Book Description
In 1895, Margaretha Zelle -- a beautiful young woman from The Hague -- answers a personal ad placed by a Dutch army captain twice her age seeking a wife. After a speedy wedding, they depart for Indonesia, where their marriage collapses amid infidelity, violence, and their son's disturbing death. Margaretha returns to Europe, traveling to Paris, where she reinvents herself as the erotic dancer Mata Hari ("Eye of the Dawn"), the likes of which no one has ever seen. As Europe lurches toward explosive conflict, her reputation as a dancer and courtesan attracts the attention of powerful admirers from Madrid to St. Petersburg. In time she finds herself caught in a military intrigue that would affect the course of World War I.
Narrated by historical figures whose lives intersected with Mata Hari's, The Red Dancer explores the mystery and downfall of a woman who has fascinated historians and inspired artists for nearly a century. From the lush hills of Indonesia to the dance halls of Paris, it brilliantly re-creates the sensual decadence of fin de siècle Europe and the global conflict that ended an era and nearly destroyed a generation.
Customer Reviews:
A woman victim of weak personalities...........2006-10-25
Strange how Paris was associated with such type of exotic oriental style dancers who, by the end of the day, became involved in espionage activities.
This brunette mundane woman was alleged to have had experience shared by high-ranking military officers of Russian, German, and French nationalities.
In WWI the Netherlands remained neutral and as a Dutch citizen Mata Hari was able to cross borders freely, unnecessarily taking a longer routes by travelling via Spain and England, that her twisted itineraries attracted suspicions she could have been a double agent.
On record tracking, the British discovered that her lovers always ended relationships, prematurely, with silly disputes.
The British in particular interrogated Hari and reported she had said she had been working for the French military intelligence, but the French never confirmed her allegations.
The German Military attaché in Madrid cabled Berlin describing the assistance they were getting from `a German Spy'- code-named H-21. (`H' is probably Hari), French intelligence intercepted the message and was able to relate H-21 to Hari.
Hari was not beautiful as to produce a `killing' association with her lovers like that of `Delilah' on `Samson' for instance. Hari was an elegant woman who wore her dark smooth hair brushed upwards in the style of the day. She was always fashionably and expensively dressed.
When she was incarcerated, her features and eyelids bore traces of the fatigues of eventful evenings.
But whose fault was it that such a weak woman of 41 was, allegedly, able to exercise a malign influence on the destinies of Germany, France and England.
What was the mettle of the ineffectual officers on whose sides there was Hari on one hand and the destinies of their countries on the other.
Hari was executed by firing squad at WWI when France was at the lowest point in the war with Germany.
The French vented their anger on Mata Hari
A woman victim of weak characters of the men in charge of the destinies of Europe ...........
such promise but lacked purpose.......2005-05-12
This book was very exciting at first, as Skinner chose to reveal the character and life of Mata Hari through the eyes of others in her life, each chapter from the account of a different person... however he lost track from that orginal idea and once I finished the book- I didn't feel like I had learned anything about who Mata Hari was. It nearly had nothing at all to do with her. It contains some lovely character sketches but there is no story. And he gives Mata Hari absolutely no personality, even in the chapters from her own point of view. There are some interesting histories thrown in on Picasso, absinthe, and other era points of interests but they are so out-of-the-blue... I felt like at the end all this random information would somehow tie together but it never did. I wish he had had an editor who pushed him a little harder because he is a talented writer and the concept had so much potential.
not a waste of time.......2004-02-10
The story is a fictionalized account of the life of Mata Hari, a renowned dancer, spy, and courtesan. Appropriately in this novel, every significant moment in Mata Hari's life is told through the eyes of men who wandered into her sphere. Because of the POV remove, the resonance is a little diluted, but so is -- thank god -- the angst. Told from her point of view, this story would have been a bawler from beginning to end. Even the good stuff that happened to her wasn't really that good, apparently. However, the several scenes that are set in her point of view are fairly clinical: she places her belongings on a bedside table, adjusts her costume, has dinner, etc. Nothing really of note, but those scenes, I think, are the best ones, because in them we see the truest glimpse of the woman: matter-of-fact, persistent, and a little insecure.
The main thing to keep in mind about this book is that it's an art piece: it never pretends to be chronoligical, consistently fictional, or consistently historical. It's all over the map; sometimes the narrative story is interrupted for long stretches with essays about such things as absinthe and cubism. I think in some spots the writer was reaching too far to make an obscure point, but some of those digressions were really worth it and helped build the ultimate atmosphere of confusion and irreality.
In general, this book was not a waste of my time. I enjoyed it and even managed to learn a little more about turn-of-the-century stuff. And that firing squad scene at the end will stick with me for a little while, I think.
entertaining read, good historical novel.......2003-12-12
so maybe this book is a little postmodern--hence the other reviewers irritation at its fragmentation. however, i really appreciated the multiplicity of points of view in the novel--skinner allows you to reach your own interpretation about mata hari rather than spoonfeeding you his own conclusion about her. the writing is pretty good, but not outstanding, but the book is very effective in it's evocation of orientalism and of an era.
