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

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome to JesusLand! (Formerly the United States of America): Shocking Tales of Depravity, Sex, and Sin Uncovered by God's Favorite Church, Landover Baptist

Average customer rating:

The Ultimate Religious Spoof! About Time!
A must read...for christians especially
And pass the ammunition
What Would Jesus Laugh At?
If you love hate speech, this book is for you!

Welcome to JesusLand! (Formerly the United States of America): Shocking Tales of Depravity, Sex, and Sin Uncovered by God's Favorite Church, Landover Baptist
Chris Harper , Andrew Bradley , and Erik Walker
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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Satire, General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Religion | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

The Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right
What Would Betty Do? How to Succeed at the Expense of Others in This World--and the Next
Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter
Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People
The God Who Wasn't There

ASIN: 0446697583

Book Description

Hold on to your Bibles, folks!You are about to be rapturedinto the gut-busting, demon-stomping insanity of God's Favorite Church,Landover Baptist - the web's ultimate religious spoof. In the sacred andhonorable tradition of The Onion comes a hilarious collection of outrageousnews, graphics and games that gleefully skewers America's very own Taliban,the evangelical right. Pastor Deacon Fred, Mrs. Betty Bowers, America'sBest Christian(tm), Pastor Harry Hardwick and the rest of the pew-jumping,finger-pointing crazies at Landover Baptist Church (Guaranteeing SalvationSince 1620!) provide a sharply written book full of uproarious words andimages. With its shocking exposes, X-rated bible quizzes, scandaloussidebars and mug shots of America's damned, "Welcome to Jesusland!" is sureto become a classic of religious and political humor, taking its rightfulplace next to the Holy Bible as essential reading in all of America's hotelnightstands.

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Religious Spoof! About Time!.......2007-10-08

Halaluya! America's Favorite Church (for saved only, not for us ungodly trash) Landover Baptist once again sets the record straight (tee hee hee) on the "proper' worship of "godswordthebible' and how to get trailer trash all over America SAVED! (conveniance notwithstanding.)

Frank Zappa had the guts to skewer those "saved" in the keesters in his album, "You are what You Is." The Residents carved many wormholes in their Bible with their epic "Wormwood" CD. Now, Landover Baptist takes on all the imaginary nonsense and gibberish that is believed by that Son of a Bush in office, and smokers nationwide!

Those who justify their actions and Faith with the Bible have never read their bibles or do like most people do: take creedence only in the scriptures that support their own bigotries and predjudices. Welcome to Jesusland shows all the hidden obscure yet in plain sight chapters and verses allegedly written by that "loving, vengeful invisible monster in the sky." As the editors say in the preface: "We'd like to thank the writers and editors of the King James Version from which all the references in this book were obediantly quoted without alteration, for providing such complicit source material for our zealous quest for the outrageous!"

As I slaughter many sacred cows these days and proudly claim the title of Infidel, join me and us heretics at laughing our guts out on al the hogwash and gibberish that we used to believe in until we said to ourselves: "Wait a minute, that's the stupidest thing I ever heard!"

A must read...for christians especially.......2007-09-04

This book is a godsend to a religion that seriously needs a reality check.

Welcome to Jesusland illustrates and frames the practices of extreme Christianity, exposing anti-intellectualism, questionable child brainwashing, failure of pastoral example, delusions of speaking to God, blatant egocentricity, and the excessive trademarking of Christianity (True Christian(TM), Silver Ring Thing(TM), WWJD(TM)).

But most of all, this extreme depiction of Christians shows how selectively the Bible gets applied. In sections where you say "But Christians don't do this," you find a passage from the Bible, plain as day. For example, encourage your children to hate you and become a life-long disciple of Jesus while you stone them to death.

For Christians reading this review, instead of condemning this book, study it in depth. Learn why people believe these things and take the opportunity to take out the mental trash that has accumulated. However, recommended for those of strong faith and willing to tolerate a little humor at their expense.

