Svetlana's Reads and Views

Name of Book: The Good Earth Author: Pearl Buck ISBN: 0-7432-7293-5 Publisher: Washington Square Press Part of a Series: The house of good earth trilogy; Sons and A House Divided sequels Type of book: generational, farming, famine, rise to wealth, 1800s, China, gender, Year it was published: 1931 Summary: Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, having always lived there," wrote Pearl Buck. In The Good Earth she presents a graphic view of a China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings for the ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred...

Spoilers from: The Good Earth In the year of 2008, I was hanging out with an ex friend at a local bookstore. I remembered we passed by the Fiction Section and she picked up The Good Earth and mentioned how Wang Lung is a despicable man and how she hates him and she wishes she could kill him or something of the kind. Years later, I got all three books; The Good Earth, Sons and A House Divided and I started to read The Good Earth. Even when I checked goodreads.com, a lot of people hated Wang Lung for what he did such as addicting his relatives to opium, getting a concubine and being upset with his wife for no reason, and not appreciating his wife for all the work she did. Yet strangely enough, I can't hate him. Probably  I have a little more exposure to Asian culture and learned that it was very common for men to have multiple wives or concubines in the past. In here I'll discuss Wang Lung's love towards O-lan, the idea of beauty, the gender and class dynamics as well as th...

Name of Book: The ghost in the bell tower Author: Francine Pascal ISBN: 0-553-15893-7 Publisher: Bantam skylark book Part of a Series: Sweet valley twins and super chillers Type of book: 1985, Sweet Valley twins, Sweet Valley, young adult Year it was published: 1992 Summary: When the Wakefield kids are invited to their aunt Helen's country inn, Steven and Jessica are determined to use the eerie old mansion to scare their sister, Elizabeth, into believing in ghosts. But no matter what Steven and Jessica do, logical Elizabeth always figures out their tricks. Then things start happening that even Elizabeth can't explain, and all the Wakefield kids are afraid that the inn really is haunted. Will they make it through the summer sharing their vacation with an unfriendly ghost? Characters: As always the characters do not carry the changes into other books and they basically remain the same. In this one though, at the end, the girls aren't frightened as t...

Name of Book: The Long Winter Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder ISBN: 0-06-440006-9 Publisher: Harper Collins Part of a Series: Little House Series Type of book: 1880-1881, prairie, blizzards, living in town, young adult Year it was published: 1940 Summary: Gray clouds to the northwest mean only one thing-A blizzard is moments away...The first terrible storm comes to the barren prairie in October. THen it snows almost without stopping until April. Snow has reached the rooftops, and no trains can get through with food or coal. The people of De Smet are starving, including the Ingalls family, who wonder how long they're going to make it through this terrible winter. It is young Almanzo Wilder who finally understands what needs to be done. He must save the town, even if it means risking his own life. Characters: In this book we start seeing Carrie becoming Laura's responsibility and a friend as well. Pa and Ma are described as creative and we get to see that...

Name of Book: The Moonstone Author: Wilkie Collins ISBN: 978-1-85326-044-5 Publisher: Woodsworth Classics Type of book: Mystery, detective, missing jewel, 1799, 1848-1850, England, Indians Year it was published: 1868 Summary: The Moonstone, a priceless Indian diamond which had been brought to England as spoils of war, is given to Rachel Verrinder on her eighteenth birthday. That very night, the stone is stolen. Suspicion then falls on a hunchbacked housemaid, on Rachel's cousin Franklin Blake, on a troupe of mysterious Indian jugglers, and on Rachel herself. The phlegmatic Sergeant Cuff is called in, and with the help of Betteredge, the Robinson Crusoe-reading loquacious steward, the mystery of the missing stone is ingeniously solved. Characters: This is written in first person, a type of an epistolary story novel. Franklin Blake wants the prominent members to write the stories of how they dealt with the Moonstone mystery. The only drawn out characters in t...

