Contemporary Literature: Most Popular Articles
These articles are the most popular over the last month.
A New Earth
Spiritual teacher and author Eckhart Tolle ("The Power of Now") advocates present moment awareness and the dismantling of the ego as the path towards awakened living. "A New Earth" gets its title from a Bible verse referring to the rising of "a new heaven and a new earth." According to Tolle, "heaven" is the awakened state that will bring about "a new earth" in the outer world, the world of form.
Spiritual teacher and author Eckhart Tolle ("The Power of Now") advocates present moment awareness and the dismantling of the ego as the path towards awakened living. "A New Earth" gets its title from a Bible verse referring to the rising of "a new heaven and a new earth." According to Tolle, "heaven" is the awakened state that will bring about "a new earth" in the outer world, the world of form.
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony is when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves.
Dramatic irony is when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves.
What is Poetry?
Poetry is many things to many people. Homer, John Milton, Christopher Marlowe, and of course Shakespeare have each given us enough to fill textbooks. Poems from the Romantic period include Goethe’s "Faust", Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan" and Keats’ "Ode on a Grecian Urn." Shall I go on? Because in order to do so, I would have to continue through 19th century Japanese poetry, early Americans that include Emily Dickinson and T.S. Eliot, postmodernism, experimentalists, slam... so what is poetry?
Poetry is many things to many people. Homer, John Milton, Christopher Marlowe, and of course Shakespeare have each given us enough to fill textbooks. Poems from the Romantic period include Goethe’s "Faust", Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan" and Keats’ "Ode on a Grecian Urn." Shall I go on? Because in order to do so, I would have to continue through 19th century Japanese poetry, early Americans that include Emily Dickinson and T.S. Eliot, postmodernism, experimentalists, slam... so what is poetry?
Poetry
Poetry is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices so as to evoke an emotional response. Poetry has been known to employ meter and rhyme, but this is by no means necessary. Poetry is an ancient form that has gone through numerous and drastic reinvention over time. The very nature of poetry as an authentic and individual mode of expression makes it nearly impossible to define.
Poetry is an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices so as to evoke an emotional response. Poetry has been known to employ meter and rhyme, but this is by no means necessary. Poetry is an ancient form that has gone through numerous and drastic reinvention over time. The very nature of poetry as an authentic and individual mode of expression makes it nearly impossible to define.
The Game
In cities around the world, men meet in underground "lairs" to discuss tactics and strategies for picking up women. Afterwards, they venture into the "field"-bars and clubs-and practice, questing after the holy grail: the perfect girl. Under a pseudonym, New York Times bestselling author Neil Strauss ventured into this bizarre subculture, traveling around the world and meeting the world's greatest seducers, men who claim to have found the combination to unlock a woman's legs-and her heart.
In cities around the world, men meet in underground "lairs" to discuss tactics and strategies for picking up women. Afterwards, they venture into the "field"-bars and clubs-and practice, questing after the holy grail: the perfect girl. Under a pseudonym, New York Times bestselling author Neil Strauss ventured into this bizarre subculture, traveling around the world and meeting the world's greatest seducers, men who claim to have found the combination to unlock a woman's legs-and her heart.
Funny Books
Here are ten books to tickle your funny bone - whether they fall into the humor fiction camp or are just hilarious works of nonfiction, they will laugh the soda right through your nose.
Here are ten books to tickle your funny bone - whether they fall into the humor fiction camp or are just hilarious works of nonfiction, they will laugh the soda right through your nose.
The Secret Life of Bees
In "The Secret Life of Bees," Sue Monk Kidd wraps a coming-of-age tale around a search for one's mother, plunks it down into the racially-charged South Carolina of the 1960s and sets it all alight with a dose of feminine spirituality. . It is an inspirational feminist tale with strong female characters.
In "The Secret Life of Bees," Sue Monk Kidd wraps a coming-of-age tale around a search for one's mother, plunks it down into the racially-charged South Carolina of the 1960s and sets it all alight with a dose of feminine spirituality. . It is an inspirational feminist tale with strong female characters.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The history of Afghanistan is marked by death, loss and unimaginable grief. And, yet, people find a way to survive, to go on. Ultimately, this is more than a story of survival in the face of what seem to be insurmountable odds. It is a story of the unconquerable spirit of a people seen through the eyes of two indomitable women. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, is a must read for those who wish to understand the modern history (1964 - 2003) of Afghanistan.
The history of Afghanistan is marked by death, loss and unimaginable grief. And, yet, people find a way to survive, to go on. Ultimately, this is more than a story of survival in the face of what seem to be insurmountable odds. It is a story of the unconquerable spirit of a people seen through the eyes of two indomitable women. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner, is a must read for those who wish to understand the modern history (1964 - 2003) of Afghanistan.
He's Just Not That Into You
He's Just Not That Into You is not a guide to dating. Aimed at women of a certain class and lifestyle and filling a slim 165 pages, the book serves merely as a calling card for its authors, five-years-out-of-the-dating-pool Sex and the City consultant Greg Behrendt and 41-years-old-and-single SatC] executive story editor Liz Tuccillo. Presumably their participation in the creation of that over-praised HBO television series is what qualifies Greg and Liz to offer relationship guidelines.
He's Just Not That Into You is not a guide to dating. Aimed at women of a certain class and lifestyle and filling a slim 165 pages, the book serves merely as a calling card for its authors, five-years-out-of-the-dating-pool Sex and the City consultant Greg Behrendt and 41-years-old-and-single SatC] executive story editor Liz Tuccillo. Presumably their participation in the creation of that over-praised HBO television series is what qualifies Greg and Liz to offer relationship guidelines.
Elizabeth Kostova Interview
Elizabeth Kostova is the author of The Historian, a chilling historical mystery that reaches from the present day into the medieval past of Vlad the Impaler, Wallachia’s hideously barbarous 15th century ruler whose gruesome deeds gave rise to the legend of Dracula. Kostova’s intricately researched novel traces the paths of a modern-day father and daughter plunging obsessively from ancient village to dank crypt in a quest to destroy the vampire.
Elizabeth Kostova is the author of The Historian, a chilling historical mystery that reaches from the present day into the medieval past of Vlad the Impaler, Wallachia’s hideously barbarous 15th century ruler whose gruesome deeds gave rise to the legend of Dracula. Kostova’s intricately researched novel traces the paths of a modern-day father and daughter plunging obsessively from ancient village to dank crypt in a quest to destroy the vampire.
Watchmen and The Graphic Novel
The October 24, 2005 issue of Time Magazine named "Watchmen" as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present. The critically acclaimed Watchmen graphic novel, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, is the only graphic novel selected, and stands alongside literary classics including J.D. Salinger’s "Catcher in the Rye" and Ernest Hemingway’s "The Sun Also Rises." What is it about "Watchmen" that turned the media's eye to this long-neglected literary medium?
The October 24, 2005 issue of Time Magazine named "Watchmen" as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present. The critically acclaimed Watchmen graphic novel, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, is the only graphic novel selected, and stands alongside literary classics including J.D. Salinger’s "Catcher in the Rye" and Ernest Hemingway’s "The Sun Also Rises." What is it about "Watchmen" that turned the media's eye to this long-neglected literary medium?
Books about Love
Books about Love including The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time, A Natural History of Love, Geek Love, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The Map of Love.
Books about Love including The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time, A Natural History of Love, Geek Love, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The Map of Love.
Contemporary Classics Top 10
Ten books that have withstood the test of time, yet are recent enough to be called Contemporary Literature, these Contemporary Classics are a bare-bones reading list, essentials or must-reads. Any such list is purely subjective, of course, and one must soon choose for him or herself what makes the top ten, but this list would start you on your way to a solid background in Contemporary Literature.
Ten books that have withstood the test of time, yet are recent enough to be called Contemporary Literature, these Contemporary Classics are a bare-bones reading list, essentials or must-reads. Any such list is purely subjective, of course, and one must soon choose for him or herself what makes the top ten, but this list would start you on your way to a solid background in Contemporary Literature.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6) - Trivia Quiz. Test your memory of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6) - Trivia Quiz. Test your memory of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Haunted
Haunted is a novel made up of stories: twenty-three of them, to be precise. Twenty-three of the most horrifying, hilarious, mind-blowing, stomach-churning tales you'll ever encounter—sometimes all at once. Appallingly entertaining, Haunted is Chuck Palahniuk at his finest—which means his most extreme and his most provocative.
Haunted is a novel made up of stories: twenty-three of them, to be precise. Twenty-three of the most horrifying, hilarious, mind-blowing, stomach-churning tales you'll ever encounter—sometimes all at once. Appallingly entertaining, Haunted is Chuck Palahniuk at his finest—which means his most extreme and his most provocative.
Young Adult Books
Young adult literature is usually characterized by having a young protagonist, a limited number of characters, few subplots, a compressed timespan, and a positive resolution. The YA audience is typically thought to be between the ages of 12 to 19 years, but much YA literature written today, including the Harry Potter books, and Philip Pullman's and Cornelia Funke's work has had crossover appeal to an adult audience.
Young adult literature is usually characterized by having a young protagonist, a limited number of characters, few subplots, a compressed timespan, and a positive resolution. The YA audience is typically thought to be between the ages of 12 to 19 years, but much YA literature written today, including the Harry Potter books, and Philip Pullman's and Cornelia Funke's work has had crossover appeal to an adult audience.