And pass the ammunition.......2007-08-29

With the witless likes of Ann "teach em how to hate" Coulter and the countless others being published, one light in the darkness that bites back with humor and satire is more godly than all the self proclaimed prophets and biblical word spouters trying desperately to stuff their little red, pointy tails down their pants while pointing dirty fingers and shouting at everyone else.
Perspective people- in a great time of darkness. Humor is the way to perspective. Reading this would be a good way to start.

What Would Jesus Laugh At?.......2007-07-11

This book is for believers of all sorts who have a sense of humor. If you are willing to laugh at the laughable parts of religion then there is a great deal to laugh about in JesusLand. If you like your religion dry and lifeless, this book is not for you. If, on the other hand, you think our sense of humor must be part of what it means to be made in god's image, then dig in.

If you love hate speech, this book is for you!.......2007-04-28

This book is full of hate speech and is a prime example of how the world continues to blaspheme the name of Christ.

Average customer rating:

God's Favorite House
It's not about us at all...
super
Finally...A book that gets to the heart of worship
God's Favorite House

God's Favorite House
Tommy Tenney
Manufacturer: Destiny Image Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The God Chasers: My Soul Follows Hard after Thee
The God Catchers Workbook : Experiencing the Manifest Presence of God
Finding Favor With the King: Preparing For Your Moment in His Presence
God Chasers
Experiencing His Presence Devotions For God Catchers

ASIN: 0768440041

Book Description

The burning desire of you heart can be fulfilled. God is looking for people just like you. He is a Lover in search of a people who will love Him in return. He is far more interested in you than He is interested in a building. He would hush all of Heaven's hosts to listen to your voice raised in heartfelt love songs to Him. This book will show you how to build a house of worship within, fulfilling your heart's desire and His!

Customer Reviews:

God's Favorite House.......2000-11-09

I truly enjoyed this book it was awesome. I being a Worship Minister, this book help me put my worship in perspective. Mr. Tenney, knows how to experience God through worship. I have even begun to pray to have the same kind of Kabod experience (the Weighty Presence of God) that he talks about in his book. God bless Mr. Tenney for putting this book into my hands, it truly was a wonderful spiritual walk, as I read the words on the pages, they became alive in me. The field of dreams is one of my favorite movies. Lord help me build it, so they could come.

It's not about us at all..........2000-10-02

If you've ever sat in a church service and wondered why the worship leaders didn't pick more songs you liked to sing or if you've ever snuck a yawn during the service, THEN YOU WON'T BE THE SAME AFTER YOU READ THIS BOOK. As I was reading it, I felt my heart laid open, the sin of not giving the Lord His rightful place exposed, and then found myself moved into repentance by the third chapter. Worship is the Lord's proper due, and it's not for our entertainment. God's Favorite House is at the forefront of bearing the message of the contemporary worship movement- He longs for our worship and fellowship. King David lived thousands of years ago, yet his holy abandon to worship is an example for us today. The God Chasers excited me, God's Dream Team gave me knowledge, and now God's Favorite House gives me a plan for action to draw closer to my Father.

super.......2000-07-14

This is another awesome Tenney book. I cant hardly keep a dry eye.

Finally...A book that gets to the heart of worship.......2000-05-24

Tommy Tenney's third book is his best yet. David is the ulimate worshiper, and by examining his life, Tenney gets to the heart of what worship should be about. In 2 Sam 6:22, David says he will "be even more undignified than this" with his worship to God. This is how worship should be. Let us all get a little undignified and free. God isn't looking for the routine worshiper, He is looking for someone to step out...to lose their face for Him. Tenney lays out way to worship God to bring revival to your church and to your own personal walk. A must read for all Christians

God's Favorite House.......2000-05-12

This book will assuredly tear apart any comfort you've been clinging to in your Christian life and quite possibly tear away any remaining apathy by vividly and Biblically expressing exactly what God desires in a worshiper. Tenney does a wonderful job showing in scripture how God longs for a bride who does not daydream about what He has done in the past, but a bride who is sweating because of her consistent pursuit after His Presence. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is content in sitting still in their pursuit of God, but for those who hunger and thirst after the very heart of God and desire to see the glory of His beautiful face, regardless of the cost, this book will inspire you to know Him more!

