Finding Fish: A Memoir

Amazon.com

Thank goodness Antwone Fisher's story has a happy ending--otherwise, his searing memoir would be nearly unbearable to read. His father was killed by a gunshot blast shortly before he was born in 1959; his 17-year-old mother gave him up for foster care. Unfortunately for Antwone, his foster mother was as successful at browbeating and demeaning her many wards as she was at lying to the Child Welfare authorities. His working-class African American neighborhood in Cleveland became purgatory for a sensitive, intelligent boy who quickly turned into a withdrawn underperformer at school. In Fisher's blow-by-blow account of his childhood, his sexual abuse at the hands of a female neighbor is hardly more horrifying than his foster mother's relentless cruelty--especially because respectable, churchgoing Mrs. Pickett justifies it all as due to the boy's wicked faults. Readers will be relieved when she dumps 15-year-old Antwone back at the Child Welfare office, even though he will endure homelessness and a scary spell of criminal employment, before an 11-year stint in the Navy provides him with a way forward. Grim though his tale is, Fisher displays throughout it the grit and stubborn integrity that kept him sane. He musters up some understanding (not forgiveness) for the dreadful Mrs. Pickett, and his eventual meeting with his burned-out mother is painfully poignant. He certainly deserves the beautiful wife and cute two-year-old daughter, cooking pancakes for him in the book's closing and redemptive scene. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Baby Boy Fisher was raised in institutions from the moment of his birth in prison to a single mother. He ultimately came to live with a foster family, where he endured near-constant verbal and physical abuse. In his mid-teens he escaped and enlisted in the navy, where he became a man of the world, raised by the family he created for himself.

Finding Fish shows how, out of this unlikely mix of deprivation and hope, an artist was born -- first as the child who painted the feelings his words dared not speak, then as a poet and storyteller who would eventually become one of Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters.

A tumultuous and ultimately gratifying tale of self-discovery written in Fisher's gritty yet melodic literary voice, Finding Fish is an unforgettable reading experience.

Customer Reviews:

Finding Fish.......2007-01-29

Finding Fish, by Antwone Fisher, is a passionate and heart wrenching look into the life of the author as a ward of the state. Thankfully, he escapes the terrors of his childhood and eventually finds success. Fisher writes with a distinctive voice. He is able to convey the emotions of the young boy he portrays in the memoir, rather than telling the story through the voice of an adult. The memoir is an honest, and shocking, look into the world of an orphan without anyone to protect him. His father had been shot two months before his birth and his mom is in prison. Throughout his life with the Picketts,his foster parents, Antwone is forced through horrific events that are painful to read about. He is molested at a young age by a babysitter, beaten, mentally abused, and treated like a ghost. He becomes reserved and shy, lacking love and the comfort of a family. Even worse, his social workers are sadly oblivious to the abuse because the Picketts are able to transform into respectable and polite adults when in public. Remarkably, Antwone braves through his torturous childhood, as well as homelessness for a short time, and finds himself in the Navy. This becomes his miracle, and inspires him to do more with his life. He finds himself traveling around the world, educating himself about different cultures as well as teaching himself English with the help of a thesaurus. In comparison to his childhood, Antwone is in paradise. This transition from a hopeless child with no allies in the world to a strong, successful Navy officer illustrates a major theme in the memoir. No matter how horrible somebody's life is, with perseverance and hope it is possible to achieve anything. Although Antwone is thrown into a terrible life, he finds his own success and thankfully escapes his past and finds happiness. This book is an emotional rollercoaster and any reader will become attached to Antwone, rooting for him against the negativity in his life.

FINDING FISH carries a profound impact..........2006-08-22

and taught me something. It taught me how much we all share--the need to belong, for family, to search, to question. This book is unexpected tender and this boy's journey impacted my own journey, my own questions of family, of accceptance.
~Carol D. O'Dell
Author, MOTHERING MOTHER
Kunati Publishing, April 2007

A magical child matures and we get to be in on it!.......2006-08-13

At first I resisted this book because it seemed to be written by an adult looking over his childhood from a very mature place. However, late in the book it is a revelatory experience to find that this is exactly what happened when an unfair accusation concerning Antwone at age 25 during his Navy experience 'caused' him to buy a dictionary, a thesorus and learn writing almost from scratch at this age. He soon found that he couldn't stop. Later he wrote this book that has become a best seller very deservedly. It is full of remarkable coincidences that could not be other than genuine because of hundreds of tiny clews that all add up to this person having been there. This is a profound work concerning human holistic Intelligence that Confirms Joseph Pierce's 'Magical Child Matures."

