Book Description
A unique body of medieval literature, the Sagas rank with the world's greatest literary treasures-as epic as Homer, as deep in tragedy as Sophocles, as engagingly human as Shakespeare. Set around the turn of the last millennium, these stories depict with an astonishingly modern realism the lives and deeds of the Norse men and women who first settled Iceland and of their descendants, who ventured further west-to Greenland and, ultimately, the coast of North America itself.
The 10 Sagas and seven shorter tales in this volume include the celebrated Vinland Sagas, which recount Leif Eiriksson's pioneering voyage to the New World and contain the oldest descriptions of the North American continent.
Customer Reviews:
A very nice collection.......2007-09-30
This is a nicely-bound collection of Icelandic family sagas that would look good on anyone's bookshelf. The translation is straightforward and readable and the supplementary material is helpful. This would be a good starting point for anyone who intends to collect the sagas.
A five star review from someone who doesn't normally read Sagas or Mythology.......2007-09-01
I haven't read a lot into Mythology and never was really interested in the topic, but I was wandering through a bookstore and came across this collection and decided to splurge. I figured I could read a Saga here and there and just gradually work through this rather large collection, but of course what ended up happening was I couldn't put the book down. Other reading, work everything took a back seat for a couple of weeks until I plowed my way through these amazing stories.
My knowledge of Iceland and of this region is cursory at best, but now I am completely enthralled. That was one of the things I really liked about this work; you don't need to know a lot about the history or the culture to really be entertained and enlightened. I think anyone can pick up this book and get a lot of enjoyment out of these tales. You don't need to be a scholar or a Mythology enthusiast to get a lot out of this work. The stories are just very good.
James924 spoke about the problems with the intros spoiling the stories and I agree with his assessment. What I found was best is to read the story first and then go back to read the intros to enhance your understanding, but if you wanted to you could even skip the intros and just read the stories themselves.
This book was just a chance purchase on my part, and it was one that I originally thought might end up being a waste of my money, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book, and I feel that I learned a lot about the history of an area I was previously unfamiliar with. This is a book that I highly recommend to anyone.
Fantastic, but watch out for spoilers........2007-08-02
The saga's in this collection are one of a kind. They are as engaging and readable as a modern historical fiction and as epic as the ancient classics. The are as useful to a scholar as they are to someone looking for a riveting novel.
HOWEVER the book is filled with LOTS of intros and explainations. The intros are VERY well written and informative but I'm afraid I learned the hard way that they are full of merciless spoilers. Thats ok for alot of people seeing as a large percentage of the people reading this will do so for scholarly purposes and may indeed have already read many of the saga's contained within. However for those of us who have never read them and are seeking to enjoy a few great stories with amazing plots and emotional climaxes, the intros are a serious downer. Each individual saga has its own intro as well as a place in the gigantic main introduction. What I did after the first saga was spoiled for me was simply read through the sagas first and then read their respective introductions which, again, are superbly written and very informative.
All that aside, if you like GREAT stories, Get this book!
If you enjoy northern european history, Get this book!
and read it. After the first saga you'll soon find yourself unable to stop turning to the next and the next...
Excellent.......2007-02-09
This anthology features extensive introductions by Smiley (a writer's perspective) and Kellog (a philological analysis), illustrations (maps, genealogies, drawings of habitats), an excellent reference section, a thoughtful glossary, and brilliant translations of some of the best prose sagas. The more difficult poetic materials (e.g., the Poetic Edda) are unfortunately not covered, but reasonable translations are available elsewhere. The material provides ample room for an initial but deeper understanding of Norwegian culture. If you were ever curious about Norway and Iceland, don't just sit there: read this book!
I love this book.......2007-02-02
I have always been interested in the vikings and iceland as a whole. Although I haven't completely finished all the sagas yet, I can say this book is definately worth checking out!! When I read these sagas I feel as though I am brough back in time to the age of the Vikings. Great translations, great sagas. One thing I do wish for however is that Njal's Saga would have been included. I plan on getting this saga seperately once I am finished with The Sagas of Icelanders! Absolutely worth reading! Fantastic!
Book Description
A Nabokovian goof on Agatha Christie — a madcap mystery in the deceptive tradition of The Crying of Lot 49 — Pale Fire meets The Da Vinci Code?Icelander is the debut novel from a brilliant new mind, an intricate, giddy Icelandic lore and pulpy intrigue.
