2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
W W Norton & Co Inc. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.5 x 10 inches. Hardcover. 1998. 397 pages. <br>The author of Ship Fever, winner of the 1996 Natio nal Book Award for Fiction, combines fa… More...
W W Norton & Co Inc. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.5 x 10 inches. Hardcover. 1998. 397 pages. <br>The author of Ship Fever, winner of the 1996 Natio nal Book Award for Fiction, combines fact and fiction to follow E rasmus Darwin Wells, the nineteenth-century naturalist, on his re ckless pursuit of an open polar sea. 75,000 first printing. Tour. Editorial Reviews Amazon com Review In Andrea Barrett's extrao rdinary novel of Arctic and personal exploration, maps are deceit ful, ice all-powerful, and reputation more important than truth o r human lives. When the Narwhal sets sail from Philadelphia in Ma y 1855, its ostensible goal is to find the crew of a long-vanishe d expedition--or at least their relics--and be home before winter . Of course, if the men can chart new coasts and stock up on spec imens en route, so much the better. And then there's the keen pro spect of selling their story, fraught with danger and discovery, to a public thirsting for excitement. Zeke Voorhees, the Narwhal' s young commander, is so handsome that he makes women stare and m en hum with envy--perhaps not the best qualification for his post --but he seems loved by all. Only his brother-in-law-to-be, a nat uralist, quietly mistrusts him, though he's determined to stand b y the youth for his sister Lavinia's sake. At 40, eternal low-pro filer Erasmus Darwin Wells has one disastrous expedition behind h im and is praying for another scientific chance. He is, however, familiar with the physical risks they're taking, as well as the l ong stretches when nothing happened except that one's ties to hom e were imperceptibly dissolved and one became a stranger to one's life. And what of the women left behind? Lavinia knows little of the dangers of ice (though she's well schooled in isolation) a nd lives only for Zeke's return. Her companion, Alexandra Copelan d, is less sanguine. Even after she's been given a secret career break--ghosting for an ailing engraver--she knows how invisible s he is and how threatening her family's dense net of obligations w ill always be. Though they get less page time, Barrett is in fact as concerned with these women as she is with her seafarers. Like the heroines of her National Book Award-winning Ship Fever, who bump up against science and history in which only men's triumphs are written, they must somehow escape social tyranny or retreat i nto the consolations of storytelling or silence. There is tyran ny on board the Narwhal as well, as Zeke alternates between good will and paranoia, his closest companion an arctic fox he has civ ilized and who sits on his shoulder like a white epaulet. (Alas, Sabine, like many of the men, is not to survive the journey.) Enc ounters with the Esquimaux--who might know more about the lost ex pedition than they're willing to share--not having gone according to plan, Zeke determines in late August to head for Smith Sound rather than home, despite the crew's protests. By mid-September, however, the craft is ice-locked, and it's clear they'll have to winter over. At first the men make the best of their situation, m agically sculpting cottages, castles, palaces, even a whale--and offering informal seminars in butchery, Bible studies, and basic navigation. However, as the weather worsens and Zeke grows increa singly despotic, morale plummets. Barrett excels in both physic al and social description, writing with a naturalist's precision and a passionate imagination. With quick strokes (backed up by in tense research), she can fill us in on some sensible but threaten ing Esquimaux footgear: All five were dressed in fur jackets and breeches, with high boots made from the leg skins of white bears. The men's feet, Erasmus saw, were sheltered by the bears' feet, with claws protruding like overgrown human toenails. Walking, the men left bear prints on the snow. The author also shines in pano ramic scenes--her descriptions of the Arctic can only be called m agnificent--and in small, precarious, personal moments. When Eras mus eventually returns to Philadelphia, minus his toes and his fu ture brother-in-law, a grieving Lavinia takes to her bed. Eventua lly, however, she relents: Lavinia stared straight ahead. Straigh t at Erasmus, her right hand tucked in her lap while her left tur ned a silver spoon back to front, front to back, the reflections melting, re-forming, and melting again.... Lavinia said softly, ' I forgive you.' Everyone knew she was speaking to Erasmus. The Voyage of the Narwhal is full of blood-freezing surprises, a scor e of indelible characters, and heart-stopping mysteries. As Erasm