Atlantic Monthly Books

I bought this on the recommendation of Dr. Stanley Krippner in a lecture on ayahuasca. It is absolutely the best book I have read on the history of the psychedelic movement during the past 100 years or so. Timothy Leary is not dead - he's only outside looking in. :-)

This is the definitive account of the 1960s psychedelic drug scene. Stevens does a great job of conveying the highs and lows of LSD and its proponents. His ability to relate endless facts while retaining a fast-paced narrative structure is amazing. I found this one of the most "addicting" books out there about the significance of drugs in American culture. Stevens reviews all the major personalities: Albert Hoffman, Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, the Grateful Dead, Alan Watts, Jack Kerouac, Aldous Huxley, and more. If you're interested in this electric decade, the power of psychedelics to warp the mind, or any of the poet-prophets who were compelled to experiment with and sing the praises of acid then this book is sure to delight.

This should be required reading in American History. Who knew Canada had legal LSD centers? And the characters- Nin, Huxley, Kesey, Leary and Capt.Al Hubbard (??). Will we ever see their like again? Really a very sad story, and a fascinating one. Nice to see the Chief Boo Hoo, old Art Kleps in there as well. Sen. Kennedy: "Is your title really Chief Boo Hoo?" Art Kleps: "I'm afraid so, sir."

It is no fluke that this book has an average rating of five stars from amazon.com readers. This is simply one of the most informative, enjoyable and engaging presentations ever written on the subject of hallucinogenic drugs in modern history, and how they made their way from the obscurity of laboratories and clinical research to become a fixture in the counterculture of the 1960's and beyond. The complexities of the story make it a formidable challenge for any narrator, but Stevens proves easily equal to the task. In the pages of this book, the reader is introduced to the dramatis personae with an immediacy as though meeting them in person. Many of the facts discussed herein have been recounted before by many capable others. But never have they been put into such a vivid and vibrant perspective as this, so thorough and rich with nuance. That's important because the depths of this story, stranger as it is than any fiction, are where its meaning emerges most clearly. Ever since the impact of LSD and its profound, pervasive influences on our life and times, modern society will never be the same. And it is impossible to imagine what popular culture would now be like without the psychedelic revolution of the 20th century. "Storming Heaven" offers the best single account of how and why this is so. This is a real page-turner, very difficult to put down, and is highly recommended for the interested reader.

This was a very good book. You get lots of interesting stuff about Aldous Huxley, the famous beat writers, Owsley, Timothy Leary, Ken Kesey and the evolution of the so called counterculture as a whole.

The problems that I have with Storming Heaven is not for what was in it but what was left out. For one Stevens was WAY too easy on Timothy Leary. The author seemed almost like a school girl with a crush when he recounts his visit to Learys home for an interview for the book. He comes off more as a fan than he does an objective writer at times when he deals with Leary. Why wasn't it mentioned that it has come out that Leary was a government informant and information he gave led to the death of two members of the Weather Underground? Its also a known fact that Leary was surrounded by CIA assets and there is a lot of evidence that he was a government agent himself, and at the least he was feeding them information.

There is also a fleeting mention that wasn't elaborated on about Ken Kesey that he had LSD experiments done on him at Stanford by the guy that ended up in charge of the CIAs Mkultra mind control program. This really makes me wonder about Kesey. Its more or less accepted history that the first LSD to get out on the street level was what Kesey stole from the medicine chest at his job as a night shift janitor at a mental hospital and distributed it among his elitist friends. Kesey went from writing what was probably the best novel written during the 1960's to, while becoming a counterculture hero, never writing another thing worth reading again. Did doing too much LSD scramble his brains and ruin his creativity or was his creativity nullified by Mkultra programming? Its hard to say for sure but I have to wonder if Kesey was not under some sort of mind control or was being used by the CIA in one way or another. There are a lot of unanswered questions in my mind about Kesey.

They also fleetingly mention the Brotherhood of Eternal Love who were major LSD distributors and were known to be full of CIA people and had a close association with a Jewish man named Ron Starks who was a CIA spook that also happened to the biggest LSD dealer in the world. Starks was not even given the first mention in this book!

I mean with all these ivy league, Mkultra and CIA connections to the elites of the so called counterculture I have to seriously wonder how much of the hippy movement of the late 60's was an organic rebellion against what was (and still is) a very repressive society both socially and politically and how much of it was intentional social engineering that came from the highest levels of the power structure. Many people believe that the anti-war movement was flooded with drugs, in particular LSD, by federal agents. Its well known that the government tried to subvert and destroy the anti-war movement with the cointelpro program so why wouldn't they also use drugs to try to destroy it? While it can't be denied that LSD has enhanced many an artist, writer and musicians work can you honestly say that sitting around frying on acid all the time is going to do anything but disable political activists who in many cases were in a life and death struggle? Besides that the fact remains that many people became permanently damaged as result of doing acid.

All that said I would definitely recomend reading or of you can get it cheap, buying Storming Heaven. I could hardly put it down once I started reading it. I realize that this book was more geared toward looking into what psychelic drugs can do with the mind and its exponents history and theories on the subject than any conspiratorial maneuverings by the US government involving LSD but it just didn't go deep enough into the rabbit hole for my tastes.

