Far-Flung Adventures: Corby Flood (Far-Flung Adventures)

Book Description

The second magical, funny, and fabulously illustrated story in the Far Flung Adventures from the authors of Fergus Crane and the Edge Chronicles.
Corby Flood and her family are about to set sail on the rather ramshackle cruise ship, the S.S. Euphonia. Her boisterous brothers might not have noticed that anything is wrong, but Corby is highly observant and has a lot of time for note-taking and eavesdropping. Onboard, among the odd passengers and eccentric crew, there is a strange group of men in bowler-hats who call themselves The Brotherhood of Clowns. There's also a melancholy wailing sound coming from the hold. It's strictly out of bounds but Corby can't help investigating. What could be inside the crate she discovers down in the hold? As the ship arrives at its destination, Corby must enlist the help of some very well mustachioed locals to uncover the contents of the crate and the dark secrets of the menacing Clowns...

Customer Reviews:

Will anyone believe her discoveries aboard the ship?.......2006-11-06

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's CORBY FLOOD provides the second installment to 'Far Flung Adventures' - but no previous familiarity with the series is required to enjoy this, unrelated in plot to the first FERGUS CRANE of the series. Corby faces a cruise ship full of amazing devices and eccentric passengers when she and her family embark on an adventure. She also notices something isn't right - and uncovers a scheme. But will anyone believe her discoveries aboard the ship?

The second Far-Flung Adventure is like a pleasure cruise.......2006-09-24

If you're buying a book for a young reader in the seven to nine age group, you may want to consider this new series. Brought to you by the same people who did "The Edge Chronicles" (another excellent series, but for slightly older kids), this one has large, easy to read print, simple language and wonderful illustrations to help keep the story bubbling along. To add to the fun, the dust jacket opens up into a fold-out map based on the geographical setting of the story.

Corby Flood is the second book in the "Far-Flung Adventures" series, the first being Fergus Crane, also available from Amazon. The third one "Hugo Pepper" will be available in February 2007.

Corby Flood is an eight year old girl. She and her large family are aboard a shabby cruise ship heading along the Coast of Dalcretia on their way to a new school. Armed with her trusty travel advisory "Hoffendinck's Guide", Corby learns about all the exotic ports along the coast while keeping an eye on the other passengers. There are the sinister Brotherhood of the Clowns, the unintelligible Hattenswillers, the mysterious man from Cabin 2 and the smarmy, slimy Lieutenant Letchworth Smith, and then there's the creature in the crate.

Imaginative and action-packed, this one is highly recommended.

Amanda Richards, September 23, 2006

Atra-Hasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood

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Atra-Hasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood

Manufacturer: Eisenbrauns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Enuma Elish Vol 1 & 2: The Seven Tablets of Creation; The Babylonian and Assyrian Legends Concerning the Creation of the World and of Mankind

ASIN: 1575060396

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A Lot of water in this novel. Great Read
Pitt dealing with real world issues
A Cussler Classic
disturbing negative stereotypes of asians
Pitt meets beautiful girl, fights bad guy, saves world. The end.

Flood Tide
Clive Cussler
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684802988

Amazon.com

From the moment you begin Clive Cussler's latest undersea thriller, you know that you're in the hands of a old pro; thus any lingering crotchetiness over the book's stereotypical villains is offset by deft plotting and taut action. Flood Tide details the exploits of Dirk Pitt, Special Projects Director of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, whom Cussler fans already know and love. Judging by this book, "Special Projects" seems to be a euphemism for blowing stuff up. Pitt's worthy adversary is Qin Shang, a Chinese shipping tycoon who is definitely from the Fu Manchu school of management. As part of a nefarious plot to bring the United States to its knees with a flood of illegal immigrants, Qin Shang operates a secluded gulag in rural Washington, which the vacationing (ha!) Pitt stumbles upon. A lot of entertaining mayhem ensues, both on the water and under it. Flood Tide's enthusiastic xenophobia can stick in the throat, and may get in the way for some. But that flaw aside, it delivers the speed and shocks necessary.

