History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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:

Mistress of Scandal
Mistress of No-No
Mistress of Scandal
If you like to roll your eyes over and over... (D- Grade)
Lacked the Zip and Wit ...

Mistress of Scandal
Sara Bennett
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0060796499
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

Proper, reserved Francesca detests chaotic London and one of its most infamous inhabitants: her birth mother, the notorious courtesan Madame Aphrodite. Lovingly raised by the devoted Lady Greentree, she's content to remain in Yorkshire, far from the scandalous parent whose life and profession shock . . . yet intrigue her. But a dark, dangerous stranger she rescues on the moors is awakening a most improper desire—causing Francesca to question whether she is more her mother's daughter than she ever wished to be.

When Sebastian Thorne agrees to protect Aphrodite's estranged daughter from a dire threat emerging from her past, the fallen lord is unexpectedly seduced by Francesca's beauty. But a vigilante living on the shadowy edge of society has little hope to own such a prize—and unless he reclaims his abandoned title and lost honor, Sebastian will never get close enough to the bewitching lady to save her life . . . or win her passion.

Customer Reviews:

Mistress of Scandal.......2007-08-13

Francesca Greentree had enjoyed her quiet life and content to live the rest of her days on the moors of Yorkshire. She detests the loud and chaotic life of London and is determined to stay away from one of its most famous inhabitants, her birth mother, the notorious courtesan Madame Aphrodite. Francesca's most dreaded fear is that one day her most base desires will surface and she will become like her mother, which is something that Francesca is determined will never happen. Until the day she meets Sebastian Thorne, and now her life will never be the same.

Accepting an assignment by Madame Aphrodite, Sebastian Thorne sets out for Yorkshire, where he is to meet with someone to gather information. And hopefully find the person who kidnapped Aphrodite's daughters twenty-four years ago. The meeting place was to be along the moors, but his guide has tricked him and now he is sinking, slowly into the mired muck. Only a miracle will save him.

Sebastian's miracle comes in the form of Francesca Greentree, the daughter of Aphrodite herself. Pulling Sebastian from the moors, Francesca discovers that she is her mother's daughter after all when he stirs feelings in her that she had long suppressed. What does he want? Why is he out on the moors to begin with?

Mistress of Scandal is the third book in the eagerly awaited Greentree Sisters trilogy. Sara Bennett brings her readers a story of love found in the most unexpected place and a twenty-four year old mystery that will keep readers turning the pages from beginning to end. Sara Bennett is one of today's most gifted romance writers. She writes with passion and truly gets into the `heads' of her characters making them come to life for all of us to enjoy. Beautifully written and characters to fall in love with, Ms. Bennett delivers on all counts.

Debbie reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Mistress of No-No.......2007-05-13

I will not give a summary, because most of these reviews do that. This novel was so extremely ho-hum. I didn't feel any chemistry or passion between the leads, I felt like there was just sex (and that wasn't very hot). It was also kind of hard to understand Aphrodite hiring someone to solve a crime when she was already positive of who the criminal was. Not to mention her refusing to disclose any information, how odd.

Mistress of Scandal.......2007-05-09

I just finished reading this book and I'm inclined to disagree with the first two reviewers. I really did enjoy the story. Sure, I guessed who the mastermind behind the Greentree sister's kidnapping was right from the first book, but it was quite nice having all the pieces finally drawn together and answer all the why's and also, finally allowing closure for all three sisters and their "two" mothers.
Of course, it had a happy ending with the youngest of the sisters finally letting go of all her insecurities and allowing herself to accept love and being loved without being afraid of losing her heart to her hero Sebastian.

If you like to roll your eyes over and over... (D- Grade).......2007-04-21

The third and final book in this trilogy of sisters who were kidnapped as babies from their courtesan mother is such a disappointment. And this is coming from an author who has years of experience writing enjoyable historical romances. When you have constant eye rolling by the third chapter and throughout the book you know this was written on auto pilot.
The premise looks to be interesting as mother "Madame Aphrodite" pays our hero Sebastian to try and find the evil ones responsible for stealing her children years before. Sebastian is your typical angst filled man who lives on the dark side for some wrong he has done in the past. The horror! The total cliché!
Sebastian happily takes on the case and in the process almost dies by being left to drown in some bog. (They actually have marshy bogs in England that will kill you!) He is found and saved by the youngest daughter Francesca as she walks with her dog through the moors even though she is suppose to be some respectful young woman. What a coincidence this makes. Sebastian is over come by lust the minute he sees her! And Francesca, even though she doesn't want to act out any traits of her trashy mother, tries not to think these lust filled thoughts.
Even though by page 100 she and Sebastian have fallen in bed together.
Zany turmoil and constant villains surround these two over and over. And along the way they are overcome with passion and ecstasy while always in danger.
If only there were not clichés' and over the top actions by the villains and the two main characters, then maybe this book could have been redeemable. For a good chuckle, and not in good way perhaps this book is for you. Otherwise check out Bennett's earlier works for more substance and no eye rolling.