History in narrartive.......2003-12-02
I have been aware of the name mata hari for many years. However, I suddenlt became fascinated with this extraordinary woman's life story when it was dramatised on radio 4 in the autmn of 2003. Red Dancer, follows in that vein. Rather than an hostorical biography in the traditonal sense, the author presents a series of what are effectively vignettes whereby different characters in the story tell their own tale of this ambitious, talented, notorious but ultimately tragic woman. I found it very absorbing particularly as there is a clever balance of imagined accounts of her life as told by others and historical and media information (press cuttings etc) from the time. Well worth a read
Average customer rating:
- Steps in Time by Fred Astaire
- A Legendary Artist; A Superficial Memoir
- franceskent
- A book worth reading...
- a must for fans of the talented Mr. A
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Steps in Time
Fred Astaire
Manufacturer: Cooper Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Astaire, Fred | Choreographers & Dancers | Dance | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0815410581 |
Book Description
Fred Astaire allows us to see through the effortless balletic exuberance.
Customer Reviews:
Steps in Time by Fred Astaire.......2007-05-18
Prior to purchasing this item I read a review that said the book didn't say anything about Fred Astaire's personality. After reading this book, you can tell about every section of Fred's life, his up and downs, his feelings, his experiences. Mr. Astire writes in the style he lived...Elegantly written. I couldn't put the book down because it was exciting to read.
A Legendary Artist; A Superficial Memoir.......2006-09-14
Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was, quite simply, a dance genius. He appeared on stage, often with his sister Adele, in such landmark musicals as LADY BE GOOD and FUNNY FACE; he graced at least 43 films, 31 one of which were musicals; he is, for all practical intents and purpose, American dance, and he worked with artists no less legendary than he. But for all this, his 1959 autobiography is most notable for being, well, utterly mundane.
STEPS IN TIME is essentially a catalogue of the various shows in which Astaire performed, ranging from Vaudeville (with sister Adele) to SILK STOCKINGS with Cyd Charisse. He always loves his leading lady; he always likes his director; even when the show was not as good as it could have been he finds something nice to say about it; and he never, ever offers the least bit of insight into his private life, his work, or the many with whom he worked over the years. Indeed, Astaire actually has more to say about his love of the racetrack than he does about any of his films or specific dance routines.
Fans of Astaire and the Hollywood musical will certainly want to read STEPS IN TIME, but even the most ardent fan will likely be disappointed by the superficial quality of the work. One can only hope that a future biographer will give Astaire the full portrait that he himself could not.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
franceskent.......2006-06-21
This book reveals as much about Fred Astaire in what it doesn't say as in what it tells. He was a shy man, of Austrian descent, very little formal education, and was eclipsed by his funny and attractive older sister in his days on the stage. These things shaped him into the perfectionist we saw on film. He had an incredible work ethic and was always looking for a new gimmick or dance style because he was not confident the audiences would keep on coming. He is not a natural story teller and sometimes leaves us wanting to hear more (e.g.can tell you he and a famous person had a lot of laughs together but not what they did or said that was funny). Still it is a good companion to the TV biography the BBC did about him a few years ago. All the best American composers of the day wanted to write for him (He and Gershwin were young unknowns together) and his evolution from vaudeville to Broadway to film happened during key times of all of those media. I do recommend the book if you want to know more about Fred Astaire, but not as a stand-alone source.
A book worth reading..........2003-04-21
This book is actually one big anecdote, peppered with little things like Mr. A's first punch, trying to figure out a title for the book, and meeting his wife, Phyllis.
However, Fred Astaire does not offer much insight on how he got from point A to Z, or what made him do this and that. In other words, people who want the whys (and plan to psychoanalyze Mr. A's actions) will not find what they are looking for.
It's still a great read though, and real entertaining.
a must for fans of the talented Mr. A.......2003-02-18
Fred Astaire tells his story in the same way he dances, with integrity and grace. I have been a fan of Mr.Astaire's for many years. The first movie of his I saw was "Daddy Long Legs." I was fasinated with the way he danced. When I found out that he had a biography I snatched a copy up. What I like about this book is that Fred Astaire wrote it himself. I found myself laughing at times, and after reading the book I felt as if I knew him personally. The best thing about this book is that it has 47 black and white photos. This book is a must for true fans of one of the greatest dancers who ever graced the big screen.
Book Description
A poignant and revealing memoir from a legendary entertainer.
Donna McKechnie began her love affair with dance as a child in Detroit. At fifteen, she ran away from home to join a touring dance troupe, and in 1961, she was cast in the Broadway smash hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She soon won acclaim as Michael Bennett's show-stopping muse in Promises, Promises and Company. In 1975, with her Tony-winning performance in Michael Bennett's masterpiece, A Chorus Line, McKechnie vaulted to stardom as a unique Broadway "triple threat" who could do it all -- dance, sing, and act.
