Wagner Books

I honestly don't know exactly where I got this book; as I recall, it came for free with something I bought. I finally picked it up a couple weeks ago and read it--though I haven't tried anything suggested yet (most suggest or require essential oils, which I haven't bought), I quite enjoyed reading through it.

Though the book, as the title suggests, is small enough to fit in your soapdish, it is also, as listed, 164 pages, and has quite a lot of information in it. It also claims to be waterproof, which I haven't tested, but from the feel of the pages, I don't doubt.

The sections listed are:

Introduction: The Fountain of Youth
Pampering your Oasis
True Tranquility
Ancient Remedies in the Bath
Accoutrements for Pampering
The Tao of Bathing
Epilogue: Catering to the Other Senses

Among other things, there is information on what essential oils and bath salts are and how to use them. Much of the book focuses on different types of baths, including sort of a "recipe" for starting each type and how to carry it through. The book also focuses on different types of stretching, exercises, and massage to do while in the bath to relax and heal.

All in all, I would say the book is fun to read and have, but I definitely wouldn't pay the MSRP for it. If you want it and can pick it up for something you find reasonable I'd recommend it.

This is a great little book for those who love to take baths or those who want to do a little bit more self-pampering. The book is geared to women and covers different types of baths from different cultures and some ideas for relaxing in the tub. It is truly waterproof.

as a student of conducting i think this is an excellent book describing all their is to know about the craft.

This fascinating little book started life as a newspaper article titled "Uber das Dirigiren" in 1869. Wagner directed it at instrumentalists and vocalists, rather than conductors.

It is a practical record of Wagner's experience as a conductor. Besides being a composer, Wagner was a kapellmeister of considerable experience. During his lifetime, the job of conductor was undergoing tremendous change. It is quite interesting to read Wagner's thoughts on the subject.

Highly recommended.

Reading the first few pages of this book it became clear to me what the emphasis of this interpretation of Wagner's masterpiece would be, namely a Freudian/Jungian interpretation of the subconscious driving force behind Wagner's genius. I wasn't particularly receptive to this approach initially, notwithstanding the fact that I have a first degree in Psychology. However, the author's cogent and fluid arguments convinced me of the validity of such an interpretation.

Wagner as an artist allowed himself to be driven by his subconscious in his later works, allowing his conscious self to contribute only for the purpose of rounding off the work. On the basis of this a detailed understanding of Wagner's subconscious, and indeed the interplay between his subconscious and conscious self must be seen as of indispensable importance to an indepth evaluation of 'der Ring des Nibelungen'.

I think it is important to note that given the complexity of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung such an interpretation does not preclude the relevance of other interpretations at different levels of abstraction. More orthodox evaluations of Wagner's tetralogy have concerned themselves with Wagner's apparent political and romantic motivations. While such interpretations are not necessarily incompatible with Donington's analysis the author looks beyond the realm of the salient in order to take us places that were closed even to Wagner himself.

Psychological analysis, particularly when of the Classical variety, may be unpalatable to many when used to interpret famous works of art. A common criticism of advocates of Freudian and Jungian psychology is that the theories to which they subscribe are outdated and often, in the case of Freudian psychoanalysis, fundamentally flawed. However, many such theories still resonate today and in fact the appearance of what 'hard' scientists may deem outdated terminology is a perfectly apt and valid way to deal with the issues in this particular artistic work. The use of words like 'ego', as when contrasted with the 'subconscious', might deter the interest of some, but Donington uses such terminology interchangeably with more contemporary expressions such as 'conscious will' and certainly from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective the conscious-subconscious duality is as relevant now as it ever was.

Donington uses his knowledge of Freudian and Jungian psychology to explain the Ring Cycle from a developmental psychology perspective. The power struggle between conscious-will, or ego, and the subconscious. Synonyms for such a conflict include power versus love (a popular understanding of the nature of the Ring Cycle) and the need of the self to reconcile individuality with a union to nature. Wagner completed the cycle over 26 years, a time during which he went through many a psychological and musical transformation - transformation being the key to the whole cycle according to the author.

