Shadow The Books

Sophie Freud's new book is more than a history of a famous family in the 20thc, but a history of the century in itself. The long arc of Germany's attempt to achieve at least European, if not worldwide, supremacy, is told through the eyes of a family that lived it.

The book is neither long nor hard to read, therefore, I was disappointed when Sophie thanks her editors for helping her cut it down. I want to read it all. Basically the book is Sophie's mother's autobiography. Said Ernestine, who liked to be called Esti married Martin Freud, one of Sigmund Freud's sons. She wrote her book late in her life, and her writings are in Roman type, whereas Sophie's comments are in italics, and thus this whole book which was written AND edited by Sophie becomes a dual biography.

Accompanying the stories of these 2 women are many, many letters written by other members of the Freud family, and from them we can make our own judgements about the people and compare them to the ones that Sophie makes. These other letters are in various fonts.

The mother, Esti, seems at first to be a simple lovely girl in love with Martin, but Sigmund says of her "she is not only maliciously meshugge but also mad in the medical sense." We see this in the early years of their marriage. Talk about dysfunctional families!

The family split up in 1938: Esti and Sophie went to Paris, and Martin and his son, Walter, went to London. For the next 4 years mother and daughter struggled to keep alive, to find decent lodging and food, and to keep barely one step ahead of Hitler as he ran down France. Vichy France became a haven for the Freuds for a while, but eventually they went to Casablanca and then to Lisbon, and finally to the USA. (The movie "Casablanca" may have been fiction, but it was a fiction that many people really lived.)

I have to admire both women who essentially became trilingual in a very short time. For all of Esti's complaining and bitterness (her letters to Walter during the war years must have been devastating to the young man who could do nothing to help). But as a speech therapist, Esti, who first taught in Vienna, learned to teach both in France and then in the USA. Sophie went straight from the lycee in France (already a 2nd language for her) to Radcliffe College. Both women earned Ph.Ds.

Don't be dismayed by the family tree at the beginning. In fact, ignore it at first. However, I wish that dates had been included. The important characters will become clear upon reading. At times the book sounds like a novel, but it is not. Sophie and her brother were thus separated for most of their lives. Walter died not long before Sophie finished the book and his children found about 200 letters from their mother to him. Although most of this book was finished, Sophie had to incorporate many of them into her new publication.

This is a sad book, but who cannot say that the 20th c, esp. the first half, was not sad, in the deepest sense of the word? I enoyed the book thoroughly and I think you will as well. Do not expect to find out much about Sigmund however - that is reserved for other books. You will find out about many members of both the Freud and Drucker (Esti's family) families - some uplifting news and some destructive habits. Many of the Freud family were able to escape Austria, but many were not and were thus exterminated. The last page of the book which contains the final words of both Esti and Sophie (for now at least - let's hope she writes more) is indeed sad. I did not mind reading it early on. You choose.

Sophie Freud's recent book, Living Under the Shadow of the Freud Family, is most interesting and compelling. She masterfully interweaves perspectives on the private (and public) lives of her family and herself, thus offering a memoir that at times reads like a first-rate novel.

Professor Freud's wit, mischievousness, and clear-eyed vision pervades the various narratives and adds a most important and entertaining dimension--not only in her diary entries but in her numerous candid and often wonderfully blunt assessments of others (family members, professors, etc.) and in her self-reflexive comments (e.g. when she reflects puckishly that she may be writing this book to display her own achievements for the Annee Scolaire prize--"who knows, perhaps I am writing this book just for that purpose"). It is this kind of serious play, throughout, that makes this memoir so very readable and revealing, at the same time Sophie Freud's commentary or her mother's autobiographical narrative or numerous letters continue to remind readers of the shadow of her grandfather and other relatives (Tante Janne, her brother, her father, et al. ) and of the sinister shadow of Hitler and WW2 which impinges trenchantly on the lives of the Freud family, not to mention the world. I am reminded of the author, W.G, Sebald, photos included. In short, among other things, I have come away with a very deep and complex feeling for Professor Freud's mother, along with multiple insights into her own fascinating self.

