5 comments about On the Black Hill.

1. On the Black Hill is an elegantly written homage to the inelegant life of rural Wales, a life in which no one ever strays far from the farm--there are few opportunities and little motivation to do so. Spartan lives are enriched by stories and gossip, slights are never forgotten, feuds reach epic intensity, and bottled-up frustrations simmer till they explode. Through rich and vivid descriptions of the minutiae of daily existence, we come to know twin brothers Lewis and Ben Jones as they grow up and are shaped by their family and their small community. The townspeople become our own friends or enemies, depending on their behavior towards the twins, and we empathize with them as they use their limited resources to struggle with the Big Questions which concern us all--questions of life, love, spirituality, death, cruelty, justice, and ultimately, happiness. By paring life to the bone here, Chatwin gives us a classic example of the adage, "Less is more."



2. On the Black Hill is, on the face of it, a paradoxically British novel to emerge from the pen of a writer renowned for his curiousity for travel, the exotic and the fantastic. Following on from the Viceroy of Ouidah, a fantastical story set in 19th Century West Africa, 'On the Black Hill' tells the story of two twin boys, Benjamin and Lewis who they spend the entirety of their lives farming in rural Wales.
   Chatwin masterfully captures the subtelties of the Welsh countryside - the roughshod agricultural basis to everyday life, the elitism and mannerisms of the gentry, the subtle changes in the weather, the dark, brooding landscapes and the eccentric and intriguing characters of the local community.
   For my money, Chatwin is at his best when using his talent for descriptive prose to describe the everyday rather than the fantastic. His eye for detail and story telling enable him to bring the lives of insular rural types to life in a way that sets 'On the Black Hill' apart from the large body of books written about British country life. The plot develops gently and gradually, with events such as the First World War and the development of the motor car affecting the community in realistic and entertaining ways. One emphathises with the characters as their lives are shaped and developed and the 20th Century history of the area is bought to life in a manner that few other rural novels manage.
   Chatwin the nomad actually excells when involved much closer to home than one might imagine.



3. Along with 'Songlines,' 'On the Black Hill,' is Chatwin's most accessible work. For those unsmitten with Chatwinitis, these two gems of rich storytelling give an idea of just how talented a writer we lost with Mr. Chatwin's premature demise in 1988. Whereas 'Songlines' attempts to dissect our wandering passions, 'On the Black Hill' tries to answer the opposite: why we stay where we are.
   
   Set in the Wye river borderlands between England and Wales, this most complete of Chatwin's works follows the daily toils, sorrows and rare joys of a Welsh farming family. Chatwin guides us through the vicissitudes of Amos Jones and his English wife, Mary Latimore. Yet, the story's real center is the life of their twin offspring, Benjamin and Lewis. The two grew up inseparable from one another. Yet, whilst they share the same hardships of rural life, they differ sharply from each other. Lewis is his father's child: a rough, taciturn man-child whose thoughts and desires rarely stray beyond the farm and the fields. His escape and simultaneously, only connection with the outside world, is his fascination with airplanes. In his few spare moments, Lewis collects articles about the newest innovations in flight. In rare moments, Lewis dreams of flying off to distant lands, freeing himself from the bonds of family, routine and the land. Yet, his alter-ego, Benjamin, always manages to hold him back. Shy, withdrawn, and sensitive, Benjamin takes after his mother, cultivating the more 'feminine' side of farm life: cooking, reading and keeping house. As if Chatwin wanted show the sheer interdependence of both types, Benjamin and Lewis grow into one person as it were, a yin and yang of the human type. Neither can exist without the other for long. When Benjamin gets drafted into the First World War, Lewis feels the torments and humiliations his brother undergoes at boot camp. Likewise, when Lewis 'threatens' to marry, Benjamin falls into deep depression and is saved from death only when his brother comes home again, alone.
   
