Sisters

Sisters
Average customer rating:

Excellent, until a too sudden, too sugarcoated ending!

Sisters

Too Fluffy too perfect !!!

Should have been a short story - not a novel

Disappointing

Sisters
Danielle Steel
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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H.R.H. H.R.H.

Bungalow 2

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I Heard That Song Before: A Novel

ASIN: 0385340222
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Book Description

Four sisters, a Manhattan brownstone, and a tumultuous year of loss and courage are at the heart of Danielle Steel’s new novel about a remarkable family, a stunning tragedy—and what happens when four very different young women come together under one very lively roof.

Candy–it’s the only name she needs—is blazing her way through Paris, New York, and Tokyo as fashion’s latest international supermodel. . . .

Her sister Tammy has a job producing the most successful hit show on TV, and a home she loves in L.A.’s Hollywood Hills. . . . In New York, oldest sister Sabrina is an ambitious young lawyer, while Annie is an American artist in Florence, living for her art. . . . On one Fourth of July weekend, as they do every year, the four sisters come home to Connecticut for their family’s annual gathering. But before the holiday is over, tragedy strikes and their world is utterly changed.

Suddenly, four sisters who have been fervently pursuing success and their own lives—on opposite sides of the world—reunite to share one New York brownstone, to support each other and their father, and to pick up the pieces while one sister struggles to heal her shattered body and soul. Thus begins an unscripted chapter of their lives, as a bustling house is soon filled with eccentric dogs, laughter, tears, friends, men . . . and the kind of honesty and unconditional love only sisters can provide. But as the four women settle in, they are forced to confront the direction of their respective lives. As the year passes and another July Fourth approaches, a season of grief and change gives way to new beginnings—as a family comes together to share its blessings and a future filled with surprises and, ultimately, hope.

With unerring insight and compassion, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of four sisters who love and laugh, struggle and triumph . . . and are irrevocably woven into the fabric of each other’s lives. Brilliantly blending humor and heartbreak, she delivers a powerful message about the fragility–and the wonder—of life.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, until a too sudden, too sugarcoated ending!.......2007-09-14

In Danielle Steel's latest novel "Sisters", the story starts out with the usual trademark fairytale quality.

Four sisters with highly successful and interesting careers, are scattered around the world; New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Florence. Hardly your average bunch of ordinary lives.

But that's the beginning. The surface. The setting. Until tragedy strikes and man's vulnerability cuts through whatever glamourous lifestyles the sisters may seemingly enjoy.

Life is turned upside down. Reality is as unexpected, harsh and as far from a fairytale as can be. The best part of the book describes the developments straight forward, honest and with much warmth and insight.

That a happy ending awaits, is Danielle Steel's trademark. However, the way tragedy all too quickly literary turns into happiness is a bit too easy to give the story balance. The pieces of the puzzle fall into place so fast and conveniently for all the family members that the situation is hard to fathom even for the most soft-hearted.

Tragedies ARE overcome but usually it takes time and hardship to build up a new future.

This book could actually have been longer. A more natural development of the situation and not the lightening quick wrapping up of loose ends during the last fifty pages or so, would have given the story more credibility.

Happy solutions are nice, but the turning of events in "Sisters" is simply too sweet and sudden even for a fairytale.

Sisters.......2007-09-06

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. Being one of three sisters I could definatly understand the sisters.

Too Fluffy too perfect !!!.......2007-08-28

Although I did enjoy this book, I found the characters too perfect. The relationships between the sisters seemed too false. All the sisters were beautiful, with great jobs, and would do anything for each other, and they hardly ever had a fight, blah, blah,blah. Most sisters do not get to live like the girls in this fluffy type fairytale.

Should have been a short story - not a novel.......2007-08-20

I have not read DS in many years and now I remember why. This book repeated the same ideas and even the same phrases so often it was annoying. She could have written this book in just a few pages and not missed anything important. I anticipated the predictable story ie. tragedy, depression, find a man fall in love, live happily every after. The rape story seemed thrown in and was all wrapped up too quickly to add anything interesting to the story.

Disappointing.......2007-08-18

The plot was good and could have been written in a much better style. The details were repeated over and over so many times. It looked like it was written in a great hurry.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding pointed (and poignant) satire
Funny! Scary!
Junk food that is junk
Buckley Persuades Like No One Else
Middle East Hijinks

Florence of Arabia: A Novel
Christopher Buckley
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel
Boomsday
Little Green Men: A Novel
Thank You for Smoking: A Novel
God Is My Broker : A Monk-Tycoon Reveals the 7 1/2 Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth

ASIN: 1400062233
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Book Description

The bestselling author who made mincemeat of political correctness in Thank You for Smoking, conspiracy theories in Little Green Men, and Presidential indiscretions No Way to Treat a First Lady now takes on the hottest topic in the entire world–Arab-American relations–in a blistering comic novel sure to offend the few it doesn’t delight.

Appalled by the punishment of her rebellious friend Nazrah, youngest and most petulant wife of Prince Bawad of Wasabia, Florence Farfarletti decides to draw a line in the sand. As Deputy to the deputy assistant secretary for Near East Affairs, Florence invents a far-reaching, wide-ranging plan for female emancipation in that part of the world.

The U.S. government, of course, tells her to forget it. Publicly, that is. Privately, she’s enlisted in a top-secret mission to impose equal rights for the sexes on the small emirate of Matar (pronounced “Mutter”), the “Switzerland of the Persian Gulf.” Her crack team: a CIA killer, a snappy PR man, and a brilliant but frustrated gay bureaucrat. Her weapon: TV shows.

The lineup on TV Matar includes A Thousand and One Mornings, a daytime talk show that features self-defense tips to be used against boyfriends during Ramadan; an addictive soap opera featuring strangely familiar members of the Matar royal family; and a sitcom about an inept but ruthless squad of religious police, pitched as “Friends from Hell.”

The result: the first deadly car bombs in the country since 1936, a fatwa against the station’s entire staff, a struggle for control of the kingdom, and, of course, interference from the French. And that’s only the beginning.

A merciless dismantling of both American ineptitude and Arabic intolerance, Florence of Arabia is Christopher Buckley’s funniest and most serious novel yet, a biting satire of how U.S. good intentions can cause the Shiite to hit the fan.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding pointed (and poignant) satire.......2007-04-25

I knew that _Florence of Arabia_ wasn't going to pull punches from the opening paragraphs, describing -- with only minor changes to the emblem -- the actual location and appearance of the Saudi Arabian diplomatic residence on Chain Bridge Road in McLean. I know because I drove by that residence scores of times in the eight years that I lived in the DC area. And while the satire gets broad at time, I wonder if it could ever exceed the ludicrous reality of Middle East society and politics, both internal and international.

