Amazon.com
Some stories are so enthralling they deserve to be retold generation after generation. The wreck in 1815 of the Connecticut merchant ship, Commerce, and the subsequent ordeal of its crew in the Sahara Desert, is one such story. With Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, Dean King refreshes the popular nineteenth-century narrative once read and admired by Henry David Thoreau, James Fenimore Cooper, and Abraham Lincoln. King's version, which actually draws from two separate first person accounts of the Commerce's crew, offers a page-turning blend of science, history, and classic adventure. The book begins with a seeming false start: tracing the lives of two merchants from North Africa, Seid and Sidi Hamet, who lose their fortunes—and almost their lives—when their massive camel caravan arrives at a desiccated oasis. King then jumps to the voyage of the Commerce under Captain Riley and his 11-man crew. After stops in New Orleans and Gibraltar, the ship falls off course en route to the Canary Islands and ultimately wrecks at the infamous Cape Bojador. After the men survive the first predations of the nomads on the shore, they meander along the coast looking for a way inland as their supplies dwindle. They subsist for days by drinking their own urine. Eventually, to their horror, they discover that they have come aground on the edge of the Sahara Desert. They submit themselves, with hopes of getting food and water, as slaves to the Oulad Bou Sbaa. After days of abuse, they are bought by Hamet, who, after his own experiences with his failed caravan (described at the novels opening), sympathizes with the plight of the crew. Together, they set off on a hellish journey across the desert to collect a bounty for Hamet in Swearah. King embellishes this compelling narrative throughout with scientific and historical material explaining the origins of the camel, the market for English and American slaves, and the stages of dehydration. He also humanizes the Sahrawi with background on the tribes and on the lives of Hamet and Seid. This material, doled out in sufficient amounts to enrich the story without derailing it makes Skeletons on the Zahara a perfectly entertaining bit of history that feels like a guilty pleasure. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
Some stories are so enthralling they deserve to be retold generation after generation. The wreck in 1815 of the Connecticut merchant ship, Commerce, and the subsequent ordeal of its crew in the Sahara Desert, is one such story. With Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival, Dean King refreshes the popular nineteenth-century narrative once read and admired by Henry David Thoreau, James Fenimore Cooper, and Abraham Lincoln. King's version, which actually draws from two separate first person accounts of the Commerce's crew, offers a page-turning blend of science, history, and classic adventure. The book begins with a seeming false start: tracing the lives of two merchants from North Africa, Seid and Sidi Hamet, who lose their fortunes#151;and almost their lives#151;when their massive camel caravan arrives at a desiccated oasis. King then jumps to the voyage of the Commerce under Captain Riley and his 11-man crew. After stops in New Orleans and Gibraltar, the ship falls off course en route to the Canary Islands and ultimately wrecks at the infamous Cape Bojador. After the men survive the first predations of the nomads on the shore, they meander along the coast looking for a way inland as their supplies dwindle. They subsist for days by drinking their own urine. Eventually, to their horror, they discover that they have come aground on the edge of the Sahara Desert. They submit themselves, with hopes of getting food and water, as slaves to the Oulad Bou Sbaa. After days of abuse, they are bought by Hamet, who, after his own experiences with his failed caravan (described at the novels opening), sympathizes with the plight of the crew. Together, they set off on a hellish journey across the desert to collect a bounty for Hamet in Swearah.King embellishes this compelling narrative throughout with scientific and historical material explaining the origins of the camel, the market for English and American slaves, and the stages of dehydration. He also humanizes the Sahrawi with background on the tribes and on the lives of Hamet and Seid. This material, doled out in sufficient amounts to enrich the story without derailing it makes Skeletons on the Zahara a perfectly entertaining bit of history that feels like a guilty pleasure.--Patrick O'Kelley
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An incredible story of shipwrecked American sailors sold into slavery in North Africa and dragged through the hellish interior of the Sahara.
Customer Reviews:
A modern retelling of one of the most influential books in U.S. history.......2007-10-09
We read this book for our book club and had the honor of discussing it with the author, Dean King. As someone without any sort of nautical background, I was a bit worried as I started reading that the book was going to be too technical for me, but I quickly got to the point where I didn't want to put it down. The story, which is true and yet reads like a novel, had a certain "Apollo 13" feel to it...it is hard to fathom that so much could go wrong and yet be overcome. Dean King really did his research and was able to verify seemingly unverifiable elements of the story through his own trek on camel - and in some cases on foot - through the Sahara (such as the branding treatment used for illness and the belief that one cannot be hurt if fallen from a camel).
The original manuscript of Captain Riley's has been documented as being one of a handful of books that was influential to Abraham Lincoln. After his own stint as a slave, Riley - a white man - was able to give voice to the inhumanity of slavery here in the U.S. in a way that, at that time, no black man or woman could. Captain Riley's experiences and the telling of his story certainly had an impact on the consciousness of the American people and its leaders. This book brings history alive in a truly thrilling way. I highly recommend reading the footnotes for each chapter and the extra features (like an excerpted interview with the author) included in the paperback version of this book.
Too Much Camel Urine.......2007-09-20
Skeletons of the Zahara certainly has moments of high drama, and the fact that the story is (mostly) true, adds to the sense of adventure and disbelief. And the poor sailors stranded on the Western Shore of Africa could not have been treated much worse than they were. But for me, the retelling of this story suffered from the same monotony as the sailors themselves must have felt. There are lengthy passages of their travels through the desert that are too similar to other lengthy passages of their travels through the desert. This was interspersed occasionally with the graphic depiction of the devouring of an entire camel. I don't really have a weak stomach, but the numerous references to the green goo inside the camel stomach which became the main entree on the menu was a little too much even for me. Then there was the camel urine, which one and all slurped down like a nice chardonnay. Maybe I need to spend more time with the Touareg to get a better feel for things.
