Amazon.com
Hook-and-bullet adventures had by tough guys such as Teddy Roosevelt and Papa Hemingway may be out of favor in these times of eco-awareness, but Peter Hathaway Capstick's account of big-game hunting in Africa remains a classic. With humor, grace, and supreme tension, Capstick takes the reader on safari, eloquently stating his case for blood sport while portraying the intensity of the hunt.
Book Description
Few men can say they have known Africa as Peter Hathaway Capstick has know it-- leading safaris through lion country; tracking man-eating leopards along tangled jungle paths; running for cover as fear-maddened elephants stampede in all directions. And of the few who have known this dangerous way of life, fewer still can recount their adventures with the flair of this former professional hunter-turned-writer.Based on Capstick's own experiences and the personal accounts of his colleagues, Death in the Long Grass portrays the great killers of the African bush-- not only the lion, leopard, and elephant, but the primitive rhino and the crocodile waiting for its unsuspecting prey, the titanic hippo and the Cape buffalo charging like an express train out of control. Capstick was a born raconteur whose colorful descriptions and eye for exciting, authentic detail bring us face to face with some of the most ferocious killers in the world-- underrated killers like the surprisingly brave and cunning hyena, silent killers such as the lightning-fast black mamba snake, collective killers like the wild dog. Readers can lean back in a chair, sip a tall, iced drink, and revel in the kinds of stories Hemingway and Ruark used to hear in hotel bars from Nairobi to Johannesburg, as veteran hunters would tell of what they heard beyond the campfire and saw through the sights of an express rifle.As thrilling as any novel, as taut and exciting as any adventure story, Death in the Long Grass takes us deep into the heart of darkness to view the Africa that few people have ever seen.
Customer Reviews:
The Dangers of Hunting These Animals & The Importance of Hunting.......2007-09-09
Peter Hathaway Capstick is a very experienced professional hunter turned writer. This book covers his experiences with some of the deadliest game animals in the world. From the big five (lion, elephant, leopard, cape buffalo, rhino) to other dangerous species that inhabit Africa, Capstick tells in detail the horrifying, brutal, and deadly nature of these animals from his first-hand accounts of hunting them, guiding hunts, and witnessing attacks.
The author tells several hunting and attack stories for each species of animal. His style for telling these stories becomes a bit repetitive, but it in no way takes away from his stories. Each story will completely shock you when the author describes just how dangerous, brutal, powerful, intelligent, and cunning these animals can be. The lion chapter covering "man-eating" lions is especially good at describing the sheer terror of the vicious attacks.
Along with some of the best hunting and attack stories on dangerous big game, the author also includes some basic information on the different animals, and a few ecological facts and the importance of hunting to the ecosystem, all with some slight dark humor.
Whether you're interested in big game hunting or not, this book will certainly be an entertaining and interesting read. You will definitely have a newfound respect for these creatures.
Excellent read.......2007-08-31
I believe this to be THE best book ever about hunting the most dangerous animals on earth.There is something about hearing first hand about being mere feet from man-eaters in the wild. Capstick has a way of using humor that makes the book even more fun to read. A very brave man, a great writer and what a life he lived!!
Capstrick's Long Grass.......2007-07-26
A Great Book to read if you are planning to go to Africa as a hunter or even as a tourist!. The author explain the drama to live in the bush with his own stories and also with information that he has gathered during his time in Africa. He writes in a way that is sometimes very funny but without loosing the drama that the African bush always hide.
A great adventure book........2007-05-17
Not for the faint of heart. Exciting, scary and a bit gory.
Entertaining and Educational.......2007-04-12
Find out what it's like to hunt in the African bush. Your skin will crawl, and you'll laugh out loud as you make your way through this adventure.
Average customer rating:
- A Worthy Treatment of Whitman on Death
|
So Long! Walt Whitman's Poetry of Death
Harold Aspiz
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Classics
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Criticism & Theory
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Criticism
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 081731377X |
Customer Reviews:
A Worthy Treatment of Whitman on Death.......2004-11-27
A well written (even amusing) treatment of one man's--Amrica's great poet Walt Whitman--confrontation with death, both as a person and as a poet. Traces the development of Whitman's fascination with death and his internal struggle between his faith in immortality and the constant doubts that impinge on this faith. A definite contribution toward understanding Whitman's inner life.
Analyzes virtually every poem and poetic passage that is concerned with or colored by Whitman's attitudes toward death and
illuminates these poems and their language. Sets the poetry in the context of Whitman's discussions of death and of contemporary discussions and theories of death.
The book is itself a worthy meditation on death. Recommended for Whitman fans, for readers of poetry and for general readers.
