Water Hole Waiting

Book Description

It's a hot day on the savanna. The sun sizzles, bristles, and bakes. A young monkey wants to drink at the water hole.

But wait!

Blocking the way are irritable hippos, sharphoofed zebras, a toothy lion, huge elephants, and a lurking crocodile. Will Monkey ever get to taste cool water? Why is waiting so hard?

Customer Reviews:

Stunning illustrations, rich language, great image of Africa.......2006-12-14

As a homeschooler I've twice taken 2nd grade children through a study of Africa. This book is my favorite. The language consistently uses the richest verbs in a gentle poetry that transports the reader to the site: "Morning slinks onto the savanna and licks up the night shadows..." The illustrations are gorgeous. And the content includes all the relevent animals of the savanna and puts into perspective how they are all living together -- even as some are predators and some are prey. An authors note at the end puts this fictional story into context and explains what is fiction and what is true in the story. I think this book is fantastic for any read-aloud, even if you aren't "studying" Africa. It is a beautiful piece of children's picture book literature.

And not a drop to drink.......2005-04-14

Heaven knows why water holes are such a never ending source of potential picture book plotting. Yet year after year some of the best children's books out there concentrate on those large bodies of water available to the animals of the savanna. This is the case with Graeme Base's remarkable, "The Water Hole" and Bob Graham's touching, "Tales From the Waterhole". Added to the mix is "Water Hole Waiting" by authorial super duo Jane and Christopher Kurtz. Of the aforementioned books, this is the one you'll want to go to if you actually want some factual information to go along with your watering studies. Adept with a peppy rhyming text and some lovingly wielded pastels, the book's a fine addition to any child's water-hole-centric personal library.

In the hot morning sun a young monkey is parched and longs to slake his thirst at the nearest watery hole. However, his ever alert mama is quick to grab ahold of her restless charge, especially when he's about to run into some dangerous animals. A quick grab to his arms saves him from "Hippo's yawning jaws". A paw to the ear and he's not crushed under, "sharp hooves and quick kicks". Catching ahold of his tale saves him from a lion, "who crouches close and lip-laps water between razor teeth". And so on. By the end of the day our little monkey is warier, but able to drink deeply with his fellow monkeys after all the other animals have had their share.

The Kurtzes include a lovely little author's note at the back of the book detailing their own personal experiences in the bush. They mention that the vervet monkeys (shown in this book) have a different warning call for each potential threat. Also, water holes like the one shown here usually do serve animals that "take turns". The Kurtz even suggest the website www.AfriCam.com for kids who want to see real water holes. I did find myself wishing that this book had shown the monkeys and their different calls, but even without that fascinating tidbit the book is still a lovely read. The pictures are bright and lovely, so thanks goes to illustrator Lee Christiansen. One hopes to see more of Christiansen's work in picture books to come.

If you've been trying to find just the right way to introduce kids to the animals and landscape of the East African savanna, this may be a delightful choice. To be honest, I personally prefer the aforementioned "The Water Hole" by Graeme Base, but this is a lovely accompaniment to it. Recommended for all those impatient little monkeys out there.

Don't wait to read this!.......2002-06-03

This beautifully illustrated book is outstanding. I shared it with children in grades K-5 at my school and it was enjoyed by all. The language is lyrical, expressive, rhythmic. We savored each page and I was asked to read it again. Jane Kurtz has given us yet another wonderful book.

