Titles Books

This was ordered as a Christmas gift for my grandchildren. It looked great when it arrived. I'm sure they will love it.

Full of imagination and creactivity that book is realy great and full of many impressive pop-ups. As I said one of the best I've seen. Highly recommended

Incredible pop up art. My 3 yr old son loves it but need supervision to avoid tears. IT is very special - a great unique gift for 3-7 yrs.

this masterpiece is simply testing the limits of paper engineering. you'll be astonished and surprised every time you open the book. over and over again. even for the 20th time.

The intricacy and engineering of this book is amazing. Each page is a masterpiece.

Okay, I think I'm starting to get it. This is my 5th Heyer, and my favorite so far--the first one I've absolutely loved.

Prudence and Robin Marriot have returned to England in advance of their father, "the old gentleman." Their father is a con artist, and they're used to living a masquerade. This time, Prudence is dressed as a man, and Robin is dressed as a woman. I'm not quite clear what this is supposed to accomplish, but there's some danger relating to the Jacobite rising... Nevermind. It's not important.

Anyway, they're in disguise at their father's orders, and the plan was to lie low, but at an inn they run across Letty Grayson, and rescue her from a disastrous elopement, just in time to send her home with family friend Anthony Fanshaw, who she thinks her father wants her to marry.

Robin, as Kate, befriends Letty and eventually falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Anthony takes young Peter (Prudence) under his wing, and she falls in love with him, but she's apprehensive because he seems all too perceptive.

And they're thrust into the middle of London society, drawing far more attention than they'd intended, and Peter/Prudence is getting into scrapes that Anthony just happens to be on the spot to rescue him/her from.

Then their father arrives and announces he's a Viscount, the lost heir to the title, and things get even more topsy-turvy.

It took me a while initially to realize what was going on--that Prudence = Peter and Robin = Kate. It's not directly stated in the beginning, and while on the one hand, I was confused when it's first revealed--Peter was attracted to Sir Anthony? I didn't realize Heyer was that controversial--on the other hand, the masquerade was delightful, and once I got my bearings, I liked the way it was revealed.

The style is different from modern novels, at least most of the ones I read, and the reader doesn't get much of the characters' internal thoughts. Still, from their actions and dialogue, it's easy to discern what they're thinking and feeling. I'm beginning to see why so many authors love Heyer's work, and that ability to show emotion rather than just telling it.

I know I have one, possibly two more Heyers in my TBR pile that a friend gave me. Once I read those, I'm going to have to start buying my own. I surrender--I'm hooked.

I was extremely suprized by this Georgette Heyer book. It is way different than Fridays Child, The Nonesuch, or Cotillion. I have read many of her books, but this one was more of a mystery laced with romance. Initally the first several chapters in this book were hard to understand, there is a very involved plot, and it was hard to figure out what was going on. So after my intial read, I re-read it and I loved it! Filled with dangerous plots, mystery, a brave heroine, and romance. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat!!!

If you like witty fun stories, this is for you!

And, as in most Heyer novels, you will get an informative glimpse into the lives of your ancestors in England several hundred years ago.

This is one of the last Georgette Heyer novels that I got round to reading - it seemed hard to get hold of at local libraries. Having now read it, I can't understand why it is not more popular as I believe it's one of Heyer's better books. Although in some ways it bears similarity to Powder & Patch in terms of language (and I wasn't too keen on that book), the plot is far more enjoyable and twisted.

It helps to know that the two characters we meet at the beginning, Mr Peter Merriott and Miss Kate Merriott, are actually sister and brother in disguise. "Peter" is actually Miss Prudence and her brother, who was involved in the Jacobite rebellion and is therefore in some danger, disguises himself as a woman. Heyer gives us a few clues as to how this is successful - Robin (the brother) is unusually short for a man, it's the era when women painted their faces, he wears tight corsets, but overall this is a slight weakness in the plot, as is the thought that a woman dressed in man's clothes would pass for a man over a period of several weeks. One just glosses over it, however, and enjoys the fun of the masquerade as Prudence, dressed up as Peter Merriott, gets involved in London society and visits Gentlemen's clubs, challenges a man to a duel and finds herself in love with a very tall man who has befriended her - as Peter. Her brother Robin also falls in love with a young lady he rescued and it's the tortuous ways in which the young couple perform their masquerade which adds to the fun. Their father appears who is the mastermind behind their plans, and claims that he is a Viscount; there is much humour in the scenes with him as he is such an egocentric character.

