Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)
Joan Didion’s incomparable and distinctive essays and journalism are admired for their acute, incisive observations and their spare, elegant style. Now the seven books of nonfiction that appeared between 1968 and 2003 have been brought together into one thrilling collection.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem captures the counterculture of the sixties, its mood and lifestyle, as symbolized by California, Joan Baez, Haight-Ashbury. The White Album covers the revolutionary politics and the “contemporary wasteland” of the late sixties and early seventies, in pieces on the Manson family, the Black Panthers, and Hollywood. Salvador is a riveting look at the social and political landscape of civil war. Miami exposes the secret role this largely Latin city played in the Cold War, from the Bay of Pigs through Watergate. In After Henry Didion reports on the Reagans, Patty Hearst, and the Central Park jogger case. The eight essays in Political Fictions–on censorship in the media, Gingrich, Clinton, Starr, and “compassionate conservatism,” among others–show us how we got to the political scene of today. And in Where I Was From Didion shows that California was never the land of the golden dream.
Customer Reviews:
Joan Nadaion.......2007-09-15
Tasteless, meaningless, insipid, Joan Didion is a writer for our times. Her cool detached nihilism dovetails perfectly with a world that abjures conviction and commitment. Even so, her work won't long outlast her life.
Beautiful Collection.......2007-07-29
What I had read from Didion in my college comp. class could not have prepared me for the depth and beauty of her body of work. In retrospect, I cannot believe that my professor only asked us to read ONE essay from this remarkable woman. Her work is amazing! Now I see what thousands of others have always known--that Didion is undoubtedly one of the best essayists and authors alive today. I can't wait to read The Year of Magical Thinking next.
What a great compilation.......2007-04-29
I checked this out from our local library the other day and it turned out to be a serendipitous find. I've read some of Didion's work previously of which _The Year of the Magical Thinking_ was the most recent.
This compilation was actually fun to read. My favourite pieces were the ones that focused on California or Southern California, respectively. She is a gifted storyteller.
I couldn't help but feel a keen sense of sadness for her with the noted timeline of her life (and historical moments, too). She lost both her parents, then her spouse and two years later her daughter.
I would suggest this book to others. It's a real treasure.
Reporting with a View.......2007-04-25
Joan wrote her best when she wrote about California. She's in a league of her own. She writes about California the way it is,the strangest foriegn country in the nation. She gets at the psychic truth of her subject, which is no small thing. One of the very few true writers,ever.
Worthwhile compilation.......2007-03-13
I only became aware of Joan Didion after hearing about her bestseller, The Year of Magical Thinking, which I got, and found absolutely touching. When I came across this compilation, I thought I'd give it a try...I wasn't disappointed...each of the essays/ articles have something to offer, and Didion is truly a gifted writer. I'm only sorry that I had missed out on such a talented author before finding her on a bestseller list.
Book Description
This remarkable and monumental book at last provides a comprehensive answer to the age-old riddle of whether there are only a small number of 'basic stories' in the world. Using a wealth of examples, from ancient myths and folk tales via the plays and novels of great literature to the popular movies and TV soap operas of today, it shows that there are seven archetypal themes which recur throughout every kind of storytelling. But this is only the prelude to an investigation into how and why we are 'programmed' to imagine stories in these ways, and how they relate to the inmost patterns of human psychology. Drawing on a vast array of examples, from Proust to detective stories, from the Marquis de Sade to E.T., Christopher Booker then leads us through the extraordinary changes in the nature of storytelling over the past 200 years, and why so many stories have 'lost the plot' by losing touch with their underlying archetypal purpose. Booker analyses why evolution has given us the need to tell stories and illustrates how storytelling has provided a uniquely revealing mirror to mankind's psychological development over the past 5000 years. This seminal book opens up in an entirely new way our understanding of the real purpose storytelling plays in our lives, and will be a talking point for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
A great resource to help you write a bestselling novel or highly successful movie screenplay........2007-09-23
I liked this book very much. It was kind of longwinded. But since it is a resource book and not a mere how-to on writing, I could overlook how long it was. The more content the better because it gave me more examples and things to think about regarding the subject matter.
The book is broken into four basic parts:
1. The 7 basic plots
2. Stories told well
3. Stories not told well
4. Why people tell stories
And the 7 basic plots are as follows:
1. Overcoming themonster
2. Rags to riches
3. A journey - the quest
4. A journey - the voyage and return
5. Comedies
6. Tragedies
7. Rebirth
This book took 34 years to write (so says the author). But I think it took so long because the author was not motivated to finish it a lot sooner. This is true even though the book is kind of heavy at 728 pages. There are many stories cited throughout the book as examples of what the author discusses. And all the stories cited are referenced in an index at the end of the book.
