Product Description
Spanning 170 years, from William Henry Fox Talbotís first negative to Jeff Wallís latest constructed tableau, Singular Images collects thought-provoking essays on individual photographs, one image per writer. The essayists consider, sometimes in highly personal ways, the artistís intention, their own response, the workís technical complexities, its historical context or its formal properties. Each text captures a sense of how challenging it is to create a perfect single piece. Art photography has been increasingly well-surveyed in recent years, but individual works have rarely been written about at length, perhaps because of lingering doubt that a single photograph can command the kind of sustained attention often given to individual paintings or sculptures. Singular Images is a lively inquiry into the value of analyzing individual photographs, and it persuasively encourages the reader to engage at length and in depth with one remarkable piece at a time. With its broad scope and diverse range of issues, it can also be read as an informal--and thoroughly entertaining--introduction to art photography. Featuring essays by some of the most brilliant critical minds in the field, including David Campany on Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp, Darsie Alexander on Nan Goldin and Liz Jobey on Diane Arbus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Brook
Great book with interesting approches on the images.
I'm glad to have it.

Covers well over 150 years of photography
Singular Images: Essays On Remarkable Photographs covers well over 150 years of photography, from Talbot's first negative to the latest changes in photographic art. Essays collect analysis of individual photos however, not the genre as a whole, focusing on a single image's achievements and exploring artist intention, technical and historical background, and the artistic community's response. Black and white photos blend with in-depth analysis to show what makes an achievement exceptional in the photography field.
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The first thematically arranged collection of Hume's political writings, this new work brings together substantive selections from "A Treatise on Human Nature", "An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals", and "Essays: Moral, Political and Literary", with an interpretive introduction placing Hume in the context of contemporary debates between liberalism and its critics and between contextual and universal approaches. ... Read more

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This fascinating book discusses the ways that American Protestants use devotional images in their religious life, focusing on the production, marketing, and reception of Warner Sallman`s religious illustrations, especially his widely known 1940 Head of Christ. Five eminent historians explore Sallman`s art from theological, liturgical, and aesthetic perspectives, along the way revealing much about twentieth-century American evangelism. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Useful for insight, but not as history
Ottonian Germany: The Chronicon of Thietmar of Mersebrg is more useful as a means of getting an insight into the culture, politics and mindset of the Holy Roman Empire of the 10th and 11th centuries than as any kind of actual history of the period. It helps to understand that it was written, not by a historian trying to make sense of the period but by a bishop who lived during the period and had connections to many of the key players of the day. It also helps to remember that a chronicon, or chronicle, is not a proper history but "a narrative historical account of events arranged in order of time usually without analysis or interpretation". And lastly, it helps to accept up front that Thietmar, though very much a man of his time, was in no way a professional writer and that reading his chronicon requires a certain dogged determination on the part of the reader.

That said, I feel that Thietmar's Chronicon does have value if what you want is some insight into the culture, politics and mindset of the world Thietmar lived in. In the Chronicon, you get a sense of the constant three-way power struggle that characterized the Holy Roman Empire, a loose empire of individual principalities (each with its own duke, king, count, margrave and other titled nobility) with the Emperor at the top and with the church as the binding cultural force. Much of the chronicon deals with the never-ending conflicts between the Emperor and the nobility, between the nobility and the church, and between the church and the emporer. Thietmar's perspective, as a bishop and as a member of the nobility, gives a unique insight into the dynamics of these struggles, ones in which divided loyalties were a common problem. This was further complicated by the fact that there were no clear dividing lines between the three sides, since most of the higher clergy were members of the nobility and many of the nobility had familial ties to the Emperor. And on top of that, when the Emperor was not fighting with the nobility himself, he was having to try to keep the nobility from fighting each other (fueding nobles were a constant problem) and to keep the empire from falling victim to external threats as well. Poland (or what would later be Poland) was a particular thorn in the empire's side.

