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Rita Mae Brown fervently believes that felines are a lot smarter than most people, and in her popular Mrs. Murphy mysteries, the cats are always leaps and bounds ahead of their human companions. (They also speak in italics, which makes it easy to distinguish them from their somewhat bumbling owner/companions.) In Outfoxed the foxes, hounds, and a few clever birds solve a murder that's hardly more than a raison d'être for Brown's thorough and detailed description of the highly ritualized world of the Jefferson Hunt. Fox hunting is more than just an entertaining way to spend a fall afternoon in Virginia--it's a way of life for everyone involved, from Sister Jane, the Master of the Fox Hunt, to Crawford Howard and Fontaine Buruss, two men who'd kill for the chance to succeed her. By the time a death actually occurs, Brown is three-fourths of the way to the last page, but it doesn't really matter; by this point, the reader is wholly involved in the arcane world of casts, whippers, scent stations, ratshots, and the social rules of the canid and canine communities. And while a man has been murdered, it's the slaughter of the fox used to lure him to his death that really upsets Sister, the strong-willed matriarch who is the novel's protagonist. The thrill of the chase--the hunt itself, not the search for the killer--is on every page of this masterful foray into a fascinating world. And as usual in a Rita Mae Brown novel, the animals have the best lines as well as the last word. --Jane Adams
Book Description
From the bestselling author of the landmark work Rubyfruit Jungle comes an engaging, original new novel that only Rita Mae Brown could have written. In the pristine world of Virginia foxhunting, hunters, horses, hounds, and foxes form a lively community of conflicting loyalties, where the thrill of the chase and the intricacies of human-animal relationships are experienced firsthand--and murder exposes a proud Southern community's unsavory secrets. . . .
As Master of the prestigious Jefferson Hunt Club, Jane Arnold, known as Sister, is the most revered citizen in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain town where a rigid code of social conduct and deep-seated tradition carry more weight than money. Nearing seventy, Sister now must select a joint master to ensure a smooth transition of leadership after her death. It is an honor of the highest order--and one that any serious social climber would covet like the Holy Grail.
Virginian to the bone with a solid foxhunting history, Fontaine Buruss is an obvious candidate, but his penchant for philandering and squandering money has earned him a less than sparkling reputation. And not even Sister knows about his latest tawdry scandal. Then there is Crawford Howard, a Yankee in a small town where Rebel bloodlines are sacred. Still, Crawford has money--lots of it--and as Sister is well aware, maintaining a first-class hunt club is far from cheap.
With the competition flaring up, Southern gentility flies out the window. Fontaine and Crawford will stop at nothing to discredit each other. Soon the entire town is pulled into a rivalry that is spiraling dangerously out of control. Even the animals have strong opinions, and only Sister is able to maintain objectivity. But when opening hunt day ends in murder, she, too, is stunned.
Who was bold and skilled enough to commit murder on the field? It could only be someone who knew both the territory and the complex nature of the hunt inside out. Sister knows of three people who qualify--and only she, with the help of a few clever foxes and hounds, can lay the trap to catch the killer.
A colorful foray into an intriguing world, Outfoxed features a captivating cast of Southerners and their unforgettable animal counterparts. Rita Mae Brown has written a masterful novel that surprises, delights, and enchants.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Rita Mae Brown is the bestselling author of Rubyfruit Jungle, In Her Day, Six of One, Southern Discomfort, Sudden Death, High Hearts, Bingo, Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writer's Manual, Venus Envy, Dolley: A Novel of Dolley Madison in Love and War, Riding Shotgun, Loose Lips, and a memoir, Rita Will. With her tiger cat, Sneaky Pie, she also collaborates on the popular Mrs. Murphy mystery series, including Murder on the Prowl. An Emmy-nominated screenwriter and a poet, she lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
From the Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Beatrix Potter with attitude.......2007-06-28
An interesting combination of fantasy and mystery although the mystery is not important to the storyline.
You may wonder as you read any book in this series how a town full of freedom loving, democratic minded citizens could be persuaded to call a silly, 70-year old harridan Master. Why they would endure her pettiness and mean spirited insults and why they obey her whimsical dictates. Those answers and others are never fully revealed to the reader.
