Amazon.com
Best known for his Border Trilogy, hailed in the San Francisco Chronicle as "an American classic to stand with the finest literary achievements of the century," Cormac McCarthy has written ten rich and often brutal novels, including the bestselling No Country for Old Men, and The Road. Profoundly dark, told in spare, searing prose, The Road is a post-apocalyptic masterpiece, one of the best books we've read this year, but in case you need a second (and expert) opinion, we asked Dennis Lehane, author of equally rich, occasionally bleak and brutal novels, to read it and give us his take. Read his glowing review below. --Daphne Durham
Guest Reviewer: Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane, master of the hard-boiled thriller, generated a cult following with his series about private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, wowed readers with the intense and gut-wrenching Mystic River, blew fans all away with the mind-bending Shutter Island, and switches gears with Coronado, his new collection of gritty short stories (and one play).
Cormac McCarthy sets his new novel, The Road, in a post-apocalyptic blight of gray skies that drizzle ash, a world in which all matter of wildlife is extinct, starvation is not only prevalent but nearly all-encompassing, and marauding bands of cannibals roam the environment with pieces of human flesh stuck between their teeth. If this sounds oppressive and dispiriting, it is. McCarthy may have just set to paper the definitive vision of the world after nuclear war, and in this recent age of relentless saber-rattling by the global powers, it's not much of a leap to feel his vision could be not far off the mark nor, sadly, right around the corner. Stealing across this horrific (and that's the only word for it) landscape are an unnamed man and his emaciated son, a boy probably around the age of ten. It is the love the father feels for his son, a love as deep and acute as his grief, that could surprise readers of McCarthy's previous work. McCarthy's Gnostic impressions of mankind have left very little place for love. In fact that greatest love affair in any of his novels, I would argue, occurs between the Billy Parham and the wolf in The Crossing. But here the love of a desperate father for his sickly son transcends all else. McCarthy has always written about the battle between light and darkness; the darkness usually comprises 99.9% of the world, while any illumination is the weak shaft thrown by a penlight running low on batteries. In The Road, those batteries are almost out--the entire world is, quite literally, dying--so the final affirmation of hope in the novel's closing pages is all the more shocking and maybe all the more enduring as the boy takes all of his father's (and McCarthy's) rage at the hopeless folly of man and lays it down, lifting up, in its place, the oddest of all things: faith. --Dennis Lehane
Book Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER
National Book Critic's Circle Award Finalist
A New York Times Notable Book
One of the Best Books of the Year
The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor, The Denver Post, The Kansas City Star, Los Angeles Times, New York, People, Rocky Mountain News, Time, The Village Voice, The Washington Post
The searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece.
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food-—and each other.
The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2007-10-10
Loved it! I didn't think I would, but I couldn't put it down. I read so much for my job that I rarely go through books quickly. It was so to the point and almost vague but at the same time the lack of words painted a more vivid picture. An odd combination but as I said, loved it!
I now I'm knit picking but . . ........2007-10-10
Okay, so it is wonderfully written and the story is compelling but I can't stand it when an author ignores basic science. As a reader, I find it insulting.
Assuming that the action takes place on our Earth, how are these people even alive if there are no plants producing Oxygen? It has evidently been some time since the cataclysm that caused the destruction so what are they breathing?
My other smaller issue of fact is that dead cedars will stand for 40 years with little diminution of their stability. There is no way that scene in the cedar forest could happen 7 or 8 years after the death of the trees.
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. There is no excuse for this from such a great writer who one would think had excellent editors as well.
Great, stark novel.......2007-10-09
Yes, its setting is grim, but, overall, I found the book to be infused with a spirit of love and resilience. He does, however, use the word "gray" about 8,000 times, though. I forgive him.
Ignites a Hope.......2007-10-08
Some books wallow in despair. Others revel in false hope. "The Road" spends much of its time dealing with a dark past and future, yet ignites a hope that seems neither false nor forced. This is the mark of a writer at the heights of his genius. I read the story in one sitting.
Opening into a tableau of monumental destruction, yet kept believable and relatable through the eyes of two nameless characters--a devoted father and fearful son--this story follows their journey through the roads and byways of America. At one point, they see a sign that I've seen in my own travels, a sign for Rock City which is an actual location in Chattanooga, TN. While details are crisp and evocative, the book never nails down character names, story dates, locations, or even the method of global destruction. It jettisons standard punctuation, adding to the sparse feel. It focuses on the despair and hopelessness of society torn apart by the need for survival. Morals and ethics are eroding. Food and water are worth fighting for. Fellow humans are potential sustenance.
Father and son begin to change as the story moves along. One flirts with thoughts of ending his own life, preferring a definite end to an indefinite future. The other, a small frightened child, serves as the moral center--questioning the cannibalism, the thievery, and the growing apathy of those he observes. If you travel down "The Road," you'll be faced with haunting images and hardship, while also coming face to face with hope and resilience. McCarthy uses sparse storytelling to give us a rich tale of thought-provoking power, intentional but never pedantic.
Hope and beauty in the ashes?.......2007-10-07
Cormac McCarthy creates a nearly lifeless post-apocalyptic world of burnt ash and destruction, and amid the desolation, explores the beauty of a father-son relationship and the essence of what it means to be human. His book poses a couple of problems directed at the morality of this generation, which are more than troubling: the nature of man's relationship to nature, God, others . . . and how one can live through the hopelessness of desolation.
To be honest, the book became a bit tedious, but the author's goal is to lead the reader through continuous strife as the man and his boy sought life day after day. Ah, isn't that what life feels like sometimes? It's definitely not a feel good story, but nonetheless a vital one that carries much weight. I started feeling ashy by the end of this one.
All-in-all, a quick and interesting read, not without merit. I'm not going to say, read this, or you'll be sorry, but it's a great book that teaches much.
Amazon.com
Daniel Yergin's first prize-winning book, Shattered Peace, was a history of the Cold War. Afterwards the young academic star joined the energy project of the Harvard Business School and wrote the best-seller Energy Future. Following on from there,
The Prize, winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, is a comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil. Founded in the 19th century, the oil industry began producing kerosene for lamps and progressed to gasoline. Huge personal fortunes arose from it, and whole nations sprung out of the power politics of the oil wells. Yergin's fascinating account sweeps from early robber barons like John D. Rockefeller, to the oil crisis of the 1970s, through to the Gulf War.
