Fiction Literature Books

Slightly more interesting piece of output, due to the theme being the
old Green Knight story. That tale is usually quite entertaining, and is
in this version, as well. The other piece is eminently forgettable,
however. I suppose you would say that it is for Tolkien completists
only.

"Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight" is a great and holy work of literature and I return to it on an annual basis to breathe the air of its strong magic and to observe with awe its rutheless moral rigor. What a profound joy it is to foresake the barren land of contemporary hack literature and enter once more into a world where the colors are brighter, the language is grander, and the characters stride across the mysterious landscape like gods or faery-figures lit from within by a mystic sun. The great J.R.R. Tolkien did us all a supreme kindness when he advocated for the deep spiritual and aesthetic significance of "Beowulf" (for whom his own writings bear covert relations) and he doubled it when he translated this masterpiece of the enchanted but decidedly anonymous soul who wrote it.

Five stars are a poor return for such pleasure and wisdom offered.

For anyone who cares about the subject and yet is too lazy to read the original it is always a joy to read Tolkien, a master of English. The story is not fantasy, which many mistakenly look for in Tolkien, but a classic of middle English literature. If you get hooked on this genre there are many other stories, both long and short, available, and the original language is not so different from our own.

These three texts from the translating pen of J.R.R. Tolkien coprise an uplifiting trio that give the reader a glimpse of times when literature was aimed at both beauty and the edification of proper values. This is particularly true in the first two texts.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight presents a late Arthurian legend which was penned in a relatively obscure West-Midland dialect of early Middle English. The text, as translated by Tolkien, still maintains the auditory alliteration used to drive the poem itself. This in itself is a blessed treasure to the reader, as it is a rarely used method of poetry. The story is a gem in that it presents a fallible human, Gawain, who strives by the Grace of God to fulfill his oaths made. It is an exposition of piety, casting the Arthurian knight into a wholly Christian light.

Pearl, written in a dialectic style of poetic meter, is a moving poem of grief and understanding in the face of the death of a two-year-old child. The imagery used in it is absolutely breathtaking, drawing heavily on the Apocalypse of John for its material. The discourse is a journey of enlightenment and eventual peace, marked with profound trust in God. I found this poem to be absolutely stunning in itself. Pearl, along with Gawain, exposes the existence of a great deal of Marian piety at the time of the writing. This presents an intriguing scenario which reminds Christians of the ongoing understanding of Mary's role in the Christian faith.

Sir Orfeo, related in many ways to Classical myth, is a much more light-hearted adventure. It is a quick read that presents the reader with the brave quest of King Orfeo for his lost wife,Heurodis. The sybols used are mixed from Classical as well as English/Celtic sources. While the story is not wholly inventive, it is a fun read and has been presented very well by professor Tolkien.

I suggest this set of texts to everybody, for they present the reader with poetry which is not only grounded in romance/adventure but also in morality (particulary I and II) and faith.

I've always been fascinated with the old Arthurian legends, so this tale appealed to me greatly. Sir Gawain was everything a knight should be considering the fact that he's not perfect due to the fact that he's human. The animals depicted in the hunting scenes directly tie in with the storyline with Sir Gawain and the lady of the castle. The deer represented that Sir Gawain tried to flee away from having to deal with the lady of the castle. The wild boar represented difficulty since it was stated that the boar in the hunt had killed a man. Finally, the fox represented the fact that Sir Gawain was planning to be sly and conceal the fact that the lady of the castle had given him her girdle. The fact that he would lie to the lord of the castle, shows that he is truly human and that he would like to keep his own head when he has to go meet back up with the Green Knight the following day. The hunt over three days represents a series of three tests which later comes to aid or hinder Sir Gawain in his quest to keep his oath as a knight and follow through with the guidelines of "the beheading game". The girdle at the end that all the knights in King Arthur's court take to wearing symbolizes that they are human and that they are not perfect and that humility should be observed.

