Book Description
Charles Frazier’s
Thirteen Moons is the story of one man’s remarkable life, spanning a century of relentless change. At the age of twelve, an orphan named Will Cooper is given a horse, a key, and a map and is sent on a journey through the wilderness to the edge of the Cherokee Nation, the uncharted white space on the map. Will is a bound boy, obliged to run a remote Indian trading post. As he fulfills his lonesome duty, Will finds a father in Bear, a Cherokee chief, and is adopted by him and his people, developing relationships that ultimately forge Will’s character. All the while, his love of Claire, the enigmatic and captivating charge of volatile and powerful Featherstone, will forever rule Will’s heart.
In a distinct voice filled with both humor and yearning, Will tells of a lifelong search for home, the hunger for fortune and adventure, the rebuilding of a trampled culture, and above all an enduring pursuit of passion. As he comes to realize, “When all else is lost and gone forever, there is yearning. One of the few welcome lessons age teaches is that only desire trumps time."
Will Cooper, in the hands of Charles Frazier, becomes a classic American soul: a man devoted to a place and its people, a woman, and a way of life, all of which are forever just beyond his reach.
Thirteen Moons takes us from the uncharted wilderness of an unspoiled continent, across the South, up and down the Mississippi, and to the urban clamor of a raw Washington City. Throughout, Will is swept along as the wild beauty of the nineteenth century gives way to the telephones, automobiles, and encroaching railways of the twentieth. Steeped in history, rich in insight, and filled with moments of sudden beauty,
Thirteen Moons is an unforgettable work of fiction by an American master.
PRAISE FOR THIRTEEN MOONS
“Genius.”
–Time
“Gorgeous…Thirteen Moons calls Cold Mountain to mind in its wonder at the natural world; its pacificist undercurrents; its dismay at the dismantling of what matters, and its convication that one love, no matter how tortured and inexplicable, can be life-defining…fascinating…vivid and alive.”
–Newsweek
“Thirteen Moons is rare in many ways and occupies a literary plane of such height that reviewing it is not really salient….Thirteen Moons has the power to inspire great performances from succeeding generations of writers….For those who simply value the literary experience, Thirteen Moons will provide the immense satisfaction of taking a literary journey of magnitude. Whether on a plane, in an office or curled in a window seat, readers who absorb Will's story will find their own lives enriched….Thirteen Moons belongs to the ages.”
–Los Angeles Times
“Thirteen Moons brings this vanished world thrillingly to life…
One of the great Native American, and American stories, and a great gift to all of us, from one of our very best writers.”
« –Kirkus Reviews, starred review «
“There are things so masterful words can’t do them justice. Frazier’s writing falls in that category…With Thirteen Moons, he’s doing important work fillnig in the gaps, helping restore the roots, of our knowledge of our own history.”
–Asheville Citizen-Times
“Fascinating…Reading Thirteen Moons is an intoxicating experience…This is 21st-century literary fiction at its very best.”
–BookPage
“Thirteen Moons is rare in many ways and occupies a literary plane of such height that reviewing it is not really salient….Thirteen Moons has the power to inspire great performances from succeeding generations of writers….For those who simply value the literary experience, Thirteen Moons will provide the immense satisfaction of taking a literary journey of magnitude. Whether on a plane, in an office or curled in a window seat, readers who absorb Will's story will find their own lives enriched….Thirteen Moons belongs to the ages.”
–Los Angeles Times
“Once again, we are in the hands of an assured writer who knows how to bring history to life…Gorgeous.”
–New Orleans Times Picayune
“Magical…the history lesson in Thirteen Moons is fascinating and moving…You will find much to admire and savor in Thirteen Moons.”
–USA Today
“Incredibly powerful.”
–Melissa Block on NPR All Things Considered
“Verdict: A powerhouse second act….a brilliant success…Frazier's second act should convince everyone that he's here to stay. It is a powerful, dramatic, often surprising and memorable novel.”
–Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Thirteen Moons is a boisterous, confident novel that draws from the epic tradition... Frazier is a natural storyteller, and throughout his picaresque tale are grand themes and eulogies”
–Boston Globe
“Warm hearted…Frazier is a remarkably meticulous and tasteful writer… Thirteen Moons is a worthy successor to the first novel
and a highly readable book.”
–Seattle Times
“Fiction of the highest order…Another indelible character. Charles Frazier has a knack for them.”
–Charlotte Observer
“Splendidly written.”
–New York Daily News
“What a story!... Frazier's creation, Will Cooper, is utterly charismatic….Frazier's genius lies in his ability to convey emotions that feel pure and genuine…It was worth the wait.”
–Dayton Daily News
“To Charles Frazier, words are playthings. Like very few other contemporary American novelists, he puts them together in such a way that they can transform an otherwise mundane moment, scene or conversation into one that is transcendent….No sophomore jinx here. Reading a Frazier novel is like listening to a fine symphony. He's a maestro whose pen is his baton, beckoning the best that each sentence has to offer. And just as you wouldn't rush a conductor, you should take the time to savor Frazier’s work, to take in each thought, to relish the turn of phrase or the imagery of a craftsman.”