Book Description

Following the runaway success of his first nonfiction book, The Sea Hunters, Clive Cussler returns with his legendary fictional hero Dirk Pitt® -- in a masterfully crafted tale of villainy on the high seas and the Mississippi River that can only enhance his status as the grand master of adventure fiction.

The coin of the realm for the wealthy, insatiably greedy Chinese smuggler who is Dirk Pitt's adversary in Flood Tide is human lives: much of his vast fortune has been made smuggling Chinese immigrants into countries around the globe, including the United States.

Tracking the smuggler's nefarious activities leads Pitt from Washington State to Louisiana, where his quarry is mysteriously constructing a huge shipping port in the middle of nowhere. Why has he chosen this unlikely location?

The trail then leads to the race to find the site of the mysterious sinking of the ship that Chiang Kai-shek filled with treasure when he fled China in 1949, including the legendary boxes containing the bones of Peking Man that had vanished at the beginning of World War I. As Pitt prepares for a final dramatic showdown, he is faced with the most formidable foe he has ever encountered.

With a dozen consecutive New York Times bestsellers and over 70 million copies of his books in print, Clive Cussler is one of America's most popular novelists. His latest book is enthralling, intricately plotted, and supremely suspenseful.

Customer Reviews:

A Lot of water in this novel. Great Read.......2007-08-13

I thought this novel was a very entertaining story. The author takes the reader to numerous interesting places, such as the northwest, Mississippi River, the swamps and the Great Lakes. As I traveled to these places he weaved a great story that involved the practice of smuggling illegal aliens, the skill required to navigate the Mississippi river, the Great Lakes, and the skill required to recover sunken treasures. Dirk Pitt brings to the read a lot of action that makes this book a great action/thriller. Highly recommend it.

Pitt dealing with real world issues.......2007-07-15

I enjoyed this Book by Cussler as I have enjoyed the previous novels read. I did have one issue with the story from historical preservationists view point. **SPOILER** I did not like the fact that Cussler reveals the bones of Peking man to the open air due to their age after being submerged 50 years. Pitt acted very uncharacteristically when he orders the anthropologists to unwrap them for all to see. Not a big deal, but just something that bugged me as a historian. Other than that, it was a fairly new plot with interesting insight into problems America faces today with our dealings on the international level and the immigration issue. Cussler may be using his work to express his views on these matters which could detract readers who disagree. I will still read because I enjoy the plot and writing.

A Cussler Classic.......2007-04-09

This is a great book, blending elements of adventure, action, techno thriller, marine technology, and all around great fun. If you are a Cussler reader, this is a must have for your collection, if you haven't read Cussler, I reccomend reading a book or two before this one, as this is one of Cussler's longest novels (which enhanced it for me.)

I loved this book.

disturbing negative stereotypes of asians.......2006-10-05

I've enjoyed a couple of the Dirk Pitt novels. Not exactly high literature, but fun in an 'over-the-top' sort of way. This one I put down after I was turned off by the anti-asian tone. It was difficult to know if he was talking about the Chinese bad guy or Chinese in general. His comment slamming Chinese music was the final straw. Unnecessary and stupid.

Pitt meets beautiful girl, fights bad guy, saves world. The end........2006-07-27

I've read all of the previous Clive Cussler novels, so I of course had to pick up "Flood Tide" as well. I got through the first 400 pages before having to stop out of boredom. I then realized that I've been reading Dirk Pitt novels lately out of a sense of obligation, even though the writing has gone down hill.

The problem with "Flood Tide" is that it's just too formulaic and follows the same path as every other Pitt novel. Pitt happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up saving the life of a beautiful woman. He then works with that woman to stop some kind of disaster that literally threatens to destroy most of the world. And of course the obligatory instance of a character who happens to be named "Clive Cussler" who helps Pitt out along the way, which has gone from humorous to inane. Is the reader supposed to gsp in awe when a random character in the book says "my name's Cussler. Clive Cussler." I GET IT YOU NAMED A CHARACTER AFTER YOU!!!!

