Book Description
Annie Zook, the Amish preacher's daughter, is caught between two worlds. Living with shunned friend Esther, Annie longs to return to her forbidden art and the idyllic days spent with Englisher Ben Martin, before her father ordered her never to see him again.
Customer Reviews:
The Brethren ~ Reviewed.......2007-10-01
In The Brethren, the third and final book in the Annie's People series, Beverly Lewis continues to give her readers what they have found irresistible in her previous best-selling books. Set amongst the Amish in Paradise, Pennsylvania , the book opens with main character Annie Zook at odds with her strict father, preacher Jesse Zook, and living away from home. The fact that she has chosen to stay with her banned friend Essie (Esther Hochstetler) to help look after Essie and Zeke's four children while Zeke is being held in jail after confessing to a murder makes the rift all the more galling to the elder Zook.
As is typical in Lewis's books, more than one serpent has found its way into the Amish paradise. Under the settlement's idyllic surface are misunderstandings, grudges, and secrets that even strict rules and authoritarian leaders can't keep hidden forever. The result is a twisty plot that raises questions like did Zeke actually commit that murder, who is Ben Martin really, and will Annie make peace with her father and remain a plain woman or follow her heart to pursue her beloved art and become the fancy wife of her English beau?
Characters play an important part in this story. (As someone who hasn't read the first two books in the series, I must admit the large cast of them, many of whom were introduced in earlier volumes, had me a little confused, though with close attention I got them all straight.) Main character Annie is a vital young woman who doesn't always understand herself, is impulsive and strong willed yet hard-working, thoughtful, and kind. Zeke, in his mentally disturbed state is an interesting study. Preacher Jesse Zook seems the most complex character. While unyielding in his rigid stance toward Annie, he is demonstrably tender with his wife and shows a largeness of character at the end of the book that took me by surprise. Off-site characters Lou and Ben provide an interesting non-Amish viewpoint of Paradise.
The setting is also integral to these books about the Amish. Lewis, obviously familiar with their home and farm routines, describes these in satisfying detail, giving readers a sense of living in this picturesque and simple place. Yet even here progress is making inroads - though the juxtaposition of cell phones and automobiles with Amish life did feel a little bizarre. Lewis introduces just enough Amish-isms into the conversation of her Paradise characters ("Wonderful gut," "purty," "Ain't so" etc) to keep them feeling authentic throughout.
Romance is woven through this book, as is the exploration of other relationships - parent-child and husband-wife. The ability and willingness of the Amish to forgive is a theme that plays a big part in the resolution of several of the story's threads. As is typical in Lewis's books, the Christian faith and its outworking is also a theme that remains front and center. In The Brethren there is a clash of the Amish belief system versus beliefs more in sync with a personal and literal interpretation of the Bible. Various characters risk being misunderstood and even banned by turning to evangelical ways. In the end, Lewis seems to come down on the side of having both - the outward simple lifestyle plus a personal though secret faith, as expressed by Annie and her beau: "They'd made a secret pact, vowing to live out their days with their eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus."
If you've read the other two book in this series, The Preacher's Daughter and The Englisher, you'll not want to miss this conclusion to the story. If you haven't read any Beverly Lewis before, this book is certainly representative of her popular storytelling style - a style that has seen previous books in this series, and this one, achieve a place on such prestigious bestseller lists as The New York Times and USA Today.
Violet Nesdoly
http://vnesdoly.blogspot.com/
A very good read.......2007-05-18
I love all of Beverly Lewis' books, and this is no exception. This is the third book in her latest series. I never thought I'd enjoy reading fiction about Amish people. I like to read fast-paced, exciting stories, and these books don't exactly fall into that category. Until I got used to her style of writing, it was a little slow-going. After a while I found myself becoming so involved in the story developing that I couldn't put the books down. I always look forward to the next new one. I'm hooked!
A Wonderful Sequel-Amish and Modern Alike. A++ !.......2007-04-28
In this third book of the series, Annie Zook is now living with Esther who is banned for taking the Lord Jesus as her personal savior and friend. After Preacher Zook found Annie in the front seat with her boyfriend Ben's car, it was too unbearable living at home. Moving in with Esther was a good choice, and besides Annie was there to help with the children.
Ben Martin after having left in the last book back to Kentucky, discovers a horrible secret that he is adopted and his parents never told him. He discovers he was kidnapped at age 4, and left unattended until someone found him alone. This is devastating to Ben, and he wants to know the whole story of what really happened. So he travels back to Annie and Pennsylvania, trying to find his memories from way back then.
