The History of Love: A Novel

The History of Love: A Novel
Average customer rating:

When will it end? Where will it end?

A Unique Read

Read it twice to love it

Lovely book

Involved but touching at places

The History of Love: A Novel
Nicole Krauss
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393328627

Amazon.com

Nicole Krauss's The History of Love is a hauntingly beautiful novel about two characters whose lives are woven together in such complex ways that even after the last page is turned, the reader is left to wonder what really happened. In the hands of a less gifted writer, unraveling this tangled web could easily give way to complete chaos. However, under Krauss's watchful eye, these twists and turns only strengthen the impact of this enchanting book.

The History of Love spans of period of over 60 years and takes readers from Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe to present day Brighton Beach. At the center of each main character's psyche is the issue of loneliness, and the need to fill a void left empty by lost love. Leo Gursky is a retired locksmith who immigrates to New York after escaping SS officers in his native Poland, only to spend the last stage of his life terrified that no one will notice when he dies. ("I try to make a point of being seen. Sometimes when I'm out, I'll buy a juice even though I'm not thirsty.") Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer vacillates between wanting to memorialize her dead father and finding a way to lift her mother's veil of depression. At the same time, she's trying to save her brother Bird, who is convinced he may be the Messiah, from becoming a 10-year-old social pariah. As the connection between Leo and Alma is slowly unmasked, the desperation, along with the potential for salvation, of this unique pair is also revealed.

The poetry of her prose, along with an uncanny ability to embody two completely original characters, is what makes Krauss an expert at her craft. But in the end, it's the absolute belief in the uninteruption of love that makes this novel a pleasure, and a wonder to behold. --Gisele Toueg

Book Description

The illuminating national bestseller: "Vertiginously exciting…vibrantly imagined….[Krauss is] a prodigious talent."—Janet Maslin, New York Times

A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother's loneliness.

Leo Gursky is just about surviving, tapping his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbor know he's still alive. But life wasn't always like this: sixty years ago, in the Polish village where he was born, Leo fell in love and wrote a book. And though Leo doesn't know it, that book survived, inspiring fabulous circumstances, even love. Fourteen-year-old Alma was named after a character in that very book. And although she has her hands full—keeping track of her brother, Bird (who thinks he might be the Messiah), and taking copious notes on How to Survive in the Wild—she undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family. With consummate, spellbinding skill, Nicole Krauss gradually draws together their stories.

This extraordinary book was inspired by the author's four grandparents and by a pantheon of authors whose work is haunted by loss—Bruno Schulz, Franz Kafka, Isaac Babel, and more. It is truly a history of love: a tale brimming with laughter, irony, passion, and soaring imaginative power.

Customer Reviews:

When will it end? Where will it end?.......2007-09-29

This book was so well reviewed by the majority of readers that I feel I have to weigh in since my thoughts on the book are not as appeciative. Krauss can turn a phrase deftly and beautifully at times and there were some passages in the book worth writing down and saving but the story, essentially one of plagiarism, ill-fated love and missed opportunities becomes a slog. In fact, whenever the narration leaves Leo's first person and switches to Alma, or Bird near the end (why Bird!?), it loses strength. The story, convoluted as it is, doesn't sustain itself and in the end you just want it all to get wrapped up. It does but in a sketchy kind of way that still leaves lots of questions (but not in an interesting literary kind of way; more a "Oh please get on with it" kind of way). I started not to care about any of the characters except Leo who I just wanted to win one at last. Even his second book is-- unwittingly-- plagiarized by being pubished under his dead son's name. The fixation on Alma is obviously an Alma of the past because the Alma Leo meets once he arrives in America basically sends him on his way. Leo's story is the most compelling and the whole book, as far as I'm concerned, could have been about him and then might have been a great book. The book suffers from the hype of being fashionable but I don't think will stand the test of time.

A Unique Read.......2007-09-24

This book about the history of a book called the History of Love was a joy to read. Intelligently written, unique characters, and out and out funny at times. Wish there were more of these out there.

Read it twice to love it.......2007-09-23

This is a book you will love or hate. It takes time and rereading to understand it. If you put in the love and the time, just as in life, it will bring you understanding.

Lovely book.......2007-09-08

"History of Love" is compelling story, told in a non-linear fashion, so the experience of reading the book resembles the experience of being in love. This author is quite wise for someone her age -- she depicts an old man, young teenage girl, and other characters with depth and interest.

Involved but touching at places.......2007-09-05

Leo Gursky, a Polish Jew, loves a girl and, unknowingly, gets her pregnant. She goes off to the U.S., expecting him to join her there. He fails to and the War intervenes. She gives birth to Isaac and finding her boss's son treating the baby sweetly, and finding that Leo had not come over, marries the boss's son and gives him a son. Meanwhile Leo having written, in Yiddish, "The History of Love", gives the manuscript to Litvinoff to be kept till they meet again. Litvinoff takes it to Chile and after some time publishes it in Spanish as if it were his own work.Years pass. Isaac, now a renowned author, comes across the "History of Love" and sends it to Alma's mother to be translated into English. Alma, eager to see that her mother, a widow, finds a man, tries to trace Isac and ends up with finding Leo.That briefly is the story. Leo met his girl friend in New York after escaping the horrors of the Holocaust and the War, and askd her to come away with him. She refuses, being the wife of another and again a mother of their child. Leo remains single. This would have made for a very moving story by itself.Krauss does not develop this aspect. Leo attends incognito the funeral service held for his son, Isaac,and is taken to his house by Bernard, Isac's step-brother, where he sees the photo of his girl friend. He is unable to reveal to Bernard his relationship to Isaac. This is another part of the story which, if developed, would have been emotionally fulfilling. Leo had written another book titled, "Words for Everythig" and sent it to Isaac. This book gets published after Isaac's death as though it had been written by Isaac. Leo muses that Isaac should have read it and understood Leo was his father. Another aspect fit for development. Here also Krauss has failed. Instead there is the involved use of a girl, Alma, whose role does not jive well with the main part of the story. But there are gems of observations such as, "There is nothing to match God's silence", "the role of a father is to teach his son how to live without the father", "when a Jew prays, he is asking God a question that has no end". Also where Krauss writes about Leo thinking in retospect of all whom he had lost during his life, it is touching. The book is a good read but cannot be rated as high as it seems to have been. Sampath

