Best Russian Literary Criticism
The Brothers Karamasov is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and an exploration of erotic rivalry in a series of triangular love affairs involving the “wicked and sentimental” Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three sons―the impulsive and sensual Dmitri; the coldly rational Ivan; and the healthy, red-cheeked young novice Alyosha. It returns to us a work we thought we knew, subtly altered and so made new again.” ― Donald Fanger, Washington Post Book World. “It may well be that Dostoevsky's [world], with all its resourceful energies of life and language, is only now--and through the medium of this translation--beginning to come home to the English-speaking reader.” ― John Bayley, The New York Review of Books. “Heartily recommended to any reader who wishes to come as close to Dostoevsky's Russian as it is possible.” ― Joseph Frank, Princeton University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As an example of a difficult sentence: Pevear: "These occasions were almost morbid: most depraved, and, in his sensuality, often as cruel as a wicked insect, Fyodor Pavlovich at times suddenly felt in himself, in his drunken moments, a spiritual fear, a moral shock, that almost, so to speak, resounded physically in his soul." Compare that to. McDuff "These were instances that almost seemed to involve some morbid condition: most depraved, and in his voluptuous lust often brutal, like an evil insect, Fyodor Pavlovich would on occasion suddenly experience within himself, in his drunken moments, a sense of spiritual terror and moral concussion that echoed almost physically, as it were, within his soul". If you are more comfortable with a wider repertoire of words, and typically read with a background sense of the "flow" of each sentence, I believe McDuff will be far more readable while maintaining all the essence of the original work."
"Don't be put off by the fact that this book is one of the classics of the Western Canon."
"This is a beautiful,moving novel that sticks with you long after you've finished."
"Every page is a work of art: Dostoevsky is a master at prose and painting vivid pictures of 18th century Russia."
"The epitome of conflicts between mind, body and spirit."
"I have read several Dostoevsky novels by various translators, and this is by the far the one that gives the best feeling of the Russian language while still being in fluent English."
"I found each of the characters entertaining and Dostoevsky does a great job painting the scene and the interactions with his words."
"The most monumental book in literature, hugging from the diversity and scope of the themes raised."
Drawing on his own experiences before, during and after his eleven years of incarceration and exile, on evidence provided by more than 200 fellow prisoners, and on Soviet archives, Solzhenitsyn reveals with torrential narrative and dramatic power the entire apparatus of Soviet repression, the state within the state that once ruled all-powerfully with its creation by Lenin in 1918. Solzhenitsyn's gripping epic masterpiece, the searing record of four decades of Soviet terror and oppression, in one abridged volume, authorized by the author.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The imagery of the sewer system flushing the perceived worthlessness of life is a heartbreaking one."
"Obviously, this book (in hardcover form with the notes) is essential reading-- everyone who is able should invest the time to absorb this important, very moving, stereotype-shattering, great/classic work of non-fiction."
"Excellent book."
"Very happy with this merchant."
"Excellent book."
"About twice a page it mysteriously picks a portion of a sentence and displays it in large bold letters apart from the rest."
"This Kindle edition is an insult to this masterpiece."
"This book is one of the greatest literary achievements of the twentieth century, but this particular ebook is nearly unusable."
Dostoevsky’s towering reputation as one of the handful of thinkers who forged the modern sensibility has sometimes obscured the purely novelistic virtues–brilliant characterizations, flair for suspense and melodrama, instinctive theatricality–that made his work so immensely popular in nineteenth-century Russia. It returns us to a work we thought we knew, subtly altered and so made new again.” – Washington Post Book World. bring out the richness and depth of the original in a way similar to a faithful and sensitive restoration of a painting.” – The Independent. “It may well be that Dostoevsky’s [world], with all its resourceful energies of life and language, is only now–and through the medium of [this] new translation–beginning to come home to the English-speaking reader.” – New York Review of Books. “Heartily recommended to any reader who wishes to come as close to Dostoevsky’s Russian as it is possible.” –Joseph Frank, Princeton University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As an example of a difficult sentence: Pevear: "These occasions were almost morbid: most depraved, and, in his sensuality, often as cruel as a wicked insect, Fyodor Pavlovich at times suddenly felt in himself, in his drunken moments, a spiritual fear, a moral shock, that almost, so to speak, resounded physically in his soul." Compare that to. McDuff "These were instances that almost seemed to involve some morbid condition: most depraved, and in his voluptuous lust often brutal, like an evil insect, Fyodor Pavlovich would on occasion suddenly experience within himself, in his drunken moments, a sense of spiritual terror and moral concussion that echoed almost physically, as it were, within his soul". If you are more comfortable with a wider repertoire of words, and typically read with a background sense of the "flow" of each sentence, I believe McDuff will be far more readable while maintaining all the essence of the original work."