I've read this book several times. Every time I pick it up, I end up laughing until I almost cry. As a bachelor myself, I relate to the grains of reality underneath O'Rouke's great sarcasm.

Not as good as "Eat The Rich" or "Parliament of Whores" or "All The Trouble in the World" or "Holidays in Hell" or "Give War A Chance"; those books are thought-provoking as well as screamingly funny. This one is just screamingly funny, but this might actually be a plus for people whose response to some of P.J.'s better works is a defensive "That's not funny!"; P.J. has a tendancy to poke fun at EVERYTHING, including the sacred cows of people who he disagrees with (and sometimes those he agrees with.)

As a 32 yr old bacelor, this book had me literally HOWLING with laughter! I let my girlfriend read it. We aren't dating anymore, LOL. As ridiculous and as obscene as some of it seems, it is startling to realize that I have actually LIVED like that!

FIVE STARS,..!!!!!!

I've been on a tear of P.J. O'Rourke's books lately, starting with Republican Party Reptile and so forth. This is by far one of P.J.'s best. I'm on the other side of the coin politically (fairly liberal) myself, but P.J. usually spares no one, and I admire that (Rush and his wacko friends could learn a thing or two).

This book is just about how to get by if you're a bachelor. It's incredibly funny for the most part (the cooking sections should not be read if you've just ate!). This is a fantastic little book, very helpful if you plan to live like a slob or like a typical college freshman.

The Bachelor Home Companion: A Practical Guide to Keeping House Like A Pig written by P.J. O'Rourke is a very funny, keep you in stiches book.

You'll never keep a house neat and tidy after you read this book. Of Course, that's assuming that you already do. What its like as a bachelor in theory as to actually being one is, according to O'Rourke, a great disparity. If you want to laugh and be entertained at the same time then this little tome is for you to enjoy.

Humor abounds and your life will definately take a turn... for better or worse will depend on you.According to O'Rourke... "How often does a house need to be cleaned, anyway? As a general rule, once every girlfriend. After that she can get to know the real you."

For 41 years John Barrow manipulated the Royal Navy and the British Government to pursue his own fixed ideas on geography.
His mistaken belief that there was an open, ice-free sea at the North Pole, a permanently clear North-West Passage and that the Niger emptied into either the Nile or the Congo, caused the deaths of unknown numbers of men, the loss of ships, the expenditure of a king's ransom and the physical and mental breakdown of many of Britain's elite officers.

This is the story of that prolonged tragedy; the irony of it is that it fathered the most amazing feats of endurance and privation, that they are regarded today as the pinnacle of human endeavour - only the similarly ill-equipped expeditions of Scott come close.

Barrow's 'Boys' are his hand-picked officers (strangely, they were usually totally ill-suited to the tasks he set them) who are either ambitious, incompetent, zealots or plain insane (or any combination!) and Barrow goes out of his way to ignore all the best advice from those with the real experience, to either under- or over-equip the expeditions, seemingly never hitting the right balance.
The internecine rivalry of the officers, the badly-picked crews, the obstructions of companies and kings, all combine to produce farce after explorational farce. On top of this, each failed expedition only fires his zeal, perversely convincing him that he is right, so off goes another doomed expedition.

If anything tells us that inhabitants of ivory towers have no idea of the real world, it is this book ... Get it and enjoy!

Good book, but it spent too much time in England peering behind the political scenes and not enough time in the Arctic. It is very interesting to learn of the behind the scenes "politicing" required to carry off such pointless acts of courage, but most of the officers come off looking like political hacks instead of the incredibly courageous explorers that they were. These men sailed in the face of fear and came home heroes, but a self-serving bureauocrat makes it to the title of the book. While Barrow deserves much of the credit for getting the machinery in place behind these men, sometimes he did not even do that. I may be trasferring some of my deep personal distaste for the man (Barrow) to the book, but I did enjoy the book very much. I just wish it spent more time on the expeditions and a little less on the politics.

For 41 years John Barrow manipulated the Royal Navy and the British Government to pursue his own fixed ideas on geography.
His mistaken belief that there was an open, ice-free sea at the North Pole, a permanently clear North-West Passage and that the Niger emptied into either the Nile or the Congo, caused the deaths of unknown numbers of men, the loss of ships, the expenditure of a king's ransom and the physical and mental breakdown of many of Britain's elite officers.

This is the story of that prolonged tragedy; the irony of it is that it fathered the most amazing feats of endurance and privation, that they are regarded today as the pinnacle of human endeavour - only the similarly ill-equipped expeditions of Scott come close.

Barrow's 'Boys' are his hand-picked officers (strangely, they were usually totally ill-suited to the tasks he set them) who are either ambitious, incompetent, zealots or plain insane (or any combination!) and Barrow goes out of his way to ignore all the best advice from those with the real experience, to either under- or over-equip the expeditions, seemingly never hitting the right balance.
The internecine rivalry of the officers, the badly-picked crews, the obstructions of companies and kings, all combine to produce farce after explorational farce. On top of this, each failed expedition only fires his zeal, perversely convincing him that he is right, so off goes another doomed expedition.

