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... if you like Faulkner. You'll enjoy the stories here; this is also a great starting point for someone just learning to appreciate the genius of this writer.

As someone who read Flannery O'Conner before ever getting near Faulkner, I must say that he does hold his own with these stories. For better or worse, Faulkner will always be near the top of great American authors. I say for better or worse, because some people can be greatly turned off by his novels, and the difficulty in reading them. While I've been greatly critical of him in the past, I'm still trying to learn and understand his modus operandi. It's been a rewarding learning experience, but one that hasn't been without some exasperation.....I still like O'Conner better!

This short story is twisted, but that's why it's so great. The story is dark and gloomy, but it is really interesting. A Rose for Emily recounts the story of an eccentric spinster, Emily Grierson. An unnamed narrator details the strange circumstances of Emily's life and her odd relationships with her father, who controlled and manipulated her, and her lover, the Yankee road worker Homer Barron. When Homer Barron threatens to leave her, she is seen buying arsenic, which the townspeople believe she will commit suicide with. Faulkner based the story upon a true incident. The rose indeed was for his friend, Emily Grierson. In the story, the townspeople's points of views on Emily actually reflect the society's value at that moment to some extent. Emily feels that she is released when her father is dead.
However, I do not recommend this book if you might get scared easily. The ending might come as a surprise, but that's suspense. Go read it, if you like it a bit twisted.

After reading "A Mule in the Yard," "That Will Be Fine," and "That Evening Sun" I was reminded of why this guy is one of the greatest storytellers ever. I know, his writing can be dense and even a times nearly unintelligible, but patience and concentration pays off with Faulkner. And his use of point of view is amazing.

Amasing, strong and powerful. What else can one say about one of the best writers of the world?

The author writes beautifully & this is well-translated.

The pages fly by. Terrific story, wonderful plot with twists & turns. Highly enjoyable.

i ordered this one and the 'special assignments' book at the same time and read them both back to back. the way that 'achilles' slips from fandorin's view to achimas's view is seamless and well crafted. the story moves quickly, and the internal politics between the different departments are just as interesting as the battle between our hero and his main adversary. i liked very much that akunin gives the antagonist a human side (as much as possible for a professional killer). the fact that fandorin is not entirely perfect, and he's not entirely invulnerable makes him so much more believable. this book is well worth your time if you loved earlier fandorin mysteries.

This is the fourth Fandorin story to be translated (with kudos to Andrew Bromfield for a great job) of the eleven stories that Akunin has written. It would be great if the publishers could get moving and get more than one book translated each year. Much of this book is a continuation of the story line from the "Winter Queen" and the conflict between Erast and the assassin Achimas.

The book itself has an inventive structure. The first part (which is divided into chapters) deals with Erast and the 'Death of Achilles' (aka General Sobelev) who was a hero to most of Russia. We learn that the General was planning a 'coup d'etat' and that he planned to set himself up as Tsar. He dies though, inflagarante and this is just the beginning of the story. Erast is certain that the General was murdered but he is not sure why, how or on whose orders. As he works his way through the maze of misinformation, double and triple agents, just as he is about to confront Achimas, the first part ends.

The second part (where chapters are headlined by names) is the biography or history of Achimas. How he came to be an assassin for hire and his training and background. We even see how he first encounters Erast. In the end we follow him through the murder of Sobelev and fill in some of the information left out in the first part. Again this section ends as he is about to be confronted by Erast.

The third part is the short (only twenty pages, two chapters) where the two antagonists square off and we learn the identity of the man who has ordered the 'Death of Achilles' and why.

Though I would have preferred to read more about the six years that Erast spent in Japan (I assume there will be flashbacks in future novels) the background on Achimas is entertaining reading.