Good Book!.......2006-03-16

Finding Fish was a good book. I first learned of Antowne Fisher a few years ago when he appeared on the Montell Williams show. After hearing his story on the show I immediately wanted to go out and buy his book to find out more about this wonderful young man but could never find the book. A few years went by and then a movie of his life was made. After seeing the movie, which I thought was very good, I decided that the movie did a good job of telling his story and that I no longer wanted to purchase the book. Some years later I was in a book store looking for some books to purchase and came across Finding Fish on the book shelf. Since I was in a thrift book store I said what the heck and purchased this book along with some others. Well needless to say it was meant for me to read this book. The movie just touched on a small portion of his life and did nothing to give us a better understanding of Antwone's full story. The book went into more detail and was just phenomenal. I have such respect and admiration for Mr. Fisher and all that he endured. The saying is true: "All things happen for a reason" were it not for his horrific
childhood I don't think Antwone would be the man he is today. Kudows for Mr. Fisher!! If you have not read this book I recommend you do.

FINDING FISH.......2006-03-06

Wow..if you thought the movie was thought provoking..
the book is beyond that!
This book covers Antwone's childhood, where in the movie,
we only saw a taste of it.
This book tells the story of a little boy who beat the odds,
and used his innate ability to survive, extreme verbal, emotional
sexual and physical abuse.

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FISHES OF OHIO
MILTON B. TRAUTMAN
Manufacturer: Ohio State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Better Than The Movie
A Great Read
Another case of startling book, mediocre movie...
Incredibly inspiring story but with a warning!
'Finding Fish' Finding Me

Finding Fish
Antwone Q. Fisher , and Mim E. Rivas
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0060539860
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Book Description

A New York Times bestseller, Finding Fish is the remarkable story of an African American boy abandoned in an abusive foster home in Cleveland who rises to liberation, manhood, and extraordinary success (in Hollywood).

Born in prison to a single mother after his father was shot and killed, Antwone Fisher soon became a ward of Cleveland's foster care system. By the time he was five years old, he had been transferred to several different families. Eventually he came to live with the Picketts, an older couple with grown children of their own.

During his stay with the Picketts, which lasted until he was 17 years old, Antwone suffered near–constant verbal and physical abuse at the hands of ̩zz Pickett, and sexual abuse from a neighbour. The damage to his self–esteem was tremendous, yet Antwone managed to resist the gang–like behaviour and drug use that so many of his friends were engaged in. Finally he fled and before long he was living on the streets, homeless. Again rescuing himself, he enlisted in the Navy, where he created a ॡ mily' for himself and with the help of a Navy psychologist worked through his past. After he left the Navy, while working as a security guard at Sony Pictures in Hollywood, he told his story to one of the executives there, who encouraged him to write his life as a screenplay.

Customer Reviews:

Better Than The Movie.......2007-09-09

This is an awe inspiring piece of literary work. The narrative from the beginning inspires the reader and allows almost a walk-along journey into the author's life and the actual steps that he took. The movie was good in its setting and up to date account of a life in the 60's. The book adds so much story that went untold in the movie and is that much more moving. Antwone Fisher writes as if he has been doing this since a child.

A Great Read.......2007-02-21

The novel Finding Fish by Antwone Fisher is a very good book. The book is far better than the movie and i reccomend it to all. It entails his life as well as select readings from his poetry. It is a a story of struggle and beating the odds to become a success

Another case of startling book, mediocre movie..........2006-11-05

Antwone Fisher is a child who lives from horrible foster home to ghastly foster home and eventually, almost by accident chooses a life that saves him. For someone who cannot have children - I was crushed by the neglect and abuse this poor child suffers by people whose view of children is either as a burden or cash cow. It is not a small miracle that this human being reached adulthood without having killed himself or become a victim of what our society foists upon poor black men.

