Flowers of Point Reyes National Seashore

Book Description

Point Reyes National Seashore is a 70,000-acre park with a wonderfully rugged coastline, miles of wide sandy beaches, dense forests, pastoral grasslands, and an astonishing variety of plant and animal life. This book describes all the interesting places on and around the national seashore and tells you how to get to them. It includes maps and information on the main trails for hikers, backpackers, bicyclists, and equestrians, as well as descriptions of picnic spots and campgrounds.

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Deeply satisfying read!

Great characters

Blackthorn Winter

Sarah Challis Weaves Endearing Characters Into Charming Village Tale

Blackthorn Winter

Blackthorn Winter
Sarah Challis
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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First Friends: A Novel

The Dower House

A Friend of the Family

The Birdcage: A Novel

Turning for Home

ASIN: 0312324561

Book Description

In April, when blackthorn blossom clothes the hedgerows like a wedding veil, there sometimes comes a spell of frost or snow so severe that it seems as if spring and summer will never return. This is what country people call a blackthorn winter.

For Claudia Barron, the blackthorn winter of that particular April is like a metaphor for her whole life: for the end of glamour, financial security and marriage. Her rich and powerful husband has been sent to prison, leaving her homeless and virtually penniless. Hopeless to cling to the remnants of her old life, pointless to stand by a man who has betrayed her in almost every way a man can betray a woman.

Instead she goes into hiding, buys the only house she can afford in the Dorset village of Court Barton - a hideous bungalow built in an old kitchen garden - and changes her name. Under a cloak of anonymity she sets out to get herself a job in the local school. But villages don't much like anonymity and before very long Claudia finds herself drawn into the gossip and the grumbling, the lives and loves and quarrels of Court Barton in a way that she had never expected. Blackthorn winters do always give way to spring in the end.

Customer Reviews:

Deeply satisfying read!.......2007-09-25

Great human elements. Wish my small town could adapt some of Ms. Challis' well-developed empathy. Vivid, multigenerational characters are portrayed realistically. Her descriptions of local flora and fauna provide visions of thick hedges, stone walls, thickly-wooled sheep. Finished with a big smile and a cup of hot tea with milk - not a bad commendation for a summer-read in Georgia!

Great characters.......2007-07-02

I've run out of Maeve Binchy books and this was a great substitute! I love getting to know the characters in the little towns and this book entertains with just that. I am going to be buying more of Sarah Challis's books.

Blackthorn Winter.......2007-01-20

Enjoyed very much. Readers who are Rosemund Pilcher amd Marsha Willet fans will also like Sarah Challis'works.

Sarah Challis Weaves Endearing Characters Into Charming Village Tale.......2006-08-28

This was my first Sarah Challis novel and I found her delightful characters living in a charming English village completely captivating. Readers who are enchanted by Rosamunde Pilcher and Marcia Willett will find Challis to be an equally enjoyable writer to spend time with.

Claudia Barron has led a glitzy and glamorous life in London. Alas, her well-known husband has recently been splattered across the tabloids, convicted of fraud, and exposed as an adulterer. Humiliated, Claudia flees to an inconspicuous village and hopes to live anonymously and detached from fair-weather friends. Even though she changes her name, her reclusive behavior causes mumblings in the village and before she can say "no comment" she has been thrust into a cast of characters as endearing as any you would want to meet: Julia Durnford, her nosey parker neighbor who manages every detail of the village; Peter, Julia's milquetoast husband; their daughter Victoria who is feeling the pangs of being the left-out and lonely teenager at boarding school; Jena, the ten-year old gypsy who runs free; and Valerie, the semi-alcoholic neighbor to whom Claudia can reveal her secrets. Add to this mix, Claudia's visiting adult children: the lively Lila who flies in from New York and Jerome, the brooding son who returns from India with a secret too devastating to share. And finally, there are the two available men who catch Claudia's eye---will she succumb to the sexy and suave Anthony Brewer or be stabilized by Chris, the straightforward widower with four daughters?