One Heck of a Ride.......2007-07-23
This book rips your throat out and stuffs it up your nose!!!!!!!!!
If you think you are tough.....or if you waste your time watching the goofy fake Survival Reality TV shows.......then you need to cleanse your brain with this book......It will show you what a wimp you really are...I do not know anyone who could take for 24 hours what these human beings endured for the extraordinary amount of time they were subject to these conditions from hell......... Dean King did his homework ...from the library to the turf...He actually ventured into this region and DID SOME REAL HOMEWORK
It'll take your breath away.......2007-06-25
Americans shipwrecked in 1815 and held captive by Muslim slavers in the Sahara.
I was considering ordering Sufferings in Africa by James Riley and Robbins' journal: by Archibald Robbins, the two books King based his book on, but after reading this I didn't think I could stomach anymore of their suffering.
The cruelty and ignorance of the arabs/islamist/muslims is stunning. How could and why would anyone be so cruel? If you don't take care of your servants how are they going to be able to continue to serve you?. These arabs were either too dumb to logic that out or just inherently vicious.
Devoured by the Desert.......2007-05-13
This incredible tale captures the true recollections of survivors of shipwreck and enslavement by nomadic Arabs in the western Sahara in 1815. It's a time when the US is striving to assert itself on the world stage. American men seeking to provide for their families willingly take great risk and leave their homeland and find themselves in the Islamic world, stranded and forced to pay a high price to escape. Survival in this world requires enduring constant threat to life and limb. While some of the Arabs are worthy of respect and admirable in their bravery, even the best examples have a moral code that is hard to reconcile with Western values. Equally true is how Islamic values mirror some of the best and worst of Western values (slavery, cruelty for economic profit, strong familial bonds, communal coherance in a time of threat, and dissonance in a time of abundance). While the story of Captain Riley and his fellow American sailors may stand as one of the world's great survival tales, it is enriched by moral themes relevant to today's world experience.
Book Description
Three deliciously sexy stories of sensual healers and their naughty patients....
Gail Faulkner
Romeo
After years of illness, Lauren is desperate for a reprieve from her stiflingly protective family -- so she joins her best friend Carla for a weekend at her family's ranch. Although Carla warns the cool, collected Lauren about her womanizing cousin Romeo, when Lauren and Romeo first lock eyes, they feel undeniable passion for one another. Romeo knows he can have any women he desires, but now he longs only to care for this sexy little minx -- and has one short weekend to convince her to stay.
Lisa Renee Jones
Hurt So Good
Shy and cautious physical therapist Kelly Marshall is all work and no play. Determined to go to medical school and avoid becoming like her recklessly irresponsible mother, she has always repressed her wildest and most sinful desires. That is, until she meets sexy architect Mark Majors and discovers a deeply sensual side she never knew she had. And when weeks later he appears in her exam room -- needing her healing touch -- she can't help but surrender, once again, to the passion blazing between them.
Sahara Kelly
Sizzle
For fiery redhead Susanna Chalmers, Dylan Sinclair was the handsome muscle-bound guy in high school she could never have. But eleven years later, now a relationship therapist, Susanna sees Dylan in one of her lectures -- and he reminds her of a steamy night after senior prom when he knew he wanted to have his way with her. As a doctor, Susanna knows he isn't relationship material. But as a woman, her extremely aroused body is telling her otherwise.
Step inside Ellora's Cave, where passions run wild and the sexiest fantasies come true....
www.EllorasCave.com
Customer Reviews:
Hurts So Good: Ellora's Cave.......2007-09-03
Romeo by Gail Falkner
On the way to her friend's family's ranch, Lauren discovers that one of the reasons Carla invited her along was to watch her turn down her cousin Romeo. But Carla wasn't counting on Romeo's determination to have Lauren, or Lauren's willingness to be had.
Romeo is a very hot and romantic story. Romeo is all alpha male. I loved his protectiveness and persistence, it's very sexy. Lauren is innocent and sweet and she fits Romeo like a glove.
Hurts So Good by Lisa Renee Jones
It's all work and no play for Kelly Marshall. When she finally lets her hair down, she meets Marc Majors. Marc makes her forget her career and her inhibitions when they share a night of steamy passion. When it's over, Kelly intends to go back to work and forget all about the special night they shared, but Marc won't give up that easily.
In Hurts So Good, Marc is very sexy and Kelly is strong and yet vulnerable. From their first kiss to their last embrace, I found Hurts So Good to be a very romantic and sexy story.
Sizzle by Sahara Kelly
Eleven years ago Dylan Sinclair and Susanna Chalmers shared and intimate moment without ever touching each other. Susana ran off afterwards and Dylan has wanted her ever since. Now Dylan is back, and he intends to show Susana how good they can be together.
Dylan and Susanna are very different and yet they work. Although I really liked seeing Dylan fall hard for Susanna I wasn't sure he would because he is such a playboy. Sizzle has a lot of hot sex and sweet ending too.
All three stories in Hurts So Good are fantasies, and those small improbable details made them sizzle for me! Hurts So Good is a very hot and fun to read anthology.
Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Where can I find my own Romeo?!.......2007-05-13
Gail Faulkner's contribution is the outstanding one here--Romeo is super sexy and I wish more men were portrayed like this...honest, outspoken, not afraid to show his feelings...wow, I loved this story.
Lisa Renee Jones' story....sorry, this one did not do anything for me--her heroine was a whiny, childish mess.
