Book Description
On an otherwise typical Monday morning, a middle-aged writer enters her living room and finds a woman standing by her fig tree. The woman is wearing a blue trench coat, white sneakers, and a white shawl over her hair. She is holding a purse and a suitcase. She is the Virgin Mary-and after 2000 years of petition, adoration, and traveling, she's in need of a little R&R. Invited in for lunch, Mary decides to stay for one week, during which an unlikely friendship develops. As our narrator learns the remarkable history of one of the most influential and complex women of all time, she is moved to examine life's big questions and her own capacity for faith. Witty and gently ironic, this inventive novel is an inspiration to believers and nonbelievers alike.
Customer Reviews:
Boring! .......2007-08-05
The premise is interesting, and it could have been the means for exploring (and providing fictional answers to) many interesting questions. However, I could not finish this book. The protagonist is a terribly boring, solitary person, and in the first 150 pages, the holy houseguest doesn't do anything interesting enough to keep me reading. The snippets of Marian history are interesting, but that's about it.
Heartbreakingly beautiful.......2007-06-01
This isn't so much a novel, as it is poetry of the heart. Her writing will make you weep, laugh and ponder the mysteries of life and love long after you've closed this book and replaced it on the shelf. Diane Schoemperlen takes human frailties exposes them to the light, and somehow transforms them into precious keepsakes. Warning: If you are looking for a lighthearted novel, despite its humour, this is not it. But if you want to find yourself truly stirred, please read this.
Profound at multiple levels........2007-04-04
No matter how shallow or deep your faith (even with no faith at all), this book can move you. I would have never picked it up, but my book club chose it. When I saw the cover, I literally laughed out loud. The humorous beginning grabbed my attention. This is a book I'll never get rid of because of the many profound quotes, poignant stories, accurate church history, and the honest, vulnerable exposure of one's faith.
Not what I expected..........2007-01-09
This book was not what I expected it to be. I picked it up thinking I would be reading a light-hearted "chick-Lit" type book that would be an easy read. What I got was a deeply introspective, historical book about the Virgin Mary that I quite enjoyed.
There is a great deal of religious/historical information about Mary that I did not know. Over 20,000 reported visions of her (some quite beautiful, some quite strange.) The author appears to have done a great deal of meticulous research, and I truly appreciate her efforts.
The un-named narrator of the book tells a delightful story of Mary's weeklong stay and there are several humorous moments I enjoyed. I found the narrator to be someone I truly identified with, being that I am also a single woman in my early forties. It's not often that I come across a character like that.
I only have one negative comment about the book and that is the over-use of the "comma." Practically every chapter has a paragraph (or two) that contains a series of words separated by the comma. It was a bit much after awhile. 4 1/2 stars for this one.
Lost and Found.......2006-09-07
If you are one of borderline faith due to the times, the doubt, the lack of conviction, etc., this book just might rejuevenate some faith. Mother Mary comes to visit an author who lives alone. She stays a week, during which time she becomes a friend. The book weaves what Mary does and says during her visit with past and present stories of Marian visitations, who they happened to, what happened afterward, and where they happened and when.
I found this book to be not only entertaining but enlightening in many ways. It was a nice story of friendship, a bit of enlightened ramble about the meaning we put into our lives. It was also a history of Mary with the back listing a host of Mary references should someone be inclined to investigate for themselves.
I thought this was a great book of faith, life, friendship, and miracles should you take the leap to believe.
Book Description
In this U.K. bestseller, Lady Arbella Stuart emerges as a most contemporary royal, a young woman determined to shape her own destiny in the midst of her plot-ridden world.
Arbella was niece to Mary Queen of Scots and cousin to Elizabeth I — who indicated that the teenage Arbella was to be heir to her throne. A critical pawn in the struggle for succession, particularly during the long, tense period when Elizabeth lay dying, the young Arbella endured twenty-seven years of isolation at the grand Hardwick Hall, held by her scheming and powerful grandmother.
The accession of James I, Arbella's first cousin, ended the young woman's royal aspirations but thrust her into James's licentious court. Then, at age thirty-five, she risked everything to make a forbidden marriage. An escape in disguise, a wild flight abroad, and capture at sea led in the end to an agonizing death in the Tower. Yet nothing is as remarkable as the almost modern freedom with which, in a series of extraordinary letters — more passionate and extensive than those of any other woman of this suffocating age — Arbella Stuart revealed her own compelling personality.
Customer Reviews:
subject intriguing but book is uneven.......2007-05-15
I read Arbella, England's Lost Queen by Sarah Gristwood becuase the subject matter interested me. Who was this woman perpetually kept as a prisoner by her relatives for most of her short life? Was she that much of a threat to the throne of King James I?