us watches Alexandra draw landscapes he has seen before but misse d something in, each pencil stroke is like a chisel held to a cle avage plane: tap, tap, and the rock split into two sharp pieces, the world cracked and spoke to him. Readers of Andrea Barrett's n ovel will experience this sensation again and again. Packed with harsh truths about the not-always-true art of discovery, it is al so among the most emotionally wrenching, subtle works of the cent ury. --Kerry Fried From Publishers Weekly Having honed her craf t in four previous novels and the NBA-winning short-story collect ion Ship Fever (1996), Barrett delivers a stunning novel in which a meticulous grasp of historical and natural detail, insight int o character and pulse-pounding action are integrated into a drama tic adventure story with deep moral resonance. In Philadelphia in 1855, naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells?40, unmarried and gripped by a despondent realization that his life is a failure?sees a las t chance to make his reputation as he prepares to accompany his f uture brother-in-law, Zechariah Voorhees, on a voyage to the arct ic in search of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. At 26, Zeke bristles with charisma, and a megalomaniacal sense of his own des tiny. But loyal, naive Erasmus doesn't grasp the scope of Zeke's recklessness and blind ambition until Zeke has committed a series of colossal and fatal blunders, subjecting his men to unspeakabl e privation, hunger, cold and danger. When the crew finally refus es to accompany Zeke on a foolhardy mission and he goes off alone and does not return on schedule, Erasmus is placed in an exquisi te dilemma: whether to force the men to gamble on Zeke's unlikely survival as the ice closes in for a second winter, or?as he know s he must do?abandon the ship and begin a harrowing trek over lan d and water in hope of rescue. Erasmus's eventual return home, wh ere he is scorned by journalists, who accuse him of cowardice, an d by his sister, Lavinia, who is bereft of her hopes of marriage, is underscored by further ironies so potent that readers will fi nish the last third of the book in a fever of anticipation and dr ead. As Barrett describes the provisioning of the Narwhal, the fl ora and fauna of the arctic, the turbulent seas and breathtaking scenery, the plot seems slow to develop. But her careful depictio n of all the characters?a humane ship's doctor; a cook who surviv ed the Irish famine; and, back in Philadelphia, spirited Alexandr a Copeland, whose presence in the Wells household as companion to Lavinia eventually leads to an affecting love story?deepens the narrative texture. Meanwhile, the extremes of both human behavior and nature?looming icebergs, fatal accidents, episodes of herois m, grisly discoveries of lost ships and dead men, the inexorable tyranny of winter darkness?are described with an accuracy that ma ke one forget that this is not a memoir but a work of the imagina tion. The denouement, when it arrives, is a triumph: a confluence of justice, retribution, spiritual faith, metamorphosis and love . Maps and illustrations. Agent, Wendy Weil; editor, Carol Houk S mith. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Publi shers Weekly Having honed her craft in four previous novels and t he NBA-winning short-story collection Ship Fever (1996), Barrett delivers a stunning novel in which a meticulous grasp of historic al and natural detail, insight into character and pulse-pounding action are integrated into a dramatic adventure story with deep m oral resonance. In Philadelphia in 1855, naturalist Erasmus Darwi n Wells?40, unmarried and gripped by a despondent realization tha t his life is a failure?sees a last chance to make his reputation as he prepares to accompany his future brother-in-law, Zechariah Voorhees, on a voyage to the arctic in search of Sir John Frankl in's lost expedition. At 26, Zeke bristles with charisma, and a m egalomaniacal sense of his own destiny. But loyal, naive Erasmus doesn't grasp the scope of Zeke's recklessness and blind ambition until Zeke has committed a series of colossal and fatal blunders , subjecting his men to unspeakable privation, hunger, cold and d anger. When the crew finally refuses to accompany Zeke on a foolh ardy mission and he goes off alone and does not return on schedul e, Erasmus is placed in an exquisite dilemma: whether to force th e men to gamble on Zeke's unlikely survival as the ice closes in for a second winter, or?as he knows he must do?abandon the ship a nd begin a harrowing trek over land and water in hope of rescue. Erasmus's eventual return home, where he is scorned by journalist s, who accuse him of cowardice, and by his sister, Lavinia, who i s bereft of her hopes of marriage, is underscored by further iron ies so potent that readers will finish the last third of the book