Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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In this series of short reflections on his life and work, the author presents twenty-three essays showing the development of his philosophy, his learning, and his literary art. From his beginnings as an Air Force brat in Japan, Massachusetts, Europe and Turkey, to his three and one-half decades in academe, to his near-fatal heart attack and its aftermath, Reginald discusses the major influences on his writing and his career as a librarian, peppered with numerous wry, often humorous observations on history, genealogy, family, editing, serious illness, and the joys of creating a set of fictional universes uniquely his own. Complete with Introduction, Afterword, and Index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tone of a rumpled uncle
A life in 125 pages? Can't be done, but Reginald isn't trying to write his full life story, only to distill how it has felt and now feels to him. Trilobite Dreams comprises 23 short vignettes. Leaving behind the convetion of a timeline, Reginald cuts back and forth from the story of his heart attack and near death to scenes of his early life, his book collecting, his writing and publishing (full disclosure: Reginald has published several of my books; I still swear critical impartiality here), and more.

The author's tone is that of rumpled uncle, a voice from a comfy chair. And Reginald sounds very sure of himself, comfortable in his skin, and despite all his struggles past and present he never takes himself too seriously. With a smile and a shrug we hear about early days of collecting sci-fi paperbacks, of being suckered in a few ghost-writer deals, of his love for his wife and his mature refusal to write anything that isn't primarily meant as a bloom from the tree of the writing-centered life they've led. Reginald's goals here are modest, and he more than succeeds within his self-inscribed compass. His is a very human voice emerging from a mountain of books and a troubled heart. Trilobite Dreams is a quick read, and will make the part of you where books and human feeling intersect warm with recognition. ... Read more

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Among the leading writers of the early republic, Charles Brockden Brown often appears as a romantic prototype--the brilliant, alienated author rejected by a utilitarian, materialistic American society. In The Romance of Real Life Steven Watts reinterprets Brown's life and work as a complex case study in the emerging culture of capitalism at the dawn of the nineteenth century.

Offering a revisionist view of Brown himself, Watts examines the major novels of the 1790s as well as previously neglected sources--from early essays and private letters to late-career forays into journalism, political pamphleteering, serial fiction, and cultural criticism.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Must Read For People Who Believe in True Love
~This beautiful & sad story of love-loss & devotion truly makes a person appreciate the moments you have with the one you love! That true love does happen- Betty Leslie-Melville shares her incredible story of love & Africa! Of Joy & sadness- Positively incredible! It left me weeping! ... Read more

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Romance fiction is one of the most popular literary genres in America today. New writers are constantly emerging, and students and general readers often have trouble finding current information about their favorite authors. This book provides alphabetically arranged entries on more than 100 contemporary American romance writers. Each entry offers biographical information, a critical discussion of the novelist's works, and a list of fiction and nonfiction by the writer, to help readers enjoy and appreciate the full scope of the author's activity. A bibliography of print and electronic resources concludes the volume.

America loves romance fiction. These works are extraordinarily popular among public library patrons and are widely read by high school students as well. Because the genre is so popular, new writers are constantly emerging, as are new works of fiction. As a result, general readers and students have trouble finding information about their favorite romance novelists and their most recent books. Written for students and readers of romance fiction, this book surveys contemporary American romance literature.

Customer Reviews (1)

Good book
This is a good book, which I recommend as a reference book for romance writers, which is also good for readers who enjoy romance. ... Read more

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Love in Black and White draws fascinating parallels between the histories of two people from different regions, races and religions, as both are witnesses to and targets of the social tensions of the day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Eye of the Beholder
Autobiography that's more about the man than the couple, tracing from his childhood in Maine through the White House. Interspersed are sections about Janet Langhart, and her upbringing. The book is an uplifting memoir that educates readers about the decades of historical, political, military social, racial, and Black history milestones in the U.S., as well as those of Mr. Cohen and Ms. Langhart.

A couple of times or so, there were disconnects from a topic launching into something else; and some occasional grammar things going on that seemed out of character.

