| pierce@piercewatters.com |
| King James Bible Book 21: Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 012:012 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. |
Book Reviews and recaps from Amazon.com
From Booklist
Avery, a longtime student of the Japanese tea ceremony, has set her first novel in
late-nineteenth-century Japan, when that tradition-steeped nation gradually exposed itself to the
modern West. She weaves a memorable saga of two women: Yukako, the daughter of a respected
"tea advisor" to feudal lords, and Aurelia, a French orphan who traveled to Kyoto at age nine with her
uncle, and was adopted by the tea master's family after he died. Avery adroitly conveys the intricacies
of the tea ceremony, "the language of diplomacy," and the subtle ways in which it was transformed as
Japan moved from a Shogun society to one ruled by the emperor. At the same time, she illuminates
other social changes, such as the arrival of the steam engine, women no longer blackening their teeth,
and the lifting of the ban on Christianity. Aurelia remains Yukako's stalwart friend through doomed
romances and a disappointing marriage, telling her, when Yukako resumes her father's tea ceremonies
after his death, "You took an art that could have died, and you made it live." Deborah Donovan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Avery, a longtime student of the Japanese tea ceremony, has set her first novel in
late-nineteenth-century Japan, when that tradition-steeped nation gradually exposed itself to the
modern West. She weaves a memorable saga of two women: Yukako, the daughter of a respected
"tea advisor" to feudal lords, and Aurelia, a French orphan who traveled to Kyoto at age nine with her
uncle, and was adopted by the tea master's family after he died. Avery adroitly conveys the intricacies
of the tea ceremony, "the language of diplomacy," and the subtle ways in which it was transformed as
Japan moved from a Shogun society to one ruled by the emperor. At the same time, she illuminates
other social changes, such as the arrival of the steam engine, women no longer blackening their teeth,
and the lifting of the ban on Christianity. Aurelia remains Yukako's stalwart friend through doomed
romances and a disappointing marriage, telling her, when Yukako resumes her father's tea ceremonies
after his death, "You took an art that could have died, and you made it live." Deborah Donovan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
A hero without peer or scruples, Sam Gunn has a nose for trouble, money, and womenthough not
necessarily in that order. A man with the ego (and stature) of a Napoleon, the business acumen of a
P. T. Barnum, and the raging hormones of a teenage boy, Sam is the finest astronaut NASA ever
trainedand dumped. But more than money, more than women, Sam Gunn loves justice. (And he really
does love money and women.) Whether hes suing the Pope, helping twin sisters entangled in the
virtual sex trade, or on trial for his life on charges of interplanetary genocide, you can be sure of one
thing: this is one space jockey wholl meet every challenge with a smile on his lips, an ace up his
sleeveand a weapon in his pocket. Now, for the first time in one volume, Hugo-winner Ben Bova
presents all the tales of Sam Gunn to date, including three never before collected in book form. Here is
the entire chronicle of Sam Gunn, trailblazer and scoundrel, as he scams his way from one end of the
Solar System to the other, giving bold new meaning to the term venture capitalist.
A hero without peer or scruples, Sam Gunn has a nose for trouble, money, and womenthough not
necessarily in that order. A man with the ego (and stature) of a Napoleon, the business acumen of a
P. T. Barnum, and the raging hormones of a teenage boy, Sam is the finest astronaut NASA ever
trainedand dumped. But more than money, more than women, Sam Gunn loves justice. (And he really
does love money and women.) Whether hes suing the Pope, helping twin sisters entangled in the
virtual sex trade, or on trial for his life on charges of interplanetary genocide, you can be sure of one
thing: this is one space jockey wholl meet every challenge with a smile on his lips, an ace up his
sleeveand a weapon in his pocket. Now, for the first time in one volume, Hugo-winner Ben Bova
presents all the tales of Sam Gunn to date, including three never before collected in book form. Here is
the entire chronicle of Sam Gunn, trailblazer and scoundrel, as he scams his way from one end of the
Solar System to the other, giving bold new meaning to the term venture capitalist.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Gr. 6-10. Gifts, in the context of Le Guin's newest novel, inspire fear more
often than gratitude. But this book is a gift in the purest sense, as the renowned fantasist's
admirers have waited 14 years since the release of Tehanu (1990) for another full-length young
adult novel. Providing an intriguing counterpoint to the epic third-person voice of Le Guin's
Earthsea novels, this quieter, more intimate tale is narrated by its central character, Orrec. Born
into a feud-riven community where the balance of power depends on inherited, extrasensory
"gifts," Orrec's gift of Unmaking (which is wielded at a glance and is as fearsome as it sounds)
manifests late and strangely, forcing him to don a blindfold to protect those he loves from his
dire abilities. The blindfold becomes a source of escalating tension between Orrec and his stern
father, and its eventual removal serves as a powerful metaphor for the transition from
dependent youngster to self-possessed, questioning young adult. Although intriguing as a
coming-of-age allegory, Orrec's story is also rich in the earthy magic and intelligent plot twists
that made the Earthsea novels classics. One would expect nothing less from the author whose
contributions to literature have earned her a World Fantasy Award, a Nebula Award, and, most
recently, a Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the
Hardcover edition.
