The Four Adventures of Richard Hannay: The Thirty-Nine Steps/Greenmantle/Mr. Standfast/the Three Hostages by John Buchan

As my title says, the Four Adventures are real classics that spawned a whole library of imitators. Written as they were during the First World War and immediate post-war period by someone who both hob-nobbed with the political movers and shakers of the time & may have participated in some intertesting Intelligence work on his own (see Peter Hopkirk’s LIKE HIDDEN FIRE for some of the “facts” behind GREENMANTLE) they capture a time a place and a people at the height of British global dominance. Given that the first three tales were written during some of the most desperate days of World War I it is no accident that there is some pro-British propaganda, but as the excellnt introduction to this edition points out, Buchan is remarkably kind to both friends and foes, and while the Bad-Guys are truly Bad, they also have their redeeming qualities. THIRTY-NINE STEPS has been made into a number of movies, none of which do it justice. GREENMANTLE is my personal favorite & reading it again for the umpteenth time last year I was struck by how remarkably prescient Buchan was as to the problems we now face with an Islamic Middle East. Mr. Standfast actually wraps things up nicely, with some excellent descriptions of fighting on the Western Front, and I always felt that THE FOUR HOSTAGES was a bit of a tag-on that really wasn’t needed (the same can be said of the fifth and long out of print Hannay adventure THE ISLE OF SHEEP, which has been sensibly left out of this volume). If you like adventure stories with a strong male hero, a nice mystery, clearly defined Good and Evil, an appealing heroine (in the last three Adventures) and a good sense of history by someone who actually made part of it, this volume is for you. Readers of Alan Furst & the like will see where contemporary authors got their ideas & timing. This is a wonderful look into a now vanished world that still has clues to our troubled present.

Supernatural Buchan - Stories of ancient spirits uncanny places and strange creatures (Supernatural Fiction) by John Buchan

Supernatural Buchan - Stories of Ancient Spirits uncanny places and strange creatures. Buchan’s stories of solid characters clad in tweeds and braving all odds armed only with a stout walking stick have become popular classics. Perhaps it is therefore no surprise that the same character types populate his highly entertaining tales of the strange and weird - here collected into a feast of supernatural delights. In a Buchan story the hauntings and other manifestations are far more subtle than the usual blood-curdling phantoms. The author brings finely crafted detail and a profound sense of the spirit of landscape (specially that of his native Scotland) and place to locales that are as disparate as the stories themselves. Whether they are acknowledged or not, ancient other-worldly creatures, deities and people intrude into Buchan’s settings to influence and effect the lives of “modern” man. These wonderful tales of hidden threat and menace make dealing with the mundane concerns of our own world seem like child’s play.

Crowded with Genius: The Scottish Enlightenment: Edinburgh’s Moment of the Mind by James Buchan

“… parsimony and dirt, Edinburgh had made more history, as John Buchan later put it, than any town its size but Athens, …”

According to Thomas Cahill, the Irish Saved Civilization. Perhaps so, but according to James Buchan it was the Scots who moved civilization forward to modern times. Even at that, it was Edinburgh that became the pivot of the Scottish Enlightenment. With the expulsion of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745, the “auld Reekie”, stinky, backward, provincial Edinburgh, was transformed into an intellectual hotbed. Philosophy, science, medicine and other fields found expression through this city to the world. Pushing aside the clans, tartans and the remains of the Celtic traditions, a new outlook developed in Scotland’s capital. The speed of its rise was phenomenal. Within twenty years a wave of philosophers, scientists and poets, accompanied by a revision in social standards swept the city.

Analysing the Scottish Enlightenment is a monumental task. Controversies and inconsistencies abound. This Calvinist society rose to support a Roman Catholic pretender to the British throne. While condemning the Papacy as intruding on the lives of the faithful, the Scottish Kirk was thoroughly integrated into the education, politics and legal system of Edinburgh. Buchan neatly ties all these conflicting forces into a readable, highly detailed package. He is able to expose all these facets with minimal confusion as he introduces us to the major figures that would make the city a northern Athens. His focus is on personalities, with leading figures ambling, cavorting or dashing across the pages according to their style.

His first noteworthy figure is, of course, David Hume. Perhaps no individual set the tone for the Scottish Enlightenment as did Hume. Controversial and inconsistent in his own way, he struggled to shed the impediments of traditional dogmas while avoiding accusations of rebellion or heresy. He set the tone Edinburgh lights would follow - travelling the Continent, examining the human condition, and writing in “Southern English”, as Buchan calls it. The language of London was a key element in what was to follow. English, instead of “Scottish English” would be the export licence conveying ideas up and down the British island, thence abroad.

Hume is followed by such notables as Adam Smith, John Home, the strange saga of James MacPherson’s attempt to resurrect Scots’ traditions by fabricating them, and the founder of geology, James Hutton. Other, lesser known lights, but surely contributors to this Northern Renaissance are dramatist Alexander Wedderburn, publisher Robert Chambers and the more practical contributions of George Drummond. There is more to Edinburgh’s rise to prominence than the expressions of thoughtful men. In this period, the city descended from an enclave surrounding its “castle in the air” to build up the surroundings with residences, schools and market centres. The “salacious” hobbies of dance and the theatre intruded on the Kirk’s disdain and overcame it. Promenading, weather permitting, was no longer hazardous. Although whisky replaced ale as the most consumed drink, imbibing moved from ale house to town house. This practice helped enable the role women to improve and conversations expanded to include both sexes.

Buchan has granted us a vivid and readable account of Edinburgh’s burst of intellectual and social hatching. He does assume a certain level of knowledge on the reader’s part - a level unlikely to be found on this side of the Atlantic. He graces the narrative with some illustrative material, but no matter how much the publishers include, there couldn’t be enough. The maps of the city would be more useful if larger, but the tone the time is well conveyed. Some of his conclusions might be arguable, but his making Charles the son, and not the grandson, of Erasmus Darwin must be noted.

John Macnab by John Buchan and Andrew Greig

John Buchan’s book John MacNab is set in the highlands of Scotland. The three main characters, one a Cabinet minister, another a banker and the last an Attorney-General, are all suffering from boredom which they can only cure by doing something dangerous and difficult. Deciding to try to poach a salmon and two stags in a limited amount of time, risking reputation and a fine, as well as rough handling, they are cured of boredom. An excellent book for anyone who enjoys outdoor adventure novels.

Three Hostages (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Collection) by John A. Buchan

“… ever with me. This is desperately important. It was signed `Buchan‘, a horse which Sandy seemed to think had been a …”

Kudos to Wordsworth Classics for keeping these four books in print — affordable, too! I’ve now read all but one of the Hannay adventures (this one, plus “39 Steps” and “Mr. Standfast”) and thoroughly enjoyed them all. “Hostages” moves a bit slower and doesn’t have quite as much “local flavor” as the others; but it’s a fine book, with much to recommend it and much to remember.

I enjoyed especially the respectful portrait of Hannay’s wife, every bit as smart and tough as he — quite surprising in an era (and culture) that I had assumed would be somewhat chauvinistic — and a real relief from other spy stories in which the women simply scream helplessly until The Man comes along. Mind you, I have no political agenda — and indeed am quite conservative about gender roles; but I just find it so much more sensible and realistic when women characters act like human beings!

“Hostages” is also remarkably prescient about the onset of WW2, and how Hitler would try to rule the world not merely through brute force but through propaganda and mass hysteria. There is also some fine thematic development here, esp. the notion that a spy mission may achieve “success” without “victory.”

