Coin Locker Babies
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ugly yet Beautiful
  • welllll
  • Murakami: Literary Contortionist
  • Got me into Japanese fiction and suspense
  • A coin that sinks
Coin Locker Babies
Ryu Murakami
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 4770028962

Book Description

A surreal coming-of-age tale that establishes Ryu Murakami as one of the most inventive young writers in the world today.

Abandoned at birth in adjacent train station lockers, two troubled boys spend their youth in an orphanage and with foster parents on a semi-deserted island before finally setting off for the city to find and destroy the women who first rejected them. Both are drawn to an area of freaks and hustlers
called Toxitown. One becomes a bisexual rock singer, star of this exotic demimonde, while the other, a pole vaulter, seeks his revenge in the company of his girlfriend, Anemone, a model who has converted her condominium into a tropical swamp for her pet crocodile.

Together and apart, their journey from a hot metal box to a stunning, savage climax is a brutal funhouse ride through the eerie landscape of late-twentieth-century Japan.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Ugly yet Beautiful.......2007-08-13

A work of fiction that is at once lovely and harsh at times, Coin Locker Babies was the first novel at the conclusion of which i immediately returned to page 1 to read it again. The story line is pretty unpredictable, a quality I tend to enjoy about foreign novels, but the imagery is what really made me fall in love with the book. Murakami's ability to describe a scene (aided by the top-notch translation) is such that they actually appear before my eyes without effort or intention on my part. His descriptions of the thoughts and feelings of the characters is accurate to the point of being scary. His knack of drawing my mind into this world can be related to Hashi's vocal skills as he describes them. A truly stunning work. I am anticipating the release of the film version in 2008 with almost as much zeal as i have for this, my third reading of the novel.

2 out of 5 stars welllll.......2007-07-07

Nobody likes a bad review but I just want to prepare you. This is the bleakest of the bleak postmodern Japanese novels (that I've read at least). It is full of senseless and predictable violence and self-destruction that all basically happens to prove a point -- people's bleak futures are determined by their haunting pasts. I give it 2 stars because the existence of this book balances out a lot of novels that ignore the illnesses in society -- poverty, violence, etc -- in modern Japan or even the world. The book is shocking, and to an extent this is good medicine. But I think it's overkill.

I prefer, and recommend, Murakami Ryu's In the Miso Soup. It is shocking and violent as well, to be sure, but I feel more thought provoking, interesting, and a quicker read.

5 out of 5 stars Murakami: Literary Contortionist.......2006-06-29

Recent events have blown the lid off the view of Japan as a pocket of social stability, obedience and honor. The Aum cult's nerve gas attacks, lurid tales of the Japanese mafia (the Yakuza), widespread political corruption, guns on the streets, and the government's failure to effectively respond to the victims of the Kobe earthquake have revealed the seems of a society long regarded as airtight and orderly.

Ryu Murakami's latest novel, Coin Locker Babies, is a brilliantly inspired coming-of-age tale set in this increasingly amorphous, dark underbelly of modern Japan. Hashi and Kiku, both abandoned at birth by their mother in the coin lockers of a Tokyo train station, are rescued and sent to an orphanage where they are the subjects of an experiment that exposes them to subliminal sound and film. Eventually adopted by a family on a remote Japanese island, the boys are both guided and haunted by those subversive hypnotic impressions--the constant rhythm of a woman's heart beating accompanied by images of animals running across an opening range--as they grow up exploring the lush natural environment of their new home.

Models of rejection and alienation, Hashi and Kiku develop separate ways of coping with their condition. While working as a prostitute in Toxitown, Hashi's otherworldly voice is discovered by an unscrupulous pimp (Mr. D), and he becomes an overnight pop-star sensation. His singing actually induces the audience into a deep trance where the emotions, images, and sensations of their lives play out in languid stream-of-consciousness sequences. Hashi believes he can heal the world with his vocal cords and campy stage productions, which fall somewhere between Ziggy Stardust and Liberace.

Kiku become a championship pole vaulter. Outwardly, he's the strong and silent type, but beneath the surface rages the angst of a man hell-bent on destroying Tokyo as revenge for his abandonment. His quest for Datura, a poison eerily echoing the Sarin used in the Tokyo subway gassings, leads him on several adventures, finally to a mysterious government test site in a cave beneath the ocean.

