Beck Books

This is a great book. A great thought. I tried few projects from this book and all of them came out very well. No way to make mistakes or goof up. If you finish a project, it has to be perfect. And everybody is amazed seeing at the end product and you get the credit for it.

This book is a lifesaver. If you do not have time to sew, this will help you to make those gift for the special people in your life quick and easy. The book is written to be understood the first time. There's no rereading to discover you missed a step. This is great for last minute gifts. You can use your own materials to make placemats or purchase beautiful patterns already made. Good luck and happy sewing.

Dr. Beck's compilation of the writings of John Finley Williamson is a valuable addition to any choral director's library and would be useful for choral singers as well. In the essays included, Williamson "talks shop." His explanations are succinct and very pertinent to real rehearsal and performance situations.

Dr. Beck's capable editing arranges Williamson's essays in a useful order for reference and the biographical material provides incite into the career of a single highly motivated choral artist who, by vision, energy and imagination, built a local choral group into a national institution.

Robert Howard, conductor
Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale
Webster University Concert Choir

This book would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves good singing, providing as it does a firsthand perspective on a man whose life was a great gift to the musical world. Dr. John Finley Williamson was one of the giants of choral music. He founded the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey (still going strong as an arm of Rider College). And he created the fabled Westminster Choir, which under Williamson's direction was the choral ensemble-of-choice for the likes of Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, and Leonard Bernstein. The book brings together for the first time a collection of Dr. Williamson's writings, drawn primarily from articles and lectures spanning some four decades.

There is much practical advice here on the basics of singing and conducting, from proper pronunciation, to planning and running a satisfying and productive rehearsal. Of particular interest is his detailed discussion of the physiology of singing, of how the well-trained singer engages the entire body in the service of his or her art.

Reading the various pieces that make up this volume, it becomes apparent that Dr. Williamson was not only a gifted musician, but also quite skilled at putting his musical ideas into words. An especially pleasing example is his discussion of how to achieve the optimum balance of voices in a choral ensemble. He compares the process to building a New England church -- from the "strong, firm foundation" of the bass section, to the first sopranos who provide the "glistening point of the spire."

A detailed discography of the Westminster Choir rounds out this portrait of a man Bruno Walter described as a gratifying combination of "artistic idealism and cheerful faith." The book was a labor of love for its compiler and editor, Joseph G. Beck. A Westminster alumnus, Beck studied under Dr. Williamson, and is an accomplished singer, voice teacher, and choral conductor in his own right. We owe him a debt of thanks for sharing with us this man he knew so well as teacher, mentor, and friend.

the book arrive in a few days and was in great condition . i would definetley buy from this seller again.

Shamans and Religion: An Anthropological Exploration in Critical Thinking by Alice Beck Kehoe, 2000.

I can't believe that in the 7 years since this book was published that no one has written a review worthy of reading. Here is my attempt, after my first read, to do just that.

I have read hundreds of books on the history of shamanism, religion, entheogens, etc. and there are only a few that I recommend as required reading - other than my own. This is now one of them. Though I won't give it a 5 star, I will give it a 4, maybe a 4.3. Of coarse Amazon has no such option.

In my own work and writings I've criticized the way the word "shaman" is used. I have also criticized the assumption of "primitives" and the cultures that practice various forms of "shamanism". The word shamanism, to which I completely agree with Kehoe on, is a term used by certain Siberian tribes for their medicine man, religious leader, etc. - where even there it can be an ambiguous word to use. Today the word is used to describe nearly all indigenous culture's "religious" practices, no matter how varying and different they are. In my last book, we focused the word shamanism as mainly applying to indigenous cultures that use entheogens - that is psychedelic substances. And yet this is also not a wholly correct definition.

From new age book stores to yoga classes, various forms of neo-shamanism have crept up in our society that resemble nothing of any of the original -form(s)- of shamanism - and, as she argues, have a negative impact on the seriousness of the real shaman's (and other indigenous cultures) issues, especially racism toward them.

