My Father's War: The World War II Diary of Pfc William C. Sheavly

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful read!.......2004-10-27

This book is a wonderful example an average soldier's story during WWII. It is an easy and intelligent read. A perfect book for any WWII buff or even simply a student wanting to know more.

Book Description

Considered by many to be the masterpiece of Dante’s youth, New Life is one of the finest poetical works and the first example of the modern novel in Italian. At the age of 9, Dante met and fell in love with Beatrice. Although she died very young, she remained his lifelong muse. New Life is Dante’s profound attempt to reconcile the deep anguish he suffered after her loss and to capture something of her eternal beauty, seeing her as the universal figure of woman. Incorporating poems and prose, and distinguished by Dante’s remarkable linguistic style, New Life remains one of the greatest works in the literature of love. Author of the masterpiece The Divine Comedy, Florentine Dante Alighieri is one of the greatest writers of all time.

Customer Reviews:

A mythic love .......2005-03-01

The 'Vita Nuova' is more than anything else a prelude to 'The Divine Comedy'. The Beatrice Dante falls in love with and longs for is on the one hand a figure unattainable, the love- goddess of courtly love. On the other hand she is to become the very essence of the spiritual and to guide Dante later through the Paradiso of the Comedy. The real figure and her life who he falls in love with truly is transformed in myth and mind to a kind of image and essence of Divine Beauty.
As with Petrarch and his Laura the love Dante writes of ' La Vita Nuova' does not somehow strike me and move me in the deepest way, and seems somehow too literary and artificial. Lines of love of Rilke and Kafka sound more authentic to me, but perhaps this is because I am a poor reader and no medievalist.
In any case this is a small classic which is prelude to a far greater one. And the real Beatrice is a small figure beside the mythic one Dante will transform into a literary immortal.

What has never been written of any other woman.......2003-03-25

Genuine romance and passion is missing from most books, either fiction or nonfiction, and I don't think I've ever come across both in such quantity as there is in "La Vita Nuova" (translation: The New Life), the unsung masterpiece of poet Dante Alighieri (who wrote the classic Divina Comedia).

It is a series of poems centering around the life-changing love of Dante for a young woman named Beatrice. The two first met when they were young children, of about eight. Dante instantly fell in love with her, but didn't really interact with her for several years. Over the years, Dante's almost supernatural love only increased in intensity, and he poured out his feelings (grief, adoration, fear) into several poems and sonnets. During an illness, he has a vision about mortality, himself, and his beloved Beatrice ("One day, inevitably, even your most gracious Beatrice must die"). Beatrice died at the age of twenty-four, and Dante committed himself to the memory of his muse.

I have never in my life read a book overflowing with such incredible love and passion as "La Vita Nuova"; it's probably the most romantic book I have ever seen. It's only a little over a hundred pages long, but it's a truly unique love story. Dante and Beatrice were never romantically involved. In fact, both of them married other people.

But Dante's love for Beatrice shows itself to be more than infatuation or crush, because it never wanes -- in fact, it grows even stronger, including Love manifested as a nobleman in one of Dante's dreams. There is no element of physicality to the passion in "La Vita Nuova"; Dante talks about how beautiful Beatrice is, but that's only a sidenote. (We don't hear of any real details about her) And Dante's grief-stricken state when Beatrice dies (of what, we're never told) leads him to deep changes in his soul, and eventually peace. (And though Beatrice died, because of Dante's love for her and her placement in the "Comedia," she has achieved a kind of immortality)

One of the noticeable things about this book is that whenever something significant happens to Dante (good, bad, or neither), he immediately writes a poem about it. Some readers may be tempted to skip over the carefully constructed poems, but they shouldn't. Even if these intrude on the story, they show what Dante was feeling more clearly than his prose.

Book Description

This youthful masterpiece by the author of The Divine Comedy recounts the love and loss of Beatrice, Dante's lifelong inspiration. An allegory of spiritual crisis and growth, it combines prose and poetry in a powerful work in the literature of love. This new translation features an informative introduction and notes.