The highlight of the book for me is the interaction between Prudence, disguised as Mr Peter Merriott, and Sir Anthony Fanshawe, with whom she falls in love. These two characters are well-portrayed and come across as well-suited when the final unmasking takes place.

I heartily recommend this book for a great fun read with interesting characters set in a fascinating period of English history.

It might be of interest for readers to know that Heyer wrote this book while she was living in Africa with her Husband in 1927/8. She was only 25, had been published for the last 6-7 years but still had very few novels under her belt (and still had not discovered her talent for Regency period) - and finally she was away from the resources she could use to check out her information

despite this book is still excellent and is based around the fall out of the second attempt by the stuarts to gain the throne of England in the Mid eighteenth century.

It centres on a brother and sister Robin and Prudence, who have been sent to England by their father, 'the old gentleman' to pave the way for his coming home. they have been sent in disguise and the first difficulty in this novel is realising that their father has had them BOTH cross dressing - so Robin is dressed as a woman and Prudence as a young Buck. they are quickly tested in their guises when coming across a young girl Letty Grayson who has mistakenly eloped. They save her and escape and run into the second character who will dominate their future adventures, the Man-Mountain - Sir Anthony.

This is Georgian England in all its excesses - the drinking, gaming, sword fighting, derring-do, plotting, conniving and romance. They must survive so that their father can reappear and reclaim his true identity, without being discovered and uncovered as Bonnie Prince Charlie's supporters of the past (which would mean they would need to flee the country for their lives) and must find the letter which condemns their family for its sympathys.

Written with alight hand, although I have found Heyer's georgian novels sometimes a little jarring in their use of slang - it is one of her better ones, and this really paves the way for her Regency romances which followed soon after. If you haven't read Heyer before, start with something light and frothy like the Grand Sohpy or The Corinthian - but don't ignore this one if you haven't read it yet - nice good humoured fun

Newman gives us something fresh about ordinary characters in ordinary situations ... which speaks volumes about how EXTRAordinary this writer is. The first few paragraphs set my teeth on edge. They were raw, real, and hit far too close to home. Still, I couldn't put it down. We all know a Joe like Wade. Heck, many of us ARE a Joe like Wade. I am a completely converted Pittsburgher, but I've lived in a number of gritty, hard-working towns. Regardless of what sports team you root for, this is about a working man in a working man's life with a working man's dirt under his nails ... and a glimmer of hope in his eyes. I want to read more!

It would be a damn shame if Dave Newman's novel PITTSBURGH IN THE TITLE isn't selected to move on in this competition. Honesty, love, sadness, and unbelievable joy fill these pages. Newman has mastered his own rhythm of storytelling and once you let yourself go, it's amazing how clear and honest everything comes through. It really is something to check out.

Set in Pittsburgh during the Steelers recent successful Super Bowl run, it gorgeously captures how a football-mad town swoons for its favorite team. The sun does seem to shine a little brighter when that happens. People hold each other a little tighter. It's absolutely insane in the best possible way.

But there's so much more to PITTSBURGH IN THE TITLE than a love for the Steelers. This is not a sports book. Newman draws the main character Wade so good that I could easily picture him hanging out with Orwell's Eric Blair or Bukowski's Henry Chinaski. You get to know Wade inside and out and if he was able to walk off the page, you most definitely would want to sit him down in your kitchen, give him a beer and burn a few of your favorite CDs for him. He's a hero we all could get behind, and you'll be rooting for him throughout the book.

Dave Newman's opening chapters have tremendous energy that draws you right into the novel. The main character Wade is trying to survive at his warehouse job while the Steelers are in the process of making it to the Superbowl. Wade's fellow workers are finding lunatic ways to call off work to make it to the big game, leaving a hapless Wade behind to carry the load. As the narrator notes, "There was nobody to cover but Wade, and it was killing him in all kinds of ways." Newman's sympathy for Wade and the other characters in this funny book is remarkable. Newman's description of the city, both the hardworking sections and the up and coming neighborhoods, is dead-on accurate. The dialog is perfect, and the writing style will carry you through chapter after chapter of Pittsburghers living through a crazy time in the Steel City. The story is so well told and so resonant that anyone who has ever worked hard to scrape by in this world will be able to identify with the people in Dave Newman's terrific work.