"Don't be put off by the fact that this book is one of the classics of the Western Canon."
"This is a beautiful,moving novel that sticks with you long after you've finished."
"Every page is a work of art: Dostoevsky is a master at prose and painting vivid pictures of 18th century Russia."
"The epitome of conflicts between mind, body and spirit."
"I have read several Dostoevsky novels by various translators, and this is by the far the one that gives the best feeling of the Russian language while still being in fluent English."
"I found each of the characters entertaining and Dostoevsky does a great job painting the scene and the interactions with his words."
"The most monumental book in literature, hugging from the diversity and scope of the themes raised."
Best Literary Gothic & Romantic Criticism
In this beautifully illustrated compendium of all things Outlandish, Gabaldon covers the first four novels of the main series, including: • full synopses of Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn • a complete listing of the characters (fictional and historical) in the first four novels in the series, as well as family trees and genealogical notes. • a comprehensive glossary and pronunciation guide to Gaelic terms and usage. • The Gabaldon Theory of Time Travel, explained. • frequently asked questions to the author and her (sometimes surprising) answers. • an annotated bibliography. • essays about medicine and magic in the eighteenth century, researching historical fiction, creating characters, and more. • professionally cast horoscopes for Jamie and Claire. • the making of the TV series: how we got there from here, and what happened next (including “My Brief Career as a TV Actor”). • behind-the-scenes photos from the Outlander TV series set. For anyone who wants to spend more time with the Outlander characters and the world they inhabit, Diana Gabaldon here opens a door through the standing stones and offers a guided tour of what lies within. Part crib notes and part trivia guide, this essential handbook includes synopses of the first four novels, a character guide, notes on plot development and research, answers to frequently asked questions, and teasers for the upcoming novels--there're even horoscope charts of the central characters, a list of fan Web sites, and choice recipes for the truly devoted. Readers looking for a fix of Gabaldon's humorous voice or insight into her writing processes and characters will certainly be more than satisfied, but those looking for the next installment of Jamie and Claire's adventures will have to wait for The Fiery Cross , the fifth book in this bestselling series, expected sometime in late 1999 to early 2000. As with the guides to the Hobbit tetralogy and the fiction of Stephen King, Gabaldon offers a companion volume to her Outlander Seriess four time-travel historical romances, Drums of Autumn (1997), etc., in which she tells us much is revealed regarding Claire and Jamie Fraser, their lives and times, antecedents, adventures, companions and progeny, with learned commentary (and many footnotes) by their humble creator.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bought this as a gift, so I really did not read it, but have read most of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, which I love."
"Love her books, every one, read them over and over again and still can't get enough of them."
"Diana explains how she became a writer and makes things I normally would skip over in any other book fun to read and a fascinating journey to help inspire others to embrace their hidden Author, consider writing and never give up."
"If you're an Outlander fan, you want to gobble up all the juicy tidbits you can get from the author."
"This book helps put all of the marvelous characters together in an easy to use edition."
"If you LOVE Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER books and TV series this is a MUST HAVE!!!"
"Gave me all the background information I expected."
"A must have for the Outlander series of books by the same author."
Best European Politics Books
Settling Accounts became Mein Kampf, an unparalleled example of muddled economics and history, appalling bigotry, and an intense self-glorification of Adolf Hitler as the true founder and builder of the National Socialist movement. For in its pages Hitler announced -- long before he came to power -- a program of blood and terror in a self-revelation of such overwhelming frankness that few among its readers had the courage to believe it ... That such a man could go so far toward realizing his ambitions, and -- above all -- could find millions of willing tools and helpers; that is a phenomenon the world will ponder for centuries to come." Mein Kampf must be read and constantly remembered as a specimen of evil demagoguery that people whenever men grow tired of thinking and acting for themselves. In his translation Ralph Manheim has taken particular care to give an exact English equivalent of Hitler's highly individual, and often awkward style, including his occasional grammatical errors. We believe this book should stand as the complete, final, and definitive English version of Hitler's own story of his life, his political philosophy, and his thwarted plans for world domination. The book details Hitler's childhood, the "betrayal" of Germany in World War I, the desire for revenge against France, the need for lebensraum for the German people, and the means by which the National Socialist party can gain power. As Hitler and the Nazis gained power, first party members and then the general public were pressured to buy the book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am not here to criticize or defend Hitler, but as a historian, professor, author and a journalist, I am here to release a factual, fair, unbiased and objective analysis of this book, yet first to make a few points: I. In America we don’t ban or censor information (like this book is banned in Germany), on the contrary we allow public to read Communist, Fascist, Islamic, Nazi and all other ideologies’ texts, and then judge for themselves about these texts. As much as Hitler is criticized and hated in the West, yet he is admired and adored in many parts of the world such as East Europe (Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary), Middle East (Turkey, Iran, and many Arab nations) and other areas. Like it or not, Hitler is the architect and creator of a global political and economical ideology named National Socialism (Nazism) which any free thinker or curious person must study like he studies any other ideology. There is also a fine introduction by Bob Carruthers (Scottish historian, scholar, filmmaker and author) included."
