Book Description
In this latest installment in the internationally best-selling, universally beloved series, there is considerable excitement at The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. A cobra has been found in Precious Ramotswe’s office. Then a nurse from a local medical clinic reveals that faulty blood–pressure readings are being recorded there. And Botswana has a new advice columnist, Aunty Emang, whose advice is rather curt for Mma Ramotswe’s taste.
All this means a lot of work for our heroine and her inestimable assistant, Grace Makutsi, and they are, of course, up to the challenge. But there’s trouble brewing in Mma Makutsi’s own life. When Phuti Radiphuti misses their customary dinner date, she begins to wonder if he is having second thoughts about their engagement. And while Mma Makutsi may be able to buy that fashionably narrow (and uncomfortable) pair of blue shoes, it may not buy her the happiness that Mma Ramotswe promises her she’ll find in the simpler things—in contentment with the world and enough tea to smooth over the occasional bumps in the road.
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Praise for In the Company of Cheerful Ladies:
• National Bestseller
“Beloved Botswana sleuth Precious Ramotswe is back – and better than ever – in this sixth entry in McCall Smith’s bestselling series. . . . By turns laugh-out-loud funny and quietly profound, these life-affirming mysteries are fine company, indeed.”
–Booklist, starred review
“Like clove oil on a bad tooth, McCall Smith’s fiction acts on cynicism as an effective, old-fashioned balm.”
–The Globe and Mail
“May be the most compelling of the lot. . . . It begins with an incident that crystallizes McCall Smith’s skill. Ultimately it is a matter of petty thievery, but his handling of it dramatizes the moral underpinnings of these books. . . . [Mma Ramotswe’s] strength – and the source of her enormous appeal – is her understanding of the human heart, and her willingness to confront its perfidies.”
–New York Daily News
“These books offer a sunnily lit window into another world, along with a modicum of relief from certain aspects of modern Western culture. They never descend into mere escapism, though. A few hours spent with Precious Ramotswe and her friends is always time well spent.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“[The] sixth entry in McCall Smith’s consistently delightful series. . . Amid the hilarious scenarios and quiet revelations are luminous descriptions of Botswana, land of wide-open spaces and endless blue skies.”
–Publishers Weekly, starred review
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Continuing a tradition of great books..........2007-09-20
After a long string of mediocre or uninspiring books, it was such a joy to read Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. I save these books for when I'm in such a rut because I know that they will be wonderful and I'll be able to linger and enjoy them and feel good about reading again. I'll be motivated and excited about reading again. I knew I'd want to pick up my next book right away. Somehow these books reenergize me.
In this installment we have Mma Romatswe solving a blackmailing mystery, she tackles a physician who is committing fraud against his patients, she confronts voodoo, deals with the fact that her traditionally built figure is causing problems. All they while there is an underlying tension between her and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. Mma Makutsi deals with feminism and her new fiance and Mr. Polopetsi practices being an assistant to the assistant detective Makutsi...and somehow those apprentices seem to be growing up.
As in his other books, Smith addresses the issues of the traditional Botswana ways and how they are being taken over by newer more modern ways that are eating away at a civilized and logical way of addressing the world. Mma Romatswe as the central figure, always helps everyone see how they have been attracted to shiny inconsequential things and need to be more focused on what is important. I love the way she is able to feel anger or frustration and then think through whether it is worth the energy--and usually it isn't. However, when necessary she confronts people gone bad and manages to help them come around--sometimes. There are those that are "uncurable"--People who are evil--and those she realizes she has to stop.
Smith did a good job of setting up the next book. I'm looking forward to finding out what this tension is between Mma Romatswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni. I can't wait to see how Mma Makutsi's love of pretty shoes develops and how her relationship with Mr. Phuti goes. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of the children as well as the apprenticeships. Was the outburst from Charlie really an expression of his burgeoning maturity. I'm so glad that book #8 is published and on my shelf so I can read it immediately when I'm next in a slump.
Another good book in the series..........2007-08-13
Although these books will never end up on a list of significant fiction, as always they are a quick and enjoyable read. This book continues the delightful story of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.
Blue Shoes and Happiness.......2007-08-13
Not a very exciting story. Not fast moving. Cute, very simplistic story.
