Deliverer (Foreigner Universe)

Book Description

From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner series has become a true science fiction odyssey. The ninth book in the epic series, and the third book in the third Foreigner trilogy, Deliverer is a worthy contribution to Cherryh's magnum opus that is destined to be a classic.

Customer Reviews:

Continueing the saga of Cajeiri..........2007-07-30

In Deliverer, Ms. Cherryh has picked up her Foreigner series and continued it forward. This time Bren is helping out the recently re-established aiji (I view this a shogun since I see lots of similarities between the Atevi and the Japanese, the Foreigner series I see as a more controlled Meiji government dealing with higher technology though) to recover his son who has gone missing. As is typical with many of CJ Cherryh's books in the Foreigner series, the opening is a little slow but important for setting the stage. In this case, the aiji's son (Cajeiri) establishes the tempo of the book (as a matter of fact, his point of view is used several times, something new to the Foreigner series) by acting much like a human teen would. These problems Cajeiri experiences cumulate in him being kidnapped by others seeking power.

As is typical in a book from Ms. Cherryh, the characters are strong and much is said indirectly. While I felt the opening was weak for Ms. Cherryh (the Foreigner series is strong in politics/relations between people, action is sometimes weak), the back half moves at a nice clip and delivers as one of the stronger conclusions in the Foreigner series. If there's one disappointment with them though, it's that this book is wide open for another trilogy for Foreigner (sorry, I prefer the Union/Alliance line). The bottom line, a solid 4 star book. Thank you very much for the tale Ms. Cherryh!

Can't wait for another one!.......2007-07-29

Other reviewers have covered the basic plot, so I won't re-hash that. C.J. Cherryh just does such wonderful aliens - not the physical form, but the thought processes that make them so different from humans. Many people have trouble just dealing with different human cultures. Cherryh takes you right out of the human realm, via language and cultural values, to let you really experience how different another intelligent race could really be. I've loved all her science fiction since reading Brothers of Earth and Hunter of Worlds many years ago. This latest in the Foreigner universe was well worth waiting for (and now I have to go back and re-read earlier ones!) in the action, the well-known (and dare I say loved) characters, but is still pushing the boundaries of human-Atevi relations by exploring further into the world of the Atevi heir after his exposure to human children at a formative time of his life. I sure hope there will be a follow-up to this latest book.

Very disappointing.......2007-06-26

This was just a tag-on to complete 9 books. Very weak and predictable in plot. First books written from view of main character. This book switched back and forth with another character with very indifferent results. This book takes the series nowhere and leaves the reader in the same place. It doesn't "complete" the series, nor does it set up for the obvious follow-on visit of more aliens. It's just an unrelated tale that isn't very good. Very disappointing to get drivel from such an excellant author.

Love this series. Can't get enough........2007-05-24

If you have followed this series you will enjoy this book.

Yeah, I know - not much detail in this review. I figure there is plenty of that in the editorial review, etc... and I hate to give away the plot of a book to folks who haven't read it yet!

I will say I have read just about everything this author has written and I find this series to be the most enjoyable. If you truely enjoy sci-fi and/or fantasy writing, then start at the beginning of this series and read the whole thing. It will be worth the $$$.

R Walker
An Avid Reader

A Timely Rescue.......2007-04-06

Deliverer (2007) is the ninth SF novel in the Foreigner series, following Pretender. In the previous volume, the return of the Phoenix after a two year absence greatly shocked the aishidi'tat of the Western Association. Many had thought that the aiji-dowager Ilisidi and the aiji-heir Cajeiri would never be seen again. Then the reappearance of Tabini-aiji caused the usurping government of Murini-aiji to collapse and his supporters to run for their lives.

In this novel, Tabini-aiji and his supporters are reoccupying the Bu-javid. Yet the damage done by the usurpers was never repaired. The bodies have been removed, but the bullet holes and blood are still there. Tabini-aiji's apartment even has a room with a gaping hole for a floor.

The apartment of the paidhi has been claimed by an atevi clan and Bren Cameron is currently living with the aiji-dowager. Then he is informed that Lord Tatiseigi, Cajeiri's great-uncle, is returning to his estate and Ilisidi is accompanying him. So Bren will now be moving into Tatiseigi's apartment, where he resided once before. Meanwhile, Tabini-aiji and his consort Daimiri, together with Cajeiri, are moving into Ilisidi's apartment while their rooms are being repaired.

The confusion in the bureaucracy is even more acute. Fortunately, most of the paidhi's records had been removed by his staff and hidden from the usurpers. Now Bren is trying to trace his staff and reassemble them in a nearby hotel. Such confusion is also evident in the Messenger, Transportation and other Guilds.

The Assassins' Guild is even more upset. Some southern assassins had changed man'chi to Murini. Maybe even the Guildmaster did so as well, but the Guild is not telling. Bren does know that the Guild is presently readjusting itself, but Banichi, Tano and Algini are spending too much time on Guild business while Jago alone tends to his security.

In this story, Cajeiri and his young bodyguards Jegari and Antaro are being neglected by everybody. Cajeiri is strongly feeling the absence of his human friends and the conveniences of their environment. So Cajeiri has a plan. Of course, it gets him into trouble, even with the paidhi, and Cajeiri is relegated to his parent's apartment for an indefinite time.

Then Cajeiri disappears. Antaro is found unconscious on a lower floor of the building. Later Jegari turns up, bloody but safe, to relate his experiences during the kidnapping of Cajeiri. Unfortunately, he did not recognize his captors, but does know that they took Cajeiri to a cargo airplane. Given the information available, Tabini decides that one specific plane must be carrying his son and sends Ilisidi, Bren and their security after it.

This story introduces a new factor in the Western Association political environment. It also allows Cajeiri to use some of his newly acquired expertise to frustrate his captors. And Bren learns what the station has landed on the planet during his absence.