Coin Locker Babies establishes Murakami as a writer to watch. While tempting to compare his work to the troubled youth stories of J. D. Salinger and S. E. Hinton, it's probably more accurate to place him in the context of contemporaries such as Mark Richard (Fishboy; Doubleday, 1993) and Patrick Süskind (Perfume; Knopf, 1986).

Murukami is a literary contortionist, effortlessly shifting between elements of cyber culture, absurdism, existentialism, and magical realism; all of this offset by soaring descriptions of nature, the senses, and the darkness that lurks beneath. In this way, Murakami masters the transition from the roar of apocalyptic chaos to the tranquility of a quiet meditation. The effect is dazzling and surprisingly lucid.

(originally published in San Francisco Review of Books, 1995. now defunct, © by author, todd jatras)

5 out of 5 stars Got me into Japanese fiction and suspense.......2006-03-14

I read this book about 3 years ago and what I remember the most was that the first page invoked a kind of emotion that I can't quite describe. Murakami's writing is so vivid in detail, but unlike many writers, every single word is important. I've read 2 of his other novels, but this, in my opinion is the best.

5 out of 5 stars A coin that sinks.......2005-10-21

I first came across Mr. Murakami 's works through my best friend ,who was into Japanese avant garde writing ,about 5 years ago. Since then, i have been a big fan of him and have recommended his works to alot of my other friends as well. What really seduced me into his works are how he deals with the "nihilism. " nature, and that how factual his works to reality actually are. He stands for something where alot of his contemporary have tried and failed. "Coin Locker Babies", arguably his most famous works, is no exception to that assertion..

"Coin" has always been my favorite book of his. And as mentioned in the introduction, the "nihilism. " nature in here is alive and well. He usually uses mundane, gory perspective so adopt by few to explain his plots.; he uses that very effectively here.
The most notable (without spoiling anything to anyone) has to be the beginning of the text, whereas the twin infantile were place in an abandoned locker while their mom gavethem a mouthful. Deceptively done yet vaguely speaking tone made this a heavy triumphin usual Murakami fashion. This scene helps set up not just the vile tone in the atmosphere, but also how this two child will eventually grow up to become as well.I would not give out their names as it will spoil an integral parts of the story, so just bear in mind obsession and destruction are how I will describe their alter ego which they will eventually become

Alot of folks will probably never get a chances to see this Edgar Allan Poe of our age. And i hope whoever is reading this don't be one of those fools, go do yourself a favor; i urge you to buy this book once and for all. It will sink your world.
Coin Locker Babies
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Coin Locker Babies
    Ryu MURAKAMI
    Manufacturer: NY: Kodansha
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000WCVHI0
    Mangajin (Japanese Pop Culture & Language Learning) No. 41 December 1994: Blood Types (japan's answer to 'what's Your sign'); X-Guide to Japan Info on Internet; Murakami Ryu's Coin locker Babies
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Mangajin (Japanese Pop Culture & Language Learning) No. 41 December 1994: Blood Types (japan's answer to 'what's Your sign'); X-Guide to Japan Info on Internet; Murakami Ryu's Coin locker Babies
      unknown
      Manufacturer: Mangajin, Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000KNHE88
      Coin Locker Babies.(Brief Article): An article from: The Review of Contemporary Fiction
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Coin Locker Babies.(Brief Article): An article from: The Review of Contemporary Fiction
        Brooke Horvath
        Manufacturer: Review of Contemporary Fiction
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Digital

        GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
        GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
        ASIN: B00096LEIM
        Release Date: 2005-06-01

        Book Description

        This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on March 22, 1996. The length of the article is 4607 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: Coin Locker Babies.(Brief Article)
        Author: Brooke Horvath
        Publication: The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
        Date: March 22, 1996
        Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
        Volume: v16 Issue: n1 Page: p173(1)

        Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

        Distributed by Thomson Gale
        Coin Locker Babies.: An article from: World Literature Today
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Coin Locker Babies.: An article from: World Literature Today
          Yoshiko Yokochi Samuel
          Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Digital

          GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
          GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
          ASIN: B00096NU8E
          Release Date: 2005-07-28

          Book Description

          This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on June 22, 1996. The length of the article is 562 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: Coin Locker Babies.
          Author: Yoshiko Yokochi Samuel
          Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
          Date: June 22, 1996
          Publisher: University of Oklahoma
          Volume: v70 Issue: n3 Page: p763(1)

          Article Type: Book Review

          Distributed by Thomson Gale
          Koinrokkaa beibeiizu (Coin Locker Babies)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Koinrokkaa beibeiizu (Coin Locker Babies)

            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000BFJ2TY

            Product Description

            ISBN: 4061831585
            Coin Locker Babies
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Coin Locker Babies
              Ryu Murikami (Murakami)
              Manufacturer: Kodansha International
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000UTHT0U
              Coin Locker Babies
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Coin Locker Babies
                Ryu Murakami
                Manufacturer: KODANSHA EUROPE LTD
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback
                ASIN: B000K1QFJE
                Coin Locker Babies *Advance Reader Copy 1st US*
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Coin Locker Babies *Advance Reader Copy 1st US*
                  Ryu Murakami
                  Manufacturer: New York: Kodansha, 1995
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback
                  ASIN: B000WCPPU6
                  Coin Locker Babies.
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Coin Locker Babies.
                    Ryu. MURAKAMI
                    Manufacturer: NY: Kodansha
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback
                    ASIN: B000U2FAG2

                    Cordina's Royal Family: Bennett & Camilla: The Playboy Prince\Cordina's Crown Jewel
                    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                    • Royal Kingdom of Dreams
                    • hopless romantics will love it.
                    • Where's the Juice?
                    • Not her best novel, probably, but I still couldn't put the book down...
                    • Two Stars-Spoilers follow
                    Cordina's Royal Family: Bennett & Camilla: The Playboy Prince\Cordina's Crown Jewel
                    Nora Roberts
                    Manufacturer: Silhouette
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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                    ASIN: 0373285329

                    Book Description

                    The Playboy Prince
                    When it came to women, Prince Bennett could never refuse a challenge -- and after meeting quiet, lovely Lady Hannah Rothchild, the dashing playboy couldn't rest until he broke through her careful reserve. Love had always been a game to Bennett, but with this elusive, mysterious woman he found his heart was on the line, and he was playing for keeps . . .

                    Cordina's Crown Jewel
                    For a few blessed weeks, Her Royal Highness Camilla de Cordina could be just plain Camilla MacGee. And working in rural Vermont for archaeologist Delaney Caine -- devastatingly handsome, utterly cantankerous -- offered the perfect refuge. But as her irritation became fascination, then desire, the royal runaway knew she'd have to confess. Would Del see her as a woman to be loved, or dismiss her as a royal pain?

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Royal Kingdom of Dreams.......2007-08-14

                    To me, Cordina's Royal Family is the best of Nora Robert's series. I have read other of her series, but none have the magic that I found in the Royal Cordina Family. I loved each character: Bennett, Camilla, Alex, Eve, Gabriella, Hannah and Reeves. Somehow this series stirs the fairy tale mystery that exists in all of us. I really wish Ms. Roberts would continue with the Cordina family series. As a talented and skillful author, she should be able to find a way! What about Bennet and Hannah"s wedding? To me, that would be wonderful to read! I want more of that wonderful family!


                    5 out of 5 stars hopless romantics will love it........2006-08-16

                    If you are a hopeless romantic, like stories about princes and princesses and love a classic ending. Then you will enjoy this book. I really like the fact that Hannah was a heroine but Bennett also took some credit. Very entertaining.

                    1 out of 5 stars Where's the Juice?.......2006-08-06

                    Based on the recent recommendation by a Stephen King article in Entertainment Weekly, I purchased this book expecting to read some really good romance writing. The writing lack depth, dimension, and offered zero emotional skill, and after struggling through the first 100 pages, I threw the book away. So much for Stephen King's opinion - although he's written so really good things, he's also put out a lot of mediorce work too. If you want some juicy romance as well as good storytelling, read Susan Carroll's "The Dark Queen", The Courtesan" and "The Silver Rose"
                    Trilogy. Once I read these I went back and purchased Carroll's earlier works, all with underserved tacky covers I might add, but the writing is fun and her heroes are "broad shouldered with powerful thighs and sensuous mouths" etc. Diane Galbaldon (could be incorrect spelling) writes well with very interesting characters and story lines but too sexually violent for my taste.

