Book Description
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring antagonized some of the most powerful interests in the nation--including the farm block and the agricultural chemical industry--and helped launch the modern environmental movement. In The Gentle Subversive, Mark Hamilton Lytle offers a compact life of Carson, illuminating the road that led to this vastly influential book. Lytle explores the evolution of Carson's ideas about nature, her love for the sea, her career as a biologist, and above all her emergence as a writer of extraordinary moral and ecological vision. We follow Carson from her childhood on a farm outside Pittsburgh, where she first developed her love of nature (and where, at age eleven, she published her first piece in a children's magazine), to her graduate work at Johns Hopkins and her career with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Lytle describes the genesis of her first book, Under a Sea Wind, the incredible success of The Sea Around Us (a New York Times Bestseller for over a year), and her determination to risk her fame in order to write her "poison book": Silent Spring. The author contends that despite Carson's demure, lady-like demeanor, she was subversive in her thinking and aggressive in her campaign against pesticides. Carson became the spokeswoman for a network of conservationists, scientists, and concerned citizens who had come to fear the mounting dangers of the human assault on nature. What makes this story particularly compelling is that Carson took up this cause at the very moment when she herself faced a losing battle against cancer. Succinct and engaging, The Gentle Subversive is a story of success, celebrity, controversy, and vindication. It will inspire anyone interested in protecting the natural world or in women's struggle to find a voice in society.
Customer Reviews:
A sensitive subject indeed.......2007-06-25
Rachel Carson's careless criticism of DDT killed millions of people, mostly poor children, a point that deserved better coverage in this book. Even today, decades later, there is still no good alternative to DDT for fighting malaria.
Carson was correct to point out that DDT has very bad side effects, but as it turns out, banning DDT has had much worse side effects. Science eventually determined that very small amounts of DDT would have been effective against malaria-carrying mosquitos and safe for the environment-- but Carson's rush to judgement prevented the scientific facts from being adequately investigated and considered.
She and her followers in the environmentalist movement refused to consider the full consequences of their actions, and millions of people have paid the price for that refusal.
. png
A Beautiful Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson.......2007-03-08
Mark Lytle does fine justice to the legacy of Rachel Carson in this well researched summary of her early life, upbringing, education, professional experiences, evolution of her writing and publishing culminating with the struggles to write and publish her most potent and last book, "Silent Spring", a dire warning of how deadly pesticide and herbicide assaults were damaging the health of ecosystems and non-targeted life forms including humans and which many proffer, launched the modern age of environmentalism.
Lytle continues Carson's beautiful legacy in his "Epilogue" and "Afterword".
Packed with an abundance of notes, citations and bibliography, this little book gives one a huge sense of awe and admiration for Carson's perseverance and dedication to educate the world about the interconnectedness and beauty of Nature and to cultivate a sense of responsibility and good stewardship.
Book Description
Do I prune my hydrangea in the fall or do I wait until early spring?
When is it safe to put out tomatoes?
Can I divide iris now?
If you have ever asked yourself questions like these, Month-by-Month Gardening in The Desert Southwest is for you. Gardening is a journey, not a destination. The day-by-day gardening experiences - planting a few onion sets in the first warm afternoon of spring… the surprises - a purple crocus before the snow has even gone … the satisfaction - fresh green beans on the dinner table, or tomatoes, bright and red, safely in quart jars … these are the things that keep the gardener coming back year after year.
Month-by-Month Gardening in The Desert Southwest is packed with information that explains what needs to be done and when it needs to be done in the southwestern garden. Topics include:
- The most effective planting techniques.
- How and when to prune.
- The best season for fertilizing your lawn.
- The differences between bare-root, container, and balled-and-burlapped plants.
- Eleven plant categories, including Annuals, Bulbs, Herbs, Vegetables, Houseplants, Lawns, Perennials, Roses, Shrubs, and Trees.
- Twelve monthly calendars for each plant category - 132 calendars in all! - that make is easy to find the proper gardening advice.
Whatever your gardening interests or the time of year, you can take the guesswork and mystery out of gardening. You will become a more satisfied gardener … and your garden will show it!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-09-10
Being a new arrival to a dry climate, this book has helped me understand more when to do things in this environment. Highly recommend.