If anything tells us that inhabitants of ivory towers have no idea of the real world, it is this book ... Get it and enjoy!

This was a well written book on the many Polar and African interior explorations that were sponsored by the British in the first half of the 19th centry. From trying to find the North-West Passage above North America to searching for the legendary "city of gold" called Timbucto in Africa this book kept me interested throughout. Never before or for that matter since has such a group of explorers been assembled. The man responsible for these quests was John Barrow, a man who had a dream of mapping uncharted areas of the world. He set into motion the largest and most expensive series of explorations in the history of mankind. This is a story of courage and determination like no other that I have read before. This book recounts the stories of men who spent years stuck in the freezing cold in their dreams of being the first to find a passage across North America. The book also details the adventures that other men had in their quest to map the interior of Africa. Other stories of different areas in the world that were explored are also included. John Barrow might not have been as successful as he would have liked but his dream inspired later explorers and set a benchmark that carried on into the 20th century.

The Author explains that this book originated as the name of John
Barrow is to be found in the Bibliographies on English Expeditions of
Discovery, for a good portion of the first half of the 19th
Century. Those that lead or were notable participants in these
ventures have books written by them, and about them, many times
over. Evidently this is the first time the man who was a driving force
behind these events has been profiled alongside the voyages. Just some
of these events include the search for The Northwest Passage, the trek
for The North Pole, documenting the North and South Magnetic Poles,
and exploring Antarctica. And when you have frozen through these epic
travels, the writer takes you to Australia, and the overland marches
in search of Timbuktu, the beginning and end of The Niger River, and
many other historical firsts.

Along with the details of the trips and
the men that participated, the Author also explains the construction
of the ships, how these wooden vessels were able to break through ice
instead of their being broken. There are remarkable details noted,
such as there was a black member of the group that first crossed the
Northwest passage from West to East, and also a man of color when the
North Pole was attacked. The tales range from remarkable folly when
officers were to wear dress uniforms when crossing the desserts of
Africa to maintain the pride of Britain, to other men who adopted not
only the dress of The Muslims, but also learned to speak their
language!

In his position at The Admiralty and other distinguished
posts, Barrow not only could direct what expeditions took place, but
also those that were to lead them. With this power he made or
destroyed the reputations of many brave men whose only failure was
that they did not succeed according to Barrow. Most of his beliefs
about The Northwest Passage, The North Pole, and the rivers and cities
of Africa were wrong. Despite this, his persistence and those that
shouldered these journeys filled in the voids on the worlds map that
had until then been blank. But while alive he was a bitter taskmaster
who would brutally discredit the same men he had sent to destinations
never before seen by a European, if he did not gain the information
and confirmation of the beliefs he held to be true.

Different readers
will select those actions they find to be the most remarkable, for me
it was those trips that in futility sought The Northwest Passage by
ship. These ships and crew would at times be gone for 2, 3, or even 4
years depending on the whims of the ice. During one such voyage after
surviving another brutal winter a vessel again made its way toward
home. When once again locked in the ice for yet another winter the
ship had traveled a distance that a man could easily walk in 2 hours!

These winters, which occupied most of the calendar, were filled with
activities to literally keep all members healthy and sane. Seamen who
could not read or write came home literate, and the majority of the
time scurvy was kept at bay by Captains that truly seemed to care for
their men. There were of course Captains whose sanity could be
questioned, and at least one who was certifiably a mental
misfit. However these were the exception and not the rule. The Author
also shares the first human encounter that an isolated group of
Eskimos had experienced in 400 years. The story will contradict every
evil cliché that has been too easily attached to those who set out on
these voyages.

The book is a remarkable piece of work, and pays
tribute and passes judgment when appropriate. A wonderful piece of
scholarly work that is a privilege to read.

Like most classic novels, "In Praise of Older Women" is a simple and wise book. I consider my life meaningfully enriched by having read it. (And how many books can you say that about?) I can understand why the author (to whom I give my thanks) pursued the dubious expedient of personally promoting it here. It cries to be read! But I fear that its European sanity with regards to the eternal dance between men and women will always be a foreign tongue to American readers, saddled as we are with the sexual neuroses of our Purtian founders. What Vizinczey has learned about women, and which he has graciously shared with us, is not feminist and it is not politically correct. It is simply true. People who value doctrinal conformity over thoughtful perception had better stick to Oprah-approved novels instead. Those seeking to understand our human nature a little better before it is lost to the grave are well-advised to start here.

I read with amusement the comments about how Americans haven't picked up on this book. Hate to bust some Euro-cherries, but I read this in the Fifth Edition (1969) in high school in rural Colorado in about 1970.

In its time, it was a good book. I had my son read it, and discovered my old copy while cleaning out his room (he's off to University). That in turn, sparked my interest to see if it was still in print.

I liked Vizinczey style when I first read it. It would be interesting to pick up on Andras in his later years, just to see how the character evolved. It's one thing to be unattached and picking up what you can, it's quite another to have been in a sustained relationship for more than a few years.

After +30 years I have found his descriptions of women superficial. Most of the 'older' women I know today, post birth control pill, post mass access to University education, post establishment of career, would make quick hash of Andras.