The principle of "Less is More".......2007-07-10
One of the oft-heard criticisms of cozy mysteries is that "nothing much happens." If one thinks in terms of high-speed chases and blood-spattered corpses, I can see the point.
The only corpse in this book is a much-maligned bird, but its death brought tears to my eyes.
Alexander McCall Smith has mastered the subtle undertones of gentle conversation, of deftly defined characters, of landscape portraiture. Saying that nothing much happens in his books is like saying that a panther is nothing but a big housecat.
The principle of "less is more" applies here. BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS is a perfect title for a very nearly perfect book. I say very nearly perfect because that's how one rates a magnificent diamond.
Excellent Author.......2007-07-05
Keeps your interest all the way through the book, in fact, throughout the whole series.
Average customer rating:
- This author destined for Greatness!
- Phoenix Tales-Stories of Death & Life
- Macabre Tales
- A truely stunning collection
- Speculative fiction, done well
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Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death & Life
Gregory Bernard Banks
Manufacturer: Lulu Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Dark Fantasy | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1411620356 |
Book Description
From The L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Semi-Finalist, "Avatar," about a man with Osteogenesis Imperfecta who desperately seeks escape from the imprisonment of his frail body, to the brief and lyrical piece in which a troubled child's fate lies in the hands of "The Soul Man," Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death & Life by Gregory Bernard Banks explores mankind's eternal quest to understand life and death. These dark, thought-provoking, and sometimes humorous tales masterfully blend elements of science fiction, fantasy, and horror to delve into humanity's never-ending struggle to master Death and achieve eternal Life. Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death & Life is a collection you will remember for a long, long time.
Customer Reviews:
This author destined for Greatness!.......2005-12-01
Book Review:
"Phoenix Tales" Stories of Death & Life
by Gregory Bernard Banks
There have been many reading milestones in my life, works from the masters such as J.R.R.Tolkiens Trilogy, Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn, Ernest Hemmingway's "Old Man & The Sea, Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" and others. In the past year from more contemporary genre writers such as Stephen King's "Everything's Eventual" Lisa Carey's "Love in the Asylum", Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" & Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness". Also from lesser known under read authors like Lee Garrett's, "The Awakening," David Gardiner's "The Rainbow Man & Other Stories," Terry Lloyd Vinson's "Half Past the Witching Hour & Mary E. Rose's sci-fi thriller "Link Detonator."
And now the work of Gregory Banks author of "Phoenix Tales," Stories of Death & Life. For those who haven't read this author I admit this review only touches the surface, it is a body of work that is nothing short of amazing. What makes it so is the writer's ability to craft stories that capture your imagination, touch your heart and soothe your soul in the process. This collection of seventeen stories explores a difficult theme, a theme of death but does so with grace and the skilled competence of a master story teller.
In "Fireflies" the author weaves a haunting tale of a man torn by grief and guilt over the loss of his wife & daughter. Like a firefly that lights up the night then fades into darkness--he struggles to keep his sanity and is on a certain path to suicide until a voice from his past offers a simple solution. The surreal quality of the narrative in this story lends itself well to the state of mind of the main character. The symbolic use of the firefly playing against the tragic circumstances Mr. Dunn found himself in was nothing short of brilliant as was the resolution of love and hope offered the reader at the end of the story.
In "The Soul Man," the shortest piece in this collection but no less powerful than the others, Mr. Banks once again delivers a poignant tale. It is a story about child abuse as seen through The Soul Man's eyes whose mission it is to save children. It is also a stinging moral indictment of a society that too often ignores the cries of innocents. The ending is bittersweet but the message is loud and clear.
In "Heartbeats" justice & retribution get the last laugh on an unrepentant serial killer, a death row inmate named Bobby Hardy. This killer of children is about to get a reprieve from his sentence, due to some legal technical fiasco. But the hearts of child victims beat loudly in the corridors of hell as Bobby soon finds out. The dialogue between the priest and the guard was cleverly employed to reflect their theological and philosophical differences. I haven't seen dialogue used this effectively in a long time. As for the children and the condemned man the reader is left to decide if the end justified the means. For me in this case it did.
