English Classics Books

this book was extremely hard for me to get into at first, but after graceland, and sitting in a chris abani lecture i had faith in where he would take me and i followed thru. the ending was superb. very well done. chris abani is a literary genius in a repressive stone age. black, alas i knew him well, he is me.

I can confidently echo for you the praise the other reviewers on this page have granted The Virgin of Flames. It is the lyrical, grotesque, ecstatic, outcast story of a Los Angeles that simmers unknown to many of it's own citizens-migrants and natives alike. Chris Abani's imagery of Black, Iggy, Sweet Girl, Bomboy, Ray-Ray, Rio L.A. and East L.A., among others is quite reverential and even more than the pictures and qualities he conjures, they are brave.
As a resident of L.A. and it's environs I enjoyed those references to neighborhoods (yes, L.A. has neighborhoods), bridges, restaurants (Thai Palms-Thai Elvis) and the like that told me Mr. Abani walks these places and sees the faces and grafitti, decay and sublime magnetism that propels many of us here. He captures the mystery and possibility of Los Angeles in the radical expressionism of Black's identity experimentation, Iggy's underground venues and physical risk, Sweet Girl's bold sexuality and paralyzing trans/pro-gression. As well, the Catholic blood that run through the dusty past of Los Angeles and California, the WEST, in all it's harrowing, piercing pain. Abani's vision of a modern martyr, his many attempts at acceptance and expression reminded me of Leonard Cohen's Beautiful Losers. The artist living his life as a work of art, challenging the dominate modes through as many of his avenues of existence as possible.
Some favorite passages:
"It seemed, though, that those with a clear sense of the past, of identity, were always so eager to bury it and move on, to reinvent themselves. What a luxury, he thought, what a thing, to choose your own obsession, to choose your own suffering. Him, he was trying to reinvent an origin to bury so he could finally come into this thing he wanted to be, and he knew that if he didn't find it soon, it would destroy him, burn him up." (pgs. 123-24)
"This River was alive, this River was here before anyone knew this was a River, before anyone saw it and said, River. And its personality shaped this city. Was this city." (pg. 135)
Referring to the L.A. Mission, downtown: "It had long since lost out to Six Flags fun parks and Universal Studio's theme park. It looked sad, not in the way of a rejected wallflower, but more in the commonplace shame of a community center. A place kept open by a grudging love." (pg. 155)
Mr. Abani expresses one of the prime enigma's of Los Angeles life: "In LA we are always becoming, and any idea of a solid past, as an anchor, is soon lost here. And I mean any, that's why there is no common mythology here, that's why people come here, to get lost or to be discovered, makes no difference. It's the same coin. Other cities, like New York, have an overwhelming myth, and there is no you, as it were, without this-shall we say-New York state of mind. But here, there is none of that bulls**t, there is just you and what you see and imagine this place and your life in it to be, moment by moment. If you can't change, if you don't embrace it, you destroy yourself. The only landscape in this city is in your mind. It's very Zen..." (pg. 207)
"Ambivalence is the heart of this town. Not in spite of, but because of." (pg. 207)

I look forward to reading more of Mr. Abani's works.

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Abani's characters leap from the page. It's a stunning book and I can't wait to go back and read some of Abani's earlier novels.

The Virgin of Flames is odd, complex, and accomplished. We find many of Abani's earlier themes: lost, found, and created identities, violent acts and defered release and the consequences of both, surreal consciousness, sublime sexuality and abhorent flesh, choices, imperatives, the absence in the human condition of objectivity - all ignited on the page into an escalated blaze that can keep you up nights. Abani's writing is not for those invested in happy endings. The suicides of his protagonists speed up the inevitability of a death most of us strain to delay. Yet, this is fiction, and, if you give youself over to it, The Virgin of Flames reads as a unique, disquieting voice, an extended prosepoem which will leave you changed. What other is the purpose of art?

