Book Description
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska, this is the suspenseful, shocking, ultimately inspirational tale of two old women abandoned by their tribe during a brutal winter famine.
Though these women have been known to complain more than contribute, they now must either survive on their own or die trying. In simple but vivid detail, Velma Wallis depicts a landscape and way of life that are at once merciless and starkly beautiful. In her old women, she has created two heroines of steely determination whose story of betrayal, friendship, community and forgiveness "speaks straight to the heart with clarity, sweetness and wisdom" (Ursula K. Le Guin).
Customer Reviews:
Don't Underestimate an Older Person.......2007-06-24
In this well-told tale of two tribewomen who are in their old age we see what determination can do. Having earned the respect of their tribe these two women have been content to let others do for them over the years. But their age hinders the tribespeople's movements and they are facing a brutal winter. The chief makes the decision to turn these two out into the harshness of the bleak Alaskan Yukon to live or die.
Together these two women forge a bond of friendship and recall the skills of their younger days, conquering the pain of unused muscles and fear of the unknown to survive even the harshest of conditions. The story comes full circle when they again meet up with their tribe and the chief who once turned them out now finds he and his people have need of their wisdom.
A wonderful book for just about everyone. Full of hope and determination.
A classic story takes a new form.......2007-05-27
A very classic story takes a new form here- two old women are the victims of betrayal from their tribe when it's too cold to continue to support them. The two women must venture out of their own and make a life for themselves. The book comes full circle when the old women themselves are in the position to save the tribe themselves.
The story of the courage to overcome the odds, and the stregth and struggle of the two women is a wonderful tale. Classic in that you learn you should not over estimate anyone, and you never know who in life you'll need. It's a touching tale, and well-told. It's a quick read.
Got a mom? Send this book to her!.......2007-05-26
This book is the best. I read the reviews and thought it would make a nice gift for my 76 year old mom for Mom's Day. Well, when I got in the mail I decided to take a peak. There was no putting it down. It's the most beautiful story of courage, friendship, determination and reflection. The story is very well written. The author brings you into the journey of these two women. Not just a geographical journey but a journey of reflection. I'm telling you, you'll love it. I sent it to my mom but I really want another copy just to keep under my pillow. Corny - read it.
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival.......2007-05-20
I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone. Young readers would enjoy it too. It's about two old women and survival in an area that seems to have very little to survive with. They were very innovative. As happens so often they were able to help their families in the end even though the young thought the elders had lost their usefulness.
Simple really is profound.......2007-02-14
As a teacher, I appreciate a book that can be read by any student at any age level. The life lessons taught in this tribal legend are timeless. The story unfolds begging the question of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few or the one(Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn).
The chief of the tribe must make choices - difficult ones at that. The conditions are harsh, the two old women have been using their age as a tool to get the younger tribe members to serve their whims - they even fake some physical maladies to play upon the Peoples' compassion. This, it turns out, backfires on them. The chief makes the decision to banish them from the tribe to serve the needs of the trible. He is concerned that the women will bring the tribe down.
There are times when people in charge have to make decisions that are unpleasant - this is a reality.
The women are left to fend for themselves and the tribe moves on. The issues of family, societal expectations, and betrayal loom heavily in the reader's mind.
It brings about the discussion of modern society's obsession with youth and our disdain for those who are aged. Our nation's homes for the elderly are brimming - this book speaks to that issue. Getting old does not mean useless!
The women call upon lessons learned in youth to survive. They also discover that they need each other in more ways than one.
While the book is an easy read-don't let that mislead you into thinking it is not sophisticated fare. The life-lessons taught are important for everyone to learn and take to heart. I am astounded by this book! It gets my highest recommendation. Buy it-read it-learn from it.
Amazon.com
Like 84, Charing Cross Road, Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern's charming bibliocentric memoir is as much about relationships as it is about books. Charing Cross chronicled the decades-long epistolary friendship between American book lover Helene Hanff and Frank Doel, the equally devoted British bookseller in the London shop from whom she bought many of her treasures. Rostenberg and Stern's book once again proves how a passion for great literature can make for fast friends. And in their case, these two octogenarians occupy the same geographical space, sharing both their professional and private lives.
