Book Description
Monsieur Monde is a successful middle-aged businessman in Paris. One morning he walks out on his life, leaving his wife asleep in bed, leaving everything. Not long after, he surfaces on the Riviera, keeping company with drunks, whores and pimps, with thieves and their marks. A whole new world, where he feels surprisingly at home—at least for a while.
Georges Simenon knew how obsession, buried for years, can come to life, and about the wreckage it leaves behind. He had a remarkable understanding of how bizarrely unaccountable people can be. And he had an almost uncanny ability to capture the look and feel of a given place and time. Monsieur Monde Vanishes is a subtle and profoundly disturbing triumph by the most popular of the twentieth century's great writers.
Customer Reviews:
Psycological novel.......2007-05-07
This is a great book but one would never read it if one merely read the back cover copy which is totally inaccurate -- so inaccurate that one suspects the writer of the copy has never read the book. I have read M. Monde Vanishes many times in French (La Fuite de M. Monde) and given dozens copies of this excellent English translation to friends and acquaintances. M. Monde learns, in the course of his adventures after he flees his unhappy existence, that true freedom comes from inside -- one does not have to tear one's life apart, one can to change one's perspective. In Simenon's usual concise, brilliant style.
"Let's take a boat to Bermuda.......2007-04-04
Let's take a plane to Saint Paul.
Let's take a kayak to Quincy or Nyack,
Let's get away from it all."
I have to admit that Frank Sinatra version of "Let's Get Away From it All" kept entering my consciousness as I read George Simenon's "Monsieur Monde Vanishes". The upbeat nature of the song is not remotely like the dark, reflective tone of Simenon's story but if you have ever sat in your office on a dreary day or sat in your home on a humdrum evening and just wondered what it would be like to just walk away from your life and start fresh somewhere else then you will have some understanding and, perhaps, sympathy for a man who wakes up one morning and decides to get away from it all.
Simenon was nothing if not prolific in both his literary and public life. Born in Belgium in 1903, Simenon turned out hundreds of novels. Simenon's obsession with writing caused him to break off an affair (he was prolific in this area of his life as well) with the celebrated Josephine Baker in Paris when he could only write twelve novels in the twelve month period in which they were involved. Although perhaps best known for his Inspector Maigret detective novels, Simenon also wrote over a hundred novels that he referred to as `romans durs' (literally "hard novels"). As with many of his contemporaries such as Chandler and Hammett, Simenon's books were marketed and sold as popular, almost pulp fiction. Also like Chandler and Hammett, Simenon's books have stood up well over time. The New York Review of Books publishing division has reissued much of Simenon's books. They are well worth reading and "Monsieur Monde Vanishes" is an excellent place to start.
As with virtually all his protagonists in these hard stories, Monde is a stolid, middle-class member of the establishment. Based in Paris, Monde runs the family export/import business. His is a life of regular habits, from the time he wakes up, through his work day and then through the evening. He is married (a second wife) and has children. Beneath this surface regularity lies a yearning to get away, to just leave everything behind and as the book opens Monde does just that. The rest of the novel explores Monde's journey, his new identity, the places he goes (the French coast) and the people he meets. He sheds his stolid identity like someone sheds their clothing at night and finds himself in a world entirely different from the one he leaves behind. The reader witnesses this transformation in what can be best described as something of a voyeuristic fashion.
Simenon's hard novels are often referred to as psychological novels but I find that term a bit misleading. Simenon does not analyze. He does not delve deep into his protagonists' minds. He presents the reader with a slice of the human condition and lets the reader deal with the implications, the psychoanalysis if you like. They do offer glimpses into his protagonists' lives even though (or perhaps because) he does not fill in the blanks for you. His character's actions speak for themselves and what they have to say is not always pleasant. In "Monsieur Monde" we are not presented with an explanation for Monde's acts. They are simply provided to the reader. It is up to us to judge them or analyze them if we so choose. In a world of fiction filled with happiness and redemption and the ultimate triumph of good against evil, Simenon is a breath of fresh (if pessimistic) air. "Monsieur Monde" does break away from this mold a bit as I found there was a bit more `closure' (a hackneyed word to be sure but it seems suitable for use here) in "Monsieur Monde" than in some of his other works. Unlike some of his other books we see someone reclaim some of the responsibility he walked away from. However, the question that Simenon poses is a critical one, is the Monde that reenters the world left behind the same man?
"Let's take a trip in a trailer
No need to come back at all.
Let's take a powder to Boston for chowder,
Let's get away from it all."
"Monsieur Monde Vanishes" was an enjoyable book to read. Highly recommended. L. Fleisig
Businessman's Vacation.......2007-03-17
One of the values of Amazon's recommendation software is that you are directed to authors with whose work you may not be familiar and who are not carried on the shelves of most bookstores. This is how I found Monsieur Monde Vanishes. It is an economical and very visual book even though the visuals are of mostly unremarkable venues: cheap hotel rooms, the back office of a nightclub, train stations, etc. The narrative value, however, lies partly in bringing such sites to life.