But the best thing about the book is its final chapter; as in “Standfast,” “Hostages” has a split climax; the main conflict is resolved about 35 pages before the end of the book, and then there’s a further, more nitty-gritty, down-to-earth duel at the end. Fantastic!

These books are great for folks looking for good old-fashioned adventure like James Bond, but without the girls and the violence.

Highly recommended.

Mountain meadow, by John Buchan (Lord Tweedsmuir) with an introduction by Howard Swiggett by John (1875-1940) Buchan

Publisher: Boston, Houghton Mifflin company (1941)

Pilgrim’s Way by Lord; John Buchan Tweedsmuir

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company (1940)

Sick Heart River by John Buchan and James Buchan

I recently read this book for a report in my English class. I usually never read anything outside of Sci-fi, fantasy, or well known classics. Although the first 30 or so pages I had trouble staying awake, it changed quickly into a book I couldn’t put down. There are some great characters in this book, and Buchan leaves the reader (listener) on your toes a lot. This book had a great deal of philosophy in it, and though it took me some time to appreciate it, eventually I found that this book has a very deep meaning to it. Sick Heart River may only be available in tape-form now, but it is the same story that I read. Sick Heart River has more twists and turns in the plot than some sci-fi I’ve read. I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. The way of ending the book is also VERY original. Other than this book’s slow start up, I enjoyed every page. Kudos to Buchan, a wonderful written book!

Greenmantle by John Buchan

Greenmantle is one of the finest examples of Buchan’s writing–if not the best, although Witch Wood is a contender. During World War 1, four men embark on a trip through wartime Europe and Germany to Constantinople. Their aim is to find a secret weapon: a nuclear ray? a new kind of aeroplane?–Well, I’ll only say, something totally different.

The story is longer, more philosophical, and of far wider scope than its predecessor, The Thirty-Nine Steps. There are more characters, more locations, more pressure on our heroes. There are many memorable passages of writing–from Germany in winter to the first sight of the mountains in Turkey. The plot relies less on coincidence than The Thirty-Nine Steps, but gets criticised just as harshly for it. The only place I’ve ever found coincidences not to happen are in realistic fiction (or, they’re bad coincidences).

Still, if you can accept the fact that this is a relatively optimistic wartime thriller (compared to some recent efforts) with plenty of adventure and suspense, you’ll love this audiobook.

Huntingtower (Webster’s Spanish Thesaurus Edition) by John Buchan

Huntingtower is a rare audiobook and a pleasure to listen. On one level it’s a gripping adventure story. On another level it’s a vindication of the overlooked characters of the thriller-world. The heroes here aren’t soldiers, aren’t highly-trained spies, aren’t adventurers. They are a married, middle-aged grocer; an old lady; a gang of indomitable street-kids; a cynical poet; and a gang of disabled soldiers. And there’s a dispossessed Russian princess-turned-spy in there, too, with a dispossessed Russian prince.

On another level the tale’s pure allegory–about the Realist (the cynical poet) and the Romanticist (the grocer) stumbling upon a slice of real adventure and finding out that it’s nothing like either of them expected. It’s a vindication of fairy-tales (there’s a princess in a tower!) and a judgement of thoughtless sentimentalism.

But all those levels work together to make up an often funny, often moving, surprisingly candid adventure through a Scotland lovingly evoked–yet another of Buchan’s unusual tales.

Castle Gay by John Buchan

“… John Buchan  ~ ~ ~ rr ~.~ III - — h~ …”

The sequel to Huntingtower features the lovable Scottish grocer Dickson McCunn together with the now all-grown-up Gorbals Die-Hards–or some of ‘em anyway. A newspaper magnate is kidnapped…by young divinity students, for a joke. Yes, you heard that right. The disappearence causes quite a splash in international circles, however, and when Die-Hards Dougal and Jaikie come across the magnate at a lonely farmhouse and agree to carry a message for him, Stuff Happens. Not the usual kind of thing one might expect from a book about conspiracies, revolutions, and the fast world of journalism, but enough to keep the pages turning.

Witch Wood by John Buchan

John Buchan claims to have written this fast-paced “dime novel” while recovering from an illness. The story of how Richard Hannay stumbles upon and then escapes from a pre-WWI German spy plot DOES have that “Perils of Pauline” flavor to it: in each chapter our hero Hannay seems to get himself in an impossible bind, then magically right out of it again. (A sample: Hannay is tied up and locked in a windowless shed in which, remarkably, the crooks have left a flashlight (!) and some explosives (!). And, boom boom, on we go to the next chapter).

The underlying scheme is never fully explained (what ARE the Germans up to, why is the visit of the Balkan consul so important, etc.), but it doesn’t really matter. The scent of the heathered hills of Scotland over which Hannay escapes rises from the pages, and the black-and-white specter of the classic movies Alfred Hitchcock made on the basis of this book will run through your mind’s eye in the few short hours it will take you to finish it.

I agree, however, with others who mention that Buchan’s occasional gratuitous anti-Semitism is jarring and put this book beyond the pale for many readers.

The Power-House by John Buchan

“… The Power-House BY JOHN BUCHAN, POPULAR EDITION William Blackwood & Sons Ltd. Edinburgh and London …”

A very interesting book which captivates your attention from beginning to end. John Buchan writes “lyrically”, candid, smooth style which provides readers with easy reading.

John Buchan: The Presbyterian Cavalier by Andrew Lownie

Mr Coker is entitled to his views but Amazon readers should be aware that all five editions of the biography received extremely favourable coverage. A selection of extracts follows:

“Andrew Lownie gives us a clear account of Buchan’s career, which rattles along as pacily as a Hannay thriller…Admirably readable, this book will be invaluable to those who are now encountering Buchan’s work for the first time in the World’s Classics and Penguin reprints which have begun to appear since his copyrights entered the public domain in 1990. Lownie’s lucid account of Buchan’s life redefines the man as infinitely more complex than we thought he was.” Sunday Times

“This, like many other questions about this amazing man, is answered by Andrew Lownie in his wonderful new life. Lownie explains, even more convincingly than Janet Adam Smith in the hitherto standard biography, how Buchan’s successes in life never satisfied his inner yearnings…Lownie explains this inner sense of failure of this exceptional man with vastly greater insight than any previous writer…Trumpets should now sound for Buchan; and I will sound one of my own for Andrew Lownie, who has brought this most extraordinary man to life in a way no previous writer has.” The Independent

“Lownie’s meticulous biography is particularly good on the financial pressures which influenced most of Buchan’s decisions…This formidably detailed study is a labour of love by a devoted Buchanite, a nuanced understanding of a figure who, for too long, has been regarded as an extension of his fictional heroes.” The Guardian

“Andrew Lownie offers a solid and convincing portrait of a complex man, and controls the innumerable aspects of Buchan’s life in an exemplary manner, without losing sight of the fact that Buchan was, in Simon Raven’s words, ‘a very odd fish indeed.’” Times Literary Supplement

“Andrew Lownie’s meticulously researched and attractively written new biography - the first since Janet Adam Smith’s in 1965 - presents us with a John Buchan who is a great deal more complex and nuanced than might be imagined from the assiduously self-promoted clubland hero persona Buchan himself created in his rise as public man and heartily outdoor countryman-author…Lownie is sympathetic to Buchan, but this is by no means a hagiography. With scrupulous honesty, Buchan’s faults and foibles are exposed to us along with his undoubted virtues…this exemplary biography, full of new insights and fresh documents unearthed and published for the first time, makes fascinating reading.” The Scotsman.