Inkheart
One night Meggie's father, Mo, reads aloud from a book called INKHEART, and an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. From Cornelia Funke, the author of the international best-selling novel THE THIEF LORD, comes another thrilling and magical adventure about books themselves and the imagination they inspire.
One night Meggie's father, Mo, reads aloud from a book called INKHEART, and an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. From Cornelia Funke, the author of the international best-selling novel THE THIEF LORD, comes another thrilling and magical adventure about books themselves and the imagination they inspire.
Best Novels
While "best" is a subjective description, we feel certain that these ten are indeed the best literary novels published since the year 2000.
While "best" is a subjective description, we feel certain that these ten are indeed the best literary novels published since the year 2000.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter 5) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter 5) - Trivia Quiz. Do you remember Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or has Vol... I mean, You Know Who been getting inside your mind? Best practice your Occlumency.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter 5) - Trivia Quiz. Do you remember Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or has Vol... I mean, You Know Who been getting inside your mind? Best practice your Occlumency.
Dry : A Memoir
In "Dry," a follow-up to his shocking and hilarious childhood memoir, "Running with Scissors," Augusten Burroughs recounts his introduction into recovery from alcoholism.
In "Dry," a follow-up to his shocking and hilarious childhood memoir, "Running with Scissors," Augusten Burroughs recounts his introduction into recovery from alcoholism.
The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger's debut novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," is one part science fiction and one part love story. It is the compelling tale of Henry DeTamble, a man afflicted with a genetic disorder which causes him to slip sporadically through time, without warning and naked. It is also the story of Clare Abshire, the woman who loves him. Read the prologue.
Audrey Niffenegger's debut novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife," is one part science fiction and one part love story. It is the compelling tale of Henry DeTamble, a man afflicted with a genetic disorder which causes him to slip sporadically through time, without warning and naked. It is also the story of Clare Abshire, the woman who loves him. Read the prologue.
Past Booker Prize Winners
The Man Booker Prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. It is not only one of literature's highest honors but quite lucrative as the winner takes home £50,000. This is a list of the previous 10 years' Booker Prize Winners.
The Man Booker Prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. It is not only one of literature's highest honors but quite lucrative as the winner takes home £50,000. This is a list of the previous 10 years' Booker Prize Winners.
Audrey Niffenegger Interview
Audrey Niffenegger is a writer, artist, and professor in the Interdisciplinary Book Arts MFA Program at the Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper Arts. She is the author of "The Time Traveler's Wife," the inventive and unconventionally rendered tale of Clare, a luminously beautiful artist, and Henry, a time-traveler. In our interview, Ms. Niffenegger discussed her art and writing, among other things.
Audrey Niffenegger is a writer, artist, and professor in the Interdisciplinary Book Arts MFA Program at the Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper Arts. She is the author of "The Time Traveler's Wife," the inventive and unconventionally rendered tale of Clare, a luminously beautiful artist, and Henry, a time-traveler. In our interview, Ms. Niffenegger discussed her art and writing, among other things.
Blink
In Blink, Malcolm Gladwell revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work?
In Blink, Malcolm Gladwell revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter 1) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter 1) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? How well do you recall Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts and his first encounter with Voldemort since he was an infant?
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter 1) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? How well do you recall Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts and his first encounter with Voldemort since he was an infant?
Bringing Down the House
Backed by anonymous investors and armed only with their audacity and their intellect, a team of MIT math students cleaned Vegas out of more than $3 million in a couple of years. They used published card-counting techniques and worked in teams like secret agents. They ate statistics for breakfast, and they raked in millions of dollars before getting caught. They were a dream team. So why did they get caught?
Backed by anonymous investors and armed only with their audacity and their intellect, a team of MIT math students cleaned Vegas out of more than $3 million in a couple of years. They used published card-counting techniques and worked in teams like secret agents. They ate statistics for breakfast, and they raked in millions of dollars before getting caught. They were a dream team. So why did they get caught?
Middlesex
To call Middlesex a coming-of-age novel about a hermaphrodite would be like calling The Odyssey a story about some guy on a boat. Middlesex is nothing short of epic; one family's survival on a twisted path through Greece to 20th Century America; battles ranging from the fires of the Turkish wars, the igniting of Michigan race riots, and the burning desires hidden within a girl named Callie and the man named Cal who she is to become.
To call Middlesex a coming-of-age novel about a hermaphrodite would be like calling The Odyssey a story about some guy on a boat. Middlesex is nothing short of epic; one family's survival on a twisted path through Greece to 20th Century America; battles ranging from the fires of the Turkish wars, the igniting of Michigan race riots, and the burning desires hidden within a girl named Callie and the man named Cal who she is to become.
Farce
Farce is literature that combines exxageration with an improbable plot and stereotyped characters to achieve humor.
Farce is literature that combines exxageration with an improbable plot and stereotyped characters to achieve humor.
The Curious Incident
Narrated by a fifteen-year-old autistic savant obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, Mark Haddon's dazzling novel weaves together an old-fashioned mystery, a contemporary coming-of-age story, and a fascinating excursion into a mind incapable of processing emotions. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is one of the freshest debut novels in years: a comedy, a tearjerker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read.
Narrated by a fifteen-year-old autistic savant obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, Mark Haddon's dazzling novel weaves together an old-fashioned mystery, a contemporary coming-of-age story, and a fascinating excursion into a mind incapable of processing emotions. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is one of the freshest debut novels in years: a comedy, a tearjerker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read.
Allusion
An allusion is a reference to a famous person, place, thing or part of another work of literature. It is assumed that the reader understands the allusion.
An allusion is a reference to a famous person, place, thing or part of another work of literature. It is assumed that the reader understands the allusion.
Contemporary Literature - TopPicks
An index of TopPicks for the Contemporary Literature guide site.
An index of TopPicks for the Contemporary Literature guide site.
Excerpt: The Virgin Suicides
Excerpt from "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Excerpt from "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Eragon
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon's simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. So begins Book 1 of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Trilogy.
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon's simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. So begins Book 1 of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Trilogy.
Falling Action
The falling action in a work of literature is the sequence of events that follow the climax and end in the resolution. This is in contrast to the rising action which leads up to the plot's climax.
The falling action in a work of literature is the sequence of events that follow the climax and end in the resolution. This is in contrast to the rising action which leads up to the plot's climax.
Amazon's Kindle E-Book Reader
Amazon's Kindle: The Future of Reading? Last week, Amazon.com released the e-book reader that they've had in the works for the past three years. It's called the Kindle, as in to kindle a fire, kindle your imagination. No, I'm not in love with the name either. Thankfully, Amazon invested more in the design of the product than they did in its naming.
Amazon's Kindle: The Future of Reading? Last week, Amazon.com released the e-book reader that they've had in the works for the past three years. It's called the Kindle, as in to kindle a fire, kindle your imagination. No, I'm not in love with the name either. Thankfully, Amazon invested more in the design of the product than they did in its naming.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter 2) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter 2) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? How well do you recall Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts?
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter 2) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? How well do you recall Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts?
Climax
Climax is the point of greatest tension in a work of literature and the turning point in the action. In a plot line, the climax occurs after the rising action and before the falling action.
Climax is the point of greatest tension in a work of literature and the turning point in the action. In a plot line, the climax occurs after the rising action and before the falling action.
Contemporary Lit Must Reads 1
Twenty contemporary literature must-reads, essentials! If you've read all of these, you are well on your way to an honorary contemporary literature degree. This contemporary literature reading list is comprised largely of titles published since 1970. Please visit my Contemporary Classics Reading List for older and more classic contemporary titles.
Twenty contemporary literature must-reads, essentials! If you've read all of these, you are well on your way to an honorary contemporary literature degree. This contemporary literature reading list is comprised largely of titles published since 1970. Please visit my Contemporary Classics Reading List for older and more classic contemporary titles.
Hot Books in 2008
It's that time of year again so pack your beach bag with sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat, sun books...? Whether you're headed to the beach, your backyard, or the library, here are some great reads not to be missed this summer!
It's that time of year again so pack your beach bag with sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat, sun books...? Whether you're headed to the beach, your backyard, or the library, here are some great reads not to be missed this summer!
A Million Little Pieces
When James Frey checks himself into the world's oldest drug and alcohol treatment facility (undoubtedly Hazelden, though Frey never says), he is disfigured beyond recognition, has spent the preceding weeks in an alcohol and drug induced blackout, and is wanted in 3 states on a variety of charges. "A Million Little Pieces" is the starkly honest account of his return from the black hole of addiction.
When James Frey checks himself into the world's oldest drug and alcohol treatment facility (undoubtedly Hazelden, though Frey never says), he is disfigured beyond recognition, has spent the preceding weeks in an alcohol and drug induced blackout, and is wanted in 3 states on a variety of charges. "A Million Little Pieces" is the starkly honest account of his return from the black hole of addiction.
The Five People You Meet
The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Excerpt
The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Excerpt
Conflict
Conflict is the struggle between the opposing forces on which the action in a work of literature depends. There are five basic forms of conflict: person versus person, person versus self, person versus nature, person versus society, and person versus God.
