Average customer rating:
- New fan
- Hot and juciy
- EXCELLENT!!!!
- CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- One of your best
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She Ain't The One
Carl Weber , and
Mary Morrison
Manufacturer: Dafina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0758207212 |
Book Description
From New York Times bestselling authors Carl Weber and Mary B. Morrison comes this powerful, unforgettable novel about the ultimate player who has finally run into the wrong woman...
After a rocky marriage, irresistibly seductive Jay Crawford is ready for a new woman--and a new challenge. It doesn't take him long to discover both in one fine package: Ashlee Anderson. With a face and body that scream sex, she's just what he's looking for--hard-to-get, feisty, and freaky. But he'd never suspect just how freaky...
Ashlee turns out to be every bit as sexy as Jay suspected. What should've been a one-night stand extends into months of lovemaking that's too hot to give up and designed to burn him like never before. For Ashlee has no intention of letting their relationship ever end. Now Jay is in over his head with a woman who will go to any lengths to possess him. Trouble is, Ashlee's psycho behavior turns him on like nothing else. Maybe they're both crazy. But when Ashlee makes a shocking confession, Jay knows she definitely ain't the one and he's got to get away from her before she completely destroys his life...
"Weber spins a lively, revelation-packed tale deepened by genuine emotion, convincing detail and smart dialogue."--Publishers Weekly on The Preacher's Son
"Morrison delivers a deep, passionate story that holds readers from beginning to end." --Black Issues Book Review on Never Again Once More
Includes a teaser of Carl Weber's Something on the Side and Mary B. Morrison's Sweeter Than Honey
Customer Reviews:
New fan.......2007-08-29
I purchased this book because someone told me that Carl Weber was an excellent writer. Not only did I love this book, but I found myself becoming a Mary B. Morrison fan. I love the way she writes. As soon as I finished the book I found myself online looking to see what else she has written. I am eager with anticipation and can't wait to read her next work. I highly recomment this book for everyone to read.
Hot and juciy.......2007-08-19
This book was good. I loved the plot and it definitely was a page turner. Jay should have figured out that Ashlee was unstable and bounced. But, he didn't and ended up screwed. I felt sorry for Ashlee at first but, her behavior mad me hate her. She got Jay back for hurting her but, took it a little to far.
EXCELLENT!!!!.......2007-07-31
MARY B. MORRISON AND CARL WEBER, TOGETHER ARE EXCELLENT. THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD THAT I READ IT IN ONE DAY. ASHLEE IS ONE CRAZY CHICK, SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO TEACH HER A LESSON. I HOPE YOU GUYS WRITE A SEQUEL TO THIS BOOK BECAUSE THE ENDING WAS WONDERFUL!!! PLEASE DONT KEEP US WAITING TOO LONG. IF U HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK, PLEASE GO OUT N BUY IT. TRUST ME, U WILL NOT BE UPSET.
CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-30
LEMME START OFF BY SAYING I LOVE BOTH THE AUTHORS. I BEEN WITH MARY SINCE THE WHOLE SOULMATES SERIES SO IF U DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SERIES U NEED TO GET ON THEM BECAUSE IT WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ASHLEY IS THE WAY SHE IS AND WHY SHE KEEP BRINGIN UP HER EX LOVER. ALSO I FOLLOWED CARL SINCE MARRIED MEN AND IF U DO NOT KNOW TO GIVE U A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF JAY'S CHARACTER YOU WOULD HAVE TO READ MARRIED MEN BY CARL WEBER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE "USED TO BE ABOUT". I FELT BAD FOR JAY B/C IF U KNEW HIM IN MARRIED MEN U WOULD SAY HE DESERVED EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED TO HIM ALMOST. BUT EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE RIGHT???? WELL THIS IS A MIND BLOWING BOOK THAT WILL HAVE U LIKE I KNOW SHE DIDN'T DO THAT. THIS BROAD IS CRAZY SO CRAZY THAT SHE DID SOME OF THE UNTHINKABLE. U DON'T HAVE TO READ THE STORIES I TOLD YOU ABOUT TO UNDERSTAND THE PLOT BUT IT WILL JUST GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE 2 CHARACTERS IF YOU DID. BUT OVERALL I WOULD SAY AN EXCELLENT BOOK, I LOVED IT LOVED IT!!!! I HOPE THERE IS A PART 2 CUZ THE ENDING IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL. U GOTTA COP THIS IMMEDIATELY CUZ U MISSIN OUT IF U HAVEN'T
One of your best.......2007-07-11
This book was one of the best books I have ever read. I am a huge Mary B. Morrison fan and have read all of her books but together with Carl Weber, this book took the cake. Please make the sequeal to this novel.
Book Description
Schoolteacher Barbara Covett has known none but the most solitary of lifestyles until Sheba Hart joins St. George's. Starting by sharing lunches, then family events, the new art teacher draws Barbara into a touching confidence. Unbeknownst to their colleagues, however, another relationship blossoms meanwhile: Sheba has begun a passionate affair with an underage male student. When the details come to light and Sheba falls prey to the inevitable media circus, Barbara decides to write an account in her friend's defense-revealing not only Sheba's secrets but her own.
