The Door into Summer

Book Description

Dan Davis was tricked by an unscrupulous business partner and a greedy fiancee into spending thirty years in suspended animation just when he was on the verge of a success beyond his wildest dreams. But when he awoke in the future, he discovered he had the means to travel back in time -- and get his revenge!

Customer Reviews:

A favorite I re-read every couple years.......2007-09-19

It's one of my favorite stories about "true love", yet not mushy at all. I'd say more but don't want to give the story line away. That's the main point, wrapped up in a wonderful science fiction story. It's very well told, a real page-turner with no slow spots at all.

This could be read by teens starting at age 13 or so, and is still a great read for most adults too.

It always amazes me how many inventions and ideas in this book have actually come into being since then. See how many you can identify! Heinlein was truly a man ahead of his time.

Near genius.......2007-08-28

The Door Into Summer was a great novel. I loved the ideas of an inventor engineer who lives in the future of 1970 and who takes the cold sleep to 2001 after being duped by his lover and best friend.
One weakness for me was the love relationship with his friends very young ward (the one they saved after the war) was strange given the criminal age difference. Granted, later the difference is less so but its still weird. If she had been some employee at the plant and if Heinlein had predicted computers and the internet he would have had a perfect book. However, take into account that the novel was written around 1956 and that technology in the prior 15 -20 years had changed dramatically I can see the optimism for robotic advances.
Too bad he didn't set it a little further in the future so that younger readers could still read it without rolling their eyes. Still, he tells a cool detective story and rationalizes time travel in a way that rebels against alternate time lines a bit. As an adult who can consider the time it was written it is still a great discovery.

DO NOT READ THE BACK OF THE BOOK.......2007-07-15

I give this book 2 stars, because I read the back of the book which pretty much made everything predictable and the story dragged. In all fairness, I gave the rating 4 stars because it would have been a wonderful read had I NOT known what was going to happen. Something on the back on the book didn't happen until the last 50 pgs and explains the whole middle.. (without giving anyhting away) and therefore the story was predictable. An excellent book if you go in knowing nothing!

Even better the second time around!.......2007-06-30

I read it in the mid sixties back in high school and just read it again. It's fascinating to see how Heinlein imagined the year 2000. And who would have thought that he could have so accurately predicted the (stock market) Panic of 1987.

I think every Baby Boomer (especially engineers!) would truly enjoy this superb book. The fact that it's dated only adds to its charm!

One of Heinleins smaller books.......2007-06-18

But it's one that I keep coming back to. In the middle, Heinlein offhandedly invents Computer Aided Design. As a minor plot point.

Not nearly as well known as "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" "Friday" "Stranger in a Strange Land" etc, but worth space on your shelf.

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime--A Manual for Prayer (Divine Hours)

Average customer rating:

Divine Hours made Accessible
Invaluable
A Prayer Book Trilogy for All Seasons
A Literate Dialog With God
Loved It!

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime--A Manual for Prayer (Divine Hours)
Phyllis Tickle
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Prayer | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime (Tickle, Phyllis)
The Divine Hours, Volume II: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime (Divine Hours)
The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime
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Christmastide: Prayers for Advent Through Epiphany from The Divine Hours

ASIN: 0385492863
Release Date: 2000-03-14

Amazon.com

The Divine Hours trilogy is meant to be a manual for "fixed hour prayer"--an age-old discipline of saying prayers at certain times of the day. (Fixed prayer is also known as "liturgy of hours," "keeping the hours," or "saying the offices.") The psalms contained in the beautiful trilogy (summertime, wintertime, and springtime) read like ancient poems and are made even more meaningful and powerful when sung or chanted, according to Phyllis Tickle, who lovingly gathered and organized these rich volumes. The book is organized by dates, starting with the Monday nearest to June and closing with the Saturday closest to September 28. Upon each date, readers can find complete prayers for "The Morning Office" on through the "Vespers Office" (between 5 and 8 p.m.). The clear organization and elegantly designed pages make this an excellent companion for a time-honored form of private worship and devotion. Newcomers to fixed hour prayer as well as longstanding devotees will find this an appealing and impressive guide.

Book Description

The first volume in a trilogy of prayer manuals compiled by Publishers Weekly religion editor Phyllis Tickle as a contemporary Book of Hours to guide Christians gently yet authoritatively through the daily offices.

The Divine Hours is the first major literary and liturgical reworking of the sixth-century Benedictine Rule of fixed-hour prayer. This beautifully conceived and thoroughly modern three-volume guide will appeal to the theological novice as well as to the ecclesiastical sophisticate. Making primary use of the Book of Common Prayer and the writings of the Church Fathers, The Divine Hours is also a companion to the New Jerusalem Bible, from which it draws its Scripture readings. The trilogy blends prayer and praise in a way that, while extraordinarily fresh, respects and builds upon the ancient wisdom of Christianity.