"A Time for Rest" is a gripping bone chilling tale of a mentally challenged woman, caring for her already dead child. She is also waiting the return of her husband who has become the victim of a nuclear blast that has wiped out the city of Lincoln, Nebraska. Alone with her thoughts and unknowingly dying from radiation poisoning, she makes an inevitable decision. The narrative consists of the woman's last thoughts. The writers voice in this story has a commanding power, a jaw dropping account of a world gone mad.
In "An Old Friend" another of the shorter pieces in the collection, the author offers a beautiful heart- rending account of two children Lindsey and Dani who are best friends, with the setting for the story taking place at a hospital where Dani is dying from old age. Dani's illness is the result of a rare genetic disorder, not mentioned in the story but readers soon become aware how & why the story is so appropriately titled. The storyline shines as a connection is made between the innocence of childhood & how it can sometimes even overshadow the finality of death.
The five stories summarized in this review as previously stated only begin to touch the surface of this remarkable piece of work. In many collections I've read over the years authors have attempted to place their strongest stories first or in some cases last. I think with this collection Mr. Banks would be hard pressed to place his stories in any particular order or rank. Each story while different from the others maintain a consistent
standard of excellence throughout. Phoenix Tales will connect with readers on many levels, each story in this collection shares one thing in common, they are all exquisitely written. You can take it or leave but one thing for sure you will never forget it... because Gregory Bernard Banks in my opinion will someday be included in the ranks of the literary greats. "Phoenix Tales" Stories of Death & Life will hold a prominent place on my bookshelf for years to come! I recommend this book without reservation.
Robert Anthony Montesino
Editor
Speculative Fiction Centre
Author of the "Mind Monsters Collection"
Phoenix Tales-Stories of Death & Life.......2005-11-01
Wow! These stories are moving, thought-provoking and fresh! They give you a new perspective not only on the way we look at death, but also, how we look at life! I experienced a range of emotions while reading them. Each time I'd pick one out as my 'favorite' short story, I'd read the succeeding one and would fall in love with Gregory's style of writing all over again. His descriptive way of revealing his characters and their surroundings left me spellbound. A must read for you! If you also want to get a sense of his humor and wit, 'A Cup Of Time' cannot be overlooked! They don't make writers like this anymore!
Sherry Brantley, Author of "Best of Friends," and "Choices-The Power is Within You."
Macabre Tales.......2005-07-23
Supernatural and fantasy ultimately sums up PHOENIX TALES: Stories of Death and Life by Gregory Bernard Banks. The author has created a selection of short stories that feed into the sci-fi futuristic storytelling of life and death. Each original story is told in a style that keeps your attention page after page until the finale of each story.
Examples of some of the selections are "Escape Velocity", which is about a man in a nursing facility who doesn't seem to get it right when dying. He wants to go home to be with his granddaughter, but it is forbidden. When he finally does escape, with her help, his quest is finally fulfilled to the astonishment of his granddaughter. "Touched" is about a little boy who was genetically created and is shunned by the people of his town. What many come to realize is that this young boy has much to offer then just being different. A very touching story that really goes deep to the heart of being judgmental and hurting someone for no apparent reason. "Living with Mrs. Klase" is another unique story that deals with a husband who will go to great lengths to please his wife who is suffering from Alzheimer. She wants to relive Christmas over and over again, playing the role of Santa's wife. When they help a young mother and her two children who are running from an abusive boyfriend and are stranded in the snow, their lives take on a new turn of events.
Each story has a moral base that reaches into the heart of understanding the role of everyone when life or death comes knocking at the door. Overall, Mr. Banks put together a collection of stories that definitely went beyond anything we would attest to as being in our day and time.
I approached the reading of this book very carefully because I wanted to really understand where the author's style and depth was going to take me. The character development, the futuristic terms and sci-fi scenarios flowed well with each storyline. Although some readers may not enjoy reading supernatural/fantasy stories, those that do will welcome this particular genre. Regardless, PHOENIX TALES by Gregory Bernard Banks is a one of a kind book anyone would enjoy reading. (RAW Rating: 3.5)
Reviewed by Kalaani
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
A truely stunning collection.......2005-07-19
Breaking the boundaries between literary and genre fiction, Gregory Bernard Banks' Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death and Life is a stunning collection of short stories that confronts the meaning of life and death with beautiful bravery. Part science fiction, part philosophy, with a little horror thrown in, this collection should be on everyone's reading list.
