H Books

This book is loads of fun! I bought it for my third grader, who is taking a field trip to see "Romeo and Juliet." I wanted him to have some familiarity with the storyline so he wouldn't be yawning cluelessly by the end of Act I. He loved it so much he wanted to discuss it! Even my husband who hates to read the stuff enjoyed it.
In short, the book is well done. It shortens the plays into a very long story-summary without the dramatic language that can be somewhat of a distraction. We're not talking Cliff's Notes here folks. This is just a handful of pages per play written on a level anyone can understand and enjoy. The book is not long so it's not intimidating. (Have you seen any books containing Shakespeare's complete works, lately? Mine could be used for a doorstop! It's huge!)
We paired this book with the comedy of "The Reduced Shakespeare Company's" version of Romeo and Juliet. My son is actually looking forward to the trip!

I read and reread this book as a youth. The stories read much like classic fairy tales with tragedy, irony, and moral lessons. The writing is very accessible and encouraged me to seek out the full length "stories" in their original (play script) form once I was old enough (6th/7th grade) to really read them.

For a child who has a love of literature, these retellings of the great plays may start a life-long interest in Shakespeare's art (as they did for me).

This book provides lots of Shakespeare's Storys like "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and "Hamlet" with a children's fairy tale twist. The storys are the same as Shakespeare's, but easier for children to understand. My favorite story was Hamlet because I had just seen the play. A while after we read Children's Shakespeare and it helped me to understand Hamlet better.

Romeo and Juliet

Felipe Gravier and Lorenzo Schiavo review:

We think that Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two star-crossed lovers whose families are in a terrible fight which prevents them from coming together. How far the couple will go to be together becomes the focus of the story. Of his richest poetry. The opening and closing choruses are some of his most outstanding work. Romeo's It is a brilliant love story but not much more. It still possesses however some wooing of Juliet is fabulously written. The Friar gets the best lines. Mercutio is one the best friends of Romeo. It is not as good as Shakespeare has written but it's still a fabulous book and up there with his best work. One part of the play we didn't like was that for the tow families get arrange there two kids had to die.
The English language wasn't finally finished so Shakespeare had the liberty to create words and play with the language, as he liked. That's why It was so difficult to understand what each character wanted to express so the teacher had to explain us each of that words and teach us all the words in that age and told us which were the words in the English of today.

Shakespeare is for kids and adults in E. Nesbit's creative mind. I always liked fairy tales, but I couldn't read Shakespeare very well. In Children's Shakespeare E. Nesbit turned his work into fairy tales without changing the story and morals. This book is not much like Nesbit's other books because it was written by Shakespeare, but I bet there are some simularities.

This book was a overall well writen book and I beleive E. Nesbit put a lot of hard work into her books in her life-time. I'm sure if she were alive now she would still be writing good books to this day.

This book is all about how Evangelicals got the power of the Holy Spirit removed from their ministry and then how it see past the false teachings of Western and Eastern Enlightenment and re-empower their ministry with The Living God. Be all God wants you to be and take off the scales on our eyes that we may see His purpose for each of us. This book can help you do that. It is a blessing from Charles H. Kraft to his brothers and sisters. I encourage everyone who wants God to lead their lives to read this book.

This guy is right on with all of the books I have read by him! He makes the most difficult sounding things seem so normal. I would love to meet him. He is sincere and not some freaky "exorcist type" like Bob Larson, he is a professor, he is not flashy and does not whomp people in the head with bibles. he believes that through inner healing of our emotional junk, that it weakens the demonic hold over us, so the deliverance pocess moves more smoothly and not be so scary to the person going through or assisting the deliverance process. I just underwent a pretty lengthy deliverance,and must say it was almost boring,lol, due to the use of Mr. Krafts technique,I was expecting something wild to happen but the enemy was so weak when it was time to go that he just went!! Thanks Kraft for sharing this !

I have read many books on healing and living the Christian life with power and authority, but this book by far better addresses the issues that need to be addessed to help one understand what the real problems are, that they are in the area of our own limited understanding ITSELF. This book helps to answer questions that you had lurking back in the back of your mind but couldn't quite verbalize. This is one of those that is full of truth that is refreshing and cleansing. A deep read but a must read.