In their introduction, Rostenberg and Stern write: "Several readers inferred ... that our relationship was a Lesbian one. This was a misconception. The 'deep, deep love' that existed and exists between us ... has no bearing upon sex." With that out of the way early on, the two recount the stories of their lives in alternating sections. And oh, what lives they've had! From identifying some of Louisa May Alcott's previously anonymous early writings to traveling the world in search of rare volumes and pamphlets, they have done and seen it all. Successful antiquarian book dealers Rostenberg and Stern undoubtedly are, but as this memoir makes clear, their greatest accomplishment just might be that rarer commodity of friendship that lasts a lifetime. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
Louisa May Alcott once wrote that she had taken her pen for a bridegroom. Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern, friends and business partners for fifty years, have in many ways taken up their pens and passion for literature much in the same way. The "Holmes & Watson" of the rare book business, Rostenberg and Stern are renowned for unlocking the hidden secret of Louisa May Alcott's life when they discovered her pseudonym, A.M. Barnard, along with her anonymously published "blood and thunder" stories on subjects like transvestitism, hashish smoking, and feminism.
Old Books, Rare Friends describes their mutual passion for books and literary sleuthing as they take us on their earliest European book buying jaunts. Using what they call Finger-spitzengefühl, the art of evaluating antiquarian books by handling, experience, and instinct, we are treated to some of their greatest discoveries amid the mildewed basements of London's booksellers after the Blitz. We experience the thrill of finding one of the earliest known books printed in America between 1617-1619 by the Pilgrim Press and learn about the influential role of publisher-printers from the fifteenth century.
Like a precious gem, Old Books, Rare Friends is a book to treasure about the companionship of two rare friends and their shared passion for old books.
Customer Reviews:
Old Books, Rare Friends Satisfies Booklovers.......2006-02-18
For those of us who lust after books about books, as well as the history of successful booksellers, this book is one of the best. "Old Books, Rare Friends" details the struggles and triumps of two of the most famous women in bookselling during the twentieth century. They include lots of stories about tracking those elusive hidden gems overlooked by other more successful book dealers. They also describe each woman's scholarly adventures, successes and failures. I read this when it was first published, but wanted to own it so I could re-read it from time to time. If you love books you can't go wrong with Madeleine and Leona's story.
'Finger-Spitzengefühl'.......2005-10-26
Sometimes I will fall in love with an author's life as perceived through her books, and read all of her works for other glimpses into her private paradise. Authors such as Will and Ariel Durant, Edwin Way Teale, Stephen Jay Gould, and Oliver Sacks have shared their curiosity, astonishment, and joy with me. These authors are endlessly inquisitive. Each new discovery in their world, whether it is a fern, a skull, or an anecdote about a long-dead king is greeted with joy and eagerly shared with the reader.
Now in the dusty corner of bibliomania, I have found two more authors who are willing to share their joy of discovery with me. They even have a name for it: 'Finger-Spitzengefühl'--"the electrifying alertness to what is unusual or important in an early printed book. When 'Finger-Spitzengefühl' is coupled with serendipity, the gates of paradise open for the dealer in old and rare [books]."
Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern share their "thrill of the chase and the joy of the find," as well as a seven-decade-long partnership in life--"the partnership of 'Faithful Friends' who share 'a deep, deep love.'"
I have to admit I had trouble getting into this book. I read some of the earlier pages six or seven times because I kept falling asleep and losing my place. However, once the authors were out of childhood recollections and into the chase--first of all for the works that Louisa May Alcott had published under a pseudonym--then I was hooked.
These authors have illuminated many once-obscure corners of history through their curiosity and devotion. They deplore collectors who pursue rare books as an investment, much as I would deplore a physician who is in practice 'only for the money.' Leona Rostenberg and Madeleine Stern have devoted their lives to the search for the old and rare, and their love, curiosity, and wisdom show through on almost every page of this book.
