The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts

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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.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Author
Native American Indians
Apaches and Atrocities
Another fine Native American novel
Big Disappointment

Ghost Warrior
Lucia St. Clair Robson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812576098

Book Description

Here, at last, is the compelling story of Lozen, known as the Apache Joan of Arc. When the US Army tries to drive the Chiricahua Apaches from their homeland, Lozen fights alongside Cochise, Geronimo, and Victorio in defense of her people. Gifted with the power of far-sight that allows her to see enemies miles away, she becomes an extraordinary shaman, warrior, horse thief, and healer. For over one hundred years the Apaches have kept her memory alive.A sensitive treatment of a little known Native American figure, Ghost Warrior is a rich and powerful frontier tale filled with unforgettable characters, the famous and the infamous.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Author.......2007-10-02

Any book by this author is worth a read. This is one of the really good ones.

Native American Indians.......2006-09-29

I've been very passionate about everything & anything that has to do with Native American Indians since I can remember.
This book by Lucia St. Clair Robson is another wonderful story about them, about their life and about a great woman. I couldn't put the book down, I would stay up & read till 2am having to have to wake up at 5:30am and go to work... I gave it 5 stars only because it is the highest you can go. The book simply deserves more stars!

Apaches and Atrocities.......2005-08-01

I can't say I enjoyed this book, as it's difficult to "enjoy" a book that is mostly about the near genocide of a terrifying and brutal yet complex and culturally rich group of people. Still, I'm glad I read it. I suspect, like Robson's other book I've read, Ride the Wind, bits of Ghost Warrior will come back to haunt me as I continue to mull it over. My only criticism is that I found it very difficult to keep track of the never-ending parade of Pale Eyes (white men) officers, generals, and enlisted men. But my guess is that that was her point. There WAS a continuous and constant influx of white men in such numbers that it was difficult to keep track of them as individuals. My biggest "bravo!" to Robson is that she doesn't pull punches. The Apaches are not the "noble savages" that so many books make them out to be. They are people - flawed and complex and violent, and just as capable as the Pale Eyes at handing out brutal death. All in all, it's a book worth reading. If you like this book, I recommend reading Ride the Wind, also by Lucia St. Clair Robson.

Another fine Native American novel.......2004-08-13

Ms. Robson's meticulous research and attention to historical accuracy is again evident in this excellent and heartbreaking story of the Native American people. If you haven't read "Walk in My Soul" or "Ride the Wind" - what are you waiting for? Once you've read one of Ms. Robson's novels you'll want to collect them all.

Big Disappointment.......2003-10-09

Robson's Ride the Wind was one of my all-time favorite books so when this book was released I snatched it up. It was hard to get into but I was persistant and kept waiting for the book to meet my expectations. Unfortunately, there was no turning point. I just trudged through this book. Read the editorial review from Publisher's Weekly. It is right on, saying that the story is "watered-down" and "lacking energy." I hope this review spares someone from wasting their time and money on this book.

Average customer rating:

Horrible....
5 stars
Not up to snuff
Warrior Angel
I expected an ocean and got a puddle

Warrior Angel
Margaret Weis , and Lizz Weis
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060833254
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

Derek is a fallen angel, formerly of the Knights Templar. Disillusioned with God and His grand plan, he chooses to remain forever in Limbo, fighting against the Dark Angels, rather than enter into Heaven. But then news of impending war between the forces of good and evil sends Derek to save mankind.

Rachel Duncan is a focused business woman––so focused that she has no idea that her new client is one of the Dark Angels, determined to use Rachel in a master plan to send the world into chaos. Caught up in his charming web, Rachel doesn't realize how deeply she's involved until it's too late. Now she and Derek are in a race against time, as Rachel gets drawn farther into the Dark Angel's plans, and Derek confronts obstacles to her rescue at every step. Will they be able to overcome the forces of evil and their own misgivings to save the world...and each other?

Customer Reviews:

Horrible...........2007-09-18

Warrior Angel is in the top 10 of the worst books I've ever read. It was a lot like watching a Uwe Boll movie. I'll never get my time, money or sanity back. The characters were pathetic - Rachel most of all. I'm absolutely amazed that this book was published. The writing was childish and retarded, frankly. If all it takes is kooky grin and a PC to get published then I'm going to take it upon myself to pen Hannibal Lector's next adventure entitled "The Flavor of Love and Liver". Surely a hit if this is the caliber of what I'd be up against. Now excuse me while I scour out my brain with bleach.....

