Book Description
If the only thing that comes to mind when you think of Black Forest cuisine is the infamous cream-slathered, cherry-studded Black Forest Cake, then Chef Walter Staib has a thing or two to show you!
Nestled in Southwestern Germany, the region surrounding the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, is known throughout Europe and beyond for its rich and internationally influenced cuisine, making it a top destination for gourmands from around the world. In Black Forest Cuisine, renowned chef and cookbook author Walter Staib takes home chefs on a mouth-watering tour of the culinary treasures found in his homeland. Each chapter introduces dishes as they are served in a variety of Black Forest environs—from the comfort food of a Home Kitchen to the more portable meals of the Café, from the complicated banquets of a Gasthaus to the grand menus featured in fashionable Hotels. In this compendium of local yet worldly cuisine, Chef Staib shows that the cuisine of the Black Forest inspires much more than just a cake. Recipes include: • Hungarian Goulasch
• Spätzle & Potato Stew
• Bienenstich
• Sauerbraten
More than just a cookbook, Black Forest Cuisine is a photographic and culinary exploration of the famous region, lovingly presented by one of its own sons. Fully illustrated with 4-color photographs of the enchanting Black Forest and its mouth-watering food, this cookbook will transport readers to the warm and magical land that many Europeans already know and love.
Customer Reviews:
Love this book.......2007-07-20
It is an interesting read,most of the recipes are'nt too complex but to be honest,I take a recipe I read and kinda play with it so it's not an exact replica of what is written.The recipes do show influences from other countries,and I really like the way the little stories are written.This book is definately a favorite.
Any cookbook collection strong in modern European innovations will welcome this........2007-07-08
BLACK FOREST CUISINE: THE CLASSIC BLENDING OF EUROPEAN FLAVORS offers something different to cookbook fans: a focus on German regional traditions and customs, pairing full-page color photos with recipes. From Apple-Walnut Cakes to Meatballs in Caper Sauce, these are appealing, different dishes which blend especially well with the author's own familiarity of German regional cuisine. Any cookbook collection strong in modern European innovations will welcome this.
Finally, MY regional cookbook. Excellent German Gasthaus fare.......2007-06-19
`Black Forest Cuisine' by Philadelphia's City Tavern owner / chef, Walter Staib is a memoir / cookbook of that region in southwestern Germany of the same name, `Schwartzwald' in German. And, after reviewing cookbooks for regional cuisines from Transylvania to Timbuktu and everywhere in between, it is a great pleasure to finally get a book about the cuisine from one of my own ancestors' home regions, the other being not far away in eastern Austria / Western Hungary.
One of the things which make the Black Forest cuisine so interesting is that as suggested by the subtitle, `The Classic Blending of European Flavors', this region sits at the intersection of four different culinary influences. To the west is Alsace-Lorraine and Provence, France. To the south is Switzerland and hints of Italian influences. To the east is Austria or, historically more important, the lands of the former Austro-Hungarian empire centered in Vienna. To the north is the rest of modern Germany.
Even if you don't have emotional connections to this region, this book is especially valuable in that to my knowledge, there are simply very few books dedicated to German cooking anyway. The only two I know which are worth consulting are by American culinary journalists, `The German Cookbook' by Mimi Sheraton and `The New German Cookbook' by Jean Anderson and Heidi Wurz, with a nod to the former. So, getting this stuff right from the German chef's mouth is a great benefit for all interested in various types of regional cuisines.
The thing which most distinguishes Black Forest cookery from all others is its use of cherries other fruits and schnapps, also known as `eau de vie', made from these same fruits. These are the essential ingredients to the famous Black Forest cake. Another hallmark ingredient is cabbage, most famously used in the making of sauerkraut. In fact, sauerkraut is such an important ingredient that I'm surprised chef Staib didn't include a recipe for making the stuff, especially since it was so commonly made at home.
This points out the fact that while there are a lot of home cooking recipes here, the emphasis is rather on restaurant or `Gasthaus' fare (Gasthaus being roughly similar to Italian Trattorias and French brassieres). But, this doesn't mean the recipes are overly complicated. Many are suprisingly simple. I was taken aback when I saw the ratatouille recipe, which was even easier than Patricia Wells' `quick and easy Provencal' recipe, and far easier than the classic technique, where each vegetable is cooked separately before joining them all together in the final dish. Many recipes are also rather fancy, with suggested (but not necessary) expensive ingredients such as caviar (on Russian eggs, of course).
