Windsor Books

In the India of 1942 two rapes take place at the same time - that of the English girl Daphne Manners in Mayapore and that of India by the British. In each physical violence, racial animosity and the domination of the weak by the strong all play their part, but playing a part too are love, affection, loyalty and recognition that the last division of all to be overcome is the colour of the skin. As the story unfolds the whole spectrum of Anglo-Indian relations is vividly evoked in a flurry of emotions, personal clashes and historical reasons which eventually prise India - the Jewel in the Imperial Crown - from its setting.
The two virtues of the novel are the colourful range of characters it skilfully portrays and its powerful evocation of the last days of British India, now quietly slipping away into history.

I know this is a classic, I know it made it to Masterpiece Theater, but I just cannot grab hold of the story. It is our book club's choice this month and I struggled to read the entire book but only made it half way through and was easily distracted by many other books.

My perception is of an old and fussy book, much like the main character. It's dense and slow and just couldn't hold me.

I am enjoying The Raj Quartet which is the first in a series of several volumes about India and the struggles between Indian and British prejudices among other things. All the characters Paul Scott introduces become involved with one another through circumstances beyond their control. I can't wait to purchase the next volume.

An Indian father brings his small boy to England and raises him there. When the boy reaches 19 in 1942, circumstances require him to return to India. Once there he finds that he has nothing in common with the Indians, and he is accepted by neither the Indians nor the British. He then develops a relationship with a British girl that heads toward a disaster.

This is an unusual book that often proceeds so slowly that you sometimes think you are reading a novel written by Proust. The first 63 pages, for example, focus on a British woman teacher who then all but vanishes from the rest of the book. Much of the story is told through the reflections of different characters who see things from different viewpoints.

The beauty of the novel is its immersion in a period of Indian history that is just 5 years short of the country's independence. Some knowledge of Indian history will help the reader to appreciate the period in which the novel takes place. On the other hand no real historical acquaintance is necessary to enjoy the story. At one point in the book an uprising takes place in one of the towns, and we see this incident from the viewpoints of a British Brigadier, and a British administrator. This section is an excellent illumination of the British philosophy, civilian and military, toward the rule of India.

This is an elegantly written book, the first of the Raj Quartet. I should perhaps stress once more that its pace is quite glacial. When you do finish it, however, you will have assimilated an interesting aspect of the final years of British rule in India.

Jewel in the crown in the first novel in a series of four that are collectively known as the Raj Quartet. I had to struggle through the first hundred pages or so but after that was completely engrossed in the story right till the end. Paul Scott not only had an amazing gift to understand the complexities of human emotions but also to articulate them in a fashion that one finds it hard not to sympathize with his characters whether one agrees with them or not.

The story takes place in the early 1940s when anti-British feelings were at an all time high in British India. During this period of unrest, two British women - both of whom, ironically, loved India and detested the snobbery and superciliousness of the ruling British - were brutally assaulted, but decide not to cooperate with the imperial police. With this as the background, Paul Scott does a masterful job (through many interesting characters) of examining and explaining the issues of racism, love, sexuality, jealousy, etc. I can't wait to read the rest of the novels in this series.

I don't think this book was quite as good as the last one but it was still very good. I liked that he finally got a "student".

Merlin, working through and with Arthur has managed to establish
Camelot, and end the wars for conquest of Britain. He now sits as a
counsellor for Arthur.

He is aging, and his powers leaving him, so he decides to train a
successor. Arthur's relatives in the north have different ambitions to
Arthur and Camelot.

Mary Stewart's rendition of this legend is my favorite by far. I take the time to read the set every year. Wore my old copy out. Thanks seller for the great experience.

Anybody who loves tales of Merlin and King Arthur will love this book! This is the third book in Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga, written from the viewpoint of Merlin, it tells the tale of how Arthur came to be the legend that everyone has heard of.

Unlike many tales of Merlin it is not a fairy tale of unbelievable magic rather it is a brilliantly written story of a man who is extremely powerful, intelligent and gifted, who has a vision of a united Britain and has found the one person who can fulfill this dream, Arthur.

