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Guido Brunetti, the protagonist of Donna Leon's brilliant series about crime in high and low places in Venice, Italy, is back in a smart thriller about a murdered street vendor, one of the illegal immigrants who sell fake fashion accessories outside the tourist mecca's high-priced boutiques while trying to stay one step ahead of the law. Someone had a reason for wanting the nameless African man dead, and the search for the killers and the men who sent them to Brunetti's beloved and beautifully evoked city shortly before Christmas leads the thoughtful, multifaceted and uxorious Commissario to the unfamiliar Venetian milieu where the vu cumpra live. In the cramped, airless room where the Senegalese vendors manage to find shelter, Guido discovers a fortune in so-called "conflict diamonds" hidden among the murdered man's meager belongings. But finding the diamonds' provenance and the killers who were seeking them proves to be an exercise in bureaucratic misdirection. Warned off the case by his boss in the name of "national security," Guido nonetheless persists with his investigation, in the course of which he discovers what--and who--really matters to him. Leon depicts the city she also clearly loves with such skill the reader can almost hear the watter lapping at the edges of the canals and smell the espresso beans roasting in the crisp cold winter air. A tour de force from an author whose reputation for skillful plotting, extraordinary descriptive powers, and complex characters has earned her a loyal base of fans; if you haven't discovered her work before this, Blood from a Stone will only whet your appetite for her extensive backlist of titles featuring Brunetti and his colleagues. --Jane Adams
Book Description
Guido Brunetti, the hero of Donna Leon's internationally bestselling crime series, is back, in a novel that combines an ingenious plot with an alluring portrait of contemporary Venice. On a cold December night, a Senegalese man who sells counterfeit fashion accessories is killed on the Campo Santo Stefano. What first appears to be a straightforward clash between rival dealers soon raises questions: What was a penniless foreigner doing with a fortune in diamonds? And why does Brunetti's boss want him off the case? Fans of Donna Leon will be thrilled with Blood from a Stone, as Brunetti delves into the secrets of Venice's immigrant community and continues to uncover corruption in the upper echelons of the government.
Customer Reviews:
Should it be considered a mystery?.......2007-08-24
I have mixed feelings about this book and I would have given it one star if it weren't because she touches a very important theme, although she does it in such a pathetic way that you are left with that 'Orwelian' feeling that things are just getting worse!
It didn't take more than 50 pages for me to begin to get impatient with this book. The plot unravels so slowly and, granted that Brunetti's bosses want it that way, Donna Leon wasted precious opportunities to keep the reader's interest. Her characters are dull, her descriptions of places and characters border on the cliche, in short, she does not make you grow fond of the characters. Brunetti's character is simply lame. There is absolutely nothing extraordinary about him. It almost seems that is wife would be more equipped for his job than he is. He seems insecure, shy and untalented. She introduces 'phantom' characters of sorts who don't bring much to the table. I read she is a famous and known writer because of her insight on Italian life and ways. However, her insight on Venice, apart from constant reference to various landmarks, is minimal. I kept on wondering, has this woman ever been there or did she just read about Venice on a guidebook? I cannot say this was a distinctively Italian mystery. Brunetti seems more like an American blue collar worker to me.
I have to say though that the way the plot unravels is different and surprising. Pity she didn't use it to her advantage. She could have touched on the intricacies of the plan, and in the end the reader is left with the notion of what happened but with a few questions unanswered...
Coming from a background of Agatha Christie mysteries, I don't consider this worth my time or that of a serious mystery reader. Brunetti, like Paris Hilton, is famous for having done nothing. He just makes a few calls and that's it. No insight. No "little gray cells". No brains whatsoever, pure speculation and "pulling of strings". I do understand not every murder can get solved, let alone given justice. However, her idea was grand but her execution pathetic. Folks, don't waste your time with this one.
Perfect Pacing and Delicious Accents in David Colacci's Reading.......2007-08-06
Books full of psychology and verbal sparring rather than action benefit from being listened to rather than read. The professional reader (or author) is able to use timing, pace, and pauses to bring inaction to life and invite you deeper inside the mind of the narrator. I found that David Collaci's reading of Blood from a Stone upgraded this book from a four-star effort as a personal read into a five-star listening experience through the unabridged CD.