Conflict is the struggle between the opposing forces on which the action in a work of literature depends. There are five basic forms of conflict: person versus person, person versus self, person versus nature, person versus society, and person versus God.
Diary
For the first time since his first novel, Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk is writing in a woman's voice, albeit the obsessed and borderline deranged voice of Diary's "heroine." However, the urgency and broken speech are so reminiscent of his earlier work that it could very well be the fantasy of Fight Club's truly psychotic narrator.
For the first time since his first novel, Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk is writing in a woman's voice, albeit the obsessed and borderline deranged voice of Diary's "heroine." However, the urgency and broken speech are so reminiscent of his earlier work that it could very well be the fantasy of Fight Club's truly psychotic narrator.
Contemporary Authors
While it is impossible to rank the most important authors in contemporary literature, here is a list of ten important (English language) authors with some biographical notes and links to more information about them and their work.
While it is impossible to rank the most important authors in contemporary literature, here is a list of ten important (English language) authors with some biographical notes and links to more information about them and their work.
Harry Potter 7
It is a darker landscape since Voldemort's return to power and Dumbledore's subsequent demise at the wand of Severus Snape; many of Voldemort's followers have been released from Azkaban as have the Dementors, who now serve the Dark Lord's purposes as well. The Ministry of Magic, now controlled by Death Eaters, has instituted a campaign against muggle-borns that smacks of Nazi Germany, and Harry Potter is dubbed "Undesirable Number One," with a 2,000 galleon prize offered for his capture.
It is a darker landscape since Voldemort's return to power and Dumbledore's subsequent demise at the wand of Severus Snape; many of Voldemort's followers have been released from Azkaban as have the Dementors, who now serve the Dark Lord's purposes as well. The Ministry of Magic, now controlled by Death Eaters, has instituted a campaign against muggle-borns that smacks of Nazi Germany, and Harry Potter is dubbed "Undesirable Number One," with a 2,000 galleon prize offered for his capture.
Harry Potter 1
In "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first of J.K. Rowling's seven volume epic, Harry, a very likable child, has had to suffer living in a spider-infested room beneeth a staircase in the house of his odious aunt and uncle. When a letter arrives, indicating that he's been accepted to Hogwarts school for wizards and witches, his internment in the muggle (non-magical) world ends and his adventures in wizardry begins.
In "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first of J.K. Rowling's seven volume epic, Harry, a very likable child, has had to suffer living in a spider-infested room beneeth a staircase in the house of his odious aunt and uncle. When a letter arrives, indicating that he's been accepted to Hogwarts school for wizards and witches, his internment in the muggle (non-magical) world ends and his adventures in wizardry begins.
Adeline Yen Mah
Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, China. Her mother died two weeks after her birth and Adeline was considered to be a source of bad luck by her family. Her father remarried a beautiful Eurasian woman one year later. She was half French and half Chinese and divided the Yen family into two different classes. Adeline's father, stepmother and their two children were the upper class, whereas Adeline and the four other step-children by the first wife were considered second class.
Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, China. Her mother died two weeks after her birth and Adeline was considered to be a source of bad luck by her family. Her father remarried a beautiful Eurasian woman one year later. She was half French and half Chinese and divided the Yen family into two different classes. Adeline's father, stepmother and their two children were the upper class, whereas Adeline and the four other step-children by the first wife were considered second class.
Poetic Justice
Poetic justice is a literary outcome in which bad characters are punished and good characters are rewarded. In its purest form, poetic justice is when one character plots to undermine another and then ends up caught in his own trap.
Poetic justice is a literary outcome in which bad characters are punished and good characters are rewarded. In its purest form, poetic justice is when one character plots to undermine another and then ends up caught in his own trap.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter 3) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter 3) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? Prepare to test your wits against the Dementors, the boggart, and Sirius Black.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter 3) - Trivia Quiz. How is your memory of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? Prepare to test your wits against the Dementors, the boggart, and Sirius Black.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter 4) - Trivia Quiz
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter 4) - Trivia Quiz. Do you remember Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? The Triwizard Tournament? Professors Moody and Bartemius Crouch? Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter 4) - Trivia Quiz. Do you remember Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? The Triwizard Tournament? Professors Moody and Bartemius Crouch? Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour?
Rising Action
Rising action is tha series of events that lead to the climax of the story, usually the conflicts or struggles of the protagonist.
Rising action is tha series of events that lead to the climax of the story, usually the conflicts or struggles of the protagonist.
Epic Poem
A long and highly stylized narrative poem celebrating the heroic achievements of its hero. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are usually regarded as the first important epic poems and are considered to define the form.
A long and highly stylized narrative poem celebrating the heroic achievements of its hero. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey are usually regarded as the first important epic poems and are considered to define the form.
Eldest
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems.
Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems.
The Choice
Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life - boating, swimming , and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies -- he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door.
Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life - boating, swimming , and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies -- he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door.
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
Chuck Klosterman, author of "Fargo Rock City," struggles to maintain a consistent level of quality throughout "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs," his recent collection of essays that range topically from the music industry to "The Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Tom Cruise's Shattered, Troll-like Face."
Chuck Klosterman, author of "Fargo Rock City," struggles to maintain a consistent level of quality throughout "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs," his recent collection of essays that range topically from the music industry to "The Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Tom Cruise's Shattered, Troll-like Face."
Irony
Verbal irony is the use of language to express the opposite of its literal meaning. It is often the writer's expression of awareness of a contrast between what is and what ought to be and used for the purpose of mockery or jest. Situational Irony is the contrast between the intention or purpose of an action and its result.
Verbal irony is the use of language to express the opposite of its literal meaning. It is often the writer's expression of awareness of a contrast between what is and what ought to be and used for the purpose of mockery or jest. Situational Irony is the contrast between the intention or purpose of an action and its result.
It's Not Easy Bein' Me
Anybody can repeat a Rodney Dangerfield joke, but nobody can tell one like the man himself. That's because his humor, built on the premise that he "don't get no respect," is drawn from a life so hard that the only way to survive was to laugh at it -- though all the drugs and hookers certainly didn't hurt. In IT'S NOT EASY BEING ME, Rodney Dangerfield comes clean (even if he still works blue) about his brutal life and the unlikely triumph he made out of it.
Anybody can repeat a Rodney Dangerfield joke, but nobody can tell one like the man himself. That's because his humor, built on the premise that he "don't get no respect," is drawn from a life so hard that the only way to survive was to laugh at it -- though all the drugs and hookers certainly didn't hurt. In IT'S NOT EASY BEING ME, Rodney Dangerfield comes clean (even if he still works blue) about his brutal life and the unlikely triumph he made out of it.
Hegemony or Survival
From Noam Chomsky, the world's foremost intellectual activist, "Hegemony or Survival" is an irrefutable analysis of America's pursuit of total domination and the catastrophic consequences that are sure to follow.
From Noam Chomsky, the world's foremost intellectual activist, "Hegemony or Survival" is an irrefutable analysis of America's pursuit of total domination and the catastrophic consequences that are sure to follow.
A Complicated Kindness
Miriam Toews' darkly funny novel, A Complicated Kindness, is the world according to Nomi Nickel, a bewildered and wry sixteen-year-old trapped in a town governed by fundamentalist religion. In Nomi's droll, refreshing voice, we're told the story of her eccentric family as it falls apart, each member on a collision course with the only community they have ever known. It is a work of fierce humor and tragedy by a Canadian writer poised to take the American market by storm.
Miriam Toews' darkly funny novel, A Complicated Kindness, is the world according to Nomi Nickel, a bewildered and wry sixteen-year-old trapped in a town governed by fundamentalist religion. In Nomi's droll, refreshing voice, we're told the story of her eccentric family as it falls apart, each member on a collision course with the only community they have ever known. It is a work of fierce humor and tragedy by a Canadian writer poised to take the American market by storm.
Prey
In the Nevada desert, an experiment has gone horribly wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles — micro-robots — has escaped from the laboratory. This cloud is self-sustaining and self-reproducing. It is intelligent and learns from experience. For all practical purposes, it is alive. As fresh as today's headlines, Michael Crichton's most compelling novel yet tells the story of a mechanical plague and the desperate efforts of a handful of scientists to stop it.
In the Nevada desert, an experiment has gone horribly wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles — micro-robots — has escaped from the laboratory. This cloud is self-sustaining and self-reproducing. It is intelligent and learns from experience. For all practical purposes, it is alive. As fresh as today's headlines, Michael Crichton's most compelling novel yet tells the story of a mechanical plague and the desperate efforts of a handful of scientists to stop it.
My Friend Leonard
"My Friend Leonard" by James Frey revolves around the struggles faced by Frey upon his release from rehab and subsequent imprisonment. As Frey tells us repeatedly in "A Million Little Pieces," he is "an alcoholic, a drug addict, and a criminal." His challenge now is to reforge his relationship to the world ad to those who dwell therein.