Customer Reviews:
POSITIVELY BRILLIANT..........2007-08-26
This is simply a delicious book. It looks deep into the human heart, and what it discovers will keep the reader turning its pages. The narrator of the story is Barbara Covett, an unmarried school teacher in her sixties, the type who has never married, is set in her ways and opinions, and lives with her cat, to which she is devoted. She has a waspish, intense personality and is a highly intelligent, no nonsense sort of person who does not suffer fools gladly. She teaches at St. George's comprehensive school in London.
When a married pottery teacher with the improbable name of Bathsheba Hart joins the faculty, Barbara's interest is peaked by this seemingly fey, wispy and elegantly lean woman with a penchant for bohemian style clothing. Sheba (as she likes to be called) is as attractive as Barbara is unattractive. Sheba is also, as all soon discover, an ineffectual teacher unable to maintain discipline in her classroom. Still, with her posh accent, easy and relaxed, pleasant personality, she soon becomes a person of interest to those around her, including some of her students.
In fact, just as Sheba and Barbara start to become friends, Sheba is also embarking upon another relationship, one that is illicit, as it is with one of her students, fifteen year old Steven Connolly. It is, however, through Barbara's eyes that the affair unfolds, and in painting a picture of the events, she is, at the same time, painting a psychological portrait of both herself and Sheba, revealing the obsessive symbiosis that binds this unlikely pair in erstwhile friendship.
The author has created a masterful, exceedingly well-written novel, one that is thematically rich and complex. The author does this with a deft touch, as well as with humor. The characters are vividly drawn and the book is well-plotted, making for an immensely readable novel that the reader will find difficult to put down until the very last page is turned. Bravo!
Amazing book.......2007-08-23
This author is has such a gift for writing. I wasn't interested in the subject matter at all but then I couldn't put it down. Her style just flows and I can't wait until she writes another one.
The Class War Wages On.......2007-07-02
I don't know what to make of this beautifully written book. The plot device, stated clearly at the beginning, is that Sheba has told Barbara her story so many times and in so many different ways, that Barbara knows it better than she does (reminding me of Affliction, a story told by the brother of the main character).
The prose reminds me of Anita Brookner, but instead of taking the side of the hapless victim, we hear the voice of the predator for once.
My only question, is why Barbara, aptly named an incubus by Sheba's husband Richard, would want Sheba after sucking all of the juices out of her?
Why not go after fresher meat?
Entertaining.......2007-05-26
I like this book. It was purely entertaining. The author did not make any pretensions of trying to teach her readers anything. It just felt like someone was simply writing about some really good gossip.
Talk about a teacher's pet.......2007-04-10
As a high school teacher, I found this tale to be quite disturbing; it's a topic that many reviewers have already explored and critiqued, along with the motives of Sheba and Barbara. Beyond that, one must address Zoe Heller's writing style, which is simply intriguing. Her phrasing and word choice reveal that she truly has a gift with language. Her writing is exquisite and enticing through her unusual juxtapositions, imagery, and analogies. I have not seen the film, but can only imagine hearing Judi Dench speaking such mesmeric lines.
Book Description
She-Hulk's firm is dealing with their first superhuman sexual assault case. Their client? Eros of Titan, the space-faring Avenger called Starfox! And when emotions get over-heated at the office - expect a love triangle or two to finally come to a head! What will this mean for Pug, She-Hulk and John Jameson? And who (or what) is Awesome Andy falling for?! Plus: Civil War threatens the rights of every American super hero. So whose side will Marvel's top superhuman lawyer fight for? And how can she possibly choose, when she feels one way as She-Hulk, and another as Jen Walters? Collects She-Hulk #6-13.
Customer Reviews:
great fun........2007-09-23
she-hulk has been a favorite of mine since Byrne's Sensational She-Hulk. While this one is not as off the wall surrealistically funny as that series it is more realistically funny, if you can use that word about a comic book about a super strong green woman
Another Good She-Hulk Volume.......2007-09-18
Dan Slott continues his excellent work on "She-Hulk" in "She-Hulk, Volume 4: Laws of Attraction." His comedic work on "She-Hulk" defines how the traditional superhero graphic novel for adults should be written.
While "She-Hulk, Volume 4" is somewhat bogged down by having to tie in with the "Civil War" storyline that Marvel Comics had going on during 2006, it still rises above the average thanks to Slott's strong work. Greg Horn continues as the cover artist for the original magazines and continues demonstrating why he is one of the best graphic novel artists in the business.
"She-Hulk" is one of the few stories--graphic novel or otherwise--that is so well written that I can read it more than once. Like the first three volumes of "She-Hulk," I recommend "She-Hulk, Volume 4: Laws of Attraction" to all adults--comic book / superhero aficionados and otherwise.
SEE-HULK Is Amazing.......2007-06-25
She-Hulk is every quality comic tou've ever read tolled into one. BUY THIS BOOK!!