I wish to offer only a very brief review - if you are unacquainted with Kraft's work, I encourage you read some of the other reviews. However, this is an essential introduction to the spiritual world assumed by New Testament Christianity. This worldview, often easily understood and accepted in less technological Third World societies, is radically different than our Western worldview. This book in particular openned my eyes and heart to an entirely new way of seeing the world around me. I heartily recommend it.

This is a really great book that talks about worldviews. I have not read any book that addresses the issues of our worldviews as comprehensively as this, and it has been incredible understanding how we see things and why. Charles Kraft weaves his experience of his changing worldview with this writing, and shows the differences between the Western worldview and other worldviews. It is also interesting to see what peaved him off and what set him back on track to discover the fullness that God wants for each and every Christian, that there is power with Christianity.

Kraft talked about his initial missionary days in Nigeria to the extent that the Nigerians "knew" that whatever power Christianity brought was inadequate to deal with issues in their lives. They came to accept Christ as there were many good reasons for being a Christian, but this lack of power gave them a dual allegiance, i.e. a loyalty to Christianity to handle certain needs paralleled by a continuing loyalty to traditional religious practitioners to handle their power needs. This does not seem that far from much of Christianity today, and Kraft addresses these issues and also challenges us to take that step of faith forward.

It is no wonder that the subtitle to Christianity with Power is "Your Worldview and Your Experience of the Supernatural." How we perceive God is how we relate to Him, and how we understand Him and what He can do is how we would do likewise. Hence, if we believe that God does not heal or work miracles today (despite believing that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever), that would become our practice in our Christian life. So, if you believe that Christianity is not all that you have believed or experienced to date, it's time to read this book and be open to have your worldviews changed.

EXCELLENT!! An eye-opener! Accurate data. Everyone should read this book and be enlightened.

I have not finished this book. The author's descriptions of Mary are off-putting. For example: "If early images are correct, she had a small straight mouth, a thin chiseled nose, and a drawn look that was sometimes sorrowful. She was of medium height and had brown hair with dark bangs and eyebrows, her face neither long nor round but oval, her hands and fingers tapered, delicate, and long. She was a regular peasant in a small, regular hillside house, and her life had been one of prayer and toil: drawing water, cooking, and repairing clothes. She had subsisted on fruit, fish, and bread; in manner always serene and demure...."

I have not seen the Blessed Mother, but I would be surprised if her expression is "drawn." And I doubt her manner was "always serene and demure." A "regular peasant"? The mother of God, while pregnant, traveled to see her pregnant cousin and stay with her till the birth of her child. At a wedding, she basically told her Son to turn the water into wine.

Contrast the author's description with the words of Julian of Norwich (admittedly a saint and the first woman to write a book in English): "a simple maid and meek, so young she seemed like a mere child--yet the very same age when she conceived. And God showed me then something of the wisdom and truth of her soul In particular, I saw her attitude toward God, her Maker, how she marveled with great reverence when he wished to be born of her, who was a mere and simple creature he himself had made. It was this wisdom, this truth, seeing how great was her Maker compared to her own littleness, that made her say to Gabriel, 'Behold me, God's handmaid.' Then I knew for certain that she was more worthy and more full of grace than all the rest of God's creation, with the sole exception of the manhood of Christ."

Also, I personally dislike the notion that Mary's life was one of "prayer and toil." What about relationships with people? And she had a Little Boy. Didn't she play with Him? I feel, think and believe her life was one of LOVE.

So, the visions are interesting, but the author defeats himself more than a little with perilously distracting--and highly debatable--asides.

Always, always and always believe in the Son Of God: Jesus Christ. It is through Him that You will obtain Salvation.
Believe in the Commandments, and Pray for yourself, the Dead, the Poor, and to and for Christ Jesus. It is Through Him that you will be able to meet the Father, so Worship Him and Love Him, as well as Trust Him. We Live in End Times, so Please believe in Christ....the Millineum is so close.

The best book I have ever read on the appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It chronicals every one through the centuries. The author did an amazing job. I will order his other books as he is that good of a researcher and writer.

