Average customer rating:
- Boring
- Disappointing
- A really great story!
- What an awesome series!!!
- disturbing
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Frontier Woman
Joan Johnston
Manufacturer: Island Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Accessories:
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ASIN: 0440236770
Release Date: 2001-08-07 |
Book Description
The prequel to the New York Times bestseller The Cowboy
Sprawling 1840s Texas comes alive in the hands of Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of
The Cowboy and
The Texan. Introducing the unforgettable Creed dynasty, transporting us back to a wild, lawless frontier,
Frontier Woman brings us a stirring, passionate story of Texas Ranger Jarrett Creed and the free-spirited beauty who captures his heart ... a woman sworn to love no man....
Captured by Comanches as a boy, Jarrett Creed grew to manhood torn between two worlds. But with the young republic under siege from ravaging Mexican armies and marauding Indian tribes alike, he made his choice. Now, as a secret government mission brings the Texas Ranger to lovely Cricket Stewart’s door, he must choose again.
The youngest daughter of a wealthy gentleman planter, Cricket lives life as she pleases and vows never to be a wife to any man. Until the day Jarrett Creed saves her from avenging Comanches ... by claiming her as his bride.
The last thing either expects is to fall in love. But as a traitorous conspiracy and a secret tragedy test their newfound union, a wild-spirited beauty and a Texas lawman will discover just how far they will go for their precious homeland ... and for a love that could free them from the sorrows of the past....
Customer Reviews:
Boring.......2006-03-25
I was really bored by this book. I have read other of Joan's books and enjoyed them greatley but this one put me to sleep. (I LOVED Sloan's story.) I didnt understand the father charachter at all. Does he love his children???? It doesnt show in the book. I never really got in touch with Cricket at all. THere was so much historical detail written that she forgot to deeply involve us with the characters. I ended up putting down the book about half way through.
Disappointing.......2004-11-27
As a Texan, I enjoy reading about the early days of the Republic, but Joan Johnston makes some historical mistakes that jarred me out of the novel several times, and Cricket's father Rip just isn't a sympathetic character at all. Johnston tries to convince us he's a loving father, but the man is frankly a child abuser and no motivation justifies his treatment of his daughters. She also made some errors with Comanche culture, especially the Numu language. This series is entertaining if you simply want to read a romance, but fans who select historical fiction tend to be quite knowledgeable about their favorite time periods, and WILL catch glitches. I think this talented author could have been a bit more careful with her research and the novel would have been MUCH more entertaining. For that reason, only two stars.
A really great story!.......2004-11-05
I thought this was a well written story. It is filled with lots of history and some frontier realities. It has the makings of a wonderful story with strained feelings of love, old enemies and betrayal. The main characters are Creed and Cricket but the story is also very full of Crickets two sisters, her father and Creeds brother Tom and his wife Amy. It's a book that, once started, is very hard to put down. I highly recommend this book. It's a keeper! I am looking forward to reading about the other two sisters in Commanche Woman and Texas Woman.
What an awesome series!!!.......2004-10-03
This is book 1 in an awesome series about the Texas frontier. Word of warning, if you aren't into romances, this probably isn't for you. I love that the woman of this novel is strong willed and doesn't take any crap from men. Is good to see these aren't wimpering bimbos. When you have finish this book, be prepared to read the other two in the 'Woman' series.
disturbing.......2004-04-04
This was a difficult book to read. While it's nice to read about a strong heroine, it's another to read about an unreasonable brat, which is what Cricket was. This woman was like a plague leaving destruction and mayhem in her wake. It was unrealistic that she could be the reason for her sister-in-law's tragedy and not only did she not face any consequences, but she did not learn a lesson and she continued on as before. I am happy that this wasn't the first book I read from JJ... it would have been my last.
Customer Reviews:
Self-Made Calamity.......2007-06-04
Though it's not mentioned in this biography, it's worth noting that cowboy artist C.M. Russell, who was more or less Calamity's contemporary, and who shared at least one mutual friend, cowboy Teddy Blue Abbott, never painted nor even mentioned Calamity in any of his artwork, stories, or recollections. It was Russell who wrote, "The worst old timer I every knew, looks dam good to me." James McLaird's painstaking new book suggests that perhaps Russell didn't find Calamity scandalous but dull.
