Book Description
This novel, although not as well-known as Radcliffe's later works, is thought to represent her work at its best. More than just a work of suspense and mystery, it is a work of ideas--a discussion of the contrasts between hedonistic doctrines and a system of education and values.
Download Description
He approached, and perceived the Gothic remains of an abbey: it stood on a kind of rude lawn, overshadowed by high and spreading trees, which seemed coeval with the building, and diffused a romantic gloom around. The greater part of the pile appeared to be sinking into ruins, and that, which had withstood the ravages of time, shewed the remaining features of the fabric more awful in decay. The lofty battlements, thickly enwreathed with ivy, were half demolished, and become the residence of birds of prey. Huge fragments of the eastern tower, which was almost demolished, lay scattered amid the high grass, that waved slowly to the breeze.
Customer Reviews:
Amusement, sometimes mixed with irritation.......2007-07-15
I had very mixed feelings about this one- the story itself was sometimes very interesting, but there were also some really annoying aspects to it.
For one thing, Adeline (the heroine) is so excruciatingly perfect that sometimes I just wanted to slap her upside the head. She is stunningly beautiful, ridiculously intelligent, and on top of that, she never has anything less than an entirely virtuous motive for any action she takes (or lack thereof). Apparently Mrs. Radcliffe was not aware that pictures of perfection make most people sick and wicked, not sympathetic. On top of this, as another review pointed out, she cries at a drop of a hat. I am myself rather sensitive, but there were times that it got fairly ridiculous.
Another annoyance was that there were several hackneyed plot ideas that really shouldn't have been used- the worst being the tired device of a character suddenly being found to be of noble birth and great fortune near the end. I don't know why this is a popular plot twist, but it seems to add little to the story as a whole.
The third was the overuse of poetry and descriptions of scenery. Having read The Mysteries of Udolpho and The Italian, I thought I would be prepared for this, but there were times in The Romance of the Forest that I got so fed up that I skipped these parts to get back to the main story. I can understand a little bit here and there, but there were portions that it went on for several pages at a time.
So why have I given it a three, then? Because there were also several things that somewhat redeemed it. Peter, La Motte's servant, was a delightful character, and I thought it was very unfair of Adeline and La Motte (the latter especially) to constantly be belittling him since it wasn't his fault he was not very bright. La Luc was also an endearing character, as were Theodore and Louis. I also liked Madame La Motte because she was more of a mixed character than any of the others- she had both good and bed qualities, unusual in Radcliffe's works.
So all in all, I would say that though there were many frustrations, the novel was not with its charms as well.
Short and Sweet.......2007-01-09
The Mysteries of Udolpho is the best of the Radcliffe books, but I give this one 5 stars because it is still a very good read!
Romance of the English language.............2005-11-12
I didn't love this book with the fervent devotion I love her Mysteries of Udolpho or The Italian, you can tell it was one of her first. Radcliffe's writing improved immensely. I wouldn't start out with this book, read Mysteries of Udolpho first!
I am a die hard fan of Radcliffe's, this is another excellent and grand novel.
Ann Radcliff's First Success as Gothic Writer; Has Eerie Charms of Gothic, But Is Not Good Enough.......2005-10-15
Today Ann Radcliff is known for two thrilling Gothic novels -- 'Mysteries of Udolpho' (1794) and 'The Italian' (1797) -- but her talent was first recognized by 'The Romance of the Forest' (1791). 'The Romance' is now obscured by the more famous works, but can still offer some thrills common in the 18th-century Gothic world in its own way.
The narrative of 'Romance' is typically set in Roman Catholic Europe, and we see a family -- La Motte and his wife -- fleeing from Paris for debt. In the middle of the deep forest, La Motte is caught by the banditti (so he thinks). But the latter would not demand money; the ruffian instead brings a young, innocent girl Adeline, and places her under the protection of the family.
The episode above is just a beginning. Next we see La Motte et al. keep on running, until they decide to settle in a remote ruined abbey in France, of which owner Marquis is away from the estate. The deserted abbey provides them a good hiding place until Adeline realizes that something is wrong with the place -- there are a rusty dagger, a faded manuscript, a trap door, strange bahavior of La Motte, who daily vanishes in the woods, etc. And when finally Marquis arrives there in person, she must face another danger, typically Gothic situation for an innocent lady.
If you have read Radcliff, you find in 'Romance of the Forest' her distict touch here and there, which she was to develop in her later works. Besides the trademark tricks of Gothic fiction (which is to be parodied in 'Northanger Abbey'), we see Radcliff's obsession with the "sublime" landscapes, and her heroine is always allowed to escape from the dangers, only to frequently faint later. Lengthy poems are often quoated to express the sentiment of her and the writer, and the identities of some characters are revealed in the final act in order to solve the problems as rewards for the good.
Though Ann Radcliff has shown considerable skills of presenting thrills, the novel gets weaker in the third (and final) book, in which Adeline has virtually nothing to do. One strange thing is (from the viewpoint of us today, I mean) that portions of the third book are devoted to her travel, far from 'The Forest,' partly written as if it is a book of travel literature. And because of the too many characters rather carelessly introduced, the conclusion suffers from the complex (and often confusing) relations between them. So who is this sinister Marquis after all? Like the ending of 'Oliver Twist' the book explains too hastily, and you need to stop and think a while.
Good as it is, generally 'Romance of the Forest' is not regarded as Ann Radcliff's best, and probably it remains so in the future. And it even ceases to be a Gothic novel in the fianl section, in which the heroine, who should be in distress trapped in the distant castle somewhere in the Alps, leaves the dark forest far behind, and is allowed to look at the sunset in the sea and read a poem.or two. So if you want a genuinely Gothic version of Radcliff's novels, you should read 'The Italian' first.
Overly Sentimental.......2005-09-16
This book, which has decent plotline and some surprisingly twists and turns, ends up leaving a bitter taste in one's mouth after a while. The main protagonist Adeline cries almost every page she is one(not an exaggeration, she really almost cries on EVERY page). Also, though the coincidences and twists are sometimes very well-done and clever, they are so overused by the finale to become tedious and annoying. You begin to wonder how anyone could marry anyone since EVERYONE in France seems to be someone's long lost cousin or uncle. If you've read any of Edmund Burke's lengthly writings of the sublime, you will see it all over this book and it is about half of the endnotes. It is understandable why this was popular in its day but also will not appeal to a modern audience who will be far more critical of the female's over the top self pity. A great read for those who love the genre and a pain to read for everyone else, read Romance of the Forest only if you're willing to accept more instances of crying than there are pages in the whole book.
