Amazon.com
"One is drawn into Lovecraft by the very air of plausibility and characteristic understatement of the prose, the question being When will the weirdness strike?" writes Joyce Carol Oates in The New York Review of Books. Del Rey has reprinted Lovecraft's stories in three large-format paperbacks. This second volume, 25 tales in all, collects the classic "Case of Charles Dexter Ward," the phantasmagoric novel "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath," several fantasies inspired by Lord Dunsany and other stories. Introduction by Neil Gaiman (author of the Sandman comics).
Book Description
"[Lovecraft's] dream fantasy works are as terrifying and haunting as his tales of horror and the macabre. A master craftsman, Lovecraft brings compelling visions of nightmarish fear, invisible worlds and the demons of the unconscious. If one author truly represents the very best in American literary horror, it is H. P. Lovecraft."
--John Carpenter, Director of At the Mouth of Madness, Halloween,
and Christine
This volume collects, for the first time, the entire Dream Cycle created by H. P. Lovecraft, the master of twentieth-century horror, including some of his most fantastic tales:
THE DOOM THAT CAME TO SARNATH--Hate, genocide, and a deadly curse consume the land of Mnar.
THE STATEMENT OF RANDOLPH CARTER--"You fool, Warren is DEAD!"
THE NAMELESS CITY--Death lies beneath the shifting sands, in a story linking the Dream Cycle with the legendary Cthulhu Mythos.
THE CATS OF ULTHAR--In Ulthar, no man may kill a cat...and woe unto any who tries.
THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH--The epic nightmare adventure with tendrils stretching throughout the entire Dream Cycle.
AND TWENTY MORE TALES OF SURREAL TERROR
Download Description
This volume collects, for the first time, the entire Dream Cycle created by H. P. Lovecraft, the master of twentieth-century horror, including some of his most fantastic tales:
-
The Doom That Came to Sarnath—Hate, genocide, and a deadly curse consume the land of Mnar
-
The Statement of Randolph Carter—"You fool, Warren is DEAD!"
-
The Nameless City—Death lies beneath the shifting sands, in a story linking the Dream Cycle with the legendary Cthulhu Mythos
-
The Cats of Ulthar—In Ulthar, no man may kill a cat... and woe unto any who tries
-
The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath—The epic nightmare adventure with tendrils stretching throughout the entire Dream Cycle
and twenty more tales of surreal terror.
With an introduction by Neil Gaiman.
"Like no other writers dead or alive, Lovecraft can infuse a reader with pure mind-numbing terror. His philosophy is simple: Man is lucky to be ignorant, because if he knew the truth it would either destroy him or drive him mad. Once you read Lovecraft, you will never be the same again."
STUART GORDON, DIRECTOR, RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND
"Reading Lovecraft is more than experiencing the creations of a bizarre and fitful mind through the medium of exquisite prose. It's far more chilling than that.... What you read is what he lived and that's the scariest thing of all"
WALTER KOENIG, ACTOR STAR TREK
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-02
A collection of Lovecraft's stories chosen with the dream as a theme of them. A natural for an introduction to such a bunch of stories is therefore Neil Gaiman, the Dream King. He tells why he has been influenced by Lovecraft, and of others, and mentions a few Mythos stories he has done, as well as the fact it is likely to happen again.
So, if you are a Randolph Carter fan, this is a pretty good one.
Dreams of Terror and Death : Azathoth - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Descendant - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Thing in the Moonlight - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Polaris - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Beyond the Wall of Sleep - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Doom That Came to Sarnath - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Statement of Randolph Carter - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Cats of Ulthar - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Celephais - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : From Beyond - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Nyarlathotep - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Nameless City - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Other Gods - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Ex Oblivione - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Quest of Iranon - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Hound - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Hypnos - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : What the Moon Brings - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Pickman's Model - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Silver Key - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Strange High House in the Mist - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Case of Charles Dexter Ward - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : The Dreams in the Witch-House - H. P. Lovecraft
Dreams of Terror and Death : Through the Gates of the Silver Key - H. P. Lovecraft
Star naming.
3 out of 5
Necronomicon purchase leaves death as something that is not too scary afterwards.
3.5 out of 5
Night car wolves.
3.5 out of 5
Starry wanderings.
3.5 out of 5
White trash dream space journey death discovery.
4 out of 5
Monster mash, idol's revenge on old city destroyers.
4 out of 5
Investigating legions of monsters equals fair chance someone dies.
4 out of 5
Kitty killers meet their self-imposed feline fate.
3.5 out of 5
Childhood visions visitation.
3.5 out of 5
If you look for space monsters, they just might get you.
4 out of 5
Egyptian Old One visit.
4 out of 5
A traveller finds a city under the sand, and exploring, a doorway into it. He explores for a time, but strange noises start coming close:
"I fell babbling over and over that unexplainable couplet of the mad
Arab Alhazred, who dreamed of the nameless city:
That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die."
He eventually makes it out.
4 out of 5
Belay well if climbing before checking these guys out.
3.5 out of 5
Sleep search.
3.5 out of 5
City finding.
3 out of 5
Winged dog amulet cult symbol.
3 out of 5
Sleep a bit draining.
3 out of 5
Lunar light, beach bad thing.
3 out of 5
Creepy paintings have too real subjects.
4 out of 5
Your average tourist generally knows where he is going and doesn't seek out Great Old Ones and consider encountering the Crawling Chaos Nyarlathotep. Randy is an adventurer that is not even close to easily scared.
5 out of 5
After opening the iron box and finding what was in it, no one can find Randolph Carter anymore.
4 out of 5
Old man's Elder Ones undersea tales.
4 out of 5
Lengthy investigations of Yog-Sothoth are bad for your mental health.
3.5 out of 5
Talented broke mathematics students should choose other places to study than in a house in Arkham with space-time continuum conduits, witches, and vampire rats.
4.5 out of 5
Randolph, in disguise tells of space, time, Necronomicons and Ancient Ones. One hell of a trip.
4.5 out of 5
4.5 out of 5
Weird fiction.......2007-08-12
In Neil Gaiman's Introduction to the collection Dreams of Terror and Death - The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft, Fantasy and Horror are described as two cities divided by a river and Lovecraft is the road between the two. I go a little further and state that it is really a sparsely populated town called Weird, of which Lovecraft is founder and mayor (other, younger residents include Clive Barker). You won't find the genre of weird fiction in any book store, but it exists nonetheless, part horror, part fantasy and part something unique in itself.
Dreams of Terror and Death collects a series of short stories and novellas by Lovecraft that are loosely joined together as his Dream Cycle. In most of these stories, there is a second reality beyond our own, one that can usually only be reached when a person sleeps and enters into another state of consciousness. Not everyone can do this, only a gifted (or is it cursed?) few. Those who enter this Dream World often want to stay there, but it isn't easy, and the price is often great.