Martha Jane Canary / Calamity Jane was, in her childhood and adolescent years, an example of resourcefulness and grit. She survived a broken home, neglect, and abandonment. That she survived at all, much less as a camp follower who chanced to visit some famous camps, would be enough to earn her a footnote in history books. Had she never returned to Deadwood after her first visit, she'd probably have some polite mention in the town's history. When she came back a second time, she was an item of nostalgia; but when she returned a third time, she was a nuisance and embarrassment.
James McLaird has done nothing less than a phenomenal job, and possibly a thankless one. He sifted and sorted through every book, article, memoir, and dime novel that might make mention of Calamity in order to establish just who she was and how much of her legend had any basis in fact. And the truth is neither flattering nor thrilling. If Calamity has anything to be memorialized for, apart from occasional nursing duties, it would be her travels. When not following the U.S. Cavalry into the Black Hills, she followed the railroad as it pushed its way across the West. She hobnobbed with Wild Bill Hickock, but probably never shared a bed with him. She was nowhere near General Custer and the 7th Cavalry when they encountered Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. She tended bars, drove wagons, whored, drank, and fought till she was asked to leave town, and might have continued to do so comfortably if she hadn't become a celebrity. Behind her dime novelesque façade, she was a bitter alcoholic, aging prematurely and sinking toward an early death in her late 40s.
McLaird paints as sympathetic a portrait as he can. Calamity fell victim both to herself and the legend she engendered. Some years after her death, she was exploited again by Jean McCormick, a con artist who fabricated an elaborate and clumsy hoax to "prove" she was the daughter of Calamity and Wild Bill Hickock. McLaird commendably restrains his sarcasm and lets irony speak for itself. The McCormick ruse not only found believers in the 1940s, but continues to have adherents in these days of "Deadwood."
The Most Thorough, Reliable Information on Calamity Jane.......2007-01-10
In the past 20 years I've read a lot of information on Calamity Jane, and James Mclaird's book is the most reliable, well-researched book on the subject of this woman. Most of the information floating around about her is false, and Mclaird painstakingly dissects myth from fact, including how each myth or rumor was started in the first place. Since reading Calamity Jane:The Woman And The Legend, I feel like a pseudo-expert on her myself, and can easily spot misinformation and poor research whenever I see it in other publications. I highly recommend this read for Old West enthusiasts, students who are looking for a topic, and anyone interested in what a genuinely thorough biography is supposed to be. If you're considering another source on her life other than this one, don't bother because it's probably a jumble of misinformation. This book is the only way to go.
Worth Reading.......2007-01-03
An interesting review of Jane's life. Well written, this book shows the real Calamity Jane not just the Dime Novel Legend. Make no mistake, Jane lived a hard life, but her story is well worth your time to read.
Decent Biography of a Western Myth.......2006-02-08
This well researched and documented biography of Mary Canary a.k.a. Calamity Jane (1856-1903) lifts the veil behind a Western myth. The real Calamity Jane really did have a calamitous life. She spent most of her life in the roughest spots - as a military camp follower, in rough and tumble mining towns, and in the ever raucous and short lived railroad junction towns springing up as the tracks were laid across the country. She made her living as a dance hall girl, prostitute, laundress, cook, Madame, and similar pursuits. She was a life long alcoholic and was clearly dissipated at an early age. Later in life, some ways, she lived off the kindness of others or cashed in on her unearned fame as a frontier hero.
McLaird does a good job of uncovering the real Calamity Jane and explaining how her myth was built up through Western dime novels and newspaper reporters, thirsty for good stories. For example, stories about Calamity the camp follower turned into her being a scout for the army. As her legend grew, the stories became even more farcical. Later in life Calamity cashed in on these stories to garner sympathy and support from others. But ultimately she died young, most likely simply from alcoholism.
The downfall to this biography is twofold. First, the author could have cited other writers that discuss the process of Western myth building and incorporated that into his thesis. Secondly, the prose is very matter of fact and rather bland. I found the topic fascinating but the writing style a bit boring, so at times the biography gets a little tedious and academic.
Nevertheless, it does offer another solid academic work on Western myth building, with Calamity Jane maybe the biggest farce of them all.
Packed with depth and detail on known facts and you won't find a better coverage elsewhere.......2005-12-06
Calamity Jane is a major figure in Western history so it's not surprising numerous titles have been written about her previously: what is surprising is that Calamity Jane: The Woman And The Legend has so much new material to reveal. Here's the definitive biography of one Martha Canary, written by one of the best modern authorities and packed with meticulous research. McLaird had to study conflicting accounts of her life and adventures to arrive at the truth: Calamity Jane comes packed with depth and detail on known facts and you won't find a better coverage elsewhere.
