Elizabeth Ashley Books

This book is simply the best source for 20th Century Brazilian poetry. As well-known American poets from Elizabeth Bishop to W.S. Merwin have publicized and translated Portuguese poetry, the Brazilian poets in this volume are becoming better known. Several of these poets have individual volumes of poetry available in English translation.

This book contains poetry of Manuel Bandeira, Oswald de Andrade, Jorge de Lima, Mario de Andrade, Cassiano Ricardo, Joaquim Cardozo, Cecilia Meireles, Murilo Mendes, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinicius de Moraes, Mauro Mota, Joao Cabral de Melo Neto, Marcos Konder Reis, and Ferreira Gullar. Bandeira, Drummond de Andrade, Melo Neto, and Moraes are the best known of these poets. This sampling of poetry is heavily weighted to Melo Neto who is "difficult" - as noted in the introduction.

The translations are very good because the translators are all poets in their own right. Some of the translations are not very exact and the descriptions can be altered significantly, but in general, these translations would be difficult to surpass. The poems are en face - that is on the left page is the orginal Portuguese poem and on the right facing page is the translation. This is the only way to publish bi-lingual poetry and greatly aids the English speaking reader, even if he is fluent in Portuguese.

The quality of the poems is uneven. The more recent poets, like Melo Neto, are increasingly linked to American Poetry so you will find the poems less regional the more recent they get. Since I find most modern American Poets to be needlessly dense and obfuscatory ("difficult" if you will), it is no surprise that I like the earlier poems much better. They are clearer, less baroque in the sense that there is less decorative but useless wordiness, and speak more to the human condition. Melo Neto, who the editors call "dense" and "difficult" reminds me very much of Wallace Stevens. Like Stevens, you put in an awful lot of mental work to get a few thoughtful, interesting phrases from a poem that is much too long for the subject covered. (Can you tell I dislike Stevens?) But if you do like Stevens, generally considered one of the great 20th Century American Poets, you will like Melo Neto.

My favorites in this book are Moraes, Drummond de Andrade, and Mendes. Poetry is one of those art forms that is as much dependent on the knowledge and experience of the viewer as it is the content of the artwork. For example, when Mendes speaks nostalgically of "meu quarto modesto da Praia de Botafogo" (my modest room on Botafogo Beach), I am transported to the sights, sounds and smells of when I lived in a modest room on Botafogo beach.

I also note that the introduction of this book is essential in understanding who these poets are and the ambience from which they write.

At any rate, give this book a shot if you're looking for good poetry full of introspection. 4 stars.

Not only does this book (edited by no less an authority on poetry and Brazil than Elizabeth Bishop) contain poems by such greats as Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Vinícius de Moraes, João Cabral de Melo Neto and Manuel Bandeira-- but it has on the facing page translations by such respected greats as James Merill, W.S. Merwin, Mark Strand and Bishop.

The selections are neither too much nor too little. If, like me, you are learning Portuguese, the originals can be studied easily. The quality of the English translations is exceptionally high, many of them great poems in their own right. I credit Bishop and her co-editor Emanuel Brasil, whose introduction is brief and effectively sets the scene.

In Brazil, poetry is widely respected and read. The poets in this anthology are part of the generation that has broken away from the more rigid forms and themes of Portuguese and continental poetry. Poets like Vinícius de Moraes deserve to be known for more than writing the lyrics to "Girl from Ipanema" (he needed the money). This is their due. This anthology has introduced me to several poets I now plan to explore in greater depth.

Brazil is famous for its gems. It is clear this literary gem comes from a very rich mine.

This collection is an absolute classic and is particularly recommended to anyone learning Portuguese. How often are readers of English able to see both the original text and brilliant translated verse? And the selections are magnificent, from Oswald de Andrade to Vinicius de Moraes and Carlos Drummond de Andrade, many of the poets most influential both in literary circles and on the Brazilian songwriters who seem to be more and more prominent on the world stage. Also worth noting are the spectacular poets credited as translators: Elizabeth Bishop, James Merrill, W.S. Merwin, Richard Wilbur...

The poems are broadly chosen, from playful to mournful. Many are unforgettable. Highest recommendation I can give is that it influenced my decision to learn Portuguese.

This is a great book, especially for the native English speaker who is an advanced student of the Brazilian Portuguese language. On each left page is a poem in Portuguese. On each right page is the poem's translation into English. My Portuguese teacher (from Brazil) is a student of literature. She has reviewed the book and thinks it has a really good selection of poems. Not only are the poems great, I love to read the translations to improve my Portuguese.