Beloved and God: The Story of Hadrian and Antinous

Average customer rating:

An Emperor grieves his lost lover
LOVED THIS BOOK
Much needed historical document!
Excellent and informative
Ancient History Relevant and Controversial

Beloved and God: The Story of Hadrian and Antinous
Lambert Royston
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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History | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books

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Memoirs of Hadrian
Hadrian: The Restless Emperor (Roman Imperial Biographies)
Alexander, Revisited - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Rome - The Complete First Season

ASIN: 0821620037

Customer Reviews:

An Emperor grieves his lost lover.......2005-08-20

This book adequately demonstrates that Hadrian's private sexual life and his obsession with his young lover Antinous did have an impact on policy and his public actions, particularly the establishment of Antinous as a state sponsored god, to be worshiped by the citizens of the Roman empire.

Antinous was the beautiful young Greek lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. When Antinous, around age 20, was accidentally drowned on the Nile, the 54 year old Hadrian was devasted and his grief changed the Empire. There is some evidence to indicate that Hadrian and Antinous had a 9 year acquatance before Antinous' death. We are unsure if the relationship was sexual in the beginning when Antinous was a child of 11. Other evidence would indicate that he gradually rose to prominence in the Imperial household and became the lover of the Emperor in the final two years of his short life. There are some descriptions of the couple that would indicate Antinous's maturity beyond his years and his calming wise personality brought relief to the restless personality of Hadrian. There is also some evidence that they shared spiritual beliefs and together joined a mystery cult. Hadrian established a cult around Antinous that spread throughout the Mediterranean. There were at least 40 cities with evidence of worship and cults to this state sponsored god. There is some evidence that the cult of Antinous and the cults of Dionysos and Hermes are overlapping since both were named the gods of farm animals, fertility and crops. Sculptors created statues of male adolescent beauty in honor of Antinous, which established the canon of adolescent perfection for many years in the classical world.

Hadrian was an amazing fellow. In his later years he lived at Tivoli in a fantasy village containing replicas of the great landmarks of the empire. He was surrounded by multiple images of his deceased lover.

There is some belief that Antinous was a human sacrifice of some kind to appease the gods or to benefit Hadrian. Handrian himself denied this to be true in his later years. Others believe he was a slave boy. This is certainly false since Rome was built on slave labor and to raise a slave to god status would have been totally beyond the economic and class structures of Rome. Reports that Antinous was a castrated eunich are also to be questioned since the statues all indicate fully developed muscular male beauty and Hadrian outlawed castration of slaves. Some records indicate Hadrian wrote erotic poetry to Antinous but none survives.

Also remember that the cult of Antinous was a competitor with early Christianity. With very few exceptions, writing about the relationship between Antinous and Hadrian are not homophobic with the exception of early Christian writings which were scandalized by the religious cult established by the Emperor in honor of his lover. The festivities around the cult of Antinous supposedly endorsed homosexual orgies. This book is very well researched and documented and certianly is broad reaching and thorough. I would suggest however Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian as a companion book. Hadrian become Emperor at 41, mature and wise to the ways of worldly power. He beame emperor after his Spanish cousin, Trajan, a major character in Yourcenar's Memoirs. Trajan, a childless but happily married man, never showed favoritism to Hadrian and never acknowledged him as his successor. This may have save Hadrian's life and character since he was supposed not favored above others in his military career. his political skills increased as the speech writer for his cousin Trajan. Hadrian quickly consolidated power when Trajan died of a stroke in Syria. He wore a short beard, the first of the Emperors to do so but a style followed by all the others. Twice assassination attempts were made on his life. Hadrian ws known for never forgetting the names of men who served with him in the military and was known to bathe and eat alongside common soldiers. There was never a hint of a military takeover during his reign.

Much like Elizabeth I, he kept his own council, never really trusting those around him. He married Sabina but all indications would indicate this was a marriage of convenience. He respected the Senators but retained the lion's share of power.

