Book Description
"The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been." Echoing the rhythms of Chinese history itself, the monumental tale Three Kingdoms begins. As important for Chinese culture as the Homeric epics have been for the West, this fourteenth-century masterpiece continues to be loved and read throughout China today. Three Kingdoms portrays a fateful moment at the end of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) when the future of the Chinese empire lay in the balance. Fearing attacks by three rebellious states, the emperor sent out an urgent appeal for support. In response, three young men - the aristocratic Liu Xuande, the fugitive Lord Guan, and the pig butcher Zhang Fei - met to swear eternal brotherhood and fealty to their beleaguered country. Their vow set in motion the series of events that ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Han. Writing centuries later, Luo Guanzhong drew on, often-told tales of this turbulent period to fashion a sophisticated narrative of loyalty and treachery, triumph and defeat, that came to epitomize all that was best and worst in the life of his country. Illustrated.
Customer Reviews:
Truly China's greatest novel!.......2007-09-14
When I first read Three Kingdoms it was quite a confusing story, what with all the endless characters that came and went, not to mention the impossibility of pronouncing their names properly!
Nonetheless, I was captivated by the quality of the story, despite the very basic narrative style (being hundreds of years old) and the fairly simple way it must have been translated.
With the amount of trials and tribulations that the reader witnesses in following the extremely incredible characters, it is no wonder that these real people from history mean so much to people today, nearly two thousand years later.
Containing personalities of all kinds, Three Kingdoms offers so much wisdom and excitement, that once you get past the first couple of chapters, you are really drawn into a whole new world.
To follow the struggles of men like Guan Yu, Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang as they fight for peace amongst the absolute chaos, gives hope and solutions to any of the problems one can face in today's world.
Yet there are hundreds of characters who fight by their sides in attempts to reunite China, each having their own story to contribute to this immortal saga. It is truly a credit to Luo Guanzhong the way he managed to interweave so many storys, and yet stay prevalently factual.
If you can get past the confusion and the slight redundancy of the narrative style, Three Kingdoms is a story you have to read within your lifetime, and preferably as soon as possible.
According to DW3K.COM, there is a new version of Three Kingdoms that is to be released soon, designed to be more entertaining and less confusing than the 600 year old original. Apparently it will still contain all of the wisdom from Luo Guanzhong's, but will make a much more accessable and hopefully even more enjoyable way to learn about Three Kingdoms.
In the meantime I can also suggest the other 3 chinese classics, in english known as Dream of the Red Chamber/Dreams of Red Mansions(Romance), Monkey King/Journey to the West (Adventure/Fantasy) and Water Margin/Outlaws of the Marsh (Adventure). Each are incredible stories in their own right, and are in many ways equal or even better than Three Kingdoms/Romance of Three Kingdoms.
Great read, horrible spelling........2007-09-13
Three Kingdoms is one of the most important works of Chinese literature. The story itself if there, but the ridiculous amount of grammatical and spelling errors throughout the 4-volume set can spoil the experience just a bit.
Three Kingdoms review by Mombo.......2007-07-20
This book is based on the critical time at the end of the Han Dynasty. It all starts with the Yellow Scarves Rebellion lead by Zhang Jiao and his two brothers, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang , plung the land into complete chaos. Answering the call of duty, three sworn oath brothers , Liu Bei , Zhang Fei , and Guan Yu , go to fight the menece, along with thousands of others. After that was done , Dong Zhuo , an Imperial General, was controling the Emperor like a puppet. Him and his mighty step son, Lu Bu , take control of the Imperial Court. To Stop these traitors , many great generals, Including Cao Cao , Sun Jian , Liu Bei , and many more with the chosen leader, Yuan Shao, destroy these verman. From these events comes a chain of cause and effect that, basicly , leads to the collapseof the , once great , Han Dynasty . Best book I've ever read, EVER. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it a 15.
OMG! .......2007-02-20
I love history. Now when I read this Novel, I was in heaven. I mena I read about the defeat of Mengde (Cao Cao) at Red Cliffs, I red about the Death of Kongming (Zhuge Liang) with great sadness. I efinately recommend this novel to anyone. Even if they don't like histoy, they should still find theis to be a great read.
How to maximise the enjoyment of this tour de force.......2007-01-29
I first became familiar with the Three Kingdoms period through the video game "Romance VII" (on PS2). Through the game, I was able to understand what each charecter is capable of doing, which illustrated a clear narrative of the basic concepts involved. After playing "Romance VIII" & "Romance X", I more or less understood what the novel had to offer. After playing these games, I decided to go to the main source - the novel. While reading the novel, I started associating the images and scenarios from the games with the text. Although you will know how most events will unfold, the endless names, ranks, locations and procedures, will make sense; which without, you will be bored to death. So to sum things up, I highly recommend you play some of the romance games (in particular "Romance X") so to know how significant some events (like the meeting of the brothers, or the battle with the 'strongest man under heaven') are.
Average customer rating:
- A classic
- Nice introduction to Truman Capote's work
- Have a wonderful fictional dream...
