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Book reviews for "Maysles,_David" sorted by average review score:

Heal Your Headache: The 1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Pain
Published in Paperback by Workman Publishing Company (15 August, 2002)
Authors: David Buchholz and Stephen G. Reich
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An explanation and treatment plan that makes sense.
I spent a solid year of sheer hell. This included five hospitalizations, including two complete heart blocks, and insertion of a permanent pacemaker, months of recovery and a six-month disability period off of work. All of it was directly due to migraines or the (mis)treatment I received for them.

Heal Your Headache provided me with the first believable explanation of my condition and how all of the symptoms related, and most importantly what I could do about it. By following the three step process in the book I've started getting my headaches under control, and minimizing all of the other symptoms: balance problems, confusion, tremors, nausea, light and sound sensitivity...

Dr. Buchholz provides enough examples to make any headache sufferer recognize himself or herself. And he lays out a complete plan of action that should help anyone. It's not particularly easy, especially for me to cut out ALL of the food triggers, but I've reduced my need for painkillers, and am seeing longer and longer periods headache free.

I recommend this book for anyone who suffers from frequent headaches, regardless of whether they consider them to be migraines.

Living in the migraine capital of the world...
Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to be Dr. Buchholz's patient while living in the NE. We worked together until finding that Verapamil was the best solution for avoiding migraine. I was able to discontinue the Verapamil for the past five years until moving to Calgary, Alberta Canada (the migraine capital of the world!)for a two year job assignment. Dr. Buchholz graciously spoke with me "long distance" and said "I have finished the book and it is available...please read it and we can talk again." The triggers have multiplied since moving here (Chinook winds-falling barometric pressure) and it is great to have the book as a resource for reclaiming a headache free environment. I am amazed at the many people who suffer from these headaches and are so excited to have the recommendation of Dr. Buchholz's book. My GP photocopied the front of the book and is pleased to have the resource for his patients, as well. The rebound medications (quick-fixes) were such a temptation but the clear, easy-reading solutions in the book allow me to take control. It's great to talk to Dr. Buchholz, but even better to have Heal Your Headache.

Finally a book that provides real headache help
This book is extraordinary. It outlines in simple, easy-to-follow, compelling language a program for conquering chronic migraines. After years of being told I had stress headaches or being treated inappropriately for migraines with a variety of medications, I was introduced to a treatment regimen that really works. It requires discipline, but that's easy once you understand the mechanism of migraine. The simple dietary modifications outlined in this book and the systematic process for implementing them have literally changed my life. I've gone from being controlled by headaches to having control of them. I've whole-heartedly recommended this book to a number of people -- I'm surprised how many people suffer from migraines. I only hope they'll read it and follow Dr. Buchholz's advice.


King of the Wind
Published in Audio Cassette by Bantam Books-Audio (1998)
Authors: Marguerite Henry and David McCallum
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Excellent book for kids who love horses
I am now 32 years old, and this book remains vivid in my mind as one of my all-time childhood favorites. The story of the mute stable boy Agba and his travels with 'his' beloved horse Sham exposes young readers to a variety of cultures and stressses the value of faithfulness and loyalty without being at all preachy. Sham, sent as a gift from the Sultan of Morocco to the King of France, is mistreated during the voyage and arrives looking like an old nag instead of the young, well-bred Arab stallion he is. The king's rejection of the horse is the beginning of a new journey as Sham -- with Agba always there to care for him -- passes from one owner to another, eventually becoming "The Godolphin Arabian" one of the three founders of the Thoroughbred bred. This book is worth buying in the hardback form, especially if that means getting Wesley Dennis' gorgeous illustrations in color

Great historical fiction for kids
This book was given to me when I was barely eight years old, almost thirty years ago. I learned how to read books that took more than one sitting with "King of the Wind".

The story is of a mute Morrocan stable boy, Agba, and a foal, Sham, who is born to one of the royal mares Agba cares for. Sham...and Agba...are selected to be part of a gift to the King of France. Their adventures in Europe are filled mostly with despair and cruelty, until Sham sires a foal that becomes the beginnings of the Thoroughbred breed we know today (this part is true; Sham was renamed "The Godolphin Arabian"; all Thoroughbreds must include in their pedigreeone of the three specific founding sires, and the Godolphin Arabian is one of them).

There's a lot here: adventure, triumph over adversity, a respect for other cultures, the care of the creatures that share our lives, and a healthy dose of humor about the absurdities of the powerful or elite.

