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Looking back, John Edward now sees the early signs that he was destined to become an acclaimed psychic and medium. "There were times when I knew things I shouldn't have known," he writes. "Simple things like who was coming over, or who was on the phone." He knew events in family history that no one had told him about. He was inexplicably fascinated with television characters that possessed supernatural powers. He'd see auras around schoolteachers and hear voices that whispered true information in his mind. Eventually his gifts expanded into hearing the names of spirits "who'd gone to the other side." Finally, as a teenager Edward began to claim rather than question his psychic abilities and committed his life work to pursuing and learning about his gifts. Now that he has become a renowned medium (appearing on numerous talk shows, including Larry King Live), Edwards has written an entertaining "my life as a psychic" type of autobiography, packed with fascinating true stories. At the same time, Edward offers an engaging self-help book, teaching readers how to visit a medium and even showing seekers how they can recognize and develop their own psychic abilities. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
As seen on "Larry King Live," "The Leeza Show," "Roseanne,"and "Maury Povich"--John Edward's remarkable account of how he came to be one of the most popular psychic mediums of our time. Now with a brand new workbook section written specially for this edition!
His television appearances have made millions of people believe in the afterlife--and in his ability to reach it. Now John Edward's legion of fans can read his remarkable true story and compelling accounts of his most important readings, how they helped heal the scars of grief and gave way to more fulfilling lives for the living--lives where loved ones never cease to love you, and never really die...
In an all-new chapter, written especially for this paperback edition, he also empowers readers to tune in to their own psychic abilities--and read and understand signs of spiritual contact they may be experiencing every day without even knowing it.
* Includes new, first-time-in-print material--the trade edition will be published with an all-new workbook section to help readers tune in to their own psychic abilities
"Compelling...poignant...like James Van Praagh (Talking to Heaven) tempered with the down-to-earth appeal of Caroline Myss."--Publishers Weekly
"Astonishing."--Raymond Moody, Ph.D., M.D., author of Life After Life and Reunions
Customer Reviews:
Good to read if you lost someone.......2007-10-18
I found this book helpful after the loss of my parents.
You may find it enlightening as well.
Still Wanting More Answers!!!.......2007-07-28
For those who are touched by this book, I want you to know that there is something we can't explain. We all have paranormal abilities like John Edward, James Van Praagh, Sylvia Browne, and Char Margolis to name a few. The book is reassuring at times because it makes you feel like you're not alone in this world as some people might perceive us to be weird or strange. The book is about John Edward's biography and is ever evolving psychic abilities. He talks about getting depressed or iritable around negative events. I got this book probably before September 11, 2001 so it doesn't have anything to do with it. For me, I recognized that power and fear when the predictions come true. I'm not so much into contacting the deceased as I am concerned with the future but at the same time, our psychic abilities don't always work to our advantages like getting lottery numbers or picking the right mate. In fact, we can pick for others but we just can't pick for ourselves. John's honesty comes through in his writing and it's an okay biography as well as reassuring that this is not all there is but I want more answers especially about our past lives, our spirit guides, and why we're drawn to certain people. Maybe that could be his next book.
A Great Read!.......2007-07-20
One Last Time was terrific! John Edwards did an excellent job of explaining his gift with the world in a very pragmatic and humorous way. The explanations of the "unexplained", which may have happened to you or those close to you, are sensible and can provide even the most skeptical with a level of comfort not easily found.
fan of crossing over.......2007-04-21
john is a top medium his book is like been in the show well written and a comfort to read as all the others,his personality shines in one last time,i do believe there is more, another book the calling of your true self elizabeth anne bell is another book i could not put down it also rings with truth both well worth reading
Excellent Book.......2007-04-01
John Edward is a remarkable man. I loved this book because it made me feel that those that I have loved and who have gone to the other side are really still here with me.
