Death of a Stranger

Amazon.com

Private enquiry agent William Monk is hired to investigate a potential case of fraud in the construction of a new railway line. His client is the fiancée of a man she fears is embroiled in the scheme, and Monk's investigation causes a strange sense of déjà vu--a former policeman afflicted with a case of amnesia concerning his prior life, Monk finds both the case and its milieu unsettlingly familiar. His case is somehow connected to the death of a railway magnate in a sleazy area of London where Monk's wife Hester, a nurse, operates a shelter for abused prostitutes. The women have been doubly victimized by an extortion scheme in which the dead man, who turns out to have been Monk's employer during his "lost" years, may have been involved. More than an ingenious way to fill in Monk's backstory, Anne Perry's newest mystery featuring the enigmatic investigator deepens the reader's understanding of an unusual and compelling protagonist and brings Victorian-era England vividly to life. --Jane Adams

Book Description

Few authors have written more mesmerizingly about Victorian London than Anne Perry. Readers enter her world with exquisite anticipation, and experience a rich variety of characters and class: aristocrats living in luxury, flower sellers on street corners, ladies of the evening seeking customers on gaslit streets, gentlemen in hansom cabs en route to erotic diversions unknown in their Mayfair mansions. Now Perry gives her myriad fans the book they’ve been waiting for—the novel in which William Monk breaks through the wall of amnesia and discovers at last who he once was.

DEATH OF A STRANGER

For the prostitutes of Leather Lane, nurse Hester Monk’s clinic is a lifeline, providing medicine, food, and a modicum of peace—especially welcome since lately their ailments have escalated from bruises and fevers to broken bones and knife wounds. At the moment, however, the mysterious death of railway magnate Nolan Baltimore in a sleazy neighborhood brothel overshadows all else. Whether he fell or was pushed, the shocking question in everyone’s mind is: What was such a pillar of respectability doing in a seedy place of sin?

Meanwhile, brilliant private investigator William Monk acquires a new client, a mysterious beauty who asks him to ascertain beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not her fiancé, an executive in Nolan Baltimore’s thriving railway firm, has become enmeshed in fraudulent practices that could ruin him.

As Hester ventures into violent streets to learn who is responsible for the brutal abuse of her patients, Monk embarks upon a journey into the English countryside, where the last rails are being laid for a new line. But the sight of tracks stretching into the distance revives memories once stripped from his consciousness by amnesia—as a past almost impossible to bear returns, eerily paralleling a fresh tragedy that has already begun its inexorable unfolding.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

For the prostitutes of Leather Lane, nurse Hester Monk's clinic is a lifeline, providing medicine, food, and a modicum of peace -- especially welcome since lately their ailments have escalated from bruises and fevers to broken bones and knife wounds.

At the moment, however, the mysterious death of railway magnate Nolan Baltimore in a sleazy neighborhood brothel overshadows all else. Whether he fell or was pushed, the shocking question in everyone's mind is: What was such a pillar of respectability doing in a seedy place of sin?

Meanwhile, brilliant private investigator William Monk acquires a new client, a mysterious beauty who asks him to ascertain beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not her fiancÃƒÂ©, an executive in Nolan Baltimore's thriving railway firm, has become enmeshed in fraudulent practices that could ruin him.

As Hester ventures into violent streets to learn who is responsible for the brutal abuse of her patients, Monk embarks upon a journey into the English countryside, where the last rails are being laid for a new line. But the sight of tracks stretching into the distance revives memories once stripped from his consciousness by amnesia -- as a past almost impossible to bear returns, eerily paralleling a fresh tragedy that has already begun its inexorable unfolding.

"[Perry is] the most adroit sleight-of-hand practitioner since Agatha Christie."
    CHICAGO SUN TIMES

"You can count on a Perry tale to be superior."
    SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

Customer Reviews:

Great Historical Color within an Enigmatic, Slow-Moving Plot.......2005-01-22

I recently read The Shifting Tide and was most impressed with the book. Not having read other books in the William Monk series, I decided to work backward to see what I had missed. Alas, I found that so far The Shifting Tide was the best of the lot. So if you are thinking about this book, but haven't read The Shifting Tide, I suggest you move on to that one instead . . . unless you have a compulsion to read every book in the series.