This book is a fascinating read, both in terms of family dynamics and world history. Through letters, diaries and commentary from various family members, Sophie Freud (Sigmund Freud's granddaughter) gives life to her mother Esti, including her troubled marriage to Freud's son Martin, her struggle to be accepted by the Freud family, and her difficult relationships with her children. The book also has moments of historic drama, such as when Sophie and her mother flee Paris by bicycle two days before the Nazis invade. There are also bits of humor, such as when the teenage Sophie's diary reveals that she is much more concerned about boys, her figure, and finishing her qualifying exams than she is about the approaching Nazis. Overall, the book provides unique insight into a complicated (and famous) family at an especially charged time in history. I really enjoyed it.Living in the Shadow of the Freud Family

Sophie Freud, the author of this wonderful book, has kept a diary most of her life, as did her mother, Esti, along with many letters and documents of her fractured family. These documents are the scaffolding of a compelling story of romance, marriage, betrayal, escape and ultimately, the need to reinvent one's self in another country. Ms.Freud uses these papers (in French and German), along with her own commentary and that of her brother. The tale of her escape from Paris on a bicycle with her mother is vivid. She also uses photographs of her family and documents which increase the appeal of the book.
For anyone interested in a life of the twentieth century, with war, loss and emigration, this is a wonderful book.

I found it an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. Jack does a great job of leading readers to reflect on their own lives. Certainly worth the time spent reading it and a must-read for career military officers, active or retired.

A wonderful, thought-provoking read. Beautiful insights and observations from someone who has lived life thoroughly. Best enjoyed at a leisurely pace, taking the time to savor each flavor.

Long Shadows at Noon is a wonderful book of inspirational essays and poetry. The author writes with heart and humor, that warms the soul.

A great read. Marshall is a talented author who is both light hearted and deeply touching. A very enlightening perspective on life in general.

Mr. Campbell creates a cozy world of mystery with this latest in his Greg and Jill McKenzie mystery series. His characters are familiar, real and charming (even to those who have not read his previous books) and the plot developments keep the story moving at a fast pace.You will thoroughly enjoy reading this book- and what else could you ask?

Greg and Jill McKenzie, owners of McKenzie Investigations, feel obligated to help when Colonel Warren Jarvis asks them to take on the case of his good friend Kelli Kane. Kelli needs the McKenzies to help clear the name of her great-great-grandfather Sydney Liggett. Back in 1914 he was accused of embezzling funds from Marathon Motor Works.

Pierce Bradley, a construction supervisor at the former Marathon Motors building, found papers belonging to Sydney Liggett which would have exonerated him, but he disappeared before the papers could be turned over to the DA. Bradley called Kelli's grandfather and set up a meeting to hand over the papers. Unfortunately Bradley can't be located now.

Not long after the McKenzies being to investigate, Bradley's body is found submerged in a lake. The papers he claimed he found are still missing. To make matters worse, more people connected to the investigate end up dead. There aren't many clues to go on, but the McKenzies are committed to do everything they can to find those papers. Can they find them before more people die? Can they find them without putting themselves in danger?

I love this series. Jill and Greg are such lovable characters. The plot is well constructed, and the setting is terrific. Such a great cozy mystery series. The author has done a fabulous job of setting up the story and creating characters that are believable. I enjoyed learning about the Marathon cars as well.

I highly recommend this book and series. I found myself having trouble putting it down.

Greg McKenzie, retired Lieutenant Colonel where he was an agent with the OSI [Office of Special Investigations], is contacted by a former colleague from the Air Force and asked to investigate a matter for his girlfriend, one Kelli Kane. Greg and his wife, Jill, live in Nashville, TN, where they opened a p.i. agency about seventh months ago. Kelli herself has a background that includes working undercover for some Federal Agency, whether CIA or otherwise is unclear. It seems that her great-great-grandfather had been accused of embezzlement when a large sum of money went missing from the company for which he worked as assistant treasurer, Marathon Motor Works, ultimately resulting in its declaring bankruptcy. Her grandfather, now 84 and in a nursing home, has been contacted by the job foreman for a company renovating the building which had housed that company ninety years ago, telling him that some papers had been found, hidden in a wall, attached to which was a handwritten note indicating that the papers were to be turned over to the District Attorney's office. The job foreman, a man named Bradley, was to have brought the papers to Kelli's grandfather, but never kept his appointment. Greg and his wife are asked to find Bradley and the papers which they believe will exonerate her relative and clear the family name.

It is not long before Bradley's body is found, and his house is discovered to have been ransacked, as is Kelli's grandfather's house. And of course the papers that might solve the mystery of the missing money are nowhere to be found. Complicating matters is the fact that as the investigation progresses it appears that the old man had a propensity for alienating a wide range of people, as had Bradley himself, and his being targeted may have had nothing to do with the Marathon investigation, but simply a matter of vandalism. But then another body is discovered.