Initially published in 1972, this anthology stands as one of the first to introduce English-speaking countries to Brazilian modern poetry. Fourteen poets in all are represented, a few more heavily than others (with Carlos Drummond de Andrade and Joao Cabral De Melo Neto receiving nearly half of the space of the book.) Aside from this imbalance, it introduces many poets who are still unfairly obscure in English-speaking countries, even among those with an extensive grasp of modern poetry. Like any great anthology, it has since prompted a few publishers to release book length works of individual poets, esp. Manuel Bandeira, Joao Cabral de Melo Neto & Carlos Drummond de Andrade. Unfortunately, the poets who caught my attention the most such as Murilo Mendes, Cecilia Meireles & Vinicius de Moraes have not received the same attention due to them. From lyrical incantations & meditations of love through pieces of anguish, they prove that they are just as competent to write on these subjects as the world's other great poets. The multiplicity of voices & styles so noticeable in this anthology, proves that Brazil's modern poetry deserves a lot more notice and consideration.In "The End of the World" Joao Cabral de Melo Neto writes, "Instead of the last judgment, what worries me/ is the final dream." This anthology will provide us with numerous dreams for a long time.

Also highly recommended-the recently release "Pip Anthology of World Poetry of the 20th Century Volume 3: 20 Contemporary Brazilian Poets" pub. Green Integer.

A text that aids your understanding of Christology that is well written and informative. Good complementary book to "Jesus the Christ: A New Testament Portrait" by Thomas Zanzig, ISBN: 0-88489-621-8. Both text used in our dioceses Lay Ministry training program.

I have been using Elizabeth Johnson's Consider Jesus in introductory theology courses for at least a decade now. As far as I know, there is no book in its class for introducing undergraduate university students to contemporary theological issues in language that is understandable and stimulating.

Indeed, one of Johnson's great gifts as a theologian is her crisp, clean writing style. Her work is a model of clarity.

I always appreciate Johnson's ability to work on the boundaries of contemporary issues (e.g., religous plurality, theodicy, sexism, political and economic injustice, environmental abuse) with full and rich recourse to the wealth of Christian tradition. She's just good at it!

For a readable, introductory text on the doctrine of Christ during the past half-century, you cannot improve on Johnson's book.

"Consider Jesus" is a rather short, deceptively humble book that covers every theory in answering that crucial question Jesus asks his followers and those who may have heard of him: "Who do you say I am?"
I have studied this book as part of a college theology class and then more slowly read it on my own. Elizabeth Johnson presents a well-considered feast for the intellect and the soul in presenting her own theological reflections in answer to that important question.
This book is small but it is a classic in modern theology.

Elizabeth Johnson presents a very well written and easy to read introduction to Christology for the new student of theology. She clearly explains the Christological definitions at the early Church councils, showing the errors that plagued the early church.

She presents a clear explanation of the meaning and implications of both: Ascending Christology and Descending Christology.

There is also a clear trace of the developments in Christology from the 50's up to the present time with Liberation and Feminist theology.

Johnson writes in the end, "Out of our own experience of salvation, our own telling of the story, our own praxis and prayer, we must name Jesus Christ again and claim him again for our own people, so that a living christology will be handed on to the next generation into the twenty-first century." I found these words to be encouragement for the reader to apply the story of Jesus of Nazareth to our everyday lives.

This is a MUST reading for any student of theology.

The three shows are the ones that are shown in short clips throughout the film Bewitched.

1. I Darrin take this witch, Samantha. (Very good)

2. Be it ever so mortgaged, (also very good.)

3. It shouldn't happen to a dog. (My personal favorite out of the whole three.)

On the whole, this show sampler is good for those of us that never saw the original shows, but love the movie. Trust me, you'll enjoy them.

Three Careers of Fascinating woman in the Dramatic years before the civil war

This has always been watched in my house ever since I was a child and now my children will have it, too. It is awesome and a Family Must Have.

Got this for my mom, but it's on TV every Easter week. Did a great job with this movie for it's time.

I am very satisfied with the product also very imppressed with your customer service people i would order again

I bought this movie for my husband who just love classic movies and he was thrilled with this one.

Excellent quality reproduction, we never get tired to see it. It will always be a 5 stars movie.My young son saw it now for his first time and got (unusually)stuck in front of the TV cheering and crying for the whole length of the movie. Worth buying it!!!