Wonderful, wonderful book!! Everyone should read this book, as there is much enlightenment to be found in this particular book. It helped me as a Protestant Pastor to understand the Virgin Mary, and Catholic doctrine.

Pauline Tesler is able to combine thought-provoking theory with practical process advice. This is an indispensable tool for collaborative practitioners as well as fascinating reading for anyone who is concerned about the emotional and financial toll of traditional divorce. Working with attorneys as problem-solvers, rather than adversarial litigators, is a revolutionary concept whose time has come. This book provides expert guidance for professionals and the public about the collaborative option. I highly recommend it!

Pauline Tesler's book, Collaborative Law, is an outstanding resource for attorneys interested in transforming the litigious divorce process into a client-oriented, principled, and efficient way to solve the problems associated with ending a marital relationship. It not only explains the principles of collaborative family law but provides substantial guidance in making the paradigm shift to this innovative approach and comes with a disk with a core collection of forms needed to get started as a collaborative lawyer. As a family law attorney for over 27 years and a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers I found this book to be invaluable. Nonlawyers will also find this book helpful in finding a better way to divorce. Collaborative family law is growing throughout the U.S. and Canada--and Pauline Tesler has played a leading role in this through her lectures and this fine book.

Pauline Tesler clearly explains this new form of lawyering that keeps family disputes, especially divorces, out of court. The book includes forms, checklists, and other essential practice aids for lawyers offering this service to clients. While it is addressed to lawyers, a person considering using Collaborative Law for his/her case will find it very informative.

Pauline Tesler's book is essential reading for any family lawyer who is interested in practicing collaborative law. It is a priceless resource that should be on the shelf of every family law practitioner who is willing to make the paradigm shift from adversarial gladiator to counselor and healer. The collaborative law movement owes Tesler a vote of gratitude for translating Stu Webb's simple concept into a brilliantly thought-out system that can be easily understood and followed. Since reading it the first time I have referred to it almost weekly.

As an attorney engaged in collaborative practice, I make more use of Pauline Tesler's book than any other practice resource. Beyond explaining the basic collaborative philosophy in clear terms, her book provides the practical, step-by-step tools that a practitioner needs to get through the challenging parts of the process.
Through the book, the collaborative process broken down into key stages with specific achievement landmarks and goals. Detailed forms and documents for the process are provided in the text and on a diskette. It is the kind of book you can pick up before a collaborative meeting to develop a concise checklist to cover.
For me, it's the Bible of Collaborative Practice. Although in-person training is preferable, I believe that just studying this book can provide an attorney with all the basic tools of collaborative practice.

I have read numerous accounts (most notably in the journal of the Mencken Society) that assume that Mencken was being ironic in the pages of this book, but I am gladdened and relieved to see that the other reviewers here got it right. The omniscient Mr. Mencken simply observes that men are forever being bamboozled by women.

But there's a great variety of Mencken's wisdom on tap in this slim volume -- such as,
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary." (Page 53 of the 1926 edition)

Mencken's "In Defense of Women" has such a bad reputation in some circles that I'm almost afraid to review it for fear of virtual grenades. But surely the bad reputation is unjustified, for whether one approves of Mencken's conclusions or not, it would seem hard to deny the nobility of the his intentions in publishing them. He simply wished to help us rid ourselves of some harmful and incorrect stereotypes. To wit: men think they are intelligent and clear-headed while women are emotional and sentimental. But in reality, Mencken explains, it is men who are prone to sentiment and women who are intelligent and clear-headed. Of course many things follow from both the misconception and the "truth." Although it may be useful to some people to know Mencken's ideas about the sexes (I find this knowledge useful), perhaps the best reason to read "In Defense of Women" is that it is incredibly entertaining. If you are not amused by Mencken's style, or if you are afraid that you might encounter an uncomfortable truth or two, then by all means keep safely away.

Reading this book made me wonder "where are the men of today who are writing like this on these topics?" -- things like soul mates, monogamy/polygamy, affairs, prostitution, romance novels, Darwin's theory of sexual selection, the double standard, the "Madonna/whore complex" (not called that then), sexual harassment, employment discrimination, abolishing marriage, and declining marriage and birth rates all make an appearance in the book. And much of it retains its essential truth. The more things change...

