Shaw Books

Do you know how awful it is that this book is out of print? I found a copy at the library, and read it in one night -- it's wonderful! The writing style is definitely early L'Engle, reminiscent of The Small Rain. The theme isn't quite as evident as it is in later novels . . . but it's still a delightful read.

The characters are interesting -- both the "younger incarnations", Virginia Bowen Porcher and Mimi Oppenheimer (wasn't there a Renier in there somewhere?), and the characters whom we haven't seen before: Emliy Bowen, Abe Fielding, Kaarlo . . .

The plot in brief: Emily's husband Courtney used to be a professor at a university, and he resigned. They're spending the winter holidays in France, not many years after World War II ended. From there, it's the usual L'Engle family-in-conflict. Vee, their daughter, is also struggling with adolescence and that whole L'Engle-style conflict . . .

It combines the best of many of her novels: the adult conflict and the children's conflict. Not that this is exactly a book for children: it's as heavy as anything else she writes. But in this book I see beginnings of most of the novels that came after it, both for adolescents and for adults.

Highly recommended! That is, if you can find it . . .

This book is notable for several reasons: in typical L'Engle "nepotistic" style, it features the younger version of characters who appear in later books (Virginia Porcher, _House Like a Lotus_, and Mimi Oppenheimer, _A Severed Wasp_); and it features characters who obviously evolved into two important characters of her more recent Young Adult fiction, Zachary Gray and Max Horne. While a fascinating read, this book does not have the maturity of writing that Ms. L'Engle developed in her more recent adult fiction.

This is a very good study guide. Would recommend.

This study guide is excellent for individual or group study. Covers several different women of the Bible and has great discussion questions and leader's guide located at the back of the book. I think you or your group will really enjoy it. I learned sooo much from doing this study with the Sunday school class.

Although other reviews refer to ancient wisdom, this book is not a collection of quotes by famous Zen masters. The book is filled with aphorisms about time broken down into short chapters: Life, Death, Emotions, Now, Desire, Perfection, and Zazen that are pleasantly thought-provoking.

This little book is filled with the wisdom of the ancients, the thinking of the Zen masters of time. It is the kind of book that a seeker of truth can utilize for meditative purposes, or just open it and read a few passages to bring your mind back to the "observer" state where we do not judge, we do not make demands, we do not find fault. In this fast-paced world of noise, chaos, and responsibilities, this little gem of a book can return your mind to simplicity and serenity in just a few moments. Whether you are a newcomer to Zen research, or accomplished Zen master, the truth contained in this book will speak to your heart of hearts.

A mysterious work of doomed romance, depressing landscapes, and Gothic moods. How can this possibly NOT work?

The story immediately draws you in with a nameless traveler who finds himself needing a place to stay. Here he enters a house of definite spookiness and becomes wrapped up in the incredible story of its history.

This is not a happy book, but it's intriguing, exciting, and darkly romantic. It's about people who want to be together despite all-powerful fate. It's about a romance that transcends generations, destiny, and individuals looking for their own way with a breath-taking Beauty and the Beast theme.

Very few of the characters are likeable. In fact, I can't think of a single person I really liked. But they are powerful and you just can't help but root for them. Evil here is vague, and it seems all the characters have a touch of villainy.

So here is pain, heartache, and drama galore. Totally wonderful.

Anyone who is a frequent reader of this blog knows of my aversion to classics. I don't typically enjoy them, I always have to force myself to finish them, and I usually just end up giving up before I finish altogether. This book started out similar - it took me a really long time to get invested in the story and characters, I read it very slowly, and I was pretty sure I was going to hate it by page 50. Fortunately for me, though, I ended up enjoying the story when I (sadly) forced myself to continue on. (Thanks, Classics Challenge, for that little push!) I am SO proud of myself for getting through this and actually feeling like I somewhat enjoyed the book. Someone described this book to me as almost like a soap opera (can't remember who...), and that individual is completely right. There is so much drama in here... it's crazy. I definitely felt attached to the characters, even with all their unpredictable drama, and I'm glad that I finished the book and got to appreciate it. I can't really say that this is one of my favorites, but it is a pretty decent book, and I can see why it is dubbed a "classic".