I get literally misty-eyed when I look through all the German-named recipes I have known so well and for so long, learned on my grandmother's knee. Even the famous recipes I've never tasted such as Hasenpfeffer (braised rabbit legs) have a comfortable ring to them.
I almost forgot to mention that the book contains many excellent photographic tutorials on making some of the Black Forest dishes, such as the stuffed veal loin and the beef roulade. As someone who has struggled through roulades before, this is a great help. They are at least as good as what you will find in Jacques Pepin's better books.
If one were a serious culinary anthropologist, one could easily trace these recipes to their Pennsylvania Dutch descendants, as the Pennsylvania Dutch, or at least a sizable number of them (including my great....great grandparents were French Huguenots who emigrated to this region (and Switzerland) from Burgundy many, many years ago. With them, like my great...great grandparents, came the clockmaking skills so familiar in Switzerland today.
This rather richly appointed book is surprisingly no more costly than the usual celebrity chef fare. So, if you long for culinary traditions from the upper Rhine, with lots of cabbage and cherries and Riesling and pork and apples, this is definitely a book for you.
A superior book and must have for German Cuisine foodies! .......2007-04-05
I have been doing allot of german cooking lately and this book seemed be a new book that would be interesting. The book is beautifully designed, has great photography, great background info, plus personal anecdotes about his life, german culture and cuisine. This book has been helpful to show through pictures many of the recipes that I have attempted through steps with actual photographs; many books describe steps without them. I am a visual person so this is helpful and I am a beginning cook; so it makes it even easier. The directions I find are also superior; many cookbooks ingredients are less specific and not as clear. In particular, I have had a problem in the past with finding ingredients and he tells you specifically what to get and because he is living in america, the english is american based and not a UK english to german translation. Clear, informative, concise information; with tips to help you with preparation. Again, this helps me as I am learning and he actually tells you specific important details to help you successfully make a meal. Many questions I had that were not answered in other books; were actually answered in this one. The background info is very good with the history of: his family, his cooking experiences, germany, and culture. The book is broken down into different types of cooking: the home table, cafe bites, gasthaus (guest house) comfort food, fashionable hotel dining, and black forest celebrations. This is helpful as it can steer you in a direction based upon what or when you are serving a meal. So far I have made the: braised red cabbage, sauerbraten, dumplings, beef stroganoff and skewered pork with spicy cream sauce; all of which have turned out well.
I recommend this book for anyone interested in this type of cooking; it is intelligently and clearly written. The background information is superior which will help you in your cooking success and help you understand the influences behind this type of cuisine; with examples of culture, history, geography and personal anecdotes. The design and photography are beautiful and laid out in a logical way. The step by step information and photos help make preparation easier and increase you chances of success. I recommend this book! You will learn allot about german food and the black forrest region. Buy it and make some delicious and satisfying german food!
Very disappointing.......2007-03-24
Having been raised in Berlin, Germany, I feel qualified to critique this book. It features the classic titles but the ingredients and execution are not what I remenber. The Koenigsberger Klopse with 1 cup of cream and none of the traditional anchovies. Or the Goulash with 1 1/2 cups of tomato paste?!! If the intent was to to update the classics, it failed there as well. Try Wolfang Puck or Alfred Portale instead.
Book Description
A historical and repair guide to Black Forest clocks with numerous catelog reprints. Plus original illustrations. Includes considerable text on repairing, dating and identifying Black Forest cuckoo clocks. Also contains information on Black Forest Trumpeter clocks.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book for Collectors.......2000-08-28
This is an excellent book for collectors and people wanting information on the history of the cuckoo clock. The writing is clear and precise and the diagrams are easy to follow.
A good basic overview of the German Cuckoo Clocks........1998-02-01
Offers the industry's history (including machinery), many tips about the adjustment and restoration of these clocks, tools needed, etc. Photos of unusual clocks and the factories. A "must have" for those interested in, or repairing, the German Cuckoo Clocks.
Book Description
BLACK SUN, a bittersweet love story, is about a forest ranger -- loner, iconclast, lover of the rugged life -- who falls for an utterly beguiling freckle-faced "American princess" half his age.
