Book Description
The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the
wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life
John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good—Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, "Don't hesitate to use these."
And yet Marley's heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy, and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night. Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.
Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.
Download Description
"
The heartwarming and unforgettable
story of a family in the making and the
wondrously neurotic dog who taught
them what really matters in life
John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever, a dog like no other. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, flung drool on guests, stole women's undergarments, and ate nearly everything he could get his mouth around, including couches and fine jewelry. Obedience school did no good—Marley was expelled. Neither did the tranquilizers the veterinarian prescribed for him with the admonishment, ""Don't hesitate to use these.""
And yet Marley's heart was pure. Just as he joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley shared the couple's joy at their first pregnancy, and their heartbreak over the miscarriage. He was there when babies finally arrived and when the screams of a seventeen-year-old stabbing victim pierced the night. Marley shut down a public beach and managed to land a role in a feature-length movie, always winning hearts as he made a mess of things. Through it all, he remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.
Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.
"
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Edition of Marley and Me.......2007-10-11
I bought this edition of 'Marley and Me' to see the extra photographs of Marley and also for John Grogan's newspaper column he wrote after Marley died. I highly recommend this edition to everyone, it truly is a treasure.
An incredible tale.......2007-10-05
This book was wonderful - ignore the one star reviews, seriously. It was never intended to be an intellectual story with an incredible plot (or twist), and it certainly wasn't meant to make one feel angry at the author as you read it.
If you can open your mind (and heart), and read this book as a simple tale of such a basic relationship between dog and owner(s), you will be rewarded with such a funny, warm, heart-wrenching, inspiring tale that could well make you a better person.
I ENJOYED the moments of self-indulgence - where we got an understanding about who John was and what was going on in HIS life. I think the book needed that to avoid being entirely about a dog and his experiences - let's face it, no matter how great Marley is (or isn't), he wasn't going to warrant 200 pages of text (or was he?). It's this discussion of family, of growing up, of happiness and anger, that draws so many parallels between the life of a human being, and the life of a dog. It is summarized so brilliantly towards the end of the book and, as you wipe away the tears, you can only feel an incredible sense of optimism and hope well after you turn the last page.
Predictable ending? Well duh. You do know where it's going from the moment you purchase the book - from the moment you purchase a DOG. But HOW Grogan gets there is brilliantly done. His writing style is well-paced, conversational, yet entirely descriptive. I felt the warmth of the South Florida sun as I watched Marley play in the ocean, and I felt everyones shivers in the grey, cold winter in PA. Ultimately, I felt the utter sadness that an entirely family felt, and the power of reminiscence & focusing on those special moments in life.
Here's to you, Grogan. Your book touched my heart; and to Marley - your existence has touched millions of people around the world without you even knowing it. If that's not a successful book, I'm not quite sure what is.
How fast the time goes with Crazy Pups.......2007-10-03
I just finished Marley & Me.
The Best read I have had in a long time. It was like watching a GREAT movie, only better. I have loved and lost 1 best friend recently and the other best friend is now over 10 years....this book makes you think...remember.... and thank the heavens for allowing them to be here with us for their period of time reminding us that we are "only Human".
I loved the book and have 6 people in line to borrow it now that I am finished.
If you like to laugh, love dogs and appreciate terrific writing, buy or borrow this book!
A+ Marley will be with me forever.
Beautiful! Touching!.......2007-09-29
John Grogan brings a great deal of heart to Marley's story. It reminds one of how precious pets can be and how these little ones share so much with us as life goes on.
It's a beautiful, touching, and vivid story, and you'll just fall in love with it.
Thanks, John, for sharing such a great tale :-)
a wonderful story.......2007-09-25
You will laugh and cry. A great story for anyone who has ever loved a dog.
Product Description
The typical Labrador Retriever is relatively easy to train. The author takes readers step-by-step through her method, which emphasizes positive reinforcement.
As part of the Training Your Dog Series you will be taught just that; how to train your dog, with special emphasis on your special breed. Virtually every aspect of training is covered, including housebreaking and paper training, basic obedience, teaching the animal to obey both verbal and hand signals, retrieving and walking on a leash.
Also covered are humane methods of breaking bad habits, such as begging, jumping on people, unnecessary barking, and biting. Each book is filled with instructive full-color photos.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book For Novice!.......2007-09-12
This book covers all the basics of Labrador care and more! I have had two Labs before and I though I knew everything, but this book helped me in many areas, especially training and obedience!
Good tips but no much of them.......2007-08-14
My dog (Valar) learned a lot of stuffs (and me too), it was easy to read and apply. But this is for basic training no more. For that purpose it get to gold.
Very good for tips and tricks.......2007-07-12
anybody that wants to have there lab doing very cool tricks, this will be a good book for you. This book is pretty much if you want to teach a dog new tricks.
training your labrador retriever.......2006-03-17
we found this book very informative.We are in the process of buying a labrador as a pet so the information has really helped usThe only think we did not like about this book is it is based in America so some of the information is no use to us.
A Good Buy.......2006-03-03
This is a valuable training aid for anyone who is a new dog owner. It has many useful tips about effective training of Labs. The techniques in this book helped me raise an obedient and loving pet. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.
Average customer rating:
- Want a blow-em up spy-novel, go elsewhere...
- Ah, Newfoundland
- A Great Novel
- !!!Can't get any worse than this!!!