Average customer rating:

Not bad
Waiting for Fidel
Pretty Good.... BUT......
not bad..... but
Viva Cuba

Waiting for Fidel
Christopher Hunt
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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This is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives

ASIN: 0395868866

Amazon.com

When Fidel Castro was barred from the U.N. 50th-anniversary parties and fun, Christopher Hunt's curiosity was piqued. He decided to spend a winter in Cuba, avoid New York's icy misery, practice his Spanish, absorb some Cuban culture, and maybe even meet Fidel. In the time-honored tradition of great travelogues, everything goes wrong and everything goes right. He finds wonderful people while trying to meet Castro (including the man who played Grandpa Munster on the 1960s television show, The Munsters), and sees a lot of Cuba, from Havana alleys to resort beaches to the mountains that sheltered Castro and his band of rebels years ago. Some questions get resolved, while unanswerable Cuban quandaries take their place, such as how Cubans balance fear, hunger, passion, and hope in a country of food shortages, endless lines, and police surveillance. Hunt's finely rendered account of four months in Cuba whets the appetite for more about Cuba and more penned by Hunt.

Book Description

The New York Times says, "Christopher Hunt makes a lively travel companion." This time he has set his sights on Cuba, where crumbling but elegant facades overlook shady street activities, where vintage Ford Fairlanes rumble past Soviet Ladas in the fast lanes of eerily deserted boulevards, and where an aging Fidel Castro is struggling to maintain his grip on a population yearning for aire libre -or at least Air Jordans. When an inquisitive and mischievous American lands in Cuba and begins asking, "Where's Fidel?" the answers take him from Havana's squalid alleys to its steamy nightclubs, from its endless expanses of sugar cane to the craggy peaks that once sheltered the bearded dictator. Will Hunt find his man? An original Mariner paperback.

Customer Reviews:

Not bad.......2002-11-13

Like other reviewers, I struggled at times with this book. It's easy reading, but drags in the middle by getting bogged down in historical recounting. Having said that, you do get a sense of what it is like to live in Cuba, so I definitely think it is worthwhile to push through this one. I also wish Hunt had been less innocent and made different choices at times.

Waiting for Fidel.......2001-09-24

Wonderful, descriptive account of the author traveling "Cuban Style" throughout Cuba in an attempt to meet Fidel Castro. Great perspective of the way of life.

Pretty Good.... BUT.............2001-08-24

I appreciated that this book was written by a regular person--that is, nonpolitical with no propaganda to try to sell us (none that I could ascertain). That said, I felt like Mr. Hunt, throughout his adventures in Cuba, was in some form of denial. Whatever he thinks of Castro's personality is his own business, but I found it disturbing that even though every single person he met (including those who were still "believers") admitted to how much harder life was because of Castro and his failed revolutionary experiment, he still managed to make statements like "Fidel has championed poverty." I would understand such ignorance from someone who's never been to Cuba, but from someone who met poverty at every corner? It's unforgiveable. I read the book out of curiousity to see what Cubans had to say, and in that aspect I was not surprised. Hunt does a good job by letting them speak for themselves, and some of his interpretations are pretty insightful. I thought he was on the mark when he described the creativity and strong spirit generally possessed by Cubans, as well as their generousity. But I am not convinced that he looked very deeply. In his shoes it's easy to be optimistic and admire Castro, but I think he did the Cubans he met little service by second-guessing their opinions of their country's situation. I suspect that his perception of how "good" things are in Cuba has a lot to do with his lack of knowledge of what Cuba was like before 1959. In terms of poverty and human rights that may have been bad, but this is worse. What an error in judgement to think that a charismatic leader equals a good one.

not bad..... but.......2001-05-20

i do recomend it to any objective minded person interested in Cuba. But I would caution the reader. First of all the author spent all his time with who ever happened to approach him in his hitching-hiking journey. Could you imagine the view of the USA you might get from a similar sampling technique? Say on a greyhound journey? yikes! The actions of his aquaintences contradict their statements time and time again. He doesn't bother to point out. His unforgivable omission however, is that he never asks the real question of his discontent interviewees. That is, what do they think is the solution to Cuba's problems. That said, I still recomend reading it.

Viva Cuba.......2001-03-29

I found Waiting for Fidel to be informative and humorous. This is great "light reading" about Cuban life. I enjoyed how the author shared his experiences with everyday Cubans. Also the fact that he didn't travel in Cuba as a regular tourist would , but as an everyday citizen. I would have gave the book 5 stars , but the author was too clean-cut for my taste and if he had more "close calls" or hair raising stories. Overall: Buy the Book!

