The Virgin Suicides

Book Description

This beautiful and sad first novel, recently adapted for a major motion picture, tells of a band of teenage sleuths who piece together the story of a twenty-year old family tragedy begun by the youngest daughter's spectacular demise by self-defenstration, which inaugurates 'the year of the suicides.'

Customer Reviews:

An Unresolved Resolution!!!!!.......2007-09-22

I'll never forget reading this book because of the nature of suicide which seems so unnatural. Five beautiful girls made by Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon. Their names were Lux, Mary, Bonnie, Therese, and Cecilia. They grew up in the narrator's neighborhood. Sadly, all five of them would die by their own accord. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? it's something you have to keep asking yourself. Lux was the fun one who was probably not a virgin. Cecilia tried once to commit suicide. The other girls must have had a fascination with death. They were girls who were suffocated to death by their strict parents who led a religious life. They were afraid of their daughters' exposure to the evils of the outside world such as sinning, sex, music, etc. Mrs. Lisbon forcing Lux to burn her own albums seems symbolic to the nature of the family structure. I would like to know if it is a true story. I do think this book is far more interesting than Middlesex. Like the movie, the book never resolves the issues surrounding the girls' suicides. It just doesn't seem real and hard to believe. It happened before the Jonestown Mass Suicide. The narrator still seeks answers to why the Lisbon girls committed suicide with his neighborhood friends. It's something that haunts you for years to come if you ask the narrator and if you ask the reader but I still would want some kind of resolution, some closure. maybe that's the problem, there is never really closure with suicide. Maybe the author's point is that there are some mysteries never really solved. What about the parents? Why didn't they stop it? What did they do to prevent it? Why all of them too? It's bad enough to lose one daughter but to lose all five of them. Four daughters on one night. Were they fascinated by death? Why didn't they run away? Why didn't they seek help? What would have stopped them? These are all questions that the narrator or the author has probably asked themselves a million times over without a responsive, logical answer. What would have happened to the Lisbon girls if they were caught in time to survive? What kind of help or illness did they have to commit suicide? Did they think it would be better in death? They are a mystery to all of us, I guess.

Not terrible.......2007-09-17

I think this book missed its chance be really GREAT. It wasn't a bad book, just not nearly as good as it could have been. Just kind of empty. Most of the book was filled with pointless descriptions of things that weren't really important.

completely hypnotizing, one of my new all-time favorites........2007-09-11

it is chilling when you find a book that speaks so directly to your soul, or of your soul. the virgin suicides that book. at least for me. it is dark, surreal in a magical-realism sort of way. it is so hard to describe... too many superlatives for this book. it reads so quickly, you just fall into it. one of it's major successes, i think, is that as you read along, you begin to realize that the narrator isn't some sterile, distant voice from the clouds, it is very real. and it is obsessed with it's subjects. and since it is your only window into this world, you become tainted with that obsession too. rich description, powerful symbols, i would recommend this to everyone.

Startling and effortlessly impressive look at obsession and consequence..........2007-08-06

When I started reading Jeffrey Eugenides flawless creation `The Virgin Suicides' I wasn't quite sure what I was going to experience, but a few hours later and three quarters of the way through I was so absorbed I nearly finished the entire novel in one sitting. There's so much to be said of the effortless captivating quality that Eugenides writing embodies. It's so full of unexpected life given the dire prose and depressive subject matter. What I absolutely adored about this novel with the simplicity in which Jeffrey carried his characters, the calm and subtle variations in tone changes, that soft and budding essence of emotion that captivates each page and slips under the readers skin. I have for many years now been a huge supporter of Sophia Coppola's brilliant film adaptation, but up until this past Friday night I had yet to pick up the novel that started it all. Now that I've finished this splendid film I am all the more in love with Coppola's creation for I now understand it so much better. It's a beautiful thing when the film and the novel compliment each other so incredibly well.

The story is told through the eyes of the neighborhood boys who loved the Lisbon girls. They watched Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux and Cecilia as they slowly drifted away from the world they longed to be part of and ended their lives one by one. The novel is put together almost like a court presentation, written years after the deaths complete with reference to interviews with those who knew the Lisbon family, with the Lisbon parents themselves, flashbacks and reference to photographs and articles retained from the Lisbon house being submitted as exhibits. The writing is what makes this novel so engrossing for it beautifully moves from even to event with effortless grace and fluidity. We understand the Lisbon sisters as well as anyone could, and the mere fact that no one really knew them is what makes this novel so haunting. In the end, the reader doesn't truly know them, but he or she is drawn to them all the same.

