Literature Books

In an age when architects and planners were spouting all kinds of brave-new-world nonsense (or mindlessly absorbing it, or even worse - building it), Jacobs burst onto the scene with an incredible dose of sanity mixed with common sense and wisdom, carefully observing the urban environment and drawing a host of remarkably sensible conclusions. For some reason we architects seem always at risk of believing our own nuttiest fantasies. Jacobs is a perennial corrective.

Still relevant, still useful....and still ignored by the common city engineer. Our city's planners need to re-read this sucker.

This is a book that relates to designers, and city planners as well as the "un-educated". Reading this book will certainly inform one on the purpose and importance of city planning.

This book will give you a reason to want to go visit the city, or to go out and get into the city you already live in. Her reference to the "ballet of the sidewalks" gives a whole new twist to what is going on in a busy downtown. City planners, take note!

If you are interested in community building, urban planning, and city life in general, this is a must-read. Though the book is older, the themes and ideas stand the test of time.

Falliing is such a great book just like Shel's other books. I have so much fun reading it to my children. This is a wonderful collection of poetry for children. This is the perfect example of what children's books should be... fun.
Another must have book for any fan of Shel Silverstein is Boety by Beau Beaudoin. His books are often compared to Shel, Dr. Seuss and Tim Burton. What my kids love about his illustrations are they are in color.Boetry

This is a great book like all Silverstains books:
Where the Sidewalk Ends 30th Anniversary Edition: Poems and Drawings
The Giving Tree
A Giraffe and a Half

Another author tha I love is Nowiki:
Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2

I am doing my review on _Falling_Up__. This book by Shel Silverstein is written very interesting because the poems inside are not just plain boring poems, they have a lot of thought put into them. His poems in this book are funny and they are tied in with the pictures. I think that Shel had a very wild and active imagination. You need that to wright a book like this. The book has a lot of poems that you would have never thought about being in a poem book. I think that that shows how Shel Silverstein was as a person, not just in his poetry. _Falling_Up_ is a good book also because the poems are goofy, and weird, yet he has a way to pull you into them in this poetry book. I recomend this book to any person who has a wild imagination like his, and whoever likes his stuff and has never read this book.
Danielle Guttman

Review of Falling Up

The poem book Falling Up is a very good book. In the book the poems are about a mix of things including important lessons and funny things. Shel Silverstein did a very good job with his books and all of the books he wrote. Falling Up is by far my favorite poem book by Shel Silverstein.

Three poems that really caught my attention are "Gardener", "Spoiled Brat", and "The Toy Eater". I like "Gardener" because it is just a funny poem about a kid making a mistake. "Spoiled Brat" is an example of a life lesson that is very well written. I thought "The Toy Eater" is a great poem about making a little kid believe something that isn't true. All of these poems are very good examples of great imagination.

My favorite poem is "Obedient". This is a good poem because it is a life lesson and a funny poem. The life lesson is that when you do something there is a consequence and in this person's case they got a taste of their own medicine. This poem is funny because the poem takes the order literally by staying in the place for forty years. "Obedient" is a really great poem so I recommend that everyone should read it.

I think this book is a very entertaining, page turning book of poems. It is a great book for all ages, I highly recommend this book.

To be frank, I get a kick out of Silverstein's work. It is always a bit quirky, always takes a couple of readings to really "get," and is very entertaining while being quite insightful as to human nature. This work is no different from his other works, same quality, same odd way of looking at life, same delightful black and white drawings. Publisher's Weekly got it pretty right here, in their usual, rather snotty way, which is one of the few reviews I have ever agreed with them on. (except their little shot at some of his art that they felt may no be appropriate for kids...obviously the author of that review has never been around kids very much). This work consists of 171 pages of poetry rhymes and drawings. I first read Silverstein in Playboy magazine years and years ago when I wasted my time with such publications. I did not particularly care for him them, but over the years have developed quite a like for his work. I truely love this book and do highly recommend it.

P.D. Ospensky as a teenager decided to forgo an academic education and instead to search for or hidden knowledge. His search lead him to study Theosophy, to travels in the East, to India, and such. Yet, he remained dissatisfied with what he found. Little did he know that he would find what he was looking for (The Miraculous) in a teacher who showed up from the East in his very own Moscow!

This book is about Ouspensky's experiences learning from this teacher, a mystic and very strange one at that, G.I. Gurjieff.

