History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Content 5 stars; binding zero stars
Mindblowing story and amazing pictures.
important book
One of the best books I've ever seen!
City of Darkness--Life in Kowloon Walled City

City of Darkness

Manufacturer: Watermark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Hong Kong | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Shadow Cities: A Billion Squatters, A Urban New World
Phantom Shanghai
Spook Country
Burtynsky - China
Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design

ASIN: 1873200137

Customer Reviews:

Content 5 stars; binding zero stars.......2007-09-08

I hate to do this, but other buyers should be aware: I have the July 2005 printing (paperback; the only one available from Amazon) and it has the absolute cheapest, flimsiest glue binding I have ever seen on a book. The cover became detached before I was done looking through it the first time, and now that I have looked through it exactly once, the page sections are starting to fall away from the remaining glue strip. And I am being very careful with it. What a disappointment as the photos are stunning, the text and interviews fascinating, and the quality of the photo pages themselves excellent.

Mindblowing story and amazing pictures. .......2007-07-05

This book tells a story of a place most people have never heard of and no longer exists, but was the most densely populated place in the entire world at one point. It does it by well-written text, interviews with people that lived in this one-of-a-kind place, and priceless pictures. Google "The walled city of Kowloon", read up on it, and you won't be able to resist getting this book.

important book.......2007-03-19

the book offers great insight in the extreme circumstances under which people lived in the kowloon walled city. superb photografic material covering a wide aspect of the city and relevant text. a must for people interested in urban vernacular architecture.

One of the best books I've ever seen!.......2006-03-04

Everyone who I have ever shown this book to has had a deep reaction to it. I wouldn't handicap this book by calling it a photography book alone, although the photos are very powerful and prominent, but the text deserves recognition aswell. Plenty of personal stories of how people made this decaying city their home. Both epic and intimate. A testament of the human animal's ability to adapt and thrive. Thank god the authors got in to Kowloon before its destruction to create this book.

Also, as a side note: Any artist wanting reference material for decaying urban sprawl, look no further. This book makes for great city or science fiction reference, with unbelievable details (electrical boxes, pipes, hallways, stairwells, etc...)

City of Darkness--Life in Kowloon Walled City.......2005-09-03

I was born in Hong Kong and lived in the Walled City for 2 years with my mother when I was 10. Love the photos, history, and facts about the walled city, bring back lots of memories.

Three Great Novels 3: A Darkness More Than Night', ' City of Bones', 'Chasing The Dime'

Average customer rating:

Three Great Novels 3: A Darkness More Than Night', ' City of Bones', 'Chasing The Dime'
Michael Connelly
Manufacturer: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Void Moon
The Harry Bosch Novels Volume 2: The Last Coyote, Trunk Music, Angels Flight
Blood Work
The Harry Bosch Novels: The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde
The Poet

ASIN: 0752867334

Book Description

A Darkness More Than Night: Terry McCaleb's enforced quiet lifestyle is a far cry from the excitement of his former role as an FBI profiler. But when a small-time criminal is found dead, McCaleb becomes embroiled in a disturbing and complex case leading him to cross the path of Harry Bosch. City of Bones: When the bones of a boy are found scattered in the Hollywood Hills, Harry Bosch is drawn into a case that brings up the darkest memories from his own haunted past. Unearthing hidden stories, he finds the child's identity and begins to reconstruct his fractured life. Chasing the Dime: Henry Pierce has just moved into a new apartment but the first time he checks his phone messages, he discovers that someone had the number before him. The messages are for a woman named Lilly, and Pierce is quickly drawn into Lilly's night-time world of escort services, websites, sex and secret identities.

