Dog Books

The book is a great page turner. The writing is exceptional and the characters are so well defined - particularly the dogs. It's not a book that will leave you feeling good at the end - or really anywhere in between. I think that's typical of most classics....and this is....a modern tragedy.

This retelling of Hamlet is intriguing and compelling...and any dog lover will revel in the dogs! Edgar and his family draw you in and keep you there...

A debut novel with a haunting impact. Difficult to put down. Beautifully descriptive, tantalizingly frustrating in parts. Not a light fairy floss novel, it will be one of the few novels that I will reread again and I suspect again after that. David Wroblewski will be an author to watch. Highly recommended read.

I could not put down this book! The story appealed to me for its uniqueness: the unusual dog breed, its trainers and the training; the different kind of "handicap" for Edgar; the means of communication used by
Edgar and his fascination for words while being unable to speak; the Cain and Able relationship of Gar and
Claude; and the twist on a coming-of-age story. I found it startling yet sensitive, sad but strangely satisfying,
frustrating yet fulfilling, and edgy yet endearing. It was gripping right to the last paragraph.

The book was written well and kept me reading it, but in the end I was left wanting a different story altogether. Life is to short to read such a depressing book.

No technology, no living animals except man (and much of mankind is little more than animals), no living plants, the world in the midst of a prolonged winter. It's depressing to think the world could come to this. The book still sends chills down my spine weeks later.

The Road is an excellent book. Through a unique writting style the author allows you to live the simply raw terrifying experience of a father care for his on a post apocalytpic america. It stirs and meddles in our most basic instincts of protection of our young vs. a scenario of complete dispair.

I did not have sky high hopes for this book. I've been through that and knew better. My hopes were moderate. Even so, they were dashed. I realize that the minimalist approach the author took was meant to create a haunting atmosphere and it did work, but there was SO MUCH MORE he could have done with the 'story'. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. Heck, I kept waiting for ANYTHING to happen. Unfortunately, the entire book can be summed up as follows;

We have to keep walking.
Okay Papa.
We should eat.
Okay Papa.
Okay.

And that's what passes for a 'great book' now in our TV, WalMart, McDonald's culture.

Here's what "The Road" is not. It's not science fiction. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic America but it doesn't bother to go into any detail about what happened. It's not an adventure story. Our protagonists don't fall into the hands of an evil army and forge a daring escape. It's not a traditional story. If you're looking for a three act arc with beginning, middle and end it's not here. You get a beginning and maybe an end, that's it. So what is it? To me it's about us; as a race, as individuals. Ask you're self what would happen if the world changed tomorrow? Changed in such a way that everything we know, our cars, our food, our friends, our sky were all gone. How would you adapt? How would you survive?

In McCarthy's "The Road" we follow a man and his son down a road as they move east towards the sea, their world reduced to themselves and a shopping cart which they push slowly forward. Through their eyes we see the planet as it has become, a forever gray sky, humans reduced to cattle, giant fires that sweep across the land. The writing, the dialogue, even the punctuation is minimum. Often it felt repetitious and too simplistic, but I was still drawn to their struggle. After some time reading, I knew I wasn't going to get a predictable "Hollywood" story. Rather, I was just going to get their story; a story that anyone of us might face some day, utterly lacking in adventure, predictability, and even dialogue but a story that reeks of paranoia, fear, and uncertainty.

Is "The Road" a classic? I don't know if that's for us to decide, but it's a perfect read for those in high school and on up. So maybe some 12th grade Lit. Class will debate the "classic" question, because people seem to be debating it now. And the fact that they're debating now tells me that McCarthy doing something right.

I've been trying to read this book for about six months, and I can never get more than 1/3 of the way through. It's frusterating because I have yet to read a negative review, so I assume it must just be because I am stupid that I don't like the book.

It's the end of the world and a father and son are traveling down a road. That's it? Yes, that's it. Maybe if the father's narrative used proper grammar and actually said things that made sense, it might have had more meaning, but as it is it is just meaningless garbage.

Every other page is a description of them building a fire and burning a tin can of food, and almost every paragraph ends like this: What is it, Papa? I don't know.

