The Plot Against America: A Novel

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"What if" scenarios are often suspect. They are sometimes thinly veiled tales of the gospel according to the author, taking on the claustrophobic air of a personal fantasia that can't be shared. Such is not the case with Philip Roth's tour de force, The Plot Against America. It is a credible, fully-realized picture of what could happen anywhere, at any time, if the right people and circumstances come together.

The Plot Against America explores a wholly imagined thesis and sees it through to the end: Charles A. Lindbergh defeats FDR for the Presidency in 1940. Lindbergh, the "Lone Eagle," captured the country's imagination by his solo Atlantic crossing in 1927 in the monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, then had the country's sympathy upon the kidnapping and murder of his young son. He was a true American hero: brave, modest, handsome, a patriot. According to some reliable sources, he was also a rabid isolationist, Nazi sympathizer, and a crypto-fascist. It is these latter attributes of Lindbergh that inform the novel.

The story is framed in Roth's own family history: the family flat in Weequahic, the neighbors, his parents, Bess and Herman, his brother, Sandy and seven-year-old Philip. Jewishness is always the scrim through which Roth examines American contemporary culture. His detractors say that he sees persecution everywhere, that he is vigilant in "Keeping faith with the certainty of Jewish travail"; his less severe critics might cavil about his portrayal of Jewish mothers and his sexual obsession, but generally give him good marks, and his fans read every word he writes and heap honors upon him. This novel will engage and satisfy every camp.

"Fear presides over these memories, a perpetual fear. Of course, no childhood is without its terrors, yet I wonder if I would have been a less frightened boy if Lindbergh hadn't been president or if I hadn't been the offspring of Jews." This is the opening paragraph of the book, which sets the stage and tone for all that follows. Fear is palpable throughout; fear of things both real and imagined. A central event of the novel is the relocation effort made through the Office of American Absorption, a government program whereby Jews would be placed, family by family, across the nation, thereby breaking up their neighborhoods--ghettos--and removing them from each other and from any kind of ethnic solidarity. The impact this edict has on Philip and all around him is horrific and life-changing. Throughout the novel, Roth interweaves historical names such as Walter Winchell, who tries to run against Lindbergh. The twist at the end is more than surprising--it is positively ingenious.

Roth has written a magnificent novel, arguably his best work in a long time. It is tempting to equate his scenario with current events, but resist, resist. Of course it is a cautionary tale, but, beyond that, it is a contribution to American letters by a man working at the top of his powers. --Valerie Ryan

Book Description

When the renowned aviation hero and rabid isolationist Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt by a landslide in the 1940 presidential election, fear invaded every Jewish household in America. Not only had Lindbergh, in a nationwide radio address, publicly blamed the Jews for selfishly pushing America toward a pointless war with Nazi Germany, but upon taking office as the thirty-third president of the United States, he negotiated a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler, whose conquest of Europe and virulent anti-Semitic policies he appeared to accept without difficulty. What followed in America is the historical setting for this startling new book by the Pulitzer Prize winner Philip Roth, who recounts what it was like for his Newark family--and for a million such families all over the country--during the menacing years of the Lindbergh presidency, when American citizens who happened to be Jews had every reason to expect the worst.

Customer Reviews:

Because I enjoyed it.......2007-10-01

I really loved the first 300 pages. Roth's voice is wonderful as a child trying to make sense of chaos, and the nightmarish what-if built a good tension.

However, the ending was rushed and way too neatly wrapped up. I would prefer if the last 60 pages were just removed from the book. I'm still giving it five stars, because despite the ending, this was a fun, fast read.

(three and a half stars) alternative history with an autobiographical twist.......2007-09-18

I liked Philip Roth's "Plot Against America," but didn't love it. It seems to me that any alternative history novel (or time travel novel, for that matter), which maintains the possibility that the Nazis might prevail in World War II, is almost inevitably going to have its chilling moments. Indeed, it was quite terrifying to be reminded of how close Hitler came to invading all of Europe during the early phase of the war. Here, of course, Roth's alternative history centers on Charles Lindbergh, a known Nazi sympathizer, defeating FDR in 1940 (his unprecedented third term in real history). Of course, it is well known that a good percentage of the U.S. population didn't want to be involved in "Europe's War," until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, so it is not completely far-fetched that Charles Lindbergh, an aviation hero who strongly favored U.S. isolationism, might have had a chance to be elected President.