                    4 out of 5 stars Not her best novel, probably, but I still couldn't put the book down..........2006-07-17

                    I read all four stories over four days and I will agree that these are not her best, but still I laugh and I cried and I gasped out loud and was generally entertained. From the moment I started reading I could not put the book down and I found myself transported to royal Cordina were a family loves one another and finds love and passion while fighting terriorists. Still liked it a lot.

                    2 out of 5 stars Two Stars-Spoilers follow.......2006-06-24

                    After being disappointed in reading Gabriella & Alexander, I still tried Bennett & Camilla and was still disappointed. Once again there was a lot of things happen but it felt like they were trying to destract you from the charactors. I didn't like Bennett at all. Starting with his name and it went down from there. His treatment of Hannah after learning her true idenity comented my hate. I wished Hannah would have stabbed him with a knife. I did however enjoy Hannah thoroughly all of her working with the terrorities in order to bring them down was very exciting. It would have been fun to see series on Hannah's work. Now on to Camilla. Camilla was not a very exciting charactor she was very dull. Her beau Delaney was all right until he got all hung up on her lying about being a princess when he was lying about his own title. Its calling the kettle black and makes me lose all respect and like for the charactor.
                    Princes, Playboys & High-Class Tarts
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Women want to be Princess Stephanie, Anna Wintour, or Julia Roberts, but men want to be Taki
                    • Taki Rules!
                    Princes, Playboys & High-Class Tarts
                    Taki Theodoracopulos
                    Manufacturer: Karz-Cohl Pub.
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover

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                    ASIN: 0943828619

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Women want to be Princess Stephanie, Anna Wintour, or Julia Roberts, but men want to be Taki .......2007-02-08

                    Reading Taki is like a good tennis game with an attractive partner, a warm summer afternoon in beautiful surroundings, and a perfect cocktail answer to the slur of Eurotrash. Taki is glamour without the glitz, wealth combined with anonymity, privilege and comfort without meterosexual softness, and manliness without burlesque or misogyny.

                    Taki's tales are a world most mortals never see, so it is a joy to read. What is amazing is the reality of the circles he moves in, rather than the fantasies spun by the likes of Judith Krantz, Town & Country, or the Robb Report.

                    An unapologetic elitist gentleman, ever giving communists and the spineless a fair punch in their clownish noses. Pure delight.

                    5 out of 5 stars Taki Rules!.......2002-07-02

                    Taki is the best. His writings combine great gossip, with the sound logic of a strong anti-communist.
                    Edward the Caresser: The Playboy Prince Who Became Edward VII
                    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                    • Colorful character...
                    • Rather a waste...
                    • Remarkable portrait of a larger-than-life character
                    • Looking forward to the sequel!
                    Edward the Caresser: The Playboy Prince Who Became Edward VII
                    Stanley Weintraub
                    Manufacturer: Free Press
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover

                    GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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                    ASIN: 0684853183

                    Book Description

                    In each of the past three centuries, a Prince of Wales has waited most of his life to become King, from George IV to Edward VII to Prince Charles. Each one disappointed his reigning parent. Each had an unhappy marriage and famous affairs. But only one single-handedly gave his name to an age: the future Edward VII, Albert Edward, eldest son of Queen Victoria.

                    How did such a roguish Prince become such a beloved King? The story of "Bertie" is the story of one of the first superstars in the dawning culture of celebrity. Drawing on previously unavailable, little-used or unknown diaries, letters, memoirs, and reportage from both sides of the Atlantic, acclaimed biographer Stanley Weintraub paints an unforgettable picture of the Prince and his worlds: his difficult and frustrating childhood, his introductions to gentlemanly sins at Oxford and Cambridge, his chilly arranged marriage to the pretty but dull Prin-cess Alexandra, and his constant escapes to balls, races, spas, and country houses, where he gambled, gourmandized, caroused, and whored. Husbands who hoped to advance among the gentry worked to arrange affairs between the Prince and their wives, maneuvering to situate bedrooms near his chambers. His string of "god-children" included some almost certainly his own.

