Florence King Books

The dual papacy had been resolved in favor of Rome (1416). Florence was the interim home for the Pope while permanent quarters were being readied in Rome (1420). Florence considered itself the new Athens of the western world, and on August 19, 1418 Filippo Brunelleschi submitted his design for the dome of the city's new cathedral. His design pushed the technology of bricklaying to never seen before sophistication, producing a dome 143 feet in diameter; a dome which is still the largest masonry dome in the world. His radical design and construction techniques for the double-walled dome required no temporary central scaffolding and support.

The work was interrupted by disease, war and political upheavals. Finally, the octagonal dome was completed in 1436 and the lantern on top of the dome was completed in 1461, fifteen years after Filippo's death. Ross King weaves a wonderful story about this technological feat. This book should appeal to all art, architecture and history buffs.

No one on this earth can write a story (or a book review) like Florence King can! The fluidity of her writing never ceases and I felt like I was there watching this story of her life unfold. She is a brave, strong, independant woman with amazing talent! Although any people will clump her with "feminists", she is not.

A friend shared this book with me. King's wit is unsurpassed in this day and age. Having found myself being an "honorary southerner" - relocated from the midwest to the deep south - her question throughout the book ("just what IS a lady?") could only have been explored with such humor and insight as this writer. I found myself laughing openly numerous times - not in a Bridget-Jones-Diary-Outrageous way, but in the One-Couldn't-MAKE-THIS-STUFF-Up kind of way.

Having born witness to many similar smelling-salt-scenarios King describes, I found myself fully entwined in this book. Poignant, observant, honest, intelligent, this is one writer you need to have on your bookshelf.

I was born and bred in Virginia. I didn't like this book. I identified with only about 25 percent of it. For example, all of the women in my family are good housekeepers. Also, for the prospective buyer, there is foul language in it and a pornographic description of a lesbian affair.

It is interesting that most of the reviews that rave over this book are from northerners.

King's book features a quirky mish mash of mismatched family members who, at first glance, seem not to belong together at all. This book examines the various relationships of those characters while simultaneously being a coming of age story regarding young Florence King as she ages throughout this books and faces the many trials and tribulations of her various ages. I've read this book several times and it never fails to get a laugh out of me as Florence moves through her childhood and young adulthood with her brash, tomboy mother who smokes and screams at baseball games on the radio, her father a proper British bartender who works nights and her granny who defines all Southern women as having either problems "down below" or else "in the head." This book will have you holding your side in stitches in places as you laugh yourself silly. A truly great reaad.

I am truly a southerner, and Ms. King's irreverant approach to the traditions and ways of the south in the mid-twentieth century are so on target that it will startle the reader who is not from the south, and will sound all to familiar to the southern reader.

I found her covert feminism during this time in her life very interesting and educational. It almost seemed like the fact that she was a feminist during this time in her life was unknown to even herself.

Her honest talk about her sexual life I found startling.

The way she challenged the cultural norms of that time is educational for anyone who is living under a cloud of opression, real or just real to you.

it's a great read!

King says she picked out all the samples in this anthology of her writing. If this be true she left out a lot of the good stuff and included plenty of dull reading. Dont use this book to judge her genius with.

There were some slow parts in this book; however, the rest of it is laugh out loud entertaining. She has led a colorful life and she details it with both beautiful and salty language. Good book for s.

I tried to read it, but not for long. I don't know; maybe you have to be a woman; or a southerner; from a different planet. If the junk she writes about rings true for you, I suggest massive amounts of drugs & alcohol.

The Florence King Reader includes samples from books and articles written by Florence King. It is well written, funny and thouroughly enjoyable. it is also one of few books which have forwards/introductions that are not only worth reading, but are actually entertaining.
If you like intelligent take no prisoners writing and humor, you'll love this book.

I love Florence King. Paradoxically, she loves us too. She's the type of misanthrope who must hate humanity precisely because she loves it too much. I couldn't put this book down the first time I read it, and I keep coming to it again and again. It's even inspired me to proselytize: I've sent several copies to family and friends. King's writing and wit are razor sharp ("If Mencken were alive, he would be her" - George Will). Her powers of observation, of seeing behind the surface of things, approach Platonic proportions. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but I guarantee that you'll love this book.

I appreciate Miss King's book more and more with each passing year, particularly since reading Anneli Rufus' Party of One. Miss King's fond look at misanthropy is scholarly, witty, and exhilarating. Those who don't "get it" can go join the other watery moles in the corner.

