Average customer rating:
- Brilliant!
- Prepare for the unexpected.
- Interesting motive, fails to deliver
- Interesting Perspective Rarely Seen
- who's talking now
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The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
Maxine Hong Kingston
Manufacturer: Vintage
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ASIN: 0679721886
Release Date: 1989-04-23 |
Amazon.com
The Woman Warrior is a pungent, bitter, but beautifully written memoir of growing up Chinese American in Stockton, California. Maxine Hong Kingston (China Men) distills the dire lessons of her mother's mesmerizing "talk-story" tales of a China where girls are worthless, tradition is exalted and only a strong, wily woman can scratch her way upward. The author's America is a landscape of confounding white "ghosts"--the policeman ghost, the social worker ghost--with equally rigid, but very different rules. Like the woman warrior of the title, Kingston carries the crimes against her family carved into her back by her parents in testimony to and defiance of the pain.
Book Description
A Chinese American woman tells of the Chinese myths, family stories and events of her California childhood that have shaped her identity.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant!.......2007-08-25
An excellent book, funny, insightful, poignant. Ms. Kingston brilliantly conveys how cultures can clash within the minds of those who straddle them. After reading this book I bought half a dozen copies to give to close friends.
Prepare for the unexpected........2007-03-22
This is a tremendous novel. The author threads the stories her mother told her when she was a child, through the retelling of her own life, using them to draw you into her own imagination. As she grows up, living half immersed in traditional myth and half in gritty reality, where mothers and daughters are only human, the reader grows up with her. The first person telling of her childhhood stories puts the reader directly in the shoes of a child/young adult working through the stories she has been told, using them to form her hopes and dreams and her understanding of the world.
(N.B. You may not think that your childhood stories influenced the way you live, but if you think for a minute, I am certain some will come back to you and you'll realize that just the other day you did something based on or combatting that belief. Maybe you even still wish on stars?)
Interesting motive, fails to deliver.......2007-01-12
While the perspective and ideas of this novel are ones rarely seen in modern day literature, Maxine Hong Kingston fails to captivate a reader in a way that one would expect from a novel dealing with the difficulties of not only being a minority in the U.S., but for simply being female.
The story starts off with the tale of Kingston's deceased aunt, who brought shame to the family and was unmentionable due to the fact that she bore an illegitimate child. As she gets into the tale and finds a parallel between herself and her aunt, both not wanting to conform to societal expectations, the story quickly changes to a story of a legendary girl trained by two old people to battle evil. The narration is filled with melodramatic elements and disorganized and often random occurences that make no sense at all, thereby losing the reader's interest early on in the book. The story then changes a few more times to different events in her family occuring in different eras, making it hard to grasp the relationship between themand her purpose for doing so. As you can see, the organization in this novel seems to be its biggest flaw. Instead of focusing on one tale and going in depth about it, the fact that Kingston changes stories so frequently and often before they are fully developed is annoying and seems to be pointless. While the stories she includes share a common theme of decpicting independent and strong women, her melodramatic and ineffective ways of narrating not only loses the reader's interest but in the process, I think even Kingston got confused about what she was trying to say!
Interesting Perspective Rarely Seen.......2007-01-12
Kingston combines the use of allegory, fantasy, and real life elements of her childhood to explore the social status of Chinese American women from the 1940s to the present in The Woman Warrior. While at first all of her stories may seem random, they all connect to Kingston's point of view as to how not just being a minority but also being a female made life difficult for her in both cultures. Her interwoven stories were so fascinating, as she brilliantly compares what she truly wants and what society is willing to allow her to do. It is crucial that the reader pay close attention to when her stories shift. My one problem with her plot organization is that she focuses on one story, and then suddenly shifts to another story. I couldn't understand until I was at the middle of the plot to comprehend each story's purpose in the bigger picture. But once the reader succeeds in getting over that one flaw, the rest is amazing. Kingston develops a unique style all on her own as she somehow connects the fantastical parts of her dreams to what she is forced to experience in everyday reality. In the backdrop of her personal experience, Kingston describes America's problems with racism and sexism different women in her lives are hurt by this. Kingston needed to maintain her flow; but the intriguing connections involving fantasy and reality work effectively to enhance her purpose.
who's talking now.......2007-01-11
This book tries to do too much! and doesn't succeed.
Even though this book had a good story over all, the confusing narration completely distracts from the intended message.
The entire story is in first person, no matter who is talking. This gets very confusing when the story suddenly shifts to another woman's story and you still think you are reading about the previous person. Suddenly you are reading and you think that the same character has somehow appeared on the other side of the world having no idea how she got there.
You will end up spending the whole book just trying to figure out who is speaking that you will miss most of what the book tries to say.
This is supposed to show the reality of what it is like to be a chinese woman but this is too hard to see when everything else is in the way.
