Book Description
When Jeffrey Greene, a prizewinning American poet, and Mary, his wife-to-be, a molecular biologist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, discover a moss-covered stone presbytery in a lovely village in the Puisaye region of Burgundy, they know they have to live there. With an unabashed joie de vivre, they begin the arduous process of procuring their slice of paradise amid the wild beauty of the French countryside -- a place of gentle farmlands and dense forests, of rivers and lakes, of stunning fields bursting with the color and heady scent of wildflowers.French Spirits is the magical tale of their odyssey to become not just homeowners but Burgundians. In lush, lyrical prose, Greene recalls their experiences turning the three-hundred-year-old stone building -- a "château in miniature," which the locals believe houses numerous spirits--into a habitable refuge. He brings to life their adventures in finding wonderful bargains with which to furnish their new space, including a firm mattress and some rather suspicious "antiques" bought from the back of a van.Greene offers the unexpected joys and surprises of village life, from celebrating his and Mary's simple backyard wedding to discovering summer fêtes from toiling in a verdant garden to trading insights with new neighbors. He shares the experience of surviving his mother's decision to move in and humorously introduces the locals -- both human and nonhuman -- who define his and Mary's new world. Woven throughout this luscious tale are the pleasures of rural France: wondrous food and wine, long-held rituals and feasts, dark superstitions and deeply rooted history. A memorable feast for the senses, French Spirits will entertain and enlighten all who succumb to its charms.
Customer Reviews:
It's okay.......2006-02-28
This is the 5th book of it's type I've read in a row. You know the genre, Americans buy a home in ruins and fix it up. I'm a sucker for this kind of book. But the things I've learned from these books are: 1. You have to have bottomless pockets. 2. French government regulations are enough to drive me insane. 3. If I ever do buy a house in France, I will find one that someone else has already roofed, tiled, windowed, painted, landscaped etc etc etc! What a nightmare.
If you like this sort of book, this one is great because it's located in a different, less written about area of France. And it's every bit as good as Ann Barry's. I always thought Ann was a ninny sort of wimp that depended on the kindness of her neighbors way too much. At least Jeff Greene and his wife were more self reliant.
Then what?.......2005-05-13
I just finished French Spirits and then read other reviews. It never occurred to me that the author was being a braggard. The story is full of real characters and the author's acceptance and appreciation of their quirks is obvious. My only complaint is that this swift read ends abruptly. There are implications that his mother does not continue to live with them in France, but we never learn what happens to her. Surely there is a sequel, but perhaps more life has to be lived before he will be ready to write it. I will certainly be waiting.
I've been had!.......2003-05-31
Beware the spate of books on the topic of Americans/Brits living in France! Talk about publishers milking a trend! Unfortunately, not every author is a Peter Mayle or an Ann Barry. Greene's book, for example, is hopeless--- a shambles as far as organization goes, peopled by clueless, insensitive, and incompletely delineated characters (maybe that last is the good news, because the bad news is that this is a work of non-fiction.) It is about as illuminating of the French culture and countryside as a Greyhound bus tour of the Top Ten tourist sites of the Ile-de-France.
Don't be taken in by the book's title, as I was. Even we bibliophilic Francophiles have some standards!
A memoir in France.......2003-04-02
I just finished reading this book. I have never wriiten a review , but I do feel compelled to after reading some of the other reviews posted here. For me, this is a memoir, not a travel guide. I admire anyone who is willing to share his life experiences with me--I find it a most generous act. I feel like writing to the author to thank him for his book. He brought the area and the people to life for me. I am studying French; so the sentences in French (don't be alarmed, he supplies a translation just following) were fun for me to figure out. I liked learning about Henri IV's locks, and learning about the author's childhood. I love a good memoir--and particularly, one by someone who is not famous except in his own circle. I would encourage anyone who feels the same to buy, or borrow this book--and order "Eyewitness France" if you want a travel guide. This book is a lovely eyewitness to a man's life.
