The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century

Book Description

James Howard Kunstler's The Long Emergency was an underground hit, going into nine printings of the hardcover edition. His shocking vision for our post-oil future caught the attention of environmentalists and business leaders and was the subject of much debate, stimulating discussion about our dependence on fossil fuels. Now in paperback, with a new afterword, The Long Emergency is set to reach an even larger audience.

The last two hundred years have seen the greatest explosion of progress and wealth in the history of mankind, much of it based on the exploitation of cheap, nonrenewable fossil-fuel energy. But the oil age is at an end. Life as we know it is about to change radically, and much sooner than we think. The Long Emergency tells us just what to expect after we pass the point of global peak oil production and the honeymoon of affordable energy is over, preparing us for economic, political, and social changes of an unimaginable scale. Riveting and authoritative, The Long Emergency is a devastating indictment that brings new urgency and accessibility to the critical issues that will shape our future, and that we can no longer afford to ignore.

Customer Reviews:

A very important book..........2007-10-03

There are many reviews here and on the web so I will add only a small amount to the praise. "The Long Emergency" is a very important book since it grapples with the issue of how (and even examines if) western culture can proceed now that we have passed peak oil. I use the past tense since all indicators point to the fact that we passed peak oil at the end of 2005 - so there is a real state of global denial over planning and implementing changes to deal with this problem.

Kunstler guides the reader through the issue - our global reliance on cheap oil - and the ramifications of the fact that this stage of our development is now over. He deftly examines the geopolitical history of the production of oil and the impacts that this history will have shaping the future. He makes his case on the enormous issues that arise because everything is based upon the premise that oil is a cheap and infinite resource. That is, technology (and he nicely separates the concept progress from growth/technology) is dependent on cheap oil so there is no quick fix.

His real aim is to examine the possible outcomes of our lack of response, on any but a very small individual level, to the problems that now face us. This is why the book is so scary - no government action is occurring besides preparations for resource wars and keeping the soon-to-be-irate population under control (hundreds of millions are being spent on incarceration facilities!). Not a good prognosis for the future and a very pathetic legacy for future generations.

It is nicely summed up:

"Some other things about the global energy predicament are poorly understood by the public and even our leaders. This is going to be a permanent energy crisis, and these energy problems will synergize with the disruptions of climate change, epidemic disease and population overshoot to produce higher orders of trouble.

We will have to accommodate ourselves to fundamentally changed conditions."

We are shortly going to look back and wonder why we didn't act when there was still time...You should read this book so at least you know the facts for later years when you and your children are living like we did hundreds of years ago...

Must read, must share..........2007-09-21

This book provides a glimpse into our not-very-distant post-oil world. Realistic, without becoming negative. Fact-based and logical in every respect. The writing is never dull. Since buying this book, I've shared it with five friends. I also enjoyed Mr. Kunstler's book "Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape".

Mr. Kunstler was also very giving of his time in answering some questions I emailed to him after reading this book.

The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler.......2007-09-19

The Long Emergency is an eye-catching book with hits bright alarm-yellow cover and black and red title. It's a book about the future of the world, what's going to happen when we run out of oil, and what to do when this "Long Emergency" begins. The first part of the book goes into depth about when oil was discovered, how it was first used, when and how it was converted into the many products that use oil today. The reader learns what are the events that led up to the discovery of oil in the Middle East and the reason it is in its horrible state today.

After this enlightening history lesson, Kunstler goes on to explain that there is a specific oil production peak that will be reached, when half of the available oil would've been used up, and the other half -- which is harder to get -- will drive up gas and oil prices. According to a number of sources in the footnotes, this peak will be reached some time between the year 2000 and 2008. Kunstler says that they way we will be able to tell is through the oscillation of oil prices rising greatly, then dropping a little, then raising more, but only going down a little each time. Over the past year, this is exactly what has happened, and I'm pretty sure we're never going to see gas go below $2 again.