Gurjieff teaches Ospenskys things he never knew, gives him experiences he never thought possible. This book is Ouspesnky's gift to us from of what he learned and experienced.

Certainly, this book works mostly on the intellectual mind, and yet, Ouspensky frequently tells us that we must find an 'emotional state' and that, my friends, is 'The Work'.

This is easily the most important book I have ever read, and afterwards, I could lo longer see the world the same, or live my life in the same way.

If I was forced to have only one book, this would be it. Not for the Herd or Lazy. No fluff around the edges, tells it like it really is.

Written during the outbreak of the First World War in Russia, this book presents an interesting view of humanity in the context of the European war. One should take into account the propositions of Ouspensky's school of thought and see how relative they are in the context of our global 'war on terror'. Thus, the book stands the test of time and will continue to be discovered and re-discovered.

This work is powerful not just for the growth of one's own being, but also for how we see that the programs that control the population in turn create an unhealthy, unbalanced society. Overall, a treasure containing a wealth of knowledge.

P.D. Ouspensky's "In Search of the Miraculous" is one of the most profound and one of most memorable books that I have ever read, and it is most certainly the must-read. Not only that, it also forces one to question one's reality, self-identity, actions, and surroundings. With each time that I read this book, I began to notice the number of little false "i's" that popped up in my being. Every little lies that I ever believed were being exposed. And, my understanding of the world that we are living in has changed in such an enormous way and with such a powerful impact. This book certainly changed my perspectives of life and the understanding of who I am.

I would highly recommend "In Search of the Miraculous" as it is most insightful book of Gurdjieff's unique teachings ever written. It is clear written yet certainly tough to take in. It is also comprehensive on the profound theories as well methods of the mentioned teachings.

Reading this book is most certainly the first step towards being awake and becoming aware of oneself and one's surroundings. Before reading Gurdjieff's three books and any Fourth Way literature, "In Search of the Miraculous" is a great introduction to the unique concepts and the esoteric Work.

Nationally recognized ARA author and animal
rights activist is nailed for theft.

This person was hailed by the NCVAW as a
wonderful person and a part of their crowd.
Goes to show you what they are made of. Goes
to show you what these fanatics will do....


***NEWS: Author of the book "PIECES OF MY
HEART" and
essay "HOW COULD YOU", JIM WILLIS, INDICTED
ON TWO
FELONY COUNTS OF LARCENY OF DOG by Pender
County
Grand Jury***



The Pender County, NC Grand Jury returned two

true
bills to indict Jim Willis for Larceny of
Dogs on July
23, 2007.


Case No. 07-CRS-51009, State of North
Carolina vs.

James Charles Willis states:

"The jurors for the State upon their oath
present
that on or about the date of offense shown
and in the
county named above the Defendant named above
unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did
steal, take
and carry away a dog, a female white lab
sheep dog mix
with black spots with solid black right ear
and black
and white left ear, named 'Krissy', . . ."


Sources say this dog has not been recovered.
If you
have seen this dog or know of it's
whereabouts, please
contact the Pender County Sheriff's
Department at
(910)259-1212.


Some animal lovers have suggested boycotting
the sale
of Jim's book, 'Pieces of My Heart' and
removing his
poetry from their web sites until such time
as the dog
is recovered.


Case No. 07-CRS-051399, State of North
Carolina vs.

James Charles Willis states:

"The jurors for the State upon their oath
present that on or about the date of offense
shown and
in the county named above the Defendant named

above
unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did
steal, take
and carry away a dog, a male Dalmatian dog,
white in
color with black spots, named 'Damon', . . ."

Sources say this dog was recovered at the
home of
Robert Hoggard, of Wilmington, NC, where Mr.
Willis
has been a house guest since April.

In a separate action, Jim Willis was found
GUILTY of
HARASSING PHONE CALLS in the Pender County
Court on
July 26, 2007. Despite pleading not guilty,
Mr.
Willis was found GUILTY and was sentenced to
30 days
in jail (suspended), 24 months of
unsupervised
probation, was assessed $115.00 in court
costs and
received a fine of $570.00 in restitution. He

was
also ordered to have no contact with the
person he was
harassing and was ordered not to go on her
premises.

Deep, heartfelt and inspiring. This book will touch you deeply if you care at all about animals. A very special author with a very special voice.