The novel to me really exposes the after effects of unbridled obsession and the dire consequence of paranoid suspicion. The entire town becomes rooted in uncovering the reasons behind the girl's suicides and everyone is affected from it. From those who knew the Lisbon sisters well or at least thought they did, to those who just witnessed their dilemma from a distance, everyone in their small town suffered because of their decision to end their lives. Of course the one thing the reader would want to gain from delving into these pages would be an understanding of why these vents took place, but in the end we don't get a straightforward answer. Instead we are left on our own to read between the lives and uncover the truth, which may or may not be there. There are listed speculations and a detailed account of the girl's final breathing hours, but aside from that we are left in the dark as to their real emotions and motives.

As we enter the lives of these doomed souls we see their family life was far from perfect. Their parents were overly protective, strict and possessive. While there were no signs of physical or sexual abuse the girls suffered mental abuse in the form of overtly strict rules and discipline that screamed for rebellion. The most interesting of the sisters would have been Cecilia, the youngest and most likely most troubled of the girls, and Lux, the more rebellious and certainly most compelling of the group. Cecilia's attempted suicide and then eventual completed suicide is what ultimately serves as the crux for the downward spiral the remaining sister's lives then takes. Cecilia is obviously tortured by something, something we may never fully understand, but it appears her social anxiety and outcast may have something to do with it. Lux on the other hand is the free spirited and breathtaking sister, the one all the boys dream of being with, and her crash and burn at the hands of her own misplaced sexuality is almost painful to witness. As the boys watch her engage in tryst after tryst upon her rooftop in some sick way of rebelling against her prison ward parents you can tell they are repelled almost as much as they are intoxicated. The girls are unlike anything they have ever known, unlike anyone they will ever know again.

We of course all know the end before it begins but it's still a haunting and memorable conclusion that in a way ties up more loose ends than you may think. It goes to show that know one really knows another human being, even those closest to you will never truly know you, and you them, and in the end what another human being does is better left up to God to judge. Everyone has their opinions. Some cry abuse, others neglect, some Satanism, others still cry selfish attempts at attention but ultimately no one really knows but it's that uncontrollable obsession that won't allow us to let it go until we've unlocked secrets none of us have a right to uncover.

Love the movie! Love the book!.......2007-08-01

Since I watched the Sophia Coppola movie version before reading the actual book, I had to get a taste of the literal words to compare to the character's voices on the big screen.

I love the fact that, unlike the movie, in the book THE VIRGIN SUICIDES Eugenides describes places that are familiar to me as a Detroiter. Reading this made me feel more at home than the movie version. The descriptions remind me also of Kane's book, CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOLGIRL Confessions of a Catholic Schoolgirlas it goes to places that no other "black comedy" would dare to go. I guess I understand the whole, misunderstood, deeply distressed schoolgirl thing.

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An unbelievably close look at a child's feelings
Powerful words
An excellent read!!

Help Is On Its Way: A True Story
Jenna Forrest
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Divorce & Separation | Family & Health Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0979229812
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

Help Is On Its Way is a vivid, nostalgic, and shockingly earnest expose of how one little girl lives day-to-day with overloaded senses and mounting social anxiety. Jenna's heart-wrenching innocence brings each page to life, offering a refreshingly pure perspective on death, divorce, dysfunction and disaster. Remarkable revelations keep this maturing girl functioning in society, but will her faith keep her strong enough to overcome overwhelming odds? Hang on for the ride and hope hard. It might be the only promise that help is on its way.

Customer Reviews:

An unbelievably close look at a child's feelings.......2007-06-23

In this book, Jenna Forrest has really captured a child's view of life in a way that brings us, as adults, back to our own childhood feelings and memories with a clarity most of us have likely lost.

As a parent, it is refreshing to realize how our own children may perceive things that to adults may seem ordinary or important. I hope to take this perspective into my daily interactions with understanding my own children.

A true story, Forrest bravely bares her soul in a memoir that is sure to touch every reader. There were many inspirational messages throughout the book, discovered by Forrest as she matured. My favorite being one that we all can and should bring to our own adult lives... "Being closer to people. I think that's what freedom really is... Realizing with relief that you are at last ready to show people your eyes instead of your back." I think it takes great courage to do this and I know I strive each day to live in just that way.