One of the author's strong points is also a weakness. She throws the reader into an alien situation and lets the reader gradually learn about the milieu during the course of the book. Readers without much SF experience tend to get lost in the weirdness. In this series, however, the atevi and their planet are starting to become familiar. Naturally, the author has already introduced a new alien culture to further confuse the reader. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Cherryh fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of exotic cultures, wild adventures and an underinformed paidhi.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The Foreigner's Gift: The Americans, the Arabs, and the Iraqis in Iraq

Average customer rating:

A whirlwind
Pamphlet-writer still fooling many
Well written, but with massive holes...
Unique View of Irag, Its People, Politics and Neighbors
Neocon tool

The Foreigner's Gift: The Americans, the Arabs, and the Iraqis in Iraq
Fouad Ajami
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 074323667X

Book Description

The fall of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime brought the first glimpse of freedom for Iraq and unleashed elation, resentment, and chaos. On the one hand, there is hope: the Iraqi people have their first chance at independence. On the other hand, there is despair: the country is exploding with violent sectarian and political power struggles. Through it all, Iraq has remained an enigma to much of the world. What is it about this country that makes for such a seemingly intractable situation? How did Iraq's particular history lead to its present circumstances? And what can we fear or hope for in the coming years?

Fouad Ajami, one of the world's foremost authorities on Middle Eastern politics, offers a brilliant, illuminating, and lyrical portrait of the ongoing struggle for Iraq and of the American encounter with that volatile Arab land. Ajami situates the current unrest within the context of Iraq's recent history of dictatorship and its rich, diverse cultural heritage. He applies his incisive political commentary, his broad and deep historical view, his mastery of the Arabic language and Arabic sources, and his lustrous prose to every aspect of his subject, wresting a coherent, fascinating, and textured picture from the media storm of fragmented information.

In the few years after the Iraq war began, Ajami made many trips to that country and met Iraqis of all ethnicities, religions, politics, and regions. Looking beneath the familiar media images of Iraq and the war, Ajami visits with individuals representing the breadth of Iraq's populace, from Sunni leaders and Shia clerics to Kurdish politicians and poets, Iraqi policemen, and ordinary people voting for the first time in their lives. He also hears from American soldiers on the ground, and the result of all his encounters is an astonishing portrayal of a land that has emerged as a crucial battleground between American power and the wider forces of Arab religious and political extremism.

With his unrivaled access -- he has been granted an audience with the great, reclusive Shia cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and been admitted into the sacred shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf for a discussion with its religious scholars -- Ajami provides an intimate portrait that draws on both his learning and his lifelong interest in the traditions and the history of Iraq. With his commentator's eye, his scholarly depth of understanding, his poetic ear, and his abiding love for the Middle East, Fouad Ajami is an essential voice for our times. The Foreigner's Gift is the book we all need to read in order to understand what is happening in Iraq today and what the future might hold for all of us.

Customer Reviews:

A whirlwind.......2007-10-07

This is a short review. I liked the book but I felt it was somewhat too long and was lacking order. Sometimes the writer introduced a character only to say that this character knew another one and starts talking about the second one.

This is the second book I read by Ajami. I felt the same kind of confusion and lack of order in The Dream Palace of the Arabs, on the first chapter, the one about Lebanon. I tend to think that the whirlwind of characters, anecdotes, impressions, evaluations, sayings and images of the country is deliberate in these two cases: both places Lebanon during the Civil War and Iraq at the present are or were in the midst of a maelstrom of violence and sectarianism and Ajami wants to convey some of this overwhelming mayhem to the reader through this lack of order. The Foreigner's gift is like the chapter about Lebanon but through 343 pages!

Although I got tired sometimes, I liked it. The more I read about the Arab world, the more I appreciate the efforts of counted men and women to modernize their world, and I appreciate the obstacles they have to fight. Sometimes when reading about the politicians who want to make their country better but fight against unsurmountable odds and the inertia of the system and the people, I went on to think about Argentina (where I come from) and how it is not such a different situation (minus the homicide bombings). Hence, I was able to enter minds of some Arabs as if they were my own people and stop considering them an unknowable "other" (this doesn't apply of course to the pathological homicide bombers). Ajami is succesful in presenting a story of people reacting to great changes. And he is optimist. I hope that Iraq succeeds. This is a book for those who like America and for those who hate it. You can't hate what you know. And people need to know all the things that America is doing for the Iraqis, and how many Iraqis depend on the success of the reconstruction effort and the war on terrorism.

Pamphlet-writer still fooling many.......2007-08-17

1. Ajami is a Lebanese Arab who moved to the US at 18, and who holds US Citizenship. In this context he is about as "neutral" a source as Zbigniew Brzezinski is with respect to NATO enlargment into Poland.
2. Did you know that all those troops were heading off to the Gulf to give "gifts" to Arabs, who already collect $bn's in USD every year from the US Treasury?
3. Or were you one of those nice folks who thought they were sent in to save your babies from mushroom clouds?
And finally,
4. Will Americans ever learn to spot the Belgian Nun?

Well written, but with massive holes..........2007-08-16

I read "The Foreigner's gift" in a mere two or three sittings, them re-read it for good measure. Some observations....

Ajami writes with feeling and skill, and his on-the-scene reporting is commendable, and I am glad I read it. But there are some very serious holes in this book.

The first and most major lacuna? The role of Islam, (the essential bedrock to which Islamic peoples and Islamic lands gravitationally return) was almost completely ignored. Totally absent was any discussion of Islam's basic threefold theology, namely- 1. the moral failings of Muhammad, sacramentalized as a basis for all religion and society. 2. the central doctrine of the spread of sharia as a basis for all temporal law, and 3. the command and example given by Muhammad of eternal violence against the rest of the planet until the kufr accept submission ("Islam"). As a side-note, observe in Europe just how little violence is needed (in the forms of street crime, intimidation, rape, and small explosions) to intimidate entire societies once they believe in the nothingness and weakness of liberal guilt-driven tolerance.

