Literature Books

If this book doesn't make you want to go vegan, nothing will! Help save the Earth, prolong your life and go veg!

This book really opened my eyes to a healthly livestyle for myself, and also for the world. Please read this book!

It's truly rare to discover a book that literally changes your life, but this book is one of them. Mr. Robbins meticulously researches and presents an argument for how one's diet can change not only one's personal well being but the well being of all sentient beings, including the sum of the parts (our planet Earth). This book makes it clear that through our personal dietary choices we can either save the planet (and ourselves) or ignore the problems until it's too late. And although the book implicitly argues for the adoption of a vegetarian diet, it's my hope that people not willing to go that far will at least start making conscious decisions about the purchase of animal products, and realize that supporting humane agriculture is a form of philanthropy that they realize direct benefit from (e.g., it simply tastes better).

In an age of information overload and seemingly insurmountable global problems this book gives rise to a feeling of personal power and the ability to literally change our lives and the planet with every bite we eat. I will rank this as one of the most important books I have read in my lifetime, and I encourage everyone to read it and pass it along to a friend (or enemy).

I never thought I'd give up meat. After I saw a video on Cnn.com about slaughterhouses I became interested and picked up this book. While living in ignorance may seem easier, I think John Robbins is right when he says the truth will set you free. Not only is the information life changing, but he has a very eloquent way of writing. I'm often easily distracted and have a difficult time reading books but i read through the majority of the book in only a few days. I can't imagine many read this book and don't decide to become vegetarian, John Robbins is a remarkable individual.

the title says it all...that's all i can say. i love this book and i recommend it to everyone.

This was such a great book when I read it many years ago. I've recently gotten ahold of a copy and have to say that it's still a great read, especially when we are surounded by object in our daily lives that seem capable of their own thoughts and motives. It's also nice to see young people painted in such a way where they're not just miniature adults but actual kids reacting well to tough situations. I always wanted to learn more about what happened to Ellen and Otto and imagined they both continued to be self-sufficient individuals who went on to do quite well for themselves.

The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien is a wonderful fantasy about a girl named Ellen Carroll. Ellen wakes up one day and finds a silver crown on her bedside table. Shortly after, her house burns down with her family inside. Not knowing what else to do, Ellen decides to hitchhike to her Aunt's house. But then she finds the person who burnt down her house is stalking her because he wants to kidnap her and take her silver crown.

The book begins with Ellen receiving a silver crown in the mail on her birthday. The next thing she knows, her house has burned down, her family is missing and people are willing to engage in mayhem and murder to find her. Ellen decides she needs to visit an aunt and sets out on foot to find her. She eventually meets up with a somewhat mysterious young boy and they attempt to solve the mystery of the crown and get Ellen to safety. This book was written in 1969 and at times it really shows. For example, that Ellen wears pants briefly and gets messy is considered striking within the book. However, in the end the book is driven by Ellen's determination and will.

I first bought this book when I was 12 years old at a book fair at school. I absolutely adored it and read it repeatedly for the next year. I gave it away to someone and never got it back. Only recently have I thought about it again and decided that Amazon was the first place to look for it. When I had read it again I couldn't believe how much of it I remembered from many moons ago. It was the first book to capture my interest in fantasy writing and I have never looked back since.

I first this book when I was about 12, and it remains on my shelf to this day (I'm now 35.) I highly recommend it for kids who enjoy fantasy books. Yes, it's dark and has genuinely creepy moments in it--but I see no reason that should discourage young readers or their parents, as it's an extremely engaging tale of a little girl battling the forces of evil. Resourceful girl characters are in short supply in children's fantasy literature, so this shouldn't be passed over.

The issues raised in another review here (regarding the unhelpfulness of adult authority figures in the book, and Ellen's bad descision to accept a ride from a stranger) would be points well taken if this were a book for 5 year olds. However, any child old enough to read and appreciate this book should be well past the point of learning that policemen are generally good and that hitchhiking is unwise. Give kids some credit! And give them good books, like this one.

it was quick read, and i enjoyed it very much. it's gives an interesting perspective on a lot of issues of world war II and human nature.

