Book Description
Widely regarded as Dickens’s masterpiece,
Bleak House centers on the generations-long lawsuit Jarndyce and Jarndyce, through which “whole families have inherited legendary hatreds.” Focusing on Esther Summerson, a ward of John Jarndyce, the novel traces Esther’s romantic coming-of-age and, in classic Dickensian style, the gradual revelation of long-buried secrets, all set against the foggy backdrop of the Court of Chancery. Mixing romance, mystery, comedy, and satire,
Bleak House limns the suffering caused by the intricate inefficiency of the law.
The text of this Modern Library Paperback Classic was set from the first single-volume edition, published by Bradbury & Evans in 1853, and reproduces thirty-nine of H. K. Browne’s original illustrations for the book.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful edition of Dickens' masterpiece.......2007-07-17
I had read Bleak House in college. My book at the time was a used version with pages falling out. Since I decided to reread the book this summer, I wanted to get a newer edition. I chose Modern Library Classics because it preserved a lot of the original illustrations when the work was first published. Of course, Dickens' opus is marvelous, and I recommend you read his story on the never-ending lawsuit and its repercussions on the characters involved. Rather than focusing on the merits of the story and why should should read the book, I think it's more helpful to recommend what edition to buy because there are a lot. I chose Modern Library Classics for its illustrations, its readable typeface, and strong binding. Overall, they have created beautiful edition Dickens' book deserves.
My favorite Dickens novel.......2007-04-01
It's hard to pick the best Dickens novel. Dickens himself favored David Copperfield and there is a lot to recommend that. But the novel of his that I most admire is Bleak House. It has a great range of characters, a personal mystery at its core, and the first detective in fiction. Dickens alternates the story-telling between the voice of the all-knowing author and that of the naive female lead character. From street sweepers to the lords and everyone in between, the dark theme of an impersonal social order and system grinding people up is remarkably like Kafka.
Amazon.com
Bleak House is a satirical look at the Byzantine legal system in London as it consumes the minds and talents of the greedy and nearly destroys the lives of innocents--a contemporary tale indeed. Dickens's tale takes us from the foggy dank streets of London and the maze of the Inns of Court to the peaceful countryside of England. Likewise, the characters run from murderous villains to virtuous girls, from a devoted lover to a "fallen woman," all of whom are affected by a legal suit in which there will, of course, be no winner. The first-person narrative related by the orphan Esther is particularly sweet. The articulate reading by the acclaimed British actor Paul Scofield, whose distinctive broad English accent lends just the right degree of sonority and humor to the text, brings out the color in this classic social commentary disguised as a Victorian drama. However, to abridge Dickens is, well, a Dickensian task, the results of which make for a story in which the author's convoluted plot lines and twists of fate play out in what seems to be a fast-forward format. Listeners must pay close attention in order to keep up with the multiple narratives and cast of curious characters, including the memorable Inspector Bucket and Mr. Guppy. Fortunately, the publisher provides a partial list of characters on the inside jacket. (Running time: 3 hours; 2 cassettes)
Book Description
The eight-hour Masterpiece Theatre miniseries of Charles Dickens's Bleak House stars Gillian Anderson (The House of Mirth, X-Files) and features a screenplay written by Andrew Davies (Bridget Jones's Diary).
Part romance, part melodrama, part detective story, the novel spreads out among a web of relationships in every level of society, from the simpleminded Sir Leicester Dedlock to Jo the street sweeper. A savage but often comic indictment of a society that is rotten to the core, Bleak House is one of Dickens's most ambitious novels, with a range that extends from the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to the poorest of London slums.
Download Description
Bleak House opens in the twilight of foggy London, where fog grips the city most densely in the Court of Chancery. The obscure case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, in which an inheritance is gradually devoured by legal costs, the romance of Esther Summerson and the secrets of her origin, the sleuthing of Detective Inspector Bucket and the fate of Jo the crossing-sweeper, these are some of the lives Dickens invokes to portray London society, rich and poor, as no other novelist has done. Bleak House, in its atmosphere, symbolism and magnificent bleak comedy, is often regarded as the best of Dickens. A 'great Victorian novel', it is so inventive in its competing plots and styles that it eludes interpretation.
Customer Reviews:
Two and a half stars, couldn't get into it.......2007-10-04
This dose of English culture was recommended to me as one of the finest in classic literature. We return to the simple life when the word gay meant joyous, not the corrupted word it is now. Mysteriously the story moves along quite well, even with the aggravating English dialect, the multitude of characters, and the uninteresting, almost banal style.
