The O. Henry Prize Stories 2006 (Prize Stories (O Henry Awards))

Book Description

A radiant reflection of contemporary fiction at its best, The O. Henry Prize Stories 2006 features stories from locales as diverse as Russia, Zimbabwe, and the rural American South. Series editor Laura Furman considered thousands of stories in hundreds of literary magazines before selecting the winners, which are accompanied here by short essays from each of the three eminent jurors on his or her favorite story, as well as observations from all twenty prize winners on what inspired them. Ranging in tone from arch humor to self-deluding obsessiveness to fairy-tale ingenuousness, these stories are a treasury of potential classics.

Customer Reviews:

Editor Furman's darkest and best collection yet.......2006-08-07

As in her two previous volumes (2003, 2005 - there was no O. Henry Prize volume dated 2004, forever throwing a kink into the collection on my bookshelf), series editor Laura Furman has gravitated toward subject matter that can only be described as dark and depressing. Yet the stories are so well written that the net effect is one of being moved by the power of the written word to experience aspects of the human condition well beyond the everyday. This is what good literature is supposed to do, and I would rank this year's volume as Furman's best so far.

To get an idea of the subject matter covered in this volume, one only has to take a careful look at some of the titles: "Mule Killers", "The Broad Estates of Death", "Disquisition on Tears", "The Plague of Doves", and "Famine". Other titles sound benign, however the subject matter is anything but (e.g. the last two stories, "Letters in the Snow" and "Window" are both about domestic abuse). But in all the stories, the subject matter isn't anywhere near the most important element. These stories expose the thought, logic and emotions that the characters caught in these situations experience, and hence take the reader into interesting places that are best experienced vicariously.

Each reader will no doubt have his/her own list of favorite stories. Mine were:
-- "Window", by Deborah Eisenberg: I agree wholeheartedly with guest editor Francine Prose's assessment that the language, wording and pacing of Eisenberg's story are excellent, and that this story is the best of the best. There is even some humor sprinkled in at appropriate moments.
-- "Wolves", by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer: this is a portrait of the final stage of a long marriage, in which creations of the mind take on a reality of their own (perhaps). Along with Xu Xi's "Famine" and Stephanie Reents' "Disquisition on Tears", which I also enjoyed, Schaeffer's "Wolves" utilizes the fictional form to its full advantage.
-- "The Dressmaker's Child", by William Trevor: this story, more than any other, contains an O. Henry-like plot twist at the end, which turns the story into a masterful tale of entrapment.
-- "Girls I Know", by Douglas Trevor: a contemporary story of class differences and how ambition (or lack thereof) can drastically affect outcomes in life.

My least favorite story, and the only one that I would have preferred not to have been included, was Terese Svodoba's "'80's Lilies", a story about what I have always known to be a futile quest: the attempt to seek out a sheltered, idyllic Garden of Eden to escape all the world's problems. The world just doesn't work that way, as these characters also discover (and they were supposed to be smart, educated folk).

I keep hoping that, one of these years, Furman will include some well-written stories that explore more positive aspects of human experience. But if you are willing to take a walk on the dark side, you will be amply rewarded. On the other hand, if you are looking for stories with more popular appeal, then the Best American Stories series is for you. I happen to enjoy both.

Book Description

In Cranbury-on-Sea Aunt Maria rules with a rod of sweetness far tougher than iron and deadlier than poison. Strange and awful things keep happening in Cranbury. Why are all the men apparently gray-suited zombies? Why do all the children -- if you ever see them -- behave like clones? And what has happened to Mig's brother, Chris? Could gentle, civilized Aunt Maria, with her talk and daily tea parties, possibly have anything to do with it?

Diana Wynne Jones once again has created a fantastic, magical world. Her brilliant storytelling and wonderful sense of humor totally involve the reader in the lives of a lovable young heroine and a villainess readers will love to hate.

Customer Reviews:

Auntie dearest.......2005-10-26

Everyone has one -- an older relative who disapproves of you unless you do what she wishes, and isn't nearly as nice as she pretends to be.

But "Aunt Maria" turns out to be even worse than your average relative, in this engaging, humourous and chilling fantasy novel. Diana Wynne-Jones spins a fantastical story of witchcraft and revenge, all centering on the elderly lady who sweetly lords it over Cranbury-on-Sea.

After her father is apparently killed in a car accident, Mig and her family go to stay with Aunt Maria, mainly because her mother feels guilty. Aunt Maria is very prim and very sweet, and makes a point of guilting people into doing what she wants. Life revolves around Aunt Maria's tea parties, and the men and children act like automatons.