Based on the Legend of Arthur it is rich in detail both of character and landscape, and genuinely takes the reader back in time to the days of chivalry and Camelot!

Arthur is now firmly on the thrown, but his worries are not over. Treachery is around him and within his own family, with the plotting of his sister Morgause and the bearing of his illegitimate son Mordred, the series continues to entertain.
The Series is completed with the next novel The Wicked Day (The Arthurian Saga, Book 4)

An OK read, but hard to take seriously a heroine so foolish as to repeatedly put herself in danger for little reason. Some excitement, but not really a page turner (little is at stake and not much reason to care about the characters). Hard to see how so many gave it 5 stars when there are so many much better mysteries out there (by this author and others).

The second Vicky Bliss book, this novel introduces us to the suave, debonair art thief, John Smythe. Vicky is intrigued when an amazing jewelry forgery shows up in Munich, where she is working for the National Museum. She decides to travel to Rome to see if she can figure out who is behind this. What she finds is a hotbed of intrigue, forgery and murder.

This is my second favorite of the Vicky Bliss novels (my favorite is the last). It is well written and Vicky is a wonderful, liberated woman.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that I've taken such delight in. Vicky Bliss is a methodical detective much like Mary Russell from the Laurie R. King series. In "Street of the Five Moons", Vicky meets her match in "John Smythe", secretary to a nobleman and art collector, who strongly resembles Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey. His playful evasiveness is a delightful foil for Vicky's determination. Peters describes Germany and Italy like she's a longtime resident and makes clever allusions to more than a few literary classics.
"Street of the Five Moons", like many series' second books, seems stronger than the first installment and has more compelling characters. Vicky's asides to the reader are also a fun device. I look forward to finishing this series and strongly recommend "Street of the Five Moons".

Elizabeth Peters excels once again at fun, suspenseful, comedic mysteries with this series. I could not put down this book. This is a great read!

As soon as I finished this book, I immediately went to the library and read the 4th and 5th in the series (I couldn't even wait to read the 3rd!) and I couldn't put them down either!! You'll stay up late just to finish them and love every minute of it!

It's been a long time since I've picked up a mystery book, and enjoyed it so much! I was up till 3 in the morning reading, I couldn't put it down. I loved the author's style- very brisk and believable, with humor and romance in all the right places. Plenty of adventure and danger too. Basically Vicky goes to Rome to find the creator of fraud jewelry. There she meets her match in "John Smythe". Whose side is he really on? And how is Vicky supposed to solve the mystery with such a distraction? I can't wait to read the other books in the series.

Page turning mystery stories had lost their appeal for me, until I was recently introduced to P.D. James via her Adam Dalgliesh mystery novel, "A Taste for Death". My renewed excitement for the murder genre is the result of enjoying the vivid writing and thoughtful character development of P.D. James. Her detailed mystery plots are creatively woven inside the fabric of engaging characters who often lead ordinary lives, before being caught in a net of intrigue. "A Taste for Death" is especially interesting for London lovers, who will find a sense of place evident in every chapter of the book's page turning plot. A new found respect for the whodunit is likewise revitalized by the originality of the very simple clue leading Dalgliesh to the killer - and the curious insight the clue brings to the lives of two innocent characters. Identifying the killer is only the beginning of the book's fast paced ending, as P.D. James introduces Inspector Kate Miskin's ordinary life into the plot. Miskin's reluctant call to family duty suddenly becomes the matrix for riveting emotion and death defying action. This P.D. James novel left a taste for reading many more murder mysteries by this gifted writer. My introduction to smart Adam Dalgliesh will result in reading many more enjoyable novels.

PD James, in this excellent 1986 murder mystery, proves once again that she is a master of her craft. James couples the best characteristics of writers like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, without some of their blemishes. Her plots are less contrived than Christie's, and her characters have more depth than Sayers'. James builds plots that lead towards the ultimate climax in a very logical way, so that if the reader is observant, they may uncover the truth before the very end of the book. I personally find this style of mystery much more rewarding than those that rely on a `twist' at the end, or a jarring change of direction from a single clue.

