Non-fiction Books

Sci-fi grandmaster Isaac Asimov is at the top of his game in this collection of nine short stories. The first is "Profession", which speculates on the nature of education in a future where the Earth is the technological center of a civilization of hundreds of populated planets. The story revolves around young George Platen, and the very special profession for which he has been selected. Asimov goes beyond describing the technology for imparting information and makes points about the everyman's preference for physical over social science, the nature of the creative mind, and how society finds
ways to placate the uncreative, including an event at the future Olympics. More menacing is the "Feeling of Power" in which an unassuming computer programmer discovers the lost art of arithmetic in a future society where only computers know how to do mathematics. Asimov shows how this discovery moves up the bureaucratic chain until it reaches the ears of those who know
how to make use of it, but also makes a statement about scientific responsibility. "The Gentle Vultures" shows a non-competitive race that goes from planet to planet helping the survivors of nuclear catastrophe - until they encounter their first Cold War. And two of the very best tales deal with the burgeoning concept of artificial intelligence. "All the
Troubles of the World" shows a society that relies too heavily on its guiding computer, while "The Last Question" is a totally unique story dealing with a theosophical question and featuring a conclusion that is perhaps the greatest in all science fiction.

Although most of the stories were written in the 1950's, there's very little that's been dated by subsequent scientific discoveries, largely because this collection isn't about hard science so much as the relationships between far-reaching technologies and human society. The protagonists aren't
swashbuckling hero types, and they usually aren't even dedicated scientists single-mindedly pursuing knowledge; they're more likely to be "little guys", ordinary working people with jobs to do, who when faced with something they should be helpless to combat, still summon up the courage to act during that one brief moment when they can make a crucial difference. Probably the most dated feature of this collection is its attitude toward women, who are frequently absent entirely, or serve only in the most stereotypical of roles. Only the touchingly sentimental "The Ugly Little Boy" treats a woman as anything like a real human being. Even so, the power of Asimov's ideas
and the scope of his vision of the future have delighted readers for over half a century. If you haven't read these stories in other collections, you'll certainly want to catch them here.

Any one of the nine short stories in this volume would make their author's career. By assembling them in one volume it becomes immediately apparent that Isaac Asimov was the undisputed master of modern science-fiction. Asimov's style is perfectly suited to the genre--his writing style is plain and deceptively simple. Yet for all the simplicity of the writing the ideas remain profound.

Asimov not only understood science and technology, he had a virtually prophetic vision of how science and technology would change the world. Our internet and cell phones would be no surprise to Asimov--he'd consider how far we have yet to go.

PROFESSION: A fascinating study of a future society where one's profession is dictated by a computer according to a person's talents and aptitudes. Ideas that no longer look entirely futuristic.

THE FEELING OF POWER: The guy can do math in his head! A wry take on the effects of computing power on personal computational ability.

THE DYING NIGHT: A first-rate mystery story told in the milieu of science fiction.

I'M IN MARSPORT WITHOUT HILDA: Like "The Dying Night" a story that demonstrates Asimov's ability to effortlessly cross genre boundaries.

THE GENTLE VULTURES: Watch out for the humans. Take any work by any modern science fiction author--Asimov has already been there and has often done the story better.

ALL THE TROUBLES IN THE WORLD: Artificial Intelligence issues that are still being debated today.

SPELL MY NAME WITH AN S: About the societal impact of near infinite computing power and governmental intrusion into scientific research.

THE LAST QUESTION: Wow. A mindblower. This one is easily among the best science-fiction short stories ever written. Asimov's take on intelligence and the future of the universe.

THE UGLY LITTLE BOY: Time travel and human experimentation are combined in this gem that teaches us that our essential humanity is more important than any scientific achievement.

Isaac Asimov, science fiction grandmaster and one of the absolute best writers in the field ever to wield a pen, wrote so much - and so much of high quality, at that - that it is difficult for a newcomer to his works to even know where to begin. This daunted me so much that, for a while, I dared not venture into Asimov's canon at all - doubtless, many others have done so as well. Now that I have finally started reading him, I regret that I didn't do it long ago. I urge - urge - you not to make the same mistake. Though Asimov wrote literally hundreds of short stories, this short and concise collection features some of his very best. Included in this collection are absolute masterpieces such as The Last Question (one of the Top 3 science fiction short stories of all-time, in my not-so-humble opinion); Profession (an excellent and very underrated story); The Dying Night (an excellent SF mystery that has been, alas, outdated by subsequent science, but is still enjoyable to the full); The Ugly Little Boy (a rare emotional moment for Asimov, and a great story at that - he called this his third favorite that he ever wrote); and Spell My Name With An "S" (a unique and clever story sprung from the lifelong trouble Asimov had with people adding an extra "S" to his surname.) This collection also includes several lighter pieces, which serve to fill space and lighten the mood. Very, very, very highly recommended to any fan of science fiction writing, an absolute classic and masterpiece of the genre.

I read this book God knows how many years ago, and I've never been able to get it out of my head since. I read it again and again until the pages fell out; it's that kind of book. Thoughtful, provocative, and absolutely terrifying; Asimov at his best.