I was about to write "I wish I knew Wade," but stopped because I do know him. Everyone knows him. That nice guy who works too hard and doesn't think much of himself. He's your neighbor or your boss and you always wonder what he's doing when you're not around. That's what makes Dave Newman such an incredible storyteller. He takes a guy like Wade, a supporting character, and makes him the protagonist. Not everyone can make that work and there's a reason there is a supporting role category in the Oscars. Oh, how I wish this were longer than 8 pages.

This is remarkable writing: so transparent you forget you're reading, a central character who is completely alive, and a real voice. Astonishing to find work of this caliber here. The prose style is supple and visual: a bruise is described as the size of a "small blackberry pie." The dialogue was pitch-perfect. I loved Wade's visit to a bar in "Lawrenceville, a part of Pittsburgh that was supposedly undergoing a cultural renaissance, meaning, Wade guessed, that it would be getting harder to find a decent hooker but much easier to find a gallery selling framed photos of dead trees." You can see in that sentence the humor and the truth that is present throughout this excerpt. Impressive material.

Great "Scandinavian" book for a Norwegian like me to share with my children.
My daughter loves all of Jan Brett's books.

I have enjoyed this book with my 6yr old great grandson. The pictures are so bright and interesting and all the small ones on the sides enable a lot of conversation and questions to be asked and answered. I like all of Jan Brett's books. She is a wonderful author. I hope to acquire many more.
Carol Leighton

A little girl named Treva tells her story wen she had trouble with trolls. She lives on the slopes of Mount Baldy and was hiking it to visit her cousin who lives on the other side. With her is her dog Tuffi. Trouble happens along the way as a troll will jump out and declare "I want dog"

She tricks them into taking pieces of her clothing but eventually she reaches the top and discovers they still want the dog. She declares she can fly with her skies but needs all her cloths back. She asks for a push but they can't since they are holding Tuffi. She offers to hold the dog and away she skis to the cries of "Dog, Dog, Dog!"

This is a fun little story and my little girl has taken to it. Probably because the artwork is very good!

There is also a small side story of a hedgehog who wanders into the home of the trolls.

This is a sweet well written and drawn story that will make for any child's bedtime reading. Be prepared to hand over the book so the pictures may be viewed.

Treva lives on the slopes of Mount Baldy. One day she goes to visit a relative on the other side. She will climb up with her dog and then ski down the other side. But on the way up she runs into the trolls. Each troll she meets is interested in her dog. Treva manages to trick each of them into taking some of her clothing instead (mittens, hat, sweater, boots). But just at the top the trolls decide they still want the dog. Treva has one more trick up her sleeve and winds up same with her dog and all of her clothing. The ultimate fate of the trolls is quite interesting.

This is a very nice story with an intelligent and quick-thinking protagonist. Troll legend has been change a little. There is no mention of the trolls wanting to eat the dog (a la Billy Goats Gruff) but instead to help warm them and act as a pack animal. Their fate is also one I am unfamiliar with. Many stories have trolls turn to stone in the sunlight but this transformation is quite interesting.

The illustrations are just what you expect from Jan Brett; beautiful and packed with detail. Earrings and hair ribbons should be paid attention to as well as the happy hedgehog who invades the trolls' home. A truly delightful story from an author who has written more stories about clothes than you can imagine (The Hat, The Mitten, Armadillo Rodeo, Etc).

