Amazon.com
Welcome to Mitford, North Carolina, the small mountain town at the center of Jan Karon's bestselling novels about rector Father Tim and the heartwarming cast of characters surrounding him. This boxed set includes paperback editions of the first four books in the series: At Home in Mitford, A Light in the Window, These High, Green Hills, and Out to Canaan.
Book Description
Readers everywhere have discovered Mitford is good for the soul. Peopled with a lovable cast of characters and filled with mysteries and miracles, Mitford has become one of the most memorable small towns in recent literature.
Boxed set includes:
At Home in Mitford
A Light in the Window
These High, Green Hills
Out to Canaan
A New Song
A Common Life
Customer Reviews:
At Home in Mitford.......2007-09-28
So, far I have gotten through the first book for class. I am a person drawn to "story", so this book is one I am reading for my ISSUES OF INTERGRITY class at my seminary, and it really speaks to me (and its not that bad of a read either). Sometimes I am weary about the number of pages, yet the story itself about Father/Rector Tim keeps me glued for hours, which has not happened in a while. There is also a subtle irony in the title, because Tim doubts some in the book if this is where he should be or not. Its almost a transitory title, it could be called "For Now At Home In Mitford" - but I guess that would seem too long.. ha ha
The Mitford Years (1-6).......2007-09-28
Because of a sudden death in my family I haven't had time to read but about 1/2 of the first book (At Home in Mitford) in the boxed set. After reading only 1/2 of the first book I would recommend it highly
Wonderful Series.......2007-06-06
I have read this series myself and have given it several times as gifts. This purchase was a gift for my best friend. I previously gave it to my 102-year-old aunt, my mother and my neighbor. Everyone I know who has read these books, loves them.
AT HOME IN MITFORD BOX SERIES.......2007-06-01
THIS ORDER CAME VERY QUICKLY! IT WAS A VERY NICELY PACKAGED GIFT THAT I WAS PROUD TO GIVE. MOM WAS VERY HAPPY!
Absolutly Delightful!.......2007-05-07
This set of books set in Mitford are such a pleasure to read. Part way through you begin to feel like you, too, are a citizen of this wonderful town. Jan Karon sure can write! I would reccomend them highly.
Book Description
It's never too late.
Father Tim Kavanagh has been asked to “come up higher” more than once. But he's never been asked to do the impossible—until now. The retired Episcopal priest takes on the revival of a mountain church that's been closed for forty years. Meanwhile, in Mitford, he's sent on a hunt for hidden treasure, and two beloved friends are called to come up higher. As Father Tim finds, there are still plenty of heartfelt surprises, dear friends old and new, and the most important lesson of all: It's never too late.
Customer Reviews:
Light From Heaven.......2007-09-16
Save the best for last! I am still reading this book and enjoying every page! Jan Karon's stories are never disappointing. I read it before bed,to inspire my dreams and for peaceful sleep after a hectic day!
Sweet Dreams... Lydia Sherrin
I've found a good DVD set that will fill the void now that the series is over........2007-08-20
I loved this series. It helped me adjust to a new home in a new state. As I don't watch TV and couldn't find another book or series I liked as much I scoped out some BBC DVD boxed sets on Amazon and ordered them. Ballykissangel is about a Brithish priest who works in an Irish village. It's well written and fun to watch. And even better is a BBC series called Monarch of the Glen. It takes place in Scottland and is wholesome for the most part. There is also a show called Rosemary and Thyme about two British women who solve mysteries. The sets for these shows are very nice to spectacular. As far as finding an author to replace J. Karon...I'm still looking, but these DVDs are helping fill the void. Unlike the J. Karon books, my husband will partake in enjoying these shows.
Light from Heaven (The Mitford Years #9).......2007-08-05
When I started reading The Mitford Years #1, I couldn't put it down until I finished book #8. The story keeps you glued and you feel you know and love Father Tim and his wife personally. I was happy to find that there was a book #9 which brought the whole series to a close. You have to start at the beginning, but it's well worth the read.
An idyllic place.......2007-07-19
I read this final book in the Mitford series for two reasons: (1) I already owned it, having acquired the entire lot at once; (2) I had read the previous eight volumes in the series.
Jan Karon has the remarkable ability to create an idyllic place and time with words and then take the reader there. It isn't necessarily a realistic place, but neither was Oz. In this series, children are born and grow up. People marry and do not divorce. Older characters get sick and die. People do dumb things and tell jokes, just as in real life.
What is lacking in this book, however, as well as in the previous Mitford books, is a unified plot. Threads of plot appear and then fade. For the most part there are simply episodes, minor difficulties for the most part, and they are too often solved by prayer, rather than by logic and effort on the part of humans. I'm just not fond of deus ex machina solutions.
I was much more taken by the first four books of the series. Then Father Tim went off to the coastal island. There was a flashback book to recount how Tim got married. Etc. I found my interest waning with those. In this last book we return to Mitford and environs, and except for the prayed solutions, I was a happier reader.
As an aside: apparently the author is not much good at arithmetic and the editors at the publishing house aren't either. In Chapter Nine, Father Tim expresses his pleasure over the fact that his new congregation has expanded from seven to fourteen, "a whopping 50 percent...in the space of a single week, mind you." Now, if you double the number of parishioners, that would be a 100 percent increase, not 50. There's a term for this sort of flaw: innumeracy, the failure to learn math.