The Prince in Waiting (The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy)

Average customer rating:

A decent beginning for an uneven series
Not as good as the Tripods but still interesting
The trilogy starts bravely, but the last book craters ...
A Royal Story With A Difference
IMPATIENCE IN THE MEDIEVAL FUTURE

The Prince in Waiting (The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy)
John Christopher
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0020425732

Customer Reviews:

A decent beginning for an uneven series.......2003-11-08

The first book in the Sword of the Spirits trilogy, which is IMO stronger than the more famous Tripods series--better concept, better (particularly female) characters, better plot twists--but, paradoxically, no single book in this trilogy is as strong as the individual books in that series. It really feels like the author had an excellent idea, got it two-thirds of the way figured out, and went with the incomplete result. Go ahead and read the series, but be prepared for the high point coming from book two, not the ending.

Not as good as the Tripods but still interesting.......2001-12-05

Of course, one can't help but compare this trilogy to the author's more famous Tripods trilogy and yes, the trilogy this book belongs to (The Swords of the Spirits) does fall short. But having said that, I enjoyed reading about this much darker, less hopeful world, where politics and personal gain rule the lives of the protagonists. Our main character, though young, must combat enemies and keep his wits about him. A future where men live to fight and women are clearly in a secondary role (well at least the author included a few women here, in Tripods, there were hardly any mentioned and barely worth remembering) seems pretty backward to me but then again it is a apocalyptic future. I'm looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.

The trilogy starts bravely, but the last book craters ..........2000-06-12

For 1972 it isn't bad, but the downsided ending offerring only the hope of commercial conquest and a rather trite "I shall have no son" (because I am a twit) for the conclusion, brings it to a sorry close.

The series either needs a fourth book or a rewrite of the ending with a better editor.

A Royal Story With A Difference.......1999-12-03

The Disaster had destroyed so much of the world. Volcanoes and earthquakes brought civilization crashing down into ruins and permanently changed the planet. The survivors blamed this on the machines. Now people live in separate medieval communities, worship Spirits and despise technology. Anyone caught with a machine of any kind is killed.

In Winchester, young Luke Perry is named Prince in Waiting by the Seers. Luke tells a tale of treachury, murder, and intrigue. The Seers have chosen Luke for a special mission...

This is a good story about friendship, loyalty, suspicion, pride and belief. John Christopher writes about a superstitious society of the future in a style that makes readers want to turn the page.

IMPATIENCE IN THE MEDIEVAL FUTURE.......1998-04-14

Very good read, but not on a par with Christopher's TRIPODS series. Perhaps the sense of urgency is lost because so much time elapses in this book, instead of the plot pursuing its course remorselessly day after day. But John Christopher fans will want to complete this futuristic series set in a medieval England.

Thirteen-year-old Luke Perry, the son of a commoner (promoted to Captain) hears a prophecy of the Seers (priests of the Spirits) that he will become the next Prince-in-Waiting for the city of Winchester. But treachery from enemies, friends and even his own family stalk him as he impatiently waits to come into his own. Besides, Luke is confused about the very existence of the Spirits; he wants to scoff and deny this national religion, but their prophecy suits his ambition perfectly. Does a young teenager possess the intelligence, wisdom and skill to defeat adult rivals for the throne?

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The Real Heart And Soul Of Burma

Waiting for the Lady
Christopher G. Moore
Manufacturer: Heaven Lake Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9749075560

Book Description

Waiting for the Lady is a vivid novel of political and personal intrigue that draws on the rough and tumble of Burmese history and the author's fabled knowledge of the region. It is full of passion and heartache, laced with an intimate understanding of Southeast Asia's human and physical geography.

