Warner Books

I THINK THIS STORY IS VERY TOUCHING. AS A PERSONAL FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR, I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THAT SHE WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH TERROR. LANEY IS A VERY FRIENDLY PERSON. SHE BRIGHTENS UP THE OFFICE AT WORK WITH HER SMILE AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. SHE'S ALWAYS CHEERFUL AND FRIENDLY. INSTEAD OF COFFEE IN THE MORNING TO WAKE ME UP, I JUST GO AND VISIT LANEY.

The Mud People describes the powerful and difficult journey of a young girl seeking to find the truth in her painful world. The story unfolds through her eyes, and the voice which is created as a result is innocent, honest, and very moving- for in her simplicity there lies a depth which speaks directly to the reader with heartfelt force. Laced with powerful imagery throughout, the tale quickly takes hold of the reader to usher them into the silent inner space where true pain and joy lie. Her journey of discovery and recovery is one which might spark hope in the hearts of us all.

I am Laney's youngest sister and have suffered from the emotional and verbal abuse referred to in her story. Her book was able to put in words something that was buried deep and locked tightly inside of me since childhood. It is my hope that many wounded survivors will find their way to this book of gentle healing and journey out of the darkness into light and life.

Laney MacKenna Mark is my great aunt.And in the book the sister refered to as Reene was my grandmother, so for me this book ment more than it would to the average reader. But if I were to look at this as an regular person I would still rate it the same. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone..

As an avid reader of many, many books on healing of emotional and physical abuse, this little book, The Mud People is one of the finest little books I have ever come across. I have continually recommended this book to many people who have suffered emotional and physical trauma from parents and family. It is so profound in its story of a little girl who had a small inner voice who kept nudging her, reminding her that she had worth and value. Having the courage to leave the tribal-minded thinking of her abusive family and begin a journey that would lead herself to her own true worth. When you first pick up this little book and start reading it you might be tempted to think that it was a childrens book, written for children, but I assure you it is for adults. It brought tears to my eyes as I read the story, and made me appreciate the courage it takes to leave an abusive people and claim value for oneself....and the expected anger and rejection that will follow from family and parents when they realize they can no longer control or dominate. The book makes powerful yet subtle insights about the tribal thinking patterns, the family history of abuse from generation to generation, and the courage of one child to break the rules of abuse and leave it behind. It will help those who have grown up with cruel and insensitive parents and family. It will help those of sexual abuse and it will confirm and support that inner voice that speaks to many of us which says....there must be a better way, I must have self-worth and I am willing to risk finding it, even if it means leaving people who are not willing to journey with me into healthy-minded relationships. Read this little book....it will help you.

Over My Dead Body is the seventh in the Nero Wolfe series. A young lady claiming to be Wolfe's adopted daughter from Yugoslavia asks for his help with a charge of stealing diamonds but this quickly evolves into a situation where she is suspected of murder. The case frustrates Wolfe no end, it gets more complicated all the while, but of course he manages to uncover the solution by the end of the story.

This book is a prime example of a Nero Wolfe novel. Archie Goodwin is in top form as a wise cracking pain-in-the-neck. Inspector Cramer is present more than a lot of stories giving Goodwin plenty of opportunities for zingers besides the ones he routinely fires at Wolfe. Wolfe himself is definitely out of his comfort zone dealing with the situation of his adopted daughter and this also adds to the potential for laughs.

This is a very entertaining book and I would recommend it for readers unfamiliar with Nero Wolfe as a great place to start or for established fans.

In this Nero Wolfe mystery-one of the earlier episodes-we encounter Wolfe's adopted daughter, who is in a bit of a fix. Wolfe comes to the rescue and along the way, shares little glimpses into his past: his tumultuous youth in Europe; the origins of his suspicion of all women; how he came to adopt a child. In this book, probably more than any other in Rex Stout's series, do we see the effect that women-especially those from the former nation of Yugoslavia-have upon Wolfe's psyche. It's a good read-a good mystery with a great plot-like pretty much all of Stout's works.