As parents, bibliophiles, and teachers, we are always on the lookout for good children's books and books with positive girl characters are always needed. This one is fabulous. Treva is smart, creative, courageous, loving, strong, competent and clever. This is exactly the kind of child that we would want our 2 1/2 year old son to be exposed to. It's a fun adventure story that shows how a child can be creative and use their imagination and other intellectual abilities to problem solve and come up with a plan in a tough situation (without resorting to physical force) and then use their physical and creative skills in executing their plan. The last few sentences of the book also add a more abstract, creative idea that expands the depth of the book depending on the age and abilities of the child who's hearing the story. The illustrations are well done - they're good and easy to follow and help the child to understand the story, They also provide additional details and threads for the child to explore. And, something I'm always on the lookout for, it was a great alternative troll story. On the chance that most of his fellow schoolmates would be talking about pirates, superheroes, fairy tale characters and such, I didn't want my son to have no idea what others were referring to simply because we tended to avoid such stories because they tend to be completely objectionable in terms of their values and characters. So, I'm always on the lookout for good alternatives, and this was a very positive way to introduce him to a troll. (As a side note, a good alternative for superheroes is "Max" by Bob Grahm; for pirates try "Pirate Pete", "Edward and the Pirates" and "Pirate Pink"; and there are many fractured fairy tales which are clear winners over the traditional sexist, violent, etc fairy tales, e.g. "The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig", "Wolf" by Becky Bloom, "The Big Bad Wolf is Good", "The Emperor [Penguin] has no clothes", and on video - CinderElmo - where Elmo goes to the Princesses ball). This was my first exposure to Jan Brett and I'm looking forward to more books.

I discovered Betty MacDonald when I was about twelve years old, after checking The Egg and I out of the Carmichael Branch library here in Sacramento, about 22 years after it was first published. My parents had mentioned that the egg ranch Betty lived on with her first husband in the 1920s, which she writes about in The Egg and I, was located some miles from the place where we lived in Washington state, in the late 1950s. Furthermore, they had actually taken a day trip with friends to look at the old place, sometime after the book and the movie of the same name came out in the 1940s.

This familial connection, however faint, to an old, famous book and the movies it inspired, piqued my childish mind, and I eagerly started reading about life on a chicken ranch on the Olympic Penninsula. I fell in love with Betty's easy, friendly, hysterically funny, down-to-earth yet somehow elegant prose, and immediately checked out her other autobiographical books: The Plague and I, Anybody Can Do Anything, and Onions In The Stew.

In all of her autobiographical books save Onions In The Stew, Betty uses the first chapter to presage her theme by describing her experiences as a child in a large, boisterous family, in loving and extremely funny detail. In Anybody Can Do Anything, Betty describes life with her family and her two young daughters, Anne and Joan, in Seattle after she has left her husband and the egg ranch behind. The Depression is on, and Betty, now a single mother, struggles with her large and interesting clan to make ends meet, somehow finding a lot of laughs and funny adventures, often with her exuberant sister Mary, the inspiration for the book, along the way. Anyone who is interested in what life was like in Seattle in the 1930s, in witty character descriptions, and in a personal glimpse of how families coped with the "Great Depression", will find this book fascinating, not to mention frequently hilarious.

Betty, I miss you and the way you used to make me laugh out loud--I was sad when I finished reading Onions In The Stew for the first time and then realized it was the last autobiographical book you wrote: the tuberculosis finally caught up with you in 1958, when I was only four years old, still living in Washington, not far from your home on Vashon Island. I re-read your books many times as I grew up, even visited Vashon Island, and often wished I could have met you and your family. It's silly, but I've always felt a sense of loss at never having known you, because I am sure you must have been a marvelous friend. Your sense of humor had a profound effect on me, and inspired me in my earliest writing attempts. It's been many years since I've read your books, but I've never forgotten your irrepressible, bona-fide funniness. Wherever you are, thank you!

My husband is one of Betty's nephews.All of the sisters had an incredible wit about them - probably because of their mother Sidney Bard. She did a wonderful job raising her children with out her beloved husband Darcy. It's too bad the children and grandchildren didn't learn lessons from Betty's books. She would be sad to see the way the family turned out.

It's just so heartening to know that others love Betty MacDonald's books as much as I do. I've been giving Anybody Can Do Anything as my female gift book of this year.

we get the story of what she and the children did with themselves.

Her father had been a mining engineer, and although he died fairly young he had been able to save quite a bit; her mother had come from a 'good' East Coast family--not REALLY rich, but apparently quite well off. Betty and her siblings had grown up in large houses with music and dance lessons. However, the Great Depression reduced the family's portfolio to wastepaper. The children had never been taught to actually *do* anything, and actually going out to work for a living was something that they (especially the daughters) had never thought that they would have to do.

The story of how they scrambled to make ends meet during the 1930s would have been grim, but the Bard family despises self-pity above all other faults, and Betty is able to find humor in any situation.

