Literature Books

This was quite helpful and informative for a book aimed at preteens, yet highly accessible and understandful. It offers great tips and advice, especially on dealing with feelings and seeing them in a healthy, real perspective. I even used this for an essay I had to write!

J'adore! ^_^

(p.s. everyone should real Twilight.)

Don't get misled by the cover. This book is for girls at any age. . . Really.. As we grow older, people assume we know things that we are not supposed to know. For instance, how to keep and take good care of our emotions and feelings.. This is the book that will get you started..

I got this book along with the "What would you do??" book for my 12 years old step daughter and she loved it...I noticed its hard for her to communicate with us and being that our marriage is new to her and the possibility of having a little brother and sister someday is making her worried that she will no longer be the only child, a book about expressing feelings seemed perfect...She sat down with us to read through the books...THANKS AMERICAN GIRL this book is great!!!

I got this book along with the "What would you do??" book for my 12 years old step daughter and she loved it...I noticed its hard for her to communicate with us and being that our marriage is new to her and the possibility of having a little brother and sister someday is making her worried that she will no longer be the only child, a book about expressing feelings seemed perfect...She sat down with us to read through the books...THANKS AMERICAN GIRL this book is great!!!

Gave this book to my Tween daughter. I think this book will help with a lot of the problems they will come in contact with.

My boys, ages 6 and 7, love this book. The art work is fantastic, and the story is great. We have read it many times and sometimes we just look at the pictures, which are so full of detail.

I would highly recommend it.

I grew up with this book and it is still relevant. The shipping was fast and the book arrived in perfect condition.

I have all the same things to say as everyone else. I loved this as a kid, my copy was all torn apart, the artwork is stunning, etc., etc.

The story is lovely and teaches a lesson. My 2-year old likes this story because of the illustrations and the COLORS. He likes to name the colors of the goblins. Of course, he does not really understand the story, which is good, because it might be a bit scary for little kids. By the time he does understand, it won't be scary anymore, and he will already have gotten a couple years of enjoyment out of the book just based on the pictures and colors.

I completely recommend this book for all children's libraries and collections.

My children (when they were young) and I LOVE this book. The pictures are beautiful, colorful renditions. The story is one that interests young children, but doesn't frighten them. While this is not the original, full-size art book, it is a very nice printing that can be read and enjoyed many times. I have purchased many copies as gifts and all were appreciated.

I found the story disturbing and no amount of beautiful artwork is going to change that. The goblins plan to steal the rainbow colors, but the flowers beat them to it. Then the flowers lie in wait for the goblins to drown them with the rainbow colors. The rainbow is saved and turns the flowers into colorful creatures as a reward.

Make your own choice, but we are not keeping this book.

I saw E. Thomas' review and I think that person should go back to reading young adult books, as they can't handle adult life.

I loved this book and read it last year. A month ago I read Nathan's second novel, The Mulligan, and loved it also. They are two totally different books.

I read the Authors 2nd book ("The Mulligan") first.

The I back tracked and read "Waiting for White Horses".

Both were heartfelt books, that allow the reader to feel the thoughts and sorrows that life might throw at you.

Not too sure about sharing the cup of coffee thing, in Waiting for White Horses book.

Or Just, maybe I haven't shared enough in life :-)

A friend gave my husband this book because he had heard my husband talk about things that happened in the book. My husband enjoyed the book so much that we bought 3 to send to his high school buddies. They have all responded that they are enjoying the book and the memories it stirs. It made them laugh and shed a tear as well.

This book triggered just about every emotion. I laughed out loud,and cried... out loud. It's a great love story, no, it's a story about fathers and sons, no, it is a story about the friendship between two middle-aged men. Well, maybe it's just a touching story about life.

I loved it.

Nathan Jorgenson is a first-rate storyteller and Waiting for White Horses is an irresistible tale. I read all but the last chapter in one day, and the only reason I put it down is that I didn't want it to end. It made me laugh and it made me cry, and even today--weeks after I finished-- scenes and conversations from the book keep popping into my mind. What more can you ask from a novel?

Writing about writing is wrought with woe, because a clever few words gathered by one writer may become muck in the minds of some readers.

