Book Description
There are many sex manuals on the shelves of bookstores. They offer advice on being sexier, on giving him what he really wants, on making her wild with desire. Most of them are about as substantive as a filmy piece of lingerie. What is missing is a down-to-earth, realistic, honest book.
Betty Dodson, Ph.D., is an international authority on sexual self-help and the author of the multimillion-copy bestseller
Sex for One: The Joy of Self-Loving. She has devoted three decades of her life to sexual liberation for both women and men.
In
Orgasms for Two: The Joy of Partnersex, Dr. Dodson debunks the myths that keep us from having satisfying—and mutually satisfying—sex lives. She shows us how to be happier and healthier through the benefits of pleasure, and she shows us how to get to know ourselves and our partners better, whether it’s the inner and outer workings of the anatomy or the best sex toys to bring to bed.
She writes often from her own experiences, because she feels people learn best through example, and she writes from the knowledge acquired through years of working with women and men, teaching workshops, and doing research. The knowledge gained through reading
Orgasms for Two is like having a kindly, remarkably frank guide tell you all the things you’ve always wanted to know but never had anyone to ask.
Open
Orgasms for Two and see how rewarding it is to cast aside conventional beliefs about sexuality and begin to enjoy the best sex of your life.
"Everyone has a right to keep his or her sex life private. The reason I’m willing to go public with mine is because it has been proven to me time and again that the most effective way to teach something as subjective as sexual pleasure is by using the power of example. Since the seventies, I have shared my challenges and successes in the process of exploring sexual pleasure. What is happening to me in terms of my sexuality is not an isolated incident taking place in a vacuum. The chances are good that many other people are dealing with similar issues."
Although the idea of pleasure might be frivolous in a world that appears to be on the brink of horrible disasters, I believe one of our best hopes for survival depends upon embracing and celebrating human sexuality as a healing force." —Betty Dodson, Ph.D.
Customer Reviews:
Not for the sexually squeamish.......2006-12-12
I was intrigued by this book because of the mixed reviews it got from readers; most people seemed to either love it or hate it. Also, I am interested in the topic of gender and sexuality and had never read anything by Betty Dodson, nor did I know about her life work. So, I was very curious to find out more.
In short, the book is sort of a mix between autobiography (of her personal sexual life and her life as a sexologist), essay (her views on heterosexuality, romance, monogamy etc.) and some sexual advice/techniques to practice alone and/or with another/others.
Without a doubt the book is an interesting read, perhaps precisely because it is a bit shocking at times (she's definitely an adventerous lady). I agree with a lot of what she has to say about female sexuality and about how many women partake in their own exploition in "heterosexual sex" because they either don't know any better (i.e., they don't know that much about their own sexuality and orgasm response) and/or because they refuse to give up their romantic ideas about sex (i.e., with the right person everything should just fall into place "naturally" without their having to do anything).
However, I felt somewhat turned off by Dodson's blanket rejection of marriage and monogamy. I agree that if your life goal is to experience the greatest heights of sexual pleasure (which seems to have been her life goal), marriage and monogamy are not for you. However, I think many of us do not put sex at the top of our list of the most important things in life. In other words, many of us are willing to give up some of the pleasure and excitement of exploring our sexuality to the fullest in exchange for love (of a less sexual kind) and commitment. Yes, excitement and romance tend to fizzle out of any relationship after time (that is if there was any romance and excitement to begin with), but there are types of feelings that develop in committed relationships that are a very important part of many of our lives. Furthermore, while the sexual tension cannot be as strong as it is with a new (and sometimes foridden) partner, with good communication and closeness, sex can actually get better as far as technique and caring is concerned. I am not saying that people "should" choose commitment over "hot sex." I just don't think Dodson can really say that monogamy and/or commitment "doesn't work." That's simply too broad of a statement. Whether or not it "can work" depends on what you're looking for out of the relationship. Ironically, for someone who seems to be looking for more acceptance, she seems unable to accept that other people can choose lifestyles different from her own ("more conventional") and find satisfaction from them.
I also think Dodson overlooks the paradoxical nature of sexuality. The very prohibitions that she speaks out against are what have fueled the eroticism that she loves. In other words, her breaking of restrictions and taboos is what in many ways has led to her "peak sexual experiences" (to use a term from the book The Erotic Mind). Technique is one thing, but arousal is largely fueled be a mixture of attraction and obstacles, and desire and prohibitions. Would a completely sexually open society, where all the activities Ms. Dodson has engaged in were "normal" and "natura,l" have provided the appropriate environment for her to achieve the sexual liberation and the heights of sexual pleasure she claims to have experienced? I'm not so sure.
Overall, a very engaging read.
Author, Betty Dodson knows what she is talking about.......2006-08-15
I have read all of Betty Dodson's books and have alwasys learned something.