Kunstler goes on to point out that the supposed alternative forms of energy we're working on will be nowhere near to replacing the oil industry once we dispense with it. This is mainly due to the recent Republican Presidents, starting with Reagan who stopped most funding to alternative energy means and essentially killed the drive for it. Along with Bush Senior and our current idiot, they are all part of a white male arrogant group that believe we will never run out of oil, and it is merely a case of finding it in the earth, albeit by digging deeper and further (re: Alaska!); couple with this is these men's beliefs that the Rapture will arrive tomorrow and they'll be ascending to Heaven, leaving all their problems behind them. Though Clinton is also to blame for looking towards the future and working on prepare the civilized world for the inevitable.

Kunstler predicts all out pandemonium and chaos, worst felt in the United States, of course, where suburbia is in full force. When all the material goods and services we've taken for granted for so long collapse, and our society crashes around us, the Long Emergency will being. This is what Kunstler says. Though he provides little advice and assurance in how one can survive this event. Plus there's the fact that this nonfiction work doesn't have an index or bibliography at the end. I know all nonfiction works don't need this, but when it's a book predicting everything going to hell in my lifetime, I would at least like a list for further readings, or maybe some websites.

It will at least be interesting the see in the coming decades what will begin happening, and I know for now what I most want to get is a hybrid, because gas prices aren't going down ever again.

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

Enjoyable read, for the most part........2007-09-11

I enjoyed reading most of this book, except for the rant against Wall Mart, that section seemed unrelated to the rest of the books arguments and subject matter, and a bit lefty to boot whilst most of the rest of the book seemed fairly politically agnostic.

It has been over a year since I read it, so there may have been other bits that bothered me, but I can't recall them.

On target.......2007-08-27

Kunstler does an excellent job of pulling together information on many subjects to provide a coherent forecast of the near future. He then uses his imagination to extrapolate further. An awesome and well written book.

Average customer rating:

Women have rights
Great literature
"Who shall inherit England?"
Incredible Forum for Modern Issue [39][53]
Deeply reflective

Howards End (Dover Thrift Editions)
E. M. Forster
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0486424545

Amazon.com

Margaret Schlegel, engaged to the much older, widowed Henry Wilcox, meets her intended the morning after accepting his proposal and realizes that he is a man who has lived without introspection or true self-knowledge. As she contemplates the state of Wilcox's soul, her remedy for what ails him has become one of the most oft-quoted passages in literature:

Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.

Like all of Forster's work, Howards End concerns itself with class, nationality, economic status, and how each of these affects personal relationships. It follows the intertwined fortunes of the Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, and the Wilcox family over the course of several years. The Schlegels are intellectuals, devotees of art and literature. The Wilcoxes, on the other hand, can't be bothered with the life of the mind or the heart, leading, instead, outer lives of "telegrams and anger" that foster "such virtues as neatness, decision, and obedience, virtues of the second rank, no doubt, but they have formed our civilization." Helen, after a brief flirtation with one of the Wilcox sons, has developed an antipathy for the family; Margaret, however, forms a brief but intense friendship with Mrs. Wilcox, which is cut short by the older woman's death. When her family discovers a scrap of paper requesting that Henry give their home, Howards End, to Margaret, it precipitates a spiritual crisis among them that will take years to resolve.

Forster's 1910 novel begins as a collection of seemingly unrelated events--Helen's impulsive engagement to Paul Wilcox; a chance meeting between the Schlegel sisters and an impoverished clerk named Leonard Bast at a concert; a casual conversation between the sisters and Henry Wilcox in London one night. But as it moves along, these disparate threads gradually knit into a tightly woven fabric of tragic misunderstandings, impulsive actions, and irreparable consequences, and, eventually, connection. Though set in the early years of the 20th century, Howards End seems even more suited to our own fragmented era of e-mails and anger. For readers living in such an age, the exhortation to "only connect" resonates ever more profoundly. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

The disregard of a dying woman's bequest, a girl's attempt to help an impoverished clerk, and the marriage of an idealist and a materialist — all intersect at an estate called Howards End. The fate of this country home symbolizes the future of England in an exploration of social, economic, and philosophical trends during the post-Victorian era.

