Book Description
It all started when Douglas Adams demolished planet Earth in order to make way for an intergalactic expressway–and then invited everyone to thumb a ride on a comical cosmic road trip with the likes of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, and the other daft denizens of deep space immortalized in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Adams made the universe a much funnier place to inhabit and forever changed the way we think about towels, extraterrestrial poetry, and especially the number 42. And then, too soon, he was gone.
Just who was this impossibly tall Englishman who wedded science fiction and absurdist humor to create the multimillion-selling five-book “trilogy” that became a cult phenomenon read round the world? Even if you’ve dined in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, you’ve been exposed to only a portion of the offbeat, endearing, and irresistible Adams mystique. Have you met the only official unofficial member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus? The very first person to purchase a Macintosh computer? The first (and thus far only) author to play a guitar solo onstage with Pink Floyd? Adams was also the writer so notorious for missing deadlines that he had to be held captive in a hotel room under the watchful eye of his editor; the creator of the epic computer game Starship Titanic; and a globetrotting wildlife crusader.
A longtime friend of the author, Nick Webb reveals many quirks and contradictions: Adams as the high-tech-gadget junkie and lavish gift giver . . .irrepressible ham and painfully timid soul . . . gregarious conversationalist and brooding depressive . . . brilliant intellect and prickly egotist. Into the brief span of forty-nine years, Douglas Adams exuberantly crammed more lives than the most resilient cat–while still finding time and energy to pursue whatever side projects captivated his ever-inquisitive mind.
By turns touching, tongue-in-cheek, and not at all timid about telling the warts-and-all truth, Wish You Were Here is summation as celebration– a look back at a life well worth the vicarious reliving, and studded with anecdote, droll comic incident, and heartfelt insight as its subject’s own unforgettable tales of cosmic wanderlust. For the countless fans of Douglas Adams and his unique and winsome world, here is a wonderful postcard: to be read, reread, and treasured for the memories it bears.
Customer Reviews:
Not your average biography.......2007-03-31
Biographies are written every day, but not everyone deserves one (i.e. Hollywood talentless starlets, hairy 80s rock stars etc. etc.). Douglas Adams , on the other hand, is a right person in this case - he had it all - wit, talent and lust for discovery. While purely British slang and references will most likely be lost on European and American readers, there's still a lot of interesting facts about Mr. Adams in Nick Webb book. He's presenting Adams as an intelligent and very tactful man, not without his faults, but very interesting person nonetheless. I'm sure that Mr. Adams would've been proud of this biography.
A widely shared sentiment.......2006-06-30
It's a rare treat to find a book where every paragraph is a delight to read. And that's not counting the ones by Douglas Adams himself. "Wish You Were Here" is a testimony to a giant of a man - outsized in more ways than one. At over 196 centimetres, Adams was an intimidating figure. It's even more intimidating to encounter the breadth of his mentality. As Webb explains, Adams developed an incipient interest in science, became a proficient [if spendthrift] guitarist and learned just how final extinction is. He was a man attracted to new ideas, even to the extent of creating an Internet company that went beyond just being another dot.com. His personal interests were equally wide and intense. Given how soon after Adams' death this book was published, it's remarkably complete and sensitive to the survivors.
If he'd done nothing but HHGG, Adams would be fondly remembered. As Webb notes often, Adams was too inventive and broad-minded to be limited to a single theme. Still, when you start off by considering the universe, you can only scale downward. Webb, who has a fine humorous style of his own, follows the life and tribulations of Adams with careful attention. He understands, as a flexible publisher should, that the craft of writing and production schedules are an uneasy liaison. The legends of Adams ability to procrastinate are common, but Webb points out that Adams' desire for perfection in his craft was at least as strong as his receptivity to diversion. His friends were nearly as important as his writing, and a long, liquidy lunch was both pleasurable and intellectually stimulating. Webb's own discussions with his subject were as often about deep philosophical questions as about the business of publishing.
The author demonstrates how fervently Adams sought to have HHGG transposed into film. It's almost disappointing to note that no British firm was even approached to undertake the task. Given that the BBC-TV production was such a success, even though Adams himself felt disappointed in it, filming it there might have boosted the industry in the UK. Hollywood's special effects seemed to hold sway, even though BBC-TV's production was done with "old-fashioned" transparencies. That the film was made, even to mixed reviews, is one of the deep and tragic ironies of this account. Adams was unwilling or unable to perceive the vagaries of dealing with the Hollywood moguls. He wasn't a screenwriter - his first draft proved far too lengthy - and making the transition proved endlessly difficult.
Adams' legacy is enduring, as Webb notes in his conclusion. Answer any question with "42" and you will almost certainly be granted a smile of recognition. The conversation will turn to favourite scenes or characters. Hitchhiker's [and the placement of the inverted comma remains a subject of discussion] was a phenomenon. Such things don't easily fade away. Webb is to be congratulated for helping perpetrate the marvel of Adams, even if the image is a bit smudged. The author makes a sincere effort to trace the origins of his subject's thinking, but much of that remains anonymous. That Richard Dawkins was a strong influence is now a given, but other sources likely lie in Adams own reading regimen. It wasn't Dawkins who put Adams on to astrophysics, one assumes. Little shortcomings of this sort don't detract from the immense value of this work. Webb's skills as an author, and one with such affinity for his subject more than overcome whatever might be lacking. It's a tribute to Adams, his circle of friends and to all us readers alike. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Telling the Good & the Bad..........2006-02-08
In 1965, at the age of twelve, he was so taken with the boys' comic, 'Eagle,' and Dan Dare, an intrepid space pilot whose origins lay in the fighter aces of WWII; week by week, he would fight to save the universe from evil. His major work published in 1979, THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, grew out of that fascination.
