Classics Books

The Eensy-Weensy Spider One of my granddaughter's all-time favorite books. Decided to get copies for two of my great-nephews, too.

Fantastic book for kids of all ages! I love it as much as my three-year-old grandchildren do, and every time we get this book out, they want me to read it several times. The fabulous colorful pictures are fun for the kids and for me, and are detailed enough to give us lots to talk about on each page, but not so detailed as to overwhelm young eyes. The only problem I have with Eensy-Weensy Spider is that I find it running through my mind at odd times, including when I wake in the middle of the night!

I love this book! The "expanded" version of the song is so much fun to sing! The kids in my class love it.

We LOVE this book. I used a few of the verses in this book to reinforce some sign language word we were teaching our daughter, and it helped her learn how to use "please" and "bed/sleepy". I totally don't know any toddler/children's rhymes, so this book has even helped me learn! We can sing along in the car now, even if I don't have the book!

This book is one of my sons favorites. (17 months) The illustrations are great and the authors make a cute little day-long adventure for the eensy weensy spider. The book is actually pretty long so it works well for a bedtime story. I would also suggest "The Lady with the Alligator Purse" and "Miss Mary Mack" by the same two authors. All three of these books are illustrated from a unique point of view that I think children like because they get to see things from a semi-birds view rather than their usual worms eye view.

It is missing 2 pages and some of the words are not spelled correctly, I don't know if it is the editors, publishers or whose fault. Makes you wonder if it is the original.

Es uno de los mejores libros y una buena razón para leer los clasicos. Me recuerda a Don Quijote - y aún hace una referencia al libro - en que hay muchos temas que desarrollan en el cuento: lealdad, fe, venganza, honor y, principalmente, el libre albedrío.
No hay ninguna sorpresa en el final, aunque cómo se llega al fin es muy entretenido. Es muy interesante cómo Dumas teje los cuentos dispares de los crímenes en el papel del inocente Edmond Dantés. Y aunque Edmond adopta su papel del angel vengador, aprendemos que hay nuevos principios para todos que siguen las palabras: esperar y confiar. Hay varias lecciones para muchas personas de esta època.

when i first started to read this book it leaved it marks on me,i didnt finished it because it wasnt my and i started to search it for about 3 months until i found it and i must say that this is the better book that i've read i'd pay 100 bucks for it....it doesnt have a price definitivamente un clasico.

Una de las mejores novelas que he leído y definitivamente la mejor obra de Alexandre Dumas. Expresa los sentimientos humanos y describe el ambiente de la época a la perfección en esta novela que combina suspenso e intriga. ¡Un libro que no se puede soltar ni un minuto!

This is the best novel ever created. It tells about a man, Edmont Dantes, who gets captured on his day of wedding by policemen. He had to sit in prison all his life, for a crime he did not do. The story tells how this enigmatic man escapes from prison, becomes overwhelmingly rich, and one buy one hunting down his enemies who put him in prison, not physically, but psychologically. I read this book 3 years ago, when I was 14, and beleive me, i got into this book so deeply, that I finished both volumes, each about 700 pages, in 10 days. That's an average of 150 pages per day. This is how interesting is this book. If you start this book, you'll see, you'll get into it very deeply, and you'll feel moments of revenge, sadness (your eyes might get pretty wet), and joy. It is very probable that after reading this book you decide to change your character and make it like the character of Edmond Dantes. This book is worth every single penny of its price and more.

I found the Spanish easy to understand, though his philosophy went over my head!

Aunque no estes de acuerdo con todas las ideas de Octavio Paz, las reflexiones y los analisis de esta mente birllante ayudan a entender nuestra magnifica raza. La escritura lleva al lector al pasado y al presente, para poder entender la condicion de Mexico y su gente. Todos los Mexicanos deberian de sentarse a devorar este libro que clarificara las costumbres de nuestra gente y nos ayuda a entender que tiene que cambiar en nuestra politica para tener un pais mas prospero.

Paz, el ganador del Premio Nobel de 1990, escribo tantos libros destacados-Sor Juana, El arco y la lira, pero este representa el cumbre de su poder artistico. El escribe sobre el hombre mexicano en todas sus formas y tribulaciones. El libro es, al mismo tiempo, un ensayo(o mejor, un libro de ensayos), un analisis, una historia, y, sobre todo, una pregunta-en que consiste este hombre cuyo origen forma parte de la conquista de America, un proceso ya en proceso.

Empieza la obra discutiendo "el pachuco"-una figura del medio siglo XX que representaba la ambiguedad y la frenesi del hispano en los estados unidos durante ese periodo. Despues de esta discusion, continua explicando la cultura hispana desde la epoca precolumbina hasta la revolucion mexicana. Termina la historia con este evento, y la unica cosa que le hace falta a la obra es un analisis de la historia contemporanea.

Este seria el primer libro que le recomienda sobre Mexico al nuevo estudiante.