Sahara Kelly gives us her usual hot, hilarious writing--I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair.
Fun and Sassy.......2007-05-12
It was a great book, with the women fun and sassy and then men strong and sexy!
Pleasures of boredom.......2007-05-07
This titillating little book will have grannies the world over exploring and rediscovering "the dirty little girl" in them
Go for it ladies.
I highly recommend this book especially for people over 75.
three well written erotic romantic novellas .......2007-05-07
"Romeo" by Gail Faulkner. Because of her years of being ill, her family overly protects Lauren. Her best friend Carla takes her to her family ranch; Carla tells her that she and her female cousins are betting that Lauren as the "ice queen" will be the first woman to ever turn down her other cousin Romeo. When Lauren and Romeo meet, sparks ignite between the big bad wolf and the little tabby cat with claws.
"Hurt So Good" by Lisa Renee Jones. Physical therapist Kelly Marshall knows that her all work and no play attitude comes as a reaction formation aversion to her mother's irresponsible lifestyle. Thus Kelly represses her deepest sexual fantasies living them through her best friend's descriptions. That is until she meets architect Mark Majors, who becomes the star of her nocturnal wet dreams. When he comes to her hurting, they share a special physical healing not taught in school. However she has doubts that they share anything beyond lust although she admits that is quite sensational.
"Sizzle" by Sahara Kelly. In high school Susanna Chalmers lusted over hunk Dylan Sinclair, but except for prom night she only could salivate. Over a decade since her greatest evening, relationship therapist Susanna is stunned when Dylan sits in on her lecture. Although she knows nothing long term will come of this as Dylan never stays with any woman very long, Susanna decides to pay the price of her heart broken for the immediate relief of her aroused libido.
These three well written erotic romantic novellas are a reprint of an e-book starring male hotties with reputations for loving and leaving until they sexually meet the sirens who heat their blood (south of the border).
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
Listed by Abraham Lincoln, alongside the Bible and Pilgrim’s Progress, as one of the books that most influenced his life, few true tales of adventure and survival are as astonishing as this one. Shipwrecked off the western coast of North Africa in August of 1815, James Riley and his crew had no idea of the trials awaiting them as they gathered their beached belongings. They would be captured by a band of nomadic Arabs, herded across the Sahara Desert, beaten, forced to witness astounding brutalities, sold into slavery, and starved. Riley watched most of his crew die one by one, killed off by cruelty or caprice, as his own weight dropped from 240 pounds to a mere 90 at his rescue. First published in 1817, this dramatic saga soon became a national bestseller with over a million copies sold. Even today, it is rare to find a narrative that illuminates the degradations of slave existence with such brutal honesty.
Customer Reviews:
An incredible true story and a great read.......2007-10-21
I was surprised I'd never heard of this book, supposedly one of the books Abraham Lincoln considered influential. It is the true story of an American sea captain who is shipwrecked and taken prisoner, then enslaved, by Arabs. Through his ingenious bargaining and a leap of faith, he convinces and Arab trader to trade all of his goods for the captain and some companions from his ship. He convinces the trader to take them across the Sahara, which means not only braving heat, hunger and thirst, but fighting off would be thieves as well.
The captain promises that there is a reward, that there is someone willing to pay a ransom when they get across the Sahara. The problem is, this isn't true - the Captain knows no one in the city they are headed to. The Captain and trader have made a deal that if the ransom isn't paid, the crewman will be sold as slaves and the Captain will be killed. The Captain is a linguist and learns enough Arabic to converse and to learn. He relates the tale of what happened, which is a true page turner, and the stories he hears from the Arabs. While this is an old book with a few old expressions and some racial terms no longer in use, I think it's clear that the Captain is not at heart a racist; he saw people of all colors as people. While he didn't like slavery, it was the way things were, and he accepted his fate as a slave without railing against the institution itself. Rather, he documents what happens, and makes some observations. Overall, it's a very interesting read.
BEST SERVICE YET !.......2007-07-07
Great and rapid service. Book was exactly as promised. We will definitely use this seller again.
Slavery and Racism from the Eyes of a Shipwrecked White-Man.......2007-05-09
Travel back to the mindset of the early 19th century, when racism was the rule and God was thought to intercede on the behalf of white men shipwrecked in the midst of savage brown men. The first few chapters are hard to believe. However, if you assume that James Riley is honestly recounting what he believes happened to him, the story exposes the background of racist, Eurocentric, and religious bigotry that soaked American and European thought of that era.
Despite the difficult to swallow constant referrals to the general color of skin of each an every character Captain Riley encounters, as well as his unbelievable description of "savage" Africans as "orangutan-like" beasts, the book is a compelling read that you will not be able to put down. While Riley never overcomes his racism towards the darker Africans, the story reveals a transformation in his estimation of Arabs and Muslims which is instructive in our present era where Arabs and Muslims are denigrated and misunderstood.
If you love a book you cannot put down, this is the book for you.
Average customer rating:
- 2stars for language
- really interesting
- My Current Favorite Book for Kids
- More Than Special
- Great Book!
