Spencer Books

Simple, straight-forward, utterly loving and touching story-telling is the hallmark of Jan Karon's writing. Here, no less than any of the other novels of her charmingly quirky North Carolina town, her vividly and vivaciously drawn characters quietly glitter and glow with eccentricity and bucolic wit. A potent sense of place pervades the literate and lilting prose of flower beds, church narthexs, creek banks, and huge dogs. Karon moves her quaint chess pieces in an enchanting, spirited and spiritual dance that doesn't fail to entice, enthrall, and keep the pages turning. Mitford is as much iconic Americana as Faulkner's County, Chute's Egypt, Maine, Auchincloss' New York, Burke's Louisiana, or Hillerman's New West. Great beach reading, but equally fine by the firesides of autumn.

It has been a year or so since I read the second Mitford book, but returning to Mitford was quicker and easier than I had expected; I was truly happy to return to this quirky small town. This novel begins with the fact that Timothy and Cynthia have finally gotten married and therefore must adjust to all the nuances of married life. Fortunately, they truly are in love. However, there are other issues abound, and I must say this is the darkest book of the series yet! And yet I kind of like that. Jan Karon is an excellent writer, who uses simple prose to get across the deepest of emotions and sincerest of thoughts. In fact, there are few writers that have better character development than she. She is able to sustain multiple plot lines in a breezy manner while never forgetting them. It's a sweet, darling story that may come across as too sweet for some, but is wonderful to those that can appreciate the heart of Jan Karon's writing.

Jan Karon books are GREAT. You get the feeling you know the people personally.

New adventures in living from the author of the fabled Mitford series.
When I read the first book from Jan Karon, I wanted to pack my bags and move to Mitford. I'm so happy Father Tim lives on in her new series beginning with These High Green Hills. I just she could write as fast as I can read.

Having just finished this third installment of the boxed set, I offer the following assessment: First, I usually avoid revealing plots or nuggets about the books I read for reviews and so I'll just stick with generalities here. With some humor, the author paints her unforgettable characters with verve in this book. Anyone with a warm heart will take delight in this most interesting tale down in the Carolina lands. Blockbuster entertainment? You can bet on it. Breathtaking action? Bet on that too! With a beneficent flair, the author narrates this story with depth of meaning and so much liveliness of expressions. Not to be sarcastic but, this book would be most beneficial, if not thought-provoking to Darwinists. In closing, I'd like to say BRAVO to Jan, for she delivers wholesome and vibrant outlooks on life. All of her books are graced with high value. The Den of IniquityAt Home in Mitford (The Mitford Years, Book 1)Home to Holly Springs (Father Tim, Book 1)

This book is one of my all time favorite stories! It is about a little girl who goes to stay with her "mean" grandfather high in the Swiss mountains. She thrives in the mountain air and shares a special love with her grandfather. She is later taken away to live in Frankfurt with a wealthy family as a companian for a sick little girl, but being away from her grandfather and mountain air makes Heidi so homesick she actually becomes physically ill. She finally is able to return to her mountain and is part of a miracle that takes place there. This is such an enjoyable book to read and is a beautiful picture of love and forgiveness. I have read it several times and each time it gets better.

When I was a child, I was struck in the eye with a rock thrown by my brother. I was injured to a point that I was bedridden for 6 weeks, and had to take one inch steps in order to heal my eye. I was also confined to a dark room. My mother would read "Heidi" to me as I lie in misery. The doctor said that I had to lie still. He did not want me to injure my eye even more than I had.

Heidi is a book that changed my life. It gave me hope as I lie in darkness. It made me taste goats milk even though to this day I never have. I hope to take this book and read it to my 84 year old mother soon so that I may turn the tables. This book is amazing. Buy it. Read it. Share it with your loved ones. I cannot emphasize enough that this story is magic. God Bless all who read this. Jen

this is my favorite book of all time. i started crying at some parts and heidi is cute, genorous, and funny...

the book that arrived was not the one i ordered. I tried to contact seller by email and got no reply. the book they did send was just the plain book heidi it was in great shape and arrived quick.

This book is marvelous for both adults and children! Very well illustrated, so you can read the book to the tiniest of children and use the pictures to help them along until they're old enough to understand and read the words in the book. Can start children on this book as a picture book and work their way up to reading it. I read it as an adult and found it very enjoyable. You won't regret buying this book!

I most hightly recommend this book to anyone who, like this reader, adores the work of Henry James but has found the many (often very good, even excellent) biographies of him curiously lacking in nuance. Toibin supplies this through the use of his creative imagination--we have a picture of James that finally seems really true, precisely becuase it has been re-imagined by a very sensitive and intelligent artist. Indeed, it would be hard to overstate the intelligence, as well as the artistry, of this work. Reading it only now, after actually owning it for some time, I have found it to be something of a revelation. I thank the author deeply for this magnificent work.

