The Last Time They Met: A Novel

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The novel does get off to a slow start, with an unnecessarily drawn-out description of a luxury hotel. But it picks up speed as it moves backward in time, from the lovers' vividly evoked interlude in Africa, to their adolescent years in the Massachusetts village of Hull, and finally to Linda's deepest, darkest secret. Only then does the author unveil her final revelation, which should leave most readers somewhat out of breath, and possibly even obliged to turn back to the first page and read the book over again. Shreve is a canny storyteller, and she knows her characters inside and out. (As well she might: Thomas is the husband of Jean, the photographer in The Weight of Water.) And The Last Time They Met is yet another example of the kind of book she does best--one that's as skillfully plotted as a thriller, but with writing that lingers long after the last plot twist is unfurled. No matter whether people actually have affairs like these. Reading this book only makes you wish that they did. --Mary Park

Book Description

The Last Time They Met opens with two old lovers, both poets, running into each other at a writer's conference. Well, Linda Fallon and Thomas Janes aren't old, actually--just middle-aged, with a lifetime's worth of history between them. In the first section, Anita Shreve only suggests what that history contains: there was adultery, we gather, and a car accident, plus some illicit encounters under a pitiless Kenyan sun. Presumably the rest of the book will lead back to the beginnings of this grand passion, right? We think we know where this is going--but that's the tricky part, because we don't.The novel does get off to a slow start, with an unnecessarily drawn-out description of a luxury hotel. But it picks up speed as it moves backward in time, from the lovers' vividly evoked interlude in Africa, to their adolescent years in the Massachusetts village of Hull, and finally to Linda's deepest, darkest secret. Only then does the author unveil her final revelation, which should leave most readers somewhat out of breath, and possibly even obliged to turn back to the first page and read the book over again. Shreve is a canny storyteller, and she knows her characters inside and out. (As well she might: Thomas is the husband of Jean, the photographer in The Weight of Water.) And The Last Time They Met is yet another example of the kind of book she does best--one that's as skillfully plotted as a thriller, but with writing that lingers long after the last plot twist is unfurled. No matter whether people actually have affairs like these. Reading this book only makes you wish that they did. --Mary Park

Download Description

Linda Fallon encounters her former lover, Thomas Janes, at a literary festival where both have been invited to give readings from their work. It has been years since their paths crossed, and in that time Thomas has become a kind of literary legend. His renown is enhanced by his elusiveness; for most of the past decade, he has remained in seclusion following a devastating loss. This is no chance meeting. Thomas learned that Linda was reading at the festival and chose this moment to reestablish contact with a woman he passionately pursued years earlier. Their affair was disastrous, and a turning point in both their lives. Neither the intensity of their relationship nor the damage it did has ever been far from his memory. From the moment they speak, The Last Time They Met unfolds the story of Linda and Thomas in an extraordinary way: it travels back into their past, bypassing layers of memory and interpretation to present their earlier encounters with unshakable immediacy. In Africa, when Linda and Thomas were twenty-seven, and in Massachusetts, when they were in high school, the novel recreates love at its exhilarating pinnacle--the kind of intense connection that becomes the true north against which all relationships are measured. Moving backward through time, The Last Time They Met traces the extraordinary resonance a single choice, even a single word, can have over the course of a lifetime. At the same time, the novel creates an almost unbearable mystery, a mystery that can only be understood fully in the novel's final pages, in the eyes of young Linda Fallon and the young man who loves her. With a master's control of phrase, observation, emotion, and character, Anita Shreve has written a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of intimacy, loss, and lifelong desire.

Customer Reviews:

fascination with lost love.......2007-08-20

Terrible book...boring till the end (which is the only part I liked).
If you are wondering why Shreve likes stories about lost love, and the "what if" theme that runs through many of her books, read her book "When and where"...which I strongly suspect is autobiographical. She seems well-versed in the emotions of love rekindled and its adverse consequences on families because it reflects her own story.

Cheap Ending.......2007-08-17

I was able to finish this book, which rates it at least 2 stars, but I was sorry I did, because the ending is cheap. The ending essentially says, all events you read about and thought were evocative, thoughtful, sad, or whatever, were simply the imaginings of a secondary character. Why bother? If it was all Thomas's imagination, don't you think he would imagine something a little happier? It becomes the story of a sick and obsessed mind, rather than a poignant story of love lost. I had read Pilot's Wife and enjoyed it, but I don't think I'll be reading another of hers.

very satisfying! I loved it .......2007-08-17

The descriptions of the settings and people they meet are second to none. I liked the meandering off-beat way the story weaves thorough the small details of life. The characters are rich and satisfying. The romance was powerful but I did not feel it was "overly dramatic" like a soap opera since the characters had the proper setting and history behind it.

