Short Stories Books

"A Dead Man Speaks" is a top notch thriller with well-defined characters. I couldn't put the book down. It kept me guessing "who done it" until the very end. It was also thought provoking in showing how people are often a product of their pasts, and in order to move on forgiveness is key. A must read! Can't wait for the movie and the author's next book!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Couldn't put it down once I picked it up. It's a mystery with a message on life, growing, self and other awareness, forgiving. It makes you think and ponder about your own experiences. Looking forward to more books from this author!

A Dead Man Speaks by Lisa Jones-Johnson is not only entertaining, but it has a very important message (unusual for a murder mystery) which the reader experiences as the story comes to a close, although you get glimpses of the message throughout the book as well. Congrats to the author on creating a murder mystery that includes this powerful message within its pages. I won't give anything away I shouldn't. While reading this book I felt like I could get into the hearts and minds of the characters involved because of the descriptive way their stories were told. What I liked most was that the author (Lisa Jones-Johnson) chose to have the reader view the lives of the characters as told through THEIR eyes/perspective and that made me feel like I really got to know the personality of the character on a more personal level. It was brilliantly written on so many levels and through the experiences of the characters raised my understanding a bit on the Civil Rights movement as well which I really appreciated. I highly recommend this book because it is not only entertaining (I couldn't put the book down) but it was thoughtfully written and highly worth my time.

This is hands down the best novel I've ever read. What makes it so? The intention of the Author to not only intrigue and entertainment, which she does most effectively, but her intention to provoke change in the reader.
Not since Shogun by James Clavell, have I been pulled into a novel and forced to carry it with me so I could take advantage of every spare moment to continue the journey. Not since Devil In The Blue Dress by Walter Mosley has a tale of the Black experience captivated me so thoroughly. And never, in any of these reading experiences have I walked away improved from the experienced. I'm talking about a tangible effective transformation based on the experience the finale of the book provoked in me. And do yourself a favor...don't read the end to see what I am talking about. Part of the process I experienced occurred because I resisted the urge to do so and flowed sequentially through the material and thus had the experience the Author intended and created the vehicle to accomplish.
Writing in multiple First Persons, Lisa Johnson gives us both the objective AND subjective experience of the major characters from her novel, an interesting juxtaposition of what we thought we knew from what we observed, and what the characters actually knew from their prospective, which results in a greater understanding of ourselves and what we might need to do to improve our self, as do the two main characters.
I think this book is the point of transition to the next area of literary focus, namely Human Transformation. So if you are almost tired of murder as the focus and subject matter of nearly all English writings in the fiction vain, and plan to stop reading the genre all together soon, then make A Dead Man Speaks your last stop along this road. I think you'll be glad you did.

I am an avid reader - and I love thrillers. I love books by Lee Child and James Lee Burke and everyone in between. This first novel by Lisa Jones-Johnson is very intriguing. And it certainly is worthy of the "in between" category I describe above. Her concept is so unique that at first I thought it might be contrived or the story line would be too obvious. But, happily, I was wrong on both counts. The characters are completely independent of each other- so much so that you will quickly visualize them as they take on their own form and personality. And for a first time novelist the consistency of the characters and the story line is remarkable. You can almost see this story "happening" before you as you read. It is definitely "film" material. The story itself, while simple, is seriously complicated by the nature of the basic theme-- a man unable to "let go" and die is trapped by the need to uncover his murderer and must "visit" those living persons who are involved in the crime to help guide them to the answers he - and they - seek - to solve the mystery.

I highly recommend this book to serious readers. It will "enter" you the same way the dying Clive January enters the minds and souls of those whose help he needs....And you will travel with them to unravel the clues and find the answers to this very fascinating story.

this book was in excellent condition. And the book itself content wise was great!

My daughter is a HUGE Robin Gunn fan and devoured this book in two days.

It was great. I just missed Todd in the Christy Miller one. I absolutely loved the Sierra Jensen story. Cooper Ellis was pretty good, but it wasn't that great in my opinion. Maybe because she didn't have a guy in there...I don't know.

I really liked this book.It was very good.What a great way to combine three stories about three girls,and their faith in God.I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Robin Jones Gunn. I liked the whole book.On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this book a 10+ !