Katiebabs

Rules of Passion
Lessons in Seduction

Lacked the Zip and Wit ..........2007-04-20

...of the first two books in the series. It felt in "Mistress of Scandal" that Sara Bennett was forcing chemistry, forcing tension, and forcing the narrative along. While the book was not completely lacking, it really was a hohum text that offers no real wit or sparks. A blah book all around.

Average customer rating:

Love this book!
It was ok......
Candy
Eye Opener
Kept me interested

Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction
Luke Davies
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345423879
Release Date: 1998-06-16

Book Description

"Candy is beside me, drenched in sweat. She's breathing gently, long slow breaths. I imagine her soul going in and out: wanting to leave, wanting to come back, wanting to leave, wanting to come back. The day will soon harden into what we need to do. But for now we have each other. . . ."

He met Candy amid a lush Sydney summer. Gorgeous, sexy, free-spirited Candy. They fell in love fast, lots of laughter and lust, the days melting warmly into each other. He never planned to give her a habit. But she wanted a taste. And wasn't love, after all, about sharing lives? Candy had a bit of money and in the beginning, everything was beautiful. Heady, heroin-hazed days, the world open and inviting. But when the money ran out, the craving remained, and the days ceased their luxurious stretch.

But there was still love. Only now, it was a threesome. Heroin had its own demands, its own timetable, and thoughts of nabbing the next fix hurled them into each day. Then, when desperation sets in, Candy will stop at nothing to secure a blast, as she and her lover become hostage to the nightmarish world of addiction.

Painful, sexy, tender, and charged with dark humor, Candy provocatively charts the daily rituals of two lovers maintaining a long-term junk habit. Told in stunningly vivid prose and set against the backdrop of suburban and urban Australia, Candy is both an electrifying and frightening glimpse of contemporary life and love.

Customer Reviews:

Love this book!.......2007-09-16

"Candy" is an accurate story of the daily life and consequences of an addict. Well written and true to life, "Candy" gives an inside look at an addict's mind and relationships. Loved it!

It was ok.............2007-05-30

This book was pretty realistic, nothing exaggerated. It was a raw picture of what addiction is like. But I just didn't enjoy the book's style, and that could be a personal problem, but the book kind of got boring after a while. I ended up renting the movie and not finishing the book.

Candy.......2007-05-23

This was an awesome book. Better than the movie. It was happy and it was sad but over all beautifully written.

Eye Opener.......2007-04-10

Firstly, it has to be said - the movie is half baked compared to the book - as is usually the case, but I just had to say it.

This books shows the reader how easy it is for any of us, to make a choice which can effectively turn your life into a spiral going down, down, down ... and how easy it is to take someone there with you, intentionally or otherwise.

It was a great read - very eye opening and incredibly fascinating.

Kept me interested.......2007-03-16

The characters were real and I could feel emotions for them through out the book. The story was very real. It was a sad story but very interesting. Usually it takes me a month to finish a book but with this one I finished it in less than a week. I found myself always reading with every free moment I found. I even sent it to my sister when I was finished.

Average customer rating:

Phrasebook for Australia
Fair dinkum, this is a great book!
Heading to Australia, have a squizz at this.

Lonely Planet Australian Phrasebook
Susan Butler
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0864425767

Book Description

'C'mon, Aussie c'mon!' the catch phrase of many a sporting event downunder. Understand them or not - the Australians speak a unique English filled with Dundee accents, quirky phrases and fantastic vocabulary. Few are the dobbers, bludgers and two-pot screamers - the average Aussie (o-zee) is welcoming, hospitable and full of a sense of humour. Though you might just need this book to understand the jokes.

for every social situation, here's the language you're going to hear
travellers can avoid embarrassing moments and awkward misunderstandings with clear vocabulary lists
household names, politics, sports - the book is full of the melee of Aussie interests
understand a little of the original cultures through the introductory chapters to Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages

Customer Reviews:

Phrasebook for Australia.......2004-12-06

Lonely Planet's "Australian Phrasebook" is a great introduction to the Australian way of life and speaking for foreigners. Whether you are a tourist going on a trip to the land of Aussies, or a person studying English as used in Australia, this can be a good guide and reading supplement. Traditionally to Lonely Planet phrasebooks, this one gives you a short and easy-read introduction to the origin of Australian English. Then follow the sections dealing with present-day Australian English, Australian culture and regional languages.

Firstly, you get acquainted with phonetic and grammar features of Australian English, with British, American and Aboriginal influences, regional varieties of English in this huge country and some borrowings. Here you will also find out how to greet people, get around with Aussie English, and catch the most important colloquial phrases. You will even been able to join the Australians singing their national songs. After you've enriched your general vocabulary it is possible to get to know more about Australian culture and institutions: food and drink, party-culture, sports, urban and rural talk. Whether you'd like to find your way in coffee types or the art of argument "Australian Phrasebook" is helpful enough. It even gives you the recipes of the most popular dishes, so that next time you can throw an Australian party yourself, or just feel sure when ordering damper, pavlova and hedgehog.

