Book Description
For 50 million years, the gray whale has evolved along human shores, linking its history with human existence. Ancient and colossal, the gray whale weighs 45 tons and swims 10,000 miles along the West Coast each year from its Alaskan summer feeding grounds to winter birthing lagoons in Baja, Mexico. Proximity and beauty have made the gray whale a mysterious creature in the eyes of humans, sparking scientific wonder as well as many cultural and mythical interpretations.
In Sightings, Linda Hogan and Brenda Peterson have crafted a narrative that extends far beyond the two worlds of whales and people. A celebrated Chickasaw writer, Hogan traces the history of hunting whales for subsistence and explains their significance in tribal mythology and songs. Peterson, an acclaimed novelist and nature writer, focuses on the world of science, describing the interconnectedness of animal-human relationships and scientifically reinforcing Hogan's assertion of the spiritual bond between people and whales. Together, they capture the realms in which the gray whale has become a legend, portraying the wonder—and fragility—of the whale and its environment.
Sightings is a story of tribal people, scientific researchers, fishermen, and the everyday inhabitants of the small, coastal communities whose lives are centered around the gray whale migration. A journey through water and time, Sightings is a masterful observation of one of the Earth's most enchanting creatures.
Customer Reviews:
SIGHTINGS.......2005-05-03
SIGHTINGS is an incredible book to read on the plight of Gray Whales. Although I started reading SIGHTINGS the last day on a cruise ship in Cabos, (literally, moments after photographing a large pod of dolphins leaping out of the ship's wake)... my husband and I even skipped meals because I could not pull my head up from non-stop reading of this fine book. Linda Hogan's proses through a Native American's eyes were very beautiful and insightful... Brenda Peterson pucked my heartstrings with her naturalist perspective for this amazing mammal's plight and journeys through an OCEANPLANET, all the while a majority of humankind believes it owns it, yet refuses to accept responsibility for what befalls this watery world's consequence. I encourage all to read this book... its pages will open your eyes and one will not be dissappointed. Several years ago, I was one of many that wrote letters to the Mexican Government concerning St. Ignacia's breeding grounds of the great Gray Whale. The book finally told me of the outcome. When I am sailing on my boat named Rumbledoll in Neah Bay, WA this summer, or in Mexico next year, I will be searching for Gray Whales and their children... with a renewed hope of their perservation for many milleniums to come.
Jadia Ward/Bright Eyes Creations
Required reading for going to see gray whales.......2004-01-23
This book, along with Serge Dedina's Saving the Gray Whale: People, Politics,and Conservation in Baja California, is required reading for anyone who plans a whale watching trip in Baja.
A Book Like a Song.......2002-09-02
This splendid book is aptly named, for the powerful glimpses in these chapters, full of emotion and drama, carry the resonance and significance of a sighting of the heart-shaped breath plume and knuckled back of one of the largest, gentlest, and most enigmatic creatures on the planet.
Sightings is beautiful reading. Each of the short chapters is rich as a poem, and indeed, many read like song or poetry, each woman's distinctive voice blending and harmonizing with her co-author's.
This book is not the standard National Geographic fare--though the authors are skilled reporters and intrepid travellers, following the whales in kayaks, small planes, boats and ferries. Theirs are the sightings of writers who don't merely observe, but who feel their subjects and feel them deeply, who use their intuitions and emotions as well as their intellects to come to their powerful conclusion: that, in this era of mass extinction, to kill such a creature as the gray whale is "an act against creation."
How lucky are we that these talented, spirited women have written this compelling and important testament to that truth.
Book Description
This is a complete, illustrated guide to Arkansas's woody plants and nonwoody vines. The text for each species appears next to its photograph. In all, 325 species are described along with descriptions of sixty-eight plant families and drawings of plant parts. The book also includes a glossary and complete index.
Customer Reviews:
Very informative.......2005-09-29
This book was very informative and reliable concerning AR trees, shrubs and vines. However, the majority of the pictures show only fruit or flowers for a particular species and at certain times and locations neither can be found on a given plant. Needs more photos of identifiable leaf structure and arrangement.