Zeke, Esther's husband, is very unwell mentally. He has a breakdown over his brother Isaac of whom he never did know what happened 16 years ago. Zeke is convinced that he himself killed him. So he calls the police to turn himself in when they come to arrest him. That is only until they find out the real story here. Surprisingly, the body of the person that was dug up from the last book was not Isaac's but those of a little girl. After a lot of searching, it looks as though Isaac is not dead, but very much alive someplace. And when this story line draws to a climax, it is a REAL shocker.
Louisa went back to modern life in Colorado, but she still misses the Amish terribly and being with Annie-and Sam her newfound love there. While going back to her art students is nice at home, she still dreams of Sam. Michael, her rich former fiance wants to start over again, and is just begging Louisa to come back into his life. But Louisa can't quite do that-and knows in her heart she doesn't want Michael and longs for Sam.
When Ben tries to get Annie to commit to their relationship in the book, Annie longs to do that. But the problem there is that Annie against her father's wishes again, wants to turn modern, and Ben wants to turn plain. Not only that, but Annie longs to return to her art, and she won't be able to do that living Amish, and if she marries Ben who wants to turn plain and join her father's church.
Annie and her father have a real time. Preacher Zook actually seems like he hates his daughter and won't hear of anything she has to say. Not only that, but Rev. Jeese seems to favor his sons so much more.
The whole story is the best one yet and all life issues within this community of Amish and Modern alike resolve in one way or another.
Too Much information in one book!.......2007-04-21
I listend to the other 2 books on CD, which I checked out from the library. My Library did not have the last book so I just had to buy it and find out what happened to Annie, Louisa, and Esther. This book what not as good at the other two. The conclusion to this series went way too fast. I would like to have seen the charaters developed a little more, explaining their feelings and creating a little bit more suspense. I needed to find out what happened to the characters because I was hook by the first two books. If this would have been my first Beverly Lewis book it would have been my last.
Very good........2007-04-04
I wish this had been longer; I actually felt rushed listening to it. But it was still a pleasure and well worth the time. I was very sorry to see this series end!
Book Description
Annie Zook is forced by her father, the bishop, to choose between her forbidden art and joining the church, the only life she knows.
Customer Reviews:
Annie's People.......2007-07-03
Like all the other Beverly Lewis books this collection is just as wonderful. I read the three books back to back within a week and was sorry when I reached the last word in the third book.
Excelent.......2007-06-09
I really liked these stories. They were espically interresting to me as I live near Amish,in the near by Lancaster county Pa. community.
The stories were very interresting and I learned a lot about these wonderful people.
Loved it!!.......2007-03-19
I have always been a fan of Beverly Lewis' writing. She has a way of making you feel like you are right there alongside her characters. This trilogy was no different, I loved it! I'm glad I got the trilogy as a set because as soon as I put one down, I was ready to pick the next one up and this way there was no waiting!
Annies's People.......2007-02-21
I read all these and each one would just draw you into the continuation of the story with familiar characters.
Annies People Pack, vols. 13 ( Annies People).......2007-01-03
It seems every Beverly Lewis book I read I can't put down. This book takes you to Lancaster, Pa. where the Amish people live. You get a warm feeling reading Lewis's books and this one is no different. Lewis takes you into the hearts and homes of the Amish and makes you feel like if these characters were real you would want to meet them and get to know them. All Beverly Lewis fans you are in for a treat with this series.
Book Description
The Brethren is the first detailed behind-the-scenes account of the Supreme Court in action. Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong have pierced its secrecy to give us an unprecedented view of the Chief and Associate Justices -- maneuvering, arguing, politicking, compromising and making decisions that affect every major area of American life.
Customer Reviews:
Woodward's Best.......2007-06-29
I read this book about 15 years ago while in college and recently decided to read it again. This is probably the best book on the inner working of the US Supreme Court that anyone could read. Woodward does a fantastic job of examining the daily ins and outs of the Court, as well as describing the personalities that made up the bench at that time.
Many of us have our own views of what how the Supreme Court comes to their decisions on such a wide variety of cases. This book dispels many of the myths of appellate review.
This book is highly recommended to anyone who wants to really know how the Supreme Court decides the cases before it.
Prepare now for the next nomination battle.......2006-12-09
Though a bit dated, The Brethren is still required reading for any who would speak intelligently about U.S. public policy. Undergrads considering a PoliSci major or a pre-law track should get this read before fall classes start. Justice John Paul Stevens is 86 as of this writing so we can expect another nomination circus soon. Opinions will be loud and furious but few of those opinions will be informed or articulate. The reason is that the courts are the least understood of the three branches of the U.S. govt. Americans love court TV but their eyes glaze over at the merest hint at what legal professionals actually do.