She has helped so many men and women.
She's great.
Sherri Rosen Publicity LLC
NYC
Memoirs of a Bitter Sexologist.......2005-12-24
I don't think there's much of anything positive to say about this book except the author seems to soften a bit temporarily for chapter 14, that she's good at drawing and she's quite nice looking for her type (not that's about the book, but that explains why maybe this book was even published).
Other than that, this book is a bitter rant that keeps on contradicting itself, for example, one minute partner sex isn't enjoyable to women than the next saying the opposite, saying if women act a certain way, they're 'just jealous', yet if men act the same, they're 'concerned' (and I thought feminism was supposed to try to tear down double-standards, not create more of them) and taking opinion as fact, as in using one study to 'prove' a hypothesis (not very scientific, is it?), etc. As far as any sort of slant, there are plenty of other guides that don't have any and are much better than this, like Violet Blue's guides.
Author continues the myths of the female orgasm.......2005-10-21
As the author states right at the beginning, she thinks that a woman requires clitoral stimulation to have an orgasm. Later on she states that sex, for women, should mimic masturbation and not the other way around.
Women's lack of orgasm via penetration is not necessarily a reflection of the women's biology as it is the man's. (Or rather, a man's failure to control his biology.) While the author bashes men in several places in the book, she misses her one true opportunity here. The reason more women don't have more internal orgasms is because men fail to take the time to allow their partners to be pleasured that way. The correlation (the rarity of such orgasms) does not prove that that this is the inherent outcome. Basic science 101.
The idea that sex should mimic women's masturbation is surely a real killer to intimacy. There's no reason why one has to mimic the other. What's wrong with them being just different? This kind of approach might work for one night stands and flings, but couples in committed relationships are going to want more. Of course, this view would be lost on the author because she's already stated her belief (not the fact) that these kinds of sexual encounters aren't really possible in the first place.
This author has had her own experiences and this has biased her views about sex. If you want a scientific apporach to the topic you'll want to look elsewhere.
Not a good book for improving your love life.......2004-06-20
Betty Dodson begins "Orgasms for Two" with a straight-forward introduction, and by page two, you'll find drawings for new positions. But by page three, you'll find out that Dodson is NOT a supporter of monogamy or heterosexuality, and that she feels that women have been oppressed by men - they're being FORCED to have sex in the missionary position. By the end of the first chapter, you'll learn that she feels the Vagina Monologues were politically incorrect and misleading, and she'll have told you that most men have extramarital affairs, and that this is ok. Well, we were just looking for a book that would help us improve our sex life, not an oppressed feminist's diatribe. If you want a feminist's ranting commentary on sex-in-general, this is the book for you. If you and your partner are looking for new ideas to try in bed, look somewhere else.
Amazon.com
First published in 1960 and closely followed by a hit movie of the same name, Joy Adamson's now classic memoir Born Free continues to introduce countless young people to the wildlife of Africa. Adamson recounts her adventures as the surrogate mother of an orphaned lion cub named Elsa (with parenting duties shared by her husband George and by a delightfully imperturbable rock hyrax named Pati), whom she raised as a welcome member of her human and animal family while painstakingly teaching Elsa the skills she would need to survive in the wild. Her teaching, against all odds, was effective: three years later, the Adamsons took Elsa to a place near that of her birth and set her loose, hoping that she would find her "real pride" among other lions of the Kenya grasslands--as she soon did.
Long targeted to preteen readers, Born Free is in fact a sophisticated work of environmental consciousness-raising, for Joy Adamson believed that any relationship between humans and wild animals had to be conditioned by an attitude "of absolute equality quite different from that between a dog and his master." Although Elsa's story had an ultimately tragic ending--the young lioness died of disease and, in separate incidents, Joy and George Adamson were both murdered--Joy Adamson's book continues to instruct and entertain readers of all ages. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
There have been many accounts of the return to the wild of tame animals, but since its original publication in 1960, when the New York Times hailed it as a "fascinating and remarkable book,"
Born Free has stood alone in its power to move us.
Joy Adamson's story of a lion cub in transition between the captivity in which she is raised and the fearsome wild to which she is returned captures the abilities of both humans and animals to cross the seemingly unbridgeable gap between their radically different worlds. Especially now, at a time when the sanctity of the wild and its inhabitants is increasingly threatened by human development and natural disaster, Adamson's remarkable tale is an idyll, and a model, to return to again and again.
Illustrated with the same beautiful, evocative photographs that first enchanted the world forty years ago and updated with a new introduction by George Page, former host and executive editor of the PBS series Nature and author of Inside the Animal Mind, this anniversary edition introduces to a new generation one of the most heartwarming associations between man and animal.