This book hits on all cylinders. The plot is excellent, intricate but clear. The characters are well drawn. The atmosphere, New York on the eve of World War II, is almost palpable. The dialogue is perfect. I'm at a loss as to what else to say about the book except, "Read it."

A Britsh undercover agent is murdered at a Manhattan fencing school, skewered by an epee with a gizmo attached that turns it into a weapon sans blunt end. Yugoslav women who are instructors there are possible suspects, one of whom is Nero Wolfe's adopted daughter from his days as an ill advised Austrian agent in the Balkans, pre World War, before we started numbering them. This alone is a startling revelation about Wolfe. Wolfe slender? Youthful? Abroad, outside, involved with people? I was astonished.

As usual, the beer drinking, orchid collecting, erudite, corpulent food lover Nero Wolfe declines, under any circumstances, to leave his brownstone abode with a greenhouse rooftop for his rare flowers. Using Archie, his assistant, as legs, Wolfe solves the baffling case. I knew he would. He's solved all the other mysteries in the Nero Wolfe books I've read.

Mystery fans who have not read mysteries from the golden age (pre-1950) do not know what they are missing. There is no sex to lure the lascivious reader, very little violence, no profanity. What there is (and this book is an excellent example of the sub-genre) is intelligence.
That's a rare commodity in most modern mysteries.

This is, at once, one of the best books in the series and one which translated brilliantly to TV on the A&E series.

Rex Stout decides to deal us a little shock in this one: Nero Wolfe, woman-hater, has a daughter he's not seen since she was a baby. She comes from Yugoslavia to New York, unknown to her pops, and gets into a real tight spot involving murder by "coldymort."

When Archie learns this, he considers resigning on the basis of his boss's morals. You just have to read this one to find out.

Or, again, buy the A&E series - they did a great job here.

Having read just about all of the Nero Wolfe series, I have to say, this one contains all of the elements that make Rex Stout's detective novels wildly entertaining, without most of the elements that make some of them maddening

In this mystery, the utterly unswashbuckling Wolfe is revealed, in his younger, svelter days, to have been quite a romantic. Not only did he fight on the anti-Imperial side in Montenegro during the Great War, but he adopted and may even have actually sired a young girl.

To his shock, this young Yugoslav maiden--whom he had lost track of--reappears in his life, up to her neck in a particularly messy, intricate affair that may or may not include missing diamonds, a dead body or two, international intrigue, and a bellboy's uniform. For all of the peeks into Wolfe's previously unsuspected soul, he remains as crumudgeonly and as immovable as ever. Archie Goodwin, of course, remains the wisecracking, milk-drinking sidekick, flirting with anything in a skirt and even giving a Nazi agent a black eye just for the fun of it.

The joy of these books is their marriage of the American gumshoe attitude and the British cozy focus on character. Where they generally fall short is their plotting. This entry in the series is, without a doubt, the most successfully rounded out of the lot. Stout manages to keep the mystery truly mysterious, and yet never manages to confuse the reader so thoroughly that s/he can't find the exit. The plot actually ends on the last page--many of the Nero Wolfe mysteries fizzle out, wrapping up a chapter or two before the end, leaving nothing but rumination and grumbling for the final pages. Others seem never quite to wrap up all the loose ends. Here, the conclusion is both inevitable and unexpected--utterly satisfying.

I read the book telling the story of Sam in 1980, straight after it was published in my language. I thought it was a very interesting book of a young boy or better a very young man which was very courageous.
I also bought the book long ago and have read it many times. Just yesterday I began to read it once again and wondered if I could get more information of Sam in the Internet. I was very sorry to learn, he really is dead, although it was not a big surprise. I would like to know more of him, as how it all was after the transplantation.
I recommendate the book for everybody, it really is worth to be read.
God bless Sam's family.

Help! How can I make those voting buttons!