I take my title from a piece by Kurt Vonnegut, "Why They Read Hesse." The "they" was the youth of America. His answer was that Hesse tells them the things they want to hear, like bad is bad. He forgot to also stress, if I remember correctly, that Hesse writes in simple sentences with few words. You can read it on a bus or a treadmill at the gym. Complexity and intellectual challenge aren't the main things here.

Vonnegut himself was a lot like that, and Mother Night is maybe the clearest example of this. It is a morality tale with all the ambiguity and subtlety of a topless bar. He starts with a conventional, but interesting, dilemma, that of the undercover agent who is two things at once, and the question is whether the inner is more real than the outer simply because it is inner. Vonnegut as usual attempts to cut this Gordian knot of the demands of duty with the sword of his 1960s hippy morality. And it's not such a bad approach--do no evil, don't think about the big picture, we are what we pretend to be.

So the protagonist willingly accepts his punishment as a traitor despite having the exonerating evidence at hand because he realizes he was what he pretended to be--that his pretend acts had real results. That works great--a "good" person pretended to be "bad" and so did "bad" things and hence was really bad once we use Vonnegut's miracle quotation-point-removing morality.

But if "we are what we pretend to be," is a bad person who pretends to be good actually good? If my hypocritically simulated sacrifice inspires others to sacrifice themselves for values they believe in, am I really good? Is the coward general who roars "come on brave boys, follow me!" and then doubles back once they start running a hero?

I wish it were so. But I don't think it is that simple. Although it wasn't my principal aim, I ended up being lauded as some sort of hero sacrificing myself for the truth. And that led others to make real sacrifices--and the funny thing is, this ended up wrecking my whole plan in the first place!--for things that I also believe in. Even if I set this in motion, I can't say that this makes my acts "good." I don't think Vonnegut was really up to thinking through the actual complexities of moral action in this world. It isn't simply about your "effects" it is about your self-hood, your authenticity. Campbell had that. Vonnegut didn't know how to deal with that.

One last thing--the new cover looks exactly like the logo for the Victor mousetrap. Is that intentional? Did they see Campbell as being trapped like a mouse in a larger plan he didn't understand? [42]

An interesting--almost crazy--ride through the later years of Howard Campbell, American-born, German playwright-turned-Nazi-broadcast propogandist, then-re-turned-American-spy.

Vonnegut once said, humbly, his writing was just 8 to 10-line jokes strung together. There is slapstick and farce here; great fun and entertainiment. What saves this from craziness is Vonnegut's ability to write so well about noble things such as love and kindness, friendship and decency. So one laughs and one thinks and one feels as he reads here. . .and in almost everything else Kurt Vonnegut wrote.

Whenever I am between books, like if I have just finished one and am waiting for another one to come in the mail or just taking a week or two break from heavier reading, I will read this book. It's a quick read as are most of his books. I have read it a dozen times and I always enjoy it. I think that anyone who reads this book will enjoy it just as I did. I've read all of Vonnegut's books and enjoyed them all, but this one gets pulled off of my book shelf more than anything else. To borrow a quote from the book itself "We are what we pretent to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."

~Mother Night~ by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is a dark novel set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany initially in the 1930s. An American expatriate living abroad Howard W. Campbell, Jr. marries a German woman Helga, and works as a playwright in Germany. But a dark cloud looms over the horizon, the spectre of Nazi Germany and its violent ideology of ultra-nationalism. Campbell's parents depart Germany for the United States as the war draws near, but Campbell chooses to stay behind. The playwright becomes a propagandist for the Nazi regime, declaring himself, 'the Last Free American,' and he broadcasts radio shows throughout Germany and obviously back West for the people of the Western nations to hear. Unbenownst to the Germans, he is also an American spy, a deep-cover double agent of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Following the war's climatic end, Campbell finds his way back to the United States. Gripped by the loss of his wife, he is utterly alienated and gripped by melancholy. Hounded by Neo-Nazis who want to extol him as a hero and Soviet spies looking to out him as an American agent provocateur for their own sinister Machiavellian purposes, Campbell grows despondent and troubled. He might as well forget about protection from Uncle Sam who won't ever acknowledge his service to the U.S. Government. The words of a dedicated German officer could haunt him, as the German proclaimed when he thought with warmth about what the Nazi creed embodied, he didn't find it emanating from the words of Adolf Hitler, but in the words of Campbell. The theme is simple: we are whatever we pretend to be, so we better be darned careful of what we pretend to be. That's the moral lesson. When we are subsumed in lies and deception: the truth doesn't always set us free, it implicates us, and convicts us. Campbell learned that lesson with much guilt and resignation.