This is a classic book, in the sense that it addresses one of the many topics forever dealt upon by humankind in all form and manner, but in a refreshing light. The style is elegant, the prose superb and the story itself is extremely charming and interesting. I read the book when I was barely 11, and to this day I keep a copy on my book shelf (albeit now in sight of grown ups!).

My comment refers to the second FRENCH edition of this novel, paperback edition. I was curious to read comments of readers oversease and came to this site ...

I am a "post birth control pill, post university education, post career establishment and delusionment woman". Yet, I LOVED this novel and found these women so close to what we still are. Times have changed, life has become much easier for women - and maybe more difficult for men ? - but one thing has not changed : the relationship between men and women. When it comes to sexuality, men know exactly what they want, and from an early age, whereas women have to learn this gradually (if they are given a chance of course and are open to "learning" ...)This is why in 2006 you still find giggling silly teens like in S. Vicinzsey's book, adolescent older women (30 - 40, but also 40 - 50 ... Why should sexuality stop at ANY age ?), frigid younger women, and women of all ages who know what they want ! Nowadays most of the married women in the book Andras Vardas had a relationship with would get a divorce. However, they may first start with a lover and some will even chose to have a lover but not to divorce ... And of course this lover would look like Andras, a man who has learnt "not only to speak to women but also to listen to them." So have times changed? Hardly.

The book takes the form of a series of small adventures, one in each chapter on the background of Stalinistic and opressed but sexualy liberated Hungary in the 1950s and poltically free but puritan Canada. The anecdotes and the historical perspective enhance the interest of the stories.

This is why it is a wonderful little unpretentious book, not a milestone of the world literature (this is why I dump one star), yet a book to recommend for reading to anybody interested in men - women relationships, what erotism is all about.

I have just read In Praise of Older Women for the second time. Many reviewers have drawn attention to the wisdom contained in this little book, which slyly presents itself as a breviary for young men without lovers. I am reluctant to insist on its status as "an erotic classic," for fear that to do so would confine it to a very narrow context. Indeed, the erotic scenes do not constitute the heart and soul of the story, nor do they even take up very much room. Rather, the book brings some very subtle psychological observations to bear on human relationships. Note, for example, the analysis of the "rapport des forces" between the older women and the younger hero. Zsuzsa, a "small, colourless woman," struggles to overcome her pride. Her coyness turns to compliance only when Vajda snaps at her, showing his passion (one recalls a scene in The Red and the Black: playing for somewhat higher stakes that Vajda, Julien tears a sword from the wall, imprudently displaying his passion before Mathilde, who briefly sees that he loves her). Other women aim stinging remarks at the young man only to succumb to his advances; or else they are guarded and surly the morning after, suspicious (and, in many case, rightly so) of the young Don Juan's motives. In another case, it is Vajda who is prideful. In his efforts to keep up with an energetic violinist whose relentless athletic pursuits and strange sleeping habits he takes as a challenge, the poor Casanova wears himself down to the bone. Vajda also writes of the anonymous onanists, versions of Dostoevsky's "underground man," who keep to themselves and satiate their erotic cravings in solitude. These misanthropes belong to the category of men who have not opened themselves up to women, who want to seduce and dominate the opposite sex, unlike Vajda, who looks on women as "accomplices." The book is a very strong and subtle critique of pride. When I think back on its contents, I remember not only the pleasant watercolors of Hungary and Rome, the descriptions of bodies and faces, and the maxims worthy of La Rochefoucauld ("Whatever is sanctioned by society as a principal good also becomes a moral imperative"), but also the wry humor that examines human interaction with sympathy and insight. While desire plays a large role in the recollections of the hero, the extent to which the author soars above his past is quite remarkable. To be invited to partake of his calm gaze is a pleasure worth repeating. One can read this book again without tiring of it.

The book was very well received in France. "Un bain de bonheur" was how one reviewer described it. How to account for its popularity in Europe (the book has been a best-seller in Spain and elsewhere I believe)? It is true that eroticism has been raised to the level of a value in France, which deploys its Catholic moeurs like scud missiles against a monolithic (and not wholly imaginary) American puritanism. Ideology aside, the fact remains that France knows how to appreciate good literature.

I see that the author himself has posted a review translated from the French. Good for him. America should know about the European point of view.

Enough people have commented on the book, so I'll go to the personal part. The rumors of Mr. Kun's death are bizarre. I went to college (Johns Hopkins) with him, and at our 20th reunion last year he was alive and well.

I enjoyed "A Thousand Benjamins," but it's been so long that I can barely remember it anymore. What I do recall about it was that it included some of the funniest scenes in any novel I've ever read. Last summer, a friend e-mailed me a copy of a book called "The Locklear Letters" with a note that said, "You must read this. I defy you not to laugh out loud." It was, simply, the funniest thing I've ever read (including David Sedaris), but at the same time it was a very complex and touching story. For some reason, it took me several months to connect the dots and realize that it was the same author as "A Thousand Benjamins." In the last few months, I've told so many people about "The Locklear Letters," and I was always surprised when it didn't show up on amazon.com. Until today. Apparently, it'll be out in June. And, apparently, I'm not the only one who will be standing in line to get a copy. It is a comic masterpiece, pure and simple. Now, I only wish I could figure out if the author is still alive or not. These customer reviews are terribly confusing on that subject. Surely someone knows if he's still alive, right?

