Exile

Average customer rating:

Best Richard North Patterson book to date

Not-so-classic Patterson

a balanced view of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict

An Educational Novel

Exile

Exile
Richard North Patterson
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Patterson, Richard North | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805079475
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Book Description

David Wolfe's life is approaching an exhilarating peak: he's a successful San Francisco lawyer, he's about to get married, and he's being primed for a run for Congress. But when the phone rings and he hears the voice of Hana Arif--the Palestinian woman with whom he had a secret affair in law school--he begins a completely unexpected journey. The next day, the prime minister of Israel is assassinated by a suicide bomber while visiting San Francisco; soon, Hana herself is accused of being the mastermind behind the murder. Now David faces an agonizing choice: Will he, a Jew, represent Hana--who may well be guilty--or will he turn away the one woman he can never forget? The most challenging case of David's career requires that he delve deep into the lives of Hana Arif and her militant Palestinian husband, both of whom have always lived in exile. Ultimately, David's quest takes him to Israel and the West Bank, where, in a series of harrowing encounters, he learns that appearances are not at all what they seem. Culminating in a tense and startling trial with international ramifications, Exile is that rare novel that both entertains and enlightens. At once an intricate tale of betrayal and deception, a moving love story, and a fascinating journey into the lethal politics of the Middle East, this is Richard North Patterson at his most brilliant and engrossing.

Customer Reviews:

Best Richard North Patterson book to date.......2007-10-10

I have enjoyed, and re-read, all of Richard North Patterson's books--but this is in my opinion his best to date. Anyone interested in, bewildered by, scared of, what goes on in the middle east -- as well as enjoying a good read -- should read this. You may not like all the opinions and viewpoints, you may not like some of the characters, but you will certainly do a lot of thinking.

Along the same lines, I recomment John Le Carre's "Little Drummer Girl".

Not-so-classic Patterson.......2007-10-07

There was once a time when Richard North Patterson wrote straight thrillers and was one of the better at them. In recent times, however, his books have turned much more political, focusing on hot button topics like abortion, gun control and the death penalty. Exile continues with this trend, with a story about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Patterson's books may be getting more controversial, but they're not necessarily getting better.

The protagonist in Exile is David Wolfe, a secular Jewish lawyer in San Francisco who seems to have it all: he's successful, he is about to marry a beautiful woman who he loves (and who is more devoutly Jewish) and he's about to embark on the political career that he's aspired to. Into this ideal life pops an old lover from his college days: Hana Arif, a Palestinian. Their star-crossed romance ended because of her arranged marriage to Saeb, a Muslim with rather extreme views. Hana is in the United States along with her husband and daughter, speaking out against Israeli policy.

A terrorist attack in San Francisco kills the visiting Israeli Prime Minister and Hana is implicated through hearsay and circumstantial evidence. Despite his better judgment, David becomes her lawyer, destroying his political career and threatening his engagement. The case involves a possibly large conspiracy, and David will eventually need to travel to Israel to seek important evidence.

Compared with his other recent books in which Patterson definitely supports a particular viewpoint, his treatment of this conflict is much more evenhanded, which is sure to anger people on both sides. I can live with politically slanted stories - even if I don't agree with the politics - but the stories need to actually be good. While I agree with a lot of what Patterson says, this novel is just average.

It seems Patterson is more interested in lecturing than in entertaining. From a storytelling standpoint, this book has issues, with the foremost being the relationship between David and Hana. I never really understood why the two of them were so deeply in love; their conversations seem to only focus on Israeli-Palestinian issues (which they do not fully agree on) and I could never see where they emotionally linked. Lust, I could see, but not love. In addition, Patterson gives us a plot twist towards the end of the book; sadly, most readers will have figured it out long before David, and it's implausible that David would not have even guessed the possibility of this twist long before he actually did.

The biggest problem, however, is that this book feels more like an educational piece that is told in story form to make it easier to take. That is, I felt that the plot was almost incidental. For a book that tops 700 pages (in paperback), that's asking a lot of the reader, and my patience was tried more than once. Patterson has enough skill to make Exile passable, but this is not a good book. If you're a Patterson fan, this one is a disappointment.

a balanced view of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.......2007-09-28

Exile is the most balanced view I have ever read on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in either fiction or non-fiction literature. The characters are well developed and sympathetic. The story albeit somewhat predictable is an easy and enjoyable read. What better way to learn about the history of two peoples.

An Educational Novel.......2007-09-27

This is a well- researched and informative novel. The central characters are a Palestine woman and a Jewish man who met while studying law at Harvard. They became more than friends and a decade or so later appeared in the same court trial in San Francisco. The trial concerned the assassination of a Mideast head of state and consumed a large portion of the latter part of the book. There is quite a bit of mystery and a few surprises.

The author presents a rather comprehensive picture of the Israeli - Palestine conflict and perhaps shows more of the Palestine concerns than we normally see in our daily news. I found the book a little longer than necessary and requiring more reading time than I desired.

Exile.......2007-09-26

As usual, Richard North Patterson holds your interest and leaves you thinking even after you finish the book.

