Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton

Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton
Average customer rating:

Lackluster

a life changer

A good background on Finch Hatton and Africa of the times

Snapshot of the unique society of British East Africa

"Too Close to the Sun"- Denys Finch Hatton

Too Close to the Sun: The Audacious Life and Times of Denys Finch Hatton
Sara Wheeler
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Rainbow's End: A Memoir of Childhood, War and an African Farm

ASIN: 1400060699
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Book Description

Denys Finch Hatton was adored by women and idolized by men. A champion of Africa, legendary for his good looks, his charm, and his prowess as a soldier, lover, and hunter, Finch Hatton inspired Karen Blixen to write the unforgettable stories in Out of Africa. Now esteemed British biographer Sara Wheeler tells the truth about this extraordinarily charismatic adventurer.

Born to an old aristocratic family that had gambled away most of its fortune, Finch Hatton grew up in a world of effortless elegance and boundless power. Tall and graceful, with the soul of a poet and an athlete’s relaxed masculinity, he became a hero without trying at Eton and Oxford. In 1910, searching for novelty and danger, Finch Hatton arrived in British East Africa and fell in love–with a continent, with a landscape, with a way of life that was about to change forever.

Wheeler brilliantly conjures the mystical beauty of Kenya at a time when teeming herds of wild animals roamed unmolested across pristine savannah. No one was more deeply attuned to this beauty than Finch Hatton–and no one more bitterly mourned its passing when the outbreak of World War I engulfed the region in a protracted, bloody guerrilla conflict. Finch Hatton was serving as a captain in the Allied forces when he met Karen Blixen in Nairobi and embarked on one of the great love affairs of the twentieth century.

With delicacy and grace, Wheeler teases out truth from fiction in the liaison that Blixen herself immortalized in Out of Africa. Intellectual equals, bound by their love for the continent and their inimitable sense of style, Finch Hatton and Blixen were genuine pioneers in a land that was quickly being transformed by violence, greed, and bigotry.
Ever restless, Finch Hatton wandered into a career as a big-game hunter and became an expert bush pilot; his passion that led to his affair with the notoriously unconventional aviatrix Beryl Markham. But Markham was no more able to hold him than Blixen had been. Mesmerized all his life by the allure of freedom and danger, Finch Hatton was, writes Wheeler, “the open road made flesh.”

In painting a portrait of an irresistible man, Sara Wheeler has beautifully captured the heady glamour of the vanished paradise of colonial East Africa. In Too Close to the Sun she has crafted a book that is as ravishing as its subject.

Customer Reviews:

Lackluster.......2007-08-24

This book contained no new information but simply rehashed and quoted extensively from previous books. The writing is lackluster, repetitive, and very awkward in some places; it did not receive proper copyediting. Extremely disappointing.

a life changer.......2007-08-22

Why some books win prizes and others do not eludes me; this one is a prize winner.
Too Close to the Sun has set me on a worthy adventure to understand the Victorian/Edwardian cusp especially in British Africa and for this I am thankful because those were glory days.
Through Ms. Wheeler I have met persons Much More Interesting than me and my friends. Her dogged research has invigorated my life. For her reader's delight, the author darns together memories, letters, and written data concerning a self-effacing gentleman, Denys Finch Hatton. Luckily for us we may now tag along in the glow of his charisma and be voyeurs of his well-born and lively acquaintances. We may celebrate with African settlers as they host a wilderness New Year's dinner 'comme il faut', we may sit in our a.c. as British soldiers portage battleships across a brutal continent during WWI, we may brush dust off our jackets after cavalierly shooting two charging lions with a double-barreled shotgun, we may politely manoevre and entertain a persnickity Prince of Wales.
I thank Ms. Wheeler for her Fascination of What's Difficult, to paraphrase Mr. Yeats, because pulling together a three-dimensional picture of This Time using only carefully chosen evidence is difficult and more honest than throwing together hearsay and calling it a book.
Her talent as a lover of language is evident as she brings us the scents, sounds, atmosphere, gossip, innuendo, mores, jokes, custom, and emotion that enliven her facts and put feet in Finch Hatton's footsteps. Ms. Wheeler's pages rebuild that World before the Wars that we 21st centuriers can't understand and most often wrongly judge.

I sprinted to the bookstore for more news of the largely-lived lives mentioned throughout Too Close To The Sun. I'm now hooked on the soap opera of the Blixens (the 2nd Mrs.,too), Lord Delamere, the Masai, Lord Carberry, various British Generals, the younger Mr. Roosevelt.... I can't think of any group more instructive to learn about!
Beryl Markham's West With the Night was my next read. What a woman, and how fascinating to get to know her from her own writing, so different than her appearance in TCTTS. I have ordered Bror Blixen's African Hunter, to catch his and Dr. Turvey's viewpoint on the Kenyan crowd. I plan to read Elspeth Huxley's book about growing up on a coffee plantation. Like craning to hear the whispered name of someone you love, I want to hear again the names that Ms. Wheeler has called forth.

A good background on Finch Hatton and Africa of the times.......2007-07-30

While the early phases of Finch Hatton's life is a bit dry, and the author makes reference to a lot of different friends/relatives of Finch Hatton's--which is a bit tedious and difficult to follow--she does a great job of providing the historical context to his life and that of his friends, including Blix and Dinesen. Overall, it's a very well written historical biography... makes me want to go back and watch "Out of Africa" again.

Snapshot of the unique society of British East Africa.......2007-06-08

Ever since I saw the movie "Out of Africa" I have been captivated with the lives of Karen Blixen, Beryl Markham and Denys Finch Hatton. "Too Close to the Sun" focuses on the unique life of Denys and tries to explain how and why he lived his life according to his own rules.
The book also describes the history of British East Africa or Kenya as we now know it.
This biography was a facinating read and hard to put down!!!

"Too Close to the Sun"- Denys Finch Hatton.......2007-06-02

This account reads like a novel. All the facts are backed up adequately. I would rate it highly for telling the love story and presenting the exotic background of Africa with this man acting out his life's dream.

