Brown Books

I am going on six decades, and over that period have read a handful of collections of stories in the same class as these stories. Although this troubled man only wrote this one book, he accomplished more than most writers do in a career. If you love great writing this book will not disappoint you. Other reviewers have described the content well, so I will not repeat it, but will agree heartily with the five star reviews. I only wish we had more from this incredibly talented man.

Writing instructors looking for a story that illustrates the "show, don't tell" principle will be pleased with Pancake. For example, there's a line in "Trilobites" in which the story's narrator recalls seeing the shadow of an airplane pass over the mountains in which he lives and thinking, for a split second, that it was ("I swear to God") the shadow of a pterodactyl. No thick blocks of exposition about how the land of his birth seemed to lie at the intersection of the ancient and the modern--Pancake gets it across in one sentence. I return to this book every few years, and I gain new insights and see new things to appreciate each time. It's hard to believe that the author was so young (in his twenties) when he wrote these stories.

I must have first seen this collection shortly after it came out in 1983. It was impossible not to be struck by the author's name, which seemed to me at the time to embody a uniquely American authenticity (it turns out to have been a typo that he decided to retain). Despite the hyperbolic praise heaped on it even then, I heard nothing of Mr. Pancake or his work until I came across a mention of it recently in another book. Perhaps too close to the author's age upon my first encounter, and unfortunately, too far from his level of maturity at the time, it was better to wait nearly a quarter of a century before reading him.

What impressed me the most was the author's command of his medium: not one superfluous word, and most remarkable in someone so young, the utter lack of artifice, of "cleverness," of the desperate attempt to impress the reader with the writer's erudition. Pancake clearly wrote about what he knew, and like Tolstoy, chose those details of environment and character that by their precision and descriptive power best evoked the whole.

Stylistically, the stories vary between first and third person, and except for "The Salvation of Me," take place in very short periods of time. In the temporal as well as the descriptive, the carefully chosen part succeeds in standing in for the whole.

The foreword by James Alan McPherson, and the afterword by John Casey, both who knew Pancake well, augment the stories by illuminating the man who wrote them. I am baffled by the inclusion of "A New Afterword" by Andre Dubus III, who never met Pancake, but like many people, was strongly affected by his writing. Pancake made his living as a teacher; I would have much preferred a reminiscence by one of his students, and if possible, by "the girl who had allowed him to kiss her cheek after several dates."

What comes through in each story is Pancake's genuine affection, and even more, respect for his characters. He is willing to allow them to be themselves, unlike many writers who use their characters simply as a means to make a point, to elucidate an argument, to convince us of their contempt. Pancake has no desire to prove anything, except the gentle observation of ordinary people limited by their circumstances. There is no blame, no "other" responsible for his protagonists' conditions, aside from the inherent limitation of life itself, of being human in a not entirely indifferent universe.

Unlike Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, and other writers who killed themselves, Pancake died too soon to realize a measure of success, and based on his popularity at this juncture, probably never will. Had he lived, even if he had never "matured," any additional work (dare we imagine, a novel or two?) would have assured his place among the great American writers of the last century. Sadly, the paucity of his production, despite its quality, can only render him a curiosity.

Most of these stories, set in West Virginia, were written in the late 70's and early 80s. At that time the people of the hollows of WV were suffering through a period of recession comparable to the Great Depression. Mining which had been the backbone of the WV economy for over a hundred years, was dying or dead. Ecological and environmental concerns, as well as the growth of the use of oil to fire electric plants, had diminished the need for appalachian coal (also replace by the hugh open pit mines of Colorado and Arizona).

By the beginning of the 80s, towns were literally closing down and people were on the road like Oakies in the thirties. It was at this time that Pancake, having graduated from Marshall University, was beginning his writing career. He saw stories all around him, and his eye for detail is uncanny. Having lived the part, he has little trouble evoking the effect of poverty and hopelessness in his characters.

The problem I have with his stories is that many of them are plaintive narratives, without a beginning or end. They bring forth well defined problems and characters, but that's as far as they go. But maybe that's the way that Pancake wanted them to read.

Knowing that one day he put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, you can see his pain in the words of many of his characters. What was the cause of this pain? All are assumptions, only he knew the real reasons. But I'll say, having been there, his seems to me to have been an uncontrolled malaise (maybe a chemical imbalance or alcohol induced ennui)
that was never treated. On the other hand, maybe he was just bored. Either way, you have to take his stories from his standpoint and go on from there.