Isaac Asimov may very well be the most prolific author in modern history. With over 500 books to his credit (506, to be exact...go to asimovonline.com for the full list, if you don't believe me!), covering just about every subject in the Dewey Decimal System (except philosophy, I believe), the man was a real marvel. One of these 500 volumes, "Nine Tomorrows," is a collection of short stories that Doc Ike first had published in various magazines during the period July '56 to November '58. As the title suggests, all nine tales deal with possible futures that may face mankind, and all feature the wit, erudition and clarity that are the hallmarks of every Asimov story/novel that I've ever read. The collection kicks off with the longest tale, "Profession," in which Asimov presents a 65th century when one's vocation is determined by a kind of computerized psychological profile, and in which youngsters compete in Olympics-style games for plum jobs on other planets. But what happens if it is deemed that you're cut out for nothing at all? That's what happens to young George Platen, in this consistently interesting tale. (Asimov does make one rare goof in this story: George should be 20, not 19, by the story's end. Has anyone else noticed this?) In "The Feeling of Power," Asimov tells us of a scientist who is actually capable of doing simple math problems on paper (gasp!), without the aid of a computer (!), and how the military minds of that distant century make use of these newfound skills. But the old ways of doing things lead to nothing but trouble, in this brilliantly cynical tale. Asimov has been called "the Agatha Christie of Science Fiction," and in "The Dying Night," a murder mystery of sorts, we see an early example of how he earned that title. A scientist lies dead, his papers on mass transference stolen, and three of his old school chums are suspect. This somewhat contrived story nonetheless leads to a satisfactory conclusion that most readers will never foresee. (The 1965 observations of Mercury, by the way, have dated the science in the tale, but this is certainly nothing that Asimov could have foreseen in July '56.) What is certainly the most humorous tale in the bunch comes next: "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda." Written in Heinlein-like, tough-guy prose, this tale concerns a Galactic Service agent who must determine which of three men is attempting to smuggle a powerful drug out of the eponymous port. This one really had me chuckling out loud, and winds up very amusingly indeed. A most entertaining tale. In "The Gentle Vultures," the author tells us that an alien race has been living on the Moon's far side for several decades, waiting for Earth's Cold War to blow up so that they might come to our aid...for a fee, of course. Asimov would have us believe that these folks are the source of the 1940s' and '50s' UFO's, and who knows...maybe he's right! Anyway, the interaction between the chimplike aliens and their kidnapped Earthling is very well done in this unique tale. In "All the Troubles of the World," a computer is responsible for not only caring for everyone on Earth, but also for predicting and preventing crimes. Is it possible that this 1958 story was inspired in part by P.K. Dick's "Minority Report," published two years before? Who knows? The story is very clever, though, and has a most touching ending. "Spell My Name With an S" shows how the smallest alteration in one's life can occasionally lead to great worldwide changes. A way-out surprise ending caps off another very clever Asimov short story. And then there's "The Last Question," in which Asimov theorizes on nothing less than the end of the universe 10 trillion years in the future...and what might happen after that. This is a truly mind-expanding short story that offers much food for thought in its 12 pages. The collection wraps up with perhaps my favorite story of the bunch, "The Ugly Little Boy." Here, a nurse is hired to take care of a 4-year-old Neanderthal tyke who has been plucked from the past by a scientific institute. The tale should be instructive to all those critics who have accused Asimov of being unable to depict convincing female characters. Nurse Fellowes is VERY well drawn, I think, with some psychological complexity and surprising maternal tendencies. The ending of this tale is nicely sentimental, and lingers long in the memory. Thus ends a really fine collection of stories from one of sci-fi's true masters. Trust me, you'll wish there were 20 tomorrows here, instead of just nine!

Again, Vicki Lewis Thompson has penned a hot, sassy and fun love story with NOTORIOUS. This book reminded me of the saying "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas". And that's what most of the book is about.

After ten years the fates decide that Keeley and Noah will again meet. Noah is in Vegas to be in his friend's wedding and Keely is on assignment to write an article for her magazine Allure.

Noah walks by a strip club and immiedately his old "crush" Keeley comes to mind, the hometown's Bad Girl. As fate would have it, they bump into each other and Noah gets the impression she is going into the strip club to apply for a job. Since her father and soon to be sister-in-law work for him and the sparks are still there, Noah feels that he must protect her and invites her to stay with him for the weekend in hopes that he can counsel her. Well, Keely has other ideas. Why? Noah rejected her 10 years ago and so did her family and hometown when her photo was featured as a centerfold in a magazine.

Well, hold on to your hats, because if you want sex, steam, sass and tears, then read this wonderful and incredible love story. You will laugh, sigh and cry at the same time.

This book also reminded me of another five star VLT book, LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX. Another "Bad Girl" and fun book.

Keely Branscom had always been a little notorious. A confirmed wild child, she'd shocked the town by posing for a centerfold at the age of nineteen. But what she'd really wanted was to get a reaction from seriously sexy Noah Garfield. Only, back then, he hadn't quite known what to do with her... ** Now, years later, Noah's still in over his head with Keely. But when he catches her walking into a Vegas strip joint, he knows that he has to save her from herself. Only, Keely doesn't want to be saved. Instead, Noah's supersexy childhood nemesis seems determined to show him exactly what he's been missing....

So it has finally dawned on me after reading almost 100 Blaze books and coming back to this one as one of my all time favorites why I like them soooo much: the fantasy element of the Blaze series and the tasteful yet wild sexual fantasies that each one incorporates is like reading every month a set of Red Shoe Diaries- like the sexy Zalman King series that was on Showtime and narrated by David Duchovny as the lover whose woman had died and left him with a pair of red shoes and a diary filled with fantasy unfulfilled.....

The sex and the tension in this one and the tremendous impact of the sex scenes is visceral. I love it when Keely tempts Noah with some voyeuristic thrills then takes them herself when it pushes him over the edge....their passion at a Vegas wedding against the glass looking down on a hotel lobby again has these fantasy elements that bring the heart rate up! I need to get a new copy because I find myself doing as I did at 13 and dogearring the good parts to read over again!

Kudos to Harlequin for continuing to stretch and push the element of women's fiction! The strong sexual content of the Blaze books, the action packed Intimate Moments line, the emotional Special Editions and the ever good Desire and Temptation lines just keep getting better. People forget that most of the big names in women's fiction all got their start in series romance- today with all of the options available in the series there is room for so many styles it is the readers who really win!

