Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait : Letters Revealing His Life As a Painter
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Van Gogh, a man worth getting to know.
  • An excellent selection of letters
Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait : Letters Revealing His Life As a Painter
Vincent Van Gogh , and W. H. Auden
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Van Gogh, VincentVan Gogh, Vincent | ( V-Z ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Artists, Architects & PhotographersArtists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:
  1. The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (Penguin Classics) The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 1569248621

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Van Gogh, a man worth getting to know........2006-12-19

In his early years as an artist, Vincent Van Gogh vividly related his concept of art to his brother Theo in two separate letters from July of 1882, numbered 218 and 221. In this book of Vincent's letters, translated by W.H. Auden, these letters can be more carefully read than if I were to paraphrase or quote bits and pieces here. His letters are a portal into the mind of a great artist and a misunderstood man. While there are more complete books of Van Goghs writings available, this collection gets to the core of Vincent as a man and as an artist.
Vincent was not some wacko who cut off part of his ear and shot himself from insanity, he was rather, a deeply caring man, a genius who observed life so far over the heads of the so-called art experts that they could not see his vision. I did not become a lover of Vincent's art work until after I had read this book of his letters and was able to see more clearly what he was conveying on canvas. I have admired Auden as a poet for many years and this translation of his is far more readable than other translations I have read since. For anyone who has ever admired Van Gogh's paintings, this book is a must read, but for anyone who has seen them and not appreceiated his perception of the world, read this book and you will change your mind and your heart as well. You might even come to understand and love this great man's artwork. JJ

5 out of 5 stars An excellent selection of letters.......2006-10-20

The British poet WH Auden has compiled a wonderful selection from Van Gogh's letters. Auden makes his selection..."What," I asked myself, "is the single most important fact about Von Gogh?" To that there seemed only one answer - "That he painted pictures". Hence the selection focuses on those letters which contain his reflections on the art of painting and the problems of being a painter. Other letters, eg to his father and brother, are included as they throw light upon Van Gogh's career as a painter. Also included are descriptions of VG by his acquaintances, 40 illustrations and a brief biography by his nephew. Of interest to artists as well as admirers of Van Gogh's works.
VAN GOGH  A SELF-PORTRAIT:  Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter, Selected By W. H. Auden
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    VAN GOGH A SELF-PORTRAIT: Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter, Selected By W. H. Auden
    Vincent; Auden, W. H. (foreword, Selection of letters) Van Gogh
    Manufacturer: New York Graphic Society
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000MKH164
    Van Gogh a Self-portrait Letters Revealing His Life As a Painter
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      Van Gogh a Self-portrait Letters Revealing His Life As a Painter

      Manufacturer: New York Graphic Society
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000EA061E

      Product Description

      mounted color plates
      Van Gogh, a Self Portrait, Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Van Gogh, a Self Portrait, Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
        W H Auden
        Manufacturer: E.P. Dutton
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000Q6M0VA
        VAN GOGH, A SELF-PORTRAIT,  LETTERS REVEALING HIS LIFE AS A PAINTER,
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          VAN GOGH, A SELF-PORTRAIT, LETTERS REVEALING HIS LIFE AS A PAINTER,
          W. H. Auden
          Manufacturer: NYGS
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000OUO02K
          Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait, Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter selected By W. H. Auden
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            Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait, Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter selected By W. H. Auden
            W. H. (editor) Auden
            Manufacturer: New York Graphic Society
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000MBJL7K
            Van Gogh: a Self-Portrait. Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
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              Van Gogh: a Self-Portrait. Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
              w auden
              Manufacturer: E. P. Dutton,
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000FMC5I8
              Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait:  Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Van Gogh: A Self-Portrait: Letters Revealing His Life as a Painter
                Vincent van Gogh
                Manufacturer: New York Graphic Society
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

                GeneralGeneral | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: B0007DN9AI
                VAN GOGH A SELF-PORTRAIT
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                  VAN GOGH A SELF-PORTRAIT
                  W.H. AUDEN
                  Manufacturer: N.V. DRUKKERIJ, HOLLAND
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover
                  ASIN: B000XB3L4S
                  VAN GOGH: A SELF PORTRAIT, LETTERS REVEALING HIS LIFE AS A PAINTER
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                    VAN GOGH: A SELF PORTRAIT, LETTERS REVEALING HIS LIFE AS A PAINTER
                    Vincent (selected by W H Auden) Van Gogh
                    Manufacturer: Paragon House
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback
                    ASIN: B000VGDAQE

