Fiction Literature Books


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Fiction Literature Books sorted by Bestselling .

Fiction Literature
A Man Without a Country
Published in Paperback by Random House Trade Paperbacks (2007-01-16)
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
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Less a parting shot than an afternoon chat
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-22
Vonnegut breezes through turn-of-the-century American life in aphoristic, often curmudgeonly free-association. While the inkwell of cantankerous wit hasn't run dry, this book is a bit of an exercise in redundancy; the contained thoughts and criticisms are better developed in his later works, particularly Hocus Pocus and the admittedly self-indulgent Timequake.

It is admittedly a treat that Vonnegut gave us one last opportunity to enjoy his pithy prose and withering assessments of modern life in such a loose, intimate collection of essays. Unfortunately, he also ran through these observations and bon mots rather too faithfully in his last lecture tour, which was a disappointment (particularly given how off-the-cuff his prose feels here). While the warmth of his sarcasm is always enduring, it's likewise depressing that Kurt couldn't finish his career with a work less firmly entrenched in the inflexible Vonnegut idiom of smirking punchlines.

Vonnegut Never Fails
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-18
"A Man Without A Country" is a must read for anyone who loves Mr. Vonnegut. It is a collection of short essays and writings published 2 years before his death. Written in true Vonnegut fashion, I believe he is on point with his satire and knowledge of the world more then ever. He is as sharp as knife with his commentary, and convincing as hell, using stories from history to back up his words. It may come off as the rantings of a crotchety old man, but I think that Vonnegut has earned his right and anyone who is not wearing blinders can truly see. This is a man who lived through the great depression, and fought in WWII. It is obvious that any true American can relate. One subject that truly struck me was how he talked about his generation, and how they dreamed of better tomorrow for their children and grandchildren. He then compares our generation to addicts trying to work through AA, just living day to day, with no hope of a better tomorrow. Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was a chapter in which he answered some fans who wrote him letters. It was a very easy read, too, I read it in one sitting. I kept on noticing my mind wondering when I was reading, "Man. I wish I could've had shared a smoke with this guy."

Compare to Kurt and Dlyan
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-30
Imagine yourself trying to become someone important in life or contributing something back to the world that children would read about in their books. Imagine if someone said your name in passing they would say, "Yes, I heard that name before, he/she is a famous writer/actor/business owner. Imagine starting out on the streets with little or nothing to your name. Imagine struggling through confusion and loneliness, through tears and pain and even some times full of ironic laughter. Well big shots like Bob Dylan and Kurt Vonnegut had periods in their lives exactly like what I just described.
Many people know Bob Dylan as a famous folk singer. What they may or may not realize is how he became the man he is to us today. He wasn't always a famous singer; he started at the bottom just like millions of other writers, singers or poets. In the dark cafes in New York City, he played his guitar and harmonica and told his story. He has been an influence through his music for more than forty years. He has made many albums, and that's want he wanted to do, to tell his stories through his songs.
Kurt Vonnegut is best known for his use of humor and satire in his writing. A Man without a Country is a book of essays he wrote with different opinions on many subjects to different people. Kurt Vonnegut wrote without having to offend people like most comedians do. Blacks, Whites, Jews, Catholics, politicians, all have in someway been mentioned in his stories and opinions. Kurt Vonnegut talked about how things that he has learned over his lifetime. He is not afraid to put those beliefs on paper even if his words could be insulting to his readers. These essays would become his final book that would share his opinions and thoughts of the world he lived in. That book answers the question on what does it mean to be human.

Final thoughts
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-27
I just finished re-reading this book. It is sad and funny , plump with joy and fear. Funny how all these feelings feed on one another. I think this book is a bit like the Last Lecture---final thoughts from a life: people can be nutty(he really goes after pols) but don't let this harsh truth make you fold up your tent; understand the value of humor, not the Bob Hope superficial gruel but the Mark Twain, we are all in a pickle together wisdom ; try to be kind and, failing that, try to do no harm. My favorite section---how to plot out a book, replete with charts. He was a great writer because he made it look so simple. And that's hard. At 145 pages, a night or weekend's reading.