Sarah Gristwood provides lots of pertinent information about Arbella and her relations and sets the stage describing the royal personages and scandals of the day. Yet this biography is uneven at best. At times, it does not flow smoothly and the author consistently interjects her 21st century voice that often gets in the way of the story. Many of the author's comments either needed to be edited or written in a way that flowed in sync with the story and the setting. Here is an example from the book," Arbella may have been at once ill and actively scheming;just because they are after you doesn't mean you aren't paranoid" p.340. Is this last line necessary? Here is another line,"We know she was subject to depression, the "dumps". Is this a direct quote from a seventeenth century source? Somehow, using contemporary phrases and trite aphorisms does not work for a 16th/17th century royal biography. I also noticed there were some typos, unusual for a reputed publisher such as Houghton Mifflin, once again indicating this book needed a more careful editing job.
The author has clearly done her research and does give the reader many sources that give us clues as to who Arbella was, what her motivations were and how she attempted to live her life. However, due to a dearth perhaps of information on Arbella, one still feels something is missing here. I felt as if I really got to know the other characters in the history, such as Arbella's scheming aunt, Mary Talbot and her maternal grandmother, Bess of Hartwick.
Overall, the subject matter was more interesting than the presentation of the material. I think an editing job omitting the author's several cliched phrases that disrupted the flow of the story would have helped. She does pose some intriguing questions and theories and I learned alot about the time period. The Epilogue was certainly complete and well written.
Sarah Gristwood definitely did her research on Arbella. Her theories are thought provoking. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the interjection of her own voice disrupted the flow of the book, created unnecessary distractions and some of the worn out phrases could have been edited out.
Arbella: Englands Lost Queen.......2007-03-09
I found the book quite interesting, especially since it seemed like Arbella was similar to her Aunt Mary Stuart Queen of Scots in some of her actions. Was there much influence on the young girl before the execution of her aunt? There does not seem to be much to confirm this. But then there is the question of the porphyria. Since Mary & Arbella were not blood relatives could the disease cause similarites in response to stressful situations? This book has certainly sparked an interest in myself to investigate such matters. I would certainly recommend this book for those curious in historical biographies.
So far...........2007-02-13
I have had this book for over six weeks, and am only halfway through. It's good, but not engrossing. I haven't had the inclination to continue reading, even though not finishing a book is something I'm fundamentally unable to do, for the most part. It's not that the story isn't interesting; it's just that it's very dry and takes a long time to get to the heart of the story.
An excellent historical biography.......2006-03-31
What I enjoyed most about this book was that it tied together historical figures I had read about elsewhere -- the earls of Leicester and Essex, Bess of Hardwick, James I, Elizabeth I -- in a completely different context and from a widely different perspective. Sarah Gristwood did an excellent job placing Arbella and her struggles within the larger political stories of her day. Her writing, although mostly accessible, does have its moments of insiderism -- such as when she refers to Penelope Rich as Sidney's Stella, for seemingly no reason and without further elaboration. I think you're better off reading this book if you already have a working knowledge of the court of Elizabeth I.
If You Are interested in Stuart/Tudor history.......2006-01-27
If You Are Interested in Stuart/Tudor History,and the Machinations of same, i think you will find this book
of interest>i had never heard of arbella so was interested
to read about who she was.Arbella was in line to inherit
the throne but did not-James I did.Although her life
and death were sad,i would still recommend this. Sarah Gristwood
did a good job regarding the forces and turmoil in play at this
time.
Book Description
The six works in this volume--"A Lost Lady," "The Professor's House," "Death Comes for the Archbishop," "Shadows on the Rock," "Lucy Gayheart," and "Sapphira and the Slave Girl"--are at once intensely lyrical and highly controlled. Their fascination with the American Southwest, early Canada and Catholicism reflects the older Cather's search for alternatives to the grasping civilization she felt was increasingly replacing the spirit of the early pioneers. validation-form-field.keypoints: The Library of America is an award-winning, nonprofit program dedicated to publishing America's best and most significant writing in handsome, enduring volumes, featuring authoritative texts. Hailed as "the most important book-publishing project in the nation's history" (Newsweek), this acclaimed series is restoring America's literary heritage in "the finest-looking, longest-lasting edition ever made" (New Republic).