By many standards of judging fiction, Lovecraft comes short. He isn't much for plot. Most of the stories seem to share the same basic framework: a man driven by obsession seeks knowledge (or a place) that is not meant for mortals to know (or see), and when he attains his goal, it is not what he expects. Similarly, there isn't much in the way of characterization; the few characters have little in way of personality beyond their obsessions. The variety of characters are minimal, with only adult males having any significant role; women and children rarely appear, and when they do, they contribute almost nothing to the story.
Outweighing these seeming deficiencies, however, are Lovecraft's powers of description, which fashion worlds that are bizarre and utterly alien, populated by strange creatures and distant, even stranger gods. The novella The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath is really the centerpiece of this cycle, with protagonist Randolph Carter (who also appears in other stories) searching for a lost, forbidden city in the Dream World.
For a modern reader, Lovecraft's style of writing can be a bit of a chore, at least at first. With a huge emphasis on description and much less in the way of action or dialogue, Lovecraft tends more towards an older, maybe 19th Century form of narrative. This makes the reading slow, but it is ultimately rewarding, not only for itself but for its historical value; Lovecraft is hugely influential on modern horror writers. So if you're a fan of horror or fantasy, this hybrid is a must-read.
First Time Lovecraft Reader is Hooked.......2007-06-14
So I was roaming around the bookstore one day, and lazily thinking of names of stories and authors that I had heard good things about, and at one point it fell on Lovecraft. I was looking for a "complete works" edition and found that there is no such book. So which collection to try? This is the one that had "a perfect introduction to his work" plastered right across it so it's the one I bought.
I found these stories, for the most part, not to be horrifying, but interesting all the same. Then I catch on that hey, these short stories are all connected. That added to my interest, as I would flip back and find a name I remembered hearing before that at the time seemed to matter not a whole lot.
The longer stories are what make me want to find more Lovecraft. "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath", "The Dreams in the Witch House" (spooky), and "Through the gates of the Silver key." (Which felt like one of those old Twilight Zone Shows). The other stories were passable, but more importantly, contain background data that the later better stories stand on.
So yes, this is a good intro to Mr Lovecraft. If you are reading for the first time, take your time to wade though the "so-so" stuff to the "good" stuff.
Also, when I was done I noted that the cover picture had nothing to do with the inside of the book. It was just some random (?) Horror art that was pasted on. It was slightly annoying. People would walk by and say "my gosh what *are* you reading?"
"Well, you see it's this story about people that are mean to cats and..."
"Whatevers..."
Even Death May Die.......2007-05-05
While not the best Lovecraft collection, this one is well worth reading if only to get a serious case of the creeps. ("The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" will do it by itself.)
Centered around dreams, the stories in this collection can be hard to get through at times, but there is usually a tremendous pay off. If this is your first experience with Lovecraft, however, there are better places to begin, as this collection contains some early writings that just aren't up to snuff with is later material.
Lovecraft fans will have already read most of these stories, and newcomers may be put off by them, but for those who have experienced one or two tales before, this is a great way to become more familiar with the writer and his worlds.
Extraordinary images, delicious writing.......2007-03-02
These days i find myself sadly jaded. I pick up books, read partway through, and lose interest... either because the plot is too predictable (been there, read that, know what's going to happen) or because the writing is mediocre. I find that good writing is increasingly important to me as I get older.
So, a couple of years back when I picked up this collection in a bookstore and started to read, my happy little synapses started firing as they hadn't in quite a while. Lovecraft writes more hauntingly than most anyone; I mean this in the sense of conveying extraordinary images and a sense of fabulous unworldliness, in language that is so deliciously balanced, complex and graceful that it makes one slow down and read every word.
At times dark and macabre, at others lyrical and filled with magic, the stories here really do have the quality of dreams. One encounters lost or fabulous worlds, and intimations of age-old terror. I was instantly transported into Lovecraft's world, and return there periodically to lose myself in his magic, and to recall that once upon a time, people could use the English language to enchant.
Here is the opening to "Azathoth", the first brief story (which is unfinished). If you like this language and the rich concepts it conveys, I promise that you'll love the rest of the book:
"When age fell upon the world, and wonder went out of the minds of men; when grey cities reared to smoky skies tall towers grim and ugly, in whose shadow none might dream of the sun or of Spring's flowering meads; when learning stripped the Earth of her mantle of beauty and poets sang no more of twisted phantoms seen with bleared and inward looking eyes; when these things had come to pass, and childish hopes had gone forever, there was a man who traveled out of life on a quest into spaces whither the world's dreams had fled."
Sigh. Now THAT'S writing...
Book Description
In a deepening of the thinking begun in The Myth of Analysis and Re-Visioning Psychology, James Hillman develops the first new view of dreams since Freud and Jung.
Customer Reviews:
Hades.......2004-05-26
While this book is somewhat difficult to read due to it's intensity of style, it represents a radical departure in the art of dream interpretation. If one picks up its clues, one's understanding of the world of dream will deepen far beyond the usual run of the mill dream analysis methods used in modern psychotherapy for ego development. This book deserves to be studied carefully. The author's references and allusions to the Greek and Egyptian ideas of soul are very significant.
Thus, Thus It Is A Pleasure To Go Beneath The Shades.......2003-06-11
Originally written and published for the 42nd edition of the Eranos Yearbook in 1972, controversial psychologist James Hillman's The Dream And The Underworld (1975) will appeal initially to general readers and students of psychology who have found Freud's and Jung's theories on dreams less than fully persuasive. Unfortunately, Hillman's rather unpleasant book is imprecise and often moves strictly in circles; by its conclusion, many readers may feel that the book's murky argument could have been more convincingly stated in several succinct paragraphs. Written in a style that owes much more to Jung than to Freud, Hillman bases his discussion on early philosophical commentary on Egyptian and Greek mythology, apparently forgetting that neither the writings of Heraclitus, Aristotle, or Plato nor the mythologies themselves are verities, facts, or scientific conclusions. Unlike the best of Jung's writing, readers will seldom get the impression that Hillman has committed himself the kind of practical, empirical busywork that Jung dedicated his life to performing.
Amplifying what he feels is correct in Freud and Jung, Hillman also attempts to scrupulously document the point where each of his famous predecessors went astray. However, Hillman's summaries of their dream theories are both airy and vapid, making it almost impossible to discern whether his argument, which builds on theirs, is truly a viable one. Readers may come away from The Dream And The Underworld with little ability to judge whether the book has any merit whatsoever or is simply another example of intellectual or academic harum - scarum. Clear, grounded, and rationally argued Hillman's book is not.