Written in first and third person, this drawn out, hard to follow telling of a lawsuit over an estate inheritance was a struggle to get through (contradicts "moves along quite well"?..................no). Any climactic moments are few and slowed, with subtle impact. Of course it would not be what it is if it was shortened----all 900 pages.
What brings such praise for this book over the years?: the eloquent and sometimes quotable passages are spotty; the only power I see is the improvement it may give to our writing, and that may be its only praise. There are a plethora of outstanding authors with more interesting stories without going through the pain of the "intellectual classics". I am not to say we are to rid them; it is more likely that Bleak House just left much to be desired. Who knows, maybe it has effected me in ways I will only discover later, for that is probably its mystique.
I expected the afterward to summarize my ineptness of understanding this difficult read. Instead it concentrated on the authors greatness and the resources used.
Wish you well
Scott
An ironic title, to be so lovely.......2007-09-10
I, too, leave it to better reviewers to describe it in detail... but I feel that something must be said about these characters. They are ideal, yet complex enough to be real, all of them, in their kindness and intensity, their darkness and meanness, alike. They are absolutely more interesting than any people today... it makes you wonder if people were ever so thoughtful and contemplative - if we have lost something, or rather if Dickens was imaginative and wonderful beyond his experiences could have ever shown! A wonderful book told with care and modesty by two of the best narrators I've ever read.
Artfully crafted story from Dickens, but takes patience .......2007-06-13
There are several subplots rummaging throughout Dickens' lengthy Victorian novel Bleak House: 1) the mystery behind Esther Summerson's disgraceful birth and her subsequent arrival at Bleak House, 2) John Jarndyce's fatherly influence over Esther, Ada and Richard, and its eventual effects on the three, 3) Lady Dedlock's mysterious persona, and the secrets she keeps within herself and 4) the general seemingly never-ending process of the Jarndyce suit in the High Court of Chancery, its ill-effects on those who have an interminable will to prosper off of it, and the general dreary feeling it casts over the whole of society.
One of the interesting and yet sometimes tedious aspect of this work, and something to get used to while reading, is the various narrative voices used by Dickens. This can make the work a challenge to read, but helps to give the story a "series" or "drama" feel to it. Esther Summerson, the protagonist, narrates throughout the book at various times, and comes across fairly enough as a reliable narrator. The other two points of view are a bit more anonymous. One type has an element of stream of consciousness, where the narrator takes you quickly through random thoughts, observances and lists of various characters. In this point of view where Dickens attains the greatest amount of satire to this work, and usually makes the entire Jarndyce and Jarndyce case the butt of his joke, as well as the general scenes of the eccentric characters (and there are plenty). The final narrative type is clearly 3rd person, who simply tells the story looking down upon it without any bias or angle, almost a "fly on the wall" kind of perspective, and this voice seems to be used most throughout the novel.
Dickens employs many memorable and eccentric characters as usual. There is Tulkinghorn, a malicious, unmoved, and unsentimental lawyer, the antagonist who holds key secrets and has no pity for individuals. There is Guppy, who is awkward, a bit "slimy", and has a fascination with Esther that lasts throughout the novel. Allan Woodcourt and Captain George are both noble characters who help others in times of need, Woodcourt having ties to saving people's lives during a shipwreck and also is Richard's friend in his time of financial difficulties, and George aiding in the help of the sick child, Jo. Mr. Bucket is the quick-witted detective, who solves many of the mysteries late in the novel.
The neat aspect of Dickens' book is his ability to introduce many characters, many plot lines, symbols and then weave them together into a tight fit, and intertwine and solve them at the end. Esther learns more and more about her past, and the history of her mother, as the novel progresses, and this seemingly brings into the forefront other scenes which at first may have seemed unimportant. Over all this is a novel which essentially depicts one journey, but uses many characters to arrive there; Esther's journey is one in which she learns who she is, and becomes a stronger character by novel's end.
You can definitely say that in Dickens work, the sum is much greater than its parts. This is a book that adds up to much in its finality, and it is clear that Dickens was writing this in a series format, ending chapters right where we are getting to important information or something that is pertinent to the over all story, leaving the mystery to be carried over to the next chapter.
Although this book is a beast (over 800 pages), if you enjoy Victorian novels, and enjoy Dickens use of satire and eccentric characters, this is one well-worth checking out. While this novel sometimes gets cumbersome with details, it really is a tribute to Dickens ability to illustrate this story and weave everything finely together. Like a painting, Bleak House must be viewed at several different angles before one can truly appreciate it.