What I liked the most about the book was how logical and informative it was. I particularly liked the fact that I could look at the Table of Contents and pretty much tell what the book was about. As a result, reading the book was a pleasure. However, I did have to dig a little when it came to Chapter 12. At first glance I thought the author had added another plot and forgotten to tell me about it or to redo the title of the book. I probably would have liked the book better if Chapter 12 had been put someplace else.
When I read this book I also read The Writer's Journey (ISBN: 193290736X) and Story (ISBN: 0060391685). All three books compliment each other and relate to the art/process of writing a bestselling novel, drama, or movie script. I recommend if you read one, then go ahead and read all three.
At the end of this book there is a glossary of terms. I found it to be a little helpful. In fact, I found it to be very helpful when reading The Writer's Journey because that book failed to have a glossary. 5 stars!
Deepy impressive.......2007-09-12
I am no literary expert but this changed the way I thought about the role stories play in our lives. I watch films and movies with a new found excitement. There may be better books but this did it for me
True or not, a fascinating theory.......2007-08-14
Booker's thesis is not so much that all of storytelling contains a specific number of plots--a theory that can never be proven, be it seven, twelve, fifty, or one hundred--only that certain topics come up again and again throughout the history of literature. Why? is the question his book asks, and Booker's answers are fascinating, based on his readings of the most influentical classics in history.
His answer draws from Jung's theory of archetypes, the supposedly immutable patterns we follow in our path of self-development. (The book draws heavily from Jung, so if you're averse to his theories you probably won't enjoy it.) Basically he's saying that good stories help us accept life's challenges, grow up, face and overcome evil, and carry forward our culture and our values. Why such a theory should be controversial or threatening to some people is beyond me. Narrow? Not really--just a point in view, and one persuasively argued and eloquently written. It's long, yes, and it does have a shocking number of typos, but who cares. Booker has a gift for writing about complex ideas with simplicity, elegance, and power. Give me more writing with lousy proofreading if it's anything like this!
As for myself I think the archetypes are real. I discovered this book after finishing my novel, The Islander, only to discover that my main character's plot fit Booker's Rags to Riches category, while another character's plot fit the Voyage and Return archetype. I was not aware of these patterns while writing the book, but they clearly asserted themselves whether I was conscious of them or not.
Booker is a little hard on Romanticism and harder still on modern or experimental writing, likewise on the predominantly ironic fiction of the twentieth century (a judgment made by Northrop Frye), and sometimes this does give him the air of a moral censor. On the other hand it's refreshing to find someone who thinks there is something very serious at stake going on with our storytelling. Good stories can make us better people, he argues, and bad stories can make us worse, and I agree with him. And much of the fictional pond these days, while interesting and entertaining, is certainly polluted: nothing you would want to raise your children on.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered about the value of fiction in our world. It's not just for fun. It's central to who we are, and what we say in it really matters.
Long, and often redundant, but..........2007-03-05
...the worst problem is the appalling copyediting and proofreading. I counted no less than three occasions of a dropped word on a single page, repeated words on others, and the author seems to have a great deal of trouble making his nouns and verbs agree in number.
While the author's thesis is quite interesting, especially to a writer, and there is much value in the work, these egregious errors bring the reader up short and really undermine the author's authority. Publishers: Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! And judicious copyediting would probably have tightened - and considerably shortened - the present work as well.
A very fine read.......2007-01-12
Long -yes. The author has a distinct point of view - yes. So what? I became lost in this book for hours at a time and found it making me think about literature in new ways. A definite keeper!
Customer Reviews:
Education to those not knowing.......2004-07-10
This book explains the depth the Nazis went to get rid of whole nationalities,races and religions. It teaches readers young and old of how awful the circumstances where and how some survived. They have beautiful pictures, and vivid accounts of survivors. I would recommend this for schools and young children. Some children dont see the importance of this and they will learn that they should not repeat this cruel history, we teach them to learn from past mistakes to prevent the end of the future.
One of the Best Holocaust books to read.......2001-11-21
This book gives a good explanation of the Holocaust with pictures and everything. I've read many a Holocaust book and this one is one of the best so if your looking for a Holocaust book look no more this is the one.
An inncredible book.......2001-03-12
To start of this is an very inncredible book. It is ashamed it had to happen, but that is how life is. The book explains great detail of the Holocaust. When I first read this book I wanted to cry it is so emotional. If I had the chance to go back in time I would run away for all of this hatred.I really enjoyed this book, and I really like how Susan wrote it. Next time I will by another good book from her.
