Classics Books

What a delightful book!! I read this book to my daughter and I read it every night, because I feel that this is a great book about being alone and friendship. I recommend it to all young children

I originally became acquainted with this magical tale when my son checked it out from the public library about 20 years ago. Both of us fell in love with this wonderfully-told imaginative story, and each of us has gifted it to many young friends and family members over the years. It goes without saying that the illustrations, too, are a delight.

My 4-year-old and I both love this book. Sweet story, but most importantly, the pictures are goregous!

My son's grandma recently brought this book home from the library and we fell in love with it. It is a sweet and magical story about friendship. It was written in 1969 so I am glad to hear they have reissued it. My son is 3 and just loves it. The illustrations and text are lovely and simple.

Every time people see Alexander they scream or chase him, but all he wants are a few crumbs. Willy, on the other hand, another mouse, is loved and cuddled and cared for. That's because Willy is a toy, a wind-up mouse.

Well, Willy (the toy) and Alexander (the real mouse) happen to meet and each tell about their lives: a happy one for Willy, a frightening and lonely one for Alexander.

Luckily, he thinks, Alexander finds that with the help of some magic from a lizard he, too, can become a happy and loved wind-up mouse. But just in time something shocking happens to make him change his mind about turning into another Willy: Something happens to Willy. (Suitable for preschool through the primary grades.)

A Non-Workbook, Non-Textbook Approach to Teaching Language Arts: Grades 4 Through 8 and Up

REVIEWED BY: Wayne Walker
Carolyn Haywood (1898-1990) was a native of Philadelphia. One of America's most popular authors of children's books, she published her first book, "B" Is for Betsy, in 1939, and wrote more than forty books altogether. Many of her own childhood experiences can be found in her novels. In this book, Betsy has turned six. It chronicles her first year in school and tells how school goes from being a large and frightening place, based on the scary tales of Old Ned, her grandfather's hired hand, from his childhood school days, to being something exciting and interesting.
This book describes what schools were like in the "olden days." For example, just before Thanksgiving, Betsy's teacher tells how the Pilgrims gave thanks to God. Betsy is not an "ipsy-pipsy perfect" little girl. She is naughty on occasion, but she suffers the consequences of her actions, is sorry, and learns to do better. I had never heard of this series. Haywood's stories about her irrepressible character Betsy, originally consisting of twelve books, have never been out of print, and now the first four Betsy books are back for a whole new generation of young readers. The other three are Back to School with Betsy, Betsy and Billy, and Betsy and the Boys.

I read this book 30 years ago when I was in elementary school. It was probably the first "chapter" book I read. The story is sweet and simple and innocent. It harkens back to a time when children played and acted as children and the family was truly a family. When the fears children had were things like first days of school and crossing the street, not terrorism and pedophiles. Children in the book were respectful and well behaved.Adults loved and cherished the children in their lives. I do not like the new covers for I feel the pictures are too modern looking. I think some children would really enjoy the old fashioned pictures and styles of when the book was truly written. They would probably get a laugh out of how things have changed.

I bought this book for my son with the anticipation of next buying the Besty and Billy book. He enjoys it and I liked it too. I'm sure it can be easily read by a beginner.

Carolyn Haywood wrote "B" is for Betsy in 1939, but this story of a young girl's first year at school is timeless.

Betsy is an only child who is not looking forward to the first grade because Old Ned, a hired hand on her grandfather's farm, has shared unpleasant memories of the school he attended in his youth. Betsy soon discovers, however, that her own experience will be quite unlike Old Ned's. Her teacher is kind and friendly, and the classroom has neither a switch nor a dunce cap. Betsy quickly befriends Ellen, a little girl in her class, and Mr. Kilpatrick, the police officer who helps the children cross a busy street on the way to school.

The children in Betsy's class build a model of a Native American village and watch tadpoles turn into frogs. The first graders assemble a Thanksgiving basket for a poor, elderly woman who makes her living by selling pretzels, and give a circus performance for the sixth graders, which is enlivened by a visit by an organ-grinder and his monkey.

Outside of the classroom, the adventures continue. Betsy saves her money to buy Ellen the perfect birthday present. She rescues a lost dog and is given a cocker spaniel puppy. When Betsy goes to her grandfather's farm for the summer, she is thrilled when Ellen joins her.

This gentle story is timeless, and only a few words betray the fact that it was written nearly seventy years ago---for example, the word "policeman" instead of "police officer" or "Indian" instead of "Native American".

