Average customer rating:
- A Terrific Page Turner!
- Weakest Boyd I've read
- he's my favorite contempo writer
- A real page turner
- a surprisingly good read
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Restless: A Novel
William Boyd
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
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ASIN: 1596912367
Release Date: 2006-10-03 |
Book Description
It is Paris, 1939. Twenty-eight year old Eva Delectorskaya is at the funeral of her beloved younger brother. Standing among her family and friends she notices a stranger. Lucas Romer is a patrician looking Englishman with a secretive air and a persuasive manner. He also has a mysterious connection to Kolia, Eva's murdered brother. Romer recruits Eva and soon she is traveling to Scotland to be trained as a spy and work for his underground network. After a successful covert operation in Belgium, she is sent to New York City, where she is involved in manipulating the press in order to shift American public sentiment toward getting involved in WWII.
Three decades on and Eva has buried her dangerous history. She is now Sally Gilmartin, a respectable English widow, living in a picturesque Cotswold village. No one, not even her daughter Ruth, knows her real identity. But once a spy, always a spy. Sally has far too many secrets, and she has no one to trust. Before it is too late, she must confront the demons of her past. This time though she can't do it alone, she needs Ruth's help. Restless is a thrilling espionage novel set during the Second World War and a haunting portrait of a female spy. Full of tension and drama, emotion and history, this is storytelling at its finest.
Customer Reviews:
A Terrific Page Turner!.......2007-10-04
I'm new to this author so I didn't know what to expect, especially when I read that the story was about espionage that took place during Nazi Germany. Robert Ludlum has always been my favorite author for stories during this period, but I must say William Boyd ranks right up there with Mr. Ludlum. The story was a thrilling read and the research was apparent in the details that the author ensured was portrayed in the story. Once I started reading the book it moved along at brisk pace and soon I found myself reading page after page. I could hardly put the book down. Just a terrific page turner and a super read.
Weakest Boyd I've read.......2007-09-21
This is a well enough written book, as one would expect from William Boyd. That said, its the weakest Boyd I've ever read. This time his portrayal of real life characters in interesting times and extraordinary circumstances falls flat. I found it very hard to care even a bit for the daughter's story. I found it only a little harder to care for the mother's pretty-girl-turned-murderous-spy plot. Even the wartime situations the mother is involved in and that lead up to the climax of the novel are very far from enthralling. Its almost as if this is a novel without protagonists, since the protagnists themselves and the plot around them is so uninteresting. Emphasizing all this are the surrounding characters (ie the Iranian english student, the estranged german father of Jochen, his brother and Ilse) who not only add nothing to the plot but provide no really interesting subplots of their own (actually, to the contrary).
Boyd can be wonderful. But for wonderful Boyd please go for "An Ice Cream War".
he's my favorite contempo writer.......2007-09-18
i have read all of william boyd's novels, his short stories, screenplays and most of his essays--he's far and away my favorite contemporary novelist.
"Restless" is brilliant; it's right up there with his best novels, "The New
Confessions," "Brazzaville Beach," and "Any Human Heart."
the only ones that don't come up to scratch are "The Blue Afternoon" and
"Armadillo."
if you like Ishiguro, Amis, McEwan, or the divine David Mitchell, you will LOVE Boyd's stuff.
just get it!
A real page turner.......2007-09-15
Ruth is a single mother who teaches English as a second language in Oxford, England. One day her mother hands her the first installment in her autobiography, and Ruth discovers that everything she thought she knew about her mother's background is a lie, and that her mother was actually a secret agent by the name of Eva, who worked for the British immediately prior to and during WW2.
From here, the book alternates between Ruth's life in the present day and her mother's story during the war. Like Ruth, I found myself caught up in the spy saga and hungry to see how it developed. William Boyd has done a great job of creating a plausible and intriguing storyline for Eva - more John le Carre than James Bond. While he captures the isolation of Eva's world and the mundane elements of her job, the story also builds with genuine tension and pace. Ruth's life, on the other hand, is more prosaic, but as she gets caught up in her mother's story, she loses her jaded view of the world and starts to see potential intrigue in the people and events around her.
This is an easy book to read and I enjoyed it very much. The details about Eva's training and life as a spy felt real and fascinating to me. The twists and turns in her story kept me hooked without feeling contrived or false. As I read the book I could feel it building towards some kind of climax but I had absolutely no idea where it would go. The mother's and daughter's stories eventually intersect in a way that I found very satisfying. I thought it was a great read from start to finish.
a surprisingly good read.......2007-09-13
I haven't read anything by William Boyd in quite a few years and can't recall which of his earlier books I did, in fact, read but I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was wondering if any of his earlier books go into similar territory.
I thought the technique of shifting back and forth between Eva's wartime adventures and the current period (though the whole book is evidently a flashback to the 70's)when she reveals her exciting past to her daughter was very well done and made this a compelling read. In some respects, this book reminded me of several of Alan Furst's or Ward Just's novels. Well researched and with a real element of suspense.
Book Description
The Mom Inventors Handbook. gives practical step-by- step advice for putting inspiration into action. The book takes inventors from idea development to marketing and sales covering everything from market research to prototype development, manufacturing and licensing and debunks some common myths. It simplifies the invention process; even providing stories from real mom inventors sharing their 'aha' moments and lessons learned.