As a kid, I eagerly devoured any Marguerite Henry book I could find. It's well worth it to get hard-cover editions that include the wonderful full-color illustrations by Wesley Dennis.

this is a great,breathtaking book for horselovers!
this has to be the most wonderful book ive ever read.from the moment i read it,my mind was instantly taken to the stables of morroco(sp?)with his beutiful horse.it is so imaginative,adventorous that you'll want to read it over and over.i think its one of the best books ive ever read.im reading it for the..........20th time i think:)you'll love this book if you love horses.it is very discreptive and i highly recommend this book to people,horsey or not.hope you read it.buy it,you won't regret it:0)


Faeries
Published in Paperback by Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub (Trd Pap) (1979)
Authors: David Larkin, Brian Froud, and Alan Lee
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one of a kind book :)
Do you believe in faeries? After reading this you'll want to. There are plenty of books about faeries out there - what makes this one unique is that it is written as a field guide and it is full of beautiful (and I do mean beautiful) paintings and drawings of the creatures described. The book is titled Faeries, but it also contains goblins, witches, selkies and the like. Not only is it fun to read and look at, but if you draw, it's a great artistic reference. (Many of the illustrations in Faeries are used as tattoos today.) Brian Froud is an amazing artist himself and he helped design the creatures in movies such as the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Buy this book if you loved fairy tales as a kid.

Beautiful, enchanting, surreal and exquisite.
This was the book where I first encountered the artists Froud and Lee, and also where I discovered that faeries are indeed either ugly or beautiful, old and young; everything I had ever hoped and imagined, and more. Froud and Lee's breathtaking and altogether masterly portrayal of the intrinsic, metamorphic world of fantasy forever hovering at our fingertips, is truly masterly, and I have never encountered another yet which rates quite as highly as this. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who loves faeries, and/or queries the 'pretty' flower-faeries we tend to be bombarded with today. s This book has all my dreams, nightmares and fantasies woven together in it's intricate, detailed illustrations, the thick, scrawling lead pencil script... I cannot find the words to speak highly enough of this simply unique, marvellous book. I am an avid admirer of Froud and Lee's works, the faery-kingdom, faery poetry, stories, tales, photographs, illustrations, and can never have enough information on that mystical kingdom where people such as Thomas the Rhymer and Tam Lin vanish to, where a cup of wine can bind you a prisoner, where the young are old, and the old are yound, where anything is possible whether you believe or not. I for one, do strongly believe in faeries, and wish that I could see one. This book is - where are the words to describe it? Magnificent/Fabulous/Beautiful/Moving/Terrifying/Fantastic/Eye-opening - they are only some... I would like to congratulate Lee and Froud on their admirable skill for illustrations, the publishers for - well - publishing this book, and all the readers out there who fell in love with this book, which is a gift from faeryland itself.

"Faeries" one of the most influential books of my childhood
My mother gave my a copy of "Faeries" for Christmas 1980, when I was 11. I was instantly enchanted with the idea of faeries as real beings, and accepted much of the text as truth. I fantasized about spotting faeries in the woods and rocks surrounding my childhood home, and made many (sophomoric) attempts to copy Brian Froud's illustrations. As an adult I even had a flower faerie tattooed on my ankle in homage to his art

My origional copy of "Faeries" is tattered and dog-eared, most of the pages have fallen out, and are hopelessly out-of-sequence, but I can't bear to throw it away. I count "Faeries" as one of the most influential books I had as kid growing up, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to any child (or adult) interested in faeries or mythology. The book is incredibly well-researched, and beautifully illustrated. The hand-written text can be difficult to read at times, but adds to the wonderful illusion of illicitly reading someone's journal

Bravo for reissuing this book, I am ordering my new hardcover copy today


Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild
Published in Paperback by Cooper Square Press (2000)
Author: David Stenn
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This Bow Bio Sure Has "IT"!
Clara Bow's incredible journey through life --- the child abuse, boundless energy, ambition, heartbreak and ostracism ---- is enough for any five soap operas. But it all happened to her, and David Stenn's flawless writing brings it all to life. Even hardcore film mavens who THINK they know Bow's story need to read this book. Bow was a highly complex, yet simple, person used by Hollywood's machine then cast aside when she seemed ill suited for talkies. Stenn iss particularly good at covering Bow's many valleys and how the tinsel town users almost zeroed-in on her. Unlike any bio I've ever read, RUNNING WILD truly blends outstanding research, often minute facts (there are many additions in this updated version), and a deep feeling for the Bow the public never saw. I HIGHLY recommend this book to teenagers! My 16 year old was fascinated with Bow's story, one which could have happened yesterday. Congratulations to David Stenn for a magnificent bio that no film buff --- or teenager --- should miss.