What a wonderful title and an intriguing excerpt. I await the completed book to finally find out what happens. Ms Coulter's previous books never disappointed and I'm sure this newest one will be no exception. Please publish it soon. I look forward to a pleasant, relaxing day of reading Precarious.

I am moved by what I've read so far. I am already invested in this young man, and I want to know more, to know how the story progresses and ends.

In her opening words Ms. Coulter presents the reader with a blend of fact, remembrance, and family lore that form the memory of Marcus her protagonist. "He didn't know exactly where he was born. But he's been told..." Ms. Coulter does not tell us what is true and what is not, leaving her reader to reflect on the blurring of the past that confuses and confounds the universal human experience of searching for the truth of one's own life to understand it and perhaps gain some larger knowledge.

Ms. Coulter's prose is sparing. Cliantha, Marcus's mother, wears "a smart houndstooth suit...each piece $11.98 at the twelve-dollar store." This sharp recollection, as though retrieved from a dream, is telling. Like other descriptions it is brief and neat; the reader, however, sees it perfectly and feels that he is there.

The movement, at the end of the chapter, to the voice of the attorney is intriguing. The reader is left eager to continue, to turn the page, and follow the life of young Marcus now perhaps in some difficulty.

Precarious by H. Coulter introduces the story of Marcus and Eliza, first by bringing the reader up to date with Marcus.

Abandoned at birth, found by a stranger, then reclaimed by his mother, Marcus is set up for a life of uncertainty from minutes old. His path over the next few years is tied in with his child-like mother who's fantasy of a better existence for them isn't met with reality. By the time Marcus is nine-years-old he is in the 'system' surrounded by temporary siblings, care-takers, and case workers. His secret hope is that his mom is finally coming to get him (now that she's broken up with her latest boyfriend), but for the reader with any knowledge of those who end up in the foster system for a long term, they are often in for the long haul.

All of this early tale is told to us by Eliza Couvillion, we come to realize, as the excerpt wraps up with her brief introduction.

The characters presented are sympathetic and evoke sentiments of concern and pity. As the reader, I began to share in Marcus's cling to hope--hope that his life will at least improve with a twist of fate.

The writing is engaging and the story well paced. While it isn't necessarily the type of tale that would jump out at me to read, once I got going, I was interested in seeing how it played out.

Hope Coulter's excerpt, Precarious, is a rich and vivid beginning to what is no doubt an exceptional novel: with such a strong opening - an invitation to continue - how could it not be so. The images painted in these first few pages are captivating: the red plastic shopping cart at Target, "Swiggins" wig askew, the trip to the grocery store to browse for a meal when there wasn't enough money to buy one.... These are images I can see as if they'd happened in my own life, with depth and clarity, and in three dimensions.

But the sensory delights don't stop there: like a tune you find yourself humming as you drive down the road, I've got the sounds of Precarious speaking to me, reminding me there's lots more to read. The songs of Cliantha, with the percussion of her shoes as accompaniment, the cars speeding down the 'short' street, then what I know is a high-pitched, annoyed, jerky sound of reverse gears of impatient drivers foiled in a short-cut, the toilet that runs when you don't jiggle the handle.... I know these sounds, and they draw me further into the story. The voices are clear and right on target, "honey I look good," and the kids talking about the 'retard' bus, and the way the kids in the foster house talk to each other about waiting for the phone. The language is superb - I can hear this book and all its characters.