Like Lady Chatterley's lover, he initiates her into the rite of sex and the stark, hidden harmonies of his wild wooded kingdom and canyons. She, in turn, awakens in him the pleasures of loving and being loved. Then she disappears, plunging him into a gloom he can barely support.
"If the ending is sad and haunting, the book is not. It's a lyrical romance with the kind of passion and scenery that Abbey alone can conjure up." (B-O-T Editorial Review Board)
Customer Reviews:
clunky, but enjoyable read.......2006-01-27
I tore through "Black Sun" in a couple days. I find Abbey's dialogue, both here and in his more famous "Monkey Wrench Gang," to be a bit clunky, but his nature descriptions are spot on.
The main character, Gatlin, is a ranger who works alone on a fire lookout tower in some unnamed western locale (though by the clues given it seems to be somewhere near the Grand Canyon). Gatlin's crisis: Can he leave nature for the love of a woman? For anyone enthralled by wild places, adventure, travel, or any other pursuit that supersedes relationships, this dilemma is remarkably prescient.
Readers looking for the curmudgeonly environmental polemicist Abbey in "Black Sun" will be disappointed. Readers can expect an easy read, beautiful nature descriptions, and a simple, tragic, poetically elegaic love story. Abbey never was very good at portraying the human condition. He regarded our species as a scourge on the landscape. But "Black Sun" is the most human book he ever wrote.
Wilderness and Loneliness.......2005-07-22
This is probably Edward Abbey's least political work, and the cranky old desert conservationist came up with a surprisingly emotional and bittersweet love story. The main character has escaped his painful past by taking up a very lonely job at a fire tower near the Grand Canyon, getting closer to nature and further from other people, as a way to battle his demons. He then unexpectedly falls in love with a younger woman who is working at the park, but can't figure out how to make her part of his lonely existence, which may or may not be bringing him true happiness. But in the end, he has loneliness forced upon him again anyway, as the girl disappears back into nature herself. One problem with this novel is the stilted interpersonal dialogue, which was never Abbey's strength, while he was even less adept at building a believable romance. But on the good side, this novel, based to an unclear degree on Abbey's true experiences, is a remarkably emotional exploration of the true loneliness that can be found when one communes with nature for the long haul, and how this loneliness can both lift and crush one's spirits. [~doomsdayer520~]
black sun.......2002-04-16
Beautiful, lyrical, magical - the best book Abbey ever wrote, in my opinion. I suppose many would argue the point, as Abbey doesn't address environmental issues at all, and the story is strictly a love story. But it is a wonderful story written in remarkable metaphorical prose - fantastic.
You can almost smell the great outdoors..........2001-10-31
An early Abbey work, Black Sun is a very good novel written in a style similar to John D. MacDonald only more alive, more real. Will Gatlin is much like Travis McGee, an imperfect fellow who has learned to live life on his own terms and makes no apologies for it. An entertaining read, this is one you won't want to put down until you've finished it.
An Edward Abbey Romance.......2001-09-30
I could not put this book down. All Edward Abbey lovers will be enchanted with this book. Those of you that skip it are missing out on an all time treasure. This book is an excellent way to distract yourself from the World Trade Center disaster.
Book Description
State Corporatism and Proto-Industry focuses on the WÜrttemberg worsted industry, an example of a "proto-industry" that arose in many parts of Europe preceding factory industrialization. It has been argued that these proto-industries broke down traditional society but this book suggests otherwise. With the help of the state, corporate institutions such as merchant companies and rural guilds, regulated every aspect of rural life and thus profoundly shaped early modern European economic, demographic and social development.
Customer Reviews:
Finally! Something new and interesting about proto-industry!.......2000-07-20
Proto-industry attracted a lot of attention in the 1970-80's. Soon, however this line of research about early modern European social and economic history came to consist of a confusing plethora of disparate case studies, that lacked any coherence and theoretical underpinning, although all writers used the term proto-industry. Finally, however, there is this great book, that provides a unified, and thoughtful analysis, not only of the concept 'proto-industry', but also provides an excellent empirical study of a proto-industrial region in Germany. This is not yet another descriptive study about 'proto-industry', paying only lip service to the original literature. If you are to read one book about what is called 'proto-industry' this is it. The book is well structured, the arguments clearly put, and frankly, this is the book, that finally will turn the proto-industrial debate into an interesting conversation about early modern European economic development. Read and enjoy!