The children are occasionally naughty, but their transgressions are mild and their contrition sincere. The adults do hold the children accountable for their misbehavior, but are helpful and understanding instead of harsh.

This is an excellent book for children who are ready for chapter books, but are too young or sensitive to handle books with frightening or disturbing themes.

Carolyn Haywood's books were written in the 40's and 50's, yet they are timeless in their appeal. The stories about a spunky little girl and her loving family, friends, and school life are great to read aloud and a equally good for a child starting longer chapter books. This is the first in a series of books about Betsy and her friends, so there is lots more fun to look forward to when you finish the last chapter!

For 41 years John Barrow manipulated the Royal Navy and the British Government to pursue his own fixed ideas on geography.
His mistaken belief that there was an open, ice-free sea at the North Pole, a permanently clear North-West Passage and that the Niger emptied into either the Nile or the Congo, caused the deaths of unknown numbers of men, the loss of ships, the expenditure of a king's ransom and the physical and mental breakdown of many of Britain's elite officers.

This is the story of that prolonged tragedy; the irony of it is that it fathered the most amazing feats of endurance and privation, that they are regarded today as the pinnacle of human endeavour - only the similarly ill-equipped expeditions of Scott come close.

Barrow's 'Boys' are his hand-picked officers (strangely, they were usually totally ill-suited to the tasks he set them) who are either ambitious, incompetent, zealots or plain insane (or any combination!) and Barrow goes out of his way to ignore all the best advice from those with the real experience, to either under- or over-equip the expeditions, seemingly never hitting the right balance.
The internecine rivalry of the officers, the badly-picked crews, the obstructions of companies and kings, all combine to produce farce after explorational farce. On top of this, each failed expedition only fires his zeal, perversely convincing him that he is right, so off goes another doomed expedition.

If anything tells us that inhabitants of ivory towers have no idea of the real world, it is this book ... Get it and enjoy!

Good book, but it spent too much time in England peering behind the political scenes and not enough time in the Arctic. It is very interesting to learn of the behind the scenes "politicing" required to carry off such pointless acts of courage, but most of the officers come off looking like political hacks instead of the incredibly courageous explorers that they were. These men sailed in the face of fear and came home heroes, but a self-serving bureauocrat makes it to the title of the book. While Barrow deserves much of the credit for getting the machinery in place behind these men, sometimes he did not even do that. I may be trasferring some of my deep personal distaste for the man (Barrow) to the book, but I did enjoy the book very much. I just wish it spent more time on the expeditions and a little less on the politics.

For 41 years John Barrow manipulated the Royal Navy and the British Government to pursue his own fixed ideas on geography.
His mistaken belief that there was an open, ice-free sea at the North Pole, a permanently clear North-West Passage and that the Niger emptied into either the Nile or the Congo, caused the deaths of unknown numbers of men, the loss of ships, the expenditure of a king's ransom and the physical and mental breakdown of many of Britain's elite officers.

This is the story of that prolonged tragedy; the irony of it is that it fathered the most amazing feats of endurance and privation, that they are regarded today as the pinnacle of human endeavour - only the similarly ill-equipped expeditions of Scott come close.

Barrow's 'Boys' are his hand-picked officers (strangely, they were usually totally ill-suited to the tasks he set them) who are either ambitious, incompetent, zealots or plain insane (or any combination!) and Barrow goes out of his way to ignore all the best advice from those with the real experience, to either under- or over-equip the expeditions, seemingly never hitting the right balance.
The internecine rivalry of the officers, the badly-picked crews, the obstructions of companies and kings, all combine to produce farce after explorational farce. On top of this, each failed expedition only fires his zeal, perversely convincing him that he is right, so off goes another doomed expedition.

If anything tells us that inhabitants of ivory towers have no idea of the real world, it is this book ... Get it and enjoy!

This was a well written book on the many Polar and African interior explorations that were sponsored by the British in the first half of the 19th centry. From trying to find the North-West Passage above North America to searching for the legendary "city of gold" called Timbucto in Africa this book kept me interested throughout. Never before or for that matter since has such a group of explorers been assembled. The man responsible for these quests was John Barrow, a man who had a dream of mapping uncharted areas of the world. He set into motion the largest and most expensive series of explorations in the history of mankind. This is a story of courage and determination like no other that I have read before. This book recounts the stories of men who spent years stuck in the freezing cold in their dreams of being the first to find a passage across North America. The book also details the adventures that other men had in their quest to map the interior of Africa. Other stories of different areas in the world that were explored are also included. John Barrow might not have been as successful as he would have liked but his dream inspired later explorers and set a benchmark that carried on into the 20th century.