What makes "The Plot Against America" unique I suppose, is how Roth basically writes his "autobiography" as a young boy as it might have been through a Lindbergh administration, and the rising tide of anti-semitism that resulted. Some of it works quite well and we can feel the world closing in on the Roths in particular, and the Jews in general, especially through a nefarious plot to dilute the Jewish communities through the newly created "Office of American Absorption" and other such efforts. However, other parts of the book feel contrived such as how the Roths are one acquaintance away from Lindbergh himself, namely through Philip's Aunt Evelyn, who has married the much older Rabbi Bengeldorf: a complicit sympathiser of the new administration. (SPOILER!!!). The manner in which the clock sets itself back to zero in the second to last chapter also felt forced to me.

I found the afterward of the book very informative, where Roth reviews the actual series of events through the historical figures mentioned in the book. It would have been more interesting to me if Roth had covered in greater detail the war itself, and the consequences of the U.S. failing to enter the fray at the end of 1941. But I understand this wasn't Roth's principle focus.

I do think "The Plot Against America" serves well as a genuine warning about how a different course of events in the past could have lead to a very different America, and different World for that matter. Perhaps the frightening scenario portrayed in this book can also be used as a forewarning to future generations.

Excellent, if flawed, novel.......2007-08-26

The book appeals from different points of view: a gripping book of fiction, alternative history and a warning call to the complacent. The switch in history is scary and it is possible that things could have been this way. It is both chilling and fascinating to think of the German fascism of the 1930's and 1940's happening here. Roth's writing as usual is spectacular. I could not put it down. My only problem was that the resolution happens so glibly and quickly that it is hard to imagine it could happen so easily. I recommend this to Roth fans, people into Judaica,
historians.

Poorly constructed, fundamentally disappointing.......2007-07-10

The Plot Against America was occasionally interesting, well-styled, but generally bad. As a general rule I have mixed feelings about "alternative history" as a genre. Such stories can raise interesting questions and "what-if" scenarios. They can also, however, wander painful far into the realm of fantasy where suspension of disbelief becomes an exercise in rejecting rationality. Unfortunately, Roth's wanders from an interesting, well-constructed novel to a silly fantasy by its final chapters. Yet, this is not the most fundamental problem the story faces. The book is first and foremost a story of rising anti-semitism in 1940s America and its impact on, and the reaction of, a Jewish New Jersey family. My problem is that the fear felt and displayed by the family far exceeds what would be a reasonable reaction to the events with which they're faced at any specific point in the first half of the book. It's as if the effects (the family's responses) are always several chapters in front of the causes (government sponsored discrimination of Jews). This problem was so pronounced that I found myself wondering if the book was some kind of statement about what Roth calls "ghetto Jews" seeing anti-Semitism everywhere. (Its not)

It could have happened here..........2007-07-08

This book draws obvious parallels with the modern political situation in the U.S., how facism creeps up on us rather than appears overnight. It comes complete with a folksy, popular President in the guise of Charles Lindbergh, whose seemingly benign programs hide a more sinster agenda (this one against the Jews, who slowly and systematically begin to lose their rights throughout the book); people who are complicit in the plot against their own people; and a watchdog reporter who is speaking out against the administration, a la Edward R. Murrow or Keith Olbermann (Walter Winchell, who in the scope of this book, goes beyond his job as a gossip columnist). The characters are all drawn well, from the prideful father who is less than successful at protecting his family; the relative who becomes a bitter disabled war veteran; the aunt who falls under the spell of a power-hungry rabbi; and of course the protagonist, who slowly loses his childhood innocence as these events unfold around him.

The only problem I had with the book was its rather sudden ending, which I won't reveal here, but it sure seemed like everything was suddenly wrapped up nicely and neatly, and not in tune with the rest of the story. Still, I would say this was a good book and I would recommend it.

Average customer rating:

A little slow but a good read
Ranks with "I Claudius" and "Memoirs of Hadrian"
A personal look at Augustus
Many Suffered From Close Contact with Augustus - But Not Readers of this Work
Plot drags constantly, characters drift into dream worlds for entire chapters. Boring book, unfulfilling despite its strengths

Augustus: A Novel
John Edward Williams
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400076730
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Book Description

A brilliant and beautifully written novel in the tradition of Robert Graves’ I, Claudius, Augustus is a sweeping narrative that brings vividly to life a compelling cast of historical figures through their letters, dispatches, and memoirs.

A mere eighteen years of age when his uncle, Julius Caesar, is murdered, Octavius Caesar prematurely inherits rule of the Roman Republic. Surrounded by men who are jockeying for power–Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony–young Octavius must work against the powerful Roman political machinations to claim his destiny as first Roman emperor. Sprung from meticulous research and the pen of a true poet, Augustus tells the story of one man’s dream to liberate a corrupt Rome from the fancy of the capriciously crooked and the wildly wealthy.