First, it started as a radio series in March, 1978, in England which evolved into a stage production by the Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool. It was published in October, 1979, with an initial run of 60,000 copies, which sold instantly. Pan Publishers "reprinted and reprinted again, then again. Within three months the book had sold a quarter of a million units, the first hundred thousand in only four weeks, and it had been number one in the 'Sunday Times' paperback bestseller list since publication. It was reviewed everywhere. Philip Oakes interviewed Douglas at length in the all-important 'Sunday Times' and it was an instant success."
It became a cult phenomenon read around the world. It "proves mathematically that there is nothing in the universe. If the universe is, as many cosmologists believe, infinite then any quantity; no matter how chunky, divided by infinity tends to zero. Confusingly there are many different varieties of infinity recognized by mathematicians, and many physicists believe that the univrese is finite but unbounded, a counter-intuitive notion" which demands further pondering. This is just the thing Douglas enjoyed discussing.
Written by the former editor of Pan Books, a good long-time friend of Douglas Adams who received his first Golden Pan for one million copies sold of the book in 1984, the same year he created a computer game of "Hitchhiker's Universe." A series of "universe" books followed, the trilogy being THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE (1980), LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING (1982), and SO LONG, AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH (1984). In 1994, an unabridged (6-hour) Talking Books version of all the "Hitchhiker's" novels was issued by Isis. "Douglas reads them himself with great panache." He also created another computer game, 'Starship Titanic.'
"Of life, the universe and everything, it's life such as extraordinary predicament of matter. As far as we can tell, it's hugely outnumbered by inanimate material. Einstein said that the greatest mystery of the universe is that we can comprehend it." He was a fan of the rock music groups of the 60s. In the photo section, he is shown with his collection of twenty-four left-handed guitars and playing one of them with Pink Floyd's group on his 42nd birthday.
He especially liked Procol Harum's "Grand Hotel" and "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (one of my favorites which dominated the singles charts in 1967). In 1996, he declared, "I have loved Gary Brooker and Procol Harum ever since nearly thirty years ago when they suddenly surprised the world by leaping absolutely out of nowhere with one of the biggest hit records ever done by anybody at all ever under any circumstances. They then surprised the world even more by suddenly turning out to be from Southend (England) and not from Detroit as everybody thought."
Douglas died in May, 2001, in California where the movie was in the works. "It is an irony too obvious to labor that the film is once again on the stocks and looking more probable than at any moment in the last twenty years." Finally, in 2003, even after a quarter of a century, a fine tribute was paid to THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY when it was "selected by the British public as one of its all-time top one hundred reads in BBC TV's 'The Big Read; indeed it was in the top ten. This book is as fresh today as when he wrote it so painfully all those years ago."
Kevin Davies was more than a fan. Not only did his timely intrusion help Pearce Studios with the graphics contract, he produced the props for the ill-fated Rainbow Theatre show and was closely involved in the creation of THE ILLUSTRATED HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. He also produced and directed THE MAKING OF THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. The movie was filmed by Disney/Spyglass Entertainment productions with the Jim Henson Workshop designing the robot; released in 2005 starring Martin Freeman (Adams had wanted Hugh Grant) and a large cast -- a fitting tribute to the author. He was listed in the credits as a producer.
Wish you were still here.......2005-08-22
I have read every book published under Douglas Adams' name. I read WISH YOU WERE HERE because Douglas Adams (DNA) is one of my favorite authors and I feel that his death is a tremendous loss to the art of the written word. But unlike most his devoted readers, my favorite DNA novel is THE LONG DARK TEA TIME OF THE SOUL. I have read it more times than I can count. Why?
During my life as student, I was compelled to study systems theory. The systems theory developers have a very long tradition of being terrible writers - making systems theory much more complex than it should be. I struggled though reading Parsons, Pinus and Minihan - among many others. When I became a college professor, I did my best to clarify systems theory to my students. It was at that time; I read THE LONG DARK TEA TIME OF THE SOUL and learned that Dirk Gently employs an ecological systems model in his search for the truth. I had an epiphany. My mind became clear and I was able to explain systems theory in a coherent manner. DNAs' language and application of this theoretical framework enabled me to become a more effective professor. In the early days of email (circa 1987-89), I emailed DNA to explain how I was employing his novel in the classroom. I was absolutely shocked. He replied to me and wanted more information. His email was a real thrill!
Webb does a excellent job of drawing a picture of the creator of Dirk Gently, Ford Prefect, and Zaphod Beeblebrox (among others). I enjoyed and was quite surprised to learn about Adams' approach to writing. As a reader, his writing appears to be an effortless joy, but he struggled to write. The effect of his father on his writing and lifestyle was both intriguing and insightful. The reader will immediately recognize the admiration that Webb has for Adams and become acutely aware of the pain the author feels with Adams' departure. I deeply miss him also.
Lastly, I fear that the publisher is doing a very poor job of marketing it. I only learned about WISH YOU WERE HERE because it was given to me as a gift. I hope that Amazon will use their data base to let SF readers know about this fine biography.
..........2005-05-24
It's such a shame that Douglas Adams left this world before his time. Perhaps he would have decided that an autobiography on his life would be a good idea. Because while, without one, we can get by on books like "Wish You Were Here" by Nick Webb, nothing quite replaces Adams' own voice.