I totally enjoyed this book, it was one I did not want to put down...the fact that love saved her and that the love was offered unconditionally was a big plus...when you find someone that loves you for all that you are you are truly blessed...I hope these two continue to write about this woman and the woman that saved her soul.

I've read all of Kim Baldwin's books and enjoyed each fast paced plot. I was concerned that a collaboration between the two authors would weaken the flow. What a nice surprise. The plot had all the energy of Kim's previous books and both Domino and Haley are strong characters. I vacillated between wanting to be them and wanting to be with them.

Kim Baldwin and Xenia Alexiou are a great writing team. This book is first-rate quality. All I have to say is, where's the sequel?!

Domino is an agent of a secret organization. Their jobs take them all around the world to assisinate all sorts of folks. Her current assignment is to grab the security tape, which was mailed to a reporter. On this tape is Domino assisnating a man in a parking garage. But this woman and her have an instant and irresistable "click" Domino finds herself falling in love and it (unlike the guns, bullets, and bad guys, scares her to death! Will she kill the reporter whom she has increasing feelings for?

I'd been anticipating reading Lethal Affairs for months and can say that it was well worth the wait. Being a crime/thriller/action/intrigue/plot junkie, I was pleased to have all my favourite elements accounted for.

There were enough twists and asides to keep my mind busy and, while the genre may dictate the general outcome of the story, I wasn't thinking about it all the way through the book. I was reading/experiencing the moment on each page instead of plodding through a predictable plot. Put it this way: If this was on the telly, I wouldn't be doing any zapping between channels.

My only wish is that the book had more pages so that I could have gotten lost in it for a while longer.

The characters have history and depth, making them believable. Hayley is the kind of woman I'd like to be, confident, industrious and beautiful. I like that she isn't afraid of speaking her mind or, rather, heart. Luka remains mysterious but through the flashbacks and narrative I got a glimpse of who she is. She's certainly someone I'd like to learn more about.

Quite a number of their insights were recognizable, some of them straight off the pages of my diary, which made for a week of vivid dreams. Also, a book that touches me personally stays with me, and Lethal Affairs will be on my 'special' book list.

I closed the book thinking wistfully of my own trip to Malta... and happy for the girls, satisfied with the plot and looking forward to the next one!

I love it. The volume is great to look at and the feel is awesome. The text is large enough (better than the small paperbacks). The maps are great and the other embellishments (such as the gold trimmed edges and the page marker) are excellent. I am loving this volume. It was well worth the ptrice.

Very happy with this edition, it wass exactly what i expected, and once i had it with me i think it is a really good value.

My boyfriend loved this! He is an avide book junky, and thought it was well made, and also a great collectors piece

I'm not exactly sure what other reviewers have experienced regarding their reports of poor quality control with this edition, but I have a beautifully bound and printed copy, and have absolutely no complaints. This is simply the finest edition of Tolkien's timeless classic I've ever owned. I've examined my copy quite thoroughly and have noticed no defects in workmanship whatsoever. Every minute detail from the red and black text to the gilded pages make this edition worth the asking price and more. The book is kept in a handsome slipcover and fits right at home between the highly regarded "No Admittance" bookends. This is the edition aficionados of Tolkien's work should not be without.

does not disappoint! beautifully crafted, collector's item. comes with two maps charting their course; in addition to multiple appendices and indexes leaving no questions unanswered. I highly recommend this edition!

I started "My Antonia" just to find out what this literary classic was about. I soon found myself captivated by a development of characters and their relationships.

The story is seen through the eyes of Jim Burton, who begins the story as a ten year old orphan traveling from his family home in Virginia to his grandparents' farm near Black Hawk, Nebraska. The other two primary characters in the book are Antonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant four years older than Jim, and Lena Lingard, a similarly aged girl from the local Norwegian community. As the years and the book pass, we see the characters develop in different ways. During this their relationships change, but the reader's interest is held.