                    Yet despite, or because of, Bertie's flaws, he was loved wherever he went. He was a natural diplomat, able to charm strangers and dance all night. When he toured the United States in 1860, he was a media sensation, and there was even talk of a marriage with President Buchanan's niece. When Victoria finally died in 1901 after decades of withdrawal from public life amid continual mourning for Albert, England relaxed and celebrated for the first time in years. Edward the Caresser presents an extraordinary picture of tragedy and farce, qualities that fit Edward perfectly for the role of modern monarch.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    4 out of 5 stars Colorful character..........2003-11-12

                    If you look in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of King Edward VII illustrating the word "cad." In fact, you will also find him next to rogue, rake and bon vivant. Well, not really--but he would be a perfect match! In Edward the Caresser, Stanley Weintraub explores the life of Albert Edward, The Prince of Wales, who later becomes King Edward VII. "Bertie" is perhaps one of the most colorful royals of the last 200 years. The oldest son of Queen Victoria, Bertie is a disappointment from the time he is small, and it just continues throughout his adult life. Because of her lack of confidence in Bertie, Victoria gives him very few royal responsibilities and he will come to the throne at age 59 with very little training. The Prince of Wales uses all his free time to over-indulge in eating, drinking, smoking, gambling, hunting, traveling and most of all, women. He associates with many upper-crust gentlemen of questionable character. And he tends to go from one controversy to the next. His name is dragged through the courts for a variety of offenses from gambling to divorce proceedings. He is blackmailed on more than one occasion over indiscreet letters he has written to various women. He has a number of illegitimate children and often stands as their godfather when they are christened. He also gets himself into tremendous debt financing this opulent lifestyle. But the people of England love the prince--mainly because he is personable and also, because he shows himself to his mothers' subjects: something the Queen stopped doing after the death of her consort. Bertie is definitely a charmer, and as he opens hospitals and plants trees, the British come to forgive him his indiscretions.

                    One of the things I found most fascinating is comparing the life of this Prince of Wales with that of Charles, the present Prince of Wales. Although a full century separates them, they are made from the same cloth. Both men have spent the majority of their lives in the role of Prince of Wales. Both their mothers are long livers, and they've had to go through life doing inane jobs waiting to become king. They were both married to beautiful women who were adored the world over, and both cheated on their brides. At least Charles hasn't had a stable of mistresses (unlike Bertie), but ironically, the present prince must have assumed he was still living in Victorian society when it was perfectly fine to remain married to your wife and have a mistress, also. There is also irony in that one of Bertie's favorites, Alice Keppel, was the great-grandmother of Charles' current squeeze, Camilla Parker Bowles. Charles has also gotten himself into his fair share of controversy over the years, and we are left to wonder whether he will ever reign as king. (These comparisons are mine only, and are not made by the author in this book).

                    In terms of the book itself, I became a little bored when Weintraub went into great detail about the Prince's Indian expedition and got tired of reading the details about what he bagged on each hunt. Weintraub also has a disturbing habit of alternating between proper names and titles when mentioning various individuals. For instance, he sometimes mentions Benjamin Disraeli and sometimes Lord Beaconsfield (they are one in the same). It gets very confusing with less well-known individuals. I also think that the author does not do just to Bertie's wife, Alexandra.

                    All in all, Edward the Caresser is an enjoyable read. The author states that Bertie "was a walking argument for the defects of primogeniture." After reading this book,, you'll wonder how the monarchy survived.

                    2 out of 5 stars Rather a waste..........2003-11-06

                    Looks like I'm alone, but I found this book frightfully superficial and entirely lacking in depth. The marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and for that matter, the relationships between the Prince and his mistresses, is glossed over and there is nothing in this book that makes one feel like they have learned anything substantial about anyone. I was SO disappointed, having read many other wonderful books on the subject. This is hardly worth the time or effort to order/read this one.

                    4 out of 5 stars Remarkable portrait of a larger-than-life character.......2001-10-02

                    An old saying goes something like, 'The child is the father of the man.' Coming off successful biographies of Queen Victoria, the Prince Consort, and other eminent Victorians, Stanley Weintraub has given us a fine biography of the Victorian era's most elderly 'child' of all, Albert Edward (aka 'Bertie'), the Prince of Wales.