Download Description

A chance acquaintance brings together the prosperous bourgeois Wilcox family and the clever, cultured, and idealistic Schlegel sisters. As clear-eyed Margaret develops a friendship with Mrs. Wilcox, the impetuous Helen brings into their midst a young bank clerk named Leonard Bast, who lives at the edge of poverty and ruin. When Mrs. Wilcox dies, her family discovers that she wants to leave her country home, Howards End, to Margaret. Thus Forster sets in motion a chain of events that will entangle three different families and brilliantly portrays their aspirations for personal and social harmony.

Customer Reviews:

Women have rights .......2007-09-07

This book is a confused woman's rights saga.
Personally, it is somewhat repulsive in
it's Victorian and anachronistic point of view.
It most reminds me of Jane Austin in it's treatment
of social situations and romance.
I don't think it is a good idea to encourage
either this or August Strindberg's attitudes toward women.
We need a better approach.

Great literature.......2007-08-18

A true classic! Irony comes in double helpings here, as Forster presents many themes of opposites, such as city vs. country.

Highly recommended.

James Conroyd Martin, author of PUSH NOT THE RIVER and AGAINST A CRIMSON SKY Push Not the River

"Who shall inherit England?".......2007-07-29

Most of Forster's oeuvre examines the confrontation between "old England" and "new England," but none does the job so well as "Howards End." Tradition and modernity, wealth and poverty, honor and honesty, the rule of men and the rights of women--the Edwardian age brought these conflicts to the fore, and here Forster portrays the battle through the prism of class warfare.

The members of the nouveau riche Wilcox family have borrowed their ideals of privilege and duty from the aristocratic class to which they aspire--but those adopted principles are sorely tested by the bookish liberalism of the comfortably middle-class Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, daughters of a German immigrant. The "stiff upper lip" of Henry Wilcox has long been immune to the virtuousness of his ailing wife and the insufferable dim-wittedness of his pampered children, but his world is torn asunder by the twin assault of Margaret's reasonable worldliness ("a practical little woman") and Helen's romantic idealism.

A third household--the impoverished, unmarried Leonard and Jacky Bast--represents an underclass dispensable to the likes of the Wilcoxes, who regard them as little more than erstwhile labor (or, we discover, as far worse). For the Schlegel sisters, the hapless couple serves as the beneficiary of their "schemes of Social Reform." Although the presence of Leonard Bast at first seems peripheral to the story, his position as "protege" to Helen's charitable impulses brings the conflict between the two wealthier families to a head when Helen blames Henry Wilcox and her own inference for Leonard's misfortune--and expects them both to make good. "How wide the gulf between Henry as he was and Henry as Helen thought he ought to be!" That gulf becomes a chasm that threatens to swallow all three families whole.

The battle, in Lionel Trilling's phrase, is over "who shall inherit England," and Forster's startling ending and even more unexpected epilogue serve as both warning and prediction. Yet Forster's memorable witticisms and gripping intrigues keep the social message from ever becoming heavy-handed (although, granted, the finale depends on a melodramatic, if horrific, twist of fate). For those who have never read Forster, this novel is the place to start.

Incredible Forum for Modern Issue [39][53].......2007-04-15

A man's thesis on women's suffrage against a Dickens-like turn-of-the-century poverty backdrop, and curling the ending into the tragic death of one young impoverished man which culminates with the criminal conviction of a wealthy young man, makes one think Russian novel - makes one think that this was an extremely brave and ambitious project for a British author in 1910.

The theme is basic: three children of wealth are led my the matronly eldest sister (Meg or Margaret) who monitors her younger-by-two years man-crazy sister (Helen), and their brother (Tibby) who is their junior by many more years.

Over the period of about 6 years, she befriends Helen's beau's mother after the tryst is called off by his father. After the untimely death of the boyfriend's mother, Meg attracts his father (Henry), weds his father, holds house for her brother, Tibby, through his Oxford years, and tries to comprehend the wild antics of Helen. The marriage to the elder husband involves great politicking - all in Edwardian civil obedience - with Henry's two daughters and two sons.