The regional section gives you a thorough cultural and linguistic insight into numerous aboriginal languages. Here you will read a lot about the culture of indigenous people, as well as find rather short lists of major words you may encounter during your visit to the inner parts of the country. But, unlike the same sections in "British" or "USA" phrasebooks, the "Australian" one does not let you more or less exchange basic phrases with the Aborigines.

The strong feature of "Australian Phrasebook" is a great number of examples, comprehensive lists of words and expressions, extensive coverage of spoken language. Written in a simple language and entertaining manner, while being very informative "Australian Phrasebook" is a must-have on your next trip to the land Down Under and will certainly be your good companion, which will easily fit in a pocket.

Fair dinkum, this is a great book!.......1999-05-28

As an expatriate Aussie searching for a guide to everyday Aussie slang to show my Canadian friends, I can say that this is by far the best one I've seen - and essential if you want to order a beer in Oz! Its section on Australian Aboriginal culture and languages is also excellent and informative for non-Aboriginal Australians as well as visitors - it was put together by a group of respected Australian linguists.

Heading to Australia, have a squizz at this........1999-05-22

I'm an Aussie who was given this book as part of a going away present. I am living in America for a year. The night before I left my sister and I read to each other parts of this book. We were both in stiches, laughing at parts of our culture, colloquial expressions, and Aussie English which we normally don't give a second thought. This Phrasebook really gives a good insight to many of our 'ways' and explains what we are saying half the time. Is it necessary? Well I know if I speak in America the same way I speak at home no one can understand me! So yes, grab this book if you are heading to Australia, or are just interested in our lifestyle. The book also has a large and interesting section on Aboriginal culture and language. This is something many Australians living in the cities do not know much about. Other topics given a go are, food, wine, sports, and lots of other information about Australia and Aussies!

Average customer rating:

The most fun I've had reading a book, this year
Talking is Good
Refreshing change of pace
I laughed, I cried
Mildly entertaining

Perfect Skin: A Novel
Nick Earls
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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After Summer

ASIN: 0312280564

Book Description

Jon Marshall, a thirty-something doctor, has come a long way since his bachelor days. He's a partner in his own medical practice, owns a nice house in a nice suburb, and cruises around town in a BMW. And he has a six-month-old daughter, Lily, affectionately known as the Bean, with whom he's learning the joys of being a single dad. But Jon's life hasn't taken the path that he thought it would back in his twenties. Newly single, he awaits the challenges of many dating misadventures. His computer has been seized by surly software. He's absurdly clumsy with domestic pets, and his sexy new running buddy, Ashley, has his mind running in circles. A major bestseller in Australia, Nick Earls's Perfect Skin is a touching, frank, and laugh-out-loud funny look at single fatherhood and dating in a post Duran-Duran age.AUTHORBIO: NICK EARLS is the author of two previous novels, Zigzag Street and Bachelor Kisses, two collections of short stories, and two novels for young adults. His work has also been published in England, Italy, and Germany. He lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Customer Reviews:

The most fun I've had reading a book, this year.......2005-06-29

Jon Marshall is a successful laser surgeon with a nice house and a baby named Lily, whom he affectionately refers to as "the Bean". So, what's wrong with Jon's world and why has everything turned out so completely different from what he'd anticipated life would be like in his 30's? Is his new friend Ashley really just a "running buddy" or could there be more to the friendship? Friends George, Oscar and Wendy help Jon face the challenges as he attempts to make sense of a world that has taken a sharp and unexpected turn.
It's too bad I'm such a slow reader because yesterday was totally shot, thanks to this book. The story of Jon Marshall is gripping because Earls blends intelligence, realism and humor with madcap situations, dangling unanswered questions that the protagonist convincingly sidesteps as he tells his story in first person. Where, for example, is the mother of his child Lily? Well, another reviewer has answered that, but try to forget before you read this book.
Apart from a few angst-ridden reflections that dragged on a bit too long, this was one of the best books I've read all year. The dialogue was witty, its hero incredibly easy to love and relate to in spite of (or maybe because of) his many insecurities and imperfections, and every character was well-defined. I particularly loved the fact that Jon's friends were the kind you can call at 3:00 a.m., knowing they'll be there for you in an emergency--but don't let them get wind of the stupid thing you did last night or they'll never let you live it down. In other words, they were true to life. Highly recommended, particularly for those who enjoy contemporary fiction.

Talking is Good.......2003-03-07

Two of my favourite literary characters are Louis Ironson - from Angels from America - who polemicizes, intellectualizes, pontificates and basically just talks and talks - and Mo, from the very funny comic strip "Dykes to Watch Out For" who basically does the same. In the face of fear, pain or jealousy, they talk against the world, and yeah, it's blathering, but I find it charming. Probably because I do the same, which is maybe a reason why I'm a writer.

The main character in Perfect Skin does an awful lot of talking which biases me towards both liking him and liking the book.