                    Heir to the throne must be a difficult position in the best of circumstances and despite his luxuriant lifestyle, Bertie's circumstances were not the best. His mother decided early on that her eldest son was uneducable (Weintraub argues he was dyslexic), unreliable, untrustworthy, and at least partially at fault for the early death of the Prince Consort, the husband she worshipped. As the decades passed, she refused to modify this harsh judgment, viewing him as a wayward and unruly child even after the Prince was himself a grandfather. In fact, if never an intellectual like his father (Weintraub seems to doubt the Prince ever in his life read a book cover to cover), Bertie proved himself clever, sympathetic, popular with the people, and a fairly skilled, if unofficial, diplomat. Nevertheless, the Queen would not allow him access to state papers, or hand off to him any but the most minor of ceremonial duties.

                    Barred by custom from involvement in politics, and by his mother from any meaningful preparation for his inheritance, Bertie devoted himself to the one area he could influence the most, society. Weintraub's biography shines in its illustration of how the Prince's active social life, essentially frivolous in so many ways, nevertheless helped him discover talents and develop skills that served him in good stead as sovereign. And while never prurient, Weintraub is nevertheless comprehensive in his treatment of Bertie's many extramarital affairs, from his brief flings to his longstanding relationships with Lillie Langtry, Alice Keppel, and others (including, lest we forget, his beautiful and long-suffering wife, Princess Alix of Denmark).

                    Weintraub's picture of Albert Edward, in short, is a fully drawn one, and the reader can develop a fairly complete understanding of him as a man and as a Prince. I found him very human, disturbing and yet sympathetic. I would recommend this biography to any student of Britain's Royal Family or historian of the Victorian era.

                    5 out of 5 stars Looking forward to the sequel!.......2001-05-15

                    Edward the Caresser is a fine biography of the Prince of Wales who became King Edward VII. The title is slightly misleading since he was only called "Edward the Caresser" after he became King in 1901, and while he was Prince of Wales he was known to the public as "Prince Albert Edward". But such quibbling should be put aside. This is a wonderfully entertaining story of a boy and man who had many fine qualities which were not appreciated by his parents Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who set impossibly high standards for him and were constantly and openly disappointed when he failed to meet them. Bertie (as he was known in the family) also had to deal with being compared to his older sister and younger brother, who were their parents' favorites. After being made to bear the burden of being (in his mother's eyes) the chief contributor to his father's death, Bertie spent the rest of Victoria's reign looking for something to do. Since the Queen refused to allow him constructive work, having fun in various dissipations was his main occupation. Given such a background, the fact that Bertie turned out to be a kind, good natured man with a wide circle of friends and a loving wife and family is surprising.

                    Stanley Weintraub always produces a fine biography, and I hope he will follow up on "Edward the Caresser" with another volume on Edward VII's reign. It will be interesting to see how the playboy prince from an emotionall disadvantaged background turned into one of the most successful and well beloved British monarchs of the twentieth centuries
                    Set of 2 Cordina's Royal Family Series: Gabriella & Alexander Bennett & Camilla (contains four classic novels: Affaire Royale, Command Performance, The Playboy Prince, Cordina's Crown Jewel)
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Set of 2 Cordina's Royal Family Series: Gabriella & Alexander Bennett & Camilla (contains four classic novels: Affaire Royale, Command Performance, The Playboy Prince, Cordina's Crown Jewel)
                      Nora Roberts
                      Manufacturer: Silhouette
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Mass Market Paperback

                      GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | Roberts, Nora | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      PaperbackPaperback | Roberts, Nora | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      ASIN: B000LPEPYQ

                      Product Description

                      Set 2 Cordina's Royal Family : Gabriella & Alexander Bennett & Camilla (contains four classic novels : Affaire Royale Command Performance The Playboy Prince Cordina's Crown Jewel)Two (2) mass market paperbacks with four complete stories.
                      Playboy Prince (Language of Love, No. 39)
                      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                      • Suspense, Romance & Royalty
                      • A Prince and a Double Agent? Oh Yes!
                      • Meet The Royal Rake!!!!!!!
                      • Synopsis
                      • Excellent upbeat novel with a twist
                      Playboy Prince (Language of Love, No. 39)
                      Nora Roberts
                      Manufacturer: Silhouette
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

