EVERYDAY I PRAY is a collection of prayers written by Ms. Vanzant to address the everyday trials and tribulations that one may face. This collection seemingly has a prayer for every situation that extends to touch just about everyone! In reading through EVERYDAY I PRAY, one will feel inspired and reflective, thankful and serene.

Given to me as a gift, I picked up the book to casually peruse its pages. Let me tell you, there is nothing casual about EVERYDAY I PRAY. It is a powerful collection of prayers that has touched me. Ms. Vanzant has outdone herself once again!

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Having watched the author on television a few times it was the title of the book Every Day I Pray that caught my attention. Prayer has always been a fascinating subject to me, and I love learning how people pray and how they have evolved in their prayer life. The cover of the book gave me a hint that the small book I held in my hands would be worth my time.

She begins by saying "I grew up in the Holiness Church, where prayer was an event" and then she explains the effort and drama that happened in the church when prayer was discussed and practiced. Then she states "However, somewhere deep inside of me, I had the secret belief that I did not know how to pray, and that frightened me." Oh I know so well what she means....... She continues "I'm not sure where I heard it or why I believed it, but when I was in my mid-twenties a few words changed my approach to and experience of prayer. The words were these: 'Every thought you think is a prayer. Every word you speak is a prayer. Every act in which you engage is a prayer, because the Spirit of God lives in you' Now how awesome is that? I dint need drums. I didn't need to clap. I didn't need a host of other people to help me raise the volume of my prayers so that God would hear them. If the words of that statement are true, and I do believe they are, it means that at every moment of every day, I am communicating with the Creator of the universe."

On page 18 she notes "Once I got it straight, I realized that the essence, energy, power and presence of God is in fact house at the core of my being. I also understood that God does in fact hear every thought and word. His/her response show up as my experiences, my feelings and the many divine inspiration that have shaped the course of my life"

She then proceeds to share dozens of wonderful prayers of thanks and gratitude, seeking wisdom and guidance and simply prayers of joy. I loved the book since the author write as if she knew me. Knew my friend Cathy and my friend Cindy. We all have had conversations about prayer that mirror what she writes about. We have been on that same path and have found the same joy.

I also like the book because it has a Zen quality. You can slip inside your briefcase, carry all and in a few moments open it up read a prayerful thought she shares and find yourself renewed. It is almost like a literary meditation.

On page 54 she has the prayer "Please Untie the Nots" which in part says:

Dear God Please untie the nots that are invading my mind my heart and my life. Please remove the have nots the can nots and the do nots that invade my mind. Please erase the will nots, may nots, might nots, that invade my heart. Please release me from the could nots, would nots and should nots that invade my life. Most of all God I ask that you remove from my mind, heart and life all the am nots that I have allowed to hold me back.......

This book is an incredible book of prayers. When I've needed encouragement, I've turned to one of the prayers and have been lifted. I have no problem with with the male/female references. God is a spirit...they that worship...

My young daughter reads them and is helped by them too.

Sometimes what I can't put into words what's deep in my spirit, Iyanla's prayers become my own and I'm empowered.

Excellent book.

I love the ending of each prayer... "And so it is"

This is a new author whose book I enjoyed very much. Can't wait for her new book to come out. She does a really nice job mixing mystery and romance without it being boring.

Out Of Grace Is a wonderful story that will take its reader on a very surprising journey. I had trouble putting the book down until I had read every page. Toni Wilbarger is an up coming new writer that you can be sure we will be hearing from time and again. She put her best effort in the creating of this very compelling and intruging story. I recommend this book highly.

If OUT OF GRACE, had been set in modern times, there would have been no story here. The taboos of the past have passed on into a misty place where people have forgotten their impact on the day to day lives of the people who crossed certain lines of society's approved behavior. OUT OF GRACE captures that time. It transports the reader back the days preceding World War II, back to a time when love out of wedlock came with a cost. It transports the reader to a time when family, community and country were the overriding factors in the lives of the people. Before the days of television, to the final days of the great depression, before the days of situational ethics.

Madelene Quiad, daughter of a small town minister made a mistake that has become all too common in today's world, but in her world, the consequences would dictate the course of her life, her relationship with her father, and put her faith to the test. OUT OF GRACE tells a story of a woman facing the loss of control brought on by Alzheimer's who must provide the truth to her daughters before the ravages of this disease takes away her ability to come clean on her own terms. The story told is compelling. The writing is first rate, the characters are sympathetic and the setting of the story is conveyed by the story and not by the author. This is the secret to good writing and Ms. Wilbarger presents us with evidence of this secret on every page. I generally read a novel spread out over a week, but this was a page turner that I read in two sittings. I highly recommend this book.

