Literature Books

After reading the glowing reviews, I was hoping for something spectacular. First of all, it is a small book, about 6x6 inches - $10 is too much for this small book. Next, I flipped through and read a few of the quotes, but couldn't see myself -or my daughter, the intended recipient- reading for more than a couple of minutes. Sorry, I'm just not impressed. This book, along with the other 3 in the series are all going back.

It is difficult for people of different generations to find a perfect gift. For my niece I thought that the best thing I could give her in her formative years is a sense of self esteem. Talking was not always the best way. I was lucky to find a book that was meaningful to us both.

I have a couple of girl friendship quote and photography books but this is one which I think will appeal to multiple generations of women, unlike my other books. Catherine Dee has included quotes from female Gen Y heros like Michele Kwan: "If you have nothing in life but a great friend, you're rich."

My 14 year old niece worships Michelle Kwan so I think she would appreciate this, as well as her grandma who worshipped Erma Bombeck.

I can't believe it, another gem by Catherine Dee. What a beautiful book of friendship, life lessons and quotes. This book helps to complete the set of Ms. Dee's other works. With beautiful shorts stories, whimsical quotes and words of inspiration, The Girls "Book of Friendship" is the perfect tool for teaching young girls how to build long-term relationships at the same time, providing words of encourage and empowerment.

I was thrilled to be able to give my daughter something tailored to her. This book lays a great foundation for "Girl Power" and enforces a strength in young ladies which will help them take on the world and deal with the obstacles in it.

Keep em coming Catherine!!!!!!

I was recently in the hospital for open-heart surgery. My dear friend gave me the book of friendship. It meant so much to me for two reasons. One is that it is full of such wonderful quotes and shoret stories, and gave me some great memories and cemented my friendhip with the girl who gave it to me, and secondly, due to the brevity of the quotes and stories it was easy for me to pick up and read and put down when I got tired. It is so hard to concentrate on long stories when first out of surgery, so this book was perfect. It took me two weeks to read it all, but worth very minute.

This book is duende! I come from Gypsy stock- and this book tells it all about our wonderful culture and passion for life. This book oozes passion, so be prepared for reading it beginning to end - it will be hard to put down!

I've always been drawn to stories about those mysterious wanderers known as the Gypsies. Although often portrayed in literature and in movies as conniving hucksters and campy fortune tellers with bad eastern European accents, author Alison Mackie's "The Gypsy Chronicles" captures the truly passionate heart and soul of the enigmatic Roma. Are you a hopeless romantic, longing and searching for meaningful prose in a age of bawdy sexuality and violence-themed literature? Then go out and get this book! Your only regret will be the words, "The End."

The Gypsy Chronicles is a crisp, energetic work that happily ensnares the readers into a world of love, passion, and beauty. The back drop is southern Spain and the culture of the gypsies. The stories convey a message of love and that sex without love and respect is not a worthy life path. This is so refreshing as our popular culture seems to deliver an opposite message, which degrades both women and men. Thank you Ms. Mackie for an enchanting book and I can't wait to read the next book!

The Gypsy Chronicles may be a Fairytale but the feelings it created were very real. And that is why at just under 180 pages, with illustrations, this book is maybe more like an appetizer than a main course.
It ended far too soon and so despite all the charm I felt a little short changed by The Gypsy. Even so I am eagerly looking forward to read the next book in the series.

Alison Mackie has created a modern day fairy tale. The Gypsy Chronicles is a story of passion, love and a wonderful bed in which to experience both. Within the book there are charming little tibits: quotes, photographs and artwork. Ms. Mackie brings us the gypsy life and culture and through her words we can almost taste the wine, hear the music and feel the pounding of the flamenca as she taps her way into your heart and mind. This is a delightful read and anyone with a little "gypsy" in their soul must experience it!!

This book is just awesome....one can read it over and over and it has such a simple , sweet ending that you're left satisfied and happy....

the characterization is just apt and there are not to many characters to confuse the readers... the best part is David himself...

this is a must read.. hope u all njoy

My mother told me about this book shortly after I began my studies to become a school teacher. It had been one of her favorite books and she had loved reading it to my older brother and sister when they were children. She tried to find a copy in local book stores but had no luck. My sister, upon hearing about Mama's search, got caught up in the nostalgia and located two copies of the book from the original printing in good condition and had them shipped right away. It turned out to be money very well spent.