Another reason why I like the book: I like books that are about people and relationships, that don't necessarily need big events to drive the story. Perfect Skin is a page-turner because you want to know what happens to the characters. It's about how we live our daily lives, how we relate to each other, and how we reach out to people.

A lot seems to be made about the humour in this book - and it's true, it's very very funny and enjoyable because of it - but perhaps it works all the better because of what lies underneath - weighty gusts of loss and hurt, recovery and survival.

I found it affecting and beautiful: a perfect little gem of a book that let me under the skin of some characters I was glad to meet and get to know.

Refreshing change of pace.......2002-03-22

I am a self-proclaimed British Chick books lover and when I saw this one in the library, I was intrigued by the cover jacket ~~ it looks like something I would read and the fact that it was written by an Aussie and a male at that, I just had to pick it up. It's wonderful! It's cute and pardon the pun ~~ it's adorable. (I don't think the author would like that term applied to his book!)

Jon, a single dad and doctor, is attempting to go back into the world after his wife's death in childbirth and what ensues is a series of misfortunate and hilarious accidents. (I have to say that Nick Earls sure knows his cats! I am almost tempted to ask him if my cat was the basis of Flag, the cat hero in this book!) Anyhow, one day he was just dad to Lily and a dermatologist in a busy practice then the next day, he's juggling between two women. Katie is the woman trapped in the 80s with the 80s hairdo that Jon and his office mates secretly joke about. Ash is the jogging partner that makes his mind go around in circles. Jon is left juggling his feelings for Ash while trying to let Katie down gently. That is where Flagg comes in. Flagg decides that he likes Jon ~~ and Jon seems to be extremely clumsy where the cat is concerned. (My husband laughed and laughed over choice parts of the book.)

I really can't go into too much details about this book because if I do, I will ruin it for the next person to read this review. All I can say is buy this book and see for yourself. Earls writes with humor and grace about a single dad slowly feeling his way back into the world after his wife's death. He also writes with feeling about Jon's coming to grips with his wife's death and becoming a father. Jon may be bewildered and confused at times, but what father wouldn't be? And it is just one of the best short reads I've read this year.

If Earls has more books out in the States, I'll be sure to pick them up. He is a talent to watch out for.

...

I laughed, I cried.......2002-03-13

Where else could you find a story about a recently widowed father who pees on his date's cat?

Mildly entertaining.......2001-10-27

"Perfect Skin" is another addition to the modern breed of popular novel: aimed squarely at the 20- or 30-something yuppie women's demographic, with perhaps a sideline in selling to the SNAG market. Published in a nice large size, with an eye-catching picture and a sleek new millennium font (wouldn't want to risk being confused with the Danielle Steele genre), these novels have become disappointingly homogeneous. Unusually among its shelf companions, however, "Perfect Skin" is written by a man. Nick Earls' no-nonsense prose and willingness to grapple with some deeper life issues makes a refreshing change from the giggly bimbo style of other similar novels.

The topic of this venture into pop publishing is single parenting - more specifically, single fatherhood. Jon seems to have his life all under control: there's him, the Bean (6 months old), his gaggle of similarly single friends and his dermatology practice. As we begin to delve deeper into Jon's life, the strands come apart to reveal some unexpected truths about putting a life back together. Along the way, there's a semi-deranged cat woman with eighties hair, an unfortunate incident in the bathroom involving her cat, several sleep-deprived nights with baby Bean and an interesting new female acquaintance...

"Perfect Skin" kept me entertained for a few hours without really leaving a permanent impression. It stands out somewhat from other novels of the same type for the reasons above, but ultimately doesn't amount to much more than that. The style is easy, the characters are amusing, the plot isn't too saccharine. A good 'girly' book to read in the bath with a block of chocolate and a glass of something nice; or buy it as a present for that friend you always buy the latest yuppie book for.

Book Description

Although definitions of the term critical literacy vary in research literature, researchers agree that critical literacy is an active, challenging approach to literacy that encourages students to be aware of the way that texts are constructed and how such constructions position readers.

This compilation of one new article and 11 previously published articles offers diverse perspectives on critical literacy. The articles explain the principles of critical literacy from a theoretical perspective, illustrate the comparative changes between theories of literacy development, detail the practical classroom implementation of critical literacy principles, and highlight the changing role of the teacher in the process of students' coming to understand the multiple meanings of texts and the power of language.

BACKCOVER Although definitions of the term critical literacy vary in research literature, researchers agree that critical literacy is an active, challenging approach to literacy that encourages students to be aware of the way that texts are constructed and how such constructions position readers. Many lessons may teach students to decode and respond to what they are reading, but critical literacy theorists argue that these lessons often do not provide the cultural and political analysis of texts that is an important component of students' literacy development. Students who approach reading from a critical perspective learn to make connections between what is new and what is familiar as their school knowledge transforms into active knowledge.