Average customer rating:
- really like Nicholas Evans
- Compelled to write a review A +
- Awesome Book! Nicholas Evans Can Write! A++++
- Hearts of Fire
- The most absorbing novel I have ever read
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The Smoke Jumper
Nicholas Evans
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0385334036
Release Date: 2001-08-21 |
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
New York born and bred, Julia Bishop has no warning that spending the summer counseling troubled teens in Montana will change her life forever. Happily in love with smoke jumper and musician Ed Tully, she looks forward to spending the summer weekends with him in Missoula and is stunned and disturbed by the instant connection she feels to his best friend, Connor Ford. Connor, a Montana rancher and smoke jumper, loves fighting fires almost as much as he loves photography, and before the summer is barely started, he loves Julia Bishop just as deeply. The bond between the three is strong but the work of a smoke jumper is fraught with danger and the trio soon face death by fire. Survival changes their lives forever and places them on paths that divide Julia, Ed, and Connor just as surely as their individual journeys bind them irrevocably together. The Smoke Jumper is a tale of loyalty and guilt, honor and selfless love, and the human cost of choices made. --Lois Faye Dyer
Book Description
The fire that was to change so many lives so utterly started with a single shaft of lightning. It struck a mountain ridge on a still and moonless night and nestled like a pupa of death in the desiccated heart of an ancient pine. There were witnesses no doubt to this sudden splintering of air and wood, but none that was human. The woman, camped nearby with her group of troubled teenagers, slept on and heard nothing.
She has brought them here by court order on a youth program to help them find themselves. But one among them will be lost forever. For soon the cocoon of fire will hatch to engulf the entire mountain and exact its deadly toll. And into this inferno will come ...
The Smoke Jumper.
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his closest friend, Ed Tully, an ambitious young musician. Julia loves them both but the tragedy on Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them and burns a brand on all their hearts.
With his blond, blue-eyed looks and laconic cowboy charm, Connor is the only child of a Montana rancher and a rodeo queen. Until that fateful day, he has been happy to spend his winters nurturing a career as a photographer and his summer vacations with Ed, “smoke jumping” — being dropped by parachute to fight remote forest fires.
In the wake of the fire, he embarks on a journey to the dark heart of human suffering, traveling the world’s worst wars and disasters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another fateful day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more....
After his two international bestsellers,
The Horse Whisperer and
The Loop, Nicholas Evans returns with an epic novel of love and loyalty, of guilt and honor. Moving from the towering wilds of the American West to the killing fields of Africa,
The Smoke Jumper is the story of three people’s quest for happiness and self-fulfillment, played out against the heroism of fire fighting in the wilderness and photojournalism at the edge of human experience — a mesmerizing adventure for the spirit, told in the grandest tradition.
Customer Reviews:
really like Nicholas Evans.......2007-04-02
The Smoke Jumper is another one by this author that keeps you on the edge of your chair, wondering how it will end. Its another stay up until 2 a.m. to finish it-type book. I have read 2 of his other books and really liked them as well.
Compelled to write a review A +.......2006-05-23
I read this book over 2 years ago. It is by far the best book I have ever read. I can still think back on the book as if it was a movie. If anyone is considering reading this book, I urge you to do so.
This is the kind of book that you will never forget!
Awesome Book! Nicholas Evans Can Write! A++++.......2006-04-15
I enjoyed this book from the first page until the last of it. Ed, Connor, and Julia were the three musketeers that made up the story. Ed met Julia early on in the book, and the two fell in love and planned to marry. Julia was a child psychologist, and Ed a musician. Ed always had serious diabetes problems, and throughout this book events will change their lives. Connor was a photographer, and interestingly, when he and Julia meet after she and Ed travel to Missoula Montana, Connor and Julia find an instant attraction to one another.
One of the saddest events of this book was about a child, Skye McReedie, who is lost, and her stepdad is very abusive to her. So she is a runaway, and gets into trouble with the law. Skye is then placed into a program called the WAY, for disturbed youngsters, or those that have been in trouble. Julia runs this group and does wonders with these kids. Skye is a bitter angry person, but Julia is finally able to reach out to her. Then something happens with one of the boys there on the campsite and Skye, and this frightens Skye and makes her run away again. But not without danger. A big fire starts there on a hot day in the campsite, and Julia tries to run after Skye and rescue her, knowing she is in danger with the fire. And unfortunately, as she tried to rescue her, or herself, Skye burns away. This was about the saddest part of the story, and Julia carries the guilt forever.
Life goes on though of course with the three of them, and Ed is sadly blinded after this horrible fire takes place. But that is not all coincidental; his diabetes played a big role in this. In spite of his blindness though, Ed is a happy man. He and Julia want a child of theirs after this happens with Ed, but of course, he is unable to biologically be a father. This is where Connor steps in, and after much careful thought, they have him be the sperm donor for their child. Julia finds herself pregnant shortly, and 9 months later she has Amy, a beautiful girl.
Amy is a delightful child who brings them a lot of joy, and loves Ed dearly. Ed's health continues declining as he goes into kidney failure and needs dialysis. This continues through the story.
Connor withdraws more and more, especially after making Amy possible, as he feels like he doesn't want to interfere and is not comfortable. So the friendship with he and Ed falls apart there. Connor goes over to Africa to be a smoke jumper there, mainly rescuing kids that were injured and held hostage there.
Sadly, Ed has a major heart attack, and he dies later in the story. Julia has an ambition to travel to Africa, so after she finds work there as a teacher for underprivleged children, she and Amy leave. They know Connor is there, and he doesn't even realize that Ed has passed on. her real motive is to try and find him there, which she does. And it is in the middle of a huge fire that they cross paths again. Connor rescues many people there, but unfortunately many die.
Julia and Amy along with Connor return to the states. Amy is traumatized for many months. Julia and Connor try to pick up the pieces and move on, which in time they do, and have the romance that was so meant to be.
This book would make a great movie no doubt. It is one of the best books I have read to date.
Hearts of Fire.......2006-02-18
Connor Ford is a beautiful loner with an enchanting talent for photography.
Ed Tully is an exburent musician with dreams of fame and fortune.
They're best friends and every summer they smoke jump with an elite group from Missoula,Montana. This one summer shall be one that either of them won't forget.