Exile (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

breath of fresh air
Star wars: Legacy of the Force book 4
Its not great
Three Stars
The Dark Side Keeps Coming

Exile (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 4)
Aaron Allston
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345477537
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

In the Stars Wars galaxy, evil is on the move as the Galactic Alliance and Jedi order battle forces seen and unseen, from rampant internal treachery to the nightmare of all-out war.

With each victory against the Corellian rebels, Jacen Solo becomes more admired, more powerful, and more certain of achieving galactic peace. But that peace may come with a price. Despite strained relationships caused by opposing sympathies in the war, Han and Leia Solo and Luke and Mara Skywalker remain united by one frightening suspicion: Someone insidious is manipulating this war, and if he or she isn’t stopped, all efforts at reconciliation may be for naught. And as sinister visions lead Luke to believe that the source of the evil is none other than Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith, the greatest peril revolves around Jacen himself. . . .

Customer Reviews:

breath of fresh air.......2007-08-23

I was begining to feel depressed about this series because of how dark the themes are, not that this book makes the story bright and happy but I was begining to find the series less fun to read. I picked this book up as a last chance for the series and read it cover to cover in a couple days. I loved it, it really brings the story back to the fun adventureous plot without losing the more sinister undertones that make it exciting.

Star wars: Legacy of the Force book 4.......2007-06-27

Gripping story, I'm a little uncomfortable with Jacen being turned to the dark side, but am hoping it turns out to be a tempory aberation.

Its not great .......2007-06-20

I really can sum up this novel in two words.....Love Commander.I really wish the Star Wars EU guys would STOP makeing up profanity like stang,rodder and kriffing it sounds so stupid use the real deal if you must use it or better yet language has many derogitory terms that arent vulgar use those you may actually educate someone.

Three Stars.......2007-06-13

There were only two real noteworthy things that happened in Exile, Ben being sent unknown to him on a Sith test and the Skywalker-Solo (minus Jacen of course) clan coming to realize that their family being split may be exactly what the enemy is wanting. I liked Ben's test being him alone on a Sith planet where he and only he can choice which path he'll follow and struggling to survive. The second part it was nice to see the Skywalkers-Solos come to the realization. I had hoped with this being the fourth book we would have more answers about the war, the reasons behind it, about Lumyia or something instead the rest was nothing more then Jacen still deciding who his Sacrifice would be and setting up for his plan at the end of the story at painstaking slowness that by the time the it got to the point I was asleep. I hope the next book will better. More answers, more things happening and less endless slowness.

The Dark Side Keeps Coming.......2007-05-22

Another Splendid addition to the Legacy of the Force series. Basically, the story continues with Jason getting deeper into the dark side. Young Ben however is starting to find out that it's not all that good to be bad.
More interesting stories all evolving around different caracters and the War, including one where Ben is tested to see if he really is dark side material. While entertaining, remember the book is still just a segue to the next book. But that is expected in such a long series.

Average customer rating:

Going nowhere
Remarkable!
1984 on the Mediterranean
Flawed but powerful and moving
Beautiful, wrenching

In the Country of Men
Hisham Matar
Manufacturer: The Dial Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385340427
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

Libya, 1979. Nine-year-old Suleiman’s days are circumscribed by the narrow rituals of childhood: outings to the ruins surrounding Tripoli, games with friends played under the burning sun, exotic gifts from his father’s constant business trips abroad. But his nights have come to revolve around his mother’s increasingly disturbing bedside stories full of old family bitterness. And then one day Suleiman sees his father across the square of a busy marketplace, his face wrapped in a pair of dark sunglasses. Wasn’t he supposed to be away on business yet again? Why is he going into that strange building with the green shutters? Why did he lie?

Suleiman is soon caught up in a world he cannot hope to understand—where the sound of the telephone ringing becomes a portent of grave danger; where his mother frantically burns his father’s cherished books; where a stranger full of sinister questions sits outside in a parked car all day; where his best friend’s father can disappear overnight, next to be seen publicly interrogated on state television.

In the Country of Men is a stunning depiction of a child confronted with the private fallout of a public nightmare. But above all, it is a debut of rare insight and literary grace.

Customer Reviews:

Going nowhere.......2007-10-05

This book was an excursion to nowhere. I did not feel it gave a great sense of country and there was not much of a story. In the last few months I have read "What is the What", (a great book), "A Long Way Gone" and "Don't Let's Not Go To The Dogs Tonight", all set in Africa, and they all gave the reader a great feel of the countries in which there were set.
They also had a more interesting story progression, although they were more autobiographical. I never got a great feel for Libya in this book. Try another book.

Remarkable!.......2007-09-09

I occasionally see someone so clumsy that I think to myself how lucky everyone is that they don't do heart surgery. Reading In the Country of Men reminds me that I should be very thankful that I never aspired to becoming an author. The craftsmanship that Mr. Matar displays throughout this book is simply humbling. I can't write well enough to do it justice. I can only suggest that you buy it and see for yourself.

1984 on the Mediterranean.......2007-07-26

I heard about this book from an interview of Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air with the author Hisham Mater. In the interview Mater talked of his own life experience as a boy watching interrogations on Libyan TV and the eventual detention of his father and the exile of the family first to Egypt then England. The author came across as a very thoughtful and articulate, his description of his experience as a child coming so close to the horrors of torture clearly left its mark on him.