in a fever of anticipation and dread. As Barrett describes the p rovisioning of the Narwhal, the flora and fauna of the arctic, th e turbulent seas and breathtaking scenery, the plot seems slow to develop. But her careful depiction of all the characters?a human e ship's doctor; a cook who survived the Irish famine; and, back in Philadelphia, spirited Alexandra Copeland, whose presence in t he Wells household as companion to Lavinia eventually leads to an affecting love story?deepens the narrative texture. Meanwhile, t he extremes of both human behavior and nature?looming icebergs, f atal accidents, episodes of heroism, grisly discoveries of lost s hips and dead men, the inexorable tyranny of winter darkness?are described with an accuracy that make one forget that this is not a memoir but a work of the imagination. The denouement, when it a rrives, is a triumph: a confluence of justice, retribution, spiri tual faith, metamorphosis and love. Maps and illustrations. Agent , Wendy Weil; editor, Carol Houk Smith. Copyright 1998 Reed Busi ness Information, Inc. From Library Journal In 1855, the Narwhal sets sail on a mission to find Sir John Franklin, lost while exp loring the Arctic. On board is timid naturalist Erasmus Wells, wh ose sister is affianced to the ship's commander, Zeke Voorhees. T he Arctic waters may be unforgiving, but they're not nearly as da ngerous as Zeke's overriding ambition to make his name by finding Franklin. Barrett puts us on the deck of that ship, letting us f eel the fear and the bitter cold; her prose has all the brillianc e and heft of a looming iceberg. A novel of 19th-century grandeur that exhibits 20th-century sleekness and control. Copyright 199 9 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Barrett has alre ady won the National Book Award for Ship Fever , but her newest b ook, a dynamic and insightful historical novel, is even more priz eworthy. Once again, Barrett has steeped herself in the past, in this case, the annals of Arctic exploration, and responded with k eenly perception and original fiction rich with imaginative foray s into the minds of both real-life people and invented characters . Her focus is the 1855 voyage of the Narwhal, which was organize d to find the lost expedition of Sir John Franklin, but in this t elling metamorphoses into something far more complicated due to t he passions of the captain and his close associate, the scholarly naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells. Their Arctic ordeal is a classi c tale of the sea complete with mythic danger, maniacal quests, a nd the terrible beauty and dangers of the ocean itself. Authorita tive and imaginative on all fronts, Barrett tells a gripping stor y shaped by masterful interpretations of the paradigms of science and the volatile nature of the mind, a wilderness every bit as c hallenging as the forbidding Arctic. Donna Seaman Review The Voy age of the Narwhal shows near total mastery of the craft of ficti on. This suspenseful tale of 19th-century Arctic exploration is a s awesome as a great expanse of polar ice, as stately and powerfu l as a frozen floating mountain and as beautiful as a tall sailin g ship in a frigid sea. -- Cleveland Plain Dealer Recommended Boo ks, 8 November 1998 A finely crafted tale of 19th century explor ation....Sails into our imagination and conscience, a journey of true discovery. -- Los Angeles Woodland Hills Daily News, The Bes t Books of 1998, Carlin Romano and Michael D. Schaffer, 3 January 1999 Barrett transports readers to a vast and stunning land at a time when it held the world's imagination in its grip. Through her skill as a novelist, a century a half later it still does. -- Seattle Times, Tim McNulty, 27 September 1998 Barrett's fifth b ook is a stunning novel that marries the meticulous detail and na tural wonder of 19th century travelogue with a modern understandi ng of the genre....Barrett infuses the manly myths of arctic adve nture with human honesty. -- Book magazine, Elizabeth Welch, Janu ary 1999 Barrett, a skilled author whose story collection Ship F ever won a 1996 National Book Award, is adept at creating a blend of drama and science that is informative, gripping, and thorough ly entertaining. -- Castro Valley Forum, Charles King, 2 December 1998 Every year, one book emerges as the perfect all-around gif t for story lovers. The raves have already been launched for Nati onal Book Award winner Andrea Barrett's fifth novel, The Voyage o f the Narwhal, the Cold Mountain of this season. Barrett's gift f or relating historical fact to the human condition is obvious in this story... -- Portland Willamette Week, Susan Wickstrom, 9 Dec ember 1998 Exceptional research and detail, a big story--adventu rers sailing to the North Pole--made this so good our reviewer wa nted to forget it all so she could start over and be surprised ag ain. -- Detroit