With Charity Toward None is highly recommmended for desert islands or that solitary cabin up near the Canadian border.

I like what she has to say about misanthropy, but I was expecting more shots at different types of people in general. Being a misanthrope, I can find many better reasons to not like people than some she has in this book. I was expecting a book that made fun of different stereotypes and discussed the variety of reasons to not like people in general.
This promoted more stereotypes than it did dissecting them, though. The book was more of a political statement on what the author considers the "feminization of America." I can think of many things wrong in America, but fewer misogynists isn't one of them.

I resubmit my review, to link with my current list.

The "failed Southern lady" sets off into history, searching out other members of her own kind. This results in some intriguing character sketches of people like Ambrose Bierce, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Dian Fossey, and other famous people-haters. She verges on preciousness in places, as in the interweaving of Nixon's career with a poem by a French courtier. But the book is full of her acidic well-readness, and is endlessly quotable. The introduction is a great exposition--maybe the only one in popular literature--one what makes and what does not make a misanthrope. Enjoy your bitters!

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. If you have had too much PC or have had it up to here with cloying sentimentality, or you just had too much "other people", get this book. If you like Dorothy Parker, H.L. Mencken, Ambrose Bierce, Grouch Marx, etc., you will love this book. Miss King spares no one and pulls no punches.

How can a book about misanthropy be joyful and life-affirming? Because Florence lets you know you're not alone. It can be pretty discouraging when everyone you know wants you to smile and be optimistic at all costs. Florence's devastations of the incompetent are the very definition of "catharsis." Mencken, whereever he is, must be green with envy.

I have been an avid glass collector for years, and just recently began collecting vintage tableware and cookware too. This is my first book on the subject, and the informational text is only surpassed by the wonderful pictures of all my favorite pieces that I currently own, or hope to soon. This book covers alot of ground on the history of each piece, collection and patterns that are out there. In this particular editon, I found the section on Early American Prescut and Wexford, two of my favorites in pattern, particularly informational. I also found out information on some pieces I've had for years and knew nothing about too, which is always a fun and enlightening experience. ..............While the pricing gives you a rough idea of what pieces are worth, you need demand and a a buyer to get the value. Of course that is only when a piece is mint. .............. Price guide aside, if you are just an a person like me, who enjoys hunting down and amassing collectible glass and glassware for the sheer joy of surrounding yourself in it's beauty, as opposed to those folks who just buy everything they can find to make a profit, or do a bit of both, this and all Gene Florence editions will no doubt fascinate you too.

I just love Gene Florence's information on collectibles so I purchased this book as well.I was wowed again!This book is VERY in depth about Fire-King and the different types out there.If you are confused about which piece is what -this book will help guide you!There are so many items that I had never seen or heard of before listed and pictured here.It has several color photos on each page!
Just a wonerful book overall!

THIS BOOK IS GREAT TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY TRUE FIRE KING GLASSWARE. I'VE NOT FOUND THIS BOOK ANYWHERE ELSE BUT AT AMAZON. I'M SO GLAD YOU OFFERED IT, IT HAS BEEN NOT ONLY INTERESTING BUT VERY INFORMATIVE WHEN PURCHASING FIRE KING.

If you are just starting antiquing and are active in buying and selling glassware, you really need this knowledge. You see a piece of Fireking you have never seen before and the seller want $5 for it. Will you get a bargain or a piece you will live with forever? This book has pictures, sizes and realistic pricing on Anchor Hocking glassware. You can finally find out what that strange piece of glass you bought was used for. If you shop e-bay you can find out that those four Big Top Goblets listed for sale are really tumblers as I did this week.
If you want to sell glassware on E-bay this book will pay for itself. I just wish they would add to the book. I'd pay more. It would be worth it. The book has paid for itself in a month.

I have been an avid glass collector for years, and just recently began collecting vintage tableware and cookware too. This is my first book on the subject, and the informational text is only surpassed by the wonderful pictures of all my favorite pieces that I currently own, or hope to soon. This book covers alot of ground on the history of each piece, collection and patterns that are out there. In this particular editon, I found the section on Early American Prescut and Wexford, two of my favorites in pattern, particularly informational. I also found out information on some pieces I've had for years and knew nothing about too, which is always a fun and enlightening experience. ..............While the pricing gives you a rough idea of what pieces are worth, you need demand and a a buyer to get the value. Of course that is only when a piece is mint. .............. Price guide aside, if you are just an a person like me, who enjoys hunting down and amassing collectible glass and glassware for the sheer joy of surrounding yourself in it's beauty, as opposed to those folks who just buy everything they can find to make a profit, or do a bit of both, this and all Gene Florence editions will no doubt fascinate you too.