   From before the Great War to the early 1970's, Chatwin sketches the life of the Jones with incredible detail. As with all Chatwin works, the diamonds are in the pictures he paints, the characters he details. Every level of caste-ridden England and egaliterian Wales is represented with pithy accuracy. The overbearing and decadent English landlords flit away their estates with drink and profligacy while the dour Welsh peasants suffer in dirt and dearth with the hope for a 'better world to come.' The English are all staid High-Church tea drinkers, while the Welsh wander between pub and chapel. Ethnography isn't far from the surface as Chatwin's portrayal of the English-Welsh symbosis mirrors that of the twins. Two brothers so different, yet lost without the other.
   
   Here, like in all Chatwin works, grand meanings are difficult to uncover. Unlike his predecessor of sorts, Thomas Hardy, Chatwin fails to get into the psychological nitty-gritty of why his characters act the way they do. Instead, we're given a canvas of life spread across seventy years and asked merely to observe, sympathize and maybe see ourselves in one of the faces. In this way, 'On the Black Hill' resembles Kent Haruf's testimony to the American Midwest, 'Plainsong,' another novel about two brothers who chose to stay put rather than set out for something new, different, and better. And perhaps this is the message of the work: life isn't elsewhere, it's right under your nose. Coming from the highpriest of wanderlust himself, I'd say that's quite an insight.



4. The conjunction of considerable brouha surrounding release with my place of residence in Central Australia compelled me to read Chatwin's ,'Songlines'. The disappointment with this inaccurate and sloppily structured book deterred further curiosity in his oeuvre. What a loss! 'Black Hill' is a brilliant description of rural Wales, resonant with some of the sweetest nature observations, and the minuatae of rural existence. Chatwin is on the top of his game in this earlier work. No wonder his press expected 'Songlines' to be the magnum that would establish an enduring reputation. The subject matter is generated by the curious tale of geriatric twin brothers who have barely ventured beyond a twenty mile radius of Black Hill. Their 80 years are sketched in without psychologising their inhibitions. For a novel that does explore those dimensions, read Michel Tournier's,'Gemini'. But Chatwin's work has an unhurried pacing spiced with effortless aliterations('spider webs, wavering white with dew, were stitched over the dead grass'...'croziers of young bracken curled up through the cow-parsley')that seem conjured from the mists hanging over the Hill. He's as unobtrustive as the twins, cocooned as they are from the turmoils of the century, beyond their pasture. The years roll on, loved ones and rivals, all pass without Chatwin resorting to Thomas Hardy's melodramatic coicidences to paste the seasons together with wilfull moralising.I mention Hardy as Chatwin refers to him in the text. I did think of John Berger's work at times. And that's fine recommendation from me.



5. I'd call this a masterpiece of rural fiction. The novel unfolds so beautifully and reveals a seemingly timeless set of lives, yet the events of the world peak in and force you to understand how even isolated lives are linked into the flow of history. By the end of these pages the world has changed dramatically, tragically, beautifully; perhaps all of the past is a tapestry of such lives woven to present just the headline events, but I don't recall another writer who has bettered Chatwin's presentation of this fact. Its a short novel, very easily read, and yet will provide you with a place to send your thoughts for days and weeks afterwards.

1 comments about Maine Trees & Wildflowers: An introduction to over 140 familiar species of trees, shrubs and wildflowers (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press).

1. This is a pretty handy little pocket guide with little illustrations and descriptions of trees and wildflowers of Maine. But it is not a paperback. It is instead a laminated and folded two-sided card with six panels on each side. One side has six panels of flowers and trees, and the other side has four more panels of flowers and trees, a fifth panel panel showing a map of botanical sanctuaries of Maine, and the sixth panel is green and white title graphic shown in the Amazon.com depiction of the item. There's about a dozen tree and flower depictions on each panel. Each tree or flower on a panel is depicted solely by a small color illustration of nettles/leaves/cones or leaves/flowers, and the entire tree or plant is not depicted. There's a ten to twenty five word description of each species illustrated, including the common name, latin name, and genral size range. But it is a very short description. For example, with an illustration of two leaves on the same stem, and an acorn, you have this:
   
   "White Oak -- Quercus alba To 100 ft (30m) Leaves have 5-9 rounded lobes Acorn has a shallow, scaly cup"
   
   That's it. Not a bad quickie guide if you're on a hike in Maine, actually. But be aware, it isn't a paperback with a page of description per plant species, or anything like that.