Octavio Paz, el escritor que haya definido nuestra vida como "olvidado asombro de estar vivos", nos habla de sus ensayos escritos más que hace cincuenta años. Su "La Dialéctica de la Soledad", uno de sus ensayos más destacados, presente sus puntos de vista sobre la soledad no solamente mexicana, sino también la de hombre presente mismo. Paz trata varios temas ensayísticos con la cristalina claridad y persigue un proyecto casi filosófico: muestra la alma mexicana con sus raíces aztecas, su plaza en la vida antigua y contemporánea y, finalmente, su visión de "soñar con los ojos cerrados". Justamente por este ensayo mismo atrevo a recomendar todo el libro tratando de la soledad, cuya presencia en nuestra vida diaria es tan obvia. Además, un interesado en la obra de Octavio Paz debería leer su discurso que había pronunciado en el año 1990 con el motivo de agradecer el galardonar de Premio Nobel. Leyendo Paz, uno descubre que Paz ya contestó muchas de nuestras cuestiónes inquietantes ...

Octavio Paz wrote the definitive sociological book that deciphered the Mexican character. He correctly diagnosed that, in fact, the Mexican was stuck in a labyrinth and condemned to find a way out, and in many respects is still trying to find that way out. He understood that he would receive harsh criticism and he did. However, he stayed true to his calling as a man of letters and delivered a book that must indeed be read by anyone wanting to understand the make-up of the Mexican or the serious scholar searching for understanding in the field of Mexican history. I strongly and without reservation recommend this book, it will change your outlook on this important country and most importantly on the inhabitants and descendants of it forever.

The End of The
Beginning

The end of the beginning is about a small snail (and an even smaller
ant). Avon ( the snail) loved to read books. He would sit and read one
EVERY day, each day he got sadder because each book he read was about
adventures but Avon never had an adventure and thought an adventure
would never come his way, but a rather small newt said, "Don't say such
things! If you really want to do an adventure go for it!" Avon took
the advise and set off on an adventure. Avon started by putting his
house in proper order but right before he closed the door a rather
small voice asked "Aren't you going to say good bye before you leave?"
It was an ant named Edward that was at Avon's door. Avon asked if he
wanted to go and he replied "Yes!"

That is how Avon and Edward met. I think this book is for 2nd grade and
up. I would recommend this book to people who like adventures. This book
is realistic fiction I like this book because it kept my intrest and every
time I put the book down I wondered what was going to happen next. The
End of the Beginning is by Avi I hope you will enjoy the book!
From, Monica

This story of the li'l snail is heart-warming - and the illustrations bring the magic to life. I'd highly recommend purchasing this - whether it be for a young child...or for someone simply young at heart. :)

Avon the snail has never experienced an adventure and he believes adventure is the secret to happiness. After meeting a new friend, Edward the ant, the two set out on a journey to find what they've been missing in life. In the end, they find out they didn't have to travel very far to find the excitment they thought they were missing. Along the way they meet many interesting & wise creatures that teach them things, for example "it's better to look for nothing and find something than to look for something & find nothing". GREAT;funny,witty & inspiring book for both children & adults! One of my new favorites; will be a classic someday!

My children and I thoroughly enjoyed Avon and Edward. We read it together one evening in a fairly short time. Reading it aloud gives the reader (Mom in this case) the opportunity to use different voices to help bring the personalities to life. My kids loved it so much (ages 7 and 8) that we had to read it to Dad the next night! Even 42-year-old Dad had to chuckle at some of the silliness of Avon and Edward!

It was so much fun, in fact, that my 7 year-old set out to read the entire chapter book herself. Since we brought it back to the library its like we're missing an old friend. We will buy a copy to keep on our shelf for future re-reading.

The End of the Beginning is a book about a friendship. When Avon the snail is sad because he's never been on an adventure, an ant named Edward decides he'll go with him. They've never been on another branch of the tree they live in so they decide to go and explore and see what kind of creatures also live there. The two set off not knowing what to expect, but just having each other's company. On their way, they run into all sorts of different animals who may need help with something, or just want someone to talk to. They learn about the different animals that live in the tree too and become friends with them. Along the way, Avon and Edward are becoming the best of friends, but they only fight over one thing; if it's the beginning or the end. When they reach the end of their branch they fight over if it's the beginning of the sky or the end of the branch. Edward also says quotes about life that you can relate to. I liked it because I think it's a cute story, for any readers. Also I liked that it teaches the true meaning and lessons learned of a friendship. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a cute story with a happy ending!

This is a very readable, engaging study of the last two years of the Civil War, in which General Grant is taken from his command in the west, to the "big show" as commander of the Army of the Potomac. He is shown to be a determined, relentless leader willing to fight the war of attrition that ultimately led to the destruction of the Army of Northern Virginia. He proved to be more than a match for General Lee, who was confounded by Grant's steadfast leadership and willingness to stand tough, despite the losses of thousands of men. Grant was a very different kind of leader than his predecessors.

I also liked the way Catton developed the personal side of Grant.

This is a terrific book for those who want a straightforward history of the latter part of the Civil War, without embellishment or political bias.

In the weeks before General David Petraeus - widely regarded as the most operationally and strategically brilliant of today's ground generals -- took command of Multi-National Forces - Iraq, a friend told me he was reading Bruce Catton's classic "Grant Takes Command: 1863-1865" about that earlier US general who took charge of a war at its most critical point. I and several others piled on and eagerly devoured this book. Two weeks later, we met to discuss our observations. Mine are below. I would bet you a paycheck that General Petraeus -- himself a formidable scholar as well as distinguished soldier -- has read this book more than once and probably even perused it before assuming his new post. "Grant Takes Command" offers timeless insights into the art of command and remains relevant for several reasons that should resonate today.