Why not 5 stars? First off, I think this book is overly critical in an area that is caused, at least as much as anything else she mentions, by lack of a better word to use. Metaphorically or not, English fails us in these areas. But she offers us no strong or definite alternatives. She doesn't give us a clear cut solution on what we should do, or say.

Kehoe also argues that entheogenic shamanism is not necessarily arguable as related to shamanism stating that the Ostyak et al shamans may or may not use amanita muscaria mushrooms while `altering states of consciousness.' This she does in an attempt to disassociate the entheogen using "shamans" of South America with those of Siberia. This may be questionable, however, in relation to some of Christian Ratsch's newer evidence.

I'm still not convinced of this argument simply due to lack of evidence from either side. I think that abandoning a word simply because it originally applied to a specific ethnic group is also silly. We certainly need to expand our vocabulary and better define the words shaman and shamanism when we use them, and we certainly need to address cultural racism toward concurred and outside cultures. This book does a wonderful job at that! But should we limit our usage of a word altogether? There must be a better solution. We should refrain from using terms like "primitive" simply because a culture is different from our own, or more nature based. In one society the things that are deemed as worthy, are considered waste and abandoned and / or ignored by another. This does not make them primitive, per se, especially when anthropologists typically fail to observe the high skills in others areas that these types of people often posses.

Other problems with her book:

Kehoe is clearly not familiar with entheogenic substances and their experiences. On page 58 she makes the extremely prejudiced and naïve association of the use of the street drug Ecstasy to entheogens used for religious/spiritual purposes. She does so as a comparative model for shamanism.

On page 65 she states that "Nor was any psychedelic plant other than tobacco used in northern America;..." This statement in itself is wholly arguable with trade routes between Maya and other groups. As well, Amanita muscaria use (though a questionable reference) has been reported by the Owibwe in the US. But we don't need to look that far for a contradiction. On page 75 she states that "Southern California Indian boys [never mind that the word "Indian" is also racist], in contrast to the girls, underwent initiation into adulthood through taking datura (jimson weed) under the supervision of ritual leaders."

Furthermore, there is an issue in the relation with entheogens to scientific scrutiny. John Hopkins University showed in their May, 2006 study that entheogens like Psilocybin do bring about the religious experience. But on page 83 she states "The foundation of the scientific method is that it deals with phenomena that (1) can in principle be perceived by any person (although to do so may require apparatus such as a microscope), and (2) the phenomenon is seen by more than one person, i.e., the perception has been replicated." My argument here is that entheogens, like the microscope are the tools, and like a microscope, when used properly the phenomenon can be seen by more than one person.

On page 85 she tries to make a sweeping judgment at New Agers. She states "For some New Agers, that was a "Neolithic Age of Matriarchy" or Goddess Worship, when civilization was ruled by nurturing women, only to be overturned by cruel warmongering patriarchal barbaric men riding out of the steppes; archaeology can find no good evidence for such a mythical Matriarchal Age". However, here she ignores or doesn't know about recent discoveries in Caral, Peru, nor the peer-reviewed research of Dr. James DeMeo who in Saharasia proved the argument.

Other than these issues, the book is a wonderful and quick read. It will give those fluffy New Agers something to chew on when they dance about with their crystals calling themselves shamans. Read this along with the works of Dr. Neil Whitehead on Dark Shamanism.

4.5 star!

Third Alabama, ed. by Brandon H. Beck is in my opinion one of the most valuable resources for studying the American Civil War.

Cullen A. Battle the author , Col. of the 3rd Alabama and then a brigade commander fought in all of the major engagements of the Army of Northern Virginia from Seven Pines to Appomattox. This book does not only go into detail about the campaigns in which Battle was involved but it also puts them into a proper historical context. With the use of context you are able to learn not only about the role of the 3rd Alabama and Cullen A. Battle, but you are also able to learn the fates of both sides during any of the campaigns covered in the memoir.

The book includes six excellently detailed maps of the positions of the 3rd Alabama in various engagements. The maps also depict surrounding brigades and the Federal opponents that they faced off with. These maps are a very crucial part to this book for they give a visual aid of Battle's memoir.