This book was very information-packed and very well-done........1998-11-30
I am a fifth-grader who is reading this book for a book report on the Rebecca Caudell Awards book list. This book is very informational about the Holocaust and tells things in a very detailled way, not a broad way as in some books. The book told what happened at the camps and what happened in the ghettos. I think that the book was very well done and the chronology and the glossary were both done very well. The stories of the people who suffered really made an impact on me. Most of the stories were very short but some of them were long and I think that they were important.
Book Description
Writers collaborate with Virginia Indians to provide readers with candid accounts of their living history, insights to current reservation culture, and hopes for the future. Using extensive interviews and authentic photographs, We're Still Here allows the Indians of Virginia to share their rich history as well as issues they encounter every day. Book includes index, glossary, and other resources.
Customer Reviews:
a Virginia reader.......2002-11-04
Very interesting book. I learned a lot and was entertained as well. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's interested in the struggles of Native Americans and how they live today. Also a handy tribe map and recipes!
informative, enlighting, educational!!.......2000-10-10
This book did much to enrich my very limited knowlege of the contemporary Virginia Indian . It provides a great wealth of knowlege for any reader interested in Indians living throughout Virginia today, as well as for the reader who may be introduced to the subject for the first time. It also does much to eliminate the sterotype thinking of those whose only introduction to the Virginia Indian community may be through a childhood visit to the Jamestown Settlement or the story of Pocahontas. By focusing on telling their story through personal interviews, you get to know some of these vibrant people and, the difficulties they faced growing up Indian.. As one of the women said, it was diffucult to be Indian and live in two different worlds. For anyone who wants to learn more about the subject, this is a must read! It is a great research tool for anyone who wants true insite into the history of the eight state recognized tribes in Virginia, as well as providing a fascinating account of the many compexities of Virginia Indians today It is informative, educational, well-documented and well-written!.
Book Description
38413 The shock of entry into World War II proved to be energizing to the nation and to us as a people. Rather than the grand actions that historians would have us believe is the story of war, these stories are human stories, stories of the men who put their life on the line out of a sense of duty, of responsibility, of patriotism, of loyalty to comrades. Mostly though, their choices came about because they were in situations that gave them the choice of doing what was needed, of dying, of redemption or for some battlefield situations, of escaping into insanity. Within the civilian population something can be seen of their effort and their sacrifice that produced the goods of war that made winning possible. Not thinking of themselves as heroic or unusual, their stories, for the most part, were unknown to the families of the individuals telling them. I have been fortunate that within family and friends I have uncovered the previously untold stories of civilian as well as soldiers that provide a broad picture of involvement in a spectrum of actions during that period of time identified as WW II. These stories range from the commonly accepted stories of battles and battlefield action to the story of a young woman living through the occupation of Holland and resulting starvation as well as that of her cousin who spent the war in Germany as a labor prisoner, where he endured with the German people the massive bombings that killed at least 12,000 people in the city of Frankfurt. Much of the military action described is of campaigns in the Pacific Theater where I spent 22 months in a non-combat role. Twin brothers were also there and engaged in six major campaigns beginning with Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, and Okinawa to provide an unforgettable picture of ground war action. One friend was living in Honolulu during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Another friend was involved in the Normandy attack, a cousin was badly wounded i
Book Description
Rescue Heroes Reader #1 introduces the heroic emergency workers to beginning readers. Meet Billy Blazes, Wendy Waters, Jake Justice, Ariel Flyer and many other rescues -- and learn about the jobs they do to help save people and animals in trouble.
Customer Reviews:
Rescue hero fans delight!.......2006-02-25
My grandson loved this. He is a Rescue Hero fan. I thought the stories were rather repetitive and uninteresting but what's a grandma to know.
Encouragement for Choosing Honorable Heroes.......2006-02-24
This book is wonderful. It gives individual accounts for all the Rescue Heros on what encouraged them to become Rescue Heroes. My son loves Rescue Heroes and My Husband and I love the values that they represent. My son's heroes are policemen, firemen, Doctors, scientist's, etc. I appreciate this much more than having his heroes be superheroes with super-abilities that use physical violence to catch bad guys. Rescue Heroes protect and rescue people and animals from natural disasters. A thumbs up to Fisher-Price for keeping toys with good values in their line of toys.
Stereotypical story for Young Rescue Hero Fans.......2006-01-16
The book covers most of the major characters with a picture and a story about how they became a Rescue Hero. From an adult prospective it is not very creative. The story for each character is pretty predictable. But for really young kids who are the true fans, it is neat for them to get a story behind their favorite character. The stories are about a page long so if the child is not that into Rescue Heroes as does not have a long attention span they may find the book boring. My four year loves the Rescue heroes, so of course he loved this book. But I believe once he no longer loves the Rescue Heroes he probaly will not care at all about the book.