When Our Heroine’s dear friend is found murdered, it’s an obvious job for her mother, a legendary crime-solver and evil-thwarter. But her mother is dead, and Our Heroine has no interest in inheriting the business, or being chased through a sewer, or listening to skaldic karaoke, or fleeing the inhuman Refusirkir, or — But Evil has no interest in her interests, and thus: adventure ensues.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT STOCKING STUFFER.......2006-12-04
I love this book so much that I am buying it for various friends and family members as the perfect Christmas present. The cover alone is beautiful and reminds you of winter, and the plot is all about mystery, snow, winter and Icelandic lore. An amazing combination for the holidays! This little book slides easily into a stocking for a refreshingly delightful suprise.
How can something so creative end up sort of dull?.......2006-10-23
Icelander takes place in a sort of Scandinavia - obsessed alternate reality where there is a separate underground kingdom beneath Iceland. The book and its mystery are quite an interesting and creative concept, but unfortunately I found actually reading the book to be rather dull, and I didn't care greatly what happened to the characters, though I think I would have liked the dead woman, too bad she was dead for most of the book, except in flashbacks. I certainly enjoyed her two-story house. I have a clue as to which character is the author of the footnotes, was I supposed to be able to tell for sure?
an intelligent novel.......2006-06-20
one of the best things about this novel is its ability to appeal to various types of readers on different levels. it can function as a simple mystery novel to the casual reader by simply ignoring the footnotes and following along with the story to find out "who killed shirley." which is what i chose to do my first time around.
Long, however, has crafted a dense, multi-layered novel that is able to offer you as much as you seek to get out of it. my book group recently discussed Icelander in a conference call with the author and he expressed his hope that this would be one people would want to read more than once in order to see it from a number of different angles. upon first reading you could go straight through and enjoy the simple mystery of it. read it again and start to connect all the dots the plot lays out. read it again and truly understand all the convergences between the fictional Emily Bean memoirs, the story line and characters and all the clues scattered throughout. by his own admission, Long's short stories are "almost good" so i wouldn't use them as a factor when deciding whether you will read this, his first novel, which is an ambitious and successful work. he also admitted that his previous, unpublished books were "self-indulgent and post-modern to a fault" and you can sense in Icelander tha,t although it bears the mark of McSweeney's some have come to scorn, it aims to entertain and provoke thoughts, not alienate.
Like a bad movie with some really good scenes.......2006-06-07
As I was reading through this book I experienced periods of shock and boredom. An interesting combination. The writing at times soars and then at other times feels like a sledgehammer pounding the pavement. The mystery itself was incidental. Sometimes the style reminded me of Brijbasi but not as subtle. Still, I would recommend it if only for the fact so much other stuff out there is so damn trite.
Wild, intelligent fun.......2006-05-24
I can see how people might not like this book, not because it isn't great (it is) but because it's a type of book that doesn't appeal to everybody maybe. It's funny and mysterious, but it's not a straightforward mystery or comedy. It's thought-provoking. It's definitely one that needs to be read twice. But it's so fun that it's a pleasure both times. But that said, if you are scared off by books that require a little work, or by books that aren't exactly like everything else you're used to reading, then maybe this isn't the book for you. But if you're willing to try something different and new, then this just might become your favorite book of all time. I'm waiting for the third read before deciding on that issue.
Average customer rating:
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Nýja Ísland: Saga of the Journey to New Iceland
Guojon Arngrimsson
Manufacturer: Turnstone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Iceland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Canada
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Norse & Icelandic Sagas
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Human Geography
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0888012551 |
Book Description
A gripping narrative and a superb work of reference, Nýja Ísland is the definitive account of how the first Icelanders came to settle in Canada. This is the English translation of the Icelandic book by the same title. Painstaking and breathtaking in its scope and attention to detail, Nýja Ísland is lavishly illustrated with a collection of more than three hundred photographs, drawings and maps—the largest collection on the subject to have ever appeared in a single book.
Product Description
First printing thick trade paperback by Viking, 1997. A compilation of sagas and folk tales by actual Icelanders. 782 pp
Book Description
Highlights the unique character and behavior of the nation. Frank, irreverent, funny--almost guaranteed to cure Xenophobia.