The first book in the set, Prayers for Summertime, filled with prayers, psalms, and readings, is one readers will turn to again and again. Compact in size, it is perfect for those seeking greater spiritual depth. As a contemporary Book of Hours, The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime heralds a renewal of the tradition of disciplined daily prayer, and will whet the hunger of a large and eager audience for the follow-up autumn/winter and spring volumes.

The first book in the set, PRAYERS FOR SUMMERTIME, filled with prayers, psalms, and readings, is the one readers will turn to when making their daily summertime devotions. Compact, with a ribbon marker and deluxe endpapers, it is perfect for those seeking spiritual guidance and renewal. THE DIVINE HOURS: PRAYERS FOR SUMMERTIME heralds a new form of an old tradition and whets the hunger of a large and eager audience for the follow-up winter and spring volumes. -->

Customer Reviews:

Divine Hours made Accessible.......2007-06-11

Phyllis Tickle does it again. This volume completes her annual trilogy of prayer books that make praying the hours so much more straightforward than anything else I have ever read. Combining all the resources of scripture, prayers and hymns in one place is ingenious and incedibly helpful. Great stuff!

Invaluable.......2006-06-14

I have been using the Divine Hours since they were released several years ago- I have the first 3 and look forward to getting the Night Office. Ms Tickle has accomplished a mammoth work - and they are divinely inspired. I live in a monastic community where we do the hours in Latin daily, but I find these books invaluable travel ccompanions and additions to my private devotions. Anyone seeking a more satisfying contemplative time would benefit and enjoy these books. Ms Tickle is a scholar; it is evidenced by the content in these works.

A Prayer Book Trilogy for All Seasons.......2006-05-29

As someone who has worked with a good number of prayer books over many years including the old Roman Breviary (in Latin), Phyllis Tickle has produced a true trilogy masterpiece. It is extremely "user-friendly" with all prayer materials appearing in tight sequence on each page, eliminating the need to flip all over a book, searching for "what's next?" Thank you for making my life more simple, Ms. Tickle!! I now have more time for real prayer.
More importantly, the assigned prayers and reading selections for each day are very well chosen. They are all on the side of thoughtful brevity. This helps create that wonderful atmosphere prescribed by St. Benedict(father of western monasticism)who instructs "therefore prayer ought to be short and pure, except when it is occasionally prolonged by the inspiration of Divine Grace."

A Literate Dialog With God.......2004-01-25

This book of prayers (one of three volumes covering daily prayer for a year) taken in large measure from the Bible is a wonderful prompt in one's life-long conversation with God. It helps one come to words one didn't realize one meant or hadn't the aptitude to say before one began using it in one's daily devotions. In addition to Scripture, it employs prayers from "The Book of Common Prayer" and other standard resources. But one particularly delights in the additional readings taken from a wide range of meditative and inspirational literature. Examples are "Pied Beauty," by Gerard Manley Hopkins and "The Sacrament of the Present Moment," by Jean Pierre de Caussade. What a remarkable contribution to one's spiritual life!

Loved It!.......2002-11-14

Highly recommend the series! Even bought a set as a gift for someone else.

Summertime in the Big Woods (My First Little House)

Average customer rating:

Excellent choice for pre-readers
Wonderful books

Summertime in the Big Woods (My First Little House)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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A Little House Birthday (My First Little House)
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County Fair (My First Little House)

ASIN: 0064434974

Book Description

Summer is here!

The warm days of summer have arrived, and that means Laura gets to spend fun-filled days outdoors!

The winter is finally over, and now it is summertime! Laura and Mary are busy all day helping Ma in the garden and playing outside. RenÉe Graef’s enchanting full-color illustrations, inspired by Garth Williams’ classic artwork, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life in this sixth title in the My First Little House book series, picture books adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved storybooks.The winter is finally over, and now it is summertime! Laura and Mary are busy all day helping Ma in the garden and playing outside. RenÉe Graef’s enchanting full-color illustrations, inspired by Garth Williams’ classic artwork, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life in this sixth title in the My First Little House book series, picture books adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved storybooks.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent choice for pre-readers.......2007-07-21

My daughters love the colorful, cheerful pictures. This series captures the charm of Prairie Life without being too complicated for little ones to follow. - It's a great intro to the original series!

Wonderful books.......2007-03-10

If you like Little House on the Prairie you will really like this series. The books are simply written with a wholesome story about how life was a long time ago. The illustrator is magnificent. The pictures are colorful and have nice detail.