Donington describes the developmental process that underlies the transformation that we all must go through. From separation of the conscious and the subconscious, in order to derive individuality and 'extra-natural' existence, to reconciliation of the two components of psyche to arrive at the self, a harmonised amalgum of individual and nature. Wagner's difficulty at making the psychological transformation from the conscious-willing, controlling individual to the mature, compassionate and fulfilled self is then convincingly claimed to be the driving force behind Wagner's creative expression particularly embodied in the Ring Cycle.

That Donington has a particular angle on Wagner's Ring Cycle is to the book's credit rather than its detriment as it elucidates context which serves to engender and maintain interest in the reader when the narrative and musical symbolism of the work is described. I have read other books detailing Wagner's myths that seem pedestrian by comparison owing to a 'walk-through' approach.

Some descriptions are perhaps open to debate, e.g., is Alberich renouncing compassionate love or is he in fact renouncing naive love? Perhaps, through subconscious projection on to Alberich, Wagner is closer to overcoming his own longing for naive and unobtainable love than even the author imagines. In essence this point is not actually inconsistent with the tenor of that proposed by the author.
Other petty points may be proferred but the general consistency of argument and clarity of presentational style leave you feeling that you have ventured on yet another sparkling ring. This book rewards the patient and is a must for any Wagnerite/Ring Cyle enthusiast.

To an even greater extent than, say, Freudianism, Jungianism involves a leap of faith. It isn't rational, let alone anything like scientific; it's another case where a charismatic person once came up with a set of precepts, and the disciples follow them. But while I wouldn't recommend a Jungian therapist to anyone I cared about (I'd expect no harm except to the wallet; but little good either) Jungian analysis can be interesting when its applied to myth; it is after all largely based on Jung's ideas about myth. That makes Jungian ideas fairly apt for reading a myth-based work like the "Ring".

Robert Donington is a Jungian true believer, and he applies Jung's ideas with considerable ingenuity and interest. Sometimes he'll do anything to fit Wagner into the Jungian framework, so that, for example, he'll read the very male dragon Fafner as "the mother in her devouring aspect". That's a pretty desperate reading: Fafner is nobody's female principle, and only someone with a strongly pre-determined agenda could try to make him one.

Still, Donington is often insightful. Why is there a brief reminiscence of Erda's theme when Fricka appears in Walku:re Act II? Because, says Donington, Fricka is somehow representing Erda's wisdom in this appearance. Fricka may not seem wise, but on this occasion she is right. This and a hundred other small insights makes this a worthwhile and constantly interesting book. It's also very good on Wagner's mythological sources.

Donington is right in thinking that the Ring is an endlessly complex and profound work; but probably wrong in thinking that Jung holds the key. Still, while Donington's overall reading is eccentric and not entirely reliable, this is a very enjoyable and often insightful book.

Laon

This is one of McEwan's early novels. As usual, there is something about the story that hooks the reader. The narrator is a 15 year old boy who has experienced the recent death of both his parents. He is now living with his 2 sisters and younger brother. The relationship among the siblings is - lets just say different as I do not want to reveal any surprises in the book.

McEwan writing is fine, as usual, but at times choppy. For example, there are major scene changes without an appropriate transition. Plot is certainly interesting. It is a very short book so it is hard to say it dragged on but I was bored at times. Overall, McEwan fans will not be disappointed, but for me (I am not a big fan but I do appreciate his style), I think I will take a long break from his books.

I haven't had the best of relationships with the books of Ian McEwan. I found Amsterdam dull and pointless, Enduring Love neither enduring nor lovely, and it wasn't until Atonement that I actually enjoyed any of his writing. A good friend very wisely said I should stop there, be grateful that I had at least found one worth reading and spend my time with other writers.

She was quite right, of course, but I took The Cement Garden on holiday with me because, well because it was short. I wanted to get through a book a day and at 140 pages it was a prime candidate. And it has turned out to be the second best McEwan I've read.