The first book written since his tragic death (a sporting accident, not a car crash), The Locklear Letters, will be published this spring. You can't review it yet, but believe me, I'd give it five stars - I got to read an advance copy, and I laughed my fill. What a funny guy Mike was. I know the ladies like the sensitive stuff, but man, he could make a guy laugh.
Also, there is the second novel written after his death waiting in the wings - I like that one even better. So it's good news for all us fans of Mike, even if it reminds us of a talent lost. And it should remind us to always wear a batting helmet, even in the slow-pitch cage. You knew me, Mike, and we miss you, bud.

I was just checking on amazon and saw that Mike Kun has a new book coming out in June called "The Locklear Letters." I've been smiling since the moment I saw that, and I imagine I'll be smiling until the book comes out! I can't pretend to be unbiased: I knew Mike back in college, have always thought that he was a PHENOMENAL writer, and, to my husband's dismay, I've had a mad crush on him for almost 20 years. Mike is probably the most talented person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and people who have only had the opportunity to read "A Thousand Benjamins" are missing out on a lot. The same guy who wrote that sweet and tender book is also the hands-down funniest writer ever to walk on this planet. Anyone who's ever read his short stories knows that he has an impeccable sense of comic timing. God only knows whether "The Locklear Letters" will be one of his sweet books, or one of his funny ones (or both), but I have no doubt that it'll be terrific.

Last summer, my wife and I attended a wedding in Michigan. It was a lovely affair by all accounts, but there is one thing in particular that we will always remember, and that I suspect everyone else in attendance will always remember as well: the toast by the best man. The best man was a rather nondescript looking man in his mid-30s. Even now, I couldn't tell you what he looked like other than to say he was about 5'10" and had curly hair; he may have had glasses. When we were all gathered in the banquet room, he took the microphone and began to speak. And, for the next 10 minutes or more, he held us all in the palm of his hands like I've never seen before in my life. He was charming, he was witty (he told one joke about how the groom once claimed to like to brush up on his Spanish by watching CSPAN), he was self-deprecating, he paused at the right moments and for exactly the right length of time. He was, simply, brilliant. Then, when he had us laughing loud and long, when no one dared to move because they might miss something he said, he pulled the carpet out from us like a magician and ended with such a sweet and touching comment that left most people in tears. It was stunning, absolutely stunning, and he clearly understood that by making us laugh at first he was softening us up for the good stuff later. As soon as he was done, he was mobbed like some kind of pop star. I've never seen anything like it before, particularly at a wedding. Everyone had to talk to him. We asked who he was, and got a number of answers: he was Mike Kun, the groom's brother; he was some hot young trial lawyer; and, finally, someone said, "He's the best writer you'll ever meet, but he doesn't write anymore." My wife was too nervous to talk with him, but I grabbed his ear for about 5 minutes and left wishing I had a daughter to introduce him to. He's a remarkable young man, as I've since confirmed by reading "A Thousand Benjamins," his first novel. I've recently learned that he in fact hasn't stopped writing, and a new book called "The Locklear Letters" will be out shortly. I understand it's something of a comedy. If it's half as charming as his best man's toast, I'll bet it'll be a bestseller.

My mother read this book when she was a child. Then she told me to check it out from the library when I decided I was old enough to read a book with chapters. I think I was about 8, and I loved this book. I read it over and over. Even though I am now 22, if this was still in print I would buy a hardcover copy and keep it on my bookshelf just in case I wanted to be a kid again for a couple hours...

i have twin boys who have just turned five, and i cannot wait for them to be able to enjoy this book. (i might jump the age recommendation and get them going on this sooner than 9)

i signed this book out of my public school library in etobicoke (toronto) ontario, and read and re-read it probably a half dozen times ... it's a classic.

I am nine years old and I just read this book on a long car ride. It was so good I did nothing but read on the whole car ride. I liked Jenny because she was brave and she didn't give up on getting something that was really hard to get.

When I was in the 5th grade, about 34 years ago, my teacher read this book out loud to the class. We laughed & loved it so much. I've been thinking about this book and was so excited when I found it on Amazon. I plan to read it to my 7-year-old son. I'm sure he'll love it. I can't believe it's still in print.

My sisters and I adored this wonderful book when we were kids. I read my dilapidated copy to my own children and wish it was still in print so I could give copies to all the kids I love. It's a wonderful story about a little girl who suddenly gains the power to read minds. She goes on a quiz show to get the money to save a favorite park in her community -- she can "hear" the answers. But of course nothing turns out exactly the way it was supposed to, and of course there is a very happy ending. One of the nicest things about this book is its lesson that we cannot read minds, but we can hear the thoughts and wishes of people we care about if we listen with our hearts. This is a little dated but a lot of fun, and very wise.

this is the first harrison book i've read and did not know what to expect. i enjoyed it a lot. whereas some reviewers have compared him to hemingway, i seem him more as a stylistic descendent of henry miller and bukowski.
harrison certainly mines the same "male" terrain as hemingway, but whereas hemmingway is about "men of action" in war and other pursuits, harrison's central characters in 2 of the 3 novellas here are more observers than doers. They also have more of a cerebral/academic lens on the world than hemmingway's men.
where robert stone -- another writer in the male thinker/adventurer vein -- tends to follow a very structured approach to plot (more like conrad or hemmingway) -- these novellas are more like diary entries. they are *not* plot-driven and occasionally i found myself losing interest.
but what i found most appealing here was less the plot and more the great insights sprinkled throughout -- sentences that you underline and read three times. worth reading.