Brown shows an absurd lack of knowledge when it comes to all the animals in her novels. Foxes don't enjoy being hunted, nor do they sit around their humble dens at night and gossip about foxhunters. Horses don't enjoy being jumped over ice to give their riders a thrill. But wishing makes it so in this Virginia community, that is if you are one of the hunting-mad, rich gentry.
Ignore the basic cruelty to animals and the unpleasant sense of entitlement felt by the fox hunters.
I laughed I cried I was entertained and I was engaged... life positive.......2007-03-15
Just found this Rita Mae Brown fox hunting murder mystery series and loved it.. read all of them so far but am posting review for the first...
bottom line all are superb... to be honest when I picked up the first I was not sure what the bit was about anthropomorphizing the animals (hounds, horses, foxes) but it is fine... not overdone and fits right in...
what I like about the series is it is above all positive about life and positive about keeping on living with any and all set backs that occur to people including the loss of loved ones, jealousy sexual and professional, rivalry, pettiness, etc. etc. etc.
it's darned entertaining hearing about American fox hunting from someone expert in the sport who loves it (btw they don't kill the foxes)... it's fun reading the glossary at the end and in the text ("gyp" is a synonym for "bitch" etc.) ...
and finally it's reassuring to read about keeping on keeping on and having both youth and elders and middle agers being able to coexist and help each other...
what can I say I laughed I cried I was entertained and I was engaged... what more would one want ! :)
Pretentious? 5 stars.......2005-10-11
I've read Ms. Brown for years and keep hoping I'll enjoy one of her latest books as much as High Hearts or her earlier books. Her snobbish Virginia characters and foxhunting settings have worn very thin. I believe in southern gentility as much as the next person, but in light of the issues we face today, lauding something like foxhunting as "civilized" seems a slap in the face.
I don't mind the animal antropomorphizing, but I do mind her using that device to justify foxhunting as a sport that the foxes apparently "enjoy", even if she only portrays "no kill" hunts.
Outfoxed - a refreshing change of pace.......2004-02-22
I thoroughly enjoyed the book - I couldn't wait to find time to read. Outfoxed is light yet intelligent with a fascinating glimpse at the communication between animals and their role in solving the crime. As an animal lover and avid reader, I highly recommend this book. As a recent mystery convert, I am hooked and cannot wait to read the second book in the series (Hotspur).
Enjoy!
I enjoyed this book...........2003-11-12
....but found it confusing since I read Hotspur first. Apparently the author decided to ignore the details in Pete's will in the following books. (Doug to become Hunt Master, no Joint-Master.)
Average customer rating:
- fox conpeets in a race
- Excellent humour
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Fox Outfoxed: Puffin Easy-to-Read Level 3 (Easy-to-Read, Puffin)
James Marshall
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ASIN: 0140381139 |
Customer Reviews:
fox conpeets in a race.......2006-03-23
I like the part when he goes trick-or-treating. I liked the book kind of. He tells you aout 2 stories in 1. I like the picture when he begins to get ready.
Excellent humour.......2000-01-29
My 8 year old son had a great laugh reading this book. In fact he wanted us to get all the other books in the series by James Marshall. Highly recommended.
Book Description
". . . The kind of cinematic spanking that [Michael] Moore just delivered to President Bush."-The Washington Post
"What Outfoxed does is detail the specific ways, both onscreen and behind the scenes, in which the network's conservatism shapes its news and opinion programs."-New York Times Magazine
The director of 2004's smash hit documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism teams with journalist Alexandra Kitty in an even more detailed and updated examination of how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news. They examine media consolidation by focusing on the Fox News Channel: How did Fox gain prominence? How did the Fox News Channel gain audiences and influence public debate? How does Fox report reality? Is the network merely interpreting events or is it pushing propaganda? Who are the main players and how do they treat their friends and enemies? Why should readers care about how Fox takes liberties with its facts?
Each chapter blends interviews from Greenwald's documentary, transcripts from Fox programs, and other research pertaining to Fox News not only to illustrate the Fox "mentality," but also to show the factual, ethical and structural problems with the news channel. Interviews and transcripts are analyzed to give readers a strong sense of what Fox is actually telling its audiences.
As well as Outfoxed,
Robert Greenwald executive produced Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election, produced and directed Uncovered: The War On Iraq and most recently produced Unconstitutional: The War on our Civil Liberties, about the erosion of American civil liberties following the events of September 11.