Average customer rating:

Great
luv it!
Loved it!!
Wonderful
Nice read

Her Only Desire: A Novel
Gaelen Foley
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345480112
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

From the exotic splendors of India to the elegant ballrooms of Regency London, celebrated author Gaelen Foley pens the enthralling tale of a luscious beauty who has sworn never to call any man her master, and the powerful marquess whose passion threatens to conquer her. . . .

Born into the wealthy British ruling class of India, Georgiana Knight is as unconventional as she is beautiful. She has sworn not to marry till she meets a man who will treat her as an equal–but that vow doesn’t appease her sensual curiosity. When Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, arrives on a mission to defuse the threat of war, she is immediately drawn to the mysterious and darkly handsome diplomat, and cannot resist provoking the hidden lust that smolders beneath his cool surface.

Ian is mesmerized by Georgie’s alluring mystique but burdened by a dark secret. And she is a temptation he cannot afford. But when she becomes entangled in his mission, she must be secreted away to England for her own safety. Georgie finds herself in the unfamiliar world of aristocratic London, where Ian becomes her guide, her confidant . . . her seducer. His incendiary kiss sets her soul on fire, and Georgie knows she will never be satisfied until she has made this magnificent man her own.

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2007-08-27

This is a great book...seems to be in "classic" Foley style. I can't wait for the next two.

luv it!.......2007-08-13

I love all G.F. books. If you love battle of the sexes, wit, charm and intense emotion, Gaelen Foley is the author you've been waiting for. I just finished all of her books and have proudly cried through each one. I'm not a cryer and to read a book and cry at the same time is a world record for me, but I did it and I'm not ashamed of it because her books are worth it!!!!!

Loved it!!.......2007-08-11

This is a well written, fast paced romance. Lots of drama and excitement as well as the romantic part of the story.

Wonderful.......2007-07-30

This is yet another wonderful story by Gaelon Foley. Her attention to detail along with the sparks between the characters make this book hard to put down.

Nice read.......2007-07-21

Gaelen Foley did a nice job with this book. The first part of the book takes place in India, and it's very detailed and easy to visualize the scenes. The remainder takes place in England. Some of the storyline is a little unbelieveable, but for the most part, it is an excellent story and a fun read.

The Taste of Innocence: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels)

Average customer rating:

I really liked this book...
Sorry Charlie, but you didn't cut it.
Fourteenth in the Cynster series
disappionted fan
Not that Bad!!!

The Taste of Innocence: A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels)
Stephanie Laurens
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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What Price Love? : A Cynster Novel (Cynster Novels)

ASIN: 0060840862
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

For no gentleman is this more true than Charles Morwellan, the eighth Earl of Meredith. Although he's seen the many successful unions of his Cynster connections, he has also watched his father's obsessions nearly destroy their family and fortune, a mistake Charles will not repeat. But as Lord Meredith he must marry, so he offers for Sarah, the daughter of his neighbors Lord and Lady Conningham. She's intelligent enough to run his social life, beautiful enough to grace his arm, and old enough to know the value of his offer.

For most young ladies of the ton, the right marriage is the culmination of years of training, perfect deportment, and intricate plans that would impress a general. But as a lady of independent means with a life of her own, Sarah is unwilling to wed unless it is for unbounded love.

But Charles always gets what he wants. He convinces Sarah to give him two weeks to win her; if he succeeds, they will marry immediately. And so begins an intense courtship. By day, Charles and Sarah are models of decorum indulging in innocuous walks, polite conversation, sedate waltzes. Each night they steal away to the lush, moonlit gardens, where sensual embraces turn to searing kisses, and much, much more. Both are swept away on a tide of passion and feeling neither can resist.

And yet, after the wedding, despite nights of insatiable passion, Charles remains aloof, as if the near-sinful sweetness of their nights exists only in a dream. Sarah battles to prove that true love is a force that can't be contained, a gift worth fighting for, but it's only when she's engulfed in a web of increasingly dangerous incidents that Charles discovers how much he's willing to surrender to protect . . . the taste of innocence.

Customer Reviews:

I really liked this book..........2007-09-13

...Until they got married and Charlie revealed his true immaturity. I think the way he treated Sarah was shoddy and I lost all respect for him at that point. In my book, real men shouldn't be afraid to "admit" that they care for someone, and saying "I love you", (if you mean it), does not diminish ones masculinity. Charlie comes off as damaged goods and as someone with control issues in this novel and Sarah is the only grown-up in their relationship. This is a turn-off to me.
Yes, they do have a happy ending, but I feel sorry for Sarah and hope that he is there for her (emotionally and physically) when the babies start coming and afterward.

Later: Goodness! I was kind of harsh when I rated this book. The end does get better and Charlie and Sarah do resolve their differences. Maybe their anguish makes the resolution sweeter? If I can identify that much with the characters so that I (as the reader) feel emotionally involved, that may be a good thing. At least I am reacting to the story, and not bored.

Sorry Charlie, but you didn't cut it........2007-06-26

I really tried to give Charlie the benefit of the doubt but come on. How long did Charlie think he was going to have a hot time in the bed at night while he treated his new wife like dirt during the day? And the "I'm afraid to love" was a real turn-off. He never even seemed man enough to me to rate as a hero. At least the Cynster men could kick some serious a** so their struggles with love seemed macho. Charlie just seemed like a whining baby. Just because his father made bad decisions hadn't a thing to do with love in my book. He was just a weak man and left Althea to run the family. Sorry, Charlie, you just aren't grown up enough for me to lust after.