- No word of a lie the boredom will kill you
|
The Shipping News
E. Annie Proulx
Manufacturer: Scribner
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ASIN: 0671510053 |
Amazon.com
In this touching and atmospheric novel set among the fishermen of Newfoundland, Proulx tells the story of Quoyle. From all outward appearances, Quoyle has gone through his first 36 years on earth as a big schlump of a loser. He's not attractive, he's not brilliant or witty or talented, and he's not the kind of person who typically assumes the central position in a novel. But Proulx creates a simple and compelling tale of Quoyle's psychological and spiritual growth. Along the way, we get to look in on the maritime beauty of what is probably a disappearing way of life.
Book Description
When Quoyle's two-timing wife meets her just desserts, he retreats with his two daughters to his ancestral home on the starkly beautiful Newfoundland coast, where a rich cast of local characters and family members all play a part in Quoyle's struggle to reclaim his life. As Quoyle confronts his private demons -- and the unpredictable forces of nature and society -- he begins to see the possibility of love without pain or misery.
A vigorous, darkly comic, and at times magical portrait of the contemporary North American family, The Shipping News shows why Annie Proulx is recognized as one of the most gifted and original writers in America today.
Customer Reviews:
Want a blow-em up spy-novel, go elsewhere..........2007-08-29
Yes, the book does move a bit slower than the average Michael Crichton... in my mind, this is a good thing.
The slowly weaving lyrical cadence of Proulx's writing came as a nice surprise to me. Her writing would never have passed by my fifth-grade grammar teacher's red-pen; however, her knack for flowing paragraphs weaves a tale that's hard to put down.
The story begins by introducing a slightly dense Quoyle, a 36 year old who you wish would get mad at his surroundings a bit more and make a few changes to better his life. Instead, he seems to take things as they come; in the beginning, the things that come are horrible. A move prompted by an Aunt brings him to his ancestral home in Newfoundland. With the move, he finds a large family house, sitting neglected, along with the small-town preconceptions of his family. Luckily, his local friends put off their judgments. With this new move, he slowly finds himself in better circumstances. Nothing much has changed, many things are still rough, but slowly and surely Quoyle's life is taking an upswing. Finally we see the chance and evolution of a happier life coming to someone who yearned for just that for so long.
Throughout the book the temperament of the sea and the local cadence for life is a character unto itself. Proulx dots her chapters with excerpts of the famous Ashley's Book of Knots, which add a seafaring charm to each.
I was afraid throughout this enjoyable book that Proulx would feel the need to alter the ending to make some serious statements at the closing. I was very happy to find that her statement was made very softly, and with the deft hand of an accomplished writer. There was no "axe dropping" to be had, other than the close of a book-cover that you wished to re-open again very soon.
Ah, Newfoundland.......2007-08-21
If you've never been there, you'll want to go after reading this book. I bought it as I was getting ready to fly out of St. John's, Newfoundland.
I started reading "Shipping News" sitting in the airport, way ahead of schedule. From page one, I was captivated. The characters are so real; the story could be any tiny town on the coast of Newfoundland (by the way, it is pronounced using the mnemonic "Understand"....same emphasis as on the word "Newfoundland"). Having just recently purchased such a home, I could relate to the characters.
I laughed aloud constantly. Such fun! I am sure all of the fine folks I was sitting with the in the airport thought I was a bit mad. Occasionally, I would look up and I could see the unique personalities I was reading about.
The people of Newfoundland, mostly of Irish descent (with a lilt to their accent), have always had a hard scrabble life. They are a unique breed of human beings, and are portrayed in Shipping News with the respect they deserve. It is a tender, funny and sometimes harsh look at the life of the people who inhabit "The Rock". It is a book that I have read over and over, and give as a gift to my best girlfriends.
I recommend reading the book before watching the movie, but you will find much lacking in the movie, even though it's very well done.
Every time I pick up the book, I yearn to go "home"..............
A Great Novel.......2007-07-16
This is what writing is all about. A fantastic story constructed in a unique way, far from the mainstream. The characters in the Shipping News are wonderfully rich and far from mundane. The story is full of life and I only wish that there were more books out there that could create such an enjoyable world for me to lose myself in. How anyone could rip on The Shipping News is beyond me. Maybe they can't go beyond the cookie cutter world of best selling authors.
!!!Can't get any worse than this!!!.......2007-04-30
The Shipping news is about an average guy named Quoyle who tries to start a new life in Newfoundland. His two-timing wife died in a car crash and his parents have committed suicide so his aunt comes down to stay with Quoyle and his two lovely young girls. Soon after the aunt, Quoyle and the girls set off to Newfoundland to start a new life. Quoyle gets a job at the local news paper and the aunt sets up an upholstery shop. They both uncover various things about there past and their ancestors. This whole plot line is just way to confusing and not interesting enough. This book is lacking in irony. There are no surprises or any hooks to pull you in. You also don't feel any connection to the characters and it is pointless to read. This book is filled with detail, but it uses such strong vocabulary you forget what is being described in the first place. This book seems to go on forever; the pages just drag on and on. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone!
No word of a lie the boredom will kill you .......2007-04-16
i hattttttted this book. i was on holidays and staying on a remote island, innocently i picked up this book on route and cursed my bad luck for weeks after. Its so slow-moving and mind-numbingly boring you'll actually pray for death. it became my Everest. every agonising page seemed to go on for about a hundred years. Quoyle or whatever he's called is the dullest character in the history of the written word, don't get me started on his daughters and it does nova scotia no favours at all. i have no idea what the author was thinking and have never dared or will never dare read another word she writes. if you're interested yep i finished it and then lit a match and had me a little bonfire!!!!!!!!!!
