Classics Books

I had never heard much about 'The Mill on the Floss' before reading it, but I enjoyed other Eliot novels so I decided to try it. I usually enjoy plot-driven books, and this was a bit more character-driven, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Eliot's writing (and, I'm sure, the editing) doesn't have the bogged down feel of many classics, and her descriptions--especially of places, but of people as well--are often brilliant. Her descriptions of education and women's 'place' in society are fascinating, and the interactions between characters are in many cases timeless. I strongly recommend the book even for those who are often 'classics-shy'. Though at times strong on description and slow on plot, this novel contains insights on relationships and a view on the education of women to which everyone should be exposed.

This was a really sad, but really great novel. Granted, it's not an action packed novel, but if you like Dickens or Austen, and have a shred of patience (the novel is lengthy) you'll like this novel, too. I really felt for Maggie and her unrelenting desire to be loved and accepted by her family. Unfortunately, the way she goes about trying to earn their love and affections doesn't turn out the way she wants it to. This novel has it's share of melodrama, as much Victorian literature does. I liked this novel particularly because it doesn't center around passion/romance (although it has that too), but the love and closeness of family, and what a woman will do in order to have that. The characters in this novel are well written, and as shocked as I was by the ending, I thought it was really good. I was satisfied because finally there is a point in the story where I think Maggie was truly happy. I recommend this read wholeheartedly.

The Mill on the Floss, published in 1860, traces the turmoil in the life of Maggie Tulliver, a young woman who has a streak of independence but who also feels close to her father and her brother and believes that she must always honor their feelings and wishes. Maggie's father is the owner of the Dorlcote Mill on the Floss River, a failing business drawing him into increasing debt to his relatives and creditors. Her brother Tom, with no interest in the mill, is encouraged to learn other skills which may suit him for a higher level of society. When the mill fails and is sold at auction to Lawyer Wakem, the Tullivers become social outcasts, at the mercy of creditors and dependent on their extended family.

Philip Wakem, son of Lawyer Wakem, is a hunchback who has been a school friend of Tom Tulliver and a special friend of Maggie, who treats him kindly and appreciates his intelligence and thoughtfulness. When the mill is sold to Wakem, Tom and Mr. Tulliver end all contact with the Wakem family, and though Maggie continues to see Philip privately, Tom eventually forces her to choose between the family and Philip. Another relationship with Stephen Guest, who has been courting her cousin Lucy, unleashes Maggie's passions and leads to a dramatic conclusion.

Throughout the novel George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans) explores the many kinds of love in Maggie's life--her devoted love of her father, her dependence on and love for her brother, her intellectual and kindly love for Philip, and her passionate love of Stephen Guest. Creating a fully drawn character in Maggie, Eliot shows a full picture of a young woman of 1860, trying to be independent, trying to live according to society's strictures, and trying to be true to her own feelings, despite pressures from family and society. Eliot, who herself made the scandalous choice to live openly with a married man for twenty-six years, was thoroughly familiar with these issues herself, and her depictions of such themes as family loyalty and the social conventions and limitations of class carry the ring of truth.

Psychologically astute in the exploration of themes as they affect Maggie, Eliot amplifies these themes through imagery from nature, legend, and even religion. Often melodramatic in plot, the novel remains realistic, even autobiographical, in its attention to character. Though it is not as fully developed as her later novel Middlemarch, Mill on the Floss is still a well developed, thoughtful novel which goes far beyond the pulp fiction being serialized in newspapers and magazines during that time. Mary Whipple

Middlemarch (Signet Classics)
Daniel Deronda (Modern Library Classics)
Romola
Silas Marner, The Weaver of Raveloe
George Eliot: The Last Victorian

I read this book for a Victorian Lit/Graduate class and I was a bit put off because others, who had read it before, disparaged it as tedious. Yet again, I learned that one cannot judge by means of conformity (ever!). This is perhaps one of the best Victorian novels ever written. Seriously.
Maggie is the slightly wayward and tomboyish (but undeniably goodhearted) daughter of a proud, stubborn, and provincial man, and a dull witted, ridiculous mother. She is sister to an immature and exasperating brother who believes he possesses the very kernel of justice within his beliefs and actions, but in truth is a selfish and undeniably cruel "bastard." Lastly, she is a companion (and "potential" lover) to Philip, the deformed, yet soft-spoken and educated son of her father's worst enemy...