Fandorin is back in Russia from Japan with Masa, his manservant, and immediately encounters the mysterious death of General Sobolev, his colleague from "Turkish Gambit". Other reviews have detailed the plot, so I won't elaborate, but as someone once said "the beauty is in the details"; they are in abundance in this book. One of Akunin's strengths is that he creates villains as interesting and complex as his hero Fandorin, and this book contains a very worth match for the intrepid Erast Petrovich. The last third of the book elaborates upon the life of this villain and his motives, essential to the plot and evoking details from "The Winter Queen, aka Azazel", my second favorite Fandorin novel. As usual, Akunin includes well-drawn, intelligent and beautiful femme fatales to add some spice to the mix.

This book would translate nicely to the screen. I have read that Azazel will be refilmed in 2008 by an American director. Perhaps then Fandorin will have a larger, well-deserved world-wide audience.

A remarkable series to say the least , with an incredible backdrop of Russia towards the end of the period of the Tsars. The one thought which crossed my mind when I put down the novel was , just where was Boris Akunin all this while. Erast Fandorin , a 24 carat hero, is one of the best sleuths that you will encounter in literature.
The setting is 19th century Russia flirting with enlightenment , with significant tension simmering with imperial neighbors. The nation is rocked with the death of its favourite general in rather suspicious circumstances, conveniently in the same hotel where Erast Fandorin is lodged. What follows is a remarkable story of unravelling layers of intrigue .Every murder seems to indicate an acceptable closure to the mystery , but a never say die pursuit by the detective takes you deeper into the darker forces involved. Fandorin has a remarkable Japanese man friday which tends to deviate from the usual diet of dumb counterfoils to brilliant detectives. Fandorin is Holmes with Zen nay a Bond with restraint. There's much more than just Fandorin to savor here. The rather brutal rural Russian setting gives rise to a diabolical assassin who almost proves too much for out hero.
Its a great commentary on Russian society during the 19th century, much as the pipe smoking Holmes characterises Britain. Never a dull moment , this is a book to savor.

Well written and unique. Character and plot driven. Characters are so well described.

I absolutely loved this book. It would be a five star review, except for the fact that I've already read the two follow-ups. They betray the fact that RAW burned through all his best ideas on the first book. What appear in EWS as great set-ups for subsequent books turned out to be one-shots, left to die on the vine in the rest of the series. The Widow's Son is also a good book, but RAW spent too much time on farcical footnotes and not enough on character and plot development. So some of the genius of The Earth Will Shake is ruined by lack of cultivation.

Still, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, conspiracies and using the arts to help liberate mankind.

Anything by Robert Anton Wilson is worth reading. His Illuminati stuff is doubly so. The original Illuminatus Trilogy is one of the greatest scifi, horror, thriller, political, historical, adventure and pornographic novels ever written. All of the Historical Illuminatus books are equally well done, equally fun to read, and equally true historically.

I read this book back in the late 80's when it was printed by a mass-market publisher (Signet, I think) containing two abridged volumes; The Earth Will Shake and The Widow's Son. I loved it then and was never able to find Nature's God. Now I have all 3 books. After re-reading this edition, I've enjoyed it twice as much!! There is still yet an unpublished forth book, "The World Turned Upside Down" and we're all awaiting this gem to be published. Earth Will Shake is a coming of Age novel set in the enlightenment era where a murder happens in church during an Easter mass. From that point on it's a roller coster ride of wicked but serious fun. You are enlightened by the sheer weight of the subject matter that continues to this day. In these works you meet diverse characters who are historically real. I.e., the young Mozart, Count Cagliostro and Casanova, just to name a few. Dan Brown though entertaining, is comparatively an amateur hack when writing about the Illumniati (see for yourself and read this. You won't be disappointed). When the Da Vinci Code got ALL the attention, there was no mention of this work and I find that a sad reality though parr for the course in these "shaky" times. Remember, "reality is what you can get away with"...

