English Books

Based on the same-titled movie released in 2001, Mel Odom's novelization of the Angelina Jolie flick is top-notch, enveloping every quality that made the archaeologist one of the most popular icons of the video game franchise.
Lara Croft observes the first third of a complete planet alignment - an event that happens once every five thousand years - through the high-tech telescope at her home, Croft Manor. Little did she know, only hours later, she would become an integral part in protecting the alignment's omnipotent power from ill-intended hands.

Through her deceased father's gift of a planetary clock, she travels from one exotic location to another to locate the pieces of the power's medium, a triangle emblazoned with the All-Seeing Eye, the Masonic symbol of omniscience. But an internal desire to see her father again brings her motives to locate the triangle halves into question. If she finds the pieces, will she use the power it contains for herself? Or will she snatch the godly control away from her foes and bury its abilities for another five thousand years?

Odom's literary portrayal is accurate and engrossing, detailing the emotional impact of each event and discovery, someting that may be lacked in the film version. Rather than drooling over Angelina Jolie, Raider fans can envision the described settings and locales in the book with relative ease, with every exotic touch in place. There are only very slight changes in the book, such as Croft enemy (or perhaps not) Alex West's naked romp from the shower to the bedroom in response to mysteriously lurking shadows (provided by Croft, of course); that differs from the movie's ending locale of the dining room and its strategically placed dining table.

But the story proceeds with the same heart-pounding action and romantic passion that's found in the box-office seller. Though short, it makes the reader feel as though they are in Croft's military-booted shoes, even as much as the video games do.

- T.C. Robson

Long ago a meteor fell onto Earth with a magical, metallic form within it. Witnessing its power, it was forged into the (thought of) holy form of a triangle and a temple was formed to protect it. A city grew around the temple, The People of the Light were there. During an invasion, the nine planets aligned and the power of the Triangle was shown. Realizing no mortal should possess such power, the High Priest ordered it cut into two smaller triangles. One stayed at the temple. The other was hidden at the end of the Earth. However, the Craftsman who cut the Triangle in half secretly made a highly advanced device. It could serve as a guide to find the hidden piece, and preserve the Triangle's powers for future generations. It was a magic clock.

Lady Lara Croft was much like her father had been. Beginning with a clock he had hidden for her to find someday and tales he had told her as a child, she must set out to save the world. The Illuminati, a secret group of powerful people, were out to find the two triangle pieces before the planets aligned (which happened only once every 5,000 years). At her side was Mr. Hillary, her butler, and Bryce, her technician. Two tombs must be entered and survived or the world would belong to Manfred Powell.

***** I made that brief as possible, but left out much to do it. Even though the movie, as of now, has not been released, I can already tell that the book gives much more insight to Lara and the adventure in which she finds herself. However, many scenes have the potential to be much more vivid and exciting on the big screens! I found it to be a wonderful book! I plan to be in the theater, with a huge group of friends, on its first night out! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This book is great. It is just like the movie, only with a little more dialouge. There are even parts before Lara's dad died telling how he tried to stop the evil. The deleted scenes only able to watch on the DVD are in this book, and I thought that was great! The action level seems a little less than the movie. The book seems to just speed by the action and to the point. I didn't really like that factor. If you liked the movie, read the novel, it is GREAT!

Very good in fact. It adds alot to the movie. More fleshed out characters and such. It's only 6 bucks, so what do you have to ose? Another plus is the 8 pages of pictures featuring the amazingly beautiful Angelina Jolie.

This book was just.. WOW!! It was way better then the movie, b/c the movie can only put a certain amount of scenes, but the book you get it all! i loved all the stuff between lara and alex, if you are a lara/alex fan this book is definatly for you!!

My nephew just immigrated from China and asked me to get a dictionary for him. I told him that I would get the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

I bought the dictionary when I was a student in London about ten years ago. I tried a number of dictionaries before I was introduced this one. My landlady used to show my dictionary to other foreign students as I used too often to keep in a good shape.