Robin Jones Gunn has some amazing books and i can't wait until she writes her next book! I have all the christy miller books and the sierra jensen books. When I read the books I have to keep reading until the end. I can't put them down. I want to know what happens next. I sometimes stay up until 2am reading them, and i have school the next day. They are so gripping! Anyone who isn't sure whether to buy them Go ahead, because yo won't regret it. I want to know...what happens to Sierra and Paul in college? Please write the next books. I'm dieing to know!!!!

The Devil's Story Book is about a devil that disguises him self as different people every day. The Devil's Story Book has different events in every chapter about the devil doing different tasks to steal, catch, and grant wishes. We think the devils story book is mischievous, adventurous, and hilarious. We truly think you should read this book!!

The Devil's storybook is a touching, funny, and wonderful book. Though it has some language in it like Hell, we think it is an appropriate book for all ages. It's about a Devil who goes into the world, disguised as a fairy godmother, hobo, and towns people. Each wonderful chapter has a new setting for the Devil. Towards the beginning of the book, the Devil goes into the world and meets a beautiful lady. The Devil goes into her cabin. He reminds her of her beauty and asks her if he can take her beauty back to Hell. If you want to know what happened to her, then you'll have to read the Devil's Storybook.

Rating: Five stars

GG 5th grade students

The stories are extremely short, cunning, and witty - great for children and adults. Ms. Babbitt includes hilarious puns that are well placed throughout the book. The sentences are simple to read and the moral or ending of each story is amusing. My most favorite is the last one, "The Power of Speech". In general, no matter which species one belongs to - humans, animals, devils - one should always consider the consequences of one's actions and words.

I love this book! In this story a devil tries to turn hell into heaven. Like I say, try it, if you don't like it put it aside!

I LIKED IT!

...because the Devil herein seems almost like an ordinary person, just with an itch to make trouble and boss minor demons around. Both this and its companion volume, THE DEVIL'S OTHER STORYBOOK, were illustrated by the author; the original cover art of each shows the Devil reading the book. (He's drawn in standard Mephistopheles style, goatee, horns, tail, cloven hooves - and whenever he's shown in disguise in an individual story's illustration, the tail is visible to the reader, curled up behind his back or whatnot.)

Both books open with a stanza or two from the poet Robert Southey, "From his brimstone bed, at break of day, a-walking the Devil is gone, to look at his little snug farm of the World, and see how his stock went on." Most (but not all) the stories follow that pattern - the Devil getting bored and going out for a stroll to stir things up. He doesn't buy souls at all - he just makes trouble on his occasional visits to the world and people make their own decisions about how to handle their problems.

Most of the stories (all very short) have a kind of moral, if you look at them carefully, but Babbitt has a light touch.

"Wishes" On a dull day, 'the Devil fished around in his bag of disguises, dressed himself as a fairy godmother, and came up into the World to find someone to bother.' But the first two people he encounters are a crabby old woman and an old man who's at peace with himself - and each foils the old boy (the old lady's comeback catches even the Devil off guard). But along comes contestant #3, a foolish young man.

"The Very Pretty Lady" had many suitors, but wanted to be loved for herself - or so she said, although truth be told she enjoyed her looks and the fawning young men very much. Then the Devil got to hear of her, and figured she was just what he needed to brighten up the place, and went out to have a look at her, and set about coaxing her to join him of her own free will.

"The Harps of Heaven" - the Devil doesn't have any, and he's been stung by a nagging piano teacher's remarks about the quality of music in Hell, so when a pair of brothers who were the best thieves in the world wind up on his doorstep, he's got a little job for them.

"The Imp in the Basket" Instead of following the Devil's activities, this follows a very good man - a clergyman who tries to think well of everybody - beginning with the most severe test of his life: a little imp has been left on his doorstep, a devil's baby rather than a human one. But he knows that even the Devil was an angel once, so maybe there's hope even for this little one.

"Nuts" The Devil, like anybody else who eats walnuts, complains about the nuisance of cracking them open - then gets a bright idea about how to trick a human into doing it for him: hide a pearl inside a walnut shell, then tempt a greedy person into opening the lot looking for more pearls. But as often happens, his mischief doesn't work out the way he planned.

