Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
by Claude McKay
|
The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader (African American History (Penguin)) by David Lewis |
by Jean Toomer
|
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Stuffed with references to Ishmael Reed, William Carlos Williams and other literati too numerous to mention, this novel, winner of a 1986 Western States Book Award, is an Alice-in-Wonderland trip through the literary life as perceived by one Mason Ellis. Ellis, a black man who grew up in the Chicago slums, is now a convicted felon in Attica. While there, Ellis becomes convinced that a novelist he sees on the prison TV has somehow stolen a novel that he has written. Upon his release from jail, Ellis kidnaps the novelist and takes his place in the literary life, hobnobbing with writers and groupies and lecturing cross-country, leaving readers to wonder who's crazier, the literati or the convict. The book's frantic, rhythmic prose will not be everyone's cup of tea. Some may find it evocative and inventive; others, merely gimmicky and pretentious. (August 1pGordon's (The Rabbi compelling third novel recreates the 11th century so powerfully that the reader is propelled through its several hundred pages by a tidal wave of vivid imagination and authentic detail. The story concerns Robert Jeremy Cole, who by dint of talent, intelligence and determination surmounts an orphaned childhood in the streets of King Canute's London to become a learned physician and philosopher. In nicely crafted, flowing prose with sharply delineated characterizations, Gordon describes Rob J.'s life and times. The young man discovers his vocation while apprenticed to a peripatetic barber-surgeon and determines to travel to Persia where he will study at the hospital established by world-famous physician Ibn Sina. Because of the stifling power of religious fanaticism, Rob J. finds it necessary to pretend to be a Jew, the despised of both Christianity and Islam, while studying medicine and the Qu'ran at the Islamic University. He is recognized as a physician of remarkable ability before events force him to flee with his family back to England, where he encounters further problems. More than just a masterful historical re-creation, this is also a powerful story of the frustrations of those who seek knowledge for its own sake and the benefit of others, but are hampered and threatened by dogmatic, ideological intolerance. Gordon promises a sequel to this fine saga of one family's medical vocation. Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Mason Ellispetty thief, bit player in pornographic films, and the renegade father of several dozen welfare childrenhas always dreamed of becoming a writer. Well read thanks to a prolonged retreat at Attica, the paroled Ellis begins impersonating Clarence McKay, a famous black novelist. He is so successful that McKay's agent sends him on a worldwide lecture tour, at which point Ellis starts to come unglued. Major's new novel, winner of the 1986 Western States Book Award, is packed with allusions to 20th-century literature and Delta blues, the twin poles of Ellis's psyche. There are also generous helpings of misogyny, obscenity, and violence, offset by Major's absurdist humor. An essential purchase for all collections of postmodern or Afro-American fiction. Edward B. St. John, Loyola Marymount Univ. Lib., Los Angeles
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews
Stuffed with references to Ishmael Reed, William Carlos Williams and other literati too numerous to mention, this novel, winner of a 1986 Western States Book Award, is an Alice-in-Wonderland trip through the literary life as perceived by one Mason Ellis. Ellis, a black man who grew up in the Chicago slums, is now a convicted felon in Attica. While there, Ellis becomes convinced that a novelist he sees on the prison TV has somehow stolen a novel that he has written. Upon his release from jail, Ellis kidnaps the novelist and takes his place in the literary life, hobnobbing with writers and groupies and lecturing cross-country, leaving readers to wonder who's crazier, the literati or the convict. The book's frantic, rhythmic prose will not be everyone's cup of tea. Some may find it evocative and inventive; others, merely gimmicky and pretentious. (August 1pGordon's (The Rabbi compelling third novel recreates the 11th century so powerfully that the reader is propelled through its several hundred pages by a tidal wave of vivid imagination and authentic detail. The story concerns Robert Jeremy Cole, who by dint of talent, intelligence and determination surmounts an orphaned childhood in the streets of King Canute's London to become a learned physician and philosopher. In nicely crafted, flowing prose with sharply delineated characterizations, Gordon describes Rob J.'s life and times. The young man discovers his vocation while apprenticed to a peripatetic barber-surgeon and determines to travel to Persia where he will study at the hospital established by world-famous physician Ibn Sina. Because of the stifling power of religious fanaticism, Rob J. finds it necessary to pretend to be a Jew, the despised of both Christianity and Islam, while studying medicine and the Qu'ran at the Islamic University. He is recognized as a physician of remarkable ability before events force him to flee with his family back to England, where he encounters further problems. More than just a masterful historical re-creation, this is also a powerful story of the frustrations of those who seek knowledge for its own sake and the benefit of others, but are hampered and threatened by dogmatic, ideological intolerance. Gordon promises a sequel to this fine saga of one family's medical vocation. Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Mason Ellispetty thief, bit player in pornographic films, and the renegade father of several dozen welfare childrenhas always dreamed of becoming a writer. Well read thanks to a prolonged retreat at Attica, the paroled Ellis begins impersonating Clarence McKay, a famous black novelist. He is so successful that McKay's agent sends him on a worldwide lecture tour, at which point Ellis starts to come unglued. Major's new novel, winner of the 1986 Western States Book Award, is packed with allusions to 20th-century literature and Delta blues, the twin poles of Ellis's psyche. There are also generous helpings of misogyny, obscenity, and violence, offset by Major's absurdist humor. An essential purchase for all collections of postmodern or Afro-American fiction. Edward B. St. John, Loyola Marymount Univ. Lib., Los Angeles
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search
No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet. Create your own review
| |||
Video reviews
|
|
Customer Discussions
Beta (What's this?)
New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.
|
This product's forum
(0 discussions)
Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Active discussions in related forums
|
Related forums
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Product Information from the Amapedia Community
Beta (What's this?)Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.
› See featured Amapedia.com articles
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
Look for Similar Items by Category
Cut Wood Down to Size Split wood with ease using a log splitter from the Outdoor Power & Lawn Equipment Store. |
Best Books of 2008 |
Buy Three Books, Get a Fourth Free |
||||||||
|
Your Recent History
(What's this?)|
You have no recently viewed items or searches.
After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session. |
Continue shopping: Top Sellers
| ||||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