5 comments about The Painted Drum: A Novel.

1. After reading many of Louise Erdrich's novels, I had become tired of their similarities -- until, that is, I decided to give The Painted Drum a chance. Erdrich's novel recaptures the originality of her earlier work and improves it with the maturity of a veteran novelist, succeeding with her multiple narratives as she never has before.
   
   The author has been quoted as describing her writing style as a patchwork quilt, piecing scraps of stories together until they form a beautiful whole. In The Painted Drum, these scraps consist of two major plots: the present day story of Faye, a contemporary woman living with a sense of loss, and the history of a painted drum Faye acquires. The novel's structure is not as simple, however, as this division suggests, as individual stories abound. The throbbing resonance of the drum takes on haunting meaning as its history, traced back to its creation, is revealed. Although the lineage of the drum defines the novel's scope, the stories that surround it veer off in tangents.
   
   Although the Ojibwe history and cast of characters (including the familiar Fleur Pillager) give this novel a complexity that goes beyond what Erdrich has accomplished in recent books, Faye's story steers the work in a new direction, one that gives the ancient spirituality of Native Americans an urgency in contemporary America. The connections between mothers and daughters, between the dead and the living, and among survivors lend this novel poignancy and hope, even if the hope seems less solid that the grief itself.
   
   I highly recommend this novel, especially to fans of Love Medicine and The Beet Queen.



2. Two stories are intertwined here, and I didn't want either one to end! Erdrich's amazing writing brings these characters into vivid focus, and the story is so compelling. She shows us people as they really are: sometimes admirable, sometimes despicable, sometimes pitiful -- but she always depicts them with compassion. I will remember this book for a long time.



3. Life and Death
   I thought The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich had both good and bad qualities. I didn't like how the book was structured or some of the characters. Faye's story didn't really have anything to do with the drum. I know she found it and in some way it helped her move on in her life, but that was barely discussed at all. I don't think Fay added much to the story. I would rather have heard more about Bernard and Ira. Also, the Pillager family tree seems to stretch far and wide. I found it hard to keep track of who was related to whom.
   What I liked about this novel was the theme. It had to do with both life and death. Many of the characters didn't know at first why they should live, yet near the end everyone found a purpose for their lives. Some of them were also able to come to terms with the death of their loved ones. That's not a very easy thing to do. I think the moral in this book has a lot to teach people about life and how to get past death.



4. A friend recommended this to me, and it sat in a stack for nearly 9 months, until one day I picked it up. The author was unknown to me, and it wasn't something I'd have selected for myself. However, after reading just a few chapters, I was drawn into the story.
   
   I was a little miffed after the first storyline ended, fairly abruptly in my mind. I wanted to get back to these characters. However, I found myself getting so caught up in the other two storylines that I forgot I was miffed.
   
   In the end, of course, the storylines connected as their lives were intertwined. It wasn't a neat, storybook ending. Rather it gave some clues and let me imagine a bit on my own.
   
   While it's not my all-time favorite book, it was definitely worth my time!



5. This book was assigned reading for a writing class I am taking. Since I had no idea why it was assigned, I read it just to enjoy and I did find it both informative and thought provoking.
   
   The switch between the past and present is smooth and some descriptive passages are wonderful.
   
   This was an enjoyable read for me, and we are still using parts of it for discussion in class. I will read more of her books.

4 comments about Over Boston: Aerial Photographs.

1. I can't say enough good things about this book. Of course the aerial photography is breathtaking with perspectives familiar only to pilots, pigeons and, sea gulls. We have given this book to a number of friends and family who have moved from the Boston area as way to warmly remember their days here.



2. I really have enjoyed this book. I find myself going back to it again and again. This is Gleason's best work, the photography is excellent. The only draw back is that the pictures are dated. Boston has changed considerably from the time this book was first published, but if you are a fan of Boston, of which I am one, or just an admirer of stunning photography you will not be disappointed.



