Book Description
Originally published to glowing reviews in 1972, Dow Mossman's extraordinary debut is a sweeping coming-of-age tale that developed a passionate cult following. It recently inspired the award-winning documentary film Stone Reader, described by Peter Rainer of New York magazine as “a marvelous literary thriller that gets at the way books can stay with people forever.”
Rendered with breathtaking artistry and emotional depth, The Stones of Summer captures the beauty and pain of postwar America. Its vivid evocation of culture-void Iowa in the '50s and '60s reveals in layer after layer of richly observed detail the maturation—the very soul—of an artist. Its rediscovery was the catalyst for one filmmaker to confront his faith in the power of great literature to endure, and it can now be embraced by readers everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
THE GREAT FLAWED AMERICAN NOVEL.......2007-09-28
I discovered this book on the shelf with mostly hack job bestsellers and romantic trash, and a few books on Law Enforcement at a beach house we rented this year. It was one of the all time great beach read discoveries, probably exceeding the time I found The Magus in a beach house. It is sprawling, poetic, confusing, spiritual, overwritten and magical, I am a severe literary snob, but this is an great book, and belongs in the upper echelon of twentieth century american novels.
What a read!.......2007-09-23
A truly amazing piece of work. Funny, though provoking, highly original. I'll never forget those characters. Don't let the length scare you away. It reads fast.
Transcendent Work.......2007-08-10
People keep saying that this work "was too dull" or "didn't make any sense". These are the same people who claim to have read Ulysses and "found it better". They didn't read Ulysses, they just bought it and put it spine out on their shelves. Both books are STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Dow Mossman's is better. If you found Dow Mossman's book boring, there is no way in hell you found Ulysses exciting. This is a blatant lie, and especially obvious to anyone who has read both books.
It's not a regular novel, it is the unwrapping, sometimes violently, of a soul. It exposes the architecture of a mind, with all its contradictions and fallacies, and the beauty of such a mind, unique in its trembling defiance. Some of the metaphors will not make sense to you (or me), because it is not written for the lowest common denominator, like most fiction is.
It is fearless individualistic, and the point is that it forces you to observe objects the same way Dawes (and obviously Dow Mossman) sees them, as old stone houses in thick woods, as creeping planes of light, as silent stones in riverbeds. It is the closest thing I have ever seen (and I'm a neuroscientist) to sharing the ultimate goal: qualia, consciousness.
It is being the mind of a poet.
This book is unlike anything that has ever been written, but it requires a certain depth to read, which some people lack.
Note: if you like structure that is easily definable in your reading, do NOT read this book. If you like complex patterns, especially one that are organic in nature, read this book.
In my opinion (whatever that means) it is the best book that has ever been written. The greatest writer alive works in a steel mill and gets bad reviews on Amazon. That's fitting for humans.
Should have stayed lost.......2007-06-17
Meandering, dull, boring plot... there was a reason nobody paid attention for a decade, till some bored, sad people found a catch to self-aggrandize and bring it back in a self serving way.
A genius looks in the mirror.......2007-03-25
The main character of The Stones of Summer is an amiable genius who accepts and accommodates (and in turn is accepted and accommodated by) a group of decent friends of average abilities with nicknames like "Dunker."
The novel is divided into three books. The first tells the story of the main character's family going back multiple generations on his mother's side. This book has a lyrical quality and evokes a sense of loss, former grandeur, and tragedy.
The second book tells the story of the main character's adolescence. A folded piece of paper pulled from the main character's back pocket turns out to be a sensitive poem that his friends ridicule without mercy. The narrator later says of the main character, "He would always live here, in this place, among these stones, this grass. And he would always be locked up within, the knots of dreams."
The third book reveals that the main character was only 12 when he was "insane for the first time. He never talked about it. No one knew.... He stood, not believing civilization, yet wanting to come closer, as if he had just seen the Godhead itself rise up nameless and without need of a face, as if he must run and tell us about it now, quickly, before it vanished again into wherever it goes when it isn't here."
The novel runs to nearly 600 pages and requires a certain amount of effort to steam through. Even so, I would put it on a par with A Confederacy of Dunces and Look Homeward, Angel. It is one of the most remarkable and most memorable first novels that I've ever read. Dow, you're lost and by the wind grieved. Come back again!
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- Julian's Glorious Summer
- Miss McCabe's Class Loves Julian!
- Scared Julian !!