Bob Woodward shows his considerable strengths in this collaborative work with Scott Armstrong. We see his uncanny ability to use the "background" style of interview to tease out a vivid picture of a generally inaccessible organization. We also see his ready willingness to place his own views alongside statements of alleged fact without the slightest pause for ethical implications. On p.378 of my hardbound copy, the authors describe an effort by one of the Court clerks to rally dissent against a Warren Burger opinion thusly: "The debate turned not on what the Chief had said or intended, but on what Klein and some other clerks said it might mean." How Woodward read, maybe even wrote that line with a straight face is beyond my comprehension. Woodward is notorious for quoting a person or conversation or describing events at length and ending the otherwise factual paragraph with a summary of his own that sometimes stretches or distorts the obvious meaning hilariously.
Such passages read about like this: The man walked into the courtroom. His body language seemed to say "I have contempt for this hallowed organization and shall devote my energies to its downfall in accordance with my extremist views mwahaha!" (do you see how I said the passages were LIKE this? Clever eh?) In the closing paragraphs of "The Brethren" the authors offer this from p. 444: Five separate Fourth Amendment cases were announced on July 6, the last day of the term. All five ruled against citizens' rights and in favor of the government." That is a pretty terse description of cases which have spilled barrels of ink and a false dichotomy besides (are citizen rights truly protected by a government which fails to protect them from crime?)
The storytelling is clearly slanted against the Burger court but the overall quality of the work makes the bias forgivable. We learn how the members of the Court see their mandate. We see the enormous role the clerks play in shaping the rulings of the Court. Hopefully, we see the imbecility of street demonstrations in front of the Court Building but probably not.
There have been decent books on the SCOTUS since The Brethren but Woodward and Armstrong's work captures a period of transition and evolution. We see the bitter and grudging resignation of William Douglas, one of the longest serving Justices in the history of the Court. We see the machinations behind Roe, busing and capital punishment.
The Brethren is a dense and fairly challenging read but well worth it.
Interesting, but lacking.......2006-10-21
I was very much looking forward to reading this book. But I must say that from the first chapter I was disappointted with the writing. The book reads like a string of unrelated newspaper articles or diary entries. There is no underling arc that ties all of the little stories together.
However, despite this shortcoming, "The Brethen" is very interesting. Woodward and Armstrong provide a unique take on the inner-workings of the first few years of the Burger court.
I would suggest that anyone considering reading "The Brethen" instead consider "Closed Chambers: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Modern Supreme Court" by Edward Lazarus.
The best book on the Supreme Court out there........2006-08-03
This may possibly be the best book ever written in regards to the US Supreme Court. Opening with the end of the Warren Court, Woodward and Armstrong go on to describe the Burger Court from 1969-1975. Talking at length about Abortion, the Nixon case, and the Death Penalty, as well as giving great insight into the minds of the 9 men who interpret the nation's constitution. An amazing book, everyone should read it.
A Classic History of the Burger Court.......2006-03-19
I have just re-read this book, which I first enjoyed while I was taking Con Law in law school in the late 1970s. It is a little dated, but still a fun and well-written insider's story of the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court. Woodward and Armstrong write with an "inside the beltway" politically-correct perspective which may seem a little dated today. That's one feature that stands out. When it was originally released, Jimmy Carter was just being elected President, and the Congress was 2/3 Democratic. The political battlegrounds have changed in a generation. However, judicially, not as much as you might expect. Many key issues - abortion, free expression, and the role and limits of government, e.g., - continued through Rehnquist's term as Chief and still face the Roberts court. While today's Court line-up is more conservative, the process of internal court politics is certainly similar, so this book remains useful in attempting to understand both the history of the Court when it issued so many of those decisions that still drive politicians mad today, and how the often convoluted opinions on divisive issues are formed.
It also provides a little nostalgia in remembering Justices such as Potter Stewart and Thurgood Marshall. The authors capture a famous incident involving these two. When the Court of the 1970's considered an obscenity case, the Justices would retire, often en masse, to a basement screening room to take in the offending film. This was a world without home videos. Justice Stewart was infamous for his statement in an earlier case that, while he couldn't define obscenity, "I know it when I see it." Apparently, at the crucial moment (you know the word I'm avoiding) of the film, Justice Marshall would turn to Justice Stewart and proclaim: "That's it - I know it, I see it!"
Anyone interested in Constitutional Law and the Supreme Court should read this book.
Average customer rating:
- The photographs calm your spirit like a meditation.
- An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!
- An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!
