The Goddess of 5th Avenue: A Novel [Hardcover]

Carol Simone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2001

How does a classy, middle-aged New York City therapist — with a history as grim as any of her clients — jump into the fires of her soul? She can’t. Not alone anyway. Meet Billie Bartholomew, the self-declared “Queen of Kissers” who has spent 50 years looking for love in all the wrong places. It isn’t until a patient introduces her to Quan Yin, the ancient goddess of compassion, that Billie begins to look within herself for answers. The Goddess of 5th Avenue is at once witty and heartbreaking, entertaining and inspirational, as it celebrates life’s beauty — music, poetry, the divine — and explores its darkness — sexual abuse, betrayal, and the grittiness of New York street life. Author Carol Simone uses her remarkable gifts to temper this story of childhood trauma with a heavy dose of ironic humor, and shows that magic and mysticism lie just beyond the veil of everyday life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Readers are being captivated by the book's sense of hope, humanity and, yes, humor." -- San Francisco Chronicle, July 15, 2001

"...The story, brimming with wit and insight....tells a tale of healing by the goddess Quan Yin." -- San Jose Mercury News, May 9, 2001

"The Goddess of 5th Avenue is an exceptional story....It touched my heart deeply." -- Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life

"This poignant, poetic novel engages the heart from the first paragraph." -- Lynn V. Andrews, author of Medicine Woman book series

"You will recognize aspects of the book's characters in your friends in yourself and in your dreams." -- Grace Slick, singer and artist

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Hayden Books (April 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930880006
• ISBN-13: 978-1930880009
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,811,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling!, April 22, 2001

By 

Sefa Schmeling (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goddess of 5th Avenue: A Novel (Hardcover)

Dare to reach inside yourself and feel the connection between the gritty reality of Billie and the vibrations of Quan Yin - the Goddess that will save your soul! A moving, gut wrenching yet spiritual journey through a lifetime of New York ambience this story follows Billie's lifetime path as she encounters the truth of her feelings. An apprenticeship with a goddess and an opportunity for forgivess bring this book toward a bold ending, leaving a much wanted follow-up book to Billie's move across the continent with a renewed lease on life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaged from the first Page!, April 30, 2001

By 

Lindsey Williams (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goddess of 5th Avenue: A Novel (Hardcover)

This book captured my attention and engaged me from the first page. Carol Simone's style, vocabulary, sense of humor and wit, coupled with excellent character development prevented me from putting this book down. Even though not a difficult read, the underlying message was craftily woven into the fabric of her characters. I found myself caught up in the lives of Billie and her family and emotionally fighting Billie's battles with her to the end. This story represents the struggles many women face and their courage and determination to prevail. In addition, it artfully teaches deeper lessons on spiritual awakenings, similar to The Celestine Prophesy. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what a great read!, July 5, 2001

By 

chantal westerman (los angeles, california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goddess of 5th Avenue: A Novel (Hardcover)

i never, never do these review kind of things, but i just had to write and say how much i loved this book. if you're like me, you are always looking for the next great read...something that holds you as much as say... white oleander.. well, this is the book. it's a wonderful beach book, plane book, bedside table book... or the book you keep in your car( as i did) to read when someone is late... and you're sitting there... when i was reading this book- i loved it when my friends were late! it should be on the oprah best book list ... read it and see you don't thnk so too!