I think that Beck and his cartographer should be given a great deal of credit for making this memoir available to the Civil War community.

It is definitely a must for everyone to have on their bookshelves!

This memoir reads more like a unit history of the Third Alabama than General Battle's memoirs. He does not spend much time talking about himself. Instead, General Battle describes the war as his unit experienced it.

I thought the book was interesting, and easy to read. It is very short, so don't look for too much detailed information. The thing I liked most were the battlefield vinettes that General Battle describes.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about how the soldiers and leaders of Lee's army viewed the war.

This book is very helpful for a newcomer to the northwest who wants to know what will work in this region. While not complete, it offers an easy to reference guide to trees and shrubs.

Great ilustrations and easy to find references for each species of trees. Gives prefered climate, soil and light conditions and the full growth size fore hundreds of trees. Often gives a list of several varieties of an individual species as well.

The seventh graphic novel collection of the Star Wars Empire comic series contains issues 35-40 and is titled The Wrong Side of the War. Like the sixth volume, this book starts off with a standalone issue. It tells the tale of Vader and a leading officer practicing a little deception on their own crew to root out a Rebel dissident within their ranks. Vader has the upper hand throughout and the ending has quite a wicked little twist. It's well-drawn and quite entertaining for such a short story.

The rest of the book focuses on one multi-issue arc. Conflicted Imperial officer Janek Sunbar is back and as confused as ever. He wants to honorably serve the Empire and have a fulfilling military career, but he is finding it harder and harder to turn a blind eye to the Empire's flaws. I thoroughly enjoyed Sunbar's earlier exploits trying to rally his troops against an invading force of Amamin on Maridun (the Amanaman design from Return of the Jedi is one of my very favorites in the saga, so I was predisposed to like that story anyway). The Wrong Side of the War adds a new twist to Sunbar's character, making him all the more interesting and tying him in with the more familiar movie characters.

The Rebels are sending a strike team to Kalist VI to infiltrate the Imperial facility and rescue Jorin Sol, who was captured in the prior arc set on Jabiim. As a side benefit, they also plan on stealing significant quantities of fuel from the Imps. The team, which includes Luke and R2-D2 along with an array of less familiar faces, is experiencing a smooth mission until the discovery of a large number of slaves complicates their planning. Ethically the Rebels can't leave the slaves behind, so their plans have a rapid adjustment and we sail into a terrifically exciting climax.

The additions to Sunbar's character are the most interesting part of this book. He is starting to see what he has refused to acknowledge for so long: the Empire he strives to serve is corrupt and unworthy of his devotion. Stories such as his add depth to the often faceless Imperial minions and present a more realistic view of what serving under Palpatine's tyrannical reign might really be like.

The Wrong Side of the War concludes the Empire series. However, a new series, Rebellion, has started up, and the first volume of that features Sunbar on the cover. It seems the story of Jorin Sol has more to come as well. This set of issues was a great read and I look forward to seeing where we go from here.

Dark Horse Comics had two long-running series in the 00's featuring stories set in different eras of the Star Wars universe, Republic and its poor sister Empire. Republic featured a fairly consistent cast of writer/artists, in particular the John Ostrander and Jan Duursema team, producers of a long-running series-within-a-series built around Jedi Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura. These stories were being published while Lucas was still making his films, lending the Republic series an exciting immediacy that was simply unmatchable by Empire, where stories based on the Original Trilogy and featuring Luke, Leia and Han were going over fairly well-trodden ground.

Which is why "The Wrong Side of the War," a 5-part story ending Empire's four-year run, came as such a surprise.

Starring Lt. Janek Sunber, the Imperial Forest Gump, the story is from the same creative team that produced the only other Sunber story, "To the Last Man" (Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 3), a trite tale laden with facile bromides about duty, honor, and sacrifice. "The Wrong Side of the War" starts out in much the same fashion, with about half of the first chapter being ponderous exposition, but quickly improves and before you know you're attention is engaged with clever plot twists and real character development.

