Suite Française

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France and the French during the German Occupation-a portrait, not a snapshot

Not Up to the Hype

Enjoyable and Interesting

A magnificent, tragic fragment.

A taste of things to come

Suite Française
Irene Nemirovsky
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400044731
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Book Description

By the early l940s, when Ukrainian-born Irène Némirovsky began working on what would become Suite Française—the first two parts of a planned five-part novel—she was already a highly successful writer living in Paris. But she was also a Jew, and in 1942 she was arrested and deported to Auschwitz: a month later she was dead at the age of thirty-nine. Two years earlier, living in a small village in central France—where she, her husband, and their two small daughters had fled in a vain attempt to elude the Nazis —she’d begun her novel, a luminous portrayal of a human drama in which she herself would become a victim. When she was arrested, she had completed two parts of the epic, the handwritten manuscripts of which were hidden in a suitcase that her daughters would take with them into hiding and eventually into freedom. Sixty-four years later, at long last, we can read Némirovsky’s literary masterpiece

The first part, “A Storm in June,” opens in the chaos of the massive 1940 exodus from Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion during which several families and individuals are thrown together under circumstances beyond their control. They share nothing but the harsh demands of survival—some trying to maintain lives of privilege, others struggling simply to preserve their lives—but soon, all together, they will be forced to face the awful exigencies of physical and emotional displacement, and the annihilation of the world they know. In the second part, “Dolce,” we enter the increasingly complex life of a German-occupied provincial village. Coexisting uneasily with the soldiers billeted among them, the villagers—from aristocrats to shopkeepers to peasants—cope as best they can. Some choose resistance, others collaboration, and as their community is transformed by these acts, the lives of these these men and women reveal nothing less than the very essence of humanity.

Suite Française is a singularly piercing evocation—at once subtle and severe, deeply compassionate and fiercely ironic—of life and death in occupied France, and a brilliant, profoundly moving work of art.

Download Description

Irène Némirovsky was born in Kiev in 1903 into a wealthy banking family and emigrated to France during the Russian Revolution. After attending the Sorbonne, she began to write and swiftly achieved success with her first novel, David Golder, which was followed by The Ball, The Flies of Autumn, Dogs and Wolves and The Courilof Affair. She died in 1942.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

France and the French during the German Occupation-a portrait, not a snapshot.......2007-10-10

Irene Nemirovsky-a superb author. Her historical novel is well written, well conceived, and ceretainly presents a true and real picture of France and the French people during the German Occupation. The world lost a wonderful woman of letters when she was murdered at Auschwitz.

Not Up to the Hype.......2007-10-06

I really wanted to like this book. I read it after reading Vasily Grossman's LIFE AND FATE, a masterpiece of WW2 literature if there ever was one. And maybe it was the juxtaposition of that book with this that caused my disappointment. Where Grossman's book at 800 pages is taut and serious throughout, Nemirovsky's seems trivial by comparision. Had it been published soon after it was written, it would have been considered an interesting popular novel containing interesting observations of occupied France but ultimately lightweight in its' often pedestrian storyline and execution. It often reads like a mass paperback romance set within the larger context of the war, and too often devolves into hackneyed popular novel tropes - the cowardess and duplicities of the moneyed classes set against the native nobility of the poor, love amidst the ruins of war etc.

Interesting light reading, but a "classic?" Sorry.

Enjoyable and Interesting.......2007-10-05

A really enjoyable read and extremely interesting. It was such a good book! Highly recommend. The ending leaves you trailing though...

A magnificent, tragic fragment........2007-09-29

Irene Nemirovsky's "Suite Francaise" will stand with "The Diary of Anne Frank" as one of the most poignant literary monuments of World War II and the insanity of the Holocaust. But whereas Anne Frank was a young girl whose hopes and dreams ended forever at Belsen, Irene Nemirovsky was a novelist of enormous talent who would have been recognized as one of the greatest European writers of the 20th century had her life not been extinguished at Auschwitz. Considering all she suffered during the war, and how she was murdered in the very middle of it, it is amazing that Nemrovsky completed as much of it as she did, and that what she completed is of such a high order. "Suite Francaise" consists of the first two parts of a projected five-part novel depicting the fall of France to the Nazis, the panicked flight of Parisians and the return to something vaguely resembling normalcy under German military rule. The first section, "Storm in June," gives readers a panoramic view of several groups of fleeing Parisians, representing every class of society and every conceivable moral and mental attitude; the second, "Dolce," depicts life in a French village under the Germans, bringing back some of the characters from the first book and making it plain that Nemirovsky planned to reintroduce more of them in the following three books. Superbly translated by Sandra Smith, "Suite Francaise" is a swift and graceful read, depicting the characters and action with breathtaking clarity and excitement. Many of the characters are presented only in a few sentences, yet all live and breathe with total realism. What is really astonishing about "Suite Francaise," however, is Nemirovsky's authorial impartiality and clear-eyed sympathy for all her characters. There are no saints and no monsters in Nemirovsky's universe, just people--some more likable than others, but even the most despicable among them are given sharp moments of deep and moving humanity. Even the Germans are human--they have their faults, but also their virtues. To be able to write such panoramic fiction in the midst of war, with such a detached and pragmatic yet sympathetic eye, is truly amazing, even more so from an author who rightly feared she would be arrested and deported to the death camps at any moment. A Russian-Jewish emigree to France who moved in the highest literary and societal circles, Nemirovsky was an exceptionally keen observer of the French class system and how it warps individuals, in that sense (and in others) the equal of Balzac, Flaubert and Proust. The argument in Chapter 16 of "Dolce" between the snobbish, sickly-sentimental Vicomtesse de Montmort and the brutish peasant Benoit Sabarie stands out: both are sympathetic, as people and as representatives of their social classes, and both are utterly despicable. Nemirovsky sums up their fight neatly: "What separates or unites people is not their language, their laws, their customs, their principles, but the way they hold a salad fork." This argument has repercussions that promise to ripple across the rest of the story, except that Nemirovsky, alas, never had a chance to show us how. Appendices to the book include Nemirovsky's copious notes on how she planned to continue the story; correspondence to, from, and about her; and the preface to the French addition, included as an afterword here, which tells the poignant story of Nemirovsky's life and death, and of how Nemirovsky's daughter discovered the manuscript of "Suite Francaise" more than sixty years after her mother's death. "Suite Francaise" is a magnificent fragment and an eternal testimonial to the genius of its author. We can only mourn that the book, like her life, will remain unfinished.

A taste of things to come.......2007-09-26

It's a known fact that this work has gotten much attention due to the circumstances that surrounded Irene Nemirovsky's life. Left in a suitcase as she attempted flight, the author found her demise at the hands of the Nazis before this manuscript could be published.