Great if you're new to Rescue Heroes.......2005-12-30
Buy this book if you have absolutely no idea who these guys are. I certainly didn't until we read this book - it contains a synopsis of each of the heroes and how they decided to become the people they are now. It is very, very interesting and it captivates young children quite easily. They each tell a story of something that happened to them in their lives when they were young that made them decide to become a rescue hero. I highly recommend it again, if you're new to this series. However, if you're looking for a story, this one definitely is not the choice. But, I think every fan should have this book to read and reread about their favorite hero. I also think that someone at Fisher Price should hire someone that could write more interesting stories for these guys. This is absolutely a fantastic idea and they should spend some more time developing it!
Helps parents too!.......2005-08-03
My 4yr. old son loves this book, not only because it's a Rescue Hereos book but also because there are so many of them noted inside. He loves to count them, learn about each one and see what each was looks like. The prices are reasonable, it continues to keep my son interested in reading and it's a reference for me as a parent when buying or suggesting gifts.
Book Description
Two sisters and the runaway cousin for whom they are searching find themselves in an adventure.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent--just like a movie!.......2000-03-22
I read this in 5th grade and it inspired me to want to make a movie out of it. I was also happy that this was a sequel to Help! I'm a Prisoner in The Library, which I also enjoyed. Clifford has the characters and plot well established. Very creative. Check it out!
Customer Reviews:
A Great Anthology.......2006-11-16
This is a pretty fantastic anthology of recent short fiction by American women. I used it for a women's writing class I taught a couple of years ago without having first read it through and I found it as funny, strange, wild and exciting as my students did. A book club might not like this book, but Female undergraduates (and male), English majors especially, like it immensely, at least that was my experience of using it as an academic text. I'm about to adopt it for another course (a couple of years after first teaching with it)-- that's the extent of the impression it left on me. The stories are not dull, in the least. HIGHLY recommended, even for the reader who just wants something he or she can dip into from time to time.
More Stories We tell: Short stories by North American women.......2005-12-09
These stories are garbage. Not one of the women in my book club (all sophisticated readers) enjoyed this book. Save your money.
Benchmark writing from an editor of long standing.......2004-07-24
The anthologist, Wendy Martin, edited one of the best anthologies of women's writing long ago, in 1990, when Tama Jamowitz still had artistic currency. That book was called, "We Are The Stories We Tell" and it was quite a popular book of its kind. Now, 14 years later, a sequel creeps in with a different cast of characters. It's funny whose writing is now "out" who was once "in." Martin seems determined to give us a different kind of E-Ticket ride this time around, but some of her old favorites have made it back into this book as well. Thus for exanple, both books feature the ubiquitous Joyce Carol Oates, as well as the slightly tarnished Bobbie Ann Mason and Canada's Alice Munro, whose stature has been firmly cemented in the years since WATSWT #1 was launched.
In addition, Ann Beattie is here, even if we haven't heard that much from Ms. Beattie since the glory days of "dirty realism." Her star has been supplanted by younger others, including ZZ Packer, the Bay Area wunderkind who went to Stanford as a Stegner Fellow, and Marisa Silver, whose stories of Hollywood lives are as poignant as anything written by Nathanael West or Dawn Powell. In addition, a fair number of more experimental writers have crept in, thus no more Flannery O'Connor, instead we have the wonderful Amy Hempel and the satisfactory Lynn Freed. The turnover is just beginning. But a woman reviewer might have other things to say, and different social significances to be noted.
Book Description
A collection of 26 of the finest stories by the finest women writers tocome out of the U.S. and Canada in the past 50 years. Authors include Ann Beattie, Ann Tyler, Tama Janowitz and Alice Walker.
Customer Reviews:
Starts off somewhat slow..........2007-04-14
This is a collection of stories dealing with women writers from North America - and not all of them are your typical female literature. I didn't like first few stories, but then it picked up the pace when it came to stories of Flannery O'Conner & Joyce Carol Oates, as well as few lesser-known names. I'm sure that this will force the reader to pick up a book or two by some authors mentioned in the book.
Books:
- When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal With Friends Who Betray, Abandon, or Wound You
- When I Fall in Love
- When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race
- When the Light Goes: A Novel
- Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes And How To Correct Them: Lessons From The New Science Of Behavioral Economics
- Women without Class: Girls, Race, and Identity
- Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis
- X-Men: The End Book One: Dreamers And Demons
- Yoda - Dark Rendezvous (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)
- A Family Reunion
Books Index
Books Home
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General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Carried Away: A Selection of Stories (Everyman's Library)
The Year of Magical Thinking
Collected Stories (Everyman's Library)
Play It As It Lays, Second Edition: A Novel
Where I Was From
