Books

Working on the Edge: Surviving In the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's HighSeas

Average customer rating:

Deadliest Catch in print
Working on the Edge
Really awsome tale of fishing off the coast of Alaska
Very well written account of King crab fishing
Pretty good but a bit boring

Working on the Edge: Surviving In the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's HighSeas
Spike Walker
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Nights of Ice: True Stories of Disaster and Survival on Alaska's High Seas
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Accessories:

Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite

ASIN: 0312089244

Book Description

No profession pits man against nature more brutally than king crab fishing in the frigid, unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea. The yearly death toll is staggering (forty-two men in 1988 alone); the conditions are beyond most imaginations (90-mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and super-human stretches of on-deck labor); but the payback, if one survives can be tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season.In a breathtaking, action-packed account that combines his personal story with the stories of survivors of the industry's most harrowing disasters, Spike Walker re-creates the boom years of Alaskan crab fishing--a modern-day gold rush that drew hundreds of fortune-and adventure-hunters to Alaska's dangerous waters--and the crash that followed.

Customer Reviews:

Deadliest Catch in print.......2007-05-24

If you watch Deadliest Catch, pick this book up a true adventure of a "green horn" from his first job on a fishing boat to retirement including much information on the crab business in Alaska and many boats and people he didn't actually fish with but knew or met.

Working on the Edge.......2007-03-13

Learned a lot about King Crab fishing in Alaska. Had no idea why so dangerous, now I know. Had no idea so many crabs would be caught in one trap. Had no idea about the amount of money that could be made per trip. Well written. Passed the book on to my son who will enjoy reading also.

Really awsome tale of fishing off the coast of Alaska.......2006-08-11

This book is a semi-autobiographical tale of the dangers and rewards of fishing in both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bearing Sea. Spike Walker recounts his 8 years of fishing for crab, as well a touches on some of the cod and other fish caught in these cold waters. Walker talks about both the highs (the ability to earn $100,000 in four months, in the early 80's) and the lows (stories of death, missing fishermen, and rampant drug usage).

The book starts when Walker is between jobs and is broke. He calls a former classmate from College who encourages him to travel up to Alaska and "pound the docks" to look for work as a "greenhorn". The work is hard and you must be able to go without sleep for a numbers of hours, days. Spike talks about the reality of getting hired. Many Captains do not like to take out "Greenhorns" as they are not sure what will happen if the person can't take the mental stress that goes with days at sea, while sleep deprived. He mentions one story where someone got into a fight in a galley because they didn't' like the way a guy chewed. As the Captain you are responsible for the safety of all on your boat. You are also responsible for getting the best price for your catch.

Walker goes into details on some of the more prominent accidents during the era of his fishing. He spent time interviewing survivors and coast guard personnel to try and determine what was happening and how things went wrong. These stories are portrayed to the reader as some of the ways that make this job one of the most dangerous in the world. You have frigid seas, rogue waves, mechanical malfunctions that are all working against your success as well as mother nature which may cause more than a foot of ice to form on a boat, or hit the boat with a more than 60' wave.

Walker breaks the stories down by the time he spends on different boats, fishing for different types of King Crab (red, blue as well as Tanner Crab).

I thoroughly enjoyed this non-fiction book. For those who love the Discovery Channels "World's Most Deadliest Catch" this book is a must. You will even recognize the name of some of the ships that came by accidents. It is also a great look into the over fishing that happened in the 80's and how it came about. Well written and interesting.

Very well written account of King crab fishing.......2006-06-05

This is a succint and well-written account of the fishing industry in Alaska. Too often books like this start well and rev you up in the first few pages. But after a while, you get lost in the detail and finish them for the sake of it. Fortunately this book is NOT like that and lives upto the promise it makes in the first few pages. The author sticks to the subject and presents an all-round view of how it really was. There is a good mix of information and action and there is no dull moment.

This is a fast read and you will have a lot of fun while getting to know about crab fishing in Alaska. What else can you ask from a book that costs less than 15$? A word of advise: Unless you are well-versed with nautical terms, keep a maritime dictionary on hand when you read this...it will definitely enhance your enjoyment.

Pretty good but a bit boring.......2006-02-21

I am a huge fan of anything Alaska. This book is good, but a bit boring at times. Perhaps a bit too much drama about the characters and not enough about the sport he is partaking in. Good for an easy quick read.