Free Press, The Best Books of 1998, Linnea Lannon , 18 December 1998 No sooner do we bemoan the dearth of ambitiou s American women novelists of ideas than Andrea Barrett delivers this grand, intelligent, wide-ranging work. With elegance and eco nomy, she's pulled off a seemingly impossible feat: critiquing th e complacent authority of the 19th century novel in a book that's, W W Norton & Co Inc, 1998, 3, Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the mor e impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her p lace as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colone l Christopher "Chief" Hart. Although it's an enticing offer, Gill ian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied wit h whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that d ay will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch c ould have unexpected consequences. Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with hi m is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning poli ce arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her belo ved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the wa lls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, alon g with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chi ef to the crime. Dissatisfied with the official police investigat ion, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on the ir own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than ans wers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies i n wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina. ., Doubleday Book Clubs, 2001, 4<
nzl, nzl | Biblio.co.uk |
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults… More...
Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the mor e impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her p lace as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colone l Christopher "Chief" Hart. Although it's an enticing offer, Gill ian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied wit h whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that d ay will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch c ould have unexpected consequences. Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with hi m is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning poli ce arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her belo ved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the wa lls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, alon g with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chi ef to the crime. Dissatisfied with the official police investigat ion, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on the ir own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than ans wers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies i n wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina. ., Doubleday Book Clubs, 2001, 4<
Biblio.co.uk |
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Hardcover. 469 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club… More...
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Hardcover. 469 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. *** CONDITION: Very Good book with Very Good dust jacket ... Front end page and half-title page are clipped. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: What began as a lark turned into a tragedy...leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342.. 9781876590451, Doubleday Book Club, 2001, 3<
Biblio.co.uk |
2001, ISBN: 1876590459
[EAN: 9781876590451], Gebraucht, sehr guter Zustand, [PU: Doubleday Book Club, Australia], CRIME FICTION BZDB5 FICTION; THE SWITCH, Jacket, 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has … More...
[EAN: 9781876590451], Gebraucht, sehr guter Zustand, [PU: Doubleday Book Club, Australia], CRIME FICTION BZDB5 FICTION; THE SWITCH, Jacket, 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and half-title page are clipped. What began as a lark turned into a tragedy.leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342. The photo of this book is of the actual book for sale.<
AbeBooks.de Manyhills Books, Traralgon, VIC, Australia [51322352] [Rating: 5 (von 5)] NOT NEW BOOK. Shipping costs: EUR 16.64 Details... |
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and hal… More...
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and half-title page are clipped. What began as a lark turned into a tragedy...leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342.. 9781876590451, Doubleday Book Club, 2001<
Biblio.com |
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
W W Norton & Co Inc. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.5 x 10 inches. Hardcover. 1998. 397 pages. <br>The author of Ship Fever, winner of the 1996 Natio nal Book Award for Fiction, combines fa… More...