A must read about early modern European history.......2000-07-07
In this book, Sheilagh Ogilvie combines painstaking empirical research about a small region in Germany, with a lucid application of economic theory, to a field of social history that hasn't seen much progress since the early 1980's. This book is a model of clarity, and of interest not only to students of early modern Europe, but to anyone interested in how institutions constrain human behavior. While the empirical part is based on a case study, Ogilvie spells out the larger implications for economic development in early modern Europe, based on the concept of 'State-corporatism', i.e., the symbiotic relationship between the state and privileged groups, e.g., guilds and local communities. She discusses the role of institutions, mentalities and the impact of early modern institutions on economic development. This is a must read for anyone interested in early modern European history and should be of interest not only to social historians, but also to economists interested in empirical studies of how institutions affect human behavior, past and present.
Book Description
The Forest People -- Colin M. Turnbull's best-selling, classic work -- describes the author's experiences while living with the BaMbuti Pygmies, not as a clinical observer, but as their friend learning their customs and sharing their daily life.
Turnbull conveys the lives and feelings of the BaMbuti whose existence centers on their intense love for their forest world, which, in return for their affection and trust, provides their every need. We witness their hunting parties and nomadic camps; their love affairs and ancient ceremonies -- the molimo, in which they praise the forest as provider, protector, and deity; the elima, in which the young girls come of age; and the nkumbi circumcision rites, in which the villagers of the surrounding non-Pygmy tribes attempt to impose their culture on the Pygmies, whose forest home they dare not enter.
The Forest People eloquently shows us a people who have found in the forest something that makes their life more than just living -- a life that, with all its hardships and problems and tragedies, is a wonderful thing of happiness and joy.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable Reading.......2007-09-05
I love this book, it is well written, informative and interesting;
The story of the Molimo gave me great joy!
Excellent.......2006-01-01
This beautiful anthropoligical work told in a srory is extrenmle fascinating.THE FOREST PEOPLE echoes such works as USURPER AND OTHER STORIE, and SAN PEOPLE. I was completely captivated by this book, which is why I read it four times this winter. It is taking me a step forward in coming to terms with life's different perspectives.
Excellent.......2006-01-01
This beautiful anthropoligical work told in a srory is extrenmle fascinating.THE FOREST PEOPLE echoes such works as USURPER AND OTHER STORIE, and SAN PEOPLE. I was completely captivated by this book, which is why I read it four times this winter. It is taking me a step forward in coming to terms with life's different perspectives.
Anthropologists get punked.......2005-11-01
I can only agree with the "common humanity" sentiments expressed- especially that feature of humans leading them to take the piss out of newcomers.
Turbull utterly uncritically accepts what he is told. He takes a pygmy out onto the plain and drives him up to a Buffalo and the guy expresses surprise at Turnbull's ability to turn an insect (buffalo far away) into a large creature close up.
Come off it!
This pygmy hunts for food and can probably knock a monkey off a branch at 50 yards and he has no depth perception? He's having a laugh at Turnbulls expense!
Read Chagnon on the tricks th Yanomamo used to play on him. A much better anthropologist and less patronising too.
Excellent Transaction!.......2005-10-12
The item was received in a timely manner and was in perfect condition. I would buy from seller again.
Average customer rating:
- Deserves wide readership
- Zombos Closet Review
- Van WHO???
- Planning on going to see
- A Fine Tribute to the Monster Mashes of Yore
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The Black Forest
Todd Livingston ,
Robert Tinnell , and
Neil Vokes
Manufacturer: Image Comics
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ASIN: 1582403503 |
Book Description
World War I. In the battle between good and evil, evil just got creative: The Germans are developing a mysterious weapon to break through the trenches. American pilot Jack Shannon and Archie Caldwell, Britain's greatest stage magician, are sent behind enemy lines, into the heart of the supernatural vortex that is the Black Forest. There, in a remote castle, they match wits with evil occultist Avery Dye, who aims to use Frankenstein's Monster as a template to create an army of unstoppable re-animated dead! In order to thwart the forces of evil, Jack and Archie will be forced to battle Nosferatu, werewolves, a sorcerer, and Frankenstein's Monster himself!
