Koncocoo

Best Literary Postmodernism Criticism

The Little Voice: A rebellious novel
My character has been shaped by two opposing forces; the pressure to conform to social norms, and the pressure to be true to myself. At times, they’ve left me questioning my whole entire existence. "The most thought-provoking novel of 2016" - The Huffington Post "Radical... A masterclass... Top notch..." - The Canary "Magnificent" - Global Education Network "A pretty remarkable feat" - BuzzFeed. But Sheldon's style is warm , almost whimsical at times, and this means that even the most politically uninitiated reader will understand what he's trying to say... If the book was marked by the education system Sheldon is rebelling against, it would be an 'A*. --- The Canary ---. "It inspires hope and fear,optimism and depression. --- Global Education Network ---. "Sheldon has a talent for observing aspects of society and mirroring them back to readers in a thought-provoking way." --- Literary Flits ---. "I spent about four hours this evening reading (and re-reading) passages in this book because they really spoke to me . --- In Our Spare Time --- "Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be."
Reviews
"Over time, Yew becomes a “good boy” and follows the rules whether he agrees with them or not, not because he wants to but to avoid negative reinforcement. Since I want you to read this – because it’s the only way you’ll really understand – I’m not going to tell you what that lesson was, but I will leave you with this quote from Lao Tzu: At the centre of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want."
"Then one day in adulthood, after a chance meeting with someone from his past, he finally “snaps.”. At times this book can seem a bit over-saturated with case studies in psychology but it does help to move the story along. It can actually help a person who may not be familiar with the concepts used throughout the book so it works if you have no background knowledge but paradoxically, you need some background knowledge to fully appreciate what you are reading. It's a good book."
"Most interesting book."
"In many ways I believe this writing will touch many people's lives."
Find Best Price at Amazon
The Repeating Island: The Caribbean and the Postmodern Perspective (Post-Contemporary Interventions)
Benítez-Rojo argues that within the apparent disorder of the Caribbean—the area’s discontinuous landmasses, its different colonial histories, ethnic groups, languages, traditions, and politics—there emerges an “island” of paradoxes that repeats itself and gives shape to an unexpected and complex sociocultural archipelago. Cuban writer Benitez-Rojo uses this premise to argue that, despite the Caribbean's disorder of geography, language, and politics, a repeating order exists. As a historian and literary critic, the author examines the writings of Bartolome de las Casas, Nicolas Guillen, Fernando Ortiz, Alejo Carpentier, and others. - Joanne Snapp, Virginia Commonwealth Univ., Richmond Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. "Benitez-Rojo's book . will be an indispensable source for scholars and critics who venture into life, art, and literature of the chaotic Caribbean." --Julio Matas," Cuban Studies". "In "The Repeating Island," Benitez-rojo offers a daring yet convincing theory of the Caribbean in which he applies the scientific ideas associate with Chaos.
Find Best Price at Amazon
The Untethered
There is a force in the soul that begs for release, a glimmer of reason that calls to the essence of what it means to be human. Yet this truth rarely fits the boxes in which we were born, and shines too brightly for some to ignore... A juvenile delinquent chases his dream to build the greatest aircraft in history--and the world tries to destroy him. A lyrical and epic journey that speaks to the deepest of our souls and asks the one question few of us have ever dared to ponder... Why? The F-22 Raptor Super Kai flashed just above its surface, ripping twin aerated water plumes into the air. Crossing above the ship, the jet's sonic shockwave rocked sailors to the deck as if Roble's soul had exploded through their bodies. Sea spray from the wake doused the ship's hull like an exclamation point. In a world where most people are increasingly constrained to toe the line and give at least lip-service to the dual social concepts of Unity and Sacrifice, anyone who does not conform must self-identify as criminal, or become actively anti-social. Their foibles make them human even while their accomplishments reveal they are something more. On society's side of the conflict, criminals like Jesus Gorronza, politicians like Preton Moore, religious leaders like Randal Graph, and ordinary citizens like Donald Sands and his wife, give the required lip-service to the ideals of their culture, while feeding off whatever amount of power over others their actions can give them. The most revealing characters are those in the middle (Stock Brant, Alexa Patra, Danny Sands), who try to straddle the divide between the pull of their dreams, and the yearning to please society--or who embrace the idea that doing what pleases them makes them criminals. When laws are written by those who want above all to consolidate power over others and impose their own beliefs, pursuing your dreams may actually, literally, make you a criminal: "There is no sanctuary against those who impose their beliefs on others through laws, not one single strip of dry land on this Earth." Whether the goal is to feed the world--not by theft/taxation or by shaming donors into giving, but by creating more productive crops--or to teach children to think, to explore--rather than to compel them to parrot one's own thoughts--the concept of sacrificing one's individual identity into a collective group is ultimately destructive to both the dream and the person who dreams.
Reviews
"Thankfully lacking any great speechifying (think John Galt's radio address at the end of "Atlas Shrugged") the ideas are still woven well throughout the characters' conversations, as well as illustrated by their actions and denouements."
"I'm about ready to never donate to any "good" cause after reading this book."
"This book does have hints of Ayn Rand, but it was not too close or derivative."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book!"
"Very well written, great story, great characters and it is all set for a sequel!"
"Very engrossing read."
"Absolutely fabulous."
"The Fountainhead reimagined."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Modernism Criticism