The main character in Blood from a Stone isn't Commissario Guido Brunetti, but rather the city of Venice. If you know and love Venice, you'll add one star to your experience with this book or CD by being reminded of your great experiences there.
The book is a near-literary-quality novel, even though portrayed in a police procedural format. Ms. Leon is much more interested in having your think about what it means to be a good human than in intriguing you with her mystery and exciting you with her plot. The book raises fundamental questions about our connections to every other person on the planet, our colleagues, friends, loved ones, and family members. Although the book will seem preachy at times about one view or another, Ms. Leon leaves plenty of room for you to draw your own conclusions. But you'll definitely find your sensitivity honed as you think about more dimensions of relations with others . . . and their consequences for you and others.
As the book opens, two assassins stalk and kill an illegal street vendor who is a black African. The police don't rush to the scene and don't find any helpful information to identify the man. Commissario Brunetti makes slow progress through a combination of Signorina Ellatra's computer and persuasive skills, his own snooping around, and Sgt. Vianello's willingness to provide loyal shoe leather and silence. A visit to the abode of the victim yields more clues, but no identity. The clues raise disturbing questions that don't belong in a police investigation.
Soon, Vice-Questore Patta is telling Brunetti that he should go through the motions and not find the killer. The pressure to ignore the killing grows. Brunetti plays along while pursuing a hidden investigation that features his trustworthy colleagues, friends, and family in off-the-record activities. Why is the fix in? Brunetti can only speculate until late in the story.
The book's conclusion leaves Brunetti with an interesting dilemma, one that you should think about as though it were your own before you find out what Brunetti does.
The strength of this book is in its superb portrayal of the ambivalent attitudes and relationships among the illegal African street vendors, the police, the vendors' customers, ordinary citizens, and the vendors' landlords. Ms. Leon does a wonderful job of getting across the full range of perspectives and experiences. Ultimately, she wants you to decide what the crimes are and who the criminals are in the illegal set-up from a moral rather than a judicial perspective.
If, however, you just want an intriguing and fast-paced mystery, you'll wonder what all of the side trips into philosophical questions are all about.
One of her best.......2007-03-09
I think this is one of the best that Leon has written. Maybe I'm somewhat influenced by a recent trip back to Venice and lots of encounters with the "vu cumpra" (mostly Senegales who sell fake Gucci, Prada etc.). But it was a good read with a fairly complex plot that managed to tie together the murder, the locale and the good Commissario with international themes of terrorism and systemic corruption.
Venice Lover.......2007-02-13
I thoroughly enjoy Donna Leon. Her sense of place, her characters, her menu descriptions and her stories. Bon appetito!
Not Her Best.......2006-06-19
I love the Brunetti books, but this one just seems to miss the gondola, as it were. It's a mystery in which which Brunetti seems to be more of a spectator than the solving sleuth. Even Leon's usually amusing interchanges between Brunetti and his boss Patta lack spark here. About the only thing in which this book excels is Leon's descriptions of Venice. Armed with my map of the city, I follow all the action canal-by-canal, calle-by-calle. So, mainly for the travelogue I give it three stars. Donna Leon is a superstar in my book and I guess she is allowed to occasionally boot one. Hope her next book regains the artistry that her previous offerings do.
Book Description
Starting in Lord of the Isles and continuing in Queen of Demons, Servant of the Dragon, and Mistress of the Catacombs, David Drake has told the continuing, interlocking stories of Garric and Sharina, Cashel and Ilna, young brother and sister pairs who journey together from a small town to the capital. Their destiny is to reunite the island kingdoms of the Isles into one empire for the first time in a millennium. They seek to do this at a moment in history when the cosmic forces upon which magicians draw are at a thousand year peak. Wizards of even small learning are immensely powerful. Human greed and evil are reinforced by supernatural energiesIn Goddess of the Ice Realm, as Garric and his retinue reach the island city of Carcosa, the wizard Tenoctris perceives a powerful supernatural assault directed against them. Ilna and her beloved, Chalcus, are sent to investigate a magical threat to shipping in the north. Cashel is translated into another world by evil magic, and Sharina to yet another. All of them face deadly dangers and overcome them before they are again united during the terrifying and dramatic climax.Filled with action, startling revelations, romance and sorcery, Goddess of the Ice Realm is epic fantasy at its exciting best.