Having had another taste of action at the Second Battle of Jabiim (recently concluded in Star Wars: Empire Volume 6), Sunber has been assigned to the energy production facility of Kalist IV, a quiet spot on the edge of the galaxy where the Lieutenant expects he can at least for a time get away from fighting and killing. But when he discovers the facility is operated with slave labor and that the officers are helping themselves to female slaves for after-hours entertainment, Sunber's cheery optimism and faith in the Empire is sorely tested.

Unbeknownst to the Imperials, a squad of rebels has infiltrated the facility to liberate energy reserves, a clandestine operation that threatens to become something more after the rebels themselves discover the slave labor force. Complicating matters is the rebel squad leader's secret mission to free from Kalist IV a prisoner in possession of sensitive Alliance data.

Along for the ride in Imperial disguise is Luke Skywalker, who's cover is about to be blown by an old friend from Tatooine, a childhood chum living the dream Luke once had of serving the Empire. The revelation of this friend's identity is a surprising twist, but it's not the only one scripter Hartley has up his sleeve. The fate of the political prisoner is another, with a turn that helps set up a story arc to play out in Rebellion, a new series from Dark Horse picking up where Empire ends.

But it's not just the surprise twists that make "The Wrong Side of the War" such a great story. It's also because of something quite unusual in genre fiction, the writer and editors letting the characters free to change and develop as human beings. Sunber was an annoying twit in "To the Last Man," but here we see him begin to wrestle with doubt, to question the Empire's propaganda and his will to serve. It's a development that has repercussions outside this story, allowing the reader to contextualize his behavior in "To the Last Man" and make that story just a little more palatable. And perhaps for readers who discover Sunber later in his career, a look back at "To the Last Man" will be something of a surprise. That is, if Hartley and Dark Horse allow Sunber to continue to develop.

The Italian art team of Davide Fabbri and Christian Dalla Vecchia (whose previous Star Wars credits include Jedi Council and The Star Hyperspace War) are joined by colorist Neziti Domenico to produce another fine volume of work. Their clean lines, simple but effective composition and understated color palette compliment the story, making this one chapter in Empire's run that every reader of the EU should enjoy.

This great plot starts with a bang in the first chapter and does not let it go until the last word of the last one. As you approach the ending chapters the thing gets better and loose ends dragged along get revealed. It has great twists and turns masterly crafted to fit with the beginning of the story. Entertaining, gripping, intelligent and featuring a deep sense of humor it qualifies as a superb thriller, worthy to be included among the best I have ever read. It features no boring chapter. Great Job Mr Grisham I liked it better than all of your other works

I enjoyed reading The Partner by John Grisham. Mr. Grisham is an addicting story teller and this book reminded me more of his earlier works. The story is fast and furious but easy to follow. It is hard to put down once you start and like other novels Mr Grisham has written it is disappointing when the story finally ends. You want to know more and more.

I would recommend the novel for those that enjoyed A Time to Kill and the Pelican Brief.

I'm a huge John Grisham fan and I've got to say, this is my favorite Grisham novel. It has all the legal wizardry and lovable/despicable characters that make you shake your head and laugh. But that's not all; this book has a plot that will twist your mind and an ending that will surprise you. -Stephen Prins, author of: Strife of the Lorin

I couldn't put the book down once I started reading. I would definitely recommend this book.

Continuing with my John Grisham binge (which I'm so not proud of, but I continue on with it anyway), I read this book, just randomly selected among many Grisham books at the local library.

I would have to say that this was my least favorite Grisham book so far. I found the characters uninteresting, the story uninteresting, the storytelling uninteresting. Just not one of his best, in my opinion - seemed like this one he cranked out just to meet some obligation to the book company. The minor twist at the end was enjoyable, but not enough to save the book. I just didn't like the style, tone or storytelling. For example, I figured after chapter 1 (when Patrick gets caught) they'd go back in time to give some details, rather than only progressing forward. But it wasn't meant to be. Really didn't enjoy this one much, just slogged through it.

