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As a voracious reader I have read the masterworks of many literary greats and been engulfed, if not transported, by the prowess of equally great, though not necessarily noteworthy, authors and storytellers. Three Cups of Tea is unequivocally the best story I've ever read (could be that this is where my head is these days). Beautifully written, it's one man's tale of a failed attempt to summit the most razorous of Himalayan peaks and how that failure lead to his benevolent efforts and selfless success as humanitarian. Greg Mortensen, Director of the Central Asia Institute established stateside, is a real American hero. His mission is to combat poverty and subjugation with education - "books not bombs". CAI has built over 50 schools, particularly for girls, in the most rugged and sequestered terrain of Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan in the last 15 years. The alliances he's forged and relationships he's built with the most unlikely cast of characters is a real testament to Greg's passion for his work and a genuine belief in the fundamental and universal human need for self-reliance.

I found this book on the bottom shelf in a bookstore at the Albequerque Airport and I hadn't read ANYTHING about it beforehand but only now have seen other Amazon reviews. I am a teacher at a school in a suburb and have recently seen a major decline in the educational values of students and parents in our district which not only saddens me, but scares me as well - especially when I realize that these kids will grow up to be adults in our society. I commend "Dr. Greg" for his passion in educating the children in these remote areas. My hope for all who read this book is that they would become more aware of the ramifications of uneducated people in their own community as well as around the world.

There is very few books that can move you like Three Cups of Tea. This book also educates us...

I thought it was an excellent book. It gave me incredible insights into the countries of Pakistan and Afganistan. Greg Mortenson is promoting education for all children, especially girls. Hopefully this will lead to less terrorism in the world. I recommend this book to everyone.

I read many of the negative reviews, just to see what they were all about and yeah, it's a little irritating to read Mortenson's name over and over again but I really enjoyed this book. Plain and simple. You should read it because he does an amazing thing for people who are not only ignored and forgotten by their own country but by the world in general.

i absolutely ADORE this book. i fell in love with it for the first time when i was 12. i am 18 now, but the storyline and the characters are endearing to me every time i read it i must have read Ella enchanted about five times. the romance between ella and char is innocent, but it captures my heart every time. I was very disappointed when i saw the movie. I dont think the movie captured the essence of Ella and the magic that Levine bestowed in her book. If I could, I'd create a movie that is true to the book and its characters. Even though it is a children's book, it is still accessible to adults (though i am still kind of a child at heart- i LOVE fantasy stories)

1000000% RECOMMENDED

I actually saw the movie before I read the book and I loved the movie, but it's vastly different from the book. It was interesting to see the differences. I can see why some of the changes were made for the movie, but both are great in their own right.

I liked the treatment of Lucinda in the book better than in the movie. In the movie, Lucinda never learned or understood what she did to people, but in the book she did when Mandy tricked her into experiencing what she put Ella through.

I also liked that Ella had to find the inner-strength to break the curse, opposed to having an easy quick fix of undoing it. To be honest, Ella would have probably in more trouble if Lucinda had reversed the spell, so even if she wanted to obey at times, she would then be under a curse to never obey.

I also like that the prince was treated as a real person and given a real personality. Rewatching Disney's Cinderella as an adult, I was shocked how truly vapid the prince was. He had no personality. He was just a stereotypical pretty boy.

It was also nice reading the progression of Ella and Char's relationship, instead of her going to a ball and just falling in love with him.

This is a great book, which I'll definitely read again.

Romance, although also could be fantasy. Upper elementary to middle school. Reading level is supposed to be grade four, but it seems higher to me. 232 pages.

I read quite a bit of this book before I started to enjoy it, but because the librarian recommended it, I stuck with it. The book is the back story of Cinderella, although the reader doesn't realize it until near the end. Instantly, the story of Cinderella--which I never really liked--has a profound truth I now see: When we walk in another's shoes, our perceptions change. Honor book. No illustrations.