–Denver Post
“Two for two…Here is a book brimming with vivid, adventurous incident…Charles Frazier set himself a daunting challenge with this book. He set out to write a historical novel that was retrospective and meditative, yet still vibrant and immediate with life. Thirteen Moons succeeds in classy fashion.”
–Raleigh News & Observer
“If current fiction is anything to go by, it’s hard for a novelist to make Santayana's puzzle pieces - lyricism, comedy, tragedy - fit together, as they do in real life and real history. Frazier has done it…Thirteen Moons makes you feel that change that happened so long before our own time, and makes you mourn it.”
–Newsday
“[Thirteen Moons] is superbly entertaining, and it packs enough emotional heft to measure up to most readers’ high expectations.”
–Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Thirteen Moons is a fitting successor to Cold Mountain…fans of Frazier's debut will be cheered to discover that the new book is another compulsively readable work of historical fiction.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“If there is any doubt that Frazier is an incredibly gifted storyteller - and not just a lucky name or a one-hit wonder - it will be put to rest with the publication of Thirteen Moons. Within 10 pages, this long-awaited new novel bears the reader swiftly out of the waking world into its own imagined universe like nothing else published this year.”
–Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Achingly beautiful descriptions of nature…It’s rich, it’s beautiful.”
–Columbia State
“Forget the sophomore jinx. Frazier demonstrates that Cold Mountain was no one-hit wonder with this fully realized historical novel again set in the South….Again, Frazier shows himself a master of landscape and language, both often fresh and surprising in his telling.
–Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“Thirteen Moons contains achingly beautiful passages of snowfalls, fog-wrapped rivers and moonlit forests. There are ribald and hilarious events, too, including a description of the Cherokee Booger Dance that is a masterpiece of satire. The love affair between Cooper and Claire threads its way through this pseudo-historic epic like a brilliant, scarlet ribbon. There is also a melancholy refrain that celebrates a wondrous time and place that is gone and will never return.”
–Smoky Mountain News
“Once again, we are in the hands of an assured writer who knows how to bring history to life…Gorgeous.”
–New Orleans Times Picayune
“Magical…the history lesson in Thirteen Moons is fascinating and moving…You will find much to admire and savor in Thirteen Moons.”
–USA Today
“Verdict: A powerhouse second act….a brilliant success…Frazier's second act should convince everyone that he's here to stay. It is a powerful, dramatic, often surprising and memorable novel.”
–Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Thirteen Moons is a boisterous, confident novel that draws from the epic tradition... Frazier is a natural ...
Customer Reviews:
Starts off good, but..........2007-10-05
The first half of "Thirteen Moons" soars; the second half sinks. As I got into the story and its lovely language, I was prepared to give it a rating of 8.5 or higher. But it eventually fades into dissolution, ending with a whimper, not a bang. Rob's rating: 8.0 of 10.
See http://www.bluecorncomics.com/13moons.htm for a longer review.
Dull and flat characters.......2007-09-24
I started this book because our book group is reading it. The character is flat and self-absorbed. You get to the point that you don't care what happens to the character because he is so dull. I don't finish it because there was nothing of interest to keep me going.......You feel nothing for the characters... so why read?
The Abridged version is confusing.......2007-09-23
I bought this book as an audio book, abridged.
It was confusing. Stick to the unabridged.
Faulkner, McCarthy, Frazier.......2007-09-19
Thirteen Moons is a pure Masterpiece. I think it should be getting more credit for being one of the greatest American novels ever written. I cannot believe how rounded Will Cooper is as a character. I have never read a book that has a character as real as this. Everything about his life and times, reactions, words, feelings, inner thoughts are absolutely real and consistent. Bear, Featherstone, Claire all come to life so perfectly. I was amazed that anyone found reason to criticize this novel. The metaphors, details and knowledge of the region makes Frazier seem supernatural to me. He was there. It's just weird how well he knows this tale and how real it all is. Perfect writing.
I dunno, maybe it needs more moons..........2007-08-10
Remember when you first picked up Cold Mountain, how the first few pages were, well, boring? Yeah, yeah. Lying around the hospital bed, blind neighbor, looking out the window. It was only a few pages, but it made me put the book down for about 3 months and wonder what the heck everyone was so excited about. Then I picked up the book again, and at last, there was the magic. Inman was on his amazing journey. Ada was surviving, having located Ruby, and their various adventures were compelling and moving and the book flew away with me. Well, Thirteen Moons is that first part of Cold Mountain. The boring part. It never takes off, it never flies, it just stumps forward. One or two interesting passages are lost in a reptitive scenery, lesser journeys, and characters who are either cardboard or cliched. So if you loved this book, go hate me. I'd hate you if you didn't love Cold Mountain. (Gratuitous advice: Forget the Cold Mountain movie. Ada as played by Nicole Kidmann is inane to the point of disability; Ruby, that stalwart little plug of a woman, is played by Renee Zellwegger, who acts as though squinting her eyes is character development; Inman was morphed into a latter-day teenage superhero. Utter
+disappointment.