After women having to work to survive during the 1930s, and having to work in the 1940s when all the men were off to war, is it any wonder that the women of this generation and their daughters wanted to retreat into domesticity during the 1950s?

This book is hard to find, so if you get the chance, snap it up!
This is a hilarious account of the author's life post-"Egg & I."
Betty moves from the chicken ranch back to her family's home in Seattle.
Sister Mary, undaunted by the fact that Betty has no experience, eagerly launches Betty's business career and social life.
The mishaps that ensue are absolutely hilarious.
Skillfully written, this book makes the Depression a laugh riot.
BUY IT!
I only wish that Betty had written more books.

Before I finished my third book I decided it needed cartoons to visually explain some ideas (a picture is worth 1000 words) and provide humor to a tough subject. I started checking with hiring a professional artist (or student artist) to do the work. It quickly became clear the task would be time consuming, expensive and I may not get what I wanted in the end.

First, it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to take what was in my mind and transfer it to a cartoon

Second, it became painfully clear it would be expensive (even with a student artist). I wanted around twenty five cartoons drawn.

Third, some individuals wanted to discuss contracts and usage.

My best option was to learn how to draw cartoons myself. I figured it would be less expensive (only the cost of books and art supplies), and frustrating and I would get exactly what was in my brain. It would take some time to become proficient, but it sounded like a fun project. I was fortunately right.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cartooning but Were Afraid to Ask by Christopher Hart and a couple other books helped me learn how to draw cartoons good enough to put in my latest book.

Christopher Hart has done several books on drawing comics. He provides excellent common sense content, and teaches the skill very well though his words and cartoons.

Some the sections that I found especially helpful were: Expressions, How to Draw Hands, The Art of Character Design, Body Types, Principles of Layout, Layouts from a Distance, The Special Effects Lab, Explosions and more.

After finishing my sketches, I used Adobe Elements software to polish up the work. I was very pleased with the final cartoons that went into my book..and there have been many positive comments about them from people who have the book!

Overall, this is a great resource for learning to draw cartoons!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Drawing on the Funny Side of the Brain : How to Come Up With Jokes for Cartoons and Comic Strips

The Cartoonist's Workbook Drawing, Writing Gags, Selling

I love how Christopher Hart really delves into the hard things to draw. Like hands and feet and expressions. This is a wonderful art resource. The pictures are fun and will help you generate many of your own ideas.

This would make a great gift!

Far more detailed than the How to Draw Cartoons book by this author. There are examples of heads, eyes, noses, mouth, hands, and many other elements in good detail.

This a useful book for the artist (or developing artist) moving into cartoon drawing. The material is high quality, drawn and written by a professional with many years' work under his belt. You'll wish it were longer.

I bought this book so I can learn to draw cartoons with my 2.5-year-old daughter. Right around this time I had finished reading the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, and I was wondering how I might be able to start teaching my child about different emotions. Then on pages 18 and 19 of Hart's book I found a list of cartoon faces depicting emotions. We started drawing some of them. Currently we're concentrating on two: Happy and Laughing.

If you are studying ancient history with your elementary student, you must read this series of Gilgamesh books by Ms. Zeman. This one is the first of 3. It is a great story of love, loyalty, and greatness, the oldest written story in the world, and is wonderfully illustrated. I orginally borrowed them from our local library and then purchased them because my 6 year old loved them so much.

While this version is certainly accessible to children, I don't agree with many of the liberties the author took with any of these stories in the series. The many translations out there for adults at least attempt to stay true to the story. I regret that I cannot share these more accurate versions with my younger kids because of the description of at least one particular excerpt; I've had to settle for these. I believe if a person is going to adapt a classic to suit children that one should keep true to the story as best as possible, not adding and creating their own useless elements to the story. The Epic itself is wonderful, but I am still looking for an appropriate version that retains most of the original elements. I do appreciate the efforts of the author to share this amazing story with children.

Gilgamesh the King:

"Gilgamesh was part god and part man. He looked human, but he did not know what it was to be human." And that was his trouble, for he lacked empathy and forced his people to build a monument to his pride in the form of a huge wall.

The people sought help from the Sun God who ordered that a man Gilgamesh's equal be created. When Gilgamesh is told of this wild man, Enkidu, "the strongest man in the world," he seeks to destroy him.