To start, I know almost nothing of Henry James. For me the novel worked as a beautiful character study with some absolutely haunting and stunning scenes. Toibin is a great writer.

And yet the book took me six weeks to finish. Though each chapter was wonderful, there was a such a total lack of forward momentum that I rarely felt compelled to continue. I made myself finish, out of respect for the author.

A whole troupe of modern authors claim a debt to Henry James but they've had at least the good sense to make their own work readable, which is more than could ever be said for the man himself. Toibin's well honed and manicured prose is a clear scion of this evergreen source. It's hard to choose between this one and David Lodge's marvellous novel "Author,author" so it's probably best to read and enjoy both.

This book has gotten many detailed rave reviews, and I'll rave about it also, but I'd like to make this a more practical and useful review. I loved the book, but Henry James is one of my favorite authors. I've read several of his novels as well as seen the films and PBS versions. The American is one of my all time favorites. Colm Toibin brings James to life and takes you into his time. I really felt a part of the James family when they were going through the Civil War. He gave me a vivid feeling of the ghastly poverty in 19th century Ireland and the behavior of the English as an occupying army. He takes you from Newport to Boston to Paris to London to Dublin and proves that with good research and ability, an author can write convincingly about a time he never lived in and countries not his own.

However, I feel not everybody will find this book as appealing as I did and I'd like to try to save those people some time and money. First, this book is written in the 19th century style, with a slow-moving story, more description and less dialogue and graphic action. After all, life was slower-paced in those days. If you prefer contemporary literature, with a fast-moving plot, you may not care for this book. People who are not familiar with Henry James or haven't read his books may not be interested. The exception is people who are always meaning to read his books, but haven't gotten around to it. This book will be a good introduction for those readers and they can decide which of his novels they want to start with. Finally, there are people that don't like James's writing and I can't see them wanting to read this book. The Master really boils down to each reader's personal taste. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat, but it's a good idea to give some thought to what you like to read.

After the dreary, inconsequential "Story of the Night," Colm Toibin's superlative new novel "The Master" represents a gratifying jolt forward for this fine gay writer. The subject is the interior life of Henry James, who may have gone to his grave a virgin--a gay virgin. His entire life and work were deeply closeted and every loved one who sniffed around him, trying to open what was closed, found themselves stiff-armed brusquely. If James wrote today, out of the closet, I am convinced he would have emulated Toibin's gleaming, crystalline elegance instead of his dense, unnatural voice of the fusspot. This, not Hollinghurst's "Line of Beauty," should have won the Booker Prize for that year. The London gay mafia backed the wrong homo.

This book will make your blood run cold. We should all take our heads out of the sand and read this one. The writing is well done, although the foreign names can get kind of tedious but that is no fault of the author.

This book was a good reader, it was very informative and an real eye open'er! Apparently, there are forces within our own government that want to see our demised! "A must Read"

An awesome very up to date information. An easy reed, well writtten book explaining in detail of how JIHAD works within our (USA) borders. It brings to light what is actualy happening right now!

The book was informative. Everyone needs to read it. Mr. Emerson has his facts and presents them in a way we all need to think about.

This is a great book; an eye opener. As a antiterrorism program manager with the U.S. Military Police I have witnessed the chilling issues as stated in the book. Unfortunately, political correctness stops action against those who use America's freedoms against her.

This is the most informative book on the market for persons about to journey to Walt Disney World. It is absolutely essential if you want to approach your WDW vacation with knowledge enough to make the most of it. My advice is to purchase the most recent edition, as it is updated each year to include new attractions, and there are always new attractions. The book is filled with information about hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, and attractions throughout the entire Disney property. I have made about 25 trips to WDW, and I buy a new one each year I go so that my information is current. Well worth the reasonable price.

This book is a must to own when planning your trip to Disney. Alot of very useful information that other travel guides do not have. I loved this book alot it helped me plan my trip.

I was very impressed with this book. It was very informative and covered every subject concerning a Disney vacation, from what to pack and how to get there, to planning your itinerary and figuring your budget. It also gives info on the different resorts and restaraunts in the Disney park and their price ranges. There are illustrations on every page, my kids can't put it down. It describes every attraction and gives it's location as each park is divided into sections. It covers transportation needs, including the surrounding areas like Downtown Disney,Pleasure Island, Boardwalk, and downtown Disney West Side, and what they entail. Several water parks are also discribed. It even breaks down the Florida weather for each month so you can choose when to go. The book offers tips on saving money, avoiding crowds, and etc. It gives schedules for character meals and labels her "Birnbaum's Best" for best family restaraunts, best dinner shows, best fireworks view, and many more. There are even money saving coupons in the back of the book that are good through December of this year. I plan on taking this book with me on my trip this year to use as a guide.