Ella Enchanted
By Gail Carson Levine

Ella only wanted to be a regular girl. But instead the day she was born, a curse was bestowed upon her. The gift of obedience. The fairy Lucinda does not think before she gives these silly curses and so when Ella is told to do something, she has to do it. If someone told Ella to kill herself she would have to obey. When Ella's mother gets very sick and dies, Ella is left with Mandy her cook that is her fairy godmother and her father. Ella's father traveled all the time and he doesn't know about her curse. Just like her mother said "Don't tell anyone about your curse." Ella had to obey.
But when Ella's dad introduces her to Dame Olga and her dreadfully bossy daughters, Ella realizes that the elder one, Hattie knows that Ella will do anything she says. Hattie commands Ella to give her the necklace that Ella's mom gave to her. But there is a silver lining on the story. Ella becomes dear friends with Prince Charmont, or as his friends call him, Char. Just when Ella thinks that Char and her are becoming great friends, Ella's father ships her off to finishing school so she can become a true lady with Hattie and the spoiled Olive (Hattie's sister).
Finishing school is the worst place for Ella. She must obey every command no matter how awful or difficult. When Ella cannot stand it anymore she runs away, and decides to quest for her fairy godmother and reverse the spell. But Hattie had forbidden Ella to see Char. So how will she be able to tell him how she really feels when he thinks she never wants to see him again?

Many young girls dream of having a fairy tale life just like the ones that appear in Disney movies such as Cinderella, but what happens when these girls grow into young ladies and expect a little more than your usual fairy tale? In her novel Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine adds a whole new twist to the familiar story of Cinderella. With the use of point of view, characterizations and themes, she achieves to appeal to a budding, young female audience that already has a love for the classic Disney tale.

Point of View
Carson presents a first person point of view that allows Ella to narrate her own story. Her thoughts, her commentary and each of her actions are plain for the reader to enjoy and experience a first hand look into Ella's world. The reader is allowed to relate her character, as she seems more realistic (as far as a fairy tale goes) than ever before, as she goes through every day teenage trials with boys (a prince, to be exact), friendship, fitting in, envy and such problems that still happen today.

Characterizations
Ella
While Disney's Cinderella is an upbeat, optimistic girl that seems to have the whole world set out for her, Levine's Ella is given a whole new dimension as a character. Ella, as a child, receives the "gift" of obedience by the wayward fairy, Lucinda. Forced to do everything she is told, Ella develops a strong, rebellious character determined to become her own person, despite what others command her to do. She may subdue physically, but mentally and spiritually, she is a character that is intelligent beyond her years that refuses to conformity, aesthetics and propriety for the wrong reasons. Carson develops Ella in such a way that her flaws and struggles with herself and others are present. Ella is not a glorified storybook character that has everything going perfectly for her; she fights for what she believes in, she makes mistakes to learn from them and goes through the motions just like her young female audience.

Prince Charmont
When the thoughts of a charming prince come to mind, what is available is only the idea of a charming prince who is just there to both save the day and marry the girl. While in most fairy tales, the female lead character usually overshadows the male equivalent; Prince Charmont is far from hidden. Carson develops Char (as he is cleverly nicknamed) in such a way that he breaks away from the usual princely stereotypes by adding a little more to his personality but still maintaining the characteristics that would most likely still make any female weak in the knees. When Ella first meets Char, she keeps her distance in a demonstration of respect of his nobility, but he refuses to be regarded of higher ranking and asks to be addressed as any other person. He is kind hearted and humble but still he holds strong and true to the convictions that he is instructed as a young ruler. One example of this is when he pauses the beginning of a military journey to get on his hands and knees to help a merchant whose cart is overturned, instead of leaving off and ignoring the lower class. Another defining characteristic is that he, like Ella, struggles to create his own identity under the overpowering shadow of his future as the ruler of the kingdom of Frell. Char's authentic infatuation for Ella and his deep respect for her are what make the reader believe him as the true charming prince.

