5 comments about In Enemy Hands.

1. Loved this book for same reasons listed below so won't repeat. Just wanted to add that I especially loved the humorous moments. I laughed out loud at the description of Nadia as she was trying the get rid of the hiccups during her kidnapping. And the whole scene between her and Dante and the MREs. Hysterical!



2. I had never read this author before and was I pleasantly surprised. What a wonderful plot and the romance was very intense and real. I loved this book. The main character reminded me so much of Vin Diesel it was unbelievable. Very good book. I highly recommend this book for those of you who are tired of too much sex and not enough action along the way along with a good plot.



3. I had passed this book up time and again but finally read the reviews and decided to give it a try and I am glad I did. The cover is what misled me to pass on it several times- just seemed a little over the top, but the book is very well done. I encourage you to try it too if you like strong heroes and heroines!



4. This was on the edge action all the time. I almost think Nadia the heroine could have taken care of herself without to much help from Dante. Her family was aware of there being a threat to her or her mother and kept her pretty much protected but she had a will of her own and wanted her own life which is where she put herself in danger. Over all I thought the book was excellent and an easy read. It held my attention and sometimes if a writer repeats how handsome or beautful blah blah blah the hero or heroine is it just takes away from the story. I like it when a discription is written once and not harped on over and over. If someone is beautiful I don't need it pounded into my head. Got cha once.



5. This was my first Michelle Perry novel & I thoroughly enjoyed it. I 'm not going to summarize the plot, that's already been done. Nadia & Dante are kindred spirits & soul mates, both strong characters, but very human. The chemistry between them is immediate & never lets up. There were some funny scenes, not the least of which was their first meeting, when Nadia came on to Dante in the diner & bit his ear. Nadia is a great combination of grit & girlishness; Dante is my kind of man--big & brawny & tough but w/ a tender heart. This is a very satisfying love story on several levels. Loved the action & suspense as well. The only thing that bothered me is that Dante has a habit of swatting Nadia on the behind, something I can't stand & won't put up with.

5 comments about News of a Kidnapping (Vintage International).

1. "News of a Kidnapping" reveals García Márquez first passion: journalism. Though it's a novel, it's inspired on a series of real events that happened on Colombia several years ago. There's no evident criticism, but it reveals and illustrates the political situation of Colombia at that time (though it is still happening at the present). If you read this book, you're going to suffer both the hostages situations as their families' (as if you were either one).
   But besides the dramatical situations, what is extremely interesting is the way the events are narrated. The odd chapters narrate the kidnapped people situations, their suffering. The even chapters narrate their families situations.
   Though García Márquez always tend to jump back and forward into time in the same page, here the plot is more lineal and, as i said before, more journalistic.
   Evidently, the kidnapping is one of the most awful crimes a human-being and his family can suffer, and by reading this, you will find out why.



2. When you walk into a bookstore and go to the history section, and look for latinamerican history, you will find this book there. It is absolutely outrageous that this book is sold as if it were titled "A History of Colombia".

   Kidnapping is a phenomena that has plagued Colombia for some time now, as it provides the economic means for the civil war in Colombia. However, kidnapping is not the axis our major point of our history.

   This very well written book is an account of a kidnapping from the inside. Gabo actually spoke to the people this happened to, and penned it nicely. This book is sad and reflects a reality which should only exist in nightmares.

   Worth it.




3. This is my first attempt at GGM's work. The author's writing style is very different in accounting the events happened during that kidnap saga. As he explains the events unfolding, he carefully adds the background information of the appropriate character(s) involved in the scene and he gets back to the present by providing the correct dose of the past. Though the reader aware of the victims killed, the heart races every time the government forces goof up and we wonder whom going to get killed. That means successful writing. The book details the exhaustive account of how all the sides acted during the period of kidnapping, how professionally and emotionally the victims' families handle the situations. The author explains them in a measured quantity rather than tiring the reader with too many deatils.

   The translation is great and I can't help feeling that Edith Grossman got into GGM's mind and translate it exactly what he was trying to put it. Very rare I come across a translator like that.

   Worth reading.




4. I bought this (Spanish edition) at a little shop in Montreal, expecting GGM's usual weird fiction. I was surprised to find that it wasn't weird fiction at all, but a true story (if such a thing exists). Actually, I was very disappointed throughout most of the book - it read like sappy "news" reporting in the US, all about what wonderful people the kidnap victims were, along with all their successful children & marvellous friends, etc. I had lived in Colombia for a couple of years just before the events in this book took place & was at least somewhat acquainted with some of the people & situations involved, and I am not that enthusiastic about them. The priveledged, educated, neo-liberal class in Colombia doesn't get an awful lot of sympathy from me - I was mostly surprised that GGM was so supportive of them - but then I realized that that is where he comes from. By the end of the book, I had to admit it was very intriguing & I'm glad I read it, but I think it's spoiled GGM for me, too. This book will probably change the way I see his fiction works.