Customer Reviews:
Her talent is breath-taking.......2006-06-21
Somehow, though I love to read,I had missed Willa Cather. I had already read and loved Jane Austen but it was not until I read "My Antonia" that I realized what I had missed all of these years. Willa Cather is truly a genius of the written word. To call her writing 'good' or her stories 'enjoyable' is to understate her talent. Her writing is beautiful though the stories are simple. Each place she writes about makes one believe that she lived there all her life. Her book "Saphira and the Slave Girl" would make you think she had lived there and in that time. Many of her stories are out on the prairie and seem to glow with the golden light from the sun on the fields of grain. Her characterizations are simple but profound and she often throws in a dramatic tale told by a character. And yes, this physical book is also beautiful and a joy to read. It makes one wonder about ever reading a cheap paperback again.
My Antonia.......2001-09-02
This book was very interesting had a good theme and plot.
It kept the reader on edge throughout the entire book. I would recommend it to everyone.
My Antonia.......2001-09-02
This book was very interesting had a good theme and plot.
It kept the reader on edge throughout the entire book. I would
recommend it to everyone.
Some of Cather's finest work.......2000-10-03
Like all the volumes in the Library of America series, this book is beautiful and made to last. Some readers may be bothered by the thin paper, but it allows so much to be packed into a handy book. As the title states, this is a collection from Cather's early work (her first "first novel," _Alexander's Bridge_, is missing). _The Troll Garden_ is a collection of Cather's early short stories, most in the manner of H. James and have a fin-de-siecle tone. "The Sculptor's Funeral," which depicts a town's inability to recognize achievement in any form but monetary, is perhaps the best. That and two other stories were revised by Cather for _Youth and the Bright Medusa_ (1920 an available in LoA 57 _Stories, Poems, and Other Writings_). Reading the versions side-by-side, one can achieve insight into Cather's growing abilities as a writer. However, the most rewarding read in this volume is _My Antonia_. Cather's first masterpiece depicts the lives of Jim Burden and Antonia Shimerda from their arrival in Black Hawk, Nebraska to twenty years after Jim leaves Black Hawk for a life in the East. Antonia remains in Nebraska, becomes a maid in town, and marries (twice). The theme of the book, from Jim's perspective, is aptly captured in the epigraph: "optima dies . . . prima fugit" (from Virgil's _Aeneid_). Again like all volumes in the LoA, a chronology of the authors life, a "Note on the Texts" and a few notes, containing information on allusions and translations of foreign words and phrases appear at the end of the volume.
Absolutely perfect fiction.......1999-05-21
One of my all-time favorite books. Attractively packaged on acid-free paper. Very classic looking. And the fiction is excellent! Her stories about the Plains, the Southwest, Chicago, and Quebec are perfect works of art. I especially liked "Tom Outland's Story" contained within "The Professor's House."
Average customer rating:
- A tiny gem of a book. You'll be thinking about it long after you're finished.
- Frontier loneliness invades this marvalous novel.
- A Book About Old Society
- LOST TO POSTERITY...
- Good, But Not Cather's Best
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A Lost Lady (Vintage Classics)
Willa Cather
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Lucy Gayheart (Vintage Classics)
ASIN: 0679728872
Release Date: 1990-06-16 |
Book Description
A portrait of a woman who reflects the conventions of her age even as she defies them and whose transformations embody the decline and coarsening of the American frontier.
Customer Reviews:
A tiny gem of a book. You'll be thinking about it long after you're finished........2007-05-03
Critic Leon Edel wrote of Cather, "The time will come when she'll be ranked above Hemingway." Well, I'm there! In fact, I've been there since I finished "O Pioneers." For the last several years, I've been reading her books in order and just marvel at Cather's talent, her insights, and the economy of her writing.
I was disappointed in "One of Ours," the Pulitzer-Prize winning book that preceded "A Lost Lady.' The Midwest sequences in "One of Ours" were fine, but Cather seemed lost in unfamiliar territory when the setting switched to World War I France. "One of Ours" was a memorial tribute to a beloved relative of Cather's, so perhaps her emotions got the better of her writing and her observations.
I was glad that she returned to the land and people she knew best with "A Lost Lady."
Every word in this little book rang true to me. Every character - major and minor - was alive and fully realized. The events and settings - all vivid and deeply credible.
In fact, I stayed in bed all one morning to finish this book. Like a great mystery - this was a "page turner" for me. Cather sprinkles delicious hints throughout that propelled me forward. The satsifaction I felt at the end was similar to what one feels after finishing a first-rate mystery - only here the satisfaction was on the much higher plane of great literature.
If you've read "O Pioneers," "Song of the Lark," or "My Antonia," you know that Cather understood strong, admirable women. What a revelation that she could ALSO write a great book with a charming but weak woman as its central character. We admire and like Marian Forrester for her wit and grace, while at the same time we deplore her superficiality and hypocrisy.