The outdated writing style takes a little getting used to, but once you do, it's good. It's incredible to me how the author, with her unusually limited experience of the outside world, who probably never had a boyfriend or lover in her life and lived a secluded life in a remote part of Yorkshire with her sisters and died a virgin, could have created such an incredibly realistic and well-drawn character like Heathcliffe. I love the fact that he's flawed and I love the chemistry between him and Jenny. It's just amazing to me that so much passion could lurk in the heart of such an isolated and inexperienced soul as Emily Bronte. I don't suppose she and Charlotte got any real romance or sex as governesses. Emily's poems are full of originality and vision, but it is her novel that's a true masterpiece.

Told in alternating flashbacks from the perspectives of two narrators, Wuthering Heights is the gothic love story of Catherine and Heathcliff. Their doomed love has tragic repercussions for them and both of their families.

I absolutely loved this when I first read it as a teenager. It's like a creepy soap opera.

I don't know what people see in this book. I found it irritating from the start -- all the characters are thoroughly unlikeable. After slogging my way through a quarter of the book, I found I still couldn't care less what happened to these people.

The writing is also painfully verbose and florid. For a better story, I would have been willing to cope with it, but here it was just another reason to put the book down and never pick it up again.

It's almost criminal that this book is so popular. Anyone who is a true admirer of Dickens' work would toss his or her copy in the trash as I did mine. Admittedly, it's one of his shorter works. I believe this is why it's so widely read in schools (and, yes, I can understand a sentimental attachment on the part of otherwise intelligent readers who read the book at a young age). There are so many excellent novels by Dickens (Martin Chuzzelwitt, Barnaby Rudge, Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, the unfinished Mystery of Edwin Drood, etc.) that I felt betrayed by Mr. Dickens when I finally read "A Tale of Two Cities" and realized what a profoundly bad piece of writing it is. As with any prolific writer, not everything this genius set to paper is worth reading. Pass up "A Tale of Two Cities", suck it up and grab one of his longer, far better works. You'll be surprised just how quickly 799 pages can fly by (as consolation, his chapters are generally very short!). It's well worth the effort. While you're at it, if you're still in the mood for Victorian melodrama, pick up something by Dickens' buddy, Wilkie Collins. His "Moonstone" is famous, but he wrote several other highly entertaining works as well.

Dickens does a superb job in conveying how insensitivity of careless brute can meet pitiless vengence.

This classic story by Charles Dickens makes many allusions to history during the French Revolution. The characters are laden with emotion, and the book makes for excellent reading. The only peeves of mine are that the language is a bit difficult for some, and several of the characters don't show any personality; in their dialogue, you can't make out what they are feeling, specifically Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton.

Was Charles Dickens a poet? Conversely, perhaps his structure and style are no longer suited to today's rushed lifestyle, as some reviewers lament. I believe Dickens is one of the most magnificent story tellers ever to put pen to paper, portraying vivid landscapes that are often as vital as his characters in affecting events. Dickens, like Shakespeare, could never be told in TV length segments, or using today's best seller pablum.

'A Tale of Two Cities' is one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. The prose is lyrical, the story telling awe inspiring, the tale simply unforgettable. It left a mark on my soul.

I remember my first reading of Shakespeare, and stumbling hopelessly through the pentameter and 'backward' structure. Thankfully a wonderful metamorphosis occurred and somewhere along the way I realized my mind had assimilated both meter and verse, and my unconscious brain was giddy with the beauty of it. I experience Dickens the same way. His unfamiliar style blends into the rich tapestry of his work, adding a depth and clarity that is difficult to imagine without it. And like Shakespeare, we are most assuredly on a journey of wondrous descriptive and emotional insight.

'A Tale of Two Cities' is a definitive description of the French Revolution, although it is a work of fiction. Dickens intricately weaves these momentous, earth shattering events through the lives of a small chorus of individuals, all hoping to cope with a world threatening to devour them at any moment. His strength in describing how each acts within such tumultuous times creates a fantastic story all its own. But Dickens is only getting started. In his own ingeniously inevitable style, he compels events and characters together in a climax of towering suspense. With a courageous act of human spirit our true hero takes center stage as he equals the desperate call that only rebellion and war can advance.