I found that several myths about General Grant were just that: myths. The first that Catton debunks is that Grant was not a political general. In one of his first chapters titled "Political Innocent", Catton lays out clearly that Grant understood that the Civil War was an extension of politics, and that certain personnel decisions in his Army would inevitably be affected by this. Thus, Grant's handling of Generals McClernand, Sigel, Butler, and Banks - all of them troublesome, of dubious competence, but politically useful at different times throughout the war -- was at once skillful, politically deft, and necessary. When they had each imploded after their political usefulness had been expended, they were thus easily discarded. To fire them when they were politically useful would have strained civil-military relations.

Grant also believed in the mission completely. This included the elimination of slavery and the re-election of President Lincoln in 1864. This was no small matter in 1863. The democrats had been making overtures to Grant in 1863, and several recent commanders of the Army of the Potomac -- most famously George McClellan -- had leapt into the political arena. Lincoln felt Grant out through mutual friends before appointing him to command the Union armies. For his part, Grant did his own maneuvering to ensure that Lincoln won re-election in 1864. Grant not only gave Lincoln battlefield victories, but also ensured that soldiers of the Army of the Potomac had the opportunity to vote. One of the most skillful uses of "controlling the message" occurred after Cold Harbor and the bloody siege of Petersburg, when Union soldiers might have become demoralized at their high number of casualties. On the eve of the election, Grant ordered 100-gun salutes to celebrate the victories of Generals Sherman and Sheridan down south and out west. Catton points out that these "salutes" brought home to the Union soldiers the aura of the juggernaut of their armies inexorably closing in on the doomed Confederacy. Grant clearly understood the nature of the war he was involved in and took the action he needed to to get the job done.

Grant further understood that a great team of commanders was better than a team of great commanders. Great teamwork always beats great talent. Grant had worked very well with Generals Thomas and Sherman when he commanded out west, but with the exception of Hancock, he did not have as skilled commanders individually in the Army of the Potomac. But Grant did foster good teamwork in his army, and looked for this quality in his selection of key subordinates. In my opinion, this proved to be decisive. Grant kept and provided the required supervision for generals such as Meade and Burnside, but found little use for the self-seeking and overly critical generals such as Hooker and Smith, despite their comptetence. Most important was the relationship Grant fostered with his Commander-in-Chief, President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was much more involved in the military details of the Civil War than his own statements would indicate, and his oft-quoted remark that: "Grant doesn't tell me his plans, and I don't want to know" belies his own political skill at handling his best general and imposing his political will on the battlefield. It was the "marriage" between Lincoln and Grant, more than anything else, that saved the union. Catton's masterful work shows this quite clearly, and thus retains its great relevance for civil and military leaders.

"Grant Takes Command" is the second of two volumes by Bruce Catton on Grant's Civil War service and the third of a trilogy on Grant's military career (beginning with Lloyd Lewis's "Captain Sam Grant"). However, this volume can easily be read by itself. Catton picks up the story in the fall of 1863 with Grant's successful raising of the siege of Chattanooga, following which President Lincoln picks him for a third star and command of all the Union armies.

Grant is the latest in a long line of Union commanders, most of whom have been badly beaten by General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, and none of whom have been able to bring superior Northern resources effectively to bear on a slowly weakening Confederacy. In fact, as Grant takes command, the war has not yet been won and could still be lost.

Grant will be the commander that Lincoln has long sought. Lincoln's telling exchange with an aide, repeated by Catton, lays out why. Grant is the first general to take the supreme command who will work in harness with Lincoln and in full acceptance of Lincoln's constraints as President of a democracy in the midst of a civil war. Grant is prepared to take full responsibility for the conduct of the missions of the armies, and without setting up an alibi in advance for possible failure. And as it becomes apparent in the course of Catton's absolutely superb narrative, Grant understands the terrible math. Lee and his army are too proficient to be easily beaten; great persistance will be called for. Grant grasps the essential truth that Lee's army is the Confederate center of gravity and the corollary that Lee's requirement to protect Richmond ultimately limits his ability to manuever. Further, Grant is able to cause the Union armies to work at a common design, denying Lee the ability to reinforce Virginia from other theaters of war. The result will be a long, grinding, and exceedingly bloody campaign stretching from 1864 into 1865, as Lee's army is slowly bludgeoned to death.

Catton's narrative does not spare Grant his errors; in the 1864 campaign, Grant underestimates both Lee's abilities as a general and the difficulties of conducting campaigns on such a massive scale. Grant has to learn the job of Army commander in chief on the move; the unnecessary casualties of Cold Harbor and the repeatedly failure to flank Lee out of position in Virginia are proof of the learning curve. But Grant's great gift is his refusal to be deterred from his objective. He pins Lee at Petersburg and uses the Union armies of Sherman and Sheridan, among others, to destroy the Confederacy's ability to make war.

"Grant Takes Command" was first published in 1960, and the details of the history of the Civil War have evolved since then. However, Catton's prose has stood the test of time. This is a truly magnificently told story on an epic scale and a highly recommended treat for the Civil War enthusiast and the casual reader alike.

