Other The Books

Wooffer is a beautiful story about all sorts of animals in Wooffers daily life. Wooffer has a very kind and loving heart, and is always ready to help out his animal friends whenever they need him.
I laughed and cried about the wonderful adventures of Wooffer.

This book is for children and all adults.

So sit back and enjoy all the fun with Wooffer and his pals.

Jacqueline Rankine-Van Wassenhoven.

I can't tell you the last time I read a children's book. I read this one, though - from cover to cover in one night. In fact, I was going to finish for the evening when I was a little over halfway through, but Molly, my Bichon, wouldn't let me put the book down. We both thoroughly enjoyed it, and know what the great-grandchildren are going to get for their birthdays.

Margaret, the hen. Reginald, the rooster. Cho Lee Yen, the peacock. Marygrey,Camille, the pregnant rabbit,Sir Doodah,Sandy Crane,Pogo, Daisy,Jazzper,Ibie,Sarah,Bill ,Baby Jazzmin..WOOFFER..

You don't know them..Oh...You missed this book?Get WOOFFER...

This is the first book I enjoyed with my son and still enjoying..even he knows all the characters of this book..Time has changed ..It was the time when our granny and mummy were telling stories just keeping there hand on our forehead so we can sleep..but what do you expect that my son will sleep ?While reading WOOFFER to him he was sitting like a small alert puppy listening each and every word of Wooffer.

"Betty Fasig knows well how to get connected with the animal kingdom.If still you are unaware of animal friendship "WOOFFER" will tell you the whole thing.

In 33 stories Betty has successfully engaged each small or big animal sending some moral messages and leaves an impression on a small kid's mind..He easily recalls the character as well the related story and that's the beauty of "Wooffer"..

It's a big issue in any body's life when a book turns his/her life or changes her attitude..Practically I noticed that whenever my son is a bit off the track I remind him all the great job done by "WOOFFER" and he accepts that.Wooffer is like a "superhero" for him.

Not only children, I think even elders should also read this for may be they have forgotten some real basic moral values somewhere in their busy materailistic life..

Thank you so much Betty for this Wonderful gift....
Bhawana
[....]

A must have book for any home where children visit or live. Book of 33 short stories about a courageous little Wooffer and all his backyard and Lester Field friends. The child in you will fall in love with this book.

" Woofer, Stories You Can Read to Your Dog (and Other Children,)"
by Betty Fasig
is a collection of stories from the viewpoint of this delightful
dog. One truly steps over the threshold into Woofer's world; you see everything from the (quite low to the ground) dog's viewpoint. Every
tale is a charming saga from the life of Woofer and his friends.
Not since Anna Sewell have I read works that offer an animal's view
point this way. The stories are wonderfully suited for younger
audiences, and the action as well as the characters will enthrall
them. Actually, this adult reader must admit to being thoroughly
enthralled, as well .
There are many clever descriptions, fun puns, and unusual twists
to be discovered within the stories. My favorite is the squirrel
family who are all " Branch Executives," but a close second is the
mouse family "of thousands." Throughout, country animals are
featured, from everyday birds to the newcomers Sandy and Sandra
Crane, and all the small animals one does not think about
ordinarily.
The writer here truly looked outside the human world, to find
interaction and wonderful, engaging stories going on right in her
back garden. This lovely book is a wonderful reminder of what fun
it can be to read.
Nancy Lindley-Gauthier

Adoption is supposed to be an act of goodness, but there are those who would corrupt it. "The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, The Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption" tells of Memphis-based black market baby merchant Georgia Tann, who operated from the 1920's to the 1950's conning mothers out of their children or just out and out kidnapping them, only to turn around and sell them to the wealthy to claim as their own. Her orphanage was applauded in spite of its horrifically high death rate. She habitually hid adoption records, a practice that has unfortunately become standardized in today's adoption industry. An expose of a dark individual who treated babies worse than cattle, "The Baby Thief" reveals why, despite its more stringent modern regulations, modern adoption needs to rethink some of its practices (such as sealing records). Highly recommended.