Brilliantly researched and touchingly written
David Stenn has managed to make Clara Bow come alive in this poignant biography. Through meticulous research, he retraces her development into one of the most fascinating, talented and complex film actresses in history. The reader is subtly drawn into Clara Bow's life and psyche through Stenn's descriptive and non-invasive prose. The author does not choose to demystify Clara Bow, but rather relays relevant and touching information which serves to deftly humanize an icon. At times, I was so caught up in the story that I forgot I was actually reading a book. I strongly recommend Runnin' Wild to anyone over 16, regardless of your literary leanings. This book has been a staple in my gift-giving repertoire, and I am so pleased to once again find it available. Runnin' Wild is a remarkable book about a remarkable life that begs to be experienced and shared.

One of the best movie bios I've read
Clara Bow's life and career are remembered as a series of lurid rumors about her sex life and inability to suceed in sound pictures. Stenn presents a great story about Bow's rise from a disfunctional family in the slums of Brooklyn to being one of the biggest stars in silent films. Sadly her problems didn't end once she made it in Hollywood.

This is a well written and researched biography of an almost forgotten Hollywood star, the precursor of Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe. It is a wonderful look into the world of silent movies and I recommend it highly.


Cold Fusion Web Application Construction Kit, Second Edition with Cold Fusion and Cold Fusion Studio
Published in Paperback by Que (13 February, 1998)
Authors: Ben Forta, David E. Crawford, and Nate Weiss
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excellent for beginners
This book was fantastic. Sure there are the few editing errors common with computer books. I knew NOTHING about Cold Fusion or database connectivity to the web before I got this and now I've written a dozen or so Cold Fusion applications for the UPS intranet. An EXCELLENT resource for beginners and professionals with a tag index for quick referencing. A chapter on SQL also for those who don't know it. It will teach you everything you need to know to get your application online and running. Great Great Great!

Perfect Tech Book
You will not find a more complete and thorough book on Cold Fusion, or on any other technology for that matter, than Ben's book.

The guy knows his stuff, is thorough, and can write in English - you know the version of the language that mere mortals can understand.

Even though I am not a developer, I quit my 6 figure job to start my own Internet startup & develop my own web applications - in large part because Ben's book made me realized that even a novice like me can develop powerful CF applications.

The only Cold Fusion reference you will ever need.
Every time I need to learn a new piece of Cold Fusion, I reach for this book and find a good example. The enclosed CD of code is a full of code that is easy to read and easy to use, and the writing is clear and easy to follow. Buy this book, you won't regret it.


Path Between The Seas : The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
Published in Paperback by Touchstone Books (15 October, 1978)
Author: David McCullough
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A Fantastic Book (Read it for College History Class)
The history of the Panama Canal, and it's construction is very unique in itself. The references of all the French names (although I couldn't pronounce all of them) were very interesting and kept me hooked. I'm a history buff, so naturally, I like to read historical books.

After nearly a hundred years of owning the Panama Canal, on December 31, 1999, the United States gave the Panama Canal back to the nation of Panama. When Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a pathway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the nation of Panama did not exist; it was a part of Columbia.

When prospectors discovered gold in California in 1848, all that changed the author, David McCullough writes in the book. The Panama Railroad, at the time, was the most high-priced stock listed on the New York Exchange. Building a canal through this area that would be approximately fifty-one miles seemed to be an easy situation for investors, but it turned out that it took over four decades and an army of workers to complete the canal. In the book it mentioned that enough soil, rock, and dirt was removed to build a pyramid a mile high.

When the construction began, McCullough notes that the leader of the project was Ferdinand de Lesseps, who went bankrupt. After President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrated the purchase of the canal, the United States entered the picture. A revolution took place that removed Panama from the rule of Columbia.

David McCullough is a very unique and interesting author and writer, and he kept me captivated while reading this book.

The historical aspecets of the book are accurate as far as my research has gone on the Panama Canal. This book is just fasinating because of the history that is involved. When Theodore Roosevelt bought the canal and a revolution occured between Columbia and the United States, the United States won, and the canal became ours. But remember, on 12/31/99, we returned the canal to its rightful owner, the nation of Panama.

