Who can provide an English introduction to kidnapping and portraits of ladies?

Henry James

Isabel Archer is a young American woman who was brought to Europe by her aunt Mrs. Duchette. She met her uncle, Mr. Tuchet and her cousin Ralph, and lived with the Tuchet family in their home in the Garden Court.

When she lived with the Tuset family, her neighbor Lord warburton fell in love with her and proposed to her. She turned him down. Her American friend Henrietta stackpole also came to England and stayed with Isabel for a while. Henrietta is more outspoken and opinionated than Isabel. She tries to guide her friend before she leaves Isabel. Ralph Duchette stood behind and looked at them all with a little cynicism.

Mrs. Touchette plans to take Isabel to her residence in Europe. First of all, she must stay in England until the family affairs are over. While Ralph and his parents were tied up, another visitor came to Garden Street. Mrs Mayer is the most charming person Isabel has ever met. She seems to be very independent and accomplished.

This outline barely gets the story started. Isabel inherited a large sum of money and is now independent. She went to Europe with her wife and met another suitor, Gilbert Osmond, and his daughter, Percy. Lord warburton met her in Rome. An American suitor came to Europe to see her. Isabel made a choice that would affect the rest of her life, and then she had to deal with the consequences.

Portrait of a Lady is a classic, which was first published in the UK by 188 1 and in the US by 190 1. James showed us Isabel's life and never apologized for her behavior. James is not famous for his happy ending. Unfortunately, he is also notoriously wordy. I found him very wordy. I got bored in the middle of the book. When Isabel went to Florence to meet Gilbert Osmond, I was tired of reading those boring paragraphs. I like the interaction and development of his characters. But none of this is enough to keep me awake. I often find this book a good sleep tool. Although some people agree with me, this book is still considered a masterpiece. Many students will have to learn it at school. Thankfully, people with the same temperament as me have cliff notes. -But read on-

10/27/2000 This comment was written by Pat.

This simple story is about a smart and sensitive young woman who got a fortune, which came from a cousin's intervention to help her find her own destiny. This story is beautifully designed, which inevitably leads to a tragic ending. At the same time, it affirms the unbreakable moral code between individuals, and it only happens to be the product of the church or the country.

The plot is entirely based on the heroine's character. All the others are her tools to achieve or destroy. In the end, her lofty wisdom made her realize the inevitable result of her decisions and the necessity of accepting them, and waited for better conditions hopefully. All the characters are deeply attracted and accused, and even the heroine has self-esteem to warn her of the trap she has set for her.

Like any 700-page novel, there are some slow places, but I am very much looking forward to the discussion on this issue in my book club next month. Afternoon tea will be enjoyed at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. A month later, this discussion will lead to lunch and a movie tour to see the perfect Nicole Kidman's role in Isabel Archer. There are a lot of wonderful information on the internet, which can enhance understanding and enrich fun. Despite its length, this book is at least worth reading again. It was not stained by the frog prince. If you need this, I recommend Hans christian anderson!

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Kidnapped!

Robert Louis Stevenson

David Balfour's father, a poor priest in a small village, has passed away. His mother has passed away, so David is alone in this world now. Mr. Campbell, a local priest, gave David's father's message to a mysterious "ebenezer Shaw" when David found out that he had unknown relatives.

When David finally arrived at Xiao's "mansion", he was surprised. Now he knows that it has a bad reputation, and all the neighbors hate its owner. Nevertheless, David approached the dark, partially completed house. His uncle ebenezer gave David a reluctant welcome. After a while, David realized that there was a secret being kept. Is David's father a real brother? Should David himself be the owner of Shaw's property and land, not his uncle?

Before he found out the truth, he accompanied his uncle to the dock on business. They visited a ship operated by ebenezer Shaw. David was hit on the head and woke up in the cabin. The ship was sailing. He is on his way to the American colonies, working on a plantation in Carolina. At first, he was imprisoned; Later, he was able to work on the boat and had more freedom.

David's adventure has just begun. When the ship sailed north around Scotland, they ran into another ship and rescued the survivors. This survivor has secrets, connections and money. David soon found himself allied with this man against the sailors. There, he encountered unimaginable hardships, pains and excitement before he left his father's house.

This is a classic from children to young people. Robert louis stevenson wrote some wonderful stories, which were still widely circulated more than 65,438,000 years ago after his life and death. Being kidnapped is fine, not so good. It was not until the last moment of my life that I really felt David's existence and didn't care too much about what happened to him. However, the pain he suffered when he took refuge and fled on the ship was well described. I can feel a thirsty throat and sore feet. Although this is not Stevenson's best work, this book still stands the test of time.

Another version:

Jeff stein

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ransom

The unknown story of international kidnapping.

Ann Hagdorn auerbach.

481pp. new york:

Henry Holt & Company. $25.

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The cold war has its advantages. First, American tourists or businessmen are unlikely to be kidnapped in the so-called third world; Guerrillas are busy robbing banks or blowing up local police stations. But in today's world without borders, mountain climbing, eco-tourism and exploration, tourists and profit-seeking foreign businessmen have become food for fish that used to swim around among the people. In Cambodia, Yemen, the Philippines, Kashmir, Mexico and especially Colombia, kidnappers can be seen everywhere like bodyguards, and foreigners might as well wear dollar patterns on their banana republics. Ransom demands start from millions, and business is good as far as protection fees are concerned.

Ann Hagdorn Auerbach reported that entering this gloomy world may be an exciting attempt, but it has turned into a moral story mainly relying on second-hand information and government spokesman's statement. Auerbach is the author of "Wild Journey: The Rise and Tragedy of Calumet Farm, Inc.". She gives great sympathy to the kidnapping targets and their families, because they have to endure cruel pain, which they deserve. But this led her to sacrifice a kind of news detachment, which may serve her theme more effectively. Let the victims write their own stories.

Still, she found something. As she reported in "Ransom", the number of kidnappings worldwide soared from 95 1 in 73 countries between 1968 and 1982 to 6,500 in Latin America alone in 1995. Up to 1996, there were four kidnappings every day in Colombia, and the ransom income was as high as 328.9 million dollars, which was paid by companies and families from 199 1 to 1994.

Why is it soaring? First, there are more targets to choose from, including a record 3.27 million Americans living abroad. Auerbach pointed out that foreign tourism increased by 10% every year, and in 1995, it exceeded 50 million tourists. Many people were attracted to more remote and exotic places, such as rain forests and field visits to Stone Age tribes. Considering that the income gap between tourists and locals has tripled between 1960 and 1993, this is exciting, but it is also a dangerous provocation.

The story of Auerbach begins at 13,1one morning in August, 1995, when a peasant woman in Indian-occupied Kashmir found a headless trunk on the side of the road. It turned out to be hans christian oersted Rowe, a Norwegian tourist who was kidnapped two months ago, and two Americans, two "Englishmen" (as Auerbach hates to call them) and a German. They climbed mountains in the Himalayas. The initials of the Pakistani-backed Muslim separatist group Al-Faran were engraved on his chest. One of the Americans, Connecticut businessman John Childs, escaped after five days; The fate of the rest is still unknown.

This tortuous story, accompanied by three years of heartbreaking waiting, inter-agency quarrels, dedicated bureaucrats, colorful private agents, abortion relief and painful Pakistan-India confrontation, is enough to become an exciting and thought-provoking book. On the contrary, the scope of "ransom" has been extended to other kidnappings, and its purpose seems to be to present portraits of former CIA and British agents with firm eyes, who are members of private kidnapping negotiators. In fact, whenever Auerbach cuts into the kidnapping short trip in other countries, or worse, she loses the traction of her story. She also failed to develop fascinating tidbits, such as the activities of Delta Force Tea Company in the United States sent to Kashmir, or the ability of American spy satellites to locate kidnappers by tracking their wireless phones. Admittedly, these secrets are hard to crack, as are the behind-the-scenes negotiations conducted by government agents or shadow enterprises, such as London-based Control Risks Group. But this is a true story about ransom, and it is also a story we want to read.