Product Description
updated price - please revise for orders place 7/16/2007
Customer Reviews:
Mac deserves credit becauase credit is due!.......2004-07-12
I first wanted this book because I read some select excerpts on his website www.whenmoneygrewontrees.com and I liked what I read. I first bought the book because I was captivated by the whole scandle with Ralph Baker and all the drug money. When I first started reading the book, I was truely amazed because this all happened in my back yard. He wrote about people I knew and even my girlfriend's grandma and aunts & uncles. When I liked only 72 pages to read in the book, I invited David Mac to a benefit pie auction for one of the Cousins that he wrote about in the book. Well, Mac showed up and bought many pies and sold books. He donated all the profit from the books to the Cousins and also held a book signing. So, please buy this book...you won't be sorry. Its the best book I've ever read.
Former Madison County resident reader.......2004-03-09
I loved the way the story was told. I was a former Madison County resident that turned to worse drugs that David Mac wrote about and walked away from them before things got so bad but truly believe they are as bad or worse than he depicted. I witnessed them first hand!! I also witnessed the way back roads Madison County lives and LOVED it. I would return in a heart beat if the situation came back to me. I wish he would write a book about those people who did walk the straight and arrow path after going through what we have went through and now that he is in that situation, maybe look into book #2!! I didn't know it was pulled from the shelves but thank God I got my copy before it did. What's up with that?????!!!!
When Money Grew On Trees.......2004-02-10
Good reading for a redneck who lived in Madison County.
Well..........2004-01-29
As for the story, I think it's a bit far-fetched...But, being from 'Booger' County, I am tempted to believe most of it...
My main problem with this book is the writing. I truly think that I can find a word spelled incorrectly on at least 85% of the pages. Was there an editor?
When Money Grew on Trees: The True Tale of a Marjuana Moonsh.......2003-11-17
Although it can't be said if everything in the book is true, knowing Madison County and Sheriff Baker I venture to say that most of the book is true. Once started it is very hard to put it down. Since the book is no longer available it was pure luck that I was able to obtain one. Now, I'd love to see a second book come out to tell us why there is a law suit for this publication, why it was yanked from the shelves and WHO was so offended by it to cause this to happen.....someone in a high place I can only imagine.....What an interesting real life 'soap opera' in our little community of Booger County.
Average customer rating:
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Trees of Arkansas
Dwight Munson Moore
Manufacturer: Arkansas Forestry Commission
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 General
| Trees
| Plants
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ASIN: B0006DG26C |
Customer Reviews:
worth the money.......2007-05-16
Over all good book,Have used it for several years,covers the native trees and some introduced species.Works great for a school age person doing a leaf collection.
Book Description
Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Compass California Wine Country covers everything there is to see and do -- plus gorgeous full-color photographs; a wealth of archival images; topical essays and literary extracts; detailed color maps; and capsule reviews of hotels and restaurants. These insider guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of the California Wine Country.
Average customer rating:
- A Misleading Representation of Wineries in Napa and Sonoma
- Great Photos
- Take The Tours
- Fodor's Wine Country : California's Napa & Sonoma Valleys
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Compass American Guides: Wine Country, 3rd Edition (Compass American Guides)
John Doerper
Manufacturer: Compass America Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Wine & Winemaking
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ASIN: 0679004343
Release Date: 2000-09-12 |
Book Description
Fodor's Compass Wine Country 3ed.Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture, and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Covering everything there is to see and do as well as choice lodging and dining, these gorgeous full-color guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of the region they're visiting.
Outstanding color photography, plus a wealth of archival imagesTopical essays and literary extractsDetailed color mapsGreat ideas for things to see and doCapsule reviews of hotels and restaurants
Customer Reviews:
A Misleading Representation of Wineries in Napa and Sonoma.......2004-02-19
Do not be mislead by the book - it IS NOT a complete guide to Napa and Sonoma County wineries. While this book has great historical and wine production reference information,it seems to be a pay to play publication. Many of these books feature only wineries that are willing to pay to be a part of the publication, If you don't pay, you're winery is not included. Many, many fine wineries in both Sonoma and Napa are not listed in this book. DO NOT use it as a guide to all wineries in the area - you will miss many of the best. Some of the smallest wineries, with limited budgets have the best wine - they are not represented in this book - probably because they couldn't afford to pay for inclusion. The so called "Master List" in the back is very misleading - it is missing many wineries. Use the free publication "Wine Country This Week" for a complete list of all wineries in Sonoma and Napa Counties! The same goes for the restaurants and lodging.