A fantastic read. Great front cover, but I don't think the description on the back cover does justice to the depth of the story.

Get it. Read it. It was great.

Powerful words.......2007-06-06

This commanding true narrative leaves you hanging onto every word. The author's writing style creates powerful images for the reader, as if you are struggling right along side this young girl.

An excellent read!!.......2007-06-06

I thought this was a great book. So many times, it's so easy to remember childhood as an easy time when all anyone had to do was play and had no responsibilities. Often we forget that childhood is actually a
very tough, confusing time for anyone, especially a deeply emotional and sensitive kid like Jenna. In the book, Jenna Forrest vividly explores the fears, love, anxiety, and wonder of childhood not through the filter of an adult looking back, but through the wide-open eyes of a child. And she nails it. The sights and smells of the world of a child are so real and tangible you feel like you're really living in Jenna's skin. I recommend this book for anyone who was ever a child (and to anyone who ever wants to be a parent.) There are an amazing number of life lessons here, but the tone is never pandering or didactic. She just let's the world unfold and allows us an intimate peek into a time of life that most of us have boxed up and long forgotten.

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The Virgin Suicides
Jeffrey Eugenides
Manufacturer: Abacus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JWT9VK

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The Virgin Suicides
Jeffrey Eugenides
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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The Road (Oprah's Book Club)

ASIN: B000JIBCLO

Back to myth and ethical compromise: Garcia Marquez's traces on Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides. : An article from: Atlantis, revista de la Asociación ... Espanola de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos

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Back to myth and ethical compromise: Garcia Marquez's traces on Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides. : An article from: Atlantis, revista de la Asociación ... Espanola de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos
Francisco Collado-Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000EYK58O
Release Date: 2006-05-24

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Atlantis, revista de la Asociación Espanola de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 8142 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Back to myth and ethical compromise: Garcia Marquez's traces on Jeffrey Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides.
Author: Francisco Collado-Rodriguez
Publication: Atlantis, revista de la Asociación Espanola de Estudios Anglo-Norteamericanos (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Page: 27(14)

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Interrogating suburbia in The Virgin Suicides.: An article from: Academic Exchange Quarterly

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Interrogating suburbia in The Virgin Suicides.: An article from: Academic Exchange Quarterly
Lisa A. Kirby
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Academic Exchange Quarterly, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2007. The length of the article is 2899 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Interrogating suburbia in The Virgin Suicides.
Author: Lisa A. Kirby
Publication: Academic Exchange Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Page: 51(5)

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Ruined my summer
Middlesex an awsome read
Excellent writing on controversial topic
Una Mariavillosa Saga Familiar!
Completely Unique--Breaks New Ground

Middlesex (Unabridged)
Jeffrey Eugenides
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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ASIN: B00009KEJ6

Amazon.com

"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." And so begins Middlesex, the mesmerizing saga of a near-mythic Greek American family and the "roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time." The odd but utterly believable story of Cal Stephanides, and how this 41-year-old hermaphrodite was raised as Calliope, is at the tender heart of this long-awaited second novel from Jeffrey Eugenides, whose elegant and haunting 1993 debut, The Virgin Suicides, remains one of the finest first novels of recent memory.

Eugenides weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative spanning 80 years of a stained family history, from a fateful incestuous union in a small town in early 1920s Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit; from the early days of Ford Motors to the heated 1967 race riots; from the tony suburbs of Grosse Pointe and a confusing, aching adolescent love story to modern-day Berlin. Eugenides's command of the narrative is astonishing. He balances Cal/Callie's shifting voices convincingly, spinning this strange and often unsettling story with intelligence, insight, and generous amounts of humor:

Emotions, in my experience aren't covered by single words. I don't believe in "sadness," "joy," or "regret." … I'd like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic traincar constructions like, say, "the happiness that attends disaster." Or: "the disappointment of sleeping with one's fantasy." ... I'd like to have a word for "the sadness inspired by failing restaurants" as well as for "the excitement of getting a room with a minibar." I've never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I've entered my story, I need them more than ever.