Eventually, I decided not to waste another minute of my life reading it and built a fire with it, keeping myself and my child (each the other worlds entire) warm as we ate from a tin can. What is it, he asked? I didn't know.

I read this book in two sittings, and it is now one of my favorite fiction books. The narrator is a dog who who hopes to one day become a man, despite bearing witness to the cruelties that people can inflict on one another. He realizes and shows the reader through the story he tells that although things can look hopeless love, determination, and loyalty can often set things right.

Clearly this book will appeal to dog lovers, but hopefully this book will find wider appeal. This book would also appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult because of a controversial subplot. Men will appreciate the descriptions of car races and references to famous drivers. This book will take you through emotional highs and lows. Any lover of engrossing fiction should be as happy to go along for the ride that Garth Stein offers as would the canine narrator Enzo in his master's race car.

I picked up this book without large hopes. I read lots of books about dogs, but while I enjoy them, they are usually just light entertainment. This book, however, still has me tearing up an hour after I finished it. It is very touching in that it takes you through every emotion, sadness to happiness, anger to laughter. It was very convincing that it was narrated by a dog, Enzo. I fell in love with the main characters and think it would make a great movie. I highly recommend this book.

I have never written a review before but I loved this book so much I just had to share how wonderful it is. I read the whole thing in one night. I couldn't put it down. You will fall in love with the characters from the very beginning. It really makes you think about how we treat our loved ones & how time can slip away so fast. I know this is cliche but I laughed, I cried. Enzo will melt your heart & make you wish you could follow him wherever he goes.

This is a must read for anyhone who has ever shared their life with a dog, or rather anyone who has had a dog that let them share their life with them. Warm, funny and totally engaging. This is a book that I will read many more times.

I admit it... being a dog-lover (my wife and I own a 15 year old black lab mix and an 8 year old beagle mix) I was drawn in by the cover. Since I was not familiar with Garth Stein's novels, I was not sure what to expect. But, I found that this to be one of the most enjoyable books that I have read in quite some time.

Garth Stein has a nice fluid writing style and I was impressed with how well he portrayed the story through the mind of a dog. I also found myself moved with how he used racing as a metaphor for navigating through challenges in life. This book will stick with you long after you read it. It's been a couple of months now, and I still think fondly of Enzo. The story was made more powerful for me personally knowing that our beloved lab is in the twilight of his life, but I would recommend the book even to people that don't own dogs.

After reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, I am looking forward to reading the author's other works.

Few characters in all of literature are as captivating as Scout.
Read it just so you can know her.

You know what, I was about to put that book down and stop reading it. I heard so many people telling what a good book/movie it was so I was curious to find out why.

The first half of the book was really dragging and sometimes seemed irrelevant and boring, but it totally turned around starting at chapter 17 (I know, a loooong way to go, but don't give up). I was amazed at how well it ended, though.

I only give it 3 stars because of the slow-moving development of the plot. However, I still think it's worth reading.

1. Does the law treat individuals differently based on race? Yes. In 1836, Maycomb, Alabama is shock of talk of rape. The accused talk of rape of a white woman by a black man. The facts of the case were circumstantial and the jury strongly biased towards protecting a long standing ideology. Justice was far from equally administrated. Generally, a white mans word superseded a contradictory claim by a black man. Judge Taylor brought a bible tone overture to the court room and a eye contemptuous of Bob Ewelle. The incestuous probable, Bob Ewelle, states that he heard Mayella Ewelle screaming and peer through the window and saw Tom Robinson "rutting on Mayella". Atticus could not control the damage done, the court immediately erupted into a frenzy. Judge Taylor pound his gavel until exhaustion. Christian citizens declared with fervor a determination to protect their women from such beasts. Atticus revealed through cross examination that the attacker was left handed. If a court demonstation, Atticus requested that Bob Ewelle sign his name; Bob Ewelle was left handed; the attacker was left handed; and Tom Robinson had no use of his crippled left hand; and Mayella injury was to the left eye. The sheriff, Hector, tells the court that he say Mayella with injuries. Atticus disturbingly shows the jury that a weak crime scene procedure was follow with the absence of a doctor requested to verify rape. Mayella does not deviate from her claim that Tom Robinson raped her, family loyalty embedded in generations of disfunctional behavior, in such a manner, an innocent man faces the peril of electric chair and an incestuous father ridden with alcoholic stupor preserved like a saint. Tom testifies that Mayella invited him in the house to assist with chores; Mayella had sent the seven children to the store for icecream having saved for months to provide the money; Mayella then grabbed Tom and kissed him, tell him, that she never had been with a man and it might as well be a black man and her father sexual relations did not count; Tom attempted to flee but Mayella grabbed him around the waist; Tom escapes and runs out the back door, as Bob Ewelle burst in the room. Tom ran because he was afraid, but the jury believed, he ran because he was guilty.