Customer Reviews:
Step by step guide to creating and taking a product to market.......2007-07-27
Tamara works her way though all the steps for bringing a product to market. As the title would suggest her target audience is female but as a male I also found that it was very informative. She presents examples from her own work as well as that of others helping to show how varied and simple products really can be.
Get This Book.......2007-07-23
If you are an inventor or have thoughts about inventing a new product, do yourself a favor and BUY THIS BOOK. I created a product and recently launched my Web site to sell my invention, OnTray, on. This book was my road map throughout the whole process.
Laura Hamrick
Tremendous aid for understanding how to turn your new product idea into a successful business.......2006-06-10
I launched a new product line several years ago - learning a lot along the way. I am getting ready to launch a new line of products and decided to read this book. It was a tremendous resource! So many of the answers that I had to dig for and learn the hard (and expensive) way - are contained here in one easy to read book. I highly endorse it. It is also very motivational (as you read the stories of other people) that decided to take action and turn their idea into a successful business. Well worth the price. Very well written.
Informative and inspiring.......2006-03-12
Mom inventors wanting more info on what's involved in bringing a product to market will want to read this book. The book offers practical advice on researching your market, creating your product prototype, protecting your idea, manufacturing your product, and bringing your product to market.
What I like best about the book is that it features case studies and practical advice from real-life mom inventors.
There are also lots of helpful website links and other helpful resources at the back of the book -- very helpful for mom inventors who wish to do some additional research.
This is a terrific and inspiring book that will be very helpful to mom inventors at any stage of bringing an invention to market -- conception right through delivery.
Amazing, Informational & A Must Have.......2005-11-18
This book does it all for anyone wanting to create/invent a product that they hope to bring to market. Tamara shares in a very easy-to-read format her experiences, her expertise and saves the rest of us lots of time, energy and money. Her mistakes made along the way combined with her successes that continue to grow provide the reader with a wealth of knowledge about researching, developing, patenting, protecting, marketing (and more!) an idea/invention.
Pair this with the CD sets created by her dynamic and resourceful company mominventors.com, and you will walk away with knowledge you could not even get in business school! I wish I had read this three years ago when I first started my product line development. Thanks Tamara for sharing so freely and so generously to save the rest of us time and money!!!
Beth Butler
Creator of the BOCA BETH Program
Average customer rating:
- A masterpiece of mythologic imagination
- Dominion Over All
- a must for mythology lovers
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The Great Mother (Mythos Books)
Erich Neumann
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0691017808 |
Book Description
Neumann examines how the Feminine has been experienced and expressed in many cultures from prehistory to our own time. Appearing as goddess and demon, gate and pillar, garden and tree, hovering sky and containing vessel, the Feminine is seen as an essential factor in the dialectical relation of individual consciousness, symbolized by the child, to the ungraspable matrix, symbolized by the Great Mother.
Customer Reviews:
A masterpiece of mythologic imagination.......2006-06-06
Neumann's book is really a masterpiece. I reccomend reading it after The origins and history of consciousness, where he traces the evolution of the male archetype. Neumann was probably the most freudian of all Jungian disciples. He also introduced some variations in the jungian theories. For example, he stated (read the first chapter of the great mother) that the archetype of the hero represents the evolution of consciousness and the great mother the evolution of the unconscious. This is a somehow different view from Jung's contrasexual identities. Neumann's effort in the great mother is so huge that deserves a place of privilege in the litterature of mythological interpretations. Though I think it is important not to read it literally, but symbolically, letting the images inspire your imagination.
Though today other jungians, and especially Hillman get the honors of scholars and psychologists alike, Neumann's systematic work is an invaluable resource that preluded in the jungian field later discoveries in the freudian school such as those of Balint, Winnicott or Margaret Mahler.
Dominion Over All.......2004-04-12
Erich Neumann's profusely illustrated The Great Mother: An Analysis Of An Archetype (1955) is a densely composed psychological study in the tradition of those written by Neumann's eminent teacher and mentor, C. G. Jung. But whereas Jung?s many books were underscored by a sense of profound, almost inexpressible knowledge and inner confidence in his material and ability, Neumann's less convincing The Great Mother often seems specious, arbitrary, and murky in its details and conclusions.
The volume's excellent first chapter, "The Structure of the Archetype," offers what is probably the best single definition and description of the archetype available anywhere. Though he recovers his bearings again later, Neumann quickly loses his way in his second chapter, "The Archetypal Feminine And The Great Mother," which delineates the levels of the unconscious into the unconvincing and clumsy subdivisions "The Archetypal Feminine" (which is further subdivided into "The Uroboric Great Mother" and "The Maternal Uroboros"), "The Terrible Mother," "The Great Mother," "The Good Mother," "The Anima," and the "projected" conscious categories of "the Gorgon," "Isis," and "Sophia."
Since Neumann rightly or wrongly believes at every facet of reality ? from the unconscious and conscious processes of mankind to the entire natural world ("the universe, the primeval darkness, and the generative night sky") ? can be and has been defined at base in terms of the larger feminine archetype, his portrayal of nature and human destiny is one in which both the individual man and the collective are but playthings to a force that is ruthlessly impersonal, blindly instinctive, and simultaneously transcendent and immediately present in the every day world.