Was Ulysses S. Grant a drunk? Did he win the Civil War simply by burying Robert E. Lee under a wave of superior manpower and resources? Bruce Catton addresses these questions, and many others, in GRANT MOVES SOUTH and its companion volume, GRANT TAKES COMMAND. Taken together, the two books chronicle Grant's Civil War experience.

I've read a lot of history, but I confess to being relatively ignorant about the American Civil War except in a very general sense. I've always been interested, I just never got very far into it. These two books are my first real foray into the subject. Both are very well researched and documented, while at the same time being very readable. Catton demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the facts as well as a genuine insight into Grant's character. The result, for me, was an experience that was at once informative and enjoyable.

What does Catton have to say about Grant's alleged drunkeness? Clearly, Catton is an admirer of Grant, but it's an admiration born of respect for the man as revealed in his personal records and actions, as well as in the record left by people who knew him. To get his take on this and other criticisms of Grant, read these books.

Conventional wisdom has it that GRANT MOVES SOUTH and GRANT TAKES COMMAND are definitive works on the subject of U. S. Grant's Civil War career. I certainly won't argue with that perception. If you have a deep interest in Grant or in the Civil War in general, they are "must haves". Beyond that, though, if you have just a casual interest, this is still great reading material. I highly recommend both volumes.

The second in a two part study of General Ulysses S. Grant's Civil War leadership, Bruce Catton has written a vivid narrative following the enigmatic Commander in Chief of Union forces through the final year and a half of the war.

This work won the Pulitzer Prize. Read it and you will appreciate why. It is a remarkably good book, excellently crafted, clear and precise. This one is truly well worth your time.

While Stephen Charnock was a Puritan, this book is a product of the enlightenment.

For its time, this is a well written and quite thorough work on the attributes and existence of God. Charnock's comment on the existence of God (among others), "I shall further promise this, that the folly of atheism is evidenced by the light of reason" supports that the context of his thinking is the age of enlightenment - the age of reason. This is not necessarily a negative - in fact it is a positive in that it is an answer to the enlightenment providing strong arguments that one can be a person of faith and still be a person of reason - because God is a God of reason. In effect he turns the tables on his detractors and argues that to not believe in the existence of God is, to in fact, lack reason.

The attributes covered are:

God as Spirit; (followed by a chapter on spiritual worship)
The eternity of God;
The immutability of God;
God's omni-presence;
God's knowledge;
The wisdom of God.

On the existence of God he argues against atheism. The approach Charnock takes is to first assert and prove the existence of God, then relate what his his attributes are based on his existence. If he exists then he is spirit, he is omnipresent, he is eternal, immutable, and wise, etc.

Due to the context and age of the work - the reader will need to translate it in to the present and tweak it a bit to make it applicable for the 21st century - not that it is not applicable but that we are not in the enlightenment age anymore. One will need to absorb what is said, turn it over inside and then present it to others in a way they will receive.

This is a rare privilege. To own a Puritan from the 17th Century's work, is really an honor. The author of this book knew nothing of computers, lexicons, cd-roms, - all the modern gadgetry we have at our disposal. Yet he still exceeds in literary excellence, theological consistency and God-honoring exegesis compared to publications that are available from modern wisdom and prudence. He was chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.

'But what if the foreknowledge of God, and the liberty of the will, cannot be fully reconciled by man? Shall we therefore deny a perfection in God to support a liberty in ourselves? Shall we rather fasten ignorance upon God, and accuse Him of blindness, to maintain our liberty?' pg450

The chapter on 'The Goodness of God' is so beautiful. It inspired and reinvigorated me. The Puritans held such a high view of God. Everything they did and said was Theocentric. The fruits of their labor was produced under great trials, and yet this only seemed to spur them on to greater holiness. And so their legacy reaches our day and their spiritual vigor inflames our hearts anew.

A huge book and collosal work.

I have been looking for an excellent book to help me understand and get some insight into the attributes and nature of our God. This book definitely does the trick and make me really satisfactory. I do give it a 5.0 rating because of its excellency and in depth. One thing you should know of is the dated English style of the author. It was written in the 17th century, so it is somewhat difficult for me, especially as a foreigner, to read and understand his writing. From what I have read, the author had done an excellent work. I highly recommend this book for everyone who want to know God better and better.

Mr. Charnok's logic is impeccable, his prose beautiful, his inspiration Godly and the value of his contribution beyond measure. My only regret is that the publisher decided to single space the small type of this large corpus. This generated eye fatigue for my aging optical organs. However, as testamony to the works greatness I found the discomforts were far outweighed by the spiritual rewards. I plan to purchase a copy for my pastor. It will enrich the lives of the layman and set fire to the words from the pulpit.

Words really fail to describe how breathtaking this book is. Not mainly because of the author, but because of the subject - God himself. I can't think of any book I've read that has left me more stunned and awed by God and his majesty. Charnock was a Puritan, so this book may be cumbersome to those unaccustomed to Elizabethan English. But if you can handle the KJV, you can handle this. It is also a comprehensive book - long, despite the fact that the chapters are really just lengthy meditations put in a sermonic form. Characteristically Puritan, Charnock begins each chapter with the exposition of a text, then develops its "doctrine," bridging into a lengthy theological study on one of God's attributes, finally ending on the "use" or application. The application sections are especially helpful and heart-searching, but really all of it is good. Though, I must confess I've not read it all (this book must be 1200 pages long!), I've benefited from the hours I've spent in these pages. No human author will ever write an exhaustive study on the character of God, but I can't imagine anyone coming closer to it than Charnock. This is a powerful, powerful book!

