Book Description

Lisey Debusher Landon lost her husband, Scott, two years ago, after a twenty-five-year marriage of the most profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award-winning, bestselling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey had to learn from him about books and blood and bools. Later, she understood that there was a place Scott went -- a place that both terrified and healed him, that could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it's Lisey's turn to face Scott's demons, Lisey's turn to go to Boo'ya Moon. What begins as a widow's effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited. Perhaps King's most personal and powerful novel, Lisey's Story is about the wellsprings of creativity, the temptations of madness, and the secret language of love.

Customer Reviews:

I am only about 1/2 way through,.......2007-10-09

so take this with a grain of salt. I would (speaking as a woman married to one) swear that this was not written by Stephen King, but by another woman. It's just not his voice, and dunno...I don't think a man could have written this. It's too dead on. Good though :) not brilliant, but just really satisfying. I'll probably read it again in the future.

A Big Smucking Review.......2007-10-08

I bought this book on a whim because I needed something to read.
I wish I hadn't.

Lisey's Story is all about The Widow Landon as she sorts through her husband's crap after his death.
I can't really remember what causes her to start her journey to Boo'Ya Moon, her husband's other world.

What really annoyed me was her and Scott's inner language, such as "bool" "Smucking" "puffickly hoo-yuge" etc...

That's always annoyed me about King's work; the way he inserts weird little sayings like that into his work.

Other than that, It was alright.

"Lisey's Story".......2007-10-06

In November, I saw an interview with Stephen King about his newest book, "Lisey's Story." He drew a parallel between writing novels and playing baseball - sometimes it's a base hit, sometimes a homerun. He felt "Lisey's Story" is the best he's done in years. I agree.

Editor, "Of A Predatory Heart"

King reaches new heights.......2007-10-06

A review by Seth Kerin, author of The Elder Worlds: Book One and The Continuum

Lisey's Story, by Stephen King, is one of his best novels yet. Don't get me wrong - I am a great fan of The Dark Tower Series, The Stand, and other King classics, but this one is probably his most literary work to date, and really delves deeply into the relationship between a writer and his wife. This novel is more about the character and how she develops than about the dark thing that goes bump in the night.

That is not to say there aren't classic King scares in the novel, and it certainly ramps up the tension in several key areas of the story.

What I liked most about the book was his portrayal of the writer's world that he escapes to on several occasions, even bringing Lisey herself there. As a writer, I can relate to that concept of a place that is at once an escape, and also a potential trap. When you go down that path, sometimes you don't want to leave. Sometimes you don't want to go back to the real world.

You won't want to put Lisey's Story down.

What's Up With Stephen?.......2007-10-06

Like so many others, I am a longtime Stephen King fan, although I have to say up front that I liked the early ones better than the later ones.

This is a readable book that engages you with its storyline. However, this seems to be written by a peculiarly angry and misogynistic King. Yes, his main character is a woman, but the language of the book and the treatment of this woman is harsher than I have previously encountered (maybe he got this way with his characters after I strayed from his books?). I am not referring to character behavior (he can make his characters as unlikeable as he pleases) but the narrative and plot as written by King. Maybe he is not interested in female readership? I almost came back, but...no thanks. I require a little more respect for my gender from my authors.

Average customer rating: Underblown A book that leaves questions unanswered A beach idyll Anita Shreve is a five star novelist! Love Anita Shreve, very disappointed though.

Body Surfing: A Novel Anita Shreve Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Divorce | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Shreve, Anita | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Nineteen Minutes: A Novel A Thousand Splendid Suns The Double Bind: A Novel Dream When You're Feeling Blue: A Novel Whitethorn Woods ASIN: 0316059854 Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

The beach house in New Hampshire which figured in Anita Shreve's The Pilot's Wife, Fortune's Rocks, and Sea Glass is once again featured in Body Surfing. This time, it is the summer home of the Edwards family, Anna and Mark and daughter Julie. Mrs. Edwards has great hopes for Julie, who is "slow," so she hires Sydney to tutor her, in preparation for her senior year. There are two older brothers, Jeff and Ben, whose arrival changes the household dynamic considerably.

Once again, Shreve revisits the minefield of love and betrayal that she has explored so well in her best novels. Sydney is 29, twice married, once divorced, and once a widow. She is floundering, not sure she wants to go back to school, accepting whatever job comes along and then moving on. She answers the ad for a tutor and finds herself in the Edwards household, where she discovers that Julie has undiscovered artistic talent. Mrs. Edwards dislikes her instantly, is dismissive, and treats her like a servant. Mr. Edwards befriends her, shows her his roses and talks to her about the history of the house, giving the reader a rundown of the role the house has played in prior novels.

Sydney, Jeff, and Ben go body surfing late one night and Sydney is sure that Ben has tried to grope her underwater. She takes immediate umbrage at this and treats him coldly thereafter. Shreve's other work has a steady narrative flow, but this novel is episodic and disjointed. There is the the arrival of Jeff's girlfriend, her departure, an evening when Julie comes home drunk and won't talk about it, and a liaison between Sydney and Jeff which leads to the complications that eventually define the novel. There is a twist at the end, involving the brothers, that is divisive, destructive and rather hard to believe.

While this is not Shreve's best effort, because the characters are not well-defined, it is worth reading her take on what happens to people when they compete for love. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

At the age of 29, Sydney has already been once divorced and once widowed. Trying to regain her footing once again, she has answered an ad to tutor the teenage daughter of a well-to-do couple as they spend a sultry summer in their oceanfront New Hampshire cottage.But when the Edwards' two grown sons, Ben and Jeff, arrive at the beach house, Sydney finds herself caught up in a destructive web of old tensions and bitter divisions. As the brothers vie for her affections, the fragile existence Sydney has rebuilt for herself is threatened. With the subtle wit, lyrical language, and brilliant insight into the human heart that has led her to be called "an author at one with her m+tier" (Miami Herald), Shreve weaves a novel about marriage, family, and the supreme courage that it takes to love.