Amazon.com
The events of September 11 have seemingly been covered, analyzed, and discussed from every angle imaginable. So the subject matter alone of Jim DeFede's The Day the World Came to Town makes it noteworthy. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, 38 commercial airliners carrying over 6,000 passengers were forced, as a precautionary measure, to land in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. Due to the ongoing closure of U.S. airspace, the passengers spent four days in this isolated town of 10,000 before being allowed to continue on their way. In that time, Gander's residents rallied together to extend a kind of hospitality that seems too expansive for the word hospitality. Townspeople not only opened schools and legion halls for use as emergency shelters, they invited the passengers into their homes for showers, meals, and warm beds while local businesses simply gave toiletries and clothing to passengers stuck without luggage. Despite the grim consequences that led to the situation, DeFede finds humor: two flight attendants are offered a car for sightseeing by a local woman who happened to be driving by; the stranded chairman of Hugo Boss finds himself shopping for men's underwear at the local Wal-Mart. But the real message of the book is how, even in times of great turmoil and conflict, people can and must look to one another for comfort, help, and hope. --John Moe
Book Description
"For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed."
When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.
Roxanne and Clarke Loper were excited to be on their way home from a lengthy and exhausting trip to Kazakhstan, where they had adopted a daughter, when their plane suddenly changed course and they found themselves in Newfoundland. Hannah and Dennis O'Rourke, who had been on vacation in Ireland, were forced to receive updates by telephone on the search for their son Kevin, who was among the firefighters missing at the World Trade Center. George Vitale, a New York state trooper and head of the governor's security detail in New York City who was returning from a trip to Dublin, struggled to locate his sister Patty, who worked in the Twin Towers. A family of Russian immigrants, on their way to the Seattle area to begin a new life, dealt with the uncertainty of conditions in their future home.
The people of Gander were asked to aid and care for these distraught travelers, as well as for thousands more, and their response was truly extraordinary. Oz Fudge, the town constable, searched all over Gander for a flight-crew member so that he could give her a hug as a favor to her sister, a fellow law enforcement officer who managed to reach him by phone. Eithne Smith, an elementary-school teacher, helped the passengers staying at her school put together letters to family members all over the world, which she then faxed. Bonnie Harris, Vi Tucker, and Linda Humby, members of a local animal protection agency, crawled into the jets' cargo holds to feed and care for all of the animals on the flights. Hundreds of people put their names on a list to take passengers into their homes and give them a chance to get cleaned up and relax.
The Day the World Came to Town is a positively heartwarming account of the citizens of Gander and its surrounding communities and the unexpected guests who were welcomed with exemplary kindness.
Customer Reviews:
Great quick read.......2007-07-12
It was great to read a book about 9/11 that had a positive spin. The description of the town and characters makes me want to visit Gander Newfoundland someday.
How a town came to t he rescue of stranded passengers and crew.......2007-05-13
This is an absolutely fascinating true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland, rallied around when many aircraft were diverted there on 9/11 when US airspace was closed. How the town coped with more planes and people than it had ever seen before at once is a legendary story of human kindness and support for others. Very hard to put down once started. Will bring tears (mainly of joy) to many eyes.
A Story About the Truest and Kindest People on Earth.......2006-09-29
My son and daughter-in-law were part of the mass of passengers stranded in Newfoundland after 9-11 and I will always be grateful to the Newfies for the loving way that they cared for them. I am also grateful to Jim Defede for writing this book to thank them for all of us.
This book clearly shows how people the world over should be living their lives. Thank you Newfies.
Interesting Subject but Poorly Written.......2006-09-11
I found this book to be extremely interesting. It tells of a true story unknown to many. However, while the subject was excellent, the quality of the writing was poor. I would not conider this book a final product. It is similar to a draft, with words spelled incorrectly and improper grammar. The publishers should be ashamed for printing such a poor quality manuscript that had not been proof read.
The Best of Human Nature.......2006-05-19
If you ever wanted to read a book that took the best part of human nature, you've found it. The people behind 9/11 were expecting the worst of humanity to come about, instead the result was the best humanity. The people of Gander captured my heart and I would love to meet those wonderful people who took strangers in from around the world. This book will move you to tears and astound you in ways you never thought possible. The spirit of kindness is alive and well in Gander, Newfoundland. I love the United States, but we could learn a thing or two from these wonderful in what to do in the event of a tragedy.
Customer Reviews:
Not really a guide.......2007-05-17
I have to say that I was very disappointed with this book. I was hoping for more information to be contained within the book but this is more like a book that you would give an elementary school child. The book gives only superficial information about the breed. I think that people can find more information on most online sites,i.e. Wikidpedia, etc.
I Bought It. I Read It. I Recommend It........2007-04-13
I thought I'd say that as the owner of a sixteen-month-old female black lab I learned a lot of useful information from this book. It doesn't waste time, and always comes straight to the point: something I tried to do with this review.
