Clouds Books

I am reading this book for the third time. The first time was when it first came out, then some years later, and now I'm reading it again. Although I don't usually read mysteries, this one is so mesmerising that over the years I have always counted this as one of my favorite books, no matter what the genre. It is fast paced, not an unnecessary word. And the ending-- well, you have to read it.

This book was one of the most intreguing and memorable books I ever read. When Steven King lamented that "A Kiss Before Dying" was not read much these days, he was right to the mark. Don't miss this great murder mystery. A villan you'll hate in an irresistible story.

Be sure to read the Amazon review by Ryan Harvey "Wolf Shadow." Here's a quote from Ryan Harvey's review:

"Stephen King once commented about author Ira Levin: 'Every novel he has ever written has been a marvel of plotting. He is the Swiss watchmaker of the suspense novel; he makes what the rest of us do look like those five-dollar watches you can buy in the discount drug stores.' He went on to lament that Levin's most effective book (and his first!), 'A Kiss before Dying,' is not much read these days."

Ira Levin always goes to the dark heart of the human beast--and in this, his first novel, he certainly shows an understanding of his species. A twisting plot, a splash of unwholesome romance, a cunning antagonist/protagonist...it all works.

Thriller writer Scott Nicholson

The author sure knows how to keep things exiting! He always ends the chapter with a thrilling moment, which made me want to go on reading. I almost couldn't put the book aside, I utilized every spare hour. Her style of writing pleased me very well, it never drops off. I experienced this book as a form of acting, in writing. The characters in the story are individually exposed from the inside, in a seamless performance from one perspective to the other. Perhaps this is the secret of this books' vividness. I detected only one small thing where I was beginning to feel bored about; In the part called "Marion", we caught sight of the inside of the factory of Mr. Kingship, by looking through Buds' eyes. But in my view he was endlessly persuading about it, I got tired of it. All in all I'm very glad I've read this book. The film wasn't as good as the book itself.

It is a shame that there are not more books out there like this one with fast moving suspense. All I could think of while reading this book was how tight the story was. Ira Levin does not waste a single word. He gets right to the point and holds you there!! This book made me want to read everything that Ira Levin has ever written. Fantastic!! If you like great suspense, psychological thrillers and stories with a twist...this book is definately for you!

the rare times rick put down a fork and talked in depth about playing point guard or some other keen insight, the book was marvelous, that happened in maybe 10 pages ... i have read hundreds of sports books and next to vitale's first book, this was probably the worst one i muddled through ... loved rick as a coach--his triangle and two vs zona is legendary--but i would've liked to have heard some of his ex-players discuss what it was like to play for him--word on the street, it was far from a picnic basket ... akin to coach k's books, who saints himself w/o ever revealing his darkside, it's fun to see the real story ...

read dean smith's 'a coach's life,' feinstein's 'a season inside,' 'breaks of the game' by david halberstam, or 'the miracle of st anthonys' if you want to digest great basketball stories ... or the best of them all, pat conroy's MY LOSING SEASON

compared to those, rick's was a lady finger dud

Sports books that attempt to cash in on the immediate popularity of the author often suffer in quality due to the desire to strike while the iron is hot. I am glad to say that My Life on a Napkin does not suffer from this flaw.

Gene Wojciechowski, contributor on this book, did an extremely good on format and finding and maintaining Majerus' voice. His previous work on Nothing But Net (Bill Walton's autobiography) has served him well.

The most interesting technique used in the book is the interjection of short anecdotes culled from Majerus' friends and family. The juxtaposition between his view and the view of his friend/family member/player is humorous at times. This is a technique I haven't seen used before in this type of book and I find that it seems to work better than simple paraphrasing would.

In short, the only reason this book doesn't deserve four stars is because it falls far short of the high standards set by autobiographies/biographies of individuals whose careers have already ended. I feel this book focuses too much on the recent to the detriment of the early years. For example, A Coach's Life by Dean Smith has an entirely different perspective because in many ways his story is finished. This allows him to devote equal time to all portions of his life and career.

Additionally, it would have been nice to have an appendix containing information on every player who had ever lettered for Coach Majerus. If we could see the tremendous legacy that he has had on the lives of all the students who have passed through his programs it would reinforce hsi commitment to his players' well-being. To me, that would be an even greater testimony to his legacy than the stories presented in the preceding chapters.