                    Lost Boy No More: A True Story Of Survival And Salvation
                    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                    • Lost book
                    • A story of hope
                    • An Emotional Read
                    • The Real Thing
                    • What an eye-opening book!
                    Lost Boy No More: A True Story Of Survival And Salvation
                    Abraham Nhial , and DiAnn Mills
                    Manufacturer: B&H Publishing Group
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    2. The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience
                    3. The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan" The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan"
                    4. Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books) Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books)
                    5. POV: Lost Boys of Sudan POV: Lost Boys of Sudan

                    ASIN: 0805431861

                    Book Description

                    Lost Boy No More tells the incredible true story of Abraham Nhial—but the story is not his alone.

                    As a nine year-old child, Abraham found himself orphaned as civil war in his homeland of Sudan ravaged his entire village because they refused to embrace Islam. His journey is one of a perilous walk along with 35,000 lost boys of Sudan who fled to Ethiopia. Abraham and others like him made it to the border but hard times were not over as he endured the refugee camps of Ethiopia. Abraham becomes a lost boy no more when he discovers real salvation through Jesus Christ. Lost Boy No More gives more than a narrative of Abraham's story. It also gives a history of Sudan and the persecution of Christians by Islamic militants.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    1 out of 5 stars Lost book.......2005-07-19

                    I couldn't read this book. I skimmed it, but I couldn't read it. It was disjointed and disappointing. I don't think it adequately portrayed the situation. Also, I don't mind reading religious material, but I like to know it's religious material before I buy it.

                    4 out of 5 stars A story of hope.......2005-02-05

                    So begins the story of the Lost Boys, children, some much younger than Abraham, who fled from the horror of those who butchered their families into the desert. They fled without adequate food, water and clothes. They fled, pursued by soldiers who found pleasure in torture. Yet, despite the hardships, many not only survive, but found their faith sustained them.

                    Read entire review at AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS http://come.to/bookreviews

                    5 out of 5 stars An Emotional Read.......2005-02-02

                    Lost Boy No More will touch your heart and set your soul on fire! I cried as I read this emotional journey and the tribulations these boys went through. My heart cried out to them. Powerful and insightful, this is a must-read. For more of my reviews, visit my website at www.robinmillerbooks.com

                    5 out of 5 stars The Real Thing.......2005-02-02

                    It is one thing to read about the atrocities in the Sudan in the daily newspaper. It is quite another to hear first-hand the stories of real people who witnessed and experienced unspeakable crimes against humanity. I was shaken to the core by this book. It is one that everyone should read, especially those of us who will never travel to the Sudan in person. It challenges us to pray, to write to our government for assistance for these people, and to give from our own wealth to help in whatever way is possible.

                    5 out of 5 stars What an eye-opening book!.......2005-01-18

                    This book draws attention to unimaginable atrocities in Sudan. Thirty-five thousand boys, caught in the crossfire of a religious and civil war, are stripped of their families, homes, and food sources. These orphaned boys join together to trek across Africa to refugee camps, and thousands die during their journey. However, by relying on each other and God, many boys rise above the violence they have witnessed. They vow to get an education and somehow make a difference in their native land.

                    This is a book that everyone should read. The Sudanese genocide represents an era in recent world history that the media has overlooked and under-reported. Kudos to DiAnn Mills for bringing these boys' true stories to life. This book will make your heart go out to the "lost boys" while you realize how much we take our religious freedom for granted.

                    Melissa Lowe Richardson
                    www.BlueDoveMinistries.com
                    The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, a Search for Salvation
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, a Search for Salvation
                      Shafique N. Virani
                      Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover

                      MedievalMedieval | World | History | Subjects | Books
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                      Shi'ismShi'ism | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                      ASIN: 0195311736