Book Description
Pulitzer Prize Winner -- and Now an Epic PBS Series
The Prize recounts the panoramic history of oil -- and the struggle for wealth power that has always surrounded oil. This struggle has shaken the world economy, dictated the outcome of wars, and transformed the destiny of men and nations. The Prize is as much a history of the twentieth century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous -- from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm.
The cast extends from wildcatters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement -- and great importance.
Customer Reviews:
First to cover the topic, but still a facile book.......2007-09-17
Yergen gets kudos for being the first to cover this topic, but his account (perhaps because it's now outdated) is facile and pro-oil company. Every time the oil companies are thwarted he seems to blame straw men for it: tree huggers, the people that hounded poor misunderstood Tricky Dick Nixon, the Saudi sheiks (best friends of Bush, Cheney, et al). He never turns his gaze on the corruption of the oil companies themselves. We hit peak oil in the U.S. in the 1960s. The oil companies suppressed any attempts since then to find alternative fuels. Now we are up the creek, so to speak, with the Oil Men running the Show. Some "Prize". I'd say it's the booby prize. The best overview of our current fix is Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower.
The Age of Oil.......2007-07-04
We are living in the Age of oil.
World and human civilization have experienced different "ages" such as the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Gilded Age, and so on. The 20th and 21st Centuries are indeed, the "Oil Age." We are living in it. This book is one of the most informative and relevant books published in recent years, In my opinion. This work by Daniel Yergin was and still is prescient today, in 2007. "The Prize" tells the story of where we are today, and how we got here. It also latently foresees where we're going in the future. The book doesn't tell us - we just know. We're human. This book is so comprehensive and has so much information only a small portion of it can be noted. Below relates to WWII, and former Iranian leader Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh.
"The Prize" proceeds chronologically. And within the chapters there are numerous mini-subtitles for sub-chapters that connect the big picture. The bibliography and index are excellent and can be used to tie in different figures and historical occurrences. The 'history of oil' is actually the history of the world: humankind, business, innovations, globalization, war, and geo-political power-plays. The very survival of a nation-state is based upon oil.
"The Prize" begins with tiny puddles of black, sticky, goo, in Pennsylvania in the mid 1800s. Locals collected this goo and realized its many uses. In 1859 oil was struck. Almost immediately, the wealth and power amassed from possession and control of oil was realized. The initial trust acts in the U.S. are related to the oil industry, in which Barons quickly gained gargantuan amounts of wealth and political power.
Enter WWII:
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because of oil. Japanese conquests throughout South-East Asia and the Pacific were motivated not only by the quest for dominance but for securing oil and keeping their oil (fuel) supply lines open. Without supply lines of oil, the war machine would completely break down, as it later did (Chapter 8).
The Americans sacrificed a lot, but Japan in large part lost WWII because of its lack of fuel for planes, ships, and ground forces. Domestically, the Japanese economy collapsed because of its inability to import oil. The Kamikazes were brought into existence after the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Philippines, in 1944. Lack of oil meant lack of fighter plane fuel. Fuel supplies became so low they actually stopped training Japanese pilots at all. Pilots were ordered to "follow the leader" to the attack site because they didn't even have navigation training.
There was even an "Oil Czar" In the U.S. during World War II in PAW, the Petroleum Administration for War. The Oil Czar was Harold Ickes.
In the European Theater's Eastern Front Germany invaded Russia with Operation Barbarossa mostly to get the oil in the Caucuses (In addition to "lebensraum" and "untermensch" beliefs). In addition, a needed land-route to Iron Ore in Scandinavia via the Baltic SSR Republics was a factor. Hitler also began making synthetic oil because without enough of it Germany's war machine, domestic economy, and arms production were doomed. These synthetic oil factories were top targets in Allied bombing missions.
Oil and the Cold War World:
The Soviets dominated Eastern Europe and exerted its influence after WWII for 45 years because the Allies ran out of gasoline. When the British 3rd Army and U.S. 1st Army were advancing eastward toward Berlin chasing demoralized, retreating, and broken German troops in disarray. But because of the lack of gasoline for the Allied Armies, a million people ended up losing their lives and war was prolonged because the Germans were able to retreat and re-organize (page 388).
If someone says "it's not about the oil" today in 2007, tell them to read this book. Oil encompasses almost all things in our daily lives, whether we are are conscious of it, or not.
Oil, Military, and Economic Interests:
Democratically elected governments are overthrown by foreign governments because of oil. In 1953 Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh was democratically elected in Iran. He was an anti-communist. He didn't like the 93% to 7% profit sharing split with a British Oil company operating inside Iran. He changed it to 50-50. The CIA sponsored a coup to overthrow him. Americans were repeatedly told by the U.S. media that Mossadegh was a communist and communist sympathizer, although factually untrue. The American public believed this propaganda, according to poll results. Gullible? Mossadegh was ousted and the Shah was placed in power. Democracy has never been supported in the Middle East and it isn't now by the U.S. government. Also see the Carter Doctrine of 1980.
Most of us as individual consumers literally need oil to function. Dependence upon oil is for the continuation of the nation-state, its military machines, and domestic economy. More critical today, is that nation-states need a *sufficient* supply of it.
This is a positive book. It's a history book.
We're in the heart of the "Oil Age."
Amaze.......2007-06-19
This book is the better form to say what means the oil in the world. The history is well clear end real. There are many important information and who is curious or needs to know the subject this is a perfect one.
It's interesting to know the past to forecast the future..........2007-06-14
I really appreciated Daniel YERGIN's book.
The history of oil is crucial to try to solve the huge demand for future oil. History tells us that oil is limitless in virgin deserts...
The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power.......2007-06-12
Excellent, well chronicled book showing the inside of the oil world history. Amazon shipment was a slick execution which makes the book more valuable..This book is a must-have for oil and gas pros.
Book Description
"Who's Counting?", by Jerrold M. Solomon, is a business novel that, for the first time, explains how accounting and manufacturing personnel must develop a partnership to successfully achieve world class results. This novel takes readers on a successful "Lean Journey", and illustrates how to bring accounting practices into the 21st century in order to compete in today's global market. A must read for all those interested in successfully implementing lean accounting!
Customer Reviews:
Who' Counting & Practical Lean Accounting: 1+1>2.......2007-07-16
"Who's Counting" and "Practical Lean Accounting" are two great books on lean accounting. I wondered some time ago, which one to read and I am glad that I could not decide, so I bought and read them both. They complement each other extremely well and each one conveys the lessons of lean accounting from a different angle.