Great Summary Treatment On Owning A Labrador!.......2006-03-21
As a person who has had the distinct pleasure of sharing my house and my life with as many as six Labrador retrievers at a time over the last 20 years (I now have five), I am acutely aware of the wonder and awe associated with getting such a wonderful companion can be. yet, sadly, I am also aware of the profound ignorance many would-be labrador-people are regarding how to select, introduce, and socialize this new member of the family. In that sense, this book , along with a number of others such as Richard Wolper's "Family Dog", can provide the wary would-be initate with all of the essentails on how to successfully transform that cute little puppy into a happy, obedient, and well-integrated member of the household.
This book does offer one the expert advice one needs regarding the care and nurture of what has now become the single most popular breed in the United States, with information ranging from an impromptu history of Labrador Retrievers to such topics such as adoption options. The book also features a wealth of facts and details regarding Labrador Retrievers. It provides essential and vital information regarding nutrition, socialization, and exercise, and offers some sage advice about how to find and select a reputable breeder. In addition, it also touches on aspects of ownerships such as common illnesses and chronic problems associated with the breed. This is a book I can heartily recommend!
The Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever.......2000-06-25
This book provides the basics on Labrador Retrievers. If you are new to the breed this is a very helpful book. It does provide enough information to get you started with a new puppy and a new breed. If you are looking for very detailed instructions on training and retrieving this book really doesn't go into enough detail.
Guide to Owning a Labrador Retriever.......2000-02-23
This book was informative on the basics, but did not go into a lot of depth on any one topic. I bought it because I was researching the breed, but I feel I need to buy additional material in order to answer my questions, since I plan on being a new parent to a pup.
Amazon.com
Though judging a book by its cover is ill-advised, assessing The Bird Artist by its first paragraph is a safe bet. Howard Norman's second novel lives up to all expectations promised by the kind of beginning that makes a reader beg for more and then panic that the rest will not be as good: "My name is Fabian Vas. I live in Witless Bay, Newfoundland. You would not have heard of me." "Obscurity is not necessarily failure, though; I am a bird artist, and have more or less made a living at it. Yet I murdered the lighthouse keeper, Botho August, and that is an equal part of how I think of myself."
There are echoes of Vladimir Nabokov's infamous narrator, Humbert Humbert, in Fabian's confessional tone, witty humor, and emotional detachment from the series of bizarre events he describes. Set at the turn of the century in a remote cod-fishing community, The Bird Artist is a love story of sorts, filled with curious characters and a chowder restaurant. The men wear "knitted underwear all year round lined with fleece calico" and periodically escape the island to pursue their livelihoods on the sea. But the women are land bound. Helen Twombly suspects fellow villagers of stealing her milk bottles. Alaric Vas suffers from arthritis that no liniment relieves and plots her son's arranged marriage with a fourth cousin in Richibucto, New Brunswick. Meanwhile, Fabian's childhood love, Margaret Handle, propels herself and the plot forward with unwieldy energy. How did things for a mild-mannered man who just likes "to wake up early, wash my face, and get out and draw birds" go so wrong?
Norman, a folklorist and naturalist, presents us with the possible explanations in the form of fine details from an island life he researched while living in a remote Inuit whale-hunting community. He carefully examines the inner isolation of his characters. The severe landscape and the weather serve as the perfect metaphor. If you're looking for linguistic pyrotechnics, Norman's economy won't suit you. In The Bird Artist--a finalist for the 1994 National Book Award--there is as much to admire on the page as what's not. --Cristina Del Sesto
Book Description
ABOUTBOOK: My name is Fabian Vas. I live in Witless Bay, Newfoundland. You would not have beard of me. Obscurity is not necessarily failure, though; I am a bird artist, and have more or less made a living at it. Yet I murdered the lighthouse keeper, Botho August, and that is an equal part of how I think of myself." With its first paragraph, The Bird Artist announces its central themes. Set in a tiny coastal town, The Bird Artist addresses universal concerns: the safety of the known versus the attraction of the unknown, the redemptive potential of creative expression, and the transfiguring -- perhaps damaging -- power of the human heart. In developing these themes, Norman's prose reflects the unique landscape of Witless Bay: spare and beautiful, with stark emotion jutting out like cliffs above the sea. This guide was designed to illuminate your exploration of Norman's landscape, and we hope that it allows you to venture out into further discussion and study of this remarkable novel. DISCUSSIONQUES: QToward the end of The Bird Artist Fabian paints a mural on the church wall depicting not only the physical aspects of Witless Bay, but also representations of its residents and recent events. How is Fabian's narration of his story similar to the mural he paints? QHoward Norman spent time in an Inuit whale-hunting community in Greenland. The Bird Artist opens with the following epigraph: "Suddenly, with extreme violence, he felt himself seized by the desire to be, rain or no rain, at any price, in the midst of the valleys: alone" (Giorgio Bassani, The Heron). What role does the theme of isolation, both geographic and emotional, play in Norman's novel? QHoward Norman has said that he originally wrote The Bird Artist because of Margaret Handle -- that "she puppeteers many things in the book." He also "tried to develop landscape as a character." What do Margaret and the landscape of Witless Bay have in common, and how do they shape and affect the book's events? QThe final chapter of The Bird Artist comments on the etiquette of correspondence: "A man sends a letter, a man expects a reply." This chapter also contains a lengthy letter from Orkney to Fabian. What role do letters, and mail, play in the book? Which characters write letters, and which do not? What purpose (purposes) does writing play in this narrative? QOn page 163, Margaret remembers a song her mother sang: "There's no love/true as the