History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Unpleasant
Could Not Put It Down
A Passionate Tale Not for the Faint
guilty pleasure
Wow.

Wideacre : A Novel
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743249291

Book Description

Beatrice Lacey, as strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social customs of her time. Destined to lose her family name and beloved Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary to protect her ancestral heritage. Seduction, betrayal, even murder -- Beatrice's passion is without apology or conscience. "She is a Lacey of Wideacre," her father warns, "and whatever she does, however she behaves, will always be fitting." Yet even as Beatrice's scheming seems about to yield her dream, she is haunted by the one living person who knows the extent of her plans...and her capacity for evil.

Sumptuously set in Georgian England, Wideacre is intensely gripping, rich in texture, and full of color and authenticity. It is a saga as irresistible in its singular magic as its heroine.

Customer Reviews:

Unpleasant.......2007-10-17

I recommend Gregory's Tudor novels, virtually without reservation, but I thought this was dreadful. As with all Gregory's books, WIDEACRE is well written, though it desperately cries out for editing. Perhaps the author was trying to write an updated version of Scarlett O'Hara, but I found Beatrice completely unsympathetic. The book should carry at least an "R" rating, if not an "NC-17" -- parricide, murder, cruelty, consensual incest, sado-masochism -- ugh. Maybe she was just trying to get this first book published, and that's the reason for much the lead character's revolting behavior. Whatever. Don't bother with this. Go to the Boleyn books which I very much enjoyed.

Could Not Put It Down.......2007-09-26

I must first say I should have bought it on Amazon because I payed $16 for it in the bookstore. However I would not have bought it if I had first read the reviews. This is not the sort of book I would want. The other reviewer are correct saying it is sickening with the incest but I have to admit I could not put it down. If it were not for the incest I would have given it a 5 star but I just could not get past it. One reviewer said it was necessary for the plot and if that is the case it did not have to be that graphic in details. I did not read those parts, I just moved on untill I saw " so I new someone was talking again. :-)

A Passionate Tale Not for the Faint.......2007-09-21

Philippa Gregory weaves a passionate tale combining seduction, murder and obsession in yet another engaging novel spanning the early 19th century. Engrossing and intriguing, Wideacre is disarming with its intense thematic elements that can make for an uncomfortable but enraptured read. Beatrice Lacey is the anti-heroine of Gregory's novel, as a woman who will not let her gender, and her era's attitude towards people of it, foil her plans for the future.
Told from the perspective of Beatrice, Gregory uses her skills to develop a protagonist that is utterly unlikable. Beatrice, the "Lacey of Wideacre," decides from an early age that her only true love is her father's land, Wideacre. When she discovers that she is not the heir of the land, that it is instead going to her studious brother, Harry, she resolves to do anything in her power to take back what she deems is rightfully hers. Whether it is murder or incest, Beatrice does, with no second thought, whatever possible to make sure she is in control of the land she holds so revered.
At times an overwhelming read, Wideacre vicariously brings to life the wretched acts of Beatrice Lacey and the horror she inflicts upon the people she encounters. The only person Beatrice fears is Ralph, the one man who knows how far she is willing to take her greed and infatuation with the land. Her passion for Wideacre is one they both shared as childhood lovers, but with Ralph forcefully removed from Wideacre and Beatrice's life, Beatrice is left alone and able to wreck havoc on the lives of those effecting her position as Squire of Wideacre.
Everyone around her is soon weaved into Beatrice's tumultuous web of deceit, especially because they are all charmed by Beatrice's seemingly enchanting and personable mien. The townspeople of Wideacre, her family and especially her brother Harry are all cast under Beatrice's spell.
In an incestuous relationship with her brother, and the mother of two of his children, Beatrice guarantees she has Wideacre, and Harry, under her control. Yet everything around her slowly unravels as her intelligent, charming husband and sweet, timorous sister-in-law begin to realize the true evil behind Beatrice's innocent nature.
Gripping and forceful, Gregory doesn't leave room for pleasantries. Beatrice will do anything to hold control of her beloved Wideacre, and the novel becomes more disturbing as the lengths Beatrice will go to quench her desires are revealed. However, the novel's brilliance lies in Gregory's inability to apologize for her unsettling story in which the lead characters are so contemptible.
Gregory's writing, like always, is impeccable. The story is woven together beautifully and the writing both captivates and appalls. Gregory's novel shows how far a ruthless woman like Beatrice would go for her land, and the price she pays for it all.
The first book in the trilogy, Wideacre sets the pace for Gregory's brilliant penmanship.

guilty pleasure.......2007-09-12

It's like reading a better written "Flowers in the Attic" but with a historical backdrop that makes you feel less dirty. Same scandalous and incestuous themes, but with a slightly more intellectual veneer. Still, reading it was like passing a horrible car crash on the highway and not wanting to rubberneck like the rest of the fools, but not being able to tear your eyes away from the carnage. Exactly like that.
Couldn't put it down. Sabotaged my plans to complete my Advanced Physiology reading for two straight days.

Wow........2007-08-30

I honestly didn't expect to like this book. I read some of the reviews on here, and it made me uncertain. But i thought i'd give it a shot. I'm very glad i did.

This book was well written, and you actually cared about them.

Beatrice Lacey: She does everything and anything possible to stay on the land she loves. She goes from a young girl of 14 or 15 who adores her father, only tro plan his death, enjoying her first lover, to a jaded woman of twenty or twenty one, who has sacrified her own soul,consience and chance at love to ensure she and her son never leave Wideacre.

It's actually rather sad to read at times. At some point, Beatrice realizes she's lost her way, and finally is just waiting for death it seems. Nothing can make her feel alive again. Her character just goes from this woman who loves her home and fights her brother to keep to the old ways so the poor don't suffer, to being the cause of their ruin. It's sad. And it creeps up on you in this book before you even realize its happening.