4 1/2 stars
(This review refers to the Bantum Classic version of the novel)
The not so Bleak House.......2007-05-30
I purchased Bleak House after watching the PBS series recently. Having familiarity with only A Christmas Carol, I was eager to read such an engrossing, complex, but very entertaining story. Dickens' characters are gems, and the atmosphere of mid-19th century London are captured so beautifully. I recommend this title to anyone with the patience to savor the language, characters, and social criticism found in Bleak House.
Bleak House.......2007-03-20
Heavy reading book good book. Typical Dickens style. Book arrived in excellent condition.
Average customer rating:
- "The dense fog is densest...near that leaden-headed old obstruction ...the High Court of Chancery."
- One of his best
- Yawning in North Carolina
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Bleak House (Signet Classics)
Charles Dickens
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ASIN: 0451528697
Release Date: 2003-01-07 |
Customer Reviews:
"The dense fog is densest...near that leaden-headed old obstruction ...the High Court of Chancery.".......2006-10-05
Written in 1853, when Dickens was at his peak, Bleak House is often considered Dickens's best novel. Set in the 1850s, the novel tells several interconnected stories involving dozens of characters from all levels of society, giving a broad picture of life in London and in the countryside during this period. As is often the case with Dickens, his satire and humor enliven his sometimes dark subjects, without blunting his criticism of bureaucracy and the mistreatment of children. The novel is huge, not just in terms of length but in its universal themes, its characterizations, and the magnitude of its reach.
Esther Summerson, the illegitimate daughter of Lady Dedlock and Captain Hawdon, an early lover, is raised in secrecy by a resentful aunt. After the aunt's death, Esther joins the household of the kindly Mr. Jarndyce, who is also mentoring Ada Clare and Richard Carstone, Ada's cousin. Richard, Ada, and Mr. Jarndyce have been involved for years in a lawsuit, Jarndyce v. Jarndyce, about the terms of an old will, and this lawsuit, which has continued interminably in the High Court of Chancery, is the inspiration for the satire Dickens directs toward British bureaucracy and the paperwork which paralyzes it.
As the lives of Esther, Lady Dedlock, Ada, Richard, and Mr. Jarndyce unfold, the reader also learns about the lives of those who come into peripheral contact with them. Capt. Hawdon (Nemo), for example, is found dead by a sad, little street waif named Jo, whose miserable life offers little chance of improvement. An unprincipled lawyer is murdered, adding mystery to the novel. Dickens emphasizes the way characters actually behave, paying scant attention to their inner thoughts, but he individualizes them and brings them vibrantly to life through their actions (though some, such as Esther and Mr. Jarndyce, sometimes appear too saintly).
Humor permeates the novel, with some characters, particularly those involved in law, serving as caricatures. The touching romance of Esther and Allan Woodcourt, a physician, echoes throughout the novel, despite his long absences and her bout with smallpox, and contrasts with Lady Dedlock's sad remembrances of her own past. Symbols, such as the ever-present London fog, emphasize the theme of isolation.
Thoughout this doorstop-sized novel, Dickens's treatment of the characters and his ability to bring the period to life create lively reading. His empathy with the underdog and his depiction of the inequities of the society combine with mystery, romance, and Esther's coming-of-age to make this a vital novel, full of life, conveying a dramatic picture of mid-19th century British life and the lessons to be learned from it. Mary Whipple
One of his best.......2003-04-17
I found this the best written prose that I have read so far by Dickens, and it ranks amongst the best written books that I've read by anyone. His assassination of the British establishment sometimes almost made me wince, yet I always found it entertaining and not preachy. I didn't find the plot as good, or the characters as sympathetic as A Tale of Two Cities (my favourite), but it beats the melodrama of Great Expectations by a long shot. I actually found this a far more damning indictment of society than Hard Times, contrary to what I'd been led to believe. Highly recommended.
Yawning in North Carolina.......2003-04-09
I have read Great Expectations and David Copperfield and enjoyed them immensely. These books offer a wonderful, colorful cast of characters. So, I thought I would try Bleak House. I slogged through 150 pages and finally gave up! Tedious is the operative word here! The characters were dessicated and one-dimensional and I felt as if the plot was not moving forward at all. Overall, a major disappointment.
Average customer rating:
- about being non canon product.
- A tragic campaign...
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Bleak House: The Death of Rudolph Van Richten (AD&D Ravenloft Boxed Adventure)
William W. Connors , and
David Gross
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
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Customer Reviews:
about being non canon product........2004-02-19
Beware, since white wolf licensed ravenloft from Wizard of the Coast, this product may be considered not canon, since the time line of the Ravenloft 3.5 ed doesn't include a topic with "death of van richten", only that he has disapeared.