Who knows what she might have added or excluded or expanded? And I could not help but think this as I read along.

There are two novellas under one umbrella here--depicting day in the life scenes of how things were in these troublesome times. I certainly found this to be gratifying reading, but it did not take me out of myself in that complete way I enjoy when I read truly remarkable fiction.

Will recommend, but for a story that brought me to that special place of compelling fiction, I recommend the lesser-known, SIM0N LAZARUS, a book more should know about.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Grand Avenues: The Story of the French Visionary Who Designed Washington, D.C.

Average customer rating:

An Earlier Gift From France
American Child
"City of Magnificent Intentions": The Planning of the American Capitol
Remembering a forgotten man
Extremely well-written

Grand Avenues: The Story of the French Visionary Who Designed Washington, D.C.
Scott W. Berg
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375422803
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

Grand Avenues tells the riveting story of Pierre Charles L’Enfant and the creation of Washington D.C.--from the seeds of his inspiration to the fulfillment of his extraordinary vision.

L’Enfant’s story is one of consuming passion, high emotion, artistic genius, and human frailty. As a boy he studied drawing at the most prestigious art institute in the world. As a young man he left his home in Paris to volunteer in the army of the American colonies, where he served under George Washington. There he would also meet many of the people who would have a profound impact on his life, including Alexander Hamilton and James Monroe. And it was Washington himself who, in 1791, entrusted L’Enfant with the planning of the nation’s capital--and reluctantly allowed him to be dismissed from the project eleven months later. The plan for the city was published under another name, and for the remainder of his life L’Enfant fought for recognition of his achievement. But he would not live to see that day, and a century would pass before L’Enfant would be given credit for his brilliant design.

Scott W. Berg recounts this tale, richly evocative of time and place, with the narrative verve of a novel and with a cast of characters that ranges from Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers to the surveyor who took credit for L’Enfant’s plans, the assistant who spent a week in jail for his loyalty to L’Enfant, and the men who finally restored L’Enfant’s reputation at the beginning of the twentienth century.

Here is a fascinating, little-explored episode in American history: the story of a visionary artist and of the founding of the magnificent city that is his enduring legacy.

Customer Reviews:

An Earlier Gift From France.......2007-07-03

Most people today would not know of the controversy and opposition to the Statue of Liberty, and the efforts and struggles it took to make a suitable platform for it. Similarly, the full story of L'Enfant's contributions to the original design of Washington, DC, was lost for almost a century before being restored. The US Government was very small in 1791, when work was started on the new capital's design, and one of the more interesting aspects of this historical narrative is the small cast of characters involved. The focus of this book is on these various individuals and how they impacted the evolution of the capital over time. Not surprisingly, all of the human traits, good and bad, march through the story with what seems a preponderance of greed, selfishness and small mindedness. It is interesting that the individuals who restored L'Enfant's reputation and works, and were not from the capital city.

American Child.......2007-06-21

Berg has written a fabulous book of popular history, full of intriguing anecdotes and fascinating glimpses of G. Washington, T. Jefferson, and J. Monroe, among others. Perhaps by favorite aspect of "Avenues" is the hissy-fit relationship between L'enfant (architect of DC) and Jefferson, a builder in his own right who despised L'enfant for his petulance, arrogance, and bullheadedness. (At least two of these qualities can be attributed to Jeff, as well.)

I've been visiting DC since I was a boy, but often, as children, we give little thought to something's creation. It just exists. But "Avenues" opens a window into the past that I'm still thinking about. In the beginning, there was L'enfant. Without him (and Rick Olmstead, who carried the torch), DC would be a drastically different city. Bravo to Scott Berg, and thank you!

"City of Magnificent Intentions": The Planning of the American Capitol .......2007-05-30

GRAND AVENUES depicts the genius of Pierre Charles L'Enfant and his artistry in designing the capital city of the United States. Rich with biographical, political and historical detail, Scott W. Berg has included 25 black-and-white illustrations that will intrigue Washingtonians, city planners, history buffs and architects. In 1790, Thomas Jefferson commissioned L'Enfant to "provide aid in the form of drawings of the particular grounds most likely to be approved for the site of the federal towns and buildings."

Having served as a Continental Army officer under George Washington and designed Federal Hall in New York City, L'Enfant was immediately entranced with this project. Originally from Paris, he loved breathtaking views and a variety of buildings and space within a metropolitan city. "This first recorded evidence of L'Enfant's inclination toward city planning occurred in December, 1784, when he wrote at some length to George Washington outlining his scheme to establish a peacetime corps of engineers." Prior to his arrival in Washington, L'Enfant also worked on projects in Trenton, New Jersey, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Jefferson and L'Enfant held completely different viewpoints on the way that Washington, D.C. should be laid out. As L'Enfant continued to evaluate Jenkins Hill as the perfect location for a congressional building, he writes, "From these heights every grand building would rear with a majestic aspect of the country all around and might be advantageously seen from twenty miles off." L'Enfant was proposing that the District of Columbia be designed on an expanded scale, with vistas, rises and boulevards. One major problem arose when George Washington suggested selling lots in the best areas of D.C. as delineated by L'Enfant's plans.

"L'Enfant now was arguing for a fundamentally public city --- in opposition to the motivations behind almost every other American public city --- in opposition to the motivations behind almost every other American place --- and to that end he was committed to the development of the public areas before the sale of the private." One problem was that houses were erected that did not fit with the public buildings in close proximity. In one case, L'Enfant actually tore down the completed home of a very influential Washingtonian, who had built it too close to a major public office building.

L'Enfant had organized a plan to access the Potomac River, allowing materials and supplies to arrive swiftly by water to the construction sites. "Every step in L'Enfant's chronology of construction was destined to reduce waste and conserve time, materials, and money." He wrote a significant memo to Washington, requesting that the project be completed as quickly as possible, using a million dollars, and suggesting that the oversight committee of commissioners be eliminated. Unsuccessful in his attempts to drive the project to immediate action, L'Enfant failed. Subsequently, Jefferson heralded Andrew Ellicott and assisted him in preparing a drawing to replace L'Enfant's plans.

Pierre Charles L'Enfant died in debt, unpaid for his work on America's capital city. "It is sometimes called the City of Magnificent Distances, but it might with greater propriety be termed the City of Magnificent Intentions."

--- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher

Remembering a forgotten man.......2007-05-12

This is an interesing story of how the basic plan for Washington, D. C. was formed. Pierre L'Enfant, a major in the Revolutionary Army worked with George Washington himself in the original design. L'Enfant was the graduate of excellent design schools in Paris, and he had been trained by his father. He had to fight off the influence of Thomas Jefferson the opponent of Washington and Hamilton in this project. His tenure on the project was short. Politics and land speculation was what really drove the process, little changed from today. A brilliant and far-seeing man who after this brief tenure died pretty much alone and unheralded. His work and his place in history was resurected about 1900. A well written and interesting account that meshes well with other biographical works of the era.

