The Key to The Name of the Rose: Including Translations of All Non-English Passages (Ann Arbor Paperbacks)

Book Description

Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose is a brilliant mystery set in a fictitious medieval monastery. The text is rich with literary, historical, and theoretical references that make it eminently re-readable. The Key makes each reading fuller and more meaningful by helping the interested reader not merely to read but also to understand Eco's masterful work. Inspired by pleas from friends and strangers, the authors, each trained in Classics, undertook to translate and explain the Latin phrases that pepper the story. They have produced an approachable, informative guide to the book and its setting--the middle ages. The Key includes an introduction to the book, the middle ages, Umberto Eco, and philosophical and literary theories; a useful chronology; and reference notes to historical people and events.

The clear explanations of the historical setting and players will be useful to anyone interested in a general introduction to medieval history.

Adele J. Haft is Associate Professor of Classics, Hunter College, City University of New York. Jane G. White is chair of the Department of Languages, Dwight Englewood School. Robert J. White is Professor of Classics and Oriental Studies, Hunter College, City University of New York.

For more information on Umberto Eco's work, please visit Libyrinth's web site at http://www.libyrinth.com/eco http://www.libyrinth.com/eco"

Customer Reviews:

The Key to the Name of the Rose.......2003-06-18

After reading The Name of the Rose with few helps, discovering this book was quite wonderful. It goes into adaquate detail with the historical background, and I found the translations to be good and very helpful. A must for those trying the novel for the first time or for those who felt the lack of endnotes frustrating. A wonderful suppplement.

The Key to "The Name of the Rose".......2002-09-12

The Key to "The Name of the Rose" by Adele J. Haft, Jane G. White, and Robert J. White is a wonderful little book. When was the last time you used your Latin that you had in High School? You say, you never had Latin... well how do you expect to solve the clues that Brother William of Baskerville in "The Name of the Rose" gets.

Well, the answer is in this little tome as it includes translations of all of the Non-English passages making you as "smart" as Brother William. This book furthers your experience when reading "The Name of the Rose" as you now can decode the juicy clues. Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" is about crimes in a medieval abbey and the obsession of it monks with heresies, apocalyptic visions, and forbidden knowledge.

This "Key" is a delightful guide to the phrases and bizarre characters and has mirthful anecdotes that you're sure to enjoy and you'll solve the mystery of the seven deaths as fast as Brother William and enjoy the intrigue in doing so.

excellent resource for artists.......2002-03-20

i am hoping to do an intricate performance art piece based on the novel "the name of the rose;" however, many of the lush details and layers were lost on me, because i am not a historian or a scholar well-versed in semiotics... the task is still daunting, but i feel more confident having this "hint book" to fill me in on the background information. it renders the novel much more accessible to a lay person, and makes the story even MORE fascinating than it already is. i suggest that anyone reading "the name of the rose" should have a copy of this to help them along... also, there is a text that does this same task for dante's "divine comedy" (dante has a large influence on the novel, so reading dante will help the reader to understand the apocolyptic attitudes of the characters). joseph gallagher wrote "a modern reader's guide to dante's 'the divine comedy'" which you may also find helpful.

A must-have for Name of the Rose neophytes.......2001-08-06

I'm enjoying Umberto Eco's NAME OF THE ROSE, but I don't understand so much as a tenth of the Latin. Before I reached page 200, I came to the sinking conclusion that I was missing out on something. I checked KEY TO NAME OF THE ROSE out at my local library, but soon realized that I needed to own my own copy to keep beside my copy of NAME OF THE ROSE. This book is a God-send for those NAME OF THE ROSE fans like me who lack a reading knowledge of Latin. Having other scholars' comments at hand really helps. If you're intrigued by NAME OF THE ROSE, but just don't get it, buy this book!

A very helpful companion volume.......1999-11-10

This is a very good guide to The Name of the Rose. Not perfect, but good. The non-English translations are very helpful, and beat sitting next to a Latin dictionary. The biographical information for historical characters is very good too. My only beef about this is that it doesn't address the historical backdrop of the novel well enough: the Renaissance of the previous century, the conflicts in the Church at the time, and the looming disasters of the 14th century between the time the novel takes place and the time the narrator lays the tale down. Get this volume if you're going to read the book. But don't rely strictly on this.

