"The Voyage Out" was Virginia Woolf's first novel. This work is much more even and mature than many writer's first books, however. True, "Voyage Out" is a much more typical novel of the time (it was published in 1915). Her later works would be much more experimental, and "Voyage Out" indicates some of this - the multiple viewpoints and emphasis placed on character's inner lives are both key aspects of this work. And Woolf's mastery of the English language; her ability to write of both the "big events" and the "everydays" of life in a new and exciting way that skirts the melodrama of some of the earlier Victorian novelists is in full flower. Michael Cunningham's introduction, while pretty basic as far as biography and literary criticism go, is a good introduction to Woolf that doesn't put too much of an emphasis on her life over the merits of her work, a tendency that is all too frequently indulged in. Most people nowadays have heard of Virginia Woolf, and may know that she was mad and committed suicide; most people are, however, not aware of the key place she plays in the development of the English novel, and of the power her works still have. Cunningham has some interesting things to say about the place her writing and particularly her fiction play in our view of literature. (Michael Cunningham's most recent novel, "The Hours", is a sort of improvisation which plays off of and comments on Woolf's novel "Mrs Dalloway"; "The Hours" also features Virginia as a character. One more interesting note about "The Voyage Out" is that it introduces us to Richard and Clarissa Dalloway who will go on, of course, to be key players in "Mrs Dalloway"). Just as Cunningham's essay is a good introduction to Woolf Scholarship and Biography, "The Voyage Out" is a good place to start. Not only is it the first of her works, but perhaps more immediately accessible than some of the later works. However, this accessibility is not at the expense of greatness - "The Voyage Out" is not a "lesser Woolf novel" by any means. On the contrary, it deserves to stand with "Mrs Dalloway", "To the Lighthouse" and "The Waves" as a key part of her work.

Woolf's first novel, THE VOYAGE OUT, undoubtedly takes its plot from proto-Victorian satirical literature, most notably Jane Austen to whom Woolf alludes directly in the novel several times. This allusion is usually specifically referenced to Austen's last novel, PERSUASION, which follows Anne Elliot's second-chance at love despite the fact that she has reached the age of thirty and is therefore virtually unmanageable. Woolf obviously draws a parallel between Austen's Anne and her own heroine Rachel; both are old enough to know the ways of the world, Anne much more so than the naive Rachel. These ways of the world include both the machinations of society and the expected union between man and woman. Yet both Austen's and Woolf's heroines cannot seem to properly fit into their respective milieus. While Anne's intelligence and wit set her apart from the others in her social circle, it is Rachel's passivity and refusal to view the world except in terms of her own musical and idealistic notions that ostracize her from the start in Woolf's novel.

Following a typical bildungsroman structure, Woolf sets her novel in South America, where a group of English tourists have taken up rooms at a hotel for a vacation in the hopes of becoming more 'cultured.' The result, under Woolf's pen, is an absurdly wicked satire touching upon colonization, the snobbery of the British upper-middle class, the link between the political and the sexual (as depicted in the character of Evelyn Murgatroyd), and the state of socially-acceptable gender roles. Whereas Austen's satiric wit was more subdued and controlled due to the time period in which she wrote, Woolf's runs rampant on every page. Though rather than appear authoritative, despite the third-person narration, Woolf allows each character to show their own flaws and misgivings through their actions, speech, and thoughts.

As Rachel 'matures' in this environment, she slowly begins to see the corruption that lies in the world at large; her only moments of peace seem to come when she is either playing the piano or else considering the union of land and sea and sky, a union that symbolizes the idealistic collective solidarity necessary for a nation (and an individual within society) to function. Her engagement to Terence Hewet seems to arise suddenly (though, with reference to the plot, not unexpectedly) as though Rachel, having witnessed other men and women pairing off, felt she too must follow suit. Ironically enough, Hewet and Rachel seem to make an ideal couple: Rachel's musicality is nicely juxtaposed against Hewet's leanings toward literature and novel writing.