Robert Anton Wilson has proven to be capable of extraordinary talent with this series. Mixing fiction with non-fiction he weaves one of the most satisfying Masonic related tales to be discovered and published. The Earth Will Shake, The Widows Son and Natures God are a type of writing that I had previously not encountered through Wilson. This series can actually be very inspiring, and it's written in such a dramatic way I am convinced it would make an excellent movie. Yet, at the end of the series, the reader sees reference to the fourth book "The World Turned Upside Down", and alas, it is non-existant. Whatever reason Bob has for abandoning us devout readers of this series (I have read all three books three times and stolen much wit from them) I urge you, dear Bob, please don't leave us hanging, finish the fourth book! More! More! Your Friend, Joey

I enjoy historical fiction, especially that of the Civil War era, and was not disappointed by Lynn Austin's tale of drama and romance during the 1860s. The characters Julia and Phoebe are human and likeable, and most importantly, believable. I could not put this novel down, and bought it soon afterwards in a complete set (with books one and three). It was well worth it and highly recommended.

If you only have money for one book from this series, I would recommend this one. It is definitely the better of the three stories.

I never had read historical fiction regarding the civil war before this book. This was such an interesting book, and so full of information. I loved the characters. It was really neat to see how some of the women of the time helped in the war. Men made many sacrifices during this war, but so did the women. You will not be disappointed in this book if you love the civil war era. I accidentally got this one first over the first book in the series (Candle in the Darkness), I liked this one much better.

I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days! I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a great book.

This book was better than the first one, I enjoyed reading it very much! I really liked how Julia's character developed and Phoebe was such a likeable character. Lynn Austin is a great writer, she really knows how to keep your interest. Highly recommend this book!

Great intro to the concept of home education with a heavy emphasis on the Charlotte Mason method. I re-read this little treasure regularly to keep myself on track. Loving books as much as I do tempts me to compile quite a list of Books We Must Have for School. The CM way of thinking ensures I stick only with the best, the essentials. I highly recommend it!

I first read this book because it was written by Susan, one of Francis and Edith Schaeffer's daughters. Little did I know that it would become the foundational book to becoming a homeschool parent when I decided to take my youngest child out of the public schools.

One doesn't need to be homeschooling their children to appreciate this book. Susan writes in the same warm and friendly way as her mother. However, if one is homeschooling and using the Charlotte Mason "method", this book is an essential volume to have in your library.

If you're a Charlotte Mason fan, you can't pass this one up. It is my favorite book on Charlotte Mason & is full of wonderful parenting advice. Really, all parents are teachers, not just homeschooling parents. This book offers great insight for all who spend time caring for children.

As one preparing to homeschool, this book was this kind of thing that has been spurring me on to ponder, philosophize and dream about both the general approach I will take, and the beginnings of many specific ideas.

For those who are disenchanted with the high pressure standardized-testing mentality prevalent in classrooms today, this book explains the educational philosphy of Charlotte Mason. It is God-focused (Susan is the daughter of Christian apologtic Francis Shaeffer), natural, and relaxed. It is a must-read for any classroom teacher, homeschool parent, or school administrator.

Max Lucado is an artist! He paints pictures with his words. All his books are like that, but this one is superb!

We are using it as a women's group study. It lends itself wonderfully and quite easily to this venue. I have never seen the excitment and participation in a small group that this book has generated. But most exciting is the growth of the each women's understanding of Who God is to her (and who she is to HIM) presented in a unusual perspective. The result has been a steadily increasing sense of awe and trust and surrender ~ and a very obvious deepening of each woman's relationship with Him. I would highly recommend this book as a wonderful small group study.

Thanks, Max, you have blessed us ~ again!

With this book, I was lead through the Lord's Prayer and the House of God and understood more of what it means to live in "God's House." Max Lucado is a WONDERFUL author and such an inspiration! Thank you a lot. This book is a great devotional book, or a great book to just read for enjoyment.
~Kristen

Each Chapter has its very own message, and each really opened my heart with great understanding to God's love. I plan to purchase this book for my family members as a Christmas gift.