Customer Reviews:

Underblown.......2007-10-11

I have enjoyed many of Anita Shreve's novels. A reviewer once wrote, in describing another of Shreve's works (paraphrased)"..in a somber voice, Shreve leads us on". At the time I thought this was a wonderful description of Shreve's style and a testament to her artistry. That phrase also applies to this book, but only in the sense of describing the style. This book is written sparely, is indeed miserly, when it comes to character development and dialogue. The characters feel as if they have been neutered, turned into androids, and are reading every third line of a conversation. And yet, this is supposed to be a love story. I won't reprise the plot here, other reviewers have done that well. But as far as feeling for the characters; joy during their courtship, sadness when it comes, I was left untouched. I was tempted to count the number of sentences any character in this book speaks that has more than 6 words in it. Here is a brief example; (Sydney encounters an older woman whose husband has recently died), "Sydney guesses there are few normal meals now. She walks to the counter, "I'm so sorry" she says. "Why should you be sorry?" Mrs. Edwards asks, taking up a sponge and wiping the granite. Over Mrs. Edwards shoulder, Sydney can see through the window to the rose garden, or what is left of it." Then there is a description of the rose garden in decay. To have a genuine expression of sorrow met with such a rebuff would seem to call for some kind of response, discussion, feeling....but you won't find it here. Only a decaying rose garden. Perhaps this book was an experiment by Ms. Shreve. Perhaps in providing only the barest framework for this story, she wants the reader to supply the emotions, the full conversations, the happiness, all of the richness that makes a story unique. It left me feeling hollow and disappointed. It is not a terrible book, and if the choice is to read it/give it a pass, I would say to read it. But be forewarned, you are in for a clinical experience.

A book that leaves questions unanswered.......2007-10-07

It's always a thrill to start reading a book by Anita Shreve. Her writing has a refreshing astringency, like tart lemon sherbet after one scoop too many of rocky road. Every sentence is weighted, and the reader joins the writer in observing and interpreting the action.

BODY SURFING is the story of Sydney Sklar, recently widowed, who is tutoring eighteen-year-old Julie Edwards at a beach house in New Hampshire. Julie's older brothers visit and sparks ignite between Sydney and Jeff.

Now comes the trouble with spare writing: the reader SEES the various love affairs unfolding, but they're hard to fathom. The chemistry has to be taken on faith. The drawing of a finger along a thigh inspires sensual longing? An underwater touch in the dark is received with intractable revulsion? A distant swimmer in a wetsuit arouses a young girl's first sexual passion? We know it because the author tells us so, but it's all a bit abstract. Lives are changed by these minimal encounters but the reader doesn't feel the heat; the plot seems somehow under-explained.

The characters, too, are described by their actions, with interpretation laid on. Somehow you know they're as complex as anyone else but the narrative doesn't quite do that complexity justice. We might wonder why Mrs. Edwards ever thought a summer of tutoring would get her "slow" daughter into a Seven Sisters college; how an architect never came to discover that his daughter is gifted with artistic talent; why neither of them ever noticed that she was a lesbian. And as for Sydney, she seems strong, smart and kind, is already twice-married, yet she can't spot a cad when she sees one and instantly agrees to marry him, apparently because of the thigh-stroking mentioned above.

There's nothing awful about this book; the writing itself is a treat, though maybe better suited to stories with a period setting like SEA GLASS or FORTUNE'S ROCKS. However it's not Anita Shreve's best. If you haven't read her, don't start here. But if you love her style, you'll probably find this book a passable read.

A beach idyll.......2007-10-03

Twenty nine year old Sydney is employed by a family to tutor their backward 18 year old daughter in the hope of her gaining college admission. The girl's mother who treats Sydney as a servant, refuses to recognise that her daughter hasn't the mental ability to attend college and also is blind to the fact that the girl is stunningly beautiful and on the brink of a sexually active life. As Sydney has already been married twice, once divorced and once widowed, she is wary of the overtures made to her by the sons of the house when they come to the beach house for the summer, and takes an immediate dislike to the elder, as she is convinced that he groped her in the water while they were all swimming. She soon begins an intense love affair with the younger son which leads to very high drama and a complete change of life for her. It was a quick, pleasant read, written with Anita Shreve's usual style and one which her fans will enjoy immensely.

Anita Shreve is a five star novelist!.......2007-09-11

Once again Anita Shreve brings you into the novel. Her writing is excellent. I always am anxiously awaiting the next novel....not soon enough for me. The characters in her novels become your friends or part of your family. What a gift Anita Shreve possesses.

Love Anita Shreve, very disappointed though........2007-09-11

I have read every single one of Anita Shreve's books. I am a huge fan & was so happy when I heard she had a new book coming out. I was so disappointed, however. This had the potential to be great, but it flopped. The characters were not developed, the main character did not grow in any way throughout the book, and I felt the end was not the end. I felt that she just gave up at the end & wasn't sure where to take it, so didn't try. I kept expecting something horrific like someone dying as in the rest of her books.

All in all, she is still my favorite author, but I am so sad that this book didn't measure up to her other amazing work.

Average customer rating: Actually, it's better than she's been lately not one of my favorites Survivor story in eastern WA Surprisingly good book Stock Howard

Up Close and Dangerous: A Novel Linda Howard Manufacturer: Ballantine Books ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | Romance | Subjects | Books Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books General | Howard, Linda | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books Hardcover | Howard, Linda | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books Similar Items: High Noon Innocent as Sin: A Novel Double Take: FBI Thriller Raintree: Inferno (Silhouette Nocturne) Force of Nature: A Novel ASIN: 0345486528 Release Date: 2007-07-17

Book Description

A mysterious plane crash . . . a dangerous trek through the Idaho wilderness . . . a smoldering attraction . . . and a deadly game of cat and mouse. In her latest tour de force of romantic suspense, New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard blends these elements into a gripping story that will keep readers breathless–and leave them begging for more. For in Linda Howard’s world, trust can be a weapon, a kiss can be a threat, and intimacy can be deadly.

Bailey Wingate’s scheming adult stepchildren are surprised when their father’s will leaves Bailey in control of their fortune, and war ensues. A year later, while flying from Seattle to Denver in a small plane, Bailey nearly dies herself when the engine sputters–and then fails.

Cam Justice, her sexy Texan pilot, manages to crash-land the aircraft. Stranded in the wilderness, and struggling to douse her feelings for the ruggedly handsome man by her side, Bailey begins to wonder whether this was a mere accident. Who tampered with their plane? Who’s trying to reunite Bailey and her husband in the afterlife? Cut off from the world, and with little hope of rescue, Bailey must trust her life–and heart–to Cam, as they battle the harsh elements to find a way out of the unforgiving wilds and back to civilization . . . where a killer may be waiting to finish the job.

Sexy, suspenseful, and lightning fast, Up Close and Dangerous showcases a beloved author at her dazzling best.

Customer Reviews:

Actually, it's better than she's been lately.......2007-10-09

I have been SEVERELY disappointed in Linda Howard's books lately, but I actually enjoyed this book....for the most part. The ending came rather quickly and was a total surprise....and it was disappointing that some characters didn't get what was coming to them....the story just ended abruptly.

Will Seth grow up and get his own novel with his own strong woman???

not one of my favorites.......2007-09-27

this was not one of my favorite Linda Howard books and I have read them all.
The Plot was unbelievable and the characters were weak...
Hoping for a better story next time around..