5. Gabriel García Márquez wrote News of a Kidnapping to tell the story of the ordeal of ten Colombian journalists who were abducted and held by Pablo Escobar's drug organization in 1993 and 1994. A native Colombian and Nobel Prize winner for fiction, García Márquez weaves together the story of Maruja Pachón and the other captives, with the story of how Escobar and his Medellin cartel held their country in his power for years while he amassed a fortune, wreaked terror on ordinary people, and bargained for the right to be imprisoned in luxury in the place of his choosing.
   
   Escobar captured prominent journalists Escobar to bring the attention of the country to his demands, and ultimately to have the assistance of the victims' families in making his extradition to the United States illegal. García Márquez tells the stories in a linear fashion - clarifying the political, legislative and legal aspects of the story. At the same time, we see the arbitrary ordeal of the ten captives. Two of the abductees were eventually killed - one outright by the kidnappers and the other in confusion at a critical moment of release and rescue. The others are released over a period of months, after being moved from house to house, with changing groups of guards, and always the uncertainty of the outcome.
   
   While García Márquez clearly has little patience for Escobar and his group, he manages to give the stories a context that makes some sense of them, while acknowledging the inherent insanity of what happens through the long months of captivity, bargaining and exchange. He makes no overt judgments about how the captives, their families, and their guards acted. We are left to understand them through the memories of the months spent together in small spaces, under tension.
   
   Pablo Escobar and his cartel have largely faded from our consciousness of the world today, replaced by other troubles in other places. So much of that drug war took place in a setting difficult to understand, and distressing in the way that far-off troubles can often be - alarming but distant, echoing in someone else's life. In this account, we see what it means to wait month after month without the solace of logic or hope that larger forces can come to our aid, at the mercy of chance, emotion, and the decisions of people we cannot control.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: If you want an intense view of a country at war with itself through the eyes of its victims, pick up News of a Kidnapping. Then try one of Márquez's novels."

5 comments about No Second Chance.

1. I just started reading Cobens books. This one was really good. I thought Gone for Good was better though. I am looking forward to reading all his books. I recently got a kindle and it is awesome. My reading has really increased. I finally find myself reading instead of flipping thru the channels on tv looking for something to watch. I recommend this book for a fun read, and I highly, HIGHLY recommend getting a kindle!



2. As a father of two small children, this book touched me in a way many others can not. While the plot does not break any significant new ground, Coben's characteristic plot twists and deft narrative kept me absorbed throughout.
   
   If you don't have children, it's possible that you may not understand what this book is offering to the reader. However, if you do, I'm sure you understand that Coben has scripted Marc Seidman into the absolute worst nightmare a parent could face.
   
   Character wise, Seidman, Verne, and the two cops (Tickner & Regan) stand out. Each had passion, integrity, and a strong human quality. Lydia and Heshy were a little over the top, but the bond between them added significantly to the story.
   
   Plot wise, I suspected all along the particular character in the final twist, but I just couldn't piece together exactly how the character was involved. Several of the plot lines had me thinking how I would react in the same situation.
   
   Bottom line is that Coben is one of the best. The Myron Bolitor series is great fun, but his stand-alone efforts are thought provoking fiction at its best. Well done.



3. My mom lent me this book. She has been going through a Harlan Coben phase and thought it would be interesting. Now, my thriller mysteries are pretty much left up to Koontz and Grafton, but I gave it a shot, and sure, this is a pretty darn entertaining book! It did quite grab me the way I expected, but I like Coben's writing, his complex plots, and his characters. This is full of interesting people, motives, and twists, leaving me truly wondering why I was not blown out of the water. Which probably means plenty of others will love this great solid little mystery.



4. At home. Breakfast time. Another ordinary day. But everything changes in the space of a minute. Plastic surgeon Marc is shot at and is left for dead. His wife Monica is shot at too and IS dead. Their baby, 6-month old Tara, is missing. Vanished.
   Marc wakes up in the hospital and learns the terrible truth. What happened? Why? Where is his precious, lovely baby? The police investigate. His lawyer and best friend Lenny tries to help. But nothing comes up, only theories, and Marc is also under investigation as prime suspect. Time drags by. It dilates and expands frustratingly. A request for ransom ignites hope. And things start to change. But nothing could prepare Marc for what is in store for him.
   
   Another brilliant mystery by Harlan Coben. As the title suggests, no second chance for Marc but indeed many more chances for Coben, who is able to grab the reader's attention with a fast-paced, edge-of-the-seat narrative, nothing is what it seems but in the end everything is clear, every little details falls into the right place and there are no questions left unanswered. Great entertainment!



5. Coben is the master of the "hook and twist," says his friend Dan Brown. Well, he got me again with this one. This one is not quite as good as "Tell No One," but what is? This is a darn good thriller with twists and turns till the very end. Plus there is a nice happy ending. Great stuff.

5 comments about Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open.