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

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

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.

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa

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Wonderful!
When a crocodile eats the sun: a memoir of Africa
Read it!!
A personal account of a difficult journey with aging parents in Africa
Ghosts Return

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa
Peter Godwin
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316158941

Book Description

After his father's heart attack in 1984, Peter Godwin began a series of pilgrimages back to Zimbabwe, the land of his birth, from Manhattan, where he now lives. On these frequent visits to check on his elderly parents, he bore witness to Zimbabwe's dramatic spiral downwards into thejaws of violent chaos, presided over by an increasingly enraged dictator. And yet long after their comfortable lifestyle had been shattered and millions were fleeing, his parents refuse to leave, steadfast in their allegiance to the failed state that has been their adopted home for 50 years.Then Godwin discovered a shocking family secret that helped explain their loyalty. Africa was his father's sanctuary from another identity, another world.WHEN A CROCODILE EATS THE SUN is a stirring memoir of the disintegration of a family set against the collapse of a country. But it is also a vivid portrait of the profound strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2007-09-11

This was a wonderful memoir. Oh Africa! The complexities, the beauty, the paradox's. The writing made one feel as if we were hearing the night sounds, feeling the heat, smelling the aromas of this complex country. A hard-to-put-down memoir which made me hungry for more. Unforgetable.

When a crocodile eats the sun: a memoir of Africa.......2007-09-10

It is not news that the world has forgotten Africa. However, reading this wonderful book clarified the issues and struggles on a very personal level. How a country that fed half of Africa is now facing a humantarian crisis is a tragedy. What people forget is the fact that "white" farmers continued to feed and employ Africans for over 20 years after independence. However, in the past 7 years of a stupid brutal and unnecessary policy, a country has been allowed to die. It is only now that there is a crisis the world takes notice. Well written and poetic.

Read it!!.......2007-09-03

This book is probably the most objective, non-political account of the effect events in Zimbabwe have on ordinary people, with nary a nod to self-pity even though there is ample reason for it, that is available in the shops today. In South Africa we read about these events in newpapers, heard live reports on radio (very little on TV) but most profoundly, heard the stories from the mouths of the victims - both white and black - who have fled south. But those people were homeless, abused, stripped of possessions, often leaving murdered family behind, and their words were understandably filled with anger, fear, despair, hopelessness, and yes, hate.

The author's background as a journalist enables him to report the atrocities calmly without the emotional distress he most certainly felt, and therefore, this book is so untouchably credible. The fact that he has chosen to interwove the story with the discovery of his surprising heritage, the honest and painful rendering of watching his parents grow old, and the unsuccessful struggle to break through to his father's emotions, strengthens the book in so many ways. This is a real story, about real people, with real suffering and the irony is, these things are still happening, only more terribly.

Drive down the main street of Harare (Salisbury) and you will see affluence - new 4x4's (SUV's), Mercedes's, young men in business suits and silk shirts hurrying from one glasscovered skyrise to the next, leather briefcase swinging in his hand. Drive up into the hills and you will see the mansions, even by American standards, with the impeccable lawns, the palms, the blood red Erythrina trees. Hard to believe that the events of this book did not bring about prosperity. Do yourself a favour. Drive into the country. Take the dirt roads and look. Of course you won't be able to get fuel, so perhaps come to Johannesburg, and talk to the Zimbabweans streaming through the river east and west of Mussina. Then ask yourself some questions about basic human rights, international diplomacy, and parallels to South Africa........

If you don't read any other book about Africa, read this one.

A personal account of a difficult journey with aging parents in Africa.......2007-09-02

A complex book, beautifully written, of a journey for children dealing with aging parents, compounded with all the problems of the parents living in a country that is daily spiralling downwards into chaos and poverty. Peter Godwin uses his own story to illustrate accurately what the country Zimbabwe was like and the tortured route it has been taken down. Those who have not lived in Zimbabwe should read his first book "Mukiwa" before this to get a better insight into the country's difficulties prior to independence. Peter Godwin gives a fair and balanced view of the country and its people who have been treated with contempt by the leaders. It is compelling reading but sad and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Zimbabwe and the people that live there.

Ghosts Return.......2007-08-23

A well written book with a good depth and detail.I have lived in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe and the detailed text brought back a lot of memories.Provides an eye opening view to life in present day Zimbabwe.

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King

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Lusty Louis and His Lady Loves
Louis XIV: the man known as the Sun King
Second fiddle to the previous "The Journey, Marie Antoinette."
Interesting History
The Domestic Life of the Sun King

Love and Louis XIV: The Women in the Life of the Sun King
Antonia Fraser
Manufacturer: Nan A. Talese
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385509847
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Book Description

The self-proclaimed Sun King, Louis XIV ruled over the most glorious and extravagant court in seventeenth-century Europe. Now, Antonia Fraser goes behind the well-known tales of Louis’s accomplishments and follies, exploring in riveting detail his intimate relationships with women.

The king’s mother, Anne of Austria, had been in a childless marriage for twenty-two years before she gave birth to Louis XIV. A devout Catholic, she instilled in her son a strong sense of piety and fought successfully for his right to absolute power. In 1660, Louis married his first cousin, Marie-Thérèse, in a political arrangement. While unfailingly kind to the official "Queen of Versailles," Louis sought others to satisfy his romantic and sexual desires. After a flirtation with his sister-in-law, his first important mistress was Louise de La Vallière, who bore him several children before being replaced by the tempestuous and brilliant Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan. Later, when Athénaïs’s reputation was tarnished, the king continued to support her publicly until Athénaïs left court for a life of repentance. Meanwhile her children’s governess, the intelligent and seemingly puritanical Françoise de Maintenon, had already won the king’s affections; in a relationship in complete contrast to his physical obsession with Athénaïs, Louis XIV lived happily with Madame de Maintenon for the rest of his life, very probably marrying her in secret. When his grandson’s child bride, the enchanting Adelaide of Savoy, came to Versaille she lightened the king’s last years—until tragedy struck.

