Writers Books

Sadly, this work is out of print. But if you can find a copy, it is well worth your time, particularly if you enjoy epic poetry. While it is not equal to Homer, Virgil, or Ovid, Emperor Shaka the Great: A Zulu Epic is easily superior to such works as The Song of Roland or The Nibelungenlied, and it deserves a much wider audience.

The introduction provides an informative summary of Shaka's life, ambitions, military innovations, and political achievements. It also provides a brief discussion of the Zulu oral tradition in transmitting stories. Unfortunately, the introduction lacks a technical discussion of Zulu poetry. For example, we don't know how the original epics were constructed. Where they songs, rhyming couplets, blank metered verse, or what? It would have been nice to learn how the stories were structured in their original language, how Kunene rendered them into Zulu, and what challenges the he had in translating them to English.

The story itself covers Shaka's entire life, including the prophecy of his birth and rise to greatness; his illegitimate birth; his lonely childhood in exile; his rise as a creative and innovative soldier; his eventual kingship; his numerous battles to rid his lands of outlaws, to build an empire, and to stabilize Zululand; his dealings with white settlers; his internal struggles with jealous familial rivals; and his tragic assassination.

Kunene's language is superb. It is artful, colorful, and lively. The imagery is always strong, and the characters are vivid and memorable. Kunene is as his finest when he meditates on the nature of ambition, power, obligation, and doubt. These reflections on human nature are what elevate the poem from a cultural artifact to a story of universal importance. Kunene really knows his craft. Like all good writers, he shows us that people have the same cares and motivations everywhere, regardless of time, place, and culture.

There is one thing I didn't like. This is where my cultural bias comes in. To me, the work suffers considerably from its frequent "praise poems." Hardly a page goes by where someone isn't "singing Shaka's epics" or "reciting poems of Shaka's excellence." They add little to the work, except to emphasize their importance to Zulu culture. Perhaps sensing how they bog down the story, Kunene's introduction mentions that praise poems are an essential part of Zulu culture, and their inclusion was necessary to preserve the flavor of the original Zulu oral epics. He also points out that he edited them liberally to make them more accessible to Western readers. Be that as it may, the praise poems easily add 100 pages of filler without greatly enhancing the story. If you find yourself skimming through them, don't worry. You won't miss much. I read all of them carefully, thinking some of them were important to the story. Only a few were, and they were near the end of the book.

A pronunciation guide of some of the key names and places would have been nice, too. I don't know about you, but my pronunciation of Zulu names is a bit rusty...

Even so, this is a marvelous work. It is worth reading simply for the poetic language and the razor-sharp insights into human nature. The bonus is that Shaka is a character worthy of an epic. He was a titan among men. When you read his story, you get a great sense of what the Zulu civilization was like at its peak, under a brilliant, ambitious, and charismatic leader. Read it, and learn why the Zulus still sing Shaka's praises.

Mazisi Kunene's penchant for history is alive in this collection. As a scholar of Zulu literature, it is no surprise that Kunene is able to present the story/legend of Shaka in poetic language that is both engaging and skillfully constructed. Also, Kunene's brilliant execution of folklore, myths, images and metaphors affords the reader a rare opportunity of experiencing his virtuoso and visionary commitment. Inspiring!!
--Dike Festus Okoro
Milwaukee, WI USA

Mazisi Kunene, the great Zulu Poet, relates the story of Emperor Shaka from various oral sources. This is an excellent read and very enlightening account of the Shakan times.

This book is unique among many others in African history. This is the story of Shaka translated directly from Zulu oral history into English. I felt as if I were in the time of Shaka in a way that I never felt from reading other histories of Africa. This book made me realized that my perception of Africa needed looking into. I always approached books about African history as if I were going to a place and time that is inherently alien. Then I read "Shaka," and because it was the current events, or at least recent history, to the historians of the day, the events and characters are reported as the stories of men and women, and I realized that I was not reading "African" history -- I was reading World history, and there is only one history.

This story stands shoulder-to-shoulder with other great first-hand accounts of history and warfare for military accuracy (not that I've attempted to re-trace the route of Shaka's campaigns for accuracy!): the Pelopennesian War, the Punic Wars, the campaigns of Napoleon.