1. John Feinstein's VANISHING ACT is set in new York City, where a hundred athletes are competing for millions in prizes - and where a kidnapping changes the nature of the game. Everyone's looking for Nadia - but two eighth-grade rookies have the best chance of finding her - if they're in time. A satisfying mystery evolves.



2. Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson got their "fifteen minutes of fame" after helping to unravel the Final Four mystery involving the blackmailing of Minnesota State University's star player, Chip Graber. Remaining good friends, they keep in touch over email and IM all the time. When Susan Carol tells Stevie she'll be covering the U.S. Open for her local sports paper, she convinces Stevie to come along. Stevie contacts Bobby Kelleher, the Washington Herald columnist who mentored them during the Final Four, and sure enough Kelleher has a job for Stevie too. They're off to New York City, but little do they know what they'll have in store for themselves.
   
   Right before her anticipated first game, young Russian phenom Nadia Makarova goes missing and immediately Stevie and Susan Carol find themselves trying to unfold another mystery. And yet again, there are a lot of unanswered questions. Who are Nadia Makarova's kidnappers? Why does Susan Carol's agent uncle, Brendan Gibson, seem like he's right in the middle of this? Plus, what does this mean for up-and-coming new U.S. tennis star Evelyn Rubin, who is smashing her way through games and scheduled to play Makarova?
   
   VANISHING ACT is John Feinstein's follow-up to the New York Times bestseller, LAST SHOT. The author, a political and sports reporter for the Washington Post as well as Sports Illustrated and National Sports Daily, has written many bestselling sports-related books. In his second effort Feinstein continues to succeed, mixing real-life sports personalities like Bud Collins and Andy Roddick into the fictional world. Feinstein also reveals a behind-the-scenes look at sports agents that doesn't portray them in a very good light.
   
   Like his previous effort, VANISHING ACT provides an almost nonfiction-like look into the professional tennis world and the U.S. Open while mixing elements of a fiction mystery novel. Readers will be happy to see the return of Stevie and Susan Carol, who have clearly grown as friends. (And Stevie's constant eating of hamburgers and pizza in an effort to grow taller is pretty humorous too.) VANISHING ACT is a fast-paced story that whizzes by like a powerful serve. It's a fun read for anyone interested in tennis or mysteries, or both.
   
   --- Reviewed by Kristi Olson



3. In Vanishing Act by John Feinstein, the main characters, Steve Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson, both have a deep love of sports and are sports reporters.
   
   When Nadia Symanova, a tennis player, vanishes at the US Open Tennis Tournament, Steve and Susan Carol try to unravel the mystery. Has she been kidnapped because someone wants her to stay a Russian citizen and not become an American? Did she run away? The FBI, media and Steve and Susan Carol all try to find Nadia.
   
   The story is written in current time in New York City at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament.
   
   The themes of the story are bravery, sacrifice, sports and hope. The moral of the story would be to always work together.
   
   I loved the story because it's sports related and it shows the meaning of friendship. Steve and Susan Carol's actions in this book, where they save each other, help each other out on their stories and always work together is a great example of what I would want from a best friend. This story is the sequel to the story Last Shot. If you love this book, you will love Last Shot almost as much.



4. The best book I read this year was Vanishing Act by John Feinstein.
   
   The main characters are Susan Carol and Stevie Thomas who become kid reporters when they win a National Writing Contest. Susan Carol is a 14 year old from South Carolina and is a sports fanatic who seems to know everything about everyone. Stevie is a 13 year old from Philadelphia and plays basketball.
   
   In this story they are sent to cover the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament with a friend reporter, Bobby Kheller. While they are waiting for a match to begin one of the players is kidnapped. When Susan and Stevie dig a little deeper they find that it was all staged to make a movie deal. They must stop the plot before it is too late.
   
   This all takes place in New York City in modern day times.
   
   The themes for this story are Bravery- for continuing the case after being threatened to stop their investigation. Friendship- for when Susan and Stevie stuck together to solve the case. Finally Money- because if the crooks got away with it the movie deal would give them 21.5 million dollars and more if the movie did well.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it because it included mystery, sports and it was a pleasure to read. This book keeps you guessing and leaves you wanting more.



5. I had to read this book for a class. At first, before I read it, my fellow classmates said, "Oh, it was a good book," So I thought ok. As a sports person I thought it would be definitely something I would want to read. I started reading and it seemed to be alright, it got better towards the middles, but I was really dissapointed with the ending because it didn't seem real exciting, more just so-so. I would not recomend this book to any of my friends because I know they would like an exciting ending like I do.

5 comments about Roman Mystery 3 Pirates of Pompeii (Roman Mysteries).

1. My son and I discovered the first book in The Roman Mysteries series in our local library. We both loved it - and waited so patiently for the second! Then, in the summer, we visited England. And discovered the rest! Pirates of Pompeii, which is, thankfully, available in America, was our favorite. If it was possible to choose. We could not put this down! I would recommend reading this after The Secrets of Vesuvius, since the action picks up from the next day. What a great page turner!