There is nothing new in this book for the seasoned Pitt fan, and unfortunately the major villain is not as evil as he should be and there is no real sense of a threat to his generic evil plan. The action also seems generic and like something out of a Steven Seagall movie. I love Dirk Pitt stories but with the exception of the previous book, "Shock Wave," the last few before this seem like cookie-cutter Pitt novels, and unless you are a die hard Pitt fan I would suggest skipping them until Cussler develops some more original writing. There is nothing in "Flood Tide" that you need to know to follow along with the character or series, and as much as I hate to do it after reading 400 pages, when a book feels like more of a chore than entertainment, I know it's time to put it down. This isn't necessarily a bad book however, but it's definitely mediocre when compared to previous stories in the Dirk Pitt series.

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Delightful story about a cat and her human family
Katje, the Windmill Cat
Beautiful illustrations, but too scary for very young kids
A story with great appeal for children and cat lovers
Beatifully written and illustrated

Katje, the Windmill Cat
Gretchen Woelfle
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0763620890
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Customer Reviews:

Delightful story about a cat and her human family.......2007-04-15

This is a delightful story based upon real events of a cat and a baby that survive a flood in the Netherlands. The cat starts out leading the carefree single life, but changes in the human family at home forces a change in lifestyle as the cat moves from sleeping in a warm bed to sleeping in the windmill. During particularly stormy weather, a dike holding back sea water breaks and the whole town is flooded. The cat saves the life of the family's new baby, and later acquires the baby's cradle for a bed after the child grows older. The story is enjoyable for even mature readers.

Katje, the Windmill Cat.......2007-02-18

This story enchanted my children several years ago when we got it from the library. The fact that it's based on a true story made it even more interesting. The pictures give you an idea of pre-industrial Holland, and of course cat lovers like the personality of the cat and her heroic deed! I have tried to order it for a couple years and it was unavailable for one reason or another, so we are very happy to finally own the book.

Beautiful illustrations, but too scary for very young kids.......2006-10-04

This is a lovely book, but the story was too frightening for my 3 1/2 yr old. The story includes a baby and cat being washed away in a flood and rescued at the last minute. Maybe better for older kids.

A story with great appeal for children and cat lovers.......2002-05-28

Gretchen Woelfle's "Katje the Windmill Cat" will have great appeal for children and cat lovers alike. The true tale of a brave cat which ended up saving a baby during a 15th-century flood in southern Holland, "Katje the Windmill Cat" begins quietly enough with Katje and her owner, Nico, enjoying the solitude of windmill life together. They play together, eat together, and even cozy up together at night. Both are content.

Then Nico brings home a bride, and soon enough, there is a baby girl named Anneke. Although Katje feels a little pushed aside, she does her best to amuse and take care of the baby. Her efforts are not always appreciated by Lena, Nico's wife, but all is forgiven when, at the end, Katje saves the day and Anneke alike.

Nicola Bayley's superb, softly colored illustrations greatly enhance the text. Pictures of the cat and her family subtly boost the story, as do the utterly charming Delft tile squares on each page--some depicting cats, some windmills, some dikes, and so on. This is a lovely story for almost any age, and the illustrations bring fresh visual rewards with each viewing (try finding the mice scattered throughout!).

Beatifully written and illustrated.......2002-01-17

Since my parents are from Holland, I was thrilled to find a book that relates to my heritage. The book is beautiful, filled with moving illustrations, adorned with little Delft blue tiles. My son (age 4) loves the story, and we always hold our breath as the little cat saves the baby's life. That it is based on a Dutch legend only adds more to the story. And there is a gentle thread of humor woven through the story, as well.

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Evocative illustrations and text
Two thumbs up from the most important critic!
Here Comes the Rain Again . . .
Authentically local, touchingly universal

Monsoon
Uma Krishnaswami
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374350159

Book Description

Get out your umbrellas!

Children play, birds call, and grownups go about their business during the hot days of summer in northern India. But in the bustle of street and marketplace, everyone is watching, waiting for those magical clouds to bring their gift of rain to the land. Through the observations of one young girl, the scents and sounds, the dazzling colors, and the breathless anticipation of
a parched cityscape are vividly evoked during the final days before the welcome arrival of the monsoon.