More importantly, _Florence of Arabia_ makes you care about the characters and care about the reality as well -- again, rare traits for a satire, which usually struggles just to keep you amused and often fails when it becomes didactic or polemic.

This is an excellent work, in all sense of that phrase. And speaking of phrases, I continue to be haunted by this one: "One way or the other...we're all working for investment bankers." Read the book. ..bruce..

Funny! Scary!.......2007-04-05

The premise of this exceptional book is silly - send an American woman to a moderate Middle Eastern country to start up an Oprah-like gab-fest for the veiled ladies of the Middle East, rile them up by showing them what they are lacking, and let them lead the revolt to free the Middle East of tyranny, mullahs, and Sharia. This is funny stuff and it actually makes sense. But there are men - American government official? - working behind the scenes, pulling the strings, stirring the pot. What begins as a funny romp of cultural clashes ends as a searing yet plausible expose of who really runs the world. For anyone interested in what is going on in the world today, and anyone that likes a good conspiracy - this is a must read.

Junk food that is junk.......2006-11-29

I love good ice cream. My waist line demonstrates that. And I love reading comic and satirical and politically incorrect literature. My bookshelves attest to that. Ever buy a half gallon of cheap ice cream? It has a delightful picture on the box, carefully sculpted and glistening pleasure, but when you open it up, the flavor and texture are corn starch and wax. And the next time you open it, there's some weird congealed stuff in the corner that looks like, well, like things we cannot mention here. So although the box is labeled ice cream, and the picture promises fun and frivolity, and it was in the freezer next to real ice cream, the actual product is something far removed from what ice cream should be.

This book is like that. It feels like a comic novel, with comic characters, funny names, and snappy dialog. It has many paragraphs that are clearly supposed to be funny. I can imagine someone, somewhere laughing aloud at this; maybe the author and his friends. Yet never was I thoroughly engaged, and only on a couple of occasions did I even chuckle. That is not to say there is not some clever writing in here. There is. It's just that the wit is surrounded by mountains of tedium, and the occasional flashes almost startle with their rarity. This book was apparently written at breakneck speed, and it shows. The super-hero team, who become passionate lovers, outsmart, outshoot, outwit and outrun hordes of enemies, Muslim, French and American. Until the big discovery at the end. Yawnnnnnn..... I was just glad to close the book.

Buckley Persuades Like No One Else.......2006-07-11

I sought this book because Buckley is my favorite author. I began with "Thank You For Smoking" and then read all of his works. Until this tome, only "Little Green Men" matched the superb wit and wordplay of TYFS.

This may be Buckley's best work yet. While I read it for the laughs, this novel is both informative and persuasive on the political circumstances of the middle east. Moreso than any editorial or talking head, this book demonstrates both the madness of the sheiks and playboy princes of the middle east, not to mention the mullahs, but also the futility of western intervention.

In the final analysis, this book may stand alongside Gulliver's Travels in the annals of great satire.

Brilliant, and I can't wait for Buckley's next work.

Middle East Hijinks.......2006-05-26

In a country where the man at the helm is an ex drug fiend alcoholic, we're spreading liberty to people who want nothing more than to blow us up, and medicare is closing its doors to the elderly... you just need to escape.

Mr. Buckley one ups standard escapism - he keeps the horror of real life and saturates it in witty comedy, dialogue and situations.

You're still escaping from the terrible times we exist in... but he makes plenty of worthy references to keep us anchored.

This book is a quick, sinfully sweet read. Pick up a newspaper, read the Middle East news, and then pick up Florence.

It's a roadside bomb of pure genius!

Average customer rating:

Not Her Best Novel
Great book!
Self-indulgent twaddle
really enjoyed
favorite jane green so far

Straight Talking: A Novel
Jane Green
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bookends: A Novel
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Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans

ASIN: 0767915593
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Book Description

Meet Tasha—single and still searching. A producer for Britain’s most popular morning show working under a nightmare boss, Tash is well-versed in the trials and tribulations of twenty-first century dating. She and her three best friends certainly haven’t lived the fairy tale they thought they would: there’s Andy, who’s hooked on passion, but too much of a tomboy to have moved much beyond the beer-drinking contest stage; Mel, stuck in a steady but loveless relationship; and Emma, endlessly waiting for her other half to propose. Their love lives are only complicated by the sort of men who seem to drift in and out: Andrew—suave, good-looking and head over heels in love . . . with himself; Simon, who is allergic to commitment but has a bad-boy nature that’s impossible to resist; and Adam—perfectly attractive, but too sweet to be sexy.

The bestselling first novel that launched Jane Green, one of the brightest stars in contemporary women’s fiction, Straight Talking sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating, and follows the adventures of Tash and her friends as they search for fulfillment and the right kind of love. Funny, flirty, and ultimately tender, Straight Talking gets at the heart of modern romance.

Download Description

Meet Tasha -- single and still searching. A producer for Britain's most popular morning show working under a nightmare boss, Tash is well-versed in the trials and tribulations of twenty-first century dating. She and her three best friends certainly haven't lived the fairy tale they thought they would: there's Andy, who's hooked on passion, but too much of a tomboy to have moved much beyond the beer-drinking contest stage; Mel, stuck in a steady but loveless relationship; and Emma, endlessly waiting for her other half to propose.

Their love lives are only complicated by the sort of men who seem to drift in and out: Andrew -- suave, good-looking and head over heels in love... with himself; Simon, who is allergic to commitment but has a bad-boy nature that's impossible to resist; and Adam -- perfectly attractive, but too sweet to be sexy.

The bestselling first novel that launched Jane Green, one of the brightest stars in contemporary women's fiction, Straight Talking sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating, and follows the adventures of Tash and her friends as they search for fulfillment and the right kind of love. Funny, flirty, and ultimately tender, Straight Talking gets at the heart of modern romance.

Customer Reviews:

Not Her Best Novel.......2007-09-28

Straight Talking wasn't the first novel of Greens that I started on. I read Jemima J and Bookends first. I think that might have affected how I reacted to this novel. It isn't the same style. It's not as light and "chick-lit" as her other novels. The main character actually had me routing for her to lose. I don't think this is Green's best novel but that being said it is still a well-written novel. Jane Green is still an excellent author.

Great book!.......2007-09-09

I just finished reading this book, and I have to tell you that I loved it!!
It wasn't Jane Green's best book that I have read, but I really enjoyed it!

For every woman in her 20s and 30s that has looked for love or wondered, if it'll ever happen to her, this book is for you..

It is VERY honest, direct, holds nothing back, real to our time..

It made me laugh really hard but it made me cry as well..you will love Tasha and most likely identify with her.
I couldn't put this book down!!