Some critics have argued that Woolf was playing with plot, character and stylization in THE VOYAGE OUT, and thus conclude that the rather abrupt ending (which finds Rachel succumbing to an almost psychotic/hallucinatory, and quite deadly, illness) was Woolf's way of 'modernizing' the proto-Victorian plot. Instead, it seems clear that, since Woolf satirizes without cease throughout the novel, her satire also extends to the very tradition, structure, and plot from which she was borrowing. She seems to be asserting that the uneducated and unworldly woman is unprepared for society and its harsh realities and, due to the absence of proper upbringing, education, and discussion (for so much of the novel invokes a sense of silence, of what is not said), it is society itself which is to blame for this. Also, on the other hand, Woolf seems to imply that this same uneducated, unworldly woman might possess the imaginative and speculative qualities necessary to bridge the gap between the 'Victorian world' and the 'modern world.' Rachel's 'sacrifice' in the novel proves that if the world does not change then the individual cannot change; therefore, most importantly, the two entities (the aware individual and the slowly-blossoming society) cannot exist simultaneously.

THE VOYAGE OUT is an essential book in the Woolf canon and, with the recent appearance of the first version of the novel, the unexpurgated manuscript MELYMBROSIA, should be read alongside Woolf's other works with the same degree of seriousness. Though a first novel, this work sets the stage for Woolf's satiric, feminist, and experimental voice. Following a fairly linear narrative, THE VOYAGE OUT does indeed show some of the stylizations and subjective characterizations that would eventually transform into the stream of consciousness style that we associate with Woolf's work. A challenging and provocative read, THE VOYAGE OUT set the stage for Woolf's literary career and began immediately to address and challenge the societal norms which Woolf herself felt had been left too long in the dark, unexamined.

--Reviewed by kris t kahn, author of ARGUING WITH THE TROUBADOUR: POEMS

Rachel Vinrace, a young woman not quite acquainted with the ways of the world, accompanies her aunt and uncle (the Ambroses) to South America, where she eventually falls in love with a young aspiring writer. Swirling around this tale of doomed love are the many other characters who all influence each other and are themselves influenced. Most of the novel is about Rachel, but Helen Ambrose is equally central to the story, as a comparison to her niece and in her own internal voyage. Chronicling the inner lives of her characters, Woolf, in her first novel, explores the awakening of first love, the influences of men (and the culture they have control over) upon women, the confusions we as human beings have in our daily communications with others. Originally entitled "Melymbrosia", "The Voyage Out" went through many revisions as Woolf claimed language for her own uses and effectively began a new literature (for her time), where the internal life and the interconnectedness of humanity are the central themes.

This book is a natural page-turner which delves into the rise of a new "warrior cult" in the U.S. beginning in the mid-70's and gaining momentum in the 80's. Explores the (sometimes dangerous) sociological implications of this fascination with automatic weapons, camouflage clothing, violence, and the "lone warrior", although the author's reliance on Jungian and Freudian interpretations of this phenomenon goes a bit overboard at times. Nonetheless this is a valuable study overall. The assertion that this phenomenon is fulfilling a valid psychological need in its adherents, and suggestions of alternate ways of fulfilling these needs that do not glorify violence, should prove to be provocative and hopefully useful in working toward a less violent society.

This is probably one of the best primer books for anyone interested in the sociological aspects of masculinity in America. It is an easy read with tons of examples from relatively recent media sources. It reads like a novel but has a lot more to say. Any one interested in violence in media should put this at the top of their to read list.

This book was recommended to me in a politics chat room. When my friend described its topic with "paintball" "guns" "war movies" and "politics", I knew I had to read it (i had an interest in all of these things).

The book starts off describing how "New Warriors" (men with a "warrior" mentality in Post-Vietnam America) see and treat women/children/family, how they are effected by consumer culture of war/paramiltary books and movies, view guns.. paintball.

Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Bush, along with Ollie North, Rambo, Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris all embrace or help create the New War. Mass murderers, assassins, and mercenaries are influenced by it as well.