Hillman believes - or appears to believe - that the realm of the unconscious is a "dead" world whose contents, including dreams, have little if anything to do with conscious reality and the "daylight" world of the living. Thus, in his view, the unconscious is the grim, almost barren home of the archetypes and the more bloodless of the daimons, those pure embodiments of the psyche that are primarily concerned not with the fulfillment of the individual's destiny (as in Jung), but with the soul's exclusive preoccupation with death itself. Hillman also sees the unconscious as base, static, and subhuman rather than as transcendent: in his view, it is both pathological and sociopathic, and, for this reason among others, is incapable of actively having anything to do with the vitality of human existence or even of being understood in terms of human reality. Hillman goes so far as to suggest that human consciousness (and identity, personality) may be the naive tip of the psychic iceberg, a mere and unimportant reflection of the more fundamental if alien and ultimately unknowable pure state of the sterile, timeless inner realm. How readers are to apply the author's theory constructively to their own experiences and dream memories is one question among many the book leaves unanswered. Where the metaphorical "truth" of a particular mythology or philosophy ends and its reality as a psychic fact begins is another.
Can the unconscious, envisioned as rich, oceanic, and primordial by Jung, really be more accurately "re - visioned" as an icy, brittle, utterly lightless abode of merciless "shades," like the land of the dead portrayed in Ursula Le Guinn's 1972 novel The Farthest Shore? If Hillman is correct, how did human feeling, much less human consciousness and raw instinct, ever arise from this dead and deathless abyss? The birth of consciousness presupposes a kind of evolutionary chain, a process Hillman's hypothesis pointedly ignores. Even when taken strictly in terms of its all - important image theory, The Dream And The Underworld is negatively distinguished by an absence of missing links.
There are enough flashes of brilliance in The Dream And The Underworld to convince its audience that Hillman, a best - selling author, is about to make an important theoretical breakthrough at any moment. But instead of keen intuitive deduction and perceptive erudition, in each case Hillman heads off on another tangent or takes up the thread of a previously addressed argument for the third or fourth time in as many chapters. Those readers who believe both Freud and Jung were only partially correct (or entirely incorrect) will very likely come away from the odd, static The Dream And The Underworld disappointed, irritated, and questioning the book's uncertain reputation as an important contribution to the field of dream psychology.
Mortality is fatal ! A down to earth approach to dreams........2001-01-27
I have written in the cover of this book:
"This is the book of Hillman's I have been waiting for. After his 'Facing the Gods", "The Myth of Analysis", "Puer Papers", "A Blue Fire" and getting little entrees from each, finally here is the main meal."
I came to this book from the wastelands of clinical depression rather than dreams but recognised immediately the realm of soul here described by Hillman. He suggests that dreams are messengers or reminders of soul and thus of our mortality, of (our) death; a healthy antidote to the 'immortality' syndrome to which we are all prone until we live through a life threatening illness or crisis.
I must admit to reading this book somewhat 'impressionistically' without necessarily trying to follow his arguments, but even then, the impression was compelling. Without a classical training I had to infer the meaning of a lot of the greek words he uses (eg. telos, phrenes, thymos, topos) from the context. I'm still not entirely clear as to their meaning even now. A glossary would have been useful for lay readers, though I don't think they were necessarily the target audience. I have yet to find a layman's glossary or dictionary of Jungian and Archetypal Psychological terms. Certainly my education has been broadened.
Why haven't we heard more of this approach in the popular books on dreams ? It is original, compelling and as cogent as any other approach to interpreting dreams. Is it so 'down to earth' that we would rather cling to the 'fantasy' of approaches that massage our egos a little more.
A masterpiece of Depth Psychology........2001-01-27
Many readers may be familiar with James A. Hillman's best selling "The Soul's Code." As a best seller, that was within the genre of popular psychology. "The Dream and the Underworld," however deals with the area within psychology of "depth psychology." Our present culture is a milieu in which psychology and psychiatry deal with matters such as biopsychiatry, psychopharmacology, brief psychotherapy, quick fixes. A lot of this climate has to do with third party payments, either by an insurer or an Employee Assistance Plan. A qualified psychiatrist or clinical psychologist may often use Depth Psychology in conjunction with the prescription of medications where time and money are not an issue. Depth psychology seeks to treat the causes of a psychiatric disorder rather than just provide relief from the symptoms. Dream analysis is an art, or science, that has a long-respected history dating back to Biblical times. More recently, it has been the subject of extensive writing by 20th century psychiatrists such as Freud and Jung.
I struggled with the writings of both Freud and Jung on dreams in university courses, having found that they did not read all that well. Rather than say that I follow a particular school of psychological theory, I like the more pragmatic approach of taking what is meaningful from those that I read. Hillman's thesis for "The Dream and the Underworld" is briefly outlined in Chapter 1. It is more like the opening statement that a lawyer might make in presenting a case rather than the abstract that a psychologist might write at the beginning of a journal article. Hillman does not rely on repression or compensation, but deals with the dream in relation with the soul and the soul with death. In the context used by Hillman, the "soul" takes on a meaning that equates to the human "psyche" but with a quasi-religious quality. You should not take Hillman's concept of the soul as necessarily being the same as the soul discussed at church or Sunday school. To study the soul, we must go deep. The study of the soul (going back to the Greek origins of the word "psychology") implies a journey into the depths of the soul.
Classical Greek and Roman literature locates the dreams in the House of Hades. Hillman uses images to begin in this mythological underworld. In many ways, it is similar to his "Pan and the Nightmare." He emphasizes both observation and the insight that follows from drawing of inferences from the metaphor of the myth. This is not a "how to" book. There is an emphasis on the analysis of the dream as a modality of therapy, however, in other pieces of Hillman's writings, he posits the concept that "self therapy" is not effective. One of the essential things Hillman emphasizes is that we should be aware of our dreams. Although not actually so stated, there would be an advantage to keeping a journal where the subject logs his/her dreams. I feel that "The Dream and the Underworld" provides a road map to a greater level of self understanding.
Builds on, and refutes, established dream theories........2000-09-09
Hillman wrote this book in the mid-seventies, and it is surprising to me how little effect it seems to have had on the various schools of dream interpretation. Perhaps this is because Hillman's "underworld" is an ambiguous, sometimes frightening place, a place where each psyche is rooted into the Beyond, and where daytime morality has no dominion. The underworld and its dreams contribute to the making of Soul, and are not to be used as helps to fix up our daytime life. To do so is an act of exploitation. This clearly is at odds with our culture's fixation on mining one's dreams for images, ideas, information that can help us be more productive and functional players in the status quo world we inhabit during waking hours.