This book exposes the history of adoption in the United States, particularly its corrupt underside. The book addresses four themes:

1. Changes in attitudes about adoption, as well as adoption laws, in the past 100 years.

2. Corruption in adoption, embodied in "The Baby Thief," Georgia Tann. This includes the long-term impact on her victims.

3. Georgia Tann's long-term impact on society as a whole, including her lasting impact on today's adoption laws.

4. A call to revise adoption laws.

It's an engaging read, but loses a star for several instances of repetitive information.

Definitely recommended.

Georgia Tann ran an adoption agency from the 1920s until the 1950s. Supported by a corrupt government, she stole children from poor Memphians and sold them across the country to wealthy families. She ignored background checks and rated people by the amount of money they could pay her. As a result, children were torn from their mothers arms, sometimes right after their births, and many were placed in abusive families. Some tricked mothers never saw their children again. Raymond has a personal interest in the story as an adoptive mother herself, and her enthusiasm makes for a quick read. Her interviews with people who knew Tann and the people affected by her shady practices are excellent additions.

Raymond does a good job of getting at as much information as she can, and this book is well researched. However, I would have liked to know a bit more about the celebrity cases involved. Christina Crawford is perhaps the most famous Georgia Tann adoptee; why wasn't she discussed? Was she stolen from her birth parents? Pamela Powell is also mentioned; Dick Powell threatened to fight if her birth parents tried to reclaim her. Whatever happened to that case?

Overall, this is a good read and not just for people with a specific interest in adoption.

Excellent recollection of a horrible, horrible time in our so-called Democratic Society. I appreciate the efforts of the author and all who helped her. I wish Steven Speilberg would turn this into one of his epics. His Holocaust movie set in motion positive reactions, respect and awareness. Let's hope he can bring this to fruition. But more importantly-the research presented here and the stories told should affect our Elected Officials and our Supreme Court....they should OPEN ALL THE RECORDS sealed because of the manipulation of a criminal, evil woman and her corrupt support system. As an adoptee I want to know who I am-it is my constitutional right to know. To quote Alex Haley:"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are, and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning; no matter what our attainments in life, there is the most disquieting loneliness." Alex Haley Thank you again Barbara-Bravo

A couple of years ago I watched a docudrama on A & E starring Mary Tyler Moore as the depraved monster Georgia Tann. When I searched for a book written about Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children's Home Society, I found this one and read it in two days. It was riveting, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking. What a shame that her lies were not exposed years earlier when more of her victims may have had the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones. She and her cronies destroyed countless lives with their deceitful practices, and I hope that this book will create an awareness of people who prey on others so that history can never repeat itself in this way.

Citrix MetaFrame XP: Advanced Technical Design Guide, Second Edition was a decent general read. In depth technical detail seemed to be lacking and was replaced by repetitive best practice lectures. However, I enjoyed the authors side comments and general personality that was interwoven into the reading. Overall the book is informative and well written.

We had 2 other books on Citrix Metaframe but the books didn't give us much detail so we started looking for a better resource. I found this book and recommended it to my Network Adminsitrator. I thought I won't get much from it because I don't work with Citrix everyday but when time permits, I read the book and 70% of the time I got the answers from this book.

Not a book for beginners. This is written for engineers and people who already have a good grasp of the basics of Terminal Servers and Citrix. No "how to" install in this book, but rather how to design, implement, identify and resolve your own problems, with a lot of real-life examples.

The style of the book (way it is written) makes a pleasant change from the usual technical books, as it addresses you like you know what you're talking about. You will come out with a clear understading of the issues you're facing and how to resolve them.

This book is self-published, which makes it all the more remarkable.

The book covers up to Windows 2000 and Mataframe XP FR2. I'm keen to see when the next edition comes out, and hpoefully it will concentrate on Windows 2003 + Metaframe 3.0

I had a real tough time searching the Internet and all other places to get some real stuff on Citrix and my search ended with "this" book by "Brain" Madden.

Citrix will notice a sizeable improvement in their sales if they include this book with their product. Everything is explained clearly with visuals and no filler material.

One of the best Tech Books to hit the market in recent times.

In my opinion, this book is the ONLY interesting published book about Citrix until now. I have read most of the available books about Citrix and Terminal Services and this is the only one I would buy again.