A Great Man's Final Rant
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-17
Not denying that KV was a giant of late 20th century American letters. This is like reading an amusing rant from a guy who knew his best was behind him. A quick read, mildly amusing, at times thought provoking but not at all representative of his best work. If a young reader picks this up and is inspired to read his earlier stuff then this book has served it's purpose.


Fiction Literature
The Story and Its Writer Compact: An Introduction to Short Fiction
Published in Paperback by Bedford/St. Martin's (2006-05-23)
Author: Ann Charters
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Average review score:

Short Story Feast
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-30
This is a big book but well worth the price and time if you are a serious reader of short stories or trying to write them (as I am). You will find a comprehensive collection of the finest stories from the first efforts down to the present. There is also a wealth of commentary and criticism on the story in general and those in the collection. The Story and Its Writer has to be one of the best single sources of short story material that's yet been assembled.

WRONG BOOK
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-26
Becareful this book is a resource for teachers. Stories are not complete. Good book for reference but not for learning.

Great!!!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-16
My book arrived when it said it would and it was in perfect condition. Thanks.

An Outstanding Collection of Stories and Writers
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-18
This anthology was something I stumbled upon in college and completely changed the way I approached reading and writing. The stories are a wide variety and the writers writing about writing is a fantastic resource. This is one of the most precious pieces to my library and a must for any serious reader and writer.

Course Book I Actually Want to Keep Reading
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-29
This compilation of short stories was used for my Intro. to the Short Story college course. Our professor only picked out certain stories but I found myself reading unassigned stories myself. Some of these stories are wonderful. My favorite was "The Widow's Son" by Mary Lavin. Some other noteworthy stories: "Hills Like White Elephants" Hemingway, "Girl" by J. Kincaid. Too many more to list, a course book I am actually keeping so I can finish reading it. Usually I can't wait to close them after the course and not see them anymore! :)


Fiction Literature
Just a Dream
Published in Hardcover by Houghton Mifflin (1990-10-29)
Author: Chris Van Allsburg
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Just a Dream Review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-06
I recommend this good book to you to read to your child. It's about a kid that sees a movie about the future, then he wishes to be in the future. When he wakes up he notices that he's in the future. In the middle of the story he does to different places. You should read the book to find out what happens next! -Dennys and Jhoselin

Just a Dream
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-09
I read Just A Dream I would recommend this book because it has detailed pictures. In the book I saw the different sized boats with great reflections in the water.This helped convince me that it was a good book.

I love Chris VanAllsburg
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-20
This book has a great message, but it seems a little more forced than some of his other titles. All of his books are great for teaching children to infer meaning from text!

Trieu, Steven and Jang Yi's review
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-18
Just a Dream is a wonderful book because it teaches a lesson and the lesson is to take care of the earth by recycling your trash. You should read this book to learn why it's important to protect the environment. Even one person can make a difference. If I could pick from any book that I already read, I would pick this book as the best one. The author had an awesome idea for writing. He taught a lesson but put it in words that made me want to keep reading. It has colorful pictures that really stand out. I would recommend this book to anyone.

An educational, magical children's book
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-22
When I read this book a tear came to my eye. I knew Chris Van Allsburg was right about recycling and keeping the earth clean. If there are parents that have kids that actually like to keep the earth clean, I suggest they read it to their kids!


Fiction Literature
Trucks Board Book
Published in Board book by HarperFestival (1998-05-31)
Author:
List price: $6.99
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Average review score:

Awesome Book for Toddlers Who Love Trucks
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-31
Review by Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby

When my son was 2, he could not get enough of this book - he asked for it every day and even carried it with him in the car. Of the many truck books for young boys, this one is especially appealing for a few reasons:
-Simple, bold illustrations are easy to look at.
-Just one sentence per page makes the book great for short attention spans.
-In very simple language, the book introduces different kinds of trucks and their purpose. (Oil truck, bucket truck, cement mixer, etc.)

Besides appealing to toddlers, I think this would be an excellent choice for boys who are beginning to read on their own.

Cute truck book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-27
We like this one... story is pretty cute, great drawings. Good book for toddler boys... my son enjoyed it from 18 months on.

great book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12
Love this book for a 1, 2, or even 3 yo. Both my boys love(d) it. We just bought it as a gift.