"A Palindrome" is a word or phrase that's the same whether spelled backward or forward. In this case, the Devil wants a particular artist - a painter whose pictures are much admired in Hell, but who's a good man - to become his #1 painter, so after the artist has produced his 40th picture, the Devil sets about making life difficult for him to tempt him away from his good life.

"Ashes" Mr. Bezzle (yes, Babbitt likes puns occasionally), a bad man 'who made a great deal of money by cheating shamefully', was cremated after he died, and his ashes on the mantel of his widow's house were just as warm as he himself was. But when a grumpy housemaid knocked the urn over and was careless about sweeping up, he couldn't understand why a pig suddenly showed up in Hell and began following him around. :)

"Perfection" The Devil (like some readers, to be honest) has gotten fed up with a goody-two-shoes little girl named Angela, and he's determined to annoy her into losing her temper a few times so she'll stop being so perfect.

"The Rose and the Minor Demon" The minor demon isn't really evil, but since he doesn't have anyplace else to go, his job is to guard the Devil's treasury - even though nobody *ever* tries to steal anything, of course. But looking at a vase painted with roses, he starts wanting to plant a garden of his own - but the Devil, of course, has strict instructions about what he's allowed to plant.

"The Power of Speech" The Devil likes an occasional pet, but in keeping with his character - in this case he wants a pet goat named Walpurgis, but the old lady who owns him belled him, because the Devil can't stand the sound of bells. Then the Devil got an idea for how to make the old lady stop wanting to protect her pet...

This collection of short stories is a perfect introduction to the work of the master writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Each is finely crafted and has an intensity that only a author of his genius would be able to contain within the confines of this genre.Each story is a gem of literature.

A man carries the perfectly preserved body of his daughter around in a carrying case. A woman whose car breaks down by the side of the road wants to use the telephone, but finds herself committed to a mental institution. A young woman, newly married, pricks her finger on a rose, and begins bleeding to death. A young couple spend the night in a hotel where a horrific murder took place long before. Twelve remarkable stories that begin in a low key, almost believable manner and quickly go off into another dimension. A magical dimension. The endings are unexpected, haunting, and often tragic.

I won't tell you how any of these stories turn out, you'll have to read them. There are twelve, of varying length, and every one of them is brilliant. You will not only enjoy these stories but they will stay with you. Despite my limited command of Spanish, I found the stories quite readable, lucid, written in a simple, spare style, with great economy of language. What a gift!

Marquez is a master story-teller. I recommend this book very highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

He vivido en siete paises, dieciocho ciudades, tengo seis profesiones y mas mudanzas de las que me acuerdo. a donde voy "doce cuentos peregrinos" peregrinan conmigo. Gabo y yo hasta el fin del mundo.

la forma de escribir de garcia marquez hace que cada cuento se convierta en una historia llena de magia su escritura llega a cualquier persona dejando entrevisto que que por algo fue premio nobel exelente y facinante

Un gran libro de cuentos, lleno de sorpresas. Lo maravilloso es darse cuenta de cómo lo más simple y absurdo puede convertirse en algo mágico o trascendental, como si descubriéramos el envés de la realidad a través de la mirada de García Márquez.

Doctor Dogbody was a navy surgeon who spent most of his life at sea on sailing ships. As long as people can remember he has had a wooden leg. Whenever old mates gather around the fire with a pint in their hand and long to hear a tale, they anxiously await the tale of how the good doctor lost his leg. The tale is never the same twice!

This is one of those rare books that you keep on your bookshelf for re-reading. I have read "Doctor Dogbody's Leg" at least 20 times. I made the mistake of letting somebody borrow it and it
has disappeared. Guess I am just going to have to buy another copy!

This book was a change of pace for the author, who was the co-author of Mutiny on the Bounty and other books. It is humorous light reading, with the tales set in the Cheerful Tortoise, as Dr. Dogbody, Royal Naval, meets with old acquaintances and tells tales about how he lost his leg. It sometimes rambles a bit, as tales might if told by an old-timer reminiscing. Overall, it is a good collection of stories that could probably be shared with children. So get a pint of ale, and sit down in front of the fire at the Cheerful Tortoise while Dr. Dogbody relates his adventures.