The smells and feelings Hope Coulter evokes are further evidence of a gifted southern storyteller in the finest tradition. Cliantha's perfume 'unspooling' through the rooms, the smell of coffee dripping in the morning, and the pangs of hunger Marcus struggles to cope with are deftly and delicately described.

So many images that keep popping up in my mind, making me wonder if I've forgotten something, only to realize that I've forgotten to read the rest of the novel. The tones of the voice of a familiar and rich storyteller call the reader back for more. Ms. Coulter's skill as a writer puts her readers at ease that she will spin this yarn in the finest fashion. And like the smell of coffee dripping in the morning awakens my appetite for a steaming cup and the day before me, my senses are stirred by Hope Coulter's delicious excerpt. I need answers to so many questions this taste provides. I very much hope this novel will be published soon.

Second Sight was recommended to me by a friend who knew of my interest in the psychic, and I am so happy she did...I could not put this book down, looking forward to sitting quietly each morning to read the next chapter in Ms. Orloff's life. A must read for anyone interested in the spiritual, psychic, or healing abilities. With this book, Ms. Orloff has inspired me to reach out and explore a long desired interest in my own psychic abilities and it's spiritual connection. Highly recommended!

This is a incredible book. You will feel like you've met a new friend in Judith. This book shows that the physic is not a taboo but a beautiful spirtual experience. Everyone who reads this book will be grateful they did.

I have been reading many different books dealing with healing, spiritual growth and energy medicine. Most have a variety of resources to offer and to guide you. In her book, Judith goes beyond techniques. She reveals the difficulties of growing up with a spiritual gift. And what makes her story so different from others is that Judith tells not only the beautiful side of what such a gift can give you, but also the challenges and the incredible responsibility that is imbedded in having psychic abilities.

Judith's book gives you her own story in a clear, passionate and courageous way. She is a pioneer in revealing what most people may not understand; and even reject in an academic and professional setting. It is not easy in such a setting to advance your career and serve others in a meaningful way acknowledging that you have psychic abilities. Judith has been able to do that and has found a way to show others that is possible to have a career without ignoring or rejecting your psychic abilities.

In a time, that many are trying to ¨have psychic abilities ¨ it is a blessing to find someone who shows that those gifts must be developed with a purpose different than just being special or have some power. As she correctly points out those abilities must be embedded in a deep connection with the divine within each of us.

Judith Orloff has a deep mystical current running through this enchanting autobiography. She writes with candor and insight into the intuitive nature we all possess and -if we are wise- whose counsel we heed. Offering a guidebook, life story, and adventure -all in one book, this is highly recommended reading for anyone who feels the tug of spiritual awakening to our mystical potential. I used this book while teaching my college class and students all loved it! Well-written, credible, and delightful!

It's like I can take a deep breath and relax now. Someone once asked me "How do you feel when you enter a room where there's a lot of fighting and anger?" My immediate response was: "I recoil and want to run out of there." I thought everybody felt this way. Granted we all feel things up to a certain level, but the notion that I feel more than most never occurred to me. Doesn't everyone? I thought. Learning I was not alone in my experiences was a huge relief and revelation to me. When I read Dr. Orloff's book I felt I had found me. I now knew who I was and could now just simply enjoy what once seemed like a curse. Feeling everything like I have been up to date without understanding it is "crazy making." I now realized no, it's a blessing, I have been given a whole 'nother level of awareness and depth. It is powerful. Hearing Dr. Orloff explain it through sharing her life- it blew the barn doors open. She talks openly about all her experiences as well as how she deeply respects her gifts and how she has combined these with traditional methodologies. Yes, there is a feeling of "safety" that she has credentials when reading this, but for me the true safety comes in how Dr. Orloff has chosen to use her gifts and live her life. She deeply respects what she has and is grateful for it. She does not misuse what she has and adds seriousness and credibility to her spiritual gifts.

I bought a copy of this book for my sister as she feels things on the hyper-sensitive scale as I. My sister gets massive migraines and has been taking medication to manage this. After reading Dr. Orloff's story and learned how she went through a phase of medicating herself to "escape" until she new what to do with what she had been given, I related this to my sister. She opened up to me and told me more things that she had experienced as a child. I now hope that my sister will be able to understand herself an accept and enjoy these gifts she has been given.