Ted Malone
Book Description
Cape May Point, New Jersey, is home to a natural phenomenon of stunning proportions. Each autumn millions of migrating birds converge here on their annual flight to wintering grounds as far away as Brazil and Peru. Season at the Point, the rich and telling story of the birds and birders of Cape May, evokes the sense of mystery and excitement that pervades the Cape as birders gather to count owls by the hundreds, hawks by the tens of thousands, and shorebirds and songbirds by the hundreds of thousands.
Customer Reviews:
Easy reading! Hard to put down!.......2004-05-11
Jack does a wonderful job in "Season at the Point." Even for those who have never birded at Cape May, the book is truly entertaining and informative. The book was very easy to read, and Jack's descriptions are very detailed. Even if you live far away from Cape May Point, this a great book to own. It is astounding to read about the number and variety of birds seen at this spot over the years. The commentary on the characters that frequent CMBO is great! Jack was one of my college professors and was so knowledgeable on birds that I decided to purchase his book. What a great investment! Thanks, Jack.- Anthony J. Chodan
A gentle, yet high-impact book.......2000-07-17
This is a book of many moods, and all of them well-written. It is, by turns, a giggle-provoking acocunt of the eccentricities of those strange folks who watch birds, a warmly nostalgic portrait of the Cape May that once was, a fascinating account of the on-the-spot naturalism that goes on during migrations, and a compelling call for action to preserve the remaining natural beauty of this unique point in the otherwise wasted state of New Jersey. Though it is definitely a sedate read, it is a pleasant one.
Customer Reviews:
**Swoon**.......2007-01-26
A great way to being an Authurian trilogy! Bradshaw is one of the pro's at this! This was really one of my first historical fiction books I picked long ago.. and even after thousands of apges later, its still one my favorties. Highly reccommned.
LOVED IT!.......2005-12-27
Well written, I loved this book and I highly recommend it, It doesnt matter if you know nothing of the Arthurian legends- or if you know alot- this is a good book to add and keep in your collection
Brilliantly characterised Arthurian retelling.......2005-08-19
Gillian Bradshaw's Down the Long Wind trilogy (Hawk of May is book 1), is undoubtedly one of my favourite retellings.
Hawk of May is literally a joy to read - the whole book sings, especially at the end, with Gwalchmai's gladness at being able to fulfill his dreams.
The first person narrative (told by Gwalchmai), is brilliantly executed. Bradshaw manages to bring across the sweetness and gallantry - the sheer ideal of chivalry - inherent in Gwalchmai's character without ever once falling into the 'goody-two-shoes' cloyingness that accompanies the 'warrior-knight' archetype.
And she does this by letting you see through his eyes. She keeps him human, doubts and fears plague him - yet writes in such a way that there's no feeling of "Oh, there goes the protagonist sinking into self-pity again," but rather, she allows you to see how he faces and masters his uncertainties.
Many authors fall into the trap of simply TELLING the reader over and over how good/amazing/wonderful their hero is, and this is something Bradshaw never does. Even when Gwalchmai is praised (in songs, by Arthur's warband, etc), he takes it lightly, and with a grain of salt. Indeed, one of the things that is never mentioned in the book, yet shines through so clearly, is Gwalchmai's inherent humility.
I have re-read this book many, many times over the past 10 years, and Bradshaw's Gwalchmai remains, for me, one of the best realisations of the archetype of the Good and True Knight. One with a human face, and not the gaggingly sweet norm that has you rooting for the villain!
And it's not just at Gwalchmai's characterisation that Bradshaw excels - there are no two dimensional characters in this trilogy, everyone comes across as a rounded person with his or her own reasons for being. There are no characters that seem to exist solely to further the plot.
If you like Arthurian retellings, this book (and this series) is a must-read.
GO Hawk!.......2004-10-08
This story is about a boy who will try anything to get his father's approval. He, at first, was going to take the path of darkness and throw everything else away. But when the darkness seeks to claim his younger brother as well he can't take the path of darkness any longer. He leaves his home and seeks to join King Arthur's army. But the king's trust will not be free. Can he achieve Arthur's trust and accomplish his duty.
Editor of the Hoppin Readin Review
A new look at the sons of Lot.......2003-11-02
This book was a double winner for me. I bought it used on Amazon.com for about $1 and it was GREAT! I liked the new perspective on the sons of King Lot. If you are familiar with the basics of Arthurian legend, you know King Lot's sons have played key roles in the legends in one form or the other. They go by different names, the quantity of sons differs occassionally, as does the name of their mother. In this case, there are 3 boys mothered by Morgawse and fathered by...???...well, raised by King Lot. Hawk of May focuses on the second son...Gwalchamai or "Hawk of May". In perhaps typical middle child uncertainty, he doubts his ability to follow his elder brothers warrior prowess and seeks his own identity by bonding with his beautiful yet frightening mother. However, the author takes us to the brink of darkness and sorcery only to deliver Gwalchamai to a more divine destiny. The journey is not nearly that simple, however.