Neumann's "feminine" archetype exists and has existed everywhere and is found in literally everything: in "ponds, streams, and swamps," in "mountains, hills, cliffs," in "fertile muck," in "cave, pillar, and rock," in "thrones, stones, stone implements, and fire," in "plants, roots, and tubers," in "the serpent and the scorpion, the fishes of the river and the sea, the wild beasts of wood and mountain, the goose, duck, and heron, the nocturnal owl and the dove, the cow and the bull, goat, pig, and sheep, the bee," in "the fruit and the nut," "the grain," "the house, door, threshold, and tomb," "the couch, the table, the hearth, and the bed," "the oven and the mill," "the cauldron and the pot," "the magical song and poetry," "suffering and death, sacrifice and annihilation, renewal, rebirth, and immortality," "the fertility of men and animals," and "earth and heaven."
Neumann believes and attempts to prove that the earliest societies were matriarchies that were later usurped and overthrown by men, but curiously fails to explore why such a process might have been necessary or even required for the establishment of civilization and culture as well as for the evolution and development of consciousness. The role of the corresponding male archetype and its dynamic role in mankind's evolution and destiny is one of the questions that the unnuanced text of The Great Mother pointedly begs but flatly ignores at every turn.
In Neumann's perspective, it was women who first developed the "preparation and storage of food" and the "fermentation and manufacture of intoxicants?as the gatherer and later preparer of herbs, plants, and fruits, she was the inventor and guardian of the first healing potions, medicines, and poisons." As Neumann's ancient women were both hunters and gatherers, "only the killing of large animals" fell "to the males," who were entirely subordinate and dependent on women to sustain them. Then as now, "the male remains inferior to, and at the mercy of, the Feminine that confronts him as a power of destiny." Males, Neumann says, are mere "bondsmen" of powers that ultimately belong and revert to their true source in women as the rightful vessel of the Feminine, who "confers no birth and no life without pain." Apparently unable to determine anything whatsoever on his own, even ancient male warriors were only acting in the service of women and the "Great Mother." Trapped in an inferior role to the "Archetypal Feminine," from birth to death Neumann's males are puppets and second - class citizens in the heretical Feminine order. As finite human beings rather than archetypal forces, women themselves fair only slightly better.
How much of Neumann's thesis is accurate and factual? How much is hazy speculative mysticism? Are "women," whose bodies "correspond to the Great Goddess" really the only individuals who can effect genuine spiritual change and transformation, or is Neumann confusing poetic metaphor and fact, or the nature of the unconscious with mankind's anthropomorphic identification of it? Neumann goes out on a limb and embarrasses himself more than once, as when he compares the "secrets" of "primordial mysteries" that were "traditionalized into cults" "by women" with "tendencies in modern life" wherein food recipes "become a secret family tradition." That example grandly ignores the newly suburbanized father of Fifties American culture, proudly outfitted in chef's hat and apron, gleefully flipping hamburgers on the backyard barbecue grill.
Flouting Freud's well ? supported belief that the incest taboo was the very basis of consciousness and civilization, Neumann holds instead that "all taboos originated in the menstruation taboo that women imposed on themselves and on men." Are men in all cases really perceived by women as "alien" interlopers who comes "from without and by violence take the daughter from the mother," or is he literalizing and overapplying the Demeter ? Persephone myth and motif? Shrewd and cautious readers of The Great Mother will discover that many of Neumann?s assertions fail to bear up under closer examination and scrutiny.
Feminist scholar and cultural critic Camille Paglia, a Neumann advocate, has written three books, Sexual Personae (1990), Sex, Art, & American Culture (1992) and Tramps & Vamps (1995), which offer a deeper, better elucidated, and more balanced historical interpretation of the same material Neumann offers here, stressing as she does the vital importance of the male dynamic in the rise of Western civilization while underscoring that "cultic femaleness is no guarantee of cultural strength or viability."
a must for mythology lovers.......2000-03-31
The Great Mother is an absolute must-have for anyone intersted in mythology, Jungian psychology or even literary analysis.
Part I is quite heavy in termonology and complex archtypal ideas; part II is more accessable and can be read and enjoyed without part I. As a feminist, I found it fascinating to learn about the different aspects of the goddess. I especially enjoyed the chapter called "Lady of the Beasts" which discusses the different animals associated with the Great Mother and their symbolic significance. Even if you don't subcribe to Jungian psychology, this book is a fascinating look into the human mind.
Finally, there's 185 pages of photographs and drawings at the end of the book -- fascinating to thumb through!
Book Description
This classic companion to The World's Religions articulates the remarkable unity that underlies the world's religious traditions
Customer Reviews:
Greatest book ever.......2007-07-16
This is not just a book, it's an adventure in discovery- what matriarchy means, and meant for 200 millenia before the patriarchs came and wrecked everything. Why it is such a profound trip is the old religion, the spirituality that prevailed for all those long centuries is really beautiful- empowering and liberating. Before there was writing there was no "word of God" for preachers to scare children with. There was not a God. The cranky, punishing, vengeful being worshipped by the world's three "great" religions was a Jehova come lately who showed up 200,000 years too late. Before the patriarchs invented him, humankind had got along very well all that time without him. Without guilt, or being ashamed of our bodies, without sin. As "savages" we loved our sexuality, and thought sex was fun, a gift from Mother Nature for us to enjoy.