Well, I don't use it as much as I used to but I highly recommend it to any foreign student. You cannot afford not having it ! In fact, I bought one for my niece and I will buy one for my nephew too. I am sure that it will be the best gift for them ever.

I like the book very much. I love it. I keep it in a saft place, I always put it away after studying. NOTE:
I've found a bug on page 1637, look at the entry "widow", (NOT window).
the entry has "-see aslo GRASS WIDOW" cross-reference, but I can't find the entry "grass widow", the nearest entry found is "grassy". I'm not complaining. The dictionary is very useful, very handy. I'm a foreign student studying Computer Science in US. Excuse my English.

This is perfect dictionary if you wanna learn english of all kinds: formal, informal, slang, literary. etc. It only uses the most common words to define a word. It defines a word in American/British/Australian/Canadian/NewZealander/Pakistani/ Indian meanings. This was the first English to English dictionary i ever used, i was scared at first, but i was tired of unsatisfactory results in English to my native language. This dictionary proved to be amazing, its easy as 1-2-3. The usage notes, wonderful pictures, other illustrations to define words are extremely helpful useful. There's simply no other dictionary like this. I recently moved to USA from Pakistan. Looking at how i speak and write/read english ,nobody can believe believe that i just moved here. Some people assume i'm born american. I even learned that word 'assume' with help of this dictionary that is more helpful than the dictionaries translated in my couple of native languages. By the way, after moving to USA, i soon bought Longman dictionay of american english with CD-ROM. :-)

Because of my eyes I bought the book with the CD-ROM. The explanations are well done and really helpful (they earn a 5). The size of the text is good for my eyes too. But the handling of the program is a nuisance.

If you reduce the size of the window the size of the frames and letters remains unchanged and you end up hiding parts of the content. If you want to use all the features you need a full sized window.

There is virtually no thesaurus or I am not able to use it.

Last but not least: when I had completely installed the program I put the book and the CD-ROM in a cupboard far away to leave my desk tidy, believing it was for ever. Unfortunately at Longman's they want to control you and they force you to insert the disk into the cd-rom player from time to time. As it happened to me, when you mostly need an explanation you may have to frantically search in your cupboards for the cd-rom.
5 for the explanations, 2 for the handling: 3 stars for the CD-ROM.

I've been using this excellent dictionary since the last 8 years. Actually, I can undoubtedly say that this is the BEST dictionary I have ever used for learning English! It's very simple and user-friendly.
Features include:

- Clarifications of the use of a word in a spoken compared to written English.
- Graphs to show the difference in frequency of the use between words in speech and writing, between synonyms etc.
- Highlights thousands of phrases and collocations in the nearest possible way.
- Color and black-and-white illustrations from the parts of a car to the sounds !
- Over 80,000 words and phrases with easy-to-understand definitions.
- Pronunciation key with the proper stress in the word syllabus.
- Signposts in longer entries to help you find the meaning that you need.
- References to other words and phrases, and to pictures and usage notes.
- Words that are often used together are shown in dark type, and followed by an example or an explanation e.g. under the word (argument) you will find (have an argument) (get into an argument) (win / lose an argument) etc.
- Grammatical information is shown in brackets, or in dark type before an example.
- Shows the difference between British and American English including: the pronunciation & spelling differences, words & meaning, differences in grammar, and differences in phrases & collocations.
- Appendix contains Tables (Numbers, Weights & measures, Military Ranks, Word formation, The verb "be", Irregular verbs, Geographical names,
- 3rd Edition comes in 1668 pages, published in 1997.

This is a full discipline for teaching English, not just an ordinary dictionary ! It's essential for your desk, especially if your mother tongue is not English.

It's easy to lose yourself in this beautifully written medieval. This is a family saga based primarily on Fulke Fitzwarin and his struggles to regain the family homestead. From the very beginning, the reader realizes that he is a very honorable character and has all the qualities of a good leader. He is balanced by the self-centered and conniving anti-hero, Prince John. There are some heart-wrenching moments and E.C. is not afraid to have the hero and heroine make mistakes and be separated for awhile, but then there are tender love scenes throughout. The historical portions are made interesting through this story - never boring.