I only just read this book recently after seeing the movie. I found the movie good, but had the feeling there were a lot of holes and unanswered questions. So I started to search the internet for information on Sam Alden, coming up with absolutely nothing, until I finally found a book of the same name by a Victoria POOLE. Realizing it must be the same person, but that they'd changed the name in the movie, I clicked on it and read the reviews. I immediately ordered the book, and was totally wrapped up in it. Sam's strength and courage is an inspiration to me, as I'm sure it was and will be to a lot of people. When Sam says the stronger the pain gets, the more you learn to handle it, you just adjust, it makes me feel that I can take anything coming to me, if I just think of these words. I had cancer 4 years ago, and I'm glad I got through it. I agree with Sam, there's a lot one can take if one has to.
I was really sad when I read the reviews and found out that Sam had eventually died. I don't know when it happened, how long he survived after the transplant, but I want the Poole family to know that he won my heart in retrospect and that, in inspiring all of us to just deal with things and live, he will always live on.

I'll never forget reading a paperback copy of this book while on vacation as a teenager. It made such an impact on me then, and now, as a parent myself. I distinctly remember so much of this book and of Victoria's photos. For a little paperback I read one summer so many years ago to still be able to make me cry upon its memory is a sign of a powerful book. Highly recommended reading!

I remember picking up a paperback version of Thursday's Child in the Portland Jetport while on a layover from a business trip in 1981. And I remember being overwhelmed by the story and by the love, strength and dedication of the Poole family. Mostly, I remember being in awe of Sam's courage. Victoria Poole made us laugh with her sometimes wry observations, she touched all of our hearts and she communicated a powerful message about the importance of family. Actually, her writing made us feel as if we were right there with the family, whether at the "Sunday picnics" or in the waiting room at Stanford University Medical Center. I still have that faded, tattered paperback and I must admit I re read it occasionally - usually when I need to be reminded that my daily problems are miniscule compared to what Sam and his family faced. And, yes, I think all of our hearts broke a little when we heard that Sam died. He was a hero for all of us and it would have been grand to see him remain at the top of the glass mountain forever. I have often thought of writng Mrs. Poole to tell her the impact her story had on how I view life and its challenges. For now, however, I will simply say a public thank you to "Aunt Vic" and the rest of the Poole family for sharing their lives with us.

Sam Poole was my uncle. I never got to meet him because he died before I was born. However, from what I know of him he was a great person. I have heard stories and I feel like I know him through the rest of my family. Thursday's Child tells a remarkable story that is really a page turner. It hit home for me because it was written by my grandmother and talked about all the members of my family. My grandmother doesn't talk about writing the book all that much but I have read it and I know about it from my other family members. I recommend this book to anyone, it tells a story of any normal family and one incident that changes their whole lives.

This book made me laugh until I cried. Clearly the author has "been there." Forget about the recipes; it's the commentary that matters. I particularly liked the cookies sent to the child at boarding school with "love from Mummy" written in the cook's handwriting.

10/24/03 The book is entertaining with much levity since it comes across absurd(e,g recipe for Green Leaf Salad: Boston lettuce,red oak leaf lettuce,Newman's Own Salad Dressing)...or.. "Mary's Knees" :orange juice,lemon juice,lime juice,lemon vodka(Absolut Citron),Grand Marnier liquer).The book does not come across "as believable",based on books and other mediums(TV,Magazines) for biographies and autobiographies which have exposed the "life styles" of the "low keyed" bluebloods(The Paparazzi have shown their radicals such as the Spencer Family(Princess Diana),Kelly Family (Princess Grace).The rich's conservatism with their cash have made them able to be philanthropists and "powers behind the throne" of most politicans(who do take them seriously!)..The products mentioned (in the many foods not made from scratch e.g. for "Barn Parties:"Spring Chicken Potpies( ingredients incuded 4 cans of chunk white chicken(5-oz ea.)..4 cans creamy potato soup(10 oz ea.)...6 pkg. of pie crust mix (10 oz. ea)) as well as the events,categorized by season(e.g. Winter:Debutante Ball Cocktails(Pg 90) appear to show a faction not "atypical" of the sterotypes which have been depicted.(Possibly because the book shows "only leisure time"(before graduation from school,at lunches,brunches,showers,weddings,egg hunts,fox hunts);not inside the corporate board rooms or an actual easedropping of the "cigar guys" in their private clubs..