Moving among the circles of artists, dancers, and musicians who inspired and challenged her in myriad ways, McKechnie writes about the trajectory of her career as it intertwined with and influenced her personal life and the lives of those around her. Recounting her dazzling career, McKechnie also reveals the dark side of fame: from her parents' troubled relationship to a searing account of her own marriage to Michael Bennett and her inspiring triumphs over depression and the rheumatoid arthritis that nearly ended her career. With affectionate reminiscences of Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, Stephen Sondheim, Fred Astaire, and many other well-known friends, McKechnie exhibits all the warmth, sensitivity, and verve that have endeared her to legions of fans over the years.
Filled with behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes, Time Steps is a candid, funny, and deeply personal memoir by a vivacious woman with an indomitable spirit and an illustrious, ongoing career.
Customer Reviews:
Christmas Gift.......2007-09-15
haven't opened it, but fast sihpment, bought for Christmas gift, can't unseal till then but trust sender.
excellent..good pictures. stories,etc........2007-08-24
donna has always been a winner..when i first met donna in charles nelson reilly's musical comedy class, 1962, at the hb studio, in nyc/greenwich village, she was already at the top of her game ..broadway dancer."how to succeed", vocal lessons with bob murdoch, also in "how to succeed".pretty,great dancer/singer & actress.............donna alaways has had that qualiy X......hard working, focused on her career...never wavering.....i am so happy for her success....movies,tv,stage, clubs.....she does it all......i will always watch her career with great interest..p.s., a nice gal, too......JACK R. ENGLISH, BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.........actor/singer/film & tv production............je
A MUST for aspiring performers.......2007-05-29
TIME STEPS is dancing star Donna McKechnie's autobiography written with the assistance of Greg Lawrence (who also wrote the Jerome Robbins biography DANCE WITH DEMONS and helped Gelsey Kirkland write her bestselling autobiography DANCING ON MY GRAVE). McKechnie's story is a very interesting one on many levels. She ran away from home as a teenager and managed to carve out a career for herself as a professional dancer. Her big break came when she auditioned for producer Cy Feuer who hired her for the chorus of his new Broadway show HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING when she was still a teenager. For several heady years she went from one hit show to another, including her breakthrough moment in PROMISES, PROMISES and her spectacular turn in Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY, culminating in her triumphant Tony-wining performance in the revolutionary Michael Bennett musical A CHORUS LINE. But that turned out to be her last real hit. The next thirty years would not be so easy. She not only battled a dead-end career, but also struggled with a severely debilitating physical illness, a failed marriage, family problems and emotional misery. It's the story of a survivor, but it's not a particularly happy one. McKechnie obviously wanted to be in the spotlight an awful lot to go through this kind of life.
Although the first part of the book is quite gripping, it bogs down in the middle as McKechnie is forced to look inward to solve her unhappiness. Introspection is usually far more interesting to oneself than to others. Even though the book is ultimately more disturbing than uplifting, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone considering a career in the performing arts. It reveals the grim reality of trying to make a living as a performer, even for someone as beautiful, talented, respected and beloved as Donna McKechnie.
GOOD BUT DISAPPOINTING READ.......2007-02-14
MS MCKECHNIE HAS WRITTEN A VERY HONEST BOOK ABOUT HER LIFE AND CAREER, BUT IT COMES ACROSS MORE AS A "CLIFF NOTES' VERISON OF WHAT MUST BE A FASCINATING STORY, AND LEFT THIS READER WANTING MUCH MUCH MORE. SHE OFFERS FRUSTRATINGLY LITTLE IN DEPTH ACCOUNTS OF HER VARIOUS THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF A CHORUS LINE - A SHOW SHE PERFORMED WELL INTO MIDDLE AGE OVER A PERIOD OF 15 OR 16 YEARS. IN ADDITION, HER TUMULTUOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH MICHAEL BENNETT IS, LIKE THE REST OF THE BOOK, AN OVERVIEW MORE THAN AN ACCOUNT. MY OPINION - BUY THE BOOK USED OR TAKE IT OUT OF THE LIBRARY...NOT WORTH THE PRICE, AND VERY FRUSTRATING DUE TO WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life.......2007-01-14
This was a gift for a young woman who was studying Theater Arts. She loved it and said it had good quality photos.
Customer Reviews:
A little disappointed.......2007-08-23
The photos are lovely but I was disappointed by the lack of historical photos. I wanted to see earlier costumes and dancers instead of the same costumes on different dancers and the same dancers in different costumes. I also thought there could have been more historical text - what was included was a little sketchy.
a huge disappointment.......2007-02-03
My sister was a Rockette and I was a Rockette myself for 21 years.I was looking forward to getting this book and after checking it out I was ready to return it.The costumes are great, most of them I had worn but with all the costumes the Rockettes have worn through the years each girl could have worn something different.