The Mill on the Floss is a novel of sacrifice and determination, revenge and forgiveness, society and selfhood. And in case anyone cares, I read this 400+ page novel in two days. Not because of a dealine I had to meet, but because I could not seem to put it down.

Interested yet? Listen, if you already know that you love Victorian literature, you will not be disappointed in this text. It is absolutely full of surprises. Granted, the ending could be infinitely better, but alas it is what it is. Regardless, the ending of a book is not necessarily where its merit is at.
Furthermore, if you are into Queer Theory, you might find this text interesting reading as it plays with gender roles and expectations throughout.
George Eliot (i.e., Mary Ann Evans) was a master and equivalent, in my opinion, to the great Charles Dickens.

This is Eliot's semi autobiographical novel, and tells the story of Maggie Tulliver and her brother Tom. The story takes place in the village of St. Ogg, and at the Mill on The Floss that's been in the Tulliver family for generations. Other reviewers have told enough of the story (in some instances too much) that I don't see the need to go into it again. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Eliot depicted the sibling relationship between Maggie and Tom with all of those ups and downs that we all have experienced with our siblings, and culminating in the final finish of the story that thoroughly blew me away. I think I just sat for a good ten minutes just saying Oh Wow over and over again, and then felt the need to seek out my brothers and give them both a big hug.

The joy of reading this novel or any other by Eliot is her gorgeous prose and brilliant characterizations, even with the minor characters. Just be warned, this is not an action packed, sit on the edge of your seat, can't put it down until it's finished type of novel. This is a story to savor and enjoy the multi-faceted characters and the author's glorious prose like a fine red wine or a box of chocolates (or both). If you are looking for high action and adventure, this is not the book for you. Highly recommended for any lover of 19th century English literature, not as dark and brooding as Hardy can be, but the prose is just as lovely, if not better.

I read this book for the first time about 25 years ago. I have read it about 6 or 7 times since. It along with the sequel, Light in My Window, is my all time favorite series. I highly recommend reading this book.

I think this book was published in 1946, but don't let the age fool you. The author presents the story in a much more real way than many of the modern Christian writers do today. In many of the contemporary Christian novels, the characters are either so perfect that they don't seem real or so have very filthy minds. A good Christian novel is one that is somewhere in between.

Francena H. Arnold, in Not My Will, keeps it real and presents characters with real problems that only God can solve. Contemporary Christian authors should follow her example in the novels they write. Parts of it are sad, but it is well worth reading.

You may also consider reading Searching for Mom, which isn't nearly as bleak, but it is a more recent book that explores the will of God in the family relationship.

Best book I've ever read!!! Loved to read it when I was a teenager, and still love it now in my 30s! A classic!

The plot of this book is great, and the ending is so unpredictable!

This book was really great and very hard to put down. I loved it! It is also a very inspiring book. The woman in this book is not very religous or spiritual but during a very difficult time she turns to someone who shows her such unconditional love that at first she finds it hard to believe someone could be so kind. Until she learns about the love of God and His love for her. She then realizes what her heart really needs to begin to heal and what is most important in life...her Heavenly Father. She learns to put her faith in God and to live according to His will.
An excellent book. It will surely touch your heart.
It is a love story like no other. You will not be able to stop reading once you start.

I teach English for a living, and this is, by far, the best translation of the Odyssey that is out there. The audio version brings it to life and gets students to actually listen and read along, which isn't bad considering the story itself is over 2,000 years old and still quite a challenge to read. We skip a few books in class to keep interest up (books 2,3,4 are more about Telemachus,and book 11 is easily passed over) but the balance of the audio recordings are stellar. This is money well spent considering how many cds are in this package.

This is an absolutely fabulous product, but if you are not used to listening to audio books, I should give you a warning. This product is 11 CD's of one person speaking for about 13 hours. Can you imagine sitting down in the morning at home and staring at the wall for 13 hours while same voice goes on and on, all day and into the night? No, that won't work. So you at least have to break up the experience into chunks. Also, you might need to be doing something else as well, like walking or driving, so you don't drift off. What I did was listen while driving and intermingle other disks so I would not tire of the same voice. I would listen to one disk of the Odyssey, then I'd listen to a disk of music or a non-fiction lecture, then I'd put in another disk of the Odyssey.

