Rachel Marquis

70% Pashmina 30% Silk Paisley Self-Design Shawl / Wrap / Stole – Light Green White Pashima Wrap – K. Phillips – Champaign, IL USA
Purchased this to take on a cruise and had it with me every evening. It was perfect!
This was soooo pretty, the picture did not give it justice. The seller was fast and the price was a steal. I bought 5, including one for myself! I highly recommend these scarves. Sakas Pashmina: The touch of Silk to the Pashmina gives it a luscious and luxurious look. Because of its unique softness & comforting warmth, it can be worn all year round.

Check out our entire Wallet Collection by Clicking here Wallet Selection

Check out our entire Winter Accessory Selection by Clicking here Winter Accessory Collection 70% Pashmina 30% Silk Paisley Self-Design Shawl / Wrap / Stole – Light Green White

• 70″ x 28″ Big Paisley Jacquard Double Layer Woven Pashmina Shawl / Wrap / Stole ( 12 Beautiful Colors ) – New !
• The Scarf Shop Self-design Shawl 70% Pashmina 30% Silk Paisley Wrap Stole in 31 Beautiful Colors
• 70″ x 28″ Double Layer Jacquard Paisley Pashmina Shawl / Wrap / Stole
• Elegant Jacquard Weave Pashmina Shawl/Stole/Wrap 70% Pashmina 30% Silk
• 70″ x 28″ Border Pattern Double Layer Woven Pashmina Shawl / Wrap / Stole ( 10 Cool Colors ) – New !

Lesson Before Dying, A – on Playaway: : Playaway is the easiest way to listen to a book on the go. An all-in-one format, the player and content are combined in one 2 ounce unit and it comes with everything you need to start listening immediately. No separate player needed, no CDs, no downloads just press play!

“Based on Ernest J. Gaines’ National Book Critics Circle Award-winning novel, A Lesson Before Dying is set in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young illiterate black man, is falsely convicted of murder and is sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, the plantation schoolteacher, agrees to talk with the condemned man.

The disheartened Wiggins had once harbored dreams of escaping from his impoverished youth, yet he returned to his hometown after university, to teach children whose lives seemed as unpromising as Jefferson’s. The two men forge a bond as they come to understand what it means to resist and defy one’s fate.” – read more.

Vanity Fair – Jahrmarkt der Eitelkeiten (3 Disc Set) Halb/Halb – Rasy – Bayern
Als ich mir den Film kaufte hatte ich eigentlich, der Vorschau nach zu urteilen, auf ein Feuerwerk der Regency-Zeit gehofft.
Leider wurde ich darin dann enttäuscht. Ich hatte mir die Umsetzung besser vorgestellt. Wer hier auf Geschichten ala Jane Austen hofft (dieser hier ist natürlich nicht von ihr), der wird hier leider enttäuscht.

Die Story hätte etwas mehr Pepp haben können, spannend wird es eigentlich erst gegen den Schluß zu und am Anfang scheint sich der Film ewig zu ziehen und es ist auch nicht ganz klar, was der Film jetzt eigentlich am Schluss zum Ziel hat.

Fazit: Die drei Sterne sind für die Ausstattung und die Kostüme des Films, an denen echt nicht gespart wurde und man das Gefühl hat sich in dieser Zeit zu bewegen und für die Hauptdarstellerin, die wirklich eine hervorragende Leistung abgegeben hat.

Zwei Sterne weniger, einfach deshalb, weil sich der Film teilweise unnötig in die Länge zieht und einfach die Spannung im Film fehlt.

Wieder einmal einer hervorragende BBC-Literaturverfilmung! – Sandra Meier –
Vielleicht die beste BBC-Literaturverfilmung überhaupt. Mit teilweise groteken Bildern, aufdringlicher Musik und tendenziell überzogenen Charakteren wird die Romanvorlage, die ebenfalls von einem bissigen ironischen Unterton durchzogen ist, in ein filmisches Großwerk umgegossen. Die Charaktere sind hervorragend und absolut romangetreu umgesetzt, die Darsteller brilliant und die Ausstattung phantasievoll und schreiend bunt, wie es eine Geschichte mit dem Titel “Vanity Fair” verlangt. Die Verflimung schlägt eindeutig gröbere Töne an als die feinsinnnigen, von elegantem Wortwitz durchzogenen Romane von Jane Austen bzw. deren Verfilmungen. Und die Love Story zwischen Amelia und Captain Dobbins entbehrt nicht zuletzt auch einer ordentlichen Portion Lächerlichkeit. Daher sollte man beim Kauf dieser DVD wissen, was man erwartet. Wer das Buch kennt und liebt, wird hier aber in jedem Fall voll auf seine Kosten kommen.
KSM: KSM Vanity Fair (1998) (3 DVDs), USK/FSK: 6+ VÃ-Datum: 10.07.08 England im vorviktorianischen Zeitalter: Noch dauert es ein wenig bis zur erfolgreichen Industrialisierung des Landes. Das Königreich steht an der Seite der anderen europäischen Großmächte in den Befreiungskriegen gegen Napoleon 1813-15. Den berühmten Wendepunkt in der Geschichte bringt schließlich die legendäre Schlacht bei Waterloo.