Average customer rating:

Among my books, (Complete writings)
James Russell Lowell
Manufacturer: Houghton, Mifflin and Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Witchcraft | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008BYJR6

The Divine Comedy Of Dante Alighieri And The New Life

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The Divine Comedy Of Dante Alighieri And The New Life

Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0548102759

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri Together with Dante Gabriel Rosetti's Translation of the New Life

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The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri Together with Dante Gabriel Rosetti's Translation of the New Life

Manufacturer: Thomas Y. Crowell & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GY9XJO

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri together with The New Life

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The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri together with The New Life

Manufacturer: Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000F366UA

Impressions of Dante and of the New world,

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Impressions of Dante and of the New world,
J. W Cross
Manufacturer: W. Blackwood and Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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An introduction to Dante's The new life
Martha Hale Shackford
Manufacturer: The Suburban Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Wake me up when it's over
Brilliant
Sweet unrequited first love
What has never been written of any other woman
What has never been written of any other woman

La Vita nuova (The new life)
Dante Alighieri
Manufacturer: Ellis and Elvey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0008AZ5HA

Book Description

La Vita Nuova marked a turning point in European literature, introducing personal experience into the strict formalism of medieval love poetry. The sequence of poems tells the story of Dante's passion for Beatrice, the beautiful sister of one of his closest friends, transformed through his writing into a symbol of love that was both spiritual and romantic. From unrequited passion to the profound grief he experiences at the loss of his love, this work intersperses exquisite verse with Dante's own commentary on the structure and origins of each poem, offering a unique insight into the poet's art and skill. Barbara Reynolds's translation, acclaimed for its lucidity and faithfulness to the original, is now enhanced with a new introduction and other material.

Customer Reviews:

Wake me up when it's over.......2006-04-19

I LOVED The Inferno, so I approached this book with the enthusiasm of a gourmand at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Sadly, the bread turned out to be stale, the steak overdone and the desserts moldy. Okay. Now that I've run that metaphor into the ground, let's talk about Vita Nuova. I found it to be pretty darn tedious and highly melodramatic. The prose is self-indulgent and dry; the poetry, while slightly better, falls into the same camp. You just want to say to the guy--get a life! At several points during the book, Dante's fellow townspeople mock him because of his constant waterworks and woe-is-me-ing. I sympathized with them, found myself laughing at this whiny, timid little man. Dante, as he portrays himself in this book, is a bore, a sniveling, spoiled child.

Brilliant.......2005-02-25

Dante will remain my favorite author, ever, final, no questions asked, and though I love the Divine Comedy, it was refreshing to read something that told more of his own story: the agony over Beatrice and the trials of his own life. This is a must read for any Dante fan...understand the man behind the art...understand one of the most beautiful poets the world will ever know.

Sweet unrequited first love.......2005-01-04

This is a beautiful collection of poetry inspired by Beatrice, the great love of Dante's life, even though she barely even knew him and they were never together romantically, not even as childhood sweethearts. It's also mixed in with autobiographical remembrances. Dante and Beatrice first happened to see one another when they were nine and eight years old, respectively, and didn't cross paths again for nine more years, but Dante always remembered how stunningly beautiful this girl was. Every single time he saw this woman from their second meeting on (in church, on the street, by his house, wherever else she was) he was even more and more inflamed by love for this beautiful otherworldly creature, and so began writing the poetry which comprises much of this slim but poignant volume. Dante was so madly in love that he prefaced each poem or sonnet by explaining in detail what every bit of them meant, if it's broken down into sections by theme, everything that would let him gush on and on about his beloved one even more. One of the sonnets tells about a terrifying dream/premonition Dante had about a year before Beatrice died on 8 June 1290, in the prime of her life, a dream which was so strong, real, and terrifying that he was actually brought to tears and asked by one of Beatrice's friends whatever the matter was with him. He said he'd had a horrifying vision that his lady had died, but didn't provide her name and so let Beatrice's friend believe it was some other woman he was madly passionately head over heels in love with. Shortly after Beatrice really did die, one of her brothers visited Dante asking him to write some poetry for a certain death that recently occurred. The man has disguised himself and not told Dante the details about the death in question, but he knows that this is one of Beatrice's five brothers, and that Beatrice is the dead person in question whom he's being asked to immortalise in poetry. Because he doesn't want anyone to get the wrong impression about his feelings for Beatrice, Dante goes through three poems in the quest for creating just the right one.

