Michigan Books

I read this book in a single day, a rainy Saturday that perfectly fit the mood of the story. In the waning days of WWI, a Vancouver Island apple farmer travels to Belgium to find the spot where his son was killed.

I've asked my wife's book group to read it because I think it may be a "guy" book, but not in the usual sense, not a violent guy book. We've known many quiet dads as tertiary characters in other novels; this book lets us see through the eyes of a quiet dad. Quiet on the outside, anyway.

Well paced, beautifully told. Well worth a Saturday afternoon.

So many novels of war glamorize or valorize the act of killing. This novel ingeniously shows the trauma left afterwards -- in the landscape and the psyche of the people and places left once the war is over. In beautifully wrought prose that shines and surprises in every sentence, W.D. Wetherell shows us the margins and hidden corners that so often are ignored in the midst of documenting the carnage. This is a novel that places itself in the company of great war novels like Pat Barker's REGENERATION and Tim O'Brien's GOING AFTER CACCIATIO. And if women are reading this review, please read this book! It's not your typical shoot-'em-up war novel.

I bought the book based on a glowing review in the paper, something I do more and more hesitantly these days, having been disappointed lots of times in the purchase. But this was worth every word the reviewer gave it. It's an old, old story: guy leaves town looking for something. But Wetherell's telling of it comes alive because of reams of period (WWI) research, all of it subsumed to character and plot; a gorgeous handling of language and freshness of image; and odd twists in the progression of the story that only serve to make it more believable. A book for you, if you love a great and simple story immaculately told.

As one of the Marines mentioned in this book, I am, of course, biased. However, it opens a window on the home front in those days, alternating with letters describing the tedium (and humorous events) of military life between campaigns.

Petersen has published all of the letters to and from his wife during his service in the Marines. As such the book is a documentary source containing unedited contemporary material. In addition, the letters relate a love story that was common during the period. The gradual changes in the relationship are revealed in the letters. The anxieties and boredom of the life of a replacement is well described and gives the reader a true insight of the personal side of the history of the 3rd Marine Division. I recommend the book highly especially for anyone who has been a replacement.

In February of 1944 two strangers spent 42 hours sitting next to each other on the train from Los Angeles to Chicago. They shared a few meals, much conversation, and a kiss. They found they had much in common, and before they went their separate ways in Chicago, they agreed to write each other. Gene Petersen was 23, and an officer in the Marine Corps, and Marian Smith was 22, and a secretary for a defense manufacturer. Over the course of their 18-month correspondence, they tested their views and ideals on each other, and discussed their post-war expectations and their fervent desire to make the world a better place. Gene and Marian were idealistic liberals, extremely well read, and very concerned about both national and world politics. During a troubling time for both of them, each stepped up and performed the role of best friend. Their "chance for love" turned into a life-long reality.

Marian's letters reveal what life was like in the States during the end of World War II, with food shortages, travel difficulties, and long lines at movie theatres. Marian occasionally went home to Wittenberg, Wisconsin to visit and assist her parents, who had a furniture and undertaking business. "Dad took a man up to Wausau in the ambulance Tues. morning & brought him back that night in the hearse (same car - different personalities)." When Marian's brother Franklin was reported missing in action, the frequency of their letter writing increased substantially.

Gene's letters show what it was like to be an officer in the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theatre, mentally juggling stretches of boredom with periods of intense combat. During the three-week battle at Iwo Jima Gene's eloquent letters turned into terse notes, but he kept writing. "March 4, 1945 - still shelling dump and airfield - infantry officers gone to front but not many specialists - 9th day today - haven't had my clothes off yet".

I accelerated through this book until I finished. Somewhere around the middle I no longer felt like I was reading a book. I felt like I was reading two packets of letters I had found in the back of a drawer I shouldn't have been looking in. At times it was the historical facts which fascinated me. Other times it was sheer voyeurism.