However, here goes. Good conversation is based on a genuine interest in others. But, the key to good writing is a genuine interest in good ideas. Bradbury loves ideas, he is a master of wonderful "what if?" flights of fancy. For example, who else could see a fallen harbour pier and imagine it into a lovelorn dinosaur?

Bradbury uses words and ideas the way Thomas Edison used science and ideas. But what launches such talent? In Bradbury's case, a wondrous magician with a seedy two-bit carnival who took time to listen to the great ideas of a 12-year-old boy.

Complicated? Stephen Leacock once said about writing, "You just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself -- it is the occurring which is difficult."

So, how does Bradbury do it? Basically, his life is a fun adventure; he enjoys life; facing his day's work is not a burden, for him writing is always the fever, the delight, the ardor of life itself. He has the spirit of wonder, adventure and mischief of a seven-year-old. Think 'Calvin' of comic strip fame, and you appreciate the mind of Bradbury. If this seems odd, it is only because 'Calvin' is a cartoon boy instead of a white-haired old sage. Bradbury's ideas underwent a similar evolution from fantasy to relevance in the 1950s, when librarians and scientists awoke to see the genius inherent in science fiction.

A second element, which Bradbury downplays, also relates to Leacock, "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." Bradbury enjoys his work with the delight 'Calvin' has in playing. If there isn't a 'Hobbes' in Bradbury's life, it's only because he hasn't told us of it yet.

A third element is Bradbury's love of books. In his early career, he wrote in the basement of a library. For a break, he went upstairs to the library and, in his words, "There I strolled, lost in love, down the corridors, and through the stacks, touching books, pulling volumes out, turning pages, thrusting volumes back, drowning in all the good stuffs that are the essence of libraries."

This book is much more than "zen", it celebrates "love" in a way that is almost lost in today's world . . .. . but which nonetheless has profound meaning. Romance novels are about the quest for love; Bradbury is someone who celebrates a love of new ideas every day.

Few books about writing are this good.

This is a keeper. Sometimes as authors we second guess ourselves and this really helps put writing into perspective.

It was fascinating to read here the writing autobiography of one of the favorite authors of my youthful self. Bradbury's reflection on his boyhood literary influences easily triggered my own look back to the time when he was mine. Zen, by the author's admission, was a very new concept for him (just a few weeks old) when he wrote the title essay in this collection. And also, he confesses, used as his title the way a medicine show barker would use "calliope, drum and Blackfoot Indian," to get the audience's attention. As for his actually doing the Zen thing, that would be a longer story, and the subtext of this book. Bradbury recounts the catalytic events of a long literary life, the necessary attention to the memory-material within, the introspective silence and the stepping out of bed onto a fresh metaphorical landmine each morning, the links back through time to smells and sights and fears and loves that shaped the stories he came to tell. Living like a lizard: full tilt boogey or unblinking on a rock. Details of formative events as disparate as the writing of his best known novel, FAHRENHEIT 451, in the basement of the L.A. Public Library or an early encounter with Mr. Electrico, a sideshow performer in a second-rate carnival paint a vivid self-portrait of a writing life. ('451 was written on a pay-per-use public library typewriter which required a dime per half hour, and the finished original manuscript cost Bradbury $9.80. Not a bad investment for a bestseller turned movie script which is still in print forty-five years later. And, of course, 451 tells the tale of a future day when all books are burned by official edict, starting with the libraries... Mr. Electrico zapped him with the news that he had lived before, and was immortal.) As a practical writing guide, ZEN pales compared to "DEEP WRITING, 7 PRINCIPLES THAT BRING IDEAS TO LIFE (Tarcher/Putnam, 1999) by Eric Maisel but this is a far better story: electrified, blazoned with color, and drunk while in charge of its own bicycle. A real treat for current or one-time or future Bradbury fans.

Having taught writing for twenty years, publishing four novels along the way, I regard this as the bible on the craft of writing. Bradbury's advice to have fun and let one's fingers play across the keyboard, letting enthusiasm and a love of words govern the composing process, cuts through the the tedious, mind-numbing literary algorithms of writing seminars and classes.