The skillful rendering of characters rather than caricatures distinguishes Breece D'J Pancake's one and only book from many other works of contemporary fiction. The stories are set primarily in the hills, small towns, and hollows of West Virginia. The stories illustrate the hardscrabble lives and emotional struggles of characters on the periphery of many things: society (in "A Room Forever"), love (in "Trilobites" and "Hollow"), depravity (in "Fox Hunters"), acceptance (in "The Scrapper"), success (in "The Salvation of Me"), and a sense of self (in "First Day of Winter"). The fact that Pancake wrote these stories in his twenties gives them a certain kind of patina, a sadness of unfulfilled possibility, his characters would understand. In tight phrases, apt description, and with an ear for the cadence of speech, Pancake draws the fortunate reader in to be shocked, amazed, horrified, and altered by the slice of reality he has recorded.

Stephen Mitchell's translation is a great intro to the Tao. Simple, a little convoluted at times and yet somehow straight to the point. I bought this illustrated hardcopy as a gift and keep a text version as my guide.

I have come to have a fondness and deep appreciation for Mitchell's work and choices of subjects. I bought this translation because of high praise for it hidden in one of Jim Harrison's poems. This version is, perhaps, the most readable of all I have encountered. Many people find it inspiring and that must be why it is such an acclaimed translation. Having dealt with a dozen or so translations and the texts behind them, I do note that Mitchell takes some liberties. His is a very idiomatic translation, which often reads better than word-for-word literalness, the latter often proving too wooden to be enjoyable or clear. And Mitchell might even omit a few phrases or add one here or there. But the spirit is all Lao Tzu. Also, the volume is full of the most exquisite ancient Chinese illustrations, making it the most beautiful of any of my Tao Te Chings.

In this version, Peg Streep edits James Legge's 19th century translation. The editing is a major bonus, as it adds something
to the overall flow of the work. Here is an example of the poetry of the words: "Abstinence from speech marks him who obeys the spontaneity of his nature." Whereas countless other translations are well worth the read, the text in this edition offers something every bit as beautiful as the artwork that accompanies it.

If every philosophy or religion had a book like this, it would be much easier to appreciate and perhaps even enjoy the diversity of belief among humankind. Mitchell captures the simplicity and straightforwardness of the text, and what we get is a incredibly beautiful book of verse. Some scriptures and cornerstone philosophy texts try to argue their way into your head; the Tao, especially as translated by Mitchell and coupled with stunning artwork, effortlessly works to seduce its way into the core of your being.

When you put the book down, you may disagree with many components of the Tao's underlying philosphy. But during the short time you live between the book's covers, it is a joy to enter the rhythmic flow of the Tao and put skepticism on hold.

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way) has long been referenced by those who seek to understand the Eastern philosophy of the harmony of the universe. In simple, eloquent verse this collection of poems (though there are those who would object to the 'poem' label) the secrets to shedding the self with its attendant judgment, desire, and critique provide the guide for finding oneness with the cosmos.

Steven Mitchell is the translator of these ancient texts and his sensitivity to the poetic flow of the concepts and instructions enhance this version of the TAO TE CHING. And as if that weren't sufficient reason to make this your access to these ageless meditations, this book is an 'illustrated version', tastefully combined with old Chinese drawings and paintings that allow the eye to roam while digesting the moments of beauty of the words.

This book becomes a constant companion for those who look to make sense of the world and its chaos. If ever there were the perfect gift for the friends in your life, this elegant little book is surely one of the best. Grady Harp, March 05.

My favorite aspect from the novel is the setting. It is a great setting because you can picture what the people are wearing and what they're doing This book is fantastic. It is mysterious. Once you read the first chapter you won't let the book down. It is a good book is about a girl named Garet and her grandma Gratkins, but there's a girl who comes through a mysterious chute. Could that be Garet's sister or is it Gratkins? You'll have to read the book and find out. I recommend this book to other kids because it is a mysterious book and it has action in it. This book is great; you should read it.

I choose this book because I needed to do a report. At first it was a little confusing, but when I got farther in the book I couldn't put it down! This is a must read for everyone! You'll never guess what happens to Garet!

This is wonderful book written by Anne Lindbergh (the daughter of Charles Lindbergh)about a girl, Garet Atkins (age 13) and a mysterious laundry chute. Garet lives with her grandmother Gratkins (short for grandmother atkins) when suddenly a third person enters their lives. Daisy Atkins, a strange girl wearing an old fashioned peach-colored party dress falls into Garet's basement and into her life. This story is a autobiography that Garet is writing for her 7th grade english teacher. Daisy's true identity is never explained to Garet and she is determined to figure out just who this prettier, smarter, more polite, "twin" is.