It is a disturbing tale, written and set in the 1970s, of four children aged between 6 and 17 who fend for themselves when they are orphaned. The narrator is the 15 year old boy and you witness the death of his parents and the unusual relationship he has with his two sisters through his adolescent eyes. It is cold and grey and distant, like most of McEwan's work that I've read, but has sufficient wit, energy and shock factor to keep me interested, at least for 140 pages.

I really should stop reading his stuff now but I think there is a paperback of Saturday somewhere on my shelves.

The premise of Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden is simple and haunting: four children are left alone in their empty neighborhood when both parents die. Convinced that if they reveal their secret they will be separated, they drag their mother's body to the cellar and entomb her in a cement-filled trunk. Each of the children deal with their secret independence differently: the youngest boy experiments with cross-dressing and acting like a baby, Sue retreats into reading and writing, Julie primps and preens and brings home a 23-year old snooker player, and the eldest boy, our fourteen year old narrator, stops bathing and spends his waking hours reliving disturbing incestuous sexual memories. Through the surprisingly plain and direct prose, McEwan makes his readers question their real feelings on the social taboos touched on in the novel. Are we titillated? Or disgusted and appalled? A good hard look at some of the things we gloss over and pretend don't exist within ourselves. There is an undeniable visceral logic to the decisions the children make, no matter how morbid or 'wrong' they may be. It is a touching, vivid account of human perverseness and a lesson in adolescent psychology that is both entertaining and easy to gobble up in a day.

I initially chose to read McEwan because I had an assignment in my english class. I then chose The Cement Garden because it seemed like a quick read and the reviews were positive. I'm not going to dam the book, but it was boring. Plain and simple. The whole incest thing was disgusting, and I don't care about exploring anything. If a writer is going to talk about it, at least make it sophisticated.
Sorry to those who enjoyed it.
Hope this helps!

Ian McEwan is one of my favorite writers. He seems to focus either on the very educated, upper-crust of British society or the tough lower classes. This is definitely a story of the latter. The story, in a nutshell, is: The parents of a working class family die, leaving the children to fend for themselves. This is no Party of Five, however. They keep the death of their mother a secret so that they do not become wards of the state. Things deteriorate quickly. They were already bad while the parents were still alive (incestuous play among the children). With the parents out of the picture, the narrator - a fourteen-year-old boy - stops bathing and becomes anti-social. His little brother decides he wants to be a girl and dresses up in girl's clothes.

This is a disturbing read. It reminded my of some of McEwan's short fiction in First Love, Last Rites. To give you an idea, Stephen King lists it as one of his favorite horror novels and it is listed in Horror: Another 100 Best Books. Like Lord of the Flies, it is a spooky tale of children left to their own devices.

I face this book (and the many others like it) from a different point of view... if you need a book first to find your way around in SL, you better should not be there at all. Every user with a little but of mind will not need it. On this specific title it also annoyed me to see, that knowing second life, I partially see this as a clique of SL veterans celebrating themself... always the same names.
Just go there instead. look around, use your eyes and mind. Look at the menues. Save the money for the book amd use it to settle in SL instead...

Sure, sure, second life - what is that? Well, take it from someone older than 21 by many years, this is the best game around! Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law, I can shop, dance, party, meet new friends, and never leave my home! Check out this great addition to the Second Life Scene.

Very good starter book for the absolute newbie. Really helps to get on and start having fun.

I think this book is great for learning the basics, for understanding how Second Life works, and for gaining a flavour of what awaits you.

But, as is often pointed out, such guides are very quickly out of date. And what it doesn't give you, is a real insight into what really goes on every day in-world.

For this, you need to check out the free guide to Second Life, The AvaStar (www.the-avastar.com). It's an online newspaper covering the news, business, fashion, travel, entertainment and events of the virtual world, and every week publishes a 'Guide to...' feature, focusing on the best places to go in-world.

If you read through the paper once, you'll immediately gain an excellent understanding as to what is going on in the world. (All the back issues are available to download for free at the website).