Customer Reviews:

A little slow but a good read.......2007-08-02

This is not a typical historical fiction book, I found it to be quite slow in parts. The action in this book is nonexistent,too much 3rd person telling of events that happend to others, and not enough of Augustus own words.All in all a very well written book, but this is not a book for an action fan like me.

Ranks with "I Claudius" and "Memoirs of Hadrian".......2007-07-16

I first heard about this extraordinary novel of ancient Rome during one of the regular Wednesday afternoon "Dirda On Books" discussions conducted on the Washington Post website. I began reading the book on a long air flight to Finland and became entirely engrossed. It is easy to understand why the book won the National Book Award in 1973--it is superbly written. The novel follows Octavius Caesar from early adulthood through his battles to become Emperor Augustus, and into old age. The author does not utilize a straight narrative but instead tells the story through the use of documents such as letters, diary entries, and Senate proceedings. All of this material flows very smoothly as the story unfolds. I found it particularly interesting to compare and contrast the author's portrait of Augustus with that developed on the recent HBO "Rome" series which covers much of the same ground. As the helpful introduction by John McGahern explains, the author was not a classicist and undertook substantial reseach in order to make the novel as historically accurate (with a few exceptions) as possible. While not quite as exquisite as Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian" (also reviewed on Amazon), this fine novel comes very close to it in quality. For anyone interested in Roman history or just an outstanding read, this is a book well worth considering.

A personal look at Augustus.......2007-05-14

This book really connected me with the life and times of Octavian. I felt a very strong personal connection that I have seldom felt in other historical fiction I have read. The early part of the book describes his attempts to establish himself as more than just a curiosity(a 17 year old heir to Caesar)in Rome after returning, against his parents advice, following the assassination of Caesar and the reading of his will, which left him sole heir to Casar's fortune and power, if he can only find the will and path to pursue it. He is pitted against the likes of Antony and Cicero, major powers that have stepped into the power vacuum left after Caesar's assasination. This portion of the book conveys a very strong sense of how Octavian must have felt about his ultimately successful campaign to take what he felt was rightfully his, political power. He worked , with his small group of loyalists, very hard to be taken seriously, and was beset by doubt and fear. The uncertainty he felt, in his polical manuevering, is palpable. The end of the book is exceptionally lyrical and beatifully written, as Augustus reviews his life. It is a powerful but also quiet book that elicited within me strong feelings of fear, melancholy, sadness and, ultimately, hope. Augustus led an incredible life that he made for himself through his intellect, courage, stubbornness, and will. His life confirmed the potential that Caesar saw in their short time together in Gaul.

Many Suffered From Close Contact with Augustus - But Not Readers of this Work.......2007-01-29

John Edward Williams won the 1973 National Book Award for 'Augustus' and deservedly so. This amazing piece of literature masquerading as historical fiction (and I like historical fiction) draws the reader into the world of Gaius Octavius, later to be Augustus, first emperor of Rome.

Williams tells his tale by the unusual technique of presenting letters, journal entries, and memoirs. By this method he allows the reader to gradually enter, indeed become immersed in, the world of Augustus, his family, friends, enemies, and most important, his Rome. 'Augustus' traces his rise from the vulnerable adopted son of Julius Caesar through a steady accretion of power as he becomes first a triumvir (with Mark Antony and the nonentity Lepidus), and then settles in as emperor of the world.

The historical record for Augustus's life has gaps that challenge an author and Williams grasps the challenge deftly, just as Augustus grasped power. We see Augustus as an aloof, cold and calculating politician whose assiduous pursuit and cautious exercise of power allows him to hold that power for over four decades, but always using that power for Rome, always for Rome, his Rome.

Yet many people suffer from their close contact with this man - his equally calculating wife Livia, for one, his dear friends Maecenas and Salvidienus, to name two more, but none more so than his daughter Julia. The last third or so of the book focuses on the break between Augustus and Julia. Williams presents an interesting and shocking explanation for Julia's exile - at least an explanation that Augustus believes or claims to.

The penultimate chapter draws Augustus's life to a close with a lengthy letter to Nicolaus of Damascus in which a dying Augustus bemoans his fate and the weight of authority he has had to bear - it is really most unattractive for one of the most powerful men in history to indulge in such self-centered despair, but it also rings true because Augustus spent his life denying himself so many pleasures in order to hold on to power for the good of Rome, as he convinced himself. In the end, Augustus saw himself as the embodiment of Rome - anything that threatened his power, threatened Rome. This is so well done that one finds oneself becoming angry with Augustus, who is after all just a character in this brilliant work of historical fiction.