This history, insofar as it is verbal and just happened to be transcribed, is also a very long poem, and the instances of poetic adornment are many, but bear them! for they are as much a part of the story as what they describe. And don't skip over the reflections on the application of the power of the king and political philosophy. For the non-African, these are essential to beginning to understand African (or at least Zulu) aesthetics and philosophy.

A must-read (not just a must-OWN, by the way) for the casual student or scholar of history, African or otherwise.

After finishing Gornick's excellent book, I could not help feeling something grating against my sensibilities. The analysis was flawless, the insight superb, even profound. I spent several hours working the thing through my skull and writing things down to put in order what it was that made me uneasy with Gornick's final proclamation that love (romantic, traditional marriage, etc.) no longer serves as a viable metaphor for the making of literature. And even then, after hours of this, I still could not put my finger on it. Reading the Kirkus Review, I found myself even further perplexed. Kirkus says: "Her governing idea is this: Love, sexual fulfillment, and marriage are now exhausted as the metaphorical expressions of success and happiness." Herein lies, I think, part of the problem: I have no trouble agreeing with Gornick that romantic love, marriage, and sexual fulfillment hold little or no true source of success and happiness in and of themselves, both in our time and, I would say, in any time. In this sense, they no longer serve us well as "metaphors" of happiness, as Kirkus notes. However, this is not the extent of Gornick's conclusion, and a somewhat misleading way of describing it. Kirkus fails to continue on to the final idea that not only are these things (romantic love, marriage, sexual fulfillment) not viable metaphors for success and happiness in our lives--they are no longer viable metaphors for the creation of literature as well. In this, I find myself disagreeing with Gornick. In my mind, this is akin to declaring ANY subject an unviable metaphor for the creation of literature. Are we to cease writing of marriage and romantic love simply because the rules have changed and the meanings of these things have shifted with cultural and societal changes? I think the very fact that this marvelous book exists--a book of powerful, insightful literature dealing with our perception and understanding of romantic love, marriage, etc. (both real and literary)--threatens to undermine its whole premise. With dazzling skill and analysis, Gornick proves (perhaps despite herself) that there IS something left to say about love, and that great literature can still arise from an examination of love, and from the metaphor of love. Her love affair with words, her love affair with love, with literature--we see it, we feel it, even if Gornick makes the choice to ignore it and allow the intellectual discourse to play itself out to its solid, logical, somewhat "cold" conlusion (love as mere "necessity?" Eating, sleeping, defecating--these are necessity; surely love is something more than simple necessity...). In the end, Gornick's style, form, language, insight--these become the elements of that great, constant love affair which will always define and drive and sustain literature: the love affair between author and audience.

This series of essays reads like wonderful short stories, each about a writer's life and work, as it hones in on the central insight that compelled each one. While its final thesis may prematurely sound the death knell of the genre, it is gently and intelligently argued, and every page is full of insight and delight, conveyed in compact, amusing, speedy sentences. Great beach reading.

Vivian Gornick is like the best English professor you ever had--or never had. Her short, cogent essays on women writers and female literary characters will send you back to a rereading of Kate Chopin, Willa Cather, Jean Rhys and others. Vivian Gornick explores the lack of options and choices for women in the past--what was there beyond love and marriage?--and the failure of this thinking for women in the present day, both in life and in literature. She is a feminist who writes without jargon or any academic pretentiousness. I recommend this as literary criticism of the highest order.

The essays in this small book on literature, women, and writing are short and simply written, and yet full of the excitement of thought and the importance of literature to our psyches. Gornick made me want (and plan) to read or re-read the books she talks about.

This is simply one of the best books of essays I've encountered in years. Thank you, Vivian Gornick.

Oliver's "A To Z" joins Michael Reynolds' "Hemingway, The Final Years," as one of the two or three really valuable books to be issued or reissued in this, the centennial year of Hemingway's birth. As a Hemingway scholar, former editor of "The Hemingway Review" and a dealer in collectible Hemingway editions, Oliver is eminently suited to the task of preparing what amounts to a Hemingway encyclopedia. Casual readers of Hemingway's work and Papa aficionados will find equal value in this book. It is particularly refreshing to have a volume such as this one that confines itself to the facts of the life and the (reasonable) scholarly conjectures regarding the text and subtext of Hemingway's books and short stories. To his credit, Oliver doesn't feel compelled to include listings for Duff Twysden or Harold Loeb, citing them as "obvious" inspirations for certain fictional characters who crop up in a certain Hemingway novel released in the mid-Twenties. One caveat: Given the fact that this book is intended as a reference volume - and therefore a book to be consulted more than once - it is lamentable such a thin grade of paper was chosen (blame the publisher, not Oliver). Therefore, take durability where you can find it and buy the hardback edition.

