The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

Book Description

The old, converted vegetable shop where Tillie lives is more like a madhouse than a home. Tillie's mother, Beatrice, is bitter and cruel, yet desperate for her daughters' love. Her sister, Ruth, suffers epileptic fits and sneaks cigarettes every chance she gets. In the midst of chaos, Tillie struggles to keep her focus and dreams alive. Tillie -- keeper of rabbits, dreamer of atoms, true believer in life, hope, and the effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds.

Customer Reviews:

Good quick read.......2006-06-23

I thought this play was an entertaining quick read. It was certainly different. I'll admit I bought the book because of the title and cover art. This play wasn't life changing or a play I'll treasure for ever but since it IS, as I've said, a quick read and entertaining: it's worth giving it a try! Most importantly, it isn't your run of the mill play about a family. It certainly is unique.

Question about the book ........2006-02-19

Well , I have read the book . To me its quite interesting . ?But I don't really understand about the book . But i want to know who is the girl on the cover page of the book(The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds) .
can anybody tell me ?

Sublime Experiments in Mutation.......2004-11-12

I see this as a play about the power of hatred and pain versus the power of awe and wonder. In each individual there is a struggle between the two, particularly Beatrice, the mother of Tillie (aka Matilda) and Ruth. The love and trauma of family is especially harsh because the effects are the deepest. In this play, about a mother and her two daughters, the spectre of family life is exposed as dangerous and hurtful, despite a natural inclination against such negativity. In that confusing place resides the plays sublime nature, where youthful spiritual proclivity battles angst filled self hating adulthood. Simply written, possible to be read in an hour, "The Effects" are moving.

As reviewed by a 17 year old.......2003-12-08

Now generally I don't take to books that were written around the time my parents were born. In reality, I really don't take to books much at all. But The Effects of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds seemed to make the boredom that I usually associate with reading cease, as I downed the entire two-act play during a class period.
This book was your not-so-simple story of a little girl's triumph in overcoming the realms of an emotionally abusive household. This little girl was named Tillie, and she was brought up in an old, converted vegetable store with her airhead sister Ruth and sadly entertaining mother Beatrice. They reside there with an elderly mute woman known as Nanny and try to survive in some sort of harmony.
Beatrice is insane. It is clearly stated in the book without the reader knowing how or why she became this way. Her daughter Ruth is desperately in need of attention and almost always selfish. This is a complete opposite of Tillie, the independent main character who finds an outlet from her family in science projects. This is an outlet that in turn becomes her greatest talent and creates the main moral in the story.
The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds is not what I would consider a classic because I don't think it ever really got the acclaim or recognition it deserved. But it is still a story that will always provide entertainment whether you read it or see it. Because of this I would have to suggest that this book be read by intelligent young adults or adults themselves. This way the reader (or audience member) can understand the all of the humor expressed through Beatrice and the symbolism between the marigold and Tillie. I would have to give this book a total of four and a quarter stars. It is a great quick-read and I'm almost certain any theatre group would do it justice on stage. The author, Paul Zindel, is loved throughout the world and was the 2002 recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards award for his book "The Pigman."

Book in genral.......2002-11-05

So, I liked the book; I could relate to the characters, just because they seemed so real and not fake. Paul Zindel I believe Is an author with natural talent, and links real life into his books, to make his characters pop alive. The title alone got me interested in it. it took me an hour and a half to read it because it was so intreging I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I It really upset me when their mom killed their rabbit though. So it's filled with laughter and tears, murder (the rabbit), and lieing. Truley a surreal book.

First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong

Average customer rating:

ABSOLUTELY AN HISTORICAL MUST!
Extremely difficult read
Finally
Great book about a great man
One huge disappointment for man... one giant mess for reader kind...

First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
James R. Hansen
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 074325631X
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Download Description

"On July 20, 1969, the world stood still to watch thirty-eight-year-old American astronaut Neil A. Armstrong become the first person ever to step on the surface of another heavenly body. Perhaps no words in human history became better known than those few he uttered at that historic moment. Upon his return to Earth, Armstrong was honored and celebrated for his monumental achievement. He was also -- as James R. Hansen reveals in this fascinating and important authorized biography -- misunderstood. Armstrong's accomplishments as an engineer, a test pilot, and an astronaut have long been a matter of record, but Hansen's unprecedented access to private documents and unpublished sources and his interviews with more than 125 subjects (including more than fifty hours with Armstrong himself) yield this first in-depth analysis of an elusive American celebrity still renowned the world over. In a riveting narrative filled with revelations, Hansen vividly re-creates Armstrong's career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his formative transatmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. These milestones made it seem, as Armstrong's mother, Viola, memorably put it, ""as if from the very moment he was born -- farther back still -- that our son was somehow destined for the Apollo 11 mission."" For a pilot who cared more about flying to the Moon than he did about walking on it, Hansen asserts, Armstrong's storied vocation exacted a dear personal toll, paid in kind by his wife and children. For the thirty-six years since the Moon landing, rumors have swirled around Armstrong concerning his dreams of space travel, his religious beliefs, and his private life. In a penetrating exploration of American hero worship, Hansen addresses the complex legacy of the First Man, as an astronaut and as an individual. In First Man, the personal, technological, epic, and iconic blend to form the portrait of a great but reluctant hero who will forever be known as history's most famous space traveler. "

Customer Reviews:

ABSOLUTELY AN HISTORICAL MUST!.......2007-10-06

WHETHER YOU LIVED THROUGH THE ERA OF THE LANDING ON THE MOON OR ARE A YOUNGER PERSON WHO HAS ONLY HEARD THAT THE USA WALKED ON THE MOON, THIS BOOK IS THE ABSOLUTE HISTORICAL AUTHORITY FOR NOW AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IT IS FILLED WITH DETAILS AND EVENTS THAT ONLY NEIL ARMSTRONG HIMSELF COULD PROVIDE. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO DR. HANSEN TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE THIS BIOGRAPHY WITH THE COOPERATION OF NEIL ARMSTRONG HIMSELF. THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BOOK OF ITS KIND!!