The books was informative and candid, including paths of excellence and failure for both Mr. Cohen and his future wife. Both came from trailblazing ancestors and in turn carried on that tradition. Mr. Cohen didn't spare himself with a revisionist eye to his fighting youth, bad grades, and even 'cursing like a one-eyed pirate' one day. We learn of his experiences of racism from both the Jewish community and others from a young age forward. Mr. Cohen's mother was Irish Catholic and his father Jewish. Mr. Cohen went on to forgive those who ostracized him and denied him his birthright and merit of a Bar Mitzvah.

Ms. Langhart went on to lead the way from being among the first Fashion Fair models, relegated to segregated accommodations while touring the country to represent the beauty of Black women, as founder Robert Johnson, later of BET fame, and then of the Johnson Publishing dynasty, Jet and Ebony, had envisioned. The reader gets to see the underside as well as the triumphs. Apparently Mr. Johnson had to buy all of the clothing rather than the typical 'loan' of clothes from designers, as people did not want to wear what had been on black bodies. Readers get to see Janet develop from a small child holding fast to her mother's words of hope and tolerance, though she worked as a domestic for white people. Incidentally, I'd seen Janet over the years and one would've never guessed the struggles she'd faced or the disappointments. Her mother and she were basically abandoned by her father, a returning soldier, who'd been a war hero, but had advised his daughter that upon his return he would not be wearing his uniform in the South on the ride home, and he'd be sitting in the back of the bus, disheartened about fighting for freedom for others abroad while at home, he was treated as if he were the enemy. At some point in the book, Janet protests the disparaging treatment of returning black soldiers who had to sit at the back of an auditorium, while foreign prisoners of war were treated like white people and sat at the front.

Incidentally, when other cultural movements such as interracial movements and gay movements look to Black culture in how to navigate in the mainstream culture, it's instructive to note how Black culture has always been of the opinion about representing a good profile to the mainstream. Countering stereotypes was the least activism one could do. In the Fashion Fair tradition, the NAACP, also continues to encourage Black people to keep representing Black culture well with its annual "Image" Awards. The idea of good representation to the public. In the book "Navigating Interracial Borders, Black-White Couples and Their Social Worlds" the author seemed off put with the idea that interracial couples would want to 'keep up a front'. Not airing dirty laundry, and keeping the positive out front to offset the stereotypes. In this regard, it's no different than what Black people have done since Day 1, and continue to do. I believe immigrants did the same as a survival mechanism, too. It works. Role modeling. If you see it, you can achieve it. You can believe, and work towards it. Like any habit, practice makes perfect.

In Cohen's book, you will see the good. That's what counts. Like any married couple, a united front.

We learn that the people who Janet's mother worked for were Jewish, and that Janet's mother adopted some of their practices, like cooking Kosher food, and instilling certain values in her children, in spite of their surroundings and those negative persons around them. Janet's mother didn't teach hate. Nowhere in the book did I read anything but good things about Black men, or negative remarks about shiftless Black men who didn't take care of their children or any nonsense even though Janet's father left the family. It would have been an easy stereotype to exploit given the circumstance. Instead, there were many Black History nods. In Janet's developing career, she met icon after icon in the Black community, including Mahalia Jackson and Martin Luther King, Jr., who reportedly was like a son to Mahalia, and who frequently visited and stayed in her home, as did some other Black icons. The practice of hosting Black people in residences was a collective practice to counter Jim Crow segregation that either excluded Black people from public accommodations altogether, or offered conditions that were very bad. Janet was mentored by a range of Black icons, including Muhammad Ali, who advised her when his heavyweight title was stripped because he wouldn't serve in the War, that he still had his self respect, and that was more valuable than anything someone could give and take away at whim. Years later, during her rise from model to weather girl to broadcast journalist, readers would see how the leaders around her were able to impart survival wisdom. Years later, when Bill Clinton picked Cohen to be Secretary of Defense--a Republican Cohen, no less, and a "Jew" to some, Janet would be treated with the utmost respect to the extent that she began to focus on the good that was in her life. She even began to pray and kiss the flag in Cohen's office when she took to heart lessons learned and experiences that showed her that there are different kinds of people, and there are good people who welcome good people to work for good together.