Cardinal Gibbon's defense of historic Catholic faith is as relevant today as it was a century ago. No similar book I have found of this kind that matches it save Karl Keating's Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on "Romanism" by "Bible Christians". The logic and supporting evidence for the case is difficult if not impossible to ignore. Cardinal Gibbon's ability to communicate effectively on the issues raised is unmatched.

It is good this book is back in print and a nicer volume could be imagined. But the price is right and the content will never be outdated.

A year ago, this became the first book I ever read about Catholicism written by a Catholic. Numerous books and articles later, I still must say that this is the best lay-oriented book for introducing the Catholic faith to non-Catholics. Given the great amount of material covered in a single volume, Cardinal Gibbons does an excellent job in addressing the main Protestant charges against the Catholic Church.

In comparison to the more recent apologetics (like David Currie, Steve Ray, and Scott Hahn), I think Gibbons is a better writer (in both style and analysis). In fact, I prefer the 19th century apologist-theologians (e.g., Johann Adam Möhler, Matthias Scheeben, and Cardinal Newman) over the more recent. They were more critically-engaged with Protestant and Enlightenment thought and able to articulate the positions in a superior prose; as well, they demonstrate that the issues are fundamentally the same as today.

As a companion piece to this book, I would recommend Fulton J. Sheen's autobiography, Treasure in Clay, as an insight into how a Catholic lives his faith.

This popular 19th century work is a charming and persuasive defense of Catholicism by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Written in the effusive style of the era for the average literate person with some education, Archbishop Gibbons, for the most part, does not resort to citations of the Church Fathers, but rests his case on the Bible, history, logic and common sense. In doing so, I believe that he wrote the best work of apologetics ever produced by the American Church. As expected from a 130 year old book, some of his concerns, as well as some of the Catholic practices he felt the need to defend, are out-of-date. For instance, the Episcopal Church and its theology obviously had a much greater importance in immediate post-bellum American Christianity than it does today. Also, Catholic practices that were the subject of universal Protestant criticism in those days, like fasting, laying on of hands and annointing of the sick, are now widely practiced in Pentecostal/charismatic churches (while being widely ignored in Catholic ones!) On the flip side, raging modern controversies such as contraception, abortion and homosexuality were non-issues in the days of Archbishop Gibbons, as all Christian denominations were then united in condemnation of what were universally considered immoral. Still, in purely theological areas, the arguments will always remain the same, so the Archbishop's book is even more valuable today, in a time of unprecedented confusion and impotent leadership in the Church.

It has been a while since I read this, but I remember enough, its content and challenges, to want to add it to my library and reread it more intensely than the first time (and the first time was intense). In a similar fashion to Schreck's "Catholic and Christian" publish 20 years ago, Cardinal Gibbons' book sifts out not only the misunderstandings caused by Protestants, but misunderstandings by "folk Catholics" sometimes just as much not in the know about their own Church.

There were many ideas presented that, to this day, have left me scratching my head, thinking that the Catholic Church may be far more in the right and in the know than is given credit. After finishing Schreck's book (today), I've come over to some Catholic ideas.

I would say at this point, considering all the material out there about Catholicism, including unauthorized/non-impramatured Catholic publications, Gibbons' and Schreck's books are must reads for one honest enough with himself/herself as not to think they have considered all the facts. There are many Catholic works out there that wrongly teach their own Catholic faith. These two works are faithful to Catholicism.

I've read many books on Catholic apologetics from today's authors (i.e. Keating, Hahn, Madrid, Johnson, etc.), and though those authors are excellent in their own regard, I think that this 130 year old classic is the finest for anyone just starting out in Catholic apologetics or just wanting to know what Catholics really believe. It's straight-forward, easy to read, uninsulting, and accurate. And after 130 years, the truths it teaches about Catholicism have not changed. Sure, there are a few brief mentions of historial issues (European governments) and the Mass in Latin which are dated, but the core Catholic beliefs he describes have not changed--not just from 1876 but from the time of the Apostles.

Cardinal Gibbons honestly and frankly describes what the Church believes and teaches. His language is very thoughtful, heartfelt, logical, and inclusive of scripture and references. Plus, since Cardinal Gibbons based the content on lectures and discourses with mixed Catholic/Protestant congregations in rural, protestant North Carolina and Virginia, his approach is very accommodating and non-offensive.

If you want to know what the Catholic Church REALLY teaches...AND what Catholics REALLY believe, this is the first book you should pick up. I would feel comfortable lending this book to ANYONE who wants to know more about Catholicism or wants to strengthen or defend their Catholic faith.

I agree with jt from New Jersey. I picked up "Far Cry" based on its review in the NY Time Book Review in 1986 (front page coverage). If you simply accept Mrs. Hawkins at face value you will fall in love with the setting, the time and Mrs. Hawkins approach to life.

Perhaps the book has a special place in my heart because I read it in a hotel bar overlooking the Arno in Florence while my pregnant wife was resting upstairs. I still reread the book and remember the bar. Funny.