Great book.......2006-11-10
this is a great book, everything is listed month by month, I am new to desert gardening so this is a great book for me!
Help in a strange climate.......2006-03-05
This is my gardening bible. I read it at the beginning of every month to plan my gardening activity for the next few weeks.
The Arizona desert is like no other climate in the USA. It has low rainfall, concrete-like soil and huge temperature variations. Gardening in this state is very unique and this book tells me what I need to do... so I don't have to remember.
Information from books written by authors without the experience of gardening in Arizona, doesn't work in this state. Mary Irish has spent her life working for a variety of Arizona gardening organizations and is an expert on agaves. She knows the climate so her information works... simple as that
The book is organized by section - trees, shrubs, grass with a chapter for every month in each section. Tasks are outlined so the information you need is easy to find.
Book Description
One of the original best-selling collection of 20 Lake Wobegon monologues. Includes: "Me and Choir," "A Day in the Life of Clarence Bunsen," and "Letter From Jim."
Customer Reviews:
I heart Garrison Keillor.......2007-06-12
The product was amazing, as always, with anything by Mr. Keillor. The stories brought me back to family vacations to the Northeast; sleepy-time ventures in the car while my parents drove... Garrison's voice is my favorite part about his stories. I also love that these are ONLY Lake Wobegone stories and have nothing to do with his whole radio show. (Lake Wobegone was always my favorite part anyway) :) Also, on a side not, the CD arrived on time and just as the seller said it would be. Two thumbs up. :)
Lake Wobegon springs wonderfully.......1998-10-19
Clarence Bunsen has bad (i.e. extremely funny) day, involving static, cramped hand and fear of death, ending with his leaping from a tree to frighten some children and restoring his equilibrium. Only GK could combine all those elements in one of the seasonal CDs from LW. "Me and Choir" is also excellent.
Book Description
The Great Anthology of Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy
TERRY GOODKIND tells the origin of the Border between the lands in the world of The Sword of Truth, in "Debt of Bones."
GEORGE R.R. MARTIN sets his piece a generation before his epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, in the adventure of "The Hedge Knight."
ANNE McCAFFREY, the poet of Pern, returns once again to her world of romance and adventure in "Runner of Pern."
And look for Legends 1 (featuring Stephen King, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist) and Legends 3 (featuring Robert Jordan, Ursula K. Le Guin, Tad Williams, Terry Pratchett).
Customer Reviews:
George R R Martin & Anne McCaffrey.......2007-02-18
Note: This review is for the item pictured, with stories by Terry Goodkind, George RR Martin, and Anne McCaffrey. It seems that the reviews run the range of available editions and volumes, so I just wanted to be clear.
Further, I'm reviewing only the two stories and not Goodkind's because due to limited time I only chose the two to read, and in my previous experience I haven't liked Goodkind's writing. I didn't read it, so I can't say good nor ill in this circumstance.
George R.R. Martin's tale, The Sworn Sword, tells of Dunk the Hedge Knight and his squire, Egg. Martin's strength is writing believable characters in a fantasy setting and in this tale he's at his best. Dunk, nearly 7 feet tall, illiterate, and poorly bred is sent to negotiate a peace with the Red Widow over water rights between two disputing Lordships. It's a tale of nobility and honor and is resolved in a brilliant contest of wills.
The edition I have includes the short story, Beyond Between, by Anne McCaffrey. This is a story about Moreta, the Weyrwoman from Fort Weyr riding on a borrowed dragon, Holth, in order to deliver medicine to the holds to prevent a contagious illness from decimating the population. She'd been riding all day, making jumps between space and time in order to get the deliveries completed and when they jumped for the last time, they were forever trapped between.
Long ago I'd stopped reading Pern novels because they were too juvenile and repetitive. I may have to change my mind. The elements of this story were very strong. Moreta explores the between and finds another trapped there, an ancient dragonrider, among the first of all of them, and she discovers ways to haunt the living from her netherworld prison. But above all, this is a story about love and loss and a willful desire to reunite with your life partner despite the costs. I loved it.
- CV Rick
The second and third batches of intriguing stories in the Legends anthology.......2005-09-01
Well for starters, Amazon has the links for these ALL screwed up and I could only get to Volume 2 through a backwards method. And since the links are messed up, I can't load a review of Legends Volume 3 where it belongs, WITH Volume 3. So I'm going to review that at the bottom of this one. So this review is actually for parts 2 AND 3 of the Legends anthology.