Book Description
It was supposed to be quick and easy. The Bush Administration even promised that it wouldn't cost American taxpayers a thing -- Iraqi oil revenues would pay for it all. But billions and billions of dollars, and thousands of lives, later, the Iraqi reconstruction is an undeniable failure. Iraq pumps out less oil now than it did under Saddam. At best, Iraqi's average all of twelve hours a day of electricity. American soldiers lack body armor and adequate protection for their motor vehicles. Increasingly worse off, Iraqi's turn against us. Increasingly worse off, our troops are killed by a strengthening insurgency. As T. Christian Miller reveals in this searing and timely book, the Bush Administration has fatally undermined the war effort and our soldiers by handing out mountains of cash not to the best companies for the reconstruction effort, but to buddies, cronies, relatives and political hacks -- some of whom have simply taken the money and run with it. Blistering, brilliant and shocking, this will be the breakout title when it comes to Iraq books, and the catalyst for national debate.
Customer Reviews:
Corruption at its best.......2007-08-27
While the matters in this book have long been alluded to in congressional hearing and the media. this is the first book to gather it up in one volume. It shows an inept government unable to do what was done almost 60 years earlier. Admittedly, the culture and the circumstances were different but the resources were greater. The rampant graft and lack of aggressive action by those in charge, including contractors, is chilling. Have we as a nation state sunk so low?
It presents a thoughtful picture of the risk encountered daily by many employees of contractors. This is the first writing that describes the risk imposed on the professional truckers serving in Iraq. No other writer spells it out so vividly.
This book raises more questions than it supplies answers. Of course, that was the purpose of the book.
No blood money.......2007-05-10
This book is a devastating indictment of the US intervention in Iraq. For the author, the clearest signal of the failure of the reconstruction program is the unabated violence.
The second Iraq war created a paradise for cynical war profiteers, while the Iraqi population was left in the cold. The aid packages were in fact remarkable programs of US domestic handouts and corporate welfare, profiting nearly only to retired Republican operatives, US businessmen and dubious Iraqi exiles with a double agenda.
The profiteers organized an orgy of greed on profit guaranteed contracts. Control was inexistent, e.g., $ 9 billion out of the $ 20 billion of the Iraq Development Fund disappeared without a trace (mind-boggling!). Insurance companies sold mouth watering policies for labor protection. Foreign private security firms played a leading role in the daily violence in Iraq. The contractors hired slave laborers in order to maximize their profits.
The newly installed Iraqi government was not a shade better, e.g., its Defense Ministry misspent or `lost' $ 1.3 billion in its first year in office.
The author illustrates poignantly his terribly shocking exposé with concrete examples of personal tragedies, like the suicide of Col. Ted Westhusing, or the murder by his kidnappers of a 19 year old Nepalese, who paid a broker's fee of $ 3000 for a $ 200 per month job in Iraq.
Miller's book shows also the disastrous effect the UN sanctions had on the Iraqis under Saddam (one schoolbook for every six children).
Its final conclusion is that the Iraqi people didn't receive `blood money' - the payment of compensation by an attacker to the family members of dead or injured loved ones. Instead, they inherited a living standard below the `Saddam' level (no power, no water, no sewage treatment).
This book with its formidable title is a must read for all those interested in world current affairs.
How the US snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.......2007-04-23
This books deserves a Pulitzer Prize for plugging the huge gap in our knowledge of why the spectacular military triumph was succeeded by the even more spectacular reconstruction fiasco that quickly alienated average Iraqis. The press has focused mostly on the daily casualty counts and on the political maneuvering among Iraqi religious and secular leaders. Left unreported has been the story of why the mainstream Iraqi population that was so hopeful after the US toppled Saddam has turned against us in despair. Miller's investigation and reporting skills are remarkable in detailing so much of what went wrong with virtually every aspect of the occupation. Much of the blame is attributable to the unprecedented reliance on profit-driven private sector firms to carry out public policy of rebuilding Iraq -- which was doomed to failure because normal marke forces don't exist to control behavior of corporations left to run amok. Absolute must reading for anyone trying to understand how any American military success can be rapidly and overwhelmingly squandered by failure to plan for all that must follow.