The photo archives,what happened to them.Though it was great to see the photo of the four gals on the trolly in San Francisco and I worked with them, that made me proud.
One more thing,the Rockettes are a group,the individual photos bothered me,the magic is in the group of women.
Rockette Book.......2007-01-16
Was expecting a hardcover book but that is my fault b/c I didn't double check and just assumed it was but all in all it is a very neat book! I gave it as a Christmas gift to a friend that is auditioning for Rockettes this year and thought it would be a cute keepsake but again, it would have been a little nicer if it was a hardcover b/c I'm afraid that the edges will bend easily.
Rockettes ROCK!.......2007-01-10
I wish this book were 750 pages, because then more and more pictures of all the dancers could have been included! I got this very neat book for my thirteen year old daughter as a Christmas present, and she loved it! After seeing the Christmas Spectacular together at Radio City Music Hall a few years ago, the whole family loves the Rockettes. But no one loves them more than I do. I just have the biggest smile while reading this book as I imagine how the performances would appear in each of the many different costumes shown in this fun book! I especially like the way the dancers are presented individually, in a full-body portrait, as they model a variety of costumes from the history of their spectacular performances... its almost like being introduced to them all! The Rockettes ROCK! and if you are their fan, you'll really have a lot of fun reading this book.
Unflattering photos UGH!.......2006-12-27
As a former Rockette, this was at the top of my Christmas List. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Boy, was I disappointed. The vintage and candid photos are GREAT, but they are few and far between. The new photos of the Rockettes are horrible; the photos are poorly lit, their faces are shadowed, some of the poses look awkward and uncomfortable. I have worn some of these costumes and seen them up close, and this book falls way short of showcasing the masterpieces of Erte, Bob Mackie, etc...
I am shocked that Radio City Rockettes would approve such photos. Most of the new photos have REALLY BAD LIGHTING, and make the Rockettes look old, tired and the costumes dull.
I was surprised this book was photographed by an acclaimed photographer. With digital photography and photoshop being all the rage these days, I would have expected so much more.
I love the Rockettes and I am proud to have been part of such a legendary organization. I am disappointed that this book didn't showcase the dancers in the way in which they deserve.
Book Description
A critic and writer on dance for well over twenty years, Barbara Newman has gone in search of teachers and coaches, directors, choreographers and stagers - former dancers who had turned the focus of their own experience on others - to explain the state of ballet today. Among leaders of the dance world the author interviewed were Suki Schorer, Helgi Tomasson, Mark Morris, Violette Verdy and 14 other artists whose work she knew and respected, most of them active outside of New York and London. Newman is not interested in dance as an aesthetic abstraction, and the people who answered her questions were not speaking theoretically. On the contrary, her speculation and their responses bring an elusive subject down to earth, illuminating a process that reaches back in history and forward to today, though its dreams are of a world no one can imagine.
Customer Reviews:
A magnificent book!.......2005-10-09
What a magnificent book! Dance critic Barbara Newman's GRACE UNDER PRESSURE is not just for serious dance afficionados, though it will be deeply meaningful to the serious student of dance; with its engaging writing style and its emphasis on "grace under pressure," on the lives and techniques of great dancers who became great dance teachers, this book will draw in almost any reader who picks it up. The opening of the book, with its description of discovering both the scrumptious pies at a small town diner, and the sadness of a small-town dance school that has closed down, sets the mood well. This book honors dance teachers everywhere, while it gives voice to the teaching experience and philosophy of some of the greatest. The photographs are well chosen, and a treasure in themselves.
This book deserves a wide readership, and will amply reward those who find their way to it. It reflects the author's depth of knowledge of dance, her perceptiveness and clarity in the interview process, and her accessible, engaging and elegant writing style. Highly recommended!
For anyone contemplating a life in ballet.......2004-03-07
In Grace Under Pressure: Passing Dance Through Time, ballet expert Barbara Newman (Dance Critic of "Country Life" magazine and a journalist contributor to "Dancing Times"), has compiled remarkably informative interviews with eighteen contemporary illuminaries of the world of dance. This impressive collection of leading dancers and renowned dance instructors ranging from Suki Schorer (School of American Ballet) and Marc Du Bouays (Paris Opera Ballet School) to Yuri Fareyev, Margaret Mercier, and Richard Thomas. Enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone contemplating a life in ballet, Grace Under Pressure offers the reader a diverse selection of insights into the dedicated life and working world of the contemporary ballet as the aspirants experience the hard work and intense discipline for learning and practicing this demanding art.
Book Description
Steve Cash created “an absorbing [and] intriguing saga” (The San Diego Union-Tribune) in his debut novel, The Meq. Outwardly indistinguishable from human beings, but with abilities no human can claim, the Meq search for their lost history and face a mysterious prophesied reckoning. . . .