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime

Average customer rating:

Really good!
Fresh prayers in a dry season
Liturgy of the Hours for non-Roman Catholics
Excellent Prayer Resource

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime
Phyllis Tickle
Manufacturer: Image
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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

The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime
The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime (Tickle, Phyllis)
The Divine HoursTM, Pocket Edition
The Night Offices: Prayers for the Hours from Sunset to Sunrise
Christmastide: Prayers for Advent Through Epiphany from The Divine Hours

ASIN: 0385504764
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

“A welcome remedy for the increasing number of lay Christians who have rediscovered the daily offices. Tickle puts each day’s prayers, psalms, readings, and refrains–everything you need–in one place. The rhythm that Tickle’s book establishes gives one a stronger sense of participating in an ancient, worldwide but very personal liturgy.”
–Nora Gallagher, beliefnet.com, and author of Things Seen and Unseen: A Year Lived in Faith

The third and final volume in a trilogy of prayer manuals compiled by Publishers Weekly religion editor Phyllis Tickle as a contemporary Book of Hours to guide Christians gently yet authoritatively through the daily offices.

The Divine Hours is the first major literary and liturgical reworking of the sixth-century Benedictine Rule of fixed-hour prayer. This beautifully conceived and thoroughly modern three-volume guide will appeal to the theological novice as well as to the ecclesiastical sophisticate. Making primary use of the Book of Common Prayer and the writings of the Church Fathers, The Divine Hours is also a companion to the New Jerusalem Bible, from which it draws its Scripture readings. The trilogy blends prayer and praise in a way that, while extraordinarily fresh, respects and builds upon the ancient wisdom of Christianity.

The third and final book in the set, Prayers for Springtime, provides prayers, psalms, and readings for this season associated with rebirth. Compact, with deluxe endpapers, it is perfect for those seeking greater spiritual depth. As a contemporary Book of Hours, The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime heralds a renewal of the tradition of disciplined daily prayer, and gives those already using the first two volumes the completion they are seeking. With this volume, the series culminates with three prayer manuals encompassing the liturgical and calendar year with the offices for every day.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Really good!.......2007-05-14

I know some other reviewers mention it doesn't really follow the bcp, but it is still a really great collection to have in your library. The readings, morning, noon, night, and compline are short enough so that even the busies people can make time to pray.

My only complaint is the language, I would have liked to have seen a more inclusive text, especially in some areas where it would have really been helpful. I think Mrs. Tickle would have a better following if the language was updated. It is this way in all 4 of her books (Divine Hours - 3 books, and then the Evening Prayers). If you are sensitive to the male dominated text of the bcp, you probably will not like this.

Fresh prayers in a dry season.......2006-08-13

Phyllis Tickle has compiled daily Psalms, readings, and historic prayers of the Christian faith into this easy-to-use daily prayer guide. It includes morning, mid-day, and evening prayers, as well as a "compline" section for bedtime. This book of prayers has broadened and deepened my prayer life in a season of spiritual dryness. Personal times of spontaneous worship and prayer are wonderful when the worshipper can feel God's presence and the wind of the Spirit at his/her back. However, in seasons of dryness, it is easy to drift into a state of prayerlessness because the inspiration doesn't come so easily. These prayers have helped me maintain a daily rhythm of practicing God's presence in the midst of spiritual dryness. These prayers, spoken out loud, by faith, can become like "daily manna" and "water from the rock". Dry souls needs daily reminders that God is still the Great Shepherd and Divine Compass who will guide them successfully to the other side of the desert. Although there is an occasional Marian (Mary-focused) prayer that makes this Protestant soul slightly uncomfortable, the majority of the prayers are straight from scripture and/or are greatly inspired by passages of scripture and can be formational for Catholics and Protestants alike.

Liturgy of the Hours for non-Roman Catholics.......2006-07-13

This book is wonderful and subtle and changes your life!

If the discipline of daily prayer (let alone several times a day!) has ever been a struggle for you then YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK and the rest of the series!

I cannot even begin to stress the importance of stoppping for a time-out with God four times a day. Ms Tickle has done a terrific job of putting together prayers, hymns and short Bible readings (OT & NT) that will guide and change you. She has managed to compile what we all need in order to put the hurry and worry and stress of life into perspective. It will encourage prayer for self and others and re-focus you on the truly important aspects of life.

Excellent Prayer Resource.......2006-06-30

Tickle's "The Divine Hours" is a fresh and yet strongly traditional approach to praying the divine hours. Having each of the offices laid out for each day allows the one praying to engage fully in the prayer without the distraction of flipping through a breviary trying to locate which piece belongs to each particular office. In a culture where our time is so often at a real premium, this book makes it much easier to stop at the appointed times, engage in the presence of God, then return to business with a renewed sense of what it means to be a part of the kingdom of God. By praying the hours, as Tickle describes it, we all become a part of the "cascade of prayer" that flows continuously around the globe as the hours are kept by people all over the world.

