Book Description
In the fall of 1897, eight whaling ships became trapped in the ice on Alaska's northern coast. Without relief, two hundred whalers would starve to death by winter's end. Mercifully, an extraordinary missionary, Tom Lopp, and seven Eskimo herders embarked on a harrowing journey to save the whalers, driving four hundred reindeer more than seven hundred untracked miles.
At the heart of the rescue expedition lies another, in some ways more compelling, journey. In a Far Country is the personal odyssey of Tom and his wife Ellen Lopp-their commitment to the natives and the rugged but happy life they built for themselves amid a treeless tundra at the top of the world. The Lopps pulled through on grit and wits, on humility and humor, on trust and love, and by the grace of God. Their accomplishment would surely have received broader acclaim had it not been eclipsed by two simultaneous events: the Spanish- American War and the Alaska gold rush. The United States and its territories were transformed abruptly and irrevocably by these fits of expansionist fever, and despite the thoughtful, determined guidance of the Lopps, the natives of the North were soon overwhelmed by a force mightier than the fiercest Arctic winter: the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
Life in Alaska in the late nineteenth century was frought with constant danger and unimaginable challenges........2007-06-17
They certainly were a hardy lot. Those who chose to come Alaska in the latter part of the nineteenth century faced obstacles and hardships that most of us simply cannot comprehend. So why did they come? Despite the fact that the industry was in decline, fleets of whaling ships from such distant ports as New Bedford, Mass. and San Francisco, CA still made the trek to the Bering Sea each year in an effort to eke out a living. Those in the business of saving souls viewed Alaska as fertile territory to spread the Good News. And as the nineteeth century drew to a close there was yet another important reason why thousands would risk life and limb to come to the Alaskan wilderness. The Great Alaskan Gold Rush was on! "In A Far Country" is author John Taliaferro's remarkable account of the events that were unfolding in Alaska during these years.
Tom and Ellen Lopp were missionaries who came to Alaska in the early 1890's. Tom was a Presbyterian from Indiana while Ellen was a Congregationalist who hailed from Minnesota. Both were assigned to a mission at Cape Prince of Wales on the western tip of the Seward Peninsula. Only a month after meeting in July 1892 Tom and Ellen were married. As things turned out Tom and Ellen would start a family and spend the next dozen years ministering to the Eskimos at Cape Prince of Wales. The work was dirty, difficult and exhausting but proved to be extremely rewarding nonetheless. During their years at Cape Prince of Wales the Lopps opened a mission school and assisted in the effort to establish a herd of reindeer in the area. The man who had attracted both Tom and Ellen to Alaska through an advertisment in "American Missionary" magazine was one Sheldon Jackson. Jackson, who was at the time the general agent for education for the new U.S. Territory of Alaska was absolutely convinced that bringing reindeer to Alaska was the key to the regions economic future. Reindeer were indigenous to neighboring Siberia and had been used there for centuries as both a source of food and for transportation. Jackson envisioned teams of reindeer driven sleds moving people, commodities and even the mail throughout the Alaskan territory. At the same time Sheldon Jackson argued that the reindeer could replace the dwindling numbers of caribou as the primary source of food for the native Eskimo population. "In A Far Country" details how large herds of reindeer would eventually be established in several areas of the Alaskan wilderness. Finally, John Taliaferro spends a great deal of time chronicling what became known as the Overland Relief Expedition. At the end of the summer of 1898 a total of 8 whaling ships who were operating in the Chukchi Sea off the northwest coast of Alaska became trapped in the ice and were unable to leave the area. It was feared that unless help arrived in time more than 200 sailors would eventually starve to death. The Overland Relief Expedition was organized and Tom Lopp was tapped to lead the final leg of this Herculian rescue effort. What an incredible adventure!
I found "In A Far Country" to be quite compelling reading indeed. The publishers quite wisely furnished a detailed map of the region at the beginning of the book and I found myself referring to it again and again. I find that inclusion of maps like this often greatly enhances my understanding of the events being discussed in the text. All in all this is a nicely written book about important history that has been largely forgotten. Recommended!