"If you read this book with focus, objectivity, and equip yourself with the tools for critical thinking, you will gain much insight into the causes of these endless wars and social upheavals that plague the planet today."
"Interesting book."
"Yaay colorized pictures on the back and it's easy to write essays with, thanks to its annotations and organization."
"It is not the easiest book to understand."
"very eye opening, you really get a sense of what was going on in his head."
Best Canadian Literary Criticism
Editors Margaret Anne Doody, Mary Doody Jones, and Wendy Barry provide a richly illustrated, completely revised text, along with hundreds of notes describing the real-life characters and settings Anne encounters, the autobiographical connections between Anne and Maud Montgomery, and the book's astonishing range of literary, biblical, and mythological references. Margaret Anne Doody supplies a comprehensive introduction, which situates the novel in its literary and social contexts, explores those aspects of Montgomery's life most relevant to the story, examines revisions in the manuscripts, and provides an overall sense of both the impulses that drove Montgomery to write Anne of Green. Gables and the larger concerns it dramatizes so compellingly. Also included are scholarly essays on the history of the Celtic settlers on Prince Edward Island, orphanages and children, education, gardens and plants, home life, food preparation and cookery (including contemporary recipes), music and elocution, and literary allusion and quotations in Anne of Green Gables.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is a marvelous book with a main character I wish I could meet every day in real life. Reading them all in nearly a continous setting makes Anne "wearying" to quote Marilla since unbounded child-like wonder is hard to maintain."
"Wonderful books, if you haven't read them or you have and its been a while I highly suggest buying them again!"
"Together with three girlfriends, including the wealthy, charming and contrary "Phil" Gordon, Anne will rent the perfect little cottage on the edge of campus that becomes their perfect home base for studies and an exciting new social life of dances, dinners and football games. Her journey of discovery will take her to a very dark place, before the dawn of new hope..."
"I will be going through part of it next year, using the Rilla of Ingleside part of the collection to help understand World War 1. (About 10% of the Canadian Military were killed and approximately 10% injured according to figures from Wikipedia and the Canadian government website concerning the Canadian Expeditionary Force. )."
"It's as if someone typed it into a document, and printed it off--no page numbers, not titled at the top of each page, the lines don't even break properly (see photo)."
"When I got to chapter 6, I decided to compare a sentence in the digital print to my old, yellowing physical copy of Anne of Green Gables book. I realized why I had some difficulty reading my new digital copy: THERE ARE TYPOS IN THIS PRODUCT. I am able to follow the story because I've read Anne of Green Gables more than once with my hard copy but for new readers, these typos will make this beautiful story difficult to read and at times, understand."
"The illustrations are actually random pictures that are creepy since they are in the beginning when Anne meets Mathew Cuthbert so they insinuate a romance between them."
Best Jewish Literary Criticism
The renowned biblical scholar, author of The Misunderstood Jew , and general editor for The Jewish Annotated New Testament interweaves history and spiritual analysis to explore Jesus’ most popular teaching parables, exposing their misinterpretations and making them lively and relevant for modern readers. In this wonderfully readable book, not only could Jesus spin a yarn, he could challenge whole world views in the process.” ( Dr. Ben Witherington, III, Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary ). With her characteristic wit and learned, iconoclastic imagination, Levine presses readers of the parables-especially Christian readers-to question their assumptions, curb their biases, and read Jesus’s words afresh with ancient eyes. A perfect introduction for the merely curious, but even passionate readers who have lived with these stories for decades will find their eyes and hearts opened by Levine’s provocative insights.” ( Mark Allan Powell, editor of the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary ). It wittily and carefully and thoroughly and relentlessly rips the parables from our ‘all knowing’ hands and un-domesticates them and gives them back to us in a form which Jesus himself doubtlessly intended.” ( Jim West, Zwinglius Redivivus ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So I read the book, Short Stories by Jesus--the enigmatic parables of a controversial rabbi, as an early morning and late night meditation during the seasons of light this year: Christmas and Hanukkah, 2014. The stories of Jesus' parables are so intimately familiar to me because they were the tales that fueled my learning to read in the 1940's before I ever went to school. Every bite, those redolent of great meals throughout my life and those bitter in my mouth because of the changed viewpoints they evoked, became sweet as honey and thoroughly, spiritually nourishing in my belly. Levine's wonderful bibliography and references have led to other books to read which supplement her themes, and for now I just can't stop!"