It's forty-five minutes before the WAC tournament championship game. Majerus has pulled into the parking lot in front of the gym only to discover that some nimrod has parked in his space, a space that costs him $2,000 a year to reserve. What does he do? He parks somewhere else, comes back and lets the air out of two of the guy's tires. When his friend asks him why he only selected two tires, Majerus says, "Because he only had one spare."

Such are the experiences that encompass 'My Life On A Napkin'. We see Majerus for what he is, the world traveling, food connoisseur, who values loyalty, a good massage, and an occasional fantasy involving Cindy Crawford. Covered in his book are some of the following:

* Majerus' discipleship under Al MacGuire while at Marquette, and Don Nelson while with the Golden State Warriors.
* Majerus' quick process of overtaking BYU as the team to beat in the WAC.
* The difficulties of recruiting, particularly in a place like Utah.
* Majerus' propensity for speeding. Upon accelerating to over 100 MPH, Majerus once told a concered friend, "Hey, if we crash, I'm you're airbag."
* His affinity with living in hotels.
* The 1998 NCAA tournament and his famous triangle and two defense that shut down number one seeded Arizona and North Carolina.

Also of note is Majerus' ceaseless wit and humor. A group of cheerleaders once came to do a promotional at Rick's hotel. He told them, "Don't worry if you see me staring at your belly buttons. It's mostly because I haven't seen mine in years."

Majerus shares truth about recruiting, the intense competition between other coaches, and how he took a bunch of non-sensational and mostly mormon kids and came within 5 minutes of being the 1998 national champions.

No coach is as openly eccentric as Majerus, and in 'My Life on a Napkin', you will find out why he is not only revered as a basketball mind, but also as a comedic juggernaut.

After getting this book I could not put it down. I first became aware of Majerus after he led his un-athletic Utah team to the NCAA Final Four in 1998. His press conferences after those games were part basketball pontification and part stand-up comedy routine. His book is a lot like those press conferences: serious about the game he loves, but not afraid to crack a joke at anytime. The stories about his lack of fashion sense and eating habits will leave you doubled over. For "gym rats" everywhere!

Far and away the best book I have read in the past year. Coach Majerus' passion for his players will leave you mesmerized. The best part of the book are all the quotes added from former players, friends, coaches, family members,etc...Rick never was much of a great athlete, but he knew the game from an early age and was considered the epitome of a team player. Majerus' stories from his days at Marquette and Ball State to his time with Don Nelson and Del Harris make for a great read. If you like sports and admire the true work of a "team" you will love this book.

got this book in a timely manner and paid pennies for it. haven't read it just yet. flipped thru it and found so many good poems it left me homesick and longing to return to the nuyourican poets cafe. i've watched a lot of poets on youtube. anyway for what it's worth i'd recommend this one. Aloud helps me feel connected to NYC and living here in charleston, SC i really need it.

my english prof recomended this book to me, i'm glad she did. if you love poetry this book has a vast variety of styles and authors.

I bought this anthology when I was really into performing, and watching performance poetry, SLAM, spoken word, whatever you want to call it. Even then I was disappointed. Perhaps I'm an elitist then, but I would have much rather this was a DVD, or a few CDs perhaps, but this work is meant to be performed, and on the page it just doesn't, well, perform, which is why, since my last move it hasn't made its way onto the bookshelf.

Honest, deep, exciting. Thats what I found this collection to be.
The poets bare their souls, their opinions, their lives in an unflinching declaration of life. I loved it. I read and re-read it.

Reading this stunningly broad and emotional collection of slam poems, two things are immediately noticeable. The first: these are excellent slam poems. The second: these are (mostly) disappointing printed-page poems.

If you have experienced slam poetry, either live or via audio or video recording, "Aloud" helps you appreciate how performance-intensive slamming is. A group of juvenile delinquents can perform a scene of Shakespeare and still retain much of its poignance and beauty, for such was Shakespeare's skill with words. Not so with most of the poems in "Aloud"--in the wrong hands, they could be very disappointing slam poems indeed. Had others written and performed them, they likely would never have made it into this collection.