It's especially interesting to see where HLM was right and where he turned out to be wrong. For instance: the book was written just before men gave women the vote (i.e., during World War I, when Mencken was in his mid-to-upper thirties and still a bachelor); Mencken thought women voting would cure politics of rampant corruption -- because women wouldn't allow such shenanigans. This is not to say that he had any kind things to say about the suffragettes. He didn't, and some of what he wrote was outrageously funny. One can extrapolate in a straight line to some of today's feminists.

His basic thesis -- which may or may not have been meant to be taken seriously -- is that women are more intelligent than men, the proof being the ease with which they typically defeat men in the war between the sexes:

"I am convinced that the average woman, whatever her deficiencies, is greatly superior to the average man. The very ease with which she defies and swindles him in several capital situations of life is the clearest of proofs of her general superiority. She did not obtain her present high immunities as a gift from the gods, but only after a long and often bitter fight, and in that fight she exhibited forensic and tactical talents of a truly admirable order. There was no weakness of man that she did not penetrate and take advantage of. There was no trick that she did not put to effective use. There was no device so bold and inordinate that it daunted her."

It would be fifty years before Esther Vilar's "The Manipulated Man" continued with many of the same themes. But Mencken was quite prescient in the section on women's martyrdom, which today we'd call their claim to victimhood or being "oppressed". I could go on at some length about how close his description of marriage is to what prevails today (based on reports which come to my attention), but I'll spare you.

I'm sorry I waited so long to get around to this book, as it's truly a classic written by a great mind -- a highly recommended trip above the stratosphere for all men and, especially, bachelors.

This is not a book for faint of heart. No one was better at invective than Mencken, and his defense of women is far more of an attack on men than a defense of the "unfair" sex, as Ambrose Bierce signified our better half. Mencken's basic argument goes something like this: women are pretty bad; men are worse; therefore, women are better than men. This is, to be sure, a gross over-simplification. Mencken's argument is really much more sophisticated and ingenious. He picked it up, he tells us elsewhere, from a madame of a bordello. It contains a great deal more truth than most people would be willing to admit. Mencken's hillarious presentation is recommended only to hardened cynics (which is to say, hardened realists). Sensitive people with "beautiful" souls are well advised to avoid this brilliant book.

Mencken wrote that "Nothing could be plainer than the effect that the increasing economic security of women is having upon their whole havit of life ... The diminishing marriage rate and the even more rapidly diminishing birth rate show which way the wind is blowing . . . large numbers of them [women] now approach the business [of marriage] with far greater fastidiousness than their grandmothers." So as a result, only relatively skilled men are marriageable, and lower-class men go without. By contrast, in the past "even marriage with a fifth-rate man was better than no marriage at all."

Mencken also correctly predicted that even after the influx of women into the workplace, women will still lag behind men economically: he writes that "it is impossible to imagine a genuinely intelligent human being becoming a competent trial lawyer, or buttonhole worker, or newspaper sub-editor, or piano tuner, or house painter. Women, to get upon all fours with men in such stupid occupations, will have to commit spiritual suicide, which is much further than they will ever actually go. Thus a shade of their present superiority to men will always remaijn, and with it a shade of their relative inefficiency, so marriage will remain attractive".

Mencken also predicts loosened sexual mores: "With the decay of the ancient concept of women as property there must come inevitability a reconsideration of the whole sex question."

And of course all these things have come to pass, both in America and in Europe: well-employed women marry later or not at all and get divorced more quickly, and low-income women have virtually abandoned marriage altogether.

Mencken only runs aground when he looks at war and peace. He correctly predicted World War II (in particular predicting wars between France and Germany, and between Japan and America) but thought that it would be so devastating, and wipe out so many of the world's men, that women would vastly outnumber men, which in turn would radically modify marriage- perhaps by causing the reinstitution of polygamy. Had WW 2, like WW 1, killed only soliders, Mencken might have been right. Instead, of course, millions of civilians were killed- including many women, thus limiting the male/female imbalance.