Concordance like in nature, Oliver's "Ernest Hemingway: A to Z" is one of those books that should always be within arm's reach. It contains detailed plot summaries not only for all of Hemingway's novels, but also his short stories, nearly 50 b&w photos of Ernest in all his glory, a Hemingway family tree, an extensive bibliography of works by and about Hemingway, a list of film, stage, television, and radio adaptations of Hemingway's work, and a Hemingway chronology. Oliver deserves great praise for this invaluable contribution to Hemingway scholarship.

Charles M. Oliver. Ernest Hemingway A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work.

Facts on File. Jun. 1999. c.411p. illus. index. ISBN 0-8160-3467-2. $50. LIT

All things Hemingway here are dissected and rearranged alphabetically, from that magic elixir "absinthe" to bullfighter "Zurito"-2500 cross-referenced entries in all, although oddly the phrase "the true gen" is absent. The book also includes several top-notch appendixes of maps, a Hemingway family tree, a chronology and dateline, a bibliography, a complete list of his writings with publication history, and an index. An absolute gold mine for Hemingway aficionados that is long overdue.--Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"

Charles Oliver has put together a remarkable reference book for both Hemingway fans and scholars alike. As the title suggests, this is a truly "essential" book for the serious student studying Hemingway's life or his work. It includes summaries of all the novels, all the stories, many of his newspaper and magazine articles and a wealth of biographical and historical information. The book also has one of the finest bibliographies of Hemingway and Hemingway-related works available. On top of all this is a wonderul, easy-to-read timeline of Hemingway's life and the important events which helped shape the work of this century's most enduring author.

I bought this book without realizing it was a book of poetry. I then compounded my error by taking it on vacation with me. When I opened it and found it was poetry, I thought the start of my vacation was ruined.

Until now, I've avoided poetry like the plague, but when I gave in and forced myself to read it I was moved, touched, and taught by Rash's great poems. Not a bad one in the bunch.

I really, really look forward to reading the two other books I bought of his at the same time: Chemistry and Other Stories and a novel, The World Made Straight.

Even if you think you don't like poetry, you'll love this book.

Wayland Stallard

This chilling collection of poems takes us back to a wonderful place. A childhood of mill houses, cotton fields,and cotton mills. A place where a man would burn his lungs and lose his soul. These tragic poems by my boyhood friend Ron Rash allow me to see where I came from and how far I have to go.I encourage everyone with a soul to buy this book..

Ron Rash has invoked the memories of my childhood, the town I left so long ago, and the memories of friends and their families. I was immediately transported to the envrirons of Chester, SC and put in touch with the people I knew growing up.

If you grew up in any one of the small southern mill villages, this book will be your transportation to the past. If you were not so fortunate, this book will paint you an accurate portrait of the times and people.

For the uninitiated, "Eureka" is pronounced you-RICK-er (accent on the middle syllable)or, at least that's how my Daddy (Southerners of my generatuion always call their male parent Daddy)always pronounced it,

Congratulations Ron, you have a winner!

Rash's work really deserves a larger audience. He has a command of language and image sadly lacking in too many contemporary poets, and he has a compassion for his subject matter that is even rarer.

Rash's work is neither too personal nor esoteric. He is concerned with recording, in verse, the lives of men and women who would otherwise be forgotten. His subject matter is COMMUNITY, as one would expect from a Southerner. In this case he writes of the Carolina millworkers in the early part of the twenthieth century who literally turned their lives off to the cotton mill bosses and submitted themselves to lives of heat, early hours, drunken sprees, boredom, and lint-inflicted disease and death.