Diese Zeit und die sich anschließenden zwei Jahrzehnte bilden den zeitlichen Rahmen des 1998 erstmals als Fernsehserie ausgestrahlten Gesellschaftsdramas Vanity Fair. Die literarische Vorlage für dieses Epos stammt von dem englischen Schriftsteller William Makepeace Thackeray, der neben Charles Dickens als bedeutendster Literat der Viktorianischen Epoche gilt. Der mehr als 1000 Seiten umfassende Roman erschien auf Deutsch 1849 unter dem Namen „Jahrmarkt der Eitelkeiten.“ Ein wahrlich vortrefflicher Titel: Vanity Fair durchleuchtet die typischen Gesellschaftsmechanismen jener Zeit und das Spiel der Figuren um Geld, Prestige, Vergnügen und Liebe.

Regisseur Marc Munden konzipierte die 6-teilige Mini-Serie um die Hauptfigur Becky Sharp (Natasha Little): Sie ist die Tochter eines armen Malers und einer mittellosen Opernsängerin und träumt schon von Kinderbeinen an, einmal ein glamouröses Leben führen zu können. Durch ihre soziale Herkunft eigentlich vom gesellschaftlichen Aufstieg ausgeschlossen, kämpft sich Becky auf der sozialen Leiter nach oben. Sie ist hübsch, intelligent und extrem ehrgeizig, jetzt fehlt ihr nur noch der passende Mann, der ihren Traum vom Verkehren in den besten Kreisen ermöglicht. Sie wird zunächst Gouvernante im Haus des exzentrischen Sir Pitt Crawley (Anton Lesser). Relativ schnell gelingt es Becky Sharp, dessen Sohn, den leichtsinnigen, spielsüchtigen Dragoneroffizier Rawdon Crawley (Nathaniel Parker) um den Finger zu wickeln. Dieser heiratet sie auch, aber gegen den Willen der Familie.

So erfüllt sich ihr Traum von einem Luxusleben nicht, denn Crawley wird von seiner reichen Tante verstoßen und diese kündigt ihm die finanzielle Unterstützung. Mit Hilfe von Verrat und Intrigen versucht Becky nun an das große Glück zu kommen: Als ihr Ehemann in den Krieg gegen Napoleon ziehen muss, beginnt sie den Marquis von Steyne (Gerard Murphy) zu umgarnen. Dieser tauchte schon vorher immer mal wieder in Beckys Leben auf, z.B. kaufte er die Bilder ihres Vaters. Er wird ihr Gönner, doch letztlich fordert er mehr, als sie zu geben bereit ist… Bei all ihren Machenschaften nimmt sie nicht einmal Rücksicht auf ihre beste Freundin Amelie (Frances Grey). Durch die Gunst des Marquis liegt Becky zwar bald ganz Europa zu Füßen, sie findet Eingang zu den wahren Eliten der Gesellschaft und bezaubert sie durch ihren Charme. Doch schneller als ihr lieb sein kann, muss sie erfahren, wie schnell sich das Blatt wenden kann. Nun spürt sie am eigenen Leib, was sie anderen bedenkenlos angetan hat. Denn das Schicksal lässt sich nicht hinters Licht führen und schlägt gnadenlos zurück… Vanity Fair – Jahrmarkt der Eitelkeiten (3 Disc Set)

• Evelyn Waugh’s Eine Handvoll Staub
• George Eliot’s Middlemarch (1994) – 3er DVD Set
• Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters (3 Disc Set)
• Daniel Defoe’s “Die skandalösen Abenteuer der Moll Flanders” (2 DVDs)
• BBC’s Lark Rise to Candleford, Box 1, Folgen 01-05 (3 Disc Set)

New Hand Made Beaded Embroidered Shawl Scarf Wrap White This shawl is just gorgeous! I got many compliments on it when I’ve warn it. Krisar Enterprises:

Brand New Shawl. Beautiful Design with Beads all Hand Made.

Its versatility allows these Scarfs / Scarves Shawls Wraps to be shaped and worn in various modes such as Shoulder Wrap, Waist Wrap etc.

