Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: Why Your Romantic Relationship Isn't Working, and How to Fix It

Book Description

Bestselling author Philip Van Munching and psychotherapist Dr. Bernie Katz team up to show readers

* how even our earliest childhood experiences dictate our relationship choices,

* how the unconscious elements of our personalities both attract and repel the people we become romantically involved with (often at the same time!)

*why breaking up is hard to do

* how to use this insight to fix their relationships

Dr. Katz's 25+ years of experience as a couples therapist informs this book, while Van Munching's solid sense of humor and conversational style brings readers a relationship book that is warm, funny, fascinating and readable.

Customer Reviews:

I AM MY PARENTS CHILD.......2007-04-10

Easy read. Just like the authors suggested, you cannot get away from how your parents interactions both as a couple and as a parent affected you. You can instead take this thought provoking journey, recognize and do something about the "ahhhas" to stop the generational pull toward the negatives and identify the postives. Truly defines "you" are uniquely you.

Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: Why Your Romantic Relationship Isn't Working, and How to Fix It.......2007-04-06

I bought this for my daughter. I also got a second copy for myself. I have not been able to start reading it, but I was intrigued by interviews the author gave. I am looking forward to enjoying it soon.

Support for those that are looking for it........2007-03-28

An excellent book. Well written and hits home to a lot of 'family of orign' issues. I facilitate a 'divorce recovery' program and gave a copy to each person in the group. It helped them in identifying their part in the broken relationship better. It also allows them to not blame as much as to take responsibility and work for increased personal growth.

Ellen.......2007-02-26

This is a fun self-help book that enables you to laugh at yourself while learning so much about your relationships with others. I related to the book and the author's advice on every level. Anyone interested in this book should also check out Van Munching's last best seller: "Boys Will Put you on a Pedastal, so They can look up your Skirt." Another incredibly written advice book that hits the nail on the head.

Excellent, readable advice.......2007-02-22

This is one of the best relationship books I've ever read. It is filled with information, advice, tips for good relating, but all conveyed in the most readable style. I couldn't put it down. I'm going to make my boyfriend read it, too.

The Heidi Chronicles: Uncommon Women and Others & Isn't It Romantic

Average customer rating:

Stories we all know, told by a master
Plays are for performance
Heidi Chronicles and other plays
Exceptional Growth Process of the Author

The Heidi Chronicles: Uncommon Women and Others & Isn't It Romantic
Wendy Wasserstein
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679734996
Release Date: 1991-07-02

Book Description

The graduating seniors of a Seven Sisters college, trying to decide whether to pattern themselves after Katharine Hepburn or Emily Dickinson. Two young women besieged by the demands of mothers, lovers, and careers—not to mention a highly persistent telephone answering machine—as they struggle to have it all. A brilliant feminist art historian trying to keep her bearings and her sense of humor on the elevator ride from the radical sixties to the heartless eighties.

Wendy Wasserstein's characters are so funny, so many-sided, and so real that we seem to know them from their Scene One entrances, though the places they go are invariably surprising. And these three plays—Uncommon Women and Others, Isn't It Romantic, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Heidi Chronicles—manage to engage us heart, mind, and soul on such a deep and lasting level that they are already recognized as classics of the modern theater.

Customer Reviews:

Stories we all know, told by a master.......2005-02-15

Wendy Wasserstein is truly a master of contemporary theater. This collection, anchored of course by "The Heidi Chronicles," attests to this fact. Although I agree with the other reviewers that plays are meant to be seen, Wasserstein is literary enough to be enjoyed just if you sit down and read it. She is brilliant without being verbose, intellectual without being cumbersome, and witty while retaining a level of respectability. Truly a treasure of American culture.

I will most address "The Heidi Chronicles." Hands down, it is my favorite play ever. Of course, you don't know me from Adam, so I will extrapolate. The character of Heidi Holland is so likable, and so compelling simply because she is so unremarkable. She is an Everywoman, which seems unappealing unless you understand how rare it is for playwrights to create an Everywoman. Playwrights typically write for men, women are usually afterthoughts in plays. I know this from experience as an actress (kindly don't hold my profession against me, we can't help our attention whoring and really we are quite intelligent as a group). In Heidi Holland, we all can find a personal truth, something that has not existed in female characters in theater. Up until very recently, they have been complete charicatures or waifish ingenues. Wendy Wasserstein revolutionized the theater, and her Pulitzer is well deserved.

