5 comments about Intrusions.

1. I must admit that I bought this book on sale at a mark-down table. I had read Ursula's book,"Stones from the river" and enjoyed it and her style of writing. So when I happened upon this book I thought it would be a good filler. I didn't get to read for quite a while. I was a bit confused in the beginning but was soon found that I had found one of those treasures that you find every now and then. I have always said that a good writer can make you see what the character sees, hear what the character hears and feel all the emotion that the story brings. Ursula has taken it one step further. She brings the characters to life and winds her's around theirs. Even the thought of having a conversation with someone in the book while writing it is unheard of in any book I've read. In her "talks" with them she allows them to alter the story and even gives Megan, the title character a chance to write one of the chapters. The story doesn't lack because of this either. It is a great tale and very enjoyable reading. Originally written in 1981, it has been reprinted and should be enjoyed for years to come. This book would be a must if I were teaching a literary course.



2. This being my 5th Ursula Hegi book, I'm a bit biased. Ironically,it was the first I purchased.
   Having read one chapter of this book I realized I liked the author's thought process and went out and bought her earlier works. Then I read them first. Odd, but there it is.

   MANY VOICES:
   This is a most unusual book. Not so much in the sense that the author addresses the reader and discusses plot lines and possiblities but that she also chronicles the "intrusions" of her own life into the writing process. As a Mom of teenagers, I remember the days of being thankful to go to work to eat lunch in peace. This is why young moms eat alone when given the opporturnity... But, I digress. Needless to say it is very much as story about Moms with young children trying to remember who they were before the kids.

   YOU GET CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FROM ALL DIRECTIONS:
   Not only do you get character development for the characters by Ms. Hegi, the characters pitch in as well. It is an interesting dialogue when a character is arguing for his personality and winning. I found this unique book treatment and the lessons within it captivating. Anyone who has pondered their motivations and who they are can empathize with not only the characters in this book, but the author herself.

   IF THIS WERE A MOVIE:
   If this book were to be made into a movie, it would remind you of many of the situation dramas where multiple story lines intersect. However, this book has alternative story lines as well and even would-be pushy alternative writers!

   BRAVO ONCE AGAIN TO MS. HEGI:
   You have a convert. If you will write it, I will read it. Once again, she fills the pages with the information we all can relate to, wonder about and notice in the corner of our mind. A truly inspired book about an ordinary life.




3. Hegi's work is often praised for the depth and variety of her characters. With Intrusions she provides a window into the processes that produce those characterizations.

   The book revolves around an "unnamed" authors engagement in writing a new novel and how that process affects her life-as well as how living her life affects the development of her characters.

   Her book characters are as much a part of her family life as are her husband and children; she has frequent interactions with them-at the grocery, while making dinner, and so on. The ongoing "conversations" are the basis not only for the development of the characters but also for the development of the story itself.

   There has been some harsh criticism of this book based primarily, I suppose, on the somewhat mystical aspects of the interaction of the author and characters. Some fine this too surrealistic and some find it too contrived. One should remember, this is itself a work of fiction-not a memoir-and take it for what it is-literary device.

   I found the book insightful. My only disappointment is that Hegi has never written the story in question. Having gotten to know the characters so well, I feel somewhat deprived not knowing how their story actually turned out!

   If you ever even marginally contemplated the life of a writer, you'd enjoy this novel.




4. Ursala Hegi's Intrusions is about the thin membrane that separates an author's "real" life from the fictional universe she creates. Hegi herself appears as a character. All Hegi wants to do is finish writing a novel but her family keeps interrupting her writing sessions.
   
   The "I" in this book always refers to the character Ursala Hegi who is also writing the book. Hegi is not the main character of the novel - that is "Megan." However, Megan only exists as a character in the book Ursala Hegi (the character and the real person) is writing. Thus, what we have are two parallel texts: the story that Hegi is writing AND the story of how she is writing it. The technique she employs is to alternate chapters - some belong to the "real life" storyline and some belong to the Megan storyline. Pretty soon, her "made-up" characters are "intruding" on her life just as much as her real family intrudes on her fantasy.
   
   In Intrusions, people break character in order to challenge the author's authority. Nick says, "I know all about author's prerogative. What about author's responsibility?" As is common in metafiction, Hegi uses an overtly artificial device to get at underlying truths. By making Nick and Megan break character, she is able to take the reader into the artistic process of writing a novel and to demonstrate the way a fictional character really is alive. The real drama of this book is if Hegi will really be able to finish it at all. She fears that all great female authors had to choose a career over family. Can't she have both?
   