In the Country of Men, belongs to the semi fiction genre, it is based on real events witnessed first hand by the author but clearly the author let his very creative talents take over and weave a number of other interesting patterns on the same basic setting of Libyan social and political life in the Seventies.

Hot Mediterranean summer days, lots of white sand and the beautiful blue Mediterranean, a nine year only child living with a mother suffering from depression and alcoholism trying to make the most of a bad marriage. A father, who is somewhat remote and a bit caricature like is a businessman turned activist obsessed with making Libya a better place. Libya is very much right out of 1984 with much of the horrors, brain washing and denials and a great "Guide" too.

Mater's developed his own child character and that of his mother's superbly into complete multi dimensional human beings. The cruelty and contradictions in the child were masterfully portrayed. Also his sense of place and time is remarkable, Mater makes you virtually taste the beautiful delicious mulberries or sense the heat burning your feet from walking in the hot afternoons to the Tripoli beach.

The disappointing parts of the book were just two aspects; the limited development of the character of the father who was clearly central to the story. While it may have been Mater's intention to paint a picture from the eyes of a 9 year old and as a result a sketchy picture of the father may have been appropriate, this somehow jarred with me as the narrative was that of a more mature adult reflecting back on childhood days. This maturity came across in many ways but fell short when discussing the father. The second disappointing aspect of the book was the relationship with Karim, the childhood friend. Mater was brilliant in the way he dealt with the Karim relationship throughout the book but somehow appear to have felt compelled to tidy things up for a semi happy ending.

The interview with Terry Gross, revealed the true experience of Mater's life and the real life ending was far worse than the one he offered. Perhaps this would explain Mater's need to retain a distance from his father, even in a work of semi fiction and the relatively rushed ending of the book.

I strongly recommend this book as another beautifully written work in English with a strong Arab Mediterranean sensibility.

Flawed but powerful and moving.......2007-07-22

Hisham Matar's "In The Country of Men" is the third (and best) of six Man Booker Prize nominated titles last year which takes a child's perspective of the confusing adult world around it as its starting point. Suleiman, growing up in Gaddafi's terror regime in Libya in the late 70s/early 80s, senses something amiss when he spots his father in the market square one day as if in the guise of another person he doesn't know or recognise. His mother is jumpy, nervous, weepy, and frequently taking solace in a secret brew when she's not telling her young son the history of her own childhood, the tyranny of her own father, uncles and brothers and how she came to be married to her father. Soon after his best friend's father is arrested after being visited upon at night by men in black, problems arise for Suleiman's father and his likeminded counter revolutionary friends. Though Gaddafi is hardly mentioned by name - he is but a shadowy presence throughout, only materializing in a picture hung above the mantelpiece - everybody lives in fear of the unexpected knock on the door in the night that could change one's life forever.

Not surprisingly, blood will be spilt and an innocent man will go to his death in a brutal public hanging that will leave you shaking. There will be compromises made - is capitulation cowardice to be ashamed of, or is it courage to want to live to fight another day ? The grown up Suleiman, now living safely abroad, may look back and think he understands the madness that went on in his country before but as an adult, can he avoid judging his parents a little unfavourably, a little unfairly perhaps, for their decision ? Like the mad neighbourhood beggar the boys likes to taunt, the boy Suleiman may not be able to make sense of the adult world around him but emotionally he was always connected and tapping right into the love of his parents. So, which of the two perspectives is truer ?

Matar's debut novel is powerful and moving but it is less than polished in some essential aspect. For instance, the author started promisingly on the back story of Suleiman's mother which would have been a perfect way of revealing more about Libyan society to us but inexplicably, he lost interest in developing it further and left the thread of it hanging without any follow through. A pity. Such flaws aside, "In The Country Of Men" is an excellent read and highly recommended.

Beautiful, wrenching.......2007-06-17

This is a beautiful, wrenching book. Each page is dense with description and events, and the author makes each word count double or triple. This simplicity allows the story to come through with heartbreaking clarity.

My only quibble is that the boy seems a bit too naive to make his age, supposedly nine, seem realistic. I'd think that a nine-year-old might be a little more clued-in to some of what's going on in his country, especially a nine-year-old sensitive enough to be burdened with his mother's reminiscences. The fact that he didn't realize what her "medicine" and "illness" were also seems a bit hard to believe, but perhaps in an Islamic country a child wouldn't know.

Anyway, a beautiful, wonderful book. I look forward to other efforts by this author.

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
A Great Comic for Fairy Tale Lovers
Good
A great read.
Exceptional Comic

Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
Bill Willingham
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563899426

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

I keep looking at Fables, and thinking 'that looks cute, but not fabulous'. Looks like I was right. I would probably give this 3.25 if I could.

The good Fables have been chased out of fairyland by the bad Fables, so to speak, and now live in, ho-hum, New York City, a massively innovative and different setting for a comic, not. The ones that look like, say, pigs or rats, have to live on a farm in the country.

The local political enforcer, Snow White, has a sister, Rose Red, who disappears, and her apartment is covered in blood. So the local sherrif, Bigby Wolf (yes, bad name pun), has to turn detective to investigate.