Lucado takes the Lord's Prayer (our Father, who is in heaven...) and breaks it down into many little parts - giving each part a "room" in the "great house" of God. It shed new light on the Lord's Prayer and I haven't looked at it the same.

Absolutely terrific writing. Classic Lucado - descriptive, prescriptive, and very emotionally connected to the reader. It is written in such a way that Max is the tour guide showing you all the rooms and how we can have a place there.

If you're looking to reconnect with God or for a breath of fresh air in looking at Scripture, this is a great book.

I have just finished this book and it was wonderful! Rev. Lucado has a delightful, conversational style that makes for easy reading. It's almost like having your own personal Bible teacher.
How often we take the Lord's Prayer for granted! We repeat the words mechanically with little thought to their meaning. Rev. Lucado puts these timeless words in a new perspective, bringing fresh meaning that will touch your heart. His description of Heaven brings both comfort and longing to the soul. A must read for all Christians whose view of God's Heavenly Kingdom is somewhat blurred!

This is the perfect type of story! it is filled with secerts,romance, hate, love, and mystery. I read it in two days and couldnt wait to finish each chapter to solve a piece of the mystery. This book kept me guessing up until the last chapter about who Gabe was. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author and also watching the movie that was made for this story.

I have read all the reviews and while I found this book to be interesting, it took awhile for me to get into the story. I did like how the author went from one characters story to the next. It took a long time to find out the main character Eliza's secret and then the book seemed to rush to the finish. Historically I am sure the book is accurate, but it did not seem like the depression years really affected the family. I also think there needed to be more of a romance between Gabe and Eliza. It was well written and worth reading, but it is a little slow at times and not Ms. Austin's best work.

The title first caught my attention as a TV Movie, that seemed like a nice, romantic story, along with plenty of struggles for characters of its historical time, and included Christian inspiration. In my search for the book - which I knew had to be better than the movie - I was happy to find out that Lynn Austin is an author of so many historical, Christian novels. I am close to the end of Hidden Places, and don't want to put it down. I can't decide who my favorite character is: Aunt Batty, Walter, Gabe, or Eliza. This book is full of struggles and hope. It shows how the characters keep their Faith in those difficulties of life.

I recently bought another one of Lynn Austin's titles. I love her style of historical, Christian fiction. I am hooked on Lynn Austin! Keep on writing! We're waiting for more!

This book was made into a Hallmark movie. The movie does not do this book justice. The book is much better and tells you things that are left out of the movie. The book is more in depth on the character relationships than the movie and gives you character background information. Excellent Read!

. . . and things not being what they seem. Lynn Austin weaves the consequences of bitterness, deceit into a satisfying tale of redemption and fresh starts. Lots of heart, some humor and a whole lot of trying to figure out why people do what they do.

This book not only captures the true meaning of friendship; it defines how friendships are formed and enhanced by the great game of golf. Add Konik's deep appreciation for the Scots' gift of golf to the world and you have a work that is a great read and a must for all golfers from duffers to scratch players.

I have played played most of the courses mentioned in this very readable book. Their experiences brought back many fine memories.... To go to Scotland with good 'buds' and to see how golf is part of the basic fabic of everyday life there, really sums up the trips I have taken. It is the next best thing to actually going there. Also true to fact, is that there are really no bad links courses, just lesser known ones....

This read compares very favorably with books such as 'A season in Dornock' and should be read prior to any first time trip to Scotland / Ireland.

Magnificent. Personally, I have never played a round of golf, however, I was encouraged by a golfing buddy to read this book. When I finished the book, I called to thank him. This journey takes you beyond the beautiful courses of Scotland and into your own heart. Author Konik does a masterful job of conveying an introspective look into himself, his relationship with his friend, Don and ultimately an examination into the reader's own being. Incredible.