2. This is an exciting adventure for Flavia, Lupus, Jonathan, and Nubia in the Ancient Roman Empire. There are pirates taking kids all over the area around Mount Vesuvius after it erupts. Flavia and her friends face many dangers while they're trying to figure out who the kidnappers are.

   If you like exciting, mysterious, historical fiction you should read this book. It is best if read in order in the Roman Mysteries series. This is book III.




3. I found the book The Pirates of Pompeii interesting. In the beginning I found it boring, as I read on it became better and better. It is an excellent mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page.



4. The Pirates of Pompeii was a captivating book that took you from the night after the horrifying volcanic eruption to the healing of one of the four detectives. On the day after the eruption, the slave girl Nubia and the freeborn Roman, Flavia went out to look for the healing flower for the doctor of Pompeii, scrounging in the ash of the aftermath. When the two girls found the flower they also found a girl who could not find her brother. They took her to the village where the other two detectives were waiting Jonathan and Lupus. In the village they found out another boy was missing they were all curious to find out who it was they have clues but will they find the pirates of Pompeii? This book is very intriguing it takes you in to a new ancient world. Pirates of Pompeii are the third of Caroline Lawrence's three books. I truly recommend this book to inquiring readers wanting to know more.



5. The Pirates of Pompeii follows immediately after the events in The Secret's of Vesuvius, and is the third in Lawrence's Roman Mysteries Series. Here we rejoin Flavia, Nubia, Jonathan, and Lupus as they find themselves in a refugee camp near Surrentum. As with the previous books, this volume is set in the first century, 79 A.D. As we start out here, the group (along with Uncle Gaius, Aristo, Miriam, Mordecai and the dogs) are working hard to help the survirors with Mrodecai offering his services free of charge and running a surgery out of a bath house near the harbor of Stabia. Not long after arriving there, the foursome discovers a frightened young girl hiding in a cave on the mountain and learns that children are disappearing from the refugee camp...and we all know this is a mystery that Falvia and her friends cannot turn their back on. They begin immediately trying to solve it, a task which takes them to Villa Limona the home of Publus Pollius Felix. Their mystery leads them to search for a man known as "The Patron" and they have encounters with run away slaves, pirates, and the Emperor himself all in the course of solving this mystery!
   
   As with the previous book, this is an excellent glimpse into the daily life of the Roman people and deals with wide ranging issues from disaster relief, the treatment (abuse of slaves is a big topic in this book) of slaves, the division of the class system, and the fall of Jerusalem (ten years prior). The children must deal with all manner of human failings from pirates who want to sell them as salves, to spoiled bratty rich children, to the issue of profiteering from the disaster at Pompeii. All in all, it manages to address a lot of series issues, give a solid look at life in the given time period, and still be entertaining and fun to read! The Pirates of Pompeii the focus is almost exclusively on the four children with the adults playing only a brief role at the beginning and end. The only adult to have a significant part here is Pollius, who I would label as a "guest star" in this volume.
   
   Overall, this was a highly enjoyable mystery/thriller/adventure book for young readers that is heavy on the details of Roman daily life and is highly descriptive with likable and believable characters (for the most part). Previously, what I felt that there was a bit of a heavy handed Christian message to the series, however it's much more subtle in this book and is more welcome...woven into the story with more skill. I also liked that the inequality between Falvia (freeborn) and Nubia (her slave) is addressed more directly here (as with Lupus also). I give it four stars, The Pirates of Pompeii strength is in details and overall, it is a light and entertaining read.

5 comments about The Barefoot Princess (Lost Princesses, Book 2).

1. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance novel.... Christina Dodd really keeps you intereasted... As with all of her books, this one was hard to put down...



2. When the leading lady kidnaps and puts chains on the leading man, you know its a good book.



3. It seems that this must be one of those books you either really like or really hate. I'm with the former. I have just finished book one, Some Enchanted Evening (Lost Princesses), which I thought it was a surprisingly entertaining story. I started book 2 immediately and finished it in less than a day. I thought the storyline was fun, touching, romantic, and VERY steamy.
   
   The only issue I had was the hero's name Jermym, which is really stupid, and reminds me of either "German", or "germ"-neither of which are appetizing for a hero's name-LOL. But I can overlook that. From the girls names-Amy, Clarice (ugh), and Sorcha (ugh-even though I loved Willow (Special Edition)), I think Ms. Dodd's one foible could be that she picks awfully stupid names-again, no biggie though.
   
   So, my vote for this book is a big thumbs up-but use your discretion as from the other reviews there are as many who hated it.
   
   But from me-4.5 stars.



4. The Barefoot Princess was an absolute joy to read. It's refreshing to read about an independent woman who's very smart and stays that way in the entire book.
   Princess Amy is a do-gooder type person. When she sees the injustice the people of Summerwind are suffering from their lord, Jermyn Edmonson, Marquess of Northcliff, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Amy, decides to kidnap the man!
   Jermyn, wakes up to find himself chained in a cellar! How degrading! At the same time he gets reaquainted with Ms. Victorine(co conspirator in kidnapping Jermyn) and meets Amy. And boy sparks do fly!
   Hope you read this awesome book!



