Domestic-series

I believe I first read Larry Woiwode's short stories about the Neumiller family in The New Yorker and Harper's before they were woven together into this richly emotional novel about a family of young children whose mother becomes ill and dies. Although there is a whole range of deeply felt emotions in the book, it is often the heartbreak of everyday life that permeates the work. Meawhile, there is a near-Proustian depth of detail in the account of lives lived in small midwestern towns, first in North Dakota and then Illinois.

Woiwode also captures the dynamics of family life, particularly in the close relationship between the narrator and his slightly older brother (a relationship celebrated, explored, and lamented in a sequel novel, "Born Brothers"). It's been years since I read "Beyond the Bedroom Wall," but there are moments in it almost seared into memory like film images. That is partly due to Woiwode's poetic gift for language that makes you want to read and savor every word on every page.

In later years, Woiwode returned to North Dakota and has lived there in a rural community in a kind of self-imposed spiritual exile. The early writings, in my opinion, are far superior to his later work. When he wrote "Beyond the Bedroom Wall," he was at the peak of his powers as a storyteller. Yes, it's a "great" American novel.

I remember when this book first came out. I had gone to school with Larry and read it immediatey. I knew many of the family (in Illinois) and was once hired (I think I was 17) to drive one of the older gentlemen from Illinois to North Dakota for a visit, therefore I know some of the places there also. Larry's father was our school Principaland was one of the major influences on my life, maybe he gave me the interest to visit all the foreign countries that I have. I have spent nearly 30 years overseas since leaving school in, 1960. I just re-read the book and many old memories came back. Thank you for this book. Our little town and school (my 1960 class might have been 40 or 45 people, I just can't remember) produced some top notch talented people within a year or two of each other, Larry and his brother Danny being typical of them.

It's been years since I read this fine novel from cover to cover--but not so very long ago since my latest brief delve. It was not unlike visiting old friends or neighbors, and I was most happy to spend some time with them. Larry Woiwode brings the simple pleasures and heartbreaks of everyday life vibrantly to life in this book, a "family saga" in the very best sense. There's a real joy to watching the lives of these characters unfold, and a recognized danger in the closeness of family life--I still recall the dread with which I read when it became clear that one of the characters was facing death. Creating that depth of feeling in a reader is no mean feat, but Larry Woiwode pulls it off time after time, as adroitly as a bird landing on a twig. He is certainly one of America's most under-appreciated writers, and this is a wonderful place to begin discovering his talents. These characters and events will linger a long long time.

First published over twenty-five years ago and recently reissued by The Feminist Press of the City Univesity of New York, Edith Konecky's "Allegra Maud Goldman" soars with life, tingles with humanity and snaps with feminist tang. Its theme of self-discovery, a staple of coming-of-age novels, however has a distinct slant; "Allegra" insists that its protagonist, a precocious girl growing up in late Depression Brooklyn, hurl herself against familial and societal restraints imposed on her due to the simple reason of her sex. Konecky has created a masterwork; her novel is neither strident or didactic. Instead, her protagonist, Allegra Maud Goldman tells her own story -- directly, ironically and courageously. It is this unadorned, unaffected point of view and voice which enriches the novel and elevates it to mythical proportions.

Cursed with a memory which forbids her forgetting any sexist reduction of her self, Allegra's childhood unfolds as an unending conspiracy to eviscerate her unbridled enthusiasm for life and undermine her incredible intellectual talents. Unsaddled from the urban poverty afflicting most Americans during the 1930s, Allegra lacks little material comfort but suffers, at an early age, from existential oblivion. Her distant and chronically-absent mother, a social butterfly who has made peace with her marriage to a quietly tyrannical dress manufacturer, provides little to copy as a role model. Allegra must set out to develop, define and fortify her own sense of self in a world seemingly set to reduce her to docile femininity.

In a revealing conversation with her mother, Allegra expresses discontent that her family focuses attention on her older brother David, who suffers from his own lack of confidence. When she asks, "How come nobody around here is at all interested in whether I am finding myself?", her mother dismisses her by telling her that she will "grow up and marry some nice man and have children." Against this biology is destiny environment, Allegra launches her battle. As her childhood evolves, Allegra challenges the different ways boys and girls are indoctrinated to handle their emotions, does battle with a public school system that diligently attempts to socialize girls into subordinate domestic. Her sardonic friend Melanie has one of the best lines of the novel: "If they're prepring us to be housewives...why don't they teach us something useful like sexual intercourse?"