Absolutely love it. This book was bought for me as a gift by a very dear friend, and having read it I feel very loved to have been given such treasure! This book is nothing short of phenominal. ********** 10 stars from me!

This year, I'm steadily working my way through the novels of British author Elizabeth Chadwick. If I allow myself one novel a month, I should be able to last until October, when she has several books being released at the same time, without any serious pangs of withdrawal. Since the early 1990's, Elizabeth Chadwick has been writing novels set in the England and France of the 12th and 13th centuries, full of people who actually lived, and looking not just at the great events of the time, such as wars and crusades, but also at the lives of people who were of the minor nobility and gentry, giving new life to stories of chivalry.

In The Lords of the White Castle, she continues the story begun in Shadows and Strongholds, telling more of the FitzWarin family. A generation has passed, with Fulke le Brun, and his Hawise having raised up a brood of six sons. The eldest, also named Fulke, has been given a place in the household of Theobald Walter, a great landowner, and brother of a bishop. It's a place where he rubs shoulders with royalty and gains not just fighting skills, but also gains some of the finer social arts. Unfortunately, in young Fulke's case, things go awry during a chess game with King Henry's son, John, that results in a violent fight between the pair and a mutual loathing that will affect the FitzWarins for decades to come.

For during the early part of the reign of King Henry II, the FitzWarins had to give up the estate of Whittington in exchange for a lesser one. That loss has tormented the FitzWarins, and only the knowledge that there would be terrible repercussions has kept them from starting a bloody and private war between themselves, and the current owners of Whittington, the FitzRoger family. When King Richard grants that Whittington be returned to the FitzWarins, the FitzRogers refuse to give it up -- and just as it seems that Fulke le Brun is going to see justice done, King Richard dies, and a tragedy strikes the family.

His son, Fulke FitzWarin, is raw over the loss of his father, the continued presence of Morys FitzRoger at Whittington, and when the new king, John, refuses to honor the return of his family's estate, Fulke turns to outlawry. But he's not the only one who has been wronged by the new king.

King John seems to have a desire to stir up trouble everywhere now that he has his heart's desire of being king of England. Theobald Walter has married a young heiress, Maude la Vavasour, and while he is old enough to be her father twice over, it is a marriage of strong loyalty and devotion on both sides. While there's tension between Fulke and Maude, their own sense of personal honour keep them straying to anything physical between them. Theobald, a loyal subject of the king, is pushed to near rebellion when John accosts Maude, and she fights him off.

Other characters in Angevin English history appear as well. Ms. Chadwick's depiction of Isobel of Angouleme, John's twelve year old bride, is particularly on target.

Readers of Shadows and Strongholds will want to read this one, as it takes up the story of Brunin and Hawise's son, Fulke FitzWarin.

What I really enjoyed was that this story is based in fact. There was a lengthy ballad created about Fulke FitzWarin and his troubles with King John, and yes, he did take to the roads and woods as an outlaw with his brothers, seeking to wreck as much havoc as he could for King John. If this sounds very familiar to a famous story, it's very likely that Fulke was the inspiration for that outlaw. Along the way I get the usual standard of excellence that marks a novel by Elizabeth Chadwick -- smart characters, terrific depictions of daily life without anachronisms that scream to be noticed, and a real understanding of medieval culture and why people did what they did. It's that ability to create a very believable world, populate it with people who act and behave in the real world, and do it all with a sure hand is what keeps me returning to Elizabeth Chadwick's books, and trying to hold on during the times between new releases.

Unfortunately, there isn't an American publisher yet for Ms. Chadwick's novels, so for those readers who want to get their hands on her work, it's necessary to either check the local library and hope that they can get a copy through interlibrary loan, find a used copy on-line, or get a new copy through a British bookseller.

Four and a half stars, rounded up to five. Happily recommended.

Lords of the White Castle is a romanticized account of the life of Fulke FitzWarin, a real man who was a contemporary and lifelong minor antagonist of King John.