Mig and her brother Chris hate it there, despite the sad ghost who appears in Chris's room. But they start to suspect that magic may be at work, and that Aunt Maria may be at the center of it. When Chris annoys her, she transforms him into a wolf. Now Mig must uncover a magical plot that stretches back over the decades -- and is the key to dethroning Aunt Maria.

It's hard enough to deal with such elderly, sickly-sweet relatives if they are normal. Imagine if they are cold-hearted witches, who turn their own daughters into wolves. And if Diana Wynne-Jones was trying to make people feel lucky for not having an Aunt Maria, then she succeeds beautifully.

Jones paints a chilling picture of Cranbury -- sort of a "Stepford Wives" situation, except it's Stepford Husbands and Kids, all slaves to the stifling sweetness of Aunt Maria. The one weak spot is the ending -- it's not a terribly bad ending, but it is kind of weak, especially compared to the quiet menace of the past several chapters.

Mig is a likable character, although her rebellious brother Chris comes across as the more engaging of the main characters, and readers might want to kick her meek, submissive mother. Aunt Maria is the most frighteningly real, from her outdated opinions to her pushy sweetness; she's horrified at girls wearing pants, eating fish'n'chips for dinner, and favors boys over girls. Even worse, she genuinely believes that she is a wonderful person.

Take the most irritating old lady imaginable... and give her evil magic powers. That's the chilling picture painted in "Aunt Maria," which will make readers intensely grateful that they aren't Chris and Mig.

Wrestled it away from my kid..........2005-03-28

This is my first Wynne Jones book. I'm addicted! I have to say, it was scary - Aunt Maria and her cronies have power and use it to control others - manipulating lives, turning children into wolves, burying people alive. It's the stuff my childhood nightmares were made of.

Still, I couldn't put it down. I love her writing style, the symbolism involved (keeping adults entertained), and her blending of right and wrong - leaving us questioning. (I love gray areas!) Many of us are aware of our society being unbalanced now, and this book portrays a community that is tipped in the other direction.

From a parental point of view, Mig (the heroine) is a strong female character, the sibling relationship is honestly portrayed and healthy, and I like a book that makes kids question the world around them. (even the adults) I'm off to find more of Wynne Jones' books!

a little scary for the younger set.......2005-01-05

Mig and Chris are 2 of the main characters in the story. Their father has disappeared and they go to live with their Aunt Maria in rabury on Sea. Their mother keeps the house for her and takes care of Aunt Maria. Mig and Chris start to see lots of strange things going on around them. What children they see seem like zombies and they see a ghost too. Could Aunt Maria be at the bottom of all these happenings?

"I Do Apologise! This is *Brought Cake*!".......2004-12-11

Diana Wynne Jones once again combines eccentric characters, moral ambiguity, magic, time travelling, shapeshifting and an uncanny ability to portray human behaviour in one of her best books: "Aunt Maria". With all the twists and turns that we expect from Wynne Jones, "Aunt Maria" is one of the most re-readable and enjoyable books in her vast collection.

After the accidental death of their father, Naomi "Mig" and Chris Laker are reluctantly taken to Cranbury-on-Sea by their mother to visit Aunt Maria. Maria appears to be a cuddly old lady (though is constantly ringing up and meddling in their lives), but once they get to their house the siblings find that she is much worse. Behind her compliments and manners is an old lady determined to get her own way - for instance, when she says "I won't bother with breakfast, now Lavinia's not here to bring it to me in bed," she means: "I demand breakfast in bed."

Cranbury itself is just as bad: the women flock around Maria in daily tea-parties like she's their Queen-bee, whilst the men work like zombies and the clone-like children spend their days in an orphanage. Enigmas pile up on all sides: who is the ghost haunting Chris's room? What happened to the previous maid Lavinia? Why does Maria despise the elderly Phelp neighbours? What is contained within the beautiful green box Mig finds? And could it be possible that the children's father actually reached Cranbury on the day he supposedly died?

All the answers to these mysteries are brought together beautifully as the book progresses - but not before Mig must deal with the battle of the sexes in the town, the fact that her brother has been turned into a wolf, the mind-manipulation being dealt upon her mother, and Maria's own sinister designs for her! For such a slim volume it is jam-packed full of interesting ideas, plot revelations and clever ideas.

