Fiction Literature Books

This book is required reading for freshman in our high school. This version is very hard to read due to the Old English style of writing.

Silas Marner / 0-553-21229-X

Silas Marner always invariably compares in my mind to Dicken's Scrooge. In the height of his youth, healthy, happy, and in love, he is betrayed, cast down, and taught the 'lesson' that only the criminal and avaricious get ahead in life. Banished to a new town, he abandons all attempts to connect with the society around him and instead focuses on hoarding his wealth carefully, counting his money lovingly in the evenings. When the money simply disappears one day, stolen by a burglar, Silas is crushed. Only the arrival of an "angel" - a little orphan girl with golden curls on her head - saves him, and starts him down the long road to redemption. Given something to love, Silas flourishes and learns to join the society of people.

The local nobility, Cass, serves as a perfect counterpoint to Silas' lessons. Cass is rescued in one fell swoop from all his burdens - his inconvenient lower class wife dies suddenly clearing the way for his 'true love' and noble girlfriend, his illegitimate child is adopted by Silas, and his blackmailing brother disappears into the snow for good - and yet, Cass is doomed to a life of disappointment. His perfect upper class wife Nancy cannot bear children, and their perfect home is turned into a silent as the two simply age (they do not grow) and they find that they never really loved each other after all. When Cass realizes, too late, what a treasure his daughter would have been in his life, he finds himself rejected as the girl prefers her adoptive father to the natural one who would not claim her. And though the girl marries below her father's level of nobility, she marries a good man who loves and appreciates her, and her future seems much more rosy than that of her upper class 'parents'.

I am one of the former students who long ago was forced to read this rot for a HS english class. I can not think of a book that would be of less interest to a teen age american boy than this one. All the reviewers who praise this book make me wonder about what else they read. It was beyond boring and had no possible points of reference to me. There are literally thousands of British novels that would be better choices. If you are going to assign students a British Novel pick one that at least they would enjoy reading. Thank god I liked to read or after this experience I would probably not read anything for years. I hope to god that this is no longer assigned or rather forced reading for HS. When there are books like 1984 or Brave New World available why use one that has so little possible interest to students.

George Eliot is the best woman author I've ever read. She had God-given talent that you or I, no matter how much we read, no matter how much we write, could not consciously replicate. She had something which can't be taught, a kernel of genius hidden somewhere in the brain, which was allowed to express itself...to our collective benefit.

Silas Marner, while not perfect, is something recognizably special--a book with lingering phrases, a book with extraordinary insight, a book that instates the reader with the feeling that the author knows what the hell she is doing. It's a book that matters.

I know what you are afraid of: you are afraid this book will be a bloated succession of tea parties and persiflage with mutton-chopped vicars. No fear: the plot is credibly organic, and moves along briskly, wrapping itself up in just over two-hundred pages. It should hold your interest so that you can discover the ten or so gem-sentences dispersed throughout. Sentences that are not just airtight, but that meld with your mind, and cause an "Aha!" reaction. You know what I'm talking about.

Perhaps the most convincing signal I can offer of my sincere regard for her abilities is the fact that I'll now seek out her other works...something I can't say about Virginia Woolf, for instance, whose literary inferiority to Eliot I would take as axiomatic. (Ironic, isn't it--or maybe not--that feminists seem to esteem Woolf more highly than Eliot?)

Silas Marner is a skillfully crafted novel to be enjoyed by readers with varied tastes. It was written by a woman, who found it necessary to use a man's name because of attitudes in England in the nineteenth century. It is built around problems that all of us face in our lives, such as, "How important is money?" As in all great novels, the characters change as the plot develops.

SILAS MARNER is a realistic novel because it portrays life in a real and believable fashion. The author, Mary Ann Evans, who used the pen name, George Eliot, pays careful attention to a few distinguishing details about here characters and settings.

For example, we can see Silas Marner, the central character of the novel, with his pale skin and undersized body. We know how he looks with his large, near-sighted, bulging eyes. We can see the important-looking village of Raveloe, which lives peacefully in opulent neglect.

When I was a teacher, I directed many high school sophomores to read SILAS MARNER. Most students dreaded reading the novel included in their literature textbooks. Once they met Silas and spent enough time with him to become acquainted with his unique personality, they became eager readers of this well-crafted classic.

It has some of the same qualities that made Pride and Prejudice (Vintage Classics) an endearing and enduring novel. In both works, the idyllic English countryside is an enjoyable escape from everyday life. There is romantic courtship in both, but the romance of SILAS MARNER is not the central theme; therefore it is not as compelling as that in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Since the readers are not required to become obsessed with yearning for romantic fulfillment, young guys who were in my class felt free to enjoy it. (Sixteen year old young men are still self-conscious about these matters.) Both books contain the same kind of satire buffered with compassion. In both novels we laugh with the local rural and village people. Because the language in SILAS MARNER is less complex, adolescent readers enjoy it more than they do PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

When as a student I first read SILAS MARNER in high school and when I read it with my students, I considered the coincidences plot weaknesses. Life doesn't work that way, I thought. Now that I have experienced a life of incredible coincidences, I no longer find anything in the book unbelievable. Events caused by Silas Marner's catalepsy seemed unlikely, but now they represent no problem.