The adept ability of the Edwardian Meg to manipulate her senior and aristocratic husband displays how this "feeble" creature is in control in a seemingly "man's world." She is the thoroughly modern Brit who discusses issues like suffrage rights and sexual equality - two topics deplored by her husband and his cronies. But, this independance is what attracts him to her.

The civility breaks in the end when her character chides her husband - very legitimately - about how her husband's infidelity is not treated the same as her sister's adultery: " You have had a mistress - I forgave you. My sister has a lover - you drive her from the house. Do you see the connection? Stupid, hypocritical, cruel - oh, contemptible." Wow! A woman's place was not to stand behind her man in 1910! And, sure enough, her sister stays and her husband acknowledges her harsh statements, as difficult as they are to hear, to ring true and to deserve acceptance. In good gesture to his character, he swallows this very bitter pill.

The last 200 pages move much better than the first 150 pages. This novel improves as the character's personalities become more reflected in the rich and powerful dialogue presented by Forster - a master of dialogue.

This book has much more depth than "Room With a View" and discusses issues still pertinent in this day - not something "Room" can claim. I would recommend either book, but urge new readers to pick up and read this novel if one must choose between the two.

Deeply reflective.......2007-01-30

Young Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox on a visit to the Wilcox family's home at Howard's End. The Schlegel family alarm proves to be unfounded, and the Wilcox and Schlegel families are drawn together over time. A complex set of relationships ensues, with unforeseen consequences for both families.

What at first appears to be a gentle Edwardian novel about the social mores of the upper middle classes, turns out to be far deeper than that. Forster dissects the conflicting attitudes of his time - indeed some such attitudes prevail to this day: social conscience against materialism; the rights of women; the meaning of honesty and fidelity; the effects of cynicism and double standards. All are examined within a generally finely crafted piece of fiction. The characters are made to feel deeply, and the reader is attracted to them despite their flaws - surprises lie in store with and for these people (and they do, I suppose, in real life).

"Howard's End" is not without certain flaws in its plot, and of Forster's works I still prefer "A Passage to India", yet this is still a significant work.

G Rodgers

Average customer rating:

"Connect the prose and the passion...both will be exalted."

Howards End (Norton Critical Editions)
E. M. Forster
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0393970116

Book Description

"Only Connect," Forster's key aphorism, informs this novel about an English country house, Howards End, and its influence on the lives of the wealthy and materialistic Wilcoxes; the cultured, idealistic Schlegel sisters; and the poor bank clerk Leonard Bast. Bringing together people from different classes and nations by way of sympathetic insight and understanding, Howards End eloquently addresses the question "Who shall inherit England?"

About the Series: Each Norton Critical Edition includes an authoritative text, contextual and source materials, and a wide range of interpretations-from contemporary perspectives to the most current critical theory-as well as a bibliography and, in most cases, a chronology of the author's life and work.

Customer Reviews:

"Connect the prose and the passion...both will be exalted.".......2005-09-21

In this 1910 story of Edwardian England, Forster illustrates the conflicts between the superior attitudes of the aristocracy and a developing feeling of obligation toward the "lower" classes which World War I will soon bring into sharp relief. Margaret and Helen Schlegel are intellectual and sensitive to the arts, with compassionate hearts for those less fortunate.

When Margaret, at age twenty-nine, is affianced to a much older widower, Henry Wilcox, this conflict of attitudes is brought to the fore. Henry, insensitive and believing himself actually entitled to his family's privileges, is cold and reserved, though Margaret believes that "Henry must be forgiven and made better by love."

Helen, her sister, a 21-year-old with an enthusiasm for the life of the imagination, has no sympathy for Henry's staid pronouncements and failure to pay attention to the people "below him" who are dependent upon his whims. When a young clerk finds himself out of his bank job as a result of something Henry has said, Henry refuses his wife's entreaties to give the destitute Leonard a job.

