Cold Mountain

Product Details

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• ISBN13: 9780802142849
• Prepare: New

Description

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This unabridged audio version of Cold Mountain, read by author Charles Frazier, deserves at least as much acclaim as the bestselling print edition, which won the National Book Award. The tale chronicles a Confederate army deserter's search for home and love in the last days of the Civil War.

Much has been made of the story's homage to The Odyssey, the origins of which are found in an oral tradition. One can't help but hear echoes of Homer when listening to Frazier's soft, deliberate voice give life to his lyrical writing and to his understated, yet convincing rendering of the overwhelming events of war. Both Frazier's prose and reading are leisurely, recalling a slow foot pace. His delivery is uniquely suited to Innman's arduous, adventure-filled walk toward home and to the possibility of a reunion with Ada, the woman he loves. The author's reading does equal justice to Ada, who is being transformed by her struggle for survival on her father's farm. There is precious little dialogue, and Frazier makes no effort at acting out the characters.

One small irritation in the production is a beeping noise at the end of each side. Another minor complaint is that the tapes don't have individual boxes, which was perhaps an attempt to make the overall package appear more booklike. The recording does, however, make deft use of two brief musical interludes. In a subtle twist, the fiddle music that opens the first cassette, when repeated as an accompaniment to the epilogue, carries a bittersweet and unexpected resonance. By all means, forgive Random House Audio the tiny glitches, pass over that slender abridged version, and take home the real thing. This audiocassette is a journey that will leave few listeners unchanged by the experience. (Running time: 14.5 hours, 12 cassettes) --Naomi J. Cohn

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Customer Reviews

Fabulous epic
What a beautiful book! It's really a modern epic that depicts a man's quest to go home after deflecting from fighting in the Civil War. The story is told from several perspectives, from both the man who left home and seeks to return and the women left behind. Everyone is seeking to rebuild their lives amidst the chaos of the war and is drawing strength from strong memories of the past and hope for a better future. The emotions evoked for me were those of longing, regret, hope, and love. This book gave me such a gratefulness to be "home." If you are missing the good old days of high school English class and are craving "literature" rather than plain "fiction," this would be an excellent choice. It is a transporting novel.

2010-06-04 (USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 4

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Wonderful Novel
This was an incredible novel. The wonderful descriptions and details of the scenery and battles makes you feel as though you can smell th blood from the wounds and hear the cannons fire. This novel contains all of the elements of a supreme novel.

2010-05-14 | Jenn (NH, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Careful use of language
Probably the outstanding element of Cold Mountain, in addition to the actual Civil War tale of desertion and wandering home to a beloved, is Frazier's use of language which reflects both the era and the region. History is more than a list of dates and events divorced from humans who are living those elements. Our Reader's Group shared a number of words we remembered our parents or grandparents using which we no longer use, e.g. my grandmother referred to her black skillet as a "spider." This, I learned, came from the legs once used on such pans for cooking in a fireplace. Language has its own romance which can enhance a good tale.

2010-04-21 | history lover (Seattle area, WA USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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I rarely give 5 stars...
I chose to read this book like I choose to sneak a bowl of ice cream late at night; a sort of guilty pleasure. I was not disappointed. I found the story compelling and the characters engaging. I finished in half the time I expected, as I found myself sneaking away from life to indulge. I enjoyed it as much as anything I've ever read from Hemingway, and in much the same way.

I listened to this one (from Audible), and while many complained at the author's reading of his own book I couldn't imagine a better way to experience it. As someone raised in the rocky mountains, for three days I found myself describing the world around me in Charles Frazier's twangy, metered, and gentle southern voice.

2010-02-06 (UT USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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If you have a choice, don't bother with this book
My summary of this book is "Don't bother." The author decided to pass up on common formatting for conversation (you know, that whole quotes around a spoken sentence), which made it visually hard to read. The word choice was rich, but that didn't quite make up for the glacial pace. The theme is basically two sets of characters who are trying to remake themselves outside of the structure of the civil war. They wander from incident to incident, only slowly growing/changing. I plodded through it, kept afloat by one secondary character (Ruby) and the portrait of characters encountered by the wounded soldier as he traveled. But really, after that long slog through the story, I would have appreciated a slightly happier ending.

2010-01-22 | R.R. (Virginia countryside) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 2

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Thirteen Moons: A Novel

Description

At the age of twelve, an orphan named Will Cooper is given a horse, a key, and a map and is sent on a journey through the uncharted wilderness of the Cherokee Nation. Will is a bound boy, obliged to run a remote Indian trading post. As he fulfills his lonesome duty, Will finds a father in Bear, a Cherokee chief, and is adopted by him and his people, developing relationships that ultimately forge Will’s character. All the while, his love of Claire, the enigmatic and captivating charge of volatile and powerful Featherstone, will forever rule Will’s heart. In a voice filled with both humor and yearning, Will tells of a lifelong search for home, the hunger for fortune and adventure, the rebuilding of a trampled culture, and above all an enduring pursuit of passion.

