The story of the erotic intrigue between a middle-aged woman, her husband, and her precocious stepson, "In Praise of the Stepmother" engages both the reader's carnal and intellectual mind.

Interspersed throughout the text are a series of full-color reproductions of works of graphic art--Francois Boucher's "Diana at the Bath," Titian's "Venus with Cupid and Music," and others. Vargas Llosa accompanies each of the reproductions with a fictional interpretation that serves as a counterpoint to the primary narrative of the stepmother and her household. This device allows the author to take his reader across time and space, from fantasy to horror as the erotic odyssey unfolds.

In both the main narrative and the shorter embedded fictions, Vargas Llosa both shocks and seduces the reader with his sensuous detail and psychological insights. "In Praise of the Stepmother" is a multi-media tour-de-force. A delight for lovers of erotica, classic visual art, and great literature, this book confirms in my mind Mario Vargas Llosa's stature as one of the world's great writers.

This book has so much beauty and sheer writing virtuosity that it must stand separate and alone. Like the Chaconne, or the suites for unaccompanied cello, or Shakespeare's sonnets, this book takes your breath away.

An integral part of the narrative are the six paintings (handsome reproductions of world art by Fra Angelico and Francis Bacon, among others) which are woven as counterpoint to the storyline. Nowhere in literature does one encounter such a masterful and extraordinary melding of two art forms: it produces a delectable, erotic, and frightening little masterpiece.

It is a story of lust, love, revenge, of Eros, of sexual awakening, and of the punctilious attention to one's body parts. It can be spiritual or gross, refined or vulgar, hilarious or tragic, depending on who you are, how you look at it, and the mood you are in. Every time I have read it (five, so far) it has again shocked, and delighted and made me humble by the sheer force of its beauty. The flawless translation by Helen Lane detracts not one iota from the Spanish original. Of course you should read it.

This is a miraculous, intriguing, daring and unlikely book that compares with Lolita in theme and aftertaste. One is always cautious of the pitfalls of translations, but the sincere erotica of this short novel, combined with its anchoring art references and child-heart, elevates it in a way that you don't notice its foreign origins. Llosa is, of course, a masterful storyteller. He is also audacious, which may be be his lasting relevance. Here, the revelatory title tells but half the story: you have to take the journey with Fonchito to fully enjoy Llosa's sardonic take on the duplicity and ignorance of the human condition. A small classic!

I first looked at this book because my nickname is Fluffy. I wanted a cute book with the name in the title, and this one is really great.

It teaches a great lesson about the teasing people can get when their folks label 'em wrong. The illustrations are delightful and Fluffy looks ever-so-slightly as if he's been chewed on. This book has a place of honor reserved for when my copy arrives--right next to my Harold and the Purple Crayon books.

Whenever I am asked to read in my children's classes, this is the FIRST book I choose. I usually begin by asking the children, "Who has ever been teased about their name?" or "Who has ever felt that sometimes their name just doesn't fit?" Either question gets an enthusiastic response. Then we read "Fluffy". The kids love it, I love it, the teachers love it. It lets kids know that just because their names are different, their feelings can be the same. It also teaches a very strong lesson about how SHARED laughter can forge a friendship between two seemingly opposite creatures. If we can learn to laugh at the little stuff, the big stuff is a little easier to tackle too!

Fluffy is stuck with a name that is very different. He learns to accept this name and meets a new friend who has a similar problem. My daughter laughs out loud at the silly things Fluffy does to try to match his name.

The Blue Yonder Inn by Helen Campbell is a thoroughly "reader engaging" novel about a mother's struggle to keep her ill-tempered teenage niece out of trouble. Their gradual coming to terms with one another, amid the backdrop of the family business - a pay-by-the-hour roadside motel that depends upon airmen, prostitutes, and visitors to the state penitentiary for its clientele - evolves through the turbulence of an extended voyage of discovery and more, in this sometimes sardonic, sometimes heartwarming look at the effort it takes to forge true family ties. The Blue Yonder Inn is a deftly written and highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library contemporary fiction collections.