A beautifully written and conceived collection (or is it one continuous tale?), this book will grab anyone who appreciates great humor and skillful writing. A true test of a book's greatness, this one I was truly sorry to see end. Grab a tankard of ale, or a glass of Port Royal, and settle down by the fire at the Cheerful Tortoise. You'll roar with laughter and gasp with astonishment at the good Doctor's tales.

A must read for any and all O'brien fans. This is one the funniest books I have ever read. The good doctor spins increasingly outragous yarns and somehow makes it all seem plausible. The writing is first rate and the characters are vivid and real.

This unique collection of short stories, all of which are based in a small and colorful Portsmouth tavern, is a fabulous read. Excellent characters, pure enjoyment layered upon tales of the sea, famous events and battles and a lot of witty and rich dialog. Dr. Dogbody's salty and humorous martime stories capture both the people and events of the time. Dogbody is a mixture of Harry Flashman, Forest Gump and Long John Silver. The supporting cast of characters is suberb, all carefully written to interface with Dogbody's amazing tales relating to the loss of his missing apendage. I'd love to see the BBC present ten episodes of this book. A clever and unique reading adventure. If you enjoy the Forester, Kent, Pope, Fraser or O'Brian's novels, you'll find this and keep it on you bookshelf and point it out to your literary companions with a chuckle.

It had been years since I first read the Good Earth in high school and with a strong interest in the Asian culture having adopted three children from China I was prompted to buy a new copy and re-read it. It was a good book but then someone suggested Dragon Seed. While Good Earth was certainly a great book the Dragon Seed was even better! I would put it at the top of the list of books I have read and certainly a must read for those interested in Chinese culture. This one will be read by my children and I am looking forward to reading the rest of Pearl S. Buck's books. Simply and amazing and talented story teller.

Although Good Earth is a celebrated novel, as it should be, I believe Dragon Seed is a book as worthy and even more in many ways as it involves generation differences and war. Amazon offers many Pearl Buck books that can't be found anywhere else. These books have opened a whole new world for me. I love the old time Chinese culture and Dragon Seed is so full of the many aspects, phrases, and customs so unlike today - in our Western World. Each character is so carefully constructed with soul depth, despite the fact that most could not read or write and lived a simple life. The Gods seem to come to life and the tragedy the people suffer so real and frightening during the revolution. The simplistic lifestyle is as well depicted as that in Good Earth. This book is a must for all Old Chinese Culture lovers. So exciting to cuddle up and read good literature.

I always preferred reading magazines rather than novels because i thought novels were boring and reading them was a waste of time. After reading Dragon seed my perception about novels took a shift in the positive dierction. No other author can bring out the subtle aspects of life in times of difficulty as pearl buck has did. I read this novel as a thirteen year old but i still remeber every part of it(i am 22 now). Such is the impression this novel has created. one can read a lot of books on philosophy and humanity but still miss out on some key aspects. i promise u will have the feeling of having read a thousand books on the human nature in this one novel. The novel ends with a positive note and a glimmer of hope which will make every reader search for the silver lining even during the most turbulent times.

I have read many books in my time but the two books that stand out for me are Dragon Seed by Pearl S. Buck and This Perfect Day by Irn Levin. Although The Good Earth is a fine book by any standard, Dragon Seed brought the characters to life for me. I have re-read these two books so many times that they have become a little "raggy" with time. Each time I read them I find something new, some new slant on what the authors were saying. The movie that was made from the book Dragon Seed could have been done better and although I like Katherine Hepburn, the part she played should have been played by an oriental. But, the book will live on and will continue to make itself felt for many years to come. Someday, I hope to find someone who will put these two books on a tape for those who have vision difficulty. I have not found them available for the visually impaired thus far. I feel that this is keeping a large section of the population from enjoying these books and I do hope that this will be corrected in the near future.