Rhythmic prose and vivid chalk pastels flood the senses and take the reader on a tour of diverse urban India.

Customer Reviews:

Evocative illustrations and text.......2007-03-12

I bought this for my nephew's 2nd birthday (which was, coincidentally, spent in India during the monsoons). I almost wanted a copy of it for myself, so evocative were the illustrations and text. My nephew is almost 4 and his parents tell me that it is one of his favorite books. He's at an age where the appeal of a book does not of course lie in the memories it evokes, but in how captivating the the illustrations and the story are. I have to add that this is not one of those tiresome books that presents India as the exotic land of snakes and snake-charmers, and that in itself is a huge selling point.

Two thumbs up from the most important critic!.......2006-04-05

I received this book yesterday and read it to my 2 1/2 year old daughter. (I try to get books about India whenever possible because it's the land of my husband's birth.) She asked me to read it twice through and then said, "That's a good story, Mommy!" And we've read it twice already today!

I don't think anything else needs to be said!

Here Comes the Rain Again . . . .......2005-07-26

Sometimes, when a picture book deals with another culture, it sacrifices story and style for explanation to it's readers about the who where and what is going on. They can become text heavy and too pedantic for young listeners who are more interested in what happens next than a rounded education. The rarest-and the best-multicultural books don't try to explain at all, they let you discover as you read the story. Ms. Krishnaswami's MONSOON is one such jewel of a picture book. It tells the story of a young Indian girl waiting for the monsoon to come after all the hot, dry weather. It shows the cycle of seasons that is necessary for living and the simple poetic beauty of the place the narrator lives.

The theme of this story--a child impatiently waiting for a change in the weather-is a fairly common one in literature, especially picture books. But the heart and soul of this story is India, and properly so. It's no surprise to anyone that reads this picture book that the author grew up in India. In the story India is not a far away or exotic place, it is home-and Ms. Krishnaswami's poetic prose paints that love of her home on every page, with every word. The text on each page is brief, but it is text to be savored, full of rich imagery as everyone prepares for the monsoon rains. This is clear from the very first line: "All summer we have worn the scent of dust . . ." The author does not fall back on old clichés, but finds new metaphors to describe the town and the coming rains. The result is description that is refreshingly vibrant and just different enough to tantalize--but not to alienate-readers. It allows me to step into another country as if I were a native, experiencing the anticipation through the young narrator as she waits, worries and hopes for the rains to come. At the very back of the book the author has included a page of information about the monsoons and India for those who want to understand the 'what' and 'where' of the story better. The addition of the information at the back allows the author to accomplish the goal of sharing the knowledge without allowing it to bog down the text of the story itself.

All that, and I haven't even mentioned the pictures yet. This is Jamel Akib's first picture book. I, for one, hope it is only the first of many. The artist has perfectly matched pictures to Ms. Krishnaswami's marvelous text. Vivid colors with the soft edges give the images a slightly dreamy and comforting sense of familiarity. Golds and warm reds and misty blues dominate the palette, making the book feel rich and sensuous. The scenes themselves are delightfully clear portrayals of life in an Indian city, with cows wandering down the streets next to the cars, spice merchants selling their wares, a modern house with patterned rug and wall hangings. The effect is contemporary and yet culture specific. Like the author's text, the pictures never become so foreign as to lose the reader, evoking comfort, but including elements and details that never let the audience forget the setting.

If you want to introduce your child to India for any reason, this is an excellent first step. The images and text provide fertile ground for sparking a child's interest and curiosity and giving parents a starting point for discussing the Indian culture in greater detail. It is one of my favorite new discoveries in the world of multicultural books and deserves a look by any picture book reader who loves the delicious feel of diving into rich art and image-rich language. Best for children of four years and up, and for adults of all ages.
If you enjoy this, you might want to look for THE DAY OF AHMED'S SECRET by Florence H. Parry and COME ON RAIN! by Karen Hesse.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

Authentically local, touchingly universal.......2005-04-08

I can't decide if I love the beauty of the paintings or the words more in this picture book. My overwhelming reaction was nostalgia for India, where I grew up, yet the book appealed to my toddler, who has no memories of India. She gave it her five star rating, by saying "Again" when I finished reading it - that's reserved for the most captivating picture books.

Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955

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Gordon
Devastation on the Delaware: Stoires and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955
Riveting account of the historic flood of August 1955 that would change life in the Poconos forever.
I lived it but still I learned more.....
Outstanding, riveting read

Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955
Mary A. Shafer
Manufacturer: Word Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0977132900

Product Description

The first definitive documentary of this tragic event along one of the country's most beautiful rivers.

August 18-20, 1955: Three terrifying days and nights still remembered with awe in the Delaware River valley. Record-breaking rainfall from hurricanes Connie and Diane abruptly ended a withering drought, but the relief was short-lived. It was soon overshadowed by terror and destruction that tore away bridges and ripped houses from their foundations.

From the rivers headwaters in the Catskills and through the Poconos, excessive runoff surged down steep slopes and through valleys on both sides of the river. Tributaries swelled unbelievably, some rising thirty feet in fifteen minutes. Eventually, they all poured into the Delaware, transforming the usually placid waters into a raging, uncontrollable beast.

Mountain resorts were inundated, leaving cars upended in swimming pools. Entire summer camps were washed away. More than 400 children were evacuated by helicopter from island camps in a tense, unprecedented operation.

In the end, nearly a hundred people were dead and hundreds more homeless. Dozens were missing, some ripped--still sleeping--from their beds in the middle of the night. Victims bodies were still being recovered thirty years latersome were never found.

Devastation on the Delaware follows the true stories of survivors and eyewitnesses to bring these events to chilling life. More than 100 historical photos and a dozen maps illustrate this narrative nonfiction account of a tragic event that changed life in the Delaware Valley forever.

Customer Reviews:

Gordon.......2007-06-10

An excellent portrayal of the effects on the entire Delaware Valley interwoven with stories of personal impacts and tragedies. Masterful research. Reads like a first person report at the time of the event.

Devastation on the Delaware: Stoires and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955.......2006-11-15

Although I was born after the flood, I visited all the high-water markers in my hometown in the Pocono Mountains and listened intently to the haunting stories told by teachers, neighbors, and family friends. I believe the author of this book has done a marvelous job recounting the days and hours leading up to the region's greatest disastser, mostly through the eyes of those who witnessed the terrible events of August 1955.
--Ben Gelber, author of "The Pennsylvania Weather Book"

Riveting account of the historic flood of August 1955 that would change life in the Poconos forever........2006-06-16

Whenever I read a book about a natural disaster I cannot help but wonder how I might react in such a situation. As the new day dawned on August 18, 1955 folks in the Delaware Valley had absolutely no reason to believe that this day would be substantially different from any other. And yet, an unlikely series of weather events would unfold over the next 72 hours that would severely test the mettle of just about everyone in the region. In "Devastation On The Delaware" author Mary Shafer chronicles the heartbreaking events of those three days in August 1955. More than one hundred people would lose their lives. Some of the victims would not be found until months or years later. And those lucky enough to survive would quickly discover that for them life would never be the same. It is hard to imagine the utter devastion that took place. Many residents lost just about everything they owned. Houses were literally torn off their foundations and ripped to shreds and two ton automobiles were tossed about like childrens toys. In many of these communities the raging waters damaged or destroyed most of the infrastructure. All along the Delaware the bridges that were vital links in the lives of so many people were laid waste and many would never be rebuilt. All over the Delaware Valley mom and pop businesses would be wiped out forever and scores of people would find themselves unemployed in the immediate aftermath as the water inundated manufacturing plants, retail stores and tourist attractions. Mary Schafer does an outstanding job of conveying the full scope of the problems and emotions these people were forced to deal with during those tumultuous days. "Devastation on the Delaware" also chronicles how government officials, private businesses and so many ordinary people managed to rise to the occasion and assist with the recovery effort. Interspersed throughout the book are dozens of gut wrenching black and white photographs that really help to illustrate the story that Mary Shafer is trying to tell. Many of these photos are from the private collections of those who lived through the tragedy but somehow had the presence of mind to record these events on film for posterity. Even though I am not from the immediate area I must say that I found "Devastation on the Delaware" to be quite compelling reading. It compares favorably to other outstanding books I have read on the subject of hurricanes such as "Sudden Sea", "Black Cloud" and "The Great Hurricane:1938". And for those who hail from the Delaware Valley this book will serve future generations as an important piece of regional history that will be a fixture in local libraries for decades to come. A wonderful book by a very gifted writer. Highly recommended!!