"Practical Lean Accounting" is a well structured textbook, approaching lean accounting in a systemized way. Starting from straight-forward shop-floor measurements, like the day-by-the-hour report, it gradually immerses the reader into more demanding topics, like value stream costing or lean performance measurement, culminating in the thorough description of the Sales, Operations and Financial Planning (SOFP) process, which is the way, how an entire lean enterprise is planned, controlled and measured. Lean practitioners looking for specific answers to particular questions will find it easy to navigate through the book. People with the luxury of time for reading it cover to cover will also like it, due to the gradual increase in the complexity of the topics and the many references to other chapters.
"Who's Counting" focuses more on the human side of turning the vision of lean accounting into reality. The novel format is the best way to illustrate, how strong the resistance against change will be and from how many corners of the organization it will attack back. Knowing what to do and knowing why is not enough, the issue is not capturing people's brains. The real challenge is conquering their hearts, while tearing down decades worth of wrong beliefs, bad trade-offs and political game-playing. Mike, the hero of the book teaches us through his own mistakes, that patience, tactfulness and respect for people is more helpful, then acting like a bull in a china shop. The reward is the enthusiastic desire of fellows to go his way and take ownership of the new processes. He even manages to turn Fred, a CFO who has to recognize, that most of what he built during his career was wrong, to use the 3 years until his retirement for becoming the most enthusiastic advocate of change!
Both books provide the reader with insight and incite self-reflection about "the way, we do things". There is hardly any chapter without a sacred cow being slaughtered, however this will strike the reader as plain common sense, due to the thorough description of the reasons. Deeply engrained management practices, such as approval routings, full absorption overhead allocation, standard costing or departmental budgeting will seem ridiculous, once the reader starts to open the eyes to see their fundamentally wrong assumptions.
These books will make You hate many of Your current processes!
Clear for beginners.......2006-12-02
I am a student of finance and bought the book to learn more about lean accounting. I had never heard of the subject before but Solomon does an effective job of explaining a dry and complicated subject through a bright and simple narrative. As with a lot of business novels the story starts with the hero facing serious problems at work and his job on the line. Next comes a suggested, controversial solution and lots of conflict before everything is resolved and the business becomes a world beater.
The only area of the story that put me at unease was reference to operating efficiencies of sub-units. This seemed to be a contradiction of Eli Goldratt's theory (see 'the Goal') which states that efficiencies should only be attempted of a whole production system based on the rate of the slowest step within that system; separate optimisation of sub-systems will result in higher work-in-progress inventories.
This critiscism should not detract from the overall quality of Solomon's work, but it does illustrate the value of a wider scope of reading.
A Must Read for Leaders on a Lean Journey.......2006-06-30
I work in Finance for a Fortune 200 company that is 100% committed to the Lean Journey. This book has been distributed, read and re-read throughout the company's leadership, both in Finance and in other areas, to help frame the issue of why Finance can be a barrier or an enabler to Lean. It does a great job of explaining not only the technical issues but really demonstrates the cultural obstacles and why they exist, all in an easy-to-read story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and in particular Finance leaders who are wondering where they fit in with Lean.
Show me the Muda !.......2006-04-27
"Let's not rely on seventy year old accounting practices to compete in today's global market". - From the author's introduction.
It seems strange to be recommending a novel to normally intelligent and sensible accountants - particularly one which reads like a cheesy TV melodrama !. But it is a business novel on an accounting topic which, I believe, will be crucial for management accountants in future.
"Who's Counting" provides a simple and easily digestible introduction to lean accounting. The book focuses, particularly, on the marginal costing versus absorption costing debate; but other accounting issues and lean techniques are also covered, including stock valuation issues; the impact on earnings per share; and a tantalising glimpse of what a kaizen event might comprise in the accounts department !.
You're not expecting Jane Austen, and you certainly don't get her. The plot is virtually non-existent; the characters one-dimensional; and the writing style juvenile ("Can we take a freakin' bio break first, or isn't that allowed in Lean ?".). But I am being unfair. The book is a very easy read, and it covers the key issues in lean accounting well. It makes the language and ideas of lean understandable; and to my mind that is an achievement that forgives poor dialogue and uninteresting characters.
As a simple introduction to lean accounting this book is worthwhile. It covers all the bases and you'll whiz through it. You couldn't implement a lean accounting system from this book, but for students and accountants wishing to learn more about the field, it is a good place to start. I do recommend this for beginners in the subject. It is fun in a cheesy way, and it has spurred me on to the next stage - reading something more substantial on the topic.
As Tom Cruise almost said in one of his films "Show me the muda !". To find out what muda is, you'll need to read the book. And, as the book tells us near the end, "Accounting is beginning to operate on a different level because of some of the improvement efforts you've led. They're excited about really affecting results not just keeping score". Creaky prose aside, isn't that what management accounting should be ?.
I think lean accounting is a massively important for management accountants in the future. I want to be in there, and this book is a good place to start learning about it.
This is a must for anyone passionate about lean.......2006-03-03
I found this book a great and fast read. I am not an expert in finance but passionate about lean manufacturing and I understand the obstacles of traditional financial practices to lean.
I strongly recommend this book. Many of my work colleagues have found it very interesting and right on the money.
I recommend this to anyone working to transform their business.
Average customer rating:
- The Sea will make readers cry and cheer for the love of it.
- The Power and Peril of Memory
- Fascinatingly repelling and attracting at once
- Good read
- All Life Is Lived In The Past
|
The Sea (Man Booker Prize)
John Banville
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Irish | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Banville, John | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0307263118
Release Date: 2005-11-01 |
From Amazon.co.uk Review
Incandescent prose. Beautifully textured characterisation. Transparent narratives. The adjectives to describe the writing of John Banville are all affirmative, and The Sea is a ringing affirmation of all his best qualities. His publishers are claiming that this novel by the Booker-shortlisted author is his finest yet, and while that claim may have an element of hyperbole, there is no denying that this perfectly balanced book is among the writer's most accomplished work.
Max Morden has reached a crossroads in his life, and is trying hard to deal with several disturbing things. A recent loss is still taking its toll on him, and a trauma in his past is similarly proving hard to deal with. He decides that he will return to a town on the coast at which he spent a memorable holiday when a boy. His memory of that time devolves on the charismatic Grace family, particularly the seductive twins Myles and Chloe. In a very short time, Max found himself drawn into a strange relationship with them, and pursuant events left their mark on him for the rest of his life. But will he be able to exorcise those memories of the past?