I was happy to see the reference to her other book The Weight of Water, I did not realize at first it's the same Thomas. I think that gave grater depth to the story since I had the begging and end from this book, and the middle from the other story. I can see how this book may not be for everyone, but I loved it.

Polly McCrillis .......2007-08-10

The ending came as a surprise, a sad surprise, for in the literary romance world, endings must end happily. Ms. Shreve does not follow the rules, and for that I am grateful. Her novels have their own persona, word choice, either in dialogue or narrative, suiting the time period, and her settings are characters unto themselves. I feel I've been given a magnificent gift when I read her works and know they will not disappoint, even when the ending is not the anticipated, hoped for, happy one. Bravo, to Ms. Shreve for having the temerity to not follow the rules. As a writer, I thank her for the inspiration her writing fosters.Almost Taken Flight of Faith

Rip out the last page and it's 5 stars.......2007-08-04

First let me say that I got this book second-hand many years after it was written and had not heard any reviews, knew nothing of a supposed "shocking" ending. So I was caught completely off guard.

As I read this book I remarked to my husband on how beautifully written it was, I was devouring every page, loving the writing style. Wishing there were a thousand Anita Shreve books if they were all this lovely. I am normally not a sappy romantic, but I was really rooting for Linda and Thomas, naively missed all the supposed "hints" in the book that something was up... was truly hoping for a happily-ever-after right up until that last page, when I feel like Ms. Shreve ripped the book from my hands and hit me over the head with it and said, "HA!"

I was SO ANGRY about the ending -- I had come to care for the characters, faults and all, was hoping for the happy ending (I would have taken a regretful or melancholy ending, anything but the ending I got), and then the cheapest ploy imaginable hits. It's like the author said, "Dear reader, you know that whole long story you just spent so many hours reading and got so involved in: Just Kidding FOLKS!!!!!!"

I took the book to my husband and said with venom, "You know the book I was loving so much? So romantic, these people who have a chance at reuniting with their one true love? READ THE LAST PAGE." OH I was so mad. It is like shock just for the sake of shock. Like a dirty trick. NOT clever, just infuriating. And looking back to "The Weight of Water"... again she breaks our hearts. Anita Shreve seems to get a kick out of pulling us in and making us care about a character (the romantic couple, the innocent child), and then SHE KILLS THEM.

The shame of it is, I LOVE her writing style. But I feel tricked here. I wish she would just write a book without having to insert random shocking death. Her writing is so good, she doesn't need those ploys, they just feel false and devious to me, especially when they play out in a single sentence or paragraph, like something added at the last minute. Like, "AHA!! I know!!! I'll just kill the character!! Suddenly!! For no apparent reason!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

Like I said, if you rip out the last page of the book (I don't care that it wouldn't have an ending, it would be better than the actual ending), I would have loved it, 5 stars. As it is though, I don't think I can bring myself to read another Anita Shreve novel. As much as I love her writing, it feels like a "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" thing. She's already clobbered me over the head with senseless death in the two novels I've read, I don't wish to be manipulated again.

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The Last Time They Met: A Novel
Anita Shreve
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0349114498

LOT 4 NOVELS WHERE OR WHEN,THE LAST TIME THEY MET, ALL HE EVER WANTED & THE WEIGHT OF WATER.

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LOT 4 NOVELS WHERE OR WHEN,THE LAST TIME THEY MET, ALL HE EVER WANTED & THE WEIGHT OF WATER.
ANITA SHREVE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WMGZ4G

Set of 3 Novels By Anita Shreve - Fortune's Rocks, The Last Time They Met, A Wedding in December

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Set of 3 Novels By Anita Shreve - Fortune's Rocks, The Last Time They Met, A Wedding in December
Anita Shreve
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VSOZM0

Product Description

Set of 3 Standalone Novels By Anita Shreve - Fortune's Rocks, The Last Time They Met, A Wedding in December.

Customer Reviews:

Quite Good .......2007-08-30

Ben Badwin, brother of Noah from Too Much Temptation, is a sexy, single and a successful business owner but he is lonely. Not that he can't have his pick of women, they throw themselves at him, but he wants a challenge. When Sierra starts a landscaping business next door, he knows this is the woman for him dirty clothes, messy hair and all. Sierra has never dated or even been interested in another man since she divorced her abusive ex husband so she is startled to find herself attracted to Ben. What surprises her even more is how nice and gentle Ben can be , but when her troubled ex starts bothering her she knows he would only cause trouble for Ben. Ben knows that if he can wear down Sierra's defenses she'll be his but what he can't figure out is why she fights it at all...when they come together physically sparks will fly!