5. In the earlier years, Dodd wrote excellent and mature stories. These last couple years her writing has become adolescent. This was the most silly and immature story. I could not finish reading the book. I'm done with Dodd. She has lost it!

5 comments about Vanishing Acts.

1. I've been asked to wait and wait for this book to be delivered...a snail could have delivered it faster than this service.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3GHI59KML9GOJ What a great book for summer reading!



3. I tried and tried, but this book never interested me. It drags on and on. Once the indian woman gets involved with the story it just became ridiculous.
   
   I finally gave up 200+ pages in....



4. This is a pretty formulaic Picoult book. She tackles many issues in this book including kidnapping, alcoholism, memory, being a parent, etc. The novel is told from multiple perspectives: Delia, who finds out her father kidnapped her as a four-year-old; Eric, Delia's alcoholic fiancé who happens to be a lawyer and defends her father; Andrew, Delia's father who spends a majority of the novel in jail; Fitz, Eric and Delia's best friend; and Elise, Delia's mother who has not seen her daughter in twenty-eight years. In true Picoult fashion, the sequence of events plays itself out: Andrew gets arrested and sent to Arizona to await trial, Delia, Eric, and their daughter relocate there temporarily, Fitz tags along and creates friction, Delia meets her mother, whom she thought was dead, and a trial begins, with Eric as the defense attorney.
   
   Like all of Jodi's books, I was captivated and got though Vanishing Acts very quickly. It wasn't quite as engaging as some of her others, but I still enjoyed it. The one aspect I can say she could have done without was Andrew's narrative from jail. I understand the need to convey what a deplorable situation he was in, but I found it hard to believe that a sixty-year-old man would willingly engage in crime so freely with his fellow prisoners, even being a party to their Crystal Meth smuggling schemes. I liked the change of scenery in this book. For once, Picoult takes the reader outside of New England into a somewhat mystical Southwest. The conclusion left a few mysteries, but led the reader to form their own conclusions in regard to the truth. This is a book that any Jodi fan will enjoy.



5. This is a great book, it is the kind of book you don't want to put down. I like how there are several turns in the book, just when you have made up your mind about a character something new comes along to give you a new perspectve.

5 comments about Sanctuary: The Corrected Text.

1. For many readers, "Sanctuary" doesn't seem to fit into Faulkner's canon. Although the prose is recognizably his, the tone and subject matter seem more appropriate to the genre of pulp fiction--closer to Hammett than to O'Connor. And, for the time it was published, it is shockingly gruesome and graphic. (Arnold Bennett said that it was a "terrible" book and "a great novel.") Once you figure out who everyone is and what's going on, however, it's an unlikely page-turner. Faulkner presents his tale not simply as a mystery but as a puzzle of characters who can barely figure out their own roles and who challenge the reader to sort out their stories
   
   The central plot revolves around Temple Drake, a well-off, fast-living college student who gets wowed by Gowan Stevens, a handsome young alcoholic who takes her to the inaccessible estate of a backwoods bootlegger. Gowan soon passes out, and the traumatized Temple suddenly understands she is stuck in a situation from which she can't easily extract herself--and her circumstances worsen when Gowan abandons her to the gangsters and drunks bumming around the house.
   
   Even though it was published after "As I Lay Dying," which he completed at the end of 1929, "Sanctuary" could be considered Faulkner's fifth novel rather than his sixth. Earlier that year, he sent the manuscript for "Sanctuary" to his publisher. It seems likely he had been toying with it in some form for quite a while, since at least one passage has been found in his papers with a date of 1925.
   
   There are a number of colorful tales surrounding the history of this book's publication--some of them possibly apocryphal and probably invented by Faulkner himself. (A fuller accounting can be found in Joseph Blotner's invaluable biography of Faulkner.) Faulkner later wrote that he "invented the most horrific tale I could imagine," and he claimed that his publisher told him after reading it, "Good God, I can't publish this. We'd both be in jail." Whatever the reason for the delay, the publisher changed his mind and--to Faulkner's surprise--ultimately set the book into galleys. The interval of nearly two years convinced Faulkner that the book couldn't be published in its current form, so he heavily revised and rearranged the book in proof.
   
   Faulkner also claimed that he "began to think of books in terms of possible money." Although the book did indeed sell well--better than any of his books until "The Wild Palms"--some scholars contend that Faulkner is being somewhat coy about his motives for writing this particular book. (Reading his correspondence, one gets the impression that that he was always writing with an eye towards his financial situation.)
   