'Augustus' is not an easy read. Prior knowledge of the historical era certainly aids the enjoyment and comprehension of the book. Ultimately, however, this remarkable work of historical fiction and literature deserves the highest recommendation.

Plot drags constantly, characters drift into dream worlds for entire chapters. Boring book, unfulfilling despite its strengths.......2006-12-06

Despite being only 305 pages long, this book took much much longer to finish off than another book of similar subject and similar length.

A warning: this novel is made up entirely of fictional letters written by various characters, some apparently randomly chosen to write, others very important characters. They essentially relay the story through their own eyes for the reader.

Some of the letters are superb, good reads, and provide some unique and indepth insight into the book. Alas, it appears Julia, Augustus's daughter, provides the best of such, describing her sordid affairs with her friends, her momentary status as Goddess of a cult in an eastern Greek village near Ilium. She is a great writer and her tales hold some of the most interesting and appealing aspects.

Other letters are very short, tart, and seemingly pointless, such as Livia's stern letter to Tiberius telling him not to divorce Julia despite knowing about her affairs, which is then rendered useless when his spy who has been feeding him information tells him the exact same thing with better vocabulary, and mentioning Livia agreeing with him.

Much of the letters drag or drift on listlessly for long gaps of time, finally addressing the issue at hand as an afterthought, while they're busy chuggering on about Roman honor and virtue or whatever, the same stuff over and over and over.

Some of the more philosophical and poetic writers, being given by the author the role of telling us indirectly some of the more important information, end up rambling on and on about how great Rome is, or what a character Augustus is, or essentially doing the monotonous intellectual doublespeak that seems to serve no purpose, not even to insult or compliment anyone. These parts get very difficult to read, as you are constantly drifting off the page and having to start over again.

At last comes the end. After Julia's last journal entry (a very good one) we come into a whole chapter written by Augustus himself (who had received very little insight throughout the entire novel) written over a period of three days only weeks away from his death.

Augustus is absolutely riveting in telling us about his life, how he feels about it, how he feels so cold and alone with all of his true friends---Agrippa, Maecenas, Salvidienus Rufus, Horatius Flaccus, and Vergilius Maro---and contemplating in very rich, almost Shakespearean language, his thoughts on life and death, the regrets and accomplishments of his life, etc.

It's an utterly astounding chapter and really is the best part of the book. Unfortunately, it's flawed by being WAY TOO LONG.

For THREE DAYS worth of letter writing, Augustus goes on and on with his philosophical bantering, and after the ninth page out of twenty or so, you start to get sick of hearing him drone on and on like a broken philosopher. It starts out powerful, and begins to steadily slip as Augustus repeats himself multiple times and accomplishes nothing in his mindless droning.

The epilogue is a somewhat pointless addendum by Augustus's physician for the last few months of his life, who has the least amount of insight it seems, talking about Rome (what a surprise) and what Augustus did for Rome, and hoping Augustus's Rome will prosper under its new hope, Emperor Nero

3.5/5

The Treasure of Montsegur: A Novel of the Cathars

Average customer rating:

beautiful!
No time to waste...
Eew!
Inspiring
Enjoyed this very much

The Treasure of Montsegur: A Novel of the Cathars
Sophy Burnham
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060000805
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Book Description

One woman's unforgettable quest for freedom, love, and god.

Customer Reviews:

beautiful!.......2007-05-19

Loved this book and could have cried at the end.. I think I actually did. I got lost in this book, forgetting about time & space!

No time to waste..........2006-03-19

So I'll make this brief. You want to read a thing because of its subject. But reading bad writing is painful. Why would one subject oneself to pain when there is so much beauty to be had in good writing? Like any even half demanding reader, I closed the book and gave it away.

Eew!.......2004-09-08

I have been a big historical fiction fan for a long time but this book almost turned me away from it. I only gave it two stars because I did enjoy the historical aspect. I learned a lotabout the Cathars and their long-forgotten customs but this book was just too bad for anything more. The ending was some weird "is she or isn't she" torture/death scene that just threw me way out of the loop. There are many better examples of great historical fiction but this book was just weird.