Extremely well-written.......2007-05-08

I've always thought Washington was a beautiful - if not problem-ridden - city, with its wonderful (and confusing) street system and beautiful buildings. This very well-written biography of both L'Enfant and his times is a worthy examination of the city, the politics behind its creation, and the men who both promoted and built it. Berg is a masterful and easy writer.

I'll look forward to another book by him. (Not to be confused with A. Scott Berg).

Average customer rating:

Doesn't meet expectations
Not a bad way to spend a weekend
Excellent source for historical/social perspective on the life of the language
Dry writing style
Do not waste your money or time...

The Story of French
Jean-Benoit Nadeau , and Julie Barlow
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312341830
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

Why does everything sound better if it's said in French? That fascination is at the heart of The Story of French, the first history of one of the most beautiful languages in the world that was, at one time, the pre-eminent language of literature, science and diplomacy. Nadeau and Barlow chart the history of a language spoken as a native tongue by 130 million people around the globe. The first document written in the French was signed by the sons of Charlemagne in 832. After this, Latin was purged from the courts of France by Francois 1st, giving root to French speakers' 21st century obsession with language protection. The obsession progressed as Cardinal Richelieu established the French Academy, a group entrusted with the responsibility of keeping the language pure and eloquent. As French circled the globe, the international cast of characters included Montaigne, Catherine the Great, Frederic II of Prussia, the guides of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Jules Verne, and others. Let Nadeau and Barlow guide you through the story of a language used to write some of the world's great masterpieces of literature, construct some of the most important documents of diplomacy, bedevil millions with its vagaries of pronunciation and beguile everyone with its beauty.

Customer Reviews:

Doesn't meet expectations.......2007-09-08

Although I've tried several times, I've never been able to get through this book. It seems to lose focus as one goes along. One reviewer noted the incorrect Latin translation...I observe that the Conciergerie is not located on the Ile St. Louis (it's on the Ile de la Cité.) I have studied French, Spanish, German, Latin, and Greek, and I began this book with enthusiasm, wanting to grasp more of the history of French...but somehow the book just doesn't deliver--as though the editor was not up to the task of helping the authors structure their book and cut out extraneous material. Disappointing.

Not a bad way to spend a weekend.......2007-08-19

As an American who developed a distaste for French after suffering through years of dry, obnoxious French curriculum in high school, but who later actually learned the language from Francophone Africans in the Peace Corps, I picked up this book mostly to learn all the stuff I felt I had missed out on in my earlier years. The authors give a lot of very interesting insights about the origins of certain words (both French and English) and discuss the development of the French language from its medieval roots. Who knew that the French language was still only being consolidated from its precursor local tongues as late as the early 20th century? Cool!

I have two main complaints about the book, however, that lead me to the 3-star rating. First, the authors go way more into detail about Quebec and Francophone Canada than I care about - I did not pick up this book to learn about the legal history of les Canadiens - and either give way too little attention to the role of French in Africa, or write about it superficially. (I think they visited Senegal once, and Lesotho - which is Anglophone - too.) Seeing as there are *many* more African Francophones today than French-born ones (ignore the statistics they cite - almost all the numbers they quote seriously understate the number of French speakers in African countries, though they seem strangely bullish about Israelis), I think they could've focused a lot more on the continent where the future of the language truly lies. Secondly, while I never found the book anti-English, there was a strong note of apologeticism in the narrative that became somewhat onerous.

I also think their central thesis is flawed. Plurilingualism might be good for the French, but it sucks for the Danish, or Hungarians or Portugese. For the speakers of smaller languages which no one is going to learn, it makes perfect sense to have one international language which everyone can communicate in, even if that does afford some advantages to us native-born Anglophones (there are disadvantages too - I can't lean over and say something to my buddy in English that I don't want everyone else to understand, which most Ukranians, say, could with a great degree of confidence in their confidentiality).

So - for what it is, this is a good read. Especially if you're a Canadien fan. Go Leafs!

Excellent source for historical/social perspective on the life of the language.......2007-08-04

This delightful book offers a very interesting study of the living language of French by taking us, not through the linguistic evolution of French (although there are pertinent references where needed), but rather through the timeline of the historical/social aspects of that evolution in context of those particular events that formed it to its modernity. The authors have managed to write an engaging, well-researched, and informative pseudo-text with just enough personality to make it more than just a "story of French!" I recommend it for educators and francophiles alike!

Dry writing style.......2007-07-25

This book covers the most fascinating topics- basically all of history that has anything to do with French language. On almost every page there was a topic that I had wanted to know more about for a long time. But it is written in such a dry style that it is hard to get through a page. It reads like a dissertation. Also, the authors seem somewhat biased and anti-English at times, which is not a good idea if you're writing a book in English. Get over it folks!

Do not waste your money or time..........2007-04-14

The book begins with a solid and linear account of the actual history of the French language but unfortunately it lasts but for a few chapters. Thereafter the book turns into nonsensical propaganda to Quebec, the type of French spoken in that Canadian province and how wonderful all things Quebec are. The ensuing chapters go on endlessly as to how Quebec is holding the French language together, more so than France itself, against the power of English. Unfortunately most of the data and claims made by the authors are based on round logic, that is, conclusions basesd on ideas which are flawed or incorred to begin with. All in all this book can make for a good charcoal grill or fireplace starter. I am glad I bought it on sale for US$ 3.00.

Average customer rating:

The very good and the pretty bad--still would buy again
Good Stories, Good Presentation
compare French to English translation
Great practice, but not necessarily for a novice
This Book Helped Me Pass the Subject A Exam!

French Stories (Dual-Language)

Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486264432

Book Description

10 unusual stories by French literary masters from Voltaire to Camus: "Micromégas," by Voltaire, "The Atheist's Mass" by Balzac, "The Legend of St. Julian the Hospitaler" by Flaubert, "Spleen of Paris" by Baudelaire, "Minuet" by de Maupassant, "The Guest" by Camus, and more. Accurate English translations appear on facing pages.

Customer Reviews:

The very good and the pretty bad--still would buy again.......2007-03-28

First the good. These stories are worth reading anyway, even if not trying to improve your French. Can't believe I never read Micromegas before! Can't believe it was written mid 1700s! So the selection of stories is an excellent one and the practice and vocabulary building comes quickly. For that reason, I'd unquestionably buy this again.