                      Book Description

                      "None of that people should be spared, not even the babe in its cradle." With these chilling words, the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan declared his intention to destroy the Ismailis, one of the most intellectually and politically significant Muslim communities of medieval Islamdom. The massacres that followed convinced observers that this powerful voice of Shi'i Islam had been forever silenced. Little was heard of these people for centuries, until their recent and dramatic emergence from obscurity. Today they exist as a dynamic and thriving community established in over twenty-five countries. Yet the interval between what appeared to have been their total annihilation, and their modern, seemingly phoenix-like renaissance, has remained shrouded in mystery. Drawing on an astonishing array of sources gathered from many countries around the globe, The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation is a richly nuanced and compelling study of the murkiest portion of this era. In probing the period from the dark days when the Ismaili fortresses in Iran fell before the marauding Mongol hordes, to the emergence at Anjudan of the Ismaili Imams who provided a spiritual centre to a scattered community, this work explores the motivations, passions and presumptions of historical actors. With penetrating insight, Shafique N. Virani examines the rich esoteric thought that animated the Ismailis and enabled them to persevere. A work of remarkable erudition, this landmark book is essential reading for scholars of Islamic history and spirituality, Shi'ism and Iran. Both specialists and informed lay readers will take pleasure not only in its scholarly perception, but in its lively anecdotes, quotations of delightful poetry, and gripping narrative style. This is an extraordinary book of historical beauty and spiritual vision.
                      Sea Venture: Shipwreck, Survival, and the Salvation of the First English Colony in the New World
                      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                      • Can't Knock It
                      • Colorful Look at the Trials and Tribulations of Founding Jamestown and Bermuda
                      • Amazing Book
                      • a great read
                      Sea Venture: Shipwreck, Survival, and the Salvation of the First English Colony in the New World
                      Kieran Doherty
                      Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover

                      GeneralGeneral | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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                      ASIN: 0312354533
                      Release Date: 2007-05-15

                      Book Description

                      In one of the most triumphant high sea stories ever told, Kieran Doherty brings to life the true story of the ship that rescued the Jamestown settlement in 1610 and ensured England's place in the New World. When the Sea Venture left England in 1609, it was flagship in a fleet of nine bound for Jamestown with roughly 600 settlers and badly needed supplies aboard. But after four weeks at sea, as the voyage neared its end, a hurricane devastated the fleet, leaving the Sea Venture shipwrecked on the island of Bermuda. It took Sea Venture’s passengers nearly a year and half to reach their destination. Awaiting them was not a thriving colony, but instead the remaining fifty colonists—beleaguered, desperate and hungry. But, the question remains, would the English have lost their place in the New World if the ship never arrived? A story of strife and triumph, but above all, endurance, Sea Venture begins and ends in hope and remains one of the greatest “What Ifs?” in history. With a bravado reminiscent of Patrick O’Brien’s legendary sea sagas, Doherty braves the elements, delivering a powerful history willed by a people destined to change the New World forever.

                      Customer Reviews:

                      5 out of 5 stars Can't Knock It.......2007-10-02

                      Kieran Doherty writes the most detailed history of Virginia from 1609 to 1622 that I have ever read. I also own "American Slavery, American Freedom" and "Love and Hate in Jamestown," but this one contains all the crucial facts found in those two books and more for its selected time frame. For example, I had never read before that Pocahontas was married before John Rolfe (it appears the marriage failed or her first husband, a Powhatan warrior, was killed in battle with the English; no one knows for certain). The overall argument is similar to that of other recent histories of early Virginia -- the Virginia Company, desperate to turn a profit, was responsible for sending too many people too fast into Virginia to ensure the survival of more than a fifth of them; and Wahunsonacock, also known as Powhatan, missed his chance to annihilate the colony in 1610 just before the passengers of the ship for which the book is named, finally arrived in Virginia.

                      On top of this, you get to read about the quasi-accidental founding of Bermuda as an English colony, and details about people who were instrumental in the founding of Virginia, such as the Earl of Southampton, who was almost beheaded for treason in 1601 after his friend the Earl of Essex commissioned a performance of "Richard II" as a signal to revolt against Queen Elizabeth! I join my fellow customer reviewers in giving this book five stars.

                      5 out of 5 stars Colorful Look at the Trials and Tribulations of Founding Jamestown and Bermuda.......2007-07-19

                      When Jamestown was established 400 years ago, the original English colonists made several mistakes: locating in a swampy area that bred more disease than crops, bringing people who were unsuited for farming, planning to live off the land without farming or hunting or fishing, and expecting that they would soon find fortunes in gold. Those mistakes were compounded when the false assumptions behind them continued to be believed in England.