In many ways EUREKA MILL is a novel in verse. Rash certainly has a novelist's eye for detail, nuance, characterization, and place. And there are also great affinities to the Twelve Southerner's I'LL TAKE MY STAND. EUREKA MILL provides a kind of verse correlative for the essays in that classic work. Mass industrialism has forced people off the land and out of the lives they have known for generations and has left them with...what? Alienation, bitterness, and early death.

A powerful volume, worthy of a wider readership.

In many ways, "Working with Words" differs little from other grammar books. It accomplishes its task very well, though. A highlight of this book has to be its organization. The book is divided into 11 chapters and 4 appendixes. All the basics are covered: sentences, phrases and clauses; the parts of speech; punctuation, etc. Other sections cover tight writing, muddled language and "sexism, racism and other '-isms.'"

But the absolute best parts of this book are the lists and appendixes. "What to Tighten A-Z" offers a quick guide to getting rid of phrases that are wordy, redundant or cliche. "Confused words" helps you decide whether to use continual or continuous, fortuitous or fortunate among many others. Sections on common mistakes and frequently misspelled words also help you avoid errors. But my favorite section has to be the one called "One word, two words or hyphenated?" It is a fabulously quick and easy reference.

This is simply the best single text on writing. It is well written and clear. It covers all the aspects of mechanics that are necessary for good writing. It also gives the necessary teaching about proper grammar. There are many good (as well as confusing) books on the market about this topic, but, for me, this is the "writing bible." I have multiple copies of this book so I can loan them out from time to time, but I also have a personal copy at home as well as at work that no one gets to "touch" except me. I recommend this text to all my students.

I first bought Working With Words in 1991 as a journalism student at University of Missouri, where the authors are profs. This book is as responsible for preparing me for my current job as section editor at a major metropolitan newspaper as was any class I ever took.

Executives, assistants, sales reps -- anyone who needs to write and speak like an intelligent human being -- should own this book.

The first thing I do when get a new copy editor is buy them a copy of Working with Words. Buy one yourself and you'll be amazed at how much you don't know.

BTN, Chicago Tribune, MU BJ '92

I haven't found a better one yet. Not that you'd want to curl up with it, or anything. The most useful part is the chapter on "-isms" by Jean Gaddy Wilson.

Imagine my suprise as a college journalism student to discover the racist term "spearchucker" was NOT considered OK for publication. Really? It said right there in the "S" section: "Do not use." And you know what? That stuck with me. I've written thousands of articles and have never used it once. But it ain't just racism that's covered. Get ready to learn how to control your inherent ageism, you durn kids. "Well-preserved," for instance, is an "offensive phrase applied to women and senior citizens; avoid." Also, "without rhythm," is a stereotype that implies whites can't dance, which angers me, a white man who can really cut a rug. On the other hand, "with rhythm" is also defined as an offensive stereotype for African-Americans, implying they are able to dance, and to dance well. This leaves me confused. Is it good or bad to have rhythm? Should we just avoid the whole topic of rhythm? I suppose so.

Other specified terms to avoid: buxom, foxy, fragile, full-figured, wetbacks, wench, white bread, wheat bread (just kidding, you can use wheat bread) trollop, tart, loose woman, hussy, wop, dago, working man, workmen's comp.

Yep, you read it right. A newspaper lede that reads, "ROME--The Wop president yesterday sacked four top cabinet officials as his government came under increasing attack for blah blah blah....." just doesn't cut it in the professional world of journalism.

Thanks to this fine book, there will no longer be any confusion about that.

(This text refers to the 1993 ed.)

...a book like this one.

Whether your research needs are in the areas of government, law, culture, history, business, statistics, or verifying quotes and attributions, Metter shows you where to find what you're looking for. She presents access to multiple formats (phone numbers, print publications, CD-ROM, Web and/or subscription data base information) together rather than separately, so that under any heading you instantly have a variety of research approaches at your command. Metter is a recipient of the Excellence in Librarianship Award. It's easy to see why.

Anyone who does research knows librarians are invaluable, friendly, knowledgeable research assistants. Metter takes this happy cliché to a new level. Her "Research Techniques and Strategies" chapter is a straightforward education in and of itself. If you've been baffled by Boolean searches and twitipated by telnet, Metter sets you straight. Whether it's using search engines effectively, learning to tap into The Library of Congress online, interviewing distant experts or making the best use of your local library's interlibrary loan facilities, you'll find clear directions. With Facts, you'll spend less time learning how to do the research and more time doing it. What a relief it is to encounter inclusive research advice that doesn't raise the Internet to levels divine, but treats it as a tool for accessing the wide variety of available resources.