This makes an excellent gift for women on any occasion

Dimensions of this Poncho Cape Sarong is 60 x 28 inches.

New Hand Made Beaded Embroidered Shawl Scarf Wrap White

• Sheer Mesh Net Evening Wrap Scarf Shawl for Prom Wedding Bride Choose from Pink, Lavender, Ivory, or Red

Communal Responsibility in Ernest J. Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying.(Critical Essay): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly: : This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Mississippi State University on March 22, 1999. The length of the article is 5350 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Issues discussed concern the relationship between African-American writing and folk culture, focusing on the representation of cultural traditions in Ernest J. Gaines’ novel ‘A Lesson Before Dying.’ Topics addressed include the depiction of Southern rural culture, African-American diaspora, and lessons of social responsibility in African-American society.

Citation Details
Title: Communal Responsibility in Ernest J. Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying.(Critical Essay)
Author: Jeffrey J. Folks
Publication:The Mississippi Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1999
Publisher: Mississippi State University
Volume: 52 Issue: 2 Page: 259

Article Type: Critical Essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale – read more.

LamsonSharp 3-Tine Granny Fork – 7-Inch Granny fork – Susan Crofoot – Lake In The Hills, IL United States
My grandmother had one of these forks and used it constantly. This one not only is handy to use, it’s also attractive.
Lamson: LamsonSharp’s PRO Walnut series stamped Kitchen Necessities feature walnut wood handles that are unusually hard and durable. (The natural color may vary from tool to tool.) The blades are either one-piece full tang or half-tang, made from hardened and tempered high-carbon stainless steel from Solingen, Germany. Lamson & Goodnow, the makers of LamsonSharp knives, have been handcrafting cutlery since 1837 in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. Lifetime warranty. Made in the USA. Utensil style: 7″ 3-Tine Granny Fork.
LamsonSharp 3-Tine Granny Fork – 7-Inch

• Lamson Sharp 10″ Granny Fork with 3 Tines 33430 HT
• LamsonSharp 2-Tine Granny Fork – 10-Inch
• 7″ 2 Tine Granny Fork
• RSVP Fantastic Food Fork
• Taylor Classic Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer

Breath, Eyes, Memory – Mimi – Brooklyn, NY
First I would like to say thank you to Linda Jones for introducing this wonderful author to me. Being a Haitian girl who grew up in Brooklyn, this is the first time I have seen someone wrote about some of the issues I had face in my life. In all her stories I can relate somewhat to some of the issues the characters faces. I feel as if the Haitian women finally have a voice.
Thank you Edwidge!

Breath, Eyes, Memory (Oprah’s Book Club): : At an astonishingly young age, Edwidge Danticat has become one of our most celebrated new novelists, a writer who evokes the wonder, terror, and heartache of her native Haiti–and the enduring strength of Haiti’s women–with a vibrant imagery and narrative grace that bear witness to her people’s suffering and courage.

At the age of twelve, Sophie Caco is sent from her impoverished village of Croix-des-Rosets to New York, to be reunited with a mother she barely remembers. There she discovers secrets that no child should ever know, and a legacy of shame that can be healed only when she returns to Haiti–to the women who first reared her. What ensues is a passionate journey through a landscape charged with the supernatural and scarred by political violence, in a novel that bears witness to the traditions, suffering, and wisdom of an entire people. Oprah Book Club® Selection, May 1998: “I come from a place where breath, eyes and memory are one, a place from which you carry your past like the hair on your head. Where women return to their children as butterflies or as tears in the eyes of the statues that their daughters pray to.” The place is Haiti and the speaker is Sophie, the heroine of Edwidge Danticat’s novel, “Breath, Eyes, Memory.” Like her protagonist, Danticat is also Haitian; like her, she was raised in Haiti by an aunt until she came to the United States at age 12. Indeed, in her short stories, Danticat has often drawn on her background to fund her fiction, and she continues to do so in her debut novel.

The story begins in Haiti, on Mother’s Day, when young Sophie discovers that she is about to leave the only home she has ever known with her Tante Atie in Croix-des-Rosets, Haiti, to go live with her mother in New York City. These early chapters in Haiti are lovely, subtly evoking the tender, painful relationship between the motherless child and the childless woman who feels honor bound to guard the natural mother’s rights to the girl’s affections above her own. Presented with a Mother’s Day card, Tante Atie responds: “‘It is for a mother, your mother.’ She motioned me away with a wave of her hand. ‘When it is Aunt’s Day, you can make me one.’” Danticat also uses these pages to limn a vibrant portrait of life in Haiti from the cups of ginger tea and baskets of cassava bread served at community potlucks to the folk tales of a “people in Guinea who carry the sky on their heads.”