Conservatives should be the most furious.......2007-03-07
Much about the Iraq "war" has been covered. The mythology, the manifest destiny, the lies, the propoganda. But one dimension that's been touched on by Robert Greenwald in "Iraq for Sale" and this fine, fine volume is the profiteering that's going on in Iraq.
Some others critics have commented that the book doesn't list criminals. On the contrary, many are implicated! Indeed, aside from the corporations and their directors who are making out quite literally like bandits, the text also covers the dubious qualifications of those assigned to high positions in Iraq, e.g., persons who were chosen because of their position on Roe v. Wade.
Those who purport to be conservative should be the most angry at what is going on. When they talk about big government, yet refuse to complain when megacorporations are charging the taxpayers--yes, that's you and me--hundreds--THOUSANDS of times what a service is worth there is something wrong. And this book specifies who's getting away with those acts so far. (In a review, I regret I can't get more specific or my review will be eliminated.)
Get this book for yourself and for ALL who still defend what's going on, especially those, again, who claim to be conservatives. This truly is the most important book I've read on the "war" and I'm well-read on the subject. I talked with an attorney referred to in the text who argues that a main motive for the war is to establish a new ruling class. You'll be able to figure out how such a ruling class may be established by reading and pondering this fine volume.
Crime Without Crimnals.......2007-02-05
This book lists crimes but pulls back from from pointing to the criminals.
The crimes themselves are well known to readers of the Internet. There is nothing new here. If you don't pay attention to the Internet the list of crimes and profiteering in Iraq is sobering.
Probably out of a justified fear of retribution the author fails to draw the obvious conclusions of who did what.
Three stars for generalities and one star for specifics= two stars overall.
Book Description
Omm Sety - a brilliant, eccentric Englishwoman with uncanny knowledge of New Kingdom Egypt, its royal secrets and religious practices - worked under some of the 20th century's greatest Egyptologists and lived a life of magic and memory. Omm Sety's EGPYT contains never-before-seen episodes from her life, and important, previously unknown details of Egyptian history.
Customer Reviews:
Charming Odyssey.......2007-08-03
I've just finished reading "Omm Sety's Egypt", and wanted to say what a delightful book it is. I recall seeing a documentary a few years back centered around Omm Sety that left me wondering. Hanny & Catherine did a remarkable job of fleshing out that fascinating character in a warm, compassionate manner that also was quite scholarly. As a long-time student of ancient Egypt, I will never look at things the same way again, which can be called "growth", I think.
A glimpse, however seemingly fantastic, into our ancient world is a golden opportunity to learn things the strictly academic world does not offer. It's been my firm belief for decades that the fields of archaeology and Egyptology in particular have had their heads in the sand, so to speak. New discoveries are being made daily; I just wonder how many of them are getting swept under the rug because they don't dovetail with accepted theories.
I think I accept the experiences of Dorothy Eady because of a pet theory of mine. Greek mythology, I think, tells about the deceased being dipped in the "river of forgetfulness". If reincarnation is real, and I think it is, that might describe a "seal" placed on the consciousness at death, which would serve to separate "lives" from one another, to prevent contamination and preserve the purity of each individual "life". Traumatic injuries or near-death experiences might rupture that seal somehow, perhaps even provide a "link" to another place/time, as in Omm Sety's case. We know so very little about the "soul", but every testament like Dorothy's opens up a new window of exploration, and adds a missing piece to the puzzle of life.
This book will be read and re-read until it's dog-eared, I'm sure.
An Egyptologist booksellers view of a fine book........2007-07-07
Through-out my life which has lead to eventually owning an Egyptological academic bookshop I have felt influenced by the lady known as Omm Sety. When I first read about her in a Reader's Digest book "Strange Stories and Amazing Facts" at the age of 12, I was smitten with the idea of past lives. My own interest in Ancient Egypt was already well rounded at that age. This was just another part of the jigsaw for me.