And what was it with this book saying that Portia and Simon aren't married yet? The Perfect Lover (their book) came out FOUR years before this book. That was an editing mistake that really bothered me.

I love the Cynsters but maybe this series is just tired.

Fourteenth in the Cynster series.......2007-06-10

This is the fourteenth novel in the Cynster series but it works very well as a standalone book with just occasional glimpses of characters from the other books. It gives an interesting insight into the wooing and the early days of a marriage between an Earl and a woman whom he has known his entire life. Sarah Conningham is a 23 year old woman who is part of a happy family and whose nature is warm and loving. However the reason that she has turned down several offers of marriage in the last few years is because she believes that marriage without love isn't worth it - she's only going to marry for love. The inconvenient attraction she feels for Charlie Morwellan, eighth Earl of Meredith, is something she has to ignore as he has no interest whatsoever in her.

When Charlie offers for Sarah it is because he knows she will make the perfect countess. They have grown up together and although they don't know each other well he knows that she is just what he needs. However he's surprised to find that she doesn't instantly accept his proposal but instead asks for two weeks to get to know him. Charlie decides to use the time to persuade her into the marriage and goes about this with traditional wooing mixed up with sensual experience. A lot of the first section of the book is details of their kissing and more but it's well written and it gives an idea of the characters, their thoughts and how they are getting to know each other.

The second part of the book follows their early days of marriage when Charlie realises he has fallen in love with his wife but is afraid it will cause him to make bad decisions, as his father did, and so he tries to withdraw. Although whilst reading the story this makes some kind of sense, subsequently it all seems a bit unlikely. However, Charlie and Sarah's relationship has its troubles and there are also some unfortunate events taking place at an orphanage of which Sarah is the patroness. Is there a deeper plot against the owner of the orphanage? Will Charlie come to his senses? What is the link with the railway scam and their troubles?

Stephanie Laurens' writing style is very good. Although there's a fair amount of sex in this book it's written in a pleasant and loving style and it is part of the overall plot. The characters grow and change as the story progresses, Sarah coming into her element as countess and understanding more about her husband than perhaps he does, Charlie realising that his priorities in life up to now haven't been right. The 'baddie' in this story is a rather half-hearted one and it was fairly easy to guess who it was but the plot about the attacks on the orphanage added some interest to the story. Overall it was a very enjoyable read and although sometimes Charlie seemed to speak in a rather modern American manner about emotions, it was good to have a happy ending without too much heartache in the middle.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

disappionted fan.......2007-06-09

Let me start by saying that I am a true Laurens fan. I have every book she has written and this is the first time that I was truly not interested. The characters were really boring and almost seemed like robots to me because they had no depth. The plot was fine, I know people complain about the similarity to her other books, but I find comfort in the familiarity.

Now the reason I am truly not happy is because this book lacks passion. There I said it and I am not ashamed! I read Stephanie Laurens books because they tell a story about characters that usually have a sizzling heat between them. Her books are always well written, rich with detail, and that only adds to the romance. However, this book is all detail and very little romance....much less passion.

By the end of the book I felt like I was reading about my grandparents. I feel like Mrs.Laurens has grown almost clinical in her writing. I wish she would go back and read some of her older books like "A Rakes Vow", "All about Passion", or even more recently "A Gentleman's Honor". Not only do the characters really really like one another in those books.....I know why they do.

I have seen a trend in her most recent books leading to this one and I do not like it. I want my romance back, I want to know why the main characters like one another. There was internal dialog in this book, but that was the problem....I did not know what they were thinking because it was basically completely internal.

Most of all I want my passion back, the fiery discourse. I have always loved the exaggerated interactions in her older books....romance novels are fantasy and they give so much inspiration!

Not that Bad!!!.......2007-04-25

The other reviews were a little harsh. Even though this book was a little longer than Laurens previous cynster novels, I still liked it. It was a love story with a mystery thrown in. If this is your first Lauren's title, I wouldn't recommend it, but it was a great continuation of the Cynster stories!!!

Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies

Average customer rating:

To each their own...
Delicious!
Wonderful book - one of my favorites!
Like water for chocolate
magical mystical ride...

Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies
Laura Esquivel
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 038542017X
Release Date: 1995-10-01

Book Description

Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in tum-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit.

Download Description

Earthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life inturn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with itswinning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit. The classic lovestory takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy.

While still in her mother's womb, her daughter-to-be weeps so violentlyshe causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices andfixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes away of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef. She shares specialpoints of her favorite preparations with listeners throughout the story.

"A tall tale, fairy tale, soap-opera romance, Mexican cookbook, andhome-remedy handbook all rolled into one."
   SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

"A wondrous romantic tale. Esquivel has given us a banquet."
   LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Like Water for Chocolate is deceptively simple and simplywonderful. A story of love, sex, war, and the sweep of Mexican historythat belongs to women."
   BOSTON GLOBE

"A mystical, piquant novel. Like Water for Chocolate is a savoryand satisfying tale."
   PEOPLE

Customer Reviews:

To each their own..........2007-10-01

I picked this book up for free at an orchard, they have a great book give away system. I had heard of this before but never read it. It was okay, but I'm sure I'll never read it again. The story is about 3 sisters and their mom on a ranch is Mexico. The older sister marries the younger one's love, and the story takes off. The problem is, I didn't connect with any of these characters. They story would have grim reality, then fantasy in the next paragraph. I can undrestand why some people would enjoy this, but it's not my thing. I think this is one of those books that you'll love or hate. If you love this book, you'll be shaking your head and wondering what's wrong with me that I didn't like it. If you didn't care for it, you'll understand what I'm saying. Whatever, to each their own.