As a further aside, there are confusing errors in grammar and syntax. For example, on the same page as the above is the line: "When Lloyd had gone home to the ridge, he sat with Cynthia in the library and totted up the numbers." The pronoun "he" should refer to the closest antecedent, in this case, Lloyd. But only by going back over this and reading on do we realize that the he is in fact Father Tim and not Lloyd at all. This is not pedantic nonsense; this is a plea for clarity. Apparently book editors don't pay much attention or don't know any better.
I'd rate this four stars, the book and the series, for the atmosphere and characters alone.
Light from Heaven.......2007-07-05
Nine may be an unlucky number for Jan Karon. The first eight Mitford novels were delightful. Somehow in writing the ninth, she forgot to put in a plot. The book jumps from vignette to vignette, some only a few sentences long. The repetition of pet words and phrases, from "buddyroe" to "consider it done," are wearing in this book. She should have stopped at book number eight.
Amazon.com
A Light in the Window is the second installment in this enormously popular series about a small-town rector, Father Tim, and the heartwarming cast of characters surrounding him. This time Father Tim, a lifelong bachelor, finds his heart distracted by his free-spirited neighbor Cynthia, but his stomach and the rectory cash box are distracted by Edith, a wealthy widow who is wooing the rector with love potion casseroles. At every turn, including when a brooding Irish cousin decides to move in, Father Tim must decide whether he will practice what he preaches.
Fans of the series say they long to buy real estate in Mitford, just so they can live next door to these funny and endearing characters and feel the embrace of such a loving community. But what author Jan Karon probably knows, and many readers are starting to figure out, is that the integrity and solid Christian values that these characters possess can be found in just about every neighborhood, and with inspiration like this book, anyone can build their own Mitford community. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Mitford's village rector, Father Tim, is running scared. he can no longer deny (even to himself), that he's in love with his neighbor, Cynthia Coppersmith. Cynthia, after all, sees in him a man of warmth and daring and mdash;if only he'll meet her halfway. But now a wealthy widow is pursuing Father Tim with hot casseroles. And the mysterious Cousin Meg has moved into the rectory bag and baggage and mdash;not to mention uninvited. Abounding with characters both old and new, A Light in the Window compels readers to do something they treasure: laugh out loud.
Customer Reviews:
A Light in the Window (The Mitford Years #2).......2007-05-17
Mr. John McDonough, who narrates all of the Jan Karon books on Mitford is extremely talented. His voice is clear and deep and can accommodate many characters. When I listened to the first Mitford book I believed Jan Karon and John McDonough were equally matched. The writing and narration was of the highest caliber. I believe that A Light In the Window was not as well written as At Home In Mitford, however McDonough was still an excellent reader. There were touching moments in Book #2. But it was obvious that Ms. Karon's first love was her first book and the second seemed a bit rushed as the characters were less three dimensional and at times repeated themselves. I would still recommend this book to those wanting a heartwarming story to keep them company as they perform daily tasks and fall asleep at night.
Almost but not quite too nice.......2007-04-13
I read this immediately after finishing the first book in the Mitford series, and, although it was not quite as enjoyable as the first novel, it was still a rare pleasure. It is almost (but not quite) too nice. The story takes up where the first book left off; Father Tim is back from Ireland and bedeviled (perhaps a poor choice of verb on my part) by the same doubts and problems as before. There's what to do about the crude boy, Dooley; how does the priest feel about his neighbor; etc. And there are new problems: the wealthy and obnoxious widow who is intent upon seducing him; a "cousin" from Ireland who invades his home and takes advantage of his good nature; the forced closing of his favorite reastaurant haunt; the profane presence of the foreman at the job site of the new nursing home, etc. All in all, it is the usual stuff of small town life.
And there is a great deal of very announced and public praying for this and that and for various people. I found that slightly troubling. Jesus said that prayer was quite a private activity, to be done in "closet," i.e., private. Those who pray in public have their reward. Saying you will pray for someone has a haughty tone, a free way of putting the addressee under a vague obligation. Moreover, one is supposed to pray to put oneself and others attuned to God's plan, not alter God's plan for temporal reasons. But perhaps I am all wrong on that. Someone will surely put me aright--or think they have.
Again, I enjoyed my stay in Mitford very much. It's the Prairie Home Companion with grits. The plot is episodic, as one might guess from the previous comments. The characters are well drawn. The dialogue sounds right. And the atmosphere is comfortable. In fact, it is the atmosphere alone that makes it all worthwhile.
I was a bit troubled by a few lapses in writing, especially with pronouns that did not refer to the closest antecedent noun. In fact, I had to stop several times to try to figure out what was what.
A Light in The Window.......2007-02-15
I'm going to be so sad to have this series end. I hate to arrive at my destination because I know I will need to turn my car off. I bought my first CD at Costco only because I couln't find anything else I wanted to listen to. I was hooked after the 1st CD. This is Americana at it's best! Age is not a factor in this book. Sit back and enjoy!
Book.......2007-01-09
Awesome book series! My sister in law gotted me hooked on this and it is a great book. Would highly recommend it.
Karon books are fantastic.......2006-11-16
I received the first in the Mitford series in August and before I was even halfway through the book, I went online to Amazon and ordered the whole series plus the cookbook. These are outstanding reading about everyday life and people. No sex, no violence, they are just super reading.