William Monk is a man who doesn't know who he is. An accident cost him his memory, but in this book facts and vague memories combine to help him reconstruct part of his past. Now, he earns a living as a private enquiry agent in Victorian England. He is married to the redoubtable Hester who runs a charity clinic for ladies of the night in one of London's worst neighborhoods.

As the story opens, a famous railroad entrepreneur and financier is found dead inside a notorious house of ill repute. Outraged by the apparent murder, the police are expected to cure the age-old problem of men and one of the oldest professions. Soon, everyone is starving, and the violence increases against the women. Hester is kept busy trying to sew up their wounds and setting their bones. She soon realizes that she needs to solve the murder if she is really to help her patients.

William is hired by Katrina Harcus, the fiancée of a well-to-do Londoner, who wants to be certain that her fiancé is not involved in something untoward. She's overheard scraps of conversation that make her feel that a great crime is about to happen.

The plot bogs down as William is seemingly blocked by both his amnesia and a psychological inability to draw conclusions from the plain words that Katrina shares with him. It's one of the most block-headed investigations you will ever have to read about. The story is saved at the end by the tale finally unfolding in dramatic fashion.

Hester's tracking down of the murderer of the magnate is the better part of the story. If William's part had been left out or edited down, this would have been a four-star book. As it is, you will have to enjoy reading lengthy self-examinations by a confused amnesiac to avoid falling to sleep as you read this slow-moving story.

What makes the book fascinating are the marvelous details and local color about London's seamy side and the development of England's railways. It almost makes you wish Ms. Perry wrote nonfiction books.

Has anyone seen Heavenly Creatures?.......2004-04-24

I just saw this peter jackson movie about two girls who end up murdering one of their mothers. It's a true story and all, happened in new zealand in 1954. I wanted to see what the girls were up to, so I looked them up. Apparently Ms Perry is one of the girls. So i picked up a copy of the book, and I must say I was rather impressed! She writes from true life and frankly, this novel gave me chills! I suggest viewing the film and then rereading her novels, it makes them far more compelling.

Anne Perry at her best........2004-02-10

I always look forward to a new Anne Perry book. Every one is a winner. This one was no exception.The characters and places were so real I was transported back to Victorian times with them.
William was torn between finding out about about his past and
not really wanting to know. I thought he was a litte in love with Katrina dispite his love for Hester.

Hester was as strong a character as ever, working amongst and helping the prostitutes of London's East End She is determined
to solve the mystery and find the murderer in order to help William.Once again her friend and old suitor Oliver Rathbone came to her aid. This time with a hint of a romance to
come with a colleague of Hester's.

As usual the plot had a few different story lines all coming together as the story unfolded. This was a real nail biter .I cant say I couldn't put it down because actually it was the audio book I listened to. Thanks again to Anne and also to Terence Hardiman for the wonderful way he bought the characters to life. Cant wait for the next one in the series.

Another Anne Perry 5 Star.......2003-12-04

OK, I admit I LOVE Anne Perry. It's such a pleasure to read a book that isn't, well, embarrasing. Great plot, excellent character development, interesting dialogue, a wealth of historical detail ....what more could one want? And she accomplishes all of this without vile language, sex orgies, and other disgusting contrivances that are the last refuge of the untalented. Thank you, Ms. Perry! this one was great, and I'm looking forward to your next thriller!

Anne Perry Recovers Some of Her Verve in This Book.......2003-11-12

I have to admit that I was once an avid fan of the Monk/Hester series but after reading 1999's The Twisted Root and guessing in the first chapter both the social ill du jour and the identity of the murderer I gave up reading her books for a while. However, I was very pleased to see Anne Perry back in something like her old form in this book.

The parts of the book dealing with Monk's partially recovered memory and Hester's battle to improve the condition of street prostitutes in London are very interesting. The morally ambiguous position Hester finds herself in provides food for thought. However, there was something a touch disturbing about the callousness of Monk's deceased mentor toward everyone but Monk and the denoument (while exciting enough) seems a bit cobbled onto the story.

The story also relies too much on coincidence. The person who has the information needed is killed before he can reveal it, the person who needs most to conceal evidence lays hands on it, even after a police search of the premises. Some coincidence is understandable, but when it starts to take over the plot it becomes annoying.

Also, I wish someone could explain the switching system that allowed the wreck the author describes. It seems that the switch (points in British rail terms) would be against one of the trains and it would have derailed at the switch instead of the wreck happening as she decribed.