Good luck and have fun!

Book was what it was advertised to be. Full of easy to understand instructions. Excellent buy.

The book arrived in good shape and was on time. I started reading it and thought it is going to pick up soon. The problem was it never did. I was disappointed and the other thing was I wanted more jack Wagner they only referenced him a couple of times.

This was a strange book for me because it was like being on a rollercoaster. At times I loved it, and then there were times I was bored silly and falling asleep. I finished the book just because I liked the 80s references, even though the book didn't have much to do with Jack Wagner (I think that was just a way to lure people to buy the book). If you like the 80s, then this book might be worth a read. But I probably won't buy another one from this author because it just took me too long to get through this one.

"Getting over Jack Wagner" is one of the most refreshing books that I have read in a long time. In fact, I read it in one day because it flowed so seemlessly! I think there's a little Eliza in all of us--being preoccupied with rock stars, wearing black and living inside one's own head. I highly recommend giving this book a try.

This book is kind of like High Fidelity on estrogen, and that's a good thing. As a pop culture junkie, I got a kick out of all the references scattered throughout. Who doesn't remember their first rocker crush?

Juska knows how to use flashbacks to push the book forward, which is not an easy feat. Some authors tend to overuse flashbacks, stopping their story in the process. In her hands, though, it works.

This book kept me laughing throughout and turning the pages. I even read it twice. It's a great light read, but not so fluffy that you feel your IQ dropping as you read it.

Juska's deeply pleasurable novel transcends its chick-lit trappings. Packed with hysterical pop-culture references and moments of genuine insight, it's the kind of book that will have you both nodding your head and laughing out loud. You don't need to be a child of the '80s--or a female--to appreciate such high-quality, flat-out fun writing.

This book awakened & crystalized many feelings I've had about my own sister's tenuous mental health and the responsibility I've struggled with -- alternately accepting and rejecting my need to care for her and the burdens that go with it. I am awed by Carolyn's unconditional and unwaivering support of her sister as she walks the tightrope between non-attending psychiatrist and caring sister. I am awed by both sisters' candor and by Pam's willingness to share the tortuous details of her personal demons and their repercussions. Dealing with mental illness takes courage and a relentless will to keep trying. This book is inspirational.

How fascinating...identical twins; one with schizophrenia and the other a psychiatrist, how unusual. This is a memoir written by Carolyn and Pamela Spiro. Each describes what is was like to deal with Pamela's mental illness throughout their lives.

I expected amazing insights into how this horrible mental illness shaped both sister's lives but I finished this memoir feeling like there was so much left unsaid that I never got a clear image of what was going on in the Spiro family.

I felt like Carolyn and Pamela's honesty about their feelings toward each other was just beginning to emerge at the end of the book and then the book was finished.

I would have liked to have heard more about how the other family members dealt with their feelings toward Pamela's illness and how that effected Pamela. The rest of the family, their parents and two siblings, one who also becomes a psychiatrist, seemed to be almost completely left out of the book, which seemed awkward and strange to me. Their father barely speaks to Pamela for years and not much is said about it beyond that fact.

I was deeply saddened to follow the constant crisis of Pamela's existence, it was/is just horror after horror. The illness itself, the lack of consistent health care providers, the harsh and sometimes cruel treatment received from hospital staff, the side effects of the medications... It was all very sad.

Overall I felt like there was more left untold than told in this memoir and because of that it was not a satisfying reading experience for me.

Hi, I have a schizophrenic sister, and this book is about the best I've seen for getting the experience right. Quite amazing as it's written in alternating chapters by the schizophrenic sister and the saner one... An easy read too, and often a lot of fun actually (schizophrenia definitely has a hilarious side) tragic though it is...

This book reminded me of A Beautiful Mind, in that it helped me develop a deeper understanding of how somone with Schizophrenia might be feeling and how it is for families to have a member with this illness.

