Amazon.com
Literature and film buffs will be delighted by this collection of pulp novels, most of which were made into important films. James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice is a literary masterpiece with its spare prose invoking a savage, sexy, desperate world. It inspired no less than three great movies: Luchino Visconti's classic Ossessione, in 1942; the 1946 remake, starring John Garfield and Lana Turner and directed by the extraordinary Tay Garnett; and Bob Rafelson's underrated 1981 version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. When you read the magnificent source for these movies, you'll be astonished at how three different incarnations could all, in their own ways, be faithful to the novel.
Cornell Woolrich's I Married a Dead Man also became three movies: No Man of Her Own, with Barbara Stanwyk; the French I Married a Shadow; and the American comedy, Mrs. Winterborne, which starred Shirley MacLaine and Ricki Lake. Edward Anderson's vivid Thieves Like Us was transformed into They Live by Night, Nicholas Ray's first important movie and one of the seminal noir films of the 1940s. It was brilliantly remade in 1974 by the great revisionist director Robert Altman. Kenneth Fearing's The Big Clock was transformed into a marvelous film starring Charles Laughton; 40 years later, the same source, retitled No Way Out, brought Kevin Costner to stardom. William Lindsay Gresham's Nightmare Alley was the source for Tyrone Power's best movie; Horace McCoy's experimental They Shoot Horses, Don't They? became one of the seminal films of the 1960s.
These dark, evocative novels, when taken together, are a fascinating study of how words can inspire a magnificent variety of cinematic images and styles.
Customer Reviews:
Splendid Read.......2007-06-04
This collection of novels from the 30s and 40s was terrific fun and an outstanding introduction to the genre. You can debate whether they're all noir (at least what I expected noir to be); but nonetheless they each convey a distinct impression and view of the time. Without getting into lengthy reviews, I enjoyed Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" the most--from his eloquent style to the actual story-line. You know you're reading a master story-teller. Second was Gresham's "Nightmare Alley;" although sometimes I thought he could have expanded on some aspects of the story and shortened other passages (i.e., a little bit of editing would help). But each novel was distinct and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Crime Novels -- 30s/40s.......2006-11-07
Ha! Just skimmed some other reviews and I wanna add my two cents. Yes, this volume is definitely something. Some impressions follow.
The Postman Always Rings Twice: Indeed, Cain knew how to make the reader keep turning pages. Short, sweet, and fascinating. After I discovered the significance of the title (which is a bit of a "trick"), I liked the whole effort all the more.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?: A bit monotonous to read; a bit dark. That was the point. All told, a fascinating novel. Among all literature named in the world, *this* is one of few titles inspired by God: so memorable and unique, so perfect. It turns out to impart chilling meaning, as well, on several levels.
Thieves Like Us: My least favorite. This was a subjective reaction, however. I wanted the story to take turns it didn't take. Moreover, Anderson as an author took note of things I found not-so-interesting; apparently, the book's status to this day speaks otherwise on behalf of many other readers, however.
The Big Clock: Short, sweet and sterile. Almost machine-like in its plotting and execution -- if so written intentionally, a fascinating stylistic choice given its title -- but, notably, full of interesting and colorful characterizations. Possibly my favorite.
Nightmare Alley: Relentlessly grim and ugly. I'm not so sure there is a single character to root for in this story. That was probably very much intended. Fascinating but, again, very grim. Literary nihilists of today would do well to take a lesson from Gresham's characterization, plot and style.
I Married A Dead Man: Although the novels were presented chronologically, this was a nice way to end the volume. A very simple, linear, domestic story, without hard-boiled criminality or complication, which unfolds with some plot which stretches credibility, but lies ultimately within the realm of the possible. Notable among noir novels for Woolrich's ability to evoke two unexpected emotions at the end: a sense of deep and abiding love between two of the main characters -- before the real and final ending -- and a sense of genuine sadness.