I found this text originally in our library, and tried it out with several of my ESL students. Testing (included in the back of the book for placement purposes) showed gaps in their skills which had not been evident through our daily materials. I went back and re-taught lessons that had 2 of 2 missed questions, and did an oral review of units with a score of 1 out of 2. Students vocab and overall expressive skills have improved a LOT in the last 2 months! One drawback, I think, is the test. I have added a 3rd set of questions as I feel it's quite possible to guess correctly twice, but rare to guess correctly 3 times! I love being able to skip or skim areas that don't require direct teaching, because my students have very limited time to spend on their studies. I also like the fact that there are other support materials available. I feel much more effective as a teacher than peviously. Although this could not be used as a single text, it's a wonderful addition to our Program!

I RATE THIS BOOK 5 STARS BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT BOOK FOR BOTH THE BEGINNER AND THE ADVANCED ESL LEARNER OR STUDENT. AS AN ENGLISH MAJOR, I LIKE READING AND SKIMMING THROUGH THE PAGES OF GRAMMAR BOOKS AND WHAT NOT THAT I COULD GET MY MIND TO ABSORB INFO, AND THIS BOOK DOES EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO GET OUT OF A GREAT TEXT---LEARN AND LET IT STAY THERE IN THE PERSON'S BRAIN. THIS DEFINITELY IS A GREAT TEXT.

I use this book with my adult ESL students. It is clearly written and extremely effective in reinforcing English grammar in an intelligent fashion. The content level is perfect for Non-English speaking older students. It addresses issues that a more mature student can relate to such as Geography or Current Events to cement a grammar concept rather than using balloons or puppies. It,also, employs different techniques and examples to do the same thing. I feel that my students are more interested in learning by using this book and that often the content encourages other English speaking activities.

Jacqueline Marcus is a philosophical elegist. I know there will be some who think she recalls Pound of The Pisan Cantos or Charles Wright of the last couple of decades, but for me her work recalls something of Kenneth Patchen in its tender loves, elemental sadness, and deep longing. Her poems are inquiries into the human heart, whther it is meeting up with the brute realities of political injustice or the complex challenges of 20th century materialists.

"Close to the Shore" is a book that also reminds me how hard it is to publish a book of poetry these days. There are so many fine, mature poems here that it's easy to believe that it takes years for writers to get their work between covers. Even though this is a first book, it's clear that it's been written by a writer of long apprentice, one who continues to engage and reflect upon the lived life.

I love to read poetry and this book has the most beautiful poems I have read in a long long time.

On the back of Jacqueline Marcus's book, Sherod Santos and John Koethe wrote the following praises for _Close to the Shore_, Jacqueline Marcus's debut collection of poems.

"Jacqueline Marcus's _Close to the Shore_ presents us with a poet whose prodigious talents, uncanny emotional range, and (dare one say it?) profound spiritual sympathies, have opened up a space in the human heart where every thoughtful reader will feel welcome. This is a poet of abundance and wonder, a poet who reminds us that poetry is, in some very elemental way, 'the insistence of Form, / each note, an integration, / each note, a prayer-wheel turning.'" --Sherod Santos, Department of English, University of Missouri

"Jacqueline Marcus's poems have all the suppleness and hesitation of thought itself. They wander through so many dimensions--philosophical, personal, and political--on the way to a condition which, they seem to say, may or may not exist, but which is nevertheless luminous, intelligent, and serene." --John Koethe, Department of philosophy, University of Wisconsin.

I certainly agree with their assessments on this exquisite book of poems!

Jacqueline Marcus's poems are variations on an ancient theme. In the language of metaphor and imagery, the theme begins at the river and ends at the sea. A theme that follows Plato's Allegory of the Cave, the longing to know that which lasts in a world of shadows, the "point of intersection of the timeless / With time...the winter lightning...the music heard so deeply / That it is not heard at all."

December sun in the cypress,
climbing the hill of mist,

Haydn's concerto in the background,
illuminating the streets,
the placid cars, the ordinary world

where the sun-tipped pines hold their attention.