3. Pictures are almost historical they are so old (mid 80's at best)



4. 'Over Boston' by aerial photographer David King Gleason is virtually identical to those volumes done by Robert Cameron for London, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other cities. I always looked for Cameron's volumes whenever I visited a new city on business, and found this substitution which, on first reading impressed me as virtually identical to Cameron's work. After several years and another look, I begin to see how the work could have been better. Among the little things, there is no picture of Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Socks. Oddly, there is also no picture of Logan Airport. A larger issue is the book is just a bit too old to show the progress of the famous 'big dig' highway project working its way through the middle of the city.
   
   All this considered, it is still a first rate entry in the 'view from above' genre. As someone who has been to Boston twice, I find the author has covered virtually all the highpoints I know. For someone who has never been to Boston, I believe it is as good or better a source for 'what do I want to see' as the latest Frommer guide. I was particularly happy with the way one could easily identify those things which distinguished Boston architecture from other major cities. It also made me jealous that my own local metropolis, Philadelphia, would not show as good a face as the venerable lady on the Charles.

3 comments about New England Fiddler's Repertoire.

1. In contrast with collections that attempt to include interpretive embellishments as played in concert or as recorded, Randy Miller's vintage tome presents all the notes you need to know - and no more. Hence a beginning dance fiddler finds the music accessible. A veteran fiddler is presented with the bare bones of a tune, leaving the door wide open for personal embellishments that make it his or her own. A dance musician gets the basics he or she needs to be able to play at brisk dance speed.
   
   The tunes in this collection have been played extensively at dances for decades. They have stood the test of time for playability. They lend themselves to a lively style with good phrasing - so important for lively dancing and co-ordination with dance figures.
   
   Highly recommended for anyone interested in contra dancing or playing folk music in general.



2. Great mix of songs, easy to read and carry with you.



3. This is an absolute must have for anyone wanting to play New England style fiddle music. All the tunes are easy to read and are the bare basics of what you need to know. Also included in the third edition are chords for accompaniment, list of alternate names, and charming woodblock illustrations. You can't go wrong with this tunebook.

5 comments about John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace.

1. Mr. Aitken's book takes us through John Newton's amazing life, and I found myself very pleased to read the story of Newton's role in the abolition of the slave trade through his influence on his friend Wilberforce (who served in Parliament devoting his life to abolition) as well as his own testimonies to the British authorities. Further, his Christian devotion to William Cowper helped that troubled man get through many dark periods -- even suicide attempts -- and he, Cowper, became one of the leading lights of 18th century English literature.
   Also, his devotion to and love for his wife, Polly, is also heavily accented in this work. It was a 43 year love affair, despite the fact that many found her to be unattractice and somewhat deficient between the ears. Also, they never had children. Nonetheless from the day he first set eyes upon her until the day of her death, she was his one and only.
   Rev. Newton also demonstrated singular devotion to hymnody in worship services which was suspect in high Church of England circles at that time. He showed a sympathy for and interest in some of the religious enthusiasts of the day that rankled some of his Church of England contemporaries, but his charitable attitudes seemed to win over those who needed to be won over, and the cause of Christ was served mightily by the man until he was in his eighties (he was exceedingly long-lived for a person in that century).
   The author is thorough in his treatment of the above themes, but the work is a little too cooly detached for my taste which is why I have given it a four rather than a five. It's filled with facts, yet the texture of the man doesn't really come across. I would have liked a chapter on Newton's theology, a chapter discussing the themes and lyrics of his hymns, his role as a preacher other than his impact on the famous individuals Wilberforce and Cowper, and some more personal touches that one usually finds in good biographies, whether one learns his favorite food, his reaction to issues of the day (other than slavery), and some critique of his writings. He was a pastor for so many years, but one comes away with scant sense of the man.
   Despite these shortcomings, I highly recommend this volume. It's worth every cent. As one reviewer notes, it shows that there is definitely room for Christian involvement in politics that one sees clearly after reading this volume. Christian statesmen are still needed.
   Likewise, I was pleased at his caring and patience for his desperate and suicidal friend Wm. Cowper. He did not assume that because Mr. Cowper was not walking around cheery and seemingly joyful all the time that he was not saved. Too often today Christians are ashamed to say they are sad,and many are disconsolate, yet are made to feel guilty about this. Christ told his disciples to "be of good cheer," but we are not rejected by Him if we are not.
   Read this book and learn from it, but don't expect literary flair or an analytic treatment.