                      GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | Roberts, Nora | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      PaperbackPaperback | Roberts, Nora | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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                      2. Command Performance (Language Of Love) (Nora Roberts-Language of Love, No 37) Command Performance (Language Of Love) (Nora Roberts-Language of Love, No 37)
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                      ASIN: 037351039X

                      Customer Reviews:

                      4 out of 5 stars Suspense, Romance & Royalty .......2006-03-04

                      Similar to the previous reviewer, I found this story to be a wonderful culmination of the three siblings in The Royal Family saga. This is Bennett's story and again, it takes the reader back to the magical land of princes and princesses and the danger and intrigue of Deboque, a villain responsible for much turmoil in their family. Now, after 10 years of being in prison and causing near-destruction to Princess Gabriella and Prince Alexander from his prison cell through outside contacts, Deboque is being released and will stop at nothing to destroy Prince Armand. The best way to do that is to kill his entire family, children included, and have the Prince survive only to grieve the tragic loss for the rest of his life. Lady Hannah Rothchild is brought on board to assist in the task as an agent in this plan. The characters from the previous two books are brought back - Gabriella (Brie) and Reeve MacGee and their children, Eve and Prince Alexander (heir to the throne) now with a little baby girl and another baby on the way and of course Bennett who finds Lady Hannah extremely appealing despite her dis-interest in him. This is an entertaining and suspenseful fairy tale story. I enjoyed all three books about the family, but would have to say Eve and Alex's story was the one I liked best.

                      4 out of 5 stars A Prince and a Double Agent? Oh Yes!.......2005-04-01

                      This is another fun story by Nora Roberts. This tale takes the reader on a journey to Cordina, a small island under the rule of a royal family loved by the island residents. The Playboy Prince is the third book in the Cordina series, yet another trilogy written by Nora Roberts. This one was written in the beginning of her career and although not as great as her latest series, it is still excellent.

                      Cordina reminds me of Monaco - an island surrounded by beautiful landscape, peaceful ocean, and dynamic architecture. The island is ruled by a kind king who truly cares for his subjects (do they still call them subjects?). The family is vivacious, drawing the reader into their antics to the point where you are almost like one of the family.

                      The Playboy Prince focuses on Prince Bennett. His escapades are legend; his activities (especially where women are concerned) are fodder for not only the newspapers but the gossip columns as well. But when Lady Hannah Rothchild visits his sister, he can't understand his attraction to the quiet, prim and proper woman.

                      What Prince Bennett doesn't know is that Lady Hannah Rothchild is an undercover security agent. She's been sent to the island to protect the royal family from the diabolical Deboque, a villain getting out of jail for his previous plot to kill the royal family and he only succeeded in kidnapping Prince Bennett's sister, Gabrielle. Since Deboque will be released from prison soon, it's only a matter of time before he attempts to seek revenge. Lady Hannah Rothchild has infiltrated Deboque's organization and has gained his trust. Now as a double agent, she must appear to carry out his plans, build a case against him, while keeping the royal family safe. No simple task when Prince Bennett keeps trying to break down her cool reserve and figure out what is hidden beneath her surface.

                      Ok, so this is kind of a cookie cutter plot, but the intrigue adds to the romance. Nora Roberts is a master at building the suspense and mixing the right amount of romance in without going overboard. The book is predictable, but if you read enough of these romance books most of them are predictable. What's not expected is the mystery and build up - Deboque wants to blow up the palace in an explosion meant to kill the royal family. Setting those events into motion is exciting and keeps the reader very captivated.

                      The Playboy Prince isn't one of Nora Roberts' best works, but it is definitely worth reading. With only 251 pages, most can finish it in an afternoon. The hardest part will be finding a copy of this book, as it is out of print and very hard to find. Seems there are many of Nora Roberts's earlier books that are very hard to find - too bad she doesn't reprint this earlier trilogy in one large paperback and market them like she has with the Donovan Legacy!