This book is highly entertaining and a very quick read. For a great view of life in West Texas in a different time in history, check this out!

Tired of the same old character cliches? Sick of the same old plots? Well, drive yourself over to the Blue Yonder Inn where you'll meet a memorable assortment of oddballs whose resumes aren't exactly worth a second call. Bonnie Blue, the down-and-out protagonist, leaves Blackie, her baby, in a wheelbarrow outside the Blue Yonder Inn and heads out on her own hero's journey. On the run from her good-for-nothing husband Gil, Bonnie meets up with more curious folk - some unsavory, some endearing. This story is sharp, fast paced, and has well drawn characters. Helen Campbell's biting wit makes even the most tragic of circumstances humorous. You'll find yourself laughing and sympathizing with people you might otherwise avoid completely.

I love Edward Lear's story and James Marshall's illustrations are magical. I don't like the version with Jan Brett's illustrations. I've never liked Jan Brett's illustrations. I've spent hundreds of hours looking at children's books and I always pass over Jan Brett's books. Her illustrations just don't appeal to me. Her illustrations are distinctive and I can always recognize her work but I don't like them. There is just something missing--they don't have any life to them or something. I can't explain it. I have always loved James Marshall. His genius transcends understanding. His illustrations complement Ed Lear's beautiful tale perfectly.

A very good illustrated version of the classic poem- the pictures are beautiful with a distinctly exotic flavour, great for all ages!

This book is just so cool. Longing for a trip to the tropics? Read this version of the book to your little one and you can at least feel like you are there. The illustrations are really sweet. They have a lot of details so that kids kind find new things with each reading. My two-year old loves this book. It is a great twist on an old tale

Although I have not yet personally read this wonderful book yet, I have the privilege of living with her amazing daughter, Caroline, at Notre Dame. Trust me: read this book. I've met the author and she's really nice. You should see our dorm room. It is wonderfully decorated because of her advice. Thank you Mrs. Connor!

I found the Body's Design Paradigm, the foundation of the Triumph of Individual Style, to be a concept born from the mind of a genius. This concept definitely includes all women, all people in the realm of beauty. The book's design and the writing is also superb and so easy to read and understand. The color chapter is awesome, the proportion chapter so innovative and bringing in an individual's creativity so creative.This book makes other books look mediocre.

Finally a book that does not contain frivilous and general information. There is concrete information for every woman.This is a must have book. FYI: Triumph is being published by Fairchild Books and will be available in Feb. 2002 with a fabulous workbook for teachers. Also, Helen Villa Connor, co-author and originator of the Body's Design Pattern, which is the foundation of Triumph will be a speaker at UCSF Women Leaders 2002 Symposium in San Francisco. Jill Popov is the contact for the Symposium. This will be your chance to get Triumph information first hand and get Helen to sign your book.

I read this book to my 4 year old grandson and he loved it (and so did I). Franny is delightful as she struggles to find her own identity and her place in the family, while coping with her frizzy hair. Plus, the illustrations are great.

This is an EXCELENT book! Anyone who has suffered, like me, with frizzy hair should read this - it will definitely make you smile. My mother brought it home to take to her library, and I ended up getting ahold of it and reading it. Franny B. Kranny is a great little girl and Harriet Lerner is a very cool lady! :)

Franny B Kranny loved her long red frizzy hair even if it was always getting stuck in things and causing trouble. So when her mother drags her to the hairdresser before a family reunion, she isn't happy. The hairdresser does his best to pin it up and make it look neat, while Franny schemes to undo his work as soon as she's out of the chair. But as she leaves the salon, a bird lands on her head, snuggles down in her hair and calls it home. Her family is appalled, but Franny is thrilled and very careful not to disturb the bird even sleeping upright in a chair. The next day at the reunion, Franny's family is so embarrassed they keep their distance. But the rest of her relatives are fascinated and Franny soon becomes the center of attention. Pretty soon, her family comes around and agrees that she has the most wonderful head of hair and should never cut it. And that's when Franny surprises everyone..... The dynamic team of Harriet Lerner and Susan Goldhor have written a marvelous story about an individual who dares to be different and really knows her own mind. Their charming, witty text is complemented by Helen Oxenbury's bright, expressive and humorous illustrations that really captures the essence of strong willed Franny and the rest of her unusual family. Both children and adults will be laughing out loud at the antics of this wonderful little girl. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Franny B Kranny, There's a Bird in your Hair is a treasure and a book kids want to read again and again.