Through it all, Dickens remains himself; constructing beautifully intricate foundations, dropping seemingly innocuous small details in the midst of sub chapters which at the time are much more important, slowly composing the story with the sense of a trickle of a stream leading to the river and the rapids and the waterfall, gaining an urgency and crescendo until the sound and the fury of the story becomes a palpable beating in one's chest. Is the book a love story? Is it historical fiction? Is it the tale of rabid crowds taking over noble causes? Is it man vs. nature, or a story of a man who rises to his destiny? Yes, it is.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

With arguably the most famous first sentence of a book in all of literature, I shall leave you with one more thought if you are not sure if you like Dickens. Or perhaps you already tried to read him and felt unconnected; but perhaps you were too young then, or too busy, or distracted. And perhaps you're ready now, to leave everything behind, to curl up in a chair, preferably with a warm fire and a glass of wine, and rediscover him. Read `A Tale of Two Cities' when you are ready, with an open heart. Dickens will inspire you to song and tears. For I assure you, that somewhere along the way, you will make a start, or you will stand up and stretch, and you will realize that he has somehow profoundly altered your view, and that you will never really be quite the same again. And you will cherish him, as I do, and the beauty with which he writes, and his faith, win or lose, of the human spirit to endure all else.

is really a wonderful book, and I enjoyed it immensely. So immensely, in fact, that I immediately searched for an appropriate edition that would do the book justice, and I am glad to announce that I have found it. If you are to purchase a copy of this great book, get the one that is published by Vintage Classics. Not only does this book have a wonderful, colored illustration of a certain character (readers who have read this book know who), the cover and pages are thick and durable, not to mention acid-free (many publishers like Penguins do not use acid-free paper). Also, the binding is thick and very sturdy, and the font is of a comfortable size, unlike the mass-paperback editions. This book can make a wonderful gift to someone special, or a wonderful gift to oneself. In either case, it is best to keep in mind that this edition is really the best to get of this tale.

Emma complete illustrated novel by Jane Austen

Austen's witty exploration of social relationships in "Emma" is both humorous and insightful. An enjoyable read for everyone.

I have always loved Emma the movie, the one with Gwyneth Paltrow in it. Her Emma is so clueless, so innocent, yet somehow loveable. I finally decided to pick up the classic novel to see if the movie missed anything and to get the full story straight from the author. The book delighted me just as much as the movie did, as I am pleased to say.
Emma Woodhouse is a young, rich woman living with her germaphobe father in the town of Highbury. Bored and eager for some sort of excitement, she decides to matchmake her new friend Harriet Smith with the local vicar Mr.Elton. Emma is convinced that her matchmaking skills are among the best, wrongly taking credit for pairing her governess Miss Taylor with their neighbor Mr.Weston. Many mishaps occur, and many hearts broken and confused, but in the end all is well, with all three of the main couples finding happiness.
It took me a little while to get in the vocabulary of the time, but once I did the book breezed by. Emma is so flawed like all of us; that is why we love her. Just because this book was written almost 200 years ago doesn't make it bad: it makes it better.

A smug but goodhearted society girl learns her judgment isn't as incisive as she thinks it is. "Emma" is a fun, lighthearted version of Jane Austen, with enough misunderstandings and crossed signals to form the basis of a modern sitcom. For all its pleasant enjoyability, however, the novel is also a fascinating character study of one woman being elevated to a nobler level by being taken down several notches.

In this respect, "Emma" is a prime example of the fact that although many see Jane Austen as something of a proto-feminist, she often gave her male characters the most admirable constitutions of her entire cast. Although the female Emma may be the heroine we hope will triumph, the male Mr. Knightley (like Colonel Brandon of "Sense and Sensibility") is the unimpeachably noble person, and the one who helps Emma ascend to a higher plane of virtue when she might otherwise have been left in despair at her failures. In the end, Austen's fourth novel (and the last published during her lifetime) is not a feminist manifesto. Rather, it transcends the gender wars and remains a touching comedy of errors with a profoundly subtle commentary on human pride and folly.