Harry Lacey: He goes from a self indulgent, beautiful boy, almost a god of the harvest in Beatrice's and Celia's eyes, to selfish boorish man. He never fully understands whats happening to him. The relationship between himself and his sister at times seems so oddly normal its bizarre in itself.

This book is definetly a page turner. you want something different, this is it!

Average customer rating:

O Jerusalem, Letter of Mary
Watching the genesis of today's middle east tensions... through fiction
I'm surprised at the ratings...
What I always give as a present to cool people!
Enjoyable

O Jerusalem
Laurie R. King
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0553110934
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Amazon.com

Although O Jerusalem is Laurie King's fifth book in her Holmes-Russell series, it actually takes us back to the era of her first book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice. Perhaps King was afraid that her characters, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, were becoming too cozy as an old married couple, and she wanted to recreate the edgy sexual tension of their first encounter.

It's 1918. Nineteen-year-old Mary and her fiftysomething mentor are forced to flee England to escape a deadly adversary. Sherlock's well-connected brother Mycroft sends them to Palestine to do some international sleuthing. Here, a series of murders threatens the fragile peace.

Laurie King connects us, through details of language, custom, history, and sensual impressions, to this very alien environment. Russell, Holmes, and two marvelously imagined Arab guides named Mahmoud and Ali trek through the desert and visit ancient monasteries clinging like anthills to cliffs. They also find time to take tea with the British military legend Allenby in Haifa and skulk through or under the streets of Jerusalem. King puts us into each scene so quickly and completely that her narrative flow never falters.

Stepping back in time also gives King a chance to show us Holmes through the eyes of a Russell not yet as full of love as a honeymooner, nor as complacent as a comfortable wife. "There it was--sardonic, superior, infuriating," Mary says about Holmes's voice at one point.

Wisdom is knowing when, and how much, to shake things up--even in a successful series. Laurie King is a wise woman indeed. --Dick Adler

Book Description

With her bestselling mystery series featuring Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell, Laurie R. King has created "lively adventure in the very best of intellectual company," according to The New York Times Book Review. Now the author of The Beekeeper's Apprentice and The Moor--the first writer since Patricia Cornwell to win both the American Edgar and British Creasey Awards for a debut novel ( A Grave Talent)--unfolds a hitherto unknown chapter in the history of Russell's apprenticeship to the great detective.

At the close of the year 1918, forced to flee England's green and pleasant land, Russell and Holmes enter British-occupied Palestine under the auspices of Holmes' enigmatic brother, Mycroft.

"Gentlemen, we are at your service." Thus Holmes greets the two travel-grimed Arab figures who receive them in the orange groves fringing the Holy Land. Whatever role could the volatile Ali and the taciturn Mahmoud play in Mycroft's design for this land the British so recently wrested from the Turks? After passing a series of tests, Holmes and Russell learn their guides are engaged in a mission for His Majesty's Government, and disguise themselves as Bedouins--Russell as the beardless youth "Amir"--to join them in a stealthy reconnaissance through the dusty countryside.

A recent rash of murders seems unrelated to the growing tensions between Jew, Moslem, and Christian, yet Holmes is adamant that he must reconstruct the most recent one in the desert gully where it occurred. His singular findings will lead him and Russell through labyrinthine bazaars, verminous inns, cliff-hung monasteries--and into mortal danger. When her mentor's inquiries jeopardize his life, Russell fearlessly wields a pistol and even assays the arts of seduction to save him. Bruised and bloodied, the pair ascend to the jewellike city of Jerusalem, where they will at last meet their adversary, whose lust for savagery and power could reduce the city's most ancient and sacred place to rubble and ignite this tinderbox of a land....

Classically Holmesian yet enchantingly fresh, sinuously plotted, with colorful characters and a dazzling historic ambience, O Jerusalem sweeps readers ever onward in the thrill of the chase.

Customer Reviews:

O Jerusalem, Letter of Mary.......2007-09-09

Both these books deal with the Holy Land, from the perspective of a scholarly young woman, Mary Russell, wife of Sherlock Holmes. A Letter of Mary has to do with a letter from Mary Magdalene discovered by an archaelogist, and O Jerusalem with the travels of Russell/Holmes in the Holy Land as spies. Both books are theological, historical and quite fascinating. Mystery is involved with A Letter of Mary as the archaeologist/discoverer of letter is murdered and Russell/Holmes sort it out. O Jerusalem deals with spying for Mycroft Holmes (brother of S. Holmes and big deal in the English Government) Lots of action and people wounded but all works out OK in the end.
Linda Sheean

Watching the genesis of today's middle east tensions... through fiction.......2007-01-26

Laurie King has swiftly become one of my favorite authors -- the sort who make you grab any book with their name on the cover, without even reading what it's "about." She's an extremely powerful writer who puts you into the middle of the story/world she's writing about, and your "real life" goes away.

If you've found your way to this page, it's likely that you've read at least one of the books in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. If not, I strongly urge you to start with the first book, the Beekeeper's Apprentice. This story takes place chronologically in the middle of that book (with an arm wave to "after our adventures in Palestine" in the first novel), and I believe you really do need to have that foundation to get the most out of O Jerusalem. You don't, however, need to have read the other books in the series; in fact, I've found myself wondering if I'd have liked this one even better if I'd read it second.

What King does very well, here, is present a mystery story against a backdrop of history which most of us (including me) know only vaguely. During the action of O Jerusalem, the British have recently gotten control over the area, and we see the tensions and cultural clashes between Arab, Jew, Turk, British, and anybody else passing through. By the end, and without the pain of a history lesson, I'd learned a lot more about early 20th century problems and gotten a clue about how they affect us today.