Author Elizabeth Chadwick is a member of a medieval reenactment group which emphasizes period accuracy, and she is most successful in Lords of the White Castle in depicting daily life. She does an outstanding job of creating realistic, sympathetic characters in richly described--though never excessively detailed--places and situations.

Chadwick's work draws a natural comparison to that of Sharon Kay Penman. Both authors write lovely novels that fill in gaps between known facts in medieval British history with plausible conjecture. In Lords, Chadwick injects her own variety of romantic notions into the FitzWarin lifestory. The result is a compellingly fast paced, romantic, historical novel.

This book tells the tale of outlaw Fulke FitzWarin, whose family had won (or so they claimed) important land - Whittington castle - on the Welsh border when Henry I invaded Wales. Ownership of the land apparently was in constant dispute for many years from 1100 to the opening of this story, which begins in 1184. Chadwick launches the tale with FitzWarin's father's final and failed attempt to win it back through legal means.

Meanwhile, FitzWarin serves Prince John, and the two mix as well as oil and water. When FitzWarin's father dies, the young Fulke turns outlaw over further disputes over the land, but also for personal reasons - the increasing animosity between he and John.

While the author never mentions this, some historians believe FitzWarin is the basis for the Robin Hood legend. Certainly, she relates the life of an outlaw during these times very well.

Later, FitzWarin meets and marries Maude le Vavasour. Contemporary accounts, upon which Chadwick bases their story, tell a spirited, romantic tale. Whether or not this is true, no one really knows. But it makes for a great love story.

The book ends following the Magna Carta rebellion, the death of King John, the signing of the Magna Carta, and sadly, the death of Maude.

Chadwick stays true to what is relatively certain concerning the history. She enlightens readers at the end with an explanatory note on the history.

If you like Sharon Kay Penman, you should enjoy this book. Moreover, if you have read HERE BE DRAGONS, you'll relate to several references to Llywelyn and the Welsh border struggles throughout the book.

Chadwick's SHADOWS AND STRONGHOLDS tells the story of the struggle for the disputed land.

Who is the scariest writer of all...
Even after reading as a many items by Masterton as I have, this was a Chiller in the Extreme.
Although it's hard to choose, I'd Rate MIRROR as a scare alongside of Masterton's CHARNEL HOUSE, PARIAH, and THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.
Oddly enough the paperback copy I got had a double cover ( something I was told is rare)... however I'm not sure on that one :-).
Anyway, it's a real thrill to experience Masterton's topflight scare books.
When He Kicks the fright in, he does so better than most writers, not simply horror in the currently fashionable slash-gore sense, but Horror in the full sense of the "Touched by another realm" type of horror.
Masterton is consistently good, and fires on all cylinders in this and many other books.His first person narratives take you with him down the nightmare road that leads over and through the looking glass in this case. If you can find copies of this book, its worth it, as are copies of THE WELLS OF HELL, TENGU, PARIAH, THE MANITOU, REVENGE OF THE MANITOU, CHARNEL HOUSE ( The First Masterton Horror Book I read); all of Mastertons Horror genre work are first rate, and are so good that it is very clear that either his ideas have been ripped off, or he has sold his scripts on the q.t. and made his influence known. If you like Supernatural, real deal, spooky horror, then Masterton is the way to go.
Highly recommended.

I read this book a couple of years back and remember vivdly how downright freaky it is. The kid appears out of nowhere and wants to finish a movie that was started inthe 30's, but something is amiss when things began to happen. Make sure you cover your mirrors and that your back is to the wall.

This book has a atmosphere of dread around it and it is well written. A true demonic, ghost story where good vs evil is a constant.



Graham Masterton, once again, has proven himself in this book to be above and beyond all mortal horror writers! It is really sad that the U.S. do not recognize him much (do not publish his out of print books) and would rather recognize such writers as Stephin King.

Mirror,

What happens when you buy a piece of Hollywood memorabilia from a little old, innocent woman? Boofuls happens, that what.

This book was a great read. I usually find Graham Masterton to be hit or miss. This time he knocked it out of the ballpark.

This is a creepy tale about a murdered childhood actor who wants his life back, and a poor unsuspecting down on his luck screenwriter who holds the key.