Webb writes the biography as well as can be under the circumstances. He has obviously gone to a lot of work interviewing and getting information from the people Adams worked with, was friends with, and knew growing up.
Read "Last Chance To See" first, for a first hand account of some of Adams' adventures (plus, it may just be his best book!)... then pick this up to read. The breadth of the information is astonishing.
Average customer rating:
- Cute story but...
- Classic cozy!
- cat mysteries
- Postcards from the Grave...
- Wish You Were Here
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Wish You Were Here (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
Rita Mae Brown
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Rest in Pieces (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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Murder at Monticello (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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Pay Dirt (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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Murder, She Meowed (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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Cat on the Scent (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
ASIN: 0553287532
Release Date: 1991-10-01 |
Book Description
Curiosity just might be the death of Mrs. Murphy--and her human companion, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen. Small towns are like families: Everyone lives very close together. . .and everyone keeps secrets. Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town-until its secrets explode into murder. Crozet's thirty-something post-mistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, has a tiger cat (Mrs. Murphy) and a Welsh Corgi (Tucker), a pending divorce, and a bad habit of reading postcards not addressed to her. When Crozet's citizens start turning up murdered, Harry remembers that each received a card with a tombstone on the front and the message "Wish you were here" on the back. Intent on protecting their human friend, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker begin to scent out clues. Meanwhile, Harry is conducting her own investigation, unaware her pets are one step ahead of her. If only Mrs. Murphy could alert her somehow, Harry could uncover the culprit before the murder occurs--and before Harry finds herself on the killer's mailing list.
Download Description
Curiosity just might be the death of Mrs. Murphy and her human companion, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen. Small towns are like families: Everyone lives very close together... and everyone keeps secrets. Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town—until its secrets explode into murder.
Crozet's thirty-something post-mistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, has a tiger cat (Mrs. Murphy) and a Welsh Corgi (Tucker), a pending divorce, and a bad habit of reading postcards not addressed to her. When Crozet's citizens start turning up murdered, Harry remembers that each received a card with a tombstone on the front and the message "Wish you were here" on the back.
Intent on protecting their human friend, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker begin to scent out clues. Meanwhile, Harry is conducting her own investigation, unaware her pets are one step ahead of her. If only Mrs. Murphy could alert her somehow, Harry could uncover the culprit before the murder occurs—and before Harry finds herself on the killer's mailing list.
Customer Reviews:
Cute story but..........2007-08-16
I liked the story very much; however, I didn't like the language used in the book. I would not recommend this book. There's no reason the author has to have her characters use such language. Literature (even cozy novels) should set a good example, not stoop to gutter language. I'll stick to reading "The Cat Who..." novels.
Classic cozy!.......2007-04-11
Fluff in its purest form, this is definitely a cozy read. And even though I did have it all figured out, it was still compelling enough for me to read because I liked the characters (though I admit my favorites were the animal characters). Nothing earth-shattering or deep, but cute. A good book to read when you really don't want to have to think - just enjoy a good story.
cat mysteries.......2006-11-04
my favorite cat mytery books. love this author. own all of the cat who book written today. great shipping, and weel packaged
Postcards from the Grave..........2006-06-03
In the 1st installment in the Mrs. Murphy and Tucker Mystery series, we meet Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry), Mrs. Murphy (a tiger cat) and Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi). Harry is recently divorced and a postmistress in Crozet, Virginia, which is a very small town. She has grown up there, and finds it difficult adjusting to life as a divorcee' in such a small town. Half of the town is on her side, the other half on the side of her ex, Fair Haristeen, a beloved local vet. It also doesn't help that Harry is constantly seeing Boom Boom Craycroft, the other woman who broke up her marriage. But working in the town's post office with her pets each day does offer its own diversions. One such diversion is reading post cards...something Harry has always done. When 2 prominent business people are killed after receiving graveyard postcards reading "wish you were here", Harry realizes there is a pattern to the killing. And when a good friend receives one, Harry springs into action to stop the killer in his/her tracks.
This is a great series! I will admit that it took me awhile at first to get used to all of the nicknames in the book (there is a large cast of characters, but most show up in each book), and to the animals having a part in the dialogue. In this series, the animals talk to one another, and try very hard to help their humans understand. The cats think that humans are inferior to themselves, as they can speak human and cat while humans cannot. I find that very amusing! (I swear cats can laugh at us!) After getting used to the dialogue from the animals, and the nicknames, I have quickly begun to adore this series.
I have become a big fan of this series, and enjoy the banter between the animals. The relationships between the members of the town have been evolving, and I like the way that Harry is loved and embraced by the people who have known her all of her life. She works hard, cares for her animals, and genuinely cares for the town and its residents. I look forward to future books in the series, and am hopeful to see more of a potential love interest for Harry in future installments.
The next book in the series is called "Rest in Pieces". Enjoy!
Wish You Were Here.......2005-08-22
A lot of fun to read and the animals are delightful. Once you get started it's hard to put this book down. Each book in this series offers a new and interesting plot even with the same characters. Well written and I'll read more of them.