love/that dies untold," and tells Fabian that "It means, once a third person -- outside the couple in love -- knows a bout the love, it's diminished somehow." How does her interpretation relate to the novel's events? Could the song have a different meaning? QSome critics found mythic qualities in The Bird Artist. If a myth is "traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon," what does Fabian's story explain or unfold? How does it pertain to the world beyond Witless Bay? QAt his trial, Fabian recalls, "I saw Bevel Cabot, Miriam Auster, Giles La Cotte, Ruth Henley, Olive Perrault. Toward the back were Elmer Wyatt, Peter Kieley, Patrick Flood holding his son Colin, Seamus Doyle." How does the community play a role in Fabian's crime and punishment? Although we never "meet" these characters, what is their significance here? What other writers have used a similar device to convey a group's identity and role? QIn saving Alaric's life, Enoch warns her against straying too far away from her known village. And yet, the novel also presents the unknown, Halifax, for example, as an exciting place of opportunity. Which view does the book, as a whole, support? Safety or limitlessness? The comfort of the familiar lighthouse or the opportunity of the vast ocean? QNorman's protagonists, at various points in the book, commit murder and adultery, lie and steal. Does The Bird Artist condone, or even admire, such behavior? What stance does the novel take on religion and the church? Is there religious imagery in Fabian's mural? In the text as a whole? QThe narrator, Fabian Vas, introduces himself immediately as a bird artist. What is the role of the artist in this book? How dose it relate to Fabian's position as narrator, or storyteller? AUTHORBIO: Howard Norman grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After graduating from Western Michigan University, he moved to Canada to work as a writer and researcher, with a special interest in the country's indigenous Indian tribes. He is familiar with several Inuit and Algonquin dialects, and his published translations of northern folklore include Where the Chill Came From, How the Glooskap Outwits the Ice Giants (a children's book), and an anthology, Northern Tales, which he selected and edited. In 1977, Norman first encountered the eastern seaboard of Newfoundland, and learned of a local artist who, at the turn of the century, had committed a murder. Armed with a time, a place, and an event, Norman pent the years that followed thinking about the story that would become The Bird Artist. In the meantime, he wrote his first novel, The Northern Lights, which was nominated for the 1987 National Book Award, and a collection of short stories, Kiss in the Hotel Joseph Conrad.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Read.......2007-06-19
All I can say is that "I LOVED this book!" If I, as a writer, can hold the reader as captive in my stories as I was held by The Bird Artist, I will be a truly happy author indeed.
engrossing good read.......2007-03-21
This was my second reading of this book and I believe I may have enjoyed it twice as much the second go-round. The characters were so believable and interesting and the setting was quite visual, made more so by the descriptions of different birds. The first person narration was engaging. I mostly loved the complexity of the characters and their stories but the plot definitely pulled me along as well.
enjoyable, fast, fairly well written.......2005-12-27
a compelling story of an artist's life in a tiny Newfoundland town, around 1900. the bottom line: i couldn't put it down and read it straight through -pretty rare for me in recent years, Norman's foreshadowing and solid character development was enough to successfully create some anticipation and sucker me in. still, it's not a five-star book; the writing is a little uneven, with dialogue sparkling on some pages, not on others, little factoids of Newfoundland life sometimes seem pushed in, sometimes he loses momentum and i occasionally found myself just skimming through paragraphs. but certainly a fine enough book for a plane, vacation, quiet evening, etc. the mix of a long personal history and nice character interaction and development is reminiscent of another recent bestseller, `the kite runner', which is longer and denser, yet seemed executed at a slightly higher level all around - well worth a look if you enjoy `bird artist.'
The Bird Artist Soars.......2005-11-07
There is an elegant simplicity in Howard Norman's language. With the same reticence his characters possess, Norman creates a world -- stark, vivid, enduring and endearing. His characters are complex and human, but never "quirky" or sentimentally odd. They are real people who have earned their peculiar outlooks and responses. The Bird Artist is one of those books that leaves the reader with a debt of gratitude to the author.
Delightful and Humorous .......2005-03-26
I loved this novel, for its humor and its tight and straightforward narration of the plot. The writing is sparing, with only the most necessary details. To write so tightly, the author must have edited it carefully and it shows. Not a sentence is wasted.
You know this book was written `tongue in cheek' from the get-go, because it is set, in the first sentence of the book, in 1900, in a place called Witless Bay, the reverend keeps a talking parrot in a room behind the pulpit, and the parrot squawks during sermons. People's names are funny and the characters are distinct and memorable for their eccentricities.
I especially loved Margaret, who takes all maters of importance in her hand. She also drinks and has a prodigious sexual appetite. She is frequently `over- the-top', shooting bullets through a photograph of her boy-friend's "fiancé-to-be" or taking over his parents' bedroom. She is generally a lot of fun throughout the book.
Other characters are likewise full of vigor, delightful or strange, especially if you don't take them enormously seriously. The book reminded me slightly of Shipping News, which also takes place in New-Finland, though in a different era. It too is as endearing and touching and fun.
The Bird Artist is also an historical novel. I think that for an historical novel to grab you, it has to capture the pace of the era as well as the `spirit' of the people and their geography. The Bird Artist is successful on all accounts, side by side with its humorous identity. It takes you back to the days when light houses were often the only way for fishermen to get back to shore; when it took several days in a mail-boat to get to Halifax, when arranged marriages were not out of the question, and the pace of life allowed time to sit on your porch and paint, without the distractions of a radio or TV.
