Unafraid: Mary (Lineage of Grace)

Book Description

Mary is one of the most revered women in history, but she was an ordinary woman striving to please God in the same way that women still do today. Readers are sure to gain a new appreciation of the familiar story through Francine's signature style. A study on the biblical text is included for personal or group study.

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Customer Reviews:

Some of River's Best Work.......2007-01-17

I've not read all of the Christian fiction books written by Francine Rivers, but of the dozen or so books that I have read, I believe this is her best work, not necessarily from a literary standpoint, but rather from a Christian one. UNAFRAID, which examines the life of Mary, is the last in a five part Lineage of Grace series where Rivers examines the lives of five remarkable women chosen by God for the lineage of our Lord.

The first half of this book is as much about Joseph and his dedicated faith as it is about Mary, but the second half occurs after Joseph's death and focuses almost entirely on some of what Mary must have endured being chosen by God to bare the Messiah.

I don't know if it was River's intention to so accurately present many of the lessons Mary would have to come to terms with in her life, but she presents them flawlessly. For example, we see as Mary somewhat grudgingly comes to know that Jesus is not her son, but rather is and has always been, the Son of God. Through her other children, she learns to accept that Jesus is not the person He is because of who and what Mary and Joseph were, but rather because of what God is.

At Joseph's death, we see Jesus display His knowledge of the contrast between the treasure of His deity and the sacrifice of its function. We see Mary struggle to understand and come to terms with the hypostatic union of the God-Man, not yet understanding that the Incarnate Christ had to limit his omnipotence in order to submit His will to the will of God the Father.

Most interesting here is that Rivers never fails to show Mary's position as a mother to her children. Rivers doesn't attempt to show Mary as supreme being, giving equally to all her children, but rather openly shows her partiality to what she knows, and hastens to expose, as the Messiah. What mother wouldn't hold this child in highest regard over mere human children with their constant displays of negative volition?

This has been an exceptional series of stories and this one in particular has been most enjoyable. My only disappointment here lies in the brevity. All of these novellas in this series are limited to less than 200 pages. They could have easily been twice that. Nonetheless, the brevity makes this a great "snow day" read.

Pastor Monty Rainey

quick delivery.......2007-01-14

good where delivered quickly but CDs where not clear at the end,,(both disc 1 and 2 scratch)

Mary- A Very Blessed Woman.......2006-03-09

Although I loved all the books in this series, this one was my favorite. About 2/3rds of the book is set prior to Jesus' public ministry, which was fascinating to read about.

Mary is portrayed as a woman who loves God and is devoted to him. Her faith and trust are evident as she is "unafraid" of the scandal it could cause by being pregnant prior to marriage with Joseph. Hardships of traveling to Bethlehem nine months pregnant and giving birth in a cave are well covered. The book also demonstrates Joseph and Mary's faith they had at following God's will, such as getting up and leaving their home and business for Egypt in the middle of the night.

The author did an excellent job portraying Jesus' life as a young boy. One who is without sin. It was interesting how the author contrasted the differences between Jesus and his younger siblings. Jesus lived to please and do the will of his heavenly Father while his siblings lived to please and bring attention to themselves. You can't help but falling in love with this young Jesus. Can you imagine raising a child who never sins ?!?

Joseph is portrayed as a Godly husband and father, who spends much time going over scripture and teaching young Jesus. It seems so accurate that God would have chosen a Godly man to be Jesus' earthly father while growing up.

Jesus' public ministry was condensed, much focused on the crucifixion and resurrection. The assumed thoughts, feelings and confusion Mary experienced during the crucifixion and joy at the realization of the implications of the resurrection was very well done. The purpose of Jesus' death and resurrection are explained very well.

Without exception Mary is portrayed as a godly woman. One who was greatly blessed to be honored with the privilege of birthing and raising the Christ. She is also portrayed as very human, a sinner in need of a savior.

The bible tells us to worship and trust in Jesus Christ alone. He is our Savior and through Him is the only way we can gain access to the Father and to heaven. The bible instructs us pray "in Jesus' name" when making our requests known to God.

Unfortunately many people view Mary as a deity and worship & pray to her in addition to or instead of Christ. God's Word is clear that He wants us to focus on Christ and worship him alone. Mary was truly a blessed woman and had a very high calling in life. However, no where in the bible does it tell us to worship her. To worship any human, no matter how Godly, is idolatry. Francine Rivers accurately portrays this truth in her book.

A Fresh Look at Mary.......2005-12-23

This is the final book a series of novellas looking at the women mentioned in Jesus' genealogy. This book tells the story of Mary, Jesus' mother.

Mary is a just engaged woman of fifteen when the angel appears and tells her she will bare the Messiah. Her life is immediately turned upside down as Joseph, her husband to be, almost refuses to marry her. A trip to Bethlehem follows their marriage, then a flight to Egypt to escape the murderous wrath of King Herod. Eventually, they return to Nazareth, but the warm welcome Mary expects doesn't come. Too many people still believe the whispers surrounding Jesus' birth. Surely they will believe once Jesus reveals himself as Messiah.

But as Jesus grows into a man, Mary continues to be frustrated by His inaction. Further frustrating Mary, her other children refuse to believe her stories about Jesus. Will her dreams for Jesus ever be fulfilled?

This is an interesting look at Mary. Several times, her insistence that Jesus behave the way she wanted made me uncomfortable. Joseph actually comes out much stronger in this book then Mary does as he recognizes Jesus' ultimate destiny early in the story. Still, I had never really looked at the events of the Bible from Mary's eyes before, and I found her attitudes believable. Being fiction, this is obviously one woman's perspective, but it is one that will make you stop and think about our own attitudes toward God.

The story suffers from trying to cover too much time. In 173 small pages, the author tries to tell Mary's story from birth to death. While most of the story does deal with Jesus's time on earth, some scenes that show potential are rushed, making the first half hard to get into. Part of this is the writing style, which seems a little distant from the action. The climax, however, is powerful, and I was crying so hard it was almost impossible to read. Most interesting is the last chapter, where the author issues a very harsh rebuke to those who worship Mary.

The book needed a better focus to best explore the character of Mary. Even with the flaws, this book is worth reading and will make the reader look at the Biblical figure in a fresh new light.