Other reviewers have criticized King for creating a pre-feminist Mary Russell who magically raises the consciousness of the Arab men around her. P'shaw. She is drawn to be an exceptional woman (otherwise she'd never have attracted Sherlock Holmes' attention), and I find it completely believeable that a logical and caring person can earn the respect of other people from another culture.

This is a book that I dove into, and didn't emerge until I'd turned the last page. Only a few days later I went to the bookstore and picked up the next one in the series. Yeah, I like this book. I like it a lot. If you like your historical mystery to teach you history while it also entertains, it'll be high on your list as well.

I'm surprised at the ratings..........2006-12-31

I have to admit I'm kind of surprised at the number of negative reviews here. I am a huge fan of the Mary Russell series, and to be honest, this is probably my favorite book in that series, though I love the others as well. Maybe because I enjoy re-reading my books, the emphasis on a clever mystery is less important than the overall story: mystery, adventure, characters, description, phrasing... I have probably read this book seven or eight times now (I read about a book a day even on a tight schedule) and each time I savor the feeling of becoming absorbed in the bright gem of a story.

Something a number of people have mentioned is the lack of 'motive' for the bad guy. That astonishes me, because I felt that King did a fabulous job of describing the political situation and therefore the motive. I think the people who felt there was no motive skimmed over much of the detail because it seemed loud and clear to me: Middle East is in turmoil (now there's a big surprise), there are Christians, Jews, Arabs, and Turks who all live there and no native power base. The Brits have walked in and removed the reigning Turkish leaders but haven't established a new infrastructure or anything other than an unstable military occupation. The big question up in the air is - who will come out of all this chaos in power. Perfect situation for an unscrupulous bastard to take up power behind the scenes. Now, without giving too much away, if that person were able to KEEP things unstable, they would continue to have power. Once everything settled down, the opportunity to take control would dry up. The bad guy couldn't take control openly, but what about... Seems fairly well worked and complex to me with a great, if subtle motive.

No, this book doesn't have an open, obvious motive (she killed her husband, why? to inherit the money...), but the motive along with a lot of fascinating historical and political detail make this a book that I will probably read another seven or eight times. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy complex and subtle plots and fabulous description and character development.

What I always give as a present to cool people!.......2006-09-21

It's just a great story, told with wit and humor, sheer adventure but just clever enough to make you feel like you are a little bit better and richer for having read it. Everyone I have given it to likes it, and they are very different kinds of people. Basically one of my favorite books.

Enjoyable .......2006-03-21

O Jerusalem is the first Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novel I have read. I think that it was a good choice considering that although it is the fifth in the series, chronologically it follows the Bee Keepers Apprentice which is the first in the series. I had no other books in the series to compare it too so from that point of view I have to remark that I really enjoyed this story. Mary Russell is a wonderful character, full of life, intelligence and courage. I love how King envisions her relationship with Holmes it is right on the mark. I am an historical fiction lover so I was in heaven reading the descriptive archeological passages written about Palestine from Russell's perpective in 1919. All the characters in the book are strong and well developed. It is less of a suspense mystery during the first half of the book and more of a series of adventures that occur between four unlikely companions; Russell, Sherlock Holmes,and brothers Mahmoud and Ali. The later half of the book gains momentum and the writing becomes more urgent and taut with the conclusion being exciting. I'm looking forward to reading the whole series.

An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order

Average customer rating:

Many are called but few are chosen
Much food for thought
Interesting look into the lives of 5 young men
A life of simple, quiet contempation
A Beautiful Sojourn

An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order
Nancy Klein Maguire
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1586483277

Book Description

This riveting chronicle of an unimaginably difficult spiritual journey offers an unprecedented look inside a secretive world unchanged since medieval times

In 1960, five young men arrived at the imposing gates of Parkminster, the largest center of the most rigorous and ascetic monastic order in the Western world: the Carthusians. This is the story of their five-year journey into a society virtually unchanged in its behavior and lifestyle since its foundation in 1084.

An Infinity of Little Hours is a uniquely intimate portrait of the customs and practices of a monastic order almost entirely unknown until now. It is also a drama of the men's struggle as they avoid the 1960s-the decade of hedonism, music, fashion, and amorality-and enter an entirely different era and a spiritual world of their own making. After five years each must face a choice: to make "solemn profession" and never leave Parkminster; or to turn his back on his life's ambition to find God in solitude.

A remarkable investigative work, the book combines first-hand testimony with unique source material to describe the Carthusian life. And in the final chapter, which recounts a reunion forty years after the events described elsewhere in the book, Nancy Klein Maguire reveals which of the five succeeded in their quest, and which did not.

Customer Reviews:

Many are called but few are chosen.......2007-09-03

I have to admit to an historic link with Parkminster (the location of this book) and the monastery in Switzerland through professional work not religious in the 1980s. My dealings with one of the monks named (Dom Bruno Sullivan) entailed a one day visit to Parkminster and the memory still lives with me (the bus trip into the middle of forest land from Worthing after a train ride from Victoria station and the long walk from the bus stop to the Carthusian abbey gate to ring the bell to gain entry are exactly as depicted in the book). The photo contained of the two floor library with all its old priceless editions of religious books was one of my fondest memories during my visit.

But this book is much more than just story telling - it is a well recorded journey of how five novices in the early 1960s took the step close together in time to enter Parkminster to see if they had sufficient spiritual vocation to be able to remain for life in a virtually silent contemplative religious order where monks, brothers and novices spend most of their time in their private cells praying or involved in solo activity, mainly leaving their cells to only participate in set daily services with the rest of the Order. The repetitive daily routines little changed from the Middle Ages with no major routine changes except in diet and religious prayer when holy feast days arise, would be a test of anyone's spirit. The fact few made it through the five years to becoming a monk did not leave any of those failing as bitter - rather they saw it subsequently when the author contacted them recently as the high point of their lives.