Alexandra Kitty is a journalist who specializes in crime and media issues. She is the author of Don't Believe It: How Lies Become News.
Customer Reviews:
Noble cause, terrible book.......2006-02-20
Rupert Murdoch's right-wing "news" empire is certainly ripe for a scholarly expose, but this isn't it. It's more like fighting yellow journalism with equally yellow journalism. Interesting tactic, but it doesn't work at all. I haven't seen the film "Outfoxed" (to which this book is intended as a companion piece), but after reading this, I certainly hope the movie is better.
I definitely agree with Kitty's point of view on Fox News, so my complaint about the book isn't political in the least. No, my criticisms are entirely stylistic. It's quite simply the worst-written book I've read in a long time. If you can remember anything your high school history teacher told you never to do in writing a research paper, chances are you'll find multiple examples of it here. Slang terms are found absolutely everywhere in the book, incomplete sentences turn up every few pages, and Kitty's own biases appear in places where they definitely don't belong. (A Canadian, she snidely refers to New York and Washington as "dueling candidates for center of the universe" at one point, and also labels Fox News watchers "sexually frustrated".) She also violates the cardinal rule agaisnt assuming prior knowledge on the reader's part, going on for pages in the first chapter about Conrad Black and the downfall of the Hollinger corporation without providing any information at all on who Black is or what actually happened to his company.
I think I understand the tone she was aiming for here, but she missed her target entirely. The familiar, conversational tone she's attempting here hardly ever works in nonfiction. While it is clear to me that she hoped to make the book more accessible through her approach, the sloppiness of her style actually makes it much more difficult to understand. Also, her in-your-face attitude amounts to sinking to the level so often employed on Fox News, which defeats the purpose of a book-length critique of it.
Eric Alterman and Mark Crispin Miller have both written more broad-based looks at the right wing media in general. Until another full-length look at Fox News comes along, their work is adequate for anyone who wants to learn more about Murdoch and his enterprise, even if it isn't comprehensive. Meanwhile, skip this one!
Be Afraid Be Very Afraid or Be Informed and do something?.......2005-04-18
I'm calling for a nationwide boycott of Fox. This book exposes the tunnel vision being created in the United States by the vast majority of corporate outlets like Clear Channel but, as the title suggests, its focus is on Fox channel's biases. We, the United States citizens, are being divided into two camps and Fox supports if not outright is creating this division to further it's conservative camp's agenda by it's use of tactics ranging from distortion and ignoring of facts to outright lying to its viewers, the American people. I was shocked, frightened, and infuriated as I was informed of Rupert Murdoch's abuse of power. I for one do not believe that manipulation of the people should be the purpose of the media. If you love freedom and believe that you deserve honest and truthful journalism then I'm sure you'll want to read this book. After reading it I'm sure you will feel the same way I do and if you do then don't watch Fox, that includes The Simpson's but..., especially don't watch Fox News, don't read USA Today, or go to Fox movies, or buy magazines owned by Rupert Murdoch, and refuse to listen to Fox musicians on Fox radio stations and for good measure avoid Clear Channel, you know the ones that fired Howard Stern, because they belong to the same camp. If you feel attempting to bankrupt Rupert Murdoch for his corrupt practices perpetrated on the American citizens is going a bit far, or would take to much effort, at very least seek out alternative media sources for your local and world news. ON THE OTHER HAND IF YOU LIKE FOX NEWS BY ALL MEANS CONTINUE TO ENJOY BUT YOU SHOULD AT LEAST BE INFORMED OF WHY IT IS YOU TEND AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THEY SAY. For everyone that wants a more honest reporting from their media I suggest listening to www.airamericaradio.com and for fun check out the animated political cartoons of Mark Fiore at www.markfiore.com
Customer Reviews:
An Interesting Look at the Birth of a Network.......2007-06-16
First off, one should immediately disregard JHW's review of this book. JHW has apparently confused this book with the documentary film of the same name. (Which is particularly evident in the book's copyright date, 1990, many years before Fox News Channel came to be.) There is absolutely nothing about the Fox News Channel in this book. Absolutely nothing.