Another useful insight of the book is how clear it was that the church was deeply political itself, with internal struggles for power, position and property on top of the external struggles with the nobility over the very same things. In order to acquire his bishopric, Thietmar himself had to bargain and barter with an uncle whose cooperation he needed to be confirmed in his position and with the bishop already holding the post:

"At that time, a cleric of noble lineage, named Dietrich, lived in our vicinity.On the recommendation of the aforementioned count, he acquired the provostship in return for ten manses. After he had occupied it for more than ten years, my mother died. As the third son, I then inherited the abbey and received half of its property from my brothers. Thereafter, I frequently asked my uncle to let me assume the provostship and do so as a gift or at least for a modest price. After long and difficult negotiations, he asked me for a large payment, ignoring the obligations of both love and affinity. In the absence of support from my brothers, I agreed to his demand and was made protector of this church of which I was already a servant through my paternal inheritance on 7 May of the year 1002. The cooperation of my predecessor was obtained in return for acceptable compensation."

Yet another insight of the book is how much superstition and mysticism played a role in the culture of the times, even among the clergy. Ottonian Germany was very much a time and place of miracles, omens and prophetic dreams, as can be seen in the following typical passages:

"In the following year, at the rooster's first crow, a light as bright as day shone from the north and remained for one hour but vanished as the rest of the sky grew red. Some people claim that, in the same year, they saw three suns, three moons, and the stars doing battle with one another. After this, Archbishop Ekbert of Trier died and was succeeded by Liudolf; likewise Dodo of Munster after whom Swidger was consecrated; and Erp of Verden who was succeeded by the provest of the cathedral, Bernhar. A great famine also oppressed our regions."

"Meanwhile, in a certain village called Hordorf, an infant was born who was only half human; from behind he was similar to a goose, his right ear and eye were smaller than the left, his teeth were yellow as saffron; he lacked four fingers on his left hand with only the thumb being normal; before his baptism he had a rather dazed expression but afterwards nothing at all. He died on the fourth day. Becuase of our misdeeds, this monster brought a great pestilence."

This also illustrates one of the more frustrating aspects of the book. Thietmar will often go on for pages about events surrounding the death or succession of various members of the clergy, and then throw in as an afterthought one-line asides akin to "And there was a famine" (or war, flood or plague) and then go on with no further description or comment on the matter.

There are more interesting anecdotes mixed in, such as when Thietmar's uncles are captured by pirates and held for ransom and when some particularly unpleasant noble gets his comeuppance. And some of the descriptions of battles are quite vivid as well.

All that said, if you can get through Thietmar's meandering, haphazard and anecdotal style, you do come away with a definite feel for the period with its endless conflicts and shifting loyalties, and its overwhelming religiousity combined with deep superstition and hard-nosed politicking. The book does have definite value in that context, but you really have to work to get it. With that mind, I would recommend it to serious students of the period.

Good source- Great Intro
Thietmar was a bishop of Merseburg which is in what is now Germany. His chronicle covers the reigns of Henry I, Otto I, II & III, and Henry II. This is a valuable source finally available in English.

Because I am new to this timeperiod in medieval history, the extensive background material provided by the translater David A. Warner was a big bonus. Also included are extensive footnotes, geneologies, maps, an index and a bibliograhy.

I rate this a 'must have' source for those with an interest in the period.

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Product Description
Join the Backyardigans in this exciting new adventure! Cowboys Tyrone, Pablo, and Austin, along with Cowgirl Uniqua, are on their way to the Polka Palace Party in Wyoming. But when they run into danger and lose the instruments that they're planning to play at the party, they realize the importance of working together as a team. This full-color 8 x 8 storybook is perfect for young readers between the ages of 3 and 7. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Polka Palace Party--Bakcyardigans
The book isn't as good as the episode of the same name.We missed out on all the singing and instrument playing that really made the show.Hard to have a polka party without a polka.But we read the book and sing the songs ourselves.Still it is a pretty good book and we enjoy reading it.

One of the More Fun Backyardigans Books
"The Polka Palace Party" is a pretty fun Backyardigans book based on one of the television episodes. In this story, Tyrone is on his way to play polka music for a Worman birthday party. It's something of a journey, but on his way he finds helpful and musical friends.

This book nicely preserves some of the fun "cowboy" and "wild west" dialogue from the show. It's fully illustrated like the others and is generally a fun read for fans of the series. ... Read more

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David Warner first arrived on Bimini in his youth. Captivated by the island's quirky natives and their relaxed culture, Warner has been returning frequently ever since. Rather than write a travel guide, in his new book Warner recreates the excitement and danger of the Bimini he has come to know for the traveler who prefers the safety of the armchair.

