Book Description
Book Description For everyone who was too cheap to buy the hardcover, the blockbuster, award-winning No. 1 New York Times bestseller is now in trade paperback--with a new introduction, fully updated, and with equally unsettling nude photos of the newest Supreme Court justices, and a text corrected by the most reputable college professor we could find/afford.Including:#8226 Historical inaccuracies, gross distortions, complete fabrications-corrected by real-life bearded college professor#8226 A new introduction by the authors#8226 Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito--nude!#8226 Totally updated ISBN number!#8226 American-style democracy is the world's most beloved form of government, which explains why so many other nations are eager for us to impose it on them. But what is American democracy? Amazon.com ExclusivesFeaturing a foreword by Thomas Jefferson, a Dress the Supreme Court layout, and, oddly enough, a profile of George "The Iceman" Gervin, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, from Jon Stewart and the writers of the Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show, is by far one the most irreverent and wittiest (and may we add smartest) political book you're likely to encounter. Amazon.com spoke with Jon Stewart a few days before the 2004 publication of America (The Book) and they discussed bald eagles, magical talking cats, Thor Heyerdahl, and much more #8226 Read the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart #8226 Listen to the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart #8226 Watch a "Vintage" Amazon.com Exclusive Video from Jon Stewart More from Jon Stewart Naked Pictures of Famous People America (The Book) [Audio CD] The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2004 [DVD]
Customer Reviews:
Pretty Flippin' Erudite Satire, Man........2007-10-18
Which is this risible book, parody or satire? Both? Neither? Whatever. The fact is you'll buy it for the nudie pics of the US Supreme Court (y'know, I kinda thought Justice O'Connor was hot for an old chick) but go on to read it because of Jon Stewart's biting humor that, like, say, the best of George Carlin, tells an awful lot that's true and needs saying. Do I like this book? Yes. Do I love it? No. Why? It dragged near the end and wasted some time here and there. That's why I only gave it four stars instead of five. See up there? Four. Not five. Four. Good, not great. Readable, laughable, not embraceable. A book to read on the patio but not one to take to bed. A literary relationship, not a literary marriage. Peace out, shalom, don't tread on rotten potatoes.
Great Book.......2007-10-14
Awesome book. Very humorous for everyone, but particularly so for those with knowledge of world history as Stewart draws satire from past events.
Really is a must-read.
Funny John Stewart.......2007-09-07
I like the Jon Stewart show immensely and this book is a good primer on the humor of our "democracy inaction". I'm giving this book and Lloyd Dangle's newly released book "Troubletown Told You So: Comics That Could've Saved Us From This Mess" to all my relatives this year. And frankly both these books should be taught in college government classes! Troubletown Told You So: Comics that Could've Saved Us from this Mess
Too funny..........2007-09-05
What can you say? Is it the old school book library feel? Is it the constant sarcasm?
The book is simply funny.
Warning -- Very much like Denis Miller, Stewart's brand of humor is somewhat intellectual in nature. If you are looking for slapstick, you a) don't watch Stewart and b) are definitely buying the wrong book.
if you like J.S, you'll like this.......2007-07-03
English is my second language and I thought I would have some problem to understand the jokes but they were clear.
Good book eve if you don't agree with everything.
Amazon.com
If you own only one anthology of classic science fiction, it should be The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964. Selected by a vote of the membership of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA), these 26 reprints represent the best, most important, and most influential stories and authors in the field. The contributors are a Who's Who of classic SF, with every Golden Age giant included: Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, John W. Campbell, Robert A. Heinlein, Fritz Leiber, Cordwainer Smith, Theodore Sturgeon, and Roger Zelazny. Other contributors are less well known outside the core SF readership. Three of the contributors are famous for one story--but what stories!--Tom Godwin's pivotal hard-SF tale, "The Cold Equations"; Jerome Bixby's "It's a Good Life" (made only more infamous by the chilling Twilight Zone adaptation); and Daniel Keyes's "Flowers for Algernon" (brought to mainstream fame by the movie adaptation, Charly).
The collection has some minor but frustrating flaws. There are no contributor biographies, which is bad enough when the author is a giant; but it's especially sad for contributors who have become unjustly obscure. Each story's original publication date is in small print at the bottom of the first page. And neither this fine print nor the copyright page identifies the magazines in which the stories first appeared.