Average customer rating:
- A Good Read
- The Ending is Unbelievable!
- A good way to relax
- Very Good Book
- A perfect balance of suspense, sensuality and genuine romance
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Carolina Moon
Nora Roberts
Manufacturer: Jove
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0515130389
Release Date: 2001-04-03 |
Amazon.com
With its blend of evil killers, handsome heroes, and feisty, sensitive heroines, Nora Roberts's latest thriller meets the same standards of terror and romance that made last year's River's End a bestseller. This time, our heroine Tory Bodeen has returned to her hometown of Progress, South Carolina, to face the fearsome memories of her childhood friend Hope's death and rebuild her life in a town that once betrayed her.
Struggling to balance the disturbing recollections, Tory finds comfort in the arms of Hope's older brother, Cade Lavelle. Though she sets about developing relationships with old friends and establishing her own business, Tory's worst fears come true and her past catches up to her: Tory's unique role in Hope's death makes her not only the focus of the Lavelle family's hatred, but the next choice for Hope's killer, who is still at large.
With the same skills that earned her the honor of being the first Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame inductee, Roberts weaves a winning blend of mystery, terror, and romance that loyal followers and new fans will enjoy immensely. Sure to be another bestseller, Carolina Moon will keep your heart beating in triple time. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
Book Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author-a spellbinding tale about a woman who, though battered in both body and spirit, never loses hope...
Customer Reviews:
A Good Read.......2007-06-07
In May I saw the movie of this book and had not read the book so decided to purchase it and read it. H-m-m-m! All I can say is the movie does not begin to feel the essence of the book. IT is a dark plot in some ways as it deals with child abuse, rape and murder but yet there is so much humor scattered through out the book which the movie completely missed. Tory's grandma is a gem and Aunt Rosie is hilarious as well as Faith is delightful. There is more to her than you first see. Wade's mother (Tory's aunt) is delightful also. Having seen the movie, I of course was not surprised by the murderer and in the movie had him picked out almost from the beginning. I think if you only read the book, it wouldn't be as easy to figure him out. Cade was great for Tory and understanding of her "gift". An Epilogue would have been nice a few years down the road to see what happened with Wade and Faith and to see if there were babies and etc. However, we can use our imaginations for that. THere were just os many interesting characters in this story that kept me interested to the end.
The Ending is Unbelievable!.......2007-05-12
The Southern setting of this book was beautiful as was the heroine Tory. I loved the friendship between her and Hope, and I was heart broken by her mother's resentment at the end. It was written so well that I just got lost in it emotionally. I also would've never guessed the murderer. All I can say is "Wow...amazing!"
A good way to relax.......2007-02-10
Many years after leaving the small town of Progress, Tory Bodeen returned home to the Lavelle family who held her responsible for her best friend's, Hope Lavelle, murder; the father who loved raising his hands to women and inducing violence; Cade, the only Lavelle who sees her innocence; And the killer who took her friend's life and is now awaiting to take hers.
Carolina Moon is a nice, sweet love story with not much conflict or intrigue, but full of entertaining characters and a nice plot. It's not a story that will leave a lasting impression, but it's a nice way to escape everyday life, and after all, isn't that why people read?
Very Good Book.......2007-01-24
Very Good Book. It has romance and mystery. It is one of Nora Roberts best books. I have read this book over and over again. The characters are well developed. The relationship between the charcaters are fun and meaningful. Again this is one of Nora Roberts best.
A perfect balance of suspense, sensuality and genuine romance.......2006-09-08
Riveting! I hated that it had to end. Marvelous characters, a haunting tragedy and one of those "meant for each other" relationships that are a hallmark of Nora Roberts at her best. Carolina Moon is a richly layered, dark and dangerous variation on the Cinderella theme. It's also a fine whodunnit with a plot twist worthy of its twisted villain.
Heroine Faith, the ragged little girl destined to capture the attention of her small town's handsome prince, has an abusive father instead of a wicked stepmother. Her one escape from a relentlessly grim childhood is friendship with the daughter of the wealthy family who employ her father as a laborer on their farm.
When the girl is brutally killed - after sneaking out of the house to meet Faith at their 'secret place' in the woods - Faith has a psychic vision of the murder as it's happening. She leads the police to the body but can't give a rational explanation for what she knows. The victim's traumatized family pay Faith's father to leave town with his wife and child. It's the end of innocence and the beginning of a terrible exile, both real and self-imposed. Faith's guilt and sense of isolation will haunt her into adulthood.
The current-day story begins with Faith returning to the house of her childhood, intending to face her private demons and search for her friend's killer. The dead girl's brother, who was an adolescent boy when Faith left town, has grown into a compelling, determined and oh-so-sexy man.