Tops with Toddlers
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-18
We have about a half dozen Byron Barton board books, including this one, and they're tops in our house. I started buying them for my not-quite-4-year-old when he was about 9 month old. Then he loved to look at the pictures with me. Now, he and his little brother (18 months) both love them still. We have shelves and shelves of books, but these come out regularly for story time, particularly this one, Trains, Boats, and Planes. Highly recommended!

A great book for your little truck lover
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-05
This little book is sturdy and uses vibrant colors to catch your little ones attention. The text is very simple, but there is a truck on every page! My two year old wants this one read over and over!!


Fiction Literature
Pavilion of Women
Published in Paperback by Moyer Bell (2001)
Author: Pearl S. Buck
List price: $12.95
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Average review score:

Beautiful story of the pursuit of love
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-10
At 40, Madame Wu discovers what love is and what it is not as she invites a young village foundling into her home as 2nd wife. She is composed and beautiful and intimidating, but discovers that love is finding your true self. Beautifully written and a story that keeps me intrigued until the last page.

Choices Can Have Unforeseen Consequences
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-05
I love Pearl Buck's books. She is so adept at taking the reader right into a foreign world and making it understandable. One begins to see how we are all really the same underneath our outward appearances and social customs. In this book, wealtlhy Madame Wu changes the course of her entire family's lives because of her strong desires to ultimately satisfy self. At first, her actions appear to be somewhat self-sacrificing in a certain way. Some readers may find her attitudes and actions quite modern, but there are far-reaching consequences to those actions and one wonders how selfless those actions really are in the end. I found the surprise turn in Madame Wu's relationship/feelings for the exiled priest to be a bit far-fetched for a wealthy Chinese woman of her time, but life can take odd twists and turns. To me this book is a moral tale of actions and consequences. I do not belive she or her family were better off in the end in spite of her taking over the care of the priest's orphans. Very interesting reading...food for thought.

better than the movie
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-15
The movie was good but it doesn't follow the book and the book is much better.

Thoughtful ...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-30
I would have never picked this book up if it weren't for my book club. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down till I was finished with this book. It is a very moving and thoughtful book ~~ opening my eyes to something else that I would have never thought of reading.

This book is about Madame Wu, who decided to retire from married life at the age of 40. She suggested a concubine for her husband as she believes very strongly that his needs need to be met ~~ just not by her. Her excuse is that she didn't want to bear any more children, but that is just a public excuse, one she offered to everyone who asked. The truth is, she didn't love her husband and wanted to retire from that part of her marriage. Needless to say, it unsettled the entire family ~~ even the concubine was unsettled. It reverberated throughout the entire book till the very end, when everyone seems to have moved onto their own problems.

This is a book on a busy wealthy Chinese family. It is about traditions and ideas, non-traditions, love and finding purpose in life. It is about family relationships between father, son, mother, son, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, friendships, and even between mistress and servant.

Madame Wu never thought she'd find peace and happiness till one of her sons' instructors came along. He was a Jesuit priest and they struck up a friendship based on conversations (which she remembered after his death). He literally changed her life and thought process. From being a woman who always did what she was told, she was liberated to being a free-thinking woman who strove to find peace in her soul.

It is a book that I would recommend to all readers ~~ and it is definitely a book for a book club to discuss! It is a timeless classic novel ~~ and definitely a great introduction to an author that I have heard about but never have read. I can't wait to read her other books!

3-30-07

Powerful, Rereadable Book For Me
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-08
Wow. I find Pearl Buck to be an author that really holds my attention, and write about complex characters that I don't really always like, but in the end, because of the author's writing and vision, I come to see them as really complex human beings.

This book, in particular, I think is really spiritual. I really wish that I had a book group to discuss this book with. At the beginning, I didn't really care for or understand the main character, Madame Wu. She decides after her 40th birthday party, that her husband can have a concubine and that she can turn inward. In the beginning, this is really quite a difficult concept for me, but in a way, it's also very liberating. It's a form of birth control for her, and also a way to keep her husband satisfied. In the end, Pearl Buck, as an author, really shows this woman to be very multidimensional, and I feel, quite spiritual and not so superficial as I think she starts out to be.

In the background, there are daughter in laws who are more liberated than Madam Wu, and the chafe at the idea of a concubine. They are too modern for that and would not stand for having a concubine in the house. Some of this is quite historical fand relates gently to the communist revolution. Also it is showing generational differences and lack of understanding between generations. In the end, Madame Wu, I feel , is far more liberated than her daughter in laws, no matter how modern they are.