The book is an enticing and enjoyable read. The author provides a beneficial note on the pronounciation of the Welsh spellings used and I found them to be not the least bit daunting. In fact, I liked the change to an otherwise very familiar legend. I found that the name and location variances kept me from "assuming" I knew where the story was headed. I like the author's descriptions of key characters and was excited that Guenevere received barely a nod in this book with no sign of Lancelot yet. Too many authors put too much into the love triangle and miss the mark when describing Arthur. Bradshaw has done a marvelous job...I found myself torn between disliking Arthur and sharing in the feeling of awe that he inspired amongst his men and his people. There is a trace of magic introduced, but none of the Merlin shape changing and time travel that bogs down too many Arthurian attempts. The lore and myth seems more believable - as if the door really stood open at that time in history and we, today, have simply drifted too far away from it. At any rate, the book is excellent. I see many copies on Amazon for a bargain - GET ONE!!!
Average customer rating:
|
Hawk of May
Gillian Bradshaw
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUIY7I |
Average customer rating:
|
Hawk of May
Manufacturer: A Signet Book New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000F79680 |
Product Description
This is a Compelling splendid vibrant exhilarating a novel that seduces us into accepting sorcery and sanctity in Kin Arthur's England"
Customer Reviews:
Lost and Found.......2007-05-09
Nearly 10 years ago, as a freshman in college, I found this book at a flea market. Intrigued by the cover, I purchased the book. What I found inside was so amazing it has literally kept me wanting since then. You see, I lent it to a friend, and as book loans go, it went. I have not read it since that first time, but have thought of it with fondness, often.
To my delight, I find that this book was but the first of three. I tell you now, I've purchased all three tonight and I can't wait to read this one again and then find out how it ends!
Neil Gaiman's Stardust strongly reminds me of this, not for anything specific in the plot, but how lovely and well-written and internally strong the story is.
Fantasy that isn't dumbed down.......2007-01-20
Jack Vance is amazing. This trilogy is what most fantasy readers are really looking for and almost never find: A novel which gives you the escape you want, the mystery and romance of a magical world, but still has sufficient internal consistency to allow you to remain immmersed in the story. Witty, grown up dialogue and even an occasional thought provoking insight into the human condition in a beautifully crafted world rife with evocative imagery. This is a read you can enjoy on a lot of different levels, and will continue to enjoy every time you re-read it. I liked this when I was a teenager and I like it now that I'm a 38 year old adult.
Customer Reviews:
Vance's masterpiece trilogy of fantasy.......2007-07-10
Curious, there are 3 possible Lyonesse/Suldrun's Garden books to review, with different reviews on each one. Perhaps Amazon might consider addressing this.
This is without a doubt Jack Vance's most serious, mature work. He creates a fantasy setting of islands between Ireland and France set in the dark ages (post-roman), and offers a wandering, detailed and vivid story.
Some spoilers are in this review. Strongly consider whether to continue reading, as major plot threads may be discussed or deflated.
Initially the story mainly concerns itself with Suldrun, but before too long, she is gone and we gain other main protagonists, Shimrod, Dhrun and Aillas. Aillas' effort to find his son greatly resemble some of his other rambling adventure stories, with the protagonist moving from one setting to another. The journey of Dhrun and Gwyneth is similar, with Shimrod eventually joining them.
Antagonists are competent and developed as well, with Casimir being entirely too competent and ruthless for comfort, while Faude Carhiliot (sp) comes across more as a brilliant opportunist rather than a competent strategist.
I would need to check dates but it is possible this is the first time Vance developed complex and rational female characters in his story, particularly Suldrun. I have read this criticism of his work and in some cases it does appear justified (whether relevant or not is another matter), but I see no such issue in this series.
A major difference in Lyonesse compared to Vance's other works is that Vance's trademark humor, often deadpan or delivered in flatline the most outrageous or self-evident comments, is present but very subdued, and never does one feel oneself to be in a more normal vance story, where such humor can be a central feature. Lyonesse feels much more serious, and there is some doubt as to how things might work out for the major characters, particularly given that he kills his initial protagonist off so easily.
A fabulous story; I could nitpick but it is hard to find fault here.