Survivor story in eastern WA.......2007-09-27

I liked this book. And as some others have said, it's also a course in survival. Who would think that pine needles in hot water tastes ok as a tea? Or perhaps being able to eat the pine nuts for protein? It was a great story, exciting, probably based on tried and true survival methods and a love story as well. It was entertaining, kept me reading and very interested in what would possibly happen next. And I was surprised by the ending. So to me, it's a good book. Not the best or greatest---but good. I'd suggest it to anyone needing a book to read at the beach or on a plane.

Surprisingly good book.......2007-09-25

I made a huge mistake before I read this book. I read the many reviews on it, and many of them panned Up Close and Dangerous. Pish tosh! The reviewers need to get a review clue. Howard gives her readers a tightly plotted book. She lays a trail of crumbs for readers so that they can understand both Cameron and Bailey. Howard's point is that we can't judge people without knowing them. So Cam and Bailey come to know each other under adversity caused by a plane crash. She is more than a rich man's darling. He is more than some macho jock who despises her. Being thrown together as a result of the crash helps Bailey and Cameron to build an enduring relationship in which each has a full gauge of what the other is capable of under pressure.

Another aspect of the novel is how Howard tosses dust in her reader's eyes but casting suspicion on and then clearing Bailey's stepchildren. Though they both hate her, her stepson, because of the accident, learns to channel his hate to achieve a positive objective. In this way, he realizes his father's ambition for him. Though he learns about Bailey and understands why she is his stepmother and is in control of things, he openly acknowledges that he prefers to have the status quo remain in place in order to continue his growth and development as a responsible human being.

Howard's novel even has a surprising twist at the end. Perhaps it's not so surprising. Anyway, the novel's plot is a good one, and it works.

The reader should not expect the usual heat that can burn up characters in a Howard novel. Instead, one sees an eventual growth in relationship that comes to be based on trust rather than sheer heat. Besides, it's somewhat difficult to flame out when a guy's injured for good part of things.

I liked this novel very much, and recommend it to other readers. I read it as a library borrow, and will purchase it when the paperback comes out. Good for you, Linda. Good read, worth the money.

Stock Howard.......2007-09-23

I've been a Linda Howard reader for some time but I've seen a steady decrease in quality with a corresponding increase in price. Howard seems to sleepwalk through the novel. Three fourths of it consisting of a survival guide on what to do if you're in a plane crash in the mountains. I'm sorry but this isn't what I'm looking for in romantic suspense, especially when it doesn't advance the plot (what little there is). The main characters are barely sketched in and the ending gotcha (in the last 3 pages no less) seem an afterthought. I really don't think any of her recent novels should be hardcover with the accompanying hardcover price tag. I don't begrudge Howard making a profit on her work but really, at least make the work worth it. If you want to read an author with real character development and great plots pick up the Dirk & Steele novels by Majorie M. Liu.

Average customer rating: Buckley eviscerates a certain presidential power couple Entertaining read, witty satire Funny, funny novel No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel hilarious!

No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel Christopher Buckley Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Political | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Florence of Arabia: A Novel Thank You for Smoking: A Novel Little Green Men: A Novel Boomsday God Is My Broker : A Monk-Tycoon Reveals the 7 1/2 Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth ASIN: 0375758755 Release Date: 2003-10-14

Amazon.com

Christopher Buckley is not so much a novelist as a free-ranging satirist looking for targets. In Thank You for Smoking it was big tobacco and earnest reformers; in God Is My Broker it was business and religion; and in No Way to Treat a First Lady, it's the entire legal profession, not to mention the Washington establishment. The novel opens with the President of the United States returning to the conjugal bed after an illicit Lincoln Bedroom romp with the Streisandesque Babette Van Anka. His wife, the long-suffering Beth McMann, promptly clocks him with a Paul Revere spittoon. Several hours later he dies. "Lady Bethmac," as the First Lady is immediately dubbed by the media, is put on trial, and the resulting media circus gives Buckley lots of opportunity for nicely observed skewerings of legal culture. "Judge Dutch creaked forward in his chair. This is the source of the aura of judges: they have bigger chairs than anyone else. That and the fact that they can sentence people to sit in electrified ones. It's all about chairs." He gets in some neat neologisms--a lawyer performs a "credibilobotomy" on a witness--and sends up the pretensions of law TV: at a roundtable discussion, the guest from Harvard Law is invited "to provide gravitas and to shift uneasily in his seat when the other guests said something provocative." Buckley's Trial of the Millennium is so far-fetched that it seems entirely possible. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the ambitious First Lady of the United States (and known in the tabloids as “Lady Bethmac”), is on trial for the death of her philandering husband, and the only man who can save her is the boyfriend she jilted in law school—now the most shameless defense attorney in America. Published to rave reviews, No Way to Treat a First Lady is a hilariously warped love story for our time set in the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.

Download Description

Christopher Buckley, the bestselling author of the comic classics The White House Mess and Thank You for Smoking, returns to the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the First Lady of the United States, has been charged with killing her philandering husband, the President of the United States. In the midst of a bedroom spat, she allegedly hurled a historic Paul Revere spittoon at him, with tragic results. The attorney general has no choice but to put the First Lady on trial for assassination.

The media has never warmed to Beth MacMann (her nickname in the tabloids is “Lady Bethmac”), and as America girds for a scandalous, sensational trial, Beth reaches out to the only defense attorney she trusts, Boyce “Shameless” Baylor, who charges $1,000 an hour and has represented a Who’s Who of scoundrels: murderous running backs, society wife-killers, Los Alamos spies, and national-security sellouts.

Why Boyce Baylor? Because Beth loved him once, when they were law students. Boyce wanted to marry her, but Beth chose the future President instead. Now, after all these years, Boyce has a second chance. To what lengths will a shameless lawyer go to win the Trial of the Millennium and regain the love of his life?

Buckley has been described by the Los Angeles Times Book Review as “one of the best and surest political humorists in America” and by Entertainment Weekly as “a superb writer of politically incorrect satire.” No Way to Treat a First Lady is flat-out hilarious. And furthermore, it’s a love story for our time.

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"Unspeakably and endlessly funny. Unless you're a former president. Wicked humorist Buckley shoots fish in a barrel and makes them dance."
   KIRKUS REVIEWS

"The lurid sexual excesses of the late 90's provide plenty of comic fodder for Buckley's latest satire, which doubles as a legal thriller. The political humor is first-rate as usual, as Buckley has plenty of fun with the slimy, silly mess that is Beltway politics. This is one of his better efforts, which should keep Buckley on the 'A' list of American satirists."
   PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

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Customer Reviews:

Buckley eviscerates a certain presidential power couple.......2007-09-06

This book is a riot. The ever delightful Buckley details what happens when philandering President Ken MacMann (not based on any recent presidents) dies after being hit by a silver Paul Revere spittoon thrown by edgy, lawyer First Lady Beth Tyler MacMann (bearing no resemblance to any recent first ladies) after being caught sneaking back into their White House bedroom at 2:30 a.m. from the Lincoln Bedroom, where he was building a bridge to 21st century Hollywood donations with actress, singer, activist and serial Lincoln bedroom visitor Babette Van Anka. (She's not based on any real characters, either.)