I have gone on to know several people who knew Omm Sety and I have visited her grave in Abydos. The first book I imported for my business in 1988 was Abydos, Holy City of Ancient Egypt. If you can get a copy do so as it was Omm Sety's seminal work.
Having said all of the above I highly recommend this book to readers, I read it over a few days, some of the information in this book you will find in earlier writings such as the Jonothon Cott book mentioned by the other reviewers, but this book rounds out the picture, it also covers Omm Sety's marriage and more information about her son, Sety.
Therefor this book now fills in the gaps in our knowledge of Omm Sety, what an extrodinary women she was, in her own way she influenced Egyptology greatly although many Egyptologist will only talk of that privately, she was also a great humanitarian and did very good works for the village surrounding Abydos temple.
I enjoyed the book very much and I hope that one day Hanny el Zeini will publish Omm Sety's complete diarys and notes to absolutely complete the picture.
Whether you are a academic Egyptologist, a past lifer, a romantic, or just interested in Strange stories I feel you will enjoy this book, and you'll want to buy a couple of copies for it would make a great gift.
Blessings to you Omm Sety your amazing life is an inspiration to all.
great book.......2007-06-27
As books go, this one was desert for me. I am a beleiver in reincarnation anyway and a lover of Egyptian history. With this book the two naturally go together. The author is not only credible as far as getting his facts right, he is also sincere and, I might add, a friend to this amazing woman the world now knows as Omm Sety. I read the book in one sitting. It is an adventure, a love story and a good case for life beyond this life. I highly recomend it.
To own and to give!.......2007-05-31
The book ,Omm Sety's Egypt, has been well described in these pages.To me it was a very deep emotional experience of the power of Love. To read the story as it enfolds, thanks to Hanny El Zeini's tapes and his deep respect and affection for Omm Sety, we the readers, feel part of Omm Sety's successive lives while getting a wonderful view of ancient Egypt and an education as well. What makes this book exceptional is the description of the incredible power of love reaching through centuries and incarnations to allow two lovers to be reunited.
It is not only a book to own and cherish, multiple copies should be bought to give to loved ones for special occasions.
Malou Zeitlin
Very compelling with new information.......2007-04-19
This book is very well-written and quite compelling. I had read the Jonathan Cott book a few years ago, and while I loved the story, at times it was hard to follow. This book has so much new information and stories that it feels like I am learning about Omm Sety all over again.
Product Description
A rare blending of the Bible account with information from sciences, archeology, ancient traditions and other sources. Reads as easily as a story, yet teaches actual history. Narrates from creation to Abram, encompassing the whole period usually called "prehistoric". Charts, maps and illustrations help to give a clear picture of times and places. Gives insights into the world before the great flood and into the rebuilding of civilization afterward. Shows the sources of all pagan beliefs. Used as supplementary reading with the course above on Genesis. For the whole family.
Customer Reviews:
Adam & His Kin: The Lost History of Their Lives and Times.......2006-11-16
Purchased book for my son for homeschool. He likes the book because he loves the class and the teacher at his coop.
History Comes to Life!.......2005-08-28
The Bible is the deepest, most intelligent, and powerful writing ever penned. Because it is such a profound book, parts of it may at times seem confusing. Many times I struggled through the pages of the Old Testament trying to comprehend the history. Sometimes I would give up, becoming weary of the long string of names or descriptions of who begat whom.
Why did God's Word have to be so difficult for me? I so wanted to be able to read the Bible and be as interested in its history as I was in the Tudor Era. Of course, I never dreamed that there was a book out there just for me.
When my Mom presented me with Adam and His Kin by Dr. Ruth Beechick I immediately devoured it. The story, the history, the Bible! Mrs. Beechick retells the story of Genesis like no other author has. I found myself intrigued and delighted as I read about Eve's heartbreaking struggle in the Garden of Eden, the tragic murder of Abel, the fascinating story of Noah, and even the tower of Babel.