Hillman carefully develops his ideas through looking at the work of Freud, Jung, and other twentieth century dream workers. He winnows out the wheat from the chaff, and uses the wheat to thrust dream interpretation forward, and farther away from the safe, cozy realm the ego would so much like to stay wrapped up in. One gets the feeling reading this book that safety does not a strong soul make.
Being an inveterate "miner" of dreams myself, I was at first rather resistant to Hillman's thesis. Eventually, though, I came around to his point of view (with reservations), mainly because I realized that dreams and soulwork are very much like art. Just as art should not be made for any practical "daytime" use, so with our souls and dream images.
However, this opens a question. For thousands of years, shamans have traveled into the underworld to bring back energy for healing and other practical uses. They act as conduits for energies traveling up from that lower realm so that this world can be "seeded" and keep evolving. Is this, too, an act of exploitation? I'm not sure. But I do think after reading this book that we should be aware of, and careful about, how we use the images that come to us in our nighttime existence.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting premise, LONG, drawn-out Story
- Decent read, however pompous.
- This Book Changed my Life
- Good work, but a big bibliography does not make it real
- So much better than the film it's scary
|
What Dreams May Come: A Novel
Richard Matheson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Metaphysical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Visionary Fiction
| Fiction
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Somewhere In Time
-
What Dreams May Come
-
I Am Legend
-
Hell House
-
A Stir of Echoes
ASIN: 0765308703 |
Amazon.com
A classic novel of love after death, from one our greatest fantasy writers. The premise is deceptively simple: Chris Neilson has died in a car accident, but his life-force--his spirit--is still conscious of this plane of reality. And he is still too in love with his wife, Ann, to completely let go. She in turn does not want to go on living without him, as each regards the other as their soul mate. What Chris will do to get back with Ann after she dies makes for one of the most unusual love stories ever told. Even though the story can be enjoyed as pure fantasy, what makes What Dreams May Come unique is how the author spent years researching the subject of life after death. (An exhaustive bibliography is included to verify this.) And while Matheson admits that the characters are of course fictional, he also states that "With few exceptions, every other detail is derived exclusively from research." Whether, after reading this novel, one believes in life after death is of course a matter of opinion. At least you'll entertain the possibility that, even though we may not live forever, true love can be eternal. --Stanley Wiater
Book Description
The New York Times bestselling novel that inspired the Oscar-winning movie! What happens to us after we die? Chris Nielsen had no idea, until an unexpected accident cut his life short, separating him from his beloved wife, Annie. Now Chris must discover the true nature of life after death. But even Heaven is not complete without Annie, and when tragedy threatens to divide them forever, Chris risks his very soul to save Annie from an eternity of despair. Richard Matheson's powerful tale of life-and love-after death was the basis for the lavish 1998 film starring Robin Williams.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting premise, LONG, drawn-out Story.......2007-10-03
After reading I am Legend and really liking the author's style, I picked up this book. Some thought I am Legend was too short. I thought it was perfect for if it were any longer it might take on the form of this superfluous story.
What Dreams May Come should have been edited down because the story was decent.
Decent read, however pompous........2007-09-16
I really wanted to like this book. To be honest, I enjoyed the descriptive text and the (limited) story. However, the author's pompous entry saying that this is all 'fact' and only the characters are fictional turned me wayyy off. As another reviewer said 'just because you have a bibliography does not make it fact'. I am a Richard Matheson fan - loved I am Legend and enjoyed Hell House. His depictions of hell/heaven in this novel are very realistic, and moving. Unfortnately, his character development lacks. I didnt really care a whole lot what happened with Ann or chris, nor could I stand the 2 pages of tear-jerky 'thank you'.
Nearly one third of the book is new age rhetoric with little to do with a real story. The actual plot (beyond the preaching) was extraordinarily thin. The idea was excellent, however its delivery was ham-fisted.
I would have given it a poorer rating, however, I did finish it - and did not throw it across the room. I had to skim over much of the ending, much to my chagrin.
This Book Changed my Life.......2007-08-07
After reading this book, I started buying some of the books that were referenced in the back few pages. I found those to be very interesting and have since changed the way I feel about life, death, and life after death. This book changed my life for the better, it is a MUST read!
Good work, but a big bibliography does not make it real.......2007-07-21
I share the regard that most readers have for Richard Matheson as a first rate writer from his books and stories(for me also his contribution to the Twilight Zone).
My main exception to this one is his preface that states that it is not really a work of fiction (apart from using fictitious characters for demonstration purposes) but an exposition of facts in literary form. To support this he supplies a large bibliography in the back. But this bibliography is a collection of works of a most unscientific nature written by supposed mediums, alleged experts in the supernatural and paranormal, and a few celebrated savants (or should I say frauds) like Edgar Cayce. In my line of work, there is a expression "Garbage In, Garbage Out". As fantasy or science fiction this is not an issue. The assertion that this book is a tale built on facts is simply unsupportable. The author apparently sincerely believes in his sources (this is noted in an anthology of Matheson in a forward written by someone who met Matheson who discussed similar material with him as a revelation of precious but generally unrecognized truths). But on the whole these works have no more truth in them than writings taken on faith in established religions. If it is a faith being presented then say so, so that I will know that further argument is only for the sport. Otherwise, please do not represent mere unorthodoxy as fact, like a sort of C.S. Lewis for new age spirituality.
I will also take exception to simple minded karmic logic like "since you committed suicide with sleeping pills you must suffer from a sleep disorder in your new life". What makes us think that our consciousness is such a great and eternal element of enormous significance in the cosmos anyway? What makes us think our ideas of good and evil are embedded in the fabric of creation and enforced by a great clearing house of souls off somewhere that cannot be detected or observed? This is just a conventional and even childlike view of heaven, hell and judgment leavened with reincarnation.
As a work of fiction it is a bit dry, as it really is an exposition of its bibliography inside a nominal tale as stated by the author I have no doubt that it can have a deep impact on receptive persons suffering grief from the loss of loved one. Under the detail (which I found interesting and I appreciate his work in summarizing that large bibliography for me) I think I detect a deeply felt tribute to a beloved (and living) wife.
So much better than the film it's scary.......2007-05-07
This novel is the most vivid, complex, and surprisingly convincing depiction of afterlife I have ever encountered in a work of fiction. Nothing else I have seen on the subject, in literature or in film, comes close--certainly not the 1998 film. Before I read the novel, I had no idea that a story about Heaven and Hell could have such a profound effect on me.
In the metaphysics of the film and the book, dying involves shedding your physical body and entering a mental environment shaped by thoughts. Your fate in such an environment is largely self-imposed. That much of the movie intrigued me, the first time I saw it. The problem was the schmaltz. I mean real schmaltz, piled on in large mounds, in place of strong narrative.