Of course, one can go on and on about signifigance, but that does not necessarily make the play enjoyable. I assure you, this one most definitely is. Wasserstein has a sharp wit a la Oscar Wilde, only more natural and less affected. The characters in this play are people that I promise you, you know. Another brilliant thing which is really lost in reading it but you can pick up on if you read the stage directions is the multiple casting. It's this beautiful idea where the extraneous characters are played by the same two actresses, giving this sense that throughout your entire life, you keep seeing the same people. So very very true.

I recommend this play to theater lovers, book lovers, women, men, people, animals, anyone with the ability to understand language. You will enjoy it. Another author who you might enjoy is Binnie Kirshenbaum. She is a novelist, not a playwright, but her work seems somewhat similar to Wasserstein's. Her latest novel "An Almost Pefect Moment" is absolutely fantastic, totally compelling. Both authors deserve your time and attention. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Plays are for performance.......2001-12-22

The Heidi Chronicles is a fabulous play that so many "open the door for yourself" women can relate to. However, this as well as all of Wasserstein's plays miss the point if they are only read. The true nuances in the text lend themsleves to being performed. Without seeing the play performed, you still do not have a true grasp of the story.

Heidi Chronicles and other plays.......1999-12-23

Heidi is the girl we all want to grow up and be or for our daughters to grow up and be. She has the strength of character that in no way makes her sacrifice charm and romance. A head turning, thought-provoking, ideal story for all of us. It is something we can achieve even if life passes us a hard lot. This shows that life can be fun at any age.

Exceptional Growth Process of the Author.......1999-10-09

Having read this book, I can certainly understand why Wendy Wasserstein has made an established name for herself. The three plays are a testament to Ms Wasserstein's talent, with each play exhibiting more insight and depth. Would love to see these plays performed.

Average customer rating:

Charming
The perfect romantic comedy
Perhaps More Like 3½ Stars.
Flows like a classic Lombard-Gable film
Ron Hansen can write in all genres

Isn't It Romantic?: An Entertainment
Ron Hansen
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

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

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0060517670
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Book Description

Touring America was Natalie's idea. But she had not planned on being accompanied on a cross-country bus by her playboy fiancé, Pierre. Nor had they anticipated being stranded in Seldom, Nebraska, population 395.

But that is exactly what happens to this French couple, and they quickly find themselves being taken in by the obliging citizens of Seldom: Natalie by Mrs. Christiansen, a retired high school teacher who runs a rooming house for women, and Pierre by Owen, a gas station owner and ambitious winemaker in an unlikely part of the world.

And here, also, the separated couple becomes enchanted by the locals. Natalie is soon being wooed by Dick Tupper, a handsome and honest rancher. Pierre falls quickly for Iona, a beautiful, no-nonsense waitress at the local diner.

In this charming entertainment, mistaken identities, botched schemes, and hilarious misunderstandings abound as Parisian sophistication collides with the affability and simple pleasures of the Great Plains.

Customer Reviews:

Charming.......2006-05-22

Mr. Hansen usually gives us books with a bit more texture to the story, but I cannot complain about that since this book is utterly charming. It is a sweet, romantic story about a young French pair who, while working out their relationship, and on a bus tour of the US (the kind that takes you to see the home of the Maytag washer), end up in a lovely little town of nice, tho eccentric Americans. Sound hokey? It doesn't matter. This book will bring a huge smile to your face and make you want to sing.

The perfect romantic comedy.......2006-03-14

Isn't It Romantic? would make a terrific romantic movie. It's a fun, quick read, full of twists and a bit of slapstick. It's a thrill to find such a wonderful writer, who usually writes more serious stuff, turning his hand to this finely crafted little novella. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a little romance, a lot of laughs, and a satisfying wrapup of all the loose ends.