There is also a DVD of this story, and I think the DVD cover is on the book cover that I read. If it shows a white man in an embrace with a Chinese woman, as if they were about to kiss, I want to warn you that this Hollywood image is not really the book at all. And in fact, that picture does not occur in the book either. Really, that image is an abomination of the book.

I do know, by reading Pearl Buck, why she is a Nobel prize winner in writing. For me, it's this. She helps you to see characters (people) that you might really hate or disagree with in real life as real, very multifacted people. And though I might not always come to agree or fully care about her characteres, through her writing, I will learn to understand and respect them more than I would have if I had not read the book. And more than that, Buck weaves in real history and fact and makes is very interesting.

Please read her books. You won't be disappointed.


Fiction Literature
Flannery O'Connor : Collected Works : Wise Blood / A Good Man Is Hard to Find / The Violent Bear It Away / Everything that Rises Must Converge / Essays & Letters (Library of America)
Published in Hardcover by Library of America (1988-09-01)
Author: Flannery O'Connor
List price: $35.00
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Used price: $17.50
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Average review score:

Amazing Grace
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-21
How sweet the sound that saved this wreched human race. O'Connor writes of God's love and redemption of humanity. She uses exaggeration to make her point. Her characters are so very silly, obtuse, bigoted, loathsome they become cartoons, yet there is a deep integrity to their shallowness. She's not making fun of them, but giving them the justice of a pitiless description. Indeed they do not seem judged, but naked -- the fruits of their stupid, misguided ideas and actions on display. And these children of God do shocking things to others and themselves. And yet . . ..

And yet God allows them to live and learn, or not learn if that is their inclination. He gives them this freedom. He loves them. How can this be? How?

I love O'Connor for her art, her convictions, her courage, and her love. She is so very true and honest.

In addition to her novels and a thorough selection of short stories, there is a chronology of her life and a selection of her letters which are rewarding reading. The book itself is a wonderful object. The pages are of fine paper. The binding is such that you can lay it open on a table without breaking its back, and the pages will not move unless a breeze or you do so.

Great literature in great binding
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-16
I am thoroughly enjoying this authoritative collection of O'Connor's writings. The writing speaks for itself as truly great and unique. This particular book is very classy and well put together; an excellent choice for someone with a significant interest in O'Connor.

Just Read It All
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 24 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-01
The complaints about the poor organization of the collection can be overcome by simply reading it from front to back. Surely it is that good.

My foray into the works of Flannery O'Connor, a southern, gothic author of darkly humorous novels and short stories came via a recommendation in Harold Bloom's, "What to Read and Why." As it turned ot, I had read one of her short stories, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," in a collection somewhere and had been surprised and shocked, by the turn of events and ending of the story, so much so, that I remembered it instantly, even though it has to have been thirty years since I read it. I enjoyed everything, short stories, novellas, and even her letters. She writes about southern Christ-haunted people, most backward, all damned, but many redeemed. Bloom says that according to her, we are all damned but one should put that aside and simply enjoy her beautiful, grotesque, and wonderful comedic stories. Her protagonist is often a woman, forced to take on a role and duties she didn't sign up for but resignedly and with no illusions playing and discharging both out of a sense of morality or necessity; those women are usually the most superior beings in her stories.

Many of her insights stick with me months afterwards. For example, O'Connor says in one of her letters, "...Hazel's integrity lies in his not being able to do so. Does one's integrity ever lie in what he is not able to do? I think that usually it does, for free will does not mean one will, but many wills conflicting in one man. Freedom cannot be conceived simply. It is a mystery and one which a novel, even a comic novel, can only be asked to deepen." That brought tears to my eyes -- perhaps because it is so beautifully put.

Classic
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-10
Now that I've read everything by O'Connor (including works that were part of her thesis for her degree in writing) I am still amazed and inspired by her work. I'm not from the south or Catholic and I was not alive during the eras of which she wrote, but her writing transcends region and time. My favorites remain A Good Man is Hard to Find, Everything That Rises Must Converge, and Revelation, but I love all her stories, although I find the novels a bit more challenging - I think short story was her finest form. Her ability to mix desperation and violence with comedy is amazing, and often when I read her I think: "I shouldn't be laughing at that." I often wonder what additional work she would have produced if she had not died so young. Highly recommended.

a lovely book
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-23
Oh yes! I adore her, and so do my mum and dad. They talk about her all of the time, and so I grew up with the prose ringing in my ears. I am so pleased to be reading her now.