W W Norton & Co Inc. Very Good. 6.5 x 1.5 x 10 inches. Hardcover. 1998. 397 pages. <br>The author of Ship Fever, winner of the 1996 Natio nal Book Award for Fiction, combines fact and fiction to follow E rasmus Darwin Wells, the nineteenth-century naturalist, on his re ckless pursuit of an open polar sea. 75,000 first printing. Tour. Editorial Reviews Amazon com Review In Andrea Barrett's extrao rdinary novel of Arctic and personal exploration, maps are deceit ful, ice all-powerful, and reputation more important than truth o r human lives. When the Narwhal sets sail from Philadelphia in Ma y 1855, its ostensible goal is to find the crew of a long-vanishe d expedition--or at least their relics--and be home before winter . Of course, if the men can chart new coasts and stock up on spec imens en route, so much the better. And then there's the keen pro spect of selling their story, fraught with danger and discovery, to a public thirsting for excitement. Zeke Voorhees, the Narwhal' s young commander, is so handsome that he makes women stare and m en hum with envy--perhaps not the best qualification for his post --but he seems loved by all. Only his brother-in-law-to-be, a nat uralist, quietly mistrusts him, though he's determined to stand b y the youth for his sister Lavinia's sake. At 40, eternal low-pro filer Erasmus Darwin Wells has one disastrous expedition behind h im and is praying for another scientific chance. He is, however, familiar with the physical risks they're taking, as well as the l ong stretches when nothing happened except that one's ties to hom e were imperceptibly dissolved and one became a stranger to one's life. And what of the women left behind? Lavinia knows little of the dangers of ice (though she's well schooled in isolation) a nd lives only for Zeke's return. Her companion, Alexandra Copelan d, is less sanguine. Even after she's been given a secret career break--ghosting for an ailing engraver--she knows how invisible s he is and how threatening her family's dense net of obligations w ill always be. Though they get less page time, Barrett is in fact as concerned with these women as she is with her seafarers. Like the heroines of her National Book Award-winning Ship Fever, who bump up against science and history in which only men's triumphs are written, they must somehow escape social tyranny or retreat i nto the consolations of storytelling or silence. There is tyran ny on board the Narwhal as well, as Zeke alternates between good will and paranoia, his closest companion an arctic fox he has civ ilized and who sits on his shoulder like a white epaulet. (Alas, Sabine, like many of the men, is not to survive the journey.) Enc ounters with the Esquimaux--who might know more about the lost ex pedition than they're willing to share--not having gone according to plan, Zeke determines in late August to head for Smith Sound rather than home, despite the crew's protests. By mid-September, however, the craft is ice-locked, and it's clear they'll have to winter over. At first the men make the best of their situation, m agically sculpting cottages, castles, palaces, even a whale--and offering informal seminars in butchery, Bible studies, and basic navigation. However, as the weather worsens and Zeke grows increa singly despotic, morale plummets. Barrett excels in both physic al and social description, writing with a naturalist's precision and a passionate imagination. With quick strokes (backed up by in tense research), she can fill us in on some sensible but threaten ing Esquimaux footgear: All five were dressed in fur jackets and breeches, with high boots made from the leg skins of white bears. The men's feet, Erasmus saw, were sheltered by the bears' feet, with claws protruding like overgrown human toenails. Walking, the men left bear prints on the snow. The author also shines in pano ramic scenes--her descriptions of the Arctic can only be called m agnificent--and in small, precarious, personal moments. When Eras mus eventually returns to Philadelphia, minus his toes and his fu ture brother-in-law, a grieving Lavinia takes to her bed. Eventua lly, however, she relents: Lavinia stared straight ahead. Straigh t at Erasmus, her right hand tucked in her lap while her left tur ned a silver spoon back to front, front to back, the reflections melting, re-forming, and melting again.... Lavinia said softly, ' I forgive you.' Everyone knew she was speaking to Erasmus. The Voyage of the Narwhal is full of blood-freezing surprises, a scor e of indelible characters, and heart-stopping mysteries. As Erasm us watches Alexandra draw landscapes he has seen before but misse d something in, each pencil stroke is like a chisel held to a cle avage plane: tap, tap, and the rock split into two sharp pieces, the world cracked and spoke to him. Readers of Andrea Barrett's n ovel will experience this sensation again and again. Packed with harsh truths about the not-always-true art of discovery, it is al so among the most emotionally wrenching, subtle works of the cent ury. --Kerry Fried From Publishers Weekly Having honed her craf t in four previous novels and the NBA-winning short-story collect ion Ship Fever (1996), Barrett delivers a stunning novel in which a meticulous grasp of historical and natural detail, insight int o character and pulse-pounding action are integrated