If you are a Citrix Certified Administrator, you will find this book very helpful. Personally speaking, I prefer it to most of the Citrix official documentation.

Take into account that it is a book for people who already has a deep knowledge about Citrix. It is not a guide for begginers. It gives you hints to improve your own Citrix project methodology.

Amazon guys, let me suggest this, please: If you are looking for a step-by-step begginers guide, have a look at Methodology in a Box (freely available at http://www.dabcc.com)

The DNA of Successful Leaders takes readers through a personality profile and the diagnosis of the results, which, based on the title, probably isn't surprising. Personality profiles aren't what you like to read in your leisure time, nor are books about them. I felt the same way about personality profiles, until I picked up this book.

The DNA of Successful Leaders is what I would call the "real-life personality profile." Mr. Tate's philosophy is simple - you were born to lead and influence others for the better, but your leadership will only be effective if it is true to who you are.

The information in this book is invaluable, and is a must read for everybody to use in business and in life. It encourages readers to be authentically themselves, and to allow others to be the same. As a Coach, this insight alone made me cheer!

I have never seen a "personality" profile that is so insightful and provides such practical application. I have found it to be very helpful to me at a business level as well as a personal level. As a doctor it has helped me to have insight to my patients and understanding how to communicate certain concepts to them more effectively. In my personal life it has given me a lot of new insights to my friends and loved ones. A must read!!

An incredible insight to understanding yourself and how you relate to others. Tate's book shows how easy it is to adapt, relate, and influence others while all along being true to yourself, associates, clients, and friends. A "must read" no matter your occupation!

You'd be a fool not to read this book. Mr. Tate- what a difference you have made in my company!! A month ago, one of our most valued employees resigned. Since reading this book, I have been working on all of our relationships within our company in order to improve communications and cooperation. When she quit, we were devastated. Knowing she was a pure 'red' I re-read the chapter on reds and worked to understand how a "blue" should work with her. After a deep conversation following literally exactly the words of Mr. Tate, our employee reconsidered her position and rejoined our company with a completely renewed outlook on her job and the company. Mr. Tate, you single-handedly saved our company. I appreciate everything you shared in this book. It has been the most relevant and practical guide for my business. Thank you!

I got this book for Christmas and honestly, I'd have prefered socks. I don't mind personality quizzes. I, like most educated people, find them droll and amusing, a light-hearted folly, something to do on a rainy day in lieu of sudoku. This book, though, is such a heaping pile of psycho-babble and business-speak it made me want to grind glass into my eyeballs. Why? It's basically a rehash of The Hartman Personality Test, popularly called "The Color Code," reworded just enough to avoid litigation. (Mr. Tate was, after all, a lawyer in a previous incarnation.) In addition, there is absolutely no bibliography or evidence of any actual research, meaning that Tate, with his aforementioned law degree, has about as much academic sanction to write a book about psychology as I do. Third, Tate makes no attempt to hide his deeply held Republican and rightist views, painting Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush in blindingly favorable light and maligning such former Democratic leaders as Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Finally, he claims to apply his "methodology" to the Beatles, claiming that each one had one of the four colors in his test, attributing their massive popularity to that alone. No Troy, they just played great music.

If you're a banal mid-level managerial type whose anonymously boring career is stuck in a rut and who buys into the "I'm Okay, You're Okay" malarkey pop culture continues to force feed the masses, than this might just be the book for you. If you're a thinking human being with a personality more complex than a coloring book, look elsewhere.

My husband and I are homeschooling our children, and have studied Russian, French, and Biblical Greek between us. When we decided to introduce Latin to our 2nd grader, we both dreaded finding a book that would be easy to learn from and interesting for our daughter. Now we are all learning Latin together - and having a great time. Our only dilemma now is to decide how to proceed when we finish this book. Anyone have a suggestion on a good follow-up text?

Professor William E. Linney has done us Latin buffs a great service. His Latin textbook, Getting Started with Latin, is excellent and easy for learn-at-home students. The text is extremely user-friendly. Combined with the computer audio downloads of the Professor's class instruction for each lesson (including audio pronunciation [Classical or Ecclesiastical] for each Latin word in each lesson), you have a complete classroom setting. And Latin is best learned in a classroom. Professor Linney is an excellent teacher because he patiently explains all for the neophyte student. The teacher brings his classroom into your own home. What a boon!