Customer Reviews:
Deserves wide readership.......2007-08-30
I recently rekindled my love for comics and graphic novels and was absolutely delighted when I read "Black Forest." It's a clever adventure story, and the graphic style is a bold change from the usual artwork found in more mainstream books, though perfectly fitting with the subject. My only disappointment is that its superficial similarity to the (far inferior) film "Van Helsing" means a movie adaptation may be a long way off, but the book's cinematic feel makes it a natural.
Zombos Closet Review.......2006-03-15
Long-time horror lovers will appreciate the old-style, light-hearted classic monster fest by Livingston, Tinnell and Vokes. The stylish black and white artwork is reminiscent of Harvey Kurtzman's comical figures combined with a dash of Gene Colon's fluid and dynamic panels. This is another edition that cries out for a magazine-sized format. If I were to list any quibbles, it would be with the length: the work needs just a few more pages, especially the monster battle royale toward the end between the Frankenstein monster, the werewolves, and the vampire Graf Orlock.
The story takes place in 1916, during the Great War, and the German army, through an especially evil scientist, is trying to find a way to revive dead soldiers (yes, zombies!) to fight another day. Holed up in the Black Forest, in Graf Orlock's castle no less, whom they have imprisoned in his own dungeon, the especially evil mad scientist feverishly toils away using Dr. Frankenstein's crib notes of life and death for his experiments; and yes, the monster, too, to supply a steady stream of cadavers. Enter our valiant, but foolhardy American hero, Jack (not sure why every valiant but foolhardy American hero is always named Jack, or a monosyllabic name), and Archibald Caldwell, magician and occultist, who, like real-life magician Jasper Maskelyne during World War Two, uses his special skills to assist British Intelligence in the war effort.
Along the way, there are Alan Moorish-like bits that enrich the story, including Caldwell's ability to regurgitate lock picks that he has swallowed, a skill that Houdini was purported to have used, and Caldwell's dead wife is pickled upright under glass, in a panel very similar to the scene in the film The Black Cat, where Vitas Werdegast's wife is preserved by his arch nemesis, Hjalmar Poelzig, the evil cult leader. Boy, these evil guys do get around. The adventure is written in a pulp-style, and is fast and furious. I highly recommend it to those classic monster and zombie loving horror-heads among us.
Van WHO???.......2004-11-06
In every way VAN HELSING failed to become the perfect homage to the Classic Universal Monsters, THE BLACK FOREST succeeded.
The setting is Europe during World War I. The unlikely pair of American flying ace Jack Shannon and British stage magician Archie Caldwell are sent to infiltrate a castle situated in the mysterious region of the Black Forest. They get far more than they bargained for when they uncover a plot to reanimate an army of the dead, leading to dangerous encounters with a pack of savage werewolves, a group of bloodthirsty Nosferatu, and a fully-charged Frankenstein Monster.
Robert Tinnell and Todd Livingston make an unforgettable first impression on the world of comic books and graphic novels. The action is fast-paced and non-stop, the mood is dark and eerie, and all the characters are always full of surprises; one never knows for sure WHICH side a particular character is playing on, until it's too late.
Reading THE BLACK FOREST without the art of comic veteran Neil Vokes is unthinkable. His renditions of the werewolves, the Nosferatu, and the Frankenstein Monster are at once hard-core and rooted in Classic Monster mythology. The Monster is of a particularly intriguing design, appearing to be inspired from characteristics described by Mary Shelley and portrayed by Boris Karloff. The uniqueness of his physique is a total match for that of his characterization, as the reader will discover.
The inkwashed black-and-white technique fits the tone of the book perfectly. Like the Classic Universal Monster films, THE BLACK FOREST just wouldn't have the same impact in color.
There's really nothing bad to say about this graphic novel. One or two scenes may seem a bit too dark, but this is a minor gripe. THE BLACK FOREST has quickly secured its place among those other excellent homages to Classic Horror films, RETURN OF THE WOLF MAN and THE MONSTER SQUAD. Tinnell, Livingston, and Vokes have set quite a standard to surpass, though they may soon do so with their next project, THE WICKED WEST. Sound unbelievable? Perhaps, but I wouldn't put it past them.
