Book Description
A NEW BEGINNING: Hollywood actor Dayne Matthews and Katy Hart are married and living in Bloomington, Ind., where Dayne has found a solution to his on-camera love scenes--he wants Katy to star in his next film. Katy wins the part and is cast opposite her super-star husband. The story of a small town girl’s dream come true is too much for the press to resist, and in an effort to appease them, the couple agrees to a 12-episode reality show. It seems like the perfect compromise but by the time they finish filming the movie, they feel cracks around the edges of their marriage. Now they face an uncertain future, and possibly the end of everything that truly matters to them.
AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER: The Baxter family learns that Ashley and Kari are both pregnant, but an ultrasound reveals that something is wrong with one of the babies. As the summer progresses, the sisters pray for a miracle while trying to face the unthinkable. It’s in this trying season that they must all learn the lesson God has been trying to teach them--He is still in control, and He will be with them regardless of the outcome.
AN EMOTIONAL FAREWELL: The Flanigans continue to draw closer to their only daughter, yet Bailey struggles to find her way amidst the turmoil of adolescence. She has always made good decisions, but she wants to experience more of life. Her friendship with Cody Coleman--the young border staying with the Flanigans--continues to blossom in this summer after his graduation. But when Cody decides to enlist in the Army, he’ll have to say goodbye to the family he’s come to love and the girl he’ll never forget.
Customer Reviews:
Receives Sandra Burr's seasoned, warm reading voice.......2007-10-06
Karen Kingsbury's SUMMER receives Sandra Burr's seasoned, warm reading voice as it tells of a summer of new beginnings, which come from marriage, pregnancy, and a reality show which threatens a solid marriage. It's another 'Baxter Family' drama, #2 in the 'Sunrise Series', and is especially recommended for prior fans.
Wonderful!.......2007-10-04
This book, like the rest of this series, leaves you wanting more. Such a wonderful story, and a great writing style, make this an touching book. I am and will probably always be a fan of Karen Kingsbury!
Another wonderful book from Karen Kingsbury.......2007-10-01
This latest book in the Sunrise Series about the lives of the Baxters from Karen Kingsbury did not disappoint me .It was one of the most thought provoking story lines yet .Ashley was told that she would have a baby with a profound fatal birh defect .Her sister , Brook, is a doctor and looks at things from a medical standpoint and this puts her at odds with her faith and Ashley's beliefs when she tries to influence Ashley to take the easier ( as she sees it) way out.It is a beautiful story with issues that we all deal with at one time or another in our lives .Karen's books teach us how to look at life biblically and prayerfuly.I can't tell you what a huge impact her writings have had on my life.
Summer.......2007-10-01
A continued best of Karen Kingsbury. This series is another winner! Don't know how I am going to last till next spring for the next one.
Moving & touching book, but so sad.......2007-09-29
This book by Karen Kingsbury is probably one of the hardest that I've read. I will admit that I bawled my eyes out while reading it, so be prepared. It's a must read for Karen Kingsbury fans though!
Book Description
* Since 1913, the single source blockbuster for all essential information on designing, installing, operating, and maintaining electrical systems and equipment
* Includes advancements in fiber optic cables, grounding, arc-fault circuit interrupter devices, and transient voltage surge suppressors
* Complete with the latest updates on National Electrical Code, National Safety Code, and NEMA motor and generator standards
* Features new information on high efficiency motors and electronic control of motors
* Provides the latest developments in circuits and circuit calculations, transformers, wiring tables, lamp applications tables, and more
Customer Reviews:
A Gem, with caveats.......2007-09-23
This is an excellent, if dense read that bridges the gap between the science of electricity, and the practical matter of an Electrician's work. It will not fully explain the science of the topic, and it will certainly not teach you how to wire a house. It is a very good book if your question runs along the lines of "Why does it work that way?" Its treatment of Ohm's law and other fundamentals is particularly useful. That said, the index is a nightmare, the book is not organized by page number, and it contains some apocrypha.
I have been an electrician for just over two years now (and I wrote this using my wife's login, because I'm too lazy to relog)
Worst hand book ever! by a Union Inside Wireman.......2007-03-05
I went through the union apprenticeship in San Francisco. I completed my apprenticeship in 2003, and decided to purchase this book to study for the CA state certification. HUGE MISTAKE!!! If all you are looking for is a study tool for the state certification test all you need is a code book. In school we never used this book, and I went through a 5 year apprenticeship, and after looking through this book I can see why. I found it almost impossible to use the index, and the table of contents wasn't much help either. I do however reccomend the National Electrical Code 2005 Handbook. It cost $25 more but it is well worth it. Neither of these books will teach you how to be an electrician so don't even bark up that tree! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!! My 8 and a half years of being a wireman (including 5 years as an apprentice)and I can't make sence of this book. Don't waste your time or money again DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Not a handbook.......2001-12-02
I would NOT recommend this book to any electrician, engineer, or architect. It is extremely difficult to comprehend. Gaining any practical information from this book is futile. I have had the twelfth edition over ten years. I used it to study for the electricians exam. I hated it then. Since that time, I have found it to be a very poor reference book. The thirteenth edition is no better. I understand why some electrician training schools might use this book - it is very comprehensive. It would make a good reference for a classroom lesson plan, but not a direct teaching tool. If you want to learn the material in this book, get the National Electric Code Handbook (and related materials published by the NFPA) and appropriate textbooks. FYI - I am a licensed electrician and a registered professional engineer.