It was like reliving history beside these amazing figures and the spectacular events which surrounded them. I could actually feel Eve's longing for the forbidden, I mourned for Noah as he was made fun of and taunted while he built the most amazing boat in the world, the boat that God instructed him to build.
In Adam and His Kin history comes to life and you experience what life was like thousands of years ago. In my opinion, this book is a masterpiece and I can give it nothing but the highest praise.
J.M. Age 14
Important Book.......2005-03-11
This important book gives children a Biblically accurate overview of the book of Genesis, told in a narrative style. Read this book to your children before you begin your study of ancient history.
An Entertaining Read.........2004-11-06
The book reads like a narrative, starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden, ending with Abram leaving Ur. It was a refreshing way to read the unfolding of Adam, Eve, Abel, Cain, along with Noah and his son's lives. The author spices things up by inserting what she believes these people felt and thought.
" You won't die, " the serpent said. "God knows that when you eat the fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be as gods, knowing good and evil." The woman contemplated the tree. Its fruit looked pleasant and good to eat. Would it really mak her wise like God, knowing good and evil? She stepped in for a closer look. Then she picked a fruit. Turning it around in her hand, it seemed a small matter if she should taste it. Just one little bite. And so she did. At that moment, the spirit within her died. Its radiance faded, and she stood beside the tree feeling helpless and naked. The serpent quickly disappeared. He was not going to hlep her. "That deciever!" she exlaimed. She did know evil. That much of the serpent's words came true. And how terrible it was! Evil was inside her. Coul she throw asay the fruit? Could she cough up the bite and spit it out? Could she undo her act in any way? No, it was done. She couldn't restore her innocence. Adam must eat the fruit too. He must not leave her alone in this condition. Frightened and distraught, she ran to Adam, the remains fo the fruit still in her hand. Seein her pitiful state, Adam needed no explanation. Her confused words, her crying, her begging tore at his heart.
Though not EXACTLY what may have happened, it's not impossible something to this magnitude did occur. With Cain and Abel, Ruth Beechick writes:
As he shouted at his brother, a terrible idea came into his mind. "Come into my filed," he said. "Let us talk in privacy out there." In the field they continued talking until Cain suddenly rose up with one of his garden tools and killed his brother Abel. Cain had seen the death of animals, but this was the first death of a human. It was shocking even for hard-hearted Cain to see the dead body of his brother lying there...fastforwarding to after God cursed Cain, Ruth writes:
Cain said, "That punishment is more than i can bear." His voice sounded sorry now but it was sorrow not about his deed, only about his punishment.
Ruth also gives some nice information about our biblical characters. She notes tht Seth meant "appointed one." Later on she explains that Nimrod means "let us rebel.", which further illustrated Cush's revolt against God, describing Nimrod's purpose. The characters and where they migrate to, the names, etc are accurate. One has to keep in mind while reading that it's Ruth's interpretation on how the individuals feel or what they thought. It was a very quick read.
Beautiful, Well-written, Excellent book.......2004-07-03
WOW! There were a lot of ideas in this book that I already had, and a few that were new to me, but the way that Ms. Beechick weaved together the Biblical account with history and made it easily readable was just amazing. I've read many books on this time period. Most of them are very scholarly, which definitely has it's place, but this was a quick, light, fun read, that was still jam-packed with lots of info. She also includes a great bibliography, so I can't wait to start researching more.
Book Description
The 1970s was a great decade for British racing drivers, but it was also the era in which the nation lost a generation of brilliant young drivers--Roger Williamson, Tony Brise and Tom Pryce--in tragic accidents. All had the potential to be World Champions. With access to their families, friends and race colleagues, David Tremayne tells their full stories for the first time. It makes for poignant but uplifting reading.
Average customer rating:
- Heartbreaking
- The truth is always stark, but not usually as stark as this.