James writing style is precise, detail oriented (sometimes too much so) and filled with careful observations of character, including those who play only a perfunctory role in her books. She is honest in her writing, as open about her characters' faults and vices as their more admirable traits. Characters are also developed logically, especially her protagonist Dalgliesh.

In this novel, there is as special focus on Kate Misken as she is introduced as the first female member of the Special Crimes Unit. I enjoyed seeing her character developed, but did find it at times to be slightly out of sync with the pacing of the novel. Understandably James wanted to present Kate as a well rounded character, and the special emphasis she receives is not overly distracting.

If you enjoy James, or a good mystery that is also well written, you can do much, much worse. This is probably one of my favorite Dalgliesh novels, right up there with "The Murder Room" and "Death in Holy Orders." It has certainly increased my own taste for death, if only in the realm of fiction.

A police procedural set in London in the seventies (I think- UK publication date is 1986- typewriters and illegal abortions and no DNA) involving the solemn and saintly Adam Dalgliesh.
PD James offs her victims quite soon but after that can be slow going until you get involved in the whodunnit. If you're new to PD James I'd recommend persevering thought the first 20 pages and then you'll be hooked. You'll be in for a long ride at 460 pages.
My usual blasphemous criticisms of her ladyship. There's so much description of architecture it gets like reading Pevsner at times. For example "Between the windows, mounted on incongruous corbels which looked more Gothic than neo-classical were stone caryatids, whose flowing lines reinforced by the typically Soanian pilasters ..... "
She has a tin ear for dialog. The educated upper classes address each other in long formal speeches. The lower classes say "I reckon" a lot and have apostrophes to show that they leave off the g's in their present participles. There's almost no humor (except slightly in the first sentwnce).

"A Taste For Death" can perhaps be considered the first of the more modern novels in the Adam Dalgliesh series. It is in this novel that readers see the special murder investigation squad form and that readers are introduced to Kate Miskin. As always, James has crafted an intriguing mystery, filled with a wide cast of characters and twists that throw the reader off the case.

When two men are found dead in the vestry of a declining church, it seems a straigtforward case of murder-suicide. Yet one of the men was Sir Paul Berowne, a baronet and a political figure, causing the police to bring in Adam Dalgliesh and his investigating team. The straightforward case of murder-suicide is too tidy for Dalgliesh, and he must prove it to be murder, with little cooperation from anyone connected with Sir Paul Berowne.

Dalgliesh and his team must wade through stories shaded with every degree of self-preservation and deception in order to uncover the truth. But learning the identity of the murderer is not enough without one shred of evidence to connect that person to the crime. Dalgliesh and his team are thoroughly worried that their first case might end in failure. Add to that the three mysterious deaths that Sir Paul may have been involved with, and the detectives have a more complicated case than they could have imagined.

As always, James has written a first-class mystery complete with the requisite twists and turns. It seems as if every character had a perfect motive to want Sir Paul dead which makes it hard for the reader to uncover the real offender. Her novels are always a joy to read, not only for the mystery, but for the detail she lovingly gives to people and places, and for the development of characters readers will encounter time and again, or for only a short chapter or two.

Here is one of the best mysteries I have had the pleasure to read. Though I still have a few remaining works of Ms. James on my list, this book has a resonance that few authors manage to achieve. The characters and the themes blend to create a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. At its heart, this is the story of a man who after achieving everything for which he has sought finds himself curiously unsatisfied with both life and the rewards of his efforts. Accordingly, solving the mystery not only means finding out who did the deed, but why our victim was distraught and unsatisfied despite tremendous achievements. Readers of this author will immediately recognize that her protagonist struggles with related issues and the pages of this book are devoted to the creation of several like-minded characters who each add their perspective to what is in reality an attempt to solve the mystery of life itself; where can one find true happiness and satisfaction?

I believe that the special quality of this book is found in its characters; I should think that the mix is so broad that any reader can find at least one with whom to identify. It does no harm to the mystery to remark that though the victims could not be further apart in terms of social standing and achievement, the author teaches that we are all ultimately equals in death. The author also manages to keep multiple story threads open and believable--this is far more difficult a task than it sounds. Until I encountered P.D. James, I found mysteries to be much like old episodes of Star Trek--if the character who transports to the surface is not one of the regular cast you instantly know that the character has but moments to live. Likewise, too many mystery novelists betray the story early in the book or else they create characters that are incapable of stirring the emotions of the reader--flaws thankfully avoided by P.D. James.