   Intrusions is a funny, smart, and insightful look at the writing process, especially from a woman's point of view.



5. I am a writer.
   
   I am a mother of two young boys.
   
   I am trying to be both in my life right now - and no one has ever captured what it means to try to marry these two things into a life as Ms. Hegi has in this book!! I have actually found myself highlighting passages (I never do that in a novel) and reading parts out loud to my husband as a way to help him understand what my life feels like at times.
   
   My children intrude on my writing time. My characters intrude on my family (and sleeping!) time. I can get so turned around over the course of a day that I dont know what I am doing or what still needs to be done. Ms. Hegi has given me an opportunity to look at the craziness of my life with beauty and wonder.
   
   Now if only I could remember where I left my brain....

5 comments about Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me.

1. Oh me, bookworm me, was at Barnes and Nobles one day looking for a good dark fantasy novel and some good manga when I saw this on the table of new books that had arrived to the store. I saw a stack of this book on the table among other neatly piled new books, thinking, "Paris Hilton's diary! I'd like to read it, and see what she writes about in her diary."
   Well, to my disappointment, dear readers, and maybe even yours, this is NOT HER DIARY!!! Instead, this is a diary targeted for young and maybe even teenage girls to write in. I was filled with more and more disgust as I flipped through the pages. Oh my freakin goth, pink pages with Paris's "advice and tips" on writing, her stupid ideas on what to write about, photos that show her being oh-so-full of her ridiculously shallow self, and HIGHLY immature quotes that say things like, "People who don't like pink just aren't very colorful," or, "Why wear black when you can wear pink?" or "You can be a heiress!" What the heck...I really look down on this girl. She thinks EVERYTHING in her shallow life that the stupid Gossip Girls novels are modeled after is an accomplishment! First, she's born into a very wealthy family (well, I suppose it's nice to be wealthy, but just not too wealthy), but I guess I can't blame her for that, because she never chose that life. Then she's an actress. A model. A porn star. A singer. NOW SHE'S A WRITER???????????????? OMIGAWD, the only reason why she ever became a published author is because she's a celebrity, and when agents and publishers get submissions from a celebrity, they would be incredibly stupid to turn down the offer, and they think, "Hey, this is a manuscript sent in by a celeb! I can make BIG bucks off of this!" whereas, there are TRUE writers out there who are struggling their hearts out to get published, but they can't get accepted, because they're new to the world of publishing, and agents and publishers think they won't be much of a success, AND IT MAKES ME SO MAD TO SEE PARIS HILTON AS AN AUTHOR!!!!! AND A BEST-SELLING ONE TOO!!! Now she just HAS to make this stupid diary so that she can manipulate the minds of girls to be these shallow, mindless, material-obsessed girls like her! I suppose she can give some good advice, like being happy, and pretending to wear an imaginary tiara on your head to give you confidence, but that's it. Yes, I do write (I've filled approximately 25 diaries and notebooks since the age of 9, and my 14th birthday is in a couple of months), but you would never catch me writing in this stupid trashy journal Paris Hilton published unless if you paid me. I prefer BLANK journals, ones that don't give you any distraction, like this one would. What a waste of paper. Paris Hilton needs to quit being a writer wannabe and save the occupation of an author for the TRUE writers with depth in their souls out there.



2. i think that the book is very cute had alot of pics of paris i gave this as a present to my friend and bascailly it's a questinare book about yourself great as a present.



3. This diary is so fun! It's awsome for someone who dreams of fame and fortune. It allows us to feel rich and famous, if only for a moment. Writing in this diary is so fun! It also cool that you have little questions on each page. If you love Paris Hilton, you WILL love this diary!!



4. This as stated is more of a journal than a book, hence the title "YOUR heiress diary" It is fine for young girls and doesn't contribute to their delinquency as so many would have you believe. Teenage girls write in their diaries about boys, clothes and less meaningful aspects of life, it doesn't make this book bad nor does it make Paris vapid and useless. There are several pages devoted to careers, role models, family and inspirational quotes. My niece loved it!



5. It's bucking the trend of beauty minded America. It proves that looks don't matter... just money and connections.

No comments about Tomart's Price Guide to Saalfield and Merrill Paper Dolls (Tomart's Price Guides).

1 comments about Simple & Stylish Patterns for 18-Inch Dolls' Clothing (Creative Crafters).