The largely passive Monde exits his successful life in Paris to allow another life in Nice to happen to him. In the end, this change enables him to return to his prior existence possessed of enhanced stature with his business, his wife and his son. The breaking of his life pattern, even though he is compelled to return to it, seems to give Monde additional power over his environment.
Read this book and get swept up in the rhythm of an unspectacular life that is likely different than your own in detail but not in method.
A Wonderful Imaginary Diversion.......2006-03-23
A good friend of mine recommended Simenon books to me. This story is about a successful, middle-aged man who, obsessed with pursuing another life, one day decides to remove himself from everything that he has called his own. Leaving no trace of himself, he uproots himself and heads off in no particular direction. As he continues on his adventure, he encounters a number of enemies and companions all of whom help him realize a new self-awareness. But in the midst of this new comfort, his old life invades. He must then decide not only which life to embrace, but which self he will be.
Though this is the only book I've read so far from Georges Simenon, I'm certain it will not be the last. I appreciated his ability to write with a great economy of words and yet penetrate deep into my imagination. His style is simple, his story is believable, and the questions he raises are not easy to answer. All around, a good, challenging book.
For a full review go to my blog in my screen name and click on the Readings category
Beautifully understated, impressively human.......2005-03-26
Norbert Monde, a fourth-generation bourgeois Parisian businessman, "comes to his senses" on the afternoon of his forty-eighth birthday, withdraws 300,000 francs from his bank account, and promptly vanishes, abandoning his second wife, gay son, and money-grubbing daughter to their own devices. He surfaces in Marseilles where he is quickly drawn into a domestic crisis at a hotel and winds up living a new life among gamblers, drunks and prostitutes in Nice. He's happy, for a while, in realizing his lifelong ambition to be nobody other than a man in the street. But when his work at a nightclub brings his first wife, Therese, into his orbit, Monsieur Monde finds himself drawn back into the world of moral responsibility. Beautifully understated and impressively human, Simenon's take on the familiar "walking out on your life" tale is one of the better examples. In its empathy for the desperation of middle-class life, and for a man whose childhood values have fed into a lifetime of limited scope, it reminded me of that slim European classic, Patrick Suskind's novella "The Pigeon".
Average customer rating:
- There is a reason it is out of print
- What a Bore
- Historical Fantasy, indeed.
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Charlemagne's Champion
Gail Van Asten
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0441102875 |
Customer Reviews:
There is a reason it is out of print.......2003-10-30
An interesting take on the Roland legend... and when I say "interesting", I mean "crappy." The author manages to take some of the greatest characters of legend and rip the life out of them. Don't waste your time with this one - read the original "Song of Roland" instead.
What a Bore.......2003-02-11
I really didn't like this one. I tried so hard to get into it, but had to always force myself to read it in hopes that I would finish it and be able to start on something else. The characters were dispassionate and boring, cruel and heartless, thoughtless and confusing. I don't think I took anything valuable away from reading this novel.
Historical Fantasy, indeed........1998-11-04
An interesting take on the Roland legend, with the eponymous hero in this incarnation being the son of Charlemagne himself and a witch--thus being somewhat supernatural. A subplot involving manifestations of pagan deities as swords gets rather convoluted, but the overall story is still fairly enjoyable, despite several historical inaccuracies. A good read for any fantasy fan, especially (in my estimation) young adults.
Average customer rating:
- Most helpful
- out of date for products but good general info
- The safe shopper's bible
- Must Have
- Outdated!
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The Safe Shopper's Bible: A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics, and Food
David Steinman , and
Samuel S. Epstein
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Home Safe Home
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Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not
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The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers
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A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients: Complete Information About the Harmful and Desirable Ingredients Found in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals
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A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives: Descriptions in Plain English of More Than 12,000 Ingredients Both Harmful and Desirable Found in Foods (Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives)
ASIN: 0020820852 |
Book Description
Anyone concerned about the health effects of ingredients in the items they buy every day -- from soup to flea powder, mascara, or car wax -- will find The Safe Shopper's Bible indispensable. Finally, here's a complete guide to settle such questions as: Can your hair coloring cause breast cancer? Is this brand of apple juice safe for babies? Will the additives in this salad dressing harm you? Which shampoo won't sting your eyes? The Safe Shopper's Bible rates thousands of household products, personal care products, foods, and beverages. Its extensive charts list products by brand name and rate them each for short-term and long-term health hazards. Readers can find out at a glance which products are more or less likely to provoke allergies or irritation, cause birth defects or cancer, trigger neurological problems, or pose other health hazards. In addition, the charts provide recommendations for the safest foods, toiletries, and everyday household purchases.
Customer Reviews:
Most helpful.......2007-09-08
Most helpful and informative and a guide to consummer goods that are chemical free and safe to use for health and well being.
out of date for products but good general info.......2007-08-06
Unfortunately this book was published too many years ago to have many products that are still around or cover recent products. The good part of this book is that it educates you about the harmful and toxic things that are in so many of the everyday products we use.
The safe shopper's bible.......2007-06-27
I really liked this book...just wish that more of the more recent products were listed. do you have an updated version?