Critical Literacy: A Collection of Articles From the Australian Literacy Educators' Association, a compilation of one new article and 11 previously published articles, offers diverse perspectives on critical literacy. The articles explain the principles of critical literacy from a theoretical perspective, illustrate the comparative changes between theories of literacy development, detail the practical classroom implementation of critical literacy principles, and highlight the changing role of the teacher in the process of students coming to understand the multiple meanings of texts and the power of language.

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The Keeper of Dreams is a juggler's novel: gods, men, kangaroos, tycoons, Japanese soldiers, and Martian robots (to name a few) tumble crazily through the story like a motley assortment of knives and beanbags. When Owen Bird, an amoral Australian billionaire, conspires to steal a tjurunga, or sacred stone, from an Aboriginal tribe, he sets in motion a timeless ritual of revenge. Unless the stone is recovered and the thief punished, the tribe's elders know that their people will die. They must summon the powers of a kudaitja,, or spirit-assassin, to avenge their people and bring Bird to justice. The chosen assassin is a man who knows both the ancient and modern worlds: Robert Erhard is a NASA scientist and a full-blooded Aborigine. His response to the call of the elders--first reluctant, then impassioned--leads him on a grim quest through the outback. He hunts not only the thief, but also his own memories, as his ritual burden moves him back to tribal and individual origins:

He felt himself shifting through a blazing membrane. On one surface he was Robert Erhard, scientist, designer and guide of robotic creatures bound for other planets. On the other, he was Tjilkamata, of the Spiny Anteater Dreaming, keeper of all his people's primal stories and songs. He drifted like a slow-moving whirlwind, churning from core to rim, feeling himself cross the membrane from one identity to the other and back. He felt emptiness at his center, and into its space, he sensed another presence, the avenging spirit of Wanampi striving to take possession of him.

Peter Shann Ford has produced a novel whose antipodean appeal largely outweighs several regrettable flaws. The lesser of these lapses is Ford's tendency to allow his authentic descriptions of Aboriginal tribal life to drift into sentimental paeans of praise, whose obvious earnestness does little to dispel the uneasy feeling that these powerful people are trapped in a saccharine made-for-TV movie. More significant, however, is the novel's problematic structure: Ford leaps across time and space, juxtaposing event and character to flesh out his characters' histories. His decision was inspired perhaps by the prismatic character of Aboriginal myth and mores, in which past and present infuse one another. Unfortunately, the jarring transitions slow the plot (which is, when allowed to unfold naturally, a real juggernaut) to a funereal pace.

Despite these hiccups, The Keeper of Dreams is that rare creature: an original, often gripping, thriller. That it dares to have a message as well as a story is to its author's everlasting credit. --Kelly Flynn

Book Description

Australia's ancient Aboriginal traditions and myths prove to be both powerful and real in The Keeper of Dreams, a deeply involving and evocative thriller in which contemporary greed confronts age-old taboos.

Deep in the central desert of the Australian Outback, a sacred stone that contains codes and carvings of an Aboriginal group's most powerful creation stories is stolen. If the stone is not recovered and the thieves not punished, Aboriginal elders know their people will die. And so, one by one, the three men who carried out the theft fall victim to an ancient justice, a ritual in which the victim is literally "sung" to death. The man who ordered the theft, however, remains outside the elders' power. To get to him, they must choose a ritual spirit-assassin -- a kudaitja.

Dr. Robert Erhard was raised in Australia by a white couple who adopted him when he was only a baby. He is a full-blooded Aborigine, one of Australia's Stolen Generations, now working in Houston, Texas, where he is a scientist and expert in interplanetary robotics. In the midst of his very "civilized" world, Robert is visited by an entity from his past who summons him home on a mission to avenge and save his people by recovering the stolen artifact. It is an ancient call that Robert has heard before, first when he was a child, and it signals a journey -- a spiritual and physical ordeal -- in which he must abandon everything he has become to honor his true identity, as Tjilkamata, his people's keeper of dreams, protector of all their secrets. It is his legacy and his fate to remain faithful to his people and their traditions, no matter how enticing or powerful the lure of his modern life.

The man behind the theft of the sacred artifact is Owen Bird, a ruthless and bullying multibillionaire industrialist who believes, because of his great wealth and power, that he is above the law. However, forces beyond his control begin to emerge when he is critically injured on an Outback buffalo hunt. Airlifted to a hospital emergency room, he has his first experience of the terrifying powers of the men who seek him and the stolen artifact.

As ancient lore propels Robert deeper into the heart of the vast Australian Outback in pursuit of his prey, Owen Bird summons his own assassin to protect himself.

The ensuing duel, matching the forces of ancient sorcery against modern technology and tactics, is both horrific and mesmerizing.

The Keeper of Dreams is based on genuine myths and legends indigenous to the Australian continent. Author Peter Shann Ford spent ten years researching Aboriginal history and lore, and authenticating stories with tribal elders, who subsequently approved this book.