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Hutterite: A World of Grace
Rod Slemmons , and
Sieglinde Geisel
Manufacturer: Edition Stemmle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 3908161290 |
Customer Reviews:
The photographs calm your spirit like a meditation........1999-10-13
This is a book to return to over and over again. I've opened it in the midst of a hectic, demanding day and the clean black and white images made me feel refreshed and hopeful. The photographs embody a kind of peace I think we all yearn for.
An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!.......1999-07-12
My name is Simone. I live in Oklahoma. My family and I have evangelized and sang all over the U.S. and Canada. We met a colony of Hutterian Brethren through a church pastor whom lives in PincherCreek, Alberta, Canada, whom invited us to preach at his church. We became really good friends with the Hutterites. I have been communicating by phone and letter over 11 years with them. I found out from my Hutterite friend Janet Walter from Lamona, Wash. that this book was coming out. I have actual pictures from this book that I've had for years from past letters. The Hutterite people usually don't associate with outsiders, but, by extraordinary happenstance, if invited into their way of life, they will be your friends-for-life; always possessing a place in their hearts. The Hutterites live in colonies and are a hard-working, God-fearing, and family-focused people. I love the Hutterites . . . so will you!
An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!.......1999-07-12
My name is Simone. I live in Oklahoma. My family and I have evangelized and sang all over the U.S. and Canada. We met a colony of Hutterian Brethren through a church pastor whom lives in PincherCreek, Alberta, Canada, whom invited us to preached at his church. We became really good friends with the Hutterites. I have been communicating by phone and letter over 11 years with them. I found out from my Hutterite friend Janet Walter from Lamona, Wash. that this book was coming out. I have actual pictures from this book that I've had for years from past letters. The Hutterite people usually don't associate with outsiders, but, by extraordinary happenstance, if invited into their way of life, they will be your friends-for-life; always possessing a place in their hearts. The Hutterites live in colonies and are a hard-working, God-fearing, and family-focused people. I love the Hutterites . . . so will you!
Book Description
It is our belief that the Lord Jesus wants to see the demonic influence of the accuser of the brethren obliterated from the thought process of the church. the Father's House shall be called a House of Prayer, not faultfinding. This study will help you to expose and cast down the accusing spirit. You will also learn how to protect yourself from this faultfinding spirit and how to have the victory.
Customer Reviews:
Wide Open!!!.......2007-10-10
An excellent resource to strengthen the Body of Christ and identify potential pitfalls. It is short, quick, easy....right to the point. A definite referral!!!!
A key dysfunction in the Body of Christ.......2007-07-26
I am of the opinion that every person who calls themselves a Christian, would do well to read and practice what they find in this little book. It is my belief that the points and issues covered here are at the heart of a huge portion of dysfunction in the Body of Christ and in relationships in general... a spirit of judgment and unforgiveness that is destroying the witness of Who Jesus REALLY Is by those who name His Name and are identified as His followers.
If you are looking for information about the "jezebel spirit," read this book too! I believe this subject is one reason the "jezebel spirit" is running amok all-but-unchallenged today, and that the practice of the principals taught here would go a long way to disempowering that... all by itself.
This is powerful teaching that I believe will be become more and more critical as the End Days draw closer and closer... lots of meat in a very small book... worth more than ten times its cost!
Exposing the Accuser of the Brethren book.......2007-07-15
This book should be required reading for every person who sits in a church congregation. It has an inspiring and impacting message for believers. I believe this book was written under the annointing of the Holy Spirit and the message is so timely.
Gut level encounter with yourself........2006-12-17
This is an excellent summary, 50 some pages, exposing the behaviors we blindly accept in ourselves and others. It allows you to stop and see what you're doing and allowing others to do. It exposes the wickedness of our "normal" behavior that the enemy has seduced us into accepting. If you're willing to see yourself and want to be more Christ-like get this and read it. If you want to just smile and sleep through the spiritual battle then you won't want this, it will awaken you. Christianity in work boots. Let's get to work dying to self and letting Christ live in us and through us.
God Bless You,
Rick
Insights regarding the workings of slander and evil-speaking.......2003-11-26
This is a very helpful book/booklet for all pastors and
Christian workers who are interested in how to identify
and deal with the often subtle (and very evil) spirits
which can influence people to strife, offense, and slander.
Pastor Francis Frangipane has written a number of useful
and powerful books on spiritual warfare and overcoming
demonic influences among Christians. This is one of his
best. Highly recommended for those who are spiritually
aware of how "the Accuser of the Brethren" can bring
hurt, division, and strife among churches, families, and
nearly all relationships inside and outside the Christian
community.
Amazon.com
Arnold is a wise guide with a map to a difficult but rewarding spiritual journey. This book addresses the issues facing committed Christians with understanding, generosity, and vision.