Alexandra Wentworth should receive the Nobelprice for collecting these recipies. Also the comments were great fun to read.

This is a great book. I bought it for myself - and I'm now buying them for my WASP girlfriends for their birthdays - a very funny book with some good (not great) recipes.

SAMPLE REVIEW, (ONE OF 3) FROM THE COVER OF THIS BOOK: 'A very funny, nostalgic trip through WASPland. Chock-full of sociological information".....Letitia Baldridge

If you are a person who pronounces the word as "QU-LIN-AIR-Y', and NOT as "cull-in-ary'; if you admire and aspire to the "WASP" (White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant) lifestyle, love books such as "Elegance", by Genvieve Darieux, and "Faro's Daughter" by Georgette Heyer, (which....I herein must admit, in shameless self-promotion, that I have also reviewed for Amazon), and all other exquisitely written regency novels...would die to become a debutante, or a debutante's glamourous escort, if you read the "Style" sections assiduously, and agonize, daily, with your sense of fair play, and political correctness coming into conflict with your love of the good life and material success....THIS IS YOUR COOKBOOK!

It helps to have a wry sense of humour, as well, in reading this book. For the authoress, ALEXANDRA WENTWORTH, is not only a genuine, top-drawer WASP, but is also an accomplished comedienne, having appeared on "IN LIVING COLOUR", and other entertainment vehicles. (Ms. Wentworth seems to have found THE answer in how to assuage a guilty conscience and STILL enjoy the "good life": simply to SHARE the wisdom and wealth, of that good life, with others! She did so in the TV programme, "IN LIVING COLOUR", and does so, as well -- and with obvious glee and relish, (no pun intended -- by me, at least), in this book.

The book is divided, firstly, into the four seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each season has several subsections, (such as "Annual Family Meeting Tea", in 'Spring') Each subsection contains one or more receipies....many with pithy, and insightful comments showing the good, (and yes, the bad) sides, of real WASP life. For instance, in "Annual Family Meeting Tea", there are two receipies, prefaced by a delightfully humourous, and very knowing introduction. Herewith, the introduction, and one receipie, (together with the comments given)

.........A N N U A L....F A M I L Y....M E E T I N G....T E A.........

The annual family meeting used to be a time when the extended family gathered to discuss property, financial accounts, and the name of a good doctor who can declare Grandpa legally incompetent. Alas, as WASPs have, over the years, lost much of their estate and holdings, owing to n'er-do-well offspring, the annual family meeting has become more of a de facto reunion. If you have married into such a family and are of a different background, I suggest you feign the flu or a slipped disk and stay home.
As WASPs can't cook an elaborate meal, family meetings have mercifully taken on a tealike quality.

.......................M A R Y ' S.....K N E E S.......................

Serves 15-20. An important drink for calming nerves and provoking hearty laughs, (ie: add extra vodka).

6 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice
4 cups Absolut citron (lemon vodka)
2 cups Grand Marnier liqueur

Mix ingredients with plenty of ice and orange wedges.

Seven other topics, (making a total of eight topics) each including several recipies, are given for "Spring", (many with similarly pithy insights), These include one or more receipes for "Easter Supper", "Bridal Tea" and "Baby Shower Bruch" -- amongst receipies for other crucial Spring events in the WASP Calendar. In "Summer" are shown receipes for ten events, including: "June Graduation Supper", "Fourth of July Cookout", and "Wimbledon Fancy", (amongst others). "Autumn" gives receipes for six events, including "Prep School Send-Off", "A Middleburg Foxhunt" and "A Racquetball Lunch", and other important events. And "Winter" again gives culinary musts for six events, including "Debutante Ball Cocktails", "Boxing Day Lunch", and "Vail Weekend".