Delicious!.......2007-08-04

The story of Elena De la Garza, the youngest daughter of Tita, is told by Tita's granddaughter. Cultural tradition is that as the youngest daughter, Tita must remain with her mother, unmarried, to care for her until she dies.
Tita's sister Gertrudis marries Tita's love Pedro. Rosaura has love fire and goes off to the Revolution to couple with a general in the army and becomes an officer of the army herself. This book is fantasy, magic, emotion, reality of love, told in chapters headed by ancient Mexican recipes handed down for generations. Ingeniously constructed, with a beautiful voice, this book is a classic.

Wonderful book - one of my favorites!.......2007-07-20

Laura Esquival's story is about love and passion intertwined with food and family. Each chapter begins with a delicious recipe that connects to the story about Tita, the heroine of the book.

You fall in love with the characters, laugh and smile when good things happen, and cry when unfortunate events tear at their hearts. It's a page turner that fires up the imagination. It will make you hungry and want to fall in love at the same time.

This is one of my favorite books. I read it at least once a year.

Like water for chocolate .......2007-06-13

This book is a story is about a young girl that is in love with this young man. When he wants to go ask her hand in marriage Mama Elena says "No." The reason that she says no is because of a stupid tradition. That says that the youngest girl in the De la Garza family can not get married. They have to take care of there mother till she dies.

So when the young man finds out he thinks that the closes why he can get to Tita is by marring her sister. So he does. When Tita finds out she is heart broken. Not only did she just lose the man that she loved; now she had to live seeing him with her sister. What really hurt her most was that she had to make the wedding cake. When she was making some of her tears got into the ingredients and that mad the cake go bad. While her sister was eating it she felt sick and throw-up all over her white dress. Rosaura said that Tita was trying to ruin her wedding night by making her sick.

I really like the way that the author describes everything so good. Like when Tita was making dinner, how she was cutting the chilies, and the sound that the meat made when it touched the hot pan. I also liked the setting that the author had. Some thing that I would change would be the ending. But I had to read it two times to get it. But this is a really good book so you should read it if you like soap-opera romance,and fairy- tale.

magical mystical ride..........2007-05-30

Like Water for Chocolate is a wonderful, magical even mystical ride. A lyrical tale of food, love, romance and heartbreak. Highly recommended.
Laura Esquivel writes a beautiful story that will stay with you for years.

Average customer rating:

quirky verb
Friends is better
Disappointing
Hard To Believe
Not Without Its Charms

You Don't Love Me Yet: A Novel
Jonathan Lethem
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 038551218X
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

With his sixth novel, You Don't Love Me Yet, Jonathan Lethem continues to show off his dexterity with the form, following up the coming-of-age epic The Fortress of Solitude with a dreamlike, comic portrait of the Los Angeles art scene. Lethem craftily sets up his ruse with a letter of complaint from Falmouth Strand (a seemingly minor character) who warns us that the book we are about to read completely misrepresents the truth. Falmouth is a former installation artist who has turned from sculpting objects to "manipulating people's despair, pensiveness, ennui." For his latest project, he has posted signs around Los Angeles: "Complaints? Call 213 291 7778." The novel centers around Lucinda (the perfect, unwitting instrument for Falmouth's manipulation), a bass player in a would-be indie rock quartet with nearly enough good songs for a 35-minute set (if you don't count the two they don't like anymore). Lucinda has vowed to stop sleeping with the band's lead singer Matthew (for real, this time), launching a search for true love as drunken and misguided as the band's search for a decent name. She abandons her upscale barista gig to answer complaint calls for Falmouth's conceptual art piece. Before long, she finds herself drawn to a regular whose curious words are "like a pulse detected in a vast dead carcass" of daily complaints. By way of Lucinda, the "genius" complainer's words spark the band's next song, setting them on a shaky upward trajectory all too familiar in the art world. Various characters want (or don't want) to take credit for the song's apparent success, but who deserves it? The complainer who nonchalantly rattled off the words, Lucinda who wrote them down, the remaining band members who collaboratively put them to music, or Falmouth himself, who passively engineered the whole thing?

Fans of Fortress and Motherless Brooklyn may find this novel's levity too drastic a shift, but even though Lethem is having a great time here with wordplay, a motley cast, and Lucinda's sexual meanderings, You Don't Love Me Yet is anything but a simple entertainment. He plays with our notions of art and authorship, enjoying a bit of advanced cribbery himself as he experiments with Shakespearean antics and inexplicable love match-ups. At every turn, Lethem seems to be asking sticky questions: Can anyone create the consummate intersection of dream, desire, and reality that art (and great sex) embodies? Will it last, and should it? Can any one writer capture that moment with a few meager words? If they did, how long would it take for it to be reduced to meaningless slogan? --Heidi Broadhead

Book Description

From the incomparable Jonathan Lethem, a raucous romantic farce that explores the paradoxes of love and art

Lucinda Hoekke spends eight hours a day at the Complaint Line, listening to anonymous callers air their random grievances. Most of the time, the work is excruciatingly tedious. But one frequent caller, who insists on speaking only to Lucinda, captivates her with his off-color ruminations and opaque self-reflections. In blatant defiance of the rules, Lucinda and the Complainer arrange a face-to-face meeting—and fall desperately in love.
Consumed by passion, Lucinda manages only to tear herself away from the Complainer to practice with the alternative band in which she plays bass. The lead singer of the band is Matthew, a confused young man who works at the zoo and has kidnapped a kangaroo to save it from ennui. Denise, the drummer, works at No Shame, a masturbation boutique. The band’s talented lyricist, Bedwin, conflicted about the group’s as-yet-nonexistent fame, is suffering from writer’s block. Hoping to recharge the band’s creative energy, Lucinda “suggests” some of the Complainer’s philosophical musings to Bedwin. When Bedwin transforms them into brilliant songs, the band gets its big break, including an invitation to appear on L.A.’s premiere alternative radio show. The only problem is the Complainer. He insists on joining the band, with disastrous consequences for all.
Brimming with satire and sex, You Don’t Love Me Yet is a funny and affectionate send-up of the alternative band scene, the city of Los Angeles, and the entire genre of romantic comedy, but remains unmistakably the work of the inimitable Jonathan Lethem.