Great Photos.......2003-01-05
Since this is a Fodor's guide, you get decent coverage of lodging and dining at the end of the book. What makes the book worthwhile, though, is the photographs. They are plentiful and great. Most are current color photos, but some of the vintage black-and-white (some from Ansel Adams) are excellent. Many of the wineries are shown as well as different aspects of the wine-making business. Even street signs and other everyday activities are included, making it a down-to-earth tour guide and photo book. Very appealing to the eye.
Take The Tours.......2002-01-10
This is a great book on the wine country. Full of some of the most informative prose regarding where to go, how to get there and what to expect. Doerper sets out mini "tours" of the area. My wife and I mapped out our trip by the book and had a wonderful time. The book was right on. Highly recommended!
Fodor's Wine Country : California's Napa & Sonoma Valleys.......2001-07-12
I would highly recommend this book to anyone visiting Napa and/or Sonoma Valleys. We were able to trust the information in this book and it did cover a lot of information, from: restaurants, vineyards, antique shops and farmer's markets (plus much more). To the author John Doerper, thank you for making our holiday very enjoyable by writing candid and factual information for this guide book.
Book Description
Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Covering everything there is to see and do as well as choice lodging and dining, these gorgeous full-color guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of the region they're visiting.
Outstanding color photography, plus a wealth of archival imagesTopical essays and literary extractsDetailed color mapsGreat ideas for things to see and doCapsule reviews of hotels and restaurants
Customer Reviews:
Yes, but..........2004-03-29
This is such a well structured and informative guide that I do not make my numerous trips into wine country without it.
Its one great failing is that the publishers have not seen fit to update it in over 7 years!
Best book for visiting the Napa & Sonoma Valley Wine Country.......2002-01-05
I shopped around extensively at local travel bookstores to find a good wine country book, and I think this one is the best. It has beautiful color pictures on almost every page. Many of the pictures show the wine labels, which helps make the book a nice souvenir for you to remember the wine/winery later. The pictures are supplemented with insightful commentary on the wines, history of each winery, and even pictures/descriptions of the restaurants, lodgings. The maps are also in color, and are detailed for each town. Also included is an events/festivals list and analysis of wine vintages by year. All that, and it's still small enough to carry with you when you visit the wineries.
Great Book of the Wine Country.......1998-12-17
My wife and I were completely delighted following the "tours" in this guide. The maps, directions and winery descriptions were second to none! Anyone contemplating a trip to the California wine country should consider this book a MUST. Of course, if your not planning a trip, you will be after reading this! We stayed at two different B&B's recommended by the book and were very pleased. The book accurately depicted the quality of the rooms and hospitality of the staff. Again, I highly recommend this wine country guide.
Average customer rating:
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Islands of the Pacific Rim & Their People
MacDonald
Manufacturer: Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
Australia & Oceania
| Explore the World
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| Environment & Ecology
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
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ASIN: 0817246703 |
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Islands of the Pacific Rim and Their People (People & Places)
Robert MacDonald
Manufacturer: Hodder Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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ASIN: 0750212144 |
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- Mycological guide for beginners and more experienced mycologists
- Almost comprehensive
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Biodiversity of Fungi: Inventory and Monitoring Methods
Manufacturer: Academic Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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The Fifth Kingdom
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North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi (Falconguide)
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How to Identify Mushrooms to Genus I: Macroscopic Features
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Introduction to Fungi
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Introductory Mycology
ASIN: 0125095511 |
Book Description
Biodiversity of Fungi is essential for anyone collecting and/or monitoring any fungi. Fascinating and beautiful, fungi are vital components of nearly all ecosystems and impact human health and our economy in a myriad of ways. Standardized methods for documenting diversity and distribution have been lacking. A wealth of information, especially regrading sampling protocols, compiled by an international team of fungal biologists, make
Biodiversity of Fungi an incredible and fundamental resource for the study of organismal biodiversity.