Legends Volume 2--
New Spring by Robert Jordan
This was very hard to follow for new readers of the Wheel of Time series.
The gist seems to be that a great hero/leader, The Dragon, has been reborn and there are many who want to find him for different reasons. The evil Black Aja sisters want to destroy him and are going around murdering anyone young man they think may be the dragon. The rest of the Aja, and their allies, are looking for him to protect him and aid him in learning his abilities.
At least I think that is what it was about, and I listened more then once. I did grasp the idea of the Dragon and I understood there are different sects of the Aja, defined by their color. What the difference between them is I have no idea. I can only assume that is explained in the full length novels in the series.
The Sea and Little Fishes by Terry Pratchett
It is the time for the annual town fair, of which the favorite event is the witch competition. Granny Weatherwax has always one and this year people don't want her to participate. At the same time, Granny decides to go on a "friendly" binge, at the advice of her friend Nanny Og. But her attempts to be friendly backfire when everyone assumes she's only doing that to try and cause trouble.
I liked this story, even not having read anything else by this author. I especially loved Granny, in spite of her gruff and less then friendly attitude. She rang true to me, probably because everyone can think of at least one grumpy elderly person they know. Even though she is not the nicest of people, readers know there is more to her then meets the eye or else Nanny would not be friends with her.
The Grinning Man by Orson Scott Card
Alvin Maker and his young companion are passing through when they come across a young man, Davey Crockett grinning down a grizzly bear. it turns out the bear wins the match and that means Crockett becomes his "pet." So they travel around and bump in to Alvin again in a small village with a crook for a miller.
This story was somewhat corny, but amusing. Alvin seems like an intriguing fellow and will make readers want to know more about him, possibly reading other books in the series by this author. I especially liked the entirely different perspective given in to the person of Davy Crockett, and loved the idea of his relationship to the bear.
Legends Volume 3--
Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind
A young woman goes to the high wizard of her land in order to seek his aid in rescuing her family from the rival land. She calls the wizard on a "Debt of Bones" between her mother and his father when he refuses, only to find that after he grudgingly agrees, this debt is not what she expected at all.
Interesting story that I enjoyed and was fairly easy to follow. There are a couple twists in the story to shock readers. I enjoyed visiting this world and would not be opposed to a future visit.
Dragonfly by Ursula K Le Guin
A young girl who desires to be trained in the ways of the wizards heads off on a journey with a former student of the wizards, in the hopes she can convince the wizards to break with tradition of only teaching boys, so she can learn magic. When she gets there, nothing goes as she hoped and she discovers a shocking secret about her lineage.
Not a bad story but confusing in many parts. Also, this author desperately needs a better editor as she's extremely repetitive and has a tendency to overuse words and phrases to the point it gets very annoying. It also gives a good glimpse in to the "politics" of the Earthsea world and how women are valued and thought of there.
The Burning Man by Tad Williams
To be honest I had no clue what this story was about. Something about a man who appears in fire but I couldn't even quite figure out why he appeared. I tried listening to this story a couple times and could not get in to it at all and had no clue what was happening. I finally gave up.
I tried to listen to this one three times and could not grasp it at all. this could be due to the fact I like to listen to books when driving so occasionally I miss things, but with almoste very other book I've "read" this way, I always come away with far more understanding of what happened and why then I did of this story.
If readers have not tried Tad Williams' works before, this is not the story with which to start. However, those who have read other books set in this world will likely understand and follow it much better then newcomers would.
Lovely........2004-05-11
Robert Silverberg (ed.), Legends, vol. 2 (Tor, 1998)
This is water in the desert for fans of fantasy series whose books have a tendency to have a long time between releases. Anne McCaffrey (Pern), George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire), and Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth) all contribute short novels to this volume in the Legends series, and all are well worth your time.