In short, all but a few poems in "Aloud" don't measure up to the canon of printed-word poems humans have amassed over the centuries. And yet, when read aloud, or considered as only half of a slam poem (the peformance being the other half), they can surprisingly come to life with power and grace.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read it before & it still keeps my interest. Strong lead male/female. Interesting secondary characters. It's interesting from the first page. No lag time in this story.

Katy Wade has a brother finishing high school. To support him, she has been the personal secretary to the Gilchrist family for almost a decade. At last she is ready to start her own business.

First she must lure Luke Gilchrist home to take over the Gilchrist empire. Not an easy task, since Luke holds a life long grudge against them. The Gilchrist empire will fall without him. Luke has the magic touch of how to make money. Once Katy lures Luke home to do his "family duty" she can get on with her own life.

Katy's attempts to bring Luke back succeeds more than anyone would have suspected. But Luke has plans of his own for this stubborn and loyal lady.

This is the BEST Modern Day Romance I have EVER read. A match of wits, love, and family loyalies. A wickedly wonderful tale.

Jayne Ann stopped surprising us a long time again for two reasons. First, she delivers time and again some of the most enchanting books in romance. I appreciate she has never forgotten her romance roots as some of the others that have moved from romance paperback to mainstream hardback do. Almost like they are ashamed of writing romance and want to write 'legit'. Shame on them! I get sick of writers that build their career off the very readers they turn around and seem to disdain. I think writing romance is one of the hardest things to do - it's not easy to work in a formula and deliver someone fresh and original. Secondly, she stopped surprising us because her book are like that well-worn baggy sweater that you have had for decades and always go to because it's so warm and fuzzy. JAK's books are warm and fuzzy.
We KNOW what we are going to get with small variations, but she weaves her magick spell and we adore it. For the most part, JAK's reprints of late and even a couple of her new ones, have been pains. The reprints are SO Dates they should be ashamed for reprinting and CHARGING NEW BOOK PRICE. They convince some readers the book is new, so everyone dashes out and buys them, only to get home and go OH NO!!!!

Well, this is a reprint, but from JAK at her best! This is from her middle period, where every book she cranked out was pure perfection. So if you have not read this, you will be delighted with it.

Jayne seems best when she is writing about dysfunctional families...so she is in full swing here. The Gilchrist family empire is failing and only one man can save it and when he is called "the bastard" by his own family, you know things are off to a rocky start. The Bastard....hum, Luke Gilchrist has been 'punished' by the Gilchrist family all his life because his father's "scandal". Worse, he never conformed to the Gilchrist way, so they cut him off to - again, to punish him. Instead of accepting their dictates, he is a rebel with a cause - but a smart one - that has done very well in business. Now the family NEEDS the bastard to save the crumbling family empire.

Only, Luke has had a belly full of their arrogant, cruel ways, so he is ready to come in for the kill. Time has come for him to punish them. They have to beg him to save their mysteriously floundering business.

The only trouble - so far Luke just might be mean enough to extract his revenge by watching the whole works go down in flames. And it falls to Katy Wade to bring him around to the right way of thinking. Katy has been to chief-cook, bottle-washer and resident keeper of this oddball family. It's been a good job, though exasperating at time, a job Katy NEEDED, when her parents died and she was left with raising her younger brother. But he is about to graduate high school, and suddenly Katy will be able to move on and do what she wants for a change instead of what she must.

The one stumbling block, she has to convince Luke to return and do his family duty. However, Luke has had years of wanting to get back at the family, so bringing Luke back to the Gilchrist Clan is setting the fox amongst the chickens. Worse, the first demand Luke makes in return for coming back, is Katy has to stay as his personal assistant.

Katy knows when she looks into the cold green eyes, she is making a pack with the devil....And Luke has his own adgenda...one that might thinking claiming Katy could be more important that revenge upon his family.

A wonderfully written romance, that will be vivid in your mind years after you put it down. I absolutely LOVED Luke and Katy!

This is a good book to read anywhere, you will have a good time reading it and may be you wouldn't be able to put the book down, the story of Katy Wade is a little bit out of reality, it happens everything to her and she still is an optimist, in the other hand if that is possible is a very good skill.
The story of Luke is completely real, he returned to the family for her, not for the money that he didn't needed and of course with a grandma like Justine, nobody will return to her.
Is a little repetitive the words just like a Gilchrist, but is part of the book. At the end you will expect somehow that end, maybe with any modification in your mind, but you will imagine that end since three quarters of the book.