5 stars since it is a great adventure.
A tragic campaign..........2000-07-20
This is a module with 3 books that guides to 3 adventures with Van Richten, the famous monster hunter of Ravenloft. But, at these adventures this great hero dies and leave the Domains of Dread (Ravenloft) with very much fear, ... fear of what they expect now from the shadows and a question: Who will now fight the darkness?
Average customer rating:
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Bleak House
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audio Inc.
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ASIN: 0786161434 |
Product Description
The story they tell embodies Dickens' merciless indictment of the Court of Chancery and its bungling, morally corrupt handling of the endless case of Jarndyce v. Jarndyce, giving the novel its scope and meaning.
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Bleak House
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Tantor Media
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Wuthering Heights
ASIN: 1400102642 |
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A complex plot of love and inheritance is set against the English legal system of the mid-19th century, with all its tortuous avenues and disguised resolutions. Here is the firm, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, the young orphan and ward of court Ester Summerson (who tells much of the story). As always, it is the skilled pen of Dickens himself that creates the momentum with his acute eye for both individual characters and their traits, and the backdrop of Victorian London.
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Bleak House
Charles Dickens ,
Nicola Bradbury , and
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Bleak House (The Complete Classics)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Naxos Audiobooks
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ASIN: 9626344318
Release Date: 2007-05-22 |
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Bleak House
Charles Dickens
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Bleak House (The Works of Charles Dickens)
Charles Dickens
Manufacturer: Harper & brothers publishers
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- truly amazing
- A different type of novel
- Dark and disturbing yet no one seems to notice...
- Working my way back to you, Babe, with a Happiness that Died
- From darkness into ...more darkness
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The Rules of Attraction
Bret Easton Ellis
Manufacturer: Vintage
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ASIN: 067978148X
Release Date: 1998-06-30 |
Book Description
Set at a small, affluent liberal-arts college in New England at the height of the Reagan 80s,
The Rules of Attraction is a startlingly funny, kaleidoscopic novel about three students with no plans for the future--or even the present--who become entangled in a curious romantic triangle. Bret Easton Ellis trains his incisive gaze on the kids at self-consciously bohemian Camden College and treats their sexual posturings and agonies with a mixture of acrid hilarity and compassion while exposing the moral vacuum at the center of their lives.
Lauren changes boyfriends every time she changes majors and still pines for Victor who split for Europe months ago and she might or might not be writing anonymous love letter to ambivalent, hard-drinking Sean, a hopeless romantic who only has eyes for Lauren, even if he ends up in bed with half the campus, and Paul, Lauren's ex, forthrightly bisexual and whose passion masks a shrewd pragmatism. They waste time getting wasted, race from Thirsty Thursday Happy Hours to Dressed To Get Screwed parties to drinks at The Edge of the World or The Graveyard.
The Rules of Attraction is a poignant, hilarious take on the death of romance.
Customer Reviews:
truly amazing.......2007-09-09
this book was by far, one of ellis' most breath taking novels. "the rules of attraction" took on what is now modern day college life and what happens in college. it is full of disturbing, funny, violent and dark image that you will think of over and over again. when you read the book and get to the ending you will wish the book never ended and be angry how it ended. Rock and roll
A different type of novel.......2007-06-12
Many people dislike this book and deride its lack of cohesion and unsympathetic characters. However, like most of Ellis' work, The Rules of Attraction uses snippets of characters' lives to tell the story of a community, or at least of a group. This book does not have the obsessiveness of American Psycho, and it is somewhat subtler, but it again uses the shallow desires and thoughts of it's characters to paint a picture of a group of college kids at a small liberal arts school, and it allows the reader a glimpse into parts of the mind not usually devoted to in novels. If you are a fan of Ellis, you will like this book.
Dark and disturbing yet no one seems to notice..........2007-02-12
After reading the impressive `Less than Zero' I was compelled to move right along to `The Rules of Attraction' and I am so glad that I did. Already accustomed to Ellis' writing style I was immediately drawn into his sophomore novella, engrossed in every chapter, every character and every embellishment of college life complete with all its highs and lows. Following the same formula as he had with `Less than Zero', `The Rules of Attraction' really has no story to tell. It's just the random lives of a handful of college students as they wallow through their lives one day at a time.
The novella covers quite a few heavy subjects including drug addiction, suicide and abortion, but everything is discussed and explained in such blunt almost sarcastic dialog that it's not really `heavy'. It's obvious to the reader that the circumstances and consequences of actions are of less and less importance to the parties involved and it adds a layer of realism to each character. I say realism, and that may sound odd, but it's really not. All too often novels and films over-dramatize subjects and to me that takes away from the gritty realism of the circumstances. Bret here capitalizes on the pure simplicity of the average teen's mind and it works wonders.