Cities of Darkness Vol. 1: New Orleans by Night and D.C. by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)

Average customer rating:

a must have for any WoD guru

Cities of Darkness Vol. 1: New Orleans by Night and D.C. by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Patricia Ann Roshell
Manufacturer: White Wolf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Vampire | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Montreal by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Chicago Chronicles Vol. 1: Chicago by Night 1st Edition and Succubus Club (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Chicago Chronicles Vol. 2: Chicago by Night 2nd Edition and Under a Blood Red Moon (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Cities of Darkness Vol. 2: Berlin by Night and Los Angeles by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)
New York by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)

ASIN: 1565042336

Customer Reviews:

a must have for any WoD guru.......1999-08-09

note: typed in chat lt. :)

I find it hard to give somthing 5 stars but, this a very good book. It is not for your every day gamer tho, it is a hevy duty source book witch covers New Orleans and DC by night, it is filled with lots of history and chr info for dozens of ppl in both cities outlinning most every residing Kindred(and evean some Huntes and Mages)knowen to be there! New Orleans also comes with a canned story witch is filled with lots of source info in it's self.

not to say the book has no flaws i find if funny that none of the Kindred in New Orleans or DC have any (no merits either:)) but with that aside i find it hard to point my finger at any thing else

so all and all i would say it a must have for any WoD guru

City of Darkness, City of Light
Average customer rating:

C'est bon!

Through the eyes of the people

A good read needed to understand the future and the past

Best novel I've ever read

Shedding light on a city of darkness
City of Darkness, City of Light
Marge Piercy
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Piercy, Marge | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gone to Soldiers

A Place of Greater Safety: A Novel

Three Women: A Novel

Sleeping with Cats: A Memoir

Woman on the Edge of Time

ASIN: 0449912752
Release Date: 1997-08-12

Book Description

"FAST-PACED . . . PIERCY BREATHES LIFE INTO THE ACTUAL HISTORICAL FIGURES WHO SHAPED THE REVOLUTION."
--San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

In her most splendid, thought-provoking novel yet, Marge Piercy brings to vibrant life three women who play prominent roles in the tumultuous, bloody French Revolution--as well as their more famous male counterparts.

Defiantly independent Claire Lacombe tests her theory: if men can make things happen, perhaps women can too. . . . Manon Philipon finds she has a talent for politics--albeit as the ghostwriter of her husband's speeches. . . . And Pauline Léon knows one thing for certain: the women must apply the pressure or their male colleagues will let them starve. While illuminating the lives of Robespierre, Danton, and Condorcet, Piercy also opens to us the minds and hearts of women who change their world, live their ideals--and are prepared to die for them.

"MASTERFUL . . . PIERCY BRINGS THE BLOOD AND GUTS, THE IDEAS AND PASSIONS, OF THE REVOLUTION TO LIFE."
--The Women's Review of Books

"PIERCY'S STORYTELLING POWERS CAPTURE THE TURBULENCE AND EXCITEMENT OF [THIS] LIBERATING ERA."
--The Boston Herald

Customer Reviews:

C'est bon! .......2006-06-27

In *City of Darkness, City of Light,* Marge Piercy follows six, count `em, *six* characters through the French Revolution. This turbulent period molds their characters, as each of them plays important roles in, if not the actual revolution, the evolution of France. The end of the book (guessing who will survive the guillotine) is riveting.

As much fun as this book is to read, and as interesting as the history is, there is more importance than mere romp and period to this work. Postmodernism has been touted as obscure and difficult, like *Gravity's Rainbow* or some of the more abstract, narrativeless forms. *City of Darkness, City of Light* is, IMHO, postmodernism as it was meant to be. Piercy reinterprets history from the POV of those who did not have a voice at the time: women. She explores the lives of women during the French Revolution with kindness, emotion, and depth. Her characters range from politically active minor nobility (Manon) to the impoverished (Claire) to the middle class (Pauline), an oftentimes neglected strata of society. There are also male counterparts for each of the archetypal women, including a character that becomes the bloody Robespierre, who begins life as a studious son of a lawyer named simply Max.

In addition to the postmodern aspects of this book, *City* is important because it attempts to discuss what it is to be human, and different types of human, within a larger context, during a historical event. Too often, IMHO, contemporary novels examine one character, doing very little, or nothing. The novel should not be measly navel-gazing. It should be an experience that broadens the reader. I don't mean merely educational or informative. By reading widely, one should understand one's fellow human better, deeper, more intensely. One should feel more. *City* offers you six people to understand in depth, with feeling, and with humanity.