Customer Reviews:
pricey.......2007-06-09
For the outrageous price one gets a very succint introduction into the habits of the Icelanders, not entirely updated.
It is very good for a two hours fun read for someone who does not really plan to visit the country. The amount of information given is more easily gathered through a TV documentary though, and anyone wishing real help should address oneself elsewhere.
To keep matters very light but do it more usefully, about 40 more pages would have sufficed, together with a more rational partition of topics.
I would have appreciated more attention to the intercourse between foreigners and natives, not excluding the more friendly or even intimate point of view.
The author exploits the customary habit of British essayist of making fun of every detail. He does it very well and I found myself laughing silly at times, but puns in the end tend to get in the way of information instead of helping one to memorise it.
Greetings from Iceland.......2003-04-11
This humorous "guide" gives insight to the character and behavior of the Icelanders. Everything from knitting to politics is covered. Some of the information given in this book is now outdated, such as the restrictions on the importation of dairy products. These tend to be minor details and do not take away from the quality of the book. No pictures.
Great & Humorous Insight.......2002-11-02
What a delightful surprise I had in store when I purchase this book for a friend that will be traveling to Iceland for the first time. I couldn't put it down once I opened it. Filled with humor and hopefully some truth it is delightful from start to finish. Now I wish I were the one traveling to Iceland!
Fantastic portrayal of a nation.......2000-06-28
This book is fantastic. I'm Icelandic myself and everything this book states is completely correct and a greatly humorous view of the nation. Apart from a few misspelling Icelandic names and concepts this book is wonderful
Average customer rating:
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Iceland and the Icelanders
Helgi P. Briem
Manufacturer: John Francis McKenna Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| Albania
| Ancient
| Andorra
| Austria
| Belgium
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
| Bulgaria
| Central Europe
| Croatia
| Cyprus
| Czech Republic
| Denmark
| Eastern
| Eastern Europe
| England
| Estonia
| Finland
| Former Soviet Republics & Siberia
| France
| General
| Germany
| Greece
| Hungary
| Iceland
| Ireland
| Italy
| Latvia
| Liechtenstein
| Lithuania
| Luxembourg
| Macedonia
| Malta
| Moldova
| Monaco
| Netherlands
| Norway
| Poland
| Portugal
| Romania
| Russia
| San Marino
| Scandinavia
| Scotland
| Serbia
| Slovakia
| Slovenia
| Spain
| Sweden
| Switzerland
| Ukraine
| Vatican
| Wales
| Western
| Yugoslavia
General
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0006AQOOA |
Average customer rating:
- Don't worry--you won't be mugged on Austurstraeti
- Wayward Icelanders: Punishment, Boundary Maintenance...
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Wayward Icelanders: Punishment, Boundary Maintenance, and the Creation of Crime
Helgi Gunnlaugsson , and
John F. Galliher
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Iceland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Criminology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Social Theory
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0299165345 |
Book Description
"A major contribution to the study of crime and deviance." -Ronald A. Farrell, author of The Black Book and the Mob
Is Iceland, universally perceived as a peaceful, idyllic nation, being threatened by an inevitable flood of crime as it enters the global community? In recent decades the Icelandic state has taken serious steps to curb mounting crime, establishing a specialized drug court and an undercover drug police agency. Public opinion polls clearly demonstrate Icelanders' growing concern that crime and drug use are on the rise. In their provocative new book, Wayward Icelanders, Helgi Gunnlaugsson and John Galliher offer another, more nuanced explanation for recent Icelandic attitudes toward crime, one that takes into account the unique history and culture of this relatively homogeneous and isolated nation.
Wayward Icelanders explores how the threat of crime has affected Icelanders' collective self-identity, producing an ever greater need for social control. Historically Iceland has provided stiff sanctions for the use and abuse of mind-altering substances. Drunk driving has long been systematically punished, and even beer was prohibited for more than seventy years. The rate of conviction for these crimes is high, even in a democracy that prides itself on protecting civil liberties. Even more troubling, however, is the low rate of convictions for rape cases, which suggests that such crimes receive less attention from the state. Drawing on the classic work of Durkheim as well as Kai Erikson's Wayward Puritans, Gunnlaugsson and Galliher demonstrate that an escalating war on crime can threaten freedom even in a small, affluent, and relatively nonviolent nation like Iceland with a long-standing commitment to democracy and individual rights.