Name of Book: So Totally Emily Ebers Author: Lisa Yee ISBN: 978-0-439-83847-4 Publisher: Arthur A Levine Part of a Series: Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Stanford Wong flunks big-time Type of book: 2000s, first love, divorce, friendship, coming of age, interracial AM/WF young adult relationship. Year it was published: 2008 Summary: In a series of letters to her absent father, twelve-year-old Emily Ebers deals with moving cross-country, her parents' divorce, a new friendship, and her first serious crush. Characters: The characters are all likable and tend to be somewhat on the eccentric side; you have Emily's mom Alice who tries to be a hippie, Millicent's family, her parents and grandmother and even Stanford. The characters are seen through Emily's eyes, thus nothing outside her knowledge is revealed about them. (All of a sudden I'm curious about reading Millicent Min and Stanford Wong books.) It's also curious at the way Emily resent...

Name of Book: Warp Speed Author: Lisa Yee ISBN: 978-0-545-12276-4 Publisher: Levine books Type of book: coming of age, young adult, bullying, blackmailing, spin-off novel Year it was published: 2011 Summary: Entering 7th grade is no big deal for Marley Sandelski: Same old boring classes, same old boring life. The only thing he has to look forward to is the upcoming Star Trek convention. But when he inadvertently draws the attention of Digger Ronster, the biggest bully in school, his life has officially moved from boring to far too dramatic . . . from invisible to center stage. Characters: Marley has an interesting sense of humor and seems to think similar to the way I think; cynical and helpless. I would guess he has been bullied for all of his life if he developed this way. Emily still remains her sweet and angelic self who doesn't care about popularity. Stanford matures somewhat, and Millicent is barely seen in the book. Marley's parents are memorable a...

Name of story: The Golem Origin: Eastern Europe, Nineteenth Century Page Numbers: 265-270 Summary: In the reign of Emperor Rudolf in Prague lived Rabbi Judah Loew who was taught in mysteries by Rabbi Adam. In one year he had a dream of being in Christian quarters of Prague and he witnessed a murder of a child being thrown in the sack and then carried to the Jewish section of the ghetto and left inside a Jewish house. The person who did this was an evil sorcerer named Thaddeus who planned on accusing the Jews of blood libel. [My note: In the past since 1200s, Christians accused Jews of killing children and using their blood for matzos during Passover/Easter time. " A TERRIBLE LIE. NEVER HAD SUCH A THING BEEN DONE ." (266)]. Later he saw a flock of birds make G-d's name and saw a man of clay which can be awakened by the word Emet which means Truth. Rabbi Judah Loew tried to figure out the meaning and found out that should Thaddeus accuse them of blood libel there...

Name of story: The healing waters Origin: Turkey: Oral tradition Page Numbers: 209-216 Summary: It begins with the legend that King Solomon had a mysterious Mikvah which is a ritual bath whose waters healed all who came seeking aid. King Solomon was legendary among the entire earth, and in Turkey the legend of the bath was well known. There was an evil minister who desired to bring harm to all the Jews and to one in particular, David ben Abraham. The evil minister approached the Sultan and convinced him to get a bath just like that of King Solomon. The Sultan was flattered and asked of the secret. The evil minister then convinced him that the secret is in possession of Jews, of David ben Abraham in particular. The sultan called him over. Sultan then orders him to build the bath and fill it with miraculous waters just like that of King Solomon and gives him a year to complete the task. If he succeeds he will become a governor, and if he fails every single Jew will lose the...

Name of story: The Donkey Girl Origin: Iraq: Oral Tradition Page Numbers: 202-208 Summary: The Rabbi decides to visit a friend of his and on the way he meets an old who happens to be a witch and is mistreating the donkey who is the friend Rabbi wants to see. He and the witch exchange some words, and the witch then curses the Rabbi's unborn child, saying it will have a head of the donkey, which is what happens. They secluded the daughter in a room and the Rabbi taught her Torah and whatnot and she became apt and wise. Many years later a student came to the Rabbi desiring to learn only Torah. The Rabbi taught him Torah and one day he asks a question that Rabbi doesn't answer, but the girl does. Immediately the student becomes lovesick and wants to marry the woman and nothing the Rabbi says or does makes an impression on him. The marriage is carried through and due to a law that a groom cannot see the bride until the wedding night, he has no idea she has a head of a...