I thought I would never read a novel as outstanding as The Good Earth. And then I read Dragon Seed! Thus far, this is the greatest book I have ever read! There are truly no adjectives to satisfactorily describe the depth and poignancy of this novel. My heart filled with sorrow as I turned the pages of this mesmerizing story of the Chinese peasants' condition during World II. I would go back to re-read a paragraph every now and then in order to let the words seep into my very soul. I could not comprehend this unspeakable man's inhumanity to man, but there it was, as only Pearl Buck could write about it. Not to read this book at least once is not to have lived. I will carry the drama and heartbreak of Dragon Seed with me for the rest of my life. Dragon Seed is not just a novel; it is an experience of the heart and soul! It should be a must for everyone who truly loves great literature, and it should be required reading for every public high school student in this country.

I initially bought this book because it was about a Yorkie...I have now bought additional copies to send to friends that have Yorkies.

I had to keep reading until I finished, couldn't put it down. And have now decided any dog lover will totally enjoy this book and see their dog through each story!!

DON'T MISS IT!! It will brighten your day and we can all use a little of that!!

As a life-long dog owner, I was so excited to read this book. Reading the puppy-training stories, brought those days right back to mind. The author does such a great job of humorously describing the antics of her puppy. Great coffee table book - you'll hear your guests laughing out loud. Super gift idea for any dog lover in your life!

I received this book as a gift for Christmas and couldn't put it down until I had finished it. The book is totally hilarious. The author describes pet ownership to a T. Even though I am a life long cat person, meow, I can so totally relate to the authors experiences. Great Book, a must read if you want to laugh hysterically. I hope the author keeps us up to date with another book about Dylan's antics.

I don't own a dog and I love this funny, witty and incredibly entertaining book of short stories about Ellice and her dog, Dylan. I have a cat, yet I can totally relate to the funny little things that go on between pet and owner. It's just that there are not many talented and creative pet owners who can compile all these beloved stories and turn them into a beautiful little book. I'll be anxiously awaiting a sequel!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I found myself laughing from start to finish. When I got to the last page - I was sorry it was over. I loved it.

Thanks so much!!!

Once again I'm really very happy with the delivery
great condition, super fast, Thank you :)
will recomend you any time!

Este es uno de esos libros que deben acompañarnos en la vida, para releerlos y recordarnos que siempre podemos crecer más, no sólo como profesionales, sino como criaturas de este Universo. Para mí es parte de una trilogía especial que comprende a "Juan Salvador Gaviota," de Richard Bach; y "El Profeta," de Gibrán Jalil Gibrán. Una vez lo presté y no creo que lo recupere, así que vine aquí para comprarlo de nuevo.

Este libro ayuda no solo al profesional de ventas mejorar su visión de las cosas, si no que además ayuda a elevar el espiritu y toma a este aspecto como parte fundamental del exito que cada persona puede llegar a alcanzar. Se los recomiendo

Al contrario de lo que yo pensaba. No es un manual de ventas, yo me goze y ,termine en lagrimas...Me senti Hafidal comienzo de mi carrera, el estomago vacio, el caminar,el azote de puertas en la nariz,y el lenguje espiritual-romantico.Siempre han puesto de manifiesto que este libro ha sido el mas vendido en todo el mundo, despues de la biblia...Este libro fue de inspiracionpara conocer mas a fondo de Dios y rendir mi vida a ElOg Mandino sin saberlo se ha convertido tambien en predicador de la Santa Bibliaal poner algunos parajes Biblicos dentro del libro..en exacta concordancia a los hechos en cuanto tiempo y espacio...He leido todos sus libros, lo recomiendo a aquellos que deseanser independientes en cuestion de trabjo y a los estudiantes de todo tipo de estudios...Esta es la inspracion de unhombre en vien de la humanidady nolos esajeros que tratan de ver el comunismo , como una solucion...al bien de la humanidad

La lectura de este libro, como todos los de Og Mandino, nos lleva a encontrar otros campos que son mucho más ricos que aquellos en los que vivimos. La historia es simple, las enseñanzas que esta historia trae, es maravillosa. Yo recomendaría este libro sin más. Es un MUST en la literatura de la autoayuda, y, creo yo, del crecimiento personal.

Though I don't have much time to read, I made time to read this book! Ms. O'Neill out did herself on this one, addressing life issues in a sometimes humorous always honesty manner. Her characters are real, her writing style is unique and her book is well worth the read. I highly recommend it!