With consummate skill, Antonia Fraser weaves insights into the nature of women’s religious lives—as well as such practical matters as contraception—into her magnificent, sweeping portrait of the king, his court, and his ladies.

Customer Reviews:

Lusty Louis and His Lady Loves.......2007-10-07

Love and Louis XIV is a superbly researched book about the many loves of Louis XIV, perhaps the most interesting monarch to have ever lived, and certainly to have ever ruled la belle France.

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? Readers who would like to learn more about Louis XIV's love life and the psychology behind what made him so randy! This is the perfect book for readers who find themselves asking these questions: Did Louis XIV marry? Did he love his wife? If so, why did he have so many mistresses? Why did he sometimes appear so cold, so cruel to those nearest to him? What happened to the young Louis that made him unable to remain interested/faithful to one woman?

****Note, if you are looking for a comprehensive biography about the Sun King, one that covers his life, not just his love life, I would highly recommend LOUIS XIV by Olivier Bernier (an expert on French culture and history)****

Antonia Fraser is a supremely talented author, deftly weaving pertinent facts, interesting tidbits, and riveting story-telling. Her books are my beach-reads. Forget chick-lit, murder mysteries, or romance novels, there's more romance and intrigue in one of Antonia Fraser's books and what makes it more thrilling to read is that it all really happened!

Louis XIV: the man known as the Sun King.......2007-03-16

Louis XIV, styled the Sun King, was the King of France for 72 years (1643 to 1715). At the time of his birth, his mother (Queen Anne) was almost 37, and was childless after 22 years of marriage (to King Louis XIII).

It is no wonder, then, that Louis was styled 'Dieudonne' or 'Deodatus' ('Godgiven'). It is perhaps also unsurprising that Louis's bond with his mother was so strong.

The reign of Louis XIV has been written about by many: there were many achievements during his long reign (including the construction of Versailles, reforms of taxation and administration, and patronage of the arts).

Antonia Fraser has focussed on his relationships with women. From his strong loving relationship with his mother, his kind but formal relationship with his wife Marie-Therese, his multiple and very different mistresses, as well as with the women of his extended family, we obtain a more complete picture of Louis XIV man and king.

I have read, enjoyed and learned from Antonia Fraser's non fiction since 1974. This book does not disappoint. By illustrating Louis XIV's awareness of the conflict between church doctrine, and adultery, Ms Fraser gives us another dimension of insight into this successful monarch's long reign.

Highly recommended to those interested in the life and times of Louis XIV.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Second fiddle to the previous "The Journey, Marie Antoinette.".......2007-01-20

It is not that the book is a bit dull. Louis XIV was dull, well dull compared to those who came before and those came after. Beautifully written, excruiciating research, lovely to read. However, while I found the previous book by the author, The Journey: Marie Antoinette, compelling and a struggle to set aside to complete nominal life perserving tasks (eating, drinking)this book presented a society that was living under a cloche or bell jar, stifled and well, dull, even the sex seemed not worthwhile and, yes, pretty dull. Perhaps it was that way. Nonetheless, the author was able to keep the massive cast of characters in a presentation so that the order within a the reader's grasp.

Interesting History.......2007-01-09

Not a bad read, although all of the facts make it seem overly long, and the similarity of some of the names can be confusing - not the author's fault. Antonia Fraser tells a very detailed story about the Sun King, and the ladies he was involved with.

The Domestic Life of the Sun King.......2007-01-03

"Love" as presumed by casual browsers of the title, and "Love" as meant by the author may differ. The book covers his friendships, flirtations, infatuations, in-law relations, marriage and (perhaps) pseudo marriage and his views of the female obligation to sacrifice for international diplomacy. By the standards of his cousin, Charles II of England, Louis XIV was the much more responsible adulterer.

Fraser demonsrates how Louis' early bond with a loving mother- an exception for a time characterized by royal nurseries-was replicated in his intimate relationships with women. There is an interesting symmetry that you come to understand as the story evolves.

The best part is the end when Fraser gives analysis of Louis and his attitude towards women and his basic generousity.

My only criticism is that the genealogical chart is difficult to read. A different lay out would have helped.

This book doesn't try cover the weighty historic issues which are well documented in many other sources. This book brings something new to the table. Like all Fraser books, it is very well researched and readably presented.

Average customer rating:

Italian get-away
Lovely !
"The mindblowingly boring guide to breathtaking Tuscany"
Pleasant reading, but not a great book
Mayes' Breakthrough Masterpiece, Forever a Classic...

Under the Tuscan Sun
Frances Mayes
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy
A Year in Provence
A Year in the World: Journeys of A Passionate Traveller
In Tuscany
Under the Tuscan Sun (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: 0767900383
Release Date: 1997-09-01

Amazon.com

In this memoir of her buying, renovating, and living in an abandoned villa in Tuscany, Frances Mayes reveals the sensual pleasure she found living in rural Italy, and the generous spirit she brought with her. She revels in the sunlight and the color, the long view of her valley, the warm homey architecture, the languor of the slow paced days, the vigor of working her garden, and the intimacy of her dealings with the locals. Cooking, gardening, tiling and painting are never chores, but skills to be learned, arts to be practiced, and above all to be enjoyed. At the same time Mayes brings a literary and intellectual mind to bear on the experience, adding depth to this account of her enticing rural idyll.

Book Description

Now in paperback, the #1 San Francisco Chronicle bestseller that is an enchanting and lyrical look at the life, the traditions, and the cuisine of Tuscany, in the spirit of Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence.

Frances Mayes entered a wondrous new world when she began restoring an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There were unexpected treasures at every turn: faded frescos beneath the whitewash in her dining room, a vineyard under wildly overgrown brambles in the garden, and, in the nearby hill towns, vibrant markets and delightful people. In Under the Tuscan Sun, she brings the lyrical voice of a poet, the eye of a seasoned traveler, and the discerning palate of a cook and food writer to invite readers to explore the pleasures of Italian life and to feast at her table.

Download Description

Now a major motion picture froom Touchstone Pictures starring Diane Lane.