The ability of this book to captivate the reader in intriguing! It has no real crises, no particular tragedies, just developing personalities and relationships. Although the main characters change, they all seem to develop along self directed lines, with no winners or losers. At the end the reader rides off with Jim, possessing many of the same feelings as he expresses. One test I apply to a novel is whether it leaves me wondering. Wondering why the characters lives develop as they do, wondering if the characters are really satisfied with their lives, wondering whether they desire something that the others have, wondering what happens to them after the last page. I am still wondering about "My Antonia." Any book that can do that has earned its status as a classic.

The picture on the book, the edition and the publisher that was presented was not the book that we received. We needed the edition that was represented when we purchased it. We were very disappointed when we opened the mail to find the wrong item and we had to order another book. We paid almost $9 to someone who knew by the cover it was not the same book they were shipping.

It wasn't the best of times, or the worst of times..but it was a special time. A time when special bonds were forged, and one's character refined. Even at the time of it's publication in 1918, My Antonia depicted a life that most Americans were unfamiliar with..the life of the 1st settlers on the 19th century great Midwestern plains of America.

Antonia Shimerda was one such settler. Cather's novel is about her, but it is about more than just an individual. Antonia is a Bohemian immigrant who came to the wild Nebraska plains with her family in the 1880s. She is a character modeled on a person Willa Cather knew while growing up in Nebraska. There is much of Cather herself in Antonia, although the author's life mirrors that of the novel's narrator, Jim Burden. You could say that Cather's intellect resides in Burden, while her personality and spirit reside in Antonia.

My Antonia is a fond reminiscence of the author's youth, a tribute to the American pioneer spirit, an examination of the immigrant experience, and a celebration of the unspoiled Midwestern landscape. Mencken described it as the most beautiful romantic novel ever written in America, but I think the romance has as much to do with time and place as with any person. A strong theme deals with finding one's station in life under extreme conditions and harsh circumstances, and about the compromises and sacrifices people make to find it.

Sparse but beautifully descriptive in it's prose, heartfelt and touching, without being mawkishly sentimental in it's feeling, My Antonia is a true American classic.

While Jim Burden, an established lawyer from New York City sits on the train, returning to his childhood home in Nebraska, he recalls with melancholy his years there and his friendship with the daughter of the Bohemian immigrants - Antonia Shimerda. The narrative captivates the reader from the first moment, with its rich imagery and love of the pioneer life, based on the author's life experience, visible at every page.

Jim arrived at his grandparents' house in Black Hawk, Nebraska, as an orphan, when he was ten year old. He is a clever, quick-learning, sensitive and observant boy, who learns hard working habits and good life principles from his grandparents. Jim describes the Shimerda family as he sees them, but includes also the opinions of his grandparents and neighbors. We follow Antonia and Jim through their hard, but happy childhood, through teen years. Jim goes to school, while Antonia works as a seamstress' aide, but as a lively, headstrong girl, she likes the public dances and soon falls in love with a wrong man...
When Jim leaves for college, he loses contact with Antonia, and only after his arrival during this visit, after twenty years, will he see her again - and find her different, but at peace with life. The novel focuses on Antonia, but, being written from Jim's perspective, is his story as well as hers.

Jim and Antonia's lives epitomize the lives of many pioneers in the West and I am not surprised to find this novel in the American literary school canon. It combines history with American tradition and spirit and it is written with a lot of charm. The descriptions of the everyday village life, chores and opportunities for young girls and boys are captivating. The author managed to create an image of people living in harmony with the surrounding environment, sometimes in need to conquer it, sometimes fighting with the conditions. The rich, descriptive prose teleports the reader into the world of the prairie frontier village in Nebraska. "My Antonia" could be a treat for American history fans (shaping the nation at its roots), for feminists (many strong female characters appear here, as well as the limitations set for women at that time and place), for naturalists (plants and animals are a great presence here) and for those who like the classics of literature. Highly recommended.