I first read this book in third grade and have loved it ever since. It's cute, mysterious, and humorous. The narrative is frank engaging, and full of energy. The main character is someone you can identify with, as she's a normal middle school student whose life as been totally messed up. It's worth buying and reading.

It is a great pity that Anne Lindbergh has been forgotten so soon after her death; she was one of the few writers who carried on the wonderful tradition of children's literature that started with E. Nesbit. Lindbergh writes the kind of children's fantasy that doesn't involve elves, dragons, or even wizards. In her books, ordinary children (or teens) stumble across something magical and make the best possible use of it. The magical something, in this case a laundry chute that transports you (or replicates you - it's complicated) fifty years ahead of your time, is not always fully explained. Why a laundry chute should be a time stutter, or why a height chart should allow everyone who is 5'5" to travel to the future, is left unclear, and in Lindbergh's fiction that works.

The basic plot of Three Lives to Live is this: Garet Atkins is an orphan, living very happily with her grandmother Gratkins, who is also her best friend. Then one day, when Garet is peacefully reading in the basement sink, a girl her own age comes flying out of the laundry chute, wearing an old-fashioned peach-colored party dress. To Garet's surprised resentment, Gratkins knows the girl's name (Daisy), takes her in and insists on enrolling her at Garet's school as Garet's twin sister. Garet documents all this, including her increasing jealousy of the pretty, popular, and opportunistic Daisy, in the autobiography she is writing for her English class. As as result, Garet spends a lot of time struggling with Mrs. Magorian, her well-meaning, incompetent teacher, who patently doesn't believe a word of the autobiography. These scenes will induce flashbacks in anyone who has ever had a truly terrible middle-school English teacher. When Garet writes a hilarious conversation between herself and Daisy using only "said" and "asked" as verbs, Mrs. Magorian insists that she rewrite it. She gives Garet, as examples, a list of verbs starting with "beg, bellow, blubber, blurt," and Garet duly sticks them into the dialogue at random. This is funny even for younger children; as read by older children it becomes very pointed satire. The entire book is like this - perfect for many different ages, and worth re-reading as an adult.

I found this classic in the library the other day and what a treat it was to read. To read--but not to accept. It's a sad but inexorable fact that editors today are more salesmen and paper pushers than shapers of authors. What comes through in Berg's fine biography is that writers like Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolf would likely fall through the cracks if they toiled at the desk now. Although Perkins is best known for his troika (the first two authors mentioned) and Hemingway, I had not known that he was largely responsible for Douglas Southhall Freeman writing his multi-volume history of Robert E. Lee. This superb work is as disciplined and fascinating as its subject.

Berg's work rallies all aspiring authors to the cause of sainthood for Max Perkins...maybe even deification. He tracks Perkins's career vis-a-vis the literary careers of important 20th century American authors. Gives a peek at the largely ignored man behind the curtain...and stands as a monument to his contributions to our literary heritage. A must read for anyone who enjoys books.

Scott Berg's biography of Max Perkins is a warm, sparkling account of America's greatest editor in the prewar period, the midwife for works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe in the twenties and thirties, when big-time publishing converged on New York. Berg's book is cunningly organized: the reader steps at once into the rough and tumble of editorial work at Scribner's, leaving Perkins' early life, marriage, and family to be described in concise digressions taken only after we get another satisfying dollop of publishing history. Unhappily, once Perkins has delivered his discoveries to the public, the rest is mostly about their boozy extravagance (Fitzgerald), bullying ego trips (Hemingway), and petulant indiscipline verging on insanity (Wolfe). So even if, for this reason, you stop two-thirds of the way through, your curiosity about this key figure in modern literary history will be very well satisfied.

Max Perkins was the great editor at Scribners who handled quite a few of the finest writers of the twentieth century, F. Scott Fitzgerad, Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe being especially noteworthy (and dealt with at length in this biography). One might envy such a man with such a job, but Berg makes it clear that having to deal with the likes of these authors was like walking around with a huge millstone around Max's poor neck. His job was endless and thankless (Wolfe actually betrayed him). You see from the many letters quoted that many of them are blatant pleas for money. Saying that Perkins had to coddle some of these authors like children would be putting it mildly. Berg does an admirable job relaying Perkins's life and hard times. Recommended.