David is a most unusually happy, contented, naive, talented and loving boy. Almost everyone tries to change him, but the only one to stay the same is 'Just David'. Not as famous as her great 'Pollyanna' but nothing more perfectly typifies this wonderful author's warm and tender work. Eleonar Porter writes characters that do not exist - but should.

When I was young my mother told me that I was named after the boy in the title of this book. My mother loved this book and wanted her only son to be like its title character, whom she admired greatly. It pleased me to be named after someone who was the subject of a book but, for some reason, I never bothered to ask my mother for details about either the book or its principal character, although she often spoke glowingly about the David for whom I was named. After my mother's death I regretted not having queried her for more details about Just David and its hero whom she so admired. When I found that Just David was available from Amazon.com I immediately ordered a copy and read it as soon as it arrived. To my pleasant surprise I found that I shared my mother's love both for the book and for its hero. I also understood for the first time why my mother had raised me as she had. I won't pretend to have all of the virtues possessed by the hero of this wonderful book, but I believe that I have more virtues than I would have if my mother hadn't used Just David's hero as a template for rearing me. I'm deeply grateful to my mother and to this special book which I recommend highly to others. I'm also grateful that in my career as a NASA scientist I had occasion to edit a book, Heterogeneous Atmospheric Chemistry, which is also available from Amazon.com. Although my mother was not alive when this book was published I like to think that she knows of its existence and is pleased by it.

As the other reviewers, I was given the book, by an aunt, back in the 60's when I was in seventh grade. She said she had been searching for a copy for me to read because she had loved it. I remember doing a book report on it for my 7th grade English class (I got an A)--and it was one book I never forgot. I thought it was out of print & had been looking for it for years at garage sales and used book stores. Now I will have a copy to pass on to my new grandson. It is a special treasure of a book!

No need to add any reviews, just the best british legion book. Plays
in the same league like "Par le sang verse'" (Through the blood wich was
shed) by Paul Bonnecarrere.

For men who have served in a similar capacity (airborne infantry), great read. Easy to say now that I'm no longer eligible, but I wish I'd joined 20 years ago. It's the kind of adventure I was looking for then. Some of my personal experiences parallel Mr. Murray's, but not in intensity and duration. Deepest respect.

I greatly enjoyed Legionnaire, though it does bog down in places, it is a great telling of life in the Legion. The author is a very intelligent and educated man and it shows in his writing. The entire book is a collection from his extensive diaries during his time in the Legion.

The story is a classic Foreign Legion story of a young educated British boy seeking adventure and excitement. What he finds is that the Legion is not what he expected from reading Beau Geste and he is thrust into one of the most brutal and psychologically exhausting experience of his life. But you can see the transformation from the boy who entered the Legion to the hardened and weathered man who left it five years later.

Though the story might seem somewhat cliche the art is in the telling and the author does a magnificent job, a great read and well worth the time spent.

I had the old version of the book and at first the pace is slow and the diary format wasn't exciting. Later on, the action picks up and I came to like Murray as he is a very good lad and makes me sympathize with him. It is a wonderful account of 5 years in such a tough environment, although I would never join the Legion unless I really messed myself up somewhere in life...the reasons not to join are plentiful and I'm not sure Murray had any good reason to join the Legion other than for adventure, at a time when youths could take time off and worry less about the rat-race as it is today.

I've read this book at least four times over the past twenty years (yes, I bought it when it first came out) and lent it out to at least that many friends. If you are interested in the Legion, the military, history or just feeling adventurous - this is the book for you.

Better Than The First!!!!!!!!! You Thought Secrets Was Exposed In The First Book You Aint Seen Nothing Yet. If You Havnt Read Had Secrets Of A Housewife You Need To Buy The First Book In Order To Really Understand whats Going On. I Give It 5 Stars

A little un-realistic in some of the events but all in all a good read.

From the first chapter you will be hooked. The book starts off with drama, sex and eye gripping words. Its a good piece of work. I never read any of his books but I will start to read from this author. Zane has NOTHING on him!