And I imagined how inexorably bright he must have felt
when the strings sing above the average house,
like snow in the upper regions of the sky,

how he was able to reach that line of departure,
the contrapunto, the finite,
contrasting the parallel theme of the Absolute,
while I've been driving around the circumference of town,
lost for thirty odd years,
in search of that fixed point,

the Invisible Music.

"Driving into Town with Joseph Franz Haydn"

Marcus's occupation with art influenced her way of "seeing" reality in a painterly way. She "thinks" in images and therefore images are everything to her. Marcus's gift or talent is the ability to express ideas through visions or imagery. Her poems are philosophical meditations, but they're not didactic. In fact, her poems are more rebellious than saintly.

But I don't want to think about
The irredeemable past.

Instead, consider the bright rose,
the choral odes,

In the Paradiso, cruising east-
With everyone else.

We're all heading straight into the tip of the orange sun,

Rounding the curvature of those presently dark hills,
On both sides, white fields,

Dry and waiting in the still-to-be light,
The cars behind me-

Linked to one another,
And to the right of the road-

A row of cypress, motionless, and to the left,

A weathered barn,
Sinking down into the earth's soil with every autumn.

"No Other Heaven"

I think there are times when Marcus is simply trying to evoke the natural world in its most sensual details. Her own philosophical vision is rooted in seeing Beauty in the beautiful, i.e. never at the expense of the particular. It seems to me, whether we are Platonists or not, whether there is something that is lasting or not, we all experience the loneliness of feeling incomplete.

Still, something never fails to call me back
to its Rilkean winds,
its hours before the rain,

eroding the fence,
a shovel, rake, a silver pail, left out for the cat's milk

and the one sad thread of light,
gliding across the wood pile.

You walk out with these aging trees and into the dazzling sun

as if nothing matters,
as if the lies you spent your time rewarding

were the crimes of a petty thief,
ridiculous as a fool's trumpet.

It makes you ashamed, sometimes, to stand in the naked windfall.

"Tank Farm Road"

The poet carries this peculiar burden, this "cross," if you will, the desire to express the inexpressible; yearning for something elsewhere in a world consumed with suffering. I think it is difficult to walk this tightrope between skepticism and faith, and yet, that indomitable conflict is at the very core of our being-without it-we're as good as dead.

It still captivates us-
Giotto's blue sky and leafless tree,
distinct from the burning-

away-angels.

Less clear than a memory, anyway, of failure
and sickness of heart.
The way lovers will imitate the lost summer
of darkness,
the slow rise out of the self,

unhealed-
for the time being,

(fog lamp in the pepper trees,
and all the corners of the fresco.)

But it's hard, sometimes, to settle for anything less.

"Remembering Giotto"

This a book that you'll want to read over and over again. The images and metaphors are sensual and evocative. Although you can say that Jacqueline Marcus is an "academic poet," having earned her degrees in philosophy and humanities, you will not find the perfectly polished work-shop poems in this collection. By that I mean that she has found her _own_ voice, which is passionate, daring and eloquent.

I'll just echo what others have said - Bak's book is wonderful. It combines a narrative history of the Tigers from the late 20s through the early 50s, recounting the glory years of the 1930s in greatest detail. The second part of the book is a series of oral histories with Tiger greats and unknowns during this period. It is very well written and organized, and for anyone interested in baseball during this period is a sure bet.

Mr. Bak outdoes himself on this spellbinding autobiography of 22 "greats" of Baseball Legends. Few writers can make the pictures and words come to life. Bak should be commended, as he does quite well at this. He not only gives the reader a sense of time and place, but prefaces players' interviews with a short history as well, and the paths the city and professional baseball took from the end of WWI through the early 50's. Beautiful and yet haunting pictures of the way baseball was. An extra bonus was the almost-forgotten Black professional teams as well. Good reading, and one you'll go back to read and reference time after time after time.