It was a good book, but older writing styles are hard for me to get used to. I liked the characters, but the movie ruined it for me. ALWAYS read the book before you see the movie.

Like most of Jane Austen's novels, the theme is around young women and how to obtain marriages with suitable men and be in love with them at the same time. In Emma, we have a heroine who not just sits around and speculates on who would pair up with who, but actively strives to influence and guide the matchmaking. She takes on a protege, Harriet Smith, a young woman of unknown parentage and sees into every interaction with the various gentlemen, more than is actually there. Unfortunately for poor Harriet, whose emotions get tangled around various men "who are all above her socially", Emma learns that manipulation and scheming is doing more to hurt her dear friend than to have left things alone.

The reason I read this book as a mystery, is that the reader is left to speculate (without peeking) which man would pair up with which lady. There are red herrings, where the characters other than Emma, misspeculate, to lead the reader into examining the clues to see if it were the case. Also, one of the male characters purposely set out to mislead where his affections are placed, and there is also a misunderstanding between Emma and Harriet on which gentleman she admires, with Emma giving encouragement because of mistaken identity.

The scheming finally crashes to a sequence of revelations brought about by a sequence of events. One after another, the couples pair off with a sequence of marriages, assuring the reader that the correct matches were made and happiness for the future guaranteed. Even though the middle of the book is very slow, the reader can go back and look at the clues and events after knowing the ending to see where inclinations rested and secrets lay buried.

This was a quick classic read. Although Higgins and Eliza are stubborn and often unsavory, the book had its redeeming qualities. I loved the calm patience of Mrs. Higgins and the complementary Pickering. It's a good story that's been re-told through the years because of its timeless theme of redemption, forgiveness, and even a spot of romance (sexual tension, anyone?). My favorite line was from the afterward: "[Eliza] has even secret mischievous moments in which she whishes she could get [Henry] alone, on a desert island, away from all ties and nobody else in the world to consider, and drag him off his pedestal and see him making love like any common man."

This is not the complete play--which is important to note if you were thinking of using it in the classroom. If you just want to listen to a pretty good (albeit incomplete misrepresantation) version of Shaw's play, it's good for a drive in the country.

Oh my! I love it! G.B. Shaw's character Henry Higgins is disdainful, petulant and impetuous. Simultaneously he's admirable and even a man to be envied! Disdainful because of his complete lack of proper manners, total lack of tact and disgraceful way in which he devalues a young woman for his professional experiments; enviable because in his lack of tact he pretty much says whatever's on his mind, not being burdened with what might be better left unsaid; what is socially acceptable. And honestly, I'm sure we've all had those days where we'd just like to "pull a Higgins" and tell the world what we really think! The difference is he does it, but most of us don't.

I know this wasn't written as a comedy, but this play really has some very funny scenes. I could go through and point out numerous exchanges in dialogue between Eliza and Higgins that are just a riot; Higgins and his overly honest opinions and Eliza as she calls him to task towards the end of the play for the manner in which she has been treated. Indeed, I'm sure analytical essays and social discourses could be written, and probably have been, on the relationships in this play.

This play really should be read with some level of cerebral engagement by the reader; the reader is well served to read it with sincerity and thought, to make an effort to be engaged and to pick-up the subtleties and moral points presented by Shaw. Though we're nearly 100 years removed from when this play was first released, Shaw presents some social commentary and moral points that are still very relevant and spot-on today. Unfortunately, I think some readers today will completely miss the points Shaw seeks to bring to fore.

Finally, the play on language and classes is perfect for the English setting. A question as to whether those themes might play well outside of England is answered by the global success and longevity of the play. Class systems and divisions of socioeconomic status, whether based on language, race, religion, etc, are global and universal. An audience most anywhere will understand the underlying themes that Shaw presents in Pygmalion even though the use of language and accents may be uniquely English. This play continues to be a favorite of audiences even after a century (it plays in my town next week at the local summer outdoor theater).