The White Rose: A Novel of the Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company)

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almost-end of first trilogy aside from the obvious sequel set-up for The Silver Spike
Grave Doings
Glen Cook at his best
The pinnacle of a masterpiece trilogy...
Final battle in the north

The White Rose: A Novel of the Black Company (Chronicles of The Black Company)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812508440

Book Description

She is the last hope of good in the war against the evil sorceress known as the Lady. From a secret base on the Plains of Fear, where even the Lady hesitates to go, the Black Company, once in service to the Lady, now fights to bring victory to the White Rose. But now an even greater evil threatens the world. All the great battles that have gone before will seem a skirmishes when the Dominator rises from the grave.

Customer Reviews:

almost-end of first trilogy aside from the obvious sequel set-up for The Silver Spike.......2007-01-12

this review contains spoilers for this novel, the silver spike, and shadow games.

This is the third Black Company novel, and resolves most of the major conflicts set up in the first and (especially) second novels. The story starts out in three narrative lines, one being the Croaker narrative as the company has fled to the Plain of Fear with Darling, another being the story of the sorceror Bomanz right before he inadvertently freed the Lady and the Taken, and the third being a character we obviously suspect to be Raven in Barrowlands in present-time. The second and third narratives end about halfway through the book and Croaker is the perspective for the rest of the story.

The plains of fear seemed very well done (they were just a footnote in the previous appearance if I recall correctly), with odd creatures and flora described in sufficient detail to make them seen quite alien.

The Bomanz and Raven narratives were supplemental but informative.

The final battle with the dominator had enough surprises to be entertaining, though the obvious setup of leaving Toadkiller Dog free and the Limper's head unfound was clearly with a sequel (the silver spike) in mind.

On page 72 Cook seems to offer the idea that the various taken from the original novel might still be around. This is expounded on later when Darling mentioned that burning the Limper might have worked at the end of Shadows Linger. I think from this time Cook was actively playing with the idea inside the story of un-killing some Taken.

Grave Doings.......2006-06-03

This is the third volume of the first of four segments of the 10 volume story of the Black Company (whew!) Unlike many long series, Glen Cook has the knack of always being just inventive enough to maintain a high level of interest without over-amping on any one volume and then running out of plot at a critical moment. The story opens on the final series of conflicts with The Empire, with The Black Company on the side of the good guys for a chance. Hidden away on The Plain of Fear, the last of The Black Company, and other supporters of Darling, The White Rose, carry out what remains of the rebellion. Life is harsh as harsh can be, and they all know that The Lady and her Taken will soon appear and try to squash them like bugs.

Their only secret advantages are Darling herself, who is a Null - magic doesn't work around her - and the Plain itself a vast desert populated with a host of strange and intelligent life forms. Giant whale like creatures sail the skies, giant talking menhirs wander the dunes, stopping only to mutter "There are strangers on the Plain," and an ancient tree guards an even more ancient evil. Life is not good in the tunnels beneath the sand. And someone, somewhere, keeps sending Croaker pages from Bomanz's Diary - the self same wizard who worked the release of The Lady and The Taken, and who no lies trapped in the Barrow Lands in the tangled net that still guards the Dominator and some of his darker friends.

The story continues to alternate between past and present (a favorite Glen Cook device). Gradually we realize that The Dominator is still working on escape and that something evil has worked its way free as the result of Raven's interference in the guardian spells. This time the risk is even worse than that in Shadows Linger. So dire, in fact that The Lady convinces Croaker to get her acess to The White Rose in order to work out a tactical treaty until the big threat is past. This is a Black Company novel, so if you are intuiting a serious blowout, you're right. Everyone gets into the act - rocks, whales, monsters, you name it.

This is a transition volume, bringing most of the loose ends together as preparation for moving into the next phase of the story - the Black Company's ride back into its own history. Much will change, but it is one of Cook's strengths that he can work changes without breaking the reader's concentration. This is one of the few series where neither the writer nor the reader seem to get overtired.

Glen Cook at his best.......2006-01-14

This is without a doubt Glen Cook at the top of his form. The book is original, unusual, fast-paced, and very enjoyable. The original Black Company trilogy are the best of the nine Black Company novels, and this third book is the best of the trilogy. Read the previous two books first, but definitely get this one too. You might be up all night. The tight prose on display here is easy to follow while still interesting and exciting. It makes for wonderful light reading.