The novella discusses quite a few students, but three in particular are explored deeper than others. Sean Bateman is in love with Lauren Hynde who is still waiting for Victor to return from Europe. Paul Denton is becoming more and more obsessed with Sean while he's still mourning the loss of his ex-boyfriend Mitchell to the arms of a WOMAN named Candace who just so happens to have a thing for Sean. You may think it sounds like your average teen pining for love and affection but you're wrong. It's much more than that.
Littered with sarcasm and wit yet layered with eventual sadness and desperation, `The Rules of Attraction' manages to flush out humanity in every sentence. From the uncomfortable car ride home after an abortion to the dramatic and heartbreaking suicide, as mentioned, there is quite a bit of `heavy' material contained in this small book, but reader be warned that the characters involved will not feel as deeply disturbed by the outcomes as you will. Any fan of the film will feel even more fulfilled after reading Ellis' brilliant novella and will find it amusing how Victor's European escapade has been literally translated word for word into the film.
Working my way back to you, Babe, with a Happiness that Died.......2007-02-01
Question: It's the big night, the Dress to get Screwed Party---what should you wear? Answer: Nothing, you clown!
Oh God---don't be that way. Get away from that Keg---it's running on empty, anyway---and come sit over here. Out of the way. All of Carlton Hall is filled with these drug-addled idiots, stoners, sycophants, axe-murders & junkies, Drama-Queens, depraved creatures of the night, satyrs & nymphs and the Great God Pan and my *God*, for all we know a bunch of Dartmouth people---and we might as well talk, me & thee, while New Order is droning out merciless monotone black-hearted menace crunching pounding throbbing out of the speakers.
Let's talk about the Rules of Attraction.
They are---well, it's just not as simple as Boy Meets Girl, Boys gets Girl---not anymore, man. No way.It's more like: Boy meets Girl, who likes Boy, who likes other Girl, who's involved in a crazy sex-thing with Boy (from LA) who might have something strange going on with Boy (at Harvard?), who (rumor has it) got Girl into a little trouble. It's Camden College, mid-eighties.
Reagan posters in the dormhouse, but mutilated, defaced, covered with little ironic black Satan mustachios. Picture postcard perfect New Hampshire liberal arts school, rich with wealthy patrons and a supple endownment, good as Hell to look at in the Fall, preferably Fall with all those pretty colors, lots of Ivy on the curtain wall and gables and---Who are we kidding? Camden College is a prison, a prison for the children of the terminally Rich.
Or maybe not a prison: Bret Easton Ellis conjures up a kind of way-station, a Purgatorio, in "Rules of Attraction", a switching point, the midpoint between Alpha & Omega, between Genesis & Terminus, but you can't get either place from here, and there is NOTHING---I mean, NOTHING---in between.
That's what Ellis's vicious, biting, incalculably funny little book is about, and I'll be damned if it's pretty consumptive reading, following all this Nothing. Into the den of despair, then: Sean Bateman (a mere monster in teething, compared to his investment banker brother Patrick) swoons over Lauren, who is snarky and broods and pines over Victor, traipsing over Europe and desperate to find Jaime, who is mysterious, reclusive, and at least two steps ahead of him; Paul Denton, Drama-Queen, driven to distraction over Sean, mourning Mitchell, who is tramping about campus (& the City ) with that plummy little Freshman Candice---who Sean likes---and the Frenchman Bertrand, who longs for Lauren & virtually anyone else, who is Sean's insufferable roomate.
The Rules of Attraction, then: whoever you love, probably doesn't love you. Or is pining for your Mortal Enemy. Or is using you, for some reason known only to them, or to the Great God Pan, or to Destiny. Or has nothing but pure acid-battery drunken-morning-puke contempt for you.
"Rules of Attraction" is a wicked little gem of literary curare, all high-style and aimless debauchery, and the best of it is that Ellis springs some kind of wicked little trapdoor into the minds of his victims. It's a strange tale, strangely told, in a kind of "Rashomon" fashion, & so spiked with bias & jaundice & strangeness & this wild breed of melancholy that it is utterly impossible to fathom who is telling the truth, or even if there is any truth to be Told.
There is also this aching sadness, and this maddening eeriness, about the book, the kind of atmosphere, like the famous yellow-fog London Peculiar, that hangs about Bret Easton Ellis's work, that single-minded eeriness, that palpable sense of dread and doom and mounting unease, that whisper of foul murders committed by Devils & Demons summoned up by our own vanity and boredom and indifference, that makes this piece an especially spooky read---particularly when Part-Time Lovers Lauren & Sean try to Play House. Icky.