Got this book as an early Father's Day book because the kids got it for me as a joke...along with a couple of quick pick lottery tickets. (Two out of three won!) Opened the book up early and sent copies to my brother and sister. Our dad was in a nursing home on the Cape and this really struck home. Laughed out loud at some of the stuff and thought this writer was writing about dad and us. It's a can't-put-down book.

Grace Rudolph has managed to take a slice out of an ordinary woman's life and make it come alive. Gloria (the main character in the book), Gloria's friends, her workmates, and her family become real to us through the gift of this writer. Gloria's everyday life with all it's high, lows, and in betweens make us laugh outloud, worry with her, and even fear for the safety of her friends. Life is all the things that Ms. Rudolph wrote about: happiness,sadness, love, loyalty, family turmoils, job indecision, worry, and humor, especially humor. Ms. Rudolph's style of writing is open, honest, and real. I read this book quickly because I was so interested in finding out what Gloria was doing. Once I started I did not put it down. I could easily identify with Gloria. She became an intimate friend. I was so sorry when I did finish the book (because I loved it so) and agree with the other reviewer who has asked for a sequel.

I really did laugh out loud at the character's experiences in this book. If you can't identify with one of these characters I don't know where you come from! A book about life, families, relationships and dealing with a parent's aging. Something for everyone and in a delightful writing style that makes you want to keep reading (even after the ending).

It never rains but pours - and life is a double whammy for sheltered Grace Colebrook when she caught her fiance Walter entangled in sex with her best friend just before her wedding and she ends up drawn to a stranger in a passionate one-night stand who happens to be her neighbour Manhatten ER doctor Jack Berenger. Her idea for a toy creation is unscruplously stolen by a rival and she is dismissed from the company.

Reads like an ER script? Linda Francis Lee's transition from historical to contemporary plunges into a shaky start where the drama unfolds unabashedly melodramatic with sketchy side-characters like Jack's brother Hugh and her homosexual colleague Mark that sparks occasional banal laughs. The first half of the book is underdeveloped with Jack and Grace in an identity askance though the chemistry between the two is palpable with the alpha-male and damsel-in-distress situation that is out of platitude.

It wasn't till the second part that solved the enigma of the ravishing accolades heaped upon the book. Linda Francis Lee redeems herself as she juggles the dynamics of a family drama with sensitivity and light-hearted humour. The romance improves with Ruth's entrance who added the needed barbs to the tepid pace. She is the seven-year old sprite who comes under Grace's care after the demise of her father. Grace channels her energy to fighting the custody of the child and sheds her wimpish facade to prove to Jack she can carve a niche for herself and set things right through a thorny path. The family drama is poignant as each confronts his personal demons to stay united together in the face of adversity.

It was initially more fluff than stuff and certainly Linda Francis Lee's perilous fall from grace. However like her heroine despite her flaws, she finds strength and beautifully soars with renewed faith and grace. The romance is bittersweet and will leave a smile in its surprising triumph.

Grace Colebrook is really starting to question where she went wrong in her life. Surely not every woman who walks out on her wedding because she finds her fiancé boinking her sisters best friend at the wedding has as much bad luck as she does? It's bad enough that her sister and Mother think she's made the mistake of the century by not accepting this, but then her ex actually wants her to pay him back for her engagement ring she paid more than half of? And how could they fire her from her job as a toy creator, knowing that her ideas were some of the greatest they'd ever had? And when her little cousin needs a mother because of the death of her own, doesn't she step in and take the little angel-only to find out that Ruth is a not the tidy, perfect little child she thought she'd be. Oh, and what about that guy, that Dr. Jack Berenger, that because she's been so upset on her weddings cancellation, she'd wound up sleeping with? Really! Just because he was her neighbor didn't mean he couldn't try to avoid her a little harder.

Dr. Jack Berenger has been living life on the merry go round-work, sleep, eat, work, sleep, eat, etc. for so long, he's astounded when he looks out his window and sees a vision sitting in her wedding gown, seeming to just be waiting for him to come and rescue her. When Jack follows through on his impulse, he never dreams that the woman he'd had his one night stand with would walk out on him, even lying to him about her name. When he discovers that his neighbor is none other than the lying Holly aka Grace Colebrook, he decides he's much better off just to forget about her. Hasn't he had enough problems in his life up to this point? It's why he doesn't feel anymore. But even as Grace lies and tries to evade him, Jack finds himself drawn to this beautiful and intriguing woman against his will. Is it because she seems to be so needy? Because she makes him laugh-something he hasn't done in so long he can't remember when the last time was?