Rose Red was due to be married, and it turns out her fiance was Bluebeard, so along with current shaggee Jack, and a few of the others mentioned earlier, the Wolf has a bunch of people to talk to, including a good for nothing, layabout Prince Charming.

Planetary or Sandman level this is not, but it is solid.

A Great Comic for Fairy Tale Lovers.......2007-08-23

After reading a few reviews of this book, I decided to pick it up on the basis of the fact that it seemed to have been created solely for my enjoyment. Good art, plus noir story, plus fairy tales equals September's true love.

As you've probably read several times already, this story is about a murder happening amongst fairy tale characters that live in the modern world. It features the main characters of Snow White and the Wolf.

Is it as good as all the reviews indicate? Yes, yes, and yes. It's nice to look at, it's a little bit dark, and a little bit funny. It read fast, but not TOO quickly, and I liked it enough that I immediately wanted to reach for a sequel. I read another customer's comment that the Big Bad Wolf comes across as a John Constantine rip-off and that made me giggle, just a little because it's true, but I like John Constantine, and I enjoyed the wolf.

There was a short prose story that was included at the end. Though I ususally detest such things, I ate it up and wished it had been longer or its own novel. That is high praise indeed considering I resent prose stories included with graphic novels for the pages they take up.

Why then only four stars then when I'm essentially the target audience for this comic? Two (and a half) reasons. One, I guessed the ending which is sad. See, I can never guess mystery endings. I always wonder who did it until the very end. If I'm guessing your ending, your ending was obvious and spelled out from the very beginning. Perhaps that's what the author intended. Also, did the ending leave anything changed? Barely.

Two, the art is not as good as I'd wish. Of course, my favorite comic book art is in Aria Volume 1: The Magic Of Aria, so considering that, I guess a lot of other art fails. I know others have lauded the art, and it's good, just not as good as I hoped for.

Either way, I'd recommend this book for 'graphic novel' fans, and I'll be picking up sequels.

Good.......2007-07-13

It is a very good graphic novels, but it is not the big deal, otherwise, im pretending to read all the volumes.

A great read........2007-07-08

I picked this first volume for a train ride home. I had about six graphic novels to read and I bought this one because of its reputation and the decent price.
I was so impressed with the way the story flowed. You can tell that this volume just sets up the characters for future storylines but the ending is still satisfying and leaves you wanting more. This volume is easy to track down at any bookstore. If you dont buy this right now, go out and read it. You wont regret it.

Exceptional Comic.......2007-06-28

The best way I think I can review this item is relationally. If you like Alan Moore, Brian K. Vaughn, Gaiman, Kirkman, or Grant Morrison you will thoroughly enjoy Fables.

The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World

Average customer rating:

Why immigration is good for America
Budapest as the incubator of Greatness
Hungarians love their salami and their Magyars
OK, but...
Budapest's loss is the world's gain...

The Great Escape: Nine Jews Who Fled Hitler and Changed the World
Kati Marton
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743261151

Book Description

In this ground-breaking book, acclaimed author Kati Marton brings to life an unknown chapter of World War II: the tale of nine men who grew up in Budapest's brief Golden Age, then, driven from Hungary by anti-Semitism, fled to the West, especially to the United States, and changed the world. These nine men, each celebrated for individual achievements, were actually part of a unique group who grew up in a time and place that will never come again. It is Marton's extraordinary achievement to trace what for a few dazzling years was common to all of them -- the magic air of Budapest -- and show how their separate lives and careers were, in fact, all shaped by Budapest's lively café life before the darkness closed in.

Marton follows the astonishing lives of four history-changing scientists, all just one step ahead of Hitler's terror state, who helped usher in the nuclear age and the computer (Edward Teller, John von Neumann, Leo Szilard, and Eugene Wigner); two major movie myth-makers (Michael Curtiz, who directed Casablanca, and Alexander Korda, who produced The Third Man); two immortal photographers (Robert Capa and Andre Kertesz); and one seminal writer (Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon).

Marton follows these brilliant products of Budapest's Golden Age as they flee fascism in the 1920s and 1930s en route to sanctuary -- and immortality. As the scientists labor in the secret city of Los Alamos in the race to build the atom bomb, Koestler, once a communist agent imprisoned by Franco, writes the most important anticommunist novel of the century. Capa, the first photographer to go ashore on D-Day, later romances Ingrid Bergman and is acknowledged as the world's greatest war photographer before his tragic death in Vietnam. Curtiz not only gives us Casablanca, consistently voted the greatest romantic movie ever made, but also discovers Doris Day and directs James Cagney in the quintessential patriotic film, Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Ultimately, The Great Escape is an American story and an important, previously untold chapter of the tumultuous last century. Yet it is also a poignant story -- in the words of the great historian Fritz Stern, "an evocation of genius in exile . . . an instructive, moving delight." An epilogue relates the journey into exile of three members of the next generation of Budapest exiles: financier-philanthropist George Soros, Intel founder Andy Grove, and 2002 Nobel laureate in literature Imre Kertesz.