Amazon.com
Legends have attached themselves to Laura Ingalls Wilder, beloved author of the eight Little House novels, but what are the facts? Fans are familiar with her early pioneer years up to her marriage, at age 19, to Almanzo Wilder. But before this biography, little has been known about her adult years. This detail-packed biography amends that. John E. Miller has availed himself of myriad primary sources--Ingalls Wilder's unpublished autobiography, letters, her newspaper stories, and other documentary materials. Miller's approach is to track her evolution into one of American's most popular children's writers, a formidable challenge, because she left behind little in the way of personal revelation. Published between 1932 and 1943, the Little House novels were immediately seized upon; strangely, Ingalls Wilder did not begin her career as a novelist until she was in her mid-60s.
What happened between the adolescent years, dramatized in her novels, and the period between 1943 and 1957, when she was basking in the glow of her readers' affection? "To write her 'autobiographical' novels," Miller notes, "Wilder needed to undergo a process of becoming, which depended heavily upon the inheritance that she had received both from her family and, across the years, from the various environments in which she lived."
One minor flaw in this otherwise reverent biography is Miller's incredulity that such an ordinary, farm-town woman could become such a famous and sophisticated author. He strains to identify the extraordinary, formative moments--Wilder's various memberships in local political organizations; her apprenticeship as a farm-journal columnist; her relationship with her talented and precocious daughter, Rose. More interesting is his curiosity about how she came to be an independent career woman in a time of limited options for women, in a place (the Ozarks of Missouri) remote, isolated, and tradition bound.
Ingalls Wilder's daughter, the extraordinary Rose Wilder Lane (prominent in the American literary scenes in the 1920s and 1930s), had a major role in the production of her mother's novels. Indeed, the remarkable mother-daughter relationship itself makes the book well-worth reading. Laura would learn to write from her daughter; however Miller argues against the widely held belief that it was Rose Lane's sophisticated writing skills that transformed and polished her mother's novels.
Miller begins with the history of the Ingalls family and their first settlement, which was in Wisconsin along the banks of the Mississippi River. The history unfolds at a sprightly pace and paints the hardscrabble pioneer life in bright colors--the family's search for good farmland that drives them to Missouri; the physical challenges of the prairie; plagues of locusts; the fragile farm economy; and the burgeoning immigrant population. This biography will appeal to readers already hooked by the Little House series and hungry for the facts of Laura Ingalls Wilder's life independent of the myths that grew out of her fiction. --Hollis Giammatteo
Customer Reviews:
Wish it were a little more personal........2007-02-24
I found this to be a good book, although I wish the author would have personalized Laura a little more. The ongoing battle between mother and daughter might have been overemphasized, but one comes to learn that this probably worked for both of them. I found a lot of good information, but the statistics were a little much. I found myself reading between the lines and wanted to get back to the meat of the story...Laura.
I recommend this book to any Wilder fan, for it does give us a glimpse into the woman she really was. Like anyone else, Laura was only human, faults and all.
Meloni Cassidy
Author of Everlasting Journey
Want to read a colorful biography or a dry history book?.......2006-08-31
I purchased this book to read about how Laura Ingalls Wilder became the celebrated author of the Little House series of books. I was very disappointed, therefore, that this uninsightful, dry, fragmented, and repetitious tome read more like a bad history book with too many statistics, facts and figures, rather than character analysis, leaving me with no more knowledge of Laura's character than before I read it. For example, after describing ad nauseum all the organizations and activities one could possibly participate in their town, the author states that we do not know if Laura and her family enjoyed any of them. It was frustrating to constantly read the words "probably, maybe, if, we can presume ....." The author makes too many assumptions and repeatedly expresses his inability to accurately understand and relay Laura's personal feelings due to the unfortunate lack of diaries, letters, and journals left behind by Mrs. Wilder. Relying too much on her daughter, Rose's writings, he portrays Laura as an overprotective, condescending, controlling mother and a domineering wife who refused to vow to obey her husband during their wedding. Miller is not quite sure he even believes Rose's unflattering portrayal of her mother, because she was mentally ill and emotionally unstable herself. This book contains so much one-sided information about Laura's daughter that it should instead be titled Becoming Rose Wilder Lane.