Perhaps More Like 3½ Stars........2005-08-05

I was really excited to read this little novella. It's rare, but every once in a while, I really crave a good, entertaining romance story, and I particularly prefer the well-written ones that are almost literary. Anyway, a romance novel written by Ron Hansen seemed like it would his the spot. I've read Hansen's Mariette in Ecstasy, and I knew he could write, and I thought that his effort at writing would be an overwhelming success.

I was mostly right. I read the novel for what it was, an entertainment, and I enjoyed it, for the most part. The plot follows two Parisians, Natalie and Pierre, who are engaged but who are considering calling off their marriage. Natalie impulsively takes off on a trip to America, sort of hoping to get away from her fiancé for a while. Of course, Pierre tracks her down in the tiny Redding, Nebraska, and confronts her about their future. And that's the big question of the novel. What's going to happen to this feuding couple? Are they going to marry? Are they going to hook up with someone else? Are they going to go off in their own ways? Of course, the small-town people they're stuck with are weird (as are most small-town people--I live in a small town), and they're going to have some say on the whole matter. It's a good plot. This mixed bag of characters and the awkward situation makes for some really pleasant reading and for some really funny moments.

My primary critique of the novel is that, for me, it never went beyond pleasant. The whole novel struck me as being just too "movieish" (and Hansen modeled this after the screwball comedy of the `30s). By that, I mean several things. First of all, there was just a feel at times that you were reading a pretty good screenplay but a fairly blah novel. There were several times where scenes fell flat because Hansen was trying to describe a scene that would have worked visually but not in words (such as one of those scenes where several characters are trying to find the correct room in hall and they keep opening the wrong door). Also, like with a movie, I felt like a passive audience through most of this. It's kind of difficult to describe this, but there was a certain barrier between me and the events of the novel that didn't allow me to really engage with the story. I enjoyed it pretty well, but I didn't just love it.

Overall, Isn't It Romantic was a solid summer read and would make a fine movie. It wasn't perfect, but it was pleasant and pretty satisfying. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this.

Flows like a classic Lombard-Gable film.......2003-12-15

This short (under 200p) little romance by Ron Hansen is the story of a pair of French lovers on a bus trip across America. As they bicker their way into the Heartland, they plop down in Nebraska and talk on and on, trying to decide if they should marry. It's silly, witty, brainless, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud funny. Of course it's not serious literature, but it's great, great, great. Just have a cup of hot chocolate and a few chocolate chip cookies, settle down in a cozy spot, and enjoy yourself. But be careful not to spill the hot chocolate: guffaws will spring up unannounced.

Ron Hansen can write in all genres.......2003-08-11

I've really enjoyed Ron Hansen's novels and non-fiction. A Stay Against Confusion was particularly meaningful to me. Then he writes one of the funniest novels I've read in a long time. Truly you will laugh out loud as others have said.
The people in this novel are true stock characters and yet they seem real; the reader will want everyone to be happy at the end of all the comedy.
I really don't want a movie made of this: the descriptions suffice. What a talent is Professor Hansen!

Isn't It Romantic: 100 Love Poems By Younger American Poets

Average customer rating:

A Big Bag of Caramels
Connections

Isn't It Romantic: 100 Love Poems By Younger American Poets

Manufacturer: Wave Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Love Poems | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0974635316

Book Description

Written by 100 American poets, Isn't It Romantic offers an engaging look at how contemporary poets respond afresh to the well-trammeled territory of the love poem. Award-winning poets from across the country lend their voices to this important document of contemporary poetry. The book also features a bonus full-length audio CD of love songs by independent recording artists.

Anthology Contributors include: Karen Volkman, Joe Wenderoth, Eleni Sikelianos, Juliana Spahr, Brenda Shaughnessy, Matthew Rohrer, Claudia Rankine, D.A. Powell, Hoa Nguyen, Noelle Kocot, Lisa Jarnot, Kevin Young, Brian Henry, Christine Hume, Matthea Harvey, Arielle Greenberg, Thalia Field, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Timothy Donnelly, Olena Kalytiak Davis, Stephen Burt, Joshua Beckman, and more.