Also it's astonishing to discover how deeply enmeshed we are and have been in Western
Civ, and what a huge role has been played by patrirchal preaching. When people from the West first saw natural humans, who still knew they are part of nature, and loved her they were shocked. They had no way of understanding their sprituality. They totally believed if it did not happen in a church with a book and a preacher, it could not be religion.
These two amazing women are here to show us a whole new- and very old- way of looking religion, at the world, and Mother Earth and the Cosmos.
Great exploration of the Goddes with a bitter anti-male bent.......2007-05-13
I have been greatly conflicted on how to rate and what to write as a review of this 500+ page tome.
First the bad: I know my sex would be read the riot act throughout this book, when on the dedication page, it can be read: "To my son ... who was tragically killed ... by patriarchal technology ..." Circulation aside, the polarization Ms Mor espouses is just as damaging to gender harmony as any patriarchal "holy" book. Women as "good" and men as "evil" isn't helpful to the cause of trying to find gender balance in pagan spirituality and culture. There was very little to zero differentiation made between male oppressors and males who don't / didn't treat women as second class citizens or worse, chattel.
Now the good: I was inspired by "Cosmic Mother." I hadn't been previously inspired to add to my statue collection "The Venus of Laussel" or "Ngame" better known as the Cretan Snake Goddess, but this book made me want to get them. Entire chapters inspired and resonated with me, particularly all of the chapters that spoke of women's culture and religion in Neolithic times.
The most topical material for today (the dark Bush years) is the chapter entitled "The American Split" in which Ms Mor argues the founding fathers religion of Deism is really an early form of Secular Humanism. Deuteronomy or the Hebrew part of the "Bible" could not have been the inspiration of basic constitutional rights such as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, " "innocent until proven guilty," "freedom of religion," the utter rejection of divine rights of kings, etc. Ms Mor successfully argues that the USA was not founded on "Christian" values but on "Secular Humanist" values.
She is the most prophetic when speaking of "free trade zones" which are code words for making the rich richer and the poor poorer. One of her most enduring and convincing themes is that patriarchal monotheist religion and culture legitimizes entire populations servitude to the ruling elite. She, more than any other author, opened my eyes to this fact about patriarchal "holy" books.
In my continuing path to find the Goddess and eventually balance of male/female principles in my life and spirituality, "Cosmic Mother" has greatly helped me along. I just wish there wasn't so much bitterness between the helpful parts of this book.
The Great Cosmic Mother.......2007-05-12
An intriguing exploration of the presence of the female sex throughout time. Sjoo is a strong, charismatic writer who presents all of her deepest convictions and bias in this book. Like most historical and cultural expositions, this book should be read with an awareness of the author's personal history and passions.
BECOME WOMAN.......2007-03-03
The Great Cosmic mother is my life's mission! The authors were guided by non other than SHE when they wrote this book! All women on the planet must read this masterpiece. Men will find Ma again and learn to cherish her. Change the world, change your life by reading this book. You need look no further!
A Book I Wouldn't Have Missed Reading For ANYTHING!.......2005-11-04
I first read this book about 10 years ago and I haven't been the same since. I was shocked to learn that all human fetuses start out as female and only if an androgen kicks in will a fetus end up male. This was a major revelation to me...I had never heard that before. Since then I have found information that says the same thing. I am sure that men wish that wasn't the case, but apparently it is.
I suspect some people don't like the book because it comes flat out and says that the first deities were female. I have no problem with that It makes sense since the person people first interact with are their mothers. I have no problems with thatat all.
I would love everyone to read this book--it is definitely an eye-opener!
Book Description
Adults have a wide array of books to help explore earth-based spirituality. But what if they want to include their children? Here is a handbook to help parents, caregivers, teachers, and counselors create meaningful spiritual experiences that will inspire children of all ages. The ideas, suggestions, and activities collected here show how to bring children into rituals that celebrate seasonal cycles and help reclaim the spiritual roots of today's modern holidays. With surprisingly little effort, earth-centered activities and rituals can be incorporated into simple daily routines.
Part 1, "Handbook for Earth-Connected Parenting," gives techniques for developing a child's inner wisdom and sense of the sacred: dream journals, visualization, Tarot play, talismans, and interactions with the natural world
Part 2 is a guide to the specific seasonal festivals, and offers a comprehensive collection of practical and enjoyable ways to celebrate the sacred days of our ancestors. Make a bean rune divination system, gather smudge sticks, grow grass pots, assemble a "dream pillow," create altars the authors offer easy-to-follow suggestions.
Includes suggested reading and resource sections for locating additional information and materials for creative projects.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-09-01
I was very pleased with this book on how it is detailed and easy to follow. Beautifully written and supportive in nature's path religions. I finally feel like I can get my two little children involved in Pagan holidays without confusing them or labeling our path. A must for Pagan parents!
This is perfect for beginners and beyond.......2007-07-31
I have been looking for a good book to begin the explaniations for my children. This is the one. It is very simple, not draining. Very easy to understand and communicate without complication. Activities are wonderful and great for all ages/faiths. Very good references for further use and research. Great to start with! My children will love the adventures the book proposes!