A patchwork monster.......2001-11-11
Another motley McGraw-Hill product. First copyrighted in 1913. The author appears to have died prior to 1976, and the book has been maintained by hired help. Don't try to use this as a textbook; treat it as a reference only. You never really know whether some item is up to date or 50 or 80 years old. Examples: There is a lot of treatment of two-phase (yup, 90 degrees) power, including at 25 hertz, and of multi-kilovolt series incandescent streetlighting, plus knob and tube wiring. Also, it is stated that the highest radio frequency in use is 30 megahertz, whereas in reality we're up to 1,000 or 2,000 times that just now. This book is a curiousity; charming if you have the cash, but if you don't, maybe you should be getting something more coherent.
A Must For Every Serious or Professional Electrician.......2000-09-28
W A R N I N G: This book is not for the weekend repairman!!!
This is a very intense book for the professionals or for someone who would like to further their knowledge. This truely might be the last book an electrican will ever buy. A must for your library!
Average customer rating:
- Summer at Willow Lake
- A few twists and turns
- There's a Good Book Hidden Inside
- A Very Enjoyable Read
- Brings back all the memories of Summer and camping!
|
Summer At Willow Lake (Lakeshore Chronicles)
Susan Wiggs
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Wiggs, Susan
| ( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Winter Lodge (Lakeshore Chronicles)
-
Lakeside Cottage
-
Dockside (Lakeshore Chronicles)
-
Summer by the Sea
-
Passing Through Paradise
ASIN: 0778323250 |
Book Description
Real estate expert Olivia Bellamy reluctantly trades a trendy Manhattan summer for her family's old resort camp in the Catskills, where her primary task will be renovating the bungalow colongy for her grandparents, who want one last summer together filled with fun, friends and family. A posh resort in its heyday, the camp is now in disarray and Olivia is forced to hire contractor Connor Davis — a still-smoldering flame from her own summers at camp
But as the days grow warm, not even the inviting blue waters of Willow Lake can cool the passions flaring or keep shocking secrets at bay. The nostalgic joy of summers past breathes new promise into a special place and people…a promise meant to last long after the season ends.
Customer Reviews:
Summer at Willow Lake.......2007-10-07
Have not read the book, it's for a friend, but the service
was good.
A few twists and turns .......2007-09-11
My book club picked this book and I was less then thrilled to read it when I first saw the cover, but you know what they say 'don't judge a book by it's cover' which was right in this case. It was a pretty enjoyable book - yes there are some sub-plots in the book that the conclusion is painfully obvious but there are other sub-plots that make it an interesting read and one that kept me up some nights. If you are looking for some good chick-lit I would recommend this book. It's actually good for book clubs as well - people had mixed reviews which always makes for a good discussion.
There's a Good Book Hidden Inside.......2007-09-05
First, this is more like a 2.5 than a 3 star book for me.
When I first started this story about a woman who is trying to get her life on track after her third serious relationship falls apart through no reason she can understand, I was interested. I liked the flashbacks to the camp, I liked her best friend, I liked her. I was willing to believe that this book deserved its RITA nomination. It was solidly entertaining, which is all I ever look for in my romance novels.
Somewhere along the way, I lost interest. Was it when I realized that her best friend was too awesome for her? That was a little early in the book. Was it when I began to think that her first boyfriend and new love interest was not so much a bad boy as a kind of lame man? Again, that was a little early. Was it when I realized I was following multiple love stories, solving a mystery about the main character's father, and watching a set up for future books? YEP. That's exactly where I lost interest in this whole thing.
This was my introduction to Susan Wiggs, and I found it both lackluster and slightly overwhelming. Was I supposed to care about all of the Bellamys? I know why romance novelists set up their series nowadays, and feel the need to revisit old characters from previous novels, but some days, I just want to read a standalone. I don't care about the future books or the past books. It's as hard to find a standalone romance as it is to find a single book in a fantasy series. WHY, authors, WHY? I know the answer is money, but, consider your readers.
If you like series, and you're ready to dive into them, and you love the idea of fake 'bad boys', perhaps you'll like this book. I just kept wondering why the main character didn't get together with her best friend who seemed like a way more awesome choice.
A Very Enjoyable Read.......2007-08-31
Olivia Bellamy is a three times loser in the romance department. Reeling from her latest breakup, she decides to go to her grandparents' camp in the Catskill Mountains. The camp holds a lot of painful memories for Olivia because she was always the fat unpopular kid. Determined to disassociate her past from her present, she decides to renovate the camp for her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration. It has been closed for a long time and she has her work cut out for her. She didn't count on running into her first love, Connor Davis. They had been at camp together as kids and both had walked away from their relationship with broken hearts. The story goes back and forth between their past days at camp and the present work being done. Working together causes them both to remember the past and their feelings for one another.
This is a romance without getting all mired down with bodice ripping writing. The characters are likable and we see both Olivia and Connor's sides of the story. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery and wished I could visit.
This is the first of a series and I plan to read the following books.