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Sahara Special
Esme Raji Codell
Manufacturer: Hyperion
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ASIN: 0786816112
Release Date: 2004-08-30 |
Amazon.com
Esmé Raji Codell, author of the bestselling Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year, makes her children's book debut with the warm, funny novel Sahara Special. "Can't a woman get a divorce without her kid going special ed on her?" This is the question Sahara's mother asks her daughter after a huge stack of letters that she'd written to her dad (but never mailed) falls out of her locker and on to her teacher's feet. When those letters are confiscated and locked up in the school counselor's filing cabinet, Sahara decides she will stop supplying "evidence" to the school; she stops doing her assignments, and is subsequently paired up with a Special Needs teacher, a fate equivalent to being "the street person of a school." What no one knows is that the newly dubbed "Sahara Special" is really "Sahara Jones, Secret Writer," a girl who hides her Heart-Wrenching Life Story and Amazing Adventures behind a public library shelf. No one, that is, until her show-stealing, deliciously unorthodox fifth-grade teacher Madame Poitier (Miss Pointy) arrives on the scene to remind her, so simply, that "a writer writes." Any child with a secret self (every child) will revel in Sahara's clear-sighted observations and sense of humor about a world that doesn't see who she really is. As in Sharon Creech's Love That Dog, readers will meet a likeable, difficult-at-first student and an extraordinary teacher who transforms lives by sharing her love of story and words. Highly recommended. (Ages 9 to 11) --Karin Snelson
Book Description
Esm+ Raji Codell, author of the bestselling Educating Esm+: Diary of aTeacher's First Year, makes her children's book debut with thewarm, funny novel Sahara Special."Can't a woman get a divorce without her kid going special ed on her?"This is the question Sahara's mother asks her daughter after a hugestack of letters that she'd written to her dad (but never mailed) fallsout of her locker and on to her teacher's feet. When those letters areconfiscated and locked up in the school counselor's filing cabinet,Sahara decides she will stop supplying "evidence" to the school; shestops doing her assignments, and is subsequently paired up with aSpecial Needs teacher, a fate equivalent to being "the street person ofa school."What no one knows is that the newly dubbed "Sahara Special" is really"Sahara Jones, Secret Writer," a girl who hides her Heart-WrenchingLife Story and Amazing Adventures behind a public library shelf. Noone, that is, until her show-stealing, deliciously unorthodoxfifth-grade teacher Madame Poitier (Miss Pointy) arrives on the scene toremind her, so simply, that "a writer writes." Any child with a secretself (every child) will revel in Sahara's clear-sighted observations andsense of humor about a world that doesn't see who she really is. As inSharon Creech's Love ThatDog, readers will meet a likeable, difficult-at-first studentand an extraordinary teacher who transforms lives by sharing her love ofstory and words. Highly recommended. (Ages 9 to 11) --Karin Snelson
Customer Reviews:
2stars for language.......2007-06-03
I liked it, but a kids book shouldn't have any of those words in it. MAYBE one, but not, like, 10. I asked my mom what one meant, and she got kinda upset about it. A kids book shouldn't have those kinds of words in it. It was also kinda boring.
really interesting.......2007-05-08
I like this book, makes a good read aloud if you watch the language in it. My students enjoyed this book
My Current Favorite Book for Kids.......2007-04-26
I think this is one of the most beautiful books that I have read for children. As an educator, I am always looking for young adult books that will engage and interest my students. I love the subject matter and that this book explores how all children are different and wonderful.
More Than Special.......2007-03-08
I hardly ever show any emotion after reading a book, but this one made me cry every time I read it! (That's 3.) I have been searching for my favourite book but nothing could EVER be better than this one.
Sahara is a girl who lives with her mother in the city, and when her parents split up it affects her education, and she becomes special needs. When she is put back in the classroom in repeat 5th grade, she is so pleased at the chance but struggles over making new friends, fitting in with the children, always wondering about one special boy who is different in so many ways and trying so hard to not think about the letters she wrote to her father, now locked away in the filing cabinet as proof that she can write. She wants her book to be in the library, but if she wants to do anything, she needs to get the notes back. Will she manage to do it?
It's so sentimental and told from so many different viewpoints, you can't help but feel free once you've read it. One particular paragraph that was for me very emotional was: She's nice, she smiles at me in the street, she gave me a butterscotch candy out of her handbag with the little gold clasp. When she gave it to me, I looked at her hands, wrinkled with more lines than a road map, speckled with lakes of brown. What's it like to be old, I wonder, to have skin with lines for every mile you've walked, every trip around the sun? When I watch TV, I never want to be old, they laugh at oldness on TV. But in the dark, I hold my hands up straight above me in the air like two stars and I wish for lines that prove I have been here. I wonder about Mrs. Rosen at the kitchen table, looking at the lines in her hands in the middle of the night. Who is she waiting for?
And another, from the girl who never raises her hand in class: True things don't always happen in the world, where you can see and touch them. True things also happen in the imagination. I raised my hand today in both places.
Another, in an essay about her name: When my father left, we changed our name back to Jones. You can change your first name too, my mother said. We don't need nothing that man gave us.
Another thing about it is how Sahara is like me and myself. That affects the way I read it, but as she said at the end of the essay, choosing makes all the difference.
Great Book!.......2006-04-15
This book reminded me why I teach. Each child is so special, even if others don't always see it. The author paints beautiful mind pictures with words that flow perfectly. I was impressed and am now a big fan!
Customer Reviews:
5 Stars!.......2007-04-17
This proved to be a very good read- a great insight into the culture of the Saharan people. It was wonderful reading about how the author was able to bond with the azalai, and amazing reading about the tremendous effort and feats it takes to survive there.
Witty and Descriptive as well as Informative and Fascinating.......2006-07-19
Rather than repeating others' rave reviews, as the thirteenth reviewer, I'd like to give prospective readers a sampling of what makes this book such a great read--notably Benanav's descriptions and wit.
--To explain his reservations about the trip, Benanav writes, "I was a bit uneasy about the historical precedent of guides killing their clients in the middle of the desert.... Moreover...six months earlier, the United States had invaded Iraq....Though I knew that most people in most places easily distinguished between individuals and their government, I was wary of how I'd be received as an American at that time; it'd be best, I concluded, not to let anyone know that I was Jewish, too."