What makes this book so exceptional is that in covering a very private and personal approach to religious life where the inward thoughts and emotions are everything, is all accurately captured by the writer, herself a lady married to one of the ex-novices. Over the nearly seven years writing the book she was surprised at the level of openess and honesty she encountered both with the ex-novices and the monks currently still at Parkminster. She also is able to balance the personal stories with the history of the Order, the Order's approach and administration in their chosen life and the wider context within the Catholic church.

Overall she writes lucidly and keeps your interest - never once in the 240 odd pages did I find the lack of action or her coverage of the simple repetitiveness of the lifestyle boring.

As with the almost contemporary film release "Into great silence" on the French monastery at Grande Chartreuse, one wonders why the Order has decided to open itself up in this way at this point in time but we are certainly the richer for the knowledge gained as a consequence.

Much food for thought.......2007-08-21

Reading this book is like finding an oasis in our hectic world. It moves the reader to look at the pace of his/her life and distinguish the "worthwhile" from the "not as important as I thought" - a fascinating study.

Interesting look into the lives of 5 young men.......2007-08-21

I found this interesting as I learned more about the monk's structured society and the types of men they enticed to join them. The five young men that rang the bell that day had a path that most wonder about. This book helped explain how a person's seeking to get closer to God can influence others as well. Nancy has done a lot of research and it paid off.

A life of simple, quiet contempation.......2007-08-10

I concure with many of the reviews posted and would also recommend both the movie and the soundtrack as means of having a little quiet conememplation added to our already hectic modern lives.
By the way, Amazon has the BEST price I've found on the hardcover edition, it's even CHEAPER than most people want for the paperback edition.

A Beautiful Sojourn.......2007-07-22

A nearly perfect book, AN INFINITY OF LITTLE HOURS is one of the best non-fiction works I've read on any subject in some time. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, the book serves as a guide to the austere, eremitic Carthusian life as it was experienced prior to Vatican II. As the author, Nancy Klein Maguire, notes, there's not a lot available for the layperson to read about this order of monks cut off from the world, and whose way of life has changed little since the 11th century. We are truly fortunate, then, to have Maguire as our host for this journey.

Maguire follows the lives of five young men who entered the Parkminster Charterhouse in England in the years 1960 to 1961: three men from the U.S. (Chicago, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), one from Germany, and another from Ireland. That they do not all stay in the life quickly becomes clear, but wondering who stays and who leaves is part of the charm. (Warning: the photos are spoilers for the ending.) What's really wonderful is how Maguire gives the reader a chance to experience vicariously these men's lives from the point they literally approach the door of the Charterhouse and enter into its life to the time they leave or become professed. We are seduced by the life, but also acutely feel its physical discomforts. We grow with the men as the initial romance wears off, and the political reality of divisions between the monks becomes apparent. In the end, we are enchanted by the monks who persevere in the life, but also embrace the men who leave, fully sharing their relief. Maguire is a gifted writer; her prose is like freshly made butter, smooth and delicious. I think I could read anything she chose to write next, and plan to.

What profoundly struck me in reading Maguire's book was how these men, in entering the Carthusian life presumably to stay to the end of their lives, were essentially preparing for their deaths. At first I found the notion bewildering, even suffocating. I mean, our culture celebrates youth and fears death, doesn't it. Reading this book really made me think a lot about death. Could I forgo all that the world offers, close myself off forever within stone walls, and search for God while awaiting death under the same routine for decades? Happily married and middle aged (the Carthusians don't accept candidates older than 45), I know that the question is moot--but would I have been able to accept the life at 21? And am I ready now to look straight in death's face? How deep is my faith?

If you have any interest at all in the Carthusians or in monasticism, you will want to read this book. It makes a nice companion to the recently released, splendid documentary on the Grande Chartreuse, INTO GREAT SILENCE.

The Four Men: A Farrago (Twentieth Century Classics)

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The Four Men: A Farrago (Twentieth Century Classics)
Hilaire Belloc
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jesus of Nazareth

ASIN: 0192814346

Book Description

Four men--Myself, Grizzlebeard, The Sailor, and The Poet--wander through the Sussex of 1902. Their comical adventures and perceptions celebrate the vanishing landscape of unspoilt rural England and a lifestyle soon to become obsolete. The four characters are all personifications of aspects
of Belloc's own nature.

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Marvellous Ruth Rendell!
A mediocre imitation
Well Organized, Intriguing, and Stylishly Written
A Humerous Wexford Mystery
Disappointing Effort

A Sleeping Life
Ruth Rendell
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375704930
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Book Description

Rhoda Comfrey's death seemed unremarkable; the real mystery was her life.

In A Sleeping Life, master mystery writer Ruth Rendell unveils an elaborate web of lies and deception painstakingly maintained by a troubled soul. A wallet found in Comfrey's handbag leads Inspector Wexford to Mr. Grenville West, a writer whose plots revel in the blood, thunder, and passion of dramas of old; whose current whereabouts are unclear; and whose curious secretary--the plain Polly Flinders--provides the Inspector with more questions than answers. And when a second Grenville West comes to light, Wexford faces a dizzying array of possible scenarios--and suspects--behind the Comfrey murder.

Brilliantly entertaining, exceptionally crafted, A Sleeping Life evokes the dark realities, half-truths, and flights of fancy that constitute a life.

Customer Reviews:

Marvellous Ruth Rendell!.......2006-10-29

Although I figured out the curious twist of the book early on, I still read it, fascinated by Ms. Rendell's skill. I am catching up with some older Inspector Wexford mysteries that I have missed over the years, and so came to "A Sleeping Life". Ms. Rendell is a master in creating a world where nothing is what it seems, and this book does this marvelously. It is different too because Wexford has an unidentified corpse for over half the book, and he is getting more and more frustrated as he goes up one blind alley after another. But a word and its meaning turn it around for him, and he manages to untangle the web, and discover the killer. If you are a mystery lover, than you cannot miss any one of Ms. Rendell's books. (And she has a lot of them).