He's attracted to Faith, but suspicious of her. She's wary of men after a painful rejection by the man she loved, a cop who used Faith's psychic skills to further his career - and blamed her when she was unable to prevent the death of a kidnapped child.
Meanwhile, others are displeased with Faith's unexpected homecoming. Among them are the murdered girl's mother, who disapproved of Faith's friendship with her favorite child and has never forgiven her for her role in the tragedy; the sister who was jealous of their closeness; and the killer himself, who risks exposure if Faith's psychic ability turns out to be authentic.
The stage is set for a reluctant but inevitable seduction, a love affair held together by a fragile thread of trust, the reopening of old wounds among those whose lives were altered by the tragedy - and the reawakening of a monster who might be hiding in plain sight.
Book Description
Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is catering a Charleston benefit, a "Ghost Crawl" through Jasmine Cemetery. But the organizer, Dr. Davis, won't get to enjoy the festivities: during the Crawl's theatrical number, he drops dead. It looks like foul play-but how could such an upstanding citizen have enemies?
With a nose for trouble, Theodosia starts stirring things up with her own investigation to find the do-badder. But before long, chasing down the culprit gets her in hot water up to her neck.
Customer Reviews:
Cozy, but not a well developed plot.......2007-08-27
I enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the tea shop, and it is abundant here. This book isn't quite as good as the last because the motive of the murderer is a little lame. I'm not sure someone willing to commit murder wouldn't think things out a bit more to make sure they were murdering the right person. The second murder was even more "unthought out" - circumstantial evidence of such a thin nature being the reason to get a gun and shoot to kill? I don't think so. One last complaint about the heroine's relationship with her boyfriend - could it be any less passionate? Yikes! Tidwell the policeman seems to like Theo more! The warmth of the book is definitely in the tea shop and with Theo's tea shop family - and not with her romantic relationship! That all being said, it still is fun to read to be part of the cozy family.
Just keeps getting better ...........2006-09-05
I love this mystery series and they keep getting better and better. I have often noticed that after about the fourth or fifth book in a mystery series, they often start losing their "punch". That is not the case with this one. In fact, I think this is the best book in the series. The tea info is enlightening, the characters are well-developed and the setting of Charleston intriging. What a gem of a book !!!!
Anyone who enjoys "cozy" myteries should definitely give this series a try .... it doesn't get better than this.
Jasmine Moon.......2006-08-07
Very enjoyable. If you like tea, you need to read this mystery.
A frosty Autumn mystery.......2006-07-25
Again, Theodosia Brown is right on top of things and takes this murder mystery to a surprising conclusion. And just reading this book makes one hungry for tea and all of Haley's baked goods.
Okay.......2006-07-20
I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. The interesting thing about this book is that if you take out the mystery completely, it would still be a charming little book because of all the tea talk, the quirky townspeople, and the nice folks at the Indigo Tea Shop. It just seemed like the mystery was folded into the book as an afterthought and the story didn't flow as well as I'd hoped.
Basically, it's an amusing, fluffy, easy to read cozy with great recipes and tea tips at the back of the book. If you like tea and pastries as I do, check out that section. But I gave the book three stars for these reasons:
1. The plot was pretty flimsy, even for a cozy. Ever read the Aunt Dimity series? That series is about as light and fluffy as you can get, but each book had an element of suspense that made me keep reading. Not so much with The Jasmine Moon Murder.
2. The dialogue between the characters was at times pretty generic and Disney-esque. Hayley, Drayton, and Theo are adults, but the lines they have are rather corny. In this sense, the book almost seemed geared towards a young audience.
3. Sometimes, the author gave a little too much detail for scenes or actions that didn't really require it. For example, at one point when Theo answers the phone, the author describes the phone ringing, Theo reaching for the phone, and how she held the phone as she spoke. I understand the need to set a scene, but I wish the author would have put less effort into scenes like that, and more effort into the actual mystery at hand.
4. Certain parts of the book went on too long and didn't apply to the plot. For example, when Theo and Jory go horseriding, the description of the horses and how Theo rode went on for several pages. I wish more time was spent on the incident that occured after Theo finished riding. (You'll know when you read the book) That one bit of action seemed too rushed.
I noticed one reviewer here said that the author's other books are more tightly constructed in terms of plot. I will definitely read the other books.
Average customer rating:
- Good read
- A Cute "Chick" Novel
- It's the women I know
- Robin's Review
- Thoroughly enjoyable
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Moon Women: A Novel
Pamela Duncan
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
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ASIN: 0385335180
Release Date: 2001-08-07 |
Book Description
With the grace of a natural storyteller, debut novelist Pamela Duncan crafts a mesmerizing tale of family and love, revelation and forgiveness. Beautifully wrought, deeply affecting,
Moon Women is a resounding portrait of three generations of remarkable women, separated by a secret only one of them can tell.