With Sophie’s transition from a fairly happy existence with her aunt and grandmother in rural Haiti to life in New York with a mother she has never seen, Danticat’s roots as a short-story writer become more evident; “Breath, Eyes, Memory” begins to read more like a collection of connected stories than a seamlessly evolved novel. In a couple of short chapters, Sophie arrives in New York, meets her mother, makes the acquaintance of her mother’s new boyfriend, Marc, and discovers that she was the product of a rape when her mother was a teenager in Haiti. The novel then jumps several years ahead to Sophie’s graduation from high school and her infatuation with an older man who lives next door. Unfortunately, this is also the point in the novel where Danticat begins to lay her themes on with a trowel instead of a brush: Sophie’s mother becomes obsessed with protecting her daughter’s virginity, going so far as to administer physical “tests” on a regular basis–testing which leads eventually to a rift in their relationship and to Sophie’s struggle with her own sexuality. Soon the litany of victimization is flying thick and fast: female genital mutilation, incest, rape, frigidity, breast cancer, and abortion are the issues that arise in the final third of the novel, eventually drowning both fine writing and perceptive characterization under a deluge of angst.

Still, there is much to admire about “Breath, Eyes, Memory,” and if at times the plot becomes overheated, Danticat’s lyrical, vivid prose offers some real delight. If nothing else, this novel is sure to entice readers to look for Danticat’s short stories–and possibly to sample other fiction from the West Indies as well. –Alix Wilber – read more.

More Style Than Substance – A. Jarrell Hayes – Baltimore, MD USA
Hurston’s writing style and peripheral character creation were great, but I felt the story and plot were lacking in development. In my opinion, Janie is an under-developed protagonist; I would’ve liked to have more of an insight into Janie as a person outside of any relationship to a man. The book does not live with me after reading. The story is easily forgettable to me. The book is more style rather than substance.

(via [...])
Their Eyes Were Watching God: :

One of the most important works of twentieth-century American literature, Zora Neale Hurston’s beloved 1937 classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. A true literary wonder, Hurston’s masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published — perhaps the most widely read and highly regarded novel in the entire canon of African American literature.

– read more.

Ernest J. Gaines’s “A Lesson before Dying”: A Study Guide from Gale’s “Novels for Students” (Volume 07, Chapter 9): :

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to cram for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to “Novels for Students” to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by Thomson Gale–the world’s leading source of literary criticism and analysis–this e-doc contains: plot summary; character analysis; author biography; an overview of the novel’s themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose “Novels For Students”? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale–and “Novels for Students.” – read more.

Gripping – N. M –
A couple of years ago, I was channel surfing and found a movie by the same name. I didnt watch much, but I distinctly remember a hot chocolate cup with tiny white marshmellows.

Every time I’d head into borders for the past 3 months, I’d find the book and decide to buy it ‘the next time’ I came in, intending to research it a bit first. I never did research the book and I found myself engrossed in it yesterday when I was there, so I got it.

It says on the back that its the female holden caufield. I don’t really agree with that. Ellen Foster is Ellen Foster.

Told from 11 year old Ellen’s point of view, the tale takes us from her family home to several other homes Ellen lives in or runs away from/to. Alchoholic father, orhaphaned by the time she’s 11, several relatives that abandon her, till she finally finds solace with the ‘Fosters’.

Sad tale, but you can’t help admiring her courage and intellect. I found it hard to put this book down and ended up finishing it in a few hours.”
Ellen Foster: : One of the most talked-about and endearing first novels in years bears the story of a female Huck Finn and her search for a true home. Oprah Book Club® Selection, October 1997: Kaye Gibbons is a writer who brings a short story sensibility to her novels. Rather than take advantage of the novel’s longer form to paint her visions in broad, sweeping strokes, Gibbons prefers to concentrate on just one corner of the canvas and only a few colors to produce her small masterpieces. In Gibbons’s case, her canvas is the American South and her colors are all the shades of gray.

In Ellen Foster, the title character is an 11-year-old orphan who refers to herself as “old Ellen,” an appellation that is disturbingly apt. Ellen is an old woman in a child’s body; her frail, unhappy mother dies, her abusive father alternately neglects her and makes advances on her, and she is shuttled from one uncaring relative’s home to another before she finally takes matters into her own hands and finds herself a place to belong. There is something almost Dickensian about Ellen’s tribulations; like Oliver Twist, David Copperfield or a host of other literary child heroes, Ellen is at the mercy of predatory adults, with only her own wit and courage–and the occasional kindness of others–to help her through. That she does, in fact, survive her childhood and even rise above it is the book’s bittersweet victory. – read more.