(This reviewer notes the fact that several receipies are given for both "Fourth of July Cookout", and for "Boxing Day Lunch". This shows this book to be a genuinely AMERICAN WASP cookbook.....as, by and large, both American WASPS -- and WASP Admirers -- find absolutely no contradiction in being proud to be American, and being an unashamed Anglopile, at one and the same time. Or, at least, we try very, very hard to find no contradiction in liking, and being proud of, our interest in both. I mean, after all, it HAS been over 200 years since the American Revolution, and, with the "Special relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. And, after all, Boxing Day DOES involve giving presents to the "help" -- which is a good, democratic idea...or is it a condescending one???? Well, it appears that, though WASP wanna-bes, like me, struggle mightily to join our sometimes conflicting admirations, real WASPS, such as Ms. Wentworth, have absolutely NO compuction of combining their seemingly conflicting admirations. At least, no apologies of any kind for admiring things English is given in THE WASP COOKBOOK. And, after all, why should there be -- as a WASP, Ms. Wentworth, and others like her, are only admiring their own genetic heritage. Oh....why can't everyone be lucky!?

I noticed, by comparing similar receipies in "The WASP Cookbook", and "The Jewish Cookbook", (by Mildred Bellin....which, yes indeed, I have also reviewed for Amazon), that the WASP recipes use FEWER INGREDIENTS. Thus, to "Waspisize" any receipie, it MIGHT be an idea to simply take away some ingredients....preferably those with the most calories or fat. However, for GENUINE Wasp receipes....along with eye-opening, very true, very humourous, and often self-depricating comments, this slim volume with 110 numbered pages, a WONDERFUL velveteen cover, (with golden printing on the cover!), and lovely pale-blue endpapers, can't be missed! It is a very true, and very real, treasure-trove, both for WASPs, and for anyone who wants to eat like one!

I read this book when I was really stressed from having three teenage daughters and a newborn. I found her wit and honesty refreshing. Just goes to show you dont have to be perfect to be a great mom. The greatest lesson was to enjoy the experience of childhood and not to stress about the things in life. Great read for ANY parent.

The author, Kay Willis, has 10 kids (yes, 10). It reads like Erma Bombeck and has wonderful advice in a non-lecturing way, makes you happy that you have kid(s). My husband is now worried that I will want lots more.

This is the best parenting book I've ever read, period. I keep it with me and read it in the car during rush hour delays, and I arrive home completely jazzed and not guilty. As a nursing mom, I also read it while expressing milk at work; it's a really uplifting book. It's essential for parents who ever feel stressed, unsure of themselves, worn down by work and kid demands, and short on romantic or even friendly thoughts.

Some examples that enticed me to actually finish the book (like most parents, I can't say that about most books these days):

* It's not too thick!!

* It was so entertaining and well-written I finished it before I knew it, and actually wished it wasn't over!

* Kay reminds parents that if they are bored or not having fun, their kids feel the same, and urges parents not to serve leftover versions of themselves. Having fun, protecting your own sense of worth and happiness are essential to a healthy family. "Having fun is an important parenting skill - if you're overcommitted and exhausted you're not much fun to be around"

* "Let the chores go and have fun with your kids" I always love to hear that.

* Kay became Fisher Price's spokesperson for a new camera toy, by betting the president of Fisher Price that she could sell more toys than their camera "expert."

* She's upbeat and crazy and shares a lot of common sense

* She relishes life.

* Kay formed a group called "Mothers Matter" to help parents network and learn, because "Motherhood is like a secret society. You don't really find out all about it until after you've been initiated."

* Kay doesn't leave out the fathers END

I almost didn't make it through this book because it starts off by telling you to take time for yourself and the author explains how her mom paid for her to have a sitter in the afternoons so she could sit at a girlfriend's and decompress, or how her husband would bathe the kids every night. I liked the later chapters better, but didn't hit any epiphanies. Maybe my expectations are too high for these books.

I thought this was a wonderful book, I enjoyed it very much. What set it apart for me is that it's a book about BEING a parent, not how to parent. It doesn't tell you how to raise your kids. It's about how parents feel and how we can feel better. It was one of the few parenting books I've read that is more likely to relieve guilt than create it.