Prefaced by editor Robert Silverberg's introduction, which describes SFWA and details the selection process, The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964 is a wonderful book for the budding SF fan. Experienced SF readers should compare the table of contents to their library before making a purchase decision. Fans who contemplate giving this book to non-SF readers should bear in mind that, while several of the collected stories can measure up to classic mainstream literary stories, the less literarily-acceptable stories are weighted toward the front of the collection; adult mainstream-literature fans may not get very far into The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964. --Cynthia Ward
Book Description
The definitive collection of the best in science fiction stories between 1929-1964.This book contains twenty-six of the greatest science fiction stories ever written. They represent the considered verdict of the Science Fiction Writers of America, those who have shaped the genre and who know, more intimately than anyone else, what the criteria for excellence in the field should be. The authors chosen for The Science Fiction Hall Fame are the men and women who have shaped the body and heart of modern science fiction; their brilliantly imaginative creations continue to inspire and astound new generations of writers and fans.Robert Heinlein in "The Roads Must Roll" describes an industrial civilization of the future caught up in the deadly flaws of its own complexity. "Country of the Kind," by Damon Knight, is a frightening portrayal of biological mutation. "Nightfall," by Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest stories in the science fiction field, is the story of a planet where the sun sets only once every millennium and is a chilling study in mass psychology.Originally published in 1970 to honor those writers and their stories that had come before the institution of the Nebula Awards, The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame, Volume One, was the book that introduced tens of thousands of young readers to the wonders of science fiction. Too long unavailable, this new edition will treasured by all science fiction fans everywhere.The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame, Volume One, contains stories by such great masters of the form and includes the following authors:Isaac AsimovAlfred BesterJerome BixbyJames BlishAnthony BoucherRay BradburyFredric BrownJohn W. CampbellArthur C. ClarkeLester del Reyri0Tom GodwinRobert A. HeinleinDaniel KeyesDamon KnightC.M. KornbluthFritz LeiberMurray LeinsterRichard MathesonJudith MerrilLewis PadgettClifford D. SimakCordwainer SmithTheodore SturgeonA.E. van VogtStanley G. WeinbaumRoger Zelazny
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-08-04
Silverberg gives a short intro on how he chose these. I would give this collection 4.5 out of 5, if that was possible.
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : A Martian Odyssey - Stanley G. Weinbaum
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Twilight - John W. Campbell
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Helen O'Loy - Lester del Rey
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : The Roads Must Roll - Robert A. Heinlein
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Microcosmic God - Theodore Sturgeon
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Nightfall - Isaac Asimov
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : The Weapon Shop - A. E. Van Vogt
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Mimsy Were the Borogoves - Lewis Padgett
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Huddling Place - Clifford D. Simak
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : Arena - Fredric Brown
Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol One Silverberg : First Contact - Murray Leinster
Interplanetary interpersonal communication.
4 out of 5
Future science dwindling.
3.5 out of 5
Metal woman's family.
3 out of 5
A master engineer and others work to stop industrial action from stopping massively engineered mass transit.
3 out of 5
Genius idea factory proves impenetrable.
4.5 out of 5
Media and religion struggle with science. Still.
4 out of 5
Technological resistance to a repressive empire via some shops.
3.5 out of 5
A technology discovery is beyond the adults, but definitely not the children, with unforeseen results.
4.5 out of 5
Homebody scaredy-cats.
3.5 out of 5
Forced xenophobic conflict unconscious breakthrough.
4 out of 5
Conflict avoidance transport swap.
4.5 out of 5
Tag line does not exaggerate.......2007-05-09
I've purchased this book in paperback and hardcover many times over because I keep giving copies away. This is an indespensible introduction to the art of writing short fiction, sci-fi style. Character studies, logic puzzles, future societies, deaths of civilizations, it's all in here. Emphatically recommended.
Pure Gold.......2007-05-08
My Mom had a dog eared paperback copy of this book from her college days. I remember reading and rereading it as a young boy. It, more than any other book, ignited my passion for science fiction. Every story is a winner and each serves as a jumping off point to explore the author's further work. Of all the SF anthologies, this is the best and is an essential part of any SF fan's library.
good book at a good price in mint condition.......2007-05-07
book arrive early and in new condition
Mostly great.......2007-05-04
Most of the stories in hear are fantastic. The intro also includes a listing of the 20 best voted scifi short stories, which I found myself refering to to see if I could relate to the 'experts' opinions. There are a few stinkers in the bunch, which I'm sure is inevitable, but probably not as many as you'd find as in other collections.