Wonderful.......2003-03-24
I loved this book. It is not egotistical at all; it writes of an area less explored than Provence or Tuscany; and the author has a knack of bringing his characters alive; the house itself is so well described one feels one has walked through it. There was not a chapter I found dull, and I devoured it in a sitting. Greene doesn't laugh at the locals, or sneer at the imagined "quaintness" of Europe. You can't do better than this for travel narrative.
Customer Reviews:
Much needed escapism!.......2003-02-11
This book is a wonderful way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, or a rainy Saturday. Village Affairs by Miss Read is the second book in her beloved Fairacre series, all about a British schoolmistress and her post-WWII adventures. Folks who think nothing ever happens in a village are dead wrong. No sex, drugs or rock n roll but a delightful cast of characters that will leave you smiling and relaxed. In these perilous times, it's nice to spend a few minutes in a safe, serene world.
Book Description
A gently mocking view of English village cricket by an Australian (the \'Old Enemy\', no less) who has been bewitched by its grace, charm, and sheer otherworldliness.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable cricket yarns.......2007-05-29
As an ex-pat Aussie living in the non-Cricket world of the U.S., Tim Wade's collection of stories and reflections on English county cricket made we want to grab my bat and find someone (anyone!) to play a short game. Wade brings his love of the game, his keen insight and his gentle humor to rest on the people, lore and rules of the fine sport. A great read!
Book Description
Alice Jordan looks forward to moving into The Grey House, an 18th-century residence in a village full of friendly eccentrics. But the change of scenery leads to even greater changes, as she forms a sudden, fierce friendship with an independent young woman named Clodagh-a friendship that will take her husband, the villagers, and Alice herself by complete surprise.
Customer Reviews:
Mesmerizing.......2007-04-19
The reader is kept suspended in this exemplary novel... Trollope's words are fresh and they surely hook you in. Her prose is nothing short of excellent... The characters were warm with precision and verve... In short, a very entertaining read indeed ! Blue Smoke LARGE PRINT EDITIONThe Den of IniquityWhere or When
Disappointing.......2004-06-18
I am an avid fan of Joanna Trollope but this book was boring and tedious. I couldn't wait to finish it so I could put myself out of my misery. I much preferred A Spanish Lover and The Men and The Girls.
Not At All Ordinary.......2002-02-24
Joanna Trollope never goes for the easy way out. All of her books are full of people that are so real, so full of the layers of "humanhood," if you will, that we can't help but feel we know everybody in her books. This is, of course, her very great talent.
"A Village Affair" is, on the surface, the story of a marriage grown slightly stale after 3 children and the predictable daily chores that accompany parenthood. Alice and Martin are settled into a comfortable, upwardly mobile, slightly boring lifestyle. Neither is particularly happy, but neither will acknowledge this fact to themselves or each other.
When Alice's third child, Charlie, is born, Alice, the quintessential latter-day flower child, falls into a deep depression that she cannot shake. As she tries to regain her equilibrium, we are taken back to her earlier years as a university student whose wretched homelife spurs her to seek the life she imagines she wants. Alice's great flaw then, and later, when we meet her several years into her marriage, is that she has no notion of herself whatsoever, but only sees herself as reflected in the mirror of others' approval or disapproval.
Thus, when Alice is a very young woman, the reflected glory of Cecily Jordan, a famous gardener/author, leads Alice to marry Cecily's son Martin, even though she is not in love with him. It is Cecily and her beautiful house that Alice loves--but she doesn't realize it for quite a while. After the marriage, Alice is happy as a young wife, artist (she paints quite well and has a small following to whom she sells her works), and quasi-hippie, her long braid and offbeat clothes advertising her "otherness" to her admiring circle of friends and neighbors.
When her first child, Natasha, is born, Alice is able to keep going in this mold. Natasha is an easy baby, Alice is even more admired as the perfect wife and mother, and things are easy. But with the birth of James, a much more difficult little person, Alice begins to unravel. And finally, the birth of Charlie destroys any illustions she may have had of a happy and fulfilled marriage.