The Fairy Godmother
One may expect a flick of the wand and a bibidi boppidi boo to describe a fairy; Carson declines to this generic view. Mandy, Ella's fairy godmother is described as aging, overweight, speckled with freckles and frizzy hair. She hides her true identity from Ella and for the first 16 years of Ella's life, she is known as the kitchen maid and nanny. Her real self is only discovered after Ella's mother died and Ella is left to the care of no one but her father. The way that Carson portrays Mandy is in a stern, parental way so the reader can see her as a mother figure for Ella, more than just a fairy godmother that provides every single wish. Carson makes Mandy out to be a lovable character towards the reader because she nurtures and takes care of Ella while still remaining firm to what she thinks is best for her goddaughter.

Themes
In this novel, Carson explores themes that are of interest to a young female audience. One of these is the search for an identity and a place in the world. Carson develops her main theme as Ella is trying to establish herself as a person with her beliefs and convictions, and not just become a pawn to anybody's game that has knowledge of her curse. She demonstrates to the audience that they do not have to conform to a popular idea and encourages the reader to form opinions by gaining knowledge by Ella's example of maintaining her integrity and refusal to ignorance.

Another theme that goes hand-in-hand with the one mentioned before is integrity, being true to who you are. Carson encourages this by making Ella such a strong character that even though she is forced to be someone else, in her mind, she is determined to be who she truly is. Char is also another example of integrity. He is a prince, a trait that may give way to arrogance and to discrimination by status, but he denies any association of himself as a person to his nobility.

With these different literary aspects, Gail Carson Levine creates a fairy tale all her own that only alludes to the commonly known storyline. She creates a story for young girls to be immersed with such believable characters in a fictional world that teach very valuable lessons while also having those key elements that happen to draw the audience in.

I can't recall the number of non-fiction books that I've read. Little matter, this is the most incredible true story that I've read!!
Laura Hillenbrand has captured a time in American History. She is a true storyteller who has done impeccable research. It must have been the time she spent in Gambier, Ohio at Kenyon College that inspired her to such great in depth writing.
For those of you who have not read this book or have not seen the excellent movie, you're in for an incredible treat. Trust Me!!
If I were writing fiction, this true story would not have been told. Charles Howard, Red Pollard and Tom Smith are indeed the Holy Trinity. Remember these names, after reading this book, you will never forget them.
One little horse, so much history!!! Incredible!!!!

I have recently read Seabiscuit and watched the film and found both to be very compelling. We dont think much anymore about the dark days of the Depression but Laura Hillenbrand puts us right back in the middle of it. The important lesson was to look to the future as Charles Howard implored, the sun will come up tomorrow.

Three incredible characters intersect with this horse of unknown promise. Howard is the wealthy owner, despondent over the death of his son and unsure how to live the life of leisure; Red Pollard is a jockey not able to break into the big-time, due to his attitude, blindness, and injuries; Tom Smith is a taciturn man who belongs in the 19th century of his youth, not the modern world. Together they develop and promote Seabiscuit, a horse of incredible bloodlines, yet given up on by better trainers due to his work habits, attitude, injuries, and size.

Eventually the Biscuit wins all the stakes in the state of California and gets a shot at a match race with the great Eastern horse and Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Both horses are descendants of the great Man'o'war, but the eastern elites dont want to give the western upstart his chance. After a few cancellations due to injuries and prickly owners, the match race goes off in Baltimore and the smaller horse brings it home.

The book is more enlighting with respect to the fuller stories of the characters, especially the relationship between the jockeys and Pollard's romance and marriage to a Boston nurse. The movie brings the times to life. Howard and Pollard were the raconteurs who made Seabiscuit the hero of the little guys during those lean years. Dont forget, tough times dont last but tough guys do.

Ms. Hillenbrand is an equally interesting story. She suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is only able to work at a fraction of the typical writer. Here she focused her energy on this story and these times. Seabiscuit has been the story many times in film and books but Ms. Hillenbrand brings it to life for us.