I've had this book for the longest time but it's one of the only books that has left a lasting impression on me and I've re-read it many times and it's still good! It's Jayne Ann Krentz at her finest! Luke is sexy and so hot and he looks out for Katy and tries to protect her, which is so damn sweet! If you haven't read this book, go out and get it right now~!

Another winner by Miz Spindler! The characters; from the sweet, caring Lily, to the crazy as a loon Hope, are very well fleshed out, and definitely make an impression on the reader.

I have read most of Erica Spindler's novels, and I must say, I much prefer the stand-alone books, like this one, where there are no overlapping characters.

Don't start this book if you have other things to do, as you will not want to put it down! Very entertaining! This book is full of romantic tension and suspense, along with murder mystery. The author did a very nice job of making you feel as though you knew the characters intimately. Erica Spindler will not disappoint. Enjoy!

I so much fun with this book! I read it on vacation beside a pool and tried to pace myself because I did not want the book to end.
I first started reading Erica Spindler when I picked up "Shocking Pink" in the grocery store and loved it. "Forbidden Fruit" is by far her best I think.

PJ Hughes
(wife of Stephen)

This book was somewhat of a surprise. I had never read this author before and the cover synopsis did not do it justice. I found myself almost immediately wrapped into the story. A young girl, raised in a brothel, goes away to school, determined to escape once and for all her scandalous past, create a new identity and lose "the darkness" that seems to live within her family tree. All of the Pierron woman have been hookers, sinners, evil, and Hope Pierron is determined to break the cycle. Hope tosses away her past like a bad dream, and eventually gives birth to her own daughter. More than ever she is determined that the legacy of darkness will not inhabit her daughter, and what follows is a story of terror and suspense, well-written and enjoyable at the same time. The interwoven love story is moving, the plot enticing, and the the whole book a fabulous read.

Boy, this was a great book! Hope St. Germain, didn't compare to Ms. Crawford, she was ten times worse!!!

The book was excellent and the characters were terrific. Boy how you loved to hate, Hope, and heartfelt Lily! The life styles.

I read this very fast and enjoyed it until the very end, would recommend this to everyone!!

Enjoy this book!!

This was one of my winter reading books. I enjoyed it very much because the writing was very clear and vivid. Henry spent a year on Cape Cod writing about the nature and how the season changes the land and his surroundings. He writes about a lot of the birds that migrate in and out of the region and raises some important environmental concerns about the delicate nature of our actions on the wildlife. I appreciated the light hearted feel of the writing and it stuck to the middle of the road as far as imposing any of his personal opinions about all and any subjects, which I thought was safe and perhaps is the one of the negatives I feel for the writing. It was written with a modest sense of pleasure and feeling. It was in any sense, a very nice read and very indicative of the northeastern way of life.

After another family trip to Chatham I desperately wanted to bring Cape Cod home and preserve the atmosphere that takes residence in your soul when you give yourself fully to its powerful coastal calling. As daily obligations put a layer of fog over my memories it was very cathartic to end the day reading Henry Beston's observations in an Eastham cottage in the 1920's.

Beston is an able writer with a poetic style who is able to capture the allure of Cape Cod. He effectively brings the reader onto the beaches with all the animal and plant life that breathes life into this region. However, he has a tendency to write lengthy musings about specific birds or plant life that can get very tedious. Portions of his observations seem to be nothing more than the ramblings of someone who is bored and in need of companionship other than a group of flittering birds searching for food in the dunes.

In the end, Beston was able to evoke a powerful longing that provided the soothing and comforting effect I was looking for. Recommended for anyone who wants to bring a "peace" of the Cape home, and for anyone interested in solitary observations of nature along the beaches of one of the best places on earth.

The Outermost House is a marvelous book; one of my all-time absolute favorites in the whole world. It's not, by the way, about outhouses, as one of my children wondered aloud upon hearing the title. Monsieur Beston has a terrific eye and an interesting style; his affection and respect for the interrelatedness of the natural world and concern that we humans forget our connection to it is akin to Thoreau's.