The pinnacle of a masterpiece trilogy..........2003-10-04

I just don't find many books that purely entertain me like this very often. Here again, Cook mixes in several plotlines separated in time all culminating in one of the best "show-downs" I've ever read. I just can't say enough good things about this book. The ending was totally unexpected and Cook drove me insane with curiosity about: the Lady's real name, what Bomans was looking for and what happened, who Corbie was, which Taken were loyal to the Lady, who would ultimately win in the end. One is never quite sure who's playing who until the very end. This is the capstone to one of the best trilogies in any genre.

Final battle in the north.......2003-09-12

The White Rose, the third in Glen Cook's Black Company series, completes this mercenary army's adventures in the north country. It is as different from the first two as they are different from each other. The men grow older, their numbers, dwindle, yet they are feared by their enemies.

All of the threads come together, but not altogether cleanly. The differences between good and evil are not always clear. The beginning of the story is disjointed and not nearly as action-oriented as the first two. No one is what he -- or she -- seems to be. Yet at the end, the story is satisfying enough.

Cook's gritty prose style changes slightly from one book to the next. Characterization is not as strong as in the previous books. Yet there is enough continuity to keep one reading. And he always has a few surprises. This is a good, fast read. Be sure to read the books 1 and 2 first.

Average customer rating:

Trilogy? Really??

It's up and down.....

Good, but looking for more

Disappointing...

Let's Get to the End of the Story!

White Rose (War of the Roses)
R. Garcia y Robertson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Lady Robyn (War of the Roses)

Firebird

A Blast to the Past

American Woman

The Spiral Dance

ASIN: 0812589580
Release Date: 2005-09-29

Book Description

R. Garcia y Robertson's delightful saga of time travel and romance, which began with Knight Errant and continued through Lady Robyn, grows even more irresistible as Robyn Stafford, a savvy Hollywood exec mystically transplanted to 15th century England, works overtime to secure happiness and true love amidst the fratricidal madness of the War of the Roses.Once a thoroughly modern Californian (and former Miss Rodeo Montana), Robyn has come to savor her new life as Lady Robyn of Pontefract, betrothed to the dashing young Edward Plantagenet, Earl of March, Duke of York, and heir to the English throne. Temporarily stranded back in 21st century, she wastes no time getting back to 1461, albeit with a few unexpected bumps along the way.But her troubles hardly end when she makes it back to Merrie Olde England and the arms of her beloved knight errant. War is in the air, with a rebellious Tudor army challenging Edward's forces at home, and a French invasion force gathering in the north, preparing to march on London. Having witnessed firsthand the deadly realities of medieval politics, Robyn is in no hurry to see Edward claim the throne, but, like it or not, he is the heir apparent, and Robyn must use all her wits to keep their love alive -- even if it means inventing tabloid journalism several centuries early! Look out, London! Lady Robyn has returned, so the Middle Ages had best mind its manners.

Customer Reviews:

Trilogy? Really??.......2007-06-09

I'm a great fan of this trilogy, which at its best is sparky, inventive, and enormous escapist fun. But as other reviewers have pointed out, the third instalment comes no closer to a conclusion than before.

The first book of the series, Knight Errant, begins in 1459, when Edward of March is sent to the 21st century by witchcraft. The first scene in the Middle Ages proper takes place in April 1460. The third book of the series takes us up to late February 1461. Three novels to cover ten months! By the end of this one, Edward of March is *still* not King of England. All the elements for future conflict are set up: Elizabeth Wydville, Edward's real wife historically, is a major character, and even his future mistress Jane Shore appears. But Edward didn't marry Elizabeth until 1464. At this rate, it'll take another forty novels or thereabouts to get us to their wedding!

It's really disappointing to get through all three novels and still have no hint of a resolution. I don't know if Robertson is planning a fourth, but really, how long can they go on? Robyn's spats with Gilbert FitzHolland are getting very tedious, as the reader knows by now that a) whichever part of England she's in, FitzHolland will miraculously be there too, and b) that she'll always escape from him.

Robyn's modern Californian friend Heidi is a character in this one, which is unfortunate, as she does very little except hit on Robyn and perform intimate acts on Owen Tudor. On the plus side, the appearance of Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset livens the narrative up considerably.