Average customer rating:

Another Grippando Great
Grippando does it again!
A real page turner
SILLY REVIEWS
A good read, but don't pick it up if you want "literature"

A King's Ransom
James Grippando
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Informant
Found Money
Under Cover of Darkness
The Abduction
Hear No Evil (Jack Swyteck)

ASIN: 0060192410
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Amazon.com

Miami attorney Nick Rey was perturbed by his fiancée's ocean-side pronouncement that in the future her title should be preceded by "ex-". So perturbed that he barely noticed when, seconds later, a sharp-shooting seagull dropped him another plate of the same. Odd to think that he'd shortly look back on it all as, well, a day at the beach.

Then again, having one's father kidnapped and held for ransom by Columbian revolutionaries will alter one's perspective, as will hearing that the FBI's declined to pursue the matter as they suspect the kidnappee, Matthew Rey, is not a commercial fisherman at all, but a drug smuggler. The state department, citing official policy against paying kidnappers, won't intercede and, oh yes, the insurance company that sold dad his $3,000,000 kidnap-and-ransom policy won't pay up because they think he's as much in cahoots as he is in Cartagena. Nick's sister, Lindsey, who's probably in South America, hasn't been heard from in a month, and his mother's pregnant.

And that's just the starting block as Nick and the beautiful insurance investigator, Alex Cabrera (also a former revolutionary), run waist-deep into pan-American treachery and deceit--and nifty plot twists and surprises--much of it supplied by Nick's own law firm, Coolidge, Harding and Cash.

Throughout A King's Ransom, author and Miami attorney James Grippando deftly balances first-person (Nick's) and third-person (Matthew's) narrative with true-to-life dialogue and characters drawn as well or better than most. It's fast, it's gripping, and it's getting to be a habit with him. Grippando bolted from the starting gate (and, presumably, the courtroom) with 1994's breath-holder The Pardon; if his sixth book in eight years is any indication, he'll neither slow down nor reenter the courtroom for some time to come. --Michael Hudson

Book Description

The author of five bestselling novels, including Under Cover of Darkness and The Pardon, James Grippando writes compulsively readable thrillers that could be drawn from today's headlines, only better. Now his trademark gifts are wonderfully demonstrated in a taut new tale of intrigue that will keep you guessing to the final, breathtaking scene.

Just two years out of law school, Nick Rey is on the career fast track at a hot Miami law firm when he is suddenly plunged headfirst into a dangerous bid to save his father. Matthew Rey has been kidnapped while on business in Columbia's exotic port city of Cartagena. The ransom demand of three million dollars is far more than the Rey family can ever hope to raise.

Fortunately, Matthew had purchased an insurance policy to protect against just such a threat. Unfortunately, the kidnappers seem to know all about the policy, and the insurance company, suspecting fraud, is refusing to pay out.

With nowhere to turn, Nick links up with Alex, a beautiful, street-smart woman who may be the only person capable of negotiating with Matthew's abductors. But Nick soon discovers that the gravest dangers to him and his family are not the kidnappers and their guns, but the men in suits: lawyers, to be exact, at a powerful firm with something to hide, and they will stop at nothing to keep Nick from unleashing the truth.

Customer Reviews:

Another Grippando Great.......2006-07-05

I stay awake lots of nights reading this authors books. This is another all nighter.

Grippando does it again!.......2006-07-05

I just can't put his book down. I can't wait for the next one to come out.

A real page turner.......2006-06-22

I have often heard of a book being called a page turner, but in my 50 some odd years of reading, this was my first. I was not ready for the book to end, wanting it to continue for another 500 pages. The villains were well drawn, and of course, the plot surprises were all ways lurking. As a frequent traveler to South America, the story was all too real and frightening. It is simply the best book I have read in a long time.

SILLY REVIEWS.......2005-10-24

Is it literature, is it deadly accurate? Who cares? What a great story, not one wasted word. Terrific characters, terrific
dialogue, and very original story. Terrific work, Mr. Grippando.

A good read, but don't pick it up if you want "literature".......2005-04-02

There's something I don't get about many of these reviews. Some reviewers knock this book because it isn't "literary" enough; some knock it because the dialogue is wooden. The first clue anyone should have of this book is that it is a THRILLER. A thriller is nothing more than entertainment. And in all but a very few examples (some of Agatha Christie's books, for example), a thriller does not purport to be literature. If you want literature, read drivel like "The Corrections" or "The Five People You Meet In Heaven." If you want a good, entertaining read, pick this book up.