Also- far too many dispersed meanderings along the lines of the Victor Davis Hanson-style "isn't it unfair that they don't love us?!" tracts. The only surprising thing about Americans is that 3rd world resentment still surprises them. They are thus ill-prepared for how 3rd world populations will act as they increasingly seize demographic control of America itself.

In parts, the book had the disjointed feel of a series of U.S. News columns tacked together.

The last few years have had me thinking along unexpected lines. If the success of the Iraq insurgency is all that separates us from Fukuyama's "end of history", an Arab spring and the triumph of global liberalism, this places me in a strange situation. America's survival as a distinct people, with a distinct culture and identity and borders would therefore depend on the shattering of our illusions in Iraq. Am I, as an American patriot, in a position of hoping for "American" "failure" in Iraq as the only way to set back that globalization? For going down that road will further destroy the west by the diffusion and coarsening of its identity, and the swamping of its historic peoples demographically? The jihadists might well be the last speedbump on the road to the global state, administered by CFR-type technocrats who root out the last vestiges of "intolerance" a.k.a. national and religious identity. So, in the same way that the jihadists realize that liberal globalization of the Middle East will destroy Islam, we are in an analogous situation here at home. In other words, for us to continue to embrace a liberal globalized order invites our doom as well- for our post-modernist, secularist, statist debauchery (or what Sam Francis called anarcho-tyranny) manifestly does not work, and no people can survive it and remain intact. The stark demographic facts alone of western birth rates and miscegenation speak for themselves.
(In Tolkien's terms, is Islam the Gollum who cannot be changed, or trusted, but does eventually serve a key function as the destroyer of the Ring of Power that is nation-crushing liberalism?)

I did not much care for Ajami's apologetics- not to say flattery- of Ahmed Chalabi. It was laid on rather thick, though perhaps understandable if Ajami sought to balance Chalabi's pillorying in the press.

Lastly, for a man who hails from Lebanon- a man of no mean sophistication, he pays zero attention to the interplay of cousin-marriage, immigration, and differential birthrates that have roiled that troubled nation. He seems willfully ignorant of the Middle East's essential lessons- if you are an ethnos that wishes to be safe and free, get yourself a defensible nation-state, and hold on to it. As a member of the CFR, Ajami is in a position to yell this basic truth, for Americans are about to discover (after 400 years in demographic control of their societies) that being a minority means being shoved aside and oppressed. Making ourselves a minority on purpose, to prove how good we are, is just plain CRAZY. If we could leave Iraq with just that understanding, perhaps even the catastrophe there will have been worth it. But the Ajamis of the world will be the last to remind us of this immutable political lesson. They see America as merely instrumental, they cannot relate to and do not love America as it is and was, but love only the fantasy post-America of liberalism.

Those quibbles aside, the book is a fine resource, with stuff unearthed that was new even a Middle East hound such as myself. If you want to understand the thinking behind why we went to Iraq, read this book, or the prize buffoon Bernard Lewis, who will explain to you why the Iraqis felt left out of the modern world because we hadn't invaded them enough.

Unique View of Irag, Its People, Politics and Neighbors .......2007-08-03

I found this book an attractive read because the author has a different point of view than most authors that currently write about the Iraq conflict currently going on. Ajami recognizes that Iraq, particularly for the Shia, would still be under the thumb of Saddam and that only the Americans could lift that yoke of dictatorship. But on the other hand, although U.S. and coalition forces removed the dictator, the liberators (for Shia nd Kurds) are still foreigners and thus not completely welcome and are distrusted. Ajami is well familiar with the country, the conflicts between Sunni and Shia as well as the surprising inner conflicts between the Shia themselves that involved settling old scores after the exiled came home. In addition, Ajami writes of the other Arab countries in the region and most interesting how Egypt was envious of the support and attention that Iraq was getting when Egypt was once the primary financially supported Arab country by the U.S. Ajami also discusses the mistakes made by the occupation forces that involved debathification of the government and the army that took place too abruptly fueling an insurgency. Knowing the people and due to his wide travel in the region, Ajami virtually gives the reader a on the street feel. As th author notes, the foreigner's gift by the U.S. may have been freedom from Saddam but the future is still open to the course and choice of the Iraqis. My only criticism is that the book seems overly long, full 340 pages, and a little wordy thus it is more suited for the serious student of Iraq.

Neocon tool.......2007-07-07

Ajami is a neocon tool who says the Iraq war is a noble adventure. Well its an adventure all right At least for the chickenhawks who love wars they would never fight in themselves.

American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States

Average customer rating:

It works for the people who don't understand culture of the U.S.A at all
Very insightful, easy reading, thought provoking resource on cultural norms
Underrated
A Good Read!
A Disappointment

American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in the United States
Gary Althen , Amanda R. Doran , and Susan J. Szmania
Manufacturer: Intercultural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reference | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1877864994

Customer Reviews:

It works for the people who don't understand culture of the U.S.A at all.......2007-04-12

You can have a big picture or draft in your mind after reading this book.

Very insightful, easy reading, thought provoking resource on cultural norms.......2006-08-22

This book is an excellent resource for people who are ready and want to learn more about U.S. American cultural norms. This includes people from other countries and people living in the United States (regardless of citizenship). For U.S. Americans, by highlighting U.S. American culture the book also provides insight into other cultures.

The author rightly addresses the issue of stereotyping in the Introduction on page xxii. This point about cultural norms (which by definition indicates a wide distribution of actual behaviors within a culture and individual variations is important to keep in mind. The book is an easy read.

The chapters cover many aspects of life including social, educational, and business. U.S. Americans should also realize that the book is addressed to and written from the perspective of people from other countries. Nonetheless, it provides wonderful insights into U.S. culture and other cultures.

Underrated.......2006-05-20

I don't know why this book has a bad rap here, as I found it easy to read and entertaining as an American wanting to know about unique qualities of my own culture. The author examines a number of aspects of American culture and compares them to other cultures, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Perhaps there are better books on the subject, but this is the first I've read and it was sufficient for my purpose, although I will look into more after this one.