This book does do some things well like its clever incorporation of irony in the narrator's retelling of a story that she has been forbidden to tell. It also incorporates superstitious elements such as her mother's battle with ghosts while at college and the enticing tale of the woman warrior. There is more irony seen here when most women in the story are seen as being weak, yet the woman warrior is strong and represents all the women with its title.
Book Description
Literary sleuth Thursday Next is out to save literature in the fifth installment of Jasper Fforde's wildly popular series
Beloved for his prodigious imagination, his satirical gifts, his literate humor, and sheer silliness, Jasper Fforde has delighted book lovers since Thursday Next first appeared in The Eyre Affair, a genre send-up hailed as an instant classic. Since the no-nonsense literary detective from Swindon made her debut, literature has never been quite the same. Neither have nursery rhymes, for that matter. With two successful books of the Nursery Crime series under his belt, Fforde takes up once again the brilliant adventures of his signature creation in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the Thursday Next series. And it's better than ever.
It's been fourteen years since Thursday pegged out at the 1988 SuperHoop, and Friday is now a difficult sixteen year old. However, Thursday's got bigger problems. Sherlock Holmes is killed at the Rheinback Falls and his series is stopped in its tracks. And before this can be corrected, Miss Marple dies suddenly in a car accident, bringing her series to a close as well. When Thursday receives a death threat clearly intended for her written self, she realizes what's going on—there is a serial killer on the loose in the Bookworld. And that's not all—The Goliath Corporation is trying to deregulate book travel. Naturally, Thursday must travel to the outer limits of acceptable narrative possibilities to triumph against increasing odds.
Packed with word play, bizarre and entertaining subplots, and old-fashioned suspense, Thursday's return is sure to be celebrated by Jasper's fanatical fans and the critics who have loved him since the beginning.
Customer Reviews:
Thursday Next: First Among Sequels.......2007-09-17
Love those Thursday Next books ! Very witty and fun to read. Can't wait for the next sequel.
A bit too much .......2007-09-13
I enjoy the Thursday Next books, and I love the inventions Fforde has come up with in this novel. The most innovative parts of the book, and by far the most interesting to me, involved the two fictional Thursday Nexts and the interaction between her and her children, the number of which seemed to fluctuate from page to page. Having both an action heroine Thursday 1-4 and an earth mother Thursday 5 was wonderful and novel. The revelations about Friday, Tuesday and Jenny were all fun and interesting.
Unfortunately, Fforde seemed to treat this novel like one of those reunion shows on television, where you absolutely have to have all the characters show up, have to have them all go through their most famous routines and get their canned applause, and this is done at the expense of innovation and plot. But Fforde was writing a novel, not a reunion show of the Thursday Next novels, and the cameos by Felix8, Aornis, the Minotaur, etc. didn't bring much to the book, and made it more complex and difficult to get through than it needed to be.
He did a nice job with the parodies of reality television shows and the governmental crisis involving the stupidity deficit because the Commonsense Party (oddly, not ironically meant) were running things. The relation between that and falling reading rates, and the means by which they were all solved, were interesting and imaginative.
On the other hand, I think Fforde has made Thursday too important in Bookworld. Towards the end, it appeared that no one in Bookworld could do much except for Thursday with her Outlander perspective, and I found that tiresome and that it gave much of the plot a deus ex machina quality. The way to infuse some of the characters with more life is to write them that way, instead of relying on Thursday to do everything.
I look forward to a better constructed next novel in this series.
What's next, Thursday?.......2007-09-03
It's a darned good thing that Thursday Next isn't showing any signs of wanting to slow down, because her life seems to get more and more complicated with each eagerly awaited installment of this brilliant series.
First of all, the Special Operations Network has been disbanded, but that minor detail hasn't stopped Thursday and her colleagues from doing what they do best. Under the cover of a flourishing carpeting company, business continues as usual, except now it's strictly hush-hush. Thursday is also secretly working at Jurisfiction, and a large portion of this book deals with her exploits in the BookWorld.
In the real world, Thursday hasn't yet told her husband that she does more than sell carpets. Her son Friday is a typical rebellious teenager, who flat out refuses to join the ChronoGuard, plays rock guitar and never, ever appears before lunchtime, his sister Tuesday is a math genius, and the other sibling Jenny promises to be the most normal of the lot.
Between training un-trainable apprentices, wheeling and dealing with the Cheese mafia, sorting out the Moral Dilemma, finding the missing comedy from the Thomas Hardy novels and vanquishing demons, time is running out for Thursday to figure out how to save the world, with or without the help of lazy Friday. Add the Minotaur, Aornis Hades, Goliath's latest project, and ghostly visitations from her Uncle Mycroft, and you get an idea of the roller coaster ride that is "First Among Sequels".
The unkindest cut of all however, is the plan to remake classic works into interactive novels, similar in principle to the dreaded Reality TV. It's all up to Thursday Next, and if she fails, you'll soon be glued to your television watching a Bennet sister getting voted out of Pride and Prejudice.
A final warning to fans of this series - after reading this you may suffer acute withdrawal symptoms while waiting for the next installment.