Well-Researched and Most Interesting.......2005-12-21
Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder is a wonderfully written, detailed account of the real-life, complex woman that scores of American children grew to love through Wilder's award-winning "Little House" series of books. Author, John E. Miller is to be commended for his work, since his was no easy undertaking in telling the story of the celebrated author, who experienced more than a fair share of financial struggles and setbacks, as well as a stormy, difficult relationship with her only child, Rose Wilder Lane.
Faithful readers first got to know Laura and the Ingalls family through Wilder's charming, semi-autobiographical stories of the family's pioneering experiences, as they eked out an existence during the latter part of the 19th Century. John Miller's superbly researched biography brings to palpability the rather ordinary and unexceptional people who later became the characters in Laura's charming stories, elevated to their iconic status by the passage of time and the beauty of Laura's simplistic, unique brand of prose. Miller carefully crafts Laura's story with careful, concurrent attention to the rapidly changing world around Laura's "Little House" stories and the result provides for fascinating reading, steeped in American history. In so telling Laura's story, however, Miller also was confronted with the complicated task of exploring the rather unpleasant, antagonistic relationship shared between Laura and Rose in all the starkness and raw-nerve quality it probably is deserving of, since the information was derived primarily from journals of and correspondence between mother and daughter and not tempered by the author's personal contact, knowledge or emotional involvement with either person.
Miller (wisely) seems to side-step the loaded topic that Rose ghost-wrote her mother's novels. It appears, he himself does not personally subscribe to the idea, yet he handles the issues fairly in his presentation of some of the following facts: Rose typed and edited her mother's hand-written manuscripts, as well as converted the narrations of Laura's writings from first person (which was the style Laura was most comfortable with and therefore utilized in all of the first drafts of her books) to third person; she likewise assisted in the research of historic facts and cultural details that had long-escaped Laura's childhood memories (she was 63 years of age, when she wrote Little House in the Big Woods, the first book in the seven book series), as well as provided a good deal of encouragement and seasoned advice, that Laura most assuredly must have depended upon.
Rose's role in the complicated dynamics of her family was not an easy one. The tragic memories the Dakotas held for Laura and her husband, Almanzo, were no doubt instrumental in their final choice to move to the Ozarks and thereby place a formidable amount of distance between themselves and Laura's family, all of whom remained in various locations in South Dakota for the rest of their lives. Deprived of contact with and moral support from her tightly-knit family and partnered in a long marriage with a man who was old before his time, dour, taciturn and seemingly disappointed with life in general, Laura seemed compelled (by something almost akin to fear) to cling frantically to her only child. Rose, who by all accounts (including the observations recorded in the journal of Laura's youngest sister, Grace) was a precocious and unusually bright child; predictably she was destined to rebel against the smothering attentions her mother focused upon her.
After reading Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder, in my opinion, it seems probable that Laura and Rose formed a symbiotic type of partnership as Laura penned her juvenile series, that has enjoyed decades of acclaim, was adapted for a long-running television series (that took considerable artistic liberties with the actual novels), and inspired a variety of low-budget movies focusing on various phases of Laura's life. Since Rose was a successful author in her own right, the mixed feelings and open resentment she apparently harbored for her mother and her mother's ensuing success as a writer, at times seems like matters of petty jealousy, but also peculiar and prompted by a quirky sense of competitiveness. In Rose's defense, however, the real-life Laura was considerably different (as an adult) than the spunky, "little half-pint" her readers were familiar with; she was seemingly quick-tempered, extremely high-strung, opinionated, nit-picky and with a propensity for nagging. Undoubtedly, much of Laura's anxiousness and over-dependency on the free-spirited Rose was in a large part prompted by the economic uncertainty that apparently plagued Laura and Almanzo for most of their lives. It would have seemed that the financial independence Laura's success as an author provided would have been welcomed by Rose; but, in fact, it appears Rose was rather indifferent to her mother's celebrity and blasé about the critical acclaim of Laura's books.
Any true fan of the "Little House" books will revel in Miller's book. "Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder" provides its readers with a fascinating perspective as it explores the real-life characters Wilder brought to live on the pages of her stories which are rife with the sweet music of Pa's fiddle, swaying covered wagons making their way westward, the lonely howl of a wolf drifting across the dark, silent prairie and the tender comforts of a simpler life in an era long past, but (thankfully) not forgotten.