Customer Reviews:

Why immigration is good for America.......2007-09-06

Most of the nine Hungarian Jews discussed in this book emmigrated to America and made outstanding contributions to science, mathematics, information technology, and films. Hungary, during its short life of freedom, served as an incubator for intellecutual curiosity. The rise of Nazism forced these great minds to flee there native country and eventually wind up in the U.S.A. Their contributions to the U.S.A. resulted in the development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs, the computer and a branch of mathematics called game theory. The efforts of these immegrants contributed substantially to our victory over both Germany and Japan,

Budapest as the incubator of Greatness.......2007-05-31

The nine men biographied in this book all were born in pre-WWI Budapest when it was the capital of half the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They were "double" outsiders being both Jews and Hungarians, estranged from most of the rest of Central Europe and from their own homeland. After WWI and (thankfully) before the beginning of WW2, they all managed to escape. But they didn't escape from Hitler, most when they first left Budapest went to either Berlin or Vienna; they truly escaped from Admiral Horthy and his Arrow Cross, the first fascist government in Europe.

Of the nine, seven made their homes in america and two in england. In England would 'settle' Alexander Korda who was considered the 'only' British film mogul (producer of "The Third Man") who was later knighted. Also Arthur Koestler, ex-communist who would write the Stalin scathing novel "Darkness at Noon" which first brought to light the Gulag and the terror of Communism.

Four of the scientist who came to america ended up the major forces behind the 'Manhattan Project', the H-Bomb (and later design the 'Strategic Defense Initiative') and the first true computer "Eniac". Two others are responsible for many of the most famous photographs ever published (Robert Capa was known as 'the World's Greater War Photo- journalist') in Look, Life and Home & Gardens. The last man, Michael Curtiz, created the look and feel of three of the most famous american movies, "Mildred Pierce" "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and what many consider the greatest (romantic) movie ever made "Casablanca". It was Curtiz who fought with Jack Warner (and won) the battle to use Bogart and Bergman, instead of George Raft and Bette Davis.

At the end, Kati Marton (whose own family escaped from Hungary in 1956 following the abortive revolution), does a phenomenal job of bringing these nine mens lives to life. Her ending snippets about Andrew Grove (of Intel) and George Soros (who gives new meaning to the word Philanthropist) are worth the price of the book alone.

Hungarians love their salami and their Magyars.......2007-03-26

Every anti-semitic Hungarian needs to read this book.

OK, but..........2007-03-20

I found this book quite interesting although not very well written. I am also less than happy with some of choices made by the author - why these nine are featured when some of them (A. Korda, for example) are not in the same league of significance as others. Why were others ignored?
But that was all well until I read that E. Wigner never returned to Hungary late in his life and was never honored there officially. I met Wigner in Budapest in the late seventies on one of his several trips to Hungary and I know that he received numerous acknowledgments there. Among others, he was elected an Honorary Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. So I wonder, what else is inaccurate in the book?

Budapest's loss is the world's gain..........2007-03-12

Ms Marton is a wonderful writer and her subject matter is close to her heart as she is a transplanted Hungarian, like the subjects of her fascinating tale: "The Great Escape". Marton has focused on nine Hungarians,scientists, film makers and photographers, who fled their homeland because of the country's intolerance to their religion. To a man they went on to make their mark in their respective fields the common thread besides their birthplace, was their everlasting affection for Budapest as one of the subjects stated "Everything I am is because of my experience growing up in Budapest". A very fine read, as a result of the book, I have been looking into travelling to this fabled city .

Average customer rating:

Contemporary Art in Book Form
an amazing work
Intriguing, but inaccessible
Reflection of woman
Great book...

Dictee
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520231120

Book Description

Dictee is the best-known work of the versatile and important artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (1951-1982). A classic work of autobiography that transcends the self, Dictee is the story of several women: the Korean revolutionary Yu Guan Soon, Joan of Arc, Demeter and Persephone, Cha's mother Hyung Soon Huo (a Korean born in Manchuria to first-generation Korean exiles), and Cha herself. The element that unites these women is suffering and the transcendence of suffering. The book is divided into nine parts structured around the Greek Muses. Cha deploys a variety of texts, documents, images, and forms of address and inquiry to explore issues of dislocation and the fragmentation of memory. The result is a work of power, complexity, and enduring beauty.

Customer Reviews:

Contemporary Art in Book Form.......2007-07-27

I read this book for my Asian American lit class and found it excruciating painful to read. It's certainly inventive, but that's the only positive thing I can say about it. It's difficult to read, there are no characters to love. The French side by side is misleading since the translations are not exact. I would not call this a book, but rather a piece of contemporary art: It has a great concept but isn't actually very nice to read.

an amazing work.......2007-02-13

Dictee is a seminal work that has strongly influenced those poets lucky enough to have read it in the decades since it first appeared. It has had an underground reputation for decades, and now is beginning to be known to the mainstream. Yes, Dictee is rooted in the specifics of her family's immigrant experience, in the specifics of Korea and of America, in the specifics of gender, but it explodes across time, space and cultures, it transcends form, and ultimately it transforms the reader's consciousness of what can be done with writing and how you can perceive your life. I am tempted to say "if Cha had lived longer she would have been one of our major writers" but in fact she *is* one of the major writers of the second half of the 20th century, on the strength of this one work alone. I am delighted that Dictee is soon to appear in an addition with more of Cha's work.