This is a very well written book that details the life of twin sisters as they suffer the life long disorder of schizophrenia. While only one is clinically affected by this disorder, the other twin suffers its affects as she tries to cope with a 'crazy' twin. As an undergraduate psychology major, I found this book to be a worthwhile read, as it not only shows the course of schizophrenia and the disorder's affects on family members, but it also proved to be an excellent perspective on the history of mental illness and treatment options in the United States.

Schizophrenia is a truly devestating disorder, so don't expect this to be a feel good kind of novel. However, it is an interesting read that provides a solid account of schizophrenia in an easy to understand style.

This book is exactly the kind of stuff that drives him Fing nuts. The guy gets no respect! I mean, did you check out Ellen last Tues with Sting on her 100 show? Please. He hit his 10 K show recently with not so much as a quieff from anyone in the trade. Now thats staying power. So with Japanese, Swedish and Mexican rip off versions of his bits, leave the poor guy alone. Tu Sabes? Don't buy this piece of crap book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Very funny! I've listened to the Stern Show for many years and got a whole new appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes and for the people that interact with Stern. The photos were great too. I laughed my ass off at Dan's determination to give Howard an Emmy Award and the way he crashed Howard's Birthday Party. I didn't expect the book to be so well made. It's got a gold stamping under the bookcover of Howard (very artistic) and another gold stamping with the words "F-Jackie!" on the back. This is the perfect gift for any Stern Fan.

This book is a must read for any journalist doing a story on Stern.

Any Howard fan will enjoy this walk behind the scenes of the Howard Stern Radio Show. Dan writes intelligently & with wonderful humor. A must read.

I consider myself to be one of the elite Stern fans...an uberfan, should I say. For those of you who don't know what I mean it is a fan who idolizes Howard and the show, who listens every day, who watches the E! show every day, who reads Howard's books, etc., etc., etc... Dan Wagner is in a league of fandom all to his own.
In this book, he writes of his exploits and adventures that the show has inspired him to go on. He has visited Elephant Boy's house, he has hung out with the wacky Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, he has taken publicity photos with Fred Norris and his band, King Norris...all of these excursions and more are detailed in Dan's book. Dan's sense of humor is also a plus. He describes things in a very unique and comedic way, all the while staying easy to read (after reading a lot of Tom Clancy, ANYTHING seems easy to read) and interesting. His Emmy Award scam alone was a highlight of the book.
For anyone curious as to how superfans live and act, read this book. For anyone curious as to the obsession we have, read this book. For a unique insight into the mind of a superfan, READ THIS BOOK.

I pooped my pants after I watched this manuscript! It is like some sort of very good book...boooooooy! Ronald Starn is a poop-your-pants-out-loud-in-someone's-face-funny disk monkey! Too bad this book are in Anglish, cuz I speak mostly Fartmanian. Boo-Yah!

Set in the cultural mecca of Mid-City, Ohio, this engaging story revolves around a German family trying to get by. The main character in this story works directly for his father in the family run business of "Schlumber Queen", a mattress store set in the heart of Mid-City. There are the normal problems of marriage and children, but the best thing about this story is the language.

Katherine does an outstanding job relating the problems of life through the eyes of a middle-aged man. I find it refreshing to see an author embark on such a journey. The characters are well developed, and the descriptive language adds to an already great literary experience. I found myself wanting to know more about this family, and I do believe that this is a book that I would buy for myself.

The character of "Hammy", the patriarch, is especially revealing, and his relationship with the main character is an interesting one. I enjoyed the lush depiction of the German "Oktoberfest", which includes a varied narration on the season of bugs; "It was mostly a massacre, a plague of bugs juiced under our windshield wipers after just having had sex."

This delightful descriptor comes to us courtesy of an imaginative mind, and it has all the makings of an excellent novel. I would recommend this book to my literary colleagues, and I found it to be one of the best reads for me so far.

The first person narrator of this story uses an ornate style which refers to outside events but never directly narrates. There are no dialogs, only disjointed one liners. None of the character's are described so far except for "Hammy" the narrator's father. The narrator's voice is oddly androgynous and lacking point of view, but cascades a humorous stream of images.