Extremely difficult read.......2007-08-27

I was very disappointed in the book First Man. Mr. Hansen is apparently writing to an audience which includes only pilots, engineers, or other astronauts. I found it an exceptionally difficult read, filled with pages of inane (to the lay reader) information about formulation and testing of numerous aircraft. I purchased the book in order to read a biography about a great American hero; instead, I got an in-depth lesson on engineering, flight, robotics, etc. My advice? Forget about this book if you are interested in learning about Neil Armstrong the man.

Finally.......2007-07-10

Neal Armstrong is a national hero, brave beyond compare and worthy of all the lifetime accolades he's received... save one. He has never been generous with the experiences that cost the nation over 25 billion Dollars. Even in this book it's a small part; this book is primarily a biography, not an account of the lunar landing.

I'm sorry, I just have a really hard time thinking well of this man. In my opinion it's not right to treat these accounts as belonging solely to him when we paid such a high price in Dollars... and others paid for with their lives.

Great book about a great man.......2007-05-09

Even if you think you know everything about Neil Armstrong and America's historic mission to be the first to land men on the Moon, this remarkable book by Dr. James Hansen contributes a host of fascinating new insights into not only the character of Apollo 11's enigmatic commander but also into the nature of the spacefaring enterprise itself. It is a book for all time."

One huge disappointment for man... one giant mess for reader kind..........2007-05-04

I have read article after article on Neil A. Armstrong. I have read snippets in the biographies of many other astronauts and NASA administrators. I've read news stories and seen so many documentaries that I could probably tell the story of his NASA experience better than Neil himself. This story lacked anything resembling excitement. It failed from the first page to be interesting and couldn't even interest me when talking about his great accomplishment of landing on the moon. There was no conflict. There was no interaction. There was no impressions of Neil as it relates to his fellow astronauts. There were no pieces to the puzzle of a man who remains just as mysterious on the last page as he was before the book is ever opened. Sadly, this author accomplishes only one thing... Taking an interesting character from history and making him seem about as exciting as watching paint dry.

Average customer rating:

Excellent review of how we made it to the Moon
THE BEST
Great mix of science, heroism, duty and personal stories
An unforgettable experience
A Star of a Book

A Man on the Moon
Andrew Chaikin
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Aeronautics & Astronautics | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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Failure is not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond
From the Earth to the Moon - The Signature Edition
Apollo 13
The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space
Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys

ASIN: 0140272011

Amazon.com

A decade in the making, this book is based on hundreds of hours of in-depth interviews with each of the twenty-four moon voyagers, as well as those who contributed their brain power, training and teamwork on Earth. In his preface Chaikin writes, "We touched the face of another world and became a people without limits."

What follows are thrilling accounts of such remarkable experiences as the rush of a liftoff, the heart-stopping touchdown on the moon, the final hurdle of re-entry, competition for a seat on a moon flight, the tragic spacecraft fire, and the search for clues to the origin of the solar system on the slopes of lunar mountains.

"I've been there. Chaikin took me back."-- Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 astronaut

Book Description

On the night of July 20, 1969, our world changed forever when two Americans, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, walked on the moon. Now the greatest event of the twentieth century is magnificently retold through the eyes and ears of the people who were there. Based on the interviews with twentythree moon voyagers, as well as those who struggled to get the program moving, journalist Andrew Chaikin conveys every aspect of the missions with breathtaking immediacy: from the rush of liftoff, to the heartstopping lunar touchdown, to the final hurdle of reentry.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent review of how we made it to the Moon.......2007-09-06

Chaikin scores with this book. He successfully captures the underappreciated story of humankind's climb to the Moon.

I have read many books about the Apollo missions and this is the first one I recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

THE BEST.......2007-08-03

If you want to know the history of the Apollo moon landings, this is one of the 2 book you MUST read (Mike Collins "Carrying the fire" being the other) A history of the Apollo program, with flashbacks to Gemini and Mercury for perspective. Chaikin has EVERYTHING that happened here, and he worked to get it. Anyone that had anything to do with the missions, Chaikin talked to him or her. Want to know who flew what, and when, here it is. Why did it happen the way it did? Here ya go.
Even the warts, although, I think Deke was romanticized a bit.

Great mix of science, heroism, duty and personal stories.......2007-05-10

I was twelve when Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon. I was fascinated by science before then, and even now the Apollo program takes my breath away. The book spends time on each Apollo mission from the tragedy of the disastrous fire in Apollo 1 to the swan song of Apollo 17. Each mission has its fascinating story. Chaikin spends a lot of time on the personal recollections of the astronauts, the beauty of the earth from space, the magnificent desolation of the moon, and the effort and engineering genius of thousands of engineers and technicians related to the Apollo program.

The prose is generally good. There are some clunky sentences here and there. The power of the book comes from the author's access to the Apollo astronauts. He interviews the astronauts, technicians and scientists. He tells of their thought processes before, during and after the mission. Chaikin tells of the geologists who trained the astronauts. He tells of the hopes and dreams of a generation of space enthusiasts who watched the lunar missions on TV.

The book was a great read. This book was the inspiration and reference for the miniseries, "From Earth to Moon." If you liked the miniseries, you'll love this book.