The writing was simple, straightforward and to the point. This time around, Mr. Masterton kept me interested with every new page I turned. I do not find that to be the case with some of his other works. (I wont mention titles)

It seems Masterton had Alice in Wonderland on the mind when he wrote this one. (More like Alice in Demon Land.) Horror and fantasy elements fill this book; the alternate worlds separated by the mirror give it this affect.

If you have not read Graham Masterton, this would be a great one to start with. He rarely gets better than this. (He may have never written better than this.)

Masterton is my favorite writer, ever. I read this a few years ago in high school, and let me tell you, its one of his very best, and i havent been dissapointed with anything he wrote yet.
The child itself, from its werid name to how creepy it can be, is one major wacky character! And the cat-snake scene left me wondering wether i will ever be able to look at my own cat the same way again! This book kept me in suspence, and it was a smooth read, i totally recommend it to anyone who had 2 eyes and an ability to read!

Mirror, a horror novel originally published in the late 80s, is one of Masterton's finest. The story is top notch, well-crafted, and well-delivered. When TOR was publishing horror novels on a monthly basis, you could always look forward to a new Masterton title at least once a year.

The story centers around an fan obsessed with a child star who was murdered fifty years in the past, at the age of eight. The fan was so devoted to keeping the memory of the child star alive that he writes a musical based on the child's life. However, Hollywood has no takers for filming it.

The fan later discovers that some of items belonging to the child are available for sale. He purchases a mirror, later discovering that the child is still "alive" in the mirror. Later, when things take a turn for the worse, the fan discovers the truth behind the child's presence in the mirror. Then the real terror begins...

If you can find a copy of this one, it would be well worth your time to read. If you can't, pick up one of Masterton's recent novels published by Dorchester Publications under the Leisure horror line.

Slightly worn but in great shape considering it's age. Learned of this text from straightdope.com and worth every penny.

I own two worn-out copies, because I enjoy this book too much to be without. Before buying my first copy of Mrs. Byrnes Dictionary, I couldn't use the word cephalonamancy in a sentence. Can you imagine?

Get a copy!

The book, which I love, was in excellent condition. I was surprised by the speed of delivery. Thanx.

Etymology is a guilty pleasure of mine-- and this book is the guiltiest of them all! Deliciously obscure words all at my fingertips...what more could i ask for. This copy was hard to come by... i think it's out of print now and so if you happen to see a used copy somewhere, no matter how dog-earred, grab it! You won't be disappointed. It's a gem.

I was given an earlier printing of this book when I first learned to read, and I think it has something to do with my childhood nickname of "Dictionary Breath." It has remained among my most treasured possessions!

While some of the words don't really seem to merit an entry in this book over its a delightful collection. There are some words such as "grassation" (to lie in wait to attack) which are so incredibly useful I don't know why they aren't in more common circulation.

I would like to see the etymology included, but speculating about a word's etymology and then looking it up elsewhere has become part of the game for me and my friends.

All hyperbole aside, this book saved me six figures on my home purchase. I cannot encourage you enough to read this book before beginning your home search.

Excellent book! Bought copies for friends (rare event) because it's so informative about sales psychology overall- not just realestate. You may get this book on buying realestate, but after reading it you'll be quite informed about buy anything else & negotiation potential is involved. The book has helped me - saved me lots of $$$. It's an easy read too.

I recommend this book to home buyers who are looking to buy a house in the same area they are currently living in who also have either no or manageable time pressures. Very few tips are given to aid a buyer that must shop for and make an offer on a house when time only affords him a single trip to a new city (as my husband and I had to do)...which is not surprising, given that this is no way to get the bargains promised on the cover.

That being said, the tactics that are laid out seem reasonable and workable, but are repeated ad nauseum. An additional annoying feature of the writing is the tendency to spend several pages giving the reader a drawn out anticipatory build up to the few tactics the author will convey on the upcoming pages. The point-diluted anecdotes about poorly orchestrated buyer negotiations are followed up by several paragraphs that give the reader a pep talk without really conveying any information, making the book feel like an infomercial as one reads through it.