A bazillion years ago---well, it was probably 1987---I was in this little New Wave Noveau Cuisine pizza house, where the pizza slices could be measured in nano-meters (and the food was snipped and parsed and dressed and elegant and inedible), where you hung out to hang out, to hobnob, to sneer, not because the food was good (Jesus, quite the contrary)---all high-style and in-your-face effrontery---and the menu had some little blurb like "Everything Reduces to Nothing". I think the Camden Damned would agree, and perhaps understand---Rock n' Roll, Deal with it.
Read the stilted, halting, loveless scene between the increasingly distracted Paul Denton and his mother, and try not to feel this grinding, horrific sadness, this despair born of potential denied, of things vital left unsaid. Remembered lines, between the sheets
I think the Party's over.
JSG
From darkness into ...more darkness.......2007-01-18
A dark, claustrophobic comedy. The reader's amusement can only be tinged with sadness at the waste of these lives with no meaning or purpose. The novel begins and ends in mid-sentence, emphasising that there is no closure here, only a sense of drift. This device also puts the reader in a position of overhearing what is going on, though still feeling a sense of involvement with the desperate lives before us. A useful preparation,too, for the same author's later novel American Psycho, which is even more savage as a satire and more shocking in its subject matter. As a 'Brit' I learned a lot from both books about the shadow side of gilded American youth and the price paid for the American dream. Recommended.
Amazon.com
Setting: Regency England
Sensuality: 8
Having sold her successful business, the Distinguished Academy of Governesses, Miss Hannah Setterington arrives in Lancashire to accept a position as caretaker to the earl of Raeburn's elderly aunt. Hannah is shocked to learn that the newly titled earl is none other than Dougald Pippard, the man she loved and ran away from nine years before. Dougald isn't the slightest bit surprised to see Hannah, for her arrival at Raeburn Castle is the result of a carefully planned scheme to bring her back into his life. Furthermore, he has the power to compel her to remain in Lancashire, for he can give Hannah something she yearns for--a meeting with her deceased father's parents.
While Hannah and Dougald are engaged in a battle of wits and wills, something wicked is afoot at the Castle. The prior two earls were killed in accidents shortly after coming into the title, and when Dougald is shot at and then attacked by thugs, it's clear that he's next on someone's hit list. Whether Hannah and Dougald will arrive at a mutually agreeable truce is debatable, but before the two can live happily ever after they must first discover the identity of the mysterious villain.
This latest in Christina Dodd's Governess series has delightfully Gothic touches with the heroine arriving at a forbidding castle on a stormy night, a dark, brooding hero, and danger threatening the two. In typical Dodd fashion, however, the Gothic elements are offset by the warmth and humor in the wonderfully interesting cast of secondary characters and plenty of romantic tension between Hannah and her earl.--Lois Faye Dyer
Book Description
The Rules of Enticement:
A woman should never surrender to a man without knowing his intentions. A man should never seduce a woman for the purposes of revenge.
Rules of Society
After nine years, Hannah Setterington has decided tosell the Distinguished Academy of Governesses and explore the secrets of her past. To that end she has agreed to be a companion to the elderly aunt of Lord Raeburn, a man enshrouded by dark mystery and haunted by the rumor that he murdered his wife. A strong-minded woman accustomed to the vagaries of nobility, Hannah believes the rumor to be so much piffle, until she comes face to face with Lord Raeburn.
Rules of Fascination
Dougald Pippard, Lord Raeburn, is deviously satisfied when his plan to trap Hannah springs itself successfully. But his satisfaction is short-lived as the indomitable Hannah draws the battle lines and kisses him with the pent-up passion Dougald hasn't felt for nine long years. The fire that has always flared between them rages again with every touch, every glance,until Dougald is almost ready to forget his wounded memories and plans of revenge for just one more night with her.
Rules of Attraction
Download Description
After nine years, Hannah Setterington is selling the Distinguished Academy of Governesses to explore her past: the mysterious, and possibly murderous, Lord Raeburn. But it's all a plan: Raeburn has trapped her, and will exact revenge, unless the fire that has always flared between them rages again.
The Rules of Enticement:A woman should never surrender to a man without knowing his intentions. A man should never seduce a woman for the purposes of revenge.