This is a wonderfully written book, very informative and inspiring for authors, editors, agents and anyone else involved or interested in publishing. Berg does a terrific and subtle job of painting these larger than life characters, allowing their own letters to speak for them. He shows remarkable restraint and good taste and yet has created a book that is enriching and very difficult to put down. Highly recommended!

I have three girls who love American Girl Dolls. We have read all the series. I found this series to be spot on for the time. At first I was a bit taken by details - but it was nice to explain to my girls what it was really like. The series does a excellent job telling the story of slavery from the eyes of Addy. I can imagine it must have been much more terrifying. I also got out some maps of the underground railroad - this helped them identify with the lengths Addy and her family went through for Freedom! I put this in my top three of the series with Kit and Kirtsten series. Extremly pertinent and relavant to topics today and the history of the good ole USA!

Everything good to say about these books has been said already. I agree with all good things said. I just wanted to add my 5 stars.

I think this was one of the best American Girl Collections. It describes the life of people and slaves had during the Civil War, and for me, a person who is writing a novel about the Civil War, this is helpful. It also describes the hopeless relality of salvery for any human being that I find portrayed well.
The only thing I wish is that there had been a little more interaction with white people. Make it clear not that all of them were racists and establish the fact there could a be real friendship between them. I mean white soliders went to fight and die for them, can't they appreciate that more? Of course not, they don't want to admit that. Other then that, I liked the season very well.

My nine year old daughter came home from school with one of these books, and she couldn't put it down! Before this, she never showed interest in reading. After I saw how in love she was with the book, I had to order the series for her. She was so excited when I gave the collection to her and has completed the entire collection in record time! I am so happy she finally found something she is interested in reading. She is always walking around with one of these books in her hand.
Thank you so much for a wonderful collection.
T.G
Garland Texas

Addy is so great. It is a 6 serie book set and it is really great. Addy is a amegenary girl who lives right after the civil war. It is filled with amotions. It uses no bad words at all. It is the best for kids ages 10-12
Lydia
Age 10

For the serious horse lover, or any person young or old that really likes animals, this is a must read. I have owned the grandson of this fantastic horse for years. My stallion is 30, but has the same wonderful traits. There really are animals out there that far out shine the intelligence that their species is given. This book shows this, and Linell did a great job giving you the acurate information, in a wonderful book to read. I am glad I could finally order it!
L

I live in Southern Ontario. Years ago I borrowed this book from a library and loved it so much I told them I lost it and paid for it (I think it was around $25) and now that I see the cheapest one is $92 I don't feel quite as bad. This is the best book about an Arabian I have ever read. The part when the Russians took the majority of the breeding stock at Janow broke my heart-what a loss for all of Poland forever. And the sacrifices that the Polish people made to save all those horses was incredible. And of course when Witez won the Championship, I too, am moved to tears every time I read this. I have always thought that someone should make a movie of this story-it's not just a 'horse story' but a great story of struggle and survival of the Polish people. (I am Polish-my grandfather fought in WWII.) I have even made Witez's name my email address-if you live in S. Ont. and have any descendants of him you can send me pics - trwitez@hotmail.com

Read this book ages ago, on loan from an arab breeder my parents were considering buying from. It's a truly unforgettable story for any horse lover. Although I keep checking back it's never in my price range, worse luck.

i first read this book in middle school. i happened to think of it yesterday when i saw a magazine on arabians in a store. i can't wait to buy it and read it again as an adult.

It's hard to know where to start with this book. I've had it forever (I think its original list price was about $12...) and doubt I'll ever sell it. It succeeds on so many levels - as a story of an incredible Arabian stallion, Witez, bred from the best at Janow Stud in Poland; of the people who loved him throughout his life (some fiction, some real); of the standards of training and performance Arabians had to meet at Janow before they would be kept as breeding stock; of the sufferings of Poland during WWII while Russia, Germany and the Allies fought back and forth across some of its richest land; of the richly earned heritage of the Polish cavalry and their role in the war; of Patton's rescue of the "super horses" (which included the Lipizzaners but not JUST them); of how Witez was chosen to come to America and how close his owners came to not getting him and then, to wrap it up, how he performs in halter classes when his owners got sick of hearing rumors about his lack of quality (of course, he swept home a champion). It is, in many places, a breathless story, almost beyond belief, and in many others a fascinating weave of many of the historical threads that came together in WWII.
Read it because you love Arabians, read it if you love history, but find a copy somewhere and read it - you won't be disappointed.