Please do not be intimidated by my classification of this book as "postmodern" or my admonition that it's "good for you," like Brussel sprouts. *City* is readable and entertaining. Like I said, some of the six characters lose their heads at the end, and I'm not speaking metaphorically. Try to guess which ones.

TK Kenyon

Through the eyes of the people.......2004-02-28

Piercy's fiction/nonfiction account of the French revolution has high ambitions, and she achieves them--partly. Piercy views this momentous event through the eyes of six people, all of whom are historical characters, but the amount of historical information about each varies greatly. She starts at the top with Nicholas, Danton, and Robespierre, representing the enlightened aristocrat, the pragmatic revolutionary, and the extreme radical. Next on her list is Manon Roland, the wife of a mediocre beaurocrat who exercises influence and power through her husband. Last but certainly not least are Claire and Pauline, two women who led the women's revolution, driven to the streets by the lack of the basic necessities of life--bread, wine, meat--and a desire for equality.

Piercy excels in describing the everyday details of the lives of these people, and makes Danton and Robespierre human. Her portrayal of the Paris of the time, the teeming streets, the houses of the poor, the entertainments, the struggle for food--is masterful. In the cases of Pauline and Claire, she took the little that is known about them and developed them into strong, powerful women.

But Piercy also struggles under the weight of information she tries to incorporate into this "novel," and the result is often plodding. She is a masterful novelist, and "Gone to Soldiers" is a wonderful example of what she can do with a good story that has a historical background. But here she tries to do way too much--explain the politics, the history and life of the time, and also accurately render historical figures in a fictional way while being faithful to the facts we do know. The first third of the book is a chore, as she tries to set everything up for the characters to come together in Paris. It is no accident that her best characters are Claire and Pauline, about whom little is known, and who come alive under her wonderful novelist's pen. The three men are rendered more clumsily, especially when she tries to describe their feelings during historical events. And Manon is a failure--I suspect Piercy got bogged down in trying to be faithful to the autobiography this woman left behind. As the revolution picks up steam, the story does too, but I found myself reading along to find out how they all get out of the mess that they've created, rather than out of real feeling for the characters.

Having said all that, this book does send you back to brush up on the history, and also sparked a very lively discussion in my book club about why the American Revolution was so different. Was it because the English had a much longer tradition of democracy? Was it that a lot of tradition and custom that hampered change had been left behind in the Old World? Or was it because there was no need to take property away from the rich--there were limitless opportunities available to anyone willing to push west and start out fresh on his own land. Probably all of the above.

A good read needed to understand the future and the past.......2003-06-12

This is a good read.
This is good history. This is great fiction. This is the honest story of the French revolution, told from the side of masses of working people, peasants, real French people, told from the side of women and men who live as we live. This is a story of people finding searching for truth and love. This is not about disillusion with revolution, disillusion with the great moments when masses of working people take the world in their hands, this is a celebration of it, of love. This is not about the tragedy of the French revolution, but about the glory of it, and the glory of working men and above all working women.
When big fights will rage to turn back the Clinton-Gore-Bush Cheeny billionaire led attacks on the standard of living of working people, their wars against people around the world, the hideous lame, stupid repulsive culture that blares out of the television and the radio monopolies, books like this will be in the hands of the young women, the young men who will lead the changes. Read this book and feel that young power, look into the past and see our future.

Best novel I've ever read.......2003-05-21

I love this book - it has so much to say about modern left movements, and Marge Piery's writing is fantastic.

I really can't say enough good things about this book and highly recommend it.