Grace is an incredible heroine-full of laughter, even though her life is falling apart around her, scrambling for excuses to see Jack one minute, and trying to hide from him the next. She's struggling for independence from her overbearing family, and doing an incredible job at a hard time in her life. When she stumbles upon the perfect business-Fluff Cakes-to help her gain confidence, and begin to rebuild her life, we see Grace flourish. And Jack was the perfect hero for Grace. Serious and staid, having given up light and laughter after the tragic death of his daughter, it's like seeing the petals of a flower open up, watching him flourish under Grace's compassion and zest for life.

Ms. Lee has penned an emotionally charged tale, that'll make you cry, and make you laugh out loud, then cry again. Grace and Jack are the perfect balance for one another, and the author does a super job of letting us see not only the relationship grow, but Grace and Jack as people grow. This is Ms. Lee's first venture into contemporary romance, and this reviewer thinks it was absolutely the right move! The Ways of Grace is a love story we'll all want to add to our keeper shelves!

Linda Frances Lee, best known for her emotion-filled historicals, ventures into the contemporary arena with this latest novel. Looking out of his brownstone apartment late one winter night in Manhattan, Jack Berenger spies a weeping woman sitting alone on a bench. Somehow, he feels drawn to this woman dressed in a wedding gown, who, for all appearances, seems to have abandoned her wedding. As Jack ventures outside, he and the woman recognize a vulnerability in one another, and Jack leads her to his apartment, where a passionate night ensues.

Grace Colebrook, the crying bride, hardly recognizes herself anymore. She abandoned her fiancé at the altar, after having discovered him in flagrant delecto outside the church. And she is certainly not a one-night stand type of girl and never even gave Jack her name when she left abruptly after their sizzling encounter. Unbeknownst to Jack, she knows all about him, as she lives in the apartment above him, and was informed by a neighbor that he is an E.R. doctor at St. Luke's Hospital. To top it off, her job at a toy manufacturing company comes to an abrupt end, and her socialite mother and sister continue to disparage her character and encourage her to reconsider marrying Walter, her errant fiancé.

As Jack continues to fight his attraction to Grace and painstakingly maintain control of his life, Grace embarks on a new business, even as she gains temporary custody of her orphaned seven-year-old cousin, Ruth. Ms. Lee deftly addresses the emotions surrounding Jack and Grace as they learn to trust one another and redefine their relationship. With Grace, readers find a likeable heroine, who is able to face adversity with both tenacity and charm. Linda Frances Lee has successfully made the transition from historical to contemporary romance with the finesse of a truly gifted writer.

This wasn't as good as The Best Of Enemies, but it was still high on the good reading shelf.
However the book starts out with everything in modern day (1979)
January when Grace Meade is found murdered in her home that is rapidly burning.
the primary suspect is her own daughter Jillian, because two women in Europe were murdered in the same fashion, not long after meeting with Jillian.(?!)
Ok so the heroine is the main suspect in a triple murder case
she tries to kill herself
she is put in the Psichiatric ward of a hospitial and given a journal to write in
this is when it starts to get confusing
every other chapter is told in her (Jillian's) perspective
so it's like this
chapter five ~ January 1979
Chapter six ~ Jillian's journal (This is where we learn all the deep, dark, and sometimes deadly secrets of Grace Meade's life as a forger during WWII).
Chapter Seven~ Januray 1979
Chapter eight ~ Jillian's Journal
The entire book goes on like that from chapter five to the postscript after chapter 34.
All in all a good read but a little confusing with all of the side stories going on
sometimes difficult to keep all the facts straight

....

Wheels within wheels. Political intrigue in highly entertaining, convoluted fashion. This
is Taylor Smith's sixth international thriller after a career in international diplomacy. The
novel is heavy with verisimilitude and authenticity. Indeed, it is overabundant with
details, telling incidents, puzzling events, murky trails and many interesting characters.