Although Fish has so much going against him, his ability to keep some semblance of balance inside himself eventually saves him. The tales of his childhood are almost too much to bear, but you will keep reading because you know that it turns out, you are cheered when he is dumped by his foster mother (who insisted he was evil and therefore deserved the horrible treatment he receives, including a denial of Christmas gifts), and you are gripped when he seems to find himself on the streets without a home or a way to make a living. He eventually joins the Navy - which saves him, providing him with the structure he needs to grow into an adult. He has to spend sometime in the military learning to manage his (completely understandable) anger, and he is bright enough to learn how to do that. Lastly, when he is reunited with the family of his mother (who gave birth to him in prison) I had a sigh of relief for the closure this provided him.

Even though this book is hard to read because of the pain that this child suffers, it is a gripping and extremely well written autobiography and is worth every page. We should all spend more time concerned about what really happens to the unwanted children in our country.

Incredibly inspiring story but with a warning!.......2006-04-17

Like a lot of people, I suppose, I read a lot before I go to asleep at night. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep after reading this book at night (it happened every time, so I had to read on the weekends during the day). To say that the first 85% of the story is depressing (while completely riveting) is an understatement...frankly, it makes "Angela Ashes" (another classic of this type of genre) seem like Mary Poppins. The word "poignant" comes to mind but it hits you with such a force that it is reeling, even for an inveterate reader like myself. I was so moved by the story that I plan on volunteering to see what I can do to help these type of kids who have no one that cares for them.

The great news is that the story of Antwone's adventure has a happy ending, in no small part due to the United States Navy (which reminded me of Frank McCourt of "Angela's Ashes" fame and the United States Army). Reading about the reuinion with the Elkins and Fishers near the end of the memoir is one of the most exhilarating experiences I've ever had reading a book.

Antwone Fisher, if you are reading this, thank you for writing this story. Like I'm sure is the case with everyone that reads this extraordinarily powerful memoir, we all pray for you and your family. I also pray that no one else would have to experience the horrors that you lived to write about in your childhood, although tragically there are many stories like this that are out there.

P.S. I have NOT seen the movie but might now that I have read the book.

'Finding Fish' Finding Me.......2005-10-15

Finding Fish was the best book that I have read in a long time. It is now my favorite book and my favorite movie. Antwone Fisher's writing was very deep and I could really picture the events through Antwone's eyes. I laughed, cried, and everything in between reading this book. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who could appreciate its greatness!

Artificial Keys for the Identification of the Fishes of the State of Ohio

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Artificial Keys for the Identification of the Fishes of the State of Ohio
Milton B. Trautman
Manufacturer: The Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J4XKB8

Blackbirds and corn in Ohio (Resource publication - United States, Fish and Wildlife Service ; 136)

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Blackbirds and corn in Ohio (Resource publication - United States, Fish and Wildlife Service ; 136)
Richard A Dolbeer
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Sam's Fish
Just finished reading this book...

Finding Fish
Antwone Quenton Fisher
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786254939

Book Description

A New York Times Bestseller

Now a major motion picture starring and directed by Denzel Washington.

Baby Boy Fisher was raised in institutions from the moment of his prison birth. Finding Fish shows how, out of an unlikely mix of deprivation and hope, an artist was born.

Customer Reviews:

Sam's Fish.......2004-03-30

"Finding Fish" was set in a neighborhood of black people. It was almost like an autobiography of Antwone Fisher and how is life was while growing up. I really enjoyed this book because it doesn't leave you on the edge of what is going to happen next, but it gives an idea of what you should think of and kind of leaves you wondering about where the author's ideas are going next. Reading this book has taught me a lot. I learned a lot about what goes on in a child's mind who isn't given the oppurtunity to ask questions, learn about what is right and wrong, what certain occupations symbolize, or who he belongs to. I've learned that what I have been given and taught is a gift because just the smallest thing learned, another child may never learn in their entire lifetime. This book affected me because when I'm ready to begin my own family, I would never want to put my child in a position where he feels unwanted and is constantly wondering who he belongs to. I want them to be able to ask questions and open up to me so that I am able to explain to him what the world is about and prepare him for it. If anything, this is the most important lesson that I have learned from this book. This book compared to any other I have read is by far the best. I would recommend this book to anyone who would want to learn more about what children go through. Anyone who would want to better a child's life and understand it, this is the book for them.