We just got the book a few days ago, and my husband and I can't put it down! We were already excited about our anticipated trip to Disney World next year, but this book is heightening the excitement! Lots of information on lodging, food and the parks, what more could you want?

This was the book we used on our first visit to Walt Disney World. We would never have gotten around Walt Disney World without this book. If you have never been to Walt Disney World I recommend that you really get a copy of this book or the most current version of it. If you really enjoy Walt Disney World like we did you may want to hold on to your copy of this book. It is just as much a souvenir as anything else you may purchase on your visit. This book will hold fond and cherished memories for you and your family.

Octavia Butler's book is Part II of Parable Of The Sower. While the first hundred or so pages seem a bit difficult to get through lacking story and motivation, it is a necessary primer and like writers of old, Octavia believes in setting the table first before serving the meal. The meal itself is an utter and shocking page turner. Octavia is a master at creating misery without sounding miserable and pathetic. There is a definite reflection of the US of today. She changes names and augments situations but in many ways, this is an exaggerated U.S. of 2007.
The situation between Lauren and her daughter will lead to an utterly devastating and bone crushing conclusion. I can safely say in reading it, I had to stop, cry, and sit by myself trying to absorb what I have just seen. This is utter tragedy and tore my insides in two. It was that hard to read and imagine but it was an integral commentary about Christianity and belief systems in general. Octavia's message was driving it down to a personal level and it worked.
I would call this one of the greatest books I ever read and would recommend it to anyone.

This book is the continuation of Lauren Olamina's life story, picking up where Parable of the Sowers left off. It has much to say about how one transcends trauma, about what compels human beings to make the choices they do when the range of choices gets narrower and narrower. The reader becomes engrossed in Lauren's survival and what that means to other important characters. Most importantly, the reader is challenged to explore the various ways people choose to cope with destructive forces beyond their control.

The late Octavia Butler is recognized as one of the world's most respected female sci-fi writers, and her book Parable of the Sower (1998) and Parable of the Talents (2000) helped her achieve this status.

Both of these books have to be read to get the full story of Lauren Olamina, the books' African-American heroine. Butler, who loved writing apocalyptic type fiction (books focusing on what happens after the world is nearly destroyed) begins Lauren's story in Parable of the Sower. It is the year 2024 and people (namely Americans) have finally decided to go ahead and half-way destroy the world, resulting in America being reduced to the world's "lower power." Our treasured dollar is now worth pennies, our system of government has collapsed, most American citizens live in poverty, and more than half are homeless. As one would guess, many people go crazy during this time. Besides being concerned about not starving to death or dying from the flu, people also have to worry about being burned alive by stoned druggies or killed for their shoes.

Lauren, nearing puberty, lives in this world with her father, three brothers and stepmother in a walled community in California. As a result of her mother taking drugs, Lauren suffers from hyperempathy, a syndrome that causes her to feel other's pain--real or fake. But that seems to be her only weakness. She is exceptionally intelligent, creative, and strong-willed. Though a preacher's kid, her questions about God and how He could allow this kind of chaos to exist, turn her into an "unbeliever." She walks away from Christianity to create and embrace a philosophy she calls "Earthseed." This philosophy teaches that "God is Change," as change is the only thing constant in the world. The philosophy is humanistic in that is calls for total responsibility of individuals to shape their lives as they work with God--as God is change. For example, an Earthseed verse in the book is: God is Change, God is Infinite, Irresistible, Inexorable, Indifferent, God is Trickster, Teacher, Chaos, Clay--God is Change; Beware: God exists to shape and be shaped.

Beyond preaching just this, Lauren also believed that humankind's ultimate destiny was to settle other planets--no heaven, no hell.
This concept of God may seem weird to many people, and very heathenistic to the religious. When I first read Lauren's idea of God and humankind's purpose I was slightly put off. But in those days and times the world seemed to be coming to a total end. It seems fathomable that a "religion" that calls for total belief in one's self and the hope of escaping earth could be founded and gain followers. After all, religion's main purpose is to give our lives meaning.