1. These seem to be for the American Girls dolls for the 1950's and 1960's...not so much for "modern" clothes.

5 comments about Dr. Bob Arnot's Guide to Turning Back the Clock.

1. Very informative book. It contains a lot of useful information. I became bored with many parts of the book especially when Dr. Arnot went into long discussions on topics like which sports equipment to purchase. Overall the book contained very practical information. I found the diet information extremely useful, but a little hard to actually implement. For a short time after reading the book, I actually did follow Dr. Arnot's eating advice and felt better than I have in a long time.



2. great book, very informative, talks about not only diet, but also the importance of exercise and mixing it up. Not just cardio but muscle building/strengthening as well. No BS in his book, everything makes sense. Oh yeah, Arnie recommends it.



3. Dr. Bob's "Guide to Turning Back the Clock" is 100 percent accurate and a good motivational tool for both men and women. I had no idea that enriched flour ... is so bad for your body. He has some very good ideas on how to eat and "fuel" your body. I especially liked the sections on roller blading and cross country skiing. This is the "one" diet/fitness book to have at your side. Cousin Arnold is right: "Be the best you've ever been. Now is the time and this is the book!"



4. Sensible and practical. No quick fixes, but collects a bunch of good tips into one place.



5. I lost 20 lbs after reading Arnots books. He offers safe and effective advice for folks who want to live longer and healthier lives.

1 comments about Ornamental Indian Artifacts: Identification And Value Guide.

1. As with all of Lar Hothem's books they are very informative with many color pictures for reference. This is a good reference book to have, but I would get the others to be well rounded in references. Not much thought by me on his prices. The market changes but the prices listed are good, but remember this book is over a year old so prices may have changed on some items. As with anything though really it is only worth as much as you are willing to buy or sell it for.

5 comments about Word of Honor.

1. The writer is very skillful in putting together his books. He follows a formula of writing about those thing with which he has some familiarity while always including the attractive or alluring female as part of the storyline. In this book, there is a strong story that does not need anu diversions. Benjamin Tyson was an officer for the military when he served our country in Vietnam. A recently published book about the war speaks about atrocities that were inflicted upon the Vietnamese by the Platoon under his direct command. The military does a full investigation and our protagonist finds himself being recalled to duty and facing a Court Martial.
   
   The characters in this novel lack depth and many ancillary peopl seem to drop in and out with a feeling that they are more like stick figures rather than living breathing people. The book is far too long and the story wanders along in a somewhat aimless manner until the Trial begins. Even here the story is not able to build the suspence that is expected and the entire segment is plodding and rather predictable. This is a good read, although it is not felt to be one of the witers better works.



2. If there is a better book I want to know about it. This is extremely well written from cover to cover. I have read several of his books and ejoyed them, but this is by far the best. It has made me an avid fan of his books.



3. The more I read of Nelson DeMille, the more impressed I become. This man is probably one of the most talented genre writers around, and he knows how to tell a great story.
   
   WORD OF HONOR is one of his earlier works, a serious novel about a Vietnam veteran who must face a trial over the actions of his platoon, which took place twenty years before. Under his command, the platoon allegedly murdered a large number of civilians in a hospital, in an incident similar to the My Lai massacre. The real mystery of the novel is what truly happened all those years before, and whether the protagonist's actions were in any way understandable or forgivable.
   
   This novel is very well done, but is quite long, and DeMille focuses far more time on the protagonist's private life than I would have preferred. There are also many conversations and situations in WORD OF HONOR that don't seem to advance the story. This novel probably would have benefitted from some major league editing, although I'm sure many readers would disagree. Once the trial begins, however, this novel is undeniably tense and exciting.
   
   Overall, this is a first-class effort, although I preferred THE GOLD COAST and THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER a bit more.



4. Word of Honor is a tantalizing human drama with an intriguing moral subplot. Benjamin Tyson is a successful corporate businessman who 17 years ago served as an officer in Vietnam. His platoon engaged in a horrific incident (think My-Lai); he swore to never speak of it again. But the issue has resurfaced and begins to tear down Tyson's life: family, reputation, sanity. Through it all, Tyson remains humerous and honorable while delaing with a collapsing world. This is a truly scintillating masterpiece, that took me through so many emotions--up and down, up and down.
   
   I'll have to wait for the reread to confirm it, but at the moment this is my all-time favorite novel. Ben Tyson is one of my favorite all-time protagonists: intelligent, comical, honorable, tough, caring. He is portrayed so well that the reader begins to truly feel his feelings (at least I did). The supporting characters are also fabulous. Don't be scared away because you're not for sure about the plot or the Vietnam War. This is about human drama; a must read.