Book Description
When Michael Collins decides to become a surgeon, he is totally unprepared for the chaotic life of a resident at a major hospital. A natural overachiever, Collins' success, in college and medical school led to a surgical residency at one of the most respected medical centers in the world, the famed Mayo Clinic. But compared to his fellow residents Collins feels inadequate and unprepared. All too soon, the euphoria of beginning his career as an orthopedic resident gives way to the feeling he is a counterfeit, an imposter who has infiltrated a society of brilliant surgeons. This story of Collins' four-year surgical residency traces his rise from an eager but clueless first-year resident to accomplished Chief Resident in his final year. With unparalleled humor, he recounts the disparity between people's perceptions of a doctor's glamorous life and the real thing: a succession of run down cars that are towed to the junk yard, long weekends moonlighting at rural hospitals, a family that grows larger every year, and a laughable income. Collins' good nature helps him over some of the rough spots but cannot spare him the harsh reality of a doctor's life. Every day he is confronted with decisions that will change people's lives-or end them-forever. A young boy's leg is mangled by a tractor: risk the boy's life to save his leg, or amputate immediately? A woman diagnosed with bone cancer injures her hip: go through a painful hip operation even though she has only months to live? Like a jolt to the system, he is faced with the reality of suffering and death as he struggles to reconcile his idealism and aspiration to heal with the recognition of his own limitations and imperfections. Unflinching and deeply engaging, Hot Lights, Cold Steel is a humane and passionate reminder that doctors are people too. This is a gripping memoir, at times devastating, others triumphant, but always compulsively readable.
Customer Reviews:
First Rate.......2007-08-22
This was a phenomenal book. Dr. Michael J. Collins wrote an account of his four years as a resident at the Mayo Clinic which reads like a novel. It is at times laugh-out loud funny, other times devastatingly sad. I didn't want the book to end, yet I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book. I wish I hadn't read it yet so I could read it again. I hope he writes another one.
Doctors Are People, Too.......2007-01-12
Hot Lights, Cold Steel is an intriguing account of the life of a doctor. Written by orthopedic surgeon Michael J. Collins, it is a fast-paced reminiscence of his four years as a resident at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Michigan. Throughout the book, Collins connects the reader to many of his important cases. Told on such a relatable basis, the reader experiences the achievement, thrill, and sorrow that accompany his countless orthopedic cases.
Collins discusses his medical career, describing many orthopedic surgeries in great detail. There is sufficient detail that people with weak stomachs should be cautioned against reading it. He not only discusses each procedural aspect of his work, he also describes the emotions that accompany each victory and especially, each defeat. A major theme throughout the novel is similar to a theme in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter: humans make mistakes, but nobody is perfect and people learn to forgive. Collins struggles with this reality, recognizing that when doctors make mistakes, people die.
Collins's book isn't all about his career in the hospital, however. He also tells about his ever-growing family and what his being a doctor means for them. Although he relates many pleasurable moments with his family and fellow resident friends, Collins also discusses some of the suffering his family must face until he becomes an attending physician. He especially focuses on the many hardships his wife Patti must endure until he can build up his own practice. Addressing a common misconception that all doctors are wealthy, Collins tells of their poverty, calculating his salary at $2.50 per hour, describing countless "junker" cars, and telling of their near-empty bank account. He is forced to "moonlight" at another hospital on nearly all of his free weekends to supplement his income, which means sacrificing valuable time with his wife and children. Collins enlightens the reader by recounting episodes of his life not only as a doctor, but as husband and father, making the point that doctors are people, too.
For anyone who is considering a career as an orthopedic surgeon, or any medical profession, this book is a must-read. By providing a unique look at the life of a doctor, Collins describes in detail the personal and technical aspects of every surgery as well as his life as a doctor in general. He makes clear just what being a doctor is about, vocationally and personally. Just like an awesome episode of `House', Collins's book will keep the reader interested for hours at a time.
Enjoyable reading.......2006-11-04
The author did a good job keeping our interest and it was very believable.
My 89 year old mother enjoyed it, as did my husband and I.
I highly recommend it. It's nice to know that non-fiction can keep your interest.
"They don't make scalpels with training wheels.".......2006-08-28
"Hot Lights, Cold Steel," by Michael J. Collins, is a fascinating account of the making of an orthopedic surgeon. Collins starts his residency at Rochester's prestigious Mayo Clinic with deep feelings of insecurity. In fact, he dispiritedly dubs himself "the dullest scalpel in the drawer." Unlike his fellow residents, Collins, an Irish Catholic from Chicago's West Side, did not do multiple rotations in orthopedics while in medical school, conducted no research, and wrote no scientific papers. Instead, he worked on a loading dock to make ends meet. To his credit, however, Collins has energy, intelligence, ambition, and perseverance.
At first, Collins tries to stay in the background and keep his mouth shut, hoping that his superiors will overlook his obvious ignorance. When he reviews a chart with the notation "Patient is TTWB," he wonders what this acronym means. Could it be "three times without bleeding," or "terribly thirsty without beer?" Collins disconsolately predicts that he will shortly be drummed out of the residency program for "practicing medicine without a brain." The author's self-deprecating humor is delightful and it helps to offset the tragic cases he recounts.