Immensely sympathetic to the economic position of the poor and women, Forster illustrates their financial dependence on others. Margaret, who secures the reader's total sympathy, must try to educate a close-minded dolt like Henry, but she achieves only limited success. Later, his belief that Helen reflects negatively upon himself and his family inspires a disaster with far-reaching consequences.

Filled with incisive observations and great wit, the novel follows the narrative pattern of a melodrama, but Forster's sensitivity to both sides--the practical and conservative values of Henry vs. the emotional and idealistic sides of Margaret and Helen--elevates the novel above the tawdry. With the action centered around the Wilcox home at Howard's End, the reader realizes that the estate is a microcosm for the conflicts of the nation.

This edition, thoroughly annotated, is the definitive critical edition containing resource material and an explication of references. Comprehensive background material for the period, critical analysis of Forster's themes, and careful notes throughout this novel provide a wealth of research materials for the literary critic and historian. Mary Whipple

Howards End (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Average customer rating:

"Connect the prose and the passion...both will be exalted."

Howards End (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics)
E.M. Forster
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1593080220

Book Description

Considered by many to be E. M. Forster’s greatest novel, Howards End is a beautifully subtle tale of two very different families brought together by an unusual event. The Schlegels are intellectuals, devotees of art and literature. The Wilcoxes are practical and materialistic, leading lives of “telegrams and anger.” When the elder Mrs. Wilcox dies and her family discovers she has left their country home—Howards End—to one of the Schlegel sisters, a crisis between the two families is precipitated that takes years to resolve.

Written in 1910, Howards End is a symbolic exploration of the social, economic, and intellectual forces at work in England in the years preceding World War I, a time when vast social changes were occurring. In the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes, Forster perfectly embodies the competing idealism and materialism of the upper classes, while the conflict over the ownership of Howards End represents the struggle for possession of the country’s future. As critic Lionel Trilling once noted, the novel asks, “Who shall inherit England?”

Forster refuses to take sides in this conflict. Instead he poses one of the book’s central questions: In a changing modern society, what should be the relation between the inner and outer life, between the world of the intellect and the world of business? Can they ever, as Forster urges, “only connect”?

Customer Reviews:

"Connect the prose and the passion...both will be exalted.".......2005-02-23

In this 1910 story of Edwardian England, Forster illustrates the conflicts between the superior attitudes of the aristocracy and a developing feeling of obligation toward the "lower" classes which World War I will soon bring into sharp relief. Margaret and Helen Schlegel are intellectual and sensitive to the arts, with compassionate hearts for those less fortunate.

When Margaret, at age twenty-nine, is affianced to Henry Wilcox, the much older, widowed husband of a friend, this conflict of attitudes is brought to the fore. Henry, insensitive and believing himself actually entitled to his family's privileges, is cold and reserved, though Margaret believes that "Henry must be forgiven and made better by love."

Helen, her sister, a 21-year-old with an enthusiasm for the life of the imagination, has no sympathy for Henry's failure to pay attention to the people "below him" who are dependent upon his whims. Eventually, a casual remark by Henry leads to the loss of a job for Leonard Bast, a penniless young clerk, but Henry refuses to accept any responsibility whatsoever and refuses his wife's entreaties to give the destitute Leonard a job.

Immensely sympathetic to the economic position of the poor and women, Forster illustrates their financial dependence on others. Margaret, who secures the reader's total sympathy, is charged with educating a close-minded dolt like Henry to be kinder and more empathetic towards the people he considers below him, but she achieves only limited success.