- a definite classic
- There's a reason it's endured
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Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories (Modern Library)
Truman Capote
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Similar Items:
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In Cold Blood
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The Complete Stories of Truman Capote
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Other Voices, Other Rooms
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Capote: A Biography
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The Grass Harp
ASIN: 067960085X
Release Date: 1994-01-13 |
Book Description
Contains:
Breakfast at Tiffany's
House of Flowers
A Diamond Guitar
A Christmas Memory
Customer Reviews:
A classic.......2007-07-08
I got this book because I love the movie, and now I can say I greatly appreciate the book also. It is always nice when a movie follows a book well and not make their own story and just use the title. But this is definitely a book i read again and again. The other stories in the collection were good also.
Nice introduction to Truman Capote's work.......2007-06-01
Like many others here, I was inspired to read Truman Capote's work for the first time after seeing the movie Capote. I thought that starting with In Cold Blood would be too dark, so I chose Breakfast at Tiffany's instead. Surprisingly, this orginal work is not nearly as light and cavalier as the famed film version. Although the movie stuck fairly closely to the actual plot, Holly is a much deeper character than her excellent portrayal by Aubrey Hepburn would suggest. There are nuances to her story that are completely left out of the on-screen version, including a poignant conclusion that is nowhere near a Hollywood ending. Overall, however, Breakfast at Tiffany's is an excellent read, at it alone is deserving of a 5-star rating.
While Breakfast at Tiffany's is more of a novella, the other tales in this book are simply short stories, and I found them to be much less compelling. House of Flowers is a sort of off-beat romance, some of which I found to be disturbing and with an ending that I found to be unsatisfying. A Diamond Guitar was more moving yet quite depressing. Finally, A Christmas Memory, the best of the three, was a sweet tale of a young boy's special bond with a much older relative.
If you are looking for an entry point to Truman Capote's work, this book would be a good place to start familiarizing yourself with this talented, important writer.
Have a wonderful fictional dream..........2007-06-01
The late novelist John Gardner said that an ideal fictional story invokes in the reader an unbroken, fictional dream. I like this way of thinking about reading a novel or short story. If you keep "waking up" during the reading, then the author isn't doing his job very well.
I just read Breakfast at Tiffany's--not 30 minutes ago--and I'm still not sure I'm fully "awake." Holly Golightly, the focal character here, seems so real to me, I can hardly believe she isn't in New York, this moment, missing her door key. Very few novels have affected me this way, this strongly. A Catcher in the Rye--that one did it. Jane Eyre, a few others. If you read, as I do, primarily for company, to share the company of fascinating "people," I think you'll love this little book.
Truman Capote was one of America's most gifted writers, and in this story, he not only brings his characters to life, he brings this New York City neighborhood, in the 1950s, to life as well.
A magical, unforgettable read.
a definite classic.......2007-06-01
Holiday Golightly. She's quirky, comical, and glamorous. She's fashionable, in-the-know, and in-the-now. She's lonely, lost, and waiting to be rescued. You couldn't resist her charm if you tried, and you can't help but fall in love with her.
Well, at least in the Hollywood film version. Capote's original novella paints a darker portrait of Miss Golightly. Unlike Audrey Hepburn's adorable Holly, who needs a knight in slightly-rusted armor to save her, Capote's girl is a "wild thing" who cannot be caged, trained, or rescued.
I can't deny that the film is a classic and is one of my favorites. Audrey Hepburn may be the epitome of glamour and beauty, and Hollywood's Holly can't help but absorb Audrey's charm. By the end of the film you find yourself rooting for "Fred" to save her from the nonsense of high society, reunite her with the cat, and wipe away her case of "the mean reds" forever. That is Hollywood, after all, and we would expect nothing less.
But the real Holly, Capote's Holly, can never be caged by convention. It would be hard to imagine her ever settling down and being content with Fred (regardless of the fact that he is an implied homosexual in the book. Hollywood seemed to have "overlooked" that).
Don't get me wrong, it's not that the book's Holly is a Bad Person; she's just more layered and real. Think about it - how many people have you come across who create a new persona for themselves, based on what they perceive others to desire? People who feign interest in the popular styles/entertainment/notable people of the day, just to seem like a Very Important Person and garner adoration, fame, and possibly fortune. I could name a few.
But we get to go deeper than Holly's exterior and see the scared and lonely girl at the core. She is terrified of being a caged animal, but also tired of being alone. She wants to seem as though she's making a holiday out of life, but struggles with the need for stability and the desire for freedom.
The book I read also included three of Capote's most famous stories, and I'd be remiss not to mention them as well: House of Flowers, A Diamond Guitar, and A Christmas Memory. The three short stories are amazingly intimate and touching, illuminating different sides of human emotion. I have not read Capote's magnum opus, In Cold Blood, but after witnessing his detailed descriptions and haunting perceptions of human nature in these shorter forms, I have added his novel to my "to-read" list.