Worth owning. Might take the reader a while to get through. This is, in effect, six books in one, running to nearly a thousand pages. But it was definitely fun; and as another reviewer implied, it's surprising how little has changed.
Thank God for the 1930's and 1940's/ .......2006-07-11
First of all, the Library Of America collection provides the reader with some of the most beautiful hardcover editions available today. That said, the selections chosesn for this edition are all first class; for someone just getting into hard-boiled fiction, this is the ideal place to start. If you're like me and have been reading this genre for many years, this is a perfect volume to add to one's collection.
The Dark Underbelly of the American Dream.......2005-09-29
Noir emerged in the early 20th-Century from Pulp paperbacks published for mass consumption. Highlighting in gritty and sensationalistic detail the sordid undercurrents of Western society, Noir became an artistic force that became the medium for the representation of the down and out segment of the populace. Whether set in the impersonal grime of urban reality or at the deceptive simplicity of rural picturesqueness, Noir in Film and Literature revealed the odyssey and travails of lost souls whose misguided characters bore too much of the weight of their selves and their pasts to break from the shackles of their present.
"Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930's and 40's" is the American equivalent in prose of the influential and enduring genre. The grim and unforgiving tales of the dejected cast of mid 20th-Century American life are openly depicted ("The Postman Always Rings Twice"; "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"; "Thieves Like Us"; "Nightmare Alley"); vicissitudes of fate ("The Big Clock"; "I Married a Dead Man"). Whether set in scenic California, the vast and open Midwest, or a high-rise office in Manhattan, these novels uniformly render a panorama of blighted dreams, twisted turns of fate, and the sad recurrence of misfortune in desperate individuals doomed to tragedy.
None too substantial in content but highly readable, this edition is the first of a handsome 2-Volume anthology on American Noir fiction published by the venerable Library of America. Edited by Robert Polito (Poet, writer, anthologist on Noir Lit. and author of a biography on Jim Thompson), these stories enduring relevance are seen in various forms of contemporary society: from the writings of James Ellroy, Brett Easton Ellis, Lawrence Block, and Robert Bloch; in films like "Scarface", "Pulp Fiction", "Fight Club"; and in everyday life.
A Real Discovery: 4 or 5 of these make amazing reading.......2005-01-23
This is an impressive collection of early and now scarce Noir novels. "The Big Clock" and "Nightmare Alley" are particularly hard to find outside of this volume.
Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" was probably the first crime novel I ever really got into, and it's a stunning departure from Agatha Christie-style mysteries. So much happens in this short book (as turns of plot, but also development of character) that it compares favorably to the first half Camus' "The Stranger." The drifter plumbs the depths of his desperation in a brutal attachment to another man's wife: it's not greed or lust that drives him, but a base need for someone to whom he can anchor himself. A raw and amazing experience, unmatched by anything else of Cain's.
McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is impressively vivid. I had no idea these dance-hall marathons took place before reading this story. This circus of exploitation of young and apparently desperate people certainly makes for excellent Noir. One of these benefits of reading these novels is the unearthing of buried episodes in America's past.
"Thieves Like Us" has been reviewed here as the weaker end of the collection, and I have to agree. It's still a very capable story of outlaws; and the stoicism of the young people caught up in the criminal's lives is admirably depicted here. I recommend reading Andersen's novel before the others (it's still definitive Noir), so one can more easily avoid expectations built up by the Cain and McCoy.
"The Big Clock" is interesting in the depiction of power relationships between employer and employee, and the shifting first-person style of telling the story works here. I never heard of Fearing before reading this novel, but he evidently had a deep understanding of the motivations of very different kinds of people. This novel has the most suspense of the collection, and is a great and sophisticated read.
The most surprising and bizzare novel is "Nightmare Alley," a strange and memorable journey of an aspiring carnival charlatan. It defines Sleaze. The longest and most complex novel, it feels like a long-lost classic that's been hidden away because of its disturbing content. Some may think of it as too long, but the twisting journey through sweaty farming towns, railroad stations and addled big-city martiarchs required time to establish some crediblity: by the end, I was convinced that such a grotesque collection of stunts actually belonged in the story of this country. "Nightmare Alley" alone is worth the price of the book. Fans of Tarot might be a little offended, but this is especially recommended for understanding fans of Ray Bradbury.