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Relative Stranger: A Life After Death
Mary Loudon
Manufacturer: Bond Street Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0385661274
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Book Description

“This is the story of my search for my sister Catherine, after her death. This is the story of schizophrenia, and the terrible things that it does to people.”
–Mary Loudon

A multi-faceted and extraordinarily honest look at the devastating toll that schizophrenia takes on its victims and on those who care about them, Mary Loudon’s Relative Stranger is riveting, illuminating, and heart-wrenching. It is the author’s fascinating quest to find her sister Catherine, who was lost to her family long before she died, in Catherine’s home, in her last hospital room, her paintings, her letters, her clothes. But perhaps even more compelling is Mary Loudon’s internal journey. In facing the truths about Catherine’s life and death, she asks hard questions about sanity, about family responsibility, about love, and about what it means to say that a life is – or is not – worth living. With intelligence, compassion, and a sharp eye for the funny as well as the sad, Mary Loudon ensures that we question everything we thought we knew about what it means to love, to lose, to live and die, and, most of all, to belong.

My sister, Catherine, was a paranoid schizophrenic. Her illness was in place at birth and apparent during her childhood. During her teenage years, it asserted itself suddenly and aggressively. By the time she was in her mid-twenties, it had destroyed her chances of living anything approaching a normal life. . . .

Following a severe breakdown, she first went missing, abroad, when she was nineteen and I was five. She was first sectioned when I was six, first sent to prison when I was seven. . . . She last wrote to me a year before her death from cancer, when she was forty-six and I was thirty-two.

After Catherine died, I went to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, to see her body, and the hospital room where she had died. It was only there and then that I discovered one of many extraordinary things about my sister. For the last eight years of her life she had lived as a man.

The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies

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Help to navigate the cultural and religious maze at death

The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies

Manufacturer: Skylight Paths Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Ethics & Morality | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Etiquette | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Ritual | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1893361209

Book Description

The help you need to do the right thing in a difficult situation

Grieving the loss of a loved one, friend or colleague is an important process--one that can be made unnecessarily awkward if you're not familiar with the religious tradition in which the grieving takes place, and end up feeling uncertain about how to behave. You want to be sure that you know what to do and what to expect. There's no need to enter an unfamiliar atmosphere unprepared, wondering:

Are flowers appropriate? Is there anything I need to avoid doing or saying? What does this faith believe about death? What should I wear? What is the appropriate behavior if viewing the body?

The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices helps to solve these mysteries and many more, telling you everything you need to know to avoid embarrassment, express your condolences in an appropriate way, and do the right thing in a difficult situation.

Customer Reviews:

Help to navigate the cultural and religious maze at death.......2001-04-11

In 38 brief chapters, the editor profiles major (and minor) religious groups across North America. He includes the biggies like Baptists, Catholics, and Jews, of course, but he also includes the lesser-known groups like Hindu, Christian Science, Jehovah's Witness, and Bahai.

Each chapter introduces the reader to the history and belief system of the group and then details funeral ceremony practices, burial or cremation rites, ideas about appropriate dress, gifts, and flowers, and suggestions for caring for the bereaved family during and after the funeral. I've seen most of the books on funeral customs in different religious groups. This is a real gem--and the best book like it on the market!

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Death of a Stranger (Mystique Books, 87)

Manufacturer: Worldwide Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0373500874

Product Description

Danger on a lonely road- and network of fear. MYSTIQUE BOOKS Intriguing novels , acclaimed throughout the world as the reading choice of everyone who enjoys the excitement of travel, the danger and the mystery of love.

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Boring and too coincidental
Haunting
a woman's search for identity
Questioning
A real page turner

Almost Strangers
Delsa Winer
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0684868180

Book Description

At forty, Ursula Kornfield Gant believes she is independent of the usual pleasures people seek and connections they covet. She lives alone, although there are men who've had, for a while, resident status. She doesn't own a television, rarely sees a movie. At the news kiosk in Harvard Square she hovers, ghostlike, over the racks. She realizes that some people, Daniel, in particular, consider her pretentious. He doesn't say this; he says she's perfect, but he loves her in spite of it, and in fact her only flaw is that she doesn't know one person in People. Books are Ursula's passion.