In the Virgin of Flames Abani gives us a lyrical, daring portrait of a city and its inhabitants struggling to find their place between darkness and the sublime. Black, a mural artist, is a modern-day Hamlet searching for answers to the riddle of his past, fighting to create a whole from its fragments. This conflict is mirrored in the topography of Los Angeles, where the holy and grotesque combine in a city that reflects the struggles of post-9/11 America. Abani does not provide easy answers to any of this. Instead, he shows us characters that navigate violence and despair but retain the ability to truly care about one another and a city where, despite its urban malaise and constant veil of smoke and ash, people sing joyously in the streets. From its vivid dreamscapes to its gritty realism, Abani's novel will leave the reader breathless at the beauties and complexities of life.

There are two movie adaptations of "The Winslow Boy" available, recently starring Jeremy Northam (1999), and anciently starring Robert Donat (1948). But neither is an adequate substitute for the real thing, the full text by Terence Rattigan. In 1988, PBS broadcast a superb production of the full text, starring Ian Richardson and Emma Thompson, but it has not, unfortunately, been transferred to video.

The play concerns a public battle against the government, waged by a father to vindicate his son, expelled from a naval academy for cashing a stolen money order. Although the crusade is exciting, the play is most interesting in what it reveals about the people intimately involved: the members of the Winslow family, their close friends and their lawyer. The resulting insights and realism are among the story's chief virtues.

At first reading, the play may seem a straightforward tale of innocence versus injustice. But on closer inspection, one finds that the boy's innocence is never proved, and that some in the family deny or doubt it. Moreover, even if he is innocent, the harm to members of the family and to the country from pursuing the case might be greater than the harm from letting it drop. Such uncertainty is frustrating, but life is like that. Crusades are often launched for ends whose worth is unclear. The play is wise to develop this point.

Moreover, the actions and motives of crusaders may be a mixture of good and bad. This may make them harder to join, but certainly interesting and instructive to watch. One admires the boldness, determination and persistence of the father, Arthur Winslow, without whose initiative the crusade would not exist. Yet he is rather a sourpuss, often dominating or humiliating others. His daughter and indispensable lieutenant, Kate, is the most attractive member of the family, bright and realistic but emotionally withheld and often blinded by partisanship. Sir Robert Morton, the celebrated advocate who represents the Winslow boy is a supercilious, cold fish, and a brilliant (unscrupulous?) forensic champion. All three make substantial sacrifices for the sake of their crusade.

The author is a master of surprise and reversal. Much of the dramatic excitement comes when esteemed characters behave badly, or disregarded characters greatly please. Perhaps the most beautiful moment in the play is a marriage proposal to Kate by Desmond Curry, an old family friend whom she rather disdains (and the reader discounts). And the mother, Grace Winslow, whose views have been generally ignored, finally makes a powerful case that the crusade, out of pride and stubbornness, is destroying her husband and family for a son who is uninterested in the result.

Another excellence of the play is its treatment of controversy. On the questions as to whether the crusade is justified and worthwhile, for the family and for the country, the author impartially assigns plausible arguments to the various sides, from the characters, the newspapers they quote, or the proceedings they attend.

An outstanding play, with plenty of food for the intellect, the heart and the soul.

The book shows the defficenceis of England before WW1.

Overall it is the most boring book i have ever read.

It is based, substantially, on actual events. Try and see (if you haven't already) the David Mamet film adaption of the play which should be coming to video within a few months. It's a simply beautiful treatment. His most human work yet.

I really love this play. A friend gave me a copy and I started reading it on the train and was unable to stop until I had finished reading it! I was able to envisage the characters in my mind and as soon as I finished it, I HAD to go out and rent the David Mamet film adaptation which is also fantastic.

Sir Robert, Catherine Winslow and Arthur Winslow are remarkably well-drawn characters and all of the dialogue in the play is excellent. I really enjoyed this play and highly recommend it!

I enjoyed this play immensely and I also enjoyed the David Mamet film as well--a film that I thought was engrossing and a more than satisfying character study.

I liked how the play speaks of something that we sometimes give little regard to in today's society---the importance of and honor in a good and stable reputation. It was very enlightening to read this tale of a family (especially the father) who was in service of maintaining their son's dignity and place in society.

I was also taken by how this quest for honor taxes the family. My favorite scene in the play also begets my favorite line. The scene where the mother tells the father that he should let their son go on with his ife and not stigmatize him by this singular event is very honest and real. And when the mother says, "When he (their son) is grown, he won't thank you for it."-meaning the preservation of his reputation, I thought the whole idea and point of the story was driven home.