I'm a painter not a writer so I will not be able to do justice to Jim Harrison. In my mind Harrison is our best living writer. It is an exciting, humanizing and exceptional experience to read his work and this book is no exception. I have read all of Harrison's books and my respect for him has never flagged. His characters are driven by lascivious and intellectual curiousity - you're never sure you are reading the book or thinking the book.

And here's why: many authors write in the first person to give themselves an alter ego. Not so here, as Harrison uses the first person to give us 3 truly engaging partners in crime, who let us in on the most intimate details of their lives. His genius is that, although he brings the disparate together, he also understands their inevitable separation.

These stories begin in Minnesota. They always come back there.

Worth your time, if only to meet people who should go on and reoprt back "beyond the end"....

'Catering to egregious pricks out of childhood nostalgia is a poor way to conduct your life' says the narrator of the first of the three novellas is this book. A poor way indeed and the theme of this and the third story is the absolute foolishness of catering at all.
These two novellas are beautifully written in the straightforward Harrison style-you could imagine yourself hearing these tales told at a bar in the woods somewhere.
Westward Ho! the middle story is one of the sloppiest, most annoying things that I've ever read from this guy. It seems rushed and thoughtless and almost made me put the book down. But in his carelessness, Harrison has come up with another facet of his genius: this is a genuinely funny story, risible on a couple of different levels. If you can imagine Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld and the cable guy getting together to write an episode of Home Improvement, you'll have the sense of it.

So read the first and last story for good lit and the middle for a good laugh.

Lynn Hoffman, author or bang BANG

I have just found a new obsession and it's Jim Harrison! Not the man, but his books of course. I am always open to a new discovery and in this case, what a pleasant surprise. Jim Harrison has an impressive command of words that keep his story(s), in this case 3 of them, flowing without being bogged down with excessive descriptions. It's as if you were having a conversation with him rather than reading a book.

After doing some research I found that he had written "Legends of the Fall", and that is one of my all time favorite movies. I just can't understand why he doesn't get more press. I have mentioned his books to several people and none of them were aware of him at all. He difinitely is a talent not to be missed. I have already ordered "A Woman Lit by Fireflies" and looking forward to his upcoming Memoir!

One more thing,if you are not familiar with his writing take a peak inside one of his books, you might just like what you see.

Surely, if this man had any other surname, this novel would have received the acclaim it deserves... the cloud!

"Reading some of the reviews I notice a few individuals reading much further than the words on the pages - a word for those Millionaire virgins... try not to do this until say, your 5th or 6th read. It may interfere with your enjoyment "
- ME, just then

To think I stumbled on it by ACCIDENT, attracted to a 1984 re-print with a compass on the cover, having recently read a half entertaining nautical adventure! A read so enjoyable I'm almost relieved it did not receive its due - over-analysed masterpieces and authors often get spoiled through the process, or on occasion battered into a film... the silver lining! Enjoy!

"An Innocent Millionaire" is a bitter book and quite obviously the work of an angry man. Vizinczey gives vent to his hatreds on just about every page of his novel. Some of his targets are well-ventilated already: lawyers, taxes, junk culture, greedy corporations, etc. But it is his two main hatreds -- women and New York City -- that cause him to lose perspective and damage an otherwise rather impressive novel.

First the misogyny. Vizinczey's dislike of women leaps from every page of this book. Most of the women in his story are just the tools of the rich men in their lives. Almost all of them are faithless. The few successful women all slept their way to the top. Take, for example, the female character who publishes and edits a prestigious fashion magazine. Before we have a chance to waste any admiration on her, V assures us that she is no more than an ex-fashion model whose married lover bought the magazine for her just to keep her happy. Another successful woman whom V takes pains to keep us from admiring is the Chief Valuation Officer for the Bahamian Ministry of Finance. Despite the fact that the woman has earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida, a masters from the University of Toronto, and a doctorate from the London School of Economics, V dismisses her as "Nassau's top she-bureaucrat" (note: none of the male bureaucrats in the book is ever referred to as a "he-bureaucrat") and assures us that she is nothing more than an overeducated secretary who acquired her government position by sleeping with her boss. As the main characters are leaving this woman's office, they deride her with an anecdote one of them believes is worthy of "Playboy" and dub her "Miss Passionate" -- a reference to another secretary they all disdain. In fact, V seems to have a special distaste for female secretaries. In a later scene, after the main character concludes his business with a female secretary who has never been anything but pleasant with him, V concludes: "If there is a hell, there must be a special pit reserved for nice, sweet, charming intelligent secretaries who have spent their niceness, sweetness, charm and intelligence on covering up for their bosses."