Immersed one night in The Times Literary Supplement, Ursula reaches for the ringing phone. "Ursula," a woman's voice says. "This is Delray, the third-floor nurse at Woodside."

Her old yellow Labrador beside her in bed flicks open his eyelids. She wonders if he instinctively feels it, her sense that something that matters to her more than anything else in her whole life is about to change.

Thus begins Delsa Winer's extraordinary and compelling novel, at once terrifying and full of hope, part romantic tale, part Grand Guignol.

When her mother dies, Ursula Gant is shattered. Secluding herself, she retreats behind a literal wall of beloved books. But not even this barricade of fiction can safeguard her from a spell of hallucinations. When the wall collapses, Ursula bolts to the airport, abandoning Daniel, her lover, and the safe boundaries of her life.

Meanwhile, Daniel's wife, Cissy, a fading beauty queen, is tormented by a different sort of loss. Devastated by the knowledge of her husband's betrayal, Cissy boards a plane to Athens -- the same plane that Ursula is on. The plane crashes, and in the aftermath one of Daniel's two fleeing women disappears -- her body is never recovered. The other, horribly burned, regains consciousness, but, without any memory and with an unrecognizable face, she ventures into the world alone, unloved and unknowable, uncertain of the future, unable to return to the past....

Almost Strangers is a novel of rebirth, new identity, fate, and mortality -- above all of the urge to seek and embrace freedom. Full of intelligence and wit, it is the eagerly anticipated debut novel of a celebrated short-story writer. At once ironic, and moving, it is a love sotry, a suspense story, and a novel of ideas about two absolutely fascinating women.

Customer Reviews:

Boring and too coincidental.......2001-08-31

I read this in one sitting, not because it was a page-turner, but because I just kept waiting for something to happen! The characters were flat and the relationships never really explored...It was also entirely TOO coincidental...The slowest part of the story is the "meat"- the entire body of the novel - when "Lucy" is wandering throughout Greece etc...the narrative is not descriptive and often jumps and it is really hard to follow. I know the author is trying to get you into Lucy's frame of mind, but enough already. I was very disappointed and the ending was not that great either.

Haunting.......2001-01-20

This haunting and inspired novel is one whose gripping images remain with the reader long after the book is put down. As someone recently out of a relationship and in transition in my life, the image of a woman whose identity is lost and is being reshaped was profoundly compelling. In that, the book quietly and subtly offers hope and possibility, recognizing the everpresent dangers and possibilities of life changes. For anyone swirling from the unexpected turns life sends, this book will become a welcome partner.

a woman's search for identity.......2000-11-30

Ms. Winer's graphic images of identiy diffusion and formation are something every woman can relate to. The connection between her protagonist's intensely close relationship with her mother and the resulting confusion she has about intimacy is profound. This is a terrific first novel and one that will stay with you long after you close the book.

Questioning.......2000-11-14

Delsa Winer's fast moving, provocative novel, Almost Strangers calls into question the difficult task of reinventing oneself. As a woman I identified with the female characters in this book. Life subjects us to many changes: adolescence to adulthood, career changes, personal relationships all bring dramatic shifts to one's identity. In reading Almost Strangers I began to ask, Do I want to reinvent myself? For me, the most difficult task is to find out who I am. It would be wonderful to free myself of the demons of memory. But then, who would I be? Can we bypass our experiences? If so, we may rid ourselves of the pain, but also the joy of self-discovery. I believe we fool ourselves into thinking we can avoid the consequences of our beginnings. Almost Strangers helped me confirm some of my convictions.

A real page turner.......2000-11-13

This is a great read, after the first few scenes it gets impossible to put down, it thrills the reader to the end. The author combines a wonderful imagination with a witty style filled with unusual descriptions. The plot gives pause and makes one think about their own life and relationships.

Ballcourt of Death (Adventures of the Strangers)

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Ballcourt of Death (Adventures of the Strangers)
John Buja
Manufacturer: Raven Rock Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1894303237

Confessions of the Dyslexic Virgin: A Touch of Love

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Confessions of the Dyslexic Virgin: A Touch of Love
Cara, E. C. Vermaak
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse UK DS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Adult Fiction | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1425953026

Book Description

Confessions of The Dyslexic Virgin, is a journey into the erotic wild side of life. The adventures begin where Cara becomes SarahB on the internet in her quest to find her dream lover. The erotically inclined members of the date club confuse her knowledge of sex and passion. SarahB starts the exploration of these lifestyles by firstly and unintentionally stumbling onto the Art of Swing. Once she realizes that a secret world of passion, sex, lust and love exists, she has no choice but to explore. This novel is based on a true story Cara lived every moment, this adventure takes turns with all the emotions. Although sex it the topic, the people and the journey leads Cara into a wonderland of beauty. She discovers that sex is complicated in a secret world with a secret language constantly growing and changing. This is the story of Cara and sex, the story in which you may laugh, you may cry, you may become angry but you will never be bored!