After the sad untimely death of Beatrice, Dante was visited by another beautiful woman who cheered him up and inspired him to write poetry again, this time for her and not for Beatrice, but very soon after this occurs he feels upset and ashamed of himself because he let another woman be his muse. The last chapter of this book contains the genesis of the idea that would eventually lead to the writing of Dante's longest and most greatest work, the Divine Comedy. Dante wanted to write a much much longer poem celebrating his great love for her and how beautiful Beatrice was, immortalising her for all time even though they were never husband and wife, lovers, or even sweethearts. It's true there's a fine line between love and obsession, but in this case whichever of the two it might have been doesn't matter, since the end result was a beautiful timeless work of art.

What has never been written of any other woman.......2004-03-20

Genuine romance and passion is missing from most books, either fiction or nonfiction. As a result, it's hard to come across both in such quantity as there is in "La Vita Nuova" ("The New Life"), the unsung masterpiece of poet Dante Alighieri, author of the classic Divina Comedia.

"La Vita Nuova" is a series of poems and anecdotes centering around the life-changing love of Dante for a young woman named Beatrice. The two first met when they were young children, of about eight. Dante instantly fell in love with her, but didn't really interact with her for several years. Over the years, Dante's almost supernatural love only increased in intensity, and he poured out his feelings (grief, adoration, fear) into several poems and sonnets. During an illness, he has a vision about mortality, himself, and his beloved Beatrice ("One day, inevitably, even your most gracious Beatrice must die"). Beatrice died at the age of twenty-four, and Dante committed himself to the memory of his muse.

It would be a hard task to find another book overflowing with such incredible love and passion as "La Vita Nuova"; it's probably the most romantic book I have ever seen. It's brief and only includes one part of Dante's life overall, but it's a truly unique love story. Dante and Beatrice were never romantically involved. In fact, both of them married other people.

But Dante's love for Beatrice shows itself to be more than infatuation or crush, because it never wanes -- in fact, it grows even stronger, including Love manifested as a nobleman in one of Dante's dreams. There is no element of physicality to the passion in "La Vita Nuova"; Dante talks about how beautiful Beatrice is, but that's only a sidenote. (We don't hear of any real details about her) And Dante's grief-stricken state when Beatrice dies (of what, we're never told) leads him to deep changes in his soul, and eventually peace. And though Beatrice died, because of Dante's love for her and her placement in the "Comedia," she has achieved a kind of immortality.

What has never been written of any other woman.......2004-02-17

Genuine romance and passion is missing from most books, either fiction or nonfiction, and I don't think I've ever come across both in such quantity as there is in "La Vita Nuova" ("The New Life"), the unsung masterpiece of poet Dante Alighieri, author of the classic Divina Comedia.

But Dante's love for Beatrice shows itself to be more than infatuation or crush, because it never wanes -- in fact, it grows even stronger, including Love manifested as a nobleman in one of Dante's dreams. There is no element of physicality to the passion in "La Vita Nuova"; Dante talks about how beautiful Beatrice is, but that's only a sidenote. (We don't hear of any real details about her) And Dante's grief-stricken state when Beatrice dies (of what, we're never told) leads him to deep changes in his soul, and eventually peace. And though Beatrice died, because of Dante's love for her and her placement in the "Comedia," she has achieved a kind of immortality.

Average customer rating:

A Must Read, No Exaggeration

A great deal of insight in a little book

excellent resource

Fantastic, Straight - Forward Book!!!

Anger is not always just an invitation to be declined.

Angry All The Time: An Emergency Guide To Anger Control
Ronald T. Potter-Efron
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Neuropsychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Anger Management | Stress | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Letting Go of Anger: The Eleven Most Common Anger Styles And What to Do About Them

Letting Go of Anger: The 10 Most Common Anger Styles and What to Do About Them

Stop the Anger Now: A Workbook for the Prevention, Containment, and Resolution of Anger

Beyond Anger: A Guide for Men: How to Free Yourself from the Grip of Anger and Get More Out of Life

When Anger Hurts: Quieting the Storm Within

ASIN: 1572243929

Book Description

Very angry people live in a trap. They say things they don't mean, hurt people they love, and even begin to hate themselves. The vicious cycle of problem anger is hard to break. Real change, an escape from the damaging patterns of persistent anger, requires good information and sound advice. This book, a major revision of a best-selling classic that has helped tens of thousands of people overcome problem anger, contains both. The book is organized to move readers along the shortest path to recovery: In the first section, "Understanding the Problem," readers explore the causes of their anger. Then, in the second section, "Taking Action," they learn powerful, step-by-step strategies to control their behavior, to change anger- provoking thoughts, to avoid verbal and physical violence-in short, to make the author's eight-step process of anger management a powerful force for change in their lives.