I found this book to be pretty dull, unrealistic, and just overall boring. generally I can get through a MHC book within days, but this one took weeks. Not the best from Clark.

This is one of MHC's best titles. This is a wonderful story full of characters that make you want to never get the end and have to put them away! The plot of captiving and intriguing and manages to scare you good at the end! While some of MHC later work, this is class Clark at her best.

Weep No More My Lady follows the Clark formula for her stories. The suspense and guessing part is to find out who amongst the people surrounding the principal players is the killer. Clark was okay, but is now beginning to be a "read one, read all" type.

Yes! one of my fav ones from Mary higgins clark my oh my i finished this book in 3 days! that's how interesting it was! loved the end!!! WOW!

I can see why this book is as popular as it is: we all would like to be one of these characters. From the Cinderella's sister profile of Elizabeth Lange to the downhome practicality of Alvirah Meehan, or even the momentum of masculinity that is Ted Winters, these people are something we'd like to be - to reach for - yet, we recognize that they're idealized archetypes more than realistic characters. Where literary characters may be this distinctive and beautiful, they have depth of character; here, people are exactly as they seem. It does not ruin the story. The mystery is a B+ for mainstream fiction, meaning that it is not obvious until the last third of the story, and the tale is artfully told with simple but pleasant language. Of the mainstream mysteries I've read, this would be one I could recommend to others.

The stories in this anthology are consistently good, which is a relief. There are not centuries but millenia of possible settings and the editor has done a good job of selecting a spread of times and places as well as authors. The historical settings are not annoying or invasive to the reader except in one story, the weakest in the book IMO. I'm glad I bought the book.

These stories are set in various times during Ancient Egypt, and are written by masters in the field of historical mystery. Stories were well crafted and riveting. I would have prefered a little more background on both the author and the main characters, especially the the authors I hadn't read before, but it's not really necessary. I will be looking for some of the authors to read more about their characters.

This was a good book to learn chem from for a high school chem class OR use as a supplement to one's high school AP chemistry class. Good clear explanations. In re one of the previous reviewers comments, I do agree that some answers were wrong. The problems given in the book were of average difficulty, perfect for an average chem student.

Overall, I didn't especially like this book. I used it in high school AP chemistry for an entire year.

First of all, the hardcover edition is very heavy and generally cumbersome to use, and i'd definately recommend buying the paperback edition. The book attempts to cover a huge amount of material, which is overwhelming, and it is too much to cover in the course of one academic year.

The content of this book was of average quality, but at times confusing. Many of the explanations provided seem to require a background in chemistry--not a good thing if this is the first chem course you have ever taken. But if you've studied chmistry previously, this book should be fine, provided that you understand how to do basic calculations using conversion factors and mole ratios.

I was sometimes confused by the more complicated topics. In some cases, the explanations of the topics were fine, but the examples problems went above and beyond the basics, which was confusing. Other times, the explanations were unclear but the examples were fine. Generally, I was able to understand the concept in the end, but at times it was frustrating.

The thing that bothered me the most about this book was that some of the most basic formulas were not explicitly stated. The book would show you how to derive the formulas and do a number of complicated calculations, but the formulas themselves are not always right there, in bold print. I'd be sitting there trying to do my homework, and i'd have to go searching back through the text to find the formulas, which was annoying. I'd recommend writing the formulas out seperatly, of using one of those quick-study guide things that fits into a 3-ring binder.

Also, beware, some of the answers in the back of the book are incorrect and/or don't match what's in the solutions manual.

To tell you frankly I am very poor in Chemistry. This book has been a great help in understanding facts. The book is wonderfully illustrated with examples and sample problems. This is a better or easier reading book than say Brady Senese (which is also a very good book btw)

I had the fabulous experience of using this book at the college of where one of the professors used to teach so it was shoved down my throat how great this book is for two semesters. I have to say it's not too bad halfway through, it uses plenty of interesting diagrams to simplify the material or even add more information that couldn't be put in the text, it has interesting everyday examples of how the concepts fit in, or even easy experiments. One could reasonably get through the first half of the book (up to Chapter 9) without the CD and have a basic understanding of chemistry. The rest of the book goes straight downhill with explanations however. It tends to skip over details. You also need an EXTENSIVE mathematical background to understand even any remote concept past chapter 9, and in the examples showing how to do many of the formulas, steps are skipped leaving you to wonder what is going on. The diagrams get much more involved with way too much detail, or lacking explanation of the detail. The CD is really where the entire package fails though, as the questions for the chapters often do not relate at all, are set up to trick the student because the tiniest detail will be so complex, and when you do get a question wrong, it does not really help you to understand where to look for help or how to fix the problem you made. Most of the problems you're likely to make on the questions are extremely complex mathematical errors. Basically you have to make sure you have a masters in mathematics to even understand some of the examples in the CD, and there's no way to get through it without the help of an actual human being. The book seriously needs a much better editor, there's no need to skip over so many details on a subject that is often very difficult to so many students, especially those lacking a strong math background which is not always required for entry level chemistry.