I'm only half way thru the book, as it lost my interest, I purchased it thinking that it was a story of a guy rescueing dogs, but as of yet, nothing, just poems, and short stories. not satisfied.

The spiritual nature of these "beasts" comes through in each poem and story and essay. I found them each and every one to be powerful. They encourage me when I feel too run down to continue my little rescue efforts. This is from a man who practices what he preaches. Not only does he advocate on behalf of all homeless and abused pets,he also takes care of many of the ones no one else wants. Animals ask only for a safe place to rest, some clean water and decent food. Jim Willis reminds us that each of us can make the world a brighter, kinder place.

First of all I would like to say that I love this book. It is so heart touching. Second of all in reponse to Kat Lady. I am a former resident of Pender county. Pender County NC is a rural area and the mentality that many, many people in this area have towards animals is heartbreaking and unforgivable. I would be wiling to bet that those dogs that Mr. Willis took were probably being neglected and/or mistreated. The laws of this area often fail the animals and many die waiting for reports of animal abuse/neglect to be investigated or resolved. And not enough people in the area care enough to do any thing about it. Mr Willis taking those dogs may have the best thing that had ever or would ever happen to those dogs. I admittedly don't know the whole story, but I do know how many dogs in that area are treated-- kept chained their entire lives in the humid and severe NC heat without adequate provisions. So why not hold your judgement?

Fabulous book. Very little do we see in life another opportunity for redemption. When Crickets Cry is a true page turner. If you love Charles Martins' other books then you will more than love this one. I read this and wanted to tell everyone else to read it. One of those rare gifts in literature that you want to hang on to forever. It was that great! I highly recommend this one.

This book is charming. It warmed my heart and touched my soul. Get it, Read it....A story that will stay with you always!

Charles Martin's books are the best I have found in a long time. Each one is different, but the development of the story and character bring you right into the story, and you don't want to put the book down! When Crickets Cry is an amazing story of love and faith. His books are different. Even though I don't like to say good-bye to characters at the end of a good book, I have grown tired of Christian fiction that turn books into never-ending series. Mr. Martin is able to develop his characters fully, as well as a story that will tug at your heartstrings, bringing many emotions to the surface, tears of sadness and also tears of joy. As Christian fiction, the characters are not sugary sweet, they have faults and doubts and fears like normal people do. But through all the trials, you can see their faith, even as they struggle with it.

I can't wait for his next book!

After a personal tragedy struck many years ago, Reese has taken up a hermit-like existence. Holed up in his lakeside home with only his friend Charlie to keep him company, Reese seems destined to live out the rest of his life as a bitter and isolated man. But one morning on a brief visit to town, he meets a little girl called Annie. Soon Reese is forced to confront his past and is slowly drawn back into the life he thought he left behind.

As might be expected from the subtitle, When Crickets Cry is indeed a novel of the heart. The book is devoted to both the physical and emotional kind of heart, specifically those that are diseased or broken.

That theme permeates everything from detailed descriptions about how a heart works (Martin obviously did his research), sentimental musings about how non-physical hearts heal, to the addition of calorie ridden burgers called Transplants at the local bar.
In the back of the book, there is even a page from the author about a When Cricket's Cry heart care fund.

On the plus side, Martin does populate his book with a cast of quirky characters. Shadowy Reese, garrulous Charlie, long suffering Annie, fiscally struggling aunt Cindy, and David Stipes, the owner of a Christian "bar" all help to keep the reader's interest and move the story along.

However, a collection of small issues kept me from fully enjoying in the book.

Martin tends to tell us how much pain the characters feel rather than show it. Or when they do show it, they do so in floods of tears. Cindy, in particular, spends half the book crying on Reese's shoulder on the verge of a breakdown.
They seem to stumble upon the answers to their problems rather than proactively seek them. Instead of truly getting a change of heart, Reese seems to rather be forced to change by circumstance.

We are filled in on Reeses's past in a series of flashbacks. The first few are informative but the rest tend to just add filler.
Unfortunately, all the time spend on the past shortchanges the ending which is resolved in a very anticlimactic and quick manner.

As a whole, the prose flows quite well but there was a tendency toward odd and unwieldy metaphors and similes.
For example, "then lightning lit the night sky like an angry woman shaking her fist",
"she cried and shook her head as though bees were stinging her face",
"if Annie had knocked on my city gate that day at the lemonade stand, then she'd just splintered it with the battering ram that was her heart."

Only recommended for staunch fans of inspirational fiction or sentimental drama.