Self-indulgent twaddle.......2007-04-05

I totally agree with the reviews by Sebastian and Berthap. I have read other, much earlier Jane Green novels before and quite enjoyed them for what they are (enjoyable "chick lit" about love and friendship etc). This one was dreadful though. I had expected it to change perspectives between the different characters but it is all told from the point of view of one very unlikeable vain, superficial character. She is the type of woman I would want to shake (or avoid like the plague) if I met her in real life. I also thought the writing was very lazy, ie, repetitive, contradictory, full of cliches etc etc. I think that after this and Jemima J (which I didn't mind but certainly didn't like as much as other Jane Green books)I will be staying well clear of this writer.

My recommendation for potential buyers - don't buy this book, check out writers Sheila O'Flanagan or Elizabeth Noble instead.

really enjoyed.......2007-03-10

it's a great book and for me the best of jane green. the story was awesome she really suits in some ways so i really like btw this book this my all time second fave book

favorite jane green so far.......2006-12-23

I have read multiple chick lit genre novels and Jane Green remains to be my favorite author. I have read Mr. Maybe and Bookends but this has been my favorite of the three. It was constantly interesting and I grew attached to the character's plight, eager to read this nonstop. It may be more for the younger audience but as a 20 year old it was just right for me!

Average customer rating:

An Amusing Outlook ...
Where's the Beef?
animal husbandry
Come here come here come here go away
Don't watch the movie, read the book instead

Animal Husbandry
Laura Zigman
Manufacturer: The Dial Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385319002
Release Date: 1997-12-29

Amazon.com

Laura Zigman's literary skirmish in the ongoing battle of the sexes is based on a singularly unoriginal observation: the tendency of human males to love 'em and leave 'em, uh, apes the behavior of nearly every other male animal on Earth. If bulls refuse to mate with an "Old Cow," why should women be surprised when they're thrown over? The veracity of this (sexist? sure!) idea aside, Zigman tells the story of jilted Jane Goodall wittily and winningly. Any excess of feminine venom is offset by the suspicion that Zigman is speaking from painful experience. And if she's not, it's a testament to the effectiveness of Animal Husbandry that it's so easy to think so. Here's a taste:

In the metamorphosis from Cow to New Cow, the Current-Cow sob story is an important phase: "I know we just met, but did I happen to mention how sad, miserable, misunderstood, and lonely I've been my whole life?"
This is crucial to introducing the myth of male shyness and the poor-guy persona--common disguises for a wolf in sheep's clothing. "You're so easy to talk to, not like my Current Cow."

Animal Husbandry is likely to be a good, cathartic read for anyone who's been dumped (and who hasn't?). Obviously, male readers will require a thick skin--or at least a sense of humor. But even the most sensitive males will recognize the grain of truth that creates this pearl of break-up literature.

Book Description

Hers began as a simple Cow meets Bull story: she, Jane Goodall (no, not the Jane Goodall) was the single, overachieving prime-time talk show producer with her heart on the shelf; Ray was the young executive producer with the J. Crew good looks and, it seemed, a love life as lonely as Jane's.  They met for drinks, fell in love (so she thought), and looked together for an apartment.  Then suddenly, inexplicably, in only the third month of their post-copulatory phase, Ray Brown was gone.  Not gone gone, but lost to a jungle of unreturned phone calls and unrequited love.

When Jane, suddenly homeless, reluctantly moves in with Eddie Alden, her swaggering, womanizing coworker, she finds herself in the belly of the beast itself--the alpha male--and discovers, too, that she's not alone in the vast pasture of the brokenhearted.  With a copy of Darwin's Origin of Species in one hand and a notebook in the other, Jane sets up base camp at Eddie's and begins her research--on Eddie's bizarre chase and flee rituals, on the always unlucky pairings of her best friends, David and Joan, and on her own love affair with Ray--all in a desperate attempt to unlock the mysterious methods of the male animal.

Soon Jane has stacks of theories and a budding career as a pseudonymous sexual behaviorist.  But conclusions, of course, prove elusive as love itself, and nothing is as simple as it seems in this whip smart, hilariously funny, and wonderfully wise debut novel about men, women, and the strange taxonomy of the human heart.

Customer Reviews:

An Amusing Outlook ..........2007-08-22

This is an amusing outlook on getting dumped. I don't buy into the New Cow/Old Cow theory that was spouted out in this book completely but it is a hilarious outlook on those men who like to randomly date all these women or dump women because they are cowards. That is what happened to the main character, Jane Goodall (no, not that Jane Goodall). Jane thought she has found happiness and true love with Ray, and gave up her lease on a wonderful apartment to get ready to move in with him, when all of a sudden, he stopped calling or talking to her. He just totally stopped everything even though she sees him everyday at work. Depressed and angry, Jane moves in with a notorious womanizer named Eddie, who is also recovering from a break-up. And that is the basis of this novel.

It is funny and cute, even if the theories are a little bit far-fetched. There are lots of funny tidbits from the animal kingdom thrown in to make fun reading ~~ and it really is a cute novel on break up. It is better-written than "Her" ~~ which I found tragically disappointing. If you've been dumped, you will enjoy this novel.

This is one of the better beach reads this summer ~~ and if you like chick lit, you'll enjoy this one.

8-22-07

Where's the Beef?.......2007-05-28

Pun intended... I kept waiting for this story to take off, and it never really did. When the protagonist is dumped by her ready-to-be-live-in-lover, her world is turned upside down, and she looks for meaning between the pages of "Scientific American." A great premise, but no payoff. The whole thing seemed like a lead-up to SOMETHING... a revenge fantasy brought to life, a romance that would erase her memories of Ray... but nothing. Great writing, and some funny lines, but definitely lukewarm chicklit. You can do better with your time.

animal husbandry.......2007-01-21

I found Laura to be very vivacious and perceptive about what women go through in trying to understand men. Her writing made me feel like I couldn't put the book down on more than one occasion. She is terrific!

Come here come here come here go away.......2006-08-11

Jane Goodall (no, not that Jane Goodall) writes from the perspective of a woman who has been through the "Come here come here come here go away" relationship. You know this one. He pursues you. He wants you. He leaps tall buildings in a single bound to be with you. And the second he thinks you might have fallen for him, he disappears.

I'd managed to get through most of my life without this particular experience befalling me, and then it hit me twice in one year. Yes, that's right. I was adored and pursued and enpedestaled and ravished and beloved and dumped like this twice in one calender year, and my pain was matched only by my open-mouthed amazement. What's more amazing, I didn't take a rifle to the top of a belltower and start picking off men, cackling between shots, shouting, "Here's another one of you flower-sending bastids gone from the face of the Earth!" BAM! "Straight to Hades with you and your love poems!" BAM!