What a fine, gentle sea breeze this book is!
Book Description
Newfoundland is one of the most intriguing places in North America, a land of breathtaking but cruel beauty, populated by some of the saltiest, oddest characters you’ll ever find. In Theatre of Fish, John Gimlette vividly describes the dense forests and forbidding coastlines and recounts the colorful and often tragic history of the region. He introduces us to the inhabitants, from the birds and moose to the descendants of the outlaws, deserters, and fishermen who settled this eastern edge of North America. Leavened with irreverence and affection, this is an irresistible portrait of life in extremis.
Customer Reviews:
Falling Out of Love.......2007-04-11
I wonder if Newfoundland or Labrador has a Tourist Board or some such. If so, I don't think you'll find this book among their recommendations. Time and again, Gimlette promises to treat the land and its denizens fairly. This, he does. Unfortunately, this retelling the story of the people and their history is gruesome, despairing, horrific and almost irremediably bleak. From expert methods of scalping (down to the lips) by the historical aborigines to death by silicosis and the epidemic of glue-sniffing youth in more contemporary times, Gimlette spares not a detail in depicting a place I, for one, do not EVER want to visit, any more than I would want to visit Central Europe during the Thirty Years War. I see that a fellow reviewer has already packed up his kit. I wonder how long he'll last.
I don't understand either why Gimlette's language has been dubbed "poetic". Perhaps these reviewers haven't read much poetry, but suffused with dark humour more aptly describes the writing. Visiting the outpost of Burgeo, Gimlette remarks, "I can think of no more perfect place to fall out of love." I can think of no more perfect book to make me stay away from Newfies and their land. Those of you who found this book somehow endearing must have turned the pages when the going got gruesome---about three/fourths of it. To Romanticize Newfoundland or Labrador is to Romanticize Hell on Earth.
I am reminded of what the poet John Masefield (a great adventurer in his youth) said about it in his later years, "Have you ever seen a lost dog turning one way and then another to avoid being killed by a motorcar in the middle of a busy street? That's adventure."
3 stars for the historical interest. Deo Laus, though, to be finished with this chronicle of rape, murder, suicide and chronic depression.
A most unusual travel book.......2006-06-02
John Gimlette is downright poetic as he describes the geographic, social and sad economic landscape of Newfoundland and Labrador. This prose poetry has a style, but I'm at a loss to say what that style could be called.
His ability to turn a phrase, though, is outdone by the Newfies and Labs themselves... "She'd an eye for my father... always put her tent up he did"... a boat ran into "dirty weather" (a hurricane) and "Got no eyes... got no teeth... but I still shoot". Once you get into it, you laugh out loud when Gimlette tells a local he's a lawyer. Without any of the modern sensibilities about this, the Newfie resonds, "So you're a li'ar, you say."
It's a harsh world he describes using information that I don't believe is available anywhere else. Besides quotes from his great great grandfather's journal, there are recounts of new stories and oral histories. One weakness is that not all sources are attributed in the text and there are no footnotes. He catalogs many horrible ways people have died of cold, hunger and dogs. He tells of famous people who came to this area, made history and left without a trace.
Gimlette describes the "Truck" system that ruled till the 1950s, the fish equivalent of sharecropping, that served to entrench poverty. (Some fisherman never used money in their lives.) With the end of fish in the 1990's, government assistance helped some and 50,000 others left.
I've been to the South Coast of Newfoundland, which he briefly describes in more positive terms than any other place in the book. Reading about this merely "Dickensian" area is somewhat like a relief after all the tragedy JG describes elsewhere on this rock. I stayed in a home much like he describes (clean... momentos... scant furnishings...no running water). The beauty of the landscape and the hospitality of the people left me totally unaware of the suffering all around. This book, is lovingly written and communicates the writer's affection for the area and his understanding of and empathy with its people.
If Gimlette decides to trace his great great grandfather's steps in China, I'll be very interested in that book.
A View Into a Forgotten Corner of The World.......2006-04-12
An interesting narrative of the author's travels through Newfoundland and Labrador- a little known corner of North America. An intriguing insight to the fall of a society when the natural resources - i.e., the Cod - disappeared.
"Piscium inexhaustia copia".......2006-01-17
"Fish without end" is Newfoundland and Labrador's social, economic and political burden. For something no longer there, the weight seems strangely ponderous. In this account of Canada's youngest Province [cliche for sale - cheap], barrister and travel writer John Gimlette takes us on an historical and sociological tour of the Newfoundland that was - and is. Although a Londoner, Gimlette has ties to "The Rock". His great-grandfather, Dr Eliot Curven, tended bodies and souls in the distant colony, and Wilfred Grenfell was headmaster of Gimlette's school. Grenfell's adventures in Newfoundland clearly helped inspire Gimlette's sprightly prose in relating his follow-along journey.
Gimlette understands the multicultural foundation of this location at "the Edge of the World" as many Canadians do not. He reminds us of the Basque, Portugese, and Spanish who preceded the first hesitant British probings along those shores. He reminds us that cod [the only fish under consideration here] could be taken up in baskets. Photographs in the book show these weren't "pan frys" but substantial animals. With fish so plentiful and the means to take them so restricted, it was natural that control of the industry would pass to a few. Gimlette describes the rise of the "Fishocracy" where a few merchants controlled the flow and price of fish. That control passed along to the entire social structure of the island. Even the "home" government in London had far less power than the merchants. There were the merchants and the fishermen - no "middle class" could arise and farming was next to impossible on the rocky barrens. And now the fish are gone.