Warner introduces us to the eclectic personalities that people the island - the fishermen and smugglers, the Hemingway scholars and the Hemingway compatriots, the lawless and the lovelorn - and recounts the adventures they lived.

With his intimate knowledge of the island and its inhabitants, Warner, Bimini's adopted son, takes the reader on a trip to the Bahamas not available through any tour. ... Read more

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"Ross Marteau is the toast of the international art world for his sensual sculptures of rich and famous women. But when a long-term relationship breaks up badly, he retreats to his Texas hometown - only to have his newfound peace of mind permanently, profoundly, shattered." "One afternoon over lunch, Ross is approached by a woman to whom he feels an irresistible attraction. She introduces herself as Celeste Lacan and asks him to take on a new commission, a sculpture of her younger sister, Leda, promising that the job will present artistic challenges unlike any he has encountered before. Though reluctant, Ross can't help but be intrigued: by Celeste herself and by a photo of Leda's face, a portrait of incomparable beauty." "When he meets her, Ross is stunned to discover that Leda's body is as startlingly unique as her face is beautiful. Just as Celeste predicted, he becomes consumed with portraying the duality of her body and, perhaps, her soul. At the same time, he becomes increasingly aware that the enigmatic depth he sees in Celeste is as mesmerizing as the fathomless torment he sees in Leda. Soon he's romantically involved with one sister; his relationship with the other is much harder to define." "As Ross begins to sculpt, Leda vacillates between seductiveness and a mystifying aloofness, while Celeste begins to withdraw from his touch. Then a sudden, violent murder draws him deeper into their world. Too late, Ross will learn that his bond with the women is older, darker - and more explosive - than he could ever have imagined." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

beautiful writing, unfortunate story
David L. Lindsey's writing in this book is fabulous: peaceful, detailed, lyrical. I thoroughly enjoyed the pace and the way Lindsey puts words together to convey descriptions and ideas. The actual story, however, left me cold. Another reviewer mentioned that the protagonist is passive. Worse, he's gullible and apparently completely unable to think for himself. Other characters repeatedly lie to him and he believes every outrageous thing he's told with very little questioning. I'm not sorry I read the book, but I did leave it in a hotel room - it's not a book I'd add to my collection.

A Tale of a Stupid Man
I have enjoyed David Lindsey's novels, but this one was a big disappointment. I firmly believed it should be renamed "A Tale of a Stupid Man".I came away with the impression that the main character, Ross Marteau, thought more with his male sex organ than with his brain, and this led him to an inglorious (and probably well-deserved) end.

Let's fit as many male sexual fantasies into one tale as we can...
The only person in the family that artist Ross Marteau doesn't shag in this tale is the mother.That's because she died before he got to her. I enjoyed this book. The writing is beautiful, but I was annoyed by how gullible Ross was over and over again.chocolatesleuth.com recommends this book though because it packs a lot of suspense.

Spellbinding and captivating!
Never have I been so transfixed by a story!Lindsey's protagonist, Ross Marteau, is an intense sculptor, whose relationships with women mirrored his passion.The consequences of the characters' animosity toward each other were astounding.They all became irrevokably dependent on each other as a web of deceit, malice, and evil unraveled all of their lives.

There was also an underlying theme to the story that I found intriguing.It highlighted the paradox in which beauty and ugliness can co-exist within the same person, both on a physical and an emotional level.

This book was seductive. I've never read anything like it.

this well written book is in the end only BLAH
I was very upset with Lindsey over this book. He managed to write with beautiful prose that created a very evocative sense of place. I felt like I was inside a classic MGM noir flick, watching characters delve towards the seedier side. But aside from the great writing, the plot here in the end became insulting and rather beside the point. Its as if Lindsey, with this book, were not writing a mystery or a thriller but putting up essences of emotions and places under the guise of a genre novel. So what you have here is something trapped in between a Jim Harrison tale that is biting in its glint edged fury and a David Lynch flick. And with Lynch, I am referring to his films as being nothing more than a grand pastiche of emotions or of moving paintings that really have no plot.