No, I did many things, including obsess, complain, write overemotional tripe, and stew. And obsess. Did I mention how I obsessed?

Well, Jane Goodall does all that and more. She becomes obsessed with evolutionary biology and animal behavioral theory, and she discusses the relationship through the filter of these theories. Eventually, when her own failed relationship runs out of juice to squeeze, she turns to the study of her roommate, Eddie, who is a prime example of the non-committing man.

Eddie is relentlessly pursuing underwear model after society girl in an attempt to get over Rebecca, the one woman who dumped him. We all know that men want what they can't have so much more than what they can, and in Eddie's head, Rebecca has moved from the reality of "real nice gal but not the one for me" into the "perfect, unattainable love object" because she won't have him back. Well, she did take him back once. Those of us who have been through this know that he probably pushed her away in the first place, only to become obsessive and relentless, promising everything to her if she will just give him one more chance, so she did, and then he pushed her away again. He has so much hope, and so much anger (he considers the fact that Rebecca has seen another man during the time whey were broken up an "infidelity" on her part). Since Rebecca is smart, she won't give him a second chance, and since Eddie is a man, he will always want her because she won't have him, and as a result, he inflicts untold damage on other female hearts.

Jane analyzes Eddie like he's on a slide. This is hilarious. Even more hilarious is Jane's consideration of her own behavior. Most of it is done in terms of "the Coolidge Syndrome," or what she calls, "Old Cow/New Cow" theory. The theory is that The Bored Bull wants a New Cow. He is tired of the Old Cow. But every Old Cow was once a New Cow... and the New Cows ignore or forget this. It's way funnier than I make it sound. "In the metamorphosis from Cow to New Cow, the Current-Cow sob story is an important phase." Her short chapter on the celebratory mooing of the New Cow made me laugh until I cried.

But what makes the book work is that under her obsession, and her cleverness, and all this fascinating theory, are passages like these:

Later, I would come to view that scene as the final peak in a series of peaks--the benchmark peak, the peak that would soon become the crest of the wave over which I would float, then fall all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Had I known that standing by the window would be his last good moment, I would have done something to mark it: I would have told him that the breath of relief I'd exhaled the night he told me he loved me came from a well of loneliness and sadness so deep and so hidden and so constant that no one else before him had ever reached it, taken the edge off its pain. That his empathy and tenderness had unearthed it--my nameless, silent grief--and that was why I had felt so inexplicably connected to him.

And that, folks, is why I love this book, and want you all to read it. Not because of the parts that had me setting the book down on my chest and hooting. Not for the caustic application of evolutionary biology to modern relationships. But for that portrait of loneliness, and the way it resonates.

Good stuff here. Hopeful. Hilarious. WHat more can you ask for in a book?

Don't watch the movie, read the book instead.......2006-02-19

Laura Zigman is the O.G. Chick Lit queen. Animal Husbandry taps into what a lot of women are thinking and feeling right after a break up. This book is written with a smartness that seems lacking in a lot of chick lit today. I like how even Ray, the man who breaks Jane's heart, is written in a dimensional way. You really get how she falls for him, despite all the warning signs. Most of us have been there in some way or another.

Pick up this book if you want a good example of the genre.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely gripping!
A Must Read Book
CLASSIC
A PAGE TURNER
Go Eric!

The Other Woman
Eric Jerome Dickey
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Naughty or Nice
Drive Me Crazy
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ASIN: 0525947248
Release Date: 2003-05-12

Book Description

In his newest novel, Eric Jerome Dickey strides boldly over the minefield that is modern marriage. The central couple's biggest challenge is timing: He works days; she works nights. Instead of growing together, they're rapidly drifting apart, coexisting on stolen phone calls from work, punctuated by occasional bedroom encounters that leave them both feeling even emptier and more alone. When she finds out about his affair-and starts her own-the delicate fabric of their marriage is torn irrevocably asunder. Or is it? In Dickey's expert hands, what begins as a seemingly unforgivable betrayal segues into the sexy and searing story of a man and a woman at a pivotal turning point in their relationship. Only time will tell whether they'll let it all go...or can hold on to the love that drew them together in the first place.

Dickey's eighth blockbuster novel sparkles with humor, honesty, and powerful compassion as a contemporary couple faces the challenges that test their trust, their faith, and their staying power. Poignant and passionate, The Other Woman is certain to resonate with readers of all marital persuasions.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely gripping!.......2007-09-20

I'd had this book on my TBR pile for ages when I finally decided to dust it off and give it a whirl. I'd never read Eric Jerome Dickey before, but he'll be one to watch after reading The Other Woman. This gripping tale chronicles the life of the nameless heroine after she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her. Hurt and betrayed, she seeks answers, which her husband, out of shame and guilt, refuses to give her. So she decides to seek answers elsewhere, from someone else, and who better than to get them from the very person who had told her about the affair in the first place? The chains of events that occur after the heroine meets David Lawrence, the other woman's husband, are flooring and poignant.

Dickey has created an intelligent, thought-provoking and at times erotic modern tale of love, betrayal and trust. The way things unfold in this story is wonderful. We are shown these things and not told about them, something I always seek in well-written books. The author emphasizes things that you know will be important later on in the story, but that makes things far from predictable. You discover something from one of the characters in almost every chapter, and you can't put the book down. I like the erotica in this novel as well. The sex is not too in-your-face, at least not compared to other stuff I've read, but they're very sexy and sometimes explicit nevertheless. The one negative thing -- if you can call it that -- about this novel is Yvette. I thought she was the typical cliché uninhibited, fast-mouth friend. Other than that, I loved everything about The Other Woman. The heroine has a clear, concise voice, and you grow to love the nameless career woman with a penchant for classic sports cars. Give this a whirl. You won't regret it.

A Must Read Book.......2007-09-15

This book is an eye opener for everyone in a committed relationship. It proves that all that glitters is not gold. It actually made me take a step back and look at my relationship to ensure that I am giving my mate everything that he really needs, not just what I think he needs. He is currently reading the book also. Just the fact that these two couples lives were changed by generational curses.. wow.. it is amazing.

I do not want to get too much into the book.. but it is a must read book that should be put on the shelf for another round later.

CLASSIC.......2007-08-24

THE OTHER WOMAN IS CLASSIC ERIC JEROME DICKEY. HE DOESNT EVEN SAY THE WIFES NAME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BOOK, SHE IS ONLY REFERRED TO BY HER NICKNAME. IT IS A GREAT BOOK, GRITTY, LIFELIKE AND A REAL PAGE TURNER!!

A PAGE TURNER.......2007-08-03

I loved this book i read it in the span of a day i jus couldnt put it down. It dealt with so many levels of emotion and infidelity and how one mistake can change everything. The twist and turns within the book blew my mind and the ending was one i would have never expected i will reccomend this book to n e one who will listen and give it the time of day.