There's a reason it's endured.......2007-05-29
The best introduction to Capote's work, in my opinion. Holly Golightly is a dream of New York City, a figure that so many millions of people, male and female, have come to Manhattan to try to be. Those amoral jerks! (ha ha) Capote's ability to sustain this dream in prose, even though Holly is not much more than a stylish wh*re, is what has kept this short, breezy-yet-tragic postwar novel in print for almost 50 years. A classic.
I'll always love Audrey Hepburn in the movie (though let's admit it, she's too old for the part), and Moon River is a great song, but I'm sorry that Fassbinder couldn't have done his own movie adaptation. THAT would have been something!
Book Description
A major new translation of one of the most enduring works of literature from the award- winning, bestselling translator of Anna Karenina
First published in 1844, The Three Musketeers is the most famous of Alexandre Dumas's historical novels and one of the most popular adventure novels ever written. Dumas's swashbuckling epic chronicles the adventures of d'Artagnan, a brash young man from the countryside who journeys to Paris in 1625 hoping to become a musketeer and guard to King Louis XIII. Before long, he finds treachery and court intrigue—and also three boon companions, the daring swordsmen Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Together the four strive heroically to defend the honor of their queen against the powerful Cardinal Richelieu and the seductive spy Milady.
Richard Pevear, part of the husband/wife team responsible for award-winning translations of classic Russian literature, provides a flavorful and faithful rendition that conveys all of the wit, romance, and rollicking pace of the original French. Pevear also includes an edifying introduction to Dumas, his world, and his take on history, as well as explanatory notes, making this the edition par excellence for a new generation of readers.
Customer Reviews:
The Three Musketeers.......2007-10-01
After reading many of the Russian books translated by Pevear (and Volokhonsky), I thought I would give the Musketeers a try. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed this book as much any book I've ever read. Highly recomended by (just) an avid reader
It's grand, is what it is!.......2007-09-16
After seeing numerous film adaptations of Dumas' immortal work, I had to read the book itself. I was not disappointed. While it is certainly lengthy dense (and, thus, not for everyone), The Three Musketeers cannot but enchant.
The story is well-known: In 17th-century France, D'Artagnan, a young Gascon of a minor family, comes to Paris to seek his fortune as a member of the king's Musketeers. In attempting to do so, he meets or runs afoul of Rochefort and Milady DeWinter - creatures of the scheming Cardinal Richilieu - and the unforgettable Musketeers: the brooding Athos, religious Aramis, and jaunty Porthos. They form an easy brotherhood and fall into foiling the Cardinal's plots while they themselves try to impress their various mistresses and scrape by financially. The book is more than just a great adventure - Dumas also adroitly discusses the class structure of the day, parodies the religious wars of the 1600s, and skewers academic scholarship. A wonderful, rich read.
Pevear's Translation is the Best!!.......2007-07-22
Richard Pevear's translation of the Three Musketeers is without a doubt the best I have ever seen. His translation makes the story flow much easier and makes the language much more intelligible to modern readers. My hope is that he continues to translate Dumas' other works where the Musketeers also make an appearance. I would recommend this book to those who have already read previous translations and those who are new to the works of Alexandre Dumas.
The Three Musketeers..new translation.......2006-11-06
A good treatment with a modern translation but the book is LARGE.
Huzzah!.......2006-09-08
An "endless adventure" breathlessly moving from one scene to the next: sword-fighting, court espionage, sex scandals, poisonings, assassinations, undying love and so on.
'Les Trois Mousquetaires', first published in 1844, was soon translated into three English versions by 1846. One of these, by William Barrow, is still in print and fairly faithful to the original, available in the Oxford World's Classics 1999 edition. However all of the explicit and many of the implicit references to sexuality had been removed to conform to 19th century English standards of morality, thus making the scenes between d'Aragnan and Milady, for example, confusing and strange. The most recent and new standard English translation is by award-winning translator Richard Pevear (2006). Pevear says in his translation notes that most of the modern translations available today are "textbook examples of bad translation practices" which "give their readers an extremely distorted notion of Dumas's writing." Thankfully we have high quality translations like this one now available.
Book Description
An evil necromancer has kidnapped the princess Olywynne and her twin brother, plotting to spill their blood-for revenge, and to restore his own family to life. Chaos reigns in the capital, and no one can stop the necromancer but Rhiannon and her winged mare. But can she bring herself to rescue the woman she hates more than anyone-Olywynne, her rival for the apprentice-witch Lewen's love-especially when she stands to lose everything she holds dear in the effort?
Customer Reviews:
A big let down.......2007-08-08
I really enjoyed the first series "Witches" so I thought this series would be just as good. I really liked the first two books of Rhiannon's Ride and I felt the story was building nicely. But, the last book really let me down. I finished the book thinking "what?! It is over!" I felt I was left with many questions and feeling like there should have been more. I thought there were many points in which Forsyth could have taken the main battles further with Brann and the ending battle. But they were over before you could know it. I had to read it over again to make sure I knew exactly what happened because I couldn't believe Forsyth would end the battle so quickly. I love Forsyth's writing and the detail of each character, but I felt this book was a huge let down.