Colored Glass is a captivating read, a page turner about one of the most important social changes in the history of the USA. The author weaves the story of a southern community and a family attempting to survive ordinary daily life during a time when a great social upheaval was brewing on the horizon. Not all southerners were racists, many were anti segregation and felt kindness and consideration towards all men, but to express these sentiments openly in the segregated south was inviting danger and oftentimes loss of life to yourself and family.
The author portrays a very realistic picture of what it was like to live in the South where segregation was the norm but everyone knew that integration was soon to come.

Growing up in the 50s and 60s I was effected by integration, seeing busses of kids with different colored skin than my own arrive to attend classes. Everything in life isn't black and white, whether we're talking about skin color or ways to think about life's issues. "Colored Glass" is an extremely well written chronicle of this time period and how skin color effected much of the dealings between people in the South. The Klan, the social settings, the mindsets all played an almost too large a role in the way people lived their lives. What we have on "Colored Glass" is a beautiful story teaching us lessons without us knowing it about the way things were, are and should be. Everything isn't black and white..."Colored Glass" to me symbolically shows the type of adornment on graves of people with color as well as the fragile shattering nature of the way society treated and still does treat a large segment of the population, and how sad that is. Triumphant novel...a must read.

Colored Glass is a lovingly crafted remembrance of a time, a place, and a people who lived tenuously on a precarious edge of change and of how the members of one family were transformed by the dangers they faced. While all of the characters who inhabit a fictional Willow Bend, Louisiana, in the 1950s are vividly drawn, the most memorable character for me is John Boley, who simultaneously hides and expresses his anguish by mimicking the craziness of the way of life that oppresses him. While slowly building to a dramatic climax, the author convincingly recreates the fears, the hardships, and the joys that defined daily life in the rural South fifty years ago.

"Colored Glass" is a stirring novel I couldn't put down. The author of this book appears to possess an innate ability to not only peak interest with every turn of the page, but also invoke a need for the reader to reflect upon their own beliefs regarding what they would do if faced with a moral, ethical and possibly life-changing decision. I highly recommend this book to fans of "To Kill a Mockingbird" as well as anyone who wishes to not only read, but "experience" a well written novel. Although I haven't spent much time in the South, I could almost feel the humidity with every description detailed by the author.

It was a wonderfully written story. From character buildup to the last scenes, the details were especially vivid. Having no experience with the South, nor the Ku Klux Klan, Noelle brings forth lifestyle dichotomies of whites living with blacks during that time. The personalities of each character is richly developed to the point where you could almost hear and see each one standing in front of you. Noelle has a talant for bringing beginning, middle and end together articulately and elegantly. This book was difficult to put down - I highly recommend it.

Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education: The C.A.R.E. Program - Substance Abuse Awareness and Relapse Prevention offers a methodical and informed approach to anyone seeking to free himself or herself from addiction. Written by Stephen Lloyd, a recovered alcoholic and addict trained as a certified substance abuse counselor, Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education discusses causes of addiction, the value of medical help, how to combat "triggers" for cravings, seeking support, goal setting, anger management, dealing with resentment, how to create a solid relapse prevention plan, and much more. Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education is a consumable text, with numerous opportunities for the owner to write down lists of resources, thoughts and feelings, future plans, and more. A highly recommended supplement to a personal addiction treatment and recovery program.

Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education: The C.A.R.E. Program - Substance Abuse Awareness and Relapse Prevention offers a methodical and informed approach to anyone seeking to free himself or herself from addiction. Written by Stephen Lloyd, a recovered alcoholic and addict trained as a certified substance abuse counselor, Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education discusses causes of addiction, the value of medical help, how to combat "triggers" for cravings, seeking support, goal setting, anger management, dealing with resentment, how to create a solid relapse prevention plan, and much more. Combating Addiction Through Recovery Education is a consumable text, with numerous opportunities for the owner to write down lists of resources, thoughts and feelings, future plans, and more. A highly recommended supplement to a personal addiction treatment and recovery program.

Very well written and easy to understand. Right from the start you get the sense that the author really wants to help, and knows how to do it. I would recommend it to anyone who needs help with a subtance abuse problem of thier own, or someone they know.

This book is such an easy read yet outlines the steps for what can be such a difficult journey. I gave my copy to my teenage son to read and am ordering more for others I know will benefit from it. Steve's wisdom as well as his candid disclosure of his personal journey through recovery cannot fail to leave a lasting impression on the reader. Well done!