It's hard for me to convey just how very different the novel is. Of course there are major differences in the plot. One such difference is the ending. (Even Roger Ebert, who heaped high praise on the film, was disappointed by the ending.) Another is the beginning, where the film adds Chris's children to the list of characters who die and go to Heaven. In doing this, the movie (1) makes the early scenes so depressing they become surreal (2) needlessly clutters the story with extra characters (3) introduces a silly and confusing subplot about Chris's attempts to find his children, who are in disguise.
In the book, Chris's children are adults, not youngsters, and they're minor characters who never die in the course of the story. The details of Chris's life on Earth differ so greatly between the book and the film that it's like reading about a completely different person. Even though I saw the movie first, the image of Robin Williams completely vanished from my mind as I read, because he was so unlike the character described in the book.
The entire feel of the book is different, telling a touching love story that uses real characterization, not cheap manipulation, to move the audience. And Matheson's vision of the afterlife truly comes alive on the page. The Hell scenes are actually terrifying, reminding us, as the movie does not, why Matheson is primarily famous as a horror writer.
I won't overlook the movie's gorgeous visual effects, which earned the film a well-deserved Academy Award. They just aren't put to good purpose. The movie's vision of the afterlife as like being inside giant paintings fails to evoke a sense of reality. The book, in contrast, bases its afterlife imagery (vividly brought to life by Matheson's skillful prose) much more on Earth-like scenery. This approach ironically leads to far more exotic ideas, such as architects who build things using their minds, and a library containing history books more objective than those on Earth.
One of Matheson's unique qualities as a fantasy writer has always been his almost scientific approach to the supernatural. Here, Matheson makes Heaven and Hell seem like a scientific, natural process, and one of the joys of the book is discerning all the intricate "rules" of how everything works. (That's another area where the movie falls short.) What needs to be kept in mind, however, is that Matheson doesn't do this just for entertainment purposes. In the novel's introduction, he tells his readers that the characters are the only fictional component of the novel, and that almost everything else is based on research. The book even includes a lengthy bibliography. Thus, the afterlife that Matheson describes isn't some fantasy world he concocted from his own head, but something he believes to be an accurate description of reality.
Some people may wonder, at this point, about Matheson's religious background. He was raised a Christian Scientist, but gradually developed what he calls his own religion, taking elements from many sources. One of the book's main influences, I believe, is eighteenth-century Christian mystic Emanuel Swedenborg.
From what I've seen, people react negatively to this book based on how far it departs from their personal beliefs. Christians complain about the absence of Jesus, while those who don't believe in any afterlife consider the story too nonsensical to accept. Most readers, it seems, are put off by the New Age terminology and concepts scattered throughout the book.
These reactions are puzzling, if you stop to think about it. Books about elves, fairies, dragons, and wizards remain popular even though nobody believes in any of those things. Why should people be bothered by a fiction book portraying a Heaven and Hell that conflicts with what they believe? The book is perfectly enjoyable whether or not you accept Matheson's metaphysics.
Of course, I personally do think Matheson provides insight into the subject--though I admit I'm a little wary of his acceptance of paranormal phenomena. But it amazes me how so many people refuse to even touch the book, thinking that any story with such a plot must automatically be hokey. In most cases, they'd be right. "What Dreams May Come" is a big exception. It suggests the endless possibilities in a subject that normally is dead weight for fiction. And it really makes you think.
Customer Reviews:
What does the unconscious say ...........2006-06-10
This Jung quote sums up the theme of this book:
"If there is something we cannot know, we must necessarily abandon it as an intellectual problem ... But if an idea about it is offered to me - in dreams or in mythic traditions - I ought to take note of it. I even ought to build up a conception on the basis of such hints, even though it will forever remain a hypothesis."
Von Franz uses dreams, alchemy (Komarios to Cleopatra), and Egyptian mythology as exploratory tools to convincingly show that for the unconscious life after death is axiomatic.
Incredibly it seems the individuation process may continue after death!
Von Franzs style and elegance make this a book that you will want to read more than once. Also a very nice 8-page forward by Emmanuel Kennedy-Xypolitas.
Mary S. Stowell.......1999-11-22
This is a wonderful book about how the psyche believes in life beyond bodily death. It is full of stories, myths, and experiences that will wake you up. I have given away so many copies of this book that I always keep an extra on hand. I am glad it is back in print.
Average customer rating:
- Hoping for another Bartimus-like fantasy adventure...but this was completely different.
- A Great book for all Ages!
- Not another Bartimaeus, but not bad
- Stroud Does it Again!
- The Leap
|
Leap, The
Jonathan Stroud
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Death & Dying
| Social Issues
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Friendship
| Social Situations
| People & Places
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Buried Fire
-
Last Siege, The
-
Ptolemy's Gate (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 3)
-
The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)
-
Flyte (Septimus Heap, Book 2)
ASIN: 0786851953 |
Book Description
After her best friend, Max, drowns, Charlie Fletcher is overwhelmed with shock and grief. When she attempts to explain what happened that day at the Mill Pond, no one believes her. The doctors and her mother think she may be hallucinating, or worse-crazy. Even her sympathetic brother can't understand what is happening to her.Charlie nearly died trying to save Max and as an aftermath to this terrifying experience, Charlie begins to have incredibly vivid dreams, where she sees Max walking far in the distance in a strange land. She tries to catch up, but she can never reach him. Sleep soon becomes her only passion. But one night, after waking up from a dream with cuts and bruises, she realizes that her nighttime excursions are real. She alone has the power to hunt for Max. And she knows he's out there somewhere. To save him, she'll follow his trail wherever it goes-even beyond the limits of this world.
Customer Reviews:
Hoping for another Bartimus-like fantasy adventure...but this was completely different........2006-09-20
An interesting story, but I'm not sure one I really enjoyed.
Being a fan of Stroud's Bartimus series I was looking forward to another good fantasy read, however this effort was much different than what I'd expected. It started out with what seemed like an promising fantasy tale, but gradually turned out to be an increasingly dark psychological thriller.
All in all, this book is well written and has a sense of style, pace and atmosphere. Stroud has the ability to take the reader into a story and I must admit to a feeling of creepy discomfort as I approached the end of this short novel.
A good book, but just not a book that I could classify as one of my favorites. 3-3 1/2 Stars
A Great book for all Ages!.......2006-08-21
After a Girl losses her best friend. She is in shock. She believes that he was taken by people in the water. But once she starts to have dreams about him, she now really belives that he is still alive. This is a touching book that will make you cry all the way through. Even though the ending could have been more intresting, I rated it a 5 star because of how great the whole book is. Even if you hate the ending, you'll love the begining, and Middle. This is girl has a lot of deterination, and it gies the book life.