Contributors to the audio CD include: David Berman, Richard Buckner, Vic Chesnutt, Ida, Doug Martsch, Mark Mulcahy, Megan Reiley, Jenny Toomey and more.

Editor Brett Fletcher Lauer is the poetry in motion director at the Poetry Society of America and poetry editor of CROWD Magazine. He is the co-editor of Poetry In Motion from Coast to Coast (W. W. Norton, 2002) and his poems have appeared in BOMB, Boston Review, and elsewhere. He lives in Brooklyn.

Editor Aimee Kelley is the editor and publisher of CROWD Magazine. She received her BA in English from UC Berkeley and her MFA from the New School for Social Research. She has worked at non-profit organizations such as the Council of Literary Magazines & Presses and the Academy of American Poets. Her poems have appeared in Denver Quarterly, Spinning Jenny, 811 Books and elsewhere.

Charles Simic (Introduction) is the author of many books of poems, including The World Doesn't End, winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. He teaches writing at the University of New Hampshire.

Customer Reviews:

A Big Bag of Caramels.......2005-01-08

Saddened by the losses? Try this swell anthology. It will make the room glow back at you with convivial company and music. I think a lot, it gets me through, and this is perfect for the bathroom, the bedroom, the windowseat overlooking the construction site. You come across as a horse in touch with intoxicants. Listen: A lot of energy, nerve, tenderness and fashion comes crammed between these pages, and even though it doesn't announce itself as such, what we have here, Doctor, is a case of practically every younger poet you really ought to know about. Brace yourself for a big bag of caramels.

Connections.......2004-11-24

Terrific anthology boasting most of the most pleasant younger poets publishing nowadays. With an ultracool music CD in the bargain, it's chance-free really. You deserve this, dearheart.

Average customer rating:

It is funny, while still dealing with some issues.

Isn't It Romantic
Wendy Wasserstein
Manufacturer: Dramatist's Play Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

ASIN: 0822205777

Customer Reviews:

It is funny, while still dealing with some issues........1999-10-21

I enjoyed the play. I liked the way she utilized the use of the anwsering machine to tie together scenes. Definately something to sit down to read. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Isn't It Romantic
Timeless Tales 5 stars review
Entertaining!
This needs more stars!
This one should be a comedy movie!

Isn't It Romantic?
Rhonda Thompson , and Ronda Thompson
Manufacturer: Lionhearted Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 1573430080

Book Description

They've never met, but Katrine Summerville and Trey Westmoreland are sworn enemies. Katrine is a romance writer who, after being abandoned at the age of five, and widowed and pregnant at eighteen, doesn't believe in happily-ever-after.

Trey is a hard-nosed newspaper literary review columnist who carries the bitter taste of a failed marriage around with him along with a resentment toward romance novels, which he believes give women a warped expectation of love.

A case of mistaken identity, a night of ill-fated attraction, and their steamy moment captured on film catapults them into four weeks of nationally publicized Hell.

National Reader's Choice finalist for Best Single Title Contemporary Romance of the Year

Customer Reviews:

Isn't It Romantic.......2005-08-04

Absolutely one of the best romantic comedies I have ever read. I laughed until I hurt and I cried. I can only imagine it on the big screen with Kate (Hudson) and Matthew M as in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. This is a winner! C Barnes, Mansfield Tx

Timeless Tales 5 stars review.......2003-10-09

by Susan Tam

Katrine Summerville is a romance writer and Trey Westmoreland is a book critic. They have been battling for years ever since he wrote a scathing column about the romance genre. Katrine feels this review cost her in book sales and more importantly, demeaned her talent. They are tricked into attending an award ceremony together by their respective friend. They are both using aliases and they each assume the other to be a "gigolo" and "hooker" so when the winners are announced - they are astonished at who they are with. The sparks fly as they both accept their awards. They both feel betrayed by their friend. Trey feels the "romance" genre has warped women's ideas of men! His wife divorced him seeking a more dynamic romantic partner - one that appears on the pages of romance novels. He writes another little ditty for his column that offends Katrine regarding the awards dinner. He had to financially compensate Katrine for the prior column he had written and his editor is hoping to avoid another occurrence. The two combatants are lassoed into working together. They are assigned by Trey's boss and her editor to work on a newspaper feature on romance. This involves a month of dating where each will write from their perspective about them. The newspaper will fund all these dates and the publisher is hoping to raise his circulation numbers. Trey goes to great lengths to arrange terrible dates. Katrine must find a positive aspect for each of them and she does!

