Peter Carey Books

The author of this book, Larry McCabe, is re-releasing books that have gone out of print for one reason or another. This particular book is an old friend. After I received it, I went into my library and found a copy. It has been in print in one form or another for 25 years. Most instruction books don't last anywhere near that long. First, this book (as the author warns) is not for beginners. You need to be familiar with the movable blues scales we all use. If you are playing out, and feel comfortable with the whole neck, get this book. The style of lead is closer to Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King than anyone else. If you don't know who these men are, buy their CDs. You are in for a treat. Please read the author's introduction. There is a lot of good info there. The Tab system is the older style. It should take about 30 seconds to adjust. It's actually easier to read than the current form. If you consider yourself a Rock guitarist instead of Blues, you really could use this book. If you use these solos as a "how to", instead of just memorizing them, they will give you some new weapons. You know, for scaring the heck out of other guitarists.

Excellent and Disturbing. Steve Cox's photographs bring home the tragedy and betrayal of East Timor. Many people are still not aware of the brutal 2 decade occupation of East Timor by the Indonesians- all accomplished with western (mainly British and American) arms. Accomplished with Western complicity. The brutality that occurred in East Timor far eclipsed that of other conflicts (e.g. Iraq, Kososvo) that the West valiantly intervened in, yet not only was there little if any protest from Western governments, but arms sales continued unabated for years. The photographs in this book are powerful indeed and ought to provoke any thoughtful observer to question why did we (the western governments) support Indonesia. A classic example of potent photojournalism.

Peter Lewis is Britain's greatest champion of solid, Biblical, Reformed and Evangelical Christianity - a very worthy successor of his fellow Welshman and friend, Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This great work of Lewis on the Puritans has been out of print for too long and it is more than exciting to see it back on the shelves again. Every Reformed pastor ought to have this (not to mention his entire elder board, congregation and more besides) and it is worth giving to non-Reformed friends too because they will learn to appreciate the Puritans in a whole new way. Sell your shirt - buy 20 copies of this book for your pastor and for all your friends. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)

Peter Carey's "A Letter to Our Son" is an honest portrayal of a relationship, being a father and being a partner in parenthood. Anyone who is a parent should buy this book. It is short enough to be read before you go to bed - But I have read it at least five times. Beautifully presented and written, this is a book that I treasure.

This is a collection of beautiful photographs of mostly unbeautiful people and places. This is a great challenge and he meets it well. The more I look at this book, the more unfolds for me. These are dense, graceful photos from around the world. He uses cross processing, black and white and simple color with the eye of a real master. There are a collection of short stories which I have not read yet, but anything with Nick Cave in it, gets my money. For a first book, this is a keeper.

This is a "western" which gallops to life, and the reader feels the grit, smells the dust, and agonizes with desperate characters as they are tossed every which way, not by their own deliberate decisions so much as by the unpredictability of their Australian frontier existence.

Ned Kelly, the Jesse James of Australia, becomes human here, not a monstrous blackguard so much as a man who is forced to make impossible choices. In this tale, which purports to be the hand-written autobiography he wants to leave for his baby daughter, we follow his childhood in poverty, his reluctant "apprenticeship" to the villainous Harry Powers, his cruel imprisonment by corrupt authorities, and his attempts to stay out of trouble upon his release. The judicial system's attack on his mother, however, becomes the catalyst for Ned's life in crime, a life which the reader understands could have been completely different, had authorities simply shown more compassion.

Carey is masterful in using small details to show contrasts and to make the big picture come alive. A new pair of soft boots achieves almost mystical significance--the ecstasy of their acquisition contrasting with the strength achieved through their sacrifice. "Fresh bread and jam...barley and mutton soup," served to Ned in jail, provide poignant contrast to the poorer, leaner fare on the farm. And a red silk dress becomes a symbol for corruption in one context and love in another.

A vigorous and uncompromising vision of wilderness life and death, the novel is also the sensitive portrayal of a young man forced to make impossible decisions to save and protect his family. It is also a passionate love story told with a warmth and sympathy that is all the more poignant for its contrast with the murder and death which accompany it. Satisfying and rewarding on all levels. Mary Whipple

This is a "western" which gallops to life, and the reader feels the grit, smells the dust, and agonizes with desperate characters as they are tossed every which way, not by their own deliberate decisions so much as by the unpredictability of their Australian frontier existence.