Customer Reviews:
remarkable.......2005-02-17
This is a complex story, beautifully plotted and well told. It is hard to put down. The good guys win in the end, but you are really going to be amazed at the artistry with which Drake keeps you on the edge of your chair, as it all comes seamlessly together at the last instant. Buy the whole series and read them all! Tour de force!
Entertaining...with a caveat.......2004-12-22
Drake's writing ability once again shines, but I would really like him to stop going to the same plot-well over and over. Yes, it has served him in the past, but it's time to branch out a little.
That said, he is a master storyteller with a fine grasp of the art of smooth and entertaining prose, and this is more of a quibble than anything else. And his characters certainly do spring off the page and lodge themselves in your mind, which is why this one is a keeper.
Save money and time BUY SOMETHING ELSE.......2004-10-16
I wouldn't even give this one star if there was an option.
Plot: weak at best, just get on with the bloody story!
Characters: not very convincing
The author has a way of insulting your intelligence with every page. His constant review of the previous books is annoying. The whole thing is set up like a bad soap opera. If you liked this then you should really seek new authors, there is much better out there.
last verse same as the first.......2004-07-15
uh.....is the next book going to be the same story line yet again? This series started out with some major potential!
Which book does this describe?
Cashel goes off by himself....Sharina too.... Ilna and Chalcus off together adventuring, Garric doing whatever....they all meet at the end and defeat everybody and everything.....blah blah blah.
Entertaining...but lacking in plot development.......2004-03-16
This fifth installment in the series is much like the rest of them:the main characters go their separate ways for the bulk of the novel and reunite for the subplot. The plot, in fact, is becoming rather predictable, with only details changing from book to book. There is very little of the "epic" in this fantasy series, as the plots of the now five books just don't seem to be driving at anything.
That being said, the book IS entertaining, and I even found myself laughing at points. That's more than can be said for some of the other big names in fantasy at this time. While not intellectually stimulating, "Goddess of the Ice Realm" will provide a number of hours of good reading, and is certainly worth purchasing for readers of the series.
Customer Reviews:
Aberrant: Teragen.......2000-08-30
What a great book! This is a must for those hardcore Aberrant gamers or just for those who like reading Aberrant for fun. Although if your expecting stats on Divis get Aberrants Worldwide. But Teragen still indulges in Divis's character greatly as well as the major players of the Teragen like Greyon and Raoul Orziaz. It also talks about how the Teragen deals with taint. But the best part is reading about the philosophy behind the Teragen.
A new light.......2000-06-07
Project: Utopia would like to paint all other factions as evil, dangerous or both. The majority of the populous in 2008 believes them, but you are of the One Race. You know the world for what it really is. Aberrant: Teragen turns thsi conflict from balck and white to shades of gray. Rather than a series of bland stereotypes a la Utopia's spin doctors, you see the philosophy of Teras for what it really is. This book sports important information on the Teragen movement, history, and names key players, as well as pre-made characters for an easy start campaign. A sample story is also included, and some new powers are put at your disposal. While technically not essential, Aberrant: Teragen is a phenomenally useful book, especially if you are a Storyteller who doesn't always play the hero's side, or likes to add shades of gray. This is probably the best supplement for another great game courtesy of White Wolf games.
Fantastic Addition.......2000-03-04
Of all the Aberrant supplements on the shelf, this one stands out as the best. Although lacking in statistics for the prominent Teragen leaders, something the makers of Aberrent seem hesitant to reveal in the other sup's as well, the rich detail of the inner workings of the Teragen and the philosophies that guide them make this an interesting read.