And the Harlequin Blaze line esp as written by Ms Lewis Thompson is about as good as vanilla porn ( the Jennifer Crusie term from Welcome to Temptation) can get!

Blaze picked the perfect book to launch its new series. I have two copies of this book as a failsafe in case I ever misplace one! To be honest, I haven't read a romance novel since which has measured up to the anticipation, passion, and satisfaction that this book offered. The prequel story in Midnight Fantasies about sister BJ is wonderful as well.

Rancher Noah Garfield can't visit Las Vegas without thinking about sex--and when he thinks about sex, he thinks about Keely Branscom. She was the bad girl he wanted growing up--the one who he managed to resist when she was 16 and too young, but who then posed for a centerfold and left home. He can't believe it when he sees her in Las Vegas and resolves to do everything he can to save her.

Keely has never forgiven Noah for spurning her advances at 16, and this is her chance for revenge. She'll treat him to a weekend of sex he'll never forget, then move on with her life. At least she doesn't have to return to the dreary and conservative land of ranches and nosy people. The one thing she can't risk, though, is falling in love with Noah--again. But surely she's out of that now--isn't she?

Author Vicki Lewis Thompson writes a sexy story. Noah promises himself that he'll keep his hands off the beautiful Keely, but he doesn't have a chance when Keely turns up the heat--and boy does she turn up the heat. A Vegas wedding adds to the emotional impact of the moment as both Keely and Noah review their thoughts on what marriage means and their hopes or fears for their own future. NOTORIOUS was the launch book for Harlequin's BLAZE series--and it delivers both the sexy premise (he thinks she's a topless dancer and possibly a prostitute) and follow-through that BLAZE is built around.

I have to hand it to Catherine Murdock for yet again crafting an excellent piece of literature. The character's voice in this story is incredibly strong! I listened to this book on c.d and whoever they hired to "be" D.J was made for the part.
This is a book I would give to a little sister or even best friend. It's inspiring and heartwarming and totally relatable (trust me girl playing football on a farm was not what I would've picked up first). Very Clean but also very honest. Perfect for your own personal library (I'm an adult teacher and I'm buying one for my home as well as my school). DJ is a positive a strong role model for young women. Loved the characters in this story. They were well crafted and complex, nobody was black and white which of course is what makes it so incredibly realistic. I can't wait for the 3rd and final book in this series!

When we last left D.J. Schwenk in Dairy Queen, she was trying to cope with her family's problems, the inclusion of Brian into her life, and surviving being on the Red Bend football team. You know, when most people thought girls shouldn't be on the team.

At first it seemed like she had found solutions to all of those problems. But all good things must come to an end, whether D.J. likes it or not.

With Brian being her sort of boyfriend, D.J. is pretty ecstatic, since not only is he hot and athletic, he is her first real boyfriend. But it sort of creates a problem since D.J. isn't so sure where there relationship is heading or if it is going at all. Brian isn't too sure, either, since it seems like D.J. would rather spend time with her family then hang out with him.

Her friend, Amber, is starting to get noticed, for all the wrong reasons, though. Now known as the girl with a girlfriend, Amber is beginning to change, once again, right in front of D.J.'s eyes, all because people in their town don't approve of that kind of relationship.

D.J.'s family is beginning to resolve their relationship problems. But when they think all is well, their financial problems come into play. Not only that, but D.J. herself and her brother, Win, suffer injuries that just might put an end to what they love the most.

While trying to control all of her problems, D.J. must be able to find her strength, the one that got her through her summer and the one that helped her get on the football team.

Once again, D.J. shines as a heroine who shows that everyone has the ability to get over any obstacle thrown their way.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

In Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock, readers met a girl named D.J. who had to pick up the slack on her family's farm when her father's hip injury prevented him from doing the bulk of the work. She also had to help train Brian, the quarterback for the rival school's team. Her two older brothers were big hometown football stars - and now, unexpectedly, she might become one as well.

In the solid sequel, The Off-Season, D.J. continues to juggle her school life, her home life, and her sports life. Homework and farmwork just keep coming. Then she gets injured, which obviously and completely changes her athletic schedule. Further complicating matters are D.J.'s mixed feelings about Brian and her strained relationship with her best friend. When two other family members become hurt in debilitating ways, the Schwenks have to come together in a big way - and have to make even more sacrifices.

Give Dairy Queen and its sequel The Off-Season to girls you know who refuse to back down when coaches tell them girls shouldn't or can't play certain sports - and tell them that YES, THEY CAN!

Sometimes, after a successful first novel, its sequel may fall flat. This certainly is not true in the case of Catherine Gilbert Murdock's sequel to Dairy Queen. In The Off Season, we find D.J. Schwenk coping with even more challenges than ever, many of which could topple someone twice her age. While we know that D.J. has real style and substance, this time we find her to be more of a hero than ever. Once again, she rises to the occasion, providing the stability for her injured brother to move on with his life. A loyal friend, she stands behind her friend, Amber; and, because she believes in honesty, she refuses to look at her boyfriend through rose-colored glasses, realizing that he might not have the character she thought he had. Through it all, D.J. handles herself with the candor and composure her readers have come to love. Written with the same skill and intelligence as her first novel, this is another Murdock winner that you won't want to put down until the very last page.

This book, the sequel to Murdock's Dairy Queen, may be marketed for young adults, but it's not the equivalent of Sweet Valley High or The Princess Diaries, as both the book and heroine D.J. Schwenk have their feet planted firmly in reality. D.J. is a high school junior in rural Red Bend, Wisconsin, who has a lot on her plate: handling the pressure and jibes directed at her as the first female member of the high school football team; trying to figure out and handle her feelings for Brian, the quarterback of the rival high school team; and putting in hours of work on her family's dairy farm, worrying that said farm will soon go under; trying to reconnect with her best friend, Amber, who has recently come out and is dating an older woman; and, of course, struggling with school work.