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Death Among Strangers

Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 074723020X

Average customer rating:

One of the best suspense novels I've ever read!

Death Among Strangers
S. Deidre Laiken
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Psychological & Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0380705214

Customer Reviews:

One of the best suspense novels I've ever read!.......1999-11-10

I read this book over 10 years ago and still think it's great. Lots of suspense, sensual and erotic all at the same time. At some points had me completely on the "edge of my seat".

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Death Among Strangers
Deidre S. LAIKEN
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ILPBMI

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Seven Spears of the W'Dch'Ck
Lionel Fenn
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0812537912

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Seven Spears Of The W'dch'ck
Charles L. Grant
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S9GM0K

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Seven Spears of the W'dch'ck

Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HX3AYI

Average customer rating:
Seven Spears of the W'dch'ck

Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HX59HO

Customer Reviews:

What the Heck? .......2005-09-04

[...]
This book is okay: materials like this are like prescription medications: their use is particular to a person or circumstance, and misapplication can have serious consequences.

A Truly Stellar Work!.......2005-03-24

This is a book I wish I had when I was a child. The mother and child featured in this story are beautifully illustrated and I like the intelligent conversations they have about improper touching, whether or not it is sexual.

The book respects readers' intelligence by using the proper terminology for genitalia and the generic term "bottom" to mean the buttocks. I like that. Too many works are weakened by silly euphemistic or babyish names for the anatomy that do nobody any real service. This book is a good teaching tool and an excellent forum for discussion of a serious topic. It is one that all ages would find beneficial.

Another reviewer made the good point that boys also can be sexually abused and this is never addressed in this book. I agree that this already excellent work would have been even more effective had the discussion included a brother as part of the discussion. While it is only natural to want to preserve a child's innocence, it is still very vital to empower children with information about what constitutes desired (non-sexual) and "good" touches and what doesn't. This in turn will help families build a more safety-savvy world.

This book does an excellent job of defining "privacy" replete with examples, e.g. "private parts" are the parts of one's body that is generally covered by their underwear or a bathing suit. The girl featured in the story declares that nobody can touch her private parts in ways she does not want and then goes on to describe other kinds of touching she doesn't like, such as sitting on her uncle's lap. On the flip side, "good touches" are highlighted, such as loving cuddles and dancing and an arm around the shoulder. The distinction could not be more clear and for that I salute this book!

Gray areas such as tickling are explored. Tickling can be fun, but it can also go too far where the one being tickled is not enjoying it. That is another example of when to demand that a certain "touch" or tactile activity be stopped. The children are well within their rights to do so at any time. Hugs and kisses are described as generally being welcome and acceptable, but children should not be forced to kiss or endure being kissed by someone who makes them feel uncomfortable.

The literary mother is very wise; she makes it plain to her daughter that it is the child's feelings that are paramount and not to worry about hurting somebody's feelings if she tells them not to touch her in ways she does not like. Genital touching including being forced to touch someone else's private parts is discussed; the girl is also told not to take photographs of somebody's private parts or willingly allow anyone to photograph hers. My favorite part was when the mother tells her daughter that the predator is NOT always a stranger and can be someone the child knows very well, including a relative. That point CANNOT be stressed enough. The child is told to try to escape as soon as possible and tell an adult she trusts what happened.

I agree with another reviewer that there is a dearth of stories like this for boys as boys also can be the recipients of sexual abuse. Since the girl has a brother, one wonders why he was not included in this safety talk since part of the discussion involved him. His safety has to be considered as well. Another good point is made by having the mother tell her daughter that it is never acceptable for "other children" as opposed to "older children" because that could be misleading. Those few things notwithstanding, I feel this is one of the best books I've encountered on this very serious subject.