This book has no preachy advice; the author is truly respectful of individual differences and, having raised 10 kids herself, she's nothing if not realistic. She talks a lot about "attitude and atmosphere" and how the way we feel as parents affects those things. Along that central theme the book is filled with encouragement and food for thought. She really tries to uplift parents, encourage them to enjoy the ride and offers frequent reminders of the rewards of the job.

The text is broken up by anecdotes from the author, her children and others, and quotes borrowed from everything from the Farmer's Almanac to Confucius. I pick the book up often for a shot in the arm of inspiration. The anecdotes alone could be read "Chicken Soup" style.

Best of all, perhaps, the book is an easy read. It is written in a light tone. It's short, direct, and formatted for brief reading sessions (which is all most parents really get!).

With a sense of humor and openness that only an experienced mother can portray, Kay Willis makes this parenting book fun to read. She's been there, done that, and somehow makes a reader feel that it's something she'd do again (parent another child) if given the opportunity.

I read it at a low time in my relationship with my teens and immediately felt lifted--that the things we deal with are universal to raising of kids. She really empowered me as a mother to feel that I'm doing well and that despite my best efforts life will not always be rosey. We must just keep plugging away and that sometimes what we think as a tough situation can be better handled with a different persective. I only wish she had a "Dear Kay" column!

Very usefull in order to improve jazz style after be-bop.

I already had the last book by John Riley but this one is much better, every drummer should have and practice " Beyong Bop Drumming ", I am very happy and proud to get this book. This method is really made for the be-bop fans with many examples and songs you can practice, very interesting and complete, excellent !!!

I am just about finished with Riley's other book, "The Art of Bop Drumming." I wasn't sure whether to move on into this book, or continue working on mastering the material in the first book. I decided to order "Beyond Bop Drumming" and I'm glad that I did. It addresses a number of things in more detail such as uptempo playing, and begins to get you into comping with your hi-hat foot.

This is a great follow up to his "bop drumming" book. It helps expand your versatility on the drums by adding more comping that utilizes the hi hat as part of your comping figures. The section on "implied time" is amazing. A must have for drummers who want to become a truley "musical" drummer.

this book is a great learning tool from semi-pro to professional drummers that want to refine and improve their jazz and drumming skills. The audio cd that comes with the book offers great examples of the charts and exercises listed. It also lists other recommended listening and reading material. In my opinion, this is even better than the first book from John Riley. Anyone who buys this book will not be disappointed.

I don't recall who the publisher is, but this supposed 3-year book used to come out every three years nearly a year after the fact -- meaning the book was good for only two years --and has a handy chart in the back to refer to. I wish an updated version were available. All I can find here is an out of date biorhythm book covering the past 3 years through 1999. I mean, who wants to buy a book to see how they might have been faring a year ago??? Not taking this all too seriously . . . but the logic eludes me.

I like the book it is very helpful I would like to know if there is a more recent version out. If not there should be.

I had one version of this book early on and I would definitly like this book to come out with a up to date version so I can use it like I had before.

This was a great book; however, it is now irrelevant, since the charts ended in 1999. Is a new one going to be coming out? I've been using them for at least 10 or 15 years and feel lost without it!

I loved the 1997-98-99 Edition, so I agree with other readers here. Where IS the latest edition?!! It would be a best seller, and I needed it yesterday.

This is our bible for all our rentals. The disc has all the forms you'll need, backed up by the part of the law that applies. If you have rentals in California, this should be your guide to staying out of trouble.

I have been a landlord for 12 years. Every few years I purchase a revised version just to be sure that laws haven't changed that I should know about. This book is a must if you have rentals in California. It is very easy to understand, it has all the forms you may need on CD and can be referred to quickly when questions come up. I feel I am a better landlord because of this book. I have also loaned it to my friends when they felt that their landlord had not be treating them fairly. They also found it very helpful. I wouldn't be without it.