This edition has a lengthy introduction by Robert Finch. Highly recommend skipping the intro until AFTER you read the book. Mr. Finch probably meant well, but he quotes extensively from the book - thereby spoiling some of the best parts - instead of giving us just enough to further pique our curiosity about the book or limiting himself to biographical information about Monsieur Beston.

I have bought two copies of The Outermost House and am looking for a third. I keep giving my copy away to people who I feel will enjoy it as much as I did, and then I miss having my copy. It is a soothing and very visual tale of life on the beach at Cape Cod. Sometimes I long for that total serenity the author shares. A very enjoyable audiobook!

It's almost as if Henry Beston himself is reading his own words. The reader has a candor and tone that is absolutely perfect for this work and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this wonderfully executed piece from Silver Hollow Audio. I highly recommend this book to anoyne that enjoys either audio books, nature, or Cape Cod. I found myself quickly searching for the next disc as each one came to an end. The end of the last disc left me wanting for more - and with this set is a nicely done interview with Beston's biographer. The interview answered some lingering questions about both the house and the author himself. I rate this one a must have.

"Cloud Mountain", ©1997, by Aimee E. Liu

This sounds like a pretty good story. It turns out to be a romance story, so I am giving it to Lauren. It is probably pretty good, but I am not interested in reading about the sadness of society and culture in China between 1906 and 1940. There is too much and nothing to be done about it.

When I read this story, I couldn't stop. It captured not only my attention but my heart as well. I was so touched by the enduring love story between Hope and Paul. It is also filled with history and compelling stories, which make the weave only tighter. This was one story that will grab you and hold you.

This book is well written and very ambitious in its scope. It is fascinating to get a "people's eye" view of the rise of Sun Yat Sen. Additionally it empathically covers the social response to mixed marriages by two very different cultures. This is a women orienated book about a very tumultous time and ties the events together skillfully in the Western U.S. and the emerging China of 100 years ago.

Aimme E. Liu has written a wonderful fictional accounting of a true story. I have been a friend of the Luis family for over forty five years. Aimee's cousin John was my boyhood friend. And we still keep up. The family story has always fasinaated me. (John is Herb Luis' son, Teddy in the book.)Although Aimee says it is about 70% true, I know through conversations with John's mother that basically ALL of the major persons, dates, places, and events are true. The 30% is mostly side sories and details for dramatic effect.

I also want to point out that in a prior review of "Cloud Mountain" by "Elizabeth" she states that the only place in 1908 where the name Jennifer existed was Cornwall. Well, the fact is Hope's real name WAS Jenny Trescott. In fact, I found that Aimee used family names for fictional charactors in several instances. But never the real name for the real person.

Although I have to say that I read this book because I had already heard the story and had a personal interest in it. But even if I hadn't I still would not have been able to put it down. Aimee Liu's use of words to describe are incredibly original (I don't know how she came up with some of them) and they really do "paint" a picture in your mind as you read.
She is a real literary artist.

This is not only a love story. In fact, I would just as much descibe it as a story of courage, of two people who dared to cross the bariers that a bigoted society had placed between them. It is also the story of a man committed to saving his counrty by bringing it democracy even if it could have cost him his life. It is a story of a woman who stood by him, travelled halfway around the world to an unstable society trying to grow up into democracy, but turned out to be a house of cards.

Read this book and take a trip back to a past and place few Americans are aware of. Enjoy the exciting people and places, but also learn a history of a different place, time, and people.

In the last few years I have read many books that deal with China's history and this book was by far one of my favorites. It is a beautiful book that I felt compelled to share with others and purchased more than one copy so I could lend it out and make sure to have a copy for my collection. This book will not dissapoint, especially if you are as intrigued with China and it's history as I am! When I got to the last 20 pages or so I turned them very slowly in hopes of making it last longer! :) I urge you to buy this book and one for your friends! It is a very moving picture of what a person can live through and still see the beauty in life around them!

I am a Sports Illustrated, ESPN sorta reader, anything short and with lots of pictures I will read, short attention span. I am a NASCAR fan and thought I knew alot about the sport and originally bought the book for my wife, but I must say I not only read the whole book in two days I also learned alot that I did not know or what I thought I knew. Excellent book, interesting reading and even if you are not into the sport it is just fun to read. Excellent Excellent book......