I enjoyed "A Far Cry from Kensington" and recommend it. It's an entertaining story about an overweight young editor who matures in many ways (weight loss, new romance) over the course of the novel and exhibits strength of character in overcoming various tribulations. When she puts down a toadying literary hanger-on, this unpleasant person becomes something like a stalker. A good yarn; the last chapterlet is bang-up. It's one of those novels, which I think are pretty rare, where the last two pages are the best part.

I am a big Muriel Spark fan -- I mourned her passing earlier this year -- and was very interested in a book that is generally accepted as a companion novel to the brilliant "Loitering with Intent", one of my favorites. I was particularly intrigued given the reviews on amazon. So I want to caution prospective readers that there's no way that this is up to Spark's best work. It simply doesn't have the resonance or mysterious allusiveness that some of Spark's other books have. It's kind of a throwaway, in fact. So I think some of the reviewers below are getting carried away and overpraising the novel. Open it with reasonable expectations and you have an entertaining, intriguing tale ahead of you.

This is one of those books that cannot described in a nutshell. If you had to hazard a guess at a description, you'd have to place it firmly in the comedy/ tragedy/ drama/ mystery/ romance section, or simply file it under Spark: Muriel in the Classics section.

Narrated by the once round and central character, Agnes Hawkins (a.k.a. Mrs. Hawkins or Nancy), the story revolves around her experiences as a young widow living in furnished rooms in a semi-detached building in South Kensington. She colorfully describes her neighbors and acquaintances, and gives us tantalizing glimpses into their little secret worlds, in which she is a trustee and confidante.

Despite the mysterious black boxes and the lurking threat of enemies, known and unknown, our heroine manages to keep her head above water, remains a pillar of strength and finds true love among the rubble. Thanks to her diet plan (freely given to the reader as a bonus for purchasing the book), she gains new self-respect, and reinvents herself in a new country, a far cry from her humble beginnings.

A simple classic by an inspired writer.

Amanda Richards

I picked up a copy of Muriel Sparks, "A Far Cry from Kensington" on a friend's recommendation, and I loved it. Mrs. Nancy. Hawkins, the main character is a woman that everyone depends upon and needs to talk with. She has that certain way about her that summons trust and understanding. The fact that her figure is zaftig and that she is a widow lends credence she believes to her trust factor.

Mrs. Hawkins tells her story from a 30 year distance. It is 1954, post World War II, and she is living in a furnished room near Kensington. She has several neighbors of interest and Milly the landlady, was one of the more interesting. She was also a widow and was
Known as an organizer, She was able to organize everyone and everything. Basil and Eva Carlin were a quiet couple and lived on the first floor. Wanda Podolak lived next to them. She was a Polish dressmaker. Kate Parker lived at the end of the hall. She was a district nurse and suffered no germs at all- she was constantly cleaning. On the attic floor, lived a medical student William Todd.

Mrs. Hawkins was an editor at a publishing house and in due time she lost her job and went on to several others. She was excellent at her job, and, of course, everyone confided in her. She knew everything that was going on with everyone. Like the rooming house she lived in, Mrs. Hawkins spent her days and evenings giving advice. The rooming house becomes involved with Wanda and her anonymous letters that turn into blackmail and eventually into big trouble. Along the way, we meet Hector Bartlett, a charlatan who turns many lives upside down.

Mrs. Hawkins gives advice to many and one day she looks in the mirror and discovers that she is too obese. She resolves to lose weight, and by eating only half portions and then quarter portions, she does just that. Her fine bone structure is revealed, and her new body structure also attracts many men. She finds herself in a relationship with William Todd the medical student, which eventually turns into a marriage. Thirty years later,
Mrs. Hawkins, so wonderfully happy with her life in Italy, "a far cry from Kensington",
looks back at her life and continues to offer us advice.

Muriel Sparks has been called "Britain's greatest living novelist", and she was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1993 and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in 1996. She lives in Tuscany, Italy. An outstanding story, told by a wonderful novelist. prisrob

Muriel Spark's A Far Cry From Kensington (1988) is the bookend companion to her 1981 classic, Loitering With Intent. Both novels share a common theme, and like the earlier novel, A Far Cry From Kensington is largely autobiographical and takes place in virtually the same setting and time period: the literary world of early Fifties London. Both are explorations, via reminiscence, of the banality of everyday evil, taking place among the workaday, routine lives of the lower middle class. Less scathing if no less hilarious than many of its predecessors, the relatively unsung A Far Cry From Kensington is the most realistic and humane novel among the twenty-odd Spark has written. It is also exceptional in that it is the single Spark fiction in which a love affair blossoms into a successful relationship of duration.

The story of the universally respected though immensely overweight Mrs. Hawkins, A Far Cry From Kensington follows two divergent threads in her daily life: the mounting sufferings of a rooming house neighbor who is being anonymously threatened, and the problems that stem from her own continuous encounters with Hector Bartlett, a manipulative sycophant who hopes to use her footholds in the publishing world to advance his nonexistent literary career.