Cozy and comforting, this is a most appealing novel I was sad to see end.

Blackthorn Winter.......2005-07-10

Very hard to get into.... I'm almost 1/2 way and can still put it down easily.............

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Blackthorn Winter reveiw by Julie D.
Such a good book -- a review by Nina
Blackthorn Winter
An Exciting Coming-of-Age Mystery

Blackthorn Winter
Kathryn Reiss
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152054790

Book Description

The last place fifteen-year-old Juliana wants to be is halfway around the world in Blackthorn, England, an idyllic seaside artists' colony her mother has dragged her off to while her parents weather a trial separation. Juliana misses her father terribly and doesn't understand why her mother needs to travel so far to resurrect her artistic self, which she claims to have lost in the marriage.

Soon after they arrive in the tiny village of Blackthorn, the artists' colony is set on its heels by the murder of one of its own. Juliana feels compelled to solve the crime, but she is shocked and frightened when it seems that clues in the matter are hitting a little too close to home. Can she figure out who the murderer is before anyone else--herself included--gets hurt?

Customer Reviews:

Blackthorn Winter reveiw by Julie D........2006-03-19

In one of her latest novels, Blackthorn Winter, Kathryn Reiss puts everything you would think of in a mystery, and more into the plot. This book wasn't just your average "who done it" mystery; it included drama, suspense, and more. I have to say, I have read a lot of mysteries in my life, and this one definitely is on the top of my list. Some mysteries are a little unrealistic, but this one I could understand how she was feeling, and it all seemed real to me.
When Juliana Martin-Drake's parents split, her mom drags her and her two other siblings off to a small artist's town in England, called Blackthorn Village. Juliana is adopted, and can't remember anything from before she was five years old. When she arrives in Blackthorn, she starts to have strange dreams, and gets a sense of insecurity. Just when the Martin-Drake family starts to get settled in to their small cottage, one of their close friends is murdered. A prime suspect was immediately arrested, but Juliana was sure that he was innocent. When Juliana started looking into the murder more, she makes a shocking discovery. While all of that was going on, there was more drama; new friends, and even a boy named Duncan. Kathryn Reiss does a great job of making the dialog of the people interesting. For example, a very uneducated person, had very poor speech, and she wrote it like that. All of those little details made the story more realistic. Sometimes I felt like I was inside the book; when Juliana felt someone watching her, I would actually look around the room.
If I was asked what the main tone, or feeling of this book was, I would have to say suspense. I know I say it a lot, but that's what the book mainly was; full of suspense. There were many moments when I felt my own heart pounding. I have to say, the ending of this novel was only average. It wasn't great, but on the other hand, it wasn't totally horrible. It was basically the typical mystery ending; the criminal is arrested, and everyone is happy. There were a few more little details, such as Juliana finding out who her dead mother's parents are. I just wish that the author had extended the ending a little farther. I would have liked to see what Juliana's grandparents were like.
Overall, Blackthorn Winter was a great book. It included all of the great key things that need to be in a mystery. It can be a little scary at times, but that's what makes you never want to put it down. Trust me, I know; I spent a couple hours at a time reading this book. I would recommend this great book to a person who enjoys mysteries and suspense. You won't be disappointed.

Such a good book -- a review by Nina.......2006-03-05

This book is one of the best books I've ever read. Its about a girl named Juliana whose family goes to live in England. A friend of the family mysteriously gets murdered and Juliana must find out who has done it.
A very exciting book indeed - I recommend every one of Kathryn Reiss' books - all are terrific.