An unforgettable experience.......2007-04-09

I liked this book even better than The Right Stuff. It delves into every aspect of the Apollo program, from its inception to its sad cancellation more than a decade later. Chaikin explores the politics, the science and technology, the personalities of the astronauts and others, the exhilaration of the experience of flying in space and landing on the Moon, and does so with a simple, direct, forthright relating of the facts which nevertheless conveys so much raw emotion and spirit. I challenge you to read this book and not be beseiged by dreams of flying to the Moon. The only thing that's missing is some of the behind-the-scenes going-on in Mission Control -- but that's okay. Gene Kranz and Chris Kraft explore those things in their books, and one omission is nothing to hold against Chaikin's definitive work. After reading this book, the only thing left for me to do is to meet the astronauts -- which I'll be doing this summer!!!! -- and maybe go to the Moon myself!

A Star of a Book.......2007-02-04

Almost 600 pages about the men and missions of Apollo that cleverly weaves together extensive interviews and research. Many of the accounts are vivid and Chaikin does a good job of avoiding jargon by focussing more on the people and their experiences rather than technology. If you remember looking up at the moon on July 20,1969 or building a Saturn V model, this book will take you right back. My one criticism is the unabashed pro-NASA/Apollo program view taken throughout the book. Fortunately, this does not detract much from the main story.

Average customer rating:

Lovely and complex
Applause for Sue
great story!
My Sister the Moon
It stirs the heart

My Sister the Moon
Sue Harrison
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Brother Wind
Mother Earth Father Sky
Cry of the Wind: Book Two of the Storyteller Trilogy (Harrison, Sue. Storyteller Trilogy, Bk. 2.)
Call Down the Stars (Harrison, Sue. Storyteller Trilogy, Bk. 3.)
Let the Drum Speak

ASIN: 0385420862
Release Date: 1992-02-13

Book Description

An abused and unwanted daughter of the First Men Tribe, young Kiin knows the harsh realities of life in a frozen land at the top of the world. In an age of ice nine millenia past, her destiny is tied to the brave sons of orphaned chagak and her chieftain mate kayugh -- one to whom, kiin is promised, the,other for whom she yearns But the evil that her own family spawned drags the tormented young woman far from her people -- where savage cruelties, love and fate will strenghten and change her... and give her the courage to fight for the future of her own helpless progeny. Customer Reviews:

Lovely and complex.......2005-12-17

My mother's now-deceased school librarian friend recommended this book to my mother, as something she thought I would enjoy. I was 11 or 12 at the time. I loved it, and read it over and over. Until it fell to pieces, and I got a new copy, which also fell to pieces.

Knowing my mom and her friends, they probably figured I'd adore Kiin, and were probably trying to inspire some tough/strong/independent female feelings in me. At the time, though, I only knew that this was a fabulous book. I loved the historical detail, the complicated relationships between characters, and how Sue Harrison made the characters and their culture seem close and accessible.

The summarized plot can read like a string of deeply depressing traumas -- Kiin is abused since birth, remainds unnamed until she is about 15 or 16, is given a degrading name when she finally is named, is raped, is kidnapped, and so forth. But I was never depressed. I wouldn't say I was uplifted, either, but the book gave me a lot to think about. It's a genuine prize in a genre with so much junk.

Applause for Sue.......2005-11-09

This is a book i will probably never get rid of. it's one of those books that leave you so excited, you don't really want the story to end, but you're glad it ends for the characters' sakes.

kiin is a beautiful young woman in prehistoric alaska who is hated by her father so much he beats her constantly and gives her a name that means "no one" or "nothing" i forgot which.

when kiin is old enough, she prepares to be married to the brother of the young man she really loves. while she aches for her heart's desire, the man she loves is soon to be sent away after her marriage.

after she has moved in with her lover's brother and his family and is already a few months pregnant, kiin is kidnapped by her brother, raped by him, and taken to a distant village where she is sold to a man in trade who already has two wives -- all by her own brother.

kiin's courage and perseverance is what gets her home again. but her second husband persues her once she has run away and proceeds to fight with her first.

this is where the novel ends. the real ending is revealed in the next novel: My Brother the Wind.

who lives and who dies? who does kiin go home with? find out.

great story!.......2005-06-01

This book is a page turner! The detail and complexity of Harrison's story telling is amazing! I started reading her work after finishing Lynn McKee's collection and I now have a new favorite author!

My Sister the Moon.......2004-10-07

I thought that this story was excellent! I loved Sue Harrisons descriptions of Native American life in the Alaskas and Kiin's life as a child who was not wanted. I think that the only problem was that Kiin was able to hold her wants too many times.

It stirs the heart.......2004-08-20

I came across Sue Harrisons My Sister the Moon by accident, a friend had left it behind in my home. From the first page to the frantic search for the sequel I absolutely love this book. I felt such a connection with Kiin, because their customs and life are so similar to my own Heritage of being maori. It shows Mana Wahine (Womens Prestige,Power and independence) It is a book that i recommend to my friends and family. I read this book when i seek comfort, solace and relief. It is like an oasis that restores my energy and empowers me to keep doing what i do. Thankyou so much Sue Harrison

The Man Who Ran the Moon: James E. Webb, NASA, and the Secret History of Project Apollo

Average customer rating:

Behind The Gloss
a black box opened - faszinating insights into the administration of the race to the moon
"Space Age Management"
July 2006 [...] book selection
The Business and Political Side of Getting Man on the Moon

The Man Who Ran the Moon: James E. Webb, NASA, and the Secret History of Project Apollo
Piers Bizony
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aeronautics & Astronautics | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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Astronauts | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1560257512

Book Description

One man, more than any other, created the giant space agency we know today as NASA: James E. Webb. The Man Who Ran the Moon explores a time when Webb and an elite group of charismatic business associates took control of America’s Apollo moon project, sometimes with disturbing results.

In 1967, NASA was rocked by disaster and Apollo was grounded. Webb was savaged in a Congressional investigation. Not just a matter of broken hardware, there were accusations of corruption at the heart of America's space effort. Some of Webb's political allies had been caught up in the biggest scandal ever to hit Washington prior to Watergate. The backwash unfairly tainted NASA's chief.