Each tale is a wonder in and of itself, and combined into a collection, creates a dramatic and insightful tool with which to uncover our own thoughts and fears on the subject matter.
Banks opens the collection with "Escape Velocity," a telling and frighteningly pertinent story of the price of heroic life saving efforts when the government, not the people themselves, decide if they should be allowed to die. With "Touched," he delivers a futuristic Pinocchio tale involving a genetically enhanced boy who learns what it means to be human. While the stories have a strong science fiction bent, the reader always feels they are in a familiar place.
"An Elysian Dream" tells the story of a young woman who quickly discovers that paradise without freedom is nothing more than a prettier version of hell. A man learns it's never too late to make amends with the past in "Home Going." In the hands of another writer, these stories may have come out as either empty nihilist tales or shallow reaffirmations. But Banks has a knack of taking what might otherwise be considered morose story concepts and turning them into uplifting, insightful, and poignant life lessons.
With "Living with Mrs. Klase," an abused woman and her children find Christmas with a retired farmer and his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. "The Soul Man," a story involving a person who seems to be the savior of abused children, is part flash fiction, part poetry, and part modern myth.
There are seventeen stories in this collection and every one of them elicited strong emotions in me as I read them. These are incredible stories that need to be read.
Speculative fiction, done well.......2005-07-17
I loved the story "An Elysian Dream" for its surprises. This book of short stories of fantasy fiction (or science fiction, possibly) remind me of "The Twilight Zone." If you love that kind of dark, twisting or surprising fiction, then this is for you. A fun, beach read.
Book Description
The first book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which continues with Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, Out of the Silent Planet begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, Out of the Silent Planet remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
If I was lamenting the state of contemporary fiction, as wikipedia mentions Lewis says in his biography, this is not what I would want to see happen to provide a cure.
A cure for insomnia, or, in a pinch, a firelighter, perhaps, but there is not much else of interest here.
Excellent Work of Fiction and Philosophy.......2007-08-01
Lewis's account of a philologist kidnapped by a pair of scientists (one a warped idealist and the other motivated strictly by greed) is a wonderful work of fiction which touches on topics such as education, philosophy and religion. Its basis in Christian belief will be clear to the educated reader, though the unfamiliar names used to describe it may make the book more palatable to those who like science fiction but are wary of being 'preached to.' Perhaps its most charming strength is its reconciliation of a scientific understanding of the universe with a view of the world to which wonder, mystery and the miraculous are critical. In this book, the two are complimentary rather than contradictory and in the end Lewis makes it abundantly clear that this was his intent. The power of language is a theme throughout and its power both to mask and reveal ideas is sublimely shown when the philologist, Ransom, must translate into an alien tongue the philosophy of the physicist Weston. What Weston uses his polished vocabulary and oratory to convey, Ransom must restate in simple words and in so doing lays bare their real meanings and inherent contradictions.
Science fiction and fantasy fans will find a competently written plot filled out with engaging characters and plenty of fascinating, detailed images of alien landscapes, flora and fauna. Though it does involve a space journey, its tone is closer to Lord of the Rings than Star Wars or Star Trek (without LOTR's epic scope). Christians will find a reminder of the beauty of their faith and anybody interested in philosophy and ethics will find plenty of material to absorb and debate.
Classics!.......2007-07-12
This was a wonderful classic that I discovered! It can be read by adults and older kids (teens). C.S. Lewis is a master!
Book Three is best.......2007-06-10
This is a fascinating book and story that must be read all the way through book three in the series to be truly understood. One needs to remember that it was written so long ago that the prose is, to me, cumbersome and Lewis goes on and on about things philosophizing at great length about the smallest issue. I felt I had to stick with it in spite of this because by the time I began to see this, I had already invested too much time in the reading of it.
Great allegory and Good Science Fiction.......2007-05-28
Clive Staples Lewis can be called the father of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy. Out of the Silent Planet, written in 1938, is the first of a trilogy of stories. The others are Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.
Lewis is the author of many novels including, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and the other Narnia stories as well as non-fiction works including Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man and A Grief Observed. Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. Both were professors at Oxford University and members of an informal literary group called the Inklings.