Mary mother of Jesus!.......2003-05-18

This was a very good book and a fast reading. I never was really much into religion and to me Jesus had seem more friendly then Mary, I don't know why? Maybe it's because when I was young I saw a movie about Jesus and Mary seem to severe but in this book Mary seem like any other women and now I see her more friendly and she's the one who bring me back to believe more in God. After reading this book I became more interested also about the old and new bible. I sure understand her to feel upset and sad when Jesus said, "Who is my mother, who are my brothers?" You can very well feel Mary pain and confusion about all that. She said often, "God I am sorry to think he his my son, he his yours." I was thinking, no Mary you got every right to feel bad and upset. The book keep saying the same things, I would had put less stars but I think it deserve a 4 because it was a fast reading, you know more about Mary and she bring back my faith in god. Mary is like any other human and to me now she seem more real!

Unveiled: Tamar (Lineage of Grace, Number 1)

Average customer rating:

Tamar brought to life
Excellent book...
A few thoughts on Tamar
A must read for those who love the Old Testament stories!
Bible characters and Old Testament practices

Unveiled: Tamar (Lineage of Grace, Number 1)
Francine Rivers
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0842319476

Amazon.com

Her name meant "date palm," and like her namesake, Tamar hoped to survive the harsh environment she was placed in: to bend but not to break. Rubbed with scented oil and arrayed in wedding finery, 14-year-old Tamar is thrust into a world of abuse, betrayal, and disillusionment when she is given in marriage to an evil, idol-worshiping man. In the face of her suffering, she must make choices: Will she let her new husband, Er, destroy her innocence and corrupt her? Will she leave the religion of the Canaanites and embrace the God of the Hebrews despite the life of misery she is cast into? Or will she fall into despair and become as wicked as her husband and his brothers?

Unveiled is the first in award-winning veteran author Francine Rivers' Lineage of Grace series of five novellas, which feature biblical women in the genealogy of Christ: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. This dramatic retelling of the scandalous risks Tamar must take to ensure her place in biblical history showcases Rivers' ability to sketch a short vignette of an ancient character and bring her to life in the minds of contemporary readers. The twin themes of sin's consequences and God's redemption resonate throughout the pages of this engrossing novella. --Cindy Crosby

Book Description

2001 Christy Award finalist!
Unveiled is the story of Tamar, one of the women in the lineage of Jesus. Francine brings the story to life in her trademark style, showing the grace of God in the life of Tamar and her father-in-law, Judah. Unveiled is the first in the Lineage of Grace series of five novellas covering the stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary.

Customer Reviews:

Tamar brought to life.......2007-05-19

Francine Rivers has the wonderful ability to take a character from the bible and bring her to life, by adding context and details. Although the additions are fictional, they are well researched and give great insight into the culture and the times, and make for a fascinating story. Hard to put this little book down!

Excellent book..........2007-03-19

I didn't know I could have so much knowledge of Tamar when she seems to just be a blip in the Bible. My eyes have been opened. The author gave a wonderful account into her life but also into Judah. A book I couldn't put down or stop recommending.

A few thoughts on Tamar.......2007-03-15

Francine Rivers does an excellent job with this story. So often the women and "the other" are voiceless in the Bible; it's good to hear a story from their point of view.

A retired bishop once said, "As long as you don't contradict scripture, you can use your imagination to weave a credible story." That is exactly what Ms. Rivers does here. From Tamar's upbringing and early home life, to being plucked as the wife of Er (a man who was wicked in the Lord's sight), to being given to Onan and then being shunned as a widow . . . the story moves along very well and gives the reader some insight into what it could have been like to live as a piece of property.

There were a couple of theological quibbles I had, mainly with some of the questions in the back; not enough to not use the book, but enough to make my parishioners aware of them.

This whole set should offer a good discussion around the ancestral women in Jesus' lineage.

A must read for those who love the Old Testament stories!.......2007-02-07

The message of this book is that God acts in improbable ways in order to show His sovereignty, His grace, and His power. As Paul says in Romans "Who are we to question our Creator?," yet is our human concept to call this improbable. It is just wonderful to read a story that has so much of God's plan woven in! Just like He chose Abraham as the father of His chosen people, who was a common man from Ur and from a human standpoint did not deserve this call more than any of us do.....He chose this unsuspecting Canaanite woman Tamar to carry on the line of Jesus. Even Isaac's son Judah who fled his brothers to marry a non-Hebrew woman, continuing to be tormented by the memory of what he and his brothers had done to Joseph years before, is the line of the Holy Son of God! Improbable? Yet it is all in God's plan! And how it is all woven hundreds of years prior to lead up to the Son of God's birth!

Tamar was different from her Canaanite clan. She wanted to know the Hebrew God, Judah's God. She wanted more than worship of clay idols. She felt there was something more to life...she longed for more. She wanted to know the God who had power. What an amazing character Francine Rivers portrays, having to move from home for an arranged marriage as a young teenage girl. Her mother and father needed their daughter to be the "savior" of the family, to help connect the families as a protection to their Canaanite clan from the Hebrews. She had to move to a foreign land and be the wife of the infamous eldest son of Judah, only to be abused, rejected by her mother-and-law, unaccepted as a true member of the family. Yet, she remained true to her pledge through it all. God rewards this remarkable young woman...as the great-great-...-grandmother of Jesus Christ!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical painting of this wonderful Bible story. As Christians, we should all be as true to our God as Tamar was to God before she even knew Him!

Bible characters and Old Testament practices.......2007-01-03

I read many books by Christian authors. I found this book to be of special interest. I vaguely knew who Tamar was but this book, which I read in one afternoon, sent me to study Genesis. I have a desire to know more about the customs practiced in the Old Testament.
B.R.

Average customer rating:

A Very Enjoyable Read
creoles
Beautiful story...
Very Engaging
A Mesmerizing Page-Turner!

Cane River (Oprah's Book Club)
Lalita Tademy
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0446678457

Product Description

Cane River (Oprahs Book Club)

Amazon.com

Lalita Tademy's riveting family saga chronicles four generations of women born into slavery along the Cane River in Louisiana. It is also a tale about the blurring of racial boundaries: great-grandmother Elisabeth notices an unmistakable "bleaching of the line" as first her daughter Suzette, then her granddaughter Philomene, and finally her great-granddaughter Emily choose (or are forcibly persuaded) to bear the illegitimate offspring of the area's white French planters. In many cases these children are loved by their fathers, and their paternity is widely acknowledged. However, neither state law nor local custom allows them to inherit wealth or property, a fact that gives Cane River much of its narrative drive.

The author makes it clear exactly where these prohibitions came from. Plantation society was rigidly hierarchical, after all, particularly on the heels of the Civil War and the economic hardships that came with Reconstruction. The only permissible path upward for hard-working, ambitious African Americans was indirect. A meteoric rise, or too obvious an appearance of prosperity, would be swiftly punished. To enable the slow but steady advance of their clan, the black women of Cane River plot, plead, deceive, and manipulate their way through history, extracting crucial gifts of money and property along the way. In the wake of a visit from the 1880 census taker, the aged Elisabeth reflects on how far they had come.