Shedding light on a city of darkness.......2002-02-07

The people drove the French Revolution. From the most powerful leaders, such as Danton, to the people of the districts, like Claire Lacombe, who held their pikes, the Revolution was all about the people.
Piercy - a poet, novelist, and occasional playwright - mixes what is known about this time in French history with her vivid imagination. This novel must be called fiction, but Piercy's use of real events and people makes for an interesting study of non-fiction.
The work is written with the average person in mind. Still, one can not overlook Piercy's intense attention to detail and accuracy. This shows that Piercy may have been writing with the layperson in mind, but she also sought to gain scholarly readers. She took all of the facts surrounding the Revolution and filled in the gaps with logical speculation to create this masterful novel.
Centered on the lives of six main characters, the novel tells the story of the French Revolution from the vantage points of these six. At times their paths cross, and the large world of France becomes smaller to the reader. Characters like Maximilien Robespierre and Manon Roland come alive and history seems to make perfect sense. The cast of real-life characters is presented in a way that no history book ever could.
After reading this novel, a student of the French Revolution is better equipped to understand the finer points of the period in detail. Having a personality to attach to a name can make facts and situations easier to recall. Though the novel should not be taken as history, it is certainly a good base for future study of the French Revolution.
The novel also puts a human side to this turbulent era. Cold facts cannot convey intentions, feelings, or home lives of the major and minor players of any period. Piercy's work serves to promote understanding that these men and women who live on in history were just people like those living today.
Piercy's fascinating novel shows the French Revolution in a light that cannot be produced through historical texts. Her work brings the people and passion of the time to life.

Average customer rating:

A beautiful book!
Powerfully Evocative and Compelling.....
A profoundly moving and hopeful book

Stars in the Darkness
Barbara M. Joosse
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Deshawn Days
The Wagon
Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike In L.a.
Sahara Special
Hooway for Wodney Wat

ASIN: 0811821684

Amazon.com

In the haunting yet buoyant picture book by bestselling, award-winning author Barbara M. Joosse and award-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie, a young boy tells of his brother Richard's entrance into the world of "gang bangers." Richard has always made his little brother feel safe and loved, until he starts "walkin' that walk, like he's King Stuff." The boy watches warily: "Richard thinks I'm a little kid, but I'm not as little as he thinks. I know what I know." Finally, the boy and his mother take action, galvanizing the neighborhood to walk the streets at night, advocating peace.

Christie's striking paintings of the family and neighborhood are strong, eye-catching companions to Joosse's powerful story. Readers will feel great hope for the protagonist, as, even in a dark hour of his young life, he sees the flashlights carried by his neighbors as "stars crackin' the darkness," an image repeated from the beginning. Joosse's message is aimed directly at "the little sisters and brothers... the stars in the darkness." An author's note and list of gang prevention resources are included, making this more than just an urban storybook--it can serve as a real resource for children at risk for joining a gang. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In the imagination of a young inner-city boy, police sirens sound like howling wolves, streetlights look like stars, and shots fired by neighborhood gangs sound like those stars cracking the darkness. But when his older brother joins a gang, he can no longer pretend. With the help of his mother, he comes up with a plan to save his brother and unite his neighbors in a stand for peace. The realistic yet uplifting words of best-selling author Barbara M. Joosse combine with powerful illustrations by award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie in this hope-filled story. One young boy's courage can make a difference.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful book!.......2003-09-03

This book is worth buying twice just to support the author. Fantastic writing, illustrating, everything. As soon as I picked it up I was instantly drawn to its pages and once I began I couldn't put it down-and it's a book for kids! In any case, it's a book all pre-schoolers will cherish. It's about love and family and sticking together to overcome adversity. I can't wait for Barbara Joosse's next book. She's doing something great. And as always, I leave you with my favorite picks: most creative, The Butterfly: A Fable (Singh); most engaging, The Alchemist (Coelho); most interesting, Life of Pi (Martel); most enlightening, 9-11 (Chomsky); most thrilling, The Lovely Bones: A Novel (Sebold); and finally, the most creative, engaging, interesting, enlightening and thrilling book of all, The Little Prince (Saint-Exupery). These are the books I'd recommend to my family, friends, students, and wife. There are many more, trust me, but these are the first that come to mind (for having left an impact slight or proud as it may be). If you have any questions, queries, or comments, or maybe even a title you think I should add to my list, please feel free to e-mail me. I'm always open to a good recommendation. Thanks for reading my brief but hopefully helpful review. Happy reading. Donald S. Buckland