   So how is it? The easy answer is that "Sanctuary" is not "Sound and the Fury," "As I Lay Dying," or "Light in August." But judged as a piece of noir, I think it's as good as the best Depression-era crime novels. As in many of Faulkner's other books, the story leaps back and forth across time, and often the same scene is described from the perspective of different characters. Although the use of jump cuts, flashbacks, and misdirection can be a challenge, I thought the technique heightened the suspense and made the characters more intriguing. Faulkner probably could not have published this book if he had described its scenes more straightforwardly; even the end requires close reading to figure out exactly what happened to Temple at the bootlegger's homestead (in part because it's so horrific). If you like the type of book that makes you turn back through the pages digging up the clues you missed along the way, I'd recommend this one.



2. Perhaps it is because I get extremely bored when I read "stream of conscious" types of books. This book simply bored me to death. The technique is written in prose form, I respect it, to some degrees, it is a type of art. However, the backcover of this book did a poor job of explaining what this book was supposed to convey. Maybe it is because there's nothing to review about! All said, this book showed the heart of evil as well as violence through the bleak characters of Popeye, Gowan and Red. They kidnapped the promiscous girl named Temple and took her to Memphis, where we meet a even more feared underground criminal gangs and bootleggars.
   
   Overall, I'm really disappointed in this book because I thought that William Faulkner, one of the best writers in the last century, should've done better. A lot of has to do with the style that he writes in, but overall, a very boring book.



3. We can't have any corn cobs lying around.
   
   If you've read the book, you know what I'm alluding to.
   
   Sanctuary is a grimey novel. It deals with grimey people in grimey situations. The story is just so weird; it's almost surrealistic.
   
   Spoilers
   
   Temple Drake is the 17 year old daughter of a judge. She is dating a guy named Gowan Stephens who is a drunk. They end up at some "in the middle of nowhere" house owned by a guy named Lee Goodwin in an attempt for Gowan to get more illegal liquor. Lee Goodwin is a shady character, but nice compared to the company he keeps. Gowan deserts Temple more than once: at first by being passed out from drinking, and then by completely leaving to go home. Once alone, Temple is at the mercy of the shady characters, specifically Popeye. Popeye hasn't had his spinach, therefore he is impotent, mentally and sexually. Temple is attacked and kidnapped by Popeye after witnessing a murder, and is forced into a brothel where she prostitutes herself and hooks up with more shady characters.
   
   This is just a partial summary of the story. There is much more concerning Lee Goodwin, his girlfriend Ruby, and a lawyer named Benbow who has deserted his family.
   
   Bottom Line: A twisted tale woven by a literary master who needed to write something sensationalistic in order to make some money. Certainly not one of his best, but certainly not terrible.



4. Sanctuary is a shocking book, especially because of the time period in which it was written. Most modern readers have been desensitized to highly sexual themes, but in the early 30s, this book was a best seller.
   
   Here we have the story of a young girl named Temple Drake. She is the daughter of a judge and a tease around town. She dates many men but never loses her morality to them. One day, she meets up with Gowan, a drunk around town. He takes her for a drive, and since he is completely drunk, he smashed up his car. The two take to walking, and they stumble upon a bootlegger's hideout. Gowan proceeds to get drunk there again while Temple fears the nasty stares she gets from the men. The three men Lee, Popeye, and Tommy outnumber the only woman living there. She warns Temple to leave as soon as she can before night falls, but Gowan is uncooperative and Temple too innocent to heed the warning appropriately. She stays, and her life changes forever at the hands of the violent and twisted Popeye.
   
   In the meantime, Horace Benbow takes on the murder case against Lee. The whole town is against him succeeding, but Benbow believes in his client's innocence. He even believes in him after discovering Temple's story.
   
   I decided to read this book in lieu of seeing the film version starring Miriam Hopkins titled The Story of Temple Drake. It is hard to find, but notoriously scandalous. I imagined that the book would be a good substitute.
   
   Unfortunately, the book is significantly slower paced than the average pre-code film, and the descriptions are often slow and erratic. It is sometimes difficult to figure out who is talking and who is doing what. There are also some boring patches due to the writing style. The dismal setting is certainly appropriate, but it brings the mood of the writing down, making it a less exciting read.



5. I am by no means an expert in literature. Most of my reading is the current fiction of today with some non-fiction mixed in. So I decided to try my hand/mind at something written by one of the great authors of yesteryear. A couple of quick thoughts:
   - very difficult to read
   - extremely difficult to know which characters are talking and which are being talked to.
   - imperative re-reading of sections to see if something was missed, because the plot changed directions and I wasn't on the same page.
   
   Now, those things being said, after 100 pages or so, I couldn't wait to get back at the book. The characters are richer and deeper than anything I've read in years (except maybe "The Main" by Trevanian). The short dialogue segments, the way things are said and not said are not found in today's writings and make the characters stick with you after the book is finished. This writing gives us a very real peek into life it the United States in the late `20s and early `30s; it's a slice of Americana that you can hardly read today. The simple text that tells of complex human interactions was beautifully written and therefore I was excited to get to the climax. And then...
   