Book Description
Rita Mae Brown and her inseparable co-author, that fabulous feline Sneaky Pie Brown, are together again in this triple-threat collection of mystery and manners, southern-style. In fact, the first three novels in the Browns' Mrs. Murphy bestselling mystery series are reprinted here in their entirety. Whether you are already familiar with the detective work of postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her tiger cat Mrs. Murphy or are new to the team, you are sure to be intrigued by their unique approach. It's murder with a touch of whimsy, all set in the cozy hamlet of Crozet, Virginia. Meet Harry's friends, neighbors...and suspects--folks like notorious society vamp Boom Boom Craycroft in Rest in Pieces, or the nice Miranda Hogendobber in Murder at Monticello, and get a good taste of Brown's wickedly observant take on manners below the Mason-Dixon line. Cat lovers, mystery aficionados, and anyone who might like an armchair visit to a delightful old town down South, is sure to enjoy these witty, cleverly-plotted tales of suspense.
Customer Reviews:
Great book! I especially like the animal communication........2007-05-21
This is a great book. Well written and an easy read. I think this book would be great for all ages, teen and up, who likes a good mystery. The animals communicate with each other and with other animals throughout the stories. You definately want to read the books in order, though. One story refers to the ones before it. All in all, I'm glad I bought them and am looking forward to finishing this one and getting the next book of 3 stories in the series.
get the mrs murphy story from the beginning.......2006-08-22
the first three mrs murphy storys all in one edition at a bargin price
3 Great Books Together!.......2006-06-03
In "Wish You Were Here", we meet Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry) and Mrs. Murphy (a tiger cat) and Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi). Harry is recently divorced and a postmistress in Crozet, Virginia a very small town. She has grown up there, and finds it difficult adjusting to life as a divorcee' in such a small town. Half of the town is on her side, the other half on the side of her ex, Fair Haristeen, a beloved local vet. It also doesn't help that Harry is constantly seeing Boom Boom Craycroft, the other woman who broke up her marriage. But working in the town's post office with her pets each day does offer its own diversions. One such diversion is reading post cards...something Harry has always done. When 2 prominent business people are killed after receiving graveyard postcards reading "wish you were here", Harry realizes there is a pattern to the killing. And when a good friend receives one, Harry springs into action to stop the killer in his/her tracks.
In "Rest In Pieces", the animals once again play a huge role in solving a murder. The main character, Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry), along with her two animal friends Mrs. Murphy (a gray tiger cat) and Tucker (a corgi) lead the way. When newcomer, Blair Bainbridge, rolls into town a lot of folks in Crozet, Virginia believe that trouble rolled in with him. The handsome bachelor turns many female heads, and Harry tries to convince herself that she has sworn off men since her divorce. When pieces of a dead body are found on Blair's property, tongues start to wag. And when more pieces of the body are discovered during the Harvest Ball, a tragic event from Blair's past comes back to haunt him. Has this "Yankee" brought murder to this sleepy small-town?
Having just finished reading the first book in the series, I admit it was much easier for me to follow the dialogue between the animals in this second installment. At first, I had a difficult time following the discussions between the animals, as it adds to the already large cast of characters. However, I adore the way the animals speak to one another! Their antics are charming, and I find that it adds a lot to this great series.
The mystery had me guessing until the end. Normally, I am able to figure out the mysteries pretty quickly (as many cozies give a lot of clues), but I was surprised at the ending. This is a great series, and I look forward to reading the extensive collection of books by this author (and Sneaky Pie, of course!).
In "Murder at Monticello", a body has been discovered in the slave quarters of the home of Thomas Jefferson. Since Jefferson has been dead for 170 years, it is impossible to question him about the man found dead from a blow to the dead. And when another recently murdered body is discovered, it becomes apparent that someone wants the secrets that have been buried with the body to remain so. Coming into question is the practice of slavery, and the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had been rumored to have fathered a child by one of his slaves, and it appears that the man found murdered may have been also been involved with one of the slaves. The citizens of Crozet band together to prove that their beloved Jefferson had nothing to do with the murder or cover-up, and while doing so they unearth secrets that have been hidden in the town for over a century.
I have become a big fan of this series, and enjoy the banter between the animals. The relationships between the members of the town have been evolving, and I like the way that Harry is loved and embraced by the people who have known her all of her life. She works hard, cares for her animals, and genuinely cares for the town and its residents. I look forward to future books in the series, and am hopeful to see more of Blair as a potential love interest for Harry.
If you like the KoKo and Yum Yum series by Lilian Jackson Braun, give this book a try. Enjoy!
Lighthearted and fun!.......2004-08-15
This is a great introduction to the Sneaky Pie Brown series, especially if you are like me and absolutely HAVE to read a series in order. These are really fun, quick reads. The cats and dog have some serious attitude, and the citizens of Crozet, VA are people you would want for neighbors and friends, other than the odd murderer inhabiting the tiny town. To a certain extent, these stories are similar to that old show Murder, She Wrote, because you just wonder how Harry constantly becomes involved in murder investigations in an otherwise peaceful town. You would think people would start avoiding her to save their own lives. I only gave it four stars because the mysteries are too easy to figure out!
On my top ten list!.......2004-08-06
Oh gosh, I don't even know how to start. I picked up Claws and Effect, a later book in the series, at my school's library last year and within minutes of starting it I was gobbling it up! I mean, murder, southern gentry, small-town gossip, and talking animals!!!! HOW GREAT CAN LIFE GET!? AND the dog is a CORGI *I am a considerably HUGE corgi fan* Written with wit and whimsy, Rita Mae Brown is my third favorite author. I am currently finishing "Murder She Meowed" (I read them all out of order) and it is my favorite Mrs. Murphy mystery yet!!! Hilarious! A MUST READ!!!