"She challenges many modern interpretations of those stories and includes more than 400 notes, many with multiple references (never, incidentally, of Wikipedia) to explain her views."
"The author is particularly suited to recapture the puzzling nature of the parables told by the Jewish Jesus to his Jewish listeners and make Christian readers rethink, and retrieve the mystery of the Kingdom of God hidden in them."
"Levine is a unique voice for Christians seeking a deeper, more well-informed understanding of Jesus and the stories he told."
"AJ is a great scholar, great author, and a gift to those of us preaching and teaching."
"Dr. Levine is a very easy read, full of homey wit and puns."
"The author takes well-known parables of Jesus found in Luke's gospel and offers a different perspective."
"Only a small final segment of each chapter is focused on the authors reading of the parable informed by her Jewish expertise."
Best Asian Literary History & Criticism
Essential functions and situations, and simple sentence patterns.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Pros: Easy to read material. Well organized flow. Good quality laminate. Cons: None to me."
"A must have quick reference for any student of the Japanese language."
"great product, recommended, great value for the price..."
"Good package and merchandise arrived as promised."
"This can be pretty handy for a beginner like me."
"This is a great study guide to use but it does not have Kanji translations."
"got it for a friend and they really liked it."
"My children are learning the Japanese language in school, and feel that this chart will be very helpful!"
Best Middle Eastern Literary Criticism
This enriching collection of his works includes more than 150 of his stories, prose poems, verse, parables, and autobiographical essays. General Press is proud to bring together, for the first time in ebook form, all of Gibran’s works into a single collection. Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer, born in 1883 in Lebanon and died in New York in 1931. As a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. In his early teens, the artistry of Gibran's drawings caught the eye of his teachers and he was introduced to the avant-garde Boston artist, photographer, and publisher Fred Holland Day, who encouraged and supported Gibran in his creative endeavors. He is chiefly known in the English-speaking world for his 1923 book 'The Prophet', an early example of inspirational fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. "[Kahlil Gibran] speaks about fundamental things--those which are, or should be, a part of every human life--love, giving, food and drink, work, sorrow and joy, children, clothes and housing, buying and selling, crime and punishment, freedom, reason and passion, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion and death . Like most wisdom, most of what he has to tell is ancient, the possession of all men who have thought much and hard about fundamental things . To many he is a genius whose philosophical and prophetic style convey important messages about life and humanity in a simple, yet beautifully eloquent manner, that are as fresh and meaningful in today's world as when they were first written.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Kahlil Gibran has earned the right to be called one of the greatest philosophical writers in modern times."
"Everything this brilliant man wrote is well - brilliant - you cannot go wrong with any of his work!"
"any words of Mr. Gibran, and I am in love...he speaks to your heart always."
"my favorite life book, teacher, beautiful prose, great writer."
"classic writings, simple and intelligent."
"I read his complete words many years ago."
Best American Literature Criticism
A Goodreads Choice Awards nominee. David Sedaris tells all in a book that is, literally, a lifetime in the making For forty years, David Sedaris has kept a diary in which he records everything that captures his attention-overheard comments, salacious gossip, soap opera plot twists, secrets confided by total strangers. These are the three stages that all artists - with some variation - go through in their careers...So it's encouraging to read 25 years of David Sedaris's diaries, and not just because he manages to defeat Bloat. But through all 25 years of "Theft by Finding" - of soap opera addictions and spider feeding, family kookiness (Sedaris notes the day Charles Addams dies; it feels like the passing of a baton) and language lessons - Sedaris's developing voice is the lifeline that pulls him through the murk." Yet David Sedaris has somehow pulled it off...with eviscerating wit and radiant humanity...Fans will no doubt delight in the entries that will turn into Sedaris's most beloved essays." "Sedaris fans will thrill to this opportunity to poke around in the writer's personal diaries, which he has faithfully kept for four decades and used as raw material for his hilarious nonfiction as well as his performances." "Sedaris' diaries are the wellspring for his cuttingly funny autobiographical essays, and he now presents a mesmerizing volume of deftly edited passages...Sedaris is caustically witty about his bad habits and artistic floundering...A candid, socially incisive, and sharply amusing chronicle of the evolution of an arresting comedic artist." "A David Sedaris book is always a welcome addition to any personal library - his hilarity, his self-deprecation, his compassion for (and amusement with) the human condition, and his clear joy at making his readers laugh out loud are all what make a David Sedaris book great.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"David has become the PG Woodhouse of his era."