A good read for foreigners as well as natives, assuming a strong grasp of the English language or a translation. I found myself appreciating the American culture more than I did before. There has to be something to it considering our unprecedented success. Other cultures would be wise to take heed of our cultural strengths and cast aside the notion of cultural relativism. Things aren't all just "different"; one must believe that they can in fact be placed on a hierarchy. Or foreigners can refuse to believe it while we Americans enjoy our massive wealth, prosperity, and global might! Really, these things had to arise somehow.

Americans too should look out for strong points in other cultures that we might consider taking up in ours. It's just that we Americans have more, what can I say? Overall a great description of the best culture in the world for the best country in the world--go USA! Note: reviewer "disappoinment" exemplifies the author's claim that Americans see themselves as individuals who resent being pigeonholed into this or that classification. Right on the mark!

A Good Read!.......2002-12-17

Gary Althen's richly detailed guide shines a psychological, cultural and sociological spotlight on American customs, values, attitudes and behavior. Organized into 22 chapters that cover just about every aspect of American life, the book hits you with its uncanny insight, accuracy and honesty. Although he doesn't completely avoid stereotyping (and doesn't seem at all bothered by it), Althen presents the good, the bad and the quirky. He explains the "why" behind American attitudes and manners. Even though this is a guide for foreigners visiting, doing business in or living in the United States, we from getAbstract also suggest this book to Americans. It's an eye-opener about the national personality, or the perceived national personality, from naïvete to individualism. As Scotsman Robert Burns wrote, "Oh wad some power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as others see us." Well, here's your chance.

A Disappointment.......2002-06-21

I found this book to be a real disappointment.

Book Description

The epic tale of the human survivors of a lost spacecraft, marooned on a planet inhabited by a hostile alien race, follows the civilization's rise from the age of steam through early space flight to confrontations with other alien species in distant sectors of space.

Customer Reviews:

I Totally Hearted This Book, but Don't Start Here If You are New to the Series.......2007-06-11

I had saved up all three of the last books in this series for a Bren orgy (Destroyer, this one and Deliverer) and a nasty summer cold seemed just the right occasion to lock myself up with cold remedies, kleenex and books by C. J. Cherryh.

I've been a fan from the start so I was having a great time with Banichi, Jago, Ilsidi and the rest of the Atevi cast when it occurred to me that very likely if I had started this series with this book I would be incredibly lost. And the further I read the more I decided that new readers would need a "Companion" volume to figure everything out.

So if you have read previous books this one is a good read, if you haven't-- go back and start with Foreigner (and I envy you the chance to read the series for the first time.)

The Foreigner Universe.......2007-04-14

I love the way Cherryh can make us (humans) into the foreigners. Her worlds are always entertaining and this one is no exception. Although her Chanur books will probably always be my favorites, these are a very close second and I have trouble putting them down.

Watch out for DAW books - quality control issues.......2007-02-03

I have loved most of Cherryh's books, they are just phenomenal. So, has anyone else noticed that DAW along with other publishers have switched to low quality materials for their hardcover books? Take a look at the paper for instance. Just compare this book and the first ones. You won't be thrilled in about 5 years, when the newer books in this series have begun to yellow with age while the first is still in pristine condition.
I hate this new trend with book publishers just to save a buck. None of us get a deal on the price, but they can sell inferior goods to us because they know we want to read the books anyway. Please watch out and if possible, complain to the company. If enough of us do, they will return to the quality we have come to expect. Shame on DAW!

English majors unite!.......2007-01-06

A series with a linguist for a hero! My kind of science fiction. The universe is always being saved by engineers, but not this time. Hear ye! Hear ye! Linguists and language lovers of all stripes! This is a hero you can identify with and be proud to call one of your own.

Cherryh is the best stream of consciousness sci fi writer in this universe.

Don't Breathe!.......2006-11-04

Again, as the last installment of the Foreigner Universe, this one is very fast paced. Lighter on plot than most of C.J.'s work, but still very satisfying.

Average customer rating:

An overlooked comedic masterpiece
A priceless showcase of Larry Shue's wit
no title
Pure Genius
An incredibly funny show

The Foreigner
Larry Shue
Manufacturer: Dramatists Play Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0822204185

Customer Reviews:

An overlooked comedic masterpiece.......2006-12-05

So much can be said about this light-hearted play that it's hard to pick where to start (and what to leave out)...

Larry Shue really set up a diverse and side-splitting play. First of all, it incorporates many accents and notions as cultures collide in the Deep South. One character even makes up his own dialect and tells an entire story in it (it's a lot funnier than it sounds trust me)! The plot also drives off of a cleverly set up situation of mistaken identity.

Somehow Shue created a hilarious, yet somehow realistic cast of characters. He followed this up by setting up an absurd plot that flows naturally and is exciting to read. Great character + great plot = what can go wrong?

I loved this play so much that I went to see it live at a somewhat small theatre. Literally everyone in the audience was laughing hysterically throughout the performance and they all stayed after for about an hour to learn more about the play and Larry Shue. The great thing is that this play is funny without being crude, which shows real comedic talent (and seems to be a rare find these days).

Reading a play doesn't take that long at all! If you are a theatre geek, or someone that is just starting to read plays this one will be a great choice for you. It's diverse, funny, witty and masterfully set-up. I strongly recommend it.

A priceless showcase of Larry Shue's wit.......2006-10-16

I was lucky enough to see Larry Shue play the role of Charlie off-Broadway in May of 1985 (he died in December of that year). To my mind, he was the perfect Charlie, although years later I saw a performance of the play with Jaston Williams and Joe Sears that rocked the house and showed just how sharp Shue's wit was.

no title.......2005-11-12

This is about the funniest play I ever read. Have never seen it staged either. But it is typical of modern plays in having only seven characters, all of whom have meaty roles. Needs thick Southern accents and one cultured British and one Cockney accent. Five men and two women.