I came to the novel "Captain" by something of a back door. Years ago I saw the screen version and loved it. As a matter of fact, I first read Prescott's history as a teenager and have been entranced with the Conquest ever since. In the last number of years I decided to write and, being a true aficionado of Mexican history, I explored the possibility of writing about the Conquest. Surely, I thought, there has been abundant English-language fiction written on this, one of the most phenomenal conquests in history. I was wrong. Except for Schellabarger, there seem to have been few novels written on the Conquest...from the Spanish point of view.

Having decided to write on the Conquest and, recognizing that Schellabarger and I would necessarily be walking on the same ground and contending with the same people--and recognizing that my novel[s] must be entirely unique--I purchased his book and read it thoroughly and critically. I believe I succeeded and my novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God", are the result. Are my insights and is my writing as good as Schellabargers'? I obviously can't answer that question myself. It's up to the reader.

My lead character, Rodrigo de la Pena, is a far darker character than Schellabarger's Pedro. Rodrigo is no "Count of Monte Cristo" and his relationships with women and Hernan Cortes are more tortured and complex. This doesn't mean that I don't enjoy Schellabarger's tale. Quite the contrary, I love it and think it is one of the truly great novels.

Ron Braithwaite author of Mexican Conquest novels, "Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"

I picked this book up for twelve cents (yes, twelve cents) at a used book sale, and it was by far the best twelve cents I have ever spent. I had previously read Shellabarger's Prince of Foxes while on a swashbuckler kick last summer, and so had reasonably high expectations for Captain from Castille. This book went well above and beyond my expectations. I find it hard to express just how good this book was. The reason I like the genre of swashbuckler books is that in them one finds the truest expression of the unbridled youthful imagination. From sword fights and pirates to code of honor and witty dialogue, this genre is the embodiment of the imagination of every young man. I have rarely, if ever, encountered a book which so stirs this sort of imagination as this book does. I think Shellabarger rises above even Dumas in this category. I am still amazed at the greatness of this book. How it is so unknown is beyond my means of explanation.

Captain from Castille is the account of the adventures of Pedro de Vargas, a young Spanish nobleman from Castille. He encounters the corrpution of the Spanish Inquisition, flees to the newly discovered New World, and joins Cortez in his war against the Aztecs. I have never read such an accurate depiction the journey of an innocent boy into a worldly-wise man as Shellabarger has created in this book. The transition is so smooth and seamless that it is not until the end of the book that you suddenly realize how far he has developed. It is only then that you can look back and see how incidents slowly shaped Pedro's thinking. In respect to innocence, Shellabarger seems to me to be exactly half-way between the childlike innocence of Robert Louis Stevenson and the crafty/worldy Dumas. Stevenson's books were born of the imagination of a young man confined to his mind by illness. Dumas' were the product of real-world experience. Shellabarger has sucessfully combined the two, managing to retain the innocent imagination of Stevenson along with the real-world practicality of Dumas. Pedro himself makes the journey from the one to the other in this book, and in the end rejects the latter for a newly-understood version of the former.

I really have little else to add that has not been said by previous reviewers. A few reviewers have been bothered by some of the chauvinistic remarks in the book, or by the justification of the conquest of the Aztecs. I think they have entirely misunderstood Shellabarger himself to be promoting these things. He was simply writing the book from the perspective of someone living in the 16th century. He actually spent a significant amount of time researching the people, places, and events he wrote about in this book (which is remarkably historically accurate), and what he wrote of those subjects in the book could easily have flowed from the quill of a 16th century writer. The fact that Pedro struggles with the morality of killing the natives, and in some cases tries to prevent it, shows that Shellabarger understood the problem, but purposely wrote it from the perspective of a Spanish man fighting the Aztecs. To those who decry the savage portrayal of the Aztecs as lying human-sacrificers: well, it's actually quite accurate. It is hardly fair to call Shellabarger culturally insensitive for accurately depicting the Aztecs.

In short, if you like swashbucklers in the style of Dumas, Stevenson, Sabatini, etc., you need to find a copy of this book. For a long time The Three Musketeers has reigned (in my opinion) as the best swashbuckling book, and the Captain from Castille is its first significant challenger. If Shellabarger's other books are nearly as good as the Prince of Foxes and this book, he well deserves to be enshrined alongside Dumas in the lists of great authors.

Overall grade: A+

I'll be brief. If you're a fan of adventure, of swashbuckling, of novels like Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo" - this book is for you. It's a thrilling novel full of vivid descriptions and interesting characteres.