When the census taker looked at them, he saw colored first, asking questions like single or married, trying to introduce shame where there was none. He took what he saw and foolishly put those things down on a list for others to study. Could he even understand the pride in being able to say that Emily could read and write? They could ask whatever they wanted, but what he should have been marking in the book was family, and landholder, and educated, each generation gathering momentum, adding something special to the brew.

In her introduction, Tademy explains that as a young woman, she failed to appreciate the love and reverence with which her mother and her four uncles spoke of their lively Grandma 'Tite (short for "Mademoiselle Petite"). She resented her great-grandmother's skin-color biases, which were as much a part of Tademy's memory as were her great-grandmother's trademark dance moves. But the old stories haunted the author, and armed with a couple of pages of history compiled by a distant Louisiana cousin, she began to piece together a genealogy. The result? Tademy eventually left her position as vice president of a Fortune 500 company and set to work on Cane River, in which she has deftly and movingly reconstructed the world of her ancestors. --Regina Marler

Customer Reviews:

A Very Enjoyable Read.......2007-09-17

Cane River is a reconstruction of historical events during slavery in the 1800s. Ms. Tademy added well written fiction to fill in the gaps. The book is about four generations of women and their determination for survival for their families. The book is written into three chapters of three of the women.

Ms. Tademy writes about forbidden love, betrayal and how these women fight for their identity in a world that sees them as less than human.

When I first started reading this book it moved slow and some parts were troubling to me but I'm glad I kept reading the book.

creoles.......2007-08-29

Really enjoyed this book. I loved the combination of fact and fiction and the famliy photos. It flowed well and was interesting. It's amazing how times have changed and how racist this country was and is.

Beautiful story..........2007-08-06

This book captivates you from the beginning to end. I am not a fan of "historical" books because I usually find them boring! But I took a chance with this one and I was left speechless. This book haunted me for days, I kept thinking about the characters and what they experienced. The author wrote the book so beautifully...it's a must read. This book has made me proud to be an African-American, because I know I come from a lineage of strong Black women!

Very Engaging.......2007-08-02

I loved this story the entire way through. The fact that it is based on real people and real events gives it an extra added sense of fascination. I read a lot of historical fiction, and this book is one of the better ones in the list of my reads. It really gave me a sense of what the world looked like for slaves, and freed slaves. Very Engaging the entire way through.

A Mesmerizing Page-Turner!.......2007-07-18

I was looking for a very enjoyable, readable and engaging book, and I found it! You will love the characters, the history and the insight this book has to offer, and you won't be able to put it down. Enjoy.

Average customer rating:

A troubling story, beautifully told
Fast and easy read
Sweet with a sharp sting
A 5 Star book if ever there was one!
Refuses to let go

Five Quarters of the Orange
Joanne Harris
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060198133

Amazon.com

In Five Quarters of the Orange, Joanne Harris returns to the small-town, postwar France of Chocolat. This time she follows the fortunes of Framboise Dartigan, named for a raspberry but with the disposition of, well, a lemon. The proprietor of a café in a rustic village, this crabby old lady recalls the days of her childhood, which coincided with the German occupation. Back then, she and her brother and sister traded on the black market with the Germans, developing a friendship with a charismatic young soldier named Tomas. This intrigue provided a distraction from their grim home life--their father was killed in the war and their mother was a secretive, troubled woman. Yet their relationship with Tomas led to a violent series of events that still torment the aging Framboise.

Harris has a challenging project here: to show the complicated, messy reality behind such seemingly simple terms as collaborator and Resistance. To the children, of course, these were mere abstractions: "We understood so little of it. Least of all the Resistance, that fabulous quasi-organization. Books and the television made it sound so focused in later years; but I remember none of that. Instead I remember a mad scramble in which rumor chased counter-rumor and drunkards in cafes spoke loudly against the new regime." The author's portrait of occupier and occupied living side by side is given texture by her trademark appreciation of all things French. Yes, some passages read like romantic, black-and-white postcards: "Reine's bicycle was smaller and more elegant, with high handlebars and a leather saddle. There was a bicycle basket across the handlebars in which she carried a flask of chicory coffee." But these simple pleasures, recorded with such adroitness, are precisely what give Framboise solace from the torment of her past. --Claire Dederer

Book Description

The novels of Joanne Harris are a literary feast for the senses. Five Quarters of the Orange represents Harris's most complex and sophisticated work yet -- a novel in which darkness and fierce joy come together to create an unforgettable story.

When Framboise Simon returns to a small village on the banks of the Loire, the locals do not recognize her as the daughter of the infamous Mirabelle Dartigen -- the woman they still hold responsible for a terrible tragedy that, look place during the German occupation decades before. Althrough Framboise hopes for a new beginning. She quickly discovers that past and present are inextricably intertwined. Nowhere is this truth more apparent than in the scrap book of recipes site has inherited from her dead mother.

With this book, Framboise re-creates her mother's dishes, which she serves in her small creperie. And yet as she studies the scrapbook -- searching for clues to unlock the contradiction between her mother's sensuous love of food and often cruel demeanor -- she begins to recognize a deeper meaning behind Mirabelle's cryptic scribbles. Whithin the journal's tattered pages lies the key to what actually transpired the summer Framboise was nine years old.

Rich and dark. Fire Quarters of the Orange is a novel of mothers and daughters of the past and the present, of resisting, and succumbling, and an extraordinary work by a masterful writer.

Customer Reviews:

A troubling story, beautifully told.......2007-08-14

Despite beautiful and sensuous prose, this is not an easy read. It demands perseverence from the reader but in the end patience is rewarded: it delivers so much. Its structure is composed of two parallel tales, one set in the present and one comprised of 40-year-old memories of German-occupied France. Harris pulls no punches as she examines the actions and motivations of people living in times that often demanded troubling compromises ... and worse. Few are spared. The role of the good mother is turned on its head. A cold eye is cast on the myth of the noble Resistance. Provocative questions are raised about the innocence of childhood. But the stories inexorably move towards their united climax to show how wisdom and love require acknowledgment of the truth, which sometimes is slow in revealing itself. The ultimate message of "Five quarters of the Orange" is that wisdom and love have their own schedule and it's never too late for either.

