Book Description
Both an exploration of character and a reflection on the meaning of history, Memoirs of Hadrian has received international acclaim since its first publication in France in 1951. In it, Marguerite Yourcenar reimagines the Emperor Hadrian's arduous boyhood, his triumphs and reversals, and finally, as emperor, his gradual reordering of a war-torn world, writing with the imaginative insight of a great writer of the twentieth century while crafting a prose style as elegant and precise as those of the Latin stylists of Hadrian's own era.
Customer Reviews:
Memoirs of Hadrian.......2007-07-12
It is a great book, truly fascinating. It blends touching insights of the human soul with chapters that would fit well as a textbook in a MBA program.
Enlightened Caesar.......2007-03-28
Margarite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian" is written as a letter from the dying Roman Emperor Hadrian to his successor Marcus Aurelius. Hadrian chronicles his life, from his boyhood in the Spanish provinces and his studies in Greece, to military service, his eventual rise to power, his accomplishments while in power, and his deep love affair with the beautiful youth Antinous.
There are, in my opinion, 2 great strengths to this book. (1) is that Yourcenar has immersed herself in classical study and thus expertly pulls material from original sources. She does this so well, and to such an extent, that Hadrian's world is chalk full of place and regional names long lost to us; Hadrian intricately describes cities, their architecture and their art works, as well as details the practices of various religious cults and arcane forms of worship. The effect is mesmerizing. The reader soon begins to understand, or behold, the complexities and pluralities that were the Roman experiment. Much time is given to the frontier - Asia, Egypt, ancient cities in the Middle East, Tukey, and further afield, where Hadrian spent much of his life holding the empire together. As historical text this book feels flawless. Another (2) great accomplishment is Hadrian as a character. Through his thoughts, regrets, remembrances, we get a window into the universal human truths - how all humankind must deal with love, ambition, religion, decay, death: the domain of all good literature.
At times the book feels too much of a "display" of names, places, and happenings, and not enough of the "meat," or the essence of life. It would be doubtful that Hadrian would feel the need to be this detailed in writing to a then alive successor. This tendancy toward copius detail, almost superflous detail, fatigued this reader in places. Overall it didn't dominish the book much -- a superb novel by the first woman inducted into the French Academy.
Perhaps a Masterpiece.......2006-12-12
For several years now, I had seen repeated references to this novel as being superbly written, with a masterful translation from the French, reaching such a level of excellence as to merit the much overworked designation of "masterpiece." Needless to say, I was a bit skeptical of all this hoopla. When I finally got around to reading the book, on long flights to and from Denver, I needed only to read the first two pages to discover how remarkable this book is. The writing is so absolutely gorgeous and rich, that the reader is immediately captivated. Even those with little background or interest in Roman imperial history (and here we are dealing with the first and second centuries A.D.) will become engrossed in some of the finest prose I have ever read in a novel. After a while, you almost begin to believe that Hadrian actually wrote these "memoirs," so skillfully does the author hypothesize the inner thoughts and feelings of the emperor. I immediately became curious about the author (1903-1987) and how she came to write such a remarkable story. Fortunately, this paperback edition contains a section designated as "Reflections on the Composition" in which the author recounts her travails in writing the novel, her research, and the actual drafting. Also included is an extensive historical bibliography and some wonderful photographic illustrations drawn from Roman coins, sculpture, tombs, and other sources which add immeasurably to the text. A joyful and thrilling read, emoting a wonderous experience in which all readers can join.
beautifully composed.......2006-12-09
This is a supremely well written book by one of my favorite writers. Without knowing really anything at all about Hadrian, I enjoyed getting thoroughly inside his head. For those, like me, who didn't know or passionately care that much about him going into it, this is a magnificent portrait of a person who has Power on planet Earth.
And the specific person of power that Yourcenar chooses as her subject is a very tasteful choice. Hadrian is filled with sensitive observations about a broad range of topics, but he still represents what is common to most leaders, an ego that isn't short on size, so much that its the norm for him to have few peers but is, instead, someone of distance.
And there's a really interesting thing going on with this particular leader in that he seems to possess traits that many leaders don't go out of their way to promote about themselves, such as intelligent introspection and sincere concern for everything he's involved with.
The touch of sadness in him in old age as he reflects upon his active years is also joined by the same sense of realistic courage that's inside of him throughout his life.