I'm a tennis man myself and only procured this fine book because I was so impressed by the author's other book, "Ella in Europe," which had me weeping tears of joy. Even though I didn't appreciate the golf descriptions in "In Search of Burningbush," I found the author's perspective on friendship and spiritualism to be a revelation. Before I read Mr. Konik's dog book, I was not aware of this man's writing talent. After reading "In Search of Burningbush," I feel confident in saying that he is one of the great writers working today.

What a fascinating, captivating read. Konik certainly has the gift of a talented wordsmith. Passion exudes from these pages of his desire for a true golf buddy, and it comes in form of physically strapped Don. Through this buddy, life in whole new dimensions is opened for Mike through golf excursion to Golf's Holy Ground.

Connections ensue about lovers, Shivas Irons, bravery, betting and many more.

The whirlwind tour that they have leaves one energized and somewhat mystically partaking in their great turf adventure fortnight in Scotland itself. So much remembered here connects with us readers. For this reviewer, golfing buddies habits which set one off, ala Don's smoking habits. One of my links buds, a psychologist takes his whole bag off the cart to hit a shot which couldn't require more than two, max three club choice. Or those encanted moments after multi-round experiences huddling and going through the scorecards as if they were travel slide shows.

This is just exceptional work. One I'll cherish and turn to again over time to make those connections again. Play on!

I have used "Innovate Like Edison" as one of several texts in a graduate course on Creativity & Innovation for new product developers. This book is exceptional, in that it explores the innovation process at several levels. We get to know Edison's personal style from his creativity practices, his notebooks and sketches, and photos of him with contemporaries. We also learn about his leadership style and sometimes quirky management practices, along with the unique culture he created at Menlo Park. And lastly, we see Edison as the systems thinker, not only creating "breakthrough" inventions, but also designing in parallel with an invention the entire market framework and supply chain network that would make the invention truly transformational. In this sense, it might be said that Steve Jobs took a page from the Edison playbook in creating the iPod.

I have used Innovate Like Edison as a natural companion to handbooks on creativity methods, as well as other textbooks that cover critiques and current research relative to the innovation process. Gelb's book "How to think like Leonardo da Vinci" is also an excellent companion for this book, and I have included it in my course readings, although the Engineering work and inventions described in the Edison book are probably more familiar to most students.

This is packed full of information. Something you need to go over and over again in your mind. I'm grateful to have it. Thank u Michael and Sarah for putting this together.

Thomas Alva Edison was one of the largest personalities in our history. Gelb and Miller-Caldicott took on a daunting challenge in writing a book that both did justice to this amazing man and made it relevant to the world three-quarters of a century later. Their product is relevant, practical, and engaging.

The authors do a terrific job painting a historical portrait of Edison. It starts with Nancy Edison pulling her son out of school at an early age because she recognized his need to learn by immersing himself in a topic and freely experimenting with what he learned. They also chronicle his early entrepreneurial days as a newspaper boy on the railroads, and then tracking Edison through his adult life. The historical elements of the book are well done and make for a compelling story in and of itself.

What makes this book stand out is the authors' ability to merge that history into a practical framework that describes Edison's genius. The framework allows readers to understand and internalize the many complex facets and abilities of the inventor's personality. The book divides these into five distinctive, but never mutually exclusive, competencies that provide a clarity and cohesiveness to Edison's complex approach to innovation. The melding of history and application is at the core of this book's success.

The authors cap their efforts with an engaging evaluation and development tool that allows readers to measure their innovation profile against the ideal. Completing the exercise is a terrific review of the book and the lessons taught. It provides insight for future personal development and suggestions for improving your innovation quotient.

This is a terrific book for anyone who wants or needs to improve their ability to innovate.

For an informative picture of the life of Edison as seen through the lense of innovation, this is a good book. It is a blend of a biography and an innovation how-to book. If the history of science appeals to you, so will this book.

