5 comments about No Graves As Yet (World War One Novels).

1. Anne Perry's new series is off to a great start with "No Graves as Yet." Her historical fiction is well researched and her characters portray the feeling and attitudes of the day. When I finished reading this book, I couldn't wait for next one. I'm currently reading the last book in this series of five that have been progressively riveting. I feel that I'ved learned much about the British perspective of World War I from these novels and why these wars had such a huge influence on British life and attitudes even today. The effect on the U.S. is negligible by comparison.



2. This was my first (and probably last) Anne Perry novel. Neither the story nor the characters caught me. I forced myself to finish it....



3. For a very long time, I read Anne Perry's ongoing series of mysteries set in Victorian England. It didn't matter if they were centered around the husband and wife team of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, or the enigmatic William Monk. But after a while, they started to pale -- after all, the mystery genre fits into a formula of a body is found, an outsider is brought in to find the clues and the people associated with the killing, and eventually justice is served, usually to the delight of the reader who is assured that good will triumph. Read enough of these, and after a time, you can start to pick out what will be happening in the first hundred pages or so. And so, with a sigh of regret on my part, I stopped reading Anne Perry quite so much.
   
   But in 2002 or so, Ms. Perry started a new series of mysteries that are more of historical novel than a set of ongoing whodunits. Set in and around the events of the First World War, and more specifically, one family's survival in the tragedy, there would be a definite beginning and end to the series.
   
   No Graves As Yet is the first novel of the five. It begins in the rich days of June 1914. Joseph Reavley is a teacher at Cambridge University, watching a match of cricket when news arrives of a terrible accident involving his parents, John and Alys, a prosperous middle-class couple. As his siblings gather for the funeral, Joseph realizes along with his brother Matthew that their parents' death may have actually been a murder -- but with little proof, and even less motive, the family has little go on.
   
   Joseph returns to Cambridge, Matthew to London, both of them searching for something to make the horror of the deaths have some kind of sense. Further tragedy awaits Joseph when a brilliant student of his, Sebastian Allard, is found in his room with a bullet in his head, but without any clues or a weapon nearby to suggest who did it. Matthew has plenty of problems of his own -- for he is an intelligence officer, and tensions in Europe are rising with rumors of impending war everywhere. Indeed, war is on everyone's mind, and curiously enough, the death of the Reavleys occurred on the very same day that an Austrian Archduke was assassinated in a Serbian town.
   
   Both Joseph and Matthew find themselves questioning themselves and the unsettled times that they are living in. A great deal of the story is given over to Joseph's desperate melancholy, watching as those he has loved -- his deceased wife, his parents, Sebastian -- all vanish, and his deep psychological torment in reconciling his religious beliefs with a world that is getting ever more confusing. Over it all hangs the mysterious documents that it appears that their father had with him at the time of his death -- a secret that may prevent or accelerate a future war.
   
   What I liked about this one was that Anne Perry carefully weaves in strands of fact in with her fictional Reavley family. Too, she also gives plenty of little details about daily life in England in that hot summer of 1914, from food, automobiles, telephones, mourning customs, to the larger world of the time. I was also able to learn about some of the history of the time that I wasn't aware of, including the military mutiny at the Curragh, and the ongoing troubles of Ireland, then under British rule; the Suffragette movement to get women the vote, and the subtler tangles of adultery, pride, and the ruthless class structure of the time.
   
   The downside is that the novel is glacially paced through the first half of the story. I know that the author is laying down the groundwork for the next four books, and introducing the reader to the Reavley family, but it was very hard going and I was wondering if I should bother with the rest of the series. However, once I got past that halfway point, the story picked up the pace, and the plot starts to come together, building up to a conclusion that breaks at the start of the war, and Britain declares war on Germany.
   
   There are quite a few plot lines in this to be untangled, but for the careful, persevering reader, the story has a great deal of depth and insight. Red herrings wiggle through here and there, but I also liked that Perry takes the time to let the investigation develop, having it spread out over two months, instead of having it be solved in a matter of days, allowing us to watch the three Reavley siblings questioning themselves and the world around them to great effect.
   