Blackthorn Winter.......2006-02-17

Sunny skies and warm beaches was the life for fifteen year-old Juliana Martin-Drake. All of this
would change when her mother moves to Blackthorn, an "artist's paradise", on the coast of
England. Along with her two siblings, Edmund and Ivy, (more often referred to as the Goops) she
and her mother arrive in Blacthorn, and they meet her mother's old (literally) friend, Liza
Pethering, who didn't have a good looking appearance. She looked like a witch: old, black hair,
a crooked nose, and an attitude that could drive anyone mad. Juliana especially meets a
British teen named Duncan, whose stepfather, Quent Carrington, is renting her family an old
stone cottage, and is a talented sculptor, too. She also meets a photographer who's referred to
as Kate, whose mother, Celia Glendenning, isn't a fan of Liza Pethering either. It seems in
Blackthorn that everyone's against Liza Pethering, but no one pays any attention until she's
found dead in a stream after leaving the party drunk. The suspected killer, Simon Jukes, is
arrested and taken to the police. All is well until his brother keeps claiming that he's innocent,
and she suspects that maybe someone else killed Liza Perthering, and not Simon Jukes. That's
when she find's out the clues. First, in her own house, she discovers a bloodstain on the floor, and notices that a couple pieces of jewelry that was given to her mother was missing. One of them,
a beach rock, could have been used to knock Liza out, and then she would have been dragged
to the stream where she would have drowned. Then she finds the evidence that whoever did
this did use the rock, which was found in the stream. Then, Juliana finds a beach stone on her
porch threatening for her family to go home to America. All of a sudden, Juliana finds out
about her past, and figures out who has commited the crime: Quent Carrington, her family's
landlord, and Duncan's stepfather. After getting chased down an underground tunnel, Juliana
learns Quent's motive: jealousy. After Liza Pethering became such an accomplished artist, he
killed her. Either way, Juliana becomes a local hero, and even her father moves to England
where her family is finally reunited. Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, is an excellent novel
to read because of its suspense, its adventure, and how the English countryside is accurately
described.

Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, is an excellent novel to read because of its great suspense.
Throughout the novel, there are exerts that would literally put the reader on the edge of his or her
seat. In the later section of the book, Juliana is coming home from a trek around the town when
she hears something. A loud flush is heard, and a door opens - the bathroom door, as Celia
Glendenning comes out of it. Another is when Juliana is being chased down the underground
tunnel. Built during the Middle Ages, the tunnel is dark, damp, and has a fork in it or two. This will
make the reader think, "Which path should she take?" or, "Will it be a dead end?" Blackthorn
Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, has enough suspense for anyone who like to read books. This is a
complete must for people who are mystery fans, or fans of thrillers, too.

Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, is a book that is an absolute must for those who crave
adventure. The novel has several portions in which adventure would cause the reader to be
caught up into reading it. In one section, Juliana is constantly trying to discover the real culprit
of the mystery, and finds out being caught up being entagled in another mystery, one of her past.
Being adopted at the age of five, Juliana has never known her biological parents, until she sees
a flashback that relates to the current mystery in Blackthorn. Her mother and father, homeless
teenagers, were trying to raise their child, soon to be called Juliana. Her father, who died in
a motorcycle accident, and her mother, who died of a drug overdose, left her in the "care" of one
of her friends. Juliana then remembers where her mother was left to die: in a closet. All of this
adventure leads Juliana to discover who the real culprit of the mystery is. All of this adventure
makes those who are reading the novel spellbound, and they will want to read more and more
until the novel is over.

This novel, Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, is an excellent novel to get interrested into
because of its accurate description of the English countryside, its people, and its culture. The
author, Kathryn Reiss, wrote what a normal English person would say. All of the right vocabulary
was used, such as the word telly instead of T.V., and all of the different foods are described
correctly, like chips, or french fries. Any person from the United States who is going to visit
England should definitely read this novel.

Blackthorn Winter, by Kathryn Reiss, is a great novel to look into because it has a thrilling
suspense, an exciting adventure, and has the right aspects of a book. Although all of the
characters were fake, it told a story that matched what ordinary people would say. I would
reccomend this novel to anyone who likes to read because it has all of the elements of a
spectacular mystery. I rate this story a total of five stars out of five.