Rated: 4.5 stars
Amanda Richards, September 3, 2007
Thursday Next: First Among Sequels.......2007-09-01
Jasper Fforde is back with the wit and humor that are a trademark of this series. Thoroughly enjoyable romp through the Bookworld!
Highy recommended.......2007-08-30
Any Jasper Fforde fan will be delighted to see another chapter in the Thursday Next series. It is a creative, whirlwind of a book full of zany plots, book world antics, and the usual Goliath Corporation mischief. Any of Fforde's books are well worth reading.
While it was an amazing read, I do look forward to the next installment where perhaps the convoluted plotline of this series can find its way again.
Customer Reviews:
what a waste of trees..........2007-03-21
Not without my daughter, is now known, was a fictional story to the still married Betty Mahmoody....as in still married to her "tyrannical" husband. He also recieved many of the proceeds that the book and movie made. This book is utterly distasteful, and a waste of time. I am tired of seeing Iran portrayed through such racial and prejudice views. The sad thing is that people will actually buy this book, and believe it. If I could rate this book with something other than one through five stars I would give it a NEGATIVE five stars. Don't waste ur time.
A wonderful read.......2000-04-21
I met Ms. Bell at a book signing and I found her to be genuine. She was willing to answer any and all questions about the book. I believe her story is the truth. Be prepared it is very honest.
Criticism is Transparent.......2000-03-29
I know many women who have similar stories to tell.
I foundthe story well told and an important warning to any woman consideringtraveling to the Middle East with her husband, especially when there are children involved.
You can believe I'd think twice.
More accurate than many would like to believe!.......2000-03-20
Being an American woman married to a Middle Eastern man, I was compelled to buy this book to see the accuracy of its content. Although many would like to turn a blind eye to the degrading and abusive nature of women in Middle Eastern society, especially American women inside this culture, it is a reality that must be reckoned. Sarah Harris and Barbara Mosallai Bell should be applauded for their efforts in relaying the events of Ms. Bell's life while in Iran. I think this serves as a powerful message to those who might consider leaving their country, their citizenship, all in the name of love. Not only is this book a fascinating, heart-wrenching story that many readers can empathize, but it can serve as reference to many women so they, too, do not make the same mistakes. I'd highly recommend this book!
Pure, Utter Trash.......1999-07-14
I can't even bring myself to write anything about this racist, inaccurate book. Don't waste your money.
Book Description
Two leading experts on gender issues in the workplace describe how indirect aggression among women undermines their professional and personal success, and explain how to change conflict into cooperation.
Following the success of Queen Bees and Wannabes and Odd Girl Out, about aggression in girls, In the Company of Women explains how indirect, or "relational," aggression can hurt women and hinder them from achieving success and harmony in their adult lives. Gender studies have shown that when a goal is in sight, men generally use direct action to attain it. Women, on the other hand, have been socialized to express aggressive actions through indirect means-using behavior such as shunning, stigmatizing, and gossiping to emotionally cripple those standing in the way of the achievement they seek.
With startling insights into the meaning of our everyday behavior, this book offers straightforward techniques to change conflict among women into cooperation by resolving discords peaceably, building relationships, and making the most of women's unique leadership and communication skills.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting reading.......2007-09-18
This book was pretty good. The first part validated what I pretty much figured out for myself the hard way. At least with the knowledge you get from this book that this type of behavior and attitude is universal among women everywhere and is "normal," you can deal with it more constructively or let it go more easily instead of dwelling on it. I did enjoy reading the first part of the book - probably 3/4 of the book was helpful because it validates what you know or can sense about what is going on around you, and that is empowering and reassuring. The guidance given in this book for dealing with other women is somewhat like remembering difficult algorithms though. And, unless you can convince every other woman you ever deal with to read the book and follow precisely the "rules" you have to follow in order to have perfect harmony among the women in your life, you still have to just use your gut instinct on how to deal with each particular woman or...well, you already know what will happen or you wouldn't be interested in reading this type of book! To be honest, I started reading the last part of the book (which directly relates to being in a supervisory position) and just couldn't read any more.
Wishing everyone (men and women) would read this!.......2007-05-08
I have struggled my entire life in relationships with women. This book opened my eyes.
Interesting theories, apply as you will.......2007-02-04
This is a thought-provoking book, and I recommend it for any woman, whether you work in an office or not. It says much about the conflicts that arise between us, the reasons behind them, and some solutions on how to handle them.
One of my favorite chapters was "Handling Conflicts With Style." I recently covered conflict styles in a college freshman seminar course, and I appreciated how they were expanded in this chapter. There are some interesting paragraphs on ow to handle sabotage and deliberate distractions, two things I have experienced firsthand and was poor at resonding to.
There are many wonderful suggestions in the chapter "How To Be An Effective Female Leader." Several aspects of leadership are discussed, and skills are suggested in detail, to balance the troubles many female leaders experience.