Wonderful Family Resource!.......2007-06-16
As I was paging through looking for ideas to celebrate the summer solstice, I was prompted to finally write a review of this wonderful book! This book is a wonderful family resource. It is ripe with good ideas and lots of them--I find there is such a wealth of ideas that it is easy to pick and choose just a couple to use for each holiday and when you refer to the book again it is like it is brand new (because you didn't use up all the ideas the first time). I like how it lays out a family guide to each holiday, complete with food suggestions, activities, etc. When I first bought this book, I tried to incorporate everything at once and then realized that selecting a few elements works the best for our family and we enjoy the activities more when we take plenty of time for them.
I have noticed with other "alternative" celebration books, a heavy focus on Wicca. We are not Wiccan and so there was a lack of "click" with the other books. I appreciate the Earth centered spirituality of this book, without the assumption that the readers are Wiccan. Also, the activities are all very reasonable and child friendly (though I would recommend the book to those without children as well)--I get very turned off by the long rituals and invocations of other celebration books (the whole not-clicking-with-the-Wicca-perspective thing, I guess).
Anyway, I strongly recommend this book. I expect to use it as a resource for our family for many years to come (I bought it about two years ago, I think).
Gorgeous!.......2007-03-13
I love the concepts in this book. It explains the history of why we humans celebrate the things we do. It gives ideas for fun rituals and celebrations that actually have soul and meaning.
Not as good..........2006-04-19
as Circle Round. I've always used Circle Round, so I thought I'd give Celebrating the Great Mother a try. I'd read the great reviews. This is just my opinion, but I'm really disappointed! The crafts given for Sabbats are vague. I will say though, that it did give me some ideas, but I honestly didn't think when purchasing this book that all I'd be getting is a bare bones guideline that I'd have to fill in the blanks every time. Is it really that difficult to give some instruction on the crafts the book suggests? They do have some cute dances that I'll be able to use, but beyond that, I had to put it away & pick up Circle Round. For me personally, it wasn't something I should have purchased.
Amazon.com
Incisive character studies of Queen Victoria's five daughters provide the framework for a lively survey of 19th-century European history. With three brothers securing the English throne, the princesses' royal duty was to further Britain's interests through marriage. Vivacious, intelligent Vicky (1840-1901), the spoiled eldest, had a happy union with Hohenzollern prince Frederick William, though her liberal views were unpopular in Prussia and vehemently resisted by her son Willy, who eventually became the emperor of Germany. Sensitive, altruistic Alice (1843-78); dutiful, dull Lenchen (1846-1923); and shy baby sister Beatrice (1857-1944) all married minor German royalty--though Beatrice, intended to be her domineering mother's spinster companion, didn't marry until she was 28 and continued to live in England at Victoria's beck and call. Centuries-old custom dictated that princesses must not wed subjects, but artistic, rebellious Louise (1848-1939) married a Scottish nobleman anyway and managed to lead a slightly less restricted life than her sisters, particularly as a strong supporter of charitable organizations for women. Jerrold Packard, a veteran historian-biographer with six previous books to his credit, spins an enjoyably old-fashioned narrative emphasizing personal relationships among Europe's royalty and their impact on political developments. --Wendy Smith
Book Description
Five women who shared one of the most extraordinary and privileged sisterhoods of all time....Vicky, Alice, Helena, Louise, and Beatrice were historically unique sisters, born to a sovereign who ruled over a quarter of the earth's people and who gave her name to an era: Queen Victoria. Two of these princesses would themselves produce children of immense consequence. All five would face the social restrictions and familial machinations borne by ninetheenth-century women of far less exalted class.Researched at the houses and palaces of its five subjects-- in London, Scotland, Berlin, Darmstadt, and Ottawa- Victoria's Daughters examines a generation of royal women who were dominated by their mother, married off as much for political advantage as for love, and passed over entirely when their brother Bertie ascended to the throne. Packard, an experienced biographer whose last book chronicled Victoria's final days, provides valuable insights into their complex, oft-tragic lives as scions of Europe's most influential dynasty, and daughters of their own very troubled times.
Customer Reviews:
The Hand that Didn't Rock the Cradle..........2007-03-04
Last year I read the mesmerizing "Born to Rule" about Queen Victoria's granddaughters who became ruling monarchs. That wonderful book, led me to this one.
The book begins, as expected, with the royal childhoods. The Queen would never have her staff spare the rod, nor would she take pains to spare the child any humiliation. She calls them ugly and dumb, and they know where they stand. (No wonder they had so much grief when their father died!)
Victoria's views were transplanted to Germany by her eldest daughter. Vicky's first son's handicap, and the resulting strict regimine should have spurred some maternal empathy, but all little Willy got was structure, punishment and criticism. One could build an argument Queen Victoria's child rearing methods spawned WWI.
Queen Victoria comes off as totally self involved, and like the other royals she's obsessed with monarchy. Marriages, if not based on passion are bargained with it. Rank is the central issue. Fortunately, Victoria allows her daughters/granddaughters veto power, but keeps it for herself as well. For all the care and negotiation surrounding the marriages, not one of them or the life it brought, seemed to yield much happiness.
Since there are 6 key characters (mother + 5 daughters) each worthy of their own biography, it is by nature a once over lightly. It has a good narrative style and is worth reading if you are interested in this period.