As far as I'm concerned Dr. Orloff is opening doors for people and allowing everyone to relax as well as respect a whole arena of the human experience that typically gets shunned, and until very recently even went punished. And the biggest tragedy of all is that these gifts have gone unused, denied and ignored by many and dismissed as sillyness or even crazyness of some kind. With this openess and understanding of what is really going on many can now not waste what they have been blessed with and can live incredibly rich, powerful lives. There's nothing to reject or push away. In fact, this is cause for celebration. Thank you for sharing your story, Dr. Orloff.

I discovered this book on a dusty HS library shelf and as in Ms. Hanff's words, devoured it "all at once" not coming up for air or cigarettes. I also bought the VHS many years ago as soon as it came available. Since then, I've gone on to go out of head for Donne, Quiller-Couch, Austen, and Blake (though not anywhere near Donne!).

What a great movie this story made. I have watched the movie many, many times and have loved it every time. Now, I just had to read the book. The strange thing is that since I know what is going to occur at the end, my eyes become teared which makes the book difficult to read. Of course, that happens at certain moments in the movie as well. What a powerful story!

Interesting book that proves friendship can be created and sustained by people that haven't met.

In less than one hundred pages, Helene Hanff has given her readers a rare and special gift. Here in this delightful little book are the notes she exchanged with the employees of Marks & Co., a used-book store in England. Being fond of the old-fashioned yet still highly personal act of letter writing, and being equally fond of old books and used-book stores, Hanff seemed to have compiled these letters just for me. I doubt there is anyone who can read this book without experiencing a wide range of emotions complete with laughter and tears.

A lifelong letter writer, Helene Hanff studied playwriting at the Theatre Guild. She has written scripts for "The Hallmark Hall of Fame" and for "Ellery Queen." Her other writings include several children's books as well as articles for Harpers and New Yorker magazines.

Living and writing in New York City, Hanff finds herself unsuccessful in finding certain rare or out-of-print editions of books.

"Gentlemen:
Your ad in the Saturday Review of Literature says that you specialize in out-of-print books. The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive. I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble's grimy, marked-up schoolboy copies."

So begins the opening letter dated October 5, 1949, and addressed to Marks & Co. at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. What follows on the pages of this book are the letters Hanff wrote to Marks & Co., and specifically to Frank P. Dole. Also included are the responses to her requests, mostly from Frank P. Dole. Through their twenty-year relationship, the two strangers become in some ways like family. Frank introduces his family to Helene in letters. She corresponds with the family as if they are her own. Knowing that in a time of rationing, certain items are not readily available to the residents of London, she takes great care to ship Christmas and Easter gifts to the store with plenty of eggs and meat for everyone there.

The final entry, dated 1969, brings the relationship between the bookstore, Frank Dole and Hanff full circle. The twenty years between the first and last notes are fondly recalled on the pages of this book.

These short notes, her requests for specific books, the monetary transactions that took place, and the solid relationships that developed allow the present day reader to glimpse a bit of the nostalgic... a gentler time when costs were lower, trust was higher, and people were more willing to be compassionate to complete strangers.

This is a truly delightful little book that has captured my heart. And, by the way, the fact that I discovered it while browsing through my own favorite little used-book store lends a special sort of appeal to it. I treasure the gifts within these pages--the gifts of self, of the written word, and the appreciation for the simpler things in life.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I just read this amazing collection of correspondence between the author and the employees of a small bookshop in London in one sitting. It was entertaining, culturally enlightening and it had a quaintness about it due to the letters being written in the years immediately following WWII.

The friendship that develops between Helene Hanff as a result of her generosity toward the staff of the bookshop is really endearing and the reader feels like he or she really knows these people after enjoying this short read.
A very unusual and highly enjoyable glimpse into the lives of others through their correspondence. Highly recommended for booklovers , anglophiles and others.