Fiction Literature
Island of the Blue Dolphins (Illustrated)
Published in Hardcover by Houghton Mifflin (1990-10-29)
Author: Scott O'Dell
List price: $22.00
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Used price: $0.07
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Average review score:

Classic adventure
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-27
This is a story I have read many times since I was a child. I'm sure every little girl goes through that phase where she would like nothing more than to be a wild maiden living alone with the animals, and that is probably the basis of a lot of appeal. But that does destract from the fact that this is an incredibly written, incredibly moving story of survival and the overcoming of loneliness.

Based on an old story of a woman who survived for 18 years by herself, this tells the story of a young girl who is left on an island after her people build ships and leave their homeland. She jumps off the ship to rescue her brother, who subsequently dies. While waiting for ships to return for her, she dominates the island by herself with animals for company.

The description is real and powerful, and O'Dell provides a strong character. It's great adventure and touching drama.

Dolphin book for school
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-25
We received this book very quickly, in the described condition. It was an earlier print of the book with a smaller font, but overall it was a great
buying experience.

Just didn't excite me
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-02
My babysitter got this out for my 8 year old daughter who loves to read, and I started reading it first to see if she would like it. I remember reading it as a child but couldn't remember whether I liked it or not. As an adult I found it somewhat interesting but not captivating. Nothing much happens, and I didn't think it was written in a way which would excite my daughter. I found myself wishing Scott ODell were a better writer--the descriptions of how food or clothing is made from natural products are so thin, compared to the Little House books (which are masterpieces). Since so many people seem to love it, I guess you just have to check it out of the library and see.

An empowering adventure story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-27
What a great book! Virtually every part of this book is writing at it's very best.

The setting is magical. Odell seems to tell us about another part of the island and the water with each chapter. I wish he had made a companion book to just explore the island.

The young girl is amazing. She's making spears, building huts, killing devil fish, dogs, and the like, she's exploring nearby islands, trying to escape. There's so many ways to describe her, but the simplest and the best has to be: COURAGOUS.

What I like about this book, is that Odell helps the young reader talk about some issues of life that for many young people is not talked about, subjects like loneliness, independence, loyalty, and death. This is a book that can start a great many discussions between teacher and student, and parent and student.

What makes this book even cooler for me is that it is based in large part on a true story!

I have to say that this book is truly one of, if not the greatest newbery books ever written.

A Wonderful Classic
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-16
This book touched me as a young girl. I think I read it about ten times growing up. It is a wonderful story about courage, survival, isolation, and trust. It is an amazing adventure and I recommend it for all children. The book is deserving of awards but I would have loved it even if it had been an obscure story that never won awards - there are a lot of good stories out there that are like that. I am going to buy an extra copy of this for a little niece, so she will have it to read in a few years. I think this type of book has the power to mold and shape lives, who we are and who we will become.


Fiction Literature
Gulliver's Travels (Penguin Classics)
Published in Paperback by Penguin Classics (2003-02-25)
Author: Jonathan Swift
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Average review score:

Good read, a little dated
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-11
I really enjoyed reading through Gulliver's Travels, I recommend it to anybody who's trying to get a good grasp on the classics and learn to enjoy some literature, but for those of you who just want to sit down at the beach and relax, this might not be the book for you. Despite the numerous versions of Gulliver's Travels flying around billed as Adventure Stories, you must remember that Swift was a satirist and Gulliver's travels is really just a large allegory. Keep in mind it's a satire from a few hundred years ago. You may find yourself lost in names and connections that would have been obvious (and perhaps very clever) to the original audience but keeps the modern day reader flipping through to the foot and end notes. The most interesting parts are the first, second and fourth parts, while the third gets a little dry. When he gets into the narrative of the story, it is very interesting and again a very important piece in literature.