There are some parts of the book, however, that I do no agree with.
Although the Power Dead-Even Rule is absolutely true in every respect, it does little to solve the problem that I have with power-hungry, conrolling women in my work environment. Honestly, why should I care what gets a co-worker to turn against me? Of course, having some knowledge of the root of the problem is extremely beneficial at maintaining some sort of balance. At the end of the day, however, I am able to put my head on the pillow and fall asleep based simply on the advice I received from a dear friend:
It's not my business what other people think of me.
This may sound like foolish advice at first, but you know what? It's TRUE.
And the advice to use gossip as a tool is WAY off the mark. I have been able to maintain my position at my job for many years based on a principle that I believe deeply in - that gossip does NOTHING to improve anyone's character. You want to build trust among your coworkers? Don't gossip!! Find something else in common to discuss.
I'm a little irritated at the excuses given for indirect aggression - you know what? A person's personal issues should be worked out before or after work, there's no excuse for a bitch.
Downplaying your achievements is good to keep in mind. But ultimately, you really should be yourself, not a puppet. My point is, when you apply what you gain from this book, don't forget what you have learned before.
This Book has Changed my Life........2006-05-08
I have to say, I felt pretty disgusted with myself, having to pretend to be insecure and self-depreciating, just to get other women to like me. But by God it works.
I tested the techniques out on my very next female customer. I refused to accept her compliments, kept downplaying myself and my accomplishments, while praising her instead and pointing out all the ways in which I felt she was better.
Result: She LOVED me. We actually linked arms and skipped! No kidding! She convinced her husband to give me $500 on a job that wasn't worth half that much money.
Not only is this book helpful in avoiding petty jealousy, the evil eye, and female sabotage, applied to business situations it can be a real cash cow!!! $$$
Take those psychology books that advise you to "Project Self Confidence!" and "Toot Your Own Horn!" and throw them in the garbage. If you are not a man, that will not work for you.
This one tip alone will save your friendships: Don't you dare ever tell a woman good news. If you have good news tell a man. If you have bad news tell a woman.
If you're just bustin' to tell all the girls how your new boyfriend is rich, famous and hunky, DON'T, unless you a have your own personal security detail and somebody willing to start your car for you.
If they find out anyway, make your good fortune sound negative. Tell them he beats you and he slept with your sister. : P
I can sum the whole book up for you: Women can't stand to see another woman happy, especially if they're not. Better learn how to operate within the "Power Dead Even" Rule.
Women Working Wisely.......2006-02-06
This book has been an invaluable reference and resource for me. Pat Heim's experience in addressing relationally aggressive behaviors between women in the workplace shows through in every page she writes. With "In the Company of Women" she adds one more feather to her impressive cap and advances each reader's understanding of this important issue.
Customer Reviews:
Indespensable.......2006-02-19
Quite frankly I think every student of Yoruba culture should own this book. While Gelede is the central object of study, the books touches on multiple aspects Yoruba and Orisa spirituality. The amount of information is so overwhelming that you will literally have to read it over and over again.
A very good book.......2000-12-06
I do recommend this nice book to all those engaged in the practice of the Yoruba cult. The author gives a good persp- ective of what is behind the cerimony. Mo juba Iyami Osoronga!
Worth reading for student & practitioners of Yoruba religion.......1998-06-22
This is a fairly good book on the subject of Yoruba masks and drumming. Contains good pictures of masks (Gelede) and is very informative with regards to ceremonies performed at the Gelede.
Is recommended reading for any of the followers of the Yoruba religion and to students as well.
I would have liked to have seen a more in depth review of the ceremonies and religious aspects of the Gelede, therefore I have not rated it a 5 Star.
Nonetheless, I would still read it all over again !
Book Description
The second I stepped through the doors of Rolling Stone as a real employee, I wanted to shake off my old personality like the rigid husk of a cicada. But how could I cultivate a new, hip persona when I lived with my parents in a New Jersey suburb and wore black leggings as pants?
New Jersey in the 1980s had everything Jancee Dunn wanted: trips down the shore, Bruce Springsteen, a tantalizing array of malls, and, especially, her family. Barreling down the Turnpike in her parents' Buick LeSabre, her perm brushing the ceiling of the car, she felt ragingly alive. But one night she met a girl who worked at Rolling Stone magazine in New York City. To Jancee, who visited the city exactly once a year with her parents and two sisters, New York might as well have been in Canada. But she loved music, so with bleak expectations she passed along her résumé, dashing her father's hopes that she would carry on the family legacy of service to J. C. Penney (a man so revered that a bust of his head was proudly displayed in the den) .
Soon Jancee found herself backstage and behind the scenes, interviewing a countless (and nerve-racking) parade of some of the most famous people in the world, among them Madonna, Cameron Diaz, and Beyoncé. She trekked to the Canadian Rockies to hike with Brad Pitt, was chased by paparazzi who mistook her for Ben Affleck's new girlfriend, snacked on Velveeta with Dolly Parton, and danced drunkenly onstage with the Beastie Boys. She even became a TV star as a pioneering VJ on MTV2.