After becoming confident that "Earthseed" could help give people renewed hope and purpose, Lauren began to plan how she could reach people. She hoped to one day leave her walled community to do this. However, she was forced out of her community while in her teens, as druggies stormed into her neighborhood, set fires to the houses, and raped, mutilated and killed most of inhabitants. Lauren escaped somehow, and found only two of her neighbors (an older man and woman) that had also managed to escape. She had already lost her father and oldest brother in childhood to druggies, and the rest of her family had been killed in the attack.
Nearly fugitives, the trio set out on the highway to find another community, work where they could get it, or possibly to Canada or Alaska. They faced being robbed, raped, forced into slavery, or murdered while on their journey. As they traveled, Lauren began telling them about Earthseed, as she did with everyone who eventually joined their band--as people liked to travel in large numbers to avoid being robbed. She soon found several other empaths, as well as a man as old as her father that she fell in love with. He had a large piece of land, and although he did not believe in Earthseed, he agreed to let her set up a community to teach this philosophy/religion. The book ends with her trying to build and maintain this community.

Parable of the Sower is one of the most thought-provoking fiction books I have read.
Embracing the Real World (The Black Woman's Guide to Life After College)

The book is set in the post-SHTF world, action taking place in the Pacific Northwest/Northern California. It describes United States in a such a way that Germany leading up to the Second World War comes to mind. Violence, poverty, unemployment, inflation and a general sense of despair pervades the world of this book. Simple existence and the sense of humanity is not taken for granted, as characters in this book are forced to fight for their place under the sun.

Protagonist of this novel is a remarkable woman striving to establish her own identity, and community in a world that seems very scary to us, yet hauntingly plausible. She is a visionary, able to influence those around her through her writings and through preaching of her own religious/moral views.

During times of despair, tough, fanatical leaders often emerge and people tend to follow them blindly, while creating even more havoc in the process. (Hitler and Stalin come to mind) This book is no exception. A militant Christian preacher is elected to be the President of the United States, with disastrous results to follow: more war, persecution and poverty.

Many times I have read posts and emails with their main line of reasoning going something to the extent of: "When SHTF, I will head for the hills and tough it out with my buddies and weapons..."
After reading this book, I realized that it is not going to be an easy task by any means. Even if you manage to establish a community of like-minded individuals. Even if you are well armed and self-sufficient, you are still not going to be safe from heavily armed fanatics bent on enforcing the "Will of God".

This is a painful book to read. Main character and those around her go through some hellish events in the course of this book. These are truly horrific and Butler manages to describe them with just enough of a gritty details for the suspension of disbelief to be complete. IMHO, she goes a bit overboard with this and the book becomes unbearable and depressing at times. Perhaps that was her intention

I would recommend reading this book if you are interested in feeling or imagining "what it would be like" to live in a post-SHTF world. This is a work of fiction, science fiction to be exact, but it is more of a "soft" type of science fiction: there are some futuristic technologies described, but they are plausible and not too far removed from reality.

Overall I would give this book a "B"
Plot: "A"
This is an interesting and engaging story very relevant to modern times and humanity in general.
Storytelling: "B-"
Some lengthy descriptions of various minor characters add little to the story, except they only increase the sense of despair. Perhaps it was Butler's intention, but it seemed unnecessary to me.
Writing skill: "B+"
Her writing is not bad at all, a bit poetic one might even say.

This is the second book in the series, first being [url=http://www.amazon.com/Parable-Sower-Octavia-E-Butler/dp/0446675504/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200042766&sr=8-2]Parable of the Sower[/url], but can be read out of sequence.
Parable of Talents won a prestigious Nebula award for science fiction.

This book is a sequel to Parable of the Sower. In my review of Sower, I had doubts about the religious writings and ideology of the main character, Lauren. Thus I really appreciated that here, Butler brings other voices into the mix, other narrators who question and even oppose Lauren's vision. This lifts her Earthseed religion out of its starry-eyed beginnings in the first book, and brings it into context as a noble but not necessarily infallible belief system, one that redefines God in quite secular terms.

I still have mixed feelings about Lauren's Earthseed religion, but this book left me turning it over in my head -- even seeking out scholarly articles written about the book to get different perspectives on it. Any work of fiction that is so thought-provoking, well-written, and engrossing deserves five stars.

I have to confess that before reading this book, I had no idea what the word "talent" meant in this context. I read the Parable of the Talents (the actual biblical parable, Matthew 25:14-30), and couldn't make any sense of it. When I finished Butler's book and still found the parable incomprehensible, I searched my library for information about it. (See now why I became a librarian?) Anyway, I realized to my embarrassment that a "talent" in the Bible is a monetary unit! Suddenly the parable made a lot more sense. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to look into that before I'd read Butler's book.