This novel does what an entertaining thriller should: Has a simple enough plot with good guys/gals and bad guys/gals easily identified. It poses an interesting "What-If": What if your father was kidnapped in Columbia and the insurance he has for such this instance is cancelled? Certain scenes in the book frustrate you as you side with the protagonist; certain scenes get your blood pumping when something dangerous begins happening; certain scenes touch you, like when Nick goes to help his mother who fell ill.

The book isn't perfect. Some of the twists are transparent. Some of the dialogue is wooden. Some of the characters are caricatures. If you're looking for a "perfect" book, my guess is that you don't read much. If you're looking for an entertaining read...something that takes you away from the present and real and transports you into the world the writer creates for you, then you should enjoy this book. I recommend it.

The Fisher King and the Handless Maiden: Understanding the Wounded Feeling Function in Masculine and Feminine Psychology

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Healing the wounded feeling function

The Fisher King and the Handless Maiden: Understanding the Wounded Feeling Function in Masculine and Feminine Psychology
Robert A. Johnson
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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We: Understanding the Psychology of Romantic Love

ASIN: 006250648X

Book Description

In the tradition of Annie Dillard and Natalie Goldberg, this resource for writers and non-writers alike shows the act of writing to be a dynamic means of knowing, healing, and creating the body, mind, and spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2003-04-20

I love all Robert Johnson's work. I find him easy to read and understand.

Healing the wounded feeling function.......2000-09-24

"This book is about our wounded feeling function, probably the most common and painful wound which occurs in our Western world. It is very dangerous when a wound is so common in culture that hardly anyone knows there is a problem." Johnson opens his book with these provocative sentences. The first thing he does is convince the reader that the problem exists, and is of considerable scope. For example, our modern English language is not really adequate for a full description of the problem, having the vague and much abused word "feeling" and only one word, equally vague, for "love". Johnson, a Jungian analyst, explores the problem using myths -- the Fisher King and the Handless Maiden, to demonstrate the wounded feeling function in, respectively, masculinity and femininity. Through the myths, Johnson not only diagnoses the problem, but makes practical suggestions for healing. This wonderful little book, scarcely 100 pages long, can be read in an afternoon, although its insights could change the directions of a life.

Healing the Fisher King: Spiritual Lessons with Parzival, Gump, the Grail, Tao, and Star Wars

Average customer rating:

A fascinating read
Brilliant
A life journey worth striving for

Healing the Fisher King: Spiritual Lessons with Parzival, Gump, the Grail, Tao, and Star Wars
Shelly Durrell
Manufacturer: Art Tao Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0971076804

Book Description

This is no ordinary self-help book. The magic of movies, novels, art, mythology, history, philosophy, and literature are brought together in the exploration of the legend of Parzival. It is the blueprint of the heros life-the one we were all meant to strive for. Includes Parzival summaries, journal exercises, bibliography, filmography/synopses, and index.

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating read.......2003-03-23

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would have to be "brilliant". Shelly Durrell deftly takes the reader on a highly informative journey through the story of Parzival and the Grail complete with a detailed psychological analysis. At the same time she explores how the theme is used consistently throughout some of the most successful films of our time including Star Wars, Forest Gump, The Natural, and others. This is a strong and detailed exegesis of the Arthurian tale of Parzival, the search for the Grail, and the Fisher King. By understanding Parzival and the Fisher King we come to understand how to heal our own emotional wounds.

A story of hurt, growth, and healing, "Healing the Fisher King" is a wonderful read as Shelly Durrell provides a thoroughly illuminating examination of all aspects of the tale. It is a highly recommended read for people dealing with an emotional hurt that will not heal, an interest in fine literature, or anyone else that just enjoys a well written book that shows the common bonds that we all must experience and work through in our lives. Bravo, Shelly Durrell.

Brilliant.......2002-10-02

Shelly Durrell writes elequently, and is still comprehensible for any reader. She relates the stories and tales of Parzival to the movies we watch everyday -as well as the experiences in life we live through daily. Along with the symbolism and lessons, you are given a chance to reflect, write, and meditate while reading the book. This all results in a beautiful awakening of the spirit. Highly recommended!!!!