Frances Mayes entered a wondrous new world when she began restoring an abandoned villa in the spectacular Tuscan countryside. There were unexpected treasures at every turn: faded frescos beneath the whitewash in her dining room, a vineyard under wildly overgrown brambles in the garden, and, in the nearby hill towns, vibrant markets and delightful people. In Under the Tuscan Sun, she brings the lyrical voice of a poet, the eye of a seasoned traveler, and the discerning palate of a cook and food writer to invite readers to explore the pleasures of Italian life and to feast at her table.

"This beautifully written memoir about taking chances, living in Italy, loving a house and, always, the pleasures of food, would make a perfect gift for a loved one. But it's so delicious, read it first yourself."
   USA TODAY

"Irresistible... a sensuous book for a sensuous countryside."
   MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE

"An intense celebration of what [Mayes] calls 'the voluptuousness of Italian life'."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Armchair travel at its most enticing."
   BOOKLIST

"Mayes [has] perfect vision."
   LOS ANGELES TIMES

Customer Reviews:

Italian get-away.......2007-07-23

The reading starts out fairly interesting and attention getting with all the desciptives of the Italian countryside, but starts to dddrraaagggg as you get towards to middle of the book. It does pick up the pace again towards the end. It's not one of those books that you just couldn't put down and had to finish reading in one day. I think I actually put it down ten or twelve times before I finished it. It's one of those books you can take with you when you're going to lay out in the sun on your day off. You can read it over a period of several sessions of sunbathing like I did.

Lovely !.......2007-07-01

I bought this book because I had loved the movie that was based on it.

That movie arrived at a very special moment in my life, and inspired me to follow some "terrible ideas" and change my life. When I left my own home country I had no idea of what was going to happen to me, I just felt that I could not go back and that something good had to come out of taking a leap and following my heart. It did.

9 months after that, I got married in Florence and, while on honeymoon in Tuscany, I bought the book, and immediately loved it. Mayes sounds happy and in love with Italy, and so was I when I was reading it. Both the book and the movie made me want to cook, travel, plant basil and rosemary in pots and have a glass of wine on a breezy summer evening. They reminded me, in the most wonderful way, that life still has beautiful surprises for all of us around the corner.

I have given several copies to my friends since I bought it, and I highly recommend it to all those who would like to travel at least with their imagination to bella Toscana!

"The mindblowingly boring guide to breathtaking Tuscany".......2007-05-08

There is a reason why there exists a certain breed of writers, before whose titles they are credible enough to affix the word "travel". Frances Mayes is not a travel writer. In fact, I am currently debating whether she is a writer at all. I was profoundly disappointed in this book. It seems inconceivable to me that any book on Italy - that passionate and breathtakingly beautiful place - can be as dull and unexciting as this! The content was deeply insightful when relating to the topic of Italy, the culture, food or anything to do with it however a two-page in-depth walk-through the process of installing concrete beams and walls is just utter torture. (And there is a fair share of that). That said, even the good parts are slow and lacking in excitement.

The book can get very technical in parts and is almost written in a nonchalant monotone that gives rise to a sense of sarcasm and smugness. The author does little to emotionally transport the reader to Tuscany or to create context around her narration. I have just completed the book and still find it difficult to envisage Bramasole and its surroundings. Were it not for the graphic on the cover of the book, I would have constructed an entirely different image in my mind. "Under the Tuscan Sun" felt like an articulation of facts rather than the telling of a tale. Italy lends itself to a whimsical spontaneous magic, which Mayes failed to capture in her writing. I am generally a very fast reader but I literally had to force myself to finish this book...the pages agonizingly dragged on and there seemed no end in sight.

If you are a fan of Italy, don't kill the magic with this book. Conde Nast or Travel & Leisure will make for a more engaging and enthusiastic read and can create a far better experience that will make you yearn for more... Ciò è un libro molto deludente!

Pleasant reading, but not a great book.......2007-04-12

I bought this book when my husband and I were planning a driving tour of Tuscany. I have lived in Italy for two years (in Sicily) and I wanted to see how Mayes' view of living in Italy varied from my own. I loved the flowery language and descriptive phrases used. I could almost smell the sun warmed grass and taste the peaches that she described in such detail. It was her vivid descriptions that kept me from tossing the book aside when the flow of the story seemed to falter. At times I was so bored with what she was describing that I had to force myself to keep reading and it was for this reason that I gave the book 3 stars instead of 4 or 5.

Another reason that I gave it 3 stars was the author's insistance in calling the period of afternoon rest that many people in Italy observe a "siesta". For someone who claims to love Italian people and culture you would think that Ms. Mayes would be ashamed to use the Spanish translation of this practice. In Italian it is called "risposo" and is a very important part of Italian culture. Having traveled north of Rome many times I have found that it isn't as common these days, but in Sicily it is still an intergral part of their culture and you will not find a public office or family business open between the hours of 1 and 4 in the afternoon. My only explanation for Ms. Mayes continuous use of "siesta" in place of the correct "risposo" is that she knows that most Americans are familiar with the Spanish term and would require less of an explanation. This doesn't explain why she couldn't explain early on in the book that the Italian "riposo" was similar to the Spanish "siesta" and then continue to use the correct term from then on. Was she afraid her readers would be unable to comprehend a new vocabulary word? As you can see, this is a sore point for me and was a source of annoyance throughout the book.

Having written the above, I would like it clear that I did like the book and I found her description of living in Italy amusing and right on target. The recipes included were pretty authentic and when they varied from the traditional she pointed this out. If you can get through the boring bits and get over the "siesta" thing, this is a good book for light reading.

Mayes' Breakthrough Masterpiece, Forever a Classic..........2007-04-11

The first triumphant success in her series of Tuscany themed masterpieces, the stupendously composed "Under The Tuscan Sun" is what Frances Mayes will indefinitely be remembered for. Mayes, once incarcerated in a prison of hope, follows her dream of owning a getaway home in the colorful, romantic land of Tuscany. She recounts the hardships, disasters, frustration, and ultimate satisfaction of purchasing and restoring an abandoned Villa in a culturally rich foreign country. Making new friends, discovering new places, and indulging in luscious dishes compounded with asperity and uphill battles makes her story truly sui generis.