A Most Profound WorK!!
I found Mr. McCullough's book about the building of the Panama Canal to be well written, extra-well researched, and highly entertaining! I would recommend this book to anyone who truly wants to know what it took to build such an engineering marvel. Having lived in Panama twice and visited on many occasions, I can attest to the fact Mr. McCullough's book is THE SOURCE for accurate information on the canal and it's builders (both French and American efforts). I would also recommend purchasing the NOVA video, which Mr. McCullough narrates, called "A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama". He even quotes out of his own book on screen! I've never read a book so intricately and fastidiously researched. MUST READING for the true Canal enthusiast.

A brilliant history of the Panama Canal
"The Path Between the Seas" is narrative history at its best - the story of perhaps the greatest engineering feat of modern times. Writing in the clear and lucid style for which he is noted, historian David McCullough traces the creation of the Panama Canal from its earliest inception by the French in 1870, to its completion 44 years later by the United States.

McCullough skillfully weaves personalities and events together to create a powerful narrative replete with political intrigue, financial scandal, and triumph over tremendous adversity. The author first acquaints the reader with the leaders of the French attempt to build the canal - Ferdinand de Lesseps and his son, Charles, and Phillippe Bunau-Varilla, among others - and tells of the ultimate failure of their venture, and their disgrace due to financial scandal. McCullough then chronicles the ultimately successful American attempt to build the canal. Here is seen the political intrigue (the U.S. backed Panamanian revolution against Colombia, with the complicity of President Theodore Roosevelt, Secretary of State John Hay, and Bunau-Varilla); the successful war against yellow fever and malaria, led by American doctor William Gorgas; and the organizational and engineering genius of two American Chief Engineers - John Stevens and Colonel George Goethals - which led to the completion of the canal in 1914.

"The Path Between the Seas" is more than just the story of how the Panama Canal was built; it is a well researched, historically accurate, and at the same time lively and highly entertaining account of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Highly recommended!


Stellaluna
Published in Audio Cassette by August House Audio (1999)
Authors: Janell Cannon and David Holt
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Stellaluna
The first thing that attracted me to Stellaluna was the illustrations. Creative, bright, and imaginative pictures always catch my attention. And this book has just that, imaginative, good painted pictures.

Stellaluna is a baby fruit-bat that gets separated from her mother. She lands in a bird's nest and grows up living with them. Stellaluna follows the routines of the birds, and practically becomes one herself. Later in the story she catches up with a few bats, and finds out that one is her mother. She becomes reunited with her, and starts to pick up her old bat routines.

The book implys that you should accept everyone. A child doesn't have to be the only one to know that 'different people' can be accepted. We should all accept people no matter how 'different' they are. We are all the same at heart.

More than a "bat" book
This book is about Stellaluna, a baby bat who finds itself lost, hungry, alone, and accidentally in a nest full of baby birds. The little bat is accepted by the birds, but somehow never feels at home, especially after a good scolding from the mother bird about hanging upside down -- hillarious.

The artwork is outstanding, the story is entertaining, and children and adults love this book. I have even picked it up and read it a time or two after the children went to bed.

This is an award winning book, and for good reason. There are strong underlying messages in it about place, acceptance, home and family.

Definitely 5+ stars.

For anyone who's tried to "fit in"
Do you like bats? You will after reading this book! A baby fruit bat gets lost and ends up being adopted by a family of birds. Stellaluna wants to please her adopted family and tries hard to act like a bird, but it's hard to change who you are! So she struggles with with adapting to her new "bird" lifestyle, while trying to be true to her bat heritage.

Luminous illustrations complement this sweet story that interweaves animal facts with a fable. This award-winning story emphasizes that differences should be celebrated and accepted -- they make us unique. A truly enlivening book.