It has been thirty-eight years since Zianno–known as Z–turned twelve. In appearance, he has not aged a day. Like all Meq, Z has become accustomed to a near immortal existence, possessing an uncanny ability to recuperate from injury and resist disease. Like only four others of his kind, he holds one of the fabled Stones, the Stone of Dreams. These bearers believe it is their destiny to guide the Meq toward and through the Remembering, where it is said that they will recall their long-forgotten origins and purpose.
But the rogue Meq assassin called the Fleur-du-Mal threatens their efforts and their lives. Pursuing rumors of a lost Sixth Stone, he is intent on finding the legendary talisman and eliminating anyone, Meq or human, who stands in the way.
Z and his allies–Opari, Sailor, Geaxi, Nova, Ray, Mowsel, Carolina, Jack, and others–embark on a desperate quest spanning decades and continents to track down the stone before their lethal adversary gets to it first. Along the way, every belief they have about themselves will be challenged and shaken–and a new, even deadlier enemy will arise.
Customer Reviews:
stop the worldhopping please!.......2007-08-20
Like most, I really enjoyed the first book, The Meq. However, I've been able to finish only half of Time Dancers. I'm frustrated with three things: Cash drops in historical facts to the point of absurdity, as the professional reviewer shared above; he has characters inexplicably "go away," alienating a reader who likes said character; and through all the country-hopping it's hard to keep sight of the original goal. Even the threat of the Fleur-du-Mal is not enough at this point.
What I liked about The Meq was the fact we were experiencing it through a newcomer's (Z) eyes; but here, Z is a little older, a little more wise, and there are parts where I find it difficult to sympathize with him.
What Steve Cash is doing in three books could possibly be done in two.
I want to like this book and will probably go back to it soon. I am planning to read the 3rd book to see how it all wraps up. However, I find this installment a little too frustrating.
Learn to Love St. Louis (even if you've never been there).......2007-07-22
I picked up the first book of this series after stumbling across it, liking the coverart, liking the premise, and loving the beginning time frame (turn of the 19th to 20th century fascinates me to no ends). What I didn't expect was the creative and innovative use of place and history that Steve Cash uses so well to his advantage. I will say that names and various characters who come and go at the blink of an eye for years can make keeping the plot ordered in your mind a bit challenging. I'd love a list in the front (or back) of the books with a listing of the characters and their major relationships. I haven't finished this second volume yet, though I am thoroughly enjoying my own reunion with Z, Sailor, Ray, Opari, and the rest of the Giza and Meq gang. Steve Cash also gives special attention to St. Louis, a city that obviously means a great deal to him. In a heartbeat, I'd go to St. Louis to take a tour of St. Louis with him---whatcha' think Steve?
A Good book!.......2006-06-07
Time Dancers continues the quest started by Zianno Zezen--Z for short--and his companions in The Meq,the first book in the trilogy. During his quest, Z has learned much about being Meq, made many new friends, and found his Ameq or soulmate. Now the Meq are gathering, they have one hundred years or fewer to prepare for the Time of Remembering, when they will finally uncover their destiny.
Like the first book, this one begins with a train journey. This journey, however, is one of hope and renewal, reuniting lost loved ones and finally returning home. Unfortunately, this time of happiness doesn't last long as Z's archenemy, Xanti Otso or the Fleur de Mal, kills two of their number. The Meq are few and cannot afford to lose any of their people, especially to one of their own. So a plan is made to hunt down the Fleur de Mal and his accomplices and kill them, thereby ending their reign of terror.
Working in teams, the Meq scatter to the ends of the Earth and follow whispers, rumors, and sightings false and real.
They search far and wide, yet the Fleur de Mal is always one step ahead. He lures them into ambush after ambush, each time causing loss and confusion. During this quest, the Meq discover that they are changing--and not always for the good. Ray Ytuarte, one of Z's oldest friends, becomes deathly ill after being bitten by a mosquito, something that has never happened before in the Meq's known history.
The timeline extends from the end of World War I in 1919 all the way through the bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. In contrast to The Meq, the action moves along at a fairly even speed, although there are sections where years pass with barely a mention. Author Cash has done his research, and a constant flow of historical figures and events litter the pages. From Babe Ruth's homerun record, to Josephine Baker in Paris, to Lindbergh's solo flight and the eventual murder of his son by kidnappers--it's all included.
Being the second book in a trilogy leaves this book at somewhat of a disadvantage. Although there is a two-page recap, without first perusing The Meq, the reader has an enormous handicap.
Armchair Interviews says: Time Dancers also ends with a major cliffhanger and is obviously to be continued. This will leave the reader somewhat frustrated while they await the publication of the final segment sometime in 2007.
wild zany science fiction thriller.......2006-05-31
In 1919 Zianno "Z" Zezen, a Meq-American, is about to turn twelve for the twentieth time since he has yet to meet his soul mate, Z remains a preteen. This is the norm for his Basque ancestry who never age past twelve until they meet the one. He feels pretty good about coming home to St. Louis, but soon learns that he cannot stay long as the Time of the Remembering is upon his people.