Fast and easy read.......2007-06-20

This is a popular book--though it was more popular in Europe than the States. It begins with a mystery. As the mystery unfolds, it reveals character and culture. The main action of the book is told as back-story. A middle-aged woman returns to her native community in rural France. The story is wonderfully atmospheric. The atmosphere is created through an infusion of delightful food and wine and snippets of WWII era French culture. It is no doubt a popular book with the Martha Stewart crowd. But there is a more sinister story, the real story involves Nazis and a community lynching. The story itself is unique enough to keep the Better Homes and Gardens aspect from overwhelming the narrative.

I think the only thing that kept this from being a great book was the author's reliance on mystery. She holds back information. And though this technique did move me through the narrative, and the author did eventually deliver on her promises, I could not help but wonder if the strong mystery aspect was not in someway making up for something the book lacked. I hate to refer to that old American classic, Gatsby, but I will. Where Fitzgerald used the mystery only so long as it was necessary, letting the device fall away to reveal a narrative driven by characters and their actions, there is little beyond the mystery in Harris's novel. Once the mystery is solved, the novel ends.

Sweet with a sharp sting.......2007-04-29

After reading Chocolat (before the movie came out), I wanted to try another of Joanne Harris's novels. I picked up Five Quarters of the Orange at an airport and was impressed. The story is woven into a compact and powerful book that looks at life in Nazi occupied France. In the small village of Les Laveuses, you discover the small town life that stills continues even with Nazi occupation: farms, harvest, the change of people to the seasons, love, hate, gossip, etc.
Framboise Dartigen narrates this story, both from a child's perspective and as an elderly woman. The two stories slide back and forth and give a vivid and powerful feeling of what life was like on that small farm and in that small village. The interactions between the family are drawn richly and with precision. An incedence when Frambouse is younger drives the family from the town, and she only returns many years later and under another name. The story unfolds to reveal the secret but not to the very end of the book.
The story is dark and the amounts of cruelty between siblings, mother and daughter is drawn with a sharp, slicing knife. Harris' writing uncurls slowly, like the pealing orange on the cover, the sights, sounds, and smells from her wonderfully chosen words draws you in. I must admit that the book does slow a little in the middle but gets it upward momentum back again towards the end. Many who loved Chocolat may be turned off by the dark tone of this book, yet it is Harris' skill at words and character development that really lend you to appreciate the story that is being told. I would recommend this novel for both the beautiful and ugly imagery it conjures.

A 5 Star book if ever there was one!.......2007-04-15

An adroit, mesmerising novel. I could not put this down, so astonishing and gripping was this story and Harris's subtle, impactful writing. I wanted it to go on forever, couldn't wait to get to the conclusion; the sign of a great book.

Refuses to let go.......2007-01-13

A French widow recalls her girlhood in a village beside the Loire, as she tries to keep the secret that caused her family to be expelled from the town. Joanne Harris is a compelling storyteller; I think there are only a few, and possibly none, who are better. Her stories gently capture the reader and refuse to let go. Along the way, she seems always to incorporate descriptions of foods and cooking that make me want to spend more time with my own cookbooks! This novel grips and tugs and compels, and what more could you ask?

Average customer rating:

Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards
Wedding Ring
Good Read
Pretty Good
---Emilie Richards is America's answer to Maeve Binchy---

Wedding Ring
Emilie Richards
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0778320634

Book Description

Three generations of women discover the healing gift of family, memories and love.

Tessa MacCrae feels as if she's facing a prison sentence when she reluctantly agrees to spend the summer helping her mother and grandmother clean out and repair the old family home in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. She is prepared for inevitable anger and tension -- the only emotional bonds they've ever shared. The three women have never been close, but Tessa hopes that time away from her husband -- no matter how trying -- will help her find the answers she desperately seeks and come to a decision about her failing marriage.

At first the summer is filled with all-too-familiar emotional storms. Helen, the family matriarch, is domineering, sharp-tongued and incapable of sharing feelings -- except negative ones. Widowed at a young age, she has struggled her whole fife, hanging on to the family farm by sacrificing everything, particularly love. Fiercely independent, Helen resents her daughter and granddaughter's intrusion, too angry to admit that she needs their help.

Nancy, Tessa's mother, appears to be little more than a hand-wringing social climber, who spends her days entertaining and courting Richmond's wealthy elite. What Tessa can't see is the woman so ashamed of her roots and desperate for acceptance that she would do anything to be loved, or the anxious wife trying to hold on to a marriage on which she has never had a firm grasp.

But with the passing weeks, each of their fives begins to change. Here in her grandmother's house, Tessa comes face-to-face with the family and the history that has shaped her. As Tessa restores a tattered wedding-ring quilt pieced by her grandmother and quilted by her mother years ago, the secrets that have shadowed their lives unfold in a drama of discovery, hope and healing. For the first time, Tessa can look past the years of resentment and regret and see her mother and grandmother for the flawed but courageous women they are.

Through, days of hard work, simple living and the determination to repair the torn fabric of their own lives, Tessa, Nancy and Helen will discover that what was lost can be found again -- if they look deeply into their hearts.

Customer Reviews:

Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards.......2007-10-14

If you've ever wanted to know what a real family is like, this book gives the reader an emotional taste of just that....but, more than that, it also gives a quilter, roots.

I have found some of my quilting roots in this book...being a quilter for about 10 years now, I didn't have a clue as to why quilting has been so important in my life...with reading Emilie's "Wedding Ring" part of that mystery has been answered.

I fell in love with the story, the characters and the heart of Wedding Ring. Never thinking myself as a good enough quilter to accomplish the actual pattern of a double wedding ring...I have that desire and determination now..and for that I thank the fictional characters and the author.

If you're a quilter, if you're an avid reader...you will enjoy/devour this series...I've just started...don't wait as long as I did to find out about the part of you that just might be missing....I have.

Wedding Ring.......2007-05-26

A fellow quilter referred me to the Emilie Richards books and this was the first one I read. What I loved about this book was the easy flow of the story and the wonderful way the story mimicked the quilt as it patched together the lives that the quilt and it's making brought together. I can't wait to read the next one. (The Endless Chain)

Good Read.......2007-05-12

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I like to read novels with quilting included in the plot, even so, there was much more to the story. I recomment this novel to any readers, not just quilters.

Pretty Good.......2006-10-05

This book wasn't a page-turner for me; it was one of those "I started it and I'm going to finish it" kind of books. Nontheless, it was a nice book, and I liked how it explored the issues and obsessions between mothers and daughters. I would have passed it on to my younger-teenage daughter, but the last few chapters changed my mind. Ah, for a book that doesn't describe everyone's bedroom interludes.... This author likes to promote her causes - MADD gets plugged several times in this book. Nontheless, it was interesting enough that I'm starting the next book.

