English Books

My husband remembered loving this series as a kid and was delighted to be able to get them for our son. At age 7 our son would read the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree over and over. Enid Blyton connects perfectly with the magical imagination of kids this age.

I remember reading this book as a little girl. Enid Blyton is in my opinion the best children's writers. Now that I'm a mom I'm getting this book and other Blyton favourites for my kids.

The enchanted wood is a fab book its about three children Joe,Beth and Frannie. They live in the contry side and they find a magic tree and up the tree they make loads of friends but at the top of the tree there are lands some lands are good and some lands are bad. If you liked the sound of that you will have to get the book!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember reading this book when I was little. I recently came across it again at my parent's house and found it to be just as delightful now at 32 as I did when I was 7! It is filled with magical wonder and fantasy. A great recommendation for children of all ages!

Any child that reads this book will enter into a magical world......I am now 34 yrs old....I read this book as a child and still remember liking the stories.......I am originally from Guyana formally British Guiana......I grew up on all Enid Blyton books....they are a delight to read.......this is one book I suggest you get for you children.

I had never heard of Alison Larkin, until I read an outstanding review of her one woman show The English American, in the London Times last May. A week later I read another rave review in The Evening Standard. A few months later, while waiting for an airplane, I picked up Adoptive Families magazine, and read another outstanding review of the same show. As I'm an English man living in America, who always does things when he's told three times, I ordered her cd. I LOVED it. It is much more than a comedy. It is a soul-touching story, that had me laughing one minute and crying the next. I bought ten cd's to give to friends of mine Christmas gifts, and the responses I've had back have been wonderful. I want to know more about this extraordinary performer whose gift for cross-cultural observation is as great as her natural storytelling ability. I definitely want to see her perform live, but until I do, I play The English American whenever I'm feeling homesick, or need a good laugh - and cry. Jamie McKay

When I heard this c.d. was Nancy Ashe's number one adoption gift pick for 2001, on about.com, ahead of 'Secrets and Lies', I thought to myself 'okay, let's give it a go.' . And I was not disappointed.

Alison Larkin is, a fresh, brilliantly talented, razor-sharp comedienne, who just happens to be adopted. An original voice with a compelling tale to tell, Alison Larkin had me hooked from the first line. "Hallo" she says, in beautifully clipped British tones, "My name is Alison Larkin, and I come from Bald Mountain, Tennessee. I am, in fact, an illegitimate daughter of the American revolution."

Adopted at birth by British parents, this creative, appealing personality felt drawn to find her birth mother. Where is she? Bald Mountain, Tennessee. The diammetrical opposite of her adoptive mother, Alison's birth mother wants her daughter back. Loyal to the mother who raised her, but drawn to the American life, The English American is a heartwarming tale that, is, ultimately, a love letter to her adoptive parents. Into this tale, Ms Larkin weaves brilliant observations about her two countries. Belonging to both, yet belonging to neither, this brilliantly talented young woman looks at England and America from the point of view of one who is always destined to be an outsider.

When I heard this c.d. was Nancy Ashe's number one adoption gift pick for 2001, on about.com, ahead of 'Secrets and Lies', I thought to myself 'okay, let's give it a go.' . And I was not disappointed.

Alison Larkin is, a fresh, brilliantly talented, razor-sharp comedienne, who just happens to be adopted. An original voice with a compelling tale to tell, Alison Larkin had me hooked from the first line. "Hallo" she says, in beautifully clipped British tones, "My name is Alison Larkin, and I come from Bald Mountain, Tennessee. I am, in fact, an illegitimate daughter of the American revolution."

Adopted at birth by British parents, this creative, appealing personality felt drawn to find her birth mother. Where is she? Bald Mountain, Tennessee. The diammetrical opposite of her adoptive mother, Alison's birth mother wants her daughter back. Loyal to the mother who raised her, but drawn to the American life, The English American is a heartwarming tale that, is, ultimately, a love letter to her adoptive parents. Into this tale, Ms Larkin weaves brilliant observations about her two countries. Belonging to both, yet belonging to neither, this brilliantly talented young woman looks at England and America from the point of view of one who is always destined to be an outsider.