Customer Reviews:

The Real Heart And Soul Of Burma.......2005-03-18

I have been a diehard fan of Chris Moore since 1992 and that love never dies, particularly when you have the intellectual pleasure of reading something as striking as Waiting for the Lay. I think that even though it's not quite the same as a Vinnie Calvino PI novel or the Smiles trilogy, it's still one of his best books.
I've also never encountered one of Chris' novels where the story is done in first-person narrative but in this case, it works quite well as far as I'm concerned.
I have to admit that Patricia Naylor's commentary wasn't too pleasing because I think in many ways, she missed the entire point of the main character being the way he is. Is he a questionable, none-too-successful American expat living in Bangkok who might not necessarily be your best friend? Of course he is but that's what I think helps to make this tale unfold so beautifully--he's a hero who isn't and the time in Burma matures him greatly. No, he's no Vinnie Calvino or the expats living at the Thermae but that's half the appeal, liking a man you normally wouldn't like.
Then too, I guess Patricia must have seen a different Burma than what I encounter in Tachilek every time I do a visa run from Chiang Mai. Yes, indeed, the Burmese people are beautiful people who do their best to be open with you but I think Patricia has missed the grim reality that Burma is one of the most repressive hellholes on the planet and this is through the direction of such organizations as SLORC which cheerfully torture, rape, imprison, kill or use "inferiors" to step ahead of the army troops to "find" landmines along the borderlines and within the Golden Triangle. That's the Burma I know and I honestly feel Chris has covered it as truthfully as he can while still staying within the parameters of the story itself.
It's because of his skills that you get the story that hooks you on Page 1 and carries you through to the end. I reccomend this book to anyone who wants a revealing glimpse into Burma (it shall never be Myanmar to me unless Aung San Su Kyi wishes that herself as the legally-elected ruler of this country) as well as characterizations that may upset you but I promise will never bore you.

Average customer rating:

Tender and Realistic.
Still Waiting
A HOPE FOR MY LITTLE BROTHER
Acting on Impulse
A story of courage

Waiting for Christopher
Louise Hawes
Manufacturer: Backinprint.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 059539082X

Book Description

New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age
Girls' Life Magazine, Ten Best Summer Reads
Featured in Teen Discussion Groups @ the Library

“…flowing prose and vivid characterization…Hawes deliverers a rewarding read.”
— Publishers Weekly

“…behind the kidnapping drama, Hawes' eloquent words reveal complex truths of family love and sorrow.”
— Booklist

“Hawes is excellent on the day-to-day difficulties of caring for a toddler, especially in secret…”
— Washington Post

“Hawes deals poignantly with loss and longing in a novel that is full of disappointment and heartbreak but that in the end offers hope.”
— The Horn Book

Customer Reviews:

Tender and Realistic........2005-07-29

When Feena Harvey sees a little boy being abused by his mother, she 'rescues' him from her. Soon, she is hiding out with this little boy, named Christopher, with help from the most popular girl in school, Raylene Watson. Througout the course of this book, Feena stuggles with the difficulties all parents face, her relationship with her own mother, and the idea of right vs. wrong. Feena and Raylene's situation is not the every-day kind of things everyone faces, but still plausible. 'Waiting for Christopher' gives a realistic portrayal of child abuse. While the ending is sad, it, again, strikes as true-to-life. The friendship between the two girls is very well thought out. I can relate to Feena's feelings towards Ray before they became friends, and Feena's amazement afterwards, that Raylene would actually WANT to be friends, is perfectly believeable. Overall, 'Waiting for Christopher' is a touching story without being overly sappy, and a very good read.

Still Waiting.......2005-02-04

"Waiting For Christopher" is a good book in its own way, but really didn't really stick out to me. The fact that it made me cry within the first 10 pages kind of turned me off to it. It is not badly written, but it lacks a way to grab the reader in and keep them intrigued. Also, the ending of the novel was just too depressing for me. All-in-all, it was a good book with an okay storyline.