Don't know what happened to the Kindle version, but it is a mess. At the beginning of each chapter, it skipped to unrelated text for a paragraph, then went back to the flow of the story. These were not lovable people for me. Cindy is a taker, latching onto a stranger. She apparently wore out everyone in town, leaving no one to drive her around - not one friend. And why the tornado?

I purchased the book for my friend's grandchildren in the US, they were delilghted with the book, they enjoyed grandma reading the stories and loved looking at the pictures.

I am fifteen and I LOVE these stories!!! They really are just that good!
Each story makes you wonder what intriguing adventure or silly mishap the next will hold in store for you. Whenever I take out the book or simply look at the cover, I get a comfortable, warm feeling inside; because I know that each story is filled with the timeless, treasured tales of a talented author. I was somewhat surprised (and a little humored), however, in the manner in which the characters sometimes acted and spoke. For example, when Rabbit, Piglet, and Pooh are trying to think of a plan to capture Baby Roo (which is also a little disturbing), Rabbit "gently" tells Pooh that he "has no Brain" and Piglet "no Pluck." Why must he be so harsh? Eeyore, though, surprised me the most. The most I knew of Eeyore from Disney's viewpoint was that he was a poor, sad, and mostly forgotten creature. I always felt sad for him. However, after reading the stories, it is very difficult to feel bad for him when he is constantly going around throwing insults whenever he gets the chance. For example, when Piglet goes to visit Eeyore to give him some violets, he sees Eeyore staring at three sticks on the ground that are in the shape of the letter "A". Eeyore proceeds to tell Piglet that the "A" represents "Education, it means all the things that you and Pooh haven't got...but to the Educated--mark this, little Piglet--to the Educated, not meaning Poohs and Piglets, it's a great and glorious A." See my point? But overall, it is a very satisfying story that no child (or adult, for that matter) should miss out on. What is also a great plus is that it's a beautiful and durable hardcover edition that also has a ribbon bookmark.

I bought this book years ago for my oldest son when he was only 2 years old. He loved it immediately and still loves it. This is a family favorite. I need to get a new one since the old one has gotten a bit worn.

Okay, first I'm a huge fan of Winnies Hollywood career and I also thought his apperance in the movie Top Gun as Tom Cruise's stunt double was amazing! Also playing Elizabeth Turner in the popular TV series, Pirates of the Mediterranean, was an astonishing role. But was that ever mentioned in the book? No! And that is what makes me lie awake in bed at night, hoping to one day claim vengeance on the editor and publisher. If you like this book, I will hunt you down and make you throw the book into a fire, do the tango, sing zip-a-dee-doo-da-zippada-da, then force you to alphabetize my sock drawer! So beware, and always know, I, Fartsy Magee, am always watching you. Right now your scrating your butt like a madman. I'm watching. Watching. Watching. Still watching. Okay, anyway I'm watching you every day. And I'm watching you like a blind man watching his glasses. BEWARE!!!!!!!!! BEWARE!!!!!!!!
But otherwise a great book and the author deserves a lot of credit.

Who doesn't love Winnie The Pooh? Don't answer that. This is an excellent and charming book to use for bedtime stories for children. I grew up with it and I still love it! It endears the simplicity of life and love...and honey.

I first read this book when I was in elementary school. That was many, many years ago. The thought of this book somehow crossed my mind a few days ago. So I procured one and read it through in a couple of hours. The re-read reminded me of how great of a book this is.

This book speaks of hope, trust, perseverance, and especially of undying love. Yes, it's a children's book but adults will benefit greatly from reading it as well. It's one of those books which will forever remain a classic in the hearts and minds of those who have read it.

This is one of my favorite horse stories of all time. It is about a young boy who makes a bond with an increadible horse. A must read for any horse lover!!!!

This is my favorite horse story ever! This book stands above all others for me and I will always remember it. My mom read this to me when I was 9 years old and still to this day, I have never read it's equal. Henry's writing is so beautiful, the story so touching and the characters so real. A plot unfolds about a young stable boy in Morocco and his golden-bay stallion who would one day be known as the Godolphin Arabian, who's bloodline still runs in race horses of today. It's quite possible a lot of this book is based on fact. A simply amazing story in all respects! I must warn sensitive readers however, there are some very intense parts of this book, some sad parts which are sure to make most people cry and a few parts where there is fairly harsh abuse and neglect of animals. Maybe not the best choice to read to very young kids, especially if they are the type to get scared easily. Overall, I would say the book has an excellent balance of tragedy and triumph. The ending is a beautiful one, both happy and a little sad but satisfying and well worth reading the story.