Old Books, Rare Friends are marvelous........2000-05-22
Given to me as a birthday present on a misty Northwest beach,the whimsical allure of these charmingly self-possessed women residingin one of the toughest cities in the world, drew me into its first pages even as the rest of my party sat around on logs, barbecuing fine local viands & feeding the camp dogs. From their student years, surviving the Depression & WWII; to studying & getting published through the exciting times of starting a company & their book-hunting jaunts to musty basements in faraway places this is a lively, lovely duet by two voices weaving a deeply evocative memoir...
Loving books and each other.......1999-08-22
For everyone loving books, history and detectives this book is a great pleasure to read. With great enthusiasm Leona & Madeleine write about their lives and the books which they bought and sold. It makes one jealous of times when rare books could still be found under piles of dust instead of being sold for fortunes. So stop reading the reviews and start reading this book now.
Unusual and delightful lives.......1998-10-26
Those who love books and the history of the written word have benefitted from these devoted "literary sleuths" who not only devoted themselves to located lost treasures, but who pioneered the rights of women in academe. A story of how devotede friends could pool their talents to rescue lost arts and discover the literary secrets of groundbreaking authors. A suprisingly exciting read.
Product Description
Nancy M. Peterson tells the stories of twelve mixed-blood women who, steeped in the tradition of their Indian mothers but forced into the world of their white fathers, fought to find their identities in a rapidly changing world. In an era when most white women had limited opportunities outside the home, these mix-blood women often became nationally recognized leaders in the fight for Native American rights. They took the tools and training whites provided and used them to help their people. They found differing paths - medicine, music, crafts, the classroom, the lecture hall, the stage, the written word - and walked strong and tall. These women did far more than survive; they extended a hand to help their people find a place in a hard new future.
Book Description
This book is the last in a series. The author gives us fifty more serives for women of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Book Description
The Story of Two Women, Generations Apart, Growing Up and Growing Young in a frank, funny, and illuminating account for anyone who fears aging but longs to grow up.At forty-four, Leah Komaiko was not aging graciously. Not that she ever has. After all, her generation expects to stay forever young. But now she feels old and empty inside. Nothing she thinks of trying (plastic surgery, a vacation, a puppy, or a new husband) can make her feel young again. Then she meets Adele---a woman who never expected to be ninety-four---alone, forgotten, and living in a nursing home.Am I Old Yet? is an inspiring memoir that takes us deep into a world where most hope never to enter and few, willingly, dare to go: the nursing home. What for Leah begins as a reluctant agreement to spend one hour a week with Adele at the California Chateau evolves into hundreds of hours. Through their visits and conversations (about aging, death, miracles, and even sex), Adele, who is completely blind, surprisingly is the one who helps Leah see the truth about growing old. With Adele as her host, Leah becomes a regular at the Chateau events: sing-a-longs, food fights in the dining room, a Halloween party (where pirates swashbuckle in wheelchairs). Gradually, her own fears of aging begin to lift as she sees that Adele--- resilient, independent, and almost embarrassingly enthusiastic---is, in many ways, younger than she is.This original and poignant book obliterates the generation gap. It shares the "coming-of-age" stories of two wonderful and flawed women, fifty years apart, who find themselves in places in their lives they never thought they'd be and in a friendship they never dreamed they'd know. Am I Old Yet? revealsthat no matter how old people are, if they have love in their lives there is only one age: Alive.AUTHORBIO: Leah Komaiko is the author of eighteen popular picture books and novels for kids, including the bestselling Annie Bananie, the Annie Bananie chapter books, and Earl's Too Cool for Me. Her work has been featured and reviewed in dozens of magazines, newspapers, and on television. She has been a guest speaker in schools across the country as well as at numerous conventions and conferences. She lives in Los Angeles, California.BACKCOVER: "Every once in a while a book drops out of the sky and lands on my 'favorites of all time' shelf. Am I Old Yet? is one such book. It reminds us of the power that life and all its wealth of experiences have to offer. Adele is a woman to be cherished, worshipped, and most of all, honored." ---Jamie Lee Curtis"In this tender, touching, and very funny memoir, Leah Komaiko illuminates the truth about living---vitality of mind and spirit is built on the bonds of love. Everyone who wants to be reminded of the miracles of friendship should read this book." ---Mary Tyler Moore"Komaiko is best at bringing to life Adele's independent mind and her determination to wrest as much life as possible out of her remaining days, as well as at pinpointing the aspects of nursing-home life that worked against Adele's fighting spirit." --Publishers Weekly
Customer Reviews:
Am I old Yet?.......2002-03-19
I am so impressed by the honesty of the author, Leah Komaiko--her fear of being old and her sense of insecurity. I am also pleased that she found a way to go through her fear. I am so sorry to know that Adele (the 94 years old lady in the book) was abandoned by her family with no particular reasons. I remember my 89 years old father told me that the worst thing to be old is... you were young not too long ago. And when you get older you would prefer to be with your family. I can imagine how Adele felt when she was left at a nursery home by herself with no visitations from her family... It is a wonderful book!