I suppose it's legitimate to discuss aspects of writing such as characterization, pacing, plot arc, and backstory ... if one is a lit major. There's a time and a place for everything saith the Book of Ecclesiastes, but I'm not at all convinced that the classroom teaches one to write well. I have never heard a lecture on narrative technique that didn't help me catch up on sleep. Worse yet, writing seminars usually pair you with a peer critic who knows less than you do, causing you to revise a decent piece of writing to satisfy Muffy from Vassar. Like Stephen King said in ON WRITING, if you want to be a writer, "read a lot and write a lot." To which I say, "Amen and amen."

No one can really teach anyone else how to write, and that's what makes this book such a refreshing change from the how-to books in the writing section at B&N. Bradbury wants you to love the craft, advising that whatever is good and possible in writing will flow from the springs of passion and the desire to create. Aspiring writers sit down with much angst, trying to juggle rules of composition in their minds as they begin a story. Once a story is in progress, there is constant self-editing and critiquing instead of writing the story. Bradbury's dictum is to unfocus, as it were (hence the "zen"), and let ideas slam the page "like a lightning bolt." Find a character, he says, and "shoot him off." Yes, all writers must then do the dirty work of going back to edit and revise, but that's for later. Bradbury tells us that he wrote the first draft of FAHRENHEIT 451 in seven days because he was motivated. Any such confession of a writer today in an anal-retentive literary marketplace would be regarded as lunacy and the remark of a novice not destined for publication.

The book is filled with other wonderful anecdotes about how the author began his stories and fed the muse, and each one is inspirational and worth far more than lectures that leave one feeling as if writing is an arcane exercise for people who eat caviar with literary agents. ZEN IN THE ART OF WRITING is about real people with a real desire to communicate their emotions in a vital, honest, and original manner.

As the cover blurb says, writing "is a celebration, not a chore." Buy this book!

Zen. The practice of living fully in the now, paying full attention to being, and to doing.

Is this possible with writing? It is if you follow Bradbury's lead, and immerse yourself first in what he tells you about how HE writes, and then, put the book aside, and immerse yourself in your own daily writing practice.

Do it fearlessly, consistently, and mindfully, and allow your best to surface. You'll stop being so quick to judge what you write, and just let the writing flow (editing and rewriting come later)!

So go ahead, pick up the book and read a little. Then, pick up the pen, and follow your Zen.

This is a great compendium of short stories from the mind of the man who dreamed up Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda, all renowned stories for children. The book pulls together some of the best from several of his collections.

Dahl, who was married for a long time to actress Patricia Neal (The Day the Earth Stood Still), hosted a British television show in 1961 called "Way Out," an anthology show whose episodes are hard to find today. He later hosted another anthology show called "Tales of the Unexpected" (1979-88). Both shows featured a number of Dahl's own stories. Some of Dahl's work has also been adapted to other television programs, notably "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

The hallmark of Dahl's stories is a good dose of irony, coupled with a macabre sense of humor. Dahl's stories work fantastically well on this level, bringing the reader to laughter in a horrified kind of way. His dialogue is sharp and characters are well drawn and very human, even at their worst. In "Lamb to the Slaughter," for example, a woman kills her cheating husband, then disposes of the murder weapon in a singularly unique way. The reader will feel for her and root for her to get away with it, and she does. Another frequently adapted work, "Man from the South," tells the story of a man who likes to wager with other people's fingers.

For readers who fondly remember Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka from childhood, and who also appreciate poking fun at the dark side of human nature, The Best of Roald Dahl is highly recommended.

Very often the writer's skill can be appreciated after reading their short stories. The short form requires discipline and has to catch the reader's attention in a short time. Roald Dahl managed to do this in his short stories (the shorter ones from this collection are the best!). The stories are truly timeless - although written between 1945 and 1965, they have not aged at all. They still keep the readers holding their breath and having goose bumps. There are horrors, great insights into human soul, relationships, perversions, addictions...
I knew only "James and the Giant Peach" before I was recommended this collection by a (British) friend, who I am very grateful to. I have been returning to the stories over and over again. My favorites are probably the most morbid ones, starting with "Man from the South" through "Skin", "Royal Jelly" to "Pig". I like also "Taste" which is more focused on psychology. Anyway, Dahl knew how to find an original subject, how to twist the plot leading to the unexpected and very satisfying finale, and how to use the English language.