King of the Wind is a great book by Marguerite Henry. It is about a mute boy named Agba and his horse Sham. Agba goes with Sham on many adventures together. Agba goes with Sham from the royal stables in Morocco to Gog Magog. Sham also sires many winning foals and when he is gone, Agba goes back to Morocco.
I enjoyed this book very much. I liked it because it is about horses. I also liked it because it was full of adventure. It was sad and exciting and there were many parts where Sham and Agba were seperated. Agba was very brave for a young, mute boy and Sham kept him company with his firy spirit that only Agba could control.
My favorite part was when the cook tried to drive Sham. He wanted to show that he did not need Agba to drive Sham. He left Agba at the royal kitchens then set out. Sham bidded his time till the cart was groaning with goods and a young pig. Then "BAM!" He went wild and ran like the wind, sending the goods, the pig, and the cook into the air. The cook runs after first the pig, then Sham, then the pig, until he is so confused that he catched nither. In the end the apple woman cathes Sham and the cook is so fustrated that he sells Sham to a cruel man. I like this part best because it is so funny and shows Shams firy nature.

The Christmas I was nine, I got a boxed set of Marguerite Henry novels and while I loved all of them and read them day and night during the break from school, I think this one goes down as my favorite. A few years after I first read this novel, my family moved and I discovered it was also, by a nice coincidence, one of the favorite books of a girl I met in our new neighborhood, who went on to be my best friend to this very day. That connection, too, makes this a special read. However you might come to possess this wonderful book, I think you'll agree, it's one to be cherished.

King of the Wind is the story of a mute boy named Agba, who lives works in the royal stables in Morocco during the eighteenth century, where the Sultan has perhaps the finest collection of horses on earth: maybe the greatest ever in history. Among the animals Agba cares for is a colt who has long been Agba's favorite. This horse was born with a mark called the wheat ear, that is regarded among Moroccans as so unlucky, custom mandates that any foal possessing it be destroyed at once. However, this colt also is marked by a sign of extraordinary good fortune, which reprieves the death sentence and is there to battle the wheat ear in the animal's life: the good in constant yin/yang conflict with the bad.

As a gesture of goodwill, the all-powerful Sultan elects to send a shipment of his finest horses to his friend and ally, King George of England. As the horses chosen for the journey are prepared, Agba is given the chance to accompany these prized animals by ship to the far-off Christian kingdom. One of the colts hand-picked by his Excellency is none other than the omen-marked horse Agba has grown to love. The journey northward upon the ocean is undertaken, but an unscrupulous sea captain has shortchanged the Sultan's agents and not provided food for the equine passengers. Therefore, the cargo of fine desert steeds who are unloaded in England appear little better than half-starved nags, and never find their way to the royal court.

Cast out among beggars and in a strange, cold nation where he knows no one and does not understand the language, Agba refuses to leave his beloved horse's side and the happenings that come to pass in the life of the desert stable boy and the fine, though seemingly run-down stallion, form the basis of a delightful novel that is simultaneously a tale of a boy and his extraordinary horse, and a history lesson in eighteenth-century equine lore. In Miss Henry's story, fact and fiction meet as Agba's horse becomes the celebrated Godolphin Arabian, from whom roughly one-third of all modern thoroughbreds can trace descent.

I guess you can tell I really like this book, and I think almost anyone would as well!

This novel is truly amazing. The characters are well developed and the reader truly becomes attached to each one as they undergo their personal trials and tribulations in the days before Pearl Harbor. The work provides an excellent examination of the pre-war Army, a professional army preparing for war, inducting draftees, and operating under a proud system of tradition. The novel is full of great stories, advice, and sayings that are as relevant today as they were in 1941. Serving in Iraq while reading this novel, I was amazed at the very real connection I found with its soldiers; many things have not changed. Again, a great novel that I would recommend to anyone interested in war, the army, or the human condition.

I actually loved the melody of this book; but what it is really a good read for, is it's description of the attack on pearl harbor: This book captures the nuance of that particular moment when the Japanese planes appeared over the houses of Hawaii and the actors all knew while they were in the midst of it, that nothing would be the same again. I also liked the book for its description of Pruett's alcoholism - where Jones intervenes as the narrator/author and decides not to have his character "go alcoholics anonymous", thus guaranteeing certain death for his character - talk about deus ex machina in reverse!

