4 comments about The Bachelors (New Directions Classics,).

1. Forgetting that I read this book some years ago, I recently picked up the new edition. Expecting to page through innocently and put the book back on the shelf, I suddenly found myself drawn into this devilish and absorbing tale about spiritual mediums, forgery, betrayal and yes, bachelors. Spark turns her marvelous eye on that group of men who want girls for companionship, but not marriage. This is a sly and yet poignant look at a group of intelligent, but not very bright Londoners circa 1960. I recommend it without reservation.



2. Muriel Spark is deliciously witty and writes with a lively charm. This does not prevent her from having an extraordinary talent for portraying the monstrously abnormal--to be precise, the diabolical. THE DRIVER'S SEAT, for instance, is overwhelmed by this malevolence--it is an excellent nightmare, but has only small moments of the Spark charm.

   THE BACHELORS has a lot of both--the "medium" Patrick is one of Spark's most chilling portraits of evil. The scheming Spiritualists resemble more typical Spark "villains" (like the literary circle in LOITERING WITH INTENT), but are perhaps even more harmless in and of themselves. However, unwittingly they touch on something far grimmer--Spark demolishes the Spiritualists by showing that the only thing worse than their nonsense is when they stumble upon something genuine.

   The "good" bachelors' interactions with this group provide an entertaining and equally true view of things, preventing the chill from permeating the book.




3. "Daylight was appearing over London, the great city of bachelors" is the fist sentence of Muriel Sparks's book, "The Bachelors". The areas of London that had the greatest concentration of bachelors were Queen's Gate, Kensington and King's Road. Places all near the center of the shopping district.

   The very British bachelors in this novel, a barrister, a councilman, a detective, an unusual priest, a spiritual medium, a handwriting expert, a man with uncontrolled seizures, and a man who eats onions to ward off advances from women, all well developed characters in this novel.

   All start out on a Saturday morn, organizing their food shopping with their meal planning, and who will cook and clean for them.
   They are all drawn in eventually into the social register of the group, and into the spiritual atmosphere of the medium, Patrick Seton.

   Patrick Seton, a man who is a well known fraud to some. A man with little or no conscience and a man who will draw all of these bachelors into a lawsuit. Is Patrick Seton so demonized that he would try to kill his diabetic, pregnant girlfriend? So thinks the physician who is being blackmailed by Mr. Seton. Ahh, but what of this woman who is so in love with Mr. Seton? Is she a silly girl who will do anything for the love of he man?

   Are any of these bachelors really in love with their women, or do they need them for other nefarious reasons? What are their motives? How will this man Patrick Seton confuse their spirits and their lives?

   Dame Muriel Sparks was born in 1918, and in a few months her 26th novel will be published. She is a well beloved novelist from England. She writes of the dark, terrifying, evilness of the human spirit; and the deadpan humor of the human experience. This is a novel to be relished and to be read again to really experience the malevolence of the human mind. prisrob




4. The scene is a London courtroom where a spiritualist medium is on trial for defrauding a widow of her life savings. One of the main prosecution witnesses is a handwriting expert who suffers from epilepsy. Under questioning he suffers a seizure and the judge asks `Is this man a medium?' It's very clever, in this instance it's very funny, and it's more than slightly heartless. It is the distinctive individual tone of Muriel Spark.
   
   This is one of her best. I found I had to be very alert and attentive or I was liable to miss some new element lightly thrown into the plot without warning. Muriel Spark's touch is as light as thistledown. The characters in The Bachelors are a down-in-the-mouth lot, ranging from nondescript to squalid, but the author typically stays above, or at least outside, their dreary lightless existence. Thinking back over the book, I can't recall anything that I would classify as a single noble thought or piece of lofty motivation. The theme of bachelordom is not really central to the action, more a storyteller's device to help maintain a sense of unity in the narrative. One has to admire the sheer skill with which she keeps control of such a large cast and so many convoluted situations. The characters talk non-stop - virtually all of the book is between quotation-marks - and we have to get to know them, except in two instances, through what they say, not through what they think by themselves. In one of these cases we get a startling insight into what the medium is really pondering and planning, startling because of the way it contrasts with the idiom of the book generally at least as much as because of the nature of his mind. In the other instance a doctor who hardly features at all in the dialogue shines a moment's blinding light through the encircling murk.
   
   The many characters are lively and convincing, their individuality beautifully touched in through subtle little touches that you will be liable to miss if your attention falters even for a moment. Despite that they have a feel of human puppets about them, a show put on for us by a clear-headed, clever, elegant and rather cold-hearted puppeteer. It may be that Muriel Spark is herself putting on an act by letting herself appear in such a light. My own feeling is that she is not minded to resolve that question for us - we can view her how we like for all she seems to care. I like her just the way she chooses to be.

No comments about An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park (Outdoor Family Guides).