Also, Professor Linney has the same classroom computer download system for his follow-on Latin course: The First Year of Latin. The textbook is of this title is authored by Walter B. Gunnison and Walter S. Harley. It's available here on Amazon also.

I've learned a lot with Getting Started with Latin. I'm now part way through The First Year of Latin. The personal progress is very good, compared to when I tried to learn Latin on my own.

Yours,
paul mugar

Have just started reading this book, so I can't comment on it as a whole, but my first impressions have been very positive. The lessons are short, simple, and to the point. Words and concepts are introduced one or two at a time, keeping you from being overwhelmed by vocabulary and grammar right from the start. I keep this beside my bed and the last thing I do before turning out the light is to read a few lessons, and the first thing I do when I wake up is to read a few more. For a 26 year old with a full time job, very little time to study something just for fun, and absolutely no prior knowledge of Latin, I'm finding this book to be extremely helpful.

Not only is it great to use for adults, it is written specifically for use by homeschooling parents and teachers. One day, when I have kids of my own, I can definitely see myself pulling this gem out and dusting it off. (if I've ever put it away that is!)

The rare Latin textbook accurately described by it's title.
By virtue of it's simplicity it lulls the first time Latin student into learning with minimal effort. The introductory text I have been searching for as a self-taught adult with no prior Latin exposure. I would absolutely recommend it for anyone over the age of 7 or 8.
It would be too simple if one was seeking to refresh or expand on prior Latin knowledge.
The ideal appetiser.

I shall endeavour to keep this review concise, and to the point, with the absolute beginner in mind.

As an adult, who wasn't 'fortunate' enough to have gone to a private school as a child, I never had the opportunity to study the wonderful language that is Latin. There are many introductory books available to purchase, and lots of information to be had via the World Wide Web.

What makes this book stand out then?

Well, it provides a sound foundation from which to build upon; and does it in a way that is accessible, interesting, and above all effective. The author guides the student in a logical, and methodical manner; no pretentiousness nor stuffiness! This book makes learning Latin FUN, not a chore, and is certainly not boring. The layout is clear, and motivational. He has been kind enough to make available, free of charge, aural supplementary material (including invaluable pronunciation examples) that is available for download, from his website (is ~436MB enough for you?)- wow. In this day and age, how many authors would do that?

For more detailed reviews, visit Mr Linney's personal website: 'gettingstartedwithlatin' (surprisingly(!)). My review here is just to let ordinary fellow mortals know that this book is an excellent introduction to such a wonderful language.

The author replied to my email (very quickly indeed(!)) when I thanked him for the material that is available from his website- he remarked that he loves Latin, and is pleased to have been able to make it accessible.

He certainly has done...

I have greatly enjoyed using this book both as a personal resource and a group study resource. I anticipate using this book throughout my life both personally and in ministry. A must-have!

This is an excellent guide to prayer. We use it every day for a starting of our daily prayers.

I absolutely love this book. It combines just the right amount of structural guidance and freedom. I love the addition of "Spiritual Readings" to complement the Scripture readings and themes.

Each week focuses on a different theme. The Scripture readings help you discover various aspects of the theme without the authors manipulating the text. The readings are associated with the theme, but are not "devotionals" on the days Scripture readings. The readings are taken from some of the best Christian writers and classics of Christian thought.

Shawchuck and Job structure the daily devotionals as follows:

Invocation (a written prayer to focus you and draw you in for the day's theme)
A Psalm (Chosen to align with the week's theme.)
Reading for Reflection (Chosen from among the best writers in Christian history)
Daily Scripture Readings (Monday-Friday with the weekends consisting of a selection from the Lectionary)
Reflection: Silent and Written (Nothing written, but this give you time to sit quietly or journal)
Prayers: For the Church, for Others, and Myself (Again, not written, but this is the time where you spend time in prayer)
Hymn (Sing or read as poetry; either way you are exposed to some of the great hymns of the church)
Benediction (Provided by the authors to bring closing).