I have long wanted to find a way to keep the divine hours, and this book is a real treasure in helping make that a reality. Each office offers something new to engage me--a reading, a hymn, or a prayer. The Prayer Appointed for the Week, repeated three times a day for a full week, becomes more than just words addressed to God. It begins to take root in my soul, creating a theme for the week in my own relationship with God.

Thank you to Phyllis Tickle for the work you have done in creating this series!!

Average customer rating:

Not quite as irresistible as it's predecessor ...
when is summer going to get here?
A great, relaxing read.
Didn't want it to end!

Summertime: A Novel
Raffaella Barker
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Hens Dancing: A Novel
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ASIN: 0375503870
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Book Description

For a year, Venetia Summers has been buffered from single motherhood by her boy-friend, David, but when work takes him to a Brazilian rain forest, things begin to unravel. Phone lines crackle, e-mails languish unanswered, and long-distance love proves to be a bewildering experience. Meanwhile, Venetia’s children and dogs run wilder than ever, brother Desmond’s outrageous wedding takes over her home, and her relationship with an eccentric new neighbor gets off to an unfortunate start. Still, there are the everyday rewards, not least among them the dazzling beauty of the changing Norfolk seasons.

How is Venetia to cope alone with an army-style camping holiday, a foul-mouthed Amazonian parrot, and the demanding, if endearing, personalities of three exuberant children? Her burgeoning fashion career, creating outlandish garments for a London boutique, provides much-needed diversion. But when a moonlit walk takes an unexpected turn, she finds herself with a real dilemma on her hands.

With Summertime, Raffaella Barker, whom Publishers Weekly called “a postmodern Erma Bombeck,” gives us another sparkling comedy of English rural life, sure to delight fans of her first novel, Hens Dancing, and new readers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Not quite as irresistible as it's predecessor ..........2005-04-28

... but a good dollop of Venetia Summers & crew nonetheless. Don't let the "Brit-Chick Lit" label scare you -- Raffaella Barker is an accomplished writer with pockets full to bursting with wit and wry insights. She's penned a regular column for English Country Life for ages, lives in the English countryside, and so knows of what she speaks. There is a wonderful cast of characters in these books (Hens Dancing, the first one, and this follow-up, Summertime). I couldn't wait to get my hands on Summetime when it came out, and though I was a bit disappointed (how could I not be after being so disarmed by the first book? Perhaps a bit of the novelty had worn off), I am still glad that she brought back the whole gang for another installment.

Besides, any book that mentions "the Aga" (famous British brand of stove, which they always call a cooker, apparently) at least a dozen times can't be all bad, can it?

This book deserves WAY more attention than it's received ... but do start with "Hens ... ", because the story will make more sense if you do. It's not "serious" literature, but if you are serious about enjoying what you read, and making room for books as friends in your life and on your shelf, give this a whirl.

Cheers!

when is summer going to get here?.......2004-05-08

This book was quite a book to get through. I'm a younger reader, probably too young to understand the material and feel the feelings the writer was protraying. The book was extremely slow for me from the beginning to the end. A single mother grieves and gets through every day with a grudge, supporting three children. Venita's boyfriend David is gone which makes things worse. She calls him and e-mails him to keep in touch, but the feeling isn't the same.

Venitia goes through the troubles of raising her three kids. She has to take them to church, deal with car problems, raise The Beauty, deal with her mother and occuring weddings.

Lonely as ever, Venitia does get to meet a man Hedley. He asks her to marry him and she agrees. The thing is, her heart has been given to David. She does not truly love Hedley with her heart and soul, and soon with help she realizes the man who she's destined to be with.

The book was set in a depressed mood which made it boring to read. Definately not a fun read.

A great, relaxing read........2003-01-05

I highly recommend this book as a follow-up to Hens Dancing (see my longer review under that book).

Didn't want it to end!.......2002-05-28

I read this book in 2 days, and wish it took longer because I didn't want it to end! The story revolves around diary entries made by a single mother named Venetia living in Norfolk England with her three children two boys 9& 10--Giles and Felix, and a three year old girl that the author refers to only as The Beauty. Venetia is supported by a fun cast of wacky characters, from her flower power sixties mother to her lovestruck brother I just opened this book and wanted to be part of their world. What I really enjoyed about this book was that they left in all the british words for things, like nappies (diapers) and instead of darn it she would say bugger...etc. For an anglophile like myself I loved that. If you like Bridget Jones's Diary your sure to like Summertime, though it is not a knock-off, but a completely authentic work in its own right. As soon as I finished the book I found out there was a previous book by Mrs. Barker called Hens Dancing, which also features Venetia and the same cast of characters. Just ordered it, and I can't wait for it to arrive!