Finally, "I Married a Dead Man" by Woolrich is a suspense novel set up by a tragic accident. The protagonist, literally and figuratively hungry, siezes the opportunity to substitute herself into a more fortunate woman's life. Excellently done, and more grounded in comparison to "Nightmare Alley."
Overall, there's no legitimately weak entry in this collection. The variety of content in these novels is enormous, and acquiring this book will allow the reader to experience the different flavors of American Noir. Most modern crime/suspense movies will seem ridiculous by comparison.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Augustine, Saint | ( A ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Asian American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Asian American | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Arabic | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Armenian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Czech | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Greek | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Hungarian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Japanese | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Korean | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Norwegian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Persian & Farsi | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Polish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Portuguese | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Romanian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Russian | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Swedish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Turkish | Foreign Language | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books
Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Unconvincing, speculative
- Amazing
- Maya: Land of the West
- Mayan Cradle of Civilization
|
Maya/Atlantis: Queen Moo and the Egyptian Sphinx
Augustus Le Plongeon
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Native American | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
Mayan | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Metaphysics | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Mysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Controversial Knowledge | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Mysticism | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Origins of the Egyptians
-
Queen Moo's Talisman: The Fall of the Maya Empire
ASIN: 0766101029 |
Book Description
The Mayan Civilization and its connection between Egypt and Atlantis is thoroughly documented in this basic source book, written over 100 years ago.
Customer Reviews:
Unconvincing, speculative.......2006-09-20
This book is filled with lots of speculation and tenuous connections. Although there are strong parallels between many possibly post-Atlantian civilizations, the specific theory about the land of the Maya being the seed of at least some aspect of the Egyptian civilization has a negative smoking gun. Mayan writing is in paired ideograms going left to right, top to bottom. Egyptian writing (oldest dynasties) is right to left. Certainly if culture is transplanted then the specific direction of writing will be as well. This book has not addressed this issue and therefor has left a major fau paux in plain sight.
If you are interested in this subject then look to 'Survivors of Atlantis' or 'Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings'. For Egypt stay with either Anthony John West ('Serpent In The Sky') or Jeremy Naydler ('Temple Of The Cosmos'). For the Mayan more conventional sources around Linda Schele are recommended.
Amazing .......2006-04-13
This book is a wonderful source of information dating back. It is chock full of alternative and mystical thought
Maya: Land of the West.......2001-08-07
Historians writing on the history of the human race have never taken into consideration man in the Americas and the influence the ancient Western Hemisphere exerted on the ancient populations of Asia, Africa, and Europe. The Spanish chroniclers only wrote of the native Maya natives as they found them at the time and of and long after the Spanish conquest of the Americas. This book was written over a hundred years ago and attempts to give ancient America its proper place in world history. Le Plongeon has accomplished his goal. The author makes it clear that the Maya culture, not India, was the cradle of civilization. After all, the Mayans were the ancestors of the Egyptians! The Egyptians, according to Herodotus, boasted that their ancestors, in the land of the West, were the oldest men on earth. The Egyptians could only have been referring to the Mayans. The text can be somewhat excessive and cumbersome, but it must be remembered this book was written over a hundred years ago when the literary style was much different than today. The extra effort required to read and understand the material is well worth the effort. The Mayan civilization was plundered by Spanish Christian soldiers and priests, ignorant, avaricious, blood thirsity fanatics who believed they pleased the almighty by destroying a civilization equal to, if not superior to theirs. The Spanish priests destroyed by fire the books and ancient records of the Mayan historians and philosophers. Do we remember the fire at the ancient library of Alexandria? These boys liked to play with fire! I'll bet their eyes glossed over and they foamed at the mouth as the flames were leaping into the air. Fortunately the libraries of the Maya sages were hidden about the beginning of the Christian era to preserve them from destruction at the hands of the Spanish Christian priests and monks. The Christian invaders didn't get everything! Early in his book, Le Plongeon suggests the origin of the Egyptian Sphinx, Prince Coh's (Osiris) personal totem, the leopard or Jaguar, and its builder Queen Moo (Isis). Could the face of the Egyptian Sphinx be that of Osiris? Has the solution to the riddle of the enigma of history been solved by Le Plongeon and the ancient Maya? Le Plongeon was no lover of dogmatic academia, a refreshing attitude then as it is now. Everyone who reads this book will not be able to accept Le Plongeon's premis or conclusions. I have learned a valuable concept from Le Plongeon's book: "After all other explanations have been discarded, what remains, is the Truth.