A. Chappell

An Exciting Coming-of-Age Mystery.......2006-02-02

Juliana Martin-Drake has enough on her mind. Her mother has dragged her and her brother and sister halfway around the world in an effort to "find herself" as an artist. Not only does Juliana miss her dad, she worries that her parents will be getting a divorce. Then there's trying to fit into the artist's colony at Blackthorn.

Everything is different in England. Juliana misses the California sunshine, along with her private American bathroom and her gregarious friends. She doesn't know anyone in England; when she speaks to them, she only understands about half of what they're saying. And of course there's the tiny matter of her memory. Juliana can't remember anything from the time before she was adopted, at age 5. It has always bothered her, but --- somehow here in England, separated from almost everything familiar --- it seems even worse.

So the last thing she needs is to be involved in a murder mystery. But when someone bashes neighboring artist Liza Pethering on the back of the head and then leaves her in a river to drown, Juliana finds herself caught up in the drama. Everyone else seems relieved and almost happy when the police arrest the ne'er-do-well of the neighborhood, Simon Jukes. But to Juliana, things just don't add up. There are so many other people with better motives: Liza's henpecked husband; the local patron of the arts who's enraged by the cruel portrait Liza painted of her; the girl Liza recently fired, whose response was to wish Liza dead; and maybe even Juliana's own mother.

Despite mysterious warnings to back off, Juliana continues to investigate. The closer she gets to a solution, the more difficult she finds it to shake the feeling that this is all tied up with her own mysterious past. Will she succeed in unraveling the mystery before the murderer decides to make her the next victim?

BLACKTHORN WINTER is an exciting combination of a novel about coming-of-age angst and a mystery. Kathryn Reiss does a good job of devoting equal time to each aspect, and of integrating the two themes into a great read. With believable characters, a fascinating setting and a compulsively readable mystery, BLACKTHORN WINTER is a wonderful addition to anyone's library.

--- Reviewed by Paula Jolin

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Blackthorn Winter
Douglas Wilson
Manufacturer: Veritas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932168109

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A Blackthorn Winter
Peter Webster
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1411681088

Book Description

Pursuit, life, love and revenge in the English countryside. Captain Mark Wynstanley, ex SAS, is a man on the run pursued by the Provisional IRA. He finds a safe house in rural Kent, where he tries to realise his vision of Arcadia and recuperate through the healing powers of love and nature. However, unexpected encounters and events, linked to his past, play havoc with his new found tranquillity, and he becomes increasingly disillusioned . . .

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A BLACKTHORN WINTER
PETER WEBSTER
Manufacturer: Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SBRQW6

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Blackthorn Winter
Townend C
Manufacturer: Brockhampton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1860196101

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Blackthorn Winter
Sarah Challis
Manufacturer: Headline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OIGKXO

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Blackthorn Winter
Carol Townend
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0747206716

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Blackthorn Winter Comprehensive Guide

Manufacturer: Veritas Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Blackthorn Winter

ASIN: 1932168117

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Blackthorn Winter: A Murder Mystery
Kathryn Reiss
Manufacturer: Harcourt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152061096

Book Description

With her parents on a trial separation, the last thing fifteen-year-old Juliana wants is to be dragged by her mother to an artists' colony in England. Halfway across the world, Juliana misses her father terribly. But soon she has bigger worries when the sleepy town of Blackthorn is set on its heels by the murder of one of its own. Juliana feels compelled to solve the crime, but she is shocked and frightened when she uncovers clues that have chilling parallels to her own mysterious past. Can she figure out who the murderer is before anyone else--herself included--gets hurt?