In the lush North Carolina foothills, the Moon women have put down roots: matriarch Marvelle Moon, who’s starting to lose her grip on the world after more than eighty years of life; her middle-aged daughters, Ruth Ann and Cassandra; and Ruth Ann’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Ashley, fresh out of rehab, unmarried, and three months pregnant.
Despite Ruth Ann’s best efforts to live a life that’s all her own, her family is coming together around her. Marvelle and Ashley need a place to live and Ruth Ann is unable to turn either of them away; and her womanizing ex-husband has been coming around again, dredging up the past. Now a flurry of outbursts, emotions, and outrages is shattering Ruth Ann’s separate peace. And as this flawed family comes together, so, too, do the stories of the people Ruth Ann thought she knew best.
For here is Ashley, who has spent nineteen years running furiously away from home, now finding herself on a strange journey with her unraveling grandmother. And here is Cassandra, protected by layers of obesity and loneliness, wondering how to put magic back in her life. And Marvelle, slowly losing touch with reality, privately contemplating the story of her life and the secret that would change everything for everyone — if they only knew....
By turns fierce and tender, harrowing and heartbreaking,
Moon Women resonates with emotional power, holding us captive under its beguiling spell. It is an astonishing debut from a powerfully original new voice in contemporary fiction.
Customer Reviews:
Good read.......2006-11-06
Although this book was not a page-turner, it was entertaining and enjoyable. At times, it moved rather slowly but I felt that I really knew the characters by the end as they were well developed and believable. I especially liked Marvelle and enjoyed the way she interacted with her pregnant granddaughter and the rest of the family. A good book for a light-hearted read.
A Cute "Chick" Novel.......2004-11-19
This was a cute read though slightly boring. It is written around the lives of four women in a southern family, spanning several generations -- from the eccentric matriarch (who is simply comical), to the control freak mother and her dreamer of a sister, down to the troublesome, pregnant 19-year old daughter. There is nothing really page turning about this book, and there doesn't appear to be a well thought out plot, but it was cute nonetheless.
Warning: The grammar will make you cringe, but somehow makes the narration more believable.
It's the women I know.......2003-05-22
An excellent tale of exactly what families deal with every day... I felt as though I was following the characters around and only beginning to unwind their lives as the story occured. Duncan employs the geography and the pastoral life of western North Carolina in a masterful way. While I think everyone would enjoy this story, I agree with other reviewers that it may make the most sense to rural Southnerers.... it's what we know.
Robin's Review.......2003-04-23
Have you ever had trouble in life or just in general? In Moon Women, Marvelle, Ruth Ann, and Ashley all help each other through their lives. In a small town called Davis, these four extrordinary women (all with the last name of Moon) have to help the youngest Moon, Ashley. Ashley, at age 19, had some drug problems and is fresh out of rehab. There she made some bad decisions and became pregnant. At home she seeks the help of her old "granny" Marvelle. I enjoyed this book because it gave me knowledge early in life that will enable me to make better decisions later in life. Throughout the novel the Moon Women show important morals and principles of living a good life.
Thoroughly enjoyable.......2003-01-18
I thought this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Being a born and bred Yankee, the Southern charm was apparent as the other reviewers noted, however I believed the themes of family, maternal love, inter-generational relationships were globally appealing. Many women everywhere are in a situation like Ruth Ann struggling with priorities and problems of aging parents and rebellious children and personal dilemmas. The positive message that comes from this book (mostly through Marvelle's wisdom) remind us of the long term perspective that we often can't see through the day-to-day crisises of carpools, report cards, layoffs, illness we face each day.
Book Description
Since its creation in 1973, the award-winning Moon Handbooks series has become a top choice among travelers who want a unique experience, a new perspective—and a few new stories to tell. Want to know about your destination's history, culture, and social issues? Looking for the lowdown on recreational opportunities, dining and accommodations options, and the most interesting regional sights and entertainment? No problem. Big or small, mainstream or obscure, every worthwhile detail is included in these books. Covering the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific, Moon Handbooks give you the tools to create a travel strategy that's yours alone. The result? A more personal, entirely uncommon, and ultimately more satisfying travel experience. Mike Sigalas, a veteran Moon author, brings his humor and strong sense of history and local color to this second edition. North Carolina is home to the Eastern United States' highest mountains, tallest waterfall, oldest river, largest wine industry, greatest gold strike, richest tobacco farms, busiest National Park, as well as a legendary shoreline and the early homes of four of the nation's most important presidents through WWI, and Sigalas covers it all.
Customer Reviews:
Not up to date.......2007-05-31
I'm pretty serious about my travel, and I like a travel guide that isn't exhausting to read, has insights that you can't find just anywhere, and of course is up to date, that's why I pay for the LATEST edition. Unfortunately this one isn't up to date, I ran into several snags trying to make reservations when one of the listings for lodging had changed ownership, name, and reservation policies years ago, the prices were way off the mark and overall it wasn't as helpful as the free guides you can get by writing the local government, which ship free.