Enter Clodagh, the youngest and very flamboyant daughter of the "big house" in the village. Clodagh has a secret...but Alice doesn't know it for quite a while. As Clodagh swiftly and surely takes over Alice's life and identity, the two begin a quite unorthodox relationship that shocks the village, destroys Alice's reputation, ruins her marriage, and makes her finally, at long last, take a look at herself as a woman and a human being.
The ending is not predictable, the characters are not one-dimensional. There is great pain in this book...and great love. As happens many times with Trollope, I felt that Alice was my dearest friend, as close to me as a sister would be. I could see her in my mind's eye, see her clothes, her beautiful hair, her children--see her paintings, her house, and her garden. I understood completely where she was coming from, even when I despaired of her destructive actions.
"A Village Affair" proves once again that life is not black and white--and that things are rarely what they seem. It is written with charm, humor, compassion and warmth, almost as if Trollope herself despairs of her naughty Alice, but wants her so much to be OK at the end, as does the reader.
This book kept my interest until the very last sentence, and haunted me for days. It brings up as many questions as it answers, and offers no pat solutions. It is just, plain and simple, a story of ordinary, and very likeable, people.
Passions run high amidst rural idyll-.......2000-05-23
A Village Affair takes advantage of all the skilful expertise of its author in unraveling a tale of repressed sexuality , passion and rejection set in a the quintessential English village. Alice, the mother of 3 well defined and lovable children( all children in Joanna Trollope's novels are remarkably fleshed out )moves with her husband Martin to the "Grey House" a symbol of achievement, respectablity and class , the perfect home in the perfect village setting. But Alice appears to be on the verge of a breakdown from the day they arrive... As we meet their respective families and see the lack of emotion on one hand, and overabundance of it on the other, we recognise the gaping holes that have formed in their seemingly "perfect " marriage. The lack of sexual excitement is the final - or most vital - symptom. The crisis comes when Alice meets Clodagh, the youngest daughter up at the"Big House" who has supposedly come home from New York with a broken heart. Though we are already anticipating loopholes, ready to expose the sham of Alice and Martin"s relationship, there is a delightful shock when Clodagh reveals first her preference for women , and amidst domestic bliss in Alice's home, a preference for Alice too. This is true love for both women, made ragged by the inevitable and terrible consequences for the grandparents, Martin, and in a subtle and open ended fashion, the children. Trollope has a huge gift for presenting every facet of these events without bias or critiscm,through the villagers, the vicar, inlaws and family friends. The reader is kept entranced by the unfolding tale of passionate reaction and despair resulting from a declaration of their affair by the two women. I found this one of the most engrossing Trollope novels with a sharp contemporary edge and a bittersweet ending, that left you wanting to know what would happen next in the lives of these characters. ( and ready to pick up another Joanna Trollope novel!)
top notch.......2000-01-18
This was the first novel I had read by this author and I am hooked. The focus should not be on the "plot" but on the incredible ability Ms. Trollope has to involve you in her characters' lives. I highly suggest that you give this book a chance. Trust me!
Product Description
History: Fiction or Science? is the most explosive tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by solid scientific data. The book is well-illustrated, contains over 446 graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays, which never cease to amaze the reader. Eminent mathematician proves that: Jesus Christ was born in 1153 and crucified in 1186 The Old Testament refers to mediaeval events. Apocalypse was written after 1486. Does this sound uncanny? This version of events is substantiated by hard facts and logic - validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources - to a greater extent than everything you may have read and heard about history before. The dominating historical discourse in its current state was essentially crafted in the XVI century from a rather contradictory jumble of sources such as innumerable copies of ancient Latin and Greek manuscripts whose originals had vanished in the Dark Ages and the allegedly irrefutable proof offered by late mediaeval astronomers, resting upon the power of ecclesial authorities. Nearly all of its components are blatantly untrue! For some of us, it shall possibly be quite disturbing to see the magnificent edifice of classical history to turn into an ominous simulacrum brooding over the snake pit of mediaeval politics. Twice so, in fact: the first seeing the legendary millenarian dust on the ancient marble turn into a mere layer of dirt - one that meticulous unprejudiced research can eventually remove. The second, and greater, attack of unease comes with the awareness of just how many areas of human knowledge still trust the three elephants of the consensual chronology to support them. Nothing can remedy that except for an individual chronological revolution happening in the minds of a large enough number of people.