Outfoxed (the book) tells the story of the birth of the Fox television network (again, **not** the cable news channel!). The book is divided roughly into equal thirds: the first third deals with the tangled saga of the Twentieth Century-Fox studio, its struggles to remain afloat, and its ownership by Marvin Davis (and later buyout by Rupert Murdoch). The middle third deals with the launch of the Fox Broadcasting Company and focuses primarily on what was intended to be the new network's crown jewel, "The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers". Finally, the last spends its time on the growing pains of the new network, trying to find a programming foothold (and ratings success) while pushing the definitions of quality, acceptability and decency to their limits.
Honestly, in reading this book, I could have done without the first third. Lots of history of Twentieth Century-Fox (the film studio), lots of behind-the-scenes stories of the studio's troubles and power struggles. This was supposed to be a book about a television network, and some background on Fox's history is certainly important, but 80 pages? After reading this book, I found myself thinking I could have simply picked it up at page 70 and not really missed out on anything needed to enjoy the rest of the book.
The remainder of the book makes for a somewhat nostalgic look back at Fox; much of the action in the book took place twenty years ago. Some of the shows discussed are still on the air--"America's Most Wanted" and "Cops"; some are gone but remembered--"21 Jump Street", "Married...with Children"; and others are simply forgotten to the mists of time--"Beyond Tomorrow", "Mr. President", "Totally Hidden Videos". Along the way, the careers of Barry Diller, Jamie Kellner, Garth Ancier, Kevin Wendle, Peter Chernin, and many others are detailed.
Overall, it's a good read for anyone interested in television history (particularly as Fox is still around and the current can be readily compared to the past).
And again, this book has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Fox News Channel. (Indeed, one of the most interesting tidbits in this book: Rupert Murdoch's support for the presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter in 1980...go figure!)
The truth about fox's purposeful biasing of news!.......2004-10-03
Inside this book you'll find some disturbing and interesting information on how fox has twisted the news to support its owner's politics over fact and truth. This kind of stuff scares me and makes me feel justified in watching the BBC and CBC for internation news over some american owned nation/internation networks.
Product Description
This volume contains the complete text and illustrations of all three books: Fox Outfoxed, Fox Be Nimble, and Fox on Stage." Simple, subtle gems', according to the New York Times book review.
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Fox Outfoxed
Manufacturer: Dial Books
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ASIN: 0440831482 |
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Early Reader book
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C 1992
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Outfoxed
Mike Huskisson
Manufacturer: M Huskisson
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Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0950928402 |
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Outfoxed
Alex Ben Block
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
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- Football Practice reading
- A warm collection of stories to inspire holiday spirit
- How do you spell "pajamas?"
- Heartwarming
- A dynamic duo you'll be glad to take home and savor over the holidays
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Glad Tidings: Here Comes Trouble\There's Something About Christmas
Debbie Macomber
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ASIN: 0778323552 |
Book Description
This is a time for families, for togetherness, for memories. On Christmas Eve, Maryanne and Nolan Adams tell their kids the story they most want to hear--how Mom and Dad met and fell in love. It all started when they were reporters on rival Seattle papers…and next thing you know,
Here Comes Trouble!
Christmas is also a time for…fruitcake. Rookie reporter Emma Collins hates fruitcake; for that matter, she hates Christmas, too. When three Washington State women are finalists in a national fruitcake contest, the story is assigned to her. That's bad enough. It gets worse when she has to fly in a small plane (scary!) with a smart-aleck pilot named Oliver Hamilton (sexy!) and his scruffy dog (cute!). In the end she meets three wise women, falls in love and learns
There's Something About Christmas.
Customer Reviews:
Football Practice reading.......2007-08-25
I found this book to be a book that I have not wanted to put down.
The plots of each story reflected real live to me since I live in
Pudget Sound area .
A warm collection of stories to inspire holiday spirit.......2007-07-02
There's Something About Christmas: It was heartwarming to read about a lonely woman who hasn't "done Christmas" since her mother passed away and how she grows to discover the magic and spirit of Christmas again. The metaphors for life that were unveiled in the fruitcake recipes through the interviews with their creaters where highgly very meaningful. However, as far as the romance goes, Oliver came across as a domineering and shallow charmer, and it's hard to imagine that Emma falls in love with him. His attempts at romance didn't seem very sincere to me, and it wasn't until the very end that he seemed to a very late (ans still rather unconvincing) conversion into someone more likeable and worthy of Emma. The romance between secondary characters, Phoebe and Walt, had the potential to add depth and interest to the story, which fell short by Walt's desire to keep it a secret. To be honest, while I liked Emma a lot, and I enjoyed the holiday message the author conveyed, I was surprised that this story was written in 2005 because it read more like the less-polished books (interactions and dialogues) from very early in her career.