Pure Genius.......2005-06-03

Having taken part in a performance of "The Foreigner" over ten years ago, I was anxious to take a trip down memory lane. After reading the play today, I am reminded what a precise and humorous tale this is. Despite remaining relatively obscure, it is one of my favorites. Larry Shue's attention to detail and sharp wit make this play a laugh a minute and thought provoking.

Charlie accompanies Froggy to Georgia on military business as Charlie's wife's health declines. Feeling his marriage is failing, Charlie becomes very asocial. To maintain his silence, Charlie adopts the persona of a foreigner with no English speaking skills. In the lodge he takes up residence, the lodge's keeper Betty is about to loose the property to a conspiracy of Owen and a resident of the lodge and preacher David. As a member of the Ku Klux Klan, Owen's feelings of hatred rise when he feels Charlie mocks him. This causes Owen as well as David, whose membership in the Klan is not known, to attempt to exact revenge. When their violent scare tactics fall apart, so does the conspiracy of David and Owen. Additionally, the corrupt preacher David's image is soiled as his true intentions are revealed toward his fiance and her wealth.

It is a misfortune that this show is hard to find on the stage. Were it more well known, I am sure it would achieve much deserved recognition. If you are unable to see the show, reading it is the next best thing.

An incredibly funny show.......2004-09-22

I had the sheer joy of playing Charlie several years ago and I hope some day I can do it again. It is funny and thought provoking at the same time. When I first read it I couldn't stop laughing and I wondered how we would get through it as actors without cracking up.
Everyone should read it and try to see it if it is playing at a theatre near you.

Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library)

Average customer rating:

Pusong pinoy ako!
Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library)
Not a good book for Beginners
A decent book
NAGSISISI AKO!

Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library)
Paraluman S. Aspillera
Manufacturer: Charles E. Tuttle Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

Linguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Reference | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Reference | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0804819106

Book Description

Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, is spoken by millions of people. Learn how to communicate with them in fifty carefully planned, eminently practical lessons in this self-study guide. Basic Tagalog intends to teach Tagalog to English speakers with a minimum of time and effort. It includes a structured introduction of eight hundred words of vocabulary, sufficient to cover daily needs; common idioms; and offers hints and study methods suggested by previous students of this method. After a small investment of time, you'll find yourself prepared for everyday situations and have a glimpse of the lives and culture of Filipinos around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Pusong pinoy ako!.......2006-09-16

For the low price, this book is worthwhile even for beginners. however, the beginner should use this as a reference and jump into it once some foundations are grasped. And do the written exercises!

The ideal beginning book for me, "Beginning Tagalog; a course for speakers of English", is an audiolingual textbook from 1965 that I just happened to find gathering dust in my university library (no luck finding the original reel-to-reel tapes!). I wish I had Aspillera's book as a reference when I plowed through this textbook, as all the tourist phrasebooks are useless.

Though I had read "Basic Tagalog" cover-to-cover earlier this year, I put it in my backpack this summer, so that I could do some of the written exercises while living in the RP. I strongly recommend doing this, as it helps reinforce grammar. Also, speak out loud to yourself, and your understanding will also grow exponentially.

BTW, I met one westerner in Taiwan who learned Tagalog from the Aspillera book, and raved about it. Since he was quite fluent, I took this as evidence that language learning is what you make of it. Don't blame the books, just be thankful they are out there!

The subtitle of this book is "for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs"; at the end of the summer my Visayan wife took this book home to Mindanao. She told me that the design of the book really is helpful to Pilipinos whose mothertongue is not Pilipino, despite the language training they get in school.

In sum, this book is very valuable for the serious learner of Tagalog, the basis of the official Pilipino language. Save your money by buying this instead of any of the tourist phrasebooks that might tempt you. Mabuhay!

Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs (Tuttle Language Library).......2006-04-21

This book is basically in the middle. If your first starting depending on your intelligence level and prior knowledge of the language you may be able to SLOWLY progress through the book. This book is somewhat useful, although it's mostly not because there are no explanations for alot of the exercises and even for some lessons, of course that can change depending on how much Tagalog you already know. I reccommend it for accustomed begginers. For complete begginers and those not able to grasp on quickly pick a more guided-learner book.

In all the books 800 words are useful and the extra grammar knowledge possesed is good, but the lack of explanations, briskness through the lessons, the incomplete glossary, increased grammar terminology, grammatical errors within the book itself, and leaving the reader to rely on himself is what makes this book bot reccommended for a complete begginner. Although, once you understand the basics get this book, definitely. There are too few Tagalog books available and some things in this book like "Verbal Roots" are not even mentionedd in another books I have bought

Not a good book for Beginners .......2006-02-25

When I first got the book I thought it was basic Tagalog, but it wasn't. This book is for people that know some Tagalog. It was very hard to use for learning the language. Not a good book for beginners.

A decent book.......2006-01-11

Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs By: Paraluman S. Aspillera
Tuttle Publishing, 1993, 235 pages
Reference Book
This book is a basic introduction to Tagalog, which is the national language of the Philippines. It includes the basic from introducing yourself to excusing yourself from a conversation. It teaches the language in 50 short lessons and has a short Tagalog-English and English-Tagalog dictionary in the back.

This book contains the basics needed for an everyday conversation in Tagalog. It helps if a person understands a language close to Tagalog to learn it easier, like Spanish for instance.
Basic Tagalog says in the foreword that this book is set up to help a person learn the language faster, by setting it in a more practical, rather than a strict grammatical order. Each lesson is a foundational base for each of the lessons following the first.
The Basic Tagalog book has a vocabulary of about 800 words, enough words to speak, write, understand and be understood. This is a very effective book, and a tutor has told me what a great increase I have had in pronunciation and what little I actually know. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn Tagalog.