However, the last 4 disks were so gripping I listened to them one after the other and could hardly wait for the next disk. Part of this was Ian McKellen's excellent, nay, masterful, enunciation and inflection. Part of the excitement is the climatic end when Odysseus returns home. Can you imagine a gripping 3 hour long buildup to the climatic moment when he reveals his return? Nothing else can compare!

I probably identified with the climax more now that I am middle-aged, with a home, a wife, and children approaching adulthood than I could have if I was a teenager listening to this or reading the book. There is little as primal to a mature man as the defense of his home and family.

It is astounding to experience a story this exciting and know it is about 2,800 years old.

I listened to this story on audio CD because I realized that I would never read this story because I have gone so far into my life without reading it yet. I'm very glad I listened to it instead of trying to read it. For one thing, how could I begin to pronounce so many Greek names? If you have started reading the book and put it down, try reading it by following along with this audio book. The audio book is abridged, but it is 13 hours long so I'm sure you would have a lot of text to follow along with.

If you think you know the story of the Odyssey because you've seen a movie based on the story, I will say the story by Homer is much grander and more full bodied than what has been depicted in movies. I'd go so far as to say the movies miss the real point of the Odyssey.

Robert Fagles has also translated the Aeneid and the Iliad. I've listened to those on audio CD as well and liked them all. I am a big fan of Derek Jacobi, who narrated the Iliad. I liked the Odyssey best of all.

Really liked this, the reading was outstanding and great translation by Robert Fagles. My son really enjoyed listening to it on a long road trip after plus it added to his understanding while he was reading it for English Class. I highly recommend this product.

For thousands of years this story has been told and retold.
The reason this story is still being told and still being heard is because it is so exciting and so very compelling.
It never grows old.
I have read and enjoyed this story from a leather bound book, but it is best heard spoken from a human voice. Ian McKellen is qualified as a modern day bard.

Unlike most movies and books of today, once will not be enough.
Those who listen to it will not be disappointed.

I'll not waste any time of yours with long and deserving praise for this telling of an ancient story, other than to say that should another day pass where you have stolen from yourself the opportunity to listen to this master storyteller lead you through a story written by a master, then only the Gods can forgive you.

Sir Ian Mckellan's performance is measured and beautiful, and there is no shame in a tear falling at the meeting of father and son for the emotion that comes through this practiced orator. I can say with a fair amount of confidence that the bards of old must have sounded like this - masters of their craft and able to bring the imaginations of their audience to life.

Not a moment longer - a treat awaits you...

A fun book for kids, with some deeper insight as well.

"When you go beyond Zebra,
Who knows...? There's no telling
What wonderful things
You might find yourself spelling!"

Actually got this for my new tat, but I love this art

This book introduced "paradigm shifting" into my intellectual vocabulary before I even knew what such a thing was.

Many, many, many years ago (Nixon was President, I think) I read this and was changed. I can remember the the images, the textures, the smells (Ah! The ditto machine and its purple perfume!) and all my surroundings. I was sitting in the elementary school library, facing northwest toward the door. Lured by the title and the premise, I had taken the volume to my assigned seat ("Library" was a class back then, as it should have been) and quickly devoured it.

The concept - that our 26-letter alphabet was an arbitrary collection and not a universal constant on a par with gravity - had never entered my cartoon-addled mind. It sparked an awareness of similar cultural and philosophical constrictions that I have expanded and retained to this day.

Hats off to the Dr.!

Loved this book as a child. Fast-forward thirty-some years, I am a computational linguist with a fascination for exotic writing systems. Coincidence? In think not.

This was my favorite book as a kid & still is. I now have ownership of our family's 'ancient' copy (copyright date 1955, Mom's written inscription: Christmas 1962 for my oldest brother who was age 6). I recently read it to my 6 year old son and he also was taken with this book. I am getting a new copy for him for Christmas as the original is pretty fragile now. This book belongs in every family's collection along with The Lorax, The Sneeches, Bartholomew Cubbins, Horton and the rest of the classic/original Seuss stories.