I also recommend Sandy Kleven's "The Right Touch: A Read Aloud to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse," Cornelia Spelman's "Your Body Belongs to You" which is ideal for the preschool set on up and Peter Alsop's collection "Songs on Sex & Sexuality," most particularly the song, "My Body." All of these works address a very serious issue in gentle, direct and intelligence complimenting ways and are geared specifically for families.

Not a preschool book.......2004-07-14

After reading the reviews, I ordered this book thinking that it would be appropriate for my 3-year old. It seems too advanced for a child that age. There is a part of the book where the girl does not want her uncle to touch her because he holds her in his lap and rubs her arms and makes her uncomfortable, and another picture where her older brother "pins her down," and tickles her until it hurts, so the father has to tell him to stop. The mother also warns the child that others might want to take pictures of her private parts. While I understand that these are important illustrations of unwanted behavior, they don't seem right for a younger child. The text is also geared toward a school-aged child.

Children love this book.......2004-05-29

I work with foster children and children who are still in their homes, they all really like this book and often ask for it to be read over and over. It is well written and covers the subject well, informing the child but at the same time not frightening the child. I highly recommend it.

sweet book.......2003-08-07

I bought three books of this kind. This is my childrens favorite. I as an child abuse survivor myself find this book to be the best of the three. This book is about giving the child a sense of ownership over his/her body. An entitlement to say no. it is written from the childs POV which comes accross very well to my children. This is a gentle book with a supportive mother figure. I realize that it may be uncommom or unrealistic that one should have such an in tune and supportive mother and that there may be other flaws. Yet it is gentle and the child finds success in standing up for herself. It is still my favorite. I like the way it couches the responsibility to say no on the child but that the child has back up or confidence with the mothers support. The book begins with small things like personal belongings and knocking. This book has a senitive approach and a nice pace. It gets the information accross without threatening a small childs mind.

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My Own Private Germany
Eric L. Santner
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Mental Illness | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Pathologies | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Psychoanalysis | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0691026270

Book Description

In November 1893, Daniel Paul Schreber, recently named presiding judge of the Saxon Supreme Court, was on the verge of a psychotic breakdown and entered a Leipzig psychiatric clinic. He would spend the rest of the nineteenth century in mental institutions. Once released, he published his Memoirs of My Nervous Illness (1903), a harrowing account of real and delusional persecution, political intrigue, and states of sexual ecstasy as God's private concubine. Freud's famous case study of Schreber elevated the Memoirs into the most important psychiatric textbook of paranoia. In light of Eric Santner's analysis, Schreber's text becomes legible as a sort of "nerve bible" of fin-de-siècle preoccupations and obsessions, an archive of the very phantasms that would, after the traumas of war, revolution, and the end of empire, coalesce into the core elements of National Socialist ideology.

The crucial theoretical notion that allows Santner to pass from the "private" domain of psychotic disturbances to the "public" domain of the ideological and political genesis of Nazism is the "crisis of investiture." Schreber's breakdown was precipitated by a malfunction in the rites and procedures through which an individual is endowed with a new social status: his condition became acute just as he was named to a position of ultimate symbolic authority. The Memoirs suggest that we cross the threshold of modernity into a pervasive atmosphere of crisis and uncertainty when acts of symbolic investiture no longer usefully transform the subject's self understanding. At such a juncture, the performative force of these rites of institution may assume the shape of a demonic persecutor, some "other" who threatens our borders and our treasures. Challenging other political readings of Schreber, Santner denies that Schreber's delusional system--his own private Germany--actually prefigured the totalitarian solution to this defining structural crisis of modernity. Instead, Santner shows how this tragic figure succeeded in avoiding the totalitarian temptation by way of his own series of perverse identifications, above all with women and Jews.

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Over My Dead Body (Nero Wolfe)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0515041386

Product Description

When the Balkan princess batted her black lashes and begged Wolfe for help, her plea almost melted me on the spot. Naturally, I was disturbed that our future together would be cut short by Wolfe's refusal to take her case.

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Confound it, another great Wolfe novel
First rate Nero Wolfe
We Meet Wolfe's Daughter
Hvale Bogu!
Classic Nero Wolfe

Over my dead body
Rex Stout
Manufacturer: Pyramid Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

ASIN: B0007ERU5W

Book Description

When a Balkan beauty is accused of stealing diamonds, she turns to the world-famous Nero Wolfe, claiming to be his long-lost adopted daughter. The stakes are raised when a fencing student ends up skewered through the heart. Once again, Wolfe and Archie thrust and parry into a tangle of documents, identities, and political intrigue. 6 cassettes.