The book for great, daughter needed it for school.
Shipping needs work I paid for next day air DIDN'T get
it for 3 business days. Not Happy with that.

Debbie Tsikuris

The play was relatively entertaining and has a promising beginning, but Higgins' infuriating and incesant bullying doesn't change, and quickly becomes tiresome. You keep expecting the characters to evolve, to grow into something better, or at least different, and none of them really do. Doolittle is still lazy, Pickering always the gentlemen, and most frustratingly, Eliza and Henry are never truly able to understand one another. In the beginning I was an immediate fan, but as the story continued I grew more and more dissatisfied, and by the end I felt that it was a complete waste of time.

On October 3, 2008 in Houston, Winner stood before a packed conference hall and said that she was just as qualified to be Vice President as Sarah Palin. I know this has nothing to do with the book, but it shows the type of person this author is when during a speech on the trinity she feels the need to expose her hatred for a person based on political affiliation.

(3.5 stars)

I found this book to be genuinely captivating, insightful, intelligent, and nicely-written. Ms. Winner is obviously extremely intelligent and well-read, and isn't a shabby writer at all. She's also very honest and emotional about her life and religious experiences, even when it could be argued that some of these details aren't relevant (for example, who really needs to know she wears fishnets and doesn't shave her legs?). My issues with the book lie elsewhere.

As she goes through the calendar year (mostly) according to Christian holidays and seasons in her newfound Episcopal Church, Ms. Winner weaves a nonlinear narrative of her religious upbringing (she was raised in a Southern Reform shul and Jewish by patrilineal descent), her growing level of observance as she became a young woman, her conversion to Orthodox Judaism to (as she saw it) make her Jewish identity legit in the eyes of everyone, her days as an undergrad at Columbia, the pull she felt towards Christianity only a couple of years after becoming officially Orthodox, her transition to the Episcopal faith while in Cambridge, and how she tries to make peace with her religious past and present without disrespecting either one. This story in itself could have been so much better had she chosen to write more about her second conversion. While there was ample material on her Jewish upbringing, her pull towards Orthodoxy, her first conversion, and the Orthodox life she lived in her late teens and early twenties, I was left wondering why exactly she decided to convert to Christianity, and why she chose Anglicanism/Episcopalianism in particular. Having a strange dream about mermaids and a Jesus who looks like Daniel Day-Lewis, and feeling drawn to the Christian art in a local museum, seem rather silly and shallow reasons for altering one's religious life so radically. Her attachment to her latest religion seems very sincere, but I wanted to know more about what exactly led her to it, why she decided to cross the point of no return.

Ms. Winner's reasons for leaving Judaism, the faith she had known her entire life, also seem rather shallow, unless there were some much deeper reasons she chose not to delve into. She says she felt like she'd never fully belong because she was a convert, but she also writes about all of the wonderful people who took her into their homes, hearts, and lives, holding her as surrogate family. Surely they should have mattered more to her than some snobby girls on campus and some guys who didn't want to date her because half of her family wasn't Jewish! She also says that the status of women in Orthodoxy grew to really bother her, so instead of deciding to leave for a more progressive denomination or to find a liberal Modern Orthodox shul which has such things as women-led prayer groups, she packs up and leaves the religion entirely? I really didn't like the prevailing attitude that set Orthodoxy up as the only valid denomination. Those of us who choose not to be Orthodox find such attitudes extremely offensive and hurtful. Additionally, Ms. Winner was extremely young when she converted. Had she stayed and engaged her doubts and crisis of faith, she might have emerged stronger when she was a little older. Instead she chose not to tell anyone she was having second thoughts after only a couple of years, people who might have been able to help her to regain her faith and find new energy (it's normal for the convert's zeal to wear off, but it doesn't mean it's time to quit the religion). It's kind of hypocritical how she writes about taking such great pains to avoid anyone from her former life, then writes an entire book talking about how she jumped ship.