Brings back all the memories of Summer and camping!.......2007-07-31
This was an enjoyable reading experience. Lolly returns to her grandparents summer camp, Camp Kioga, to re-vamp it for her grandparents up-coming 5oth wedding anniversary celebration where they will re-new their wedding vows. Lolly's (AKA Olivia Bellamy) ambition is to re-create the Summer Camp of years gone-by. Using all her experience as a stager for real estate and her unstoppable imagination, she undertakes this huge challenge of repairing a long neglected Summer camp. Along the journey of the transformation of Camp Kioga the reader experiences the transformation of Lolly Bellamy through flashbacks. These take the reader back nine years when Lolly was an insecure overweight girl who was hopelessly in love with a boy, Connor Davis, who was seemingly out of her reach. There is a secondary story line which is developed beautifully through the flashbacks of Lolly's father during which he spent time as a camp counselor at Camp Kioga during the seventies. There are still many insecurities to be dealt with and a mysterious family history yet to be revealed along the way. Connor Davis grows up into the sexy contractor Lolly hires to help renovate the camp. Lolly is now a beautiful swan yet there are misunderstandings to clear up and neglected feelings to resolve. The flashbacks are beneficial in revealing the motives of each character. All these people seem real with deep emotional layers, and it is hard not to get caught up in all the mystery and excitement of the re-newed relationships as the story unfolds to its last page and very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading The Winter Lodge and Dockside, where I can get back into the lives of the people of Avalon, NY.
Product Description
"Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (April 2, 2003) Language: English ISBN: 1401300162 Product Dimensions: 10.0 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches Setting the warm, relaxed tone befitting the season, U.K. food goddess Lawson (Nigella
Customer Reviews:
elegant but easy.......2007-06-27
My daughter gave me this cookbook. I have never seen Nigella's TV shows but like the simple, tasty recipies. I also like Nigella's descriptions of each dish. I sent it off as a thank you to a friend who is a great Italian cook. Carolyn
An odd mix of outstanding and poor recipes.......2007-05-24
I have all but one of Nigella's cookbooks and this is one of my favorites. Having said that I must all say that each book has recipes that utterly fail and ones that are unbelievably great. In Forever Summer the Strawberry Meringue Layercake is good in theory, but the sponge cake part ends up very dry and the entire thing looks like a hamburger. People were not impressed. The Coconut Slab, overly sugared and dry. However, her Chocolate Raspberry Pav was fabulous. And I couldn't go wrong with any of the pasta dishes, they were wonderful. Of course, the photos are gorgeous and the book itself is very fun to read through, especially when you are missing summer in the dead of winter. But, it;s frustrating when the photos are gorgeous but the end result half the time isn't nearly as good as it looks. I'm happy there were less photos of her in this book eating and posing for the camera. That gets a little tiring. Overall, I'd recommend it if you can pick it up for less used.
i love nigella.......2007-04-18
i made several recepes from this book some time ago, i cant wait to but another book, i just love nigella and her books, they are facinating!! and so entertaining!
Forever Summer.......2007-01-12
Not only do I use this cookbook often, I have given it as a gift twice. I have made numerous recipes, all have been excellent and easy to make. Several of the recipes are now staples, both for family meals and for entertaining. The crab with linguini and chiles is superb.
Nigella Rocks.......2007-01-10
My how Nigella has changed the way I Cook, Eat, think and feel about food. I first saw Nigella cooking on her TV show Nigella Bites and just loved the way she spoke about food with her passion coming through the TV screen. I purchased her books and now I'm such the Male Domestic God that I think I have missed my calling and should have been a Chef, but I do know that it's all thanks to Nigella.
Book Description
The successful creation of the Constitution is a suspense story. The Summer of 1787 takes us into the sweltering room in which delegates struggled for four months to produce the flawed but enduring document that would define the nation -- then and now.
George Washington presided, James Madison kept the notes, Benjamin Franklin offered wisdom and humor at crucial times. The Summer of 1787 traces the struggles within the Philadelphia Convention as the delegates hammered out the charter for the world's first constitutional democracy. Relying on the words of the delegates themselves to explore the Convention's sharp conflicts and hard bargaining, David O. Stewart lays out the passions and contradictions of the often painful process of writing the Constitution.
It was a desperate balancing act. Revolutionary principles required that the people have power, but could the people be trusted? Would a stronger central government leave room for the states? Would the small states accept a Congress in which seats were alloted according to population rather than to each sovereign state? And what of slavery? The supercharged debates over America's original sin led to the most creative and most disappointing political deals of the Convention.
The room was crowded with colorful and passionate characters, some known -- Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph -- and others largely forgotten. At different points during that sultry summer, more than half of the delegates threatened to walk out, and some actually did, but Washington's quiet leadership and the delegates' inspired compromises held the Convention together.
In a country continually arguing over the document's original intent, it is fascinating to watch these powerful characters struggle toward consensus -- often reluctantly -- to write a flawed but living and breathing document that could evolve with the nation.
Customer Reviews:
The Summer of 1787.......2007-09-01
Most revealing on the individual character of each of the signers. Lots of good inside information. Well worth the read
summer of 1787.......2007-08-04
I thought that the book was very enlightening on what the founders of thid country went through.
History Alive!.......2007-07-30
This is one of the most readable and enjoyable history book I have ever read. It certainly depicts the tortuous development and atmosphere surrounding the process of writing the Constitution in a way that makes one feel part of it. I could not put the book down for any length of time!
Learn more about our US history.......2007-07-26
If your American History studies were like mine, they jumped from the Revolution to the election of George Washington with little mention of the years inbetween. Now you can learn just how twelve colonies (Rhode Island did not participate) met to form the basis for our nation. It is a very readable yet factual book, with plenty of footnotes. I would recommend it to any reader, young or old.
An important story, well retold.......2007-07-05
The general sense of some editorial reviews of this fine book, while rightly praising the author's stylistic dexterity and story-telling skills, was to question whether there was a need for another account of the great Constitutional Convention of 1787. This point of view finds its answer in the following verse, quoted in the preface of Catherine Drinker Bowen's earlier book on the same subject: "If all the tales are told, retell them, Brother./ If few attend, let those who listen feel."