The Author explains that this book originated as the name of John
Barrow is to be found in the Bibliographies on English Expeditions of
Discovery, for a good portion of the first half of the 19th
Century. Those that lead or were notable participants in these
ventures have books written by them, and about them, many times
over. Evidently this is the first time the man who was a driving force
behind these events has been profiled alongside the voyages. Just some
of these events include the search for The Northwest Passage, the trek
for The North Pole, documenting the North and South Magnetic Poles,
and exploring Antarctica. And when you have frozen through these epic
travels, the writer takes you to Australia, and the overland marches
in search of Timbuktu, the beginning and end of The Niger River, and
many other historical firsts.

Along with the details of the trips and
the men that participated, the Author also explains the construction
of the ships, how these wooden vessels were able to break through ice
instead of their being broken. There are remarkable details noted,
such as there was a black member of the group that first crossed the
Northwest passage from West to East, and also a man of color when the
North Pole was attacked. The tales range from remarkable folly when
officers were to wear dress uniforms when crossing the desserts of
Africa to maintain the pride of Britain, to other men who adopted not
only the dress of The Muslims, but also learned to speak their
language!

In his position at The Admiralty and other distinguished
posts, Barrow not only could direct what expeditions took place, but
also those that were to lead them. With this power he made or
destroyed the reputations of many brave men whose only failure was
that they did not succeed according to Barrow. Most of his beliefs
about The Northwest Passage, The North Pole, and the rivers and cities
of Africa were wrong. Despite this, his persistence and those that
shouldered these journeys filled in the voids on the worlds map that
had until then been blank. But while alive he was a bitter taskmaster
who would brutally discredit the same men he had sent to destinations
never before seen by a European, if he did not gain the information
and confirmation of the beliefs he held to be true.

Different readers
will select those actions they find to be the most remarkable, for me
it was those trips that in futility sought The Northwest Passage by
ship. These ships and crew would at times be gone for 2, 3, or even 4
years depending on the whims of the ice. During one such voyage after
surviving another brutal winter a vessel again made its way toward
home. When once again locked in the ice for yet another winter the
ship had traveled a distance that a man could easily walk in 2 hours!

These winters, which occupied most of the calendar, were filled with
activities to literally keep all members healthy and sane. Seamen who
could not read or write came home literate, and the majority of the
time scurvy was kept at bay by Captains that truly seemed to care for
their men. There were of course Captains whose sanity could be
questioned, and at least one who was certifiably a mental
misfit. However these were the exception and not the rule. The Author
also shares the first human encounter that an isolated group of
Eskimos had experienced in 400 years. The story will contradict every
evil cliché that has been too easily attached to those who set out on
these voyages.

The book is a remarkable piece of work, and pays
tribute and passes judgment when appropriate. A wonderful piece of
scholarly work that is a privilege to read.

The book I read was A Bear called Paddington, and it was very good. The author of A bear called Paddington was Michael Bond who has been writing children's books since 1995. A Bear called Paddington is a fantasy story.

A bear called Paddington has 8 stories in the book. First story...Mr. and Mrs. Brown find a bear who had came to America from darkest Prue. The train Stations name was Paddington so they named him Paddington. Paddington has no family so the Browns takes the bear to there house. Second story... Mr. and Mrs. Brown have 2 children, Judy and Jonathon, they really like Paddington. Paddington always has his hat o which actually saves his life. When Paddington was in the bath and forgot how to swim so he poured the water on the floor out of his hat. Third story... Paddington, Mrs. Brown ad Judy go underground somewhere, and o the way there, they lost all there money so as soon as they get there they don't have ay money for tickets. So all 3 of them looked for the money for the tickets. Fourth story Paddington, Judy ad Mrs. Brown go shopping and Paddington have never been on an elevator so he wants to go on one. They got off the elevator and Paddington hates it so much. Fifth story... On day a grocery man tells Paddington how to get paint off stuff. After hearing that, Paddington wanted to try, so he found an old and tried to erase it but it makes an even bigger mess. Sixth story... The whole family went to the theater. Paddington loves it so much that now he wants to be in show business. So he creeps I the actor's dressing room to find the main person, Sir Sealy. Sir Sealy gives Paddington a special part in the play. Seventh story... the whole family go's to the sea and Judy, Paddington and Jonathon enter a sad castle contest and one of them wins. Eighth story... Paddington gets a magic kit for his birthday in the end he vanished 2 thing's and broke one thing.