I've read only a few war novels in my day and most of them are about, well, war. Which is interesting and all, but there's only so many ways you can depict war as horrifying and dehumanizing, and the soldiers involved as both heroic and all too human, the command structure as haphazard and detached. So I wasn't looking terribly forward to the prospect of diving into yet another massive examination of soldier life, and yet, that's not really what this is about. Jones' novel isn't so much about WWII as about sitting on the cusp of WWII, taking place in the months just before Pearl Harbor. Everyone is training for a war that may or may not happen, more or less hanging out in Hawaii, killing time in between drills with drinking or prostitutes, living the Army life as best they can. The story pivots around two characters, enlisted fellow Prewitt and staff sergeant Warden, following their separate stories as well where they intersect, and how they interact with everyone around them. Prewitt's tale is the slightly more visceral of the two, he's an excellent boxer that refuses to go out for the team, even though his superiors would very much like him to. They'd like him to so much that they'll go to nearly any lengths to break him, in order to make him fall in line and fit in, with the entire company eventually trying to wear him down. It's a rather frightening depiction at times of the military's somewhat necessary need for comformity taken to a new level, stamping down on anyone who dares to deviate. Meanwhile, Warden is attempting to hold the company together, and pursuing an affair with the wife of his superior officer. The stories of these men collide with everyone else they come into contact with, as Jones vividly relays military life on the base and in the town, detailing the trials and loves the men endure and force themselves into. It's a surprisingly angry book at times, the language coiled and sharp, etching out the duality of the longtimers who both love and hate the Army that nourishes and captures them. The salty language and somewhat brutal scenes are shocking not in how graphic they are but how frank and matter of factly they're presented. The prose achieves a strange jagged beauty in parts, as Jones dives right into the minds and emotions of the men involved. It becomes, as I said, not a book about war but about people at war. Pearl Harbor doesn't even occur until most of the book is over with. It's not the fastest paced book, the early chapters are necessary to set up everything that will come later but you are going to be about halfway through before all the setting up starts to gain momentum but after that it barely pauses. It's tragic and visceral and sort of beautiful in its own way, not because it glorifies but in the way it shows everything, the times when the system beats them down, the small moments of friendship, the way men you depend on with both look out for you and let you down, sometimes in the same moment. Surprisingly readable despite the length, it carries a fire and passion that most books can't even approach. Probably one of the best military books ever written that doesn't involve long descriptions about how a gun works.

In my humble uneducated opinion, this book is superior to the film as is usually the case. But the movie is STILL a classic, so don't get preturbed at me for sayin' that. It's by and large one'a my favorites, but you don't get the FULL impact of James Jones' story unless you read this book. And while it is LONG as hell, it's worth it. I'll be honest, I was so intimidated by it, I bought it and didn't touch it for a year; I'd never even ATTEMPTED a book that was 800-plus, but when I finally got up the courage, I was hooked by the third chapter. Of course, like most people my age, I had the preconceived notion of how I viewed the characters from the movie, but, trust me, that doesn't water down the incredible impact of the way the book unfolds; it clings more to tragedy and despair than the film, and truly encapsulates Jones' theory that the world stops to mourn no man. He puts you right there for everything; the corruption, the favoritism, the "treatment", the hookers, and many other controversial, politically incorrect topics that the mere mention in this review would be censored. Fifty some years after its first publication the book still feels scandalous. The stockade scenes for instance which were only briefly implied in the film are brutal to read.

But what's really REALLY great is the way Jones puts you in the mind of each and every character, even the ones we're supposed to despise, like Sgt. Galovitch or Dynamite Holmes, making it not so "black and white" like the film was (literally and figuratively). Everyone is a human being, whether in the corridors of power or in the messhall cleaning; there is no true villain; characters you latch on to will more than likely do something or say something to enrage you at least once or twice before the book is over; they're all flawed human beings confused and uncertain about their place in Uncle Sam's army. This book is a real, unflinching, highly critical and uncompromising view of the United States Army and Infantry told from the views of the young faceless men serving at the bottom end; accounts which aren't heard nearly enough.

But the most gut-wrenching part to me deals with a secondary character; the long drawn-out scene of Isaac Bloom considering his options before his tragic end. That scene brought real true-to-life tears into my eyes which hasn't been brought to me by a book in a long time. Anyone looking for a deep, involved, beautifully harsh an' thought-provoking read that shows you the pain and indifference prevalent in the life of the modern man, look no further.

From Here to Eternity is a singular reading experience: gritty, raucous, desperate, raw and, yet, ultimately sublime. James Jones fields a superb cast of characters with which relatively few novels can compete. More than once, it reminded me of Catch 22 (without the intended absurdity) - Pianosa set down in a peaceful Hawaii just prior to Pearl Harbor.

Distractingly, there are times when the author is guilty of pontification. There are stretches which seem entirely gratuitous. The two protagonists, Prewitt and Warden, elsewise dynamic, can wax numbingly philosophic. But, by the middle of the book I was captive to a steadily mounting anticipation, the culmination of which plays out true to form - recklessly, brutally as the soldiers of G Company ready themselves for war.

There is a quality of novel which can best be described by the wistfulness with which one completes it. I was sorry to see this one end. Despite the violence, hard living, bravado and despair, James Jones concludes with hope and endurance. Like Herman Wouk's Winds of War and War and Remembrance, From Here to Eternity is a classic among WWII literature. 5 stars.

Remember the fairy godmothers in Sleeping Beauty presented her with 'gifts' when she was born.....

A great baby present with lots of hopes and dreams for the child.

This was given to me as a baby shower gift for my daughter. It is one of our favorite books and I now give it out as a newborn gift to friends and family. The messages are powerful and simple. It is not a long book so it's perfect for bedtime.

This book is an awesome gift! It is a wonderful story that teaches children of all ages many important virtues and lessons!

This is a beautiful book about the wonderful gifts of birth! I have given this as a "new baby" gift to several of my friends, and they absolutely love the book. The illustrations and the words are done in a beautiful way. I highly recommend this as a great baby gift!

Every parent/grandparent needs this book and then every child needs to have it read to him/her over and over again so that he can know how very special the day is that he was born. This book celebrates the child's arrival to the family and helps to foster characteristics that should be a birthright to all children.

Love Richard Scarry, but the illustrations in this publication are a bit dull/faded. There is a lot of content here, but still I was disappointed by the faded look. I recommend Richad Scarry's 'I Am a Bunny' Board Book which has superior color and my baby loved it at 3 months! Her first favorite book!!!

I'm very glad to see this back in print, but there are at least a couple of changes between this and the 70's version. First and foremost, the story of Pierre Bear has been replaced with "Good Night Little Bear." I strongly suspect that it was to 'modernize and politically correct' the book. But, I do think that Good Night Little Bear is a better story all round, so no real complaints.
Also, some of the stories and nursery rhymes are a bit abbreviated. E.g. the kittens and the mittens, and for reasons I can not figure out, the illustrations are about 10% smaller than in the Best Nursery Rhyme book.

Also, for the I am a Bunny book, I certainly think it's worth getting the book itself. The unique format makes it really stand out, and the pictures fill the pages entirely, with no distracting empty space.

This book was one of my main teaching aids growing up; however, my child will need some time to understand Richard Scarry's concept (along with some of his other books as well) of combining several theories and objects on one page that can confuse a young or developmentally challenged child. Not saying that it's impossible, but would take time. I say let them get interested in colors and basic shapes first, then direct them to the pictures and start introducing them to what they are by definition. Not only are there definitions and body parts and other concepts, but short and concise stories too if you can capture your child's interest long enough to sit still to listen to your reading and place the story with the pictures in a concept that they understand. LLO'C

Parents who grew up with Richard Scarry's books and who are nostalgic about his wonderful characters may be somewhat disappointed with this book. Some stories are taken from the delightful Richard Scarry's busy world (which appears to be now out of print and only available used on amazon for $124). Apart from these, the other stories are in a style which is very different from the Richard Scarry's books which I grew up with.
Until they come out with a reprint of Richard Scarry's Busy world, I would recommend "What do people do all day", or "Funniest storybook ever", where you can find all the familiar characters such as the cat family, lowly worm etc.

My mother kept my copy of this book because I loved it so much when I was a child. I now have a three year old son and he chooses to read it before bedtime night after night. He loves "Pierre Bear" and all the pages in between. It's a classic and I had no idea they even sold it anymore. Definitly an heirloom-quality book.