Goodkind's story, "Debt of Bones," leads off the trilogy, and deals with a time when Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander was much younger than he is in the Sword of Truth novels. Here, he's pitted against Panis Rahl, and must decide whether to put himself, and the fate of the Midlands, in danger in order to fulfill a debt of bones to the daughter of a deceased sorceress. One has come to expect strong storytelling and easy turning of pages from Goodkind, and he does not disappoint here. Martin's story, "The Hedge Knight," follows. Again taking place some time before the events in the Song of Ice and Fire books, "he Hedge Knight" follows the squire of a newly deceased mercenary, who has a desire to make his name in a tournament against some of the biggest names in the business (including a number of Targaryens, who at the time of this story have not yet been banished; in fact, they play a major part in the story, which should be a pleasant surprise to many Ice and Fire fans). Martin's work on this series is always a pleasure, and once again, the is no disappointment to be found here, though one wonders about the loose end to be found.
The biggest surprise of the bunch, to me, was McCaffrey's "Runner of Pern." I've always shied away from the Pern books, for no real reason. This story is a welcome change of pace from the two that precede it; rather than battles, jousting, and the rest, this is a quiet romantic coming-of-age tale that hits just the right spot, like a lemon ice after a boeuf bourguignon. It's convinced me to go back and try the Pern novels, as McCaffrey's style is simple and engaging. Like the others, she keeps the pages turning.
Definitely a worthwhile piece of work. I shouldn't have to sell those who are already enmeshed in the various series covered here, but others will find it a perfect sampling to see if the three titans covered here are to their tastes. I can almost guarantee they will be. ****
Good stuff........2003-07-20
I have to admit I bought this book for "The Hedge Knight". I enjoyed the other stories too, but I can't get enough of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. The Hedge Knight gives us a little history of a few of the families from the other stories. I especially like how it makes the Targaryens more tangible. They seem almost like a family of crazy, yet mystical people in the other books, but here we see them as your typical royal family with troubles like every one else. I eagerly await the next installment of the Dunk and Egg novellas.
Some advice that may be helpful.......2003-04-05
This version of legends is divided into three parts, if you search for Robert Silverberg you can find it in one volume for about the same price, so that you get all three parts together for about a third of the price
As to the book,I can only review the second part (I made the mistake of ordering legends 2 thinking that it was all 11 stories, but it was really just three.) The three stories that were in it were:Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind
The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin
and Runner of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey
Of the three I read, The Hedge Knight was definitely the best, it has alot of action and the grimly real, but exciting story that only Martin can provide. It is set in the Seven Kingdoms of Martin's excellent series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
Debt of Bones was good, and it showed me what type of a writer Goodkind is,(I haven't read anything by him but that, but it got me interested and I bought the first book in his series, The Sword Of Truth.
Runner of Pern was probably the one I least liked, I knew nothing about Anne McCaffrey, and it was okay, but not nearly as good as The Hedge Knight.
Be sure to buy the edition with all 11 stories, I have just ordered the full edition, Most all of the writers in the 11 stories, I have read before and it is interesting to have a short work to read by them, about a different part of their world. This will also help you get aquainted with writers you havn't read before, see their writing style, and decide if you want to read more of them.
Book Description
Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value.
Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.
Written by gardening expert Judith Phillips, this book offers advice on the diverse landscape of New Mexico.
Contains easy to use advice on the top landscape plant choices (more than 160 entries) for New Mexico.
Recommends specific varieties and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for New Mexico's best plants.
Customer Reviews:
Good information if you are familar with the plants.......2006-02-05
I liked the information presented in this book but would have liked to see a larger photograph of the plants. Most of the book is black and white with a section of small photographs of the plants. I cannot see leaf definition or perhaps even the look of fruits or blooms. In books of plants that someone like me, from another part of the US, needs more detailed photographs to be truly helpful.
Helping me through the transition.......2004-04-02
I am a novice gardener and native Kansan, and was extremely daunted when moving into my new house made me mistress of a well-established, water-hungry New Mexico garden. By covering each kind of plant individually, with both practical and aesthetic advice, this book has allowed me to proceed with confidence.
Its strengths:
- I have found very few among my existing plantings that I couldn't identify (and care for) based on the descriptions and color photos in this book.
- The coverage includes both xeric and water-hungry plants that are hardy here, which has helped me maintain what I inherited while preparing to transition to a lower water use spread.