As he's found dead in the morning, his forehead bearing the reverse imprint "Revere" where the spittoon hit him, Beth MacMann is charged with assassinating her husband. She turns to the nation's top trial lawyer, Shameless Boyce, who also happens to be the fiance she dumped to marry MacMann a quarter century before in law school.

In the ensuing Trial of the Millenium. Boyce successfully chips away the government's case, until his client insists on testifying - to rehabilitate her image so that she can later run for office - and all hell breaks loose.

If you ever suffered from either Clinton or OJ fatigue (or, likely, both), you won't be able to put down this delicious satire. With the finest of literary scalpels, Buckley eviscerates politicians, TV-trial commentators, spin managers, jury analysts, Hollywood activists, preening superlawyers and mostly the once and seemingly future occupants of the White House.

Entertaining read, witty satire.......2006-09-17

Christopher Buckley's novel is an entertaining blend of satire and wit, that makes the mark the all good satire must achieve: Are the characters and the profession they represent reviled by the author, or respected for their achievements? Also, like all good satire, one can almost imagine the state of affairs depicted in this fictional novel actually occuring. Witnessing the spectacles of several trials of the century in the past few years, Buckley presents the "Trial of the Millenium", the First Lay on trial for the murder of the phialndering President.
The satirical commentary is as much about the American public as it is about the legal profession.

Funny, funny novel.......2006-08-20

Buckley really gets how Washington works, or doesn't. As a fed, I just howl with laughter. He skewers all the pompous and wrong headed people who try to run this country. Moreover, he knows how to tell a good and entertaining story.

No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel.......2005-08-31

Although this was entertaining in places and an very easy read it was no Carl Hiaasen. The verbal exchange between the main characters was creative but anyone with even a minor knowledge of the law would find the plot far from believeable.
Not a bad read to throw in your beach bag or take to the cabin for some easy weekend reading but thats about it.

hilarious!.......2005-04-18

No Way to Treat a First Lady is funny, witty, and smart. I'm a big fan of Christopher Buckley- he takes witty political satire and turns it into an engaging novel. I highly recommend No Way To Treat a First Lady in addition to Little Green Men and Thank You for Not Smoking.

Average customer rating: Who are you Kidding?! Good history, poor love story. Outstanding! Simply Outstanding! A Gem The Restless Can Relate To Interesting perspective changes

The Widow of the South Robert Hicks Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The March: A Novel The Memory Keeper's Daughter The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel Water for Elephants: A Novel ASIN: 0446697435

Amazon.com

In an Author's Note at the end of his book The Widow of the South, Robert Hicks tells us that "when Oscar Wilde made his infamous tour of America in 1882, he told his hosts that his itinerary should include a visit to 'sunny Tennessee to meet the Widow McGavock, the high priestess of the temple of dead boys.'" Carrie McGavock, The Widow of the South, did indeed take it upon herself to grieve the loss of so many young men in the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, which took place on November 30, 1864. Nine thousand men lost their lives that day. She and her husband John eventually re-buried on their own land 1,481 Confederate soldiers killed at Franklin, when the family that owned the land on which the original shallow graves had been dug decided to plow it under and put it into cultivation.

Before the battle begins, Carrie's house is commandeered for a field hospital and all normal life is suspended. Carrie is anything but normal, however. She has buried three children, has two living children she pays little attention to, has turned the running of the house over to her slave, Mariah, and spends her time dressed in black walking around in the dark or lying down lamenting her loss. She is a morbid figure from the outset but becomes less so as the novel progresses. The death going on all around her shakes her out of her torpor, but death is definitely her comfort zone.

One of the soldiers who is treated at the house is Zachariah Cashwell, who loses his leg when Carrie sends him to surgery rather than watch him die. They are inextricably bound in some kind of a spiritual dance from then on. Their reasons for being drawn to each other are inexplicable, apparently, because they remain unexplained, and when Cashwell tells Carrie he loves her, she beats him nearly to death because she loves him too. At least, that is the reason Hicks gives. He violates that first caveat given to all writers: "show us, don't tell us." There is doubtless something deeply flawed in Carrie and screamingly symbolic about her behavior; it is surely elusive. Too bad, because Carrie was a real person whom Hicks lauds for her compassion and ability to grieve without end. Then, he throws in this gratuitous "love story" and confuses the issue. Carrie's relationship with her husband and children remains unexamined. Hicks is better at describing death and "the stink of war" than he is at life. If you read War and Peace and loved all the war parts and were bored senseless by the peace parts, this is your cup of tea. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

In an Author's Note at the end of his book The Widow of the South, Robert Hicks tells us that "when Oscar Wilde made his infamous tour of America in 1882, he told his hosts that his itinerary should include a visit to 'sunny Tennessee to meet the Widow McGavock, the high priestess of the temple of dead boys.'"Carrie McGavock, The Widow of the South, did indeed take it upon herself to grieve the loss of so many young men in the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, which took place on November 30, 1864.Nine thousand men lost their lives that day.She and her husband John eventually re-buried on their own land 1,481 Confederate soldiers killed at Franklin, when the family that owned the land on which the original shallow graves had been dug decided to plow it under and put it into cultivation.Before the battle begins, Carrie's house is commandeered for a field hospital and all normal life is suspended.Carrie is anything but normal, however.She has buried three children, has two living children she pays little attention to, has turned the running of the house over to her slave, Mariah, and spends her time dressed in black walking around in the dark or lying down lamenting her loss.She is a morbid figure from the outset but becomes less so as the novel progresses.The death going on all around her shakes her out of her torpor, but death is definitely her comfort zone.One of the soldiers who is treated at the house is Zachariah Cashwell, who loses his leg when Carrie sends him to surgery rather than watch him die.They are inextricably bound in some kind of a spiritual dance from then on.Their reasons for being drawn to each other are inexplicable, apparently, because they remain unexplained, and when Cashwell tells Carrie he loves her, she beats him nearly to death because she loves him too.At least, that is the reason Hicks gives.He violates that first caveat given to all writers: "show us, don't tell us."There is doubtless something deeply flawed in Carrie and screamingly symbolic about her behavior; it is surely elusive.Too bad, because Carrie was a real person whom Hicks lauds for her compassion and ability to grieve without end.Then, he throws in this gratuitous "love story" and confuses the issue.Carrie's relationship with her husband and children remains unexamined. Hicks is better at describing death and "the stink of war" than he is at life.If you read War and Peace and loved all the war parts and were bored senseless by the peace parts, this is your cup of tea. --Valerie Ryan

Customer Reviews:

Who are you Kidding?!.......2007-08-10

The historical portions of the novel are researched and present a clear picture of the battle of Franklin and the futility of the Civil War as it was being pressed by the South at this juncture. The war was essentially lost after the fall of Atlanta and the graphic and accurate description of the needless deaths of so many on this battlefield cause pain to me even after over 150 years.
The writer lost me with his "romance" between the two main characters. I could have accepted an attraction, magnetism, fascination, etc., between them. But having Carrie crawling around on a dirt floor of a cellar exchanging a kiss with someone seriously unwashed and whose breath had been described two or three pages before as having the smell of rotten hay?! I doubt it.
This could have been a great book.