A life journey worth striving for.......2002-09-14

Healing The Fisher King: Spiritual Lessons With Parzival, Gump, The Grail, Tao, And Star Wars by Shelly Durrell is a metaphysical self-actualization book that traces beloved modern movies back to their roots to the Arthurian legend of "Parzival," written by Wolfram von Eschenbach in the twelfth century. Durrell summarizing "Parzival" for those who have not read it, presenting the Hero's Life as a life journey worth striving for, offering meditations and psychological exercises, drawing extensive connections to film and proffering numerous full-color photographs of movies, classical artwork, and more. Healing The Fisher King is an literate, complex, and personally rewarding metaphysical journey that readers of all familiarity levels with metaphysics and popular culture references will enjoy paging through from beginning to end.

The Return of the King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

A Great Addition to any Lord of the Rings Collection
think twice
The Return of the King Visual Companion
A great book to go along side that of Colin Duriez
Almost as good as the books by Colin Duriez on Tolkien

The Return of the King Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
Jude Fisher
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Two Towers Visual Companion: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
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The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings)
The Lord of the Rings Weapons and Warfare

ASIN: 0618390979
Release Date: 2003-11-05

Book Description

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Two Towers Visual Companion comes a lavishly illustrated keepsake guide to The Return of the King. As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum slowly make their way into the depths of the Dark Lord's realm of Mordor in their desperate quest to destroy the One Ring, the scattered members of the fellowship, now scarred and battered from the Battle of Helm's Deep, must journey to the Gondorian stronghold of Minas Tirith for a last stand against the might of Sauron and his evil minions.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Addition to any Lord of the Rings Collection.......2006-12-16

We have all the Lord of the Rings books and movies. This, along with the other visual companions is a great piece. Very nicely laid out and full of information.

think twice.......2004-06-24

if you already bought the visual companion to fellowship and two towers then this book is a disappointment. too many photos from the previous two films. Not enough images from return of the king. especially missing when they shouldn't be are photos of grond, shelob the spider, the king of the oathbreakers and orc general gothmog. the photo guide is better value.

The Return of the King Visual Companion.......2004-06-23

More interesting and informative than the younger reader movie novelisations, THE RETURN OF THE KING is a great book for LOTR fans and helpful companion to the film. With both in-depth character exposition and battle updates incorporated throughout the relating story points, the writing itself is imaginative and enthralling. The main focus is on Rohan and Gondor, with other areas left to previous exposition (Fellowship Of The Ring). The movie photos are numerous and impressive, unlike the standard pre-production movie book shipped out before the movie is released with subsequent limitations (No completed CGI shots and the storyline is compromised for 'easy reading'). Another great LOTR book from HarperCollins and a must-have for the film enthusiasts.

A great book to go along side that of Colin Duriez.......2004-04-21

I agree with the previous reviewer. This is by far the best of the illustrated books on Tolkien - Jude Fisher is the pen name of one of the top experts on Tolkien, Lewis and other such great authors - and if you want pictures, this is it. But if you want intellectual depth and insight, you should also buy the brilliant books by Colin Duriez, who has by now written several on the Inklings, including his new great book on the friendship of Lewis and Tolkien. Go for a Fisher/Duriez combination! Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan 2003) and CHURCHILL'S FOLLY (Carroll & Graf 2004)

Almost as good as the books by Colin Duriez on Tolkien.......2004-03-16

If you want depth, get Colin Duriez's exciting new book on the friendship with CS Lewis. If you want a delightful picture book, this one is by far the best.

King of the Moon: A Novel of Baja California

Average customer rating:

Pour yourself a marguerita
Strong compelling novel
Looking forward to reading if it ever gets here
One of the Best!
Something about this cover...

King of the Moon: A Novel of Baja California
Gene Kira
Manufacturer: Apples & Oranges Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0929637038

Customer Reviews:

Pour yourself a marguerita.......2003-12-04

On a whim I suggested this book to my reading group--as I would be hosting the meeting to discuss it and wanted an excuse to serve salsa and chips. It was a delight to read.

Strong compelling novel.......2001-09-29

I came upon this book by accident and have recommended it highly. It has all the flavor of John Steinbeck, a powerful set of characters and a fine story line with humor and pathos. I hope Mr. Kira writes some more fiction for us to appreciate.

Looking forward to reading if it ever gets here.......1999-12-22

Have heard great reviews and can't wait to get it. The 24 hour shipping is now at 144 hours and counting. Not very happy with my first attempt to order from Amazon.com

One of the Best!.......1999-12-08

I loved, I laughed, I cried! This book truly captures the magic of the baja, and the special people who call it home or a home away from. I highly recommend it to anyone in love with this special "last best place".