NAGSISISI AKO!.......2006-01-08

WOW!I got this book back in 2003 and I dont recommend this book for begginers its very complex to understand I would rather get Beginning Tagalog: A Course for Speakers of English

by J. D. Bowen

Chez Moi: The Foreigner's Guide to Buying a Home in France

Average customer rating:

just what was needed
Great all-purpose reference

Chez Moi: The Foreigner's Guide to Buying a Home in France
Laurence Raybois
Manufacturer: Poli-Ana Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Questions & Answers | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0971426708

Book Description

Chez Moi is a thoroughly researched guide that describes in great detail the administrative/practical steps you should take on your way to carefree home ownership in France. Laurence Raybois uncovers and deals with the many surprises and pitfalls of home ownership in France with precision and the kind of cultural insight that only a French person could have. Yet Chez Moi remains surprisingly readable and entertaining. Laurence Raybois skillfully weaves among the technical detail stories of uniquely French deeds and misdeeds in the pursuit of property.

The strengh of Chez Moi lies in its emphasis of processes that are uniquely French. The book thoroughly describes the roles that the various professionals, such as the huissier or the notaire, who do not have an exact equivalent in other countries, play in these processes. Even the real estate agent, whose function is well understood throughout the world, has rights, obligations and prerogatives that are markedly different in France from what they are in other countries.

Buying homeowners' insurance, obtaining a building permit, or transmitting your property to your heirs after your death, just to mention a few of the subjects covered, are explained from the perspective of the uniquely French rules that regulate them.

One thing is sure: If you had at any time assumed that buying and owning a home was pretty much the same everywhere, you are in for a big surprise each time you turn a page of Chez Moi: The Foreigner's Guide to Buying a Home in France.

Customer Reviews:

just what was needed.......2007-03-26

this succinct volumn covers the title territory without falling off its subject. That the author is a native of France writing grant applications in Seattle must be the perfect preparation.

Great all-purpose reference.......2007-02-11

I bought this guide AFTER I had bought my house in France, and I still think it's a useful reference. Laurence Raybois covers the basics related to the purchase process, legalities, insurance, and remodeling/ renovations in one slim little volume. It's indespensible for anyone who needs to educate themselves about buying property in France.

Average customer rating:

Precursor
precursor
If you're a fan, you'll have read this. If not, you lose.
The Crown Jewel of this collection to date.
Aliens alive!

Precursor (Foreigner 4)
C. J. Cherryh
Manufacturer: DAW Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0886778360

Amazon.com

C.J. Cherryh creates thought-provoking stories of cultures in collision featuring well-drawn characters and plenty of intrigue. Precursor directly follows Inheritor in the Foreigner series (which includes Foreigner and Invader). The series introduces the atevi, aliens with a culture based on loyalty, legal assassination, and inborn mathematical gifts.

Two hundred years ago humans crash-landed on the atevi homeworld. The two races are nearly incompatible; peace is maintained by limiting contact to a single human diplomat, the paidhi. His name is Bren Cameron.

In the first trilogy, the starship Phoenix (the same ship that brought the human colonists) returned, fleeing alien attack in another sector. The Phoenix asked both atevi and human communities to help reopen the orbital station and rearm the ship. Bren coordinated an atevi shuttle-building program and trained the Phoenix representative, Jase Graham, in living on a planet and dealing with aliens. Now he faces family crises while ensuring that the atevi remain equal partners in the space effort. He must deal with the very different culture of the Phoenix crew and the alien space station environment while maintaining cooperation with the colonists and representing atevi interests.

Precursor ends abruptly. Are the aliens coming? Will the Phoenix crew, colonists, and atevi be able to protect their system together? Will Bren be able to retain any of his humanity? If you enjoy stories that make you think about how space travel and contact with aliens would really play out, treat yourself to this meaty SF series. --Nona Vero

Book Description

One of science fiction's most highly respected writers, C.J. Cherryh impressed critics and fans alike with the Foreigner trilogy--the epic story of a lost human colony struggling to survive on the world of the alien atevi.

Now, in Precursor, both human and atevi return to space to rebuild and rearm the ancient human space station and starship, and make a dsperate bid to defend their planet against alien attack.

"A large new Cherryh novel is always welcome." --Chicago Sun-Times

Praise for the Foreigner series:

"Cherryh's gift for conjuring believable alien cultures is in full force here." --Publishers Weekly

"A seriously probing, thoughtful, intelligent piece of work." --Kirkus Reviews

"Close-grained and carefully constructed...a book that will stick in the mind."

--Locus

"An incisive study-in-contrast of what it means to be human..."--Library Journal

Customer Reviews:

Precursor.......2006-01-19

Bren and his comrades end up onboard a dilapidated space station in the middle of civil strife among spacers.

While I love this series, I didn't love this volume as much as some of the others. I had to struggle to maintain interest in the business-economics element of the plot, while understanding its relevance and admiring the author's deep worldbuilding. As well, the plot -- specifically the twists and turns of the spacers' coups and countercoups and the on-again, off-again crises among Bren's family -- is extremely complex, verging on impossible for me to follow at times, sometimes difficult to believe, and with dramatic moments often passed by quickly or taking place offstage.

Having complained, I still feel this is one of the most intelligent, best realized science fiction series in print, featuring believable, appealing characters and a deft triple combination of complex worldbuilding, high-stakes action and welcome touches of subtle yet effective humor. I am very much looking forward to finding out what happens with the hostile aliens in future volumes.

precursor.......2001-12-20

Precursor continues to expand the alienation of the paidhi-Bren Cameron- from the humans isolated on the island of Mospheira with its corrupt political system.
He is clearly seen as an advocate for the Atevi - under the guidance of Tabini-aijii as the sole instrumentality for control
of the space station and the starships which will provide the only defence against the :reported: aliens which destroyed the -as yet- undefined space station the Pilots Guild bult around another star.
Brens relationships with dowager Ilisidi continue to fascinate me
The discovery in Precursor that (...) was a complete surprise as there had been NO indication (...).
C.J.Cherryh continues to present some of the best crafted aliens in SF. The Chanur Saga,Downbelow Station,Cyteen,Finity's End,
The Foreigner series;in all of these it is the Human who is the alien and I just love Mekkt-Hakkikt Pyanfur Chanur.