Theft with its resulting bitterness provides conflict with which the readers can identify. Earlier I found it difficult to believe that the lightning of theft could strike twice, but that part of the plot is one more realistic element now. Other twists and turns with their ironic mysteries are typical of human life as I have lived it.

All the parts of the novel that seemed to be a contrived fairy tale are now a vignette of life. Even if I could not believe it all, the book would still break my heart the way Forrest Gump does with its twists and turns of satirical accounts.

When I enjoyed SILAS MARNER in my twenties with thirty teenagers at a time, I did not notice the shaping of Silas' religious beliefs as much as I do now. I remember that the students and I were indignant about the way Silas was duped by the evil church members at Lantern Yard. Now I have compassion for them, especially William, as well as for Silas.

Mary Ann Evans showed the futility of idolatry. All my students understood the disaster of worshiping money. If I could return to my students, I would like to ask them what they thought of the villagers who seemed to rely on the habits of their church to bring them close to God. Could we discuss that in the 21st century? I feel sure we would discuss the addiction to narcotics as it is realistically portrayed.

SILAS MARNER is a great English novel not difficult to read, but rich in insights. It shows what is evil and what is good in human hearts.

Now, I loved this book, this is the second book by Ms.Ervin I have read (I need to get Mina's Joint)and I am amazed and very appreciative at the authors growth and how she's come into a style of her own, I could see it in Hold U Down but she was still trying to find her way and I saw to many other authors in that one too. And once again, the designer name droppin and talking about how much something cost and every detail in peoples clothes and all that stuff could be lessened. But this book is all MISS ERVIN! And she did a great, great job! This book took me back a little I can really understand Mo's pain, the up's and the down's, the in's and the out's. Mo is wayyyy better than me though lol(accept the kid part, she was bogus for that lol). What we won't go through for love, but this was very well written, with a nice pace, not to slow, not to fast, not overly dramatized, but nicely put together you really could feel the emotions, and the supporting characters were wonderful as well and fit nicely into the book. It was emotional, funny, made you mad, I mean I was ready to jump in the book and smack dude around a little bit, then smack her around a little then hug em both! I read it in a few hours(ok so I didn't pace myself and almost burned my rice) but it was that good. I loved how it ended with nobody holding grudges or wishing ill on the other. Good going Miss Ervin, keep up the good work!

From the Beginning to the end it was good.....Especially at the end. Good Twist Torn (Triple Crown Publications Presents) (Triple Crown Publications Presents)

I THINK THIS IS THE BEST BOOK THAT I HAVE READ IN LONG TIME. KEISHA TO U (YOU HAVE SOME MAD SKILLS)CONTINUE TO DO WHAT U DO.

THIS BOOK WILL SEND YOU THRU SO MANY EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTERS ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY. YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE PAIN MO IS GOING THRU. I THINK MANY FEMALES CAN RELATE TO THIS BOOK, I KNO I DID.I LOVED IT.

This has to be one of the best book i ever read. Torn kept me tearing through the pages, from the day i started it. The book hit so close to home because i went through the same experiance but not for 10 years. Its easy for people to say that Mo shoulda have left quan, but in all reality when you are in the situation,loves clouds your judgement. But otherwise the book kept you intrested, it made you feel like you are really there. I laughed and i cryed and i can proudly say that i am going to pass this book around to each and everyone of my friends. The book made me realize that you could easily think that you love a person,but it might be the idea of love, that makes you hang on for dear life.I WISH I CAN GIVE IT MORE THAN 5 STARS. this book deserves 100 stars.

Pulitizer Prize winner, A Death In The Family is a most serious intoxicating read, not about the death of an individual, but the experiences of those who live, love and the commitment to faith in religion.

It is a tightly worded, well-described novel that doesn't miss a beat. The minds of of certain characters, their fears, their ideas, their issues, their mysteries, are all detailed, thoroughly. The narrative is filled with enough for the reader to completely grasp every detail, every thought, every step.

The main characters are important and we learn quickly who they are, do we care, do we connect, do we support, do we feel for them, do we disagree?

The basic theme in this novel religion first, death second. If your experience is to acquaint with the religious aspect, then here it is. But if you want to seek more on the aspects of death, love, family, you can absorb more than enough here. For sure, you can understand death anxiety, whether your own death or for a loved one.

Like any good literature, this is a lengthy novel that should require TWO readings. One may need to connect with the lengthy dream sequence (in italics). You may want a more thorough understanding of how the wife copes through religion or how a death can affect someone too young to understand.

The story involves a father of two, who en route to his own father's home because of illness, is killed in an accident. His wife Mary has absorbed herself into faith to cope, his son Rufus trying to understand the tauntings of playmates and the adult world, where the other family members explore different views.