Average customer rating:
- A home filled with curiosities and wonders.
- Amazing
- Inside Edward Gorey's house...
- Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have
- A specialty item for the true Gorey collector
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Elephant House: Or, The Home of Edward Gorey
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Ascending Peculiarity: Edward Gorey on Edward Gorey
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The Other Statue
ASIN: 0764924958 |
Book Description
An intimate photographic journey through Edward Gorey's home.
Customer Reviews:
A home filled with curiosities and wonders........2007-08-09
This is a beautiful book of photographs and text that allows the reader an intriguing view of the home in which Edward Gorey lived and the collections of curious objects, books, and cats he filled it with.
The photographs are large and beautiful - haunting even - and there are lots of them. There is just the right amount of text to cast some light on the man behind the house and his elusive character - anecdotes about his life, his work, his friends and the things that inspired him.
If you are fan of Edward Gorey, or of eclectic interior decorating and design, and displaying collections of antiques, this book will be a treasure in your library.
Amazing.......2007-04-10
That's really all I can say. I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and it was the most incredible thing. Amazing photos. Read up on Gorey first, though. The details are some much better when you get the little visual jokes Gorey set up in his day-to-day life.
Inside Edward Gorey's house..........2006-02-01
If you are an Ogdred Weary fan...this is a truly wonderful book. Photographs of the exterior (peeling paint and kind of saggy porch) and the interior rooms of the house on Cape Cod in Gorey lived and worked, along with his cats and figbashes, piles of thousands of books, assorted rocks and oddish things, and the expected miriad of curiosities. Alas, or delightfully...just the environment one would expect of the eccentric Edward. A cabinet of curiosities...a delight!
Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have.......2005-09-10
This book wouldn't mean much to anyone who isn't already a Gorey fan. I own (and love) the compilations 'Amphigorey', 'Amphigorey Too' & 'Amphogorey Also', so have a head start. I also have the auto(?) biography 'Ascending Peculiarity', which is almost a necessary co-requisite to this book - it helps explain the cats, and many other Gorey details. Now that the individual books are available again, I'm tempted to get them too, because they are such nice objects - but only if the kids promise to share with me!
A specialty item for the true Gorey collector.......2004-04-05
Even dedicated fans of Edward Gorey will probably know very little about his personal life: he was an enigmatic recluse and few were permitted past his front door. Photographer Kevin McDermott's Elephant House will delight students of architecture and photography, providing rich duotone works of Gorey's intriguing home and its contents. A specialty item for the true Gorey collector, Elephant House is an impressive photographic showcase and a welcome addition to both architectural studies and photographic studies reference collections.
Average customer rating:
- well written memoir
- Great Read
- Addictive
- a poignant look back
- Wolff Is Crafty
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This Boy's Life: A Memoir
Tobias Wolff
Manufacturer: Grove Press
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ASIN: 0802136680 |
Amazon.com
Fiction writer Tobias Wolff electrified critics with his scarifying 1989 memoir, which many deemed as notable for its artful structure and finely wrought prose as for the events it describes. The story is pretty grim: Teenaged Wolff moves with his divorced mother from Florida to Utah to Washington State to escape her violent boyfriend. When she remarries, Wolff finds himself in a bitter battle of wills with his abusive stepfather, a contest in which the two prove to be more evenly matched than might have been supposed. Deception, disguise, and illusion are the weapons the young man learns to employ as he grows up--not bad training for a writer-to-be. Somber though this tale of family strife is, it is also darkly funny and so artistically satisfying that most readers come away exhilarated rather than depressed.
Book Description
This unforgettable memoir, by one of our most gifted writers, introduces us to the young Toby Wolff, by turns tough and vulnerable, crafty and bumbling, and ultimately winning. Separated by divorce from his father and brother, Toby and his mother are constantly on the move, yet they develop an extraordinarily close, almost telepathic relationship. As Toby fights for identity and self-respect against the unrelenting hostility of a new stepfather, his experiences are at once poignant and comical, and Wolff does a masterful job of re-creating the frustrations and cruelties of adolescence. His various schemes - running away to Alaska, forging checks, and stealing cars - lead eventually to an act of outrageous self-invention that releases him into a new world of possibility.