The Off Season is such a gripping read that I read it a single sitting. D.J. is such a believable, sympathetic character and faces up to her challenges (including a big one towards the end of the novel) that the reader empathizes with her throughout, even when she does something somewhat foolish. Murdock does an admirable job of capturing the rhythm and concerns of small town and rural life and has an ear for dialogue. The supporting characters, including her father, mother and younger brother, ring true and are fleshed out enough that they give us a picture of D.J.'s upbringing and family life. This is one-level headed girl with a down-to-earth grip on what's important in life. I can't wait to read of her further adventures.

Another suspenseful erotic thriller by that outstanding author of mysteries, Sebastien Japrisot. This is the third of his books for me, I've read his masterpiece Very Long Engagement and also Women in Evidence, all great mystery/detective stories, all totally different and suspenseful, Mr. Japrisot is an expert at plot twists and keeping the reader surprised.

The central event from the past in One Deadly Summer was a young woman terrorized and raped by three men. Years later the psychotic daughter conceived during the rape becomes obsessed with taking revenge, but is she taking revenge on the right ones or creating more innocent victims? The story is related to us by several different narrators, all with a different take on what it is happening, ultimately after a tragic ending the reader is left to decide who the true victim is. Hard book to put down and unforgettable.

This has instantly become one of my favorite reads. I love to happen upon authors who are new to me. This is the first book of Japrisot's that I've read. I was expecting a murder mystery, and ended up with a classic tragic love story and a heart-wrenching ending. Japrisot demonstrates superior story-telling skills in his revelation of the main characters thoughts and intentions as they speak and act. The dialogue is so well presented even the occasional humorous comment is so natural in its presentation and well-timed that you only realize later that of course even a mentally tortured person has the capacity for comic insight.

While one cannot deny the absolute superiority of A Very Long Engagement, I found One Deadly Summer to be the most enjoyable among the rest of Japrisot's oeuvre. This is one instance where his powers come through with a distinctive flair, upon the themes that echo through all of his work: droplets of truth gathering through a confusion of voices, the sheer blindness of love, the eternal mystery that is woman, the infinite sadness of human error, and the surprises and tragedies that is life itself. How much of the world, and others, do we really "understand"?

The author did an excellent job of weaving the story together, one piece at a time while never losing momentum. Although the main character's desire for revenge stems from events of the past, the reader is never bombarded with backstory and is instead shown backstory through character thoughts when it is necessary and pertinent to the story. Although I cannot say that any of the characters are likable, there are believable and the author does keep us aware of their thoughts and intentions, therefore continuously holding our interest. The ending is surprising, dramatic and certainly well worth the wait.

Get this book if you can find it! A real twister of a plot, an atrocity committed 20 years before, a member of the next generation planning total revenge...every time you think you know what's going to happen, you're taken down another road. A plot skilfully woven with everything gradually revealed, up to a gut punch of a horrifying ending. The ramifications of this story are still occurring to me the next day. It's one of the few books I will keep to reread. The setting of the scene is also wonderful--if your idea of Provence is Peter Mayle's Hotel Pastis or Chasing Cezanne, try a taste of Japrisot for different point of view. If you like contemporary French authors, dont miss it.

I have 3 favorite novels which I reread every couple of years. Like old friends, I know that I can always turn to them and be sure of several hours of deep pleasure. This is one of those novels. PASTORAL was written during World War 2 and concerns two young people who are serving in the military, but as the title indicates, this is not your typical war novel. Peter Marshall is a veteran pilot of an RAF Wellington bomber, even though he is still a very young man. The flying scenes are excellent, filled with suspenseful atmosphere and excitement. But when he is not in the air, he is the kind of person who takes delight in the simple pleasures of life, rambling over the countryside and fishing with his crew. And after he meets a lovely WAAF officer, Gervase Robertson, who has just joined the signals staff at his airbase, it doesn't take him long to fall in love for the first time. The love story of these two rather innocent and ordinary young people is as real as you'll find in literature, perfectly tracing the progress of their attraction and growing feeling for each other, all intensified by the immense conflict in which they play their small part. True to that time, this does not mean that they are in bed by the second date--no, these are typical, decent youngsters who accept the idea that that sort of thing must wait until marriage. Gervase does not want to give up her part in the war effort to get married, and the tension begins to affect Peter's flying and his relationship with his crew. As one of the senior officers complains exasperatedly, "The great adventure on this station isn't bombing Germany. They don't think anything of that. Falling in love is the big business here." Eventually we see that maybe falling in love is the big business after all, as the young people come to exemplify all that is best, all that is worth fighting to preserve. Nevil Shute wrote several excellent novels, but I believe that this is his best. It is a shame that it is so hard to find, but used copies are available--and well worth the hunt.

Nevil Shute seems to be a very underrated author. After his On the Beach and A Town Like Alice, the rest of his works are almost totally ignored by both the critics and the public, which is a pity as almost all of his works are finely written and have something worthwhile to say.

Pastoral was written during WWII, and from a purely British viewpoint, unlike so many of the war books that were written long after the conflict by so many Americans. As such there is a totally different atmosphere to this book, a quietness, an acceptance of the conditions and requirements of the war as just something that is there, part of the daily routine. And it is within this atmosphere that Neville constructs a fine love story between the very experienced bomber pilot Peter Marshal (at age 22!) and a W.A.A.F signals officer, Gervase Robertson.