Customer Reviews:
Born Free Book Reveiw.......2006-11-04
Born Free
Joy Adamson
1960
ISBN: 0-375-71438-3
196 pages
When Elsa's natural instincts soften, reality becomes harder and harder to face.
After a young lioness has been raised and transformed from fierce predator to loving house
cat by her owner Joy, the thought of releasing Elsa into the wild seems to be the greatest
challenge the two have had to face.
Born Free is a true story about a woman ,Joy, and a lioness ,Elsa. Joy's husband
was a game warden in Africa, so the two went on many safaris together. During one of these
safaris, they find three orphaned lion cubs and decide to raise and take care of them during
their cub life. The day finally arrives when the cubs are to be shipped to a European zoo,
and Joy just cannot part with the smallest cub, Elsa. Elsa stays with the two of them and
becomes part of the family for many months. Between all of the fun and
suspense, the truth of the matter finally reveals itself. Elsa, though removed of all the natural
instincts she needs to survive, must soon be permanently released into the wild.
Filled with laughter and excitement, Born Free is a terrific bittersweet adventure,
giving people the ability to learn about a miraculous breakthrough in human and animal
interaction. This book is a timeless classic that you can read again
and again.
By: Amy Schmidt
THE CLASSIC TRUE LIFE ADVENTURE.......2006-05-04
Animals have always been a favorite topic of mine, but as a young person who just happened to find a copy of this book some 39 years ago, with the cover torn off, I consider it one of the great discoveries of my life. It was summertime, and I was headed to the 7th grade. I wasn't much of a reader until that momentous day. The story of Elsa and the Adamsons totally transported me to another place, and many wondrous adventures in Africa. Due much to this book, I now am a voracious reader. The story is heartwarming, and is the reason I insisted my 7th grade son read it for his current book report.
Whether you're 9 or 99, Elsa's antics and her loving bond with Joy and George will capture your heart. I guarantee it. And with Africa's Lion population dwindling to probably less than 30,000 today, I can't think of a more timely book, in honour of conserving their remaining habitat. Especially when one considers that Africa had over 100,000 Lions when I first read it.
Born Free.......2005-04-25
This book touched my heart, to actually realize how one woman could bome so close to animals that we look at and call beasts. The compassion that one woman had is enough to change they way you may think about how we live. And once you read this book, dont forget that it is a true story. After seeing what Joyce had done wither her love for animals, any dream can come true.
Great Stroy for all ages.......2003-11-13
This book is one of my favorites. This book tells you the story of a bond between a hunan and a lioness. This is a great book because it shows you a different side of wild animals and the way they live. When you read it, you will get the excitement as if you are along on the safari with them!
A Powerful, Moving Story of Elsa.......2003-06-27
My first introduction to the Born Free books when I was a child learning to read in school. And what a great introduction to reading it was. The story of Elsa and the Adamsons who saved her life as a cub along with her sisters and raised her brought me into a world of wanting to be there with all the animals and see Africa. This seemed to be treated more as a children's book in my time than an adult book. The idea of the book was to teach people the importance of environmental conservation awareness. The first book, tells Elsa's early life from a cub raised by Joy and George Adamson and their pet rock hyrax, Pati. Joy is Elsa's surrogate mom and with great pains to teach Elsa the skills to survive in the wild. With lots of work Joy did it with success that Elsa was capable of living in the wild again. They released her near her birthplace and hoping Elsa would find and connect with her pride-in which she did. There is the tragedy not long afterward I had read this amazing story that Elsa had died in the Kenya bush of disease. Something of life that I learned early in my life that it was reality in the wilds of Africa or anywhere for that matter. But the cycle of life lives on in Elsa's pride. Still another grim incident ended the lives of Joy and George Adamson. Both were found murdered.
Joy Adamson has left behind a legacy of these fascinating books that moves us to treat our world with respect and have a better understanding between human-animal relationship. Joy Adamson before her death had also written, 'Living Free: Elsa and her Cubs' and 'Forever Free: Elsa's Pride.' Her family extended even further across the grasslands of Africa as she tells about them in her other books, 'The Spotted Sphinx' (about Pippa the Cheetah), 'Pippa's Challenge,' 'Pippa: The Cheetah and her Cubs,' 'Queen of Shaba: The Story of an African Leopard,' and 'Friends of the Forest.' Joy Adamson's book 'Peoples of Kenya' reflects upon the life of the Kenyan people, her concern for the people welfare there and their struggles to make an existence in a harsh, beautiful land. If you want to know more about Joy Adamson read her autobiography, 'The Searching Spirit.'
Book Description
33 articles on child & parent training, told with country humor, taken from over two years of newsletter articles. If you appreciated To Train Up A Child, you may find this book even more helpful. Most of the articles are answers to questions the Pearls receive in the mail daily. Many readers have told the Pearls that they found the answers to their questions in this book. This book also has some good advise for parents with kids going through puberty.