Apparently, Butler planned on continuing her series past these first two books, but sadly she passed away before writing another. The two Parable books stand well on their own, however, and I recommend them to all readers, even those who normally stay away from science fiction.

Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, was born in the eighteenth century and died in the early nineteenth century, but her life was very modern in many ways. She was an open activist at a time when women were supposed to stay behind the scenes, a bold and flamboyant hostess who used her social prestige to advance her political agenda, and a beautiful but ultimately self-destructive woman whose emotions helped shape British history.

Georgiana was born into one wealthy and powerful aristocratic family and married into an even wealthier and more powerful one. The Cavendishes were bastions of the Whig oligarchy, which governed Britain almost continuously through the eighteenth century until the 1760s, when King George III forced them out of power. In opposition the Whigs became the progressives or liberals of the day, calling for curbs on the King's powers, protection for the liberties of the people, and for progress and social reform (with the ultimate aim of regaining power for themselves, of course). Georgiana was married to the Duke of Devonshire, who was retiring where she was outgoing, far more interested in living a quiet life with various mistresses than in helping to advance the Whig cause. Georgiana, frustrated with a husband who did not appreciate her, threw herself into politics, becoming a friend of Whig leaders like Charles James Fox and campaigning openly for him and others.

Georgiana's private life was complicated. She and her husband were involved in a years long menage a trois with Lady Elizabeth Foster, who was simultaneously Georgiana's best friend and the Duke's mistress and mother of his illegitimate children. Georgiana was addicted to gambling and lost enormous sums which she feared to reveal to the Duke. Eventually Georgiana herself had a love affair which nearly caused her marriage to end and forced her temporarily out of sight. Although she returned to political life after some years, her health broke down and her influence remained diminished.

Amanda Foreman has produced a work of great scholarship which reads like a novel. Georgiana's life is so fascinating that I've read this biography several times just to see what she would get up to next and how she would get out of one scrape after another. Foreman makes the good point that Georgiana epitomized many women of the eighteenth century, who were far more active and involved in politics than is generally supposed, as well as being a harbinger of the kind of power base to which women in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries still aspire.

I was never a biography fan until this book. Foreman does a dazzling job of bringing Georgiana to life. I could read this book over and over again!

if some one told me what really happen 18th century upper crust i would not believe them.money,sex,adultery,hidden preganacy,lesbianism,royality,gambling and drug addiction.fashion theather social scandals,politics,betrayal, blackmail and war.it's a soap opera that really happen.even a evil bestfriend who bears two childern by georgina husband is through in.this book is addictive.i didn't put it down till last page.

I was wanting more of a historical novel but this book reads more like a text book. Almost every page has notes at the bottom of the page, this makes for very "choppy" reading. Interesting subject but not a cozy read. I had to make myself finish the book.

I am currently obsessed with Jane Austen, came across a glowing review of "Georgiana: Duchess..." in the New Yorker, and couldn't resist reading this story of Regency England. Unlike Austen's heroines, the Duchess has a very dark side - she's a gambler, adulteress, liar, drug addict...I found myself wanting her to be happy (and to win against the evil Bess) in spite of (or because of?) these qualities. In the end, her charisma, beauty, fashion, gentleness, vulnerability, wit, privilege, and political engagement endear her.

I loved the book, the story, the characters, the history, and the politics. Unlike some other reviewers, I found Foreman's writing incredibly engaging and easy to read.

Any diet is no good without the exercise! So throw in both and you have it made!

The book does a good job of covering the basics of the Zone diet. I needed to supplement the info with some items off the web, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.

I've purchased 2 other zone books, the original and a recipe guide. This was my favorite of the 3. Often times you find in diet books, even the good ones, an overwhelming amount of information. Not to say this information isn't all true, but when I incorporate a diet into my busy life I expect or at least want it to be a simple transition. After all, we're only talking about food. A week in the zone provides simple, effective, and point blank guidance for the successful incorporation of the already proven Zone Diet, without all the fluff. It's an easy read and it makes sense.

Second only to The Zone, this book is thorough and can help you jumpstart your zone diet in only one week. Though it is not as intensive and the original Enter the Zone, it is more accessible and helps the reader begin a diet very quickly and easily.

Reading and applying this book to my life helped me change dramatically my lifestyle. I am a different person after reading Dr. Sear's book. My doctor had highly recommended I read this book and she was not wrong. I have the cure of my hormone unbalance. I have no mood swings and feel younger. If you are overweight and have tried everything you will find the help you need with this book. Try it....it really works!

Perhaps non-Alaskans are more taken with Michener's portrait of the state than those of us who live here, since we experience its grandeur and special essence every day. Nonetheless, for a cheechako, the author does an admirable job of conveying facts and feelings about the 49th state. While there is always the danger with historical novels that readers will not know where facts end and fancy begins, the historical backdrop is well-researched and essentially accurate.