A mediocre imitation.......2005-12-16

Inspector Wexford is an English police detective, who investigates the murder of a middle-aged woman. What makes this difficult is that, while the woman's identity is quickly established, the police cannot find out anything else about her, going back over twenty years. Where did she live? Where did she work? Who are her friends? Without this information, they are stymied in their investigation of her murder. They keep running into blind alleys and red herrings, until they finally fill in the gaps.

Why did I title my review "a mediocre imitation"? I felt like I was reading a Sherlock Holmes mystery, stretched into a full novel, but with very little of the flair and charm of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle work of art. I found Wexford, his cohorts, and his family uninteresting. The story was okay, including the twist at the end, although I had it figured out a little bit ahead of Wexford.

Conclusion: Read a Sherlock Holmes collection instead, or one of George Chesebro's "Mongo" novels. They're written better and are more interesting.

Well Organized, Intriguing, and Stylishly Written.......2004-11-17

Many critics praise Ruth Rendall for her psychological insight into the characters she presents. I have never understood this; from my own point of view, her psychological insight usually consists of inconsistencies and uncertain motivations--the latter of which most often arise from a vaguely drawn plot that seldom has any "mystery" to it at all.

Clearly, I am not among Rendell's fans. Still, if I were hard pressed to recommend a Rendell novel, I would most likely recommend A SLEEPING LIFE--for although very typical of her work in terms of character, it is indeed a reasonably well structured mystery with a double-folded solution that few will completely anticipate.

The story concerns Rhoda Comfrey, an unattractive woman of fifty years whose body is found twice-stabbed along a path. But when Inspector Wexford attempts to trace Comfrey's movements, he is unexpectedly stymied: although her bed-ridden father resides in the area, she herself does not--and although it is generally understood that she lives in London, no one has any idea where, nor does an appeal through the press bring forth her address, her occupation, or even any one in all of England who has seen her, much less actually knows her.

As the days pass in mounting frustration, Inspector Wexford gradually finds himself also drawn into the somewhat suspicious absence of noted novelist Grenville West, who may or may not know Comfrey and who may or may not have suddenly disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Is there any connection--or is it just another wild goose chase so typical of this particular case?

In spite of my general dislike of Rendell's work, I found myself quite caught up in this particular title, which shows Rendell at her stylistic best and working with intriguing characters and a well-organized story. If you must read a Ruth Rendell novel, this would be a good choice.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

A Humerous Wexford Mystery.......2003-12-20

Although first published in 1964 this book is still completely readable today. A Sleeping Life is an Inspector Wexford mystery which deals with the investigation into the stabbing of a middle-aged woman whilst visiting her ill relative in Kingsmarkham. Although he knows her name, the womans life away from Kingsmarkham remains a mystery which haunts Wexford. There are many twists and turns as Wexford comes nearer to discovering what drove the woman to hide the truth about herself. The conclusion, while perhaps not as shocking today as it was then, is nicely done.

As usual Rendell has created a diverse range of interesting, and in some cases psychologically-flawed, characters. The scenes I enjoyed most were those with Sylvia, Wexford's daughter. She has left her husband after becoming interested in Woman's Lib, and has moved back in with her parents, Wexford and Dora. I was particularly amused by a piece of dialogue where Sylvia cries:
"By God, my life is more his than it is mine!"
(Referring to her husband, Neil). It really does point out how gender roles in the past have stiffled women - thank goodness that times have changed! However, I liked the way that Rendell also gave Neil's point of view about his wife's views so it wasn't one sided.

Overall A Sleeping Life is great. There are plenty of opportunities for Wexford to use his dry, clever wit. The plot is solid and there is a good twist at the end. The sub-plot is entertaining and the characters are unusual.

JoAnne

Disappointing Effort.......2003-07-12

I'm in the midst of reading back Ruth Rendell novels because I love mysteries and I've just discovered her and loved the first one I read. I have to confess here though that even though I always appreciate her writing, humor, and her Wexford character, this story was just bottom of the barrel. Fortunately, it's more of a novella and wasted no more than 3 hours of my time. The plot follows the investigation of a woman found murdered in her home town while back visiting her sick father. Wexford knows the woman's identity but can not find a trace of her life in London where she has resided for over twenty years. Admittedly, part of the problem with this book is that it writes very dated views on men's and women's roles despite being written in the late 70's. The more important problem is that the solution to the 'mystery' is so clear so early in the novella that it's a struggle to turn the pages and watch for the 'experts' catch up. I still like Ruth Rendell the writer... but this story should have stayed asleep.

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No Directions Necessary
Good Plot; Great Ending; Great Writing
An Inspector Wexford Murder Mystery
Sharp, focused mystery
The wise Inspector Wexford has his suspicions...

Shake Hands Forever
Ruth Rendell
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375704957
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Book Description

The bed was neatly made, and the woman on top neatly strangled.

According to all accounts, Angela Hathall was deeply in love with her husband and far too paranoid to invite an unknown person into their home. So who managed to gain entry and strangle her without a struggle? That is the problem facing Inspector Wexford in Shake Hands Forever. Perhaps it was the mystery woman who left her fingerprints on the Hathall's bathtub? Perhaps it was Angela's husband who lied about a stolen library book? And why was the Hathall home, usually so unkempt, exqisitely clean the day of Angela's death? Then a neighbor--friendly, knowing, disarmingly beautiful--offers Wexford her assistance. And what begins as a rather tricky case turns into an obsession that threatens to destroy the Inspector's career--as well as his marriage.

Maddeningly addictive, smart and surprising, Shake Hands Forever showcases Ruth Rendell at the height of her storytelling powers.