_ Broken Frontier
Not as good.......2007-03-22
Compared to the other three volumes that proceeded it this work is a little lax. I do like the characterization of Starfox, and Thanos was also a welcome character. But the addition of the Star-God, and the appearance of the New Warriors were not as good.
This series started as a comedic action story, but now it is going down the road of a romantic comedy of errors. I'm not saying that can't work, but I do prefer to have more action and witty humor, rather than the drama of romantic conflict.
So really, still good, though not as good as the previous Volumes.
Customer Reviews:
She's Turning into One of Them!.......2007-05-15
Again - what memories there are in these - we've all been there and remember this kind of thing.
Another Great book ..........2007-03-30
Another Great book to visit the Patterson's with. "For Better / For Worse" has to be one of the best comic strips of all time. It really makes you think, "They are just like my family", and if you do not have kids, read the books so you know what to prepare for.
A solid FBOFW book........2007-03-08
We own all of the "For Better or For Worse" books and the whole family enjoys them! In fact some of us read them more than once. This one is just as good as the others.
The loss of a previously good strip.......2007-01-18
Although I am a longtime reader of For Better or For Worse, the last few years have been painful. This collection begins to show the downward slide of the storytelling and artwork. The native characters introduced have recently been completely trashed by Ms. Johnston, and this collection also covers the ongoing story of two main characters who conduct an emotional affair, even though one character is married and has a child. Even more bizarrely, everyone in the strip is portrayed as endorsing the breakup of the characters marriage and the hookup of these two.
Many of the forums devoted to FBOFW, have completely predicted all the storylines months (sometimes years)in advance. The plots are predictable and the character developments have been completely messed up, simply to fit into a nice little tie-up for Johnston's scheduled retirement date. Unfortunately, she should have retired two years ago when readers still had an affection for the characters.
Good Laugh.......2007-01-10
Really enjoyed this book, chuckled again over the strips we had enjoyed in the newspaper.
Book Description
As a superhuman lawyer, She-Hulk has tried some of the strangest cases on Earth... but all of that is about to change! Empowered by the Living Tribunal, Shulkie is heading into deep space to practice Universal Law! Guest-starring Adam Warlock, Gamora, and Pip the Troll! Plus: Out of all of She-Hulk's enemies, no one hates her more than Titania! So what's her beef? Where did all this hostility come from? What made little Skeeter MacPherran into the angry Amazon she is today? And what's about to make her one of the deadliest threats in the Marvel Universe? Special appearances by the Absorbing Man, Spider-Woman, and Doctor Doom! And finally, a major power boost has made She-Hulk stronger than ever - maybe even stronger than special guest-star Hercules! Feats of strength can wait, however, because this emerald enchantress is going to the books and relying on brains, not brawn, to get the Prince of Power out of some Herculean legal problems.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Work.......2007-09-18
Dan Slott continues the great work he started in "She-Hulk, Volume 1" with "She-Hulk, Volume 2: Superhuman Law."
"She-Hulk, Volume 2" continues to define how the traditional superhero graphic novel for adults should be written. "She-Hulk" is full of sharp dialogue, timely humor, and an understanding that the traditional superhero story for adults normally works best when it is not taken seriously--when the story focuses more on character interaction rather than superheroics.
In "She-Hulk, Volume 2," She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters) is still working as a superhuman lawyer with Slott delivering a stellar story full of humor and wit. Juan Bobillo and Paul Pelletier are the pencilers. Bobillo's light and comical artwork fits the story well but Pelletier's work is even better.
Mike Mayhew provided the cover art for the original magazines and the covers he did for issues 7 and 8 are two of my favorite pieces of comic book art of all time. They are nearly photo-realistic, they are germane to the story they present, and they are filled with humor that people who know comics well will enjoy, and humor that people who do not know comics well will enjoy too.
"She-Hulk" is one of the few stories--graphic novel or otherwise--that is so well written that I can read it more than once. Like "She-Hulk, Volume 1," I recommend "She-Hulk, Volume 2: Superhuman Law" to all adults--comic book / superhero aficionados and otherwise.
I can't get enough She-Hulk! The fun continues from the first She-Hulk collection!.......2006-03-20
While not as groundbreaking as the first collection, I still had a good time following She-Hulk into her second collection. Just like before, where most books only tell you one padded out story, She-Hulk gives you a bunch of stories. This time around She-Hulk has a couple adventures being a judge in outer space, helps Hercules when a supervillain tries to sue him because Herc beat him up, and finally She-Hulk has a showdown with her arch enemy Titania.
After reading the first collection and its hilarious Spider-Man issue, I was hoping to see more of Spidey in this book as well. But he only showed up briefly in the last story, and only had one line of dialogue. Luckily though, there was a really funny issue with Hercules, and the scene where he sung in court was pretty much worth the cost of the collection alone!
This time around, I really took notice of one of She-Hulk's biggest strengths: her supporting cast. With characters like the loveable Awesome Andy, the bratty Southpaw, Pug, and Ditto, the supporting cast in this book is probably one of the best supporting casts in comics, up there with the original supporting cast from the early years of Spider-Man. That's something you just don't see anymore in comics today.