Go Eric!.......2007-07-02

I love this book. It was hard for me to read, being that I was going through something similar myself. This book is good. I have to say I liked it. I also liked the ending, as well. If you like reading about betrayal and love affairs, this is perfect for you. I'm happy to add this to my unending collection.

The Perfectly True Tales of a Perfect Size 12

Average customer rating:

A nasty race for the top-dog spot, culminating in some particularly nutty antics
It was AMAZING!!
Love It!
Delilah White is a heroine for all of us

The Perfectly True Tales of a Perfect Size 12
Robin Gold
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452288126

Book Description

Delilah White's perfect New York life is about to take a tumble . . . but change is good, right? Right?!?

Delilah White, television's semi-famous (to her own shock) and completely endearing Domestic Diva, likes herself just the way she is: a perfect size twelve. When her boss announces that she's taking an early retirement, Delilah finds herself pitted against her rival, the statuesque Margo Hart, for one of the most coveted promotions in television. As the office politics are heating up, Delilah jumps at the opportunity for a long weekend at her friend's family estate in the Catskills, only to have Margo make a surprise appearance and start stirring up trouble. Armed only with a pink polka dot bikini and her sometimes overactive imagination, Delilah must balance her budding romance (with a man who just might be otherwise committed) and a sudden meltdown at the office. As one disaster follows another, it takes all of Delilah's charm, ingenuity, and spirit to come out on top.

Customer Reviews:

A nasty race for the top-dog spot, culminating in some particularly nutty antics.......2007-05-30

Delilah White may not have it all, but what she does have is "bliss." Bliss, as in "Domestic Bliss," the name of the television show for which she has become an idol to millions of American would-be Martha Stewarts. Her fantastic boss Agnes and her best friend Sofia, the production designer, give her all the support she needs. But when Agnes ventures off the show for greener pastures, her spot as executive producer is open suddenly, and Delilah, the perfectionist, learns she has to remove her kid gloves to make the kind of impression that will win her this coveted promotion.

Naturally, someone stands in Delilah's way: Her nemesis Margo, the girl-with-runway-model looks, also wants the job. Thus ensues a nasty race for the top-dog spot, culminating in some particularly nutty antics at Sofia's wealthy family's Catskills estate, where the Fourth of July festivities mix rather poorly with love, liquor and lies.

You can read this on a train or in a plane. In fact, I think THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12 is the kind of book you can read while straphanging between boroughs on the New York City subway system. Robin Gold's debut is a veritable treasure trove of funny plot lines concerning the stealing of and lying to boyfriends, the way women stick together in a time of crisis (or not), rich people being completely and wonderfully goofy because they have money, the way that drunk women in slinky shoes can't make it across a summer lawn without falling flat on their faces, the misunderstanding of the boss for whom someone has been working for so long, having a crisis of confidence when the good employee suddenly turns "bad" or seems to... The list can go on and on. This is a fun book and a fast read, mostly because you'll recognize everybody in it.

The one thing that it relies on to make it stand out is the fact that Delilah is a size 12. Imagine that! She's a full-fledged, full-figured 12 who catches a guy's eye and feels good about herself in dresses that really hug her curves. So, I guess we could call this Jennifer Weiner-lite. Delilah eats like a regular human, and we cringe when she gets called "porky" or "fatty" in public.

I think what is most intriguing about this book is that, like an old episode of "I Love Lucy," slapstick and pathos mix together in an old-fashioned tale about how the good get what they really want and the bad get what they really deserve. She describes the weekend craziness in pitch-perfect detail, and Sofia's family --- especially Delilah's love interest, cousin Jack --- seem ready-made for Central Casting. But you won't be bored. The story moves quickly, and before you know it, all the world is right again.

So, for those of you lucky enough to get a winter resort vacation, take Delilah along. Put this one in your beach bag and enjoy it with a silly tropical drink or two or three --- just like Delilah and Sofia (or Lucy and Ethel) would if they were there!

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

It was AMAZING!!.......2007-02-08

I just finished this book,and it was great!! It was never boring, and I was immediatly into it from Page 1. It was a great read, and I can't wait for more of her books. Maybe even a sequel to see how things are with Jack and Heavenly High-Rise.

Love It!.......2007-02-06

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting Robin Gold. I was standing in front of a display of her books when a woman (her) walked up and highly recommended this title. I recognized her from the author photo on the display and we started talking. Basically, she talked me into buying the book and I couldn't be happier!

I enjoyed every page of this book. The casual insider information about the production of a tv show is intriguing. The romance element comes off perfectly, and the rivalry between Delilah and Margo had me constantly hanging on for what would happen next! The pacing is great and the climatic scene at a 4th of July party had me laughing the whole way through. I can only hope that Robin's next book stars Delilah as well!

If you were my best girlfriend I'd lend you my copy...but I can't because Robin signed it so it's safely situated on my bookshelf! :o)

Delilah White is a heroine for all of us.......2007-02-05

I loved this book. Delilah White, a producer of the hit TV show Domestic Bliss, is fun, funny and totally comfortable with who she is. It is hard not to like her. This book was a total page turner. I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to Delilah next. Robin Gold has a refreshing, real writing style. Just make sure you have time to read, because once you pick up this book, you won't want to put it down.

Revenge of the Cootie Girls: A Robin Hudson Mystery

Average customer rating:

More memoir than mystery
Good writing style, less than stellar plot line...
Revenge of the Cootie Girls: A Robin Hudson Mystery
Too much crammed in
Okay, but not as good as earlier ones

Revenge of the Cootie Girls: A Robin Hudson Mystery
Sparkle Hayter
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670869406

Book Description

Now executive producer of Special Reports, Robin Hudson is feeling (relatively) settled. Okay, she's bored. In an effort to feel useful, she has taken under her wing a new intern, wide-eyed small-town girl Kathy Loblaws, and invited her along on a Girls' Night Out. It's Halloween, and Kathy doesn't show--but telephones from a strange man's closet. Aided by her pals, Robin must track down her errant charge through one long night of murder and mayhem, costumes and concealed weapons, men who are not what they seem (are they ever?), and unsettling dj vu. For Robin slowly comes to realize that the search for her missing intern is really a deadly trip into the past, fueled by an old curse. Sparkle Hayter's rapidly growing cult of fans will relish the return of Robin Hudson, her smart mouth, her wild hair, and her motley collection of insane girlfriends. Hayter, who has defined the screwball mystery genre, has one of the freshest voices in mystery writing today. * Hayter's first novel, What's A Girl Gotta Do?, won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for best first mystery. Nice Girls Finish Last was nominated for best novel
* The Last ManlyMan, Hayter's new mystery, will be published by William Morrow in Spring 1998

Customer Reviews:

More memoir than mystery.......2007-03-28

This book is the least "mystery"-like of the Robin Hudson series and was a little hard to get through. I read all the books in the Robin Hudson series while waiting for the next Stephanie Plum book to be released -- I was looking for something with the humor, romance, sexual tension and mystery of the Plum series. Of all the books in the Robin Hudson series, the first one (What's A Girl Gotta Do?) comes the closest to capturing those elements. The other Robin Hudson books are lacking in the romance and sexual tension areas. All of them are funny, with some zany characters or situations. This one has some of the more memorable laugh-out-loud scenes!