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Julian's Glorious Summer (Stepping Stone, paper)
Ann Cameron
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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Julian, Secret Agent (Stepping Stone, paper)
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Julian, Dream Doctor (Stepping Stone, paper)
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The Stories Julian Tells
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Stories Huey Tells (Stepping Stone, paper)
ASIN: 0394891171
Release Date: 1987-09-12 |
Book Description
Bicycles–shiny, whizzing, wobbly bicycles–scare Julian more than lions or tigers. But how can he tell that to his best friend, Gloria? She can already ride with no hands. So instead of telling the truth, Julian makes up a little fib. And he almost gets away with it–until his fib backfires and Julian finds himself in the biggest, most confounding fix ever.
Customer Reviews:
Julian's Glorious Summer.......2006-06-02
Julian's Glorious Summer was written by Ann Cameron. The characters are Julian, Gloria, and Huey. The story takes place at Julian's house. Julian lied that he had to work all summer and he lied about he liked to ride bikes. It was an excellent book! You should read it!
Miss McCabe's Class Loves Julian!.......2003-09-24
Our class read Julian's Glorious Summe by Ann Cameron. We feel that the book was fabulous! Julian tells many lies in this book to hide the secret that he's scared of bikes. Ms. Cameron wrote the sentences in a fun and interesting way. At the end, Julian got a surprise and he was successful. Julian learned an important lesson. Overall, we think you should read this book too.
Scared Julian !!.......2001-11-29
I never thought that boys are afraid of bicycles but it seems that we have one here.And that is Julian!! Bicycles scare him more than tigers and lions! Oh,my gosh!This book is about a boy named Julian.He detests bicycles more than anything.His friend,Gloria owns a bicycle and wants to teach him how to ride.He refuses and makes up a fib.But the fib gets him into more trouble than telling the truth.Like the proverb,"Honesty is the best policy".If you want to find out what happened,read this book.Fibbers will always be fibbers but I hope Julian wouldn't be one after he tells this fib.
Book Description
The story of a man in love with a place, a woman, and a dream.
Tom Stone went to Greece one summer to write a novel -- and stayed twenty-two years. On Patmos, he fell in love with Danielle, a beautiful French painter. His novel completed and sold, he decided to stay a little longer.
Seven idyllic years later, they left Patmos for Crete. When a Patmian friend Theológos called and offered him a summer partnership in his beach tavérna, The Beautiful Helen, Stone jumped at the chance -- much to the dismay of his wife, who cautioned him not to forget the old adage about Greeks bearing gifts.
Her warning was well-founded: when back on Patmos, Stone quickly discovered that he was no longer a friend or patron but a competitor. He learned hard lessons about the Greeks' skill at bargaining and business while reluctantly coming to the realization that Theológos's offer of a partnership was indeed a Trojan horse.
Featuring Stone's recipes, including his own Chicken Retsina and the ultimate moussaka, The Summer of My Greek Tavérna is as much a love story as it is the grand, humorous, and sometimes bittersweet adventures of an American pursuing his dreams in a foreign land, a modern-day innocent abroad.
Customer Reviews:
Very enjoyable read.......2006-11-13
The writer has a very straightforward style that I truly enjoyed. The fact that this was a true story kept my interest and made me put the Greek Isles high on the list of places to visit in the next few years.
The author's sense of adventure and risk taking appeals to me.
At the end of this book, I felt that i had acquired a good bit of knowledge of the physical aspects of the islands and even more so about the culture.
A bittersweet summer on the Isle of Patmos .......2006-07-24
You laugh and then you cry when you read this bittersweet memoir. The Summer of my Greek Taverna is a funny, poignant saga of a naive American, whose Greek friend, Theologos, offers him a "summer partnership" in The Beautiful Helen Taverna, located on the small Aegean Island of Patmos. Although his wife and Greek friends caution him to be aware of "Greeks bearing gifts," Stone jumps at the offer. His life is never the same, arriving home at night, at three or four in the morning, completely spent, with no time for sex or even a cuddle, and up at dawn to start another day at the restaurant, only to have his partner swindle him of the profits.