Excellent adventure .......2007-03-24
This is a little known adventure story of missionary people, personalities, government polititians, native Americans, & foreigners. It has graphic illustrations of problems and errors made when dealing with different cultures in unknown and adverse climates. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
Life on the Edge of Civilization.......2007-03-09
It must have taken individuals of rare inner strength to even have the desire to go establish a Christian mission at Cape Prince of Whales, 55 miles across the Bering Strait to Russia and only 70 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Even more surprising to me was the number of women, single or married to missionaries, who went as well. Tom and Ellen Lopp were both single, that is until six weeks after they met.
This is a story of the mission at Cape Prince of Wales, the Lopp's and of a dramatic rescue where Tom and seven Eskimo herders drove a heard of reindeer some 700 miles to rescue stranded sailors whose ships had become frozen in the ice. This was a trip to rival the other famous trip in the cold, but up until now has been little known.
All in all, a most interesting book about life on the very edge of civilization.
epic adventure.......2007-02-06
This book rightly takes its place among the other tales of heroic arctic travel. It is well researched, the writing is sprightly, and the characterizations both compassionate and vivid.
Unsung Heroes.......2007-02-06
This was a fascinating book. It takes an honest look at subjects as diverse as; culture clashes, mission work, family struggles, man verses nature, government inner workings, and humanity's dual nature (good and evil). A whole cast of unsung heroes finally get their day. Unfortunately, it comes about 100 years too late. Although the author resides in our current day of political correctness, his characters do not. Frankly, I find them refreshing.
The Alaskan frontier is shown as the mishmash that it must have been. Competing groups vied for their own goals and dreams. They inevitably mixed and influenced each other resulting in the lines that formerly demarcated distinct people groups being erased and blurred. The outcomes of this amalgamation ranged from laudable triumphs to scandalous tragedies.
For some reason (maybe growing up in the hot South), I have always enjoyed books about Polar Regions. The first book I ever read was Jack London's Call of the Wild. I read In a Far Country in less than a week because the story kept my interest. It is one of the few books that I really hated to complete. I did not want to leave the characters.
Book Description
During the heart of World War II, four military chaplains boarded the legendary U.S. Army Transport ship Dorchester with the daunting task of taking care of the 902 passengers aboard. These very different four men would demonstrate to the world they shared an uncommon faith and valor. George Lansing Fox, a Methodist minister, Alexander D. Goode, a Rabbi, Clark V. Poling, a Dutch Reformed minister, and John P. Washington, a Catholic priest, work day by day to make life aboard the Dorchester bearable as they sail for Greenland. On February 3, 1943, a German submarine ends their journey. This historical novel captures the feel of America in the middle of the war, when the tide was clearly turning our way. Aboard the Dorchester is a cast of characters whose lives are changed forever by their encounters with the chaplains, including the men whose lives are saved by the chaplains' heroic act.
Customer Reviews:
Truly Men of Honor.......2004-01-21
This book is one that makes you feel good without being mushy. It brings out the best in men regardless of their religion. When these Chaplains acted as men of the cloth they made a tremendous difference in a setting that was full of death.
Being a Chaplain myself, I truly enjoyed the book and it was a shot in the arm for all of man to care for the rest of mankind.
This book based on facts is one to read during a nice evening in front of the fireplace and the telephone off the hook.
The Greatest Sacrifice.......2002-08-25
I recently read this book in a summer reading program, and I loved it! It made me think of all the other men and women who gave their lives in World War II. This story follows four naval chaplins on the USAT Dorchester-a rabbi, a Dutch Reformed minister, a Catholic priest, and a Protestant minister. This story tells about their backgrounds, how they came to meet each other on the Dorchester, and the greatest sacrifice they gave (their lives) when the ship sank. This is an outstanding book!
Greater love hath no man...........2002-05-20
The four chaplains who gave their lives selflessly to prevent others from dying certainly deserve for their story to be known, however, I would like to have seen equal voice given to their four different faiths. The story seems to be told more from the viewpoint of fundamental Christianity, and the character and beliefs of the chaplains of other faiths, Judaism, for example, seem neglected.
What I found important in the chaplains' story was the comraderie and unity among them, in spite of their different faiths. This mutual respect is a great lesson for teaching the importance of loving one another, and I imagine made a positive impact on the men they served, although this was not emphasized in the book. When the greatest test of all came, and the soldiers found themselves in the water, all of the chaplains, no matter what their religion, showed their commitment to God and man by making the lives of their fellow soldiers more important than their own. This is the emotional high point of the story, as we envision the fear of men facing death, and see the faith of the chaplains stand firm. We wonder what we would have done in the same situation, and we are left with a lesson that life is fleeting and to consider our lives in the context of the eternal.