David Stewart has retold well this most important of stories, and in doing so has brought the tale to a larger audience, and to a new generation. His judgment that this book was worth undertaking is amply justified by the result.
Book Description
Faced with the sale of the century-old family summer house on Cape Cod where he had spent forty-two summers, George Howe Colt returned for one last stay with his wife and children. This poignant tribute to the eleven-bedroom jumble of gables, bays, and dormers that watched over weddings, divorces, deaths, anniversaries, birthdays, breakdowns, and love affairs for five generations interweaves Colt's final visit with memories of a lifetime of summers. Run-down yet romantic, the Big House stands not only as a cherished reminder of summer's ephemeral pleasures but also as a powerful symbol of a vanishing way of life.
Customer Reviews:
The Big House.......2007-10-02
"The Big House" is best when author Colt is talking about the history and appearance of the Cape, or evoking a picture of the summer days he spent there, but as the memoirist of his family, he seems only in the elementary stages of his struggle to find his true relationship to Boston Brahmanism. Certainly part of maturity is trying to figure out what of the heritage we've been landed with we accept and what we reject; this is neither an easy nor a straightforward task. But Mr. Colt's discomfort about his Wasp-iness is such that the reader is uncomfortable too--we don't quite know where Mr. Colt is coming from.
There are, however, many nice moments in this book. I owe to Mr. Colt the happy surprise of meeting, in his apparently vigorous old age, Penrose Hallowell, a Civil War hero of mine, riding out on a summer morning to pick up his mail from the post office in Pocasset. And if you summer (or used to summer), on the Cape, especially if you've spent time on Buzzard's Bay, you will find much to enjoy.
(If this book interests you, you may enjoy "In My Blood," by John Sedgwick, about a rather similar family in another big house, with some of the same challenges.)
NICE STORY.......2007-08-16
I liked this book. I read it while I was on the beach in Misquamicut. Its about a man who brings his family to Cape Cod to spend the last summer in a summer home owned by his family that has to be sold because they could no longer afford to keep it. It told of his parents, the story behind the house, his grandparents, and his memories of the house when he was young. I liked it.
A Sense of Place.......2007-07-16
Partway through this memoir, one of George Howe Colt's friends uses "a sense of place" to describe what seems most important about Colt's family summer house. I could not agree more. The Big House is a huge, rambling monstrosity of a place, seeming more like the Addams Family's house than anything else. But the Colts and the Atkinsons have lived in and loved the Big House for a century, and its easy to see why. It provides an anchor and a gathering point for the generations to come together every summer. But its too expensive to maintain, and the family has to decide what to do with it, causing some members to fear that it may be lost forever.
This is a memoir both of a house and of a family. The Atkinsons and Colts were Boston Brahmins, WASPS who were once wealthy and prosperous but who now have fallen on leaner times. They endured much unhappiness over the years, but found the Big House to be a place of healing for them. I recognized many traits they shared with my own extended family, which is to be expected since we are WASPS, too, though we are Southerners rather than New Englanders and much less prosperous. I understood the need for "a sense of place" too, since I feel it strongly when visiting areas where my own ancestors lived.
I picked this book up on a whim, but once I started it I could not put it down. It is a fine memoir of a place and way of life that has almost disappeared, but it is also an evocation of much that is still important: family, heritage, and memory.
LOVELY.......2006-11-29
THIS IS A LOVELY BOOK THAT MAKES ME REMEMBER MY OWN FAMILY BIG HOUSE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN THE NORTH WOODS OF WISCONSIN AND NOT ON CAPE COD, I REMEMBER THE SAME FAMILY DYNAMIC WITH KIDS EVERYWHERE AND AUNTS AND UNCLES READY TO DO SOMETHING FUN. THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL BOOK.
Wonderful!.......2006-11-03
I couldn't put this book down! A perfect blend between well written history and personal family narrative. Also, it was pretty creepy how similar their family is to mine! Highly recommended for anyone who's ever had a summer house, been to a summer house, been to Cape Cod, or enjoyed summer in any capacity.
Average customer rating:
- This is just a wonderful book.
- Wonderful book.
- Many summers, many guests
- Luminous Prose...
- This is a rare gem!
|
The Summer Guest
Justin Cronin
Manufacturer: Dial Press Trade Paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Psychological & Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Mary and O'Neil
-
Amagansett
-
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel
-
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
-
The Savage Garden
ASIN: 0385335822
Release Date: 2005-05-31 |
Amazon.com
Set primarily in a rustic fishing camp on the northern tip of Maine, the first 50 pages of Justin Cronin's The Summer Guest read like a lazy fishing expedition--most of the time is simply spent waiting for something to happen. Thankfully, this expansive family saga goes on to explore countless intriguing topics, including love, war, disease, loss, betrayal, and redemption. The book revolves around the story of Harry Wainwright, a wealthy entrepreneur who falls in love with the camp as a young man and returns decades later for one last day of fishing before he succumbs to terminal cancer. With Harry as a centerpiece, Cronin artfully weaves the tales of Joe and Lucy Crosby, the camp's owners; their daughter Kate; and Jordan, the camp's guide; into a complex web of family drama. Using history as both a backdrop and a main character, Cronin guides readers from World War II to Vietnam, with the story reaching its climax on a late summer day in 1994.