Customer Reviews:
an absolute necessity.......2005-03-20
This is one of those books that you get and wonder how you ever lived without it. I struggle in my walk with Christ, but this book is something that I am continually coming back to for wisdom and insight. My copy is about 5 years old and has notes scrawled all over the margins, yet I'm constantly gaining new ideas each time I reread a section. With every read, whether it's the first or the 40th, you experience something fresh. One of the best things about this book is the spectrum of topics covered--no matter your age or experience as a Christ follower, this is a book you really need to read.
And while you're at it, check out Seeking Peace: Thoughts and Conversations Along the Way. It was written by J. Heinrich Arnold's grandson, Johann Christoph Arnold. Mind blowing writing seems to run in the family...
It changed the life of Cassie Bernall.......2000-04-05
Friends of mine from Littleton Colorado told me that this book helped change the life of Columbine martyr Cassie Bernall. It is specifically mentioned in her life story "She Said Yes". This would have brought great joy to the author, Heinrich Arnold, who died in the same year that Cassie was born. A book like this is an amazing thing. The spirit that is captured in its pages waits quietly until discovered by a future generation who is then frees it for a blessing on their life.
Challenging and Inspiring - A great resource.......1997-06-16
I bought this book based solely on the publisher's reviews. I was looking for a book on Discipleship that would challenge my Christian walk, and also give solid answers to theological questions. In a personal, sharp way, Arnold does this. This book is a compilation of letters and notes that were put together by his community after his death. This makes the book great because there is no filler - it's packed with to-the-point insights. I recommend it to anyone. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of 10 is because only the Bible gets a 10! :
Average customer rating:
- a good read
- Magnificent historical novel
- good
- A Story of Unconditional Love that knows no Bounds!
- Wayward gay Lord finds his matelot
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Brethren: Raised By Wolves, Volume One
W., A. Hoffman
Manufacturer: Alien Perspective
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 097210982X |
Book Description
Buccaneer adventure/romance. The first of three volumes chronicling the relationship between an emotionally wounded and disenchanted English lord and an insane and lonely French exile, set among the buccaneers of Port Royal, Jamaica, in 1667.
Customer Reviews:
a good read.......2007-08-26
W. A. Hoffman is a wonderful find: she is a story teller in the ancient tradition. She shows the reader what's going on, rather than describing it. Her style is full of actions and dialogue. She doesn't spend a lot of time describing scenery or inner thoughts; when she has to, she does so with a minimum of words. Her main characters of fully formed and consistant. One of her themes, homosexuality among pirates in the Caribbean during the late 1600s, is unique, informative, and entertaining.
The sexuality is described without anatomical detail. Rather, it reflects the participants' mental and emotional states. Love plays a large part in her story. It can triumph over cruelty and hatred. It can assuage guilt and ease madness. While the sex is important, it isn't mindless, souless ejaculations with multiple partners. In this, Hoffman's view of the world is more feminine than masculine. Sex means something to her: attachment, trust, caring, and love. It is an outward and physical manifestation of an inner and spiriual condition.
My partner and I see ourselves reflected in the two main characters, Gaston and Will. We see our own fears and obsessions, our own love and acceptance, our own madness and sacrifice. We have read the first two volumes and a waiting for the next two. What a wonderful find!
Magnificent historical novel.......2007-07-30
As historical novels go, this is one of the best I've ever read. Convincing characterizations, perfect historical description and exquisite accurateness of detail. The characters of Will and Gaston, their romance is depicted with a rare adherence to the zeitgeist of the times. The life of the buccaneers is described in such vivid detail you think you're there. Will is as amoral as a rogue aristocrat of the times can be, but he knows very well his crimes won't grant him paradise. His love for the mentally damaged Gaston is really touching, as his oversimplifying Hobbesian division of humanity in sheep and wolves is harrowing (but he himself sees the inadequacy of this vision). Will (and many other characters) are contradictory. complex, their heart a strange mess of motivations. Buccaneer matelots can be lovingly tender yet savage and brutal killers and robbers. But their morality is indeed messy as the morality of the states, dabbling in slavery and cruelty.Kudos to W. A. Hoffmann for an outstanding depicting of them and of their life and times!
good.......2007-07-28
The main problem with this book is that it is big and heavy: more than 500 hundred low quality paper pages are bound in a volume that requires a table to be read comfortably. Some typos here and there as well as several minor inconsistencies add to the amount of flaws.
The book is also quite wordy: the two main characters speak A LOT: some is good, much could have been cut with little or no damage.
All above aside, this book is fun. Ms Hoffman appears to have made her researches and the world of xvii century buccaneers comes to life in a believable way.