My Antonia is droning and full of pointless imagry. Although I understand that is a "classic" novel, it really just put me to sleep. Endless descriptions of the seemingly endless prairie made the book much longer than it should be. Although the plot is good and Antonia and Jim's coming of age is something most people can relate to, the events portrayed seem to modern to be happening in Black Hawk, Nebraska-1890's. Everyone's story is that of personal success and happiness. There are no plot twists and turns to keep the book interesting and after reading this book I doubt that I will ever pick up another Willa Cather novel again.

it is well written but the whole story made me increasingly tense and anxious, as well it should. this was not a book that was fun or pleasurable to read. but it was extremely interesting.

One morning Joseph K. is arrested. It is never made clear what the charges are, but K. always maintains his innocence, as he grapples with a bureaucracy that slowly strangles his career and consumes his life.
Franz Kafka's 'The Trial' was published posthumously shortly after his death. It was never completely finished and it was unclear how the chapters were to be ordered. It is no surprise then that the plot is somewhat episodic. I had expected the story to be a dystopian nightmare, instead it was blackly humourous as K. deals with the judicial bureaucracy and various absurd situations.
There are many themes and interpretations, but the most obvious (and to me the most relevant) is the power of government and bureaucracy to destroy lives, not through active malice but as an impersonal force like a car driving over a squirrel . Once K. has been arrested he can never be acquitted, he can only hope to delay the final guilty verdict.
'The Trial' is a monumentally important work, that is more relevant than ever as government and its attendant bureaucracies have more impact on our lives with every passing year.

The Trial is like falling asleep into a splendid deleterious nightmare, with all of the dread and Angst, and never being quite able to find the code to lead oneself out of the intricately spun labyrinth. It surely will be a joy for those capable of opening up to Kafka's complex existential world. It is said that Kafka laughed obstreperously while reading this book. I tried to laugh along with him, but I believe there are a myriad of other approaches to this novella that are just as appropriate. I recommend to all.

The metaphors and symbolism in this book are so liberating, ironically however, to speak about the oppression of totalitarianism in his time.

Block, the painter, and Leni among others, are strangers who understand the complications of Joseph K's case as well as the details of court operations. The story exist in a state of total chaos, characters come and go for no clear reason, out of the blue, women go crazy over Joseph and then changing on him for no reason, People show concern for him and then become completely indifferent to his plight and an accusation , that he doesn't understand, is made. Joseph doesn't know if it's a crazy nightmare or reality.

The court that has access to any information or place at any time and holds the divine authority to decide everybody's destiny, still conducts its business in weird, dark and suspicious places. Is the court a symbol of the unaccountable bureaucracy that Kafka witnessed or was it the inner world of alienation that Kafka experienced all of his life? Was the first building that Joseph went to for the first court meeting merely a strange, empty, dark place or was it a maze that symbolizes a corrupt society?

When the prison chaplain comments: "...it is not necessary to accept everything as true, one must only accept it as necessary", did he refer to the corrupted legal system or to the crazy world as Kafka saw it?

What does Fraulein Burstner symbolize in Joseph's life? What is the significance of her sudden vague appearance at the end? was she the last connection to life in Joseph's eyes?

Why didn't Joseph fight the two men at the end? Had he given up and wanted to end his emotional torment or was it his longing to discover the ultimate truth?

As is typical of Kafka's works, there are many unanswered questions, but the journey through his works is outstanding and complex. It isn't called Kafkaesque for nothing.

unlike critics who would say that this novel was never finished, I believe that Kafka finished this novel and made the characters and events as random and confusing as possible. Reading the Trial, another Kafka masterpiece, is certainly time well spent.

Though many of you would already know this, I think it's important that lay readers realize that this book contains direct translations of these tablets--so chunks of text will be missing from the stories. This is not a transliteration, so you're not going to have a series of stories that read particularly easily.