This book was truly fascinating. I read it shortly after reading The Poisonwood Bible, which had sparked my curiousity about central Africa. The author and her boyfriend set out on a trip across Zaire with no real idea of how they would get to their destination, and ended up dealing with situations that were so far beyond my frame of reference that I could scarcely imagine them. The author generally writes well and conveys a good sense of the tribulations and frustrations - as well as some moments of optimism - they encountered along the way as they got an unusually close-up view of the people and culture of the country. My only quibble with the book has to do with the inordinate number of typos.

"East Along the Equator: A Journey Up the Congo and into Zaire" is an excellent account of a journey across Central Africa (in what was then Zaire) in the early 1980s. Winternitz and her companion traveled by river barge along the entire navigable portion of the Congo river, from Kinshasa to Kisangani. The Congo river barges are legendary among 'extreme' travelers. The end of Belgian colonization of the Congo meant the end of roads, making the river the only practical way to travel between Kinshasa and Kisangani. These river barges are (were?) floating villages, complete with markets and nightclubs populated by traders who make their livelihood onboard, as well as travelers going from place to place. From Kisangani the journey continues overland, to an eventual return to Kinshasa by air. In Kinshasa the pair are arrested and interrogated by the secret police after interviewing a politician opposed to president Moubutu. Winternitz gives an even-handed and interesting account of the journey, along with relevant history and background information. The book contains a good bibliography. This book was journalism when it was first published, and it is still worth reading today, as a document of the Congo under Moubutu.

"East Along the Equator: A Journey Up the Congo and into Zaire" is an excellent account of a journey across Central Africa (in what was then Zaire) in the early 1980s. Winternitz and her companion traveled by river barge along the entire navigable portion of the Congo river, from Kinshasa to Kisangani. The Congo river barges are legendary among 'extreme' travelers. The end of Belgian colonization of the Congo meant the end of roads, making the river the only practical way to travel between Kinshasa and Kisangani. These river barges are (were?) floating villages, complete with markets and nightclubs populated by traders who make their livelihood onboard, as well as travelers going from place to place. From Kisangani the journey continues overland, to an eventual return to Kinshasa by air. In Kinshasa the pair are arrested and interrogated by the secret police after interviewing a politician opposed to president Moubutu. Winternitz gives an even-handed and interesting account of the journey, along with relevant history and background information. The book contains a good bibliography. This book was journalism when it was first published, and it is still worth reading today, as a document of the Congo under Moubutu.

This is one terrific story. But wait, its not a story as in fiction, this is real. An incredible journey to say the least. For those unfamiliar with the story, it basically is about Helen's solo journey to the magnetic north pole with her friend an companion, Charlie the Inuit Dog.

This isn't one of those I came, I conquered stories. Helen relates her adventure in a down to earth manner letting the reader truly get a sense of the adventure, challenge, fear, hardship, and joy that she experienced. Yet don't think of this as merely a woman against nature. Its also about friendship. The friendship that became of her and her new companion Charlie. Charlie saved Helen's life on several occasions by alerting her of polar bears and in some cases even defending her from them.

This is a great read for all. The story moves quickly as it captivates the reader. I think it would be especially inspiring for anyone though perhaps women might find it even more so as it just goes to show that you can accomplish anything they set their hearts to, with a little help from a friend like Charlie.