If you want to take a chance on a great new superhero book, I'd suggest buying the 1st collection of She-Hulk! And, after you fall in love with it, I'm sure you'll be back for this second helping! Now where's the third already?
The worst depiction of She-Hulk yet........2006-03-19
She-hulk has always had bad luck with writers.
First David Anthony Kraft's earnest, derivative stories, then John Byrne's ludicrous hijinks and now Dan Slott's "funny" melodrama.
I was appalled at how bad this book was, especially after hearing that it was allegedly a "phenomenal" book.
The book aspires to be a hybrid of comedy and drama, and fails at both miserably, particularly when it over-indulges in stale jokes and soap-opera contrivances.
Quirky? More like annoying and groan-inducing.
And it takes up too much time obviously trying to be hip in a retro way (if that makes sense)and trying to wring laughs out of
tired comic book cliches, when it should be telling solid stories and building up the character of the protagonist.
And that's another problem...the protagonist feels like an afterthought, especially when the courtroom drama and the cool guest stars seem to overpower the She-Hulk's presence.
It's as if the writer was only allowed to use the She-Hulk character, but damned if he is not going to bring his favorites into the mix. (The Spider-Man appearance in the other trade was horrible...it literally read like a Spider-Man book in which She-Hulk had a cameo)
The book at times (many times) feels like a super-powered mix of Ally McBeal and LA Law, without any of the charm, strong characters or intelligently constructed jokes.
If this is what passes off today as good comic book stories, then I'll pass.
The art is the only thing that is memorable.
Everything else, from the contrived tone, to the trite comedy to the "cute" dialogue, is forgettable and not worth the money spent.
1 star out of five
Superhuman law is super!.......2006-01-09
This second collection of She-Hulk's third series continues the fun new direction initiated by writer Dan Slott and artists Juan Bobillo and Paul Pelletier. The series is superhero adventures by way of "Boston Legal". All adventures are either a result of a legal case or initiating one, providing much humor along the way, with the occasional pokes at comic book conventions that readers have willingly suspended their disbelief for over the years.
Slott's writing is top-notch, with all characters coming off as real and the humor coming from those characters rather than feeling forced or driving the characterizations. This is complemented nicely by his two artists. Juan Bobillo's style is a looser, more stylized representation of She-Hulk and her world which may require a discerning eye to appreciate, but is well worthy of such appreciation. Paul Pelletier, on the other hand, has been known for more traditional superhero art, and brings that style to play here to great effect, reminding the reader that these stories are not parodies, but take place in the same fictional timeline as those in Fantastic Four, New Avengers, etc.
If you enjoy superhero stories and enjoy a touch of humor, this book is for you.
She-Hulk: Superhuman Law (Volume 2).......2005-08-21
Collecting issues 7-12 of the newly revived She-Hulk series, writer Dan Slott continues his charming blend of stellar action and clever nostalgia. Defying recent comic book trends that explore the darker themes of superheroes in a realistic setting, She-Hulk turns its back on the heavy handed approach and comes up with a light, easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable series.
The clean lines of artist Juan Bobillo set up the first story arc (issues 7-8) which features an entertaining if unlikely tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek boxing match on a cosmic scale. The second arc (issues 9-12) continues the serviceable pencils of Paul Pelletier to set up a memorable, old fashioned superhero showdown between She-Hulk and the classic Marvel villain Titania. There are also a number of continuing subplots that develop in this collection including the weakest aspect of this series, She-Hulk as guardian and role-model for her employers' delinquent granddaughter, Southpaw. This troubled relationship is tiresome and distracts from the otherwise excellent story telling.
Before I read this and the first trade paperback, I had no interest in ever reading a She-Hulk comic book. The hyperbole surrounding Dan Slott as an emerging writing talent drew me in and it was a pleasant surprise to find that perhaps with further experience, Slott could very well be considered one of the top writers in a crowded market. Slott makes excellent comical use of forgotten second (and third) rate Marvel characters such as the Awesome Android, Hercules, even Howard the Duck (to name just a few) and an abundance of quirky ideas in this second She-Hulk book will bring a smile to any new or long time comic book reader.
Book Description
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and now a major motion picture from Fox Searchlight starring Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench
Schoolteacher Barbara Covett has led a solitary life until Sheba Hart, the new art teacher at St. George's, befriends her. But even as their relationship develops, so too does another: Sheba has begun an illicit affair with an underage male student. When the scandal turns into a media circus, Barbara decides to write an account in her friend's defense --and ends up revealing not only Sheba's secrets, but also her own.
Customer Reviews:
See Film then Read Book.......2007-06-12
I saw the film two weeks ago and learned that it was an adaptation of this novel. The film was so good that I really had to read the book because the book usually has more insight into the characters. But this was not the case with this novel. The novel was good but left you with a feeling of incompleteness. The ending had to many dangling ends. The book did do a better job of defining Sheba than the film did and the novel was really much different in content that to see the film and to read the book are two different experiences. So, if you saw the film, by all means read this book.