As a former English teacher and devoted library aficionado, I thought I knew a thing or two about research. Perusing "Facts" was a lesson in humility. A boon for writers, but also a great gift for students, teachers and anyone on your list who'd like to know how to find out what they don't know...

This book has eliminated the needle-in-the-haystack search for both obvious & obscure facts. The author must surely be familiar with the frustration of having to interrupt a writing flow in order to search hi & lo for facts that oftentimes refuse to be found. Can't imagine how much time this book is saving me on research - my guess is tons!

This book would be of use to anyone who wants to learn how to find information more efficiently. It goes beyond the Internet, which is helpful. Quite a variety of Web addresses and phone numbers.

With FACTS IN A FLASH, Metter brings hope back to writers who, like me, are completely dumbfounded about finding accurate facts and information on a given subject. Even having access to the Internet, as full and wonderful as it is, is no substitute for the help to substantiate information that this reference provides. This book will put an end to fighting time for the sake of reference. I would highly recommend FACTS IN A FLASH to students who spend a great deal of time on research and to anyone who writes.

English is a reasonably (or, more accurately, an unreasonably) complex language. I remember being told while in college that if all the rules of English were put into one volume the size of a phone book, the exceptions to those rules would take up three dozen volumes of the same size. Having been a user of my native tongue for many years and having visited and spoken with other people in other languages, I find this to be entirely an earned characterization. Further, that elusive thing we call communication often fails - even when both the speaker and listener are grounded in the same language. Everyone uses language in their own idiosyncratic manner - perhaps none more so than I, myself! Consequently, what often passes for communication is at least one or more misunderstandings, mistaken presumptions and differing interpretations of what was said, heard and meant. Add to that the inclusion of words and phrases transposed into our own vernacular from other modern tongues and you have, at once, the raison d'etre for the volume at hand, The Facts On File Dictionary Of Foreign Words and Phrases.

English, as we insist on calling the language many of us speak here in the United States (much to the chagrin of the English!) is a language made up from bits and pieces of many other languages and, over centuries of changing linguistic needs, cultural shifts and natural colloquial and semantic evolution that have combined to promote ongoing change. What once were foreign phrases are now accepted elements of our very own as documented by their inclusion in the ever expanding Oxford English Dictionary. The sole purpose of language is to either accomplish or obfuscate communication. Effective communication is certainly more apt to occur if more of the words and terms used are understood, generally, in common between speakers and listeners. The elements of other, particularly other modern languages makes this goal all-the-more challenging.

Martin H. Masner is an Englishman who has compiled a few other dictionaries including the Zondervan Dictionary of Bible Themes, Wordsworth Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, and the Learner's Dictionary of English Idioms.

This book is arranged alphabetically, beginning with abacus and ending with zombie with several hundred words and expressions of foreign source that have found their way into some more-or-less common American and English utilization. Each entry includes a definition of the word or phrase in English, the language of origin, the meaning in the original language (a particularly enlightening and frequently entertaining revelation), the part of speech, the correct pronunciation and examples of quotations to illustrate usage.

This is one of those books that is not intended as a volume to sit and read through as one would a good novel or history. Rather, it is exactly what it's title suggests - it is a dictionary - a reference work intended to be available when you want or need to look something specific up. On the other hand, some of the entries are SO engaging, that I have gone through most of it by leaving it around and picking it up, opening it to random pages, and reading a few entries whenever the mood strikes me. Over the space of a month or so, in this fashion I managed to read most of it. I will cite a couple of examples, though I don't think that any chosen sampling really captures the total impact of this volume. However, to satisfy the needs of those who do require specific examples, try these:
meum et tuum (then spelled phonetically with symbols), LATIN [mine and yours] noun phrase legal term for the principal of private property., or
corniche (again, spelled phonetically) FRENCH [from cornice], noun a coastal road built along the edge of a cliff and often commanding panoramic views: "I can't very well ride out alone. A solitary amazon swallowing the dust and the salt spray of the Corniche promenade would attract too much attention (Joseph Conrad, The Arrow of Gold, 1919.)
Now that's a far cry from the molding around the top of the walls where they join the ceiling in your living room, N'est pas?