The author explores the grueling nature of a surgeon's training: the sleepless nights, snatched meals, long absences from loved ones, and fear of hurting a patient. Because he is constantly short of money, Collins and his wife, Patti, drive a series of broken down junkers, and as his family grows, he must moonlight in order to pay the bills. The compensations are the exhilaration of helping a patient regain his or her health, the excitement of performing an operation for the first time, and the deep friendships that Collins forms with his fellow orthopods. Although it terrifies him to know that, if he slips up, he could kill or cripple someone, as time goes on, he gradually learns to accept the fact that everyone makes mistakes and terrible things do happen. He cannot let this possibility destroy his confidence.
The most memorable aspects of the book are the medical anecdotes: a boy's leg is mangled by a tractor and the doctor must decide whether to amputate, a beautiful woman has a rare cancer that requires mutilating surgery, and on a lighter note, a forty-year old man comes into the emergency room with a fishhook up his nose. Sometimes Collins succeeds, and other times, he fails. However, his four years as a resident teach him the immense value and satisfaction of his chosen profession and the importance of treating every patient with respect and compassion.
Reality.......2006-07-02
The thing I loved most about this book is that it is REAL and it is HONEST. It's not exactly glamourous...and that attributes to the book's success.
Dr. Collins doesn't write about earning lots of money and driving the best cars and going to country clubs. He writes about being a resident, just out of medical school, slightly clueless, working 100 hours a week at $2.50 an hour. Not glamourous at all.
But then he writes about the things he does have - a loving wife, many wonderful children, and how some of his fellow residents are his best friends.
It's all very touching and real...I would reccomend this to any people who think they might want to be doctors. It shows you that you're going to have to work very hard...but it will all be worth it in the end. That's an important lesson anyone entering the medical world needs to know.
Average customer rating:
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Light Years--The Zumtobel Story 2000-1950
Manufacturer: Birkhauser
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 3764363320 |
Book Description
Light Years: The Zumtobel story 2000-1950 tells of the fascinating encounters which have shaped the firm, its rise to success, its projects and the company culture. Unearthing a wealth of historical, technical and creative details which all contribute to the development of state-of-the-art lighting systems, this publication presents intriguing artifacts including photographs, sketches, plans, technological and strategic papers. These chronicle the growth of this branch of technology, document the history of the company and attest to the numerous collaborations with renowned architects and designers. Interviews, conversations, and contributions from architects and designers including Ettore Sottsass, Nicholas Grimshaw, Peter Zumthor, Christian Bartenbach round off this captivating volume.
Average customer rating:
- Not what I thought
- The finest Grand Canyon book at the lowest price....
- off the charts superb stunning startling good heavens
- Review by Jennifer Owings Dewey, author/illustrator
- A superb choice as a Memorial Fund acquisition for any library system
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Lasting Light: 125 Years of Grand Canyon Photography
Stephen Trimble
Manufacturer: Northland Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Grand: The Colorado River in the Grand Canyon a Photo Journey
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Photographer's Guide to the Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona
ASIN: 0873588940 |
Book Description
One of the most photographed subjects on earth, Grand Canyon continues to inspire awe, admiration, and frustration for those who attempt to capture its majesty with a camera. Reaching back 125 years into the photographic record of the Canyon, this book artfully explores the experiences of the earliest photographers and today's most exceptional artists.
Accomplished writer and Ansel Adams Award-winning photographer Stephen Trimble deftly navigates the stories of the Canyon's photographic history and takes us down the river and along the rim with the next generation of photographers and their photographs. Also included are twenty-one essays by the finest contemporary photographers recounting their experiences at Grand Canyon, along with fascinating details of changing equipment and a timeline of important moments in the Canyon's photographic record.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I thought.......2007-09-13
I bought this as a present for my wife. We had just returned from a trip that included a visit to the Grand Canyon, and I wanted to get her a memento of the visit. This book sounded good, but was not the one that included the beautiful vistas that we wanted. There are some photos too dark to really discern why they are included. There are some photos of a boat on the bank of the river. That could be from anywhere.
Although I suppose others may find it interesting, we didn't want a book of prose, we just wanted amazing photos. This was not that book.
The finest Grand Canyon book at the lowest price...........2007-02-15
This book is so awesome, and of such high quality, that its Amazon price seems surreal...I have two copies and am ordering a third, for posterity or whatever.
Intensely beautiful photographic prints, at the very leading edge of Canyon photos....almost beyond description!
If you buy one copy of this book, you'll then want another for a gift, and another for your own collection.....etc.
off the charts superb stunning startling good heavens.......2006-11-03
Yes, you would expect truly astounding photography here, and you get exactly that, in lots of different flavors too, but the stories are deft and revealing -- far more than in a book of photos alone of a place that you couldn't take a bad photo if you tried. Trimble himself is a master craftsman with the camera, but his service here is to gather some really remarkable work and voices into a tome that anyone who has gaped and prayed there will want to paw through before you get major brownie points for giving it to someone else. Terrific work.
Review by Jennifer Owings Dewey, author/illustrator.......2006-09-28
Lasting Light is a treasure, a compilation of photographs taken of the Crand Ganyon over a broad stretch of time. The viewer/reader may gain a sense of history, passing from the old to the new. The book is an experience in images of the vast wonder of the Canyon and the smallest, most discreet detail. Because the text is direct and not-technical, anyone interested in what is grand and lit by extraordinary light, the Grand Canyon itself, will find this work a delight.