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful Pictures, But Lacking Other Useful Information
- Nothing But Nostalgia
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Wish You Were Here: A Tour of America's Great Hotels During the Golden Age of the Picture Post Card
Barry Zaid
Manufacturer: Crown
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Binding: Hardcover
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Release Date: 1990-10-17 |
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Pictures, But Lacking Other Useful Information.......2002-09-09
When I picked up this book, I was hoping for something with a bit more historical information about the lovely cards Zaid has managed to assemble within its pages. In his introduction, he includes *some* information about Curt Teich & Company, which produced most of the cards in the collection, but I finished the book wanting more--either about the hotels themselves or the other card manufacturers of the era or (preferably) both.
Instead, the book seems to be nothing more than a study in self-indulgence--an excuse for Zaid to show off his lovely collection of cards. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as most of the cards really are a treasure to look at. Nevertheless, as a reader, I wished for something a bit more educational than I usually get while standing at the boxes of old cards at a flea market.
Therefore, I think Zaid would have benefitted from either a *narrower* focus in his construction of the book (perhaps featuring *only* cards from Curt Teich & Company and including a bit more about the cards he chose to present) or else a *wider* focus (with more information about the hotels depicted on the cards and the other manufacturers of cards of the era).
It's clear from certain things Zaid says in his text that he has done lots of research in this field. I simply wish a bit more of it had managed to filter down into his text. Nevertheless, it *is* an lovely book of very attractive postcards and is great for enthusiasts of "the golden age of the picture post card."
Nothing But Nostalgia.......2000-07-25
This is a book without intellectual pretension. It makes no attempt give any literary import to the postcards that the author has chosen to display here. It is a book about nostalgia.
For me, nostalgia takes two forms; a feeling of fond remembrance for those things in my past which are no longer accessible to me for whatever reason, and a feeling of nostalgia for things that I wish I could have experienced. These feelings are coupled with a tinge of sadness. This book of hand-tinted postcards of hotels, motels, and inns of the 30's, 40's, and 50's brings up both kinds of feelings.
Many, but not all, of these places no longer exist in their original form. Most are probably gone. Some have been remodeled and changed to a degree that they are no longer recognizable, and a few do remain, still looking as they've always looked.
This is not an easy book to review in the traditional sense of reviewing, so I am taking a "been there, done that" approach. I think that's a fairly logical approach for any "nostalgiac." (Like that word? I just made it up.)
Page 45: Hotel Muelbach -- Kansas City: I grew up about 60 miles from Kansas City and on several occasions visited The Muelbach with friends or family. One of the things that I remember most was a lobby decorated in deep maroon hues. I still associate that look with what I think opulence ought to be. I'm sorry The Muelbach's gone but thankful for this postcard from Zaid's collection.
There are other places that bring back memories, particularly the various lodges around Glacier Park that are included in the illustrations. The last time I was in Glacier Park in Canada, these lodges had remained unchanged. I hope that they continue to do so.
There are well over a hundred of these hand-tinted linen postcards illustrated in this book. I can almost guarantee you that if you put a copy of WISH YOU WERE HERE on your coffee table, most of your guests will gravitate to it, pick it up, and engage in exactly the same kind of reminiscing that I've done in this review.
Product Description
Piano/vocal arrangements with chord symbols. Features: Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-IX), Have A Cigar, and Welcome To The Machine and more.
Customer Reviews:
Its Floyd! Of course its gonna be good........2006-10-01
That being said, I do agree with the reviewer who complained about the songs not being in order. But the Roger and David interview and all the awesome pictures in it, make it all worth it.
Wish You Were Here is my favorite album and its awesome to be playing my favorite songs. Buy this if your a guitar player(and a Floydian) and you won't be dissapointed.
Good content, sub-par construction.......2004-09-09
The tablature is decent, although there are some mistakes as with all tab books.
My main complaint is that the book itself is falling apart (it is brand new and unabused). Pages are falling out which makes playing & reading/flipping pages simultaneously very difficult.
There is a good interview with Roger Waters at the beginning, as well as period photographs, which are always a nice addition.
The songs are not printed in the order they appear on the album, but since the pages are falling out, I suppose you can rearrange them any way you wish.
Overall, this is a very good note-for-note transcription of one of Gilmour's greatest achievments.
Good Book.......2003-03-03
I reaaly thought this book was helpful to see the masters art better
NOT guitar tab.......2002-10-21
This is not mentioned in the book info, so I'll say that it's the Piano/Vocal edition. As Piano/Vocal editions go, this one is great, usually the piano part will have the vocal part in with the piano writing, but in this book they are kept seperate.
The only thing missing are the guitar solos, which are virtually nonexistant except in Shine On You Crazy Diamond (which even then loses a few instrumental parts)
but it's a very good book to use to make your own arrangements.
Shine on..........2002-03-20
This is easily the best tablature book I have EVER come across...and I've seen and used quite a few. The very complete and precise notation of some of pink floyd's best work was done with great attention to detail. the pictures are great and capture a great time for the floyd. if you like Pink Floyd you will love this book. it's worth it just for the wish you were here tab....priceless!!!
Average customer rating:
- mixed
- A great read
- The Guy Can Write
- Got insomnia? Here is the cure.