What people are saying vs. the story.......2002-04-16
There are inaccuracies in some of the above criticisms...
like for instance the customer who stated that the words on the cover, "...story of the four chaplains" was a typo and should have been, "...story of four chaplains." This is completely inaccurate as the gentlemen in mention are icons known as "THE Four Chaplains." The customer's complete misinformation stated as 'fact' in [their] review makes me wonder about the validity of [their] other comments.
My suggestion, read the book for the "true story" within -- whether it feels like narrative non-fiction, or novel-style non-fiction is up to you to like or dislike; but the story is well and passionately presented by an author to whom the story obviously has precious meaning.
The book is lovely because the story is lovely. There's just no losing that. Well done.
a tale of faith and courage.......2002-03-08
Generally I am opposed to the fictionalization of true stories; my reason is that it trivializes real events and real people. For example, the tragic scope of the Titanic sinking is never depicted richly enough in fiction or movies, where we follow the stories of a few when there are as many stories as there are people involved.
I will make an exception for this World War II story. "Sea of Glory" is well-crafted and easy to read, and will probably find a wide audience as books about WWII are popular these days. My only criticism is that the authors get a little syrupy in depicting the relationship among the four chaplains, which rings a little too good to be true. Surely they had some differences now and then, as we all do.....Nevertheless, all four men were heroes, without a doubt, and their inspirational story deserves to be heard.
Average customer rating:
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True Crime, True North: The Golden Age of Canadian Pulp Magazines
Carolyn Strange , and
Tina Loo
Manufacturer: Raincoast Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 155192689X |
Book Description
This lively book takes a loving look at the Canadian true crime pulps of the World War II era — their bold, brassy covers, spicy advertisements, and stories of murder, robbery, sex, and violence. With vivid archival images of both magazine covers and ads, True Crime, True North examines the themes that characterized the genre in Canada: the unquestioned adherence to retributive justice, the unwavering faith in lawmen, and the enduring affection for Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The authors also trace pulp writers' preoccupation with jealousy and betrayal, the deadly consequences of greed, and the growing menace of "sex fiends."
Average customer rating:
- A Wondeful Haunting Story from my Adopted Hometown
- Ho-Hum
- Entertaining, well-written historical murder mystery
- Very well written book. Couldn't put it down.
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The Mystery of Beautiful Nell Cropsey: A Nonfiction Novel
Bland Simpson
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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Murder & Mayhem
| True Accounts
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ASIN: 0807844322 |
Book Description
As compelling as fiction, The Mystery of Beautiful Nell Cropsey tells the dramatic story of the disappearance of nineteen-year-old Nell Cropsey from her riverside home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in November 1901. Bloodhounds, detectives, divers, and even a psychic were brought in to search for her, and the case immediately became a national sensation.
Bland Simpson, who first heard the tale as an Elizabeth City schoolboy, weaves this true story into a colorful nonfiction account, told in three first-person voices: Nell's sister Ollie; famous newspaper editor W. O. Saunders, who covered the case as a young reporter; and Jim Wilcox, Nell's beau, who was implicated in the case. Nell and Jim's romance, her disappearance, the great search, the trials, and their aftermath are artfully reconstructed from interviews, court records, and newspaper accounts.
Customer Reviews:
A Wondeful Haunting Story from my Adopted Hometown.......2002-10-16
What a great and tragic story Simpson tells! Having moved to Elizabeth City three years ago, I'd heard the history and legend of the Cropsey murder, but this book brought so much life to it. Now when I jog by the old Cropsey place on Riverside, the Courthouse and Baptist Church on Main St, the bend on Road Street where Wilcox took his own life years later, Williams Circle (site of the old Fairgrounds where Nell visited the circus weeks before her death), the story is real and vivid. I also heartily recommend Simpson's "Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals". Mr. Simpson affection for the North Carolina low-country is contagious. What a treat!
Ho-Hum.......2002-03-25
This book was poorly written, poorly organized and poorly researched. If you are looking for a cure for insomnia, then I would recommend it!
Entertaining, well-written historical murder mystery.......2000-02-22
The most interesting mysteries are those of a different generation. After Bland Simpson learned this simple lesson, he applied it, turning out an absorbing and true tale of murder, love and damning coincidence taken from the Victorian Age. The story takes place in remote Elizabeth City, N.C., and focuses upon the murder of a beautiful young woman and the possible involvement of her spurned lover. It follows the footsteps of those closest to the story and builds to a climax of uncertainty and mystery.
