On his twenty-fifth birthday, Leo Vincey opens the silver casket that his father has left to him. It contains a letter recounting the legend of a white sorceress who rules an African tribe and his father's quest to find this remote race. To find out for himself if the story is true, Leo and his companions set sail for Zanzibar. There, he is brought face to face with Ayesha, She-who-must-be-obeyed : dictator, femme fatale, tyrant and beauty. She has been waiting for centuries for the truedescendant of Kallikrates, her murdered lover, to arrive, and arrive he does -- in an unexpected form. Blending breathtaking adventure with a brooding sense of mystery and menace, She is a story of romance, exploration, discovery and heroism that has lost none of its power to enthrall. Patrick Brantlinger's introduction discusses H. Rider Haggard's experience of Empire, and how he took the Africa of his fantasies and wove its magic into She. This edition also contains further reading and explanatory notes.
She
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Ayesha is She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, a 2,000-year-old queen who rules a fabled lost city deep in a maze of African caverns. She has the occult wisdom of Isis, the eternal youth and beauty of Aphrodite, and the violent appetite of a lamia. Like A. Conan Doyle's Lost World, She is one of those magnificent Victorian yarns about an expedition to a far-off locale shadowed by magic, mystery, and death.
Tim Stout writes, in Horror: 100 Best Books, "As the plot takes hold one has the fancy that [Ayesha] had always existed, in some dark dimension of the imagination, and that [H. Rider] Haggard was the fortunate author to whom she chose to reveal herself." Haggard did, in fact, write this book in a six-week burst of feverish inspiration: "It came faster than my poor aching hand could set it down," he later said.
This edition of the 1887 classic features an introductory essay by literary critic Regina Barreca, who likens Ayesha to Flaubert's Madame Bovary or Tolstoy's Anna Karenina--"literally fantastic female figures who must be stopped before they love again." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“The Broadview edition of She represents a benchmark in Rider Haggard studies. Situating She within a broad array of cultural documents on race, gender, empire, and archaeology, Andrew M. Stauffer has created an invaluable resource for contextualizing this fascinating adventure story within the ambulatory scope of the late-Victorian scientific and geographical imaginary. This edition will provide students, scholars, and the general reader alike with a sound foundation for reading (and rereading) Haggard’s classic novel.” (Shawn Malley )
"Professor Stauffer's editing is an exemplary case of textual stewardship: great care without imposition. His introduction is not only authoritative and lucid but stylistically engaging, as energetic as the novel itself—an ideal introduction for first-time readers. The appendix topics are exactly what is needed, and the materials included provide an excellent context. The selection of non-fiction pieces by Haggard himself on questions of genre, imperialism, archaeology, and gender roles provides especially valuable insights into the author, the novel, and the times." (J. Jeffrey Franklin ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
"Professor Stauffer's editing is an exemplary case of textual stewardship: great care without imposition. His introduction is not only authoritative and lucid but stylistically engaging, as energetic as the novel itself—an ideal introduction for first-time readers. The appendix topics are exactly what is needed, and the materials included provide an excellent context. The selection of non-fiction pieces by Haggard himself on questions of genre, imperialism, archaeology, and gender roles provides especially valuable insights into the author, the novel, and the times." (J. Jeffrey Franklin ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
By Dan Riley
Format:Paperback
The "lost tribe" myth was not a new concept to Victorian audiences. Ideas of primitive civilizations hidden throughout the world were rampant in English society at the time of H. Rider Haggard. As such, Haggard did not invent the "lost tribe" concept--he merely used it as a vessel for popular fiction about Africa.
It is important to keep in mind that H. Rider Haggard was an Imperialist, as were the majority of his contemporaries. Still, the themes of misogyny, racism, and imperialism are at times a little too heavy-handed in She. Haggard's anti-feminine stance, in particular, comes into full swing when the reader is introduced to the despotic matriarchal queen of the Amahagger tribe. The Amahagger society itself is a direct inverse of male-dominated Victorian society, so there is no surprise that the Amahagger are portrayed as uncivilized cannibals.
If for no other reason, you should read this book to get an understanding of the xenophobia inherent in Victorian society. This book is an invaluable aid to any student of 19th century English literature--it effectively portrays English attitudes towards women, foreigners, and colonization. It's also a very exciting book, so most students will find it easy to read in a single weekend.