No comments about Rhode Island.

5 comments about Sufferings in Africa: The Astonishing Account of a New England Sea Captain Enslaved by North African Arabs.

1. It was amazing how the author could retain the readers interest in such a monotonous environment. Captain Riley never lost his faith in God and in the end it shows how God works in mysterious ways and never abandons those who trust in Him. An incredible story.!!!



2. I read this book with great interest and pleasure as James Riley is an ancestor of mine. Makes a great family gift. Those who enjoy historical reading will certainly enjoy this.



3. Being an ardent reader of autobiographical accounts of travel and the tribulations encountered, I found this to be a fascinating and horrifying memoir about an infrequently described area of Africa some two centuries ago. However, at the outset, mention is made of drawings and maps - none of which are included. A shame !



4. The author of the book, Captain James Riley, bravely wrote and acknowledged his role in his ship's disaster of wrecking off the North African coast back in 1815. This is an incredible tale of survival under the most brutal and pain-racking conditions one can imagine. The American brig, Commerce, hit a storm off the North African coast and was wrecked. The crew manages to reach the beach in their boats and collapse with exhaustion. However, the wreck and chance of plunder attracts an Arab nomad band to the scene. It is at this point that the captain and crew get a taste of the welcome they that will be met with from natives who are as merciless and unforgiving as the Sahara desert they live in.
   
   Although they manage to avoid capture and probable execution on their first encounter with the Arab nomads, the second encounter finds them starved, hopeless, and without water for several days running. So, they are enslaved and stripped naked by their captors. Their skin sizzles and blisters horribly under the ferocious Saharan sun while they walk barefooted and bloody over the sharp, rocky desert floor for many days - each day weaker with the spark of life slowly ebbing from their eyes. Then their band encounters their personal savior, Abdallah, who is an Arab merchant crossing the Sahara along with his brother. He buys the captain and most of the crew at Riley's repeated emotional entreaties, planning to sell them back to the English consul, Mr. Willshire, in far away Mogadore (for a profit, of course).
   
   Yet despite their new master and his profit motive, their continued survival is highly tentative as starvation, thirst, fatigue, continual danger of brigands, and even Abdallah's own brother conspire to steal these forsaken, hapless captives. And even though Riley must have suffered immeasurably he still managed to sear his inconceivable experiences into his memory and learned to speak some Arabic as well. Their thirst was often so remorseless that they routinely drank camel urine and subsisted on the most meager food imaginable.
   
   This is a remarkable true story and one which vividly portrays the unspeakable sufferings by the unprepared and unwary stranded in the deserts of North Africa. Read the book, skip the visit!



5. I found out about Captain James Riley's story one night when I was watching the history channel. I was so moved by the documentary about Captain Riley's story that I wanted actually read it for myself. I chose this book since it is simply Captain James Riley's words of what happened. He uses extremely descriptive language in laying out the situations he and his crew experienced throughout their ordeal of being stranding and later sold into slavery in West and North Africa. He spares no detail in the account, and it is truly a blessing that he and some of his crew survived. I found myself hoping for his success as I read, even though I knew how the story would end. I found myself wondering if I would have survived such an ordeal. This was possible by simply reading Cpt. Riley's account without additional things thrown in. After reading this I gave it to my mother I was so moved. It would have been nice if there were some maps included to give the reader and idea of where exactly the events took place, but never the less an awe inspiring book.

2 comments about West Haven (CT) (Images of America).

1. This is the best photo-journal of West Haven yet! Not only does the book explain each picture with a wonderful history that makes you feel like you are actually in the photographs looking at old West Haven, but the story really brings the famous and not so famous people to life. Each person and building expresses how a small deeply rooted, easy living town, grew into a city with a hidden importance in American history.
   
   I recommend this book with its fabulous photographs and exceptional story line to everyone! I found it to be such an easy read, not for context, but due to the absorbing content.



2. MAKE SURE YOU ALSO CHECK OUT SAVIN ROCK AMUSEMENT PARK
   BY EDITH REYNOLDS, IT IS IN THE SAME SERIES OF BOOKS, UNDER THE POSTCARD HISTORY SERIES. BOTH ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND IN MY OPINION THE BEST BOOKS ON WEST HAVEN AND SAVIN ROCK SO FAR.

2 comments about Cape Cod Wampanoag Cookbook: Wampanoag Indian Recipes, Images & Lore.