--The first time he had dorno, "the nomad version of an energy shake," Benanav describes it as "a good substitute for papier mache paste."
--As he walks along side his nomadic guide, Benanav notes that "though my strides were longer, my feet sank and slid backward in the sand while Walid's padded nimbly over the surface. Walking through the desert with a nomad was like swimming with a seal."
--Aware that trucks will soon likely replace camels on the salt route, Benanav laments that "the noble ships of the desert, it seems, were bound for dry dock."
--After enduring his second torturous day, Benanav realizes "that the safest place in the Sahara was not a place at all, but a time: night." And as the caravan begins to travel again, he observes that they "marched through the glow of a lustrous copper sunset and into the ghostly light cast by the almost half-moon. The world was shades of indigo and steel. The hills before us rose like rollers in a dark sea."
And so on. There was so much stellar writing in this book by page 50, in fact, that I put down the library copy I was reading and went to Amazon to order my own so that I could underline the many parts I wanted to share with friends.
The Salt Caravans -- An Inner World that Sustains the Outer World.......2006-06-18
Exotic space, broken languages, sand for toilet paper, 40 days away from what you know and whom you love, such is the inner and outer world of the Sahara desert that Michael Benanav draws you into in his book, Men of Salt. Unlike other adventure books that celebrate the challenge between the mind and the physical, Men of Salt is so much more than that. Benanev in order to enter the desert must leave behind who he is, his girlfriend, and his identity as a Jew. He must leave behind all manner physical comforts -- including when to wake, when to sleep and when to eat. As he learns to rein the literal camel that he is riding, he discovers that he must also rein in the stallion of his mind which would rather quit or be in control but can do neither.
Benanev is a brilliant writer. While he unveils his story in language as simple and clear as an article in the National Geographic, he explores the territory of the Taureg people, their world where men cover their faces and women do not, and, the very stability of their harvest of salt in an era of the internet and cell phones. Gifted in languages, he speaks French fluently and is well versed in Arabic. Unfortunately, although the trekking company promised him a guide fluent in French, he finds that he must rely on Walid who speaks no French and his Arabic is more Taureg than conversational Egyptian. Like a mountaineer who discovers that his map of the route is incomplete but is is the only one he has, Benanev finds that he must take Walid as his compass, even if -- and they do -- get lost.
Benanev also does a wonderful job of describing the salt trade and how its economy sustains the people and culture of Mali. Seemlessly, he weaves into his story his observations on the impact of globalism -- especially road building. However, rather than presenting a sermon, he leaves the reader with useful questions to ask, many of which may challenge basic assumptions.
And yet, no matter how intellectually speculative Benanev becomes, he is ever ready to return to reality. Be it the saddle sores on his butt or the joy of finding a thorn tree in the empty space, our writer is always aware of the frailties of his own body -- and hilariously, his own ego. A master linguist, he finds himself again and again in situations where he has thought he has everything figured out, only to find that that he has said, while completely understood, was completely rejected and the only one who didn't get it was he.
For the sake of credibility, I wish I could find a way to criticize this book but I cannot. Men of Salt is simply the best book I have read in a year and his capacity for story telling and reflection is totally on a par with Joe Simpson's "Touching the Void." Benanev's book will touch anyone who loves history, adventure, economics, or the uncharted areas of the heart. He may have started out as a stranger in a strange land, but when you join him in his return to Timbuktu, you, too, feel as if you've come home.
Roseanne Freese
True-life adventure in a world of desert and camels.......2006-04-13
MEN OF SALT: CROSSING THE SAHARA ON THE CARAVAN OF WHITE GOLD recounts the experiences of an author who joined what is known as the Caravan of White Gold on its mission into the heart of the Sahara to haul back slabs of salt for sale. He lived for weeks among the camel drivers, experienced their daily hardships and journey, and learned all about how to care for and ride camels and how to approach the desert world. His story is true-life adventure at its best, and provides insights into the culture and experiences of a world few outsiders get to see.
Real life adventure turns into thriller.......2006-04-11
As an avid reader but seldom of non-fiction, I was completely surprised by an instant addiction to "Men of Salt" by Michael Benanav. His real life drama as it unfolds, sinks its teeth into the reader as much as a page turner as a thriller. Mr. Benanav looks for and finds so much that is positive in a very hostile environment and from a culture so different from his own. We
can only hope for more from this talented writer.
Average customer rating:
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Africa South of the Sahara 2007 (Africa South of the Sahara)
Manufacturer: Routledge
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The Middle East and North Africa 2007 (MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA)
ASIN: 1857433696 |
Book Description
Presents detailed facts, statistics and directory details on the whole region providing you with a unique and impartial insight into the political affairs,
economies and geographies of these important countries.
Over 1,300 pages covering all the countries of sub-Saharan Africa
Background information on the region:
Essays written by specialists on the region discuss in detail topics such as economic trends, European colonial rule and reforming Africa and a newly commissioned essay for this edition on Security in Africa South of the Sahara by Dr Jakkie Cilliers, the Executive Director of the Institute for Security Studies, South Africa; details of calendars, time reckoning and weights and measures; information about the major commodities of Africa; a political map of contemporary Africa; dates of independence of African countries; a directory of research institutes concerned with Africa; a select bibliography
Coverage of regional organizations includes details of their activities, finances, publications and full directory data
Individual country surveys provide essays on physical and social geography, recent history and the economy; a statistical survey covering area and population, health and welfare, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, industry, finance, trade, transport, tourism, communications media and education; a directory of useful contacts from government, politics, diplomatic representation, religion, broadcasting and communications, finance, trade and industry and transport
A select bibliography.