This book was ALL THAT! I couldn't stop reading it. I recommend this book to all of the ZANE, EJD, Carl Webber fans out there. The sequel is even better!!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. HATS OFF TO THE AUTHOR IT WAS DIFFERENT FRESH SEXY ALL IN ONE I WAS HAPPY THAT SECRET GOT HER MAN BACK AND THEY CAN WORK ON THERE FAMILY IT WAS ALSO A LOT OF ISSUES SOLVED. WHAT CAN I SAY I LOVED THIS BOOK........

If you are looking for a book that will greatly improve your game, and you are a solid chess player, then "More Unbeatable Chess For Juniors" is the answer!
There are a total of twenty four games with nice clear analysis, questions within the games to get you to think and analyze for yourself - and every move is explained.
This book will also help you improve your knowledge of many important openings with some very deep analysis (some games are like an opening book in themselves!). Middlegame strategy and tactics with the general rules being applied and explained is neat.
For a solid player this book is tops to continue to improve. On my Junior High School Team I am the top player rated over 1600 in the USCF (I started off with "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors" when I was rated about 1000, and a year later got this book with my rating going up to 1300, then improved in a year to 1600). These two books were by far the most helpful in helping me improve the way I analyze and plan ahead.

Rated as an Expert by the USCF I at first thought, "a book for intermediate and advanced kids could never appeal to an experience adult player". I picked up the book for a couple of kids I have worked with but then started looking it over more carefully. And, soon I was deep into the analysis and games in this book! It isn't just a book for experienced chess kids - the analysis is deep where it needs to be, the analysis is clear and the author has great insight into how to teach. Games used in the author's actual lessons prior to writing the book has made the games and analysis tried and tested. This is one thing that makes this book different from the others that have analysis on a move by move basis (and I have seen about 3 others using this idea). This is the book that follows the author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors", which I have also got ahold of. And, actually though the book covers more basic ideas, it was still helpful to me as well.
Just darn good solid lessons and excellent games for instruction! A very solid FIVE STAR BOOK!

There are thousands of chess books to choose from, and this holds especially true for an established chess player. Narrowing down which books are the best to get isn't easy. I will therefore try and point out why I feel that "More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" should be placed high on your consideration list.

"More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" will greatly increase your depth of understanding of many very important concepts in chess. The author uses his extensive knowledge, based on many years of teaching, to create lessons that implant ideas and the techniques needed to use them. Pure genius is an understatement. Knowing just what the mind of a 1000 to 1600 rated player needs to be fed makes is one major factor that makes this book superior to all others that use a move by move comment.

"More Unbeatable Chess for Juniors" is an expansion on this author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons for Juniors" (one of the most popular chess books written). If you are an average tournament player or above then having read the author's previous book(s) is not necessary to use this one.

Whereas, there is a heavy focus on opening concepts and lines, and important middlegame strategies there are several excellent endgames. Understandably, if you want to learn endgame technique, get an endgame specialty book. However, this book is packed with important opening lines not found in other books (some of the variations after 1. e4 c5 2. b3 - Sicilian, 1.e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Bc4, plus variations in the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's-Indian, Caro-Kann, Pirc, Modern, Scandinavian, Petrof's, Goring Gambit, Scotch, Ruy Lopez lines with the Marshall, Exchange, Keres, Birds and Steinitz variations, Benoni and Bird's Openings).

This book will also help you learn to plan ahead. Once again the words I will use to describe what you will find here - "pure genius".

AMAZINGLY CONCISE and ACCURATE analysis turned using instructive games as the format best describes "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS". As a strong player I got this book, not for a kid, but for myself! I wanted to learn how to handle the Queen's Indian Defense as Black, to handle Marshall Gambit, Petroff's Defense and Sicilian as White and found that the analysis (with much being original and unpublished) on the openings was fantastic. The SNYDER SICILIAN (named after the author of this book), 1 e4 c5 2 b3 is a viable alternative to the more common lines for White to play against the Sicilian. And, the most complete analysis anywhere is found in "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS". Therefore - if you want to learn your openings, especially if you play 1 e4, this book is an absolute must for that alone.

Now openings aside UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS covers important concepts and themes that the author has in mind to teach. The selected games were tried and tested in actual lessons before being included in this book (I agree with the other reviewers that this is what makes this book unique among others for the great insight the author has in understanding the thinking process of those who will learn from these lessons). You can check out the other reviews for some of the details of the actual material that is covered (I don't have all day to go there!). Therefore - there author tries to focus largely on teaching the openings and middlegame, but there are several excellent endgames included as well.

"MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS" is the most advanced book in the author's CHESS FOR JUNIORS series (about 5 books) and is a continuation of one of the best selling chess books of all time "UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS", also excellent, but more basic (would recommend it for players rated between about 700 and 1600, with "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS" recommended for those who have completed and understood the previous book, or as a stand-alone only for those rated 1200 and 2400 - yes up to 2300!). The tiered analysis is unique and allows both books to appeal to a wide range of playing skill (unlike "UNDERSTANDING CHESS", which I would recommend for players over 1600 - though I personally feel "MORE UNBEATABLE CHESS FOR JUNIORS is superior).

*If you have read "UNBEATABLE CHESS LESSONS FOR JUNIORS" or are 1200 up to 2300 ability, then this book is a MUST READ for you!

What to learn how to recognize the most important concepts/patterns and how to plan ahead? "More Unbeatable Chess Lessons" provides 24 complete games that have been tried and tested in actual lessons by one of the most successful chess teachers of all time. This book is most suited for a player who is well beyond the beginning stage (it is more detailed and more advanced than "Logical Chess" by Chernev, and intended as a next book from the same author's best seller "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors", which is recommended to start out with if you are rated under 1200).

Games are arranged by opening, and there is a nice variety. You can really learn a lot about openings in this book, as the analysis is detailed and deep (some excellent new analysis in a variety of lines). Not that interested in the opening? Well, you can easily skip over some of the long analysis and move right into the middlegame if that is your choice.
Some of the openings with excellent detailed analysis are:
<<< Ruy Lopez, Petrov's Defense, Giuoco Piano, Center Counter, Alekhine's Defense, the Sicilian 2 b3, Pirc/Modern Defense, Queen's Indian and the Benoni >>>

The games were mainly selected to cover important positional and tactical ideas that the author has used in lessons for years. There are a fair number of the author's along with a nice balance of games by other players (i.e. GMs Karpov, Spassky, Korchnoi, Tarjan, Tal, Kalinitchew, Gurgenidze, Chigorin and Ivanchuk). A major difference, besides being designed for more advanced players, over the author's "Unbeatable Chess Lessons For Juniors" is that a lot of the games are newer (some being played after 2000). Together these books cover a massive number of openings and important concepts.

Perhaps understandably, as I have seen in a couple other reviews, the main focus is on openings and middlegames. However, it would be impossible to have too many games going into the endgame using a comment on every move without making the book very massive (and expensive). Though, there are several excellent games with good instruction in the endgame.

I appreciate the care, detail and accuracy that has gone into making this one of the best instructional/game collection books ever written.

some of the stories - i felt that it was too exaggerating. but the "naughty" action parts are really good (; i especially like the fancy pant story!

Its all here - M/M, F/F, F/M and M/F spanking action and it is all well-written, imaginative stuff. That is great if you like EVERYTHING. If your tastes are more particular, for example, you are not interested in one or two of the categories above, you may not be enthusiastic about some of the stories.

Something to take note of - you will learn a new way to learn the musical scale that is bound to leave an impression.
And there is as much variety as A to Z.
In another story a "student" is not likely to forget the scientific method after the "hands on" approach by her teacher.
You'll probably be kept busy doing your homework as you re-read this textbook over and over.

What struck me about this book was the true diversity of each short story. I loved the idea about erotic stories from A to Z, and this was not at all cheesy in the case of this book.
Not all of the stories were turn-ons for me, but all were intersting and each had a unique perspective. There are stories about married couples, singles, gay men, lesbians, and stories involving multiple partners.
This book was an intriguing read, and each tale gave me ample material to think about in one way or another.
Whether you are curious or have already had erotic spanking experiences, I strongly recommend this book. And don't miss Bussel's essay compilation on spanking, coming out soon. I already pre-ordered mine!

Each author give's their story on spanking. Their saying it's okay to do that if you in the mood and if he or she like's to take charge in the bedroom.

This has to be one of my favorites and no child should be without it. The text is lively and easy to read and reads like people really talk, which gives the story a lot of warmth. The illustrations are beautifully drawn with lots of detail and humor and also look true to life, from the pained expression on the dad's face as he's rowing the boat, to sister Jane peeking from the top of the stairs or chasing the cat under the bench in Mr. Condon's store. Jane is depicted just as most children her age really are - a real livewire who is both curious and active, climbing and getting into things - she reminds me of my 16 month old daughter! And Sal is accurately portrayed as a typical preschooler - asking detailed questions about everything and talking up a storm.