Very well written book. Couldn't put it down........1999-01-30
I thought this book was very well written. I just wanted to keep reading and reading. I also enjoyed the pictures and maps. Great book. It is definately one I will read again.
Average customer rating:
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Make Believe: A True Story
Diana Athill
Manufacturer: Steerforth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
African-American & Black
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ASIN: 1883642213 |
Customer Reviews:
Good for a report, not a good read.......2007-01-23
"True North."
by Kathryn Lasky
Have you ever wondered why you are reading that certain book? Have you ever thought that the books you were reading had no point, and were extremely boring? I myself have experienced those feelings on many books. That's not true about "True North". I had to read a Civil War book for my English class. I thought this would be a stupid book and I shouldn't even waste my time reading it. I took a chance and read a few chapters. It wasn't amazing- and yet it was actually pretty good. This book is all about two girls during the Civil War. One of them is a black slave trying to get free, and the other is a rich white girl who hates her life of luxury. They are both running away from their lives to find a better way of living. That is pretty much the only thing they have in common. "True North" is all about the struggles these girls face for freedom. It has a good message about love, friendship, hard work, and determination. "True North" is a fast read with an adventure, no kissing, but I guess there could be crying, (depending on the person). I didn't think this book was the best book I ever read. It is the kind of book you read for a class or if you need to write a paper. Who knows though, maybe this will be your favorite book. I can say this about "True North". I didn't regret reading it, and I know you won't either. Go pick up a copy at your local library or ask your English teacher if they have this book. Everyone has to read, and this book is a lot better than those kissing, boring, books. What are you waiting for? Read, "True North" by Kathryn Lasky. I know you want to!
Review by Danaca Moore
Lehi, UT.
Great Book.......2006-02-22
I loved this book. It is about two girls, one Afrika is running away from the plantation she works at in Virginia, and the other girl, Lucy is a wealthy girl in Boston who` s best friend is her grandfather. In the story Lucy finds out that her grandfather halps with the Underground Railroud. After her grandfather dies she finds Afrika in the grandfather clock in her grandfathers office. She helps Afrika the rest of the way to freedom even though it is hard and they run into some road blocks. I liked this book because it helps you to understand how it was like for people back then. I loved this book and I would deffinetely suggest it to someone else to read.
True North.......2006-02-14
This was a great book about a girl's journey on the Underground Railroad and also is about a girl that is trying to find what she is in life. This book is suspenseful and keeps you reading.
Truly A Horrid Book.......2005-02-21
True North, by Kathryn Lasky, is probably the worst book I have ever read, and I am a voracious reader and writer. This story has weak characters who expirence absolutely no feeling or emotion. Lucy, one of the main characters, is a rebellious, annoying character who absolutely fails at capturing the readers interest. She has all kinds of plights that the reader must put up with the get to the slightly more interesting parts about Afrika. Afrika's story, in turn, possessed some good ideas, but the writing was appalling.
Lucy's solving the code at the end of the book was completely impossible. If grown people and scholars could not crack a code, then a 14-year old girl would definitely not be able to, not in the few minutes she had!
The characters, especially the minor ones, were watery and feeble. A word or two was used to describe them but no evidence was given to back them up, or the evidence was contradicting the description. For example, Lucy's sisters. One of the sisters (Oh, all of them had been named after flowers.) was described as mild-mannered, but she is rude and teases her sisters later. Something in this story that had me rolling on the ground laughing, and not in a good way, was Lucy's mother. Her proclamation that Lucy was "absolutely terrible," or whatever she said, was unrealistic. What sane mother would call her daughter that? I mean, really.
The only half-way decent part of this story was the plot. If the author had elaborated more into the characters and made the events more believeable, this woulld have been a meidiocre book.
Overall, I found this book a slap in the face of literature. I tutor second graders in writing and other subjects, and even they can write better! But, if you want to read it, I won't stop you. You can even get it free from my compost heap!
True North.......2004-04-26
I loved this book! I enjoyed it very much, it is a great book for people who like historical ficion!
Book Description
Free-verse text describes the transition from day to night and from night to day, revealing the magic in these everyday moments.