It is said that James Agee died before completing editing and therefore, there lies some controversy on certain profound sections inserted. Also, this movie can never really become depicted on the screen with enough understanding. Movie making just cannot delve into ½ of what is told her. We feel in the story like we cannot in a movie. Just won't happen.....Rizzo

That's about the gist of it as the title implies. A Waltonesque tale of flowery passages describe the lives and dynamics of a turn of the century Southern family and the unexpected death of a recovering alcoholic father. The mother seeks solace in her religion and the young boy Rufus is conflicted primarily over his Negro sounding name and then his fathers death.This book is on alot of must read lists,best 50 books etc,and it even won a Pulitzer prize.Sorry, but I just don't see the big deal.There are lots of stuffy older relatives and in a flashback scene that was inserted into the book after the authors own death, the family visits an ancient, mummy of a great-great grandma way up in them thar hills who gets so excited the only sign that she is alive is that she urinates on herself.Religious hypocrisy is addressed over funeral rites with a 'lets get it over and get on with our lives' mentality.Some nice imagery, but all in all, not the great American novel I was expecting.I kept waiting for something spectacular to happen but the ending though sweet, was rather anti-climactic.Wish there was more to say but it left me flat.Read it because the lists say you should,that is, if they matter to you. They shouldn't,sometimes they are wrong, but it's your opinion that really matters in the end.

Loss can be experienced, but never fully understood, Perhaps some revelation may come from the tumult of feeling, yet the
chaotic jumble of diverse,conflicting emotions as a whole defies conscious, rational description. W. Somerset Maugham, someone who can be considered a master of introspective narrative, covered virtually the whole range of human emotion in "Of Human Bondage", yet failed to satisfactorarily explore grief over bereavement. Joan Didion in her Amazon.com Editors' Top Pick of 2005 nonfiction work "The Year of Magical Thinking" fell far short. Perhaps loss cannot be explained so much as put into perspective, either through the chronicling of its immediate impact, or its gradual dissipitation from consciousness.

Or perhaps I haven't read enough on the subject, a possibility which is admittedly as high as that of my conjectures being correct. However, "A Death in the Family" goes some way in remedying this deficit.

A Pulitzer Prize winner, "A Death in the Family" covers the short time span from just before the father of a family leaves on a journey in which he suddenly dies in a car accident, until his funeral.The thoughts and interactions between many characters central and peripheral to the incident, including his wife, their children, as well as the in-laws are painstakingly and vividly rendered, delining a portrait of - as the title plainly states - a death in the family.

Unable to come to grips with the enormity of grief, the widow's mind first turns to irreverent matters (the blasphemy of trying out a mourning veil in front of the mirror before the funeral) and then to finding solace in her religion. The narrative gist regarding religion on the part of the author registers as part bafflement,and part sheer anger and frustration at the what he percieves as docile, imbecilic submission to such obvious capriciousness. "God, if You exist, come here and let me spit in Your face.", he has one character think.

Such irreverency and inadequecy of mortal thought in face of something as unfathomable as death is convincing and uncontrived, as are the innocence of the dead man's children. ('Could I call myself a half-orphan?'wonders the son, thinking to impress his schoolmates.)

Reading such a novel gives one a sense of catharsis, as well as something like the euphoria one has in waking from a nightmare. But however vivid or realistic a written work may be, can it truly prepare one for loss?

I was kind of appalled to see only one review for what I consider to be one of the greatest novels ever written, so I thought I'd write another rousing endorsement for a book that is (literally) sheer poetry. If you read only ten works in your life, make this one of them; many parallels to James Still's "River of Earth" (another "coming of age" memoir), including the pure pleasure of reading the words as put together. All characterizations ring true, the "postcard" of a past now gone forever is unforgettable, and it's in parts quite funny (such as the young children's interpretations of what they don't quite understand being said and done around them). As explained in the prologue of the edition I found, Agee died before he'd finished refining the work; as a result, parts are left unassigned to a particular order. These were inserted, just as written, fairly skillfully after his death, although the italics got a bit tiresome to read. Overall, however, it works. Someone once said, "We read books to know we are not alone." If ever you've suffered a loss and as a result seen your happy world turn dark and changed forever, you'll relate to and find comfort (and company) in this book.

I don't normally like sad stories, but this novel had a so many beautiful lines that it deserves the high praise it has received. Here are a few of them--what passion!

I hope my efforts at finding these wonderful lines makes your reading of my review worthwhile:

"Just one way, you do get back home. You have a boy or a girl of your own and now and then you remember, and you know how they feel, and its almost the same as if you were your own self again, as young as you could remember" (p. 94).

"'Look at me, Poll,' he said. She looked at him. `That's when you're going to need every ounce of common sense you've got,' he said. `Just spunk won't be enough; you've got to have gumption. You've got to bear it in mind that nobody that ever lived is especially privileged; the axe can fall at any moment, on any neck, without any warning or any regard for justice. You've got to keep your mind off pitting your own rotten luck and setting up any kind of howl about it. You've got to remember that things as bad as this and a hell of a lot worse have happened to millions of people before and that they've come thought it and that you will too. You'll bear it because there isn't any choice--except to go to pieces. You've got two children to take care of. And regardless of that you owe it to yourself and you owe it to him. You understand me'" (p. 148-149).

"One by one, million by million, in the prescience of dawn, every leaf in that part of the world was moved" (p. 201).