Its weaknesses:
- Now that I have survived spring clean-up, I am interested in more generalized landscaping advice that isn't included here. The focus is entirely on specific plants, with only passing reference to subjects such as designing a layout or installing a drip system.
Useful and well-organized info for New Mexico landscaping.......1999-01-10
As a fellow person in the landscape design profession locally, I am pleased with my purchase, though I don't agree with every bit of information in the book. Most important, though, Judith illustrates the subtle, yet important factors that influence how plants can grow sucessfully and where in our region. I have had some different experiences with climate data and some plants (Mesquite is one) than she has, but I highly recommend that natives and new arrivals alike apply the facts in this book to avoid the common plant mistakes made in New Mexico!
Book Description
When the warm sea breezes greet flowering lupin fields, and lilac blooms grace every vase, spring is welcomed throughout coastal New England. So begins the growing season with fresh baby peas, strawberries, and harvests from the sea. Try Salmon Mousse with Chilled Cucumber Sauce, Asparagus and Hollandaise, Fresh Raspberry Cobbler, and other favorite recipes from Coastal New England Spring Cooking. Sherri Eldridge lives in a small town on the coast of Maine. Enjoyment of good food, prepared in healthier and fresher styles, has inspired this series of seasonal cookbooks. Sherri's husband, Bill, born and raised in Massachussetts, has contributed his mother's recipes, saved and perfected over the years.
Average customer rating:
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Lord, Please Don't Take Me in August: African-Americans in Newport and Saratoga Springs, 1870-1930 (Blacks in the New World)
Myra B. Armstead
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Modern Researcher (with InfoTrac)
ASIN: 0252068017 |
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-09-15
I am really enjoying this book. Any ideas, great stories, nice addition to any pagan home.
Get the whole series.......2007-05-07
Each Llewellen book has a cool introduction about the history of the holiday. I recommend all the sabbat books in this series - - they have a lot more information than in any individual sabbat book.
Absolutely Charming.......2007-03-29
If you ever wondered where Easter bunnies and Easter eggs got their start, this book will tell all. It's loaded with folklore, stories, fun projects and is the most fun you'll ever have reading a book. It's a blast to read. It's as lighthearted as spring itself.
Great for all levels!.......2005-08-02
Edain McCoy is one of the best authors on the team of Llewellyns staff of Witchery. This is one of her best books as well. The spring equinox is one of my favorite times of the year. One cannot go wrong when the yearning for youth is inherent in all of us.
This book provides the reader with all the lore and legend of this splendid time of the year. From spring flower magic to some great recipies that I have tried and wonderful lore of fairies! One simply cannot go wrong. Ms McCoy has much experience under her belt. I remember her earlier work in the 1980s!
True, to the purist out there there are many flaws. My comment on this is "let us see you do a better job". Enjoy it for what it is: a book about a magical heart!
good info, horrible editing!.......2005-03-07
since i am relatively new to paganism, i found this book to be informative... the most interesting part for me was when she discussed the cultural heritage of the easter bunny, the egg, spring break, new easter clothes, etc. she also gave some good ideas for ostara rituals.
however, i will agree with another reviewer, the book is badly edited. she will address a topic in one chapter, and then several chapters later, she will address the same topic, and use almost the exact same wording. (and pictures!)
be wary of the recipies. her recipe for hot cross buns is very vague, i had to add about an extra cup of flour, and i kneaded it, even though she didn't say to. not paying attention, i followed the recipe exactly for the frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar, i cup orange juice, and got a runny mess. then i realized that they probably meant one *tablespoon* of orange juice. (next time, i'll try the hot cross buns in the red plaid better homes and gardens cookbook)
Average customer rating:
- Excellent account of Dong Zhong Shu's work
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From Chronicle to Canon: The Hermeneutics of the Spring and Autumn Annals according to Tung Chung-shu (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)
Sarah A. Queen
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0521612136 |
Book Description
Every general account of the development of Chinese thought makes mention of Tung Chung-shu (195-105 BCE) as one of the pivotal philosophers of the Han. His Luxuriant Gems of the Spring and Autumn established the first state-sponsored Confucian orthodoxy, and created a view of the ruler and his role in government that was focal in political discussion for two thousand years. The author has carefully scrutinized this text for authenticity, and her book represents the most systematic account yet of Tung Chung-shu's importance in Chinese philosophy and religion.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent account of Dong Zhong Shu's work.......1999-03-09
Professor Queen's informative treatise on the hermaneutics of the Confucian Spring and Autumn is a relatively concise text, though the level of language and jargon is very high. Useful as a text or a resource for research.