the international paperback version of this book is exactly the same as the hardback version and it's considerably less expensive. it comes with the CD-ROM but does NOT provide OWL or online access codes to the web based program- but you can purchase those separately at the thomas learning website... and you'd still be saving money.

as for the book, I've only been using it 3 weeks but I like it so far. (much better than chemistry: structure and dynamics which I used last term- blah!). while not for complete beginners the explanations and sample problems are well written and there are lots of homework questions to make sure you really understand the material. (odd answers are in the back of the book). the real selling point for me is that all the pictures are in color (very helpful if you're a visual learner).

This was a fast and easy read; nothing too taxing on the brain. Interesting to read about Queen Elizabeth I, although I didn't learn anything that I hadn't already known. But despite (any maybe because of) the simplicity of the story, it read like a dressed up version of a basic timeline of Elizabeth's life. Not a lot of character depth; just a story of friendship and love simply placed over the non-fiction details of Elizabeth's life and the events in it.
In general, a pleasant read. Kept me interested, but not riveted.

The story had no true purpose. It was flat. Ms. Ashley would have done better to concentrate more on developing her heroine and her clasdestine activities. Instead she floats all over, in effect, glossing over her heroine and her supporting activities. Even her portrayal of history was incorrect. Elizabeth didn't go to the tower until AFTER Queen Mary had married. Pick a time in the turbulent period and stick with it. Ms. Ashley doesn't have the talent to write a novel spanning over a decade. She needs to stick with fiction. History isn't her cup of tea.

Told through the eye's of Eloise, Elizabeth's seamstress and confidante, this is a somewhat lukewarm telling of Elizabeth's road to be Queen. It begins with the death of her father, Henry VIII, and ends somewhere around her 30th year after she has cooled things off considerable with Robert Dudley.

During the turbulent years of the reign of "Bloody Mary", Eloise doubles as Elizabeth's spy by gathering information for Elizabeth while she is Mary's prisoner. Somehow a seamstress manages to keep Elizabeth informed of the goings on in the outside world. You have no idea how in the world she manages to do so. That is until one obscure sentance gives it away. It actually is an intriguing way it's done and it would've added so much more to the story if it had been examined more than just a blurb that could easily be missed.

There is a romance between Eloise and her contact, James Colby, although you'd never know it from the complete absence of any sort of passion between the two. Their clandestine meetings seem to be nothing more than gossip followed by a parting kiss.

Elizabeth is not portrayed as a the passionate, headstrong woman she was. Well, maybe the headstrong part! She was written as a self-centered brat who goes around slapping everyone. Even her elderly governess who she claims to love more than anyone.

There is no story development between Robert and Elizabeth, rather you as a reader are instructed that they were good friends who eventually may have become lovers. Their relationship is told rather than felt. In fact, it seems as though every important event that happened during that time is glossed over. The only thing really in depth is the depiction of Elizabeth's gown.

I just did not enjoy this novel much at all. It lacks passion and the ability to pull the reader into the story, at least this particular reader. The last 100 or so pages were so much better than the first 200 so that saved it from getting two stars! I can only recommend this novel is you're a die hard fan of anything having to do with Elizabeth. I give it a halfhearted three stars.

These days, when I see a novel set in Tudor England -- from 1485 to 1603 -- I automatically cringe. So very much historical fiction is set in these times that it was become painful for me to read it, as most authors tend only to do the most cursitory of research, and usually, they don't get it right.

Let's face it, the life of Queen Elizabeth I of England is pretty heady stuff and a great temptation for any novelist. No one had expected Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn to become queen -- after all, she had a younger brother, Edward, and an elder sister, Mary, who would inherit before she did. And this princess had a less than ideal childhood -- alternately cherished then banished by her father as the whim too him, she was barely a toddler when her mother was victim to the executioner's sword. She was highly intellectual, with a natural flair for music and languages, and a wit that could run circles around most people.