Customer Reviews:
well written memoir.......2007-08-28
This is a well written and engaging memoir. It ends a bit abruptly, leaving me wondering how the author went on to become the distinguished writer he did. I enjoyed this book. The people and places described did become alive to me. While not a page turner, this was a book I enjoyed quite a bit.
Great Read.......2007-08-15
Short (4-5 hours) account of author's troubled youth. Hard to put down, this book would easily appeal to a wide audience.
Addictive.......2007-08-11
I can't put this book down. It is wonderfully written and very entertaining.
A must read for any teenagers looking for a nice exhilarating read.
a poignant look back.......2007-01-09
I was impressed by this eloquent account of a young man who found his conscience under the most trying circumstances imaginable. Writing with painful honesty about the deceipt around him as well as self-deceipt, he reveals how he broke through with new-found empathy that temporarily paralyzed him (the others around him misunderstood the motives for his action) but ultimately, I believe led to his most genuine, heartfelt response. This reader ached for him because he could not access the support he needed at this crucial juncture of his moral development, yet I am full of admiration for the strength it gave him, and how it seemed eventually to prepare him for his experiences in Viet Nam. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the sequel to this book which reveals his experiences there.
Wolff Is Crafty.......2006-11-29
The story is about Wolff's childhood. His mother nurtures him as best she can in between disenchantment with male suitors, employers and various geographies. As the good-hearted mom she gives Toby a pretty long leash to act out his child fantasies - at least the ones she could afford. Then she marries Dwight. And at this point in the story the main conflict begins as Tobias faces-off with his insecure, alcoholic step-father.
I read this book thinking: "My god, this Wolff kid is smart, funny, extremely crafty and got a wee bit of the devil in him." But than it's easy to forget you're reading a memoir written by an award-winning writer such as Wolff. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the adventures of Wolff as a teenager - always wondering how he would lie, cheat, steal his way out of his next jam. His innocence melted away with every turn of the page. But the innocence portrayed by Wolff lacked the quality of real naiveté to me. Overtime it felt more like a precursor, a set-up, for the devilish Wolff to emerge from. Or maybe Wolff just grew-up too fast in those 288 pages for my liking.
What can a person say about Tobias Wolff's writing? Lean? Clean? Outstanding? I venture to say that it's already been called out in one of the hundred reviews listed here. In all, a memoir delivered with a brilliant sense of place, time, and most of all the character of a young man finding his way.
Book Description
What if you asked 125 top writers to pick their favorite books? Which titles would come out on top?
You'll find the answer in The Top Ten: Writers Pick Their Favorite Books: the ultimate guide to the world's greatest books. As writers such as Norman Mailer, Annie Proulx, Stephen King, Jonathan Franzen, Claire Messud, Margaret Drabble, Michael Chabon and Peter Carey name the ten books that have meant the most to them, you'll be reminded of books you have always loved and introduced to works awaiting your discovery.
The Top Ten includes summaries of 544 books—each of which is considered to be among the ten greatest books ever written by at least one leading writer. In addition to each writer's Top Ten List, the book features Top Ten Lists tabulated from their picks, including:
• The Top Ten Books of All Time
• The Top Ten Books by Living Writers
• The Top Ten Books of the Twentieth Century
• The Top Ten Mysteries
• The Top Ten Comedies
Already sparking debate, The Top Ten will help readers answer the most pressing question of all: What should I read next?
Customer Reviews:
Depressing!.......2007-10-12
The favorite books of these 125 "leading writers" are populated by adulterers and adulteresses, nihlists, existentialists, pedophiles, and athiests. You can't fault J. Peder Zane, the compiler of this work, but rather the secular, overly-academic types that he solicited the lists from. I mean, what type of person would prefer "Bleak House" over "A Tale of Two Cities," or "Middlemarch" over "Silas Marner?" Another problem with the "Top Ten" is that they are all books we ought to like, but nobody would read them for pleasure. I would be interested in a similar list garnered from people who really enjoy good literature, but are not trying to impress others with their erudition.
The book needed an editor!.......2007-06-28
Among other errors in the book, the summary of TARTUFFE is simply incorrect (Tartuffe is not interested in Orgon's daughter but in his wife) and, more obviously, the designation of Virgil as a "Greek" author is incorrect. I guess the lack of true literacy in the culture is reaching as high as editors at Norton who should know better.