Rules of Society
After nine years, Hannah Setterington has decided tosell the Distinguished Academy of Governesses and explore the secrets of her past. To that end she has agreed to be a companion to the elderly aunt of Lord Raeburn, a man enshrouded by dark mystery and haunted by the rumor that he murdered his wife. A strong-minded woman accustomed to the vagaries of nobility, Hannah believes the rumor to be so much piffle, until she comes face to face with Lord Raeburn.
Rules of FascinationDougald Pippard, Lord Raeburn, is deviously satisfied when his plan to trap Hannah springs itself successfully. But his satisfaction is short-lived as the indomitable Hannah draws the battle lines and kisses him with the pent-up passion Dougald hasn't felt for nine long years. The fire that has always flared between them rages again with every touch, every glance,until Dougald is almost ready to forget his wounded memories and plans of revenge for just one more night with her.
Rules of Attraction
Customer Reviews:
Okay book in an okay series.......2007-05-09
This book is the end of a series that was okay, but not up to par with the rest of her books.
Interesting Twists and Turns.......2006-11-16
Actually, I enjoyed the novel. I liked how rather than Dodd forming typical heroines that hold out from the man that she loves, Hannah does have some faults of her own, for example, not being able to stay out of Dougald's arms...ever!
The book was a page turner, the characters were charming, and I NEVER saw some of the events that happened coming. Thank you for giving us a book that I could not predict :)
Hot and steamy!!!.......2006-10-04
This was my first book by Christina Dodd and I have to say that it was not my last. Okay this story first opens up with our heroine waiting all alone in the dark for a carriage to take her to her new employer's house. Good so far and it does get better. That first scene with our herione and hero is very hot, and while our hero did seem to be a little mean at times well all I can say is made for some very hot conflicts! The mystery was pretty good too oh and I hated our hero's faithful butler or whatever the heck he was he was really nasty and he actually caused alot of hardship for our herione in the past. Very good gothic romance I know it is in the Regency times and everything but it had a very gothic tone to it to me and I LOVE gothic romances!! 5 stars for steaminess and good story line and of course a very sexy hero who tries so hard to deny his feelings for our heroine but deep down has loved her all along, and really that is what makes a truly terrific story.
The hero just ruined the book........2006-10-04
After reading the concept of this story I was very anxious to read it. Young woman traveling to a distant/unknown town,finding herself all alone at the train station,finally gets picked up by an creepy character who tells her the Lord of the castle killed his wife....hhhmmm. She arrives at the old castle only to find that the Lord is the husbanfd she ran away from nine years ago...Sounded really good to me.
Well sadly its not. The hero is just waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too nasty and cruel. Seems like Ms Dodd has been taking "mean hero" tips from Rosemary Rogers. Who has the cruelest heros I have ever come across, which is why I no longer read her books. Yes, in the last 100 pages he does redeem himself a bit, but not enough. By then I just couldn't like him, least of all feel any sympathy for him. Couldn't blame Hannah for running away from him at all.
I also didn't like that although he wasn't nice to the heroine, she continued to make love with him. Giving me the feeling of sex for the sake of sex....Rather disturbing.
There is finally near the end a very beautiful love scene where Douglad finally humbles himself, but as I said before too late.
The plot is not that bad.
However between the nasty butler,the heir, the murders, the aunt and her friends,the tapestry, Queen Victoria's vistit, the castle falling apart and Hannah's long lost family....the romace gets lost.
Two stars because the aunt and her friends are really cute. Other than that the book is not a romance worthy read.
Waste of time!.......2006-05-29
I have read other books by Christina Dodd & liked them. Which is why I read this one. What a disappointment! Story plot was o.k. But character development was poor. I like reading stories where I like the characters, at least like them at some point in the story & wish they'll be happy in the end. But this story was so boring, dragging on that I couldn't care less what happened in the end. Only because of my silly compulsion to finish every book I start, I ended up wasting a few hours of my time on this book. BTW, I did like the "Rules of engagement" in the same series very much! I liked Hannah Settrington in that story, which is why I got this book. My humble opinion is that Avoid reading this book unless you've nothing better to do.