This book was one of my favorites, it was so good. One bad thing is that it was very easy to understand. I would recommend this book to third or fourth graders.

Paddington is very funny when he does little mistakes. Paddington is a very interesting character that is lovable to everyone. Whenever I'm bored I read it, usually, even though we have already read it. You should mainly buy it for your kids, but you should read it to them because adults like it as much as the kids do. I like all the Paddington books, but my favorite one is the first one. Paddington is a wonderful character and he is my most favorite on earth.
by a 9 year- old (almost)girl from the USA

We LOVE this CD set! I bought it 2 years ago for my daughter to listen to for naps and bedtime, and now at age 5 she's STILL asking for it every night.

I like the fact that both CDs are over an hour long, she likes that there are several stories on each CD to keep her attention. The plots aren't too complicated for her to follow, but they do force her to pay attention and focus on the cd, which is key for naptime. :) Stephen Fry's voice is wonderfully soothing to listen to, and he does a great job of distinguishing between the various characters -- key for books on CD!

As she's gotten older Caroline has begun to appreciate some of the silliness that is Paddington, but the stories are nicely entertaining even without that element. We parents don't mind listening to Paddington in the car when we're on trips. All in all, I say this CD set is well worth this money, it's one that will really grow with you!!

This proved to be a wonderful purchase. The stories are entertaining for both parents and children and are perfect for long car trips. Excellent alternative when you don't want the kids in front of the television.

A classic! I loved Paddington as a child and I'm thrilled to have this in our CD collection. (I'd even listen without the kids!). Stephen Fry reads the stories very well.

I found this book in a public library in Japan and borrowed it to read to my 3 year old son. He has a strong interest in trains, so I thought this could be a good break from the daily grind of Thomas the Tank Engine stories.

The story is about a steam engine named Choo Choo who hauls passengers, mail, and baggage to and fro. She has a dream to be free from her monotonous life and to be admired for her speed and grace. She finally gets the chance to run without a load and ends up running out of control. Her patient engineer and conductor find her and bring her home safely. She learns a lesson and doesn't wish to run off alone anymore.

The story bears a striking resemblance to Stop, Train, Stop! a Thomas the Tank Engine Story (Beginner Books(R)). That is another story where a train decides to run away as fast as it can in order to impress onlookers. I can't help but think that the Thomas version is based almost wholly on the Burton story of Choo Choo.

The charcoal art is amazing. Each page is illustrated with a smoky charcoal sketching that makes the old-timey-ness of the story come to life. The greasy, dirty, smoky world of steam locomotives becomes a real-live place to readers of this book.

The quaint "Once upon a time" beginning was a little strange, but soon forgotten. However the layout of the text itself was something I could never get over. The shrinking of each line of text into a cone, or the lines shaped in waves made reading aloud difficult. It is easy to read ahead, but much of that skill also relies on visual cues from the text itself. I found myself tripping over certain phrases due to the unorthodox text. The clever textual layout may add artistic merit to the book, but it detracts from the book as a read-along.

That said, it's a fun book with lots of train sounds for kids to catch on to. The story teaches that one shouldn't go off without a good plan, but also that loved ones are always there to help you when you need help.

My 3rd son loves trains much more than my 1st who loved them a lot, but...although he doesn't have a ton of words yet and is only starting to put 3 or more words together can tell you the entire plot of this story...fills in the word missing if you stop for a second...points out people in the book as his cat, his grandma, etc...it has everything a train loving kid could ask for including another favorite with sounds and farm animals! Great classic...hope they come out with a board book for those nights when you really need to get them to bed!!! or to take in the car!!!

Choo Choo the runaway engine is a delightful story that mesmerizes three to four year old boys who like trains. Our son asks for this volume each night.
As with all of Virginia Lee Burton's books, the illustrations are delightful, here all rendered in charcoal, which is strangely appropriate for the "shiny black engine" at the center of the story.
The story is simple and easily understood by little readers, and they can pick out some words and map them to the illustrations. There is nothing objectionable in the tale, involving an engine who wants to break free of her responsibilities and run away to be the center of attention. Her engineer, conductor, and coal-man all work hard to chase her and bring her back, and she learns the lesson that running away from those who care for you typically ends in disaster.
We bought our edition in London, without the cassette, which strikes me as a bit datted in this CDROM and DVD era.
Highly recommended.

My train-loving son really enjoyed this book many times but we never bought it because it takes a little while to read it. Some nights when you're trying to hurry up the bedtime routines it feels like a very, very long time to read it.