The bad. I know enough French to know that the translations are atrocious. Though I am not fluent in French, I believe I could have done a better, truer translation (with help of a French dictionary). Beautiful phrases are translated into mundane English cliches and some unknown French words are, on some occasions, "translated" into the identical (and equally unknown) word on the English side. Did the translater not have access to an English dictionary or did he not know what the French word really meant?

So -- definitely a useful buy for learning and practicing French and (particularly if you can read most of it in French) interesting stories as well. Just try not to refer to the English counterpart more than you must, such as for the periodic word translation.

Good Stories, Good Presentation.......2007-03-16

This book includes some great authors - the ones you should at least know about if you are going to learn the French language and appreciate French culture. I have always loved the idea of having the English translation on the opposite page. I think it makes learning structures easier. You see how we would write something in English, and then you see how the structure differs in the French version.

compare French to English translation.......2007-01-03

This is classic literature, a very good book. I'd be interested in a modern works like this as well. Seems like I saw one out there somewhere....

Great practice, but not necessarily for a novice.......2006-12-12

This is just the type of book I was looking for to increase my French literacy. Previous to buying this book, I would buy a book such as "L'Etranger" in French and also in English and read them side by side--so this book of French stories does exactly that in one book. It's also a plus that the stories themselves are are excellent from a literary point of view, and would be worthwhile reading, even just in English.

The only drawback is, as a novice in the French language, it was very challenging for me to read in French without resorting very frequently to the English side of the page. It made me want to find a similar book, but slightly less advanced, so that I could graduate up to this book.

If you are fairly new to French, this is not for you. If you are fairly fluent, this will be a pleasure read. If you are somewhere in the middle like me, with a few years of schooling in French but no practical experience, take it on as a learning opportunity, but you may not be able to read more than a few pages at one sitting.

This Book Helped Me Pass the Subject A Exam!.......2001-03-04

Each first-year student at the University of California must fulfill the Subject A Requirement. This requirement has evolved since its inception at UC in 1897-98: now many high school students may fulfill it through College Board Sat-II Writing test scores or Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in English scores. However, if you happen to be one of 16,000 students each year who takes the Subject A Exam on the morning of the second Saturday in May, you will be given a prose passage of some 700-1000 words to read and analyze. Then you will be expected to "write an essay responding on a single topic based on the passage's content. The topic is one of two general kinds: one focusing almost exclusively on the reading passage itself, and the other encouraging students to draw upon their knowledge and personal experience." So what does _French Stories/Contes Français_ have to do with passing this dreaded exam?

That May morning, as I squirmed in my seat in labyrinthine Dwinelle Hall, I settled on this topic: "The Use of Irony in a Short Story." Somehow, I recalled the final story from _French Stories/Contes Français_: "L'Hôte," by Albert Camus (1913-1960). "L'Hôte" (The Guest) is one of six stories from his _L'Exil et le Royaume_ (1957--the same year he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature). Editor Wallace Fowlie gives this brief synopsis: "The scene of the story is set on a high plateau of Algeria. An Arab has killed a man in a family quarrel, and he is brought to the schoolteacher who is to take him to prison in the next town. The story is constructed around a dramatic irony which forms the conclusion." Without giving anything away, allow me to tell you, if you do not already know, that "l'hôte" has two meanings in French: "host" and "guest." French is that kind of language: nuance and double-entendre abound.

After one year of formal French instruction, _French Stories/Contes Français: A Dual Language Book_ became my constant companion. I loved how I could read these ten short stories in French while I covered up the English translations on facing pages. If I stumbled over an unfamiliar word, I could peek, or I could look it up in the small vocabulary section at the end of the book. Since then, I have re-read this "French Reader" many times.

_Contes_ displays no overarching unity, for it is but a sampling of some of the best short stories from 200 years of French Literature. In chronological order, here is the listing of the stories and their authors: "Micromégas" (Micromegas) by Voltaire (1694-1778), "a philosophical tale written in 1752 . . . obviously imitating Swift's 'Gulliver's Travel's' "; "La Messe de l'Athée" (The Atheist's Mass) by Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), illustrates the passion of "one of the most prolific writers in French literature, and one who has created the largest number of characters."

Next is "La Légende de Saint Julien l'Hospitalier" (The Legend of St. Julian the Hospitaler) by Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880). This story, one of a volume of three stories (Trois Contes), was written by Flaubert in 1877, twenty years after _Madame Bovary_. "La Légende" differs from this earlier masterpiece because "[i]t is far from being a realistic study of contemporary life . . . .[but rather] it is the attempt to reconstruct medieval customs and characters."

A "dark" favorite of mine, poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) follows with "Le Spleen de Paris (trois poèmes en prose)" (The Spleen of Paris (Three Poems in Prose)), first published posthumously in 1869. These three works, "Le Vieux Saltimbanque" (The Old Clown), "Le Joujou du Pauvre" (The Poor Boy's Toy), "La Corde (A Édouard Manet)" (The Rope (To Edouard Manet)) introduced the new genre, or "literary form," of the prose-poem in France. The editor, Professor Wallace Fowlie of Duke University, stated that these prose-poems were "apologues or fables representing a moral truth."

Other stories are "Meneut" (Minuet) by Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893); "Mort de Judas" (Death of Judas) by Paul Claudel (1868-1955); "Le Retour de l'Enfant Prodigue" (The Return of the Prodigal Son) by André Gide (1869-1951); "Grand-Lebrun" (Grand-Lebrun) by François Mauriac (1885-1970); and "Le Passe-Muraille" (The Passer-Through-Walls) by Marcel Aymé (1902-1967). "L'Hôte" ends the collection.

Fowlie's introductions to each story are succinct summations of each author's philosophy and purpose. He offers a few pages of endnotes and a "questionnaire en français" for each text. _French Stories/Contes Français_ is a book to be savored and studied. I recommend it to beginning students of the French language as well as to those who wish to refresh their memory of French literature.

Average customer rating:

Great reader; poor editing of material.

The Hundred Days

spoilers here; but DONT read other reviews if you haven't read this book

Masterfully Told Adventure

Wonderful, but not as

The Hundred Days (Aubrey/Maturin Series)
Patrick O'Brian
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Blue at the Mizzen

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The Truelove

ASIN: 0393319792

Amazon.com

The year is 1815, and Europe's most unpopular (not to mention tiniest) empire-builder has escaped from Elba. In The Hundred Days, it's up to Jack Aubrey--and surgeon-cum-spymaster Stephen Maturin--to stop Napoleon in his tracks. How? For starters, Aubrey and his squadron have been dispatched to the Adriatic coast, to keep Bonapartist shipbuilders from beefing up the French navy. Meanwhile, one Sheik Ibn Hazm is fomenting an Islamic uprising against the Allies. The only way to halt this maneuver is to intercept the sheik's shipment of gold--because in the Napoleonic era, as in our own, even the most ardent of mercenaries requires a salary.