Good writing style, less than stellar plot line..........2004-07-02

Back to some amateur female detective genre... This time it's Revenge Of The Cootie Girls by Sparkle Hayter. I picked up some of her work earlier and liked it, so I thought I'd keep reading. In this case, it's a good thing this wasn't the first book of hers that I read. It might have been the last. This one just didn't click for me.

Robin Hudson, now an executive producer for the studio she works at, is ready for a Girls Night Out event on Halloween. She invites her best friends as well as an intern who works for her. When the intern doesn't show up at the appointed meeting place, Hudson gets a little concerned. She ends up stumbling onto what appears to be some sort of charity event where her intern is going from place to place, and is then given a clue for the next location. Since the questions are about Hudson, she thinks it's some sort of benefit. But the clues get more bizarre, the locations more risky, and additional people start showing up who don't quite look like they're into "charitable events". Hudson thinks it's all part of something put on by an old school chum (a fellow "cootie girl"), but even that gets complicated. The story works up to a life or death showdown at the end.

I'll give the book an average rating as I like Hayter's writing style and imagery. For story and plot, it'd be a lot lower. The story line is muddled and doesn't move much, and far too much time is spent reexaming Hudson's years as a school outcast. At the end, I'm not quite sure who was doing what, much less why. I sincerely hope for better stuff to come, as I still have a couple more of her books to get to...

Revenge of the Cootie Girls: A Robin Hudson Mystery.......2003-10-20

Very disappointed in this book...

It really started off well... But then the mystery part of it completely dropped off and turned into a life story about Robin Hudson rather then a Robin Hudson Mystery...

It's a good read, but definitally not a very good mystery...

Too much crammed in.......2001-08-12

The reminiscences of adolescent rivalries, the Manhattan scene, some of the jokes, the contrasts with the Midwest and the reflections on female bonding were all good in their way. She throws in a mystery based on a Halloween treasure hunt and the whole thing becomes too complex. She strives hard to make her characters zany and eccentric and the plot takes arbitrary twists and turns as she and her friends follow the treasure hunt clues. The descriptions of bizarre costumes are a running gag which becomes repetitious. I bought this and "What's a Girl Gotta Do" (not read yet) after having read "Nice Girls Finish Last" which was easier to understand.

Okay, but not as good as earlier ones.......2000-09-06

Books like this are hard to rate. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as Ms. Hayter's first Robin Hudson mystery, "What's a Girl Gotta Do?" Yes, there were moments of humor, some really good, but all too often I found myself wondering just what in the world was going on. The first part of the story moved right along and was on par with Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" series. But then I found myself distracted by lengthy narrations into the history of the Cootie Girls and I lost the train of the plot.

Although the story line was one of revenge, I wasn't quite sure against whom. Was Robin the target, or just a pawn in a bigger plot? And, why? By the time I reached the end, my head was spinning and I was worn out from the convolutions the story took to try and figure it all out. I didn't feel the secondary characters added enough substance to the story, none of them evoked much sympathy from me, and seemed to be included just so Robin would have someone to talk to.

While "Revenge of the Cootie Girls" didn't entertain me as did "What's a Girl Gotta Do?" it wasn't a bad book and did provide a couple night's worth of nice reading. I just hope that Ms.Hayter's other Robin Hudson stories will provide me with greater reading delights.

When Day Breaks: A Novel of Suspense
Average customer rating:

Highly entertaining page-turner!

A terrific suspense story of life and politics in the TV news world.

Shame on you!

Very Enjoyable

book rating

When Day Breaks: A Novel of Suspense
Mary Jane Clark
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0061286079
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Book Description

On the day she died, Constance Young was the undisputed star of morning television. But her plans to move herself and her loyal audience to another network were cancelled when she ended up at the bottom of her swimming pool. And the fabled unicorn amulet that Constance had been wearing during her final hours—a gift from King Arthur to his beloved Guinevere and the centerpiece of the upcoming Camelot exhibit at New York's Cloisters museum—is missing.

A morning show veteran and now anchor of the KEY Evening Headlines, Eliza Blake is shocked by the death of her former colleague, and is determined to discover who wanted Constance out of the way . . . and why. To do so, she enlists the aid of three KEY News coworkers: "Jane-of-all-trades" Annabelle Murphy, who can switch from producing to sleuthing at a moment's notice; charming and fearless cameraman extraordinaire B.J. D'Elia to add brains, brawn, and a much-needed male perspective to the team; and Dr. Margo Gonzalez, on-air psychiatrist, who understands the complex puzzles of the human mind. Calling themselves "The Sunrise Suspense Society," they set out to get to the bottom of the heinous murder, in a case that will test their ingenuity and their courage to the very limits.

The deeper they dig, the more twisted the trail to Constance's killer becomes—as the list of suspects grows longer by the minute. Was it her spurned and enraged medievalist lover, or a muckraking author who blamed her for ruining her life? Perhaps money was the motive, and Constance's sister, jealous of her wealth and fame, was responsible. Or possibly someone at Key News was angry enough—or frightened enough—to commit cold-blooded murder. The one sure thing is that Constance Young made a lot of enemies—and now one of them is Eliza's enemy as well. And the closer she and the Society get to unmasking the murderer, the closer they each get to dying, suddenly . . . and brutally.

Customer Reviews:

Highly entertaining page-turner!.......2007-09-14

Mary Jane Clark is my latest "find" who in a very short time has become one of my favourite authors.

"When Day Breaks" is a suspense novel from the television business. The plot is brilliant. Beautiful news anchor Constance Young leaves Key News for a competitor. On the night of her debut at the morning news show, she is found dead at the bottom of her swimming pool. Not far from the pool also a huge dog is found dead at approximately the same time. Constance is a keen swimmer, so what happened?

This is a fast paced easy read, with short chapters, not dwelling on unnecessary details. The characters are complex and interesting. (And no, it's not easy to guess who did it!) That the author works in television, is apparent from her detailed knowledge of this world. Add to this her obvious knack for writing page-turners, and her success as a bestselling author is no surprise.