It's difficult, if not impossible, to accept Robyn's ignorance about the Wars of the Roses, given her familiarity with Shakespeare, whose plays she can quote endlessly from memory, including some of the history plays. Even if she knows very little about Richard III, surely anyone would know that he's often said to have murdered his nephews? Why would she not realise the identity of Edward's young brother?

In many ways, I'm so enamoured of this whole series, for its freshness, originality and downright enjoyability - but I really can't recommend them any more. There's only so many Yorkist-Lancastrian battles described in minute detail, so many love scenes between Edward and Robyn, so many scenes where FitzHolland threatens to kill her, so much witchcraft, a reader can take.

Much of the writing seems self-indulgent, and the numerous typos are pretty distracting. Edward's romantic persona seems increasingly at odds with the ruthless soldier and politician he is. And his love for Robyn, a woman much his senior and a witch from the future to boot, starts to seem increasingly implausible - as does all the characters' placid acceptance that Robyn comes from 'Holy Wood, far beyond Brazil' and has wondrous gadgets from 500-odd years in the future.

If a fourth book ever appears, I will read it, to see how the story ends - because the fourth one really *has* to be the last. Please, Mr Robertson - finish the story, tie up all the loose ends, and put me out of my misery!

It's up and down............2006-08-10

This third book in R. Garcia Y Robertson's series, is both up and down, literarily and personally. One has to commend the author for being a MAN writing a WOMAN'S story, so the story is kind of fun in that regard. But the book was slower than the first two, and as a student of history, I know it can't end well for the main heroine. Since Edward marries her nemesis (unless the author SERIOUSLY rewrites history) I don't know how he will conclude this series, though I am still curious. I would suggest this if you are looking for an easy summer read, with more thrills than your average beach read - though history buffs beware! It's disappointing. Read Gabaldon for the drama or Penman for the history... this just falls in between and behind.

Good, but looking for more.......2005-08-27

I read through the first two books quite rapidly because I thought they were very romantic and interesting. I never knew much about the Wars of the Roses, and after reading the books i read more about them with great interest. Of course after reading about the true history I desperately hope that Robyn will change history for the better. Especially after i read who Edward really married.
I really enjoyed this third book until the end, I can now see why the other reviewers were disappointed. I was swept along in a compelling romance only for it to be knocked down at the end. I left dissapointed and upset for Robyn. I'm sure there's going to be a continuation of the series from what I've read on other web sites, and i do hope the author will "make it up" to us, continuing on the romantic adventurous theme of the first two books and the first half of the third.
I did enjoy the series and i recommend them to anyone who enjoys historical romance. I enjoyed the focus on women and the witcraft Robyn gets into, that part just gets better especially with the witches flight to Avignon.

Disappointing..........2005-06-09

...I've plowed through all three books in this series in the past two weeks, and this one was by far the most disappointing. Since I was under the impression this was a trilogy, I kept waiting for the loose ends to be tied up, but the book ended so abruptly and oddly that I, like another reviewer, checked the book to make sure it wasn't missing pages.

Although the historical details are interesting, and the character of Robyn is more and more appealing, the narration throughout the series is flat, and many of the characters are one-dimensional, particularly Edward. The author likes to tell us things that we wouldn't know otherwise, and he repeats key plot points throughout the books, as if he thinks the reader can't keep up.

Other minor irritations are the alarmingly frequent misspellings, typos, and incorrectly structured sentences. I'm talking frequent to the point of distraction from the story.

I'll probably read book four if there ever is one, because I'm so far in now, I need to see how the story is resolved, particularly in light of historical facts. But I certainly hope book four is better than this one.

Let's Get to the End of the Story!.......2005-05-15

White Rose is the third in R. Garcia y Robertson's Gabaldonesque series about Robyn Stafford, former Miss Rodeo Montana and minor Hollywood executive, who is sent by witches back to the Wars of the Roses, where she falls in love with Edward March, the elder brother of Richard III and father of "the Princes in the Tower". At this time, however, Edward is only 17 (later 18), unmarried, without children. Over the first two books, Robyn bounces back and forth in time, becomes Lady Robyn of Pontefract, also becomes very popular, has lots and lots of sex with Edward, and makes enemies among the Lancastrians and especially among the Wydvilles. I don't know enough about that era in history to know if she has actually changed any yet. It's clear that she must change history or only unhappiness awaits.