"On the rough wet grass of the back yard my father and mother have spread quilts. We all lie there, my mother, my father, my uncle, my aunt, and I too am lying there....They are not talking much, and the talk is quiet, of nothing in particular, of nothing at all in particular, of nothing at all. The stars are wide and alive, they seem each like a smile of great sweetness, and they seem very near. All my people are larger bodies than mine, quiet, with voices gentle and meaningless like the voices of sleeping birds....By some chance, here they are, all on this earth; lying, on quilts, on the grass, in a summer evening, among the sounds of the night. May God bless my people, my uncle, my aunt, my mother, my good father, oh, remember them kindly in their time of trouble; and in the hour of their taking away" (p. 15).

Highly recommended.

Set in lovely Nashville Tennessee, A Place to Rest is about family, with a wonderfully sexy romance for Sawyer and Jori a big plus!

Sawyer is thirty-two years old and has comfortably bounced from one job to another (none of them amounting to a career). Younger sister Erica is pregnant and deeply resentful of her older sister's freedom and ability to always land on her feet. Erica and twin brother Brady run their parent's restaurant. Through circumstance set in motion by their mother Sawyer finds herself stepping to help at the restaurant, setting off a delicious series of events.

Twenty-something Jori is happily finding a place for herself in her personal and professional life and fighting any attempt to rock her finally steady boat.

This was a very sweet romance but for me the highlights were the interplay among the siblings and how their relationship extended to everyone around them.

One of the other highlights for me was any and all aspects of the day to day running of restaurant.

If you love this book you might want to try the author's other books -
Sequestered Hearts
Fully Involved

Sorry to disagree with the other reviewers, but I didn't like this book at all. It just went on and on with no apparent reason and then stopped. Don't waste your time.

This book was decent. The author is still often imprecise with her language, and shows a somewhat bothersome tendency to tell us things versus showing us things. By that I mean that we will often get a paragraph of exposition that tells us something about a characters, versus putting said character in a situation in which those personality traits are revealed through action and reaction. This was more of an issue in the beginning of the book, and definitely got better as the story moved along, but it's something for this author to watch.

Still, one of this author's strengths is her flair for characterization. You could tell that she really put a lot of thought into the details of background and motivation, yet she didn't hit the reader over the head with it all, but rather doled out the details as the story progressed. Her characters are flawed, but their motivations have enough detail and consistency to allow the reader to forgive them, and therefore make them sympathetic.

I also enjoy the importance she gives to family dynamics. They're pretty much a central theme in this book as Sawyer is unwillingly drawn into working at the family restaurant in order to help her very pregnant younger sister, who manages the business with her twin brother. Sawyer is drawn to Jori, the new pastry chef, and vice versa, but the potential complications of a relationship between them ending badly, as Sawyer's family is convinced it will, as well as some bad history Jori has with workplace relationships, hinders the development of their romance.

I think I was looking for a bit of a stronger emotional resonance in the resolution of the family dynamics, or perhaps a bit more vindication on the part of Sawyer. Still, I enjoyed the way that important issues were addressed, and I was also satisfied with the progression of Jori's and Sawyer's relationship. The setting was well-wrought, with some detail of food preparation and restaurant management lending a realistic flair.

This book didn't blow my mind, but it was definitely a pleasant diversion. This author is able to construct a good story around ordinary events and lives; her scene transitions and character action/reactions flow smoothly. Her strengths outweigh her weaknesses, and I look forward to her future efforts.

Hey Erin - I wanted to thank you for a wonderfully well written,
novel. It flows so smoothly.

Yes, I loved the setting.
Who wouldn't? Inside a fab restaurant where the food is one of the
characters, especially the chocolate! But, it's the entire cast that
make this story a heartfelt romance. The family closeness with
sibling issues was constructed perfectly. The feeling that I got from
each reading left me content yet wanting more. I looked forward to
getting home every night and continuing with the novel.

I highly recommend A PLACE TO REST. The protagonists aren't perfect
but rich with everyday concerns that touched me deeply. I enjoyed
this book tremendously. I felt like I entered a very special world as
a visitor not just a reader.

Erin seems to have the knack for being able to get inside her
characters and bring them out in a natural, yet unique way. What you
see is what you get. And you get A LOT!

I really love the way you write romance, Erin. Looking forward to
many more.

I love this product. It gives my fine hair the stand and volume I need. Would not want to miss it. I tried other brands, but the Nioxin works best for me.

I bought this for help with my 6.5-year-old since he finally has homework and has been giving us a hard time. Its written for an older child to use as a guide, so wasn't all that helpful at this stage. Maybe in a few years it will be, dunno.

Very good book. Helps with getting kids to do their homework. It is a very good reference book. We have used it alot.

My 11 year old son rolled his eyes when I handed him this book. I came back a half an hour later and he had finished it! He was so excited and told me so many things on how he can do his homework better. He said it was very funny also. He learned a lot and really enjoyed the book!

You know the phrase, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Well, this book gives a spoonful of laughter to help the homework "go down" without "throwing up." The clever use of artwork and text really gets kids involved in getting the job done instead of spending so much time complaining. There are many practical ideas and they are presented in a highly motivational way. I suggest reading it with children and discussing it rather than just handing them the book.

Two words, Holy Moly, this is definitely one of Henry James's masterpiece, concentrating on the Victorian era, the ambiguity of the vague responses given by his characters will keep us guessing until the very end on whether the protagonist is mentally unstable or not.