"The dream, not the realization; effort, not fruition; battle, not victory - these were life." -Fray Bartolome Olmedo (CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE)

The words of Father Olmedo fire the spirit of young Spanish nobleman Pedro de Vargas for glory, riches, fame, and honor in the New World in 1518. Falsely charged with the crime of heresy by The Dominican Inquisitor of Jaen, Father Ignacio de Lora, and the scheming and greedy aristocrat Diego de Silva, Pedro and his family are imprisoned and condemned to suffer unspeakable torture and certain death. From this exciting beginning of CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE we follow Pedro and his two closest friends Juan "Bull" Garcia (recently returned to Spain from the Indies with gold in his purse and adventure in his blood) and Catana Perez (a poor but beautiful dancer and servant girl at the Rosario Inn) as they leave the decadence and corruption of the Old World behind to explore the promise of the New World with Captain General Hernan Cortes and his small Company of Conquistadors. Along the way, from Cuba to the Yucatan Peninsula and then to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, they discover a strange world that is both enchanting and frightening, beautiful and savage, and forge the bond of friendship that will be severely tested in the coming years and will carry them through many harrowing adventures and confrontations with Aztec warriors and Spanish evildoers alike. This is an extremely well-written novel rich in history and full of excitement. I highly recommend it.

A few readers may be put off by the author's portrayal of the indigenous people of Mexico during the 1500s as being brutal and bloodthirsty. The Aztecs did practice human sacrifice by tearing the beating hearts out of their captors and then cannibalizing their corpses. One reviewer expressed a concern that Samuel Shellabarger condoned the thrashing of a wife by her husband. In the 16th century, women were considered to be chattel and fathers and husbands had the power of life and death over them. Mr. Shellabarger's novel brings to light the realities of the time.

This one had a lot of promise. Written by a fairly reputable author, still in print after fifty years, a best-seller in its time, and with the Cortez conquest of Mexico as its backdrop, it seemed like can't-miss historical fiction. Well, it isn't awful or anything, but there is much, much better out there.

The story is about Pedro de Vargas, the scion of a Spanish nobleman. His family becomes ensnared by the Inquisition through machinations of the one-dimensionally evil Diego de Silva, and they must flee Spain. The father and mother make it to Italy, and Pedro goes to Cuba, where he meets up with and joins the Cortez expedition.

This, of course, makes up the bulk of the novel and as far as it goes, it's pretty good. You really can't go wrong with subject matter such as this; my goodness, this has to be one of the most thrilling stories in history. And Shellabarger gets the details right: there's Cortez burning his ships, there's Montezuma as a Spanish captive, there's Alvarado massacring the natives, and there's the Spanish retreat on the night of tears.

The problem is that there's nothing especially illuminating about any of this. The Cortez character is about what you'd imagine him to be, no more, no less. The same for Montezuma, the vacillating emperor. History shows that he was weak-minded. He's weak-minded in the novel. The Spanish soldiers lusted for gold and were devoutly Catholic; the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice and lived in the stone age. Just like we've all been taught.

In the meantime our hero has a book-long love affair with a cabaret dancer and a book-long faithful friend who suffers his triumphs and tribulations along with him. The tension comes from de Silva who follows him all over the place to give Pedro and us something to worry about, and also the pretty but empty-headed noble girl he left behind in Spain and whom he feels guilty about not marrying.

Again, this isn't a terrible read. But for adventure, Sabatini and G. M. Fraser are more entertaining; for fiction with this subject matter, Aztec, by Gary Jennings, is more imaginative; and for a strictly historical aspect, The History of the Conquest of Mexico, by Prescott, though a history, is frankly more exciting.

I know this will sound funny, but here goes anyway....

I have four sons, ages 17, 14, 13 and 6. I first got this as a cassette when my first son was born in 1987. I started playing it as I nursed him at bedtime. It became a routine to play the tape for him each night at bedtime, alternating sides. He always settled right in to bed, wherever he was he always felt at home, comforted.

For each of the teenage boys, I did the same... thankful my cassette managed to last (prior to internet days). Now I have my six year old, and believe it or not, all three of the older boys actually sing the songs to and with him, and sometimes linger in the hallways to catch their favorite song at bedtime! They fondly remember the day when I tucked them in an pressed play.... Was it the singing night? or the music night? is a common guessing game we play. You know that this is an awesome tape when it's instrumental night and your six year old sings each and every word on cue as he drifts off to sleep!!! He even sings when he has his buddies spend the night for a sleepover - no embarassment whatsoever.