Book Description
When the governor of New Mexico is found drowned in the Bath House at Jemez Springs, Albuquerque private eye Sonny Baca is called in to investigate. As he soon learns, murder is only the beginning of the evil that Sonny must sort out. Someone has planted a bomb in the Valles Caldera, not far from the Los Alamos National Laboratories, and it is set to detonate in just a few hours. Is this the work of terrorists or is Sonny's old nemesis, Raven, mixed up in the plot?
In a race against the clock Sonny encounters ghosts and sorcerers, beautiful women and environmental activists, and developers and politicians who are quarreling over the state's most precious resource, its water.
"An extraordinary storyteller."—Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Anaya takes the reader beyond detective fiction. . . . His mysteries fall into the criminal and the spiritual, which makes them both inspiring and electrifying."—St. Petersburg Times
"Sonny Baca is a fascinating hero with rough edges that serve to add to his charismatic personality."—Edmonton Journal
"Anaya, godfather and guru of Chicano literature, proves he's just as good in the murder mystery field."—Tony Hillerman, author of The Sinister Pig
Rudolfo Anaya's latest Sonny Baca mystery eerily reflects current events: it involves terrorists, environmental activists, and water rights in the Southwest.
Customer Reviews:
No Better Way to End a Career.......2005-10-23
With Jemez Spring, Rudolfo Anaya brings to a close his quartet of novels centered on the literate and spiritual private investigator, Sonny Baca. All the elements of a great hayride are present. First, we have a corpse. But not just any dead body. Sonny is beckoned to crack the mystery behind the death of New Mexico's governor whose bloated, half-cooked body is found in the Bath House at Jemez Springs.
Second, we have something worse than a dead governor: someone (al-Qaeda?) has planted a bomb in the Valles Caldera, not far from Los Alamos National Laboratories, where it apparently is set to blow in just a few hours.
Third, enter the crooked politicians and greedy developers who might be behind the murder and bomb in order to secure water rights and make a fortune. And the evil, powerful Raven (Sonny's nemesis and polar opposite) might be mixed up in all this, too. Finally, there's a troubled love interest: Sonny and Rita adore each other but she is healing (emotionally and physically) from a miscarriage and needs space.
But Jemez Spring is not your typical mystery. We can't forget that this is Anaya's world. So, in addition to the murder and ticking bomb, the mystical otherworld is as real as anything else. Sonny enjoys extended dialogues with the spirit of his late mentor, don Eliseo. Sonny also wears the powerful Zia medallion which Raven desperately wants to possess. Sonny's one-eyed dog, Chica, dreams which eventually leads to a heated and protracted debate in the community. Even a group of European intellectuals debate the question of the dreaming dog in a hilarious send-up of ivory tower literary analysis: "But you can't deconstruct folk memory! Does the dog wag the tail, or the tail wag the dog? You are going in circles. The essence of the dog dream lies in the artist as myth-maker. Which leads directly to the myth of Aztlán and its use as an identity in the Weltanschauung of the Chicano." You can almost hear Anaya laughing as his "intellectual" character spouts such pretentious and overwrought opinions.
Included with all this are Anaya's poetic and loving descriptions of New Mexico mixed in with plenty of digressions on religion, politics, sex and culture. Anaya's characters are fully-realized portraits, people we see and know. Sonny Baca couldn't have asked for a better way to end his career. But he'll be sorely missed.
[This review first appeared in Southwest BookViews.]
Jemez Spring.......2005-05-23
A tale that will appeal to any reader with an interest in the American Southwest and its culture, both past and present. Not just a mystery, but a tale of supernatural, myth, and cultural history. Sonny Baca is drawn into amurder of ther governor of New Mexico when his body is found in a tub at the Jemez Springs and four black feathers are found with him. His enemy, The Raven, is back. Sonny communes with the ghost of Don Eliseo, his mentor, who accompanies him and Chica, the dreaming dog, into the investigation. A fascinating read from the beginning through Sonny's encounter with The Raven to the last pages. In Jemez Spring the reader will step off the edge of what we call reality into a world where many things we do not understand lurk, places consigned to myth and superstition by modern man, yet known to the older generations and considered as part of their world. Do they exist or not? To answer that question, I recommend settling into a comfortable chair and taking the tour of Jemez Spring with Sonny and Chica. This is a multi-layered mystery with a case of well drawn characters, a great comgination of the old and the new. Enjoy the adventure. I certainly did.