This wonderfully gifted English comedian's search for her American birth parents becomes an irresistible odyssey that succeeds in making her story one any listener will take to heart. Her quick changes--especially the many shifts from nurturing adoptive mother to over-the-top southern birth mother--are instantly, effortlessly convincing. All the reviews I've read as I write this one stress how funny and poignant this gifted performer is. She is certainly both, and often at the same time. Although no one can listen to this CD without gaining valuable insight into the feelings of adoptive mothers and their daughters, Larkin's comedy is universal.

Several of my closest friends are adopted, so I was instinctively drawn to this true tale of a witty, intelligent British woman's search for her American birth parents. That she and her fascinating pilgrimage are so damn funny proved an added bonus.

A keen cultural observer, intelligent and witty, Larkin takes her audience on an at times suspenseful, at other time hilarious, journey of discovery, seeking to find her birth parents while still honoring her adopted ones. Playing multiple roles, she moves effortlessly and convincingly from one character's voice to another's, from English lilt to redneck rasp (picture Bridget Jones stepping off the train in Hooterville) -- so much so that one forgets there's but one woman on stage.

Where some comedy CDs can vanish from memory after a listening or two, Larkin gives you out-loud laughs that linger, particularly since she treats you like family, holding little back. Her emotions become your emotions, and you're drawn to know more (like who this mystery father really is). If this is what you get when you cross American nature with British nurture, let's have more of it.

I personally find this book to be the best book i have ever read in my entire life. I'm pretty picky about what i read, but this is so spectacular and the writing is incredible! It's better than Warriors, better than Avalon, better than anything and everything. I read this book in only 3 days because it was so good. It's 498 pages long, but it goes fast. It has such a rich and vivid plot and each chapter is full of mystery. It would be good for a book report because, even after you read this long book, you still remember everything about as if you just started to read it.

It takes place in Scotland during the time of Norse Raiding (FYI)

One of my favourite books - if not my favourite!

I adored reading this book. The first time I read it I was gripped from start to finish. I recommended it to my friend and she too fell in love, stating it'd had been while since a story had her so excited. As an animator, she mused the idea of this being another 'Lion King'. We really wish someone at Disney would read 'Fire Bringer'! Though this deer story is far edgier then your average 'Bambi'.

i loved this book!!! it was so creative and i could never put it down!!!

I have read through the novel The Sight, which touched my heart and left me almost crying at the end. Then I decided, mostly from reviews saying it was even better than The Sight. But when I actually read David Clement-Davies earlier animal fiction novel, Fire Bringer, I was left with a letdown.
Many plot twists were expected, while one was plain morbid. Unlike The Sights' deaths, Fire Bringers' deaths were sudden, leaving me angry. Another thing in Fire Bringer was the prophecy. One of the lines was "Sacrifice shall be his meaning." Rannoch, the Larry-Stu main character, never sacrificed anything at all. I guess Clement-Davies' work will just get better with experience.
Despite the good reviews, I would advise people to read The Sight instead of Fire Bringer. Though some parts were gripping, most were dragged out.

The term 'instant classic' is over-used, but here is a truly worthy candidate for that honorific. The author takes elements of the Arthurian legend, the myth of Prometheus, the story of Moses, and the life of Christ, and blends them into a can't-put-it-down adventure/quest novel that is appropriate for children from 9 to 109. David Clement-Davies also takes Mary Shelley's thesis from 'Frankenstein' and boldly restates it: science and reason, without love and soul, become dangerous. Is this also an allegory of World War II, as some people feel is 'The Lord of the Rings'? That case could be made as well.