The fashion in which John Banville draws the reader into this hypnotic and disturbing world is non pareil, and the very complex relationships between his brilliantly delineated cast of characters are orchestrated with a master's skill. As in such books as Shroud and The Book of Evidence, the author eschews the obvious at all times, and the narrative is delivered with subtlety and understatement. The genuine moments of drama, when they do occur, are commensurately more powerful. --Barry Forshaw
Book Description
The author of The Untouchable (“contemporary fiction gets no better than this”—Patrick McGrath, The New York Times Book Review) now gives us a luminous novel about love, loss, and the unpredictable power of memory.
The narrator is Max Morden, a middle-aged Irishman who, soon after his wife’s death, has gone back to the seaside town where he spent his summer holidays as a child—a retreat from the grief, anger, and numbness of his life without her. But it is also a return to the place where he met the Graces, the well-heeled vacationing family with whom he experienced the strange suddenness of both love and death for the first time. The seductive mother; the imperious father; the twins—Chloe, fiery and forthright, and Myles, silent and expressionless—in whose mysterious connection Max became profoundly entangled, each of them a part of the “barely bearable raw immediacy” of his childhood memories.
Interwoven with this story are Morden’s memories of his wife, Anna—of their life together, of her death—and the moments, both significant and mundane, that make up his life now: his relationship with his grown daughter, Claire, desperate to pull him from his grief; and with the other boarders at the house where he is staying, where the past beats inside him “like a second heart.”
What Max comes to understand about the past, and about its indelible effects on him, is at the center of this elegiac, vividly dramatic, beautifully written novel—among the finest we have had from this extraordinary writer.
Customer Reviews:
The Sea will make readers cry and cheer for the love of it........2007-09-28
John Banville is a crying out loud genius. I am a writer, and this book will carry me through several of my own books on inspiration alone. I have read it four times friom front to back.
Only a consummate genius of spirit, language, and craft could possibly have written this. Reading it requires, I think, an inveterate reader, for its structure is complex. His description of place will take you there and leave you to inhabit the place.
I found it common to read and re-read passages, pages, and, as I said, the entire book it is so beautifully rendered.
The story is touching and real to my inner self, and he is able to paint me, my innermost thoughts, my love for exquisite detail, scene, memories, and people with such solid and true foundation that humanity within me was discovered, illuminated, and honored.
Blue? Lost? Afraid? Grieving? Satisfied with your lot? Think humanity has gone sadly astray? Read this book. I swear you will never forget it.
The Power and Peril of Memory.......2007-08-31
This is a very rewarding book that requires patience and close attention because of the narrative shifts in time and place.
The story revolves around middle aged Max. In the present, Max is grappling with the recent death of his wife. Clearly the pair had long been a "unit" and Max is quite at loss as to what to do next in her absence. Although he loves his adult daughter Claire, she is no substitute in his affection. So Max is drawn back to a place by the shore that he hadn't been for 50 years, a place where he has a typical early adolesent experience with the opposite sex and an untypical experience with tragedy. The past and present are expertly interwoven by Mr. Banville, who deservedly won his Booker for this effort.
Banville does an incredibly good job showing us the power and limits of memory and how things are remembered (or disremembered) lucidly or poorly.
I think only Ian McEwan today writes with quite the same degree of elegance. And actually, as I think about it, I could make an argument that there are interesting similarities between McEwan's "Atonement" and "The Sea". In each case, the narrator sees or thinks they see something that turns out not to be the case and, in each instance, with terrible consequences; although more obviously so in "Atonement".
Read it "The Sea" and see for yourself.
Fascinatingly repelling and attracting at once.......2007-06-04
I would never have picked up this book if it hadn't been on a friend's recommendation but, boy, am I glad I did. Normally I wouldn't want to read about an old man reminiscing but I was hooked from the very first by John Banvilles language.
Max Morden, the main character, alternates between remembering an important time in his adolescence and reviewing his marriage with emphasis on his wife's last months before she dies of cancer.
John Banville's style spellbound me from the first. It's poetry in prose form, every word, every sentence deliberately sculpted and positioned. I refused to be intimidated by his words and made it a challenge to add to my vocabulary.
As I became Max Morden's confidant I was equally repulsed by his honesty and intrigued by his insights. Max speaks about things that happen to all of us but you don't normally hear people admit to them or even mention them: acting out agressively towards a beloved pet, being abusive to other children, having sexual fantasies about adults while we are children or adolescents, hating people close to us just because they are who they are. He shares his regrets and at the same time realistically admits that he'd make the same mistakes again given the choice. He's refreshingly unapologetic.
It took me a while to finish the book and for a while I want to read easier fare; but I want to read more by Banville. He's as much an artist in his field as Gaugin, Goya, Courbet and others. He paints using language.
Good read.......2007-05-31
The temporal layers of the story make it a little bit confusing in the beginning, but by the end you understand this man's grief and search to find himself by going back to the town where he lived as a child, trying to make sense out of his life and who he has become. My book club read this and we all enjoyed the writing and story. Some people will not like this book. It is not a fast paced story, but it is a story full of emotion. Soo.... go read it.
All Life Is Lived In The Past.......2007-05-18
The Sea is a marvel of efficiency; in less than 200 pages, Banville writes a "memoir" that is spare and yet touching and profound.
The Sea is the story of a rapidly aging widower who, after the death of his wife, travels to the seaside resort town where he spent several summers as a child. Taking up residence in a long term boarding house filled with other hurting and lost souls, he thinks about his life; first his childhood summers and the life defining relationship and events of those years, then the days preceding and during his wife's illness and death, and then finally the unkind truth of his present life. These narratives are weaved together throughout the novel until they coalesce towards the end.
I could ramble on for a while about how much I liked this book, how true Banville's observations rung, how deep the sense of loss is, how scary it makes one feel about getting old. I could, but you should just buy the book and experience it for yourself.