Customer Reviews:

Confound it, another great Wolfe novel.......2007-06-03

Over My Dead Body is the seventh in the Nero Wolfe series. A young lady claiming to be Wolfe's adopted daughter from Yugoslavia asks for his help with a charge of stealing diamonds but this quickly evolves into a situation where she is suspected of murder. The case frustrates Wolfe no end, it gets more complicated all the while, but of course he manages to uncover the solution by the end of the story.

This book is a prime example of a Nero Wolfe novel. Archie Goodwin is in top form as a wise cracking pain-in-the-neck. Inspector Cramer is present more than a lot of stories giving Goodwin plenty of opportunities for zingers besides the ones he routinely fires at Wolfe. Wolfe himself is definitely out of his comfort zone dealing with the situation of his adopted daughter and this also adds to the potential for laughs.

This is a very entertaining book and I would recommend it for readers unfamiliar with Nero Wolfe as a great place to start or for established fans.

First rate Nero Wolfe.......2007-06-02

This book hits on all cylinders. The plot is excellent, intricate but clear. The characters are well drawn. The atmosphere, New York on the eve of World War II, is almost palpable. The dialogue is perfect. I'm at a loss as to what else to say about the book except, "Read it."

A Britsh undercover agent is murdered at a Manhattan fencing school, skewered by an epee with a gizmo attached that turns it into a weapon sans blunt end. Yugoslav women who are instructors there are possible suspects, one of whom is Nero Wolfe's adopted daughter from his days as an ill advised Austrian agent in the Balkans, pre World War, before we started numbering them. This alone is a startling revelation about Wolfe. Wolfe slender? Youthful? Abroad, outside, involved with people? I was astonished.

As usual, the beer drinking, orchid collecting, erudite, corpulent food lover Nero Wolfe declines, under any circumstances, to leave his brownstone abode with a greenhouse rooftop for his rare flowers. Using Archie, his assistant, as legs, Wolfe solves the baffling case. I knew he would. He's solved all the other mysteries in the Nero Wolfe books I've read.

Mystery fans who have not read mysteries from the golden age (pre-1950) do not know what they are missing. There is no sex to lure the lascivious reader, very little violence, no profanity. What there is (and this book is an excellent example of the sub-genre) is intelligence.
That's a rare commodity in most modern mysteries.

We Meet Wolfe's Daughter.......2006-05-10

In this Nero Wolfe mystery-one of the earlier episodes-we encounter Wolfe's adopted daughter, who is in a bit of a fix. Wolfe comes to the rescue and along the way, shares little glimpses into his past: his tumultuous youth in Europe; the origins of his suspicion of all women; how he came to adopt a child. In this book, probably more than any other in Rex Stout's series, do we see the effect that women-especially those from the former nation of Yugoslavia-have upon Wolfe's psyche. It's a good read-a good mystery with a great plot-like pretty much all of Stout's works.

Hvale Bogu!.......2004-10-09

This is, at once, one of the best books in the series and one which translated brilliantly to TV on the A&E series.

Rex Stout decides to deal us a little shock in this one: Nero Wolfe, woman-hater, has a daughter he's not seen since she was a baby. She comes from Yugoslavia to New York, unknown to her pops, and gets into a real tight spot involving murder by "coldymort."

When Archie learns this, he considers resigning on the basis of his boss's morals. You just have to read this one to find out.

Or, again, buy the A&E series - they did a great job here.

Classic Nero Wolfe.......2003-11-14

Having read just about all of the Nero Wolfe series, I have to say, this one contains all of the elements that make Rex Stout's detective novels wildly entertaining, without most of the elements that make some of them maddening

In this mystery, the utterly unswashbuckling Wolfe is revealed, in his younger, svelter days, to have been quite a romantic. Not only did he fight on the anti-Imperial side in Montenegro during the Great War, but he adopted and may even have actually sired a young girl.

To his shock, this young Yugoslav maiden--whom he had lost track of--reappears in his life, up to her neck in a particularly messy, intricate affair that may or may not include missing diamonds, a dead body or two, international intrigue, and a bellboy's uniform. For all of the peeks into Wolfe's previously unsuspected soul, he remains as crumudgeonly and as immovable as ever. Archie Goodwin, of course, remains the wisecracking, milk-drinking sidekick, flirting with anything in a skirt and even giving a Nazi agent a black eye just for the fun of it.