“Lownie’s study is equally well argued and written with an evident, though at times exasperated, fondness for his subject.” Scotland on Sunday

“He has been the subject of previous biographies, but Andrew Lownie’s is a welcome addition…Mr Lownie has done him proud.” Financial Times

“Brilliantly written and researched - and the first biography of Buchan in 30 years - Lownie draws on newly-released private papers to astutely pick his way through the public image and the passionately private man, painting a vivid and refreshingly readable literary portrait of one of the great unacknowledged and substantive figures in recent Scottish life.” Catholic Life.

” The best biography yet of the creator of Richard Hannay and The Thirty-Nine Steps. It shows Buchan to be the complex and rewarding figure his fans have always known him to be.” The Express on Sunday

” Lively and brilliantly researched new biography of one of Scotland’s most enduringly popular writers…Buchan’s was nevertheless an impressive life, and Lownie tells it with sympathy and style. The Scotsman

“It is hard to imagine how this deft portrait of the bantamweight politician and still highly readable thriller writer could be bettered…As Lownie’s excellent literary criticism suggests, Buchan’s paradoxical nature underlies the evergreen potency of his novels.” Independent

“This exemplary biography draws on private papers not used until now to give a most convincing portrait of a complex character as well as lucid and detailed criticism of Buchan’s literary oeuvre.” Sunday Telegraph

“…this biography (rightly acclaimed on its first publication in 1995) will help restore a much-underated author - and historic figure - to his rightful status.” Scotsman

“Andrew Lownie’s widely researched biography of this fascinating, complex and enigmatic figure has to be the definitive work. Lownie is admirably objective in his approach to Buchan and perceptive on the springs of his character.” Sarah Bradford, The Tablet

“…a compelling picture of the author’s life, and a wide view of British political, social and literary circles during the first half of the 20th century.” Scots Magazine

“…solid and scholarly…” The Globe and Mail.

“In his thorough and lucid biography, Andrew Lownie, a Scottish journalist and editor of several collections of Buchan’s stories and poetry, sympathetically evokes this `highly complex and private man who may not always himself have understood his own motivations and abilities.’ ” New York Times

“…the full sweep of this remarkable man’s career is well told by Andrew Lownie in John Buchan: The Presbyterian Cavalier.” Washington Times

Prester John (Webster’s Spanish Thesaurus Edition) by John Buchan

This is a good old fashioned adventure story– right along with lines of “King Soloman’s Mines”, “Allen Quartermain”, “Beau Gests”, “The Sea-Hawks”,”She”, “Scaramouche”,”The Scarlet Pimpernel”, etc.

“Prester John” is based on a character/myth of the same name. Thoughout the Middle Ages it was rumored that a priest named “Prester (Father) John” had traveled to Africa to convert the natives. But instead emassed a huge fortune and made himself king of this mysterous part of Africa. So as you can expect this story is full of lost civilizations, hidden treasures, deepest-darkest Africa, great friendship and ruthless betrayal, explorers of spooky places, tigers and lions, witch doctors, and just plan good old fashioned late-victoria adventures. And despite it being written 100 or so years ago, it is still very,very readable.

So if you just want 100% escapism, or to introduce a child to the joys (and excitement) of reading, you can’t go wrong with this story…esp.

Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America’s Olympic Champion by Michael Silver and Natalie Coughlin

“… in a crowded press conference, and, in perfect English, asked Natalie Coughlin a pointed question. …”

Despite what many bitter terrapin swimming fans may say, this is an excellent book that talks about Natalie and her path to success. FYI to people reading the reviews…the Terrapin Swim Team (which was portrayed in a negative light) has been soliciting their team members to comment on Natalie’s book…Just take their book reviews with a grain of salt! I absolutely loved it and it is a truly inspiring story of a girl whould not give up despite terrible obstacles! I will recommend to many of my friends inside and out of the swimming community!!!

Fast Lane to Victory: The Story of Jenny Thompson (Anything You Can Do… New Sports Heroes for Girls) by Doreen Greenberg, Michael Greenberg, Jenny Thompson, and Phil Velikan

Swimming is a sport that attracks so many girls, and this book can help them get a picture of what it means to be a champion. It is an easy read. It reaveals some of the things she struggled with in her life as she grew up. We used this book to write a biography report. The appendix has a list of highlights of Jenny’s career, and a history of women’s swimming. I also appreciate the “Sports Talk” section that is a spring board for discussing (1) dealing with disappointment, (2)body image, (3) competitive anxiety, (4) benefits of Sports participation for girls, and (5) other general questions about competing in sports.

Influencer: The Power to Change Anything by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, and Ron McMillan

“… Swimming gold medalist Natalie Coughlin completes each leg of her races with fewer strokes than …”

This is an interesting, easy-to-read guide toward building one’s ability to influence others and to thereby create constructive change. Building upon the work of Albert Bandura, Stanley Milgram, and other psychologists who specialized in social learning theory, the authors of Influencer: The Power to Change Anything went hunting for people, all over the world, who were able to accomplish major tasks by influencing people to change their behavior. The authors then analyzed what these expert influencers did, so as to give the reader ideas on how to exert influence in more effective ways. The authors also included several examples of major efforts to bring about change, that failed dramatically, and gave their view of what was missing in those change campaigns.

So, what did the authors find? Most persistent problems that seem immune to change efforts, have one, or both, of two factors in common: the people involved do not feel capable of making the change; the people involved do not feel that the proposed change would be an improvement. In other words, the factors are ability and motivation. The authors also looked at three different levels, for each problem: the individual, the social group, the environment of the situation. Thus, if you want to influence people to make a change, there are six basic loci for change input: individual ability (i.e., skill training), individual motivation (e.g., incentives), group ability (e.g., increase networking), group motivation (e.g., modeling and healthy competition), environmental assets (e.g., make the necessary components more readily available), and environmental feedback (e.g., improve the consequence system for success and for failure).

In order to explain how these six different modes of, or targets for influence, can be affected, the authors use a handful of examples to illustrate what they mean. They keep returning to these examples, and the reader gets to know them well. The two best ones are probably the Delancey Center in California, where oft-convicted drug-abusing felons are helped to step out of that way of living and, with a high success rate (according to this book) become employed, law-abiding, drug-free citizens; and the Carter Center’s efforts to eradicate a horrible parasitic infection that was once widespread in Africa and Asia, called the guinea worm. By repeatedly returning to these examples, the reader not only understood the complexity of the approach needed, but also how it was done, without tremendous cost, using all six of the influence factors.

The book is written in a friendly, almost familiar, conversational tone. While that might not fit every non-fiction book, it worked well here, as another example of how to present information in a listener-friendly manner. It was also quite clear that the authors believe in what they say, passionately.

However, as can happen when researchers write about their theories, in a passionate way, this book seems to promise more than it actually delivers. I am a clinical psychologist, and I was particularly interested in one of the examples used, about a man named Henry, who wanted desperately to lose weight. Unfortunately, this ended up being the weakest, least-detailed example of the bunch. I ended up understanding much more about how to eradicate guinea worm infestations, than how to help Henry shed some pounds. The authors come out of a business orientation, and they did not seem sure on how to apply their methods to an individual with a personal problem. They tried, but they succeeded much less on dealing with Henry than on how to kill parasites.