   There was no climax. The book ended, the story ended and nothing. Emptiness. The conclusion was anticlimactic without the climatic part of the story. So I'm giving it a 3, but I was very close to a 4 just for the beauty of the writing. And it isn't beauty for beauty's sake; it is necessary explanation that tells the story slowly and carefully. You get to pick up things about the characters in this short novel that the fiction novel of today couldn't even come close to. As you forget the books quickly that you read with today's authors, you will likely remember Popeye, Tommy and Temple for long while.

2 comments about Taken.

1. Ever since her dad invented a super-effective bronzing treatment, Charity's been living the life of the coddled rich, in a guarded estate of a select 120 homes, with servants to see to all of her family's needs. But being rich has its downsides, too -- she can rarely go beyond the walls of the estate, her father and ex-stepmother are too busy with their own lives to concern themselves with hers, and being a rich kid makes her the target of the growing kidnapping industry.
   
   When Charity finds herself taken by mysterious men in an ambulance, she decides to follow the rules to the letter to ensure that she'll be delivered safely home as soon as the ransom is paid. But the longer she spends with the kidnappers, the more clear it becomes that their plans are more complicated than she could have imagined.
   
   TAKEN puts readers right inside Charity's head, making every moment of the kidnapping as vivid as if they were experiencing it themselves. Charity's reactions are believable and poignant. With every frightening development and shocking twist, readers will find themselves right there with her, quickly turning the pages to learn what will happen next. Charity herself is a strong heroine, practical, scared, yet not afraid to put up a fight when she has to.
   
   Readers may have a hard time relating to the world the novel portrays and the isolation in which Charity now lives with her family's newfound wealth. The society seems very strongly divided between the rich and poor, with little room in between. Nonetheless, it provides a pointed commentary on many of the advantages the privileged in today's world take for granted, and the struggles of those who do not have those advantages. TAKEN is sure to provoke thoughtful discussion among its readers.
   
   For both its tense and unpredictable story and its social commentary, TAKEN is a great read. Be forewarned -- with so many twists, at least one is guaranteed to take you completely (and pleasantly) by surprise!
   
   Reviewed by: Lynn Crow



2. What we might call Fat-Cat Syndrome renders many Americans blind to the potential impact of the growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots in our society (and globally), but Edward Bloor has his eyes wide open. With Taken, he uses his obvious concerns to create a striking portrayal of a possible near-future in which, as our heroine Charity Meyers points out, "Kidnapping has become a major growth industry."
   
   Charity is the narrator of Taken, and the book begins with her strapped to a stretcher in an unknown location, wondering whether her captors will have to remove a body part in order to find her personal GPS tracker. (An acquantance of hers has a badly replaced ear for that very reason.) The story alternates between Charity in the present in her captors' hands and Charity's memories of the past as they relate to her predicament (everything from kidnapping protocols to the faux Edwardian servants and Christmases favored by members of her elite community).
   
   This book is well written as a story, but it is also a fable that might make some teens think a little more about how social stratification affects their lives. I bought another newly published book this week which turned out to be a fable about social stratification, too, though The Castle Corona by Newbery winner Sharon Creech has a medieval/fairy tale setting. (Some middle schooler looking for a great writing project for school should compare and contrast the two books!)
   
   Look for Bloor's satirical take on other issues in Taken--the ineffectual satellite-based schooling, the wonky health-care system, the artificiality of vidqueen (and Charity's ex-stepmother) Mickie's "documentaries," and the crass cruelty of rich, purposeless young people. I also got a kick out of the sight of Charity's butler carrying a Glock as he follows her down the street, openly guarding her against kidnappers. The toy helicopter crashing Mickie's Christmas special decor is another lively and no doubt symbolic moment.
   
   If, in the service of his message, Bloor's poor characters are a little too normal and noble, he does throw ethical dilemmas at them to liven things up. For that matter, Charity is an awfully nice kid, considering how she's been raised! (Of course, her early years were more sensible, before her father made his fortune and moved her to the soulless, gated community where they now reside.) Especially with his juxtaposition of Charity and Dessi, Bloor points out something that shouldn't need to be said, but is often forgotten: that two people on this planet have more in common as human beings than not.
   
   Intriguing plot twists add to the adventure and suspense, making the book a compelling read even if you don't entirely agree with its message.
   
   Unfortunately, Taken's portrayal of rich-and-poor dynamics isn't quite as futuristic as we might like to think. In this book, servants are assigned Edwardian names like Victoria and Albert, and their real names and lives are kept secret. Well, a friend of mine once told me she overheard her wealthy husband yelling at a servant, "I don't care what your name is! While you're here, your name is Maria because I SAY so!"

5 comments about Clarissa: Or the History of a Young Lady (Penguin Classics).