Shortly after the end of World War Two, a beautiful, even glamorous, English war bride
named Grace Meade brings her tiny daughter to America, to the small town Minnesota
home of her husband, killed in the war in Europe. Years later, that daughter, now a
degreed historical researcher for the Smithsonian, begins to develop an exhibit on the
war. What Jillian Meade realizes is that she knows only scraps of her mother's
background and very small scraps at that. Since she must go to England to examine some
newly released intelligence papers for the exhibit, she decides to include a little personal
research. Her inquiries soon turn up the fact that Grace Meade, her mother, worked for
British Intelligence and she finds some people who knew Grace Meade during and before
the war. The problem is, the arithmetic of dates seem to be askew. Why? At this point,
Jillian's troubles begin.

Meanwhile, back in the U.S. FBI agent Alex Cruz is assigned to look into Jillian Meade's
background. The request, strangely enough, comes from Scotland Yard. When an
obviously upset Jillian returns from Europe, she goes home, home to Havenwood,
Minnesota, to see her mother, to confront her with her questions. Alex Cruz, is pursuing
Jillian Meade to ask her some questions and soon finds himself emplaning for Minnesota.
Why? Because Grace Meade is suddenly, suspiciously, dead and Jillian appears to be
involved.

The novel is filled with historical references to behind the lines resistance activity in
France. Here are instances of thievery, betrayal, mass murder and very personal,
up-close, murder. Smith is a good writer who could use some judicious editing. There
are some great conversations and some fine clichés, as well as an abundance of telling
phrases. Frequently, when Smith writes, the air moves. Nevertheless, Smith's skill as a
writer more often than not infuses scenes with immediacy and power. An excellent if
long, novel.

good read. The plot device of switching back and forth between two narrators is sometimes jarring. But the writing is smooth, the characters mostly well sketched, and the plot carefully crafted. The WWII - Resistance plot is,of course, pretty old by now, but I still enjoy it.

"Rediscover the gospel message in the most surprising of encounters through these captivating stories of the sublime and the ridiculous. Meet, among others, the Crazy Quilters, a Cambodian Kubota driver and a Chihuahua named Peekaboo. Laugh and cry with these poignant tales of frail yet faithful people in ordinary places touched by an extraordinary God."
- from Christian Retailing magazine, February 3, 1999

"Watkins, current pastor of Emerson Avenue Baptist Church in Indianapolis, IN, recounts humorous experiences from his first pastorate, at Ashgrove Baptist Church in Kentucky. Watkins's stories are a blend of truth and fable, fact and fiction. Some of them occurred just as he records them, and others, to the best of his recollection, never happened at all. Each chapter tells a story; in one, the author recalls how Dale, an AIDS victim, sought solace in the church as a place to die. In another touching story, he recounts the tale of how a little girl found comfort and friendship in the plastic Jesus in the manger erected by the church. Among others Watkins encounters are a Cambodian Kubota driver and a Chihuahua named Peekaboo. By turns funny and moving, these stories reveal moments of grace in unexpected places and lives."

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

"Move over Garrison Keillor! Here comes T. Wyatt Watkins as the newly ordained, Baptist preacher to the rural Ashgrove Church.

I recommend Watkins' book to lovers of the Lake Wobegon stories. It is a nice twist that will have you in stitches at parts, or touched so deeply at others. In other words, this is Ashgrove Baptist Church, where the holy, ridiculous, sublime, and unexpected come together to create a charming community."
- Mary Lou Henneman, Boardman, OH

SUMMER OF THE DRAGON was a good book. It had the humor to keep u giggling at even intervals. The frustration to keep u turning the pages to found out what Hank Hunnicut's big find was. The action and suspense to make u hold your breath and gasp frequently.
Over-all it was a good book. Though, it wasn't up to Peters' standards. The narrative seemed a little flippant at the beginning, but as Peters gained confidence (i guess) it became more and more bold. At times, i was waiting for the herione (D.J. Abbot) to say "Another shirt ruined!!" I can see how this book came before our revered Amelia, there are things that happen to be similiar, as well as the physical description of Tom De Karsky.
D.J. is a unique heroine, one that actually ate something and wasnt petite and well, girly. She had a mind of her own, and voiced her opinion when and not when asked. About the characters, they were amusing and helped to further the plot, but they werent well-deveolped. Physical descriptions were great (except for D.J. i can only remember her heigth) but the general personality of Tom, Hank, Jesse, The Stockwells, wasnt believable.
If u want to read something over the summer that is light and funny, w/ suspense, mystery, and action... then by all means this book is for u. I read it in one sitting. IT WAS GOOD!!
but not the best

Purchased this when desperate for new Vicki Bliss mystery and couldn't wait any longer. This is a somewhat older book.