A HOPE FOR MY LITTLE BROTHER.......2003-10-13

Being the third child of my eight sibling family, I found this story to be a very inspirational one to me. Waiting for Christopher is a story of how a young girl by the name of Feena Harvey had a very close relationship with her baby brother Christopher whom many call Christy. Like all the big brothers and big sisters in the world, we feel honored to have a younger sibling look up to us, listen, and follow us. Feena was like that, but even a better big young sister. She was four years old and at first she couldn't understand why her brother always had shirts that would say "U.S. Breathing Team". Yet, Feena's joy of enjoying her little brother soon vanished for her little brother dies and she never understood why. Little Christopher died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) which at time was incurable and unstoppable. For everyone it's painful to loose a love relative but for a 4 year old it was confusing, for she had no idea how to take him out of the underground and play with him. Feena's family moves to Florida from her hometown Connecticut where all her memories of Christopher stayed behind. Yet, at her new home every one hopes to start a new and fresh. As a 14 year old in Connecticut she feels lonely and lost. Soon she witnesses and discovers that a toddler is being abuse from he's mother at an amusement park. To Feena's surprise he's name is Christopher. Having lost her little brother, she feels as if this is a time to save this young baby from dying. In a way Feena feels she will bring back Christy. One day when the toddler's mother abandons him at the amusement park Feena takes him and cares for him very secretly without telling anyone including her parent's. Yet, she doesn't act alone she has a friend named, Raylene who is with her throughout the journey. Her feelings towards this act of kindness begin to trouble the 14 year old. She no longer knows what right from wrong. Soon she realizes that her actions could be called two things: a hero or a kidnaper. This is a very inspirational story of a 14 year old, which has guilt for the lost of her little brother. Yet, feels she can take that guilt away by saving another little baby's life since she couldn't save her own little brothers. My feelings are strongly of this book and I highly recommend this book to all the Big brothers and sisters out there. Most of all one must read this book to understand the point of view of this young girl who seems to be caught up in confusion.

Acting on Impulse.......2003-06-28

It is quite common for children to see things in black and white terms and not worry about the details caught up in the shades of gray. In the book, Waiting for Christopher, the main character, Feena Harvey, a high school student who doesn't quite fit in, decides to act. She sees a young boy named Christopher being physically and emotionally abused by his mother. When Christopher's mother seemingly abandons the young toddler in the parking lot of a small amusement park, Feena doesn't consider the shades of gray or what can happen to her, she acts. Feena "kidnaps" Christopher and begins to secretly take care of him. Feena immediately recognizes that this young boy shares the name of her deceased brother, whom, she has never been able to grieve for.

Feena has never had many friends, and books are her constant companion, but after a mishap involving a young, popular, African American student in her school, Raylene, she thinks she may have met someone that shares her love for reading. After finding Raylene's copy of a book by Zora Neale Hurston, Feena decides keeping the book and reading it will be much less embarrassing than trying to return it. After kidnapping Christopher, Raylene and Feena form an unlikely bond of friendship and the two young teens try to care for the boy as best they can and protect him from his mother.

This is an emotional book that really sheds light on some of the complexities of child abuse and neglect. It was about two brave girls who made countless sacrifices to protect a child that they felt adults would not. It is also a story about friendship, as the two get to know each other they learn that in spite of their cultural differences they share a lot in common. This is a touching story that reminds us that sometimes we have to deal with what is in front of us and not worry about the shades of gray.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay of
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A story of courage.......2002-12-02

Teenage Feena sees a small child being abused by his mother. With no thought for the consequences to herself, she rescues him. But oops -- in the eyes of the world, this is called kidnapping. Now what? Louise Hawes tells us what, in a story that is subtle, nuanced and achingly plausible. Before it is over, Feena confronts: 1) the day-to-day worries every mom knows, 2) some frightening insights about herself, 3) an adult world with a skewed idea of right and wrong, and 4) her own powerlessness in the big, bad world. The story ends ambiguously, but as it must. This will give teen readers plenty of material for probing thought and discussion.