After "When Day Breaks" I bought the rest of her books and have enjoyed them all just as much. They all take place within the same (fictional) television network but are individual novels to be read separately.

Highly entertaianing reading. I loved it!

A terrific suspense story of life and politics in the TV news world........2007-08-30

This is an exciting suspense thriller in Mary Jane Clark's series of books set in the "KEY TV" network world. There is "KEY to America," a morning show, and "KEY Evening Headlines," a nightly news show just for starters and the competition is fierce. The events happen over a week's time span in May.

The story opens in a Manhattan animal shelter where an unknown person is intent on getting a dog, a large dog that is roughly 112 pounds. The attendant there convinces the stranger to take a Great Dane named Marco who was well-trained by his previous owner who had to move and couldn't take him with him. The new owner takes the dog far out in the country to Constance Young's get-away country home and convinces the dog to play fetch with a rubber ball and, as the dog gets muddy, throws a ball in the pool so the dog follows it. As Marco is swimming in the pool he sees something big and shiny thrown in the pool by his new owner. It is a toaster connected by an orange outdoor cord and the dog dies. This is a very scary prologue to the mystery and murder that is about to start and gives us insight into the murderer's character. This killer not only hates enough to kill a lovely dog that never hurt anyone but is also ready to take a human being's life, as well.

Constance Young took over the show "KEY to America" after Eliza Blake went to anchor "KEY Evening Headlines." Constance became the "undisputed star of morning television" and was now quitting "KEY to America" and moving to the competition. At KEY News, co-workers and bosses alike have mixed feelings about Constance's new job as it either makes their job easier or much harder. Her replacement at "KEY to America" is going to be a young woman who is friend/lover to the producer. Constance enjoys her farewell show and luncheon and heads to her country house to relax before taking her new job. The next morning, Constance is found by her housekeeper; drowned in her pool. While it looks like an accident at first, the coroner and other evidence found by police soon lead to the conclusion that she was murdered.

As Eliza Blake and her friends at KEY begin to investigate the murder on their own, the suspect list gets longer and longer and the danger to Eliza and her friends come closer and closer to home.

Full of great plot twists and turns, this is a suspenseful and enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

Shame on you!.......2007-07-28

When I close a book after two pages..that tells me something. Shame on you for your animal abuse and giving an idea to all the crazy nuts in the world. I am so glad I got this book from the library and can return it right away. No money wasted on this trash. I repeat..shame on you.

Very Enjoyable.......2007-07-25

"When Day Breaks" is a quick suspense story -- a great summer read. Mary Jane Clark paints her characters so vividly; when the book ended I was hungry for more and wanted to know what happened to all of them. I brought it with me to the beach and it definitely held my attention and my interest.

book rating.......2007-07-20

I love the writing of Mary Jane Clark and Mary Higgins Clark. I have read all of their books and even have the entire set of both authors. I would strongly encourage everyone to check out the writing of these authors.

Average customer rating:

A nice surprise
Overcame my prejudices
Fun, Quirky, Relaxing Read
Wonderfully fun, and romantic.
Wonderful Story

The Fortune Quilt
Lani Diane Rich
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451220277

Book Description

Carly McKay's life is going just fine until she produces a television piece on psychic quilt maker Brandywine Seaver and receives a quilt with an enigmatic reading telling her that everything is about to change. And it does. She loses her job and her best friend (who proclaims his unrequited love for her). And her mother, who deserted the family seventeen years ago, returns, sending Carly into a serious tilt.

Convinced it's the quilt's fault, Carly races down to the small artists' community of Bilby, Arizona, to confront its maker, and ends up renting a cabin from her. Carly even starts to enjoy her reimagined life, until her old life comes calling. Now Carly has to decide what parts of each world she wants to patchwork in...and how much she's willing to leave to fate.

Customer Reviews:

A nice surprise.......2007-09-30

Normally, I dislike chick lit. Actually, that's not true. I usually can't finish a chick lit novel to save myself so I don't really dislike the genre, I just don't "get" it enough to stay interested.

So "The Fortune Quilt" was, for me, a pleasant surprise. For one, I liked the heroine, Carly McKay and I could empathize with her problems. I really enjoyed that her problems had a sense of reality to them, but they were not overdone either. More importantly, her actions make sense. She also gets points from me because she's not full of charming quirkiness. She gets irritated and blows up and feels overwhelmed and confused and it is in a way that doesn't seem outside the pale given the circumstances.

And that's the plus of the novel. Carly (and her sisters) behave in ways that don't seem overly dramatic.

I really liked the relationship of Carly and her sisters. I wish there had been more scenes of them. I did like Brandywine very much and that was a surprise. I do wish there had been a little more with the mother but at the same time, maybe not. I did want just a little more of Carly and her father though, but that's a personal quibble.

If there was a weakness to the novel, it might have been the romance angle. I almost wished it hadn't been in the story because Carly had enough on her plate to deal with that the romance seemed unnecessary, but that's just me.

Still, even with the minor quibbles (and they are very minor), I was very pleased and satisfied with the novel when I turned that last page.

Overcame my prejudices.......2007-09-04

I have loved Lani Diane Rich's other books, so automatically snapped this one up. I was dismayed that it was in first person present tense (I really dislike present tense) but I soldiered on and was, of course, rewarded. It was one of those books I hated to put down. My only complaint about the story itself was that I was rooting for the other guy--but that's more a personal issue than an issue with the book. Definitely recommended!

Fun, Quirky, Relaxing Read.......2007-08-30

Some reviewers compared Rich to Jennifer Crusie, there are definite similarities, from the quirky characters in a Gilmore Girls-like small town, to the effervescent romance, to the subtle messages about life that were strewn throughout the book. I really liked the heroine, Carly, who's of course 29 (most popular age for chicklit protagonists) and about to endure one crisis after another. Carly's rude awakening was brought to her by a "fortune-telling quilt," think of it as a tarot card spread, but in fabric. After the mandatory denial and breakdown period, Carly goes off reimagining herself in an artists' retreat community where everyone is nice, or will turn out to be. She ends up being neighbors with her sister's ex and gets to know him a lot better. Of course, she still has her old life to haunt her and past conflicts to resolve. Super-enjoyable read.

Wonderfully fun, and romantic........2007-03-18

Lani Diane Rich has a way of writing chick lit so that it isn't cheesy and fluffy but meaningful, romantic and fun. She has written all of the characters so well that they seem like real people with real problems. I absolutely loved this book and I wont hesitate to buy her next release.

Keep up the great writing!

Wonderful Story.......2007-03-15

The Fortune Quilt, when I first heard the title, didn't appeal to me because I thought there was a quilting theme, which really doesn't interest me. But, I had always heard great things about Lani's books, so I did a bit more investigation when it came closer to release date. I'm so glad I didn't just pass this one by based on a misconception of the story.