Intriguing, but inaccessible.......2006-05-30

This book is certainly written in a surprising format, and some of the passages are interesting. However, in attempting to follow Cha's thought from one part to the next, the thought itself disappears, leaving only a form.

This book is clearly written for a very narrow range of readers: recent female Korean emigres to America who also know French, as well as extremely knowledgeable scholars. Those who do identify in some way with Cha's biography do find a way into the text. The two articles I read as part of a study of this book were written by Korean American women, who did find something meaningful in Dictee.

I, however, was lost and confused most of the time by the often minimalist use of words, their repeating, and the sudden jumps in theme and style.

Buy this book only if you fit into the above mentioned category, or if you have much time and desire to struggle through a confusing work for a questionable reward.

Reflection of woman.......2005-03-18

This book is confusing, frustrating, consuming and utterly breathtaking. It is a shattered mirror w/ pieces of riddles, poetry, cold photos of mothers and unsung heroines & nonsense; a true reflection of a woman. And like a woman, it takes work to truly understand its essence. Discovering what is hidden within Cha's deliberate chaos is like discovering the most sacred thoughts a woman possess. What makes this book unique is not so much the unconventional style but its dominating force to be absolutely nonconforming, such as the wildness that goes on in a woman's mind. It's not meant to be dissected and place into some kind of scientific formula of understanding. It's meant to be subjective, delicate and complex. Digest its intricacy and savor each page with delight. -Scribbling Ibis, 3/17/05

Great book..........2004-11-06

This has to be one of the most unusual books I have read. The layout of the whole book is a peice of art by itself. I bought it using a coupon from UnderTag.com, so it was almost free for me.

The Dark Elf Trilogy, Collector's Edition (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn)

Average customer rating:

Great set of books.
Well written
The Tale of Drizzt's Past, Salvatore has Done It Again!
What can I say
The Dark Elf Trilogy

The Dark Elf Trilogy, Collector's Edition (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0786915889
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Book Description

This three-book set is perfect for collectors and an ideal gift for readers unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms setting. The Dark Elf Trilogy--Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn--are enclosed in a hard-sided slipcover case featuring the cover art from the series.

Customer Reviews:

Great set of books........2007-10-10

The forgotten Realms series of books are plain awesome. They are hands down my favorite fantasy books and this triology is no exception. Read the series! If your a fantasy fan you wont regret it.

Well written.......2007-09-14

Well written book(like I would expect otherwise from R.A.Salvatore)I would, and have suggested this one and other books of his to others, and will continue to do so.

The Tale of Drizzt's Past, Salvatore has Done It Again!.......2007-08-17

To think, Drizzt was originally going to be Wulfgar's sidekick.

This is an amzing journey into the Underdark of Faerun. A mystical trip into the city of Menzoberranzan, city of the Spider Queen. There are so many questions after Icewind Dale aobut how Drizzt came to be the drow he is today, and this trilogy answer them.

The characters in this book are more of those love to hate, and hate to love types. Verna, Malice, Matron Baenre, Dinin, and some you just hate, personally Alton DeVir, Masoj, and Briza. Some you just come to love, like Zaknafein, Drizzt's father, who was the renowned weapons master of House Do'Urden and secretly hated drow society as a whole. And Belwar Dissengulp, a svirfneblin. And Clacker a polymorphed pech. And my favorite an important and true friend named Montolio Debrouchee (Mooshie), who teaches Drizzt the ways of a ranger. (We must mention Gwen at this time, because she is Drizzt's first friend... she ROCKS!!!)

It is really a set of books about overcoming your Station in life and choosing a path that fits your soul. It helps to understand Drizzt's character, and how he came to be the drow he is, and why he cares so much for a world that doesn't want to accept him.

If you love Icewind Dale, this is the next chapter, but i would suggest to everyone, read Icewind Dale first.

I always say read them in the order they are meant to be, the way they were written!

What can I say.......2007-07-25

BUY THIS BOOK! I started with this trilogy even though it was a prequel to the icewind dale trilogy. R.A paints a beautifully dark story with the dark elf trilogy. I recommend starting here. One of my all time favorite series!

The Dark Elf Trilogy.......2007-07-07

I loved reading this (these) books. I finished all three in 3 weeks, and it really helps to define and document why Drizzt is Drizzt. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes this genre of book or story.

As You Like It (Folger Shakespeare Library)

Average customer rating:

Shakespeares' best romantic comedy
All the world is a romantic comedy.
All The World's A Stage

As You Like It (Folger Shakespeare Library)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 074348486X

Book Description

Each edition includes:

• Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play

• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

• Scene-by-scene plot summaries

• A key to famous lines and phrases

• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Susan Snyder

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespeares' best romantic comedy.......2007-05-24

This is a pastoral romantic comedy that is set in the Middle Ages. The story is about four different sets of lovers who each represent the different faces of love. The characters are wonderfully portrayed. The setting is bucolic, and it is just so much fun. And, of course, the language is exquisite.

All the world is a romantic comedy........2006-08-21

I recently re-read AS YOU LIKE IT prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1552-1616) produced this romantic comedy in 1599 and published it in the First Folio in 1623.