An excellent read indeed

Jago's book made this former English teacher want to get back into the classroom. Both practical and inspiring, it is the best guide I have seen for helping teachers to re-engage the complex but oh-so-rewarding texts that we've almost given up on thinking we can teach in this video-driven and impatient age. Done right, her tough-minded but realistic advice will open up the complex riches that await the teacher and the student of enduring literature--riches we underestimate until we read how Jago, herself, has succeeded mightily in passing them on to her initially-resistant charges at Santa Monica high school. This is a book I will retun to regularly. If you are an English teacher, or a person concerned by the slow dying of the literary light, get this book and read it carefully--and buy it for an English teacher you know.

Why teach pop fiction students can read on their own with the CD player blasting, the phone ringing, and the blow dryer sculpting their do? Do we need paid professionals to labor over the white knucklers of Stephen King or John Grisham? Why not make teaching more rigorous and explore the jewels of literature with students who, in all probability, wouldn't pick up Heart of Darkness on their own? Carol Jago's book, With Rigor for All, challenges teachers to raise their expectations and afford their students the opportunity to wade, then dive into text rich in plot, character, and theme. Think classic classics. Jane Eyre. Ivanhoe. Notes of a Native Son. Now think contemporary classics. A Yellow Raft in Blue Water. The Color Purple. House of the Spirits. Imagine your students bathing in metaphors, analyzing the meaning between the lines, grappling with complex relationships. This is what Jago's book is all about. Learn how to facilitate student-run discussions; how to encourage close analysis of the text; how to hold students accountable for their reading; how to expose your students to writing that will make their brain sweat during reflective journal exercises. As an English teacher and standards coach, I found the content of this book illuminating, the style engaging. Jago speaks with a convesational voice, escorting you on a journey that is a one-way ticket. After reading With Rigor For All, how can you possibly go back to pop pabulum between bells?

Imagine this: You're about to teach Madame Bovary to seniors and you're faced with students who complain: "Too many pages, I can't read all that!" Or, "I've never finished a book in my life!" "Too much description; why doesn't he just get to the point?" "I read last night but I can't remember anything today!" What's an English teacher to do? You're ready to throw the book up against the wall, even though it's one of your all time favorite classics. With Rigor for All by Carol Jago addresses these problems and more, as well as provides a rationale for why we should be teaching the classics despite the connecting conflicts. How do we engage students? How do we jump over the hurdles of complicated vocabulary and syntax, antiquated settings, and our students' eternal quest for action, action, action? One of my favorite chapters is entitled "Testing That Teaches" which questions the notion of giving objective tests to assess students' understanding of the material. Jago says objective tests ring the death knell to establishing lifelong lovers of literature. She poses an important question: After reading a wonderful book, how would you like to be asked the names of characters, or to match a character with a personality trait? "I know such a test would severely undermine the pleasure I took from the last book I read, José Saramago's Blindness....I could not with certainty tell you the main characters' names. Does this make me a poor reader..." Jago asks. Instead of giving objective tests, Jago challenges teachers to devise ways of testing which actually teach students more about what they have read. Several examples of creative testing approaches are: * Write about how a character is most like (or unlike) you * Introduce a completely unrelated piece of literature such as a poem and ask students to respond to the novel using it as a model * Write an essay as a form of discovery Another chapter I enjoyed weighs the pros and cons of showing video versions of classic literature during class. You might be as surprised as I was at Jago's take on the matter. But, you'll just have to read the book to find out. Try it, you'll like it!

With Rigor For All: Teaching The Classics To Contemporary Students By Carol Jago (Director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA) is a persuasive and engaging enthusiastic advocacy for the values and benefits of teaching classic works of literature to contemporary students. From a methodology that helps students to think about the classics and interpret the stories for themselves, to book lists of great classics for the classroom, to a cautious survey of obstacles that can interfere with learning about the classics, With Rigor For All is an excellent and recommended supplementary resource for classroom educators and curriculum developers.

Carol Jago describes why students should read more, and particularly why they should read the classics. Carol Jago shows how the classics provide better life-long learning for readers than the usually recommended high school novels, which are quickly forgotten. The hard-to-read classics have enduring stories; stories that will stay with the readers for their life time.