I loved the book so much. I felt like I was really seeing Montana,Bosnia,and the many reaches of Africa. Nicholas Evans used so much imagery that I actually felt like I was seeing the suffering that Connor photographed. All of the characters were well written and I felt that I was friends with them as well. I could almost hear Ed's laughter and bad jokes,see into Connor's pale blue eyes,and see the determination across Julia's face. The one thing that bothered me was the death of Ed. Why did he have to die? Every scene he was in almost made me laugh out loud. I loved him so much but I had a huge crush on Connor. I loved this book and I highly recommend it.
The most absorbing novel I have ever read.......2005-10-27
I have read this book several times and i have to say I dont ever get bored by it. One of the many things I find appealing about this book is the way you can relate to the characters on a personal level. The emotions are so vivid that when you read the book, you find feeling what the charcters feel. The stories depth holds no boundries. The author is not afraid to get a little sappy at times, most authors I find try to avoid this and I think it robs the characters of personality and even the readers sympathy towards the characters.
My favorite aspect about the book is that it is extremely easy to follow and read. I hate it when authors try to impress you by using uselessly big words and complex structure. Not that this makes the story uninteresting, but that I find them exhausting to read. You find yourself stopping on a regular basis to figure out what the hell is going on, but not in this book. Evans is able to draw a picture with crystal clear detail, so much so that you could believe your are there. At the same time, he is able to say what he needs to say without wasting time with complex language.
The first time I read the book I got so absorbed that I read it in two days. The book is filled with twists and turns that leave you itching for more. Ranging in settings that take you from the mountains of Montana to the jungles of Africa, this story will leave no reader disapointed.
Book Description
Deep in a forest of Regency England dwells The Forest Lord-and there he dwells alone. A living legend, the powerful Green Man of yore has but one chance to escape his forest prison and one hope for love-the very woman he has vowed to destroy.
Customer Reviews:
A bit below average for the genra.......2006-11-13
This is a typical fairy tale plot told in a pedestrian manner. The characters are rather flat. I found it disappointing having read and been impressed with one of the author's short stories.
Interesting Approach!.......2006-03-29
A lot of people say after reading one romance, you've read them all. Well, that isn't the case here. I haven't decided whether I'm going to read more books by Susan Krinard, but I was impressed with Krinard's imagination, and her rather novel storyline. She combines regency romance with fantasy, which makes for a very interesting read. More interesting than vampire human love stories, which start on a slightly deranged premise. Krinard also gets to the spirit of love, perhaps more than many other authors. The typical romance has characters whose appearances are stationary. In contrast, Krinard's hero, Hartley Shaw/Cornelius Fleming/Lord Hern transforms his physical appearances throughout. Eden, however, is able to recognize his form no matter his physical transformation. *Sigh.* Overall, a very interesting story.
THIS IS HOW I GOT HOOKED ON SUSAN!.......2006-03-25
ok get this, in all honesty this was an amazing book just because it was soo different. ok it has romance, but its not like your everyday, hum-drum ok they fall in love kind of book, it has more of a story behind it than most books. even though it has a half-god and half-human character in it, it draws from the reality and history of that time, it honestly transports you to that time, and place. she makes you believe that there was an actual event!!! ok sorry about my ranting but i do have to promote her were-wolf series!!!!!! ive read 4 and starting on my 5th, not to mention one thats in the mail!!!
Disappointing! A story in search of a conclusion. .......2005-09-18
For thousands of years, before humans inhabited the earth, an ancient race of magical beings, the Fane or Faerie folk, roamed free in forests and wooded places. With the coming of man, these creatures made themselves invisible, except to animals and others of their kind. There is a magical forest, situated in the north of England, surrounding the estate of Hartsmere in Westmorland. This enchanted wood is ruled and protected by Hern, guardian spirit of the Forests and youngest son of Oberon and Titania. Hern is of the Fane, a near immortal being. He is one of the last of the Elder Race to remain in the world of men and has grown weary of living among mortals. Longing to return to Tir-na-nog, the Blessed Land of his people, he seeks a way to leave the forest he has guarded so well for millennia.
The Fane have greatly diminished in number. To save themselves from extinction, each Fane had to steal or sire a half-human child to increase their population and strengthen their bloodline. Hern, the Forest Lord has not yet provided his people with such a child and is commanded to do so before he will be allowed to enter Tir-na-nog.
The Fleming family, who own Hartsmere, have prospered for generations. Their health, wealth and prosperity is due to an oath they swore "to protect the forest and all its inhabitants from the ravages of mankind." When Cyrus Fleming, Earl of Bradwell, trespasses upon protected ground and attempts to kill an enormous stag, he is forced to make a bargain with Hern who demands Bradwell give him his daughter or die a terrible death. Fleming agrees, but only if Hern wins his daughter's love.
Hern appears to Lady Eden as her distant cousin, Cornelius Fleming, and courts her with so much success that their union is consummated the night before the wedding ceremony. He then reveals himself to her in his natural, non-human, form and she flees in horror. He disappears having achieved his goal. Lady Eden is pregnant with his son. A marriage is quickly arranged for the pregnant Eden, not a difficult task as she is the belle of London's ton. When the child is born, Eden is told the baby died, and the same message is sent to Hern, who is now doomed to remain in the forest. Unbeknownst to either parent, the infant is sent to Ireland to live with foster parents.
Eden's husband turns out to be horribly abusive and dies of drink and dissipation five years after their marriage. She returns to Hartsmere an impoverished widow to find her estates in serious decline and her people starving. It is at this time that her boy is returned to her, mysteriously. When Hern learns he has been deceived, he comes looking for the child and revenge.
I initially had high hopes for "The Forest Lord." I loved fairy tales as a kid and this one, based on Celtic mythology, starts off in a refreshing and original manner; well written and well paced. Then I began to notice some serious discrepancies, especially in Eden's character description and development. The storyline takes a melodramatic turn for the worse about a third of the way through, which is where Ms Krinard began to lose me as an avid reader. Finally, and most annoyingly, the last half of the novel reads like a story in search of a conclusion. It takes forever and a day, across hill and dale, with repetition and predictability, for the happily ever afters to occur.
Susan Krinard is a good writer, but she does not demonstrate her strengths here.
JANA
Interesting and different.......2005-04-08
So often faerie plots wind up contrived adn silly; this one doesn't. It actually is very believeable. Eden is a midling sort of heroine; she changes and grows throughout the book and eventually becomes worthy of the title. But that comes at the end, so it hampers the story a bit. Hern/Hartley/Cornelius is superbly written, very strong, yet a touch vulnerable even as a Fane lord. The forklore is very well done as are several of the minor characters. Perhaps the wrong done is forgiven too easily, too quickly (except of course between the hero & heroine), but it's not much of a detriment. There are a couple of loose ends I'd like to have seen wrapped up. At the climax, I was crying so hard that I couldn't read the page. Not perfect, but an exceptional book well worth the read.