Inspiring.......2004-08-15

Jeanne was raised by a Cathar holy woman. The man Jeanne loved married her best friend, and eventually, the three of them faced death by burning after the siege of the Cathar enclave at Montsegur. A bitter reprieve, however, sent Jeanne out of harm's way and on a mission to save precious remnants of her Cathar religion. She cannot forgive herself for failing in that mission and for not mounting the pyre with the two people she loved most.

Thirteenth-century France is a perilous place for Christians whose doctrine differs from that of the Roman Catholic Church, but poverty confers the protective mantle of invisibility. Once lady of her own manor, Jeanne is now just another beggar, a hag dependent upon the charity of her betters. When her latest benefactor recognizes her for a Cathar -- hence a heretic -- Jeanne must flee for her life.

With the Inquisition bearing down upon her, Jeanne stumbles upon an unlikely deliverer who diverts the inquisitors from her trail and then takes her in. She finds unexpected love with this strong and simple man.

But Jeanne's past continues to haunt her. Her happy interlude ends, and she must face her darkest fears. At the lowest point in her life, she discovers the true treasure of Montsegur and finds in herself the grace and courage of perfect faith.

Ms. Burnham recreates her setting with integrity. Though her story is more about religious wars in general than medieval France, she paints historical detail over her narrative with spare but sure strokes. The Treasure of Montsegur is worthwhile for its illumination of the Cathars' plight and for the extraordinary character of Jeanne.

Enjoyed this very much.......2004-07-31

I enjoyed this book very much - a good flavor of the times. Not as sweeping and detailed historical coverage as I would like in historical fiction. I read it after "a perfect heresy" which helped clarify the background to the story.

Average customer rating:

Good, but.....
Real historical fiction dressed up as a romance novel
this romance novel contains no fluffy, sweet sex
A Haunting Novel
Beautiful, Tragic, Very Detailed

The Rain Maiden: A Novel
Jill M. Phillips
Manufacturer: Citadel Press, Secaucus, NJ
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0806510080

Customer Reviews:

Good, but............2007-08-28

there was A LOT of sex, incest, sexual abuse of a child and bisexuality that I was not prepared for. I don't even know that I would call it a "romance" novel - among all the sex acts, not many of them seemed to be happening between people who really cared about about each other.

Real historical fiction dressed up as a romance novel.......2005-06-16

I picked this up used because I liked the pretty cover (semi-nude woman draped in a sort of green mist) and thought it might be a pleasant romance novel to pass the time. I was happily surprised when I realized that this was more than the average romance novel. Underneath the uber-girly cover and the critics' blurbs extolling its sex scenes, this is a real historical novel that looks honestly at all the horror beneath the pageantry of medieval times.

The protagonist is Isabel of Hainault, a young heiress who is pushed into a marriage with the young crown prince of France, later King Philippe-Auguste. Isabel is only ten years old at her marriage, but seems much older to all around her--she is mentally sharp, physically developed--and also sexually precocious, due to having been molested by her father and uncle. She and Philippe share a tumultuous, passionate marriage amid the politics of the day. Ten years later Isabel dies in childbirth at the age of twenty. That's not a spoiler; it's in the prologue and in the cover blurb. During Isabel's short life, she is integrally involved in the betrayal, adultery, incest, and political maneuvering that were rampant in her time. The author brings the nasty underbelly of the Middle Ages to life through the eyes of a interesting heroine, who is emotionally still a child at times, but forced to be an adult at an early age.

My only quibble with this book is that I didn't find it half as interesting after Isabel's death. It just sort of seemed to me that it dragged on past its natural climax. I can see why the author did it. The final storyline involving Philippe's crusade with Richard of England does resolve the tension between the two men and show how little Philippe gained by breaking his wife's heart in her last days, but I don't really like either of the men and wasn't into the story at that point. Also, Sibylla's behavior after Isabel's death stretched credibility pretty far. Her sudden change of heart made no sense to me.

this romance novel contains no fluffy, sweet sex.......1999-11-16

A thousand kudos to Jill Phillips. She did an outstanding job of letting a romance novel reader know that there really is good historical fiction out there. She has inspired me to delve deeper into the romance of the era. This book contains no happy ending, but Ms. Phillips took away all the fluff and sweet sex of usual romance novels and replaced it with the reality of life in medievil times. I always thought it would be cool to live in those times, have my knight in shining armor there to save me from the despicable people portrayed in this book. True to the times, everyone used each other, to their fullest ability. How frightening to be a young child in those times. Isabel, who I plan on researching her for factual information, was a classic victim, and I am sure all women were in those times. Chattel. I wish more authors were as conscientious about writing of history, the true lives, making every effort to be as accurate as history allows. This book is for anyone who needs a lift. Despite its depressing contents, you close the book with a sigh, thankful for all you have in this life.