The beauty of The Summer Guest lies in Cronin's ability to create meaning in each character's situation. Whether dodging the draft on a fishing boat in rural Canada, serving up clams by the Boston Harbor, saying goodbye to a loved one, or finding new love where you were once afraid to look, Cronin creates deep, sincere characters with whom readers feel a powerful sense of investment. ("Here is grief, I thought, here is grief at last: the full measure and heft of it... I watched myself enter it as if I were stepping into a pool of the calmest, darkest waters... a feeling like happiness, everything drifting away…") This ability to make what at first may seem like a quiet day of fishing seem extraordinary is what sets Cronin apart from other novelists, and what makes a story of the everyday business of living, loving and dying seem somewhat extraordinary. --Gisele Toueg
Book Description
Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for his radiant novel in stories,
Mary and O’Neil, Justin Cronin has already been hailed as a writer of astonishing gifts. Now Cronin’s new novel, The Summer Guest, fulfills that promise—and more. With a rare combination of emotional insight, narrative power, and lyrical grace, Cronin transforms the simple story of a dying man’s last wish into a rich tapestry of family love.
On an evening in late summer, the great financier Harry Wainwright, nearing the end of his life, arrives at a rustic fishing camp in a remote area of Maine. He comes bearing two things: his wish for a day of fishing in a place that has brought him solace for thirty years, and an astonishing bequest that will forever change the lives of those around him.
From the battlefields of Italy to the turbulence of the Vietnam era, to the private battles of love and family, The Summer Guest reveals the full history of this final pilgrimage and its meaning for four people: Jordan Patterson, the haunted young man who will guide Harry on his last voyage out; the camp’s owner Joe Crosby, a Vietnam draft evader who has spent a lifetime “trying to learn what it means to be brave”; Joe’s wife, Lucy, the woman Harry has loved for three decades; and Joe and Lucy’s daughter Kate—the spirited young woman who holds the key to the last unopened door to the past.
As their stories unfold, secrets are revealed, courage is tested, and the bonds of love are strengthened. And always center stage is the place itself—a magical, forgotten corner of New England where the longings of the human heart are mirrored in the wild beauty of the landscape.
Intimate, powerful, and profound, The Summer Guest reveals Justin Cronin as a storyteller of unique and marvelous talent. It is a book to treasure.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
This is just a wonderful book........2007-09-19
Reading is one of my greatest pleasures and a friend who knows this gave me "The Summer Guest". I was not familiar with the author and didn't know anything about the book before I began. I have since recommended this book to all of my friends. It is truly one of the best books I've read and I am a voracious reader. The language is absolutely beautiful and the characterizations are wonderful. It is a book to savor and, although I rarely reread books, I will definitely read this one again.
John Citron's review from March 24, 2006 says it all. If you are in doubt about whether to purchase "The Summer Guest", do it anyway. You will not be disappointed.
Wonderful book........2007-04-04
Really ... absolutely wonderful. Captivating. I couldn't stop reading and I was very sorry when it was over. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Cronin.
Many summers, many guests.......2007-03-25
Justin Cronin writes beutifully! He weaves characters, their stories, big life questions, and time into something
larger than the norm, leaving this reader pondering my own life, family and sense of place. Cronin's Mary and O'Neill was rich, too. Bits of metaphor and vividness in both.
Luminous Prose..........2006-08-08
Justin Cronin has written an exceptionally beautiful novel- filled with scenes and characterizations that seem real to the touch. Even if you have not lived in the Adirondack mountains of New York state as I have, the summers of deep woods and deep lakes come alive on the pages. The story of lives and losses is tenderly recounted...luminous prose.
This is a rare gem!.......2006-04-05
I have told almost everyone I know to read this book! It is magnificently written. There is a truly memorable page in the book that made me cry as Mr. Cronin describes "man's best friend." I really loved that he told the story from the various characters point of view. I didn't want the book to end and have been hoping that Mr. Cronin will have a new book out by 2007. I am glad that he doesn't churn out books 3 times a year, it makes it that much more special when his next one comes and that we all have something to look forward to.
Book Description
Every year I think there must be more to life, and every year, despite a new car or a trip to a new land, new milestones and triumphs in my son's life, or a redone deck, a pool, a spa, or entertainment system, I take stock and think once again, I was made for more than this. But I love my stuff.
Heather Curridge is coming unhinged. And people are starting to notice. What's wrong with a woman who has everything--a mansion on a lake, a loving son, a heart-surgeon husband, and soapstone countertops--yet still feels miserable inside?
Yet when Heather spends the summer with two ancient Quaker sisters and a crusty nun in a downtown homeless shelter, she suddenly finds herself at a crossroads.
Sometimes you have to go a little bit crazy to find the life you were meant to live.
Customer Reviews:
Great story of redemption without preachiness.......2007-07-21
I just loved this book. It's the first I've read from the author, I was really impressed. I don't care for Christian fiction that gets all preachy. This does not. The characters are three dimensional and easy to identify with. Along with the main character, I particularly loved the older Quaker women that played a small but significant role. The whole book was truly inspiring and a page turner. I was very sorry to finish it. I hope for a sequel or even a trilogy featuring these characters! I highly recommend it!!!
Thought Provoking.......2007-06-27
IT is awesome. At first I was hestiant to read it because I did not know what to expect. It was deep and thought provoking but I still enjoyed reading it. I took a break or two to think but I did not want to put it down. It really made me think "Do I really need all the stuff in my house"? It made me want to downsize my earthly belongings.At first I wanted to get rid of everything(okay most) but I came to my senses and realized I couldn't. All of the characters are well developed and became real to me by the end of the story. I felt like I went on the journey with Heather and the other characters. This is the first book of Lisa Samson's that I have read and it will not be the last.
I highly recommend this book.