If you are interested in receiving a free newsletter write to No Greater Joy, 1000 Pearl Road, Pleasantville, TN 37033.
Customer Reviews:
Read Their Children........2007-03-03
For anyone looking for proof of the methods the Pearls teach; you need only read their children. They are grown, with children of their own. They have their own articles available online. As for someone reading their books and commiting child abuse; they should have read ALL of the instructions. To injure a child after reading their books, you must have selected which words to heed very carefully. Much the same as if I encouraged you to go home, sit down and eat with your children: You decided to go home, sit down and eat your children!
AN EXCELLENT BOOK !!!.......2006-09-14
Everyone reading this book and others written by the Pearls will recognize that they are based on the Word of God and for this reason they have many enemies. When people heard the truth from the Lord Jesus in person they said "who can suffer this talk" or "he is evil". If people could say that about the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, what should we expect about his followers? If the World hated Jesus' ministry, they will hate the ministry of any of His followers who want to be approved by God alone and speak the truth. People don't like to hear God's opinion. It tortures their conscience. The Bible says that in the last days people will not want to hear the truth but teachers who will tell them what they want to hear.
If you want to know the truth, read the Bible yourself and see if the Pearls ministry is from man or from the Lord. Maybe your pastor taught you only some truth or a twisted truth. The Lord said : "read for yourself".
Generations of Failure Are Proof Enough.......2006-08-21
Where have the last couple of generations gone wrong? It has been in moving away from sound Biblical doctrine and adopting worldly "feel-good" forms of discipline (time-outs), positive affirmation, and blaming others (he's a middle child). The Bible says, "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Proverbs 29:15 Hmmmmm. Do you feel ashamed when you look at your children who don't obey you and disrespect other adults? In a culture where children are being nursed by television and practical strangers, could this proverb be any more true? My own grandmother says, "You don't need that switch. That baby (2-year-old) is so sweet." And to that I reply, "What do you think made her that way? It certainly wasn't her human nature." The proof is in the results. When we go out in public, my child does not throw mashed potatoes at the restaurant wall, she does not tell us "NO!", and she makes no disruptions (only people commenting on how sweet and good she is). All of this is because at home, we train her to obey. We did not allow her to develop such bad habits. If she displayed that attitude once, we put a stop to it. She was not abused. She was trained that that was an unacceptable behavior. People do it with dogs all of the time. They do it with horses. Circuses train elephants and bears. Why would I treat my animals any better than I treat my children? I would only do this if my values were seriously screwed up and I had no fear of the Almighty God.
The Pearls teach how to TRAIN your children so they won't need DISCIPLINE. They don't tell you to HIT them. They tell you to apply the ROD (a Biblical concept: Prov. 13:24, Prov. 22:15, Prov. 23:13-14) in a loving, instructive way so as to TRAIN them UP in the way they should go. If you don't train them, they will go the way the wind blows. Then you have to figure out a way to bend/break them out of their disobedience and back into the proper path (discipline). It is easier on the children to train them in the beginning than to wait until they have bad habits that have to be broken. It really is quite an amazing concept- one instituted by God and not the Pearls. They have simply obeyed the Word and become wise beyond many a psychologist's years. You really have to read this book to appreciate their instruction. They simply take what God has commanded that we do (use the rod to train up our children) and show us some creative ways that they have learned to implement them. I am blessed to have such a wise counsel in the Pearls.
Here's a thought: MANY A MAN HAS TRAINED HIS DOG BETTER THAN HE HAS TRAINED HIS CHILDREN. THAT IS CHILD ABUSE!
What the Pearls teach is not abuse if it is done in a loving, kind, Godly manner. It is YOUR ATTITUDE that makes the difference. I think that's what a lot of these nay-sayers are afraid of. They can't handle the pressure. It takes a lot of love and patience and wisdom to stay home with two-year-olds and babies (at the same time!) and do household chores and manage the bills and make out grocery lists and cook supper and satisfy a spouse and wash clothes and..........or we could just hire a sitter and go off to work where we only have to obey man and not God.......
Christians have got to stop living like the world. Our children deserve better.
Yet another wonderful book!.......2006-08-19
Another great addition to the Pearl's books. These books take you to a reality that is obviously unfathomable to many people. This is child rearing from the Bible, the Pearls are mainly explaining the importance of proper application. You cannot call yourself a Christian and leave such cruel feedback on the Pearls, that is not love. May God bless those who actually read it, with wisdom and understanding.
