Vaite, Celestine. Breadfruit.VAITE, Celestine cel·es·tine n. See celestite. [German Zölestin, from Latin caelestis, celestial; see celestial.] . Breadfruit breadfruit: see mulberry. breadfruit Fruit of either of two closely related trees belonging to the mulberry family. Artocarpus communis (also called A. incisa or A. altilis) provides a staple food of the South Pacific. . Little Brown. 334p. c2000. 0-316-01658-6. $12.99. SA Materena Mahi is a housecleaner, mother and co-habitator of 13 years with Pito, the father of her children. One night, in a drunken stupor stupor /stu·por/ (stoo´per) [L.] 1. a lowered level of consciousness. 2. in psychiatry, a disorder marked by reduced responsiveness.stu´porous stu·por n. , he proposes to her, which sets her off on the many tasks required to make a wedding, even though she knows Pito wasn't serious. This requires keeping her preparations secret, which isn't easy, considering that she is related to practically everyone in her town. Each chapter involves some part of her wedding preparations, from buying a new bed to the all-important wedding cake, and each part of her preparations involves the participation of one of her many cousins or other relatives. The customs of Tahiti play an important part in the story and its mixture of three languages and many cultures add to the pleasing texture of the story. Above all, this is a funny comedy of manners comedy of manners Witty, ironic form of drama that satirizes the manners and fashions of a particular social class or set. Comedies of manners were usually written by sophisticated authors for members of their own social class, and they typically are concerned with social , Tahitian style, with memorable characters, a quirky quirk n. 1. A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy: "Every man had his own quirks and twists" Harriet Beecher Stowe. 2. plot, and a sweet ending. This novel is second in a trilogy, following Frangipani frangipani Any of the shrubs or small trees that make up the genus Plumeria, in the dogbane family, native to the New World tropics and widely cultivated as ornamentals; also, a perfume derived from or imitating the odour of the flower of one species, P. rubra. , and readers will want to watch Materena's life develop, though it is not required to enjoy this one. The novel is followed by an interview with the author, who by writing about her native Tahiti from the distance of Australia is able to view her native culture from inside and outside at the same time. There is also a readers' guide that will prove useful in classroom discussions. Nola Theiss, Sanibel, FL S--Recommended for senior high school students. A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools were there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT'S usefulness in public libraries. |
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