"My Friend Leonard" by James Frey revolves around the struggles faced by Frey upon his release from rehab and subsequent imprisonment. As Frey tells us repeatedly in "A Million Little Pieces," he is "an alcoholic, a drug addict, and a criminal." His challenge now is to reforge his relationship to the world ad to those who dwell therein.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly
Oskar Schell, the precocious nine year old narrator from Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, is an inventor, Francophile, tambourine player, Shakespearean actor, jeweler, pacifist. He is nine years old. And he is on an urgent, secret search through the five boroughs of New York to find the lock that fits a mysterious key belonging to his father, who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
Oskar Schell, the precocious nine year old narrator from Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, is an inventor, Francophile, tambourine player, Shakespearean actor, jeweler, pacifist. He is nine years old. And he is on an urgent, secret search through the five boroughs of New York to find the lock that fits a mysterious key belonging to his father, who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
The Last Lecture
Each year at a series known as The Last Lecture, a Carnegie Mellon faculty member is asked to deliver what would hypothetically be a final speech to their students before dying. For Randy Pausch, it wasn't hypothetical. The 47-year-old father of three has been diagnosed with cancer and given just a few months to live. Randy Pausch's inspirational last lecture has been viewed over 10 million times and is now a best-selling book elaborating on the theme "achieving your childhood dreams."
Each year at a series known as The Last Lecture, a Carnegie Mellon faculty member is asked to deliver what would hypothetically be a final speech to their students before dying. For Randy Pausch, it wasn't hypothetical. The 47-year-old father of three has been diagnosed with cancer and given just a few months to live. Randy Pausch's inspirational last lecture has been viewed over 10 million times and is now a best-selling book elaborating on the theme "achieving your childhood dreams."
Autobiography
The author's account of his or her life. Autobiography can be in the form of diary, letters, memoirs, or many other forms.
The author's account of his or her life. Autobiography can be in the form of diary, letters, memoirs, or many other forms.
The Book Thief
Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist-books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
The World Without Us
What if, by plague or divine rapture, the entire human race disappeared from the planet? What would that look like? There are perhaps some who would prefer not to consider such a possibility, while others of us find the notion somehow irresistible. Science writer Alan Weisman taps directly into this latter reaction in his exhaustively researched "The World Without Us."
What if, by plague or divine rapture, the entire human race disappeared from the planet? What would that look like? There are perhaps some who would prefer not to consider such a possibility, while others of us find the notion somehow irresistible. Science writer Alan Weisman taps directly into this latter reaction in his exhaustively researched "The World Without Us."
Mood
Mood is the feeling that a work of literature evokes.
Mood is the feeling that a work of literature evokes.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is the presentation in a work of literature of hints and clues that tip the reader off as to what is to come later in the work.
Foreshadowing is the presentation in a work of literature of hints and clues that tip the reader off as to what is to come later in the work.
The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind seems born of a different time. An ode to its own genre, a love song to itself, the story of a boy who is shown the power of a book, one so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything and everyone he loves.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind seems born of a different time. An ode to its own genre, a love song to itself, the story of a boy who is shown the power of a book, one so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything and everyone he loves.
At First Sight
Nicholas Sparks brings back two characters from his bestseller, True Believer. New Yorker, Jeremy Marsh is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But, just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message reopens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple's marriage.
Nicholas Sparks brings back two characters from his bestseller, True Believer. New Yorker, Jeremy Marsh is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But, just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message reopens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple's marriage.
The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner is Afghanistani-American novelist, Khaled Hosseini's best-selling debut novel, a tale of betrayal and redemption that rises above time and place while simultaneously remaining firmly anchored against the tumultuous backdrop of modern Afghanistan.
The Kite Runner is Afghanistani-American novelist, Khaled Hosseini's best-selling debut novel, a tale of betrayal and redemption that rises above time and place while simultaneously remaining firmly anchored against the tumultuous backdrop of modern Afghanistan.
National Book Award Winners
The National Book Awards are given to recognize achievement in four genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. The winners are selected by five person independent judging panel for each genre and receive a $10,000 cash award and a crystal sculpture. The National Book award is one of North America's most coveted literary prizes. Here are the past ten years' winners from the Fiction category.
The National Book Awards are given to recognize achievement in four genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. The winners are selected by five person independent judging panel for each genre and receive a $10,000 cash award and a crystal sculpture. The National Book award is one of North America's most coveted literary prizes. Here are the past ten years' winners from the Fiction category.
6 Glasses
"A History of the World in 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage presents an original, well-documented vision of world history, telling the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola.
"A History of the World in 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage presents an original, well-documented vision of world history, telling the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola.
The Open Road
Pico Iyer, one of the most acclaimed and perceptive observers of globalism and Buddhism, gives us the first serious consideration—for Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike—of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s work and ideas as a politician, scientist, and philosopher in "The Open Road."
Pico Iyer, one of the most acclaimed and perceptive observers of globalism and Buddhism, gives us the first serious consideration—for Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike—of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s work and ideas as a politician, scientist, and philosopher in "The Open Road."
Old Glory, American War Poems
This unique, comprehensive anthology gathers together more than two hundred poems about the American experience of war—narratives, meditations, elegies, lamentations, odes, tributes, and battle hymns—many of them classics. Written by soldier-poets as well as poets on the home front, they are deeply personal, reflecting love of country, sacrifice, tragedy, glory, and sometimes disillusionment or dissent.
This unique, comprehensive anthology gathers together more than two hundred poems about the American experience of war—narratives, meditations, elegies, lamentations, odes, tributes, and battle hymns—many of them classics. Written by soldier-poets as well as poets on the home front, they are deeply personal, reflecting love of country, sacrifice, tragedy, glory, and sometimes disillusionment or dissent.
Elements of Style Illustrated
The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White has for decades been an essential tool for English language writers and a central feature of the writing curriculum for students. The 1959 handbook gets a 2005 facelift with the addition of Maira Kalman's fanciful illustrations in a clothbound edition published by The Penguin Press. Maira Kalman is the illustrator of numerous children's books and covers for The New Yorker magazine.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White has for decades been an essential tool for English language writers and a central feature of the writing curriculum for students. The 1959 handbook gets a 2005 facelift with the addition of Maira Kalman's fanciful illustrations in a clothbound edition published by The Penguin Press. Maira Kalman is the illustrator of numerous children's books and covers for The New Yorker magazine.
Diction
Diction is the author's choice of words, taking into account correctness, clearness, and effectiveness. There are typically recognized to be four levels of diction: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang.
Diction is the author's choice of words, taking into account correctness, clearness, and effectiveness. There are typically recognized to be four levels of diction: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang.
The Memory of Running
Meet Smithson “Smithy” Ide, an overweight, friendless, chain-smoking, forty-three-year-old drunk who works as a quality control inspector at a toy action-figure factory in Rhode Island. By all accounts, including Smithy's own, he's a loser. But when Smithy's life of quiet desperation is brutally interrupted by tragedy, he stumbles across his old Raleigh bicycle and impulsively sets off on an epic journey that might give him one last chance to become the person he always wanted to be.
Meet Smithson “Smithy” Ide, an overweight, friendless, chain-smoking, forty-three-year-old drunk who works as a quality control inspector at a toy action-figure factory in Rhode Island. By all accounts, including Smithy's own, he's a loser. But when Smithy's life of quiet desperation is brutally interrupted by tragedy, he stumbles across his old Raleigh bicycle and impulsively sets off on an epic journey that might give him one last chance to become the person he always wanted to be.
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs
In Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller delivers her memory of an African childhood fraught with hardship, loss, and danger. She became accustomed to armed guerrillas and landmine-littered roads; hunger, drought, and malaria were never far off; and her family was both guilty of and victim to the racism that consumed colonial Africa in the late 20th century.
In Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller delivers her memory of an African childhood fraught with hardship, loss, and danger. She became accustomed to armed guerrillas and landmine-littered roads; hunger, drought, and malaria were never far off; and her family was both guilty of and victim to the racism that consumed colonial Africa in the late 20th century.
The Line of Beauty
In "The Line of Beauty," Alan Hollinghurst's gay antihero, Nick Guest, finds his life dramatically altered when he takes up residence with conservative Parliament member, Gerald Feddens, his wealthy wife and two children. Chris Smith, who headed the 2004 Booker Prize judging panel, called The Line of Beauty, "a winning novel that is exciting, brilliantly written and gets deep under the skin of the Thatcherite 80s. The search for love, sex and beauty is rarely so exquisitely done."
In "The Line of Beauty," Alan Hollinghurst's gay antihero, Nick Guest, finds his life dramatically altered when he takes up residence with conservative Parliament member, Gerald Feddens, his wealthy wife and two children. Chris Smith, who headed the 2004 Booker Prize judging panel, called The Line of Beauty, "a winning novel that is exciting, brilliantly written and gets deep under the skin of the Thatcherite 80s. The search for love, sex and beauty is rarely so exquisitely done."
Nonfiction Essentials
Ten nonfiction must-reads: memoirs of person and place, personal essay, creative nonfiction, and biography. This titles in this list rank among the best nonfiction written in the past quarter century.
Ten nonfiction must-reads: memoirs of person and place, personal essay, creative nonfiction, and biography. This titles in this list rank among the best nonfiction written in the past quarter century.
Contemporary Lit Must Reads 2
Twenty contemporary literature must-reads, essentials! If you've read all of these, you are well on your way to an honorary contemporary literature degree. This contemporary literature reading list is comprised largely of titles published since 1970. Please visit my Contemporary Classics Reading List for older and more classic contemporary titles.