THINK FOR YOURSELF!.......2006-07-05
Why don't people think for themselves anymore??? Reviews are merely someone's very biased opinion. Read the book for yourself! I'm sure that you will find that most reviews that you have read have misconstrued information or taken things out of context. Grow up and decide for yourself! And by the way, hasn't anyone else noticed that the more upset someone is about a particular book, the more they have totally and emotionally lied about what the core of the book is really about??????
Book Description
All kinds of people are coming to America. If you're European, you come in search of freedom or riches. If you're African, you come in chains. And what about the Indians, what is happening to them? Soon with the influx of so many people, thirteen unique colonies are born, each with its own story. Meet Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown. Join William Penn and the Quakers in Pennsylvania. Sit with the judges at the Salem witch trials. Hike over the mountains with Daniel Boone. And let Ben Franklin give you some salty advice in his Poor Richard's Almanac in this remarkable journey through the dynamic creation of what one day becomes the United States.
Customer Reviews:
A great read!.......2007-05-17
I love the writing in this series, it's such a pleasure to read, I wonder why are so many other textbooks so boring?
I'd love to give it five stars, except that there are recurring themes I find grating - some of her "fan club for the US government" stuff is just in totally inappropriate places. For instance, "American slavery was a horror. We should never pretend it was anything else. But the American system of government lets us correct mistakes. When you study history you see we usually do. Of that we can be proud." Gag me with a spoon, slavery was not abolished until more than 240 years after the first slave was delivered in 1619! Hakim does such a great job of fairly telling the story, why ruin it?
Another place I found disappointing was the perpetuation of the myth that the first settlers at Plymouth were called "Pilgrims" and that the Europeans started Thanksgiving. She has a box on Thanksgiving saying the story of the first Thanksgiving is a "real turkey", lists some other European Thanksgiving celebrations, and then neglects to mention that the Indians had been conducting Thanksgiving celebrations at harvest time for generations. I'd love to see someone do such a great job TELLING the story, who could also not perpetuate those irritating little false stories that schoolchildren are always taught.
Gosh, this doesn't sound like the positive review I inteded, but I see others have already told the good stuff. It's wonderfully well written!
Great Books for Teaching HIstory to Kids!.......2006-11-22
I just borrowed this book from the library and now plan to buy the whole set. As a home schooling parent, I am always struggling to find quality materials and this series is just that. Hakim's books are easy to read and comprehend. Most importantly, they give a realistic view of history, not the politically correct one so often taught.
As I teach my children U.S. history, I want them to know that, yes, the white people were sometimes violent and unfair to the Native Americans, but some Native Americans were that way too. Before the Europeans came, they kidnapped and killed each other. I want my kids to know the whole truth and these books are very fair. No matter what the race, some people are good and some are not.
I highly recommend these books for teaching history to children and even adults.
Fun Book.......2005-11-09
This book is very fun and imformative. It gives us information, but in a fun way...I recomend this book to anyone under the age of 13, and who enjoys history...if you get this book in school, dont be scared it is fun!
The English establish thirteen colonies in the New World.......2003-12-18
"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World. This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791).
Hakim begins with a preface that looks at the vast mixture of ideas that were brought over from the Mediterranean world and took root in the Americas. Along with the first chapter, which talks about the comet that appeared in 1607 as a portent of great changes for the world, this preface sets up several key themes that will be revisited throughout this and future volumes. "Making Thirteen Colonies" has 42 chapters and it the book is divided into five main sections. The first (chapters 2-12) tells how English settlers came to stay by establishing the first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia. The second (chapters 13-23) looks primarily at the Puritans arriving in New England, although Hakim also touches on what was happening between the Indians and the Spanish in the southwest. The third section (chapters 24-30) tells about the mid-Atlantic colonies, most notably New Amsterdam/York and Pennsylvania. The fourth section (chapter 31-39) returns to the South, looking at not only Ole Virginny but also the two Carolinas and Georgia. This unit also looks at the Triangle Trade and other considerations that united the four southern and nine northern colonies. The final section (chapters 40-42) is a transitional unit, that looks at how the colonists began to move westward and the stage was set for the period of history that would make those thirteen colonies into a new nation.
One of the great advantages to writing a ten-volume history of the United States is that unlike most standard American history textbooks "A History of US" is able to clearly establish the unique identities of each of those original thirteen colonies. I recently finished reading an excellent series of books, each of which was devoted to an individual colony, and Hakim ends up being closer to those volumes than she does the standard textbook. Consequently, in addition to the traditional stories about Pocahontas and John Smith in Jamestown, William Penn and the Quakers of Pennsylvania, the Salem witch trials, Ben Franklin as the quintessential American, and Daniel Boone finding routes through the mountains, Hakim establishes an individual identity for each colony.