When you get to the end of this splendorous book, when you suddenly realize that after hundreds of pages you have only a few more left to turn over, you'll experience a quick pang of regret knowing that your time with Cal is coming to a close, and you may even resist finishing it--putting it aside for an hour or two, or maybe overnight--just so that this wondrous, magical novel might never end. --Brad Thomas Parsons

Book Description

In the spring of 1974, Calliope Stephanides, a student at a girls school, Grosse Pointe, MI, finds herself drawn to a chain-smoking, strawberry-blond classmate with a gift for acting. The passion that furtively develops between themalong with Callies failure to developleads Callie to suspect that she is not like other girls. The explanation for this shocking state of affairs takes us out of suburbiaback before the Detroit race riots of 1967, before the rise of the Motor City, to 1922, when the Turks sacked Smyrna and Callies grandparents fled for their lives, back to a tiny village in Asia Minor where two lovers, and one rare genetic mutation, set in motion the metamorphosis that will turn Callie into a being both mythical and perfectly real: a hermaphrodite.Sprawling across eight decadesand one unusually awkward adolescenceJeffrey Eugenidess long-awaited second novel is a grand, utterly original fable of crossed bloodlines, the intricacies of gender, and the deep, untidy promptings of desire. It marks the fulfillment of a huge talent, named one of Americas best young novelists by both Granta and The New Yorker.

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Spanning across eight decades--and one unusually awkward adolescence - Jeffrey Eugenides' long-awaited second novel is a grand, utterly original fable of crossed bloodlines, the intricacies of gender, and the deep, untidy promptings of desire.

Customer Reviews:

Ruined my summer.......2007-09-18

I guess a Pulitzer Prize and being on Oprah's Book List does not make for a good book. I spent my entire summer trying to get through this book. Fianlly on Saturday, September 15th at 10:38 am, I finished.
I was not drawned into any of the characters, found that the narrative was all over the place, found that the descriptions were overwhelming and as far as being controversial, I don't even think that the author really touched on the subject but skirted the issue.
I was very disappointed!!!

Middlesex an awsome read.......2007-09-18

Middlesex was certainly a book that I could NOT put down after I began reading. First of all it is a very well writen book. It began stating the birth(s) of Cal and took you through her life. You could feel how she felt. Starting in Greece and ending on Middlesex, was a wonderful journey for the reader. I loved the writing so much of Eugenides, that I ordered his previously written book,(Virgin Suicides) and am waiting for his latest book to be printed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
E Morikis

Excellent writing on controversial topic.......2007-09-13

This might be the best written book I've ever read. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has trouble reading about modern sexual issues, however.

Una Mariavillosa Saga Familiar!.......2007-08-02

Este novela esta en el Club de Libros de Opprah. Y se gano el premio Pulitzer de Ficcion de 2003. Narra la saga familiar de un una familia de Asia Menor que llega a los Estados Unidos en busca de un mejor futuro.
La historia es narrada por un hombre que, siendo hermafrodita, vivio su juventud como una mujer hasta que su desarrollo sexual le indico lo contrario. Pero esto, como dijo Opprah en su programa, no debe hacer que nos alejemos del libro.
Es una maravillosa narracion en que vemos tres generaciones de una familia vistos con unos ojos sin prejuicios y limpios. Una saga familiar que nos envuelve y una vez que comienzas a leer no puedes parar.

Completely Unique--Breaks New Ground.......2007-07-20

"Middlesex" by Jefferey Eugenides is as unique as its protagonist, Cal/Calliope Stephanides, a hermaphrodite born a female, yet destined at puberty to express his underlying male nature.

It is easy to see why this book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2003. At once a sweeping rollicking comic epic family saga, this novel breaks new ground by successfully hybridizing different literary styles and throwing aside conventions of proper storytelling voice and construction. The novel is told primarily in first person. How else could Eugenides tell the tale of this endearing heroine/hero without resorting to awkward use of pronouns? But then comes the real breakthrough. How does the author take us into the minds of the supporting characters when the novel is narrated in first person? Eugenides solves this by making his narrator creatively omniscient. The reader is consciously aware at all times that it is Cal/Callie, the protagonist, that is stepping into the minds of his/her ancestors and immediate family to reveal their hidden feelings as she/he tells their tales in third person. It works! The storytelling comes alive on two levels: we better understand the motivations of the third-person characters, and we learn to treasure our creative, endearing, fully human storytelling protagonist. As a bonus, this construction often leaves the door wide open for outrageous comedy, and Eugenides makes full use of it.