Although the classics are difficult for students to read and require more of the teacher, the author believes the effort is worthwhile and she presents some techniques to make this reading easier. But, unfortunately, she fails to provide a magic pill to fight the onslaught of TV, video games and the internet.

I really liked her reading lists, and the book-to-book pairings of contemporary literature with classics. She also describes her teaching methods which surmount some of the difficulties in teaching classics to high-schoolers.

Highly recommended for anyone teaching reading, English, or Western Civilization.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

I have read all of the Nathaniel Drinkwater novels penned by this author and this one seemed the most authentic, which is high praise because the others were outstanding.

As Napolean tries to increase his world domination, Drinkwater finds himself involved in the blockade of the French/Spanish fleet, eventually taken prisoner and on one of the enemy ships during the epic battle of Trafalger.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time extolling this authors virtues, except to say they are legend and apparant. This is his best yet.

All of Woodman's books are excellent. My husband & I read them all first & them they are given to our son who passes them on. If you are interested in English naval history these are for you.

1805 is the sixth entry in the Nathaniel Drinkwater series. The first six books of the series were copyrighted within 4 years and the next six took ten years to come out. Woodman wrote the first books rapidly. The result is a high level of intensity and some unevenness but the series is of very high quality for the genre. The series has tackled a number of serious themes while incorporating dramatic naval action and 1805 is no exception.

1805 starts in 1804 with Napoleon threatening to invade England. Drinkwater, now a captain, must patrol the English Channel to ensure that the French cannot bring a huge army across and subdue the stubborn English. With the powerful Royal Navy besting the French at every tack, was an invasion of England ever a real threat? Woodman makes a strong case that the answer is yes. Woodman, through letters from Drinkwater's wife, conveys the tension that was felt by English people at the time. Whether the threat was real or not, the reader is convinced that it was.

The reader also gets a sense of the loneliness felt by sailors with months or years of separation from their families. Drinkwater becomes a father figure to Midshipman Gillespy. Woodman presents the irony of Drinkwater being a father to a boy who is not his own while his own son is fatherless at home. The loss of fathers for indefinite periods of time or permanently is one of war's great tragedies and Woodman portrays it with some understatement.

Modern readers also know that 1805 culminated in the Battle of Trafalgar, which was Britain's greatest naval victory and perhaps the most decisive naval battle in history. Drinkwater has a unique perspective on the battle. Woodman's description of the battle through Drinkwater's eyes is a vision of hell, a vision that rings very true. Even though the reader sees the battle from the English perspective and the battle is a victory, Woodman emphasizes the tragedy.

1805 is a little uneven but Woodman more than makes up for this by his description of the events leading up to the Battle of Trafalgar and the description of the battle itself from Drinkwater's vantage point. 1805 is a powerful novel that has probably not received the recognition that it should. Without Trafalgar this is just another naval novel but with Trafalgar it's a masterstroke. It's every man's duty to read this one!

Whereas the 'Corvette' started slow and ended fast; this starts off on page one with a panic situation in a gale off the Lizard, forcing Nat to club-haul the ship out of danger... This is so well-described you can almost feel the ship straining beneath your feet as the anchor wrenches the bows 12 points through the wind onto the other tack and safety.

The threat of now-Emperor Napoleon's invasion requires Nat's constant vigilance over the French ports, destroying any likely transports and incidentally aiding the spy network in their subversive attempts to overthrow the 'little corporal'. During this routine blockading, the intransigent midshipman Lord Walmsley pushes his status too far and ends up over a cannon wearing a check shirt, then a transfer out of Nat's hair - but who turns up in the future, like a bad penny.

Despite the blockade, the Frogs break out and, in company with the Dons, apparently head to the W.Indies, leaving Nat to wait for Nelson appearing from the Med. Nat gets a transfer to a 74, but in a turn of events he is captured by the Spaniards and flung into prison with his officers. The loathsome Santhonax appears again to quiz Nat and do more dirty deeds as the book closes.

Trafalgar forms the high point of the story, with Nat only able to view the carnage from the orlop of the French 'Bucentaure' 80, where he was transferred as prisoner with little Gillespy.