I did find this book very helpful. Started me on a huge research project with all this environmental home remedies. Thanks!
Must Have.......2007-06-02
Outstanding source. This is a must have for those that are committed to improving their quality of life, and personal commitment to health and wellness.
Outdated!.......2007-05-16
I was so looking forward to this book, but when it arrived, I was soon disappointed. The copyright is at least 10 years old and most of the products are no longer available at the stores. What a waste. Why Amazon still sells this, is beyond me.
Book Description
Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value.
Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.
California's Gardener's Guide is written by the highly popular gardening experts Bruce and Sharon Asakawa.
Contains easy to use advice on the top landscape plant choices (more than 160 entries) for California. Recommends specific varieties and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for California's best plants.
Customer Reviews:
Nice supplement (though not essential).......2004-06-04
I agree with the other reviewers that Sunset's Western Garden Guide is the essential book. My only complaint with that book is while it is quite extensive, the small illustrated drawings are not always ideal for identifying unknown plants and the depth is occasionally lacking. I bought this book (cheap at a booksale) because it focused on a smaller number of plants (admittedly oriented toward Southern California), had nice big photographs of each plant and went into a little bit more depth (fertilizer ratios to use, specific planting directions, soil ph numbers, etc.)
Nice companion book.......2002-10-20
This book is ok because it has nice pictures and stories. I do like it because it has a "when to plant" reference as well as sun exposure, bloom time and color and other useful information. I'm a Northern California gardner and found this book to be somewhat specific to Southern California in plant selection, although they do show, for each plant, a map of Caifornia where each plant would grow. I found Northern California Gardening: A Month-By-Month Guide by Katherine Grace Endicott a great book and of course Sunset's Western Garden book.
Not for all.......2002-06-06
A well written and illustrated guide to the 165 or so plants that grow well in the author's portion of California. The book must be faulted for not including plants that grow well and provide color in the arid and desert regions of the state. Certainly water wise gardening should be included. No mention is made of the use of California native plants in the garden. A beginning gardener will be better served by Sunset's WESTERN GARDEN BOOK. Those who will admit to living in an arid region (this includes Los Angeles) will find Eric Johnson's JOHNSON'S GUIDE TO GARDENING: PLANTS FOR THE ARID WEST of great value for its coverage of native plants. Desert gardeners will need the Coachella Valley Water District's LUSH & EFFICIENT: GARDENING IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY as their guide to effective desert gardening.
California Gardeners Guide.......2002-02-21
Great compainion book. Nice big pictures. Common and botanical names listed. Zone map listed with each plant. Very clear and simple using both words and symbols.
Not the best reference, but good suggestions.......2002-02-01
If you want something that lists a great deal of plants, look to the mainstays like "Sunset's Western Garden Book" or "American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants". What I like about this book is the full color illustrations, interesting lore about each plant, and the information about planting and problems with each type of plant.
I see it more like a look into the authors' favorite plants, maybe a palette for landscaping, not a all encompasing guide in either taxinomy or technique.
It would fail in that regard.
Average customer rating:
- Attention Plant Addicts!
- a Must Have
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Where on Earth: A Guide to Specialty Nurseries and Other Resources for California Gardeners
Barbara Stevens , and
Nancy Conner
Manufacturer: Heyday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
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Ornamental Plants
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Similar Items:
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Sunset Western Garden Book
-
California Native Plants for the Garden
ASIN: 1890771171 |
Book Description
Now in its fourth edition--thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded-- this essential guide for California gardeners and landscape professionals offers descriptions of more than 300 specialty wholesale and retail nurseries throughout the state, along with listings of horticultural attractions, plant societies and groups, colleges and extension programs, and a host of other sources for gardening and horticultural information.
Customer Reviews:
Attention Plant Addicts!.......2001-07-09
As a horticulturist who is always looking for the unusual and hard to find plant, I found this guide to be an treasure. The authors divide the nurseries down by geographical sections, and then break each nursery down into whether they are wholesale/retail/mail order, plant specialties, brief history/description, how to get there and general information. Also covered are Horticultural Attractions and a list of plant societies. If your a plant nut like me, make sure you add this book to your collection.
a Must Have.......1999-12-28
If you have every tried to find THE nursery with the best selection for a particular plant this is the book for you. Plus you discover all the nurseries that are in your area that you probably did not know existed.
Average customer rating:
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The Wildflower Gardener's Guide: California, Desert Southwest, and Northern Mexico Edition
Henry Warren Art
Manufacturer: Garden Way Pub. Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Flowers
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| Gardening & Horticulture
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By Plant
| Gardening & Horticulture
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ASIN: 0882665650 |
Book Description
This volume offers expanded coverage of topics introduced in the first book, and also includes information on drought-tolerant plants as well as plant recommendations for Californias diverse climate. Full-color photos throughout.
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- Murder On The Flying Scotsman (Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries)
- Murder, She Meowed (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
- Not a Girl Detective : A Cece Caruso Mystery
- Object of Virtue: A Novel
- Omerta
- Plunder Of The Sun (Hard Case Crime)
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