Some will say this is a copy or knock-off of 'Watership Down'. I see it as an upgrade, even though I loved 'Watership Down'. But, even without all of the possible deeper meaning to it, this book is a well-crafted emotional roller-coaster with well-written characters. It remembers what Hollywood often forgets - a good story doesn't have to have a completely happy ending. When the movie is made (Bet on it!), I hope that it isn't softened and instead retains the tragic beauty of this wonderful work. If you understand the etymology of the term 'masterpiece' you will recognize this book as fitting into that category. I hope that this is just the beginning of a long line of books from David Clement-Davies.

I was initially skeptical about a book on this sports drink but it turned out to be a very interesting purchase. It is amazing that one sports drink could control upwards of 85 percent of the market but Gatorade continues to deliver. From the Volkswagen advertising strategy to constant scientific improvement this is an excellent look at marketing and management. For those interested in sports marketing this is a must have for that library. The book is very well written and is the write balance of history, modern strategy and analysis to make this a book you will want to read again.

Hands down, this book was one of the best business success story books I have ever read. It was not as dull and boring as one may think, since the author incorporated a great deal of sports trivia into the plot. The history of the Gatorade start-up could not even be told if it was not for the sports behind it. I found the sections on the Sports Science Institute particularly interesting, which is where Gatorade tests the efficacy of their products on actual athletes. Also extremely interesting was the history behind the origination of the traditional "Gatorade dunk" witnessed at the end of every Super Bowl. If you want to know who and when this started, buy this book and read it. You will not be disappointed! It was extremely interesting!

Rovell takes an inside look at how and the process of gatorade became a house hold name and the marketing it took to get there.

Amazing how Rovell was able to piece together such a detailed history of a product which was developed in a basement over 40 years ago. The relatively unknown early history of Gatorade at the University of Florida was fascinating. And the behind-the-scenes account of the part of Gatorade that we all know about, the commercials, was equally interesting and entertaining. I found myself singing 'Be Like Mike' and reminscing about the great Jordan commercials. I definitely would have paid a premium for an accompanying dvd of all the great Gatorade commercials. If you have any interest in Gatorade at all, this is an absolute must read. If you are interested in sports, business, or just want a good story, then First in Thirst is also for you.

This is such a powerful brand story that you may actually get thirsty reading it. Most people have no idea that sweating creates a huge drink market, but author Darren Rovell tells a well-researched, interesting and compelling story about how a group of Florida doctors concocted a simple drink to prevent dehydration. A combination of good science, luck and efficient marketing helped transform this initially unpalatable drink into the world's most popular sports elixir. Along the way, Gatorade marketers forged relationships with athletes, teams and superstars, and capitalized on the public's fascination with sports. The end result was a sales and marketing bonanza. We recommend this brand building saga to all marketers or to anyone interested in just how a drink built a bridge between sports and popular culture. Even if you don't break a sweat reading Rovell's marketing saga, prepare yourself to buy a bottle of Gatorade - you're going to want to satisfy your thirst to check this out.

Anthony Trollope is a favorite author of mine, and this audio CD version of Framley Parsonage, read by Simon Vance, is well worth the investment. Deft use of language and a keen sense of human motivation, time, and place characterize all Trollope's writing, and those who enjoy period literature will be more than satisfied with this book. It starts slowly, as Trollope's stories often do, but once the background information is given, there are many interesting social, political, financial, and romantic plot developments to engage the reader and listener. Simon Vance's reading is superb, as always. The only caveat is that his rendering of the voice and character of young women is not as good as his pitch, tone, and inflection when narrating the voices of mature women and all men. His skill in rendering different dialects for different social classes and geographical regions is matchless. By all means, listen to this book.

In this novel we find one Mark Robarts, clergyman and parson of Framley. He is an ambitious young man desirous of rising in society. He is friends since childhood with Lord Lufton who makes an unfortunate introduction in the person of Sowerby who seduces poor Mark into signing his name to a debt which the parson cannot afford.