The notion of owning a foreign property in an exotic location across the Ocean is one many Americans can easily adore; especially in such a convivial land such as Tuscany. Anyone with the slightest fantasy of immersing oneself in a whole new culture with such history and tradition will be attracted to Mayes' true story that was the inspiration for the movie of the same title. Reciting her experience of a stimulating but discouraging foreign real estate adventure, Mayes reaffirms Murphy's Law but eventually captures the essence of satisfaction in an accomplishing long held dream. We read all the surprises in her journey as she uncovers buried Frescos, vineyards concealed in shrub, and discovering secluded nearby ancient hill towns rich with local treasures. In the end, over all the angst of financial blunders, exhausted searches, buyer's remorse, and logistical incubus, somewhere shines through is the author's complacency and newly acquired cross-cultural understanding in achieving what was once no more than a whimsical daydream. She doesn't simply desire or strive to become an Italian like a disenchanted expatriate, she admires the seductive Italian culture while cautiously preserving her own individuality as an American and accomplished writer. We follow her along her journey as she grows stronger personally and spirituality, seeking some measure of harmonious peace that many readers will easily subscribe to.

Mayes demonstrates that such an aspiration is indeed possible even for the average citizen stuck in an monotonous routine of work in big city America. Even the most eccentric Hollywood screenplay stories can be achieved with a tenacious attitude and without losing sight of a our endearing dreams.

Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon

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The Race of Their Lives
Going Beyond the Running
Empathy for the stars
mile 27 and beyond
Great read

Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon
John Brant
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594862621
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Book Description

One was a humble farm boy from Minnesota. The other was the most electrifying distance runner of his time. In 1982, they battled stride for stride for more than two hours in the most thrilling Boston Maraton ever run. Then the drama really began. . . . Thus John Brant sets the stage for the epic race that took place 23 years ago between Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley. Since Beardsley was only 26 and Salazar 23 at the time, everyone assumed that this would be the start of a long and glorious rivalry. Instead Beardsley soon began a descent into drug addiction that brought him perilously close to dying. Salazars decline was more gradual, his vigor slowly giving way to baffling symptoms that left him completely exhausted. Brants portraits of the painkiller-addicted Beardsley and the depression-plagued Salazar are at once sensitive and hair-raising. The supporting characters are also richly drawn, from Albertos father, Jose Salazar, a towering presence with a fascinating history and a former close friend of Fidel Castro, to Bill Squires, Beardsleys coach, a Casey Stengellike figure whose oddball goofiness masks an encyclopedic knowledge of distance running. This elegantly written story is riveting nonfiction at its very best.

Customer Reviews:

The Race of Their Lives.......2007-07-28

The 1982 Boston Marathon is arguably one of the greatest road races of all time. Alberto Salazar was the "golden boy" and the favorite. Dick Beardsley was an unknown journeyman runner (despite wins at the Grandma's Marathon and London Marathon). Their epic battle is told in stride for stride fashion with each runner sharing his thoughts, doubts and pains. Mr. Brant does an excellent job of fleshing out each runner's biography both before and after the race. I could not put this book down. This is one of the best running books I have ever read. It transends the sport and would be a very entertaining read for anyone!!

Going Beyond the Running .......2007-07-28

This narrative of the runner's lives is captivating and deeply sad. The author conveys the tragedy of each runner's lives after the marathon in such a stunning effect that we feel pain without having known them. Most people see elite runners as those who can push beyond the pain and barriers on the road and track, yet this is a stunning look and those elite's lives beyond the running.

Empathy for the stars.......2007-05-19

That April day in 82 was incredible, very few were heat acclimated. I trained in the midwest and was not. The race was run at noon adn I had heard the high was 75. The road seemed to be on fire. Beardsley had the advantage of heat training Salazar not. I was only a few minutes behind them but blew up at the base of hill #2 (Auberndale station).

The book gives a good accounting of the race and the battle of these fellows. The painfull part is their physical and emotional catastrophies after such a great performance.

Whether it be the marathon, Ironman or other endurance event one is never the same afterward. You gain experience but you also leave some of yourself behind.

mile 27 and beyond.......2007-04-21

Makes me proud to be a marathoner. Knowing the Boston course all too well, I was able to know where they were and think of myself there too. The final few moments on Hereford St... Boylston St... coming over the last hill at BC and seeing the city below, the surreal start in Hopkington...etc. Living in the Boston area in 1982 and struggling on a track team with a coach and team I hated, I remember this race and the excitement that built over the 2 hrs of Dick's & Salazar's journey...all of eastern Mass was behind them.
Years later and a few marathons under my own elastic belt, I profoundly connected with this story again when it excerpted in Runner's World and I think it appeals to runners and non runners alike, and anyone who has struggled with addiction and depression. But mostly distance runners will get this.
John Brant's writing style is melodramatic, but it works. All races are stories but this one is an epic poem.

Great read.......2007-04-18

Not just running, but real life stories of people who have risen to the top and then shows the human side of mistakes and making those something to learn from. This book is great, no question. If you are a runner, you will enjoy this.

Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance

Average customer rating:

A work of fiction.
Read the Government documents!
Manifesto, Memoir, History, and the Fate of Mankind
Innocent yet in prison
A must-read!!

Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance
Leonard Peltier
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
Incident at Oglala - The Leonard Peltier Story
Ojibwa Warrior: Dennis Banks And The Rise Of The American Indian Movement
Where White Men Fear to Tread: The Autobiography of Russell Means
Trial of Leonard Peltier

ASIN: 0312263805

Book Description

"A deeply moving and very disturbing story of a gross miscarriage of justice and an eloquent cri de coeur of Native Americans for redress, and to be regarded as human beings with inalienable rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution, like any other citizens.We pray it does not fall on deaf ears.America owes it to herself." (Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate)"For too long, both Leonard's supporters and detractors have seen him as a metaphor, as a public figure worthy of political rallies and bumper stickers, but very rarely as a private man who only wants to go home.I pray this book will bring Leonard home." (Sherman Alexie, author of Indian Killer)"It would be inadequate to describe Leonard Peltier's Prison Writings as a classic of prison literature, although it is that.It is also a cry for help, an accusation against monstrous injustice, a beautiful expression of a man's soul, demanding release." (Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States)"Listen to this fresh, brave voice, then inform yourself about the shameful case of Leonard Peltier." (Peter Matthiessen, author of In the Spirit of Crazy Horse)"This book takes the reader on an emotional and spiritual journey as Leonard Peltier's surprisingly hopeful reflections make the terrible injustice of his imprisonment for 24 years even more difficult to accept.Peltier's important journal details his trial and conviction which was based in part on admittedly false testimony and evidence so inconclusive that reasonable people everywhere have concluded that he should be granted clemency." (Wilma Mankiller, former chief of the Cherokee Nation, and author of Mankiller)"Leonard Peltier's words reveal a wise man who has become freer than his captors, despite his false imprisonment for a crime he did not commit.His thoughts here remind us of our true mission as Indian people, as human beings here on this humble, beautiful planet.These thoughts cannot be captured or locked behind bars, or destroyed by gunfire.They fly free." (Joy Harjo, Muskoke poet and musician, author of The Woman Who Fell From the Sky)"If you care about justice, read this brave book.If you care about the perpetuation of the white man's justice against the Native American, you must know the Leonard Peltier story." (Gerry Spence, author of Give Me Liberty!)AUTHORBIO: Leonard Peltier, who emerged as a Native American leader in the 1960s, was arrested in 1976in Canada and extradited.He has been in prison ever since, and is now confined at Leavenworth.This is his first book. Harvey Arden is the author and co-author of several books, including Wisdomkeepers and Travels in a Stone Canoe (both with Steve Wall) and Noble Red Man.He lives in Washington, DC.

Customer Reviews:

A work of fiction........2007-09-25

The rhetoric of the other reviews aside, Prison Writings would make for a compelling story had Peltier included some truth to support his allegations surrounding the events of June 26, 1975 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota.

By way of a brief background, Peltier was represented by capable and experienced counsel and during his trial the jury heard that FBI agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams were following who they thought was another wanted person. They actually followed Peltier and two teenagers who began shooting at the agents who were then trapped and exposed in an open area. Peltier was joined by several others, including Dino Butler and Robert Robideau who also fired on the agents from another direction. Both Coler and Williams were severely wounded and unable to defend themselves. Peltier's jury heard that Peltier, Robideau and Butler went down to the wounded agents and shot them both in the face at point-blank range with a high powered rife. The jury believed the testimony they heard and Peltier was convicted for, among other things, aiding and abetting and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. He later received an additional seven year consecutive sentence for an armed escape from Lompoc federal penitentiary. (In a separate and earlier trial, Dino Butler and Robert Robideau were acquitted of the murders. However, this review relates specifically to how Peltier portrays the facts surrounding these events in Prison Writings. There is much more to the entire saga.)

It's important to place Prison Writings in its proper chronological context. Prison Writings was published in 1999. An important related book touted by Peltier and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee (LPDC) that "immortalizes Leonard Peltier," In The Spirit of Crazy Horse (ITSOCH) by Peter Matthiessen was first published in 1983 and in 1992. A film, Incident at Oglala (Incident), narrated by Robert Redford was released in 1992. Collectively, these sources, in addition to the many public statements made by Peltier, Butler and Robideau, demonstrate that Peltier is not only fabricating the history of his own case but knowingly lies about certain events.

There are many more, but for example:

The scene:
Peltier initially claimed he was in the AIM camp to the south of the Jumping Bull property, heard shots, responded and "I fired off a few shots above their heads, trying not to hit anything (p.125)." And also "I didn't see their agents die, had no hand in it..." (p.127). Yet in a CNN interview in October, 1999 Peltier admitted being there and told interviewer Mark Potter "I don't know, just two people laying there. I mean, the car door--the car door open and stuff."

The alibi:
For the better part of nearly two decades Peltier had offered only one alibi about who was responsible for the final killing shots to the agents' faces. He claimed that someone they all knew but would not identify (Mr. X), had driven to the reservation that day in a red pickup truck to deliver dynamite and that it was Mr. X who engaged the agents initially and then, once wounded and unable to defend themselves, killed the agents and drove off. In Incident Robideau is filmed pointing to the area where Mr. X murdered the agents and drove off in the red pickup truck. This claim was so far-fetched that not even Peltier's trial lawyers wanted to go near it, but they did their best to create confusion with the jury over the alleged red pickup truck. Matthiessen, although skeptical himself, spent a great deal of time on Mr. X in ITSOCH. However, in a 1995 interview with News from Indian Country, one of the three participants, Dino Butler, publicly said that the Mr. X story was a lie; "Well, there is no Mr. X. There was no man coming to our camp that day bringing dynamite." "To create this lie to show that someone else pulled the trigger." " That is totally false. Totally untrue. That never happened."

It should come as no surprise that Mr. X. and the red pickup are never mentioned in Prison Writings.

Aiding and abetting:
Peltier tries to convince the reader that the "vague crime of aiding and abetting" (p162) was somehow later added to the charge of murdering the agents. Yet, during one of the many appeals (one dealing with this specific issue in 1993), the appeals court stated that "Peltier's arguments fail because their underlying premises are fatally flawed. (A) the government tried the case on the alternative theories; it asserted that Peltier personally killed the agents at point blank range, but that if he had not done so, then he was equally guilty of the murder as an aider and abettor."