---Emilie Richards is America's answer to Maeve Binchy---.......2006-09-10

WEDDING RING is the first book in the Shenandoah Album series. It's also the first book that I've read by Emilie Richards. Since I don't live too far from the Shenandoah Valley, I was attracted to this story because it features an area that is familiar to me. I wasn't disappointed; this is a well-written and captivating story.

The book centers on three women. Tessa who is thirty-seven, her mother Nancy and her grandmother, Helen. The women don't really seem to care much about each other and have little in common. Helen lives alone in Tom's Brook and when Nancy, who lives in Richmond is called by neighbors and told that her mother needs help, she and Tessa feel the obligation to visit and possibly make arrangements to put Helen in a home for seniors. They knew that Helen was a saver, but what they find is a house stuffed to the gills with magazines, unread newspapers, empty bottles, boxes of old paperwork and items that nobody could possible want. Helen who had been a superb housekeeper, is now living in a big mess, but insists that she needs it all. They also find dozens and dozens of beautiful quilts that Helen had been making for years.

Tessa and Nancy feel compelled to spend their summer cleaning out the old farmhouse and possibly preparing it for sale. They each have their own personal problems, but they grudgingly work together and mostly argue. As the weeks go by they began to talk and relate the stories of their personal lives that they had never shared with each other before, and it all starts with the story of an old wedding ring quilt.

The characters that Emilie Richards creates are so real that I know I've met some of these people in my own life.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful novel
worthwhile read
Daughters of the River Huong helps readers to learn of Vietnam rich history
Delightful and Illuminating: Daughters of the River Huong
The River of Destiny

Daughters of the River Huong
Uyen Nicole Duong
Manufacturer: Ravensyard Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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NO MAN'S LAND

ASIN: 1928928161

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful novel.......2007-09-13

A touching novel - it not only delves into the soul of the exile, of the marginal and marginalized, with its conflicts of identity and search for self but also, paradoxically, elicitation of the unspoken, indeed of the unspeakable, where vécu and non-vécu blend to create a wonderful journey through a sensitive and beautiful, insatiable, admirable, brilliant, thoughtful yet troubled mind.

worthwhile read.......2007-06-16

This is a well researched story that uses the historic elements of the ancient Vietnamese culture to tell a story that works on a contemporary level. Very vivid and interesting.

Daughters of the River Huong helps readers to learn of Vietnam rich history.......2006-12-15

Daughter of the River Huong is a great story. It is very well written. It made me paused occassionally to think about of the events that Ms. Uyen(Judge Uyen!!) lead us to the earlier rich history of Vietnam, which I do not know much of.

I hope this story will make to a movie or film someday near future. If you appreciate the history of Vietnam, this is a book for you.

I can't help when reading the book that Vietnam, as a country been through set back and suprised opportunities via the past century, colonized by the French, and last America get to where they are today of the economic opportunity.

The story is a heart broken but also revealed of the tenacious woman who is determined to define her own destination.

Tony T. Tran
San Francisco, CA

Delightful and Illuminating: Daughters of the River Huong.......2006-07-27

Daughters of the River Huong, I believe, offers an archetypal remedy for an incompleteness and a longing deep in the American collective consciousness.

Two weeks ago I took a boatride on the River Huong, serenaded by musicians playing traditional music from Hue. It was the fulfillment of a desire I've had for many years--much enriched by the images and feelings described in Uyen Nicole Duong's exquisite book.

At one point, the musicians sang a well-known and enchanting song about the ten virtues of the Vietnamese woman. Under the full moon, in that boat gently rocking on the River Huong, I was overwhelmed by the sentiments of that song sung by those seven women singers. I was reminded of a comment made by historians Will and Ariel Durant, who wrote that if the sins and good works of the Middle Ages were measured on a scale, the balance would be tipped in favor of goodness--tipped by the weight of the noble works done by the women of that period. I was also reminded of a comment by a Vietnamese friend and social observer, who recently told me that he gives all credit for the preservation of van hoa Viet Nam (Vietnamese culture), from time immemorial, to "the Ladies of Viet Nam."

I think that most readers of Daughters of the River Huong will be inspired by the remarkable grace and strength of Vietnamese women and by the beauty and profundity of Vietnamese culture. Readers, too, will be left with a better understanding of why, transcendental to issues of politics and economics, we Americans remain fascinated by Viet Nam to the present day.

The River of Destiny.......2006-01-25

A good book creates it's own universe; an excceptional book has characters I care about. I found being immersed in the romantic and lyrical culture of these Champa descendants of Viet Nam to be a fascinating journey.

The stress of living under the sixth sense of fate which the author calls the "Face of Brutality" haunts four generations of Vietnamese women beginning with the Mystique Concubine living in 1910 Hue and extending to Simone Mi-Uyen who lives in New York City during the last decade of the Twentieth Century.

The story moves from Viet Nam to Paris to New York City. This personalized history of Viet Nam gave me an intimate understanding of Vietnamese culture by the time I finished the riveting story of this novel. It was like finding a black rose.

Average customer rating:

Three valuable themes
Bizarre Revenge Fantasy
Grabbed Me!
Creat chance for yourself!
Height of narcissism!

Daughter of the Yellow River
Diana Lu
Manufacturer: Image Global Impact
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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My Life in France
The Great Formula: for Creating Maximum Profit with Minimal Effort
The Irresistible Offer: How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less
Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling
Life's Missing Instruction Manual : The Guidebook You Should Have Been Given at Birth

ASIN: 1933726016

Book Description

"Daughter of the Yellow River is a testament to perseverance, determination, courage, and success." - Deepak Chopra, best-selling author of Peace Is the Way

"Diana Lu's memoir effectively weaves autobiography, advice, cultural insights, and career journey to reveal what many women already know: work is intensely personal. Her self-reflection is contagious, and hopefully her perseverance will be as well." - Joanne Gordon, former Forbes staff writer and author of Career Bliss: Secrets from 100 Women Who Love Their Work

"Daughter of the Yellow River is an inspiring story of a remarkable woman. From the deprivation of the Chinese Cultural Revolution to success in the Western world, it depicts the victory of determination and pluck over personal and business adversity." - James Pammenter, former director, KPMG Management Consulting

"This book vividly proves the power of `You will never know until you try.' Diana Lu provides a simple, compelling approach to building the life of our dreams. This is an authentic road map for anyone pursuing lasting and transformational change in their lives." - Darryl Quan, chief financial officer, Image Global Impact.

"Diana's beauty masks a dynamic entrepreneur who knows what she wants to do and does it. Her life story takes her from the struggles of an impoverished childhood in China to success in a highly competitive global industry to a commitment to helping people forge their own paths to fulfillment. She shares her challenges and disappointments, triumphs and achievements, and the lessons she has learned about business and about life." - John Edward, former divisional director, Corning Incorporated.

