Amazon.com
With the sensuous eye and profound sense of history that have made him one of the most acclaimed living novelists, John Berger, author ofG., tells the story of a wedding that takes place in a Europe that is approaching the end of the century, a place where everything has changed - and not even the certainties of love are exempt.This is Berger's fin de siecle , a transcendent celebration of passion at the end of our millennium.The New York Times Book Review
Mr. Berger's prose is lean, unembellished and metrical. This book is far more than yet another sincere attempt to encompass the arbitrariness and injustice of AIDS. It is about the natural grandeur of human love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Looking at love...
Berger's To the Wedding magically extends the author's critical vision which he has elaborated in both Ways of Seeing and On Looking.In those essay collections, Berger establishes himself as a champion of creative looking - looking as a way of gleaning knowledge, beauty and understanding.To the Wedding is narrated by a blind peddler of tamata, stamped metal charms, who is tied to two of his customers, a father and daughter, by a gift of intimate vision.He is the omniscient narrator, a blind man who has a keen cinematic sense, and his focus is on the unfolding life of the daughter, Ninon and her lover Gino.They are shown navigating a landscape of love and loneliness, confronting the tragic nearness of death, learning to trust and retain hope, and experiencing the great festive release of the titular celebration.The story is told with so much love and respect for the characters that it is impossible not to be greatly affected in reading.There is this side to Berger's work, where he compels his readers to turn away from his books and back towards the world with a new capacity for compassionate engagement.We are invited to see the beauty and suffering that is all around us.Berger's storytelling is a timeless art that nonetheless bears the imprint of a modern world that consistently brings new challenges to our attempt to live consciously and happily.

A balm for all the scars of life...
This was definitely a different reading experience for me. At first I wasn't quite sure what was going on, or what the point was, but when I got to about page 75, it suddenly all started coming together. So a word of advice to anyone having trouble "getting into" this one: Just keep going! It does make sense eventually. I can't reveal too much without spoiling the story, but after the relatively long "set up" period, the story really does start to move. Once I understood what was happening, I couldn't put the book down, and finished it in a single day. By the time I'd reached the end, I was very impressed with Berger's work.

"To the Wedding" is narrated by a blind Greek street-peddler. He sells tamata, small metal charms supposed to bring relief to those who suffer. One day, a man stops at the stall to buy a tama for his daughter. "Where is she suffering?" the peddler asks. "Everywhere," the father replies. He buys a tama and goes on his way. The street peddler never meets him, or his daughter, again. But he tells us a story about the girl, Ninon, and the preparations for her marriage to a man called Gino.

This is a love story, but it is also much more. The more I reflect upon it, the more I get out of it, and I'm sure I would gain an even deeper appreciation upon reading it a second time. It explores what it means to love someone, the relationship of sex and love, and different ways to approach life in the face of knowledge of one's own mortality. If you know you are going to die in only a few years, what do you do? How do you live your life in the time between now and then? And is love in the present dependent on the possibility of having a future, or is it unconditional, in the moment? "To the Wedding" raises so many interesting questions, and offers multiple ways to view each one.

The format of the book may be a little off-putting at first. The primary narrator is the blind street peddler, but as he peers into the lives of others, the voice shifts from his own first-person viewpoint to the perspectives of his characters, told in first-person in Ninon's case, and third-person for the others - Ninon's father, mother, and Gino. We also jump from one person's life to another very rapidly, and sometimes it is hard to tell who is speaking, and whose eyes we are seeing through. Sometimes Berger will include something that seems to be of little importance, but do not overlook them - they invariably become important later on. I actually think that this fragmented story-telling style ultimately enhances the content of the book, but it takes a little getting used to.

I strongly urge everyone to read this book. "To the Wedding" has something to offer any reader that is willing to take a little time to reflect upon the themes it presents. It is a book I will treasure for years to come, and will definitely re-read every so often. Berger's story puts life into perspective, and offers hope to anyone who suffers. A very worthwhile read.

Sorry but I disagree...
I am going to be the lone voice in the wilderness... I could not get into this book, could not make it past the first thirty pages.The narrative voice rambles from first person to third person, often it is not clear what is going on...I think this is a challenging book and most certainly is not a novel for somebody who is looking for a light read.

Life changing
This book is both beautiful and devestating.It is lyric and direct.Heart wrneching and hopeful.This book is contradictory and yet realistic in its contradictions.This book absolutely changed the way I read, and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.Pull out the kleenex, though.

A friend of mine recommended this book to me in 1996.In the past six years I have come back to it time and again for its sheer beauty.This is not one to miss.

Unconditional
There is an event in this book that demonstrates the wonderful manner that John Berger consistently illuminates his readers, and his characters. The task in and of itself is of no great note; a small boat is guided from the shore to a small island. Gino who is taking his reluctant fiancé on the trip guides the boat. Ninon is not concerned about the trip rather Gino's insistence that they marry. The trip to the island is accomplished in several steps to allow for currents both known and unpredictable. When the crossing is accomplished and Ninon continues to question the point of the exercise, Gino explains it has nothing to do with the island as a destination, but the trip that illustrates, "how we're going to live".

The couple decides to marry but before they do human weakness steps in and irrevocably alters the future they had planed. Neither conventional wisdom nor anyone who knows either member of the couple believes the wedding should take place. The bride to be is amongst those who wish to see the union forever cancelled. Gino is the only person willing to see through what his love for this woman has become for him, a commitment without condition.