A tapestry of adventure.......2007-06-19
Kate Forsyth has done it again. She has deftly interwoven her characters, world, and the history of that world to create a beautiful tale of love, pain, adventure, and heartache.
In THE HEART OF STARS, half-satyicorn girl Rhiannon, Keybearer Isabeau, and Banrìgh Bronwen all struggle in their own way to save Eileanan from the treasonous plots hatched by a gang of villains.
This book is absolutely gripping, exciting, and powerful. There are some scenes here that will leave readers in awe at what the characters manage to do. Forsyth doesn't waste time with perfect happiness - Eileanan is a true-to-life reality that is so detailed, so well-crafted, you will have a tough time pulling away. And tragedy happens.
One of the major questions here is on resurrection: Can it be done? And if it can, SHOULD it be? Characters in Eileanan take it as a fact that No, it should not. I didn't find, however, that there was a good enough reason not to bring people back to life. There needed to be more stress on the order of life, and the consequences of such an act, to convince us why not.
Another gripe: what's with the order of the book, and the synopsis at the beginning? For a hundred pages you get Isabeau, then for another sixty you get Rhiannon, and so on. In the past, Forsyth has always kept us hanging, a much better tactic when one wants to stress the intertwining of time and life while also making things more exciting.
But despite that, there are so many things going on - so many subplots and motivations and intrigues to grasp - that it all feels like one giant reality. Unfailingly, everything ties together, and nothing is left undone. It's lovely and complex, just like those tapestries of life Forsyth writes of in her books.
Pretend this is 4 and 1/2 stars, and after you've read all the other books in the series, go out and get this one. It's worth it, because aside from a few minor pitfalls, Forsyth weaves a beautiful tapestry of intriguing, honest-to-earth human (and half-human) beings. Their motivations, their thoughts, all ring true for some reason or another. That alone makes it worth the read.
Dissapointing.......2007-05-08
I also bought this book in Australia; my dad was there for a business trip last August. I was eager to get my hands on the last book of this trilogy. I was severly disappointed in this book though, so much that I'm not sure I'll ever read this trilogy again. I know that this took place sixteen or so years after we left off with the "Witches" saga, but a lot of the characters have changed beyond recognition. Characters should change over time, but I think too many changed beyond recognition, and there were no real events to explain this change. There were also plot holes and mistakes on the writers part... at one point she called Elfrida the "NicBerthe" or the "NicFealde" I don't remember which and I don't have my copy near me to check. Also a big disappointment was both the battle with the NicFoghan and the battle with Brann. You would have expected them to be quite large and monumentous, seeing as they are the events that the first two books were leading up too. Both however, were over in the blink of an eye. Brann's battle didn't even last a whole chapter. This last book fizzled away and left me with too many questions, and too upset at how the characters acted, with no real explanation for the sudden changes. You would think this was written by a fanfiction author, rather than by the author herself.
Great book! .......2007-05-03
Less than a year ago, I absently picked up "Tower of Ravens" because the horse on the cover intrigued me - I find it hard to resist the horse-crazy adolescent girl still lurking in the corners of my mind. I was excited to see that a sequel was already out, so I bought both of them at the same time and spent the evening devouring them.
I eagerly awaited the US release of Heart of Stars and the only complaint I have is that there isn't going to be more to the story! The way Kate Forsyth weaves the different and interconnected plots and characters together is truly enjoyable - sometimes when I read a book too fast, I'll get lost between the characters and plots and settings, but not so with this one.
I am a little disappointed that Rhiannon's Ride is being touted as a trilogy - there are so many unanswered questions at the end of Heart of Stars, questions that would be too tedious to stick onto the end of the novel, but would be well-answered as background details in yet another sequel.
The reviewer before me has already pretty much summed of the gist of the story, I just wanted to add my approval of this book as well. I find myself thinking in the "accent" that the characters speak in, which means that it was truly immersing - and I dinna ken how to stop!
so disapointing.......2007-05-02
I am not sure what the previous reviewers saw in this novel, but it was so disapointing. The first books were so good that I made my father buy me the Austrailian edition of the third book when he was there on business (it came out earlier in Australia). I read it immediatly but was very unhappy with the book. Rhiannon was barely in the story and Kate Forsyth had so many different plots going that the book felt disjointed and a bit tedious. Normally I am very easy to please, but I had such high hopes for this novel. It didn't even come close to what I was expecting based on the previous 2. Also, what was with what happened to Olywene? That seemed forced and unnatural. I am sorry, but stick to the first two novels.
Book Description
Three different ways to approach Faulkner, each of them representative of his work as a whole. Includes "Spotted Horses," "Old Man," and his famous "The Bear."
Customer Reviews:
The Bear.......2003-11-18
This was a challenging story, like all works of Faulkner. But also a very rewarding story. When you finish this one you feel like you have been somewhere... truly immersed in a time period... truly immersed in a family.