A Haunting Novel.......1998-10-16

I found myself haunted by this book for weeks after and I had to find out if it were true. All I could find was that Isabelle of Hainault was married to King Philippe when she was 10, gave birth to his heir at 16 and died before she was 20. This is tragic by any standards but the way the book depicts her is even more tragic. She was used by so many men - her father and uncle mostly who (if the book is accurate) were sick. But the book does not depict them that way - incest is seen as common in those days. It is hard to understand her having so many relationships as she was so young. To start at 10, have over 10 pregnancies and then die in childbirth is unbelievably sad. She was a queen but in reality nothing but a victim. Lets hope this book really is purely fictional and the real Isabelle had a much happier life.

Beautiful, Tragic, Very Detailed.......1998-07-12

Five stars, only because I can't give it ten. This is the best book I've ever read. Although there is a lot of detailed sex, etc., It is still a great book. I had to force myself to put it down. It's long, but well worth it. A very good look at the lifestyles of royals in medival times & the lives of many medival women. Excellent historical detail.

Average customer rating:

The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia
Sarah Fielding
Manufacturer: Bucknell University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0838752578

Jacques Futrelle's "The Thinking Machine": The Enigmatic Problems of Prof. Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph. D., LL. D., F. R. S., M. D., M. D. S. (Modern Library Classics)

Average customer rating:

Edwardian crime stories as recommended by Harlan Ellison

Jacques Futrelle's "The Thinking Machine": The Enigmatic Problems of Prof. Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph. D., LL. D., F. R. S., M. D., M. D. S. (Modern Library Classics)
Jacques Futrelle
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812970144
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Book Description

This irascible genius, this diminutive egghead scientist, known to the world as “The Thinking Machine,” is no less than the newly rediscovered literary link between Sherlock Holmes and Nero Wolfe: Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, who—with only the power of ratiocination—unravels problems of outrageous criminous activity in dazzlingly impossible settings. He can escape from the inescapable death-row “Cell 13.” He can fathom why the young woman chopped off her own ﬁnger. He can solve the anomaly of the phone that could not speak. These twenty-three Edwardian-era adventures prove (as The Thinking Machine reiterates) that “two and two make four, not sometimes, but all the time.”

Customer Reviews:

Edwardian crime stories as recommended by Harlan Ellison.......2004-04-28

This book of short stories with a foreword by the great science fiction writer, Harlan Ellison, is centered on one story, The Problem of Cell 13, which was first published in The Boston American in 1906.

Harlan Ellison's twelve-page introduction is entirely honest about the merits of the book. He first met the The Thinking Machine, Futrelle's brainy protagonist, when he read The Problem of Cell 13 as a boy and fell in love with this beautifully-crafted little puzzle story. Futrelle's other stories are distinctly ho-hum and Futrelle himself lost his life when the Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg in 1912.

Customer Reviews:

Don't let this book be stolen away!.......2006-07-09

Another entry in the great Nathan Heller series from Collins. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Lindbergh kidnapping told in a tight story that is rich with real people of the time. This book discusses many of the theories behind one of the most infamous events of the 1930's. Get to know the scamsters who sought to profit from the kidnapping. All in all this is a rich well told tale that brings its own ideas forth. If you ever watched The Untouchables, and by the way Elliot Ness is in there, you will love this book.

Despite its flaws, one of Heller's best.......2004-02-07

Having read all of the Nathan Heller thrillers, I have to admit that none of them are as riveting as the first two: "True Crime" and "True Detective". They're spare, lean and elegantly written. Every detail packs a wallop. The later novels, while still excellent, tend to seem bloated and self-important by comparison. The same points are made over and over, historical characters are dragged in even if they're not intrinsic to the plots, some very dull fictional characters are given too much attention and Heller becomes more and more infallible.

But "Stolen Away" is still well worth reading. The background details are carefully researched and Collins does a masterful job of conjuring up the tense, post-kidnapping atmosphere of the Lindbergh home and the hysteria surrounding the investigation and the trial. Charles and Anne Lindbergh are drawn with skill and insight. And Collins presents his speculations about who was responsible for the kidnapping logically and intelligently.

But Heller's ultimate conclusions about the fate of the baby are ludicrous, illogical and completely unsubstantiated by any kind of evidence. Have adhered scrupulously to the facts while drawing his conclusions throughout the book, he veers off into irresponsible fantasy at the end. It's not playing fair to the reader. Also, Heller's affair with Evalyn Walsh MacLean is just silly and unbelieveable. But Heller always has to have sex with somebody in each book and I guess she was the best available choice. At least it wasn't Anne Lindbergh.