The following chunk of text illustrates this unusual style: "Across the street was the Solomon Fish Auction House, specializing in Mid-City estates, and then Mike's Bar and Grill. The record-breaking heat, set loose on the city since July, had melted pedestrians into a mirage. Head Start kids-their oversized rappers' pants bizarrely sexual-were fingerprinting our showcase on their way to public transit. Peanut butter? Ham hock? Once (accidentally) Hammy had said to Slim, "Imagine having to take that bus." Below his shirt (white, short summer-sleeved,) and thin gray tie, a white Naugahyde fanny pack life lined my father to some happier moment, to the moment, in fact, when he had made the purchase to prevent pick pocketing in the Highlands."

This is not so much as a paragraph as a sequence of non sequiturs, admitedly with a certain charm and evocative feel. Those who like this unique progression will love it; others may find that they can not engage with the characters or the story at all.

What in the world is this story about? It is so weighed down with meaningless words that it becomes a jumble of thoughts that do not ever merge into a cohesive story. It's so confusing and actionless that I could barely finish reading it.

I think this could make an interesting story - a man who is having a secret affair with his mother-in-law - but not, evidently, in the hands of Katherine Guckenberger. The discussion of German history and influence in Ohio could also make for a fascinating story, but here, it's boring and weighs down the story. I just found the whole thing clumsy, plodding and incredibly dull.

Set in one of America's melting pots along the Ohio River, filled with new world characters minding a mattress store and searching for their roots while denying the sins of the homeland, this excerpt kept me reading from start to finish. With ironical humor the author gives us a community of Irish, German, and African extraction, settled along the decaying waterway. Strong characters like Hammy, the eighty-five-year old patriarch who dons a kings outfit for commercials as he guards a modern money belt with paranoidal zeal. A historically delusional mother, Kate, who yearns for her Appalachian roots. Agressive sister Glenn who makes a game of sticking seventeen-year-locusts on the shirts of attendees at the first revived Octoberfest celebration. And the narrator who lives in a tudor house on the hill, manages the mattress store, has newborn twins at a fairly late age, and all the while is having an affair with his mother-in-law. All of this in the first few pages. I can hardly wait to see what's in store for this zany cast.

I was hoping for a compelling read here based upon the synopsis and the reviews, but I didn't really find it in this entry. Maybe I'm just missing something here, but I just couldn't engage in this story. The opening description of weather and scenery seemed long and unnecessary to me when the real story began further down the page. And the name of the protagonist sounded a little too tongue-in-cheek. Interesting premise, though.

A History of Violence is a graphic novel written by John Wagner with art by Vince Locke. It details the story of a simple man named Tom McKenna, who becomes a local hero after saving his store from armed robbers. This attention attracts the mob, who come after McKenna to make him pay for crossing them years before.

I'd heard good things about this novel, from friends, comic book aficionados, and press generated by the movie adaptation (which I have not seen). What I got though, was a pretty standard "movie of the week" crime drama. There's nothing here that hasn't been done in the genre before, and if you make up your own story about mobsters back for revenge, you'll likely come up with a similar story outline to what's presented here. Bad dialogue creeps in occasionally ("Then you best have your coffee first!"), and cliches are rampant - a man with a hidden past who turns into Rambo at all the right moments, boys with enough luck and guts to steal from the mob, the disfigured henchman, a crime boss who channels DeNiro's Capone from The Untouchables, etc. The level of violence is notable, but again on par with genre giants like The Godfather and Scarface. Heck, there's even some chainsaw action thrown in for good measure.

Locke's art is heavily sketchy/scribbled in, and it works in that "so bad it must be groundbreaking and artsy" kinda way to trick the reader into thinking they've got more than they actually have. If you're looking for notable comics to read outside of the superhero pool, you're best trying something else first. And if you want a crime drama to spend time with, there's 100 Bullets, Sin City, and numerous others to try first.