I read to my daughter literally since birth. I amassed an enormous library of all the kids' books I loved as a kid along with mounds of books which were new to me. We went to the library every week. I read, she read, we read.

My daughter is now turning 18 and I wanted to buy her a copy of her favorite book from those times and this is the one I pick -- the one she remembers the most, and so fondly! She still reads A LOT, is in her first year of college and got a perfect 800 on both verbal and writing SAT. I can only take credit for the fact that I bought this book for her 15 years ago :)

My two year old loves this story. I love the illustrations and the simplicity that fits a toddler.

Great book for preschool ages, just make sure you order the right size. I thought I was ordering a regular book, but this one (for around $27) is GIANT. It's like 2 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet. I didn't see that clearly listed in the description; I just typed in a search for this title and this was the first one to come up so I ordered it. I later found a regular size is also available through Amazon I think it was listed for around $10.

This is proof positive that the classics can be the way to go with children's books! What a delightful book! It is fun and engaging. My 3-year-old son has memorized it so he "reads" it to us! I highly recommend this AND Alphabet Mystery!

This is such a cute book that I was delighted to find it available in French. I have read some reviews saying that French editions of popular children's books are not always the same-- either the colors are off or the text suffers in translation. Not so with this French edition. It is a nice, big size, the colored pictures are the same great pictures as in the English edition, and the story remains charming. And my son, who just turned three, still likes it. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to have some children's books in French.

A boy and his horse.


In something of a change of pace, a horse book that may just be slightly more directed at boys than girls, although the plot stays fairly similar.

Boy helps out horse in island shipwreck situation. Horse returns the favour. Horse of course is an impressive specimen and can do the fast running thing quite nicely.

So, off to the races then go.

Strange in a way that I loved this book so much when I read it in fourth grade, because, ironically, in real life, horses kind of scare me. I think Walter Farley's book is magical and I hope others who read it find as much meaning as I did in the story of a boy named Alec Ramsey, who survives a shipwreck and befriends a magnificent black Arabian stallion. Yes, this enduring classic is basically a fantasy, but sometimes it takes fantasy to create a book that is capable of touching the human soul in the exact way this one does.

What would you do if your horse saved you from the frightening death of drowning? Then what would you do if that horse was taken away from you? That is exactly what Alec thought of in the fictional book The Black Stallion written by Walter Farley.

Alec was on a ship back to his homeland, when the ship got in contact with a glacier. No one even thought of about saving that horrible, kicking, horse in the stables. Though Alec knew it was the right thing so he went into the stables and saved the horse. As they jumped off the ship, Alec was too weak to swim. So the stallion swam miles with Alec at the end of the stallions lead rope, until they saw land. They were stuck on that island fighting to survive as their friendship grew between them. One day a ship came and saved them. In a couple of days they would be at home. The stallion was named The Black and was kept in an older barn behind Alec's house.

I couldn't put this book down. This whole series was amazing. Anyone who loves horses would love these books. This book made me happy, nervous, and sad. It also made me cry. I think everyone should experience these feelings when you read a book.

-Courtney Dommer

This book is a must-read for any child. When I was young I read lots of Jack London books and I also read the entire Walter Farley Black Stallion series. Walter Farley's books are written in a very simple style, easy for young readers to understand. The movie is a timeless classic & was so well done. Some children will find the movie slow (no talking during the whole island sequence) but if your child appreciates beautiful images, and is horse-crazy, they'll love the film. I now own a black Arabian stallion of my own...so be careful, Black Stallion books can cause a lifelong horse addiction!

I greatly enjoyed this book when I was younger, and I still like it. However, in recent years I have come to realize how prejudicially obsessed Walter Farley was about Arabians. Even in his book The Great Dane Thor, the horses only briefly mentioned in the book were Arabians. He didn't seem to realize that there were other breeds in the world. For instance, he had the Black's daughter, Black Minx run in the Kentucky Derby--a race exclusively limited to Thoroughbreds.