This book is a true American legend at its best. "Seabiscuit" was written by Laura Hillenbrand based on a true story of one horse and jockey's incredible life. This biography is set in the 1930's and 1940's and takes you on a journey with someone and something that no one believed in until they were given a chance to prove themselves. The perseverance of these two characters is admirable; they never give up, no matter what. The jockey, John Pollard, was struggling in life until given the shot to show he was more than just an average jockey. Seabiscuit, on the other hand, is my favorite character; he never accepts the possibility of losing. Pollard and Seabiscuit's relationship started when trainer Tom Smith paired them together out on the racetrack. I love that they were given a chance to prove everyone wrong by winning race after race with odds stacked against them; both had been injured numerous times. Read about how they smashed people's disbelief and made history, performing one of the greatest comebacks in all of sports. The theme of "never giving up no matter what" would most likely interest people who enjoy sports novels. "Seabiscuit" is truly the greatest sports story of all time.

This narrative leaps out of the first paragraph in the same way Seabiscuit learns to bolt from the starting gate. From the start, Laura Hillenbrand draws the reader into the story with colorful, taut writing. There are no meaningless side stories in this book - each detail weaves itself back into the tale of a horse who beat the odds to become one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.
This story is gripping even if you have no interest in horseracing.

Seabiscuit is a great story, book, and movie. If you have not read it, buy it today and start reading. You will not be disappointed.

The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul is a short book that attempts to bring to light some of the glaring mistakes the US has embarked on (or already pretty far down the road of).

Anyone unfamiliar with Dr. Paul's stands on political issues, or do not fully know where his position are derived from, ought to read this book and see that all which is required is some logic, history, and tons of reality.

I consider this to be light reading, there is nothing too technical either politically or economically. Dr. Paul does a good job writing overall, but I did get slowed down a bit since he doesn't seem to elaborate too much on quotes from past figures, and had to go back to read the page again.

Strongly recommend this to all those interest in social science, philosophy, politics, history, and FREEDOM!

For those interested in libertarian politics or were impressed with what Ron Paul had to say during the 2008 GOP debates, this book gives a principled defense of freedom, peace, and sound money. Though short in length, Ron Paul provides plenty of food for thought on issues including non-interventionalist foreign policy, the true meaning of the Constitution, how economic freedom and personal freedom are related, why personal income taxes are unnecessary, and why inflation benefits the government at the expense of ordinary Americans.

Ron Paul is on the right track with his thoughts and ideas. It's high time people recognized what a travesty the political arena has become. It's not an election anymore, it's a selection.
And the majority of people are not the ones making the choice. Wake up America, before it's really too late.

Never have I read a book so fast in my life, I'm 17 and thought this book was very well written, and easily understood. I highly recommend it.

Ron Paul knows the Constitution and tells us in "The Revolution: A Manifesto" exactly how the current government is contradicting the founding document of America. Paul goes over numerous vital examples of how the federal government is overstepping its duty and in fact committing crimes against Americans by failing to stick to what the founders intended for the institution. The ideas described in this book must proliferate if we're to hang on to the fraction of liberty we have left.

First up is the controversial war in Iraq, which has cost us thousands of lives and hundreds of millions of dollars a day. Paul has rejected the war from the start and now wants to see an end to the imperialism that creates such wars. In "Revolution", Paul consistently goes back to the founders to show that they never intended the federal government to be the world's policemen.

Next is the welfare state. Paul shows convincingly the paradox of government programs that gets more money for failing to do what they were designed to do. Freedom from regulation and the nanny state has helped reduce poverty in India and China since the '70s but the US poverty rate has stagnated since the 'War on Poverty' was declared in 1968 with a slew of government welfare programs, Paul reports.

Paul then goes over other ways the federal government harms its constituents as in the drug war, the Patriot Act, and much more important, the Fed's tinkering with the economy through inflation and debt. Much of this information is already clearly elucidated in the popular media, but it seems most people have just thrown their hands up and accepted it as the way things are. Ron Paul intends to shake up the status quo and wake people up to the issues we confront with a leviathan that will continue to erode the rock of freedom on which it stands. Paul intends to make popular once again the idea of liberty before it's too late. His message is clear: stop regulating us; stop spying on us; and stop taking our money!