Like so many others, I only picked this up long after seeing David Cronenberg's film, and I must say, the film is superior in almost every way. As written by John Wagner, "A History of Violence" is the passable but generally lightweight (and emotionally inert) tale of Tom McKenna, a small-town soda-shop owner who thwarts a robbery, becomes a local celebrity, and draws the attention of mobsters who claim to know him from long ago; this triggers a new chain of violence that stems from a decades-old crime from Tom's youth and threatens the safety of his family. While the film follows this general outline, it wisely junked much of what Cronenberg called "not very believable mob stuff" in favor of a character study that, while sometimes flawed, was much more effective. The graphic "History" reads well and quickly, but the artwork (by Vince Locke) is another story; I once had a high-school art teacher who taught me how to discern between "shading" and simply darkening a drawing, and Locke's sloppy, scribble-heavy style (though I'd go out on a limb and say I can draw better) is not only confusing to look at (with a lack of consistency in character appearance and detail in hectic scenes), but seems like an incorrect tonal match for the story Wagner is telling. Even Cronenberg (well after he'd sculpted the "History" script into a different beast with Josh Olson) admitted that the graphic novel wasn't strong enough visually to have any bearing on his own directorial vision, and it's easy to tell why. Perhaps those who go into this "History" dry will have a better appreciation of it, but for me, it simply pales in comparison to the film.

The other night I was listening to old time radio and an episode of Suspense came on called "Night on Red Mountain". Listening to the episode I came to know that the author(s) of this graphic novel/film borrowed HEAVILY from this episode. You can listen to it yourself to find out. It's too funny really.

I found you out John Wagner!

I saw the film first and usually in an adaptation, there are things that are naturally lost such as internal thoughts. And so I read it with the idea that there would be nuances and depth that couldn't be caught on film. Instead of juxtaposing the killers actions against lazily checking out of a motel, Wagner just has them shoot down two kids. Yawn! And instead of the vast improvement Cronenberg took in making Tom's character a dangerous man, the novel's Tom is the good guy who got mixed up in a bad scene because of his allegiance to a friend. YAWN! All the other characters in the novel, including Tom, come across as uninteresting and wooden, the family adding no conflict to Tom's dilemma. All in all, a tepid, uninteresting, too long story gratefully remedied by an excellent film.

When I watched A History of Violence earlier this way, I was impressed. It took the "American Dream" family, and threw them into a terrible situation, yet wasn't entirely predictable. Unfortunately, it suffered from a bit of lack of interest, for lack of better term, about 2/3 through, and kind of lost itself. Regardless, I loved the movie, and made sure to check out the source material it was based on. Imagine my surprise when I read even 1/4 of the book and discovered that the movie took out TONS of things. Finishing the book, I've come to the conclusion that when placed next to it, the movie pretty much pales in comparison. But I'm not one of those people that freaks out and claims that one has to be better than the other- they're both good in their own right, offering things the other doesn't. Though I do admit, the book kept me interested 100% through, from beginning to end. A History of Violence is an extraordinary title, and as the intro by the author explains, is better than any fantasy epic could be if only for the fact that this sort of thing happens every day in real life. Unassuming normal, everyday people get tossed into terrible scenarios, and it's not pretty. That's scarier than some bald guy in purple and green trying to take over the world any day. Imagine getting death threats via someone next to you while you're taking a break at lunch getting shot right through the head, then a call later saying that it was just a warning, and they're watching your every move. What would you do? This book does just that, and then some.