No author, ever... has had the knack of creating a world of ordinary people so expertly intertwined throughout his novels. Faulkner either by design or accident (I doubt that??) has created a rich tapestry in his books, of characters subtlely connected by time and circumstance.
I have read The Sound and the Fury and most of Light in August; and it is not difficult to see the connections in just these two books plus the short story The Bear. Everything I have chanced to read by this amazing author has had careful, deep, intricate connections to the other works.
I know this is a well known fact... but the way in which Faulkner executes it, leaves me amazed each and every time I encounter it.
The Bear is a coming of age story about Ike McCaslin. It traces his development to a young man through several vingettes. Each time we see him he is involved in a hunt. That is until the last 2 sections in which we see him at age 21 looking back on his family history and discussing his right to the land. Once we see him as a young boy and then onward into his teenage years.
The story revolves around an aged bear who roams the forests and swamps where they hunt. It is interesting to see Ike develop as a hunter and man, as the hunters get closer and closer to the old bear.
There are many rich characters in this story.... far to many for me to touch on in this short review.
A big theme that impressed me in this one was how our personal history is inexticably tied to the land we grow up on. Ike McCaslin was, "who" he was because of where he was from, and he could never escape that fact.
Faulkner was an author unafraid to delve into the scriptures in developing his ideas. I believe his use of scriptural narratives only serves to strengthen his work. What he says, rings with authority when he uses Abraham, Adam and Eve as illustrations. He expertly uses the story of Abrahams travels to the promised land to show how his characters have squandered their "rights" to the land they grew up on... their "promised land".
There is no doubt William Faulkner knew how to put a story together. Any of his works, beg to be read again and again. I will surely be picking this one up again... I recommend it to anyone who loves books! William Faulkner is a giant in the world of literature!
A critical look at The Bear.......2003-02-14
Among Faulkner's best work, The Bear is more than a simple story of the hunt for an ellusive bear. Faulkner uses the backdrop of the hunt in 19th century Mississippi to show the progress his protagonist, Ike McCaslin, makes towards the unltimate achievement of man. Faulkner was convinced of the godd that man is capable of; Ike, the typical Faulkner youth seen in other works, shows this idea in full detail.
Ike begins his hunt as a young man, growing to accept the ways of nature as taught to him by a fallen Indian chief. The connotations of a fallen race abound in the story, yet they are no more obvious than in the detailed fourth chapter. Readers are advised not to merely skim this section; it remains one of the best testaments to Faulkner's ability to create some of the most complex material of the 20th century.
Three short novels by America's greatest writer........2002-08-06
Three Famous Short Novels gathers together three long and diverse works by America's greatest writer (that's my opinion, others my contest it, I will only agree to disagree). Spotted Horses is a humorous tale culled from the pages of The Hamlet, the first novel in the famous Snopes Family Trilogy. The Bear is the expanded version of the somber and mythic hunting story about the killing a legendary bear that means so much more than just that. The final story is the exciting adventure yarn Old Man and was one half of the two conjoined novellas that made up The Wild Palms (aka If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem). Although each story has more power than many writers have in their entire output, they acheive even more when woven into the wide fabric of Faulkner's far reaching, generations spanning Jefferson, Mississippi. Required reading.
Not for children.......2001-10-29
If you expected Faulkner's "The Bear" to be as difficult as "Pat the Bunny" you will be deeply disappointed. High school teachers may assign it in segments to English classes, but it is at heart an adult story, with deep seams of place and poetry. In this coming of age novella, the relationship between the boy Isaac and Old Ben the bear takes place against the backdrop of threatened forest land. Faulkner's passionate writing about the value of the woods rings true for nature conservationists today. The lengthy section on Civil War ghosts and the equivocality of inheritance, often considered an intrusion within the main narrative, also rewards careful reading. As for Faulkner's infamous run-on sentences -- well, here they are on full steam ahead, and even Faulkner's machismo is forgiveable in the context of his marvellous sentences.
Book Description
Growing up in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Johnny and Tonya meet in high school and fall for each other. Yet their romance falls apart when Johnny seriously injures Tonya’s ex-boyfriend in an altercation. Johnny is imprisoned, and Tonya starts dating a rapper who fulfills her dreams of dancing in videos.
Depressed and deflated in jail, Johnny comes back to life thanks to the help of Pandora, the prison’s “den mother,” and James, who helps Johnny study for his GED. What starts as a platonic friendship between the sexually repressed Johnny and the openly gay James soon develops into a tender love that’s put on hold when James is released on parole. A year later, Johnny is freed as well, haunted by his feelings.
Meanwhile, Tonya, no longer with the rapper, has a new dream of reuniting with Johnny. And James, who wows crowds as a legendary drag queen performer, is furious that Johnny hasn’t reached out to him.
Their lives soon become a twisting roller coaster—secrets are revealed and assumptions are shattered in ways never imagined. Inviting comparison to E. Lynn Harris, Clarence Nero has created a compelling story about the social and sexual challenges black people face today.
