Queen The Books

A Brilliant read!
Authoritive and pleasurably exhausting book of Sean's long life. The author examines the historical influences of a turbulant Ireland upon O'Casey and the research into the playwright's personal life is second-to-none.
If you want to know even more about O'Casey, read the recent plays-
GRANDCHILD OF KINGS by Stage-Director HAROLD PRINCE and Irish Author Colm Toibin's BEAUTY IN A BROKEN PLACE.
Both of these are not referenced in Christopher Murray's book.

Grandchild of kings
Beauty in a Broken Place
Sean O'Casey - Autobiographies: I Knock at the Door ; Pictures in the Hallway ; Drums Under the Windows
Sean O'Casey: Autobiographies II : Inishfallen, Fare Thee Well, Rose and Crown, Sunset and Evening Star
Sean O'Casey and His World

Professor Murray, of University College, Dublin, has given the full biography of O'Casey, a shapeshifter as much as his dramatized characters in his name-changing, cap-donning, and ego-tripping (to use a later phrase). Like Roy Foster's massive biography of Yeats, or Anthony Cronin's on Beckett, this work gains much having been written by not only a fine scholar but a Irish writer who knows his country well and can convey it with verve and precision to a broader readership outside academia.

This study blends the literary criticism of Murray, an authority on modern Irish drama, with a scrupulous examination incorporating details from those still living who recalled O'Casey. He supports this by a massive array of primary and secondary sources--the endnotes and bibliography amount to nearly 100 pages. Murray writes for the general reader clearly and sensitively, eschewing jargon in favor of direct, spare, and clear prose. He takes you all the way from late Victorian times to "the new and bland Ireland" of 2004, in a thoughtful chapter on the "afterlife' of O'Casey's current reputation, vs. that in an Ireland that had spurned him, and vice versa, for so much of the 20th century.

With well-chosen illustrations (on the cover, a tellingly posed photo of the man at his most "thoughtful;" a colorful shot of a 2002 Abbey production on the jacket's reverse), this book presents finely-printed but well-paced text. With a careful separation of the man from the very-calculated character who wrote his notoriously "ornamented" six volumes masking as "Autobiographies," the examiner Murray faced a daunting task. How O'Casey, as defiant Communist, served so long the cause of Stalinism, defending it even after 1956 Hungary alienated many of his colleagues, and why he sought exile in Devon and popularity in the US more than in the Ireland for which he had joined in revolt in its "Citizen Army" make for fascinating anecdotes and thoughtful insight that shows depth behind the plays of their creator. As Murray remarks, the subtitle "Writer at Work" has a triple meaning: it refers to his avocation--he only labored as a "working man" briefly; to his efforts behind which he warned off others, as he attended to his "work at hand," and to the "arrogance of the disadvantaged man of talent who knows his own worth."(6) His complexity and self-mythologizing turned O'Casey early on into a toiler who sought to establish a worker's utopia but to keep humanist values that, by their nature, resist authority and oppression.

Also, you find how over his long career he kept producing dramas long after the initial punch of the Dublin trilogy about revolution, like that historical event itself, soured. Why and how Stalinism became his faith? For me, the politics of O'Casey even overpower his drama, and Murray examines both of O'Casey's passions meticulously. The reaction of critics to his work by many reviews quoted widens the context in which and for which O'Casey had to make his chosen living, adapting his romantic yet controversial yearnings into a delivery on stage palatable for a ticket-buying audience to be sustained over a lengthy career.

This predicament makes instructive lessons for what occurs when (like Wordsworth?), one outlives one's youthful idealism but still clings to its more distant warmth and spirit over the decades ahead the young 1916 red rebel never expected he'd face.

A lovely book. My 5 1/2 loves it and I love the message it conveys.

Jamaica and Brianna written by Juanita Havill illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien

Jamaica and Brianna is a story about two young girls and their rain boots. Jamaica has to wear her older brother plain black boots with a hole in one of the toes while her friend Brianna has pink boots with pink fluff around the top cuff of the boots. Jamaica wants boots like her friend, so she picks at the hole in her boot until it's so big her mom will has to get her new ones. Instead of picking boots like Brianna's she picks boots that are just right for her. Back at school Brianna tells Jamaica that her boots aren't the in thing, and as a response she tells Brianna her boots are ugly. Both girls are sad and unhappy about the things they have said to one another. They end up telling each other that were jealous of each other's boots and they apologize and become friend once again.