Friendship through the ages.......2000-08-28
I was touched by the honesty, simplicity and humor of Leah Komaiko's writing in this wonderful book. As a 44-year-old woman, I relate to the challenges of aging in our youth-worshipping culture. I was also struck by the ways in which the friendship between these two women progressed. There were moments when the author seemed ready to "throw in the towel," but the fact that she persisted even when things didn't go quite the way she planned was an inspiring example of how to love another human being, warts and all. I recommend this book to anyone.
Am I Old Yet?.......2000-08-27
I found this book so topical that I suggested it for my book group. We will be discussing it this fall! I think it addresses the unspoken fear of many boomers -- getting old. I took this book with me on plane trip. I found people doing double takes when they saw the title. Even our cabin attendant wanted to give me an answer to the title's question. Komaiko handles the subject with loving humor.
A Masterpiece.......2000-06-14
This is a brilliant, compassionate, funny, inspired, dedicated quick read! It is, I believe the best book about relationships I've read in a very long time. Leah Komaiko says what I think but have never been able to verbalize much less write and put out into the public! When is her next book out?
Poignant and Wise.......2000-04-07
I saw Leah Kamaiko interviewed on last Sunday's Today Show. We were also treated to footage of Leah and Adele walking and talking together. True soulmates. Seeing them reminded me of how moved I was when I read "Am I Old Yet?" the book Leah wrote so that all of us could share what these two wonderful women have learned from each other. There is only one age, alive, and that life is best lived in connection to ourselves and each other. Leah's willingness to face her fears of aging and learn from them gives gentle space for the rest of us to explore this taboo subject. For years in my psychotherapy practice I have worked with many people facing aging and mortality issues for themselves and their loved ones. "Am I Old Yet?" is poignant and wise. It illuminates while it confronts and comforts. I highly recommend this book. It is a valuable resource for our continuing collective journey.
Book Description
Personally selected by award-winning writer Mary Gordon, these two stories by Willa Cather and Gustave Flaubert render a flawless portrait of characters who unquestioningly offer their compassionate service to those that take them for granted.
Old Mrs. Harris is the staunch matriarch of a busy house (the look of which Cather based on her own childhood home), brimming with her spendthrift son-in-law, her displaced Southern debutante daughter, and a bevy of children whose dreams seem out of reach. In "A Simple Heart," written at the request of George Sand, Félicité is the faithful servant first to a family fallen on hard times and then to a stuffed parrot she confuses with the Holy Spirit.
Cruel and honest, these two stories explore the ways in which families treat their aging members, the harsh impatience of the young, and the patient compassion of women who make their family's everyday lives possible.
Willa Cather (1873–1947), the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of more than fifteen books including
My Antonia,
O Pioneers!, and
One of Ours, was one of the most distinguished American writers of the early twentieth century.
Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) had limited writing success while he lived, but his works,
Madame Bovary and
A Sentimental Education in particular,
are now recognized as masterpieces.
Mary Gordon is the author of six novels and the recipient of many awards, most recently the Story Prize for
The Stories of Mary Gordon. She teaches at Barnard College in New York City.