Summarizing the play is rather challenging. It basically tells the story of Duke Frederick, who has banished his brother, Duke Senior, into the Forest of Arden, thereby usurping the kingdom. In his exile, Duke Senior has found a humble life of merriment with his court. Following a wrestling match, Duke Frederick also banishes Orlando (son of the late Sir Roland de Boys) and Rosalind (daughter of Duke Senior) into the forest. At the match, the two have fallen into love at first sight. Out of friendhip, Duke Frederick's only child, Celia, and the court jester, Touchstone, follow Rosalind (now disguised as a boy, "Ganymede") into the forest. Soon, Orlando, Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone are all welcomed into the merry life of banished Duke Senior. Orlando, however, is lovesick for Rosalind, and Rosalind (still disguised as a boy) decides to cure Orlando of his lovesickness. While counseling him in the ways of true love, Rosalind (disguised as Ganymede) finds herself falling deeper in love with Orlando. Meanwhile, Celia has fallen in love with Orlando's brother, Oliver. The two decide to get married the next day. Even witty Touchstone has fallen in love with a dull-witted goatherd girl, Audrey. In the final scene, and after many hilarious mixups, all romantic entanglements are resolved by marriage; and after a sudden religious conversion, Duke Frederick returns the throne to his brother--thereby righting all wrongs and uniting all couples by love and happiness.

G. Merritt

All The World's A Stage.......2005-08-28

As You Like It is one of Shakespeare's most beloved pastoral comedies. Banishment, disguises and love are the elements with which Shakespeare weaves his tale of several pairs of lovers who ultimately wind up marrying in the forest of Arden.
The melancholy Jaques delivers one of Shakespeare's most familiar speeches regarding the seven ages of man. If you haven't read or seen a performance of As You Like It I highly recommend this paperback edition.
The Folger Library editions are my favorite. Each page has a facing page that explains obscure terms and helps as a handy reference to make reading the plays pleasurable and educational. These paperback editions of Shakespeare's works are a great value and fit in your pocket.

The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai

Average customer rating:

"Unclean! Unclean!"
I Plead for Caution
The Colony
audio version of The Colony
A must read!

The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai
John Tayman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Special Topics | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743233018

Book Description

Beginning in 1866 and continuing for over a century, more than eight thousand people suspected of having leprosy were forcibly exiled to the Hawaiian island of Molokai -- the longest and deadliest instance of medical segregation in American history. Torn from their homes and families, these men, women, and children were loaded into shipboard cattle stalls and abandoned in a lawless place where brutality held sway. Many did not have leprosy, and many who did were not contagious, yet all were ensnared in a shared nightmare.

Here, for the first time, John Tayman reveals the complete history of the Molokai settlement and its unforgettable inhabitants. It's an epic of ruthless manhunts, thrilling escapes, bizarre medical experiments, and tragic, irreversible error. Carefully researched and masterfully told, The Colony is a searing tale of individual bravery and extraordinary survival, and stands as a testament to the power of faith, compassion, and the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

"Unclean! Unclean!".......2007-06-05

I suppose that the government officials in Hawaii in the 1860s assumed that they were doing the right thing by isolating lepers on an almost uninhabited island. Compared to the biblical era of rags, bells, and calls of "unclean, unclean!", they may have been somewhat correct. What they didn't realize, however, was the human toll living on that island would take on those people. It's actually amazing that so many surivied for a long time, considering the conditions. Of course, eveyone has heard of Father Damien, but the story doesn't begin, or end, with him.There were those who dedicated their lives to helping these people, and were successful , mostly. It's a grim and harrowing tale that this well-written book tells, but it should always remind us that even the best of intentions don't always turn our the way that we had intended them.

I Plead for Caution.......2007-06-03

I am little more than 100 pages into this book and already I can find more than a dozen cases where I question the author's over-dramatization and/or artistic license. I caution everyone who may read this and--goodness forbid, choose take it as a definative work of "history"--to approach the book with the skepticism it deserves. From the first pages of the preface--where the author quotes Jack London entirely out of context and leads the reader to believe London believed something he did not--to the blinding acceptance of newpaper accounts of the time as entirely factual (when, in fact, newspapers were notoriously biased in the days of the haole-controlled government), this book is already riddle with enough suspect material to make me shy away from it entirely. I'm certain Mr. Tayman did much research, but whether he has distilled it into a factual account is highly suspect to me at this point. It reeks of sensationism and I implore those who choose to read it to keep that in mind. This may indeed be more fiction than substative fact.

The Colony.......2007-05-28

It was well written and easy to follow. A lot of information in the book which I did not know. If there is/are anyone still afraid of leprosy should read it.

audio version of The Colony.......2007-05-11

I RECENTLY BOUGHT THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE COLONY, A NON-FICTION ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORY OF THE LEPER COLONY ON MOLOKA'I. THE BOOK IS TERRIFIC. BUT THE READER IS NOT. HE COMMITS THE CRIME OF MIS-PRONOUNCING ALL OF THE HAWAIIAN PLACE NAMES, FAMILY NAMES, AND WORDS. HE EVEN MISSPRONOUNCES THE ISLAND NAME OF MOLOKA'I!!!!!! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS FAILURE TO GET THE PRONUNCIATIONS CORRECTLY!!!!!!!!I REALIZE THAT THE READING ACTOR'S IGNORANCE IS NOT DIRECTLY THE FAULT OF AMAZON. I WOULD LIKE, HOWEVER, AMAZON TO PASS THIS COMPLAINT TO THE AUDIO RECORDING DEPARTMENT OF THE PUBLISHER, SO THAT IN FUTURE THEY HIRE ACTORS WHO READ WORDS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE WITH ACCURACY.