Excellent reading.......2007-06-01
Delicious writing - very involving. I read it in two evenings. It makes you want to read the rest of her work.
I'm a bloke and I liked it.......2007-06-01
I ordered this book on the basis of its award nomination, having no idea of its subject matter. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and it won't be for those who like murder mysteries or thrillers - but I liked it from the beginning and by the end, I loved it. Zoe Heller has a real talent for character development, and manages to portray the self-denied loneliness of a sixty-something spinster/schoolteacher in a sensitive and non-condescending manner yet with a good deal of tragic humour as well. I must have completed two-thirds of the book before I realised that the central character wasn't the woman at the heart of the scandal, but her note-maker and grateful friend who tells the story itself. The personalities of both women are artfully and painstakingly developed, along with their working colleagues and families, and for this reason I strongly recommend Notes on a Scandal as an education for other writers on how to tell a story with characters who readers can totally believe in. An astute observation on the trials and tribulations of the lonely, this book deserves its prize nomination and gets my strong recommendation.
Smashing.......2007-05-13
Zoe Heller's first person narrative is simply the best of its kind. A smooth, richly textured, compelling read. Not since Michael Chabon's 'Wonder Boys' has there been such a highly entertaining and genuinely engrossing literary novel. Heller's command of the English language is unparalleled.
Very educational.......2007-03-05
I had some qualms about enjoying this because we are invited to laugh at, and to disapprove of, a villain, Barbara Covett, who suffers the stigmas of being elderly, female and unmarried. She is the first person narrator, what is known in the writing business as an unreliable narrator. She describes her attraction to Sheba, who is a fellow teacher in a chaotic English comprehensive (ages 11 to 18 year) school and who is having an affair with a fifteen year old male pupil. Although she is often made to sound ridiculous and unkind, Barbara Covett is given some good lines. When she acidly demolishes the pretensions and double-talk of unrealistic school administrators we (unless we are school administrators) want to stand up and cheer. Her struggles to comfort her dying cat, and her memories of her traumatic childhood are poignant. She takes over and manipulates the naïve impulsive Sheba and is responsible for her exposure and downfall. Neither of the pair is aware of any wrongdoing. It would be great book to give to anyone you wanted to dissuade from a career in teaching.
Customer Reviews:
Lao She must be rolling over in his grave! The exploiting class is back with a vengeance.......2007-05-02
(This book is also known as Camel Xiangzi and Rickshaw Boy, and has had different translators. I read the version translated by Shi Xiaoqing and illustrated by Gu Bingxin that I bought in China. ISBN 7-119-00512)
This is the great classic novel of exploitation in Old China, before the 1949 Revolution. It's also anti-individualist. It's the early 1930s and Xiangzi arrives alone in Beiping (Beijing) with dreams of making a living as a rickshaw puller. He is a loner who constantly struggles against forces beyond his control. On more than one occasion his rickshaw is destroyed and each time he tries to bounce back. Class struggle is woven throughout the tapestry of this story.
I read this after Nawal El Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero. So what really caught my attention was the character, Joy, who enters in the last third of Camel Xiangzi. I decided to use both of these novels in my thesis on women forced into prostitution. Joy is sold to an army officer by her lazy greedy father. Joy learns that temporary "marriages" are the MO of her officer "husband." Each time he is transferred he just buys a new wife, because it's cheaper than hiring housekeepers and prostitutes, and he leaves them with the bills.
When Joy returns home she's damaged goods and her father forces her to prostitute in order to support his drinking habit and her two younger brothers. Her life becomes hell on earth. I don't really want to spoil the ending. Let me just say that Chinese novels rarely have happy endings.
In his 1954 afterword Lao She reflects back on how much China has evolved since those dark days and how "Today, nineteen years later, the working people have become masters of their own destiny." Tragically more than half a century later, while China has the fastest growing economy in the world, many of its citizens, especially girls, are much worse off. The great exploitation novel of 21st century China would be called SWEATSHOP GIRL or HOSTAGE HOOKER. The protagonist would be a teenage girl from one of the inner provinces like Sichuan or Hunan. She would be forced to leave school and migrate to a city like Guangzhou. She would lie about her age to obtain a job in a sweatshop working around the clock, for pennies an hour, to support herself and send money home. Another worse, but unfortunately very common scenario (in Russia as well), she would be abducted walking home from school by a pimp from organized crime. When her parents try to find her the police sit back and do nothing because they are working with organized crime. A search engine turned up numerous articles about this. China is also the only country where more females than males commit suicide. Its one-child policy has led to a birth ratio of 119 males to 100 females. Rather than leading to a greater appreciation of women, who "hold up half of the sky," it has fueled a higher demand for trafficking in women.
I am reading Will the Boat Sink the Water: The Life of China's Peasants by Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao. It was written in the last few year by a husband and wife who are journalists from Anhui Province. The suffering of China's billion peasants seems even worse than in Lao She's day. I also recommend The Garlic Ballads, a novel by Mo Yan.