In some respects, perfect summer reading. Light romance, a little mystery, some good funny lines--all what you'd expect from Peters. I also like that the heroine is depicted as not your typical romance heroine, she's both intelligent and plump.

Where it doesn't get my higher rating, is with the predictability of the plot (seems like a cross between recycled Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie), not enough zingy action, and a bit dated.

But still, not a bad read.

I really loved this book and read it entirely in one sitting. DJ is such an interesting character (and not thin, thank god!) it would be nice to see her in a possible sequel. The only criticism I would make is that the ending is a little vague. I had to read it a couple of times before I realised exactly what it was everyone was running around trying to find. Also the development of the relationship between DJ and Tom was a bit unreal. At first they hate each other, then out of the blue he declares his love for her, and in the last few pages DJ is talking marriage! I'm surprised Tom wasn't heading for the hills. It would have been nicer if there had been a bit more buildup between the two, but other than that, I'd rate "Summer of the Dragon" as one of Ms. Peters' best.

I am about a 3rd the way through this book and I am so sick of reading about this self centered woman. Everyone has regrets and makes mistakes but get over it. So many times her life is spared only by shear luck and a gardian angel. I doubt I will read on, it is to depressing.

We were fortunate to meet Pat Henry (author of "Grace of the Sea" while visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We bought her book and couldn't put it down. Even though this book should be read by every women, the men loved it too.

This book is an inspiration to all of us with wanderlust and dreams of sailing across an ocean in a small boat. Over and over in Pat's book you get the feeling that " Maybe I can do this too!" Her extraordinary feat and her search for answers to life's biggest questions start from failure, self doubt, and financial disaster. She proves that you do not have to be rich, or a world class athlete ,to accomplish the most extraordinary dreams.

This book is a good read, and it rings true.

The heartfelt authenticity of the writing takes the reader beyond the nuts and bolts of gear, equipment and weather. Pat shows us what it feels like out there on the ocean, in a personal and real way.

I have been putting off reading the other two mystery series written by Elizabeth Peters as I enjoy the Amelia Peabody series so much that I thought I would be disappointed. And, surprisingly, I was not disappointed at all in this, the first of the Jacqueline Kirby mysteries, first published in 1972. Kirby is not an instanly likeable character but she grew on me as the book continued. The mystery is classic Peters in that it involves some rather arcane references which always end up tying into the mystery somehow. I was able to figure out how the main clue to the criminal works into the plot but was not able to figure out who that criminal was as Peters keeps a vital piece of information from the reader until the denouement. This is a quite enjoyable mystery, quicker to read than the Amelia Peabody mysteries, and I look forward to buying and reading the second in the series.

Barbara Mertz, also known as Elizabeth Peters, also known as Barbara Michaels has written nonfiction Egyptology books under her own name. As Elizabeth Peters, she is the author of many mysteries, including series starring Amelia Peabody, Vicky Bliss, and Jacqueline Kirby. As Barbara Michaels she has written 29 gothic suspense novels.

"The Seventh Sinner" is one of Elizabeth Peters's Jacqueline Kirby mysteries, told in the 3rd person by Jean Suttman who is in Rome on an archeological fellowship, and who literally runs down Jacqueline Kirby in a library. Almost as soon as Jean makes friends with Jacqueline, the younger woman witnesses the last few moments of a murder victim, and becomes the next target for the murderer.

Other novels in the Jacqueline Kirby series are "Murders of Richard III," "Die for Love," and "Naked Once More." Truthfully---and I know I must belong to a small minority---I like the Jacqueline Kirby books better than those starring Amelia Peabody, which tend to run on a single, dusty Egyptian track. Far better to be in Rome in the spring, even though Jean and Jacqueline are underground in various catacombs too much of the time. At least, they didn't have to spend any subsurface hours in the Cloaca Maximus, which still carries somewhere around one million cubic meters of waste per day.

Anyway, this book is more focused on the early Christians, rather than the pagan Romans. There are some fascinating archeological inquiries into the burial sites of Saints Peter and Paul, and of course there is the brooding, claustrophobic atmosphere of underground Rome itself---an important part of this mystery.

'Sinner' moves right along and there's no point in warning the heroine to stay out of the catacombs. That's where the final clue to the murder might be found, and Jean is going to find it or die trying.

There is the usual, stylish Peters 'humoresque' decorating this mystery---Lots of snappy dialogue and interesting characters to entertain her dedicated readers who may not be all that interested in early Christian archeology.