I lived it but still I learned more............2006-03-27

It is ironic that I read this book just prior to my 50th high school class reunion. This is a time for nostalgia and Mary Schaffer accurately portrays a sad time of our teen years.
I read the book with a map at my side, ready for quick reference. Mary provides an overview that was not available to many of us at that time. I was fascinated by her grasp of the weather conditions of that era as well as her human interest stories.
Of course I recommended this book to my peers but also to my weather wonk grandson. I want to discuss with him the unique situation when the river "stopped' in Shawnee, for example. This is a book for all ages.
One of our classmates is pictured in the book, in addition to comments from his family memebers, so this book will be a hit at our reunion. We lived the history and the author enables us to share it with others.

Outstanding, riveting read.......2006-02-11

This book does not read like a typical non-fiction book. You'll be riveted by the accounts of the flood and the people who went through it. I had a hard time putting this book down. One moment I'd be smiling and the next moment tears would come to my eyes. Mary Shafer's account of this devastating flood is exceptional.

Noah's Ark Noah's Flood (DJ and Tracker John)

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Noah's Ark Noah's Flood (DJ and Tracker John)
John Morris
Manufacturer: Master Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0890512345

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Noah and the Great Flood
Warwick Hutton
Manufacturer: Atheneum Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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ASIN: 068950098X

Hermie and Wormie in the Flood of Lies (Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends)

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Hermie and Wormie in the Flood of Lies (Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends)
Max Lucado
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 1400302870

Book Description

Taken from the intro short cartoon found at the beginning of the Flo the Lyin' Fly video and DVD, the humor and goofball comedy of Hermie and Wormie will be highly entertaining for young children. Through the hilarious antics of Hermie and Wormie, this entertaining and simple story teaches that telling the truth is what God desires us to do. Based on Max Lucado's Hermie & Friendsâ„¢ series, this engaging story is written by Troy Schmidt, and is part of the new line of products surrounding Hermie, a common caterpillar.

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If it doesn't have punctuation in the title, it's not really Faulkner
Modernist Faulkner
"The Wild Palms"--used as a meditation by Thomas Merton
Buy it, read it
A Great Introduction to Faulkner

Wild Palms
William Faulkner
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394605136
Release Date: 1984-11-12

Customer Reviews:

If it doesn't have punctuation in the title, it's not really Faulkner.......2006-12-11

I supposed this was not a major work because I hadn't heard about it before. Nope, it's major. The most popular form of this book is to rip it in half and such that Old Man is by itself as a short novel. That's really a shame. Old Man, is a rollicking story of a man swept away on the Mississippi during the flooding of New Orleans in 1927 (Hoover's deft handling of the crisis is a large part of the reason that he became president). However, the story doubles its power when it is juxtaposed with the story of two lovers flooded out of civilization by their aching need for each other. You get two uncontrollable forces of nature, both horrifiying to encounter, and both demolishing the prisons within which the protagonists of each story are previously held (let's say the medical career path of one, and actual prison for the other). A primary question in each is whether it's better to be back in the prison or not, and there's a strong case for yes in each.

Both stories are good, but what makes this spectacular is simply the fact that the experiment is attempted. Who does things like this? There's a thematic link between the stories, but it's fairly loose. However, the back and forth interspersion paces the stories perfectly. In non-stop presentation, I think the tone of either of these would be too much to take. As it is, though, this is actually a page turner. More impressively, these aren't two stories that were slapped together (a la the Golden Slumbers medley (God forgive me) or Scenes from an Italian Restaurant) but were written at the same time after a major heartbreak. There's also the greatest two word last line of any novel that I'm aware of. I won't spoil it.