Using the universal archetype's of Marvel, Monster and Portent, the Teragen are potentially the most powerful and dangerous faction in the Aberrant setting, and also the most unpredictable. Within the sourcebook we discover just how inhuman and fragmented the Teragen is as an organization. We also find that these are more than inhuman monsters, they are philosopher gods looking for their place in the world, sometimes at the expence of their human identities.
The text is presented in a sympathetic light and the authors remind the reader that this is not just a handbook for making a villain, because no one sees themselves as being evil. In the world of Aberrant, there is no black and white only one thick shade of grey.
This is it!.......2000-02-25
This is the book you have to buy in addition to the rules set. What the Player's Guide to the Sabbat made for Vampire this book does for Aberrant. If you are new to the White Wof line of games, then you need the Aberrant rules to begin with, this book makes a nice addition because it delves into the philosophy behind the pseudo bad guys of the system. However is not just a book with rough sketches about the all powerful evil leader and his minion, it also gives a good scope on what are the reasons for these guys that justifies all the acts of terrorism they are charged with. If you are only planning to buy one book to help you with the system, this is the best so far
Average customer rating:
- Funniest Book...Hands Down
- Shut up and Eat Your Snowshoes
- Shut Up and Eat Your Snowshoes
- I read it as a teenager
- The douglas family gets REALLY away from it all.
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Shut Up and Eat Your Snowshoes!
Jack Douglas
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnam's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B0006CUA02 |
Customer Reviews:
Funniest Book...Hands Down.......2006-01-27
This is one of the funniest books I have ever read... People will look at you as you laugh out loud with your nose buried in this book...
They will actually come up and ask you what your reading. When's the last time that happened.
Shut up and Eat Your Snowshoes.......2002-01-07
I read this book when I was 16 and I remember it still vividly in my mind in my 30's. For anyone who has ever dreamed of living in the mountains beyond civilization this is a must read. I will never for get the wolf and the bathroom scene. From the moment you pick it up you are entertained. You will not want to put it down!!!!
Shut Up and Eat Your Snowshoes.......2001-03-03
This book is hilarious. The things he puts his family through in this tale will have you holding your sides laughing. I remember Jack as a regular on the Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin shows. He was a comedy writer for all the biggies in the late 50s and early 60s. Another of his is "The Neighbors Are Scaring My Wolf," about life in suburban Connecticuit. I read all his books when I was a teenager in high school. I highly reccomend reading anything this man wrote, he's great.
I read it as a teenager.......2000-04-21
I read it years ago when I was a teenager. I remember it to be the funniest book I've read then and is still in my top three funniest. I am buying it now at age 35 for a camping trip this May. I'll spend the evenings reading it again. If you like McManus, you will love this. Yeee-haaa
The douglas family gets REALLY away from it all........1998-07-21
This book is hilarious. The Douglas family moves far into Canada for some privacy, much to the dismay of wife Reiko, who likes to grocery every day rather than every six months. I can still envision the two seater airplanes delivering theDouglas furniture strapped to their wings. This book and its companion piece, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY HASHIMOTO are both wonderfully entertaining. I would love to read both again.
Book Description
Mangia with the secret family recipes and stories from your favorite Italian-American stars, including Tony Lip, Chazz Palminteri, James Gandolfini, Frank Vincent, Robert Loggia, Drea de Matteo, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Pat Cooper, Robert Davi, and many more.
Your favorite Italian-American actors may play tough on-screen, but offscreen they have a weakness for one thing--Italian food! Now you too can share their passion, and some of their family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Enjoy sumptuous dishes like Tony Lip's Stuffed Calamari, Lorriane Bracco's Stuffed Artichokes, James Gandolfini's Osso Buco, Edie Falco's Penne with Sweet Sausage, Danny Aiello's Tortellini in Brodo, Steven R. Schirripa's Shrimp Oreganato, Dominic Chianese's Cannoli Chianese, and many more. These well-known stars also tell personal stories of growing up Italian that will take you back to your own mother's kitchen. If you're not Italian--fuhgeddaboutit! Anyone can enjoy these mouthwatering recipes that you won't find any where else. So pick up a copy, sit down, shut up and eat!