The science part of the story is largely dated. Lewis had little idea what space travel would be like. His Mars is a much more Earth-like planet than we now know it to be. The writing style is also somewhat dated, being told in narrative more than is done in modern literature, but it still works both as an adventure and allegory. In all of his fiction works Lewis uses allegory to teach Christianity. In the story Elwin Ransom, the protagonist, is kidnapped and transported to Mars by two acquaintances. Ransom flees his captors upon arrival on the alien world. After a couple days of travel he sees a Hross. At first he thinks it is just a beast but he realizes it is speaking and slowly they begin communication. Later he meets Oyarsa the ruler of the planet and, most likely, an archangel. Oyarsa's messengers, regular angels, are called eldila. Ransom also learns that Earth is the silent planet, cut off because it is ruled by the Bent One, a fallen angel.
As he says near the end of this story, "What we need...is not so much a body of belief as a body of people familiarized with certain ideas." His overriding purpose in Out of the Silent Planet is to familiarize a secular world with some of the principles of the Christian faith.
As the story wraps up, the narrator laments the evil he sees spreading across the world and of his hope that the direction of history might be altered. Of course Lewis knew that evil rules this world and only at the end would it be defeated.
Recommendation: To understand Christian Science Fiction, start with Out of the Silent Planet. It remains a five-star story.
Kyle Pratt
Customer Reviews:
Got me hooked on sci-fi.......2007-10-04
I absolutely LOVED this series. My science fiction loving father recommended it and now I have become a sci-fi junkie because of it. A great story that shows our history and future in interesting ideas. Fantastic read.
Books to Change One's Life.......2007-08-14
Books such as these cannot fail to change you. There have been many books in my life which I could say that about, but short of the Bible, I think these surpass them all (Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or G.K. Chesterton's Man Who Was Thursday being the only serious competition).
I cannot speak about these books without a tone of awe, it would be absolutely useless to try and explain why. Please trust me - read these, and many times, too.
Soak It Up.......2007-02-14
Sometimes learning is like sunbathing. You soak up wisdom like you soak up rays--changing, even though you can't pinpoint every little drop that touched you.
I say that because today I completed the second book in C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. True, I can't name one thing I learned (and this series is much more about exploring concepts than telling a story), but I feel very wise. Before you laugh too hard, let me say that my spirit is quiet right now. It's still. Rested. Open. In awe. Ready to receive.
Today I will continue resting, listening. Tomorrow I'll go back over the pages and remind myself what I learned. (And then I'll start the third book.)
I highly recommend these book, but read them only when you have lots of time to reflect.
Excellent Series.......2006-09-12
Out of the Silent Planet
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823802
This is the first book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. These books are far less known than Lewis's Narnia series or even his Mere Christianity or The Screwtape Letters, yet it is just as good as any of those writings and goes to show the versatility of Lewis as an author.
This first book begins with our hero, Dr. Ransom, out for a walking tour in the countryside, dressed in that shabby way for which professors are renowned. His foes are his former schoolmates Devine and Weston. These men believe they need a human sacrifice, and by capturing Ransom they have their victim, for they have made a spaceship and are taking Ransom to Malacandra the red planet.
Once on Mars, Ransom escapes his captors, meets many species, and finds out that on Mars there has been no `Fall' and Ransom from Earth or the Silent Planet is a bit of an oddity. People from earth are considered to be `bent' in nature, from the original sin of the fall.
Follow Ransom as he treks across a strange world, and must find the courage to risk it all to save not only an alien race, but also, possibly his own soul.
This is a first book in an amazing series. Try it - you won't be disappointed.
Perelandra
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823829
This is the second book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first you can start here.
This book takes place some time after the first, but we are not sure how long. Ransom has received a summons to Venus, a planet that is just beginning its inhabited life. This planet's `Adam' and `Eve' are on the planet and they must choose to obey God or to reject his law and face a `fall' as has happened on earth.
Ransom must face his old foe Weston, and try to save a planet from great evil. Can he navigate this watery planet; can he negotiate the intricacies of human weakness, temptation and corruption? Can he conquer himself and help others to learn obedience?
This is a great creation story. Try it - you won't be disappointed.
That Hideous Strength
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823853
This is the third and final book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first, you can start here.