Here Comes Trouble: I struggled to finish this story - it's hard to believe it was written by Debbie Macomber because it was not her usual breezy and delightful style. The characters grated on my nerves with the hostile way they interacted with each other. I just wanted to shake some sense into both of them - Nolan for his arrogance and Maryanne for being so reactive. Although it began on Christmas Eve, this story was presented as a couple reflecting on their courtship and really didn't have much to do with Christmas at all. Where was the cheerful or touching holiday spirit?
How do you spell "pajamas?".......2007-01-30
I've read several of Debbie Macomber's books and enjoyed them, and I liked the first story in this book (There's Something about Christmas), perhaps mostly because I come from a flying family. The second one (Here Comes Trouble), I almost didn't finish. If Nolan Adams had grabbed Maryanne Simpson one more time around the waist, put his mouth over hers, kissed her and then left, it was going to be over for me.
Both stories were very formulaic as is the way of things with these books, but they were also very predictable. I also have trouble (spoiler!) when in the end the guy, who is poor to start with, ends up being rich so that the girl who came from a wealthy family will still get to live a life of luxury as the wife of a successful novelist. Oh, she has her own talents, but their financial struggles are over by the end of the story (end spoiler). For whatever reason, I just didn't connect with this story.
In TSAC, Oliver Hamilton is a good pilot, so things will go well with him in the Seattle area with his new air freight business. Emma Collins is working her way up the journalist ladder at the Puyallup Examiner and is new to the area. We get a glimpse of her talent in the beginnings of three articles she's writing for the paper having to do with a fruitcake contest. I did like the fruitcake aspect of the story and plan to try each one of them. With the three very different kinds of fruitcake, there's something for everyone. I found the romantic tension to be strong in TSAC, but not so strong (or even believable) in HCT.
Is the word pajamas spelled differently (pyjamas) in the Northeast? Just wondering.
Carolyn Rowe Hill
Heartwarming .......2006-11-22
"Glad Tidings" is my first taste of Debbie Macomber's work, and it definitely won't be my last. The two holiday themed stories included here, are both extremely enjoyable. Macomber's writing style, is no-frills and the romance is decidedly G Rated. But that isn't a bad thing. With only one exception (which i will get to in a moment), Macomber makes you care about these characters, and the over-done, falseness that seems to hamper many modern romance novels, is not present here.
Of the two stories, i will say, i much prefered the first, "There's Something About Christmas". A light-hearted, funny, genuinely sweet story of rookie reporter Emma & cocky pilot Oliver, who deal with fear of flying, sneezing dogs,& fruitcake.
The second story, "Here Comes Trouble" really only has a passing reference to Christmas, and while i really enjoyed it as well, i felt it was lacking some of the charm of the first. My main problem was with the character of Nolan. He was just such a grouchy, gruff, stubburn pain in the butt, that i found it hard to believe that the plucky Maryanne would not only fall for him, but basically beg him to love her, the way she did. My reservations regarding this point, is the only reason i'm not giving the book 5 stars.
All in all though, "Glad Tidings" was an enjoyable experience, and i can't wait to dive into Macomber's other work.
A dynamic duo you'll be glad to take home and savor over the holidays.......2006-10-27
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS - Emma Collins has wanted to be a serious journalist ever since she can remember. However, after attending school, the best writing job she can find for herself is a position with the "Puyallup Examiner" in small-town Puyallup, Washington, where she spends the hours between nine and five attempting to sell ad space to reluctant business-owners, and writing obituaries that no one but the deceased's own relatives will take notice of. However, when her first real journalism assignment comes rolling in, Emma is disappointed in what the subject will be - writing about the three Washington-based finalists in a national fruitcake recipe contest. Not only does Emma dislike fruitcake, but she also dislikes Christmas since her mother passed on, and feels that she's not cut out to accept a subject that she's so dead-set against. Not only that, Emma's boss has arranged for her to be flown to each contestants home in a rickety, small aircraft with none other than Oliver Hamilton behind the wheel, along with his dog, Oscar. As if having to contend with a fear of flying wasn't hard enough for the Scrooge-like Emma, trying to ward off the advances of the irresistible and charming Oliver proves just as impossible. Now, as Emma begins her journey to meet each of the three women, she begins to fall in love with the idea of their different recipes, from using all of your deceased husband's favorite ingredients, to sprinkling a little extra liquor into the concoction, and trying out a no-bake graham cracker fruitcake. But, not only does she fall for the recipes, she falls in love with each woman's story of how they were created, soon making her realize that Christmas isn't truly as bad as one would think, and sometimes life is full of fruitcake. 5 stars.