The best fiction encourages one to think about one's own life; it encourages and suggests how we may better ourselves and the world in which we live. This book leaves its reader a better person for having encountered the story; if not, it is not the reader who is without excuse.

Highly Recommended.

As an avid regency era reader, i have read most of georgette heyers books, but this one (and Cotillion) is by far my favorite. It has many unexpected twists and turns, and not just another copy cat plot. Most of the romance stories I read have a predictable plot they meet each other and after a few minor set-backs agree they are the only two people for each other. Fridays Child is on a whole other level. Upon being rejected in love Lord Sherringham marries the first lady he meets on a whim, his young country bride ends up getting in hysterical scrapes that he has to get her out of. But does he really love her, when he married her to spite another?

I won't go through a general review of this book, except to say that although it is a great book, I preferred Cotillion. The story lines are very similar, but I found the hero in Cotillion (Freddy) more likeable than the hero in Friday's Child (Sherry). Also, you get to see more of Freddy's falling in love than you do of Sherry's.

Friday's Child is the perfect introduction to anyone who wants to give Heyer a try. Can a book just be too cute for words? Friday's Child is definitely a "cute" read with lovely characters and a story that had me laughing from beginning to end. There are no undercover spies or evil villains popping up to do the hero and heroine in. This is simply a story about a man who marries a childhood friend for convenience. The fun in reading is seeing him come to his senses as he falls in love with his precious wife.

Lord Anthony Sheringham has decided it is time for him to marry and he believes he has found the right woman. Her name is Bella Milbourne and she has been nicknamed the Incomparable by the Ton. Sheringham, or Sherry, as his close friends call him, has known Bella since they were children. He loves her, or so he tricks himself into believing. If Bella marries him, he will come into his inheritance and out from under the thumb of his uncle who he can't stand. Bella holds Sherry in great affection but turns him down because she longs for another. Sherry's pride is hurt and promises to marry the first woman he sees, which happens to be a very young, penniless orphan, Hero Wantage.

Hero is very starry eyed around Sherry, ever since they were children, and she thinks he is so very perfect. Sherry puffs up whenever he is around Hero because she praises his various virtues.

When Hero tells Sherry she is about to be cast out from her aunt's house and must either become a governess or marry the horrid local curate, Sherry decides to save Hero and marry her himself! Sherry has always gotten along very well with Hero and will take care of her as long as she doesn't cling to him to him too much and allows him the same freedom he had when he was a bachelor. Sherry gives Hero a new nickname, of Kitten since she reminds him of one.

Soon Sherry marries Hero. Sherry doesn't keep Hero hidden away, and even introduces her to his various other bachelor friends. Sherry's friends are a very friendly sort and they welcome Hero into their group with open arms. Things couldn't be better, until, Sherry bring Hero to London where she feels so out of place. And, because of that she makes some mistakes in society's eyes and tends to embarrass Sherry. (It doesn't help that she points out a past mistress of Sherry's to everyone) Plus, when Sherry's friend George, Lord Wrotham seems a bit too close for comfort with Hero, Sherry becomes jealous. He is not sure what to do with his Kitten who keeps finding herself in certain scrapes. Hero just wants to help George, who is in love with Bella, but Bella plays with his emotions. Soon there are rumors running all over the place about George and Hero, and Sherry is ready to duel his friend over Hero's affections.

Friday's Child is a wonderful tale of regency England by master storyteller, Georgette Heyer. I could not stop laughing at the antics of Sherry and Hero as they try to come to terms as a new married couple. I found myself laughing too many times to count and I wanted to smack Sherry over the head because it took him forever to finally realize he loves Hero as a woman and not just his friend. Friday's Child is a lovely book with some slapstick comedy that would be wonderful to see on the big screen. If you are a fan of regencies with great comedy and endearing characters, Friday's Child is the book for you!