Nice pictures that is about it. Some pricing information, pages away from items, very confusing. Could not even find pricing on some items. As a collector, way too much time spent looking things up and looking for pricing. Very frustrating, personally would not recommend this book.

The book has a lot of beautiful pictures.It is a good book to know about Fire King items, however I found the price on the book is lower than the one that I see at antique stores these days.

This book was very informative. It has wonderful pictures and is a must for any Fire King collector.

This is a great resource for any new collector of Anchor Hocking. I find myself fasinated with this book and it's contents.

I recently started collecting Jadite. I found this book to be a valuable resource. Great photos. Good price guide and full of valuable information.

Although the family trees and religious politics can get way too convoluted, this novel (and its prequel) is addictive. This one includes many more scenes of necromancy and otherworldly power. It's a tough go, but wading through all the art history and details of meat-carving is absolutely worth it.

Although The Stars Compel is the sequel to Michaele Roessner's The Stars Dispose, it doesn't require familiarity with the prior novel, though such familiarity will lend to an easier reading of this story. Tommaso is the son of famous chefs and has been named personal chef to the Duchessina in early Rome: his encounters with politics and romance as he attends to his duties provides an excellent story line steeped in Renaissance-era Florence and Rome atmosphere. Highly recommended.

After absolutely loving Michaela Roessner's first book about Tommaso & Caterina de Medici, I was delighted to find the second book. The details of life in Renaissance Florence are incredible, and not only make me feel what it must have been like to live back then, but give me an understanding for the politics of government and daily life for both the leaders and the common people of the time. Ms. Roessner does a great job of weaving in historical fact, details of cuisine and the actual storyline, and in the process, also creating interesting main and subsidiary characters.

The number of characters in the book, while great, reinforced the knowledge that much of the book actually happened (the cast of characters at the end of the book is invaluable).

I hope I'm not the only person who was "compelled" to read more history of the time period after reading these books...

I liked this book as much as, if not more than, the previous one (which I do recommend you read before trying this.) In it we follow the fate of Catherine de Medici, seen through the eyes of her chef and friend Tommaso, scion of a famous cooking family from Florence.

There are a number of themes running through this novel, and like a master weaver, Roessner twists and threads them through the weft and warp of Italian politics during the Renaissance. Throughout we can follow strands of pagan magick, bright threads of Italian cooking, the poignant theme of thrwarted lovers, and the brilliance of the world of art through which this novel moves.

The variety of names and characters does get a bit confusing at times, but I did not find it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. An engrossing, entertaining read, don't hesitate!

Set in Renaissance Florence which has recently survived a visit from the Black Death & is now listening for the thunder of marching barbarians, just as Rome had done earlier, we follow Tomasso's & Caterina's rise to prominence within the surviving society. He as her personal chef & she as the Duchessina, niece to the pope & valuable political pawn in the struggle for power within the Holy Roman Empire.

Now they are summoned to the haggard city of Rome to become part of the venomous intrigues as Pope Clement barters her virtue & dowry in exchange for power, promises & poison.

Again, as in The Stars Compel, Michaela Roessner continues her steeped, tightly woven coming-of-age saga of the life & times of a dangerous era.

Tomasso has become a model for the great Sculptor Michaelangelo & is growing into a handsome if scarred man. Caterina is wayward, obdurate, loving & beautiful.

For everyone the iron fist is clenching tighter & tighter, the magic needs to be fierce, the cats valiantly struggle with rats & Tomasso & Caterina must face the human vermin.

If you love historical fantasies with just the right balance of fact & fantasy as to make the read seamless, then this is a book for you. For my full review & eInterview with Michaela Roessner do visit my site [...].

Simply put, Florence King is one of two people that I consider the best American essayists and writers of our modern era. Her writing has always been concise - Reflections in a Jaundiced Eye shows that talent in its highest art form.

From her chapter on writing a romance novel to her chapter on John Updike, King nails her points to the door of thought and reason and lays it all out for everyone to read. While some of the material is dated (you had to live through the Reagan era to see the brilliance of her take on his style of communication) it is well worth diving into.

