Breton Books

Most of these poems are purely surrealistic, and some others include political and social statements or hints, the "Ode to Fourier" being the most important of these ones. Charles Fourier, a Frenchman from the XIX century, was the creator of "Utopic socialism", which viewed Socialism's mission as the building of a completely new civilization, and not the reform of the existing ones. Breton and most of the Surrealistic movement were politically opinionated, and supporters of Communist parties and Communism in general (although they never lived in a Communist society; much on the contrary, they enjoyed very much the advantages and comfort of the West, always indulgent with its hypocritical intellectuals).

But, beyond his political opinions, Breton was an extremely important poet and, I would say, a very enjoyable one. That is, if you enjoy poetry for the sake of poetry. In his purely poetical poems, you won't find clear or straightforward messages: it's just the flow of thought and feeling being automatically translated into the paper. The best ones are: "Fata Morgana", "Pleine Marge", "Les Etats Generales", and "Oubliés". These poems are not easy to read, but they are extremely creative in the best sense of the term. Onirical images, impossible, absurd, with passages and sentences of an incredible and totally unexpected beauty. I think that the best form to read them is to indulge in the wording and following it right through the end. You may reread later to better appreciate the images.

The book is a novel composed of a series of poems about Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Leon Trotsky. The poems work by themselves and have great imagery and emotional impact. There is intrigue, politics, religion, betrayal, murder, art, sex, scandal, and even a monkey. What more can you expect to read all in one place?

This book is a descrition of some traditional dances and footwork. The authors went around interviewing elderly people and collecting their recollections of how dancing was done when they were young. These dances date back to the mid 1800's. This is a nice alternative to dances presented by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

Binka Le Breton is an Englishwoman who has lived in Brazil many years. She knows the country and the language perfectly and for that reason she is able to take us where few journalists or investigators have gone. She is also brave, some of the situations she writes about were dangerous. She put herself in danger because she was committed to explosing the slavery that supplies products into the Braziliam economy and that are exported from there into our lives - wood, beef, steel and so on. This book is especially good at giving you a feel for life in the different forms of slavery in Brazil, Le Breton is a natural story-teller. This is not a heavy or academic text, it is a very good read.

A Traveller's Guide to Cape Breton is a tidy information-packed travelling companion for anyone who wants to discover Cape Breton as it deserves to be discovered.

Six different Travel Options to get you around the Island. Six different routes to a worry-free Cape Breton holiday.

Accomodations. Restaurants. Craft Shops. Studios. Service stations. Hospitals. Picnic Parks. Beaches. Walking Trails. Museums. Concerts. Celidhs.

It's all here. It's all up to date. And it's all user friendly.
--- from book's back cover

I thought the book was an excellent review of some very powerful women who, in most cases had scant means, but who have risked much to keep our planet whole and protect it from being exploited for short term gains. I would recommend it strongly to anyone interested in preserving the environment and/or in realizing how much work has been done by some outstanding women to protect and restore our planet.

This is an excellent book. I bought thios book to asisst with my Diploma in Professional Counselling. I find that a lot of counsellors etc refer to this book. It was an excellent process to buy through Amazon, very quick. Teresa

Thank you. The book is in very good condition. I wish it had included the cd rom, but I will get by without it.

This book arrived during the exact time period that was quoted and in the exact condition that was expected. The book was wrapped and packaged securely.

I was very pleased at how quickly I received my shipment. It arrived sooner than the estimated arrival dates. The order was also in great condition.

Thank You Amazon

This book did not arrive on time and when it did arrive was in a horrible condition. I was in the process of requesting a refund when the book arrived.

MacLeod is the best writer to put forth the short story in my view. He has an uncanny ability to let you see through the eyes of his characters.
This is a MUST read.

It is a rare treat to read sentimental material authored by a man who writes so poignantly. Without analyzing each "vignette" contained in this compiled work of MacLeod's, it is enough to say that each created a vivid picture of the life and times MacLeod was writing about. If you aren't homesick for any town you've come from, then you are after you read these stories.