By the time of the first triumphant lunar landing, Webb had resigned and his name had all but been forgotten. But he’s the man who got us to the moon, and the power base he forged in the 1960s has kept NASA on a solid footing to this day. Washington insiders now acknowledge Webb as one of the greatest leaders in modern American history. No space boss since his time has wielded so much power and such a powerful story.

Customer Reviews:

Behind The Gloss.......2007-03-11

At last its good to find a book which covers the politics behind any large government organisation, and especially one as large as NASA. This book complements the huge number of technology offerings on the early days of spaceflight, and then to the moon. It was interesting to see how NASA went through the various phases of an entrepreneurial company, and almost distructing, before re-inventing itself several times over.
Mr Bizony has made a good effort in trying to distill a large period of time and a number of memorable events into a readable volume without getting too sidetracked in the huge undetaking of man going to the moon.
I have found this a good contrast to the Robert Godwin Apollo Mission Reports.

a black box opened - faszinating insights into the administration of the race to the moon.......2007-01-09

When you hear of the manned space programme or the first lunar landing of Apollo 11 you think of the astronauts who went there and the engineers who built the vehicles in which they went. But even as a space enthusiast I rarely spend a thought about the people in the background who administered the biggest engineering programme ever. Yet as the book reveals there was a lot of important work to do behind the scenes. Fascinating insights into the world of high profile public administration are given in the book that stand up to the excitement of space walks and lunar landings. The book is also excellent in unravelling the complexity of running NASA and the deeper insights into the Apollo fire. All in all a brillant and - surprisingly - entertaining book, not just for the space freak.

"Space Age Management".......2006-11-13

This long overdue biography of Jim Webb fills a needed void in the literature of the Apollo program. Webb, a disarming but astute partisan Democrat from North Carolina ran NASA during the crucial years leading up to the Apollo program. This book not only details his personal life, but the wheeling and dealing that went on behind the scenes in Washington to get to the moon.

Nobody doubts that Webb was brilliant, but Webb was not without flaws. He was totally infatuated with Roosevelt-era New Deal big government, and ran NASA accordingly, sometimes to the detriment of the program. He adopted the mantra of "Space Age Management" and took it to mean a giant, monolithic government run program straight from FDR's playbook. I think the book does a great job explaining Webb's less than savory relationships to politicians and others of questionable ethics in both the Kennedy and (especially) Johnson administrations such as Bobby Baker. It also recalls a less than savory battle with fellow Democrat and political climber, Walter Mondale, that exposes Washington political opportunism at its worst. I rate the book four stars as the book tends to downplay the significance of ethically borderline issues that occurred in Webb's tenure. To the credit of the book, Bizony does correctly point out that Kennedy was not the true champion of space he is revered to be today, but saw space exploration as a politically expedient course to follow, as did Johnson.

On the plus side, the author absolutely nails the deplorable history of NASA since Apollo and presents an accurate and devastating portrait of the Shuttle and International Space Station programs. Mr. Bizony correctly identifies the root cause of the problems in both programs as an unholy alliance of political objectives and unfocused technology. Webb's stature rose significantly in my eyes when I read Bizony's account of the hostility Webb had for Robert McNamara, another big government technocrat, but one without the vision of either Kennedy or Webb. NASA veteran Bob Seamans comes off as a much needed moderating force within the administration, and this book also details the fascinating relationship between Seamans and Webb.

Overall this is a noteworthy book. While it occasionally seems to come off the rails and get sidetracked, Piers Bizony always manages to tie up loose ends, resulting in a detailed and historically important book. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the space program, and further to students of management to learn not only the successes, but failures of the biggest single peacetime logistical puzzle in history.

July 2006 [...] book selection.......2006-07-28

I have decided to stop including subtitles to books, as too many books nowadays seem to include overly long subtitles like this one, "James E. Webb, NASA, and the Secret History of Project Apollo." For goodness sake, folks: read the book, as it chronicles how James Webb ran NASA in the 1960s, for better or worse, by brokering all sorts of backroom, good ole boy deals. Bizony's book is fascinating, as it reveals the realistic side of inspirational programs like our country's space program. I loved the book and commend the author for presenting the facts without shattering the dream. If you have not guessed, I am a space nut who admires the one program that seems to rally the world around America (in a positive way, that is): NASA. To view this and other cool short book recommendations, [...].

The Business and Political Side of Getting Man on the Moon.......2006-07-12

With "The Man Who Ran the Moon: James E. Webb, NASA, and the Secret History of Project Apollo" Piers Bizony has written a wide ranging history about the business side of getting man on the moon. While many books focus on the astronauts and some focus on engineering, this book covers the political side of space flight. There are times when the author sounds as though he is losing his perspective as a historian/biographer and begins to expound on the virtues of the democratic party (Jim Webb was a lifelong Democrat) but after a few quick barbs about how things could be better today if we only learned from our past he rapidly gets back to the subject at hand.

The book does an excellent job of explaining John F. Kennedy and how he got behind the space program. The reader will see how without the soviets the American leadership would have never made space a priority. The "race" with the Russians has been well documented but this book goes deep into the American political system and how our government reacted to the race. The reader will see the give and take in Washington and how Webb spread the money around the country both in ways to gain political favor for the space program and in ways that made the most sense from a management position. Also covered is a fascinating meeting at the White House where Webb and JFK get into an argument over what the main goal of NASA should be and we see Webb not back down to the President of the United States.

The author goes to great lengths to explain the fall of Jim Webb and many pages are devoted to explaining the big political picture of lobbyist Fred B. Black, Jr. and LBJ protégé Robert "Bobby" Baker. While at times the reader may find themselves wondering what any of this has to do with Webb and NASA, all becomes clear in the end and the reader is rewarded with the knowledge and understanding of how something as simple as vending machines can start a series of events that will lead to the fall of a powerful man.

