This book is a good starting point for anyone interested in writing romance, romantica and erotica. It gives good advice and examples on how to create believable characters/relationships and how to incorporate them into an interesting story that someone will want to read to the very end. However, since the book deals strictly with writing romance, this book serves the romantica/erotica author more as a basic outline for the more earthy story they want to tell. It IS worth reading since it can help establish a solid set of writing tools to "build" your stories with.
Misleading title / / 2002-07-17
I bought this because I want to be a romance writer, and I was looking for information that would help me in this market as well as give me writing tips. It does a good job on the first count, but it was not very useful for me, a beginner, who did not know anything about writing romances. So the title is misleading.
Useful and Enjoyable / / 2001-12-31
I was honestly surprised by how much I liked this book. Of all the different "how to" books I've read about writing genre fiction, this one was the most helpful and informative on issues of marketing, publicity, and self presentation as an author.
No, this book does not take you by the hand and explain how to plot a story, how to develop a character, or how to format your manuscript. There are, however, many others that do, as a quick search for "writing reference" will show you. This book credits the reader with a certain amount of experience and know how. You do not need to be a succesful writer to enjoy this, simply an observant reader.
Not to give anyone the wrong idea, the book also contains a lovely chapter by Jude Deveraux about the common mistakes new writers make - complete with advice on how to avoid them. There are chapters that discuss the structure of a romance, what the audience expects from heroine and hero, how to do (and then incorporate) research for historical romances, writing the regency romance, long vs. short form, including the paranormal (time travel, magic, etc), and the evolution romance writing has gone through over the years.
I highly recommend this book, not only to romance writers, but to all aspiring writers. After all, many mysteries, westerns, and science fiction stories do have a touch of romance in them, and vice versa.
More for the published author than a beginner. / / 2000-05-13
Unfortunately, this book deals mainly with the business-end of romance writing. While that's fine, it shouldn't be marketed as a writing book. It does have some tips for a beginner, but mostly you'll find advice for marketing, promotion, and other non-writing topics.
Wise, well written, thorough. Well worth buying! / / 1999-01-21
This book is a wonderful collection of works by experts in the Romance genre. As a first-time published Romance author, I can hardly claim to be an expert in the field...I have a long way to go before I become proficient. This book is ideal for me. It provides me with support from women who have fought battles long before I dreamed of writing. I am grateful for their wisdom.
It also assumes a certain amount of writing ability and knowledge of the genre; again, ideal for me in that it is not so much a beginner's how-to as it is a forum for romance lovers to share their opinions and pointers about the wonderful genre.
It's a delight to read. A great source of encouragement!
Pamela Regis' book, A Natural History of the Romance Novel, is a remarkable example of circular reasoning in literary analysis. She sets up a very specific definition of the concept "romance novel" -- namely "a work of prose fiction that tells the story of the courtship and betrothal of one or more heroines."
In Chapter 4, The Definition Expanded, she then narrows this definition by defining eight aspects which she perceives as necessary to the form: Society Defined, The Meeting, The Barrier, The Attraction, The Declaration, Point of Ritual Death, The Recognition, and The Betrothal.
It should be noted that in this context, she presumes that the "betrothal" will occur between the hero and heroine, thus eliminating from the "romance novel" category an immensely popular work such as Anthony Hope's 1895 The Prisoner of Zenda, which followed the trope of love between hero and heroine sacrificed to the more imperative needs of honor and duty.
Given these tight limits on what the author is willing to consider to be a "romance novel," she focuses on tracing the form from Joseph Richardson's 18th century epistolary blockbuster, Pamela, through Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and other selected 19th century authors, picking up Georgette Heyer in the first half of the 20th century, and continuing through Janet Dailey, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Nora Roberts.
From the perspective of the historian rather than the literary critic, the major deficiency of the book lies in its lack of attention to authors who, in their own time, were blockbuster bestsellers. While she explains why Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca and Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind do not meet the criteria she has adopted for being "romance novels" (Chapter 5, The Genre's Limits), she still ignores completely quite a number of writers who were, in their own day, multi-title blockbusters in the romance field, such as George Barr McCutcheon, although devoting a full chapter to his contemporary E.M. Forster's 1908 A Room with a view.
A better title than "Natural History" of the romance novel would have been "Literary Analysis" of the romance novel.