This book has helped me on my spiritual journey. I struggle with ADD and this book provided the right amount of structure to help me stay focused and yet the freedom to experience variety.

I love the way this is set up. It has different type of devotional components

This might be the only product on Amazon that I've ever seen with 20 5-star reviews and nothing else. I hate to be the grumpy one, but I'm just not tracking with these other reviewers. I found this to be one of the least helpful devotionals that I've ever used.

I was assigned to use this devotional for a seminary class and was fully prepared to appreciate it. I was excited about the daily Scripture readings, the collected quotations, and the weekly hymns, all tied to the same theme. This seemed like a perfect format. Unfortunately, it turned out to be dreadful.

My one primary complaint was that the Scriptures and the quotes were difficult to connect thematically. Though there was a category for each week like "Forgiveness" or "Wise Stewards," I often found myself completely perplexed as to how a particular Scripture reading was supposed to relate to that topic. I'm not suggesting that reading the Bible should be an inherently intuitive process, but if I'm going to be sent flying across the entire Bible from one day to the next, I would really prefer to understand the relationship between the passages.

I also found the "Readings for Reflection" to be a struggle. Though other reviewers raved about the authors who were represented, I found many of them to be extremely obscure (and for good reason). Many of the readings were very wooden, probably somewhat indicative of the time when they were written. I do enjoy reading the classics, but I did not find these selections to be especially enlightening and more often left me scratching my head.

Finally, I found the organization of each week to be extremely frustrating. I was constantly flipping back and forth from one page to another, and the binding of the book is so tight and its pages so narrow that it would frequently snap shut and leave me hunting to find my place. I realize that many will laugh at my focus on such minor details, but they really affect me. I'm distractible to begin with, and the last thing that I need when spending devotional time with God is one more thing to distract me. I really wished that the Scriptures and readings had been better integrated to allow for a more natural flow when using this book.

Upon rereading my critique, I probably paint myself as some sort of lazy idiot. I am not looking for a mindless devotional book. I am willing to invest in intellectual reflection when I study the Word and read what others have to say. Maybe "A Guide to Prayer" will work for other folks, but this guide left me disappointed and even frustrated. I will keep looking for a devotional guide that flows more naturally and makes more sense to me.

This book is absolutely inspiring! Unlike many other books geared toward military spouses(that just tell you how to understand the military), this book tells you how to enjoy and thrive in your military life!I recommend this to all military spouses, a must read book. Thank you Kathie and Holly for all you do! -Alison Turner, Fort Lewis, WA

This book was great on giving advice on how to create a life for yourself (from getting a job, meeting people, volunteering). It listed lots of other books and websites that I didn't know where out there for me.

Kathie and Holly were the keynote speakers at a Women's Conference on our base recently. They were funny and inspiring. Hearing them speak and reading their book was the kick in the pants I needed to start setting goals for MYSELF again. I bought a book for myself and for a friend that was struggling with the military lifestyle.

Every military spouse should read this book! I read it TWICE and learned even more the second time though. It has inspired and motivated me to "Get a Life Too". I have had so much fun writing my list of 101 Things to Do Before I Die. I discovered that there are so many amazing things that I have already experienced thanks to nearly 10 years as an Army wife. I even managed to get my husband to read a few select chapters and he agrees that it is well written, very informative, and hilariously entertaining (read: funny but true stories). After reading this book you will want to buy one for all your military spouse friends. Yes....it is THAT GOOD! Happy reading!

This book certainly answers the cry for "Help!" expressed in its title. It uses personal examples from the authors and many other military spouses, and gives positive, practical steps for thriving, not just surviving, in military life. The authors have thoroughly researched, thought through and lived out their own advice. An excellent resource for new military spouses, this book is a bright spot of encouragement for spouses of every experience level.