Planning on going to see .......2004-05-30
Then save your 10 bucks and immediately buy this awsome graphic novel. This is the great homage to old monster movies that the aforementioned turkey so miserably failed to be. In a medium filled with endless parades of angst-driven nutcases and thonged Barbie dolls wading through body, [...] and profanity counts (arrested development disguised as mature content) it's refreshing to read a comic book that's just plain fun. Appropriate for monster and heroic adventure fans of any age, Livingston and Tinnell's story is briskly paced and exciting. Vokes' B/W art is pure eye candy. Often times attempts at period pieces fall flat either from well intentionened but akward attempts to evoke the flavor of the times or worse yet, when ridiculous anachronistic elements (as in "Van Hesling")are inserted to grab today's audiences. This is not one of those times. Look at it this way. If in the rare chance that there is something seriously wrong with your brain and you don't dig this book, you can always sell it to your local comic shop and make some of your dough back. You'll at least have the pleasure of knowing that you've supported some very worthy independent creators. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
A Fine Tribute to the Monster Mashes of Yore.......2004-05-27
THE BLACK FOREST is that rarest of modern comics, a good old-fashioned action romp devoid of excess violence, sex, and foul language (though there are plenty of racy elements here that the Comics Code would not approve, including the presence of vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures). If you are looking for 50 severed heads, a liberal sprinkling of gargantuan bare breasts, and enough variations of the F word to make the cast of DEADWOOD blush, this ain't the book for you. If you believe comics aren't any good unless the heroes are tortured or insane loners who offer no inspiration for others, you should stick to some of the lesser Batman and X-Men ink-wasters.
THE BLACK FOREST is the kind of comic that, with a few minor changes, would have thrilled fanboys in the Golden Age. Neil Volkes' stylized art is a matter of taste, yet it nicely captures the gee-whiz fun of old-school funnybooks. The liberal use of shadows and darkness properly convey the late Gothic mood, and the ladies Ilsa and Isabella are properly fetching. The script by Livingston and Tinnell is lively, spooky, and fun without descending into the camp and over the top action set pieces that nearly derailed VAN HELSING, a film to which this graphic novel must, inevitably, be compared. With nice homages to NOSFERATU, FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, THE BLACK CAT, and a thousand other old horror flicks, THE BLACK FOREST is the perfect gift for that eccentric uncle of yours who sports a "Zacherle for President" button and boasts about his complete set of CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN magazines.
Book Description
The Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka has been hailed as `one of the finest poetic playwrights who have ever written in English' (Martin Esslin) and `a writer of genius' (Irish Times). The five plays in this collection are linked by their concern with the spiritual and the social, with belief and ritual as integrating forces for social cohesion. A Dance of the Forests (1960), a confrontation between the living and the dead, between history and reality; The Swamp Dwellers (1961), a tale of perilous dependence on the favour of the gods; The Strong Breed (1963), a play of expiation, all take place in Africa. So also does The Road (1965), `a rich and beautiful tragedy' (Times Literary Supplement) The most recent work, an adaptation of The Bacchae of Euripides (1973), remains set in and around the Thebes of ancient Greece, but draws deeply on Africa and the themes of the earlier plays in this book. In all these plays - whether concerned with the corruption of urban life or the power of superstition - Soyinka's language and imagination transcend the plays' immediate social contexts.
Customer Reviews:
Splendid.......2007-01-12
This, Volume 1 of the collected plays by Nigerian-born Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, contains, The Dance of the Forests, The Swamp Dwellers, The Strong Breed, The Road, and The Bacchae of Euripides (Soyinka's translation), but not The Lion and the Jewel, et al., as the Book Description by Amazon above mistakenly has it. Those plays are contained in Volume 2.
For this review I want to focus on The Road which Soyinka wrote in 1965. It is a quasi-realistic play which incorporates elements from the theater of the absurd. It is a comedy of sorts, not exactly a comedie noire, as the French say, but with similar satirical intent. It is also a deeply symbolic play.
The action comprises a single day, from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The scene is a road-side shack presumably in Nigeria with a church close by, parts of which are also on stage. Part of the shack is a used parts store, and there is a dilapidated "mammy waggon" downstage and to the side opposite the church.
The central character is the PROFESSOR who stands for civilization and literacy. He has the power of the Word, and this power sustains him above his fellows. The PROFESSOR uses his literacy to forge documents such as driver's licenses. This too is part of his power. He is a contradictory character, and the Word is slippery and is not always an embodiment of the truth. The PROFESSOR stands in opposition to the Church and its Bishop.