Jennifer Ashley's The Queen's Handmaiden, takes a look at the early life of this remarkable woman through the eyes of one of her attendants. Eloise Rousell is the daughter of a gentlewoman and a roving player in a theatre troop -- not exactly a birthright that will ensure stability. Raised by her grandmother, Eloise quickly displays an unusual talent, and one that will help her make her fortune -- she is an expert seamstress, able to create gowns that are beautifully made and designed. Eloise is also clever, and has learned quickly to keep her mouth shut -- a trait that will be even more valuable in the treacherous Tudor court. When still a child, she's sent to live with her Aunt Kat Champernowne, who is none other than the Lady Elizabeth's governess.

Growing up as both a servant and a confidant of the princes, Eloise quickly turns into a quick-minded young woman. Through her eyes we see the dashing, if not too bright, Thomas Seymour, and his troubled marriage with Catherine Parr, and it is both of the girls first encounter with both love and treason. There is the short reign of her brother Edward VI, who is merely a king in name while two powerful families, the Seymours and the Dudleys, who each strive to be the real ruler of England. And then, there is Mary, Elizabeth's older sister who both wishes her sister dead, and England returned to the Roman Catholic faith...

Certainly we've seen this story before, written over so many times that it has pretty much become a cliché in the world of novels. How many plucky heroines who are nobodies can the reading world put up with? But Eloise Rousel is a bit different and Ashley isn't afraid to make her so, either. While her role in the novel is that of the narrator, she is strong enough to have her own voice, and not once does the author let her slide into insipid, mawkish mooning about either -- Eloise is quite aware of the dangers around her, and not even the attraction that she has towards a courtier, John Colby, is enough for her to loose her good common sense. Too, Ashley is wise enough to keep her heroine from the usual antics found in historical novels -- Eloise is not ravishing, or brilliant, or the sort who strikes men down with her beauty. Instead, she's just a person, and leaves the brilliance to Elizabeth.

What sets this book apart is that Ashley has managed to capture the essence of this monarch, and keeps it within what is known. She throws temper tantrums, isn't above slapping her servants in a fit of pique, and an absolute peacock in wanting admiration and near worship. But she was also very loyal to her friends, had a great deal of resiliency when it came to times of crisis, and would ultimately prove to be the right monarch for England when the time came. All of these traits were fairly well documented in the queen's time, and Ashley makes excellent use of her sources.

Finally it is the amount of research about the real people and events, the details of daily life and dress, that make this novel worth it. While it does get a bit heavy with the florid prose over clothing details, Ashley keeps the story moving briskly along at a near breakneck pace. Not once was I bored with the story, nor did my attention wander, which is to me the sign that an author has really paid attention to what she is doing.

My biggest complaint is that the romance between John Colby and Eloise never really seems to catch fire -- everything is at a very cool simmer and it comes across as more of a business arrangement than any sort of love affair. Still, that too can be documented with the times, and Ashley wisely stays away from having the reader trudge through pages of erotica to tell her story. Thank goodness; it's a very welcome break in the world of historical novels these days.

Overall, a solid four stars. It's not a great novel, but it is certainly a good one, and well worth the trouble to seek out if you enjoy historical settings. For me, it's definitely a keeper, and I suspect that I'll be giving it a reread several years down the road.

Recommended.

I'm not a fan of historical fiction or biography. My book group chose this book and I unenthusiastically agreed. Instead of wading through the book, I quickly became fascinated by the story created by Jennifer Ashley. I finished the book in less than 48 hours giving me plenty of time to explore a biography of Elizabeth I as a factual contrast. If I finish that book, I'll submit a review for that book also.

The range of story and poetry selections is so limited, the materials bore students to death. The issues the texts are obsessed with--morbid existential guilt, death of a spouse or a parent ala Joyce, O'Connor, Cather, etc.,--no longer have the spell-binding effect they once had on the adult sensibility. We now live in an age where more dramatic problems occur. There has got to be some good literature that covers issues of our day, such as mass murder, rape, school-shootings, hysteria, incest, money problems, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, religious intolerance, etc. This textbook is totally out of touch with the current realities of our lives in the 21st century.

I chose to use McMahan's text because it saves me time as an instructor of English. Composition comprises the most significant portion of a student's grade in a college literature class, and this text teaches students how to write an essay about literature from the beginning of the process to the end. I also like the bonus of a novella, The Awakening, which is often taught at the intro. level but under separate cover. Such a deal.