As a screenwriter, this is the 14th book I've read on the subject, and by far the best. Derek Rydall not only prepares you externally to be a script consultant, he prepares you internally as well; forcing you to peel back the layers of your own psyche, and examine your inner obstacles to your own success.
Derek is not afraid to share his failures along with his successes, to help you avoid making the same mistakes. Each chapter starts with a few appropriate and inspirational quotes that create the setting for the chapter, and inspire the reader. What can I say? If it's not in the book, you don't need it! Five stars for this book that helps you shoot for the moon.
-- Scotland Miles
Screenwriter and Author

Read and analyse your script from cover page, FADE IN to FADE OUT. Derek Rydall packs a lot of useful information in this well thought out, well written book. This is the meat and potatoes of the biz.
Do yourself a huge favor and read this book before you submit your next script. Chapter Two shows you how the studios see the difference between an amateur wannabee and a pro. Chapter Four brings in a wealth of good advice from well known experts like Linda Seger, Michael Hauge and David Freeman. David Freeman's sample scene analysis alone might make the difference between being kicked up the ladder or kicked out the door. You need every tool you can get your hands on to make your script a contender. Make this book part of your arsenal.
Whether you want to get your scripts in the door or want to be a script consultant this could be your blue prints to success.

Can anyone who has ever been to a movie not have looked at some of them and wondered how such trash got produced? No one would start out with the intend of making a bad movie. You have to wonder how a group of people, presumably experienced and not unintelligent have produced something like that.

This book is written by a script consultant who tells what it's like to review and consult on the movie that's about to be made. While we all think that we could do this work, here's what the work involves. Here's how to get started. The best advice that I think he gives is work with someone in the business to at least establish the contacts.

This is a business like any other. You need at least the understanding of who does what. It is unlikely that very many of the readers of the book will actually become successful at script consulting, but it is still interesting reading to see what is done. It's an interesting insight into the movie production business.

There are plenty of movies on the market which feature substandard writing - so bad that even an audience member might think they can do better, let alone an aspiring screenwriter. If you're a member of the latter group, I Could've Written A Better Movie Than That! How To Make Six Figures As A Script Consultant Even If You're Not A Screenwriter is for you. It tells how to use this sense of perfection to earn cash as a script consultant, and comes from author Rydall's years of experience in the industry. Chapters show how to analyze stories in any form, write coverage, repair scripts, negotiate contracts and more. Plenty of books tell how to write the script: few, except for this, tell how to make money repairing one.

I really liked this book and I believe that there aren't any others like this one. It talks about how you can start a highly lucrative business as a script consultant and a re-writer.

The only thing that makes me hesitant is the ease (or difficulty) in establishing credibility as a consultant if one hasn't written anything worth mentioning.

Other than that, this is an incredible book and I hope that not too many people read it because it's an INCREDIBLE business idea and I want to pursue it myself.

This is a great book, all of Kapuscinski`s books are great. It takes you for a journey you don`t expect. Great style and I always regret it`s over, after I finish to read his book.

I purchased this book after reading about the author in the Wall Street Journal. He died earlier this year. The author, a journalist, kept two notebooks while on assignments throughout the world, one for his assignment and one for himself. In this book he combined his observations from several trips he took within Russia and its states over a span of many decades. At times his writing style can be quite poetic, and the book is not unlike a travel book, although Soviet Russia was not a friendly place at the times of his visits. I intend to read his other books, and highly recommend this one.

As stated in most of the reviews of this book, Kapuscinski is a great writer. If you have not read him allready, read this book and understand why. If you allready have read him, you are going to read this book based on what you allready have learned to know.

Having given Kapuscinski the credit he obviously deserves for his writing, I believe there is some points that should be done.

-First Kapuscinski stands on the shoulders of giants. His writing is to a great extent the result of the local people that he meets on his journeys and agrees to open their region and their lifes to him.

-Kapuscinski is a very gifted writer endeed, that have read a lot about the places and peoples that he visits. On one hand this is what always makes his writing so alive, something to go back to and read agian, so informative. On the other hand gret litterature sometimes can serve as a way of getting away with having little or nothing to really report from the battleground when his plan fails or when he does not get what he intended out of a trip. Striking examples of this is his journey at the Trans-siberian railway where he only observes the Soviet Union through the train window or to Nagarno Karabakh where he is stuck inside an airport, a car and a flat. That his stories is as intriguing, even when he hardly experience "what the war looks like on the ground" is a clear sign that his capabilities as dramaturg and writer can make up for a rather thin story. Even when he gets the chance to write the story he intended from a place he visits, the timeframe and the difficulties he worked under limits his insights compared to the writers that have covered the area afer him.