                      Sea Venture is a book that picks up the story of Jamestown after the settlement had all but failed, as a relief fleet heads its way to bring more supplies and settlers. One of the unexpected events is that Sea Venture, the leader of the fleet, is lost on a Bermuda reef from which the colonists escape by building their own boats. In the process, they correctly learn that Bermuda was an easier place to plant a new colony than Jamestown. The story branches off to describe the development of English Bermuda as well.

                      In Virginia, Mr. Doherty does a fine job of capturing the perspectives of various people, including the Native Americans. Although the historical record is bare in many details, he makes reasonable speculations about the details of various events and what the participants might have thought and done.

                      I don't remember a more candid book about the foolishness and savagery of the English, or one that attempts to describe the Native American thinking and actions in such detail. As a result, it's a more balanced portrayal that probably comes reasonably close to presenting what happened.

                      I particularly liked the way that Mr. Doherty weaves threads together, like exploring the possible effect that the story of Sea Venture's loss may have had on Shakespeare's writing of The Tempest. The initial connection between Captain John Smith and Pocahontas is carried forward into the eventual marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas . . . and the eventual basis of the colony in tobacco exports developed by Rolfe that were eventually facilitated by slaves who accidentally came to those shores. From such small beginnings, mighty consequences followed that continue to affect us today. It's a marvelous example of the value of studying history.

                      Those who want a more socially oriented version of the Jamestown history may be a bit disappointed. This book is primarily based on traditional historical writing . . . featuring big events, key figures, and conflicts.

                      But it's fun and very relevant as the 400th anniversary of these events looms in the next few years.

                      5 out of 5 stars Amazing Book.......2007-07-13

                      AWESOME BOOK!!!!

                      Sorry for the short review. One of the top 3 books I have ever read.

                      5 out of 5 stars a great read.......2007-05-20

                      one of the best histories I've read. Fast paced. Dramatic. Full of fascinating details. If you like adventures of any sort, read this book. If you like sea adventures, run to buy it.
                      Survival kit for youth: A practical guide to spiritual growth
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        Survival kit for youth: A practical guide to spiritual growth
                        Ralph W Neighbour
                        Manufacturer: Convention Press
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Unknown Binding
                        ASIN: B0006QHCXG
                        Survival kit for new Christians: A practical guide to spiritual growth
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Survival kit for new Christians: A practical guide to spiritual growth
                          Ralph Webster Neighbour
                          Manufacturer: Convention Press
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Unknown Binding

                          GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                          ASIN: B00071700U
                          How to study your Bible (Survival kit 2)
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                            How to study your Bible (Survival kit 2)
                            Thomas D Lea
                            Manufacturer: Convention Press
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Unknown Binding

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                            ASIN: B00071VPKQ
                            Only "Road Map" for Israel's Salvation, The: How Israel's Self-Complacence in the Aftermath of the Six Day War Is Bound to Risk Her Future Survival
                            Average customer rating: Not rated
                              Only "Road Map" for Israel's Salvation, The: How Israel's Self-Complacence in the Aftermath of the Six Day War Is Bound to Risk Her Future Survival
                              Arnon Rieger
                              Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Paperback

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                              ASIN: 141341883X
                              Coastliners (Unabridged)
                              Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
                              • Images, feelings, and relationships in sure hands
                              • A Good Beach Read
                              • genuine souls.......................
                              • Couldn't finish this one
                              • Sands of change.
                              Coastliners (Unabridged)
                              Joanne Harris
                              Manufacturer: audible.com
                              ProductGroup: Book
                              Binding: Audio Download
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                              ASIN: B000B9NDLI

                              Amazon.com

                              After three novels which centered around gastronomic pleasures, Joanne Harris's Coastliners focuses on more astringent joys. Sea, gritty sand, and adverse weather conditions replace Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, and Five Quarters of the Orange. Set on a small, blustery fishing island off the coast of France, it tells the story of Mado, a young woman who returns to her childhood home to find the local community torn apart by family feuds, bad tides, and murky political machinations.