This collection is, without doubt, the most beautifully written prose I've had the privilege to read in a very long time. MacLeod's writing is both subtle and harrowing, harking back to a more literate age, and filled with such simple, in-the-bone truths that it brings tears -- real tears, not cheap tears -- to my eyes. I can't recommend this book highly enough -- this is a writer whose work is imbued with the integrity and polish that is so sadly lacking in so much of today's literature. MacLeod has obviously taken his time writing these stories, and each one is a gem. He made me care deeply about the characters, their lives, and their losses. Read this book at once!

I read this book over two years ago and parts of it continue to haunt me. It tells of life in Cape Breton in the province, I believe, of Nova Scotia. It is written by a man who grew up there. This is a part of the nearby world that I have always wanted to visit. I may yet get to do that but I'm not sure whether MacLeod's book has made me more anxious or less anxious to do so. His Breton is a place where life is not at all like the pretty postcard that many of us imagine. In his collection of short stories and sketches, we come away with an appreciation of the hard times and sturdy people but we don't necessarily want them moving next door. There are a number of stories and scenes that really bring people to life in a very down to earth manner. The story of the loneliness of the girl in the title story was overwelming. I recall a number of references to sex that were made throughout the book in a sort of agrarian manner; taking the cow to be "serviced" by the neighbor's bull was almost as emotional as some of the human intercourses. Things had their purpose and occassionally there was a purpose for fun but much of the imagry I took away from this book was that of a very stoic people. I gave it a rating of "5" because I rounded up this time from a 4.5. This book definitely will have an impact on its' reader. Not a joyful or inspiring impact but an impact nonetheless,

When I first picked up my copy of Island I had two thoughts. Wow this cover is pretty, and Wow this book is (relatively) big, at least to read in a week or so. However once I started reading the first few lines of "The Boat" (a story I'd coincidentally read the year before and didn't even realize till the end) I found myself liking MacLeod's simple yet descriptive style. Written in a way such that a reader can picture the story being told out loud, much like traditional maritimes tales are done through oral speakings, these 16 stories each encapsulate the reader leaving you wanting to know what will happen to the characters within the story and beyond.

Many of the stories are written from the perspective of an older male looking back on a particular snapshot of atime period in their youth, usually a moment of clarity in coming of age (although sometimes its only just starting, as some stories are set with main characters as young as 8 or 9. There are variations of lessons of love, death, learning from your parents, upholding traditions, starting afresh, surviving in extreme conditions, and just general lessons of life.

I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy short stories, and while they are not my fave genre of writing, these particular stories, although sometimes overly simplistic and almost annoying in terms of some stylistic aspects, will engage a reader to continue reading each story from start to finish. A triumph in Alistair MacLeod's life is that his collected works can create a whole that is quite powerful.

My sister and I both agreed this was the best romantic suspense we had read in a very long time! We are both avid book readers and found this one to be our favorite as neither of us could put it down until we were finished. I purchased this book after reading your reviews and have definitely added Laurie Breton to the top of my list for exciting romantic suspense!

Kathryn McAllister spent four years in prison after being convicted of killing her husband Michael, but she didn't do it, so when the conviction was overturned and she is released; Kathryn heads back to Elba, North Carolina to find the killer.

Nick DiSalvo is the police chief in Elba. After an intense career as New York cop and an ugly divorce, Nick is looking for peace and quiet. When Kathryn comes back to town searching for her husband's killer, she disrupts his sedate life. Before long, the sparks between Nick and Kathryn ignite as they search for the killer. They're digging up some dirty town secrets in the process and a lot of people want them to stop. Kathryn is desperate to find out who is behind Michael's murder but she may get her self killed in the process.

Black Widow has strong characterization, it is rich in suspense and romance, and has a riveting storyline. Kathryn is tough yet vulnerable, and Nick is very sexy. With a fantastic ending filled with thrills, chills and surprises, as well as a heartwarming moment between Nick and Kathryn, Black Widow is a terrific story.

Nannette
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I bought this book because of all of the wonderful 5 star reviews from the other readers, but I honestly could not get into it. I really liked Nick and all his interactions with the other people in town were good, but when it came between him and Kathryn it seemed so stilted. I did not like Kathryn. Maybe that's why this book did not keep my interest. I forced myself to read to the halfway mark and finally just put it down to move on to something else. I have very little free time to read and when I do I want something that is going to grip my attention and not let it go until the back cover is turned. This just did not do it.