Named ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by
Los Angeles Times Book Review, Chicago Tribune,
and St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“A literary journey of magnitude . . . Thirteen Moons belongs to the ages.”
–Los Angeles Times

“A boisterous, confident novel that draws from the epic tradition: It tips its hat to Don Quixote as well as Twain and Melville, and it boldly sets out to capture a broad swatch of America’s story in the mid-nineteenth century.”
–The Boston Globe

“Frazier works on an epic scale, but his genius is in the details–he has a scholar’s command of the physical realities of early America and a novelist’s gift for bringing them to life.”
–Time

“A powerhouse second act . . . a brilliant success.”
–The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Compulsively readable . . . a fitting successor to Cold Mountain.”
–St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Magical . . . fascinating and moving . . . You will find much to admire and savor in Thirteen Moons.”
–USA Today

“Genius.”
–Time

“Mesmerizing . . . a bountiful literary panorama . . . The history that Frazier hauntingly unwinds through Will is as melodic as it is melancholy, but the sublime love story is the narrative’s true heart.”
–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Brimming with vivid, adventurous incident.”
–Raleigh News & Observer

“Reading a Frazier novel is like listening to a fine symphony. . . . Take the time to savor Frazier’s work, to take in each thought, to relish the turn of phrase or the imagery of a craftsman.”
–The Denver Post

“[Four stars] . . . Commanding . . . Frazier’s faithful will not be disappointed.”
–People

“Superbly entertaining.”
–Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Fascinating . . . vivid and alive.”
–Newsweek

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Customer Reviews

Not Quite As Good As Cold Mountain, But Definitely Worth Reading
I thought I would like this book even more than Cold Mountain, since the subject matter is nearer to my heart. I am a descendant of a Cherokee who, like the main characters in Thirteen Moons, stayed in the Appalachian mountains rather than walking the Trail of Tears. I was looking forward to learning about Cherokee culture and the circumstances surrounding that famous event.

As it turned out, though, the book wasn't quite what I expected and although it was quite good, I do like Cold Mountain best.

The main reason was that it isn't really about either Cherokee culture or the Trail of Tears. (In fact, there is practically nothing about the experiences of the people who were forced to walk to Oklahoma on what is now known as the Trail of Tears.) It is about two men in particular, only one of whom is Cherokee by blood, and he lives a fairly white/assimilated lifestyle. The gist of the story is political, about the men's fight for legal land rights for those Cherokees who remained.

The love story was a bit of a letdown for me, too. Except perhaps for a short time period early on, and maybe not even then, Claire didn't really seem to be all that emotionally invested in Will. Which made his passion for her more like obsession than love, and his actions towards her something like stalking. I wanted him to let go of Claire and be able to love one of the good women he was involved with who did love him unreservedly and were casually mistreated by him.

It's still an interesting story, though, very evocative of the time and place, and based on a true story (at least the part about the land rights battle is, as is Charley's stand.) Will's story makes you realize the realities of that time, in which a 12-year-old boy could be left to make it (or not) on his own. And Claire is perhaps the most fascinating character of all, very complicated and mysterious. Perhaps too mysterious - more like downright murky. I wish that Frazier had brought her out more, so that we could understand her feelings and motivations.

So my bottom line is: Thirteen Moons isn't perfect, but it is definitely worth the time spent reading it.

2010-06-02 | ghost of a red rose (Mesa, AZ USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Sickening Sweet
I agree with every word from the Washington Post review above.

There was something sickening about this book. It was as though the author, previously praised for his writing, blatantly attempted to top it, but instead went too far over the top. Narrative description is filled with sickening sweet similes and metaphors, like a cup of coffee with ten spoons of sugar. With every line, instead of telling the story, we have to traverse all these similes, images, and metaphors. There can be too much of this. It slows the pace to a slither. Few books turn me off enough to the point that I'd say I'd never re-read it, but this is one of them. Not to mention a plot that made watching that paint dry a real joy. It bored me to sleep.

If anyone doubts what publisher marketing can do, look at this one. There are thousands of books light-years better than this that never get recognition due to marketing and exposure. I think I've had my fill of this author for one lifetime.