Interesting
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-18
Gulliver's Travels is definetely an interesting read. The changes pace frequently because the book is divided into four books according to his different adventures. Each book(adventure)gives you a differnt view of people and questions about humans and humanity. The last book was my personal favorite-it's a very differnet spin on humanity from the other ones. Overall, it's a very good book and I would recommend it if you need a book to read or have only ever read the children's version.

a fantastic book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-02
This was excellent. I didn't think I'd ever want to read Gulliver's Travels, the eighteenth century English satire by Jonathan Swift. But I couldn't put the book down. Now it was much a satire on the then current English royal system but what he writes can really almost be a satire on any political system. You can transpose it to be a satire on any American President.

The Greatest Book!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-25
Gulliver's travel is a great book about adventure. He was washed off his ship to shore. Next thing he knows he's tied down to the ground.

I liked this book because it was full of adventure where he met many tiny people that he did not know.

I also liked it because there were two tribes that he made friends with, which is very exciting.

Finally, I liked the book because the people in both tribes were enemies and fought a lot of the time which was really cool. They stopped fighting when Gulliver arrived because he pulled all the boats of the other tribe to the land of Liliput.

I recommend this book for all ages especially those people who love adventure.

(Review by Tristan)

NOT Bringing Home the Bacon!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-27
Our hero Gulliver and his wife could use some counseling. It seems that every time he plops down on the sofa with his better-half and children, Gulliver gets restless and needs to go have another adventure. (Did they have sofas back then? If not, how did people crash out in front of their TV sets?) And he lives in idyllic old England, go figure!

Each time he does this (gets the traveling jones) he hops aboard some ship, tantamount to suicide in those days, eats salted meat and spoiled porridge for a few weeks, months or years, (unless there is a Chili's or Olive Garden nearby along the way--but he always seems to forget his coupons,) generally shipwrecks and sooner or later encounters some bizarre form of intelligent life in whatever fairyland he has found for himself this time, in whatever chapter of the book he happens to be sojourning in at this particular intersection of the time-space continuum.

Usually he is held captive, and then embosomed or exploited by whoever the freaks of nature are this time around, invariably escapes and by a series of miracles eventually finds his way home again, only to discover the same boring wife and children at the hearth waiting patiently despite the years that have passed without so much as a text message.

Along the way we are treated to Swift's amazing writing, great humor, wit and stellar imagination. Highly recommended, but it takes a bit of work to get through the whole thing.


Fiction Literature
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Signet Classics)
Published in Paperback by Signet Classics (2005-06-07)
Author: Frederick Douglass
List price: $4.95
New price: $1.83
Used price: $1.24
Collectible price: $12.00

Average review score:

Frederick DDOuglass Review
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-08
It had some writing in it, but overall a good deal for the price. Thanks

In the wake of the nomination of Barack Obama, this is an excellent look back on what once was
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-06
As a political junkie, I watch several news and commentary television shows. On the day that Barack Obama was declared the nominee of the Democratic Party for the presidency of the United States, black journalist Eugene Robinson was speaking. He said that we should all stop for a minute and appreciate the significance of this event. In the early 1960's black people had a very difficult time voting and in the southern United States, whites who killed blacks were generally acquitted if brought to trial. Now, there is the very real chance that a black person will be the next president.
One of the greatest assets Obama has is his incredible gift for speech and communication. He is extremely articulate and is capable of delivering his words in a manner that resonates. I was privileged to attend one of his rallies and was even able to ask him a question.
When blacks were slaves, they were property, nothing more. If their owner was dissatisfied, they could whip or even kill their slaves with impunity. Therefore, to truly appreciate and understand how far things have come in the United States, it is necessary to read some of the descriptions of how slaves were treated.
This is one of the best accounts of the horrors of slavery ever written. Douglass was one of the first articulate blacks to appeal to whites. He was even the vice presidential candidate of the Equal Rights Party in 1872. The presidential candidate was Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States.
Douglass describes the brutal and indiscriminant treatment that a slave was forced to endure. When a slave showed any sign of independence, the goal of the white supremacists was to break them by any means necessary. Mothers and fathers were separated from their children, food was withheld and physical mistreatment were all weapons in the arsenal of the slave-breaker.
In this moment of the triumph of racial equality, it is an excellent look back to read the writings of Douglass. It gives you a perspective on how truly historic the nomination of Barack Obama is and will continue to be.