So this book does not work... try Jim Harrison for a tale that it seems Lindsey finds influence in. All of Harrison's books that I have picked up have been very good, so I don't think that you will be disappointed by any of them. Just skip this book, `Animosity,' and move on to something better.
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Product Description
Poe's poems, more personal than his prose, explore the themesof love, death and despair, reflecting the anguish he suffered throughhis own short, troubled life. Often flawlessly constructed, alwaysrich in rhythm and sound, the poems so artfully presented in thisrecording weave an atmosphere of romance and meloncholy that is atonce familiar and mysterious. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Should have been better
Like the first reviewer, I thought Gregory Hines absolutely ruined "Annabel Lee" for me, which is--or now, was--also one of MY favorite Poe poems. What's next, "Gregory Hines Tapdances 'A Cask of Amontillado'"? Stick to you day-job, Greg! Michael York and David Warner are much beter readers than Hines, though when York reads "I shrieked..." it hardly sounds like a shriek. Their readings are good, but not great. By far the two less-famous (to me, anyway) readers on the tape, Roger Rees and Christopher Cazenove, are giants compatred to the other three. Rees' reading of "The Conqueror Worm" alone is worth the price of this tape. Obviously Rees and Cazenove are experienced Shakespeare-trained actors who love--and know how to utilize to startling results--the English language. I would pay almost anything for a new version of this tape read by Rees and Cazenove alone, or possibly by them and other accomplished Shakepearean actors (Patrick Stewart? Ralph Fiennes? Simon Russell Beale?). It's just not enough, to effectively read aloud poems or prose written by a master, to be famous (Hines) or even British and famous (York and Warner); you have to be GOOD! Anyway, overall this tape's worth buying.

Fantastic listening....
This is a great CD for listening to Poe..all the readers have enchanting voices, especially Warner who reads "Lenore". Heart-breaking! ... Read more

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Diego’s going on a high-stakes swamp adventure to save a little crocodile who can’t find his new home. See Diego swing over a pit filled with snakes, run through the rainforest, and learn all about crocodiles in this exciting comic book-style adventure! ... Read more

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Much of the modern way of thinking about history and historiography in fact begins with the great Greek historian Thucydides, an Athenian general in the latter half of the fifth century b.c.e. It is also Thucydides who provides us with the historical framework for fifth-century Greece, a period of progress and creativity rarely equaled in human history. His work, The Peloponnesian War, recounts that destructive conflict and also includes the only surviving contemporary record of the rise of the Athenian empire. Thucydides teaches his readers that the most powerful states in the world can come to a humiliating end, that a careless tyranny, especially toward the weak, and, nearly two millennia before Machiavelli, that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
In A Historical Commentary on Thucydides, David Cartwright aims to guide the Greekless reader through Thucydides' fascinating yet demanding narrative. Cartwright's is the only such full-length, one-volume commentary and companion: it is based on Rex Warner's Penguin translation of Thucydides--the most widely used translation--and requires no knowledge of Greek. The introduction to A Historical Commentary on Thucydides includes a brief biography of Thucydides: his approach, aims, and methods are discussed, as are the general character of his work and his contribution to historiography. The commentary gives brief accounts of the people and places mentioned by Thucydides and puts events in their immediate and wider contexts. Cartwright provides occasional summaries, explains Greek concepts and technical terms, and offers interpretations of difficult or controversial passages. The author also picks out important historiographical issues and discusses the themes' underlying events.
For both first-time readers and seasoned students, this commentary gives broad access to one of antiquity's most profound and difficult writers. Historians, classicists, and anyone else interested in the cultural and intellectual achievements of ancient Greece will find A Historical Commentary on Thucydides a welcome addition to their library.
David Cartwright is Head of Classics at Dulwich College, London, England.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Greatest Of All Greek Historians
David Cartwright's "A Historical Commentary On Thucydides gently guides the reader through the historians complex narrative paving the way for making this history a very enjoyable read.This book includes a plethora of maps, definitions and cross-references to help modern readers become more immersed in the text.The greatest of all Greek historians was the Athenian general Thucydides (455-400 B.C.E.).Thucydides' classic work, "History Of The Peloponnesian War", provides us with the historical framework for 5th century Greece, a golden age of intellectual achievement and creativity rarely equaled in human history.This history is by far the best account of the bitter war between Athens and Sparta as well as the only surviving contemporary record of the rise of the Athenian empire.Thucydides as a master story teller doesn't just cover the battle scenes, he records the great political speeches of Pericles, leader of Athens, and Lysander leader of Sparta with great acumen.He is recognized as the first historian to actually go and get eyewitness accounts, visit battlefieilds and research documents and records.This work took him over 20 years and it shows!