Name of story: David's Harp Origin: Palestine Nineteenth Century Page Numbers: 163-167 Summary: King Davis is an owner of a magical harp; one that inspired him to write Psalms, and also one that showed him the future, when his son will built a magnificent temple and how that temple will be destroyed. Years pass, and after the exile the Jews returned to rebuild their home; among them Shabbatai who wondered where the magical harp could be located and how he can recover it and find out its fate. He concluded that perhaps the harp can be found hanging on a willow tree in Babylon. Everyone laughed and joked at him, and when the desire became great, he left his family and began to travel to Babylon. He had a difficult journey but believing that the harp was calling him, he somehow made it through the terrible perils. He searched through all the trees next to Babylon River but then became convinced that the harp wasn't anywhere to be found. He started to beg the sages...

Name of story: The Golden Amulet Origin: Palestine, c. Eighth Century Page Numbers: 156-162 Summary: This tries to answer the question of what happened to Dinah's child. It starts with Joseph being thrown into the pit and how he learned the mysteries of life and gained wisdom and various knowledge, including the future. Then only thing that is left out is his destined bride. Then after he left it moves on to the infamous story of Dinah, that she was modest and one day Schechem son of Hamor the Hitite, hearing stories about Dinah's legendary beauty, hired some singer and dancing girls to pass by the tent. She came out and he raped her. She became pregnant. The other brothers became very angry about the fact and wanted to throw the baby into the pit. Jacob, who desired no harm to come to the child, created an amulet for her that identified her mother and the family along with a blessing. Jacob gave the amulet to Dinah and when the time came they went to the fields wh...

Name of story: The Maiden in the Tree Origin: Eastern Europe 19th century Page Numbers: 49-55 Summary: King Solomon is entertaining Queen of Sheba and tells her that for G-d each match is as difficult as parting the Red Sea. Queen of Sheba doesn't believe him and tells him lets put the theory to the test. She will choose an unmarried girl to go into a tree and the test will be whether or not she'll meet her match this way. She chose a beautiful maiden and both approached her. He was taken to her home, gave her money and told her family that she will be employed for five years. Only after the consent of the family did he tell her the fate; she will be alone for five years in a tree. He gave her ways of entertainment such as musical instruments and a loom and a magical pheasant will be guarding over her and will bring whatever she needs. Several years later, a captain's son attempted to steer the boat but then the storm arose and tossed him overboard. The father...

Name of story: The Sword of Moses Origin: Iraqi Kurdistan Page Numbers: 39- 47 Summary: Before Moses dies, he speaks of a sword and shield that should protect the Jews. After death, no one knows where the sword is located and how it can be found. In Kurdistan there are three young Jews who desire to find the sword to help their family. They set out to travel to the mountains. The three friends also debate on their expectations when it comes to the sword and what it could do once they find it. A blind old man has heard of their quest and asks a servant to bury the sword in the village land and direct the Jews towards it. Once they'll unearth the sword, they will be arrested. The servant does as he's instructed. They are brought before the blind head of the village who then accuses them of plotting a rebellion to overthrow the neighbors. They deny this charge and the eldest one, the clever one tells him they are seeking Sword of Moses to sell it for money. If the...

Name of the story:  Miraculous Dust Origin:  Babylon, c. 5th century Page Numbers 20-22 Summary: It was time for gifts so Jews sent Nachum Ish Gam-Zu to the Roman Emperor with a box of jewels. Nachum Ish Gam-Zu stopped at a hotel and the innkeeper and his wife stole the jewels and placed into the box dust from the hotel. Nachum Ish Gam-Zu continued to travel, not knowing that the jewels were stolen. He arrived at the court and announced he has come here with a gift. Caesar opened the box and saw the dust. He was angry and started condemning Jews and threatened them in various ways. A miracle occurred then, when an old man, known as Elijah the Prophet (its believed that Elijah often disguises himself as an old man and helps the Jews whenever the time is needed.) talks and convinces the Caesar that Jews would do no such thing and perhaps its a miracle dust. The Caesar listens to him and when he tries out the dust he finds out indeed that its a miracle dust, for it...