Marathon Motor Works was a real company, and in fact it produced the only car completely built in the South. Nashville and its environs are lovingly described by the author, who has given us a very good mystery, well-written and suspenseful, and one I enjoyed a great deal.

When Colonel Warren Jarvis asks Greg and Jill McKenzie, owners of McKenzie Investigations, to take on the case of his good friend Kelli Kane, they readily agree. Jarvis was instrumental in one of their former cases and the McKenzies feel indebted to him. Kelli needs the McKenzies' help in clearing the name of her great-great-grandfather Sydney Liggett, accused of embezzling funds from Marathon Motor Works in 1914. Kelli's grandfather recently received a phone call from Pierce Bradley, a construction supervisor at the former Marathon Motors building, who found papers belonging to Sydney Liggett which would have exonerated Liggett had he not disappeared before he could turn them over to the DA. And now Bradley is nowhere to be found. The McKenzies have barely begun their investigation when Bradley's body is discovered submerged in a lake, but the papers he claimed to have come across are missing. The McKenzies hope to recover the papers, but nothing seems to jell and, to make matters worse, people connected to the investigation are ending up dead. The only clue: a Russian cigarette stub found at each crime scene.

This fourth installment of the Greg McKenzie Mysteries is proof positive the series remains strong and fresh and is a major contender in the mystery venue. Greg and Jill McKenzie are a nice pairing, an amiable blend against the shady backdrop of murder and deceit. This well-plotted cozy is sure to please its fans and lure even more into its fold, the not-so-easily-guessed mystery one readers will enjoy trying to solve.

My four year old daughter loves this book. We have read it every night for the past three weeks and I don't see her growing tired of it yet. Anything that Remy Charlip does is a gem!

When I was a small child back in the late sixties, early seventies, my this was probably my favorite book in the whole world. When read in very expressive voices, it adds to the wonderful illustrations in this book. I still have my original copy from when I was a child, and hold it close to my heart. It thrills me to know that perhaps another generation will be exposed to this book, and its next phase begins.

I remember these Victorian silhouette illustrations on bold backgrounds from when I was young, and when we found it recently at the library I discovered that it has as much appeal to my four year old today as it did (and still does) to me. The objects the doctor extracts from a young boy's dramatically bloated stomach get progressively more outrageous as they go along, and the story ends with a funny twist. I'm delighted to find this 1966 Berkeley, CA classic available again in print.

I have been looking for this book for eight years.My Grandmother read it to me when I was a child.I'm a mother of two now and I would love for my children to pass this book on to their children.This is a book I will never forget,and one that I am sure your chilren will never forget also!

Although I grew up in the city, as I read "The Mystery of Shadow Lake", I was easily transported into the carefree life of Chris and Luke. The author's style makes you feel as if you are actually there. This is a must read book for any young adult as well as any adult that wants to temporarily forget all of the hustle, bustle and stress filled days. I am avidly looking forward to reading Chris and Luke's new adventures. If you like mystery and fun rolled together, this is the book to read. This is a great gift for the reader in your house.

I just finished reading the book, The Mystery of Shadow Lake by Craig Burrus and it was fun reading. I love the ending and can't wait to read his next book. Carl Randolph

This story of Chris and Luke's adventurous summer is a very fast paced read.

I found that I couldn't put the book down until I knew what happened to the new friends next.

The 'Neutral Zone' beholds strange forces that must be explored, but danger lurks behind each bend!

I just finished reading the book, The Mystery of Shadow Lake by Craig Burrus and it was fun reading. I love the ending and can't wait to read him next book.

Carl Randolph

The books written by Edward Whittemore are not for everyone but his style appeals to me and the humanity in each of the five books are as beautiful as they are heart breaking. It is a shame that this author passed before he could continue writing.

Since there were no reviews of this book on Amazon, I decided to give it a try. Having read his debut novel and the first three of the Quartet, this book is a bit slower in terms of action but I found it to be the most cerebral of his books so far. Whittemore is a modern master of storytelling, but his strength is dialogue. The conversations that take place here are beautifully written, rivalling only those of William Gaddis. As I begin his last novel, I wonder why the publishing industry has let these books fall out of circulation? Whittemore's novels are a secret history of the 20th century. One last note, I have read that his first novel has nothing to due with the Quartet, not true. There are bits and pieces that filter through the Quartet. All interested parties should read his first book before trying to decode the mysteries of the Quartet.