Chapters cover everything from what is a fungus, to maintaining and organizing a permanent study collection with associated databases; from protocols for sampling slime molds to insect associated fungi; from fungi growing on and in animals and plants to mushrooms and truffles. The chapters are arranged both ecologically and by sampling method rather than by taxonomic group for ease of use. The information presented here is intended for everyone interested in fungi, anyone who needs tools to study them in nature including naturalists, land managers, ecologists, mycologists, and even citizen scientists and sophiscated amateurs.
Covers all groups of fungi - from molds to mushrooms, even slime molds
Describes sampling protocols for many groups of fungi
Arranged by sampling method and ecology to coincide with users needs
Beautifully illustrated to document the range of fungi treated and techniques discussed
Natural history data are provided for each group of fungi to enable users to modify suggested protocols to meet their needs
Customer Reviews:
Mycological guide for beginners and more experienced mycologists.......2006-11-27
If you are looking for a nice mycological encyclopedia that deals with methods and protocols, "Biodiversity of Fungi: inventory and monitoring methods" organized by Foster and co-authors is the book of choice! It has several basic and more advanced methods of isolation that cover the different fungal groups. Despite of that the book provides introductory chapters on how to proceed in fungal ecological surveys and to analyze the results as well as a minor chapter of fungal phylogenetics. As a matter of fact, big projects like this lack more details when dealing with each fungal group but still is a major source of information that any mycologist or mycology student interested in ecological aspects of fungi should have in their private libraries.
Almost comprehensive.......2005-11-16
The reference included chapters on most aspects of mycology, with an intended focus on biodiversity. Two approaches to understanding fungi from unique environments were completely ignored: aeromycology and fossil fungi. There is a large body of literature from research in both these areas. The fossil fungi particularly need a better correlation with contemporary species and a discussion of their diversity would have been an asset to the theme of this compilation.
Average customer rating:
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Emulsions, latices, and dispersions
Manufacturer: M. Dekker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General & Reference
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ASIN: 0824767977 |
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Identification and Control Using Volterra Models (Communications and Control Engineering)
F.J.III Doyle ,
R.K. Pearson , and
B.A. Ogunnaike
Manufacturer: Springer
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ASIN: 1852331496 |
Book Description
This text covers recent results in the analysis, identification and control of systems described by Volterra models. Topics covered include:
- qualitative behavior of finite Volterra models compared and contrasted with other nonlinear model classes
- structural restrictions and extensions to Volterra model class
- least squares and stochastic identification approaches
- model inversion issues
- direct synthesis and model predictive control design
- guidelines for practical applications
Examples are drawn from Chemical, Biological and Electrical Engineering. The book is suitable as a text for a graduate control course, or as a reference for both research and practice.
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- This is the Zola novel to read first.
- touching
- Poverty and Alcoholism in 2nd Empire Paris
- Morality in action.
- Enthralling!
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L'Assommoir (The Dram Shop) (Penguin Classics)
Émile Zola
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
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The Ladies' Paradise (Oxford World's Classics)
ASIN: 0140447539
Release Date: 2001-04-03 |
Book Description
Not realism, but filth; not crudity, but pornography, is how one contemporary critic described L'Assommoir. The seventh novel in Les Rougon-Macquart cycle, it is Zola's monumental natural and social history of a family under the Second Empire. The story of a good-hearted, but weak-willed and vulnerable laundress, L'Assommoir is widely regarded as Zola's masterpiece and was an immediate sensation, selling 50,000 copies within a year of its publication in 1877. This edition includes Zola's response to critics who denounced his work as immoral.
Written in gritty street language and unflinchingly portraying the darker side of French culture and society, L'Assommoir transcends Zola's stated intention to expose the powerful effects of heredity and environment on the human condition and, as Robin Buss writes in his Introduction, is marvelous, warm and human...with a tragic heroine who is among the most touching and credible creations in all the literature of the nineteenth century.