- Wish I were back at the bookstore about to blow $14 on this book
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Wish You Were Here: A Novel
Stewart O'Nan
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Classics
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Contemporary
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Literary
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Family Saga
| Genre Fiction
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ASIN: 0802139892 |
Amazon.com
A deep, poignant study of a family fighting its inner demons awaits in Stewart O'Nan's Wish You Were Here. A year after the death of her husband, Emily Maxwell gathers her immediate family together at their summer home on Lake Chautauqua in western New York for a final sendoff and to dole out keepsakes before the new owners move in. Joining Emily is her daughter, Meg, fresh from rehab and upset over her imminent divorce, and Meg's children: the emotionally unstable Justin, and Sarah, a teenage beauty learning to use her charms. Ken, Emily's fortyish slacker son, and his wife, Lisa, also bunk down for the week, bringing along their two kids: the troubled Sam, and Ella, a plain, smart girl who finds herself with a crush on her cousin, Sarah.
O'Nan has a gift for voicing the inner fears that motivate and stifle us, and his characters move and act as members of a polite society--a family even. Yet each is distinctly alone, with voices and turmoil raging inside. The tension between the characters is keenly drawn, and O'Nan perceptively captures the snippets of thought and memory that follow us around. Ken notes "he assumed more than he knew, not only about the world--whose workings would remain closed, forever a mystery--but even those closest to him." Emily, while preparing dinner, finds her late husband's bottle of scotch, and imbibes:
She went to the window over the sink and held it up to the light, long now and mote-struck, casting shadows under the chestnut, firing an amber glow in her hand.... She looked around the kitchen again as if she'd forgotten something but couldn't find what it was.
Wish You Were Here is an excellent character study of a family grudgingly plodding forward while believing the best chance for happiness passed by sometime ago. --Michael Ferch
Book Description
Award-winning writer Stewart O'Nan has been acclaimed by critics as one of the most accomplished novelists writing today. Now comes his finest and most complete novel to date. A year after the death of her husband, Henry, Emily Maxwell gathers her family by Lake Chautauqua in western New York for what will be a last vacation at their summer cottage. Joining is her sister-in-law, who silently mourns the sale of the lake house, and a long-lost love. Emily's firebrand daughter, a recovering alcoholic recently separated from her husband, brings her children from Detroit. Emily's son, who has quit his job and mortgaged his future to pursue his art, comes accompanied by his children and his wife, who is secretly heartened to be visiting the house for the last time. Memories of past summers resurface, old rivalries flare up, and love is rekindled and born anew, resulting in a timeless novel drawn, as the best writing often is, from the ebbs and flow of daily life.
Customer Reviews:
mixed.......2007-09-07
i loved this while i was reading it. his writing is great, the dialogue perfect. he captures those unspoken dramas that define the way a family funtions. you relate to it and feel the pressure of the passing of time, so slow, especially on the rainy days. you feel that claustrophobia. my only disappointment was by the ending. i was waiting for some small change - the book jacket promises a rekindling of love - and that never happens.
A great read.......2006-09-25
This book follows the week in a the life of a family, who are at their cottage on Lake Chautauqua, NY for the last time. The patriarch of the family died the previous winter after a long illness and the matriarch decided to sell the camp--and no one stopped her (not even her sister-in-law, whose family owned the camp). O'Nan takes us day by long day through the family vacation--brothers and sisters and cousins and nieces and nephews and aunts and mothers and mothers-in-law and estranged husbands and dead husbands. The whole lot of it.
You know how it is. You've been trapped into these yearly family things that everyone dreads and yet trudges to nonetheless. You know the lure of nostalgia, the childish desire to have everything stay as it once was, to never change. And you know how when you are back as a group with your siblings, you all fall into those familiar roles again.
With this book you walk through those sad pages of your life when things are coming to an end, changing. When you realize that you have not trapped your childhood or your children's childhood in amber. People die. Things change. Bridges are erected which obscure a once lovely view.
What's brilliant about this book is that you are completely sucked into these seemingly mundane days (oh! When it rains and you're all crammed inside the camp. The strange sulfur smell of the water. Taking long car trips to tourist destinations when all you want to do is be alone with your book) and you actually feel the claustrophobia of the situation. And you feel too the sad hope of some of the people that this week would never end and for others that it would hurry up and end.
Nostalgia. We live for it. We live with it. Some of us live nostalgically each day, wishing to have the light on the floor back from the morning, much in the same way does the son, Ken--always looking to find the perfect shot, the right moment to capture before they all slip away.
The Guy Can Write.......2006-08-11
This is the third and by far the longest O'Nan book I've read. As with the first two, this book is written beautifully. O'Nan definately has chops as a writer and each sentence is crafted with competancy. This being said, Wish You Were Here leaves something to be desired. In this case depth and satisfaction, which seems an odd thing to say about a book of this length. All the characters have interesting aspects to their lives that could have been fleshed out to a more satisfying conclusion. But O'Nan chooses to leave all issues unresolved. This may be because he seeks realism in his work and the truth is that a lot of life is unresolved. So if a reader is looking for escapism or (Geez, I hate this word but here goes) closure, he would be wise to look elsewhere. If the reader want a slice of life that rings very true and is well delivered, than this book may be a worthwhile venture.
Got insomnia? Here is the cure........2006-06-06
Worst book I've read in a very long time. There is no story. Don't wait for it, as I did, slogging through 500 pages. If you randomly chose three generations of people and put them in a cabin for a week and then read their diaries, it would be more interesting and probably more cohesive than this prescription-strength sleeping pill. I'm just glad these people sold their cottage so I won't run into any of them at Chautauqua!