Woman spoke critically within hearing of scout. Cast dynamics played a part in the trial. Maycomb families existed as a cast society: at the bottom of the cast hierarchy was the Ewelles, who lived on and near the city dump; next up the social ladder was the Cunningham's, who lived in the forests; and the church loving citizens of Maycomb, who lived a connected and intimate life in the small community. The Cunninghams despised the Ewelles. Cunningham was somewhat convinced of Tom Robinson innocence and held out on the jury decision, but finally capitulated with a guilty verdict.

3. If your black should you trust a jury to administer justice? No. Jem wanted Atticus through state congressional process in Birmingham to change the law, allowing a Judge to rule on case. Tom Robinson was not a slave. Yet, Tom seemed subservient in his manners and speech, unable to defend himself against sophisticated legalism. Should circumstantial evidence or preponderance of doubt be an adequate test for capital offenses? No. Retribution, anger, and self indignation can become the fuel that brings punishment. The lack of direct causal evidence replaced with moral condemnation of the accused. Someone has to pay and why not a black man.

4. What social order did Tom's conviction and eventual death serve? Tom attempted to escape from prison, climbed over a fence, and at the crest of the fence was shot seventeen times. If Tom had two arms, he would have escape over the fence into short term freedom. Tom provided a means to reinforce the barrier between white and black culture, segregation, and fear governing the cast. Interaction between black and white norms established in a secure manner of socastic long term social stagnation. Legalism does not transform social norms. Toms conviction reinforced the social norm of segregation, class distinction, and racism extremes.

5. Will the black culture find the promise land? This is a compelling and dynamic questions with very complex implications. The church is the gather place, the songs, a cry for deliverance. Atticus was a hero, loved, and respected like a great leader for defending Tom Robinson. Gifts of food, a standing exit, and kind gestures implied appreciating for the defender of the faith. A man who follow his duty and followed his conscience. The children of the promise have journeyed for many years. The civil right act did not bring them into the promise land. The legal system did not bring them a land of milk and honey. The corporation did not offer a land of inheritance. If a black man is equal in the law today, he truly has entered the promise land. The constitutional privilege, the inalienable rights of divine law, and justice have been served.

I honestly have no idea how many times I have read this book. I read it first as an assignment in the eighth grade; most recently, at the age of 41, I read it aloud to three of my children. As with the more recent readings that I recall, I choked up a bit at the end as Scout is experiencing the tragedy and love that surrounds her in the form of her conservatively eccentric father, her mythically reclusive neighbor, and the whole Depression-era, post-Reconstruction sugary gothic Alabama town of her home.
There seems so little to add in reviewing this book. I will say that even as I read it I ponder the strength of its charm. What is it that is so powerful? Scout is herself quite endearing, although even a casual reading should tell the reader that the first-person voice that is speaking is not the voice of the eight-year old Scout; Harper Lee somehow conveys a tone that retains the childlike innocence of Scout (the child), but the story told is mature and the vocabulary is college-educated. So is this Scout (or Jean Louise Finch) as an adult? I don't think so, as there is very little biographical/autobiographical information provided beyond the timeline of the story (e.g, did Scout grow up and marry?; what happened to Scout's mother?; does everyone live happily ever after?).
I read once that Harper Lee considered this to be a simple love story, or something like that. I've wondered who she was thinking about: Atticus and his kids, or Boo Radley and the kids, or some other pairing. I guess it is all of the above. It's a simple story of relatively normal children with an independently thinking father who all live in the politely racist South of the 1930's. The circumstances that confront this family (racism of the lowest order and ugly poverty and dysfunction from the underbelly of society) are really not abnormal until the violent climax. Blood is shed; much blood. But it is all presented with a humanity and Southern nostalgia that draw us into a world - as ugly as it is - that makes us wish we were there, and that we could have changed a few things.
Highly recommended, if you haven't read it yet.