Stone captures the essense of the Greek people and writes lovingly of them, the good ones and the not-so-good ones. My Taverna is reminiscent of many excellent books of American expatriates living in foreign countries, all with their own unique experiences. Memoirs of an American Housewife in Japan is one of many. In spite of his trials and tribulations, Tom Stone survives his ordeal and returns to the states. He opens his own successful restaurant in Southern California. At the end the book, Stone lists "The Menu of the Beautiful Helen," with 20 recipes of his favorite Greek dishes in full detail. If the story doesn't stimulate you, the recipes will. A good read, bon appetit. Yassou.
breath of fresh air.......2005-08-30
Reading these little expat memoirs used to be a pleasure, but now there are so many self-congratulatory accounts that they've long since begun to pall. Greek Taverna is a welcome exception. Stone manages to convey the essence of Greek island life, geography, and ambience without attempting to convince the reader that life in those parts is idyllic and carefree. Indeed, Tom and his family encounter as many problems and stumbling blocks as they might have in NYC, as well as enjoying the beauty and simplicity (all is relative). Reading his experiences is as refreshing as a dip in the Aegean. Bravo to Tom Stone for his honesty, sense of humor, and willingness to remain in Greece despite the bursting of the bubble of his dream.
Stone's book on Greece is right on target in every way.......2005-01-25
As a Greek-American who was born, and lives in the US, but also lived in Greece for 12 years, I am always very interested in reading the experiences of expatriates, especially those from the US. I took some time to read through the other reviews here, especially focusing on the ones with negative things to say. I must say this, because I like to keep my reviews brief: Tom Stone did not produce the perfect book here, nor do I think we should expect that from him---what he did do was absolutely capture both the Greek mentality and spirit, the beauty of the land and its culture, and the very difficult divide in which foreigners who live in Greece full-time find themselves. I highly recommend this book not just for Greek diaspora who want to wax nostalgic of the mother country, but for ANY American heading over for a visit, if not a longer stay. I recently recommended this book to two proteges of mine who were headed to Greece for a short stay, and a semester abroad respectively, and both told me upon their returns that it was a priceless learning tool which enhanced their visits, as well as a very enjoyable read. I cant think of any higher recommendation than that of didacticism and real world, in-country experience. Well done, Mr Stone!
The Summer of my Greek Taverna.......2003-03-18
Save your money and read "Extra Virgin" instead.
In a book about someone opening a greek restaurant, it takes the author half the pages to even begin cooking his first meal. Much of the book is given to the author's whining about money, unfair deals and his struggles.
And to Tom (the author), thanks for reminding us that you sleep in the nude. That added so much to the book.
No laugh out loud moments here and the recipes are just really filler to pad the book.
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- BLAH!
- Intriguing
- Just an OK book
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- A great read for a snowy night by the fire!
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The Summer House
Jean Stone
Manufacturer: Bantam
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Nantucket Nights: A Novel
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Beach Roses
ASIN: 0553580833
Release Date: 2000-04-04 |
Book Description
She made a life with one man--but always loved another at...
The Summer House.
Jean Stone captured readers' imaginations with the "graceful prose, vivid imagery and compassionately drawn characters" (Publishers Weekly) of novels like
Tides of the Heart and
Places by the Sea. Now, in her latest novel, she reveals the public scandals of a family destined for political greatness--and the private secrets of a woman who traded her childhood dreams for a role she was born to play....
As a young girl, Liz Adams always knew that her father, Boston power broker Will Adams, had big plans--dreams and schemes that would bring Liz's older brother all the way to the White House. But when fate deals the family a tragic blow, Will is forced to change his picture-perfect plans--and place the family's political future squarely on Liz's shoulders.
Two decades later, Liz has married the man her father molded into the perfect presidential candidate. But weeks before the election, tragedy strikes again--and this time Liz can't hide the pain of a life lived by someone else's rules. Seeking refuge at her family's home on Martha's Vineyard, Liz finds only painful memories of the past--and the long-lost love she let slip away. Now, as her family's darkest hour looms, the woman torn between two men will finally discover what her heart has known all along....
Customer Reviews:
BLAH!.......2005-09-17
This book could not have been more boring and predictable! The entire plot line has been used over and over again and this is just a sorry attempt at love lost and found again. The basic outline of the story was ridiculous, not at al believable...the two loves of Liz's life, her husband who is running for president...and his opponent, her first love. It definitely has a Kennedy-like feel with a bloodline of tragedy. I could only get about half way though, then decided it wasn't worth finishing. Every character was too extreme and cliché in their personality, it just wasn't believable...Jean Stone books may be finished for me.
Intriguing.......2003-03-12
This is the first Jean Stone book I have read, and I was captivated by her writing, it draws you in and by the end of the book you feel like you know the family. Is romantic, funny, sad, and heart warming all in one. It took me back to my childhood memories and thoughts of first love. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood for a great read. I can't wait to read more of her books.