We are so thankful to the person who gave it to us so many years ago. I'm now ordering it as a CD, knowing that someday not so far off, I'll be Grandma....with the lullabye disc!

I can't even put it into words. We enjoyed this tape so much when my son was a baby! I hear the music now and it brings tears to my eyes. I would sit for hours, rocking him to this music and the songs are so beautiful. Whenever I have to buy a gift for a baby shower, I always buy this cassette because it's loved by everyone who receives it. Go out and get this tape immediately, I promise, you won't be sorry!

I'm surprised we didn't wear out this tape! My son is now 12 and we played this, together with classical music, for the first several years of his life! Very sweet - easy to sing along with, catchy tunes. I really missed it when we misplaced it - and just bought another for his Christmas stocking! BTW - he now has a very good ear for music.

My kids are now in their teens and still like this collection of songs. I buy it for every new mother I know and they just love it as we do. It's a must have!! It is just so beautiful

I bought this tape and booklet in 1998 when I had my first child. I am purchasing another now for my second child, because we played the other one so many times we wore it out. All of the songs are very soothing and easy to listen to. I love to listen to the instrumental side and sing to my babies too. This is one of the best children's tape we own.

I couldn't put the book down from beginning to end. I was stirred by the lack of awareness I had about the tensions between Polish people and those who were of Jewish descent. So much so that it made me think about the levels of anti-Semitism that still exist today. It raised the issue of how we need to continue educating our children to be mindful of what they've gained through the pains of our ancestors and that they still bear a responsibility to learn and keep watch while also (as seen through Ellen's and Marek's relationship) stay open to others' plights.
The second emotion I had was the impact of the loss of living European ancestors on our newer generation. How much of our strength and humor have provided us backbone from the immigrants, and their Yiddish, as seen through the translations of Rafael's and Friedl's words that are lost to our children of today.
Finally, the meaning of beshert is fully appreciated as these three generations are left to individually and silently confront their faith and relationship with G-d.
Thank you Ms. Rosenbaum for a wonderful book. I hope you write others and will look for them.

Rarely do I come upon a book that is readable, lyrical,charming, and an example of good literature. Rosenbaum's book is one. Her novel will not be a challenge for the average reader. Yet, the strong reader will be able to enjoy the lyrical language and the various levels of meaning the book offers. We meet Itzik the patriarch, Nathan, the very assimilated American born Jew, Ellen, Nathan's daughter, Friedl, a spirit who can find no rest, Rafael, the last Jew in Zokof, and Marek, Ellen's Klezmer playing Polish boyfriend. The story opens with Itzik fleeing from Zocof after breaking Friedl's tombstone and ends by an attempt to reconcile Poland's terrible history of anti-semitism and its Jewish heritage through art. The author uses techniques of magical realism, Jewish mysticism, character soul searching, Yiddish cadences, Yiddish phrases and romance to take the reader on a wild ride. Friedl's spirit cannot rest until she fulfills the prophecy inherited by all Jewish women. She must pass down Jewish traditions and history to the next generation. With the ghost as a literary device the author reveals the importance of passing on one's history and especially an ethnic history to the next generation. So many immigrants tried to abolish their ethnicities upon landing on these shores. So much history was lost as recent immigrants tried to become "real Americans." With this novel the author is telling us that our immigrant histories are part of the American experience. As such they should be treasured and revered. I did not want this book to end. It is both an immigrant story and a holocaust story. It is a tale both of scholarship and performance, of curse and redemption. To call it a ghost story is an oversimplification of the role played by Friedl's spirit.

I really loved the family story behind this book. Every character was beautifully developed and compelling. The book has its own momentum, taking the reader from generation to generation, leaving you wanting to know more at the end of each chapter. I didn't want it to end - how about a sequel?

Mazel Tov! to Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum. This novel is a wonderful, thoughtful, finely woven, well-researched, beautifully-written read.
The stories, the characters, generational connections and variances, the mystical and the struggles all resonated with me. I especially related to the questions asked by Nathan and Ellen in their wrestling and the wisdom offered them.
A neighbor, who had a copy for her book group, loaned it to me. Wanting a copy of my own, I bought one the day after completing it.
Nancy Smiler Levinson, Beverly Hills, CA

My mother recommended this book. Said she couldn't put it down, so I bought a copy. I struggled a bit with the first chapter, but once the story got going I really got pulled in and also found that I couldn't put it down.
Maybe it helps to say that my father's family came from northern Poland, that I am the president of a landsmanschaft (organization of Jews who came from that particular area) and an amateur Jewish genealogist, and also administer the cemeteries for my landsmanschaft, so this story struck many personal chords for me.
It is very well written for a first novel, well produced, richly imagined. At times the dialogue becomes heavily didactic, but not so much as to detract from the overall thrust of the story.