In recent years, I have also realized Farley's poor writing stile. Not only did he not do research, but he presented his views as FACT, not opinions. For instance, ALL horses are intelligent, but especially ARABIANs; ALL horses are more sensitive than people and can find water by smell in a desert...or land in an ocean. Among horses, Farley stated on no uncertain terms that Arabians are by far the most superior, and that among Arabians, The Black was king.

I don't know about you, but I'm kind of tired of that. I'd like to see the Black lose a race or two, or sire a dud colt. The Island Stallion was the same--in fact, when the Black met Flame, the fight between them was a draw because they were both FLAWLESS Arabians, so perfect that neither could beat the other. It was a satisfying end when I was little, but now it annoys the fire out of me. I have read most of the series, and it is always the same: The Almighty Arabian wins out over man, nature, or other horses...and here is one once-avid reader who is sick of it.

The best book I have read in years. I would recommend this book to anyone that has a hard time believing in the traditional answers to the questions of life. Great!

Although it took me a while to decide if I should keep reading this book, by the time I got to the end I was glad I did. Duncan basically makes the argument that a life worth living arises from building loving connections with the people around us and from loving God and respecting nature. I enjoyed the subject matter and in many ways identified with the narrator's way of experiencing the world, so ultimately I enjoyed the book.

With that said, here's a little warning: In the acknowledgments Duncan writes that, without his editor, the book "would at times perchance exhibit a not unperverse and not unmaddening which is to say not unstupid verbosity not unlike this here." Unfortunately, I can hardly tell the difference between this self-deprecating example of bad writing and a number of equally indulgent passages in the book as published. The dialogue can be unconvincing in parts, the narrative gets bogged down at times, and while the book has some great moments, the execution is a bit uneven.

Duncan delivers a heart warmingstory about family and love and even a little about fishing. While set in Oregon, near Portland and the coast, I believe that this "why" river might actually be in Northern California. You be the judge. His writing style is imaginative and fluid. I would reccomend this book to anyone who can read.

Dear reader of reviewers,

I am completely in awe of Mr. Duncan's writing. He writes as though he's lived 7 lives and had 14 different siblings, and 3 or 4 unique sets of parents. He transcends many writing barriers...his lines of words often have uniquely heightened states of dream-like consciousness. All lines and passages, stories and musings, conversations and descriptions, are very very alive. The lines of the River Why have a fascinating youthfulness. It is an excellent book.

The freshmen honor students at UM Missoula were supposed to read The Brother's K the summer before arriving in Fall 2002. But, for me, it was MUCH too thick for the time allotted. (I eventually finished that novel, and appreciate it very much, and reccomend it every time the word "book" comes up in conversation.) But, being a trout nut fly fisherman, I decided to tackle the relatively thinner "River." A good choice it was.

I have found myself, like the adolescent, going back again and again to the fishing scene where Gus meets his match. I actually get a rush from reading that part...when she jumps from the tree, my palms sweat. The dream sections with Bill Bob are amazing, like peering into the eyes of a glowing extraterrestrial cat. I wish William James could have read Duncan.

If baseball afficionados tend to love the Brother's K, fishermen will surely love this book. Indeed, I rate "River" as a valuble fishing book that can whack a fly fisherperson out of the intermediate rut and into creative angling. I would bet that Duncan is a supurb fisherman himself.

He is also a superb human being, even though he wriggled his way free when I asked him to go fishing with me, saying something like, "Well, we all have our favorite spots [to fish], and I'm sure you do too." Wanting to do far more than simply protect his fishing spots, he has a tremendous heart for the land and her rivers and forests and inhabitants, especially birds and trout. I feel very honored to have met him and read a few of his works. The River Why is my favorite novel, and I've read it and referred to it multiple times.

With continued thoughfulness and honing of leadership, Duncan could make a great fisher of men, for he holds the capacity to whack people's minds out of many ruts and into ones of positive personal and social change. He is rather disturbed by wars and habitat destruction and would very much like to see them altogether stop.

Bravo, David James, for providing us with your writings. The earth is very lucky to have you. I look forward to reading more of your works, especially the ones about water.