Yourcenar handles Hadrian and this time period like a delicate and worthy scribe hired by Hadrian himself. Her prose and insights would be welcoming to him if his spirit could somehow conjure up this manuscript.
The Good Emperor.......2006-03-24
Some editions of Memoirs of Hadrian say it is "by" both author Marguerite Yourcenar and Grace Frick, the translator. Normally, I would consider that a bit much -- like giving the frame maker partial credit for the painting -- but in this case it seems more than warranted, as Ms. Frick was the mind behind one of the best translation jobs I've ever come across.
If she hadn't managed it, Memoirs of Hadrian would have faded into obscurity for English-language readers. After all, the story line is not eventful: it is a series of letters from Roman Emperor Hadrian to future emperor Marcus Aurelius, who Hadrian had come to think of as a grandson.
What makes Memoirs of Hadrian great is the way the story is told. The book captures the candid language and thoughtful sentiments of a wise old man nearing death and offering his wisdom to his young heir. It is a kind of frank confession that is at once autobiography, philosophy, and psychology.
An example, from near the beginning, when Hadrian explains where his life stands: "Like a traveler sailing the Archipelago who sees the luminous mists lift toward evening, and little by little makes out the shore, I begin to discern the profile of my death."
Another example, when Hadrian describes a military victory: "Rome had prepared me a triumph. I no longer protested against these vain but venerable customs; anything which honors man's effort, even if only for a day, seemed to me a salitary in presence of a world so prone to forget."
And I could go on and on.
Obviously, the concepts and narrative come from Ms. Yourcenar. But the beauty of the language in English depends so much on Ms. Frick.
As a work of literature, I suppose it is possible that the rich language and profound sentiment would be enough to make reading it enjoyable. But I do think that a general knowledge of Roman history and European and Italian geography will immeasurably add to the enjoyment of it. It is not an easy read, but it is worth the effort.
(Interesting contextual information not completely explained in the book: Marcus Aurelius was 17 when Hadrian died at the age of 62, but Hadrian had already arranged for Marcus Aurelius to eventually become emperor. Hadrian's adopted son, Antoninus Pius, adopted Marcus Aurelius on Hadrian's insistence, and after Antoninus Pius' 23-year-reign, Marcus Aurelius became emperor himself, as Hadrian desired. The three men were the last of the five "Good Emperors".)
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Memoirs of Hadrian
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus & Young NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ETNU86 |
Product Description
thick grey linen hardback,1954 farrar straus & young NY publ,transl.from french by grace frick w/author,313pages
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HADRIAN'S MEMOIRS
Manufacturer: Doubleday & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GR8XGU |
Average customer rating:
- A Match Made in Heaven.
- Heartwarming
- Be prepared...
- a healing tale
- You will believe!!!
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If You Believe
Kristin Hannah
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0449148378
Release Date: 1993-12-04 |
Book Description
Mad Dog Stone was a carefree drifter who wandered onto lonely, frightened Mariah Throckmorton's apple farm, in search of a few days' work. But he also managed to disturb her peace of mind and stir the hot, passionate emotions she tried so hard to hide. Theirs was a love born against all odds, impossible to count on, impossible to hold....
Customer Reviews:
A Match Made in Heaven........2006-08-08
This western romance proves the bittersweet truth that love exists "if you believe." Matt, an ill-mannered drifter, grew tired of riding the freightcars as a hobo and stopped off in Washington state to help harvest the apples. He had a devil-may-care, you haven't-hurt-me smile as he endured his lowlife of fights, the wrong kind of women, and hostile men scattered across the landscape. He loved them and left them, to see on his next time around. 'Miss Prim and Proper' whose father owned the farm felt free and, yet, she never left the farm. She felt that sometimes it hurt to be free, but she had nowhere else to go. Even through her eloquence, she didn't respond to him as a man, even after his appreciative whistle.
The interior of her self-made prison was one of grandeur. The extravagant bathing room was Forest green and burgundy. Her late mother had enjoyed the elegance of beautiful things. Her father is a dreamer. Isolation meant safety to her, but this safety meant loneliness. That is, until Matt appeared on the scene with his arrogance and disdain for folks he did not know. As the weeks went by, he became intrigued about her past, that she has a secret which he was determined to discover before he moves on. He had red-hot floods of frustration, and she was full of frustration and anger. Stephen, her teen love, had left her deserted sixteen years earlier and she just could not face the world because of her shame.