                      4 out of 5 stars Meet The Royal Rake!!!!!!!.......2002-06-05

                      The Playboy Prince by Nora Roberts is the third book in the Cordina Royal Family series. This title tells the tale of Prince Bennett, the youngest child of Prince Armand. Known far and wide as The Royal Rake, Prince Bennett is a handsome young man attracted to women and also found equally attractive by women as well. While Prince Bennett fills his days with courtly duties, it is his nights and loves which fill the gossip columns. Then plain Lady Hannah Rothchild joins the royal family as a companion to Bennett's pregnant sister-in-law and eventhough she's clearly not type he thought he liked, Prince Bennett finds himself falling head over heels in love with her. Hannah, knowing she is not what she appears contains her feelings for Prince Bennett lest her true position at the Royal Palace is revealed. For Hannah is neither an ordinary companion, plain or demure woman.

                      Nora Roberts is perhaps the most prolific romance writer today. With over 140 titles to he name she is well known as a writer of romantic suspense novels, trilogies, family series as well as futuristic romantic mysteries written under the name JD Robb. Whie I have read books from each of her genres, it is her trilogies and series which I enjoy the most. Its always with a feeling akin to coming home when I pick up a book in one of Nora's series and learn more about a family member or friend. And The Playboy Prince is no exception. Now I look forward to reading Cordina's Crown Jewel which was published this year and continues the story of yet another royal family member.

                      5 out of 5 stars Synopsis.......2000-01-23

                      LADY OF MYSTERY Prince Bennett of Cordina had been making gossip headlines since his teens-but the prim and proper Lady Hannah Rothchild wasn't his usual choice in women. Something in her eyes intrigued him, and he was determined to discover what she was trying to hide. Hannah knew Bennett could easily jeopardize her safey, so from the moment they met she should be on her guard. Yet despite all her attempts to avoid him, she was falling under his spell, making them both more vulnerable to the dangers that surrounded them. She'd lost her heart to a man she forced to deceive-but then love knows right or wrong.

                      5 out of 5 stars Excellent upbeat novel with a twist.......1998-07-20

                      I enjoyed ending this series with a fun, witty couple who had more in common than they ever thought! Proves that hidden layers can be fun and surprising. This story satified my need to bring the Cordina family together happily ever after.
                      8 Titles by Roberts - Search For Love - Taming Natasha - Reflections - For Now, Forever - Playboy Prince - Nightshade - Dance to the Piper - Without a Trace
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        8 Titles by Roberts - Search For Love - Taming Natasha - Reflections - For Now, Forever - Playboy Prince - Nightshade - Dance to the Piper - Without a Trace
                        Nora Roberts
                        Manufacturer: various
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                        ASIN: B000TAR982

                        Product Description

                        Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
                        Andrew, the playboy prince
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Andrew, the playboy prince
                          Andrew Morton
                          Manufacturer: Severn House
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Unknown Binding

                          GeneralGeneral | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
                          ASIN: 0727809881
                          The backgammon quiz book (Playboy Press paperbacks)
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            The backgammon quiz book (Playboy Press paperbacks)
                            Prince Joli Kansil
                            Manufacturer: Playboy Press
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Unknown Binding
                            ASIN: 0872164918
                            The Playboy Prince
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              The Playboy Prince
                              Nora Roberts
                              Manufacturer: Silhouette Books
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Mass Market Paperback
                              ASIN: B000RHKXTY
                              Princes, Playboys, & High-class Tarts
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                Princes, Playboys, & High-class Tarts
                                Taki
                                Manufacturer: Doubleday
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Paperback
                                ASIN: B000OEAEYO

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                                1. Complete Puzzle World: Puzzle Island/Puzzle Town/Puzzle Farm/Puzzle Castle/Puzzle Planet/Puzzle Mountain (Usborne Young Puzzles)
                                2. Death and the Dervish (Writings from an Unbound Europe)
                                3. Dictionary of the Khazars (M)
                                4. El Husar
                                5. Envy (New York Review Books Classics)
                                6. Excessive Joy Injures the Heart
                                7. Fasting, Feasting
                                8. Fight Club: A Novel
                                9. Floating in My Mother's Palm
                                10. Foam of the Daze

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