But even more than women, V hates, despises, LOATHES New York City. The last third of the book is nothing more than an extended diatribe against New York lawyers, New York art dealers, New York politicians, ad nauseum. It's a shame, too, because this bile poisons the book just as the shipwreck story is beginning to get interesting. But the shipwreck and its history pretty much vanish once V sets his sites on his real target: NYC. In fact, in many ways, the Note From The Publisher appended to this edition of the novel by the University of Chicago Press (and which, by the way, reads as if it were written by the author himself) is a small analog of the novel itself. The Note starts out interestingly enough by telling us that Vizinczey is a difficult name to pronounce, leading us to expect that somewhere before the Note's end we will learn that pronunciation, just as in the book we hope that somewhere near the story's end we will learn the final fate of the shipwrecked Flora. But, alas, the promise is never kept and the Note, like the novel, devolves into another cliched rant against NYC, which is taken to task for failing to fully appreciate Vizinczey's genius. Although we are assured that the book was reviewed favorably by the NYTimes Book Review when originally released, we are expected to share the author's outrage that it was reviewed in brief and apparently not given the kind of consideration that a major literary work deserves. We are told that when the author's first novel was published in 1966, it received so little notice in New York that it had to be remaindered after three months. As if New York City itself is responsible for the fate of every author who doesn't become as well-praised as, say, Graham Greene. Tens of thousands of novels get published in this country every year. Just to get mentioned in the NYTBR is a rarity for most writers.

At any rate, I for one had no difficulty understanding why the culturati of NYC (or anywhere else, for that matter) might have been underwhelmed by An Innocent Millionaire. For one thing, it is burdened by the author's blatant efforts to evoke the reader's memory of Heinrich von Kleist's tale "Michael Kohlhaas," a much better story of justice denied. Kleist's name is evoked about twenty times during the course of the novel, just in case we don't get the connection. It is almost as if V had been trying to write his own reviews of the book and became bitter when the NYC reviewers wanted disagreed with his self-assessment. This heavy-handedness combined with the author's troubling misogyny and blind hatred for NYC torpedo what could have been a really great novel. At one point in the book a character derides such schlocky plotboilers as Colleen McCullough's "The Thorn Birds" and Sydney Sheldon's "A Rage of Angels." V is a better writer than either of those two populists, but his novel is only slightly more worthwhile than Sheldon's and not nearly as well-realized as McCullough's. Ironically, it is V's hatred of NYC that does him in. He seems to be insisting over and over again that NYC isn't worth the consideration of any decent person, much less a true artist (one of his Ten Commandments for writers is "Thou Shalt Not Worship London/New York/Paris"). But if NYC is so beneath his consideration why does he fume so over the fact that his work hasn't been better received there? He should have stuck with his shipwreck story and left his hatred of NYC for some other venue.

Stephen Vizinczey (sp?) is, in my estimation, the greatest living author I've read. Or at least my favorite. He is also a great hero of mine, and I do not have many heros.
Why is this? The man tells the truth. He isn't concerned with the consequences of revealing his thoughts to all comers. A previous reviewer accused him of misogyny, but I don't believe she's read "In Praise." I think what she was pointing to is a quality I regard as a virtue in Mr. Vizinczey. He is brutally honest in all things, and for a man playing at being omniscient, he does a pretty good job. One of these things he is honest in is the role that appearance plays in our thoughts and interactions. Some people use sex appeal outside of the bedroom. Sometimes the social progress people make in life is tied to their attractiveness, and sometimes this is not the case. Mr. Vizinczey is not the only one who finds this remarkable.
Mr. Vizinczey has also taught me a great deal about life. To get any lasting knowledge from a book is noteworthy, but the roles that two of his have played in my life seem more like the work of the Hand of God. I read this book at the age of 24, working my way up the economic and social ladder in NYC, and at the same time, hating the goals of success. The first 200 pages confirmed my beliefs about the cannibalistic nature of success, and then, as I contemplated giving up on my idea of success, my fictional alter-ego's luck got better. He met a lawyer who took on the case he had previously lost all hope in winning, and still was not quite convinced that it was worth trying. Mark Niven said something like, "The world is evil!" To which his attorney replied, raising his arms and looking at the sky, "But there is also chance."
Damn, that was a valuable lesson.

I read this book once in high school and once in my third year of college. When I first read An Innocent Millionaire I was intrigued by the adventure. As an adult I found that the book was really about life , of tragedy and the state of the world we live in. This book is a must read.

In difficult times we like to turn to books, especially to novels. But it would be a mistake to think that only light and syrupy stories bring us relief. On the contrary, we need the company of authors who, thanks to their perceptiveness and creative vigor, describe the world as it is, without false embellishment. We sense that these writers are able to face the worst of all possible worlds because they keep alive in themselves the promise of peace and goodness. For this reason we are moved by their vision.