A superb choice as a Memorial Fund acquisition for any library system.......2006-07-10
Lasting Light: 125 Years Of Grand Canyon Photography by award-winning author and photographer Stephen Trimble is a visual celebration and documentation of the beauty and grandeur of one of the most photographed subjects on earth -- the Grand Canyon. Comprised of the best of 125 years of great photographs beginning with the pioneering glass plate negatives of the 19th century to the digital images of the 21st century, Lasting Light produces spectacular visuals enhanced with an accompanying text of fascinating details regarding the advances of photography, stories of various individual photographers, and the relationship between the photographers and the unique American icon that is the Grand Canyon. As a coffetable art book, Lasting Light is a simply wonderful contribution to any personal, academic, or community library photography reference collection and would make a superb choice as a Memorial Fund acquisition for any library system.
Book Description
In 1270 a scholarly Jewish merchant called Jacob d'Ancona set out on a voyage from Italy. A year later, he arrived in China at the coastal metropolis of Zaitun, the "City of Light" (now known as Quanzhou), four years before Marco Polo arrived at Xanadu in 1275. Nothing was known of this epochal journey until 1990, when David Selbourne was shown d'Ancona's account of his travels, a remarkable manuscript that had been hidden from public view for more than seven centuries. Eventually translated and edited by Selbourne and published in Great Britain in October 1997 as The City of Light, the account was praised as providing an unparalleled insight into life in the medieval world.
Controversy followed. Selbourne had pledged to the manuscript's owner that he would not reveal its whereabouts, and that raised doubts about its authenticity. As a result of U.S. sinologists' criticism of plans for American publication, the first edition was canceled.
Now, a year later, Birch Lane Press happily publishes the controversial work. Criticisms of the textual evidence of d'Ancona's account have been answered by Selbourne. Most notably, other academics--particularly and significantly, in China--have come to the support of d'Ancona's account. The work is to be published in a Chinese translation.
Vivid and insightful, this account has great historical significance. It not only describes the adventures of a medieval trader, but also comments on Chinese society and manners through the eyes of a European man of learning. The City of Light brings spectacularly to life d'Ancona's encounter with one of the world's great civilizations.
Customer Reviews:
many indications that this is largely a 20th Century work.......2004-05-27
This volume starts out as a plausable enough chronicle of a Jewish merchant from Italy who travels to China and so on, but very quickly it becomes apparent that this is just the setting for a series of philosophical debates that the merchant partakes in with other groups in the "City of Light".
It is written like no other narrative from the past I have seen and is quite long as well. Although I am no expert on that time and place, and there are none who truly are, what really makes it suspect is the fact that most of the work fails to give details of how people lived and what things were like at that time and place and instead concentrates on the dialogues that he is invited to and partakes in. And all of the matters that they discuss are those that would preoccupy the mind of a person in the late 20th Century. Which either means that people in the 13th Century had identical problems to those we have today, or that this was written by someone in the late 20th Century. He even forsees the Holocaust at one point.
There is nothing that would secure it as authentic and many indications that this is largely a 20th Century work, enough to make it well accepted as a forgery until proven otherwise (which I never expect to happen). As for what it contains and the value of its philosophical debates, it offers nothing in the way of secure arguments, unless you already accept the Jewish religious teachings as a source of unchallenged wisdom. It also was rather long without adding much. It might have been better to publish this as a modern philosophical novel, which would have permitted it to be a better novel, without attempting to mislead scholars, that can cause trouble for years. Although I realize that from a publishing standpoint, it gets more attention to claim authenticity.
Also, he (Selbourne) clips off the return journey, which might have been one of the only authentic parts in the book. I paid full price for this book when it was first published and I consider it was not worth it.
Ian Myles Slater on: A Remarkable Book, as Memoir or Fiction.......2003-10-17
I am glad to see that the (delayed) American edition of this book is now in paperback. It differs from the UK edition (which I have also reviewed) mainly by including "Remarks on The City of Light " by Wang Lianmao, in which modern Chinese scholarship is used to reply to some of the criticism directed against it by Westerners. Specialists in the history of the region find some puzzles, and probable errors made by a foreigner, but nothing to suggest a modern fraud. They seem willing to accept it as an authentic account of southern China by a foreigner, describing events shortly before the arrival of Marco Polo in the following of the Mongol (Yuan) conqueror. (Probably wisely, they do not seem to have offered an opinion on how authentic the foreigner -- an Italian Jew -- looks to them.)
Curiously, Frances Wood, whose "Did Marco Polo Go to China?" argues that the Venetian merchant stayed in western Asia, and got all his information from others, who left no record of their adventures, seems to have joined in denouncing Jacob of Ancona as a fabrication, even though this must have seemed like manna from heaven for her theory. (By the way, it seems clear to me that, despite various major and minor interpolations and deletions in the manuscript tradition, Marco Polo did travel in East Asia -- so maybe I'm gullible.)
I would add, from my own cursory research, that I have some problems with the supposedly convincing argument that the use of the term "mellah" for "Jewish Quarter" in Muslim lands is anachronistic. This argument depends on accepting one version of the etymology and history of the word. It is, however, less than completely certain; Roger Le Tourneau, in "Fez in the Age of the Marinides" (English translation 1961), reviewed the complicated evidence, and suggested that the consensus, including how long the word was in use and when and where it was adopted, might be wrong.