A MUST READ.......2007-06-24
God has been speaking to me over the last couple of months about getting out of my comfort zone and ministering to those who are enslaved...enslaved by sin, addictions, poverty, and abuse. He has used QUAKER SUMMER by Lisa Samson and the movie AMAZING GRACE to open my eyes to the fact that though slavery may no longer be legal here in America, there are so many who are enslaved in other ways. They need to be set free...they need the Father's grace and power to remove the shackles that bind them up.
But how will they know if those of us who are already free do not go and show and tell?
In AMAZING GRACE the movie, the story is told of William Wilberforce and others who poured out their very lives to fight against the slave trade. Their's is a historically true story...a profound story of God's grace and power.
QUAKER SUMMER is a fictional story, but it is still very true. For in it is a message of truth. The protagonist, Heather, is a woman who "has it all". She has a devoted husband, a great teenage son, a beautiful home, and all the other stuff and fluff that money can buy. But she's empty inside and all the "good stuff" in her life is enslaving her in a gilded cage.
Through a God-ordained "accident", she finds herself slammed with the reality of how the "other half" lives. She meets Godly women whose lives are not dedicated to living "the good life" but to DOING good to and for others. She begins to finally see that all the stuff in the world will never fill the void inside...the void that only God and being about His business can fill.
Heather must make some scary choices. She must be willing to sacrifice and change. She must be willing to break out of HER chains that bind in order to help set the captives free.
And through it all, Heather learns that its only in giving away does she really receive.
Quaker Summer.......2007-06-08
Heather Curridge, the protagonist in Lisa Samson's Quaker Summer, seemingly has it all: a handsome husband who loves her and whose salary provides the means for her shopping compulsion even though he doesn't share her desire to keep up with the Joneses, a great kid, a lakeside mansion, and a lifestyle that fits every worldly definition of success. She doesn't attend church any longer but is Volunteer of the Year at her son's private Christian school and reaches out to her widower neighbor. She "gets" Jesus but doesn't always think about him in the space between her two favorite times of day: taking the first bite of a hearty breakfast and slipping between her designer sheets. Yet as much as she loves her stuff and her comfortable life, a part of her recognizes the foolishness and emptiness of their material-driven, superficial lifestyle and knows it isn't the life she's been called to lead. She believes she has a purpose waiting outside of her current existence if she will only open the door and meet it face to face.
God's providence leads Heather to two spunky sisters, a tough nun, and a few people she'd actually prefer not to associate with. With support from her husband, her son, and her closest friends (including one you will recognize if you've read Women's Intuition), she begins to put her faith into action. The reality differs from her expectations, and she discovers that following the Spirit's leading to help those in need can be very uncomfortable; the sometimes back-breaking, often heart-breaking work God calls us to do isn't necessarily appreciated or understood by others, even believers. She also learns that God uses His servants not just to help those in need but to help the servant.
As always, Samson's characters seem real and her storytelling is poetic and thought-provoking. Even if we will never live in a mansion and make plans to add a tennis court to our mansion, most of us can relate to the fear of leaving our comfort zone and willingly going into situations that will get our hands dirty. And like Heather, some of us would rather wait for a notarized letter from God assuring us of His calling rather than put our faith into action. Too often there's a disparity between what we say we believe and how we actually live our lives.
This is definitely a book to chew on after you read it, and I highly recommend it!
Readers will discover plenty to ruminate on in this absorbing novel.......2007-06-06
Lisa Samson's best novel to date is QUAKER SUMMER, which examines the emptiness of what most women consider successful, the gut-wrenching possibilities of change, the need for undeserved grace and the importance of finding purpose outside themselves.
Heather's husband Jace works overtime as a surgeon to pay her shopping bills and help her keep up appearances. But nothing really satisfies the gnawing sense of emptiness in Heather's soul --- not the new pool, the suburban Baltimore private school for their only son, Will, or the shopping bags full of "stuff" she brings home each day. "Who could have told me that more, more, more isn't ever enough, enough, enough?" moans Heather.
She and her family no longer go to church; it's as empty for them as the success. "We're just tired of doing all this stuff and feeling as fractious and unhappy as ever before." Deep inside, Heather feels that she doesn't deserve her handsome, successful husband or the affluent lifestyle they've attained. The extra pounds she puts on and her regrets over the hurts she inflicted on two neighborhood kids in her childhood nag at her and make her insecure. Conflicted about her past, Heather weeps over injustice and poverty --- then writes a check or gives away some possessions, replacing them with something newer and better. But nothing erases the poverty in her spirit. "We have it all, don't we? We get along, live comfortably. But what's it all for, really, in the long run?" Heather muses.
Over at "The Hotel," Sister Jerusha is working with the down-and-out druggies, the very dregs of society. A check isn't going to get her off Heather's mind. But it takes a direct sign from God (in this case, a kangaroo crossing the road) and the friendship of two delightful elderly women, one a Quaker, to get her life moving again in the right direction. As Anna wisely tells Heather: "...You'll find if you open yourself up to the possibility God is found in locales you've never imagined, you'll meet Him in all sorts of faces and places you never thought possible."
Some of the faces and places are downright dangerous. Heather discovers that it's one thing to risk your own life pursuing the things of God, but how far will she trust God with the child she loves the most?