That Hideous Strength, unlike the first 2 books in this series, where Ransom leaves earth and fights evil in space and on other planets, the battle in this book takes place on earth.
Ransom must lead a group of faithful believers against National Institute for Coordinated Experiments or N.I.C.E., an organization that believes that Science can solve all of humanity's problems. He must battle the people in this organization, super aliens trying to invade and control earth and use its population against other planets and against God.
On top of all of that, Merlin has arisen from his long sleep and has arisen in England's time of greatest need. But the question is, who will find him first - N.I.C.E. or Ransom and his team? The fate of the world, and possibly the universe, rests on this question.
Lewis called this story an adult's fairy-tale. It is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and a book that will keep your attention as you raptly turn the pages to find out where Lewis will lead you.
Sublime Christian Fantasy.......2005-11-20
I am continually amazed by CS Lewis - his Narnia books were of course, excellent and entertaining, Mere Christianity a tour-de-force in apologetics, and The Great Divorce and Screwtape Letters were astonishing in their fictional applications of Christian doctrine. Finally, the book of his that I found most puzzling - "The Abolition of Man", turns out to be the non-fiction underpinnings for the third volume in this wonderful science fiction/fantasy trilogy. Like a key fitting a lock, the grim prophecies of "The Abolition of Man" are shaped and given character in "That Hideous Strength", and I am left in awe again of Lewis' genius.
But the trilogy does not start with such a complexity. "Out of the Silent Planet" begins mundanely enough, taking the hero Dr. Ransom out of the context of earth to explore the thesis of "what would Christian Truth be like on another planet." Lewis, as in his Narnia series, is quite bold in building his allegory - he takes license that would border on heresy if he weren't so committed to the fundamental integrity of Christianity. Indeed, one gets the feeling that where he bends doctrine in order to accomodate his plot (such as in making the Oyarsa into the makers and shepherds of worlds - contra "The Word" or "Logos"), he does so humbly and innocently. In spite of the fact that Lewis has much more to say, "Out of the Silent Planet" is self-contained and fulfilling.
"Perelandra", the second volume, follows Ransom once more as he is transported to Venus to play a strange role in another planet's Garden of Eden. While enjoyable, Perelandra relied a bit too much on descriptions of terrestrial paradise that were untransferable to the reader - one doesn't get as caught up as Dr. Ransom in the sensual aspects of Eden. Lewis does, however, deftly manage the paradox of "That Happy Fall" - the sin of Adam that led to the miracle of Christ. "Perelandra" is entertaining, but not quite so fulfilling as either the first or last books in the trilogy.
The final volume, "That Hideous Strength" is very unlike the first two in tone and context. Not merely because the action takes place on Earth (and a post-war England that is so like/unlike post-millennial America), but because rather than an exposition or exploration of Christian realities on other worlds, Lewis is engaging the eugenic nightmare threatening to atrophy all of Western Civilization. There was a strange resemblence to GK Chesterton's "The Ball & The Cross". In fact, "That Hideous Strength" was the most Chestertonian of Lewis' works, combining the comic absurdity of philosophies taken to their natural conclusions with the sobering reminder that "this is happening even now". In another weird sense, "That Hideous Strength" reminded me of John Barth's "Giles Goat Boy" (with poor Barth coming out quite unfavorably in the comparison). Perhaps this was only the use of the University as the sphere of action, or the creeping modernism that is Lewis' villain and Barth's savior.
In any case, "That Hideous Strength" masterfully blends the revelations of the preceding volumes in the trilogy along with a sudden infusion of earthly mythology, Arthurian legend, post-war philosophy, and even a bit of J.R.R. Tolkein (quite odd, this last bit!). But the root of "That Hideous Strength" is no fantasy, but a recognition of the apocolyptic desire of man to eat from the tree of knowledge and cheat death - by remaking himself. The word "eugenics" isn't used much any more after the Nazis became its champions. But back in the 30's it was all the range, striking deep into the Roosevelt White House, and carried on to this day under the auspices of Planned Parenthood. Lewis might have forseeen the horrors of man's affair with his own genetics, but this last most chilling development is not captured in "That Hideous Strength".