-Some paragraphs in the book makes me a bit uncertain about how good the translation is (my review is based upon the Norwegian translation). In the first chapter - Pinsk '39 the comment of a NKVD officer visiting their house "Muzh kuda?" is traslated "where is your husband" instead of the correct "Where have your husband gone", meaning that the NKVD officer allready knows that he has recently been in the house, meaning someone has infomed the NKVD that Kapuscinski's father (a hunted partisan) has recently been in the house. Things like this is not a big deal, but it makes you start thinking about the quality of the translation in general and if it can be the case that the author underplays the role of ordinary people as informers in the terror.

-In his story about the war in Pinsk 1939, his memory of the events as a child probably is an important expalianation behind the qualities of the stories. In the memory of a child events that would probably be described as horrorful and sad by a grown up, in the eyes of a smal shild gets exciting, intriguing, colorful and down to earth.

All in all, Kapuscinski is good reading and Imperium is a great intruduciton to the former Soviet Republics. To get true insight in the contemporary former Soviet Republics, you will need further reading though.

Perhaps history will never be told better than through the eye of this travelling writer (or is it a writing traveller?). Read and be awed by the staggering proportions of recent history in the vast empire that is no more, the Sovjet Union. And be chilled to the bones by the unimaginable amounts of suffering inflicted by the sovjet leaders on their own people. And be astonished that in the midst of the most utter despair, poverty, and enslavement, Kapuscinski can find optimism, humor, and love of life.

A lyrical masterpiece by this superlative writer! Nowhere have I found a dissection of the Evil Empire done with such fluid verse. He goes from the periphery into the heart of the beast and everywhere he discovers that appearances deceive and what seems to signal change is really a re-hash of old. Kapuczinski's sharp analysis and trenchant comments will be sorely missed!

Volume two of Le Proust's great work is a sensual delight. Part One (of Vol.2), by and large, is more about Swann's family and, of course, the agonizing and philosophizing in regard to "getting over" Miss Gilberte. There is much less about the narrator's family which ran the course throughout SWANN'S WAY. Stylistically, BUDDING GROVE is an absolute wonder. We are once again treated to the narrator's philosophies on life's ups and downs (how's that for a summation?). Once he gets to the fictitious seaside town of Balbec, the book surges--taking on the proverbial "life of its own". The reader is in the hotel room with him...and on the beach...and on the boardwalk, etc. It was a joy to see how Proust/Moncrieff would occasionally work in "street talk" with the mainstay of aureate and lyrical prose: a woman in Balbec is described as having "yellow hair and six inches of paint on her face and a carriage which reeked of harlot a mile away..." Delicious. Priceless.

I cannot imagine trying to read Proust's Everest of a novel until I've had enough life experience to be able to identify with his insights. How on earth was a man who died young and was confined to a bed for so many years able to learn so much about life and common human experience, emotion and perception? I don't know how, but I thank God that he was.

For modern readers, Proust is definitely an acquired taste that rewards patience. I never thought reading the works of one author would make those of others seem so much easier to read. But such is the case with Proust. Nevertheless, one shouldn't regard his writing as therapy or medicine; it may read like self help at times, with its frequent use of the first-person plural, but it is a story first of all. His writing is just more detailed and insightful than that of all but a handful of modern novelists.

Within a Budding Grove is a primer on patience and perception, one that will probably make you a better reader, perhaps a better writer, and certainly a more interesting human being. Struggle on patiently. You will get used to the labyrinthine sentences, paragraphs that run on for pages, and gargantuan chapters (if they can be called that) that don't really begin or end anywhere tidy. Eventually, you will likely come to enjoy it.

My only criticism: at times one does get annoyed by the slow pacing. For instance, I knew that this is the volume that introduces the reader to Albertine. But it did take about 600 pages for the narrator to meet her! That said, there are plenty of tasty morsels along the way. Read it, not so much for the simple story or the minutely detailed descriptions, but for the numerous insights and the astounding wisdom.