Something about this cover..........1999-10-10

I can feel the warmth of that rising sun everytime I look at the scene on this cover [we use it as our screensaver]. I'm sure I've been to this place. Just as this cover scene will rekindle memories for Baja travelers, this story is so vivid you may later try to recall if these were people you've actually met,places you've been yourself, and maybe even that chubasco you went through back in 19[??]!

Average customer rating:

Shakespeare's "Henry V" as the Idealized Christian King

Henry V (Cliffs Notes)
Jeffery Fisher
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822000296

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on Henry V (the final play in Shakespeare's political tetralogy), you once again meet young Prince Hal who is now the ideal Christian monarch, King Henry V. To retain power and increase revenue, he finds he must lead his soldiers in battle against France to reclaim land and titles.

A character study on King Henry V and a close look at sixteenth century politics shed light on the Bard's intentions for the play. You'll also explore synopses of the three related history plays that lead up to Henry V. Count on CliffsNotes on Henry V for detailed summaries and commentaries on every scene to help you appreciate the complexity of the play.

Other features that help you study include

A list of characters and their roles
An interactive quiz
Essay topics and review questions

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespeare's "Henry V" as the Idealized Christian King.......2001-04-24

Jeffrey Fisher's Cliffs Notes for Shakespeare's "Henry V" provides two sections that are useful before you even begin to read the play. First, he provides the background of the play through brief synopses of "Richard II," "Henry IV, Part I" and "Henry IV, Part II." Without some understanding of Harry's wilder days as Falstaff's companion and his trouble relationship with his father, you cannot appreciate the transformation of the prince into a mighty king. Second, Fisher provides a description of Sixteenth-Century Political Theory, especially as it relates to the political realities of Shakespeare's time when the legitimacy of Queen Elizabeth Tudor was called into question. This is important because in many ways Henry V represents the ideal Christian King and it was important that the reigning monarch measure up to that standard (consider how Shakespeare tries to please Elizabeth's successor, James I from Scotland, in his play "MacBeth").

After providing a very brief section on the Life of Shakespeare and Genealogical Tables of the royal families involved in this particular history cycle, Fisher writes a general plot summary of "Henry V" and lists the characters in terms of the English and the French. As is usual with the little yellow books with the black stripes, the Summaries and Commentaries section goes through the play scene-by-scene. The ideal way of using these sections is to read the commentaries after you have read the corresponding scene. This is important because Fisher does not make as much use of the actual dialogue of the play as I have seen other Cliffs Notes do with Shakespeare (he does, however, provide a loose translation of the scene [Act III, Scene 4] in French between Katharine and Alice), on the off chance a translation is not provided in your copy of the play. After this main section, Fisher provides a very brief Character Summation of the title character.

All things considered, I would judge this to be an average Cliffs Notes. One of the great utilities of this particular play comes from the two film versions that exist. Whether I was teaching this play, or any other work of Shakespeare, I always show my students the Prologue and Act I of "Henry V" from the Olivier and Branagh versions. The Olivier version has the virtue of staging these particular scenes on the stage of the Globe Theater, representative of an actual performance of Shakespeare. In contrast, Branagh's version provides an intense intimacy. Taken together the two versions show students the range available in Shakespeare (aspects played for comedy in one version are dead serious in the other). Even if you do not screen all of either film, it is worthwhile to devote one class period to showing students the opening of both films.

HEALING THE FISHER KING: A Fly Fisher's Quest

Average customer rating:

Genres: Reality Studies, Male Personal Revelation, Inner Travel, American Nature Sports, Father-Son Relating

HEALING THE FISHER KING: A Fly Fisher's Quest

Manufacturer: We Publish Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Personal Transformation | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1929841280

Book Description

A powerful true story of one man's spiritual and emotional healing on the home waters of his childhood. Lured by the dream of catching a great fish in the middle years of his life, the author is drawn into an initiation in which he must decide to live fully or to die.

Customer Reviews:

Genres: Reality Studies, Male Personal Revelation, Inner Travel, American Nature Sports, Father-Son Relating.......2005-10-04

As a writer and dreamwork psychologist myself I find Dr. Scott Sparrow's book an inspiration to read.

I recommend this book highly as a journey especially for men, and for women who appreciate their men. What this book has, which is perhaps lacking in many popular spiritual books, is showing the author as a human being living his life journey as all of us can live ours.