Like Neil, we never are quite sure who Mrs. Forrester is, what she thinks, or what motivates her. But that is precisely what makes this book such a work of art - and so true to life. I expect to reflect on Mrs. Forrester, Neil, the Captain - even Ivy Peters - and the others for many years to come.
This probably should not be the first Cather book you read. "O Pioneers" or "My Antonia" are probably better choices. But don't lose sight of this small but dazzling jewel.
Frontier loneliness invades this marvalous novel........2006-02-17
Once again Willa Cather vividly and yet quietly brings out the inherent loneliness of the American homesteading West.
Set in a small railroad town, the story focuses on one young man's perception of a "lady" who he sees as unlike any other that he has know. Beautiful, lively, kind, aloof yet she shows a warmth and depth that Neil (the protaganist) was unused to in his frontier town.
Over time, heart-ache and isolation eventually cause her to lose her soul.
Cather is a genious in her quiet portrayial of this lonely woman and the on-going breaking of her spirit. Loneliness invades every word, every image and every character in "The Lost Woman".
I would recommend that this novel be listened to as well as read. Reading Cather is a joy, but there are so many details of language that are easy to dismiss unless you can hear the words.
Wonderful.
A Book About Old Society.......2006-02-05
Compelling in its description of time and place, A Lost Lady is about old railroad society and chronicles the graceful standout Marian Forrester, a great lady of the old school. In a time where ladies wore dresses and were hosts to house parties and dinner parties, Mrs. Forrester, the second wife of Daniel Forrester, comes from California to a small railroad town in the midwest called Sweet Water to homestead and receive great men of the railroad at her home. She falls upon hard times and new money takes over old money, but she is always revered by Neil Forrester, a young boy who watches her downfall. Mrs. Forrester is the last holdout from old times, and she remains a fixture in Neil's memory long after the last railroad has been built.
LOST TO POSTERITY..........2005-11-28
This is a simply written but thematically complex, metaphoric story, replete with subtle nuances. The events that transpire are seen primarily through the eyes of a boy who comes of age, a contrivance that the author successfully employed in her best selling classic, "My Antonia". Here, it is no less successful. Through the eyes of Neil Herbert, who lives in Sweet Water, a prospective railroad hub on the Western plains in one of the prairie states, the reader gets to know Marian Forrester. She is the much younger, envied wife of one of the town's more prominent and wealthier citizens, Captain Daniel Forrester, a former railroad contractor.
As Neil grows into a man, his adoration of the lovely Mrs. Forrester undergoes a change. He sees her fall from the pedestal from where he and all the townspeople have placed her and sees her, really sees her, warts and all, for the first time, when he discovers her involved in an unexpected peccadillo. It comes as a shock to him that she may not be all that she seems to be. Still, his life is closely entwined with hers, as his uncle, with whom he lives, is Captain Forrester's personal attorney and of the same social standing in this socially circumscribed backwater.
Just as Neil's perception of Mrs. Forrester begins to change in his eyes, so do the fortunes of the town and that of Captain Forrester. As Mrs. Forrester physically deteriorates under the strain of the vicissitudes of fate, so do the town and its surrounding environs. As she revives, leaving behind her old values and adopting new ones that are anathema to those who respect the traditional ones, her revival parallels changes in the town itself, as the old makes way for the new. These changes also parallel the shifts occurring on the American frontier, as social mores and personal values undergo a change, and those stalwart pioneer values give way to new ones.
Beautifully descriptive of a bygone era and laconic in its pace, this is most certainly a novel to be savored. Fans of the author will especially enjoy it.
Good, But Not Cather's Best.......2004-07-17
"A Lost Lady" is a good read and any experience with Willa Cather's outstanding writing is worth your time, but it's not her best story. "My Antonia" is best followed by "O' Pioneers". Start with those and then by all means read this and everything else that is Cather. She's GREAT!!
Average customer rating:
- Okay Book
- What Happened???
- A Thrilling adventure
- Not Deveraux's best... but good...
- Not Deveraux's best... but good...
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Lost Lady
Jude Deveraux
Manufacturer: Pocket
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ASIN: 0671739778 |
Book Description
Jude Deveraux touches the heart with this captivating novel of unexpected passion, adventure, and second chances.
Lost Lady
Forsaken by her guardian and narrowly escaping marriage to a money-hungry suitor, Regan flees Weston Manor, the only home she's ever known, determined to rule her own destiny. When Travis Stanford, a big, rugged American, finds Regan on London's docks, he vows to protect her -- unaware of the magnificent, iron-willed beauty she would become, or the dangerous, passion-filled future that awaited them both. From England's bawdy wharves to Virginia's elegant mansions, their love was kindled by chance, and flamed by the thrilling pursuit of unknown tomorrows.