I read through the book before renting my place, and it provided me with very useful tips on the legality of various aspects of renting one's place. It also had templates and forms which were very handy, in drawing up a lease, issuing a receipt or generating a checklist. I would recommend this book for any landlord, whether you are renting out one house or multiple.

If you're in the real estate rental business in the state of California you need this book to start out, survive, and thrive in this business. The NOLO books are written by lawyers for lay people.

The "California Landlord's Law Book: Rights and Responsibilities" covers all ground and gives you more than a legal or business understanding of real estate rental (rare but detrimental scenarios and important topics are discussed, such as Discrimination, Self-Help Evictions, Landlord's Liabilities for Dangerous Conditions and Criminal Acts, etc.)

This law book also contains all the forms you will need, both at the end as apendix and on a CD. The book is very thorough and every new edition stays abreast with the latest rental law changes in California. The only downside (unavoidable) is that every so often NOLO publishes a new edition thus somewhat outdaing previous ones.

This was the only book I needed to become a landlord in California. With the included forms on CD, I was able to easily create a lease for my tenants and feel confident that I was doing everything legally. I read the relevant sections of the book and will keep it on hand if any rental problems show up. I am very satisfied with the book selection.

Yet another gripping Judge Dee mystery! Judge Dee is better than Sherlock Holmes by far - more complicated and intricate mysteries, plus a fascinating look at daily life in China centuries ago. Also, as a protagoist Judge Dee is a much more "relatable" character. I have owned this for years, and have read and reread it a number of times - and each time I find further nuances I didn't notice before - and my enjoyment of it only increases!

Not your average mystery.
Includes great introduction. From the back cover:
"Imperial China, T'ang dynasty, seventh century A.D.--home of Judge Dee, Imperial magistrate and detective. A near mythic figure in the pre-Communist Chinese consciousness, Judge Dee distinguished himself as tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger. Long after his death, accounts of his exploits were celebrated in Chinese folklore.

The Chinese Gold Murders is one of a series of Judge Dee detective novels written in the 1950s and early 1960s by van Gulik (1910-67), a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. Van Gulik drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeeth century. His Judge Dee stories convey a more vivid insight into traditional China than can be gained from textbooks, momgraphs and documents. They provide an atmospheric introduction to life in imperial China at the local level before it was disrupted by external modern forces. This edition includes van Gulik's maps, his illustrations and an introduction by Donald F. Lach of the Department of History at the University of Chicago".

If you are looking for something completely different in mysteries, I recommend the Judge Dee books. Set in China in the 600's. Judge Dee is compared to Sherlock Holmes. Very well written with a lot of cultural information. Never dull.
The Chinese Gold Murders introduces Dee and his cohorts. Solving murders in oriental fashion. Not sparing detail on the punishment of the guilty.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS in which Judge Dee Dee investigates the murder of his predecessor -- a Magistrate who now stalks the neighborhood as a ghost.

Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a Magistrate known for his wisdom & wit in China, & his stories were a part of the local folklore. Robert Van Gulik, who had a historian's interest in China in the early 1950s, was fascinated by the tales of this judge, & finally collected & fictionalized them into four volumes.

The wit, ingenuity, & genius of Judge Dee is well reflected. Remember the old tales of King Solomon the Just -- well, give them an Asian flavor, a touch of Old China -- & you get Judge Dee.

All of Judge Dee's books are most pleasurable - - worthy of 10 stars!

I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them. However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing. The truth is almost the exact opposite.

If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had no consistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior. The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.

Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace. The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed. For serious offenses, thousands of families would all be executed.

Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court. In reality, this was never done - as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court. Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.

Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc). They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times. It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal. They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.

The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normally (euphemism - binding their feet). From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also. 10% of girls probably died from this treatment.

Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.' A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.

We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times. In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art. But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.

So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.

I'd like to give this novel three and a half stars. It is entertaining and well-written, but lacks that spark I would call "literature." Maybe I'm expecting too much.

I found the characters, Fast Eddie and Arabella, to be mundane and the plot as it developed to be predictable.