KEY FEATURES
Contributions from specialist authors, researchers and commentators guarantee an informed and
in-depth view of African affairs
All statistical and directory material in this new edition has been extensively updated, revised and expanded by the organizations themselves, wherever possible
Clear and consistent lay-out throughout enabling rapid access to the facts
Impartial coverage.
Average customer rating:
- Lots of shorty short sexy stories
- Hot, Hot, and did I mention Hot?
- 10 Fantastic Holiday Stories!
- Jingle Balls
- Snippets of pure "'Tis the Season" decadence
|
A Changeling For All Seasons
Angela Knight ,
Kate Douglas ,
Shelby Morgen ,
Kate Hill ,
Sahara Kelly ,
Judy Mays ,
Marteeka Karland ,
Willa Okati , and
Lacey Savage
Manufacturer: Changeling Press LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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All Wrapped Up
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Secrets: The Best in Women's Erotic Romance Vol. 14 (Secrets (Red Sage))
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Hard Candy
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Playing Easy to Get
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Master of Wolves (Mageverse, Book 5)
ASIN: 1595962808 |
Book Description
A Changeling For All Seasons Ten unforgettable Erotic Tales to warm your nights and keep you in holiday spirits all year long! Angela Knight - A Vampire Christmas Sahara Kelly - A Christmas Pageant Judy Mays - Jingle Balls Marteeka Karland - Sealed With A Kiss Kate Douglas - My Valentine Shelby Morgen - Changeling Willa Okati - Elven Enchantment Kate Hill - Jolene's Pooka Lacey Savage - Chemistry to Burn Shelby Morgen - Troll Under The Bridge Filled with the unexpected, A Changeling For All Seasons offers something to savor for every palate. From humorous to magical, from Christmas to St. Patrick's Day to the 4th of July, these stories are alight with unbridled lust, sensuous passion, and hot, hot sex, guaranteed to entangle your senses and leave you breathless. www.ChangelingPress.com A Vacation For Your Mind -- No Passport Required.
Customer Reviews:
Lots of shorty short sexy stories.......2006-05-16
The 10 stories in this book are hot and mostly good: two I really liked (those by Angela Knight and Kate Douglas) and the others are enjoyable. There is only one story that was so bad - bad story, bad writing - I did not even finish it. Every story presents a paranormal caracter and a holiday (Christmas + Vampire, St.Valentine's + St.Valentine, 4th of July + Troll, St.Patrick's + Pooka, etc.) Also, as the stories are so short, they go quickly to the point (which is, hum... sex. With a happy end, of course).
All in all, the buy is worth it.
Hot, Hot, and did I mention Hot?.......2005-11-29
Those familiar with Changeling Press already know this book is a scorcher. For those unfamiliar with Changeling Press's fantastically erotic e-books, let me just say, they have made the transition to print with stories that will blow your pants off. I loved it! It features vamps, fairies, elves, trolls, and more to satisfy your paranormal cravings! And with authors like Angela Knight, Kate Douglas, Shelby Morgen, and the rest, you can't go wrong. The only bad choice you could make is to NOT buy it! Definitely 5 stars from this reviewer.
10 Fantastic Holiday Stories!.......2005-11-19
This is a collection of excellent holiday stories from Changeling Press by nine wonderful authors.
They are hot, steamy and wonderfully written.
Highly Recommended!
Jingle Balls .......2005-11-19
JINGLE BALLS is a witty, seductive story that grabs you from the very beginning. Richard and Jessica are well-written characters who quite simply intrigued this reviewer... Jingle Bells is one of my all-time favorite carols but after reading JINGLE BALLS .., I will never think of that song again without laughing. With its humor-filled plotline, captivating characters, and some of the most amusing scenes I've ever read, this is one story that readers will enjoy for sure.
Sinclair Reid
Romance Reviews Today
http://www.romrevtoday.com/
Snippets of pure "'Tis the Season" decadence.......2005-11-17
That's what you'll find in this holiday treat! A taste of each fabulous Changeling author, rolled into a delightful concotion of sumptuous,delightful, sinfully good reading. Savor these sweet morsels of sensual exploration, revel in adventures that are brimming with naughty fantasies!
The perfect way to spend an evening with some of the best of the best the erotic writing world has to offer!
Dakota Cassidy :)
Book Description
1996, Egypt. Searching for a treasure on the Nile, DIRK PITT thwarts the attempted assassination of a beautiful U.N. scientist investigating a disease that is driving thousands of North Africans into madness, cannibalism, and death. The suspected cause of the raging epidemic is vast, unprecedented pollution that threatens to extinguish all life in the world's seas. Racing to save the world from environmental catastrophe, Pitt and his team, equipped with an extraordinary, state-of-the-art yacht, run a gauntlet between a billionaire industrialist and a bloodthirsty West African tyrant. In the scorching desert, Pitt finds a gold mine manned by slaves and uncovers the truth behind two enduring mysteries -- the fate of a Civil War ironclad and its secret connection with Lincoln's assassination, and the last flight of a long-lost female pilot....Now, amidst the blazing, shifting sands of the Sahara, DIRK PITT will make a desperate stand -- in a battle the world cannot afford to lose!
Customer Reviews:
Ships in the Sahara?.......2007-06-11
Another Dirk Pitt adventure which entertains and astounds the reader. I saw the movie first and was disappointed to see the departure from the story after reading the book. I was looking forward to the literary description of events in the movie to find they were not there. But as they say, the book is better than the movie, and it is true for Sahara. I have read every book in order to this point and have not been let down yet. Thankfully Cussler has not fallen into the Clancy trap of repeating storylines with minor adjustments. Hopefully it continues.