into a drama tic adventure story with deep moral resonance. In Philadelphia in 1855, naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells?40, unmarried and gripped by a despondent realization that his life is a failure?sees a las t chance to make his reputation as he prepares to accompany his f uture brother-in-law, Zechariah Voorhees, on a voyage to the arct ic in search of Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. At 26, Zeke bristles with charisma, and a megalomaniacal sense of his own des tiny. But loyal, naive Erasmus doesn't grasp the scope of Zeke's recklessness and blind ambition until Zeke has committed a series of colossal and fatal blunders, subjecting his men to unspeakabl e privation, hunger, cold and danger. When the crew finally refus es to accompany Zeke on a foolhardy mission and he goes off alone and does not return on schedule, Erasmus is placed in an exquisi te dilemma: whether to force the men to gamble on Zeke's unlikely survival as the ice closes in for a second winter, or?as he know s he must do?abandon the ship and begin a harrowing trek over lan d and water in hope of rescue. Erasmus's eventual return home, wh ere he is scorned by journalists, who accuse him of cowardice, an d by his sister, Lavinia, who is bereft of her hopes of marriage, is underscored by further ironies so potent that readers will fi nish the last third of the book in a fever of anticipation and dr ead. As Barrett describes the provisioning of the Narwhal, the fl ora and fauna of the arctic, the turbulent seas and breathtaking scenery, the plot seems slow to develop. But her careful depictio n of all the characters?a humane ship's doctor; a cook who surviv ed the Irish famine; and, back in Philadelphia, spirited Alexandr a Copeland, whose presence in the Wells household as companion to Lavinia eventually leads to an affecting love story?deepens the narrative texture. Meanwhile, the extremes of both human behavior and nature?looming icebergs, fatal accidents, episodes of herois m, grisly discoveries of lost ships and dead men, the inexorable tyranny of winter darkness?are described with an accuracy that ma ke one forget that this is not a memoir but a work of the imagina tion. The denouement, when it arrives, is a triumph: a confluence of justice, retribution, spiritual faith, metamorphosis and love . Maps and illustrations. Agent, Wendy Weil; editor, Carol Houk S mith. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Publi shers Weekly Having honed her craft in four previous novels and t he NBA-winning short-story collection Ship Fever (1996), Barrett delivers a stunning novel in which a meticulous grasp of historic al and natural detail, insight into character and pulse-pounding action are integrated into a dramatic adventure story with deep m oral resonance. In Philadelphia in 1855, naturalist Erasmus Darwi n Wells?40, unmarried and gripped by a despondent realization tha t his life is a failure?sees a last chance to make his reputation as he prepares to accompany his future brother-in-law, Zechariah Voorhees, on a voyage to the arctic in search of Sir John Frankl in's lost expedition. At 26, Zeke bristles with charisma, and a m egalomaniacal sense of his own destiny. But loyal, naive Erasmus doesn't grasp the scope of Zeke's recklessness and blind ambition until Zeke has committed a series of colossal and fatal blunders , subjecting his men to unspeakable privation, hunger, cold and d anger. When the crew finally refuses to accompany Zeke on a foolh ardy mission and he goes off alone and does not return on schedul e, Erasmus is placed in an exquisite dilemma: whether to force th e men to gamble on Zeke's unlikely survival as the ice closes in for a second winter, or?as he knows he must do?abandon the ship a nd begin a harrowing trek over land and water in hope of rescue. Erasmus's eventual return home, where he is scorned by journalist s, who accuse him of cowardice, and by his sister, Lavinia, who i s bereft of her hopes of marriage, is underscored by further iron ies so potent that readers will finish the last third of the book in a fever of anticipation and dread. As Barrett describes the p rovisioning of the Narwhal, the flora and fauna of the arctic, th e turbulent seas and breathtaking scenery, the plot seems slow to develop. But her careful depiction of all the characters?a human e ship's doctor; a cook who survived the Irish famine; and, back in Philadelphia, spirited Alexandra Copeland, whose presence in t he Wells household as companion to Lavinia eventually leads to an affecting love story?deepens the narrative texture. Meanwhile, t he extremes of both human behavior and nature?looming icebergs, f atal accidents, episodes of heroism, grisly discoveries of lost s hips and dead men, the inexorable tyranny of winter darkness?are described with an accuracy that make one forget that this is not a memoir but a work of the imagination. The denouement, when it a rrives, is a triumph: a confluence of justice, retribution, spiri tual faith, metamorphosis and love. Maps and illustrations. Agent , Wendy Weil; editor, Carol Houk Smith. Copyright 1998 Reed Busi ness Information, Inc. From Library Journal In 1855, the Narwhal sets sail on a mission to find Sir John Franklin, lost while exp loring the Arctic. On board is timid naturalist Erasmus