This isn't a great introduction to Faulkner, but it's a fantastic example of why people who love him love him. Milan Kundera singled this one out, maybe not as a favorite, but as a book that should be more highly recognized. I couldn't agree more. Faulkner has the problem of too many masterpieces. At this stage of his career, it's hard to ignore any of them.

Modernist Faulkner.......2006-10-08

Wild Palms

This is a Faulkner must-read, but not without some problems. "Wild Palms" is as modernist a novel as anything by Virginia Woolf. The alternating stories - which seem to have no surface relationship whatsoever, is daring and artsy stuff. But does it work? The "Wild Palms" portion tells the story of two lovers, one who is married, who cast everything to the wind in order to live a bohemian life devoted to Love. I noticed one reviewer commented that theirs was a selfless love. Quite the contrary. Oh, within their bubble, Charlotte and Harry are as devoted to each other as Dante's Paolo and Francesca. And like those two, Harry and Charlotte are immolated within their own choices, their own lusts. The impact on others is never a real consideration, as they act out, with heroic resolve, their devotion - to Love. There are passages within the Wild Palms portion that are simply soaring in their beauty. It will have you recalling, A Farewell to Arms, especially the part that takes place in the Western mountains.

Old Man, which is much anthologized and thus regrettably removed from the context of this novel, in contrast to the tragic Wild Palms, is almost like low comedy - Faulkner style. There is of course powerful writing - especially the great descriptions of the Flood, that sounds like a King James appendix from Genesis. What's interesting is how the characters of Old Man are never really revealed as they are in Wild Palms. The poor convict, who shepherds the woman and her infant child along, is always having bad stuff happen to him. And he deals with it. And the woman herself, you hardly even know. She's a presence, a responsibility, a reminder if you will, of perhaps a higher order that we as humans should respond to. The two operate as archetypes more than multi-faceted characters, but archetypes have great power, as any reader of the Bible knows. On the other hand, Charlotte and Harry serve only themselves, and we are intensely aware of every shift in emotion -- and its cause. Faulkner clearly was aware of this contrast, and how you chew on it will determine what you think of the novel - and it is a novel, not just two separate stories. Faulkner links the two with Hope, as Harry makes a choice while looking through the prison bars at the end: Grief is better than nothing, which is a no-brainer for the convict of Old Man. What is also interesting is how Faulkner timed the portions. Wild Palms, which starts the book, takes place in 1937. Old Man takes place in 1927. Only ten years separates the two, but the time of Old Man is already nearly a mythic one, much like the Old Testament. The 1937 portion is hardly New Testament, and more likely an indictment from Faulkner. The modern world, with all its dehumanizing aspects, presses down and around Harry and Charlotte. There is No Exit - except the one they've sworn to as a couple. And there is something in that, however charged with Right and Wrong such a choice may be. At least Harry and Charlotte are still human. Read it.

"The Wild Palms"--used as a meditation by Thomas Merton.......2006-01-26

This book was recommended to me a few months ago by Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who died in 1968. How this happened is as follows: I was looking through some book cases in the back of a local Catholic church, when I found some audiotapes of lectures given by Thomas Merton to monks in training during the early 60's. I had read his biography, "The Seven Storey Mountain," and wanted to hear his voice and get an idea of what he was like. I listened to many of his tapes--some were good, some not so good--but one of the tapes, titled "The Deluge," was particularly interesting to me. It discussed how the monks could use the writings of William Faulkner as inspiration for meditation on the eternal Truths of the human condition. Most of Merton's discussion was about Faulkner's book "The Wild Palms." I recommend Merton's tape "The Deluge" for those who want an interesting perspective about this book.