Twenty contemporary literature must-reads, essentials! If you've read all of these, you are well on your way to an honorary contemporary literature degree. This contemporary literature reading list is comprised largely of titles published since 1970. Please visit my Contemporary Classics Reading List for older and more classic contemporary titles.
Sue Monk Kidd
[br]Sue Monk Kidd, author of the highly acclaimed memoirs The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and When the Heart Waits, has won a Poets & Writers award, a Katherine Anne Porter Award, and a Bread Loaf scholarship. The Secret Life of Bees was nominated for the prestigious Orange Prize for fiction in England. Her latest novel is The Mermaid Chair.
[br]Sue Monk Kidd, author of the highly acclaimed memoirs The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and When the Heart Waits, has won a Poets & Writers award, a Katherine Anne Porter Award, and a Bread Loaf scholarship. The Secret Life of Bees was nominated for the prestigious Orange Prize for fiction in England. Her latest novel is The Mermaid Chair.
Pirateology
Pirateology is a fantastic introduction to pirates for old and young alike. It is the journal of Captain William Lubber, an 18th Century pirate hunter sent off by the Governor of Massachusetts to hunt down and capture the dread pirate, Arabella Drummond. Within is a varied melange of pirate lore, history, artwork, and treasure.
Pirateology is a fantastic introduction to pirates for old and young alike. It is the journal of Captain William Lubber, an 18th Century pirate hunter sent off by the Governor of Massachusetts to hunt down and capture the dread pirate, Arabella Drummond. Within is a varied melange of pirate lore, history, artwork, and treasure.
Oscar Wao
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is rooted in the despotic dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, "the Dictatingest Dictator who ever Dictated, the man who was Mobutu before Mobutu was Mobutu," against whom Oscar de Leon's family ran afoul in the 1940s. Reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's depiction of the Buendia family in One Hundred Years of Solitude, Oscar Wao traces Oscar's family history from Trujillo's 1940s Dominican Republic to the 1980s Patterson, New Jersey of Oscar's nerd youth.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is rooted in the despotic dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, "the Dictatingest Dictator who ever Dictated, the man who was Mobutu before Mobutu was Mobutu," against whom Oscar de Leon's family ran afoul in the 1940s. Reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's depiction of the Buendia family in One Hundred Years of Solitude, Oscar Wao traces Oscar's family history from Trujillo's 1940s Dominican Republic to the 1980s Patterson, New Jersey of Oscar's nerd youth.
Point of View
Point of view is the vantage point from which a story is told. In the first-person point of view, the narrator is a participant in the story. A story told by a narrator who is not one of the story's participants is called third-person point of view. Far more rare, is the second-person point of view in which the narrator addresses the protagonist directly as "you."
Point of view is the vantage point from which a story is told. In the first-person point of view, the narrator is a participant in the story. A story told by a narrator who is not one of the story's participants is called third-person point of view. Far more rare, is the second-person point of view in which the narrator addresses the protagonist directly as "you."
Legacy of Ashes
'Legacy of Ashes ' was the winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Nonfiction and a finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. Pulitzer-Prize-winner Tim Weiner gets at the truth behind the CIA and uncovers here why nearly every CIA Director has left the agency in worse shape than when he found it; and how these profound failures jeopardize our national security.
'Legacy of Ashes ' was the winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Nonfiction and a finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. Pulitzer-Prize-winner Tim Weiner gets at the truth behind the CIA and uncovers here why nearly every CIA Director has left the agency in worse shape than when he found it; and how these profound failures jeopardize our national security.
Stream of Conciousness
Stream of consciousness is a narrative technique in which the the writer renders a flow of associated thoughts and feelings giving the impression of one's consciousness as it streams through ideas visual, auditory, and physical.
Stream of consciousness is a narrative technique in which the the writer renders a flow of associated thoughts and feelings giving the impression of one's consciousness as it streams through ideas visual, auditory, and physical.
The Accidental
Ali Smith's Booker-nominated novel, The Accidental, is in fact about a girl. The seemingly harmless stranger named Amber turns up at the door of an English country house and turns out, to crib a line from a Hollywood film, to be the rock that they broke themselves against. The book, about how people break down and the terrifying possibilities of who they might become, is inevitably fractured by the astonishing, dizzying talent of its writing.
Ali Smith's Booker-nominated novel, The Accidental, is in fact about a girl. The seemingly harmless stranger named Amber turns up at the door of an English country house and turns out, to crib a line from a Hollywood film, to be the rock that they broke themselves against. The book, about how people break down and the terrifying possibilities of who they might become, is inevitably fractured by the astonishing, dizzying talent of its writing.
Andre Dubus III Interview
Andre Dubus III is the author most recently of the best-selling novel, 'The Garden of Last Days' (2008) and the National Book Award finalist, 'House of Sand and Fog' (1999). John Formy-Duval was fortunate enough to sit down with Dubus at Raleigh, North Carolina's Quail Ridge Books during the author's recent tour.
Andre Dubus III is the author most recently of the best-selling novel, 'The Garden of Last Days' (2008) and the National Book Award finalist, 'House of Sand and Fog' (1999). John Formy-Duval was fortunate enough to sit down with Dubus at Raleigh, North Carolina's Quail Ridge Books during the author's recent tour.
Foil
A foil is a character who serves as a contrast to another perhaps more primary character, so as to point out specific traits of the primary character.
A foil is a character who serves as a contrast to another perhaps more primary character, so as to point out specific traits of the primary character.
The Last Roundup
With his sharp-edged wit, Roddy Doyle introduces Henry Smart--adventurer, IRA assassin, and lover. At once an epic and a prophetic portrait of Irish history, both past and present, A Star Called Henry is a tour de force. In Oh, Play That Thing, Henry makes his way across America, teeming with surprises. It is both a saga unto itself—full of epic adventures, and a magnificent follow-up to A Star Called Henry.
With his sharp-edged wit, Roddy Doyle introduces Henry Smart--adventurer, IRA assassin, and lover. At once an epic and a prophetic portrait of Irish history, both past and present, A Star Called Henry is a tour de force. In Oh, Play That Thing, Henry makes his way across America, teeming with surprises. It is both a saga unto itself—full of epic adventures, and a magnificent follow-up to A Star Called Henry.
The Traveler
Like a film written to be a summer blockbuster, supposed first-time novelist John Twelve Hawks' The Traveler has something for everyone: a strikingly beautiful, violent woman; a young black martial arts teacher, estranged from his odd church; mismatched but loving brothers with a tumultuous past; car chases; and a hint of romance. The characters aren't ciphers so much as they are roles, but this is less a novel than a thinly-disguised screenplay; nothing occurs that cannot be translated to film.
Like a film written to be a summer blockbuster, supposed first-time novelist John Twelve Hawks' The Traveler has something for everyone: a strikingly beautiful, violent woman; a young black martial arts teacher, estranged from his odd church; mismatched but loving brothers with a tumultuous past; car chases; and a hint of romance. The characters aren't ciphers so much as they are roles, but this is less a novel than a thinly-disguised screenplay; nothing occurs that cannot be translated to film.
Kitchen Confidential
When Chef Anthony Bourdain wrote "Don't Eat Before You Read This" in The New Yorker, he spared no one's appetite, revealing what goes on behind the kitchen door. In Kitchen Confidential, he expanded that appetizer into a deliciously funny, delectable shocking banquet that lays out his 25 years of sex, drugs, and haute cuisine.
When Chef Anthony Bourdain wrote "Don't Eat Before You Read This" in The New Yorker, he spared no one's appetite, revealing what goes on behind the kitchen door. In Kitchen Confidential, he expanded that appetizer into a deliciously funny, delectable shocking banquet that lays out his 25 years of sex, drugs, and haute cuisine.
The Good Life
On a September 2001 morning in New York, brightness falls horribly from the sky, and people worlds apart suddenly find themselves working side by side at the devastated site, feeling lost anywhere else, yet battered still by memory and regret, by fresh disappointment and unimaginable shock. What happens, or should happen, when life stops us in our tracks, or our own choices do? What if both secrets and secret needs, long guarded steadfastly, are finally revealed? What is the good life?
On a September 2001 morning in New York, brightness falls horribly from the sky, and people worlds apart suddenly find themselves working side by side at the devastated site, feeling lost anywhere else, yet battered still by memory and regret, by fresh disappointment and unimaginable shock. What happens, or should happen, when life stops us in our tracks, or our own choices do? What if both secrets and secret needs, long guarded steadfastly, are finally revealed? What is the good life?
Catherine Coulter
Catherine Coulter's first novel came out at the end of 1978 when she had just reached puberty. It was a Regency romance because, as any published author will tell you, it's best to limit the number of unknowns in a first book, and not only had she grown up reading Georgette Heyer, but she earned her M.A. degree in early 19th century European history.
Catherine Coulter's first novel came out at the end of 1978 when she had just reached puberty. It was a Regency romance because, as any published author will tell you, it's best to limit the number of unknowns in a first book, and not only had she grown up reading Georgette Heyer, but she earned her M.A. degree in early 19th century European history.
Best Books of 2007
Tis the season of the list. Here's ours for the top ten books of the year!
Tis the season of the list. Here's ours for the top ten books of the year!
Sharp Teeth
An ancient race of lycanthropes has survived to the present day, and its numbers are growing as the initiated convince L.A.'s down and out to join their pack. Paying no heed to moons, full or otherwise, they change from human to canine at will—and they're bent on domination at any cost.