The world paradigm described by physics seemed to have changed with discoveries in the early 20th century, and yet due to the complexity of the science involved society has not been able to fully accompany that change. With that in mind, it's perhaps unfortunate that this book has not been given more prominent publicity since it was first published in 1958. In the book, Werner Heisenberg, one of the founders of quantum theory, gives a broad and insightful overview of relevant discoveries in physics in the first half of the 20th century and discusses their implications for science, philosophy, and everyday life. He relates important discoveries in physics to the history of philosophical and scientific ideas since ancient Greece, Descartes, Kant and Newton. With special insight based on his personal relationship with many great scientists of the last century, including Einstein and Bohr, he introduces the meaning of ideas such as the Theory of Relativity and his own Uncertainty Principle relating to the physical laws governing the behavior of subatomic particles. Despite dealing with complex subjects, he does a great job, in most cases, in translating concepts for the lay reader. Among many subjects, here are some things that he talks about: how "matter" is fundamentally composed of energy, how the search for a basic fundamental particle, or building block, of all other materials is influenced by our interference during the process of searching, how common notions about the nature of space and time disseminated among the general public since Newton need additional qualification, how the geometry of the universe, understood since the time of the Greeks may be understood differently in light of recent discoveries in physics. If you are looking for an explanation of 20th century physics in plain language by a top expert in the field, this is it, or probably as close as you will get. I would recommend this book for anyone in the general public who is interested in obtaining a basic understanding of the topics under examination in modern physics, and perhaps also for aspiring scientists who want to gain an understanding of the history of ideas that has led to current research. A great read.

I will only mentioned a few aspects of the world of quantum mechanics and then if you get bored you can read the last part where I mention some aspects of the book.

Werner Heisenberg is one of the most important figures within the world of quantum mechanics. Since Max Planck discovered that electromagnetic energy could be emmited in quantized forms a series of new discoveries revolutionised the world of physics. Albert Einstein confirmed Plancks's discoveries and theorized that light was composed of discrete quanta. This discovery was just too strange. How can light behave as a wave and as a particle. You can see the double slit experiment and observe how light behave when one slit is open and when the two slits are open, just amazing.So it seems that dualistic thought can not be applied here. Is light particle or wave, the answer: BOTH!As Heisenberg says in the book: "that what we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning". Thus observer and observed are in some way connected and not separated as in cartesian-newtonian world.In the introduction is written clearly: "...the act of of measurement defines the thing being measured, or that the thing being measured and the thimg doing the measuring are inextricably interwined"
This is why there have been some analogies between this new physics and eastern traditions (like Fritjof Capra's Tao of Physics)like buddhism and the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna, founder of the Madhamyaka school that developed the concept of emptyness, that is, all phenomenon had no "self-nature" "or idependent origins", there is no such thing as Parmenide's Being.All is interconnected,like Indra's jewels in Hinduism there is no gap between the observer and the observed in the world of quantum physics. Quantum mechanics is more familiar with Heraclitus where Change is the main principle, Becoming and not Being.Particles are not "things" but are like Aristotle's potentia. Heisenberg tell us: "A quantum object, in itself, is neither one thing not the other. If you decide to measure a wave-like property, the thing you are observing will look like a wave. Measure a particle property (position or velocity), on the other hand, and you will see particle-like behaviour." Note that Heisenberg that one can measure position OR velocity, this is the pillar of the uncertainty principle. In Heisenberg's words: 2The better you measure the position of a particle, the less you can find out its velocity, and vice versa."
Thus, the first years of the 1920s was a turning point in the world of physics. The Copenhagen Interpretation established the principles of quantum mechanics, some of this are: The uncertainty principle, the Complementary Principle (wave-particle duality of light) and that the description of nature is probabilistic.
Now you can have a little clue about the book subtitle: "The revolution in modern science". Newtonian mechanics can' t be applied to the subatomic world.Thus, the view of nature as a Big, impersonal Machine and that it was a matter of time that "all mighty rational humanity" was to discover all its laws is far from true. Even Einstein was not happy with this group of physicians that were saying "there is no such thing called objectivity" "newtonian laws are like a fish in the desert". Einstein after the theory of special and general relativity spent much of his time lookink for a Theory of Everything (TOE), and in some isolated himself from this great discoveries being made in the field of quantum mechanics.
Today there is this String Theory or M Theory wandering arround, and could be the best candidate that will unify the 4 forces: Gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak interaction. Time will tell...

About the book:

Heisenberg explains the developmet pf pshysics reviewing Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes (the three Milesians)Heraclitus, Parmenides, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Leucippus, then a quntum leap to Descartes and Kant.
He explains relativity, space, time, the Copenhagen Interpretation, the limits of language to describe the quantum world, the role of scientists, his Nobel Lecture and much more.
I think it is not a difficult book, but don't expect to understand quantum mechanics, because if you do, you really didn't understand a thing about it. So forget about binary-aristotelic logic and start developing fuzzy logics to understand a lot of weird things.