                              Passionate, stubborn Mado, whose "head is full of rocks," tries to save the livelihoods of the villagers of Les Salants by urging them to work together to save the beach from erosion, both natural and man-made. The villagers, written with endearing panache by Harris, are an eccentric, curmudgeonly bunch, who eventually cooperate with the help of Flynn, a charismatic stranger with a shady past. He's not the only man of mystery in Mado's life; her father, taciturn Grosjean, has a secretive heart that's as "prickly and tightly layered as an artichoke," and local, wealthy businessman Brismand also seems to be hiding something. Mado does her best to unravel these mysteries, while attempting to keep a hold on her own sense of self in the claustrophobic, close community. It's not only the shore line that takes a buffeting. The villagers and the island are so vividly described that it's impossible not to become engrossed in Mado's story. Coastliners is a book about longing to belong, and Joanne Harris charts that emotional voyage compellingly. --Eithne Farry, Amazon.co.uk

                              Book Description

                              Joanne Harris writes fiction that engages every one of the senses: reviewers called Chocolat "delectable" and Five Quarters of the Orange "sweet and powerful." In her new novel, she takes readers to a tiny French island where you can almost taste the salt on your lips.

                              The island, called Le Devin, is shaped somewhat like a sleeping woman. At her head is the village of Les Salants, while the more prosperous village of La Houssinière lies at her feet. You could walk between the towns in an hour, but they could not feel further apart, for between them lie years of animosity.

                              The townspeople of Les Salants say that if you kiss the feet of their patron saint and spit three times, something you've lost will come back to you. And so Madeleine, who grew up on the island, returns after an absence of ten years spent in Paris. She is haunted by this place, and has never been able to feel at home anywhere else.

                              But when she arrives, she will find that her father -- who once built fishing boats that fueled the town's livelihood -- has become even more silent than ever, withdrawing almost completely into an interior world. And his decline seems reflected in the town itself, for when the only beach in Les Salants washed away, all tourism drifted back to La Houssinière.

                              Madeleine herself has been adrift for a long time, yet almost against her will she soon finds herself united with the village's other lost souls is a struggle for survival and salvation.

                              Download Description

                              "Joanne Harris writes fiction that engages every one of the senses: reviewers called Chocolat "delectable" and Five Quarters of the Orange "sweet and powerful." In her new novel, she takes readers to a tiny French island where you can almost taste the salt on your lips. The island, called Le Devin, is shaped somewhat like a sleeping woman. At her head is the village of Les Salants, while the more prosperous village of La Houssinière lies at her feet. You could walk between the towns in an hour, but they could not feel farther apart, for between them lie years of animosity. The townspeople of Les Salants say that if you kiss the feet of their patron saint and spit three times, something you've lost will come back to you. And so Madeleine, who grew up on the island, returns after an absence of ten years spent in Paris. She is haunted by this place, and has never been able to feel at home anywhere else. But when she arrives, she will find that her father - who once built fishing boats that fueled the town's livelihood - has become even more silent than ever, withdrawing almost completely into an interior world. And his decline seems reflected in the town itself, for when the only beach in Les Salants washed away, all tourism drifted back to La Houssinière. Madeleine herself has been adrift for a long time, yet almost against her will she soon finds herself united with the village's other lost souls in a struggle for survival and salvation. Joanne Harris is the author of Five Quarters of the Orange, Blackberry Wine, and Chocolat, which was nominated for the Whitbread Award. Half French and half British, Harris lives in England.

                              Customer Reviews:

                              4 out of 5 stars Images, feelings, and relationships in sure hands.......2007-06-21

                              This work by the author of Chocolat, which I thoroughly enjoyed and was my impetus for picking up this book, brings several similar themes here. Among them are life in a small town, family relations, and the role of a good bright woman who is an outsider (in this story, a local who is returning after time in the big city and so has lost much of her insider status). After having lived in Paris with her now deceased mother, Mado returns to the French island of her birth, small enough to harbor two communities that are fierce rivals. The human focus is largely Mado's relationships with her family and the neighbors as well as the business leader of the rival community, Brismand, who owns its hotel. Also deeply involved is another outsider, Flynn, who is light-hearted and extremely mysterious. When Mado's community, Les Salants, is threatened by developments in rival La Houssiniere, Flynn leads them in response. Sort of. The citizens of Les Salants rally, but Flynn's role becomes murky. The relations of the people are foremost here, and nature, personal histories, community rivalry, and religion (superstition?) play roles also in how the characters relate. Harris' writing is vivid in both the images and feelings she elicits, seemingly effortlessly. Mado is a rich and deep character, complex, real, and enjoyable. The events ring lifelike and make for a very pleasurable read in Harris' gentle and capable hand. Read it. You'll be glad you did.