I'd like to see Gibson tackle the topic again. 5 years later, we've got an enormous computer/video game warrior culture, where hundreds of thousands of young men spend hours each day blasting each other to bits on the Internet.

than "The Cuckoo Clock" to an imaginative child of the proper age! While its tales-within-tales were lovely, what really caught me were the evocative details of the little heroine's surroundings. I realize my love for potpourri, nodding "Mandarin" porcelains, and yes, even cuckoo clocks were formed as I read this book.

This is one of the most magical & imaginative children's books I have ever read, I first read it as a child and have never forgotten it! Buy it for your children....

Having been written in the 1870s, the book documents how people in NY really lived at that time, how they spoke, what they thought of the issues of the day, and how they treated one another, specifically, how they treated women. All classes of women are portrayed, from wealthy society women, to middle-class working girls, to the lowest class of the poor. Very eye-opening, and worthwhile reading. Good action-filled story too. We really have come a long way, baby!

Fettered for Life is a 'must' for those interested in women writers. The subversive nature of the plot about a woman who makes her way in New York in the 19th century reveals how ahead of her time Blake was as a feminist and a writer. The afterword by American Literature scholar Grace Farrell provides a lucid, informative historical account of 19th century feminist issues found in the text.

I'm reading this book in Chinese,I love it! Our teachers never told me about it, they just teached us what is 'right'.

Excellent intro to politics text. I highly recommend it for a classroom or for anyone really who wants to sit down with a plain-spoken piece to get you to understand our government. Whether it is for someone with little knowledge as to who this vast bureaucracy works, or for someone with a fairly good knowledge of it all - I don't think it will disappoint.
I think what I appreciated the most was the honesty that the text was written. The authors also included a good amount of humor to emphasize the point (in cartoon, comic, Top 10 List, etc), in order to keep a reader interested.
I think this text is also a good reference as well, as there are numerous court cases and explicit examples of gov't at work - that if you are ever at a loss for "what was it that happened?" or "what does that term mean?" Things are extremely easy to find and be referred to.
Good works.

Bernard Shaw is a great playwright. In this particular play he exposes the shortcomings of English upper classes. They only think of mariage, business, politics, but England is in fact a drunken skipper, a skipper on which every sailor and even the captain are drunk with rum and unable to see the danger coming up and to deal with it. So the skipper is condemned to break on the rocks. England in the same way is condemned to break on the rocks because no one, in the upper classes, thinks beyond their interest. This catastrophe coming up is shown by some kind of supernatural explosion at the end of the play and the members of these upper classes admire the event as being beautiful and they are totally unable to cope. The picture given by Shaw of England is particularly pessimistic. Their is no future and no hope for that country. Along the way he discusses important issues such as the liberation of women within their enslavement and their power is nothing but hypnotism or drowning men in a sea of words and charm. The only sane man in the play is the captain, with an allusion to Whitman, « Captain my captain », who sees the catastrophes coming and is unable to convince his own daughters or their husbands and friends that they have to control the boat if they don't want it to capsize. But does he really want to convince them ?

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

I recently saw the production of this play in Atlanta and I was blown away. This is a fascinating, fast-paced comedy with dark undertones about a bankrupt society. It is set in the late nineteenth/early twentieth c., but the issues turn out to be very contemporary: the question of capitalism, security vs. adventure, gender roles... I recommend it!

I enjoyed Under the Lilacs immensely. It is a wonderful story of children and how they mature. The characters at times seemed rather flat and uninteresting yet the story is a very fun one. It is full of laughter and tears and eventually a happy ending. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed Louisa May Alcott in the past or those who enjoy a relatively juvenile book yet will be able to understand references to relatively older literature.

I was asked to read this book over the summer of 2000 and it was great. This is the first book I have read by Louisa May Alcott. I really enjoyed this book and it was sometimes boring but great. I would recommend this book to some that has lost touch with life.................