King is a true Conservative. However, unlike people today who run around and scream that they are conservatives (case intentional) and base their conservatism on type of Medieval thinking that pushed monks up into monasteries to protect knowledge, King embraces learning, in herself and she expects it of her readers. If you are going to read King and get what she is saying, you the reader will need to be prepared to think for self.

The simple truth is that King has never received the type of critical acclaim that she has deserved. Had she, "Florence King" would be a household name, and she deserves that place in our collective minds.

This collection of "essays" is amusing enough, but disappointingly unsatisfying next to the superb Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady, having nowhere near its level of wit and precision. I hesitate to really call these short pieces essays because they err too far on the side of memoir, and King just sort of shuffles around the point she wants to make in a rangy, rambling manner and then abruptly breaks off. Perhaps Confessions is superior because it is purely a memoir without the essayist aspirations, and King's real strength lies in clever storytelling. Her take on essays is far too topical, and for all her talk of being an intellectual, her theses are more often backed up by passing observations, a quote or two from popular culture (oddly, these often come from Phyllis Schlafly, with whom she seems mildly obsessed), and inventive stories about Aunt Beas and Miss MacEntyres than by any real scholarly research.

Stick to storytelling.

This is simply a fine book. There exists not another fine wit like this anywhere, now that Mencken is dead.

George Will wrote of Miss King- "If Mencken were alive, he would be her". This is the highest praise imagineable, and well deserved.

Miss King is to prose as Elton John is to rock piano. Do not overlook this book.

Florence King has a winning way with words and a rapier sharp wit; a rare soul who lives and writes by her own set of rules, few subjects are spared her criticism, as she pokes holes in the politically correct culture of the day.
Following in the tradition of her mother who was a "muleskinner cusser", Miss King decries the "decline and fall of profanity" which has dwindled down to a few meager 4 letter words. She also has much to say about the pandering of the "Helpists", "personality over character", her aversion to children, and more.

Being one myself, I thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 4, "Spinsterhood is Powerful". She says in this chapter: "I am often accused of being an anti-feminist, and my name is mud at Ms. Magazine, but in truth my whole life has been a feminist statement. The conflict lies not in my outlook and attitudes but in the definition of feminism that has been foisted on America in the late twentieth century".
Chapter 16, about her foray into the lusty romance novel genre (which she wrote under the pseudonym of Laura Buchanan) is hilarious, as are her efforts to write a magazine piece on the work of John Updike.

This collection of 18 essays was originally published in '89, and is a good example of her cynical but humorous viewpoint. Though dreadfully missed as a contributor to National Review Magazine, where she has recently taken her leave (her "Misanthrope's Corner" had graced the back page for decades), her books will continue to delight me, in their uniqueness and passionate spirit of independence.

The essays cover a variety of topics and are excellent entertainment. I especially enjoyed her thoughts about the awful books that get published.

I loved Florence Kings 'Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady'. It was wildly funny and right on target for those of us who grew up in the South. 'Lump it or Leave it' has its moments but this time King's cutting humor goes to the bone. Sometimes funny, sometimes mean spirited. I think Ms. King is a brilliant story teller and I'd love to see more of that as opposed to her railings on random topics. Of course, Ms. King probably doesn't give a fuzzy rats butt what I or anyone else thinks anyway!

When I read the description of <>, I hoped I was getting a book along the lines of something by Ellen Kushner or Guy Gavriel Kay: historical or semi-historical fantasy with an interesting setting and a sophisticated plot.

Unfortunately, Roessner falls a little short. I'd give this 3 1/2 stars if I could, because <> has its good points: it's well-researched, a wide variety of historical actors interact on a lot of levels, and who wouldn't be interested in an alternate-universe version of Renaissance Florence? <> is a bit better than your average fantasy read.

Still, the plot meanders. Even worse (and several reviewers below have picked up on this), there's a bit too much fact packed into, or worked awkwardly into, what's supposed to be a work of fiction -- it's as if someone tried to turn a master's thesis into a novel. Most jarring of all, however, is Roessner's weakness when it comes to writing dialogue. Like a lot of fantasy authors, she mistakes stilted speech for sophisticated repartee. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that several of the major characters are pre-teens. There aren't many college professors who talk the way Roessner's characters do, much less ten- or eleven-year-olds!