Good historical story........2007-01-26
If you like Queen Victoria's stuff, you will love this story about her daughters.
A good book!.......2006-08-17
If you are just starting to study Queen Victoria or royal history in general, this is a good book to read. However, I recomended that you read a biography of Queen Victoria before you read this book in order to understand the influence that the Queen had on her daughters as well as her sons.
My personal recomendation would be Queen Victoria by Christopher Hibbert.
Delectable!.......2006-07-07
This delightful biography of Queen Victoria's daughters was delicious to read for all the love stories, politics and scandals but also for the information about the queen's younger daughters about whom I knew little or nothing. What a fascinating family about whom there is always more to discover! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys British history and stories about princesses.
Brilliant!.......2006-03-22
Mr. Packard brilliantly recreates the life and times of Queen Victoria reign and the lives of her daughters. Wonderfully written...if you are a fan of English history, this one is not to be missed!
Book Description
The only book from a physician-mom with warm, practical, and medically sound advice that will help moms reclaim their passion for sex
There's one thing that almost every mother knows but won't discuss: Sex drive diminishes after a baby is born, and it's a struggle to reclaim passion in the years that follow.
In Great Sex for Moms Dr. Raskin brings the problem out into the open -- at last. From her fifteen years as a psychiatrist she knows that mothers silently rationalize that sex will return "after the baby sleeps through the night," then "when the children start having sleepovers," and then "once the kids go to college." And she believes that eighteen years is an awfully long time to wait.
Dr. Raskin reveals the reasons that women's bodies and minds betray them, resulting in a sleepy libido. The great news is that it's easier than you might think to wake it up. Insisting that a healthy parental sex life is in the children's best interests, Dr. Raskin shows you how to:
- Overcome the feeling that you're the only one in America with a boring sex life
- Leave your mother persona at the bedroom door to rescue your sexual self
- Banish the inner censor and talk about sex with your partner
- Stop frenzied, on-demand mothering so you can nourish your libido
Great Sex for Moms is perhaps the most important book a mother can read for nurturing her marriage, her children, and above all, her own sexuality.
Download Description
"There's one thing that almost every mother knows but won't discuss: Sex drive diminishes after a baby is born, and it's a struggle to reclaim passion in the years that follow. In Great Sex for Moms Dr. Raskin brings the problem out into the open -- at last. From her fifteen years as a psychiatrist she knows that mothers silently rationalize that sex will return ""after the baby sleeps through the night,"" then ""when the children start having sleepovers,"" and then ""once the kids go to college."" And she believes that eighteen years is an awfully long time to wait. Dr. Raskin reveals the reasons that women's bodies and minds betray them, resulting in a sleepy libido. The great news is that it's easier than you might think to wake it up. Insisting that a healthy parental sex life is in the children's best interests, Dr. Raskin shows you how to: Overcome the feeling that you're the only one in America with a boring sex life Leave your mother persona at the bedroom door to rescue your sexual self Banish the inner censor and talk about sex with your partner Stop frenzied, on-demand mothering so you can nourish your libido Great Sex for Moms is perhaps the most important book a mother can read for nurturing her marriage, her children, and above all, her own sexuality.
Customer Reviews:
Simply Outstanding & Astounding!!.......2007-09-24
Husbands and Dads: Buy this book! Read it first to gain some deep understanding of your wife's emotional and mental state after child-birth. Take every word to heart and this resource will break your thinking.
Just go ahead and buy it.......2003-11-15
I was horrified to be buying this book, but thrilled I could on Amazon and not be seen in public. After reading just a few chapters, my attitude toward sex changed. It became clear that with a little effort from me, my husband was more than willing to listen and thrilled to see me change. He was eager to please me and make just that little bit of change in himself as well. (we all know what they will do for a little sex) Her writing is clear, funny at times, and right on target about what to do. This book is a must at a baby shower. It has helped to make my marriage better, which ultimately makes for a happier family.
she really tried, but my sex life is no better.......2003-02-16
wow, this author is awesome. i think she is so caring and cool and helpful. however, as a new mom in my 20s, i think this book is not for my generation. a lot of it was written with people born in the 40s, 50s and 60s in mind. people in my generation (born 70s, 80s) who are having kids and have low libido already know a lot about sex, erotica and communication. however there were some good tips in the book. she's a cool lady
sexy and practical.......2002-04-29
I bought this book because I'm a fan of Dr. Raskin's other books, and I love this one too. You really feel like she knows you personally. My favorite chapter is how to talk to your husband about sex, but I also like her suggestions on how to get your libido charged. You don't feel ridiculous because she completely gets what the issues are for mothers. Thank you, thank you!
There is hope for Moms... and Dads!.......2002-04-23
At first glance the title catches one's eye - Great Sex for Moms.
There is a quick glance around to make sure no one is looking as one
picks up the book in the bookstore. That single act of picking up the
book to read the jacket (or ordering it from Amazon.com)is a primary
step in doing what this book advocates. Dr. Raskin constructs her
book around intentionality. Instead of simply accepting the status
quo, the reader is challenged to take steps which will bring a great
sex life - in spite of kids! In these pages it becomes apparent that
the physician part of Raskin has merged with the romantic and mother
sides of her being. She speaks as one with incredible integrity. Her
writing is informed by her mind, heart, and experience. What can beat
that?