Under the Lilacs is one of LMA most wonderful novels. I thought it was brilliant and outstanding. I loved all the charecters, and how they delt with their own problems and ways. Be sure to read Under the Lilacs.

I do not regret having read all of the Wodehouse books written before this one, but I have to express my delight at finally starting to get to the books that made Wodehouse's reputation. This particular one isn't tied to any of his serieses, but shares a lot with both the Blandings castle and Bertie & Jeeves books. First off, there's Lord Dawlish, the sort of chap who is just a little too nice for his own good, the kind who always gets nipped by one and all for a fiver here or a ten-spot there. Then there's his fiancee, who's obsessed on the money deal; an eccentric wealthy old man; a couple of Americans; and a nightclub-singing Lady (as in Lord and Lady). There's money, and the lack of it, that seems to be a separate character content to flirt with all the rest of the cast. A little plot line regarding golf, keeping bees, transatlantic trips, people who may or may not be who they are, a will that may or may not be the operative one, people mistaken for themselves and others, and true love. My god, the formula is so easy, yet as any one knows who has tried a hand at this stuff, just because you've got the recipe, it doesn't mean your souffle rises in the same way.

This is a good one to recommend to people who have never read Wodehouse before, because it is compact and self-contained. It's been said that laughter is the best medicine--if so, then Wodehouse is a wonder drug.

A pleasant enough read, but falls far short of most of the other Wodehouse that I have read. A person reading only this work would have no idea that Wodehouse is probably the greatest writer in the history of the English language except perhaps for that Bard guy from back when.

For Lord Dawlish, an unexpected inheritance comes along at a perfect time for marrying the girl he loves.. little does he know that it would lead to a breathtaking comedy spanning the Atlantic. A masterpiece which could only have belonged to Wodehouse's world.

This book has exactly the same text as the Illustrated Encyclopedia of ancient warfare by the same author, but there are no illustrations. If you can spare a few more bucks, by the illustrated version: it has a wealth of battle maps, color plates and other illustrated material which makes this text-only version pale in comparison, although it is still quite informative. I give it 4 stars while I would give the illustrated version 5.

The number of misconceptions about ancient warfare is legion. There is a tendency to see ancient battles as little more than bloody scrums, with none of the tactical art, deception, or finesse of modern battle. Indeed, the tactics and weaponry are often perceived as being static, nowhere near as fluid as those of today.

John Warry punctures all of these myths with his seminal work "Warfare in the Classical World", which covers the Greek and Roman art of war in a single slim, accessible volume.

Warry does not fall into the trap which often befalls military historians in that he strives to place each conflict in its proper political context. Surprisingly, there is not a single battle map in the book, as he is for the most part concerned with how armies fight and not the results of single battles.

In each section, Warry begins with an incisive commentary on the sources from which we have inherited our historical knowledge, probing the biases of each. He then describes the political scene of the day before analyzing the art of war as practiced at the time, finally wrapping up with a brief summary.

This makes for highly entertaining and thought-provoking reading, and allows the reader to grasp the evolution of land and naval warfare from the Homeric Age to the fall of Rome.

And what an evolution this was, from the individual, hand-to-hand combat of the Heroic Greeks to the extremely disciplined and varied tactics of the Roman Legion. Ancient warfare was anything but a static affair as brilliant warriors constantly sought the battlefield edge through new tactics and weaponry.

Take, for example, the evolution of the spear, from the short, thrusting weapon used by early Greek phalangists to the throwing spear represented by the Roman pilum, craftily designed so as to make the shields of the barbarian hordes they faced useless. Or the rise and fall of elephants in battle, first used by Persians battling the Greeks, then employed by the Carthaginians against Rome before falling out of favor with Hannibal's defeat at Zama. Talk about heavy cavalry!

This book will delight even the most casual interest in military history or the ancient world. For the professional soldier, this work is an essential reference which belongs on your bookshelf, if only to convince the boss that you do study your profession. Rush out and pick up a copy today.