Not another Bartimaeus, but not bad.......2006-07-26
Charlie never expected that Max would drown. One minute he was in the tree above the mill pond, and the next he was in the water. Everyone keeps telling Charlie that there was nothing she could have done, that she was a very brave girl for trying to save Max. Everyone thinks she was hallucinating when she saw green haired women in the water kidnap Max. Then Charlie begins having dreams that she is chasing Max through a strange land. Soon, sleep becomes her obsession. She is determined to follow Max, no matter where he leads.
The Leap is not a bad book. It's fairly good, but it pales in comparison to The Bartimaeus Trilogy (also by Jonathan Stroud). Of course, most books pale in comparison to The Bartimaeus Trilogy, so it's not a very fair comparison.
The Leap is told from the point of view of Charlie and her brother, James. The vocabulary is simpler than in The Bartimaeus Trilogy, which makes it easier for younger children to read. Although the subject matter is not as dark as in Bartimaeus, there is little humor to lighten the mood.
There are only really only five characters in the book: Charlie, James, Kit, Max, and Charlie's mom. Charlie and James are both sympathetic characters, but the others aren't very well developed. It's okay that Max isn't described much, because it adds to the whole mystery surrounding him, but it would be nice if the other characters were fleshed out more.
The story took a while to get going, but once it did I absolutely could not put the book down. I know that a lot of people have complained about the ending, but I thought it was fine, though a bit predictable. The ending did feel a little abrupt, but just one extra sentence could have made it more satisfying, and I don't have any major objections to the way the story ended.
The Leap is a good book. It's certainly worth reading if you want to see one of Jonathan Stroud's earlier books, but don't expect another Bartimaeus.
Stroud Does it Again!.......2006-07-01
I read the Bartimaeus Trilogy and Liked it. I read the Buried Fire and Liked it. So I wasn't worried at all when I bought The Leap even after reading some of the reviews.
It's hard enough to move away from your best friends but losing them forever is harder. Jonathan Stroud put those emotions into literature fantastically. The Leap is a wonderful book with Reality and Fantasy. Charlie's best friend Max drowns in a Mill pool and she almost dies trying to rescue him. Most people thought that it was a normal drowning but Charlie remembers green woman pulling him down. She tries to explain that but no one believes her and her mom is afraid she's going mad. Then Charlie gets strange dreams with an ocean, desert, and forest all with her running to find Max, but when she gets cuts and bruises from one dream she realizes her dreams are real. In one dream in the forest Charlie meets a man Kit who tells her that at this time the Great Fair is taking place. If Max joins the great Dance he will become a true inhabitant of the world, forget all about his past life, and will be lost forever. So can she save Max or will she be reunited with him in the world of the dead.
Stroud also puts point of views from Charlie's brother James which strenthens the story line. It also helps that he uses a kind of softer writing style when in Charlie's dreams then when in the real world. I just wish we got to know Max. In the end The Leap is a wonderful tale in the bounderies of Reality and Fantasy.
The Leap.......2006-04-12
I enjoy Jonathan Stroud books for the most part but this one was very disappointing. Losing a friend is very hard but the way this one was written didn't do anything except confuse the reader.It was like he couldn't decide which way to go with this one. It just ended without any real explanation of what really happened to Charlie.It had some strange characters in it and nothing was ever explained to the reader. A child would have a difficult time following the storyline and it is a young adult novel.I will continue to read Jonathan stroud's novels but this one really wasn't that good.
Book Description
"Davis writes with fervor, vision, and keen moral appreciation of our condition. He encourages us to see what we fear to see, to say what we fear to say. This book is illuminating, challenging, fierce." Michael Eigen, author of The Sensitive Self, Rage, Ecstasy, Toxic Nourishment, Damaged Bonds andThe Psychoanalytic Mystic
Why is fear a dominant emotion in contemporary society? Why are politicians using words like 'terror', 'evil' and 'fundamentalism', and what effect is it having on public consciousness?
Answering these questions, Walter A. Davis taps into the cultural psyche to explore the link between ideology and emotional and psychological manipulation. Starting with the three topics that have preoccupied social discourse since 9-11 -- terror, evil and fundamentalism -- he shows that the Bush administration has been hugely successful in controlling and developing a new political climate through the creation of an almost hypnotic mass consciousness.
Davis's findings take us to the heart of the ideological paralysis of the Left, while offering an innovative approach to understanding contemporary history.
Davis fuses a psychoanalytic and philosophical framework to explain the relation between culture and political events, from the sado-masochist hysteria of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ' to the atrocities at Abu Ghraib prison; and from the genocidal use of depleted uranium in Iraq to the apocalyptic language driving the Christian Right's assault on basic human rights.
He exposes the motives and belief-systems of this new American psyche and shows how it sustains the Bush administration's agenda. Illuminating how psychological needs govern political action, Davis reveals why the relationship between politics and public consciousness has massive implications for all of us beyond America's borders.
Walter A. Davis is Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at Ohio State University. He is the author of six previous books, including Inwardness and Existence: Subjectivity in/and Hegel, Heidegger, Marx and Freud (University of Wisconsin Press, 1989) and Deracination: Historicity, Hiroshima, and the Tragic Imperative (SUNY Press, 2001).
Customer Reviews:
Couch Time for America..........2006-04-25
Disturbing. Provocative. Perceptive.
This is one of those books that - out of all proportion to its size - is packed with unsettling insights into and theories about our uniquely American character. Though, perhaps, it could be equally applied to many different Western nations through modern history, it is particularly attuned to the angst-ridden United States of the early twenty-first century.
Professor Walter A. Davis, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University, skillfully and artfully uses his command of language, theater, and philosophy to vivisect the type of persons that we have become in this post-9/11 nation and display for all to see the banality of evil that so marks our domestic and foreign policy.
Manipulated by fear and by the mindless pursuit of a lifestyle, which can only be sustained at the expense of others, we have collectively empowered an increasingly totalitarian form of neo-fascism. All that matters is expansion and power. Envy and Greed rule the day. Dr. Davis examines this unhappy state of affairs at length and diagnoses a form of psychosis peculiar to us - individually and collectively - a psychosis which begins with each of us as individuals, but ultimately manifests itself in the corporate body.
Through the use of predominantly psychoanalytical tools - the application of language; the use of classic literature, theater, and philosophy; and, clinical case studies of mental pathology - Dr. Davis proposes a new and radical way of analyzing what ails our spirit in this failing nation state.