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Lost Lives: The Stories of the Men, Women and Children who Died as a Result of the Northern Ireland Troubles
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Making Sense of the Troubles: The Story of the Conflict in Northern Ireland
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Bloody Sunday
ASIN: 184018504X
Release Date: 2001-05-10 |
Book Description
This is the story of the Northern Ireland troubles told as never before. It is not concerned with the political bickering, but with the lives of those who have suffered and the deaths which have resulted from more than three decades of conflict. Over a seven-year period, the authors examined every death which was directly caused by the troubles. Their research involved interviewing witnesses, scouring published material, and drawing on a range of investigative sources to produce this study. They trace the origins of the conflict from the firing of the first shots, through the carnage of the 1970s and 1980s and up to the republican and loyalist ceasefires and beyond. All the casualties are remembered here—the RUC officer, the young soldier, the IRA volunteer, the loyalist paramilitary, the Catholic mother, the Protestant worker, and the new-born baby.
Customer Reviews:
Heartbreaking.......2000-01-12
Perhaps the best tribute possible for the people whose lives have been wasted over the last 30 years in Northern Ireland.
The only pity is that the sheer numbers make it impossible to also tell the stories of all of the victims who who survived but had their lives shattered.
This book should be supplied as an antidote to those who find terrorism 'romantic' or seek to justify violence from any side in Ireland.
Many of the stories would make a stone weep; this is not an easy book to read. Nevertheless it is essential to anyone who wants an insight into the real cost of the troubles.
The truth is always stark, but not usually as stark as this........1999-12-31
This is not a book for the faint of heart. Lost Lives is basically a compiled list of the victims of the Northern Ireland Troubles and gives the detail of their actual death, who they were, and what they were doing at the time. It would be easier to read the writings of Dante in a single sitting than it would be to spend more than a half an hour reading these most tragic tales.
If you care at all about people, this book will affect you deeply, because the majority of people listed here are merely guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or perhaps their beliefs shading differently to their neighbors.
If you have ever endorsed or supported any form of discrimination, bigotry, or military action, and you consider yourself a rational individual, this book will surely make you reconsider your views on such matters.
The authors of this massive and heartrending work will be seen in the course of time to have made a most worthwhile contribution toward consolidating the Irish Peace Process.
Essential and worthwhile reading for any scholar of History.
Book Description
Over 1,000 American soldiers have died in Iraq since combat began in 2003. Their Last Words is a remarkable homage to the lives and deaths of some of the Americans who died in the war on terror. Family and friends share fond, revealing remembrances and photographs of the men and women who answered their nation's call - and made the ultimate sacrifice. But most memorable are the haunting last letters home in which the soldiers themselves tell not only of the hardships and loneliness of war, but of their pride and determination in serving their country, and of their undying devotion to those who'd given their lives its greatest joy and meaning - the loved ones they'd never see again.
George Sheldon, author of the Washington Post bestseller When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg, has created a remarkable testament preserving the final words of a generation of Americans who exemplify honor, duty, and love of country - and who have given their lives so that others might live in freedom.
Customer Reviews:
Many errors but a touching book.......2005-10-19
This book mirrors the one that HBO did on Last Letters Home. I have issues with him bringing Jessica Lynch up during the chapter about the 507th Soldier who was found dead a few days after the attack. He mentions her twice on the page and I feel that took away from the deceased Soldier's story. Also, the author should have had someone with military rank knowledge edit his book. The rank is Private First Class not Private, First Class which he writes all the time. Also there are several inconsistencies in dates which could drive a reader nuts. The last letter home was written 10 years before the Soldier died??? Or was written 6 days after the soldier died??? His editor needs to be fired!
Touching Book.......2005-06-09
This book is very touching. I honestly had to hold back my tears. This book is a quick read but worth it.