Customer Reviews:
This is the Zola novel to read first........2006-08-24
If you're seeking an introduction to Zola's 'Naturalism' but don't know where to begin among the multitude of his novels, this is the best place to start. "L'Assommoir" (which translates poorly into English as 'the boozer' or 'the beer joint', a lower-class drinking establishment) is the story of the laundress Gervaise and her descent into alcoholism. It is also, more importantly, a brilliant panorama of lower-class Paris during the time of Baron Haussmann's redesign of the city. With a cast of memorable characters and several unforgettable scenes that showcase the extent of Zola's research and his empathy for his characters, this is probably his greatest achievement. It deserves to be considered one of the greatest French novels of the 19th century.
touching.......2006-07-01
i really enjoyed this novel, it has to be zola at his very best. before reading this i had read both 'germinal' and 'nana' and it was very interesting to hear the story of their parents and upbrinings. that's what i love about the rougon-maquart series, you get to do what you hardly ever do with other great novels - keep going! and it's not as if zola was just churning these novels out without thought as to how they stand on their own, pretty much all of the novels in the rougon-maquart series do stand on their own, and are exceptional novels. zola describes the poverty and squallidness of life in the paris slums like a master, and he pulls no punches. when this novel was released there was an outrage due to his filthy language...and it's not just the language of his characters, he uses this vulgar language as his own when telling the story. and he does push it about as far as you can go, which was a brave thing to do if you consider how long ago this book was published. the description of the feast in the laundry was mouthwatering, i honestly felt that i had been sitting at that worktable and gorging myself with them, so immersed was i in his writing. zola goes into much detail when describing the more mundane things in life in those days, washing clothes, ironing, etc... it was a real insight into how they did things back then, and besides the curiosity of a reader a hundred years later, he made it interesting and let us see the work from the eyes of the low paid working class of paris. drunkeness plays a large part in the novel. there is binge upon binge and throughout the book witness the decadence of gervaise and coupou. their ultimate downfall is a tragic one considering where they started, especially coupeu. coupeu's decent into alcoholism was particularly interesting to read as he starts off as more or less t-total, just a drink here and there, for appearances sake. you hear the thought processes of someone in denial, kidding themselves that the drink is doing them no harm. and it's very relevant to this day. for me, the best part of the novel comes later on when gervaise and husband are living in the block of flats. the story of the drunkard who had killed his wife and who battered his young daughter was so touching...and infuriating. there is one point where he brings a whip out on her and it reads so brutally it brought a tear to my eye. the story of that little girl and her character really opened my eyes... all of us are aware of the evils of the world but to be a part of such an evil, and to read it in such detail makes very very powerful writing. another part of the novel i thought very touching was the starvation of gervaise near the end of her novel and especially the point where she finally gets her meal and bursts into tears after sticking a potato in her mouth. don't get me wrong though...this is not a tear jerker, the novel is full of black humour, mostly at 'clip-clop's' expense. the bitchiness of the loreleoux made me angry at times...at others it made me laugh out loud.
an excellent book, certainly one of the best in the rougon-maquart series. i loved it.
Poverty and Alcoholism in 2nd Empire Paris.......2006-05-21
This book describes the lot of the poor working class in Paris during the 1860s, and is the seventh of Zola's 20 volume Rougon-Macquart series. For those new to the writings of Emile Zola, he is considered to be one of France's great literary figures (only Hugo, and perhaps Proust, could be considered in the same breath). Zola generally writes with a very gloomy, gritty style (Naturalism). The Rougon-Macquart series was Zola's effort to explore various aspects (political, economic, and social) of life in France during the 2nd Empire under Napoleon III. In the style of Balzac, all twenty novels are vaguely linked with recurring characters, although there is no need to start with the first and read through all twenty. With one or two exceptions, each novel can be read independently of the others (and this applies to `L'Assommoir'). If you have not read any of Zola's novels previously, this is a good place to start. It is a bit shorter than some of his later classics, but will give you a great taste of Zola's style, and it is a bit richer than some of the earlier works in the RM series.