The author does not hesitate to tear down the totems of our society. From the halls of academia to the seats of government - from the altars of fundamentalist churches to the boardrooms of Amerika, Inc. - no one is spared his scathing, all-too-accurate criticism. Doubtless, those who would most benefit from Dr. Davis' call to personal introspection and responsibility will immediately reject any suggestion of their own complicity in our society's ills. Sadly, it is also highly unlikely that most of our fellow Americans will interrupt their "happy" thoughts by attempting to read a book named "Death's Dream Kingdom." Such reading might cause too much psychic discomfort and result in too much guilt. Such reading would be too radical. Such reading would require too much thought.
Unfortunately for Dr. Davis and his work, the subject matter of his volume will neither be conducive to financial success nor to receiving the recognition that it deserves. The vast majority of Christians will dismiss him as a raving atheist and, thus, while waiting on the Rapture will miss valid criticisms of today's "feel good", "easy believe-ism". His academic colleagues will attack him as just another retired liberal arts professor and, thus, be content in their insular smugness and political-correctness. Politicians and corporatists alike will excoriate him as one of "those" Marxists and, thus, reject the totalitarian reality of latter-day capitalism. Instead of Orwell's boot "brought down on the human face forever," we are left with the image of a yellow smiley face doing the same.
In spite of the often brutal diagnostics that Dr. Davis brings to bear upon each of us, he is at heart a Romantic and, consequently, offers the prospect of redemption. Unfortunately, that redemption can only come through the self-psychoanalysis of our own madness - the confrontation of our own inner demons that we strive to hide and deny - the recognition of the truth about ourselves. Only by starting there with our psyche struggling with itself can change occur and the pathological processes at work in each of us begin to be reversed.
Finally, he points out in the closing paragraphs of his book how time limited we are in this historical moment and he calls for action by translating "one's inwardness into the terms of responsibility." With the looming crises of environmental catastrophe, a nuclear holocaust, and the rise of a rogue Totalitarian State, our time may indeed be short for self-correction. "Death's Dream Kingdom," is a much-needed diagnostic and therapeutic tool for correcting the insanity that so grips our land.
Customer Reviews:
Now This is Real Exploration.......2007-08-28
I began with Robert Moss's Conscious Dreaming and graduated to Dreamgates. This book is full of insight into the worlds we can access beyond our daily waking reality, both in night dreams and by consciously entering into these realms. By practicing Robert's Active Dreaming techniques and by exploring the journeys presented in this book, we can become familiar with our own dream locales, which are personal sources of healing, inspiration and adventure. And we can travel with others on group dreams to heal ourselves and our planet. We can reenter the dreams we puzzle over and learn more. The fun begins with awareness and intent. Life can be so much more than the mundane. All we have to do is decide to go there.
Some helpful information for novices.......2007-01-04
His book helped me create a new perspective on animal spirits in my dreams, but the other information seemed aimed at people who hadn't begun their own personal dream journeys. Just use a journal to develop your recall/memory, and after awhile patterns will begin to emerge. Once you gain the ability to analyse your own dream information you won't need this book, but it might provide the right impulse to get you started.
Going beyon analysing dreams.......2006-03-14
I came to this book through a DVD on Carlos Castaneda where Robert Moss does a comentary on dreaming. This book does a good job of expalaining the mysteries of the astral plane better perhaps than any other book I have read. While many of us are not advanced enough to perform some of the magic involved in becoming a "frequent flyer" the author does an excellent job of describing these mysteries in terms that a layman can understand. If you like Castaneda you will like Rober Moss.
Highly impacting book!.......2006-01-12
Not only is this book an entirely fascinating read - the type you breeze through - but the simple, clear guidelines make it seem natural to take on board the tools and knowledge in this book.
I rank this as one of the very few books in the category of "most life-changing book". Instant results, multitudes of possibilities opened up, challenging and thought-provoking reading, and nourishment for the soul are what I got out of this book, to say the least. Most of all, the exercises and knowledge presented in this book have greatly accelerated and enriched my dream life, enabling me to understand and work with them more successfully. A serious MUST for anyone keen to explore the realms beyond and within, and for anyone wanting to create a better reality for themselves.
A Book of Wonders!.......2003-04-11
I have been interested in dreams for decades, and in that time have read many books on the subject. By comparison with other popular books on dreams, Robert Moss's books are singular in breadth and depth of subject range, readability, and usefullness of the exercises presented to the reader. Moss takes the reader through an exploration of known dream territories and further, to the exciting outside edge of dream possibilities. He cites historical and cultural information to show that many of these concepts are not new, but have been practiced since ancient times. The wealth of information in this book is invaluable. Moss knows that there are many kinds of dreams, and many ways of dreaming. Dreaming is an education and an adventure, and Moss's books are wonderful guides for both the casually curious and the seasoned dream explorer. (I also highly recommend both Conscious Dreaming and Dreaming True by Robert Moss. Conscious Dreaming would be an excellent place for someone new to dream study to begin their explorations.)
Book Description
First published in 1990, Songs of the Doomed is back in print -- by popular demand! In this third and most extraordinary volume of the Gonzo Papers, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson recalls high and hideous moments in his thirty years in the Passing Lane -- and no one is safe from his hilarious, remarkably astute social commentary.
With Thompson's trademark insight and passion about the state of American politics and culture, Songs of the Doomed charts the long, strange trip from Kennedy to Quayle in Thompson's freewheeling, inimitable style. Spanning four decades -- 1950 to 1990 -- Thompson is at the top of his form while fleeing New York for Puerto Rico, riding with the Hell's Angels, investigating Las Vegas sleaze, grappling with the "Dukakis problem," and finally, detailing his infamous lifestyle bust, trial documents, and Fourth Amendment battle with the Law. These tales -- often sleazy, brutal, and crude -- are only the tip of what Jack Nicholson called "the most baffling human iceberg of our time."
Songs of the Doomed is vintage Thompson -- a brilliant, brazen, bawdy compilation of the greatest sound bites of Gonzo journalism from the past thirty years.
Customer Reviews:
The Search for the Brown Buffalo.......2006-02-25
Generally the most the trenchant social criticism, commentary and analysis complete with a prescriptive social program ripe for implementation has been done by thinkers and writers who work outside the realm of bourgeois society, notably socialists and other progressive thinkers. Bourgeois society rarely allows itself, in self defense, to be skewered by trenchant criticism from within. This is particularly true when it comes from a known dope fiend, gun freak and all-around lifestyle addict like the late, lamented Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Nevertheless, although he was far from any thought of a socialist solution and would reject such a designation we could travel part of the way with him. We saw him as a kindred spirit. He was not one of us- but he was one of us. All honor to him for pushing the envelope of journalism in new directions and for his pinpricks at the hypocrisy of bourgeois society. Such men are dangerous.