This edition includes two completely new chapters and significant revision to many of the original sections. Tips for problem solving and directing anger in positive ways, new strategies for encouraging change, and a discussion of anger styles and the effects of jealousy on problem anger are just some of the engaging new concepts.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read, No Exaggeration.......2007-10-02

Angry All the Time

By Ron Potter-Efron, M.S.W., Ph.D.

A Must Read, No Exaggeration

Ron Potter-Efron is the most honest Ph.D. I have ever met. If professors in colleges and universities were as open as he, our institutions of higher learning may possibly be producing better citizens and not just knowledge-filled people.

Every man and every woman needs to read this book, especially if you are married or planning to get married. Every person who has to work for a living should read this book. In fact, every person, who needs to deal with others on a daily basis, should read this book. Every parent needs to read this book.

Those, like myself, who are sensitive and prone to anger need this book more than any one else. People like me, who have little clue as to how to deal with frustrations and conflicts and who misuse and abuse this powerful emotion called Anger, with a capital A, need to have a copy of this book on their kitchen table.

According to the author, anger is a signal not a path. Folks like myself express anger negatively physically and verbally. After reading chapters six and seven, I have no more excuses regarding what to do with anger. The author claims that someone taught me how I became this way. He offers explanations, not excuses.

Eleven rules to learn and live by for anyone who has trouble with handling anger can be found on page 76 of this book. The first six deal with the physical expressions of anger; the next five deal with the verbal expressions of anger. I am listing them here and the author explains how to carry them out. If anger has ruined your life too many times, I implore you to get this book. In fact, they should put this book in every hotel and motel.

Rules to deal with your anger.

1) Take a time-out to stop the violence.
2) Wipe that frown off your face and relax.
3) Quit trying to control others.
4) Accept differences.
5) Ask, don't demand.
6) Reward, don't punish or threaten.
7) Speak quietly and don't swear.
8) You are responsible for what you say and do.
9) Treat others with respect.
10) Tell others what bothers you. Be direct, specific and polite.
11) Use "I" statements.

You might have to slow down to read this book; that's alright. The rest of your trip may become more enjoyable. It is a shame my father and mother did not have this book. Need I say more.

A great deal of insight in a little book.......2007-09-07

People with rage need to read this book a couple of times; it is geared toward folks that do not need excuses/blames for their behavior anymore. Eleven (11) steps he mentions that he goes through in details:

1. Take a time-out to stop the violence.
2. Wipe that frown off your face and relax.
3. Quit trying to control others.
4. Accept differences.
5. Ask, don't demand.
6. Reward, don't punish or threaten.
7. Speak quietly and don't swear.
8. Be responsible for what you say.
9. Treat others with respect.
10. Tell others what bothers you. Be direct, specific, and polite.
11. Use "I" statements.

excellent resource.......2006-05-27

in its second edition, this is an excellent resource for clinicians working with folks with anger problems as well as directly for individuals with anger problems and their loved ones. it is written very practically. i didn't find nonsense. it is straightforward, telling it like it is, challenging those with anger problems to examine and change things without arousing the supersensitivity characteristic of those with anger problems. it includes information for loved ones, too. a very practical outline of anger-related topics and helpful exercises, i've already gotten very positive feedback from clients (actually their wives so far). it is a book that i intend to share with other clients.

Fantastic, Straight - Forward Book!!!.......2006-02-22

I must admit this is the first anger management book I have ever read. I read it due to the great reviews it was given. I WAS NOT disappointed!! This book is WONDERFUL!! It is written in plain, straight forward English. There are no big psychological words that you can't understand. If you want to read a book that actually TELLS you something about WHY you get angry and how to CONTROL it, then this book is FOR YOU! While I was reading, I felt as if the author had actually come to my house and observed me for a few weeks and then written this book about me! Another great thing about this book is that is not long to read and it gets to the point. I could not put it down! If you're really tired of being "angry all the time", please read this book....you WON'T be disappointed!!!