This was a laugh out funny book!!! The dates are hilarious!! The verbal sparring between the Kat and Trey is great! These were two very likable characters with strong personalities. They are each determined to win. The sparkling dialogue sets this book apart from all others. The plot line is fast paced. I couldn't stop reading until I reached the very end. The secondary characters add so much to the book especially Katrine's daughter who is so much wiser than her 11 years. The author has written a truly enjoyable book!! I highly recommend it to all who enjoy the "romance" genre and even those who don't! I look forward to reading her next book!

Entertaining!.......2003-09-23

This book made me laugh from almost page one to the end! It is very refreshing to get a book that not only appeals to the romance but also the humour in relationships. Well done!

This needs more stars!.......2002-01-29

What a funny, funny book! I couldn't stop laughing all the way through. Delightful characters that come to life. Trey is a hoot and a half when he hits the mud pit. I won't spoil it for you. Some of the funniest dialogue I've ever encountered, and I've read thousands of books! Katrine is real, vulnerable, sexy and sparks Trey about every which way. If you love other romantic comedies -- not many authors write comedy but this is as good as it gets, right up there, or better, than Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and that's saying something!
A romantic comedy keeper!

This one should be a comedy movie!.......2001-06-16

FUNNIEST BOOK I've read in years! I laughed til I cried from page 1 to the end. This one should be a MOVIE! More than a "chick-flick"... the plot twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat, always guessing what's NEXT? LIONHEARTED PUBLISHING picked another great storyline AND ELEVATED WOMEN and romance genre another notch. Characters are funny! Don't have to live in Texas to appreciate this one, but it captures the diversity of Dallas. WAY ABOVE trash novels, this book made me a "romance" reader. Go Rhohda Thompson! Need to laugh? Want a great read? Want to escape? BUY THIS BOOK. Do a good deed & Send it to your chronically cranky friends, too!

Book Description

14 tunes from this well-known entertainer's LP. Also includes an introduction and notes about each song written by Michael Feinstein himself, plus BandW photos throughout. Songs include: Isn't It Romantic * You're an Education * My Favorite Year * I Wanna Be Loved * I'll Get By.

Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: ...that your romantic relationship isn't working. (Here's how to fix it.)

Average customer rating:

Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: ...that your romantic relationship isn't working. (Here's how to fix it.)
Philip Van Munching , and Bernie Katz
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312377975
Release Date: 2008-01-22

Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: Why Your Romantic Relationship Isn't Working and How to Fix It

Average customer rating:

Actually, It Is Your Parents' Fault: Why Your Romantic Relationship Isn't Working and How to Fix It
Philip Van Munching , and Bernie, Ph.D. Katz
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audio Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Nonfiction | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 078616249X
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Product Description

Where has the heat in my relationship gone? Why doesn't the attraction last? Why do we argue over the silliest things? And why are we still together? If this train of thought sounds familiar, this book is for you. Best-selling author Philip Van Munching and psychotherapist Dr. Bernie Katz have teamed up for a fascinating look at the psychological forces that shape our relationships. Even early childhood experiences can eventually dictate our love choices, creating elements in our personalities that both attract and repel our partners. Here are the tools to help you evaluate your relationships, recognize roadblocks, repair damage, and even decide whether a relationship is simply beyond help. Woven with personal anecdotes and told in a conversational tone, this is a funny, warm, readable relationship book.

Average customer rating:

A "thriller" for those who like rich detail & great characters
No, no, no!
Wonderful....
excellent Swedish thriller
those swedes can write an awsome mystery this should be a 5 star , sorry

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786147814
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

A "thriller" for those who like rich detail & great characters.......2007-08-23

The reviews aren't really doing this book justice--although as an ex-lawyer my connection to the main character's mixed feelings about her job and colleagues might have swayed me a bit. Larsson deserves enthusiastic praise for the naturalness of the writing, plenty of detail about the characters' thoughts and dilemmas, and the well-described settings. She also is very skilled at making almost every character appealing in some way, despite major flaws, bad judgment, or mental disorder--all that, and still nothing seemed overdone, sentimentalized, or "romancey". The limited amount of police procedure and forensic chops is really not a problem--the book is still engrossing and entertaining. Can't wait for the next...where is it?