The enjoyable first book of the all-too-short Jacqueline Kirby series is a nice (though slightly dated-feeling) romp through Rome, archaeology and early Christian saint-related material.

The book opens as Jean Suttman runs into Jacqueline Kirby -- literally. Jean and her friend Michael knock the acid-tongued, chameleon-clothed librarion over, and Jacqueline ends up coming along to a little meeting of the Seven Sinners. This group includes Jean, witty artist Michael, brainy priest Jose, slightly odd siblings Anne and Andy, serious-minded Ted, and plain seductress Dana. The only fly in their collective ointment is Albert, the son of Andy's father's friend -- Albert is physically and emotionally repulsive, and when he crashes a party with accusations that someone stole his research, no one really pays attention.

Until Jean finds him in the Temple of Mithra, with his throat cut. Albert manages to trace a number seven before he dies, and soon mysterious "accidents" begin to follow Jean. She and Jacqueline must unravel the mystery -- who would want an insignificant slob like Albert dead?

I will warn you in advance, this book is quite different in tone from "Murders of Richard III" (which I didn't like very much) and from "Die for Love" and "Naked Once More." Though it's not as serious as the second, or as funny as the third and fourth, it nevertheless possesses a dry wit and lopsided view of humanity in general.

Peters manages to keep the various characters' personalities separate and distinct. She also shows skill at making them act like real people. All of the characters have good points and bad points; some are kind, some are not. There's even an entertaining scene where they compare their own weaknesses to the seven deadly sins.

The writing style is unspectacular compared to her other books, but nicely evocative. This book doesn't really contain any potentially objectionable content, beyond a few mild comments about legs, and a scene where Dana's bikini top is stolen. Be forewarned, though this is a Jacqueline Kirby mystery, most of the book is from Jean's perspective rather than Jacqueline's. Jacqueline is still an enchantingly acerbic, brainy, and amusing presence, lighting up all the scenes.

Overall, a nice little romp through Rome. Read and enjoy, especially if you're fond of the amazing J. Kirby.

I'm an avid, dogged reader, and I plowed through Tolstoy's War and Peace at a quicker clip than I managed Porter's Ship of Fools. I love Porter's short stories--I cannot recommend more highly purchasing her collected fiction in paperback--but her talent doesn't translate as well into the long work. Unfortunately, I found the characters in this novel uninteresting, the lack of plot without much underlying substance somewhat tiresome, and the entire book as slowly moving as the ship these characters are traveling on from Mexico to Germany in the 1930s. The writing is good, the observations sharp, but I had trouble engaging with this book and, therefore, found myself reading other things before picking it back up. Ultimately, this is a good book by a good author, but it probably is not worth the effort required to trudge through it.

I just finished Ship of Fools for the second time, and my opinion hasn't changed much: its brilliant. Porter's amazing use of perspective and the diversity of her cast of characters gives the story a richness that far exceeds the potentially sparse plot (a ship goes from Mexico to Germany).

Though some might not like the static nature of both the characters and the story, I felt that Porter struck a perfect balance between telling an entertaining story with interesting, if somewhat extreme players, and illustrating the prevailing ideas, trends, etc. of European (and especially German) society in the interwar period. It worked on every level: as simply a good read, as an illuminating look at the period, and as a number of intertwining character studies.

My only regret, having read this and Ms. Porter's short stories, is that this is the only novel she wrote.

Less a plot-driven novel than a closely observed portrait, Porter's famous novel deftly exploits the author's ability to focus on the telling details of personality--and the result is a sometimes funny, often touching, and ultimately stinging examination of the insularity, hypocrisies, and pretensions of shipboard passengers en route from Mexico to Germany on the eve of World War II.

Porter's cast of characters are primarily German, but a handful of Spanish, Mexican, Swiss, and American characters give the novel an international perspective. Whatever their individual backgrounds, the characters tend to adopt reactionary postures toward and make assumptions about their fellow travelers based on both class and nationality; consequently, they tend to regard each other in a stereotypical light--but even as they fail to understand the truths behind the stereotypes, Porter highlights their lack of comprehension in a frequently comic but extremely disconcerting manner, thus demonstrating that her characters are at sea in more ways than one.

There is obviously a certain symbolism to the novel, but Porter does not belabor it, and we are free to decide if we wish to read for pure pleasure or for deeper meanings. Fortunately, there is an abundance of both. Still, this not a novel to read quickly or casually. It requires time to develop clearly in the mind, so readers are advised to approach it with ample time in which to enjoy this superior work.