It didn't add much.... / / 2007-06-04
As a long-time fan of this genre, I expected more from this book. However, it was too academic, spent too long on only a few authors and didn't add anything to my understanding. The author spent quite a bit of time reviewing plot details and I admit that I enjoyed her analysis of Nora Roberts and Jayne Krentz books that I had read, but there was too much detail and repetition.
There must be better books out there....and I'd love to read any suggestions.
No pride, no prejudice / / 2003-09-19
A landmark. Professor Regis has finished the job Jane Tompkins began with _Sensational Designs_ and Janice Radway continued in _Reading the Romance_. Couldn't be an easier read, balanced but sympathetic, and interesting even if you haven't read the book she's discussing. Not the last word by any means, but there'll be no getting the genie back into the bottle now.
An eye-openingly wonderful insight into creativity! / / 2002-01-11
Imaginative, intelligently-written and a comfortable glide into the wackier extremes of home decor...what an inspiring book. I doubt that EVERY project will appeal to the reader, but ALL of them display a thinking-out-of-box quality that will help inspire the reader into making their own home into a very personal expression of fresh decor. Enjoy!
A creative treasure trove of home interior design "do-ables" / / 1998-06-07
I own stacks of decorating, interior design and painting technique books, but none come even close to the wit and personality of Judyth Van Amringe's inspired volume "Home Art". The moment I set eyes on the deliciously painted and tufted couch on the cover of her book, I was hooked. With an armload of practical tips, Van Amringe challenges you to look beyond the "tried and true" interior designs tips. From lampshades strewn with silky fabric roses to the handpainted "Barnacle Table", you will find nothing here but pure inpiration and delight. Admittedly, some of the projects may not be your cup 'o tea, but rest assured, once inside the pages of this book, you will be hard pressed not to throw it down in search of something to paint, glue or stitch. This is must-have book...beg, borrow or steal, this is one for your shelves!!
A creative treasure trove of home interior design "do-ables" / / 1998-06-07
I own stacks of decorating, interior design and painting technique books, but none come even close to the wit and personality of Judyth Van Amringe's inspired volume "Home Art". The moment I set eyes on the deliciously painted and tufted couch on the cover of her book, I was hooked. With an armload of practical tips, Van Amringe challenges you to look beyond the "tried and true" interior designs tips. From lampshades strewn with silky fabric roses to the handpainted "Barnacle Table", you will find nothing here but pure inpiration and delight. Admittedly, some of the projects may not be your cup 'o tea, but rest assured, once inside the pages of this book, you will be hard pressed not to throw it down in search of something to paint, glue or stitch. This is must-have book...beg, borrow or steal, this is one for your shelves!!
When I was young books were a bit short at my house. However, we did have a collection of medieval romances that I read and reread. When I recently found this book I was enchanted to see some old favorites here.
Oh, yes, these stories have scholarly worth. But they also have the power to fire the imagination and feed the mind hungry for magic and adventure. Spend some time enjoying these tales before you study them!
Broad Sampling of Western European Romances / / 2001-10-19
Loomis and Loomis present translations of the following tales: _Perceval, or the Story of the Grail_ by Chretien de Troyes, _Tristan and Isolt_ by Gottfried von Strassburg, _The Youth of Alexander the Great_, _Aucassin and Nicolete_, _Havelok the Dane_, _Sir Orfeo_, _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_ - all anonymous, and an excerpt from the Caxton Mallory - _The Book of Balin_. Of these, Tristan, Perceval and Gawain make up the bulk of the text and the translations read well, although I prefer Hatto for Tristan and Kibler for Perceval. The real finds in this book though are the briefer tales that do not deal with the Matter of Britain as they are difficult to locate elsewhere.
Alexander stories formed part of _The Matter of Rome_ a collection of tales rivaling the Carolingian _Matter of France_ and the Arthurian _Matter of Britain_ in popularity in the middle ages. Alexander's story here is welcome, albeit only a brief episode. "Aucassin and Nicolette" is a brief story of a damsel in distress and her rescuer/lover. Sir Orfeo is an odd amalgam of Greek and Celtic myth in a medieval setting.
One stylistic point which may bother some is that despite most of these tales being 20th century translations into English of works which were originally non-English, (Mallory and Gawain being exceptions), Loomis and Loomis include a lot of Shakespearian era wording (thee, thou, quoth, ye, yea) rather than more modern choices.