Average customer rating:
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Two Old Women
Velma Wallis
Manufacturer: Epicenter Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KP4KL0 |
Book Description
Rugged Zach MacKenzie has a dangerous secret thatcould cost him his one chance to win the woman he wants...
Rose Dubois became a Harvey Girl and came West looking for a new life and a husband -- preferably a wealthy rancher. She certainly knows better than to get involved with a no-account cowboy like Zach MacKenzie. He's strong and good-looking enough to stop a girl's breath -- but the dangerous ruffians he runs with are surely heading for bad ends. So why can't Rose calm her pounding heart whenever he's nearby?
But Zach's only pretending to be no good in order to infiltrate an outlaw gang. If he tells Rose he's really a Texas Ranger, not only is his mission in jeopardy, but both of their lives as well! Yet this spirited filly is everything he ever dreamed of. Her lips are downright irresistible, and her passionate fire burns hot enough to make a smart man do something real stupid...like fall in love.
Customer Reviews:
One of my favorite's in this series..........2005-01-30
I absolutely loved this book. Zach & Rose are great. They reminded me a lot of his parent's Flint & Garnet. In this book Zach is a Texas Ranger & working undercover. He meets Rose & they almost instantly fall in love but she has vowed to marry a rich man & she despises lawmen. Zach hides his identity to protect Rose & in the meantime she agrees to marry Zach's rich boss. You'll have to read the book to see what happens next. This is one of my favorites in this series. This series is the best I've ever read so far & there's more to come. Be sure to read the other MacKenzie books in this series:
Luke
Flint
Cleve
David
Peter
Jake
Josh
Ana Leigh has a way with words!!.......2004-07-02
The entire MacKenzie series has been wonderful. ( The new frasier series promises to also be great). MacKenzie's Zach is 3rd generation and he is a hunk(as they all are). The strength of this "basic texas ranger western" is the dialogue. Ana Leigh brings her characters to life and the stuff that comes out of their mouths is sometimes laugh out loud funny although a tad risque. I don't think Zach's story is as good as some of the others (ironically I didn't prefer the one about his father, Flint, either) perhaps because the plot was fairly standard but it was fun to read. And his redheaded, feisty flame, rose, is pretty unforgettable for her sassy speech. Cute, cute, cute. A feel-good historical romance, more on the romance(not explicit sex) and less on the historical side.
Why didn't I discover the MacKenzie's sooner!.......2002-04-30
I ordered the MacKenzies: Kitty and Zach through a Book Club. I'm currently reading Zach of the two. I'm wondering how I missed the MacKenzie's at the local bookstore! I have to find the first 2 and proceed on to the others. The MacKenzies have become one of my favorite romance families (even at the first book I've read.. Zach) along with Johanna's Lindsey's Malory Family and Jude Devereaux's Montgomery Family. Ana Leigh is a captivating writer with humor and common sense, Zach is a fun fast paced read... I'm reluctant to put the book down when I have to! (you gotta eat and sleep sometime!) I can't wait to read the rest of the MacKenzie family!
The Mackenzies Are Fabo.......2001-06-21
Once again Ana Liegh has not let me down. Zach the latest book to join the Mackenzies series is not one to be missed. I have read everyone of the books in this series and can't wait till the other 2 come out. I knew when we were introduced to Zach in Josh's story that his would also be an incrediable story to read. I love how Ana keeps bringing all of the Mackenzies back together in the end of each book. It gives me something to look forward to. To see how all the charcters have changed. So if you have not read the others in this series go to one of the used book store on the web and get them you won't be sorry.
great book!.......2001-05-16
i couldnt put it down. this book expresses a true writer
Average customer rating:
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The Mackenzies: Zach
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739417711 |
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- A-List #8, The: Heart of Glass: An A-List Novel (A-List)
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Books Index
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Contemporary
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| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun: An Athabaskan Legend from Alaska
Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea
Raising Ourselves: A Gwich'in Coming of Age Story from the Yukon River
If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska
The Covenant