Customer Reviews:

quirky verb.......2007-10-06

I just read "you don't love me yet", and there's something that's bugging me and I can't let it go. page 171
"Arrived, they strolled among the exhibits, browsing incognito on the eucalyptus-littered paths."

Was this the author's phrasing, or was this a copy-editor's suggestion? very unusual i think. this book is not as good as motherless brooklyn, but it reads fast and is worth a look.

Friends is better.......2007-09-01

Having suggested this book for our book club as "something different" based on a review in Entertainment Weekly, I have become the scourge of our group and have been banned from making any further suggestions for one year.
Seriously, reviewers are making this book out to be WAY more than it could have been, favorably comparing it to the genius of the television show "Friends"... NO.
Lethem has a definite style and a keen grasp of plot and pacing, however, the characters are not worthy of a story, uninteresting, uncompelling repulsive? shallow. Possibly, that is Lethem's point.
One book club member theorized that, riding the success of his last novel, he spent six heady months in the LA underbelly masquerading as a band groupie looking for material for another book and this is the result.
I don't necessarily agree, but I am not as insightful as my compatriots.
I am not about to write off Lethem and will definitely read his other, highly praised novels. I don't love this author yet.

Disappointing.......2007-08-28

I found it hard to like the characters, which I realize might have been the intention of the author, but I also found that I did not really care what happened to them. So, what would be the point of finishing the book? The plot was simply put, lacking.

Hard To Believe.......2007-08-06

I seem to more or less agree with all the comments on here. I found a lot of things hard to believe in this book. Lucinda and Carl's relationship for one. What was their attraction to each other? Why would Lucinda be interested in Carl?

Being a musician, I always hate reading fiction books about bands, because they're generally way off and sadly this one did the same thing a lot of other books have done. Get a band together, average musicians likely, and have them play their first show. And somehow they're a huge success, getting people to ask for an encore (and somehow know the name of the song - most PAs at even good clubs aren't good enough for people to really distinguish the words of a song from a rock band), and then get swarmed with offers for radio, management, and a record deal. It's not to say there aren't overnight successes, but nothing like this.

I've been in bands that had really good shows and went over well, but it was never anything like this and from years of following other bands (including ones who are quite successful) I know it's not true for them either.

Not Without Its Charms.......2007-08-02

It's mildly astounding that a writer possessing the formidable gifts of Jonathan Lethem could follow the brilliant one-two punch of Motherless Brooklyn and The Fortress of Solitude with such a decidedly minor work. Before I go any further, let me say that I am not the most objective reviewer for this book. I am interested in popular and unpopular music (and music is this novel's raison d'être), but more importantly, I think that Lethem is one of the most interesting authors around. So I suffered some of the pangs of feeling "let down" by a gifted writer that Lethem himself explored in his excellent collection of essays, The Disappointment Artist.

The premise of YOU DON'T LOVE ME YET is that Los Angeles is populated with groggy twenty-somethings who are rotating through various poses in search of musical and personal identity. Fair enough. But the slender scaffolding of characterization that Lethem erects here just can't sustain much in the way of meaning, momentum, or entertainment. The "humorous" subplot involving the kidnapping of a kangaroo is particularly ill-conceived, and as for satire, forget about it.

So why the high rating? Well, this is Lethem, after all. Even a page of unremarkable plot development usually yielded an insight, a play on words, or an errant thought revealing the talent of the scribe. Plus, since this is a quick read, I now have time to enjoy The Fortress of Solitude again.

Average customer rating:

Fruits Basket 16
Takaya shoots for the stars, but ends up making a mark on the moon!!!
Sugoku tanoshii wa yo.
Beautiful and Tragic, Interesting and Compelling
The story behind Kyoko

Fruits Basket, Vol. 16
Natsuki Takaya
Manufacturer: Tokyopop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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ASIN: 1598160249
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

A new chapter is opened in the Sohma family's story--and the rumors are true! Kyo has indeed met Kyoko in the past...and when he did, she told him the story of how she met Tohru's father, which he then tells to us: Tohru's birth...the truth about her mother and father...Yuki's declaration of independence... Grab your best friend and get ready for the New Year's Eve ball--everything you've been waiting to know is right inside the next volume of the super-popular Fruits Basket, the world's #1 shojo manga!

Customer Reviews:

Fruits Basket 16.......2007-06-19

I totally cried as I read this, the story of Tohru's parents is devastatingly adorable and romantic, but the eventual ending is enough to rip your heart out. But as always, Natsuki Takaya-sensei has composed a new chapter in Tohru's story that keeps you turning the pages.

Takaya shoots for the stars, but ends up making a mark on the moon!!!.......2007-06-05

I loved this book, and how it was so dramatic, from a romantic story, to a tragedy. Takaya did very well. I enjoyed the twist with Kyo meeting Kyoko. I could not put the book down. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

Sugoku tanoshii wa yo........2007-06-05

I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!

Beautiful and Tragic, Interesting and Compelling.......2007-04-18

Kyoko's story is revealed in this book, and it's well-written and beautiful, yet also very saddening. It was also extremely interesting to finally meet Tohru's father - who is nothing like what we imagined he might be!
Also, we learn a little about Machi of the student council - and it turns out she's very interesting indeed! I'm getting really attached to her character, and I think a lot of the "quiet, good-grades, no social-life" kids out there can really identify with the poor girl and her situation. I hope there's even more of her in future books.