Mayan Cradle of Civilization.......2001-08-06
Historians writing on the history of the human race have never taken into consideration man in the Americas and the influence the ancient Western Hemisphere exerted on the populations of ancient Asia, Africa, and Europe. The Spanish chroniclers only wrote of the Maya natives as they found them, at the time of and long after the Spanish conquest of the Americas. This book, written over a hundred years-ago, attempts to give ancient Meso-America its proper place in world history. Le Plongeon has accomplished his goal. The author makes it clear that the Maya culture, not India, was the cradle of civilization. After all, the Maya were the ancestors of the Egyptians! The Egyptians, according to Herodotus, boasted that their ancestors, in the Land of the West, were the oldest men on Earth. The Egyptians could only have been referring to the Mayans. The text can be somewhat cumbersom, but it must be remembered that the literary style was much different then today. The extra effort required to read and understand the material is well worth the effort. The Mayan civilization was invaded and plundered by Spanish Christian soldiers, and monks from the Vatican, ignorant, avaricious, blood thirsty fanatics who believed they pleased God by destroying a civilization equal to, if not superior to theirs. The Spanish priests and monks destroyed by fire the books and ancient records of the Mayan philosophers and historians. Do we remember the fire at the ancient library of Alexandria? These Christian boys iked to play with fire! I'll bet their eyes glossed over and they foamed at the mouth as the flames were leaping skyward. Some of the Mayan libraries were hidden about the beginning of the Christian era to save them from destruction at the hands of the Christian priests and monks. The Christians didn't get everything. Early in the book, Le Plongeon suggests the origin of the Egyptian Sphinx, Prince Coh's (Osiris') personal totem the Leopard or Jaguar, and its builder, Queen Moo (Isis). Could the face of the Egyptian Sphinx actually be that of Osiris? Has the solution to the enigma of history, the Sphinx, at last been solved by the ancient Mayans? Not everyone who reads this book will be able to accept Le Plongeon's premiss or conclusions. I have learned a valuable concept from the reading of Le Plongeon's book: "After all other explanations have been discarded, what remains is the truth."
Book Description
In 1903 Lieutenant Olivier Ferrières of the French army welcomes Captain de Saint-Avit as the new commandant of his post in Algeria. Shunned by his fellow officers, the captain has been accused of the brutal murder of his friend Lieutenant Morhange, when the two were lost alone in the desert. To Ferrières’s horror, Saint-Avit soon confesses to the crime, unveiling a shocking tale of lost worlds, lust, murder, and the enslavement of desire in a forgotten desert kingdom—Atlantis!
Antinea, the queen of Atlantis, seeks to destroy and imprison the men in her net through her beauty and cruelty, enshrining their electroplated bodies in a fantastic hall, assigning each doomed lover a number and a plaque in his memory. Caught in this web, Saint-Avit and Morhange attempt to escape until love, passion, and jealousy threaten their friendship and their very lives. For only one man has ever captured the heart of Antinea, and no one escapes the queen of Atlantis.