Though the book isn't expertly written or especially thorough, every American should read it and contemplate the core ideas. We could be on the brink of a monumental shift toward greater liberty--"The Revolution" can be considered the catalyst.

JSBM
Author, How to Take Advantage of the People Who Are Trying to Take Advantage of You

A tale of growing up and acceptance with a strong female lead who shows, without being ultra feminist, that girls can accomplish anything that boys can.

Admittedly a huge fan of the "women-warrior, disguised as a man" characters, I have been disappointed time and again by peoples take on them, but not this time. The take on magic, the involvement of the gods, and the world, which holds different morals, gave to a very interesting atmosphere for the books to be set in. Alanna is a character that I couldn't help cheering for, and identifying with.

Granted as others point out, this is very obviously a first novel that will kick-off a series. And while I did enjoy it, I do prefer to have series of novels have the ability to be stand-alones.

A terrific kick-off, to what I hope to be a wonderful series.

I did not realize when I bought these books that they were for young adults, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about Alanna's adventures, friends and family. Alanna proved to the men again and again that "anything you can do I can do better". A great message to put out there for young girls. And even though it took me 1 day to read each book I just couldn't stop until I was done!

When I first picked up this book, I was the typical bookworm. I knew every corner of my middle school's library. Most often, I'd find myself in the mythology section or classic plays. However, one day, I took a fateful journey into the fantasy section.
I was 12 years old, timid and accepting of even the worst opinions of me.
When I read it, I was enlightened. A whole five foot one, (four foot eleven at the time), I was keenly aware of her height issues and the jokes her friends made.
The way she shaped her own life made me feel as if I could do the same. And I have. I took control -- or as Alanna would say "rode the tiger" and I've made my own way in the world and I don't think anyone would call me timid now.
I'm in college now, and I know if I start to feel down or like I'm losing confidence in myself, I can just pick up my old worn out copy of Alanna (or any of the subsequent sequels) and feel better, feel like a stronger woman because of it. Tamora Pierce was a saint for writing this book. Sometimes I even feel like she wrote it just for me!

Is no one bothered by the essential lack of values in this book? Getting what you want is more important than honesty or respect for others. The main character threatens others with horrible, supernatural punishment, tricks her father, lies outrightly, and that's just in the first chapter.
What about integrity, justice, truth as foundations of doing right?
Compare this heroine with Jonas in The Giver, Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Andy in Wolf Rider, or Karana in The Island of the Blue Dolphins.

Was purchased due to a requirement by my childs school. He has informed me it is a good book.

I was a little disappointed by the ending and the fact that Homer Hickam gave John Kennedy the idea to go to the Moon but other than that I couldn't help but root for the band of misfits.

I bought this book and the audio tapes and my son and I listened and read this amazing book together. Our plan was to read for 30 minutes a night...however it was sooooooo good we listened and read for 5 hours!

We are now going to rent the movie that was made from the film! All systems go....we enjoyed the adventure!

... "On June 4, 1960, the Big Creek Missile Agency, fresh from its medal winning performance at the National Science Fair, is sponsoring a day of rocket launches at its Cape Coalwood range. Everyone reading these words is invited..." This quote can be found on page 356-357 of a book called Rocket Boys; this statement showed me that the success of the main characters was a result of personal hard work and teamwork.

"Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is a nonfiction account of a group of friends from Coalwood, West Virginia in the early 1960's who have a fetish for making rockets. Homer and his friends have a dream to shoot a rocket up into the clouds. This story gives the reader a message that dreams really can come true.

Rocket Boys is one of the strongest books I have ever read. The author accomplished his goals to tell people that team work is one of the most important things to know in your life. This book is recommended for people that like space and rockets and who want a hopeful book to read. Reading Rocket Boys really gets you thinking about team work and how far you can get with it.

Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.

This book is his story and how he was successful.

I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.

Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.

Grab this book, sit down and read it. It is amazing...one of the best books I have ever read.....powerful message of Christ's redeeming love. I am about to read it a second time.