"Inspirational, motivational, and stimulating are words that describe this book. Diana Lu's `can do, can achieve' attitude makes this book a must for those who want to get more out of life. She is proof that if you are an intelligent woman dealing in a male-dominated industry, you can be successful while maintaining an air of sophistication and femininity." - Mike Yell, general manager, Fujitsu Australia & New Zealand

When Diana Lu was three years old, her family was forced to leave their comfortable middle-class life in the city to live an impoverished coal-mining village at the edge of the Gobi Desert for China's culture revolution "re-education."

Life in that remote place was a constant struggle against hunger and fear. Passionate & determined, Diana resolved to create a better life based on her own talents and dreams; she turned down prestigious job after medical school. Overcoming parental & societal objections, she explored university teaching, real estate, and other fields before finding her niche as a top executive in the optical fiber industry. In 1997 Diana moved to the United States, and launched her own international enterprise, melding the Western & Chinese business cultures to work with clients globally.

Operating in a competitive, male-dominated high-tech field, she achieved astounding success -- from earning $30 a month in 1993 to in ten years making sales worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This inspirational book -- part memoir, part guidebook to personal and business success -- illustrates her remarkable journey.

* I am a daughter of the Yellow River. Its waters flow within me like the blood in my veins.

* I didn't need to define or limit myself by the circumstances I came from -- what counted was where I was heading.

* I realized that our lives will be what we choose to make them… That can be a daunting challenge, but the rewards are immeasurable.

Customer Reviews:

Three valuable themes.......2007-06-01

I met the author at an entrepreneurship conference in San Francisco and found the meeting interesting enough to order the book. I found the book to be a mixture of biography, history, and motivational parables. While the biography was perhaps a bit too long, it provided a stage for discussing three very important issues. The first was the potentially destructive impact of dogmatic national policies (The Chinese Cultural Revolution) on a family at the very personal level. The second theme presented the difficulties inherent in and evolution of the relationship between Asia-born parents and their westernized children. The final theme presented the riskiness of small businesses doing business with big companies in China.

Bizarre Revenge Fantasy.......2007-05-27

Buy this book--if you want to read a bizarre, narcissistic revenge fantasy. Otherwise, save your money.

Grabbed Me!.......2007-05-15

The book just grabbed me ...

Being a fan of Eastern Phylosophies and Worlds, thsi was just my best ride. China from a point of view that is heartmoving. A distinctive culture, on stage for the world.

Reading this book feels like Diana Lu is telling it live to you. It's not and easy ride since it might change the way you experience a couple of things in your life. Escpcially if your are western like me.

Enjoyment and understanding of global human life at large.

Incredible! Must Read! Delicate prose.

Creat chance for yourself!.......2007-01-12

No pay no gain? No, no pain no gain. For this generation (born 1970's even 1980's) how to chase dream, complete dream, could find some clues from "Daughter of the Yellow River". For western, through Diana Lu' story to know her growing background and understand china.

Height of narcissism!.......2006-12-30

Albeit it started well and gave some insight into an average family's life in China under the Gang of Four, it quickly derailed and became self-adulatory, patronizing and boring. I could not stand her own praise of her smartness, insights about life and prettiness. What's up with all those self portraits of her in different cities? As another reviewer suggested a visit to a shrink might help. To summarize, ended up being a waste of time; Don't waste your money on this book.

Average customer rating:

A good read
Simply Marvelous
Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Forced Into Action
Riveting!!! Could not put it down.

River Woman: A Novel
Donna Hemans
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743410394

Book Description

In an unforgettable debut, Donna Hemans crafts a haunting novel of promises kept and promises broken, exploring the unyielding bonds joining mother and child -- bonds that neither time nor betrayal can sever.

As she washes her laundry in the river, Kelithe is startled from her daydreams by the sound of women screaming. It is not until she sees a small body in the shallow water that she realizes what has happened. Her young son, Timothy, has drowned in the Rio Minho.

The women of Standfast, Jamaica, whisper that she stood and watched Timothy die so that she could seize her chance to join her mother in America. Numb with grief, Kelithe lacks the strength to confront them. She can only wait for the funeral. And for her mother to come stand by her at last.

It is into this cauldron of guilt, grief, and suspicion that Sonya returns to bury the grandson she has never seen. Fifteen years ago, promising to send for her five-year-old daughter soon, soon, Sonya set off for America. Year after year, she struggled to get settled enough to do right by Kelithe. But even as Sonya married and had a second daughter, Kelithe grew to womanhood under her grandmother's care, found fleeting love in a stranger's arms, and had a shame-filled pregnancy of her own. And when Sonya was finally ready, there was room only for Kelithe. Timothy would have to stay behind. Kelithe would have to abandon him as she herself had been abandoned. But Sonya would send for him soon, soon.

What really happened at the Rio Minho? It is a question Sonya cannot ask, and an accusation Kelithe will not answer. And it lies at the heart of this shattering novel. In spare, powerful prose, Donna Hemans lays bare the human heart, and the many facets of truth.

Customer Reviews:

A good read.......2006-11-06

River Woman was very interesting. At times I thought it was slow moving and it was hard to tell sometimes whom was talking. After a while I wanted to stop reading it because I thought it wasn't moving fast enough but somehow the characters drew me in. I wanted to continue reading to find out if Kelithe allowed her son to drown. This book is very sad just reading about Kelithe's mother did not stand by her or feel like she was her daughter. Her mother Sonya is a hypocrite because she attempted an abortion when she was pregnant with Kelithe. It made me wonder, why couldn't Sonya show her daughter any love? And the reaction of the town was just aweful but this book made me think. This is not a book for entertainment but for thinking and seeing a trajedy from a different perspective.

If someone is interested in a funny and entertaining book this one is not it. This is a riveting book that takes you places where most of us have never been.

Simply Marvelous.......2005-08-12

I loved the story, although very sad. The language is simple, lyrical and beautiful.
The death of Timothy, Kelithe's son highlights the dilemma that every mother could face. I guess society expects mothers to support their children, guilty or not guilty. I have seen mothers of serial killers, murderers and rapists standing behind their sons/daughters and being present during court proceedings. What does it take for a mother to defend her child?
This is a good debut by Donna Hemans and I look forward to her new novel

Innocent Until Proven Guilty.......2003-05-06

"The people saying she watch the baby drown to get the chance to go a foreign." In Donna Hemans' debut novel RIVER WOMAN, the townspeople of Standfast, Jamaica cry in outrage as 20 year-old mother Kelithe Williams remains free after she allegedly observed her three-year old son, Timothy, drown in the Rio Minho River. Set in a rural community of Jamaica, the citizens of Standfast (stand fast) mourn, riot, protest and in some instances attempt to stone the main character Kelithe, in order to receive justice for a crime they feel has been committed.