However, the main strength of this series is how Hakim engages young readers, the same way you would expect a "real" teacher to do in a "real" classroom. This shows up primarily in her ability to anticipate and answer questions that students might have (e.g., why the Indians were not enslaved). I can easily see why this series is popular with parents who are home schooling their children. The book is richly illustrated with dozens and dozens of historic paintings, etchings, drawings, maps, engravings, and assorted reproductions. The margins are crammed with interesting facts, definitions, and quotations, and features on topics such as Land Green and Africa: The Unknown Continent are sprinkled throughout the book. The After Words this time around are devoted to cartography and has some superb examples of 16th- and 17th-century maps. It is easily to see why this series has impressed so many people and why Hakim is able to get such good responses from young students who are used to getting their information from computers and the Internet.
Excellent resource.......2001-03-27
I love this series!! Told in story style, you get details and interesting tidbits that you wouldn't get in ordinary text books. I have always felt that history was a vital part of our school curriculum and these books make the going easier. Even if you are just a history buff, instead of student, you would enjoy these!
Book Description
For two quietly unhappy years, linguist Claire Gallagher has been living deep in the New Hampshire woods, enduring a polite but strained marriage to a highly respected scientist. Once a determined overachiever and academic star in her own right, she now spends her days avoiding her stalled dissertation and creating EZ crossword puzzles. But for all Claire's knowledge of words and their meanings, the meaning in her own life eludes her. One bleak morning in winter, she announces that she's leaving.
By nightfall, at the urging of her younger sister Noelle, Claire finds herself heading to the last place she thought she would ever go: Ireland -- the birthplace of her abrasive, chronically ill mother and the country Noelle, a college dropout, now calls home. In a small town on the Irish coast, Claire's struggle to move ahead with her life takes her deep into the puzzles of her past -- in a world in which there are no simple answers, and the only questions that matter are those of the heart.
Customer Reviews:
Good character development.......2007-08-20
Juska is very good with character development. I almost gave up on it because in the first half I found Claire to be the most boring, uptight, and stuck up character but as she looks back on her past and learns some important "life lessons" in Ireland her personality improves and she becomes more likeable. However, I liked her previous book "The Hazards of Sleeping Alone" much better.
" THIS ONE IS FOR JOY ".......2007-08-11
my first book by Ms. Juska and was really pleasantly surprised . I used some of the reviews on here to make up my mind and then purchased it and am happy to be saying I have ordered via Amazon " The Hazards Of Sleeping Alone ", as that seems to fit my likes more then the " The Getting Over Jack Wagner " genre type soap opera " 80's " stuff. I supppose it's because I never watch them and haven't a clue who Jack Wagner is ???
Here's hoping when Ms. Juska's next book arrives I enjoy it as much as this first venture . I too love the idea of the origin of words . also the lite travelogue feel of the old Sod , the superstitions of Ireland , as my family came from Sligo. The palm each Irishman knows of having in their home from one year to the next . rosary beads round the bedpost : ) etc. By the way, the Magpie tale well, that worked in Ireland but, most people who came from the Isle were hard pressed to find one in the asphalt jungles of America ...sooo, now when we see the unusual event of a lone pigeon sitting on or by our windows or property and staying....bad sign . Ergo, One Is For Sorrow .we just changed from magpie to pigeon : )
Of course I too enjoyed the entire storyline and the beginings of tying up of old family wounds & estrangements which happens in many families sooner or later . usually after a death .
cruciverbalist ...aaahhh, now there's a word to defy & mystify your friends with : )
Ms. Juska's best book yet.......2007-07-27
I know I'm always in for a great read when I sit down to one of Juska's novels. This one in particular kept me glued to the pages. I really enjoyed getting to know Claire (main character) through her relationships with her husband, sister and mother. Juska's descriptions are vivid and often humorous. I loved the entertaining way that she punctuated a moment with various definitions of a word. I really truly enjoyed this book and want to offer my congratulations to the author on a beautifully written story.
Book Description
Detailed study of the musical evolution of the seminal and enduring cult band New Order-best known for mega hit "Blue Monday"-album-by-album, song-by-song. The book also covers Joy Division, the band's earlier incarnation, and related bands and solo projects. Timed to coincide with the release of the long-awaited New Order studio album and tour and the filming of the biopic of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis featuring Jude Law in the title role.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting book for the casual to moderate New Order fan.......2005-06-08
As a fan of New Order and their side projects I found this book to be a pretty interesting collection of details, reviews and anecdotes about Joy Division, New Order and their various outside work. I learned quite a bit about the back story behind the fall of Factory and the switch to London records that I did not know about. If you have not been a slavish fan of the bands who clips articles from the music press you'll find this pretty entertaining. For die hard fans who spend all their time on worldinmotion.net and neworderonline.com there is little new here that hasn't been hashed over 1000x in the forums.