...This buyer acted poorly and spent way more money than he needed to. Don't want to be like him? Well you should read this book! Here's another story about a buyer that did something stupid. Don't want to be like her, either? Well, keep reading! Eventually, I'll get to the 5 sentences you need to read in order to know what to do instead...

Perhaps others would disagree, but as a reader with an engineering background, unless I'm reading a book for pleasure, I skim for the pertinent information. Separating the wheat from the chaff, this book should be about a third of the thickness that it is. However, if you have the time the time to shop around for a house (and by time, I mean *at least* a month or two to actually go out and look at houses) *and* to read through and separate the useless parts of this book from the parts that actually contain good advice and tactics, I would recommend it.

I bought this book four years ago when I was shopping for my first house. I got fed up with my realtor and decided I didn't need one, as long as I could handle the negotiations myself. So I turned to this book.

The book is geared toward using a realtor or buying agent, but I found everything was just as applicable if used "going it alone." Especially some of the resources listed in the back for comps, etc. It's a very easy book to read and it doesn't try to make you a slick rapid-fire negotiator. It teaches you very simple yet effective techniques that may be common sense to some other readers, but they weren't to me. Admittedly, Cummins is repetitive in his messages, but I think the repetition serves to firmly ingrain the techniques in your mind so when you do actually get in front of the seller/realtor, you don't let your emotions get the best of you.

As a result of what I learned from this book (and also by not using a realtor), I saved $25K on a $185K house. I also used the techniques in negotiations during a car purchase and during salary negotiations for a new job. Best 17 bucks I ever spent.

Now I'm starting to look for my second house, so I'm re-reading the book (and going without a realtor again). I'm holding onto the first house as a rental, but I hope that if I ever have to sell, it's not to a buyer who's read this book!

If your buying a house for the first time, whether its an investment or primary residence, read this book. plain and simple.

Stanley Lombardo has done it again!

His Odyssey is as fast-paced, lucid, poetic and punchy as his Iliad, but this time with a human feel, a warmth that the story calls for.

He brings real thoughts and real emotions to the characters...the like I've never seen! (I must have compared around 10 different translations).

...Lombardo has said that the "Iliad" is like the Sun blazing at its peak in mid-summer, whereas the "Odyssey" is like a setting Sun as fall sneaks in...

The best modern translation available! Get it with his amazing Iliad!

Cheers!

Do not buy this book. Instead, search Amazon and buy the cd, where the book is read aloud by the translator, Stanley Lombardo. Put the cd on your iPod, and listen to it whenever you walk the dog, or walk to work, or just take a walk. You will find yourself taking a walk in order to listen to the cd. The dog will not object. (But I actually bought both the book and the cd.)

I can practically guarantee that after you have heard Lombardo read his translation of the Odyssey, you will go right out & buy his cd of the Iliad. But I suggest that you listen to Lombardo's Iliad first, particularly if you have only a distant recollection of what you had to read in high school. It will help you remember some of the characters - Nestor, for example (remember much about him?)- who reappear one way or another in the Odyssey. It will also remind you of the ruthless and barbaric and somewhat alien society that these epics grew out of.

In a nutshell, this is the most accessible translation of the Odyssey I have ever seen. Any translator is faced with the need to convey the sense of a poem as well as the words. So much of poetry is evocative and associative, and depends a great deal on the knowledge and understanding of the reader or hearer. Lombardo manages to make the right connections with a modern reader.

The reading on the cd is among the best I have ever heard. It is as good as Frank McCourt's reading of Angela's Ashes, in my opinion. The performance is augmented by the subtle use of drums, lute and flute, horns, strings and even waves. Each "book" of the Odyssey on the cd is preceded by a brief synopsis of what you are about to hear.

Check out Jacket Magazine number 21 on the internet for an interview conducted by Michael Leddy with Lombardo concerning his translations.

You are going to have a good time with Stanley!