The novel `L'Assommoir' (which, roughly translated from the French, means `The Stunner', a reference to the effects of strong drink), is a story of the plight of the working poor in the Paris slums of the 1860s and of the ravages of alcoholism. The main character, Gervaise Lantier, owns a small but profitable laundry in Paris. The story follows Gervaise's initial success in achieving some level of prosperity, but through a combination of bad (and abusive) relationships, bad luck, and her own indolence and growing alcoholism, her business fails and she descends deeper and deeper into squalor and misery.
Like all of Zola's writings, this is a well crafted novel that paints a clear (if not pretty) picture of the life of the poor working class. There is no happy ending in this story (unlike many of Zola's later works that at least terminate on a hopeful note), so if you are looking for a `feel-good` story, this isn't it. The depth and complexity of the characters in this novel (and in Zola's writing in general) are OUTSTANDING. Nobody writes realistic dialogue, or describes the interactions between characters, better than Zola. While reading this novel, my primary thought was that Zola's characters talked and acted as I would have expect real people to interact. This novel is definitely a social commentary on the plight of the poor, but it does not descend to cliched rantings against the government, the rich, the exploitation of the working class, or of society in general. In many ways, Gervaise is ultimately responsible for her own downfall. The description of the wedding party's visit to the Louvre may be among the best ever written by Zola.
The Oxford World Classics edition is outstanding. There is a lengthy introduction through which the modern reader can better understand this work in both literary and historical terms. There are detailed maps of Gervaise's apartment and neighborhood, and there are extensive endnotes to clarify topical or historical references that may be lost on modern readers.
The bottom line is that this is a monumental work of 19th century literature. Not quite in the same lofty plane as `Germinal' or `La Debacle', but still outstanding (I would give this 4.8 stars out of 5 if I could). This is an engaging story, but one in which the reader gains a fascinating insight into 1860s Paris from the perspective of the working class. You will in turn be entertained, enlightened, and shocked by this novel. It is well worth the money spent to buy it and the time spent to read it.
Morality in action........2006-01-03
L'ASSOMMOIR, the seventh of the series of twenty Rougon-Macquart novels, first appeared in serial form. The first part came out in LE BIEN PUBLIC in April 1876, and provoked scandalized reactions. After six parts publication ceased in early June. The indignation was due, as Zola wrote in a letter to his friend Paul Alexis, to political factors: "L'Assommoir didn't seem radical enough." Official left-wing mythology, in his view, glamorized and flattered the poor working classes and saw them as the noblest part of the human race, attributing any apparent flaws to the oppression of the wicked upper classes. This view had been sanctioned by Victor Hugo in LES MISERABLES, which had come out only fourteen years before. The novel was rescued by LA REPUBLIQUE DES LETTRES, which brought it out in weekly numbers ending on 7 January 1877. It appeared in book form in February, headed by Zola's short preface.
The full title of the saga is LES ROUGON-MACQUART. HISTOIRE NATURELLE ET SOCIALE D'UNE FAMILLE SOUS LE SECOND-EMPIRE. Like so many people of his generation, Zola believed that the two great formative influenced upon human beings wre heredity and environment. The "natural history" of the family is an attempted reflection of the different manifestations of this family's "tainted heredity". By making members of the family ramify through all sorts of trades, professions and social classes, Zola claims to be makig a sociological study of most strata of French society in the reign of Napoleon III or roughly between 1850 and 1870.
The environment in this novel is that of the slums of Paris, a drab area in which only those characters with strength of character and the ability to work hard survive to degradation. One may think that Zola was a complacent conservative. It is probably no accident that the exponent of anti-Empire "socialist" propaganda is the twisted "windbag" Lantier, who never did an honest day's work in ihs life. Still, L'ASSOMMOIR is primarily about drink.
Zola's "scientific" approach to the question of heredity, on the other hand, seems to be, too, overtly simplistic. For instance, Gervaise was conceived when her parents were in an alcoholic frenzy, and her lameness is a reflection of this. (!?) Yet ultimately, it is her lack of "strength of character" that brings about her loss of social standing and moral respectability: "Her only weakness, she said, was that she was over-kind, she liked everybody, she devoted herself to people who only paid her back by hurting her."