You Don't Know Me
Published in Hardcover by Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv) (2001)
Author: David Klass
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The Troubled Mind
The novel You Don't Know Me, written by David Klass, is a very good book. It is also a truthful book that shows the troubled mind of many teens. It deals with many of the problems teens have now and when the book was written. There are many different problems John, the main character, has to deal with. As well as having many of the mental and emotional troubles of being a teenager, John is being beaten by a man his mother is about to marry. John tries to hide what is happening to him from his teachers and most important of all, his mother. However one of his more compassionate teachers, Mr. Steenwilly, realizes that something isn't quite right and lets him know that if John needs anyone to talk to he is there for him. John starts to gain some confidence and takes the girl of his dreams, known to him as Glory Hallelujah, out on a date. Just as the world seems to have a light side to it, his date's father threatens his life. He is forced to run home leaving some of his valuables belongings behind. As the night reaches its horrible peak he gets home late to a drunken man who shows him no mercy. As the book goes on John gets wrapped up in his own mind, contemplating things such as turning in the man who is not his father and even worse, suicide. Toward the end of the book he falls in love with a girl from his band. This feeling of being important over comes him and causes him to stand up to the drunken man living in his house. However doing so causes him to be beaten severely. Mr. Steenwilly's curiosity and caring for this boy saved Johns life. In the end John realizes that he is important to those around him and conquers his troubled mind.

* YoU dOn'T kNoW mE*
This was probably the BEST book I have ever read. I liked the charactorization and the plot. It was very descriptive and I liked how the author ( David Klass ) described everything with so much detail. YOU DON'T KNOW ME is a book about a 14 year old boy named John who deals with everyday problems that average teenagers deal with. Most of the book is about him working up the curage to ask out "Glory Hallelujah", a girl that he has liked forever. Also, he has to deal with his mom's boyfriend whom he calls "the man who is not my father". While John's mother is not around, her boyfriend yell's at John and has verbal meltdowns. John also deals with algebra. John dreads this class the most. His teacher sometimes gives him a hard time about not liking algebra. In about the middle of the book, John actually works up the courage and asks out " Glory Hallelujah". After that, he has a whole new prespective of things. When he enters the algebra class room, he is actually smiling. This is a really good book and I suggest it to kids ages 12~15... it talks about struggles that teenagers have and its interesting to read if you are around that age.

You Don't Know Me
I have to admit the first time I picked up this book I was a little doubtful. The first few pages confused me so much that I nearly stopped reading. But I was intrigued so I plowed through. Never have I been happier. This book is amazing. The main character John, narrates from a second person view and it works like a charm. Basically John is a boy who lives in a home thats not a home and has friends that aren't friends. He also has a man, who's not his father, physically abusing him. Despite the serious subject the book can be hilarious at times. He uses sardonic humor to completely draw the readers in. Put simply, this book has vaulted on top of my all-time favorite list, and I've read alot of books. Hilarious and thouroughly moving to the very last page.


Tuesday
Published in Hardcover by Clarion Books (1991)
Author: David Wiesner
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ellenbebookreviewTuesday
TUESDAY, by David Wiesner

Book Review

Who will be next? Weisner uses no words, which allows readers to develop their own opinions about what exactly is happening. The book is a vivid display of color and detail painted in watercolor. Both children and adults can experience fun and amazement by reading this picture book. As dusk becomes night, something strange happens to animals in this particular town. The story opens and frogs begin to float above their pond, perched upon their lily pads, like genies on flying carpets. As the frogs rise out of the water, they fly in a flock, raiding the town while watchful eyes are asleep. The amphibious creatures fly through linen hanging out to dry and an elderly woman's living room while she is asleep. Then something strange happens to them at dawn. They can no longer soar above and around the town and are reduced to hopping back to their pond without the aid of flight. The following night, another animal is able to fly and see the town in their own new light, once darkness falls. by Matthew Ellenberg

Delightful Display of Vivid Imagination
TUESDAY, by David Wiesner

Book Review

Who will be next? Weisner uses no words, which allows readers to develop their own opinions about what exactly is happening. The book is a vivid display of color and detail painted in watercolor. Both children and adults can experience fun and amazement by reading this picture book. As dusk becomes night, something strange happens to animals in this particular town. The story opens and frogs begin to float above their pond, perched upon their lily pads, like genies on flying carpets. As the frogs rise out of the water, they fly in a flock, raiding the town while watchful eyes are asleep. The amphibious creatures fly through linen hanging out to dry and an elderly woman's living room while she is asleep. Then something strange happens to them at dawn. They can no longer soar above and around the town and are reduced to hopping back to their pond without the aid of flight. The following night, another animal is able to fly and see the town in their own new light, once darkness falls.