This would be a great book to use in a literature group of young women of high school age. It's not difficult to read, which would make it a good book to use in a classroom of readers that were not strong in their skills. It addresses themes common today in a setting that would lead into studies of Greek Mythology, or Bronze Age cultures.
Discussion points:
1)survival from sexual assault: several aspects such as rape, prostitution,
2)female empowerment,
3)belief in one's self,
4)trying to be something you are not: from both a human (Rain) point of view and animalistic (Usha the Bear)anthropomorphism.
5)war and change in society
6)same sex relationships

It would be interesting, but I don't know if it would be successful, to try this book in a mixed (male/female) setting. Although not all of the male characters are portrayed as enemies, this is definitely not a male-oriented novel. The only sympathetic male characters would be Melek and baby Anto, and possibly the smith.
It does show a Lesbian relationship as a healthy relationship. In fact, it makes it the only healthy sexual relationship in the book. It does obliquely address if sexual assault leads to lesbian relationships in the comparison of the Queen and Penthe as compared to Rain and Melek.
I would recommend this book to a leader or teacher who was able to try literature that addresses controversial societal issues.

A myth-like story about an ancient race of female warriors and one girl in particular who would be Queen, beautifully written. A fantastic YA novel for teens and adults. The best by Hoffman I have read so far.

One of Alice Hoffman's few YA books, this story of an Amazonian princess will capture you like no other read. The ways of the women warriors are brutally intense, and for the first time are questioned, by Rain, who vies for her mother's attention but still attempts to defy the ways of tradition. The characters are strong, each of them contributing to the choices made by Rain, for good or bad.

The Foretelling is a gripping book from beginning to end. Your care for the young princess grows as you learn more and more about her destiny, and her will to change the fate of her people to peace. Her strong connections with horses and bears seem spiritual, and make this story of pain and violence almost gentle and compassionate. I guarantee everyone will enjoy it.

In this intense yet complicated fantasy story, Rain attempts to gain her mother's notice and acceptance by being the best of warriors in their Amazonian tribe. The product of a rape when her mother, Alina, wasn't much more than a child herself, it is hard to gain the Queen's approval. Although Rain knows that she's been raised by Deborah, the wise priestess, to one day be Queen herself, she also pays attention to Deborah's promises of a much grander destiny.

Rain doesn't totally understand the Queen's desire to so thoroughly destroy her enemies, even though her own cousins, Astella and Asteria, are two of the fiercest warriors in the tribe. When Alina takes Penthe as her companion, and Penthe's daughter Io seeks to be Rain's sister, matters become even more complicated. Rain wants nothing more than to ride her horse, Sky, to garner her mother's approval, to earn the place as rightful Queen that will someday come upon her.

On her first journey alone, Rain comes upon a bear cub, which she takes back to camp. She names him Usha, and together with Io the two girls raise the cub as if he were a horse. Although Rain and Io soon discover the mistake of doing so, it's too late--Usha is killed in battle, and Rain still doesn't have the love and acceptance of her mother.

THE FORETELLING is a coming-of-age story set in a fantastical land of the Amazons. Rain is a compelling character who, although she tries so hard to be vicious and fierce like her fellow tribe-members, always leans more towards peace for all men and compassion towards her enemies.

Not to be missed by lovers of fantasy stories!

My name is Doug Hiser, author of the 2006 novel,The Honey Bee Girl. I have been reading and collecting Alice Hoffman books since I discovered Turtle Moon. I have read them all and The Fortelling is my favorite. I loved her narrative and moving story. In some ways it reminded me of Clan of the Cave Bear and also of mystical ancient cultures that we see only in dreams. Alice Hoffman's prose is the main reason I fell in love with her books. She is the magic realism of writing the way Michael Parks is of the dreamlike reality of art and Frank Frazetta is the master of fantasy painting. The Fortelling is a short work of literary genius accessible to everyone. She has deep intense knowledge of the emotions and feelings that most people can only guess about. Discover her writing through this compelling work and then find your way into her other books. You won't be disappointed. Doug Hiser