The selection of North American Aviation for construction of many parts of the rocket and capsule are covered as well as the fallout from the Apollo 1 fire. The Walter "Fritz" Mondale vs. Webb fight in the congressional investigations into the Apollo 1 fire are also well covered.

Overall this is an excellent book and is one that all space flight enthusiasts will want to add to their collection. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

A sheer delight!
A New Voice
Only One Tom Spanbauer
A Million stars: the best novel of America I have ever read
Life changing

The Man Who Fell In Love With The Moon
Tom Spanbauer
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0060974974

Book Description

The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon is an American epic of the old West for our own times -- a novel huge in its imaginative scope and daring in its themes. The narrator is Shed, or Duivichi-un-Dua, a half-breed bisexual boy who makes his living at the Indian Head Hotel in the little turn-of-the-century town of Excellent, Idaho. The imperious Ida Richilieu is Shed's employer, the town's mayor and the mistress, and the mistress and owner of this outrageously pink whorehouse. Together with the beautiful prostitute Alma Hatch, and the philosophical, green-eyed, half-crazy cowboy Dellwood Barker, this collection of misfits and outcasts make up the core of Shed's eccentric family. And although laced with the ugliness and cruelty of the frontier West -- Shed is raped by the same man who then murders the woman he thinks is his mother, and the Mormon townspeople bring a fiery end to Ida's raucous way of life -- the love and acceptance that tie this family together provide the true heart of this novel. The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon is a beautifully told, mythic tale that is as well a profound meditation on sexualty,race and man's relationship to himself and the natural world.

Customer Reviews:

A sheer delight!.......2007-10-06

The young narrator, Shed is a bisexual half Indian boy who lives Out-In-The-Shed (hence his name) of a whorehouse owned by Ida Richilieu in Excellent, a very small town in Idaho at the beginning of the twentieth century. Out in the shed he is much in demand as he provides relief for many male customers while he earns his keep doing chores for Ida. There are many uncertainties about Shed's origins and parents, se he sets off to find his true self, and his real name. On his way he meets Dellwood Barker and makes eventually contact with some Indians; he thinks he finds some answers, but there is more to come. When Shed returns to Excellent all goes well for a time back at Ida Richilieu's Indian Head Hotel, with Ida, Shed, Dellwood and Alma Hatch forming their own unique family, strength against the troublesome Mormons who are taking over the town, until disaster strikes and everything falls apart.

There are plenty of interesting and idiosyncratic characters populating the tale, and the colourful story moves from drama to tragedy, from harrowing events to very tender moments, all with plenty of humour. However the real pleasure is to be found in the narration itself, Shed's way of expressing himself is delightful: "what my ears heard was me yelling the loudest I'd heard my mouth yell . . .", "I just let my feet and legs go . . .they took me out into the clearing . . ." are typical of Shed's logical thinking, and his endearing way of expressing himself.

It is a very beautiful story, and very moving. Shed is an appealing character who loved those close to him, and especially Dellwood, the only man he ever truly loved. It is a story about prejudice and dreams, about survival against adversity. The final pages are particularly heart rending as everything about Shed's life disintegrates; yet there is also hope and a future.

A New Voice.......2007-05-18

The narrator, Shed, comes through as an intriguing, new story-telling voice. The reader is treated to a group of unique characters who oppose the bigotry of thinkers on the religious right. Fascinating stuff.

Only One Tom Spanbauer.......2006-11-27

What an excellent writer! This is one book I'll never get rid of. Some touchy subjects, mainly prejudice, incest, rape etc. I don't think that anyone could write like Mr. Spanbauer. Explicit, and frank so naturally it is a little offensive. I loved it.

A Million stars: the best novel of America I have ever read.......2006-11-15

First I belong to a bookgroup that has met every month for the last 15 years. This is one of only two books we have read twice. And we are a picky bunch of smart people. :-)

When I read the reviews here, again, tears are in my eyes, again. There was once an audio version of this book that I almost got killed while listening to because my tears made it impossible to see the road at one point. On the other hand there are so many parts of the book that make a man laugh out loud.

It is a tale of sexuality, race, America, religion, passion, cruelty, gender, meaning, and life like no other novel I have ever read. As a voracious and consistent reader of way too much education this novel stands like the first wonder of the literary landscape in my soul.

For the new reader: one reviewer "gave up" at a bit into the book. It MUST be appreciated as an oral novel. If you don't read it aloud to yourself you need to let Shed speak into your head as a talking person rather than as words on a page or any other type of narrator. This IS an aural novel.

The sex is graphic and wonderful, the passions unequalled, the pain intense, the joy is palpable, and the influence on a person is permanent after reading this novel.

I loved Brokeback Mountain and love its author all the time, "The Shipping News" is amazing. But the reviewer who said this surpassed Brokeback mountain wasn't saying enough since this is a novel of grand visions of life.

Normally I am somewhat articulate. "The Man Who Fell In Love With The Moon" trancends articulation and leaves me with only the ability to provide pictures of the shadow of what Spanbauer accomplishes in this grand American novel.

Life changing.......2006-05-10

A handful of books in a lifetime touch one to the core, and this one did it for me. Spanbauer's unique writing style manages to convey pieces of the human experience often left unspoken. His take on "the human sex story" is priceless. The narrator's voice stayed with me for a long time after putting the book down. As fantastic and unbelievable as the story is, the novel speaks the truth in a way that cracked my heart open.

Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space

Average customer rating:

the Moon beckons!
A slight inaccuracy
Comprehensive if a bit dry
Great topic, flawed presentation
The 21st century is not for wimps

Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the Human Settlement of Space
Harrison H. Schmitt
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Return to the Moon (Apogee Books Space Series)
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ASIN: 0387242856

Book Description

The Moon is not just a "local" destination, argues former NASA Astronaut Harrison Schmitt. As a destination, the Moon presents us with a goal that tests our resourcefulness and determination. How much are we willing to spend to re-establish ourselves as space-farers? Return to the Moon proposes that we begin planning, and now, for the establishment of human outposts on the Moon — not just as an exercise in technology and discovery, and not just as a way of fulfilling our destiny as explorers and pioneers. Schmitt, having himself traveled to and literally walked on the Moon, is no stranger to technology, discovery, and a sense of our destiny as explorers; but in this book he focuses on a return to the moon as a business proposition.

Customer Reviews:

the Moon beckons!.......2007-05-18

I've always been a big space exploration advocate, so OK, I'm an easy sell on reasons to go out there. Having admitted my bias, I think it's fair to say that Harrison Schmitt's RETURN TO THE MOON is very convincing in asserting that the Moon's vast helium-3 deposits may well be a major part of the answer to our energy problems here on Earth, since helium-3 is an ideal fuel for nuclear fusion reactors and there's not much of it on Earth. Schmitt readily admits that a lot of work would have to be done to achieve this, especially 1) more development of fusion reactors, 2) establishing a Lunar base to mine helium-3 from the Moon's soil, and 3) setting up a transportation system to get the helium-3 from the Moon to the Earth. One big advantage here, though, it that NASA is planning to send people back to the Moon for various reasons anyway, so we would not have to go solely to mine helium-3.

Schmitt has obviously done a great deal of research on all this, mainly as a geology professor at the University of Wisconsin. I think he makes a good case for the feasiblility of it, though I'm not an engineer so I can't really assess all that he is saying. In the book's foreword, Neil Armstrong, who IS an engineer, deems the proposal "worthy of careful examination." Schmitt lays the proposal out in much detail - fusion technology, mining processes, economics, and so on - such that the book is usually dry and academic in tone and would probably lose those just moderately interested in space. But if he is right that the Moon's helium-3 will save us, we had better ALL be interested in this. We're in an energy crisis on Earth, and Schmitt estimates we'll need at least 8 times more energy production by 2050!

It is true, as some have noted, that Schmitt does not emphasize the reduction of global warming as one of the main advantages to be gleaned from helium-3 fusion, but he does say that it would help in that regard. He states that we will need a "portfolio of fusion, fission, clean coal, and solar energy (including wind)" to deal with our energy needs by 2050, and that this combination "gradually reduces the addition of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from human sources, cutting that particular contribution to natural climate warming trends. Whether future climate warms, or warms and then cools rapidly, more electrical power will be required to counter the adverse consequences of change." (page 326) If human activity is more responsible for climate change than Schmitt believes, helium-3 fusion is even more attractive, as it releases no greenhouse gases.

By the way, the cover of RETURN TO THE MOON says that Schmitt "is currently the last human being to have STEPPED ONTO the Moon." (emphasis mine). This is a trick of semantics, because his Apollo 17 partner, Eugene Cernan, is sometimes said to be the last person to have WALKED ON the Moon. These statements are both correct in a tricky way, because Schmitt was the last person in Apollo 17 (the last human flight to the Moon thus far) to step out of the Lunar Module ONTO the Moon, while Cernan was the last person to get back into the Lunar Module after walking on the Moon!

A slight inaccuracy.......2007-02-20

The book sounds great, but the bio describes Schmitt as "the 12th and last human to have stepped on the Moon." Schmitt was the 12th human to step onto the lunar surface, but it is generally accepted that Gene Cernan is the last human to have walked on the moon since he left the lunar surface and re-entered the LEM after Schmitt.

Note: My 4-star review is arbitrary and stupid. I don't want to rate a book I haven't read and Amazon won't allow me to post this comment without assigning a rating. 4 stars is the current average review.

Comprehensive if a bit dry.......2007-02-18

If you are interested in the exploitation of space, you will find this a very thought-provoking read. The topics broached span the gamut of technical and business details that make the case for privatized lunar exploitation based on a very imminent earthly need - new sources of clean energy in the form of deuterium-helium and helium-3 fusion mined from the lunar regolith.

Oddly, one of the best arguments for the enterprise -- the chance to eliminate use of fossil fuels that are contributing to global warming -- is given the short shrift. Schmitt's politics come into play as an apologist for the far-right "counter-conspiracy" of climate change deniers. Politics are not a dominant feature of the book (or of the argument for a return to the moon) but they do occasionally pop out at you when least expected.

At least one chapter is devoted to axe-grinding about the way NASA has declined in the past few decades. Because he is well-positioned to pass judgment on these topics, this was actually very interesting (albeit secondary to the topic of a privatized lunar settlement).

You will not be fascinated by every chapter of this book. There is much material that needs to be covered to support the argument and certain topics - for example detailed business and financial forecasting - are required for making the case.

The lynchpin, of course, is the assumption that commercial deuterium-helium fusion reactors can be produced and this can only be taken as an article of faith. Schmitt is aligned with Fusion Technology Institute of the University of Wisconsin so he does have some insight into the progress on this technology but, let's face it: fusion has been 5 years away for the last 30 years. Until there exist fusion reactors that can demonstrate significant power production, the mining of lunar helium-3 will be a hard sell.

Great topic, flawed presentation.......2006-11-08

Love the topic and a lot of what Schmitt has to say, but have significant issues with the style, language and presentation.

The book's style is neither fish-nor-fowl, but occupies a middle ground between science fiction, an academic paper and a powerpoint presentation.

It largely reads like an academic paper, with countless footnotes (oddly placed at the end of each chapter, not at the end of the book) and a writing style that's hard to folow unless you are willing to find a pen & paper to take notes while you read.