Hadrian was known for his many state trips and spent half of his reign outside of Rome. Of the 44 provinces making up the Empire, he visited 38. He died at age 62 atter ruling Rome for 21 years. Lambert has written a good book, speculating sometimes but sticking to the skimpy facts most of the time. The nature of this Imperial homosexual relationship remains a mystery in many ways. The fact that a gay Emperor ruled Rome at the height of power and world dominance, was able to establish a religious cult to his beautiful young deceased lover, and have very little negatively reflected in the surviving texts is testimony that homophobia need not always infect a society.

LOVED THIS BOOK.......2003-07-14

To love this book as much as I did you may need a pre-existing interest in the subject matters of the mystery religions of ancient Rome, and the history of homoeroticism. Short of loving the book, if you have an interest in History and/or Gay studies, then you will certainly at least like it a great deal.

For those that aren't simply history buffs, it describes what can only be called one of the most romantic gay love stories in history...the story of the Emperor Hadrian and his beloved Antinous. If your Gay and care at all about your history this book is a must read. Hadrian loved Antinous so much that he started a religion based on him...a once very popular religion it would seem. Upon seeing the many photos of sculptures of Antinous in the book, you may be tempted to worship him yourself! Love, amazing beauty, tragedy, and real history...it doesn't get any better than this.

Much needed historical document!.......2002-07-08

The book is a very well documented historical document in English that covers everything that we know in detail about the life that Hadrian and Antinous shared together and the world in which they lived. Wherever facts are not known, the several existing theories are exposed. It is an open minded, honest book that recovers some of the facts that, due to the political and religious agendas of previous sources, have remained hidden or were not disclosed or explored fully previously.

Excellent and informative.......1999-06-05

I really liked this book since it illustrated a little known (at least to the general reader) story of Hadrian and Antinous and examined the evidence in a convincing manner. While some of the art history may be a little dry, the author wisely saves this material for last. Lambert pieces the story together well from his scant written evidence and manages to illustrate a complicated relationship between the two. Lambert leaves it up to the reader to fill in the blanks and give Hadrian's and Antinous's relationship depth.

Ancient History Relevant and Controversial.......1998-09-16

Anyone reading this review likely already knows that Antinous was the greek teenage (male) lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled effectively at the height of the pax romana. Antinous drowned in the Nile while in Hadrian's entourage and the distraught Emperor subsequently deified him. Antinous (the god) remained popular until his cult was stamped out by Christianity.

Royston Lambert's book, subtitled The Story of Hadrian and Antinous, is as much about the story of the story of Hadrian and Antinous than about the couple themselves. The facts left to us by ancient history are so scant that we must deduce from prejudiced "secondary sources" for most of what can be surmised about their lives together. Yet Lambert's exposure of the context and motivations of these secondary sources does as much or more to tell us a story as does the laying out of the bare facts.

"The secrets of the imperial bedchamber must for ever be denied to us, and, in view of all the hideous and speculative publicity about their love, Hadrian and Antinous are surely entitled to keep this ultimate and intimate secret." the author says. Although we can know few if any of the details of the relationship between the boy and the Caesar, Lambert gives us much about how others later saw it. This is, in my opinion, the most interesting aspect of Lambert's book. From the early Christian condemnations to the Victorian bowdlerization and rehabilitation, past historians do much to expose their own prejudices and opinions and very little to expose the imperial bedchamber. And just as all the previous commentaries have done, the present text's cool, objective style will give future generations more insight into how today's historians view pederastic behavior than into the lives of two ancient homosexual lovers. Maybe all historical works do more to comment on the times in which they are written than on the times in which they hope to comment?

Book Description

"Vibrant with an awareness of people and their manners and the countries that shape them."-Sylvia Brownrigg.

Henry James's theme of the New World (naïve, upright, puritanical) confronting the Old (steeped in sophisticated and unscrupulous charm) is here explored by a novelist who has witnessed two world wars. Her protagonist is Constanza, a beautiful Italian-American pagan born to privilege and happiness-a seeming "favourite of the gods." But in the years of her maturity she becomes aware of what she lacks-a purpose and a part. Who am I, she asks, and what is it I can do? "This," writes Bedford, "is not a poor little rich girl's plaint. It is the quest that lurks within every human creature fortunate to lift its head above the daily grind."