Banville won the Mann Booker prize for The Sea. Some quotes:
"On the subject of observing and being observed, I must mention the long grim gander I took at myself in the bathroom mirror this morning. Usually these days I do not dally before my reflection any longer than is necessary. There was a time when I quite liked what I saw in the looking-glass, but not any more. Now I am startled, and more than startled, by the visage that so abruptly appears there, never and not at all the one that I expect. I have been elbowed aside by a parody of myself, a sadly disheveled figure in a Hallowe'en mask made of sagging pinkish -grey rubber that bears no more than a passing resemblance to the image of what I look like that I stubbornly retain in my head."
"When we arrived I marveled to see how much of the village as I remembered it was still here, if only for eyes that knew where to look, mine, that is. It was like encountering an old flame behind whose features thickened by age the slender lineaments that a former self so loved can still be clearly discerned."
"I looked aside quickly for fear my eyes would give me away; one's eyes are always those of someone else, the mad and desperate dwarf crouched within. I knew what she meant. This was not supposed to have befallen her. It was not supposed to have befallen us, we were not that kind of people. Misfortune, illness, untimely death, these things happen to good folk, the humble ones, the salt of the earth, not to Anna, not to me."
"I recalled walking in the street with Anna one day after all her hair had fallen out and she spotted passing by on the pavement a woman who was also bald. I do not know if Anna caught me catching the look they exchanged, the two of them, blank-eyed and at the same time sharp, sly, complicit. In all that endless twelvemonth of her illness I do not think I ever felt more distant from her than I did at that moment, elbowed aside by the sorority of the afflicted."
"[my daughter] understands me to a degree that is disturbing and will not indulge my foibles and excesses as others do who know me less and therefore fear me more. But I am bereaved and wounded and require indulging. If there is a long version of shrift, then that is what I am in need of. Let me alone, I cried at her in my mind, let me creep past the traduced old Cedars, past the vanished Strand Café, past the Lupins and the Field that was, past all this past for if I stop I shall surely dissolve in a shaming puddle of tears."
"Have I spoken already of my drinking? I drink like a fish. No, not like a fish, fishes do not drink, it is only breathing, their kind of breathing. I drink like one recently widowed-widowered? - a person of scant talent and scanter ambition, greyed o'er by the years, uncertain and astray and in need of consolation and the brief respite of drink-induced oblivion. I would take drugs if I had them, but I have not, and do not know how I might go about getting some."
Book Description
Kiran Desai's first novel, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, was published to unanimous acclaim in over twenty-two countries. Now Desai takes us to the northeastern Himalayas where a rising insurgency challenges the old way of life. In a crumbling, isolated house at the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga lives an embittered old judge who wants to retire in peace when his orphaned granddaughter Sai arrives on his doorstep. The judge's chatty cook watches over her, but his thoughts are mostly with his son, Biju, hopscotching from one New York restaurant job to another, trying to stay a step ahead of the INS, forced to consider his country's place in the world. When a Nepalese insurgency in the mountains threatens Sai's new-sprung romance with her handsome Nepali tutor and causes their lives to descend into chaos, they, too, are forced to confront their colliding interests. The nation fights itself. The cook witnesses the hierarchy being overturned and discarded. The judge must revisit his past, his own role in this grasping world of conflicting desires-every moment holding out the possibility for hope or betrayal. A novel of depth and emotion, Desai's second, long-awaited novel fulfills the grand promise established by her first.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2007-10-10
This was a great read. I enjoyed the analogies between the lives of all the different characters as they played out in the novel. Most of them were very pitiful and sad, and indicative of changes we all must make in this globalized new world, good or bad. I really enjoyed the authors use of words; they were very unusual. The author left all the characters dangling as far as their future was concerned. They all came to a crossroads in their lives with no resolution and it bodes the possibility of a sequel to this. I would really enjoy that. I recommend this book for anybody who is interested in the human condition as it applies to decisions we make as our world advances forward not be leaps and bounds but by turbocharge.
Enthralling But Grim Picture.......2007-10-02
This novel is set in a relatively isolated village in India, with characters ranging from poor to upper middle class. A secondary setting is Manhattan where undocumented immigrants work in squalor and try to survive. The picture of life in India is one I had never seen, and the picture of the impact of British rule is far from complimentary. Character development, plot and historical context are all quite strong, leading to a bittersweet ending. I thought this work was a little drawn out toward the conclusion, which is the only reason for 4 rather than 5 stars.
An absolute delight.......2007-09-25
Beautifully written, charming, playful and yet melancholy, fantastically absurd at times and bitterly realistic at others. I was hooked from the first page. It is a book to be savoured: delightful imagery and perspectives. In the same company as The God of Small Things, another Booker winner that has clearly (and surprisingly) polarised readers into those who loved it (me included) and those who could not finish it. For anyone who enjoys good modern Anglo-Indian writing.
just a matter of taste, I guess . . ........2007-09-24
There isn't much I can add to the positive reviews here. Kiran Desai is a wonderful and talented writer; her canvas is vast and all-encompassing. Far from being bored, I couldn't put it down from the first page. And when I was finished, I went right back to the beginning and read the first few chapters all over again. Go figure.
Intriguing Story.......2007-09-14
In my opinion, this book was an intriguing and interesting story. I always enjoy reading a book that not only relates a wonderful story but also gives me an education. With this book it was the insight into India's way of life, customs and culture. Kiran Desai, detailed India's social order, and vividly described the living conditions and way life of the people living in the countryside. I could not help myself from being touched by the characters in the story, especially Biju life in New York. From Kalimpong to New York City, the author created these characters with such realism that when tragedy struck, I felt their pain. I did feel that the author was a bit weak in the romance side of the story, but overall I enjoyed this very interesting story.
For a Woman's Fiction that reveals the emotions and feelings of a women check out Gathering of Cans by Robert L. Saunders. This refreshing story is a real stunner. In this romance with a bit of mystery story the author heralds the relationship between husband and wife. I read this warm and wonderful story and I wasn't disappointed. You will travel with Zoie Baker, the heroine, on her quest to build a swimming pool by gathering aluminum cans. She feels right down to her bones that this is her destiny. Unique cans that she stumbles on, i.e., Nehi, Mountain Dew, etc., takes the reader on a glorious journey in the life of Zoie from World War II where she meets her soon to be husband, Nat, a Marine, through the 1980's. This gripping story will keep you up to read just one more chapter. You too won't be disappointed! Bye.
Average customer rating:
- Not bad. Still too much fill and fluff
- The Prize
- A Wonderful Story Line! Would Read Again, And Again!
- Halfway through and I don't think I'll finish
- Great, Angsty Romance
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The Prize
Brenda Joyce
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0778320898 |
Book Description
Vengeance ruled his days . . . and nights.