Good history, poor love story........2007-08-01

THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH BOOK REVIEW
By Mary Olivera

On the eve of November 30, 1864, Carrie McGavock was languishing in her home over the deaths of three of her five children, unprepared for a battle that would take place at her doorsteps the next day. She would be abruptly awakened from her depression to come face to face with the realities of a war she did not care for and had wanted to hide from. Instead, she found within herself a strength she did not know she had and became a person with a purpose.

"The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks is the fictional account of the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, one of the last battles of the Civil War, and its aftermath. Confederate General John Hood, against the advice of fellow officers, marched his army against the well-fortified forces of Union Major General John Schofield into the town of Franklin, Tennessee. Confederate soldiers charged through about two miles of open field to be slaughtered by the entrenched Union forces. By the end of the day over 9,000 soldiers, both Union and Confederate were dead or wounded on the fields, including six Confederate generals.

The story centers on Carrie McGavock, whose home was commandeered into a field hospital for the Confederate soldiers. The book highlights Carrie's efforts to nurse the wounded soldiers in her home and later her efforts to re-inter over one thousand Confederate soldiers in her family's cemetery. Because of these efforts and the fact that she maintained this privately owned cemetery for the rest of her life, Carrie became nationally known as "The Widow of the South".

The book's style is very vivid and eloquent. The author relies on flashbacks from different peoples' perspectives to take the reader through the story. I enjoyed this approach but others may find it difficult to follow. It is apparent that Hicks did his research before writing this novel. His scenes of the battlefield were especially grim and his anti-war stance is evident. The description of the death of a young Confederate soldier is difficult to forget:
"I watched a little rebel boy, couldn't have been more than 12 years old, suffocate under the weight of the dead piled atop him. Suffocated. I had never considered the possibility. Only his head stuck through the pile, and I thought for a second that he was looking at me and trying to say something, only he didn't have the air to do it. He couldn't breathe, and God knows where he'd been shot. His jaws moved, and his eyes welled with tears. The last I saw of him he was closing his eyes just as another body landed on him covering him completely. It was as if a wave had crashed over him, and he'd been pulled out to sea." (Page 84)

Mr. Hicks pays a great amount of detail to Carnton House, Carrie's home. It's only fitting since he has served on the Board of Historic Carnton Plantation and wrote the book to bring the Battle of Franklin, Carrie McGavock, and Carnton House to national attention. Some readers may feel that more information about the Civil War should have been included, but this is Carrie's story, and it wasn't important to her.

I felt that the book could have worked better as non-fiction. I enjoyed reading the Author's Note and would like to see that fleshed out more, especially why Carrie felt that she had to re-inter the soldiers' bodies on her land. Still, historical fiction lovers, especially Civil War aficionados, will enjoy the tale.

My next issue was the "love story" between Carrie and Sergeant Zachariah Cashwell, a patient in her home. Although the romance was important to the novel, the reason why remained unclear.

The Widow of the South is a tribute to Carrie McGavock's strength of character. It shows how a person so unprepared for the horrors that suddenly surrounded her persevered and found a purpose for her life. Carrie selflessly sacrificed her own life in order to honor the memory of the men who died outside her doorsteps.

Outstanding! Simply Outstanding!.......2007-07-26

I would give this one 6 stars if possible. Robert Hicks has written a wonderful book. He intertwines fact and fiction in a manner that will hold your interest from beginning to end. I have been to Franklin, Tennessee and to Carnton, but will never look at them the same way. This work is based on a true story about a remarkable woman with passion unequaled; a passion for the dead and those facing death. You will ride an emotional roller coaster throughout this book. I have read Civil War books for many, many years and can truthfully say, "This is one of the best."

A Gem The Restless Can Relate To .......2007-07-13

My daughter and I picked up several books a few months back when Border's was having a buy 3 get 1 free sale. Ky picked this one out and I figured that simply based on the cover I'd give it a trial read. Wow, I did more than a chapter! I crawled into this novel and couldn't believe that it was from a first time writer who is not a historian. Hicks focuses on the human element of the Civil War which is not far from Gone With The Wind, but with far more depth and less dramatic angst. The story of Carrie McGavock and her place during and well after the Battle of Franklin is told from many different perspectives, with multi characters telling the story. None of the carnage of war is lost here, but more importantly neither is its long term effects on the individual. Carrie is a real person and her feelings, short-comings, fears, and revelations are moving and timeless. As a women who often feels lost in the world, I could relate to this brave women who lived and died a century and a half before me. Her reasons may have been odd to her contemporaries or even to those who read the story now, but they were not lost on me. I cannot recommend this book enough if for any reason than to learn about the Battle of Franklin. Robert Hicks should be commended on his work and research and most importantly his preservation of this story and these real American Heroes. As a historian my final opinion is, at the very least it can inspire more interest or study of an important time in our nation's history.

Interesting perspective changes.......2007-07-09

Having lived in Thompsons Station, TN, I was familiar with the Carnton Plantation and the "lay of the land". The style of this book was different from any I've read previously. I was first annoyed by how the perspective kept changing back-and-forth from the point of view of Carrie and Zacariah. As the book progressed however, I enjoyed and anticipated what the other's perspective was going to be as I was reading the first account. It was an "interesting" book.

Average customer rating: The courage to be honest in a difficult time Steamy. I Waited for This Book With Such High Hopes... Worth the Wait! Almost worth the wait

Scandalous Lovers Robin Schone Manufacturer: Brava ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Adult Fiction | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | Romance | Subjects | Books General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Stranger I Married The Raven Prince (Warner Forever) A Lady's Pleasure The Leopard Prince (Warner Forever) Ask For It ASIN: 1575666995

Customer Reviews:

The courage to be honest in a difficult time.......2007-09-02

I, unlike others, did not have to wait for this book to be released, as I only became aware of Robin Schone recently (via an on-line interview with Emma Holly). I intended to read Lady's Tutor first as it has received rave reviews, but this book was available in the library so I decided to give it a try. Victorian England is a setting that has little interest to me, but the characters are so compelling that this was easily overlooked. As it turns out, the setting is central to the theme, as aparently this was a time and a place where there was an amazing degree of sexual repression and women's rights were practically non-existant.