Mark Robarts's father passes away early on and his sister Lucy joins Mark and his wife at Framley Parsonage where Lord Lufton falls in love with her. Two more couples form and while I won't reveal how any of these relationships work out it wouldn't really matter if I did. Trollope's plots usually vary from bad to good but they are hardly ever of any importance anyway. What is important in a Trollope novel isn't what the plot is or how it concludes, it's how it works itself out and how Trollope paints his characters.

The characters in Framley Parsonage are a little whiter and blacker than those of the previous novels in the Barsetshire series. Sowerby is by far and away the blackest and Trollope was so effective in painting him black that towards the end he clumsily appeals directly to the reader and assures us Sowerby isn't really as bad a fellow as he seems.

Dr. Thorne and his niece Mary Gresham appear (from Doctor Thorne) as do the Grantlys and the Proudies (from Barchester Towers). Lucy Robarts is a fascinating woman even more headstrong here than Mary Gresham was in Doctor Thorne, but my favourite character in this novel is Lady Lufton. She opposes her son's desire to court and marry Lucy but does so politely and with consideration. At the same time, Lucy behaves in way Lady Lufton can only find irreproachable. So of course, not having anything with which to reproach Lucy, Lady Lufton has nothing with which to oppose her son's suit. And yet she does. How will this three-sided battle of wills, pitting Lord Lufton against his mother against Lucy against her suitor, resolve itself?

Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it? Let's just say that Lady Lufton has painted herself into a corner and let us leave it at that.

All in all, another fine example of Trollope's mastery of moral calculus.

Vincent Poirier, Dublin

Framley Parsonage is the fourth in Trollope's Barsetshire novels. Trollope (1815-1882) wrote the novel as a serial in the influential Cornhill magazine in 186-61, This novel along with the others in the series: The Warden; Dr. Thorne, The Small House at Allington, Barchester Towers and the Last Chronicle of Barset is a delightful return to mid-Victorian middle class society in a rural mythical county named Barsetshire.
In this long novel of over 600 pages there are several stories. The main character is the Rev. Mark Robarts, a
doctor's son, who at a young age becomes the vicar of Framley Parsonage. He has children and a kind wife Fanny. Mark has visions of grandeur in his head. He lends money to the unscrupulous Member of Parliament Mr. Sowerby. As a result of this fatuity Mark falls into debt. His friends rally to his aid.
Mark's sister Lucy Robarts is novel's heroine. She falls in love with the wealthy Lord Lufton who lives at Eustace Court with his formidable mother Lady Lufton. Lady Lufton wants her son Ludovic to wed Griselda Grantley the statuesque but dull as dishwater and cold as a cucumber daughter of Archdeacon Grantley. Lufton is torn between these two women. We see Lady Lufton overcome her prejudice against Lucy. Lucy is a kind girl who minister to the family of the poor clergyman Josiah Crawley. She wins over the heart of Lady Lufton and the reader.
Secondary plots concern the midlife romance of Miss Dunstable and good Doctor Thorne. Olivia Proudie daughter of the fussy busybody and scold Mrs. Proudie and the uxorious Bishop Proudie weds a clergyman Mr. Tickler who is a widower. Griselda Grantley is courted by the stupid Lord Dumbello who possesses a name and title to the Hartletop lands and fortune. Will she win Lord Lufton or choose Dumbello?
All's well that ends well in this classic Trollopian tale. Long before Jan Karon, Anthony Trollope wrote humorous, moving and plot driven tales of the lives of the clergy dealing with real life problems, romance and challenges. In my opinion, an Anthony Trollope novel is a good way to spend a quiet evening before the fireplace. Enjoy this wonderful author and the world he created.