Download Description
Just consider, he continued, more calmly, "the mistake made by those believers in Atlantis in explaining the cataclysm in which they thought the wonderful island had sunk completely beneath the waves. They all believed it had been engulfed. As a matter of fact there was no immersion, there was an emersion. New lands have emerged from the waves of the Atlantic. The desert has replaced the sea. The sebkhas, the salt-marshes, the Triton lakes, the sandy Syrtes are the solitary vestiges of moving waves over which the fleets once sailed to conquer Attica. Sand swallows up civilisation better than water.
Customer Reviews:
Why bother?.......2006-05-06
Unless you're a particular fan of Pierre Benoit, you should probably skip this and read "She", by H. Rider Haggard, instead. If you've already read that, this book will just disappoint you.
It was a struggle to make myself finish "Queen of Atlantis." The stories within stories continually lead to a dead end. There is no satisfactory resolution, and the character motivations are never quite convincing. I suspect some nuances have been lost through translation and the passage of time.
According to the afterword, the book was an influential piece of French fiction. It was evidently a very successfully-marketed book by a fairly prominent author. However, even critics of the time recognized how much had been borrowed from Haggard.
If you're just curious about this book because it seems to be a piece of fantasy that escaped your attention, I'll warn you: not much fantasy here. No Atlantis, either, despite the title. I'm an avid reader, so I forced myself to finish this...But it was an agony of alternating boredom and frustration.
***UPDATE*** If you absolutely can't still your curiosity, I suggest you go to the Project Gutenberg website, and download the Ace edition of this story, titled "Atlantida". Yes, it's a slightly different translation, but it's free-- as opposed to paying fifteen dollars for a paperback of something in the public domain.
Average customer rating:
|
Mona Queen of Lost Atlantis an Idyllic Reembodiment of Long Forgotten History
J. L. Dryden
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Inspirational & Religious | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Mystery | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Controversial Knowledge | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1564599183 |
Book Description
An Epic Poem of a Long Lost Civilization and Way of Life.
Average customer rating:
|
Mona: Queen of Lost Atlantis
John Dryden
Manufacturer: Society of Metaphysicians Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1852289015 |
Book Description
Shortly after Amanda learned that Raz chose her to be its Queen, she visits the gods and goddesses on Olympia. While she is there, she learns that she is needed on Earth to destroy Atlantis which has risen from the bottom of the ocean floor. Centuries ago, six Olympians ordered the future rise of Atlantis and mandated that their clones take over their rule. Realizing their grave mistake, they plead with Amanda to go to Atlantis and find the human man Pallid, who can stop their clones with a simple password. Taking her sister with her, Amanda meets up with Pallid and his friend, Jake. To escape the military officials scouting out the city, Amanda's magic sends them back in time before Atlantis' fall. Atlantis is the city of perfection where beauty and youth are praised among all who live there. But with such perfection comes a heavy price, and Pallid must decide how far he is willing to go to keep Atlantis on the map.
Books:
- Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1950s: The Killer Inside Me / The Talented Mr. Ripley / Pick-up / Down There / The Real Cool Killers (Library of America)
- Darker than Night: The True Story of a Brutal Double Homicide and an 18-Year Long Quest for Justice (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- Death of an Addict (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)
- Deep Pockets (Carlotta Carlyle Mysteries)
- Desert Heat
- Dress Her in Indigo
- Elusive Mrs. Pollifax
- Everyone Dies
- Fear of Frying (Jane Jeffry Mystery Series #9)
- Figure of Hate (Crowner John Mysteries)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Dressing Rich: A Guide to Classic Chic for Women With More Taste Than Money
- The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Imp
- Standing at the Scratch Line: A Novel
- Spock's World
- Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
- Structural Bioinformatics
- The Punic Wars: Rome, Carthage, and the Struggle for the Mediterranean
- The Stamp of Impulse: Abstract Expressionist Prints
- Preparations Of Vertebrate Central Nervous System In Vitro
- P.O.W. Camp 78 Zuffenhausen, Germany