Here in the 21st century, in the midst of the technology that alarmed CS Lewis, we live in a world of the human genome project, designer babies, clones, fetal stem-cell research, ADHD, "Indigo Children," prisoner rehabilitation, John Hinckley, and dying-with-dignity. One hopes that somewhere out there is a Dr. Ransom monitoring the situation with a Mr. Bultitude standing by. Failing that, one wishes there were another CS Lewis, who, through an intimate grasp of Christianity and a ranging imagination, could skewer the modern eugenicists and stand in the breach against the abolition of man.
Product Description
Three C. S. Lewis novels in one volume. PERELANDRA ; THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH
Book Description
Easy-to-use, reproducible lessons on literary terms, comprehension and analysis, critical thinking, related scriptural principles, vocabulary, activities, plus a complete answer key.
Customer Reviews:
Disappointed.......2007-05-19
The 12 or so pages of what appeared to be photocopied questions that were assembled in a duotang folder should not be called a "study guide". The unanswered questions provided virtually no value and we were very disappointed.
Out of the Silent Planet - Study Guide.......2006-01-30
Would like to see more comprehension questions and perhaps a quiz that correlates with each chapter. Great addition to a completed unit!
Average customer rating:
- this should be more popular
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Cosmic Trilogy : Out of the Silent Planet - Perelandra - That Hideous Strength
Manufacturer: Pan Books Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0330313746 |
Customer Reviews:
this should be more popular.......2004-08-26
With lots of attention on Tolkien's work, and a film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on the way, hopefully more people will discover this wonderful trilogy.
This is C.S. Lewis' fictional series for adults. I find some of his nonfiction apologetic writing to be a bit 'stuffy' (minus the brutal realism of "A Grief Observed"), but his fictional works are fun and fantastic.
The Cosmic (or Space) Trilogy follows the heroic Dr. Ransom on his adventures. He's something of an unlikely hero... heck, he's an Oxford scholar. The first bit of Out of the Silent Planet, the first installment, is a bit slow, but once you exit the Earth's atmosphere it really picks up.
OOTSP follows Ransom on a voyage to Mars. Lewis' interpretation of space flight is quite interesting, too. On Mars (I believe called "Malacandra") he encounters three species. To be honest, I don't remember many of the details of the plot, but rest assured, it's good.
Perelandra takes him to Venus, to a world that has not fallen into a state of sin. It's a sort of extended meditation on sin and the fall. Lewis' depiction of Ransom's arch nemesis, when 'possessed' (I forget his name) is chilling.
That Hideous Strength takes the battle between good and evil to Earth. Again, it starts off a bit slow. Instead of one Oxford scholar, you have a whole bunch. Parts of it reminds me of Hume's "Dialogues..." actually. Oh yeah, there's a bear too. Ransom has become a very wise and powerful man, and the story revolves around their quest to get the ancient magician Merlin on their side to fight the forces of evil.
Those who like fantasy literature should definitely give this series a chance. Also, check into "The Dark Tower," an unfinished story that (I believe) was written after Out of the Silent Planet, featuring some of the same characters. The fancy Oxford guys uncover a parallel universe, and chaos ensues. There's actually some interesting sexual imagery one wouldn't expect from Lewis.
Product Description
The beginning of a celebrated space trilogy which is continued in Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.
Average customer rating:
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Out Of The Silent Planet
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GL87Y4 |
Average customer rating:
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Out of the Silent Planet
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
Lewis, C.S.
| ( L )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000FQ0P68 |
Amazon.com
If you've been laboring under the illusion that your grandmother just smashed berries into a jar or that pickles grew on exotic pickle trees, prepare to be enlightened with Linda J. Amendt's Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellies, Marmalades & More. Canning, as shown in this exhaustive edition, is as much a science as an art, and this book includes every detail to educate the uninformed on what it takes to make great preserves.
Her recipes include the standards, such as strawberry jam, and the obscure, such as Garlic and Onion Jam. Amendt also does the public service of explaining the real difference between jams and jellies. Special caution about food safety holds a prominent place in Blue Ribbon Preserves and Amendt teaches us how to chose optimal foods for canning as well as how to safely store preserves to avoid potentially lethal food contamination. Be prepared for a bit of a chemistry lesson, which can be a long and sometimes didactic read, but it's well worth it for the critical food-safety information.