Picture from: http://judaica-art.com/ This is a story that will not be found in Jewish Testament (for some called old testament.) One of my pet peeves is BC, AD and yes, I cannot stand BCE and CE. So instead of that, I will call BCE=PME (Pre-modern era,) and CE will be ME. From the years of 164 to 161 PME,(at least according to A History of Roman People, 5th edition by Allen M Ward, etc. pg 119) Antiochus IV attempted to make Judea into a Greek state. Antioch IV turned the temple of One G-d into Temple of Baal Shamin. The Jews weren't happy, especially when Antioch IV forbade them from worshiping according to the rules of Moses. Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers Simon and Jonathan led the rebellion against the Romans and even managed to defeat them. In 161 PME the Romans recognized the Jewish temple state as an ally. The story goes on to tell that after the rebellions, the people returned to the temple and they found it desecrated and destroyed. The only oil that was left wo...

Name of Book: Under His Spell Author: Kathy Lyons/Jade Lee ISBN: 978-0-373-79539-0 Publisher: Harlequin Blaze Type of book: Romance, adult, corporate, 2011, hypnosis Year it was published: 2010 Summary:  Nicky Taylor is a driven executive. A total control freak. And magician Jimmy Ray has loved her forever. When he spots her in the audience, he realizes he finally has a chance to fulfil his own lifelong fantasy. With a little help from Dr. Mesmer, that is... Who'd have guessed that a little hypnotism would unleash Nicky's wildly sexual nature? Or that Jimmy's powers of persuasion would encourage her to burn up the bedsheets with him that night...and the nights after. She's the perfect woman. Unfortunately Jimmy's pretty sure Nicky's still under his spell. And he has to change that. Because he's quickly falling under hers... Characters: Nicky is a workaholic and over-achiever when it comes to everything. (I am honestly surprised th...

Name of Book: By the Shores of Silver Lake Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder ISBN:  0590488147 Publisher: Harper Trophy Part of a Series: Little House Series. Little House in the Big Woods, ... prequels. Sequels: The Long Winter, Little Town on the prairie Type of book: 1879-1880, pioneer, railroads, prairie, growing up, homestead, kid to young adult Year it was published: 1939 Summary: The Ingalls family had fared badly in Plum Creek, Minnesota. They were in debt. Mary was blind now. So Pa went West to work at a railroad camp in Dakota Territory where he could make as much as fifty dollars a month! Then he sent for his wife and four children, and they became the first settlers in the new town of De Smet. But the railroad brought hordes of land-hungry people from the East. Had Pa waited too long to file his homestead claim? Characters: The girls at last have grown up now and we can see the different personalities they exhibit, or at least Mary and Laura. Mary is...

Well, it's December; time for "Holiday" themes to come out in forms of red, white and green, with the jolly old man in a red suit, and for people who are religious, it's time for Christmas, which seems to be everywhere in December, (and in some cases, as early as October. Wonder if next time I'll see on 29th September Christmas items already?) Also its time for arguments for "merry Christmas vs happy holidays," and time for gift giving on December 25th. However, there are plenty of people and corporations and whatnot that are already doing everything special "holiday" themed for December 25th, thus I won't join in the crowd. Instead I'll do something special for the much often ignored holiday of December, and that's Chanukkah. I have an idea of using Miriam's Tambourine eight stories by Howard Schwartz and perhaps talking about miracles; after all, the story of Chanukkah is a miracle happening after desecration of the temple a...