Excellent travel book.......2006-03-12
A lot of travel books can be a dry read. But not this one. This book is full of great information and facts and I really enjoyed reading it. I learned things I didn't know about North Carolina and found some great restaurants too. I highly recommend this book!
Joke Book.......2005-09-01
This book a sound choice for people interested in sarcastic writing.
However, if you are more interested in insightful observations about and experiences to be savored in North Carolina, as opposed to perpetual attempts at sarcastic humor at the expense of the inhabitants, you'd be better off choosing just about any other travel guide to North Carolina.
Great Guidebook to a Great State.......2003-04-05
In a time of increasing specialization in travel books (one expects to see any day now a book for gay Civil War reenactors who travel with dogs) there is still a place for a guidebook for an entire state.
Mike Sigalas has done the best job that anyone has in serving up an introduction to North Carolina. He goes from Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks to the part of North Carolina that reaches out under Tennessee, pointing out the highlights as well as giving a taste of the history and cultural heritage of very different places.
His gentle humor works well in these pages. While talking about a sapphire mine in Franklin, for example, he explains how the owners sell tourists "a bucket of mud alleged to contain wondrous stones."
You will find more detailed books on various parts of the Tarheel State--and Mike has written a couple of those as well--but you will not find a better guidebook to the entire state.
Book Description
The charming and elegant cities of Charleston and Savannah are some of the only cities in the United States that don't look like they were built yesterday, and the depth of history and southern charisma that cling to these cities make them some of the most alluring cities around. With Moon Charleston and Savannah you can learn about the history of the sister cities, find out where to shop in Savannah or club in Charleston, and get details on biking the Sea Island Coast or finding the best seafood. Mike Sigalas helps you have a truly personal experience in these beautiful hotspots.
Suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights provide you with real insights so you can decide where you should go, stay, and eat—without hassles or regrets. Mike details where to hike, bike, shop, golf, stroll, and more. Complete with maps, photographs, illustrations, and special emphasis on leading destinations such as Fort Sumter, Charleston Historic District, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Hunting Island, St. Helena Island, Fort Pulanski, Cumberland Island, Saint Simons Village, and the Historic Districts of Charleston and Savannah.
Customer Reviews:
Get something else.......2007-10-02
The free guides you can get around the city were more helpful than this book. If you want a boring look at the beautiful city of Savannah, GA get this book.
Moon Charleston and Savannah.......2007-06-10
This book was very helpful as a guide for our visit to Savannah and Charleston. We relied on the book for prelimenary and detailed information. It made the visit much more informative and enjoyable. If we had a question, we just looked it up. Good book!
Book Description
South Carolina appeals to the modern visitor for many reasons. It's timelessness and southern hospitality are a relaxing break from the frantic world. You can golf at the best golf resorts on the Grand Stand, explore Charleston's cobblestone streets, or experience the nightlife of Columbia's Five Points or Myrtle Beach. Mike Sigalas helps you have a truly personal experience in this southern state.
Suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights provide you with real insights so you can decide where you should go, stay, and eat—without hassles or regrets. Mike details where to hike, bike, shop, ski, fish, and more. Complete with maps, photographs, illustrations, and special emphasis on leading destinations such as Bookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach, Fort Sumter National Monument, Hunting Island, South Carolina State Museum, The Horseshoe, Congaree Swamp, Whitewater Falls, and Mountain Bridge. Moon South Carolina has all the tools for you to create your own unique trip.
Customer Reviews:
I wasn't disappointed... extremely helpful.......2006-10-16
So far, I had never bought a tourist guide. Maybe it's because I never traveled before just for the pleasure of traveling, for the excitement associated to discovering new people, new places, new cultures. When I decided to spend my week of vacation last August in Charleston, South Carolina, I supposed that, to make the most of it, I should get a guide. After taking a look at the different guides of South Carolina and Charleston in my local bookstore, reading the online reviews at Amazon.com, and listening to the advices of Dary, a good friend and a seasoned traveler, I decided for Moon's South Carolina. And I wasn't disappointed. The book provided me with an excellent background on history, culture and geography. Also, as some people already pointed out in other reviews, the author is funny, so the reading is most pleasant. But what really caught me was the feeling that he was talking directly to me, that he was by my side. While I was enjoying a peaceful walk in the old streets of Charleston, the book helped me to understand better and, as a consequence, to experience more deeply the beauty of the Old South. But I'm digressing. If you are looking for a guide to South Carolina, this one definitely will work. Accurate information, plenty of details, many places to visit. In summary, a good investment. I think that my visit would had been much poorer without the help of Sigalas's book.