Will the people of Uruk ever have rest from their toils? Can Enkidu survive?

Recommended for eight to twelve year olds, this book is the first in a three part series. The illustrations are done Mesopotamian style and add to the story. An author's note on the last page gives some back-ground information on the story of Mesopotamia, Uruk, and how the tale of Gilgamesh came down to us.

The Revenge of Ishtar

The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh the King, The Return of Ishtar, and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh are exceedingly well-written and show many different themes and life lessons. The themes of friendship, revenge, good vs. evil, ambition, and immortality. But I think the most essential, underlying message is about love. Enkidu shows love to Shamhat and Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh shows love to Enkidu and his city, Shamhat shows love to Enkidu, and the city shows love to Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Shamhat! Love is woven into the theme of eternal life. I think these stories would be fabulous for anybody but recommended for 5-12. I am in middle school and we are reading these stories in class. I enjoyed these stories tremendously. So if you want to teach your children about death or love or friendship, these would be the ultimate choice.

We really appreciate the beauty of this series of books as it covers "The Epic of Gilgamesh" in an appropriate and accessible way for our children. We love to use actual historic documents in our study if possible, but the actual epic is too uncomfortably graphic even for our older children, so we use these for everyone as we study Mesopotamia, Sumer and Babylon. There are not many books that cover these Near East cultures, which makes this set especially valuable. Along with "Our Young Folks' Josephus" as our history spine, "Science in Ancient Mesopotamia" and "Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors: An Activity Guide (covering Hittites, Nubians, Mesopopotamians and Egyptians) this series helps considerably to round out our ancient history studies and to teach our children about one of the most ancient tales in the world in a beautifully engaging way.

It's true that you will remember this book for a long time. I first read it 27 years ago and I still fondly recall the lead character and her ability to overcome the hardship of being a teenager struggling with blindness. This is a great story for any juvinile struggling with hardship or "being different." Also it would help foster empathy in those without such difficulties. I think adults would still enjoy it, they would just find it a bit of a quick read. The sequal is also very good.

This book is about a girl named Cathy, who has severe glaucoma. She has surgery and it makes the problem worse than it already is and makes her blind. Throughout the book she copes with the blind lifestyle. She gets a seeing eye dog named Trudy who leads her around everywhere. This book teaches you a lot about the morals of life. I highly recommend this book because it also makes me appreciate not being blind and having 20/20 vision.

I read this book when I was in fifth grade, and I absolutely fell in love with it. I am now in ninth grade, but I can remember the stroy perfectly. Kathy's struggles have made me see that I am so lucky to be healthy, and the book has broadened my perspective on life. My teacher recommended this book to me, and I cried when I read it. This book will have a lasting effect on your life, and you will remember it forever. I am so glad I had the chance to read this book.

I am near sighted and one of my worst fears in this world is going blind. This book, however, showed me that most of our fears are only fed by the society we live in. Cathy's triumph in overcoming this obstacle is a sure way of showing anyone the true meaning of living. Enjoy this book and cherish it...Share it but don't give it away. I bet you'll need it again some day!

I read this book when I was in junior high school, and loved it. When I was recently diagnosed with glaucoma, I remembered the book, and re-read it. Even at age 44, I still loved it!

this was the first little mermaid story i was aware of. i'm not really a fan of disney because they alter the stories, among other things, and so in retrospect i thank my mother for getting me this book when i was young. The story is beautiful and the pictures are as beautiful as the story. This is my standard for the little mermaid story and to date all other renditions i've read have been sub-par in comparison.

The illustrations are very pretty in this book, The story was also great and good for any mermaid fans! Specifically The Little Mermaid!

My title is correct, I've had this book for 10 years-- I received it as a gift from my father when I was 9 and even now I'll look back on it for more than childish nostalgia. It's truly a gorgeous book.
You can read the story of The Little Mermaid 100 times, but there's nothing like skimming the pages of this book and awing at the illustrations. There is nothing bad I can say about this book...

If you don't have it, get it now!