The book mixes literary styles, too. It starts out almost like a fairy tale--a tragicomic Greek epic--with chorus, no less! Much of the next part of the novel is written in a 19th-century style. Finally, the novel transforms into a modern psychological coming-of-age tale. As the literary style transforms over the course of the novel, we progress from the stories of Cal/Callie's Greek ancestors through to the present day. Along the way, we are treated to a courageous Greek-American immigrant family saga as well as the story of Detroit from the Prohibition through to the present day. The story of Detroit is so vividly told that the city almost becomes a third character. In particular, we are brought into the alien worlds of early Ford assembly-line factory work, bootlegging prohibition gin-running and speakeasies, the birth of the Nation of Islam, the 1967 race riots, the rise of franchising wealth, and white flight to rich suburbs including sending children to private schools to avoid racial desegregation. All is so vividly recreated that the reader in transported.

At the heart of the novel is, of course, poor confused sweet child Callie/Cal. The story of her/his gradual awakening to sexual awareness, self-acceptance, and identity is profoundly touching, tastfully rendered, and ultimately very believable.

I loved this book. I did not want it to end; even after almost 600 pages, I wanted more.

The New Yorker Festival - A.M. Homes and Jeffrey Eugenides

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The New Yorker Festival - A.M. Homes and Jeffrey Eugenides
Eugenides, A., Jeffrey Homes
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000BSP72M

Playground love: landscape and longing in Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.(Critical essay): An article from: Literature-Film Quarterly

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Playground love: landscape and longing in Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.(Critical essay): An article from: Literature-Film Quarterly
Bree Hoskin
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000W1NKC2
Release Date: 2007-09-14

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Literature-Film Quarterly, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2007. The length of the article is 4695 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Playground love: landscape and longing in Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.(Critical essay)
Author: Bree Hoskin
Publication: Literature-Film Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 35 Issue: 3 Page: 214(8)

Article Type: Critical essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale

2 Book Set, Middle Sex & the Virgin Suicides

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2 Book Set, Middle Sex & the Virgin Suicides
JEFFREY EUGENIDES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V1O2O8

Product Description

2 BOOK SET

Book Description

Maggie, the daugher of Moss and Bill Coleman, has invited all the passionate family, plus several hundred guests, to a July 4th barbecue to celebrate the new sense of family pride she's determined to forge. But whether its ambition, jealousy, rivalry, or passion, each Coleman has a drama of his or her own to face, and each will feed the flames of TEXAS HEAT.

Customer Reviews:

The Coleman family chronicles.......2007-07-21

There's plenty of action and interaction in this book about the wealthy Coleman family of Sunbridge Ranch near Austin, Texas. The featured character is Maggie, who has taken over the family ranch and is striving to win back the affection of her two children, Sawyer and Cole, both of whom she has neglected during their early years. Maggie's sister Susan and her Aunt Amelia are having marital problems and Maggie offers to let them stay at Sunbridge while they work out their plans for the future. She also invites her deceased brother Riley's son to come and stay at the ranch in order to learn more about his father's side of the family.

As a resident of Texas for over 30 years, I found that Michaels' description of tumbleweeds and winter snow storms in the Austin area was, if not innacurate, at least unlikely. It also seemed that difficult problems are solved with a wave of the author's pen, without much foundation. Despite these flaws, the book moves rapidly and manages to keep things interesting throughout. This is the second book in a 4-part series, but the author does a good job of filling in the background from the first book, so it can be read out of order.

Texas Heat by Fern Michaels.......2005-09-13

Texas Heat is the second book in the series of 4. This is a continuation of Texas Rich. Again as I said in my review of Texas Rich (the first book) I thoughly enjoyed reading this book as well as all the others in this series. #3 is Texas Fury and #4 is Texas Sunrise. You really must read all 4 to get the whole story about this family. You won't be able to put them down.

Where in Texas?.......2004-06-19

I have found the Texas series interesting for light reading, but like most people, I want a minimum of 'poetic license' about my home! After reading the last book 'Texas Sunrise' first, then the first two in the series, I feel certain Ms Michaels' research for these books did NOT include the briefest glance at a map. My mind kept giving me those "say what?" feelings as the terrain, topography, flora and weather of central Texas were ill-represented. If she wanted these stories set in North Dakota, she could well have said so. It was distracting to say the least, to read about a December snowfall that is unheard of in that area. The real topper was, however on page 500 of 'Texas Heat' when she places Austin in the Texas Panhandle...only about 600 miles off course....
I wonder how the Japanese, Hawaiians, and New Yorkers accept the descriptions of their homes?