Download Description
"Carrie Montgomery had grown up with seven adoring older brothers, and she was used to getting her way rather easily. Joshua Greene was only looking for a hardworking, practical mail-order bride to help with the farm and feed and clothe his children. Yet from the moment Carrie saw his photograph, saw his devastatingly handsome, sorrowful smile, the petite and pampered beauty knew she was the perfect wife for him. Josh didn't see it that way. Wed by proxy, he refused to be charmed by his new bride's blond curls and effervescent laughter, or impressed by her trappings of wealth...even if his son and daughter believed she was a fairy princess come to life. He was furious -- and ready to send her packing, until a near tragedy convinced him that her beauty was more than skin-deep. But even after he had yielded to the wild desire that surged between them, Josh could not admit how much he truly needed her. Then an old scandal threatened to re-emerge, and he realized that he could lose her forever.... "
Customer Reviews:
Okay Book.......2006-07-28
This book was fairly okay. I found the heroine mostly annoying. If you don't mind getting fustrated with the way the characters think/act towards each other, then you'll find a little enjoyment in your time reading it.
What Happened???.......2005-05-17
I can't beleive I bought this book! It was too rushed I am used to the heroine and hero caring for each other first before falling into bed together. I mean they were already doing it in the second chapter!! I only read the first couple of chapters and couldn't get myself to read anymore. I rather like books like Jude's "Knight in Shining Armor."
This novel really turned me off it's almost more like a bad contemporary novel than a historical one. I found the heroine irritating and way too childish and the hero could of been likeable if he wasn't too "easy." I'm sorry Mrs Deveraux but this type of romance was definately not my type. My recommendation for the reader definately borrow it first before you decide to buy.
A Thrilling adventure.......2004-10-04
Ah. Jude does it again! It seems like lately, all I want to do is to sink into a romantic book and let the characters' love life and problems sweep me away ~~ I can count on a good ending which is what I need at this time. This book didn't disappoint me! I thoroughly enjoyed this book ~~ in spite of a busy life as mother of toddler twins and a wife ~~ I managed to "escape" for a few hours in reading this novel.
Regan manages to escape her overbearing uncle and guardian and lost her finace ~~ only to land into Travis Stanford's arms. Never wooed or courted by the demanding Travis, Regan falls hard in love with this rugged American. Then she left him ~~ and that is when the novel really got to be fun for me! The heartaches they both suffered because of their stubbornness, but Travis really came through in the romance department.
This is a perfect novel for these chilly winter nights ahead ~~ it is bound to carry the reader away into a land of romance and happy endings.
10-3-04
Not Deveraux's best... but good..........2003-05-16
This is not one of Jude Deveraux's best stories, but it is very good. If you don't like this one, don't let it be the judge of whether you will read another by this author... she's a very talented author, and many of her books are a great deal better than this one.
Although I did enjoy this story, the heroine was a little too dependent on the hero. I would have liked to see more strength in her, even though she did go through a lot in the story. Nevertheless the story was pretty good and I did enjoy it.
Not Deveraux's best... but good..........2003-05-16
This is not one of Jude Deveraux's best stories, but it is very good. If you don't like this one, don't let it be the judge of whether you will read another by this author... she's a very talented author, and many of her books are a great deal better than this one.
Although I did enjoy this story, the heroine was a little too dependent on the hero. I would have liked to see more strength in her, even though she did go through a lot in the story. Nevertheless the story was pretty good and I did enjoy it.
Average customer rating:
- Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic
- Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic
- Veryan Never Disappoints
- Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic
- Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic
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Loves' Lady Lost: A Regency Novel
Patricia Veryan
Manufacturer: Severn House Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Veryan, Patricia
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THE DEDICATED VILLAIN (The Golden Chronicles, Book 6)
ASIN: 0727844598 |
Customer Reviews:
Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic.......2004-06-01
I bought this book in an auction because Patricia Veryan (who writes here as Gwyneth Moore) had been recommended to me. Having read it, all I can say is that I hope this was an early work and that Veryan's later books are significantly better.
The story: young man of noble family gets stuck in snow on the way back to London and seeks shelter at the home of a widow with a young child. Primrose Hythe has chicken-pox, so Leo Savage's initial impression of her was not good; we're later supposed to understand that he comes to find her attractive, but this isn't really spelt out. He stays to help her and Consuela, her young daughter (almost five and speaks in what is almost a patois, which was completely incredible and very distracting), and Primrose's (male) cousin, also ill. Savage later discovers that Primrose isn't what she claims, and that she seems to have a scandalous past.