The many notions are woven with a lot of action and the general impression is unoppressive and pleasant.
A thorny issue is the author's confusion about ethics. Buccaneers killed and tortured peoples to rob them of their own goods and, even if some of their victims were military, there is no easy way around this.
Personally speaking I liked Will and Gaston a lot and I found the side characters well rounded and interesting, but I still felt outright unease at their being robbers and murderers, no better than outright parasites.
A big praise for Ms Hoffman is that she manages a fairly believable attempt at gay male romance not to mention that she is wise enough to mention sex (quite often) without attempting to become graphic about it, never indulging lengthy description, thus avoiding technical censure as well.
Like many lady-authors she seems convinced that perfect bisexuality exists and that perfectly straight males can practice perfectly fulfilling gay sex out of true love for their partners; I am quite perplexed about these curious notions but I found them approached with a no nonsense attitude.
This first episode of a planned trilogy can stand alone on its own as there are no really annoying loose threads.
A Story of Unconditional Love that knows no Bounds! .......2007-05-31
Set in the 1600's from Florence, to England then to Jamaica! Who knew what life was like in Jamaica!This author gave us a rich photograph of life in Jamaica, of buccaneers, of ships,sloops,cutters, pistols,dubloons,clothing, plantations, towns and the life aboard ships. All of the many characters we meet are so fully developed you feel as if you know them! No detail was overlooked in giving us an unimagined detail of people living then!
But the setting is nothing compared to the love of Gaston and Will - two broken and damaged young men, rejected by family, both being used, abused both physically,emotionally, and sexually. They find each other half way around the world! The author takes the reader on the most gradual, sensual, and painful exploration of a love neither of them dared dream about - or ever had! So painfully heartbreaking, so utterly beautiful, so absolutely unconditional.
This story left me absolutely breathless and gasping for more. Please more! I ordered Matelots b/4 I finished Brethren!
Wayward gay Lord finds his matelot.......2007-05-30
Lord Marsdale, wayward twenty six year old first son of an English Lord has for ten years travelled Europe, charming and seducing both male and female, and paying his way by dispatching the unwanted to order. Having to leave yet another city following his latest killing, which also meant reluctantly leaving Alonso, his lover of the last two years, he returns home to England and his estranged father. But it is not long before he is off travelling again, this time sent by his father to oversee the establishment of a new sugar plantation in Jamaica. But he is still the adventurer, and not one to idly watch over a plantation. He soon finds a commonality with the buccaneers, and within no time at all he is sailing and pillaging with them, adopting their ways and customs. But before his first sailing he encounters the enigmatic buccaneer Gaston, with whom he finds himself partnered; and soon falling in love.
There are numerous other interesting characters including the most appealing Adonis like Pete, the Golden One; and his devoted partner, the equally handsome Striker. Marsdale, a dualist skilled with both sword and gun, who is happy enough to bed a man or women, but preferring a man for a relationship, is an interesting mix of mercenary and philanthropist; his biggest concern over his father's plantation is that the workers be treated properly.
As the story, narrated by Marsdale, unfolds we gradually learn glean more about both Gaston and Marsdale himself, and we learn that the two have much in common. As well as each being of noble birth and sharing an interest in art and literature, they both have suffered dreadfully in their youth. The love that grows between them, a complicated love for Gaston's usual sexual preference is for the opposite sex, is beautiful despite the problems and difficulties they have to overcome; and through their love and mutual support, they are able to face the dark shadows of their past.
An epic adventure set around 1666, packed full of interesting well researched snippets of information, yet Brethren is primarily a deeply touching love story involving two very appealing, but far from perfect individuals. Raised by Wolves Volume 1, Brethren, is a captivating and positive story, highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Great Premise, Bad Ending
- mind-numbingly dull
- Hysterical
- Another enjoyable story by Mr. Grisham
- Great, Just Great.
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The Brethren
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
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Binding: Paperback
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![The King of Torts [BARGAIN PRICE] [Hardcover] by GRISHAM, JOHN](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0007DB96O.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
The King of Torts [BARGAIN PRICE] [Hardcover] by GRISHAM, JOHN
ASIN: 0385339674
Release Date: 2005-12-27 |
Amazon.com
John Grisham's novels have all been so systematically successful that it is easy to forget he is just one man toiling away silently with a pen, experimenting and improving with each book. While not as gifted a prose stylist as Scott Turow, Grisham is among the best plotters in the thriller business, and he infuses his books with a moral valence and creative vision that set them apart from their peers.