Sigalas knows what we want.......2006-02-14
If you're touring South Carolina, Sigalas knows it's probably for one of the following reasons:
Myrtle Beach
Historic plantations and houses
Small town getaways
Food
That's what you get here. It's very well done and irreverent, sometimes humorously so. There's enough sophistication to this guide to keep amateur historians and architects happy, but it is by no means a complete catalog of historic landmarks and locations. Rather, we're really talking about the highlights. The thing I like most about this guide is its attention to small towns off the beaten path which make for pleasant discoveries. It encourages you to find the time for places like York, Georgetown and Camden, for example. The thing I like least about it is its very summary coverage of the State's greatest place, Charleston. While Sigalas does a lovely spread of Columbia, he concentrates his attention on the far south-eastern tip of the peninsula in Charleston. Forgivable, I'd say, since there are many, many resources that cover Charleston more thoroughly.
Enjoying this Book!.......2000-05-05
A lot of fun to read. I've just finished the first chapter and I already feel like an expert on the state.
Practical and Very Funny.......2000-04-21
I'd definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about South Carolina. It's got all the information you could want, lots of interesting background, and on top of that, it's a joy to read. Sigalas cracks me up all through this book. Seriously, my wife came in a half-a-dozen times while I was reading to ask me why I was laughing so hard; she couldn't believe I was reading a travel book. A good read even if you're not going to S.C., and a great book to bring along if you are. It's like traveling with a friend who knows all the spots and has a good sense of humor.
Informative and Entertaining Guide to South Carolina.......2000-01-20
This book provides excellent information on the sites, restaurants, accomodations, and history of South Carolina. I enjoyed reading it immensely because not only was it was humorous and well written, but it has a lot of interesting historical details and unique suggestions for things to see and do.
Amazon.com
Jill McCorkle entered the publishing world with a splash, sending her first two books to the press simultaneously. Her latest work, Carolina Moon, revolves around a circle of folks united not so much by their knowledge of one another but by a certain kindred spirit. The setting, as in McCorkle's earlier book July 7th, is a small North Carolina town. There, the charismatic widow Quee Purdy intercedes in the lives of a number of young couples, creating several mysteries, the details of which are disclosed from varying points of view.
Book Description
"DELIGHTFUL CHARACTERS, LIVELY DIALOGUE AND GOOD STORYTELLING."
--The Washington Post
Energetic, voluptuous, and well past sixty, Queen Mary Purdy opens a smoke-enders clinic in the resort town of Fulton, North Carolina. Her unorthodox approach (aroma therapy? Massage?) provides much grist for the rumor mill.
But Quee's new venture is the least of the many scandals brewing in Fulton: a happily married woman entrusts her illicit secrets to a dead letter file; a mad-as-hell property owner seeks revenge for his recently-submerged investment; a radio talk show host longs to hit the big time, by any means. Quee knows these folks need help with more than their nicotine fits, and their troubles are all tied to that resilient little muscle known as the heart. . . .
"Has the elements of a mystery, a comedy and a small town soap opera. In fact, it's all three and more, a book about loss and recovery, grief and resolution, meddling and responsibility."
--San Francisco Chronicle
Customer Reviews:
Quirky for the sake of being quirky.......2006-07-18
Jill McCorkle seems to be trying too hard to be unique and quirky just for the sake of being "original." I was attracted to this book because I like fiction written from the point of view of many characters, but "Carolina Moon" was an amalgam of too many different styles that just wouldn't blend. We have letters, we have third person narration, and we have first person narration in the form of an annoying young woman talking to a tape recorder diary. Too much.
This last narration bothered me because the woman didn't sound like she was talking to a tape recorder - the voice sounds more like a written voice. For example, she barely distinguishes who's speaking, which is fine on the page where you can see indents and paragraphs and quotation marks, but as a spoken voice it didn't work. She didn't sound like a real person. The point of having someone tell his or her story through a tape recorder diary is to capture his/her voice more naturally. McCorkle just tells the story this way because it's "neat." The character doesn't sound any different from any of the other characters - and her story is pointless and contributes nothing to the plot or sublot or second subplot.
Quee was just plain annoying. She's an old, quirky prostitute medicine woman who collects pictures of people she doesn't know and makes stories up about them. She was quirky and had a quirky perspective on morals, so we're supposed to like her. I hated her. I'm tired of fiction about crazy, quirky people trying to force their agendas down our throats. The best novel I've read about a quirky person was "A Separate Peace" because the narrator in that novel gets just as annoyed at the quirky character as the reader. (And he pushes him out of a tree.) Read that book instead.
I think McCorkle may just have been suffering from some quirkiness herself when she wrote this book. The characters are flat and uninteresting, and the stories are bland. There's no reason for the unnamed woman to drop letters to her dead lover in the mailbox except to advance the story. And the only purpose the mailman has is to read the letters to us. The characters are more like the author's pawns than real people. The book didn't really seem to be about anything, and the ending was unbelievable (in a bad way, not a good way). I was surprised because McCorkle is usually a very good character writer. Her short story "Intervention" is a marvelous story about a woman torn between her alcoholic husband and her children, who wish to have an intervention. Great character in that story. I'd recommend reading McCorkle's short stories instead of "Carolina Moon."