This was an enjoyable quick read filled with traditional Glenn Beck humor rants. A few of his diatribes border on the tedious, but all-in-all, he delivers a "fusion of entertainment and enlightenment." The illustrations, insets, and charts add depth to the text, and his refutation of the global warming scare as well as the uselessness of reducing the collective carbon footprint is both cutting and concise. The best chapter, though, is the one concerning how men choose what movies to watch. Absolutely classic.

Shallow. Uninformed. Pseudo-thinking. It would be nice if all issues were as simple-minded as the Glenn Beck solution, then his ideas might be useful.

An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems by Glenn Beck discusses such diverse subjects as global warming, Islam, blind dating, marriage and porn, media bias, political correctness, tipping, child molesters, minimum wage, aging, oil dependence, liberal universities, illegal immigration, and opinion polls to name a few.

Glenn Beck, one of CNN's few conservative voices, has earned credibility by reaching some four million listeners with America's third most popular radio talk show. A former radio DJ, Beck is a recovered alcoholic and a Mormon convert.

Some might pre-judge Beck as the author of a political book but this book is an enlightening, entertaining informative volume that is as much about life as it is about politics. Beck certainly avoids the label of being politically correct by downplaying global warming, explaining why the minimum wage actually hurts those it tries to help, and suggesting that the U.S. should close its borders to immigrants. Beck narrows in on global warming by stating that to cool the earth's temperature buy two degrees Celsius could cost about $26 trillion or three times the entire federal budget.

In his usual fashion, Beck says that the best way to kill Islamic Fundamentalist who want to kill Americans is to wipe out political correctness, that politics has degenerated into hypocrisy and name-calling, that the liberal media is harmful to American values, that the UN hates America, that chick flicks are lame, and that he doesn't tip waitresses because employers should be forced to pay more. Beck also shares why he wants to abolish the minimum wage, why polls are worthless, that most people are too stupid or immature to be parents, that poverty isn't real, and that illegal immigrants are tolerated because of a conspiracy between big business and government. And one of the most fascinating topics Beck covers is why gas prices need to go up and stay up.

While An Inconvenient Book is both serious and funny and sometimes frivolous, Beck's new book has come out just in time to be purchased as a wonderful holiday gift for friends and family. Whether liberal or conservative, the recipient will enjoy the author's sense of humor and crisp writing style. Beck mixes wit and wisdom with the safe dexterity and balance as a skilled chef mixes up a sweet and sour dish. The outcome of both is very tasty to the diner and to the reader.

Darin Manis
CEO and Founder
RJ & Makay
www.rjandmakay.com

I found this book exceptional in every respect.As a frequent listner to his show,I was surprised how his book is so well written and how he is able to cover such a wide variety of subjects and in a way that what he has to say does not become dated in a very short time. To be able to do this with subjects that are often called current affairs is not easy.
All the issues Beck deals with in this book are well known to most people but he is able to cut through the fog and present the facts that a
rte the essence of the subject and sum it up using very logical analysis and common sense. I have to say;there is extremely little in this book and Beck's conclusions that I am not in full agreement.
Beck reminds us that "If science has occasional problems,the Media has many,and the Government has an unlimited supply."
While I enjoyed this book and will look fordward to more by this person who is adept at sorting the wheat from the chaff and pure nonsense;I must admit I still prefer to listen to him on his show.

If you drink the kool aid Repubs and right wing nuts give you then buy this book. I love to read all these type of books to see what the repubs in this country think. I, of course, do not fund these people with my money, I always check out a copy at the local library.

This book is a complete waste of time (I'm glad I didn't waste a penny on it).

I'm about halfway through reading all of Grisham's books now, and this one ranks as one of my favorites if not my favorite. The plotline is very compelling and interesting and keeps moving, even if the behaviors are very unrealistic as other reviewers have noted.

There isn't great characterization here - but let's be honest for a moment, is there really much of that in Grisham? If you're thinking of reading this book, you can only expect so much. The overall story moves along great, has some good intrigue and leaves you wondering what's going to happen and wanting to find out.

Even if some of the characters (notbaly the Judge) don't always see things as they are.... But hey, again, this is Grisham.

I really liked it.