"A Fall Together" is a wonderful story of the importance faith, family, and friendship in the struggles of life, written with all the passion that Jennifer O'Neill always writes with. I found myself constantly drawn back to the story until I finished the book, and now I am anxiously waiting for the next part of the story in the next book. As one who works with single again adults I found the struggles of Lauren, Irene and their children realistic and true to life. This is a great book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a great story.

Dick Bont

Jennifer O'Neill has done it yet again. We loved her other books and this one is incredible. It is filled with Danielle Steele characters and has a touch of Desperate Housewives. Jennifer, this book would make a wonderful mini-series for TV or even a series of videos that people can purchase. Your heart felt cry is heard in this book and that is what makes this book a must read. We were able to read the entire book and not want to put it down - each problem the characters faced seem real, the characters have depth and the story makes the reader get drawn into their world and their situations. You feel for the characters and it makes you cry. Thanks for having the heart of compassion and a desire to help people deal with situations. We hope you will continue writing more good books and you know we will be telling others about this wonderful book. Hope to see it on a best sellers list.

This book takes a while to get into - you must be patient and learn about each character individually. This is the first in a series so I got just a taste obviously and I was disappointed that I really didn't get to dive into the story line further. I do hope the next one will be easier to identify with earlier. I am a fan of Christian fiction, but this is my first book from this author. Overall, good reading.

I just finished reading "A Fall Together", what a great story. Funny how the two sisters reminded me of myself and my sister. I hope one day she will see Christ through my actions. And I have two teenage daughters at home that I'm consistently struggling to keep the doors of communication open too. Jennifer has blended this community and circle of friends into a wonderful story. It would be a great to see a story like this in film one day too. I'll be looking for the next book in the series that is scheduled to be released in Jan 2007.

I have wanted to read a Halldor Laxness novel for awhile, since he is Iceland's national author and I enjoy Iceland and what literature of the country I've read (which is not much). I read a few pages of his most well-known work, Independent People, but couldn't really engage with it. I read a fairly significant amount of Salka Valka, which I someday hope to read all the way through, and really enjoyed it but for some reason just couldn't finish it (it was summer vacation and I was pretty busy, though). So I found myself searching for a Laxness novel I could read all the way through and enjoy all the way through. My school's library has a wonderful collection of Scandinavian texts and virtually all of Laxness' oeuvre, although only a small section of those has been translated into English. I found myself leafing through the first few pages of each of his English translations and finally settled on one.

The Fish Can Sing captivated me immediately, catching me up in its plot from its first line (which is something like "A well-known author once said that apart from losing one's mother, it is most fortunate to lose one's father") and enchanting me with its first chapter and continuing to do so throughout the novel. This is a delightful and pretty easy read, although the philosophical issues it addresses are relatively complex and stimulating. I also have to comment on how well-chosen the English title is, and I think it is far superior to the original Icelandic title, which is very generic and doesn't tell much about the novel itself, although I suppose it is significant. The English title has its origin in one of the poems within the text, which I believe is a sort of proverb and used as a mantra throughout much of the book. Alfgrim, the narrator, wants to be a lumpfisherman like his grandfather, Bjorn of Brekkukot (a farmstead and free-of-charge inn on the outskirts of Reykjavik where many interesting characters come to stay), who is considered one of the poorest men but who is rich in spirit. Alfgrim also finds himself inexplicably connected to the famous singer Gardar Holm, and the two perspectives - fishing and the land-holding and simple lifestyle and the spiritual and material aspects of singing, music, and being a singer - merge in the narrative.