5 stars.......2007-08-31

Seven hundred years ago, Derek DeMolay, Knight Templar, was killed by the Inquisition and has spent the years since battling demons as a Warrior Angel, never once asking to be admitted to Heaven. Now, a traitor has been discovered among the angels and part of the key to unmasking and stopping this threat lies in the life of Rachel Duncan, a twenty-first century young woman who works in the stock market pits. Derek is assigned to keep an eye on her and try to circumvent the plot that Hell is weaving around her. Though being her doorman might not seem to be the most ideal spot from which to perform his duties, Derek takes on the role with the dedication that he has ever given his duties. It does not take long for him to find the demon after the woman who is winning his own angelic heart. Under an urbane mask, Zanus is weaving a spell of temptation that could topple the world, all via Rachel's unwitting hands. Derek will break every rule under Heaven if he must to save her and incidentally, the world.

***** I'll grant you that the theology in this book is not the best. However, that does not stop it from being an entertaining, fun, action-packed read with splendid characters who leap off the page. Like Andrew Greeley's Angel Fire, this upsets the idea that angels are fluffy, harp playing wimps and shows them as take charge beings. I hope this begins a series; Derek and Rachel are a spectacular couple as are their two supporting cast members, Angel William and Cherub Sampson. *****

Not up to snuff.......2007-06-13

The cover and blurb on this book sound great, but the story is fractured and never quite comes to drawing you into the story. I was disappointed but this is a new author and a new outlet for Margaret Weis. Maybe they will get better with time. However, I will certainly wait for the reviews before I buy again.

Derek is a Templar Knight, when they were destroyed by the pope on Friday the 13,1307, he withstood his torture and finally murder. When he gets to heaven he blames God for letting him be overcome by the forces of evil. He refuses to go into heaven and continues to fight in the war against satan.

Rachel Duncan is a Wall St executive and the center of a plan by the dark to cast the world into a time of crisis. She is wined and dined by Zanus. Derek is sent to stop her and help her over come the evil tempting her.

The writing about the stock market was very real and so the threat seemed like something we face every day. I just didn't get the whole scheme as anything other than business as usual. The interaction between the angel and Derek was supposed to be humerous but how do you be funny and fight armagheddon at the same time. It doesn't work. The book doesn't work, the romance is totally absurd and so is the ending.

Do not waste your time or money.

Warrior Angel.......2007-05-25

A broker on the trading floor, also affectionately known as `the pit', Rachel Duncan has a stressful job that has basically taken over her life. Things are worse than she thinks though, her Guardian Angel has gone missing and those in Heaven believe the angel was slain. Rachel feels as if something is missing in her life, but can't figure out what it is.

Derek de Molay died in the torture chamber of the Inquisition for one reason; he was a knight of the Templar Order. When Derek was given a chance to ask forgiveness for his sins so that he could enter Heaven, he refused because he believed that God had abandoned him in his hour of need. Instead, he accepted the position of being a Warrior Angel in Purgatory, warring against those in Hell fighting to get through to humanity. He will be in Purgatory for eternity until he learns to let go of his rage and pride.

Derek has been given a job on Earth; observe Rachel Duncan and report to Archangel William what he sees. Derek finds much more than he bargained for; an archfiend has his hooks into Rachel and Derek knows that he has to protect her, not just observe.

I loved the beginning of Warrior Angel, it gave me a wonderful glimpse into both Derek and the workings of Heaven as Margaret and Lizz Weis see it. However, Warrior Angel slows down a lot soon after Derek gets to Earth. Derek, Rachel and the Heavenly characters are fantastic and I loved them all...especially William and Sampson. Warrior Angel picks up nicely further on and becomes an action packed thrill ride that I totally enjoyed.

Lyonene
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I expected an ocean and got a puddle.......2007-04-03

The plot was sorely lacking. I didn't have much empathy for any of the characters and I picked out the antagonists as they were introduced. The characters themselves were too cliched. A blonde haired, blue eyed angel of light and the darkly handsome devil. Give me a break.
The little bit of romance sparked at a point, but ended up fizzling to nothing within a page.
I had to force myself to finish the last few chapters and I couldn't even make myself read it all. The ending really rubbed me the wrong way and I gave away the book in disgust. It was a waste of the paper it was printed on.
The only good thing about it was the preview of another book in the back.