This is an excellent work due in large part to Heisenberg's acumen both as a physicist and a philosopher. Unfortunately, even some of the great physicists have been somewhat shallow philosophers. For whatever reason(probably the fact that his father was a professor of classical studies), Heisenberg had a very good grasp of many philosophical viewpoints. He was able to mostly avoid the cartesian bifurcation that traps most physicists even to this day. He understood that much of the "trouble" with Quantum Mechanics was caused by our unwillingness to let go of the bad metaphysical assumptions that became implicit in classical physics. Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who wants to understand the beauty of Quantum Mechanics with eyes wide open.

As I was reading this intelligent and provocative manuscript, I could not help think why this was not part of my undergraduate physics course. For anyone who wants to know how quantum physics came to be, this is certainly the book to read. I was completely surprised how many of the aspects of modern science we take for granted today would not be in the classroom if not for quantum physics. The linking to classical philosophy was equally stirring.

If quantum mechanics and all of its philosophical implications tickles your fancy, BUY THIS BOOK! Heisenberg jumps off the pages with an eloquence long forgotten in our day.

The title of my review says it all. Shame the film they made from it was so naff: would have disappointed Spike.

Oh, how Spike Milligan is missed! His humor is unsurpassed; and completly his own. Puckoon is Milligan being Milligan. The novel moves along at a brisk pace, even when it seems little is happening. Reading everything coming together at the end is pure delight. I can't recommend this book enough... the only drawback is that it's so short it leaves you wanting more.

This is probably the funniest book i have ever read. Spike's surreal, zany homour didn't always hit the mark but when it did....pure genious! and "Puckoon" definately hits the mark.
e,g. Mrs. Doonan tried to get a divorce from her husband and the solicitor says..."But Mrs. Doonan, just because you don't like him, that's no grounds for separation."
"Well, make a few suggestions," she said.
"Has he ever struck you?"
"No. I'd kill him if he did."
"Has he ever been cruel to the children?"
"Never."
"Ever left you short of money, then?"
"No, every Friday on the nail."
"I see." The solicitor pondered. "Ah, wait, think hard now, Mrs. Doonan, has he ever been unfaithful to you?"
Her face lit up. "By God, i tink we got him there, I know for sure he wasn't the father of me last child!"
Spike manages to find humour and hillarious characterization set amongst the unlikely backdrop of the creation of the state of Northern Ireland, and "Any hostility to the Boundary Commissioners will be penalized with fines from a shilling up to death..."
The border just happens to fall right through the centre of "Puckoon"!
If you like wry, askew and slightly silly jokes...buy this book!

I first read this book on a friend's recommendation over thirty years ago. While I am a great Goon fan (Spike wrote all of the 150 or so scripts) I didn't always find his other work such as Beachcomber on TV as funny, but this book did not disappoint me one iota. It should be prescribed reading for all those people that have the nerve to say that Monty Python was the natural successor to the Goons or Spike. They didn't even come close (by about a thousand miles!) to the absolute brilliance of his writing.

I have just bought this book through Amazon (via bestbooksbrought2you - thanks Teresa, great service) for a friend's birthday. Even now, I can open the book at ANY page and break down in uncontrollable laughter at the visions he creates on every one. My wife and I still use some of the catch phrases from the book ('Caw!' said the crow - 'B*lls' said Milligan). The world lost a true genius when he died almost three years ago (Feb 2002) and this is shown in his chosen engraving on his tombstone - 'I told you I was ill'......

This book is quite simply the funniest book ever written.

My Father tried to read this book to me, as a bedtime tale when I was 8 years old. He used to get about 2 pages before falling off the end of the bed laughing. This, to an 8 year old was funnier than the book. To those over 8 who have read this book, nothing is funnier, ever.

I read it first, when I was 14. I laughed so hard and so loudly that I woke up everyone in the house. To this day,the lines (and I paraphrase here, forgive me) "Thank god the ground broke my fall." "Yes its handy for that." sends me into spasms of laughter. I dare you to read this book in a public place and not laugh out loud.

I've always been happy with Amazon and this experience was no exception. I had been looking for the wonderful book by Helene Hanff for some time. I found it (and others) on Amazon. I was delighted with the price, so I ordered it. It arrived promptly, in perfect condition. So, I remain a satisfied Amazon customer.