One of the elements I liked about this book is that, as I was reading it, it reminded me of the one of the books I used for my thesis, the Faroese novel The Lost Musicians by William Heinesen, which, I believe, is contemporaneous to The Fish Can Sing (published in the 1950s, taking place a few decades earlier). The Lost Musicians centers around the commercializing fishing capital of the Faroe Islands and how some of its residents, a band of musicians, combat the shadowy forces brought upon their lives largely by the sectarians and their temperance society inhabiting the islands through their music. There are musical references throughout the novels that take music, inscribed in nature, to a higher plane (the novel is also where I gleaned my user name from), and The Fish Can Sing does the same thing. There are many references to ships in each novel, coming and going as a means to improve oneself and seek fame, but in the end what takes on the most importance is that spiritual world of music itself and all that it represents, the deepest wishes, hopes and thoughts (for The Lost Musicians) and finding one's "true note" (for The Fish Can Sing). Money and material possessions are of very little value in both novels, and a world beyond our own takes precedence, as embodied in artistic forms. Both of the novels also center on many different characters in one small area of a small town, providing many contrasting points of view, although since The Fish Can Sing is in first person there is a slightly more narrow scope to the direction of the action. In the end of each novel, also, both the last lost musician, Orfeus, and Alfgrim, sail off on a ship to Denmark to pursue what they may, but one gets the feeling that they will transpose the values of their everyday lives onto their new inhabitance rather than succumbing to the fashion of the times in their colonists' stead.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes "good literature", however you may define that. This book is written by Iceland's most well-known modern/early contemporary author, so I suppose it could be considered popular literature, but it is not overly sentimental or trite. It's a bit like a modern Charles Dickens, or maybe that's just what the translation makes it out to be, but that is the calibre I consider it. You need not know too much about Iceland or its history to fully enjoy The Fish Can Sing - I myself don't know too much - but you will definitely benefit and enjoy it all the more if you do. One scene I find entertaining is the Barber Bill, in which a town assembly discusses whether or not public shaving should be allowed, and if it should be, at what time of day this activity should be able to take place. Luckily, the novel explains a bit of the background so it's not terribly confusing, and the references to saga characters and whether or not it was "proper" for them to shave is an amusing anecdote.

Laxness' book, "The Fish Can Sing" is a remarkable book. At first, it seems like a random series of vignettes about early 20th-century Icelandic life, full of detail and life, but appearing loosely bound at best. But by the end of the novel, the reader realizes he is in the hands of a master craftsman as the rich detail provided in earlier chapters come back to play important roles in the culmination of the book and its plot.

There's an endless array of well-defined, complicated, and vivid characters. There's the lavish countryside painted simply - evoking the same feeling you get from a good watercolor. Then there's the plot, which is mysterious and complex, but leaves you with much to ponder.

A nod to the translator, Magnus Magnussen, because the prose is fertile and poetic. It's unbelievably rich, yet brilliantly sparse. This is the way prose should be.

Laxness and Magnussen have given us a beautiful, soulful book. It's a remarkable read.

This brilliant work amply demonstrates why its author, Halldor Laxness, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955(?). Without much of a plot--it portrays the maturation and awakening of a young man, Alfgrimur Hanson--"The Fish Can Sing" is nonetheless very rich in characterization and aptly depicts life in early 20th century Iceland. As an American who has lived in Iceland for the last two years, I have grown to appreciate Laxness's insight into the character of the proud and independent Icelandic people. I have read two other Laxness books which I could find printed in English--"Under the Glacier" and "Independent People"--and although those are very good, "The Fish Can Sing" is outstanding and clearly my favorite. Humorous, though-provoking and ultimately very moving, this book is one which you will surely enjoy and not readily forget.

What a wonderful book. If you loved Independent People as much as I did, you will love this book too. It has the same wit and some similar themes. The book does have a plot (despite what a couple of other reviewers say), but the author develops his story slowly. Once you're "into it" (be patient!) you will be glad for the pace. There are so many marvellous details here to savor. I just loved it, and plan to read it again in the near future.

The charm of this book is in its atmosphere. You get a wonderful feel of early C20 Iceland and the characters that inhabit it, from the old-fashioned fisherman who ignores market economics to the admirer of modern cesspits. The age of the novel, like its hero, progresses from child to early-adolescent. A particularly charming thing about this novel is the way rather grimy adult features of adulthood are transformed by the place and its people. The cesspit-admirer, for instance, sees modern cesspits solely as an exciting new invention; and the farmers, when they discover barbed wire, just string it up in purposeless and harmless lines across the country.

The plot involves an orphan boy (Alfgrimur) who might be a gifted singer, his experiences while growing up, and his relationship with the elusive "famous Icelandic singer" Gardar Holm. But "fame" appears to be something petty, the god of Danish shopkeepers (Danes, of course, are grown-up) -- and the "one true note" which Alfgrimur seeks can be attained just as well while singing at funerals in the local churchyard.