May Bird, Warrior Princess: Book Three (May Bird)

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May Bird, Warrior Princess: Book Three (May Bird)
Jodi Lynn Anderson
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689869258

Book Description

At Hog Wallow Middle School, May Ellen Bird was always slightly invisible.

Then she went on a long trip to the land of the dead, where ghost towns

glowed blue in the dark dusk and spooky specters dwelled in cities on the

Dead Sea.

Back on Earth at last, May and her hairless cat, Somber Kitty, are now

famous, their faces plastered across souvenirs and sportswear that read

"May Bird Went to the Land of the Dead and All She Brought Me Was This

Lousy T-Shirt." But, finally in the spotlight, May feels more than ever

that she doesn't belong. Every night she sits by her bedroom window,

gazing at

the sky and dreaming of another place, wishing -- despite

herself -- to be back among the ghosts.

And then one night she gets her heart's desire in a way she would never

have wished for. Only the Ever After isn't anything like the world May

left

behind three years ago. The spirits have vanished, and the towns --

once full of every manner of things that go bump in the night -- are

deserted. Evil Bo Cleevil has made the Ever After as cold as his own

frigid soul, and put up a bunch of tacky malls to boot.

Now, with her friends missing and enemies all around her, May must find

her way to the edge of the universe, where night swallows the stars, where

allies are few and often have bad breath, where endings can also be

beginnings, and where the truest hero lurks in the unlikeliest of souls.

But Bo Cleevil's got one last trick up his sleeve -- one that no one on

Earth is ready for.

With the worlds of the living and the dead in the balance, will May's

courage fail her one last time? Or will she finally become the warrior she

was always meant to be?

Book Description

This book is a topographical map for other animators who dream of making their own short films, but feel constrained by the perceived limitations of budget and/or manpower.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2006-05-04

Well-written and an excellent guide, Ablee goes into detail of every stage of making a CGI film. Essential for anyone who is even considering making a film, especially if your primary program will be Lightwave.

Nicely Carved Book.......2005-10-07

The book is really great. Cannot stop reading the book. The book is very inspiring. hats off to Timothy Albee. A must read for people who enter in to the field of animation.

CGI Filmmaking: The Creation of Ghost Warrior.......2005-08-22

Excellent book. It is very well written and has a lot of very useful information. Although at times Mr. Albee gets a little heavy handed with his philosophies or life and art, in general his advice is most welcome.

I especially recommend this book to people who are just starting in the business, or are looking for a break in.

Laying the groundwork for your own 3d short.......2005-04-05

Did you ever admire someone's abilities who shares an interest with you? Wouldn't you love to speak to him/her and ask them questions how they got to that point in there career to help guide you? Say a chef, and artist, maybe someone who succeeded in business?
Well, being somewhat deeply involved in 3D as a hobby/freelance, I, along with many of us, know of Tim Albee. He has a deep background in 3D and has worked at some fine studios. But, more importantly for me, he's dived into making his own shorts. This is of special interest to me, since i don't expect to be working at pixar anytime soon. That being said, there are certain issues that arise for the artist looking to make his own short. Tim walks you through his journey. From start to completion. How he work up a script, how to design characters, ways to cut corners. He even goes into improvised ways of doing your own audio! Then he wraps up with different ways to market your film with actual websites and film festivals all while giving you "insider" tips.
In short, if your have dreams of making "your own" animated short, with a limited budget, this is the book for you.

Unimpressed........2005-03-17

This book, to the uninformed, might seem like something special however, it seemed more like self promotion on a product that is over hyped and severely lacking in quality content... the DVD of Kaze.

If you are lacking self confidence and have very little knowledge of how to work with 3d and create a short, you may want to invest in this book. Mr. Albee is constantly touting how amazing and special he you are. This seems to me like a thinly veiled attempt at fooling the reader into liking the book. While it is a good marketing technique it is not what the someone needs if they truely want to succeed in the film industry.