Customer Reviews:

No Directions Necessary.......2007-01-25

Definitely not one of Ms. Rendell's better efforts in the Inspector Wexford series. While the basic plot is intricate and clever, the mystery tends to get bogged down with painfully detailed descriptions of travel around London and its suburbs via public conveyances and automobiles; if I had wanted travel directions, I would have purchased a road map from the Automobile Association of Britain and some public transit schedules from the LTC. Still, second-rate Ruth Rendell is better than no Ruth Rendell at all.

Good Plot; Great Ending; Great Writing.......2006-05-23

As always with Ruth Rendell the writing is outstanding. She does not waste words and every scene has an important purpose. Each sentence is well-written. Inspector Wexford is worth spending time with because he comes across like a real person. Indeed, he always seems human when some of his ideas are proven wrong. He has persistence and determination.

This mystery has an excellent ending that surprised me. The ending was plausible and the plot makes sense.

An Inspector Wexford Murder Mystery.......2004-04-15

This is a reprint of a 184-page novel copyrighted 1975. I had trouble maintaining an interest, particularly in the early part of the novel. Part of the problem seems to be the writing style. I found myself going back to reread sentences to figure out what was being said. Perhaps it is just awkward sentence structuring. There is also a lot of digression into side issues involving various characters.

The basic plot is interesting, involving a man who is not particularly good looking, but who leaves his wife for another woman. The other woman is a greedy type who is willing to lead him into a life of crime for her personal benefit. The problem is proving the crime, particularly after Wexford is accused of harassment and forced to officially drop things. The case extends over about 18 months.

The final solution has some surprises, more or less, but I guessed the "surprise" early in the plot, probably because I have seen a similar plot device used elsewhere. Like most Wexford mysteries, guns do not enter into the plot.

Sharp, focused mystery.......2004-03-10

Shake Hands For Ever - a novel which takes its title from a work by Michael Drayton - is very much a Wexford novel. There's not a lot of Burden here at all, instead Rendell turns her full attention to the character of Wexford, and his frustration when he comes upon a case which he feels he knows the answer to, but cannot prove. Until, one year after it occurs, new information starts turning up...

Robert Hathall is bringing his overbearing, overcritical mother home to meet his second wife Angela, a woman whom Mrs Hathall clearly detests (mainly for the fact that she thinks she split up her son's first marriage). Angela was supposed to meet her husband and mother-in-law at the train station, but didn't turn up. Eventually, the two make their way home, and discover her dead body, strangled on the bed. Having cleaned the house immaculately for the impending visit, there is almost nothing to go on.

This is not really a whodunnit, as pretty early on Wexford decides he knows who did it. All he has to do is prove it, and the why, and the how. But it proves an impossible task, and when he is warned off the case by his superior, for "harassing" his chief suspect, Wexford undertakes some private investigations of his own...

Although I don't think Shake Hands for Ever is quite the one of the best Wexford novels - it is beautifully focused, yes, but as this is mainly a "Wexford must prove his theory" novel, there aren't a great range of characters, although those that are are as well-drawn and fascinating as ever - it is still very fine indeed. It boasts, of the Wexford books anyway, possibly Rendell's finest last-chapter shock of her career. It's an excellent crime/mystery novel, which even though we think we know what is going on, is far from predictable, and the story goes deeper than we at first think. The prose is sharp, and socially aware as ever. Ominous and dark, too, brilliantly balanced by some moments great humour. Rendell's almost vicious wit is often glossed over, not even noticed, by most reviewers, but it is another of those things which make her so special. Her latest book, The Rottweiler, was full of it, and it was marvellous!

To sum up, Shake Hands For Ever is, though not the very very best, a great Wexford novel from Ruth Rendell - one who all fans of hers must read.

The wise Inspector Wexford has his suspicions..........2002-12-01

Through the years Ruth Rendell has proved her mastery of the "who done it" genre and this Inspector Wexford mystery, first published in 1975, is certainly true to form. It's set in England, of course, amidst places whose names roll of the tongue with a British accent. There's an unsolved murder in the first chapter, with a richly developed cast of characters surrounding the mystery.

There's a dead woman and her seemingly grief-stricken husband. There's her mother-in-law who hates her and her husband's ex-wife who's known for making ugly scenes. There are few clues also, as the house has been immaculately cleaned. There's only one handprint, little to go on. But then there is the wise Inspector Wexford. He understands people well and has his suspicions.

The story unfolds quickly, as one clue after another comes to light and some new characters are introduced. I was intrigued as I easily followed the plot. The author is very clear in her intentions and I found myself identifying with the detective as he investigated the case, which wound up taking more than a year to solve.

It only took me a few hours to read the book, waking up in the middle of the night to finish what I had started that afternoon. It was all one big puzzle, but the end put all the puzzle pieces together. As I drifted off to sleep however, I was troubled. The puzzle pieces fit, but the motivation just didn't seem strong enough for murder. And so I woke early and re-read the last few pages, which included a surprise ending. It was explained completely. Problem is, I didn't believe it.

This is a good read and mystery fans will love it. I did enjoy it as a few hours of entertainment. I recommend it. I'm just not a mystery fan though.

Average customer rating:

A disappointing installment

Uninspiring and unimaginative

Women wanting children

Less Than Great

The Title Says It All

End in Tears: A Wexford Novel (Chief Inspector Wexford Mysteries)
Ruth Rendell
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Water's Lovely

What Came Before He Shot Her

The Minotaur

The Devil's Feather (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

Piece of My Heart: A Novel of Suspense

ASIN: 0307339769
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Book Description

At first there was no reason to link the killings. The first one, months earlier, seemed totally random: a lump of concrete pushed off an overpass onto a passing car. By contrast, the gruesome bludgeoning death of Amber Marshalson, returning home late from a night out clubbing with friends, was obviously calculated. The killer had been seen waiting for the girl in a nearby wood. But when Chief Inspector Wexford discovers that Amber had been the driver right behind the crushed car—and that she’d been driving a silver Honda, while the car in front of her was a gray Honda—he knows that someone wanted the teenager dead badly enough to kill twice to get the job done. And as it turns out, this murderer’s plans are only just getting underway. Can Wexford unravel the complex knots that connect these murders in time to save future victims? Or is he, as he begins to fear, losing his touch and fast becoming a relic of another time?