Roald Dahl is best known for his children's books, namely CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. This book collects some of his best adult short stories from his long career. The dark humor and morality that guides his children's books are amplified here. Outlandish, often unlikable characters often personify one or more of the seven deadly sins and usually pay for it. Dahl's dark sense of humor is fantastic and almost every story ends with a delightfully surprising and ironic twist. Dahl's macabre sensibility might draw comparisons to Poe, but his style is not nearly as laborious. Gems from this collection include: "The Man From the South," (a story that Quentin Tarantino, among others, has paid homage to); "Skin" about a million dollar tattoo; "Pig," in which a vegetarian boy discovers the joys and horrors of meat; a story about a hair-brained wife-swapping scheme; and "The Sound Machine," which allows one to hear the screams of plants. My only complaint about the collection is that the order is chronological and some of the more absurd stories fall in the middle, which makes some of the later, less absurd stories a bit of a letdown. But overall, a fantastic collection.

As a child, I loved Roald Dahl's books from James and the Giant Peach to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Now that I am a little older, I started to read his mature works. I never go so enthusiastic about reading a book. You get it all with Roald Dahl, humor, suspence, brutality, and horrific stories all end with a surprising twist that you will never suspect. The best reading in years. Highly Recommended. My favorite is The Great Switcheroo. He is definatly one of the greatest writers of our time.

Have loved his kids' books ever since I was a child and am now reading them with my daughter. This one is for grownups only, though! I described this collection to friends by saying "Roald Dahl is the British Flannery O'Connor." If you like dark, funny (sometimes truly twisted) short stories where, in surprise endings, those who scheme and plot always get theirs, you will truly enjoy this book.

If you do legal work at home, this dictionary is essential to have there. As a law student, I have unlimited access to the Westlaw version of Black's, but there are a great deal of missing entries in that format. I have literally never tried to look up a word in the hardbound version without finding it--not so with the online or pocket versions. It is also an excellent citation source for basic legal facts, something you can't do with the internet version because of the lack of page numbers. Perhaps a little expensive for a student, but this sturdy, long-lasting volume will pay for itself by saving you time.

I am very pleased with this purchase. It will be used for a long time.

I am studing to become a Legal Translator at university in Argentina and this dictionary is one of the best I have ever been able to consult.

All law students must have this. It is a great help in learning the law language.

If a lawyer doesn`t have Blaskey, he isn`t a lawyer.
I really love this book; in Russia it costs nearly 300$, so i ordered it here. Thanks Amazon, a got Black`s law in 10 days in great condition via DHL. Thank you!

This book is written in the true Russian style. It's poignant and shocking and hard to put down.

The forward explains how the writer was treated in Tashkent for cancer while serving a sentence of forced labor exile. Post World War II Tashkent was cosmopolitan. The story takes place in February and March 1955 in a city like Tashkent. By then Stalin had died, Beria had been executed, and Malenkov had fallen from office.

The number of the cancer ward is thirteen. An official is to be treated for a tumor at the hospital. He resents the squalor of his surroundings. He consents, nonetheless, to undergo treatments. Dr. Dontsova has three residents. They call her Mama.

The bureaucracy insists that Dontsova dismiss indeterminate cases, cases where there is no improvement. Dontsova is troubled herself by stomach pains. Guilt she feels, though, is triggered by the existence of radiation sickness since she is an oncologist and radiologist. She cleans and shops and cooks for her family consisting of her husband and son.

One evening the male patients have an argument about moral perfectionism. It is claimed that Gorky, Stalin, and Lenin all thought that Tolstoy's doctrine was dangerous. Continuing their discussion, the male cancer patients are happy to think of traditional peasant remedies. Illness levels. The functionary and the exile are similarly situated.

Sickness provides respite from work and citizenly duties. Centers for treatment draw a cosmopolitan mix of people. Many people had lives interrupted in war service. Fairly detailed descriptions of the soviet medical system are given. Shortages of cleaning rags and other dysfunctions are common. Attempts to rationalize procedures and safeguard limited resources slow progress and create inefficiencies.

Oleg Filimonovich Kostoglotov, one of the points through which consciousness flows in the novel, resides in Ush-Terek, a virgin lands territory, and is a topographer but works as a land surveyor. The Ministry of Internal Affairs required that he live there. He was administratively exiled.