The Brethren is in many respects his most daring book yet. The novel grows from two separate subplots. In the first, three imprisoned ex-judges (the "brethren" in the title), frustrated by their loss of power and influence, concoct an elaborate blackmail scheme that preys on wealthy, closeted gay men. The second story traces the rise of presidential candidate Aaron Lake, a puppet essentially created by CIA director Teddy Maynard to fulfill Maynard's plans for restoring the power of his beleaguered agency.
Grisham's tight control of the two meandering threads leaves the reader guessing through most of the opening chapters how and when these two worlds will collide. Also impressive is Grisham's careful portraiture. Justice Hatlee Beech in particular is a fascinating, tragic anti-hero: a millionaire judge with an appointment for life who was rendered divorced, bankrupt, and friendless after his conviction for a drunk-driving homicide.
The book's cynical view of presidential politics and criminal justice casts a somewhat gloomy shadow over the tale. CIA director Teddy Maynard is an all-powerful demon with absolute knowledge and control of the public will and public funds. Even his candidate, Congressman Lake, is a pawn in Maynard's egomaniacal game of ad campaigns, illicit contributions, and international intrigue. In the end, The Brethren marks a transition in Grisham's career toward a more thoughtful narrative style with less interest in the big-payoff blockbuster ending. But that's not to say that the last 50 pages won't keep your reading light turned on late. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
They call themselves the Brethren: three disgraced former judges doing time in a Florida federal prison.
One was sent up for tax evasion. Another, for skimming bingo profits. And the third, for a career-ending drunken joyride.
Meeting daily in the prison law library, taking exercise walks in their boxer shorts, these judges-turned-felons can reminisce about old court cases, dispense a little jailhouse justice, and contemplate where their lives went wrong.
Or they can use their time in prison to get very rich -- very fast. And so they sit, sprawled in the prison library, furiously writing letters, fine-tuning a wickedly brilliant extortion scam ... while events outside their prison walls begin to erupt.
A bizarre presidential election is holding the nation in its grips -- and a powerful government figure is pulling some very hidden strings. For the Brethren, the timing couldn't be better. Because they've just found the perfect victim...
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Great Premise, Bad Ending.......2007-10-08
I liked a lot of this book but was disappointed in the ending. It had a unique plot that was really interesting and fun that held my interest throughout, but it left a really bad taste in my mouth at the end.
mind-numbingly dull.......2007-10-01
i was highly dissapointed by this book. All of the characters are paper-thin stereotpyes and none of them are likeable. The plot goes way beyond far-fetched. The biggest flaw is that the story just keeps making one unnecessary concession after another to the three ex-judges, for no credible reason whatsoever, except maybe to satisfy the readers' inclination to back the underdogs.
Hysterical.......2007-09-03
This book is absolutely marvelous. Very very funny, very very entertaining. As is usual for a Grisham book, no one is exactly the "good guy" in The Brethren, everyone is kind of their own bad guy, and you feel like cheering for all of them. I loved this- it's probably my favorite, right next to The Runaway Jury and The Painted House.
Another enjoyable story by Mr. Grisham.......2007-08-23
I have read just about all of John Grisham's novels and again he has not disappointed me with this story. In the Brethren Mr. Grisham took me on a journey into a political campaign, and how the government can control an election. The characters of the three judges' and their activities were believable. What I appreciated about John Grisham is that each new book that he releases takes me into a new world and I always learn something from his stories. The Brethren is a super story. Enjoy it, it's a wonderful book.
Great, Just Great........2007-07-13
This one seemed so real. I could just picture 3 old, washed up Judges plotting, and holding mock courts. I enjoyed this JG. He did a great job of making the characters come to life.
Average customer rating:
- A good finish, misses a few points
- All things considered, a decent work
- Lacking overall, but decent intro to 4 Old-Orders
- Amish, again and again
- Review of Backroads to Heaven
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On the Backroad to Heaven: Old Order Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies)
Donald B. Kraybill , and
Carl Desportes Bowman
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
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ASIN: 0801865654 |
Book Description
On the Backroad to Heaven is a unique guidebook to the world of Old Order Anabaptist groups. Focusing on four Old Order communities--the Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren--Donald B. Kraybill and Carl Desportes Bowman provide a fascinating overview of their culture, growth, and distinctive way of life. Following a general introduction to Old Order culture, they show how each group uses a different strategy to create and sustain its identity. The Hutterites, for example, keep themselves geographically segregated from the larger society, whereas the Brethren interact more freely with it. The Amish and Mennonites are more alike in how they engage the outside world, adopting a complex but flexible strategy of compromise that produces an evolving canon of social and religious rules. This first comparative study sketches the differences as well as the common threads that bind these groups together.