Customer Reviews:
What happens when you love two people at the same time, but one happends to be another man?.......2007-05-26
Three Sides to Every Story is truly a book that we really enjoyed. The Author showed how three of the main characters had three different perspectives of one event. Clarence Nero touched on issues that involved a homophobic drug dealer, down-low man, domestic violence, drug abuse, drag-queens and most importantly, HIV and how it is not just a "gay disease".
The GBM Book Club was very impressed in how the author showed how each of his characters were strong and positive role models; especially, Pandora, Johnny, James, Tonya, and Ebony. Yes, even Ebony because to be involved with a man like Kojack and endure all of his physical abuse and not tell a soul, you have to be strong.
Out of all the characters, James was the most liked character. Although he was an effeminate gay man who performed in "drag", he was still a man who demanded to be treated with respect. James showed the meaning of "True Love" He would do anything for his Johnny, even if it meant taking a bullet.
So, if you really want to read a good book that tells a story with so many twists, turns and surprises and that will keep you wondering what's next, then check out "Three Sides to Every story" and find out who's really telling the truth. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down
Also, If you want to know more about our thoughts regarding your favorite authors. [...]
Great book..........2007-04-11
Well Mr.Nero what a awesome book.I hope there is a part two,I'm still thinking about the people in the book like Johnny,James,Tonya,I've told all my friend's about this book,please more,more,more....
Urban Novel with Social commentary........2007-04-11
Three Sides to Every Story is a page turner for sure. Nero has written a novel that holds your interest and makes you think. Not only is the novel fascinating, it's replete with social commentary, that does not come off as preachy but rather much more educational.
His words speak life into the characters; you can actually see and feel them as you read. The 3 main characters are unique and very dimensional. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more novels by Nero
Good .......2007-02-25
When I first starting reading, I liked the way Mr. Nero wrote the book. But in the beginning to me it was too slow. It did pick up in the middle, and it was alittle predictable. However, if you want to escape from the real world and indulge in alittle drama, I say pick this one up!
What does a man really love?.......2007-02-07
Everyone defines love in a different way. Our expectations of love are colored by our past. Why is our definition of love so narrow? THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY looks at a love triangle through the eyes of all involved.
Johnny is the central character. He was head over heels in love with Tonya during high school and he planned to spend the rest of his life with her. Until an ex-boyfriend attacked Tonya, Johnny nearly killed him with his bare hands. This ended Johnny's football career and college prospects landing him in prison. Johnny would soon learn that love is patient.
Tonya wanted to be a superstar with all the money in the world. She is an outgoing, talented beauty with a killer body that could out dance everyone on the block. Johnny would be in prison for years and she could not continue to pine for him all that time. Tonya knows that time is money and she doesn't have much of either. Tonya plans to use her body to pay the bills - first stripping then video vixen. Tonya would learn that love is forgiving.
James is an exceptional man, one who loves to flaunt his feminine side while sporting a tough exterior. He was part of a family of men that dressed in drag and worked the local club once a week. James worked his magic every chance he could while being safe in the love and sex department. Then James gets caught slipping well stealing from his job and was sent to prison. James would learn that love is kind.
THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY is a love story that stretches the imagination. Nero has written a sexy story rich with lessons of love and life. The reader will learn about the good and bad of being in love and living a life worth writing home about. The details of the story and surprising character development allow the reader to get inside the head of each lover. As the story unfolds, the flashbacks force the reader to pay attention to the progression of this love triangle. There are some racy sex scenes that will make you say WOW - people really do that? THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY is a page turning novel definitely worth discussing with your book club, co-worker or lover.
M. Bruner, 2005 Marguerite Reviewer of the Year
Reviewing for Real Page Turners
Book Description
In the explosive climax of the Dragon Temple saga, Zarq Darquel has secured a dragon estate for herself, in violation of every law which forbids women to own property. She had not seen herself as a revolutionary, but her enemies have given her no choice in her fight for freedom.
Abandoning the estate where she thought she would be safe, Zarq journeys deep into the jungle in search of an ancient dragon secret that would give her the power to overthrow both Kratt and the corrupt Dragon Temple. She has taken with her some of the female dragons from her own estate, and in the jungle she will once again risk the dragons' highly addictive, hallucinogenic venom-renewing a craving that is becoming an obsession.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting, gripping read........2007-09-14
I was really impressed, and on some level deeply disturbed by these books. Definitely not for the faint of heart. Still, an great storyline woven in a very interesting world, that kept me at least confused until the end, and wanting more even though all the plots were tied up. Also, the end is like the rest of the series, rather brutal and somewhat expected, but not nearly as hopeful or idealistic as other fantasy.
Breathtaking Finale.......2007-04-19
A breathtaking ending for this gripping tale of revolution and the feminist revolutionary,Zarq, who forged it.
In this final installment, Zarq has little time to savour her victory in the Arena in winning the ownership of her own Clutch at the end of Book 2. She and her few supporters are immediately attacked by Temple Auditors and again, she must hide, renounce her claim and also again, she forges relationships amongst the brutalised rishi she shelters with.