In this book she manages to get back to 1461, more or less by accident bringing along her nymphomaniac employee, Heidi. Heidi proves useful in a number of ways, mostly protecting Robyn's virtue by seducing away men who wish to rape Robyn. The two wander across Wales, sometimes captured by bad guys, then sometimes escaping. Robyn eventually meets Edward, only to get capture again, and again escape, just ahead of the headman's axe. There are a couple of battles, another threat of execution, a return to besieged London, and a little bit more sex. Oh, and Robyn is pregnant.

I had thought this was supposed to be a trilogy, but it's not -- this book seems no closer to a conclusion than before. It's all getting rather tedious. The writing in particular is lax and self-indulgent. I feel a certain pressure to get to the end because I want to see if Robyn changes history for the good, but boy it's taking a long time getting there.

Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings

Average customer rating:

Excellent Resource
Knits up the ravels
A Radiograph of LotR.
Splendid Tolkien Reference Work
a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia

Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings
Michael W. Perry
Manufacturer: Inkling Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587420198

Book Description

Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.

Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.

Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.

A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10

Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.

Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31

An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.

That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.

I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.

NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.

A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27

This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.

The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.

All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.

Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21

Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.

In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.

This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.

a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21

A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.

But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)

There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?

Customer Reviews:

My First Matthew Hope.......2005-02-28

I am an avid fan of Stuart Kaminsky, John D. MacDonald, Cornell Woolrich, and Jim Thompson. Ed McBain fits in incredibly nicely with this amazing authors. I had read Ed McBain before - "Cop Hater" and his incredibly delightful retelling of the Christmas Story with the officers of the 87th precinct. As Evan Hunter, Ed McBain soars as the author of "The Blackboard Jungle." If you haven't seen the movie, you should. Anyway, I will digress... my point is that Ed McBain is a wonderful writer and not to be missed.
This book features Matthew Hope, a Florida attorney, who is hired by Sarah Whittaker to get her out of an institution for the insane. The novel goes back and forth with Matthew believing that she is sane and perfectly normal, not to mention incredibly attractive, and utterly crazy. He tends to go toward the idea that she is normal, probably because she not only seems to know what is going on, but also because he would love to be involved romantically with her. Did I mention that she's due to inherit over a billion dollars?
The plot twists and turns over the delusions that Sarah is supposed to possess and the discovery of a decomposing body in the swampy areas of the Florida coast. It seems for a long time that the two plots have nothing to do with one another. Or do they? Well, I won't spoil any plot points, but I do want to say that the final explanation is a wonderfully brilliant stream of consciousness (in my opinion, delivered in a much better way than Virginia Wolf) that was so eloquent that it will stay with me for years to come.
I read somewhere that Evan Hunter didn't want to use his real name when writing mysteries because he didn't think the genre was "serious" enough, thus coming up with the pseudonymn Ed McBain. Well, he had nothing to be ashamed of... Matthew Hope is a hero for the ages, all the while maintaining the appeal of Travis McGee and Toby Peters-- real men characters.

Great read..........2004-01-12

This is a pretty short novel featuring Matthew Hope as a lawyer who often ends up playing detective (also an older book... 1985). In this story, there are two plot lines going on. In the first, Hope is retained by a young lady who's been involuntarily committed to a mental institution. She seems very sane, and blames the situation on her mother who is trying to control a chunk of money she's inherited. In the other plot line (that seems totally unrelated), a pair of detectives find the body of a young lady in a swamp. She was shot in the throat and her tongue was cut out, and she's been there for six to nine months. As the two plots unfold, they start moving towards each other with a twist at the end... Good read.

Masterpiece.......2003-07-21

Probably the best of the Matthew Hope novels. Excellent plotting and characterizations. The cops, Bloom and Rawles, are wonderful, full dimensional characters. I love Matthew Hope's naivete, he's an unreliable narrator who has a "hope"ful view of humanity, unlike McBain himself, or whatever his name is. This one's great!