Book Description

Alice Middleton Boring was a feisty, head-strong biologist who spent much of her adult life teaching in China during some of the most tumultuous times in the country's history. She found herself continually distracted from teaching her students and pursuing her own research by civil war, revolution, the Japanese occupation, World War II, including her internment and repatriation, and the subsequent upheaval which resulted in the creation of a socialist society. Throughout the turmoil, she continued to publish scientific papers, pragmatically changing her research emphasis from cytology and genetics to the taxonomy of Chinese reptiles and amphibians. In spite of her traumatic experiences, she remained deeply influenced by her time in China long after her return to America. Loyalty to the Chinese people and an almost evangelical appreciation of her adopted culture permeated the rest of her personal and professional life.

Book Description

Joyce Carol Oates's selected early stories. Oates has chosen twenty-seven of her early stories, many of them O. Henry Award and/or Best American Short Story selections, for this volume, the only collection of her early stories available.

Customer Reviews:

You'll be charmed by Oates' world.......2005-08-15

There must be a lot of people, who became Oates'fans after they read "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" Typically, Teenagers tend to disobey adults like their parents and teachers and to be self-centered. Heroine Connie is such a girl. Connie's charactor will arouse sympathy from readers. There must be many points that we used to think and behave like her when we were teenagers.
Connie is a self-centered girl. She is not chummy with her family and always resists her mother. She does not go to a church, does not help her mother, is not interested in family matters, and looks down on people. She cares her appearance, hangs out with her friends, likes shopping, and listens to rock'n rolls. She is, so-called, a typical rebellious teenager. One day, a mysterious guy shows up and causes something wired for her.
Joyce Carol Oates, the author of this novel, has been recieved many awards. This work was made into the movie, retitled for "Smooth Talk." This book will attract you and is worth reading. I think you will like it.

award-winning author for a REASON!.......2003-10-26

It bothers me to imagine people who are interested in finding out more about the works of Joyce Carol Oates may not buy this book because there aren't any really in-depth reviews of it. So I'd like to give you my insight into the novel.

I first became interested in Oates after reading "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been", the short story, for a college English course. After reading the story, I was instantly hooked. It is EXCELLENT, and so worthy of being read you could buy the book for that reason alone. I went on to write a fairly large essay on it simply because I enjoyed it so much, and I felt the need to analyze it so that I could better understand what is behind the story. If I had not done so, I probably would be in the "I just didn't GET it" category like some of the other more casual readers.

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is, on the surface, a short story about a 15-year old girl named Connie. Connie is vain and self-involved, full of the sense of superiority that comes from being young and thinking you know everything. She has a strained relationship with her family. Connie believes her mother is jealous of her because the mother's looks have faded with age and children, while Connie is still young and beautiful. Connie's sister June is (in Connie's eyes) "chunky" and "plain". Connie enjoys looking down on other people, especially socially inept or unattractive boys.

One day her family is safely away at a barbecue, and a boy Connie has only once seen before while at a drive-through restaurant pulls up at her house accompanied by a male friend. Typically, Connie is at first only conscious of her appearance--does she look nice enough to greet the semi-stranger? She is unaware of any danger at having a strange man/boy show up at her house while she is home alone. The guy--who introduces himself as "Arnold Friend"--invites Connie to go for a ride in his car. Connie first thinks Arnold is around her own age, but as she stares at him longer and longer suspects something strange is going on: "She could see then that he wasn't a kid, he was much older--thirty, maybe more". And indeed, something strange IS going on.

I don't want to give away the rest of the story. I think I'd rather leave you wondering what happens to Connie and if her parents show up in time to make Arnold high-tail it out of there. In fact, the story has a rather open-ended conclusion, but that makes it all the more tantalizing.

Like most of the stories in the novel, when you first read the short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" you are probably not going to immediately understand it. There are those who have said they despise Oates, but those are the people who won't like her writing because they don't WORK at it. Yes, you may have to WORK if you want to understand her stories. The best suggestion I can offer you is--READ EACH STORY THROUGH AT LEAST TWICE if you don't understand it the first time around! Don't get frustrated. Be willing to invest a little extra time in this book; you will be rewarded for your patience. I honestly believe it will be worth your while. You may find my suggestion boring and tedious. It's easy to simply give up on a story when you don't understand it right away. I urge you--don't make that mistake with this book.