The story behind Kyoko.......2007-04-13

The stories behind Yuki's mysterious classmate and Tohru's idolized mother come to light in the sixteenth volume of "Fruits Basket." It's a rather sorrowful volume that shows off Natsuki Takaya's skills with messed-up people finding meaning in their lives, but she throws in some humor at the end.

Kyo looks back on his meeting some time ago with Tohru's mother, who told him her life story: her parents only cared for how she made them look, so she became a brutal, angry gang leader known as the Red Butterfly. But then she met a sweet, caring young student teacher named Katsuya Honda, and slowly fell in love with him.

When she failed to get into high school because of a savage beating, her parents disowned her -- and Katsuya proposed. Their life was full of happiness and love, especially when their daughter was born -- until Katsuya died unexpectedly. Overcoming his loss, and finding something to live for, was the greatest challenge that Kyoko ever dealt with.

On a school trip, the mysterious Machi shows another side of her personality to Yuki, and faces up to her growing feelings for the "Prince." And at the New Year's banquet, tensions are riding high when Hatori faces up to an old debt, and Yuki enrages Akito to violence. And finally, Momiji has an unusual New Year's present for Kureno...

As with many of the "Fruits Basket" volumes, Takaya gets your tears pouring, only to cheer you up with some comedy and healed wounds by the end of the story -- and along the way, she tells of a true love story against all the ods, which ended far sooner than it should have.

The first story is the darkest, especially since you know there can't be any happy ending for Katsuya and Kyoko, but the final one has a balance of darkness (Akito going berserk) and deliciously kooky moments; The scene where Ayame carries off Yuki, screaming that they vowed to die together by the Seine is priceless.

And Takaya's artwork only emphasizes the strength of her writing -- she brings scenes like Kyoko's crying fit and violent past or Kyo's bloodstained nightmare to life, in more detail than ever before. But there are some charming scenes too, such as baby Tohru, or the sight of Haru kissing a sleeping Rin.

Kyoko's not the only one whose past is revealed here -- we also get to see glimpses of how Machi became the quiet, introverted person she is, compared to her outgoing brother. But the regulars get some development as well: Yuki has obviously grown stronger and dmore confident, while Kyo's sense of guilt runs a lot deeper than anyone suspects.

The sixteenth volume of "Fruits Basket" is unusually dark, but is a brilliant exploration of the characters' pasts -- and the grief, hope and love that come with them. And it promises to get better.

Average customer rating:

It was ok....
KLR delivers AGAIN....intriguing!
A thrilling Read!
Love &Many Lies
HARD TO PUT DOWN

Love and Lies
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The First Lady
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The Best-Kept Secret

ASIN: 0060892498
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

Truth and lies . . .

At long last, the Reverend Curtis Black appears to be living the straight life. The all-too-human preacher is a bestselling author now, and he and his wife, Charlotte, are raising two adorable children. But the ever-suspicious Charlotte doesn't trust that Curtis has put his womanizing past behind him. While he's on the road promoting his latest book, she knows that there just needs to be one extra-devoted fan in his flock for him to stray.

Secrets and lies . . .

Still, Charlotte is no angel herself, and she's been keeping plenty of secrets from Curtis while he's been away. For one thing, their daughter, Marissa, is behaving bizarrely, reminding Charlotte a bit too much of the man with whom she had an affair five years ago—an affair Curtis won't let her forget.

Then there are the disturbing visits from her so-called brother-in-law, a man once involved with drugs and the law. Curtis has forbidden the family to see him, but the guy simply keeps turning up on Charlotte's doorstep no matter how hard she tries to keep him away.

Charlotte believes with all her heart that things will be better once Curtis comes home.

Love and lies . . .

But Charlotte should be careful what she wishes for. She thinks love is enough to untangle the web of lies she and Curtis have woven for themselves. What she doesn't know is that when her husband finally returns, she'll have some tough decisions to make if she wants to save her soul and salvage her marriage.

Customer Reviews:

It was ok...........2007-10-11

The book was ok. It wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be to see the tables turned on Curtis. Still it was good read.

KLR delivers AGAIN....intriguing!.......2007-10-07

KLR is by far one of my favorite Christian fiction authors. She has done it again! And like some of the readers said, the book does not spend a lot of time on the good Reverend Black, which was a pleasant surprise for me. I think Curtis has long played out. It was good to see the plot revolving around someone else this time. However, I agree that Charlotte's girlfriend's character was a bit unbelievable. A real black woman - or any woman with a spine - would've given the abusive live-in his walking papers in the blink of an eye. Overall, I think she knocked this one out the ballpark and can't wait to January 2008 to read Sin No More. Go Kimberla! You still rock!

A thrilling Read!.......2007-09-21

I thought "Love and Lies' was very interesting and well written. Kim Roby did a super effort in closing this series. There were a couple of plots that didn't seem to go anywhere, but I did like the way the new characters was brought in. I also liked the fact that the author didn't focus so much on Curtis. All and all, it was a thrilling read and I enjoyed the book very much.

Love &Many Lies.......2007-09-15

Mrs. Roby has done it yet again.A follow up sequel just as riveting as the other books she has wriiten. Curtis Black had met his match when he married Charolette, but yet agin he had proven, "it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks." This couple definitely deserves one another. A must read and an excellent writer.

HARD TO PUT DOWN.......2007-07-25

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the characters in it as usual. I found this book hard to put down and it left me wanting to see what was going to happen on the next page. Just like in Best-Kept Secret, I'm always wondering what mess Charlotte done got herself into now, and what will transpire next. I was keenly interested in the life of Janine, and her issues in her relationship and how it turned out for her. I really enjoy the Curtis Black series, and I can't wait to see where Roby will go with it next. She has a real gift! She always manages to put a twist on the story leaving me stunned... :-). I can't wait for her future novels, this one, by far was the best one I've read. They just keep getting better and better!