This was a really good, hot story....however, I was expecting as good as Too Much Temptation and it isn't quite there. Still if I weren't comparing it to another book, I would be happy.

2nd novel of the Temptation Brothers - Ben's Story .......2007-06-29

Never too Much by Lori Foster is Ben's Story and continuous from Too Much Temptation. Ben and Noah are brothers from the same love them and leave them father. They are both strong good men who have a few issues with their grandmother. In this novel Ben starts the night looking for a women and sets his sights from Sierra Murphy. Sierra starting her landscaping business next door to Ben's hotel. Sierra has a secret but that only make Ben want her to trust him even more. This is not a deep novel - very light but entertaining.

A fun read.......2007-05-30

This book was more for fun reading than anything else. Being an erotic romance, the abundance of sex is to be expected, but those scenes are written well and not quite so over-the-top as in other erotic romances I've read. That's not to say they weren't explicit, but at least it seemed realistic except for the first one happening at the point of meeting and the fact that the heroine, Sierra, is so naive regarding her own body and has a propensity to fall asleep at the mental climax of intimate moments. Though time is passing in the book, a week here and there, supposedly to give time for the couple to develop more feelings and desires, there is no sense of it while reading, so it still seems a bit hurried. I noticed some point of view issues, but not enough to stop me from reading. The extra romance between Kent and Brooke, the hero's mother, was an aside happenstance I could have done without. Skimming over that budding relationship with a few indepth revelations added nothing to the main story. I did like all the characters, though the ex was typical. There was nothing really unique to the story, but I enjoyed it anyway. The author is talented at putting words together and painting a scene for the reader so the story is vivid if not different.

Predictable and poorly executed.......2007-05-22

Motel owner Ben falls for Sierra, a new gal in town who is starting up a landscaping business. He romances her while he tries to rescue her from her abusive ex-husband. A reluctant born again virgin (aren't all her heroines either virgins or women with a single bad sex partner who ruins it for her?), Sierra doesn't want anything to do with a relationship since her last one was so nasty, but Ben pursues her relentlessly. In this follow up to "Too Much Temptation," author Foster proves that plot and character development need not be present when you inundate your story with plentiful acrobatic sex and cardboard characters. The more endearing and heartwarming story was the secondary plot between Sierra's partner and Ben's mom.

Foster has written much better. Check out "Unexpected" for a successful blend of plot, character development, and genuine storytelling.

dwan.......2007-05-15

a terrifice read. I read it from cover to cover as soon as I received it.

Received in great condition and in excellant time

Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough

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A disturbing indictment of Australian consumerism
Very interesting, at a macro level
Hopefully the start of a trend - the reduction in consumption

Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough
Clive Hamilton , and Richard Denniss
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Consumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Shopping & Commerce | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1741146712

Book Description

Anyone concerned about the level of their personal debt or frustrated by the rat race of aspiring to an affluent lifestyle will appreciate this critique of the effects of over-consumption. This analysis pulls no punches as it describes both the problem and what can be done to stop it. Analyzing the increasing rates of stress, depression, and obesity as possible effects of the consumption binge currently gripping the Western world, this report tracks how Australians overwork, the growing number of things thrown out, self-medicated drugs, and the real meaning of the word choice.

Customer Reviews:

A disturbing indictment of Australian consumerism.......2006-10-14

According to virtually all statistical measures, Australians have become much, much richer in the past few decades than their parents or grandparents could have dreamed of. Who at the turn of the century, would have imagined us living in a world where we had a car each, had a large house, and hundreds of individual possessions?

Yet it seems in recent decades this trend for consumer capitalism has gotten totally out of control. It now often seems even having a house, car and job isn't enough; we have to have massive plasma television sets, several home computers, a third generation mobile phone, a whizz bang computer and games for the kids, both parents working to the hilt to pay the mortgage, expensive holidays and a million dollars in super at the end of it. We have to send our children to the most expensive private schools and universities, and money and getting things is the most important thing.

This is the picture Hamilton paints of Australia, where people binge on credit, where Australians work themselves almost to death to supply an endless array of goods and services which they don't really need, and are wasted; where about 20% of the population suffer from mental health problems related to low self esteem and stress, and where people avoid having children because each costs $250,000 to raise, and where our rampant consumption is ruining our environment as well as our health.

