Christine Amos

For the love of dogs, Mar 8 2004

This book is a throughly charming account of Elizabeth von Arnim's sometimes idyllic, sometimes challenging but always witty and amusing life with her beloved dogs. Her writing reflects the experiences of her happy days in Germany with her older husband, five children, and the beginning of many canine characters that inhabit her life. Elizabeth is widowed and moves on to England, Switzerland, and Provence. Each new stage of her life includes new dogs and many funny and poignant memories. She clearly loves her many dogs- some stand out among all of them as her favorites- and shares her life as enriched and enlivened by her dogs' companionship. Anyone who has ever loved and lost a dog… Read more

Over arranged and dated, Nov 7 2003

I loved Patricia Kaas in "And Now Ladies and Gentlemen" and I hoped to get a CD of her piano bar style as seen in the film. Unfortunately, this CD has horible arrangements and orchestration: echo-y, with a real dated sound of synthesized keyboard and electronic rhythm. Patricia Kaas would sound fabulous in a more "unplugged" version- ala Diana Krall, featuring her alluring voice and a simple piano, base and drum arrangement. This CD makes the songs sound very cheesy. Very disapointing!

A Beautiful novel, equally beautiful music, Oct 1 2001

Vikram Seth's novel, An Equal Music, is beautifully written and extremely evocative and melancholic. I only discovered the CD long after I read the book. At first I thought it might be a marketing gimmick but no longer (especially since Vikram Seth put his name on the CD as an implied endorsement). The music is beautiful and now that I have listened to it again and again, I think I'll re-read the book. I love R. Vaughn Williams and the "Lark Ascending" is so lovely and so well chosen by the author as an inspiration to the book's protagonist. I had to hear the Art of Fugue after the prominence placed on it (and the other pieces,too) in the book. I'd highly recommend this CD… Read more