I assume the book was intended to be largely funny. I didn't find it amusing, however, but then farce doesn't especially appeal to me. Leaving that aside, there was very little romance; for example, I have no idea whatsoever how it was that Primrose, from thinking that Savage was an irritating nuisance, suddenly was both attracted to him and in love with him! Savage's own behaviour was equally incomprehensible.
The characterisations were not at all consistent throughout the book, and as such characters behaved in unbelievable ways. The Primrose we met at the start of the book wouldn't have sighed over Savage, and nor would she have fallen into his arms at the end - especially after what he did to her.
Savage's treatment of Primrose was, in fact, unforgivable. Regardless of his motives, the action he took was appalling - it was humiliating, patronising and completely unfair. Primrose should never have spoken to him again - how Moore/Veryan could expect her readers to accept that Primrose would run headlong into Savage's arms after her public humiliation at his hands is unbelievable. Savage had in any case previously shown himself to be narrow-minded and judgemental. Not a hero I could admire in any fashion.
The denouement of the book was highly derivative: straight out of Heyer's These Old Shades, where the Duke of Avon tells his friends a story, which turns out to be the truth of Leonie's birth. Did Veryan not expect that her readers would have read Heyer?
wmr-uk
Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic.......2004-06-01
I bought this book in an auction because Patricia Veryan had been recommended to me. Having read it, all I can say is that I hope this was an early work and that Veryan's later books are significantly better.
The story: young man of noble family gets stuck in snow on the way back to London and seeks shelter at the home of a widow with a young child. Primrose Hythe has chicken-pox, so Leo Savage's initial impression of her was not good; we're later supposed to understand that he comes to find her attractive, but this isn't really spelt out. He stays to help her and Consuela, her young daughter (almost five and speaks in what is almost a patois, which was completely incredible and very distracting), and Primrose's (male) cousin, also ill. Savage later discovers that Primrose isn't what she claims, and that she seems to have a scandalous past.
I assume the book was intended to be largely funny. I didn't find it amusing, however, but then farce doesn't especially appeal to me. Leaving that aside, there was very little romance; for example, I have no idea whatsoever how it was that Primrose, from thinking that Savage was an irritating nuisance, suddenly was both attracted to him and in love with him! Savage's own behaviour was equally incomprehensible.
The characterisations were not at all consistent throughout the book, and as such characters behaved in unbelievable ways. The Primrose we met at the start of the book wouldn't have sighed over Savage, and nor would she have fallen into his arms at the end - especially after what he did to her.
Savage's treatment of Primrose was, in fact, unforgivable. Regardless of his motives, the action he took was appalling - it was humiliating, patronising and completely unfair. Primrose should never have spoken to him again - how Moore/Veryan could expect her readers to accept that Primrose would run headlong into Savage's arms after her public humiliation at his hands is unbelievable. Savage had in any case previously shown himself to be narrow-minded and judgemental. Not a hero I could admire in any fashion.
The denouement of the book was highly derivative: straight out of Heyer's These Old Shades, where the Duke of Avon tells his friends a story, which turns out to be the truth of Leonie's birth. Did Veryan not expect that her readers would have read Heyer?
wmr-uk
Veryan Never Disappoints.......2003-07-04
Veryan is up to her usual keen ability to keep readers glued to this adventure. I recomend this book and consider it a joy.
Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic.......2001-05-19
I just wrote a review of this under its original 'author', Gwyneth Moore, an alias of Veryan. Having been recommended Veryan, I acquired this book in an auction. But I was very disappointed, and may not bother to read anything by Veryan again.
I believe this is supposed to be a comedy and a romance; in my view, it was neither. I didn't find the story funny, and I looked in vain for romance. We began with neither character liking each other very much, and with Savage wondering whether Primrose might be good for a brief affair (though he never so much as tried to pursue her); we end with them somehow madly in love with each other, with nothing in between.
Primrose's daughter was exceedingly irritating. Five-year-olds don't refer to themselves and their auditors in the third person! And why 'Consuela'? Even born in Spain, with English parents it's not at all a likely name.
Primrose, for someone who had been through such a difficult and sad past, seemed relatively untroubled. Why did Veryan not show us more of her thoughts? But then, she - like Savage - was not drawn consistently throughout the book.
As for Savage, I ended up despising him. He was narrow-minded and judgemental, and - regardless of his subsequent acts - the way he purposefully and publicly humiliated Primrose was despicable. Even worse, it was part of some scheme or other, of which Primrose knew nothing either before or after. His behaviour was appalling, and I was horrified when Primrose simply ran into his arms at the end of the book - which was actually the first time she saw him after his betrayal of her.