I felt the pacing of the story to be very slow, particularly the pacing of the seduction of the main characters, but on the other hand I was impressed with the way they were able to slowly savor their sensual discoveries with each other. It was refreshing compared to today's attitude of instant gratification. It was also refreshing that the characters were of rather mature age.

The last third of the book took an unexpected and appalling turn, given how I've taken for granted women's rights during my life as a modern American woman. It was jolting to become aware how a woman's freedom in that day and age was so tenuous. The resolution of this crisis was nice, but it felt rushed and therefore not really that convincing.

The honesty of the characters (with themselves and each other) was probably the most inspiring aspect of this story. The support and love James gave to Frances was very endearing, as was the openness and honesty she gave him.

I also enjoyed the brief stories of the secondary characters, as they change as a result of Frances' influence. I would have liked to pursue those stories further...perhaps in sequels?

Steamy........2007-08-16

For those of you who appreciate a good, mature read, this book is a must. The characters were lively and strong. I was sorry to see it end.

I Waited for This Book With Such High Hopes..........2007-04-20

I had been eagerly awaiting the newest tome by Robin Schone with an anticipation reserved for only the authors who can truly move me with their characters. I loved ' The Lady's Tutor' and then immediately read 'The Lover' and then 'Gabriel's Woman' and each book increased my admiration for the kind of erotic fiction Ms. Schone was capable of producing.

I read her other book, 'Awaken, My Love' and wasn't as thrilled with the story even though the premise was inventive, I really wasn't impressed with the heroine the way I had been in the previous novels.

I waited through the publishing issues Ms. Schone had and knew that this new book would be well worth the wait.

When I found it used for a great price I jumped on it and tapped my toe waiting for the mailman to get here with my book. I sat down and dug into it the afternoon it arrived and I was so horribly disappointed.

I kept telling myself 'It's going to get better... This slow pace is necessary to remind me of the repressive Victorian times...' and yet the pace continued to plod. The 'hero'was less than romantic and the 'heroine' while pleasant, showed moments of complete idiocy at those pivotal moments when we needed a new threat to the ultimate happiness of our lovestruck duo while their conversations were stilted.

The other members of the Mens and Ladies Club are more interesting for their angst but they are so crowded into the side you would rather hear their stories ( 6 men and 6 women in the club, do you think there's going to be at least one spin off from this tale?) than the plodding tale of James and Frances.

The part that I did like about the story was that the central characters weren't fresh faces, they were people in their late forties who had lived lives, had children and grandchildren. That was a new angle which was really quite interesting.

The fact that the hero and heroine considered being with each other was like coming home was the epitome of the romantic concept and I liked it, but, and I don't want to give anything away or be too indelicate here, but the scenes where Frances visits with James in his offices and sits on his lap so that he can put his hand under her skirt and insert his fingers into her, referred to as 'coming home' and then they just sit there like that.

I'm used to the sizzle of her previous work, especially ' The Lady's Tutor' and 'Gabriel's Woman' so this was a horrible let down.

Even as I read the last few chapters, I still kept telling myself that it would get better somewhere but, this book left me cold and with a definite bad taste in my mouth. Quite frankly, if this is what Ms. Schone is going to be producing from now on, I think I'll have to remove her from my must have list.

Worth the Wait!.......2007-04-16

Robin Schone does not seem to be a prolific writer - but when she does write - it's incomparable! I hesitated reading Scandalous Lovers because I heard and read the audio and book trailers and I didn't like them! I still don't like the first chapter. But after the first chapter I got caught up in the lives of James and Frances. (two people in loveless marriages) Now Frances,in her 40's and James in his 50's desire love..from each other. AND THEY GET IT!
Once again the literary style of Ms. Schone's conversations between her characters enthralls me with her use of minimal words. One sentence spoken, one question asked, one question answered. It builds the anticipation, the feelings, the arousal and finally the culmination of a scene. The story and characters become sensual, they become erotic before they even know themselves they are sensual or erotic! Herein lies the strength of Ms. Schone's novels! You feel the new and raw emotions of Frances and James before they do!
The secondary characters, (the men & women of the club) as seen through Frances' eyes enhanced the story. I loved James. The characters, the conversations, the people, the family of Frances, the court cases, EVERYTHING lead to the last few chapters that summed up everyone's life! I would not pick this book for the longest time - then I could not put it down! Bravo Ms. Schone! Please write soon!

Almost worth the wait.......2007-03-23

Robin Schone always wrote extremely mannered prose that teetered right on the edge of over-the-top, while managing to stay on the right side until now. The writing in this novel seems almost a characature of itself. It is sooooooo mannered that on several occasions I had to work to get past it to keep reading. In the past Ms. Schones stories have been dark and fun and hot. This time, while I appreciated that the characters are my age, I found this book silly, not because of the plot, which did indeed work, but because of the over-stylized prose. This author writes great sex, her plots are fine, the character's compelling. I'm hoping Ms. Schone has been writing something new while she awaited the publication of this novel and I sure hope she stretches herself a bit next time. Her pared down yet over-the-top style may seem interestingly arty to some; with this novel it seemed like laziness to me. As a fan of her other books, in particular, "The Lover," and "Gabriel's Woman," I'm not ready to give up on the author yet, but I'd buy this one used if you insist on reading it.

Average customer rating: Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies Very Pleased Helpful-a wonderful resource Excellent Approach for Grieving Spouse Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies

Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies Marta Felber Manufacturer: Ave Maria Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Love & Loss | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Ministry | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Ministry to the Sick & Bereaved | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Marriage | Relationships | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Similar Items: I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye Getting to the Other Side of Grief: Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse Widow To Widow: Thoughtful, Practical Ideas for Rebuilding Your Life How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief ASIN: 0877939322

Customer Reviews:

Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies.......2007-05-17

The book and the seller met my expectations.

Very Pleased.......2007-05-06

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has helped me in a lot of ways.

Helpful-a wonderful resource.......2007-03-30

After reading these reviews, I selected this book to give to my mother in the weeks after my father died. She said it was extremely comforting and helpful. She plans to use it as a resource in the coming months.

Excellent Approach for Grieving Spouse.......2007-01-13

Helpfully reminds us that our grieving process is as unique as we are unique as people. Provides a reassurange hat where we are and what we feel in this loss is acceptable and will continually change and return to the moment as the time goes on.

Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies .......2006-11-02

I am enjoying all the books i have ordered on Amazon

Average customer rating: Oh to be Miss Julia! "Thay Lord" Whatever that means... Miss Julia Rules Southern steel! Another romp with Miss Julia

Miss Julia Takes Over Ann B. Ross Manufacturer: Viking Adult ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books General | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Miss Julia Throws a Wedding Miss Julia Hits the Road (Southern Comedy of Manners) Miss Julia Meets Her Match Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind Miss Julia's School of Beauty ASIN: 0670910260 Release Date: 2001-07-19

Book Description

As soon as readers met Miss Julia in Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind, this Southern woman of a certain age and with an iron backbone and Steel Magnolia poise became an instant favorite. In that debut book, Miss Julia's proper existence was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a close "friend" of her deceased husband. Hazel Marie, with "heels too high, a dress too short, and hair too yellow," showed up on Miss Julia's doorstep, bringing scandal, adventure, and nine-year-old Little Lloyd into her life.

Now, in Miss Julia Takes Over, she's Little Lloyd's guardian and fast friends with his mother. So she's frantic when Hazel Marie disappears after a dinner date with a church fund-raiser, who, in Miss Julia's opinion, wears his shorts too tight: "nobody can be that upright and pious without trouble going on underneath." Since the sheriff won't help her, Miss Julia takes matters into her own hands and, with Little Lloyd in tow, finds herself tracking Hazel Marie all across North Carolina. From a most ungenteel display of fisticuffs to a hair-raising car chase, Miss Julia stands strong and forges ahead. Because...if Miss Julia doesn't take care of things, who will?

Customer Reviews:

Oh to be Miss Julia!.......2007-10-01

Miss Julia is the grandmother we wish we all could have! This is a thoroughly enjoyable book -part of a series- Each story seems more hillarious than the first- Ann B. Ross captures a true "free spirit" if one can imagine the prim, proper, regular Presbyterian attender Miss Julia as a Free Spirit! Read all the books- you won't be disappointed!

"Thay Lord" Whatever that means..........2007-07-16

The first I've ever heard that statement was with Miss Julia. The first book was actually a whole lot better than this one for me. Miss Julia does seem to me to be the "take over" type. In this book she becomes an assistant private dectective. Although I don't know how long Miss Julia will go on breaking the law without being punished, its fun to read about her adventures. I would actually give this one 3.5 stars because it's not as good, but good enough that I will read the next in the series. This one I rented from the library because I didn't want to wait for it to arrive in the mail. Turns out that was a good idea.

Miss Julia Rules.......2007-04-10

This is such a delightful book. It is a quick, easy read but so enjoyable. I had read this book some time ago and decided to send it to my son and daughter-in-law, both big readers. They have enjoyed it as much as I did.

Southern steel!.......2005-09-11

This book epitomizes the spirit of the Southern woman facing and overcoming unexpected obstacles of life. Miss Julia, recently widowed, discovers her husband didn't really live up all of the high principles and standards to which he held his wife. In the course of cleaning up the messes left behind, Miss Julia finds hidden resources of strenght and ingenuity. Wonderful read - as are all of the sequels. Highly recommended.

Another romp with Miss Julia.......2005-08-09

Miss Julia is as delightful a heroine as you can imagine. Prim, proper, and Presbyterian, she has an opinion about everything and does her best to oversee the sometimes unacceptable behavior of those around her. To her friends, though, she is as loyal as can be, as evidenced by her frantic search for her housemate, Hazel Marie, in this second book of the series. Hazel Marie is on a date with a church fundraiser and fails to show up back at their house. She manages to make quick, frantic phone calls to Miss Julia which fail to give adequate information as to where she is, and just deepen the perky Presbyterian's concern. Miss Julia decides to hire a private investigator, J.D. Pickens, and she joins him in searching for Hazel Marie. Throw in a race-car driver, an elusive lucky charm, and the crooked evangelist, Uncle Vern, and you get some idea of the kind of wacky story this is. It's all in good fun, and is recommended reading.

Average customer rating: Great book Very Good Book Awesome sequel to the War of the Spider Queen series!!! The best Forgotten Realms or D surprisingly good...

Sacrifice of the Widow (Forgotten Realms: The Lady Penitent, Book 1) Lisa Smedman Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast ProductGroup: Book Binding: Mass Market Paperback Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Similar Items: Storm of the Dead (Forgotten Realms: The Lady Penitent, Book 2) Unclean (Forgotten Realms: The Haunted Lands, Book 1) The Gossamer Plain (Forgotten Realms: The Empryean Odyssey, Book 1) Shadowbred (The Twilight War, Book 1) Depths of Madness: The Dungeons ASIN: 0786942509 Release Date: 2007-01-30

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-09-22

This is one of the few books I have read that I dreaded getting to the ending. I am currently reading the second book and I do not want to read to fast because it is that entertaining.

Very Good Book.......2007-07-12

This was a very good book. Stedman ties together sever sub plots that remain from the last book of the War of the Spider Queen "Resurrection".....which was a train wreck. She carries on with the characters from that series and makes them work. This book was very entertaining and an easy read. Steadman made keeping up with the old characters and sever new one easy to do. Lisa Stedman did a very good job with this book.

Awesome sequel to the War of the Spider Queen series!!!.......2007-07-06

I have read the entire war of the spider queen series and it was great! I was excited to here that Lisa Smedman wrote a series to continue where the war left off. This book is really good.

The only thing I would warn people about is to read the War of the Spider Queen series first. If you don't read those 6 books first you will be a bit lost in this book because it all refers to the events that happened during the WotSQ series.

I can't wait to read the next book!!

The best Forgotten Realms or D.......2007-06-24

Reading the Forgotten Realms, Dragon Lance and random D&D books is something of a hobby of mine. Usually it is a guilty pleasure. Wizards if the Coast, the people who brought you MAGIC and (at one time) POKEMON trading card games publish these books. The Editor(s) over there at WotC have an unenviable task: to make these books digestible for thirteen year old boys men in there thirties and aging nerds in various stages of decay.

This coupled with the fact that the writers subscribe to the `type as fast as you possibly can' school of authorship (brought in to prominence by a hopped up Steven King) often leads to a book which is barely readable. For example, these books sometimes end simply by killing all the characters off.

Into this labyrinth of publishing enters the brave hearted Lisa Smedman. Now, anytime Lisa is penning a book you are in for something better then you have any right to expect. (check out her Venoms Kiss trilogy).

With `Sacrifice of the Widow' Lisa has done something really Magical. She has `improved her game'. She has stepped it up, she is getting better and better at what she does! What a rarity!

In this book Lisa infuses the Forgotten Realms lore with subtle references to Greek, Norse and African mythologies. For example, she hints in the epilogue at what Lolths place in the creation of the universe might have been before the fall. Speaking of which, there are many themes and devices, which, because they are executed well, lift this book onto the level of actual literature. The prologue and epilogue frame the action of the book as one or two moves in an extra-dimensional chess or `Sava' game, a battle between the warring dark elf goddesses. Also explored are sociological themes such as the impossibility of male bonding. I can only hope that in future books the dark elves evolve through union of the sexes rather then this ongoing idea that the sexes corrupt each other. But that is probably up to the editor rather then the author.