If you're a fan, you'll have read this. If not, you lose........2001-08-21

Another book in one of C.J.Cherryh's great SF series. Start at the beginning and enjoy the adventures of one lone human acting as a liason between humans and a very alien-thinking race. Great study in diverse cultures and philosophies attempting to co-exist with each other.

The Crown Jewel of this collection to date........2001-05-03

The way in which Precursor was written, almost made me feel that the original trilogy was just a long set-up for what would begin to take place with this book. Bren Cameron once again is sent into unfamiliar territory to defuse a situation that comes about once again from a clash of culture. And while others talk about his struggle with his humanity, I think C.J. Cherryh, continues to bring to mind that Bren is nothing but human, despite his shift to being as close to Atevi as a human could be.

In this book, Bren goes up to the station above the planet to negotiate the trade deal with the ship captains for repairing both the station, and the Phoenix, while also attempting to prepare for an alien invasion from somewhere else that was chasing the Phoenix. Through this story, you learn the intricate relationships among the human's on the ship within their 'culture' and how it's contrary to both the Mospherians and the Atevi. All while continuing to build on what Bren and the Atevi have been learning about each other from the original trilogy.

Within the story there is conflict, conspiracy, and interspicing of danger throughout. This book was without a doubt, in my opinion, the crown jewel of the series. And the ending definitely left me wanting more.

Aliens alive!.......2001-03-28

No one succeeds in presenting the feel of an alien culture as well as C. J. Cherryh. Her aliens are alien, but they are also people. The first book by this author that I ever read was Hunter of Worlds, and that book blew me away at the time. She defined their universe so well, and I always wanted more of that universe. This series of books harkens back to the same feeling that I got from that book.

In these days of endless fantasy epics that go on book after book, it is a pleasure to know that there is some good science fiction still being written. Each book in the series could stand on its own, but it is better to read them in sequence. I bought all three of the first series, and could not put them down. I thought the end of Inheritor was a little weak, as if she could not think how to end it, but this straightens out that problem by continuing the story. And the continuation makes sense.

Book Description

With a new introduction by the author

The first book in C.J.Cherryh's eponymous series, Foreigner begins an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft who crash-land on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient alien race.

From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner series has become a true science fiction odyssey, following a civilization from the age of steam through early space flight to confrontations with other alien species in distant sectors of space. It is the masterwork of a truly remarkable author.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinatingly complex... gets better as you read through the series.......2007-04-12

I happen to really "dig" C.J. Cherryh's writing. Her characters are fully realized and believable and her plots are excellent. You can never call her works predictable or ho-hum.

When I first read _Foreigner_, I couldn't get into the novel. I picked it up, read 20-30 pages and put it down again. This happened several times. Eventually I decided to lay in a chunk of reading--only to realize that the farther I got into the novel, the more drawn to it I became. The Foreigner series of books only gets better as it develops. I found the next two novels in the series to be entirely satisfying reads.

The plot and characterizations of this series are complex and fully developed--one of it's most engaging qualities. Too many novels seem have flat characters and predictable plotlines which is incredibly disappointing to a smart reader. I recently read _Poison Study_ because of it's cover review. Ack! Talk about tripe. It's great to come across books that engage the reader's intelligence and have you wondering "gee, how would I react in that situation?"

I've read all of the Foreigner series to date (8 novels) and they are truly some of my favorites. I rank them up there with Tad Williams great series like the Otherworld novels, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover stuff, and Melanie Rawn's Exile books.

If you are looking for an extremely intellegent, psychologically rich series, this is it. And if you like this series, check out Ms. Cherryh's Cyteen books--also a good read.

The best laid plans of mice and men..........2006-09-29

Although this book came out over a decade ago, I only got around to reading it (the first of what became a series) just recently. I knew from other novels of Cherryh's that I'd read that she is terrific at creating worlds and cultures, and Foreigner does not disappoint. The culture of the Atevi is a subtle creation, alien but with just enough similarities to human culture to lead the humans into mistaken assumptions, ultimately with extreme consequences.

Which is what makes the premise of the book so intruiging. In this story of "first contact", everything has gone wrong. A ship of human explorers/colonists is thrown drastically off-course by causes unknown and ends up in a system so distant that they cannot find even a single familiar star to use as a reference point, around a double-star with radiation so intense as to make human existence untenable. The desperation of their situation is captured with feeling as Cherryh jumps the reader through two-hundred years in the first 42 pages, with the situation caught in vivid snapshots like this:

"The navigator said next that Greene was sick, something about an accident, about miner-pilots and crews dead or dying of radiation, pilots training pilots to do their job once they were dead... something about the star they hoped to go to. The navigator had one for him, and they were fueled and going now, away from this hellish vicinity, this double monster that sang to him constantly in his slow-moving dark. For the first time in a recent, lonely eternity, new data came in... Goldberg would back him up. Greene, McDonough reminded him, was sick. Inoki was dead. Three years ago, earth time."

When the humans reach their new destination, they find it already inhabited by the Atevi, a civilization roughly at the stage of the early Industrial Revolution in human terms. And thus this first contact is brought about by accident, with a single group of humans completely cut off from any hope of support from the rest of humanity, and with nowhere else to go. Failure, as the man said, is not an option.

The bulk of the novel is told from the point-of-view of Bren Cameron, the paidhi or interpreter. But the job is much more than it sounds, for the paidhi is the only human the Atevi will allow among them, and it is his responsibility to interpret everything, including language, culture and - hardest of all - intentions, between the two races, and a single mistake can have dire consequences. Particularly given that among the Atevi, assassination is not only legal and accepted, it is an institution relied on for dealing with problems, and now someone is trying to kill the paidhi. And so Bren, cut off and on his own, must find out who - and quickly - in a culture that has no word for "friend". Highly recommended.