It's a quick read and contains nuggets about their career most people don't even know about (Be Music & the influence of their manager Rob Gretton R.I.P). it will keep you busy this summer while waiting for the follow up album to Waiting For the Siren's Call (not mentioned in the book BTW) that's been hotly discussed among NO fans and confirmed by the band.
Book Description
“This is a very intelligent novel; its examination of the nature of belief and faith (and deception) is as insightful and well reasoned as some book-length nonfiction treatments of the same subjects. Add to that a rich and fascinating setting, a solid mystery, and a few surprises, and you have a novel that will capture the interest of anyone who picks it up.” Booklist (starred review).
It is now two years after One for Sorrow. John the Eunuch, Emperor Justinian’s Lord Chamberlain, must discover why Constantinople’s holy stylites are bursting into flames as they stand atop their pillars. A pagan philosophy tutor and a heretical Christian prophet handicap his investigation. Then murder strikes too close to home and John has only a few days to save the city.
Customer Reviews:
Flames on the Bosphoros.......2003-02-23
This time John must divine the cause of stylites suddenly bursting into flames. Is it a godly punishment for blasphemy or the work of sinister plotters? John, Lord Chamberlain in sixth-century Byzantium, must solve the mystery, save his friend Anatolius from execution, keep the city from being destroyed by a panic stricken populace and keep his own head from being detached from his body.
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer bring Justinian and his empress Theodora to life though John's eyes: "Caught unawares, she was simply a short attractive woman, her complexion carefully lightened by chalk, her deep set eyes accentuated by artful application of kohl, as if she depended upon enticement to work her will, rather than command." Theodora sees herself as the power behind the throne and John must step carefully as he serves Justinian and protects the empire.
As in the previous volume, the authors take us to the shores of the Bosphoros and present life in the ancient city. Philo, once John's instructor at the Athens academy, incidentally introduces a board game called shatranj: ". .. something to do with trapping your opponent's king." This sort of historical color, along with the mystery, make this series an entertaining read.
Amazing!.......2001-02-28
This book is an outstanding mystery with plot turns as intricate as Byzantium's court intrigue and with such seamless detail the reader cannot tell what is fiction and what history. I call it amazing because the reader is not only swept into the larger currents of life as the old gods fell to the new but also such minute detail, one is living it with the characters. The pacing is excellent for an exciting read and the sense of place beautifully crafted. I seldom read historical mysteries; I'm delighted I made an exception here. Mari Ulmer, Taos, NM
What's the buzz..........2001-02-21
I'm sorry I don't share the enthusiasm of previous reviewers about this book. I borrowed it at the library because I liked the cover (by the way, I looked in vain in the book for a reference to the jacket illustration) and I was intrigued to read a plot about Justinian's and Theodora's court. I found the book hard to read because it's not well written (and has many typos), it's difficult to get attached to any single one of its many characters, and the style of the descriptions really failed to put me in the picture. Three religions are "described" in the book: Orthodox Christianity, Heretic Christianity, and Mithraism, but you'll be hard pressed to know what each stands for after reading THIS book... I finished reading it only because I was hoping it would get better in the end--no such luck!
Series runaway.......2000-12-27
Back for his second mystery is John the Eunuch, Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor. The mystery takes place in Constantinople during the reign of Justinian and Theodora. Two for Joy is an impressive mystery about roman courts, religion, miracles, respect, heartache, loyalty, and friendship.
John has his hands full when a former teacher/pagan philosopher appears unannounced at his door and wanders into trouble more than once; A trio of stylites (Holy men) simultaneously burst into flame while on their pillars; Anatolius, John's friend and secretary to the emperor, puts together a banquet for his father that turns tragic; and a Christian prophet's sermons and miracles bring both peace and chaos.
Christianity, Paganism, and Mithraism are weaved throughout this roman mystery. Ecliptic, colorful characters fill the pages - some returning from the first mystery. The historical details are substantial and informative without being confusing, and the added bonus is a glossary at the back. Two for Joy maybe part of a series, but it held it's own, and references to the last mystery, One For Sorrow, did not read as spoilers.
In starting Two for Joy, I found there was no stopping. The intriguing mystery, genuine characters, and historical quality captivated me. Two for Joy is a historical whodunit that will keep its readers in place until the last page is turned.
Excellent historical mystery.......2000-12-10
Everyone living in sixth century Constantinople is shocked when three stylites sitting on their perches suddenly go up in flame. Caesar Justinian assigns Lord Chamberlain John to investigate. John finds little evidence that explains what happened. However, he eliminates spontaneous combustion from within the bodies of the dead men as an option as the corpses' insides were not roasted.