It's clear, from her writing, that she misses a lot about her Orthodox life, like her friends, the food, the holidays (she even has one of those "Christian seders" with some friends of hers, and has a Pentecost equivalent of a laila tikkun, the all-night studying marathon on Shavuot), the community, the books, and the prayers. One later chapter talks about how she had to rebuild her Jewish library some years after she gave almost all of her Jewish books away when she left the fold. I can't help but feel that had she been older than just in her early twenties, she might have had more maturity and foresight to think through all of the consequences of her actions. Like many others, I also question why she chose to write this book while still a young woman. For all anyone knows, she might eventually grow tired of Christianity too and go back to Judaism or convert to a third religion someday. Ultimately, a lot of her actions just struck me as those of someone who's very young, naïve, impulsive, and spiritually promiscuous, bopping from one religion to another without taking much time in between to fix what's wrong in her current spiritual life before doing something so drastic.

This book was a gift from a dear friend who said - "her writing style reminds me of yours" (which is actually probably true)- but even casting that aside - there was so much about this woman's journey of discovering her faith... and wrestling with all of that (how to walk it out... how to defend it to her friends, her family - even herself in the face of whatever it was that life threw at her... the big & small stuff) - that I could really identify with, and think that most people - and women could as well.

In fact, it was so much like looking in a mirror at some points that it was at times a bit unnerving... or at least very challenging.

I found myself at the end of it kind of/rather torn... smiling and almost grimacing all at once because of the way it ends. While I understand that the author had to end the book/story the way she did, I confess that I am slightly at odds with my reaction to it at the same time. (I waffle between "brilliant" and that slightly unsettled feeling you have when everything isn't all wrapped up at the end into neat Hollywood endings w/pretty bows and packaging).

Which I suppose is what made it all the more real, and true and resonant (sp?) and why, I suppose it was all the more perfectly suited for me.

I highly recommend this book. It's definitely the kind of thing you can pick up & put down... or read all at once, but I recommend savoring it. (Like really good dark chocolate - the kind you would LOVE to eat all at once - and are even tempted too... it's SO much better if you let it soak in over time).

Girl Meets God is a bodice-ripping tome on religion, or rather, religion-lite. It titilates, confesses, talks of food, sex, drink and,top it off, a little "Electra" thing going on with Daddy- Ms Winer wrote a little fairy tale for spiritual seekers- Jew or Christian- lost in the big woods, etc., etc. all egos are attended to.
Her theological choices seem to plucked out of a hat- let's see- - I am a non-observant, by name only, Jew--I think I'll become a Jew who stepped out of the middle ages- I will dress to call attention to my piety- observe the most obscure holidays- and find God- Why???- Why would one go from being a practicing nothing to a super religious Jew practicing customs the majority of Jews put aside at least 3 generations ago?--But- you know how it is with teenage girls- Well, she caught on pretty quickly; it isn't too easy to live like that. H'mm how about something a bit more mainstream; Church of England.- WoW! That one ought to get Papa's attention! And what better place to be Christianed an Episcopal than in England. That sweet chapel, the history, the organ, ahh. Ms. Winer's writing is amusing,lively and very simplistic theologically for such aself-described intellectual. The book makes short shrift of both Christianity and Judiasm; and diminshes both faiths. Perhaps she should have completed her Doctorate on religious history before she began competing with Venerable Bede and the esteemed Rabbis she refers to. Ms Winer might consider writing some "Chick Lit". I think she has just what it takes. Like "Prada went to Church"

This book is a quick read and well as an interesting read. I read this book for a church book discussion group and was very glad we chose it. I felt that even though it's about her struggle with Judaism and converting to Christianity, it is so very applicable to me as a Christian who did not convert from anything. It reminds me of the basics of being a Christian and the struggles that we all face. The reason not for 5 stars is that even though there is a great deal of information from the author about the 2 religions, it was not a challenging book to read - but that's just my preference.

never really comes to light in this book. We don't find out whether Thai has to face up to his deeds. I will say that I did enjoy the book, though. These "thug" books are quite interesting, initially, but then after reading a few of them, they all seem to travel down the same road. Jasper's book, however, borders on thug-lite to me. Not as gritty as Y. Blak Moore's work. Anyway, yeah, the story kept me engaged, especially since I'm somewhat familiar with the DC area. Pretty good debut, but I wouldn't buy it...get it from the library. I'm on a Jasper kick now so it's off to read Dakota Grand. I'd actually give it a 2.5 if I could.