Pavel Nikolayevich Rusanov, the official being treated, strives to be optimistic as Gorky couseled. He looks forward to the visits of his wife, Kapitolina Matveyena. At first a geologist, Vadim, thought that Oleg Kostoglotov was a rude loud-mouth. (Vadim was collected, proud, and polite.) He saw that Rusanov was a standard sort of bureaucrat. Later Vadim discovered that Oleg was not arrogant. In fact, he was even generous.

Oleg discovered that after the world of the camps, exile could not be cruel. He was thirty-four and now too old too obtain a university education. He felt he could be content in exile if only he had his health. Oleg's good friends in Ush-Terek were a pediatrician and his wife. Oleg admired the chief surgeon at the facility. He had worked in the camps. Oleg picked up this piece of biography through the surgeon's choice of words. Oleg accused Rusanov of not being patriotic, of not having a love for country, but rather of wanting a fat pension.

Someone cites a writing of Lenin that an official should be paid a wage equal to the amount paid to a good worker. An older man tells Oleg that with his history he is fortunate since he has had to lie less. The man, a scientist, had been forced to follow the faulty teachings of Lysenko.

Dontsova had dealt with the ailments of other for thirty years. Now she has been diagnosed. She is to take sick leave and proceed to the Moscow Institute She makes her final rounds. Rusanov is released. He believes that he is cured. Oleg is discharged to recover from the treatment and to return to Ush-Terek. This is a masterpiece.

What could be more depressing than a group of people living in an austere Soviet structure in 1955, discussing their dismal lives as denouncers, soldiers, labor camp workers and exiles under Stalin's policies? All of the aforementioned set in the confines of a dreary cancer ward. The conversations, thoughts, and actions involve a dozen or so patients undergoing treatment and the hospital staff providing it. Solzhenitsyn, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, survivor of cancer and of eight years in a labor camp, is a master writer, but this grim novel about life in a cancer ward can best be described by...any word synonymous with "depressing." The patients' ponderings on their diagnoses, treatments, and prognoses, as well as of their former lives "on the outside" are covered extensively. Preferable reads: The Gulag Archipelago by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Kolyma Tales by Varlam Shalamov, and Journey into the Whirlwind by Eugenia Semyonovna Ginzburg.

The media would like us to forget how wrong they were about the Soviet Union for 70 years. Stalin and his ilk were not agrarian reformers or overly enthusiastic New Dealers. They set up the most brutal political system in human history. Or maybe they were just overly enthusiastic New Dealers after all. Solzhenitsyn shows us what life was really like for those we helped condemn to live under that system, especially in Eastern Europe after the sell-out of Yalta. In this and in First Circle and Ivan Denisovich, he doesn't speculate like Orwell in 1984, he just tells it like he saw it. Consequently, he would never win a Nobel Prize today, not anti-American enough.

I know that sounds like hyperbole, but seriously. He's just so very good at capturing a very wide variety of characters. It starts out like "Things Fall Apart" or "Palace Walk" as a portrait of an unlikable man. But it very quickly morphs into something much more complex and amazing as he widens the scope again and again to incorporate every one of the people in the Cancer Ward. Truly it's hard to speak about exactly what he's doing. But as a friend of mine said, even with that Nobel Prize, he's still underrated.

This has rapidly become my 22-month-old granddaughter's favorite book. We all love the charming and beautifully designed popups, especially the last one, "all colors". A bit fragile, but that just means it is a teaching opportunity on how to take care of fragile, beautiful things.

This is one of the best pop-up books and is very well made unlike others I've reviewed. Our 10 month old LOVES to open flaps and these are quite easy to open. She also likes to tear, so I have to be quick to move on the the next page =) The colors are bold and very beautiful and just pop out at you. Very beautifully done! I wish there were more pop-ups like this one since our daughter loves to interact with books and is always looking for a flap or something to touch or move. She loves this one over and over again until she pushes it away.

Every color has a different way of popping up! My daughter loves this books, especially the green snake and black and white penguin pop-ups! Fantastic book for interaction and visual learning.

Pop ups were disappointing. Very basic. Good book for teaching colors to young children.

My kids love this book, it is our 2nd copy because the 1st got a little over loved (ie. ripped). So this is the special copy that is kept on the top helf. The illustrations and pop-up's are beautiful.