The lessons he teaches about imperial over reaching and unreasonable peace settlements are prescient today as they were during his times.President Woodrow Wilson, read this book on his voyage across the Atlantic to the Versailles Peace Conference and vociferously fought the other Allies in making unreasonable demands of the Germans. Wilson learned the dangers that the world would be placed in by backing the Germans into a corner politically and economically from Thucydides book.

I recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.I highly recommend you read it with David Cartwright's "A Historical Commentary On Thucydides.
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Product Description
Jessie sees a mysterious woman walking on the grounds of the lighthouse late at night. Watch, Jessie's dog, wakes up growling almost every evening...at midnight. And Henry finds a puzzling note in the sand. Adventure is always close for the Boxcar Children!. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

henry bright
a very good book. a real page turner. lots of mysterious things but not many anwsers.

A Childhood Classic
In the eighth book of "The Boxcar Children" series, the Alden children and their grandfather are renting a lighthouse for the summer.They anticipate a quiet summer by the sea, but find themselves investigating a mystery instead.Their dog wakes up growling each evening, and an unknown woman is seen wandering the grounds.

When the children befriend a troubled but gifted young man, Larry Cook, they discover that he is using the abandoned lighthouse keeper's cottage for scientific experiments.The boy's father has forbidden him from attending college, so Larry continues his studies in secret.When Larry becomes lost during a summer storm, will his father have a change of heart?

I read this book as a child and greatly enjoyed revisiting it as an adult.The Lighthouse Mystery perfectly combines intrigue, adventure and a strong moral message.Highly recommended for young readers.

Classic Boxcar Children book
This book is a timeless classic! I use it every year with my third grade students in reading group. I highly recommend it to teachers looking for an enjoyable novel to supplement their reading curriculum.

The Lighthouse Mystery
The Lighthouse Mystery

The Lighthouse Mystery is about a family that rents a lighthouse, and they see a lady on the beach every night. At twelve o'clock they here a person down stairs, and the dog, Watch starts barking and doesn't stop. Oh,I almost for gotthe charectors were Henry the big brother, Violet little sister, Benny little brother , Jessy big sister,Mr Alden the Grandfather, and Larry cook a scary stranger that becomes a friend. I don't know about you, but I loved reading it. It had so much adventure.And it always got more mysterious in each chapter.So if you don't like mysterious things, than you wouldn't want to read this book.But you never know.Your probably asking why I picked this book?Well ill tell you, I like books that have mysterys.If you dont like mysterys than i wouldnt suggest you read this book but if you do like mystery books than you would love this book so i suggest you read it and i hope you will like reading this book and theres what i think.