An ancient race of lycanthropes has survived to the present day, and its numbers are growing as the initiated convince L.A.'s down and out to join their pack. Paying no heed to moons, full or otherwise, they change from human to canine at will—and they're bent on domination at any cost.
Son of a Witch
When a Witch dies-not as a crone, withered and incapable, but as a woman in her prime, at the height of her passion and prowess-too much is left unsaid. If every death is a tragedy, the death of a woman in her prime keenly bereaves the whole world. Ten years after the publication of Wicked, bestselling novelist Gregory Maguire returns to the land of Oz to follow the story of Liir, the adolescent boy left hiding in the shadows of the castle when Dorothy did in the Witch.
When a Witch dies-not as a crone, withered and incapable, but as a woman in her prime, at the height of her passion and prowess-too much is left unsaid. If every death is a tragedy, the death of a woman in her prime keenly bereaves the whole world. Ten years after the publication of Wicked, bestselling novelist Gregory Maguire returns to the land of Oz to follow the story of Liir, the adolescent boy left hiding in the shadows of the castle when Dorothy did in the Witch.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air was a narrative tour de force chronicling the disastrous 1996 Everest expeditions, and should be considered a classic of modern journalism. Measured against this awesome standard, Under the Banner of Heaven, a tour of mainstream Mormonism and its fundamentalist offspring, is a failure. It is a lucid and sometimes compulsively readable failure, but it lacks the narrative drive and cohesive perspective of Into Thin Air.
Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air was a narrative tour de force chronicling the disastrous 1996 Everest expeditions, and should be considered a classic of modern journalism. Measured against this awesome standard, Under the Banner of Heaven, a tour of mainstream Mormonism and its fundamentalist offspring, is a failure. It is a lucid and sometimes compulsively readable failure, but it lacks the narrative drive and cohesive perspective of Into Thin Air.
How to Write a Book Review
The book review falls somewhere between a critical analysis of literature, which tends toward the dry and academic, and the book report, which we associate with the simple book summaries we may have turned in in our younger years. The book review has elements of both of these but is neither. Here are some simple guidelines to crafting a book review.
The book review falls somewhere between a critical analysis of literature, which tends toward the dry and academic, and the book report, which we associate with the simple book summaries we may have turned in in our younger years. The book review has elements of both of these but is neither. Here are some simple guidelines to crafting a book review.
Sounds of the River, A Memoir by Da Chen
Book Review, Sounds of the River, sequel to Colours of the Mountain
Book Review, Sounds of the River, sequel to Colours of the Mountain
Hold Tight
If there was ever a novel that called for a sociological flow chart, 'Hold Tight,' a community murder mystery, is it. Harlan Coben has constructed a yarn with multiple points of view - a patchwork of tragically affected people connected to an incident of callousness and bad taste that festers into murder and suicide. And no one participant has any way of knowing how it all connects.
If there was ever a novel that called for a sociological flow chart, 'Hold Tight,' a community murder mystery, is it. Harlan Coben has constructed a yarn with multiple points of view - a patchwork of tragically affected people connected to an incident of callousness and bad taste that festers into murder and suicide. And no one participant has any way of knowing how it all connects.
Emperor: The Gates of Rome
In the first volume of a planned series of [i]Emperor[/i] novels, [i]The Gates of Rome[/i] ,Conn Iggulden makes a hell of an argument for the retelling of tales. [i]The Gates of Rome[/i] is a stunning combination of bloody action, heroic bravery, and a brilliant story brought to life for a modern readership.
In the first volume of a planned series of [i]Emperor[/i] novels, [i]The Gates of Rome[/i] ,Conn Iggulden makes a hell of an argument for the retelling of tales. [i]The Gates of Rome[/i] is a stunning combination of bloody action, heroic bravery, and a brilliant story brought to life for a modern readership.
The Corrections
Winner of 2001's National Book Award, Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections" is a modern portrait of the family in decline. Gary is trying to convince his wife and himself, despite clear signs to the contrary, that he is not clinically depressed; Chip has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly at his new line of work; Denise has escaped a disastrous marriage to fall into licentiousness; and Enid is burdened with her husband's downward spiral into Parkinson's disease.
Winner of 2001's National Book Award, Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections" is a modern portrait of the family in decline. Gary is trying to convince his wife and himself, despite clear signs to the contrary, that he is not clinically depressed; Chip has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly at his new line of work; Denise has escaped a disastrous marriage to fall into licentiousness; and Enid is burdened with her husband's downward spiral into Parkinson's disease.
Kafka on the Shore
In "Kafka on the Shore," Haruki Murakami delivers a tour de force of metaphysical reality, powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
In "Kafka on the Shore," Haruki Murakami delivers a tour de force of metaphysical reality, powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom.
Inside George Orwell
Author of numerous books and essays, but most remembered for his critically-acclaimed dystopian novel, "1984," George Orwell's thought and writing has been wide-reaching in its impact on society. But what of his own life? Gordon Bowker's biography, "Inside George Orwell," explores the life of the man who gave us "1984" and "Animal Farm"
Author of numerous books and essays, but most remembered for his critically-acclaimed dystopian novel, "1984," George Orwell's thought and writing has been wide-reaching in its impact on society. But what of his own life? Gordon Bowker's biography, "Inside George Orwell," explores the life of the man who gave us "1984" and "Animal Farm"
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a reflective monologue given by a character when he or she is alone on the stage.
A soliloquy is a reflective monologue given by a character when he or she is alone on the stage.
Myth
Myth is a traditional story that explains or illustrates the history of people or a phenomenon of nature. Oftentimes, myths tell of the deeds of supernatural beings and are set in a time prior to recorded history.
Myth is a traditional story that explains or illustrates the history of people or a phenomenon of nature. Oftentimes, myths tell of the deeds of supernatural beings and are set in a time prior to recorded history.
Discovering Joan Didion
Upon reading only a couple of the essays collected in "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," I knew two things immediately: her voice is one of an unbiased observer who doesn't judge, but merely collects people, places, events, information and structures them so that they are compellingly readable. Secondly, Joan Did ion's prose is some of the most artfully arranged I have ever read.
Upon reading only a couple of the essays collected in "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," I knew two things immediately: her voice is one of an unbiased observer who doesn't judge, but merely collects people, places, events, information and structures them so that they are compellingly readable. Secondly, Joan Did ion's prose is some of the most artfully arranged I have ever read.
Harry Potter 6
The war against Voldemort is not going well. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet... As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate -- and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.
The war against Voldemort is not going well. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet... As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate -- and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.
Brick Lane
Monica Ali's novel, Brick Lane, was resoundingly praised. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and Ali was named as one of the best young British writers. I suspect that everyone's enthusiasm for the novel is, in part, that Ali is like a magician revealing all her secrets. IN a time when every Western country is facing off with its Muslim populations, this book provides its readers a look at a community that, frankly, frightens them; it is, in short, an education.
Monica Ali's novel, Brick Lane, was resoundingly praised. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and Ali was named as one of the best young British writers. I suspect that everyone's enthusiasm for the novel is, in part, that Ali is like a magician revealing all her secrets. IN a time when every Western country is facing off with its Muslim populations, this book provides its readers a look at a community that, frankly, frightens them; it is, in short, an education.
Christopher Moore Interview
Christopher Moore is in rare company in the funny business. How many novelists make a big splash with books that are not just witty but laugh-out-loud, tears-rolling-down-your-creeks funny? There's Kurt Vonnegut, John Steinbeck, Tim Sandlin and Carl Hiaasen on the American side, a short list indeed. On the other side of the Atlantic, there's Douglas Adams, who inspired Moore's first book, and a host of other funnymen like Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Terry Pratchett, among others.
Christopher Moore is in rare company in the funny business. How many novelists make a big splash with books that are not just witty but laugh-out-loud, tears-rolling-down-your-creeks funny? There's Kurt Vonnegut, John Steinbeck, Tim Sandlin and Carl Hiaasen on the American side, a short list indeed. On the other side of the Atlantic, there's Douglas Adams, who inspired Moore's first book, and a host of other funnymen like Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and Terry Pratchett, among others.
Literary Works of 2005
Join us in celebrating The Ten Best works of Literature for 2005. This list is culled from literary works reviewed this year by About Contemporary Literature.
Join us in celebrating The Ten Best works of Literature for 2005. This list is culled from literary works reviewed this year by About Contemporary Literature.
West of Jesus
In West of Jesus, Steven Kotler sets out to find the origins of a very particular surf legend about a surfer called "the conductor" who can control the weather with a human bone. In doing so, Kotler ends up exploring why surfing - not tennis, archery, softball, or NASCAR - is unique in the sense of spiritual fulfillment it provides the practitioner.
In West of Jesus, Steven Kotler sets out to find the origins of a very particular surf legend about a surfer called "the conductor" who can control the weather with a human bone. In doing so, Kotler ends up exploring why surfing - not tennis, archery, softball, or NASCAR - is unique in the sense of spiritual fulfillment it provides the practitioner.
The Bride Stripped Bare
In writing The Bride Stripped Bare, the author decided to remain anonymous so she would feel absolutely free to explore a woman's inner world. As she writes in her afterword, "That doesn't mean this book is a memoir; it's many things to me, fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and fact, a quilt pieced together not only from my stories but those of my friends." Coolly impassioned, The Bride Stripped Bare tells startling truths about love and sex.