Customer Reviews:
Don't worry--you won't be mugged on Austurstraeti.......2001-12-11
This is a scholarly analysis of crime and the justice system of Iceland. The authors cover the history of policing from the earliest nightwatchmen in the 1700s to the present day, as well as the workings of the criminal courts, the prisons, and the media's treatment of crime. A great deal of attention is given to the impact of alcohol and drugs on crime. Iceland is incredibly safe even by Scandinavian standards, but like anywhere else, crime had increased dramatically in the past twenty years, affecting Icelanders' image of themselves as a caring, sensitive, equalitarian society.
If you're expecting the sort of book you'd find under the "True Crime" sign at your local mall bookstore, this is not for you. Rather, this is a serious sociological study aimed at an extremely narrow audience. I liked it because I wanted to learn more about the dark side (if any) of this outwardly-utopian society, but it's certainly not for everyone.
Wayward Icelanders: Punishment, Boundary Maintenance..........2000-10-20
Gunnlaugsson, and Galliher show their insightful knowledge of Icelandic culture in this book. Crime really is somewhat of a new concept in Iceland, and yet they address the issues involved succinctly. They realize that Icelanders value their freedom greatly and will strive to find a balance between curbing crime yet allowing the society the freedom to evolve. I look forward to future publications from these authors.
Customer Reviews:
I wish it was a longer summer!!.......2007-09-27
Hired as the new teacher for Blackstone Farms Day School Kelly Andrews Literally falls into Ryan's arms. Handsome veterinarian Ryan Blackstone is a single father who has love and lost but wants to give love another try with Kelly. Ryan is a strong man and won't take no for an answer since Kelly has lost her husband she doesn't know about getting into another relationship.A great story you will love.
A Terrible Introuction to a New Author.......2007-07-02
As a high school English teacher, I spend my summers catching up on my pleasure reading, looking for new author's works to explore, reading some adult literature, and simply relaxing and getting lost in a good book.
I had never read a book by this author before, and after reading this story, I have no desire to read any others. This book was predictable in every since of the word. Before reading a passage, I could acurately predict what the characters would say/do. I could skip pages and still not miss out on any of the action. Every literary facet of the novel left a lot to be desired. For example, Characters were shallow and not well developed. The langauge was trite, and in many instances, quite ridiculous. (Would my 60 year old father - or any other 60 yr. old man I now - really use "Boo Yaw" as his catch phrase? I think not!) The descriptions of the intimate acts that took place between Ryan and Kelly bordered on hilarious, and some were even quite gross.
Because I hate to start a novel and not finish, I plowed on to the end. The time it took for me to read the book (3 days) was because of a lack of interest in the book instead of the complexity of characters/storyline and the riveting nature of the action.
Very sweet love story.......2006-09-09
I enjoyed Ryan's and Kelly's story, it was a good read on healing from past loves and moving on. The first in the Blackstone series gives a nice introduction to the rest of the family therefore it would be better, not required though, to read them in order. Jeremy's story is up next and is better than Ryan's with Sheldon's story so far being the best.
A Summer of hot love that lasts a lifetime.......2006-04-13
The Long Hot Summer is Dr. Ryan Blackstone and Kelly Andrews story. Ryan is a veterinarian and Kelly is a teacher. Kelly comes to Blackstone Farm to teach. She not only teaches the children, but soon finds out that Dr Ryan has a lot to learn also and Ryan finds out that he enjoys learning and especially, the teacher, who does the teaching.
Ryan's and Kelly's relationship gets off to a bad start with Kelly actually falling head over into Ryan's open arms. This is only the beginning. Soon, their relationship grows into much much more -- A love that not only starts during the long hot Summer, but turns into a love that lasts a lifetime.
Lost One Gain Another.......2005-09-12
Rochelle Alers introduces The Blackstone's of Virginia with Ryan Blackstone and Kelly Andrews. The two main characters each have lost someone important and dear to them and each has their reasons for holding back their love until time is made to get to know one another.
Kelly Andrews has taken on the task of teaching the children of The Blackstone Farm but never did she realize she had also taken on the job of winning over the eldest Blackstone son but when love claims her heart she will do anything to win Ryan's heart.