Diana Wynne Jones usually prefers males as her protagonists, but after reading Mig I hope that in the future she creates more female ones, as she's one of the funniest, sympathetic, self-aware and utterly helpless heroines I've ever read - and despite her complete lack of doing hardly anything proactive or helpful throughout the book, she's an utter delight. Also on hand is her brother Chris who is far more outspoken than she, and doesn't hesitate to insult anyone he pleases. Throughout the story the bond between the siblings is strong, realistic and immensely touching - as when the transformed Chris seeks out comfort from his sister.

Mrs Laker is also nicely created, as is the sinister Elaine, but of course the centrepiece of the story is Maria herself. Self-righteous, self-pitying, hypocritical, intensely annoying, and yet a pleasure to read about, this is one character that's impossible to describe: you'll have to read in order to really appreciate what Wynne Jones has created. The family's way of handling Maria is the author at her hilarious best, and the closest another author has come to capturing the sheer loathsomeness of Maria is J.K. Rowling (who by the way, has almost certainly read this book) and her own villainess Dolorous Umbridge.

As well as this is the intricate and well-paced plot, which includes a huge number of characters, events, magical implements and ideas. The time-travel sequence in particular is marvellously created, and I'm certain it was the inspiration for Harry Potter's similar experience in "The Prisoner of Azkaban." Most wonderful of all is her ability to take human relationships and explore them in depth - in this case it is the way some use guilt and the rules of manners in order to get their way.

I would say that "Aunt Maria" is my favourite Diana Wynne Jones book out there, but so many great titles are out there that I wouldn't want to limit myself to just one. In any case "Aunt Maria" an immensely enjoyable book - and if there are any film-makers out there, it would also make a brilliant movie: hint, hint.

Fun and Creepy.......2004-07-04

Set more in the "real world" than many of this author's books, this was a very fun book that follows the narrator to the creepy neighborhood of her Great-Aunt (pronounced Mar-eye-ah). Filled with passive-agressive old ladies, it seems like your normal vacation-from-hell... until the narrator realizes that there's more going on in this sleepy town than it seems. You have no idea how weird this book will get until you get there.

Book Description

It's not fair, Emma thinks, for her parents to go away (for five whole days) and leave her with an aunt and uncle she hardly knows. What if they don't like children? But Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Eliot like Emma and her brother, Zachary, just fine. They also like rules. Rules about: Eating. Sleeping. Cleaning up. Messing up. Emma doesn't believe in rules. Not unless they're hers: Eating no broccoli, dead or alive. Sleeping: No sleeping in a room where night rumbles hide. Cleaning up: Don't. Messing up: Do. Emma can see that Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Elliot have a lot to learn about being parents. But that's okay---because Emma has five whole days in which to teach them.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!!.......2006-04-13

If you liked any of Patricia MacLachlan's books, this one will satisfy you! It's about Emma, who is eight years old, whose father is an "Eyeball Doctor" and has to go to an "Eyeball Meeting" with Emma's mother, which means Emma and her teenage brother Zach's uncle and aunt have to come baby-sit them for a week. This week teaches Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Elliot about being parents, from divided grapefruits to "night rumbles", and it teaches Emma and Zach about "different spokes for different folks". I read this book when I was 11, but my sisters, ages 7 and 6, listened to it as a read aloud, so I really can recomend it to anyone!! Great book indeed!

Patricia MacLachlan's Seven Kisses in a Row Makes a Sweet Children's Book.......2006-03-07

Emma, who's 8 years old, has woken up almost every morning of her life to 7 kisses in a row from each of her parents. But her father is an `eye doctor' and had to attend an `eye doctor conference', bringing her mother along. With their parents gone Emma and her brother are being taken care of by their Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Elliot. In this cute, 7 chapter story, Emma and Zachary have 5 days to teach their Aunt and Uncle how to be good parents. I would give this book 3 stars, and recommend it to any 7, 8, or 9 year old.

A cute book!.......2000-06-23

This is a cute book. When Emma's parents go out of town to an "Eye Ball meeting" their aunt and uncle come to stay with them. While there the kids ( Emma and Zach ) teach their uncle and aunt how to be good parents. The story is cute and the characters are believable. There are lots of words on the pages. The ending is endearing. I think kids between 7-9 might enjoy this book. .

Average customer rating:

Three men - Two stars
What could possibly go wrong?
Rollicking story of three gentlemen on a cycling tour
Humorous tales of cycling the Black Forest

Three Men on the Bummel
Jerome Klapka Jerome
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0543897729
Release Date: 2000-04-26

Book Description

Some tens years later the same comic characters from Three Men On A Boat go on a cycling tour in the Black Forest of Germany. As they make their way, George, Harris and Yarn learn how to cope with perilous tasks such as purchasing a cushion, taking a bicycle off a train, map-reading in the mountains and even crossing the road.