With Enthusiasm,

Clark Rector

Even though I hate fishing and have maybe done it once, the first few chapters of this book are humorous and interesting, in particular Bill Bob, Gus' younger brother. Unfortunately, Bill Bob's role is small to almost nonexistent as the book goes on and the author makes him say some pretty idiotic pseudo-philosophical/religious ramblings, such as a long discussion with Gus about how shadows are our guardians.

The book is largely predictable from the beginning until the end and it's almost like a bunch of authors get together to provide the same theme. The overall structure of the book is Gus starts to question life, including death, ultimate meaning, his meaning, and other philosophy 101 questions. And, of course, Gus ends up finding his meaning in the eyes of some backwoods hippie chick and has a religious experience (if you can call it that) while walking home from a long, incredibly drawn out trip down a river following a fish in his line.

I'm sure many people will see this book as being "deep" or "an interesting discussion of blah blah blah", but if you've even remotely dipped your foot in philosophy this book is hardly enlightening. I pushed through the book simply because I got past the half way point, then promptly threw it in the trash when I was done.

Jackie Chan has had a very eventful life. When he was a child he lived in on an ambassadors mansion in Hong Kong. Soon he was sent to a Cantonese Opera school, which was a boarding school where he was trained, day and night for over 10 years of his young life, in the ways of Chinese Opera. Chinese Opera is not the same Opera you and I may think of it as, but instead is a very acrobatic physically demanding show. He then went into the stuntman business, which was a very difficult road for him. For many years he struggled with finding work but he soon became a much wanted stuntman. Eventually he went into small acting parts, which led to bigger acting parts. Soon enough he was a huge success in Hong Kong, and eventually got married to a famous Chinese actress. Jackie still travels a lot and his wife is a stay at home wife who raises his son.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. It is full of constant action and keeps your attention. I Am Jackie Chan is an easy read and fast paced I was unable to put it down, except of course when class was over.

I Am Jackie Chan My Life in Action 1998 5/5
Written by :Jackie Chan & Jeff Yang

Easily one of the best books I have ever read. This books contains 398 pages of pure joy. Seriously I read this book In one sitting . I was already a fan of Jackie Chan now I have so much respect for him. The copy I own includes a extra chapter, I would say it's worth buying again to read that extra chapter. Jackie Chan had a very interesting upbringing filled with beating and let downs. I mean he was abandoned by his parents who essentially sold him to the Peking Opera. Where they had the power to punish him up till death.

In here Jackie talks about the makings his earlier films. I really enjoyed this book as much as I enjoy his movies. Jeff Yang has said in interviews that there is works to release a second volume. Lets hope for that!

my wife's english is not good. but she found that it is very easy to understand this book as Jackie's movie. She has fun with it and use it to prove her english.

Dood tottally I'm not kidding, Jackie Chan is like a god amongst men, a god who makes flawed movies in his old age (flawed is polite considering the horrible movies he's currently putting out). Man Jackie Chan is so great it makes my balls sweat whenever I think about it, in this book he talks about how he and his crew broke into an amusement park to steal... not money but bread crumbs!!! Becuase Master wanted his students to work hard, this is not a book for weaklings, they will fret and feel weak as they learn of the heroic and disciplined exploits of my man JACKIE FING CHAN! Man in this book he talks about how some dudes wanted to fight, but he didn't cuase Master taught him only to fight for show and not fight for violence. Man the world would be a better place if we all had to read this book. Mandatory reading for High Schools this should be.

A fascinating insight into the mind and career of the world's biggest movie star. With exhaustive (and exhausting!) descriptions of Jackie's brutal Peking opera training and early days as a stuntman and actor, almost everything you want to know about Jackie is here.

Not that there aren't omissions - his illegitimate son Jaycee, now trying to make a name for himself as an actor, is never mentioned. Jackie is also quick to take credit (he claims 'Half a Loaf of Kung Fu' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' were the first kung fu comedies, which they weren't) and slow to give it out (he describes his opera brothers' film 'The Prodigal Son,' arguably the best kung fu movie ever made, as "solid"). But Jackie's charisma and determination shine through on every page, and you can't help but admire the guy. A must read for Jackie fans and aficionados of Hong Kong cinema.