By the time Allegra has come to grips with her evolving body, she has developed a passion for writing and a talent for poetry. Her epiphany is hard-earned and promises a life of rebellion. After having one of her poems purchased for publication in a daily newspaper, her father chooses to take her letter of acceptance instead of her creation to work as a means of validation. Stunned and bewildered by how her family "managed, with nothing but good intentions, to make me feel so dismal," Allegra repeats her own mantra of self-validation, her own declaration of independence: "You're a person. You're a person."

We tend to forget how hard girls have had to work to obtain what boys perceive is their birthright: the need for self-definition, praise for ambition and affirmation for struggle. Strong women come from strong girls. Strong girls come from the crucible of their own experiences and the will to face the hurricane. Edith Konecky's "Allegra Maud Goldman" will be a treasured companion for girls and women who savor the creation of an independent, autonomus self and will be valued by the boys and men who cherish girls and women who are strong, vibrant and proud.

I loved this book with all my heart- it told the story of how Allegra travels from childhood to young adulthood, dealing with ideas we all must cope ith- death, sex, love, and friendship. And, as a plus, her name is Allegra, a rarely seen name in the modern world, considering most people think its a drug. This book is one I recomend to all, even the most cynical of people.

This is a wonderful coming-of-age novel. Allegra Maud Goldman sees past the limitations of her conventional family, her teachers and peers. Her father is only interested in his fashion business, her mother mostly too busy meeting friends. She notices, and usually points out, what they can't see, especially when they treat her differently from her brother because she's a girl. For the most part she remains bright and clever, and her frustration rarely turns inwards or outwards - she rises above everyone and everything with the help of a friend.

It's very funny, very easy to read and stands up to being re-read.

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Aha! Here is a romance, light as whipped cream, and suitable for the young.

Author Lori Soard sets the pace for "Housebreaking a Husband" with a humorous, romantic and action-packed beginning

A feisty young woman with a scarred past meets a man with heavenly green eyes on the beach behind her home-or rather she entangles that man with a dog, leash, the arms and legs of children and some of her own body parts.

It turns out this man with whom Sarah has become entwined has some scars of his own. He is about to lose custody of two beautiful twins and, excepting for the deep love he feels for them, is determined to be emotionally unavailable to all others.

This romance is titillating but is also so free from explicit sex that it would be suitable for most 14 year olds. Like most families, Sarah's is slightly dysfunctional and quirky and absolutely lovable. it appears that Soard is incapable of formulating a cookie-cutter character. They all have a reality quotient of 10.

This is a story about how love can be corrupted by a lack of communication and by unaddressed fears. There is much more to it than a quick, romantic read.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson [author of] This is the Place

Lori Soard has weaved a delightful story of a woman's journey from an unhappy past. It's a heart-tugging story that kept me up all night because I was unable to put it down. Her characters are well developed and pull you into the story from the start. This book is highly recommended for all to read. You'll love it!

L.C. Martin author of Caught in the Rain

Lori Soard's imagination and depth of feeling for her characters are unique. She spins a tale of difficulty and triumph, laughter and tears. This one is highly recommended and a keeper to read and re-read. A must-have for those who love beautiful style and prose!! - Candace Sams, National Readers' Choice Winner

For the start of this book I was a bit worried I wouldn't finish it, as it felt in the beginning like a terribly earnest 'ladies' book; but I soon found out what a lovely book it is - I would call it charming if that wasn't so twee.

Four women - all strangers - spend a month sharing a house in Italy. Slowly but surely they slough off their old, grey skins and discover happiness. Much of this happiness comes simply from a change in their perceptions. Lotty, slightly fey, is the first to fall for the house's charms, and soon begins to act like the person she really is, rather than the quiet mousy woman her life has made her. When her husband comes to visit he realises what a wonder his wife is, and though his motives for visiting were less than pure, he falls back in love with the woman he first married. Rose, who constantly battles to square any enjoyment in life with her conscious, has the same effect when her husband accidentally arrives near the end of her holiday - he realises that his wife is still the woman he first married.

The other two women also have their epiphanies - old Mrs Fisher realises that living in the past, her only enjoyment being memories of the good and the great she met in her youth, is not as enjoyable as she thought; she lightens up and moves on to let happiness in to her life. And beautiful Scrap - Lady Caroline - realises how empty her life is. Slowly through the book we see her formulate a future life, and though she hasn't reached it by the novel's end, you feel she will.