The Hundred Days is the 19th (and, we are told, the penultimate) installment of O'Brian's epic. Like many of its predecessors, it features a fairly swashbuckling plot, complete with cannon fire, exotic disguises, and Aubrey's suspenseful, slow-motion pursuit of an Algerian xebek. Yet it never turns into a mere exercise in Hornblowerism. Partly this is due to O'Brian's delicate touch with character--the relationship between extroverted Aubrey and introverted Maturin has deepened with each book, and even Aubrey's reunion with his childhood companion Queenie Keith is full of novelistic nuance: "They sat smiling at one another. An odd pair: handsome creatures both, but they might have been of the same sex or neither." Nor does the author focus too exclusively on his dynamic duo. Indeed, The Hundred Days is very much a chronicle of a floating community, which Maturin describes as "his own village, his own ship's company, that complex entity so much more easily sensed than described: part of his natural habitat."

Finally, O'Brian shows his usual expertise in balancing the great events with the most minuscule ones. Other authors have written about battles at sea, and still others have recorded the rapid rise and fall of Napoleon's fortunes after his escape from confinement. But who else would give equal time--and an equal charge of delight--to Maturin's discovery of an anomalous nuthatch? --James Marcus

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

In this, actor Robert Hardy's fourth reading from Patrick O'Brian's celebrated historical novels, series heroes Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are in very different circumstances from when we first meet them. In Master and Commander, the first of the series, Aubrey is young and full of himself, and through Hardy's performance we can practically hear Aubrey's puffed-out chest. But in The Hundred Days, Aubrey is a commodore, famous throughout the British Empire for his naval exploits, and Hardy reflects the confidence that comes with those accomplishments. Meanwhile, his best friend, surgeon-spy Stephen Maturin, is wasting away as the audiocassette opens, in deep mourning for his recently deceased wife. But soon enough, both are pulled into great adventure again--in this case, Napoleon's final campaign--and the fate of the Empire rests on their ability to stop the fitting out of a new French fleet and to keep a shipment of gold from reaching a mercenary army. (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Lou Schuler

Book Description

Napoleon, escaped from Elba, pursues his enemies across Europe like a vengeful phoenix. If he can corner the British and Prussians before their Russian and Austrian allies arrive, his genius will lead the French armies to triumph at Waterloo. In the Balkans, preparing a thrust northwards into Central Europe to block the Russians and Austrians, a horde of Muslim mercenaries is gathering. They are inclined toward Napoleon because of his conversion to Islam during the Egyptian campaign, but they will not move without a shipment of gold ingots from Sheik Ibn Hazm which, according to British intelligence, is on its way via camel caravan to the coast of North Africa. It is this gold that Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin must at all costs intercept. The fate of Europe hinges on their desperate mission.

Customer Reviews:

Great reader; poor editing of material........2007-02-20

We made the mistake of buying this ABRIDGED version of The Hundred Days, not noticing the FINE PRINT. The reader was very good, but the material truncated, choppy, and not "up to snuff." If you are a devoted fan of the Aubrey-Maturin stories, hurry up and read, yes, read the book. There's not a moment to lose!

The Hundred Days.......2007-01-18

Overhelming view of England day to day life during the last months of Napoleon power.

spoilers here; but DONT read other reviews if you haven't read this book.......2006-11-23

I have criticisms of many of the reviews here. Reviewers, type 'spoiler' for gosh sake. Have some decency; presumably review perveyors haven't read the damn thing. Anyway, to answer a few:
Dianna's death was absolutely necessary. Cripes, it sets up the next novel. You can see her death coming books ago.
I too have a problem with Bonden's death; I guess he felt the character tragic, and it was time to die. I think it was a stupid move. Bonden has as much right as Killick to continue on.
I think from some researching that O'Brian WAS ill through much of this book. However, it is still eminently endorsable.
The last two chapters I thought are very well done (O'Brian finishes a book better than anyone). And Jacob is a great character.

Masterfully Told Adventure.......2005-01-22

Patrick O'Brian's capacity to carry off nineteen installments in the Aubrey/Maturin series is nothing short of astonishing. There is no faulting O'Brian's ability to craft a richly detailed and captivating tale combined seamlessly with subtle plot twists and turns. The Napoleonic wars and the escape of Napoleon from Elba provide the backdrop to this incredible tale filled with action and political intrigue that completely captives the reader.

The personalities of the families, friends, and enemies left ashore by Aubrey and Mautrin permeate their lives at sea. If not considered in this light, the death of Mautrin's wife, Diana, would be a meaningless detail. This is also what allows the reader to become intimate with Aubrey and Mautrin, almost as if they are old friends. O'Brian is never callow or derivative. You should not expect these sea-going tales to be filled with swashbuckling adventure of which the singular point is action.

This nineteenth installment takes you across the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, and into combat against the French navy. It also takes you ashore into North Africa to intercept caravans carrying gold. This gold is intended for Muslin mercenaries who are disposed to support Napoleon. This is an outstanding installment to the series and most definitely can stand on its own.

Wonderful, but not as.......2005-01-08

I very much admire Partick O'brien's style and books, and I cannot say that this is even a mediocre book, but it is below his rest, merely for reasons of the plot. It is rather a shock to discover, in the first few pages, that Stephen's beloved Diana has died. At first I was annoyed that we heard about it from a complete stranger, but then I realized that it was really kinder than being with Stephen when he learned of it. I was and am still frusterated with Bonden's curt death, but in the next book there is somewhat of a recompense. As I said, a good book, one worth reading, but not as spectacular as the others in the series.

Average customer rating:

What is this?
Thought provoking, brilliant and grotesque ...
Brilliant,,,
Only the French Can Match Erotic Literature with Philosophy
Filth and philosophy as only the French can serve it up

Story of the Eye
Georges Bataille
Manufacturer: City Lights Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0872862097

Amazon.com

Only Georges Bataille could write, of an eyeball removed from a corpse, that "the caress of the eye over the skin is so utterly, so extraordinarily gentle, and the sensation is so bizarre that it has something of a rooster's horrible crowing." Bataille has been called a "metaphysician of evil," specializing in blasphemy, profanation, and horror. Story of the Eye, written in 1928, is his best-known work; it is unashamedly surrealistic, both disgusting and fascinating, and packed with seemingly endless violations. It's something of an underground classic, rediscovered by each new generation. Most recently, the Icelandic pop singer Björk Guðdmundsdóttir cites Story of the Eye as a major inspiration: she made a music video that alludes to Bataille's erotic uses of eggs, and she plans to read an excerpt for an album. Warning: Story of the Eye is graphically sexual, and is only for adults who are not easily offended.