Scott Sparrow will take you through your own childhood relationship with a parent and how that affects you in adult life, not by giving you psychology, but by your participating in certain life episodes important to him personally and spiritually.

The book is an excellent read in the Americana of being in nature in only the way Americans do it. Scott admits he grew up as a competitor and still is one in his chosen sport of serious fly fishing in South Texas. He is strong in his relationships with men. Scott is a man's man but not macho. He is not interested in seducing women but in relating to them. He is not interested in boasting to his fellow males about his accomplishments, yet he is interested in doing extremely well at what he does.

There is another side to Scott Sparrow. He has been since childhood a natural mystic because of his dreams. Dreams have always signaled new developments in his life for better and for worse. Scott is no saint, as he is sure to reveal to us. Yet he redeems himself through remorse and action. He not only achieves impressively in the world and in the sport of fly fishing, he also works on himself.

This is a male who works on himself, girls, the ideal man! And men, watch out! You need to work on yourselves also and take how your behavior affects others with genuine conscience. But Scott is at times even deeper because his dreams have transpersonal elements of white light experiences and revelations. In a nature society of the past he would be known as both a warrior and spirit shaman.

Read this book for yourself so that you may experience what it is like to quest on a spiritual journey, yet not give up your ordinary life you were born to. Scott does not retreat into monasteries and Himalayan caves. He goes sports fishing, and he takes his dad and son, and his best male friend with him, and also his pilot brother. And he brings his wife also because she has adapted to the fly fishing way of life.

Recommended for many levels of reading: Father-son relating, Right relationship relating with the opposite sex, inner-outer relating with oneself, spiritual awakening and individual God-relating through dreams, practice of devotion and visions.

Scott does not hide his shadow, his extreme side that sometimes hurts himself and others. Scott grows up into a real adult and tells us some of those episodes. Yet, while Scott is personally revealing he is never narcissistic completely. His natural self-centeredness is balanced with devotion to others close to him and by his extraordinary dreams which he takes seriously, learning from them that he is not in charge.

Scott is a fine, natural writer, finding just the right words to convey emotion and experience together, crisp in language. No extra words there in his prose. Probably he learned from fly fishing, which is his great metaphor for living life spiritually. Apparently only the right fly will do. Good writers feel the same way. Only the right words will do to convey the right feeling and essence of an experience.

Read Scott Sparrow and enjoy a few hours out of your own life into his. You will appreciate the contrast. I for one got to live again my boyhood. I use him and his father as the father I might have liked to have, had I not my own father to deal with.

I felt right at home on the Bayou, so to speak. Oh, Scott gets into trouble. You cannot believe his unconsciousness in not getting himself treated right away after a terrible wounding by a stingray. But that is Scott! He never presents himself as perfect, and neither am I. And neither are you, reader. So enjoy his book, as I am.

Recommended for adults who travel inwardly, for high school and university classrooms in contemporary American literature that reflect a genuine experience of connecting the past and present in the America of today.

For students also to do good book reviews and essays, and to feel in tune with their own appreciation of life.

A real book, unlike so many books that stay in the mind, or let you live through others and not yourself.

Average customer rating:

One Damn Good Book!
One Damn Good Book!
COULD'VE BEEN BETTER
COULD'VE BEEN BETTER
VERY DISAPPOINTED

The Fisher King: A Novel
Paule Marshall
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Family Saga | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Daughters (Plume Contemporary Fiction)
Breath, Eyes, Memory (Oprah's Book Club)
The Chosen Place, The Timeless People
Soul Clap Hands and Sing (Howard University Press Library of Contemporary Literature)
The Fiction of Paule Marshall: Reconstructions of History, Culture, and Gender

ASIN: 0684869705
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Book Description

In 1949, Sonny-Rett Payne, a jazz pianist, fled New York for Paris to escape both his family's disapproval of his music and the racism that shadowed his career. Now, decades later, his eight-year-old grandson is brought to Payne's old Brooklyn neighborhood to attend a memorial concert in his honor. The child's visit reveals the persistent family and community rivalries that drove his grandfather into exile.

The Fisher King -- a moving story of jazz, love, family conflict, and the artists' struggles in society -- offers hope in the healing and redemptive power of one memorable boy.