I must say, though, that I think reading this book might end up being very valuable to me. It reminded me of a book that I read, written by a professor of mine, Sandor Brent, called Psychological and Social Structures. When I read that book, I thought it was so abstract and theoretical that I would never find its ideas to be meaningful or useful. Over time, though, I kept seeing examples of Dr. Brent’s ideas play out in front of me, in politics and in the agency where I work. Whenever a process changed, or new staff joined a team, or when an election was held, or a new law put in place, I could see many of Dr. Brent’s concepts unfolding and playing out. There is some value in Influencer: The Power to Change Anything and, like Psychological and Social Structures, I think that I will keep coming back to Influencer: The Power to Change Anything and some of its ideas, and finding new ways to apply what was presented.

It’s a Girl: Women Writers on Raising Daughters by Andrea J. Buchanan

“… They worship Venus and Serena and Natalie Coughlin, the Olympic backstroke champion. They think it’s okay for families …”

My husband brought this home for me and I tossed it on the book shelf for two years. I opened it last week and read and read and cried and laughed and when I put it down, I went to the computer and bought six copies, and will buy more to give to everyone I know with a teenage daughter. Read the story on page 199. it will KILL you! Amazing. And the one on page 36. I LOVE these women. Thanks Andrea.

Climbing the Corporate Ladder in High Heels by Kathleen Archambeau and M. Kathleen Archambeau

“… She’s now retired to pursue her medical degree full-time. And Natalie Coughlin, a Cal-Berkeley graduate, …”

I assumed that this book was just going to be dedicated to the woman of the work force. I was worried and didn’t really want to read it. After all ~ I was one who voted for George Bush. Now I regret that but I do not regret the fact that I read this amazing book about how to empower women in the corporate world. This is a book that should be read by men and women. It teaches us very valuable aspects to succeed in life and in our jobs. HOWEVER, I just got to the end of the book and was upset to see that there was no where to go from here! It left me with no action plan. However, Smiles to Kathleen for writing this wonderful book!!!

Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide 2008 (Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide) by Leonard Maltin

“… Lena Olin, Omid Djalili, Stephen Greif, Ken Stott, Charlie Cox, Natalie Dormer, Tim Mclnnemy, Leigh Lawson. The amorous bed-hopping lover of 18th-century …”

Have you noticed? There are two versions of this book (the other is Leonard Maltin’s 2008 Movie Guide (Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide (Signet))) and they seem identical except for the price. But there IS another difference: the size! This one is bigger — 8 inches tall instead of 7. That may not sound like much, but it really makes a difference. The two books have exactly the same pages, just at different sizes, and the smaller one’s reduced type is much harder to read. In other words, stick with this one.

Size aside, this is an exhaustive reference work. It lists every movie made from 1960 through early 2007, as well as most major films before then. Each listing has a star rating and short summary of its film as well as key specs (director, major cast, running time and year released) and icons identify whether each film has been released on DVD, videocassette or laserdisc.

There’s also a list of mail order and online sources for obscure titles, and, on the last 57 pages, an index of actors. Want a quick list of every movie ever made by Humphrey Bogart? Reese Witherspoon? Jim Carrey? Here’s where to find them.

Overall, this is a great book for any Natalie Dormer fan.

John Currin by Alison M. Gingeras, Dave Eggers, John Currin, and Gagosian Gallery

These art books are getting crazy, price wise. At least someone is making an effort to publish. (Gagosian who also gave us Saville’s book) This is Currins raisone to date. Kind of odd considering his age. (What an ego trip that must be!) I like him, so it was a must buy for me. The book is large to begin with, 13 x 10. Color wise the reproductions are excellent. I have seen many of these in real life and as best I remember they have done a good job capturing the image. The general layout of the book is such that the main image being shown is on the right side and the image info is on the left. Many times there is also a drawing or photograph showing Currin’s ideas for the painting. It works very well, I thought. Every once in a while there will be a closeup, which there can never be enough for my taste. My beef is that they reproduced some images with far to much margin around the picture. I have to assume based on the sizes of the paintings given that they were trying to keep the ratio of picture to reproducton consistent. What I mean is that I think they were trying to reproduce large paintings larger and smaller paintings smaller. Why, I dont know. Size is ALWAYS a problem for me with art books. The good old days when a publisher would print a horizontal image sideways on the page are long gone. (Heaven forbid we have to turn the book.) Currin doesnt have to many horizontal pictures so its not a big issue. Eggers involvment with the book is in producing a fictional narative of what is occuring in the a few of the images (11 in total). Interesting idea. The two essays are very well written. If you are a Currin fan I think this is a book worth having. Its big and beautiful, even if all of the reproductions arent as large as they could be. If you think you want it, get it now. Im thinking there wasnt a big print run on this one. A big tip of the hat to Gagosian! Thanks snookie!! Keep em comming!!

John Currin by Robert Rosenblum

I had the pleasure of picking up this volume at the opening of Mr. Currin’s American retrospective in Chicago a few years back, and subsequently meeting Mr. Currin. He’s a very quiet and gentle man but you can honestly sense his vast knowledge of painting and the psyche lying just underneath his guy next door-ness. Painting and the psyche is exactly what his work is about. He paints mainly women, in the lushest and most traditional manner you can think of. He paints them in his own twisted version of neo-mannerism using extremely traditional oil painting techniques. Indeed, he’s probably the only painter on the contemporary art scene who’s capable of painting in the manner that he paints, which recalls Raphael, Cranach, and Chardin to name a few. He has a sense of style and color that challenges the greatest masters, but he never runs too far with his talent, he has always maintained an effortless and subtle outrageousness. Imagine if Russ Meyer had let Martha Stewart helm his pictures and you have a John Currin painting. This book is a sublime example of what an artists monograph should be. A terrific and long interview with the artist, a landmark and rare essay by Rosenblum on his favourite topic of figurative painting, and the best colored plates you can imagine, fully recreating the color and freshness of Currin’s paintings. I hate to touch this book because it’s value will undoubtedly increase as the monograph becomes rarer, but I find this impossible because it’s just so terrific and filled with Currin’s imagery and information. This is the definitive John Currin book, and a MUST for any fan of his work.

John Currin Selects by Cheryl Brutvan and John Currin

I have the book in my library but to tell you the truth I was not that impressed with it. Very small physically and not much to it.

Parkett #65 : John Currin, Laura Owens, Michael Raedecker by John Currin, Laura Owens, and Michael Raedecker

Presenting unique and in-depth collaborations and editions with leading contemporary artists, Parkett No. 65 will be published at the end of September 2002, featuring collaborations by three of today’s most exciting mid-career painters: John Currin (USA), Laura Owens (USA), and Michael Raedecker (The Netherlands).

Modern Art, Revised and Updated (Trade) (3rd Edition) by Sam Hunter and John Jacobus

“… John Currin. Thanksgiving. 2003. Oil on canvas, 68 x 52″.

It was a required book for class. I bought it and was very happy with the organization and explanation of the different movements and periods in Modern art.

A World History of Art by Hugh Honour and John Fleming

“… create form. At first glance, the paintings of the American John Currin (h. 1962) are unequivocally figurative. A closer look, however, reveals …“

As a student of fine and decorative art, “A World History of Art” has proved an invaluable resource for me. Unlike so many texts intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of art, this book is fresh and enjoyable, offering a wealth of information in a succinct and articulate manner. It is all too easy to deteriorate into ponderous, heavy prose when discussing the history of art, but Honour and Fleming generally manage to avoid the trap and move steadily and seamlessly through both time and place in discussing the progression of art.

“A World History of Art” is, primarily, an academic text and is therefore a proverbial doorstop of a book - I would not recommend it as a coffee table adornment, but would strongly encourage students or connoisseurs to consider it as a reference. It is an ideal source of general information for the university or postgraduate student, and would serve as an excellent introduction for anyone seeking to study the history of art.