Jasper's writing is a true gem, within itself. Combine that with a story worth telling and you have a very enjoyable novel.

The problem with this book is that it introduces a lot of interesting ideas and doesn't explore them all the way. Romance, violence, friendship, family, and relocation, you name it, this book has it. But after a while, it doesn't even matter. The characters are predictable, and as much as you can relate to them, you don't really care what happens to them.
The book wasn't a real page turner, but it held my interest until the end. After the last page, I shrugged and moved onto the next book. At first it seems as if the character just is too young to fully articulate what's going on, but after reading another Kenji Jasper novel, it dawned on me that its actually the author. I don't know if gets bored with a particular plot line, or gets eager and just move on the next. I don't know. One thing I will say is that almost all of the characters had a story worth telling, just told by someone else.

I was excited to get the book and found the topic interesting, but was ultimately let down.

THIS BOOK WAS OK, I GUESS, I FINISHED THE BOOK THINKING ALRIGHTY THEN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. THE BOOK WAS AVERAGE. IT REALLY WAS NOT THAT GOOD. THAI WAS CORNEY. CHECK IT OUT AT THE LIBRARY.

When I read that the book was about a young black male that had killed a man in rage, I thought, "yeah a great read". Wrong! Dark was boring and it lacked the action that it desparately needed.
Thai (the main character) took a week to get his thoughts together, have great sex, find more trouble with another girl, and thats about it for the book.

I bought this book because I want to support young authors starting out. Maybe things will get better with time.

C.K. Scott-Moncrieff's disastrous translations of Stendhal are still available in Everyman's Library and you should avoid them like the plague. What Moncrieff did to Proust was bad enough, but his Stendhal was even worse. Stendhal should read like dry champagne in a crystal flute, but Montcrief turns him into cheap cough syrup. This Edwardian queen made all his defenseless authors read like him. The translators of choice here are Raffel for Red & Black and Howard for Parma. Consign Moncrieff to the dustbin of translators!

Wow - definitely a minority here since everyone else totally dug the book. Puzzling. I love historical fiction, especially about England or Italy. The description on the back was mouthwatering.

It's certainly not the antiquated narrative tone - Oliver Twist, The Fifth Queen, Barnaby Rudge, Wives and Daughters (excellent!!), Dracula...no problem with any of them.

I didn't finish the book - think it was around page 70 or so I decided to drop it. Couldn't tell you why. Just found it tedious and uninteresting. LOTS of description and long solid paragraphs maybe?

This is really one of those classic European novels from the early 19th century. It's written in a true romantic format: lengthy at times and not a whole lot of actions in today's standards but it's clean, enjoyable, naive and easy to follow. There's also a lot to learn about European culture that time. The translation is superb too; the language is very modern but it doesn't take the cultural/historical message away.

Rater25's comment on the disappointing new Sturrock translation doesn't take into account Margaret Mauldon's version for Oxford, which I found delightful & without Howard's howlers. Hard to find on shelves, but hey, that's why there's Amazon.

Ordinary novels pall after reading Stendhal.

What a disappointment! I ordered this item from the UK because it was available there many months prior to its publication in the US. The cost was high, but I had wanted to read this novel and the translations available seemed problematic.

Sturrock has a reputation for accurate and faithful translation. His Proust volume was a bit awkward, but wonderfully respectful of the original French.

Not the case here. Words are added; paraphrasing common, and the translation of many individual words is questionable. And the "Britishisms" rankle.

So, which translation to read? I compared the first chapter of them all against each other and against the original French.

Moncrieff is somewhat archaic but usually accurate and he writes extremely well. A new edition that corrects his occasional errors would be very valuable.

The Howard translation caused something of a scandal on publication. The editing (if there was any) is extremely careless. Grammatical and typographical errors are common and there is an occasional mistranslation. Once again, a scholarly revision of this translation would be useful.

All in all, for a contemporary American, the Howard seems the best bet. It's a fluent read. Just keep your French dictionary and an editing pencil handy.