Nebraska Books

George Meredith's "The Adventures of Harry Richmond" is the most atypical of this dazzling and at times maddening Victorian writer.In it he eschews his usual epigrammatical wit and complex elliptical structure to write a straightforward autobiographical novel in the style of Kingsley's "Alton Locke" and Dickens'"David Copperfield".His best work up to that time-"The Ordeal of Richard Feverel","Evan Harrington" and "Sandra Belloni"-contain some of the most brilliant writing of the period,but they also are uneven-they seem structurally unbalanced and the ambitious prose sometimes falls(as Virginia Woolf pointed out)flat as a pancake.Later works,such as "The Egoist" and "The Tragic Comedians",probably display Meredith's writing at the its height-but their sacrifice of incident for minute but oblique analysis render them like James' last novels,difficult to approach."Harry Richmond",however,has none of the faults endemic to Meredith's work and if there is none of the famous authorial piquancy,it makes for a better overall experience."Harry Richmond" tells the story of a young man,Harry Richmond,torn between the conservative, commonsense rearing of his landowning grandfather and the romantic,fantastical schemes of his dashing,but penniless father.The book reads like a serious comedy of manners with its final struggle of duty and imagination,love and shame culminating in intense poetic tragedy.Richmond Roy,the father,is one of Meredith's most memorable creations,and the love interlude with the Princess Ottilia is one of his most exquisite scenes.The "statue" scene is,I believe,the best thing Meredith ever wrote-its power is amazing.Meredith at the time of his death was one of the most admired writers of his time,but his reputation has since declined because of his unique,lyrical style is not as accessible as other poet novelists-such as Emily Bronte and Thomas Hardy.But anyone who attempts Meredith will be rewarded,despite his undeniable flaws,with an original and fascinating writer,whose work as embodied in "The Adventures of Harry Richmond" still has the power to haunt and challenge. P.S.This was Edith Wharton's favorite Meredith novel.

I found this book enjoyable for a few different reasons:

First, it is a good source for an introduction to the ancient school of Skepticism in western philosophy. Greaves gives a helpful synopsis of the main figures of this school and their methods, especially Sextus Empiricus.

Second, you don't have to know Greek! Of course the book includes the Greek text and references that would profit anyone wishing to read in the original.

Third, the subject matter of music (what it is, its practice, effects on beings, etc.)I think is more interesting and accessable to the experience of the general reader, as opposed to drier topics Sextus wrote on (like grammer).

Fouth, the detail of footnotes in the text would be invaluable to anyone wishing to dig into the study of ancient music.

Fifth, one can read through the text in an evening or leisurely afternoon.

This book would be enjoyed not only by readers of philosophy or classics, but I think musicians would enjoy going through its provocative arguments as a stimulus to clarify their own views on the nature of music.

In this book, Brian Swann has amassed a rich collection --translated from Algonquian literatures of North America -- of stories, fables, interviews, all with accompanying footnotes, references and "additional reading" -- all quite in-depth, interesting, and educational.

Varying in intensity from highly interesting, to amusing, to solemn, they capture the multifaceted personalities of the Algonquians as they relate animal stories, hero stories, ceremonial songs (some with musical notation), legends, dances. And although the Algonquian way of life was forever changed by the arrival of the whites, these narratives, written or told by Native storytellers, contemporary or long-gone, show how the strong backbone and tradition of the Algonquian culture has thrived, even as their numbers were diminished.

The addition of commentary and explanatory text do a great deal to introduce to as well as immerse the reader in the Algonquian spirit as well as philosophy.

Standing along or as a reference, or a classroom text, this book is a worthy addition to Native American studies.

Dryden's reworking of Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" is a great read, especially if you didn't fully comprehend Shakespeare's work. Dryden's language is concise, and his portrayal of historical characters is excellent; especially considering that he had to follow Shakespeare's lead.

This is an amazing book. It is hard to write about one's own family and make it interesting. To go further and make it not only interesting, but relevant to others, takes a writer of rare talent. Penn is clearly such a writer, and I was very pleasantly surprised at the creative and original approach taken in this work. The author draws thought-provoking parallels and connections between his own mixblood Indian family's dreams, visions, failures and successes, and those of other families, in particular other native and mixed-blood families, including exploration of the writing of many historical native American figures. This is a creative and very original book, highly recommended.