Source: Librivox
Length: 5 hr, 48 min
Reader: rachelellen

The book: In the 1880s, the plains of Nebraska were a forbidding place to make a home. This book, whose title is taken from a Walt Whitman poem, follows one Swedish immigrant family trying to farm the land in the face of drought, sickness, cold, and insects. Yet, one member of the family, the eldest daughter Alexandra, loves this wild land, and so her father wills the farm to her on his deathbed. Around Alexandra swirl the plots of her brothers Oscar and Lou and the tragedy of her youngest brother Emil.

This is a book following three parallel romances. The first, of Alexandra and her childhood friend Carl Lindstrom, is a romance complicated by the calculations of what is prudent. The second, of Emil and the married Marie Shabata, is complicated by passion and jealousy. I believe that the third romance, that between the pioneers and the land that is the most complex. It’s a relationship of brain and heart, comfort and danger, life and death. This is a relationship that we don’t often see with our seemingly tamed land, but it’s what Cather wanted to document before it disappeared.

Rating: 8/10

The reader: Rachelellen reads beautifully. She has a clear American accent that is easy to listen to. Her phrasing and inflection compliments Cather’s flowing prose. The recording has a very slight hiss and a breath on the /s/ sounds, but this is only discernible at high volume. As I mention in my review of her reading Silas Marner, rachelellen is a captivating reader for a story that could be considered boring were it not for her skill in bringing it to life.

In “O Pioneers!”, her classic novel first published in 1913, Willa Cather wrote, “The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.” By revealing to us the hearts of those pioneer immigrants in this book, Cather offers a moving meditation on United States culture and history.

“O Pioneers!” tells the story of a community in Nebraska farm country. Her main character, Alexandra Bergson, is a Swedish immigrant. Cather creates a marvelous portrait of the community and its rich mix of European ethnic groups: Norwegian, Swedish, French, etc. It is especially fascinating to see the multicultural, multiethnic world they created in the United States. Cather also depicts the cultural and linguistic “shift” that takes place along generational lines.

Cather’s story deals with issues of economics, gender roles, and sexuality. In addition to the formidable Alexandra, she creates a cast of compelling characters. And her luminous prose style evokes all of the sensations of Alexandra’s world: the smell of ripe wheat, the chirping of insects in the long grass, the golden play of light in an apple orchard.

But this is Alexandra’s book. She is a great American heroine who reminds me of such beloved characters as Zora Neale Hurston’s Janie (from “Their Eyes Were Watching God”) or Alice Walker’s Celie (from “The Color Purple”). Like those great characters, Alexandra will break your heart, deeply touch your soul, and ultimately leave you feeling richer for having known her.

Finally, as an interesting companion text to “O Pioneers!” try “Anna Christie,” the 1922 play by U.S. writer Eugene O’Neill. O’Neill’s life and career were contemporary with Cather’s, and “Anna Christie,” like “O Pioneers!”, deals with a Swedish immigrant woman in the United States.

The praises of motherhood are sung, especially motherhood which embraces large families for the simple reason that children are blessings. Thankfully, the Nancy Campbell-style legalism (which many believe COMMANDS women to get up off their birthing beds, wake up their husbands and get to work on the next baby) is avoided entirely. “And the Lord BLESSED them….” How did He bless them? With fertility and children. Look up Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 9:1 and decide for yourself. No doubt children are blessings and no doubt having a large family is a wonderful, wonderful blessing to which I can attest (I have five children and would love to have more). However, the emphasis here is upon the reasons children are blessings - to one another and also to their parents who are given opportunity to live a life of selfless giving.

The end of the book appropriately contrasts the impact of the life lived in the light of death. The daughter/protagonist of the virtuous mother has worked for a wealthy, self-absorbed woman whose life is “busy,” but with details which hold no eternal weight. The other woman, the protagonist’s mother, has spent her life in selfless service to her beloved husband and many children. She is happy and content in this, having learned the secret to happiness is living a life in service to others. Although neither woman has died, the daughter/ protagonists imagines the funerals of her mother and her employer in her mind. She then comes to the inexorable conclusion that her wealthy employer would not truly be missed, by her wealthy socialite friends, her husband, or even by her own children. She is not central to their lives or well-being, having abandoned her opportunity to invest herself in them. The book is encouraging and inspiring to those whose vision of selfless parenting is under attack.

Zip file of the entire book (81MB)

Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible by Joseph Telushkin

Other than the Christian Bible (until I read this book, I only thought of THE Bible as exclusively Christian), this is the only book about scripture that I’ve read written by a Jew. I’ve read agnostics, atheists, and Christians views on the Bible, but never the Jewish perspective outside of scripture itself–this was a mistake. Understanding from this perspective has opened my eyes to so many things I found confusing about the Christianity. So many Christians believe that the Old Testament is negligible in its importance, yet Christ reaffirmed the Old Testament teachings again and again.

As for the reviewer that faulted the author in his interpretation of Christian theologies like the godhood of Christ or the Virgin Birth, Christians reading this book need to remember that Rabbi Telushkin is NOT A CHRISTIAN. He is Jewish. He would no more defend the truth of Christianity than Christians would Islam. Yes, we have some common beliefs, but each religion is unique and separated from theological unity by critical, fundamental differences. Understanding this, the rabbi is actually not as harsh about Christianity as he could have been–he simply does not share our beliefs about Christ’s deity, and the book reflects this. Don’t fault him because he’s true to his faith.

I’m sure as with Christian authors, there are Jewish authors who disagree with Rabbi Telushkin. I don’t know if his are the accepted interpretations of Jewish scripture or just personal opinion. Still, I found much of what he had to say so very enlightening that I would not hesitate to recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians. It clarified so many issues for me and did nothing but strengthen my faith in Jesus. I look forward to reading other Jewish authors so that my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will be even stronger.

Law, Legend, and Incest in the Bible: Leviticus 18-20 by Calum M. Carmichael

“… 136 Law, Legend, and Incest in the Bible Biblical authors characterized cultic prostitution as a foreign phe- nomenon. The …”

Interpreting the perennially perplexing sexual regulations of Leviticus 1820 in a radically new way, Calum M. Carmichael offers a key to understanding not only the texts themselves but also the nature of lawgiving throughout the Pentateuch. Carmichael identifies and offers solutions to puzzles such as why the lawgiver explicitly prohibits certain obviously wrongful acts (such as a son’s intercourse with a mother), but not others (such as full brother with sister), why he censures children instead of adults in taboo couplings, and why rules not connected with incest (prohibiting Molech worship and intercourse with a menstruating woman) are included with rules about incest. Reading these laws against the events described in Genesis, Carmichael asserts that the conduct of biblical ancestors–from Lot’s fathering of children with his daughters to Abraham’s marriage to his half-sister–was the inspiration for the incest rules in Leviticus. He maintains that the Levitical codes cannot be separated from their larger narrative framework. Invaluable for biblical interpretation, Carmichael’s approach also has broader applications, clarifying as it does the tendency of lawmakers to formulate general rules in response not to obvious but rather to idiosyncratic problems.

I Am…: Biblical Women Tell Their Own Stories by Athalya Brenner

“… But, in ancient Israel and according to biblical laws, incest with both maternal and paternal sisters is generally prohibited (Lev. …”

Athalya Brenner is Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Roslyn and Manny Rosenthal Distinguished Professor-in-Residence at Brite Divinity School (Fort Worth, Texas). She is general editor of the Feminist Companion to the Bible.