In this regard, Janet's experience with the military prior to Cohen was that it mistreated Black people like her father, and gave empty promises at best. Her mother and her family had a new home in the housing projects set up by the military for returning Black soldiers. It was a glimpse of the later military 'family' vision that would again renew her faith in the good outweighing the bad. I got chills and choked up when Cohen described how he'd secretly made a special request to honor Janet to the White House leaders during his final days as SecDef.

Now, there's a love story. Cohen and Langhart were formerly married. Ironically, both Janet's brother as well as one of Cohen's sons married someone of the opposite race. Readers will be surprised to hear about the intimate details of a medical situation that Janet faced, and which no doubt had enormous impact on her life.

I don't think the book title really reflects the content of the book. The books is primarily an autobiography of Cohen's life, which didn't intersect with Janet's til only little more than a decade ago. However, some people believe, as mentioned in the book Janet does, in fate. In which case, there life partner was always on their way to them. It wasn't a matter of if but when the two would come together, and how they get there, is really what the book includes. I can see Cohen loving B-ball, his father loving B-ball, and thus Cohen playing on teams where he met more than just White males. I was tickled a bit about his doing the Black handshake with Black men, playing while in the Senate with some Black Congressmen. I could see that if his mother was feisty and had her own independence and opinions that she felt free to express, that Cohen would not be put off by an outspoken Black woman like Langhart.

In the book Cohen mentions Janet's loving his blue eyes. I'd have to say I wish Janet hadn't worn blue contacts on the book cover. While she's got some mixed ancestry, it's not front and center, as in her parents are both black. Somewhere down the line, many Black people have Native American, or White people, etc. in their family tree. People who aim to be a 'couple' will sometimes start dressing alike, and even down the line, are supposedly starting to morph into each other, with similar features.

Since the couple did not have kids, it was a bonus to them in a way because Janet could travel with him everywhere he went and he had no guilt about forsaking the family for his job, as with the case with his first marriage. That both of them could interrelate about their experiences across the board, and stand strong together, was more than a galvanizing force. Readers get to see their perspectives on a range of U.S. events, from the lynching of Emmit Till to Watergate to the assassination of MLK, Jr., Hoover, to USS Cole, Vietnam, WWII, Katrina, the Kanye West TV comment. The times did change, who'd have thought a Republican, an immigrant's son no less who rose from living in a room with 5 people to become an lawyer, Congressman, Senator, SecDef, would be right there networking across the board for better times. And walking into the White House at the invite of hipster Bill Clinton, with his Black wife by his side. In these times. The time for all good men to rise.

If there's an interracial story of love and marriage, a united front, this is it. Representing. As always. That we are more than what meets the eye.

curious
I was disipointed that he did not reveal the intensity or depth of of attraction/love.Howeve,his account of his political career was interesting enough for me to want to read more of the stories by politicians during critical times in this country.

REALITY
IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE IN THE AFRO AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT FAIRER SKINNED PEOPLE HAVE IT MUCH EASIER THAN DARKER SKINNED MEMBERS.THIS IS BECAUSE THE FAIRER SKINNED MEMBERS ARE MORE READILY ACCEPTED AND ARE TREATED AS IF THEIR VALUE IS SOME HOW GREATER.IT IS ALSO A FACT THAT THE DARKER SKINNER MEMBERS TRY HARDER AND WORK HARDER. YOU CAN SEE THIS IN AFRO AMERICANS WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL IN MUSIC, SPORTS, MEDICINE, AND COMMUNICATIONS.THIS IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY BELIEVE THAT THESE HAVE MORE TALENT THAN THE FAIRER SKINNED ONES BECAUSE THE BATTLE IS HARDER.
THIS IS WHY THIS BOOK IS NOT REALY VALID TO MOST OF THE POPULATION IN THE AFRO-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. SELECTIVE RACISM AND RACISM WITHIN A RACE.I DREAM ABOUT A TIME WHEN INTER-RACIAL COUPLES STOP TEACHING THEIR OFFSPRING THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE BOTH AFRO-AMERICAN