While Loitering With Intent can be read as something of a tactical combat manual, A Far Cry From Kensington is instructive in the art of deduction: caught up in a spiraling series of mysterious and increasingly serious coincidences, Mrs. Hawkins, short of both hard facts and physical evidence, actively unravels the odd events that are taking a toll on both the lives of her friends and her editorial career. Fully realizing she is as prone to misjudgment as anyone, Mrs. Hawkins, utilizing her intelligence, intuition, and instinct, nonetheless proceeds confidently and assertively to pierce the veil of secrecy and quiet conspiracy engulfing her. Spark is at a creative peak as she reveals the subtle turns, nuances, and moment to moment impressions in Mrs. Hawkins' mind as she forms her cautious conclusions.

Unlike Spark's finest novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), in which a significant portion of the mystery of human existence is shown to exist on a partially transcendent level, A Far Cry From Kensington eventually grounds that mystery in the knowable everyday. Though the author was to return to something of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie's vision in Symposium (1990), here she seems to be expressing that at least the mundane truths of human life can be ascertained by diligence of method, applied intelligence, and a fundamental willingness to be believe that some people are unabashedly predatory, unscrupulous, and ethically coarse at best. Another message of the novel is that the weak, the foolish, and the vacuous are among the most potentially dangerous individuals one can become involved with.

Upon its release, a number of critics publicly objected with pointed distaste to some of Mrs. Hawkin's behavior, she who enjoys "a puritanical and moralistic nature; it is my happy element to judge between right and wrong, regardless of what I might actually do." For exhausted with Hector Bartlett's elaborate attempts at manipulation, unhypocritical Mrs. Hawkins calls him a "Pissseur de copie" to his face when she encounters him in a public park, and continues to do so, to the detriment of her publishing career, throughout the novel. "It seemed to me," she says, that he "vomited literary matter, he urinated and sweated, he excreted it." Far from keeping this observation to herself, Mrs. Hawkins loudly shares it with authors, editors, and publishers, and since Hector is protected by best-selling author Emma Loy, finds herself fired from one job after another. But Mrs. Hawkins is without regret: "I can't help it. Sometimes the words just come out and I can't stop it. It feels like preaching the gospel." Thus in this and other passages, A Far Cry From Kensington supports speaking one's perception of truth under certain circumstances, regardless of consequence, even if that truth represents an enormous breach of upper class WASP manners and social decorum.

In Spark's vision as expressed here, building relationships of any kind solely for personal gain, manipulating others through callous, self-interested `networking,' and general toadyism are high crimes, all of which Hector Bartlett is guilty of in the extreme. In fact, Hector is one of Camille Paglia's "court hermaphrodites": "red hair en brosse, brown corduroy trousers, tweed coat with leather patches on the sleeves, a yellow tie and a green shirt: this was gaudy in those days, and Hector Bartlett was always dressed in bright colors. He was tall, with a pronounced stoop of the shoulders, which made him seem older than he was - I imagine at the time, he would be in his mid-thirties. His face was round with a second fat chin. He had a small but full baby-mouth as if forever asking to suck a dummy teat." Though many critics have felt otherwise, no amount condescending liberal piety can excuse Hector's routine aggressive subterfuge, moral mediocrity, and parasitic nature. It's unlikely that Spark chose this character's name randomly: "hectoring" is exactly what this he often does to those he encounters, and `Bartlett' suggests his "pudgy," pear-shaped physique.

Written in the plainest language possible but poetically conceived and executed, A Far Cry From Kensington belongs, with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Girls of Slender Means (1963), The Driver's Seat (1970), The Takeover (1976), and Loitering With Intent, among others, with the very best of Spark's work.

This is a wonderful commentary on Don Quixote. The authors provide a historical context in relation to other contemporary works (e.g. Montaigne's Essays, Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel), the literary genres that were popular (pastoral and picaresque works) and Cervantes' life. The authors discuss the many layers of complexity of DQ and how/why it was ahead of its time. Fighting Windmills (I love the title) touches on major aspects of DQ, for example the interactions between DQ and Sancho, the complexity of Dulcinea's character, the contrast between Dulcinea and Teresa Panza, the fact that the characters change over time, etc., The later chapters mention how DQ has influenced other works of literature over time. Fighting Windmills deals with plenty of material in a clear, concise way at a fast pace. This the way literary criticism should be: interesting, informative, accessible and profound. The authors clearly made an effort to enlighten the reader, to make him/her go and read DQ. No boring or obscure prose here. What an example to other literay critics!! Last, but not least, it has a beautiful jacket illustration that is a joy to look at. Great work! Fighting Windmills should be made into a nicer edition with better quality paper.

Just finished reading Fighting Windmills and enjoyed so much learning about the life and times of Cervantes and his influence on the modern novel. It is an easy read for the literary novice, while at the same time, it provides many thought provoking ideas for literature buffs.

For those with literary inclinations though unfamiliar with Cervantes and his "Don Quixote", reading "Fighting Windmills," by Fay Rogg and Manuel Duran, is a most worthwhile endeavor. Even those who have read or studied "Don Quixote" will benefit from this unique piece of literary criticism. What the Rogg/Duran work wroughts in an engaging fashion are an encapuled view of the journey taken, a penetrating analysis of the two main travelers - the glorious Knight errant and his faithful companion,
Sancho - and their interaction.

At the onset we learn about Cervantes himself, his life experiences and their effect on the novel he creates. Then the body of his creation is delineated in detail and dissected by skillful surgeons, stressing its unprecedented departure from the prior art.