Powerfully Evocative and Compelling............2002-09-04

"Sometimes, Mama and me look down at the street and pretend it's not the city. We shut out eyes so only a crack is open, lookin' through our eyelshes, and pretend we live on the moon. The lights we see? They're stars, as many as the sky can hold. And sirens? That's wild wolves howlin' at the moon. If there's shots fired, we say it's the light of the stars crackin' the darkness..." So begins Barbara Joosse's nameless young narrator's story of the dangerous and tenuous life in the inner city. When his beloved brother, Richard, stops coming home at night, he and his mother realize he's become a gang banger. "We can't pretend no more," she says. "We gotta be strong now." His mother implores him, "Don't you be hanging' out with those bangers, Richard. Don't. Be somebody for this world." But Richard is caught up in the life, "walkin' that walk, like he's King Stuff." When Richard comes home injured and bandaged, Mama and Richard's little brother hatch a plan, a plan to take back the neighborhood. "We call 'em Peace Walks. Every night now, there's family on the street. We take turns walkin' the night. When it's my turn, I shut my eyes so only a slit is open, and I look through my eyelashes. I see streetlights, like before, but now I see flashlights, too. Stars crackin' the darkness." Ms Joosse's bittersweet picture book, geared to little brothers and sisters, "the stars in the darkness," is neither judgemental nor sentimental, but truthful and filled with hope. Her evocative text, rich in imagery and magic, is compelling, written in realistic language and complemented by Gregory Christie's powerfully bold and expressive illustrations. Together word and art paint a vivid portrait of life in the inner city, family love, and the courage and strength to try and make a difference. With an Author's Note about the real Richard, to enhance the story and help open important discussions, and a comprehensive list of resources on gang prevention, Stars In The Darkness is an inspiring narrative that shouldn't be missed, and definitely one of the best new books of 2002. Kudos to Joosse and Christie.

A profoundly moving and hopeful book.......2002-04-21

Author Joosse chooses a tough subject and writes about it in the most touching manner. The love of a family, a mother and a younger brother, are not enough to keep a boy from joining a gang. Even though Richard tries to hide his gang activities from them, the young narrator of the story tells us "I know what I know." The boy and his mother come up with a plan that involves their neighbors, making them true "stars in the darkness." Every parent and child will find in this powerful book a way to connect to the feelings, fears, and hopes of the families whose lives are affected by gangs.

Average customer rating:

Great story, top-notch performance by Harlan Ellison
Great Story, reader [stinks]
Yuck! Good story, but a horrible peformance.
This is the best book ever written.
Ellison doesn't just read, he performs!

City of Darkness
Ben Bova
Manufacturer: Tor Teen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Powersat
Voyagers III: Star Brothers (Voyagers)
Empire Builders (The Grand Tour)
Brothers
Orion and the Conqueror (Orion)

ASIN: 0765343614
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Book Description

He's passed his college entrance exams with flying colors. He can do pretty much whatever he wants. But what teenager Ron Morgan wants most is for his father to quit telling him what to do. Quit running his life. What better way to unwind than having a last blowout on Labor Day in the domed playground of Fun City: Manhattan.Inside the dome, however, Ron loses his wallet and identity card. Worse, he's trapped when the dome closes for the season. There's no way out. Gangs roam the street. Food is scarce. Ron is on his own.All Ron wanted was some fun. He'll be lucky to escape New York alive....

Customer Reviews:

Great story, top-notch performance by Harlan Ellison.......2006-11-14

This is my first foray into Ben Bova's work. I've seen it around but never quite picked it up. If this is typical of the quality of his work, I will be back for more.

The story is set in a future United States in which the cities have been closed. New York City is cut off from the rest of the country except for the summer months - where it becomes a tourist destination away from the unrelenting tedium of suburbia (called "the tracts"). Our protagonist runs away to the city and gets locked in after it is closed at the end of the summer - and he finds out that the city is not empty after all...