We see more of the character of Mr.Q, Mr. Frey & Lt.Rogers in this book as well as more of the strategy of the defence of Britain, as Nat becomes more accepted by those in command. A small reference in a letter from his wife, tells us that Nat has fostered poor little Billy Cue Maxted, the Mid whose legs were blown off in the action with 'Requin' off Greenland (in the previous volume 'Corvette'). This touching generosity, the tenderness he shows to little Mr. Gillespy and his encouragement of Mr.Frey reveals a different side to the cool, collected tactician we normally see.
Mr.Woodman's writing gets better and better with each story - more fluid and confident, yet providing another level of suspense under the surface; meanings are implicit rather than voiced; inferences made by subtle suggestion rather than bald statement, which makes this a real pleasure to read.
As good as the best in the genre. *****

This is book No. 6 in the Nathaniel Drinkwater series. In this story, Drinkwater is in command of the frigate Antigone on blockade duty in the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, and along the Spanish coast. It covers a time period from March 1804 to April 1806, and involves Drinkwater in Calder's action and in the Battle at Cape Trafalgar, although aboard a French ship in the latter action! The book is well researched and covers details not found in run-of-the-mill history books. It is highly recommended to readers studying this particular segment of history. While the main plot can stand alone by itself, the book carries forward various characters from previous books, so it is helpful to have read the Drinkwater series in chronological order (I have been unable to find books 4 and 5 in the series from any source, but hopefully they will be reprinted).

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.

This is a very rich collection of essays. Two of those which were of special interest to me were Jonathan Rosen's, "The Talmud and the Internet" which was later expanded into a book by that name. And Floyd Skoot's Kismet a most moving essay about his own family and his brother's death.
Lopate has a great understanding of the genre. He includes 'rediscoveries' Orwell 's "Some Thoughts on the Common Toad", and Derek Walcott's "The Antilles."

OK, man, I'm gonna go read this book -- The five stars stand for your passionate, exasperated review!

This is such a damn interesting book, filled with really inteligent inspiring voices. I think there is plenty of idiocy out there in Amazon land, but I'm sort of bummed to be writing the first review of the thing. Come on folks! Also, check out Lopate's Bachelorhood. A Gem of a book

It's kind of like a bound collection of op-ed pieces...which I like...on topics I may never confront personally from a point of view hopefully as different from mine as it can get. Gotta disagree with the Bachelorhood assesment. I found his last collection Portrait of my Body to be more focused and more intimate written by a man who already has spent 25 years reviewing his life in print.

I absolutely loved almost all the essays in the book: some of them were so engrossing, I got on the wrong train to work because I was too busy reading them. I find these eassys a bit more divrse then the "Best American Essays" and tighter than the ones in "The Pushcart Prize" collection. Phillip Lopate is a wonderful essayist in his own right, and he has chosen wisely.

this book was made into a movie by stanley kubrick that won 4 academy awards. it relates the amazing adventures of the most dishonest man in history, redmond barry. it chronicles his unlikely rise to the top and subsequent comeuppance. he is fond of fighting, lying and ripping people off. despite his love of dishonesty and treachery, and his total lack of compassion for other people, he sees himself as a good person because he only hit his wife when he was drunk, at least for the first three years of their marriage.

Having seen the movie "Barry Lyndon" by Stanley Kubrick years ago, I was taken aback by this book which is so markedly different than the 1975 film. In the book, Lord Bullingdon is actually the hero, where Kubrick presented him merely as a cowardly cad. Redmond Barry (later as Barry Lyndon)deserves all the evils that befall him and his first person narrative is quite humorous especially when blaming everyone for his own shortcomings. Unfortunately, the ending leaves one a bit unsatisfied, quite like the dismal end of Mr. Lyndon himself. This novel is not on the level of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair", but fun to read nonetheless.