Ryan Blackstone learn how to love and let love when his wife and mother of his child walked out of his life to return to the city. He held the one gift she gave to him dear to his heart. His son became his life but when he meets Kelly Andrews he knows there is something special about her and while he is determined to figure out what it could be he also starts the game of playing for keeps.
Rochelle Alers introduces you to a few other members of the family and leaves you waiting for more to come with the next installment of The Blackstone's of Virginia.
Average customer rating:
- Long Hot Summer
- This book was great. The characters were off the wall. BUYIT
- totally cool
- Love It!
- Captivating, moving book that is hard to put down
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Long Hot Summer (Dawson's Creek, No. 1)
K.S. Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Dawson's Creek | TV | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Series | Teens | Subjects | Books | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Chicken Soup for the Soul | Clearwater Crossing | Clueless | Countdown | Fear Street | Gossip Girl | Hardy Boys | Hearts and Dreams | History | Keys to the Kingdom | Last on Earth | Love Stories | Making Out | Med Center | Nancy Drew | Night World | One Last Wish | Pageant | Party of Five | Roswell High | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Sisterhood | Sorority Sisters | Spy Girls | Summer | Sweet Valley University | Teen Angels | The Insiders | The Simpsons | The Year I Turned Sixteen | Tom Clancy's Net Force | Tom Swift | Vampire Diaries | Young Jedi Knights
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Playing for Keeps (Dawson's Creek)
ASIN: 0671024744 |
Customer Reviews:
Long Hot Summer.......2001-04-18
I loved this book cause I am a Dawson's Creek fan.It was a very good book. It gives good detels. I could even hear the characters realy talking. They made it seam so real. I realy liked it so much it made me want to go buy the other books that where also great.I wish they would make more books though.
This book was great. The characters were off the wall. BUYIT.......1999-10-04
This book was great. Even though I love the show and it really wouldn't matter to me if it was good or bad, I still think that it was sensational. I couldn't put it down when I started reading it.The story had alot of twists to it,so anyone can enjoy it. If you truly ARE a Dawsons Creek fan, then this book is a must. Buy it while it last. And trust me, you will want to read it over and over again.
totally cool.......1999-08-29
I realy liked this book but i thought the scenes with dawson and joey got a bit boring but i loved the parts with pacy and jen they were the best and the ending was good too. I think this book is likeable becouse it has many themes.
Love It!.......1999-04-18
I s'ppose my view is a bit bias, since I adore the show, and even if it were bad I'd still love it. But, I have read lots of fan fiction in my time, and I have to admit, I've read better DC stories.
Captivating, moving book that is hard to put down.......1998-10-09
After seeing the TV programme, I had to read the book. It is amazing, I found it hard to put down. The characters are so real and the different themes are portrayed realisticly. A must for all, fans or not!!!
Average customer rating:
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Blood Syndicate #28 (Long Hot Summer)
Jr. Ivan Velez
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000PD54DK |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Milestone imprint. The adventures of a superpowered street gang. Part of the "Long Hot Summer" crossover event that ran throughout the various Milestone titles in 1995.
Average customer rating:
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Blood Syndicate #30 (Long Hot Summer)
Jr. Ivan Velez
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000PD16BY |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Milestone imprint. The adventures of a superpowered street gang. Part of the "Long Hot Summer" crossover event that ran throughout the various Milestone titles in 1995.
Average customer rating:
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Icon #29 (Long Hot Summer)
Dwayne McDuffie
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000PBDWEA |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Milestone imprint. The adventures of Augustus Freeman IV, "The Brother From Another Planet" who becomes the Superhero Icon and his feisty teenage sidekick Rocket. The flagship title of the Milestone Comics line. Written by series creator Dwayne McDuffie. This issue is part of the "Long Hot Summer" crossover event that ran throughout the various Milestone titles in 1995. Nominated for 2 Eisner awards (Best Writer & Best Title)
Average customer rating:
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Kobalt #15 (Long Hot Summer)
John Rozum
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000P9O34K |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by DC Comics under their Milestone imprint. The adventures of the mysterious urban vigilante known as Kobalt and his teenage sidekick The Page. Milestone's take on a Batman-style non-powered superhero. This issue is part of the "Long Hot Summer" crossover event that ran throughout the various Milestone titles in 1995.
Average customer rating:
- STYLE, yes. SUBSTANCE, not much.