1. More Patti Page's "Old Cape Cod" than a collection of recipes, The Cape Cod Wampanoag Cookbook is a wonderful concoction of good reading and favorite meals simplified. Essays are interspersed with mouth-watering and heart-warming dinners, soups, chowders, and breads. A history of the cranberry bogs winds its way through one chapter, carefully following the transition from a time when native children crawled on hands and knees to pick cranberries by hand to the modern method of wet harvesting the bogs. A childhood spent as an Indian guide for hunting and fishing expeditions is well documented in charming narratives spinkled through the book. Earl Mills' voice comes throgh in stories which are divided according to the four seasons, telling readers how his people lived according to the land.
   The owner and cook of a popular Cape Cod restaurant for close to thirty years, Mills is Chief Flying Eagle of the Mashpee Wampanoags and former athletic director of the Falmouth , MA public schools. Breen, who has captured his spirit as well as a native respect for Mother Earth, has also captured Cape Cod at its best. Her thoughts on Thanksgiving are worth the price of this little gem of a book.
   I read the book cover to cover and then bought it for every one on my Christmas list. Readers, eaters and cooks alike will cherish this delightful gem!



2. I'm orginanly from Cape Cod and a small part Wampanoag, may even be related to Mr. Mills. Have tried some of the recipes and they
   take my back to my childhood in Orleans. I really enjoy the stories that he has written, I have been to some of those places. The book has been a great joy to me, it brings a smile to my face and a warm feeling in my heart, thank you for the return trip to my younger years, both with the stories and places but also the wonderful recipes

No comments about Circus Fire Memories.

2 comments about Living In New England.

1. I was browsing among the impoverished English-language section in a local bookstore and this immediately caught my eye with both title and jacket photo. I grew up and went to college in New England and it will always be called home-thus the nostalgia. This lovely and evocative book combines photography that you can drink in (and be transported by) with a very readable text...I find very often in "coffee-table" photo books the accompanying text is either boring or excessively esoteric. This is neither. Dos Santos' impeccable technical skill is obvious, although there is a slight bias toward a stereotypical New England simple-and-spartan ethic as far as subject choice goes. Overlook it and give this book a once-through. You won't regret it.



2. What a wonderful book! Both the prose and photos are terrific. The authors have truly captured the essence of New England and country life. As a new owner of one of the 25 profiled homes, I can honestly say (o.k., I am a little biased) that this is a book worth buying. SRS

1 comments about Boston Sites and Insights: An Essential Guide to Historic Landmarks In and Around Boston.

1. I got this book because I need it for a class, but I actually started reading it before the class started. It's a great book to give you the basic info about a lot of popular and historic places in Boston. Each site has about 4 pages of info, including websites, phone numbers, and other tourist info. I wish I had known about this before my senior year of college in Boston.

5 comments about One Night To Be Sinful (Zebra Debut).

1. Lord Wolcott is worried about several unusual happenings at his sister Abigail's country home. She is transferring several large transactions of money which she refuses to explain. As a favor to Lord Wolcott, Calvin Garrett decides to investigate Abigail by posing as a butler. Even though Calvin isn't afraid of hard work, he never expected to meet a woman so different than any he has met before. As Calvin gets closer to Abigail, he forgets that he's her employee. What he wants is to be is her husband!
   
   One Night to Be Sinful is a story of independence and love. Abigail, having been injured in an accident several years before, has never considered herself an invalid. She refuses to let her injury hinder her life and doesn't waste her time with people who look down on her. She is too busy living her life. To heck with them!
   
   When Abigail meets Calvin, she thinks of him only as her butler, but later as someone so much more. He isn't like the other men. He looks at her with passionate eyes and a hungry heart, not as a woman with an injury. Calvin hasn't always been wealthy. He has lived a rather difficult life when a mere twist of fate gave him the chance to live as one of the rich and famous. Maybe that's why he isn't afraid of work. He is more familiar with the working class than the upper crust.
   
   Calvin feels a connection with Abigail because she isn't attracted to him for his wealth or position. She likes him for his heart, kindness, and character. He's never had that before, especially from his own family. Although they have to endure several rough patches, I think they make a good couple because they look beyond the surface to the inner beauty of their souls. One Night to Be Sinful proves beauty lasts only for a short time but character, passion and love lasts for a lifetime.
   
   
   Lee
   Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed



2. I am an avid reader of romance novels, especially historical romance. This is one of the best novels I have read in a while. The premise, though sticking to the usual romance formula, is different enough to be very exciting. The author creates a picture with each description without weighing the story down with unneccisary detail. Though, the historical accuracy may be a bit lacking, overall the story it so well written it is of little consequence. I immediatley searched for information about this author, anxious to read another story, and found out this is her first published novel. I can't wait for the next novel and will diligently be on the look out for it's release.



3. Before I get started with my review, I want to say that this story is most definitely not for historians. If you require historical accuracy in your books, look elsewhere. There are quite a few errors with titles and other details, as some other reviewers have pointed out. They were a bit annoying at times.
   
   That said, I still really liked this book. The hero was strong and protective, but also tender and at times insecure. The heroine had insecurities of her own, but was still a strong person who wanted to take care of her own problems. Even though several details strained credibility quite a bit, I found myself caring about the characters and wanting them to be together. Samantha Garver's writing drew me into the characters' emotions and the action of the story.
   