The White Feather: A Novel of Forbidden Love in World War I England (Claybourne Trilogy Book 1)
All three books in the trilogy are now available: Book 1: The White Feather -- amazon.com/dp/B00K1MNNQK. Book 2: The White Butterfly -- amazon.com/dp/B00KLM7OJ2. Book 3: White Cliffs of Dover -- amazon.com/dp/B00M8HL4TO.
Reviews
"After the death of her father, Lilly must find work so that she and her mother can continue to live in their modest home. It's a story of forbidden love, vanity, the sacrifices of war, misunderstandings and murder."
"She was miserable which was no excuse for her behavior, but was more understandable than her new family's total lack of sympathy and insistence she submit to their right and proper ways."
"The trials of true love are evident in this sweet story."
"Just finished reading this book."
"A wonderful story with lovely characters."
"It was one of those books that are informative and intriguing."
"But then again, that makes this book an easy to read story."
"The basic story line is okay, good description of the conditions faced by soldiers in the trenches of the First World War but the writer's depiction of English society (upstairs or downstairs) in the 1940s rather strange and nothing like the real thing."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Surrealism Criticism

Strange Pilgrims (Vintage International)
AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN eBOOK! Their pilgrimages seldom achieve their goals: the deposed politician in " Bon Voyage , Mister President" sells all his personal belongings to have an operation in Geneva that doesn't alleviate his pain; the devoted father who brings the miraculously intact remains of his seven-year-old daughter to Rome in "The Saint" can't get an audience with the Pope; a particularly chilling tale, "I Only Came to Use the Phone," shows a woman accidentally taken to an insane asylum who can't get out even after she contacts her husband in Barcelona. A note of hard-won hope enters in stories like "Maria dos Prazeres," which portrays an elderly prostitute selecting her burial site, but the mood darkens again as the collection closes with "Tramontania," "Miss Forbes's Summer of Happiness," "Light Is Like Water" and "The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow," tales of suicide, murder, accidental death and tragically missed communications. The Nobel prize-winning author Garcia Marquez has collected a dozen of his stories about Latin Americans in Europe, most of which, although magical, end on an unsettling note.
Reviews
"Garcia Marquez will go down in history as one of the greatest writers of Magic Realism in the 20th century. Thank God, we have your books to remind us of this writer who understood the outcasts of Latin America."
"This is my favorite collection of short stories and one of my favourite books of magical realism."
"I'm a long-time fan but never cease to be touched by the humor and humanity in these beautifully executed works."
"Short story books serve two purposes for me: One, when I can't sleep and need a boost toward dreamland, and Two, the paperback is easy to cart around while I'm in waiting rooms for appointments."
"The last time I read these was years ago and I still remember pieces vividly."
"I have read and re-read these stories, back to back."
"It was superb, I enjoyed it from cover to cover."
"Great book for great author."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Victorian Criticism

Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club) (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
The must-have Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of one of the greatest Russian novels ever written Described by William Faulkner as the best novel ever written and by Fyodor Dostoevsky as “flawless,” Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. Some people say Anna Karenina is the single greatest novel ever written, which makes about as much sense to me as trying to determine the world's greatest color.
Reviews
"It wasn't like a regular story where there's a pretty clear end goal, like get the bad guy, or solve the mystery. I thought maybe it's just going to stop abruptly, as if Tolstoy would just suddenly be done writing about all these characters, but it really did have a solid ending to conclude everything. You've got plenty of time to look at all the flowers and clouds and barns and animals along the way, it takes forever, but it never stops moving. If however after a few hundred pages you feel like it's a chore to read, then don't bother, it's not going to suddenly become more interesting after any point in the book. It's very consistent, you can trust this author and the translation, the ending won't let you down, there will be no long lulls. What you get in the beginning is what you get through the entire book, it's very steady and very high quality writing."
"But now I have learned from those who know that this is a great choice because the translators knew Tolstoy and lived with him for awhile."
"All societies chew up and spit out certain people - and this shows that happening to beautiful Anna Karenina."
"The characters were too full of themselves and problems seemed to be so high class and inconsequential."
"Tolstoy takes the reader on a journey through converging storylines that all bring the reader to feel deeply connected with the characters."
"My grandmothers family came from Russia, my 3x great- grandmother was a Lady- in- waiting to Catherine the Great and my 2x great grand mother was named after her so to read about what the society from peasants to royalty were struggling with as times changed is very informative to me."
"Your request to describe the plot of Anna Karenina as Predictable, Some twists, or Full of Surprises is simply silly and entirely inappropriate."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Arthurian Criticism

Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)
The definitive English version of the stories of King Arthur, Le Morte Darthur was completed in 1469-70 by Sir Thomas Malory, `knight-prisoner'. Text: English (translation) Helen Cooper is Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow, University College, Oxford.
Reviews
"This copy is an excellent modernization of Malory's text with helpful footnotes and endnotes."
"Exactly as described in the item description, this was what I was looking for."
"The classic work with a good editor."
"Must have for those who love medieval literature."
"Worth every penny."
"Helen Cooper offers a new translation of the MS Winchester -- this is NOT Vinaver's text."
"It was everything I wanted."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Medieval Criticism

The Poetic Edda: Stories of the Norse Gods and Heroes (Hackett Classics)
"The poems of the Poetic Edda have waited a long time for a Modern English translation that would do them justice. "An excellent and entertaining work that succeeds in achieving its intended purpose: to create an accessible and readable English translation of the Poetic Edda .
Reviews
"There's a difference... actually, there's an abyss between a translation and a true, high quality social localization."
"One of the best translations I've seen."
"This is a beautiful translation and interpretation of the Poetic Edda."
"Great translation, I'd recommend to anyone interested in the subject matter."
"Clear, easily readable texts; good background and notes; works well as an introductory text for Norse mythology to undergraduates."
"Excellent work by an excellent Professor."
"Great book."
"Can't wait to dig in."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Renaissance Criticism

J.R. Ward The Black Dagger Brotherhood Novels 5-8
Four complete novels in the #1 New York Times bestselling vampire series featuring "the hottest collection of studs in romance"*...Includes Lover Unbound ; Lover Enshrined ; Lover Avenged ; and Lover Mine !
Reviews
"I never thought anyone could recreate the vampire myth so I'd want to read the world as much as, or as well as Maggie Shayne's Wings in the Night...Angela Knight's Mageverse,and J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, come as close to being as good as Ms Shayne's writing as any wjo are fans of this genre could hope to find."
"I can say that I like how in the later books in the series, the author stops focusing on individual stories, and you start seeing more of the characters, instead of having them just having small cameos in others focused stories."
"This series deals with The Black Dagger Brotherhood who are vampires and their battles against their enemies, the Lessening Society, who are humans turned into the undead so they can slay vampires."
"Most of my friends are turned off when "vampire" is mentioned but trust me- this series happens to have vampires as the main characters but these characters are so compelling and the books so rich- you only need to read dark lover and be totally addicted."
"This my second time reading these books."
"Even when I thought I didn't really care about that particular character, I read all the books anyway."
"Amazing and captivating - highly recommend the series - Its love and sex and vampires - who could ask for more."
"I Love this series!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Beat Generation Criticism

The Starlight Club: The Mob (Starlight Club Series Book 1)
Hit man "Jimmy The Hat" finds unexpected fame in the most unlikely of places, as Big Red, “Crazy Joey Gallo,” and his brothers break away from the Profaci family and go rogue. AWARDED THE SILVER FOR THE 2012 ELIT BOOK CONTEST IN THE TRUE CRIME CATEGORY. THE STARLIGHT CLUB ALSO RECEIVED A SILVER 5 STAR RATING FROM READER'S FAVORITE. The characters are so believable that I can't wait for Starlight ll....keep up the good work. The way that Joe Corso starts the book by telling a story to hisdaughter captured my attention. joe corso six******.keep them coming I started this book by reliving memories of when I was a young man. I knew of a man called Trenchie who had just been released from prison after having served 10 years. He was a big strong silent guy who hardly ever spoke and he was married to a real fine lady - and I always wondered about that. He was a small time bookmaker who operated out of a little restaurant near the piers in lower Manhattan.
Reviews
"Books, newspaper stories and archives, court transcripts (and anything else I could get my hands on) about the Cosa Nostra in Sicilia, Italia and Stati Uniti d'America (the United States of America) have always intrigued me if they are written well — and this one was. I am thrilled to have discovered this series while searching through the Kindle Unlimited Member programme for a new series to read — I downloaded the remaining seven books after reading about twenty five percent of "The Starlight Club: The Mob"... For example: "Room service had delivered coffee and assorted doughnuts and rolls earlier in the morning, along with a large pot of coffee." I am looking forward to this entire series!"
"While at times, it’s obvious the story is being told in flashback, Corso does an excellent job of crafting a story that has the reader feeling like we are sitting in the Starlight Club watching all this take place."
"Bobby Valentine used to deliver meat to The Starlight Club a place where deals are made and hits are ordered. He has just been released from prison serving ten years for a murder he didn’t commit to protect his boss Yip."
"This was a good read about the Mafia...some good guys and some not so good. I actually stayed up all night reading the book on my Kindle and most unlikely for me to read a 'mob' story."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Literary Gothic & Romantic Criticism

The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn
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
"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."
Find Best Price at Amazon