If Richard Bak was to write 10 books about the Detroit Tigers, I'm sure my top 10 favorite books on the team would be those books (with my appologies to Ernie Harwell). Unlike any other Detroit Tiger author, Bak puts you at the feet of the greats he talks about or interviews and makes you feel like you are at Tiger Stadium during the 1930s. He has just the right blend of personality and historical fact to each book he publishes. In Cobb Would've Caught It, Bak talks to several Tiger greats and not-so Tiger greats and puts you in the seat next to him while he interviews them. I almost catch myself wanting to ask questions to the players as each story continues on. When Bak writes a book about Detroit basball, I immediately buy it - and I am never upset. David Troppens

If you thought creativity was an elusive and muse-driven quality ascribed to only artistic types of people, this book will set you straight. Here is a tangible approach to making creativity work for you and your organization. It will help you assess your needs, select the most effective practices for your situation and identify the people you need for successful implementation. The straightforward format and accessible language makes this a practical handbook for any level of manager or consultant in organizations large and small.

Creativity at Work is a must read for anybody who wants their job to be more than just work. It surveys all of the elements of an organization and then clearly supports the reader on his/her professional journey with the necessary tools to attain results. It's well-written, easy to read and tells all of the stories one needs to stimulate their creativity and own ideas. It is the only book that I have read and finished believing that I could now add value to the folks I work with in innovative and concrete ways.

Books on creativity are often interesting to read but almost impossible to translate into practice. Not so with this book.

This book broadened my personal definition of creativity; it challenged me to consider creativity as a core competency in more than just innovation. Distinguishing it from other books that I have read, it focuses more on the specific outcomes of creativity instead of the sometimes mysterious process of creativity. It makes the often implicit skills involved in creativity much more explicit.

On a practical note, it serves as a toolkit with an array of different assessment tools, exercises, and suggestions for generative work that can be tailored to different organizational needs at different times. We're currently using these tools in a healthcare setting, but I think they could be equally well applied to a myriad of other settings.

This book has been a great addition to my business bookshelf - accessible, easy to read, and full of useful suggestions - I think of it as a user's guide to fostering and tailoring creativity in the work place.

The first book I have ever read where I feel compelled to write a review so that others could share in the experience that I have had. Deployed is a powerful read that has managed to capture the feelings and stories of reservists struggling to cope with homegrown responsibilities while simultaneously trying to fulfill their military commitment. The interviews, written in first person, definitely put you in the heads of the reservists and have given me new perspective on what motivates these individuals to make these sacrifices.

In Deployed, Musheno and Ross connect the reader to the oft-neglected impact the war in Iraq on our citizen-soldiers. This portrayal of the men and women in America's reserves provides the average American with a vivid picture of the reality of war and the effects of deployment on both the citizen-soldiers and their families.

Authors interviewed citizen-soldiers in an Army Reserve Unit trained as military police. Reservists came from many walks of life with different motivations for serving and with differing reactions to deployment. Musheno and Ross delved into effects of deployment both state-side and in a prison camp in Iraq, relations with family at home, hopes for the future, perspectives on the war, and the role of citizen-soldiers. Some reservists were more soldier than citizen and found the experience empowering while others viewed themselves as more citizen than soldier. The conflicts and effects of extended and repeated deployments emerge as different for "citizen-SOLDIERS" and "CITIZEN-soldiers."

Authors contextualize the experience of today's citizen by providing a historical review of the role of reservists in previous generations. Readers are left to ponder whether today's reservists are subject to conscription as they are deployed more often and for longer periods of service.

Deployed is a powerful book that enlightens, challenges stereotypical views, and connects the reader to what it means to serve one's country.

The authors compile some moving and human stories in this important book, providing a much needed tribute to the stories of reservists all too often neglected by the news media. The book is well written and is compelling reading. Recommended for those who want to understand what their loved ones are going through, as well as for those desiring to understand the true costs of this war.

