Clouds Books

Interesting read, but not great. As a lifelong resident of the "Northwoods", I have heard some tales of unexplained happening and they are always interesting.

This book relays some of those unexplainable happenings. Although an interesting read, I wouldn't call it great.

This collection of eight of Shiel's pieces is worth reading for its inclusion of "The Purple Cloud" and the title story. "The Purple Cloud," which comprises two-thirds of this book, was described by Lovecraft as both "falling little short of actual majesty," and "a distinct 'letdown'," expressing succinctly the virtues and failings of Shiel's work as presented here. Indeed, the same could be said for Lovecraft himself, particularly his early stories. And it would seem that Lovecraft inherited the same propensity for substituting verbiage for ideas, though he is not in the same league as Shiel- the first story, "Xelucha", being the most egregious example. Shiel's attempts to obscure the paucity of ideas with overabundance of descriptive (and sometimes nonsense) phrases is well-displayed in everything here, with the possible exception of "The Purple Cloud."

That this floridity can also be used to good effect, "The House of Sounds" is ample evidence. Here, language is employed to disorient the reader, or to camofluage the subject, without becoming itself subject and object of the story. This story also appears in the excellent collection "The Colour Out of Space," NYReviewBooks, and was considered by Lovecraft as Shiel's masterpiece.

"The Purple Cloud," according to Lovecraft, was weakened by the rather "conventially romantic element" of its third act, but I am not so certain. Fans of cosmic horror would perhaps do well to end their reading with the protagonist's personal revelation at the end of the first act, but those who continue on will find some of this collection's best writing. The novel turns into a character study in what isolation can do to man when he returns to civilization, expressing some insights that go much deeper than anything else here. It does also belabor its good versus evil theme, and append a rather tidy ending, but has a more chilling effect in parts than the grand guignol of the pyromania and "insanity" that precede it. For fans of King's "The Stand," this is a good example of what King does so poorly (and also an indication of the extent of his plagiarism), and collects most of the elements of that mammoth book into a much more successful and easier to read novel.

This collection also includes "Vaila," an early version of "The House of Sounds," and an informative introduction by S.T. Joshi.

Gillum studied with Ansel Adams and his images are very similar. They are primarily b&w photos of nature scenes. They do not have the quality of Adams but they are pleasant too look at. One very nice thing about the book is that each image is accompanied by a long description of how the photographer took each photo, including many technical details. For the student of photography it thus makes a very interesting read.

I would not pay the [price] to buy this new. If you find it used (like I did), browse thru it and decide for yourself.

The expectations of the previous Civil War soldier generation combined with the youthful volunteers full of boundless energy confronted by the realities of politics on a global stage. The inevitable personal confusion and resulting dismay were result of the Philippine's portion of the Spanish American War.

Admiral Dewey's steel ships battered the wooden Spanish fleet but there were no national heroes, no San Juan Hill, and no glorious result, much like a war fought over half a century later. When the soldiers ended up fighting the people that they were sent to free, the results were tarnished. The author uses his superb command of the historical facts to weave a concise timeline of events.

While contemporary critics and authors may have waxed overly lavish in their praise of this primiere French actress, her own accounts cause her to appear tempermental and selfish. She avoids her clamoring fans when it suits her, flies into rages which would rival most Prima Donnas. In America she seems to exhibit the worst qualities associated with the French people. It is interesting, nonetheless, that she never justifies her actions - she merely reports them. Another problem is the disjointedness of the narrative: she seems to pick and choose her topics and fellow actors and personalities with whom she came into contact are not vividly described. From biographies, it is known that the Divine Sarah had a much more rich and adventurous life than she lets onto here.
"Dans les nuages (In the Clouds)" is a delightful story told from the point of view of a chair which accompanies Bernhardt on a balloon ride. An absolutely whimsical and clever tale which can join the ranks of great children's literature.

Having read I Flew With the Lafayette Escadrille (highly recommended), I sought out more information on that classic's author, Edwin (Ted) Parsons. This slim little seventy page volume is an expanded version of a 1978 Aviation Quarterly article, and readers shouldn't expect much more than a magazine level summary of Parson's otherwise interesting life. The hyperbolic back cover blurb promises that the booklet "makes the most colorful segment of World War I come alive", based on the author's "unlimited access to Ted Parsons' personal papers and memorabilia." In reality little more than a, to be fair, very well fleshed-out chronology, it makes an interesting magazine article. Expanded into a booklet, the reader is left regretting that the material was not used to produce a biography worthy of this great adventurer.

The drawins on this are very nicely done. the puzzles whoever as not as good and almost every single puzzles or encounter from the book has a riddle which gets boring after the first run. I have used the rooms in this book based on made up ideas of my own so the book was somewhat useful. Out of the whole 3 part series, this one is the best to my knowledge but still is far from being "good".

Severance pay allows some insight on the evils of the coporate world. Sexism, racism, protection of self and the overall struggle for power are all addressed in this novel. Severance pay is easy to read and interesting even though some of the technical jargon of the computer world may loose some. Get the book and enjoy!!!

While I have read all the books in the series, I thought this one was a bit too preachy. The author seems to forget this is fiction and should be enjoyable, not feel like you are going to church. I do enjoy most of the characters though. The first book is still the best!

Me ha gustado, no digo que no, pero... no tanto como esperaba, sinceramente. Y mira que me da rabia, porque Carmen Martín Gaite siempre me ha resultado una de las personas más lúcidas y tiernas del panorama literario español. La muerte de esta mujer me produjo una sincera pena.
En el caso concreto de Nubosidad variable, la encuentro un tanto pretenciosa al principio, aunque después este aspecto desaparece de la novela a medida que los personajes protagonistas se van perfilando y la trama se concreta. No quisiera yo añadirme al tópico de "literatura de mujeres" o "para mujeres", ya que no creo en él en absoluto (el otro día escuché en un conocido programa de radio a una oyente-lectora que afirmaba impávida que "existe una literatura para XX y otra para XY", y ninguno de los esfuerzos de mi admirado José Luis Velasco para convencerla de lo contrario lograron conmoverla), pero... ¿por qué en algunas -sólo en algunas- novelas escritas por mujeres, los personajes masculinos siempre salen retratados como auténticos idiotas??? (Me ha pasado recientemente con Almudena Grandes y ahora con ésta novela).