The fourth of the Chronicles of Barsetshire, Framley Parsonage (1861) is a gentle novel filled with memorable characters, including many characters from The Warden, Barchester Towers, and Doctor Thorne (Barsetshire Novels). Mark Robarts, a young vicar with a devoted wife, has a comfortable situation at Framley Parsonage on the estate of the indomitable Lady Lufton. Her son, now Lord Lufton, had been a friend of Mark Robarts at school, and it was their friendship which resulted in Mark's position. Mark, though conscientious in his duties and grateful for his situation, is ambitious, however, anxious to expand his horizons beyond Framley.

Lady Lufton, who rules with an iron hand, is appalled when Mark decides to spend a weekend with a "fast" crowd, one which he believes can advance his career. Young and naïve, he becomes the dupe of an aristocratic "con-man," an MP named Nathaniel Sowerby, who persuades him to help him out of a financial jam by signing a note for five hundred pounds (more than half Robarts's yearly salary), allowing Sowerby to draw funds on Robarts's name. In the meantime, Robarts's sister Lucy arrives at Framley Parsonage upon the death of their father. Lucy, a sweet ingénue in mourning, soon comes to the attention of Lord Lufton, but Lady Lufton has many more "significant" matrimonial prospects in mind for her son. As Robarts's financial miseries become more pressing, and as Lucy's disappointment in love increases, the scene is set for a final showdown.

Numerous peripheral characters, many of them known to readers of the series, add to the drama of the primary action. The implacable dowager Lady Lufton, wishing to maintain her family's social position, pushes Griselda Grantly, daughter of Archdeacon Grantly, as the Duke's suitor. The competition between the (Archdeacon) Grantlys and the (Bishop) Proudies for suitors for their daughters adds great comic relief to the story, and the internecine manipulations among the clergy provide gentle satire in a novel which seems to be remarkably domestic in its focus.

Trollope provides a full picture of Victorian life, representing many aspects of society, and though his view of the clergy has in earlier novels been a bit jaded, he is sympathetic to many of its representatives in this novel, seeing them as humans, rather than as types. A sweet novel, part love story and part social commentary, Framley Parsonage is charming, memorable for its characters and picture of Victorian England. Mary Whipple

The fourth of the Chronicles of Barsetshire, Framley Parsonage (1861) is a gentle novel filled with memorable characters, including many characters from The Warden, Barchester Towers, and Dr. Thorne. Mark Robarts, a young vicar with a devoted wife, has a comfortable situation at Framley Parsonage on the estate of the indomitable Lady Lufton. Her son, now Lord Lufton, had been a friend of Mark Robarts at school, and it was their friendship which resulted in Mark's position. Mark, though conscientious in his duties and grateful for his situation, is ambitious, however, anxious to expand his horizons beyond Framley.

Lady Lufton, who rules with an iron hand, is appalled when Mark decides to spend a weekend with a "fast" crowd, one which he believes can advance his career. Young and naïve, he becomes the dupe of an aristocratic "con-man," an MP named Nathaniel Sowerby, who persuades him to help him out of a financial jam by signing a note for five hundred pounds (more than half Robarts's yearly salary), allowing Sowerby to draw funds on Robarts's name. Though Sowerby swears he will resolve the problem within weeks, he needs an additional four hundred pounds when the note comes due.

In the meantime, Robarts's sister Lucy arrives at Framley Parsonage upon the death of their father. Lucy, a sweet ingénue in mourning, soon comes to the attention of Lord Lufton, who is fascinated by her naivete, a marked contrast with the women he has known to date. Though Lady Lufton has much more "significant" matrimonial prospects in mind for her son, the courtship begins, and though Lucy declines Lord Lufton's initial proposal, she remains in love with him. As Robarts's financial miseries become more pressing, and as Lucy's misery at having turned down Lord Lufton increases, the scene is set for a final showdown.