The Lighthouse Mystery
The story is an adventure because a family moves to a lighthouse for vacations.They tried to be friends with every body,and they tried to solve a mystery.This is a very exciting book.I liked it because it has a lot of things that are cool.So
I recommend it to people and readers because they are gingto love it.It will take a while,but it is a nice story.It takes place on the beach and it's about friendship. ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Noel Gallagher, Ian Curtis, Genesis P-Orridge, Davey Boy Smith, David Warner, David Greene, George Coulouris, Norman Foster, George Zucco, David Lloyd George, Steve Coogan, Natan Slifkin, Bernard Hill, Alicia Rhodes, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Ross Brawn, Danny Boyle, James Chadwick, Andrew Gibb, Magnus Lund, Justin Chadwick, Christabel Pankhurst, Arthur Harden, Sam Tingle, Samuel Bealey Harrison, Footit, Matthew Brady, Brenda Milner, Nick George, Jeanette Winterson, John Frederick Byrne, Andy Hinchcliffe, Albert Hourani, Andrew Knott, Harry Edwin Wood, Stephen Bywater, Alexander Sanders, Nicholas Hytner, Roger Byrne, David Schofield, Pete Travis, William Henry, Terry Phelan, Vivien Merchant, John Thaw, Tim Parks, Linus Roache, Gwyneth Jones, Richard Ashton. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Noel Thomas David Gallagher, né le 29 mai 1967 à Manchester (Angleterre), est un guitariste et auteur-compositeur anglais d'origine irlandaise. Il fut le compositeur principal, lead-guitariste et chanteur occasionnel du groupe de rock britannique Oasis. Il formait avec son frère cadet Liam Gallagher, chanteur principal d'Oasis, une fratrie chamailleuse célèbre dans la presse musicale. Dans le milieu des années 1990, Noel Gallagher a été un des acteurs principaux du mouvement britpop durant lequel le groupe Oasis y a connu de grands succès critiques et commerciaux. Noel Gallagher naît le 29 mai 1967 à Burnage, un quartier de Manchester. Il est le deuxième enfant de la famille : son frère Paul est né en 1966. La naissance de Liam en 1972 déménagement de la famille à Ashburn Avenue. Noel vit une enfance malheureuse avec un père violent qui bat souvent ses enfants, lui et Paul en particulier, ce qui les rend victim...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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Chapters: Howard Hughes, Jack Warner, David O. Selznick, Adolph Zukor, Michael Eisner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner, Sam Warner, Kirk Kerkorian, Fay Vincent, Harvey Weinstein, Samuel Goldwyn, Sherry Lansing, Louis B. Mayer, Hal Roach, Stephen A. Unger, Oliver A. Unger, Robert Evans, John W. Hyde, Barry Diller, Mike Medavoy, Darryl F. Zanuck, Fred Ball, Harry Cohn, Mark Canton, David Kirkpatrick, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Bob Weinstein, Frank Rosenfelt, Brad Grey, Morris Sullivan, Herbert Yates, Ned Tanen, Dore Schary, Richard A. Rowland, Hal Lieberman, Howard W. Koch, Gary Lucchesi, Steven Rothenberg, John Calley, Daniel Battsek, Ronald Meyer, Richard H. Frank, Michael Nolin, Eddie Mannix, Gary Goetzman, Eric Eisner, Frank Wells, Howard Strickling, John C. Kilkenny, Sid Ganis, Andrew Scheinman, Kerry Mccluggage, Jon Feltheimer, Steve Broidy, Greg Mielcarz, Larry Meistrich, Christopher Vogler, Leo Jaffe, Morris Ruskin, Jeff Small, Ted Ashley, Y. Frank Freeman, Winfield Sheehan, Tom Sherak, Frank Mancuso, Sr., Amy Pascal, Robert Benjamin, Edmond L. Depatie, Tom Ortenberg. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 340. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Harry Morris Warner (December 12, 1881 July 27, 1958) was an American studio executive, one of the founders of Warner Bros., and a major contributor to the development of the film industry. Along with his three brothers (Albert, Sam and Jack) Warner played a crucial role in the film business and played a key role in establishing Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc, serving as the company president until 1956. Warner was born Hirsch Moses "Wonsal" or "Wonskolaser" to a family of Polish Jews from the village of Krasnosielc. The village was a short distance from Warsaw in the part of Poland that had been subjugated to the Russian Empire following the 18th-century ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1298641 ... Read more

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Chapters: Zoë Wanamaker, Gavin Rossdale, Brian Epstein, David Suchet, Peter Ustinov, David Warner, Amy Winehouse, Boris Johnson, Nick Clegg, Helen Mirren, Mark Ronson, Carl Barât, Mick Jones, Lilia Kopylova, Steven Berkoff, Michael Winner, Nikolai Tolstoy, Samantha Ronson, Oliver Reed, Jonathan Dimbleby, Sophia Myles, Paul Kossoff, Jo Johnson, John Sergeant, Sophie Okonedo, Robert Kazinsky, Theodore Komisarjevsky, Alexandra Tolstoy, Melanie Blatt, Alfie Bass, John Suchet, Stuart Rose, Roger Landes, Katherine Parkinson, Amanda Donohoe, Victoria Tennant, Albert Coates, David Kossoff, Jill Craigie, John Robert Vane, Nahum Sokolow, René Zagger, Sergei Pavlenko, Georgia Slowe, Vladimir Peniakoff, Monja Danischewsky, Carolyn Seymour, Seva Novgorodsev, Paul Ableman. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 354. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Amy Jade Winehouse (born 14 September 1983) is an English singer-songwriter, known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including R ... Read more