So complete is the book that Amendt, herself a recipient of countless state-fair awards for her preserves, includes pointers on how to succeed at such competitions (in a very thorough chapter which includes insights into how judges pick their winners). Blue Ribbon Preserves covers everything that goes into a ball jar and more, and in the process earns not only a tight seal of quality but its own blue ribbon. --Teresa Simanton
Book Description
Blue Ribbon Preserves features the award-winning recipes, canning tips, and methods for making preserves that have made Linda J. Amendt one of the top prize-winning cooks in the nation. This handy and helpful volume explains how to make the finest jams, jellies, marmalades, preserves, conserves, butters, curds, fruit, vegetables, juices, sauces, pickles, vinegars, syrups, and specialty preserves. Plus, it has a complete canning guide with the latest methods and safety precautions.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent recipes! .......2007-08-28
Finally! A canning book that has recipes that I have never seen before! Awesome!
Loved it!.......2007-01-15
I have several canning / preserve books. I had originally picked up a copy of this book at a second hand book store. I was interested in making some liquor reciped for holiday giftgiving and this book had several. After looking through the book, I became more endeared to it. It reviews how to make each recipe in the best way in the hopes of winning the "Blue Ribbon" at teh fair. I am not interested in participating in the fair. I am interested in preparing delicious, beautiful canned items for myself as well as gift giving. This book gives great recipes. I loaned my original book copy out to a friend who shares the same love of cooking as myself. Knowing the friend, I realized I may never get the book back (she's a little crazy and I knew she would love it too!). I let her keep my copy and used this as an excuse to purchase a nice new copy for myself. If you are interested in canning/preserving/gift giving, I recommend this book for yourself or as a a gift for someoone else.
From a Long-Time Canner.......2006-11-06
I have been putting up jams and other preserved food for more than thirty years, and of the many books I have on preserving, this is my favorite. It would probably be overwhelming for first-timers, who should buy the Ball Blue Book to start, but for anyone with experience these recipes are wonderful.
I cannot vouch for the pickling sections - my husband cannot eat pickles so I don't make them, but the jam, jelly and marmalade recipes are fabulous. The nectarine jam recipe alone is worth the price of this book - I made several batches of nectarine and next year I will make more - these jars are flying off the shelf. The "Peach Melba" recipe, using the classic combination of peach and raspberry is incomparable, and the Apricot-Plum and Apricot-Pineapple recipes are just excellent. I have not been disappointed in any recipe, and I envision using a number over the coming seasons for which I didn't have time this summer.
Real Life Success With These Recipes.......2006-08-12
Here's a news story from my local paper about this book:
"The road to blue ribbon recognition began appropriately enough for Jane Radford, when her best friend Sarah gave her the book Blue Ribbon Preserves by Linda J. Amendt as a Christmas gift.
"Canning is a lost science and I've always thought it is sad to let this tradition fade," says Radford.
So for a few months she read up on the art of canning and then when her husband and son gave her a canner as a Mother's Day gift she was off and running.
Radford entered in 68 categories in the fair. She came away with 50 ribbons, 29 Blue 1st place (19 in Food Preservation; 10 in Baked Goods and Candies; 13 Red 2nd place; 7 White 3rd place and 1 Yellow 4th place ribbon.
She also took five Grand Champion ribbons:
Jellies (Blackberry); Pickles- (Spiced Sweet Peach Pickle); Collection of 5 Cannings (Fruit); and Candies (Butterfly Mints)"
Many great answers.......2006-07-10
This is a wonderful book for people who are familiar with the canning process and who want to move to the next level. It has good recipes but I found it most helpful with lots of easy-to-understand technical information most books are completely lacking. This is a must-have book for anyone who is serious about canning and preserving.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful.......2007-03-03
This book has so many award winning recipes, canning tips, and methods for making preserves that have made Linda Amendt one of the top prizewinning cooks in the nation.
This has everything one needs to know i.e. the very best ways to make the finest james, jellies, marmalades, preserves, conserves, butters, curds, fruit, vegetables, juices, sauces, pickles, vinegars, syrups, and specialty preserves.
A complete canning guide including the latest methods and safety precautions for preserving.
Detailed tips and secrets to make you a blue ribbon winner.
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