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.
Book Description
Ambitious Scotland Yard detective Sergeant Jack Gibbons hears about his latest case---the death of a middle-aged widower in Chipping Chedding, a small town in the English Cotswolds---and can’t believe his good luck. His best friend, wealthy man-about-town Phillip Bethancourt, just so happens to be in Chipping Chedding already, accompanying his model girlfriend on a fashion shoot on a country estate. Since Phillip has helped Jack on numerous occasions, indulging his interest in a good mystery by aiding Jack in his investigations, it’s natural for him to help them figure out what happened to Charlie Bingham.
Though at first Bingham’s death appears to have been accident, tracing his movements on the evening of his death proves to be more difficult for Jack and Phillip than they expected, and they begin to suspect foul play. It seems Bingham was going to visit his girlfriend—but no one in the village, from the vicar to Charlie’s chess partner (and Phillip’s distant cousin) to Charlie’s neighbors, knows who she is. And when it turns out that Bingham was in fact a very wealthy businessman who hid his enormous wealth from everyone around him, suspects begin to pop up, including his estranged daughter, who was in London on the evening in question, and an unhappy business partner who has no alibi.
Cassandra Chan shows her mastery of the traditional English mystery in this second charming novel to feature the investigative duo of Gibbons and Bethancourt, a modern-day Peter Wimsey.
Customer Reviews:
delightful Cotswold cozy.......2006-11-17
Scotland Yard Detective Sergeant Jack Gibbons is heartbroken that Annette Berowne dumped him. Marla Tate suggests to Jack's best friend affluent Phillip Betancourt that they help the cop come out of the doldrums by surrounding him with attractive females. However, Jack has a court appearance so can not join his pal amongst the fashion models in the Cotswold.
However, Jack and Detective Chief Inspector Wallace Carmichael head to Chipping Chedding in the Cotswold to investigate the death of Charlie Bingham, a successful inventor. The deceased apparently died from mixing sleeping pills with whiskey, but Jack has found anomalies like the body being moved by the fireplace that makes him suspect a homicide occurred. As he investigates what he believes is murder, his boss, his friend, a local cop, and a wannabe sleuth entangle the case with confusion, as what is evidence becomes difficult to filter from what is a red herring and a blunder.
Though it lacks the Wimsey of Lord Peter's mysteries (as much of the key cast is stereotyped), the second Gibbons tale (see THE YOUNG WIDOW) once again reverently brings Dorothy Sayers into the twenty-first century with a delightful Cotswold cozy. The story line is fun as Jack finds the biggest obstacles to solving the case are the myriad of silly sleuths. Fans of Ms. Sayers will enjoy Jack's look into the wealthy businessman's VILLAGE AFFAIRS and other dealings.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
In imperial China, workers drawn from the local populace performed many of the basic functions of local administration. Standing between the rulers and the ruled, these men mediated in both directions. McKnight's study concentrates on the nature of this village-level subbureaucratic activity in the Sung period; it sheds new light on the emergence of early Chinese society while providing a background against which to assess social changes during later dynasties.
Average customer rating:
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Beating the love affair rap: And other tales from the Village voice, 1971-1975
Phyllis Raphael
Manufacturer: Orca Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 United States
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ASIN: 0961047801 |
Books:
- Funny Bones: Comedy Games and Activities for Kids
- Generation S.L.U.T.: A Brutal Feel-up Session with Today's Sex-Crazed Adolescent Populace
- God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
- Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion and the Crisis of Faith
- Good Night, Gorilla
- Good Night, Sleep Tight: The Sleep Lady's Gentle Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep , Stay Asleep, And Wake Up Happy
- Gotham Central Vol. 4: The Quick and the Dead (Batman)
- Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
- Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
- Heart-Shaped Box: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
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The Olive Farm: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Olive Oil in the South of France
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A Castle in the Backyard: The Dream of a House in France
A Farmhouse in Provence: An American Finds Old Stones, New Wine and Love Among the French