When one is about to take the big plunge and give oneself the trouble of making what is always -in our age of lighter reading, of course - the strenuous effort of reading a XIXth. Century novelist, one - at least me - must make the following question: What was this author's particular attitude, as a man (or woman) of the most bourgeois of all centuries, towards his/her preceding century, the most aristocratic and un-bourgeois XVIIIth. Century? If s/he scorns the XVIIIth. Century, or is indifferent to it, it's quite likely that the author in question is a bourgeois philistine regarding Victorian times as the undisputed acme of human civilization. If s/he is an admirer, than s/he is obviously starting out of a clear sense of alienation from his/her own society, and one should expect at least for this XIXth. Century _avis rara_, genuine sense of humor. Thackeray was one of such Victorians who realized the philisteism of his own society;Eça de Queiroz, his Portuguese disciple (who seems to have learned a lot from reading him) was another. Therefore: Read this book, QED.

Having seen the movie "Barry Lyndon" by Stanley Kubrick years ago, I was taken aback by this book which is so markedly different than the 1975 film. In the book, Lord Bullingdon is actually the hero, where Kubrick presented him merely as a cowardly cad. Redmond Barry (later as Barry Lyndon)deserves all the evils that befall him and his first person narrative is quite humorous especially when blaming everyone for his own shortcomings. Unfortunately, the ending leaves one a bit unsatisfied, quite like the dismal end of Mr. Lyndon himself. This novel is not on the level of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair", but fun to read nonetheless.

Here, in this relatively obscure work, Thackeray is at his ironic and satiric best. Modern critics lightly dismiss the book as a piece of journalistic hack work, but it is much more than that. Redmond Barry, later Barry Lyndon, chronicles in a fairly sophistocated and always lighthearted manner his rise from a poor Irish country boy to the astral heights of polite English society from 1750-1820. Mr. Barry is always Machievellian in his way, and is quick and efficient with his sword. He is Odysseus, Holden Caulfield, Don Juan, and Nabokov's Humbert Humbert merged. In a word, he is very, very entertaining and very, very good. The book's only glaring flaw is it's belabored and uninspired ending. But it is much worth reading to watch Redmond Barry when young

If I was a betting person, I would bet that this oft told story was the result of a middle aged or older man who was seeking a method of introducing the concept that the troll like features of old age need not discount the nature of the love and affection required to be felt by such persons who prefer the company of fair maidens who might be seduced into giving them that pleasure. Having the ear marks of the fantasy like prominence of isolation and illusion that accompanies old age, and the unlikelihood that such a worn out vision of masculinity might have appeal for the flower of youth, the mind of man can be very cunning, and is often very seductive while preying upon the naive, softhearts of the dew that lies in the hearts of young maidens, fair or not. Drawn in to the care taker role of a kindly, parent-like figure, however disfigured by the ideal model of the Prince that young maidens are taught to favor, the marketing has worked for some years as we can see by the recent wedding of Jack Welch from the much touted, and idealized wedding of his new fair princess, and can be seen in many other instances of fantasized idealism that grace the covers of many celebrity photo magazines meant to send the message of similar outcomes. There has been no sequel, however, from the perspective of the troll or the maiden as society is left to ponder such an unlikely but perhaps sacred alliance. Whether the distinction is holy or not has much to do with the many years of a course of events that most will never know, and few will seek to discover. While the power of logic has never been a part of the romance ideology of love, perhaps our illusions of it are shortsighted and misaligned within the context of the flesh and blood that such a union represents. Where most men might tend to view any male as beast, few women take that position, and measure the man by a broader yardstick in relation to herself, and her experience with the world. From the perspective of the maiden, which is rare, unique insights about her condition are possible to be deduced from her submission in that circumstance and may reflect her reduced array of option, rather than her choice. Few would consider this tale much else but the submission of a highly desirable beauty to the beast she fawns. But is there justice amidst the fantasy? This may well be a modern day tale for women's choice.

Not only is this collection of fairy tales entertaining reading, Zipes goes into the history of the French literary salon and the backgrounds of the fairytales. Wonderful book.

This paperback collection is an abbreviated version of the original hardbound which is now out of print. Even with some of the material missing, this collection is well worth the money. It can be hard to find fairy tale collections that contain the work of the women (such as Beaumont and d'Aulnoy) in the French salons that influenced Charles Perrault. This is one of the best collections, and it includes many of the tales that are mentioned by scholars but hard to locate. None of the stories are watered down and they paint a picture of why fairy tales are an important part of literature. In the end, they are entertaining stories and can be read just for fun, too.