Book Description

In 1928, Georges Bataille published this first novel under a pseudonym, a legendary shocker that uncovers the dark side of the erotic by means of forbidden obsessive fantasies of excess and sexual extremes. A classic of pornographic literature, Story of the Eye finds the parallels in Sade and Nietzsche and in the investigations of contemporary psychology; it also forecasts Bataille's own theories of ecstasy, death and transgression which he developed in later work.

Customer Reviews:

What is this?.......2007-08-29

There are two ways of looking at this extraordinary book:

1. It is one of the most intensely perverse pornographic books ever written, one in which normal sexuality takes a decidedly back seat to urolagnia, necrophilia, and other conditions with Greek names. Its main distinctions are that it is highly compact, unusually well-written, tightly structured in its use of recurring imagery, and so quickly moves from titillation to excess that it distances itself from the rest of the genre.

2. It is a seminal work by a major figure in 20th-century French culture, with significant ties to surrealism, deconstructionism, and psycholanalysis. Seen in this light, its cultural ties are significant and far-reaching. Indeed, one of the most interesting parts of the book is the postlude in which Bataille comments on the connections between this early novella and traumatic incidents in his own childhood, connections that he says he was unaware of at the time of writing. In effect, therefore, he is performing psychoanalysis on himself.

The trouble is that it takes somebody with considerable knowledge of mid-twentieth-century French thought to see #2 in #1. I imagine that the notes and essays in the Penguin Classics edition would be helpful in this respect; the City Lights Press edition, while attractively produced, just gives you the text (though usefully in the first edition, which most accurately shows the book's place at the start of Bataille's career). As a cultural artifact, this probably merits 5 stars, but I just don't think that most readers will see it as that kind of masterpiece.

Thought provoking, brilliant and grotesque ..........2007-05-08

What causes a mind to embrace gross sexual abstractions? When does a moment of teenage reckless abandon turn into a debauched nightmare? What causes a young mind to lean towards fetishism? Professionals have grappled with those questions for decades, and many of these and similar questions will remain forever unanswered in The Story of the Eye. And yet, even with the horrific, gruesome imagery, one cannot help but desire to know the answers. Don't fret, the author does not leave us empty. In part two of this edition, he offers some clarity as he mulls over a few of the aberrations of his childhood -- how he came to understand their relationship to events and images within the story itself.

While The Story of the Eye chronicles the deviant sexual escapades of two young lovers, this is not what I would consider a pornographic novel. Yes, the erotic scenes are quite intense - intense enough to make the faint hearted put the book down in order to vomit, but that is not the true bite of the story. The deep emotional, psychological, and pathological attachment between the two main characters is what drives this story. The narration slips in and out of conscious thought and action so fluidly it's like sinking into quicksand -- struggle against it and drown or remain still and experience this work as the true artistic endeavor that it is. If you dare to remain still, you certainly will not be disappointed.

Brilliant,,,.......2007-02-03

I decided to read this book out of curiosity when I read that Bjork had recommended everyone to read it. I knew that i was in for a shocking treat. Is it shocking? Yes, indeed. I personally wasn't too shocked by the erotic acts itself in the book, since none of it was new to me. I found it more shocking by how beautifully and yet frightful the narrative was...its such a page turner and definitely worth reading!

Only the French Can Match Erotic Literature with Philosophy.......2007-01-15

In "Story of the Eye", George Bataille combines the philosophy of the day (1928 France) - Surrealism - and weaves it into the tale of sexual depravity. This book has brings all of the forbidden sins to the table, including soft-boiled eggs! (You'll have to read it as I am not giving up the ghost on that one.)

I read this book fresh out of college while working a Generation X job in a bookstore; I found it on the shelf while shelving more mundane faire. It was stuck between two larger books and the gap caught my eye. Now, fifteen years later it is time for a new generation to discover this nifty AND disgusting psycho-sexual, philosophical novella.

Filth and philosophy as only the French can serve it up.......2007-01-05

Published nearly 80 years ago, *Story of the Eye* may still be the wildest ((and weirdest)) pornographic novel ever written. Sadomasochism, underage orgies, golden showers, homicide, necrophilia, soft-boiled eggs--and all of it in a story less than one hundred pages in length. Outstanding!

Couched in a super-lucid prose of hyperbolic surreality, *Story of the Eye* is a record of the x-rated exploits of two young lovers--the narrator and the lovely Simone, who he meets on a family vacation. Equally inexperienced and perfectly matched in their precocious perversity, they set about discovering their sexuality through a series of escalating debaucheries, sucking into their erotic vortex a mentally fragile blonde, a rich English psychopath, and a priest. Bataille seems determined to out-Sade deSade and he largely succeeds in outdoing the divine Marquis, spicing up the lewd proceedings with liberal doses of libertine philosophy and poetically-fueled descriptions of the most ordinarily unpoetic and sordid of acts.

Still, when all is said and done, *Story of the Eye* is truly a work of literature. You can tell because you're never once tempted to read with one hand! Complete with what amounts to a short "making of *Story of the Eye*" author's note, which traces the autobiographical links between Bataille's early life and the events of the novel, here is a fascinating take on the perverse imagination by one of its greatest theorists.

Average customer rating:

Probably Too Complicated To Fully Describe in a Brief Review Here
Superb Dramatic Monologue
Not the First Choice for Camus Fans
Clearing the air
Camuses Tour De Force?

The Fall
Albert Camus
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679720227
Release Date: 1991-05-07

Book Description

Elegantly styled, Camus' profoundly disturbing novel of a Parisian lawyer's confessions is a searing study of modern amorality.

Customer Reviews:

Probably Too Complicated To Fully Describe in a Brief Review Here.......2007-08-21

Albert Camus (1913 - 1960) was a French writer and philosopher. He is often associated with existentialism, but Camus rejected any ideological classification. Camus was a young recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature when he became the first African-born writer to receive the award in 1957. He died in a car crash only three years after receiving the award. He was a social activist and Communist, and fought with the French resistance in WWII. Later he rejected Communism. The present book is one of his last works.

Camus combined his philosophy with his writing skills to produce literary art. The end result is sometimes complicated. It takes a close and careful examination to see exactly what points he is trying to make. Camus descibed The Stranger as a story about someone who was telling the unvarnished truth, but it was more complicated than that.

For The Fall, the analysis needed to discuss the work is far beyond the scope of a simple one page review as we have here. I humbly suggest that those wishing to learn more about Camus and The Fall should read some of the lengthy analysis found elsewhere.