Every book lover who has read the 97 pages of "84, Charing Cross Road" about Helene Hanff's wonderful correspondence with a London bookseller, ended with a tear in their eye and a longing for more. "Q's Legacy" is the more. It tells how "84" came to be published and how, after years of yearning, she finally gets to visit England. "Q's Legacy" has little meaning without reading "84" first. I've given many copies of both to friends over the years and they treasure them both. You will, too.

Recently, I saw a movie based on a Helene Hanff book. I enjoyed the movie so much I bought "Q's Legacy". I love it and was sorry to reach the end. So few writers can express life as Miss Hanff does, and what a wit!!! I am sending the book to my granddaughter to read with instructions to return it so I may re-read it.

Yes, I'm one of the cult-followers of Helene Hanff's mighty Charing Cross Road books. They are charming, indeed. Q'S LEGACY, however, is the book that tells why. It is the perfect culmination to the story of Helene's trans-atlantic love affair with Marks & Co, the antiquarian booksellers.

If you've loved 84 et al., you must read Q. It's as simple as that.

The author's account of her life in fiction, particularly related to her writing 84 Charing Cross Road and the Dutchess of Bloomsbury Street. An absolute must for Helene Hanff fans.

The Red Balloon is a wonderful story with an adorable little boy as the star character. I bought both the book and the DVD to give as a present to younger children (4 yrs old). I think they will enjoy if only for the visuals. The film is produced in French language but there is so little dialogue that not understanding the script doesn't affect the enjoyment of watching the film. Overall, it is a fun story with a good feel to it. There were only a couple of situations in the story that I thought might be a little sensitive or a bit scary to younger kids .. one being a group of boys chasing the little boy trying to take the balloon away from him. The other a very quick scene where a school headmaster is upset with the chaos going on and he puts the little boy in a room and locks the door. These are minor to the overall upbeat feel of the story but parents may want to review first to consider their own fast forward editing or explanations. In my case, the quality of the DVD was not great. It's an old film so perhaps the age is showing a bit in the reproductions.

Great story....grew up watching the short film and checking this same book out from our local library. Now that I'm a mom, I have introduced this video and book to my kids, and they're infatuated with everything about it. Great, well-made books with lively photos and storyline that holds little ones' attentions.

this book was written some decades ago but the excellence of the writing and the very skilful, thoughtful & sensitive photography which integrates very successfully with the story, are such that I believe this book will be deservedly popular with very many generations of children in the future. I believe that it is a masterpiece of children's literature and I strongly recommend it as a gift to be given by any parent - or grandparent.

I must have checked this book out a hundred times when I was in Elementary school as it was such a favorite. What a joy it was to find it still in print and telling it's charming story to future generations. This is a classic, and a book that I would recommend to all children and adults that want to hold a piece of their treasured childhood memories. This story was told in film on the International Children's Film Festival, hosted by Kookla, Fran and Olie, and further helps to bring this story to life.
Treat yourself and your children to the story of a boy and his friend, the red balloon.

The photographs, the text and presentation are remarkable. A piece that makes a good complement of the movie.

I ordered the Omnibus intending to surprise my 8 year old daughter who has some of his famous children's books. When I picked it up at the store, I was surprised to learn that some of the stories had appeared in The New Yorker, and ... The Playboy! These are undoubtedly adult versions of his children's stories, with the same wickedly devious mind behind them. If, an 8 year old Charlie concocts a bitter medicine with household chemicals for his nagging grandmother, one can guess what he would do with highly potent bee protein as an adult bee keeper. You certainly need a wicked sense of humour to enjoy these stories but not since Damon Runyon's On Broadway was I so captivated by the short story. Recommended reading but certainly not for children!

i still love reading "the witches" ... but for a little more grownup roald dahl humor, the omnibus is great reading. and as it promises, it is good bedtime story-length (though you get so drawn in that it may end up stay up reading instead of stopping after one story)

Having been a devoted fan of Roald Dahl's from childhood classics like "Danny the Champion of the World" and "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" collection, I had had little exposure to his adult stories until happening upon this book recently. Lucky me for finding it. Every story was an incredibly inventive blend of character and plot, with a twist to every ending, each within the confines of a few short pages. Few other authors can match Dahl's creativity and imagination, Raymond Carver being the only other author I can think of whose short stories and ideas are as impressive in both style and substance. Do yourself a favor and pick this up - an absolute gem.