This book will not be everyone's cup of tea, but to lovers of language and valuers of clear communication, it has a good deal to offer. Handy, in it's own admittedly odd way.

I ordered this item for my father, who needed it for reference and crosswords. He was very happy with it and it arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. I have never had a bad experience with Amazon. My husband orders books from them all the time too.

As a writer, I'm often forced to turn to foreign words or phrases to express my ideas. The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases has been indespensible in my search for just the right word or phrase. The clear and concise definitions are easy to follow and each entry is followed by the country of origin which I find particularly helpful.

Non-writers will enjoy this book as well. Filled with interesting information, Manser has given the world a great resource and a new means for expanding our vocabularies.

This is another fine reference from the Facts on File Writer's Library, and is a terrific resource for writers, readers, students and teachers.

Phrases are listed alphabetically, and each entry includes the pronunciation, etymology, grammatical information, definition, examples, abbreviations, derivatives, and cross-references. The book concludes with an index that organizes entries by language.

The print is clean and I was able to find most of the phrases in which I was interested, but with only 4000 entries there are gaps; you will find actuall foreign phrases such as pas de deux, but you will also find Americanized foreign words like parole, so it isn't always clear what you will find here and what you won't, but words and phrases that are here are given a nice treatment. Useful if not exhaustive.

What do C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Twain, William Morris, George MacDonald, Washington Irving, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all have in common? They all have written fantasy novels/stories in one form or another, and in one type or genre or the other.

This massive book gives an excellent detailed history of Fantasy fiction, including the writings of all the authors mentioned above. Moreover, the text is accompanied by some great illustrations, actual book covers, magazine covers, and art all aiding in the detail of the history presented.

This book is quite thorough in its history, making mention of classics such as the Iliad and Odyssey, Greek, Roman, Celt, and German mythology, as well as Arthurian mythology and tales. What is more, the book details fantasy fiction from the early 1900's to the present day (the actual date of publication for this book).

There are chapters devoted to the Pulps written from the early teens to the late fifties. H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and many more are detailed in the Pulp section of this work. The book also details what is known as 'High Fantasy' with works by Tolkien, Lewis, Terry Brooks, Peter Beagle, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and the like. All have works that are either historical sword and sorcery set in imaginary worlds with hybrid creatures, dwarfs, elves, warriors and the like. A genre which has become so popular that it dominates the fantasy market today.

This book is a must for all fantasy fiction fans, collectors of fantasy novels and old pulp magazines, as well as for those who just love reading history and fantasy. The book is over 250 pages, filled with color art work, reads quite well and keeps the reader's attention throughout, all making it a wonderful addition to any library.

This is a very interesting book. I think the illustrations are easily enjoyed by collectors, enthusiasts and just the average reader alike.

The commentary in addition to the images really gave depth to the Illustrated History. In addition, the formatting of the book, having sections for different strains of the fantasy genre, was very convenient.

Overall, a very fun and visually stimulating book.

Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding fantasy reference guide which should be a 'must' for any serious collector and reader. From the earliest fantasy mythology epics to later publications and modern authors from H. Rider Haggard to Robert Howard, Fantasy Of The 20th Century surveys the major publications of the 20th century. A highly recommended reference, this is packed with color photos and insights alike.

Solid fans of fantasy writing and the genre's history will appreciate Randy Broecker's Fantasy Of The 20th Century, a superbly presented survey of fantasy creators and their worlds. Full-page color photos of fantasy publications from magazines to pulp fiction accompany a coverage of notable authors, plots, and series titles alike. This will prove an especially inviting gift for that avid fan who 'has everything'.

A woman discovers love and the subsequent loss for the first time in her life, a heart-wrenching journey. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Shriver's work.

I read this book when it first came out and I loved it. I lent my copy to a friend, and for years it remained absent from my bookshelf. I came across it again in a second-hand shop and bought it to reread. It is as good the second time around. The characters are so real, and you can easily imagine how each one came to the exact point in their lives where paths cross in the story. I can't believe this book hasn't gotten more attention over the years. A classic in my library. Don't miss it!