A stunning second novel in an unforgettable series!.......1999-12-29

Fern Michaels continues her journey deep in the heart of Texas with this second novel in the Coleman family saga. Though we still follow Billie Ames Coleman Kingsley from time to time, this novel is more focused on Billie's eldest daughter, the headstrong and passionate Maggie. Now the mistress of the family spread Sunbridge, Maggie has her hands full with an ungrateful son at odds with his Amerasian cousin, her struggle to overcome her demons and attempting to re-establish some sort of connection with her daughter, Sawyer, whom she abandoned to Billie when Sawyer was an infant. Add to the mix a forbidden love for Maggie, a shocking accusation that places the Colemans against the law and loads of good old-fashioned family conflict and you have a wonderful second novel for Michaels' TEXAS series. Readers will not be disappointed!

Absolutely fantastic book! Everyone should read it........1998-06-28

Vegas Heat was just wonderful. Fern Michaels writes another great one. Loved it & couldn't put it down once I started it. What a wonderful way to spend a day. Just great!

Fern Michaels Texas Series CD Collection: Texas Rich, Texas Heat, Texas Fury, Texas Sunrise (Texas)

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Fern Michaels Texas Series CD Collection: Texas Rich, Texas Heat, Texas Fury, Texas Sunrise (Texas)
Fern Michaels
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1423323114
Release Date: 2007-02-25

Book Description

Texas Rich: This is the captivating story of four generations of Colemans. There's Moss, living in his father's shadow; Jessica, the doomed mother; Moss and Billie's children, trying to live up to insurmountable expectations; and the grandchildren, heirs to a tarnished empire. Most of all this is the triumphant story of Billie Ames Coleman, who holds them all together.

Texas Heat: The magnificent Austin empire now belongs to Moss and Billie's daughter Maggie. She has invited the whole family to a Fourth of July barbecue in celebration of a renewed sense of family pride. But as loved ones gather, they bring along old resentments and new temptations destined to generate more than a little heat.

Texas Fury: For Amelia Coleman Assante, the last surviving child of a legendary tycoon, it is a time of transition. As her family's kingdom faces new challenges on the horizon, she starts a fateful journey that recalls a troubled past controlled by a father's iron will.

Texas Sunrise: Billie Coleman Kingsley, beloved matriarch of the clan, is dying. As her family gathers together, the indomitable Billie offers new hope to heal the rifts that separate them. Even as her own strength fails, Billie instills courage, fortitude, and her conviction that life goes on after tragedy.

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Texas Rich Texas Heat
Fern Michaels
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345495632
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

Now in one irresistible volume, here are the first two novels of Fern Michaels’s bestselling Texas series, which follows the illustrious Coleman family–four generations of a powerful American dynasty.

TEXAS RICH
At the Philadelphia Navy Yard during World War II, young Billie Ames falls head over heels for the daredevil pilot Moss Coleman. Within months she is pregnant, married, and moving to the 250,000-acre estate known as Sunbridge in Austin . . . and into the tantalizing world of the Texas rich. In a vast land dominated by the industrious Colemans, amid intrigue and betrayal, courageous Billie must fight to maintain control of her marriage and her life.

TEXAS HEAT
Hoping to heal the wounds of a fractured family, Moss and Billie’s daughter, Maggie Coleman, throws a Fourth of July bash at her newly inherited Sunbridge estate. But Maggie has finally decided to divorce her husband, much to the dismay of her children. And as loved ones gather, old resentments and new temptations promise to generate more than a little heat.

Don’t miss these tempting novels in the Texas saga, now in one volume!

The Hunter's Prey: Erotic Tales of Texas Vampires (Texas Vampires) (Berkley Heat)

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A big bore!
for fans of vampiric sexual escapades

The Hunter's Prey: Erotic Tales of Texas Vampires (Texas Vampires) (Berkley Heat)
Diane Whiteside
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425210359

Book Description

Acclaimed for "prose so steamy that it fogs one's reading glasses" (Booklist), Diane Whiteside's novels and short stories have kept vampire lovers begging for more. In this sizzling collection she crosses the border into the most hot-and-humid fantasies imaginable, featuring a trio of the most seductive bloodsuckers around.Look what Diane Whiteside has in mind:

Two wanton sisters are ushered into a world of sweltering carnal delights that only two strapping nightstalkers can offer.