Customer Reviews:
A good finish, misses a few points.......2006-10-13
The book does a good job of surveying the four groups, and finishes up very strongly when considering the similarities in the groups.
The contrast between the Mennonites and Amish is also very interesting. It is also perhaps the most accurate portion of the book--although he picked some fairly liberal old order Mennonite groups to describe. It would have been a little better to have picked a more traditional Mennonite group.
It is perhaps at its weakest when describing the old order German Baptist Brethren. There are some very embarassing inaccuracies, including garbled German Baptist vocab (referring to family devotions as "taking the text"--a term that refers to the main sermon on Sunday for example) and considering certain very exceptional cases to be representative (a GB cheerleader, who he doesn't reveal had a parent outside the church). The glaring omission in the German Baptist section has to be that down to details such as order of worship and attitude they are extremely similar to the old order Amish--so much so that the two have cooperated on education in the past.
I also found the section on gender strife among the Hutterites to be a little overstated. Hutterites wouldn't see the conflict the way Americans do, or the way the authors do.
Enjoyed it a great deal.
All things considered, a decent work.......2003-01-05
As the subject line suggestions, I consider this is a fairly nice piece of work. The author does a good job of giving an overview of the four different Old Order groups covered in the book.
Though the author was slightly slanted in favor of some of the Old Orders (Brethren & Amish mainly), this book had neither the rose-colored fluff or scathing condemnation of other publications. There was a description of what worked, what didn't work, what was pious and what was wrong with all four groups.
I would like to have know more intricate detail of each of the group's theology rather than a few snippets of scriptural interpretation and comments from church fathers. I do, however, understand that this book is more of a sociological survey than a theological analysis.
The last few chapters did engage in a repetitious rehash of what has already been covered. I also did find a few typographic errors that didn't get caught by the editor.
Final analysis: If you are new to studying any of these groups, this could certainly would play as a good jumping-off point for further study. If you need to get a quick overview of the groups mentioned, this would also serve your purpose. A more thorough study, however, will require additional reading and research.
Lacking overall, but decent intro to 4 Old-Orders.......2002-12-21
I found the first few chapters interesting in which the authors profile each of the 4 featured Old-order groups. However, the editing was distracting because the same point was made multiple times in each chapter (in addition to a couple typos). The last couple chapters compare and contrast the 4 groups, but not much new is added I didn't already get in the first chapters. I wish they had touched upon the more progressive branches in each group, comparing Old-order to more modern counterparts, but there was almost no mention of them. Also, the few facts I did know about Old-Orders before reading this book were not discussed (if these are common misconceptions and not facts, they still deserve space in this book). I still give it 3 stars because I was very interested in the descriptions and brief histories of each group.
Amish, again and again.......2002-06-18
Donald B. Kraybill has either written or been a co-author to about 22 books at last count. Most have been about the Old Order Amish and I wonder why? It's always the same old thing, they're misunderstood and they want to be left alone(except when they need a phone or van to ride in). They won't serve in the military because of their beliefs and shy away from the English(everyone not Amish)law because maybe they have something to hide. They bann, excommunicate, and shun anyone who leaves this backward, traditional cult to find a better life. Why so many books on the same old subject? I was hoping for something more realistic because newspapers have confirmed they have problems and there's no way that these poeple can all be so good. I want to read the truth, the facts, the real story, not the HOLLYWOOD version of the Amish. Please, tell it like it is and don't tell any more stories on the so-called "American Heritage." I gave this book 3 stars because it is informative and educational and I believe that D.B.Kraybill is a good writer, but just excludes certain facts. Whatever the reason, he might believe he's their protector.
Review of Backroads to Heaven.......2001-06-04
Having an advanced degree in Sociology and also having personal relationships with members of Old Order Groups does not make me an unbiased reviewer of this work. As it stands, I believe it takes a very conservative and functional perspective on the dynamic groups of these people and does not even begin to address the integration of change and conflict within these groups in anything ut a very superficial way. A shame, as I was hoping for a more dynamic read than a functionalist perspective of very diverse and dynamic subgroups. As it stands, I found the work not truly willing or able to explore deviance, social control, conflict or the realism of the daily lives of these peoples as they struggle with their religious lifestyle and the world around them. As stated, it was a descriptive work from a functionalist perspective. Too bad as the subject and persons are far more interesting than the authors would have left one to believe, especially when living among those people in communities and thier true impact on the larger secular society around them as I have seen.
Book Description
by Bonnie Harvey. A man of prayer who trusted God to supply all the needs of his orphanages and showed those around him that he was truly a man of faith.
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- The Mike Hammer Collection, Volume 2: One Lonely Night, The Big Kill, Kiss Me Deadly
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