2. This is one of the best books I have read in the past 12 months. It is tightly written, full of insightful anecdotes, and paints the life of an ordinary man that God used to make an extraordinary impact on the world in which Newton lived...and beyond. Even if you are not a regular reader of christian biographies (like me) this one is worth picking up.



3. I really knew nothing about Mr Newton except that he was a former slave ship captain and that he wrote "Amazing Grace". This book was a great encouragement as Mr Newton's story of grace and redemption plays out. Highly recommended.



4. This is a fascinating and enlightening book, which I found difficult to put down. If you enjoy well-written history and adventure, you will love this book.



5. Biographies are good for the soul. There's nothing like sitting down with a good biography and getting to know a historical figure through a well-written description of a person's life and times.
   
   John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace (Crossway, 2007) is a terrific portrait of the life of John Newton (1725-1807) Author Jonathan Aitken recounts the remarkable story of the man who gave us the hymn "Amazing Grace." Here is a former captain of slave ships who became a beloved pastor, prolific hymnwriter and advocate of abolition.
   
   Aitken wisely spends a good deal of time detailing the travels of John Newton before his conversion. He does not shy away from describing the horror of the slave trade. But detailing the wickedness of Newton's early life provides the much-needed backdrop to his dramatic transformation upon believing in the gospel. Aitken's book excels in painting a "Before" and "After" picture of Newton's extraordinary life.
   
   Aitken describes Newton's struggles, but he does so in a way that makes his protagonist sympathetic. He shows how Newton sought to maintain single-minded devotion to Christ in the midst of his rising fame and popularity. The reader senses Newton's heartfelt passion for rectifying his past wrongs by fighting slavery in his old age. The accounts of Newton's dealings with William Wilberforce are fascinating.
   
   John Newton was truly a great man. And there is much more to his life than the hymn "Amazing Grace." But even though Newton's life cannot be reduced to mere "hymnwriter," Aitken understands that "Amazing Grace" is what he is best known for. So he wisely includes a chapter that shows how "Amazing Grace" started out as an obscure hymn and became the world's most-recognized Christian song.
   
   The best part about John Newton is not the song or the biography, but the reality of the amazing grace to which both testify.

5 comments about Haunted Rhode Island.

1. An excellent book about the haunted happeneings in RI. Once I picked it up I could not put it down. Look forward to more!



2. As a lifelong resident of Rhode Island, I have always been interested in our colorful history. The stories in this book bring the reader into dark corners of the ocean state, that most history books don't dare to mention. Mr. D'Agostino has written an incredibly compelling book that not only aims to entertain, but also to challenge the reader. By not only re-writing famous ghost stories but sharing his own experiences with these stories, D'Agostino encourages the readers to investigate the legends for themselves and come up with their own conclusions. By doing so, he has certainly set the bar higher for other authors of this genre. I certainly look forward to any other books Mr. D'Agostino has up his sleeve!



3. What an interesting read! If you didn't know, 20 percent of the country's historic landmarks are located in Rhode Island (Rhode Islander's love old things) and as it turns out many of the historic residents are lingering in Rhode Island too. Buy this book for the illuminating and fascinating info that it contains, and then come visit the places it describes!



4. This was one of the most difficult books I have ever attempted to read. It is filled with misplaced modifiers, misused words, tense confusion, poor sentence structure, too-short sentences, repetition, dangling participles, and misspelled proper names, e.g., Edgar ALLAN Poe (not ALLEN as the author misspells it), interspersed with foolishness about orbs, EVP and EMF readings. Throughout the book, the author also confuses the words HISTORIC and HISTORICAL, misusing both.
   