Name of Book: Seduce and Rescue Author: Jillian Burns ISBN: 9780373795765 Publisher: Harlequin Blaze Part of a Series: Las Vegas Trilogy; prequel; Let it Ride, sequel; Night Maneuvers Type of book: 2010, Romance, Blaze, adult Year it was published: 2010 Summary: Lieutenant Colonel Ethan Grady is having his very first massage with a rather eccentric but smokin'-hot redhead, Lily Langford. But her touch isn't so much calming as it is very distracting. When he accidentally sets Lily's business and home ablaze, Ethan can't tell if the smoldering is from the fire...or their attraction to each other! But now Ethan's condo is invaded by the free-spirited Lily, who's convinced that he's the one who really needs to be rescued. And Lily's methods? Well, they're not so traditional. Still, Ethan can't remember having his chakras aligned so...er, intensely. But will this be rescue-or retreat? Characters: Like Ethan Grady, Lily...

Name of Book: The Carnival Ghost Author: Francine Pascal ISBN: 0-553-15859-7 Publisher: Bantam Part of a Series: Sweet Valley Twins and Friends super chillers; prequels; the christmas ghost, the ghost in the graveyard; sequels; the ghost in the bell tower, the curse of the ruby necklace Type of book: Sweet Valley Twins, ghost, carnival, 1980s Year it was published: 1990 Summary: A traveling carnival is on its way to Sweet Valley, and Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield can't wait to ride the roller coaster, have their fortunes told, and try their luck at the games. But when they get there some odd things happen to the twins. A fortune-teller warns Jessica to stay away from the carnival. And a mysterious girl named Claire seems to appear out of nowhere and suddenly becomes best friends with Elizabeth. Elizabeth is strangely drawn to Claire. She begins to ignore her friends, her chores, and even her sister to spend time with her new friend. It's as if she's...

Name of Book: Let it Ride Author: Jillian Burns ISBN:  0373794703 Publisher: Harlequin Blaze Part of a Series: Las Vegas Trilogy; sequels, Seduce and Rescue and Night Maneuvers Type of book: Blaze, romance, adult, 2009 Year it was published: 2009 Summary: Working as a Keno girl in a Vegas casino, Jordan Brenner took her bets off the sex table ages ago. And all the hot flyboys in the world won't make a difference--until Major Cole Jackson sends Jordan's thoughts and hormones into wicked places indeed.... What Jordan doesn't know is that Cole made a deal with his buddies: get some hot-'n'-heavy action from the Keno girl, or pay up! But Cole doesn't need an incentive. Every time he looks at Jordan's lips (or any part of her body, for that matter), he's immediately aware that something is up--and it isn't his ante! It looks as if Cole won't lose just his shirt. He'll lose all control, too! Characters: The characters...

Books I'm Reading: Sense and Sensibility-Jane Austen 49/331 The Moonstone-Wilkie Collins 275/434 The Count of Monte Cristo- Alexandre Dumas 30/531 Under his spell-Kathy Lyons 117/216 The Tale of Genji-Murasaki Shikibu 482/1090 The Story of the stone-Xueqin Cao 3. The Warning Voice 88/613 Lydia Saga-Kate Furnivall 3. The Girl from Junchow 39/488 People Saga- W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear 1. People of the Wolf 120/435 The Ivory Carver Trilogy-Sue Harrison 3. Brother Wind 18/460 Tigress Sextet-Jade Lee 4. Burning Tigress 35/337 Japanese Duology- Takashi Matsuoka  1. Cloud of Sparrows 138/560 Harts of Texas-Kathleen O'Reilly 1. Just Surrender... 35/218 Sweet Valley Twins and Friends Super Chillers-Francine Pascal 3. The Carnival Ghost 45/183 Tall, Dark and Dangerously Hot Trilogy aka DeAngelis Quintet- Cara Summers 5. Come Toy with me 84/214 Wilder, Fortune and Stone Trilogy-Cara Summers 2. Tailspin 127/216 Little House Series-Laura ...