Why do I love it? It is a great plot with a few twists and a good heart. I couldn't tell for awhile the motives behind the main characters, so it was an engaging story. I had not known much about the book beforehand, however. I think it helps if you are not too built up on the story...just know it's very engaging and you end up feeling connected to almost every character.

The book kept me interested, for the most part, but I never accepted the basic premise: that conspiracies, involving large numbers of people, can be maintained for the long haul. There is always the chance, the fear that just one of those inside the plot will "get religion" or sell their story to the tabloids, in which case there is pluperfect hell to pay. Not even the mob is leak proof all the time.

Conspiracies seem to abound with this jury, and the reader is never quite sure who is doing what and to whom. Piles and piles of money are at stake when a tobacco company is sued for selling the cigarettes that allegedly killed a man. If the suit is successful, more suits will surely follow, and more piles and piles of money will be at stake.

This being the case, it is logical to believe that tobacco companies might want to tamper just a tad with the juries. Ditto on Wall Street. But the people who run tobacco companies are not lamebrains, even though they may not be entirely forthcoming with the truth about their product. They know that if they get caught fixing the jury, the jig is up for them. Subtlety and deniability are paramount. But in this book, those two elements seem to be missing, and that's where the plot falls of its own weight.

The characters are nicely drawn. The courtroom feels real enough. The dialogue is right. Not being a lawyer, I can't comment on the legalities, but they sound OK. All I know is that I didn't accept the basic premise, and that is absolutely essential for the enjoyment of a book.

After my husband finsished this book on our vacation in 1996, I took a look at it and couldn't put it down!!! This was the first Grisham novel I ever read. Boy, was I hooked.

(I saw the Pelican Brief at the theatre when it came out; I went with my sister who read the book and said that she was so happy that the movie followed the book so closely. Of course there were subtle differences to benefit the needs of Hollywood.)

So, I waited and waited.... for the Runaway Jury movie to come out... it was so nice to be able to read a book before the movie came out and to be so excited to see how the wonderful book you read is adapted to the big screen! I was not disappointed!

If you haven't read this book and you like suspense, you've got to read it! You won't want to put it down.

If you haven't seen the movie, read the book FIRST!

Enjoy!!!

With all the new interest in non-Star Wars material, I decided to give John Grisham a chance. My mom recommended this particular book for me to start off with.

Plot:
The setting is Biloxi, Mississippi. The cast: twelve men and women. Their purpose? To determine if the widow of a man that smoked three packs of cigarettes per day should be compensated for her loss. The problem? There are people who will do and pay anything to see that the lawsuit turns out to their benefit.

Good:
The story is good. I enjoyed reading about the smoking trial, the evidence that each side provided supporting or discrediting smoking, and the antics of the trial. And I was impressed and amazed at the careful planning and strategy that Marlee and Nicholas Easter had to go through in order for their ploy to succeed.
Further, Grisham imbues this novel with subtle humor--nothing gut-wrenching, but just enough to ease back on the tension that grows with each page. Very well done and crafted.
The characters were pretty good on the whole. They are well-described, unique people thrown together against their will. They may be good, corrupt, indifferent, selfish, young, old but they are real. I was especially fond of Fitch, the villain, probably because it seems oxymoronic that a man who was addicted to alcohol would support smoking. The other character I enjoyed was Herman Grimes, partially because he seemed to be the only incorruptible one in the jury.