Average customer rating:

The Boys make the Summer Heat.
A Beautiful Collection
Add some info!!!!!!
Are You Ready?

Bel Ami: Summertime

Manufacturer: Bruno Gmunder
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Erotic Photography | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Erotic | Other Media | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Bel Ami : Frisky Memories
Bel Ami: Intimate Friends
New Generation
Perfect Couples
Young Men of Falcon

ASIN: 3861871645

Customer Reviews:

The Boys make the Summer Heat........2005-09-03

SURPRISE...ANOTHER BEL AMI WINNER....these pics will raise your temperature and your blood pressure. I always loved Summertime the best.

A Beautiful Collection.......2001-10-29

This is my most favorite among Bel Ami's books. His models are very pleasing to see- no rippling muscles, no obviously animated poses. The boys' movements as captured in stills seem flow like a river; their facial expressions natural and innocent.

Add some info!!!!!!.......2001-08-08

Excellent photographies, but why didn't the editors add some info about all the models ?

Are You Ready?.......2000-05-12

Bel Ami's new collection of photos of Eastern European men is another in a series of his wonderful books, showcasing the most beautiful nude your men on this planet. There are several new models as well as many of his most famous ones here for a repeat performance. The color, lighting and clarity of these photos of his are breathtaking. A truly creative photographer. This is a must for anyone who is a collector of Bel Ami's fine photography books. Stunning!

Sanity in the Summertime: The Complete Summer-Survival Handbook for Moms

Average customer rating:

Wonderful resource for the entire year!
Keep Yourself Sane this Summer Break

Sanity in the Summertime: The Complete Summer-Survival Handbook for Moms
Linda Dillow , and Claudia Arp
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Family Activities | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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The Family Manager's Guide To Summer Survival: Make the Most of Summer Vacation with Fun Family Activities, Games, and More!
Creative Counterpart : Becoming the Woman, Wife, and Mother You Have Longed to Be
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Creative Correction
The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0840731884

Book Description

When those long, lazy days of summer become the long, CRAZY days of summer. Reach for this, the complete summer survival handbook for moms. This fun-filled book features easy-to-do, creative activities, games, recipes, and more to help you and your children enjoy the summer months--together.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful resource for the entire year!.......2002-04-24

With chapters like "Just-me-and-mom time", "traveling made triumphant", and "Husbands have summers too", this book will become an invaluable addition to your bag of tricks. It includes recipes, activities, crafts, scheduling ideas, menus, sample charts for getting housework done, and more! This book is from a Christian stand point and mentions many biblical verses, making time for devotions, and lots of Christian music and book suggestions. I've already started working on our summer plans with my 7 year old, and he is getting very excited about all the possibilities this summer holds for us. Great buy, :)

Keep Yourself Sane this Summer Break.......2001-06-08

This is an awesome book with lots of tips that will make your kids smarter and better people. In addition, you will also figure out how to survive those long summers with no school!!!....

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous, inspiring introduction to surreal poetry and images
Summertime and the living is easy
Poetic Art combined with Artful Poetry
Richie's Picks: SUMMERTIME WALTZ

Summertime Waltz
Nina Payne
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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My Name Is Yoon (Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award, 2004)
Four In All
Waiting for Gregory
Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
Precious and the Boo Hag (Anne Schwartz Books)

ASIN: 0374372918
Release Date: 2005-03-24

Book Description

A poetic interpretation of the summer evenings of childhood

Lovely the lateness
in summertime darkening.
Dinner is over.
The grownups are talking.

Seizing their moment, the children steal away from the dinner table to play out of doors, until it's too dark to see the ball and their mothers call them home.

Finely wrought oil paintings, beguiling and dreamlike in their detail, give a free-spirited interpretation of the poem. Together, words and pictures evoke the lush scents, sounds, and feel of the full lingering days of summer, when outside and inside is lost in the doorways.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous, inspiring introduction to surreal poetry and images.......2007-04-10

My 13 month old brings this to me again and again for no logical reason--the illustrations are a two-dimentional multimedia revery that recalls Edward Gorey and your edgiest graphic designer. Hardly the sort of thing, as other reviewers note, that most children are exposed to. Maybe therein lies the attraction--it's so different from everything else we read children.

The poem itself is better read, I feel, on the first page where you can see it in its entirety, than on the leisurely rolling spreads throughout the book. But there's something that captivates me and my child in these pages...the rhythm, the cadenced and luxurious visual assault, the 'Alice in Wonderland meets Monty Python reading Poe and eating Cherry Garcia' feel of it all.

Anyway, it's the only book my toddler will ask to read 8-9 times in a row before willingly moving on to something else. A beautiful book for grownups, a nuanced introduction to poetry for children, and a surreal way to spend half an hour, lost in the details that are found in the doorway.