Preplanned assault:
Peltier lays the groundwork for claiming that according to a document obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the government "...had been gathering in the area for a preplanned paramilitary assault on the Pine Ridge reservation," (p.129) comprised of "...dozens, maybe hundreds..." (p.127) of law-enforcement personnel. The document (dated April 24, 1975) he refers to (the noted "sanctioned memo") says nothing of the kind and related to the 1973 takeover by AIM of Wounded Knee. Ironically this memo was still being circulated around FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. even after the murders of agents Coler and Williams with a date at the bottom of the memo of August 11, 1975. This memo is not even in the same universe as Peltier claims. This assertion was so outrageous even Matthiessen shied away from it by claiming after all his research that the initial shooting at the agents was spontaneous, neither a pre-planned government event nor premeditated ambush of the two agents. "...if there is another persuasive explanation of the location and position of their cars, I cannot find it." (ITSOCH p.544).

Further, it was well documented that when the agents were first pinned down in the open field, Agent Williams made desperate calls for help and assistance over his FBI radio. These transmissions were overheard by a number of individuals who all confirmed how quickly the shooting started, and ended, and that the nearest agent was about twelve miles away. That FBI agent, Gary Adams, responded with a BIA officer, the first two to even reach close to the scene. They were also shot at and had to back away to Highway 18 and await more assistance. In the meantime, Coler and Williams were murdered and Peltier and the others escaped.

Robideau:
Robert Robideau who has been assimilated and rejected by the Peltier organization several times over the years has made damning admissions. Robideau stated publicly on numerous occasions, and in emails to this reviewer, that he's the one who actually killed the agents:

"As far as I have ever been concerned the killing of the agents was justified..." "They were shot in the head at close range..." "I have no remorse..." "I am "Mr X" (which is no lie) and I did kill them with honor befitting a warrior, but they died like worms." "I thought I already told you that I killed the agents."

Of course Robideau has the constitutional protection against double-jeopardy, but this reviewer believes he is even too much of a coward to shoot two severely wounded and incapacitated human beings. But whether he killed the agents himself is immaterial; the Peltier jury heard and accepted the testimony that the three older Indians, Robideau, Butler and Peltier went down to the wounded agents and murdered them by shooting them both in the face.

Of course, Prison Writings suggests none of this but hides behind fabrications and outright lies to further the folklore surrounding Peltier and perpetuating The Myth.

What it does do however is firmly establish that Peltier did not remove himself from the scene of the crime.

Prison Writings is self-serving drivel and should not be used to document in any fashion what happened that June day at Pine Ridge. Anyone interested in going beyond The Myth should spend some time reviewing the very detailed appeals that cover every aspect of this case.

[...]

Read the Government documents!.......2007-09-14

After all is said and done, just read the thousands of pages that the U.S. government, through the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's office and court records, was forced to release about this case. It is their own words about their own deliberate withholding of evidence, fabrication of evidence, deliberate perjured testimony and numerous other violations of U.S. law, rules of evidence, and other assorted felonies.

Manifesto, Memoir, History, and the Fate of Mankind.......2007-08-09

Leonard Peltier, United States Prisoner 89637-132, has been imprisoned since 1977 for the deaths of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation of the Lakota Indians during the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Most likely the scapegoat for the deaths during a blundered surveillance attempt, Peltier has been a cause celeb during the final throws of every president since Jimmy Carter as many supporters - including the U.S. Prosecutor that put him in jail in the first place - come together to call for his parden.

There are other sources for an in-depth understanding of the events that led to his imprisonment such as Peter Mathiesson's *In the Spirit of Crazy Horse* and the Robert Redford film *Incident at Oglala*. But Prison Writings is a must read in any study of not only the Wounded Knee incident, but the American Indian Movement as a whole and native issues throughout the country.

This book weaves Peltier's life as a prisoner in the U.S. prison system with his account of the events of 1973 and his views on the state of affairs for Native Americans as a whole. Peltier's life evolved from an aimless youth on the reservation to a political activist, and at times it seems that his life sentence is a natural extension of this progression - as if his destiny was to suffer for the cause.

When you look at the evidence of all that transpired at Wounded Knee in 1973 and the years that followed, including what happened to other activists such as Annie Mae Aquash, and the now revealed manipulation of evidence by the FBI and the all-out war against Native American activism in the 1970s, Leonard Peltier's *Prison Writings* become somewhat of a manifesto and call for a better future.

Innocent yet in prison.......2007-06-08

This is a true story of an Indian who is in prison
just because he's an Indian. I real eye opener and
interesting facts about the Indians here today.

A must-read!!.......2007-05-17

Words fail me when I try to describe this book, just as words fail me when I try to describe my feelings about this man, Leonard Peltier.

This is a moving, touching, powerful book that will evoke emotion in the coldest of hearts. I still wonder why it took me so long to finally read it. I'm so glad I did.

Suzanne Whitaker

The Sun in the Morning: My Early Years in India and England (Kaye, M. M. Share of Summer, 1st Pt.)

Average customer rating:

A childhood in India early this century
A great read - I couldnt put it down

The Sun in the Morning: My Early Years in India and England (Kaye, M. M. Share of Summer, 1st Pt.)
M. M. Kaye
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312049994

Customer Reviews:

A childhood in India early this century.......2002-08-16

M M Kaye bought India alive for me in her two novel's "The Far Pavillions" and "Shadow of the Moon" - in her autobiography I can see where her love of India came from .

She also brings to this, the first volume of her three volume autobiography, the same beautiful writing that she has used in her novels. She has a very easy and light writing style which brings her memoirs and her fiction alive. This first book takes us up to 1925 and her return to India after some time away back in England.

This is for those of you who love India, love MM Kaye - (better known as Mollie by her family) or are interested in the times of India under the Raj.

A great read - I couldnt put it down.......1999-05-24

This is the story of a childhood filled with wonder and excitement of growing up in India as well as the sadness of leaving home and loved ones behind for schooling in England. The historical aspects were equally interesting to one who hasnt any been exposed to them before. The social attitudes in M M Kayes times to the people working in India were an eye opener - this book should be read by anyone with an interest in India and especially as Kaye says to counter balance the views of India in books such as Passage to India.