I certainly agree many of the ideas put forward in this book are true. Australia does seem to have become a place where the ethic of 'mateship' and community has been replaced with the rather heartless ethics of global capitalism, which are aimed at endless economic growth and growing individual prosperity. Reforms to make the Australian economy more open to foreign competition were opened in the 1980's by the Labour government, and ever since then in Australia the emphasis is more and more on aligning ourselves to the globalised world.

I do feel though that material progress is a good thing. However, our material progress is having some negative consequences, such as rocketing house prices and crippling resource shortages, in water and other areas. Our reckless focus on 'growth only' is also doing great damage to our environment, globally and locally.

Money is important and Australia must not go the way of Sub-Saharan Africa, being poor, overpopulated and racked by pollution and war. However I agree the time is coming when Australians will need to see there is more to life than simply the material; no amount of money or personal possessions is going to stop us from dying and suffering ill health, though wealth can delay both. We also need to be more charitable to the poor, as Australia still has some 100,000 homeless people, and we need to recognise the spiritual is an integral part of life, regardless of how much or how little we have (I am sure there is a correlation between the breakdown of religion and community in Australia and depression and other forms of mental illness).

To cure ourselves of affluenza we need to focus less on affluence and more on quality of life, which unfortunately affluence can't bring entirely on its own, without good ethical, social, spiritual and community values and wholeness and environmental sustainability. There seems little point in having a beautiful house or a brand new 4WD when the skies of your city are constantly polluted, water is running out, and garbage is piling up everywhere in the streets and elsewhere.

Very interesting, at a macro level.......2006-07-09

This book was facinating and easy to read- a rare combination of meticulous research and good writing. The author systematically explains the different aspects of society where affluenza is changing our way of life- it's scary stuff. But I was left thinking, what do I do about it? The author's few page 'manifesto' at the end of the book is too little, too late for me. I would have liked to see some practical tips in each chapter about what ordinary people can do to combat affluenza.

Hopefully the start of a trend - the reduction in consumption.......2006-06-11

A chilling tale of modern consumption gone mad, of the availability of so much yet causing so little happiness. It seems the more we consume the less happy we are. Our houses are bigger than ever, but our families are smalle. OUr children go to the best schools but we hardly see them. We have more money than ever before yet we are crippled under staggeringly high debt, more than ever before - the authors ask the question - what is going on?

They support this ably with graphed research however unfortunately the graphs were not well referenced so I have no idea as to their veracity, so when they mention a 23% proportion of 20-50 year olds 'downsizing' their lifestyle in the last 10 years I just don't know where they got this figure from, or indeed how valid. However while this was a distraction, I did find this book had some extremely major strengths
1 - it is well written,
2 - it is more than just scare tactics, It is thoughtful and thought provoking about the way we live
3 - it offers actually practical solutions as well as philosophical idealism. The conclusion is a series of ideals and how we can go about meeting them.

There have been others talking about the unhappiness bought about by mass consumerism, this is a nice book to start at to understand the issues.

Too Much Is Never Enough: The Autobiography of Morris Lapidus, Architect

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Standing on Eden Roc

Too Much Is Never Enough: The Autobiography of Morris Lapidus, Architect
Morris Lapidus
Manufacturer: Rizzoli International Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0847819787
Release Date: 1996-09-15

Amazon.com

Morris Lapidus designed more than 500 retail stores, hotels, and apartments during his 60-year career as an architect. The work, chronicled in his new autobiography, "Too Much Is Never Enough", is a testament to his roots in set and costume design for theater and to the glamour he brought to the most basic buildings and interiors. In an age when appropriation was not the rage, Lapidus pioneered this signature element of post-modernism, combining details of French Provincial and Italian Romanesque architecture with whimsical ornament and an unrestrained use of color. Lapidus' writing, while a bit self-aggrandizing, is sweet and surprisingly engaging., making the book a delight all the way around.

Customer Reviews:

Standing on Eden Roc.......1998-05-21

I enjoyed this frank autobiography of an interior designer and architect who gave people what they thought a glamorous resort should look like instead of what the architectural establishment dictated. Lapidus recounts his experiences as an immigrant child in New York through to his grudging acceptance as a the leader of a new architectural style. I particularly liked his acknowledgment that his career was full of sudden and random opportunities that he fully seized. I also enjoyed a story from his early days when he took joking at his expense by senior management and used it to open a new opportunity.

Lapidus is not Howard Roark, the icy Rand architect hero. He gave is clients what they wanted or, more accurately, gave his clients what he thought people would want.