This lady is NOT BLACK, she could pass for white!!
I find it really amusing that these people with caucasion features who have a pretty easy time being accepted in the "white world", some how think they are the authority on race relations or interracial relationships.I have friends who married very dark skinned African Americans who lived in working class neighborhoods.Their love survived more pain, hardship, and strife then that half-breed Mrs. Cohen could ever imagine.I seriously doubt that Mr. Cohen would have it as bad a dark skinned male, with a white woman on his arm.

Get a clue!

TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ARE ONE
This is a love story. The journey of two people arriving at the same place in time, finally.Theyshare their respective experiences with sharp incisive candor.Readers are given a "no holds barred" look into their world.

Quite frankly,they are right.It is the time for a book of this quality to be written.Two little children born and raised in America, each havingindividual, separatehorrendous struggles,- yetsurviving, maturing, achievingsuccess.Through their eyes, we experiencelife in the political, journalist, entertainment,social, personal, civil rights, andsports arena of action.Through themWe meeta young Muhammad Ali, Quincey Jones, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,Hilary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Sidney Poiter,Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, the FBI, Deepak Chopra, Bruce Gordon,Mahalia Jackson, John Johnson, Andrew Young, soldiers in Bosnia and many many more. Beautiful glossy photographs capture memorable moments.Thank you Bill and Janet. Your respective journeys were often jarring,but seldom boring.The bookcontains enlightening perspectives and is a wake-up call to the sometimes harsh yet mostly beautiful realities of life here on planet earth. And much like the lyrics of that sweet old poignant song, " We will show them as we walk together in the sun,that our two different worlds are one," -- you have indeed done just that.



I have never met William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen,but I have observedJanet's steady progress and achievements, over the years,fromthe cover of Jet Magazine to the Ebony Fashion Fair, and her television show. I have always been inspired by her courage, intelligence and professionalism.I am an African-American woman. This book is excellent and informative. Its final chapter features Janet'smasterfully crafted play, a dialogue between murdered Emmitt Till and the Holocaust'sAnne Frank.


My next read will be Janet's book,"From Rage to Reason."


... Read more

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Customer Reviews (15)

Boring
When I came across this book in my favorite charming, independent bookstore, I bought it immediately.It sounded totally enjoyable to me because I love books, I love bookstores, and I've read a fictional book by this author (SELLING THE LITE OF HEAVEN) which was delightful.Unfortunately this book is not nearly as interesting as the back cover and after about 30 pages of total boredom I gave up and put it in my "Books To Be Donated" bag.

"When I was a child, my town had no bookstores."
I first read Shelf Life shortly after its initial publication and I remember being somewhat disappointed in it because it seemed to promise so much more than it delivered.I didn't record my feelings about the book after finishing it that first time and, because the passage of time mellowed my disappointment in it to a large degree, when I stumbled upon it again last week in a box of old books I decided to give it another try.I just knew that it would work for me this time around.

I was wrong.

Like most bibliophiles, especially those fast approaching retirement age, I've often dreamed of working in a bookstore so that, for once in my life, I could get paid for doing something I love in an environment I enjoy.Suzanne Strempek Shea's book recounting her first year's worth of experiences as a novice bookstore clerk seems like a natural choice for anyone dreaming of living the same life for themselves one day.Unfortunately, however, Shelf Life is written in such a dry, rambling, and often obtuse style, that the author eventually had me wondering if I could possibly last a whole year in the boring job she describes.