Customer Reviews:

Sensational - combines best of Asimov and Tielhard de Chardin.......2005-10-05

This is a brilliant novel. It has a daring premise and vivid descriptions from secret rituals in the mysterious red desert of central Australia to the real science and dazzling technology of NASA's next great mission to Mars. This is an adventure that races from the bleeding edge of high technology to our most profound primal origins. The insights into Aboriginal tribal life and beliefs are stunning and the ending is a cliffhanging, nail-gnawing climax to a very thoughtful thriller. Stock up on rations and buckle in for a fabulous read.

Keeper of Dreams.......2004-12-02

This book is one of the worst i have read. Very confusing, the way it switches back to Owen then to Robert. Then when you start a new chapter, the book would add a new character, then after a few pages, it would finnaly tell you who this person is. Also, this book has very bad language, and should not be read by younger children. Also during the flashback, when the younger version of robert is in the train with Maureen, why did the author incorprate the peeing in the wind? Disgusting! NOT A PAGE TURNER

first time out, a masterpiece.......2001-09-06

The theft of a precious artifact results in a thrilling dual between the Australian Auborigines who owned it and the highroller who stole it to add to his collection. Beautiful descriptions bring the Australian outback and Ayers Rock dramatically to life. spellbinding! Based on authentic aboriginal belifs and practices. Read it. You won't be dissapointed

Stunning imagery, resonant characters, compelling storyline........2000-09-26

This tale simply draws one into the world of the Outback. I've read several fictional accounts of life among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, but this one is truly beautiful. I read it in an afternoon; I simply was entranced with the lush prose and depth of character portrayed. I look forward to the next novel from this author!

High praise and two thumbs up for "The Keeper of Dreams".......2000-09-14

This story is a real page turner, I couldn't put it down (very sticky binding). I really enjoyed Fords writing style, the way he developes his charecters and his attention to detail. I highly recomend this book to anyone who likes what I like.... (A good book)

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Annoying interjections
Bruce Chatwin wrote half a book...
Aboriginals in Australia
Best of the best
The Songlines

Songlines
Bruce Chatwin
Manufacturer: Random House UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0099769913

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The late Bruce Chatwin carved out a literary career as unique as any writer's in this century: his books included In Patagonia, a fabulist travel narrative, The Viceroy of Ouidah, a mock-historical tale of a Brazilian slave-trader in 19th century Africa, and The Songlines, his beautiful, elegiac, comic account of following the invisible pathways traced by the Australian aborigines. Chatwin was nothing if not erudite, and the vast, eclectic body of literature that underlies this tale of trekking across the outback gives it a resonance found in few other recent travel books. A poignancy, as well, since Chatwin's untimely death made The Songlines one of his last books.

Customer Reviews:

Annoying interjections.......2007-05-22

The first sentence sounded promising:"In Alice Springs - a grid of scorching streets where men in long white socks were forever getting in and out of Land Cruisers - I met a Russian who was mapping the sacred sites of the Aboriginals." And indeed what follows in the next thirty or so chapters is a very readable and insightful travelogue of a British (author? archaelogist? historian?) "going bush" with Arkady Volchok, trying to learn about the mythical Aboriginal songlines. Not understandably, then, the author throws in bits and pieces of the protagonist's notebooks, which all more or less anthropological citations and thoughts from very different sources. The concept reminded me a bit of the motif in "The English Patient", where Almasy carries a copy of Herodotus' The Histories with him, adding his own notes and observations. Fortunately, in Ondaatje's novel, this remains a motif which does not disrupt the plot itself. With "The Songlines", however, I found myself flicking impatiently through the interjection-pages in order to get back to the story.

Bruce Chatwin wrote half a book..........2007-04-17

The Songlines really captured my attention. Human ecology, cultural anthropology, human evolution, cultural imperialism, Songlines, Native Australians ("aborigines"), travels... this is a book with information about a people and a place. I enjoyed the flow and pace of the story, and I hope I learned the reality of Native Australian culture.

However, Bruce Chatwin chose to use this book to publish assorted observations, quotes, and reflections from other travels. For me (me), they affected the flow of his storytelling, my ability to focus on the theme - Australia, not nomads - and the ending. Perhaps this is a style thing, and I don't know if Chatwin applies this style in his other books.

Didn't work for me. I wanted a conclusion to his original story.

Aboriginals in Australia.......2007-03-13

In Alice Springs the narrator called Bruce meets Arkady Volchok, an Australian citizen who is mapping the sacred sites of the Aboriginals. Arkady is fascinated by them, by their grit and tenacity and their ways of dealing with white people. Arkady speaks a couple of their languages and he is often astounded by their intellectual vigour, their memory and their capacity to survive.
It was during his time as a schoolteacher in Walbiri that Arkadi learned of the labyrinth of invisible pathways which meander all over Australia and are known to Europeans as Songlines - a way for Aboriginals to sing out the name of everything that crosses their path during their wanderings: birds, animals, plants, rocks, waterholes and so sing the world in existence.
When a route is suggested for a new Alice to Darwin railway line, Arkady's job is to identify the traditional landowners, to drive them over their old hunting grounds and to get them to reveal which rock or soak or ghost-gum is the work of a Dreamtime hero. Bruce is happy to join Arkady and to spend some time "out bush".
The reader of this novel learns a lot about Australia and the Aboriginals. The plot and the characters however are a bit thin. One finds it hard to sympathise with the Aboriginal figures appearing in the story. What they have to say and the way they express themselves amounts to practically nothing. It seems as though they need the white people to tell their stories and traditions.