However, he and his associates are busy at the moment; lethal Meq Fleur-du-Mal feels the necessity to commit genocide of his immortal race. He has a compatriot Zuriaa who assists him by abducting the oldest known living Meq the matriarch Susheela the Ninth in order to force her to reveal to them location of the mystical Sixth Stone that could lead to a pandemic eradication. Z and his cronies must once again stop Fleur du-Mal.
The sequel to THE MEQ, TIME DANCERS is a wild zany science fiction thriller that uses real twentieth century historical points and persona as anchors though several of the choices seem to flakily fluky to fit the plot. The story line is all over the place. But smoothly moves forward. Z and his family and friends remain fascinating characters while the assassin Fleur du-Mal seems even more deranged this time around. Fans of zany way out science fiction thrillers will enjoy Steve Cash's latest entertaining madcap ride.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
The End of Time is a place that we would call decadent. To those that inhabit it, it is just normal. They are immortal, they can immense powers, and they can pretty much do anything they want. However, what they do mostly is get bored.
A time traveller from the late 19th century changes this, and Jherek Carnelian's relationship with this woman grow in ways he is not used to, or even sure he understands.
A fantastic read.......2006-08-03
Millions of years from now Earths citizens can have whatever they wish whenever they wish. They can create and recreate matter at will, which has, in effect, destroyed their humanity. They value nothing and care for nothing. The words marriage, fidelity, shame, and morality mean nothing. Emotions are something that they attire themselves in to thrill their friends at dinner parties. Carnelian is a prince among princes in this future. A man who prides himself on his expertise in the area of 19th century history. A man who skips from one perfect day to the next. Until he meets Amelia, a time traveler from the 19th century who wants nothing to do with him and turns his whole world upside down.
I enjoyed this book on so many different levels. It is more than a `science fiction' novel.
The first in the funniest science fiction series ever written.......2006-03-21
Ok, this book is not as good as the 2nd two of the trilogy, but it is necessary in order to introduce you to the setting and characters. Once the introduction is over the story flies along on a breathtaking, hilarious and outrageous rollercoaster love story ride that is totally different to anything else I have ever read.
I discovered M.Moorcock in the mid-70s. This was the first book of his I picked up (purely at random) and as a consequence I have been hooked on MM ever since. None of his other books quite realized the entertainment of the 'Dancers' series, although he wrote several sequals that come close.
Don't be put off by the early chapters. If you don't know what to expect, you may find it tough to understand what is happening, but once you have accepted the main characters it is very difficult to put these down.
Be prepared for some loud chuckling in case reading in public.
Les.
Volume 1 of Dancers at the End of Time.......2005-12-03
This series is not for everyone. In this first book, Jherek Carnelian comes back from the end of time to Victorian England to court Mrs. Amelia Underwood.
Unfortunately things have changed so much by the end of time that he does not understand courtship, marriage, the use of the toilet (a small adjustment would take care of that issue, but Amelia refuses to be tampered with). Carnelian skips back and forth through time and space doing strange and childish things in pursuit of love while almost everyone else rejects his reality in pursuit of their own. If you can follow his strange point of view the story grows from entertainment to a hint of something profound.
Children at the end of time.......2005-05-25
Generally, in science fiction, when humanity reaches maturity they are portrayed as gods. Moorcock turns that convention on its end. After billions of years, near the end of the universe, humanity has instead turned into children in adults' bodies, with technology so advanced it might as well be magic. Why this is so the author does not explain. I find it hard to believe, anyway. In this distant future we find one Jherak Carnelian, child extraordinaire, who decides he is in love, and perhaps he is. The rest of the book is about his pursuit of this woman through time. Carnelian is extraordinarily naive -- he does not understand deprivation, pain, or death. Believing this of him required a suspension of disbelief of which I was not capable. Moorcock is a very good writer, but this is not his best novel. Perhaps if you are a fan of his, you might greatly enjoy it, but the best I can give it is three stars. It might have been better as a short story.
Book Description
Enter a decaying far, far future society, a time when anything and everything is possible, where words like 'conscience' and 'morality' are meaningless, and where heartfelt love blossoms mysteriously between Mrs Amelia Underwood, an unwilling time traveller, and Jherek Carnelian, a bemused denizen of the End of Time. The Dancers at the End of Time, containing the novels An Alien Heat, The Hollow Lands and The End of All Songs, is a brilliant homage to the 1890s of Wilde, Beardsley and the fin de siecle decadents, satire at its sharpest and most colourful.
Customer Reviews:
My only question is..........2006-12-07
... why hasnt Hollywood figured out what a gem this is?