The joy of these books is their marriage of the American gumshoe attitude and the British cozy focus on character. Where they generally fall short is their plotting. This entry in the series is, without a doubt, the most successfully rounded out of the lot. Stout manages to keep the mystery truly mysterious, and yet never manages to confuse the reader so thoroughly that s/he can't find the exit. The plot actually ends on the last page--many of the Nero Wolfe mysteries fizzle out, wrapping up a chapter or two before the end, leaving nothing but rumination and grumbling for the final pages. Others seem never quite to wrap up all the loose ends. Here, the conclusion is both inevitable and unexpected--utterly satisfying.

Average customer rating:

MY BODY IS PRIVATE

Manufacturer: Albert Whitman & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H3QUYU

Average customer rating:

My favorite cookbook so far!

One of the best cookbooks EVER

Don't Waste your $$$!!!

Great book for everyone!

Lots of Vegan recipes

The Ethnic Vegetarian: Traditional and Modern Recipes from Africa, America, and the Caribbean
Angela Shelf Medearis
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
International | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Vegetables & Vegetarian | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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The African-American Kitchen: Cooking from Our Heritage

ASIN: 1579546188
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Book Description

'When enjoying a steamy serving of greens laced with peppers or a bowl of spicy gumbo, many people are unaware of the African origins of their meal....The Ethnic Vegetarian was created to preserve and showcase the vegetarian culture of my ancestors.' So writes Angela Shelf Medearis in her introduction to this fabulous new cookbook. The Ethnic Vegetarian opens with three chapters explaining how to adopt an ethnic vegetarian lifestyle, ideas for creating an ethnic vegetarian-friendly kitchen, and basic techniques for cooking in this manner. Next come the wonderfully inventive recipes-from 'Moroccan Zucchini Pancakes' and 'Senegalese Tofu' to an eggplant-based 'Congo Moambe'-all organized by ethnic cuisine: African, Afro-Caribbean, Native American, Creole, Slavery and Southern, and Modern. More than just recipes, the book also weaves traditions and lore surrounding African-American cookery with the author's own personal memories, experiences, and family history. Her warm and inviting style beckons readers of any ethnic background to explore the homespun authenticity of her recipes and tales and to conclude, with her, that 'African-inspired vegetarian dishes are as much a part of the American culinary table as apple pie.'

Customer Reviews:

My favorite cookbook so far!.......2006-12-05

I used to only cook Thai and Indian vegetarian foods, then saw this book and was impressed by the variety of new recipes, including things I knew from Southern and African restaurants. When tagging the recipes I wanted to try first, I found myself marking half the pages! It's great for planning a week of menus using similar ingredients to make a ton of different things. I half all the recipe quantities, and they are good for 2-3 people that way. It's all been delicious and easy, with most main dishes only using one pot. The instructions for Injera (Ethiopian bread) were creative and it turned out great! I'm starting to use the more authentic ingredients suggested in the recipe descriptions instead of the Americanized versions, using produce and flours from Mexican and Indian grocers (we don't have an African grocer here), and it is even better that way. It's all very protein-rich, so I've never been tempted to add meat to anything in this book.

One of the best cookbooks EVER.......2006-03-22

I have tried almost half of the recipes and loved every single one. I was worried about the large amount of food - but I have never had leftovers for very long. Excellent and creative uses for veggie meat.

Don't Waste your $$$!!!.......2006-01-03

I've tried about 5 recipes from this book and all of them were dismal failures. The author is way off with the amounts needed for each ingredient. I tried the jerk tofu and plantain and black bean fritters. What a mess! This is the worst vegetarian cookbook I have and I will not be trying anything else in the book.

Great book for everyone!.......2005-11-03

We are not vegetarians, but I have been toying with reducing meats in my family's diet. When I picked up this book, I was skeptical. However, each recipie that I have tried has been fantastic! My husband loves the spiciness of the dishes, and I love the rich flavors. The meals are substantial, and you won't miss the meat. Enjoy!

Lots of Vegan recipes.......2005-09-14

While a few recipes do use eggs or cheese, most do not. Lots of tasty vegan options here.

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