A very enjoyable and well written book about a 19th century cyclo-journalist riding across the continent. The journey was a harbinger of events such as Race Across America. The book is extraordinarily well written by a professor of English and captures the sense of adventure Mr. Nellis must have had to launch such an undertaking. Highly recommended for cyclists, fans of travel writing, and those with an interest in American history.

Ralph Moody's books always contain unique pictures of early 20th century American rural life. AH is an excellent resource for the history of several horse breeds in America. Our children own and train some of these breeds, and were thrilled to learn more of their history.

In his astute introduction to this volume Gerald Shapiro points to a previous anthology of Jewish stories edited close to thirty years before by Irving Howe. Howe saw his anthology as as the swan- song of American- Jewish literature, the movement of a moment which had had its moment in the 50's and 60's and now was gone. Shapiro writing three decades later says that the report of the demise of American Jewish writing was premature.
He offers as evidence the work of a bevy of young writers for whom Jewishness is a central theme of their work. He argues that this question of Jewish identity, along with the question of religious faith and skepticism are two central themes of American- Jewish Literature throughout.
Shapiro does not rely on contemporaries alone. This fine anthology goes back with Cahan and Yezeirska to the Yiddish background beginnigs of American- Jewish Literature. It includes a long list of important American - Jewish writers, and concludes with a group of contemporaries, Michelle Herman, Melvin Bukiet, Allegra Goodman, Helen Schulman.
It of course contains works by Bellow, Roth, Malamud, Ozick, and the finest of all Jewish storytellers, I.B. Singer.
Shapiro says that he sees 'literature' as an ongoing conversation and makes connection between various works which speak to each other.
Perhaps not all, but I am sure many of these works will speak to the reader in a persuasive and moving way.

There is no question that Professor Sater is the foremost authority on the War of the Pacific in the English language and probably in any language. For many years now, he has meticulously and profoundly researched into archives, published works, memoirs, folkloric sources, songs and poetry without leaving a stone unturned. This is his third book and presumably the final work on the subject: the culmination of decades work and study of his favorite subject. His facts are unquestionable even though some of his description of the battles may, at times, conflict with eyewitness narratives or popular sources. His description of the shortcomings in logistics and sanitary services go deeper than any other description of the war. Neither does the author shy away from the horrors of war which many Chilean and Peruvian historians tend to minimize.

Having recognized his effort in the investigations and his fine ability to put the facts together in good and easily understood order, there are plenty of opportunities to disagree with some of his conclusions. Many Chilean historians will find fault with his harsh judgment of Admiral Williams and Captain Simpson, and it must be admitted that he carries them a bit too far. Taking sides with Chilean Historian Francisco Encina, the author treats General Baquedano with equal ferocity. He believes that the General caused unnecessary loss of life at Tacna and later at Chorillos. He accepts the fact that battles of the XIX Century were unusually bloody. Frontal attacks, even if done in echelons, were brutal such as Picket's charge at Gettysburg and Pancho Villa's Army at Zelaya. In reference to Gettysburg there is a striking similarity with movements at Tacna, of course in a much more limited scale, but Baquedano's wise use of his reserves, unlike Lee, gave the attackers the victory. The alternative plan at Chorrillos or San Juan was too complicated, it extended the lines of march, it deprived the army from naval fire support and it did not pursue the ultimate goal of an army: to destroy the opposing force.

In summary, an excellent book: well researched and well organized that constitutes the best one volume account of this tragic war.

I cannot praise this novel highly enough. It taught me how to love without regret and savor the moments that make life worth living. Though originally written in German, the translation is flawless. Every single sentence is a well-crafted masterpiece worthy of quotation. Maron is able to do what so few authors can: create a story that is inexplicably human -- one to which almost anybody who has experienced love can relate.

The relationship between significant others and the construction of identity is central to the narrator's characterization. After an enthralling love affair with a married man, the narrator develops a hopeless fixation with him and is incapable of fully living life in his absence. The unreliable first-person narration gives the reader insight into the many layers of this obsession -- from selective rememberance of their time spent together to her need to preserve the most inane remnants of their relationship long after its demise. Through the use of her lover in shaping her existence, the weakness of her personality is revealed piece-by-piece as a jumbled collection of haunting memories.

Conclusion: read this book. I promise you will not regret it. (Und besser auf Deutsch! Ich las und liebte das Buch auf beiden Sprachen.)