Besides these problems, it's an interesting book for the short term, but more interesting are those books (such as FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS) and websites (such as Newsweek's recent A LIFE IN BOOKS) that give writers space to comment on their favorites.
As for THE TOP TEN, I returned the book two weeks after I bought it.
Enjoyed browsing this.......2007-04-16
This is a fun book to flip through. I'd argue that the least interesting thing about it is the actual Top Ten. That's not a surprising list, and considering the math used to get there any Top Ten list by any group of people (from a similar pool in terms of nationality and ethnicity) would look pretty similar.
What's fun about this is checking out the individual lists by individual authors. I was often surprised by some of the picks, and actually came away from it with a slightly altered opinion about some of the recommenders. I think it's more interesting to start at the bottom end - the books that only got one recommendation - and move forward from there.
Interesting. But it's not meant to be definitive. I think everyone involved knew that. Take it as a light, intelligent read, with some things you'll agree with and others that you'll shake your head at.
Not the best list(s) available.......2007-04-06
Lists of best books are no better than their conception. In this case 125 noted and some not so noted writers list the ten best works of fiction as they see it. The results are the accumulation of all of the votes. Of course selecting ten best works is impossible and was so expressed by the selected writers.
It is important to appreciate that they are authors and not cataloguers and analyzers of all books written. Their views are obviously subjective and limited by their own reading experiences. For example, several books were selected by various authors as the best works ever but not even mentioned by the other 124.
Probably the most interesting aspect of the book is simply to note what books were selected by certain individual writers.
Undoubtedly there are better and more informed sources that list the best or most important works of fiction.
THE BEST OF THE BEST.......2007-03-23
I stumbled across this wonderful book by accident--well, not quite by accident since as an inveterate list maker myself, I am intrigued by other list makers. But, for me, the lists are not what make this book so important. It's the 544 titles and the concise synopsis of each which help answer those infernal questions, "What should I read? What do I want to read? What am I in the mood to read?" Happily, among the inevitable tomes of Proust and George Eliot I found Stephen King, James M. Cain, Gail Parent and others to curl up with on a rainy afternoon. This book definitely should be owned by anyone who reads, wants to read or just wants to appear to read. It is great--buy it, you won't be sorry.
Average customer rating:
- Great Series---read the others!
- Gabaldon's work revisited.
- Outlander
- Revealing Glimpse Into the Mind of a Writer
- Looking for a Little Extra?...
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The Outlandish Companion
Diana Gabaldon
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
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ASIN: 0385324138
Release Date: 1999-06-29 |
Amazon.com
For nine years, four books, and nearly 4,000 pages, Diana Gabaldon has entranced readers with her talent for historical authenticity, dramatic plot lines, and strong characters in the Outlander series. Her superb writing has earned a loyal audience, but after a million and a half words, even the most fervent of fans may have a difficult time trying to recall the exact details of the secondary characters, let alone the obscure ones. Thankfully, Gabaldon's The Outlandish Companion is here to help.
Part crib notes and part trivia guide, this essential handbook includes synopses of the first four novels, a character guide, notes on plot development and research, answers to frequently asked questions, and teasers for the upcoming novels--there're even horoscope charts of the central characters, a list of fan Web sites, and choice recipes for the truly devoted.
Readers looking for a fix of Gabaldon's humorous voice or insight into her writing processes and characters will certainly be more than satisfied, but those looking for the next installment of Jamie and Claire's adventures will have to wait for The Fiery Cross, the fifth book in this bestselling series, expected sometime in late 1999 to early 2000. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon has captured the hearts of millions with her critically acclaimed novels,
Outlander.
Dragonfly In Amber,
Voyager, and
Drums Of Autumn. From the moment Claire Randall accidentally steps through a magical stone that transports her back in time more than 200 years to 1743, and into the arms of Scottish soldier Jamie Fraser, readers have been enthralled with this epic saga of time travel, adventure, and love everlasting.
Now Diana Gabaldon has written the ultimate companion guide to her bestselling series, the book only she could write - a beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish. As a special bonus for those who are eagerly awaiting the next appearance of Jamie and Claire, she includes never - before - published excerpts from upcoming works in the series. And there's lots more in this lavish keepsake volume for the many devoted fans who yearn to learn the stories behind the stories:
• Full synopses of
Outlander,
Dragonfly in Amber,
Voyager, and
Drums of Autumn
• A complete listing of the characters in all four novels, including extensively researched family trees and genealogical notes
• Professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire
• A comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage
• The fully explicated Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel
• Frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers
• An annotated bibliography
• Tips, personal stories - even a recipe or two
• Essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, and more
With the insight, humor, and eye for detail that has made her novels such an outstanding success story. Diana Gabaldon here gives her readers the best gift of all—
The Outlandish Companion.