Edit (9/26/07) Having recently reread the rest of this trilogy, I would say that this series is Vance's best. This is compared to Tschai, the Demon Princes, the Cadwal Chronicles, the Anome trilogy, and Ports of Call/Lurulu, plus whatever else I have forgotten. A major storyline is developed incrementally, numerous characters develop and many are discarded/killed in the course of the story, and a viable, and fairly complete, ending is provided.
Forgotten early 80s epic fantasy by a SF grandmaster; dated yet still surprisingly modern........2007-01-30
Jack Vance was a thirty-year veteran of science fiction, a Nebula and multiple Hugo Award winner, when _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ was published in 1983. His assured authorial hand sets this novel apart from the huge majority of fantasy sagas, which are written by debut writers. Combined with vivid detail, including a seemingly endless variety of medieval foods, Vance's prose paints entrancing images of a fantasy world based on the lost continent of Lyonesse from the old Arthurian legends.
His shifting omniscient point-of-view may feel jarring to modern readers. Although this technique of "head-hopping" through multiple characters' thoughts in the same scene has largely been superceded in modern fiction, it was the default in Vance's era. It can leave the reader feeling distant from the characters, especially when the narrative gives large overviews of family or national history. Yet Vance's prose still places the reader as deeply inside the characters' emotions as any modern limited point-of-view, through the skill of his vivid and lyrical prose.
The organization of the book also shows the narrative fashion of a bygone era. Modern novels seize the reader by shoving many characters on-stage and immediately placing them in peril. In contrast, _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ starts with the birth of the title character and spends chapters summarizing her youth. The main character doesn't show up for almost a hundred pages, and several chapters in the middle of the book follow tangential plots. Yet all the plot threads coalesce in the end, along with the seeds of conflict for the rest of the trilogy.
Despite these antiquated narrative quirks, _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ still feels strikingly modern in several respects. The first is Vance's array of character conflicts based on the viciousness of realistic humans. There is no evil overlord, as became cliché soon afterwards from overuse by less talented writers. Yet Vance's human characters will do far more chilling things to each other than any overlord could. The second is the uncompromising strife that his characters face. The protagonists in _Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ are constantly beset by torments from both enemies and friends. No good deed goes unpunished, and quests wander hopelessly. This is the same no-holds-barred style that many modern epic fantasists have adopted, for the astute reason that a brave character in peril compels readers to keep reading. This gritty or brutal modern style of epic fantasy originated with Jack Vance.
_Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden_ stands like no other work of early 80s epic fantasy--brilliantly rendered, harshly realistic, and dated yet still anachronistically modern.
A diamond in the rough.......2006-07-10
Jack Vance is a true master - of storytelling as well as the fantasy genre. Lyonesse - Book 1 was a brilliant, poetic, engaging, never a dull moment masterpiece. I would highly recommend this book to all fantasy fans.
Great Novel - Bad Edition.......2006-04-20
Others have already described the book, I would only like to add that this particular edition is badly corrupt: sentences, or even whole paragraphs have been changed or removed to the detriment of the work, the order of two chapters has been changed at one spot (to similar effect), and so on, and so forth (more detail can be found from the VIE newsletter, Cosmopolis, available for download at the Vance Integral Edition web site).
Fortunately, there is now available a corrected edition, published by Edition Andreas Irle.
Vance Rules.......2004-01-27
I will keep this review brief - as the other reviewers have stated the Lyonesse Trilogy is a fabulous and unique set of books. The Lyonesse trilogy is engrossing (read all three books practically continuously for 2 days) and hilarious (laugh out loud and you will go back and reread sentences/scenes).
I have not encountered another author with Vance's style (and trust me I have tried .. taking Amazon's recs based on people who like Vance has been a big waste of money and time) -which is why his books are real treasures. Its good that they are starting to reissue much of his work and you can track down a lot of his books through resellers .. trust me 90% of Vance's books are worthy of having a permanent place on your bookcase.
Book Description
The hosts of the PBS cooking show Cucina Sicilia! return with a colorful volume of hearty fare of Tuscan derivation, From antipasti to dolci.
Customer Reviews:
Just Like eating in Tuscany.......2006-02-24
I have made serveral of the recipes in the book and each one tasted like I was back in Tuscany. Both cooks have been to Tuscany and found many great dishes and put them together in this cook book. If you want to cook like they do in Tuscany, then I would recommend this book to you.
Their TV show is great too. Both of them love food, Tuscany, and are very funny too.
Recipe miss print.......2006-01-31
The amount of salt (1 1/2 tablespoons)in the recipe Tuscan Sausage page 112 must be a miss print. It was too salty to eat. An expensive and time consuming disapointment. Other than that it is a good cook book.