You will definitely learn more about the character of Edison. Coupled with it will be the authors' interpretation of Edison's approaches distilled into five sets of five techniques (25 total) for practicing innovation. I think the 5 x 5 configuration is a bit contrived, but nonetheless, the points are reasonably genuine. In the end, I'd probably settle on a handful that were most meaningful because you certainly won't push 25 lines of thinking at once. You'll find the table of 25 near the end of the last main chapter; read the table before you start the book.

If anything, the book will convince you that a high energy level and intense dedication helped Edison as a person achieve his greatness. We do not all possess characteristics like being able to sleep only 4 - 6 hours a night, having a family that puts up with 18-hour work days, etc., so Edison as a personal model is a bit beyond the reach of most of us. It is a bit dangerous to take the exception to extract the rules. The authors don't seem to grasp that point.

Nor do the authors grasp the huge change in the level of technology and the costs of experimentation that have occured since Edison ran his Menlo Park lab and today's world of R&D. That's not to say their points about how to approach innovation are invalid, just that the context is radically different than it was in 1880 - 1920 and at least bears noting. To wit, a digital photocopier is a far cry from a mimeograph machine (if you know what the later is).

All that said, this is an easy book to read and will prompt your thinking on how to promote innovation, either personally or in your organization. Buy it, you'll like it as much for the history as the methodology it describes.

This is one more of think like Davinci, Einstein, Isaac Newton kind of silly books written by someone who never created anything in his life. Please no more.

My 4 and 5 year olds love Junie B. Jones. This is the first chapter book on cd we have purchased and they love it! They listen to it while they are going to bed at night. They even tell me which chapter they were on when they fell asleep:) Great buy!

Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))

I love all of Barbara Parks books about Junie B. Jones. I think they should make a movie of this book. I think this is the funniest of all the Junie B.books. If you have a little girl who loves to read or be read to, I cannot recommend all of the Junie B. books enough.

Would make a great addition to any Easter basket! This book is a little better than cheater pants!

My daughter has the whole collection she love keeping up with Junie B. I have not read a book in it's entire but from what I've read she is a very curious, funny little girl. I recommend this book and all the others also. My daughter was hooked after the 1st Barbara Parks books and althought she is older now she still cracks up laughing when reading. Totaling entertaining!

After more than 25 books, Barbara Park's series about a very loquacious first grader with a vocabulary far beyond her age (and the writing ability to go with it) is still going strong. So I suspended my disbelief and read JUNIE B., FIRST GRADER: DUMB BUNNY to my six-year-old.

In this adventure, the rich girl in class, Lucille, invites everyone over to her mansion to participate in an over-the-top Easter Egg Hunt that will result in a play date in Lucille's heated indoor swimming pool. Lucille wants her boyfriend Sheldon to win, but Junie B. and her arch-nemesis May (the original "dumb bunny" in the title until Junie B. gets something of a comeuppance later on) are ready to pounce, pound and scrabble their opponents in order to get a dip in that grand pool.

There is a lot of falling down and Batman-type expletives (WHOOSH! SMASH!), and the kids are none too nice to each other until Junie B., in a sudden acknowledgment of good judgment, makes a quick and well-appreciated sacrifice to save the day. We laughed at some of the pratfalls, and Lucille's annoyed Nanna character was amusing as well. Junie B. shares the stage with a lot of different people, but she is clearly the star of the show, the story told from her point of view.

Whether humiliated in a pink bunny suit or gloating over her lack of selfishness, Junie B. thinks in capital letters with lots of exclamation points and writes in her journal about what she has learned. The journal entries are cute and engaging, and spell out the moral of the story without being too pointed, which we appreciated.

If this is your first Junie B. foray, it might be helpful to go back and read some of the earlier books first to relax into her strange environment. Otherwise, DUMB BUNNY certainly will offer fans of the series more of what they have come to expect from this little girl and her friends.

--- Reviewed by Jana Siciliano

My daughter love this series. It's a little hard for me to read due to the poor grammar and name calling. Let's face it though most first graders have poor grammar. There are worse things that she could be reading. We have all of these books and they are well loved.