Old Earth Books will be reprinting this and the other 4 Whittemore novels. Google the web for "Edward Whittemore".

If you've heard about Whittemore from one of his fans you've probably heard it all already. In fact, the 'all' can usually be summed up in two or three phrases: 'Unknown,' 'Unrecognized' and/or 'unappreciated genius.' I am not here to argue against these sentiments but I will just say that there is a logical inchorency here that may be cleared up if we say that he is known but not known enough; that he is recognized but his recognition must spread beyond his small but growing legions of fans; that he is appreciated but hitherto he has been appreciated by far far too few. Furthermore, the quality of Whittemore being a genius limits him, I think, to just the usual stylistic tropes of that appalation. I don't think we would usually call someone an emotional genius or a genius of virtue although perhaps we should. For Whittemore is something more beyond his mastery of evocative language and his plethora of great characters. There is a quality of Whittemore's work that Kenneth Rexroth observed is lacking even in many of those novels we would often call 'great.' That quality is 'magnaminity.' It's there in the great Chinese novels such as the 'The Story of the Stone' and it's there in Ford's 'Parades End' and (although I can't remember if Rexroth says this himself but I do believe it to be the case) it's there in Tolstoy. And it's certainly there in Whittemore.

Set in eastern Massachusetts, this takes place in the 1980s computer industry. Alicia is a young woman who recently fought a vampire named Wesley at a high-tech company. She had help from a modern-day witch named Matricaria (by day, she is a fellow computer named Meg). Wesley died in a major explosion at the company. Or did he?

In this book, Alicia and Meg are at a new employer. Meg has become part of a coven, and both she and Alicia still feel that same ancient, evil hunger, like something, or someone, is coming for them. Perhaps Wesley is still alive, or it could be Frederick, a recently living person, now a vampire, now living in the same town. He patrols Route 9, the main thoroughfare through town, needing a constant supply of, preferably female, blood. His victims don't turn into vampires, but they have no memory of their encounter with him.

Because of their past dealings with Wesley, the coven doesn't hesitate to take steps to prepare for whatever is coming. They prepare a number of spells and protections. Alicia is at the center of all this, and has become a sort of junior member of the coven, so she is taught some wiccan methods of protection.

This is a rather "quiet" novel, but a really good novel. The author certainly knows her way around Wicca; this is almost more of a Wiccan novel than a vampire novel. For the squeamish, this is not a very bloody novel. It is very much worth reading.

Set in the modern day, The Old Power Returns is a fantasy-horror novel about a group of Wiccans who must combine their powers and talents to confront a murderous vampiric menace. A dark saga of ancient hunger and the women who fought against it - or fell victim to it, The Old Power Returns seizes the reader's attention and does not let go until the final page. Enthusiastically recommended for especially for fans of vampire stories.

Since reading Darksome Thirst some time ago I've been awaiting the arrival of the next book in the series, and this book proves to be well worth the wait. Westfield continues a suspenseful tale of a coven of 20th century witches doing battle with a rather nasty infestation of vampires, all set in thinly-disguised suburban Boston.

Good character development in the principal adversaries really brings them to life (um, or in the case of the vampire, un-life :-) and anyone who worked in high tech in the 70s -- or, for that matter, today -- will find the corporate dynamics amusingly familiar.

Once again, I found this a difficult book to put down, and I did notice that there may be at least a glimmer of an opening left for another book in the series (please!).

Generally I'm not a huge fan of fiction, but I had the opportunity to read this particular novel over a weekend while flying cross country. And I do have to say it's pretty good!

Set in the early 1980s, "The Old Power Returns" features Wiccans, psychics, and vampires, just as its prequel, "Darksome Thirst", did. An added geek feature is the collection of references to circa 1980 computer technology that pepper the story.

It took me a little while to get into the story, partly because there were a lot of references in the first couple of chapters to events from the first book in the series. However, with some reading it wasn't too difficult to get at least some idea of the events leading up to this book, though not enough to spoil the promised fun of "Darksome Thirst", which is now on my wish list.

Westfield does a great job of writing a story that drew me in. There were plenty of interesting twists in the action; Frederick the vampire was one of my favorite characters (and one of the more unique bad guys I've seen created). However, all of them were well-rounded and distinct.