In this sense it resembles the guise of a very dry academic paper - which would be fine, but at the same time it also lacks the focus and precision of an academic paper.

Previous comments have focused on some of the perceived inacuracies in across some the many specialized fields he touches, including:
- fussion reactors,
- mining technologies
- exogeology,
- economics,
- long-term energy predictions,
- spaceflight,
- management theory,
- International relations
- etc..

He certainly deserves praise for the amount of time and effort he has spent becoming conversant in all those diverse disciplines, but his presentation of each individual one is typically dry and often unequal to the complexity of the subject matter.

Finally, my primary issue with his approach is that it's based on a strange & uneasy mixture of private enterprise and Apollo-style government science projects.

Substitute taxpayers for investors, and you have much the same approach - various people representing multiple constituencies gathered around a conference table, a strategic plan, and a massive pool of cash to be deployed in pursuit of this plan.

It just doesnt work that way - no large company started life *as* a large company, and certainly not as a large company with a plan.

If/when we do see He-3 mining on the moon, it will come about as an organic process, with carpetbaggers, prospectors, conflicting claims, unrelated developments, lawsuits, booms and busts, lucky breaks, etc..

The 21st century is not for wimps.......2006-07-23

We face a great many problems in the 21st century, from global warming to population stability. Most discussions of these problems are little more than the rending of our garments or efforts to strike fear into people. Such efforts do not solve big problems.

Dr. Schmitt's work is completely different. It is a can do vision of a successful future. Such visions get people into action and keep people in action. Such visions do solve major problems. Such visions are the only things that solve such problems. This book is a world changer.

The solution of our energy problem will require the development of many pieces of the puzzle. Some will be mundane like conservation, some will be high tech, like CO2 sequestration. He3 from the moon is just plain exotic. We will need all the pieces before the solution of the whole puzzle can become clear.

The 21st century will be hard, but I promise you it is not going to be boring.

Average customer rating:

Shadow Man
Shadow Man (A Charlie Moon Mystery)
/shadow Man-James Doss
If only we were allowed negative stars...
get better all the time

Shadow Man (A Charlie Moon Mystery)
James D. Doss
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0312936648
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

James D. Doss's latest engrossing mystery marks the return of Charlie Moon, tribal investigator on Colorado's Ute reservation, whose sleuthing skills get some unlikely help from his Aunt Daisy Perika's shamanistic intuition.TROUBLE SPREADS ITS WINGSDr. Manfred Blinkoe is one orthodontist with a very checkered past. So when a fellow diner at Cedar Creek's poshest restaurant drops dead from an unseen assailant's bullet, he can't help thinking that he was the intended target. Desperate for help, he turns to the one local who's up to the job: renowned tribal investigator Charlie Moon.AND A KILLER COMES TO ROOSTCharlie already has his hands full with two cattle ranches to run, ornery Aunt Daisy's wanderings in the spirit world, and his sparring matches with the alluring FBI agent Lila Mae McTeague. Now he's got an eccentric client with more money than sense and too many enemies-at least one of whom is willing to resort to explosive measures to settle an old score."Highly entertaining....big money, big gambles, and a surprise ending will keep readers turning the pages."Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews:

Shadow Man.......2007-09-02

This is my first book by James Doss. Not particularly impressed. Probably will not order any more in that series.
Patches

Shadow Man (A Charlie Moon Mystery).......2007-01-26

The chief characters in the book are Charlie Moon, a Southern Ute Tribal Investigator, his Aunt Daisy who happens to be a Ute Shaman and Charlie's best friend, Police Chief Scott Parris. The tale begins when a woman is murdered in a restaurant in a small town in Colorado. There were only two diners at the restaurant and the survivor, an orthodontist by the name of Dr. Blinkoe is convinced the bullet was meant for him.

Dr. Blinkoe ends up hiring Charlie Moon to investigate and things start to heat up. Charlie's Aunt Daisy manages to get in on the action and provides us with some very funny moments.

Doss mixes mystery, humor and the supernatural to come up with a story that is entertaining and fun to read.

If you haven't read any of his books before, I'd recommend reading his earlier ones, such as: The Shaman Sings, The Shaman Laughs, The Shaman's Bones and the Shaman's Game. The Night Visitor, Grandmother Spider, White Shell Woman, Dead Soul and The Witch's Tongue are later works and I enjoyed reading all of them.

/shadow Man-James Doss.......2006-11-06

Ihave the complete collection of James Doss (I think). This is the funniest one yet

If only we were allowed negative stars..........2006-09-10

Got a free copy of *Shadow Man* and it's no surprise, for me at least, that nothing has changed in James Doss' appalling goulash of sophomoric humor, unbelieveable plotting, and comicbook characters.

There's more of that special sensibility that spews food over, "I know you are, but what am I?" The chief of police is asked if he was "discreet" about coming to a restaurant, and he says, "Yes, I came in down the chimney" and then, in case we don't get it (These are the jokes, folks!), muses that the restaurant owner doesn't get it. I laughed 'till snot got in my ears. And then, and then, there's that one other part, it's Sooooooo funny!!!!!

A woman falls in love at first sight with the hero, who of course falls back at once, at least until the scene is over. Muses she, after exchanging four or five words with him, "If only I had met this wonderful human being before I gave myself to my oaf of a husband!" But face it, every female human in Dossland falls in love at first sight with Charlie Moon (used to be Scott Parris, but the franchise took off when Charlie got to be head cutout), who obligingly falls in love with them, not just stupid ole' lust, understand, but gut-wrenching, weeping eternal love. Just like real life. Why only last week at the market, a woman looked at me and I looked at her, perfect strangers, and we both thought, as if coincidentally, "Him/Her! The one I've always wanted. Oh my glory. My eternal love!!!! Darling!!!!!!! No wait! That one, next to him/her!"