I have a hard time deciding what to write here. Orson Scott Card is able to write passages that literally take my breath away. There was one in "Ender's Game" and there was one at the end of a chapter in this book (you'll probably know it when you read it, and rather than spoil it I'll merely say it reminded me of the famous "For want of a nail the kingdom was lost" bit).

Make no mistake, this is a dark fairy tale. While he doesn't go into overly graphic details, he gives enough so that the reader can clearly 'see' what's happening. There's blood, sex and violence (sometimes all three at once) throughout. The characters are memorable. The writing is clear and sharp. The connections between the main characters are somewhat complicated, making them even more interesting. I felt the choice of 'summarizing' the chapter in the voice of the narrator, at the beginning of each chapter, to be a somewhat odd choice. In many respects this ties into the ending, but it removes much of the suspense. Still, there were other twists that kept things fresh.

Two things kept me from giving it 5 stars. The first is that the book meandered a bit in the middle. Yes, most of the meandering had elements in it that became important later, but the flow bogged down a bit.

But the ending failed for me and is what kept me from giving it 5 stars. There were a couple of elements here. The first was quite simply a typo in the very last paragraph that forced me to stop to see if I'd misunderstood the thrust of the sentence. I hadn't, but it broke the flow of a well written piece of writing.

*mild spoiler alert*




The book also tried to throw a twist in at the very end. The interesting thing is, I'd been thinking about the twist beforehand because I'd just discussed a similar concept with a friend about the use of the 2nd person 'voice' in writing. It was a clever idea, but the execution just didn't work for me, mainly because I never 'identified' with the character I was supposed to, to make it work properly. Now, maybe Card just meant for the reader to feel like he/she was reading a story written, rather than hearing a story spoken, in which case it may have worked better. But I ended with the latter impression not the former, and it just didn't mesh.

Finally, the story introduced a couple of characters as friends of one of the main characters, but they were almost completely absent at the climax and were brought up again briefly at the very end making me wonder where they were at the climax itself.



* end mild spoilers *



This was still a very good book, and had a couple of clever writing ideas, but the problems (or at least what I perceived as such) dragged it down a notch.

Burland's king Nasilee's reign is destroying the country, so Palicroval is urged to overthrow him for the good of the country.

He defeats Nasilee. Then, to solidify his position, he takes Nasilee's young daughter Asineth as a bride, publicly consummating the marriage (rape, in other words) so there's no doubt. He can't, however, bring himself to kill her, though his advisors all agree he should. Instead, he sends her away with the wizard Sleeve, and turns to Enziquelvinisensee Evelvenin, the most beautiful woman in the world, whose hand he'd won before his quest.

Asineth, bitter and bent on revenge, is pregnant with Palicroval's child, which ends up being a 10-month baby--magically significant. She sacrifices the child and uses it to become Queen Beauty, turning Sleeve into a court jester and taking Enziquelvinisensee Evelvenin's appearance for herself, turning the real Enziquelvinisensee Evelvenin into a hag.

She returns to the capital and takes over, allowing Palicroval to go anywhere in the land but the capital. She magically watches him and torments him for her amusement.

Finally, the gods take a hand and cause Palicroval to father a child, Orem, whose task, though he's unaware of it, is to set things right.

This is a rather unusually written story--told as an epistle to Palicroval, with the epistle-writer's commentary and advice along with the narrative. It took me a while to get used to the style, but once I did, it added to the feel of the story. It's distant--the omniscient POV doesn't allow the reader deeply into any of the characters' thoughts or emotions--but the story is epic in scale, spanning centuries and involving gods and the fate of a nation; and it's a morality tale as well, so the style fits the story.

The action is gritty, from the rape to the torments Queen Beauty visits on Palicroval, to the events Orem endures on his unknowing quest. Nothing is sugar-coated or coyly avoided, and that too serves the story, showing how even good intentions can result in evil and victims become villains.

And it shows the dangers of attracting the attention of the gods. Isn't there a famous saying about that? Or perhaps its just a truism. The gods' intervention led to the changing fortunes of Palicroval, and the existence and eventual fate of Orem.

It's not that much of a spoiler to say that the ending is open-ended. That, too, serves the story, giving a reason for the epistle to Palicroval.