I was so pleased to read this book!! It was difficult to come across, but well worth any efforts!!! Great to see it available here at Amazon!!! Excellent plot development, characters and concept. I couldn't put it down! I also can't wait to read her latest book, _Coming Home_.

I don't know what's up with Miss Delaware, but I couldn't put this book down once I started it, which explains why I'm here at 2:30 in the morning writing a glowing review for Laurie Breton. "Black Widow" is suspense at its best--a chilling read that'll keep you glued to the book, turning page after page until you reach the end. I look forward to more work by this debut author!

THIS BOOK IS A REAL "SLEEPER". BRETON TAKES THE EVENTFUL LIFE OF ONE LATIN BALLPLAYER AND INTERTWINES THIS WITH THE HISTORY OF THE STRUGGLE OF ALL LATIN BALLPLAYERS. THE STORY OF SOME OF THE LATIN PIONEERS IS AN UNEXPLORED TERRITORY IN BASEBALL HISTORY. BRETON BRINGS THESE STORIES OF PREJUDICE, TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY TO THE SURFACE. I LEARNED ALOT FROM THIS BOOK, AND WAS WELL ENTERTAINED IN THE PROCESS.

This book is awesome, one of my favorites. I have read it more than once it is so good. What makes it so great is it tells the story of the latin baseball player that happens so often these days. From step to step, the book shows the reader how Miguel Tejada got from the barrios to America, to MLB star. What makes this bok so special is what a great story Miguel Tejada is. In his town, he was not regarded as a great player. But as soon as he was in a league there, he was great and never stopped. Now he has an MVP. A great job by Marcos Breton for the book and Jose Luis Villegas for the great pictures.

I was a fan of shortstop Miguel Tejada before I read this book and was overjoyed when he won the AL MVP honors this past year. The book opened my eyes to the incredible struggle and long odds that Dominican players - or any Latin players - face to make it in the major leagues. It makes Tejada's accomplishment seem that much more amazing and important to me. His story is interwoven with a lot of baseball history that I would not have otherwise known, and it is one that kids my age and up (8th grade) would enjoy because it makes you think.

Being a baseball fan since Orlando Cepeda led the Cardinals over Yaz's 1967 Red Sox, I thought I was well versed about the history of minorities in major league baseball. (The Jackie Robinson story became gospel in my house.) After reading "Away Games," I had to eat some humble pie. The sports pages, which I read cover-to-cover as a youth, never made mention on how the Clementes, Tiants, and Marchials made it to the majors. Authors Marcos Breton and Jose Luis Villegas provide that missing story. "Away Games" is about how major baseball exploits young Latino men in the same way that the film "Hoop Dreams" documented basketball's exploitation of inner city black youth. Breton and Villegas elaborate on how the baseball establishment entices Dominicans into their camps and then uses them like throw away parts. I only wish the authors would have kept their focus on Miguel Tejada- "the star" of the book- rather than flip-flopping between his "life and times" with the history of Latino baseball players. (Actually, there are two books in one here- Tejada's baseball journey and the history of major league baseball in the Caribbean.) Far from being an enjoyable book, "Away Games" is often painful to read especially for gung-ho baseball fans; however, it should be included right next to the censored sports page as we're implored to "root, root for the home team."

Breton and Villegas make the case that Latin ballplayers are exploited and then, in the overwhelming majority of cases, tossed away by major league teams. Miguel Tejada was one of those who, it turned out, wasn't just cheap filler for an organization's minor league chain, but instead broke through to the majors. This surprised the A's organization which originally ranked him below other Dominicans who have since faded and returned to island obscurity or the life of an undocumented alien in New York City. Unfortunately, the author's case is buried by some truly stilted prose in a narrative that wanders all over the map without giving Tejada himself much more life in the book than as a paradigm for the author's argument. I happen to know already a fair amount about Latin ballplayers so this book brought me neither increased insight into them as a group or to Tejada as an individual.