The Author surrounds this couple with all the variants of marriage. He includes the innocent moments that lead to the first shared intimacies, and he has the unions that have failed to overcome the difficulties they encountered. Throughout this process he forces the reader to make some difficult observations either personally or through a given character they may identify with. The Wedding that is supposed to take place is like a vortex drawing all the participants and observers to the main event, the core. When all the players have made their own journeys, Gino is no longer the odd man out. He has come to define an ideal; he has always known what is right and what the consequences would be.

A cynic might question Gino based upon the issue of time, however this would be an error. Time firstly is an artificial human construct, and even if used as a measure we know nothing about its allotment to each of us, not what will transpire during our portion. Gino does not suffer from the arrogance of presumption of time and its length. And the Author John Berger must understand this as well, for no one could communicate this more clearly, and with the contemporary relevance than he does, if it wasn't his own philosophy as well. ... Read more

Book Description
In this volume a distinguished group of internationally renowned clinicians and basic researchers discuss the present state of knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of Dupuytren's contracture, a disease responsible for a considerable portion of disabilities within the working population all over the world. Although the riddle of how the contracture of the palmar fascia develops is still unsolved, the data on the pathobiochemistry and clinic of Dupuytren's Disease achieved in recent years has led to a better understanding of the biochemical and morphological processes underlying the deformation and malfunction of the afflicted tissues. Research in Dupuytren's Disease now enters the era of molecular medicine, which opens up new experimental means of studying the pathological changes which occur during the formation of the contracture on a molecular level. In particular, data are presented as to the role of specific biological macromolecules influencing the phenotype expression of the palmar fascia cells which are involved in autoimmune reactions and present both at the cell surface as well as in the extracellular matrix to regulate cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions. In vitro cell culture models to investigate fibro-cytic modulations are available and have been applied to study the effects of specific biological molecules on isolated cells from healthy palmar fascia and Dupuytren's contracture. Complementary evaluations of morphological, epidemiological, and clinical data contribute essentially to the present understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of Dupuytren's Disease. This comprehensive and informative summary of the state of the art is completed by numerous references affixed to the individual contributions. ... Read more

Book Description
This is the story of a young man's recovery from a devastating stroke, taking the reader on a journey far beyond the typical "survivor" story, into the depths of a young man's feelings, across ten years of physical and emotional challenges."Paul does not let anything stop him from exploring and treating life as a gutsy adventure," says Barbara Newborn, author of "Return to Ithaca."

Follow Paul's story from his fight to live...his stubborn determination to return to work...his joy in testing his physical limits...getting lost in a coal mine...lobbying Congress on the space program...traveling to Europe...finding job, losing jobs...building a new career and a new life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

How to Conquer the World with One Hand...And an Attitude
Best "help" book I've read since my 33 year old son had a stroke.Couldn't put the book down and was amazed at how many similar things that we had gone through--AWESOME read for any young person who had a stroke or their caregivers.

It gave me hope!
My father is much older than Paul when he suffered his stroke in December of 2000.My father's stroke was very severe and has left him totally paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak or effectively communicate in any manner, which is the same side and conditions that Paul suffered.This book gave me hope that some day my 78-yr. old father may be able to communicate on some level.All speech therapy has been stopped for my father, but after reading this book and seeing what 8 years of therapy has done for Paul, my family is looking into our options once again.I can think of nearly nothing worse than being able to understand most of what is being said around you and not being able to communicate back.People with aphasia are essentially trapped within their own body.Thanks, Paul for having the courage to move forward with your life and to tell your story.It truly gave me hope!!

What an attitude!He must be from Philly.
I admit, I am also from Philly, and nobody messes with us. Paul wouldn't accept any diagnosis other than a life that was interesting and fulfilling.It's remarkable how he struggled to get back his body. It's a funny uplifting book that should give inspiration to other head trauma victims. (Anda nice reminder to the rest of us.)Paul and Stephanie have written about regaining a lifestyle they enjoyed in spite of new disablities. I found it fascinating that Paul came back with more of a sense of humor and a more outgoing personality. Imagine a man with aphasia starting conversations with his fellow commuters! What pluck.It's a readable book, for anyone, not just stroke victims.

Don't take "no" for an answer
For 8 years I led a support group for people with stroke and other brain injuries.This honest, funny, gutsy account of one man's struggle to regain his life after a devastating stroke shows what can be done, and what it takes to do it.

What struck me most in this inspiring story was Paul's ability to keep on trying despite innumerable setbacks.I felt empowered by his wife's tireless advocacy, creative solutions, and search for resources.As a member of a family that struggles with chronic illness, I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone seeking to change a life.

Living with a stroke
Me and my husband read this book together and we did find some parts of it very helpful, but is is lacking in reality the depression and guilt, along with the sorrow that a person feels when they have suffered a stroke. My husband had a stroke at 40, even thou my husbands stroke was not as severe as Pauls, he made alot of his recovering years sound like a walk in the park. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2006. The length of the article is 5675 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ameba-associated microorganisms and diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia.(RESEARCH)
Author: Pierre Berger
Publication: Emerging Infectious Diseases (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 12Issue: 2Page: 248(8)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2293 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Successful treatment of Hailey-Hailey disease with acitretin.(CASE REPORTS)
Author: Emily M. Berger
Publication: Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 6Issue: 7Page: 734(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more