Suzanne Strempek Shea, in the midst of recovering from cancer treatments and not yet up to working on her next novel, realized that she needed to shake up her life a bit before she would be ready to resume her writing routine.She needed something to take her mind off of her recovery and lack of physical stamina and when an opportunity to work at Edwards Books (Springfield, Massachusetts) came up, she jumped at it.As things turned out, she brought many skills and ideas to the bookstore and Edwards Books was as lucky to have her as she was to have walked into the job.

I have to suspect that working in an independent bookstore, or even one of the bigbox bookstores, for that matter, is a lot more interesting than Shea makes it sound.She does pass on some interesting insights into the inner workings of a bookstore regarding the ordering process, how returns and markdowns work, how to best handle incomplete customer queries, how the location of a book within a store directly impacts the number of copies it will sell, etc.But her tendency to include long lists of trivial detail or to go on and on about every holiday display she built for the store in her entire first year becomes very tedious and distracting reading.

Simply put, as much as I sympathized with Shea's situation and envied her opportunity to work in a bookstore setting as she moved back into the world after her medical treatments, she never quite managed to breathe life into Edwards Books and its employees, something that still surprises me on this second reading, especially considering the fact that she is primarily known as a novelist.

A lot of hypocritical steam, but funny a little bit at a time
"Shelf Life" has its moments. It's like a collection of somewhat dry, bordering on badly written, short stories that amuse you when you don't have anything better to read.

The reason I think the author is a bit hypocritical is that she complains about people continually misspelling her name, etc., but when she talks about "Tuesdays With Morrie", she intentionally spells it "Tuesdays with Morey". Seriously? Why would you think someone would take you seriously when you can't get a basic title, with such a wide fan base and with a lot of good recognition, correct?

Worth reading.
I would venture to say that any lover of books has toyed with the idea of working at the mecca for bibliophiles, a bookstore. Strempek Shea -- not just any book lover but also a bestselling author -- shows us what it's like on the other side of the cash register.

Shea has a way with words, and her turns of phrase are always skillful and often unexpected. I enjoyed the way she wove details about the publishing business with the details about the inner workings of the store and its many colorful characters.

She did seem testy at times, particularly when describing her reaction to some customers' requests. And I found her denigration of Bill O'Reilly to be unwarranted (what happened to nonjudgment??). And it was interesting that she -- who is so sensitive about her own name being spelled correctly -- misspelled the title of Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie."

Those are just minor peeves, though, and overall I give this book a high rating. If you love the written word, you'll love this book .

Another Ho Hum Personal Memoir
I picked up this book because I thought it's setting in a bookstore would be interesting. However, it turned out to be just another ho hum personal memoir. Cancer surviving writer is lifted out of her depressed state and brought back to life when a bookstore owning friend calls and asks her to work a few hours a week in the store. The reader does get an interesting tidbit or two about the book publishing and book selling industries, but most of it is an awfully boring recitation of book signing tours or setting up displays for yet another holiday in the bookstore. The author's glib tone is annoying beyond belief and hardly endeared herself to me as a warm human being.The book lacks any organization that I can see and the author seems to have a problem crafting a complete sentence. The book abounds with incomplete ones. Nor do I understand the subtitle of the book as no romance, mystery or drama figures in the book. If you want to read a really fine personal memoir about the world of books I heartily recommend MichaelDirda's, "Open Book". ... Read more

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A world-renowned author responds to her readers' expressed curiosity with a down-to-earth account of how she began writing in Chicago and escaped to the sanctuary of St. Simons Island, Georgia, to continue her storytelling. 40,000 first printing. National ad/promo. ... Read more

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An amusing, engaging memoir by an American woman who went to Japan in the late 1960s and lost her heart to Zen. Living in an apartment next door to a monastery, the author, then a college student, found herself over the course of months of regular study and meals with the monks, gradually gaining their friendship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sushi for the Soul
Far from being a self-aggrandizing memoir, a travelogue or a spiritual manual, this book reads like a rich, delicious novel. Sandra Boliver Boehm writes with a sense of humor about her college-age self, and with meticulous and sensual detail about her experiences in Japan in the 1970's.Her descriptions of the food she ate are enough to make a reader crave sushi every night. This is a phenominal coming-of-age tale, and a must for any intelligent young woman with a lust for adventure.