I'll be re-reading this one more than once, I'm sure.

My only complaint was an annoying sticker on the cover, but I got it to come off with minimal residue. Overall, a solid, strong service. Average speed but great quality of the product itself.

In typical Orson Scott Card fashion, Hart's Hope does not disappoint. One of the things I love about Card is that each one of his books are entirely different, yet they are instantly identifiable as a book that he authored. What's even better is that he always exceeds my expectations. I could build up a book of his in my head for five years, and it would still be better than I could ever imagine. The man is magical with a pen (or a computer) and with Hart's Hope, he has written a truly magical tale.

Orson Scott Card has describe Hart's Hope as the most classic fantasy novel he has written, meaning that the book holds all the elements of a traditional fantasy. It takes place during an unstated time, yet seems medieval in fashion. It involves magic, sorcerers, kingdoms lost, kingdoms fought for, kingdoms saved, vengeance, and kings and queens. It's quite the epic novel wrapped up into a little under 300 pages.

Hart's Hope is the story of Orem, the unknown son of the king, Palicroval. Palicroval has killed the current king and taken the king's daughter as his wife. The king's daughter then decides to take vengeance and becomes Queen Beauty through a truly horrifying ritual of blood and sorcery. Queen Beauty in turn has put the king, Palicroval under a horrible spell and sees his every move. The Hart is a stag of 100 horns, a god of power. The Hart leads Palicroval to a woman who fathers Palicroval's son, though Palicroval is unaware of it. The child is named Orem and has powers that are unknown to anyone, even to himself. All of these storylines interweave into a very complex but surprisingly easy to understand plot that takes us on a truly magical, wondrous, and at times horrifyingly graphic, yet beautiful story.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've never been disappointed with Card. I've read nearly his whole library and find it very hard to rank books of his in order of which I like best, though I must admit that my favorite book of his is still Speaker For The Dead, the sequel to Ender's Game. The great thing about Card's novels is the love we feel for his characters. He has a gift of bringing a touch of humanity to all of his characters. I care about his characters like no other author's. Hart's Hope was no exception.

I enjoyed this one very much and would recommend it to any fans of fantasy. And for those that aren't crazy about that genre, you may still like this book. The writing and the story itself stand alone without being classified into a genre. Beautiful book!

This book was a complete surprise. I have been reading Orson Scott Card for about the last 15 years, but this amazing little book is quite a wonderful departure.

"Hart's Hope" reminds me of a classic, non-politically correct fairy tale with violence, magic and allegory. Underlying the story are the questions of what is good and evil as well as the power of words and the wonder of making and unmaking. These are classic themes but expressed in such a strong inventive voice.

Since this book is a pretty quick read, I am actually considering going back and re-reading this because I was really intrigued with the way Card plays with the different religions and Gods who are so real in the world of this novel that they have their own faults.

This is a fantasic fantasy read, unlike anything I have read in quite some time and very different from anything from OSC. Highly suggest this one.

A great resource for those seeking the character of Christ through humility. This book has encouraged me all the more to desire humility in the face of Christ.

Agree possibly the best book ever written on the subject, deep, slow read so much you must hit the breaks, should be a must read, old English but so powerful, get it if you are wanting to go deep.

Murray has left us a legacy of a high standard to emulate. This Christ-like virtue is not found in any religion.

This work has definitely got to be the best and most profound on the subject of humility, the fruit of the Spirit. There is no other challenger to this title today.

The matter at hand simply cannot be overstated enough, and if applied, is sure to bring fruit to all Christians alike.

A Christian classic.

I have read about humility in books, including the bible for over twenty years. I have searched for what it means to be a humble person, as I always interpreted it as being a doormat. Andrew Murray talks about humility using the life of Christ as our perfect example in such a simple way. I can now apply these very simple principles to my everyday life and I feel free.

I also love and appreciate that this is a small, very simple book. Andrew Murray gets to the heart of the matter without throwing in a lot of extra words.

After reading this book I bought five more copies. As God puts a person on my heart, I give them a copy of this book. this book is a wonderful spiritual journey.

This is much more that an book. It is truely a handbook for every believer. Keep it with your Bible and close to your heart. Give it to everyone you know who has a hunger for more of God.
God bless,
TDH, NC