Download Description

Three men need change - Anecdote showing evil result of deception - Moral cowardice of George - Harris has ideas - Yarn of the Ancient Mariner and the Inexperienced Yachtsman - A hearty crew - Danger of sailing when the wind is off the land - Impossibility of sailing when the wind is off the sea - The argumentativeness of Ethelbertha- -The dampness of the river - Harris suggests a bicycle tour - George thinks of the wind - Harris suggests the Black Forest - George thinks of the hills - Plan adopted by Harris for ascent of hills - Interruption by Mrs.

Customer Reviews:

Three men - Two stars.......2006-03-08

Three men in a boat is a fantastic read - the mix of comedy and adventure is perfect and it captures the Victorian era to a 't'.

I therefore had high hopes of the sequel, Three men on the bummel. Unfortunetly I can not praise it. The laugh aloud comedy element has given way to, at beast monologues you smile through, at worst, ones you want to skip. The adventure is in short supply and doesn't sit well with the comedy. A real shame.

What could possibly go wrong?.......2005-02-03

Three Englismen decide to go on holiday in Germany. They plan to take their bicycles; they will travel by train between the major cities and do day trips by bike. What could possibly go wrong?

The answer is EVERYTHING! You will laugh yourself sick.

I'm surprised that this hasn't been made into a film or a TV series; get some of the guys from Monty Python, or the guys who played James, Tristan and Sigfried on "All Creatures Great & Small".

Rollicking story of three gentlemen on a cycling tour .......2004-12-09

Three Men On The Bummel is Jerome K. Jerome rollicking story of three late-Victorian gentlemen on a cycling tour in Germany's Black Forest. This long out of print comic classic of English literature is now finally available in a complete and unabridged audiobook format (6 CDs, 6 hours, 56 minutes) enhanced with a superb narration by David Case. School and community are encouraged to send for the free Tantor Media catalog for a complete listing of their unabridged literary classics of popular fiction.

Humorous tales of cycling the Black Forest.......2004-01-13

I read this book--which I assume is a fictionalized account of an actual journay--after having spent a year in Germany and I bemused by the fact that the Germans that Jerome K. Jerome characterizes in this book (published in 1900) are very similar to those of the present day. Added to this, is the fact that the book is mainly set in the Black Forest region of Germany, which is where I stayed. So not only was this book humorous and entertaining, it rekindled fond memories as well. The writing I fear will disillusion the more casual reader, but for those who have the inclination, this book is a very worthwhile read.

The Aunt Lute Anthology of U.S. Women Writers: 17th Through 19th Centuries

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The Aunt Lute Anthology of U.S. Women Writers: 17th Through 19th Centuries

Manufacturer: Aunt Lute Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Women Writers & Feminist Theory | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Women Writers | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 1879960680

Book Description

Every anthology constructs a tradition. Sitting directly in dialogue with the feminist literary recovery project of the past 30 years, this anthology constructs a tradition of American women's writing that is truly multiple and inclusive, bringing together women's voices from across a broad spectrum of U.S. social life. Anyone who cares about women's literature is sure to be intrigued by this anthology's radical vision of what the history of women's writing truly has been.

Neither narrowly canonical nor exclusively literary, this 1200-page anthology features women's voices as they appear in nontraditional public formats, such as trial transcripts, petitions and criminal confessions. It includes women's writing in public formats other than just print, including speeches and song lyrics. It also features expanded selections from Chicanas, working class women and antebellum Native American women, as well as thematic concerns with disability, women's sexuality, immigration and diaspora, women's suffrage, and lynching. And it offers expanded selections of plays, including temperance and "minstrel" plays; travel narratives; as well as a broader range of fiction from both women's magazines and "literary" magazines. The aim of Volume One (17th through 19th centuries) is to show when and where and how women entered into public discourse pre-20th century, and how that access varied according to race, national origin, class, education, geographical location, physical ability, etc. as well as how it varied over the two centuries. Some of these materials have not been reprinted since their original publication; many have never been available in "literature" or "women writers" anthologies.

Book Description

A comprehensive collection of twentieth-century US women's writing, this volume contains works by over 150 women writing in a variety of genres. Works include not only fiction, drama, and poetry, but various nonfiction forms (autobiography, movement writing, journalism, essay) as well as other creative forms (opera libretto, spoken word, song lyrics, stand-up comedy).