Katiebabs

Is it because of the extremely funny dialog? Or the well-rounded characters, both primary and secondary? Perhaps it's the sweetness behind the story, in which a heedless young rake has to grow up in a hurry, after marrying a bright but innocent teenager who can't manage high society without a little guidance. Maybe those throwaway lines, which don't necessarily further the plot, but provide endless entertainment, are what stick with you. Whatever the charms, and they are many, this book will find a place on your Keeper shelf.

Georgette Heyer is, of course, the queen of the historical romance. In her career she wrote over fifty novels, many of them set in the Regency period. "Friday's Child" is another of her Regencies although it's not one of my favourites. However it still bears the hallmarks of her excellent writing skill with some particularly amusing dialogue amongst some of the young bucks in the story.

Hero Wantage has always loved Sherry, Lord Sheringham, her neighbour. When Sherry's marriage offer is rejected by the beautiful Isabella he vows to marry the next woman he sees - which happens to be Hero. At first it's just a marriage of convenience, Sherry and his friends imagine their life won't change at all, Hero will just tag along as when they were young, but despite this rather dramatic naïveté, as events unfold and Hero falls into scrape after scrape, Sherry has to look at things a little differently.

Hero has always loved Sherry but as she falls into more and more trouble Sherry's exasperation turns into anger - until he begins to understand the worth of his wife. There's a kind of growing up into responsibility theme in this book, and the growing up happens particularly to Hero who wasn't brought up to be a Viscountess. The real stars of the book, for me, aren't the hero and heroine but Sherry's friends Ferdy, George and Gil. These three are fantastically amusing, good-hearted toward Hero and some of their dialogue is just brilliant.

The youth of the hero and heroine in this book doesn't always appeal to everyone but those who enjoyed A Convenient Marriage and Cotillion will probably like this story. It's not one of Heyer's best but it's still well worth a read.

[...]

I wasn't crazy about the style of this book-page after page of psychoanalytically-influenced dialogue between hyperarticulate and hyperaware characters-but the themes were intriguing. The glittering image of the title refer to the face that each of the characters presents to the world, masking the true insecurities and sins beneath. Howatch does a remarkable job of pulling her characters out from behind these images, then showing them slip back behind them in denial and fear. I also thought the book was an intriguing exploration of sin and lies, and took a realistic, complex approach to human sexuality and behavior (unlike most sanitized "Christian" fiction). I am very interested in the history of the 20th Century church, so I enjoyed peeking behind the curtain at the Anglicans.

This book probes into the human mind and soul, always wondering what will happen next. I was hoping for more theological insights. It had more romance, mystery, and just plain novel that I had expected. But an overall thought provoking book on divorce within the church and how one can be redeemed in Christ. Good book for a christian or a non-christian.

No blood. No gore. It takes a skilled writer in this day and age to write a suspense-filled story and yet dispense with what others consider almost essential elements these days. Much of the story is about what goes on in the mind of the main protagonist. Themes are sex, God, repentance and an Anglo Catholic version of psychoanalysis. Slow reading, but well worth the effort.

It's hard to believe that the same author who wrote "Glittering Images" also wrote "Wheel of Fortune" and "Cashalmara" which I loved. "Glittering Images" is the most boring, stupid book I've read in many a moon. The main character, Charles, has a breakdown early on, and what follows is almost unreadable-- pages and pages of boooooring text. The funny thing is, it's not clear why he had the breakdown-- his problems were serious, but hey-- he was a clergyman, and solving problems should have been withing his ability. He falls in love, at first sight, with one woman, then he has sex in the woods, but practically in public, with another woman he has known one day. Three times in a row !! What a guy!! The archbishop Charles has been sent to investigate wants to jettison his faithful wife because she doesn't make the grade in the bedroom, so he, the wife, with her assistant, have a do-it-yourself divorce, and then he and the assistant "get married", while the wife looks on smiling. I couldn't believe I was wasting my time reading this. But, the book has a totally fatal flaw. It's boring, folks !! Here again, I've made a mistake I've made before---- I bought the whole series before I read "Glittering Images." A waste of time and money.

Glittering Images is Howatch's first book in the "Church of England" series. It follows the main character, Charles Ashworth, as he sinks into a profound spiritual crisis and slowly emerges while reconciling himself with the familial and societal pressures he faces.