Humor is coupled with very specific and helpful suggestions
about re-kindling a healthy, fulfilling sex life. While the subject
matter is serious, there is a playfulness that creates a comfort level
for the reader. At one point Raskin writes, "...I hope my mother and
children never read this chapter..." - Raskin knows her readers well.
Great Sex for Moms is a book for Dads too! If read as a couple,
the conversations which ensue will guarantee a better sex life!
Product Description
Throughout the ages, man has been engaged in a quest for knowledge. Generation upon generation of man have endeavored to discover the truths which make man honorable and life worth living. In that same tradition of humanity the greatest of these philosophers have sought as well to pass along what wisdom they have discovered that others may live a happier life and that mankind's chances of survival be unhanced. This book contains 2500 years of man's greatest wisdom, passed on in that same tradition of humanity that others may share in that wisdom.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational Gift Book.......2007-08-08
This book can be previewed in full on the publisher's website free by following the links to this title in the E-Book section of the site. All of this publisher's books are available on this site so any book can be previewed before purchase.
Great Men, Great Thoughts, Perfect Title .......2007-08-04
I love this book. It may not have 2000 quotes in it, but I have to agree that these are some of mankind's greatest quotes. I received it as a gift and I find it easy to use and lovely to look at. It has over 100 of mankind's most profound insights in one place which makes them easy to refer to. The book was designed so that there are 7 or 8 quotes on a page with a beautiful color photograph next to each page of quotes that is appropriate to the theme of those quotes. The aesthetic affect is a reminder of the depth of life and livingness - something that often gets lost in our day to day lives. The wisdom relayed reminds me that we as mankind have very similar hopes and desires and dreams for ourselves and our family and friends. It is also very therapeutic to be reminded how GREAT each one of us really is. I recommend reading this little book and bringing some joy to your life. You deserve it.
Not worth the price..........2007-08-03
I have to say that I disagree with the majority of the previous reviewers, in that this book is really not that useful in my eyes. While it does have a few famous and inspirational quotes, it is definitley not worth paying $15 for. Like other readers have mentioned, the book is 50 pages long, with half of them being illustrations. The other 25 pages contain from 4-5 quotes each, for a total of maybe 100 quotes in the entire book. This is the type of book that you would expect to pay $3.95 for at a bookstore, and definitly not $14.95. My suggestion would be to stay away from this book. You are better off getting quotes off the Internet. Just my opinion...
Beautiful Book.......2007-06-11
Pick the book up and flip to any page whenever you are in need of an inspirational thought. Great to have in your own library; also makes an excellent gift for a book-lover.
great quote book.......2007-06-10
Was the previous review even talking about this book? The book is a 50 pg small gift book full of many inspirational quotes. Quotes are by people such as Aristotle, Socrates, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Buddha... people whom just about everybody has heard of! The quotes are inspirational, and the illustrations are beautiful too. It could be a great gift for just about anyone.
Book Description
One–parent households frame the new landscape of American family life. But raising kids alone is hard work, and single parenting is a struggle for most. David and Lisa Frisbie provide a practical and proactive plan single moms or single dads can use to...
- nourish their own souls, maintaining a vibrant faith in God and a vital connection to family and friends
- nurture their children, empowering kids to successfully process the trauma of divorce
- manage their households as they assume roles and tasks that may lie well outside their comfort zone
- build a future they can enjoy, making choices about education, careers, finances, and relationships
The Frisbies’ constant travel and ongoing counseling ministry provide a rich reservoir of effective strategies and ideas. Moms and dads who parent alone will find confidence and hope from this manageable and optimistic approach.
Customer Reviews:
I bought this item for my friend who is divorce and need help.......2007-05-16
I have read the excerpt on this book and I definitely think that this is THE book for my friend.
I Wish I'd Had This Twelve Years Ago..........2007-03-26
When my divorce was final 12 years ago, I was left to raise two sons. I felt hopeless and alone (although people reached out to me) and I certainly felt unable to raise two boys. My sons are teens now. "Raising Great Kids" has some of the wisest parenting insights I've found anywhere, for kids of any age but especially for parents of teens or pre-teens. Wow. I wish I'd had this book twelve years ago, but I'm glad I found it now.
Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
Currently reading: The Maytrees: A Novel
Amazon.com
Our culture betrays women. And mothers, to be good mothers, must betray their daughters. It is this tragic norm that Marie Wilson and Idelisse Malave, president and vice president respectively of the Ms. Foundation, and Elizabeth Debold, a member of the Harvard Project, question. Though perhaps no longer revolutionary, their text still presents a vital and revitalizing agenda, 0ffering ways to transform the typical cycles of betrayal and to resist such unnecessary losses as those of voice, freedom, and the power to act. Debold, Wilson, and Malave turn many precious cultural biases and beliefs upside down-- "rugged individualism," for example, is scrapped in favor of interdependence. The belief that separation from the mother is a normal developmental step is firmly cast aside.