I think I only really have two small quibbles about this book (and don't let them deter you!). One is that the book could have used a bit more editing. There were parts that were a bit wordy, or where the author used a particular phrase in two consecutive sentences. Also, the overall message of "Wiccans are good, not evil" got a bit tedious and heavy-handed. I realize that there are still plenty of misconceptions about neopaganism in general, but the traits of Wicca might have been worked more smoothly into the text rather than mini-essays presented as dialogue. Still, the effort is appreciated, and the info itself was pretty accurate.

Overall I found this to be an engaging read once I figured out the backstory. It may start a little slow, but "The Old Power Returns" is a great page-turner by the end!

Christina Brett is an ingenious storyteller with a wonderful and convincing imagination. Her books are always page turners. A novel which makes for sleepless nights. Superb, will grip readers from the first page.

This magnificent piece is so addictive, that you will not put it down until you finish reading every page.........every line......every phrase.

And yes, after you've finished reading the book......you'll come back to read it again.

Ronald García/Spanish writer

I got the book in the mail on Saturday afternoon and started reading it when I went to bed about 10:00 p.m. I could not put it away till about 3:00 a.m. when I fell asleep. I finished it the next day. It was so exciting I had to read a few more pages everytime I wanted to take a break. It is fast paced and holds your attention. I had mixed feelings about the subject. You know she is going to kill somebody which is morally wrong, but you don't want her caught either, I suppose due to her circumstance. I felt sorry that in the end she missed out on a life that could have been wonderful with her lover. The book is well written. I will buy more books by this author. -- Kwadwo Obeng author of "Africans and their Descendants Do Not need Moses, Jesus or Mohammed"

I have really enjoyed reading this book. It is very easy to read and it kept me in suspense from chapter to chapter. I know the author who wrote this book and the stories herein are fantastic. Co-Author of: "Creating Your Own Way to Happiness."

Right off the bat, you find out that the main character's son has been kidnapped. We're still on the first page, and we find ourselves pulled into the action by our eyebrow hairs. Page after page of action, interspersed with a very believable and sweet romance, and then back to the action before you can even blink. I stayed in bed all day to read it, nursing a cold -- and after my Nyquil kicked in, I pretended to still be sick so I could stay in bed and finish. I can't wait for the sequel.

This book was a great delight to me. It was refreshing to read with the values I believe in as a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Yes there is mystery, intrique and the drug cartel smack in the middle of it, but it also has the tenderness of a pure and true love that took my breath away. It definitely is a must read and you won't want to put it down.

I thought I was going to read a few chapters and I had read the whole thing before I knew it!
Intriguing, rollercoaster ride of a romance that satisfies the heart. Fast action entertains while the reader really gets involved in Caroline's quandaries.
Surprising twists and lyrical phrasing left me wanting to read the next book right NOW!
Highly recommended!

Don't start this fast-paced book in the evening, because you won't be able to put it down until the wee hours of the morning.

It is a must read.

Congratulations to Mary for writing such a compelling book. I live in Australia and our past adoption practices are under review and it is the birthfathers that have been forgotten. Never given a chance to have a say - the law discriminating against birthfathers. Now through such a book - people will be educated and listen to fathers. It really is a joint project - many birth matters were never allowed to mention the father's name - if they did - it was trouble for the mother. Birth father's parents also had no rights - the only rights available was with the authorities -

Finally some one is helping birth fathers speak out and I can only hope that birth fathers in Australia have the opportunity to read this book and come forward in the forthcoming Inquiry in the State of Victoria, Australia. This book will give them the confidence to "speak out" so that the true picture can be heard by the adopted children. Their parents loved them - and in many cases, had no say as to their own child's future.

Hopefully Australian birth father's will come across this book. I will certainly be doing everything I can to promote the book in Australia.

To all Birthfathers who spoke to Mary congratulations and to those that did not - speak out now.

As a birthfather who lost his children in a closed adoption 25 years ago I found Mason's book to be a breath of fresh air. Birthfathers are the invisible and often unwelcome members in the triad world and this book shows that we are parents who can love and care deeply for the children we have lost. I have become active in triad issues since my reunion with my son and daughter a year ago and this book has helped me keep going when faced with the sometimes daunting birthmother-centered focus in our corner of the triad.

Being a dad who put my child up some years ago, This book help to grow and go on with my life. Thank you So much

Since I did my interview with Mary I have been reunited with my son for 6 Years. All I can say is that being able to tell my story,along with the reunion with my son, brought me a closure to what I had been through that I could have never acheived without either event. I am truly gratefull to Mary, and the people my story has touched. If anyone wishes to talk about there situation I am more than willing.