Although I have never been to Detroit, I was able to appreciate and enjoy this book because I could readily identify with the decadence Daniels depicts so well with his characteristic honesty and realism. As Daniels' characters come-of-age in their midwestern wasteland, they are challenged by the problems and dilemmas many of us faced during the seventies and eighties, but one reality that permeates virtually all of these tales is how, during these decades, we often desperately sought love and understanding from our families and from society. Daniels'characters try to deal with their own problems and dilemmas by escaping to other locales, by isolating themselves, or by remaining at home and making the best of it. Three tales that feature characters representative of the escape category are "Cross Country," "Renegade" and "Islands." In the first tale, EJ and fellow autoworker Jimmy climb into the latter's Gremlin and set off across the country in search of adventure and new jobs. In the second, Kenny, a Vietnam vet, joins a gang of mostly fellow assembly line buddies because he missed the "sense of togetherness" of the sixties, although at one point he flashes back to when he and Cheryl, his high school sweetheart, once in vain headed north out of Detroit to begin what they thought would be new lives. In "Islands," Gerry and his young wife attempt to carve a normal family life out of their Detroit neighborhood, which includes a halfway house/drug outlet across the highway from their residence. Other characters respond to the city's decadence with physical or psychological isolation. The narrator of "Good Neighbor" and her husband Terry have progressively isolated themselves from their rather peculiar neighbors. She explains, moreover, that they do not even sit out front anymore because,"Looking across the street at each other dying off, it's too depressing." When they receive a surprise visit from former neighbor Bert, the narrator vividly recalls how Bert had once stopped over to see her and inappropriately embraced her. The narrator of "Sugar Water," a late 20's autoworker, is about to break out of his social isolation through his relationship with Sue, but at the latter's graduation party, he explains how he had violated this relationship when he and Sue's longtime friend Karen had sneaked off to the park to have sex, commenting that, "Maybe I'm destined to drive by the houses of women all the nights of my life, wondering what's inside." Characters in the third category, however, are able to improve their lives by making the best of what they have, sometimes discovering love and understanding in their own back yards. A must-read here is "Middle of the Mitten," a lighthearted Chekhovian tale about a college senior named Avery, who is haunted by his best friend's suicide, involved with two very different coeds, and troubled because he must pass crusty old Professor Cornwall's astronomy class in order to graduate. Avery is able to combat his own suicidal tendencies through his gymnastic sexual relationship with nymphomaniacal Snake Lady Karen and through his chief love interest, Dawn, who is not interested in "sweaty" sex. Dawn is earning a "C" in Cornwall's class and Avery is failing; moreover, Cornwall had once observed how Avery's dog had relieved himself on the professor's front lawn, so that one day in class Cornwall halted his lecture to inquire of Avery, "Aren't you the one with the poopy dog?" After the class roars with laughter, Dawn passes the embarrassed senior a note, reassuring him that, "I still love you, even if you have a poopy dog." Yes, love and understanding can be found by some of Daniels' otherwise desperate characters--those whose day-to-day struggles play out within otherwise sordid and often depressing environments, and if you give these insightful tales about America's incredible decadence a chance, you may find yourself, like me, identifying with, if not laughing at, many of his finely realized characters and their often bizarre circumstances.