The book includes a foreword by Danny Aiello and over 60 black and white photographs, some of which have never been seen before.
Customer Reviews:
It's all relative but this truley has some tastey recipes.......2007-08-13
Tony Lip is my fathers cousin so you think that I am just saying that this is the best cookbook ever.... Please read on. This book has many great stories surrounded by great recipes. You need to try each and everyone in the book. I so love his wife's meatballs. MMMMMMM Yummy! Along with others Tony has worked with, including their stories and recipes that are out of this world. I would love to see more cookbooks like this.
Shut Up and Eat!.......2007-02-06
Awesome! Great stories and wonderful italian recipes. Definitely a keeper.
Best Cookbook / Book Ever.......2006-01-25
I can't really put into words how perfect this cookbook is. Every story and every recipe brings back so many memories. If you are Italian American and love Italian American actors and Italian American food, this is THE BOOK to buy.
Nostalgia at its best.......2005-10-19
I am a proud Italian-American and this book "Shut Up and Eat" is as good as it gets. Ironically, I was born and raised in a town in western Penna. ( Ambridge) .. just a few miles from the birthplace of "The Lip" (Beaver Falls) In my family, Grandparents included, the term "Statta ziti, e Mangia" ( Shut up and Eat) was the watchword throughout my childhood. Not in the harsh tone one may think, but with love and tenderness, simply stating to not talk at the table and enjoy the food prepared for you.
Each version in the book brought back memories of my childhood and remembering the '30's and the depression and the hard times that followed. But as in the book, my mother had a knack for taking the simplest of ingriedients and turning them into a fantastic "feast".Dad always provided a small garden and even with the short summer of PA we were able to have some fresh produce to enhance our meals. A window box "garden" as well provided the pungent herbs that made each meal an experience.The one item that was always necessary to be added while cooking was... Love. Love in the preparation and Love in the sharing of the food.
The recipes contained in the book could very well have come from my mothers kitchen.My Mothers parents were from Naples and my Father came from Catanzaro, Reggio Calabria and the diversity of styles gave me the best of both worlds.
After service in WWII and Korea I moved to Calif. and after 45 years in the Food Service business I utilized all I had learned from friends and relatives. Friends and family have enjoyed my cooking for years and I am proud to say ... no one has ever left my home hungry! My kitchen is my "palace" and my wife of 28 years teases me by stating .." the stove never cools off in our home". The smells that permeate the neighborhood are the same that eminate from the pages of this wonderful work of art.
I have purchased two copies and plan on purchasing a few more for gifts for the Holidays. I look forward to the "Shut up and Eat" product line being present in our area. My personal contact with Ron Bard is an added bounus. My congratulations to Ron and the entire staff of contributors to this wonderful book It should be on everyones Coffe table ( or Kitchen Counter) Thank you gang for this exciting trip to my childhood.Keep up the good work, and God Bless
Joe Folino (Papa Joe) Turlock, CA
The Answer Grape.......2005-10-14
The book is just one great story after another, a great insight into the personal lives of some great actors. Many times we think of these master actors as the characters they play, because of there talent, we forget that they lived a life much like you and me. We learn about there roots and how food influenced there lives and in the process I am reminded of my childhood and the influence foods had on me. Great recipes that have been in there families for years.Great tips on places to get just some real good food to eat. All in All just Great Reading
Average customer rating:
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Shut Up And Eat Your Banana
Joel Rothman
Manufacturer: Humor House Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Product Description
Monkey business has never been more fun! Cartoons and jokes for King Kong and young apes ages 7-11.
Books:
- Blueberry Muffin Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
- Booked to Die (Cliff Janeway Novels)
- Breaker's Reef (Cape Refuge, No. 4)
- Cat Breaking Free: A Joe Grey Mystery (Joe Grey Mysteries)
- Chasing the Dime
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
- Chosen Prey
- Crisscross: A Repairman Jack Novel (Repairman Jack)
- Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, Book 1)
- Dark Room: A Novel
Books Index
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