As her life spun faster, she plunged into the booze-soaked rock-and-roll life, trading her good-girl suburban past for late nights and hipster guys. But then a chance meeting turned Jancee's life in an unexpected direction and helped her to finally learn to appreciate where she came from, who she was, and what she wanted to be.
Riotously funny and tremendously touching, But Enough About Me is the story of an outsider who couldn't quite bring herself to become an insider and introduces readers to a hysterical, lovable real-life heroine.
Customer Reviews:
Fun Read.......2007-09-05
I picked this book up because of the cover. I loved seeing 80's hair do and I read the back to find it amusing enough to buy. I never really knew who Jancee Dunn was before I read her book.
I enjoyed the quick read and liked how it bounced between her family and her work, it is a story of someone my age(36) and it mirrored experiences of coming of age during the 80's and early 90's. I loved it.
Heartwarming and honest
Surprisingly well written and very touching story........2007-09-02
Jancee Dunn tells us a little bit about her childhood and how she ended up at Rolling Stone and MTV. The chapters alternate between her memoirs and amusing anecdotes about interviewing celebrities. While the celebrity encounters are interesting, it is her own life story that will completely mesmerize you. She is a gifted story teller and brings all her characters to life in a way that makes you remember them long after you have finished the book.
I highly recommend this book for a light, fun read that will capture your heart when you least expect it.
I would read anything else by this author eagerly!
Reviewed by Amy Lignor.......2007-07-19
Dear Reader
This book is an absolute "gem." That's the word that REALLY fits. There are so many paragraphs, chapters, jokes - that are poignant, hysterical, remarkable, meaningful - that there are not enough adjectives to describe the compilation of stories from her life.
Beginning in New Jersey in the 1980's, Jancee Dunn was happy. She was one of those girls that didn't care for the "Jersey" jokes. She loved her location and place in life: trips down to the shore, Bruce Springsteen concerts, and fun journeys to the mall with close friends. She was a music lover who submitted her resume to Rolling Stone magazine and, before she knew it, she was rubbing shoulders with Brad Pitt, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and more.
The parts of this book where she relays the "fish out of water" syndrome - being a Jersey girl shoved into the New York City limelight - are tremendously and unequivocally tender and lovely.
And, by the way, this is a memoir. This really happened. Jancee Dunn, the author, has worked for Rolling Stone since 1989, was a correspondent for Good Morning America, an MTV veejay and a writer for countless magazines. I want to share every word with you because it is so difficult to pick from the "gems" that are woven throughout these chapters but, alas, there is not enough room.
Let's just say that from her doting mother to her tremendously witty father - from the love and fantastic relationship she has with her sisters to her best friends who share in her dreams and failures - every page of this memoir is a "must read." The chapters that recount her interviews with the rich and famous are hysterical. After reading them you will want so much to meet Dolly and cook fudge in Loretta Lynn's kitchen - whereas other famous stars that you may have loved - you'll want to never see one of their concerts again.
There are stories of being spotted as Ben Affleck's girlfriend and hiking with Brad Pitt. Helpful hints on how to interview an A-list subject without making them so upset that they send their handler in to, well, handle you. These stories are not only charming but would be a real help for anyone who wants to break into the celebrity interviewing circle. She knows her stuff. She took a lot of hits to get there - but she took them with spice, sarcasm, friendship and fun.
Read this. Enjoy this. Love this. I've always said there are too many boring people in this world. I am extremely happy that Jancee Dunn is an original and I hope someday to run into her on the street and thank her personally for the enjoyable experience of this book.
Charming, endearing memoir from the likeable Jancee Dunn.......2007-07-14
"But Enough About Me" is a charming, endearing memoir from the journalist who produced many of Rolling Stone's best profile pieces throughout the nineties. Jancee Dunn is a talented writer whose prose seems effortless. The pages literally fly by. That's the power of her writing...her humor, insight, power of observation and ability to convey it all in clean, unaffected prose. It's not just natural talent - this self-deprecating author has obviously worked hard throughout the years to polish her craft.
I'm surprised no one else on these review pages has made reference to the Acknowledgment section, which Ms. Dunn has penned in ingenious 'high school yearbook inscription' style (2 good 2 be 4gotten!, Best friends forever!, party at the Shore!). It's pithy, witty and touching.
I was sorry to see the book end and could have easily devoured a work twice this length. So, Jancee, bring on Part 2 when you've got it ready.
Good lite read.......2007-05-24
well told story, author was self effacing and told some good "inside" stories of the stars. found myself more interested in her story than the star stuff..
Average customer rating:
- MUST, MUST, MUST reading!
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What We Know So Far: Wisdom Among Women
Billie Jean King ,
Grace Paley , and
Matilda Cuomo
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
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Customer Reviews:
MUST, MUST, MUST reading!.......1999-06-14
Well, a tad bit overstated, but I'd give it ten stars if I could.