Now at 32 months, he loves it even more. He can recite the entire book page by page. He knows the names of the characters and their jobs. He confirms that the "coal car fell off the bridge onto the barge and now the train derrick picks it up." all the sketches are black and white and quite unique. i recommend this book for all ages, boy or girl.

Do you want to study and understand kabbalah in details? Are you trapped or met blinds in your studies into mysticism? Are you intrested to know who and who are the true author/authors of the great and renowned book in kabbalah The Zohar? You have met blinds in your kabbalah studies? Here is the one amongst other books that would shead light on your path to the true wisdom of the Ages. You would definately get more than your moneys worth.

When reading Scholem I often feel like I am reading an old testament prophet; his writing and words seem to convey a great dignity and authority and power beyond their age.

Major Trends is basically a set of lectures Scholem gave on Jewish mysticism. Scholem was one of the first scholars to apply scientific methods of criticism to Jewish mystical texts and traditions and their sources, which had been neglected to a large extent in favour of the rational Jews like Moses Maimonides. The age of Reason had little time for religion, myth and mysticism and it was really only in the latter part of the 20th century people began to return to their mystical traditions.

Scholem made many important discoveries, including showing the author of the Zohar (which supposedly came from the 2nd century) was written by Moses de Leon, a 11th century Spanish Jew. Also in this collection are some valuable studies of the relationship between Kabbalah and Christian Gnosticism, and on Isaac Luria's bizarre theosophic ideas, and of chariot mysticism which influenced early Christianity and many apocryphal biblical books such as the Books of Enoch.

Scholem's study remains the most important 20th century study of Jewish mysticism.

Gershom Scholem was a pioneer in the academic study of Jewish mysticism. Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism is an excellent introduction to the kabbalah. The book covers the main historical movements and personalities. It explains the basic doctrines, rituals, and texts. The footnotes and referenced authors and texts become an excellent source of further study for both the academician and the spiritual seeker.

What I love best about Scholem is that he wrote eloquently about spiritual enlightenment without presenting himself as being a mystical master or guru. He will guide you through the history of Jewish esoteric thought, after which you can sample some source texts (many of which now are available in English translation). No preaching here - just good scholarly thought and clear, eloquent writing. It's also amazing how a 60-year old volume remains the standard introduction while still being regarded as controversial in fundamentalist quarters. An awesome achievement!

Kabbalah is one of those things that everyone seems to want to be part of, and something that enjoys a high level of fashionability at the moment. While this is great, it also means that there is a lot of rubbish out there with "Kabbalah" printed on it. For the beginner or the curious, this can make getting at the real thing a bit daunting and difficult.

Scholem's book "Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism" is rightly considered a classic in the field of Kabbalah and the study thereof. While somewhat aged, the book still retains its status as among the most respected of works.

Scholem covers the major phases of Kabbalah, and includes sections on each one. He delves into the details, teachings, personalities and the impact of each phase, and brings the reader an erudite introduction to them. He includes early Jewish Merkabah mysticism, Lurianic Kabbalah, Abulafia, the Zohar, (a big section on this!) and even the very interesting Sabbatianism.

I found some points of terminology a little objectionable in connection with Gnosticism, but this would not be an issue for the general, non-Gnostic reader. As such, it should not discourage you from reading it.

As a starting point, Scholem's "Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism" is unbeatable for both its scholarly approach and also for Scholem's ability to make it all understandable and absorbable. This is a fantastic book and one worth getting. I could not praise this book enough.

To be honest, if Gershom Scholem wrote it, you can't go far wrong with it.

It's amazing how soothing just reading William Blake's poetry is on the troubled soul. I always look for his work to ease my mind and lift my spirit. Everyone should treat themselves to his work. Peace be with you.

A wonderful paperback edition, containing all the works of
William Blake, with a excellent introduction
of Harold Bloom. An priceless tool for students
and teachers

This is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in the works of William Blake. It's well organized and easy to work with. I'm very pleased with it.

What to write for my last review? That was tough. Since I was a little boy I have always been one of those who had his face in a book. Books, books, books. When I began my jobs as a paperboy, and later at the grocery store, I began buying books. This hobby grew so large, that my father made our rumpus room a library for me. And it grew ever larger. By the time I enlisted in the Air Force, I had amassed quite a large number of volumes. While in Europe and the Middle East, I would scour book stores and began purchasing leather books. Some very old, and many in foreign languages. Since the Air Force only allowed for a 5,000 lb limit, I spent a fortune sending books home. When I left the service my house looked like a library. Running out of space, I began to make my garage a library. However, it grew ever larger. Therefore, I made use of my brothers garage, then my mothers, and eventually even had to make due with having to rent a few storage spaces.