Fascinating, insightful........2005-11-28
Unlike many of the other reviewers of this book, I wasted no time looking for alleged flaws in this book. As someone who grew up with and was indelibly influenced by Laura's books, I really appreciated no end the look at the woman behind the legend, as the apt title suggests. Miller does a fantastic job of showing how he pieced through all the existing evidence, and of drawing logical conclusions. It must have been a significant challenge to have drawn those conclusions, given that all of the subjects are long dead: in other words, Miller has done our work for us, giving the reader an opportunity to have an absorbing look at the real woman and her family. For any admirer of Laura Ingalls Wilder's timeless, priceless chronicles, they will not want to pass up this invaluable, generously insightful study. I thank John Miller for an incredible job well done.
The Best Book Ever.......2005-04-29
This is by far the most wondeful book you will ever read about
Laura Ingalls. Why? You may ask. Because we finally see Laura for what she is , human. That's right Laura has faults like us all. One point that clearly brings this out is how she ruled the house as well as Almonza and that she did not like going to church. Laura was a very outspoken wonderful person, her books
will always have a special place in my heart. Give this book a try, you will see Laura in a whole new light.
Book Description
In the summer of 1860 the author of these recollections, Mary Ann Stucki, then six years old, walked beside her parents’ handcart from Florence (Omaha), Nebraska, to Salt Lake City, Utah. The family, converts to Mormonism, had left their comfortable home near Bern, Switzerland, to make the long journey to the Mormon Zion. Nearly eighty years later, Mary Ann Hafen published this account of her life, giving us an unparalleled, candid, inside view of the Mormon woman’s world.
Called to go with the Swiss company to settle the “Dixieland” region of southern Utah —a hot, dry, inhospitable land—Mary Ann’s family lived in thatch, dugout, and adobe houses they built themselves. While still hardly more than a child, Mary Ann cut wheat with a sickle, gleaned cotton fields, made braided straw hats for barter, and spun and dyed cloth for her dresses. Always sustained by her faith in the church, she took part in a millenarian scheme that failed—a communal order—and entered a polygamous marriage, raising almost single-handedly a large family.
Mary Ann Hafen has left an authentic, matter-of-fact record of poverty, incredibly hard work, and loss of loved ones, but also of pleasures great and small. It is a unique document of a little-known way of life.
Customer Reviews:
An absorbing read..........2006-10-24
A fascinating peep into the everyday life of one woman who, along with many others, braved the trail west. Her story is told simply and factually - it has the feel of sitting down with an old friend you haven't seen for a long time and catching up on the news. Whether you're of the Mormon faith or not (I'm not, but enjoyed the book for its historical content), you can't help but admire the hardy spirit of this pioneer woman in the face of death and hardship and rejoice with her in the simple delights that come along just often enough to make it all worthwhile. Though the title sounds like the book focuses mostly on the trail experience, it actually tells her story through the rest of her life.
Great book from a personal viewpoint.......1999-10-18
I must admit that I am a bit biased, since Mary was my wife's great grandmother. A touching book, and does not white wash the trials experienced.
Book Description
Ever since her mother's death, twenty-two year old Jori Hayden has lived safely under the shelter of her wealthy father. But when the severe economic depression of the 1800s destroys the family's fortune, the Haydens must venture west together along the Santa Fe Trail in search of a new livelihood.
With her father in poor health and her Aunt Kate-a dedicated Christian-keeping charge over the younger siblings, Jori hires Chad Rocklin right out of prison to lead their wagon train. And in a journey marked with danger at every turn, romance, faith, and family prove to be the biggest fortunes of all.
Customer Reviews:
Wild wild west.......2007-04-16
Jori Hayden's family has lived a comfortable lifestyle. She herself is pretty much a Daddy's girl, getting everything she's wanted. But then due to an economic depression, her father loses all his money forcing the family to have to move out west. To find their way on the Santa Fe Trail, the family must have a guide. Jori finds one in ChadRocklin, a prisoner she bails out of jail. The two clash over everything but the Haydens must listen to him if they want to survive in the harsh conditions of the road West.
As much as I enjoyed this book, why do I feel deja vu when reading it? Is it because I've read this plot in several of Gilbert Morris's other books? I guess after over 200 books things start to blend together. I am 100% certain there have been characters named either Praise God or Revelation that go around asking people if they are believers in Jesus in other Morris books. And I know that the story about the guy who can't read, the woman teaches him, they end up getting married was used in book 6 of the House of Winslow series. I guess to a new reader of Morris this is not a big deal. I did enjoy this book very much, as I have his others. Once again there is a lot of historical fact researched for the story. I do enjoy learning while reading and since I enjoy American history, Morris' books are usually spot on about facts. I like mixing real events and people with fictional characters to show what could have happened, and it also gives a new way to look at history. I just felt the characters in this book were rather one dimensional and predictable. If you want a historical western story, this is a good book. However I would recommend Morris' CheneyDuvall series or the Appomattox Saga if you haven't read any of his books before.