Using his great-grandfather's journal, Gimlette tours The Rock [Newfoundland] and along the Labrador coast. His journey is spiced with historical accounts of the original settlers and their modern descendants. The stories aren't always happy reading. Poverty and struggle are a fundamental element in life here. If nothing else, the wind is able to toss houses and shift churches on their foundations. And in tightly packed communities of wooden dwellings, fire is an ever-present threat. St John's itself burned in the 19th Century alone. Grenfell arrived just after one of these conflagrations. In remote towns, dogs offer one threat while the polar bears provide another. Life here may be hard, but it shouldn't be boring. Yet that's exactly what led one of Gimlette's contacts into local politics.
Gimlette's narrative is a rollicking adventure of observation and commentary. He's hardly a "detached" journalist, as his account of Premier Joey Smallwood's career demonstrates. There are heroes, heroines and villains aplenty. Gimlette manages to understand a few of them, even though 66 dialects have been identified and to him, one man sounds as if he's "speaking Irish through shingle". Gimlette doesn't fall into the trap of simply cataloging local idiosyncracies, however. He's more interested in, and relates with fine prose skills, the lives and struggles of people living in a forbidding place. Ye'll never use the term 'Newfie' again, b'y. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Theatre of Fish: Travels Throufh New Zealand and Labrador.......2005-10-31
Author John Gimlette calls Newfoundland a "far-flung place." It's a place that has always fascinated him. And with good reason.
He has known since childhood that his greatgrandfather, Dr. Elliot Curwen, traveled throughout Newfoundland and Labrador in 1893 and kept a journal as a starting-off point for his own journey of a region that, by most accounts, can be considered one of the most eccentric places inthe world, certainly in North America.
Gimlette describes the provinces often-desolate landscape and it's colorful history. Most of all, he revels in the residents themselves, many of them descendants of rebels, deserters and fisherman ("fish-thieves and outlaws," he calls them)
They're a frothy cultural stew of Irish, Scots, English and Micmacs who speak their own distinctive language. (The Dictionary of Newfoundland English is a hefty 700 pages).
The crew from the movie The Shipping News gets some space (if stayed 8 weeks) as does Helge Ingstad, the Norwegian exployer behind L'Anse aux Meadows, a Norse archeological site.
Everybody here seems to agree that Newfoundland is special, but they are not sure why. Using their circular brand of Newfoundland logic, they surmise, "If we only knew why it was so special, it wouldn't be special."
Book Description
Pointing Labrador retrievers are rapidly becoming a very popular sporting breed. Just as comfortable sitting patiently in a duck blind as they are coursing through upland fields, pointing Labradors are now known as all-around bird dogs. This book outlines everything that needs to be done, from choosing the right puppy and the basics of obedience, to training a top-notch pointing Labrador. Photographs complement the thorough descriptions of training techniques, and topics as varied as how dogs really perceive the world to which drills and routines are productive are explained.
Customer Reviews:
Buy This Book!.......2007-02-28
Buy and read this book if you want to train and hunt your new lab puppy. It is very informative and gives a great idea of the overall training process. It may be the only book you need to help you get your dog to point, retrieve, and be an all around joy to own.
The Pointing Labrador.......2007-01-25
A great book for instruction on any type of dog training and understanding a dogs thought process. Some parts are redundant, which the author may intend to drive the point home. A very easy read!
Great book for any dog owner........2007-01-19
This book is not just for the pointing labrador owner. It's a wonderful guide for training dogs of all breeds. This book is helpful not only for your hunting companion but for the family dog too.
Knutsons Point the Way.......2006-04-08
Direct, easy to understand, effective and rewarding.
Over and over the message is reminded to 'KEEP THINGS SIMPLE' when training a dog. The authors are mindful to keep things simple as they work to train their readers.
This book is wonderful.
If you appreciate Wolters...you will fall in love with Knutson.
The Most Detailed Dog Training Book.......2006-02-04
I bought this book to learn about the breed and training required for them. What I got was a detailed lesson on training any breed of dog. This book really breaks down the training process and helps you understand how a dog thinks. Once you read this book, the light will come on and you'll feel more assured when training you dog.
Product Description
Get the lowdown on keeping your dog healthy and contentLabrador Retrievers are versatile, serving as family companions, hunting buddies, guides for the blind, service dogs for the physically challenged, and drug-detector dogs. This fun and friendly book gives you expert advice on Lab temperament, shows you how to train your dog to be a well-mannered companion, and much more.Discover how to:Choose the right Lab for you.Manage your new puppy.Educate yourself and your Lab.Maintain good health, proper exercise, and diet.Use the Manage, Relate, Educate training program.Written in a down-to-earth style featuring informative cartoons, illustrations, reference lists, and other handy tools to help you understand and care for your Labrador Retriever.
Customer Reviews:
Cool book - Lab Retriever for Dummies.......2007-06-29
Cool book. I'm a lab retriever owner and loved the information from the book- brought me up to date on everything I should know about this breed...
Very Helpful.......2007-03-09
This book was easy to read. It had a lot of general information about all dogs. It had really good training tips.