Average customer rating:

My Favorite Book, Perfection!
A truly enjoyable book--
Elegantly Entertaining
Witty and personable, good introduction to the subject.
The Sun King

The Sun King
Nancy Mitford
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Frederick the Great

ASIN: 0140239677

Customer Reviews:

My Favorite Book, Perfection!.......2006-10-27

This book is an absolutely amazing piece of work. I was introduced to it while looking for audiobooks on ITunes. The audiobook was so enjoyable that I felt compelled to purchase the actual book to read along with it.

Mitford makes each of the historical figures come alive, and makes an opulent and enclosed society accessible to readers of any age. The work is gossipy enough to be interesting, but not to such a degree as to detract from the historical accuracy. I would recommend "The Sun King" to anyone who wishes to learn more about the age of France's greatest king and the people that surrounded him.

The only drawback is that for one to fully appreciate the book, they should have a very basic knowledge of French and European history (at least as far as names and dates are concerned). Having long been interested in history, I did not find this a problem, but I can see how one who was not familiar may find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Otherwise, this book is about as close to perfection as I've seen.

A truly enjoyable book--.......2006-07-20

Ok, I will freely admit that this may not be considered by some to be a scholarly historical assessment. I have been interested in the reign of Louis XIV since childhood when my mother purchased for me a coffee table book of photographs of Versailles. I wondered what could possibly have taken place at such a monstrous and wonderful palace. Since then I have read at least a dozen books on the period which tend to focus on the development and impact of absolutism in 17th century Europe. But this little book is a gem because of its author. Nancy Mitford was the daughter of an English Baron and spent her life as both an academic and a socialite. Her telling of the lives that swirled around Versailles palace is authenticated by the impression one gets that she would have been completely at ease in that setting. This book was written in 1966, just 7 years before her death. Her style sounds more like gossip than history, but is generally regarded as very well-researched. I warn you that if you read this book or one of her other historical biographies, you are in danger of becoming hooked on Mitford and will probably seek out some of her other well-loved books. This was a very enjoyable book and I find myself going back to certain chapters from time to time. One of the most memorable portions is the end where she describes a ghoulish sacrilege; the looting and desecration of the tombs during the revolution. As any good book will, it fascinated me and left me wanting to know more.

Elegantly Entertaining.......2004-10-25

Nancy Mitford is best known as an author of witty, elegant novels like The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. In the 1950s and 1960s she also produced a number of historical works, of which The Sun King is one of the best.

The Sun King is a personal biography of Louis XIV. It does not deal in great detail with the political, military, or economic issues of Louis XIV's reign but primarily focuses on his personal life and that of his family. Louis married his double first cousin Marie Therese of Spain (she being his genetic sister for all intents and purposes, the reader is amazed that his family turned out as strong and healthy as they did). He also had three major mistresses and a string of casual acquaintanceships which produced a number of illegitimate children. His numerous relations also produced a quantity of children and had many extramarital relationships.

A major part of the book deals with the construction of Versailles. Indeed the book seems almost to be a biography of the chateau. The profuse illustrations, including many photographs of the chateau and its grounds, add immeasurably to the pleasure of reading this work.

But the most compelling reason for reading The Sun King is to enjoy Mitford's elegant, witty, prose style, which is as much in evidence here as in her novels.

Witty and personable, good introduction to the subject........2002-06-04

Here's "Lifestyles of the Obscenely Wealthy and Powerful"! I admit I'd never read much about this period of history (I'm fond of joking that my in-depth knowledge of politics and history more or less ends with Elizabeth I's death), but the bit I read at the bookstore made this book irresistible. I passed up an Alison Weir for this, but I don't regret the choice at all. It is both charming and knowledgable, with a witty, personable, almost gossipy tone.

There's a lot of information here, packaged with lots of pictures and glossy pages. It is a lovely book to look at purely on an aesthetic level. But do take the time to actually read it! Though sparse in areas, it is a rich look at the life of Louis, and at the lifestyle of a courtier of his day. The creation of Versailles is gone into in much detail, as are sexual politics and wartime attitudes. Mostly this focuses on Louis' personal life and that of his court and how Versailles came about, so there isn't much here about actual wars or about international politics. But what there is is just stupendous. I'd call this a must-have for a beginner in French history. I'm very glad I got it.

The Sun King.......2001-08-20

Nancy Mitford came to me by way of this book and, ignorant of the incredible talents that lie with her, her sisters and the aristocratic family into which she was born. Since then, I have devoured Nancy's fiction, her personal history and I have much more to learn. However, it is her talents as a biographer and historian, perhaps best exemplified with this book, that I believe she achieves the realization of her greatest gift; that is to send life into the dead hand of history. In "The Sun King" history comes alive as I have truly never experienced. Here is a book that takes heretofore one dimensional characters and fills their frames with humanity, giving them dimemsionality, life. She uncovers the perspective that sheds light on each characters good and bad side, turning Louis XIV, Monsieur, The King's wives, his children, in fact the whole of the court at Versailles into a vision in one's head that makes it easy to understand why the Ancien Regime in France can still provide relevance to a contemporary world that approximates it so little. Relevance and topic interest, to be sure, is the most amazing feat for a historian to achieve. Nancy Mitford with "The Sun King" stands among rarified company in such an achievement.

Average customer rating:

An intimate glimpse into the soul of a gifted artist.

T.C. Cannon: He Stood in the Sun
Joan Frederick
Manufacturer: Northland Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0873586034

Customer Reviews:

An intimate glimpse into the soul of a gifted artist........1998-10-14

"T.C. Cannon: He Stood in the Sun" is much more than a monograph of an Indian artist. It is a truly intimate look into the creative gift of the late T.C. Cannon. The author presents an historical perspective of his paintings, but goes beyond that with numerous studies, sketches and personal accounts. She also presents some of his poetry. This provides a detailed understanding of what motivated the artist to paint as he did. Additionally, several people important to the artist comment of various aspects of his life and their live with him. It all adds up to more than just a presentation of his works; it adds to up to a presentation of the artist himself. This book is a MUST for students, collectors and other patrons of Indian art and history.

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