Book Description
Area Women Unite! In this sharp and sophisticated collection of essays, columnist Patricia Pearson takes us on a hilarious tour of our twenty-first-century obsessions and distractions.
Patricia Pearson is a working woman, wife, and mother on the verge. Whether it's being humiliated by the "Beauty Bullies" at the Lancome counter or failing to live up to the "Serene Mother" ideal, Pearson has had enough of negotiating our present-day myths and fads. In fact, she's formed a few opinions on the matter and can't wait to share them with you.
In Area Woman Blows Gasket, Pearson plumbs every facet of modern life, marriage, and motherhood, from choosing the right vegan-bran-hemp diet for your family to confronting your husband's irrational fear of mayonnaise to finding a way to return to work and not turn your child into a contract killer. Adult education classes, therapy, $100 haircuts, the latest news on what causes cancer, Christmas shopping-all come into sharp focus with the help of Pearson's comic eye. Her wry brand of wisdom is a refreshing and long-awaited release from our confusing and often contradictory world.
Customer Reviews:
What a riot!.......2006-08-15
This book of essays is one of the most entertaining musings on family life (with several great side trips -- such as a hilarious piece on quitting smoking) that I've ever read. Several of the essays were so funny, that I was crying while laughing. I had to read several of them aloud to my husband because he felt so left out of the jokes.
High marks to this absolutely hysterical collection of tales from the domestic frontier!
Area Woman Blows Gasket : And Other Tales from the Domestic .......2005-05-09
Patricia Pearson's outlook on life and daily events are expressed in this series of essays written on such topics as fast food, therapists, haircuts, social dos and don'ts and much much more. Take a look at the lighter, funnier sometimes sad side of life through the eyes and thoughts of Pearson, a columnist and writer for publications across the nation. This satirical look will leave you wanting the next installment from this brilliant author. You will never look at life the same, which may not be a good thing, if you aren't ready for change. A Must Read!!!! ****
Book Description
“The female of the species vanished on the afternoon of the second Tuesday of February at four minutes and fifty-two seconds past four o'clock, Eastern Standard Time. The event occurred universally at the same instant, without regard to time belts, and was followed by such phenomena as might be expected after happenings of that nature.”
On a lazy, quiet afternoon, in the blink of an eye, our world shatters into two parallel universes as men vanish from women and women from men. After families and loved ones separate from one another, life continues in very different ways for men and women, boys and girls. An explosion of violence sweeps one world that still operates technologically; social stability and peace in the other are offset by famine and a widespread breakdown in machinery and science. And as we learn from the fascinating parallel stories of a brilliant couple, Bill and Paula Gaunt, the foundations of relationships, love, and sex are scrutinized, tested, and sometimes redefined in both worlds. The radically divergent trajectories of the gendered histories reveal stark truths about the rigidly defined expectations placed on men and women and their sexual relationships and make clear how much society depends on interconnection between the sexes.
Written over a half century ago yet brimming with insight and unsettling in its relevance today, The Disappearance is a masterpiece of modern speculative fiction.
Customer Reviews:
Vanishing Points.......2006-05-09
For some years I was familiar with the name Philip Wylie as one of the authors of the disaster story "When Worlds Collide". I was also surprised to find that one of his books ("The Gladiator") influenced the creation of the hero Superman. "The Disappearance" (1951) is the first book I've read by Wylie.
In the introduction to this edition of "The Disappearance" Robert Silverberg thought it more appropriate to regard this book as fantasy rather than science fiction. Bizarre happenings in science fiction stories are usually "explained" and rationalised in an effort to achieve plausibility. The mysterious phenomenon that occurs here - the world suddenly splitting into two realities where men and women exist separately - is never actually explained, although characters in the story try to attribute it to things like mass hallucination or divine intervention.