Vizinczey's Innocent Millionaire brings us such a subtle solace. The novel is an enthralling roller-coaster of fortunes and passions, full of striking dialogues. It even manages to say something new about the birth of love. Marianne, the heroine of an ultimately tragic love affair, is one of the most lovable woman I have ever encountered in fiction, surpassing even the desirable and generous ladies of the author's previous masterpiece In Praise of Older Women. But this is a very different novel. Here the author weaves a tragic love relationship into the story of a fraud, showing how small and ridiculous are all those stupid and greedy people who make our life miserable or dull. If you are satisfied with the world as it is and approve its values, you will scorn this book. But for the dissatisfied reader, it is a rare treat and a unique source of comfort.

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

Joan Criddle has woven a gripping account of the personal experience of one young woman, Teeda Butt Mam, and her family under the oppression of the Khymer Rouge. Although I knew a little about Cambodia's killing fields, this book reveals in considerable detail the brutality and horror of Pol Pot's regime. Yet, it's an inspiring tale of survival, courage, and family loyalty under the most extreme conditions of deprivation, fear and suffering. I couldn't help but wonder if I would have had the strength, ingenuity and willpower to survive such horror. The book also includes many interesting details about traditional Cambodian life and culture.
I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing story!

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH VITOU AND I HAD THE FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF HIS STORY. HE NEVER STOP TO AMAZE ME FOR THEIR WELL TO SURVIVE.THIS STORY SHOW THE TERMENDOUS COURAGE AND STRONG WELL TO SURVIVE AMONG MONSTERS WHO HAVE NO REGARDS TO FELLOW HUMANS, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD AND RISK YOUR LIFE EVEN FOR THE BASIC NECESITY OF LIFE JUST TO SURVIVE. THIS IS AN EPIC OF FORGOTTEN HOLOCUST AND THE STORY OF A CAMBODIAN FAMILY GOING THROUGH HELL AN BACK. A SUCCESS STORY OF A FAMILY MOVING TO A COUNTRY WITH A DIFFERNT CULTURE AND LANGAUGE AND MAKING SOMETHING OF THEMSELVES. I AM PROUD TO BE A FRIEND OF VITOU AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING HIM. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK, IT WOULD MAKE YOU APPRECIATE MORE OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN LIFE.

When I was younger I heard bits and pieces about Cambodia and Pol Pot in the news, but didn't really know what it was about. Through "Destroy You" I finally know about the horrendous and evil history that was being made in that country during the 70's and 80's. This biography follows the story of one particular educated Cambodian family who was exiled from Phnom Penh, along with the entire city full of inhabitants. The Khmer Rouge was doing its job of "cleansing" the city of anything of western influence. Most of the educated populace, including doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc., were murdered, leaving a population of mostly uneducated slaves whose job was to work in the rice fields all day long. Music, laughter, and play were not allowed. The people were taught that everyone was of equal value and equally dispensable, and everyone should work hard to contribute to the good of all with the meekness, acceptance, and fortitude of the water buffalo.

Meanwhile, entire villages were massacred if complaint about the government was overheard. Life was incredibly miserable, especially knowing of friends and relatives that had been killed or had disappeared. When Viet Nam invaded Cambodia tens of thousands of Cambodians attempted escape to Thailand, but Thailand did not want them all, and forced many back at gunpoint, killing anyone, including children, who refused to climb down the treacherous, land mine-studded cliff back into Cambodia. Throughout this book I was grieving about the incredible evil that humans can perpetrate against other humans, and amazed at the endurance and determination of this family and others that managed to survive all this horror.

A story like this can yank us out of any tendency towards self-pity or complaining about the minor difficulties in our lives. I have also read the follow-up book, "Bamboos and Butterflies", about this family after they immigrated to the U.S. Their will to survive is carried on as they integrate into a new culture, and reminds us of why so many seek refuge in the U.S.

This just doesn't have good old recipes, it has wonderful stories to go along with them. Makes a person homesick for that period of time when there were good cooks, good stories, and a loving family.

Anyone from Kentucky will love it

I spent my first 58 years in Dayton, Ohio, my mothers' people hailed from Georgetown/Lexington Kentucky- tobacco farmers for the most part. My materanl grandmother could have written this cookbook. It is the best regiional cookbook, authentic. I have ordered 4 more to share with my children.

This is the best book on southern cooking I've ever found. It doesn't need the first part of the title. "The Heart and Soul of Southern Country Kitchens",is however,quite appropriate. These are the foods I grew up with and have missed for years. Thanks to Ronni Lundy's book I've found them again.

This cookbook is an absolute delight to read and to use. I grew up on this food in Louisville, KY. My Dad was a city boy and a firefighter and my Mom was a country girl. We lived on a combination of firehouse/country food and there is no more delicious combination of cuisine. Like a prior reviewer, the excerpt about the Cozy Theatre and the Suburban Fish Fry brought back some powerful memories. That fish was the best I have ever had. Ronni Lundy's book is the epitome of real regional food.

Ronni Lundy knows southern comfort foods and like any good southerner has a story that goes with it. Her creamed corn, biscuits, pies, and well any dish in this book are wonderful because it is the honest to goodness recipe handed down from generation to generation. I really like her writing style as she shares some good meals and profiles compassionate people. This book will make your mouth water and wish that you were sitting at her table.