When I first got this book I looked at how thick it was and said "Great this will take me at least 2 weeks to finish" (I read about 80-90 pages / hour) Plus my natural indistinct is to think a thick book will be a long and boring book.

Man was I wrong - I finished it in 3 days because each night I wanted to read more and more.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fictional Christian book. If you're on the airplane or going on a long road trip this is a book to read. For a girl this book shows how a man should truly love you in marriage. And for a guy it showed me how much love needs to be shown and displayed in marriage.

On the surface, Redeeming loves tells the love story between Micheal Hosea, the kind-hearted farmer, and Angel, the not so lovable prostitute. But it transforms into a love story between God and us. Awe-struck is how I felt when I read it.

Tamera Lynn Kraft
Faith Filled Historicals For the Adventurous Heart
www.TameraKraft.net
www.tameralynnkraft.blogspot.com
www.authorsden.com/tameralynnkraft
www.shoutlife.com/tamera
www.myspace.com/tamerakraft
Redeeming Love

After reading this book, I recomend that all the ladies and friends I know to read it. It's like a story you don't want to end. This book should also be a mini series. Everyone should know the love of God like Angel does.

I have loaned this book to every woman that I care about. I think it is an essential read. This book literally changed ny life. It is not only a wonderful romance novel, but a fantastic book about God's NEVER-ENDING love for us.

First of all. The most telling information in this book was that some people stop reading it in the middle because they know that if they finish it they will quit smoking. Or they were given the book and didn't read it for a long time and wished after reading it that they had read it right away.

I have been smoking a pack or more a day for 10 years. I have tried to quit several times either on my own or with the patch. I always failed. Now I know why. This is the easy way. I have only had a couple of bad days and when I say bad, I mean, I though about buying cigs for a bit on the way home from work and then laughed and just didn't do it.

One more great suggestion in this book is to after quitting, go to a party or somewhere that you usually smoke at. I didn't wait until after my final cigarette. I just went to a party and didn't smoke and I noticed how uncomfortable that made the "smokers". I didn't brag or even talk about quitting. (I had said a month ago that I was quitting before my 50th birthday). I just had a great time without smoking and I truly didn't miss it. I think that helped me most of all to get to that final cigarette and keep it final.

This is the book for you if you are finally ready like I was!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is thinking of quitting smoking. I quit many moons ago for 8 years and did the "will power" way. I was miserable, I changed my life completely to stay away from all my triggers, was grumpy and almost lost my best friend. Oh, and gained 20 lbs. I had been smoking again for about 8 years (yes, ridiculous!) and tried several times to quit (will power, hypnosis, anti-depressants, you name it) but eventually started back up again. I can't even describe how different it is this time quitting with the guidance of this book. I have no doubt I'm done for good and feel fabulous!

I also bought a copy for all my close friends that still smoke and the 1 that has finished the book has also quit and feels great about it.

My Hubby and I both quit after reading this book. We had tried hypnosis, gum, patches, Wellbutrin, Chantix, herbs etc in the past.
I did not know that stopping smoking could be so easy and I can say with
confidence I will never smoke again.

Think maybe you're different? That YOUR smoking addiction is unique, and that's why other people can quit, but you can't? And that nobody but you can understand that?

Uh huh - been there. Done that. That's why I smoked every day for 46 years.

The day after reading Allen Carr's book, I quit and stayed quit. Nuf said.

Get it the book and do what he says, simple as it is! It works!

Purchased this book for myself. I liked it so well I bought 3 more to give to my smoking friends. It took me awhile to read it; I would read small sections at a time (the book actually deals with that same head game we smokers play). But once I resolved to actually read it, by the time I was finished with the book, I was finished with cigarettes. This book cost under $15 and it worked for me. All the other "Quit Smoking" gimmicks and drugs cost way more than that. This book was written by a 5 pack a day smoker. There is no excuse or "reason" for smoking that he hasn't thought of already. He pretty much nails every one of them on the head. If you truly want to get away from this habit, purchase this book. It was the best money I've spent in ages.