Summertime and the living is easy.......2006-02-03

Not all children's books are automatically added to library collections simply because they exist. There is a certain kind of vetting that takes place. Librarians with years of experience sit around and discuss whether or not a title should be purchased for one branch, for many branches, or for none at all. A book will not be purchased in bulk, in my experience, for the following reasons: 1. It is badly written. 2. It is badly illustrated. 3. It is too high-end for the kiddie set. In the case of number three, only a single copy will be purchased for an entire library system serving countless civilians. Such is the fate of the lovely "Summertime Waltz". What we have here is a nice little poem and a series of dreamlike images that create a beautiful book when combined. It is not, however, going to interest your five-year-old. If you would like to purchase a picture book for yourself, I can think of none better. Want to get something for your kids? Look elsewhere, m'dears.

The book consists of a single poem. On the first two-page spread we get a glimpse of what is to come. First of all, there is the dedication. As a reviewer, I think a book's dedication is every bit as important as the story that comes afterwards. With the blue horizon below we read this: "To you - N.P. and G.S.". This is where they stand on the issue. You can judge whether or not the sentiment is sincere soon enough. On the opposite page is the poem. Three stanzas, twenty-four lines, and three paragraphs. Read through it once yourself and you see that though it starts out straightforward (aside from the occasional suggestion that you smell "the water on pots of geraniums") it takes a trip to dreamland soon thereafter. Early lines like "Dinner is over" are one-upped by thoughts like "Outside and inside is lost at the door". Just to the lower right of the poem is the image of a featureless black dog inclined towards what looks to be a piggish rhino's rear. Its back is covered with tiny capering silhouetted monkeys. Got all that? Good, cause that's just the first two pages. Turn another and the poem begins in earnest. Each line is taken by artist Gabi Swiatkowska and pushed to its obvious limits. It's a dream, it's a comment, it's a memory. It's beautiful is what it is. It's "Summertime Waltz".

Now I first became seriously interested in checking out this book when I read an article in "School Library Journal" (I believe it was the January 2005 issue, but don't quote me on that) on artist Gabi Swiatkowska. If you've ever had the pleasure of sitting down and reading, "My Name Is Yoon" by Helen Recorvits then you understand how talented Ms. Swiatkowska is. The article in SLJ was fawning. An artist could hardly hope for a sweeter ode to their own work than the one popping up between SLJ's sticky pages. So "Summertime Waltz" seemed right up my alley. I'm a big fan of dreamlike picture books, and I'm especially a fan of talented surreal artists. I was hoping for something along the lines of Ana Juan's, "The Night Eater" (which, like "My Name Is Yoon", won a coveted Ezra Jack Keats Award). Instead, I found a great book for people over the age of 15. Swiatkowska seems to have sipped a little too deeply from the cup of Lewis Carroll. Instead of a linear tale that follows the poem in a straightforward manner, the images bring to mind a joyful cacophony of riotous impossibilities. Watercolors cross-hatch with oils and your basic pen and inks. Rather than telling you what to believe or see, the book works hard to invoke summer without ever directly showing it. That old writing advise, "Show don't tell", given to screenwriters has been transferred to the medium of children's illustration. Magritte would be so proud.

There is a certain kind of writing that I classify, for good or ill, as "Summertime Books". I consider this a genre in and of itself. Stories like, "The Penderwicks", "Criss Cross", and other sunnytime tales fall into this category. Summertime Tales tend to be evocative and filled with the memories of their authors. "Summertime Waltz" falls squarely into this category. I wouldn't hand it to anyone I thought was too young to understand it, but I would definitely give it to your average dreamy-eyed college student. I have a certain obligation towards my profession. For good or for ill I must judge every children's book I read with half an eye cocked towards that old bugaboo "Will It Please The Children?". I tend to forget this bugaboo when I'm reviewing Caldecott or Newbery award winners. It's just Ms. Payne's bad luck that I've remembered it now. The book is, as I have said before, a sublime dip into childhood summers. Ironically, I can't imagine it will be all that interesting for kids. This is not to say that some rare flower of infancy, some particularly gifted dreamlike kid won't pluck this book from its shelf and find themselves inexplicably drawn towards its words and images. Such children exist. They simply aren't the norm. Ms. Payne is a poet far more comfortable sitting between the pages of "Ploughshares" than resting in the grubby fingers of your average tot.

I suppose I seem a little contradictory in saying one minute that this book is picture book gold and then the next saying I wouldn't give it to a four-year-old for all the riches in Solomon's caves. I don't see the two statements as contradictory in the least, of course. There are plenty of children's books out there that have garnered audiences not originally intended. Think of Dr. Seuss's, "Oh the Places You'll Go" or "The Little Prince" for that matter. "Summertime Waltz" will serve best those people who have poetry already established firmly in their dreamy little souls. It's a great book. Just don't hand it to your "Captain Underpants" lovin' nephew and expect him to name it his favorite book of the year.