As the name of the book indicates, this is a romanticized version of British Colonial style. The photos are fine. They are meant to look misty and antiquated. The book is pretty but superficial. For a real substance and a true understanding of British colonial style, please refer to British Campaign Furniture by Nicholas A. Brawer.
I wasted my money on this / / 2004-10-06
Ok, so I read the other reviews, and since I'm in love with the style, I bought the book thinking it was going to be beautiful. At worst, I thought, I'll get one or two ideas from it. I got the book, and I couldn't believe my eyes. All the photographs look like they were taken with a 1 megapixal camera, then blown up to page size. I had read in a review that this is a "picture book." Well, there are a lot of photos, but they look like a pointalist's painting -- you can seriously see every dot of color throughout the entire photograph. I could not believe this was actually a published work. And the composition is awful. Either the photographer takes long shots of entire rooms that are boring and plain or close-ups that show you one chair and doesn't give you a clue how it would work in a room. I do not recommend anyone spending their money on this.
A Gorgeous, romantic style of East meets West / / 2001-04-28
This is the definitive book on british colonial style. It shows the relaxed, romantic, and exotic sense of blending eastern and western styles, cultures, and manners. If you love England at the turn-of-the-century combined with exotic Asia and Africa, you will love this book. The photos are beautiful, with lovely captions and explanations for the style. Even if you don't decorate with this style, you will love it for the photos and armchair travel. Gentlemen's clubs, polo games, verandas, picnics, ....I love this book!
Darcie Denkert has given us a gem. Her lavish book with its incredible photographs tells Broadway and Hollywood tales with purpose. She discusses the influence of Broadway on filmmaking and the all-important connection between the two art forms in highly intelligent and most enjoyable prose. Her knowledge of the genres is huge, yet she lays it out in a natural way, never inserting herself into the stories, although she no doubt has many of her own across a distinguished career. Her passion for the subject is palpable. The people and places come alive in the telling.
This book is required reading for all budding theater impresarios and filmmakers.
dancing queen / / 2007-03-24
darcie denkert has done a fabulous job talking about the great shows of broadway and their translation to the screen. i love this book--the illustrations are insightful and the text is very well thought out. it should be a great addition to any college course on musicals.
it is also a great thing to see a woman's voice come through on this subject that is dominated my many great writers such as ethan morrden and mark steyn.
go, darcie!
Gorgeous and Fun, Fun, Fun / / 2006-10-16
I couldn't agree more with the other two reviews. This is a marvelous book that any musical and/or movie musical fan will devour. And the design, layout and pics are all sensational. If only "A Chorus Line" had been included, the book would be perfect. (Maybe Denkert was precluded from writing about it for some reason.) In any event, this is a reader-friendly (not to mean dumb) coffee table book that won't break your wrists or the bank.
A Coffee Table Volume with Real Information! / / 2006-06-25
You might expect that a work filled with such brilliant photography in the coffee-table sized format to be all fluff. Wrong, Ladies and Gentlemen. This work actually has something to say and does it in an intelligent fashion! Not for just anyone, but if you truly Love the American Musical it is a Must Have. Since I teach Musicals, both Broadway and Hollywood, this is a welcome reference work. Besides the photos are wonderful and many not seen elsewhere.
Moving a Musical to the Big Screen / / 2005-09-23
Being an observer of plays and movies with a particular interest in musicals I've long been puzzled by the difficulty there seems to be with moving a musical from Broadway to Hollywood. Why does a smash hit like Gypsy, sometimes called 'The best damn musical ever,' basically flop on screen?
Darcie Denkert is an expert on both Broadway and Hollywood. In this book she has carefully researched a series of the most famous musicals that were made into movies. Sometimes, like with Gypsy, the play simply doesn't translate into the big screen. The scene at the train station, for instance when Rose is shifting her attentions to Louise after June left in the play works well. The train station doesn't look like a train station, it looks like a set. The orchestra is visible, the song works. In the movie, at a real train station, you don't just burst into song. And the stars, great movie stars, just didn't fit.
This is the kind of information that only an insider with a foot into each camp could get and then put into a book. Referring to Gypsy again, the author also tells us how the stories got written, who did what, how did the music get written, what did they do in the screenplay to adapt it?