                              3 out of 5 stars A Good Beach Read.......2007-05-30

                              The smell of sea and rotting fish, eroded beaches void of life, decaying sea cabins covered with moss, crabby neighbors, a distant father, and a mysterious, uncertain lover- defiantly not your perfect vision of a homecoming welcome. Yet this is what the main character in Joanne Harris' novel "Coastliners" receives when she returns to her childhood village of Les Salants on the island of Le Devin; and ironically, this is all she needs. Madeleine (Mado) Prasteau is a passionate, stubborn, artistic, and driven woman. She is determined to revive the small village which is being torn apart by ancient family feuds and a growing problem of beach erosion. However, the situation in Le Salants is only the secondary part of her worries; Mado's father GrosJean Prasteau is a distant, withdrawn, and embittered man. Driven into seclusion when Mado and her mother leave the island for Paris ten years ago, GrosJean has fallen into a mental decay with the years- much like the physical decay of the island he lives on. Resolved to help both her father and the quarrelsome community, Mado finds help in the charming, handsome, and mysterious character of an Englishman named Flynn. Together they bring a new sense of camaraderie to the villagers and to Mado's detached family. But when a Flynn's murky past comes into full view his identity might shatter his relationship with Mado and the very existence of Les Salants.

                              Though this novel is not as strong as her best selling "Chocolat", Joanne Harris' "Coastliners" still contains a good plot and determined characters that face some type of adversity. Filled with exceptional images of the sea and details of life on a small fishing island, "Coastliners" will definitely have a different, edgy, and more robust feel than the rest of Harris' novels. It's mysterious and often cryptic characters will catch your attention immediately and keep you reading, hoping to find the secrets they house within themselves. "Coastliners" is a good novel for a light-summer-beach-read (you could probably finish it in two days), but do not expect to find the literary richness found in "Chocolat".

                              These are the only two setbacks I found in the novel...
                              First I was a little disheartened to find no cooking aspect in this novel. I really enjoy Harris' creativity with recipes in her other novels and I think they are a great and defining characteristic of her literary style. I found in "Coastliners" that Harris was more concerned with imagery of the sea and sea life than the many delicious recipes that contain sea creatures.
                              My second complain about the novel is that it tended to ramble on in certain sections, leaving me slightly disinterested. Harris' use of multiple characters and situations was excellent because it gave the story a true-to-life feel. But it takes time and space to develop each character to fruition, and many times you have to sacrifice something to do this aspect justice. This resulted in the novel's tendency to drift off a bit and to loose track of its main plot and purpose. A great example of this is during the last 60 or so pages of the novel the drama of Flynn's identity and mysterious connection with Mado's father and the towns rival Brismand is made. At best this entire situation was solved within three very small, very complicated chapters. I think this would have been a great characteristic to develop withing these three characters throughout the novel, since during those few pages it was a very IMPORTANT part of the plot. Instead, it seemed as if Harris threw this in at the last moment as an after thought or was too busy developing everything else about the characters and forgot this important aspect.

                              Still this novel was a good read and I recommend it to any fan of Joanne Harris' writing who is willing to experience a different side of the author or to anyone who enjoys reading about life at sea.

                              3 out of 5 stars genuine souls..............................2006-05-24

                              In a story that is set on a small island, a young woman returns home after the death of her mother, to try to understand her father's life and come to terms with her own past and future.
                              The story takes place amidst a rivalry between the villages at opposite ends of the island. It seems that ultimately one village will thrive, but only at the expense of the other. This seems to be the case between Mado and her sister also.
                              The villagers are pitted against each other generation after generation in a manner that is mirrored by the characters, Mado's father and his brother, Mado and her sister, husbands and wives and even the religious become opponents to each other.
                              The descriptions of the coastline, the sea and the villages is so real and clear you can feel the salty breezes. The people are genuine souls that can move your heart.
                              As the truth about Mado's life is realized, she sees that there is an important reason that everything returns to it's beginnings and that lessons in life will be repeated until they are truly learned.