From two perspectives, male and female, we see how events unfold following the disappearance of the opposite sex, and the way it has affected society in either world. The basic message is that one can't live without the other. The all-male society slides into violence and aggression, atomic weapons devastate certain cities, and martial law is declared. The all-female society is little better off, because most of the women lack such practical skills for things that were once (in the 1950s at least) considered "mens work". Anything technical or scientific was outside the women's experience, considered too rough or complicated for their abilities. Gradually though, the women adapt and attempt to live off the land despite such crises as lawlessness, disease and starvation.
"The Disappearance" is an entertaining story, and quite philosophical (which is appropriate since one of the main characters is a philosopher). For anyone who enjoyed this book I also recommend John Wyndham's novella "Consider Her Ways" (1956). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Wyndham had read "The Disappearance" because the premise is quite similar: a regimented all-female society in the future where men have been rendered extinct by a virus. In Wyndham's scenario women are coping quite well on their own and believe they're far better off without men. They also found a way to reproduce without needing a man. One character argues that in a two-sexed society women were conditioned to be unthinking consumers and parasites, that it suited commerce to trick women into embracing a life of slavery and serving the household. The bait used to entice women into this trap was called "Romance". Philip Wylie discusses these issues and others in more detail in his own work.
Although society has changed a lot since "The Disappearance" was first published in the 1950s it is still very readable. I've heard some feminists say that even now, in the early twenty-first century, women still lack equality in a world that is still considered male-dominated. Whatever the case may be, "The Disappearance" is a book that deserves to be read.
FINALLY back in print.......2005-01-06
One of the most remarkable novels ever written, The Disappearance must have caused a sensation in 1951 when it first appeared. I won't belabor the plot, because others have already recounted it. But its frank analysis of the way in which our society separates men and women, teaches children to be ashamed of their bodies, teaches men and women NOT to fulfill their potentials and destinies but to fill the paths set down by our narrowminded forebears, is every bit as poignant today as it was then.
Wylie's two protagonists -- Bill Gaunt the philosopher and is wife Paula -- a PhD in languages -- are three-dimensional and fascinating. His assessment of the world of men without women disintegrating into lawlessness is frighteningly real. His world of women discovering that very few of their number have been trained in the rudiments of running the society is sobering. And although women have come a long way in that respect since 1951, the glass ceiling still exists. The perception of the "role" of women or men in a particular situation hasn't gone away.
The whole story is told with insight and a wicked sense of humor. Just look at his picture of the wives of the government officials trying to run the government of women. Unfortunately, politicians do not always choose wives for their intelligence but for a host of other attributes and skills that do not help them to cope with the catastrophe. And the showdown between the American and Soviet women will leave you breathless and laughing.
To me, the best example of the way Wylie chose to tell this story is Chapter 13, which does not further the plot at all. Bill Gaunt is asked by the President and a committee of scientists and other thinkers to prepare an essay assessing what it all means. Chapter 13 is that essay. Even the title of the chapter lets impatient readers know that if they skip it, they will lose none of the sense of the story. DON"T SKIP IT!!
Not for the faint of heart, but DEFINITELY for the inquiring mind. Those of us who have already read this one (several times) are pleased it is back in print so we can replace the lop-eared copies we have been reading for years.
Note to Hollywood: Wouldn't this make a fascinating subject for a movie? Probably not. Its subtleties and interweaving of plots and events would go beyond Hollywood's ability to translate it without succumbing to the temptation to mess with it. So I guess we'll just have to read it again.
One cautionary note: Be aware that the novel does have one bit of baggage that is left over from the time it was written. Its Cold War politics may seem out of place today, but it carries the story forward. Aside from that small anachronism (from our point of view), the novel could have been written yesterday.
If you've never heard of this one, give it a chance. You'll be as amazed as I was.
Still a Very Good Read.......2004-12-09
Having just finished the book, I can heartily recommend it for its prescience and message. The ending is especially fitting and uplifting. Despite its somewhat anachronistic style and vocabulary, "The Disappearance" is a must-read for feminists and misogynists everywhere.
DISAPPOINTING.......2004-07-09
There's good reason this book is out of print. Wylie's story, THE DISAPPEARANCE, doesn't stand the test of time. Back in the '50's this startling plot certainly impressed the reader-no more. Now we expect some plausible, physical or psychic explanation for this split world phenomena. In fact, Wylie's principle character, Bill Gaunt, spent four year searching for an answer but could only come up with psychological mumbo jumbo.
In fact, contrary to the premise of this story-that the two sexes lack appreciation for each other-the battle of the sexes, for many, could be the only factor that keeps life interesting enough to live. Wylie's disdain for homosexuality is now as antiquated as slave ownership.