This is a clever book - it makes you question how your perceptions flavour your life, and it also makes you question your perceptions of others. If only we all had a house in Italy to spend time reflecting on these issues.....

Much like the film this book by Elizabeth Von Arnim inspired, there is something peaceful here on these pages. This is a gentle novel about the gradual internal changes brought about by the beauty of our surroundings. It is a book that reads itself as much as it is read, the author writing with the flow of the characters thoughts and feelings as their hearts are changed by the suprise of beauty.

An ad to rent a castle in San Salvatore on the Italian Riviera will prompt two British women, Rose and Lottie, with only a passing acquaintance, to inexplically leave their husbands behind for a summer that will change their lives and their marriages forever.

Joining Rose and Lottie for this holiday is Mrs. Fisher, an older woman living in the past, and Lady Caroline Dester, a grey-eyed society beauty tired of being gawked at like a majestic statue, not allowed to be human. Diverse in nature and temperment, not to mention background, they interact uneasily together until the flowers and the sea bring about a change in their souls.

Surrounded by fig and olive trees, plum blossoms and Tamarisk daphnes, and the scents of fortune's yellow rose and blooming acacia, the women slowly find their roles at this castle by the sea, and in doing so find themselves as well. New insights will prompt Rose and Lottie to send for their husbands. Lady Caroline, or 'Scrap' as she is known, will find love in spite of her wish to be alone and her great beauty. Mrs. Fisher will form a friendship with Lottie and her husband, and discover a renewed zest for creativity in this heaven by the sea.

This is a novel about life and love, told gently through the emotions of these women, as the the suprise of beauty and the warmth of being suddenly admired and seen as beautiful, when they had not been before, changes their simple lives, which were not so simple at all. You will definitely enjoy this novel if you enjoyed the film. It is about love restored, and love discovered, along the wistaria covered steps leading down to the sea.

Wonderful! I could read the book and watch the movie over and over! Treat yourself to a vacation in an Italian paradise with real characters and a physical beauty you could reach out and touch. Von Arnim makes this simple plot so magical and warm it makes you want to visit San Salvatore too!

This novel is about the trials and tribulations of a woman who is being divorced by her ex-husband.

Central character Claire Raphael seems pretty passive and simply stands by while her husband takes custody of her kids and takes her to the cleaners because she has her own business and earns more money than the ex-husband.

There needed to be more conflict and drama. Maybe, Claire could have kidnapped the children or taken revenge on her ex, for the sake of plot suspense and momentum. Instead, poor Claire waits for the legal system to dole out what little she does end up with.

Also, Claire has to deal with her aging and dying mother, Connie. Why do characters in Barbara Delinsky books call their mothers by their first names always?

Coming off the surreal and mystical "Three Wishes" by Barbara Delinsky, "A Woman's Place" was a let-down, due to the central character's (In "Woman's Place") inability to take action, no matter what it was, regarding her sad situation.

The book just plods along while central character, Claire waits for her situation to change. This novel comes closest to repetitive Danielle Steel novels, since much of "A Woman's Place" is taken up by Claire doing nothing but endlessly and incessantly complaining about her lot in life instead of pro-actively doing something about it.

The book begins with a glossy 8x10 picture of life. Claire has her family, her children, her marriage and her career and, then
everything falls apart. She is booted out of her home, her husband wants a divorce and she looses custody of her children who were her life.
Barbara Delinsky identifies each character in such a way a reader cannot but feel like he/she really knows each person. I had feelings for each character and felt sorry, happy,angry and even love for each of the characters at one time or another during the story.
In the end, each character finds his or her strengths and understandings of the situation they were in and become emotionally healthy again. Scars are left in everyone's life but pain does not stop life from going on.
I highly recommend the book for anyone who likes love stories, stories about life's struggles and triumps or books about surviving life's tragic surprises.

Bravo for Barbara Delinsky. A Woman's Place captures the real-life trauma one woman faces when her world falls apart. This book is smart, thoughtfu, realistic and, for me, portrayed each character with balance and tolerance. I was struck particularly by the main character's strength and how she was able to negotiate and survive one of the most difficult experiences a woman can face. As a reader, I felt her horror and her confusion; this is the sign of a well-crafted and successful book. I heartily recommend A Woman's Place and look forward to Barbara's next book

In typical McMurtry style, there is a good deal of humor and whimsy in this novel. For the first 400 pages or so I felt it was a bit overdone, but once I saw where the novel was headed, it made perfect sense. About the ultimate destination of the novel: it packs quite an emotional punch. Rare indeed is the novel that can make me cry, but this one did it.