However, if you need to do research on ancient Mesopotamian mythology this book is a true treasure to behold. I'm writing a novel that requires me to dig deep into everything we truly know about these ancient civilizations, and I feel very confident that the book makes the most truth-preserving claims as the author could make, regarding what we can say for certain. She puts relevant background information as well as brief histories on the studies of each myth, then tells the tales while preserving the poetic style that the mythical originators wrote with.

Revised review: I read the revised edition of 2000 - with 10 new primary sources - of the originally 1989 book. The author chose rather the Akkadian versions over the Sumerian ones. Included are ten stories of variating length: Atrahasis, The Epic of Gilgamesh*, The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld, Nergal and Ereshkigal*, Adapa, Etana, Anzu*, The Epic of Creation, Theogony of Dunnu, Erra and Ishum. (* = including standard version and older & shorter version). As you see, there isn't a story called "The Flood" as suggested by the title of the book. However, the flood is a recurring theme in several of the other stories.

Usually I detest footnotes, however, it makes perfect sense to use them here, as a translated text by someone else, from a distant civilisation has to be explained. Lost in translation puns and alliterations are pointed out. Also variating translations, which differ considerably. If the Bible translations via various languages have been done in a similar vagueness, I am not surprised that one or the other message has been misinterpreted. This book now uses modern English, which I am very thankful for, as it wouldn't make any sense to indulge in some sort of pretentious antique "translation". Stephanie Dalley is a perfectionist in the sense that she meticulously includes any missing line and lost word. Which sometimes leaves only a word per line extant. That is frustrating for sure occasionally, but unavoidable, if a reliable translation is sought. With some pages I was happy that I still have 99% of human vision, this tiny the text has been printed.

Though at times purposefully repetitious, the stories themselves are mostly interesting or/and indeed worthy to read. Not only for themselves, but also for the origin of some Western-known stories. However, one should be careful to draw direct lines of origin, as for one thing the same subject may be very different or, as the author points out, may variate considerably WITHIN the very long time of the Mesopotamian culture(s). In fact, the longer stories have largely been pieced together from different sources.

What she fails to mention is that the Mesopotamian culture(s) are derived from the Egyptian culture, as she avers the Mesopotamian one would be the first of mankind. That's an old Western urban legend attempting to dissociate from African culture, from Black culture as far as possible. Which is rather futile as Mesopotamia is located in Africa in geological reality for one thing and for the other, these specific ancients had been Black just the same. Which doesn't become clear at all in this book. Read The Africans Who Wrote the Bible or When We Ruled: The Ancient and Medieval History of Black Civilisations among many other books elaborating on that. However, I find it amazing that the derivations of the goddess Ishtar are mentioned, but she herself is presented as the original. Whereas it is long and officially accepted fact, even by the conservative science establishment that Ishtar in turn is derived from the Egyptian "Isis". In other words the Mesopotamian version may just be a sister derivation from Egypt, not the direct source for Western culture. In some instances that sister culture got remarried into the sources for later Western culture.

Speaking of conservatism and pseudo-origins: Elsewhere, the Epic of Gilgamesh is fancied as the first homosexual story in the world. To begin with, again, the Egyptians are able to top that. (For example with the story of Horus and Seth, though of course the concept of "homosexuality" differs from the modern one.) For another, the Gilgamesh story is rather bisexual, using modern Western terminology, as that concept was viewed differently back then and there as well. However, I find it remarkable that Stephanie Dalley isn't including that information in her veneration list. Accordingly, one can almost read this translation without noticing its however homosexual content. Gilgamesh's mother clearly speaks of Enkidu as if a son-in-law, but in the rest of the text he is translated in the like-a-brother routine. Well, maybe a "warm brother" as dated German slang would term him. Personally, I don't care about the translator's or my own view on this issue. It's even fun and safe for me, no matter my personal opinion, as in Rasta terminology, homosexuals happen in "Babylon" anyway (smile)... It's just interesting that she obviously leaves her path of perfectionism as soon as it comes to her bias. As I am a layperson on this, I wouldn't know, where else she missed some points. But maybe the reason for this is that the running gag in this story is that as soon as it turns homosexual, further text has been lost... Sure interesting to read in the ancient text that God made some humans nonbreeders to slow overpopulation. That almost sounds like modern slang.