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The Prince In Waiting
John Christopher
Manufacturer: MacMillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Sword of the Spirits (Sword of the Spirits Trilogy)

ASIN: 0027184102

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The Prince in Waiting
John Christopher
Manufacturer: The Macmillian Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OO9XVY

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Waiting for It
Christopher Davis
Manufacturer: Backinprint.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

"Occasionally a book is published which should be published not because of its potential sales but because of the importance of the questions it raises: this is such a book ... a book that leaves the reader questioning his own innocence or guilt in allowing a fellow human being to be killed."

Book Description

Heaven Lake Press, Trade paperback edition (2004) ISBN:9749218612 Binding is quality trade paperback. New condition. 6" - 9 1/4" tall. Publisher's inventory.

Customer Reviews:

An Author Who Captures the Essence of Asia through the Eyes of an Ex-Pat.......2005-08-07

Christopher G. Moore is a writer of immense talent and though he is not well known in this country, if he continues writing novels as rich in intrigue and atmosphere as WAITING FOR THE LADY, his moment will come. Writing in the vein of W. Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway, and a dollop of Joseph Conrad and DH Lawrence (to mention the first that come to mind!), Moore knows how to sculpt a tale of intrigue while informing his reader about strange and exotic places and the turbulent histories that influence his choice of story line.

Sloan and Hart are two longtime artist friends living in Thailand who stumble on a series of photographs associated with a dying promise that the photographs will be returned to the mysterious lady captured in an odd way. They two have co-authored (Sloan as a photographer, art as a writer) a book on the Chin people of Burma, a group of people known mostly for their tradition of tattooing the faces of the women with spider-like tattoos), and all indications point toward re-visiting their old haunts. The two travel to Myanmar (as Burma is called today), encounter old acquaintances who offer clues as to where their trek will best follow, and soon they are joined by Sarah - a woman writing her PhD on the tattoo symbolism of the Chin people! Sloan and Hart are also motivated on this trip to uncover Ming china, a source of potential fortune for these worldly guys. How the history of Myanmar influences their journey and leads the threesome into bizarre circumstance is the mode of intrigue and page-turning story that results.

Moore is at his best in creating situations and atmospheres and writing with an eloquent style: "Nothing is fixed in the past or the present. What we call actual emerges from a fog of many possibilities. Until we observe an event, the forces are fluid, everywhere at once, neither here nor there, diffused and open-ended. It is only afterwards that the witness gathers evidence and only then can anyone say that the event ever happened in precisely that way." If Moore has a flaw that could bear correcting it is in his tendency to become sidetracked by either words or events or tangential information that at times stops the story's propulsion.

This is a fascinating read, one that educates as well as entertains. When Moore elects to be comedic, he does so with aplomb, much in the way Shakespeare used comic relief to allow his audiences time to breathe from the dramas. Christopher G. Moore has written 18 books and if they all approach the quality of this novel, then he most assuredly deserves a wide audience in the USA. Where are the readers from the film studios scouting for terrific ideas for adventure films......? Grady Harp, August 05

unusual mystery.......2005-05-06

Rebeccasreads highly recommends WAITING FOR THE LADY as a hot & sweaty introduction to Christopher G. Moore's supercharged tales of smuggling, politics, sex & mayhem in Southeast Asia.

WAITING FOR THE LADY is enigmatic, often lyrical & a gripping read! High (if not noble) adventure in an exotic land!

& if you like it, do check out all his other books -- he's a writer with far too little exposure in the Western World.

Another winner....................2005-01-06

I have to admit Christopher G Moore is my favourite contemporary writer. "Waiting for the Lady" was a slight departure from my previous experience of his work both in terms of characters and locations. However it was certainly no disappointment for that. As always there is a bitter-sweet edge to the narrative but the charm for me of this book, as with his whole body of work is the insight into the minds and the culture of South East Asia.