So, why only 3 stars? The writing is not amazing. Haggard was, after all, a genre novel author. At times, the allusions are extremely heavy-handed, and the characters are archetypical. This is a plot-driven book, but it could have been much better if Haggard had paid more attention to his characters. They had the potential to be very fascinating. Also, there are better examples of 19th century English literature about Africa. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a vastly superior novel, but it also has an antipodal take on the positives and negatives of imperialism. If you have the time, I would suggest reading both novels to get a feel for both sides of the discussion on British Imperialism.
By bernie
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio Cassette
When it comes to women H. Rider Haggard has the inside track as revealed in this "Show and tell" novel. We see the workings and wonders of the nineteenth century mind. You may also find some interesting attitudes towards the other people in Holly's crew.
I have read some different versions of the book and found the Barns & Noble books New York (ISBN 0760752400) to have the best introduction (by Clifton Ganyard) that falls just short of Cliff's Notes in explaining Haggard's background and writings. The illustrations are the same as in the Modern Library version but are clearer and larger. You get to see the writing on a potshard that I have not taken the time to see if it is a real language. Of all the versions I prefer most the recording with narrator Fred Williams; at first he seems to be monotone and out of breath. Then as he approaches the adventure he picks up a bit. By the time he comes to the cliff hanger he is huffing and puffing. He actually has the sound and feel of some old person recalling a long past adventure.
Holly is visited by his dying friend in the middle of the night. He is sworn to secrecy and given a mysterious chest to hold onto and asked to take charge of the friend's son (Leo). When the time came to open the chest and find the contents, the adventure began. I will not relate the story as it is the unfolding that is a good part of the mystery. However if you are expecting an adventure story It is there but there is much more with philosophical discussions of science and society.
The story is over way too soon so be sure to get the next book "
Ayesha: The return of She."
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
*She* is the prequel to H. Rider Haggard's better known *King Solomon's Mines.* The book is a mystery and an adventure of the mind...Ludwig Holly and his young ward journey to central Africa and encounter Ayesha, known as She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. Who "She" is and what "She" desires of one of the protagonists is the crux of the mystery. Most of the action takes place in Holly's head as he and Leo traverse the eerie landscape of Ayesha's past. A real page-turner with some strong questions about love, desire, and the will to live. A great ending puts the capstone on this masterpiece of fiction.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Movie Material
What a book! How many movies, and scenes, and other books have been spawned from this one. Some scenes have been duplicated exactly, like the marching army of skeletons and the... Read more
Published on Nov 3 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
"the eternal feminine" unfrocked
When the young psychologist Sigmund Freud picked up this book, it presented him with the idea of the Anima or eternal feminine, which as a concept was picked and enlarged by his... Read more
Published on Sep 25 2001 by Sarakani
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dramatic scenes of adventure, but a bit hard to read
H. Rider Haggard's style is the ornate, 19th century melodrama style. There is none of the stylish repartee of Conan Doyle or the sharp characterization of Dickens. Read more
Published on Aug 28 2001 by Joanna Daneman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Blockbuster from the Victorian Period.
"She" is a good example of popular Victorian literature as influenced by the British empire. Because of this, it has some literary merit. Read more
Published on Jun 26 2001 by Adam E. Silbestein
3.0 out of 5 stars
A very scary book
I found this book VERY freaky. I listened to the unabridged recording of it, and I am glad, beacuse the lengthy descriptions would have been VERY hard for me to cope with. Read more
Published on Jun 11 2001 by Duck
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Fantasy
This is one of the few books that J. R. R. Tolkien admitted had influenced him. C. S. Lewis wrote appreciatively about Haggard (see the book ON STORIES by Lewis). Read more
Published on Jan 11 2001 by Extollager
5.0 out of 5 stars
SHE
TIME.LOVE.BEAUTY.Intertwined PASSON and JEALOUSY, CELESTIAL and EVIL. "SHE" will forever shines with her own philosophical beauty. I first read this story when I was 12. Read more
Published on Jan 1 2000 by winston chao
5.0 out of 5 stars
SHE
TIME.LOVE.BEAUTY.Intertwined PASSON and JEALOUSY, CELESTIAL and EVIL. "SHE" will forever shines with her own philosophical beauty. I first read this story when I was 12. Read more
Published on Jan 1 2000 by winston chao
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent--would make a great EPIC movie!
"She" is the ultimate woman; intelligent, all-powerful, & knows what she wants. All men fall on their knees when they see her. Read more
Published on May 31 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Haggard masterpiece.
SHE is an excellent escape into the hidden depths of the dark continent. Once again, Haggard spins a tale as entertaining and educational as KING SOLOMON'S MINES and ALLAN... Read more
Published on April 4 1999
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