Kelithe's mother, Sonya receives news in Brooklyn, NY of her
grandson's tragic demise and her daughter's rumored
incrimination. It has been fifteen years since she last laid eyes on her daughter with a promise of "soon-soon I come for you." Three weeks before Timothy's death, Sonya sends for Kelithe, but with one exception; Timothy must stay behind. With searing questions, Sonya returns to her homeland-to bury a grandchild she never knew and face a daughter she abandoned
long, long ago.

We read Kelithe's painful story as she sorrowfully retreats within herself, never fully mourning the loss of her beloved son, and Sonya's quest for answers as the "country women" relate the purported crime. What really happened that day at the Rio Minho River? Could a mother be guilty of such an act? Could Sonya be partly to blame?

RIVER WOMAN is a mesmerizing narrative, filled with heartrending

emotion of a child's endless quest for her mother's love and
acceptance, and a community's cry for justice . Donna Hemans
expertly intertwines Jamaica's patois with folklore adding credence to this fascinating tale. At times, I found myself laying the book aside as I shed tears of sorrow for the main character, and outrage at a mother's lack of solace. Donna Hemans has placed her mark in literary fiction with this lyrical debut novel!

Reviewed by Nicki Lancaster
APOOO BookClub

Forced Into Action.......2002-11-12

River Woman is a haunting account at one woman's pain of lost love and an entire town's pain of justice denied. Kelithe is a nineteen year old woman whose son, Timothy, drowns in the Rio Minho River as his mother washed laundry. The other women at the river say that Kelithe stood by and let her son drown so that she could go "foreign" with her mother; a mother that left her in Standfast, Jamaica fifteen years prior.

Enter Sonya, Kelithe's mother, who arrives back in Standfast for the wake. Kelithe denies her role in her son's drowning, while Sonya contemplates her daughter's role by shifting back and forth between blaming and not blaming her and listening to the natives' account of the drowning.

The uniqueness of this story comes in the form of Kelithe and Sonya's contemplation through the reader only. Never do they deny or blame each other verbally for the drowning, the love denied, the false promises or the betrayal. The river and river women are symbolic as they represent all that Standfast has endured since Sonya was a young girl in Standfast and before. This incident forces the town into action and produces emotions that the island of Jamaica has never seen by the residents of Standfast.

Written in a very lyrical tone, River Woman is a novel that will have you contemplating the ramifications of Sonya's actions fifteen years prior and her actions in the present. This is a sad account that leaves you wondering what exactly happened at the river that day and why.
Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves, Apooo BookClub

Riveting!!! Could not put it down........2002-10-23

I think Donna Hemans did a masterful job with this novel. I picked it up and was unable to put it down until I finished it. The storytelling is wonderful and the character portrayal was first-rate. I would recommend this book whole-heartedly. I am looking forward to Donna's next book.

Average customer rating:

Why have people so many secrets?
A Chinese coming of age story.
Amazing book
If you must read it, borrow it from the library.
This is the second book that I've been unable to finish

Daughter of the River: An Autobiography
Hong Ying
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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The Good Women of China: Hidden Voices
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Red Azalea
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ASIN: 0802136605

Book Description

Daughter of the River is a memoir of China unlike any other. Born during the Great Famine of the early 1960s and raised in the slums of Chongqing, Hong Ying was constantly aware of hunger and the sacrifices required to survive. As she neared her eighteenth birthday, she became determined to unravel the secrets that left her an outsider in her own family. At the same time, a history teacher at her school began to awaken her sense of justice and her emerging womanhood. Hong Ying's wrenching coming-of-age would teach her the price of taking a stand and show her the toll of totalitarianism, poverty, and estrangement on her family. With raw intensity and fearless honesty, Daughter of the River follows China's trajectory through one woman's life, from the Great Famine through the Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square.

Customer Reviews:

Why have people so many secrets?.......2005-10-11

Hong Ying's autobiographical novel gives an in depth picture of `normal' life in China after World War II with its `hypocrite socialism' and its terrible famines.
It is a story of a harsh struggle for survival: unabated hunger, nerve-racking promiscuity, lack of privacy, bitter loneliness, lies and denunciations.
It is also a tale about growing up in a `strange' family, becoming an adult, discovering sexuality and about the search for one's own roots.

This book shows poignantly the real and direct impact of governmental political and social decisions on people's daily life. It is not less than a `personal' historical sketch with a genuine human touch.

This magisterial novel is bathed in a magical subdued atmosphere. It is written like most `Schubertian' music in a minor key-note.
A must read, not only for Chinese scholars.

A Chinese coming of age story........2005-09-22

I found this book to be somewhat interesting for its time and place; the slums of Chongqing at the end of the Cultural Revoloution. The authors family situation is also somewhat interesting, but a bit too predictable. I also read one of the author's novels, that I picked up off the sale table in Hong Kong and found it also just okay.

Amazing book.......2005-06-22

I read this book to see if I could use it in a college class I teach on young women and coming of age. After reading the split reviews on amazon.com, I decided to read the book for myself.

In short: I loved this book! It has a variety of issues that pertain to coming of age including the intersections between and among gender, race, culture, class, family, education, and politics.

The book is categorized as "Autobiography" but it could easily be categorized as "Autobiography/Women's Studies" for the range of women's issues it covers.

I will teach this book in the future. I would just advise my students, or any reader really, to pay attention to the dates as the book jumps around a lot and it helps to have a frame of reference (e.g. Hong Ying was born in 1962 so if she's talking about 1968 she is obviously 6 years old, but usually doesn't mention that fact) in which to view each segment of the story.

Highly recommended. The end of the book made my heart soar.

If you must read it, borrow it from the library........2003-11-18

I just had a hard time reading/understanding/finishing this book. I did finally finish it because I wanted to know the mystery behind the author's father, but in the end the whole book was disappointing. I guess it's a matter of the book's structure. The author jumps from one time setting to another so often, it gets totally confusing! Also she intertwines different stories of different family members and other people in her life, that it's easy to confuse the characters. Some of the language sounds awkward, the curse words seem...forced. Also after a while, the author's unceasing bitterness towards life tended to grate on my nerves.

This is the second book that I've been unable to finish.......2001-10-21

Rarely have I been unable to finish a book, even when it's quite terrible. However, this book was unreadable to me.