Ned Kelly, the Jesse James of Australia, becomes human here, not a monstrous blackguard so much as a man who is forced to make impossible choices. In this tale, which purports to be the hand-written autobiography he wants to leave for his baby daughter, we follow his childhood in poverty, his reluctant "apprenticeship" to the villainous Harry Powers, his cruel imprisonment by corrupt authorities, and his attempts to stay out of trouble upon his release. The judicial system's attack on his mother, however, becomes the catalyst for Ned's life in crime, a life which the reader understands could have been completely different, had authorities simply shown more compassion.

Carey is masterful in using small details to show contrasts and to make the big picture come alive. A new pair of soft boots achieves almost mystical significance--the ecstasy of their acquisition contrasting with the strength achieved through their sacrifice. "Fresh bread and jam...barley and mutton soup," served to Ned in jail, provide poignant contrast to the poorer, leaner fare on the farm. And a red silk dress becomes a symbol for corruption in one context and love in another.

A vigorous and uncompromising vision of wilderness life and death, the novel is also the sensitive portrayal of a young man forced to make impossible decisions to save and protect his family. It is also a passionate love story told with a warmth and sympathy that is all the more poignant for its contrast with the murder and death which accompany it. Satisfying and rewarding on all levels. Mary Whipple

This is a "western" which gallops to life, and the reader feels the grit, smells the dust, and agonizes with desperate characters as they are tossed every which way, not by their own deliberate decisions so much as by the unpredictability of their Australian frontier existence.

Ned Kelly, the Jesse James of Australia, becomes human here, not a monstrous blackguard so much as a man who is forced to make impossible choices. In this tale, which purports to be the hand-written autobiography he wants to leave for his baby daughter, we follow his childhood in poverty, his reluctant "apprenticeship" to the villainous Harry Powers, his cruel imprisonment by corrupt authorities, and his attempts to stay out of trouble upon his release. The judicial system's attack on his mother, however, becomes the catalyst for Ned's life in crime, a life which the reader understands could have been completely different, had authorities simply shown more compassion.

Carey is masterful in using small details to show contrasts and to make the big picture come alive. A new pair of soft boots achieves almost mystical significance--the ecstasy of their acquisition contrasting with the strength achieved through their sacrifice. "Fresh bread and jam...barley and mutton soup," served to Ned in jail, provide poignant contrast to the poorer, leaner fare on the farm. And a red silk dress becomes a symbol for corruption in one context and love in another.

A vigorous and uncompromising vision of wilderness life and death, the novel is also the sensitive portrayal of a young man forced to make impossible decisions to save and protect his family. It is also a passionate love story told with a warmth and sympathy that is all the more poignant for its contrast with the murder and death which accompany it. Satisfying and rewarding on all levels. Mary Whipple

It's long, at times it's tedious, but it is a book that remains with you long after the last page. The characters of both Oscar and Lucinda are so well drawn and their interaction is told with such tension that it is painful but with generous splashes of humor that just sparkles. I agree with some of the reviewers who feel the ending somewhat loses steam, but that is very minor. Great writing. If you enjoy a historical love story set in a far away land involving two people who are far from ordinary, try "Oscar and Lucinda."

This has got to be in my top five books i have ever read.
Set in 19th century Australia, Lucinda is confident and assertive. In contrast, Oscar is mild mannered and nervous. Together they form a friendhip that begins with a love for gambling but develops into something much deeper.
This story is beautifully written, Carey conjures up wonderful imagery of early Australian life, both in the outback and the city. The characters
are magical.
Absolutely supurb