Interesting premise, but poorly written with a boring storyline .......2006-06-30

I did not enjoy reading this book. While the premise and the introduction were novel, as soon as the book turns to the protagonist, Bren Cameron, the story becomes boring and frustrating.

Cherryh devotes at least half the book to Cameron's thought processes, describing them in excruciating detail. Cameron is self-absorbed, neurotic and obsessed about whether some of the atevi he deals with "like" him. I would have expected a person chosen to be the human interface for an alien society with no word for "love" to show more backbone and moral fortitude. To put it bluntly, not only does Cameron lack "heroic" qualities (which is fine), he is also unsympathetic and one quickly looses respect for him. One aspect of his personality that I found troubling was his total lack of altruism. When contemplating whether he was failing in his role as human representative/interpreter, Cameron whines about his personal failure rather than worrying about the overall impact his shortcomings could have on the humans he is supposed to represent.

Whatever action there is in the book is crowded by descriptions of Cameron's thoughts and fears, thereby sucking out whatever excitement such events could have generated. The final straw was the ending, which was nothing more than a poorly written transition to what I assume is the storyline of the second book. Worse, it gave me the impression that the entire book I had just read should have been summarized in one or two chapters before moving on to the second book's storyline.

I tried to see the good in this book as I read it. Unfortunately, I just kept waiting for the "good part" which never came.

Atevi 101 (Some helpful hints to ponder).......2006-04-10

This is a great starting point for understanding that other intelligent beings most likely won't have a way to understand not only our languages (who knows what we'll be speaking in a hundred years) but also our frame of reference. We have examples of such mismatching here at home. Prime example late Edo period Japan and just post civil war America.

I can't believe it's been 10 years.......2006-03-29

In the ten years since this book came out, I've probably read parts of it eight or nine times. Cherryh excels in alien-human interface, but she's outdone herself on the Foreigner set. I like the political maneuvering and the details of the atevi and human cultures, but what makes the book worth reading to rags are the characters. Her characters are brilliant, and brilliantly drawn--particularly Bren, Ilisidi, Banichi, and Jago. They're real. And--for the most part--she's kept the events and characters consistent through eight books. I've got mixed feelings on the prologue--it's usually the part I skip. I also wish she hadn't tried to write the last action sequence from Bren's POV. Granted, he had a good reason to be thinking in fragments, but it was annoying to read. On the whole, I'd recommend this set to anyone who likes political intrique mixed with action mixed with incredible science fiction. Cherryh's greatest strength has always been her ability to let us see ourselves as the alien and learn much about our own humanity in the process.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Sci-fi
Foreigner Sevies Review
The End of the Second Foreigner Trilogy
he or she?
He does it again - thanks CJ for keeping the quality supurb

Explorer (Foreigner Universe)
C. J. Cherryh
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0756401313
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

The final installment to this sequence of the Hugo Award-winning author's most successful series. Explorer follows a human delegate trapped in a distant star system facing a potentially bellicose alien ship.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Sci-fi.......2007-09-10

Bren and his Atevi bodyguards, (Atevi are a race of super tall dark-skinned aliens) travel to a distant space station to rescue some stranded humans. When they arrive they discover things at the space station aren't what they seem. Can Bren get to the bottom of the strange alien presence or will the delegation be caught inside a battle zone?

As usual, Cherryh writes an excellent sci-fi novel. Her world-building is extremely well done and each character is well articulated. I did get a bit tired of the `humans are to blame for everything' attitude that is an underlying theme in these novels. Only humans seem to make mistakes, and if there is a war or a problem it is doubtless the result of ignorant humans. Sometimes I'd like to see one catastrophe that humans WEREN'T responsible for. Also, at times the dowager is a bit of a mary-sue. I like the character, but not every book. Overall, this was a great book which had me on the edge of my seat. 5 stars.

Foreigner Sevies Review.......2006-11-06

I consider Cherryh to be the premier science fiction writer I have read and enjoyed, since starting as a sub-teenager, back in the 1950s. The entire Foreigner series, to date, as there appear to be some more on the way, is absolutely outstanding. When I read the last book in the sequence, I went an ordered the entier set to date. And have enjoyed each and every one as well as the first and latest! If you have not read them, start at the beginning and be prepared to buy, read and retain each and every one. I am posting this verbatum on the other two requested Foreigner series books I have been given the opportunity for which to review!

The End of the Second Foreigner Trilogy.......2006-01-29

First of all, I started reading the Foreigner series in the library, then when I had finished the first trilogy, I went to the main branch of the library and lo and behold, were two books from a second Foreigner series. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first trilogy, I read them and learned that there was a final book in the trilogy, which I immediately ordered off of Ebay(no offense Amazon.com). It was everything the other books were, and more. An extremely well drawn alien society. With just the right mix of drama, suspense and then action.

The story is that the paidhi-aiji has finally arrived at Reunion station. However, as they thought, rescuing the stationers would not be easy...

he or she?.......2004-04-18

umm, C.J. Cherryh is a WOMAN. http://www.cherryh.com/www/menu.htm

as to the book itself, i thought it was better than average but not as good as the Chanur novels or 'Downbelow Station'. an improvement on the previous foreigner books but she still mistakes dithering for decision making, a common failing in many of her novels.

He does it again - thanks CJ for keeping the quality supurb.......2003-07-12

I have all these books including this one and have loved each of them. It is one man who desperately wants to be the link between cultures so that war doesn't occur but as he lives with another species, he grows more like them all the time and normal humans have problems with him. I like him better every book and the remote car's used in this book was so cleverly weaved as they were used to (1) pass time on a boring journey with everybody competing to build the best; (2) make a break through with a new species who had good reason to hate humans, and finally (3) used to carry bombs and other explosives arround corners, etc. You are awesome, CJ (from a 47 year old).

I have all your books CJ (except for those wrote with Ms Lackey - I am not into demons or gods) and you remain my favorite author. Can't wait for the next.

Other sequal books I would like to see you write:
Cocoos Egg
Pride Stories (I have all 5)
Tristan stories

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books