SAMSON is the tout for the "No Danger, No Delay" lorry service. A tout is one who finds customers for the company, who seats them and maybe carries their luggage and flatters them. SAMSON is a practical man.
KOTONU is a driver who works with SAMSON. SALUBI is a driver trainee, a superstitious man. MURANO, whom Soyinka says represents the suspension of death, is a mute and personal servant to the PROFESSOR.
PARTICULARS JOE is a cop who always wants the "particulars" of the case. He apparently lives as much on the bribes he receives as he does on his salary. SAY TOKYO KID is the leader of the thugs and a driver.
The hangers-on and such serve as a musical and dancing chorus throughout the play. They sing dirges and act out tribal dances sometimes using the Mask which may hide the god of death, or as Soyinka has it, the Mask represents "a religious cult of flesh dissolution." Throughout there are references to Orgun, the tribal god of iron and war. During the Festival of the Drivers, there is the "Feast of Orgun, the Dog-eater" with the idea that the Road eats dogs that get in the way of the wheels of the lorries.
The characters in the play make their living from the road and its traffic. Some of them even chase after accidents and remove things of value from the vehicles--even the clothes of the dead--and sell them in the "Care of Accident Supply Store."
The central element is the road of course, the road like a river that runs through their lives and through their civilization, a road that lies flat and then, like a coiled snake, snaps up and brings to death by accident those who travel on its back. The road is also that which transforms the forest, as they take its timber, into the hard concrete and asphalt of the city. It is the road that transforms the life of the tribesman into that of the city dweller. One might compare the Road to the Way of the Taoists, but of course here the road is actively malicious. In a sense then this play is a religious allegory with the tension contained between the Road and the Word.
Soyinka's dialogue is in English with some Pidgin departures and with some vocabulary from the Yoruba language mixed in. Soyinka has a master's ear and an artist's touch with language. He has the characters at times talking past one another, each with his own concern, as in an absurdist play, and at other times he has them mouthing words of philosophic import. It is especially the PROFESSOR who waxes philosophical. He is a bit of a cynic who exclaims at one point, "Have you sold your soul for money? You lie like a prophet." He adds, "Truth? Truth? Truth my friend is scum risen on the froth of wine" reminding me of Pontius Pilate whom Sir Francis Bacon famously has asking, "What is truth?" and not staying for an answer.
PARTICULARS JOE, who was once a soldier, can also be philosophical, sometimes in an ironic way as when he declares "It is peaceful to fight a war which one does not understand, to kill human beings who never seduced your wife or poisoned your water." And there are jokes and witty sayings which Soyinka springs upon us by surprise from time to time. A nice exchange begins when PARTICULARS JOE pockets a coin that belongs to SAMSON that he finds in a crack on the floor:
SAMSON: That happens to be mine.
JOE [blandly]: That's O.K. Natural mistake on my part. Money has been left for me in more unlikely places believe me.
SAMSON: Well at least wait until I am back on the road before you collect tolls.
This inspires the PROFESSOR to ask JOE, How is the criminal world my friend?
JOE: More lucrative every day Professor.
PROFESSOR: Not for the criminal I trust.
JOE (with unintentional irony I presume): Oh no sir. That would only corrupt them.
One sees the influence of such absurdist playwrights as Samuel Beckett, Bertold Brecht and Eugene Ionesco in this play, but I believe Soyinka is both more realistic and funnier. He spent some part of his formative years in London where he was educated and worked in the theatre and where his first plays were produced. His mastery of the elements of the theater is obvious even from reading just this one play. I am looking forward to exploring more of Soyinka's work.
A Dance of the Forests.......2000-06-21
Although I was introduced to this book because of an english assignment, I became entranced by the book by the first 10 pages. And although it is confusing at times, and a teacher explaining the story as you go along is a signifigant help, the lyrical blend of Western experimentalism and African folk tradition is quite inebriating. If you are at all interested in African folk lore, this play is a must read for you. Wole Soyinka is one of the most respected play writers in all of Africa, and this is one of his best works.
Book Description
A wry account of the road from Harvard scholarship student to ordination as northern Thailand's first black Buddhist nun.