Essays by 25 women on subjects of growing up and growing old(er). All told wonderfully in very accessible and memorable language. I'm buying more to give as gifts.
The preface alone is worth the price of the book.
Book Description
She heard him come up behind her, expected him to turn her in his arms and embrace her with a lover's enthusiasm. Instead, his forearm abruptly cut off her supply of air as it pressed into her throat.A harsh whisper, close to her ear, was the last thing she heard before one abrupt movement snapped her neck."Whore," her murderer said. "No better than a Winchester goose." It is the spring of 1563, and Susanna, Lady Appleton, wants only to tend to the medicinal herbs in the garden of her London townhouse. But the appearance of a mysterious veiled woman disrupts her plans. Is the woman just another mistress of Robert's, her forever-philandering husband?When the gentlewoman is found dead with a snapped neck in London's notorious brothel district, and her last known visitor was Robert, Lady Appleton is forced to investigate. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a string of murders from years dark-haired of dark-ahaired women, all occurring on St. Mark's Day, and, most perplexing, all with a goose feather left by the bodies. For Susanna, nobody, not even her own husband, is above suspicion.Kathy Lynn Emerson's third mystery in the Lady Appleton series once again will delight "readers who appreciate suspenseful historical mysteries with a feminist slant" (Booklist).
Customer Reviews:
Best of the series.......2001-09-20
I must admit I was growing tired of Kathy Lynn Emerson's Lady Appleton but her latest book, FACE DOWN AMONG THE WINCHESTER GEESE, tops the series by rekindling my interest. An excellent plot and resolution to the fate of her husband, as well as Emerson's usual top-notch historical details and writing style.
Emerson's Characters Just Keep Getting Better.......2001-05-10
I'm reading the "Face Down" series in order, and I've really come to love Lady Susanna and her supporting cast of characters - even her dog of a husband is entertaining. I have to admit, I guessed who the murderer was in this one - but I didn't guess why he was until late in the story. You get a fascinating history lesson with all of Emerson's books, but a great mystery too.
A KILLER STALKS THE STREETS OF LONDON.......2001-04-06
Susanna is taken from Leigh Abbey to London by her husband Robert, but has no idea why. She is not aware that Robert is scheming with Diego Cordoba and the Spanish Embassy and needs her there in London.
One day a petite dark haired lady named Diane St. Cyr comes to see Robert at their rental house on Catte Street. Robert is not present and Susanna takes a message to have him meet Diane at a place called the Falcon. Susanna is aware that Diane is probably one of Robert's many mistresses but gives him the message anyway. Robert goes to see Diane to find out what she wants. The next morning Diane is found in the streets dead.
In order to clear Robert's name, Susanna begins to look into the murder and discovers that there have been several women(mostly prostitutes),with the same physical features murdered on the same day over a period of seven years.
With the help of her maid-servant and friend Jennet, as well as a brothel keeper named Petronella, Susanna discovers who is killing the Winchester Geese(prostitutes)and what Robert has up his sleeve.
This is the second Susanna, Lady Appleton mystery that I have read and found this one to be much more enjoyable.
Susanna tracks a serial killer in Elizabethan England........2000-12-18
The "Susanna, Lady Appleton" series is set in Elizabethan England. Lady Susanna Appleton is a shrewd, intelligent woman with a love of herbal studies and an uncomfortable arranged marriage to an "intelligence gatherer" for the crown. Lord Robert Appleton believes that a woman should be biddable and follow the guidance of her husband. He is also an indiscreet philanderer, as Susanna is all too aware.
When a woman arrives unannounced at the Appletons' temporary residence in London, Susanna assumes she is another mistress of Robert's. When the woman is later discovered murdered in an alley, Susanna's sense of justice (and her need to absolve her husband of the crime) leads her to investigate. She soon discovers a pattern of killing that indicates more women will be murdered.
Susanna is a well-drawn, enjoyable character whose strong sense of self is never corrupted by her tenuous relationship with her husband. Their interactions are always interesting and frustrating--as Susanna herself observes, theirs could have been a true match of equals were Robert ever to feel at ease with Susanna's independence. Unfortunately, he is a product of his times, and the couple is destined for unhappiness.
The mystery is well done, as Susanna tracks a serial killer through the brothels of London. The ending is a little too tidy and resolved a bit too quickly, but all the clues were in place well before the resolution. I didn't feel surprised about the ending, but neither did I see it coming.
Lord Robert's work as a spy keeps Susanna realistically involved with court intrigues, so her involvement with the mysteries doesn't yet feel forced (a problem that eventually plagues most series featuring amateur sleuths). I hope the author can keep it up.
This is the third in this excellent series, which begins with "Face Down Upon an Herbal" and is followed by "Face Down in the Marrow-Bone Pie."
Suspenseful historical mystery.......2000-08-25
Suzanna, Lady Appleton, is hot on the trail again, this time in London amid a crowd of period detail and eccentric characters. Both Suzanna and the author seem to improve with each mystery. Recommended!