Average customer rating:
- Almost as good as Amelia Peabody
- The Continuing Adventures of Vicky
- Silhouette In Scarlet
- --One perfect rose and a ticket to Sweden--
- Normally I love E. Peter's books
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Silhouette In Scarlet: A Vicky Bliss Mystery
Elizabeth Peters
Manufacturer: Avon
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0380733374 |
Book Description
One perfect red rose, a one-way ticket to Stockholm, and a cryptic "message" consisting of two Latin words intrigue art historian Vicky Bliss—as they were precisely intended to do.Beautiful, brilliant and, as always, dangerously inquisitive, Vicky recognizes the handiwork of her former lover, the daring jewel thief John Smythe. So she takes the bait, eagerly following Smythe's lead in the hope of finding a lost treasure. But the trail begins at a priceless fifth century chalice which will place Vicky at the mercy of a gang of ruthless criminals who have their eyes on an even more valuable prize. And the hunt threatens to turn deadly on a remote island, where a captive Vicky Bliss must lead an excavation into the distant past—and where digging too deep for the truth could dig her own grave.
Customer Reviews:
Almost as good as Amelia Peabody.......2004-03-22
I am so glad that I went back to read this earlier Elizabeth Peters series. It is quite different in many aspects to the Peabody series but still features a strong central female character, some romance thrown into the mystery, and many red herrings and rather arcane information.
In this third entry of the series, Vicky Bliss receives an anonymous plane ticket and hotel reservation to Stockholm. She knows that the invite is from Sir John Smythe, introduced in the last book and her somewhat love interest. She goes to Stockholm, discovers what the mystery involves, is led to an island in the north of Sweden to follow up on some leads and most of the action takes place there. The mystery is interesting, the clues are available to the reader, there are plenty of red herrings to make it fun, and the ending is very satisfactory.
I guess there are only a couple of more in this series. I wonder if Ms. Peters will ever write any more or will stick with just the Peabody books?
The Continuing Adventures of Vicky.......2004-02-16
Vicky Bliss, an art historian now working at a Munich museum, is a bit frustrated with the dull, rainy late spring Munich weather. Life is a bit boring after some of her recent adventures but that changes when she opens a package containing a one-way ticket (coach) to Sweden, a two word Latin message and a single red rose. This has to be the work of the mysterious John Smythe so naturally Vicky is soon on her way to Stockholm. Others seem to be interested in her travel plans as well and Vicky quickly finds herself again involved in international intrigues of amazing proportions.
As with the rest of this series there are complicated intrigues, amazing conicidences, exciting chases and a cliff hanging ending all linked by Vicky wry observations on life and love.
Silhouette In Scarlet.......2003-10-02
I loved this Vicky Bliss Mystery and it is my second favorite of them all. Max,the boss, Leaf,the villian, and Sir John Smythe, the lover, all set the scene for this witty and interesting mystery. This story takes place in Sweden, where Vicky gets involved in a plot to dig up a field of tresure. Vicky meets vital characters in this story and it is not one to overlook.
--One perfect rose and a ticket to Sweden--.......2003-05-07
Vicky Bliss who works for the National Museum in Munich had enough of the rainy spring in Bavaria that May and was just hoping to take an early vacation to some warm and sunny place when the parcel arrived. It contained a crimson rose and an airline ticket to Stockholm. There was no note, only the words "WIELANDIA FABRICA" printed on a card. The package had no return address, but had been mailed from Sweden. Vicky instantly knew it had been sent by Sir John Smythe, her lover, and a wanted art thief who she knew she should never trust because John had let her down more than a few times. Vicky had not seen or heard from him in over a year, but she decided to use the ticket and find out what kind of a caper that John was currently involved with. Her suspicions were that he was seeking a Viking treasure.
SILHOUETTE IN SCARLET is the third book in the Vicky Bliss Mystery series and another enjoyable story by Elizabeth Peters.
Normally I love E. Peter's books.......2002-06-05
But this on fell a little flat. Still worth reading, but not as good as the first and second. Now working on the Third:)
I'll let you know what I think...
Angela
Book Description
Modern classic tells the compelling story of Rima, a strange birdlike girl of the jungle, and Abel, the European who falls in love with her. The book owes much of its popularity to the mystic, near-religious feeling that pervades the story and the beauty of Rima's halting, poetic expressions.
Customer Reviews:
mesmerizing and otherworldly.......2006-08-15
This is 1 of my favorite novels!!! WH Hudson's prose is very lush: he pulls you into the hypnotic South American jungle and reveals a strange unforgettable tale of adventure and romance ... so unlike today's stale and predictable "stories." This isnt an easy read ... you'll need lots of time to savor the prose. As others have noted, the ending is underdeveloped (and a disappointment). I dont often buy books, but this 1 is a keeper!!!
HUDSON'S OBSURE CLASSIC IS A JEWEL !.......2004-02-26
This obscure classic is a jewel!I first read it when I was about 10 years old, and I never forgot the love story of Abel, a political refugee from Venezuala and Rima, the last of a race of exotic, mystical, bird-like people.If I could rate Green Mansions past 5 stars, I would use all the stars in our universe to convince you to read it!
Romantic Naturalism.......2004-02-26
Hudson, a noted naturalist during the Romantic/Victorian periods, grew up in the wild Pampas, and this book reflects a fascination with nature that most likely began during his childhood. Themes of civilzation vs. savagery and the untouched beauty of the tropics vs. development are found throughout Green Mansions, but these issues are encased in a love story that holds notes of mystery, fantasy, and romanticism.
While the novel provides a good introduction to the naturalist writings of this period (and a much easier read than most of the more scientific prose being written at the time), I thought that the ending was not as developed as the rest of the book, in addition to being highly unsatisfying. The novel does, however, offer wonderful descriptions of the wild forests of the region, and develops fantastical characters, particularly in the case of Rima, the primary female character.
Romantic and Superiority.......2003-03-06
William Henry Hudson's novel Green Mansions is an exotic romance that takes place in the South American rainforest. The novel is written from the perspective of Abel, a young man who had to leave the city he was living in for political reasons. During his time in the rainforest he meets Rima, who he describes as a bird-like girl, and her grandfather Nuflo. Despite these two, Abel mainly interacts with the Indians with whom he was living before he met Rima and Nuflo. The Indians are mostly referred to as savages.