"Bedford's genius is for writing about people. [Her] excellence is immortal, her career one of great distinction in literature."-Peter Levi.

Customer Reviews:

Revisiting a favorite theme.......2005-09-17

Most of Bedford's work--I've read a lot of it--circles around a favorite theme--that time between the wars in Europe, when there was almost complete freedom of movement, and many people seemed to live very well on very little money, relying on the generosity of wealthy friends. "A Compass Error" and "Jigsaw" are her best and most autobiographical, but I find the further she strays from her own life story the murkier things get. In this novel, Constanza is the daughter of an American heiress and an Italian prince, who finds her life upended when her mother self-destructs after discovering the Prince's long-standing affair. Constanza moves to London and grows up to become very beautiful, intelligent, a little wild, and quite self-absorbed. She seems oddly without anchor--she marries a man she doesn't love, has a child without seeming to notice, and is then devastated when her husband divorces her because she never loved him. Constanza gets another chance with a different man, but throws it away. For me it was as if I observed this from a distance--I never really understood Constanza's motives. Her mother Anna also confused me--I never quite had a handle on how wealthy she really was or wasn't, despite a great deal of discussion on the subject of money. And I never really figured out what Anna's "problem" was. Bedford is a beautiful writer and I love the picture of the world between the wars that she paints, and for that I give this book a 4, but her characters were disturbingly vague, and the book left me oddly disatisfied.

Mothers & Daughters.......2003-05-12

[...] Not one to judge a book merely by it's cover, I picked it up, and was thrust into the lives of three women: Anna (a American women who marries an Italian prince), Constanza (their offspring), and Flavia (Constanza's daughter). Since the book was written in the 50's, I had trouble understanding some parts of it. (Hey! I'm an '80s child!) The book also all took place before the end of 1929. However, despite a few areas where I was confused, I found the book to be descriptive, sometimes a bit much in some areas (leading off into tangents that made no sense), but for the most part the details added to the reader's enjoyment in taking in the "Old World" of Italy, France, and England. The relationships between mothers and daughters are explored in great detail, and so are their often odd relationships with men. We can actually see a little of each woman in her mother. The ending was a bit unsatisfying, but overall, not a bad read.

READ THIS BOOK...ex-pat genre.......2003-04-15

Do you love books about ex-pats making thier lives in Europe? Love the genre...LOVED the book. Good use of any readers time.

Unusual mother- daughter relationships.......2000-05-09

The relationships of mothers and daughters in Bedford's novels are among the funniest and most complex than one can find in fiction. Her young characters are always uncanny mature, witty, independent but nevertheless unexpectedly vulnerable. Mothers, on the other hand, are difficult, lovable and unpredictable. Conflict is usually civilized, deep, and productive. Bedford is also very fond of Mediterranean settings, small towns in the cost of France or Italy, before they were spoiled by tourism. The description of the European life before WW2 is one of the many pleasures of this great book.

Average customer rating:

Fun romp through 1980s Panama
An incredible gem of a political novel
Terrific novel, engrossing down to the last fine sentence
Riveting Reading.
Panamanian Panorama

God's Favorite: A Novel
Lawrence Wright
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0684868105

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Lawrence Wright is the author of several books of nonfiction, including the gripping Remembering Satan (1994), about an epidemic of "recovered" memories of Satanic ritual abuse in Olympia, Washington. God's Favorite is his first work of fiction, but it more accurately falls into the category of what Truman Capote called the nonfiction novel, since it is based in historical fact (the ouster of General Manuel Noriega in Panama)--but dialogue, description, and characters are embellished and in some cases entirely invented. As a political thriller, it is a genuine page-turner. Wright's prose has always been full of grit and electricity, but he has fun with fiction in a way he couldn't as a reporter.