From a Jewish perspective, I can accept Jacob of Ancona as a plausible figure (and perhaps more typical than Selbourne, to judge from his notes, realizes). The combination of length and literary quality in a memoir seems unusual for the period, but the translator reports omitting some sections at the end, and felicitous translation can add charm without being unfaithful. Some medieval writings *are* inordinately long -- and long-winded.
Jaob's report of debates with Chinese officials leaves me wondering if both his contacts and his discussions were really on such a high level (especially with both sides using some sort of "trade speech" and translators), but self-congratulatory memoirs are not a modern invention.
On the basis of Chinese reactions, I am prepared to accept the work as authentic, although not completely reliable as a record of fact (is anything?). If it is a fraud -- and only an examination of the manuscript seems likely to prove it -- its creator would surely have been better rewarded by emulating Eco's "Name of the Rose," and publishing it as historical fiction of a high order.
Excellent........2002-04-11
OK, nobody else has seen the original, so there's no way of verifying if this is a true translation or a hoax. If it is a hoax, it's a danmed good one, written so well, with lots of research to back it up, that I for one don't care.
This is just brilliant, true or hoax, it gives a deep insight into the Jewish support network and all the opposition & prejudice that Jews had to deal with.
It knocks Marco Polo's account into a cocked hat; incisive philosophy, intimate desriptions of mediaeval life and trade are enough to grant this a place on anyone's bookshelf, true or not.
Boring!.......2001-08-03
In a word: BORING! This book would have been twice as good were it half as long. Selbourne has cut the end and would have done well to cut the middle as well. Jacob's incessant protestations of piety are tedious. He hypocritically condemns everyone around him for greed and self-interest but his own actions, though ostensibly high-minded, are also dictated almost solely by financial motives. For this reason his criticism of others rings hollow. His world view is remarkably narrow and parochial for someone so widely traveled. While he makes extensive observations of the conduct of others, there is no effort to appreciate their viewpoints. I am also skeptical of the provenance of this book. The social debates described have a very contemporary tenor and are relevant to our own times. If this were in fact an authenticated manuscript, this resonance would be remarkable. However, the provenance of the book is in dispute and much space is devoted to supporting its authenticity. The resolution of this issue must await examination of the original manuscript but in the meantime I am skeptical because the discussions seem too modern.
Brilliant. ...One way or another........2001-07-14
This is simply one of the best books I have ever read. And it is definitely, hands down, with a doubt, the single funniest book I have ever read... though it isn't actually intended to be. Until the actual Ancona manuscript itself is made available for scrutiny, we will never know for sure if this text is authentic or a stunningly brilliant, almost cruelly sharp-witted satirical hoax. If it is the latter, it is still extremely impressive, informative and entertaining. Nearly every sentence is punctuated by the author Jacob's constant use of "May God be praised" or "May God spare me", or, for those individuals and groups he really despises: "May God strike them down" or "May God shorten their lives". I just could not stop laughing! - nor could I put the book down. Mr. Selbourne, wherever you are, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, sir. One way or another you have given us an amazing piece of work. May God magnify and bless you, and may He extend your life! Amen, Amen, Amen!
Average customer rating:
- One dissenting voice
- This book is perfect for anyone who . . .
- Impressions of life
- My take is different than most reviews
- Another examination of luxury's disappointment...
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Light Years
James Salter
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0679740732
Release Date: 1995-01-31 |
Book Description
This exquisite, resonant novel is a brilliant portrait of marriage by a contemporary American master. Even as he lingers over the lustrous surface of Viri and Nedra's marriage, James Salter makes us see the cracks that are spreading through it, flaws that will in time mar it beyond repair. "An unexpectedly moving ode to beautiful lives frayed by time."
Download Description
This is the story of Nedra and Viri, whose charmed life is centered around dinners, ingenious games with their children, enviable friends, and near-perfect days passed skating on a frozen river or sunning on the beach. But even as he lingers over the surface of their marriage, James Salter lets us see the fine cracks that are spreading through it. This exquisite, resonant novel is a portrait of an entire generation that discovered the limits of its own happiness--and then felt compelled to destroy it.
Customer Reviews:
One dissenting voice.......2007-07-20
I just could not get into this book. The pace is glacially slow, and the voice painful -- there is a singsong quality that is so sappy I just couldn't read on. I seem to be in the minority here, so my suggestion to you is to read the first page or two before buying and see if you can stand the voice. Some people love it, but you may not agree. I didn't.
This book is perfect for anyone who . . ........2006-09-01
. . . enjoys being seduced by an environment created by a writing style that artfully explores a soft nether region where poetry leaves off and prose kicks in.
What is it about this book that, on the whole, captivates and fascinates even though none of the component parts seem distinguishable?
The story line and character development are certainly thin. I still don't have any evidence why Nedra is "all that." It's just a given. And who are these folks anyway? I don't think any of them shop at Walmart, fret over gas prices or worry about being backstabbed at work. Getting divorced? Moving to Europe? No problem. Plenty of mystery money to pay for everything.
And so many abrupt surprises: Poof, someone dies. Poof, two people fall into bed. Poof, they're divorced. Maybe Maslow was right - freedom from financial worry apparently leaves more room for social acceptance anxiety.