Wells, wh ose sister is affianced to the ship's commander, Zeke Voorhees. T he Arctic waters may be unforgiving, but they're not nearly as da ngerous as Zeke's overriding ambition to make his name by finding Franklin. Barrett puts us on the deck of that ship, letting us f eel the fear and the bitter cold; her prose has all the brillianc e and heft of a looming iceberg. A novel of 19th-century grandeur that exhibits 20th-century sleekness and control. Copyright 199 9 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Barrett has alre ady won the National Book Award for Ship Fever , but her newest b ook, a dynamic and insightful historical novel, is even more priz eworthy. Once again, Barrett has steeped herself in the past, in this case, the annals of Arctic exploration, and responded with k eenly perception and original fiction rich with imaginative foray s into the minds of both real-life people and invented characters . Her focus is the 1855 voyage of the Narwhal, which was organize d to find the lost expedition of Sir John Franklin, but in this t elling metamorphoses into something far more complicated due to t he passions of the captain and his close associate, the scholarly naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells. Their Arctic ordeal is a classi c tale of the sea complete with mythic danger, maniacal quests, a nd the terrible beauty and dangers of the ocean itself. Authorita tive and imaginative on all fronts, Barrett tells a gripping stor y shaped by masterful interpretations of the paradigms of science and the volatile nature of the mind, a wilderness every bit as c hallenging as the forbidding Arctic. Donna Seaman Review The Voy age of the Narwhal shows near total mastery of the craft of ficti on. This suspenseful tale of 19th-century Arctic exploration is a s awesome as a great expanse of polar ice, as stately and powerfu l as a frozen floating mountain and as beautiful as a tall sailin g ship in a frigid sea. -- Cleveland Plain Dealer Recommended Boo ks, 8 November 1998 A finely crafted tale of 19th century explor ation....Sails into our imagination and conscience, a journey of true discovery. -- Los Angeles Woodland Hills Daily News, The Bes t Books of 1998, Carlin Romano and Michael D. Schaffer, 3 January 1999 Barrett transports readers to a vast and stunning land at a time when it held the world's imagination in its grip. Through her skill as a novelist, a century a half later it still does. -- Seattle Times, Tim McNulty, 27 September 1998 Barrett's fifth b ook is a stunning novel that marries the meticulous detail and na tural wonder of 19th century travelogue with a modern understandi ng of the genre....Barrett infuses the manly myths of arctic adve nture with human honesty. -- Book magazine, Elizabeth Welch, Janu ary 1999 Barrett, a skilled author whose story collection Ship F ever won a 1996 National Book Award, is adept at creating a blend of drama and science that is informative, gripping, and thorough ly entertaining. -- Castro Valley Forum, Charles King, 2 December 1998 Every year, one book emerges as the perfect all-around gif t for story lovers. The raves have already been launched for Nati onal Book Award winner Andrea Barrett's fifth novel, The Voyage o f the Narwhal, the Cold Mountain of this season. Barrett's gift f or relating historical fact to the human condition is obvious in this story... -- Portland Willamette Week, Susan Wickstrom, 9 Dec ember 1998 Exceptional research and detail, a big story--adventu rers sailing to the North Pole--made this so good our reviewer wa nted to forget it all so she could start over and be surprised ag ain. -- Detroit Free Press, The Best Books of 1998, Linnea Lannon , 18 December 1998 No sooner do we bemoan the dearth of ambitiou s American women novelists of ideas than Andrea Barrett delivers this grand, intelligent, wide-ranging work. With elegance and eco nomy, she's pulled off a seemingly impossible feat: critiquing th e complacent authority of the 19th century novel in a book that's, W W Norton & Co Inc, 1998, 3, Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the mor e impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her p lace as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colone l Christopher "Chief" Hart. Although it's an enticing offer, Gill ian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied wit h whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that d ay will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch c ould have unexpected consequences. Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with hi m is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning poli ce arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her belo ved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the wa lls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, alon g with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chi ef to the crime. Dissatisfied with the official police investigat ion, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on the ir own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than ans wers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies i n wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina. ., Doubleday Book Clubs, 2001, 4<
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults… More...