   I kept having to read, and reread, paragraphs to figure out what the author was trying to say. Pure and simple, Mr. d'Agostino cannot write. Following is a sample of the author's prose (and believe me, I use the term loosely) taken directly from the book:
   
   The Sprague Manor is arguably one of the most haunted houses in the state of Rhode Island. Many tragedies have unfolded in this eighteenth century homestead. These tragedies have left vexes in the passing of time that now and forever reside in the former estate of the prominent yet tragic family. (Vexes? What the heck are vexes? Vexes, as everyone knows [well, everyone except the author] is a verb and verbs cannot be left in the passing of time or anywhere else. My 12-year-old niece can write better than this.)
   
   Another puzzling sentence:
   
   Nellie Vaughn's tomb is not the only landmark on the premises that has a peculiar allegation. (How can a landmark have an ALLEGATION? Another misused word. Mr. d'Agnostino is in desperate need of a dictionary!)
   
   In another story, he claims it is the only time in American history in which a spirit of the dead provided evidence in a murder trial. Obviously, Mr. d'Agostino is unfamiliar with a similar case in Greenbrier, West Virginia. Not surprising because he seems to be unfamiliar with just about everything.
   
   In another passage from the book, the author is at his amateurish worst, writing:
   
   In the Dexter House, the residents say many spirits roam the halls and basement. They are not frightening, just seemingly lost (the residents or the spirits?). This would seem more apt as the building was once a morgue. Maybe the entities do not know they are dead. (Maybe Mr. d'Agostino does not know he cannot write.)
   
   Mr. d'Agostino, who claims he has been investigating the paranormal for 23 years, drones on for approximately 155 pages (some pages aren't numbered), yet, omits one of Rhode Island's most intriguing ghost stories, and another associated with what is arguably one of the most recognizable houses in the US.



5. I thought buying a book on hauntings would be a bit bone chilling. This book was written like an encyclopedia. This book is short stories about famous hauntings in rhode island. Honestly I read 80% of the stories on-line. I wish i didn't buy this book.

1 comments about Fodor's Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. To me, the guide needs be updated.
   The hotel I booked in North Falmouth came not even close to the description in the book.

2 comments about Plymouth in the Words of Her Founders.

1. This is an easy-to-read booklet for those off the beaten tourist path with an interest in history and philosophy/christianity.
   The second half is devoted to what is probably Plymouth's best kept secret: The Forefathers' Monument, a beautiful and impressive 81 ft. granite statue overlooking the town, which none of my friends had ever heard of. The monument artistically and philosophically depicts five main figures (Faith, Morality, Law, Education and Liberty), several smaller figures connected to the five larger ones and scenes of the history of the plantation. The worldview of the pilgrims and the citizens of the last century are explained through the interdependency and rich symbolism of the five figures of the monument: No liberty without education, no education without law, No law without morality, no morality without faith - an abbreviated version.
   The first half of the book is devoted to the history of the pilgrims and their settlement. Through personal accounts of 400 years ago, it brings to life the persecution, the aspirations and struggles of these pioneers, upon which our country was built. It gives brief descriptions of various monuments and other sights worth seeing and puts them into the historical context of the settlement.
   It made our return visit to Plymouth exceedingly rich.



2. This is a marvelous guide book. We intended to visit Plymouth on our vacation this year but did not make it. However, we plan to take this book with us when we go next year. Dr. Jehle goes through all the signifcant sites at Plymouth and takes you through the history (the real history, not the revisionist, politically correct nonesense that passes for history today) of that site/monument in detail. He acknowledges the contributions of both the Pilgrims and the native peoples and highlights the strong faith of our founders as well as that of many of those in the native population. I highly recommend this, especially if you want to teach your children the history of our founding.

No comments about A Mad, Bad, and Dangerous People?: England 1783-1846 (New Oxford History of England).