5. An excellent read, you're a couple hundred pages in and fascinated but still not sure whether you like the protagonist or not, much less where justice could be found. I've read 30+ authors (hundreds of books Clancy and Brown to Griffith and Brown to Rankin and White to Connelly and Ludlum, to McCarry and McKinty and Pelecanos....), most of them their entire work, and never read DeMille. It is great to find a new (old) one who has been prolific. Other reviews will give a flavor of the book, my purpose here is to offer up some names which if you recognize and enjoy them as I have, may help you determine if my taste in books might be beneficial in your search.

5 comments about The Bakelite Collection.

1. Matthew L. Burkholz is one of the premiere dealers of Bakelite jewelry. When he was writing and compiling this book, he had access to the collections of today's leading collectors . Because of this, his book showcases the greatest assortment of high end Bakelite jewelry I've ever seen. Everything is in here, from Celluloid and Lucite to the most wonderful Bakelite available. There's even a section on Bakelite barware and salt and pepper shakers. Matthew's informative comments, and John Hylton's beautiful photographs, give the reader a delicious and delightful education. Published in 1997, the price guide seems accurate. Probably the most unique and fun feature of this book is that Matthew includes a chapter on the collectors themselves. With several pages devoted to each, we learn about the people and their collections. The reader also gets a glimpse into the homes of some collectors and is able see how they display and live with their collections. Guaranteed to make you drool, this book is great!



2. The pictures are excellent. There are more pictures in this book than in any other Bakelite book I bought. The book has a tremendous variety of bakelite that I have ever seen (pins, bracelets, crib toys). I rate it an A++++.



3. Beautifully photograped bakelite jewelry and objects. A must for any beginning or advanced collector. Great guide for a "wish list". Highly reccommended.



4. This book will take your breath away. If you're a Bakelite aficionado, you'll want this book to show others why you are. If you're a novice collector, as I am, you'll see how wrong you were if you thought Bakelite consisted of jewelry, radios, napkin rings and salt and pepper shakers (though those are here, too, and probably as you've never seen them). And if you (perhaps most enviously of all) have no idea what Bakelite is, this book is the best possible introduction. Color photographs spaciously and copiously displayed throughout tell the story, with just enough text to supplement without being invasive.

   Much of the book's power derives from the ways in which different collectors display and combine their Bakelite. Sometimes it's the sheer volume that makes the impact, and sometimes it's the unexpected and witty use of Bakelite where you'd expect to see real fruit or flowers. And sometimes, when a piece is just extraordinary, it'll be shown on a jacket lapel or on a wrist -- and that's all you'd want.

   Categories include things like "Patriotic," "Carved," "Reverse Carved," "Nautical," "School Days," "European," "Tropicale," "The Bakelite Table," but these are merely organizational devices that don't in any way make the presentation monotonous or predictable. The colors of Bakelite are as varied as the pieces in which they're found. With this much variety, there's nothing monotonous about the Bakelite on display.

   I bought this book on a whim and without benefit of being able to page through it; seldom have I had a whim so handsomely and expensively rewarded. I say "expensively," because the book sends me to ebay, where I'll begin adding to those napkin rings and s/p shakers immediately.




5. I bought this book to learn about Bakelite, to get an idea of prices and for bakelite other than jewelry. If you are looking for a book with a lot of pretty color pictures of jewelry, this book is for you. For my needs, there was only 4 pages that I found useful.

5 comments about The White Bone: A Novel.

1. One way of looking at "The White Bone" is to think of as following the conventions of much of the best of epic fantasy. A threatened race, dependant on the hope of a youth born with superior powers, destined to find a sacred artifact that will lead her people from the monsters that prey on them, through turmoil and hardship to a promised land, encountering fascinating creatures along the way. However, "The White Bone" is not fantasy -it's a harrowing, tragic and dramatic story - and it's real. The characters may be made up, and certain plot points (like the sacred object: the fabled White Bone of the title) but the basics are true. The threatened race is the elephant race, the monsters that prey on them are human poachers, the journey the group treks on is through Africa, and the creatures they encounter are mongooses, rhinoceroses, ostritches, etc.
   