Numerous peripheral characters, many of them known to readers of the series, add to the drama of the primary action. The implacable dowager Lady Lufton, wishing to maintain her family's social position, staunchly opposes the Duke's relationship with Lucy Robarts, pushing Griselda Grantly, daughter of Archdeacon Grantly, as the Duke's suitor. The competition between the (Archdeacon) Grantlys and the (Bishop) Proudies for suitors for their daughters adds great comic relief to the story, and the internecine manipulations among the clergy provide gentle satire in a novel which seems to be remarkably domestic in its focus.

Trollope provides a full picture of Victorian life, representing many aspects of society, and though his view of the clergy has in earlier novels been a bit jaded, he is sympathetic to many of its representatives in this novel, seeing them as humans, rather than as types. A sweet novel, part love story and part social commentary, Framley Parsonage is charming, memorable for its characters and picture of Victorian England. n Mary Whipple

The Warden
Barchester Towers
Doctor Thorne (Barsetshire Novels)

If you like military SciFi then Dan Abnett is a good choice. Darker than John Ringo or David Weber, his books are intriguing, riviting, and exciting. I would recomend them to anyone who enjoys the military SciFi genre.

Gaunt's Ghosts is the tale of the Imperial Guard from the viewpoint of the Imperial Guard. Dan Abnett throws the reader into the fray immediately, with no remorse or apologies, just the way war really is.

To get the experience of 40K in the thick of front line combat, look no further!

This is the first in the series but I read it second. It was backwards, but it was a great read. You learn were the Ghosts come from, how Gaunt got them, etc. It is a great set of books about people you will care about. Hell, I had a lump in my throat more than once after an especially emotional turn of events.

A collection of the first books in the Gaunt's Ghost's series, it is great book for any Warhammer 40K fan. It is also a great book for anyone who has an interest in the series but hasn't picked the right book out yet.

FIRST AND ONLY
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The first book in the Ghost's series, it tells the story of the Ghost's fight against an army of heretical troops. But along with the enemy facing them across the trenches, the Ghost's face an even greater threat: an ignorant military leader who is more than willing to throw troops to the meat grinder that is this war.

GHOSTMAKER
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A sequel-prequel-connector story, Ghostmaker works to tie the reader in to the story of the Ghost's current position. Fighting on a forest world against a dug in enemy, some Ghosts remember life before this fight. A collection of short fights and battles, along with some non combat situations, really flesh out who the Ghosts are. Whether they're fighting in city streets, dropping into Normandy-like beach fights, or just gambling with a group of rowdy soldiers, the Ghost's really start to grow on you.

NECROPOLIS
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Necropolis is the first of what I call "epic" fights in the Ghost's series. The Ghosts have been sent to stop a civil war between two giant industrial cities. The city is easy to defend, but treachery and back stabbing among bring down its shields and walls. The Ghost's fight enemies on all sides, and when the hour is dark, heroes will rise, and the fate of the city will be decided.

I started this book before being a fan of Warhammer 40K or the Black Library and it was still interesting and fun to read. You don't have to be a 40K expert to enjoy the story and the interesting characters. Dan Abnett is also great at keeping a series interesting and different by keeping the same characters and ideas, but writing with very different plots and styles. One thing I hate in a series is when it seems like the author follows a specific plot outline with every book and just adds new places and storys. The Dan Abnett books do not do this, and this keeps the books very interesting.
The characters are the best part of the books, they are not archetype characters that are either purely good or completely evil. The characters have depths and shades of gray.
Overall I would say this book is a great read, and I highly reccomend the other works by Dan Abnett.

Yes!! Merry Christmas to me, and to my kids. I have been hoping for years to find this back in print and I can't wait until my girls are old enough that I can read it to them (without the leather men giving them nightmares!). This is a great book and I highly recommend it to Harry Potter fans and the like. The tale of a young girl and her friends' desperate fight to keep a magic amulet from the clutches of an evil warlord and his army of VERY creepy henchmen. For those of you with young children, be forwarned that this book does have some genuinely scary moments. A fantastic story that would make for a great screenplay (just a wee hint for the folks in Hollywood.... cha-ching!). For the rest of you.......now you can own a classic without paying 80 bucks or more for a ragged used copy. Get it.