*Starred Review* Gr. 6-10. Gifts, in the context of Le Guin's newest novel, inspire fear more
often than gratitude. But this book is a gift in the purest sense, as the renowned fantasist's
admirers have waited 14 years since the release of Tehanu (1990) for another full-length young
adult novel. Providing an intriguing counterpoint to the epic third-person voice of Le Guin's
Earthsea novels, this quieter, more intimate tale is narrated by its central character, Orrec. Born
into a feud-riven community where the balance of power depends on inherited, extrasensory
"gifts," Orrec's gift of Unmaking (which is wielded at a glance and is as fearsome as it sounds)
manifests late and strangely, forcing him to don a blindfold to protect those he loves from his
dire abilities. The blindfold becomes a source of escalating tension between Orrec and his stern
father, and its eventual removal serves as a powerful metaphor for the transition from
dependent youngster to self-possessed, questioning young adult. Although intriguing as a
coming-of-age allegory, Orrec's story is also rich in the earthy magic and intelligent plot twists
that made the Earthsea novels classics. One would expect nothing less from the author whose
contributions to literature have earned her a World Fantasy Award, a Nebula Award, and, most
recently, a Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the
Hardcover edition.
| The moment when one meets a book and knows, beyond shadow of doubt, that that book must be his-not necessarily now, but some time-is among the happiest excitements of the spirit. Christopher Morley Collected in A Book Addict's Treasury Julie Rugg & Lynda Murphy |
| To be strong-backed and neat-bound is the desideratum of a volume. Magnificence comes after. Charles Lamb Collected in A Book Addict's Treasury Julie Rugg & Lynda Murphy |
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| I have read many, many books. And loved many books. This page lists my latest loves and where to buy them. I shall add to it as time and circumstance permit. PBW |
From Publishers Weekly
former Knight Templar and now a stubborn, headstrong angel, gets stuck with a less than agreeable
former Knight Templar and now a stubborn, headstrong angel, gets stuck with a less than agreeable
assignment: go back to Earth on reconnaissance disguised as a mortal, complete with a real human
body and orders forbidding him to use his powers. His mission is to watch over Rachel Duncan, a
plucky young commodities trader in Chicago who's just become involved with a mysterious,
charismatic and very wealthy client named Andreas Zanus. Soon it becomes clear that Zanus is one
of the Dark Angels, and his designs on Rachel aren't exactly romantic. With a playful sense of
humor, a page-turning plot that keeps Rachel and Derek just close enough to throw off sparks, a
tightly constructed supernatural world and plenty of suspense, readers will have a devil of a time
waiting for the next installment.
waiting for the next installment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
former Knight Templar and now a stubborn, headstrong angel, gets stuck with a less than agreeable
former Knight Templar and now a stubborn, headstrong angel, gets stuck with a less than agreeable
assignment: go back to Earth on reconnaissance disguised as a mortal, complete with a real human
body and orders forbidding him to use his powers. His mission is to watch over Rachel Duncan, a
plucky young commodities trader in Chicago who's just become involved with a mysterious,
charismatic and very wealthy client named Andreas Zanus. Soon it becomes clear that Zanus is one
of the Dark Angels, and his designs on Rachel aren't exactly romantic. With a playful sense of
humor, a page-turning plot that keeps Rachel and Derek just close enough to throw off sparks, a
tightly constructed supernatural world and plenty of suspense, readers will have a devil of a time
waiting for the next installment.
waiting for the next installment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
| Amazon.com. PBW |