Montcrief's translation, is the quintisential Proust. The, beautiful, florid prose is reminiscent of a time and a place that no longer exists, and captures the French aristocracy in the advent of WWI -- full of old-world trappings, yet abounding with subtle reminders of the globalization that was to follow. Proust's style and vision are directed admirably towards his artistic goal of appreciating art through sublimation, and express his idea that a true understanding of art comes first through appreciation, and then expression through a medium. This volume is full of Proust's own philosiphies on art, life and the people who abound in both. His observations, pointed and amusing, keep this volume relevant. Considering the wave of expatriate and existentialist writers who propogated Paris after the Great War, this book is truly the last in a line of works that view life in a grand, sweeping and elegant manner. Within a Budding Grove brought Proust fame and acclaim in his own time, and in ours can be seen as a masterpiece reflecting a time past, yet glimsping assiduously into the future. For those "in search of lost time" this is truly a great read.

How can anyone summarize even a single volume of Proust's massive six volume novel? Within a Budding Grove (sometimes translated as In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower) is the second installment of In Search of Last Time. We find the narrator perhaps marginally older on vacation with his grandmother living in a luxurious hotel in Balbec off the coast. This volume, paired with the first (Swann's Way), is really the introduction to the work entire if you can believe it. In it, the narrator perhaps matures slightly; he cultivates his keen awareness of art, meets new people, and ultimately falls out of love with Gilberte and falls in love with Albertine. His relationship with his grandmother is certainly expanded, and the reader comes to learn that the narrator is not merely motivated by a trivial pursuit of pleasure and bourgeois charm. He is in fact, a truly full human being, complete with fear, love, desire, and ambition. He meets one of my favorite characters in the whole book, the impressionist painter Elstir, a character clearly based Monet, Manet, Pissaro, and others. He introduces the narrator to Albertine through his paintings, and teaches him about the joys of life and art. There are some passages in this section of the book (the latter half) which I just can't resist from quoting,

"I could never have believed that I should now be dreaming of a sea which was no more than a whitish vapour that had lost both consistency and colour. But of such a sea Elstir, like the people who sat musing on board those vessels drowsy with the heat, had felt so intensely the enchantment that he had succeeded in transcribing, in fixing for all time upon his canvas, the imperceptible ebb of the tide, the throb of one happy moment; and at the sight of this magic portrait, one could think of nothing else than to range the wide world, seeking to recapture the vanished day in its instantaneous, slumbering beauty" (pg. 657).

also (how French is this?),

"For a convalescent who rests all day long in the flower-garden or an orchard, a scent of flowers or fruit does not more completely pervade the thousand trifles that compose his idle hours than did for me that colour, that fragrance in search of which my eyes kept straying towards the girls, and the sweetness of which finally became incorporated in me. So it is that grapes sweeten in the sun. And by their slow continuity these simple little games had gradually wrought in me also, as in those who do nothing else all day but lie outstretched by the sea, breathing the salt air and sunning themselves, a relaxation, a blissful smile, a vague dazzlement that had spread from brain to eyes" (pg. 669).

I certainly cannot add any insights into the greatness and profundity of this work which has not already been said by Edmund Wilson or Vladimir Nabokov. Within a Budding Grove is a deeply felt, beautiful and fleeting segment of one of the finest novels of the last century, I urge you to read it.

This is a great copy of Vol. 2 of A la recherche du temps perdu [In Search of Lost Time] or [Delving into Things Past]. Each volume in the septrology may be read individually as an independent novel. This is, of course, the very best translation available in English; probably the very best that will ever be available in English: certainly the next best thing to reading the original French.

Note: Proust is not quick reading, and one who tries to read too quickly will just as quickly lose the tread of the narrative. This text has its own time scale, and the reader must adjust his/herself to the text--not the other way around. In this stream of consciousness narrative, the narrator (/author) digresses as he speaks (/thinks): he digresses, digresses, digresses; and then, he returns, returns, returns to the point where he began. One has to follow his line of thought: this is the art and beauty of the text.

Proust's achievement is one of the greatest edifices of Western art, perhaps comparable only to Wagner's Ring cycle.