Yes, it's that large. I was hoping to make a large home library some day. Books have been my life: Even though I write mostly about Asian films. And I was glad that VHS films came into vogue, as they afforded me the opportunity to begin amassing a large collection of Japanese films which I have a soft heart for. That got real big too! Anyway, back to the question as to what to write for my last review? Well, I just happened to stumble across this book last night, one of many. There is a poem by the gifted and enigmatic poet, engraver and painter William Blake. I do recommend the book by the way. Events in my life have gone in a very negative way, therefore, I have decided to impart a poem as my last review. Hope you like it. It's one I have remembered from my childhood. There are too many great things to write about, and I figured this would not be a bad goodbye. It is William Blake's "THE TYGER"

THE TIGER

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


William Blake (1757-1827)

It has all his writings: letters, anotations scribbled in the margins of other people's books, everything. Only downside: it doesn't show his illuminated printing.

I purchased this book while in college and studying the effects of mob mentality and how fads and trends occur. This is a great insight into that mentality. It is a very high-level reading book but the philosophy behind it is very solid. Great read for understanding election results, riots, why people behave differently in crowds than they would alone, etc.

This book easily explains how humans behave in crowds. The points the author makes are amaZing! The author has a lucid understand of human behavior. I always underline great points in books and almost every page has a sentence underlined. Here is one of many great points the author makes: "The masses have never thirsted after the truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim."
Based upon that statement right there, I'm sure you will realize that this book is powerful and enlightening.

Many readers of this 1895 book will be intrigued by the notion that 20th century dictators allegedly based their regimes on it. The false inference that this book promotes totalitarianism is an unfortunate result. Not only does Le Bon remain scientific and neutral with regard to the applications of his study, but so too does this book offer us great insight into the psychology of crowds that could help us achieve the kind of liberal democracy we supposedly strive for today.

The book's scientific tone is unmistakable. One almost wishes for more tangential philosophy to better realize the ideas, but one cannot argue with Le Bon's style, which very successfully accomplishes his aims, limited as they are: describing the characteristics of crowds. The reader is also thankful for the author's precise method when he indulges popular prejudices of his day stemmed from social Darwinism. Le Bon subscribes to the notion that the world's population is made of different `races,' for instance, and attributes differences in behavior to this fiction. The reader is usually able to substitute `race' for `culture' in these cases in order to read his meaning in a more modern capacity.

Le Bon was obviously a great student of Spencer and, as such, emphasizes a Positivist worldview, stressing evolution and individual liberty as paths to the good. But he is objective throughout--again proving his dedication to science--never failing to note the good things that crowds have accomplished, even as functions of religion or socialist states.

It is only then that the reader is compelled to object. Crowd psychology, as it is described in these pages, is an evil in itself because the individuals that make up the crowd lose their ability to reason. This, no matter what the outcome of the crowd's action is, makes the phenomenon abhorrent in itself. One that favors the intellect, even the neutral, scientific brand (one might even argue especially the neutral, scientific brand), should thoroughly disapprove.

And so even the fundamental legacy of this book is countered. The assumption about `The Crowd' is that it systematically disparages herds because of their stupidity and recklessness. At least one reader wishes this were more the case.

In high school, the french teacher--a dropout from l'Ecole Normale Supérieure before landing on our fair shores--was also an unforgettable track coach. I specialized in long-distance relay races. I canot tell you how may relays our team won after Coach Perrier assigned the book that the team affectionately came to call "Le Crowd." We eventually dubbed ourselves "Le Crowd" in its honor, using Le Bon's analysis to reign in the commoners running against us in Central Michigan Scholastic Athletic League (Division IV). Even years later when our beloved coach was accused of crimes against humanity during the occupation, "Le Crowd" was proud to stand by him. As a former team captain, I was happy to testify as a character witness. I've noticed similarities between Le Bon and more recent thinkers, notably Leo Strauss in "The City and Man" and his great-nephew Neil Strauss in "The Game," but also this cat Samuel Huntington in "The Clash of Civilizations." Proud Americans all. I've also been told by a musicologist drinking buddy that scene with the judge in Bob Dylan's "Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was inspired by an anecdote in an earlier French edition of Le Bon's study, but to my ear Dylan is horribly off-pitch on this one. I recommend this book highly, on behalf of myself, old Coach Perrier, and anyone who has gone up against the vulgar mind of the crowd and learned to surf above it.