The Oxford History of the Biblical World by Michael D. Coogan

If I ever had to teach a course in Biblical history, this would be the required text. I would also assign Coogan’s excellent “The Oxford Companion to the Bible” (B. Metzger & M. Coogan, eds.; Oxford UP: 1993) as supplemental reading. While “The Oxford Companion” is a one volume encyclopedia of general historical and theological Biblical topics, the “Oxford History” affords the most detailed and systematic (and illustrated) treatment of Biblical history and archaeology of the two. The two works complement each other very well.

“The Oxford History of the Biblical World” is a single volume work of outstanding scholarship and clarity. Thirteen chapters comprise the text (the prologue and epilogue are just as informative as the substantive chapters), each written by prominent experts in ancient Near-Eastern history. There is a consistent unity throughout the chapters despite their disparate authorships. Each chapter is thoroughly steeped in the history, geography, economics, culture and religion of the period. Lavish attention is given to the most current archaeological and etymological findings. There are also copious references to and excerpts of the most important secular texts of the period.

This solid foundation of scholarship gives the work a first-class objectivity. Both traditional and modern conclusions are explored in depth. While certain facts may give rise to multiple conclusions, the authors invariably make plain all available evidence for the reader.

The volume is richly illustrated. Most pictures are in black and white, but with excellent resolution. The 26 beautiful color plates are in the middle of the book. Among the illustrations are diagrams and photos of current archaeological excavations, excellent maps of varying themes and useful tables and charts. Font size is 11 point and 1.5 spaced.

The editors and contributors make Biblical history extremely accessible to the lay reader. This volume, however, does not have footnotes. It does have a select bibliography at the end of each chapter. The text flow is smooth and easy to follow.

No Bible historian should be without it!

Incest and Agency in Elizabeth’s England by Maureen Quilligan

“… the poem necessarily falls more heavily on the trope of incest itself than on the biblical story of the brother and sister couple, Miriam and Moses. …”

Provocative and highly instructive. Quilligan writes a history of women’s authorship that honors the filiation among women without being exclusively feminine, in that she takes into account significant male contributors to the ‘female line.’ Her work effectively combines sophisticated theory with a keen eye for historical detail to show how women authors of the period consolidated their authority as writers through the use of incestuous motifs.Quilligan draws theory from anthropology and French feminism, and detail from history. While her contention that incest (broadly defined) often empowers women as authors may be surprising, her argument is convincing — and she crowns it with a reading of Elizabeth I’s own part in this.

Marriage and Family in the Biblical World by Ken M. Campbell

“… 14:3-4; Lk 3:19). Some Second Temple authors legislate beyond the biblical incest injunctions. The Damascus Document goes further than the biblical listing …”

In this very informative volume six Protestant biblical scholars provide us with almost everything you’ve wanted to know about the institutions of marriage and family in biblical times. The six scholars cover all the territory, with incisive chapters on marriage and family in the Ancient Near East (ANE), in ancient Israel, in Greek society, in Roman society, in Second Temple Judaism, and in the New testament.

Taken together they provide comprehensive coverage of the issues as developed over several thousand years of biblical history. Family life and marriage patterns are expertly covered in detail, as are all the related questions: divorce, sexual ethics, adoption, parenting, abortion, celibacy, children, homosexuality, and gender roles.

Consider the chapter on “Marriage and Family in Ancient Israel” by Daniel Block. This is an excellent example of biblical scholarship combined with social and historical analysis. Block, who has written some excellent biblical commentaries on the book of Judges and the book of Ezekiel, here provides a detailed survey of the Old Testament understanding of marriage and family. It is very-well referenced, with 321 footnotes supplementing the 70 page chapter. All aspects of family life are covered.

His discussion on patriarchy is most illuminating. Block argues that the term itself is misleading, and should be replaced by the term “patricentrism”. This is because the biblical emphasis is on the responsibilities of the husband, not just his privileges and power. Wives, children and even slaves were treated with respect, even if a hierarchy of authority was in order.

Wives especially were not second-class citizens, as some might suppose. Indeed, women were not just property of the husband, with no legal status. Instead, the dignity of the wife is affirmed in the Old Testament, as is her influence in the household. True, examples of male headship being abused appear in the biblical accounts, but they are the exception to the rule.

It is interesting to compare this chapter with Victor Matthews’ chapter on the ANE, to see some contrasts and similarities. He discusses a number of practices which are very much in the news today, including contraception, abortion and homosexuality.

His chapter, along with the chapters on Greek and Roman families, show that although many differences exist, there have been some constants throughout this period. Family life has always been the center of all societies; marriage has been the norm; polygamy was always the exception; and homosexuality was nowhere widely embraced.

The last two articles on Second Temple (intertestamental) Judaism, and the New testament, show a continuation of that established by the Old Testament. Jesus of course, while affirming the traditional understanding of marriage and family, did indicate that his followers comprise a much larger family that in some ways transcends the natural family unit.

Thus in his calls to discipleship, willingness to leave family behind is a hallmark of serious commitment to Christ. Such radical demands do not however mean that Jesus takes a lower view of marriage and family. It is just that the demands of the gospel are to take priority over every aspect of life, no matter how good and noble they may be. Total allegiance to Jesus may mean abandoning more natural ties.

Of course both Peter and Paul will later to go on and reaffirm marriage and family, and even make qualification of leadership in the church dependent on how one rules in his own home. So while the New testament views marriage and family through the lens of God’s kingdom and purposes, it still retains its very high status and calling.

This book is an excellent source of information on all things pertaining to marriage and family in the biblical world. Given the contentious debates surrounding marriage and family today, this book will provide a good historical, social and religious framework with which to judge such discussions.

The Genesis of Justice : 10 Stories of Biblical Injustice That Led to the 10 Commandments and Modern Morality and Law by Alan M. Dershowitz

“… The imperative of motherhood-especially motherhood of biblical leaders-trumps even the rules against incest, as it did when Lot’s daughter raped their father in …”

Never underestimate Alan Dershowitz. That’s a lesson I learned when I was a student of his at Harvard Law School. Just when it seemed like he was cornered, with his argument tattered to ribbons, he would emerge with a counterargument that depended on his first argument being devasted. He had just successfully set-up the other professor (who shall remain nameless here) once again. Since then, I have seen him use the same strategy successfully time and again in many of his most famous cases. He has the nerve to skirt the edge of defeat to grasp victory.

So I was not surprised to see that having taken on the Book of Genesis as his client that a similar strategy prevails here. The book is based on his successful seminar on the same subject which he has recently been teaching at Harvard.

He does a marvelous job of taking a religious text and examining it as a source of legal precedent both in sacred and secular terms. Few would have the nerve, but your understanding of Genesis will be greatly improved as a result. He encourages you, as well as his students, to bring your own religious beliefs to the discussion. He proposes no official interpretations, and shares a diversity of opinions from learned Rabbis and religious thinkers of the Christian and Moslem faiths. In each case, he also shares his own interpretation. If you are like me, you will not always agree with him, but you will be interested to know what he concludes. He undertakes his inquiry in the spirit of a disputatious Hebrew school student who earned rebukes for his impertinent questions about where Cain’s wife came from. He also draws from the Jewish tradition of encouraging the faithful to study the texts for their meaning.