Customer Reviews:
Great Series---read the others!.......2007-08-27
I have enjoyed this series and particularly like this one as it gives alot of details about Scotland...
Gabaldon's work revisited........2007-08-23
I almost enjoyed this book as much as the series books themselves. It brought back so many wonderful points I'd enjoyed and forgotten about, questions remaining to be answered, thoughts of other readers that enjoyed the series as much as I did. This is a great gift for anyone that's read (and looks forward to perhaps more) Gabaldon's Outlander series.
Outlander .......2007-06-14
This book is excellent. It helps you to remember back to previous books in the Outlander Series. It even has Claire and Jamie's astological tree.
Buy it and you will be pleased. Megan Sutherland Newcastle, Australia
Revealing Glimpse Into the Mind of a Writer.......2007-05-04
When author Diane Gabaldon published her first novel, "Outlander" in the early 1990s, she had no inkling of the phenomenon she would create. Her characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser and Jamie Fraser have appeared in a dozen different languages and millions of volumes. This delightful book is a glimpse into the creative process. Gabaldon reveals her inspiration for Jamie (a character on Dr. Who); she discusses her methods of research, devotes an entire chapter to correcting mistakes in various volumes and includes some fascinating exchanges with readers and critics. Breezy, light hearted and downright fun, the book is an absolute necessity to fans of Claire and Jamie. Th reader is treated to Gabaldon's theories about the purpose of writing and character development. She freely admits that she has no idea where a story will end up when she begins. The first book, "Outlander" was just an experiment to teach her how to write. Originally, Gabaldon planned to write a pure historical novel, but when her heroine, Claire Beauchamp stubbornly insisted on speaking twentieth century slang, Gabaldon had to create a way for Claire to appear in 18th century Scotland while sounding like a modern, independent woman. Thus, Gabaldon hit upon the time travel device. It is a unique pleasure to read the answers to the many questions that a reader can develop about a beloved series and characters.
Looking for a Little Extra?..........2007-04-04
This book is all about the extra little things you missed, never got or wanted more of in Gabaldon's novel series Outlander. The introduction is informative, enjoyable, page-turning and rather quirky in its explanation of Outlander's birth and much of the book is the same in its behind-the-creation of favorite characters; although she can go overboard with side characters that she attempts to highlight when she didn't do so in the series itself and the horoscopes of Jamie and Claire are clearly for fun alone since they only add to what any Outlander fan already knows about them. The best parts of The Companion are the language translations and pronunciations (Gaelic anyone?) of Gabaldon's bi-lingual characters' diction and the excerpts chapters that reveal future books for the Outlander series--You have to read Surgeon's Steel! The anticipation of where she's going with that little snip-it is killing me!
Defintely a must read, but not necessarily a must own since The Companion was written before her latest book: A Breath of Snow and Ashes was released, so theres nothing in it about that book and her website hints at two more books to complete the series which will leave The Companion throughly out of date for any of us who are waiting for something new.
Average customer rating:
- La pura verdad-the whole truth
- Great Book
- Want to know what it's like?
- If You're Looking For NO Action...
- The Circuit
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The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child
Francisco Jimenez
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
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Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Breaking Through
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Cajas De Carton: The Circuit Spanish Edition
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La mariposa
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Voices from the Fields : Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories
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Esperanza Rising
ASIN: 0826317979 |
Book Description
After dark in a Mexican border town, a father holds open a hole in a wire fence as his wife and two small boys crawl through.
So begins life in the United States for many people every day. And so begins this collection of twelve autobiographical stories by Santa Clara University professor Francisco Jim�nez, who at the age of four illegally crossed the border with his family in 1947.
"The Circuit," the story of young Panchito and his trumpet, is one of the most widely anthologized stories in Chicano literature. At long last, Jim�nez offers more about the wise, sensitive little boy who has grown into a role model for subsequent generations of immigrants.