Lionel Shriver's first published book (that I know of and I've been looking) that is not as tightly written as her later "The Bleeding Heart", about an older woman with power falling in love with a younger man and the reaction of her longtime assistant, friend, admirer, Errol. Explores the subtle power play in personal relationships. As with all her books the characters are well developed, the prose tight and flowing. Definitely worth reading

This novel centers around the larger-than-life Gray Kaiser, a queenly anthropologist who is famous for stumbling upon a previously unknown aboriginal culture in the heart of the jungle. What makes her famous is that another white person stumbled upon them first, Charles Corgie, a handsome charlatan who had the tribe believing he was a god. Instead of blowing Corgie's cover, Gray stayed on in the village as his co-goddess and observed the interplay until the bitter end. (This episode is deserving of a book in its own right, and I was disappointed that it was only a few chapters.)

In late middle age, the eternally youthful Gray is firmly established in the university system, queen of all she surveys, worshipped as a goddess by her assistant, Erroll. Then Raphael Sarasota enters the picture. Through this young man who looks so much like Corgie, Gray is able to unleash her sexual fantasies and finally finds that she actually needs another human being. A large part of the narrative is made up of Erroll's clever fantasies about Gray and Raphael. Raphael uses and discards Gray, who is painfully oblivious despite everyone's warnings. Ms. Shriver again masterfully describes the inner workings of a difficult, perhaps even unlikable, character. For another fabulously written character study, read WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.

This book is not as compelling as "Incest", but it's still Anais: still burning, still feeling, still wholly human, with all flaws and wishy-washiness included. But again, I warn away people who may not be down with heavily sexual content. If you are, though...

"This is not a lie. I was starting to tell lies and struck a truth! Very often I tell lies that are deeply true."
-Anais Nin, January 17, 1937

Diary opening with a visit to New York accompanying Dr Otto Rank. Searches for release from Rank. Back to Paris, Henry, Hugh, and to find Gonzalo More. Desriptions of interior worlds built for Hugh, Gonzalo, and Henry. Beautiful. Houseboat on the Seine, "Nanankepichu", Villa Seurat, Louveciennes.

As follower of Anais' Diaries (expurgated or not) and her novels I would like to express my admiration and my curiosity for her amazing literature and her rare personality, motivated again by "Fire". I believe that Anais was able to enjoy sex simultaneously with several men, each one of them however, playing an appropriate , no transferable, role: Hugh (husband),Joaquin Nin (father-lover),Eduardo Sanchez (cousin-brother), Henry Miller (friend-lover), Gonzalo More (lover-friend) and others. Occidental society usually attribute this promiscuous behavior only to men.As Anais shows, this may happen also among ladies, perhaps more often than accepted . Indeed, these "faults" may be heavily damned and punished by society when perpetrated by ladies. Probably Anais was the first woman , brave and courageous enough , to describe her own experiences and feelings about eroticism and sensuality written from a female point of view. Actually, looking at her inner mirror she describes herself with delicacy , ever avoiding disgusting pornography. I believe that Anais spent her life searching a Big One Love . As a result she found many "Love" and many Lovers . The sum of them never reached totality. Her Love was her fantasy and her invention, hence endless and inaccessible. On the other hand, in this and other books Anais masterly present unknown, almost domestic features and characteristic of the personality of several men and ladies who were outstanding representatives in art, literature, theatre, politics as Neruda, Alberti, Dali, Allendy, Rank, Gore and others.

Anais Nin was raised a devout Catholic and to earn her family's love she was expected to be demure, self-sacrificing, hard-working, and chaste. When her father abandoned the family she assumed, as children sometimes do, that he had left because she wasn't "good" enough. She played the role of "good girl" for twenty years in response. Then all hell broke loose.

What I believe is different about FIRE is that it reveals Anais's explorations and experiementation with her inner "bad girl" in a way that she had only just begun in HENRY AND JUNE and INCEST. In it she is still married to Hugh and involved with Henry Miller, but in FIRE she has a relationship with the famous analyst Otto Rank that takes some treacherous twists and turns. Her writing is as wonderful as ever. For the Nin fan, this diary is yet another must-read.