Just finished reading this book..........2003-08-06

I don't want to tell the story, and ruin the purpose of this book. This was an AWESOME book. If you saw the movie, you'll like the book better. The book expresses more feeling and detail. The book made me cry, especially Antwone's first real christmas gift. It's a tear-jerker. The sad part is, all of it is true.

Fish Ohio: 100 Ohio Lakes (Fish Michigan)

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an excellent summary of Ohio's lakes

Fish Ohio: 100 Ohio Lakes (Fish Michigan)
Bill Bailey
Manufacturer: Glovebox Guidebooks of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1881139190

Customer Reviews:

an excellent summary of Ohio's lakes.......1999-11-06

This is an excellent reference for any fisherman or outdoor enthusiast who lives in or visits Ohio. While most information is general, many useful facts are provided concerning camping, fishing, boating, and other things. It's very good for planning a weekend trip, or looking for new wilderness areas to explore.

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The Fishes of Ohio
Milton B. Trautman
Manufacturer: The Ohio State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: B000M2HJSC

Flatheads & Spooneys: Fishing for a Living in the Ohio River Valley (Ohio River Series)

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Thorough Presentation of Commercial Fishing

Flatheads & Spooneys: Fishing for a Living in the Ohio River Valley (Ohio River Series)
Jens Lund
Manufacturer: University Press of Kentucky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Thorough Presentation of Commercial Fishing.......2001-03-03

Jens Lund's book is an excellent and thoroughly-documented study of commercial fishing in the Ohio River Valley. We are fortunate that he documented the occupational traditions associated with fishing because the industry is under stress and rapidly changing. Lund provides rich descriptions of virtually all aspects of commercial fishing, from the various species of fish in the rivers to the variety of boats used and built in the Ohio River Valley and extending into ways of using nets, lines, and fish traps. The book is valuable for folklorists, historians, anthropologists as well as biologists and anyone interested in relationships between environmental concerns and culture. I would recommend this book highly and encourage readers to also look at important studies of maritime folklife such as the book "Beautiful Swimmers," which deals with crabbing in the Cheasapeake Bay and "Gladesmen," which deals with fishing and hunting in the Florida Everglades.

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A Guide to Ohio Streams
Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
Manufacturer: Watkins Printing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000V5DKME

Product Description

Contents include: Streams, Geology and Geography, Habitat Quality and Threats, Water Quality and Pollution Control, Ecology, Wildlife Diversity, Recreation, Stream Laws, Protection and Restoration, Major Ohio Watersheds

Book Description

Following an introduction to the subject of collecting sci-fi and fantasy, the book is divided into the main types of collectible, such as comics and annuals, movie posters and ephemera. Within these chapters are further sub-sections highlighting specific areas of collecting, with an introduction to each and colour photographs with informative captions and price guides. A timeline highlights key events in the development of sci-fi and fantasy as a genre and real-life events that have furthered interest in the subject. All the familiar favourites are included, from the "Forbidden Planet" of the 1950s, and the 1970s cult classics of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek", up to "Spiderman", "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" and information is provided on a range of items including action figures, books and toys. The emphasis is on collecting throughout - what to look for, what's rare and what to pay. Also included is a list of useful addresses for auction houses and dealers and a further reading section.

Miller's Sci-fi and Fantasy Collectibles

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Miller's Sci-fi and Fantasy Collectibles

Manufacturer: MITCHELL BEAZLEY (OC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GYZUCI

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If There Were a Ten Star Rating.............2002-03-27

If there were a ten star rating, I would give it to this book! If only all of our Presidents were so committed to the values of home and garden.

This is a wonderful book, both for Jefferson fans and gardeners. Since I'm both, it is doubly wonderful. You can read Jefferson's records of what he planted when, his observations about all sorts of garden topics, his letters to friends and family about gardening, and see the voluminous records he kept about all things horticultural.

Forget About Other Organic Gardening Books!.......2000-10-16

Forget About Other Organic Gardening Books! This collection of books and writings by Thomas Jefferson includes decades of his farm records and gardening notes from back when they didn't even have chemical fertilizers, herbiscides, and insecticides yet. He experimented with a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, and fiber plants (including hemp) that he imported from all over the world. He also kept complete ledgers of his slaves, chronicling their births and deaths. He kept records of their production and consumption of linen, wool, blankets, clothing, etcetera. This book is a gold mine of history, gardening tips, livestock records, diary tidbits, photos, diagrams and more.