Relaxed, without that god-awful pinched expression on her face, she was almost beautiful with her shiny brown eyes. She was a woman as sensual and powerful as nature itself with a taste of innocence, freshness and surrender. She found Matt to be a good-looking man eventually and he made her feel alive again. She could even laugh, which delighted her old dad. But she was a woman with secrets. We all have our ill-begotten secrets and desires, whether real of imagined. She had lived in her own fantasy after Stephen left, but now she had grown up. With her strong will, strong mind, and a wagonload of grit and determination, all she wanted was to be left alone, for things to go back to the way they used to be, to feel safe in her own home again. He couldn't hurt her unless she gave her heart to him. But anything else would hurt too much.
He had his own unhappy past full of mistakes, and one caught up with him, his most ardent admirer, Jacob William Vandersty, Loralee's son. Only the good die young. He was the wandering kind and so left to ride the rails again to venture to Albuquerque. He missed her more every day, and could think of nothing else. What is it when you missed someone so badly you ached. Wish I knew. He found his old, boozing life in saloons and in boxcars no good now. He'd had a taste of the good life. On Christmas, he realized that he had a place to go, a home in Lonesome Creek, and someone waiting there for him. Mariah had come to the conclusion that he would never return but now she could live with her past and go on. She was older, wiser, and strong enough to survive. She was just lonely again, she thought, and her feeling of loss was just 'a quiet sorrow at what might have been.' Jake was there to take his place, as he was Matt's son, but lo and behold! The man himself returned to them both, his own family to comfort and care for the 'drifter.'
Heartwarming.......2005-08-31
I loved reading this book. I couldn't put it down. The relationships and feelings of the characters really makes you feel for them as you try to place yourself in their shoes. Mariah is such a loving, hurt person and all you want is to do is ug her and love her. I was really moved by this book. It made me think more about the impact of my life and love on others.
Be prepared..........2001-07-19
This book is hard to read. Ever seen the movie 'The Blue Lagoon'? Especially late at night? It left me with a hollow feeling, a sadness that echoed into the depths of my very soul. This book is about 2 people in their mid-thirties who fall in love against their wills. Its painful to read because of the depth of emotion, the heroine's relationship with her father and Mad Dog, as well as his relationship with his son, whom he doesn't know is related. Make any sense? ...Anyway, if I could go back in time I wouldn't have read this book. It left me with a bittersweet taste in my mouth - a compelling tale, but I think I'll stick to lighter reads from now on.
a healing tale.......2001-07-16
This is a book about finding, forgiving, loving and letting go. The characters aren't perfect, but all have good qualities. There isn't the usual falling into each others arms and living happily ever after. They work at theirs lives and fight for a chance to love. Ms.Hannah gives a good read.
You will believe!!!.......2001-04-29
I encountered Kristin Hannah a couple of months ago when I read the book, ANGEL FALLS: a nice book with a somewhat ... plot. I thought ANGLE FALLS was well-written with some beautiful prose, so I gave Kristin another shot with ON MYSTIC LAKE; it blew me away. ON MYSTIC LAKE is her best by far, but IF YOU BELIEVE comes mighty close. For those of you who are not familiar with Kristin Hannah, IF YOU BELIEVE is one of her earlier novels, and I can tell why she has been a productive writer and storyteller for the last ten years. IF YOU BELIEVE is a simple story about a woman, Mariah Throckmorton, who is hiding from a past that's filled with hurt, and her colorful, intelligent father. They live on a beautiful, secluded farm that happens to be graced with few visitors. Mad Dog Stone is a drifter who wanders by to find a meal and a place to sleep. Mad Dog becomes enthralled with Mariah, and wants to find out more about this simple, but beautiful woman. Lonely people are thrust together and the emotions fester until they become a full-blown hurricane. The plot works, the chemistry between the characters is wonderful, and couple that with the mystery of the landscape; you've got yourself an excellent book. Kristin Hannah will be a mainstay on my bookshelf for a long time. I only regret that I didn't discover this wonderful writer earlier. Blow the dust off your favorite book list, get your best pen out, and slowly write IF YOU BELIEVE at the top of the list; you won't be dissapointed.
Book Description
Tackling some of the most pertinent questions Jews ask themselves every day, this insightful examination of American Jewry considers the relevance of the Jewish religion and its traditions in the modern world. Culled from interviews with Jews from varying backgrounds, this book addresses the major issues that affect all Jews, regardless of age, sex, or level of practice. From answering the question What is Judaism, anyway? and considering the relationships between Jews and their community to understanding the state of Jewish education and discussing the issues involved in keeping kosher, this book offers hints for reconciling ancient religious customs with life in the 21st century and enriching one's spiritual life.