As perhaps is typical for war-time love stories, the war itself provides the conflict, the friction between the lovers, as Peter is duty-bound to continue flying bombing missions, and Gervase believes her own duties are important to the course of the war, and should not be given up merely to get married. Her decline of Peter's offer of marriage sends Peter into a mental tail-spin, seriously impacting his efficiency as a flyer. How this conflict is resolved and the events that happen because of this conflict form the main portion of this book. Before reaching that point, however, we are treated to a view of English morality and customs of the day, a code that says one mustn't go off alone with a member of the opposite sex, that married woman are expected to keep house, not have jobs, where the woman must defer to the man. A view that might seem dreadfully stifling and old-fashioned to a reader of today's world, but it shown in such a non-obtrusive way that the reader can accept it without question. Until, that is, the reader finishes the book, and realizes that Neville has been quietly showing (and mildly satirizing) both the good and bad qualities of such a code. This is typical of Nevil's writing - his points are made far more by showing, rather than telling, always a mark of a fine writer. Also noteworthy is the attitude towards the war that is displayed by all the characters here - that death is an everyday happening, but it won't happen to me, it only happens to someone else. An attitude that seems to belong to every young person.

Nevil's prose style tends towards the descriptive, especially of the countryside and everyday actions. His dialogue in this book is loaded with English slang, very typical of actual speech patterns of the day, but this does at times make it somewhat hard for the poor modern American reader to decode what is being said. And some of Nevil's expertise as an avionics engineer shows in his descriptions of the aircraft and the functioning of various parts of these machines, at times obviously assuming that reader knows more about aircraft than is normally the case. These, however, are very minor negatives, almost totally subsumed by the engagement of the reader in the story of these two very well realized characters.

One decided negative that has nothing to do with Nevil's writing ability is the production quality of the hardbound reprint edition. The typeface used is very close to an old typewriter font, with thin serifs and a fairly small point size, and the printing press seemed to have severe difficulty with maintaining an even ink flow - at places the print fades to near illegibility. This all makes for a very rough impact on your eyes. A pity that this fine work has such a botched job of production.

Regardless of the quality of the printing, however, this book deserves a look, if nothing else just to see how a romance really should be written, as opposed to the material that passes for 'romance' on the book racks of today.

What is most remarkable about Pastoral is the way it manages to blend love and tragedy in an almost seamless manner. What would have been a rather conventional love story is transformed into something very different by the ever-present risk of death. RAF pilot Peter Marshall and WAAF signals officer Gervase Robinson go through an awkward and sometimes amusing courtship seemingly unconcerned about the fact that each one of his bomber missions over Germany could very easily be his last - indeed, some of the characters we meet during the story are lost over Germany. That they are able to function in a reasonably normal manner in the most terrifyingly abnormal of circusmstances is a tribute to the strength of the human spirit. In a way, this foreshadows Nevil Shute's much later book On the Beach, in which people are able to function day-to-day despite knowing that the world is soon coming to an end. A lesser writer than Shute probably would have made Pastoral heavy-handed and preachy, but there is almost none of that. All in all, a superb book, a truly timeless story despite its setting.
As an aside, the last few paragraphs of the story make me wonder whether it is based on true events.

... and bringing it to the flight station marks the unusual beginning of an exquisite and delicate love story between RAF pilot Peter Marshall and flight officer Gervase Robertson.

The story takes place in the midst of world war II terror and describes, in spellbinding detail, the flight missions over Germany, the dangers of cross fire and courage, during times when others have fear.

Peter's cockiness (not always at the right times), competence (in dodging enemy fire and bringing his crew home), and courage (in face of danger) win the reader's heart and make him a hero at his home station, even though he comes very close to losing is all: his aircraft, his crew and Gervase.

A marvelous story, despite its unusual start: catching a fish!

Perhaps this is Nevil Shute's best; his detail about the cold technicalities of cockpit war activity, set against the depths of an unforgettable love story makes "Pastoral" stand out above anything to be imagined. He just never ceases to surprise his readers!

This is, in my opinion, Nevil Shute's best book, surpassing even such justifiably popular titles as "On the Beach" and "A Town like Alice". With restraint and a simple, moving style Nevil Shute brings out the best in human spirit by telling this story of young people rising to the dangers and challenges of war and prevailing through dedication, comradeship and love. Why is a book like this out of print when bookstore shelves are full of stories about addicts, perverts and criminals? We desperately need more people like Nevil Shte's characters to serve as role models.

Petropolis is a fine work, with a style that ranges from subtle to direct, and from funny to quite serious. I am neither Russian nor Jewish, and thus fall a bit outside her primary target, where many of the stories, phrases, and attitudes may strike close to home. You don't need to have experienced a dismal life in a nearly-abandoned town in Siberia, the culture shock in America, or a strange longing for "home" to appreciate this original spin on the coming-of-age and fish-out-of-water concepts. As a regular American, I must compliment the author for her insightful and amusing observations of Americans.

The main character, Sasha, is herself relatively uninteresting as a kid in Asbestos 2, a bi-racial, chubby, non-practicing Jew with no particular talents. While Sasha is still in Russia, the novel to me is merely ok, with the action a bit slight as the focus is on the interactions of the characters within their dreary lives, often with resignation and cynicism. Except for the bi-racial Jew and art school angles, this didn't seem particularly fresh.

When Sasha gets the idea to become a mail-order bride in order to get to America to find her father, the action perks up. From then on, as Sasha goes from Arizona to Chicago and New York and a pass through Russia, her character gradually develops more sophistication (after all, she's still a teenager) and likability. Each new stop provides the author with a fresh opportunity to make sharp comments or show some wry humor. To me, the idea of a "pet Jew" was brand new, for sure.