The Jewels of Kinfairlie Trilogy: The Beauty Bride, The Rose Red Bride, The Snow White Bride (Set of 3 Historical Romance Novels)

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The Jewels of Kinfairlie Trilogy: The Beauty Bride, The Rose Red Bride, The Snow White Bride (Set of 3 Historical Romance Novels)
Claire Delacroix
Manufacturer: Warner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RLAKJI

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La Rosa Blanca / The White Rose
B. Traven
Manufacturer: Selector
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

German | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Political | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Positions With White Roses: A Novel
Ursule Molinaro
Manufacturer: McPherson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

After a self-imposed 12-year exile in Europe, a young woman finally returns home to visit her twin sister and parents. It is the holidays, but this homecoming goes awry from the start. For years the elderly parents have hardly spoken to each other, and the sister, Laura, who always before has come home at this time of year, is inexplicably absent. And yet, as parents and the visiting daughter assume their positions around the Christmas dinner table and its centerpiece of white roses, Laura's absence is transformed into a palpably overwhelming presence. Thus, the stage is set for an explosive confrontation as the family's story unfolds in what Marianne Hauser has called "a superb achievement, highly readable, profound and unrivaled."

SNOW WHITE & ROSE RED: Blonde hair, deep green eyes, Matthew took one look and fell in love. Sarah Whittaker was certified paranoid schizophrenic. He took the case. And was led into murder, mutilation, and great danger. (A MATTHEW HOPE NOVEL)

Average customer rating:

SNOW WHITE & ROSE RED: Blonde hair, deep green eyes, Matthew took one look and fell in love. Sarah Whittaker was certified paranoid schizophrenic. He took the case. And was led into murder, mutilation, and great danger. (A MATTHEW HOPE NOVEL)
ED McBAIN
Manufacturer: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KELVO0

Average customer rating:

Richly Drawn Portrait
Love and Roses
Not nearly as good as "Sabbathday River"!
Not quite
Slave to Its Source

The White Rose : A Novel

Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000GRU1OM

Book Description

Marian Kahn, a forty-eight-year-old married professor of history at Columbia University, ought to be content with her lifemarriage, wealth, her famed discovery of the eighteenth century adventuress, Lady Charlotte. Instead she finds herself in love with Oliver, the son of her oldest friend. As their dangerous affair becomes more and more complicated, Marian and Oliver learn that love is seldom straightforward, but always a gift.

Customer Reviews:

Richly Drawn Portrait.......2007-09-19

I loved reading this book. The characters were so richly drawn, the pace was perfect, the story was interesting and well told, in fact, I could not put it down. I loved each of the three main characters and I loved how the author blended some extremely funny scenes with some very sobering ones - just like real life. I wish the book had not ended when it did. The ready can pretty much assume how things turned out, but I would have rather kept reading. I also loved how the setting, New York City, was also a dominant presence in the book. I don't live there, but perfectly pictured every place mentioned. Highly recommended.

Love and Roses.......2006-12-28

This novel is a very satisfying and intellectually gratifying escape from the everyday and a really nice read. There is an older woman/younger man romance that is handled very well, and lots of New York City literary intrigue. I like the fact that none of the characters are without flaws, and I liked the happy ending very much. And I learned about roses.

Not nearly as good as "Sabbathday River"!.......2006-08-09

When "Sabbathday River" came out, I read it twice and loaned it to all my friends. It was an almost perfect book: mystery, love affair -- it literally kept me up half the night. THIS book, on the other hand, was not interesting at all, and I thought it was a bit pretentious.

Not quite.......2006-04-18

I bought this book after reading Vogue's review of it. I wish I would've realized the book's author was a regular contributor; it would've given me a better perspective of the review.
I was quite disappointed & often aggravated while reading this book. Each sentence had multiple parenthetical phrases, making reading choppy and hard to follow. I didn't like any of the minor characters except Caroline, and didn't like the direction the plot took at all. I was intrigued by the main affair, but it got little attention in the book.

Slave to Its Source.......2006-02-14

I was drawn to this novel because it is based on one of my favorite operas, Der Rosenkavalier. While the characters and dramatic scenes are well handled, I think it was a bad idea to stick so slavishly to the plot of the opera. The young florist is forced into action that is very hard to believe. A better tactic would have been to simply offer an homage to the source, as Zadie Smith does in "On Beauty," based on "Howard's End."

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