Written originally in 1993, Mother Daughter Revolution takes as its foundation the findings that came out of the Harvard Project on Women's Psychology and Girls' Development under psychologist Carol Gilligan. The core of that study could be summed up with the question: Why, at the onset of adolescence, does the self-esteem of girls plummet? The authors expand on Gilligan's valuable and still timely "wall" theory. That is, at adolescence, young girls come up, clashingly, against how they're perceived by the dominant culture--largely in terms of their sexual and reproductive value. To get through this "wall," girls must sacrifice parts of themselves in order to be accepted and protected by society. At great cost. Mothers, ironically, usher girls through the wall of self betrayal. And the three most loudly voiced complaints by girls about their mothers reflect that betrayal--that they're not dealt with fairly; not truly loved for being themselves; not trusted with the truth. The "authentic self" of daughters is driven underground.
These are hard and heartbreaking insights which 30 years of feminism's second wave has not changed. Interviews with adolescent girls, memoir fragments offered by the authors, and stories shared by such well-known writers as, for example, Maxine Hong Kingston illustrate the social phenomenon. Don't be fooled. This is not a rant so much as a prescription for uncovering, defining, and nurturing the love between mothers and daughters. Paradoxically, adolescent girls find more of the world open to them, while at the same time experiencing a deep distress. "Eating disorders and teenage pregnancy, once associated with opposite ends of the social class spectrum, are more prevalent among girls of all classes and all races than ever before." These insights and prescriptions, organized and given voice by three committed feminists, are offered with lucidity and passion, in the spirit of social transformation.
Book Description
As the daughters of baby boomer moms approach womanhood the questions begin. Will I teach my daughter the right things? How do I correct the mistakes my mother made with me?
Mother Daughter Revolution: From Betrayal to Power addresses all the issues that a mother guiding a budding woman could possibly need to know about. Authors Elizabeth Debold, Marie Wilson, and Idelisse Malave approach these dilemmas as would any other mother who is concerned with the survival of her daughter in a male-dominant society would. This book centers on women's attempts to build trusting relationships with their daughters. The foundation of this trust is based on removing the feeling of betrayal that develops when daughters feel that their mothers have not prepared them for the earthshaking changes they experience during adolescence. Lack of preparation for these changes leads to a lack of confidence and an inability to deal with competition.
Mother Daughter Revolution is written in a problem and solution style and describes the path from adolescence to womanhood through identifiable stories and anecdotes. Many mothers recount stories of being told by their mothers to "be nice" because "nice girls get married and get good things." Well, these new mothers opt to tell their daughters that being nice is not always an option, especially if "being nice" infringes upon their rights.
Customer Reviews:
A Must read for all women.......2007-01-24
This is one of the most important books of our time right now. It addresses all that matters to women and girls and their relationships with each other. If ALL women read this we could have a complete and wonderful revolution.
A Must Read for Mothers and Daughters.......1999-08-22
Mother/Daughter Revolution should be standard issue - given along with baby's birth certificate - to any woman in this country who gives birth to a female child. It is that good. Drawing on numerous studies and sources, Mother/Daughter Revolution details the sudden drop in self esteem which girls in our culture experience as they approach adolescence, and the myriad of ways in which this is expressed. It also examines the underlying societal flaws which allow this to occur and the societal situations in previous generations which led to the current state of events. Many books have done the same, including "Reviving Ophelia" by Mary Pipher and "Raising a Daughter" by Ellium and Ellium. Where Mother/Daughter Revolution departs from these books (which are also must-reads) is in it's hands on analysis of how mothers can de-code the messages they recieved at the hands of their cultural mileu and how they can then join their daughters in resisting the influences of the patriarchy that seeks to deprive them of their essential selves. It describes the Mother/Daughter conflict in a new way, a way that circumvents all the psycho-babble about identity and the necessity of a girl child divorcing herself from her mother - and presents a new paradigm for being a mother and a daughter in this culture. When Mothers and Daughters become aware of the influences which seek to tear them from their main source of support (each other) they can work to become empowered, so the bond between them can help the daughter grow to maturity with her mother beside her, instead of growing to what society teaches women to expect - an adolescence where the daughter and the mother are constantly at war, with neither one emerging unscathed.
A must-read for anyone who cares about tomorrow!.......1999-06-16
Swell illustration of why so many teenage girls suffer losses in self-esteem as they get older. Shows that this can be prevented & is a "can-do" book, not a "girls as victims" books. Delves into the world of teenage girls & the challenges they face as they grow up & struggle to remain whole human beings. I do have to say, though, in the chapter about how beauty is used is women's false "power", using the Baby-Sitters' Club series as an example, especially the one about Mary Anne's haircut, was a poor example. Mary Anne gets the haircut & realizes that people react differently to her, BUT in the end of the book described in here, Mary Anne does come to realize that beauty is only a fleeting, superficial goal(especially since she's not very pretty, but is very bright) & comes back to earth quickly( especially when her boyfriend gets jealous & makes her cry!). The Baby-Sitters' Club series would be better used as an example of resistance to the status quo, as the girls in that book remain connected to each other & refuse to fall into the "chronic victim" mode despite peer pressure & haircuts & all. This book would have done better to praise the BSC, rather than criticize the series. If the authors wanted to use an example of negative images of girls, they should have gone after another series "The Fabulous Five" by Betsy Haynes. Now THERE was a series that used girls' appearances as "bartering" tools. Many of the girls in the "Fabulous Five" were not only appearance-obsessed, but too focused on what the boys wanted, & often were pitted against each other in competition for male approval. Otherwise, this book is very vivid & a strong guide for both mothers AND daughters.
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