As with Olga Grushin's novel, I can barely comprehend how a new novelist can write so well in a second language. Ulinich also made the highly appropriate choice to sprinkle in many Russian terms and phrases, naturally almost none of which I knew, rather than using English translations. One of my favorites was this excerpt: "Ponayehali...," sighs the grandma. On her way to the poseyolok, Sasha tries to translate the old woman's lament into English. The single word ponayehali means 'they arrived over a period of time, in large enough masses to become an annoyance.' O, the great and mighty Russian language! thinks Sasha. Here abuse is compact and efficient; two prefixes do the job of a sentence. Suddenly Sasha finds herself missing Brooklyn, where people simply call each other (a word you can imagine that starts with m)." That's nice.

I cannot hold my enthusiastic desire to share with you my marveling over this wonderful book I have been reading. It's by Anya Ulinich "Petropolis".
A story told by Anya Ulinch, who herself immigrated to USA from Moscow with her parents when she was 17, lived in Chicago and studied at the Art Institute. So she seems to know all ins and outs of what a typical teenager would know going to a mid-town high school or intricacies of Russian immigrant community, that we experienced first hand over the last 20 years. The weird and mesmerizing thing is that all of this is seen and told from the viewpoint of Ulinich's heroine, Sasha Goldberg, who as a 16-yesr old girl, half Russian, half Negro and also Jewish, born and raised in a murky Siberian ghost town Asbestos-2 and then makes a trans-Atlantic jump as a mail-in bride from Repin Lyceums in Moscow to America and settles in one of the North Shore multimillion mansions as a no-visa home maid.
Anya Ulinich's is great in her satirical, beneath-the-skin, and somewhat nostalgic description of Sasha growing up in Asbestos-2 in the post-perestroika years of complete nihilism and degradation. It gave me a very new look at the different Russia, which neither of us, thanks God, ever experienced. Here Ulinich heavily uses Russian idiomatic expressions, like "all the way up to devil's horns" when she wants to literally convey expression " ". She is not translating; she writes in great English, but one needs to feel Russian language to read and enjoy every line of this book. Ulinich is great in dialogues; she is even better in her description and utter sarcasm of today's Russia.
But just wait until you get to page 101, when Sasha Goldberg finally arrives to America. Nobody can spot her here as a Russian Jew, as she is transparently seen as pretty fat 16-year old black girl. This allows Ulinich to set Sasha on a such an independent and sardonical outlook that would make you take a new look at our society in general and at the Russian community in particular. And ...if you have not smoked weed, have not had a teen girl attending Art Institute of Chicago, never really mixed up with the taxi-driver type of the Chicago Russians, you would certainly replenish you life knowledge.
This is a book of a gifted and brave author; she is on par or maybe better than her peers. The book may make you both re-think and re-feel of our own long journey from there to where you are today.

Just finished Petropolis in one sitting. It's more than just a piece of fiction about Russian Jewish immigrants in the US. Above all, it's a touching story that evokes laughter, tears, and existential thoughts about the meaning of your own life. Ulinich did an incredible job conveying the personalities of the characters, and the depth of their more tragic than happy life experiences.

The above reviews would give you the feeling that this is just an immigrant novel though a very good one. It is and a lot more.

It is a stupendously well written weave of character, plot and some of the best descriptive metaphors strung like pearls paragraph after paragraph. I am astounded.
Disclaimer: I have an semi-Jewish immigrant wife and know dinner table Russian which makes the book even more enjoyable. But it is not just an "insiders" book.

Very funny, very sad, unbelievably good book for such a young writer.

JoAn W. Martin
2407 Kilgore Rd.
Baytown, TX 77520
281 427-2713

Rockliff, Mara. Pieces of Another World. Illustrated by Salima Alikhanb. Mt. Pleasant, SC. Sylvan Dell Publishing. 2005. Hardback. 32 pages. #15.95. Ages 5-9 ISBN 0-9764943-2-9

Many children have questions about meteors. Was that a shooting star? Author Mara Rockliff watched a meteor shower with friends one bitterly cold night. They huddled under blankets, afraid if they blinked they'd miss those tiny bits that blazed into our sky from distant worlds.
What a dynamic way to introduce the night sky. When Jody's father wakes her in the middle of the night, he tells her to put on her shoes, he has a surprise for her. She can't imagine where they are going in his old blue pickup.
The only answer she gets to her thousands of questions is, "I will show you some pieces of another world."
Jody and her father stop for ice cream, pass by a lake, see a fox, and hear an owl. Jody considers each is "a piece of another world." Her father declares these are not what he brought her out to see.
Rockliff has written her first picture book as a story of a little girl's adventure with her father and a perfect book for early science curriculum. She offers a blend of nature, science and imagination.
Salima Alikhan teaches art in a Montessori school. She has a unique way of creating the effect of snow, gravel, sand, stars by sprinkling salt on top of the watercolors while it's still wet. Pieces of Another World is also her first picture book.
For Creative Minds section follows the story. It defines key terms, shows an illustrated comet's orbit, and a comet cookie edible craft.
Sylvan Dell Publishing has discovered a perfect niche, picture books that assist parents and teachers teach awe-inspiring scientific instruction.

What child hasn't wondered what it would be like to be out in the night world? In this book, a father and daughter take a delightful night trip through a small town, ending up in a field where they spot a meteor (also called a shooting star) and this gives Jody's father a perfect opportunity to explain about meteors.

The story is well-told and very easy for a young person to relate to. Lush, dreamy watercolor illustrations done in rich nighttime colors compliment the prose. A section in back called "Creative Minds" tells more about meteors and includes meteor math and directions for holding a "meteor watching party." Another page in back gives a recipe for comet cookies and there's also a graphic page which shows a comet's orbit.

This book is a wonderful bedtime story for parents and children to share. It also makes an excellent resource for early elementary curriculums about the night sky.