_The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind_ is an English translation of the classic work on crowd psychology of French theorist and social scientist Gustave le Bon first published in 1895. Gustave le Bon (1841 - 1931) was a French social theorist whose works played a prominent part in the understanding of nationality, racialism, herd behavior, and crowd psychology. Le Bon writes from the perspective of a rationalist and a skeptic (though he is also skeptical of the uses to which "reason" is put by crowds, such as occurred during the French revolution) and examines crowd psychology from a scientific perspective. Le Bon's understanding of crowd psychology reveals the irrationalism of crowds and the inadequacies of the democratic process. This work in particular played a prominent role in the formation of such psychoanalytic theorists of the unconscious as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung as well as in the leadership principle and crowd control of such figures as Benito Mussolini. As such, le Bon's work offers an important social, psychological, and political understanding of the processes that operate within crowds.

In his Preface, Le Bon lays out his understanding of the role of crowds, particularly as concerns the "present age" (his own time period). Le Bon explains the manner in which the unconscious activity of crowds has replaced the conscious activity of the individual. Le Bon also shows how he belongs to no particular school and thus claims that he is free from the biases of all such schools. Further, le Bon contends that the spirit of reform has guided crowds and that the era of crowds has replaced the divine right of kings. Following this, le Bon turns to "The Era of Crowds" in his Introduction. Le Bon explains how crowds have come to take a prominent place within national thought and that the modern age has become an era of crowds. Le Bon further offers that an understanding of crowds is essential for legislators and statesmen. The first "Book" of this book is entitled "The Mind of Crowds". Le Bon begins by considering the general characteristics of crowds. Le Bon defines the crowd in terms of psychology and distinguishes his definition from that of the commonplace understanding of the crowd. Le Bon further explains the "psychological law of the mental unity of crowds". Le Bon contends that in a crowd brain activity is reduced and there is a prominence of medullar activity, meaning that crowds act largely unconsciously. Following this, le Bon turns to the sentiments and morality of crowds. Le Bon contends that there is an impulsiveness, mobility, and irritability of crowds. Le Bon also contends that there are racial differences among crowds. Further, le Bon argues that crowds are credulous and readily influenced by suggestion. Le Bon also contends that crowds do not admit doubt or uncertainty and always head towards extremes. Further, le Bon contends that there is an intolerance, dictatorialness, and conservativism of crowds. In addition, le Bon contends that while crowds may act in accordance with a lower morality than that of the individual, it is also possible for crowds to have a higher morality than the individual and thus be prone to heroics. Following this, le Bon turns his attention to the ideas, reasoning power, and imagination of crowds. Le Bon contends that lofty ideas must be dumbed down before they can appeal to crowds. Le Bon further argues that crowds cannot be substantially influenced by reasoning and that their level of reasoning is entirely inferior to that of the individual. Finally, le Bon contends that crowds are prone to the imagination and they think in images, and that further the marvelous has always had some influence on crowds which is frequently linked to statesmen. Following this, le Bon turns his attention to the religious shape assumed by all the convictions of crowds. Le Bon argues that popular gods have never completely disappeared and that even atheism may take on a religious shape under the influence of crowds. Le Bon considers the religious shape of such historical occurrences as the Reformation, Saint Bartholomew, and the Terror following the French Revolution. Le Bon also considers the religious role of such great religions as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. The second "Book" of this book is entitled "The Opinions and Beliefs of Crowds". Here, le Bon begins by considering remote factors of the opinions and beliefs of crowds. Le Bon considers such factors as race, traditions, time, political and social institutions, and political and social institutions as they relate to instruction and education regarding the opinions and beliefs of crowds. Following this, le Bon turns his attention to the immediate factors of the opinions and beliefs of crowds. Le Bon considers such factors as images, words, and formulae, illusions, experience, and reason. Next, le Bon considers the leaders of crowds and their means of persuasion. Le Bon begins by arguing that there is an instinctive need of all crowds to obey a leader. Le Bon also considers various characteristics of such leaders. Further, le Bon considers the means of action of the leaders, which he classifies as affirmation, repetition, and contagion. Together these principles explain the actions of crowds under a leader. In addition, le Bon considers the prestige of a leader, arguing that a leader must possess a certain prestige. Le Bon defines prestige and argues that there are different kinds of prestige including acquired prestige and personal prestige, as well as showing how prestige is lost. Following this, le Bon considers limitations of the variability of the beliefs and opinions of crowds. Le Bon considers fixed beliefs of crowds, noting how they have formed, as well as the possibility of changeability of beliefs of crowds, arguing that beliefs of crowds have become more and more in flux and that further the beliefs of crowds tend towards indifference. The third "Book" of this book is entitled "The Classification and Description of the Different Kinds of Crowds". Le Bon begins by considering the classification of crowds into heterogeneous and homogeneous crowds. Le Bon argues that there are different races which constitute crowds and examines the effect of race and civilization in contrast to barbarism. Le Bon further argues that there are different kinds of homogeneous crowds including sects, castes, and classes. Following this, le Bon examines criminal crowds. Le Bon considers their psychology and the role of the unconscious. Le Bon further considers the role of crowds in the September massacre as well as other criminal crowds. Following this, le Bon considers criminal juries as crowds. Le Bon examines the role of juries arguing that they serve a useful purpose and should not be replaced by magistrates. Le Bon examines statistics on juries arguing that their decisions are often superior to those of experts or magistrates in that they are frequently more lenient and less prone to personal vendettas. Following this, le Bon considers electoral crowds. Le Bon points out some inferior points of democracy but notes that it also has some strong points as well. Le Bon notes the role of electoral crowds in the committees of the Revolution as well as the role of universal suffrage. Following this, le Bon ends by considering parliamentary assemblies, noting the roles of leaders and the progressive loss of liberties with the increase of state power. Le Bon ends by reflecting upon the rise and fall of civilizations and the passage into barbarism and relating this to his discussion of crowds.