No writer in the last half of the 20th century was better at character development than McMurtry. In "Terms" he introduced us to Aurora Greenway; here he he expands and burnishes her character while he folds in a supporting cast of almost equally fascinating lesser characters. This was one of those rare tomes I wished would never end. You don't have to like her, but if you finish this book unaffected by la Greenway, you'd best read it again. Aurora's successful plan to ensure her young Grandson would never forget her is one of the most moving sequences I have ever read. Two years after first reading this novel and I still well up just thinking about it.

As a sequel to "Terms of Endearment", "The Evening Star" follows up on the life of Aurora Greenway and her three grandchildren. I found myself laughing out loud as I read this book and I fell in love with Aurora's wit, humor and sarcasm. The book was written with such creativity about the lives of its characters that it draws in your imagination and emotions. I read this book twice in a row and it only got better the second time around. This book deserves 10 Stars!

This story was well written and held my interest throughout. However, I did not like the main hero, Cole Taylor. I don't know, he seemed so lifeless, so impersonal, so NOT appealing. I liked Claire, it was unfortunate someone so sweet had such heartache in her life.
Lady Sara and Jack Dalton were lively, and seemed to make a wonderful couple, although we'll never know since their story wasn't fully explored here.
Lucas Cain and his wife, Emma were a sweet couple. Despite doubts, they were very much in love. Even their story could have developed a little more, but what we got was better than nothing. The author's compassionate, romantic and sensitive side really came through in this couple.

This is one of Katherine Stone's best novels. The story line is complex and surprising. Of course, we know their is a happy ending for all, but I certainly didn't expect some of the twists and turns along the way.

I especially liked the love story between Emma and Lucas. But all of the interweaved story lines touched my heart.

I also highly recommend Stone's Pearl Moon, my other favorite.

This book was totally magnificent. From beginning to end, it was good, very interesting. I couldn't put it down. It was one of the best books I have ever read. Most books aren't good from beginning to end. I mean it was really good, even from the beginning.

An interesting conjoining of two very different stories. I read them in order, starting with "Ordinary Love" and then moving on to "Good Will." At the end, I found myself wondering what links the two stories?

In both, there is a father who directs his family to such an extent that he could be called controlling or even an egomaniac. In "Ordinary Love" the father is not present; he is the "fifth man", invisible, but the scars left by his words and actions have sunk deep. In "Good Will", the father is the protagonist, and through his own eyes we see the results of his actions.

Unlike the other reviewers here, I preferred "Ordinary Love." I enjoyed the character of the mother, who narrates the story. She strives to be objective and offer a balanced viewpoint. She has a depth of self-knowledge. Also, she watches her children with great love, and that lends the story real warmth, which I thought was missing from "Good Will."

I plan to read both stories again. There's a depth of character and thought here that can't be fully taken in with one reading.

Smiley gives us an intimate view into two very different families and the ways in which their different parenting styles affected their children's lives irrevocably. Smiley is a master of character development. When each story begins, you have a certain view of the protagonist and other characters. As the stories unfold, your feelings about each character change. This is a book to be read more than once.

Good Will is by far one of the best novels I've ever read. Ordinary Love was good too. There is nothing ordinary about Jane Smiley's characterizations in Good Will. Those characters could not have been more real if they were real people in the room with me. The psychological, emotional, and moral complexities and motivations they display, the remarkable way in which it was all written and put together..2 years after reading this book, I'm still in awe of it.

I read the book since I had interest in a sports car. As soon as I put it down, I had the Viper Fever. I bought one the next day. Great book with some good background and pictures.

it's dang good the venom gos 0-60 in 2.4 sec and 0-100 in 5.5sec and 0-100-0 in 9.4 sec that is bad i think how about you.

This Viper book is so beautiful, and great i get to read it again. cool..

I don't know what the wiring is for an 1988 Buick Century. I also don't have a manuel. I was going to put a cd player in it and I needed to know the wiring fir it.

I need to know that is the maximum voltage from alternator buick century 1991 year.

With lots of pictures, this manual is something I wish I had bought long ago. It helps first-timers do things like change the oil, and hardcore pros overhaul engines and transaxles. It shows how to take apart consoles and such which almost look inpermeable at first. Power antenna on the fritz? It's in here. Need new brakes? It really is not hard, and if fully detailed and illustrated in this book. This is just a really essential tool for you, and is just as valuable as your ratchet wrench.