Filled with incisive observations and great wit, the novel follows the narrative pattern of a melodrama, but Forster's sensitivity to both sides--the practical and conservative values of Henry vs. the emotional and idealistic sides of Margaret and Helen--elevates the novel above the tawdry. Henry is a product of his time and his class, but though times are changing, he is too dense to realize it. The Wilcox home at Howard's End is a microcosm, and its conflicts are those of the nation at that time. Thoughtful and entertaining, Howard's End still draws in readers after almost a hundred years. Mary Whipple

The End of the Trail: Western Stories (The Works of Robert E. Howard)

Average customer rating:

some great Westerns from a thrilling writer

The End of the Trail: Western Stories (The Works of Robert E. Howard)
Robert E. Howard
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0803273568

Book Description

"I was born in the little ex-cowtown of Peaster [Texas],” Robert E. Howard wrote to a friend, and the first story he ever published (in 1922) was a Western sketch. Although he went on to write hundreds of fantasy tales set in Conan’s Hyborian kingdoms, Kull’s ancient Atlantis, and Solomon Kane’s darkest Africa, his heart always remained in the West. In 1929 he began publishing Western tales, but they were unlike any the genre had ever seen—they didn’t have happy endings or perfect heroes. They were grimmer, more action packed, even cataclysmically violent.

Howard was fascinated by outlaws and gunmen, especially those who “crossed over” to become lawmen, and he knew and interviewed many “old-timers—old law officers, trail drivers, cattlemen, buffalo hunters, and pioneers.” The twelve stories collected here show a West stripped down to essentials, where internalized codes of personal honor, loyalty, and courage matter more than laws, progress, or civilization. Also included are four articles, suggestive of his wide-ranging interests—from Billy the Kid to the eerie and unexplained happenings on the frontier.

“To me the annals of the land pulse with blood and life,” Howard wrote, and his Western stories are full of memorable characters, heart-pounding action, and the distinctive prose generations of fans have come to know, and expect, and appreciate.

Customer Reviews:

some great Westerns from a thrilling writer.......2005-07-21

In this collection, many of Robert Howard's best westerns are presented for those who enjoy this great authors work. While in the same series is another collection of humorous westerns, those are, because of their lack of Howard's usually downbeat vision, inferior to these. The Vultures of Whapeton--the longest of the stories--is easily the finest, featuring intensely described gunfights, paranoia, and carefully interwoven, downbeat moral themes. Also, the ending is very powerful (though a somewhat lesser happy ending is also included). There are any number of other fine stories though, including crossovers such as The Man on the Ground, which effortlessly injects a sense of wonder and awe into what would otherwise be a traditional western revenge story. As with most of Howard's prodigious body of work, the writing is grim and crisply paced, making it not only quick but enjoyable. My sincerest hope is that some talented young director will read these stories and choose to adapt one into a worthwhile movie. Overall, this is one of the finest collections of Howard's work and is thoroughly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Howards End
E. M. Forster
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audio Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0786168471

Product Description

A vibrant portrait of Edwardian England, Howards End examines personal relationships and conflicting values. The Schlegel sisters, Margaret and Helen, and their brother Tibby, place their values in civilized living, music, literature, and conversation with their friends. The Wilcoxes, Henry and his children Charles, Paul, and Evie, are concerned with the business side of life and distrust emotions and imagination.

Customer Reviews:

warm and cold.......2006-04-15

A Room With A View is a warm treasure of a novel that embraces life and the love of it.

I found Howard's End to be quite the opposite: cold and distant, and all the worse for it.

Two sides of Forster, I prefer the former.

Missing pages.......2005-10-17

Warning: the copy of the Signet edition of Room with a View and Howards End that I recieved was missing pages 51-82 of Howards End.

No wonder Forster was in the Bloomsbury Group!.......1999-10-21

These have to be the best books which Forster wrote- witty, satirical and enjoyable. The message of 'only connect' and the portrayal of 'the undeveloped heart' of the English middle classes are brought to the fore. With symbolism, excellent characterisation and enthralling plots, these 'bildungsroman' show Forster to be an erudite and consummate writer.