This makes it sound as though I didn't like the book, which isn't the case. I definately recommend it, with the warning that the pretension and over-writing that mar the later Heller novels make their first appearance here.

Perfect blend of historical fiction and hard boiled mystery........2002-07-18

This was the first of the "Nate Heller" detective series novels of Collins that I had read, and I must admit that I couldn't put it down. Not only is this tour de force a great mystery and suspense novel, it is also a wonderful historical novel; well researched and informative while grabbing and then not letting go of the reader's interest.

The story of how Chicago policeman Heller becomes involved in the case of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping is plausible enough. Once the wise cracking detective is admitted to the inner circle of the myriad investigators and con men (and women) involved in the infamous 1932 tragedy the excitement begins and continues without let-up. I was not that familiar with the details of the case until I started this novel, but Collins does a wonderful job of making each character (both those of historical record, and those who are fictional blendings of historical characters) belivable and memorable. One strong point of the book is that I finished it feeling that I knew more about the case that I did previously. Collins posts an afterword to the book that explains which parts are fictitious, conjecture, and historical. He also presents a detailed proposed reading list for those interested, along with his comments on the bias or worth of each author. I really appreciated this part of the book.

As for Heller himself, the Chicago lawman grows on you, even though Collins presents him as not always a shining knight, showing him "warts and all." The book is quite long, 593 pages in the paperback edition, including the afterword, but the complexities of the story make it a good read, well worth the time and effort.

A definite 5 stars, this one made me rush out and buy up other books in the Nate Heller series, as well as check out the facts of the historical case that inspired this story. My advice is for anyone who hasn't read this novel to do the same.

Ten stars are needed for this one........2002-04-10

The best entry in the Nate Heller series. Collins Nate Heller novels are recommended for those who like hard boiled period pieces as well as lovers of true crime. There is good detail on the facts and people involved in the Lindberg kidnapping. Like all the Heller novels, Mr. Collins has his own theory on what really happened. His theory here is really wild. A great book.

Strong but too long.......2001-11-04

STOLEN AWAY is a very strong novel, but the thing runs for 600 pages and could profitably have been shortened to 400. Yes, the Lindbergh kidnaping was a complex case, but by the end of this book you'll be having a hard time keeping straight the various characters, ransom demands, conflicting stories, etc. No doubt that makes it true to life, but then again, it would be even truer to life if it took you four years to read the book, since that's how long the case took.

Not a bad book in any way other than as noted above, and really impressive for its erudition, but sometimes less is more.

Collins did a better job in FLYING BLIND, methinks.

Average customer rating:

Pretty good, but Not Robert Graves

Great book

Excellent!!!

Winners don't make good characters for drama

A very un-Roman "Augustus"

Augustus a Novel
Allan Massie
Manufacturer: Trafalgar Square
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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I, Claudius : From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54 (Vintage International)

ASIN: 0340412240

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good, but Not Robert Graves.......2005-08-21

The real Augustus was not a charming person, He was a cold Machiavellian prince. Not anything like that appealing Augustus from the TV miniseries"Empire". That is exactly how he is portrayed in this account: the ultimate politiican. Since the book is written in first person, ther are inaccuracies, but I am sure that the real Augustus maybe really believed this version of the truth. Yes this are a lot of modern anachronisms, but this book is really entertaining without being untruthful to the facts as have come down to the modern world. The Augustus that is portrayed is fascinating to study. I found myseld admiring what he had accomplished in the pax Romana even while wondering about the cost. maybe all "Princes" have to make those kind of decisions? The personal cost of power? Robert Graves's Livia is much more interesting, but then in Massey's version she isn't that ultimate poisoner and manipulator.
All in all this book is a thumbs up. if nothing else Book 1 fills us more thoroughly in on the period of time before Claudius's birth. You do have to wonder though how all those descendants of Augustus and Agrippa just happened to die so conviently.

Great book.......2002-09-24

His book Augustus is a vivid, detailed account from the view of Octavian. The book is brilliantly written, and while typical in its wavering authensity in the genre of historical fiction, at the same time, Massie manages to keep the facts straight. It's not exactly the same calibar as I, Claudius, which has that almost Dicksonian criminals likability index, Octavius still comes across as someone real, charming yet troubled, proud yet somewhat conflicted.