                              1 out of 5 stars Couldn't finish this one.......2005-11-21

                              It's rare that I don't finish a book. I realized after getting 1/3 of the way through it that I just couldn't get interested in the characters. Took it back to the library.
                              A friend of mine who also reads a lot had the same experience.
                              Harris' other books were much better.

                              5 out of 5 stars Sands of change........2005-06-03

                              COASTLINERS, by Joanne Harris.

                              Once again, Joanne Harris takes us to a small French community. This time, on Le Devin a small Breton Island. She introduces us to several inhabitants of this island, where life has remained constant for hundreds of years. Two memorable characters, are the Carmelite nuns, Soeur Therese and Soeur Extase. Their role in the story is a small one. Yet, as with so many of her characters, Joanne has the ability to make them memorable.


                              The central character, though, is Mado. She is a local girl. After a ten year absence and quite unprepared for the changes that have taken place (as well as the changes still taking place) she returns to this sea side village She quickly learns that Brismane, a local entrepreneur is buying up property all over the island. It is with a certain amount of trepidation that Mado realises that her own family home is one of these under threat.

                              For centuries this little island has been split into two factions. There is little love lost between the inhabitants of les Salants and on the other side of the island, la Houssiniere. It is this thread of the story that adds to the tension. In fact, COASTLINERS does have a slightly harder edge to it, than some of the previous Joanne Harris novels. And this, for me, added an extra element of enjoyment.

                              Mado is soon resolved to restore the dying community to which she has once again found herself becoming a part of. The theme of `everything eventually returns to Le Devin` is very relevant here. Before long she has become attracted to Flynn. He is a drifter who for some (at first) unknown reason has stayed on the island. She enlists his help to save her stricken community.

                              It is here, that the true element of the story begins to emerge. The tide has been diverted by a jetty built into the bay of Immortelles by the local people of la Houssiniere. Consequently all the fine sand has washed away from les Salants to be deposited onto the beach head of La Houssiniere. Because of this, La Houssiniere has now become an established and prospering sea side resort. While, on the other hand, La Salants is languishing. Until Mado hits on an ingenious plan, to alter this.

                              There are some lovely little sub plots to this seaside tale. One of them being the `miraculous` restoring of the statue of the local Sainte-Marine. Could the wily and attractive Flynn have had something to do with this? Or, as most of the inhabitants of Le Devine would like to imagine, is it really a miracle?

                              Apart from her crusade to save her part of the island, Mado also has to cope with Grossjean her emotionless and aged Father. How she would dearly love to claim his affection. However, with the arrival later on in the novel of her sister, Adriene, it would seem this is never going to happen.

                              So the story, like the sands of the island, undergoes several changes. Towards the end, it is left with certain threads of storyline needing to be completed. It is here, that I was happily and pleasingly surprised. Towards the ending of the story, Joanna provides one or two extra twists and turns. And as to the actual ending itself. I thought it was splendid. But to give anything else away, any clue or indication would be to spoil, a thoroughly entertaining and in places, exciting read. And that, I would not do!

                              Footnote. A thoughtful map of the island of Le Devin is provided in the front of the book.
                              Adventure of Jewish education;: Essays in survival and salvation
                              Average customer rating: Not rated
                                Adventure of Jewish education;: Essays in survival and salvation
                                Isaac Goss
                                Manufacturer: South African Board of Jewish Education
                                ProductGroup: Book
                                Binding: Unknown Binding

                                EducationEducation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | Adult & Continuing Education | Asia, Africa & Pacifica | Bilingual | Canada & Mexico | Children's Literature Guides | College & University | Counseling | Curricula | Education Theory | Elementary School | Europe & Eurasia | Funding | General | High School | Homeschooling | Instruction Method | Language Instruction | Lesson Planning | Literacy | Middle Schools | Multicultural | Parent Participation | Pedagogy | Policy | Preschool & Kindergarten | Reading | Reference | Religious Education | Secondary School | Special Education | Standards | Study Skills | Technology & Distance Learning | United States | Vocational
                                ASIN: B0006CJ01M
                                Survival guide: No. 1-
                                Average customer rating: Not rated
                                  Survival guide: No. 1-
                                  George Vandeman
                                  Manufacturer: Concerned Communications
                                  ProductGroup: Book
                                  Binding: Unknown Binding

                                  GeneralGeneral | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                                  ASIN: B000716XT4

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