I do recommend this book. Be sure to get the latest revision or another more recent book respectively.

This is a thorough compilation of Akkadian myths. These are modern translations based on up to date scholarship. While Dalley does a good job of bringing out the poetry of these myths, these are direct translations of the original texts showing all omissions and as yet untranslated words and phrases. This approach gives a very good idea of both the character of the myths and also of the difficulties encountered by scholars in reconstructing these texts from the fragmentary available records. Readers will end numerous echoes of better known myths in these translations. The introductory essays, footnotes, and background information are excellent.

A collection of the major Mesopotamian myths translated by a respected scholar. This is an excellent source for those desiring an authoritative translation. Even so, these myths can be somewhat awkward to read given Dalley's use of square brackets to indicate gaps in the text and omission dots to indicate an unknown word or phrase. No doubt these are accepted academic techniques for translating ancient texts, but I do hope someone will come along and render these myths in a more enthralling format. For just such an example of how ancient texts can be made to come alive for the modern reader, see "Gilgamesh: A New English Version" by Stephen Mitchell . Nonetheless, I give Dalley five stars, but also highly, highly recommend Mitchell's new version of Gilgamesh.

This is an excellent collection of several ancient Mesopotamian mythical stories. The original sources used for these translations were all written in Akkadian (which includes Semitic Babylonian and Assyrian dialects). Included in this collection are "Atrahasis", "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (standard and Old Babylonian versions), "The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld", "Nergal and Ereshkigal" (standard and Amarna versions), "Adapa", "Etana", "Anzu" (standard and Old Babylonian versions), "The Epic of Creation", "Theogony of Dunnu", and "Erra and Ishum".

This large collection of stories, along with the well written introductions and notes provided, enables the reader to put these epic stories into context, and recognize the parallels within the different stories. I prefer this book to those that concentrate only on the Gilgamesh epic.

I have not been able to finish this book yet as I only have time to read it during down times (which are few), but what I have read is great. Not difficult to read at all. I find that I have a hard time putting it down. It really does cover some of the temptations and "struggles" Christian's face and how some are overcome by them. Hopefully, I will get to finish it soon.

This is a very interesting book. It will help you learn things that you don't understand. I would encourage everyone to read this book.

At first this book was extremely hard to get into. The confusing way it was written, the metaphors, etc, didn't initially interest me that much. However, after truly getting in touch with the characters and themeanings behind their names really struck me. I do think this book is good for those who ant to look at the Christian faith as a trail you take. It teaches a good lesson, and after awhile it becomes interesting to read. A little hard to follow, but very good overall.

This is a time honored book, of which I am using as a text book in my adult Sunday School Class. I am using Maureen L. Bradley's "Study Guide" as an outline to the study. I have only one criticism of the book; they left out the scriptural references, which are found in earlier publication and/or by other publisher's. The book itself was received in excellent condition, and in a timely manner.

I decided I wanted to read this book a while ago and found it for a great price here on Amazon (around $3-$4). Originally a little turned off by the language, I soon found it very intriguing and an all around great story. I would recommend it for anyone with an interest in the Christian faith and I would assume it to be a pretty interesting otherwise. I am nearly done with Christian's journey and looking forward to the second part as well.

This book is very sexually explicit.
If that bothers you than steer clear of buying it.

I loved it! It was great to read a 'no holds barred'..raunchy and very sexy honest book.
I thought the author created 2 real characters with great dialogue and storyline.
There is no excuse or reason given here for the amazing sex these two women delve into - there shouldn't be.
I'm so glad Bold stroke published this one and didn't hide her in one of their collection books.
Way to go Meghan! Can't wait for your next one.