The Odyssey is mandatory reading for my freshman English classes and it has been quite difficult to teach. This literary work can be a very dry read for those who do not enjoy poetry reading (most freshmen). For this reason, I began a search for a translation that would make it easier for my students to understand. I read the previous reviews before buying it and I must say, I am glad that I did. Lombardo does an excellent job of making the translation understandable without dumbing down the text. My students this year have enjoyed this story much more than previous classes because of this. If you are looking to gain better understanding for yourself or to teach this text to others, this is the translation to get!

Stanley Lombardo's translation has brought back the original "feel" of the ancient Greek epic. Classical and Koine Greek are both what you call "earthy" languages, a tone lost with many established and contemporary translations. Lombardo restores the drama and the linguistic edge that the epic poem possessed in its original tongue. The Lombardo translation is quickly becoming standard among university professors and students of classical literature.

Lombardo's translation of the Odyssey, as well as his Iliad and Aeneid, receive much-deserved kudos as the most readable translations available. He writes with poetic and colloquial English that makes it easy for the lay person to understand.

Unfortunately, many of these same lay readers bash Lombardo's translations because they assume the personable nature of the writing makes it inaccurate. People expect a classic to have a certain formal diction to it, in the vein of Shakespeare and the King James Bible. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The King James Bible, despite having the most formal prose, is certainly not the most accurate translation of the Bible. Similarly, verbose translations of Homer do not mean it is more true to the text. Lombardo's version of the Odyssey preserves the immediacy and hard hitting nature of Homer's original Greek poetry. You will notice in other reviews that readers disapprove based on what they imagine Homer should sound like. Trust me, they haven't read the original texts. Classical scholars, some of whom I personally work with, have given universally excellent reviews to Lombardo's translations. This translation proves you can have your cake and eat it too. It is highly recommended.

This should give you a general idea of how good this book is: After reading the last page, I turned to page 1 and started reading it all over again.

When was the last time you read a book twice?

Ziolkowski's style is like a perfect wave--clean, gorgeous, and unique. It's not just about a surfer searching for perfection, but a boy searching for himself in post-Vietnam era of sunny Florida, where everyone is tan and bleachy-haired, Led Zeppelin is on every radio, and pot is as prevalent as palm trees.

The story begins with the author at ten, still reeling from his parents' divorce and craving diversion like any normal kid. But it is surfing that becomes his ultimate grace, giving him confidence and the room to dream outside the troubles at home. When his family begins to unravel, his heartbreak at dreams realized and lost will strike a sympathetic chord in anyone who is connected to the sea, to family, and to one's true self. The author's search for his identity comes full circle--beginning, ending, and beginning again--on a wave.

I loved this story of a young boy's passion for the ocean easing his growing pains. Very well-written.

thanks for the prompt delivery! I will definitely look for you again when ordering

Thad hits the nail on the head! Having grown up in Melbourne Beach during the time period described I feel qualified to speak on the authenticity of the scene depicted: perfect, took me back in time! Anyone who grew up in the space coast area during the 70's will be able to identify some of the characters described. This is an execellent book for the non-surfer as well as the surfer. This book will remain on my annual reading list along with Caught Inside, Lighting out and West of Jesus. Thanks Thad for an execellent read!

Excellent.This book will stay with you long after you read it. As a 50ish surfer from the Texas gulf coast this book reminds me of why I consider myself lucky.

Dazzling and intense works. Good overview of his output. Although this is not the Collected Poetry of Heaney it does contain almost all his best poems up to 1996, as well as his Nobel Prize acceptance lecture (a gem) and an excerpt from his play Cure a Troy. Essential poetry volume.

I needed the book for a class... I went in to reading it like it was going to be garbage... But it actually was a little bit interesting...

strong poems, there is a sadness and a resignation of fog that permeates these poems. this is a melancholy man, one for whom the all-pervading glue of inaction and paralysis bounds him to a bleak world, soiled and grey and drab. this is a weary poet, too nauseated with reality's bruised soldiers, slovenly rudeness, the uncouth glutton, the debauched fiend. i enjoy him, immerse myself in his dust-gloom, his inability to soar into elation and falcon-freedom.

author of Lorelei Pursued and Wrestles with God

After currently studying the quality of Seamus Heaney's poems, i am quite sure that this book will not dissapoint you. The quality of Heaney's poems are somewhat outstanding, they are a shock, as you dont normally read poems of this sort, and once you read one, you have to read the others. One of my personal favourites is Mid-Term Break.