The descriptions of action scenes are adequate and better then you deserve. The overall suspense and sense of plot are very well crafted indeed. Character development is very worthwhile and a welcome addition.

I could go on and on but the point is you have to read this book to believe it. If you can't afford the $7 do yourself a favor and get to your local library. If they don't have it ask them to order it.

Well I intended to do better at explaining what a gem this book really is but I am out of time. Drop me a line if you have any questions.

Robert Corrina
[...]

surprisingly good..........2007-05-27

First off, let me say that after reading Lisa Smedman's previous book, Extinction, I was very skeptical of her abilities as an author. I thought that book had been the worst of the "War of the Spider Queen" series. I expected that this new one, "Sacrifice of the Widow," would be bad as well. It was far from that. Ms. Smedman has done a great deal to redeem herself as an author in my eyes.

"Sacrifice of the Widow" is suprisingly short for the amount that is crammed within it. It takes a good author to put so many plot lines, main characters, foreshadowing and twists into 320 pages without feeling rushed. I think the story would probably be better served with a 5 book series than a trilogy. Because of this, the characters and unique situations are not given as much attention or development as I would like. This is not by fault of the author, however. It is apparent that there is an overall plot that needs to be resolved and only so many pages within which to do it. Still, I wish more time could have been spent upon the movers and shakers in drow society and the unique interplay between them.

The book starts out simply enough, but turns into a grand game of politics and manipulation between the drow gods Lolth, Selvetarm, Vhaeraun, and Eilistraee. It was wonderful to see how plans folded in upon plans and were twisted by still other plans. By all appearances there was a great amount of foreshadowing for the remaining 2 books laid down in this one. The reprecussions of this book upon all drow society might be quite far reaching--and it's nice to see that the powers that be are not afraid of making significant changes to the highly popular drow mythology. It left me feeling anxious for the continuation of the story and a return of several key characters.

The author does a great job of balancing realism with the fantasy involved. With powerful characters acting and fighting it would be easy to make them seem like unbeatable gods--much like watching an 80's action movie where the hero can shoot all the bad guys with a pistol and they can't manage to hit him once with automatic weapons. Ms. Smedman both keeps every battle tense and stresses the risks and dangers inherent to all combatants. Even when characters can wield powerful magic, there is the realism that a single sword swipe could end it all. Neither does she shy away from describing the powerful abilities of each character. Wizards pull out spell components and throw lightning and fire at their enemies. Clerics heal mortal wounds and bring other back from the dead. All this the author delivers without it feeling like one is reading a transcript of a D&D game session.

So, I take my hat off to Lisa Smedman for a good job with a tough story. Could it have better? Sure....anything can be improved...but this was a quite respectable delivery. My rating of 4 stars instead of 5 most certainly comes from the fact that this should have been spread out into 5 books to do it justice. I'm quite curious how the overall story line was decided and by whom considering it's such a heavily popular topic and has been quite successful for the publisher.

Average customer rating: Great story for kids! SOME OF THE AUTHOR'S BEST WORK Teacher Great book for all ages The Widow's Broom Book Review

The Widow's Broom Chris Van Allsburg Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Halloween | Holidays & Festivals | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Van Allsburg, Chris | ( V ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Sweetest Fig The Stranger The Wretched Stone Just a Dream The Garden of Abdul Gasazi ASIN: 0395640512

Amazon.com

"Witches' brooms don't last forever. They grow old, and even the best of them, one day, lose the power of flight.... On very rare occasions, however, a broom can lose its power without warning, and fall, with its passenger, to the earth below ... which is just what happened one cold autumn night many years ago." So begins The Widow's Broom, the gentle, strangely captivating book by Chris Van Allsburg, who received Caldecott medals for Jumanji and The Polar Express.

The story gets under way when the lonely widow Minna Shaw finds a wounded, sky-fallen witch in her vegetable garden. The witch disappears before dawn, but leaves her old, presumably defunct broom behind. Minna begins to use it around the house and finds that "it was no better or worse than brooms she'd used before." However, one morning, Minna sees the broom sweeping by itself! Opportunistically, she trains it to chop wood and fetch water.

When the neighbors find out about this "wicked, wicked thing" (posing as an innocent, hardworking broom), they accost the widow and demand that the broom be burned. Are they successful in separating the lonely widow and her diligently sweeping friend? This is a wonderfully suspenseful book to read aloud and young listeners will earnestly hope for the broom's survival. Still, older, wiser readers, ages 8 and older, will be swept up in the story, too.

Book Description

A widow finds herself in possession of an extraordinary broom left by a witch who fell into the widow's garden.

Customer Reviews:

Great story for kids!.......2007-05-02

I am 7 years old and my mom and I read this together.
This is a story about a broom that still has magic left in it. My favorite part of the story is how the lady tricks the neighbor into thinking that the broom they killed was a ghost!

SOME OF THE AUTHOR'S BEST WORK.......2006-05-26

I did indeed love this one. The art work, per usual, for this author, was absolutely perfect. It is the type of work that can appeal to children as well as adults (I'm well into my sixties, and I enjoyed it...of course I have a lot of little boy in me still). As to the narrative, I did feel this was one of the author's better works. Allsburg is certainly a teller of good stories. I have observed this work being read to the children at our local library and it is one of their favorites. Again, the art work is almost magical, quite detailed and rather amazing to view. Recommend this one highly.

Teacher.......2006-03-03

I teach second grade and my class just loved this book. Chris Van Allsburg is one of our favorite authors but this is one of his best!!

Great book for all ages.......2005-10-17

I am 23 and plan to teach at the secondary level, but when we read this book in one of my education classes I knew I had to share it. I bought it, went to a first grade classroom and they were hooked. Many wanted to hear it again, others wanted to get a copy for themselves, still others just wanted to look at the magnificent pictures again. It is a fabulous book and a wonderful story!

The Widow's Broom Book Review.......2004-05-20

The Widow's Broom is an outstanding book about an old widow named Minna Shaw, who finds a witch's former broom that has lost the power of flight in her kitchen. At that moment, the broom was sweeping the floor of Minna's kitchen all by it's self. At first, she was frightened, but the magical broom seemed harmless, and it was doing a very good job sweeping the floors like magic, and she thought it might be very good at other jobs too. The Widows broom was a fabulous story and I would highly recommend that you should read it no matter how old you are.

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7. On His Terms
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9. Passionate Minds: The Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment, Featuring the Scientist Emilie du Chatelet, the Poet Voltaire, Sword Fights, Book Burnings, Assorted Kings,
10. Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by the D.A. That Prosecuted Her Captor

Books Index

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