When I first read this book in 1994, I knew right away I wanted to use it in my middle school classroom (grades 7 & 8). Helen Thayer is exactly the kind of role model you want to present to children. She embodies all the character traits you want your students to emulate, among them perserverance, positive thinking, and courage. The thrilling story she tells of her encounters with polar bears, breaking ice, and a life-threatening Arctic storm will capture your students' attention immediately and will provide you with endless interdisciplinary activities. It's also a lot fun to watch your students' faces fall when you first tell them they will be reading a story about a 50-year-old woman who circumnavigates the magnetic north pole (oh, goody!), and then listen to their protests when the period ends each day and they want to keep reading! Now THAT'S a good book!

I have had the honor of meeting Helen Thayer and wonderful Charlie. I really felt as though I had taken every step with her....without freezing to death. There have been others who attempted the same journey and did not succeed due to the polar bear scare. I have given this book, as a gift, to almost everyone I know. Could I have gotten past the fear? I don't think so. She allowed me to mentally accompany her and I thank her for that.

While I was somewhat disappointed at the absence of a "final solution" paragraph tying everything together, the book is still of value. It is a rare look into actual interviews with child killers, and it was definitely worth the purchase price. It's written more for a mass market audience, and a more scholarly approach would have been a little better. Still a good find, though.

For all the brutal reality of the deeds and people Dr. Smith describes, this is a refreshing antidote to the apocalyptic hysteria that usually dominates the discussion of violent kids. She helps us see that these are people, caught in obsessive emotions or skewed perceptions, who are often doing the best they can to make sense of their world. Dr. Smith gives us much concrete reason to believe that we'll be able to reach many of those kids before it's too late, and that we'll be able to make changes in our society that will make these painful outcomes less likely in the future.

I enjoyed this book personally, because I would like to go into forensic psychology as a career. Also the book itself was very intresting. The Scarred Heart is a great book because it is written in a certain way that is more directed towards you, as a civilian, on what to watch out for with dangerous kids. It opened my eyes to how many kids are angry with the world. I believe most people who read this book will be surprised with what they have read. This book is easy to follow and keeps you intrested. The Scarred Heart is for anyone who is worried about our kids today.

As the child of a survivor, this book talks about many of the things our family kept silent. Just reading that even one other person out there had similar feelings, experiences, and views was so very comforting. It is important that society acknowledges the 2nd Generation's special status. May the memory of all who perished, of all who survived, and all who have come after them be ever for a blessing.

As a daughter of Holocaust Survivors, when I first read this book (over 15 years ago), I was astounded. This author was the first to raise the issue at all: how has the Holocaust affected those whose parents survived it? When I was growing up, not only was the Holocaust itself practically a taboo subject, but no one ever, ever discussed the children of Survivors. This author had the courage, the foresight, and tenacity to do just that - and to do it in the most sensitive and articulate way.

When I first read the first chapter, I was so astounded that I stood up, and read that chapter standing up! She describes exactly, to the letter, how I felt growing up: that the Holocaust was a locked black box in your household, and that its secrets were more secret than sex, or anything else you can possibly imagine. Finally, someone has put on paper what I always felt, but could never describe. Everyone I have ever given this book to, no matter what his or her background, said he couldn't put it down. To anyone interested in the Holocaust - you must read this book!

While there have been many books written detailing the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, Helen Epstein places its impact in the context of both survivors and their families, specifically their children. Ms. Epstein's briliant narrative conveys her own family's history interweaving it with the histories of many others, both highlighting common ground and preserving the uniqueness of each. For me, as a "Child of the Holocaust", this book showed me that my feelings of alienation and unique perspective on man's potential brutality to his fellow man, both indirect consequences of my parents' wartime experiences, are shared within a community. This change in perspective lead me to the realization while the Children of the Holocaust are a separate and special group, we share common bonds with the descendents all persecuted people, and there are many, far too many, such children in the world. This book profoundly changed my outlook on the world and my view of my place in it. It has also helped others better understand my family and me. There can be no higher praise for literature, and I am very grateful to Helen Epstein for writing Children of the Holocaust, and to those taking the time to read it.