A disappointed faithful Anaya reader........2005-03-31
Who among us dares dispute that Professor Rudolfo Anaya's words flow with the poetic cadence of a pristine clear New Mexico mountain stream? That fact, he is guilty of! Just as he is equally guilty of perpetrating a disservice to Sonny Baca--his fictitious character who has served him well during the first three excellent novels. Jemez Spring utilizes this final Baca tome as a vehicle to extol a personal vendetta/cause as well as demonstrate his command of stimulating prose and history of long-dead cultures.
There are times when an author belches forth far too many meaningless words and details unrelated to the tale being told--that not only are they distracting--they border on nonsense and are disruptive.
Without an actual count, it is estimated that sixty-percent of pages are devoted to a number of subjects other than those that directly relates to Sonny Baca's current dilemma: The creeping and steady erosion of land and culture of the people of the southwest--which I personally sympathize with; throughout the book the reader is also subject to a number of unrelated ancient history lessons from exotic places; and while I've never been accused of being a prude--the professor emeritus' constant reference to sexual innuendo was excessive, unrelated, and unnecessary in this reader's opinion.
With approximately forty-percent of pages devoted to Sonny's final adventure--he is surely obliged to consider authoring PI Sonny Baca a make-up novel. A novel totally devoted to the adventure. One that Anaya owes those he terms, faithful readers, and Sonny.
Jemez Spring Weaves Hispanic Ideas into Universal Culture.......2005-03-18
JEMEZ SPRING is the fourth in a series about detective Sonny Baca and his quest to catch Raven, who is forever doing something horrible--this time threatening to set off a nuclear device in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The story could become just another catch-him-before-he-blows-us up loaded with chase scene. But in Rudolfo Anay's hands, JEMEZ SPRING becomes much more. While solving crimes, Sonny Baca also discovers a lot about his Hispanic roots. He uses this heritage to help in the fight against Raven. Therefore, we as readers learn about the stories, songs, food, values, and ideas that make New Mexico Hispanics--well, New Mexico Hispanics as opposed to someone else. And not only that!! Mr. Anaya skillfully connects that heritage to Greek and Roman myths; and Native American stories. In this gentle way, he reminds us that no matter who we think we are, or who we think we might be better (or worse) than, we are really all one. We all need to survive, to love, and to achieve. Anay's stories show us that we all try to figure out how to do that. He also reminds us that storytelling is more than entertainment. Stories transmit our values to the next generation. That's what I loved best about JEMEZ SPRING. Mr. Anaya also used the story to play with reality. As Sonny tries to guess what Raven will do with his bomb, Sonny becomes more and more afraid of Raven. He imagines so many possibilities that soon, he isn't sure which are real, which might become real, and which are completely off the wall. Don't we all go through that once in a while. The two layers together make Raven something more than the run-of-the-mill outlaw, and Sonny Baca more than the average detective. What they become I will not say, because that's up to the reader. But I will say that JEMEZ SPRING is a good read. Enjoy.
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- The God of Animals: A Novel
- The Hand of Chaos: A Death Gate Novel, Volume 5 (Death Gate Cycle (Paperback))
- The Heritage of Shannara
- The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (Prima Official Game Guide)
- The Lost Worlds Romance: From Dawn Till Dusk (Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)
- The Malloreon, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Guardians of the West, King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda
- The Phoenix Phenomenon: Rising from the Ashes of Grief
- The Poetical Works Of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Birds Of Passage, Flower-De-Luce, A Book Of Sonnets, The Masque Of Pandora And Other Poems, Keramos, Ultima Thule And In The Harbor
- The Power of Impossible Thinking: Transform the Business of Your Life and the Life of Your Business
- The Seven Songs of Merlin (Lost Years of Merlin, Bk. 2)
Books Index
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Silent Spring
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