In writing The Bride Stripped Bare, the author decided to remain anonymous so she would feel absolutely free to explore a woman's inner world. As she writes in her afterword, "That doesn't mean this book is a memoir; it's many things to me, fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and fact, a quilt pieced together not only from my stories but those of my friends." Coolly impassioned, The Bride Stripped Bare tells startling truths about love and sex.
The Known World
An ambitious, luminously written novel that ranges seamlessly between the past and future and back again to the present, The Known World weaves together the lives of freed and enslaved blacks, whites, and Indians -- and allows all of us a deeper understanding of the enduring multidimensional world created by the institution of slavery.
An ambitious, luminously written novel that ranges seamlessly between the past and future and back again to the present, The Known World weaves together the lives of freed and enslaved blacks, whites, and Indians -- and allows all of us a deeper understanding of the enduring multidimensional world created by the institution of slavery.
Harry Potter 2
J.K. Rowling's second novel in a series of seven, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" continues a coming of age epic that will enchant readers with its honest portrayal of humanity. Harry returns to Hogwarts only to discover a new machination in the making. Someone has opened the legendary Chamber of Secrets and let loose a monster. This creature literally petrifies anyone that comes into contact with it and Harry has reason to believe that the monster is capable of murder.
J.K. Rowling's second novel in a series of seven, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" continues a coming of age epic that will enchant readers with its honest portrayal of humanity. Harry returns to Hogwarts only to discover a new machination in the making. Someone has opened the legendary Chamber of Secrets and let loose a monster. This creature literally petrifies anyone that comes into contact with it and Harry has reason to believe that the monster is capable of murder.
The Pillars of the Earth
The Pillars of the Earth sweeps through four decades of 12th Century England drawing the reader into the raw, flamboyant middle ages. It is a shining saga of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty. Not-so-noble knights, righteous heroes, valiant heroines and both virtuous and immoral men of God highlight this story. They manipulate, and are in turn manipulated by, the political turmoil and unrest between the reigns of Henry I and Henry II.
The Pillars of the Earth sweeps through four decades of 12th Century England drawing the reader into the raw, flamboyant middle ages. It is a shining saga of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty. Not-so-noble knights, righteous heroes, valiant heroines and both virtuous and immoral men of God highlight this story. They manipulate, and are in turn manipulated by, the political turmoil and unrest between the reigns of Henry I and Henry II.
Symbol
Symbols are people, places, or things used to represent somehing else in literature.
Symbols are people, places, or things used to represent somehing else in literature.
Banned Books
Book Sense is a national marketing campaign on behalf of the independent bookstores of America. Independent booksellers with Book Sense have created this list of ten banned books in support of Banned Books Week, September 25 to October 2, 2004
Book Sense is a national marketing campaign on behalf of the independent bookstores of America. Independent booksellers with Book Sense have created this list of ten banned books in support of Banned Books Week, September 25 to October 2, 2004
Nobel Laureates
The Nobel Prize for Literature is granted not for a single book, but for an authors entire body of work, and hence usually goes to a well-established writer. Here are the past ten years' winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Nobel Prize for Literature is granted not for a single book, but for an authors entire body of work, and hence usually goes to a well-established writer. Here are the past ten years' winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
The Road
Oprah Winfrey has chosen Cormac McCarthy's spare and glorious novel, The Road, for her book club, and McCarthy will soon appear on her show. This is quite a departure for both of them. The Road is an enormous departure from Oprah's last selection, Sidney Poiter's "spiritual autobiography, The Measure of a Man. While she has nearly always chosen thoughtful books of literary merit, none has approached the richness of this one.
Oprah Winfrey has chosen Cormac McCarthy's spare and glorious novel, The Road, for her book club, and McCarthy will soon appear on her show. This is quite a departure for both of them. The Road is an enormous departure from Oprah's last selection, Sidney Poiter's "spiritual autobiography, The Measure of a Man. While she has nearly always chosen thoughtful books of literary merit, none has approached the richness of this one.
Antagonist
The antagonist is the main opponent of the main character in a work of literature. The main character is called the protagonist.
The antagonist is the main opponent of the main character in a work of literature. The main character is called the protagonist.
Beneath a Marble Sky
Set at the height of the Mughal Empire, Beneath a Marble Sky recreates the remarkable lives of those responsible for the Taj Mahal's existence. From the famous lovers who inspired it, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, to the architect who designed it to the man who sought to destroy it, Beneath a Marble Sky recounts the stories of those who oversaw the rise of the world’s most famous building.
Set at the height of the Mughal Empire, Beneath a Marble Sky recreates the remarkable lives of those responsible for the Taj Mahal's existence. From the famous lovers who inspired it, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, to the architect who designed it to the man who sought to destroy it, Beneath a Marble Sky recounts the stories of those who oversaw the rise of the world’s most famous building.
Terry McMillan
Terry McMillan is the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Mama, Disappearing Acts, Waiting to Exhale, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, (the last two of which have been turned into feature films). She is also the editor of Breaking the Ice: An Anthology of Contemporary African-American Fiction. Her latest bestseller is A Day Late and a Dollar Short.
Terry McMillan is the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Mama, Disappearing Acts, Waiting to Exhale, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, (the last two of which have been turned into feature films). She is also the editor of Breaking the Ice: An Anthology of Contemporary African-American Fiction. Her latest bestseller is A Day Late and a Dollar Short.
Hardcore Zen
In his new book, Brad Warner explores Buddhism and metaphysics through a philosophy he dubs "Hardcore Zen." The "Hardcore" refers to hardcore punk music of the early '80s. "Zen" is the ancient Japanese form of Buddhism where the trick to knowing everything is achieved by understanding that knowledge doesn't exist. In "Hardcore Zen," Warner plays the philosophical alchemist, , melding the two.
In his new book, Brad Warner explores Buddhism and metaphysics through a philosophy he dubs "Hardcore Zen." The "Hardcore" refers to hardcore punk music of the early '80s. "Zen" is the ancient Japanese form of Buddhism where the trick to knowing everything is achieved by understanding that knowledge doesn't exist. In "Hardcore Zen," Warner plays the philosophical alchemist, , melding the two.
The Opposite of Fate
Amy Tan has touched millions of readers with haunting and sympathetic novels ofcultural complexity and profound empathy. With the same spirit and humor that characterize her acclaimed novels, she now shares her insight into her own life and how she escaped the curses of her past to make a future of her own. She takes us on a journey from her childhood of tragedy and comedy to the present day and her arrival as one of the world's best-loved novelists.
Amy Tan has touched millions of readers with haunting and sympathetic novels ofcultural complexity and profound empathy. With the same spirit and humor that characterize her acclaimed novels, she now shares her insight into her own life and how she escaped the curses of her past to make a future of her own. She takes us on a journey from her childhood of tragedy and comedy to the present day and her arrival as one of the world's best-loved novelists.
In His Own Words
The most stirring voice to come out of South Africa, Nelson Mandela has brought his message of freedom, equality, and human dignity to the entire world. Now his most eloquent and important speeches are collected in a single volume. From the eve of his imprisonment to his release 27 years later, from his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize to his election as South Africa's first black president, these speeches span some of the most pivotal moments of Mandela's life and of his countrys history.
The most stirring voice to come out of South Africa, Nelson Mandela has brought his message of freedom, equality, and human dignity to the entire world. Now his most eloquent and important speeches are collected in a single volume. From the eve of his imprisonment to his release 27 years later, from his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize to his election as South Africa's first black president, these speeches span some of the most pivotal moments of Mandela's life and of his countrys history.
The Golden Compass
In Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, readers meet for the first time 11-year-old Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Jordan College in Oxford, England. It quickly becomes clear that Lyra's Oxford is not precisely like our own - nor is her world. In Lyra's world, everyone has a personal dæmon, a lifelong animal familiar. This is a world in which science, theology and magic are closely intertwined.
In Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, readers meet for the first time 11-year-old Lyra Belacqua, a precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Jordan College in Oxford, England. It quickly becomes clear that Lyra's Oxford is not precisely like our own - nor is her world. In Lyra's world, everyone has a personal dæmon, a lifelong animal familiar. This is a world in which science, theology and magic are closely intertwined.
Character Sketch
A brief narrative that reveals a fictional character's traits or personality.
A brief narrative that reveals a fictional character's traits or personality.
Step On a Crack
In his bestselling novel, Step on a Crack, James Patterson introduces Detective Michael Bennett, an NYPD homicide detective thrust into the middle of a mass kidnapping. Patterson is the well-known author of 39 books(The Fifth Horseman and Mary, Mary are both reviewed on this site). Step on a Crack is James Patterson's first book with mystery-suspense author, Michael Ledwidge (The Narrowback, Bad Connection, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead).
In his bestselling novel, Step on a Crack, James Patterson introduces Detective Michael Bennett, an NYPD homicide detective thrust into the middle of a mass kidnapping. Patterson is the well-known author of 39 books(The Fifth Horseman and Mary, Mary are both reviewed on this site). Step on a Crack is James Patterson's first book with mystery-suspense author, Michael Ledwidge (The Narrowback, Bad Connection, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead).