It does seem that Mr. Albee definitely has a bit of technical experience and must be commended for finishing his DVD and writing a book about it. The animation of the DVD is riddled with problems though. Intersections, sudden stops, no overlap, arms moving rapidly with no impact on the body, broken wrists, obviouly constrained controls and much more. The camera moves and staging are alright for a student film but, full of novice mistakes that cg artists commonly make.

After reading the book and seeing the DVD, I would suggest your time is better spent with books on animation such as "The Animator's Survival Kit" and "The illusion of Life". Books on filmaking and production such as "Story", "In the blink of a Eye" and "Film Directing Shot by Shot". These are quality books that will help you grow. They will not pat you on the back and tell you are great when you may not be. The production process is very hard and it's very difficult to become good enough to produce the quality that the big studios require. This book doesn't really put you in the right direction.

In the Midnight Hour (Light Warriors, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

I enjoyed this book very much
Sucks You In
A "must" read
A Great Opener to A Promising New Series! (4 1/2 stars)
4.5 stars - A nice little gem you might enjoy...

In the Midnight Hour (Light Warriors, Book 1)
Patti O'Shea
Manufacturer: Tor Paranormal Romance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765355795
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Book Description

Anise is trouble

Ryne is a magical troubleshooter, sworn to protect the innocent from being harmed by magic--and she's been chasing Anise, her former mentor, for six years.

Deke is a private investigator who knows something key to defeating Anise. But Anise cast a dark spell over him, and even though Ryne has managed to temporarily lift the curse, Deke can't remember what it is that he knows.

Ryne has sworn to never get involved with a human, but Deke is sexy, charming, brave, and irresistible--and as Ryne and Deke are pulled further into Anise's evil schemes, it's harder and harder for Ryne to resist the attraction.

But dark magic has its own attraction, and in order to defeat Anise and lift Deke's curse permanently, Ryne will have to risk following in Anise's footsteps and succumbing to the lure of the darkness…

Customer Reviews:

I enjoyed this book very much.......2007-09-24

Several reviewers have already given a description on what this book is about so I will just say I enjoyed it very much. Ryne was a good female character who was strong but a bit of a loner due to her job description as a trouble shooter. I loved the character of Deke. He was funny, liked pushing Ryne's buttons and a very refreshing kind of character. Patti built the romance slowly over the course of the book and it played very well into the overall plot. The beginning cemetary scene had me hooked from the beginning. This will be a series of which I look forward to reading more.

Sucks You In.......2007-09-17

I picked this book up in a hurry on the way to an appointment when I knew I'd be sitting in a waiting room and needed something to read. What a lucky choice!

This is the first of Ms. O'Shea's novels that I've read, but it won't be the last. Well developed plot, characters and settings allowed me to quickly sink into this story without distractions.

Deke Summers is our hero here. A regular human unaware of the secret magical race called the "Gineal" who have been living alongside us for centuries, Deke gets cursed by a practitioner of the dark arts in a particularly creative way.

Ryne Frasier is one of the good Gineals and when she realizes Deke's plight, she does her utmost to get him out of it, even though she's never met the guy. Together they have to figure out a way to defeat the dark practitioner to keep Deke from being cursed forever.

Ryne is known as a "Troubleshooter" - the magical go-to girl who steps in when things start going bad. The opening scene of this book illustrated her job quite well, and I was braced for an action packed ride. However, surprisingly, our characters spend much more time with each other than they do battling evil - which is a good thing.

Although I enjoy the action too, often the development of characters and relationship gets lost in an action oriented story. Not so in this case. Ms. O'Shea does a great job of balancing the two and we get to see our hero and heroine build a real relationship and the development of their feelings for each other.

I will be looking forward to the next book in this series and hoping it's about Creed, another troubleshooter we meet briefly. He sounded like a hottie to me!

A "must" read.......2007-09-15

In the magical sphere of the Gineal, RYNE FRASER is a troubleshooter. She is sent to corral those who are misusing power. Ryne is also trying to stop her former mentor, Anise, who has turned to the dark power. Trying to keep Anise from wreaking more havoc draws Ryne closer to the dark forces than she's ever been before.

To complicate things even more, Ryne is the only person who realizes that a TV cartoon character, "Deke Summers, Private Investigator" is really a human who has been "bespelled" into the cartoon. Ryne performs a spell to free him, only to find out he doesn't know why he was bespelled.