There is no rhyme or reason to this book. There's no linear progression. It's more of a "This happened when I was 5. This happened when I was 15. This happened when I was 12. This happened when I was 5." The book goes nowhere and there is no plot to follow.

Amazon.com

Offshore possesses perfect, very odd pitch. In just over 130 pages of the wittiest and most melancholy prose, Penelope Fitzgerald limns the lives of "creatures neither of firm land nor water"--a group of barge-dwellers in London's Battersea Reach, circa 1961. One man, a marine artist whose commissions have dropped off since the war, is attempting to sell his decrepit craft before it sinks. Another, a dutiful businessman with a bored, mutinous wife, knows he should be landlocked but remains drawn to the muddy Thames. A third, Maurice, a male prostitute, doesn't even protest when a criminal acquaintance begins to use his barge as a depot for stolen goods: "The dangerous and the ridiculous were necessary to his life, otherwise tenderness would overwhelm him."

At the center of the novel--winner of the 1979 Booker Prize--are Nenna and her truant six- and 11-year-old daughters. The younger sibling "cared nothing for the future, and had, as a result, a great capacity for happiness." But the older girl is considerably less blithe. "Small and thin, with dark eyes which already showed an acceptance of the world's shortcomings," Fitzgerald writes, she "was not like her mother and even less like her father. The crucial moment when children realise that their parents are younger than they are had long since been passed by Martha."

Their father is farther afield. Unable to bear the prospect of living on the Grace, he's staying in Stoke Newington, part of London but a lost world to his wife and daughters. Meanwhile, Nenna spends her time going over incidents that seem to have led to her current situation, and the matter of some missing squash racquets becomes of increasing import. Though she is peaceful by nature, experience and poverty are wearing Nenna down. Her confidante Maurice, after a momentary spell of optimism, also returns to his life of little expectation and quiet acceptance: "Tenderly responsive to the self-deceptions of others, he was unfortunately too well able to understand his own."

Penelope Fitzgerald views her creations with deep but wry compassion. Having lived on a barge herself, she offers her expert spin on the dangers, graces, and whimsies of river life. Nenna, too, has become a savant, instantly recognizing on one occasion that the mud encasing the family cat is not from the Reach. This "sagacious brute" is almost as complex as his human counterparts, constantly forced to adjust her notions of vermin and authority. Though Stripey is capable of catching and killing very young rats, the older ones chase her. "The resulting uncertainty as to whether she was coming or going had made her, to some extent, mentally unstable."

As always, Fitzgerald is a master of the initially bizarre juxtaposition. Adjacent sentences often seem like delightful non sequiturs--until they flash together in an effortless evocation of character, era, and human absurdity. Nenna recalls, for instance, how the buds had dropped off the plant her husband rushed to the hospital when Martha was born. She "had never criticized the bloomless azalea. It was the other young mothers in the beds each side of her who had laughed at it. That had been 1951. Two of the new babies in the ward had been christened Festival." Tiny comical epiphanies such as these have caused the author to be dubbed a "British miniaturist." Yet the phrase utterly misses the risks Fitzgerald's novellas take, the discoveries they make, and the endless pleasures they provide. --Kerry Fried

Book Description

On the Battersea Reach of the Thames, a mixed bag of eccentrics live in houseboats. Belonging to neither land nor sea, they belong to one another. There is Maurice, a homosexual prostitute; Richard, a buttoned-up ex-navy man; but most of all there's Nenna, the struggling mother of two wild little girls. How each of their lives complicates the others is the stuff of this perfect little novel.

Customer Reviews:

Setting device worked really well.......2005-04-12

The characters here are almost "defined" by the setting, as opposed to learning about them through lots of interior thought or dialogue. That's there, but this story has a visual feel to it. If "Golden Child" isn't available, this would make a good alternative Fitzgerald introduction.

A Graceful & Elegant Look at the Importance of Friendship.......2003-12-29

Here is a short, but wonderfully tight and thoughtful story about a motley group of characters living on houseboats along Battersea Reach on London's Thames. One follows the various moods of the river and it's inhabitants, both of which are picturesque indeed.

In the end, it is the importance of friendship and companionship that stick.

Very much worth the short read.

Spare and brilliant.......2003-05-15

Penelope Fitzgerald's work is not about length. It's about depth. Her mastry lies in her ability to be as nuanced and profound as she in such few words. I think this is her best book.

Incomplete, yet intriguing.......2003-02-11

Penelope Fitzgerald's "Offshore" is an intriguing and complex work. On one hand, it's filled with vivid scenes and lively, realistic characters. On the other hand, the book feels incomplete, and we're left wondering...what? who? where? Do we actually learn anything crucial about these characters? I think so...but I'm not sure what.

First, the scenes are definitely vivid, peopled with real-feeling characters. Fitzgerald is marvelous at characterization. Woodie's unconcern about his boat's leak because the water has risen only as far as the first bunk in his bedroom. Tilda and Martha's discovery of an antique tile in the river bottom and their subsequent haggling with an antiques dealer. Heinrich's polite demeanor - we learn more about him through what he doesn't say.

But all in all, the main characters, especially Nenna, are indecisive. Nenna doesn't visit her husband because she doesn't want to face the possibility that she might lose him. Nenna lives on the barge because she doesn't know where else to live. Nenna and her family move to Canada only because her sister's forceful personality overwhelms her. Such indecisiveness is not the great stuff of memorable literary characters.

But...as Nenna's neighbor Maurice mentions, the people on the barges live half on the water and half on land precisely because they can't decide who they are. The barges then are the metaphor for this indecisiveness...and that's ultimately what the novel is about.

I wanted more than that. I wanted a novel three times as large, a book that lived with the characters longer, and illustrated the conflicts more clearly. What exactly was at risk for Nenna in not seeing her husband? She admits that seeing him might dash her hope of living with him - but people say a lot of things, and she appears quite content living without him in the first place.

I would've also liked to have visited with the characters after the crucial changes that altered their lives. Why exactly did Nenna choose to move to Canada? How has Richard come to accept his fate as faithful suburban husband?

In any case, Fitzgerald's prose is fantastic, and the layout of scenes is near perfect. I think it's rather a compliment to her that I feel this book is incomplete. I plan to read more of her books in the future.

Perfectly spare and engaging........2003-01-23

Penelope Fitzgerald's talent is immense and I'm becoming a greater fan of her work. I'm a big fan of A.S. Byatt. Her work is, superficially, of greater length than Fitzgerald's. I'm learning to appreciate the concise quality of Fitzgerald's work and Offshore is a beautiful example of her lean wit. I need to re-read Fitzgerald's Blue Flower again. I don't think I understood her style well enough.

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