Bad:
The story may be good...but it takes a long time to get there. My book had 550 pages. While a lot happens in those pages and Grisham paces it well enough so you don't get bored, you still reach a point where you ask yourself, "Is this going anywhere?" "Where's the end?" and "Why is this important?"
Also, the protagonists (primary, at least), Nicholas Easter and Marlee were rather cold and unemotional. I tried to sympathize with them and like them, but they just weren't a likeable team. I was impressed with their ploy, but I had no feelings for them--not like many of the other characters (Hoppy, Derrick, etc.). Further, the explanation for why Nicholas and Marlee go through the hoopla of the trial makes little sense in light of the crazy events revealed in the conclusion.
Lastly, the story is rather far-fetched. It seems hard to believe that Easter would have been able to "hack in" to the jury system so quickly and easily, especially considering that Marlee and Easter are working independently on her own money. Also, Judge Harkin sure makes a lot of allowances for his rebellious jury that seems too placating. These and a million other convenient coincidences make it more difficult for a realistically minded person to enjoy this.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Curse words consist mostly of da**, he**, sh**, bi***, and so on. Very mild compared to other books of its kind.
I was impressed with how Grisham was able to detail a sexual situation without going into graphic detail. However, there are still several scenes to note. When in sequestration, the jurors are allotted "Conjugal Rights". Sexual situations are described in a round-about manner on several occasions. Jerry and Poodle have a liaison (and Jerry is going through a divorce).
Violence is minimal to none. A man is threatened to force his wife to vote a particular way. Fitch has a bad temper.

Overall:
A very long book. That is my first thought after finishing this one. And one in which it is hard to root for the "good" guys, who have no feelings to sympathize with. And with a very confusing ending. However, I enjoyed the trial on such a controversial subject, learning how each side was duplicitous, and seeing the individual jurors. 3.5 rounded generously to 4 (for good writing, good humor, and suspense).

This was the latest selection of the book club I belong to. I have to say it's my favorite book so far (we've been together for 4 years). It has depth, sincerity and is beautifully written.

Have you ever picked up an old, old article and wondered about the story behind it? Have you looked at beautiful art and wondered about that? Girl in Hyacinth Blue is a novel which traces the fictional provenance of a painting by Vermeer backwards from it's current owner to the time the artist was inspired to paint it.

The style reminds me of a group of storytellers sitting around a table, each picking up where the other leaves off, and each telling a very different, sometimes very dramatic rendering of an object's journey through time. Yet all are tied together by a fascination and a reverance for the skill of the artist and the subject of his work.

A young girl sees,"The face of the girl in the painting almost glowed, her blue eyes, cheeks, the corners of her mouth all bright and glossy, the light coming right at her across the space between them. She seemed more real than the people in the room."

And so this precious painting comes into their home for a short intelude before their lives are ended and the spoils go to the victor. Much, much earlier, the carefully wrapped painting is discovered in a boat along with a newborn child during a flood. "Sell the painting. Feed the child," are the words written on the back of an art document.

And so we are drawn back to the very moment of inspiration. This is a gentle, lovely tale of how a thing of beauty can affect the lives of many.

by Judith Helburn
for StorycircleBookReviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Is it a Vermeer or isn't it?

That is the thread that holds these eight short stories together.

Susan Vreeland takes us on a journey back in time that starts with the current owner of a beautiful painting thought to be one of the lost paintings of the Dutch artist Vermeer.

As we approach each sub-story we travel back a little further in time to each previous owner of the painting and how owning it has affected their lives. Set mostly in Holland and The Netherlands the Dutch names for places can be a bit difficult to pronounce but do not detract from the overall power of this small book.

Each individual story line is easy to follow. My only question would be what ultimately happens to the current owner of the painting (who is afraid to show it to the world since his father obtained it through his position with the German police during WW II).

I highly recommend this book.


Marion Marchetto

Girl in Hyacinth Blue is a series of vignettes chronicling the reverse history of a fictional Vermeer painting of the same name. Vreeland's colorful portraits of Dutch life, from the wealthy to the poorest peasants, spanning several hundred years, are fascinating. I wouldn't have minded delving further into each of the tales, and the only other thing that could have improved the book was if the painting, which plays a silent, starring role in each of the stories, really existed.

GiHB was enjoyable, but was a small disappointment after Vreeland's breathtaking Luncheon of the Boating Party.

While this book was written beautifully; her research evident in all the stories, I didn't care for it. I was expecting another "Girl With A Pearl Earring." Even though it was brilliant the way all the stories led from one to the next, I would have preferred one long story. Vreeland is an excellent writer, I don't have complaints in that department, nor in any departmnt; it just wasn't my cup of tea. What it did do, however, is make me more curious about Vermeer's work. I plan to look up his paintings and enjoy his beautiful talent.