Finally, the stage is set for the climax - the pervasive impact of "Don Quixote" on the development of western literature. Like a heavenly body that zooms through earth's upper atmosphere once every 500 years, Cervantes' book, as the first truly modern novel, becomes the guiding light for many famous authors who follow in his orbit. From Voltaire to Melville, from Flaubert to Twain and beyond, novelists, playwrites and even filmmakers have been consciously and subconsciously influenced by the great Spanard for the better.

If there is a flaw in "Fighting Windmills", it attempts to do too much in too short a space. While well-written and organized, its message fragments at times in its long reach through literary history. Easy assimilation of numerous digested novels and their parallelism to Cervantes' classic could prove daunting to those having a scant background in literature.

Yet, all and all, "Fighting Windmills" delivers to the public where most academic books fail. First of all, it is written in language that flows gracefully and is understandable to a lay audience. Secondly, it is highly informative - we learn much at the feet of these masters. Afterwards, one almost feels he or she has been admitted to the ranks of the erudite without having to negotiate the shoals of graduate school. And for budding authors, this book gives a glimpse at the creative-writing techniques of a superior craftsman. Buy it and enjoy the read.

Ken Cascone
Manhattan corporate attorney and author of two novels:
"River of Triumph" and "Island Paradise"

Not only is Fighting Windmills a great story about a great story, but it is a pleasant and enlightening journey down literature lane with Don Quixote and his faithful sidekick.

When writing about Cervantes most writers fall into one of these categories: either too scholarly or too populist. I found "Fighting Windmills" to balance these tendencies to perfection, making a thoroughly researched book easily accessible to the lay reader. One of the most interesting points is that the authors cover not only Cervantes and Don Quixote in their epoch, but their influence in the Western Civilization through the ages. Most pleasant reading, even for a Spaniard.

Without a doubt one of the most intriging and engaging historical books I've ever read. The scope of his research and writing are awe inspiring. Its written in an older english style, but that also gives it a nice flavor. This book is a must read for any serious student of American history as well as those wanting a better understanding of the first explorers into the North American continent.

This new edition of Francis Parkman's early American history is a first rate republication by "The Library of America" and what a book! Parkman writes history like he was there when the events took place . You can see the Indians war paint and hear the great orator Pontiac as he stirs the tribes to follow him . Watch as the The British army learns hard lessons in the American wilderness . Watch as pioneers begin to spread across the Appalachian mountains . Parkman walked many of the trails he describes and much of his details come from eyewitness. His books are heavily footnoted with not just the source , but quotes verbatim in support of his writing . His histories are written in the style of the great epics of old like Romulus and Remus . This book goes to the passions of the participants , both sides . To be sure he writes from the veiw point of a Proud American but that does'nt mean he ignores the other sides veiw point and thankfully these were written before political correctness became to dominate veiw point . I have read no modern history better written or more in depth as to its subject. I recomend all his histories . This one in particular as it covers a little published time in American history .

Parkman's magisterial work on the role of France in the New World must surely rank as one of the high points of 19th century American literature. Certainly the editors of the highly-esteemed Library of America made that determination when they selected the complete set of Parkman's works to be included in the ongoing Library of America series. Only a partial read is required to understand why this multi-volume work, written over a thirty year time frame, is regularly compared to Gibbon's "Fall and Decline of the Roman Empire," for Parkman's mastery of narrative historical storytelling pours forth from the earliest pages in prose that is rarely seen in today's written works. This is truly a monumental work, and should likely be considered a critical component for anyone trying to truly understand the development of the New World from the European perspective.

Parkman begins his saga with the founding and settlement of the area we now call "St Augustine" in Florida, arguably the oldest continuous settlement in the United States, and routinely billed as the "Oldest City in The United States." To visit St Augustine today is to make Parkman's narrative come to life, for there we visit and see Ribault's monument, the Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Mose, and the so-called "Fountain of Youth." To those who are more familiar with US colonial history in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and in greater New England, this is a story that greatly predates the Revolution, and unfolds the stormy rivalry between Spain and France's claims in the New World. It is often a brutal epic, but also contains the awe and wonder of Europeans who for the first time explored the unknowns found therein after the long trip across the Atlantic.

After this difficult early series of episodes, the story turns to LaSalle and the many other French explorers who explored and settled in the area of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the issues and battles that ensued as these early explorers met the indigenous peoples of the region. Any map of the United States will yield an abundance of French names through Illinois, Michigan, and all around the Great Lakes (the word "Illinois" itself is a great example, and "Detroit," actually "d'étroit," or "of the straights"), bearing witness to the history of French exploration and settlement in these early years.

Parkman's narrative is superb, a example of historical writing at its best. His source documentation is so thorough that the work can serve as a primary resource for a seemingly endless series of derivative studies. But whether you are a historian or not, Parkman brings the story alive, and lets you be a virtual guest through the centuries. Make sure you get both volumes.

Francis Parkman is one of the most talented writers of our country's history that one will read. He writes as if he is hovering about the situation and describes it so you feel as if you were there, not bogging you down with details. This is a must read for all history buffs.

Parkman is thorough and comprehensive, but the amount of information that this throws at you is almost overwhelming. Reading his books makes War and Peace seem like a quick read...lots and lots and lots of information.