Samson has a knack for interesting descriptions: a laugh that "sparkles like a sequined scarf" (she loves the word "sparkle") or Heather's friend Lark who "lives inside her anxiety like other people would live inside their underwear if it were made of fiberglass insulation but somehow can't imagine wearing anything else." Little nuggets of wisdom can be mined throughout. One of my favorites: "I once heard someone say that we only change when staying the same becomes even more frightening." Or this quote from Ghandi: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Laudably, Heather's changes don't happen overnight; rather, she takes baby steps to discover who she is meant to be. Samson's competent writing shines on every page, and her trademark quirky characters (who are nevertheless believable and not overdrawn) will delight readers. She also eschews the easy cliché, such as the over-performing mothers of Will's schoolmates who, on closer examination, may not be callous, just clueless.
And just as in her previous novel, STRAIGHT UP, Samson doesn't feel the need to tie up everything in a feel-good, happily-ever-after sort of ending. Life is messy, and as Heather discovers, even your best intentions and true remorse can't always change the past. "Sometimes life must remain fragile, and forgiveness, while always sought, cannot be achieved." In this, she learns her own need for grace and that she must extend it to others, even when undeserved. Readers will discover plenty to ruminate on in this absorbing novel.
--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby
Average customer rating:
- Captures the feeling of summer perfectly
- Very Special Book
- A Great Escape!
- Thoughtful gift item
- A book to lighten up your mood
|
The Summer Book
Susan Branch
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| U.S. Regional
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Special Occasions
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Seasonal
| Special Occasions
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
| By Climate
| By Plant
| English Gardens
| Essays
| Flowers
| Fruit
| Garden Design
| Garden Furnishings
| General
| Greenhouses
| Herbs
| House Plants
| Japanese Gardens
| Landscape
| Lawns
| Organic
| Ornamental Plants
| Outdoor & Recreational Areas
| Reference
| Regional
| Shade
| Shrubs
| Soil
| Techniques
| Trees
| Vegetables
| Weed & Pest Control
| Wild Plants
Similar Items:
-
Autumn from the Heart of the Home
-
Christmas from the Heart of the Home
-
Heart of the Home: Notes From a Vineyard Kitchen
-
Vineyard Seasons
-
Girlfriends Forever
ASIN: 0316106666 |
Customer Reviews:
Captures the feeling of summer perfectly.......2006-03-25
Susan Branch is a talented woman. Her cookbooks are beautifully illustrated with her drawings throughout. Her stories convey a warm sense of family and fun and will make you daydream about summer even in August.
Her recipes are simple and fairly easy to make and she leans heavily towards family friendly comfort foods with a little bit of pizazz. In fact, it is her ideas for presentation that make some of the recipes so special (the Bowl of Vegetables comes to mind...a simple twist on crudite that is elegant and delicious).
Those with picky children may find this book to be a surprising source of ideas (Lemon Linguini, Corn Salad, Lemon Chicken, Sweet Potato Fries, Kiwi Cups and Tortilla Roll-ups to name a few).
Her recipe for Crab Cakes is very good as is the one for Fish Tacos. Her recipes for vegetables are among her best; very simple and often quick ways to make vegetables special without drowning them in anything.
The Profiteroles recipe is my husbands favorite; the shells are simple to make and freeze very well. I love to make the Crostini for parties, the recipe is very flexible and all of the variations are a treat.
I love that she is not afraid to mix ideas and food and drawings and inspirational sayings all together in one book. You might not think that a quote from Gandi and a recipe for Jell-o shots could co-exist, but they do, and it works.
Very Special Book.......2001-11-05
This is a unique book, full of beautiful illustrations, easy to use recipes, quotes and ideas for making Summer a special season.
A Great Escape!.......2001-10-04
This is my all-time favorite book by Susan Branch! The recipes, the ideas, the personal stories all bring it home. When the dog-days of summer hit I reach for my copy and escape ~ she has so many ideas that don't take a lot of pre-prep. Her recipes are great (try the potato salad or the pacific coast peelers). A great addition to anyones cooking library and a must for those soon-to-be-brides! I have even given this book as a hostess thank you. You won't be disappointed!
Thoughtful gift item.......2001-01-05
I have both received and given this as a gift. Nice for bride to be, housewarming or summer birthday. Recipes, however, are average. Having tried many I found them to be nothing extra special. My best recipes are from other sources, mostly compilations from others' favorites. Cute presentation and gets one into the old fashioned summer spirit, but don't expect recipes you will return to over and over except for maybe a couple.
A book to lighten up your mood.......2000-07-15
When my daughter came back form her holiday in the USA 4 years ago, she brought this book for me as a present. It was in a "SURPRISE-PACKAGE" together with water-colored luminaries. Till now I haven't found such gorgeous things in Europe. I read this book every year at the beginning of summer and put myself into the mood. I feel, it comes from heart and goes to heart. It is so lovely, warming and caring. I wont miss it.
Book Description
Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.
Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing—and persistent—admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition . . . but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.
Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon—and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses . . . and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.
Download Description
"
Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband.So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.
Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing -- and persistent -- admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition ... but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.
Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon -- and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses ... and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.
"
Customer Reviews:
Gone With the Wind???.......2007-09-18
First off, let me say that I am a HUGE Lisa Kleypas fan. No one writes a self-made man with SCORCHING sensuality like this author. She is in a league with just a few other authors...(McNaught, Garwood, Quinn, Howard, and Putney).
With all that being said, this was not one of my favorite's.
First of all, I really felt like I do when I watch Gone With the Wind. Scarlett is a spoiled, materialistic, self-centered character. The heroine of this novel is the same way. I tried to like Annabelle, but until the last two chapters of the book, I could barely tolerate her. She was entirely concerned about status, wealth, and landing a member of the peer. Shallow is another word I would use to describe her. Kleypas writes that she is this way to save her mother and brother from financial ruin and exploitaton, but I just didn't buy it.