Average customer rating:

Dirty Red?? She is exactly that and more!
WHAT!?!?!?!
Dirty Is the new look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The author did Us dirty!!!
Tired Of Dirty Reading

Dirty Red: A Novel
Vickie M. Stringer
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743493486

Book Description

The bestselling author of Let That Be the Reason and Imagine This, Vickie Stringer conceives the most mischievous and manipulative urban heroine of all -- Red -- in her hardcover debut.

In a scorching tale of love, lies, loss, and the indomitable spirit of a woman scorned, we meet Red in the midst of her game -- on the toilet of her boyfriend's apartment, faking a pregnancy. An eighteen-year-old expert at deception with a provocative femininity, Red employs her dirty ways to win a closet full of Gucci bags, a deluxe condominium full of baby accessories, a new car, and a book deal. But when Red's scams backfire and she winds up truly pregnant by her inmate ex-boyfriend, Bacon, Red finds herself in more trouble than she's ever known. The drama unravels when Red's picture-perfect cons fall apart due to the power of -- surprisingly -- love.

Customer Reviews:

Dirty Red?? She is exactly that and more!.......2007-09-10

I think Vickie Stringer did an excellent job on this book; I am however, looking for a sequel, because I know you've got to let us know what became of Red and Q. Red had more tricks up her sleeve, she had to stay about 12 steps above the game; girlfriend was just trying to protect her own. I definitely want to see what her Mom, Jerome and Bacon gets; Red had to grow up fast and no fault of her own, her Mom wasn't being a Mom. I loved this book, Vickie, so keep em coming!!!

WHAT!?!?!?!.......2007-09-07

I'm not going to sit here and say that I didn't enjoy the book. Overall it was a good book and a page turner. However the ending could of been a lot better! A whole lot better!! I will have to think about if I want to know what happens to the characters b/c I'm so upset at the ending.

Dirty Is the new look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-08-23

This book was really good considering her first two books bombed (sucked). Anyway I must say that this book pulled her out of the drowning zone for me simply because I was to the point that I was not going to purchase anymore of her books. To be honest if I had known that she was the one who wrote it when I first bought it I would not have gotten it. But I sure am glad I did. Red was off the hook. I do wish she would have elaborated more on what was going on with the other characters, like Q's best freind what ended up happening with that, and terry, kera, even sasha and catfish. They were kind of shorted, but let me just say how in the heck did Bacon make it through jail time without being gay but gets out and chooses to sleep with a man that had a sex change that really threw me for a loop. That is gross!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and before I forget the mom was horrible, they never even said if justice was served with that I mean the husband got away with waht he did to her.Anyway good book go get it I will be buying the sequel when it comes out.

The author did Us dirty!!!.......2007-08-22

Ok this book was actually pretty good and held my attention all the way till the end,But thats where the problem came in, the ENDING.How Vickie go leave us hanging like that, I am so tired of these authors writing these half as*ed books.They start the story off good but the ending is incomplete and we readers have no closure to what happened, then they want to take years to put out a sequel and by that time we than forgot what the book was about.Its like they get lazy or something,This book could have been a whole lot better if the author went more in detail throughout the book I wont spoil it for those who havent read it ! But I will be buying the sequel Still Dirty out of curiosity because even though she left us hanging it was still a good read.

Tired Of Dirty Reading.......2007-07-18

Although it was an okay read, this book got on my last nerve. I'm so sick of reading about trifling, gut-bucket, hood-rat, trifling females who will do anything and specialize in laying on their backs to support their ghetto lifestyles of the rich and famous. There are so many of these degrading books in print until I'm getting turned off with reading "Urban" novels. This one, although I love Vicki Stringer, is at the top of my list of all time trifling female characters. Although well written and catchy which Ms. Stringer is great at, I'm very sick of the story line.

The Princess Bride: S Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure

Average customer rating:

Good enough
Not quite a satire but close
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
An honest, old-fashioned adventure with a metafictional twist
It was a jolly good read.

The Princess Bride: S Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
William Goldman
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345348036
Release Date: 1987-09-12

Amazon.com

The Princess Bride is a true fantasy classic. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Morgenstern's original was filled with details of Florinese history, court etiquette, and Mrs. Morgenstern's mostly complimentary views of the text. Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."

Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out.

Is The Princess Bride a critique of classics like Ivanhoe and The Three Musketeers, that smother a ripping yarn under elaborate prose? A wry look at the differences between fairy tales and real life? Simply a funny, frenetic adventure? No matter how you read it, you'll put it on your "keeper" shelf. --Nona Vero

Book Description

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams?

As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the "S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears.

Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere.

What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles, and a Little Sex.

In short, it's about everything.

Eventually to be adapted for the silver screen, THE PRINCESS BRIDE was originally a beautifully simple, insightfully comic story of what happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince in the world--and he turnsout to be a son of a bitch. Guaranteed to entertain both young and old alike by combining scenes of rowsing fantasy with hilarious reality, THE PRINCESS BRIDE secures Goldman's place as a master storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

Good enough.......2007-10-08

I was pleased with the quality of the binding. The map of Florin lines the inside of both the front and back covers. One thing which disappointed me was that the cool gold 'embossed' cover you see in the picture online is only printed on the dust jacket. The cover to the actual book does not look 'old-timey,' and in fact is rather plain.

If you're searching for a review of the actual content of the book, see previous reviews.