"Love David and his writing, and this book doesn’t disappoint."
"Loved this look into David Sedaris' early years, before he was "famous"!"
"Not his best, but good enough if you are a fan."
"All the wit and charm and wry wonder you expect from David Sedaris is here."
"Didn't expect this to be as entertaining as it was."
"Bought for my husband who loves David sedaris and he didn’t like it."
Best Australian & Oceanian Literary Criticism
In generous excerpts from dozens of letters, Winter describes teaching and living with her pupils, her relationships with fellow teachers, and her encounters with Hawaiian royalty (in particular Kawaiaha'o enjoyed the patronage of Queen Lili'uokalani, whose adopted daughter was enrolled as a pupil) and members of influential missionary families, as well as ordinary citizens. Sandra E. Bonura lives in Southern California and teaches in higher education.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I know the author and had some background on the conception and work put into this book!"
"Great historical account of the overthrow of Queen Luluokalani!"
"a delightful read ,history made interesting .a personal story of a young woman who was there in hawaii at a most interesting time."
"It was written very well and really depicted life in the Kawaiaha'o Seminary in the 1800's."
Best European Literary History & Criticism
"On what slender threads do life and fortune hang" Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. "Dumas was... a summit of art.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Material previously omitted by Victorian-era translators such as Franz' hashish-fueled sexual fantasies and the strongly implied lesbian relationship between Eugenie and Louise remain intact and uncensored. As another reviewer pointed out, Buss will provide footnotes to explain subtleties that aren't easily translated from French to English, such as insults delivered by using the formal you (vous) rather than the informal/friendly/intimate you (tu). A detailed appendix provides valuable historical and cultural context that aids the reader in understanding Dumas' masterpiece, and includes a primer on the rise, fall, return, and final downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte that is crucial to making sense of the politics driving the novel's plot."
"The story is amazing!"
"On top of the marvellous novel, I had the pleasure of listening to Bill Homewood's exemplary narration, which is superb due his perfect mastery of pronunciation, pace, pausing and variation of voice."
"Edmond Dantes returns from a job at sea at age 19 to the promise of a beautiful bride and captainship of the vessel the next time it sails, only to have others send anonymous allegations about him to the crown prosecutor, who has his own reasons for Dantes to disappear. Dumas' literary references and some points of geography, politics, and monetary denominations and their relationships went past me, but those modest issues aside, I found it a truly special read for both its writing (in the Penguin Classics modern translation - easier to follow than older translations) and a story line that keeps the reader completely engaged."
Best African Literary History & Criticism
Gilgamesh is considered one of the masterpieces of world literature, but until now there has not been a version that is a superlative literary text in its own right. Inscribed on stone tablets a thousand years before the Iliad and the Bible and found in fragments, Gilgamesh describes the journey of the king of the city of Uruk in what is now Iraq.At the start, Gilgamesh is a young giant with gigantic wealth, power and beauty—and a boundless arrogance that leads him to oppress his people. He does not become immortal in the way he thinks he wants to be, but he is able to embrace what is.Relying on existing translations (and in places where there are gaps, on his own imagination), Mitchell seeks language that is as swift and strong as the story itself. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My college students really like this translation."
"A wonderful translation for a junior in college - easy to comprehend and great breakdowns."
"This is a wonderful ancient story, and as retold by Stephen Mitchell, the words absolutely sing."
"Very nice translation."
"This is a great book to read the Epic of Gilgamesh."
"Stephen Mitchell does an exceptional job in setting the stage for reading this classic."
"Overall, it does contain a meaningful lesson behind the story and it was easy to read."
Best Caribbean & Latin American Literary Criticism
El cuento hispánico: A Graded Literary Anthology , Eighth Edition, is designed for intermediate college Spanish reading courses. John F. Garanigo is Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures at Washinton University in St. Louis, where he has taught since receiving the Ph.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good book, a bit expensive to rent it but worth it."
"It was required for my spanish class but many of the stories are actually interesting."
"The conditions of the book were great."
"Just for my daughter collee, it was a okay, sat deved, Ted.a s d f g hjytmiju."