A must read!.......2007-04-12

I originally listened to this book on tape because my son spent two months bumming around Hawaii and I wanted to have my 'own' Hawaiian experience. I was so taken by the factual accounts of the brutality and the lives of the Hansen's patients, that I am buying extra copies for my four children - I want each of them to be introduced to a part of American history that hasn't been taught in their classrooms. Wonderfully researched and well written, this book is a must read - especially today, in the face of AIDS.

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture

Average customer rating:

you are not alone!
Great ideals...but exiles hurt, too.
A rebirth of the Christian movement
Imagination
typical Church bashing

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture
Michael Frost
Manufacturer: Hendrickson Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1565636708

Book Description

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture presents a biblical, Christian worldview for the emergent church—people who are not at home in the traditional church or in the secular world. As exiles of both, they must create their own worldview that integrates their Christian beliefs with the contemporary world. Exiles seeks to integrate all aspects of life and decision-making and to develop the characteristics of a Christian life lived intentionally within emerging (postmodern) culture. It presents a plea for a dynamic, life-affirming, robust Christian faith that can be lived successfully in the post-Christian world of twenty-first century Western society. This book will present a Christian lifestyle that can be lived in non-religious categories and be attractive to not-yet Christians.

Such a worldview takes ecology and politics seriously. It offers a positive response to the workplace, the arts, feminism, mystery and worship. Exiles seeks to develop a framework that will allow Christians to live boldly and courageously in a world that no longer values the culture of the church, but does greatly value many of the things the Bible speaks positively about. This book suggests that there us more to being a Christian than meets the eye. It explores the secret, unseen nooks and crannies in the life of a Christian and suggests that faith is about more than church attendance and belief in God. Written in a conversational, easy-to-read style, Exiles is aimed at church leaders, pastors and laypersons and seeks to address complex issues in a simple manner. It includes helpful photographs and diagrams.

Customer Reviews:

you are not alone!.......2007-08-27

If you sometimes feel like the desire and passion to live like Jesus puts you in unusual places doing His work and you wonder if this is "authentic", this is the read for you. I do church every Sunday, but I do more church outside of church (hiking trails, gay bars and events and business networking events) and, not only am I not alone, I am in a group of exiles who worldwide are trying to follow what Jesus would be doing were He here. He is not here in the flesh and expects us to carry on. I am an exile and I felt encouraged and unified by reading this book.

Great ideals...but exiles hurt, too........2007-08-16

I read this book after being involved in an emerging church full of exiles. There's so much I recognise and agree with in this book, which I think accurately portrays the feelings, reasoning, and practical implications of those who are rejecting the current church.

My one criticism of this book is that it seemed to be so angry - not just passionate - and very hard-line. The arguments and experiences need to be heard, but you can't continue to build a church on your anger toward what you define yourself against. I think Mike's disdain for pastoral care of the hurting also assumes that exiles are happy to go from a painful, abusive church to throwing themselves into mission in a victorious, confident experiment, where my experience is that a lot of us want a rest and need to deal with our issues before we inflict our woundedness all over others. I'm not saying we should be the perfect, healed, whole Christian...I'm just aware of how bitter and angry an exile can become.

A rebirth of the Christian movement.......2007-07-26

I have been a Christian for over 50 years. But for many years I have felt like an outcast by the leadership of the Christian community. I got great comfort from reading this book and connecting with the fact that there are millions of people around the world who are returning to true message of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself was an "exile" and went to the masses with His message, instead of employing the "come to us" philosphy of the modern day church. Michael Frost does an outstanding job of telling you where the modern church is going wrong and helps you to find the pathway to the missional movement.

Imagination.......2007-07-11

This book has taken me close to a month to read. It's not that it's a difficult read or deep on theology. It was just a slow read for some reason. That was the only negative for me (that and a few pages Piper's hedonism). This is one of the best books on the church I have ever read. The middle part of the book (Dangerous Promises & Dangerous Criticisms) was by far worth the price of the book. For anyone thinking of gathering collectively as a community, this is a book that would be beyond helpful. And I think every pastor still in a "gathered/organized" church should read this before they attend another Sunday service. It's not heavy on theological talk but it's basically the theology of the church as exiles in a culture foreign to God's kingdom. I'll say this . . . it's the only thing that has gotten me inspired, imagining, and dreaming again about our future in gathering as a community.

typical Church bashing.......2007-05-24

In reading this book I found cheap ideas and cliche church bashing. If you liked A New Kind of Christian then you would like this. The only redeeming quality for me was that he tried to add leftist politics into the mix. Although I'm not leftwing politically, I do appreciate the attempt to bring some balance, even if it is to the opposite extreeme, somewhere in the middle is where we should be. But it does make for some good discussion. But I honestly felt like I wasted my money by buying this.

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