To Live
"To Live" is an epic and heartbreaking journey spanning four decades of recent Chinese history. It begins in the 1930s around the time of China’s second war with Japan and continues into the late 1970s reform era. In between, Hua weaves great sorrow and struggle for Fugui and his family through the tempestuous Chinese Civil War, The Great Leap Forward, and The Cultural Revolution.
"To Live" is an epic and heartbreaking journey spanning four decades of recent Chinese history. It begins in the 1930s around the time of China’s second war with Japan and continues into the late 1970s reform era. In between, Hua weaves great sorrow and struggle for Fugui and his family through the tempestuous Chinese Civil War, The Great Leap Forward, and The Cultural Revolution.
Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Eugenides was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1960. His first novel, The Virgin Suicides, was in 1993. It has been translated into fifteen languages and made into a feature film. Middlesex, his second novel, met with similar acclaim when published in 2002. His fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Yale Review, Best American Short Stories, The Gettysburg Review and Granta's "Best of Young American Novelists."
Jeffrey Eugenides was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1960. His first novel, The Virgin Suicides, was in 1993. It has been translated into fifteen languages and made into a feature film. Middlesex, his second novel, met with similar acclaim when published in 2002. His fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Yale Review, Best American Short Stories, The Gettysburg Review and Granta's "Best of Young American Novelists."
Run
"Run" is at its very center, a novel about what truly defines family and the lengths we will go to protect our children. As she did in her bestselling novel "Bel Canto," Patchett weaves together seemingly disparate lives to show how intimately humans can connect. Stunning and powerful, "Run" is sure to engage any Patchett fan and bring her even more admirers.
"Run" is at its very center, a novel about what truly defines family and the lengths we will go to protect our children. As she did in her bestselling novel "Bel Canto," Patchett weaves together seemingly disparate lives to show how intimately humans can connect. Stunning and powerful, "Run" is sure to engage any Patchett fan and bring her even more admirers.
The Historian
A woman finds an ancient book that take her down a path of inquiry trod by her father years before. It is a quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler of Wallachia, present day Romania, whose gruesome reign Bram Stoker based his legend of Dracula upon. What lies at the heart of the connection between the historical Vlad and the mythical vampire? Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian" takes the reader into a web of historical inquiry that leads forebodingly towards the answer.
A woman finds an ancient book that take her down a path of inquiry trod by her father years before. It is a quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler of Wallachia, present day Romania, whose gruesome reign Bram Stoker based his legend of Dracula upon. What lies at the heart of the connection between the historical Vlad and the mythical vampire? Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian" takes the reader into a web of historical inquiry that leads forebodingly towards the answer.
Epigram
An epigram is a concise, pointed, and satirical poem on a single thought or event. The form was originally intended for inscribing on monuments, and obtained its current definition around the 1st century BC. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ingeniously wrote an epigram that encapsulates epigram: "What is an Epigram? A dwarfish whole, / Its body brevity, and wit its soul."
An epigram is a concise, pointed, and satirical poem on a single thought or event. The form was originally intended for inscribing on monuments, and obtained its current definition around the 1st century BC. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ingeniously wrote an epigram that encapsulates epigram: "What is an Epigram? A dwarfish whole, / Its body brevity, and wit its soul."
The Camel Club
David Baldacci is the author of ten previous consecutive New York Times bestsellers and #1 international bestsellers: Absolute Power, Total Control, The Winner, The Simple Truth, Saving Faith, Wish You Well, Last Man Standing, The Christmas Train, Split Second, and Hour Game, as well as his Freddy and the French Fries children's series. In The Camel Club, David Baldacci paints a frightening portrait of a world that could be our own soon.
David Baldacci is the author of ten previous consecutive New York Times bestsellers and #1 international bestsellers: Absolute Power, Total Control, The Winner, The Simple Truth, Saving Faith, Wish You Well, Last Man Standing, The Christmas Train, Split Second, and Hour Game, as well as his Freddy and the French Fries children's series. In The Camel Club, David Baldacci paints a frightening portrait of a world that could be our own soon.
The Devil's Bones
Drawing on research at the Body Farm—three acres of land in the backwoods of Tennessee, where bodies are left to the elements to illuminate human decomposition — Jefferson Bass has moved fiction to a fascinating new realm, with forensics expertise drawn from his five decades of work as the world's leading forensic anthropologist.
Drawing on research at the Body Farm—three acres of land in the backwoods of Tennessee, where bodies are left to the elements to illuminate human decomposition — Jefferson Bass has moved fiction to a fascinating new realm, with forensics expertise drawn from his five decades of work as the world's leading forensic anthropologist.
Dramatic Monologue
A speech or soliloquey by a character to an imaginary audience, in which the reader gains insight into the character's personality or history.
A speech or soliloquey by a character to an imaginary audience, in which the reader gains insight into the character's personality or history.
Giller Prize Winners
The Giller Prize awards $25,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel or short story collection published in English. The award was established in 1994 by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. These are the winners of the past ten years' Giller Prizes.
The Giller Prize awards $25,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel or short story collection published in English. The award was established in 1994 by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. These are the winners of the past ten years' Giller Prizes.
Blink - Excerpt
In <i>Blink</i>, Malcolm Gladwell revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. <i>Blink</i> is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work?
In <i>Blink</i>, Malcolm Gladwell revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. <i>Blink</i> is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? How do our brains really work?
The Story of Chicago May
Nuala O'Faolain, the author of Are You Somebody, and Almost There, has come upon a story that is not only a perfect match for her literary gifts but also takes her career in a surprising and rich new direction. This Irish woman writer who achieved international fame with a remarkably candid appraisal of her own unorthodox life has taken as her subject another daughter of Ireland-this one a notorious criminal and unrepentant, independent woman, Chicago May.
Nuala O'Faolain, the author of Are You Somebody, and Almost There, has come upon a story that is not only a perfect match for her literary gifts but also takes her career in a surprising and rich new direction. This Irish woman writer who achieved international fame with a remarkably candid appraisal of her own unorthodox life has taken as her subject another daughter of Ireland-this one a notorious criminal and unrepentant, independent woman, Chicago May.
Black Hole
Charles Burns' graphic novel about an alien plague attacking teenagers in suburban Seattle during the mid-1970s, "Black Hole" transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it- back when it wasn’t exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird.
Charles Burns' graphic novel about an alien plague attacking teenagers in suburban Seattle during the mid-1970s, "Black Hole" transcends its genre by deftly exploring a specific American cultural moment in flux and the kids who are caught in it- back when it wasn’t exactly cool to be a hippie anymore, but Bowie was still just a little too weird.
Homecoming
The first novel by Bernhard Schlink since his international best seller "The Reader," Homecoming is the story of one man's odyssey and another man's pursuit. Homecoming is a story of fathers and sons, men and women, war and peace. It reveals the humanity that survives the trauma of war and the ongoing possibility for redemption.
The first novel by Bernhard Schlink since his international best seller "The Reader," Homecoming is the story of one man's odyssey and another man's pursuit. Homecoming is a story of fathers and sons, men and women, war and peace. It reveals the humanity that survives the trauma of war and the ongoing possibility for redemption.
Lies
For the first time since his own classic Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, Al Franken trains his subversive wit directly on the contemporary political scene. Now, the "master of political humor" (Washington Times) destroys the myth of liberal bias in the media, and exposes how the Right shamelessly tries to deceive the rest of us. Lies (and the Lying Liars who Tell Them)is sure to become the most talked about book of political humor in 2003 and beyond.
For the first time since his own classic Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, Al Franken trains his subversive wit directly on the contemporary political scene. Now, the "master of political humor" (Washington Times) destroys the myth of liberal bias in the media, and exposes how the Right shamelessly tries to deceive the rest of us. Lies (and the Lying Liars who Tell Them)is sure to become the most talked about book of political humor in 2003 and beyond.
First Man
In a narrative filled with revelations, James Hansen re-creates Neil Armstrong's career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his transatmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. These milestones made it seem, as Armstrong's mother put it, "as if from the very moment he was born -- farther back still -- that our son was somehow destined for the Apollo 11 mission."
In a narrative filled with revelations, James Hansen re-creates Neil Armstrong's career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his transatmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. These milestones made it seem, as Armstrong's mother put it, "as if from the very moment he was born -- farther back still -- that our son was somehow destined for the Apollo 11 mission."
The Mandala of Being
In The Mandala of Being, Richard Moss invites readers to become aware of the entity that is the self, and in so doing, to realize that there must yet be a larger Self that contains this awareness. He points out the myriad ways in which we distract ourselves from the Self, how we lose ourselves in creations of our own minds, and he invites us to build relationships with our true selves, to bring our awareness fully into the Now.
In The Mandala of Being, Richard Moss invites readers to become aware of the entity that is the self, and in so doing, to realize that there must yet be a larger Self that contains this awareness. He points out the myriad ways in which we distract ourselves from the Self, how we lose ourselves in creations of our own minds, and he invites us to build relationships with our true selves, to bring our awareness fully into the Now.
Denouement
Denouement (French: the action of untying) is the series of events that follow the plot's climax. It is the conclusion or resolution of the story.
Denouement (French: the action of untying) is the series of events that follow the plot's climax. It is the conclusion or resolution of the story.