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Chapters: John Thaw, Davy Jones, Robert Donat, Vivien Merchant, Bernard Hill, David Warner, Holliday Grainger, Marsha Thomason, Chris Addison, Caroline Aherne, Bruce Jones, Lyndsey Marshal, David Threlfall, Louise Cliffe, Burt Kwouk, Pat Phoenix, C. Hayden Coffin, Paula Wilcox, Barbara Kellerman, Peter Noone, Kevin Kennedy, Jane Hazlegrove, Tina O'brien, Linus Roache, Violet Carson, James Murray, George Zucco, Gwyneth Powell, Sam Kelly, Alex Etel, Afshan Azad, Kenneth Macdonald, Sally Rogers, Caroline Catz, Kenneth Colley, Jack Smethurst, Simon Gregson, Matthew Mcnulty, Sidney Ainsworth, David Schofield, Michael le Vell, Brenda Bruce, Caroline Milmoe, Louise Harrison, Raoul Bhaneja, Brenda de Banzie, Lee Boardman, Donald Hewlett, Avis Bunnage, Hilary Tindall, Ciaran Griffiths, Don Knight, Tamzin Malleson, Steve Dixon, Lorraine Ashbourne, Alan Igbon, Travis Yates, Olivia Hamnett, Scott Taylor, Richard Albrecht, Philip Martin Brown, Malcolm Tierney, Nick Sidi, Samantha Siddall, Eamon Boland, Ralph Lynn, David Michaels, Samantha Mccarthy, Lorraine Cheshire, Sandra Gough, Adam Kendrick. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 236. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: David Warner (born 29 July 1941) is an English actor, who is known for playing sinister or villainous characters. Warner was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, the son of Doreen (née Hattersley) and Herbert Simon Warner, who was a nursing home proprietor. He was born out of wedlock and frequently taken to be brought up by each of his parents, eventually settling with his Russian Jewish father and his stepmother. He was educated at Feldon School, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London. Warner made his professional stage debut at the Royal Court Theatre in Januar...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=174456 ... Read more

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11" x 17" 12-page pressbook. ... Read more

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BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRIST by Ira David Warner, D.D. with introduction by D. T. Gregory, D. D. (1939 SIGNED BY AUTHOR! Softcover sewn binding 152 pages. The United Brethren Publishing House, Dayton OH, Author was a Bishop of the United Brethren Church) ... Read more

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Grant Archer merely wanted to work quietly as an astronomer on the far side of the moon. But a coalition of censorious do-gooders who run 21st century America sends him to a research station in orbit around Jupiter to spy on the scientists who work there. What they don't know is that Grant's loyalty to science may be greater than his loyalty to the New Morality.Amazon.com Review
He made planetfall on Venus and all but colonized Mars, so it's not surprising that SF don Ben Bova finally set his sights on our solar system's swirling, red-eyed sovereign.

As with his previous planetary exploration books, Jupiter plants you right in the heart of the action, witness to the speculative science and political intrigue--and in this case, religious machination--that surround a fast-paced, dangerous, and technically fleshed-out mission. Our unlikely hero on this touchdown is an earnest, likeable, hard-working grad student named Grant Archer, a frustrated astrophysicist who's been shanghaied aboard Jupiter's Gold space station to fulfill a ROTC-style public-service commitment. What's worse, this devout young man has been ordered by the New Morality--the American flavor of the conservative religious order that runs Earth nowadays--to spy on some suspicious research involving alleged Jovian life forms.

Bova begins his book with an A.C. Clarke quote: "The rash assertion that 'God made man in His own image' is ticking like a time bomb at the foundation of many faiths." This tells you pretty much everything you need to know about where this book's going, and who, respectively, will be wearing the white and the black hats (unfortunately, some of the characterizations don't get much deeper). That the central protagonist is both a Christian and a scientist makes for some fertile character development, but Bova's not exactly gunning for God here--he's happy just to blast away at narrow-minded ideologues and other assorted religious fanatics. (But that, of course, is about as easy as making teenagers depressed.) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Post Tenebras Lux
I don't have a lot to say here except that based on the author's reputation I was expecting a much more interesting book. Truthfully I was bored and finished Jupiter by sheer power of will. The book never took off or found its footing and the payoff was not worth the effort of investing a few hours in this story. There were a few good moments here and there when it came to its descriptions of Jupiter, the titular planet that is "stranger than we can imagine" but overall this novel was a lot like a car without an engine.