Oh, and the wolf Yellow Legs--hope she appears again, too! A neat element of the story brought to life.

No, no, no!.......2007-06-24

The other reviewers, including the unsinkable Harriet Klausner, paint an inaccurate picture of the disjointed story that is The Blood Spilt.

The novel takes place in a small Swedish town. A local priest, Mildred, has been murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion; and although many of the town's citizens had reason to dislike her, several had formed strong private bonds with her. Therefore, suspects abound. Murder for hate? love? money? blackmail? All are possibilities.

The novel is noteworthy for an interesting portrayal of a small Swedish village with its typical characters and a true interest in human nature. Literature regarding religious belief in the world shows, however, that Sweden is a largely secular country--and this belies a major element of the story. A strange woman who offends everyone, and a priest to boot, could hardly be noteworthy other than as a gnat that needs swatting. That Swedes in this small village would care either way, especially enough to polarize in the manner suggested by the author, strains credibility.

The book is quite disjointed for a few important reasons. First, Ms. Larsson spends a lot of time with a bunch of local characters and their private dealings with the female priest. This bogs down the story, and we don't have much of a police investigation at all. The detectives don't make any breakthroughs--they just run to every emergency until the finale has played itself out.

The character of Rebeckah (sp?) Martinsson is quite silly. She is obviously a very disturbed and mentally ill person, and Ms. Larsson expects us to like her and follow her exploits through this second novel and on to a third?!

Lastly, there is a strange, bothersome, and even disturbing focus on animals. A somewhat boring, but sustainable police procedural, is regularly interrupted by Yellow Feet (or Yellow Paws, or whatever) stories. Mildred, the frustrating (and murdered) priest, wants to spend church money on protecting a she-wolf (Yellow Feet). No one can reasonably be expected to give a darn about such a silly waste of money, and yet there is a separate short story about a she-wolf finding independence!

The whole idea of female clergy is ridiculous. If a church really uses the Bible as its text, then its members should realize there's no respect for women in christianity or any Nordic version thereof. I can't think why any woman would be interested in a vocation with such an institution, especially when Mildred clearly does not follow several major tenets of the religion.

This is a scatterbrained novel of sorts. It has its moments, but I was so relieved to be finished with it! I won't read another Larsson police procedural.

Wonderful...........2007-05-17

and I am so looking forward to Number 3 in this series, which I believe is due to arrive shortly.

Readers of truly good murder mysteries, where you can relate in some way with the main character, will enjoy the writing of Asa Larsson.

excellent Swedish thriller.......2007-02-17

Three years have passed since Rebecka Martinsson killed three men in self defense and saving the lives of children, but she has not gotten pass the trauma. She cannot sleep and rarely goes to work. When one of the layers at her firm asks her to accompany him to Kiruna, a place she has avoided, she reluctantly agrees to help him try to win the church as a client.

When their business is completed, Rebecka decides to stay there in order to confront her demons. She makes friends with a person who has a man's body but a child's mind. When church officials ask her to get the key to a murdered priest's locker, she does; before giving it to them she copies his papers and hands them to the police, which enables her to find peace for the first time in years until another priest is killed and she begins to wonder if another serial killer exists in the area.

The first book in this series won Sweden's Best Crime Novel Award and readers will agree that THE BLOOD SPLIT is worthy of at least further nominations. This is a literary crime tale with a cast of memorable realistic characters. The audience will feel sorry for Rebecka who has suffered much trauma due to the priest killings. Asa Larsson follows up the terrific SUN STORM with an excellent thriller.

Harriet Klausner

those swedes can write an awsome mystery this should be a 5 star , sorry.......2007-02-11

along with henning mankell,these are some of the best mysteries i have read...looking forward to her next one .

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books