Howatch's biggest strength is her gift for dialoge, which is sharp and witty, and her understanding of Anglican theology and theologians. Her characters undergo religious psychoanalysis, and do so in a way that allows the reader to not only identify with them and their struggles, but also learn from their spiritual achievements, even if the reader is not spiritual themself.

I highly recommend this book, as well as the rest of the series, to anyone seeking an intelligent fiction novel.

Okay, so it's dated. Big deal. It's absolutely impossible not to be charmed by the characters in this lighthearted tale. I just wish there were more books with Sister Hyacinthe and crew to follow this one!

Dorothy Gilman has certainly created two memorable characters in Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe in this amusing 1975 mystery. Oh and Sister Ursula is pretty memorable as well, although for entirely different reasons. You'll have to read the book to see what I mean.

The sisters are members of a cloistered convent and are give the task of taking inventory of a property mysteriously willed to their order. Having been cloistered for many years the two nuns are often bewildered at various changes in society, particularly when they meet a group of Sixties-influenced "dropouts." The sisters find the terms mugger, Watergate, and yippies to be completely foreign, but make up for it by learning quickly from their new friends.

The property comes with a lot of unexpected assets that bring no end of trouble to Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe. There's also a parade of visitors who show up at the most inconvenient times, including a sheriff who wins no awards for personality. In fact so much happens in the space of a week that it's a wonder the sisters don't pack up their van and return to the convent.

Fortunately for the reader, the sisters dig in and persevere. The book runs the risk of collapsing from several clichéd characters and plot elements, but the dry humor and genuine respect for each other shared by Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe keeps the story firmly centered. Add to the mix several charming supporting characters and you've got a perfectly good read for the beach or a rainy Saturday.

A number of reviewers have referred to this book as `dated.' Of course it's dated. It was written more than three decades ago. The story is set in the seventies. To my way of thinking, calling this book dated makes about as much sense as watching a World War II movie and then complaining because the cars, fashions, and music all went out in the nineteen-forties. (End rant.)

Aside from the obvious fact that it doesn't read like it was written this morning, this is a wonderful book. Not really a mystery, not quite a suspense novel, and not exactly a comedy, `A Nun in the Closet' has elements of all three.

Sister John and Sister Hyacinthe are quite a hoot on their own, but the real fun doesn't start until Sister Ursula puts in an appearance. If you pass this one up, you'll have to answer to the Mother Superior.

- Jeff Edwards, award-winning author of Torpedo

The hippies, thugs, herbs and drugs were just too 1960s for me.

I have reread the Pollifax books many times and love all but her last one. I have also found Kaleidoscope is just as delightful as the Pollifax stories. Am very sorry to hear that one reviewer was turned off to Mrs Gilman by this book but I can understand why. I would have been too if I started with this one.

I had been considering reading Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Polifax series even though the premise of Grandma in the CIA seemed a bit improbable. So many folks were praising the series. However, I read "A Nun in the Closet" first, and it put me off reading anything else by Ms. Gilman.

The book isn't terrible; it's even funny in spots. But those spots are few and far between, and it's very dated. Plus, as a product of Catholic schools, I can tell you that nuns aren't this naive or foolish. Nor are mobsters this stupid or good-hearted. I'm a bit young to remember, but I doubt hippies were this clueless, either. I'm willing to suspend belief a bit as I read, but this book asks you to turn off your brain completely.

If you're looking for a wholesome read, stick with Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Charlotte MacLeod's Sarah Kelling series. If you're looking for a wholesome but comical mystery, try the excellent Mma Remotswe series, which begins with "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" or Simon Brett's lovely Mrs. Pargeter series. You'll like these books much, much more.

As I said, this book isn't terrible. It would worth picking up if you don't have anything better in the house to read. But life's too short to read "A Nun in the House" if you can get out of the house to buy or check out something else.

I enjoyed this Nevil Shute novel about as well as I have all his other books I've read. I've read a majority of his novels, and these all have had rich and interesting characters. I enjoyed Pied Piper, and my personal favorite is Trustee From the Toolroom. If you're a reader and you haven't read any of his work, you owe it to yourself to dive right in. Other than an English idiom or two that may take a second or two to digest, I predict you'll enjoy Shute's stories, characters, and writing style.