These independent but intertwined stories follow the family through their circuit, from picking cotton and strawberries to topping carrots--and back agai--over a number of years. As it moves from one labor camp to the next, the little family of four grows into ten. Impermanence and poverty define their lives. But with faith, hope, and back-breaking work, the family endures.
"A jewel of a book"--Rolando Hinojosa-Smith
"These stories are so realistic they choke the heart."--Rudolfo Anaya
A collection of twelve short stories presented from the perspective of a young boy, in which the author narrates his childhood experiences growing up in a family of Mexican migrant farmworkers.
Customer Reviews:
La pura verdad-the whole truth.......2006-06-01
This is a great family book.I am American Caucasian and my husband is a Mexican imigrant.We read this story out loud to one another,and while it is writen (very well) in simple English so that any reader could probably read it,we enjoyed it imensly.
I can tell you that so much of this story corrolated with our friends and family and was very touching,but brought on a lot of chuckles as well.A great family read.
Great Book.......2006-03-20
This book was very interesting. I loved the way this book shows how Mexicans suffer, struggle and work hard to get what they need to survive. This book has a good way of showing the different types of experiences the family goes through. It gets to a point where you get so into the book that you get frightened of what could happen to the family next. You don't know if the family is going to get caught by the border patrol or if you're going to be able to find a job for the next season. You just don't know if your going to be able to survive the only thing you have in your hands is hope and faith.
There was nothing that I could hate about this book the only thing that I hated was to read about how bad this family suffered. It hurts to see how your own people gets discriminated but, it's ok because this family like many other Mexicans have still succeeded after all the things they have to go trough, like being discriminated. Other than that there is nothing to dislike about this book.
I would definitely recommend this book for everybody especially for people who like this family is an illegal immigrant in this country. I would like for the anti-immigrant people to read this book so they can see that no matter what they do to try to stop the immigrants from succeeding the immigrants will never stop trying no matter what they do to try to stop them. This book is a great book I am sure that this story has repeated itself many times by other Mexican families. I am also sure that it will keep repeating itself for many years, but there is always a limit and the day will come when the Mexicans will be treated the same as everybody else in this country. There are many illegal immigrants that have been more successful in life than the people that are legal in this country, and it kills the anti-immigrants to know this is true.
Want to know what it's like?.......2006-03-16
This book is a great place to start if you are interested in learning about the life of someone less priviledged than yourself. Perhaps it will help you appreciate the simple pleasures in life and everything that you've got. When you reach the end of the book, you'll be glad Jimenez wrote a sequel (Breaking Through).
Written in a language that is accessible to everyone from grade school to adulthood, Jimenez doesn't exaggerate details or go into a lot of long desriptions. It's simply his memories of his childhood in a migrant family. As all memories go, the book does not flow smoothly from chapter to chapter, but rather gives you snapshots of his life, so take it for what it is and don't worry about the chronology.
As a teacher, this book really helped me appreciate the lives and struggles of many of my students (who lead lives similar to Jimenez in his childhood).
If You're Looking For NO Action..........2006-03-08
It starts out with this Mexican family illegally coming across the border into the United States. When they get to the U.S., they go to a labor camp in California. This first labor camp is probably the best one that they go to. The whole book is about this family moving around to different labor camps during different crop seasons. Every now and then, Francisco and his brother Roberto go to school. Along the way there are more people added to the family. The book doesn't really come to a good ending. It is also kind of hard to understand because it jumps three years into the future at times and then you don't know what's going on.
This was a very good book at some times but most of the time the author put in way too many unnecessary details that make the book kind of boring. This book is exactly like it's sequel, Breaking Through. I would rate this book pretty low if like a lot of action.
The Circuit.......2005-10-14
The Circuit, one of my favorite books, is written by Francisco Jimenez. The Circuit is about a family that lived in El Rancho Blanco, Guadalajara. Francisco and his family moved to the United States crossing the border illegally. When they get to the United States in California they look for work and they work in the fields picking cotton. Francisco's family is always hiding from the border patrol which they call it "la migra." As they go on they move to different places. The reason I read this story is because it held my interest , because I wondered how it would be crossing the border illegally. Also, because some of the story reminds me about when I got here from Mexico. I really recommend this book. It's exciting and it taught me to eat all my food and not throw it away because Francisco's family did't have anything to eat sometimes. I would give this book a ten, and I really loved it a lot and I think you should try it.
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