The book covers 6 big plays: My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Gypsy, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, and Chicago, and 8 smaller ones. This format gives all the space that is needed to completely tell the story. Gypsy, for instance gets 38 pages, and they're big pages. To we outsiders, not plugged into either Broadway or Hollywood, this is an absolutely fascinatin book.
Excellent general writing tips - keep the highlighter handy / / 2007-03-15
I'm not a romance writer, but decided, on the recommendation of a friend, to read this book. Before I knew it I had my highlighter out and was highlighting key things that I knew I wanted to refer back to.
This book is not just a book about how to write romances. It is far more than that. It also gives key information on writing romance vs mainstream fiction, tremendously useful key information, and a lot of encouragement (enough that I actually outlined the plot of my next novel).
I have read a lot of books regarding writing. This is one of the most useful ones I've read to date. I believe any beginning writer could benefit from much of the information held in this particular book. It now stands as a keeper on my shelf - one I'm sure I'll refer back to as my writing progresses.
Excellent How-To for Romance Genre / / 2006-06-30
In American fiction, 40% of the marketplace is in the romance category. Novelist Phyllis Pianka takes writers through the paces to learn about the genre and discover their niche in the marketplace. In particular I love the realism built into the section called Fifty-Three Reasons Why a Book May Be Rejected.
Because I am an acquisitions editor and I've rejected more than 200 fiction submissions since January, I can quickly agree with these various reasons and the validity of them in many writer's submissions.
If you are interested in learning how to write romance novels, I recommend you consider this book.
Great Source of Information / / 2005-12-01
This book is a great investment for anyone who wants to pursue writing romance stories. I found it worth every penny and then some.
Not enough! / / 2003-05-02
This is a good book, but if you have never published a book before, you will need something more to go with it. I do like the part where she tells you exactly how to write each scene though. It tells quite a bit of information, but to me it's not enough!
Encouraging and Great for Aspiring Novelists / / 2002-10-07
This book has really calmed a lot of fears that I had when I began writing. Pianka is very thorough but not overbearing in her explanations on how to create compelling romance. She includes great advice from well known romance writers such as Nora Roberts and Jo Beverley. I have the highest regards for many of the people who she interviewed.
She makes learning fun and enjoyable. There are many humorous antecedotes that made me laugh. And I enjoyed reading some of the things editors had to say as well. She also kept me grounded with her advice that the process can be hard and there is a lot of competition. But she's very encouraging and uplifting with her advice that there's lots of unexplored plots, characters and ground to be discovered in romance fiction.
Fast Flowing... this book really helps to get you focused and serious about writing.
Author : James Sloan Allen Publisher : University Press of Colorado / 2002-04-01 Binding : Paperback / 392 Pages Rating : ISBN 10 : 0870816543 ISBN 13 :
Brick by Brick in Touch with Nature / / 2005-07-30
Lynda S. Waggoner presents an alluring collection of photographs and commentary that will interest the architect or anyone who's had an eye for the artistical-architectural renderings of the legendary work of Frank Lloyd Wright. As curator and administrator, Waggoner's first hand accounts of Fallingwater provides the reader with an up-close narrative behind and inside the home with the basic origins of the construction and inspiration that led to the inception of Wright's American masterpiece; he blended both nineteenth century natural observations that derived from Walt Whitman to Henry David Thoreau with landscape.
FALLING WATER provides insight to Frank Lloyd's inspiration of constructing Fallingwater. In essence, he wanted to reconnect with nature and the nineteenth century romanticism of the wilderness, but with the natural expressions that were innate and organic; one may suggest he possessed an inkling of eastern inspiration. The several quotes throughout the book from Whitman, Thoreau, Emerson, Rushkin, and as well Wright and Edward Kaufmann, Jr. will provide a perfect poetic composition that complements the beautiful photographs of the house and the outlining natural landscape. Wright says it best: "In the realm of organic architecture human imagination must render the harsh language of structure into becomingly humane expressions of form instead of devising inanimate facades or rattling bones of construction. Poetry of form is as necessary to great architecture as foliage is to the tree, blossoms to the plant or flesh to the body" (23).