I like the premise: The late-middle-age sort of has-been pool shark who is making a come back--both in life and in his chosen "profession." Most of us late-middle-agers have been there. Not so much the come-back--that is a fantasy we hold on to--but watching the youngsters by-passing us and wanting to keep our fingernail grip on whatever talents and life we still possess. So in this sense The Color of Money is right on the money in terms of wish-fulfilment for elderly has-beens. Nevertheless, as I said, it is all a bit too pat and predictable to really satisfy the yearning for some glimmer of hope.

Frankly I liked the eponymous movie better even though it has very little of substance in common with the novel. I feel that the movie better gave a sense of desperation and doubt, and the outcome seemed less of a certainty than it did in the novel.

Also I do not play pool or have any interest in the game. I have never played nine ball and do not intend to. When I have watched pool occasionally on TV it did not strike me as a very worthwhile activity to devote one's life to, so I found it hard to identify with Eddie Felson.

This novel has interesting descriptions of academic life in the lower rungs of academia which are not too unrealistic (this is something I know about), and an excursion into art marketing. That is something I know nothing about but found interesting.

The message of the novel and film adaptation are essentially the same:
if you deny your true self, you will be left feeling empty and unfulfilled in life. You cannot give in to fear or society's definitions of who and what you should be at any point in your life. Scorsese and writer Richard Price took a lot of liberties with the story for the film adaptation. I like what they did, but I found the novel The Color of Money compelling for somewhat different reasons.

Tevis does a wonderful job of updating his Fast Eddie Felson character from the original novel, The Hustler, and the opening scenes in this book where Minnesota Fats "coaches" a middle-aged and tired Felson are outstanding. I have even more appreciation for Fats than I did in The Hustler, and it's unfortunate that Scorsese and Price choose not to include him in the movie.

Tevis has a great understanding of what drives certain people to excel at something as opposed to just getting by in life. The winner's mentality is at the heart of this novel -- as it was in The Hustler -- but now the idea is centered more around not giving up, despite what society tells each of us about what we can or cannot do (based on factors such as age, etc.).

Felson's midlife crisis is the bane of his existence, and it is only the acceptance of who he is and what he loves to do that can deliver him from his ennui. Relationships and suburban comforts are merely distractions for Felson. He needs to get back into the game that made him touch greatness when he was in his 20s.

For fans of The Hustler, this is a great compliment. If you've seen the movie a bunch of times, you will still discover a fresh story here. The angle is a bit different, and Tevis' perceptions about what it takes to rise about mediocrity are priceless.

Classic novel by a classic writer.

I'm a big fan of the movie, particularly the first restaurant scene with it's triangle of small timer, scheming girlfriend, and semi-retired hustler. But, thought the book was MUCH better. I enjoy his writing style, and although the ones I've read were on short side (Hustler, Queens Gambit, and COM), he always seems to draw me into the story. His writing is always anchored in the drama of recognizing/overcoming the psychology of self doubt and making ones way to redemption and/or self improvement. Highly recommend the book.

If you enjoyed the movie "The Color of Money" try the book from which it is loosely based. Not giving anything away, there is no Tom Cruise character, nor his movie girlfriend. If you are an "early to mid-boomer" you may especially relate to this work even if your eyes glaze over at the mention of "pool". If you read/saw "The Hustler", even better.

I have to admit I'm a fan of Scorcese's film sharing the same title, but these are two completely different stories. I was shocked at how little the two have in common, which is almost nothing.

Tevis's book paints a very different picture of Fast Eddie in the 80's. Tevis shows us a dejected man who let years of his life just pass by idly while he ran a small pool hall, as opposed to Scorcese's Fast Eddie who had become a successful liquor salesman (ironically, Tevis's Felson failed as a salesman). Not only that, the Vince character (and his t-shirt) does not really exist in Tevis's book - Felson does not take on a prodigy at all. Even Fats is back in the book.

All this drivel I've written here is to encourage you to read the book. A completely different story than what the movie offers, but one more plausibly in line with The Hustler (the book). As usual, Tevis is deft at writing the intricacies of pool and the psyche that surrounds it.