Book Description
The compelling, insightful, and challenging memoir of a Christian woman's exploration of her faith while living in community with strictly Orthodox Jews. As Maria Johnson explains: "I knew that Christianity is rooted deep in Judaism, but living in daily contact with a vital and vibrant Jewish life has been fascinating and transforming. I am and will remain a Christian, but I am a rather different Christian than I was before."
Customer Reviews:
delightful and fascinating.......2007-09-18
for anyone interested in the life of pious christians and jews in america, and the reality of living Judaism, this is a find.
Tasty food for thought.......2007-06-13
Strangers and Neighbors (Review)
Strangers and Neighbors: What I Have Learned about Christianity by Living among Orthodox Jews, by Maria Poggi Johnson. Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2006.
I devoured this book at a single sitting.
I'm a Catholic married to an observant (though not Orthodox!) Jew; we've lived in the Orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem. But I think readers who don't have that specific connection to this book's content will find much to enjoy and think about in this book about a Catholic raising a family among Orthodox Jews.
Of course, there are areas of disagreement with her neighbors. She doesn't agree with their view of the literal inerrancy and origins of Hebrew Scripture, for instance. On the other hand, she does agree with the Jewish emphasis on community and the necessity of being open to the word of God together, not just as individuals.
She recognizes that her neighbors will never eat a meal in her house; she has learned to accept their invitations gracefully. She sympathizes with their desire to stay apart from the secular world while recognizing that her own commitment to religious pluralism is what makes it possible for her to live among, and respect, them. She can see the humor in her Christian son's demanding a yarmulke, and her small daughter's taking a condescending tone toward Jews less traditionally observant than her playmates. Above all, she can identify the common thread in her devotional life and theirs.
Although most interfaith couples will not be involved with the strictures of Orthodox Judaism, Maria Johnson's experiences can shed light on philosophical and practical differences between Christian and Jewish traditions. And her attitude can be a model of how two-faith families can approach their kin and community groups without being hostile to them or compromising their own.
And most Christians married to Jewish spouses will resonate to her observation, "I aam, and will remain, a Christian, but I am a rather different Christian now than I was before."
review by Mary Heléne Rosenbaum, executive director of the Dovetail Institute for Interfaith Family Resources and editor of Dovetail: A Journal by and for Jewish/Christian Families and of Shalom, the newspaper of the Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. She is author of A Seal Upon the Heart [Blue Grape Press, 2006], a biblical novel on the prophet Jeremiah. Mary Heléne is a practicing Catholic, a lector in her church for over 20 years, who has also served as executive director of Congregation Beth Tikvah (Reform), Carlisle, Penn.
Her work is a reflection of how to understand instead of how to be understood........2007-06-06
Maria Poggi Johnson grew up in Scotland and studied at Oxford University and the University of Virginia. But when she moved with her family to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she currently works as a professor of Theology at the University of Scranton, she entered a new world. She and her family found themselves living two blocks from an Orthodox synagogue, three blocks from the Hebrew day school and four blocks from another synagogue. Since moving into a neighborhood of predominantly Jewish people, she has learned more about Jewish belief, custom and herself than she ever imagined.
In STRANGERS AND NEIGHBORS, Johnson takes a look at her own faith through the lessons learned from her Orthodox Jewish friends next door. In this rich memoir, Johnson talks about the subtle and remarkable differences between her beliefs and life compared to neighbors. She explores the power of the law as a source of hope and order rather than mere rule-making.
She writes, "Most of what enables our Orthodox friends and us to get on smoothly around our differences is just a matter of common courtesy and common sense. It's common courtesy to shut up and listen while other people tell you who they are, rather than deciding that you already know. It's common sense that sometimes being around people who see things very differently can be uncomfortable and that you need to tolerate a bit of discomfort and not take yourself too seriously. We feel comfortable around the very different world our neighbors inhabit because nobody pretends that the worlds aren't different."
Throughout the book, she offers memorable stories of interacting with her neighbors --- including those of her kids. She recounts the time her son demanded to wear a yarmulke as a badge of masculinity and her struggles to figure out how to make a birthday party kosher. She describes one holiday season coming into her living room to discover a Jewish boy running round the coffee table holding the baby Jesus and the angel over his yarmulke-clad head pursued by her own son, Adam, who was carrying a tyrannosaurus. Adam was yelling, "I will eat the baby all up!" While the neighbor boy defended, "No, I will save the baby!"
"I contemplated the scene, briefly," Johnson writes, "then backed into the kitchen and let them get on with it."
One of the most refreshing aspects of this book is that Johnson is able to live among her neighbors and learn from them without trying to convert them. As a result, her work is a reflection of how to understand instead of how to be understood. And the reader gains lots of insights along the way.