Taking place around the late 1900s in England, James centers his story on the diary of an unnamed governess. This piece is somewhat of an antithesis of another familiar story also about a governess, Jane Eyre. In the story, much of Miller's governess contrasts the characteristics of Jane Eyre. Aside from this fact, what makes Miller's work truly spectacular is his character development and narrative, which all contribute to his ambiguity. Because he uses an outsider within the story to narrate the diary of the governess, the details within the book are subject to be biased or inaccurate in view. As a result, with each sentence we are forced to wonder if this really happened the way it was told, or if it was twisted in some shape or form. Moreover, as the reader slowly learns of the dual interpretations of whether the governess be insane or not, our interest is piqued in finding the right answer. However, all of Miller's dialogue is refined In such a way where skeptics can see it as a point refuting the believers and vice versa.

Even at the conclusion of the book, many of us are still left guessing, which makes for one of the best mystery endings I have ever read. Not only is the reader left clueless as to the true mental stability of the governess, but Miller sparked a debate in which to this day literary critics all over the world are still debating over.

If you love a good gothic, mystery type of book, this is one that you cannot miss! some people may be stunned as to the complexity and depth of the writing as it is so complex with a labyrinth of turns. It will hold those interested spellbound until the book is finished and more!

I found this to be a rather boring classic. I just couldn't really get interested in it enough to not be confused. I didn't even understand what happened in the end. I stayed confused for most of the book. I started over several times but still couldn't keep up with who was speaking who they were speaking about. So I can't recommend this book. Sorry.

The Turn of the Screw is an alright novel if you like that sort of reading, it requires in depth dissection of everything said, and you get no real answers in the end, which is what I really didn't like, though I have theories of my own. After the initial read I was very disappointed, I had been told that it was a great novel; however, after discussing the book in my American novels class, many things were revealed to me that I had not noticed before.

For those of you that don't like dissecting books and just want to sit down and enjoy a good read, I really don't recommend this story. However if you enjoy picking stories apart you will love this book. For me it was a 50/50 toss up book, not great but not bad either.

It's hard to know how to rate this. Of course, it's ridiculously presumptuous for me to give a classic of English literature anything less than the full rating, but honestly? It's hard to read. The sentences are so elliptical, and the sensibilities of the narrator so difficult for a modern reader to intuit, that I finally rated it for its appeal to a casual reader. Reading it now, I didn't really suffer any thrills of horror. The ghost story really hasn't been the same since Stephen King started writing. Instead, what struck me was the flightiness of the governess, her daisy-chains of inference, and at least two instances where she reports things to the housekeeper as facts that contradict elements of her own narrative. That's the beauty of the story for me, the deftness with which James instills doubt about the credibility of his narrator. So, as a foundation of the horror genre and part of the English lit cannon, may every library contain at least one copy. But it's probably best actually read in the context of a class, where it can be appreciated for its structure and significance and no one will expect reading it to actually be fun.

Is it fair to review a book one has not finished? Well, I did not finish it, probably read one-third of the book. It's hard going, long sentences packed with commas, which became so confusing I could not begin to understand them. I understood about 1 in 3 sentences. It felt really good to put this book down.

I hope high schools are not assigning this for reading. It would be enough to turn students OFF to reading! Maybe it's available in Cliffs Notes.

After 4 years, 2 readings, a wasted week of my life, and feeling like a moron who sees glass while everyone else sees diamonds, I finally understand One Hundred Years of Solitude. In an interview, Marquez stated essentially that most reviewers don't realise the book is an inside joke. Bingo. If I interpret this waste of paper and ink as a parody of the Seven Deadly Sins then I can understand why Marquez wrote it. I hated this book but now, just like the dinner host who pours Costco champagne into a Dom Perignon bottle knowing his guests won't know the difference, I can at least get a laugh out of it.

This book was good, but at some times it was hard to follow. This novel was difficult to keep straight. It run the gauntlet from comedy to tragedy and love to death to war and everything in between witch made it very emotional. This book was also a kind of history textbook witch is ok if history is in your blood but it is not in mine. Irregardless it was emotionally satisfing. But it could have been improved if it could have been simplified. When you finish the book, don't be surprised to find yourself stepping out of a dream and back into the real world. Only in the mind of the master can a wounded arm turn into a field of butterfiles. If you like this book, you might want to try Marquez's new autobiography.

Absolutely loved it. Vivid and full of creativity, if anyone wants to read a good book I definetly recommend it. Actually not a hard book to read, but it should not be read in a hurry either.

It's so disappointing, not to mention depressing, to read the negative reviews of this book on line here. We are speaking of one of the dozen finest books of the twentieth century. The failure is not the book's. I encourage all of you to try again--let the book lift you.

When reading is a chore and makes absolutely no sense at all, what is the point? I could not have made it through this book at all without the family tree in the front since so many of the characters have the same or similar names. I read on and on thinking it was going to all start making some sense or there would be a big ending, but in the end I put it down and felt like it was a huge waste of my valuable reading time. I re-sold the book as fast as I could unload it. It is really interesting and amazing to me how so many people love this book....I'm a reader in general but this one I just don't quite grasp. It is a nightmare of a read.