If you think that the title and the star rating don't go well together, keep on reading...

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel set in Alabama during the late 1930s. The novel has a first-person narrator who is a girl named Scout. The novel has two parts: Part 1 and Part 2.

In Part 1, Scout describes her ancestors, family at the time of the novel's setting, neighbors, early years in school, interactions with neighbors, and experiences with her brother Jem and her father Atticus.

In Part 2, a black man is accused of a serious crime and declared guilty by a white jury even though there did not appear to be any sound evidence that he was guilty. Atticus was the defendant's defense lawyer. I will not say what happens after this in case you want the climax to be a surprise.

Now, let's compare the two sections. Atticus denounces racism in both sections, and there are examples of racism in both sections. However, most of the characters mentioned in Part 1 do not have any involvement in the trial that I mentioned earlier, which I think is a key element of not only Part 2, but the entire novel. In Part 1, there was one particular character that got a few too many pages focused on her.. especially when taken into consideration that she died before Part 2 (the "important part").

Here is another problem: The novel is told from a child's perspective. Indeed, I did noticed well-presented character development in Scout's personality, but it's all about Scout. Everybody else is static. It is true that children have limited perception of adults, so the static presentation of the adult characters is definately realistic. However, this is not a "children's book;" there clearly are mature subject matters. The target audience would have to be teenagers or adults. With that in mind, the static presentation of adults does not correspond with the target audience.

Nontheless, my views of this novel are in a minority category. This book is a classic, and I can understand why. The author has an impressive understanding of the time and place in which this book is set. However, that does not mean that the book is a good NOVEL! A detailed setting is enough for expository text, but a NOVEL must take advantage of the elements of FICTION. When I said elements of FICTION, I meant a detailed, consistent plot, well-rounded characters, a broad range of perspectives, variation (but connections) in subject matter (all of which relates to the ENTIRE PLOT), a lot of characters that influence the outcome of the plot in their own, unique way, and so forth. To Kill a Mockingbird does not take advantage of the elements that NOVELS have to offer, and NOVELS can offer more than just a detailed setting. For this reason, I am going to give this novel a one star rating.

Now, as for the title of this review, the book did enhance my imagination. It inspired me to imagine... criticims.

This book is very clear and easy to read. The definitions are highlighted and defined on the edges of the pages. Sections are divided well, and images captioned with relevant info. The book offers online quizzes and additional material to round out the learning experience. A good buy for Intro to Business courses.

Good book. Its what i needed for my business class, and I saved about $20 buying it online new, over buying it new at my colleges bookstore. Thanks Amazon!

Another ripoff, make sure you order expedited shipping or the next edition may be out by the time you order this one. but don't be fooled there is a lot of great material in this new edition. A lot has changed in business in 2 years. Students: enjoy the book. Authors and publishers and dumb professors who keep using the new edition: enjoy screwing broke college students over. :)

I received it fast and the sale was easy, but it wasn't in as high as condition as I would have liked. The cover was beat up along the bottom of the book.

The authors call Hong Kong a "highly developed country with few natrual resources" while China is a less developed country with a great deal of natrual resources. For the price and edition number, both the authors and the editors should have caught that error - enough said.

The second disc was the same as the first so do not know if I heard the whole book or not otherwise was OK.

I've stuck with Stephanie Plum through think and thin, but this is the end. I'm just glad I took it out of the library rather than paying $28. Other reviewers have said it all, the verve's not there, so I'll stick to the low points: formulaic pablum and at least one misleading bit.