The Emperor sends John to meet with a heretic, Michael, at the healing Shrine of Michael. John is shocked when Michael demands more than just an audience with Justinian I. Michael wants to be named the Patriarch and the Emeperor's co-ruler. John wonders if Michael is linked to the deaths of the three stylites since the latter boasts of a cleaning fire. John continues his inquiries as Michael's fame and following grow geometrically and are becoming a threat to Caesar.
TWO FOR JOY is a powerful and insightful look at the Roman Empire through a mystery that brings to life the capital, its ruler, and its people. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with a feel for the era. John is everyone's favorite eunuch as his star shines in this novel like it did in his delightful debut (see ONE FOR SORROW).
Harriet Klausner
Product Description
Who's the boss in a marriage? Answer your questions on this and other controversial issues. "Don and Robbie tackle some of the thorniest issues surrounding marriage, and they do so with finesse and grace." --Les and Leslie Parrott
Book Description
atricia Scanlan's previous novel, Francesca's Party, received enthusiastic reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. In Two for Joy, Oliver Flynn's new wife, Noreen, has finally outclassed her supercilious sisters, but a question remains: would Oliver have married her if she hadn't done the pro-pos-ing herself? Cora Flynn, Oliver's bitter mother, has boycotted the wedding, determined that her detested new daughter-in-law will not become the number one woman in her son's life. And Lorna and Heather, guests at the wedding and supposedly friends, find themselves fighting over the same man. Oliver Flynn's wedding is just the beginning of a thoroughly enter-tain-ing tale.
Customer Reviews:
ruefully yours.......2006-02-15
I thought the story was enjoyable enough, but I think the author overused to word 'rueful' to the point of insanity. At one point I was so sick of seeing that word on every other page and I was going to go back and count the amount of times the word appeared.
I would read another one of her books, but surely there are other ajectives one could use to get the point across?
Wonderful!.......2004-09-22
In Kilronan, Ireland, social events, like Oliver Flynn's wedding, are only for the crème de la crème of society. Noreen, Olivers's new wife, is pleased to finally outclass her two sisters. But one nagging thought lingers in her mind; would she be Mrs. Flynn if she had not done the proposing herself?
Lorna Morgan considers herself far to classy to be living in a town like Kilronan. When she is invited to Oliver Flynn's wedding, she sets her mind that the fine life is the only way for her. But for her to go live up the socialite life in the city, she needs her stick in the mud cousin, Heather, to come along for the ride.
What a difference a year can make, as the lives of Noreen, Lorna, and Heather changes. From Dublin to New York to London, the journey of each woman comes full circle, back to Kilronan, where it all began. And only there can it all finally be put to rest.
***** Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful! Patricia Scanlan paints such a colorful and splendid picture of the hopes and dreams of three women whose lives are intertwined by connections unknown to them. Television soap operas have nothing on this author's novels. I stayed up all night long, determined to finish this incredible story, before the new day began. (Who needs sleep anyway?) Definitely a great read! *****
interesting character study.......2004-06-02
Just outside Dublin in Kilronan, Noreen Lynch married building contractor Oliver Flynn though his widowed mother objected and failed to attend the ceremony. Noreen had some doubts since she had to propose and is concerned with Oliver's close relationship with his mother.
Lorna Morgan thinks of leaving Kilronan, but though she detests the dusty town she fears making the move by herself. She hopes to persuade nineteen year old Heather Williams to join her. Though she lacks a boyfriend, Heather likes the small town lifestyle and has doubts about going to Dublin like her twin sister Ruth did.
These women will find their lives in upheaval as relationships change with maturity and understanding. However, who will be hurt when the dust settles as the Widow Flynn prefers her son had married nice Heather, not that glamour snob Noreen remains to be read.
TWO FOR JOY is an interesting character study that digs deep into the hopes and dreams of three young women, who will soon learn that what they though they desired is proving false, but rather than quit or stay unhappy, they change their aspirations. The story line focuses on the three prime females, but through their relationships with others like Noreen has with her mother-in-law, insight into other key players surface. Though there is no action, readers who value a slice of contemporary life will gain plenty of joy reading Patricia Scanlan's fine tale.
Harriet Klausner
Books:
- Partner in Crime
- Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!, The
- Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation, Second Edition (Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations)
- Retribution
- Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare
- Ruling Passion
- Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers: Developing Change-Ready People and Organizations
- Sarah's Quilt: A Novel of Sarah Agnes Prine and the Arizona Territories, 1906
- Savannah by the Sea: Book 3 in the Savannah Series
- Something Wicked This Way Comes
Books Index
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General
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Sex for One: The Joy of Selfloving
Orgasmic Women: 13 Selfloving Divas
The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex: The Most Complete Sex Manual Ever Written
Becoming Orgasmic: A Sexual and Personal Growth Program for Women
Five Minutes to Orgasm Every Time You Make Love: Female Orgasm Made Simple
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