I bought this book with the hopes of grasping a better understanding of addiction and alcoholism. I did get an understanding but I also got so much more. The author has written this book in a way that anyone should be able to pick it up and benefit from the contents. I can see how this book would be useful to youth, adults, seniors, virtually anyone. The author including his own story lends credibility to this book that cannot be overlooked. Thank you for such an informative read.

With regard the authority of Scripture, most Christians would agree that the Bible is our authority in some sense. But in exactly what sense does the Bible claim to be our authority? I think evangelical Christianity is in serious trouble in that matter. In fact, it is facing big challenges for keeping Biblical faith. Some present-day evangelicals do not believe more in the Bible. The Scripture becomes just a very important thing, but not more a sufficient an inerrant Word of God. In their opinion, we have other sources to learn about God and his will for the Church today. So, if you are considering that questions into your heart, I would like to recommend you to read this book and The Compromised Church (from the same general Editor).

Horton and others clearly delineate the dangers which face the Church of Jesus Christ, and if you're looking for fluff or easy reading, here, find another book like Max Lucado. This is meaty reading and worthy of the purchase. Highly recommended.

Some of the conservative church's greatest ambassadors deliver a great message in this book. Some very godly and inteligent men deliver a warning to the church of the future. The books basic theme is that the church must be circumspect so that it does not drift away from biblical dependence. The present day church has come to depend on so many sources for their theological understanding when ultimately scripture should be the only recognized voice. This book defends the traditional evangelical faith while giving and understanding of obvious needs of reform. Readers of this book will become acutely aware of the problems and solutions of the modern godly church.

Whenever one writes a book of this type you almost wish that its message would be heard and changes made to prevent it from coming to pass. That was my reaction when I first read this book while in Bible college. Now removed several years from that setting I can personally see the message from this book coming to pass before my very eyes.

The pragmatic age has dawned. We now have churches for every individual needs. Sound doctrine has been replaced by pop psychology and business data. Elders today listen more to the business gurus than to the Holy Spirit in the pages of Scripture. In fact, to stand firm upon the Word of God is now viewed as a fundamentalist, dogmatic, or even (as one former elder told me when he resigned from our church) "hard nosed." Pastors now resemble CEO's more than they resemble Jesus. As Leonard Ravenhill so put it, "We have many Degree's today with no heat. The early Church had much heat with no Degree's."

Thankfully many of the men in this book are standing against the tide of secular, man-centered teachings that are hitting the Church. Nearly everyone of these men have written books, articles, or preached sermons against the tide of the world invading the Church and the Church not becoming like Jesus Christ meant for us to be. May God have mercy on us in these last days!

In my humble opinion, everybody who dares call themselves evangelical, and this term is used widely today, should read this book and take its warnings and suggestions to heart. So many churches would call themselves evangelical today, but would not be able to give a proper definition for the term, or the history behind it. Read this book and you will get to see what it means to be evangelical!

I must echo what each of the other reviewers has already said about this book. I have made many of the recipes and always get asked for "a copy". At least six of my friends have gone out and purchased their own edition of the book. Now I'm planning to buy a second copy so I won't have to keep taking my original with me when I go to Florida for an extended period in the winter.I really can't be without it.Even my batchelor son borrows Mom's book when he's entertaining.

This has become one of the books I reference most often. I like the individual recipes, but I absolutely LOVE the recipes for full dinners and buffets. I have made the cocktail for 40 not once, but twice, and it was a smashing success both times. My new mother-in-law so enjoyed the frozen apple waldorf salads I made for an inlaws visit recently, she asked for the recipe - when I removed it from my cupboard, she said, oh, I have that cookbook, but I haven't looked at it. What a shame! It's one of my all-time favorites!