"...and we all piled into Lula's Firebird. Lula drove north on 206, past Rider College, to a neighborhood of modest homes." Well Rider College, actually University since 1994, is in Lawrenceville, NJ, a goodly piece from the Burg, and there are no such neighborhoods. Immediately north of Lawrenceville is Princeton. Apparently J.E.'s forgetting her NJ geography up there in New Hampshire. Shame on St. Martin's press, too, for letting that slip through.

So, J.E's jumped the shark, and Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with early stage Alzheimers (this is a MUCH bigger tragedy in every way). The future looks grim for laugh-out-loud funny reading.

As I was reading this one I noticed myself giggling. Not because of the content of the story but because I began to realize this novel sounded like a Dick and Jane book. See Stephanie run. See Ranger run. See Stehpanie and Ranger run. I've never noticed before in any of the other novels how simplistic the writing style was. I'm a fifth grade reading teacher and I felt this book would have been to much of an easy read for my fifth graders.

Then I noticed that the story line was NOT memorable. I can remember previous novels with such ease (Stephanie wrestling the naked midget, Grandma opening the closed casket, or even the exploding cars). This novel had nothing "special" about it. There was nothing new or exciting. The characters sounded flat and boring. I felt like I was watching a soap opera with bad actors compared to a movie with Oscar winnning actors. I use to enjoy Stephanie having to fight over who she wanted more between her two men, but now I feel there isn't even a choice. Morielie is obviously the choice and everytime she lets Ranger kiss her brings down my repect for Evanovich for letting her character loose "character." At this point, I'm not sure if I want to read any more Plum novels.

While #14 isn't the best in the series and was perhaps not as deftly crafted, it's got some good laughs and has a good story. Though Evanovich consistently delights, it's unrealistic to expect every work to be a masterpiece. While I wait patiently for the next installment, I'll re-read my personal favorites and hope that the Joe-Steph-Ranger triangle heats up again in #15.

Stephanie and her friends keep me laughing. I stayed up all night laughing at the book. My husband even started the series!

Author Mark Haddon has created a realistic fictional autistic teen with an amazing way of describing the life and people that surround him. But what I love most about the book is how much the main character, 15-year-old Christopher, reminds me of my son Nigel (aside from the fact that Christopher is incredibly good at math, and Nigel is at the opposite end of that spectrum). I love experiencing Christopher's usually detached observation, his mannerisms that are so close to home for me. I could identify with the intense love coupled with the equally intense frustration that his father feels raising him alone. When I read Christopher's thought processes (portrayed so well by Haddon), I recognize what my son has been able to convey to me about his own.

I love reading about Christopher's determination to do things himself, and his love of animals is touching and also familiar, as are his attempts to understand the complexities of emotions and his need to always give the exact minute when telling time. He tries hard to manage his sensory issues and asks people for help when he needs it. He is persistent about the things that are important to him, like taking a high-level math test, and being a detective.

I won't say anything about the plot of the book because it is so captivating; the only way to appreciate it is to read it and experience it yourself. And besides, it is a mystery. I wouldn't want to spoil it. Christopher points out at the beginning, "This is a murder mystery novel," and in trying to solve it, he discovers another one that changes everything. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is tender, moving, and beautifully written. It's also a quick read, which is good in a way, because you'll want to read it again and again.

I read this because a Scottish lady recommended "A Spot of Bother" on a flight from Scotland. It is great. A very unique perspectiv that has helped me to have more empathetic insight and "feel" for the world of autism/aspergers. I offered to my daughter,a 4th grade teacher, because she has had students with similar conditions has her own unique teaching experiences to compare with this.

The Boston Globe called this book, "gloriously eccentric..." which is an inaccurate way to represent this story by Mark Haddon. If anything, Haddon enters the world of autism and demystifies it, making it less eccentric. We see the world through the eyes of fifteen year-old Christopher Boone, who abhors the color yellow, but calms himself by solving complicated math problems in his head. The reader learns to re-calibrate his or her own emotional responses a la Christopher, for whom things hurt according to their logical content or lack thereof.