You get immersed right away into Nemirovskys' world. Right away with "The Ball" you get the discomfort rapport the mother and daughter have. "The Ball" is an absolute terrible tale and well rendered. Opening sentences are crucial, with "David Golder" you want to know what happens to this fellow, he is firm and refuses yet has remorse and is weak at the same time he manipulates and is manipulated. Once you let go the story about the author, we all know Irenes' terrible fate how she perished in the concentration camps, you are able to isolate and focus on her ability to write, she was not just an author, yes she published, she was a writer with a capital W. Words seem to land perfectly. A few sentences are absolutely beautiful. I stop and read again, several times over and over the same sentence to decorticate and learn to read again. How she describes lovers in bed, the intertwined legs and bodies, their shadow shown on the ceiling reveals the image of a bouquet of flowers. There is more, four short stories in this volume, but much more in her complete oeuvre, I urge any curious and avid prose lover to read and discover Irène Némirovsky.

I have almost finished this book and so far it is quite a compelling, interesting,with unusually fresh and insightful glimpses into many psychological facets of the characters portrayed. Her insight and portrayal of their psyche's is one that will be forever memorable to me. I particularly liked The Ball. I can readily see a teenage girl feeling and wanting to act the way that Antoinette did to avenge her mother's cruel treatment of her. The Snow In Autumn evokes feelings of sad longing for home and the past for a refugee.All in all, a remarkable and unforgettable book.

There are many reasons for loving a book ... of course content, the manner in which the author has painted a picture for the reader, a love for the time period in which a story is set, perhaps a specific character - heaven knows - I have fallen in love with a protagonist in my younger days. With this book, aside from all the talent that the words spread on the pages, I love the book.

The paper is heavy weight - not glossy - not harsh. The ribbon bookmark reminds me of days when books were made this way ... I enjoyed reading this book because of the quality of the construction .... now on to the inside.

Nemirovsky has a way of developing the ghosts of one's past. Regardless of how well her characters do in life there seem to be parts of their beginnings that they cannot shed ... a genetic tattoo, a social ingraining that continues to come through regardless of how they change over the years.

I felt the pain of David Golder; I wanted to throw Mrs. Kampf to the dogs and delighted in the vision of little pieces of paper floating down the river; I could feel the heat of the wood burning stove and the cold of the chilling Russian wind in Snow in Autumn. Brilliantly written in simple language, if you are looking for paperback literature - this is NOT the book to read.

I am hypnotized by Nemirovsky's work and hope that you are too!

While not as consistently good as "Suite Francais," this volume has as its best selections David Golder and The Courilof Affair. "Golder" is intriguing in that it was used by her husband in an attempt to free her from the concentration camp. An unflattering portrait of its title character, it begins with a scene that reminded me of the opening of "Citizen Cane." The closing story will please those fond of Kafka. It is rife with issues of ethics and government. The Everyman edition is also a very handsome volume.

Némirovsky was a convert to Catholicism who died in Auschwitz. The Nazis managed to cause the deaths of many Judaic converts (Edith Stein was another). The Nazi movement seemed to be serving a hidden god; many would be shocked to learn the identity of that false god. It's a death penalty offense in Orthodox Judaism to convert to Christianity. Did Hitler's movement serve the agenda of the Orthodox rabbis? You don't be believe it? Read the statements of Ovadia Yosef and other Israeli rabbonim on Hitler as their "divine instrument of punishment." Némirovsky's writing was of a high order. "David Golder" displays tremendous psychological insight. May her memory be honored.

Book was shipped quickly and was in excellent condition. Exactly as it was promoted to be.

You already know if you're going to like this book. It was written in the 15th century. That fact alone should tell you that if you want a modernized version, look elsewhere. You should probably read T. H. White's The Once and Future King or Steinbeck's unfinished The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. Both are retellings of this book, written for the modern reader, the former being the better, in my opinion, but the latter retains the same feel as Malory's work. If you're still not sure if you'd like this book, there are other reviews to explain in better detail why you should or should not try it.

I have always received the best service when I have placed an order from you. Outstanding!!!!!

First of all,let me start by saying that Malory is the most essential and best of all the Arthurian works.
Secondly,I'm seriously considering teaching an informal class for local folks who would like to learn more about the Arthur cycle. I don't know everything, but I've studied the 17 books I have on the subject intensely.
With respect, does anyone out there have any advice for me? Thanks!

I bought this Signet translation by Keith Baines after a frustrating attempt to read the Modern Library translation by William Caxton. Caxton's dry, stilted rendition left me hungry for a cleaner, more modern version.

Here's a prime example from page 1:

Caxton: "It befell in the days of Uther Pendragon, when he was king of all England, and so reigned, that there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that held war against him long time. And the duke was called the Duke of Tintagil. And so by means King Uther sent for this duke, charging him to bring his wife with him, for she was called a fair lady, and a passing wise, and her name was called Igraine."

Baines: "King Uther Pendragon, ruler of all Britain, had been at war for many years with the Duke of Tintagil in Cornwall when he was told of the beauty of Lady Igraine, the duke's wife."

If Caxton was my high school English teacher demanding that I diagram his sentences, I might forthwith set myself through with mine dagger most deadly.

Anyway, if you just want to enjoy the Arthurian tales in their cleanest English version, buy Signet's paperback. It's also half the price of other translations.