Over the past 25 years, I've purchased a lot of cookbooks and I love to cook. When I ordered this book I expected a lot of mediocre recipes that could be done ahead and in a hurry. What a wonderful surprise. Every recipe I've made has been outstanding and received rave reviews from my family. I don't like meatloaf - but I loved the Piquant Little Meat Loaves. Cornish Hens Mandarin was excellent and Company Chicken-Artichoke pleased even grumpy teenagers. The final and supreme compliment came when I visited my mom (recovering from surgery in Iowa) and I cooked one of the recipes. She is a superb (extremely particular) cook and said, "This is a cookbook that finally makes sense." She liked that the first recipe was large and leftovers were utilized in the series of recipes that followed. Thank you so much for a group of fresh and exciting recipes!

The time saving tips you will find here are worth their weight in gold. I like to entertain but still have enought time and energy left to enjoy my company. This book teaches you how to prepare foods well in advance so you are not running around at the last frazzled minute before dinner guests arrive. I had a Christmas part for 60- prepared all the food myself and did minimal preparation that day. I was able to freeze the cream puffs for Curried Chicken Salad Puffs a month ahead and fill them that day. The section Coctail Buffet for Forty took all the hassle out of planning for a large affair and I used every recipe I found there- the Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish was elegant to serve and thrilled my guests. Also, the Rasberry Vinaigrette is the best I've ever come across. This is almost exclusively the only cookbook I use and has become my standard present for soon-to-be brides.

This is a great book! I have made the Delta Shrimp recipe several times and always get asked for the recipe. I make it even easier using frozen uncooked, peeled and cleaned shrimp, and always get rave reviews. The Company Artichoke Chicken Bake is also excellent! For anyone who loves to entertain, and do most of the preparation ahead of time, this is the book to get!

Now some of these tales are out there, but all offer some amusement. Some may not make any sense (i.e. the endings seem incomplete or "off") and they may not be on par with the Grimms tales, but it's nice to have all of these in one place and to be able to read tales that I have never heard of or come across over the years. If you are making a collection of myths and fairy tales, this collection is a must.

Every child should read Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales a first introduction to fantasy and modern tales of today. The book is great for adults also. Many stories I recall from my own childhood as I devoured the fairy tales that are enduring and lasting as classics forever.
Evelyn Horan - author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - Three

It is a pity that most people only know Hans Christian Andersen for a few of his "easiest" fairy tales. What springs to mind for almost everyone is stories like "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Ugly Duckling" and perhaps "The Snowqueen". But Hans Christian Andersen has written a vast array of profoundly touching tales. In Odense, Denmark the Danish actor Troels Møller said (two years ago in a lecture on "H.C.A. & God"),

"We are all going to die. H.C.Andersen knew this, he worked with it and he used it to show us all the beauty of life - the beauty of all life."

His stories are not only for children they are for everyone. The likes of H.C.Andersen can be found nowhere. If you want to discover the full grandeur of his genius you MUST read more than just his popular works. I would even urge you to go to Odense to learn Danish - Much is lost in translation. But although the English translation doesn't reach the heights of the original Danish text I still give it one of my 5 star sets. And don't think that it's a case of petty nationalism - you will find no other Danish writer that I'll grant 5 great ones. It is entertainment, philosphy and religion.

The Ugly Duckling. The Little Mermaid. The Tinderbox. The Emperor's New Clothes. The Princess and the Pea. It's all here!

C. S. Lewis, in his preface to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," observed that as children we grow out of hearing fairy tales, but as an adult we can come back to them with fresh eyes and be enchanted in a different way. HCA stories have that amphibian quality of living above and below the supposed age limits.

I find it surprising that HCA writing in a minor language would be so popular, but he is a genius at writing fairy tales. The Grimm Boys just collected and edited the German fairy tales, but HCA was generating new and original fairy tales. I hope we don't sluff off this unique talent he had solely on the ground that he was writing to children. After all, how many naked Emperors have we seen? The comic Dilbert gets it's life blood from the fact that so many emperors can be smooth-talked by so many charlatans, and be sustained in their delusion by smarmy sycophants, and only brought to light by a child.

If children can understand this, why can't we adults?

On the printing-side of the book, I would like to see this in a hardbound, with durable paper, and not the thin and fragile newsprint. I am almost afraid to read this book since the opaper is so delicate!

I received this book as a gift for my 20th birthday. I am very pleased with it. I recomend it, and especially for its beautifully crafted and translated material. Enjoy! There are so many so many tales... I love it!