My boss once jokingly told that's what NASCAR is about: turn left and hit the gas.

Then I went to the Alllstate 400 at the Brickyard and now I've read Mark Martin's NASCAR FOR DUMMIES. It's looking a little more complicated than fast left turns.

The author's enthusiasm for the sport of NASCAR racing is contagious. As the driver of the Viagra-sponsored car #6 in the Nextel Cup series, he ought to know what he's talking about from the inside out and about 188 mph.

Chapter 1 ('NASCAR Racing-the best sport around', pp. 9-24) tells you how men (well, mostly men) driving cars that look vaguely like your father's Taurus ended up racing them around oval tracks in front of millions of spectators and television viewers and why you couldn't possibly not be excited about this. Like most professional sports, NASCAR has acquired corporate sponsors. It is arguably the most logo-plastered sport in the world, a fact that Martin explores in 'The Big Business of NASCAR' (ch. 2, pp. 25-34). Martin convinces you that that's a good thing, and before you know it, you know the primary car sponsors as well as the drivers and their car numbers.

The rest of the book takes you from zero to sixty in a fairly easy stretch of reading. If, like me, you started this book after attending a race or two and just getting at toe-hold on the sport, you won't end up an expert. But you'll be in good shape to understand the basics of every major area of the sport and to learn more as your exposure grows.

Mark Martin is not a great writer, but you don't buy the Dummies series for great writing. You buy Tolstoy if you want great writing. What Martin effectively does is lets you know that there's a whole lot more to NASCAR racing than you thought when you got yourself into this, but that you can learn a fair chunk of it pretty quickly. It's also organized as a handy reference book for when you need to go back to look up a topic you breezed over a little quickly on the first go-around.

I bought this book because there's a strong NASCAR culture in the company I joined. My boss sponsors the 18, driven by Bobby Labonte. See, I knew how to say that right. You can too. Buy the book.

I bought this book in 2004 when I first started getting into Nascar, and even back then it was a little outdated. Now, with all the changes in rules and even teams, its more than "a little outdated". One of the chapters includes a list of drivers to watch for in the future, including Champion Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Junior along with some drivers who barely race now. Even the information on tracks is past tense by now. For instance, we went to Lowe's Motor Speedway and followed his information on where race shops were located, only to discover that 90% of those had moved to different cities/locations. There are some basics in here that the newbie might appreciate, but be warned that it isn't up to date.

I am a new fan to NASCAR and I already know more than most longtime fans thanks to this book. It is written by Mark Martin, so you know it has lots of "insider" info. Even though Martin has been in the business for a long time, he wrote in a way that made it easy for me to understand, even with my limited knowledge. I enjoy watching NASCAR races every weekend even more because I actually know what's going on! I now know what a track bar is and what happens when you put a "rubber" in the right rear. Before reading this book, I would have been pretty sure that was obscene! You will enjoy reading this book but you also be able to keep it around for reference when you want to learn more about a particular track or adjustments being made on pit road. I highly recommend this book to a new fan or the most diehard fan out there.

I wanted to learn about NASCAR and knew nothing about it... and this book did a good job of introducing it to me. My one complaint is it doesn't talk enough about what's going on in the actual races, and I still feel a little lost about what exactly is happening on the track, how exactly the race works, and what specific strategies the drivers are using. A little more on the actual racing and this book would've been perfect. But it's still an excellent intro if you're looking to learn about the sport.

I admit that I would never have read Madame Bovary for it not being required reading in my Humanities class. We also had to write an essay, so Madame Bovary occupied my little free time trying to get through the novel. I admit, the prose was indeed different, and many times I had to read and re-read a sentence or paragraph several times before I could understand what was in front of me. After completing the novel, I realized that it was quite a simple story, yet a masterpiece. A true classic.

Madame Bovary is one of those books that I admire more than love. As fiction it is flawlessly written, and it's scathing viewpoint on French provincial society is delivered with style and aplomb. Call it the great anti-romance of literature. The problem I have with it lies in it's failure to touch me on any emotional level. Neither Emma, nor Charles, nor any of the characters in Yonville strikes any kind of sympathetic chord with me.