Long beloved by readers for her deft weaving of wonderfully meticulous characterization, dark humor, and trenchant social commentary into gripping and fast-paced plots, Ruth Rendell is in top form with End in Tears. Taking off from the first page with back-to-back murders and ending with one of Wexford’s own officers in mortal danger, End in Tears touches on issues of class, race, parenthood, aging, and gender roles as it brings the traditional British whodunit into the twenty-first century.

Also available as a Random House AudioBook, Large Print edition, and eBook

Customer Reviews:

A disappointing installment.......2007-10-05

The Wexford novels really seem to have gone downhill over the past few years. This one has a perfunctory feel to it: the nonrecurring characters are thinly drawn and the resolution to the mystery is less than satisfying. I wanted more Wexford and less supporting characters.

Uninspiring and unimaginative.......2007-09-19

Maybe I've read too many mysteries and I'm simply jaded about the genre. But although I generally love Ruth Rendell/ Barbara Vine's novels, I just couldn't get excited about End In Tears.

Inspector Wexford, who we've seen a few times before, is called in to investigate the murder of a young girl and single mother whose body is found near her home. Soon, another young woman, of a different economic background, is found murdered. They're obviously connected, but how?

I thought it was quite ridiculous that nobody thought to suspect the girls' immediate relatives. Wexford and his team could have saved themselves a lot of trouble. Also, I thought the story lines involving the inspectors' personal lines detracted from the main plot itself. Also, I wasn't fond of the way that certain groups were generalized about: alternately, her characters were racist, ageist, and sexist. Its clear that Rendell has no idea how people under the age of, say, sixty think or act. This was a very derivative novel with an ending that made you think, "Huh? Where did that come from?" I think that if a murder mystery is really going to grab you, there should be something new and original in it. In this case, there was no such thing.

Women wanting children.......2007-09-11

The plot is interesting overall, dealing with a contemporary issue, but the murder cases being investigated by Wexford are intermixed with his home life and relationships within the office. The case is complex, maybe too much so. Various people are drawn in as accessories and end up in trouble with the police, and not everyone tells the whole truth when questioned. The problem is establishing a motive for the murders. The novel finally winds down to that in the last pages, put then the motive seems to appear with a wave of the hand, i.e., it was not clear how Wexford arrived at his conclusion. Did someone rat someone out, or what? People are arrested, but the final wrap-up seemed a bit hurried after all the long drawn out investigation. Also, having a police officer get into trouble, and then police dashing to the rescue, seems a little off; and the villains seem not overly bright as they could have just shown the police the door.

Less Than Great.......2007-08-26

Not one of Rendell's best.

Certain twists I saw coming a mile away.

I also found the Hannah's subplot rather poorly written. Rendell usually has such a keen understanding of people, but the writing from Hannah's point of view seemed oddly stilted and forced. She's a stereotype, and not a very interesting one.

The Title Says It All.......2007-08-08

With my "I love Ruth Rendell" credentials intact, I have to say this one was a real disappointment. Wexford's charm didn't wane, but the plot was a far cry from her usual intricate puzzles. One of the great things about Rendell as a writer is that all the convoluted pieces fall into place and the reader is left with that satisfying "Ah!!" In order for that experience to happen, it has to make sense. This one didn't...

Hope the Water is Lovely is better!

Fan Cultures (Sussex Studies in Culture and Communication)

Average customer rating:

Hyper-Theory Meets Common Sense

Fan Cultures (Sussex Studies in Culture and Communication)
Matthew Hills
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415240255

Book Description

Fans are one of the most widely-studied groups of media consumers. Often knowing more about a character or series than the star or program-makers themselves, and ready to make active, sometimes surprising readings of plot lines and characters, they are the ultimate active audience. Fan Cultures is the first comprehensive overview of fans and fan theory. From victims of capitalist exploitation to more positive interpretations, Matthew Hills outlines the ways in which fans have been conceptualized in cultural theory. Drawing on case studies of specific groups, from rock fans to opera buffs and Trekkies, he discusses a range of approaches to fandom, from the Frankfurt School to psychoanalytic readings, and asks whether the development of new media creates the possibility of new forms of fandom.

Customer Reviews:

Hyper-Theory Meets Common Sense.......2004-02-07

This really is one of the best academic books on fandom, if not the best. Hills has a remarkable ability to read in, through, and around established theory, and yet also has a nice knack of forcing theory to account for grounded realities. Each chapter boldly approaches fandom from the standpoint of an existing binary in fan studies, and as a result, the book shatters through multiple impasses (and sillinesses) in established work to date.

Fan studies is such a maligned sub-discipline in a field (that of cultural and media studies) that all too often prefers mea-culpa lashing of the media body, and that prefers disgust with or pity of the fan to any actual attempt to understand him/her. But the strength of a book like this defies critics of the sub-discipline. Indeed, I don't think it's too much to say that fan studies really comes into its own with this book. Hills has opened up ground for future work, through careful reading of past work and a sense of what is tragically missing.

As such, I would highly recommend this. If you are looking for empirical work, this is not your book (although Hills reads others' empirical work well), but if you want a macro picture of how all that work fits together, this is it.

Average customer rating:

Not one of her better works...

Another superb early Wexford story

Sixties Revisited in Classic Rendell Mystery

An Elegant Piece of Mystery Fiction

Did Ruth Rendell really write this?