An infamous sea captain of the British Royal Navy, Devlin O'Neill is consumed with the need to destroy the man who brutally murdered his father. Having nearly ruined the Earl of Eastleigh financially, he is waiting for his moment to strike the final blow. And it comes in the form of a spirited young American woman, the earl's niece, who is about to set his cold, calculating world on fire.
Pride inflamed her spirit
Born and raised on a tobacco plantation, Virginia Hughes is determined to rebuild her beloved Sweet Briar. Daringly, she sails to England alone, hoping to convince her uncle to lend her the funds. Instead, she finds herself ruthlessly kidnapped by the notorious Devlin O'Neill. As his hostage, she will soon find her best laid plans thwarted by a passion that could seal their fates forever.
Love conquered them both
Against the backdrop of a turbulent war between England and America, Devlin and Virginia are torn apart by duty, pride and honor. Their private battle is one that Virginia must win-for at stake is Devlin's heart. But as the war rages ever closer to Sweet Briar, each must make the ultimate sacrifice-and surrender to the healing power of their consuming love.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad. Still too much fill and fluff.......2007-09-08
Does Joyce get paid by the word? I think the last two books, I've read by this author (Prize/Masquerade) could have both been shortened by at least 100 pages each. If she could just be a bit more succinct, she might really have what it takes to become a five star author. I still say two of the greatest romance authors of ALL TIME are Judith McNaught (Whitney My Love and Until You) and Johanna Lindsey (Gentle Rogue, The Magic of You, Prisoner of My Desire, and Man of My Dreams) to name a few. I still can't quite put Joyce in their league, but she's not bad. Who doesn't love a swarthy, well hung alpha male that she cleverly writes into each and every one of her texts.
The Prize.......2007-08-29
I'll read any book Brenda Joyce writes. She keeps the reader turning pages. Has cost me lost of lost sleep, but well worth it. Don't miss reading this book.
A Wonderful Story Line! Would Read Again, And Again!.......2007-07-22
I really love this story; I've read and reread this book countless times. I can pick it up when I've given up on ever again encountering any original stories. This one never ceases to captivate and capitulate. The setting where the story really begins is on the ocean abroad O'Neil's ship; he takes an 18 year old American hostage for plans conceived of revenge in his father's name. Though the young American had had plans of her own and is willfully set against this inconvenience O'Neil has brought on her, she submits to the new feelings that Devlin has created within herself. Although Devlin proves to be as remote as an island he can scarcely contain the feeling in which she provokes. Her fresh and young innocence and fiery spirit are what sets her apart from the ton and Devlin can scarcely keep his ominous façade contained in her presence.
Truly an exhilarating read,I definitely recommend!
Halfway through and I don't think I'll finish.......2007-02-09
Omigosh, what a boring disappointment. I've read other Brenda Joyce novels and bought "The Prize" based on past good experiences. But this book just plods along with repetitious dialog, unsympathetic characters and truly dull plotting.
What we have is another tale of the girl hating the guy but wanting to have sex with him. The guy hates the girl too but wants to have sex with her as well. In my neighborhood we call that dysfunction, not romance.
I'm halfway through the book and not much has happened other than they hate each other, they have sex, then they hate each other some more, they have sex again and then they think about it for four chapters before they start all over again.
I don't think I can stick with this drivel. I think I'll re-read "A Lady at Last" (also by Brenda Joyce)a true romance novel with characters you can actually like.
Great, Angsty Romance.......2006-12-21
If you like a great push-pull dynamic, this book fills the bill. Devlin is a rather tragic character who has given up on himself as anything more than a machine built for avenging his father's death. When he decides to kidnap Virgina in yet another scheme to bring down his nemesis, he hardly knows what happens as he begins to fall in love with her.
Devlin isn't a cruel man, he's just not able to cope constructively with some seriously disturbing childhood traumas. His brother Sean was spared any problems since he simply blocked everything from that day out. No wonder he's such a nice guy (read: boring) and everything Virginia supposedly "needs".
The process of getting Devlin over his obsession is a long one and Virginia, bless her, dreams and hopes of a time when he will chose love over pain. She is the absolute antithesis of wimpy, IMO. She understands him and doesn't give up on him. She passionately loves him and isn't ashamed to admit it or admit wanting him for more than just conversation. When he tried to put her off and explain that he had too much respect for her she plainly told him - she wasn't after his "respect". hehe...gotta love that.
I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews...this is truly a love conquers all type of story and the end is a touching one..
Average customer rating:
- 4 stars is maybe a bit generous, but hey, this is a J.G. book!
- Julie Garwood never disappoints
- Love and chess...
- Simply Wonderful
- The Prize
|
The Prize
Julie Garwood
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Paperback | Garwood, Julie | ( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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( G ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Garlock, Dorothy | Graham, Heather | Greenwood, Leigh
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ASIN: 0671702513 |
Book Description
In the resplendence of William the Conqueror's London court, the lovely Saxon captive, Nicholaa was forced to choose a husband from the assembled Norman nobles. She chose Royce, a baron warrior whose fierce demeanor could not conceal his chivalrous and tender heart. Resourceful, rebellious and utterly naive, Nicholaa vowed to bend Royce to her will, despite the whirlwind of feelings he aroused in her. Ferocious in battle, seasoned in passion, Royce was surprised by the depth of his emotion whenever he caressed his charming bride.
In a climate of utmost treachery, where Saxons still intrigued against their Norman invaders, Royce and Nicholaa revelled in their precious new love...a fervent bond soon to be disrupted by the call of blood, kin and country!
Customer Reviews:
4 stars is maybe a bit generous, but hey, this is a J.G. book!.......2007-07-28
So far, I've read 4 J.G. books, and the other 3 I loved and would award 5 stars to (Honor's Splendour, The Secret, Ransom). Then I read this one. It was pretty good, but to me not near as good as the others I've read.