Like other Michener works of this variety, the book weaves the stories of several families over a number of generations, and in doing so illustrates how today's Alaskans often have unusual family trees and complex cultural traditions. Throughout the book he develops some of the same themes that run through the state today, including the struggle to break free from the almost colonial status we once enjoyed at the hands of marginal government officials and outside corporate interests, the pride of being apart and different, and challenge/blessing of a uniquely diverse population.

The reader may think that the characters are "larger than life", but not necessarily so. Alaska has more than its share of vivid, grand, and heroic citizens whose stories could fill many long cold nights. While no substitute for a first-hand Alaska experience, Michener's Alaska-sized novel is a wonderful way to experience the state at a distance, and undoubtedly has whetted many people's appetites to come and see for themselves.

it's a wonderful book that I have read before and have always wanted to own!!!

"Alaska" is a well-researched, well-told, 900-page story of the exploration and settlement of our nation's 49th state, with a characteristically Michener-like blend of fact with fiction, breathing life into an otherwise-dry train of historical events: geologic beginnings with "clashing terranes" a billion years ago, the first human settlers who wandered eastward from Eurasia 14,000 years ago when glaciation raised the polar ice caps and exposed a land bridge connecting present-day Alaska and Siberia, Vitus Bering's exploratory voyages sponsored by Peter the Great in the 1700s, Russia's controversial $7.2 million sale of Alaska to the U.S. in 1867, the Yukon and Nome gold rushes of the late 1890s, the establishment of salmon canneries in Alaska's southeast by profiteering Seattle-based companies in the early 1900s, the government-supported "seeding" of Matanuska Valley through relocation of starving settlers from Minnesota during the Depression years, the entanglement of the Aleutian Islands in battles against the Japanese during World War II, Alaska's political fight for statehood in 1958, and the impact of the discovery of Prudhoe Bay oil on the lives of North Slope native Alaskans through the 1980s (book published in 1988). True to form, Michener weaves together ostensibly disparate events into a captivating, colorful parade of multi-generational characters, often so endearing that you'll want to cheer and cry alongside these memorable pioneers in their courageous and spirited struggle to eke out a living from, understand and exploit Alaska's harsh and wild, expansive and endlessly enticing, resource-rich and rewarding frontier.

Superlatives aside, compared to Michener's "Hawaii" (published in 1959), I find "Alaska" to carry a weaker, less hopeful message. "Hawaii" establishes a powerful, encouraging theme of how cultural diversity--despite our being inevitably encumbered by parochial beliefs, social prejudice and economic avarice--has the very real potential to "bear new fruit." On the other hand, "Alaska" unfortunately fails to lift humanity higher. In their unbounded greed for otter and seal skins, early Russian merchants turn native men into their slaves, while abusing and raping native women. With few exceptions, American whalers are ethically no better, devastating entire native villages through exploitative sale of rum and guns. During the gold rush, lawless settlers from the mainland U.S. selfishly bend mining rules in their own favor, stripping away claims from Norwegians, Siberians, Eskimos and others who got there first. Seattle businessmen extract tons of salmon from Alaskan waters, offering neither employment nor compensation to the native people. Even when oil taxes bring wealth to native Eskimos and Indians, the intricacies of the Settlement Act allow lawyers and accountants from the "lower 48" to line their own pocketbooks by charging exorbitant rates for professional services, effectively pilfering assets from the native people. Ultimately, it seems that, although natives now have their snowmobiles and opportunities that college education offers, they remain lost between the "native" and "modern" worlds, unable to derive adequate fulfillment from either and, too often, sadly resorting to alcoholism and suicide to escape from their emotionally devastating dilemma.

In the last section of the novel, the debate between the two lawyers, Jeb Keeler and Poley Markham, while mountain goat hunting, reveals Michener's sentiment: Jeb speaks out for helping Alaskan natives retain their ownership of land and maintain a subsistence lifestyle, while Poley is eager to "pick them off" for his own personal profit when natives on the verge of bankruptcy become forced to liquidate their corporate assets to pay off accumulated debt. When an unexpected submarine earthquake unleashes a massive tsunami, Poley succeeds in scrambling up the mountainside, while Jeb is consumed by the swiftly retreating waters and washed out to sea, issuing a final cry: "Go it, Poley. You win!" Interpretation: in with the new and exploitative, out with the old and traditional--whether we like it or not. In the 30 years between the publication of "Hawaii" and "Alaska," did Michener's youthful optimism darken into a more pessimistic realism, or is the ending of "Alaska" just not as carefully composed? The optimist in me suggests that Michener rushed into delivering a half-baked ending to "Alaska," when he could have (and should have!) put more effort into reaching a more profound conclusion. From Michener, the masterful writer of historical fiction, I would expect a message with more far-reaching impact, particularly after all the years of research and drafting that certainly went into the novel's production.