A Tribute of Sorts........2005-04-23
THEIR LAST WORDS is a collection of stories, letters, and emails constructed together as a tribute to some of the soldiers who have lost their lives fighting in Iraq. The lives of 14 different soldiers are told in this book. The soldiers profiled all lived a variety of lives: some were men, some were women, some were white, some black, some were young, some were about ready to retire, some were in support of the war in Iraq, some were opposed to it. However, each and everyone of them shared a love for their country and fought and served bravely because despite their differences, they knew that what they were fighting for was something bigger than themselves. Each section of the book includes at least one personal email or letter written by each soldier. Some of these were their last pieces of correspondence before being killed. I got choked up a couple times while reading this book and I feel it really captures the essence of what each of these individuals sacrificed to protect. Reading this helped make the war in Iraq more personal for me.
Great book, powerfully moving, but prepare yourself.......2005-03-19
As the wife of a Marine who is "over there", I have become obsessed with reading books about the Marine Corps, the Iraq conflict, and books like this one, windows into the lives of soldiers and Marines who have lost their lives. Every single letter in this book made me cry, and not just because they hit close to home, but because of what these men and women gave up to do their duty, and protect the men and women fighting alongside them. My heart broke for every grieving family, and this book and others like it are neccessary, especially for those who do not have a loved one serving, if only for such people to understand the true cost of this and any war.
Customer Reviews:
the way we tell stories.......2007-03-07
Taken both separately and as an arranged series, these 14 stories explore the relationships between narrative, life, knowledge, creation, self and being. Like much of Barth's work, these texts wrestle with the profound implication that insight into the way we narrativize experience, into the way we make and tell stories, can actually help us understand how we perceive and live life. Deeply existential, yet also inventive and playful, Lost in the Funhouse twists and turns the established folds of form and meaning, trying to tease out something new. Where the stories succeed, they shimmer brilliantly.
In a few instances, however, the book sinks a little too far into post-modern self-referentiality, with stories about their own conception, about their own futility. While these concepts are intriguing, and Barth's examinations lively, several pages worth is often too much. Especially at first reading, such stories seem not only bewildering but also boorish, even annoying. Part of the problem is perhaps simply that such ideas are no longer new. But it's also true that some of the stories are rather obscure, so much so that the book now includes Barth's "Seven Additional Author's Notes," for needed clarification.
The stories in this slim volume, many of which are post-modern or metafictional experiments, seem inevitable, even necessary. Eventually someone was going to have to write them, and no one is perhaps more capable of exploring narrative and form in this way than John Barth. Unfortunately, however, some of the stories drag and feel a little tedious, which the reader should be prepared for. Overall, this is a challenging, rewarding and expansive book. Lost in the funhouse, indeed...
Confusing, Hilarious, Profound.......2006-06-05
Lost in the Funhouse can be a very bewildering and irritating collection if you aren't in the right mood for it. If you aren't well-versed in post-modern fiction (barthelme, calvino, etc are good reference points) you might want to start somewhere else first. Even Barth's novels are more immediately digestible.
With that said, though, this collection doesn't really operate on one consistent level. Perhaps this is because many of these stories were written by Barth much earlier in his career. The three stories concerning Ambrose's birth and development are very straightforward and enjoyable on a surface level until the whole series goes flying into left-field with the titular "Lost in the Funhouse" story (which Barth is probably most known for). From that point on, most of the stories are more about the process of writing and the relationship between the reader, writer, and the characters. Stories like "Title" and "Life-Story" work more as essays on the nature of fiction than actual works of fiction, and were (for me at least) a little tedious. The best moments occur when Barth combines his thoughful analysis on the nature of writing and art with a really good ground-situation, typically based on Greek mythology. The best of these are the utterly raunchy "Petitition" and the labyrinthine "Menelaiad".
Taken as a whole, though, Lost in the Funhouse is greatly satisfying, even if (like me) you really only understood about 20% of what Barth was talking about on your first read-through. It's the sort of book I'll go back to again and again to try and delve deeper into the mystery of the funhouse while appreciating all over the hilarious bawdy humor.