Customer Reviews:
Great teaching tool.......2005-10-13
I am a middle school teacher and found this book to be a great tool for teaching my sixth graders. We have been studying personification and this book has great examples in it. The pictures are beautiful and the text is serene. This is a very wonderful book.
Twilight Comes Twice.......2002-10-23
I recommend this book for 5-10 year oids because I think people who like poetry should read this book. I liked ho a girl made dawn and night sound beautiful I thik this book is great and you might like it to.
twilght comes twice.......2002-10-22
This book puts a lot of descriptive writing in it. It doesn't really have a problem. I love the way the author says "slowly dusk pours the syrup of darkness into the forest". In the pictures, they always put the girl's dog with the girl. I think you would like thiss book if you are 9 and up to 12. I loved this book. Giuliana G.
Gentle and calming beautiful illustrations with poetic prose.......2000-10-31
A story set in a suburban neighborhood with a girl and her dog doing various activities as the sun rises or sets. The first part of the book is about dusk and the second part is about dawn. The text is poetic and beautiful. The text is on one page and the illustrations are on the other page; this is a larger sized hardcover book. The illustrations are beautiful paintings, all with the special hues of dusk or dawn. Some of the scenes are: the girl and dog playing in a sprinkler while bats fly overhead and fireflies fly at their feet, two fisherman on the shore of a lake, and the girl and dog taking a walk through the woods at dawn. The poetic nature of the text is rarely found in modern children's books and is a joy to read. "When the sky is full and singing with stars you know that twilight has given way to true night." This is a gentle and calming book to read.
Captivating and picturesque.......1999-07-22
This book was introduced to me in a Teaching Language Arts class in college and I have since fallen in love with it. Ralph Fletcher's vivid descriptions bring his words to life and puts the reader right within his story. Through his use of words, readers can easily paint the picture of twighlight and experience it first hand. This book is excellent for teaching children about descriptive writing and the use of vivid images within their writing. A must have book that is enjoyable for all ages!
Book Description
At the time it was first published in 1962, it framed such an urgent appeal to the American conscience that it actually prompted the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission, an agency that has pumped millions of dollars into Appalachia.
Caudill's study begins in the violence of the Indian wars and ends in the economic despair of the 1950s and 1960s. Two hundred years ago, the Cumberland Plateau was a land of great promise. Its deep, twisting valleys contained rich bottomlands. The surrounding mountains were teeming with game and covered with valuable timber. The people who came into this land scratched out a living by farming, hunting, and making all the things they need-including whiskey.
The quality of life in Appalachia declined during the Civil War and Appalachia remained "in a bad way" for the next century. By the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, Appalachia had become an island of poverty in a national sea of plenty and prosperity. Caudill's book alerted the mainstream world to our problems and their causes. Since then the ARC has provided millions of dollars to strengthen the brick and mortar infrastructure of Appalachia and to help us recover from a century of economic problems that had greatly undermined our quality of life.
Customer Reviews:
An eye-opening historical perspective.......2007-07-09
I was on vacation spending the week at our family's river cottage and this book, dusty and long-forgotten, set upon the shelf. After spending an idle week reading this book, I feel like I have a better understanding of the history and human forces that shaped this region of the United States. This book is a rare treasure that offers an eye-opening historical perspective which is easily accessible and well-written. While the publication date is over 40 years ago, if you are at all interested in the story of the Cumberland area, about the path towards industrialization brought about by coal, and the tragedy that befell a once proudly individualist and free people, you should read this book. You won't be disappointed. Be warned though, it's not a book for historical revisionists and it uses language in use during the time it was published, so check any political correctness before you open it.
Heavy going in places .......2006-12-30
I found the book to be a bit long-winded and belaboring certain points. The author was passionate about his subject - helping the people in the area - but just wrote in a manner that got tiring. He went into details on the mining operations that we really don't need to know about.
Nevertheless, it was a book worth reading, I am just glad I have finished it!
Inaccurate and Biased Against Eastern KY.......2006-12-29
When reading this book, one must keep in mind that it was written in the 1960's. Caudill's history has some inaccuracies. One such problem is the idea that the original mountain people were the "human refuse" of Europe. In actuality, many of the people who move into the mountains did so by way of Revolutionary War land grants which Caudill admits later in the story. Most of the people who fought for the Continental Army were from the middle or working class of American society--hardly the "human refuse" of Europe. This is just one instance of Caudill's inaccurate claims.