The Garden and Farm Books of Thomas Jefferson.

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The Garden and Farm Books of Thomas Jefferson.
Robert C. Baron
Manufacturer: Fulcrum, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NULXS0

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The Garden And Farm Books Of Thomas Jefferson
Baron Robert C.
Manufacturer: Fulcrum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDN6RQ

Book Description

The Roman World of Cicero's De Oratore aims to provide an accessible study of Cicero's first and fullest dialogue, on the ideal orator-statesman. It illustrates the dialogue's achievement as a reflection of a civilized way of life and a brilliantly constructed literary unity, and considers the contribution made by Cicero's recommendations to the development of rhetoric and higher education at Rome. Because Cicero deliberately set his extended conversation in the generation of his childhood teachers, a study of the dialogue in its historical setting can show how the political and cultural life of this earlier period differed from Cicero's personal experience of the collapse of senatorial government, when the overwhelming power of the `first triumvirate' forced him into political silence in the last decade of the republic. After an introductory chapter reviewing Cicero's position on return from exile, chapters include a comparative study of the careers of M. Antonius and L. Licinius Crassus, protagonists of the dialogue, a discussion of Cicero's response to Plato's criticisms of rhetoric in the Gorgias and Phaedrus, and his debt to Aristotle's Rhetoric, analysis of the dialogue's treatment of Roman civil law, existing Latin literature and historical writing, Strabo's survey of the sources and application of humour, political eloquence in senate and contio, theories of diction and style, and the techniques of oral delivery. An epilogue looks briefly at Cicero's De re publica and Tacitus' Dialogus de oratoribus as reflections on the transformation of oratory and free (if oligarchic) republican government by debate to meet the context of the new autocracy.

Imagining a Place for Buddhism: Literary Culture and Religious Community in Tamil-Speaking South India

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Imagining a Place for Buddhism: Literary Culture and Religious Community in Tamil-Speaking South India
Anne E. Monius
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Hardcover

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While Tamil-speaking South India is celebrated for its preservation of Hindu tradition, other religious communities have played a significant role in shaping the region's religious history. Among these non-Hindu communities is that of the Buddhists, who are little-understood because of the scarcity of remnants of Tamil-speaking Buddhist culture. Here, focusing on the two Buddhist texts in Tamil that are complete (a sixth-century poetic narrative and an eleventh-century treatise on grammar and poetics), Monius sheds light on the role of literature and literary culture in the formation, articulation, and evolution of religious identity and community.

Alcidamas: The Works and Fragments (Greek Texts)

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Alcidamas: The Works and Fragments (Greek Texts)
John Muir
Manufacturer: Duckworth Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1853996106

Book Description

Alcidamas is an important figure in the development of Greek rhetoric early in the fourth century BC. Pupil of Gorgias, rival of Isocrates, and teacher of Aeschines, he also influenced Demosthenes and was later admired by both Aristotle and Cicero. His extant works are "On Those who Write Written Speeches" (a treatise on the oratorical practice of improvisation on a well-prepared brief) and "Odysseus" (a pattern exercise in constructing a prosecution). Other fragments survive and all are presented in this edition, which translates them into English and provides a full commentary on the whole surviving oeuvre.

Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory (Blackwell Introductions to the Classical World)

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Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory (Blackwell Introductions to the Classical World)
Thomas Habinek
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms
The Rhetoric of Rhetoric: The Quest for Effective Communication (Blackwell Manifestos)

ASIN: 0631235140

Book Description

Rhetoric was central to the political and cultural life of the Greek and Roman worlds. This book introduces readers to the ancient rhetorical tradition by investigating key questions about the origins, nature, and importance of rhetoric: is it inevitably an elite pursuit? What benefits did it offer its devotees? What would society be like without rhetoric?The text explores the role of the orator, examining closely the two greatest figures of the tradition, Demosthenes and Cicero. It also investigates the place of rhetoric at the center of ancient education, and in conclusion considers the role of rhetoric since the end of antiquity.A glossary of proper names and technical terms, a chronological table of political events, authors, orators, and rhetorical works, as well as suggestions for further reading, make the book accessible for all students of ancient literature and culture.