Book Description
talian-cooking expert Mary Ann Esposito does it again, pre-senting eighty authentic recipes from the region of Tuscany. Tying in to the 2003 season of 'Ciao Italia,' this delightful new cookbook includes warm personal anecdotes from Mary Ann's travels through Tuscany, along with color food photos and black-and-white photos from her unforgettable Tuscan adventure. Recipes include Tuscan Leek Tart, Flat Olive Pizza, Grilled Steak Florentine Style, Almond-Meringue Cookies, and many others. Ciao Italia in Tuscany is a must-have for cookbook lovers and fans of all things Italian.
Customer Reviews:
A fairly good book on Tuscan Cuisine.......2004-03-02
When I opened this book by Mary Ann Esposito to read and review, I was looking for something that would raise it above it's face value of a companion volume to an average PBS cooking show series. When I embark on a review with this objective, I almost always find something. In this case, I did not.
This doesn't mean this is a bad book, only that it may not have that much to offer to someone who is already steeped in Italian culinary lore. It is inferior to, for example, David Downie's book on Roman cooking as a snapshot of an Italian regional cuisine. It is less genuine on a personal level than Mario Batali's `Simple Italian Food'. It is less of a cookbook than Lydia Bastianich's two books accompanying her PBS series on Italian food and Italian-American food. I will recommend this book as a source of classic Tuscan recipes over books by Pino Luongo, who clearly states that most of his recipes are original with him or his restaurant staff. They are not Tuscan; they are inspired by the Tuscan cuisine.
Part of the problem is that, unlike Lydia's books, this one has recipes in chapters which follow the episodes on the TV show rather than recipes organized by course as is typical of most Italian cookbooks. This awkwardness is not offset by a supplementary table of contents listing all recipes by food or by course.
Another part of the problem seems to be that unlike Mario's book, the experiences of Tuscan culture are all second hand. Most life experiences are not of the author but of the owner and employees at the Tuscan villa, Spannocchia, at which the PBS crew is housed. Ms. Espositio's experiences feel like a tourist's experiences.
One thing that impressed me about the creation of this book is the number of people it takes to put on a cooking show, even on PBS. There must be a dozen principle contributors at least in the Acknowledgments. In comparison, Julia Child started her show at the Boston PBS station with nothing more than her husband, a cameraman, a soundman, a producer, and herself.
I really wish I would have seen the PBS series on which the show is based, as I am sure that would have increased the value of the book for me by two or threefold. My experience with books by the `Frugal Gourmet', Jeff Smith show that books like this can be very attractive if you are not familiar with the wider world of cookbooks. Twelve (12) years ago, I thought Jeff Smith was something special. Now I know he was simply a decent communicator with a gimmick. I don't even think he was especially frugal. Since this book does accompany a TV show, I am really surprised at the dull photographs. The sepia coloring even seems to obscure some details in the picture.
There is no problem with the recipes in this book. Many classic Tuscan dishes are here and all of the recipes give competent instructions on how to prepare them.
I would recommend this book to anyone who plans to travel in Tuscany anytime soon. The book has a strong travelogue flavor about it and its recommendations about where to eat in Tuscany are not doing anyone any good unless you go there. The price of the book rescues it from a below average rating. As I stated at the outset, the book provides what is expected and nothing more. My only regret is that unlike many other regions of Italy, I have yet to find a good cookbook that effectively explores this cuisine.
Average customer rating:
|
Ciao Tuscany
Allan Parker
Manufacturer: Penguin Books (NZ)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Travel
| Writing
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Italy
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Tuscany
| Italy
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0141005580 |
Books:
- Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)
- Diagnosis Murder #6: The Dead Letter (Diagnosis Murder)
- Drop Shot (Myron Bolitar Mysteries)
- Every Dead Thing
- Everywhere That Mary Went
- Eyes of Prey
- Faceless Killers
- Grifter's Game (Hard Case Crime)
- Guardian of the Horizon (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)
- Heat of the Moment
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Their Eyes Were Watching God
- The Price Of Silence
- Process: Seattle Central Library
- Optimum Array Processing
- Schaum's Outline of Biology
- The Beauty Buyble: The Best Beauty Products of 2007
- Son of Holmes
- Eco-Tech: Sustainable Architecture and High Technology
- Old House, New Home: Stylish Modern Living In A Period Setting
- Eating Crow: A Novel of Apology
Death in the Silent Places
Death in the Dark Continent
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo
Peter Capstick's Africa: A Return To The Long Grass
Death in a Lonely Land: More Hunting, Fishing, and Shooting on Five Continents