At the heart of the book are two men living somewhat parallel lives: General Noriega and the Papal Nuncio--a burnt out, disgraced priest who revels in corruption: "He adored the secrecy, the scheming and plotting, the intricate connivings, the hidden meanings that made life in Panama a study in human duplicity." It's an atmosphere Wright captures masterfully--"a country that dines on gossip," the Chorrillo neighborhood where "rotten buildings slumped against one another like a bunch of packing boxes that had been left out in the rain." Moving through various private and public lives, Wright reveals how both men come to fear for their lives in a virtually lawless country where torture is an art form.

Like a superior made-for-TV miniseries, Wright's book brings the past alive in the form of melodrama. Noriega, the acne-scarred, sexually voracious dictator is a truly twisted villain: spooky and pathetic at once. One of the book's greatest scenes happens aboard a yacht, the Macho III, where Noriega and Oliver North are being waited on by a topless stewardess named Chiquita. North delivers the bad news that with his best pal William Casey dead, Noriega may be indicted for drug trafficking. As he talks, the American quaffs carrot juice and eats ribs, wiping sauce from his chin and trying not to ogle the girls. Meanwhile, Noriega tells him, "I think it's a sin to eat the flesh of other animals. Of course, you should enjoy your meal, don't worry about the moral consequences." It's a scene so twisted it made me feel positively patriotic. --Emily White

Book Description

In this fascinating work of historical fiction, award-winning author Lawrence Wright captures all the gripping drama and black humor of Panama during the final, nerve-racking days of its legendary dictator, Manuel Antonio Noriega.

It is Christmas 1989, and Tony Noriega's demons are finally beginning to catch up with him. A former friend of President Bush, Fidel Castro, and Oliver North, this universally reviled strongman is on the run from the U.S. Congress, the Justice Department, the Colombian mob, and a host of political rivals. In his desperation, Tony Noriega seeks salvation from any and all quarters -- God, Satan, a voodoo priest, even the spirits of his murdered enemies. But with a million-dollar price on his head and 20,000 American soldiers on his trail, Noriega is fast running out of options.

Drawn from a historical record more dramatic than even the most artful spy novel. God's Favorite is a riveting and darkly comic fictional account of the events that occurred in Panama from 1985 to the dictator's capture in 1989. With a journalist's eye for detail, Lawrence Wright leads the reader toward a dramatic face-off in the Vatican embassy, where Noriega confronts his psychological match in the Papal Nuncio.

Customer Reviews:

Fun romp through 1980s Panama.......2007-03-13

Well, I'm sure living through Noriega's rule was not nearly as much fun! A fun voyage combining historical fact with behind-closed-doors fiction, plenty of psychological analysis of a despot that becomes more and more unhnged. You really do feel like you get inside the head of "pineapple face".One of the best of this genre.

An incredible gem of a political novel.......2007-01-06

This is a spectacular piece of writing by one of America's outstanding political reporters and writers, Lawrence Wright of the New Yorker. One can only marvel at the blind stupidity of the publishing industry insofar as no one has taken this book to paper and marketed the hell out of it!
It is a total gem --- a piece of unparalleled political reporting wrapped into a beautifully written novel that raises all the most basic questions good books like this should raise --- what is good and what is evil in the context of Central American terror and corruption, who is good and who is bad in a maelstrom of American and Israeli buccaneers and corrupt drug lords tied to deadly militarists, is there a God if Noriega lives and thrives while decent idealists are horribly tortured and massacred by his thugs, and what is religion in a place where people interchangeably use the rites of voodoo, buddhism, and catholicism to try to survive. Grim and rasty thriller wrapped in hilarious absurdity and dark broodings, all tied together in sharp easy-read prose. So very very good.

Terrific novel, engrossing down to the last fine sentence.......2006-05-10

It's devastating that Wright's novel wasn't taken to tradepaper where it would have had a wider readership. This is a terrific thriller so authentic the book speaks directly, clearly and thrillingly. Wright is an execellent writer and this novel is one hell of a fine read. You'll be sorry if you miss it. Wright really has a handle on the reality of certain corrupt Latin politics and he renders it exciting fashion.