I bought this book for one of my children for a summer reading project. I needed a specific version and was glad I could search Amazon by ISBN. The book arrived quickly and the price was reasonable. I'm sure other family members will enjoy the book when the projcet is complete.

except for the Bible, this is the best.
It is the full and undiluted version from the first english translation.
read it, learn it,live it.
j

Although the story is well known to me, the editing of this audio book was so confusing. I absolutely could not follow it. Too much is cut out.

Story has good twists, but there are too many French places and people which makes the audio confusing.

The book is excelent reading but please get a different version.
This version only has 580 or so pages where as other versions have over 1,300 pages. That means that this version is only half the story.
So much gets lost in translation already don't cheat yourself even more.

I need the book-equivalent of methadone to wean myself off the the genius that is Lonesome Dove.

This is one of my top three books of all time. The characters are well written, the story is exciting, sad, happy, scary and tender. It's a story about friendship, hardship, making a living, and a great history of what the West once was. I read this book at least twice a year, and still, it effects me the same way it did when I read it for the first time 15 years ago. I recommend it to anyone who likes a sweeping story full of great characters and emotion. It is also part of a great series of books. If you like this one, be sure to check out the others in this series.

I originally saw the movie "Lonesome Dove" which intrigued me and interested me in the book. I loved the book! It had even more info then the movie (as is generally the case) and though the 8 hours of movie are very true to the book, there is a lot that you miss until you see it in print.

I disagree strongly with the reviewers who say this is not a western. It is a story rich with action and human interactions. The characters are developed and become so real - I cried along with their triumphs and tragedies. There are many stories in this one book. Each character has a history and story to tell and McMurtry does this very well in "Lonesome Dove". (Not so much in other books - In "Sin Killer" he creates characters barely enough to kill them off two pages later.)

This is definitely a rich story well worth your time. It is a heavy read - literally and figuratively. Enjoy!

Count me among the many people who completely loved this book. Even at nearly 1,000 pages, I didn't want it to end. To say it's about a bunch of cattlemen making a drive from the Texas-Mexico border all the way up into Montana hardly makes it sound exciting. To say it's a romance between a cowboy and a reformed whore makes it sound more melodramatic than it is. But to say it's about the American spirit in the 19th century, or pointless ambition, or blind allegiance to an outdated code, or aging heroes, or the disappearing wilderness--and it's about all of those things--makes it sound too grand and high-minded. The charm of McMurtry's writing lies in its simplicity. It's about a lot of things. Mostly cowboys.

The Old West, as portrayed by Hollywood and popular fiction is said to be in large part a myth. High-noon duals, standoffs between train robbers and sheriffs, and gunfights between cowboys and Indians are more legend than history. LONESOME DOVE has to be considered among the canon of the old west, as one of the archetypal books of the genre. It is a story full of stock western players--the heroic Texas rangers, the sheriff, the whore, the cattle rustlers, the Indians, the wide-eyed cow hand. But in the end, the characterization of these players flies in the face of everything we'd expect of them. They are each flawed in their own way, and none completely lives up to our expectations of what he should be. They're decidedly not stock characters. They're real. They surprise us at every turn with their actions and inactions. And while it's tempting to call this the quintessential western, it's more a deconstruction of the western. A reality check. It's more about romance than gun fights. The conflicts are internal. And it's more about character than characters. That's the greatest strength of LONESOME DOVE. McMurtry makes you fall in love with the cowboys, then breaks your heart twice--once at their fates, and once when the book comes to an end.

Taking it as a given that you have little or no interest in the old west or cowboys, in general, or in cattle drives, specifically, you should still read Lonesome Dove. The character development, of Gus and Call, especially, and the evoking of a time and place very remote from the present are absolutely remarkable and you'll be glad that you didn't miss it ... a very, very good book - truly excellent literature!

And, as in so many cases, in case you saw it and drew a conclusion ... the TV version couldn't begin to do justice to the book.