Roald Dahl has a reputation for being a great writer of disturbing, perverse short stories. This reputation doesn't quite do him justice. Yes, more than a fair share of his stories explore the darker side of human nature, but that's not what he's all about. I think it's more fair to say that he's a talented short story writer, regardless of genre.

Take for example "The Great Automatic Grammatisator." There are no gruesome deaths, no wives murdering their husbands, etc. But it's still a great story, and vintage Dahl. Here he pokes fun at his own profession, inventing a machine that can spit out full-length novels at the press of a button, simply by pulling from a list of generic characters, plot structures, and vocabulary lists. The commentary on the state of the writing profession is not very subtle, but it's hilarious nonetheless.

And that brings us to Dahl's wonderful sense of humor. Take, for instance, the following passage from the same story: "There's a trick that nearly every writer uses, of inserting at least one long, obscure word into each story. This makes the reader think that the man is very wise and clever." When asked where the machine stores all these words, the response is: "In the word-memory section," he said, epexegetically.

Or how about this exchange in "Pig," when a young man goes to the town doctor to request a death certificate for his recently-passed great aunt. "My God, is she dead?" "Certainly she's dead. If you will come back home with me now I will dig her up and you can see for yourself." "How deep did you bury her?" "Six or seven feet down, I should think." "And how long ago?" "Oh, about eight hours." "Then she's dead. Here's the certificate."

There are many gems in this collection, and not just the ones that you've probably already read like "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Way Up to Heaven." Read them all; only a few are disappointing. "Dip in the Pool" is fantastic, as is "The Great Switcheroo."

The one criticism I have of Dahl is that his children's fiction alter-ego tends to make an appearance every once in a while. A handful of his stories are either too simplistic or just plain silly, like they were written for a nine-year-old audience. Sorry, but I can't get into a story about a woman who finds a stray cat and thinks that the reincarnated spirit of Liszt is trapped inside. And occasionally the prose and dialog fail to connect with the mind of an adult reader. But that's okay. Dahl isn't striving for any fancy literary awards. His goal is to entertain, not exercise the mind.

Dahl is probably most famous for his stories for children: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, and MATILDA come to mind.

None of the short stories herein are that kind of story. At least four first appeared in PLAYBOY, and another 7 in THE NEW YORKER. Some are risque, but not all; one would have been suitable for ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and indeed was adapted to become one of the strongest episodes of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS ("Lamb to the Slaughter").

Specifically, this omnibus contains:
- all but 2 stories from Dahl's collection SOMEONE LIKE YOU (the two missing stories are "My Lady Love, My Dove" and "The Sound Machine");

- 9 of the 11 stories from KISS KISS (the missing pair are "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat" and "Parson's Pleasure"); and

- 3 of the 4 stories from SWITCH B**** (the missing story, unfortunately, is the first uncle Oswald story, "The Visitor", which provides the backstory for how the old lecher's diaries came into the author's hands, as well as Oswald's experiences in the Sinai with a Syrian female leper).

Consequently, see reviews of the 3 individual collections for detailed discussion of all the stories herein. To summarize, the OMNIBUS makes an interesting read for an adult who can stand some macabre stories (including mysteries where justice may not be done), but this is *not* suitable bedtime reading for little children.

THis story is classic. I use this book so much that I have to retire my old copy and replace it with a new one every couple of years. It is a fabulous vehicle for storywriting in the primary classroom.

I have been reading Pat Hutchins books to children for many years. They are wonderful!! Rosie's Walk is a great book for sound effects! As Rosie goes obliviously on her walk,the fox encounters all sorts of sound effect producing trials. Great fun!

We have the board book edition, and I have to admit, I didn't think my 2-year old was going to like it when I first flipped through it. There didn't seem to be much to it --- no eye-catching illustrations and not much text. Shows how much I know... My daughter loves it. The story is less about Rosie the hen and more about the fox --- what happens to it from page to page. It is truly a sequential story and shows cause-and-effect: on one page you see the fox leaping towards Rosie, who is walking past the pond. On the next page, you see the fox in the pond. Your toddler will make the connection on her own: "Uh-oh. Fox fall in water."

My absolute FAVORITE book as a child! Simple, clever, and humorous all at the same time. GREAT for children starting to read! A+

We fell for this after watching the scholastic dvd series. It's on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video and we're hooked - love the detailed pictures and watching where thefox is headed.