Happy reading!

Book in good condition as stated. Pleased with delivery time. Will use this seller again.

The play Antigone was a great play with many twists and turns that will diffidently leave the reader begging for more. With all the inside looks on the believes of the Greek gods and how the Greeks actually viewed them. Containing various characters along with there strengths and or weaknesses, as well as how they succeed or how they fail. Whether it is the corruption and down fall of the new King of Thebes, Creon, and how one mistake lead to the deaths of his loved ones as well as the fall of his kingdom. Or the obedience and shyness of Ismene, who happens to be Creon's niece, and how she will not help her own sister burry their brothers body, because of the fact that she doesn't want to displease Creon and the empire although she knows that she should. Finally, there is also Antigone, the strong a stubborn girl who defiles her uncle/guardian/king Creon, because he has order that her brother cannot be buried, and that it will be eaten by the beasts and wild animals, because of what he has done. However, the characters are not the only interesting part of the play, the themes are also amazing containing such things as betrayal, disobedience, murder, suicide, and much more. Leaving a positive reading without a doubt. Also, Sophocles (the writer of the play) did an excellent job of getting his main point across. The main purpose of the play Antigone, though uncertain at the very beginning is shown more and more through out the play, especially in the chorus. However, if you cannot catch on to what the chorus is saying all the time the very last few lines should help quite abit, " Wisdom first for a man's well-being maketh, of all things. Heavens insistence nothing allows of man's irreverence; And great speeches avenging, Dealt on a boaster, teach men wisdom in age, at last." If nothing the last sentence should diffidently tell you that the whole purpose of this play is Sophocles trying to show us the importance of wisdom and how one bad mistake can lead to the death of many, as well as the fall of a kingdom. Which, is diffidently something that I learned reading this play. Just reading and showing how the anger of one man and how one choice that he made without thinking of the consequences of his choice lead to the death of his niece, his son, his wife, and even his whole kingdom, just kind of shows that you should be care full about some of the choices you make because you never know what will happen (it may not be as extreme but bad stuff can still happen). However when its all said and done I believe that this is a great play that anyone can enjoy. There is only one warning that I must also give though, the script can be very hard to read and may require you to have to look it over a few times or even get the scripts with the translation on the opposite side. Other then that the play is great and I diffidently suggest it to others.

Antigone is a Greek tragedy in every since of the word from the moment you open the cover to the very last word on the last page you are totally amerced in a story that truly captivates and portrays the true image of the human sprit. There is not an emotion that is not roused to life by this powerful piece of literature. The plot of this masterpiece seems to rack the deep recesses and foundations of your soul. The unique piece of literature is the story of a free spirited young woman and her uncle the newly crowned kind of Thebes. In the begging all thing are well within this peaceful town but that is about to change. The hand of fate is again about to play devastating role in how the game of life is played. Creon the new king is a patriotic and devoted man who wants nothing more in life than the best for his own family and country men. But when his nephew, stabs him in the back by starting a revolt against his rule, he has no choice but to defend his kingdom and contently killed his own flesh and blood. The king takes it a step to far though, he then goes and refuses to bury the young boys body. In the culture of the Greeks this a true curse to the soul of a man. They believe that till the body of the dead is buried he is forced to wander the earth in search of peace. The young Antigone is the sister to this brave hero now is stuck in and endless battle between her own morals and the governmental law. One might think that Sophocles, the author of this truly revolutionary piece of literature was trying to get his audience to think about their own decisions in life. The choices we make for day to day even the small ones a directly tied in to the values we have in life whether we realize it or not. Antigone for example chose to go against the law and bury her brother showing her true values of loyalty to family and her god rather than the forces of this earth. This kind of loyalty really hit me in the bottom of my heart. I think if could live my life day to day with half as much conviction she had I would be a great leader in my time. This play caused me to evaluate the principles of my own life and I hope to be a better leader because of it. I think that this is one of the most powerful and moving plays i have ever read and that is saying a lot. Everyone should read this really unique and revolutionary piece of literature sometime in their life it may say you a lot of heartache down the road, and I mean that

I'm sure that the readers of this review are not so much concerned with purchasing "Antigone" as they are with which version of "Antigone" to purchase. Let me recommend The Greek Tragedies in New Translations's version.

Yes, it is a bit pricey (considering you only get the one play as opposed to getting the entire Theban cycle), but there are several factors in the GTNT's favor:

1) the whole premise behind the GTNT is that "poets like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripedes can only be properly rendered by translators who are themselves poets." I'm sure many will not like Braun's stark, spare translation, thinking it somehow less eloquent, less florid than other translations, but I liked it. To form your own judgment, I include a sample passage from the Watling translation ("The Theban Plays", Penguin Classics):

Wonders are many on earth, and the greatest of these
Is man, who rides the ocean and takes his way
Through the deeps, through wide-swept valleys of perilous seas
That surge and sway.
He is master of ageless Earth, to his own will bending
The immortal mother of gods by the sweat of his brow,
As year succeeds to year, with toil unending
Of mule and plough.