I can't fathom why this novel has had so little exposure. His publishers must be short-sighted or loony or both. I wish I had spoken up sooner here with a review since I read the book shortly after it was published. It remains in the top three of best thrillers I've read.

Riveting Reading........2000-10-15

An utterly arresting blend of fact and fiction, "God's Favorite" thrusts the reader into the bloody maelstrom of Panama under Noriega. The book is incredibly accessible, even entertaining, but it never loses its intent to put you into the heart of the situation, sparing no one, revealing everything. Of course, one cannot know what a historical figure thinks, believes or desires. Even their own words are tainted by the unswerving gaze of history. Wright, however, does not let his book rest on his assumtions of thoughts and feeling. He brings a trained observers calculated analysis and the well known documented facts of the situation to frame his narrative.

This is a truly delightful experience, crisp in style, engaging in content and memorable in the final experience. Recommended.

Panamanian Panorama.......2000-06-26

A novel of the highest order, taking in religion, history, various world views, politics, and cultures while introducing the reader to modern times. Set in Panama in the late '80's it is a bottom's up view of the top of the hierarchy and how the way that world works from both the macro and microscopic view. The bloody view of personal and corrupted power will make the reader wince, laugh out loud, and possibly bring a tear to the eye. We find out how an ugly Mestizo can own a country and as the reader gets into Mr. Noriega's skin to see his view, we find that the writer has a good grasp on the ordinary things that bring meaning to one's life; however it is also the view of a mad man. We are given a look at the USA machinations into that region and the ultimate purposes involving new-old fashion terrorism, narco-terrorism, with a pinch of romance. Often I felt as if I were participating in the movie Casablanca. An enjoyable read from front to back. On the other hand, my wife put the book down after page 10.

Sprout Bible: Thirty-four Favorite Bible Stories for Kids (Sprout Growing With God)

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Sprout Bible: Thirty-four Favorite Bible Stories for Kids (Sprout Growing With God)
The De Villiers Family
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Splish, Splash, Splat! (Seedling Growing with God)
Purple Spot Sickness (Seedling & Sprout)

ASIN: 1400071941
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Book Description

The earliest years of childhood provide fertile soil for planting important truths, and the engaging new Seedling and Sprout series offers the perfect way to introduce toddlers and preschoolers to the concepts that will shape their values. Artfully designed with vibrant, full-color, contemporary illustrations, each book features either the character of Seedling, who embodies the characteristic energy of children 3 and under, or the slightly older Sprout, whose questions and interests reflect the understanding of children ages 4 to 6.

Simple yet captivating rhymes and delightful illustrations bring to life sixteen favorite Bible stories about Creation, Noah, the boy-hero David, the birth of Jesus, the first Easter, and more. This unique Bible storybook includes simple interactive exercises to guide parents in helping the truths of God’s Word take root in their child’s heart.

I Am a Child of God: A Sing-Along Book of Favorite Primary Songs

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I Am a Child of God: A Sing-Along Book of Favorite Primary Songs

Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1590384962

Product Description

Now you can teach your little Latter-day Saints six of the most beloved Primary songs found in the Children's Songbook from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This convenient-sized board book features six full-color illustrations. Each illustration includes the first verse to a favorite Primary song. A child or parent simply presses the touch-pad that corresponds to that page, and the music begins to play. Features these favorite songs: "I Am a Child of God" "When We're Helping" "Follow the Prophet" "I Am Like A Star" "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" "I Love to See the Temple"

I Can Talk To God By Praying Jesus' Way (My Favorite Verses)

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Great book!

I Can Talk To God By Praying Jesus' Way (My Favorite Verses)
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Standard Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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We all need faith and hope but The Best Thing Is Love (My Favorite Verses)
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I Can Be Happy Because God Blesses Me (My Favorite Verses)

ASIN: 0784716544

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-01-04

Excellent book, bright happy illustrations, and text is great for young children to learn biblical principles. I love the bible verses on each page with the reference. I would highly recommend.

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God's Favorite
Neil Simon
Manufacturer: Samuel French, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0573609721

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