"Waiting for the Lady" goes a little further than Moores other work in exploring the dark side of the region and in particular the politics. It is not a polemic. It uses the political backdrop as the background for a very good yarn which adds to the tension and emotion.

Moore's work follows a tradition of writers such as Hemingway and Greene. It works on different levels. "Waiting for the Lady" does the same. It is political but not overtly. It describes the psyche and the soul of the place and those who inhabit it but again in a subtle way, as a means of context setting. Above all though it is a great read.

Anyone with a sense of adventure and an empathy for this part of the world will I am sure find this book enthralling.

The Wait is Over.......2004-09-10

If you are looking for a standard contemporary history of Myamar (Burma) you should look elsewhere. But, if you are interested in Asia and the souls, some of them lost, who populate the region "Waiting for the Lady" is the book for you.
Mr. Moore works on a very large canvas splashed with laughter and tears. His landscape draws on the political intrigue that contiunes to swirl around Myamar's pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. But the book is more. It deals with the poignant memories of the Pacific War that remain at best just below the surface throughout most of Asia, and is peopled by a cast of characters running the gamut from a newlywed Burmese couple who can't keep their hands off of each other, to a blind fortune teller, to haplass smugglers, to military intelligence goons, to folks in the countryside just trying to cope in a poor country run by a repressive regime, to a mysterious young tattooed woman who holds the key to long unanswered questions who just happens to make her first appearance in a long-lost photograph. That Mr. Moore's narrator and his best friend are both Bangkok-based expats trying to keep their heads above the proverbial klong water, financially and morally, only spices up the tale.
In "Waiting for the Lady" Mr. Moore has offered up a unique snapshot of not only a country little known and understood in much of the world, but also a richly emotional look at its people.
Mr. Moore's knowledge of the region and that that he is not afraid to take chances, and pull no punches, when dealing with cultural and social challenges richly rewards the reader. As Mr. Moore has shown in his numerous previous books, he is a literary novelist who disguises his art as entertainment. A ruse that works well.
Put down the history books and socio-political studies and pick up a copy of "Waiting for the Lady". Those who know Asia will nod their heads in agreement. Those who don't may be surprised. For all it is a very good, and enjoyable, read.

An enormous disappointment.......2004-03-15

I bought Waiting for the Lady after having heard Mr. Moore speak about his novel on CBC radio. I thought he had a special knowledge of Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi, and looked forward to reading a novel set in this time and place, and featuring this lady. I hoped that it would capture some of the magic that this country holds for me, and that it would provide new insights into what Suu Kyi's release might mean.

Instead I got a novel about a trip to Burma taken by an ageing ex-pat American living in Thailand, Sloan Walcott. He has an adolescent mentality, interested in only his own wants, which seem to be drinking Tiger beer, smoking `a fat one' (how many times did he mention his indulgence in these activities?), and fulfilling his sexual desires either in reality -- he has a girlfriend as well as a wife, or in fantasy -- he never misses an opportunity to use a sexual metaphor or simile, while some of his characters seem to be introduced just so he can recount some aspect of their sexual behaviour. He tosses beer cans into the street, ostensibly as his protest against the government's repressive rule. He bullies the weak, and in Burma, many of the people he interacts with are without power. His dialogue vocabulary relies heavily on the `f' word.

It was difficult to establish anything but dislike for this man, and since it's told in the first person, reading the book through was rather like being held captive by a insufferable bore, who continues to fatigue his audience with stories of his own boorish behaviour. Many of the incidents seem to have been included to pad out the book to its 342 pages; they are essentially unrelated to plot or character development and not very interesting. The other major characters, a friend Sloan takes to Burma with him and a woman they meet there, are barely more than one dimensional.

Moore's depiction of Burma is that of a sordid, dirty country with little attractiveness. The people he presents are dull witted and untrustworthy. I have visited Burma several times. It is a fascinating country still mostly unspoiled by Western cultural invasion; there is great beauty there and the people are gracious and generous.

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