But most memorable in the novel is the Paris of the circumscribed district where the action takes place. Virtually the whole of the action takes place within a few hundred yards of what today is the crossing of main roads at which is the Metro station of Barbes-Rochechouart, the district immediately north-west of the Gare du Nord, bounded to the west by the heights of Montmartre and to the north by the rue Marcadet. Many of the main features of the district are still recognizable. The Hotel Boncoeur was on the north side of hte Boulevard de la Chapelle, facing the Lariboisiere hospital, and the rue de la Goutte d'Or is just to the north of this.
Another commendable feature is the unique use of style. Zola's idea in the novel was to use the language of the slums not only in dialogue, but also in the descriptive and reflective passages. The "style indirect libre" secures a certain homogeneity throughout and, most importantly, exemplifies the thesis that the boundaries between individuals and their environment are thin and malleable, at both levels of language and meaning.
Enthralling!.......2005-05-06
I absolutely loved this book. It was successful both as a thrilling story and as a devastating commentary on the plight of the Parisian working class in the nineteenth century (although I am sure that it still has a lot of validity). You can't help getting drawn into the story-and you won't be able to put the book down-I don't think it aged at all.
Gervaise is a heroine you can't help rooting for. She's poor and hardworking, and like the other proletariat in the story, often referred to by her profession-laundress. She wants a better life for herself after her lover abandons her with their two sons. Pretty and industrious, she soon gets a suitor, who works on roofs. She doesn't want to give in to his advances because she doesn't want any more illegitimate children to deal with on her own.
However, her suitor has noble intentions and marries her. They so want the dignity and security of middle-class life that you ache for them. At at first they seem able to achieve it. They work hard, save, and begin to have a nice home and a happy marriage. However, when Gervaise's husband has a tragic accident, we soon realize how precarious working class life is-then, as it still inexcusably is NOW. Without his income, Gervaise will be living very precariously.
The real tragic pull of the story is that they almost made it-but then this accident plunges them into all kinds of problems-financial ruin, and ultimately alcoholism, adultery, broken health, and misery. It was so sad to see this family once desperately clinging to decency when all odds were against them, and then surrendering to poverty and humiliation, filth and addiction. I loved this book so much, and found its ending so sad and haunting.
I had to get the sequel, about Gervaise's ill-fated daughter "Nana", who becomes a courtesan, which is kind of predictable since she was so neglected and happened to be beautiful so she had a way out of her poverty-at least temporarily. (Gervaise's son is the hero of Germinal). It was good, but not as good as this. I think this is a magnificent book, and Zola at his best.
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L'Assommoir
Emile Zola
Manufacturer: Hachette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
19th Century
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Zola, Emile
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ASIN: 2253002852 |
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L Assommoir, L' (Garnier-Flammarion)
Emile Zola
Manufacturer: Editions Flammarion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Zola, Emile
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ASIN: 2080701983 |
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L'assommoir,
Emile Zola
Manufacturer: Boni and Liveright
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B00085AHGO |
Average customer rating:
- this is one amazing book, and I recommend it very much.
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Emile Zola: L'Assommoir (Landmarks of World Literature)
David Baguley
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
19th Century
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ASIN: 0521384265 |
Book Description
This is a new introduction to Zola's masterpiece, published amid controversy in 1876-7. L'Assommoir is analyzed as a social and political novel, as a representative work of literary naturalism, and in the context of its repercussions in the history of the novel. Professor Baguley investigates its complex and sometimes ambiguous themes, its literary structures and its technical innovativeness. He provides a synthesis of the best research and criticism of the novel together with new insights into its interpretations. The biographical and historical context is given, and there is a guide to further reading.
Customer Reviews:
this is one amazing book, and I recommend it very much........1999-02-25
This is a wonderful book about a very difficult era in France. It talks about the problems of everyday life, the pains and betrayals in love, and it also explores human nature. It's a great book, and I sincerely recommend anyone who speaks french to read it. I can guarantee that you will not regret it! Thanks again to my great french instructor Mme Lavocat-Dubuis for helping me understand this story and making me appreciate it!!
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L Assommoir, L'
Emile Zola
Manufacturer: Nathan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
19th Century
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French
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ASIN: 2091886092 |
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L' ASSOMMOIR
Emile Zola
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK0HHM |
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