   The heroine in the book, and one of the great heroines in all the field of novels, is Mud, a young elephant orphaned at birth. The elephants have their own religion, their own worldview, their own stories handed down through the generations. Through the book we also get briefer glimpses of the worldviews of other species. The worldviews of the enigmatic hindleggers (the elephants's term for humans) is unknown; for, although each group of elephants has a mind-talker who can communicate telepathically with most creatures, thus learning of their perceptions of the world and their thoughts and feelings, to share with the other elephants, the minds of humans are unreadable. The mind-talkers hear from certain other animals they can't communicate with only what is described as a 'faint chiming'; from humans though comes a hideous absolute silence that can be deeply traumatic to encounter. The mind-talker in the main group of elephants is Date Bed, a shy younger elephant who clings to Mud. These two, along with the bull elephant Tall Time, comprise the three central characters of the story.
   
   It's hard to say how much of the elephant culture and worldview depicted in the novel paralells the minds of real elephants, but it's likely alot closer than the traditional scientific view (now thankfully being abandoned in whole or in part by many scientists) of elephants and all non-human creatures as basically automatons driven solely by biological instinct and completely or virtually devoid of thought or emotion. Whatever the case may be, this involving, vividly written, detailed and character-driven epic gives fascinating glimpses at how other lifeforms may view things; and a disturbing look at how humanity does indeed conduct itself amongst its fellow species.



2. A profound and inventive book. Gowdy's choice of speaking to the human condition through the medium of an extended family of elephants is unusual, to say the least, but ultimately rewarding. A challanging but deeply satisfying read. In my opinion, this is Gowdy at her best.



3. Several women recommended this book to me quite highly - meaning you may enjoy it. I certainly didn't. The story was predictable and repetitive. Elephants suffering the atrocities of man wander around the plains aimlessly searching for each other, their holy grail (a white bone) and/or the promised land. The elephants kept getting killed or dying from exposure to the barren elements. It was written in a "matriarchal feminist style" that would very much have appealed to me in my early twenties but which I'm rather tired of now. It is unlikely this story will appeal to many men. I read through to the end expecting to find some meaningful take away. I didn't. It was just another story of the suffering and despair brought by human cruelty. If you already know this, don't torture yourself with a 327 page reminder of the fact.



4. I came read others' reviews because I couldn't believe how much I was dreading each page of this book when I'd expected to love it. Those who liked it, seem to have liked it from the first page and those who didn't like it, responded to it the way I have responded. I'm about a third of the way through the book and think it is time for me to find something to read that touches me. Much as I love elephants and as horrified as I am about their plight, this book is leaving me cold. In the hands of a good author, I'd be putty.



5. Truly. I am absolutely terrified of them. The mere sight of an elephant in a photograph or on TV starts my flight reflexes going. I often have nightmares about them. So I am still surprised, eight years after reading The White Bone, that I love this book as much as I do.
   
   The prose is gorgeous. The characters are original and engrossing. The story is beautifully constructed and compelling. Mud's world and life are brought beautifully to life. This book has stayed in my head for nearly a decade, even in spite of my reluctance to think about elephants. I still sometimes think of snakes as "flow-sticks."
   
   The White Bone is among the best animal fiction I've ever read, and that is really saying something, as I try to read every book with animal characters that I can locate. The disturbing and affecting ending will remain in your mind. I think the death of Tall Time will always stick in my head, as vivid as if I witnessed it myself.
   
   This book is a beautiful and sad tribute to the importance of conservation efforts and will appeal to any person who makes the protection of wildlife a priority in his or her life. The itself will be with you for many years.

4 comments about Collectible Souvenir Spoons: The Grand Tour (Book 2).

1. Everyone who is interested in sterling silver and other types of collectible spoons, needs to purchase a book like this. The author has made a grand effort to bring together a great many styles of spoons for the reader and viewer......ENJOY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. Published in 1998, this 336 page book contains 750 large, sharp, black and white photos, plus 12 full color pages. Although difficult to photograph, the pictures clearly show the designs on the spoons. The volume contains informative text, covering the history of spoons, introduction, and details. Major topics range from Inspiring A Nation, First Americans, and Modern Vision of Government, to Inspiring Our Children, Our Bowl Overfloweth and Craftsmanship and Painted Silver. Price ranges are provided as well as a comprehensive bibliography and index. A valuable reference tool for souvenir spoon collectors.



3. A recommended pick for any collector's reference library, WayneBednersh's Collectible Souvenir Spoons Book II ... considers both usual and unusual categories of spoons, from historical and art spoons to rarer prison spoons.



4. I have found this book invaluable as I am a collector of souvenir spoons. If you collect souvenir spoons, thinking about collecting them or just enjoy looking at them - you need this book!