Bursting with life.......2004-08-20
The award-winning McCorkle's fifth novel delivers the humor, zest, and thoughtfully engaging characters readers have come to expect from this Southern writer ("Tending to Virginia," "Ferris Beach").
In the North Carolina town of Fulton, 15 miles and a world away from the coast, Quee Purdy, 69, a flamboyant and free-spirited widow, has just opened an unconventional quit-smoking clinic where resident addicts are "pampered right out of the addiction."
Quee is at the center of a small circle of younger Fultonites. She holds the key to the mysteries in their lives and explores these secrets aloud in story-telling tours of her gallery of photos - pictures of strangers who have captured her imagination and inspire her to heights of fancy and fact. Her audience, however, seldom gets the point of her veiled parables.
Tom Lowe is a favorite of Quee's. A handsome handyman, Tom's life is stalled in brooding over the suicide of a father he scarcely knew, the underwater lot that was his father's only legacy, and the lover he lost to the wider world outside Fulton.
Denny Parks, sexy, insecure and adventurous, is the daughter of Quee's oldest friend, who has been invited to the clinic as a therapist, a profession in which she has absolutely no experience. She has, however, had a nervous breakdown and loves to talk, eminent qualifications.
Alicia Jameson, another of Quee's assistants, is the abused wife of a loathsome-Lothario local talk show host, Jones Jameson, who has disappeared.
The next circle out includes Sarah McAllister, Tom's high-school sweetheart, who returned to Fulton with her husband in tow and fading hopes of a baby, only to end in a coma from an aneurysm. And Wallace Johnson, the old postmaster, who's been reading letters addressed to the Wayward One, a suicide, for 20 years. And Myra Carter, an elderly admirer of Jones Jameson, who hates Quee for suspected adultery with her husband, the late doctor.
The lives of all these people are intertwined with Quee's in ways only Quee is cognizant of, a Godlike omniscience that is a driving force in her own life. But one of the book's chief ironies is that the reader comes into possession of a puzzle piece illuminating a misunderstanding that has haunted, romanticized, even directed Quee's life.
McCorkle, also an accomplished short story writer, reveals her characters' lives in vignettes that rove among various points of view, exploring interlocking histories that share a peripheral fascination with the missing Jones Jameson and an unknown but crucial connection with Quee.
The author forges an intimacy with her readers through lives full of vivid details, memories and actions that make her characters' anxieties, fears and ambitions visceral. While her story includes romance, adultery, even murder, these are only colorful elements in the greater tapestry of the human heart. Her concluding chapter, with its quietly explosive revelations, sends the reader reeling while barely causing a ripple in the lives of her still-unknowing characters.
"Carolina Moon" is a novel of intricate beauty, fueled by Southern humor, charm, tragedy and guile.
Carolina Moon has great charm and depth.......2004-08-03
okay, all you people who said you didn't like this book didn't say something about the book. You said something about yourself. In a world of cynical people who expect something bigger out of the story than just pure human emotion do not realize what you're missing. This book is full of beautiful prose that tell you everything about the characters even if a particular chapter is not from their point of view. I had the privelage of seeing her read excerpts from this masterpeice aloud and it was wonderful! She truely is a great storyteller and this book is fabulous!
Waste of Time.......2003-04-04
I love Myrtle Beach and all of the South and was very excited to read a Southern author. What a huge disappointment! I'm curious how this is a National Bestseller as advertised.
Somewhat Pointless.......2001-01-02
I wouldn't exactly say I'm sorry that I read this book, but I was definitely expecting more out of it. I did make it to the end, where I thought the vignettes would come together to create a meaning and one of those lightbulb over your head moments where you realize what's been happening all along. However, the end was just as confusing as the rest of the book. I felt like I had just spent my time reading something that amounted to nothing. What a disappointment.
Book Description
Providing in-depth and witty coverage, this new handbook has the most information available on the region. Find out when and where to go so that crowds can be avoided, and enjoy outdoor recreation, history and culture, dining, nightlife, accommodations, and entertainment in Knoxville, Asheville, and other gateway cities.
Product Description
5 massmarket paperback Titles By Nora Roberts - Reef - Time and Again - Truly Madly Manhattan - Carolina Moon - The Villa
Books:
- Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
- Trouble with Trolls
- Truth Or Dare
- Turbochargers HP49 (HP Books): Turbo Design, Sizing & Matching, Spark-Ignition & Diesel Engine Applications, Water Injection, Controls, Carburetion, Intercooling, ... Street & Race Cars, Boats, Motorc
- Twisted Roots
- Victorian London: The Tale of a City 1840--1870
- Violets Are Blue
- Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive
- What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause (TM): The Breakthrough Book on Natural Hormone Balance
- Whole Health for Happy Cats: A Guide to Keeping Your Cat Naturally Healthy, Happy, and Well-Fed (Quarry Book)
Books Index
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