The character is well developed and the events follow smoothly one after the other. More importantly, Augustus is highly idealized in this book. So much so in fact, that with all the angst and success in his life, the reader is eased into sympathizing with him on every occasion. It is a very selective history, one aimed to popularize Augustus no doubt. A view that was somewhat shattered when reading the true, historical Caesar.

All in all, it's good fun, and the realistically described Roman settings, and supporting characters comes across without hiccups.

The writing style however, left something to be desired, though the use of Augustan expressions makes up for it.

Excellent!!!.......2002-07-22

This was a lot of fun to read! Massie has done a superb job of making the historical figure of Augustus into a real man dealing with some very real demons. I can readily believe that the words are those of Augustus himself. We know right from the first chapter, when he refers to "the Republic which I restored" that this will not be an objective retelling of what one can read in any history book. At times he presents versions of events that could only be believed by someone trying to justify his actions to himself. Massie also does an excellent job of contrasting the language and mood of the young Octavius and the elderly Princeps. The characters are at times much more lascivious than they could ever in reality have been, but it serves as an appropriately lush dramatic backdrop for the rest of the story. The goal of the book is not historical accuracy, but the reinvention of the truth as seen through the eyes of a young and ambitious, and then old and besotted, man. Those who condemn the book because it supports questionable positions fail to realize that it is supposed to be a completely biased, subjective, one-sided editorial on the man's life, because that is how Augustus must have seen himself if he were to retain his resolve and do what, according to him, had to be done. Even as he speaks, we can see the flaws in his arguements, we can see his harsh and at times cruel character. We both feel sorry for him and resent him. In short, his story is dramatic, no matter whether we agree with him or not, and that's what makes this a great book. No educated person will take this account as absolute historical truth, only as an entertaining yarn using familiar historical characters.

Winners don't make good characters for drama.......2001-08-02

The real Augustus was not a charming person. He was that "subtle tyrant", as Gibbon called him, who ruthlessly chased down Antony and Cleopatra until force them to commit suicide, then murdered their children. A great politician, indeed, though a cold manipulating [person]. In this novel, however, he seems to be telling us all the time: "What a nice, warm and understanding man, husband, father and grandfather I am!".

Besides, he was a winner, and winners never make good characters for drama. Everything seems so easy for him; he is so fortunate all the time, his enemies fall like flies in front of him. With a slap of his fingers the Roman Empire is solidly built. Why would such a lucky guy, we wonder, bother to write about his life instead of enjoying it? On the other hand, Claudius and Tiberius, both successors to him, were pathetic, therefore humans; they were splendid characters, the former in "I, Claudius", by Robert Graves, the latter in "Tiberius", by the same Allan Massie.

But the unattractiveness of the main character is not the only problem. Like Augustus himself, Massie's novel lacks emotion; it is cold, with no surprises. Verisimilitude seems to have been the author’s main concern, that's why he took the trouble to presume, in a long and unnecessary introduction, that those memoirs are real ones, discovered in a monastery and so on. Curiously enough, that introduction, apart from Augustus' very easy victories, is the less believable part of the whole book.

There is one moment, however, in which we sympathize with the main character: when he candidly confesses having suffered sexual abuse by Antony, thus revealing the real motive for his hatred towards Cleopatra's lover. But it's the only one in the whole story. Not enough.

A very un-Roman "Augustus".......2001-05-15

Oh, my... I started reading Allan Massie's "Augustus" and I absolutely can't stomach it. Practically everything about it reads, and feels, "wrong" -- from the phony forward commenting on the supposed authentication and Massie's "translation" of the "newly discovered" autobiography of Augustus, to (and most especially) the very, very un-Roman personal habits, ways of thinking, attitudes, and very anachronistic preconceptions the author gives his characters and their conversations. This type of "historical fiction" is worlds away from the scholarly efforts of Graves, McCullough, Renault, and even Saylor.

It's so bad that it may be impossible for anyone with more than a passing familiarity with the actual ancient Rome (as opposed to the popular "Hollywood" version) to achieve the required "suspension of disbelief" necessary for enjoyment of historical fiction. I myself cannot, and so I will not be continuing with this book. It is because haven't finished it that I am giving the book the benefit of the doubt by awarding two stars instead of only one. If anyone here wants to read it, and hasn't bought their copy yet, I've got one for sale -- cheap!

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The Life and Letters of Maria Edgeworth (Dodo Press)
Maria Edgeworth
Manufacturer: Dodo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1406516473

Book Description

Autobiography of the Anglo-Irish novelist who worked strenuously for the relief of Irish peasants.

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