Doubleday Book Clubs. Near Fine. HArdback. 2001. It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina L loyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the mor e impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her p lace as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colone l Christopher "Chief" Hart. Although it's an enticing offer, Gill ian declines for a very personal reason --- she's preoccupied wit h whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that d ay will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch c ould have unexpected consequences. Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina --- in fact the evening with hi m is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning poli ce arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her belo ved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the wa lls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, alon g with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chi ef to the crime. Dissatisfied with the official police investigat ion, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on the ir own ... and find themselves uncovering more questions than ans wers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child ... and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies i n wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin --- Melina. ., Doubleday Book Clubs, 2001, 4<
2001
ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Hardcover. 469 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club… More...
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Hardcover. 469 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. *** CONDITION: Very Good book with Very Good dust jacket ... Front end page and half-title page are clipped. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: What began as a lark turned into a tragedy...leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342.. 9781876590451, Doubleday Book Club, 2001, 3<
2001, ISBN: 1876590459
[EAN: 9781876590451], Gebraucht, sehr guter Zustand, [PU: Doubleday Book Club, Australia], CRIME FICTION BZDB5 FICTION; THE SWITCH, Jacket, 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has … More...
[EAN: 9781876590451], Gebraucht, sehr guter Zustand, [PU: Doubleday Book Club, Australia], CRIME FICTION BZDB5 FICTION; THE SWITCH, Jacket, 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and half-title page are clipped. What began as a lark turned into a tragedy.leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342. The photo of this book is of the actual book for sale.<
2001, ISBN: 9781876590451
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and hal… More...
Doubleday Book Club, Australia, 2001. Book Club Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 469 pages. Edgewear to boards. Dust jacket has minor bumping to edges. Front end page and half-title page are clipped. What began as a lark turned into a tragedy...leaving Gillian Lloyd dead, the victim of a brutal and seemingly unmotivated crime. Her twin Melina, along with astronaut "Chief" Hart-with whom Gillian had been involved-disagrees with the police that the homicide is an open and shut case. She vows to stop at nothing to learn the truth and avenge her twin's death. But Gillian's murder has a far-reaching impact that no one suspected or could even fathom. Soon, Melina is on the run from the police, the FBI, and the mastermind whose evil plot to engineer the perfect "switch" could result in disastrous consequences on a global scale. Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; Crime; ISBN: 1876590459. ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451. Inventory No: 11020342.. 9781876590451, Doubleday Book Club, 2001<
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Details of the book - The Switch
EAN (ISBN-13): 9781876590451
ISBN (ISBN-10): 1876590459
Hardcover
Publishing year: 2001
Publisher: Doubleday Book Club
Book in our database since 2010-04-30T15:13:45-04:00 (New York)
Detail page last modified on 2023-02-14T10:17:20-05:00 (New York)
ISBN/EAN: 9781876590451
ISBN - alternate spelling:
1-876590-45-9, 978-1-876590-45-1
Alternate spelling and related search-keywords:
Book author: sandra
Book title: the switch
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