What I liked most:
Heroine is practiced at slingshot slinging
Heroine saves small child from a fire
Heroine saves hero by putting herself between him & the oncoming arrow
Hero is mostly likeable, but does have his overbearing moments
Loved how Justin comes around to be a productive and strong man after his accident
What I liked the least:
Heroine's attitude towards rescuing the king's niece from the fire. It was a courageous act, but later she whines about how ugly the scars are and you get the impression that she then wished she hadn't saved that little girl;
I wanted to see Thurston come back to get Justin, and Justin stand up for himself and either seriously injury Thurston or even kill him, if necessary. Thurston had it coming and the reader is deprived of seeing Justin, who is up to the task, courageous, and the perfect person to take him out, being allowed to do so;
We are never told how Royce got his scar, only that he got it at the age of 15. That was one of the things I was looking most forward to in the book is finding out how he got that scar. We never do find out;
Nicolaa had no fight in her. She gave up her home too easily to Royce. And why? Because he is handsome & she is attracted to him? How silly is that??? I wanted to see some sparks from her. She is told by a servant that he's taken over her home, gave it a name - Rosewood - now tell me, how many men are going to take over an estate & name it Rosewood? - is friendly with her people, etc. She took this news of the hated Norman conquer practically becoming Martha Stewart in her family home in stride! WHAT??? I don't mind her succumbing to him eventually, but to just give up at practically the beginning of the book and let him take over like that? It didn't make sense and it only shows the heroine as someone who gives up easily.
I know this book was written in the spirit of fun, not meant to be realistic like other romance novels about conquerers, which show the reality of the times, the brutality. But still, I wanted to see some backbone to this witty novel!
I would recommend not reading this Julie Garwood book right away, trying one of those others I mentioned first instead, save this one for later in your Julie Garwood reading career.
Julie Garwood never disappoints.......2007-07-25
In The Prize, a Norman baron, Royce, is sent to capture a beautiful Saxon lady and bring her back as the king's prize. King William's intention is that Lady Nicholaa be given as a bride to one of his honorable soldiers, who will have to compete to win her hand. But when Nicholaa proves herself valiant and honorable, William gives her a choice, and she chooses Royce. From the on, the marriage between this defiant Saxon woman and her courageous Norman husband is the stuff that romances were made for. The two find a love based on common respect, loyalty, and honor. I've been reading a lot of Julie Garwood lately and I have to say that she never disappoints. While my favorite lately is The Bride, I will say that The Prize was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Garwood crafts beautiful tales that tell a complete story from start to finish and never leave you wanting. Her heroes are honorable, courageous men who any woman would be happy to call her own. I would definitely recommend The Prize to anyone in the mood for a good historical romance.
Love and chess..........2007-07-16
Another fantastic Garwood historical romance. This story is engaging because, despite the initial attraction, the hero and heroine are more than happy to throw sparks while disagreeing. Their romance is as complicated as a good chess game, a metaphor Garwood engages. My only criticism is that the book ends a bit abruptly, but it isn't disappointing. It just left me wanting more.
Simply Wonderful.......2006-11-08
Although I've read many of Garwood's book, this is my all time favorite. Everything about the story just flowed and it was imaginative and creative, and I was sorry to see it end. Royce was an unusual warrior, one with patience and insight, as well as fierce and protective, and Nicholaa was his perfect opposite. A really good read.
The Prize.......2006-08-22
This book was charming as Garwood's books usually are. It was also infuriating. You can't just say someone is strong-willed and independent. If their actions don't follow through with those statements it is not true. Nicholaa was angry through this entire book but never once gave Royce a piece of her mind. She was so flighty that one minute she would be raging inside and the next she would forget why she was angry and be telling Royce how patient he was with a peck on the cheek. She had no backbone at all. I almost wanted to throw the book a few times or yell at him for her. Arggghhh.
Book Description
As World War II drew to a close and the world awakened to the horrors wrought by white supremacists in Nazi Germany, the NAACP and African-American leaders sensed an opportunity to launch an offensive against the conditions of segregation and inequality in the United States. The "prize" they sought was not civil rights, but human rights. Only the human rights lexicon, shaped by the Holocaust and articulated by the United Nations, contained the language and the moral power to address not only the political and legal inequality but also the education, health care, housing, and employment needs that haunted the black community. The NAACP understood this and wielded its influence and resources to take its human rights agenda before the United Nations. But the onset of the Cold War and rising anti-communism allowed powerful southerners to cast those rights as Soviet-inspired and a threat to the American "ways of life." Enemies and friends excoriated the movement, and the NAACP retreated to a narrow civil rights agenda that was easier to maintain politically. Thus the Civil Rights Movement was launched with neither the language nor the mission it needed to truly achieve black equality. Carol Anderson is the recipient of major grants from the Ford Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies, and numerous awards for excellence in teaching. Her scholarly interests are 20th century American, African-American, and diplomatic history, and the impact of the Cold War and U.S. foreign policy on the struggle for black equality in particular. Her publications include "From Hope to Disillusion published in Diplomatic History and reprinted in The African-American Voice in U.S. Foreign Policy.
Customer Reviews:
The author IS the prize........2006-08-03
Carol's book is an excellent insight into how the struggle for human rights was hampered by the motives of so many players who ultimately brought the force of human rights in the United Nations from a roar to a soft meow. Her voice is fresh and very well informed. I will also admit to a personal bias because I heard Carol speak at the Truman Presidential Library in July of 2006 and it was the passion of her presentation that brought me to read her book. In my opinion, her writing is a close second to seeing her speak in person and I am thankful for having had such a privelege. I look forward to reading her next books and being her personal groupie- Carol Anderson ROCKS!
Understanding Race in the U.S. today.......2004-02-18
This book was incredible for several reasons. As an African American, I struggle to understand why so little has changed in relations between blacks and whites in this country and more importantly, why there seems to be a deeply entrenched systemic barrier to real progress (economic, political, social and cultural) for many African Americans. Eyes off the Prize highlights the enormous difference between struggling for human rights versus concentrating solely on civil rights-I'd never really thought about the fact that those aren't the same struggles.
Further, while it is obvious that the author did a tremendous amount of research, this book is a real "page turner." Much of what I learned by reading this book was far beyond what I've known previously and the book dispelled many of the myths surrounding civil rights leaders in this country. Lastly, the conclusions made sense to me-I didn't feel like I was reading a distant, scholarly book-I felt as though the author brought me along on an incredible journey of the African American struggle for dignity and fairness in a hostile land.
I really enjoyed the book and gave it to all my friends and family for Christmas last year.
For full disclosure, I went to high school with the author--that's why I was curious about the book--but it is certainly not why I read every word!
The Illusion of Substantive Racial Progress.......2003-06-21
For the sake of full disclosure, I'm a colleague of Carol Anderson's at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Yet, notwithstanding our friendship, I can objectively state that EYES OFF THE PRIZE is must reading for individuals seeking insights as to why America's racial problems persist.