This book has many strengths, and Christopher's father is perhaps one of the best examples of a sympathetic but highly flawed character. While Christopher is undoubtedly the book's protagonist, the non-autistic reader will more likely empathize with Christopher's father, who is capable of both great love and great destruction.

Aside from Christopher's discussions with his therapist Siobhan, the book wisely veers away from preachy explanations about autism. Even the therapy sessions are more about interpersonal connection than outlining the intricacies of autism, and it is this that helps the reader to connect to Christopher in something other than sympathy. We engage with Christopher's world, not the world of autism...and this is right as autism spectrum disorders defy generalizations or easy categories.

The end result, if anything, is that the eccentricity of general humanity is exposed. We become conscious of our everyday lack of logic. The novel is just as much about the human condition as the autistic condition.

This was an absolutely wonderful journey with an inspired and inspiring hero. This is simply a must read.

I bought this book after reading all of the massive amounts of praise that has been lavished upon it. I have to say, these praises are not deserved and I am completely baffled how this novel achieved such a status. I found myself struggling to keep reading because I knew this book was going nowhere.

First it starts with a halfway entertaining plot about the dog being killed. "Ok. Fine," I'm thinking. "Surely this will lead to something else." And it does, but it was a very frustrating read because of all the tangents the boy takes to tell about all of these completely pointless things. I understand the kid is autistic, and maybe that's how they really think. I don't know. But I do know that if that is how they think, it doesn't make for a very good book. I found myself just kind of scanning through whole chapters because I knew they had nothing to do with the plot at all and really didn't teach anyone anything unless you didn't complete middle school.

"But wait!" Some may say. "This book provides insight into how autistic kids think." Ok fine, maybe it does. But like I said, that doesn't make it a good book. I think people just like this book because it's considered "eccentric" and "different" and they like it for the same reason people like "Juno" and movies like that...they're just not as good as people make them out to be.

George Orwell was way ahead of his time with this book. It's amazing that in the late 1940's when relatively little was known about the life under communism and it's impact on everyday life, we was able to capture this so brilliantly! The only thing that he probably did not get right is he attributed the communist too much ability to innovate. When there are no personal rewards and people live in fear, there isn't innovation. But that's just a side note and it does not take anything away from this brilliant book. It's a timeless classic that has something to say to every generation and should be a required reading. I highly recommend it.

I couldn't believe myself when I saw this book. Top quality, for such a nominal price. I prefer hardbounds to paperback, and this book for sure is an exception to the fact that hardbound books are grossly costly.

I definitely recommend this product!

This book was very difficult to read. I know it's a classic sci-fi and dystopia read, but I truly hated this book, especially at the end! I also think it's horrible that this book is taught in high-school... It should be for 18 and over only! The original "Big Brother", and a frightening look at what society could become if we let it. Probably so frightening because it is so possible.

Orwell displays brilliance at every turn in this acclaimed work. The depth of social commentary, non-stop plot, rich characters and fluid sytle make this a classic in every sense. The aventures of Winston Smith, the main character, provide incisive, memorable insights into the nautre of human affairs. This book deserves all the praise it has received over the years. Highly recommended.

Twisted view of a future world, even more creepy looking at it from a time 20 years after this imaginary future... it is interesting to compare and contrast this book with reality...

This book was easy to read and really enjoyable. It has given me lots of ideas about how to raise a happy and healthy dog. We have just got a new puppy and it's good to have read Cesar's book right at the beginning. It's so easy to humanise dogs when what they really need is to be treated like a dog! You can just imagine Cesar's talking to you as you read through the pages of his book.

I really liked this book because it was not about a "how to" but on how to "relate" to your dogs and understand them. Now, everytime I am in training mode or walking my dogs I make sure I check to see what type of mood I am in and then I close my eyes, take a deep breath and imagine myself walking on a deserted beach (calm part). I am already assertive so that's good! I do get frusterated but that is where the deep breath comes in. And you know what...It works! Your dog(s)can feel your energy. what a big difference! I am now starting to read his recommendations in the back of his books just so I have a better understanidng with my canines!