Anger is not always just an invitation to be declined........2005-09-28

I received this book from my chronically angry father. I did read it from cover to cover, and indeed it has some good hints on dealing with anger, and I think especially for the person who rages out of control, often for no or little reason. At the end of chapter one, which lists the 'slices' of life: work, family, money, the law etc, it says 'if you fill up even one of these slices this book is for you'. It was nice to know that I don't fill up any of those slices. Even though there ARE good suggestions on how to cool down while angry, how to more calmly communicate your anger etc, it seems that it is very strong on dissuading anger.

Unfortunately this book, in the hands of a rageaholic who 'uses their anger like a fist' towards others, this is like a magic shield for those who are angered by the rageaholic's attacks. Now if I say I am hurt by his actions, or angry over being shouted at, disrespected and put down, he tells me that I have a choice not to accept the invitation to anger. I realise this is a distortion of the book's actual message, but in the angry person's hands, it seems to give license to invalidate anyone getting angry at THEIR behaviour. After all, we CHOOSE to be angry at them.

The book points out that outbursts of unreasonable anger will drive away family and friends, who will begin to avoid you. However now that my father has read this book, suddenly my avoidance of engaging with him to save myself verbal tirades is a proven sign (he quotes the chapters to me) that I am angry all the time (avoidance is a clear sign of holding anger). Note that I have for over 20 years been clear about what I dislike about his behaviour, how it affects me, and why I am distancing, and he is welcome to apologise/change. Since that hasn't helped, I have stopped explaining and choose to disengage.

I really wish that this book wrote a little more about the normal anger it mentions in the first unit 'normal anger vs problem anger', as it seems from reading it that any reaction of anger towards unacceptable behaviour and disrespect is the fault of the actual victim of the behaviour.

Other than the fact that it seems to be a great weapon for rageaholics to throw at those angry at/ or avoiding their constant tantrums, it is a clear and useful book on anger control.

Average customer rating:

An Incredible Cook Book

Chef Extraordinaire!

Imaginative, easy cooking

I did not find the book all that good

I was expecting more.

Incredible Cuisine With Chef Jean-Pierre
Jean-Pierre Brehier
Manufacturer: Time-Life Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
International | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Sunshine Cuisine

ASIN: 0783549466

Customer Reviews:

An Incredible Cook Book.......2006-05-21

Jan Pierre converted the traditional French ingredients, to healthy ones. He also presents easy recipes and teaches cooking methods. If you follow the recipes and instructions, you'll enjoy great success and many good meals.

Chef Extraordinaire!.......2005-09-23

Jean Pierre is awesome. I have learned so much from him and am able to pull off amazing presentation with classy elegant dishes. If you are ever in Florida you should take some of his cooking courses.

Imaginative, easy cooking.......2003-10-24

I have an extensive collection of cookbooks. This has got to be one of the books that I refer to again and again in order to refresh my cooking repertoire. "Incredible Cuisine" was the first cookbook that I used to impress my boyfriend (now husband), and both my well-traveled father and father-in-law. Almost all the fish and shellfish recipes are divine and the pictures gave me ideas to turn my plates into "works of art."
Back when I was quite the novice cook, my husband brought me over to my father-in-law's home and I made a version of the swordfish with lemon-caper sauce, my father-in-law seriously thought I was a gourmet cook.
I can't thank Mr. Brehier enough!

I did not find the book all that good.......2001-05-02

I tried some of the recipies, like the rice/mushroom and pasta dishes on Jean-Pierre website, they were good/average meals. I bought his book and tried the chicken in wine dish that was suppose to be the best recipe in the whole book, it was an average dish. I also baked the mushroom dish and a potatoe dish found in the book, both were average tasting. I notice he uses wine in most of his recipies and I don't know anything about wine. I tried to follow the recipies to the best of my ability, but I'm just an average home cook.

I was expecting more........2001-05-01

I saw Jean-Pierre on Home Matters. He owns a resturant and is a professional cook. I bought his book expecting some very good tasting dishes. I tried a mushroom and a potatoe dish, and they were ok. I also made the chicken dish I saw him cook on Home Matters. I followed the recipe to the best of my ability, but it was just an average tasting dish. I see everyone else gave him good reviews, maybe its me buying bad wine. Most of his recipies calls for wine, and I don't know anything about wine. From his website I got a pasta recipe, which I liked. I also got a rissoto rice recipe from his website which I liked.

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