Although I have never been to Detroit, I was able to appreciate and enjoy this book because I could readily identify with the decadence Daniels depicts so well with his characteristic honesty and realism. As Daniels' characters come-of-age in their midwestern wasteland, they are challenged by the problems and dilemmas many of us faced during the seventies and eighties, but one reality that permeates virtually all of these tales is how, during these decades, we often desperately sought love and understanding from our families and from society. Daniels'
characters try to deal with their own problems and dilemmas by escaping to other locales, by isolating themselves, or by remaining at home and making the best of it. Two tales that feature characters representative of the escape category are "Cross Country," "Renegade" and "Islands." In the first tale, EJ and fellow autoworker Jimmy climb into the latter's Gremlin and set off across the country in search of adventure and new jobs. In the second, Kenny, a Vietnam vet,joins a gang of mostly fellow assembly line buddies because he missed
the "sense of togetherness" of the sixties, although at one point he flashes back to when he and Cheryl, his high school sweetheart, once in vain headed north out of Detroit to begin
what they thought would be new lives. In "Islands," Gerry and his young wife attempt to carve a normal family life out of
their Detroit neighborhood, which includes a halfway house/drug outlet across the highway from their residence. Other characters respond to the city's decadence with physical or psychological isolation. The narrator of "Good Neighbor" and her husband Terry have progressively isolated themselves from their rather peculiar neighbors. She explains, moreover, that they do not even sit out front anymore because,"Looking across the street at each other dying off, it's too depressing." When they receive a surprise visit from former neighbor Bert, the narrator vividly recalls how Bert had once stopped over to see her and inappropriately embraced her. The narrator of "Sugar Water," a late 20's autoworker, is about to break out of his social isolation through his relationship with Sue, but at the latter's graduation party, he explains how he had violated this relationship when he and Sue's longtime friend Karen had sneaked off to the park to have sex, commenting that, "Maybe I'm destined to drive by the houses of women all the nights of my life, wondering what's inside." Characters in the third category, however, are able to improve their lives by making the best of what they have, sometimes discovering love and understanding in their own back yards. A must-read here is "Middle of the Mitten," a lighthearted Chekhovian tale about a college senior named Avery, who is haunted by his best friend's suicide, involved with two very different coeds, and troubled because he must pass crusty old Professor Cornwall's astronomy class in order to graduate. Avery is able to combat his own suicidal tendencies through his gymnastic sexual relationship with nymphomaniacal Snake Lady Karen and through his chief love interest, Dawn, who is not interested in "sweaty" sex. Dawn is earning a "C" in Cornwall's class and Avery is failing; moreover, Cornwall had once observed how Avery's dog had relieved himself on the professor's front lawn, so that one day in class Cornwall halted his lecture to inquire of
Avery, "Aren't you the one with the poopy dog?" After the class roars with laughter, Dawn passes the embarrassed senior a note, reassuring him that, "I still love you, even if you have a poopy dog." Yes, love and understanding can be found by some of Daniels' otherwise desperate characters--those whose day-to-day struggles play out within otherwise sordid and often depressing environments, and if you give these insightful tales about America's incredible decadence a chance, you may find yourself,
like me, identifying with, if not laughing at, many of his finely realized characters and their often bizarre circumstances.

Just as Jim Daniels has grown as a poet, he has grown as a fiction writer. The working class stories of No Pets have become the more diverse stories of Detroit Tales. Daniels characters in Detroit Tales are in complex and tough situations. These are not stories for those looking for sugary, uplifting fiction, though some of the stories do provide a flicker of redemption. Many of the stories center around characters who have lost someone, often to suicide. It befits a book set in and around Detroit, a city that often leaves its residents feeling as though they've lost something, something that died in the suicide that follows building an entire city around one industry. Daniels' characters, young or old, are always struggling with something that nearly anyone can connect with. His characters are up against bullies, bad neighborhoods, bad work situations, faltering marriages, and stifling lives. Although, some of his characters are more on the fringe. There's the Vietnam Veteran biker of "Renegade," the sexually confused twenty-something of "Middle of the Mitten" and the nearly adulterous minister of "The Jimmy Stewart Story". What I really like about Daniels stories is the fact that they don't seem like so many other stories I've been reading. I think MFA programs have done a disservice to fiction in this country. Stories are becoming faddish. Right now the fad seems to be to have characters so far on the fringe that nobody can connect with them. I don't see that in Daniels. Then again, he didn't come through an MFA program. He writes stories out of an innate instinct to write stories -- like writers did before there were MFA programs and writing workshops. As a result, his stories are a pleasure because they are so often surprising -- especially in their lack of overly crafted endings. Sometimes Daniels endings are so subtle that they seem more like life than anything else. Sometimes there are no great epiphanies or changes in character, just characters who are slightly altered, scarred or scared after what they've been through. It seems that Daniels understands life better than he understands the formula of short fiction which, in the end, makes his fiction so much better than most of the Mc-stories coming out of MFA programs.