2010-05-08 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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Extremely Boring
This is probably the most boring book I have read in my life. Charles Frazier did an immaculate job with Cold Mountain, however "Thirteen Moons," was very disappointing. I'll give the author the benefit of a very well researched book that takes place in Appalachia. The author does give vivid details about the environment in which the story takes place. Sadly there is no plot and no real feeling of attachment to any of the characters in the novel. There are so many great reads out there. Don't waste your time starting this.

2010-04-30 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 1

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Wow!
Thirteen Moons hit home with me on so many levels. Frazier perfectly captures the male perspective in coping with one-sided love. Equal to his grasp of romance is his poetic evocation of the warrior's mindset in the character of Featherstone. Frazier also imbues his narrative with a rich imagery of the land's beauty. It is one of the very few books I've listened to more than once... I then went out to purchase a text copy from which I could reread select passages. Will Patton expertly narrates the audio version. Great job!

2010-04-04 | avid | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Great Fiction
Very good read! The book arrived in record time and was in perfect condition..I would buy from this seller again

2010-02-05 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Cold Mountain: A Novel

Description

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Customer Reviews

"A critic is to an author as a fungus to an oak." - Edward Abbey, Vox Clamantis in Deserto
Keats wrote "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer." I might write "On Finishing Frazier's Cold Mountain." I am stating upfront & at the onset that I loved this book.

Cold Mountain is essentially a war novel. Observation is its major theme. Then survival & what it means. For some reason, the publisher decided to market it as a romantic love-against-all-odds novel. It is not. Romance, as a theme, is probably tertiary at best. Even food, & the getting of it, take on much larger importance than Love.

Cold Mountain takes place during the American Civil War, and so describes scenes of brutality and horror. A writer, given war as his subject, could epically sound the bugle and rally the troops. Frazier does not do this. His war is a grey one, confused by its own momentum and purpose. His Spartan imagery conveys the apocalyptic backdrop of war, and he uses his minimalist language to the advantage of the reader's imagination. "The glance reveals what the gaze obscures," said Emerson. It is elegantly rich in its sparsity.

This is Frazier's first book. Its contents must have been simmering for years, reducing & reducing, becoming rich & stocky. Salted with wonderfully archaic cadence & vocabulary, his hard-nosed language drives like a plow, a rich long furrow sprouting prose-poems. Pommes de Terre. Earth apples. Brown & rich.

An example of his antediluvian tongue is his use of the word `sputcheon'. I have a habit of looking-up any new word I come across in my reading, & call me old fashioned, but I like to use an actual dictionary (Google doesn't do it for me). I looked in the many dictionaries I have on my "reference shelf", & none contained it. I went to the library, & even the multi-volume tombstone-sized dictionaries were silent on the meaning of this elusive word. I finally did what I should have done in the first place: I consulted the mighty Oxford English Dictionary. For those who don't know, the OED (as it is affectionately referred to by almost everyone who is familiar with it) is the world's largest dictionary, containing every English word to ever exist. The Second Edition is a 20-volume work weighing over 137 lbs & contains more than 2.4 million quotations. The OED had this to say: "Sputcheon- [of obscure origin] Mouth-piece of a sword-scabbard." The first appearance of this word in print is from an 1842 Naval & Military technical dictionary in an entry on the Battle de la cuvette.

The prevailing feeling of the novel is listlessness, the sense of being unmoored- the hawsers thrown off & the tide & current captain. The reader is in the role of Observer, & Life's dramatic events play out.

The book's detractors will say it could be edited down to 200 pages instead of the 400+ it is, but I say those critics have no idea of the Soul of the book. Like one of the many long twisted dusty brown roads Frazier writes about, the novel is seemingly endless in parts. The overall narrative ceases to matter, & the microcosm of the scene takes over. The prose-poetry is its own justification, a pleasure to read. That it rambles is not a bad thing: like taking the scenic route on a drive, you do not want to get from A to B in a straight line.

Cold Mountain is not cerebral but visceral. It is a work of bravura, lusty & evocative along the lines of Whitman or Wolfe, but stunted & plebeian. It drips with hog lard & wood smoke & blood & flame & stove ash. It is blood & mud pooled `til they become indistinguishable, one ferrous liquid screaming "death!"

Though the book deals with division & fratricide, Frazier's message is that under the thumb of war, hunger, thirst, & cold, we are all American brethren.

I recommend this book to anyone willing to trudge through swamps & deep dank mossy forests. In fact, if ever wondering how to spend that next beautiful summer day, my advice is to stick Cold Mountain in a back-pack & head out to the nearest neck of woods, find a nice lonely spot & plop down.