After reading Oscar and Lucinda, Peter Carey's Booker Prize winning novel, I tried to categorize it in some meaningful way. It's richly detailed prose might be a bit daunting at first, and even though a brief glossary is provided, it may be advisable to have a dictionary at hand to help understand some of the language of mid 18th century Australia and England. One category that comes to mind is the historical novel. Oscar and Lucinda works very well on that level, and gives us insight into the economic, cultural, and religious milieus of the period.
Another category is the psychological portrait. Carey does a splendid job exploring the minds of the 2 main characters, both fatally flawed, but passionate in what they believe. It is a novel about the interplay of obsession, compulsion, and passion, and how explosive a mixture it can become under the right and wrong conditions.
Finally, and most importantly, Oscar and Lucinda is a grand farce. This may seem to contradict the historical and psychological aspects, but it still holds true that even the most horrendous and gut wrenching circumstance is delivered with a light, humorous, at times outright hysterical touch. Anyone who fails to see the comedy in this novel is not doing it justice.
Carey should be applauded for this masterful, high wire, juggling act of a novel.

Oscar Hopkins is the red-haired, idealistic, hydrophobic, mantis-like son of a preacher from England. Lucinda Leplastrier is a beautiful, Australian feminist heiress who owns glass works. They are like two poles of opposite charge, completely different, yet attracting each other. There is only one thing they seem to have in common: the addiction to gambling.

Their meeting happens against all odds: Oscar, after running away from his father, Teophilus, is raised by an Anglican family and receives education in Oxford. While in Oxford, he studies theology, but at the same time discovers a passion for betting on horses and wins considerable sums. To avoid a scandal, he agrees to take a post of a vicar in Australia and undertakes a long sea journey to get there, despite his fear of water.

Lucinda happens to be on the same ship, coming back to her native Australia after a visit in England. She is determined to make her glass factory work and thinks about the obstacles she meets all the time, mainly because of men not used to having a female boss and (even less) to exchanging ideas with a headstrong woman (despite finding Lucinda an attractive companion). Lucinda loves all kinds of gambling and even during the journey she cannot refrain from dreams of playing cards...

When Lucinda sees Oscar aboard the ship, he makes an unforgettable impression on her. So when they meet again, another scandal is inevitable. When Oscar is totally ruined and Lucinda's reputation would ruin her too, if not for her fortune, they decide to build the glass church, which Oscar is supposed to deliver through the bush, traveling with abominable Mr. Jeffris. The ending is even more surprising than the whole story...

I do not want to reveal any of the events that Carey's imagination created. This novel delves into the unexpected, the plot is great and the small anecdotic sub-stories and digressions excellent. Every secondary character is vivid and no person or event is introduced unnecessarily, even if it seems so at the first glance.

The prose is dense, rich and evoking powerful imagery in the mind of the reader. The novel is complex and requires a great deal of concentration. For me it was a slow, but delicious read. Oscar and Lucinda are undoubtedly among the weirdest literary characters ever created, yet they are full of life. They are interesting, unique and thoroughly human, not ideal, but very likeable. All the characters are full of human flaws, many are even caricatures (Mr. Jeffris, Miriam Chadwick and others), repulsive and pathetic; some are good but weak; some are plain ridiculous; there is a whole spectrum of human natures. Peter Carey wrote a great love story, a powerful epic and a great character study- a masterpiece. He is definitely one of the top Australian writers.

I just finished this book on my subway ride home. I won't spoil the ending, but I will say that my initial shock has subsided to the sort of wisdom and sadness that accompanies the ending of many great books. I do think that Carey's writing suffered a bit during the transport of the glass church; he reminded me a little of John Barth at his most self-indulgent, or something like that. However, it was still compelling, and evidence of the importance of the rest of the story-- the way he built the characters and set the stage.

Interestingly, I read this immediately after Julian Barnes's "Arthur and George," and in retrospect find the beginning of that book heavily influenced by this one. "Oscar and Lucinda" is a worthy read and one that will often hit you in the gut with laughter and pain.

This is the omnibus for the Star Trek: Double Helix series about a mysterious villain who has been releasing biological agents across the Alpha Quadrant over a period of years.