Poetic Art combined with Artful Poetry.......2005-08-19

Every time I read this book, it dances on in my mind long after I've closed the cover. The poem and pictures delight and surprise as two separate harmonies weaving and jumping playfully around their melody: the enchantment of summertime play at twilight. Artful, whimsical and stunning. Smoothly Eclectic. Give this to a child who leans creative; it will challenge and inspire them in wonder-filled ways.

On a sidenote, I read hundreds of picturebooks each year and this book has inspired me to write my first ever review on Amazon, I say this to give you the idea of how strongly I reccomend this book.

Richie's Picks: SUMMERTIME WALTZ.......2005-08-14

"Lovely the lateness
in summertime darkening.
Dinner is over.
The grownups are talking.
Smell of the water
on pots of geraniums.
Lovely the lateness
in summertime dark."

What I remember is how quiet it got once you started counting and everyone had stealthily moved more than the first dozen steps in the direction of their respective hiding places. In between calling out numbers, as you leaned your closed eyes against your arms against the telephone pole, you could smell the light scent of the creosote in the pole and feel the vibration of the wires humming above, the cool grass between your toes below.

"Outside and inside
is lost in the doorways
...forty-nine, ready
or not, here I come!
Moths and mosquitoes
are biting the lampposts.
Outside and inside
is lost at the door."

Back in the late 50s and early 60s, before the Beatles, back when the lightning bugs would appear in giant clouds at dusk, I lived on Sunrise Street, the first home my parents owned. At the time I didn't understand what my granddad Rex meant when he chuckled and said that we lived in "Fertile Valley," but there were that many kids living along that little piece of Plainview with whom to grow up.

Once every summer there was a day and a night when they roped off the street for a neighborhood block party. On other days we'd draw chalk mazes in the street to ride our bikes around. There were a trio of older girls who'd often want to organize us younger kids. Once they spent a week making us rehearse for a show in the garage next store. (I remember having to learn the chorus to "Kissing and A-Hugging With Fred.") Those same girls were pitching and catching a Spalding pinkie the first time I ever swung a baseball bat.

"No one is leaving,
then everyone's running
to look for the ball
as it rolls into morning.
Millicent Tomkins!
Your mother is calling.
No one is leaving,
then everyone's gone."

When I was asked to come "talk about books I like" with a mixed-age group of kids at a writing camp this week, SUMMERTIME LULLABY was one of my immediate choices for all ages. This book has been tugging at me for months! I still don't speak art very well, but Gabi Swiatkowska's two-page paintings are each a story within themselves, accompanied by two lines of the poem dancing and spinning their way across the pages.

Like the memory of popping one of those little asphalt bubbles that would rise in the ninty-plus-degree sunshine in the middle of Sunrise Street, the timeless rhythm and magical pictures of SUMMERTIME LULLABY have sunk into my brain.

Cool Kitchen: No Oven, No Stove, No Sweat! 125 Delicious, No-Work Recipes For Summertime Or Anytime

Average customer rating:

Lots of things to cook with heat in this book
So yummy, and so easy!
I love this book!
simple reference for when it's too hot to cook

Cool Kitchen: No Oven, No Stove, No Sweat! 125 Delicious, No-Work Recipes For Summertime Or Anytime
Lauren Chattman
Manufacturer: Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0688155138

Amazon.com

Cool Kitchen offers 125 recipes that are enjoyable even when the weather is not overheated. Lauren Chattman has an inventive way with familiar uncooked foods like pesto, slaws, sandwiches, and fruit desserts. The brief section on pantry staples is a useful guide that will surely spark other no-cook ideas. She cheats occasionally by using store-bought smoked turkey and smoked salmon and purchased or leftover roast beef and chicken. Menus help you assemble 15 meals for various occasions almost without cooking. (One wonders who cooks the pasta for two of Chattman's dinners or the chicken for her barbecue.) Sure-fire recipes are Curried Chickpea Spread in a Pita, White Gazpacho, and the Rum Raisin Sundae. --Dana Jacobi

Book Description

Summertime Cooking Was Never This Cool!