Margaret Thomas and Lois Johnson did a splendid job writing "Detroit's Eastern Market". I found the book a delight because I not only shopped there many times but when I was a young I sold produce there grown on my Uncles farm in Northville, MI.. I tried some of the recipes and again I was very impressed. I conceder myself a friend of Margaret and hope to have my copy of her book signed soon and cook a dish from the book for her too.

I also as the first reviewer know the authors Lois Johnson and Margaret Thomas. Their approach to writing to me is as fresh as the produce found in the market. I was extremely lucky recently to be part of a tour of the market led by them. Their enthusiasm for the subject is very evident first hand as is their obvious repoire with the traders who generally greet the authors with smiles and hugs. The whole experience I felt was very worthwhile as is reading the book. It has become a stock "Detroit" gift, when I go back to England I take copies for my family and friends who delight in this little piece of Americana.

Sure, Margaret Thomas is a good friend of mine, but I can still manage to be objective. This is a really great book.

Set out as a walking guide to the Market, the text is clear and informative, but maintains a friendly, informal style, just as if you are walking along with the authors in the Market. You will learn about the Market's nearly 200 year history, meet the store owners and get some great recipes while on your "walk". Of course, all the ingredients can be found right in this open air marketplace.

Michigan is a four season state, and this market is open in all seasons, not just summer. A section featuring 8 full menus is organized by seasons-A spring Mediterranean feast features lamb, summer brings fresh salads, autumn has satisfying soups, and a winter highlight is veal scaloppine.

In the index, you will also find individual recipes from appetizers to vegetables (more than 25 unique offerings for vegetables alone) The recipes come from shop owners, employees, farmers, dealers, shoppers and restaurant owners, as well as the authors themselves. Wonderful color photos by Bruce Harkness capture the hustle and bustle of the Eastern Market, and spotlight fresh Michigan Produce.

Like the market itself, this book is "highly useful, convenient and beneficial".

In addition to offering great historical and cultural perspective for anyone interested in the "American War" - the Vietnam War - and previous history...this book is just funny.

It is an intelligent, witty, insightful book, and yet is somehow familiar...almost 'quaint' - with characters who are endearing, comfortable and delightful even to an American reader many decades later.

I was assigned this novel for a Vietnamese history class; I would not have even heard of it otherwise.

This novel is excellent. The writing style, translated from 1930's Vietnamese, is humourous, witty, and fast-paced. The luck, charisma, and quick thinking of Red-Haired Xuan is hilarious, and the plot is worthy of the best modern comedy movies (particularly British ones).

I have no clue how you would find out about this novel, but if you do, you should read it. It had me laughing out loud, and I am not a fan of historical or foreign novels. Considering that this novel is 70 years old and from a totally different language, it must be a masterpiece if to still be so good.

i haven't read a lot of vietnamese literature but among those i've read, i would rank dumb luck and tale of kieu at the very top. dumb luck is hilarious and absurdly modern for its time and place. i could definitely see this book translated into a quirky comedic film (i think the preface says the author may have been influenced by such french films and i can see that, if that's true). the main character, red-haired xuan, is delightful but not annoying. not a word is wasted here -- every character and line of dialogue is essential to the story. the book is a quick, refreshing read. however, in trying to give an objective comparison, i can tell you that my israeli boyfriend also loved it but my vietnamese high school brother merely thought it was funny but not hilarious. pick up this book if you want to read an excellent piece of vietnamese literature or want to spend a few hours rollicking with laughter (or more likely smirking and uttering a couple of "hah!"s every few minutes). this is a rare, obscure find. read it if you have the opportunity to do so.