   I enjoyed the story greatly, and I think with research and better editors this author could write wonderful historicals.



4. 
   This is the coming out novel by this author. I am glad I bought and read it as I'm always looking for a new author to add to my historical romance collection. After reading this book and being pleasantly surprised, I am hopeful this author writes many more books to come! I almost didn't select this book as I never heard of the author before, I found the title a bit questionable (worried it might be too smutty) and the cover shot supported my concerns. More like a modern lusty romance than a historical romance. But...covers and titles can be misleading and certainly were in this story. I think a better title and cover would bring in more readers so...don't let these things keep you away.
   
   The main character Abby was simply a joy. She made me smile as she was fiercely independent yet, innocent and tender all at the same time. Kind of like a kitten with sharp claws that keeps you at bay but, then also has soft fur and gentle purring that lures you in regardless. Abby found a way to create a life for herself after her fiance' left her and she was left with a bad limp and slightly disfigured leg from a carriage accident years before. Although society turned away from her as she was getting older, unmarried and had what they felt was a defect, Abby still managed to make friends, over-see her estate and continue life as pleasantly as possible. One reader felt she was not proper enough in her etiquette and regency era "ways' but, frankly I found her unorthodox ways very interesting and appealing. She clearly went to the country to do as she pleased and not have society to continue beating her down. Her brother Thomas worried about her as the neighbors didn't like Abby and what she represented - kindness to her staff, love of all animals and integrity and honesty. The neighbors were cruel to everyone, killed animals for sport and were evil and rude. All the things Abby was not. Thus...friction occurred and Thomas worried it would boil over and possibly harm Abby. Thomas sent his closest friend Calvin Garrett in under cover as a new butler to help keep an eye on Abby and the estate.
   
   Calvin was an enjoyable hero to the story as he was not a high ranking member of society or considered one of the elite. He had a rough childhood, little love from parents or family and only gained money and a title through a relative's untimely death and Calvin was the only one left in the family line. So...he got the benefits. Calvin fit in best he could but, always felt an outsider. He willingly took on the role of the butler to help out his friend and was surprised at the attraction, wonder and mystery he saw in Abby from the first time he met her. She was more beautiful than expected, definitely feisty and headstrong but...also traumatized by her earlier accident and how society treated her disability. Calvin kept an eye on Abby as planned - in more ways than one! Calvin was also the believable hero in that he stood his ground and did as he said he would - protect and keep Abby safe no matter what. He did that with her neighbors, society people and her old fiancé'. He was a great leading man.
   
   It was pleasing to see Calvin become intrigued with Abby as she was like no one he had ever met before. He learned through her how appealing a smart, witty and wise woman could be. Looks were one thing - these other things were even more appealing and life altering for him. By getting to know Abby's cook, horse master, house keeper and animals like Harry the rabbit and Achilles the quarter horse...Calvin took his place among the staff, slowly learned to fit in and inadvertently found himself a real home for the first time in his life. A house, a family and a love. Abby in turn was intrigued by Calvin as he was all the things her last fiance' had not been - and she realized how much more she liked him for these missing things. In Calvin's warmth, strength, tenderness and protectiveness, Abby found a home as well, this time for her heart.
   
   The intimate scenes were warmly and tenderly written and not overly descriptive. Really just enough to get a feel for what was happening between the characters without going over-board. The scenes were tasteful and memorable. I especially liked that neither Abby nor Calvin ever walked away with disgust, mistrust or regret at their coming together. Instead, they relished what happened and the feelings each inspired in the other.
   
   The story really was simple and not at all complex. I frankly think that is why I liked it - not too dark, passionate, deep, complicated, etc. It's lightness was its charm. . Some authors these days get so engrossed in complicated plots and lusty people that they loose the whole reason for the book - create a love story between two people that is believable. Some authors also get so caught up in historical accuracy that the dream and fantasy qualities get lost in their search for the perfect words, setting and actions based on historical data. This author was light in historical accuracy but, heavy in charm and sweetness.
   
   This was a beautiful tale of caring, tenderness, friendship and love. All the things a good love story should be. Do read this book if you have not yet. It is a winner. An excellent coming out book this author can be proud of. Four stars and then some!



5. Very refreshing to see a new author break from the norm and develop a style that is unique and not a copycat of every historical romance ever written. Samantha Garver has definitely shown herself to be unique in this debut novel. The aristocratic lady with the sexy, handsome butler works very well in this story of well-developed characters blended with intrigue. This story really does have it all. The development of love between the characters is enthralling. I look forward to furture books by Samantha Garver, hoping she will continue to develop characters that are different from the norm of every other historical romance, as she has a real talent for being able to pull it off. One Night to Be Sinful is an enjoyable book, one I was happy to have discovered.