The Fortune Quilt had everthing I'm looking for in a chic lit/women's fiction book. It had great characters who, in spite of the length of the story, had depth and were well developed. It had humor, romance, angst, strong family connections, and a fantasy/paranormal element that didn't seem unrealistic. I laughed hysterically and cried all within a couple of pages of each other.

I did have only one real issue with the story, although not enough to rate it only 4 stars. It was not long enough, and I only say this because I loved the story and the characters and just wanted more. I gravitate towards series books because If I love the characters I don't like to let them go. I was also worried that Carly working in the art supply store was just going to be an obvious plot device to get her and Will together, but it turned out that it wasn't used in that way, which I was glad of.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves reading women's fiction books that invoke many different emotions. I can't wait to start reading Lani's other books!

Average customer rating:

Another great piece of work by Earl Hamner
Generous Women: An Appreciation
A celebration of lives
Hamner delights us again
Generous Women is Genius

Generous Women: An Appreciation
Earl Hamner
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1581825536

Book Description

"I have known generous women," Earl Hamner writes. "Some of them have been famous, their names and faces known all over the world. Others are known only in their own communities, but their gifts have been many and varied, and each has enriched my life."
First there was Doris Giannini Hamner, the gentle woman who gave him the gift of life. "My arrival seems to have been greeted with joy by my parents," he comments.
Other Hamner women have also been generous with him. First and foremost is his wife, Jane Martin Hamner, who has given him the gift of love. In his teenage years, his father's three sisters—Nora, Margaret, and Lottie—generously provided him a home in town so he could attend high school. His daughter, Caroline, gave him the gift of love—again.
Women of Schuyler, Virginia, where he grew up, gave generously to the eldest Hamner son. Parkie Sneed, a neighbor, gave him his first job when he was ten. Sixth-grade teacher Miss Olive Giannini inspired him to always do his best. Elsie Mayo Gusmeroth, another teacher, awakened his first stirrings of puppy love; and Aunt Myrle Timberlake paid him a quarter for a summer's work, giving him the gift of "big money." Isis Ringrose consoled him when his brother died.
The beautiful Jeanine, whom he first kissed on Pont Alexandre III in Paris during World War II, gave the bridge to him when they parted. "And it's still mine!" he proclaims.
Many others have given generously too: magazine editor Mina Barton; Dorothy McCann, who gave him his first "big-time" writing job at NBC; Mabel Wolfe Wheaton, the sister of Thomas Wolfe; writers Harper Lee and Kay Thompson; editor Belle Becker of Random House; First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; actresses Tallulah Bankhead, Patricia Neal, Michael Learned, Jane Wyman, and Ellen Corby; entertainer Minnie Pearl; presidential mother Lillian Carter—so many! So little space.
Generous Women is about the women who have given so much of themselves to Hamner. "They have enriched my life," he explains, "and have contributed to my becoming the man I am today." This fond appreciation is a warm thank-you for gifts freely given and a reminder that, truly, no man is an island unto himself.

Customer Reviews:

Another great piece of work by Earl Hamner.......2007-06-25

This book is a must have for anyone who is an Earl Hamner or Walton fan. Mr. Hamner's rawest emotions exude from each page as he so eloquently shares his thoughts and experiences about the women of his latest book.

Generous Women: An Appreciation.......2007-05-08

This book was very well written. The ladies written about were interesting people.

A celebration of lives.......2007-03-30

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (2/07)

"Each of our lives is the result of a myriad of encounters with an astonishing variety of our fellow human beings." Earl Hamner celebrates the lives of 29 remarkable women that touched his life.

Where else would Mr. Hamner start than with his mother, Doris Giannini Hamner? "My mother and father had a good marriage. They genuinely loved each other. Some evidence that they got along reasonably well is that eight children were the result of their love." His series "The Walton's" was based on memories of his childhood growing up in Virginia.

Ellen Corby played the part of Grandma Walton in the TV series. Ellen brought tartness to a show filled with sweet characters. While Ellen and Earl did not always see eye to eye they developed a strong friendship over the years. Ellen's life defines tenacity. After suffering a stroke she returned to her role as Grandma uttering the words, "Need Me!"

Patricia Neal played the role of Olivia in the special "The Homecoming." She was beautiful and elegant. She later stated that the reason she didn't play Olivia in the series was because she "wasn't asked."

Olivia was my favorite character in the series. Michael Learned "was then and remains today, a radiant actress, an exciting and loyal friend." The stress of a long running series took its toll on both Earl and Michael but their friendship persevered.

Famed author Earl Hamner celebrates the lives and offers thanks to the women who generously gave to his life. He includes his mother, wife, daughter and various other people, some famous and some not so famous. As I read this book, I kept hearing that famous voice echo from the past. It was as though I could hear "John Boy" reading to me. Earl is an excellent writer and I truly enjoyed his perspective on these wonderful women. We should all take time to thank the people that contribute to our lives. I highly recommend "Generous Women" to everyone.

Hamner delights us again.......2007-01-16

In his introduction to Generous Women, Earl Hamner quotes from one of his favorite books, Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward Angel. He says "...it prompted me to count some of the influences on my life and how they led me to become the man I am today." In his latest book, Hamner counts those influences in the form of short vignettes, some poignant, some funny, and some surprising, about the women he has known throughout his life.

For Hamner fans, the joy of reading his books is that, with each one, we learn a little more about him. In Generous Women we glean more about his college and army days, and his early career, in the context of the helpful and giving women he encounters at each stage. As his biographer, Jim Person, says in Earl Hamner: From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow, "...there are pervasive themes that run throughout Hamner's work, which shows a man forever taking a backward glance to his roots for direction in the way of what makes life worthwhile, [and] who allows that vision to direct his steps forward..."

Generous Women is a beautiful read and a genuine tribute to a wide assemblage of women who have offered Hamner important gifts at impressionable moments. Would that more of us had Hamner's open-hearted capacity to overlook the negative and to offer similar expressions of gratitude for the positive interactions in our lives. I'm hoping a companion book, Generous Men, is to follow.

Generous Women is Genius.......2006-11-27

While Earl Hamner will forever be known as the creator of wonderful TV shows like the Waltons and Falcon Crest, his most important gift is his ability to put words on paper and make a reader feel as if Earl is sitting on the front porch swing talking directly to you as he tells a wonderful story.
In Generous Women Mr. Hamner tells stories and pays tribute to women he has known that have influenced him over his 80 plus years. Many of the stories will make you laugh, some cry, but all of the chapters give an insight and a heartfelt appreciation to the wide array of women.
Writing teachers through out the country should make this book mandatory reading.
Earl Hamner is a true national treasure.

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