Book One reads the most as a medical thriller, as one of the Enterprise-Dýs first missions is to stop a plague killing people of mixed descent on a Federation colony troubled with racial tensions. Book Two has Dr. Pulaski, of TNGýs season two fame, travel to Trek Nor to stop a plague killing Bajorans and their Cardassian overseers alike. Book Three is supposed to be about Spock and McCoy taking care of a virus assassinating the Romulan royal family, but itýs actually about a young Starfleet officer coming to terms with his past as a POW and insecurity about not measuring up to his ancestors and old heroes such as Kirk. Book Four has Tom Riker team up with Chakotayýs Maquis crew to fight a plague on a world populated by people of interspecies descent. Book Five concludes the series with Captain Mackenzie and the crew of the ýExcaliburý teaming up with Picard and Riker to stop the villain from destroying the Federation in one blow. Book Six is a prequel that sets up the series by showing how Picard, then captain of the Stargazer, drove the villain to plot his diabolical plan to destroy the Federation.

Thereýs a little bit of something for everybody here: New Frontier and Stargazer adventures, cameos galore, and details on how Dr. Pulaski left the Enterprise and how Tom Riker joined the Maquis. By themselves, the books are pretty good. However, overall as a series itýs a bit of a dud. The medical thriller aspect which is supposed to be the basis of the entire series is not used much, and in some books is totally absent. The mysterious villain started off with promise but by the end of the series became nothing more than your typical madman. And the prequel did nothing to explain just how the villain turned to biological weapons, let alone became so powerful. Other than that, itýs ok.

This is one of those sets where you read the second book, and are curious about the second. When I bought them, I bought them individually and then I wanted the next and the next. I had a hard time finding one, and went nuts. The other good thing is you don't necessarily have had to read the one before to understand if you come in late. I like it when that happens. I recommend reading them all, and now you can buy them all together. Happy reading!

"Infection" by John Gregory Betancourt

The Enterprise is called to Archaria III, a planet jointly colonized by humans and Peladians. A new disease has cropped up and is only treatable (the double helix), in a temporary fashion. The Enterprise supposed to deliver the drug, quarantine the planet and see what help they might render. What follows is an excellent story, primarily using Dr. Crusher in her quest to find the cure. The author set everything up very well and wrapped up his portion beautifully.

"Vectors" by Dean Wesley Smith & Kristin Kathryn Rusch

Finally we have a story using Dr. Pulaski, who was unceremoniously dumped from the show. Not that she was anywhere near a replacement for Dr. Crusher. It is particularly interesting to see "Terok Nor" during the occupation and have the interaction with Gul Dukat. I felt the character development was very good and the Ferengi portions were written very well. The only true complaint is that the author's seemed to have done a poor job of closing out Kira's story.

"Red Sector" by Diane Carey

Red Sector is a fantastic story. It's very refreshing having a book that concentrates almost primarily on a non main character in John Eric Stiles. The character is extremely well thought out and written. The author nailed Spock and a hundred and thirty something Dr. McCoy perfectly. I'm dying to find out who the voice is at this point. Hopefully the next three in the Double Helix series will be as good as this one and the other two were.

"Quarantine" by John Vornholt

John Vornholt kicks out another fantastic story. Quarantine gives us a good idea of how "Tom Riker" ends up joining the Maquis. As is par for the course with John Vornholt, he goes into great detail describing a beautiful planet and all of its surroundings. Not a lot of Trek authors do that. I thought Torres seemed a little soft, considering her personality, but that can be explained away.

"Double or Nothing" By Peter David

This is another great installment to the New Frontier and the Double Helix series. Not having read the last of the Double Helix books yet, it seems that this one pretty much finishes the Double Helix storyline???? A favorite quote from the book, Riker - "I've got to get off this ship." Peter David did an excellent job of integrating Picard and Riker into the New Frontier. It's really interesting and well done how he brought Riker and Shelby together again. That portion was done very well and even better than I'd expected in another meeting of those two.

"The First Virtue" by Michael Jan Friedman & Christie Golden

The First Virtue is an excellent conclusion. It pretty much wraps up the reasoning to everything we learned in "Double or Nothing." In the First Virtue, we learn why Gerrid Thul wanted to create the Double Helix virus and why he wanted so much revenge for the loss of his only child. Both authors did a great job with their portions. The plot is well thought out, especially the portions of the book with Commander Jack Crusher and Lieutenant Tuvok. I felt that they captured Tuvok's personality quite well and gave a precursor to some of the decisions and general personality we saw on screen in Voyager.

Overall, I would recommend this Omnibus to any fan of good Star Trek fiction.