It is the middle of the night; a little girl is snug in her bed, sleeping soundly when she hears. "Wake up, Jody-bird." It's her father telling her to get dressed; they are going on an adventure. As they drive in their old blue pickup, Jody's dad tells her they are going to see some pieces of another world. Jody knows instinctively that this is a night she will always remember. She cranks the window down and lets the breeze lift her hair, the streets are empty and the town is quiet. Making this a truly fun evening, her dad buys her an ice cream cone before continuing on their adventure.

As they drive out of town they see a deer in the road, the deserted swimming hole, a lonely red fox, and an owl high up in a tree. Jody has never seen this dark and mysterious world before. But these things are not the pieces of another world her father was talking about.

Stopping the truck, her father gets out, drops the tailgate and boosts Jody up to the truck bed where they snuggle up in soft, fuzzy blankets. Pointing skyward, Jody's dad tells her to watch. Suddenly, a streak of white cuts through the sky, followed by another and then another. Those are meteors, her dad explains, tiny pieces of some distant world. As each white streak cuts across the sky Jody whispers, "Pieces of another world."

This beautifully illustrated book is more than a story about a little girl and her dad; it is also a learning tool. Several pages in the back of the book contain a "Creative Mind" and "Meteor Math" section, answering questions a child might ask after hearing the story. This is a perfect time for the parent and child to interact. There are instructions to help you organize the perfect meteor watching party as well as a recipe for comet cookies.

I love the opening line of Pieces of Another World by Mara Rockliff. "My ears woke up before the rest of me." What a wonderful word picture.

Jody's dad woke her up one night and invited her to go with him on an adventure into the night world. Out in the wide open spaces Jody and her dad enjoy the magical wonders of a meteor shower.

Pieces of Another World is entertaining and educational. The author's use of words is delicious. The watercolor illustrations are lovely and will be enjoyed by children and adults. And the back of the book has a section titled "Creative Minds" where children can learn about meteors, discover how to plan a meteor watching party, see a drawing of a comet's orbit and even make comet cookies.

Armchair Interviews says: Pieces of Another World is a wonderful read for 4-8 year old children

Rockliff has crafted a beautiful story of nighttime adventure, discovery, and family. The illustrations highlight the prose, adding to the delight of the story. Children will immediately be drawn in by the mystery of the surprise young Jody's father wants to share. It's a perfect bedtime readaloud story for parents to share with their children. Teachers will definitely want to add this to their shelves to supplement their space science curriculum. It's perfect for everyone!

Heard this story as a child from my grandparents who were on German background. This story is just like they told it. Beautiful illustrations complete the story that swirled in my head so many years ago!!

Ok.I HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK.I hope that you don`t hurt my reviews for this,but in a way,I HAVE read this book.I am in this play,so I have read this script.And since the play is going to be on Saturday,(5th) and Sunday(6th) and also for the next weekend,I have to read this script over and over and over again.I think that this book is a very good book.In the play I am Miss Applebee but I think that this book is very good it must be.

When I was about seven-years-old a family member gave me a recording, (78s) of the Pied Piper of Hamelin narrated by Ingrid Bergman. As I listened, I could see the characters in my head and never tired of the story.

A month ago I bought the book for my eight-year-old granddaughter who lives about eight hundred miles away from me, because I was afraid with the passing of one more generation, the story might be forgotten.

It is a lovely book, written by Robert Browning more than a century ago. The drawings are perfect, given the dated language used in this book. And the story has a simple message, about honoring our promises.

Sadly, my granddaughter glanced at the book and was clearly not interested. I wanted to read it with her, intending to make clear the English used by Browning.

So, a tale almost twelve hundred years old bit the dust, at least in our family it did.

But if you are a lover of this fable, it is worth your time to try it out on the children in your family. They will be the richer for it.

This book would be a wonderful treasure for the pictures alone. Kate Greenaway, noted children's illustrator, has created a magical world of beautiful children, innocent faces, and romantic, nostalgic costumes. The colors on these pages are breathtaking, and the details (although Greenaway is always faulted for not drawing hands and feet well) are superb. This story is not for very young children, as it contains some troublesome themes. For the older child, perhaps 7+, the story might provoke some interesting post-read family discussions about honesty, trust, and the actual state of the children at the end of the tale. This is even a beautiful book to give to adults, as the messages about human nature can be appreciated on a deeper level.

"Rats!
They fought the dogs, and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats,
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats."

Robert Browning (1812-1889) first published his poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin, A Child's Story" in 1842, based on an old German legend which may or may not have had some basis in historical fact. Browning was a serious poet; even in a poem filled with playful rhymes written specifically for children, he did not "dumb down" his language, but expected his readers to do a little work in understanding some of his "big words."

Kate Greenaway (1846-1901) was one of the most famous and popular illustrators of children's literature in the latter part of the 19th Century. She had grown up loving Browning's poem, and shortly before his death she requested and received his permission to republish it accompanied by her own illustrations. This edition was initially published in 1888 under the imprint of George Routledge & Sons, which was at that same time in the process of splitting between Routledge and Frederick Warne. Starting in 1889 all subsequent editions carried the Warne imprint. The book continued to be popular, and Frederick Warne has issued reprints from time to time, well into the late 20th Century. This Warne edition is not in print at present, but used copies with various reprint dates are available from Amazon Marketplace sellers.

However, two different reprint editions are currently available, each with the complete original text and illustrations, and each presented with loving care from an eminently respectable publisher, in well-made but modestly priced editions. The Dover reprint (ISBN 0486296199) is full-size, in a sturdy paperback; the Alfred A Knopf/Borzoi/Everyman's Library reprint (ISBN 0679428127) is part of their Children's Classics series, in a very sturdily constructed hardcover with sewn sections that will not crack with use, but the page size is somewhat smaller. Both are beautiful books, and either is an excellent value.