Customer Reviews:

One Damn Good Book!.......2003-07-24

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I EVER READ! IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT IN A BOOK, BUT THE ENDING [was unsatisfactory]! THAT S.O.B. EDGAR PAYNE! I FEEL SO SORRY FOR HATTIE AND EVEN MORE SO FOR SONNY, BECAUSE HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THAT. HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. MS. MARSHALL SHOULD REALLY WRITE A SEQUEL, BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE UNFINISHED ENDINGS. BUT ALL THE PRAISE TO MS. MARSHALL FOR WRITING A VERY GOOD BOOK AND I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH!

One Damn Good Book!.......2003-07-24

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I EVER READ! IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT IN A BOOK, BUT THE ENDING SUCKED! THAT S.O.B. EDGAR PAYNE! I FEEL SO SORRY FOR HATTIE AND EVEN MORE SO FOR SONNY, BECAUSE HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THAT. HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. MS. MARSHALL SHOULD REALLY WRITE A SEQUEL, BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE UNFINISHED ENDINGS. BUT ALL THE PRAISE TO MS. MARSHALL FOR WRITING A VERY GOOD BOOK AND I ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH!

COULD'VE BEEN BETTER.......2002-09-20

Although the ending was not what I'd expected,it was still an interesting story. Especially,the little boy. I fell in love him. Unfortunately, I think little Sonny was a pawn in the struggle.

After reading the book, I actually went back,thinking that I might've missed something, that could've help me come to my own conclusion. Although Edgar seemed to have enough evidence to present to the courts to gain custody of Little Sonny, I don't believe Hattie would surrender without a fight. I remember in one of the passage in the book where she vowed for her and Little Sonny to always be together. With that in mind, there is no telling how far she would go to keep that child. She might even adopt him.

Being that the end didn't have closure, I've decided to come up with my own conclusion. In the last page of the book, it seems that Hattie had lost the case. Being that we're dealing with laws from two different countries, who knows. She might stand a chance.

I believe the author ended the book the way she did due to a lack of research. Also, this was the first book I've read by the author. I hope the rest of her books aren't like that. that.

COULD'VE BEEN BETTER.......2002-09-20

Although the ending was not what I'd expected,it was still an interesting story. Especially,the little boy. I fell in love him. Unfortunately, I think little Sonny was a pawn in the struggle.

I believe the author ended the book the way she did due to a lack of research. Also, this was the first book I've read by the author. I hope the rest of her books aren't like that. that.

VERY DISAPPOINTED.......2002-09-16

From the moment Hattie was invited to the tribute for Sonny, I kind of had a feeling that Edgar Payne was going to find a way to
keep them in the United States. Especially, the little boy. It's a shame how he went to the extreme of paying a tribute to his brother, fifteen years after his death, only to convince Hattie to come back to a place that she'd vowed never to set foot
ever again. So,he can have custody of his grand nephew, in the name of fame. I don't think he would try to gain custody of Sonny, if his brother wasn't famous.

At the end of the book,it seems like Hattie was dealing with a mixture of emotions: Confused, sad and Angry for going against her first intuations, after she received the letter.

I didn't like the way Edgar Payne try to gain custody of Sonny through deception. If by any chance the author decides to have a sequel to this book, I hope that Sonny remains with Hattie in France, home where he belongs. Blood or not, Hattie is the one who nurtured Sonny from the time he was born. Also, I think she was very considerate to inform him that he had a great nephew. Is this the price she had to pay for being honest.

I really hope there is a sequel to this book.

The Fisher King: The Book of the Film (The Applause Screenplay Series)

Average customer rating:

Howarduq likes the book

The Fisher King: The Book of the Film (The Applause Screenplay Series)
Richard LaGravenese
Manufacturer: Applause Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Screenplays | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Screenwriting | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
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The Fisher King

ASIN: 1557830983

Book Description

The Applause book of The Fisher King is essential reading for any fan of this 4-star film from Terry Gilliam that Playboy calls "an astonishing comedy about love, loss and redemption" and Vogue says "takes enormous risks and pulls off the challenge." It includes: over 200 photographs, deleted and altered scenes, interviews with Robin Williams and Terry Gilliam, a symposium about the making of the film, the complete credits, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Howarduq likes the book.......2000-01-05

The Fisher King is an excellent film. It stars Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl, and Amanda Plummer. These four bring Richard LaGravanese's script to life. See how it was done with this book, which includes the screenplay, an essay by the author, a short intro by Gilliam (the director), and interviews of Gilliam and Williams by journalist David Morgan. Also included are outtakes of the screenplay, B+W still shots of the film, and a list of the credits.

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