A female cat burglar is caught in the act-and subjected to the most sublime punishment imaginable.

A reckless party girl with an insatiable craving for midnight cocktails meets a stranger with aninsatiable thirst of his own.

A generous young wife gives her husband the perfect present-a chance to indulge in his most dangerous fantasy.

A love-starved widow finds herself drawn to the intoxicating rhythms of a strangely compelling musician.

Customer Reviews:

A big bore!.......2006-08-03

I looked forward to this one because I liked her River Devil & Irish Devil stories alot, but this was a major snooze fest! The stories were dull, characters one-dimensional & the sex was so-so. If your looking for a sexy, vamp read this isn't it. What a disappointment.

for fans of vampiric sexual escapades.......2006-02-08

These ten erotic tales showcase the erotic tales exploits of three Lone Star vampires, Don Rafael, Ethan and Jean-Marie starting in Reconstruction Era Texas to modern day trysts. These are not romances with happy ever after endings, and the key characters, the vampiric trio and their one night stand women are never fully developed. However, the escapades are torrid, passionate, and run the gamut of much of the range of sexual encounters including bondage. An interesting twist is that the females recount their most ardent capers with their supernatural lovers though once told lose the memory of their greatest night of lovemaking. These stories are Venusian hot, perhaps even pornographic, yet well written; fans of vampiric sexual escapades will enjoy this collection while looking forward to feature starring roles of the Texas vampires.

Harriet Klausner

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Texas Heat
Fern Michaels
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000AN5S9A

Average customer rating:

These stories deserve a larger audience
As good as it gets

Texas Heat And Other Stories
William Harrison
Manufacturer: Texas Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1881515842

Book Description

Winner of the 2005 Texas Review Fiction Prize

"In a Wild Sanctuary is sensitive and full of suspense . . . superb . . . a remarkable voyage into a world of psychological and social morality."-Time

"He is not relating curious anecdotes; he's creating a world. The Buddha in Malibu reminds us once more how truly big William Harrison's talent is."-Dallas Morning News

"Harrison is that rare novelist who can write equally well of action and ideas."-John Leonard, New York Times

"Though the political geography of The Blood Latitudes may seem at times melodramatic Harrison presents it with a voice that is as compelling in its restraint as it is authentic in its details."-Texas Observer

"Harrison is a compelling storyteller with a sure touch."-Kit Reed, Washington Post Book World

Customer Reviews:

These stories deserve a larger audience.......2006-04-27

For those who don't know (as until recently I didn't know) the work of William Harrison, my condolences. The reason, I suppose, is that good old books too often go out of print & can't be found, and new books by excellent old writers left behind by the New York shuffle are too often let to rot on the backlists of university presses.

Such is the case with Texas Heat and Other Stories, winner of the 2005 Texas Review Fiction Prize. The cover design is amateurish, and the binding is cheap, but there is nothing cheap or amateurish about the stories inside. They are wise, sometimes startlingly honest, and well-crafted. My favorite, "Eleven Beds," traces the history of a fifty-plus-year relationship between a man and his wife through the eleven beds, makeshift and otherwise, upon which they enjoyed (and sometimes suffered through) the signposts marking their life's path. These stories, like some of Jim Harrison's latest work, often seem at least semi-autobiographical, and so are not to be trusted as anything but fiction, but boy do they evoke a world, one that can be plainly seen, but one whose mysteries are not in any way reducible.

As good as it gets.......2005-11-23

Readers of William Harrison's fabulistic fictions from the seventies collected in ROLLER BALL MURDER or his masterful novel BURTON AND SPEKE won't be disappointed in TEXAS HEAT, his third short story collection. Among the nine stories here are two models of how to write effectively about sex -- "Eleven Beds" and "Two Cars on a Hillside," the latter an O'Henry nominee and Best American Erotica winner. Harrison's Texas tales are as good as it gets in contemporary American short fiction -- funny, darkly lyrical, human, and humanizing. He's one hell of a rare, wonderful writer.

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This book is a "keeper"
Three and a half stars for lack of suspense.
Enticing adventure
Cought in endless loop
2 for 2

Desert Heat
Kat Martin
Manufacturer: Wheeler Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Large Print | Formats | Books

Romance | Large Print | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 1587247313

Book Description

A New York Times Bestselling Author

Patience Sinclair is leaving Boston University for the wide, open spaces of Texas and a chance to stop looking over her shoulder at every turn. Traveling with the Circle C Rodeo, she'll finish her dissertation on the American West while hiding in plain sight. Then the champion rider makes it clear that he's watching her . . . and likes what he sees. But if there's anything Patience understands with chilling clarity, it's what it costs to fall for the wrong man.