Just like Rhett is obsessed with Scarlet in Gone With the Wind, so is Simon Hunt with Annabelle. I get frustrated when great heros get obsessed with shallow women..it seems like such a waste of a good man. For the life of me I have no idea why Rhett loved Scarlett and I am perplexed why a great man like Simon Hunt would be so obsessed with a woman's beauty that he'd see past her character defects.
I definitely will read the rest of this quartet...(Autumn, Winter, and Spring), but the first book is definitely not a keeper for me...a true rareity with a Kleypas novel.
Powerful start to new series.......2007-09-11
Annabelle Peyton is one of four young women who are having problems finding a husband amongst the British nobility for varying reasons. The four women, Annabelle, Daisy and Lillian Bowman, and Evie Jenner become friends and call themselves the wallflowers.
Annabelle's father died and left her and her mother penniless and Annabelle without a dowry. Even though Annabelle is beautiful, men know that if her circumstances become desperate enough they can have her as a mistress instead of marrying her. The wallflowers begin to work together to find husbands but Annabelle situation is growing desperate if she doesn't find a husband this season it is unlikely she will marry. Simon Hunt, a commoner who found his fortune in the locomotive industry desires Annabelle but he doesn't plan on ever marrying. However, he will do anything to get Annabelle. Unfortunately for Simon, Annabelle loathes him. Although she cannot deny her attraction, something about the arrogant Simon infuriates her.
This was a wonderfully written book and Annabelle and Simon were intriguing characters. The villan was sufficiently creepy and the action quick paced. Great start.
Secrets of a Summer Night.......2007-09-03
ISBN 0060091290 - Not following too many of the generic rules of romance novels has worked for Kleypas, making her one of the few romance authors I would read from again of my own choice.
Since her father died, Annabelle and her family have fallen on hard times, financially, when she discovers that her mother has taken a different fall of her own - assuming the role of mistress to a pig of a man to help pay the bills. Annabelle feels the pressure of the need to marry well, which will save her mother from Lord Hodgeham and keep her brother in school. Landing a man with a title and money isn't just an issue of snobbery, it's a must. Her upbringing has taught her that she should marry a peer and her families dire straits requires that he be wealthy enough to help them. Unfortunately, Annabelle doesn't have a dowry and without a dowry, she's just a pretty face, more likely to end up someone's mistress than the wife of a peer. After almost 4 seasons without an offer of marriage, Annabelle's on the verge of becoming a spinster.
Decidedly not the right man, Simon Hunt is the son of a butcher. He's wealthy, but in the low-class way of having worked for it. Worse, he likes to talk about work and making money. Some of the peerage invites him to places he really doesn't belong, throwing he and Annabelle in each other's way. She admits she finds him attractive, but she's got her mind set on marrying a certain sort of man. And she has a plan.
As the season began to draw to a close, Annabelle found herself sitting with 3 other girls. They'd sat together often, watching others dance, but never spoken. One night, however, that changes and the four girls make a pact to help each other find husbands. They've all got their own reasons for ending up wallflowers: Evie's family is wealthy but common and the Bowman sisters, Lillian and Daisy, are American and a bit too rough around the edges. They're only accepted at all into society because their father is very rich. The four become fast friends and the husband hunting begins with Annabelle's plight, since she is oldest.
The story of the girls' friendship is given more ink than the usual romance novel drivel, which is a huge plus. The girls are funny and real and I hope Kleypas realizes, through the next three books, that the romance isn't nearly as interesting as they are and keeps them centerstage. Simon and Annabelle don't follow the standard romance novel pattern too closely, either, with no other man/woman thrown between them and no major misunderstandings to muddy up the romance. That alone makes this one worthy of a quick read.
One Terrific Read!.......2007-08-24
This story was so beautiful. I love the entire wallflower series, I only wished I'd read them in order! Once again Kleypas has outdid herself.
Kind of bland.......2007-08-21
I'm glad I didn't read this book, the beginning of the Wallflower series, first otherwise, I might not have read the other three. This book is a very slow start to an otherwise entertaining series. It Happened One Autumn is good, The Devil in Winter is amazingly written and Scandal in Spring is extremely entertaining. However, as much as I didn't really enjoy Simon and Annabelle's story, I did enjoy reading about them in the following books. All in all, a good series and if you've read this one first and didn't care for it, don't let it stop you from reading the following books. They're much, much better.
Books:
- Sybil
- Sympathy for the Devil
- The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner, Violin Book 1
- The Apocalypse Reader
- The Art of Howl's Moving Castle
- The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
- The Ayn Rand Cult
- The Ballad of the Sad Cafe: and Other Stories
- The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill: On Liberty, the Subjection of Women and Utilitarianism (Modern Library Classics)
- The Castle in the Forest: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation: Best Practices from the Leading Organization in Facilitation
- Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time
- PowerTalk!: Professional Series
- Microcosmos
- Nutcracker
- Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+: Your Insider's Lifetime Guide to Executive Job-Changing
- Molecular Modeling and Simulation
- Weiss Rating's Guide to Hmos and Health Insurers: Winter 2002-03
- Financial Accounting Practice Sets, Peachtree Edition
- Land and Agriculture: From Unced, Rio De Janeiro 1992 to Wssd, Johannesburg 2002
Sunrise (Sunrise Series #1)
Just Beyond the Clouds: A Novel
Forever (Firstborn Series #5)
Between Sundays
Family (Firstborn Series #4)