As for my comments about this book, I believe it is one of the most pro-life books I have ever read, particularly with its theme of abortion in "Wild Palms" contrasted with the theme of the birth of a thriving infant during the flood in "The Old Man." Also, this book shows that you never know where you will encounter virtue. The convict displays great virtue in "The Old Man" while the modern, educated people in "Wild Palms" show an obvious lack of it.

In summary, if you liked "The Wild Palms," you should listen to Merton's tape, "The Deluge." You can probably still get this through the Merton Society.

Buy it, read it.......2004-10-08

This is the 4th or 5th Faulkner novel I've read. I think it should be better known. The tile of the novel is important, The Wild Palms: [If I FORGET Thee, Jerusalem]. Memory is an important theme of the novel. Pay attention to it. "The Wild Palms" is a New Testament parable, of sorts. The other novella, "Old Man," is an Old Testament parable. Escape is an important theme. Wilbourne (=Will Born, Still Born) and Charlotte travel to New Orleans, San Antonio, Chicago, etc. trying to escape. From what? From whom? On the flip side, the convict can't escape, he's a convict. But he gets an opportunity to escape in the big flood (Noah) but doesn't. Why doesn't he try to escape? Charlotte should be compared to the woman with child the convict "saves" in the flood. Abortion is a theme. Mysogony may also be a theme. Is it? Willbourne is weak, Charlotte is strong. The convict is stupid--his girlfriend, is she smart, in a calculating way? In the end, is Faulkner obliquely saying the wrong people "hooked up," that Willbourne should have ideally met the woman who has the baby, and the convict should have met Charlotte, who in the beginning of the novel just want to "escape" with Willbourne?

If you keep the above points in mind as you read the novel, perhaps it will draw you in, then you too can drown in the flood of myriad meanings and multiplicity of inferences. Overall, a good, if not great novel. Dark, brooding, nihilistic--very tasty, though! Enjoy!!

A Great Introduction to Faulkner.......2002-07-08

I love this guy Faulkner. I read another half chapter of The Wild Palms on the train.
Never read anything by him before.

Faulkner's characters don't sit around and examine their navel. They just Do. Yes act on their passions they Do. His characters are not beautiful people. They have scars, injuries, poverty, depraved morals, injustices, suffering upon suffering. What makes the Wild Palms beautiful is the passion of people living life right on the bone.

A married woman is planning on abandoning her husband and two kids and running away with another man. The other man asks her what about her two kids. On page 41, she answers, "I know the answer to that and I know that I cant change that answer and I dont think I can change me because the second time I ever saw you I learned what I had read in books but I never had actually believed: that love and suffering are the same thing and that the value of love is the sum of what you have to pay for it and anytime you get it cheap you have cheated yourself." No Catholic saint-mystic ever said it better. Pretty good for a crazy Protestant drunk.

You hear talk about stream-of consciousness with James Joyce and Jack Kerouac and so on. This guy Faulkner captures the way our minds think and our mouths talk more realistically than anybody.

Of Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor said, "Nobody wants his mule and wagon stalled on the same track when the Dixie Limited is roaring down."

Something about this book reminds me of the Stephen King material set in the south, the Southern-ness of it and the same kind of characters.

The omniscient author technique is frowned on in serious, modern literature. I don't knw if this aesthetic rule post-dates Faulkner, but he uses it to no ill effect. There's very little difference between when a character is speaking and Faulkner is speaking. It gives the effect of us reading the characters thoughts rather than Faulkner telling us what they are. It works perfectly.

Few to none of the characters in any of the standard, best-seller type books have any inner life. When most of the authors try it, they are quite pathetic at it. I suppose that's because the authors have no inner life themselves. Faulkner does not show us the inner life of any of his characters either. However, as Faulker presents his characters, the reader induces their inner drives from their actions. It works very, very well. Stephen King's characters are like this also.

Stephen King by the way is very steeped in American literary tradition. Essentially, he's New England gothic. He is to Nathaniel Hawthorne what the Frankenstein, the monster, is to Dr. Frankenstein. King is clothed in Hawthorne, bathed in Faulkner and inebriated with Poe. To look at the connection further, I suggest you read the short stories of Hawthorne.

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