Outrageous and fun.......2004-03-29
From the moment the Iron Orchid makes her entrance on a seat of crushed bone, to outlandish adventures in Victorian England, a robot-run nursery and a primeval planet, this trilogy never flags. Moorcock creates consistent, believable characters, places them in enchanting and amusing settings and lets all hell break loose. Truly masterful writing and an ability to move and delight place Moorcock in the ranks of great sci-fi writers who transcend the genre, like Neal Stephenson and Orson Scott Card. His wicked and subtle sense of humor puts him in company with Wodehouse and Dickens. Now if only I could meet a man like Jherek...
Romantic Comedy.......2003-09-05
There is no denying that Michael Moorcock is an inventive writer. I've only started to read his work recently, starting with that irreverent novel about Jesus "Behold the Man", the peripatetic adventures concerning Elric, and now "Dancers At the End of Time".
This series of books is set in a future well beyond our own time. For Jherek Carnelian and the rest of his kind, our world is so far in the past (hundreds of thousands of millenia in the past) that history and Hollywood, fiction and fact have blurred together. Moorcock takes us so far into the future that "sand" on a beach is actually crushed bone, and characters behave in ways which would shock even the most open-minded people of our own society.
In Jherek Carnelian's society it is impossible for anyone to feel shock. No one is encumbered with the conventions and standards which we in our own time feel obliged to live by. In the future life is one long game without rules, a fairground in which to indulge. Death is practically an obsolete notion. Sounds like heaven on Earth, doesn't it? As space and time are no longer barriers, it wouldn't surprise me if another time traveller like Karl Glogauer had gone into the past and "implanted" the concept of heaven - the misinterpreted promise that all the misery and suffering, the turmoil and deprivation, would eventually be rewarded with everlasting life and blissful harmony. All in exchange for clean living and a lot of faith. This would have been a cruel trick for a time traveller to play, even if it wasn't intentional.
In the early 20th century Marcel Duchamp once declared that anyone can be an artist. In Jherek's time everyone is an artist, able to create their own environments to whatever specifications they desire, alter their bodily appearance whenever the whim takes them, and build menageries filled with specimans culled from anywhere and anywhen.
Jherek has a fondness for anything associated with his favourite period the 19th century. When it comes to nostalgia past eras are best loved by those who never experienced them. It's like someone obsessed with Robin Hood holding a romantic view of the Middle Ages. One object of beauty coveted by Jherek is the elegant Mrs Amelia Underwood. Much of Moorcock's story concerns Jherek's attempts to win the heart of Amelia Underwood in a series of well-intentioned gestures and temporal wanderings. I don't want to say too much more than that, but rest assured, it's an eventful ride. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of what the characters look like as they keep changing their appearance, but just hang in there. When Jherek pursues Amelia in 1896 he's like the proverbial fish out of water. You won't be disappointed.
It's the bible.......2003-06-03
An excellent book which exposes the conventions of today for what they are. Given the ability to do whatever you wish, what do you actually want to do. Without constraints of any kind, which of your behaviour patterns would survive?
Oscar Wilde would have loved it.......2002-08-06
Michael Moorcock is one of the most literate and witty fantasists of the twentieth century. His Elric Saga took the sword and sorcery epic far beyond standard tropes and created a literary tour de force.
The Dancers at the End of Time, which is a part of the Eternal Champions series, is full of the kind of wit and social satire that Oscar Wilde would have written.
Jherek Carnelian is one of the glittering, amoral denizens who inhabit the world At The End of Time. Magic and technology are inseparable, and life, such as it were, goes on like there's no tomorrow...which of course, there won't be. Jherek meets and falls madly in love with Mrs. Amelia Underwood, a very prim and proper Victorian wife, who finds herself in his future. Thus ensues a comedy of manners, morals and philosophical leanings reminiscent of the social changes that rocked England in the late nineteenth-century.
Not to mention that I loved the Thomas Canty cover art. If anything, buy the book just for that alone!
Average customer rating:
- Great Series Epilogue (or Introduction for newcomers)
- Great!
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Now's the Time: The Complete Resnick Short Stories (Slow Dancer Crime)
John Harvey
Manufacturer: Dufour Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1871033535 |
Amazon.com
John Harvey and his Nottingham policeman, Charlie Resnick, have been a much-admired duo in the world of mystery for the past decade. Recently, however, those same fans have been in mourning, as Harvey announced his decision to end the series with the 10th title, Last Rites. Unlike Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who contrived the demise of his popular Sherlock Holmes at the Reichenbach Falls, only to be forced by a clamoring public to resurrect him, Harvey appears to have made up his mind to stick to his guns because he no longer lives in Nottingham and doesn't feel that he can use the city in the same intimate way he always had. However, a small British press is creating excitement and gratifying those of us who love the Resnick character with the first book publication of the 11 stories featuring jazz-loving Resnick in one volume. (The tales have appeared in such venues as Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and a variety of mystery anthologies.)