More than a generation after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a disproportionate number of African Americans are undereducated, unemployed (or underemployed), and incarcerated. Anderson's exhaustively researched book persuasively suggests that the reason for continuing black inequality is that, during the crucial period covered in her book, African Americans changed (and were forced
to change) their focus from achieving HUMAN RIGHTS to achieving CIVIL RIGHTS.
This is not a book for the faint-of-heart. Anderson pulls no punches in telling her story of how African Americans lost sight of the "prize" of human rights. No doubt, some will find her analysis at times to be quite provocative. Yet, as a good historian, Anderson has not written a book to make people
feel good. She has written a book to make people think.
Book Description
Nobelist Eric Kandel's account of how his personal quest to understand memory intersected with the emergence of a new science.
In Search of Memory relates the astonishing story of how four different and distinct disciplines—behaviorist psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and molecular biology—converged into a powerful new science of mind. Through its profound insights into thought, perception, action, recollection, and mental illness, this new science is revolutionizing our understanding of learning and memory while simultaneously showing great promise for more effective healing.
The narrative follows Eric R. Kandel through the last five decades, focusing on Vienna, where he became fascinated with memory. With intrepid scientific ardor, Kandel was captivated first by history and psychoanalysis, then by neurobiology, and finally by the biological processes of memory. His resulting, multifaceted perspective was the foundation for his path-breaking research that will continue to dominate modern thought—not only in science but in culture at large. 50 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Experiments on Short and Long term memory.......2007-08-13
Eric Kandel's work represents a harmonious mixture of autobiography and a description of research into the workings of the Brain, particularly memory. Having been tormented by childhood memories of Nazi hounding in Vienna in the early years of the second world war, he wanted to find out how these memories are held in the Brain. At the same time, he was also very curious about how Freud's (a fellow Viennese) representation of Id, Ego and Superego mapped to the Brain in terms of neurons and signaling.
He starts off with a history of discoveries in the structure of the Brain, starting with Santiago Cajal's study of the basic form of neurons. Leading to chemical and electrical signaling between the neurons. He dwells into the details of how the electrical signals are converted into chemicals at the synapses while crossing to a neighboring neuron and how the chemicals change back to the electricity after the crossing has been accomplished. He describes his own experiments with short and long term memories. He brings out the distinction very clearly. Short term memory results from strengthening or synapses, while long term memory results from growing of new synapses. Protein synthesis is involved in such a growth and can come only from a conscious effort on part of an individual to commit something to long term memory. This also explains why cramming for an exam does not really result in a long term learning.
He explains clearly why metal illnesses are difficult to diagnose and treat, unlike the other structural damages like tumors, strokes etc. Mental illnesses do result from multiple genes and sometimes the environmental factors as well. The book ends with the Nobel Prize ceremony and a critique of Austria's turning of blind eye towards Hitler's invasion and persecution of Jews.
The beauty of the book is that it is not restricted to just the students and practitioners of Psychiatry. Anyone with some initiation into Basic Sciences at College level can appreciate the work.
Great Product plus excellent delivery time.......2007-07-18
I am very satisfied with my order, got here in less then a week which is great as i was anxios to get this book.
Had no problems with the seller and would definetly buy from them again
Thanks
Detailed.......2007-07-12
This book is certainly written for those that have a keen interest in the biological fundamentals and intricacies of memory. Do not expect much from a psychological or phenomenological perspective. It is a well written book but a lot of neuroscience nuts and bolts.
In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind.......2007-06-17
An interesting weaving of personal recollection and history that takes the reader on a voyage through some of the discoveries in neural science. The logic of science and twists and turns of fate combine to make for fascinating reading. The book details how the molecular biology of the nervous system is responsible for short term and long term memory, and has been preserved through evolution from primitive snails through human beings, and lays the pathway for possible future understanding and research. On a personal level, the book details how a Jewish boy flees Austria in 1938 as Hitler rises to power, enters medical student with an interest in psychoanalysis and becomes one of the leading neuroscientists of our time, earning a Nobel Prize in the process. Though the book does contain some details of molecular biology, "In Search of Memory" is well worth the time to read.
Both more simple and complex than imagined.......2007-06-15
Is it in his eyes? Is it in his kiss? No, it's in his cells. That's where it is.
For those who have toiled in the field of psychology this book tells the story of where we've been and where we are now. And it tells it well.
It's hard to imagine the author starting with elegant psychoanalytic theory and ending up with utter reverence for a single celled organism. But that's the road science has taken us. The mind is both more and less complicated than we imagined.
In addition to explaining the basics of cell memory, the author recounts his own life experiences, adding humanity to this technical topic.
Customer Reviews:
Same Old Stuff.......2004-12-03
While I have seen Dr. in person and his presentation is good. This book has the same overtone of the self-help diatribe that permeates our society. Dr. Henry has taken his tales of his life and written them out, and then carbon copying a "verse" to fit the moment. Stories amusing, yes... but how many times can you write the same thing over and over again. After I had seen Dr. Henry in person, I came to expect more than the usual mass produced "stuff and fluff" from the man. Immediate effect - caused me to chuckle occasionally, Long term effect - sell it on amazon and recoup some cost cause one time will do you.
A great read!.......2004-02-07
This was an excellent book! This man is a born storyteller! I literally laughed out loud! I look forward to reading more of his work and to seeing him in person!
outstanding.......2003-09-10
Dale Henry makes learning fun. Truly an original, he brings the wisdom of Proverbs to life through personal experiences, sometimes quite moving and often hilarious. He is the friendly uncle or older brother whose stories you love to hear, and whose advice you respect. Insightful, never preachy, and a whole lot of fun.
Anyone who shies away from this book due to Dale Henry's openly Christian beliefs is doing themselves a huge disservice. These principles are good, right and true whether you are Christian or not, and are well worth the read.
Larry Hehn, Author of Get the Prize: Nine Keys for a Life of Victory
You have to read this............2003-08-24
This is the book to read if you want to laugh till you cry, and learn a little something about yourself along the way. Should you come away with nothing after reading this, then read it again, you missed something!
inspirational.......2003-04-28
This is a wonderful book. I wish I could move it to the top of the best seller list. I could not put it down. Dr. Henry proves that the world can be changed for the better -"one person at a time"
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