Greek Oratory: Tradition and Originality

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Greek Oratory: Tradition and Originality
Stephen Usher
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Speakers address audiences in the earliest Greek literature, but oratory became a distinct genre in the late fifth century and reached its maturity in the fourth. This book traces the development of its techniques by examining the contribution made by each orator. Dr Usher makes the speeches come alive for the reader through an in-depth analysis of the problems of composition and the likely responses of contemporary audiences. His study differs from previous books in its recognition of the richness of the early tradition which made innovation difficult, however, the orators are revealed as men of remarkable talent, versatility, and resource. Antiphon's pioneering role, Lysias' achievement of balance between the parts of the speech, the establishment of oratory as a medium of political thought by Demosthenes and Isocrates, and the individual characteristics of other orators - Andocides, Isaeus, Lycurgus, Hyperides, Dinarchus and Apollodorus - together make a fascinating study in evolution; while the illustrative texts of the orators (which are translated into English) include some of the liveliest and most moving passages in Greek literature.

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King Arthur in Popular Culture

Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0786412577

Book Description

The legend of King Arthur is embedded in British and American culture. Contemporary America, in particular, is a rich breeding ground for the Arthurian mythos, not only in films, novels, short stories, and fantasy and science fiction, but in other areas of popular and mass culture as well.

Book Description

The eleven essays in this volume are studies of specific instances of the influence and impact of the middle ages on Western life and culture from the sixteenth century to the present day. They cover a wide range of topics -literature, stylistics, lexicography, art, the cinema, philosophy, history and myth-making, oral traditions, feminist issues - and reflect the enduring influence of the middle ages on European art and life.Dr MARIE-FRANÃ‡OISE ALAMICHELis lecturer in English at the University of Paris IV-Sorbonne; DEREK BREWER is Emeritus Professor of English, University of Cambridge. Contributors: CLAIRE VIAL, DERICK S. THOMSON, KEES DEKKER, ERIC G. STANLEY, FLORENCE BOURGNE, RENATE HAAS, DEREK BREWER, LAURA KENDRICK, RENÃ‰ GALLET, JAMES NOBLE, SANDRA GORGIEVSKI.

Speaking in the Medieval World (Cultures, Beliefs and Traditions Medieval and Early Modern Peoples)

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Speaking in the Medieval World (Cultures, Beliefs and Traditions Medieval and Early Modern Peoples)

Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This volume treats aspects of speaking in the Middle Ages, as evident in historical documents and literary texts. The volume is divided into two parts. In the first part, the general role of speaking in society and literature is discussed. In the second part, closer analysis of how literary characters actually speak is offered. The essays offer both analysis of lesser known texts and new insight into several classical works within several European literary traditions. These essays will interest scholars of linguistics, particularly sociolinguistics, and medieval literature and culture.

Speaking the Same Language: Speech and Audience in Thucydides' Spartan Debates

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Speaking the Same Language: Speech and Audience in Thucydides' Spartan Debates
Paula Debnar
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Greece | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0472112368

Book Description

The Peloponnesian War, which destroyed imperial Athens and ultimately Sparta as well, continues to fascinate students of history, politics, and human nature. Thucydides' account of the twenty-seven-year conflict charts the opposition between the two great powers of the classical Greek world and the ways of life they represented. Paula Debnar explores the collapse of these powers from a new perspective, examining the ways discourse changed under the strain of a long and costly war.

Speaking the Same Language seeks to recover the role played by the audiences within the History. By restoring the internal audiences to a more prominent place, Debnar emphasizes the perspective of the participants in the war and heightens the dramatic immediacy of the debates. She thoroughly analyzes twelve speeches delivered by or to the Spartans, demonstrating how the earlier speeches illustrate the role of discourse in the construction of Sparta's identity and the unification of her Dorian allies in the face of their primarily Ionian adversaries.

Combining close textual analysis with an examination of narrative and historical context, Debnar bridges the gap between literary and historical studies of Thucydides. Accessible to specialists and nonspecialists alike, her work will interest those working in the fields of Greek literature, ancient historiography, rhetoric, political science, and ethnic studies.

Paula Debnar is Associate Professor of Classics, Mount Holyoke College.

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