2010-07-25 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Couldn't Finish It
There are some parts of "Cold Mountain" which are beautifully written, but beautiful writing just cannot compensate for a lame plot (it's modeled on Homer's "The Odyssey") and stereotypical, lame characters: a sensitive poetic stud in love with an independent and strong-willed southern beauty. Halfway through I did not see the point in continuing, and I just stopped reading.

2010-07-19 (Toronto, Canada) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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NOT FOR CHILDREN!
This was on my son's 11th grade reading list. It is absolutely full of profanity and the most crude words you've ever heard. There is one scene where a woman is described in vivid detail. If you are considering this for your school age child, please review it yourself first. I wish I had known the content ahead of time.Cold Mountain: A Novel

2010-06-12 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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Very beautiful story
I loved read this, it was a very beautiful story, very good descriptions of the era. A very talented writer.

2010-05-27 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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A poignant book
A heart wrenching tale of a man trying to make his way home through a war savaged country. The description is vivid, the problems tangible, and the characters rise from the page. It is a hard story. One I would not subject myself to in movie form. But the book was excellent. It is a story of war and love and the pain that both can cause.

2010-04-06 | Reading every day (New York City) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Charles Fritz: An Artist with the Corps of Discovery

Description

New Edition Coming Soon !!

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Customer Reviews

Charles Fritz: An Artist with the Corps of Discovery
If you are a fan of Lewis and Clark, this is a book you need. If you have followed the Lewis and Clark route, you know that most of the campsites are under water behind dams or otherwise vastly changed by human developments. The explorers were able to leave us journals, but not photos. . Here you can follow the journey through Charles Fritz's paintings, quotes from the journals, and sufficient text for easy understanding. Fritz is a very good artist. He also has an excellent talent for analyzing and visualizing events and locations long gone. The paintings reflect a lot of research. To my eye, they accurately reflect the dress of the explorers, the boats they used, the horses and packs, the Indians, and the environs. I particularly appreciated the detail given to the various Indian dwellings and tools. The publishing quality is top of the line. Best of all, these paintings are simply beautiful.

2006-04-10 (Missoula, Montana USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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Spectacular artwork
In his exuberant landscapes, intricate historical details, and striking portrayals of the members of the "Corps of Discovery" (and some of the people they met on their journey), Charles Fritz makes the case for being *the best* Western painter yet -- matching, if not surpassing Russell, Remington, and Moran.

2005-01-02 | Helpful Votes: 6 | Rating: 5

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Cold Mountain 1ST Edition

Description

Firt Edition Collectible Book by Charles Frazier. Civil War US History Novel.

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Customer Reviews

Novel of the Decade
This novel is nothing short of miraculous, particularly as it is a first novel. It is reminiscent of Faulker, but more accessible to the average reader. The reader is drawn into the life of a confederate soldier, Inman, who deserts near the end of the war after being wounded. His odyssey to reach Cold Mountain and the woman he loves is relentless, and the obstacles he must overcome along the way keep the reader turning pages.

The prose is so lush and beautiful that one could nearly view this as a novel-length poem.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. This ranks among the top ten novels I have ever read.

Also, atypically, the movie adaptation of this novel is also excellent, with Jude Law as Inman and Nicole Kidman as Ada. I refused to see the movie for years because I was sure I would be disappointed and that Jude Law, a British actor, could never realistically pull off a North Carolina confederate soldier; however, he does so brilliantly, and the movie is also well worth watching.

2009-07-07 (Statesville, NC) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Cold Mountain

Description

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Customer Reviews

Book--Cold Mountain
Simply stated, this is one of the best stories I have read in the past 15, or so, years. In fact, I have read this book three times since it became available (to me) in 1995 more or less. It is beautifully written and, personally knowing the area of Cold Mountain, a person is truly at home with the descriptions of the land, etc. I purchased this copy for my sister in Tennessee and she just received it a few days ago. She saw the movie and is looking forward to reading the book. I told her that she would enjoy the book even more than the movie. But, isn't this true for all books when comparied to the movie made from the book? This book is one that you will not want to "put down". I have loaned my copy to several people who thought some of the situations were too "hard" and difficult to consider. My thought was that maybe these persons just wanted a simple love story where nothing ever when seriously wrong. Cold Mountain deals with the truth of the time of the War of Norther Aggression and the horrible circumstances that existed in the time. This is NOT a "war" book but is a story of a wounded man, a girl left behind and the story of his trip back home and her learning to survive. Simply put, I highly recommend this book and, if you have only seen the movie, read this book. You will not be disappointed!

2010-04-28 (Tallahassee, FL USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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excellent
Very well written. Enjoyed it more because it was centered around the area I was raised in.

2010-01-24 (upstate sc) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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