Tired of toiling over a hot stove in the sweltering summer heat?Give yourself a break with Cool Kitchen. Serving up more than 125 recipes without ever going near the oven or stovetop, author Lauren Chattman proves that a delicious no-cook meal of White Gazpacho, Smoked Mozzarella Sandwiches with Lemony Olives, and Peaches with Ricotta-Walnut Filling can easily delight, satisfy, and impress. From Such delicious appetizers, soups, and salads as Goat Cheese Wrapped in Grape Leaves, Chunky Artichoke Heart Spread, Black-Eyed Pea and Smoked Ham Salad, and Summer Minestrone to sandwiches spread with wonderful walnut butter and apricot jam or stuffed with smoked turkey, fontina, and arugula and lusciously light desserts like Chocolate-Cherry Sundaes and Spiked Watermelon Cocktails, this book is filled with recipes that are deliciously cool and innovative--all prepared in little time and with little effort. Complete with menu suggestions for all types of occasions, from cocktail parties and light lunches to barbecures and romantic dinners, Cool Kitchen is sure to be a refreshing addition to anyone's summertime cooking.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of things to cook with heat in this book.......2007-07-03

The majority of recipes in this book are no-cook, but there are several that require cooking with some form of heat - boiling, frying, scrambling, poaching, grilling, toasting, some of which are the main ingredients for the uncooked sauces and salads (recipes for poached fish and poultry, pasta and couscous, scrambled eggs, steamed vegetables, grilled bread, etc.), or required cooked ingredients that you're bound to want to cook yourself (like hard boiled eggs, overpriced to buy them cooked, and who knows how fresh they are, if you can find them). Many of the basic ingredients can be purchased pre-cooked. This is not a 'raw foods' cookbook, and the 'No-Work Recipes' as claimed on the cover are going to require someone's work to make them, with all the peeling and chopping of the fresh ingredients (and the actual cooking with heat!). Otherwise, there are many nice ideas for heat-free cooking, but the book isn't 100% no-cook.

So yummy, and so easy!.......2006-10-20

This is my favorite cookbook. Here's why:
I'm an impatient, busy person with champagne taste, and I find these recipes are so easy, beautiful, and delicious. They are completely fool- proof!
The recipes are mainly for the warmer months, although poached salmon with anchovy-lemon butter, for example, can be served anytime.
I hope that Ms. Chattman will come out with more ideas for the winter months, and a book of more party foods would be great. I get so many requests for the Jamaican Papaya and Avocado relish.
I would love more salad recipes, too-her salads are amazing and make terrific summer dinners.
Thank you, Lauren!

I love this book!.......2006-05-28

This is one of my favorite cookbooks! The recipes are simple yet elegant. The salads, sandwiches, dips and appetizers contain interesting flavors, yet barely take any time to prepare. This is such a great book to use for throwing spur of the moment get- togethers.

simple reference for when it's too hot to cook.......1998-07-11

This source is a good reference for those who hate to cook when it's too hot to do anything. The recipes can be adapted to whatever region you are living in, northwest versus southwest, east coast versus west coast. The book is a good reference for those familiar with cooking when it's hot and need an occasional inspiration.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful...
this beautiful book should have won some awards!
hauntingly evocative of summertime in the south
fantastic illustrations capture the experience of summer
A Hit With Children

Summertime
Dubose Heyward , Dorothy Heyward , George Gershwin , and Ira Gershwin
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689850476

Book Description

Cd included

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful..........2007-05-13

I love this song by Ella Fitzgerald. The pictures in the book are wonderful, you can almost feel the heat of the sun and the sound of the cotton blowing in the breeze. A real winner that illustrates a family's summer and the love that surrounds them.

this beautiful book should have won some awards!.......2004-03-26

This is a gorgeous book of oil paintings depicting a rural African-American family during the summer. The focus of the paintings is an expressive little girl enjoying the natural world and the comforts of home with her family. I am surprised it hasn't won any awards, b/c it is a stunning book. My 17 month old daughter loves this book and requests it over and over.

hauntingly evocative of summertime in the south.......2001-08-02

I have always loved the song "Summertime," which my mother used to sing to my family when I was growing up. This book adds new layers of meaning to the song, with gorgeous illustrations depicting an African-American family living in the South. This is currently one of my thirteen-month-old daughter's top three favorite books, although it is not intended for her age group. She responds intensely to the images of the children in the swimming hole, the grandfather sleeping in his hammock, the mother baking an apple pie, and especially the last page where the baby is learning how to walk on the front porch. Although I have sung this book aloud to our daughter at least 100 times, I always look forward to singing it one more time. It's an absolute treasure.

fantastic illustrations capture the experience of summer.......2000-06-15

I was completely charmed by the paintings in this book. They were skillfully done, and depict the summertime of an African-American family in the south. Very warm pictures of family life.

A Hit With Children.......2000-03-27

I am a second grade teacher who read this story to a group of second graders last fall. The students also had an opportunity to listen to the Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald jazz rendention of the song. My students love the story and frequently read it along with the CD. I like the beautiful illustrations that accompany the story lyrics. The author did a wonderful job of combining vibrant illustrations with music lyrics to tell a wonderful story.

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