This was my favorite book when I first read it aged 11 (over 25 years ago!) in a penguin paperback edition. My recollections are of a magical story that gripped my imagination. This has been out of print too long, it's great that it's back and I look forward to sharing it with my son. It will enchant Harry Potter fans looking for something new.

I loved this as a child - I used to make a point of reading it every year so that I would finish it on Christmas Eve as I found it so magical. A real treasure in itself

I read this book as a child and found it enthralling. I'm now 30 and have just ordered a second hand copy online from a rare bookseller to share with my 12yr old daughter. It comes highly recommended = a very good book and to be honest I can not understand why it is out of print.

The Giant Under the Snow is, without a doubt, one of the best children's books ever written. Yet despite being the equal of Harry Potter, The Hobbit and The Princess Bride, this dark magical tale is now almost impossible to find. The story concerns three school children (Jonquil, Bill and Arthur) who are drawn into a battle between good and evil for the possession of an ancient artifact. Not exactly an original premise, but John Gordon's execution introduces some new and creative elements such as the terrifying leathermen. The background behind the giant itself is an inspired mix of inventive writing and historical research which makes the story all the more believable. Another print run is long over due!

I am a great fan of Modesty Blaise books and was plesantly surprised to discover only recently that the author has also written books under the pseudonym of Madeline Brent. I immediatly bought a few books penned under this name and though these books are not as great as the Modesty Blaise series which I adore, I did enjoy them.

Oh my God- this book is wonderful! This ranks right up there with my favorite Victoria Holt titles. I will not summarize the story- other reviewers have done this. The story is told in first person narrative, by our heroine Mitji/Meg. It is poignant, wonderful and romantic. The guilt Luke feels in his attraction to Meg, her bewilderment at his mood swings, their growing love for each other (*sigh*), just fantastic. No graphic sex, just a lovely story well told. How refreshing in todays era of paranormal romance. You will not regret purchasing this book, it epitomizes the meaning of romance.

I loved this story and the adventure was top rate. Brent writes the best heroines and this girl was tops. You also get the tortured but honorable hero in this story. Every character is written exquisitely! I have rarely read such a charming tale.

I couldn't put this book down. It had everything I love: shipwreck, romance, and danger.

I was totally involved in this wonderful story. I've never been disappointed by Madeleine Brent, but this must surely be her best work ever.

The somewhat slow beginning is probably not for everyone, but it helped me get into the story. By the time Mitji found Luke and rescued him, I already felt that I knew her. Her life and adventures as Meg were never completely free of the Mitji period, and when Mitji was needed again, she was up to the task.

I bought this book used, which apparently is the only way to get it, but I would have paid the cover price just to have it.

This book may not be best for a first book on speaking Latin American Spanish, however, it has been extremely helpful in helping me with pronunciation and local usage of words.

I bought this for a couple I was tutoring (Spanish lessons) because they are moving to CR. I found it helpful and even though I already speak Spanish, I had no idea how differently the Ticos do it!

When I came to Costa Rica I quickly discovered the vast majority of Costa Ricans DIDN'T speak English. Since I only had a limited Spanish vocabulary, I had a lot of problems in daily situations. Then I bought this handy little book and it virtually helped me survive the first couple of years. I still refer to it now and then for important phrases.

This is a great, well organized and efficient book. You do not want to go to CR without it... and it will be the only book you need while you are there! I suggest picking it up months before your trip so you can start practicing the most common sayings. Buen Viaje!

I spoke Spanish before coming to Costa Rica, but found the people in San Jose spoke with more slang and pachuco. Chris Howard's book helped me to communicate better and with more credibility. When I moved to the coast, the dialect was even more different. People considered me snobby when I spoke like I did originally. His information was even applicable in the countryside. I give this book as a gift to new clients and friends visiting Costa Rica.