   Recommended, with four stars. I'll be certain to check out the next book in the series, Shoulder the Sky.



4. I agree with all of the assessments of this book. I finally gave up after a few chapters and "scanned" through the rest of the book. Not up to par, Ms. Perry!! Too bad. Keep up the good work on the William Monk novels, but forget about this series. If you want to read about WW1 times, read Charles Todd.



5. I found this entire WWI series from Anne Perry to be very disappointing. The WWI setting was interesting but done much better in many other novels. The plot was somewhat incredible and the actions of characters at times outrageous. By the end of the books I felt I had wasted my time with repeated themes, one dimensional characters, and motives with no foundation. The potential for a meaningful work set during the Great War was completely lost and ended up being simply irritating and shallow.

No comments about Golden Wings & Hairy Toes: Encounters with New England's Most Imperiled Wildlife.

1 comments about Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont: Trips Beyond the Long Trail.

1. If you could have one (and only one) trail guide for Vermont, I would suggest this one. While there are plenty of references and resources out there for Long Trail hikers, it can sometimes be a bit harder to find (or hear about) mountains and trails that are off the LT. Because this book's focus is on those non-Long Trail hikes and rambles, it fills in the blanks that are left wide open in nearly every other VT hiking guide I've found (be it $35 book, $6 map, or freebie bulletin in a visitor center somewhere). The maps are detailed and easy to follow and the writing is superb.

5 comments about Politics: A Novel.

1. Adam Thirlwell got named one of the top young novelists of England by Granta, a magazine which is always wrong. And he hadn't even written POLITICS yet at the time he got the nod.
   
   Well here it is now, in a high-profile type of dust jacket that is cut off halfway down the jacket, to make it stand out from the other novels on the table at Barnes and Noble, and I bet it does very well. When you read POLITICS it makes you realize just how accomplished a writer Milan Kundera is, for in Kundera's hands this same storyline turned into THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING whereas when Thirlwall does it, it just sags down with the insecurities of the privileged girl at the center of the tale, the randy boy who wants to spice up their sex life with a menage a trois, and the kind of hapless actress, Anjali, who becomes the "June" in their own version of HENRY AND JUNE. Thirlwell is great when he's describing food, fashion and couture, and when he's telling stories about writers from the past he admires. And he does know quite a bit about the hoydenish behavior of young women desperately trying to please men unworthy of them. But all in all, even though the book is hot pink, and one's hands are drawn to touch it, hold it, caress it, make love to it, do yourself a favor and put it back on the shelf, uncut. Even a copy of GRANTA will prove more rewarding.



2. Those who marketed this book have done a good job. The book is tiresome and wandering. Don't read this for any sexual insights. If it's not about sex, then it doesn't have a lot to fall back on. Even the morality - given in the final line - is nothing provocative or inducive of contemplation. As the French say, Bof!



3. i loved this book, i actually read it in a day. i then gave it to my prudish boyfriend to read. it is quite a refreshing read. a lot of the writing might be about sex but i feel that adam is trying to take a humorous slant on the subject. one of the characters has never had an orgasm (which doesn't really bother her - oh yes its the female, suprise suprise!) the other is deeply insecure (the man - no wonder!) and yet they fall head over heels in love.



4. I got 10 pages into the book and felt guilty for not wanting to finish it, so I read another 10, and yet again another 10. I was really excited to read this book based on other reviews I read.
   
   I frequent British authors so I'm no stranger to the writing, humor, etc., but I could not get into the book or the characters and found Thirlwell's writing to be choppy at best.
   
   Definitely glad I got it used from Amazon. It's into the "to be donated to the library" pile with no guilt!



5. Politics is very poorly written, with simplistic sentence structures, redundant statements and a shallow vocabulary pool. However, this book was an international bestseller. This just goes to show that you don't have to be a great writer to get a novel published; unfortunately (or is it fortunately?), content matters more than presentation and style. Adam Thirlwell's raunchy themes, I believe, are what propelled him to bestselling status.
   
   Thirlwell unabashedly touches on the topics of [...] sex, fisting and the ménage à trois, creating carnal scenes with likable characters, which kept me intrigued, despite the disappointing use of language.
   