Lao She's attack on individualism.......2005-11-30
Rickshaw: The Novel Lo-t'o Hsiang Tzu, a 1936 novel penned by Chinese author Lao She, depicts the struggle of the unskilled, lower class worker in early 20th century China with painstaking accuracy. The story is a commentary on the corruption of Chinese society and its impact on the people, but it develops to reveal an additional message: Individualism and selfish ambition lead to downfall, failure, and misery. Hsiang Tzu is the victim of his times and circumstances, but not completely; he is also his own worst enemy. What begins as a sympathetic tale of the rickshaw puller's plight gradually turns into a moralist's warning of the catastrophe spawned by individualism and the danger of a society which promotes it.
The old rickshaw man, Hsiao Ma's grandfather, sums up Lao She's point the most succinctly: "any poor guy who thinks he can succeed by himself will find it harder than going to heaven. How far can one man hop? [A grasshopper] can go a long way in one hop by itself. Let a small boy grab it and tie a thread around it and it can't go anywhere. But if it joins up with a whole lot of other grasshoppers in a horde and they all move together, whew!"
According to Lao She, in a society that promotes and necessitates individualism, people will never be able to truly succeed. When people serve only themselves, corruption and deceit flourish, which in turn promotes individualism, which then begins the cycle anew.
Rickshaw is a condemnation of Lao She's corrupt China and the selfish people that it produced. However, it also serves as a vivid and historically accurate account of the hardships faced by the lowly rickshaw puller. This book will not tell you, it will SHOW you how an honest and upright man can be beaten down into the most degenerate of scumbags.
Highly recommended.
The nobility of losers.......2005-03-26
I had read, before starting this novel, that Lao She was influenced by Dickens. Perhaps he was, but this novel is not as much reminiscent of Dickens as of Zola at his bleakest, or of Frank Norris' McTeague.
Just like McTeague (Norris' San Francisco unlicensed dentist), Hsiang Tzu is an inarticulate man.
The greatness of Lao She or Frank Norris' writing is that they allow us to get inside men who are so out of touch with their own feelings. Not mockingly or judging them in any way. Just deeeeeply.
It is difficult to be a man. One would almost think it has become more so, as men now are expected to be strong but caring too. But exceptional novels like Rickshaw or McTeague show that even in previous societies, with different challenges, men were already ravaged by inner contradictions.
Of course, the description of early 20th century Peking is fascinating, as are the omens of revolution.
But what made the book a special experience for me is the psychological accuracy.
common people's struggle.......2003-11-20
This book absolutely deserves it's honor to be a Chinese classic. Yes, this book is a required text by many asian study courses, but there is a significant, and a great reason for it. Lectures only talk about the lives of the emperors and the lord of the dynasties. They lived wealthy lives, but what about the common people? even though lectures normally don't discuss the lives of the working people, that doesn't mean they aren't important.
Rickshaw brings the hardships of the labors to life through a somewhat humorous and satire tone. It's is worth reading, both for a class or not. The main character Hsiang Tzu will take your emotion on to a roller coaster ride!
Worst book ever!.......2002-11-21
Don't ever read this book or take Chinese History where you will be forced to read this book. I can't tell Hsiang Tzu from Sang Wu.
Book Description
The wind whines and howls with bitter breath. Lightning snarls and barks. Rage is an animate force upon the plain of glittering stone. Even shadows are afraid.At the heart of the plain stands a vast grey stronghold, unknown, older than any written memory. One ancient tower has collapsed across the fissure. From the heart of the fastness comes a great deep slow breath like that of a slumbering world-heart, cracking the olden silence.Death is eternity. Eternity is stone. Stone is silence.Stone cannot speak but stone remembers.So begins the next movement of Glittering Stone....The tale again comes to us from the pen of Murgen, Annalist and Standard Bearer of the Black Company, whose developing powers of travel through space and time give him a perspective like no other.Led by the wily commander, Croaker, and the Lady, the Company is working for the Taglian government, but neither the Company nor the Taglians are overflowing with trust for each other. Arrayed against both is a similarly tenuous alliance of sorcerers, including the diabolical Soulcatcher, the psychotic Howler, and a four-year-old child who may be the most powerful of all.
Customer Reviews:
It Is Immortality Of A Sort.......2006-07-28
She is the Darkness is the second of the 'Murgen' chronicles, which tell the story of the Black Company's final struggle with the shadowmasters and the factions fighting for power in Taglios. The latter, almost without exception, would like to see Croaker's band of mercenaries dead and gone. They only argue about exactly when the gala event will occur. Driven by a desire to return to their origin in Khatovar the company is really intent on reaching the Shadowgate and finding out what is beyond it. Unfortunately enemies old and new seem determined to get in the way.