Average customer rating:
- A plain-spoken, readily understandable guide
|
There Are No Simple Rules for Dating My Daughter
Laura J. Buddenberg , and
Kathleen M. McGee
Manufacturer: Boys Town Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
Teenagers
| Parenting
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1889322717 |
Product Description
The world of teen romance is sometimes chaotic and oftentimes confusing. What do you say when your 13-year-old asks, How can I make a guy go out with me? How do you respond to a 17-year-old who says shes in love? What do you do with a daughter who gets involved in endless hookups and breakups that leave her an emotional wreck? The answers, just like dating relationships, arent always easy. This book gives parents a window into the teen dating scene and shows them how to maintain their sanity amid all the crushes, courtships, and infatuations of adolescents. Both the fears and the fun of teen dating are revealed as the authors look at some of its biggest issues: Age (How old should your daughter be before she starts dating, and what age should her dates be?) Car Dates (Does your daughter have an escape route if a good date goes bad?) Appropriate Attire (When skin is in, is a bare midriff, backless blouse, or plunging neckline being fashionable or foolish?) Gift Giving (Are gifts of underwear going over the top?) Internet (Are virtual relationships a safer, better alternative for your daughter?) Parents are urged to sit down and talk seriously with their daughters about the purpose of dating and to create family dating rules. Sample activities to help get the conversation started are included. Sprinkled throughout the book are real-life dating stories, many silly, some scary, but all serve to remind parents that dating is a valuable experience that shouldnt be denied or trivialized.
Customer Reviews:
A plain-spoken, readily understandable guide.......2007-03-06
Written by mothers and Girls and Boys Town workshop presenters Laura J. Buddenberg and Kathleen M. McGee, There Are No Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter: Surviving the Pitfalls of Teen Relationships is a "must-read" guide for parents about the teen dating scene - including and especially the dramatic changes that have taken place within it since the rise of email, text messaging, instant messaging, blogging, and other forms of cyber communication. There Are No Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter is a thoroughly comprehensive guide covering everything from how to set limits to ensure children's safety, how to keep the lines of communication open, how to gently and respectfully break up (in a non-abusive relationship - anyone in an abusive relationship owes the other person no explanations when getting out), how to deal with the pain of rejection, how to recognize and terminate physically or emotionally abusive relationships, talking about sex with teens, and much more. A plain-spoken, readily understandable guide, highly recommended for mothers, fathers, and legal guardians of teens everywhere - and also for teens themselves!
Customer Reviews:
Has Quinn "Doc" found true love?.......2005-04-08
Quinn Gerard is a P.I. and now joined ARC Security & Investigations as a partner and has opened the San Francisco office. Quinn's (Doc) has been a character in several of Ms Crosby's books and now he has his own!
Quinn's doing surveillance for the S.F. DA's office of Jennifer Winston. Her boyfriend's been convicted of embezzlement of over $1,000,000 and the DA thinks she has access to it. The heroine is Claire, Jenn's younger half-sister, who decides to try to loosen up. She's a very conservative elementary school teacher. She & Jenn bleach her hair and dress her in Jenn's clothes. Quinn mistakenly follows her and has contact with her before he realizes. Quinn is drawn to Claire who does help him find Jenn but also wants to get closer to Quinn-she is attracted to him. Great love story with the wounded hero and shy, innocent heroine. Claire helps Quinn understand "the family" situation in his life. In may & June we'll see more of the ARC SF office. Ms Crosby's website www.susancrosby.com has teasers of them.
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly: The third installment of Dodd's Victorian-set Governess Brides series (Rules of Surrender, Rules of Engagement) sputters off to a slow start as a jilted husband and his runaway bride rehash old grudges. Hannah Setterington, head of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses, is lured to Lord Raeburn's Lancashire castle with promises of a position on the lord's staff only to find that Raeburn is really Dougald Pippard, the commoner she married when she was only 18 years old. Dougald has waited nine years to exact his revenge on Hannah, and he's more than pleased to engage her services as a companion for his dithering aunt Spring in the hope that Hannah will eventually bend to his will. Despite the obvious sexual tension between the couple, readers will find little relief from their mean-spirited bickering until their first sizzling sexual encounter. A subplot involving a murderer who's intent on disposing of the castle's newest lord provides some additional thrills, and Aunt Spring and her bubbly friends are a comic delight. Although Dodd has an ear for dialogue and a skillful hand, her fiction is a troubling mixture of romance and hostility. While her many fans are sure to enjoy this one, readers who prefer a less brutal courtship should pass.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Film Comment, published by Film Society of Lincoln Center on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 786 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: All Or Nothing the Rules of Attraction, Naqoyqatsi, Blackboards.
Author: Chris Chang
Publication:
Film Comment (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2002
Publisher: Film Society of Lincoln Center
Volume: 38
Issue: 5
Page: 71(1)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Indiana Business Magazine, published by Curtis Magazine Group, Inc. on September 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1574 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Mutual attraction. (impact of a legislative proposal to establish mutual insurance holding companies)
Author: Bill Beck
Publication:
Indiana Business Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 1998
Publisher: Curtis Magazine Group, Inc.
Volume: v42
Issue: n9
Page: p26(5)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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