You won't be disappointed. This classic is a must for any preschooler.

This book is a beautiful picture book, and I still enjoy looking at it. The pictures are gorgeous. And this isn't a cheesy book. It's a wonderful story for children, and I highly recommend it! Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Great condition! I remember this childhood book being illustrated in navy blue ink. Has this been changed? I was looking forward to that. Great service. Thank you.

I had this book when I was a child and bought it for my grand-neice because I love the book. I was so happy to see that it is still in print. It is a wonderful little story and the illustrations are amazing. I highly recommend this story for all youngsters.

To a child, every morning is a new start with infinite possibilities; at least that's how it should be. In this classic 1953 book Robert McCloskey brings a child's simple world to life. McCloskey, better known for his Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, gives us another look at little Sal. The story is timeless and his line drawings bring the children to life.

The simple coastal lifestyle of more than half a century ago may be hard to find today, in part because of the high local tax valuation of shore and island properties. Still, if you were to take a child to the rocky coast of Maine this summer, she could be little Sal in the clam flats. One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) is full of that magical atmosphere where the land and ocean meet. We all want that magic!

McCloskey's Caldecott-honored book tells a simple story. Young Sal wakes up on a sunny morning in Maine with an adventure in store. She and her little sister are going with their father in the boat to Buck's Harbor to dig clams. There are idyllic family scenes, lessons from their father about the world around them, ice cream cones at the store, and the disappointment of a loose tooth lost in the clam flats.

Simple stuff? It certainly is, and just the sort of simple stuff children thrive on. Sal's morning may be long ago and far away, but the curiosity and wonder of a child's new day will be with us forever.

Linda Bulger, 2008

This is a charming but unsentimental view of animals on Maple Hill Farm. Through wonderful drawings and brief text, animals are portrayed as individual personalities, each with a role to play in farm life through the cycles of life from birth to death. One of my favorite characters is Willow, the cat, who "is not very interesting" because she spends all her time just being beautiful. It is a valuable book for teaching young children that animals should be cherished and cared for for many reasons, that animals are deeply entwined in our lives. It is a deceptively simple book that children and adults can enjoy together and discuss on many levels.

Quite a bit has changed about the world we live in, but it's wonderful to know that our friends at Maple Hill Farm are still keeping it real. This was one of my favorite books as a child and I can't wait to read it to my son (due in January.) I just ordered a new copy of this book and was so pleased to read it again and realize how fun it is to read as an adult. I love that there's no quest, no competition, no major challenges- it's just life on a farm with lots of real animals that have unique personalities.

It's exciting because all of animals are fun and goofy and they do all the usual things that chickens, goats, cats, horses, dogs and sheep do. The cats catch snakes and move kittens around, the horses get dirty and chase each other, the chickens eat ants and take sun baths, the dogs bark at geese and chew up pillows. None of them wear clothes, talk or drive cars, and I kind of find it refreshing. Not that there's anything wrong with fantasy, but I love that reality can be just as entertaining for kids and adults.

And, yeah, I did start crying when I got to the end- the quiet corner of the woods where the animals of the past were buried. It's not maudlin or overtly tugging on your heartstrings- it's just real. That's what makes this book such a great read.

my kids love this book and the other in the series. the illustrations are true and simple-just what today's kids need. i would recommend it to any family who has an appreciation or is part of a more meaningful, homegrown lifestyle.

I remember the very first time I read this book...over 30 years ago. I had my infant son sitting on my lap and we were both delighted by the different animals from the farm. I remember going from laughing to holding back tears. It is so true. Our own animal friends have the same affect...from laughter to tears.

Besides being very entertaining, I find a bit of widsom there that is priceless for dealing with the loss of a pet. It has become a tradition over the years to read from the book at our "pet funerals" and I took the book down from the shelf just for myself after the recent loss of a 16 year old cat.

Like many others here, we've worn out our original copy. Mom made sure each grandchild had a copy in their homes and I've done the same with my own grandchildren. We loved it so much, we've had many pets named after the characters in the book.

My mom saved the original book for me, and we purchased a new copy (paperback) only after our suitcase containing the original hardback was stolen (!) Our girls (ages 3 and 7) adore this book - and so do we.