Murgen is a pure storytelling device. Unlike other narrators or annalists, Murgen is separated from the action by his role as ethereal spy. A paranoid sorcerer called Smoke lies in a coma, and the company has found that it is possible to ride Smoke's spirit like a spy plane. Murgen spends his time visiting both the present and the past and actually gets to do remarkable little. As a result the reader is one extra remove from what is actually going on. He's not spectacularily bright or talented either, so there are moments when the reader has a better idea of what is going to happen and can even tell it better. Murgen thinks the book is about him, and that he is a victim of circumstance and the plotting of others. The truth is that he brings many of his woes down on himself, and when offered opportunities to take his own action, he just retreats into Smoke.
In a sense Glen Cook has done the same thing. The story is richly detailed - a gritty fantasy with a Southeast Asian setting. The main characters are vivid with complicated problems to solve, but Cook keeps too many secrets, always introducing more questions than he resolves. She is the Darkness has a lot of loose ends to tie off before it comes to its grand cliffhanger of an ending. However, once embarked on this strange journey, the reader will find this a hard book to put down. But don't expect pat answers. Cook has never been one to lead you to the obvious.
Slowly back to form...........2005-07-07
A good book...but not quite at the same level as some of the earlier ones.
The Black Company Rules........2004-01-12
Yet another doozy for the Black Company. I hate reviews that discuss the plot or give a synopsis, so I won't do that. You can find enough here. This review is merely to tell anyone doubting that though this is the EIGHTH book in the series, it is still as fantastic as the first one. Rare in any series.
Murgen is the narrator in this one, and is still hopping around time and place while passed out. If you don't know what I am talking about, you need to read the first seven books before even worrying about this one. The Company is still heading to Khatovar, and Soulcatcher is still being a pain. I suppose that I am discussing plot now, violating my rule, but what the heck.
Long story short, Cook manages to maintain a gritty, funny, enticing and absorbing tale after 30 years of Company and thousands of pages. Bravo.
She Is The Darkness.......2003-08-06
The saga of the Black Company continues as Khatovar draws ever nearer... or does it?
Really a 3 1/2 or 4-. It's strange -- I keep hearing people tell me that this series, which I've never read before, gets worse toward the end, but this book is one of the best yet. Far better characterized than the early volumes, it's from the point of view of Murgen, the standardbearer. Disturbances in Murgen's consciousness and a concomitant decline in his physical state add tension. Though here and there a plot thread is not fully developed and the book gets slow about 3/4 of the way through, overall it works well and the end is an eyecatcher. Like the others in the series, though, it does not stand alone, so will be of interest only to readers of the preceding books.
Best of the Worst.......2001-05-05
Most everything in this novel is a mixed bag, beginning with the new annalist, Murgen. At his best, Murgen gives some interesting new insight into old characters (especially Croaker), and does a fair job of recording events. At his worst, he's too self-involved to report anything beyond his own misery. A misery Cook fails to sell to the reader, so it quickly becomes annoying. The sad part is, Croaker points this out near the end...which I guess was Cook's way of saying, "I'm sorry, I know it sucks."
Another problem with the novel is Smoke. His unique perspective takes most of the suspense out of the story. In order to surprise the reader, Cook is forced to invent one weak excuse after another for why Smoke's ability failed. That gets old, fast. What little suspense remains concerns Croaker's plan for marching their army, in winter, to certain doom against Mogaba's forces. The outcome of that is so pathetically lame it can't help but come as a surprise.
The high point of the novel is Soulcatcher. She's one of the most colorful villains to appear in any fantasy novel, and she really shines here. Even though most of her attempts at revenge are senseless and feeble, she at least has some success. That's a welcome change from the "All Powerful Idiots" that called themselves the Shadow Masters. If you're a fan of the series, the novel is worth reading just for the glimpses of Soulcatcher.
The problem with Soulcatcher is that her true name is in Croaker's annals; figuring it out is a simple process of elimination. There were four sisters; Lady is Dorotea; the Dominator tried to disarm Lady using both Ardath and Sylith; the Dominator knew the true names of the original Taken, so he wouldn't have used Soulcatcher's true name on Lady; that leaves just Credence. End of Soulcatcher.
There are other nagging flaws, but over-all, this is the best of the "Glittering Stone" saga (but that's not saying much). The ending is a real shocker.
Book Description
In the midst of the holiday season, these three steamy tales of pleasure and delight are the perfect companion for chilly winter nights.
JAID BLACK
Adam & Evil
When feisty, exotic beauty Julia Cameron meets Sam Adam, a handsome, shrewd businessman, their strong-willed personalities immediately clash. But soon heated fury becomes uncontrollable passion -- and Julia and Sam discover that although opposites attract, those who are alike burn the brightest.
DOMINIQUE ADAIR
Holly
Wealthy real estate mogul Ethan Clarke has been dreaming of Holly Broussard for over a year. Reeling her in under the guise of a business proposition, Ethan will stop at nothing to seduce the beautiful red-headed goddess -- and claim her as his own.