But how to resist such a seductive and ideal world so well shielded from hardship - the kind of world easy to imagine while reading fiction offerings from Harpers or the New Yorker. Everyone is comfortably well off, drinking fine wine, telling tales of beautiful vacations, finding willing partners to fall into bed with. Even when sex is temporarily unavailable, the food, the quality of conversation and the backdrop scenery are incredible - and paid for.
Best of all, this ideal world is created with remarkably few words. Each word or phrase resembles a little dot, carefully written and placed. Once they are all connected in the imagination, the reader is immersed in that special world.
Too bad the book can't just go on forever, or be turned into a 10+ episode PBS mini-series a la Brideshead Revisited or even 17 volumes worth of "Master and Commander." Perhaps that's just another evidence of success, leaving just a little hungry or thirsty, wondering if one more fragment lies just around the corner.
Impressions of life.......2006-04-29
[Four and a half stars] Whether the portrait of a marriage or the panorama of a Zeitgeist, this rich and luminous picture is painted in short impressionistic strokes that dissolve continuity and show Salter as the miniaturist par excellence. Months pass, sometimes years; characters come and go virtually unannounced; a brief observation, a tiny anecdote, can illuminate entire lives. Viri (Vladimir), a New York architect, and Nedra, his wife, lead an apparently idyllic existence in their house by the Hudson, surrounded by friends, children, and pets. But even such happiness is not complete. As they move into affairs, the rhythm of yearning pulls each in different directions, strengthening one and devastating the other. But even as the story moves beyond their inevitable (but amicable) divorce, it continues to hold them in that web of desolation and surprising beauty which has characterized this exquisitely-written book from the beginning.
My take is different than most reviews.......2004-11-27
I like this book for reasons others disliked it and cannot rave about it for the reasons that others did.
To begin with, the flowery (but sometimes dark) prose took some getting used to, but I really liked it toward the end. I didn't like the fact that Salter didn't follow gramatical rules many times, such as incomplete sentences, and there were times when I could simply not understand what he was saying.
I was able to enjoy the book, even though the plot was, as one reviewer put it, incidental. Anybody who is looking for action when they read a book will not find it here. However, I have grown to like books about thoughts and emotions on relationships, which seems to be the premise of this novel.
The back of the book leads you to believe that they have this beautiful marriage that has small cracks in it. I never felt that Nedra and Viri had anything more special than a respectful friendship with the responsibility of children, and from the beginning there were no small cracks....there were giant cracks.
In the very first chapter, Nedra is described by another woman as somebody who cares for nobody but herself. Even so, perhaps Nedra is happy with her relationship but not fulfilling to Viri, who looks for happiness elsewhere, and somehow thinks he is deceiving his wife, although for anybody has been in this situation knows that she knows. It is not until then (at least as far as the author shows) that she begins to look for happiness elsewhere. And by some dialogue later in the book between her and Viri, she isn't even trying to hide it.
So, I find this an interesting story of a marriage that falls apart, and I look to it to keep from falling into the same traps, although if Nedra is as self serving as some characters suggest, there would be no avoiding this demise. Just don't make the mistake of thinking the story starts with a beautiful marriage. There are other seemingly disturbed relationships which are described in the book that you wish you could see more of, but it is enough to show that every relationship has it's problems according to Salter. There fails to be one married couple in the book that is hopelessly in love with each other.
As one final note, I may have gone my whole life without disovering Salter and am glad I found him. The reason I found out about him was a character of John Irving's in "A Son of a Circus" was reading "A Salter". I think the author is well worth reading, and intend to read his other works.
Another examination of luxury's disappointment..........2004-10-26
James Salter is a very good writer. Anyone who has ever attempted writing knows that language like that found in 'Light Years' is not easily achieved. Unfortuantely, this book is also tremendously boring. It moves at a snail's pace -- deliberate, I'm sure, in showing the slow passage of time. I'm reminded a bit of 'In the Bedroom', a quality film that was rather agonizing to get through. Unlike that film, where the characters were in grief, the characters in this book are really just going through a rather narcissistic, nihilistic realization that life isn't all it could be. I found it difficult to sympathize with their self-indulgence. If luxury is disappointing, try living without it.
Book Description
Readers everywhere have discovered Mitford is good for the soul. Peopled with a lovable cast of characters and filled with mysteries and miracles, Mitford has become one of the most memorable small towns in recent literature.
Boxed set includes:
At Home in Mitford
A Light in the Window
These High, Green Hills
Customer Reviews:
The Second Go Around.......2007-09-25
These books were purchased for my son who reads them every semester. They are his stress relief and he has just about worn out my copies. I got him these so I could have mine to read. Jan Karon has a wonderful way with characters - you know some of the people she writes about. The books are wonderful reading. Light but filled with the sorrows of life as well. Through these books you are encouraged to deepen your walk with God as He is portrayed so accurately.
Volume 1-3: At Home in Mitford.......2007-02-17
Upon recommendation of the a church librarian, we gave these books to my aunt in Texas. She has enjoyed reading them and appreciated their humor and the real life presentation. She thought they were great and is interested in others from the Mitford series.
Warm, engrossing stories of everyday life in a small town.......1999-11-16
The Mitford books are the most wonderful heart-felt adventures in small town living. The characters are real, their real-life problems and victories speak to all of us, and the feel of goodness and Christian faith stay with you long after the books are finished. Unforgettable! I wish Father Tim were the rector in our parish...