1. Samuel Richardson (1689-1761)is one of the founders of the English novel. His 1741 novel "Pamela" was one of the best sellers of the 18th century. In 1747 the printer/novelist issued the behemoth "Clarissa" which is over 1500 small printed pages and logs in at over one million words!Clarissa is a novel of manners written in an epistolatory style. It consists of 543 letters written by the prolific Clarissa; her good friend
   Anna Howe; her cad of a lover Robert Lovelace and his friend Mr. Belford. Several other letters are included written by minor characters.
   The plot is a simple one. Clarissa Harlow is a wealthy young lady who refuses to marry the odious Mr. Solmes. Clarissa flees to London with the rakish, highly intelligent and utterly charminig Robert Lovelace. This arch seducer places her in a brothel; she is drugged and Lovelace has intercourse with her. Clarissa then goes into a steady mental and physical decline dying before her 20th birthday.
   We read Clarissa over 250 years after its first appearance due to its psychological insight into the human soul. Richardson gives us an in depth look at the mind and heart of Clarissa and Lovelace. Clarissa dies as a Christian looking to Christ for salvation; forgiving her enemies and at peace with her unfortunate situation. Lovelace is killed in a duel. The evil characters are suitably punished. The story is a tragedy as the reader mourns the loss of such a brilliant young woman as Clarissa. Credulity is strained since I doubt if a teenager could write like Clarissa! And who would write such lengthy and minute letters dealing with daily affairs?. Perhaps they had more time in the eighteenth century.
   Richardson along with such eighteenth century literary figures as Henry Fielding; Oliver Goldsmith and Daniel DeFoe gave the novel a popularity among the new middle class which was literate and craved for
   stories which would instruct and entertain them in their homes.
   I read this novel in eight days. My eyes are trying to recover but the experience is one I savor. Clarissa will never be popular due to its great lengths and complexity. It will, however, never die but live as long as great novels are read and savored by sagacious souls.



2. Clarissa besides being one of the longest novels out there is also a hard book to read. Written in a series of letters from the main characters, it is truly work of art. You need to have a dictionary handy when reading this book as you will find many words that are not in your present vocabulary. I am reading Clarissa and I am ONLY on page 157, that is not to say that it is not an interesting book because it is. It's just that if you undertake to read this huge mammoth book, give yourself time alone to squint at the tiny print, look up words you don't know and digest some of the character's unbelievable thoughts and actions. While reading the book, I had to suppress the urge to scream at the sheer absurdity of all of Clarissa's relative. What a bunch of morons. I like it though that this book gives me reason to want to scream at these folks.
   
   While trying to read this book, I noticed that Samuel Richardson also wrote another book similar to Clarissa but slightly more lighthearted and readable. The book is called The History of Sir Charles Grandison. It is the story of the most perfect gentleman you will ever hope to find stuck between the affections of two very beautiful but different women (don't you feel sorry for him?). Like Clarissa, this book is long. You will not be able to find a single volume that contains the whole book unless you are willing to shell out big bucks. Save your money and right here in Amazon you can purchase the digital edition of this book. With this digital edition you can download onto your PDA, eBook or PC and read it from there. Or you could do like I did, I downloaded the book to my PC and then printed myself a hard copy. I must warn you, the book is long. On a regular 8 x 11 1/2 paper, this novel takes up 1,600 sheets so be prepared. That being said, this is one of the best investments I have made as it cost less than 10 bucks and I am thoroughly enjoying this story, daresay I, more than Clarissa.
   
   I will write a review of Sir Charles once I finish reading it but waste no more time, go out and purchase your own copy and read some of the finest literature out there.



3. What a group of despicable characters! By page 500, I was hoping every character would be put to the rack. By page 1000, I was hoping for a mass hanging. By page 1500, I was willing to grant clemency to a few.
   
   Dozens of times I nearly relegated this book to the pile of books to be sent to an enemy - BUT - each time would pick it up again because I had to know if my hopes would be realized.
   
   Should you read Clarissa? By all means; if for no other reason than to serve as penance for all past sins of omission or commission wreaked on others.



4. In the final semester of my English degree, I spent an entire semester reading Clarissa and composing something of the undergraduate version of a doctoral thesis. I love the themes raised in Clarissa and the underlying predicament common to women in this time period.
   
   Having said that, however, I have to reluctantly admit that the actual _reading_ of this book was painful. Richardson's themes are quite good - his pacing is not. Clarissa is yet another example of periodical stories that appeared, piece by piece, in monthly publications which did NOT encourage the author to reach the point (see also Dickens, who was paid by the word). In a perfect world, Richardson would have made Clarissa about half the length that he actually did, but it is not a perfect world in which we live. If you are interested in the plight of women in this period, in the manipulations of uncaring families, and of the raping 'gentlemen' who plaugued the time period feeling themselves entitled to whatever they want, then pick up a copy of Clarissa. But be prepared to skim judiciously to keep the action moving.



5. I am reading this for my M.A. Thesis Project. I am quite pleased I chose this book. It has everything, courting, rape, virtue, sword fights/dueling, and death. The longest book published in English literature is exquisite.