- The Girl Who Can Be Bad
- NICE COOL READ
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Long Hot Summer
Eric Stephenson , and
Jamie Mckelvie
Manufacturer: Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 158240559X |
Book Description
Alone amidst a crowd of Southern California mods obsessed with scooters, soul and style, nobody takes Ken seriously. He mooches everything from rides to cigarettes to meals - usually from his best friend, Steve. But that's all about to change. Ken has just met the girl of his dreams. Too bad she only has eyes for Steve. It's going to be a long, hot summer.
Customer Reviews:
STYLE, yes. SUBSTANCE, not much........2007-09-17
This graphic novel was recommended to me by a number of generally respected sources, so I was looking forward to it. The mod scene in graphic novel form? What's not to like, so I thought. Unfortunately, this one is just a lengthy and decidedly uninspired love triangle with some really forced dialogue. Generally, I buy into the whole teenage melodrama thing, but this effort is so dull and lacking in realism that it just sort of sits there. The art isn't much to speak of either, but it's really the lack of plot and predictable "teenagers arguing" chatter that keeps this one from being anything of note.
The Girl Who Can Be Bad.......2006-07-14
The Long Hot Summer is about a Mod-group of early-twentysomethings who seemed to be having difficulty growing out of old skin that is high school. Steve is a nice guy who tries to stay a nice guy even when Ken's suppose-to-be girlfriend, Ashley, comes between them. Only incidentally though, she wasn't expecting Ken to have such a cool, attractive best friend. Niether did Steve think that Ken's girlfriend was going to be so hot. The best he could do is distance himself from the pair and nobody seems to let him. Pushing and prodding by his whole group makes him doubt his better judgement. He ends up lying to everyone about everything. Ken, as well, is so needy of everyone he comes to contact with that he can't stop thinking about Ashley (who can't take Ken seriously, by the way) and Ken can't stopping mooching and manipulating his best friend Steve. Ashley isn't hard to understand, she thought Ken was cute (mind you when a girl thinks your cute she could mean one of two things- 1. she could think that your attractive in the cute sense or 2. you're has cute as a puppy. The bad-cute. Guys don't want to be bad-cute, their pretty much disposable. Ken was bad-cute. Who can blame Ashley for thinking that? Ken is in a sense bad news and for more reasons than Ken's and Steve's circle of friends can point out. Though she does decide to go for Steve although his problems are less obvious. Steve comes to a conclusion that he wanted to avoid about his long hot summer about the whole mess reluctantly. The writing and graphics never skip a beat from each and the characters stay true to form. A good read I can't get enough of The Long Hot Summer.
NICE COOL READ.......2006-01-03
LONG HOT SUMMER is an exceptional graphic novel about real people in a complex situation. It begins as a standard love triangle: uncool guy (Ken) meets very cool girl (Ashley), introduces her to his cooler friend (Steve), and a rivalry develops. What sets LONG HOT SUMMER apart from other books in this genre, though, is its honesty. The reader's sympathy is not diverted to the usual, expected places. Rather, writer Eric Stephenson holds back any moral judgments in favor of showing his characters merely as they are, warts and all. Ken has deeper emotional issues than your standard put-upon no-hoper, while Steve is essentially a good guy who doesn't always follow his best instincts. And Ashley? Well, Ashley is still a bit of an enigma, but that could be because neither of the boys takes the time to understand her. This is a story about guys, and so the flaws in her portrayal are the flaws in their perception. It's a difficult line for the writer to walk, as it could be viewed as a cop-out by those who don't want look deeper themselves and see how the choice comments on the overall theme.
Another unique aspect of LONG HOT SUMMER is its setting. Stephenson doesn't nail down a date, but judging by certain references, we can assume it's the early to mid-`80s. The boys are part of the Southern California mod scene, meaning they spend a lot of time fixing up old Italian scooters and digging through record bins for obscure soul 45s. Steve, in particular, is one of the main scenesters, known for his impeccable taste in tunes and his stylish wardrobe. This is where artist Jamie McKelvie gets to shine--in the many details of the trio's social world, from the posters on the wall down to the stitching on the breast of a shirt. Such attention to detail is also his failing, however. Oftentimes a gesture or an expression can appear too labored over, making the characters stiff and lifeless. Thankfully, the dialogue is so crisp, it keeps such moments moving and the story never stops cold.
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Books Index
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