As noted in the Editorial Reviews above, there have been other editions of "The Pied Piper," with different illustrations, and at least one seems to have been issued with the poem itself "retold" to make the language simpler; neither of those reviews is discussing this original version. Some readers may prefer one or another of these different versions. But anyone wanting to stick with Browning's original full text and Greenaway's original charming, muted and subtle illustrations should choose between the Dover or the Everyman's, or visit Amazon's Marketplace sellers to look for a copy of the Frederick Warne.

I don't think I am qualified to write a review of this piece of art. Think Toni Morrison on LSD, or maybe Falkner writing in Hebrew as Isaiah, composing in a way never before conceived, about of all things, The Hollocaust! I guess this most twisted example of human depravity requires such a book. However, if I had not read Mr. Grossman's beautiful love narrative, " Someone to Run With" I would not have known at first if it was a work of genius or a tale told by an idiot, and might not have hung in there long enough to declare it the former - 5 stars! However, a second reading may be required to understand the nuances.

Words fail. I beg anyone who has been considering buying into Jonathan Safran Foer's hype to instead find themselves a copy of this, the book from which he appears to have stolen most of his ideas, instead.

All hyperbole aside, this wonderful book has few equals. It demands attention, and reflection, and time, and it rewards those willing to invest those things in it beyond compare. Nothing short on a meditation the way our lives are impacted by the moral calculi of others, and the way our own actions reverberate throughout the generations.

As an Israeli who have read it in Hebrew, I would like to add a few words. One thing: this book is entirely different if you read it in Hebrew. It losses a lot in the translation, and not because the translation is bad, rather that the combination of different layers of very special Hebrew combined with Yiddish, along with the cultural context, makes it a book that is an impossible mission for the translator. Of course, you can't ask someone to learn Hebrew just for this book (and this still won't be enough, because he has to be born again as an Israeli and grow up here to understand everything...), but the book has numerous universal aspects that can be translated, and it's still, even after the translation, a must-read.
And now, for the book itself (if there is such a thing the book itself...).
This is by-far the greatest Israeli book that I have ever read. I had one feeling that went along with me throughout the journey: I don't know how the hell he did. I just don't know. Like a magician that makes a trick you just can't figure. The scope. The depth. I cannot describe this book. It defies space and time. It is a masterpiece.

It was hard to read this novel. Grossman presents us with mysteries and references that require both faith and patience -- they are amply rewarded. Part of what delays the intrepid reader is the time required just to absorb, to make connections, to take deep breaths, to sob. The horror and disgust that one expects in a holocaust novel are there, but what pulls us up short are the compassion and, yes, love that emerge in the most unlikely places. It would be no help to read a synopsis of this book or to have a guide to its mysteries, because you read it in your heart and in the aqueous subconscious. Reading is always an act of love, a tryst of imagination with the writer. When it really goes well, when the miracle occurs, a child, a book is produced between them. It hovers luminously in the aether - real, profound, fleeting. See Under: Love invites us to into that relationship, helps us visualize it, and transforms our sense of what this world really is. There is plenty to study, learn, and analyze in Mr. Grossman's incredible work, but my first reading was a sacred experience. This book sat on my shelf for about eleven years. I gave a first edition of it to a young man obsessed with the holocaust who died a year later of a mysterious disease. I thought picking it up would mean acknowledging his absence - instead it reassured me of his presence. Prepare to be surprised.

One of the best novels I have ever read. Don't miss it!

This volume contains genuinely creepy tales from various parts of the world. The writing is atmospheric and Katherine Coville's illustrations are well-crafted. This would be an ideal choice for anyone looking for a spooky book to read to classes at Halloween, around the camp-fire, or just for their own entertainment. And really, who could resist a book with memorable monsters like the Tailypo, the Cegua, the Golem, and the Loup-Garou?

This book is a well put together collection of folktales and true ghost stories from all over the world . i enjoyed it very much.
There is a nice diverse mix of stories, but no matter where they are from, all are relatable because fear is a universal human emotion.
Beautifully done illustrations set the mood of the book off perfectly.

Short and Shivery

Do you like reading ghost stories that leave you afraid to turn out the lights at night? Short and Shivery by Robert D. San Sousi has many haunted stories that are really creepy.
In the story of "The Haunted Inn" a guy named Wei along with a couple of his friends were driving around. All of a sudden a storm appeared. Because of the violent storm they had to stop and stay at an inn. They were greeted warmly by the innkeeper and his wife. I felt one of the best parts in "The Haunted Inn" was when the group went up in front of Wei's friend's face. The reason I mentioned both both of these incidents in the stories is because they were the creepiest.
In another story, "The Duppy"the protagonist, a boy named Jubal Lescot had an aunt that died when he was six. He told us she had been mean and evil. He overheard his neighbor talking about a duppy, or a ghost. A few weeks later he went to the graveyard to spy on the duppy, but instead, the duppy spotted him! One of the best parts in "The Duppy" was when Jubal came running from the duppy and ran into his father. His father said, "In the morning we will put the duppy to rest." They were going to kill!
If you didn't enjoy the last book you read, you shouldn't wait to read this. This book has many different stories, and each will excite you. Go and buy it now! These stories will creep you out.

My sons, ages 8 and 5, absolutely LOVE these stories! They are just scary enough without going overboard, and have great plots that keep their attention the whole time. We will definitely be buying more in this series.

This book was great because it had so many scary folk tales and tall tales. I liked that it had short stories. I liked this book more because of all the scary stories that they have in this book. The one I like the most was "The Water Fall of the Living Ghost".