Tom McKenna is your average Joe, living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else on a first name basis. He runs a small diner, and gets along with everyone quite well. It's a dream city if you ask me- never any trouble, everyone goes about their own business, has manners, etc. But one night, just as he's about to close up the shop, two men come in demanding coffee, despite being told that they're about to close. One of the people leaving the diner automatically knows that these two men are dangerous, and calls for the police. She was right- the two men just killed two people earlier that day, and have planned on a stickup for some quick cash. What better location than a town in the middle of nowhere? Unfortunately, for them at least, Tom knows how to handle the situation. Being held at gunpoint, he gives them their coffee alright- splashing some in one guy's face, then breaking the coffee pot over another's. He reverses the gun on one man and blasts him several times, shooting him right through the glass door. Who knew he had it in him? Certainly not the townsfolk, much less his family. News about the situation gets out, though Tom lays low and insists everyone go back to their daily lives. It's almost like he knew something bad would come of it, as soon after he's shown on tv, some very serious, shady characters begin to follow him around town in a black car. One of them says that he knows Tom, but calls him Joey. The man is clearly dangerous- missing an eye and covered in scars, and gives Tom a scare once he walks through the door. Yep, they know each other, especially since the man has Tom's finger that he claims was lopped off in a boating accident. From here on, it's Tom's word against theirs, as he tries to keep his family safe. But they're not safe- they're being followed around as well, and things go downhill from there. Even after the situation is seemingly taken care of, Tom still has to explain his past- who he really is and what it is that he did to make these people come after him...and come face-to-face with the root of the issue, involving someone who he thought was long dead.

A History of Violence is divided into three chapters- Tom dealing with the thugs, explaining his background, and the resolution of him dealing with the problem head-on. And each chapter keeps you excited, never wanting to put the book down. I made the mistake of bringing the book to work, reading it on my breaks, and often found myself taking somewhat extended ones all too often, and even a few extra ones. The book is that good. There's never a dull moment, the pacing moves fast yet steady, and there's always some new twist to spark your interest just in case you might have gotten tired. I actually recommend watching the movie first just so you don't get disappointed seeing it with the full book in your memory, and seeing that most of it is left out. Everything here blends together so well, it's hard to compare it to any other Stateside graphic novels. Some have claimed that the book is incredibly graphic in terms of violence, but I strongly disagree. Compared to a series like Sin City or Berserk, AHoV is nothing. Presented in black and white, most of the blood is done in a nice spotted ink look, which blends in with most of the scenery and characters. There are also a lot of cutaways from those especially violent moments, such as when a thug gets his hand removed via an elevator. Just as he realizes that it's about to be taken off, we go from a face shot of him screaming in agony, then immediately to another location. It would've been rather boring for them to stay on it for so long, wouldn't it? When people are shot, which happens frequently, they just get shot, and it's done. No multiple panels showing the wound or guts flying everywhere. Once it's done, it's done, like an old western movie. But, there was one panel, that took up an entire page actually, that literally had me say, "oh my god" when I saw it. It was something I didn't expect, and I sure won't spoil it here. When you think of someone being tortured, I'm sure you expect just a bunch of cuts, bruises, and maybe some broken bones. Trust me when I say that the torture results here are by far the most extreme I've ever seen. Also worth mentioning is how Tom and one of his buddies take care of a mob boss, literally wiping the smile off his face, ten fold.

If I had any complaints, and it really caused me to reconsider giving this a 5 star overall rating, it's the art style. It's not that it's BAD by any means, just...well, it looks like story boards done by a high school art student. Literally, the characters and scenery are all sketchy, and it's hard to tell some characters apart most of the time unless they're wearing distinctly different outfits. During Tom's flashback, I really couldn't tell the difference between him and Richie during close-up shots. In the book's introduction, the writer explains that the book was a bit rushed, done without any real thought aside from some quick inspiration. Not to insult his vision, but it shows through the art. But, at the same time, had anyone else done it, I don't know if it would've turned out as good, like what I just mentioned about the quick cuts from gun shots and everything. I don't know, it'd be interesting to see AHoV redone with a different artist, keeping each panel the same regarding content. Everything else though, such as the text, is easily readable and I have no other gripes...aside from the book ending. I really want to see more of these characters. They're all so real, especially the mob guys. The way they talk is somewhat typical, yet they're a blast to read.

AHoV is definitely worth your time and money, especially with how cheap it is now. It's a prime example of how comics aren't "just for kids" like some would have you believe. Again though, if you have any intention of watching the movie, watch it before reading so you won't end up hating it for everything it's worth. I can't wait to read this again, which I plan on doing multiple times.