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Hussam Yamani hussam9449eb6 — Follows the folk/beat scene in New York in the 50's and 60's. Interesting stories of the people who helped shape the scene and music for a whole generation.

Alex Parke alexparke — I adore this book. Now that the TV series has come out, naturally, a lot more people are reading these books, which means that a lot more people (far more than have actually read the novels) also Have Opinions about them. There has been a lot of ink spilled talking about the problems with sex and violence and homosexuality in this book. I recognize each of these concerns, and I can understand why they bother some people. But they don't bother me, and here's why. The first few times I read this book (starting in high school, so the late 1990s) I skipped (or skimmed) the sex scenes. Sex just didn't hold much interest for me at that point in my life, and I was far more interested in the rest of the plot. So a lot of the scenes where people are concerned about "perpetuating the rape culture" or whatnot, just never made an impact on me until I was old enough to make my own call about them: To me, they are historically appropriate. Jamie's attitudes are in line with his time and his culture, Claire's are in line with hers and (to my interpretation) they both enjoy their sex lives very much, no one feels violated or used against their will, so I'm fine with all of that. I can understand why others might not be, but I am. With regards to homosexuality: the main villain is a sadist who's sadistic tendencies are tied up with his homosexuality. This is unfortunate for everyone involved, readers included, but also seems to me the kind of thing that can and did happen, especially in the time period when homosexuality itself was judged a perversion and a sin by the predominant culture. However, for me, Randall's evilness is more than balanced out in the representation-of-gay-men arena by Lord John Grey. We haven't met him yet in this book (I think he's probably still pretty darn young) but once he shows up, he is everything Randall is not: kind, compassionate, and empathetic. In fact, he's grown to be one of my favorite characters. The only thing that bothers me about this book is the sheer number of people that seem to want to have sex with Jamie and/or Claire, whether the feeling is reciprocated or not. However, I'm also willing to forgive that, based on the fact that this was Gabaldon's first book, Claire and Jamie are both clearly attractive, and the culture of the times may also be at play. (Women and young men weren't always consulted in whether or not they actually wished to have sex.) Now that that's all out of the way, here is what I love about the book: The writing. It's rich and interesting and evocative. You people who call this a bodice-ripper, how many other "romance" novels can you name that include the words "gymnosperm" or "fusiform?" It's OK, I'll wait while you ransack Google, because I bet you won't find any. The writing is witty, but the story is also refreshingly inclusive. It's not about a young, innocent abroad. It's about a woman, full of her own opinions and experiences. She screws up. She misinterprets. She's not magically good at things. She's just herself: Three-dimensional, solid, and wonderful. Gabaldon has a doctorate in ecology, and an encompassing love of and abiding interest in both humanity and the natural world. Every character, even if they aren't fleshed out in the text, clearly has their own solid backstory, their own interesting facets. And people of all ages and walks are tied into the story. I never noticed this until I had a baby, but there aren't many babies or children in fantasy novels: Like soap operas, they tend to be born, whisked away by the nanny, and then brought back into the action when they're old enough to marry off or dally with. Gabaldon includes everyone, and it makes her books feel that much more real. In the end, that's why I like these books: They breathe. They're solid and vivid, witty and intelligent, fallible and fraught. They are books that change with the reread. Initially, like everyone else, I identified mainly with Claire and was impatient with storylines about anyone else. As I've grown, I've fallen more in love with Lord John, and found myself identifying more closely with Brianna. When Game of Thrones came out (the TV show) and suddenly the books were everywhere, I was glad. Fantasy was cool! And I welcomed all the new readers. I feel more conflicted about Outlander. I feel about these characters the way I feel about family: I'm glad that people love them, but I don't want them judged or hurt. I love them like I love few other characters in fiction, and I will keep rereading, and enjoying, these books for the rest of my life. I won't apologize for loving them. I also don't like anyone dismissing them as romance novels or bodice-rippers or female fantasy. They're categorically much, much more. Disagree with them, if you like, but don't dismiss them.

John Glenn johncglenn49e0 — It's kind of a silly-funny sort of mystery; one that is a bit far-fetched with some amusing descriptions of many characters...

Jorgebin Almeida _orgebin — You know I like stories of people testing their mettle - so this is a no-brainer for me. My sweetheart saw it and knew I would love it. He was right. You may find you feel like stirring up some trouble after reading this book. I did.