The book was def. a good book, dont get me wrong, but it didn't exactly live up to it's title. It says it teaches you how to correct common dog problems, but instead of teching you, or giving you advice, all I got was examples of what he did without a lot of explanation. He said what he was doing, not how or why, to help me better understand how to correct my own dogs problems. And the first half of the book was Cesar's life story, which, I thought, was kind of unnecesary information. Tell me how to fix my dog, not how you jumped the Mexican/American boarder...

I recently bought a Yorkie-Poo pup and was looking for a book to help guide me through training her. Cesar's book was very informative and helpful. I am glad that I purchased it.

i didn't know ANYTHING about dogs, so this was a very nice intro. It helps you keep some things in mind in dealing with dogs...mine are puppies and i appreciated the insight.

Easy to read.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a great book to read with a mother-daughter book club. It provides an outlet to talk about issues the girls are covering in school, and to find out about how their perspectives differ from those of their moms. The issues of witchcraft and socially sanctioned violence against a targeted group seem eerily relevant to some of the things going on in our world today. This book challenged all of us to think about the most important things in our lives and what we're willing to sacrifice to achieve a higher cause.

Daughter needed it for a project for an accelerated class. It came in time and she was able to complete her assignments with a new book.

I really enjoyed reading this classic tale. I found it interesting from an historical and literary point of view. It forces you to think about very real moral dilemmas, like what you might or might not give your life for.

This short play dives deep into the minds of those who participated in the Salem Witch Trials during the 1600's. Miller focuses entirely on human emotions as he attempts to discover the real reason for these ridiculous witch accusations. "The Crucible" is intriguing and mind-bottling as readers realize the severity of the trials. Many people's lives were changed and it leaves one to question: "Why didn't anyone verify the claims?" The play centers around a man named John Proctor and his relationship with the young Abigail Williams. John commits adultery, cheating on his wife Elizabeth with Abigail. In the Puritan society, adultery is a major sin in which the individual would face a severe punishment if convicted. When Proctor tells Abigail he does not love her, she takes revenge by accusing Elizabeth of doing witchcraft. The claims are absurd, yet not a single person in the town attempts to clear Elizabeth's name. Abigail uses her manipulative powers to get the other girls in on her plan. The play shows that both fear and revenge can cause people to do horrible things. The townspeople are involved in this "witch hunt" and add to society's ignorance. They fail to challenge authority even though they know what is right. I found this book engaging as I tried to fathom the events that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts. Miller does an excellent job of trying to understand why this happened. I learned that Puritan society was weak and that many individuals feared speaking out against authority. The entire Puritan society was based on control. By instilling fear in people, the Puritan leaders could maintain leadership over the rest of them. This is a great read if you want to try to understand history and apply it to our world today.

On my walk through the LoA edition of Arthur Miller plays I bypass The Enemy of the People, the Ibsen adaptation, which I think is a waste of everyone's time, and go straight to the Crucible, which I had never read, nor watched on stage or screen. Very odd. It is a truly gripping piece of modern classic stage writing.
Of course AM needed to educate us always, so this story is not just a story about the witch trials of Salem, when perfectly harmless people, including some citizens of standing in the community, got identified as witches and hanged for it. (Which somehow looks like progress over the burnings in Europe.)
No, this is generally about fundamentalism and totalitarianism and theocracy, and more specifically about McCarthy and I wouldn't be surprised if it was also about the Ayatollah Khomeini, whatever you may say regarding anachronisms, and the Taliban. Let's not forget the Cultural Revolution of China.
If I seem to mock the play just a little bit, I haven't made up my mind yet, not quite. There is something strangely wrong in the tone of the dialogues. Can't quite nail it. Anachronistic for sure; is that all? Have to think about it.
The message that AM put into his morality tale is that power and property interests are behind the maddest manifestations of disinterestedness and righteousness. That was sure true in the other historical witch hunts that we know about. Whether it is an accurate reflection of the Salem case, I do not know. (I will definitely look for the DVD and give DDL a chance for redemption in my eyes.)