So, if you are looking for a coffee table book that does not leave a lot of clutter, FALLING WATER: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S ROMANCE WITH NATURE will definitely provide the balance. It is a little book packed with much content. And most likely, it will leave you wanting to share it with others.
Of interest but ultimately unsatisfying / / 2002-11-17
My objectives in reading and collecting books about domestic architecture generally focus on gathering information about how I might approach the design of the internal and external details for use in my own (dream) home.
Frank Lloyd Wright is a constant source of inspiration in my endeavours as he designed and built many wonderful houses... and one of his most famous works is the subject of this book.
My initial impressions of this book were good, although I was probably taken-in by the wonderful photo on the cover of the book more than anything else. Upon having a quick flip through the book, I found there were some lovely photos of the house and it's surrounds and there was some mention made of how the house was created to suit its environment and how it was an example of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Organic Architecture".
However, upon a detailed reading of the book, although I found a few more interesting photos and some thought-provoking philosophical quotations, the detail was practically non-existent and the book was ultimately unsatisfying. No mention was made of what sort of thinking went behind the design of the house and why things were done the way they were... and there weren't even any significant diagrams or floor plans of the house included, except for a simple site layout on the last page of the book, which looked like it was added more as an afterthought than as something that would be informative to the reader.
In short, although the book gives me about a dozen new photos of Fallingwater, it doesn't really add to my knowledge of Frank Lloyd Wright's design philosophies and, given the price of this book, I would suggest this book belongs on the corner of a coffee table, rather than in an amateur architect's reference bookshelf.
Beautiful Photographs! / / 2002-08-30
My family went to see fallingwater, and all of my dad's film was ruined! I bought this book for him, and it serves as the perfect reminder of our trip. It includes gorgeous photographs, fitting quotes, a plan of fallingwater, and a bit of the history. If you're looking for tons of information, this is definitely NOT the book for you. But if you're looking for beautiful pictures and a precious keepsake, this is a wonderful book. ENJOY!
Gorgeous Photographs and Great Quotes to Show the Wright Way / / 2001-07-10
Fallingwater is considered by many to be Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest home design, and by many others to be one of the very finest American homes ever built. Perched atop a waterfall in southwestern Pennsylvania in the Allegheny mountains, the site is visually stunning . . . and the home's organic connection to the site will astonish you.
Fallingwater was designed for the Edgar Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh to be a weekend retreat away from the bustle of city life. One of Frank Lloyd Wright's comments about homes is that they must be "integral to site; integral to environment; integral to the life of the inhabitants." Judged by that standard, you will agree, if you are like me, that Fallingwater is his best work. The Kaufmanns wanted to have a romantic experience in the house, and he certainly provided them with one. The siting allows a Southern exposure for almost all of the rooms, a view of the waterfall and/or woods, and the constant sound of the waterfall. The final design captures nicely his sense of Nature's dual character, "unrestrained . . . power in contrast to its subtler, ordered beauty." The material and colors are drawn from the area as much as possible, and in some views, the home seems like simply part of the rocks it is perched on.
The quotes are usually attached to specific photographs that catch the various views you see of Fallingwater from any ground position or perspective and the views from Fallingwater. They capture ideas from Wright and nonarchitectural thinkers as diverse as Thoreau and Ruskin.
The photographs are the best part of this book. Since you will probably not be one of the 160,000 visitors who come in most years, these images are the way you can know the home. Almost all are in color, and are nicely distributed throughout the four seasons. My only complaint is that the book's page size should have been larger to permit a stronger connection between the viewer and these remarkable scenes. If you are like me, you will hear the water as you commune with the images.
Through the essay and quotes, Fallingwater curator and administrator Lynda S. Waggoner does a marvelous job of using Fallingwater to also demonstrate the essential concepts of all Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and interior design.
After you read and enjoy this book, think a little about where you live. How have you made nature more accessible? What else could you do to make your living there to be more relaxed and natural, and to balance the rest of your life?
Feel connected to all the life and natural objects around you . . . and be refreshed!
Excellent introduction to FLW / / 1999-03-25
I have found that developing an interest in architecture is principly one of exposure to excellence. This book does that with a minimum of text(although very concise and informative) and a beautiful arrangement of photographs in a manageable size. The brief history of the family and Wright's involvement is excellent! Thank you, Lynda S. Waggoner.
/ 2007-06-04
/ 2004-10-06