Peter O'Toole starred in the 1990 TV film version with Mare Winningham and it was titled "Crossing to Freedom." I remember really enjoying the movie although I have yet to read the book. I checked, but this movie doesn't appear to be on DVD or VHS.

This is a very well written story that shows how amidst war and destruction there are still people who can keep their humanity. The author also demonstrates that advanced age is no barrier to good deeds and perilous undertakings.

I have been a Nevil Shute fan for a long time. Many have never heard of this author. This is one of my favorites along with "A Town Like Alice" and "Trustee From the Toolroom". I'm glad to find it in print again so I can replace my very tattered copy and get my 16 year olds to read it!

I first read this book as a child when, identifying with the children who could have been my compeers, I saw the movie at least five times. I loved the book then, and I love it now. The story is simply told, from the point of view of an elderly Englishman, whom we first meet in his London club during the Blitz. Too exhausted to move to a shelter, he begins to tell his tale to a stranger, who has also decided to sit out the raid, while the Luftwaffe's incendiary bombs fall closer and closer. The old man's story unfolds slowly as tells of a fishing holiday in the Jura--the mountains that border France and Switzerland--in the early months of 1939. The story may, in fact, unfold a bit too slowly for some modern readers who have been exposed to the terse squibs that proliferate novels nowadays, but Nevil Shute is such a skillful storyteller that he draws the reader almost unawares into the narrative, rather in the manner of an expert angler reeling in his fish.

Even though I know the story well, I could not put the book down until the very end. I was, after all these years, inextricably hooked.

Kirk Douglas story of growing up one of the seven - children in an Amsterdam New York Jewish family, and of working and fighting his way to the top of his profession is in one sense a typical American rags to riches story. It is the triumph of ability and will and courage, and another startling example of how the American dream can be realized. It is also on a parallel track a story of assimilation in America, of denial of one's own identity.This is also often part of the American reality. In Douglas case however this was modified by his return to his Jewish religion and identity after having gone through a serious accident. This story has something of the energy and vibrancy of Douglas' screen personality. It is rich with anecdotes including many celebrity anecdotes as Douglas and his wife were long a part of Hollywood's social world. The question of his morality in relation to women , his many 'conquests' is a real one. But all in all he beside being one of the best American actors in the past half - decade has made a very positive contribution to his society.

This book tells the story of Kirk Douglas, from his humble beginnings in a small upstate New York town to his years in Hollywood. Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch Demsky, the son of illiterate Jewish immigrants. As a Jew, his father could not be hired in the mills or other up-and-coming enterprises in town, so the only work available to him was to go about in the street collecting old rags which he sold to paper mills. Much of this story focuses on the relationship between Issur and his father-Issur felt that his father never gave him recognition, support, or respect. All his life, he struggled in vain to get a single pat on the back from his father. In any case, Issur's life wasn't at all tragic. He showed talent for acting at an early age, managed to get a scholarship to attend college, and then went on to acting school. It was during summer service in a theatrical company that he chose his stage name Kirk Douglas, which he later took as his legal name. This book goes on to tell of Douglas' successes on the big screen and marriages and affairs.

In addition to the struggle for approval with his father, another recurring theme of the book is Douglas' battles with anti-Semitism. The book is no great literary classic, but it can be engaging, and does tell an interesting story for Douglas fans. The details of his early life as the son of poor Jewish immigrants are particularly interesting for the documentation they provide of this little-known chapter of American history.

I read very few "star" auto-biographies so have little to judge this one by. But I must say, I was impressed. The writing was good, the story seemed to be truthfully told and it held my interest. I have always enjoyed Kirk Douglas the actor and was pleased that I was able to enjoy Kirk Douglas the autobiographor. Mr. Douglas has certainly led an interesting life and has seemingly been able to keep his prespective on life. As I said, I am impressed and highly recommend this one.