This is Great Read.......2007-06-07
Before I read this book, I watched the movie, I absolutly loved it and watched it until I knew everything that happened. I woundered if the book was the same as the movie; well, it turned out that they were nothing alike. I actually thought the book was better than the movie, it had way more plot elements and it had adventures that the movie did not even mention. The movie was basically just a very brief overveiw of what happens in the book. I thought that this book was worthy of a five star review becuase of the unique way Cussler writes and the realistic action that is put into it. It is a great page turner for almost anyone.
sahara.......2007-01-04
The story is packed full of suspense and adventure.The movie deviated from the book. The book version is far superior and offers more intrigue. The movie's character that plays Al Giordino is not anything like the book character. The book character is far more musclar, terrfic sense of humor and together provides the reader with this swash buckling team of adventures.
Cussler did it again, a real thriller.......2006-11-07
The first time I saw the movie Sahara it was great, but when I read the book it was even better. Reading this book is like going back in time. I like how Cussler puts some history in his books but twists it just enough to make it interesting. Dirk and Al are at it again, but this time they are in a race against the clock to save the world because the Oxygen in the world is about to run out if the chemical pollution doesn't stop. They are push to go in the middle of the world's biggest dessert because of a surprise perk. That you wouldn't believe. I recommend this book to anyone that likes action, a little romance and humor
very good.......2006-05-24
Sahara is an extremely well written book by Clive Cussler. It is a very interesting action/adventure book that never ceases to captivate you with its many story lines and plots. Its characters all have something to offer and don't kill the story with stupidity or lame lines. Also the main characters Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino are always on the top of their game and always have something humorous to say in the light of trouble adding a lighter side to the imminent threat of deadly toxins overshadowing the book. Recently Sahara was made into an excellent movie. I loved the movie, which I saw before I read the book, but the book makes the movie look like a cheap B grade film. In the movie the focus was on the confederate ironclad Texas and the side story the so-called "red tide". However the book brings the "red tide" to the focus as well as adding new plot twists and side stories as well. This makes it an extremely well rounded book that everyone should read.
Average customer rating:
- Engrossing
- Great Book
- Outstanding Historical Fiction Novel!
- Historically Fantastic Novel
- Great First Effort
|
Empires of Sand
David Ball
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Ironfire: An Epic Novel of Love and War
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A Cafe on the Nile
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Shanghai Station
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The Devil's Oasis: A Novel
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China Star
ASIN: 0440236681
Release Date: 2001-03-06 |
Amazon.com
What a find! David Ball's first novel packs the wallop of a good old-fashioned adventure movie, with historic sweep to please any James Michener fan. The action starts with a wounded wild boar's attack on two French boys (convincingly told from the points of view of the boar, the boys--Paul and Moussa--the terrified mom, and an evil bishop who watches and prevents his coachman from shooting the beast). The pace never slackens as the scenes flash past: invasion and class war in the streets and underground quarryways of Paris during the 1870 siege, moonlit sneak attacks in the desert the Arabs call "the Land of Thirst and Fear," and an epic French attempt to drive a railroad through the Sahara--a mad plan opposed by the dunes and their no less implacable inhabitants, the Tuareg.
The Tuareg are the coolest--they're known as the blue men because they wear head-to-toe wraparound indigo-dyed clothes that scarily obscure their faces and stain their skin. Their rivals call them blue devils, and they have lots of rivals. Even though their dads are brothers, the French boys are fated to fight as tribal rivals in Saharan nomad's land because Moussa has a Tuareg mother. His dad, Count Henri deVries, crash-landed his balloon at her feet, and she followed him back to Paris. Racial oppression and bad bishop behavior provoke justifiable homicide at the Paris Opera, occasioning a hairsbreadth balloon escape and southern adventures too numerous to enumerate here. The prose is purple but handsome, the plot pulpy and propulsive. Check out these sentences: "He fell to her from the sky"; "Bashaga's howl haunted them until it was swallowed by the wind"; "As Moussa's stabbing knife pushed up through to his brain, Abdul ben Henna's last thoughts were of revenge." If these make you burn to read on, read on! You won't be disappointed. --Tim Appelo
Book Description
An epic novel of adventure in the grandest tradition of historical fiction,
Empires of Sand takes us on a thrilling, unforgettable journey.
As civilizations collide around two men, a battle begins: for survival, for love, and for a destiny written in a desert's shifting sands.
The year is 1870. Paris is under siege, and two boys, best friends and cousins, are swept from their life of privilege. A brutal killing forces Michel deVries — called Moussa — to flee to his mother's homeland in North Africa. A family disgrace forces Paul deVries to seek redemption in the French military.
Ten years will pass before they come face-to-face again. Now Moussa has become a desert warrior and a beautiful woman's forbidden lover, while Paul leads an ill-fated French force into the Sahara. Against a breathtaking landscape of blazing sands and ancient mysteries, these two men face a struggle that will shatter lives across two continents — and force them to choose between separate dreams and shared blood....
Customer Reviews:
Engrossing .......2007-06-27
I have a passionate interest in History and have read innumerable books on the History of different regions and Ages. I think this is one of the best books on Historical Fiction I have read so far. Everything about the book...the story,the writing style is interesting to say the least. I felt I lived with the characters in the story. Eagerly waiting for your next book Mr. Ball.
Great Book.......2006-08-16
David Ball's book is excellent and I only wish I could find more of his writing. I did a search and this is the only book I found.