He clearly confronts the contradictions within Genesis through examining 10 stories, one per chapter. In the story of Adam and Eve and the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Professor Dershowitz emphasizes that God changes the deal. Having told Adam that he would die if he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam goes on to live quite a long life. Having never told Eve not to eat from the tree, God punishes her with pain of childbirth and expulsion also. He describes God as having erred in dealing with Adam and Eve. You’ll have to decide for yourself what your interpretation is. The title of the chapter is “God Threatens — and Backs Down.”

Here are the rest of the first 10 chapter titles. They give you a sense of the argument that Professor Dershowitz is building:

Cain Murders — and Walks

God Overreacts — and Floods the World

Abraham Defends the Guilty — and Loses

Lot’s Daughters Rape Their Father — and Save the World

Abraham Commits Attempted Murder — and Is Praised

Jacob Deceives — and Gets Deceived

Dina Is Raped — and Her Brothers Take Revenge

Tamar Becomes a Prostitute — and the Progenitor of David and the Messiah

Joseph is Framed — and Then Frames His Brothers

His basic points in these chapters are that bad things happen to good people and vice versa, that punishment on earth is often disproportionate and inappropriate (such as punishing descendents as yet unborn), and that the rules keep shifting.

Having driven you to the brink of despair about what Genesis means, he then offers his counterargument that all of this is purposeful on God’s part. In chapters 11 and 12, he argues that Genesis is there to set the stage for the Ten Commandments, so show what a world is like without firm and lasting sacred rules that apply to all people at all times. In this context, God’s apparent inconsistency is not so troubling, because it is replaced with the consistency of today. In chapter 13, he argues that a meaningful set of religious rules requires that there be justice in an afterlife. Otherwise, the obvious injustices in this life would leave people disaffected from religion. In chapter 14, he connects each of the Ten Commandments to one of the stories in Genesis. These form both a precedent for principle, as well, as a background for understanding the need for a better rule. He connects these points to secular law, as well.

Those with a Jewish religious education will find the material most familiar. To make the text more available to Christians and Moslems, he adopts the common English translations of the Hebrew for his usual references. Fundamentalist Christians will find an occasional nod in their direction, but will probably not find the information very helpful in many cases. Agnostics and people from religions not based on the Old Testament will find the perspective of creating a legal code primarily relevant to their interests. The modern-day examples of crime and criminals will be appealing to all.

I think any reason to spend more time with God’s word is good, and I applaud Professor Dershowitz for adding another useful perspective to the riot of apparent contradictions in Genesis. Those with faith will feel affirmed. Those without faith may find a pathway closer to that having faith.

After you finish this book, think of your own examples of religious texts that provide confusion in your mind. Then do some reading to better understand what those texts could mean.

Have faith and prosper!

What the Bible “Really” says About Sex: A New Look at Sexual Ethics from a Biblical Perspective by Tom Gruber

“… the taboo most people have been raised with which prohibits incest. In biblical times, …”

This book will challenge many of the evangelical-american paradigms regarding intimacy in human relationships. Many of our paradigms and opinions on sexuality do not come from actual statements in scripture but rather an interpretation of statements in scripture which are quite frequently taken out of historical context. The author does a great job of introducing these texts, placing them in historical context, and giving a layman’s explanation of the exegetics involved.

A criticism of the book is that every chapter seems to leave the reader with questions rather than conclusions (even though there’s a conclusion at the end of each chapter.) This is most probably the author’s intent, but it does place the burden of conclusion squarely on the reader. This will hopefully encourage those who pick up this book to do the research necessary in order to complete the arguments that the author starts.

If you pick up this book, you would do well to do as Paul encouraged the early church to do… search the scriptures yourself to verify what is being said. If you honestly search you will be surprised.

Ungentlemanly Acts: The Army’s Notorious Incest Trial by Louise Barnett

“… 135n Bentzini, Captain Charles, 196, 202, 240 Beulah (Wilson), 114 Biblical tradition and incest, 215-16 Bickler, Jacob, 89 279 …”

In “Ungentlemanly Acts”, author Louise Brooks gives us a history lesson in military law and in the sexual attitudes of polite society in 19th century America. “The army’s notorious incest trial”, in which Captain Andrew Geddes was accused of committing “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman”, took place in 1879 and concerned events that took place at Fort Stockton, in the no-man’s land of the West Texas frontier. Captain Geddes was court-martialed because he had accused a fellow officer, Lieutenant Louis Orleman, of conducting an incestuous relationship with his teenaged daughter, Lillie Orleman. The courtroom drama lasted three months, during which the despotic nature of military law and the obsessive propriety of Victorian society combined to produce what now looks like a bizarre spectacle, indeed, as well as a probable miscarriage of justice. And the scandal didn’t end there. Eventually, even General of the Army William Sherman involved himself in the saga.

Louise Brooks places Geddes’ trial in its social and historical context by delving into the culture’s attitudes towards incest, as evidenced at the time by the Lord Byron-Harriet Beecher Stowe scandal, virginity, and the military’s view of justice and proper conduct. It is interesting to see how 19th century social mores, with all of their contradictions and peculiarities, were so graphically reflected in this one scandalous court-martial. Notorious court cases frequently make excellent eyes through which to see a culture’s less public character. I have to disagree with the author’s assertion in the book’s epilogue that incest continues to be a taboo subject. I think it could be described as a genuine preoccupation in some circles these days. And I question the author’s repeated claim that incest was thought to be so improbable and unnatural that the possibility of its existence was emphatically denied in Victorian society. There is ample evidence to indicate this was the case among the literate middle class -at least in public. But I find it unlikely that incest was so denied among the vast poor and rural populations who did, after all, share beds with their siblings well into their teens and, in many cases, lived on isolated homesteads or farms where they had limited contact with people outside of their own families. My understanding of rural and peasant culture leads me to believe that incest was tacitly acknowledged by most of America while it was being categorically repudiated by polite society. Regardless, Captain Andrew Geddes’ court-martial is a revealing slice of American history, and “Ungentlemanly Acts” does a good job of explaining the context and implications of the case. Recommended to anyone interested in the social history of the United States or in the history of military law and codes of conduct.

Mother-Son Incest: The Unthinkable Broken Taboo Persists; An Updated and Revised Overview of Findings by Hani G. Miletski

I am a psychotherapist and I cannot tell you how many times my male clients who have been sexually abused by their mothers were told this. One man was told this when he confided in his rabbi!

We are a society which does not allow for anyone to talk about about mothers. We see men as perpetrators and women as victims when it comes to sexual issues in general.

There are plenty of mothers who are sexually abusing their sons and daughters. There are at least five books on mothers who have sexually abused their daughters.

There is only one on mothers who sexually abuse their sons–and this is it. A wonderful and brave job to this author.

Thank you for writing this book.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

To call Irene Nemirovksy’s Suite Francaise merely moving would constitute a failure of language. Her work is not only moving, but also haunting, nuanced, and bitter. Considering that Nemirovsky was writing about events in occupied France as they occurred, she is almost supernaturally insightful as to the motivations and feelings of the French and the occupying Boche.

Suite Francaise cannot be read, experienced really, outside of its context and Nemiorvsky’s ultimate fate. Suite Francaise was originally planned to consist of five books, but she had completed (more or less) only two novellas: Storm in June and Dolce. A Jewish Russian immigrant from a well-to-do family, Nemirovsky was an established writer (David Golder, The Ball, Snow in Autumn, The Courilof Affair (Everyman’s Library (Cloth))) when the war began and she fled to the countryside with her husband and two young children. In July 1942 she was arrested and vanished into the Nazi vortex. The story of how her books survived the war before being found and published is well told in the preface to the French edition (included at the end of the Vintage International edition). This volume also includes Nemirovsky’s notes as well correspondence. Do not put this book down without reading all of this additional material.