Ryne thinks Deke may have some information she needs to put a stop to Anise once and for all, but he can't remember what it might be. Working together to defeat Anise, they become closer, complicating things even further. Ryne has always shied away from relationships with humans, but Deke know just how to get to her.

Deke hates not being able to protect Ryne from the magical creatures that attack them, but he can't get enough of her fiery spirit.

In the Midnight Hour is a wonderful story. The power of the attraction between Deke and Ryne, the fierce way they fight together, and ultimately the way they discover love will draw you in, keep you "bespelled," and leave you wanting more. The characters are richly drawn, the entire world intriguing, and the ending is definitely satisfying. This is by far my favorite by Ms. O'Shea, and I definitely look forward to her next book.

A Great Opener to A Promising New Series! (4 1/2 stars).......2007-09-13

I've been a fan of Patti O'Shea since I read Ravyn's Flight many years ago and she continues to write great stories! In The Midnight Hour is no exception.

In her first TOR paranormal romance, O'Shea introduces a whole new universe. This story features Ryne, a gineal (magical law enforcement of a type) and a cursed PI - Deke, whom is freed by Ryne's magic.

The heart of the book is really Ryne's struggle to deal with the responsibility of her power and the need to rely on gray areas to do her job. Her attraction to Deke is complicated by her own personal issues and past abuse at the hands of her former mentor.

O'Shea handles the complicated pasts of both characters and the seriously fabulous villian really well and the story is quite engaging.

A great opener to what promises to be a (another) wonderful series from O'Shea.

4.5 stars - A nice little gem you might enjoy..........2007-09-01

Just about the time I'm ready to give up reading all fantasy/romance, along comes a book that restores my faith in women authors, independent thought, and "true love" stories. Thank you, Ms. Patti O'Shea.

Deke, our hero, is trapped in animation, doomed to the cartoon network by an evil spell of Anise, a Gineal turned to the dark side. (Think powerful witch with a bit more meat to the definition). Ryne, our Heroine, is also a Gineal, (still on the good side,) who used to study under Anise, and it is her job to catch the wicked witch (sorry, Gineal), and strip her of her powers.

Quick beginning, Ryne releases Deke from the evil spell, then has to deal with the consequences.

Now things start to get a tad complicated. Deke is again human, has very little memory, is brash, sarcastic, sexy and fun as hell. He's an Alpha male given a beta role to play, which does not sit well with him. Ryne is overly serious, dedicated, more powerful than Deke, and while as attracted to him as he is to her, sees no future between them. She does have the Alpha role to play, but has a beta vulnerability that needs some air to breathe.

At this point, anything I say can be a bit of a spoiler, so I'll drop plot points, and let you enjoy the subtle and not so subtle nuances for yourself. There is wonderful humor, horror, tension, romance, action, mystery and sacrifice, it was, simply, an adventure and a joy to read. As an added bonus - it's complete! No cliffhanger to agonize over, no dangly bits to drive you nutty.

NC-17 for Sexual content (some quite grim, but necessary to the story). Complex and original storyline, well-defined characters, honest romance. STRONGLY recommended.

The Woman Warrior (Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts)

Average customer rating:

Ficitonal Education
It Helped Me Understand My Own Heritage
Amazon can't get it right
Great book...
A book you can fall in love with

The Woman Warrior (Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts)
Maxine Hong Kingston
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394723929
Release Date: 1977-08-12

Customer Reviews:

Ficitonal Education.......2006-01-17

I feel that Kingston's story was very imformative about the chinese culture and their way of living. Probably not in todays age, but in its history. I really enjoy reading books with ficitonal education, which is exactly what this book is. Kingston mainly focuses on the issue of how women are treated in China and by Chinese-Americans. Kingston mentions the orgins of the tale Fa-Mulan (whom every disney fan is aware of)and how she became a "woman warrior". Fa-Mulan represents who Kingston wishes she could be and eventually does become in her own way, as a woman warrior in a world where Kingston is split between China and America. The main character is conflicted with what she has learned in America compared to her mothers "talk-stories" about China. The main character and her mother also have a very conflicted relationship that twists and turns as the story progresses. The reader learns throughout the story about the relationship between men and women in China and how men are surperior, yet in America, it seemed to men that the Chinese women became surperior in secret. This story is very ironic and informative, with a great theme. Kingston really does a great job in helping America understand the complications women have had and overcame during the cource of history.