And the same passage rendered in the GTNT:

Many marvels walk through the world,
terrible, wonderful,
but none more than humanity,
which makes a way under winter rain,
over the gray deep of the sea,
proceeds where it swells and swallows;
that grinds at the Earth---
undwindling, unwearied, first of the gods---
to its own purpose,
as the plow is driven, turning year into year,
through generations as colt follows mare.

2) I'm not a big fan of extraneous material, but the GTNT did contain some material that was helpful. There was a Foreword outlining the guidelines for translation of the plays in the series; this was followed by an Introduction that included material about Sophocles's life and an essay on interpreting the play. (Neither of these was terribly useful; besides, I like to reach my own conclusion about a literary work w/o some academic telling me what it's "supposed to mean"!) After the play are Notes (Again, I would skip these unless you are an expert in Greek and wanted to know why certain passages were translated a certain way), followed by the only extra material that I found helpful: a recounting of the Oedipus myth to set the story in context.

3) I know there are problems inherent in reading ancient Greek drama (they tend to be rather sermonizing) that my Sophomore English class found difficult. I think having the GTNT available to students would have helped in their understanding/apprecitaion of the play. The updated language of the GTNT allows the Reader to focus on the characters' actions/motives more easily, more clearly, rather than seeing the play as some arcane, musty mid-century translation.

I read Sophocles Antigone for graduate Humanities class. It is an essential reading to understand Greek Tragedy. It is also a foundation stone of literature in studying Western Civilization.

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus in 3-cycle play, faces capital punishment for burying her brother who rebelled against Thebes. Obeying instincts of loyalty of love and the divine law, she defies Creon, the King and her uncle. Creon says laws of states outweigh all other laws, and family loyalty, when he finally relents it's too late.

Over the centuries there has been a great deal made about the conflicts played out in the play, law of state vs. law of goods, personal vs. state duties. Loves knowledge vs. state knowledge. Greek understanding of tragedy- Aristotle lays down understanding of Greek tragedy. He based it on Sophocles. Tragedy- most important thing for tragedy is plot, it is all essential. Tragedy defined as- is imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude in language embellished with incidents arousing pity and fear ant to the audience it accomplishes catharsis of such emotions. Every tragedy must have six parts that determine its quality. 1. plot 2. character 3. diction 4. fault 5. spectacle and 6. melody.

According to Aristotle, tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history or poetry; it is one of the highest expressive forms because it dramatizes what may happen. History is a narrative that tells you what has happened tragedy shows what is possible. History deals with particulars, tragedy deals with the universal. Tragedy creates a cause and effect chain and shows how the world operates. It frames human experience in universal discourse, tragedy is central in this effort. Tragedy arouses pity and fear in audience because we can envision ourselves caught in this cause and effect chain. Plot most important feature, the arrangement of incidents, the way incidents, and action is structured. Tragedies outcome depends on the outcome of these cause and effect changes not on being character driven. Plot must be whole, beginning middle and end. Beginning must have a motivation that starts the cause and effect chain of events must be a center or climax that is caused by earlier incidents. There must be an end some kind of closure caused by earlier events in tragedy. This is all part of the complication of the tragedy all must be connected. You can't have a dues ex machnia in a superior tragedy.

In tragedy, the hero or heroine walks knowingly towards the fate that is written and can't be changed. Unity of action plot must be structurally self-contained, each action leading invariably to the next without outside intervention. The worst kinds of plots are episodic, like a Jerry Seinfeld sitcom, can't be something about nothing, must have unity of action. Magnitude, quantatively meaning length, and quality of action, it must be serious. Must be of universal significance, depth, and richness. Character- most important feature is the fatal flaw. Motivations of characters are important but character is there to support the plot. Character must be a prosperous renowned personage. Change of fortune from good to bad will really matter and bring fear and pity to the audience. In ideal tragedy, the hero will mistakenly bring about his own downfall. Because they make a mistake, because knowledge of our selves is always partial, we can't have complete knowledge of ourselves. Hall quotes Descartes in the article, "The limited error prone perspective of the individual. Subject is always imperfect and human and these limitations include our ability to know in any reliable way ourselves." The fact that we as subjects, as agents can never fully know ourselves means that we are always prone to error, error is the essence of the tragic hero, tragedy is the essential drama of human subjectivity.

What is Hegel's understanding of concept of tragedy? He revises Aristotelian principals and logic. Immensely influential German philosopher, he writes about; tragedy in the Aesthete 1820-29, he proposes, "the suffering of the tragic hero are merely the means of reconciling the opposing moral clients." According to Hegel's account of Greek tragedy, the conflict isn't between good and evil, but between competing goods, all is good. Between two entirely ethical worlds that clash and can't come together. Both characters have an ethical vision or belief that they have to follow it is there one-sidedness of their vision that clashes with the one-sidedness of the other character. Both sides of contradiction are justified. Conflict of irreconcilable justifiable ethical worlds, ethical visions. Just as his dialectic must lead to an ultimate synthesis, so to must tragedy lead to a synthesis. This is dramatized in the death of the tragic actor, which becomes the synthesis. Hegel says; "the characters are too good to live." They are too good to live in this world. What is interesting is that Hegel so wants to correct moral imbalances his emphasis is on moral balances.

Greek tragedy is great reading for people interested in aesthetics, history, psychology, and philosophy.