In `Storm in June’, Nemirovsky describes Parisians’ reactions to the German invasion and focuses primarily on the upper and middle classes with whom she was most familiar. The pictures she paints does very few of the characters much credit. Easy generosity snaps shut once the fleeing realize the extent of their peril. They find that the familiar levers of power no longer function quite so efficiently. Abject fear and growing deprivation reduces nearly everyone to a brutal equality. This commonality proves short-lived as the French army collapses almost immediately and many find their way back to Paris.

`Dolce’ relates life in a French village and the interaction between the inhabitants and the German occupiers. German officers are billeted in the better homes, except for the aristocratic Chateau Montmorts whose owners have reached other accommodations. The story centers on the developing relationship between the German officer Bruno and Lucille Angellier. Nemirovsky deftly explores the conflicting human feelings. In Dolce, Nemirovsky implicitly accepts human needs and emotions sometimes lead to less than ideally honorable conduct.

Oddly, Jews are the missing piece of Suite Francaise, but Nemirovsky planned to include them in the third book, `Capitivity’, which of course was never written due to her own captivity and death in Auschwitz.

Suite Francaise became a literary phenomenon upon publication in 2006. Remarkably, the book actually exceeds the hyperbole. Highest recommendation.

French Stories / Contes Français (A Dual-Language Book) by Wallace Fowlie

Each first-year student at the University of California must fulfill the Subject A Requirement. This requirement has evolved since its inception at UC in 1897-98: now many high school students may fulfill it through College Board Sat-II Writing test scores or Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in English scores. However, if you happen to be one of 16,000 students each year who takes the Subject A Exam on the morning of the second Saturday in May, you will be given a prose passage of some 700-1000 words to read and analyze. Then you will be expected to “write an essay responding on a single topic based on the passage’s content. The topic is one of two general kinds: one focusing almost exclusively on the reading passage itself, and the other encouraging students to draw upon their knowledge and personal experience.” So what does _French Stories/Contes Français_ have to do with passing this dreaded exam?

That May morning, as I squirmed in my seat in labyrinthine Dwinelle Hall, I settled on this topic: “The Use of Irony in a Short Story.” Somehow, I recalled the final story from _French Stories/Contes Français_: “L’Hôte,” by Albert Camus (1913-1960). “L’Hôte” (The Guest) is one of six stories from his _L’Exil et le Royaume_ (1957–the same year he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature). Editor Wallace Fowlie gives this brief synopsis: “The scene of the story is set on a high plateau of Algeria. An Arab has killed a man in a family quarrel, and he is brought to the schoolteacher who is to take him to prison in the next town. The story is constructed around a dramatic irony which forms the conclusion.” Without giving anything away, allow me to tell you, if you do not already know, that “l’hôte” has two meanings in French: “host” and “guest.” French is that kind of language: nuance and double-entendre abound.

After one year of formal French instruction, _French Stories/Contes Français: A Dual Language Book_ became my constant companion. I loved how I could read these ten short stories in French while I covered up the English translations on facing pages. If I stumbled over an unfamiliar word, I could peek, or I could look it up in the small vocabulary section at the end of the book. Since then, I have re-read this “French Reader” many times.

_Contes_ displays no overarching unity, for it is but a sampling of some of the best short stories from 200 years of French Literature. In chronological order, here is the listing of the stories and their authors: “Micromégas” (Micromegas) by Voltaire (1694-1778), “a philosophical tale written in 1752 . . . obviously imitating Swift’s ‘Gulliver’s Travel’s’ “; “La Messe de l’Athée” (The Atheist’s Mass) by Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), illustrates the passion of “one of the most prolific writers in French literature, and one who has created the largest number of characters.”

Next is “La Légende de Saint Julien l’Hospitalier” (The Legend of St. Julian the Hospitaler) by Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880). This story, one of a volume of three stories (Trois Contes), was written by Flaubert in 1877, twenty years after _Madame Bovary_. “La Légende” differs from this earlier masterpiece because “[i]t is far from being a realistic study of contemporary life . . . .[but rather] it is the attempt to reconstruct medieval customs and characters.”

A “dark” favorite of mine, poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) follows with “Le Spleen de Paris (trois poèmes en prose)” (The Spleen of Paris (Three Poems in Prose)), first published posthumously in 1869. These three works, “Le Vieux Saltimbanque” (The Old Clown), “Le Joujou du Pauvre” (The Poor Boy’s Toy), “La Corde (A Édouard Manet)” (The Rope (To Edouard Manet)) introduced the new genre, or “literary form,” of the prose-poem in France. The editor, Professor Wallace Fowlie of Duke University, stated that these prose-poems were “apologues or fables representing a moral truth.”

Other stories are “Meneut” (Minuet) by Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893); “Mort de Judas” (Death of Judas) by Paul Claudel (1868-1955); “Le Retour de l’Enfant Prodigue” (The Return of the Prodigal Son) by André Gide (1869-1951); “Grand-Lebrun” (Grand-Lebrun) by François Mauriac (1885-1970); and “Le Passe-Muraille” (The Passer-Through-Walls) by Marcel Aymé (1902-1967). “L’Hôte” ends the collection.

Fowlie’s introductions to each story are succinct summations of each author’s philosophy and purpose. He offers a few pages of endnotes and a “questionnaire en français” for each text. _French Stories/Contes Français_ is a book to be savored and studied. I recommend it to beginning students of the French language as well as to those who wish to refresh their memory of French literature.

Les Francais (3rd Edition) by Laurence Wylie and Jean-Francois Briere

Les Francais by Laurence Wylie is worth its textbook price for the serious intermediate student of French. Meticulously edited so that its material is coherant, demanding and ultimately accessible, it offers intelligent and objective commentary on the history and current trends of contemporary French culture. As an adult student of French language (and hence to some degree an autodidact) I hesitated before buying the book, partly due to its price and partly due to my concern that a textbook might not be useful outside a classroom environment. Yet among all the useful books on French language and culture I’ve bought, it’s probably the best value and the best use of my time I’ve encountered.

Grammaire Progressive Du Francais: Ave 400 Exercises by Cle and Eugene Collilieux

This challenges you to figure out French from the first–as a native speaker did. No English, but you can deduce what to do with just a little effort and common sense. My French friend recommended it–she teaches adults privately, and it is excellent!

Talk Dirty French: Beyond Merde: The curses, slang, and street lingo you need to Know when you speak francais (Talk Dirty) by Alexis Munier and Emmanuel Tichelli

This book is a true MUST for the lovers of the French language! You need to have an open mind, a good basic knowledge of French and this book will help you to prepare your speech for fun or for a travel abroad. I found that the use of the book enhanced my vocabulary, and was easy to follow. I could use my Dirty French is public, or I can use it in France. (which I did and I was met with stares of “wow, she has studied”)

Le Testament Francais by Andrei Makine

The book is well written. I have read the French, the Finnish and the English versions and I do admire all these works. The story is beautiful and at the end sensitive, too. The differences between 2 cultures come clearly up.

Angela Merkel (Modern World Leaders) by Clifford W. Mills and Arthur Meier Schlesinger

Angela Merkel by Gerd Langguth

Angela Merkel: Eine politische Biographie by Wolfgang Stock

Angela Merkel. by Gerlinde Wiencirz

Publisher: Hoffmann + Campe Vlg GmbH (December 31, 2003)

Angela Merkel by Jacqueline Boysen