I wanted to give it SIX!
Some of the most exquisite writing I've ever encountered. This delightfulmemoir is quizzical, poignant, sparkling, honest and brilliant. It conveysthe feel of a youthful search for spiritual adventure while unconsciouslybrimming with maturity and a rare kind of courage, both earthy and lofty. I'm eager for more, much more, from this exceptionally witty, literate andlyrical voice.

A vivid recounting of a young American woman's time in Kyoto
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I have strong ambivalencies about the time I spent living in Japan, but reading this book evoked such strong, nostalgic images of all that is right and true about Japanese culture that I was ready to hop the next plane. I only wish that I had had her apparently excellent Japanese language skills, the more romantic locale of Kyoto over the more industrial Kobe where I lived, and the better luck with Japanese men! ... Read more

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Best known as the author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) enjoyed great public acclaim as a writer, cultural arbiter, and social activist. In this biography, Ziegler draws upon letters, memoirs, and unpublished manuscripts to reveal the private struggle Howe endured ... Read more

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"Beyond question Shelley scholars and 19th-century specialists will value this usefully annotated and carefully produced edition; it may also be that anyone would enjoy the stories themselves... and the accompanying original engravings." -- Diane Johnson, Washington Post.

Customer Reviews (3)

interesting biography
This is a very thorough biography on Mary Shelley. I don't think, however, it is for everyone, since the language at times very academic and not for the layman. Nevertheless, Mary Shelley's turbulent,fascinating life with all her mistakes reads like fiction . Her emotional and intellectual journey to wholeness took many turns, and her genius shines clearly throughout the book.

Sound and reliable
Book arrived in very good condition after a bit of a wait - very decent service.

The best of both worlds
As someone who reads a lot of history and biographies, I find it a rare pleasure when a book is both authoritative and entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this, and found it wonderfully detailed. ... Read more

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A Valentine's Day selection of more than one hundred love letters features passionate prose by writers ranging from Sappho to Anne Sexton, Marcus Aurelius to Nelson Algren. Reprint.Amazon.com Review
One hundred astonishing love letters by writers ranging from Sappho to Sexton, Neruda to Nin--these are definitely not your garden-variety sigh-fests. Cathy Davidson has delivered--though not signed or sealed--some extraordinary specimens. See Zelda Sayre's rather odd missive to F. Scott Fitzgerald: "Come Quick--Come Quick to me--I could never do without you if you hated me and were covered with sores like a leper..." or John Steinbeck's jocular letter to Elaine Scott: "Am a widower with 10,000 acres in Arizona and seven cows so if you can milk I will be glad to have you give up that tinsel life of debauchery and sin and come out to God's country where we got purple sage. P.S. Can you bring a little sin and debauchery along?" There's a letter for every mood--Davidson's arrangement covers love's infinite variety, from the act of falling to the fact of fighting. Of course, it's important to take some assertions less seriously than others. Though Henry Miller tells Anais Nin, "You have silenced me," he does carry on for another two pages! ... Read more

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She's a forty-four-year-old writer with a bohemian past, and he's a preppy engineer ten years younger. She's a Jewish New Yorker fascinated by his country's traditional family compound life; he's a devout Muslim who loves partying, Western-style. Both are passionate, but each keeps love and sex apart. She follows desire rather than convention; he insists he wants an arranged marriage. When he speaks of "making love" their first night together, she almost laughs at the expression. But after decades of intellectualizing love, she is surprised to find herself acknowledging the power of the heart.