Wish I were back at the bookstore about to blow $14 on this book.......2006-06-05
This is the book that makes you wonder why zero stars isn't an option.
Endless and needless battles with ants in the mailbox. Chapter after chapter, unacted upon longings of one cousin for her female cousin. Continuous attempts to decide what kind of set up would make a good picture. A could-be murder thrown in for absolutely no reason. Exhausting descriptions of everything from loading a dishwasher to how to fold toilet paper so one assures he's wiped well.
What does this all have to do with this book? Absolutely nothing except without it, the story would have taken about 50 pages rather than 500 plus.
This book had every right to be a great novel. It's set in a beautiful location, there's a great idea in the one of a widow and her family going to visit their lake cottage for the final time. Yet, the characters aren't developed, don't grow from page one to 500 one iota and the reader wonders why, if the family hates one another so much, they've vacationed together for 20 years, let alone want to keep the cottage in their family for future use.
Emily, the widow, her sister-in-law Arlene, who I wonder why doesn't have control of the cottage in the first place, since it's been in her family and Emily just married into it, and Emily's children, Ken and Meg, Ken's wife and four grandkids go to Chautauqua one last time to divide all the loot in the cottage... don't worry, before the 500-plus pages are over you'll know every last trinket in the place.
Meg, going through divorce and a former boozer now pot-head, is apparently the only person with the spine to ask about keeping the cottage everyone else seems to want to keep. She folds when mom offers to pick up the tab for her bills for her and Meg decides that's good enough, she'll tell the folks about it -- over the phone -- after she gets home to Detroit. She goes back to her bag of pot. Ken, who either lacks the talent or energy to take a picture, spends most of the book looking through a lens to get a good shot. Ken's wife, who the author can't decide whether to call Lise or Lisa, spends most of the book talking to herself or under her breath and competing for Ken's attention from the camera and his sister. All the kids are treated like dirt. One's a thief, one seems to be a lesbian, one is a wuss and the other will soon be a tramp. Rufus, the dog, who is probably the most redeeming character of the whole tale, is also treated like garbage.
In the beginning, we load up our cars and head to the Lake. In the middle, we eat, get the runs and visit some landmarks and fight with ants. In the end, we load up the car and head home.
This book is terrible. I finished it because I thought something had to be resolved. It wasn't.
Book Description
As unofficial matchmaker for beautiful Abrigo Island, Zoe Cash practices her own form of no-risk romance. And when Yeager Gates arrives in town for a little R & R, Zoe decides that he'll be her latest project. But the secure world Zoe's created for herself is turned upside-down when she finds herself falling for the sexy fighter pilot.
Yeager's flying days might be over, but spending time on Mother Earth with tantalizing Zoe is putting him back on solid ground. Yeager makes no secret of the fact that his island stay is temporary, but when the time comes will he really be able to leave Zoe behind—for good?
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2006-07-25
This was a great book. It had a wonderful plot, good characters, and beautiful descriptions. I only had one problem with it.
The two characters, Yeager and Zoe where a bit repetative. Their relationship stayed the exact same for about 6 chapters. They would start kissing etc. Then all of a sudden they would stop, ingore each for a few days then it would start again. This bugged me because the book became some what boring and repetative.
Thankfully it picked up after that little part. Overall it was a wonderfulu ubook and I would recomend it to anyone whos loves a great romance story, or just needs that comfort of a great book.
I would classify it as 4 and a half stars.
I really prefer her later books.......2005-05-06
This was not one of my favorite Christie Ridgway books. I much preferred The Thrill of It All and Do Not Disturb. I found the push pull tension between sisters Zoe & Lyssa and their intended men, Deke & Yeager to be tedious. I had to force myself to continue reading to the end. I also did not feel either couple had much chemistry together.
Zoe and Lyssa run Haven House on Abrigo, an island town off the coast of California. Both have survived the untimely death of their parents and Lyssa's leukemia soon afterwards. Lyssa is a five year leukemia survivor and ready to live her own life. Zoe takes comfort in the safe haven of the island and refuses to leave it for any reason. Since the tragedies that befell them in the past always took place away from the island, Zoe feels that Abrigo is the only place where they will both be safe and together.
Deke returns to the island to assist his friend and colleague, Yeager Gates' recovery from a motorcycle accident that has effectively ended his career as an astronaut and currently left him blind. Deke is also there to refurbish his late uncle's house that he had visited in his childhood and last visited with his then-wife, who deserted him there during their honeymoon.
Lyssa is attracted to Deke at first sight, insisting they are soul mates. Deke insists that at age 43 he is much too old for her. He is also guarding his heart which has been broken since the break up of his long ago marriage. Zoe is attracted to Yeager but she feels he would never be with her if he was not blind and saw that she is not like the glamorous women he was frequently photographed with in magazines as a celebrity. I also had a hard time buying their union.
I guess I was spoiled reading her later novels first.
A wonderful surprise........2004-12-03
When I got this book, I figured it would be good. So far I have not read a book by Christie Ridgeway that I have not liked. I fell head over heals for Yeager and Zoe. Deke and Lyssa were a treat as well. I liked the twist of Yeager's blindness and how he was when that changed. It put a diferent spin on their story. They had a deeply emotional story that kept bringing tears to my eyes. I savored every page of this book like the best chocolate. I liked the setting, that island was magical and I would not mind visiting it myself if it really exists. Really, I cant say enough. Read it and you will understand.
Three, Two, One... BLAST OFF!.......2003-08-27
I LOVED this book. I read it in one day (not easy to do with two small kids). I laughed, I cried, I could NOT put this book down. Highly recommended. You won't be disappointed.