No Dummies Here!.......2007-01-18
On December 11, 2006 I adopted a 7 week old lab puppy who needed a home. So, as a retired teacher, I needed a guide! Walton's book is practical and well written to help new, or experienced,pet owners. It has practical tips and humorous insights that make it easy to read and full of useful information. Lucky, my lab, is growing happy and healthy and I am not tearing my hair out trying to figure things out on my own.
Great resource........2006-04-10
My current Sam is the fifth family Labrador Retriever and I want him to be the best.
This book has all the basic dog stuff in an easy to read and use format and enough about just Labs to be very helpful to me. I don't need a pretty color picture book, I take daily pictures of Sam, but the public library also has a wonderful book about Jake a Labrador puppy if someone needs color pictures to be happy. The unique and beautiful temperament of these dogs is a treasure when they are taught to be a companion. Don't just have a dog, train him to be one of the family.
No longer a dummy!!.......2005-09-20
excellent book for new owners of labrador retrievers. i bought the book before i took my lab to her first puppy class. the book was highly recommended by the instructor.
anything you might need to know on how to raise and train your new addition can be found here.
Book Description
- Origins and History
- Puppy Care
- Training
- Feeding and Nutrition
- Breed Standards
- The Complete Gundog
- Breeding
- Showing
- The Labrador Retriever Worldwide
- And Much More
Customer Reviews:
if you care about Labrador Retrievers, get this book.......2005-12-28
I have an English Labrador. (She's the love of my life.) This book is different than a lot of the stuff I've read because it doesn't focus on the Labrador of the AKC, or the Labrador Retriever Club of America to the exclusion of all the other valuable opinions on Labs that exist in the world. Labradors have been around a lot longer than the AKC and they aren't necessarily being well defined by them now. The book does a great job comparing and contrasting the difference between English Labs and American Labs. It also very clearly illustrates an ideal Lab versus labs that have faults (with pictures instead of long, confusing paragraphs.) And, it has lots of lovely photographs of beautiful Labs at work and play. If you care about Labradors, as a breed, then this is a must read.
Nice Compendium Of Information On Labrador Retrievers!.......2004-03-06
Starting with the quite believable notion that the Labrador Retriever is perhaps the single most agreeable and people-oriented creature this side of Paradise, the author shows the reader how and why to care for God's most perfect earthly creature, the Labrador Retriever! By showing us the degree to which the breed represents a witch's brew of intelligence, honesty and loyalty to its human companions, the author illustrates why the Labrador has become the single most popular breed of dog in the world today. Labradors are sturdy creatures indeed, bred for sporting use along the quicksilver shores of Newfoundland, where the water temperatures and sea conditions require a healthy dollop of strength and endurance, and those are qualities these dogs have in spades.
For any of us that have seen them at work or play in the fields and in the water, their unique combination of physical attributes and obvious intelligence makes them the ideal human companion. I should know; I live with four of them! The proof of their adaptability to almost any condition and their loyalty, intelligence, and unparalleled work ethic is demonstrated by the wide use of them as guide dogs and as adjunct partners for the physically handicapped. Stories of Labradors crawling out onto the ice to save their masters are legendary, as are the tales of them rescuing children from fires or from underneath rubble. Never has there been a dog superior to them.
The author has recruited a wide variety of experts to testify as to the qualities and abilities of the dog, and one walks away from a reading of the book much better informed as to the all of the many qualities and capabilities of the breed, which seems to represent an astonishing list of useful and worthwhile attributes. We also get quite critical information as to what to look for when choosing a lab, and how to analyze the quality of the puppy you see before you. The author offers a compendium of information regarding genetics, feeding, health care, and inherited dispositions, as well as some sage advice as to how to ensure your puppy becomes the grown up Labrador companion you will come to view as another family member. This is a great book, and one I heartily recommend! Enjoy!
Has it's good points and bad points.......2003-12-08
I don't find this book to be anything special. Although certain things about this book are fantastic, other aspects are annoying or inadequate. Let me start with what is good about the book.
Good points:
Excellent photography, beautiful pictures of dogs.
Outstanding descriptions of the breed standard, presented in a very educational and helpful way.
A good amount of information on competition, breeding and current breeders.
Bad points:
Too much information which is not useful to the typical pet owner, and not enough information that is useful... information is quite sparse on puppy training, socialization, etc.
Annoyingly obvious British colloquial language style, and not particularly well written or readable by any standard.
Lame attempts at scientific presentations of nutrition and anatomy, when this person is obviously not a scientist.
Scattery accounts of the breed history, filled with quotes without much useful elaboration.
The Ultimate Labrador Retriever.......2000-05-24
This Book is very informative, it covers all aspects of the Labrador Retriever. An interesting history of the Labrador and its development is included. I found the book very helpful in assessing the conformation and pedigree of my puppy. The Ultimate Labrador Retriever gives the reader both UK and US standards for conformation, as well as showing and titles offered. Many of the world's top Labradors and top Labrador kennels are discussed. Genetic disorders and general health care are discussed in depth. AS a first time Labrador Retriever owner, I found this book to contain all the information I will need, starting with choosing a puppy and covering all bases through training and showing in all disciplines. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would, without hesitation, recommend it to any Lab enthusiast.
Highly Informational.......1999-01-05
This book provides comprhensive detail of breed standards and Lab care. This book is a must for anyone who owns or wants to buy a Labrador. The book provides great detail for the Labrador breed stanadard, as well as provides you with direction for showing and breeding.
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