There are some good things about the book, i.e. a discussion of Indian/Anglo crossbreeding. However, I can definitely see why people from Eastern Kentucky have such a low opinion of the book. The author makes Appalachians look like animals who need to be saved from themselves--a common liberal stance of the 1960s.
The book, however, is worth reading. Just do so with a very critical eye. In addition, read a solid Kentucky history book before diving into this one in order to better separate the wheat from the chaff.
An immensely readable sociological look into the inhabitants of Appalachia.......2006-11-10
Why can't everybody write like this? It is a look into the social and economic conditions in the mining country of eastern Kentucky. Most people don't even know it is there. Caudill writes of this part of America with a clear eye and great fondness because it is where he grew up. To those who are already studying the subject, this book will undoubtedly be well known. But to those who are not, I recommend this book highly.
Night Comes to the Cuberlands: A Biography of a Depressed Area.......2006-03-19
The book was very well packaged and came in perfect condition. Thank you very much.
Average customer rating:
- Come and read
- Sizzles - Just Sizzles!
- Good Book.
- quite simply the worst romance I've ever read
- entrancing
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Come the Night
Christina Skye
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Skye, Christina | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Steel, Danielle
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Accessories:
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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0440216443
Release Date: 1994-08-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Come and read.......2006-07-24
Christina Skye is an author that always produces a great novel. With its fast paced sceenes, emotion, funny sceenes, and intriguing plot, Come the Night is another wonderful novel.
With the mysterious Lord of Blackwood and the independent Silver, the two main characters combine to create a romance novel that all can love.
Sizzles - Just Sizzles!.......2002-10-21
One thing I must state up front, Christina Skye has not disappointed me yet. I know that whenever I pick up one of her books, it will have all the elements one could wish for in a period historical piece, devastingly handsome heros, spunky heroines and superb plots that will keep you guessing to the end.
In this offering, the hero is the famed highwayman, the Lord of Blackwood, out on the heath plying his trade, holding up those foolish enough to traverse through the "Devil's Wood". It was on this same night that Silver St. Claire, trying to make up for lost time would take the shortcut through these woods to meet an appointment. Fate would have it that she meet up with the devilish highwayman that night. After he traded barbs with her, he sent her back home only having to come to her aid again after three ruffians that set upon to rob and molest her.
Someone was out to force Silver and her brother from their home, Lavender Close - the same people, who perhaps had killed her parents. Silver had never believed the story that her father had committed suicide and the St. Clair pride and stubbornness would not let her be forced from her home and her beloved lavender fields. Silver needed to have some help and after determining that the highwayman who had saved her (twice) was not the devil that stories told of, she went about to hire him to `ruin' her and help her to save Lavender Close. Not only that, but she really wanted to see him again!
The Lord of Blackwood, was a man driven by revenge, a hatred towards the man and the people that had forced him to betray his country, and to perform despicable acts upon the innocent. These people had robbed him of his honor, and because of this, his very life and identity for he could not return to his family bearing the shame he felt after the things he had done. His mission, via the disguise of the highwayman, Lord Blackwood, was a means for him to find and revenge himself on the person that had taken his life away from him. He had hardened his heart - he needed his heart to be hard for revenge, yet this slip of a girl, smelling of lavender, and braver than any girl had a right to be was forcing him to feel, forcing soft hearted feelings and reminding him that he did have a heart and it was going to become quite difficult to wipe the memory of Silver St. Claire from his mind.
This story was a real page turner, trying to figure out who and what drove the Lord of Blackwood, the very real Lucien "Luc" Delamere. The characters are fleshed out very well, and I absolutely loved Silver and her assumptions about "manly passions". Her brother Bran was charming, as well as the two man-servants, Tinker and Josh. All in all a very delightful read. And, of course, one must not fail to mention that the pages just sizzle when the Silver and Luc do cross swords, oh yes, they do just sizzle! Another win for Ms. Skye.