Oh, and the denouement is straight out of Heyer's These Old Shades - very derivative, and with none of the style of the original.
Tedious, derivative, unfunny and unromantic.......2001-05-19
I bought this book in an auction because Patricia Veryan (who writes here as Gwyneth Moore) had been recommended to me. Having read it, all I can say is that I hope this was an early work and that Veryan's later books are significantly better.
The story: young man of noble family gets stuck in snow on the way back to London and seeks shelter at the home of a widow with a young child. Primrose Hythe has chicken-pox, so Leo Savage's initial impression of her was not good; we're later supposed to understand that he comes to find her attractive, but this isn't really spelt out. He stays to help her and Consuela, her young daughter (almost five and speaks in what is almost a patois, which was completely incredible and very distracting), and Primrose's (male) cousin, also ill. Savage later discovers that Primrose isn't what she claims, and that she seems to have a scandalous past.
I assume the book was intended to be largely funny. I didn't find it amusing, however, but then farce doesn't especially appeal to me. Leaving that aside, there was very little romance; for example, I have no idea whatsoever how it was that Primrose, from thinking that Savage was an irritating nuisance, suddenly was both attracted to him and in love with him! Savage's own behaviour was equally incomprehensible.
The characterisations were not at all consistent throughout the book, and as such characters behaved in unbelievable ways. The Primrose we met at the start of the book wouldn't have sighed over Savage, and nor would she have fallen into his arms at the end - especially after what he did to her.
Savage's treatment of Primrose was, in fact, unforgivable. Regardless of his motives, the action he took was appalling - it was humiliating, patronising and completely unfair. Primrose should never have spoken to him again - how Moore/Veryan could expect her readers to accept that Primrose would run headlong into Savage's arms after her public humiliation at his hands is unbelievable. Savage had in any case previously shown himself to be narrow-minded and judgemental. Not a hero I could admire in any fashion.
The denouement of the book was highly derivative: straight out of Heyer's These Old Shades, where the Duke of Avon tells his friends a story, which turns out to be the truth of Leonie's birth. Did Veryan not expect that her readers would have read Heyer?
Customer Reviews:
The Pepperoni Parade and the Power of Prayer.......2000-06-13
This book has a great message about prayer in a way that children can understand. The illustrations are wonderful. The book is fun as well as educational. My three year old daughter wants to hear it over and over.
Average customer rating:
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The Lost Tapestries of the City of Ladies: Christine de Pizan's Renaissance Legacy
Susan Groag Bell
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0520234103 |
Book Description
Like a particularly good detective story, this richly textured book follows tantalizing clues in its hunt for a group of missing artistic masterpieces. Susan Bell recounts both her long search for a series of sixteenth-century tapestries that celebrated women and her efforts to understand their meaning for Queen Elizabeth I of England and the other powerful women who owned them. Opening a new window on the lives of noblewomen in the Renaissance, the brilliantly colored tapestries that were the ultimate artistic luxury of the day, and the popular and influential fourteenth-century writer Christine de Pizan, Bell pursues a compelling tale that moves from centuries past to today.
The tapestries around which this story revolves are linked to Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies (1405), orginally published six hundred years ago in 1405. The book is a tribute to women that honors two hundred female warriors, scientists, queens, philosophers, and builders of cities. Though twenty-five manuscripts of the City of Ladies still exist, references to tapestries based on the book are elusive. Bell takes us along as she tracks down records of six sets of tapestries whose owners included Elizabeth I of England; Margaret of Austria; and Anne of Brittany, Queen of France. Bell examines the intriguing details of these women's lives--their arranged marriages, their power, their affairs of state--asking what interest they had in owning these particular tapestries. Could the tapestries have represented their thinking? As she reveals the historical, linguistic, and cultural aspects of this unique story, Bell also gives a fascinating account of medieval and early-Renaissance tapestry production and of Christine de Pizan's remarkable life and legacy.
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- Know yourself
- FOR WOMEN IN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS - the perfect gift!
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Ladies, Are You Lost?: Options for Women in Unhealthy Relationships
Victoria Rose , and
Helena Gunther
Manufacturer: Outskirts Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Health, Mind & Body
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Happiness
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ASIN: 1598003585 |
Book Description
HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU ABOUT CHANGING YOUR LIFE? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?. . . your identity (the real you) has been lost or stolen, and we need to go to war to get you back. I use the concept of war because war is serious business and we are serious. Right? Richard Marcinko, in his book Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior--A Commando's Guide to Success, writes: "Life is a struggle for survival, for success, and for dominance. Life is war." If this is so, then let us prepare for war.