What a lovely collection of fairy tales! People have their favorites from among the French tales; they're familiar and classic, but too often watered down. It's delightful to see a collection of some original "parlor" stories in their beautiful prose, an amazing form of literature that I feel is rather ignored. The introduction gives depth and history to the stories as well.

This is a wonderfull collection. Jack Zipes is unrivalled in his knowledge and understanding of the Traditional stories. Very few people know the entire story of Beauty And The Beast. Most of them don't even know what the story is about or what the true meaning of the story is. Most people assume that the Traditional French stories were told and writen by men. Actually, they were told and writen by French aristocratic women. The majority of the writers in this book are women, while only two of them are men. The women were the ones who put in all of the horrific and gory details into their stories. They came up with all kinds of ways to make their heroines and heroes suffer. Despite what many people believe about the traditional stories (especially the Disney script-writers), not all of them have a happy ending. Some of the stories in this book have either a sad or a tagic ending. the Yellow Dwarf, The Ram, and The Palace Of Revenge are perfect examples. Finally, the magic spell is never broken by the kiss on the lips or saying "I love you". Spells are broken either through an act of violence or through self-sacrifice; the heroines and heroes have to experience a great deal of pain and suffering. The characters are not always able to overcome the terrible and cruel forces that are always persuing and tormenting them. Whatever happens these stories are rich in depth and complexity. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to add to their collection of Traditional stoeies, or anyone who wants to know and understand these stories better. I also reccommend reading J.R.R. Tolkien's lecture/essay On Fairy Stories.

Jerry Bryant has written a most compelling study of the African-American male using history, poetry, song, literature, along with myth and fact. This is a must read for anyone interested in, deeply or just superficially, the ways and the cultural whys and wherefors of the black man in american...yesterday and today. It is done with sensitivity and thoughtfulness and worth anyone's time...and it is damned readable!

A really interesting overview and analysis of the "baad man" as a central figure in African-American literature, tracing the origins from his earliest appearances in myth and folklore. Lively, literate without being pedantic, and full of interesting and surprising examples. Real insights into such major figures as Richard Wright and Toni Morrison, along with a fascinating section on the sources and achievements of Ice-T and the contemporary rappers that I, never a rap fan, found really eye-opening..

Jerry Bryant has written a most compelling study of the African-American male using history, poetry, song, literature, along with myth and fact. This is a must read for anyone interested in, deeply or just superficially, the ways and the cultural whys and wherefors of the black man in american...yesterday and today. It is done with sensitivity and thoughtfulness and worth anyone's time...and it is damned readable!

My title comes from the 1/16/2006 newspaper article by Cynthia Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle. This book by Jerry Bryant gives historical background on the "bad man" image and why it finds support in the Black community. "The popularity of thug culture is among the most serious of modern-day threats to Black America . . ." says Cynthia Tucker. The sad fact is that the victims are likely to be young black men.

This is a great book that should be read by all people interested in reducing violence in their communities.

This is a book about African American "badmen" like Stagolee, John Hardy, Railroad Bill, and Devil Winston and how this archetypal figure gets taken up by black novelists, convict "toasters" and gangsta rappers. It tells the story of the defiance of this black folk hero and how middle class novelists and commercial rap artists soften and exploit an originally spontaneous figure of freedom that first emerges at the end of the nineteenth century. Jerry Bryant is professor emeritus of English, California State University, Hayward. By the way, the 5-star rating isn't vanity, it's just that some rating is required by Amazon and I figured it would be counter-productive to give my book anything less. JB

I read this book while in Scotland. I have a good friend from Glasgow and I felt as though she was reading the book outloud to me. It is written in the accent of Glasgow and takes a page or two to get used to the writing - but adds charm to the book. Buddha Da is a wonderful novel that touches a subject at the heart of family life, as one member of the family develops a spiritual direction unfamiliar to the others. The question of whether to support this individual's quest or try to pull him back into the family is what a daughter and wife grapple with. A wonderful read - I recommend it!