Best of the best.......2006-10-02

This is the kind of writing/reflecting many people do while travelling and is not a "how to" type of travel guide. I've recommended this book to several thoughtful people, given it to many thoughtful teens as they begin to self-discover, and re-read the book twice. VERY nice writing, good thoughts, great ideas about humans.

The Songlines.......2005-12-17

As i never wanted to go to Australia, i have to say that after reading this book i have not changed my mind, but it is not a point. It is not a book about traveling in Australia. It is more a book about walking, for example. As i like walking, i have found in this book so many great examples of what the walking is about, it is not just moving from one point on the Earth to another, it is also philosophy. And so on...this book is highly recommended for those who knows what the word "travel" means. In present time many people travel, but just a few ones deserve to be called "traveller". Bruce Chatwin is among them.

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Beautiful
Not always a fan but this book may be one of the finest collections
Antics in Angelus
Australian universality
A "Full-On" Writer

The Turning: New Stories
Tim Winton
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743276930

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-01-16

If you are looking for writing that takes your breath away and stories that make you look deeply into yourself and your life and the lives of others, then read this book. You will not be disappointed.

Not always a fan but this book may be one of the finest collections.......2006-03-30

Sometimes Mr Winton seems to be straining to be profound riddling his books with impressive literary devices - or maybe I'm too dumb to recognise great art. But with THE TURNING he seems completely at ease and as a consequence the stories ring with a truth - an emotional and spiritual truth firmly set in a believable landscape. The title story about Raelene's physical and spiritual journey, is in the patois of we Australians - a ripper! Mr Winton's great contribution to world literature may indeed be the way in which he is liberating the Australian language and bringing the voice and stories of our caravan dwellers, fishermen, and other inhabitants of small town Australia - working and otherwise - to the fore.
The Lockie Leonard trilogy and THE TURNING I expect have joined or will be joining our collective memories much as Blinky Bill, Ginger Meggs and Voss already have.

Antics in Angelus.......2006-01-23

There's a special appeal to the "linked" short story collection. Although the same names and places appear, each is new with the next story. The desperate men, the battered wives, the confused and bewildered children. They interact in their own ways, coming together and breaking apart over the years. In the hands of a master storyteller like Winton, each tale is a spark of reality. Every individual comes almost startlingly alive in but a few pages. As the sequence unfolds through the view of the protagonist, you gain fresh insights on circumstances. Absolute values have no place here, a lesson most of us would do well to remember.

The tales are set in a coastal town in Western Australia. Angelus is a fishing community - often under stress from unemployment, it is a contained locale. Children grow up as neighbours, move through school together, and interact in almost wildly varying ways as they mature. There are mysteries - why was a boy left broken and battered on a beach? Who was the girl found dead in a school loo and how did she die? Who escaped the almost desolate town and how bound do they remain to it in later years? These are common situations and questions in a small town, and the economic pressures add intensity to the expected conditions we all endured in adolescence. It is a credit to Winton's outstanding prose skills that beauty emerges within this forlorn community. A coastal location always provides a sense of expanded view lacking in inland towns. Yet here, as almost everywhere in Australia, the desert looms as an ever-present menace, poorly understood and a block to escape even mountains fail to match.

Vic Lang, the character around whom these stories weave, emerges first as a young child at a beach party. His life is complex. While in school, a girl with a facial birthmark fascinates him, but that's not the girl he marries. His attachments are intense and sometimes offbeat. He takes up with "Boner" McPharlin [the term comes from his job in an abattoir], the Huckleberry Finn of his time and place. Totally without ambition, Boner's presence gives Vic a basis for comparison with his own life. It's a shaky foundation to launch into adulthood. Vic symbolises the small-town outlook with his sense of being under constant scrutiny. In "The Long, Clear View", Vic reflects on his life and how the town imposed so much of itself on his later life.

North American readers often balk at the "culture shock" of Australian conditions and language. Winton's deft touch softens the shock to what might be deemed a "culture tickle". His character portrayals and the manner in which he deals with the passage of time among what become familiar people, guide the reader effortlessly through some unfamiliar terms and conditions. What does "shoot through" mean? It has nothing to do with weapons. It means "escape" or "desertion" depending on the protagonist's viewpoint. A "jacaranda" turns out to be a tree, ugly when not blooming, but a stunning array of colour in the proper season. If a blossom falls on while walking underneath, it is said to be a sign of good luck. Does that happen in Angelus?