A murder occurs to get things rolling that is so hopelessly stupid and predictable you will groan repeatedly for a good ten pages after. A woman is shot to death in a restaurant, and the restauruant owner, discovering this unfortunate incident, worries that the other diners might be upset if they see the corpse. No doubt. First thing any Doss human would think of upon noticing that one his customers had been shot right between the eyes and gotten icky brains on the walls. And the police chief to whom he expresses this emotional commonplace simply accepts it as normal. And there is some confusion because the "crack marksman" who shot her precisely between the eyes actually meant to kill a diner at another table. No, I can't explain that more clearly. Well, let me try. He was aiming at someone else and hit her as if she were the target, a perfect bull's eye.... No, I give up.

The "conclusion" of this farrago is so utterly unsatisfying that you will dread, among other things, the possibility that Doss thinks his new villian is so neato that he should be brought back in another book. The "other book" is out, and one can only hope that Doss' attention span is as mature as his sense of humor.

The popularity of these moronic novels is a sad commentary on contemporary literacy. Read Kirk Mitchell, Margaret Coel, and the master even in his failing years, Tony Hillerman. Give this crud a flush.

get better all the time.......2006-08-11

This is the funniest of this series that I have read. The central character is really Daisy Perika, not Charlie Moon, or at least I find her more interesting than Charlie Moon. I don't usually like books with an emphasis on the supernatural, but in this series it is integral to the plots and well-done. Aunt Daisy has more contact with spirits than with living people, and she is comfortable and natural in that atmosphere. As for Moon's romances, they are banal and not especially interesting, but I appreciate the author's discretion. Very few people really write sex scenes well - the only one I have read recently that was authentic and well-written was in an Anthony Bourdain novel - so I like it when the author spares the readers and doesn't include sex just because he/she feels it is obligatory.
I also like the twists and turns of the plots in Doss's books, this story has them as well, and they are great surprises. His characters are more enjoyable than Tony Hillerman's, less earnest and stressed, more fun to spend time with.

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space

Average customer rating:

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space
Eugene Cernan , and Donald A. Davis
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312263511

Amazon.com

That "Geno" Cernan was commander of Apollo 17, the final manned moon mission, was a fitting conclusion to a flying career that included two previous stints in space (Gemini 9 and Apollo 10). His frank, earthy memoir of his years at NASA adds another entertaining, informative volume to the burgeoning shelf of books illuminating the inner workings of the space program and the people who made it happen. Coauthor Don Davis, a veteran journalist, helps Cernan craft a colloquial prose style that nicely captures the competitive, macho personality that seemed virtually mandatory for astronauts in the 1960s and '70s. Cernan candidly depicts the reckless streak that twice led to needless injuries jeopardizing his spot on a mission. He also acknowledges the stresses endured by his ex-spouse Barbara as she struggled to be the perfect astronaut wife--cheerful and uncomplaining for the cameras while he experienced all the fun and adventure of the job. And it sure was fun, as becomes clear in the exciting descriptions of his spacewalk from Gemini 9 and stroll around the moon from Apollo 17. Detailed accounts of each flight, including technical problems and personal tensions (particularly with Apollo 17 teammate Jack Schmitt, distrusted because he was a scientist, not a test pilot), remind readers that the space program is a human endeavor, with inevitable failures that make the triumphs that much sweeter. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Eugene Cernan is a unique American who came of age as an astronaut during the most exciting and dangerous decade of spaceflight. His career spanned the entire Gemini and Apollo programs, from being the first person to spacewalk all the way around our world to the moment when he left man's last footprint on the Moon as commander of Apollo 17.Between those two historic events lay more adventures than an ordinary person could imagine as Cernan repeatedly put his life, his family and everything he held dear on the altar of an obsessive desire. Written with New York Times bestselling author Don Davis, this is the astronaut story never before told - about the fear, love and sacrifice demanded of the few men who dared to reach beyond the heavens for the biggest prize of all - the Moon.

Download Description

A revealing and dramatic look at the inside of the American Space Program from one of its pioneers.

Regards To The Man In The Moon (Reading Rainbow Book)

Average customer rating:

Awesome for the Imagination
Regards to the Man in the Moon

Regards To The Man In The Moon (Reading Rainbow Book)

Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dreams
Louie
Goggles (Picture Puffin)
A Letter to Amy (Picture Puffin)
Jennie's Hat (Picture Puffins)

ASIN: 0689711603

Book Description

Louie's unhappy because the other kids call his father "the junkman." But his father knows that it's not just junk: "All a person needs is some imagination! And a little of that stuff can take you right out of this world!"

So Louie builds the Imagination I, a spaceship fueled entirely by imagination -- and blasts off into an adventure that will dazzle children and adults alike.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome for the Imagination.......2006-12-29

This is a great book for a few reasons and not just that Ezra Jack Keats wrote it. First, it addresses an important issue; that no matter what you look like, how you dress or how much money you don't have your friends are the ones who are true to you. In addition, your popularity can change within a few hours. Second, this story is great because it has inspired my kids to believe in the power of their dreams. My kids love this book; it really seems to fuel their imagination.

Regards to the Man in the Moon.......2002-01-22

Louie is upset that his friends call his father "the junkman." But his father explains to him that all it takes is a little imagination to transform "junk". So with the help of his parents, Louie builds the spaceship Imagination I. The next morning, he and his friend Susie blast off into the wide expanses of space. At first they are a bit afraid, but that changes when they see wondrous things and discover new worlds. A mini adventure occurs when Ziggie and Ruthie---who have followed the two into space---run out of imagination and get stuck. This book introduces children to the mystery and beauty of outerspace. Keats' illustrations done with a combination of paint and collage are truly fantastic. However, I find that most importantly "Regards to the Man in the Moon" teaches children to let their imagination soar and transport them places they've never been, and where they can be anyone and do anything.

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