A defense of romance in a time of calculation and an ode to sexual passion amid our culture's turning away from the body, The Book of Trouble shakes up what we thought we knew about love, sex, and family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

SO MUCH ABOUT NOTHING; BORING
WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT ANN MARLOW'S EXPLORATIONS INTO HER AFFAIR OF NINE MONTHS WITH A GUY CALLED AMIR-DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS, TRY IT FOR YOURSELF AND FIND OUT.BORING IN THE EXTREME-TALK ABOUT PUTTING YOUR TO SLEEP.IF SHE IS A WRITER, SO I AM. IT IS SO VAGUE,SKIPPING FROM POINT TO ANOTHER--CONFUSING. DID NOT LIKE IT-WAS NOT WORTH MY TIME TO READ. DH

So much to think about
I liked this book very much and have recommended it to friends. I'm sure I disagree with Marlowe's politics--especially regarding the war in Iraq--as much as anybody else, but that didn't dim my appreciation for her work nor make any of her ideas suspect. She brings her intelligence and the perspective that comes from having led an interesting life to her interesting range of topics; that's a combination that wins my attention and admiration every time. I also found this a very brave work, in that the most tender areas that she probes are located on her own heart.

A Must read !
Very deep enlightening and well written. I was so struck by this wonderful love, or non love story, that I read it in one sitting ! Ann writes with passion nothing is held back, buy it today !!

A Different Kind of Love Letter....
An intimate intellectual travelogue about sex and culture at unusual personal depth, Ann Marlowe's The Book Of Trouble read itself quickly.I was saving it for an impending vacation because it seemed a clever choice for traveling with a lover, but I started sampling and wound up consuming the whole thing before I packed.

Training her Harvard-honed overachieving mind on a tasty range of sexual, sociological, and cultural targets, Marlowe manages to turn her pursuit of a younger Afghan man into an exploration of her family's troubled history, womanhood in Muslim society, and the various ways contemporary Americans attempt to control (and effectively suppress) romance and lust.

Marlowe can annoy at times with steely strictures, but that's part of her disarming charm as a writer.Most of the judgments here are about her.Even when she tearfully mulls the wisdom and phrasing of chasing a lost lover, she rarely whines.She struck me as looking for truth in her experiences, as if peeling an onion that she fears her heart has become after decades of hip romancing.

The book is a grand tide of digression, but its structure reliably supports her queries as she falls in love and follows Old Glory to Mazar-i-Sherif, Kabul, and Baghdad, all the while yearning for a perfect intimacy that she fears she wasn't born to have.In asking why this is and whether it must continue to be, she entertains the mind that overlooks the heart and she provokes readers to contemplate their own solitude in this busy "sexy" world.

Excellent
This is a wonderful, wide ranging, engaging memoir. It's all here - cousin marriage, intergenerational sex, cultural differences (and not the tedious starch you get served up in so much travel writing), criticisms of American society, a strong heart and powerful searching intelligence. "The Book of Trouble" is at the outset a love story. West Village writer meets significantly younger man from Afghanistan. Is he acceptable as a lover? No. Does she even consider him? No. Do they get together? Yes, briefly, savagely, and then sadly: it's all over.
Ann Marlowe is an acutely observant viewer of herself, and those around her: what they say, and what they think. She understands that what love is based on is a kind of tribalism, that you fall for people who reflect or refract the milieu you were raised in. The distance between herself, an American Jew, and Amir, an Afghan Muslim is, as she notes, much less than might be first imagined. Pursuing Amir, Marlowe is also pursuing Afghanistan, and the Middle East, and that chewy topic: America. What do Muslims have that the contemporary US has lost? Can it be retrieved? How? The love affair with Amir is always gently nudged back to politics and place.
Picky giddy people should beware. This is probably not a book to read if you think that someone like Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi cannot be a rogue, and also charming. It's not for you if you imagine it's witty to cast aspersions on the author just because whipping-boy-du-jour James Frey has praised it. It's not for you if you like ideas and events neatly dissected and served on a plate like so much mental sashimi: appetising at the outset, but then an hour later you're hungry again. Yes, "The Book of Trouble" has troubling themes, but their treatment is invigorating and satisfying. ... Read more

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The Dolliver Romance - Fanshawe And Septimius Felton. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more