Back then to The Fall and two basic points. As most know, the present work is a monologue set in an Amsterdam bar and parts are set on a foggy winter evening. A former Paris lawyer tells his tale to a listener. This is not a novel as we think of a novel but a slightly confused story in prose. In any case, there are two major points and a few others that we do not have space to discuss.

The first is that Camus's ideas and his theory can be found in the non-fiction work The Myth of Sisyphus (Le Mythe de Sisyphe) (1942): it is about "the absurd sensitivity." That idea is continued here in The Fall. We cannot conclude that Camus "found religion" in the present work nor are there any changes in Camus's philosophy. Any idea that he found religion is a misunderstanding of Camus's method. To say he found religion or God would be a bit like having Dostoevsky come out as an aetheist in one of his final books, i.e.: impossible. Also, Camus remains involved in "the confrontation of this irrational and the wild longing for clarity whose call echoes in the human heart." This is a continuation of his past themes, but with a different setting and with a different plot and characters.

Secondly, a similarity exists in the existential condition of loneliness and isolation that is "man's lot" in this world without "transcendental hopes." So, the character of Jean-Baptiste Clamence brings us the monologue and he describes and he reacts to his inner discovery. He does so in an extremely ironic fashion - and that is part of the "art" part of the novel along with accepting the notion of the absurd.

Overall, this is a good book from Camus that takes only a few hours to read and probably will take much more time to understand. Some will want to read it a second time, or even three or four times. It is far more complicated than The Stranger, and it is less straighforward to read and understand.

This is one instance where you should look beyond the reviews here to get a deeper understanding of the work; and, it is probably best to read some of the detailed analysis found elswhere in critical books or on the net.

Superb Dramatic Monologue.......2007-06-12

As others have stated so far this is an interesting and deep novel, one that drags you into its questionable and illusory narration through the use of the first person monologue. With this in mind, the novel becomes necessarily more complex and demands the reader's attention at all times. Nothing should be taken for granted - not the speaker's ideologies, professed history, and certainly not the way in which he is talking to another character. The manner in which the tone and companionship moves throughout the novel is as important as anything else - do not for a second fall into the persistent trap of thinking that Monsieur Clamence is speaking to you, the reader.

The novel requires no extensive knowledge of philosophic topics in order to be appreciated, however, having that knowledge will only enrich the experience. Anyone with an interest in ethics, social roles, confession or simple artistic capability will enjoy this short, but dense novel.

On a final note, the novel presents a startling insight into the nature and power of confession, which is ultimately what Clamence is performing (reliable or not). Foucault's the History of Sexuality Part 1 speaks to this matter, one which is every bit as pertinent to the content and experience of *The Fall* as is any other philosophic or artistic reference, and one that is consistently relevant.

Not the First Choice for Camus Fans.......2007-01-12

Having read Albert Camus's two most famous novels, "The Stranger" and "The Plague", I had high expectations for "The Fall." However, this novel comes up a bit short compared with the others. Although Camus does capture the angst and insecurity of the protagonist through his "confession," the novel lacks the poignancy and coherency of his better works.

Perhaps I am being too harsh, though, for this is still a thought-provoking novel. In it, we are treated to a monologue by an ex-lawyer who is "confessing" his past transgressions to a potential client of his. The narrator, who gives himself the pseudo name Jean-Baptiste Clamence, is unreliable at best. He suffers from delusions of self-grandeur and an innate need for attention and self-importance. The reader is left to question the author's version of events, as his diatribes and confessions render an image of a selfish, self-absorbed man who views himself superior to all others. Indeed, his haughty and arrogant nature has maligned himself with his former colleagues and led to his "fall" from grace.

Although the narrator may be abhorrent in some respects, his weaknesses and failures lead us to ponder how we might behave in a similar situation. In particular is the episode of the woman and the bridge, where he walked away and never turned back after he heard a woman plunge into the Seine River. This haunts him the rest of his days, as he is deathly afraid of encountering a similar situation again. Perhaps it is not the thought of another woman drowning that haunts him, but the revelation that he would not jump in and rescue her merely because he does not want to become cold and wet.

The theme of judges and the ability to judge each other recurs throughout. In a literal sense, Jean has a stolen painting of "The Just Judges" in his abode, whose icy gaze looks out into his life. Indeed, he views himself as the ultimate judge of people, and is fearful of anyone rendering the same judgment upon him. Although an avowed atheist, it is his vague fear of the "Last Judgment" of God that troubles him the most, unlikely as it may be.

There is no action in this novel, as all events are conveyed in flashbacks by the narrator. Indeed, this is is merely one side of a conversation that takes place over a number of days in Amsterdam. At first, we are given a vague view of the narrator as he attempts to piece together his life story through flashbacks. As this jigsaw puzzle nears completion, we are at last rewarded with an understanding of the narrator and his failings. Yet, the story takes time to develop and is droll and dry at times.

Although "The Fall" may fall short in measuring up to Camus's other masterpieces, it is still worth the time to read it. Still, for a Camus novice, "The Plague" or "The Stranger" are better choices.

Clearing the air.......2006-05-12

It is essential to note that Camus was raised in the Catholic tradition, however widely he distanced himself from it in later life; he was not Jewish as a previous reviewer states, perhaps confusing only in that regard Camus with Elie Wiesel.

In all his work, Camus deals with the dilemma posed by the injustices suffered by all humanity. Believing himself faced with the choice between an all-powerful God who allows man's inhumanity to man and a benevolent God who seems powerless to prevent injustice, Camus chose no God at all. I can't agree with him--these two options are not the only possible explanations of injustice--but I respect the courage with which, time and again, Camus confronts us with the question: why do the innocent suffer?

In doing so, he is no respecter of persons, nor is Wiesel. Both are or were profoundly moved by injustice in all forms and instances, and each champions the human rights of all people.

Camuses Tour De Force?.......2006-03-03

For me I think that it is; the monologue style of the writing draws the reader in ever more progressively, it becomes a very personal read. The truth and objectivity of Camuses writing in 'The Fall' both suprises and enlightens, the mood of the book changes significantly from calm confident almost bravado like in the early stages to the complete opposite, the tearing apart though paradoxical is honest and endures on the readers feelings of past, present and future, certainly a book that you can go back to and read again and again.........at the end of the day we are all human and feel all those feelings that are rendered reading this book. I've got a soft spot for the French after reading this, I have a new respect for them...God bless translators

Average customer rating:

Lots to think about in this novel
The Attack
An exquisite pleasure to savour
There is truth in fiction we cannot hear in nonfiction
A compelling read

The Attack: Novel
Yasmina Khadra
Manufacturer: Nan A. Talese
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385517483
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

Dr. Amin Jaafari, an Arab-Israeli citizen, is a surgeon at a hospital in Tel Aviv. Dedicated to his work, respected and admired by his colleagues and community, he represents integration at its most successful. He has learned to live with the violence and chaos that plague his city, and on the night of a deadly bombing in a local restaurant, he works tirelessly to help the shocked and shattered patients brought to the emergency room. But this night of turmoil and death takes a horrifyingly personal turn. His wife’s body is found among the dead, with massive injuries, the police coldly announce, typical of those found on the bodies of fundamentalist suicide bombers. As evidence mounts that his wife, Sihem, was responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Dr. Jaafari is torn between cherished memories of their years together and the inescapable realization that the beautiful, intelligent, thoroughly modern woman he loved had a life far removed from the comfortable, assimilated existence they shared.