Tuesday - David Wiesner
Tuesday is a beautifully illustrated story about a Tuesday night when frogs can fly. Readers are taken with the frogs on their incredible journey through the night. The illustrations are remarkable and tell a story that words could not possibly express. The characters are given personalities and come alive right before your eyes. There is a magical quality and imaginative element throughout. Tuesday will enchant any child with an open heart and limitless imagination. It will leave a child believing that anything is possible. Adults and children of all ages will love this book, it is a masterpiece of art and children's literature.


Lucky Jim
Published in Paperback by Penguin USA (Paper) (2002)
Authors: Kingsley Amis and David Lodge
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An utterly hilarious book
Over the years, there have been many attempts to establish a
"Deep Inner Meaning" for "Lucky Jim," but I wouldn't pay them
much attention if I were you. "Lucky Jim" is simply a hilarious
book. For me, it was a revelation -- I had no idea that a book
might leave me with my sides aching, weak from laughter, yet
ready to laugh again, as I recalled the phrase or the incident
which had initially tickled my funny-bone.

One reason the book is so funny is that it gores some very
Sacred Cows. In its time, those sacred bovines very definitely
included provincial academics who were seriously into
Elizabethan madrigals and recorder concerts; Amis had the
genius to see these daffy eccentrics for the incredibly comic
figures they really were. Even more outrageously, the novel's
hero gets the girl of his dreams and escapes the dreary provinces
for a happy career in London, by abandoning the academic life
and going into (are you sitting down?) BUSINESS. Into... TRADE.
It is hard to imagine anything more non-U.

In short, a masterpiece of comic English prose!

Highest possible recommendation!!!

A brilliant novel
  Some people--a few who have written reviews here--don't seem to find Lucky Jim very funny. It's their loss. The rest of us think this book is hilarious. Read the opening paragraph of chapter 6: if you don't think it's the best description of a hangover, pass this book by. But I think you'll be hooked.

And it isn't really a satire: for those of us who teach, it's hard to find one thing that is out of place in Lucky Jim. Senior professors are still, often, bores and pedants; many women professors still like to dress like peasants; and most of us find that our classes attract the Michie's of this world rather than the three pretty girls.

It's so funny that it's easy to overlook how well constructed, and how well written, this novel is.

The only thing wrong with Lucky Jim is the horrible cover on the most recent Penguin edition. (But horrible covers are themselves a venerable academic tradition.)

Perhaps the classic 20th Century British comic novel
Kingsley Amis is one of my favorite writers, and Lucky Jim (1954) of course is probably his most famous novel. It's also his first novel, which makes him one of those writers who spent their entire career trying to live up to early success. Despite Lucky Jim's preeminent reputation, several later novels are at least as good: I'd mention as my personal favorites The Anti-Death League, The Green Man, Ending Up, The Alteration, and The Old Devils.

I think this is my third reading of Lucky Jim. It remains a very enjoyable book. It's the story of Jim Dixon, a history lecturer at a provincial English university shortly after the second world war. Jim is involved in an unsatisfactory relationship with a drippy fellow lecturer called Margaret Peel, who uses emotional blackmail such as implicit suicide attempts (she took sleeping pills after breaking with her previous boyfriend) to keep him on the string. He hates his job, and he hates his boss (Professor Welch) if anything even more, while worrying that he won't be retained for the next school year. He hates phoniness in general, particularly that represented by Professor Welch, who is into recreations of old English music (recorders and all).

The plot revolves mainly around Dixon's growing attraction to Christine Callaghan, a beautiful girl who is nominally Professor Welch's son Bertrand's girlfriend -- but Bertrand is also fooling around with a married woman, and he's a crummy artist to boot. Also, Dixon is working on a lecture about Merrie Olde Englande, which he hopes will impress Professor Welch enough that he can keep his job, but every sentence of which he hates. The resolution is predictable, if rather convenient for Dixon (involving a rich uncle of Christine's), but it satisfies. The book itself is really very funny: such set-pieces as Dixon's hangover-ridden lecture, and his disastrous drunken night at the Welch's, remain screams after multiple rereadings.

I should say that some things bother me a bit. Some of Dixon's stunts (such as stealing a colleague's insurance policies and burning them) seem, well, felonious. And of course Margaret Peel really is someone he's better off breaking up with, but the way Christine is presented as naturally good because she is beautiful does seem rather sexist. Still, all this can be laid to accurate description of a certain character -- and if we root for Jim (as we more or less naturally do), it should be with some uneasiness.

All this said, Lucky Jim is deservedly a classic of 20th Century fiction, and an enormously entertaining book.


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