Must Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-21
The Narrative is another book, like Hiroshima, that ever person should read. The in-depth look into Douglass' life shows how slaves were treated during the 19th Century. It explains why the struggle for freedom that led to the American Civil War and why it was such a brutal confrontation.

Freedom through Abolitionism in th 19th Century
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-03
87 years after the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted and after the the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution Enslaved Americans gained thier freedom.

Before the civil war Abolitionist were the Advocates of change in America the struggle to gain ones freedom from the experiences of slavery in the south is told from the true experiences of Fredrick Douglass. From Slavery to the Struggle for freedom to escape is the story told here, but also the story of survival to activism in the Abolitionist movement to change America.

During the nearly 100 years after the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of 1787 Black America finally found Freedom, But between Slavery and Freedom was the struggle of the freedom fighters of the Revolutionary Abolitinist Movement to bring slavery in America to an end. This is the story of the virtues of a victim of Slavery turned into a revolutionary success story, This is the story of Fredrick Douglass.

Essential
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-29
"I expose slavery in this country, because to expose it is to kill it. Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death." Frederic Douglass

Frederic Douglass tells us the REAL story about slavery in early America. From the first page to the last, I was totally transfixed. There are so many things to admire about this great American. On top of being brilliant and brave and benevolent and broad-minded, etc... what I truly admire about this amazing soul was the fact that he is able to tell us his story sans bitterness. For let me tell you, if the majority of us had to endure one iota of what this man went through... Let's just say that those saccharine sweet saga's like "Gone with the Wind" left a few pertinent things out!

This is one hell of a powerful story! The brutalities of slavery will disgust you, but to see this beautiful soul rise above it all is something special. He is the most important figure in nineteenth-century black American literature and a man that merits more attention than he gets. This is a magnificient achievement, an important work of art.

Very highly recommended!


Fiction Literature
Maps and Globes (Reading Rainbow Book)
Published in Paperback by HarperTrophy (1986-05-23)
Author: Jack Knowlton
List price: $6.99
New price: $3.25
Used price: $0.29

Average review score:

"Learning from and Enjoying Maps"
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30
While written for youth, this is a very good introduction to maps. It is especially useful because it informs young readers that maps are not always accurate. The historic discussion helps to bring students to the present in terms of how maps, in general, evolved. Comparison of globes and flat maps is very instructive. I would have
said more about the utility of Mercator and similar maps (especially rhumb lines, shortest distances), but the Greenland/South America discussion is on target. I would have included another map -- the Western and Eastern Hemisphere and related cartographic data to Old and New World -- it introduces what young students will learn in later classes. Measurement on maps is effectively dealt with, but it is important to distinguish
the 'naturalness' of the Equator from the 'arbitrariness' of the Prime Meridian. Nice coverage of South America, but it might be more useful to put the pair of maps opposite each other. Authors should avoid referring to the land area as 'dry' land. It could be confusing. Imre Sutton, retired prof., geography, Cal. State Univ., Fullerton.

Learn About maps and gobes using colorful pictures and easy reading large print text
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-15
This is a wonderful book for teaching about maps and globes in a simple, fun and colorful way. The text is a nice large size which makes it easy to read. The age level is 7-10 but I am sure my five year old will enjoy it. This is a wonderful book used with Geography A-Z as part of My Fathers World curriculum. Neat stuff. Enjoy the book and go ahead and get both of them together and save on shipping if you can.

Good introduction and overview of maps for elementary ages
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-11
Good book for introducing maps, globes and history of map making. It includes a few simple activities which should encourage readers to further research with maps, globes, atlases and at the library. However, the book would be greatly improved by a glossary defining all the italicized words in the book.

Great for teaching about Map Skills!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-28
This book is a great resource to use when teaching a unit about Map Skills! I've used this in my 2nd grade classroom and it was successful! The language is very child-friendly and easy to understand! The illustrations are wonderful! A great addition to my Map Skills unit!

great introduction to maps and globes
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-21
Written for 7-10 year olds, this colorful book introduces young readers to the basics of maps and globes, such as a map's uses, direction, the equator, scale, legends, latitude, longitude, elevation and the difference between physical and political maps. Illustrations are simple, colorful and informative.

Well done.


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