Green Mansions mainly focuses on the intimation of love and death, and the romanticism of nature versus the disturbing influences of civilization. However, Abel does not see any living creature during his stay in the rainforest as equal to him. He thinks of himself as superior to the Indians, Nuflo, and to Rima as well. He bases his sense of superiority on a better education, a greater intelligence, as well as a better physical condition. This sense of superiority is kept throughout the novel. However, his arrogance is one way to deal with his insecurity about many situations. Abel only seems to feel secure if he sees himself as superior to everybody else. This is the reason why he defines superiority based on the situation. Sometimes superiority is referred to as greater intelligence and in other cases as physical superiority. The way he uses superiority depends on the way it is easier for him to define himself as superior.
Hauntingly Beautiful Tale of the Rain Foest.......2003-01-31
I first read this when I was 13 or 14 and never forgot the story. I just reread it 40 years later while vacationing in Central America, the perfect place for a tale of the rain forest. The language is exquisite - not a quick read, for I wanted to absorb the beauty of the descriptions and details. I recommend this to anyone with an interest in nature, for it is not only a wonderful love story, but also a vivid description of the Venezuelan rain forest and its indigenous people.
Average customer rating:
- This rip roaring romance is a blast in the past!
- Delightful!
- time travel romance love story and chick lit at its COOLEST!
- Entertaining sequel to "A Connecticut fashionista at King Arthur's Court",
- 3 stars
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A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest
Marianne Mancusi
Manufacturer: Love Spell
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ASIN: 0505526743 |
Book Description
If Chrissie Hayward knew that morning she'd be going back in time to rescue her crazy coworker Kat, she'd have worn better shoes. Doubly so if she'd expected to meet her true love. According to the mysterious gypsy, Chrissie was the "gentle soul who would tame an outlaw's thirst for revenge" -- aka the real Robin Hood. So how come the guy was such a dud?
LOST...IN SHERWOOD FOREST?
No, Robin of Locksley was no Prince Charming. And the part about robbing the rich to feed the poor? He didn't get the memo. In fact, all the guy seemed to do was mope. (And he and his not-so-merry men thought Chrissie was a boy. Sure, she wasn't stacked, but still!) Nonetheless, he was loyal and brave and handsome as sin. If Chrissie coudl just get him with the program, she could right his wagon and get these boyz'n the wood to be heroes of the realm instead of twerps in tights. Only then could this prince of thieves become king of her heart.
Customer Reviews:
This rip roaring romance is a blast in the past!.......2007-09-18
Note: This story is written in the first person which works surprisingly well in this comical time travel romance!
This story returns to King Arthur's Renaissance Faire in Upstate New York (present day), the starting point for Kat Martin's journey to Camelot in "A Connecticut Fashionista in King Author's Court".
La Style magazine fashion photographer Chrissie Hayward is already irritated with the missing "Park Avenue Princess" when she receives a disturbing (and unbelievable) cell phone call from said coworker.
Kat claims to be calling from the future with her medieval boyfriend Sir Lancelot, and Queen Guinevere (due to the famous misunderstanding which was apparently caused by Kat's need for secrecy) and needs help getting back home.
Chrissie thinks she's being Punk'd especially when she finds Nimue (a time traveling gypsy from Avalon), at Kat's request, and is told she'd have to travel back in time to the point of King Richard's return to England and bring back a drop of blood from the Holy Grail to aid in Kat's return. The gypsy sends her with a message about love and an outlaw bent on revenge.
Chrissie arrives in Sherwood Forest expecting to find Ashton Kutcher and instead who does she find? Could it be? Robin Hood in the flesh?
It is indeed Robin of Loxley but he's far from the legendary version. Yes, he's incredibly handsome but all that business about stealing from the rich and giving to the poor hasn't crossed his mind and he thinks the idea of putting his neck on the line to defend the helpless is just plain crazy. Worse yet he thinks she's a boy!
Fortunately for him Chrissie's fully prepared to pull Robin up by his bootstraps and mold him into the man of the hour. What she isn't prepared for is losing her heart to him. After all she's on a mission and can't afford to be selfish. Then of course there's the fact that her idol thinks she's his latest merry man.
Poor Robin thinks he's gender confused until she finally reveals the truth. Although he is relieved that he's not gone crazy, a woman's betrayal had been responsible for his outlaw status, and another had broken his heart so he had formed a pact with his men that no women would be allowed into their camp. Can Chrissie trust a love that must be kept secret and what will happen when King Richard finally makes his appearance?
As we all know Prince John is just a puppet for the evil Sheriff of Nottingham who is not at all pleased with all this new distribution of wealth. His accomplice however may surprise you.
This story is a hoot especially when Chrissie is drawing on pop culture for their strategies or through some rather extraordinary magic Kat and Chrissie are dishing about their men and predicaments on their cell phones. And don't even ask about the ladies-in-waiting, it's just a little bit too much déjà vu for our erstwhile fashion photographer! For a rip roaring blast to the past I highly recommend A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest.
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews
Delightful!.......2007-07-07
Chrissie receives a strange phone call from Kat stating she's stuck in the future. Kat insists that Chrissie must speak to the gypsy fortuneteller. However, the gypsy doesn't just zap Kat back to where she belongs, instead the gypsy sends Chrissie back in time.
Chrissie makes the best of the situation. She's thrilled to come face to face with the notorious Robin Hood, until she realizes he isn't even remotely similar to the hero she's read about in books.
However, Chrissie is determined to shape Robin into the man he was meant to be.
Ms. Mancusi's Robin Hood tale at times had me laughing aloud with the hilarious banter between Robin and Chrissie. Her heroine is a strong take-charge woman who cleverly urges Robin and his Merry Men to be all they can be. The hero is strong and honorable, very likable and not afraid to consider Chrissie's suggestions. This is a delightful fast-paced chick-lit tale!
time travel romance love story and chick lit at its COOLEST!.......2007-05-26
i've read lots of time travel romances and rarely read chick lit, but i must say, the blending of these 2 elements by the author is unique, fresh, and wonderful!!
i won't summarize the story since the summaries are all here. Suffice it to say that i read the author's "fashionista" story (which was almost as good as this sequel) and the author blending the heroine going back in time in trouble with the fact that she can use the cel phone to communicate with her friend to discuss her man troubles (like in chicklit stories) is a nice supporting touch.