It Helped Me Understand My Own Heritage.......2005-12-28

I have a different perspective from many readers who view this book primarily as a work of Women's Literature. As a half-asian male with a emigree mother, I read this book many years ago, in those formless, questioning years of the late 'teens. Even though I could not directly associate with many of the stories that Ms. Kingston wrote, I could associate with some of them, and I could also begin to enunciate my own observations and questions about a my mother's life and culture - a culture and life that I couldn't truly know, yet had much to do with who I was, and am. It gave me a perspective beyond that of a selfish, self-oriented teenager, and helped me better understand things (or at least try to see things) from my mother's point of view. It helped me see my own culture as a blend of the alien and familiar. Truly do I believe this book is one of the most important ones in my own life, as it helped create answers to deep, personal questions - some of which I never knew existed, until I read this book.

Amazon can't get it right.......2005-09-02

I guess the book might be good if only Amazon could have sent me the correct edition that they have listed. Amazon tried twice to send me what I ordered, got it wrong twice, and then Amazon gave up. Any correspondence with Amazon to resolve the matter has been met with insipid computerized responses. The 1 star rating is for Amazon.

Great book..........2004-11-06

Excellent book -- a must read for Women's Literature students. I bought it using a coupon from UnderTag.com, so it was almost free for me.

A book you can fall in love with.......2004-10-05

I came across this book several years ago and immediately fell under its spell. I liked it so much that I had to re-read it again and again in order to decipher the new layers the book revealed with each occasion. I like the book so much, that I've decided to write a paper on it but unfortunately there are only a few, who offer quality interpretation on this magnificient book that could help me. Thus, if anyone, who has some ideas, would help me out on this would be VERY welcomed...

Warrior Ghost Plays from the Japanese Noh Theater: Parallel Translations with Running Commentary (Cornell East Asia, No. 60) (Cornell East Asia Series)

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Translation and commentary for six Warrior Ghost plays

Warrior Ghost Plays from the Japanese Noh Theater: Parallel Translations with Running Commentary (Cornell East Asia, No. 60) (Cornell East Asia Series)
Chifumi Shimazaki
Manufacturer: Cornell University East Asia Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Japanese | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0939657600

Book Description

Translations of six shura (battle)-Noh that have for the main character the ghost of a warrior whose story is told in the Tale of Heike. Each Noh has a detailed introduction and footnote.

Customer Reviews:

Translation and commentary for six Warrior Ghost plays.......2005-12-30

Noh Theater is a highly proscribed, traditional system of theater that has persisted for centuries almost unchanged. Its plays are classified into five categories, each dealing with a different subject matter such as the gods, women or madness and grief. One such category, shuramono, deals with the figure of the Warrior Ghost.

In terms of Japanese ghosts, the Warrior Ghost is the main contribution from Noh. Almost always based on the Heike Monogatari, a dramatization of the Heike/Genji civil wars that divided Japan during the twelfth century, shuramono are a unique and interesting tradition.

"Warrior Ghosts Plays from the Japanese Noh Theater" translates and introduces six plays in the shuramono category. Each play has an individual introduction, giving the historical setting of the characters, as well as a running commentary and cultural notes on the plays. The plays are "Yashima," "Michimori," "Tomoakira," "Kanehira," and "Tomoe." The plays are bilingual, with the original Japanese side-by-side with the English translation.

The introductions are as interesting as the plays themselves. Noh tends to be a bit esoteric, and difficult to get into, but the author provides a doorway to understanding. However, this is a scholarly book, and not written for a disinterested audience. The writing can be a bit dense at times, but does provide some insights and information.

All in all, an interesting book that heightened my appreciation for Noh. I look forward to seeing one of these six plays being performed, and finally being able to understand what is happening onstage!

Thundercats and the Ghost Warrior (Find Your Fate Fantasy, No 3)

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Thundercats and the Ghost Warrior (Find Your Fate Fantasy, No 3)
Megan Stine
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0394874196
Release Date: 1985-11-12

Marauders: The Ghost Warriors (The Marauders, No 5)

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Marauders: The Ghost Warriors (The Marauders, No 5)
Michael McGann
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Men's Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0515104434

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