Harlan Ellison makes this audiobook seem like a one man radio play. He does a first-rate job at making the story sing and zing. The reviewers who have written complaints below are way off of the mark. Take the word of a listener who has heard more than his share of mediocre readers - Ellison deserves an award.

I give Ellison an A+.
I give the book an A.

Combined score: A+

Great Story, reader [stinks].......2002-04-14

This was one of the best sci-fi stories i've listened to in a long while but the person reading the book was awful. If you can overlooks his bad performance the story is worth listening too.

Yuck! Good story, but a horrible peformance........2001-02-12

As I said the story is pretty good, it's a typical action packed adventure story, full of machismo and all the usual stereotypes...the weak but beautiful girl, the "bad" gang member, the innocent hero who manages to do it all etc. It's very entertaining, and excellent if you have a long drive, you won't feel the hours pass, if it wasn't for the reading!

The performer, Harlan Ellison does a horrible job. As he narrates a scene in a smoky room, he coughs, when the hero gets winded, the narration does as well. Most of the "voices" of the various protagonists are downright embarrassing. Evidently Harlan never read the story before narrating it. This is painfully obvious at every turn of the story, where Harlan increases the tension in his voice as a plot is resolving, or heightens the drama to a fever pitch, just as the hero makes it to safety.

Overall, I would have turned it off if the story hadn't been so gripping. Harlans misplaced overacting completely ruins a good work by Ben Bova.

This is the best book ever written........1999-09-10

This is the best book ever written the author, Ben Bova, in my opinion is one of the best authors ever. I read this book in 2 hours I liked it so much, and I am not a person who enjoys reading in fact I hate reading all together. This book has totally changed my opinion on reading. READ THIS BOOK!!!!! It is a do not miss.

Ellison doesn't just read, he performs!.......1999-02-04

Author, Harlan Ellison, dons his acting hat for this performance of Ben Bova's CITY OF DARKNESS. With years of practice performing his own short storys and doing voice overs for such cartoons as MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM, PIRATES OF DARKWATER, and several appearences on the live-action, BABYLON 5, Ellison has honed his vocal craft to a fine edge. The story is good, but the main selling point is the riveting performance by Ellison, which is more then worth the price of admission. Highly recommended.

The House of the Lord: God's Plan to Liberate Your City From Darkness

Average customer rating:

The House of the Lord: God's Plan to Liberate Your City From Darkness
Francis Frangipane
Manufacturer: Charisma House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Three Battlegrounds: An In-Depth View of the Three Arenas of Spiritual Warfare: The Mind, the Church and the Heavenly Places
Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God
Prevailing Prayer (Spiritual Authority and Prayer)
Discerning of Spirits
This Day We Fight!: Breaking the Bondage of a Passive Spirit

ASIN: 0884192849

Cities of Darkness Vol. 3: Dark Colony and Alien Hunger (Vampire: the Masquerade)

Average customer rating:

Explore the unseen corners of urban life

Cities of Darkness Vol. 3: Dark Colony and Alien Hunger (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Jeff Berry , John Cooper , and Beth Fischi
Manufacturer: White Wolf Games Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Vampire | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Chicago Chronicles Vol. 2: Chicago by Night 2nd Edition and Under a Blood Red Moon (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Montreal by Night (Vampire: the Masquerade)
Chicago Chronicles Vol. 1: Chicago by Night 1st Edition and Succubus Club (Vampire: the Masquerade)
The Kindred Most Wanted (Vampire - the Masquerade)
Vampire : The Masquerade (Revised Edition)

ASIN: 1565042352

Customer Reviews:

Explore the unseen corners of urban life.......2000-06-13

This book offers an insight into the life of vampires and other creatures of the night in cities around the world. The book focuses on the larger cities like L.A., Berlin and of course, New York. A wonderful source for learning about the people, socities and groups behind the darkness in these cities. This sourcebook is very well written and is a pleasure to read. This is a must have for urban-based scenarios.

City of Darkness: Unseen (World of Darkness)

Average customer rating:

City of Darkness: Unseen (World of Darkness)

Manufacturer: White Wolf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1565048105

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books