Good Book........2002-01-14
This is a good book to read.
quite simply the worst romance I've ever read.......2001-02-09
This book was quite simply the worst romance I've ever read. I am not an especially fast reader but I usually manage to read a good book in one or two days. This book took me an entire week before I finally tossed it aside. The plot was inconsistent and so full of errors I found myself re-reading vast sections of it to make some sense of what was going on. The two main characters seem to repeat the same passionate scene to the point that it became not passionate at all but simply redundant. I bought this book based on the shinning reviews of other readers so I wrote this to warn any future buyers, at least one person thought this was a horrible romance novel.
entrancing.......2000-11-07
Come the night was the first Christina Skye novel I ever read, yet the well developed characters and the magnificent plot had me crazy for more! You'll fall in love with Silver and all the Delameres... and you'll want to continue their story with Come the Dawn... Chistina Skye's Delameres have totally entranced me...
Customer Reviews:
Wake Me Up When It's Over.......2006-05-18
Well, if the title 'The Terror That Comes in the Night' doesn't immediately spark your interest how about that secondary subtitle, 'An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions.' Doesn't it sound like a book you'd like to have resting on your lap while riding the subway, or sitting in a busy doctor's office. I just love those weird looks people give you when they see what you're reading.
Being one of those people who have a long history of suffering from "Night Terrors" I had a personal interest in purchasing this book. I wanted to compare my own nightmarish encounters with what others had endured during those long and dreadful hours preceding dawn. For me it was a cathartic and affirming endeavor. Therapy you might say.
Since my primary attraction to this book was the first-hand accounts provided by the participants in this study, not the research or conclusions drawn by Mr. Hufford, it turned out to be a worthwhile read for me. However if you're looking for some world shattering conclusions or monumental breakthroughs you'll probably be disappointed.
An overall intriquing read for those fascinated by nightmares and the realm of dreams.
A thorough investigation of a fascinating phenomenon.......2005-01-07
There are reports from people around the world that they have wakened in the night with a sense of terror, unable to move, and aware of the presence of a frightening old hag.
David Hufford brings us a thorough investigation of this fascinating phenomenon. Hufford is Professor in the Department of Humanities at the Penn State College of Medicine (Hershey Medical Center. He has had a long-standing interest in traditional healing and parapsychology, both of which serve him will in his analysis of the old hag reports, which have not been included in much of the literature on psychic and spiritual experiences.
Hufford gathered 93 reports from students at Memorial University in Newfoundland, clarifying their experiences with a detailed questionnaire. Hufford investigates and writes with great clarity. Here are some of his conclusions:
1. The phenomena ... constitute an experience with a complex and stable pattern, which is recognizable and is distinct from other experiences.
2. This experience is found in a variety of cultural settings.
3. The pattern of the experience and its distribution appear independent of the presence of explicit cultural models.
4. The experience itself has played a significant, though not exclusive, role in the development of numerous traditions of supernatural assault.
7. The frequency with which the experience occurs is surprisingly high, with those who have had at least one recognizable attack representing 15 percent or more of the general population.
8. The state in which this experience occurs is probably best described as sleep paralysis with a particular kind of hypnagogic hallucination.
10. The contents of this experience cannot be satisfactorily explained on the basis of current know1edge.
This book does much to clarify an interesting element in the spectrum of transpersonal experiences.
Eye-opening Study.......2004-06-29
David Hufford looks at a phenomenon called "The Old Hag" in this remarkable study of folklore. The "Old Hag" consists of a belief that a person is stunned by supernatural forces and ridden by a ghost, witch, or other supernatural being in the night. He became interested in the unified way in which people described eerie nightmares that froze people with fright. Hufford discovered that the experience was shared by people who had never even met, thereby challenging the idea that "The Old Hag" was merely a folk belief passed along in an oral tradition. The book provides an excellent way to understand belief from the point of view of a person who accepts it as part of reality. It also provides interesting ways to think about ways to reconcile belief with science. Finally, the book adds great insight into beliefs in alien abductions.
Commendable, but needs an update.......2003-11-23
I applaud Professor Hufford for this ground-breaking analysis
of Night Hag (Phantomania) attacks. Nothing else quite like
it since its original publication over 20 years ago.
Though it begins, and occasionally bogs down, in typically tiresome academic prose, Hufford has the courage to allow the facts to speak for themselves - with the benefit of his methodical and objective reasoning. This eventually delivers his subject from the tediousness of too much jargon and equivocating.
And though he (wisely) resists arriving at any certain conclusions,his courage to at least acknowledge most of the possible correlatives associated with pavor nocturnus is to his credit.
Most of the eyewitness accounts (which, I think, could have been
improved by some editting), actually make for some scary and unnerving late night reading. If you have read Grave's End,
you will know what I mean - only multiple, and more believable, examples of the same sort of experience.