The Times of London once described John Harvey as the contemporary "King of Crime." He has also been vociferously admired by such peers as Elmore Leonard, Andrew Vachss, Sue Grafton, Philip Kerr, and Jim Harrison. The stories offer Resnick in the way they, and all his loyal readers, want to remember him: cooking up gourmet omelets and sandwiches, keeping his four cats well fed, and applying his scrupulous intelligence and sensitivity to the problems of Midlands criminal activity. Charlie Resnick's cats are named for his favorite jazz musicians--Pepper, Dizzy, Miles, and Bud--and this short story collection features, at the end, a "partial soundtrack" for armchair detection and accompaniment.
Customer Reviews:
Great Series Epilogue (or Introduction for newcomers).......2001-04-03
Following the end of Harvey's Nottingham-set Charlie Resnick series, this book collects his eleven (not twelve, as some reviews erroneously state) Charlie Resnick short stories, nine of which previously appeared in anothologies such as "Fresh Blood," "London Noir," "Blue Lightning," "Mean Time," and "No Alibi." Unlike most crime short stories, the stories (each named after a Charlie Parker work) don't worry about setting up a conundrum or puzzle, but rather focus on characters. While it's not strictly necessary to have read the entire Resnick series to enjoy these stories, you'll certainly be missing a lot of established background on a lot of the characters and a fair amount of the texture and flavor of the setting.
Jazz musician Ed Silver, from the book Cutting Edge, reappears in the story "Now's the Time." Jerry Grabianski, an art thief who first appears in the book Rough Treatment, shows up here in "Bird of Paradise," before reappearing later in the book Still Water. The Snape family appear for the first time in "Dexterity," before their feature in Easy Meat, and later walk-on in Last Rites. However, the most reoccurring group is teenager Ray-o Cooke, his criminal uncle Terry, and various and sundry associates, who are introduced in the book Off Minor, span four stories here, and then return in Last Rites. Indeed, the stories serve as bridges between, and footnotes to, the various Resnick series. Basically, if you're a fan of the series, you'll like the stories. And if you haven't read the series, the stories are a good introduction to Harvey's style.
Great!.......2000-06-18
Any fan of Charlie Resnick, and those who are new to John Harvey's series, will love this book. I don't typically like short stories, but Harvey does a great job developing a good crime story and the usual wonderful characters despite the limitations of the genre.
Customer Reviews:
I wish that it had been more about Baker herself........2003-03-19
Jazz Cleopatra is a slim volume (269 pages of text, plus notes and bibliography) but clearly a well-researched and well-written one. Rose's extensive notes and bibliography give a small idea of how much thinking went into the writing of the book, and indeed it has the feel of something which has been carefully considered.
It is worth emphasizing that the subtitle of the book is "Josephine Baker in Her Time". I stress the point because I think that the reader should expect that this is not so much a biography (although biography is an important element) as it is a contextual portrait. Rose spends a lot of time on Baker not just as a person, but as an icon and the book is often closer to cultural criticism than "true" biography.
This is not a bad thing, necessarily. It is just that I was looking more for biography and probably more for personality and that is not what this book is about.
There is more to Baker than banana skirt!.......2001-09-18
I honestly must admit I was surprised - schocked in fact - with seriousness,love and depth this author approached a subject which would many consider lightweight.As a difference from many other celebrated biographers who are basically just listing recording dates,Rose goes into describing the atmosphere around Paris in 1920's,what a half nude black woman on the stage meant to european audience at the time,all of a sudden we have discussion about Picasso,Hitler,De Gaulle and the whole book is just simply fascinating.On many occasions there were clever observations about life - I find myself seriously thinking about my own life while reading a book about a person who doesnt have anything in common with me - its almost a biblical saga about a strong individual,a fighter and survivor in a world that objects to anybody who stands above the crowd.Baker could have just used her sex appeal to get rich and built herself from the poverty,instead she changed the world around her and used all her energy to spread humanity wherever she went (it made me think about Lennon lyrics:"you may say I'm a dreamer,but I'm not the only one").Rose doesn't just idolise Baker,there is a understanding that such a strong personality was as powerful to audience as overbearing to people close to her in private life,which seems to be a destiny of anybody with a big influence.
Instead of another entertainer-biography I stumbled upon serious and deep analysis of fascinating character,brave and honest,sensitive woman.Bravo!
Exceptional Heroine.......2000-08-27
Josephine Baker was a unique entertainer, we all know, but she was also an amazing woman off stage.
This fascinating biography satisfies not only the interests of musicians and jazz fans but also those readers interested in Black history and the lives of remarkable women. I read it twice, I loved it so much. Good sense of mid 20th century Paris, and other details really do come alive.
Tells about the exciting life of the great Baker.......1999-03-10
"Jazz" is very compelling, very vivid! It leaves nothing out and informs the reader of cetain aspects of Baker's life that maybe one did not know about. She contributed a lot to the Civil Rights movement and was considered to be ahead of her time.I,personally, recommend "Jazz Cleopatra" to all who was, is, and wants to be a fan of Josephine Baker!!
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