I would recommend this book for girls between the ages of 14-16, as it is gothic, dark and disturbing. I could only read a few pages at night before putting the book down. This is the original Hans Christian Anderson telling, and not some gay, twisted-up with a happy-ending Disney-version! The Little Mermaid is obsessive about those of us living up here on land... Perhaps, feeling she doesn't belong in her world in the sea. So to show her devotion to her land Prince, she allows the Sea Hag to bewitch her, that she may walk and dance on land. She is in terrible emotional and physical pain, and in the end becomes a silent martyr for love. As this is how things go when one resorts to spells and manipulation! Santore's paintings seem to carry this depth with the pages of dark blue, green and gray colors. Personally, the painting are too dark for my taste. Santore's Little Mermaid could be any little neighbor girl you know. This story comes across as a metaphor for someone who thinks like a victim, or who is self-destructive. It could be a metaphor for someone who is disabled, or wanting to turn towards a spiritual life. I feel this book would make for interesting group discussion for teen girls. Finally, this story is based on true events from Hans Christian Anderson's life as a young man. It was his first original fairy tale for which he is most well-known.

I have seen a lot of versions of this story, numerous illustrations and countless paintings, sketches, and drawings. This book has by far the most beautiful of them all. THe art work is enchanting! Colorful, and detailed, and perfect for the story. I highly recomend this to anyone who shares an interest in fairytale art, and storybooks.

"Men in the sun", a novel by Ghassan Kanafani, is one of the most breathtaking realities that the Palestinian people lived in the modern history we know. "Men in the sun" is neither a story about Yasser Arafat`s legacy and his PLO's sense of politics nor a debate on Oslo or Madrid agreement. The novel is a piece of art that visualized the Palestinian tragedy from an aspect of extreme reality that has been forgotten or marginalized at any time and place frames.

It is the story of three men's quest for a better life. They plan to migrate from the occupation cage to a new "promise land" where they meet the promised demise in the desert, the home of the original Arabs and Bedouin.

The dream of the three Men is the dream of every man who loses the feeling of being at home at some time. The work to achieve that dream requires a struggle with harsh acquired values of life. The result is not guaranteed.

Struggle, suffer, dreams, hope, fatigue, thirst, and death will form an amalgam that would describe the Palestinian identity which has been evolving during the last decades.

I wanted to write more about the details but you would like to read it yourself. The symbolism in this story is just intriguing. In fact, the trends can symbolize the migration of any man to any "self-imposed exile", where "enforced dreams" replace the simple -but lost- passion, love and happiness to form a complex and bitter reality.

The novel ends with a beautiful and so influential paragraph that tries to raise the question of why the 3 men (main figures of the novel) did not try to knock on the walls of their symbolic "prison" (Empty tanker) or at least shout to ask for help.
"Why? Why? Why?", The "Why" of Kanafani while concluding is: why did not some of the oppressed people reject the abject reality? Why did not they fight for their life and freedom? Could it be that they were so hopeless and tired, or were they so afraid from going back to the occupied home? Did they prefer death to losing their dream?. The questions were asked by Kanafani in the past to project on present exprience and to reflect the suffer of the palestinean-age on the future memory.

This book gives you an idea of the suffering and neglection of a nation, on the watch of the whole civilized world.

This collection of short stories is a brief, but poignant look into the life of people living in Palestine. At the same time, the stark writing illustrates many universal themes forcing readers to reevaluate life as they know it. The writing is plain and easy to read, but ultimately, deep and impossible to dismiss.

The stories were great. Well written, poignant, the most so being the one involving the tank.

Written and published in the 1950s and 1960s, this slender volume of stories by Ghassan Kananfani speaks of the displacement of Palestinians in ways that are timeless and still fresh today. They speak of loss more than hope, and although the author was an activist and spokesman for the Palestinian Popular Front, he seemed in these writings to simply bring attention to the human cost of political struggle in the Middle East. He himself was killed by a car bomb in Beirut in 1972.

The most compelling of these stories is the novella "Men in the Sun," which tells of the efforts of three men being smuggled into Kuwait from Iraq and the truck driver who has offered to help them across the border. The fierce desert heat represents the terrible odds against their ever being able to escape the consequences of war and loss of homeland. But this is only one theme among many, as Kananfani explores traits of Arab character which seem to intensify inner conflict and erode the ability to act purposefully. The story "If You Were a Horse" concerns itself with superstition, fear, and overwhelming regret that divides father from son and leads to misfortune. The book includes an informative introduction by Hilary Kilpatrick.