Some Lie and Some Die (An Inspector Wexford Mystery)
Ruth Rendell
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Shake Hands Forever

Harm Done: A New Inspector Wexford Mystery

ASIN: 0375704906
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Book Description

A mutilated body found at a rock festival.

In spite of dire predictions, the rock festival in Kingsmarkham seemed to be going off without a hitch, until the hideously disfigured body is discovered in a nearby quarry. And soon Wexford is investigating the links between a local girl gone bad and a charismatic singer who inspires an unwholesome devotion in his followers. Some Lie and Some Die is a devilishly absorbing novel, in which Wexford's deductive powers come up against the aloof arrogance of pop stardom.

With her Inspector Wexford novels, Ruth Rendell, winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award, has added layers of depth, realism and unease to the classic English mystery. For the canny, tireless, and unflappable policeman is an unblinking observer of human nature, whose study has taught him that under certain circumstances the most unlikely people are capable of the most appalling crimes.

Customer Reviews:

Not one of her better works..........2005-09-06

...and possibly her worst. I've read two other SUPERB books, A judgement in Stone and The Babes in the Wood, and Rendell is equally adept at characterizing people and atmosphere. Her books are not very long, and I sometimes wish they were longer, that she would dwell more on her strengths like PD James does, but this one lacked almost everything--characterization, atmosphere, and length.

Added to which the plot was quite unbelievable--I was hit on the head constantly with Zeno's power over his fellow human beings, but in the end I did not quite think enough had been done to make me believe this to be true. And the professor in the second house was not developed enough either, especially since he plays a decently strong role in the ending (Bit of a spoiler)--the girl's reasons for meeting the professor were shabby, to the point of being ridiculous (Rendell does try to set it up earlier by introducing this obsession on the part of someone else...but that was not good enough and stuck out very obviously like a plant just to make this shabby ending work.)

I think this book lacks attention--it seems to have been put together hastily and without much thought, perhaps to meet a deadline?

There are better and really much much better and superb Rendell mysteries--read them, read this for comparision, but not much else.

Another superb early Wexford story.......2004-03-06

During the brilliantly depicted rock festival in the grounds of Sundays House - the atmosphere of this is brilliant, and is part of the reason why this book, like all her best, sparkles with an individuality that makes the experience of reading it so special - the bands play, the weather is fine, and a good time is had by all except one or two disgruntled locals. Oh, and the sometimes-grouchy Inspector Burden of course, but even he lightens up to the idea eventually. However, as the festival begins to wind itself down, two precocious lovers discover a battered body in a nearby quarry, and Inspector Wexford finds himself investigating murder rather than his earlier duty of making sure everything runs smoothly, and law-abidingly, at the festival. The body is identified as that of Dawn Stonor, a local girl who had moved to London, returning only on occasional trips to see her mother. As with all Rendell mysteries, the plot soon thickens considerably and little is as it seems...

Some Lie and Some Die ranks among Rendell's finest Wexford mysteries. It's one of my favourites, along with Wolf to the Slaughter, The Speaker of Mandarin, The Veiled One and Harm Done. It's a short little mystery, but Rendell packs such a lot in here, a lot of plot that it's an incredibly satisfying, fulfilling novel. Once again, it is a completely unique work (all of her best are; the ones which are slightly formulaic, or lack that special sparkle, like Put on by Cunning of A New Lease of Death, aren't quite so wonderful) and an excellent mystery.

It's absolutely fascinating to read; every word is palced perfectly, every shift in the story times impeccably. There is something so unique and special about reading Ruth Rendell, but it's something which is impossible to elaborate much on. It's just this little thrill; a little thrill you get at every perfect sentence combining into a perfect whole. It's also an incredibly powerful book, with an absolutely wonderful ending. I loved it.

As this book is certainly short, the characters aren't exactly incredibly well-rounded, as they are in some of her alter, longer books, but they are still sharp and pricked out with incredibly insight, almost shivering acuity. Wexford and Burden are great once more, but that goes without saying. This is another marvellous little book from Rendell - a fascinating, absorbing, special little read.

Sixties Revisited in Classic Rendell Mystery.......2002-02-10

Rendell portrays her own era and environment with subtle language use and style. This book is a description of a Woodstock-type gathering that uncovers a murder mystery. Rendell somehow remains non-judgmental while giving an accurate portrait of much that went on during the "hippie" decades. The plot is great and any Rendell is worth a read, in my opinion.

An Elegant Piece of Mystery Fiction.......2000-04-30

"Some Lie and Some Die" is a superbly crafted mystery novel. It's short--in pages, and in time-line, and it's not overly burdened with plotting or diverting details. It is, in a word, elegant. The events (a murder, a missing girl, a palette of suspects) are set against the backdrop of a rock concert, complete with egotistical stars and fawning sycophants, spoiled fans and irate neighbors. But underlying it all are the basic human failings of self-absorption and greed and it is these motivations which lead to the horror and the desperation of the characters and their actions. Rendell is, as usual, an incisive observer of the dark side of humanity, and a writer who can portray the consequences with the short, deft strokes of a master craftsman.

Did Ruth Rendell really write this?.......1999-09-23

Never before has a Rendell novel left me so cold. Totally untypical of its brilliant author, "Some Lie and Some Die" is dull and unsatisfying, and offers little to reward the reader for enduring such tedium. The characters--with a few exceptions--are uninteresting; detection is slow and scarce, and the motive for the murder turns out to be highly improbable. It's as if Rendell wrote a mystery starting with the body but forgot to include a plausible reason for it. Where is the seamless manipulation, the ingenuity, the stunning surprise twists interlaced with brilliant psychological insight, that are the hallmarks of Rendell's work? Not here. The few bright spots are the scenes between Inspector Burden and his son, which show us a humor, an energy missing from the rest of this dead, bleak novel. Let's just toss this one along with "Simisola" into Rendell's "Forget about it" pile.

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