Still struggling with her dragon venom addiction, she is captured and then escapes with a pair of winged female dragons. Arriving deep in the jungle she finally learns the secret of breeding male dragons, the secret that will ultimately lead to breaking the power of the Temple and spark the revolution.
Janine Cross brilliantly weaves the realism of political intrigue and conflicting self-interests, while creatively overturning traditional magical fantasy narrative, into a rich detailed exploration of oppression, where the personal is indeed the political.
vivid dark fantasy .......2007-04-05
Though the Dragon Temple forbids females from owning property, Zarq Darquel ignores the tenet. Instead she makes a home for herself by purchasing a dragon-egg producing farm in Clutch Xxamer Zu. She also struggles with her craving for addictive dragon venom while finding herself nurturing the young victims of the repressive regime.
Meanwhile her former overlord Waikar Re Kratt, outraged by her behavior even before she defied the ruling paternal oligarchy, is coming for her. He wants her incarcerated at the least but his real goal is to see her dead. Forced to react, Zarq flees into the jungle lair of the dragons where accompanied by her female dragons, she seeks an ancient power to defeat Kratt and his male priestly supporters of the status quo.
The final book of the Dragon Temple fantasy trilogy (see TOUCHED BY VENOM and SHADOWED BY WINGS) is a vivid dark fantasy starring an intriguing heroine struggling with an addiction yet ironically her only hope to survive is using the venom that she craves. The story line is action-packed as Zarq lands in one nasty escapade after another. While not for everyone as this tale and miniseries is graphic, Janine Cross provides a deep look at the crippling impact of sexism, racism, slavery, addiction, and oppression in a wonderful over the top saga.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
When Wisdom Steps In.......2007-09-14
Three Fifty-Seven A.M. by Hank Stewart and Kendra Norman-Bellamy, lets us peek into the lives of neighbors in a small community called Braxton Park. Kids play in the street and adults go on in their everyday lives of work and family responsibilities, but no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors. Well, no one but God and Ms. Essie Mae Richardson. Ms. Essie, the neighborhood matriarch, is a 77 year-old widow. She has sat on her front porch over the years and watched her surroundings grow and her neighbors come and go. But with a good eye, wisdom, and some keen hearing, she can see that there is trouble brewing along the way. She steps in with her kind and gentle spirit and lets God use her to bring peace and understanding to those around her and by doing so, she is blessed in return.
Elaine Demps loves her husband, Mason, but their marriage is going downhill fast and she does not know how to stop it. They do not communicate or spend any time together. Mason only comes home long enough to trade one car for another. Elaine feels frustrated and neglected. Soon enough, someone else begins to give Elaine the attention she deserves. The temptation bought on by this man may be the one thing that convinces her to give up on her marriage. Colin and Angel Stephens appear to be the perfect couple. They are married and Angel is pregnant with their first child. They have so many hopes for their family and they are on top of the world. Life could not be sweeter for them until one morning when one mistake occurs that could totally change the course of their lives. Immediately, their relationship, which was always so easy, shifts to something so difficult. Jennifer Mays is a single mother to 14 year-old Jerrod. Jerrod is headed down the wrong path fast and Jennifer, who is all alone, does not know what else to do to turn him around. She is helpless and he, because of suppressed hurt and anger, is rebellious and acting out.
Three Fifty-Seven A.M. is such a touching and engaging story. I was immediately drawn to Ms. Essie. Anyone fortunate enough to have had a woman like her in your life, like I have, will love her character. She is the backbone of this book just as she is the common link for the people of Braxton Park. Stewart and Bellamy give us great storytelling and wonderful characterizations. This is a smooth, quick read but it packs an emotional punch. I recommend this book to inspirational and Christian fiction fans and anyone who wants to be reminded of what it was like when Great-Grandma, Big Momma, or Madear were around.
Reviewed by Donielle
APOOO BookClub
Excellance in Christian Fiction.......2007-08-24
I am so greatful to the authors for writing a truly inspiring work. This book, had love, intimacy, respect, wisdom, parental challenges, marital conflicts, and much more I was captivated from the beginning until the end. I cried at the end.
refreshing & ejoyable.......2007-08-20
I wasnt sure what to expect from this novel, but i must say I was very well pleased. The drama that unfolded within the story was so real and every day. I could certaininly relate and see a resemblenace among a few of my friends. I was glad to see the authors bring back respect and honor to our elderly and wise family members. and the ending "Oh My God"
Average customer rating:
- Not as good as I remembered
- great book
- One of the best books ever written
- Master of short stories
- This book should be read by all.