Whatever putty holds the material world together came unglued for four years while the males and females found themselves on two ships at sea, never passing. The happy ending, the reuniting of the sexes, was a pure and simple cop out. The reader expects some plausible explanation but never gets it. Perhaps Wylie brewed up a fine stew here but provides nothing to sharpen your intellectual teeth on.
Please reprint!!!!!.......2002-02-25
I read Philip Wylie's The Disappearance about 40 years ago. I am currently rereading it from my original paperback copy which has been held together with rubber bands. As I read each page I put the page aside. I am surprised and pleased to find in the reviews I just read that I am not alone in searching, for the most part unsuccessfully, for a reasonably priced copy. I would urge the powers to be to give us a reprint....soon!
Book Description
She was almost fifteen on the night she dared for the first time to think of what life might be like away from home. Pa again had come home drunk and mean; the trauma of the subsequent scene had been repeated as long as Damaris could remember. The idea that she no longer needs to tolerate this, that maybe she's old enough to manage on her own, is planted in her mind and begins to grow. She must plan her escape carefully, but she must get away from him.
When the opportunity comes, Damaris carries with her the strength of her mother's love. Two treasures hidden for years from her father her grandmother's lacy golden brooch and her grandfather's lovely watch are Damaris' only legacy from her past. That and her name. Her mother said it came from the Bible and had a special meaning that she can't remember anymore. What difference might it make?
But Damaris can't escape the "aloneness" that haunts her life or the bitterness she feels when she sees others suffering, particularly children. Ultimately, she must come to terms with her past, learn to live in her present circumstances, and trust her future to another Father.
She Discovered Much More Than the Meaning of Her Name in That Book
Customer Reviews:
heart wrenching.......2007-09-20
I can't beleive how this story touched my heart, it was out of this world, Oke did it again
OOOOOhhhhh, SO GOOD.......2007-05-14
I loved this book! After reading the Prairie Legacy series and realizing that the Damaris that shows up there is the one and the same, I just couldn't rest until I got this book and got her "back story". Well, I was not disappointed. Yet another triumph for Mrs. Oke!
Easy and Enjoyable Read.......2007-03-30
If you like Christian Romance novels, you will probably like this book. I actually didn't want to like this book, but as I read it, I just couldn't help myself. It was both enjoyable and interesting. As a teenager Damaris escapes an abusive alcoholic father and travels west with a wagon train. After an exhausting trip, she finally is able to settle in a small town. She finds several part time jobs and even a couple of good friends.
After she establishes a routine in her new life, the romance aspect of the novel is introduced. I found it to be a bit boring and predictable, but I don't think that the romance is supposed to be the main focus. I think Damaris' struggle to overcome her abusive past is the main focus, with the Bible playing a pivotal role in both the novel and Damaris' struggle to overcome. Towards the end of the novel, the story manages to focus on Christ and forgiveness without being, for the most part, too preachy. Overall, this novel is a quick, easy read which won't disappoint readers fond of this genre.
I love a women named Damaris.......2006-12-24
a women named Damaris is a wonderfull book one of the best I have every read. full of god love and romace and show's how god helped her through hard times. it's a graet book that show's a true realaship with the hevanly father. I'm 13 and I loved it. I would say that anyone over the age of 12 to 60 would enjoy it. I would say you would enjoy any thing that Janette Oke writes she's a graet graet writer!, :-)
A decent summer read, but nothing special........2003-06-16
"A Woman Named Damaris" did not have a solid plot, and was redundant. It's a decent read, but most of the pages were full of fluff and fillers. I have no idea what it's like, but Damaris' constant thinking that men are drunks started to get to me and at times made me angry. Predictable, as all of Oke's books are, and her endings come so quickly and without elaboration. I "sorta" recommend.
Book Description
From Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate to Frank Butler and Annie Oakley and the lesser-known Mollie Walsh and Packer Jack Newman, this book reveals the stories behind some of the West's most famous, passionate, and tempestuous romances.
Customer Reviews:
A Lovely Book!.......2007-05-02
This book is all that it appears to be and more. It is romantic, factual and lively. The book does not only deal with the lovers who ended up happily married, but those lovers who ended up dying lonely as well. A fantastic read for those who like to read about love the way it really is and was. Highly recommended!
Books:
- Halfway To Heaven
- Heaven
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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