And i was surprised how the author turned this classic robin hood tale on its head with the edited addition of maid marion. How does the author resolve Robin's love of Maid Marion and his love for the heroine? well when you read about maid marion you know why!
and the author as everyone says puts robin hood at first in the not_so_heroic light when he first refuses to save a boy who would be punished bodily by the Sheriff for stealing food because his family's starving. And only the heroine stepping in to help moves Robin. But Robin improves when the heroine shows up and she encourages him to fight for the poor more and more and the poor look up to Robin and his merry men. And this sounds more realistic, esp. when Robin bans women from his merry band because of maid marion rejecting him once and another woman betraying them, so when he and Chrissie, the heroine, become intimate, he tells her sadly that he can't admit their relationship to the others because of his ban otherwise they'll turn to another leader, but this really turns off Chrissie as it would to any woman who wants her relationship acknowledged.
And i like the fact the author didn't make the heroine perfect. she's not a stupid innocent virgin and she becomes furious and reacts physically (smashes their love nest) when she thinks robin is still in love with maid marion just like a real you or me would have reacted even though we find out later robin has let go of marion and his love has grown for Chrissie.
and mancusi's books are SOOOO funny, always referring to teen angst, modern fashions/celebrities/situations with modern humor, so that we can understand exactly how we'd react in modern terms if we were in her shoes. in contrast to fashionista, hoboken's heroine is definitely a take charge type. You see this in the beginning when Robin thinks she's a man(because of how she's dressed) and challenges her to knock him off a log in water if she doesn't want to pay him his "tax". The heroine manages to use her gymnastics athleticism to knock him off and so he's surprised but liking her (as him).
DEFINITELY GREAT READING MATERIAL worthy of an award.
Entertaining sequel to "A Connecticut fashionista at King Arthur's Court", .......2007-05-05
This highly entertaining romp is the sequel to Mancusi's equally amusing novel, "A Connecticut fashionista at King Arthur's Court."
Ever since Mark Twain wrote the brilliant comedy "A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court" other writers and Hollywood have mined a rich seam of humour from copying the idea of someone from the writer's own time sent back to Camelot.
Some of these have been very good. One of my favourite comic songs is "Busy Doing nothing" which comes from the first film version of Mark Twain's book. Others have been less inspiring. (For instance the film "Black Knight" starts well but gets increasingly tiresome.)
Marianne Mancusi's two books are definately amongst the more amusing of the genre.
Both books starts in upstate New York in the early 21st century at a mock medieval event called "King Arthur's Fayre". The editor of top women's magazine "La Style" has sent an assoicate fashion editor and a photographer to the Fayre to research an article about how medieval fashions are influencing the latest styles.
They are a mismatched pair. The heroine of the first book, Katherine (Kat) Jones, is the associate fashion editor, a Park Avenue Princess straight out of "Sex and the City" complete with the $400 Manolo Blahnik shoes and killer Armani couture which she insists on wearing despite the fact that "King Arthur's Fayre" is being held in a muddy field.
The heroine and first person narrator of this book is the photographer, Christine (Chrissie) Hayward, who is of course the Hoboken hippie of the title. Unlike Kat she is enjoying King Arthur's Fayre - or would have been if Kat would stop bitching.
Kat manages to annoy a gypsy fortune teller who threatens to cast a spell on her. Nobody else takes this seriously, but a few minutes later Kat is watching a simulated joust when the lance breaks, and a fragment flies towards her and strikes Kat on the forehead, knocking her out. She recovers in Camelot ...
Chrissie wasn't looking in Kat's direction at that moment, and this book opens with her searching for the absent partner she assumes has skived off. Then her mobile rings ...
Spoiler alert: it's Kat on the phone, having found a way to speak from another time, and if you read this second book as far as the call, it gives away the surprise ending of the first book. If you are minded to try these books, I strongly recommend that you read "A Connecticut Fashionista" first and then tackle "A Hoboken Hipster" if you like it.
What one can say without spoiling either book is that Kat needs help to get home: she asks Chrissie to go back to the gypsy (who is actually a sorceress from Arthur's time in disguise) to ask for assistance. At first Chrissie thinks Kat is playing a ludicrous joke or has gone off her rocker, but she goes to find the gypsy. Next thing she knows, Chrissie is sent back to the time of King Richard the Lion-hearted to find an item necessary for Kat's return.
Unfortunately she arrives while King Richard is still being held for ransom in a dungeon in Austria. Prince John and the wicked sheriff of Nottingham are running the country. Then Chrissie meets Robin of Locksley.
Robin is not remotely as Chrissie has imagined him, but nevertheless she finds herself falling deeply in love with him. There are three barriers in the way of her doing anything about this. The first is that she is due to return to her own time. The second is that he think's Chrissie is a boy. The third is Maid Marion ...
The style in which the story is told is a delight, and it is a funny, entertaining romp. Strongly recommended.
3 stars.......2007-03-02
A cell phone plea from her friend, if she can be called that, sends Chrissie Hayward to a Ren Faire fortune teller. Her friend, Kat, is stranded in the twenty-second century with Lancelot and Queen Guinevere (From A Connecticut Fashionista In King Arthur's Court), and needs Chrissie to contact Nimue and get a rescue going. Nimue is more than willing, but she needs special ingredients, among them a drop of blood from the Holy Grail, which was last seen in the days of King Richard the Lionheart after he brought the cup of Christ back from the Holy Land. So, Chrissie finds herself sent back in time to Sherwood Forest where she encounters Robin Hood the first rattle out of the hat. On the plus side, he's more handsome than some of the actors who have played him. On the minus side, he needs to get a clue about what he's supposed to be doing. He and the Merry Men have not gone in for the robbing the rich to give to the poor; they just got the first part right. He also thinks Chrissie is Chris, an eunoch, thanks to her lean build and pants. Since women are banned from the camp, that's an advantage, to a degree. Chrissie is able to become one of the Merry Men and get them on fire to be the heroes she has heard legends about, but that only makes life more dangerous. She has no idea when Richard will return from the Holy Land and Chrissie needs to stay alive and keep her secret from the Merry Men, though Robin did find out and a romance was begun, until the King gets back. Then, she can rescue Kat and go back to the future. But, does she want to?
*** Despite the somewhat annoying use of the first person, present tense narration, this is a fun read. The characters, mostly, are somewhat as expected, especially after they wake up to their destiny, but there are subtle differences that make them Ms. Mancusi's own renditions. If you enjoyed the original Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court or Back to the Future, you'll like this. ***
Amanda Killgore
Book Description
BLACK SUN, a bittersweet love story, is about a forest ranger -- loner, iconclast, lover of the rugged life -- who falls for an utterly beguiling freckle-faced "American princess" half his age.