Customer Reviews:
jim is jim!.......2007-01-17
there is nothing out there quite like the jim journals. i absolutely love reading them, and they do something to my brain that nothing else i've read quite does. it's like entering someone else's life... it's almost a comic based haiku.
many of his comic strips aren't funny in the least. they're about every day activities - or even lack of activity. the most active people in the strip are his friends, as jim himself seems to do or think very little. which, to me, is the genius. i feel myself stepping into his life like into a pair of old comfortable tennis shoes.
walking a mile with jim is always a pleasure.
Average customer rating:
- I Love Cher
- Outstanding Biography
- What an annoying author
- Love this Venue
- Love this One
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Cher: If You Believe
Mark Bego
Manufacturer: Cooper Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Chastity
ASIN: 0815411537 |
Book Description
After catapulting to fame as Sonny Bono's musical cohort with the venerable I Got You, Babe, Cher has since built a substantial solo recording career.
Customer Reviews:
I Love Cher.......2003-09-16
I just love this book because I Cher I am just a huge fan of Cher because I just love her music and for woh she is she has done so much in her life and this book is talking about her life and it is a great book I hope to meet cher sometime because it would be a dream come true and Cher is just a great person I really would love to meet Cher
Outstanding Biography.......2003-07-27
This book is the best and most up-to-date biography of Cher available today. If you thought that her autobiography "The First Time" didn't really reveal anything about her life, try reading this book.
This book is filled with candid information and never-before-told secrets about Cher's life. This book chronicles EVERY single little thing about Cher, from the number of boyfriends she had to how she felt about Sonny Bono's running for mayor of Palm Springs. The book covers Cher's life up to 2000, and includes information about her "Believe" album and tour, and the movie she released in 2000. Also included in back is a full discography, moviegraphy, episode-by-episode guide of "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour", and even a "boyfriendography"!
If you want to find out about this mega-talented superstar known simply as Cher, this is the book to read. Enjoy!
What an annoying author.......2003-06-03
"Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there, in the room talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books." -Jack Handey
No, this wasn't a good book, but it often felt like the author was there talking to me, which is why I found this book annoying. It seemed Mark Bego can't end a paragraph without verbally winking at the reader. Once he concluded with "Oh that Cher, always so practical!" Please, sir, just tell it like it is. This book could have done without the constant reminders that the author is there.
Love this Venue.......2002-09-02
I love this CD and Recommend it to everyone who likes to have fun and dance. Cher is simply the greatest female performer since Patsy Cline.
Love this One.......2002-09-02
I think this If you Believe is fantastic and recommend it to everyone who likes to feel good. Is fun fast and makes you want to Dance.
Book Description
Gordon Schell is a doomed man. He's quit his job, and his wife, Rosita, is angry. She'll have to wait tables to provide for the three children and she hates that. When Gordon finds work just days later, instead of starting his new employment he's arrested for murder. A witness identified his mug shot as the suspect seen leaving the victim's house around the time of her death. Complicating matters further, Gordon denies knowing the victim, Darcy Rowland, even though he has been in her house before. What is he hiding?
Tried, convicted and sentenced to death, Gordon has a date with the executioner. His new attorney, Manny Rodriguez, and the private investigator must race to discover enough evidence which points to the real killer to convince the governor to order a stay. Convinced he will die soon, Gordon tells Rosita that he will be back for her, but only if she tells him from her own lips that she still believes in him. Before she can say it, the guards haul Gordon away. Does he meet his executioner? And, if so, did he hear her? Can Gordon really be back for the only woman he ever loved?
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If You Believe: A Christmas Story
Jeannine Andersen-Murphy , and
Jeannine Andersen Murphy
Manufacturer: Brzamo Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction | Christmas | Holidays & Festivals | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0974358088 |
Customer Reviews:
LET'S NOT FLASH TOO MUCH JUDAISM AROUND.......2002-06-18
Interestingly, the author is trying to push the US born jewish people in a sort of a JEWISH MAFIA.
Let's be modest and treat all other religions and people as equal.
Otherwise bad things will happen to us.
The world and its people are not stupid to notice how disciminating and radical a lot of the Orthodox Jews have been towards others.
There is a difference between Isreali Jews and US born ones like me.