I am not sure whether at the end of the day Hunter Thompson saw himself or wanted to been seen as a voice, or the voice, of his generation but he would not be an unworthy candidate. In any case, his was not the voice of the generation of 1968 being just enough older to have been formed by an earlier, less forgiving milieu of the 1950's. His earlier writings shows that effect. Nevertheless, only a few, and with time it seems fewer in each generation, allow themselves to search for some kind of truth even if they cannot go the whole distance. This compilation under review is a hodgepodge of articles over the best part of Thompson's career. As with all journalists, as indeed with all writers especially those who are writing under the gun and for mass circulation media these works show an uneven quality. However the total effect is to blast old bourgeois society almost to its foundations. Others will have to push on further.
One should note that `gonzo' journalism is quite compatible with socialist materialism. That is, the writer is not precluded from interpreting the events described within himself/herself as an actor in the story. The worst swindle in journalism, fostered by the formal journalism schools, as well as in other disciplines like history and political science is that somehow one must be `objective'. Reality is better served if the writer puts his/her analysis correctly and then gets out of the way. In his best work that was Hunter's way.
As a member of the generation of 1968 I would note that this was a period of particular importance which won Hunter his spurs as a journalist. Hunter, like many of us, cut his political teeth on one Richard Milhous Nixon, at one time President of the United States and all- around political chameleon. Thompson went way out of his way, and with pleasure, skewering that man when he was riding high. He was moreover just as happy to kick him when he was down, just for good measure. Nixon represented the `dark side' of the American spirit- the side that appears today as the bully boy of the world and as craven brute. Sound familar? If for nothing else Brother Thompson deserves a place in the pantheon of journalistic heroes for this exercise in elementary hygiene. Anyone who wants to rehabilitate THAT man before history please consult Thompson's work. Hunter, I hope you find the Brown Buffalo wherever you are. Read this book. Read all his books.
Excellent Sampler.......2002-12-24
This is an excellent introduction to the range of Thompson's writings though the early 1990's. It includes samples of his two early novels (Prince Jellyfish, The Rum Diary) and articles and excerpts from his later journalism and fiction ("Let The Trials Begin" is worth the price of the book).No duplication of material fromThe Great Shark Hunt, his earlier collection. An excellent audio version was realeased when the book was first published.
This book gives you some idea of what he was up to during the time covered by the two volumes of letters he's published and shows that his humor and sense of outrage have matured better than, say, Mark Twain's during a comparable stretch of his writing career.
Average customer rating:
- Graphic SF Reader
- Darker than the first
|
Legion of Super-Heroes, Book 2: Death of a Dream
Mark Waid
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Superheroes
| Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Superheroes
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
DC Comics
| Publishers
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Waid, Mark
| ( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Legion of Super-Heroes, Book 1: Teenage Revolution
-
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Vol. 3: Strange Visitor From Another Century
-
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes: Adult Education
-
Infinite Crisis (DC Comics)
-
Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heros: Dominator War - Volume 3
ASIN: 1401209718 |
Book Description
A bright, defiant, energized team of super-powered teenagers from different worlds join forces to form a legion of passionate activists that crusade to leave their mark on a complacent society that has forgotten how to fight for change.This volume features an all-out brawl between the Legion and the evil agents of Terror Firma in the Fifth Dimension in order stop galactic destruction.But victory will not come without great sacrifice for this young team of heroes.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Waid continues to make us interested, showcasing the tensions in the Legion between selling out to the man, the power struggle between Cos and Brainy, a dead member, and a nasty alien invasion, spearheaded by superhumans, that the older generation fails to believe in.
Darker than the first.......2006-07-02
Unlike the first volume that had single issue stories that served as intros for different legionairres this book is one continous arch. The Legion faces their first major super villains and the rift between Cosmic Boy and Brainiac 5 causes some in-team fighting. "Death of a Dream" is an excellent title because the Legion sees first hand it isn't all retro code names and fancy flight rings. There is a lot of violence, destruction, and angst in these issues and it ends with significant losses.
While there is still some character development, especially for Brainiac 5, there aren't as many humorous situations as the first volume (for obvious reason). Still, it is a solid volume with lots of battles so I recommend it.
Book Description
Documented throughout time and across cultures, dreams experienced by those on the verge of death can offer profound insight into the process of dying and provide deep spiritual solace for the individual passing away. In Dreaming Beyond Death, Kelly Bulkeley and Patricia Bulkley bring together their diverse areas of expertise to create a guide to pre-death dreams that offers practical advice and provides a broader understanding of this phenomenon. Drawing from a rich understanding of dreaming in culture, history, psychology, and through modern dream study, this book explicitly addresses three common aspects of pre-death dreams and offers interpretations that will aid both the dying person and the caregiver. Rev. Patricia Bulkley_s experience with the transformative possibilities of pre-death dreams as a hospice spiritual counselor lend this book a deeply personal and human touch, while Kelly Bulkeley_s insightful analysis and intellectual framework make it easy to understand the deeper meanings behind this type of dreaming. A final chapter provides resources and concrete methods for a caregiver to respectfully guide a dying person through the dreaming process and, ultimately, to a sense of peace.
Customer Reviews:
Help for the dying and their caregivers.......2006-02-01
This excellent title helps people to understand the types of dreams that people have prior to dying- and how to honor and use the messages that come with these dreams. It will be particularly useful for family and friend caregivers who may not understand the importance of dreams in preparing a person for death and how dreams can bring meaning and peace to the process. It provides also a very short, yet incredibly useful, introduction on how to interpret dreams in general. This title is highly recommended.
Dreaming?.......2005-10-18
While, I have heard the contention that dreams serve a purpose of helping a person deal with events in their life, I cannot recall any that have accomplished that in my life. The book mentions that category and I wish some time had been spent on that subject. As far as the book went, I found the various experiences of case histories fascinating. Especially the one of Socrates, in which the dream was actually prophetic.
Books:
- Eclipse (Twilight, Book 3)
- Errand of Fury Book Two: Demands of Honor (Star Trek, The Original Series)
- False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism
- First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards))
- Healing From Family Rifts : Ten Steps to Finding Peace After Being Cut Off From a Family Member
- Heard on the Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Healthy Wok & Stir Fry Dishes: Stir-Fried Dishes Are the Ultimate in Asian "Comfort Food." Incl
- Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps: How We're Different and What to Do About It
- Swimming Lessons: and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag
- Sundials: History, Theory, and Practice
- The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue
- The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design
- The Quest: One Man's Search for Peace, Insight, and Healing in an Endangered World
- Spanish Peaks: Land And Legends
- Shaping the Skyline: The World According to Real Estate Visionary Julien Studley
- Social Insecurity: How to Survive the Coming Prosperity and Retire at Twice Your Final Salary
The Best of H. P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre
The Road to Madness
Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos
At the Mountains of Madness: And Other Tales of Terror
The Doom That Came to Sarnath (A Del Rey Book)