Magnificent, Beautiful and wonderful.......1998-10-13

Forget Dickens, forget Austen, for the most English of authors Edward Morgan Forster was , to me, the most gifted English author of all time. He wrote in wonderful sentences with Beautiful words. 'Room with a View' starts at an English Guest house in Florenece. Lucy Honeychurch and her cousin Charlotte are among the guests, and are given a room with a view by the Impulsive Emmersons, George and his father. Lucy is the central character, and shortly witnesses a murder, but is immediately comforted by George Emmerson who later kisses her on on outing to the hills. The story then returns to England and the Emmersoms have taken residence near Lucy Honeychurch's house. This is not only a wonderful love story, but a first rate tale of Social comedy. 'Howard's End' is in the same vein. It starts with the words ' Only Connect' which everyone should adhear to.The Wilcoxes are pragmatic, stoic, and Enlgish to the Backbone. The Schelegl's are Half-German, Cultural and artistic. So what happens when such opposites meet? Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but it is her sister Margaret's relationship with both Mr and Mrs Wilcox which is the heart of this book in which you will find that opposites do attract. Forster also wrote only three other novels - ' Whre Angels fear to tread', 'The Longest Journay' and 'A Passage to India'. A lesser known work is 'Maurice' , a tale of homosexuality which could be his own. 'Where Angels..' , 'A Room..' and 'Howard's End' were made into top rate films by Mercahnt Ivory. ' A Passage..' was the last film David Lean ever made. But it is the book where the ture beauty of Forster shines.

E.M. Forster Three Complete Novels Howards End, A Room With a View, Where Angels Fear to Tread

Average customer rating:

E.M. Forster Three Complete Novels Howards End, A Room With a View, Where Angels Fear to Tread
E.M. Forster
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0517091267
Release Date: 1993-02-20

Average customer rating:

A Must Have Book for ANY Library
Visionary and Inspiring
An inspiring, spiritually fulfilling feast for the senses.
close to perfection
Disturbing and thought-provoking

End Is Near!, The
Stephen Jay Gould , Adam Parfrey , Roger Manley , and Howard Finster
Manufacturer: Dilettante Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Criticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The God Delusion

ASIN: 0966427270
Release Date: 1998-10-02

Book Description

"This timely, fascinating book collects color reproductions of work by 58 artists that depict religious, cosmic and often quite psychotic visions of fantastic worlds and states of mind."--Publishers Weekly. "Judging from this images in this book, things are going to end not with a whimper but a bang."--Time Out.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have Book for ANY Library.......1999-05-17

My wife and I just bought the hardcover and recommend it highly. We loved the reading the background of the authors. It proves that you do not have to be a celebrity or athlete or CEO to be "considered successful". Some of the world's greatest talent are never heard from. We have Dilettante Press to thank for bringing us this fine collection of artists. I work with libraries and recommend this book to all of them.

Visionary and Inspiring.......1999-03-16

This book is a must buy for anyone intersting in the millennium. The works are provoking and the accompanying text is informative and entertaining. Great coffee table material.

An inspiring, spiritually fulfilling feast for the senses........1999-03-06

"The End is Near" makes you yearn for Divine inspiration regardless of its source or circumstance. The artwork is stunning, the artist bios are awe-inspiring and the essays are thought provoking, empowering and spiritually comforting. This is an amazing gift to give to others...but do yourself a favor and give it to yourself first. And then go out and pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, or a piece of coal and create. This book will make you realize that the best art you ever see could be just below the surface of your own consciousness.

close to perfection.......1999-02-28

I was completely blown away by the beauty of the visions contained in this book. I am an art student, and i feel the artist in this book are never self indulgent, their vision isn't cluttered by desire of fame and recognition. they are the last american heroes. roger manley did an incredible job of editing only the most incredible pieces, of discovering new talents( paul laffoley,grant wallace) and also bringing new pieces from overexposed outsider art favorite (howard finster). the printing job is excellent and the design lively.i can't wait to see what this publishing company is gonna do next.

Disturbing and thought-provoking.......1999-02-25

By showing the amazing collection of the American Museum of Visionary Art, this book provokes the reader to re-think the distinctions our society draws between genius and madness. I've actually been to the Museum in Baltimore and am thrilled that this artwork is now available on a large scale. This book may not be for everyone, but those willing to expose themselves to its often disturbing imagery will be rewarded.

A Room With a View, Howards End, Maurice

Average customer rating:

A Room With a View, Howards End, Maurice
E.M. Forster
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000CIZ9GU

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books