Not quite a satire but close.......2007-09-30

William Goldman's 'The Princess Bride' tells the story of the true love between buttercup and Westley- and all the obstacles they have to overcome: An evil prince, a giant, a master swordsman, giant rodents and even death itself.
It is a clever take on fairy tale stories. But although it is funny and plays with he conventions of folk tales in a knowing kind of way, it never descends into cynicysm and therefore remains very enjoyable.
I had seen the movie first and was surprised how closely the movie followed the book.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman.......2007-09-26

I was very disappointed in this book. William Goldman totally ruined it for me. He opens with 31 pages of a long, boring, rambling, collection of his comments about the Princess Bride story. Additionally he gives a page of his ridiculous comments at the beginning of each chapter. He really ruined the story of the Princess Bride for me. I would never have bought this book if I had known this edition was about William Goldman and The Princess Bride is treated as a side story.

An honest, old-fashioned adventure with a metafictional twist.......2007-09-24

The Princess Bride is an honest and old-fashioned adventure. The bride of the title is Buttercup, the most beautiful girl in the world, soon to be married to Prince Humperdinck - too bad she's in love with Westley, the farm boy. Before you reach the end, you've come to know an evil Sicilian criminal mastermind, a Spanish fencing wizard, a gentle Turkish giant and many other memorable characters.

It's not just a funny adventure, there's an additional metafictional level. As the story goes, William Goldman didn't write the book: it's an abridgement of a book written by S. Morgenstern. Every now and then Goldman pops in the story, interrupts and discusses some details of Morgenstern's work he disagrees with and has cut off. I'm fairly sure some people will dislike that, but to me, it was the thing that made Princess Bride shine.

It was good, but not spectacular - I don't quite get the amazingly good reviews at Amazon, for example. It was funny, definitely, but not hilarious. The book is oozing good one-liners, that I admit. So, if you're looking for adventure, romance and excitement, The Princess Bride is certainly a good choice.

It was a jolly good read........2007-09-13

My first experience to the story of the Princess Bride was through the indulgence of the movie. I first saw it as a child, and I was like... this is a great movie. I still watch it today, because now I understand some things I didn't before, the more subtle humor that is carefully placed for adult ears only...

But enough of the movie. This is a book review! I decided to pick up the novel after I finally found out it was a novel. And yes, at first, I too fell to the prank of the S. Morgenstein joke. I'm so naive sometimes.

As I began reading, I couldn't help but appreciate the sarcastic and light tone of the author. The wording is humorous and free, and while it is not exactly of literary greatness, it is fun to read. I think that is the point that Goldman is trying to get across - humor. This book is simply meant to entertain, and that it does.

True, true, I am sympathetic to the fact that Buttercup is a true weakling who must be protected by her one and only Westley. I'm not exactly a feminist... but I don't exactly appreciate things like that. However, I can see the angle the author is coming from. He's writing a fantasy, a fairy tale. And let's face it, back in that age, women were not exactly treated like they are today. It all fits into context, so I am not completely angry at that fact.

I think the reason this book is so successful is because Goldman takes the cliche of the ordinary fairy tale and basically ridicules it in a way the reader can appreciate. I guess one could call this book a pun on fantasy. In doing this, Goldman has created a world in which not only those fans of humor will appreciate, but also those who are fans of the traditional fairy tale. People of all ages can appreciate the light wit that is contracted into every page of this novel, and the discrepencies from the ordinary. But people can also cherish it for the classic storyline it follows. This is truly a book for all people of every age of every time.

Average customer rating:

Amazing compilation...
Jane Austen - a great read
Jane Austen: The Complete Novels
Fine print
Jane Austen Is Timeless

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels
Jane Austen
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Charlotte & Emily Bronte: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition (Literary Classics)
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice Continues
Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)
Jane Austen Collection (Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion / Mansfield Park / Pride & Prejudice / Northanger Abbey)
Charles Dickens Four Complete Novels (Great Expectations, Hard Times, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities)

ASIN: 0517118297
Release Date: 1994-06-01

Amazon.com

Collected together in one volume, The Complete Novels show the development of Austen as a writer and social commentator. From the early optimism and youthful energy of Northanger Abbey to the quiet and subtle art of Persuasion, this collection reveals the breadth of one of the best loved novelists of all time.

Book Description

Jane Austen wrote in the eighteenth century, but her novels are timeless. This complete anthology is unique among single-volume editions of her work because it includes the obscure but delightful Lady Susan, along with the six better-known novels and thirty of Hugh Thomson's irresistible drawings.
All of Jane Austen's novels are love stories, all are stories of country gentry, and all end happily, one way or another. Her plots have the complexity of life and her characters are described with inimitable style and wit—whether caustic or warmly affectionate.
The novels contained in this anthology are Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Lady Susan. The nineteenth-century illustrations of Hugh Thomson capture the flavor of Jane Austen's characters and enhance this extraordinary collection of the complete works of one of the greatest novelists of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing compilation..........2007-08-10

This compilation is absolutely wonderful. It includes all of Austen's novels, also with an unpublished, early novel of hers. I totally recommend it if you simply want to read the novels. However, if you'd like a fancy copy of it you should try something else. This copy is quite simple and perfect for those who like the contents of books, and not the looks.

Jane Austen - a great read.......2007-04-24

I didn't expect to like Jane Austen, but this was a great set of stories at a great price. Happy endings and well written stories.

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels.......2007-03-15

Great book, especially for all Jane Austin fans. Also great for anyone who enjoys 19th century "trashy" romance novels (like I do!) A little more expensive than the paperback edition, but well worth the money. Put together much better and will last longer.

Fine print.......2007-03-12

Print much to small for an enjoyable read and I'm not ready for bifocals.

Jane Austen Is Timeless.......2007-02-12

I love the writing and the wit of Jane Austen,her novels are timeless and very entertaining to read.
The mark of a great writer is the ability to transport the reader into the pages of the book, in essence bring the book to life, Jane Austen accomplishes this feat with me.
I enjoy this era in history, the romance, the innocence, the language, the nuances.
I can't begin to explain how much I'm enjoying myself reading Jane Austen:The Complete Novels, I've wanted this book for so long and finally
I treated myself and bought it and it is so satisfying.

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