Most of the ingredients for a good novel are here (this is something of a pun, because food's quite important in <>, to the point that there are recipes in the back of the book). Maybe with more practice -- and especially with more natural dialogue -- Roessner will get better in future books at stirring those ingredients together.

I really liked this book although I agree with the reviewer here that it was hard to understand the motivations of the characters (like Gentile). Still, the story is interesting and the writing well done. It reminded me some of Ellen Kushner's work.

Astra declinant, non necessitant.
The stars dispose, they do not compel.

A rich blend of history and authentic period detail with a touch of mysticism, The Stars Dispose tells the story of young Tommaso de Befanini, born into a Florentine family famed for its fine cooking. Tommaso, only 11 years of age, finds himself struggling with more than learning to properly carve a roast. The city of Florence is being torn asunder by warring factions, and the Befanini are employed by many of the important movers and shakers. This novel teems with famous characters - Michelangelo, Caterina de Medici, and Pope Clement, to name but a few. Roessner is a skillful writer, particular in her flair for description. Where this book falls short is in its plot, which is surprisingly slow and lumbering, ultimately leaving the reader hanging, a device that suggests plans for a sequel. Still, Stars is well worth reading for its atmosphere and winning characters. And if you like reading about fabulous feasts and recipes, open a bottle of your favorite vino, nibble some melone and prosciutto, and curl up with The Stars Dispose.

this is one of my all time favorite books, the imagery is so vital to the story that,i still think of this book years after i have read it and its following story. i'm a chef and i delight in her mixing of the art world and the food realm with the magic of the times she writes about, the ice sculpture scene is still one of the most emotional things i have read. i think she unveiled what it must have been like to be michelangelo at that time and place with true passion,his and the authors!i would love to see this as a movie

There was a lot about this book that I liked. I enjoyed the descriptions of Italy and the food/kitchens. I liked the character, Tommaso, and his interaction/relationship with Michelangelo Buonarotti, but that wasn't enough to raise this series above average.

I agree with the earlier reviewer who had a comment about the way people speak in both Roessner's books - it *is* very expositionally based. Rather than taking a paragraph or a few lines on her own, she has the characters do it and it comes out sounding false or forced. There is one chapter in the first book (second chapter, I think?) between Cosimo Ruggiero and Ruggiero the Older that is massive exposition supposedly in the form of an occult lesson. Because we really haven't met these people, the "lesson" seems stiff and forced, done more for the information the author needs to put out there than anything else. She seems to have a love of the culture and a lot of knowledge gained from her research, it's simply the way she shares some of it that proves awkward.

I also had a hard time caring about the characters because she never really spent any time with any *one* of them except Tommaso and he was as clueless as I felt. Gentile, Tommaso's father, is left totally in the background until he's needed to move the plot to a particular point. He's mentioned once or twice but the next time we see him, he's raving at Piera about her use of "witchcraft" and how he's not going to stand for it anymore. Huh? When did this come about besides the one line we're given about how he's never been completely comfortable (I'm paraphrasing)? Suddenly, he's rip-roaring mad enough to tear a necklace from his wife's neck and tear around in a frenzy? And, after what would be a calamitous event in any parent's life, he's suddenly raping Filomena on a regular basis? Nothing Roessner writes about Gentile in the few crumbs she gives us beforehand gives basis to any of his actions, so Tommaso's discovery of Gentile in the act felt more like emotional manipulation than emotional empathy with Tommaso. All it did was move the plot to the next point she needed: Tommaso's relationship with Michelangelo.

And Piera...when she realizes that Ginevra might not have been the one who should have received all her training, does she do anything about it? No. She just wrings her hands until Roessner can have her miscarry and ultimately die. (OK, she did manage to rescue Filomena so I'll give her that much).

The series is a pleasant way to pass an afternoon or so but it feels overstuffed by facts to the exclusion of character development. I would have preferred a bit more internal dialogue, more of the goings-on in the Befanini family or in the de' Medici family through Tommaso's, Michelangelo's or Caterina's eyes, more dialogue and less exposition...more of the feeling that the characters were *doing* something besides serving as set pieces until the author decided it was time to change the scenery. History and fiction need to blend in books like these (see Colleen McCullough's "First Man In Rome" series or Thomas Flanagan's "Tenants of Time"). The time the author writes about is a fascinating time but I would have preferred a little less history in exchange for a little more story in this case.