The tale of the two boys in France is told with aplomb and delight as they explore the area outside Paris before the Prussian invasion. Mr. Ball's development of the characters is first rate and his vivid descriptions of life in the time period are first rate. I especially enjoyed his descriptions of the desert in North Africa and the system of honor and caste amongst the tribes.
I can only wonder how good more work from Mr. Ball would be. Any one know anything else about his writing?
Tyler S Ferguson Author of Apocrypha
Outstanding Historical Fiction Novel!.......2006-07-22
I felt obligated to read this book because David Ball is my neighbor and I sometimes babysit for his daughter, Li. However, I have absolutely no regrets, and will openly state that I enjoyed Empires of Sand more than The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons.
Please do not think that I am unknowing or naive about how good this novel was just because I am only 14. I skipped the first grade because when I was in Kindergarten, my reading level was that of a fourth grader. I have recently read Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and Anna Karenina. Empires of Sand was my favorite of all of them.
The book is a fast-paced, adventurous mystery with history all rolled in. It begins in France with two cousins, Paul and Moussa, being attacked by a wild boar. The event is shown through the eyes of a bishop, a mother, the boar, each of the boys and others as well. The entire novel switches back and forth between perspectives, giving the reader a more general understanding. From Paris in 1860-70 to the Sahara in 1880, Empires of Sand explores the personal events of Paul and Moussa deVries during the war between Prussia and France. It also takes a very detailed view of battles between Saharan tribes like the Shamba and Tuareg and troops of France.
Overall, Empires of Sand is a terrific book for anyone interested about France in the mid to late 1800's, or about the Sahara Desert. Even if you are not into history, the book is so in depth and personal that readers of every kind will enjoy it!
Historically Fantastic Novel.......2006-02-10
David Ball has been one of my favorite historical fiction writer after I read his novel: The Sword and the Scimitar / Ironfire (same novel, different titles written after Empires of Sand).
In Empires of Sand, David Ball also exploited his research and previous personal experiences passing through the Sahara. Frankly speaking, I was somewhat disappointed in the initial part of this novel since it had many resemblances on his later novel. The way characters were aligned and plotted looked familiar. But this effect only lingered awhile for the remaining 95% of this novel is superbly written with two main backgrounds, one being in Paris and the other in the Saharan desert in the late 1800s at the height of the Prussian superpower in Europe.
A profound job in the writer's researches were evident from the way he described the way people lived in France and Sahara during those pre World War I periods. Their customs, the way horses, camels and balloons were handled were superbly written. FYI: the French invented the hot air balloon.
A must read five-star historical novel. Waiting for David Ball to write another historical novel...
Great First Effort.......2005-11-29
I cannot say much more that other reviewers haven't said already. I was surprised about how good this book was. Hard to believe it was Ball's first novel. An interesting mix of historical fiction and rip-roaring adventure; informative and very well researched and written.
Once you get into it you will not put it down.
Book Description
The Orientalists pursues the mid to late 19th century, when American and European artists traveled and painted throughout the Holy Land and India. The highly cinematic images they created suggest a great influence on modern visual culture.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant reference.......2007-06-12
Brilliant book completely covering the subject, solid research, perfect rare illustrations. Lots of forgotten and difficult to find names. Very useful and highly recommended - worth every penny!
A "coffee table book" you'll actually start reading!.......2007-04-26
"coffee table" art books are usually just vehicles to display reproductions of the paintings. Not here - Davie's writing would make compelling reading if it was published in regular book format. He mainly focuses on orientalist painting itself - and shatters the critics - but he also has a fascinating section on four famous 'orientalists' which include Richard Burton and Lady Digby.
The reproductions are are splendid very accurate ( i have the pleasure of having easy access to some of the original paintings) and capture the exquisite craft of "Orientalist" painters. often with close ups of parts of painting that allow the reader to see the elaborate detail.
Worth every penny. I find myself reading it again and again.
Not enough women !.......2007-04-20
Really I'd like to give this 5 stars but for the lack of women it's 4. I feel sort of silly doing so because the art is astonishing and the sheer beauty just magnifies how "art" has changed. I wonder if any artist alive today could come close to duplicating these masterpieces. I doubt it. And Mr Davies writing blends with the terrain and subject matter splendidly.
marvelous book.......2007-03-13
I came accross this book while in London, few weeks ago, and I immediately took note of the author, editor and name to order it from Amazon when back at home. I am not a connoisseur by any remote standard, but I love impressionism and naturalism painting, and I just loved the paintings in this book right on seeing them. (Same reason that took me to buy books by Alma-Tadema, the german painter of ancient Greek and Egyptian life scenes).
My enthusiasm just kept growing once I had the chance to start reading the author's description of the creation process of the book, and somehow started to share his vision of the historical and artistic wonder that come along with the view of the works included therein.
A marvelous book and equally wonderful art testimony for the future.
A gorgeous book marred only by lack of editing.......2007-01-08
I loved this book and agree with nearly all the superlatives other reviewers have applied to it. But I was startled by the sloppy editing -- or perhaps there was no editing. I was distracted by spelling mistakes (as in "their" for "there"); by faulty usage (as in "the reason is because"); by Darwin's work being called "Origin of The Species" (a common glitch, but still...); and by far too many other minor errors and awkwardnesses. Some sections, particularly those arguing a point, suffer from repetition and need tightening; at half the length they would be more convincing. I'm thinking particularly of the polemic against Edward Said in the Introduction, and also the chapter called "Women."
I like the author's quirky approach, his inclusion of personal anecdote, the four short biographies of four fascinating people although quite peripheral to his main focus, and the many wonderful notes included with the identifications of the breathtaking pictures. But I am giving only four stars, in protest to the editors at Laynfaroh (who are they, anyway?) who didn't do their job.
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