Like Lady Chatterley's lover, he initiates her into the rite of sex and the stark, hidden harmonies of his wild wooded kingdom and canyons. She, in turn, awakens in him the pleasures of loving and being loved. Then she disappears, plunging him into a gloom he can barely support.
"If the ending is sad and haunting, the book is not. It's a lyrical romance with the kind of passion and scenery that Abbey alone can conjure up." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)
Customer Reviews:
clunky, but enjoyable read.......2006-01-27
I tore through "Black Sun" in a couple days. I find Abbey's dialogue, both here and in his more famous "Monkey Wrench Gang," to be a bit clunky, but his nature descriptions are spot on.
The main character, Gatlin, is a ranger who works alone on a fire lookout tower in some unnamed western locale (though by the clues given it seems to be somewhere near the Grand Canyon). Gatlin's crisis: Can he leave nature for the love of a woman? For anyone enthralled by wild places, adventure, travel, or any other pursuit that supersedes relationships, this dilemma is remarkably prescient.
Readers looking for the curmudgeonly environmental polemicist Abbey in "Black Sun" will be disappointed. Readers can expect an easy read, beautiful nature descriptions, and a simple, tragic, poetically elegaic love story. Abbey never was very good at portraying the human condition. He regarded our species as a scourge on the landscape. But "Black Sun" is the most human book he ever wrote.
Wilderness and Loneliness.......2005-07-22
This is probably Edward Abbey's least political work, and the cranky old desert conservationist came up with a surprisingly emotional and bittersweet love story. The main character has escaped his painful past by taking up a very lonely job at a fire tower near the Grand Canyon, getting closer to nature and further from other people, as a way to battle his demons. He then unexpectedly falls in love with a younger woman who is working at the park, but can't figure out how to make her part of his lonely existence, which may or may not be bringing him true happiness. But in the end, he has loneliness forced upon him again anyway, as the girl disappears back into nature herself. One problem with this novel is the stilted interpersonal dialogue, which was never Abbey's strength, while he was even less adept at building a believable romance. But on the good side, this novel, based to an unclear degree on Abbey's true experiences, is a remarkably emotional exploration of the true loneliness that can be found when one communes with nature for the long haul, and how this loneliness can both lift and crush one's spirits. [~doomsdayer520~]
black sun.......2002-04-16
Beautiful, lyrical, magical - the best book Abbey ever wrote, in my opinion. I suppose many would argue the point, as Abbey doesn't address environmental issues at all, and the story is strictly a love story. But it is a wonderful story written in remarkable metaphorical prose - fantastic.
You can almost smell the great outdoors..........2001-10-31
An early Abbey work, Black Sun is a very good novel written in a style similar to John D. MacDonald only more alive, more real. Will Gatlin is much like Travis McGee, an imperfect fellow who has learned to live life on his own terms and makes no apologies for it. An entertaining read, this is one you won't want to put down until you've finished it.
An Edward Abbey Romance.......2001-09-30
I could not put this book down. All Edward Abbey lovers will be enchanted with this book. Those of you that skip it are missing out on an all time treasure. This book is an excellent way to distract yourself from the World Trade Center disaster.
Average customer rating:
- Three words - Uninspiring, slow, and unromantic.
- Don't Know What People See In It
- Really suspenseful
- The Stone Forest
- Don't Understand the Nay Sayers!!!
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The Stone Forest
Karen Harper
Manufacturer: Mira
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ASIN: 0778323242 |
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Stone County, Indiana -- a stunning landscape of rock quarries, caves and underground rivers -- is a place of unique beauty . . . and a place marked by an unsolved tragedy.
One warm night sixteen years ago, sisters Jenna and Amanda Kirk disappeared. Days later, Jenna was found wandering alone, with no memory of what happened . . . and no knowledge of her sister's fate.While the girls' mother spun the tragedy into political victory by becoming the state's first female lieutenant governor, Jenna became overwhelmed by nightmares and guilt. Now, desperate to uncover the truth about what happened that night, Jenna returns to Stone County.
But the family's Victorian home seems more of a haunting ground than a haven as Jenna begins to suspect someone is trying to frighten her away.To hurt her. And as memories begin to surface, Jenna is gripped by a growing fear about the place and about the people closest to her.
Because the labyrinthine caves of her childhood are hiding old secrets . . . dangerous, deadly secrets.And Jenna must face her own darkest terrors to expose a legacy of murder carved in stone.
Customer Reviews:
Three words - Uninspiring, slow, and unromantic........2007-06-12
Three words - Uninspiring, slow, and unromantic. This book was nowhere near as interesting as I'd thought it would be. I picked this one up at a Thrift store, and when I read the blurb on the back, I thought it looked fascinating, but it ended up being pretty darn boring.
The story at it's core was interesting enough, but while reading it, it just seems to drag on and on. The plot is low-intensity, slow-moving, and just generally lackluster. There was a ton of potential for the plot, but it never materialized. I just kept thinking: come on! something exciting needs to happen! For a book that in the end was mostly suspense versus a romance, the plot needed to grab the reader's attention better. The whole thing just seemed like a series of little, half interesting events.
The romance...what romance? The love story in this Romantic Suspense was only a small step above the romance in the one and only unromantic Lisa Jackson book I read. The whole romance is based on Jenna, and the fact that she's been in love with Mace since she was a kid, but Mace had been her sister's boyfriend. When she goes back home, he returns not long after because his father has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. There's no development to this pairing. For Jenna, she just loves him, period. That's all the readers get from her. For Mace, he comes back and he suddenly wants Jenna and a future with her. There's this line near the beginning where he thinks about how during the years he was away, his sister (Jenna's best friend) told him once that Jenna had a huge crush on him and he thinks to himself that the more he thought about that fact, the more intrigued he was by it. That's it. The so-called love between them is built with little contact or anything. They just seem to be in love. During the book, they hardly spend any time together. They kiss a few times, and spontaneously tell each other they love each other. It was boring as heck. I didn't believe for a second in their "love" and wasn't inspired by their store at all. It was stupid. It just very barely qualifies as a romantic suspense.
So all in all, there wasn't anything I found particularly interesting about this book. I couldn't wait to finish it. For something with such a good blurb on the back, the end product was a total let-down.