A sample of the writers, A through C: Elmaz Abinader, Jane Addams, Etel Adnan, Marjorie Agosin, Ai, Elizabeth Alexander, Paula Gunn Allen, Dorothy Allison, Maya Angelou, Gloria AnzaldÃºa, Harriette Arnow, Mary Austin, Toni Cade Bambara, Djuna Barnes, Gwendolyn Bennett, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, Bikini Kill, Elizabeth Bishop, Louise Bogan, Lucille Bogan, Marita Bonner, Kay Boyle, Beth Brant, Gwendolyn Brooks, Rita Mae Brown, Pauline Russell Browne, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Octavia Butler, Patrick Califia-Rice, Janet Campbell Hale, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Luisa Capetillo, Ana Castillo, Willa Sibert Cather, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Alice Childress, Marilyn Chin, Margaret Cho, Meg Christian, Chrystos, Frances Chung, Sandra Cisneros, Amy Clampitt, Michelle Cliff, Lucille Clifton, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Wanda Coleman, Lucha Corpi, Mae V. Cowdery, Ida Cox, Ina Cumpiano, Agnes Cunningham, and Silvia Curbelo.

The writers D through Z are just as diverse, just as comprehensive. The volume includes a preface, headnotes, annotations, and author/title index.

Co-editors: Juliana Chang, assistant professor of English, Santa Clara University; Linda S. Garber, associate professor of English, Santa Clara University; Michelle Gibson, associate professor of women's studies, University of Cincinnati; Anahid Kassabian, James and Constance Alsop chair of music at the University of Liverpool; Deborah Meem, professor of English, University of Cincinnati; Rhonda Pettit, associate professor of English and women's studies, University of Cincinnati; Maria J. SaldaÃ±a, associate professor of English, Rutgers University.

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Aunt Maria

Manufacturer: Greenwillow Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKF7VA

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AUNT MARIA'S DRESSING TABLE
Helen Reid. Cross
Manufacturer: See Description
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P9J8HW

Mrs. Howard; or, The Good Aunt, and Other Tales

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Mrs. Howard; or, The Good Aunt, and Other Tales
Maria Edgeworth
Manufacturer: James Blackwood & Co., London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RF2K92

Tulia y la tecla magica (Castillo de la Lectura Naranja)

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Tulia y la tecla magica (Castillo de la Lectura Naranja)
Maria Baranda
Manufacturer: Ediciones Castillo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Infantil y juvenil | Libros en español | Formats | Books

No ficción | Infantil y juvenil | Libros en español | Formats | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 9702001773
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

After receiving a piano as a Christmas gift from her Aunt, Tulia discovers that the notes allow her and her friends to travel to magical places.

Aunt Ruby, Do I Look Like God? (Aunt Ruby)

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What does God Look Like?
Made in His Image

Aunt Ruby, Do I Look Like God? (Aunt Ruby)
Ruby L. Taylor
Manufacturer: Connected 2 the Father Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974512206

Customer Reviews:

What does God Look Like?.......2004-08-21

Christians seem to struggle with the same question little Bria asked, Aunt Ruby, Do I Look Like God? The logical conclusion is that no living person has seen what God looks like, but Aunt Ruby explains it so Bria can easily understand. God gave a description of Himself in Genesis when He said, "we were all made in His image." Illustrated by Maria Rask, this children's book characterizes humans in all races and nationalities and shows we are created in the image of God.

This book is a wonderful introduction to God for preschoolers; it's are colorful and imaginative. The writing is simple enough for beginning readers to read for themselves. It can also serve as a bedtime story for smaller children. Although a child prompted the question, the interpretation of a small verse is important to all of God's children no matter what age.

Made in His Image.......2004-06-24

Many adults struggle with the concept of God and what it really means to be made in His image. In AUNT RUBY, DO I LOOK LIKE GOD?, a young girl named Bria struggles to understand this very concept. Bria has a special relationship with her Aunt Ruby, they share a special tradition of spending each Friday together. The two obviously share a lot of love and trust. As a result of this relationship, Bria feels comfortable enough to ask her aunt what on the surface seems to be a simple question, "Do I look like God?" Aunt Ruby struggles to find an answer that satisfies Bria, partly because she is unsure of what the answer is herself. Together, the two of them discuss the question and turn to the Bible for the answers they are seeking.

This is a truly heart-warming book and the cool, muted drawings add to this sense of warmth. The book is a wonderful resource for Christian parents and can serve as a starting point for helping children understand more about God. What is most charming about the story is the simplicity of its theme: a thoughtful young girl trying to get a clearer understanding of God. The author does a superb job explaining a concept some adults struggle with in such a way that youngsters can understand.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

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