I do not feel that I should promote my Jewish brother, just becouse he is Jewish. I would promote the best person for the task. America has given us so much more than Isreal and I believe that we shall be gratefull and supportive of its people.
May all religions and people trive and be equal!!!
Are you a serious Jew?.......2002-03-26
The author, Gil Mann, does not call Jews who are not committed "bad Jews." Instead he looks at whether someone is a "serious Jew." There are three interlocking circles (kind of like the interlocking Olympic circles) which represent different aspects of Judaism. The three are "ethics, spirituality and peoplehood" (remember the acronym ESP). Becoming more involved in any of the three will make someone a more serious Jew and, such involvement in that one sphere may lead to becoming more serious in either, or both, of the others.
Mann did interviews with individuals and with focus groups. Most of the chapters in this book are done as a dialogue between himself and an individual who is a composite. I bought this book for a teenager who thinks Judaism, or more specifically, religion in general, is a lot of nonsense. I hope this book will help this young person to see the richness in Judaism and the value of being a "serious Jew."
a perfect introduction to understand who we are.......2000-02-27
I read this book one year ago, and I still remember it as a perfect introduction to judaism. As a non religious jew, I always felt aside the society but also aside the jews. This book helped me to put religion and everyday life together, and more important, motivated me to read more about my religion. I would also recommend after this book the excellent "The Nine Questions People Ask about Judaism" by Dennis Prager.
How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even if:.......1999-12-06
I am the president of a small synagogue and this book really hit home for me. It put into words things I have been wrestling with all my adult life. All serious Jews would benefit from reading it, in fact, you might not know you are a serious Jew until you do read it. Thanks to Gil Mann, the author.
A Noteworthy Effort.......1999-12-05
Gil Mann has successfully taken several hot topics and presented them in a manner that is reader friendly, insightful and intriguing.
Reader friendliness is evident from the start; the book is written in interview format. Each chapter highlights a different person discussing a specific topic from the title. I read it in two days, and enjoyed the reading.
I also enjoyed it because it was insightful. After reading several of Mann's interpretations of Judaism, I spent time reflecting on his words. His comments lead me to both forgive myself and to rethink the way I'd been thinking about religion, community and spiritualism.
And that, to me, is very intriguing. He presented his insights in a clear and simplistic manner. While I don't agree with everything he said, I do feel that he inspired the participants of the book into questioning themselves, and me into doing the same.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they're a BAD Jew for not believing in God, not wanting to waste time in synagogue, and for hating talmud torture. (His words, not mine, although I agree!)
Book Description
Tackling some of the most pertinent questions Jews ask themselves every day, this book examines the relevance of the Jewish religion and its traditions in the modern world. Culled from interviews with Jews from varying backgrounds, it addresses the major issues that affect all Jews, regardless of age, sex, or level of practice. From answering the question "What is Judaism anyway?" and addressing the relationships between Jews and their community to discussing the issues involved in keeping kosher and the state of Jewish education, this book offers hints for reconciling ancient religious customs with life in the 21st century. Suggestions for people interested in further exploration of Judaism and a list of references for more research complete this resource for Jews who are seeking to enrich their spiritual lives.
Book Description
A journal of Cracker love. Complimentary observations of one of the world's most enduring ethnic groups. A sweet little nest of tributes to a very homey, hardy, ornery breed of people...their quirks and curiosity, gentleness and generosity...warm and personal. It ranges from witty and whimsical...to staunch and stalwart...to sensitive and spiritual. Just like Crackers themselves.
It proves Crackers worship their ancestors...believe in themselves and each other...and reveals what is in their hearts. Written in a way everyone will enjoy reading. The unique format, the essays and the photographs steal one's heart away. The reader becomes a part of the book and feels completely at home. It is refreshing that it presents information on the origin of the name Cracker we have never seen before. This is the book Crackers have needed for a long time. Now they have it.
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The Barrier
Jr. R. B. Thieme
Manufacturer: R. B. Thieme Jr., Bible Ministries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1557640327 |
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- Only for a Knight (Warner Forever)
- Pain Erasure: The Bonnie Prudden Way
- Paint It Black: A Novel
- Paradise
- Rabbit Angstrom : The Four Novels : Rabbit, Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit Is Rich, Rabbit at Rest (Everyman's Library)
- Red Leaves (Otto Penzler Book)
- Santa Evita
- Sea Glass: A Novel
- See Jane Date
Books Index
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Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome
