Most Popular Books by David Rhodes

"A fast-moving story about small town life with characters that seem to have walked off the pages of Edgar Lee Masters''s Spoon River Anthology."— The Wall Street Journal The few hundred souls who inhabit Words, Wisconsin, are an extraordinary cast of characters. The middle-aged couple who zealously guards their farm from a scheming milk cooperative. The lifelong invalid, crippled by conflicting emotions about her sister. A cantankerous retiree, haunted by childhood memories after discovering a cougar in his haymow. The former drifter who forever alters the ties that bind a community. In his first novel in 30 years, David Rhodes offers a vivid and unforgettable look at life in small-town America. "[Rhodes''s] finest work yet . . . Driftless is the best work of fiction to come out of the Midwest in many years."— Chicago Tribune "Set in a rural Wisconsin town, the book presents a series of portraits that resemble Edgar Lee Masters''s ''Spoon River Anthology'' in their vividness and in the cumulative picture they create of village life."— The New Yorker "Encompassing and incisive, comedic and profound, Driftless is a radiant novel of community and courage."— Booklist (starred review) "A welcome antidote to overheated urban fiction . . . A quiet novel of depth and simplicity."— Kirkus Reviews "It takes a while for all these stories to kick in, but once they do, Rhodes shows he still knows how to keep readers riveted. Add a blizzard, a marauding cougar and some rabble-rousing militiamen, and the result is a novel that is as affecting as it is pleasantly overstuffed."— Publishers Weekly

This novel from the acclaimed author of Driftless is "an arresting work about the salvation of a disintegrating Iowa family" ( The New York Times). Survival has been the Sledge way since Reuben Sledge''s father first moved to Des Moines. Yet the family seems cursed, and one by one the Sledges are slipping away. Reuben''s oldest brother is hanged for the murder of his wife. Then another brother is committed to an asylum for spying on the woman he loves. But it''s the rape and disgrace of his beloved sister Nellie that drives Reuben into a deep despair. Into the depths of this depression wanders vulnerable, delightful Tabor, who sets Reuben alive with the promise of her love. When Reuben learns that Tabor has descended into the City, he determines, in a moment of panic, to enter and bring her out. Thus begins the novel''s second act, a harrowing journey through the horrors of the City and among a ghastly assemblage of dwellers who''ve crafted new lives for themselves in the underworld. "David Rhodes proves that there is still vigorous life in the dark Gothic roots of great American novels." — The Tennessean

It is 2027. August Helm is thirty years old. A biochemist working in a lab at the University of Chicago, he is swept off his feet by the beautiful and entirely self-assured Amanda Clark. Animated by August''s consuming desire, their relationship quickly becomes intimate. But when he stumbles across a liaison between the director of his lab and a much younger student, his position is eliminated and his world upended. August sets out to visit his parents in Words, an unincorporated village in the heart of Wisconsin''s Driftless Area. Here, he reconnects with several characters from his past: Ivan Bookchester, who now advocates for "new ways of living" in an age of decline; Hanh, formerly known as Jewelweed, who tends her orchard and wild ginseng, keenly attuned to new patterns of migration resulting from climate change and habitat destruction; and Lester Mortal, the aging veteran and fierce pacifist who long ago rescued her from Vietnam. Together, the old friends fall back into a familiar closeness. But much as things initially seem unchanged in the Driftless, when August is hired to look after Tom and April Lux''s home in Forest Gate, he finds himself in the midst of an entirely different social set, made up of wealthy homeowners who are mostly resented by the poorer surrounding communities, and distanced in turn by their fear of the locals. August soon falls head over heels for April, and different versions of his self collide: one in which the past is still present in tensions and dreams, another in which he understands his desire as genetically determined and chemically induced, and then a vaguely hoped-for future with April. When Lester is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, Ivan comes clean on a ghastly past episode, and April makes a shocking revelation, a series of events ensues that will change all involved forever. As approachable as it is profound in exploring the human condition and our shared need for community, this is a story for our times.

Finding Mr Goldman tells of the epic battle of good and evil played out in the life and sudden death of a wicked man. Had he known the hour of his death, the wealthy Harry Goldman might have arranged his day differently. Instead he finds himself plunged into a nightmare in which his life of violence and ruthless greed is laid bare before him. Accompanied by a disreputable looking but likeable tramp, who bears a striking resemblance to Jesus, Goldman sets out on a quest to save his soul. But confronted by the shattering reality of hell, he realises all is lost. It is only then that he discovers the redeeming love of God . . .

This tale of two Iowa brothers trying to escape the long shadow of their notorious father is "an almost impossible book to put down" ( The Plain Dealer). This gripping novel tells the tale of the Easter family of Ontarion, Iowa. Ansel Easter was a favored minister until he rescued a grotesque creature from a carnival sideshow. His sons, C and Sam, suffer in the shadow of their outcast father until his violent death. C and Sam leave the home their father built for a new beginning, and find fortune building a lucrative business called the Associates—but when a rash of deaths has the townspeople looking at C and Sam as suspects, they find their father''s legacy reaches further than they expect. Taut, dark, and engrossing, The Easter House is a brilliant work of fiction by the acclaimed author of Driftless and Jewelweed. "David Rhodes''s writing is smooth and wry, combining Richard Russo''s genius for the details of small-town thinking and Flannery O''Connor''s flair for shading things toward the weird side of normal." — Mpls.St. Paul Magazine

From the acclaimed author of Driftless, "a novel of forgiveness, a generous ode to the spirit''s indefatigable longing for love" ( Minneapolis Star Tribune). When David Rhodes burst onto the American literary scene in the 1970s, he was hailed as "a brilliant visionary" (John Gardner) and compared to Sherwood Anderson and Marilynne Robinson. In Driftless, his "most accomplished work yet" (Joseph Kanon), Rhodes brought Words, WI, to life in a way that resonated with readers across the country. Now with Jewelweed, this beloved author returns to the same out-of-the-way hamlet and introduces a cast of characters who all find themselves charged with overcoming the burdens left by the past, sometimes with the help of peach preserves or pie. After serving time for a dubious conviction, Blake Bookchester is paroled and returns home. The story of Blake''s hometown is one of challenge, change, and redemption, of outsiders and of limitations, and simultaneously one of supernatural happenings and of great love. Each of Rhodes''s characters—flawed, deeply human, and ultimately universal—approach the future with a combination of hope and trepidation, increasingly mindful of the importance of community to their individual lives. Rich with a sense of empathy and wonder, Jewelweed offers a vision in which the ordinary becomes mythical. "I liked Driftless, but his emotionally rich new novel, Jewelweed, a sequel of sorts, is even better. The novel emits frequent solar flares of surprise and wonder."— The Cleveland Plain Dealer "[A] rhapsodic, many-faceted novel of profound dilemmas, survival, and gratitude . . . [a] refulgent hymn to the earth, ''psychic strength,'' hard work, integrity, and love."— Booklist (starred review)

"An authentically great American novel" that follows a young man''s descent into darkness after a tragic loss, and his struggle to find renewal ( Booklist, starred review). Raised in an idyllic Iowa town, young July Montgomery is rocked by the tragic death of his parents. Fleeing to Philadelphia, he fashions a ghostly existence in an underground train station. When a young woman appears to free him from his malaise, they return together to the Iowa heartland, where the novel soars to its heartrending climax. First published to enormous acclaim in 1975, Rock Island Line brings David Rhodes''s striking characterizations and unparalleled eye for the telling detail to this tale of paradise lost—and possibly regained. "Beautiful and haunting . . . I read the book when it first came out over thirty years ago and it has lived in both my heart and head ever since." —Jonathan Carroll, author of Teaching the Dog to Read

Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) is the most important film in the history of American avant-garde cinema and one of the most significant and influential films in the whole of film history. It was made by Maya Deren and her then husband Alexander Hammid in their bungalow above Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles for a mere $274.90. The artistic collaboration between Deren and Hammid – which was by all accounts harmonious – finds its distorted and unhappy reflection in the vision of the tormented female protagonist in Meshes of the Afternoon. The film''s focus – through a series of intricate and interlocking dream sequences – on female experience and the domestic sphere link it to the Hollywood melodramas of the period, while its unsettling atmosphere of dread, death and doubles makes it a counter-cinematic cousin to film noir. The film has made its influence felt not only on the entire subsequent history of experimental film and video production, but also on the work of Hollywood auteurs. It is a touchstone of women''s film-making, of modernist cinema and of modern art. John David Rhodes traces the film''s history back into the lives of Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid, but in particular that of Deren. He places special significance on the film as a culmination of Deren''s abiding interest in modernism and her intense engagement in socialist politics. Rhodes argues that while the film remains a powerful point of reference for the feminist film-makers and experimentalists who have claimed it as their birthright, it also offers itself as an example of political art in the broadest terms. In Rhodes''s original study, Meshes of the Afternoon emerges as a film that is not only artistically ingenious, but also rich in historical significance and political potential.

What meaning does my life have? What hope is there for the Church? How can I see beyond the media hype and false images I am bombarded with every day? Where can I find God in all this noise and turmoil? Combining moving stories from the inner city with a fresh approach to the Gospel, Faith in Dark Places explores the revolutionary idea that the good news of God''s love is being spoken to a tired and damaged world by those rejected as worthless: the homeless and the poor. This radically revised edition, incorporating powerful new insights and reflections, draws on recent theological research and the author''s own experience of urban poverty. It examines key biblical texts, such as the Lord''s Prayer as a prayer for the poor (in particular the implications of kingdom, bread and trespasses); the Magnificat; and the causes of the crucifixion.

Much of our time at the movies is spent in other people’s homes. Cinema is, after all, often about everyday life. Spectacle of Property is the first book to address the question of the ubiquitous conjuncture of the moving image and its domestic architecture. Arguing that in cinema we pay to occupy spaces we cannot occupy, John David Rhodes explores how the house in cinema both structures and criticizes fantasies of property and ownership. Rhodes tells the story of the ambivalent but powerful pleasure we take in looking at private property onscreen, analyzing the security and ease the house promises along with the horrible anxieties it produces. He begins by laying out a theory of film spectatorship that proposes the concept of the “spectator-tenant,” with reference to films such as Gone with the Wind and The Magnificent Ambersons. The book continues with three chapters that are each occupied with a different architectural style and the films that make use of it: the bungalow, the modernist house, and the shingle style house. Rhodes considers a variety of canonical films rarely analyzed side by side, such as Psycho in relation to Grey Gardens and Meet Me in St. Louis. Among the other films discussed are Meshes of the Afternoon, Mildred Pierce, A Star Is Born, Killer of Sheep, and A Single Man. Bringing together film history, film theory, and architectural history as no book has to date, Spectacle of Property marks a new milestone in examining cinema’s relationship to realism while leaving us vastly more informed about, if less at home inside, the houses we occupy at the movies.

A study in the relationship between Bible scriptures in a contemporary translation and in a responsive reading format for use as a resource for corporate worship or personal study.

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE NATIONALLY. HOW WE GOT HERE AND WHAT MIGHT NEED TO BE DONE FIX THE PROBLEMS AS THEY EXIST TODAY.

"What better opportunity than now to strengthen your business and come out of the recession even stronger? David Rhodes and Daniel Stelter provide an easy-to-understand perspective on the current economic environment, and some practical strategies to help readers come out ahead. A timely read for all who care about their business." —Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever "This is the most comprehensive assessment of the global economy that I''ve seen and is a must-read for any business, economic, or governmental-related leader". Jeff M. Fettig, Chairman & CEO, Whirlpool Corporation “A fascinating account of the causal factors of the meltdown and what we can do to avoid repetition.” Sanjay Khosla, Executive Vice President and President, International for Kraft Foods "This book combines brilliant analysis and strategic insight with a clear message: Companies that want to play a role in tomorrow''s markets must act immediately. There''s no place for complacency. The opportunities in the post-crisis world are good--and better than many might think." Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, CEO, BASF "The lessons from companies that came out winners during past recessions are invaluable in the current context. Rhodes and Stelter strike a welcome note of optimism in today''s tough times by showing that companies can do a lot to thrive when the global economy is struggling." Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO, Daimler "There are great lessons for today''s chief executives: well-managed companies can prosper in the downturn and accelerate faster than their competitors in the upturn. Rhodes and Stelter have dug deep into history to vividly show how companies can do it." Dr. Martin C. Halusa, CEO, Apax Partners Worldwide LLP From the world''s leading business strategy consultancy comes this essential guide to prospering in the aftermath of what is being called the Great Recession Accelerating Out of the Great Recession, by The Boston Consulting Group''s David Rhodes and Daniel Stelter, is a call to action for today''s executives. It shows how companies can win in a slow-growth economy by seizing the initiative--differentiating themselves from less fleet-footed rivals and executing their strategies with single-minded determination. It combines comprehensive and big-picture analysis of the global economic meltdown with smart management advice on how to win in an era of greater competition. The book is underpinned by a historical review of great companies that survived and thrived in past downturns, along with two new surveys of top executives and insights drawn from discussions with corporate leaders around the world. As such, it offers the clearest, most authoritative assessment yet of some present-day trends and "new realities"--and what they mean for business. Accelerating Out of the Great Recession shows today''s executives how to: Learn from the decisive actions taken by companies such as General Electric, IBM, and Proctor & Gamble in order to accelerate out of past downturns Take the fight to your competitors--diversify and expand now, while other businesses are affected by the downtown Shake off conventional wisdom to protect and grow your market share Develop a new managerial mindset for today''s tough times Backed by exceptional research and outstanding, up-to-the-minute advice, Accelerating Out of the Great Recession explains the magnitude and enduring nature of changes that have taken place in the global economy and how you can outperform today to create and sustain an advantage over your competitors for the long haul.

John David Rhodes places the city of Rome at the center of this original and in-depth examination of the work of Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini—but it’s not the classical Rome you imagine. Stupendous, Miserable City situates Pasolini within the history of twentieth-century Roman urban development. The book focuses first on the Fascist period, when populations were moved out of the urban center and into public housing on the periphery of the city, called the borgate, and then turns to the progressive social housing experiments of the 1950s. These environments were the settings of most of Pasolini’s films of the early to mid-1960s. Discussing films such as Accattone, Mamma Roma, and The Hawks and the Sparrows, Rhodes shows how Pasolini used the borgate to critique Roman urban planning and neorealism and to draw attention to the contemptuous treatment of Rome’s poor. To Pasolini, the borgate, rich in human incident, linguistic difference, and squalor, “were life”—and now his passion can be appreciated fully for the first time. Carefully tracing Pasolini’s surprising engagement with this part of Rome and looking beyond his films to explore the interrelatedness of all of Pasolini’s artistic output in the 1950s and 1960s—including his poetry, fiction, and journalism—Rhodes opens up completely new ways of understanding Pasolini’s work and proves how connected Pasolini was to the political and social upheavals in Italy at the time. John David Rhodes is lecturer in literature and visual culture at the University of Sussex.

Explores how moving images both produce and are predicated on place

- From Pride to Humility - From Gluttony to Trust - From Anger to Gentleness - From Envy to Blessing - From Sloth to Passion - From Greed to Sacrifice - From Lust to Love

What are film props? What do they do? This book answers these questions by a close attention to those material objects that are used to construct cinematic worlds. The term “prop” is short for property. This truncated term’s etymology belies the expansiveness of the concept and indicates the micro and macro scales at which the prop operates. Props are the material—often literal—furniture of cinema’s diegetic reality. Props are also narrative agents: think of the animacy of objects in Jean Epstein’s account of photogénie, the crystal egg in Risky Business, or the domestic bric-à-brac of Sirk’s melodramas. The prop is central to production design and the construction of mise-en-scène. And yet, the prop has rarely—almost never—been taken as an object of analysis and theorization in its own right. This book begins by tracing the prop’s curious but unacknowledged role in film theory, before proceeding to a series of theoretical speculations and close readings that bring the prop into focus. Analyses of scenes of “prop mastery” demonstrate the labor that props perform and enable, as well as the interpretive work they make possible. Across a variety of genres, modes, and historical contexts—studio filmmaking, art cinema, adult and avant-garde films—The Prop introduces readers to the notion of “prop value,” a quality that puts the prop in proximity to the capitalist commodity, but also provides an ironic distance from the commodity’s subjection to exchange value. Gorfinkel and Rhodes argue that the prop is nothing less than a condensation of how labor, subjection, value, and instrumentality underwrite the very conditions of cinema.

"You never let a little dirt get in the way of getting the job done. It''s a good thing there are plenty of jobs for those who don''t mind a little grime! From oil drill operators to manure inspectors and cave biologists, learn about STEAM dirty jobs and what people who have these jobs do in their day-to-day work." -- Back cover.