From the graphic, beautifully rendered description of the bombing that opens the novel to the searing conclusion, The Attack portrays the reality of terrorism and its incalculable spiritual costs. Intense and humane, devoid of political bias, hatred, and polemics, it probes deep inside the Muslim world and gives readers a profound understanding of what seems impossible to understand.

Customer Reviews:

Lots to think about in this novel.......2007-08-29

Dr. Amin Jaafari is the poster boy for integration. An Arab-Israeli citizen from a Bedouin family, he is apolitical by Tel-Aviv standards and focuses on saving lives. After a devastating bombing injures many in a local restaurant, Dr. Jaafari tirelessly attends to the injured. He has barely fallen asleep when he is called back to the hospital and learns the shocking truth: his wife's body has been found in the wreckage bearing left by the suicide bombings. Unable to accept the mounting evidence against Sihem, the modern and intelligent woman he married, Dr. Jaafari leaves Tel Aviv to find answers. But in a world where fundamentalists bomb to find solutions, will Dr. Jaafari be able to understand, let alone accept, his wife's actions?

Yasmina Khadra's new novel The Attack, presents a man struggling to understand a life-shattering event. For most of the Western world, terrorism invokes images of collapsing towers. For residents of the Middle East, terrorism is a more immediate reality. Suicide bombers are part of daily life and The Attack provides a window into the belief system which can lead to such violent action.

Author Khadra, the female pseudonym of former soldier Mohammed Moulessehoul, is strongest when writing the poignant passages where Dr. Jaafari wrestles with his memories and beliefs of his wife. Sihem has not only blown up a restaurant, she has shattered Dr. Jaafari's illusions, stripping away his belief in their perfect existence. He is a shadow of his former self, wrestling with personal demons and the overwhelming need to understand how he failed his wife.

Unfortunately, the downfall of The Attack is the failure to present a compelling reason why Sihem would become a suicide bomber. Female bombers are a rare occurrence and Sihem requires strong reasons to be convincing as one. Khadra doesn't provide it and readers are left with the impression of a lost soul, swayed by strong personalities, rather than a committed fanatic prepared to martyr herself.

The Attack is disturbing but has much to teach readers who can see past the violence. If Khadra had presented a stronger heroine, this novel would have been exceptional.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique look at suicide bombings.

The Attack.......2007-08-09

This book was, by far, one of the best books I've read in quite some time. The author captures his readers attention and doesn't let go until the very last word.

Brought to the forefront of the book are the realities of racism, violence, religious discord, deception, as well as, the passion for love of family, loyality to one's religious beliefs and country. It is about a man who is so distraught by the tumultuous circumstances around him that he is tormented to the point of insanity. It is about a man so determined to find out the truth about his wife that he is willing to sacrifice everything.

It will challenge your emotional endurance to the end. A thought-provoking and well-written story! Excellent book!

An exquisite pleasure to savour.......2007-07-31

This is a beautiful piece of work, written in a very nuanced style, with sentences and paragraphs that make you pause and reflect. It has a certain levity to it that makes this rather dark and complex subject matter more accessible. It's a novel that ages well with time, and will certainly have a special place in my collection of books.

There is truth in fiction we cannot hear in nonfiction.......2007-07-23

Enough people have told you this story in this book in their reviews. I hate that.

I can only tell you that since the 1967 war folks have been telling me what is going on in the middle east. Most tales have been so personal and so traumatic that they do not inform me. In the media, on the other hand I hear generalization.

Through a very few novels by talented writers do I gain some understanding of what is happening there. I understand that this is through one character's eyes as related by one author. But that informs me more than the groups that make films or the conglomeration of facts in histories or travel writing.

A compelling read.......2007-05-18

'The Attack' is a compelling read. You'll be hard-pressed to put it down. The story's protagonist - Dr. Amir Jaafari - goes through a terrifying series of traumas. We watch him literally fall apart before our eyes as he tries to maintain a hold on the story's narrative. To say anything more would be to reveal crucial plot details. The most fascinating parts of the story are the vivid, detail-laden accounts of life in locales like Bethlehem and Jenin.

Frogs & French Kisses (Magic In Manhattan)

Average customer rating:

Frogs and French Kisses
Age appropriate
Fun and sassy
Spellbinding Sequel
love it love it

Frogs & French Kisses (Magic In Manhattan)
Sarah Mlynowski
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385731825
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Book Description

Rachel has finally come to terms with the outrageously unfair fact that her younger sister, Miri, has inherited magical powers from their mom. But now the whole witchcraft thing is spiraling out of control. Mom is a magicaholic, Miri’s on a Save the World kick, and the one teeny tiny love spell that Rachel begged for has gone embarrassingly, horribly wrong.

Suddenly, the fate of everything is in Rachel’s hands.

Her family.

The world.

Senior prom.

Customer Reviews:

Frogs and French Kisses.......2007-05-23

This is the sequel to Bras and Broomsticks, and I have to say that it holds the same place in my mind as the first book. Fantastic, but not wonderful, but still the type of book where I absolutely can't wait to read the next one. It held my interest throughout, probably more so than the first one, and the ending is so open-ended and I am looking forward to Spells and Sleeping Bags.

So, I would probably-most-definitely recommend this series. Maybe not for someone looking for deep, insightful reading, but someone who wants light and fluffy.

Age appropriate.......2007-05-13

This author is very gifted at writing for the middle- younger high school age group. She does a great job of recalling and describing thoughts and feelings at that age.

Fun and sassy.......2007-03-14

The magic continues in the fun and sassy second installment of the Bras and Broomsticks Trilogy. This is a fun, light-hearted book with a Jewish protagonist named Rachel, who is a bit jealous that her sister Miri, and her mother are witches with magical powers. The novel begins on a nighttime flight during spring break in the dark, country sky. When Miri finds some soon-to-be slaughtered cows, she sends them to safety--in this case--Rachel's high school gym. Damages are high and the upcoming prom threatened.
But the prom p