I only wish that the Professor had more thoroughly described the different stages of sleep, including brain wave Hz rates, length and periodicity of cycles and degress of REM activity.
It seems to me that an all inclusive scientific study of nightmares should result in some truly surprising insights into the nature of consiousness itself.
Likewise, Professor Hufford is way overdue for an update considering the limited sources his research was conducted
from and based upon.
In that regard, allow me to recommend to whomever might be
interested in pursuing an understanding of the Night Hag:
Carlos Castaneda's The Active Side of Infinity, particularly
the chapters on Inorganic Awareness and Mud Shadows.
Skeptical? Just take a look, you'll see what I mean.
a great book for anyone suffering from sleep paralysis!.......2000-10-03
If you have ever awoke to the sudden realization that you cannot move, and this experience has been accompanied by a convincing feeling that there is something with a sinister intention there with you in the room, or if you have felt, heard, or even seen something strange and haunting during this state of immobility, then this book is for you my unfortunate friend! I have suffered from sleep paralysis most my life, and this is the only book I have ever found that explores the subject. A very interesting read! Although I do not agree with some of the conclusions that the author suggests, it is nevertheless a well researched and informative book. By the way, if you do suffer from sleep paralysis or the "old hag" as Hufford calls it, it is completely harmless based upon my own experience, other than it can scare the bejeebers out of you. If you do suffer from the above mentioned symptoms, there are several BB's on the web where you can talk with others that suffer from SP, and don't get too worked up over it, it happens to a lot of us as this book skilfully demonstrates.
Customer Reviews:
loved it.......2007-05-13
Really just buy this book for your self and all your friends. Cal garrison is just so witty. Chase your dreams with attitude.
truthful and heartfelt.......2005-03-07
The Old Girls' Book of Dreams is way different than Ms. Garrison's first book, The Old Girls' Book of Spells. If you're in the market for spells the latter is your best bet. But if you want inspiration, words of wisdom (and humor by the way) to get you pumped up for every Cross Quarter, The Old Girls' Book of Dreams is loaded with both.
For parts of it, I was in tears, because the author writes from her heart, and from her experience in an honest and truthful way. In other sections, she had me cracking up laughing because she talked about things that are the same for all of us with a wry smile and a sense of humor. Between the lines it's clear that this lady has been through it all. You feel like you're sitting down at the kitchen table with a wise old witch who's too real to put on airs. There's no pontificating or rhapsodizing about the Goddess here - The Old Girls' Book of Dreams is a down to earth affair.
What I got out of it in the end was a way to envision what I want out of my own life along with practical, workable ways to make those dreams manifest. You'll love the blank pages too. They will help you keep track of your self, and offer space to write down whatever it is that you're wanting and wishing for. Check this book out. It's a good one.
A really awesome, wise, and funny book. Good for any woman,.......2003-10-15
The Old Girls'Book of Dreams was given to me by a friend of mine who's into Wicca. You can tell the author isn't one of those witches who plays at it. I got the feeling her whole life is about magic because when you read this you will see that there is magic in everything. Take the time to read the introduction closely. I found that the heart meditation she talks about is pretty incredible and the instructions for it are there. The rest of what she has to say about weaving your dreams and remaining tuned to the rhythm of the natural world is told with a fresh, honest perspective on it all. This is not one of those books that just rehashes the run of the mill affirmation stuff. If you're into astrology you'll get a fresh breeze blown up your skirt too. What the author has to say about the signs of the zodiac is woven into everything she has to say about witchcraft. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether they're into magic or not. And any age too. I'm buying a bunch of them to give away because it's THAT good. Besides, there's room to journal and plenty of space to sort out your own thoughts about things. The Old Girls' Book of Dreams is full of fresh wisdom. It shines a big light on the creation process and the whole experience of being a WOMAN!
Average customer rating:
|
A Little Night Comes
Julianne Buchsbaum
Manufacturer: Del Sol Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Classics | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
20th Century | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
United States | Single Authors | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974822965 |
Book Description
In a fierce landscape, where "small mammals hurt / each other to stay alive" these poems--violent and lovely, transcendental and desperate--snap us awake, jar us into new senses. In Julianne Buchsbaum's stunning new collection, the "train ride out is not / the train ride in." Expect this ride to change you: these poems are abductions.
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