Great Sci-Fi
I was looking to read a good hard Sci-Fi story and Jupiter fits the bill.I enjoyed how Grant maintained his belief and challenged the idea that God could not create intellegent alien life.This novel brings up many interesting questions but at it's heart it is still a Sci-Fi adventure into Jupiter.Bova does a good job of making the reader want to find out what is going to eventually happen when the expedition gets deep into Jupiter.

Very well imagined!
Reading this novel, I felt like I was transported to a science station orbiting Jupiter.Then, to the roiling sea and storms of Jupiter itself.Bova does a spectacular job of envisioning Jovian life in its extreme environment.The image of the alien protagonist Leviathan will stay with me for quite some time.Jupiter is not without its narrative and character development flaws, but these pale in the broader setting of a story very well told and richly detailed.

How would you react to the discovery of intelligent alien life?
John Campbell, arguably the best known editor in the history of science fiction, once demanded of his writers, "Write me a story about an organism that thinks as well as a man, but not like a man." Probably the best known successful response to that challenge was Stanley Weinbaum's pseudo-ostrich Tweel in "The Martian Odyssey". It's only my opinion, of course, but I believe that Hal Clement's Mesklinites, the bizarre natives of a world of frozen methane and ammonia crushed with a gravity over 700 times that of earth also completed Campbell's imaginative challenge.

But, that was then and this is now. If John Campbell were still alive, I'm sure he would agree that Leviathan, Ben Bova's sentient colossus swimming the storm tossed globe-girdling oceans of Jupiter, a planet so massive that it is within an ace of self-igniting into a star, would also qualify as a winner in his alien life-form fiction sweepstakes.

As part of the continuing "Grand Tour of the Universe" series, "Jupiter" is certainly high falutin', rootin' tootin' space opera replete with all the high-tech gadgets, personalities, heroism and skulduggery that one would expect of any self-respecting member of this venerable sci-fi sub-genre. The basic plot idea is simple. It's the story of mankind's establishment of an experimental space station orbiting Jupiter, the development of research programs investigating Jupiter's large moons - Io, Ganymede, Europa, Callisto - and, ultimately, the first tentative exploration of the amorphous surface of Jupiter, the discovery of Jovian lifeforms and the realization that at least one of these species is sentient, intelligent and capable of communication. Bova has transformed a very basic scientific idea into an exciting plot-line with plenty of edge of the seat moments and lots of imaginative science that isn't entirely off the radar screen of credibility.

But, for me, what really pulls "Jupiter" into the 5-star range is Bova's portrayal of the ultra-right wing religious opposition to this basic scientific research and the philosophical discussion of humanity's conflicted reaction to, first, the possibility and, finally, the reality of sentient extra-terrestrial life.

Bova's "Grand Tour of the Universe" series is a continuing joy. Naturally, with such an extended series, some of the novels are much better or much worse than their siblings. "Mercury", for example, was much more soap opera than space opera. But "Jupiter" definitely fired on all cylinders and was an all out success. Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

Great cover, interesting premise, poor execution
I came across Jupiter in a used book store, read the back cover, and bought it. The tag line: A novel of a planet stranger than we can imagine... and that is certainly true, though I would query the adjective and verb choice. A silly, unimaginable world is more apt. Like Alice in Wonderland the characters and landscape are absurd, but in Jupiter not intentionally so.

This would be forgivable if the world was explored and revealed in a compelling way, or if the adventure itself produced scenes and images not quickly forgotten. The curtain is removed only late in the novel, and the exploration is completely unsatisfying. The 'discovery' not yet made by the characters is already known to the reader and the outcome of the mission is never in doubt. At no point does any scene, image, or idea arrest the reader.

Threads are spun in the beginning pages that neither thin, thicken, cross, or tangle, until the last 50 pages, and the resulting knot is unraveled more quickly than a slip knot. The main (and only) character is never in any danger and the 'villain' is impotent and offstage until the end. The protagonist struggles briefly with torn loyalties which are resolved in the most obvious way. Anything trying to be said, any theme trying to break through the story, is buried by the absurdity of the 'scientific' speculations on the future.


Extraterrestrial life? Intelligent life? Really no more than a gimmick to the entire novel.
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