A remarkable tale of Hasidic (Ultra-Orthodox) Jews and the miracles that happened to so many in spite of the ravages of the Holocaust.

A mix of prose and poetry, tears and turbulence, you'll want to read it from cover to cover.

One of the great pieces of literature related to one of the worst times in modern history.

Michael

As far as I know, this book was the first collection of Hasidic responses to the Holocaust to make it out of the "Jewish literary ghetto" and into the mainstream, where it remains a popular read in both Jewish and non-Jewish theological circles. It was also the first collection of stories about Jews who did NOT lose their faith during the Holocaust (most of them, anyway -- there are one or two exceptions in the book.) Prior to this, religious Jews in the Holocaust were portrayed by the media as as "cowards who didn't fight back" rather than the religious martyrs that they were. (Most typical of this anti-religious period is the infamous line from the movie version of Leon Uris's EXODUS: "The only god I believe in is a gun.") I won't go into the politics of it here, but, suffice it to say, the post-Holocaust Zionist movement was more interested in freedom fighters than saints.

The Hasidim, however, had a different view of their suffering during the Holocaust. God had not deserted them, even if He seemed hidden in a time of darkness. The Hasidim were telling their own Holocaust stories around the Sabbath table or at community gatherings but, because most of this telling was oral and in Yiddish, it was unknown to the general public. Enter Yaffa Eliach. As a professor of English literature at Brooklyn College, she began hearing these tales from her students. Brooklyn College had/has a high percentage of Hasidic students and, through them, Eliach got to know their parents and other Holocaust survivors, including some of the Hasidic Rebbes. The result is a fine collection of true Holocaust stories that will forever change the way you view Hasidic Jews. Courage, as this book demonstrates, doesn't always mean grabbing a gun. It can also mean hiding a child, sharing your food when you yourself are starving, or meeting death with your human dignity intact. To maintain one's faith under such adversity, to continue studying Torah and doing the mitzvahs even in a concentration camp -- these were acts of true resistance that shine through every page of this book. I give it ten stars!

This inspiring book is one of the best books writeen on the Holocaust. I read the book every year on Tisha B'av, the Jewish day of national mourning and never cease to be amazed, inspired and touched by the myriad of stories in this wonderful book. This copy is being given as a token of appreciation o someone I wish to thank.

i must say that I am surprised that no reviews I have come across so far adress what appears to me this books most remarkable feature: Its power of inspiring faith. In fact, I would site this book as one of the most concrete proofs of the existence of God in print. Stories of the divine powers that are granted to the compassionate, the devout, and the faithful surpass all description. Please read this book, I treasure it like a scripture, and the courage, profound faith, and integrity of its characters burns in the heart like fire. i have never wept like I wept when I read these simple stories for the first time, and I continue to draw bittersweet emotional sustainance everytime I read and re-read its pages. There is too many brilliant anecdotes to choose examples, But as I write I remeber the story of the boy whose friend apparently died in a forced labour factory. The young man was piled in the frigid cold of night in a pile of corpses after a terrible illness had left no sign of life in him. The grandfather of the boy kept appearing in his friends dream to tell him the his friend must be "woken up". After the third dream, the youth was more frightened of the dream than of risking his life to escape to where the dead were piled to investigate. The youth found his friend amid the corpses, and when he repeated the granfather's invocation to "wake up", he indeed stirred! The story concludes with the boy warming his friend, bringing him to safety, and survival. It is marvelous and breathtaking to discover that these miraculous and spellbinding stories occurred in the darkest heart of humankind's darkest hours, and that they have been compiled in this manner is a fitting tribute to is subjects.

Yaffa Eliach is to be commended for collecting and publishing these tales. They tell stories of Jews who despite horrible trials and sufferings kept their faith in God, and their decency as human beings. The paradox is often that only when human beings are subject to the worse trials do they reveal their greatness. These stories are stories of inspiration not only for Jews but for all of mankind.