Just an OK book.......2001-04-16
After reading "Places By The Sea" I was very disappoined in this book. It's an easy read, but was too prdictable. Also I felt it was loosely based on the Kennedy's life. It is not one I will keep to re-read as I have with "Places By The Sea". However I will try more books by Jean Stone.
Don't bother.......2000-11-13
I started this book yesterday afternoon--and finished it an hour or so later. That is, I spent about 40 minutes actually reading the first 60 pages, then skimmed the rest to see if it seemed to get any better. It didn't. Stone has a wooden hand with dialogue and a melodramatic approach to character and plot. She goes on my "avoid" list.
A great read for a snowy night by the fire!.......2000-11-04
This is the first time I've read Jean Stone. I was drawn to the book because it is set in Martha's Vineyard, where I've vacationed at my brother's home. This book grabbed me right from the beginning, and held me captive until the end. I loved the ironic twists of the characters that shaped the main character's youth and how they came together into her adult years. I kept wanting to pick it up and read when I should have been doing other things!
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The Stones of Summer
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 076075215X |
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Dance of the Stones (The Summer of Magic Quartet, Book 2)
Andrea Spalding
Manufacturer: Orca Book Publishers
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Binding: Paperback
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The White Horse Talisman (The Summer of Magic Quartet, 1)
ASIN: 1551432684 |
Book Description
In Book Two of The Summer of Magic Quartet, the four children from The White Horse Talisman seek Ava's circlet, buried within the ancient stone circle of Avebury.
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104th Street Bridge
Manufacturer: Jaffney Clark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0975469002 |
Product Description
"104th Street Bridge" is a novel that takes place in Stone Harbor, NJ. As a combination of fact and fiction, a plot of action and intrigue weaves its way through many of the sights, sounds and locations of Stone Harbor enjoyed by vacationers every summer.
Book Description
Dash and Dot—husband and wife; self-professed descendants of aliens from the M31 galaxy—are the world’s most in-demand lecturers on the UFO circuit. They live in a decommissioned church in the middle of America, with a radar dish on its steeple and a spaceship in the sanctuary. Their children have the run of the house when Dash and Dot are away. When a couple of UFO groupies show up looking for the extraterrestrial duo, they find instead a nuclear family—or rather, a family gone nuclear—whose comically discomforting world resembles our own as much as it does another world altogether.
Customer Reviews:
incest and ufo's.......2006-02-22
Richard Wright is a very talented writer. I would compare him to some of my other favorites like Denis Johnson and Chuck Palanhniuk. This book is probably not his best but due to his excellent writing style its worth a read. I won't give any plot summary other than to say this story follows a husband and wife team of ufologists and their inbreed family. The book loses its focus towards the end and some major plot holes are left unanswered. But if you like any of the afformentioned authors I'd check this book out.
Genius at Work.......2001-10-04
Stephen Wright is one of the most original and inventive novelists working in the English language. His work is shocking, provocative, astonishingly rich and subtle, and peopled by characters so lifelike you can practically smell them. Wright's imagery borders on the poetic, while his satirical viewpoint is one of unparalleled ferocity and intensity. If you want fiction that changes the way you see the world around you, Stephen Wright is for you.
While M-31 (his second novel, published in 1989) is not quite as bold and polished as Going Native (his third and last to date, published in 1993), it is still the work of an apalling talent. Presently, I am tip-toeing through his debut, Meditations in Green, a booby-trapped novel set largely in the Vietnam war which may well be the best fictional representation of that conflict ever written. But like all his books, it defies genre and easy categorisation.
One day, perhaps, Wright will get the recognition he so richly deserves. Until then, he's the best-kept secret in contemporary literature.
Books:
- The Tale of the Unknown Island
- The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game (Everyman's Library)
- The Turning: New Stories
- The Water-Method Man
- The Woman Who Waited: A Novel
- Third Girl from the Left
- Timbuktu: A Novel
- Troll: A Love Story
- True Valor (Uncommon Heroes, Book 2)
- Under the Skin: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Simon Kenton: His Life and Period, 1755-1836
- Invasion of the Party Snatchers
- Clyfford Still
- Double Tap
- If You Could See What I See: The Tenets of Novus Spiritus
- History: Fiction or Science
- John Coltrane: His Life and Music
- Making Love with Light
- Here is the Coral Reef
- Daughter of the Air: The Brief Soaring Life of Cornelia Fort
Stone Reader (Special Edition)
Call It Sleep: A Novel
Something Happened
Stop-Time: A Memoir
A Fan's Notes
