnam that, taken together, highlight a rich and vibrant picture of the ancient cuisine of this complex country. Helpful guides to the Vietnamese pantry and cooking techniques, along with a glossary, menu suggestions, and a list of resources for the more exotic ingredients make the book extremely useful to even the uninitiated. --Robin Donovan
Book Description
A land of vibrant cultures and vivid contrasts, Vietnam is also home to some of the most delicious and intriguing food in the world. While its cooking traditions have been influenced by those of China, France, and even India, Vietnam has created a cuisine with a spirit and a flavor all its own.
Chef and restaurateur Mai Pham brings to life this diverse and exciting cooking in Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table. Born and raised in Saigon before emigrating to the United States, Mai has often returned to her native land to learn the secrets of authentic Vietnamese cooking, from family, friends, home cooks, street vendors, and master chefs. Traveling from region to region, she has gathered the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food today: Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef, Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies, Caramelized Garlic Shrimp, and especially pho, the country's beloved beef-and-noodle soup. With more than 100 recipes in all, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table offers home cooks the chance to create and savor the traditional flavors of Vietnam in their own kitchen.
Filled with enchanting stories and stirring black-and-white photos of life in Vietnam, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table provides a captivating taste of an enduring culture and its irresistible cuisine.
Customer Reviews:
If you want a simpler Vietnamese cookbook,.......2007-09-01
then you should buy Andre Nguyen's "Quick & Easy Vietnamese: Home Cooking For Everyone". Andre Nguyen's book is for beginners or for homecooks who want to put food on the table fast because he simplified the recipes, and it also has great photos for every recipe. Andre Nguyen's book has few ingredients for all the recipes, and the ingredients are easy to find in a Vietnamese market or other Southeast Asian markets. I bought both Andre Nguyen's book and Mai Pham's book. Mai Pham's "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is a great book because the recipes are truly authentic, but they are also more complicated because they require more ingredients. Other reviewers mentioned that "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is not for them because they are not hardcore cooks who want to slave over the stove for hours, and I know what they are talking about. I can sympathize with their problems because there are so many ingredients they have to deal with. For me, however, "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is special because I want to learn how to cook these Vietnamese recipes authentically, meaning taking more time and effort rather than using short cuts. It's important to me because I'm Vietnamese, and I want to learn and preserve Vietnamese cuisine as authentically as possible for future generations. I love Mai Pham's "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" for its cultural values via authentic Vietnamese recipes. Learning to cook from Mai Pham's book may be a daunting task for beginners, so they might want to try an easier book such as Andre Nguyen's "Quick & Easy Vietnamese: Home Cooking For Everyone". Since I own both books, I use them both and I love them both. When I'm too tired to tackle the more complex recipes from Mai Pham's book, I just cook from Andre Nguyen's book. For most beginners, Andre Nguyen's book will probably be used more often.
just like the restaurant!.......2007-08-23
Great book! Easy to follow instructions, gives background info about the ingredients, and everything tastes great. The only complaint that I have, is that the book is not glossy, so it is easy to destroy if it gets wet.
"Just like mom makes it!" as stated by my husband!.......2006-11-19
My Mother-in-law (MIL)is Vietnamese which makes it difficult for us to find a great Vietnamese cookbook since we're always comparing it to her cooking. We wanted a cookbook that featured authentic dishes. And being that I'm hispanic it was really hard for me to replicate instictively what I saw my MIL make in her kitchen. But after getting this book...Wow! The dishes truly tasted the way they were supposed to! I know some reviewers have stated that the recipes are too time consuming, but you can always "modernize" a bit if your in a rush (Ex. She tells you to make the coconut milk from scratch. Very Time consuming! But just substitute for a good asian brand of canned coconut milk and the results are VERY close, specially if you're in a time crunch. That's what my MIL does!). The first time I made a recipe from this book my husband couldn't believe I had made it myself! It's true that you would need a pretty good asian/vietnamese market nearby for best results but I've done slight modifications when needed and still had a tasty meal at hand.
This is a great book to have in your library. You might not use this book every month but it has the BEST truly Vietnamese recipes I've ever tried. If you're not concerned about the authenticity of a recipe then you might prefer a different book that is "easier" but probably more suited to our american palates than the vietnamese...
great cookbook.......2006-02-19
aesthetically pleasing book with interesting background information on the dishes and good recipes. more pictures of the actual dishes would have helped, especially for those that you are not familiar with, but the easy to follow step-by-step directions made up for the lack of pictures
A Must Have Vietnamese Cookbook.......2006-01-11
Only received this book today and as yet have not attempted any of the recipes, however I have given it a good read and found myself totally immersed with the information related to cooking in Vietnam, the recipes themselves and the authors personal experiences. I am very much looking forward to cooking the recipes....this is my third Vietnamese cookbook...you will need to have a good Asian supermarket nearby, which thankfully I do..two infact. Good step by step guides will help you and unlike Japanese the more exotic ingredients really are'nt that hard to find. Add this one to your cookbook colection.
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- A Tale of three Kings: A Study in Brokenness
- A Tenured Professor
- A Treatise on Painting
- A Victorian Christmas Keepsake: Behold the Lamb/Far Above Rubies/Memory to Keep (HeartQuest Christmas Anthology)
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