I like this novel so much that I'm going to use it as a set book in a college class. It's original, touching and funny--full of the compassion and insight that its main character, Jimmy, seeks. After a few paragraphs I settled into the Glaswegian dialect easily. It's hard for a teacher to find a well written novel that isn't depressing. This is the only one on my short list (Brian Moore's Feast of Lupercal and Keneally's Passenger were others, but Donovan gives the reader at least as much as either of these and is in print).

At first, I was afraid of the Scottish dialect in which this is written, but after three pages it failed to register any longer except as how these characters talked and thought. Don't miss this book because of the dialect -- I almost did and I would have greatly regretted it.

Buddha Da weaves together the story of three members of a family -- Da, Ma, and Anne Marie, their daughter -- and does it seamlessly into a story of fallout, faith, hunger, and redemption. It is just about a flawless book, flawlessly told. I don't know the last time I found a book as dramatically pleasing and logically coherent and consistent as Buddha Da. It is a masterpiece I will recommend to everyone interested in Buddhism, family life, or just good fiction. I look forward to the author's next book.

OK. First of all, understand that this book is written entirely in phoenetically spelled Glaswegian dialect. And for the first few chapters, it can stand in the way. And then you get the rhythm. And then it doesn't matter. And you have achieved what the quirky main character in this book, a Glasgow house painter named Jimmy, is trying so hard to achieve--simplicity and clarity.

The charming and very quirky story revolves around a working-class family in Glasgow, Scotland. The dad (or "da," as they say), Jimmy, owns the house-painting business with his brother John. His wife, Liz, his sweetheart since she was 14, is a secretary. Their only daughter, Anne-Marie, is herself 14, and simply loveable--the most centered character in the book.

Sensing some sort of inner turmoil, Jimmy is drawn to the local Buddhist center (we are talking about a working class beer drinking simple soul whose previous idea of humor was to moon for the video camera) and finds a sense of self he never had before. As he earnestly seeks to immerse himself in this new way of being, he becomes increasingly neglectful of his family--up to and including declaring to Liz that he must be celibate from now on! The story is told first person from alternating points of view, and the reader is sympathetic to all of them (at least I was).

The disarming simplicity of the tale, and the work it takes to overcome the dialect, mirrors Jimmy's immersion into Buddhism, and is simply brilliant. This is a completely different kind of book, and well worth reading. I loved it and recommend it with the caveat that it is a book that takes some work.

Its seldom that a book comes into my world that is different in almost every conceivable way from anything you have read before. Buddha Da maybe be one of the most unique works of fiction that I have ever worked my way through.

Basically the book is a mere snippet in the lives of a Scottish Family. The father becomes immersed in Buddhism and changes to the extent where his marriage breaks down. Not the happiest outcome in the world but the storyline is not the strength of this book. The entire thing is written in a series of monlogues, each character expressing how they are feeling about things and discussing the latest events. Rather than Donovan trying to explain to you how her creations are feeling she allows them to do it directly to you - amost as if they are each working on personal diaries and you are diary they are writing on. This angle allows you to get really quite deeply into the characters and makes you feel like much more of a fly on the wall than is typical.

The barrier to many Americans reading this book however is going to be the language the monologues are in. They are written 'with accent' and much of it is phonetic.

"At the coffee break the wumman came ower and sat beside me. She wis tall wi her hair cut dead short and she'd these big dangly earings jinglin fae her lugs. It wis hard tae work oot whit age she wis; could have been anythin far thirty-five tae forty-five. She wis dressed in black wi a flowery-patterned shawl thing flung ower her shooders."

What folk need to understand is that familiarity to a Glaswegian accent is something that is common to almost all people in the world and is as foreign to an Englishman living in London as it is to a resident of San Deigo. A little effort is required to read the first few chapers but after a while you forget about the lack of real words and instead literally hear your characters - Donovan by forcing you to acknowledge the accent brings her characters to life.

Its a good enough book to give it a shot at any rate. Is this a rave review? Nope. Frankly I thought that Anne Donovan did a fine job with the adults in the book but the character of the daughter was something unreal. It was like Donovan has been an adult to long to set herself inside the mind of a child and I thought the character and the things she achieves are just a little boring and lifeless. Fortunatly she isnt in the book often enough to spoil it completely however I'm not sure she really needed to be in there at all - a couple of years older and she may have been a more interesting subject to deal with but alas ...