Comparing Madame Bovary to that other eponymous lady, Anna Karenina, I found Tolstoy's cuckolding wife to be a much more sympathetic character. A character who thinks and feels in a damaged, yet logical fashion. A character who struggles to come to terms with her life's choices. There is very little depth to the characters in Flaubert's novel, and though I
acknowledge it as a masterpiece, it is more a cold, stylistic exercise in literary realism, than a book that enlightens, exhilarates, or moves the reader.

Madame Bovary is the greatest novel written by Gustave Flaubert. The 1855
masterpiece portrays in searing detail the tragic tale of a young girl whose dreams turned into nightmares; whose sandcastles are swept away by unfulfilled passion; whose young life is ended in a tragic death. Years before Tolstoy limned the adultress woman in his Anna Karenina we see the consequences which ensue when a middle class wife and mother breaks the seventh commandment.
The novel takes place near Rouen in the north of France. There are actually three Madame Bovarys in the story. Madame Bovary Sr. who is the mother of Charles Bovary dominates her weak son. Madame Bovary I is an ugly but wealthy woman who dies allowing Charles to wed the lovely Emma
Bovary who is the the famed woman of the book's title. Emma has grown up on a farm coddled by her widower father. She has immersed herself in romantic tales and spent time in a French convent. Emma dreams of castles in the air and a charming prince to take her to paradise. Today she would be a reader of Harlequin Romances. She is a virgin plum ripe for picking!
Charles Bovary ("bovine" meaning cow-like; also think "ovary for his scandolous wife Emma) is a dull, stupid and lethargic public health inspector. He is a good man but is a total dullard! Charles weds Emma after treating her father. At first all goes well as the couple set up house in a French provincial town where little exciting ever occurs. They have a daughter Berthe with whom Emma has little to do. She never grows up to becoming a mature woman.
Emma carries on two affairs in the novel with the law student Leon and the wealthy but callous womanizing aristocrat Rodolphe. She is sucked into a cesspool of overwhelming debt being addicted to clothing, jewelry and furniture. Emma's lovers forsake her as her disillusionment with men and life itelf takes over life. Madame Bovary ends her life by committing suicide. The account of her horrific, painful and grotesque death from her fatal injection of arsenic rat poison will never be forgotten by the
reader. Despite her many sins she deserves pity at such a sad end. Her husband dies a few years later and her daughter has to be farmed out to a relative.
What makes this novel of adultery, satirical views of provincial life, mockery of the relgious hypocrisy in the French countryside and lacerating portraits of such types as the village atheist Homais so great? In my opinion the reasons this is such a landmark work must include:
a. A picture of a woman seeking to break out of the nineteenth century bourgeoisie view of females as placid wives and mothers with no aspirations of their own. Throughout the novel there are images of birds seeking freedom from cages. Emma is a modern feminist in the nineteenth century society she finds impossible to escape. Emma is an iconoclastic rebel.
b. A satirical and cynical view of human hypocrisy drawn with skill in the pictures Flaubert draws of such figures as the village priest, scientist, merchants and moneylenders. Society is concerned with money and social status to the detriment of more spiritual and ethical values.
c. Flaubert introduces a new realism to the novel which will influence such naturalist as Emile Zola and others. The novel reads as if it was written today instead of over 150 years ago.
d. Flaubert's descriptions of the beauty of nature (and its indifference to human suffering and troubles) are beautifully etched. His use of language and the level of suspense he maintains throughout the work are excellent.
e. Flaubert is not afraid to describe female sexual longings. His sex scenes are tasteful to our eyes but viewed as prurient reading in his own day.
Penguin editons are always a joy to read with their critical apparatus and excellent introductions. Enjoy this great work of literature as soon as you can!

When I first began reading Madame Bovary, I was skeptical about a book revolving around the telltale subject-adultery. I was wondering how the reader was supposed to root for a woman who forsakes her husband again and again to seek self-absorbed, transient passions.

Brilliantly, Flaubert situates the novel so the reader can sympathize with either. He introduces the husband first, which is significant, as we know his back-story, but then we are introduced to the restrained beauty in the convent who longs for the adventures she zealously consumes in her books. It is a colorful account of a woman trying to chase away the boredom in her life. Absolutely brilliant.