Written by Kirk Aged 14

If you have not read Seamus Heaney, then you are not in touch with what the English language is in its heart. Heaney's simple, unstrained word usage, coupled with a deep knowledge of the rich Anglo-Saxon which is our cornerstone, evokes a strength which comes not so much from what we see and know as from something which is rooted deeply in our psyches as Anglo-Europeans (or at least those living in and a part of such cultures). Heaney also brings to light the beauty of the ordinary, primarily by weighting it with the yoke of history and the various passions of his fellow man.

I bought this collection because I enjoyed others of his works (especially The Spirit Level and Seeing Things), which I uncovered at the library, too much to go long without his poetry. And this collection turns out to have all of my favorites from those volumes, as well as the best and most skilled of the poems of his earlier volumes. Do I recommend it? I wouldn't have prominently displayed the fact that I was reading it in numerous public places if I didn't, now would I?

Excellent collection of non-rock pop music from 1900 to 1975, after which the authors say the kind of music they have collected has pretty well disappeared. They feature a short bio of each writer or team of writers,interesting, but nothing you couldn't find with a quick internet search.

They do not include country, rock, folk or "world" lyrics--strictly pop Americana, heavy on musicals, show tunes, cabaret and torch songs, songs that went with the big-band swing era, etc.

It can be a little hard to find songs in the book--they are arranged in roughly chronological order by author--and the index contains first lines, but no "trademark" phrases that might help you track down a song whenyou have a fragment of a lyric caroming about in your head.

It gives the lyric that we usually remember, but also includes the short preludes that these songs usually featured. "Stardust," for example, starts out with "And now the purple dusk of twilight time. . .etc." that precedes "Sometimes I wonder. . . etc."

fun to read,just to get a fix on the various eras of American musical pop culture. Occasionally it makes you wish that more of our current lyricists had the skills that the Cole Porters and Yip Harburgs posessed.

I bought this as a gift for a friend who enjoys knowing all the lyrics of songs. In this book, he discovered some intros and verses he hadn't known.
He has enjoyed the book so much that I am going to buy one for myself.

It is usual that books cover the music side of those classic songs. This one, instead, focus on the lyricists, that's the way it is organized. Chronologically, but in the writers order. A thousand songs! It covers almost the whole 20th century but,of course, mainly the 30s and 40s, the classical years for American Popular Songs. It is beautiful to follow those wonderful verses - keeping in mind always the melodies that come behind. What a powerful combination.
One more thing: if you, like me, loves books as much as music, this one has a particularity: it smells divine! try it!

Highbrow collection of the best lyrics. Creme de la creme! My 3rd copy.

This is an excellent compilation, as every other reviewer has said (and with more eloquence than I can muster). Yet, I came to the book, apparently, with an entirely different set of expectations--reading this book, you'd think the 50s and 60s and even early 70s didn't happen. Bob Dylan, not included. The Doors, not included. Joni Mitchell, not included. Marvin Gaye, Paul Simon, Bob Marley ... The Beatles?? Not included. And I'm only scratching the surface. The list of omissions begins here and goes on and on--if, that is, you think these musicians are great lyricists/songwriters (and I do). Admittedly: this should come as little surprise. The introduction states that in the process of editing, "A more painful decision was to limit the field to the song as we know it from shows, movies, and pre-rock pop. Partly this was a matter of logistics: No single volume could stretch to include folk, country, blues, and rock. And though a collection of lyrics that excludes, say, Bob Dylan or Hank Williams is obviously one that is far from complete, their stories are not the stories we can tell here (or are equipped to tell)." Fair enough. But, given the room these editors give to some more obscure songs and songwriters, it's clear that a single volume could successfully stretch to include other genres. That single volume would be outsized, but it would be invaluable.