Exotic fare Rating:
4 / 5
A tasty treat for those interested in stuff off the beaten path. If you're tired of the usual narrative boiler plate, head for the luxuriant settings of Paul Stein's odyssey. Where's Namerow's next?
A Dynamic Memoir of Love, Corruption, and Self-Discovery Rating:
5 / 5
David Namerow has penned a memorable work which sticks in the mind like a dart in a bullseye. It is a poignant novel about Paul Stein, a young man destined to face the realities of a world he fell into without having at his disposal all of the cultural equipment necessary to comfortably negotiate a traditional adjustment. Without compromising the plot details, let it be said that the narrative moves quickly, the characters are etched with consummate skill, and the quality of the prose rivals (in more than one passage) the best Hemmingway ever wrote. Paul's interaction with Ellie, the Atea, is an absolutely brilliant portrait of the mind of a truly "noble savage." Beyond this , the novel encompasses unforgettable accounts of passion and revenge which can only be appreciated by reading them in Mr. Namerow's inimatible style. This is a book worth reading, not only for its literary merit, but for its capacity to touch the universal spirit of all people who strive to dig into life with the hope of salvaging its treasures. Paul Stein is not perfect, and those he embraces in the novel reflect the consequences of their compatibility with his character in ways which sometimes prove to have dire consequences in their own lives. BAMBOO is a book which will delight anyone interested in multicultural literature. Within the scope of its 282 pages, the author achieves a saga of near epic proportions filled with action, intrigue, and romance. More importantly, this is a work which needs to be read because of the quality of its craft. David Namerow demonstrates, in this book, an unusual facility in capturing the Phillipino mentality in terms congenial to those who otherwise might overlook its import. BAMBOO is a work that offers a "multicultural bridge" worthy of repeated traverse to anyone interested in understanding elements which unify a grasp of the human spirit.
Beautifully Written! Rating:
5 / 5
A moving book, one so well written that I felt the humidity and beauty of the exotic islands, and the palpable fear of the big-city life. Not only is the story gripping, but it also teaches and shares the thoughts and lives of a proud land. Well done! A "must-read."
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