A look at our past is a look at out past wars. All over the history, civilizations, kingdoms and states have emerged, survived or obliterated based in their skill to win battle after battle (not only at the battlefields but also at the political arena). I am afraid it's not different nowdays.

It's interesting to have a look at gifted generals whose best skill was to know the timely place and time for fighting and their pursuit of decesive wins. Overall, victory depends usually in just one man with his skills and shortcomings.

I love this book on account of its global outlook of wars as one of the weapons in the array of ancient leaders. Demografy, economy or beliefs are key factor that great generals were able to tip in their favor.

In this book, the author is bent on placing each leader or general into political, economical and social context. It is not only a catalogue of wars, outflaking movements and so on. There are plently of examples of great generals almost ever-winner that could not overcome other factors and eventually were defeated (as Anibal or Espartacus) by enemies, comrades or chiefs. On the contrary how geniuos as Julio Cesar or Escipion africanus could innovate and emerged victorious against all hurdles by fair means or fouls.

In the list of gifted people, there were really little known people who made great exploits (as Lucullus, the brother of Anibal and so on). Many factors drive life and glory and not always the best or better is the winner.

This book must be thought of as a global modern view that places each name and battle in a place in History and that directs you into reading ancient sorces of much narrow scope and less reliable but closer to real facts: Xenophon, Arrio, Julio Cesar, tuciddides and so many which are shed with a different light under a more encopassing view.

All in all, a pleasure to enjoy. By the way, how different in the real story of Spartacus from the famous film. Men, with our mistakes are the best sources or our grievances.

When I read A Woman of No Importance, I realized that I have read it before. Though, not by the same author. It is drastically similar to the French Play Le Fils Naturel, by Alexandre Dumas, jr. Though, it was a really nice play, it dragged in many places.

When a woman has made a mistake she is the only one, with her son, to carry the burden. She is tainted forever and can only hide in some anonimity. But the play goes a lot further. The son becomes the target of the father who, unmarried, wants to find love in his son, and give his son the love he has never given to any one. But it is not that simple. The son has to choose between his father who provides him with an important ambitious position, and his mother who has been tainted forever by this man he does not know as his father yet, but not for long. But love will come in the way and will reveal the father as being forever unable to respect women. This man will try to soil the young woman the son is in love with. This will lead to a happy ending for the son and for the mother but a very unhappy ending for the father who will be deprived of his son. Is the punishment proportioned to the crime, because the father is exposed as a criminal, and in a way he is. Philandering is unacceptable in those days. The most intriguing aspect of the play is that this happy ending is brought by a young woman who is both American and a puritan. In a way Oscar Wilde, and we know the drama of his life, is advocating a real puritanism that is based on purity both on the surface and in depth. So he criticizes the hypocrisy of English victorian society because it advocates purity but practices (at least men can, but women cannot) any kind of unethical attitude or behavior. How can Oscar Wilde advocate such a position when he is what he is, hiding something that amounts to a crime in his society? We are also surprised by this salvation coming from an American woman. How can America be better than England? There is no easy answer. Maybe just the fact that in America ethics come first and do not accept any compromise or segregation against women. But is this true at the end of the nineteenth century? This play is very emotional but yet very unreal, surreal.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

I've just started re-reading this play and I think it is one of the most beautiful works Wilde ever wrote. Mrs. Arbuthnot's speech at the end of Act Four, beginning "men don't know what mothers are" is one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever read in Wilde. It's a very ironic speech, considering it was written by a man, but it shows what a wonderful insight into women Wilde had. The play is essentially about morality and the conflict between a person's own, private sense of morality and the moral values imposed on us by society. Ultimately, Mrs. Arbuthnot is the character who most deserves our respect, precisely because she refuses to buy into the moral values of those around her. Reading it, I can just imagine how it would be performed, I even find myself acting the play out in my head, such is the power and force of Wilde's dialogue. This is a truly beautiful work which I highly recommend