Oh, and make sure to read Barth's seven additional notes at the front of the book (though maybe only after you've read the story that is being discussed in each note, so as not to ruin the initial experience)-- they really help to clarify some of Barth's intentions. I can't even imagine appreciating a story like "Glossolalia" without having read the note concerning it.
Maybe not as bad as I originally thought.......2003-01-13
I reviewed this book in 1999, calling it "Self-Serving Drivel." I recently went back to re-read it, hoping that I had been naive and dumb at the time and that Barth's stories would improve with the reader's experience. No such luck. It's still self-serving drivel.
Maybe at the time it was published this brand of metafiction was revolutionary, but it has not held up well over the intevening years. Some modern metafiction has revealed important, enduring truths about the problems of reading and writing, but Barth's convoluted first steps into the genre read as needlessly complicated tellings of very simple stories.
His prose style is certainly unique and evocative, and some of his stories are amazingly inventive ("Ambrose His Mark" most notably) but as a whole this collection comes off very badly. When he launches off into syntax-less prose poetry he reveals all of his style's weaknesses in exchange for no noticeable strengths. All in all, not very good.
Stretching short stories.......2002-10-07
I will admit that there are plenty of classic masterpiece quality short stories out there, collections or otherwise. I'm just not an avid reader of them . . . maybe I just like big hefty books, maybe I don't like switching gears every twenty pages or so . . . who knows? But I do like Barth and this is pretty short so I figured, what the hey? Unlike most short story collections which generally just wait until an author has enough stories to fill a book before publishing, this book was originally conceived as a group of short stories that in some form or another share the same thematic elements and much like an album, is sequenced into a proper order and should be read that way. So he says. Barth admits in the foreword that he doesn't normally write short stories and this was his attempt at playing with the medium, which as you might suspect gives you all kinds of hit or miss stories . . . generally the quality is pretty high and for such an academic guy, Barth's pretty funny (he can respect and make fun of mythology at the same time without seeming smug or arch, which I think is hard to do) and if the humor's on, then for the most part that can carry the nuttier moments. Basically it's a "post-modern" sort of short story collection, so there aren't many compromises to things like form or structure or plot (one story is essentially a Moebius strip) which has the effect of making some stories feel like little more than academic exercises in form, rendering them a bit distant emotionally. Like looking at abstract art I guess, you can admire the technique even as you can't appreciate the emotion behind it. But when the collection works, it works great. The title story is my personal favorite, but the last one is the best of the mythology based ones (parts of this seem like a runthrough for Chimera) and overall if you're not looking for Joycean slice of life tales or knotted little tales of suspense, but instead an attempt to bend the rules a bit, then you'll probably like this. Not Barth's best work but it's short and the gems outweigh the duds by a good margin, so it could be worse.
laizzez-faire postmodernism.......2000-06-06
John Barth is not a doctrinaire postmodernist. He does not reject the label of 'postmodernist writer', but he is not interested in following the doctrine to logical end. That would apparently take the fun out of the funhouse.
This book is a series of essays, meditations, short stories and jokes that examine the creative process as ontogeny. Barth is funny and melancholy at the same time. He is skeptical, but also to some degree hopeful, about the possibility of writing anything that could be useful to someone else.
His enthusiastic and hilarious references made me want to read or re-read many classic pieces of literature including Allen Ginsberg's "Howl", Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and the Iliad and "1001 Arabian Nights". And he made me believe that I could get a lot more out of them, if I would just question a few more of my presumptions.
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- Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
- Paula Deen Celebrates!: Best Dishes and Best Wishes for the Best Times of Your Life
- Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved (The University Center for Human Values Series)
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- Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology Series: Chemical Peels: Text with DVD (Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology)
- Revolution of the Heart: A Genealogy of Love in China, 1900-1950
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Books Index
Books Home
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Crossing Over
After Life: Answers From the Other Side
Talking to Heaven: A Medium's Message of Life After Death
Hello from Heaven: A New Field of Research-After-Death Communication Confirms That Life and Love Are Eternal
Final Beginnings: The Tunnel