The book tells about the different animals on the farm. Over several pages, for example, Mrs. Provensen tell about the four cats who live at Maple Hill farm: Gooseberry, who is a good mother; Eggnog, who is beautiful but not interresting; Willow, who is old; and Max, who is big, likes cottage cheese, but is not very clever with his claws. In a series of drawings, we see what the cats do around the farm. The girls love it - they laugh and giggle and listen intently.

The dogs, horses, sheep, and chickens all get similar treatment. We give this book to friends, as it is off the mainstream 'radar' of good books: we are sure they won't have it, and we are sure their kids will love it as our do.

This is a remarkable fictionalized story of Pan Yuliang, a famous painter. What makes this book unique is the writing style that draws you into the bittersweet life of Pan Yuliang. Yes, she was sold into a brothel at the tender age of 14, but her resilance and luck of united with Pan Zunhua changes her life dramatically. He takes her in as his concubine, and then later as his second wife.

This story does not end there, which could have been a happy ending. Pan Yuliang would go onto study art, and become a famous painter despite her special view of life. She was fiercy independent, painting nudes, and being accepted into universities where a woman had never previously completed a program. She would go to Paris to continue her studies, and live in poverty. Yet, the story does not end there. She would go back to China.

Her life continues, her uniqueness, her resilience shines through this book. You can get a feel for what her life was like, and you can understand her as a person. She goes from the one being rescued, to the rescuer. This is much more realistic than the Memories of a Geisha, and leaves with such a warm affection for Pan Yuliang that you simply must pick up this book and read.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com
The Painter From Shanghai is a fictional account of the life of Pan Yuliang. She was born Xiuqing in 1895, orphaned at five, and raised by an opium-addicted uncle. At fourteen, he sold her to a brothel, The Hall of Eternal Splendor, where her name was changed to Yuliang.
Jinling becomes her mentor, friend, and lover, helping her to adjust to her new life. A government official, Pan Zanhua, buys her contract and makes her his second wife. It was during her marriage that she began painting. The influence of her younger life was a factor in her art. The culture she lived in did not appreciate her great talent for painting female nudes. Her work was considered shameless and pornographic. She was forced to move to France where she resided until the time of her death.
The details in Painter From Shanghai are amazing. Jennifer Cody Epstein uses words to paint a stunning portrait of Yuliang and the China she lived in. Written with beauty and intelligence, Painter From Shanghai will mesmerize readers. In this novel, her husband deeply loves her, but Yuliang was never truly capable of returning that love. Painter From Shanghai is a work of epic proportions.

I have been transported, which is, in my opinion, the best thing you can feel at the end of a novel, especially historical fiction. THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI is a captivating journey to an unfamiliar land, culture and time; a fascinating introduction to a remarkable woman. The amazing bonus here is that the main character, Pan Yuliang, child-prostitute-turned-acclaimed-artist, really did exist.

Pan Yuliang was born in China in the early years of the 20th century. Orphaned at a young age, she lived with her opium-addicted uncle, who sold her to a brothel at age 14, for drug money. Unlike the vast majority of women sold into sexual slavery, Yuliang was able to escape. Through sheer force of will and an undeniable, irrepressible artistic talent, she ultimately transformed herself into one of China's most pioneering modern painters.

Not without controversy and challenge: Unable to find models to pose nude for her in China's Confucian-based society in the 20's and 30's, she often resorted to painting herself nude -- gorgeous, lush and provocative paintings that evoke Cezanne and Matisse, and led to fame and infamy both at home and abroad. Ultimately clashing with the neo-Conservative movement in China, just prior to the revolution of 1949, she left China and lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity in Paris.

I was a little skeptical about this book, in the early chapters. How authentic and accurate could all of this be? It certainly read well, but I wondered: Is the author Chinese? (Jennifer Cody Epstein? Chinese heritage doubtful, at best.) Did she live or visit China extensively? Study Chinese history and culture? Art?

These questions were an issue only very early on. As the story unfolded, THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI, became an epic novel of place and time, with glimpses of politics and history, and world-changing events in the background of this unconventional woman's incredible personal and artistic struggle to survive and create, to fulfill her own destiny.

THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI is thoroughly-researched and richly-imagined by a very talented writer. Turns out, Jennifer Cody Epstein has a BA in Asian Studies; a Masters in International Relations; lived seven years in Asia; and researched extensively for this book during her MFA program at Columbia University.

Enjoy THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI as a fictional biography, based on a real life. Allow yourself to submerge in a re-imagined masterpiece, rich with accurate detail and authenticity.

To learn more about Jennifer Cody Epstein and THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI, don't miss the Focus on the Author feature interview on [...].

-- Sherri Caldwell, Humor Columnist & Reviewer at [...]
Co-Author, The Rebel Housewife Rules: To Heck With Domestic Bliss!

Xiuqing grew up believing that she was destined to become an artist, the next great female poet or perhaps a talented painter. When her mother died, little Xiu was taken in by her uncle. While he fanned her dreams, his own opium addiction would take the young girl on a very different path. Thus, at fourteen, Xiuqing became Yuliang, one of the girls working at The Hall of Eternal Splendor.

For several years, Yuliang's existence was dictated by the whims of the Godmother who ran The Hall and the men who frequently the establishment. However, after the murder of her best friend, Yuliang's life suddenly changed. She met a man who appreciated and encouraged her natural curiosity and love of learning so that Pan Yuliang's true talents could eventually surface.

If you liked Memoirs of a Geisha, you'll love The Painter of Shanghai. Both stories share the stories of young girls thrown into a world beyond their comprehension who rise above their circumstances. However, I have to admit that I actually preferred The Painter of Shanghai. In life, Pan Yuliang was a courageous woman who followed her truth no matter what the consequences. Her strength and perseverance is an inspiration to us all.

Jennifer Cody Epstein steps into the pantheon of fine contemporary writers with her first book THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI, a work of 'historical fiction' so polished in research, so rich in detail not only of the turbulent period in China during the first half of the 20th century, but also in the mysterious social customs of that country, and a source of insight into the changes in the manner in which the visual world was captured by artists as East and West met and married in the art capital of the world - Paris. Yet overriding all of this fascinating information is Epstein's gift for delivering a story of passion and love with a poetic prose style that comes together in this novel in a manner not unlike creating the painting technique that this novel's heroine describes her world. It is a grand feat and a work worth repeated readings.

Westerners may not be familiar with the name Pan Yuliang, one of the more important Chinese artists who influenced the Post-Impressionist art movement, but in Epstein's eloquent novel we grow to know this gifted artist from her birth as Xiuqing in 1895, and her early years as an orphan protected by her opium-addicted uncle who sold her into a brothel at age fourteen. Enough space is allotted in this tale to allow us to learn the traditions of the 'flower houses' and the brutalities and consequences of life as a prostitute, but Epstein is careful to balance the sad with the radiant in the relationship between the newly renamed Yuliang and her beautiful 'teacher' Jinling with whom she has her first love affair, and Yuliang's subsequent rescue from the brothel through the kindness and concern showered upon her by a handsome gentleman Pan Zanhua - the man with whom she not only enters into the relationship of being his concubine, but also benefits from his support of her position as a woman and as an artist.

The story spans Pan Yuliang's life from these early beginnings to her death in 1977, a life that brought her exposure to the West, with awards from the schools of art in China, Italy and France resulting in renown as a gifted artist who just happened to be a woman with a past, the many private and public pains she endured as her native country moved from the reign of the Emperors through the rise and fall of Chiang Kai-shek, the invasion by the Japanese, and the new order of Communism, and the influence of the world perception of art that included defeat of some of the finest artists as the battle of the sexes altered the perception of painting the nude figure as an acceptable subject matter in a climate of global turmoil.

Epstein manages to write as intricately about history and Chinese tradition as well as luminously about the act of creativity. Few writers can match the descriptive language of the emergence of the visual: 'But true art must contain an emotional range that speaks to the viewer. Speaks...not by lulling them into a false sense of complacency, but by probing. Challenging. Even hurting, if need be. Anything to force us beyond life's easier thoughts.' 'Has it ever occurred to you that our wounds are what drive us to create?...What if those who've lost something compensate for it in their work? In that case the damage helps them. It's what compels them to create...And it might explain why the best artists tend to be the poorest.'

THE PAINTER FROM SHANGHAI begs to become a film. But until that happens, this elegant and passionate book is one to treasure repeatedly. It is a work of art. Grady Harp, July 08