   I wouldn't go so far as to call Thirlwell's writing purposefully raw, but it endeared me to Moshe, Nana and Anjali, each of whom I can relate to in different ways. And, because I got rather attached to them during the story (perhaps because I got to know them so well through their numerous bohemian sexual encounters), I was sad to see them split. (Don't worry: Thirlwell foreshadows their doomed threesome, so I haven't ruined the plot.)
   
   So, the content is adult and new, while the writing reflects a middle schooler's capability.
   
   You might find the subject matter intriguing.

3 comments about A Son of the Forest and Other Writings.

1. "A Son of the Forest and Other Writings," by William Apess, is an important resource in United States history and literature. The book is edited by Barry O'Connell, who also provides an introduction. Apess (1798-1839), of the Pequot Indian people, was a pioneer Native American writer. In addition to his 1831 autobiography, "A Son of the Forest," this volume also contains "The Experiences of Five Christian Indians of the Pequot Tribe" (1832) and his "Eulogy on King Philip" (1836).

   Apess' writing is dominated by his fervent evangelical Christianity, and also by his articulation of a Native American consciousness. "Son" is at times a very gripping autobiography. In it Apess writes about poverty, child abuse, alcoholism, ethnic identity and religious conversion: all topics that remain very relevant over the centuries. This volume contains, in addition to the primary texts, a useful bibliography and chronology. This book is an excellent choice both for the classroom and for the independent reader.




2. Four stars seem appropriate for an abridged edition of a work rating five stars for the complete version. For more detail, see my review of "On Our Own Ground" with the same date. The spectacle of Apess delivering his "Eulogy on King Philip" to the descendants of the Puritans who destroyed the Wampanoag leader should cause many Americans to rethink their image of our country's history.



3. This book does have some cultural/sociological worth, but if you buy it new, you've got gross emotional problems. Buy it used--as long as you can find a dependable seller, and it looks like there's a good one already up here, you'll be much happier for it. Trust me on this one--save the few dollars and the years of therapy.

2 comments about Massachusetts (The America Series).

1. We ordered this book right before moving away from Massachusetts in anticipation of being a bit home sick. We placed this book on our coffee table and look at it often. It is great. There are plenty of pictures, some text. The book is good size. I would highly recommend -- and have purchased more copies of -- this book to give as a gift.



2. As a former resident of Mass. I bought this book as a kind of keepsake of some of the beauty of New England. It certainly does contain great pictures. The reader is taken from the capital, Boston all the way to the Bershires covering just about everything in between. All the history and unique areas are covered. If you're interested in learning more about the state or just want to appreciate all it has to offer you need look no further than this book. Highly recommend and very reasonably priced.

No comments about Maine Cities & Towns Atlas.

No comments about Transcendentalism: A Reader.

3 comments about Foghorn Outdoors New England Cabins and Cottages: Great Lodgings with Easy Access to Outdoor Recreation (Foghorn Outdoors).

1. My wife and I travel often to New England, and this is a great resource for anyone who wants to see the sights, go foliaging, climb mountains, paddle in a kayak, or just relax near a lake. It has detailed reviews of cottages throughout the region, complete with information geared to specific outdoor interests (canoeing, hiking, etc.).



2. My wife and I live in New England and are always looking for somewhere to spend a quiet weekend hiking, fishing, or hunting. The foghorn guide has colorful and accurate reviews of some fantastic cabins and cottages. We've already stayed at a few! Check it out, yo.



3. I am a Los Angeles, CA based resident & traveler who enjoys frequenting the more quaint areas of the world, New England being one of those areas and, incidently, a favorite destination. For the longest time I scoured the book shelves for the quintessential New England travel guide but most often would only come up with the more esoteric titles such as "Famous Haunts of Salem" or "The Spiritual Guide to New England". Finally, a book has arrived that spells out simply and beautifully the information I want and need to know about cabins, resorts and B&Bs throughout the entire region. Kudos to the Foghorn series of guides and to Ericson for designing such a helpful resource. I am very pleased with this discovery!

No comments about The Boston Globe Illustrated New England Seafood Cookbook.