WOW! WOW! WOW!.......2003-06-24
I loved this book. There are actually two sets of characters you will fall in love with. It's face-paced, humorous, tension-filled, a great read!
Book Description
When Toot goes off to Borneo, cousin Opal comes to visit Woodcock Pocket to keep Puddle company. But just before returning home, Toot gets stung by a bee and comes down with a case of the Violet Virus! With determination and persistence, Opal discovers the only cure for Toots ailment: tea made from the purple Slimecap Stinkhorn. Will Opal and Puddle be able to help Toot return to his piggy pink color? Of course! Read Toots postcards from Borneo, and see how Opal and Puddle save the day in this the latest book in Holly Hobbies New York Times bestselling Toot Puddle series.
Customer Reviews:
Becomes more endearing with each reading.......2005-11-07
This is the first Toot & Puddle book I have read, and I am charmed. The characters are lovable and eccentric, depicted in vivid watercolor paintings that are simultaneously funny and gorgeous. The story is delightfully quirky, and, unlike many other books for this target age range, the language is not dumbed down for the reader. I am now a new Toot & Puddle fan - looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Book Description
Yosemite: The Cycle of the Seasons is a magnificent collection of photographs which celebrate the beauty of this majestic landscape. Each of the four seasonal portfolios present the Park in all its glory; from the world famous landmarks to the subtlety of intimate details. In addition to the work of many of America's finest landscape photographers it also provides the reader with evocative poetic texts which accompany the seasonal portfolios and an excellent essay which will provide the reader with an overview of the Park's natural history. This newly revised edition of Yosemite: The Cycle of Seasons is part of Sierra Press' award winning Wish You Were Here Book Series. Each title in this series provides enticing suggestions of what first-time visitors may expect to experience and vivid memories to those who have already visited the Park.
Customer Reviews:
3 Great Books Together!.......2006-06-03
In "Wish You Were Here", we meet Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry) and Mrs. Murphy (a tiger cat) and Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi). Harry is recently divorced and a postmistress in Crozet, Virginia a very small town. She has grown up there, and finds it difficult adjusting to life as a divorcee' in such a small town. Half of the town is on her side, the other half on the side of her ex, Fair Haristeen, a beloved local vet. It also doesn't help that Harry is constantly seeing Boom Boom Craycroft, the other woman who broke up her marriage. But working in the town's post office with her pets each day does offer its own diversions. One such diversion is reading post cards...something Harry has always done. When 2 prominent business people are killed after receiving graveyard postcards reading "wish you were here", Harry realizes there is a pattern to the killing. And when a good friend receives one, Harry springs into action to stop the killer in his/her tracks.
In "Rest In Pieces", the animals once again play a huge role in solving a murder. The main character, Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry), along with her two animal friends Mrs. Murphy (a gray tiger cat) and Tucker (a corgi) lead the way. When newcomer, Blair Bainbridge, rolls into town a lot of folks in Crozet, Virginia believe that trouble rolled in with him. The handsome bachelor turns many female heads, and Harry tries to convince herself that she has sworn off men since her divorce. When pieces of a dead body are found on Blair's property, tongues start to wag. And when more pieces of the body are discovered during the Harvest Ball, a tragic event from Blair's past comes back to haunt him. Has this "Yankee" brought murder to this sleepy small-town?
Having just finished reading the first book in the series, I admit it was much easier for me to follow the dialogue between the animals in this second installment. At first, I had a difficult time following the discussions between the animals, as it adds to the already large cast of characters. However, I adore the way the animals speak to one another! Their antics are charming, and I find that it adds a lot to this great series.
The mystery had me guessing until the end. Normally, I am able to figure out the mysteries pretty quickly (as many cozies give a lot of clues), but I was surprised at the ending. This is a great series, and I look forward to reading the extensive collection of books by this author (and Sneaky Pie, of course!).
In "Murder at Monticello", a body has been discovered in the slave quarters of the home of Thomas Jefferson. Since Jefferson has been dead for 170 years, it is impossible to question him about the man found dead from a blow to the dead. And when another recently murdered body is discovered, it becomes apparent that someone wants the secrets that have been buried with the body to remain so. Coming into question is the practice of slavery, and the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had been rumored to have fathered a child by one of his slaves, and it appears that the man found murdered may have been also been involved with one of the slaves. The citizens of Crozet band together to prove that their beloved Jefferson had nothing to do with the murder or cover-up, and while doing so they unearth secrets that have been hidden in the town for over a century.
I have become a big fan of this series, and enjoy the banter between the animals. The relationships between the members of the town have been evolving, and I like the way that Harry is loved and embraced by the people who have known her all of her life. She works hard, cares for her animals, and genuinely cares for the town and its residents. I look forward to future books in the series, and am hopeful to see more of Blair as a potential love interest for Harry.
If you like the KoKo and Yum Yum series by Lilian Jackson Braun, give this book a try. Enjoy!
Books:
- Wuthering Heights (Collected Works of Emily Bronte)
- A Little History of the World
- A New Owner's Guide to West Highland White Terriers (JG Dog)
- American Government (Cliffs Quick Review)
- As I Lay Dying
- Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist
- Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galapagos Islands: An Identification Guide, 2nd Edition
- Blues by the Bar: Cool Riffs That Sound Great over Each Portion of the Blues Progression
- Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment
- Christine Falls: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
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Last Chance to See
Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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