Don't Know What People See In It.......2005-04-09
I picked up The Stone Forest because I like romantic suspense and it looked interesting. It took me about two years to finally read it, and that should have been a red flag. I read a lot of books, and it can take me a while to get to a book. I like to finish anything I've started and try to give books the benefit of the doubt. I've read some pretty bad books and managed to finish them (The Wish Club by Stella Cameron is one - I could not believe that anyone would actually publish it with all the plot holes and cliched writing) However, I just could not get into The Stone Forrest. I made it as far as chapter five before I just peeked at the end to see whodunit. It was not at all surprising. The characters were just flat and did nothing to raise my interest in what happened to them. And the plot bored me. Seriously. I just did not care, and nothing the author did made any difference.
Don't bother with this one is my advice.
Really suspenseful.......2004-06-07
Real page turner. I read it one day. The plot is very well shown and the book is well written. Many people say that this book isn't worth your money but it is. The chapters flow right into another perfectly. By the end of the book you are shocked to find out who the kidnappers were.
The Stone Forest.......2004-02-25
This book was a real page turner, very hard to put down. It kept you guessing right up until the very end. Great book.
Don't Understand the Nay Sayers!!!.......2004-02-20
This book was totally awesome and I don't know why some gave it such poor reviews. It started a little slow but that isn't unusual. It kept me guessing about a number of things and couldn't put it down til I "solved" it!!!!!! I will definitely read more of Karens books!!!!
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- Wonderful & mysterious adventures with King Arthur's knights
- The Quest for the Holy Grail
- The Good Review.....
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The Light beyond the Forest: The Quest for the Holy Grail (Arthurian Trilogy, Vol 2)
Rosemary Sutcliff
Manufacturer: Puffin
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ASIN: 0140371508 |
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Sutcliff's Arthurian trilogy is definitely some of her better work. The
grail quest is the focus of this work, with several knights going their
separate ways to try and find it.
Many mystical and supernatural encounters are had along the way, as
the knights see if their religious qualifications are good enough for
them to succeed in their journey.
Wonderful & mysterious adventures with King Arthur's knights.......2004-01-25
I read this book when I was in fifth grade and I was thoroughly entranced with the tale of King Arthur's knights and their adventures as they searched for the Holy Grail. There are some unfamiliar words in the book, but the story is not confusing or hard to follow. However, the writing is somewhat dense and may leave some people bored. Though I loved this book when I was in fifth grade, I had a hard time re-reading it when I was older because I felt the writing was too slow.
The book mainly follows three knights of the Round Table on their separate searches for the Holy Grail, so each chapter tells about a different episode in one of the knight's quests. There are plenty of haunting and mysterious scenes here to intrigue anyone. One of the most beautiful parts of the story is the description of Sir Lancelot meeting Sir Galahad.
This book is the second in a trilogy; the first one is THE SWORD AND THE CIRCLE, which tells of how King Arthur comes to his throne and also includes many other Arthurian legends, such as Sir Gawain and the Loathely Lady. It leads up to the Quest for the Holy Grail, which is the story of this book. The last book in the trilogy is THE ROAD TO CAMLAAN which tells about the end of Camelot. All three books are very good re-tellings of the King Arthur stories, though I think this one is the best of the trilogy.
The Quest for the Holy Grail.......2003-01-09
The Quest for the Holy Grail
The Light Beyond the Forest by Rosemary Sutcliff had an extremely interesting plot. The reader follows the quest for the holy grail in four different characters. Sutcliffe jumps back and forth between the quests of Sir Percival, Sir Bors, Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot.
The time of the setting is in the medevil age. It takes place in many locations throughout the story. There are a few suspenseful twists that will keep you waiting until the end. Throughout the quest many conflicts appear between the characters and the grail.
Finally, I would recommend this book for 13+. Although it is not very long it can be confusing and hard to understand at times. This book is great for adventurous readers because of its plot and conflicts
The Good Review............2002-10-11
This story is about the many exciting adventures of a few of the main knights involved in the Grail Quest. It many follows Sir Lancelot, Bors, Percival, and Galahad. The stories tell of their journeys through unfamiliar lands, saving damsels in distress, and over all trying to find the Holy Grail the one thing all the knights' desire, but only one knight can recover it.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Although at times I was confused do to the ever-changing characters and story lines. Things I really liked about this book were the excitement in the adventures and the wonderful characters. I would most definitely recommend this book to all young adult readers who enjoy a great suspenseful tale.
My Book Review.......2002-09-25
The Light Beyond the Forest is a very "boring" story about knights that talk funny and have weird things happening to them. "Acts of God." Most of the time I didn't even think about the book while i was reading it.
The knights were from the Round Table in Camelot. If I rated this book I'd give it a 3 out of 10. ...If I were a knight I'd slice my hands, toung, and legs off before I read any other books in this series!
Average customer rating:
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Forest Folklore, Mythology and Romance
Alexander Porteous
Manufacturer: Hesperides Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Folklore & Mythology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mythology
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Botany
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Trees
| Plants
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1406796689 |
Book Description
Originally published in 1928, this is a fascinating and extremely comprehensive guide to forest folklore. It is not only concerned with English lore and mythology, but also that of Asia and Europe. A thoroughly interesting and informative book for anyone interested in where some of our beliefs and customs originate. Contents Include: FORESTS OF ELD - Archaean Forests; Primeval and Tropical Forests - Cosmogonic and Traditional Forests - FABULOUS FORESTS; Forests of Romance and Myth - FORESTRY - Ban Forests or Royal Forests - Early Forestry - The Moon's Influence - Ancient Foresters - Forest Customs - GROVES - Earliest - Druids - Classic Groves - MYTHICAL DENIZENS OF THE FORESTS AND WOODS - Spirit of the Forest - Witches - Fairies - Demons - Wood Spirits - Wild Huntsman - Wood Nymphs - TREES - Trees in General - Shadow of Trees - Trees as the Origin of Mankind - Worship of Trees - Transformations into Trees - Trees Preside Over Marriages - Trees Planted at Births - Arboreal Tribes - Burial on Trees - Funereal Trees - Elsbeer Tree - Christmas Tree - Genealogical Tree - Devil Trees - Guardian Trees - Abode Tree - Speaking Trees - Life Tree - Bull Oaks - Mythical Trees - Sacred Trees - Traditional Trees - Famous Trees - Curious Trees - Marvellous Trees - FOLKLORE - Fossil or Petrified Forests and Trees - bark of Trees - Leaves of Trees - Thorns - Spines - Prickles - Origin of Fire - Divination - Divining Rod - Wands - The Man in the Moon - The Yule Log - Forest and Tree Legends
Customer Reviews:
bucovina forest.......2001-04-26
this book is very important for my work (forest journalist)
how can i buy it?
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