Wonderful place to visit!!!.......1999-09-06
The style of writing in this book transports you there!! I feel like I know these people after reading this series! Maybe because there is a little bit of all of these characters in each of us or we at least know someone like them!!! I look forward to all the Mitford books. Wholesome, fun, and easy to read!!
Please don't stop this woderful series!.......1999-05-31
I didn't think it was possible however, the second installment of the Mitford Series was just as warm, wonderful and cozy as the first! At last, it is such a pleasure to read a series of books dedicated to mature love with decency and something left to one's imagaination. I cannot thank Ms. Karon enough for bravely showing the timeliness and gentleness of what the gift of patience brings to those whose choose to wait on God and to wait for the other person to learn about themselves so that they may into share that knowledge in learning to love someone to include them in their life in marriage!
The literary world has been in need of such a refreshing style and gentleness of touch. That you again, Ms. Karon for giving us back love, respect and commitment.
God's blessings on this and all your future endeavors!
Book Description
After all, this year brought Hannah Davis nothing but the memory of her wandering fiancé marrying someone else behind her back. Now, sitting alone at a bar in Coronado, California, on December 31, she decides to do something radical . . . and lets a brooding good-looker take her to bed. But when a hysterical woman bursts into their room much too early on New Year's Day, Hannah realizes this guy's more complicated than she thought . . .
Ex-Secret Service Agent Tanner Hart screwed up, big-time! Hoping to temporarily boot some of the ghosts from his life, he hooked up with this sexy stranger for a hot one-night stand—only to discover she's the woman he's agreed to protect . . . from men just like him!
But a new year is a time for fresh beginnings. Despite the danger, the hoopla, and the hangovers, if Hannah's brave enough to risk her heart again—and Tanner's wise enough to realize he deserves it—maybe this one will be different.
Customer Reviews:
Secondary romance was more believable.......2007-09-26
The secondary romance was far more compelling to me than the main couple's. I don't want to give anything away about the characters because their backstories shaped them, but both, Tanner and Hannah, came off as slightly neurotic. Whereas with the other two, you could tell this couple needed each other. I didn't get that impression with Tanner and Hannah. I could see them being a fling, something that healed the past hurts, allowing them to move on to other partners. But I didn't get the sense they would die without the other being in their lives. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book.
Great book!.......2007-02-28
Just the right mixture of romance, humor, quirky characters, and action. I loved the interaction of all the characters with each other. Over all it was just a great, light, quick, funny read.
Great Book.......2007-02-17
The was an awesome book. Totally recommend that everyone reads it. They wasy Christie Ridgeway makes the reader fall in love with the characters.
Great read.......2007-02-10
I really enjoyed this book. Along with the romance, there was a bit of drama and danger. The heroine was a little unbelievably naive. But overall, it was a great read.
Great fun romance.......2007-02-07
Dejected at having lost her fiance to another woman, small town schoolteacher Hannah Davis travels to San Diego for a holiday and to check out the competition. When her luggage and purse is stolen, she walks into a Coronado bar and finds a stranger nursing a beer. Hannah has spent most of her life doing what is expected of her, even going so far as to never learn to drive since her elder sister died in a car accident. Wanting desperately to shed her good girl image (and not having money for a hotel room), she uses a fake name and asks him to take her to bed. The next morning, she awakes to find a shrieking female named Desiree and realizes that this man is taken. What she doesn't realize is that he's the tour guide her uncle arranged to show her the sites.
Tanner Hart just wanted to cure an eleven month dry spell, never expecting the woman he brought home (who then passed out) is the same woman he promised Geoff he would protect from predatory men like him. But Hannah has gotten under his skin, and the more the disgraced secret service agent is around her, the more he realizes how complex she is and the more he wants her. Complicating matters is Desiree, the woman who caused his downfall in a deadly kidnapping attempt overseas. But she appears to have her eyes on another Hart...
With Ridgway's latest, readers get two romances for the price of one. Her writing is crisp, as is the dialogue. And of course there are Ridgway's trademark sizzling love scenes. She also tosses in some unexpected twists to make the story not so predictable. Tanner's brother Troy was a great stand out character - ex-Marine and closet health nut/vegetarian. One qualm I had was Hannah's reaction to seeing the ocean in San Diego/Coronado. Hello? She is from Northern California not Kansas; the ocean is only an hour or so away from even the most interior cities.
Books:
- Atomic Ranch
- Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light in Theatre, Live Performance, Broadcast, and Entertainment
- Baby Scrapbooks: Ideas, Tips, and Techniques for Baby Scrapbooks (Memory Makers)
- Bangalore Tiger
- Bites
- Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D Digital Field Guide
- Cold River Spirits: The Legacy of an Athabascan-Irish Family from Alaska's Yukon River
- Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens
- Devil's Playground
- Digital Video for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Great Home Movies (Lark Photography Book)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Born in Blood: The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry
- The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
- Texas Fury
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- Bob's Story: Memories of Love and War
In This Mountain (The Mitford Years #7)
Shepherds Abiding (The Mitford Years #8)
Light from Heaven (The Mitford Years #9)
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader: Recipes from Mitford Cooks, Favorite Tales from Mitford Books (Mitford)
A Common Life (The Mitford Years #6)