SHILOH WALKER
His Christmas Cara
Ebenezer Marley will never forget that night of lustful bliss he spent with his gorgeous assistant, Cara Winston -- or how he hurt her. But on Christmas Eve he is visited by three spirits, who give him one last chance to earn her forgiveness -- and satisfy her burning desire
Customer Reviews:
Good Reading but some light to medium S&M..just be prepared! .......2007-06-01
This was a good read of three different stories. Very good for short stories! I'd definitely read something from these writers again!
Totally HOT and a good read.......2007-02-27
After reading an excerpt in Comso mag I knew I had to check this book out. To be honest I must admit i was very surprised that the stories more or less involved S&M. Though I do not find that very arousing the stories in themself are very well written. The descripions very beautifully written that i couldnt help but enjoy each story. I think i check out some other books in Ellora's Cave.
All I want is more!.......2007-02-07
Adam & Evil - by Jaid Black - Julia wants nothing to do with Sam Adam, the man her father has chosen for her to marry. But when their plane crashes on a deserted island, she discovers that first impressions aren't always what they seem.
Holly - by Dominique Adair - After meeting Holly in the French Quarter a year ago, Ethan has finally found his opening into her life. He will have 3 days to convince her that his love can heal her, if only she is willing to let him into her heart.
His Christmas Cara - by Shiloh Walker - Eben Marley is haunted by his memories of a woman from his past, but it takes 3 determined spirits to make him realize that he has enough love in his heart to win her forgiveness.
These 3 novellas are written by 3 of my favorite Ellora's Cave authors. I have been waiting for a while for 2 of them to be released in print, and could not be happier that they were released together in this anthology. All 3 of these can be found seperately in e-book format on the Ellora's Cave website.
I absolutely LOVED these stories, and this book (like most Ellora's Cave titles at my house) has found a permanent spot on my keeper shelf. All 3 novellas are very steamy and in the case of the Adair title, also lovingly tender. The Adair story was my favorite of the three, but be warned: "It does contain one scene of non-consensual bondage that may be considered disturbing to some readers." The hero of the story does not have a part in this scene, but the reader is shown why Holly needs to be healed emotionally. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys erotic romance. 5 Stars!
Save Your Money.......2007-01-24
I love Jaid Black's and Shiloh Walker's writing but this anthology went right to the book store for trade-in credit...And I keep most of my books.
It was okay, but nothing special. Hate to say that, since as a newspaper writer I realize your stories are like your children: NO ONE better mess with my Baby/Story :) But the truth shall set you free. Wait and get this one from the used bookstore or here at Amazon if you wanta pay the shipping and handling.
Shiloh Walker's story was the best and it was a nice turn on the Ghosts of Christmas Present, Christmas Past and Christmas Future. That said, still not worth full price.
Customer Reviews:
Who does she think she is?.......2007-01-12
This book was OK. She started off good and then I don't know what happen. It got kinda slow, but it was good.
Enjoyable Distraction.......2006-08-22
I must admit, Benilde let me down just a little with this book. I absolutely loved her first two books, and enjoyed her last book, but - and I can't quite put my finger on it - something just wasn't connecting for me with this one. Maybe it was the shock of my beloved Miles actually falling for, and committing to someone, or maybe it was Aisha, who I didn't really care for through much of the book (she was a little TOO much for me). The book did its job, which was to keep me distracted during my son's first weekend away at college, but it didn't draw me in the way her books usually do.
If you haven't read anything else by Benilde Little, don't make this your first selection (try Good Hair instead). She is one of my faves, but this just wasn't one of my favorite books.
Who Does She Think She Is.......2006-07-28
I love Benilde Little books, but this one was a disappointment. Kind of like she had to make some quota with the book publishers and just gave them something she was working on. If you wanna do some good Benilde Little reading, read "THE ITCH."
Quite astonishing!.......2005-11-18
Perhaps I'm just getting old and have absolutely no comprehension of the 20-something-year old women of today. I find it absolute madness that a young woman would trade in a wealthy, attentive man who adored her just the way she was, for a "pumpkin and zebra colored linens, raspberry Gerber daisies and coconut cupcakes" person. Personally, I believe that someone slipped the sistah a micky at her engagement party. Unbelieveable!!!
Nevertheless, this was a fun read.
A Tidy Fairy Tale.......2005-11-16
I must admit, in the beginning of this story, I didn't like the main character (Aisha) for obvious reasons. I suppose that's what makes the author a good writer. But as things unfolded, I had to give Aisha props for knowing what she didn't want & going after what she did want (money being no replacement for happiness). It was nice to see the mother (Camille) find her inner beauty thru developing a loving relationship with her deceased ex's 'hippie' mother (Abby); and finally it was nice for grandmother (Geneva) to finally loosen up & give everyone a break. The fairy tale came together in a neat package by the end of the book that left a smile on my face being the hopeless romantic that I am!
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- Song of Solomon
- Spitz And Fisher's Medicolegal Investigation Of Death: Guidelines For The Application Of Pathology To Crime Investigation
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- Sweetgrass (Mira Hardbacks)
- Takedown: A Thriller
- The 6th Target
- The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
- The Bone Collector (A Lincoln Rhyme Novel)
- The Book of Five Rings
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