Customer Reviews:
Know yourself.......2006-09-23
Ladies, Are You Lost is a book for all women who have been in an unsuccessful relationship or relationships. I found it an easy read and understood the main theme. From the author: Lasting, true happiness comes from inside ... once you've found yourself. It's not dependent upon another person, place or thing. And, you really don't want it to be. The author shows how you can learn to love yourself instead of placing all responsibility on others to make you happy. Why some women stay in a relationship because there is no where to go. A poor excuse. I would recommend this book highly, if you want to be happy with yourself and have poor self esteem.
FOR WOMEN IN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS - the perfect gift!.......2006-04-09
Ladies, Are You Lost?
Options for Women in Unhealthy Relationships
Victoria Rose & Helena Gunther
Outskirts Press
10940 S. Parker Rd #515, Parker, CO, USA
http://outskirtspress.com/ladies
www.victoriarosebooks.blogspot.com
ISBN: 1598003585, $9.95, 132 pp, 2006
REVIEWED BY: NICKI VAN NESS for KATE TROUT'S BOOK REVIEWS
This is a small, compact book with 10 clues to help women find their lost or stolen identity-their sense of "self." It is an open, easy read written in a familiar, understanding manner and includes contributions from other women . . . just average women reaching out a hand.
The contents of this book are: Chapter 1 - Are You in an Unhealthy Relationship; Chapter 2 - Ten Clues to Find You; Chapter 3 - Short Personal History; Chapter 4 Evolution of my Occupations; Chapter 5 - Contributions from Other Women; Chapter 6 - Options and Opportunities; Chapter 7 - Failure is Not an Option; Chapter 8 - Education Fund; Chapter 9 - Resources; and Chapter 10 - Conclusion.
Here is an excerpt from page 2:
"WHAT IS THIS BOOK? . . . it's a solid object in your hand which contains my thoughts, refined thinking, and mental telepathy transcending distance and time.
When you picked up this book and began to read, you became a participant in a miracle and the receiver of a message that I wanted to send. Thoughts from my mind are being telepathically transmitted to your mind through the medium of this book, and more amazingly still, this connection transcends distance and time-you being farther up river in the stream of time. I sent this message in March 2006, and you are receiving it in? . . . . You don't know where I was when I sent it, and I don't know where you are while you're receiving it. Telepathy!"
And a second excerpt from page 3:
""WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? . . . your identity (the real you) has been lost or stolen, and we need to go to war to get you back. I use the concept of war because war is serious business and we are serious. Right?
Richard Marcinko, in his book Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior-A Commando's Guide to Success, writes: "Life is a struggle for survival, for success, and for dominance. Life is war." If this is so, then let us prepare for war.
Somewhere, in each of us, beats a warrior's heart. During our time together, I am going to provide your warrior mind with ten clues to finding you. I will list them briefly and later go into more detail. Once you have discovered or recovered yourself, you will no longer need our guidance, but you will need to protect this "identity," as it can be lost or stolen . . . again.""
The focus of this book is not healthy relationships, the focus is finding you. Once you have a stronger grasp on who you are, the opportunities for a healthy relationship will materialize. Financial independence is an important part in this struggle, and that is what the "options" part of this book is about.
The book is addressed to women in unhealthy relationships who feel they have no options. The purpose of the book is to help them get back on track and take control of their lives. If they are serious about change, want a better life, and follow the 10 clues, the author guarantees they won't be disappointed. There are just 10 clues, but the courage to change is the challenge. As education is a key to improving one's life, any profits from the sale of this book go into a special education fund for women working toward a better life.
The author, Helena Gunther/Victoria Rose, her alter ego-the writer within, has written this book to tell women where she saw the opportunities, what she did when she saw them, how she faces her fears, and how she moves from the negative into the positive. This is her first nonfiction book. Her fiction novels include Cloud Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown; Christina; Toni; Josy (Sci-Fi Fantasy Romances); The Rose Sisters Trilogy and Trust Me, the Devil Said.
If you have a lady friend who is in an unhealthy relationship, this is the perfect gift. If your friend connects with what the author has to say, it just might help.
Reviewed by Nickie Van Ness - April 8, 2006 - Copyright
Books:
- Over the Moon
- Portrait of a Marriage: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson
- Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
- Public School Law: Teacher's and Student's Rights, Fifth Edition
- Relentless Pursuit: A True Story of Family, Murder, and the Prosecutor Who Wouldn't Quit
- River's End
- Same Sex in the City: (So Your Prince Charming Is Really a Cinderella)
- Separation of Power
- Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph
- Shades of Gray
Books Index
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Looking for Mary: (Or, the Blessed Mother and Me)
Meetings with Mary
In the Language of Love
The Camel Knows the Way
Lying Awake