An absolutely amazing "read" that has kept me up too many late nights. Very well written with excellent historical research and such wonderful character development that it is hard to remember that it is fiction. I will be sorry when it is finished (only a few more evenings.)

First, let me announce my bias: I was born and raised in Alaska.

When I saw this novel on the bookshelves when it first came out, I promised myself I'd read it even tho I had never read anything by Michener. Well, some 20 years later, I finally read it. And -- boy! -- do I wish I hadn't waited so long. It's a long book (close to 1,000 pages) and I was so engrossed that I almost lost sight of the real world for the duration.

Of course, being from Alaska helps. I could orient myself geographically with little trouble. I had the broad outlines of the history already. And the historical names were almost all familiar to me if not the details of their lives.

But what Michener did which I most appreciate about his novel is painlessly impart the details of history by interweaving it so tightly with his colorful fiction that it was hard for me during the reading to separate the two. Yet I'm sure I know what is historical and what isn't. It's a contradiction, I know. And a compliment to this man's storytelling skill.

I let out a satisfied "whew!" when I closed the book a final time and returned to reality. Then I suffered withdrawal symptoms for days, maybe weeks. I found myself gazing wistfully at some of his other large works in the bookstores. Did you know there's no Michenerholics Anonymous? I've just begun reading THE SOURCE. I couldn't help myself.

"The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes is the one book which is always mentioned when it comes to books about the history of Australia, and for good reason. Hughes' brilliant work covers in great detail the transportation of criminals from England to Australia, and the history of those penal colonies. He also deals with the historical figures and events which impacted those colonies.

Prior to this work, Robert Hughes had authored books on art, and is generally known as an art critic and a documentary maker. This work of history seems to be an unusual diversion from his typical interests, but as he explains in his introduction, it was while doing a series of documentaries on Australian art which took him to Port Arthur that he realized that he knew little of his country's convict past. His documentary work undoubtedly played a key role in his making this one of the more readable histories there is, and led to "The Fatal Shore" becoming an international best-seller.

He starts by discussing the conditions in England which led to the transportation of criminals to the opposite side of the world, the theories about there being a "criminal class", and the loss of the Americas as a dumping ground for British criminals. Another key point is the sentencing which was used at the time which resulted in people with a wide variety of criminal convictions, from petty theft to murder all being selected, without regard to whether or not they would be able to provide any valuable service to the colonies which were to be created.

Next Hughes discusses the first fleet, from the difficult passage, both for prisoners and free people, to the arrival and the dealings with the Aborigines to the difficult first years of the colony; it is an engaging tale which reads like a novel. The more recent "A Commonwealth of Thieves" by Thomas Keneally does a more complete job of telling the story of this period for those who are interested in learning more, but Hughes' work covers more time and is far more complete when looking at the entire period of transportation to Australia.

Hughes then looks at the makeup of the convicts, both men and women and the ratio between the sexes. Who they were, what crimes had they committed, and how they behaved once they were there. The vast majority were sent due to crimes against property, and just a small percentage for crimes against people. There were a few which appear to have been convicted of political crimes as well. The female prisoners were mostly of a marriageable age, and many were encouraged to marry the non-convict men who were there.

Hughes also covers in detail the more severe areas of punishment which were established in places like Norfolk Island and Macquarie Harbor. Though very few prisoners ever were sent to these secondary facilities, their presence and the stories about them helped to keep the prisoners in line. The treatment of the prisoners at these facilities was horrendous, and many preferred death to staying there. Many committed crimes while in the facilities in order to be sent back to Hobart for trial.

The end of the book covers the decline of the transportation system. Prison reform was coming and there were new ideas about how to deal with crime and criminals. The cost of transportation was high, and once space was no longer an issue in England's prisons it was no longer cost effective to transport. In addition, the non-criminal populations of the colonies grew, and they were not as welcoming of additional convicts as they had been earlier. In addition, once gold had been found, the wealth of the colonies made them even less accepting.

"The Fatal Shore" still sets the standard when it comes to Australian history. Hughes covers not only the major sites of Sydney and Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), but also the efforts to create penal systems in Queensland and in Western Australia. In addition to the events covered, there are wonderful biographical descriptions of the major officials and notorious convicts. The one piece that the reader is likely to ask for more is with regards to the Aborigines, as so little is known of the individuals who were involved. The discussion of the native Australians is often told in very general terms, as there simply isn't any detailed written record to draw from.