HERE COMES TROUBLE - Twenty-three-year-old Maryanne "Annie" Simpson has led a life of privilege since the day she was born. Being the daughter of a prominent business-owner who's practically in charge of the publishing world can do that for you. So, upon college graduation, Maryanne decides to do something great: land a job in journalism. Now, for the average person, this could be a tremendous feat, but for Annie, well...in the flash of an eye she has uprooted herself from her cushy New York penthouse apartment, and traveled to the drizzly city of Seattle, where she's keeping herself warm in a lavish building known as The Seattle. It is here that her father has arranged a wonderful job as a columnist for one of his papers: the "Seattle Review." Maryanne is happy with her job, and attempts to show her co-workers just how hard she is willing to work to keep it. But when Nolan Adams, a columnist for the "Seattle Sun" - a rival newspaper - begins writing his columns about Maryanne, referring to her as "the deb" - short for debutante - leaving his legion of fans salivating over the new information he feels he is obligated to share with the city, Maryanne gets upset. For suddenly she realizes that Nolan's columns, as hurtful as they are, are absolutely true. Without her father pulling various strings, she would never have made it through the front door of the "Seattle Review." Now, she's decided to change her life for the better, with a little help from the reluctant Nolan, who blames himself for the mess he's created. And within due time, Maryanne finds herself falling for the rumpled reporter, and hoping more than anything that he shares her feelings. 5 stars.
I have been anticipating the release of GLAD TIDINGS for the last couple of months, and was absolutely ecstatic to find it sitting upon the shelf at Barnes & Noble this past weekend. I was hoping for two novels that would convey the spirit of Christmas, and be enjoyable; however, I feel as if I was given much more. Both THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS and HERE COMES TROUBLE convey such magical feelings regarding the holidays, and truly bring each and every character involved in these two tales to life. The romances between Emma Collins and Oliver Hamilton; and Maryanne Simpson and Nolan Adams are absolutely perfect, and illustrate marvelously just how easily dislike can turn to love. Out of the two tales, I found myself more enamored with THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS, as it situated itself more around the holidays, and truly gives the reader a new view of fruitcake. Hey, even I want to try a piece after indulging in this romance. However, HERE COMES TROUBLE is also a wonderful tale of romance that will ultimately appeal very much to budding writers. A dynamic duo you'll be glad to take home and savor over the holidays.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Book Description
Emma Collins has always believed that the world is divided into two kinds of people: those who love fruitcake and those who don't. She's firmly in the second category, so it's ironic that her major assignment for the Puyallup, Washington, Examiner is a series of articles about . . . fruitcake. At least it's a step up from writing obituaries.
Her task is to interview the finalists in a fruitcake recipe contest, and that means traveling around the state. Actually . . . flying around the state. Local pilot Oliver Hamilton, who's starting an airfreight business, has agreed to take her wherever she needs to go, in exchange for free advertising. Unfortunately Emma hates small planes -- almost as much as she hates fruitcake.
But in the weeks leading up to Christmas, Emma falls for Oliver (who's not quite the Scrooge he sometimes seems) and his mutt, Oscar (who's allergic to her perfume, which makes him sneeze repeatedly). And she meets three wise women who know a lot about fruitcake -- and even more about life.
Customer Reviews:
Sugarplum of a Christmas Story.......2006-12-27
Debbie Macomber serves up a season tale that, despite its predictable outcome, manages to entertain during this festive time. When the girl who hates Christmas meets the guy who loves it.....well, suffice it to say, happy endings abound at Christmas.
Emma Collins works as a reporter in Washington State and is looking for her big break to take her away from writing obituaries and selling ads. A feature on three finalists in a fruitcake contest may be her key to bigger things and, indeed, it does lead to a lot of introspection about the character of Emma. Not being one who likes fruitcakes one iota, I was surprised to see that this book had me rethinking my prejudices about the traditional door stopper.