Joyce Carol Oates is widely read for a REASON! The novel contains stories which received O. Henry Awards, in addition to other stories which were previously printed in such places as The American Literary Anthology and The Best American Short Stories. Again, Oates's work may not be the most easily comprehensible. But this is a very good collection of her works, and it will give you a great idea of her writing style. I hope you are as taken with it as I am.

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?".......2001-11-15

I'm actually reading the story "Where are you going, where have you been?" in my English 11 class. I'm looking for some help on interpreting it... I really don't understand it at all! I'm wondering if it is a dream sequence, or if it really "happened"... It reminds me of "The Yellow Wallpaper". I have no idea why... But it does. Anyone up to helping me get his story? My e-mail is ...

Somewhat unsettling but very well-written.......2001-07-16

There is something very unnerving to me about these stories, something that makes me feel exposed and unsettled. Many of the stories deal with awkwardness and youthful vulnerability, and the mood is contagious.

Regarding the famous title story "Where Are You Going", my husband suggested that it is a dream sequence about a young girl's decision to lose her virginity, rather than an actual occurrence. This makes it a little less tense ~ but only a little.

Every story is very well-written and captivating, though not exactly pleasant. These subjects are hard to look in the eye.

A perfect introduction to the works of Joyce Carol Oates.......2000-07-23

I first read "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" in a english course I took and it had such a profound effect on me I was prompted to pick up a copy of this book. To say the least her stories are profoundly moving, thought provoking and insightful. If you don't know much of her work, I would recomend this collection as a starter.

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" (Women Writers : Texts and Contexts)

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Rehashing a classic

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" (Women Writers : Texts and Contexts)
Joyce Carol Oates
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0813521351

Customer Reviews:

Rehashing a classic.......2004-07-02

This book is an interesting look at Joyce Carol Oates's short story, "Where are you going? Where have you been?". It includes articles about theories regarding the story and its 1980 movie version, but more importantly this edition includes the actual news article that inspired the lurid tale of Connie and A. Friend as well as Ms. Oates own comments on the piece.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Stories of Young America

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Stories of Young America

Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I810IA

Where are you going, where have you been? (Wraparound)

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Where are you going, where have you been? (Wraparound)
Joyce Carol Oates
Manufacturer: Perfection Form Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Where are you going, where have you been?: Stories of young America (A Fawcett premier book)

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Where are you going, where have you been?: Stories of young America (A Fawcett premier book)
Joyce Carol Oates
Manufacturer: Fawcett Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006CF0E8

Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?": A Study Guide from Gale's "Short Stories for Students" (Volume 01, Chapter 18)

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One of America's most contoversial stories
Questioning the last authors summary
Too Much Freedom and Not Enough

Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?": A Study Guide from Gale's "Short Stories for Students" (Volume 01, Chapter 18)

Manufacturer: The Gale Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: B00006G3OT
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Book Description

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

Turn to "Short Stories 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 story's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Short Stories for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale--and "Short Stories for Students."

Download Description

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

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

Why choose "Short Stories for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: The Gale Group--and "Short Stories for Students."

Customer Reviews:

One of America's most contoversial stories.......2006-12-17

Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" is, to the untrained reader, about a young, flirtatious girl named Connie who gets a visit from a boy she's never met before while her family is at a barbecue, as Connie fixes her hair at home. He offers Connie a ride, and after displaying great knowledge about Connie's personal life, saying that "her family won't be coming back for a while," Connie is persuaded, almost forced, to join him. The story ends.

But, there is a whole other side to this story. One thing will always represent another. Oates's clever use of symbolism really makes this story quite a challenge to dissect completely, even to a trained reader. A strongly feminist story, I recommend it.