Robert Hughes has written a towering account of the years during which Britain transported convicts to Australia, thereby beginning the colonization of a continent that would one day hold a place among the world's free nations. Hughes's fascinating text covers the exaggerated fear of a "criminal class" that, along with hopes of establishing a colonial presence in the region, caused England to spend so much treasure on the system of transportation. We also get much fascinating information about the difficult conditions on the new continent, the shameful treatment of the native Aborigines, and many harrowing accounts of the horrendous treatment prisoners received there. In the end, a rising tide of public disapproval and a gold rush that weakened the system's financial incentive resulted in the end of transportation. Hughes treats all of this--and much more--in exhaustive detail that is never dull. With the eye of a novelist, he includes the stories of many interesting figures from Australian history, fully contextualized within the epic sweep of his narrative. This book is a real winner.

In short this book has taught me a great deal about the history of Australia and I totally disagree with other reviews that make out it is biased in some way.

Found the book to be frank, open, honest and to the point.

BTW even though the book is very thick it was not a chore to read and finish.

There's no doubt that the lash and hangman's rope played an important role in early New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). About 1830, the death rate by execution was about 1 per 1000 of the European population of NSW (30 per year out of 30,000). The first criminal trial in Australia led to a sentence of 150 lashes for being drunk and abusive. Thus began the operation of law in Australia, only a fortnight after the colony commenced. But a few months later, in Cable v Sinclair, two young convicts successfully sued the master of a first fleet ship because their luggage had gone missing on the voyage. English law would not have allowed attainted convicts to sue, let alone hold property. One of those convicts, Henry Kable, went on to a career as constable, jailer and merchant, even if his finances did crash spectacularly. This was a new land with a new approach to law and egalitarianism.
Hughes emphasises blood and the lash, glorying in it. He tells a great story, like an airport novel. But he doesn't tell us anything about the ordinary social and commercial life which began so quickly after the first colony began in 1788. He tells only half the story, and as a result, academic historians ignore his work. There are many much better histories of convict Australia than this. Try Grace Karskens, The Rocks, for a start.
Some of the men and women of early NSW were dishonest, gaining what they could when they could. That applied to officers as well as convicts. But they had relationships (often without marriage) and children, developed trade, lived their lives as well as they could. The surprise is that the place was so successful, not that it was so bloody. And of course the most significant blood lost was that of the indigenous people, a story not unique to Australia.

The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding


By Robert Hughes

Australia is one of those faraway places you read about in National Geographic or watch on Discovery. Remote, exotic, modern yet solidly based in its history, it's a chamber of commerce promotion writer's dream. T he only country to occupy an entire continent... spanning from the Pacific to the Indian Oceans; sophisticated and modern along the coast with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; forbidding and undeveloped in The Outback; boasting symphonies, opera, and architecture; an outdoorsman's paradise.
Robert Hughes, the Art Critic for TIME magazine, has done an outstanding service in chronicling the rich history of his homeland.
The Australian writer has delved deeply into primary sources including diaries of those unfortunates who fell victim to the System of Transportation: the official euphemism for the forced removal of mostly minor criminals from England and (particularly) Ireland to the distant and fatal shores of the new continent.
In researching "diasporas," I've discovered artificial "homelands" for Esquimos in Canada, "Little Cubas' in Miami; the relocated Acadian ("Cajun") culture of the Mississippi delta, and new asian cultures in the American Midwest.

But Australia really qualifies: the indigenous population, the Aboriginals, like our Native Americans were run off their land, deprived of their rights, and forced to give up their culture. The rest came in rusty "Hellships" -overcrowded, prone to disease, starvation, physical and sexual abuse, it's amazing so many arrived alive.
And when they did get there they found the horrendous penal colonies of Norfolk Island and Van Diemen's Land, where they worked as indentured servants until winning freedom.
For years, Hughes tells us, Australia underwent a collective cultural amnesia about its past, sweeping the darker side of The System under the rug. But gradually they came to terms with "The convict Stain," accepting their beginnings, and in the process developing a great nation. Those who have seen the Mel Gibson movie "Gallipoli" will understand how Australia's sense of identity was forged on the hellish trenches and beaches of the First World War. As I write, Australia is celebrating "Australia Day"...not colonial day, or Queensland Day, or something else from Europe.
The Fatal Shore is first-rate history and first-rate writing. (We're lucky to have Hughes still among us: he was seriously injured and almost died after a car accident in Australia)

*****