Born in 1916, little Issur Danielovitch grew up in upstate New York, the poorest of the poor. Son of illiterate Russian/Jewish immigrants, taunted by the other children, Issur breaking past every barrier imaginable became the great Kirk Douglas. This is his life story from birth through 70 years of age(before the stroke).

As his life story unfolds in this well written account, you will feel like the tales of his climb out of poverty are being told to you by an old friend. Kirk doesn't hold back. He's as open about his misdeeds as he is with his fine accomplishments.
And he doesn't hesitate to name names either!

He talks about everything. From his troubled boyhood and distant relationship with his father, his dream of making it big on stage, his time spent in the service, his escapades, his loves and family, relationships with the rich and famous, his good-will tours around the world, and of course his films. It is nice that the films are discussed chronologically, and you will know exactly where he was physically and emotionally during the filming. Almost all the films are touched upon and some including "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", "Lonely Are The Brave", "Lust For Life" and Spartacus", have whole chapters devoted to them. The directors, other cast members,and Hollywood in general, do not get away scott free either.

His writing is funny, poignant, inspirational and heartfelt. There are times when you may not even like the things he has done, and other times may get you thinking deeply or angered about life's circumstances. But you know that he's being about as honest as they come.

There are also many personal photos included of his family, fellow actors, and the good-will trips he made for the United States.

Closing the book after the last page, I was sad to be at the end. Kirk Douglas's words touched me as much as his work in film, and...made me feel not only proud, but lucky to be an American. I am looking foward to reading his other works as well.

"The Ragman's Son" is highly recommended for fans of Kirk, aspiring actors and writers(this is a great example for writing memoirs), and for those who loved to be touched or inspired by a good book.

Way To Go, Issur...Way To Go!
Enjoy....Laurie

I was quite surprised to like this book as much as I did. As Kirk Douglas' autobiography, I expected it to be a little egotistical and over-explanatory. You know, typical celebrity autobio stuff.

Kirk describes his humble beginnings (a ragman's son) quite capably. He also describes his successes and failures in what appears to be a candid and honest manner. His life has been remarkable, and his written story is believable.

I hope to read his second book soon.

i read that short story in my lit class. i loved it. it caused me to read Eva Luna and it is also the reason that i have given this book 4 stars. thats how good And of Clay are we Created. i'm not sure if all the storys are worth it. its very erotic. and i don't remember most of them but i do remember liking quite a few of them. however , the best one is the last one.

Allende's socio-economic, political and feminist agendas are melded together in the lives of the residents of Agua Santa. Her use of the short story genre is masterful. This is truly a can't put down book, leaving its readers clamoring for more Allende. Viva Isabel!

This review is for the English language Bantam Book paperback edition published in February 1992, 367 pages. THE STORIES OF EVA LUNA did not appear on the USA Today top 150 best sellers list, although four of the author's novels have appeared on that list.

THE STORIES OF EVA LUNA is a collection of 23 short stories set in a fictional Caribbean country. Written in the style of magical realism, these are tales about the lives, loves and lovemaking of impoverished but hearty folks, including bandits, scoundrels and prostitutes, who confront cruelty, misfortune or death.

Although only six of the stories incorporate the characters and events in Allende's novel EVA LUNA, they do constitute a sequel of sorts, especially the final story. For an overall richer experience, read EVA LUNA first.

These stories were so amazing, creative, and vivid. I enjoyed them very much. I especially loved the shortness of each story that lends itself for quick evening reading. This book I will add to my library of "must" reads, that I'm creating for my daughter. I'm now reading each of Allende's books one by one.

Isabela Allende's "The Stories of Eva Luna" is truely a masterpiece not only in its origional Spanish edition, but also in this English translation, which fully gives the reader a feel for Allende's tone. Each story is consice, yet powerful and filled with allusions to everyday life. Allende covers a wide range of topics from politics and the story of Eva Peron (in "Two Words") to the complexity of love (in "Toad's Mouth). The way in which the book parallels "1001 Nights" is amazing, as well as the way in which Allende is able to incorporate the novel "Eva Luna" into this work. My personal favorites were "The Little Heidelberg" (possibly the best example of magical realism that I have ever read) and "And of Clay Are We Created" (a moving story based on a real event).