The greatest weakness of the book is its brevity. Readers undoubtedly will wonder why the stories and insights ended so soon. Nonetheless, STRANGERS AND NEIGHBORS is a well-written book that will enrich many a reader --- no matter what their faith.
--- Reviewed by Margaret Oines
Wonderfully honest.......2007-03-20
There is much to praise in this book. All the reviews I've read, including some by non-Amazon folks, point out the numerous aspects of the book worthy of very high regard. The writing style itself is warm and entertaining. One gets wrapped up quickly and easily into the Johnson household. Maria Johnson stands as it were in the center, describing her view of this situation on herself and also on her family. It is the anecdotes of the family however which really help to fill out her narrative. Johnson successfully draws the reader into experiencing a sense of the differences between the worlds of her Catholic family and that of her Jewish neighbors through the actions, questions, and comments of herself, her husband, and children. Johnson's perspective alone would have made for a great book, but the fact that she has a family and writes about their experiences draws the reader cheerfully into all the levels of interaction. One gets not only the perspectives of adults and children, one gets the perspective of adults watching children and further reflecting. Great stuff.
One can go on and on about the sympathetic portrait of the Jewish life and Johnson's life in the Catholic Church--the praises and the down to earth criticism of all communities. The theological differences prodded, investigated, questioned, and finally relished over. The rearing of children and a longing for the best community. Reflections about the points of common American culture shared and the vast majority remaining unshared.
But the single thread which I felt united the work was the honesty in her writing. Johnson's memoir is neither apologetic nor polemic. It isn't starry-eyed about a sense of diversity and community unity. It is a model approach to human understanding--an honest attempt to share some of life even in the partial shadow of a very high and unclimbable boundary wall.
All in all a relatively short read with a powerful punch. I am glad and grateful that I will have these stories and images with me for a long time.
Amazing insights for Christians.......2006-12-20
Wow. rich, bountiful insightful writing by Maria P. Johnson. I'm re-reading this book a second time. Christian and Jewish relations and understanding can only improve by virtue of Maria's writing. I am a Methodist pastor and this book provided wonderful insight into the Jewish life, and the Torah. 'the letter kills, but the spirit gives life' 2nd Cor 3:6. Maria's writing will help anyone better understand this scripture. Our own family lives will be improved by understanding Good Sabbos. My hope that this is the first of many books Maria will write concerning life as a Christian among Orthodox Jews. Fantastic. Get this book, you'll not regret it. I immediately purchased several for my Christian friends. We are all the sons and daughters of Abraham. we'll understand each other a lot better after reading Maria's book. May God Bless Maria Poggi Johnson.
Average customer rating:
- Not bad for a short read.
- A WASP among eagles: The story of an exceptional woman living during difficult times.
- There is no such thing as a bad aviation book this one is A+
- A first-hand, insider's account
- Impressive contribution to WWI military history studies.
|
A Wasp Among Eagles: A Woman Military Test Pilot in World War II
Ann B. Carl
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1560988428 |
Customer Reviews:
Not bad for a short read........2007-08-11
Parts of this book were better than others. I think I liked the personal aspect of Ann Carl's life more than the adventures in flight. I just felt her book contained too many details and aeronautical jargon that would not hold a great deal of interest to those of us that have little or no knowledge of aviation. Having said that, though, I believe I will read some other books on these amazing and brave women known as the
WASP'S.
A WASP among eagles: The story of an exceptional woman living during difficult times........2006-03-13
I enjoyed reading the story of Ann Baumgartner Carl, an aviatrix that challenged the bigotry and mysoginy of the 1940s United States in order to serve her country. The book, as it was, was interesting and enjoyable. Its problem is that it is too short and sometimes only brushes subjects that a reader may wish to know more about. I would have liked in particular to learn more about the personalities of a few people described in the book and who played important roles in the aviation career of the author. This book is still a good bet however to pass some quiet time at home or during a trip.
There is no such thing as a bad aviation book this one is A+.......2002-09-30
Ann Carl's book tells what most male pilots know.
That is that the laws of physics apply equally to both genders.
During WW II special women took the challenge during special
times. Prior to WW II special women, such as Aline Rhonie
Hofheimer of Warren, NJ. tested various Luscombe models after
investing in the company. But during WW II the rigors
of testing became extreme. I think that no child can
say that they had a good education without knowing about these women who gave not excuses only their all. When you look at
all of the superficial celebrities in Hollywood.. all of them
would not add up to one of these women pilot of WW II.
A first-hand, insider's account.......2001-02-18
Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.
Impressive contribution to WWI military history studies........2001-01-04
Ann Carl was a female military test pilot in World War II. A Wasp Among Eagles is her story of her experiences and adventures. She first learned to fly in 1940 and in 1943 found herself assigned to Wright Field. She underscores how women, because of the wartime shortages and pressures, were vital in performing jobs that were once the exclusive domain of men. A Wasp Among Eagles is an impressive, informative, first-hand, insider's account and an invaluable contribution to military studies, and highly recommended reading for women's twentieth-century history studies as well.
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