Name of Book: Primal Calling Author: Jillian Burns ISBN: 978-0-373-79606-9 Publisher: Harlequin Blaze Type of book: Alaska, romance, blaze, 2011, adult Year it was published: 2011 Summary: Television-program host Serena Sandstone already has her bags checked for her flight out of Anchorage when she sees the "White Wolf"—and his animal attraction is overpowering…. Serena attributes her intense interest in sexy, scruffy bush pilot Max Taggert to journalistic instincts about his shadowy past. Right. She's prepared to go pretty far to get his story— and he's prepared to let her. Before long, they're feeling the heat in the Land of the Midnight Sun, until Max's past triggers a fight for survival neither of them ever expected! Characters: The characters stayed in character throughout the novel; and although Serena's problems are not as tragic as Max's, both characters struggle to overcome them; Max opening himself up, and Serena try...

Name of Book: One Friend to Another Author: Elizabeth Feuer ISBN: 0-671-66700-9 Publisher: Archway Paperback Type of book: Growing up, friendship, envy, middle school, 1980s Year it was published: 1987 Summary: I wasn't going to be the "Amazing Brain" anymore Not this year. Not when I had the chance to make a fresh start at a brand new school. I'd had enough of being the smartest kid in the class. This year was going to be different. I was going to be popular! Now, some things are easier said than done. But when I got to be friends with Rhonda Winkler- the prettiest, most popular girl in school-I thought I had it made. I even met this guy, Andrew, and fell madly in love. There was just one problem: Rhonda's sidekick, Randy. She didn't like me much, and she sure didn't want me getting too close to Rhonda. I didn't realize just how hard she'd try to destroy our friendship, however, until it was too late. And that's when I ...

Name of Book: Jews without money Author: Michael Gold ISBN: 0-7867-1345-3 Publisher: Carrol and Graf Fiction Type of book: Jews, New York, 1890s?-1900s?, poverty, tenement, adult, prostitutes, 1920s? Year it was published: 1930 Summary:  As a writer and political activist in the early 20th century, Michael Gold was an important presence on the American cultural scene fro more than three decades. Beginning in the 1920s his was a powerful journalistic voice for social change and human rights, and Jews Without Money-the author's only novel-is a passionate record of the times. First published in 1930, this fictionalized autobiography offered an unusually candid look at the thieves, gangsters, and ordinary citizens who struggled against brutal odds on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Like Henry Roth's Call It Sleep and Abraham Cahan's The Rise and Fall of David Levinsky, Jews Without Money is a literary landmark of the Jewish experience. Characters: Th...

Name of Book: On the Banks of Plum Creek Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder ISBN: 0-06-440004-2 Publisher: Harper Trophy Part of a Series: prequels; Little House in the big woods, Little house on the prairie, Farmer Boy. Sequels; By the shores of silver lake Type of book: 1874?-1876? kid to young adult, isolated, Minnesota Year it was published:  1937 Summary: The family's first home in Minnesota was made of sod. But Pa builds a clean new house beside Plum Creek. The money for materials will ceom from their first wheat harvest. Then, just before the wheat is ready to harvest, a strange glittering cloud fills hte sky, blocking out the sun. Soon millions of grasshoppers cover the field and everything on the farm. In a week's time, there is no wheat crop left at all. Characters: The characters are more rounded and don't seem to be goody-goody two shoes. Laura is more braver and a tomboy character, while Mary becomes more of a ladylike character. Mary also see...

Name of Book: Johnny Tremain Author: Esther Forbes ISBN: 0-440-44250-8 Publisher: Bantam Type of book: kid to young adult, revolutionary war, 1773-1775, Paul Revere, Adams, silversmith, a man can stand up for himself, Boston, Boston Tea Party Year it was published: 1943 Summary: A story filled with danger and excitement, Johnny Tremain tells of the turbulent, passionate times in Boston just before the Revolutionary War. Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in a dramatic involvement with James Otis, John Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams. Johnny is swept along by hte powerful currents that will lead to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington- and finally to an important discoveyr in Johnny's own life. Johnny Tremain is historical fiction at its most gripping, portraying Revolutionary Boston as a living drama through the shrewd eyes of an observant boy. Characters: Other characters besides Johnny Tremain seemed to be flat and remain...