"The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is ''What does a woman want?'" Sigmund Freud

This is one unforgettable classic! I don't even know how to begin describing it, mainly because of the complexity of the main character Emma Bovary. When I finished this novel (almost in tears, for the ending is both tragic and very distressing) I walked away from it feeling extremely fortunate to be born in a time and place in which I have complete freedom. For, in a nutshell, what plagued our heroine throughout her entire life was the simple fact that she was trapped being a woman in a man's world (the novel takes place during the mid 19th century in Normandy). You see, Madame B. is no common, run-of-the-mill mademoiselle. On the contrary this gal is blessed with it all - beauty, brains, passion, etc... You name it, she's got it! She is the true embodiment of femininity - possessing style, grace, and a keen eye for artistic beauty, on top of also being a great cook, excellent piano player, having a knack for home-decor, sewing, drawing, etc... There is seemingly nothing she can't do or isn't good at.

Her tragic mistake (which is usually the case with many talented people throughout history) is that she marries the wrong person. Her husband Charles Bovary is a man who 'knew nothing, taught nothing, desired nothing' the complete antithesis of his enlightened wife Emma. Flaubert further defines him early on in the novel: 'Charles's conversation was as flat as any pavement... rousing no emotion, no laughter, no reverie. He had never ventured to the theatre... he couldn't swim, or fence or shoot...' In other words, he's boring as hell, and although he absolutely worships the ground his wife walks on, she, on the other hand, slowly begins to resent this servile, supine, sappy simpleton she finds herself tied down to. To complicate matters even further, she ends up pregnant and giving birth to a girl, Berthe (of course Emma was hoping and praying for a son, for 'a man, at least, is free...'). Depressed and engrossed with the eternal ennui, which inflicts so many women who marry men they feel no passion nor love toward, Emma embarks on her own personal crusade to find that happiness which always seems to be eluding her. A self-indulgent quest that in the end, only leads to catastrophic consequences for both her and her family.

What makes this masterpiece "Madame Bovary" such an interesting read is how totally modern this story is. Emma, desperately seeking an escape from being a lonesome, unfulfilled house-wife and mother, soon becomes a shopaholic, racking up debt all over town. When she is not shopping and spending money, she's having adulterous liaisons with men who... well, you shall have to see for yourself. While I was reading this, I kept thinking to myself, I know women like this! I see them all the time in the area (Silicon Valley, Northern California) in which I live. Beautiful women, who married their far from beautiful husbands for money and security. They don't work, have nannies taking care of the kids, while they cruise around in their new Mercedes or BMW shopping all day and hopping in the sack (although, like Emma, very discreetly) with one man after another. They hang out at upscale bars/restaurants with each other bitching about how difficult their lives are, how much they despise their husbands, their next trip to Europe, etc... while sipping on hundred dollar bottles of wine and comparing plastic surgeons. Talk about a sad, pathetic life... Just like Emma, these barracudas are completely empty inside. They can find no happiness from within, and the more material things they possess, the more their insatiable appetites go unfed... There is no price that can be placed for love. No one material item or one night of unbridled, erotic passion can ever replace the true love of a spouse or child.

The first part (there are three parts in all) of this novel was a bit slow, but once you get to part two, be prepared to be totally enraptured with this beautiful story. I am so happy, after all of these years, to have finally read this excellent classic. Truly worthy of five stars!

I loved this book! The combination of personal growth/intraspection, Virginia history and horses is just more than I can pass up. The plot of historical time travel was a novel (no pun intended) approach and very enjoyable.

This was a delightfully fascinating story, especially with time warp parallel. Very descriptive and she doesn't leave who hanging anywhere. Very comprehensive and such a funny and interesting story. One of my favorite authors.

After falling in love with the Mrs. Murphy series I found out that author Brown has a "real life" as a bonafide novelist and a darn good one at that. Brown's characters are so real that I wanted to join Cig in her out of this world adventure. Once again Brown masterfully produces an unusual plot and story line that engage the reader. She carries through the story with skill to the very end. Very enjoyable!!!

Delightful story, likeable characters and a beautiful setting left me wanting more.

What's not to like - you have the Virginia countryside, animals, romance, and reincarnation?/past-life regression! Interesting lead character in unusual situation. Food for thought.