Reluctantly leaving behind Pop Tarts and pop culture to battle flying rats, hissing cobras, forest fires, and decomposing corpses, Faith Adiele shows readers in this personal narrative, with accompanying journal entries, that the path to faith is full of conflicts for even the most devout. Residing in a forest temple, she endured nineteen-hour daily meditations, living on a single daily meal, and days without speaking. Internally Adiele battled against loneliness, fear, hunger, sexual desire, resistance to the Buddhist worldview, and her own rebellious Western ego.
Adiele demystifies Eastern philosophy and demonstrates the value of developing any practice—Buddhist or not. This "unlikely, bedraggled nun" moves grudgingly into faith, learning to meditate for seventy-two hours at a stretch. Her witty, defiant twist on the standard coming-of-age tale suggests that we each hold the key to overcoming anger, fear, and addiction; accepting family; redefining success; and re-creating community and quality of life in today's world. 10 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-08-19
I found the title of this book on a fluke, but checked it out of the library. OMG. After three renewals at the library I had to purchase a copy through Amazon. The author's experience in finding hereself in a free, spiritual way with no set rules is overwhelming. It has very good information on how anyone can look at life and find their way to peace of mind and acceptance of life.
Some outstanding sections, but an average book.......2006-03-10
Having read Adiele's essay in The Best Women's Travel Writing of 2005, I was disappointed in the structure of her book. The side page commentaries were distracting and sometimes didn't match the page they were on. The book contained a lot of factual journal entries but very little depth of insight or application to her life for the future. I found some flashback memories to 'prior to ordination' not attached to the context of that chapter. Some good writing, some good story telling. The book didn't live up to the section chosen for the book mentioned above. Kay Klinkenborg, Springfield, IL
Expanding Horizons.......2005-12-30
Although Buddhism is one of the major world religions, many of us in the Western world are woefully ignorant of even the basic tenants of this faith. Faith Adiele leads us on an insightful journey into Buddhism, sharing both her personal journey and her understanding of Buddhist discipline. This is a well-written, well organized book that should be of interest to those interested in expanding their religious horizons.
A real gift..........2005-08-29
I recently purchased Faith Adiele's book as a gift for a colleague. The write-up sounded like something that would appeal to him. When it arrived, I thought I would just glance through it to be sure it was appropriate, and found myself immediately hooked. Not only have I become immersed in the writing, but the book arrived at a time of major transition in my life, and Faith's journey has in significant ways come to inform my own. There is also the sense that with the journal notes written in the margins of every page, I have shrewdly gotten two books for the price of one! Highly recommended.
Teachers and Counselors Take Note.......2004-11-14
Faith Adiele's wonderful book is the kind I wish was on the reading lists in high schools and colleges. It goes to the heart of searching--and what young person isn't a searcher? It addresses the pain and wonder of growing up as part of two races and being initiated spiritually into a third. Ms. Adiele has also written a compelling story of traveling in one of Asia's most fascinating cultures. Bravo!
Book Description
Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.
Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.
Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.
A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10
Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.
Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31
An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.
That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.
I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.
NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.
A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27
This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.
The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.
All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.
Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21
Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.
In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.
This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.
a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21
A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.
But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)
There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?
These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.
Book Description
"The hurricane was howling, the hailstones beating against windows, the hoarse croaking of the raven bidding adieu to autumn, and the weather-cock's dismal creaking joined with the mournful dirge of the solitary owl..."
The Necromancer consists of a series of interconnected stories, all centering on the enigmatic figure of Volkert the Necromancer. Filled with murder, ghosts, and dark magic, and featuring a delirious and dizzying plot that almost defies comprehension, The Necromancer is one of the strangest horror novels ever written.
One of the earliest Gothic bestsellers, The Necromancer was first published in 1794, and after more than two centuries still retains the power to thrill and fascinate readers. This edition includes a new preface which reveals for the first time ever the true identity of The Necromancer's author, as well as an original critical essay by Jeffrey Cass, analysing the novel from a modern queer theory standpoint. The complete text of three contemporary reviews and helpful annotations are also included to further enhance this edition.
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- Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves
- California Wine Country: A Sunset Field Guide (Sunset Field Guides)
- Cross
- Cut and Run: Loggin' Off the Big Woods
- Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body
- Enrique's Journey
- Everyday Pasta
- Fodor's See It Barcelona, 2nd Edition (Fodor's See It)
- Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando 2007 (Frommer's Complete)
- Frommer's Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks (Park Guides)
Books Index
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