Questioning the last authors summary.......2006-03-06

I just have a question, to the last reviewer, David...how do you KNOW that nothing bad happens to her and that in the end, she learns about the values of family, etc.

The last we hear, she knows that she has no defenses left, and steps out of the door. That her instincts are telling her she will never return.

That's IT. I heard there is a movie version, or some anaylsis that purports a good ending, but going strictly off the story, I don't see it.

Too Much Freedom and Not Enough.......2004-03-25

Adolescent girls probably since the dawn of time have been trying to elude the domineering gaze of their mothers in a time during their development where young females are creating their own identity and discovering who they really are and how they want to portray themselves to others. It's a juncture at which they are even more prone to seek independence and the discoveries of independence--a period when the teenage girl is (or is at least trying to) mature into womanhood. sometimes too quickly. Renowned feminist author Joyce Carol Oates very expertly tackles this issue in her 1965 short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

We're confronted with a young girl named Connie who just wants her own space, a girl who's tired of being told that she just doesn't measure up to her mother's high standard like her sister Jill; a girl who wants some romance--some love (or lust) in her life; an innocent naive girl who wants the freedom to meet and know boys but who is too young to understand that there are "good boys" and then there are "bad boys."

Connie goes out at night with her friend and meets a guy. They seem to have a good time together, but it's just one of those things where you have a good time and you wake up the next morning having forgotten much of what happened the night before. Life just goes on. At least that's the case with Connie. But she soon learns that that's not quite the case with the boy she met, named Arnold Friend. When her parents leave for a barbecue, she's left home all alone. She couldn't be happier. Finally she has her space, she has nobody talking down to her or criticizing her, she finally feels that spirit of freeom she so craves, which involves the lack of parental supervision and control. But in a very scary way she soon comes to know that this parental security is actually an important safety net, one that every adolescent needs. She comes to realize that independence has a price, and when a naive innocent unsuspecting teenager carelessly invites too much independence, it may turn out to be a dangerous thing.

As I say, Connie is alone in the house and the whole family is away--moreover, they're not expected to come back for a long while. Suddenly, Arnold Friend pulls up in front of her house with his shy music-listening friend. He calls for Connie to come out for a drive. Connie is quite started. She had not been expecting him. She seemingly can't even remember who he is. Arnold seems to know a lot about her, which naturally makes her uneasy given her ignorance of him. He keeps telling her to go for a ride in the car with him, but she refuses. After all, he's pretty much a stranger to her and he's actually quite a bit older than her, although he plays down his real age. The verbal exchange continues, and her anxiety and fear only grow as he peppers his insistent request with threats on her family and even her own life when it comes to telling her he can burn the house down over her head. She locks the door, but it's only a flimsy little screen door; she threatens to call the cops, but he threatens to break into the house if she does. The tension grows with every word, every gesture. Finally Connie loses it and there's no safety net to catch her. She's at the mercy of this obsessed psycho who only the night before came across as such a nice sweet studly type. She makes a feeble attempt to call the police, but it's no good. She's completely under his manipulative sway. She decides to face the consequences of her recklessness and leaves with Arnold rather than to test his threats. Fortunately nothing happens to her, and as a result, she learns the valuable lesson of being careful who you trust in life and what friends or male friends you make, and one is also convinced that by the end of the story, within her is born a new awareness of the meaning and value of family.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on March 22, 1994. The length of the article is 531 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.

Citation Details
Title: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?(Brief Article)
Author: James Knudsen
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1994
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v68 Issue: n2 Page: p369(2)

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

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Reamstown 240: You determine where you are going by reflecting where you have been

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Reamstown 240: You determine where you are going by reflecting where you have been
Ronald B Good
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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (A Tale Blazer Wraparound Book)

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Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (A Tale Blazer Wraparound Book)

Manufacturer: Tale Blazer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000AO98RM

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