Customer Reviews:

This book is a "keeper".......2007-10-03

. This is a book I could not put down. The characters, plot and suspense
kept me interested and waiting to see what would happen next. This is
one of the best books I ever enjoyed. I'll recommend it and loan it to
friends, but I want it returned so I can keep it for rereading in the
future.

Three and a half stars for lack of suspense........2006-10-23

Patience Sinclair is being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. But that's not what leads her to a summer filled adventure touring with a group of rodeo people. She's writing a dissertation on women in rodeo for her PhD.
What she didn't expect to come up against was the irrisitably sexy world champion all-around cowboy Dallas Kingman. Knowing that the two are complete opposites and only destined for heartache at the end of the summer, the two try to stay away from one another. However, that is easier said than done.
With a series of mishaps and accidents, the two are continuously thrown together. Is foul play to blame for all the unfortunate events surrounding the rodeo sponsor, or is it just bad luck? Dallas has his plate full trying to find the truth as well as fighting his growing affection for Patience. Can they make the impossible work?

This was more of a romance than a romantic suspense as categorized by the publishers. The suspense angle was not developed as well as it could have been. The first chapter leads you to believe that the story will revolve around Patience's stalker as she leaves for the rodeo, but that angle dissolves before it ever really builds. Never does the writer hint at a suspect surrounding the rodeo accidents or motive for them. The red herrings are weak and the writer also fails to develop the villians story. Unfortunately, the only thing pulling the story along are the character's.

Is it worth buying?
I enjoyed the concept of the book and the romance of it, but the suspense was just to weak to keep me glued to the pages. As part of a trilogy, I do not feel it necessary to have read the others. This book stands alone, but I do not feel strongly about recommending it for purchase. Therefore, it would be better to check it out from the library.

Enticing adventure.......2006-01-04

Grab hold of your seats- or saddle- everyone. You are in for an intensely wild ride. And this one is A LOT better than the first one. The characters are engaging and their story is easy to follow along with. What I wouldn't do for a guardian angel in the form of Dallas the dream boy. What a wild ride. Grab a hold of this story; you won't regret it. Can't wait for the 3rd book in this series.

Cought in endless loop.......2005-09-29

I thought I was reading the same pages over and over again, one could have taken out the middle 50 pages (at least, the editor should have) and not miss a thing that furthers the plot (the heroine and the hero are attracted, fight it, make love, are attracted, fight it, make love, etc., etc.). Furthermore, Ms Martin feeds all possible clichés there are about the entire set of characters, it's almost funny (all cowboys are rugged, all women are feisty, even the horses are either powerful (male) or dapper (female). I just finish this book because I am too conscientious and I finish all the books, but I leave out two pages at a time and I do not know the difference.

2 for 2.......2005-01-29

This book was really good. It is the 2nd in a trilogy by Kat Martin. The third book is to come out this year, I believe.

Patience and Dallas are a great couple. Of course, there are the typical trials and tribulations as in every romance novel, and add a little suspense with a stalker, and you'll have a hit.

This book I could not put down. It's not my favorite Kat Martin book, but this ranks well up there. Buy it. You will not be disappointed. :)

4 PBs by Fern Michaels: Texas Sunrise, Kentucky Sunrise, Vegas Sunrise, Vegas Heat

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4 PBs by Fern Michaels: Texas Sunrise, Kentucky Sunrise, Vegas Sunrise, Vegas Heat
Fern Michaels
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UGGILO

Product Description

Paperbacks

Advances in Heat and Mass Transfer in Biotechnology: Presented at the 1997 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 16-21, 1997, Dallas, Texas (Htd (Series), V. 355.)

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Advances in Heat and Mass Transfer in Biotechnology: Presented at the 1997 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 16-21, 1997, Dallas, Texas (Htd (Series), V. 355.)
Ga.) International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (1996 : Atlanta
Manufacturer: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biotechnology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Cottonseed hulls as an insulating material (Research report / Texas Engineering Experiment Station)

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Cottonseed hulls as an insulating material (Research report / Texas Engineering Experiment Station)
W. E Long
Manufacturer: Texas Engineering Experiment Station
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007FD9DS

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