Winton's realistic view of people and events is at odds with much of today's literature. His voice, while grim and sometimes even bleak, doesn't overwhelm the reader with despair. His people aren't crushed by events, they remain battlers even in the most seemingly desperate circumstances. You must, however, traverse the entire sequence to understand how they accomplish that feat. While each story stands entirely on its own, like a brick-built building, they must all be taken together to perceive the entire stunning edifice. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Australian universality.......2005-12-27

Tim Winton has created a Western Australia community, which remote as it is, portrays a commonality of human spirit instantly recognizeable. The scruffy town of Port Angelus, whose whale-processing history is laid out in his book THE SHALLOWS, is as original a concept as the communities of Faulkner or Louise Erdrich or T. R. Pearson, and with each book, Winton continues to expand the community of Port Angelus while limning out the human condition. The people in these stories could live anywhere, but are still ineffably Australian. In this latest book, each story is complete within itself yet linked to one another. Each story could be a springboard for an entire novel of its own. And each story makes you care about its characters and wish you could know what happens long after you've closed the book.

A "Full-On" Writer.......2005-12-20

In Tim Winton's latest gift to the reading public-- and what a gift it is-- he includes 17 stories, at least half of which are printed here for the first time. There are similarities in many of them. They are often set in the same place, and some of the characters reappear in different stories. They are often poor, eking out a living from fishing. They seldom leave the little towns they grew up in-- unless they are a father-- and sometimes a mother-- who simply one day walks out, never to return. They are often driven to drink and sometimes fundamentalist religion and may be overwhelmed by what Rick Bragg would call the train wreck in their lives. Some suffer from "closed-down resignation." One mother says that "they all leave you in the end." Their fragile, damaged lives, however, are often tempered by love. One character ("Commission") who has not seen his run-away father in 27 years and has every reason to feel differently, when he sees him again is "sick with love. . . at the very sight of him." Almost to a person, these characters work with the hand they have been dealt, often with little complaining.

Fictional characters usually grab us in one of two ways, assuming of course that they are real life flesh and blood to begin with, as Winton's always are. They are either exotic and not like anyone we have ever known-- anyone Tolstoy wrote about, for example, or, like Winton's, they remind us of many people we either now know or have known. Even though these characters inhabit Australia, about as far from the Southern United States as one can go, I recognized many of them. They could have stepped out of the novels of many Southern writers. Harry Crews, for example, in his memoirs published several years ago, remarked that it was not unusual for people he knew as a child growing up in South Georgia to have a missing finger. My paternal grandfather as a young man lost a finger from a horse bite. Much is made in one of Winton's stories of a young woman's missing finger ("Abbreviation"). Another girl has a huge facial birthmark. Others are imperfect in other ways.

While all theses stories are exceptional, the best story by far-- and one of the best I have read in a very long time-- is "Small Mercies." This scalding story is so powerful and the characters so haunting that you will not be able to read another one right away. How Mr. Winton can pack so much sorrow, raw pain and passion into about 30 pages is beyond me, but he does it. The first line, "Peter Dyson came home one day to find his wife dead in the garage" sets the tone for this intense story; and the writer does not let up. Dyson, unlike many of these characters who cannot wait to get out of the restrictive towns they grew up in, takes his six-year-old son Ricky and goes back to the house where he was raised in an attempt to put the pieces of his shattered life back together. He runs into Marjorie and Don Keenan, whom he describes as "full-on people," and ultimately their daughter Faye with whom he had-- at least according to him-- a very unhealthy sexual relationship throughout high school. Faye is also recently back in town, just free from drugs but teetering on a relapse. She would like to see her daughter more (who now lives with the grandparents) and would like to become friends again with Peter and rekindle whatever they had going in the past. She is both sad and manipulative-- and as human as your Aunt Edith. It does not seem fair to the rest of us mortals that anyone could write a short story this fine. But as President Jimmy Carter said-- and these characters to a person would agree-- life is not fair.

For the strong-hearted, these stories are not to be missed.

Following the Equator and Anti-imperialist Essays (1897,1901,1905) (Oxford Mark Twain)

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Following the Equator and Anti-imperialist Essays (1897,1901,1905) (Oxford Mark Twain)
Mark Twain , and Fred Kaplan
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Dover Thrift Editions)

ASIN: 0195101510

Book Description

In 1895, bankrupted by his investments in the doomed Paige typesetter and by the collapse of his publishing house, sixty-year-old Mark Twain was forced to embark on a world lecture tour to raise money to pay his growing debts. Following the Equator, Twain's final travel book, was the result.
His readers circumnavigate the globe with one of the world's most entertaining travel companions--to Honolulu and the Fiji Islands, Sydney and Melbourne, Tasmania, Ceylon, Bombay, Calcutta, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Twain blends whimsical anecdote, sharp-eyed commentary, and serious social
critique, assailing the contempt of whites for native traditions, and noting the striking similarity between slavery and the colonial experience. In "To the Person Sitting in Darkness" and "King Leopold's Soliloquy," also included in this volume, Twain strips the imperialist powers naked and bears
eloquent witness to the unspeakable crimes they perpetrate in the name of what he calls the "Blessings-of-Civilization Trust."

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