Emma interviews three fruitcake makers and learns more about life and how to handle what circumstances come your way than she learns about cooking. Her big handicap in traveling to the homes of the semifinalists to interview them is that she must fly in a private plane piloted by Oliver Hamilton, a cocksure stud who both tantalizes and repulses our intrepid reporter. Two dogs, a wise co-worker, and a bare Christmas tree lead Emma to a transformation and make her realize that indeed there is, as the title says, something about Christmas.
Like a fruitcake, 'There's Something About Christmas' is chockfull of colorful, chewy characters who will brighten your holidays.......2006-10-26
Emma Collins has wanted to be a serious journalist ever since she can remember. However, after attending school, the best writing job she can find for herself is a position with the "Puyallup Examiner" in small-town Puyallup, Washington, where she spends the hours between nine and five attempting to sell ad space to reluctant business-owners, and writing obituaries that no one but the deceased's own relatives will take notice of. However, when her first real journalism assignment comes rolling in, Emma is disappointed in what the subject will be - writing about the three Washington-based finalists in a national fruitcake recipe contest. Not only does Emma dislike fruitcake, but she also dislikes Christmas since her mother passed on, and feels that she's not cut out to accept a subject that she's so dead-set against. Not only that, Emma's boss has arranged for her to be flown to each contestants home in a rickety, small aircraft with none other than Oliver Hamilton behind the wheel, along with his dog, Oscar. As if having to contend with a fear of flying wasn't hard enough for the Scrooge-like Emma, trying to ward off the advances of the irresistible and charming Oliver proves just as impossible. Now, as Emma begins her journey to meet each of the three women, she begins to fall in love with the idea of their different recipes, from using all of your deceased husband's favorite ingredients, to sprinkling a little extra liquor into the concoction, and trying out a no-bake graham cracker fruitcake. But, not only does she fall for the recipes, she falls in love with each woman's story of how they were created, soon making her realize that Christmas isn't truly as bad as one would think, and sometimes life is full of fruitcake.
This is my second Debbie Macomber book (my first being CHRISTMAS LETTERS), and my love for her writing is quickly growing. Macomber has the ability to put into words the slightest emotions and feelings, and bring them to life - almost placing them upon the readers shoulders, and making them feel as if they are a character in the story themselves. Mixing a bit of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL and Robert Tate Miller & Beth Polson's SECRET SANTA, Macomber has woven a delightful tale that will please readers during the holidays or in the middle of the summer. Emma is a fantastic character, whose intelligence and sarcasm are unmatchable. She has a tendency to play it cool, but her kind, caring emotions do show their heads every now and then; while Oliver is an obnoxiously dashing individual, whose charm and wit floods over each and every page. The chemistry between these two characters is absolutely amazing, and can be felt by the reader each time Emma and Oliver interact with one another; while the inner-conflicts they are fighting regarding romance only leave the reader wanting to see them have their "happily ever after" even more. Like a fruitcake, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CHRISTMAS is chockfull of colorful, chewy characters who will brighten your holidays.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Desire to bake a fruit cake.......2006-08-02
A cute romantic adventure involving a very much loved hero who has a great sense of humor. After reading this book, one has a different perspective on fruitcakes. I'll definitely be more open the next time I see a fruitcake recipe or a fruitcake.
Another wonderful holiday read by this great author........2006-02-25
A great holiday book, as every thing this author puts out!
Please poke me in the eyes with a fork!!.......2005-12-29
Wow, I sometimes wonder who read this book and could possibly rate it anything other than "Oh my God, let it end". This book is about as one dimensional as they come. I couldn't even make myself finish it.
Customer Reviews:
Easy, effective, wonderful!.......2007-01-06
I am the director of a small choir at a small church. Many of my choir members do not read music, and many of them are in a choir for the first time. This was amazingly easy for them to learn, especially with the aid of the CD. I definitely recommend this for smaller, inexperienced choirs. We had 20 choir members ranging in age from 8 to 80 perform this, and it sounded great. Another bonus is that it was not so easy that my more experienced choir members got bored. The congregation loved it because it contains songs that they recognized. Young people enjoyed the contemporary selections, as well. I have never been so pleased with a musical program.
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