Book Description

Four young African American males struggle to face modern day problems of the typical teenager. Jalail is a teenage father who is struggling to do right with his baby's mother. Davon is trying to deal with a sexuality that is not acceptable to others. Rahliem is in jail trying to make it. Barel wants to end his life so badly but forgets the cost the others around him have to bear. Together, they are trying to solve their problems and make things right.

Customer Reviews:

On My Own.......2002-09-27

Never Too Much is a gritty tale of the lives of several young, urban, African Americans. The story follows the lives of teens that have more than a handful of life's challenges. Barel has attempted suicide before and is struggling to fight the urge to try again. Davon is experimenting sexually and trying to come to terms with his true sexual identity. Rahliem is paying for his past mistakes while trying to hold his family together. Jalail is a teenage parent working to take care of his child and his baby's mother. Throughout the course of the book, each of these characters deal with adversity and drama while trying to survive.

With tighter editing this book has the potential to be much more than a 3 star book. Imes does an excellent job capturing the voice of teens and young adults and as a result, the dialogue was realistic. Each of the primary characters is rotated as narrators in the book, and as a result each has a strong voice. Never Too Much is a short book, but it covers several different story lines. I think the book would have been more powerful if the author had focused attention on a couple of these story lines and developed them more or made the book a little longer. Still, I found the book to be a quick and pleasant read. I look forward to watching the continued growth of this author and would definitely read more of his work in the future.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay

Who's watching these Kids..........2002-08-05

Never too much tells the raw and gritty story of teenage boys merely
surviving. Jalail becomes a father for the first time at age 16 and
then a second time 3 weeks before his 17th birthday. His girlfriend,
Anjanetta is 14 when she becomes a mother. Amazing huh; well life
doesn't get better for their friends.

Davon is 15,believes he is gay and struggles daily with the hatred
from his parents; Barel is unable to tolerate the verbal abuse from
his father or the feeling of loneliness any longer. So he comes up
with a master plan to take a gun and shoot himself. Rahliem is
Davon's brother and protector, he is fighting for his life in
the "big house." I am not sure how these males will overcome any of
their issues when they were not given what they need to do that,
however you will find yourself rooting for them.

I had some difficulties with this book, and one of them was the
story; I could not imagine these children running things. Their
demeanor was not that of tough guys nor were they hoodlums, they were
written as ordinary teenagers with far out issues. One question for the author, who raised these children, where is the history?

Jaeyel Imes has a wonderful writing style and I plan to keep my ears open for this author's future work. If you are between the ages of 15-20 I believe you will find this book exciting

Never Too Much (Review) 4 1/2 Stars).......2002-03-17

Jaeyel Imes takes you through a realistic journey a teenage father, a sexually confused youth, an incarcerated brotha and a boy with suicidal thoughts. Imes is more focus on Never Too Much by subtly linking the four major characters through minor characters and events. Imes also keeps it real by showing the reactions to the young men's decision from all sides. The bonus story included in this published version of the work adds more dimensions and sheds more light on some of the minor characters in the book.

When you read The Rhyme, The Story N Me and Never Too Much, you can easily see where Imes has grown as a writer. Where as TRTSNM is more entertainment and keeps the reader imagination flowing with indirect hints; Never Too Much is more straight forward and unapologetic in its attempts to show the world the problems young African American men face.

This book is perfect for book clubs, church groups and the barber shops where real problems are discussed and then debated on to find a solution that is workable for everybody. But do keep an open mind because if you don't, you are bound to miss the gems that are sure to make this book a classic.

Mh2002

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Never Too Much - A Novel Of Erotic Romance
Lori Foster
Manufacturer: Brava/Kensington Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NY4R7U

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Never Too Much - The Remix
Jarold Imes
Manufacturer: Abednego's Free
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1934195073

Product Description

The Tensley brothers are four young men who struggle with problems plaguing our youth today. Antwan becomes a teenage father at fifteen and has to learn how to become a man. Ashley is in denial about his addiction to alcohol, which is slowly tearing him apart. Ace is learning to balance his faith and learn anger management while incarcerated. Aaron is learning to accept that love must start with loving himself. These brothers have to learn to get along and face their problems together. Jarold Imes is no stranger to controversy and raising awareness of social causes and he proves that by bringing back the debut title that started it all.

Never Too Much: A Novel of Erotic Romance

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Never Too Much: A Novel of Erotic Romance
Lori Foster
Manufacturer: Kensington Publishing Corp.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739428519

Product Description

Erotic, Romance

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