This book offers a classic study of the crowd psychology. It was an important book for many during the early half of the Twentieth century during a period when totalitarianisms were developing and in which crowds arose led by powerful leaders. This book continues to be important though for what it has to say about the role of the crowd and large groups of people. It is recommended to those who want to understand mass psychology and the role that crowds play in society and politics.

Wow, this book is REALLY big. It's a big, heavy hardcover. MUCH BIGGER than we expected. The stories and illustrations are just what you'd expect from Curious George, and our son really likes it. It comes with FIVE CDs, and each audio track begins with "Out story begins on the page where George is doing XXX with YYY" so the children can flip to the correct story without grownup help (in theory, that is. In practice it's not so easy, because there's so many pages that it's just too hard to find).

I would have given it FIVE STARS, except for one thing: the only thing I would have done differently is put the stories with and without page-turn signals on separate CDs. Each CD has two versions of each audio track - with and without page turns, but that means there are less stories per CD, and that when you play a CD it plays each story twice.

I forgot how long Curious George books are. I remembered them being short when I was a kid. Anyway, my 4 year loves the cartoon and show on PBS so I thought I would give these a try. She really likes these books w/ CD. She can follow along on her own. Audio and Narrators are very good. My 4 year old has a long attention span. Some of these books can be up to 30 minutes. If your child cannot sit still that long, it may not be for you.

I bought this set for my 4 year old boy. Little did I know that this would also be a mommy sanity saver gift as well. I gave this to my little boy with a cd player to enjoy. On the first day he opened it, I had forgotten that he was in the house beacause he was so quiet, for a whole hour. And well my little boy is like Curious George, always into something. So for him to be quiet and out of trouble for an hour was a glorious event in my house. He enjoys the book and cd so much that now it's his own little word of reading and enjoying. He even brings it in the car to take with him to enjoy. What an incredible gift this turned out to be. I highly recommend to anyone. I will definitely keep on my list to buy again as Birthday presents in the future. Trust me all your friends with thank you endlessly.

My Grandson loves Crious George and I am always satisfied with my purchases from Amazon.

Tells when they need to turn the page. My 4 yr old loves it. Him and my 2 yr old love Curious George!

Gil not only created a great translation from the original Pali, but was also able to put the Dhammapada back into verse (a very difficult thing to do successfully).

It is a great translation.

I have read the Penguin Classics as well as the Thich Nhat Hanh version of the Dhammapada, and this version speaks more clearly (less cumbersome language) and is deeper touching for me. It will be a great choice for most other average Westerners, even if you're just picking it up out of curiosity.

I have several translations of the Dhammapada and this translation is the one that I take with me on my travels, and refer to most often.

Gil is using for me very understandable language. E. g. explains budhist cocepts of handling anger, which helped me a lot. Thin book which can be used as a reference guide for different aspects of live. I do recommend it.

The translation of this classic book is the most readable for the contemporary reader.