This book is great if you don't mind books without character development or plots. I was very disappointed.

I read this book in one morning. It is very well written and very steamy. You will not want to put this book down. I have recomended this book to all my friends. I will not let anyone borrow it or sell it because it is definately a book I plan on reading over and over.

Since there is a description of the book and others have written about it also, I'll skip that and just say: This book is so hot it will scorch the eyes right out of your skull! What a pleasant surprise. I have never read anything by this author and ordered it on a whim (desperate for something good to read). The description intrigued me enough and am I ever glad I took a chance. I've since ordered Infinite Loop by the same author, but haven't started it yet.

I loved the characters and was sucked into the story from the opening line (and if you've read it already, you know what I mean *wink wink*). Considering almost the first half of the book takes place in an elevator, with only the two main characters present, I was very impressed by the author's ability to keep my interest. I am one of those readers who tend to skip over things that don't look important, but I read every single word in this one (some parts I read more than once).

This is erotica with a bit of kink thrown in for good measure. Excellent read and I can't wait to read more by Meghan O'Brien! Highly recommended!

There are already many reviews which list the virtues of the book in terms of hot, hotter, and hottest. And they are all true! Hot it is!

I'd just like to add that it's a dynamic, entertaining read, and the one reason I'm not rating it 5 stars is because it's a bit two-dimensional for my tastes. Personally, I don't think the characters are so very well developed per se, what's fantastically well developed is their sexual persona, which happens practically within a bubble (and I'm not talking about the elevator!), there are no friends to contextualize the relationship, their "work" world is referred to but never brought to the forefront, the family angle is barely touched upon but not really explored...

I did have a LOT of fun with it, and I really do recommend this book for hot, fast-paced enjoyment, but in my humble opinion 5 starring a book requires a bit of extra work in terms of "rounding up" the story.

My son has some challenges getting his ideas on paper...he is being tutored by a retired teacher who is a reading specialist. She just loves this book for my son. They already completed the HEART project and it is coming along pretty well, can't wait to see the finished project.

"How to Write your Life Story," by Ralph Fletcher, presents an interesting and entertaining introduction to writing about the most important people in the world--yourself and your family. You can get additional ideas from larger books, but this little book, written for young people, covers the most important points about writing an autobiography.

It debunks a few common lies that people use to convince themselves they don't have a story worth telling--that you have to be a famous celebrity, have an amazing life, or be old and gray.

You already have everything you need to start writing: a character (yourself), a setting (places you have been), and a plot (the events that happened to you). Fletcher recommends making a list of memorable events and then writing about the ones that seem most interesting. These events will probably be the ones that are told and retold every time the family gets together.

He suggests gathering up the artifacts that have soaked up your personal memories and holding them in your hands until the memory rises to the top. Drawing maps of important places in your life, and a heart map of the things that really matter to you, will help you uncover the treasured and terrible tales you want to tell.

Whether you choose to write a group of vignettes, a chronology, or a multi-genre collection of short pieces, you can always switch to another form until it feels well-suited to the story you're trying to tell. The most important message in the book is that writing about your life will help you understand it better. So, read the book and start writing.

Excellent resource written for young students. I teach fifth graders and read to them regularly from Fletcher's other books... A Writer's Notebook in particular. How To Write Your Life Story brings the task of memoir to their fingertips -- makes it feel doable, important, and exciting. Fletcher cites two of my favorite authors of other resources: Katherine Bomer and Barry Lane, whom my students know well by the time we finish our inquiry into memoir. Many examples of writing from Fletcher, and other 4 - 7 grade students enrich this book and bring it home. Great for read aloud, introducing mini-lessons, or even as a class reading book if you can swing a whole set. Any teacher who investigates memoir or autobiography with young students should have this book in the classroom.