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Walk in the Light: And Twenty-Three Tales
Leo Tolstoy ,
Louise Shanks Maude , and
Aylmer Maude
Manufacturer: Plough Publishing House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
19th Century
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Similar Items:
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The Kingdom of God Is Within You (Dover Value Editions)
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Great Short Works of Leo Tolstoy (Perennial Classics)
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Wise Thoughts for Every Day: On God, Love, Spirit, and Living a Good Life
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A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World's Sacred Texts
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The Gospel in Brief (Texts & Contexts)
ASIN: 0874869676 |
Book Description
Uncluttered by the complexities of plot and character that daunt so many readers of the longer Russian masterpieces, Tolstoy's tales illumine eternal truths with the forceful brevity. While inspired by the sense of spiritual certainty, their narrative quality, subtle humor, and visionary power lift them far above the common run of "religious" literature. Moralists purport to tell us what our lives should mean, and how we should live them. Tolstoy, on the other hand, has an uncanny gift for simply conveying what it means to be truly alive.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as I remembered.......2007-01-03
I had read few stories by tolstoy as a teenager in school and liked. I decided to buy them again and I just dont think I am impressed anymore. Only very few stories are good to read but other than that this looks like a christian book to me with quotes from the Bible.
great book.......2005-08-17
I read this book it was 20 years ago, it was a chinese version
and translated by a professor, now I have two children and one
of them is teenage, so I ordered thru amazon with English version,
I am so proud to tell you, I am so sure my dtr will learn something
from this book, thanks to God, mdy
One of the best books ever written.......2003-12-13
Moby Dick used to be my favorite book. What more is there to say? Tolstoy is a master storyteller. If you like good writing, this book is for you. If you like Christian writing, this book is even more for you. This one will make a great gift.
Master of short stories.......2003-12-04
This book belonged to my father and he used to tell me stories from it when I was small. All parents should try to read this to their children - I remember being both mesmerised and confused by the stories : mesmerised because of their simplicity and flow, and confused because they led to deeper questions on society,humanity and God. Even if you are agnostic, you can read it for its human and literaray value.
After reading this you will have a hard time deciding whether Tolstoy is better as a novelist or a short story writer.
This book should be read by all........2002-10-03
What is there to say, TOLSTOY was a master of his craft? A read through this book will tell you all you ever need to know about the written word.
Average customer rating:
- A Book of three states battling control for China!
- Flawed, but Outstanding
- That's why it's called historic novel and not historic fact
- This is 10000 times better when read in Chinese
- Unfortunately, this is the best you can get in English.
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The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: "San Kuo Chih Yen-I"
Guanzhong Luo
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
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ASIN: 0804816492 |
Customer Reviews:
A Book of three states battling control for China!.......2003-06-25
The most amazing book you can read. It will awe you with it's amazing plot!
Flawed, but Outstanding.......2001-01-21
There will always be varying degrees of satisfaction when text is translated; I don't see this book as an exception.
I found the book to be very captivating, not poorly-written by any means. It has it's share of flaws, but only the most discriminating readers will be disturbed by them. Don't wait for a "perfect" translation of this great tale to come along; even the most harsh critics of these two volumes will acknowledge that an English translation doesn't get much better than this. A few errors shouldn't stop anyone from picking up this book.
My fascination with this epic tale began with playing the video games. I eventually discovered this book, and have purchased the VCD movie set since. I'm glad I read this book before seeing the series. The series is *superb* to see, but the English subtitles leave much to be desired. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced the series or video games. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves epic, classic literature.
That's why it's called historic novel and not historic fact.......2000-06-26
I've just finished reading the whole book in Chinese for the XXth time. And everytime I read it, I get a different aspect of the book. I was first attracted by the television series on Romance of The Three Kingdoms, and started to read the book itself, it was fantastic, filled with action and tactics in military and politics. Then when I re-read the book again and again, it gave me a deep insight of the cunning of humans, and the philosophy of the Chinese at that time.
But the author Luo Kwang Chung wasn't being fair to every character. ChaoChau was written as an evil conspirator and LiuBei was potraited to be a great hero. But was it really that way? In real history, the time of the Three kingdoms didn't had a clear distinct between evil and good, but the author wrote it in this way as in his own sympathy to Liubei, which in ancient China was more popular for his loyal to the Han dynasty and sympathy to the peasants.
Nevertheless, that's why this is called a historic novel and not 'facts'. So any people reading this book: Read it as a novel and not a history textbook.
This is 10000 times better when read in Chinese.......1999-07-31
I am 14 years old and I've read this book a bizillion times in Chinese (it's also wicked long). It is written in "ancient prose" and I find it alot more attractive in theat style. I've also seen the TV series which I would recommend to anyone who understands chinese. You can find it in any local chinese video rental store. This is probably my favorite book. I'm a total fan.
Unfortunately, this is the best you can get in English........1999-03-10
The Story of the 3 Kingdoms is a great one, filled with memorable characters and events. However, this translation is aweful. Filled with numerous errors, starting with the title written in characters on the front! It's gone through a Japanese filter and is a corrupted translation of a great story. It's too bad that this is about the best you can get in English. My advice if you want to read this story? Learn Chinese. Brewitt-Taylor has no clue.
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- Web of Deceit: The History of Western Complicity in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush
- What Every American Should Know About the Rest of the World: Your Guide to Today's Hot Spots, Hot Shots and Incendiary Issues
- When Pigasso Met Mootisse
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