I find the subject matter to be relevant to today's children. I don't find that there is any outdated material present in the story. The book presents a very diverse world, which is important for today society.
The reading level of this book is first or second grade reading level. If I were to use it as a read aloud I would also use it in Kindergarten. I believe it could also be used with preschool. The content of the story is understandable and appropriate for preschool through second grade.

The book could be read to the class in one sitting. Most pages only have one paragraph on them with the rest of the page filled up with illustrations. The illustrations are watercolor and do a good job conveying the snowy outdoors and the warmth of inside. It is twenty-five pages long.

The developmental level of Jamaica and Brianna is preschool through second grade. I think it is appropriate for all these levels because you can do different activities depending on the developmental level as follow up. Preschooler will probably need more guidance in discussing the book as opposed to a second grader. However, I believe that preschool through second grade would all be able to relate and understand the book.

The main character in the story is an African-American girl and her friend is of Asian background. And throughout the book the teacher and the other students in the illustration are from a different race or ethnic background. That is not the focus of the book, but with emergent and young readers they tend to study the illustrations, therefore I think that it is important and valuable for them to see.

I would use this book with the whole class because I feel the topic is something that we all experience in life. Therefore, its not specifically targeting a specialized issue one child is going through. It is more of a general feeling or emotion that is felt by all.

The general feeling or emotion in this story is jealously. Jealously is the main topic of the book. The author has a way of conveying that feeling without making it complicated. It's simple and relatively easy to relate to. However, some students will need help relating it to their own lives. I would use this book as a discussion starter or depending on the developmental level and age a writing project.

The downfall of the book is that the main characters are girls. I would like to balance this book with another story about jealously with characters other that girls are the main characters or the story. The values in this book are being thankful for what you have, being proud and friendship.

Tal is an ordinary boy by his standards. (If you could call being able to shape light and use it as a tool ordinary.) He lives with his mother, father, Brother and little sister. But unknown to him a strange battle is being waged in his "peaceful" home, the 7th Tower. His father goes missing and with him the family's primary sunstone. (This is what the chosen use to shape light. Without one they are practically servants!)
To be able to survive Tal must steal a sunstone. Doing so brings him to a land of ice where he must quickly befriend a vicious tempered girl and her Ice-clan to be let back to his castle. Both he and the girl,Milla have a mission. He must get a sunstone for his family and she must get one for her clan.

And they will...

Whatever the costs.

--Enigma

The Seventh Tower by Garth Nix is an action filled and extremely interesting book. Garth Nix, an avid reader by just age 6, is a genius when it comes to writing. Although this book has a lot of pages, trust me, you will never be bored. This is how the story goes, A young boy named Tal becomes the head of his family when his father goes missing with the family's primary sunstone (a magical stone that gives the holder of the stone the power to bend and shape light) Tal must get another sunstone quickly or else Tal and his family will lose there power within the village and be banished to the Red order, the lowest class in the village. On Tal's Epic quest he must venture over hundreds of miles of ice only to discover a lone ice tribe full of people who hate any thing to do with Shadow bending. Will Tal ever get another sunstone? Will he and his family be banished to the Red Order? Read The Seventh Tower by Garth Nix to find out.

You must read this book, and you will enjoy as much as i did.
Im not a native english reader, but i couldn't stop reading.
Recommended!

Before a Queen could claim her hold on the throne, she must bring into this world another female child. The child must be sired by the Bishop, and he is not to spend the nights with the soon to be Queen or even have any fatherly rights. Shahzar was not yet Queen but she planned to change quite a few things once she was crowned, and even a couple rules changed before she bore her child.

Shahzar wanted to bring back the Dark Power that had been banished from Kaladia, only she was searching for something that was much more near than she thought possible; she only need look inside herself. Shahzar also had ideas of what love could be, but once she met the Bishop Raynier, she developed feelings for him but could not let them show.

Raynier professed his love to Shahazar the first night he was to lay with her and get her with child, that confession saved his life. Shahmi, Shahazar's uncle devised a plan to kill the priest in hopes of making Shahazar's plans for the Shan-Sei Temple able to go forward. But it was Shahmi that met his untimely death. And when Shahzar goes on a rampage seeking revenge with the Goddess Ishas on her side, King Tustin Aberwier will meet his slow, tortured death.

Shahzar has big plans for the Guild Counsel when she is crowned Queen, but she must birth a female child first, or will that also be something that is changed? There are many surprises that I look forward to in the next books to come of this series.

Anastasia Rabiyah ensorceles the reader with her fantasy novel Shahzar Warrior Queen, each and every character no matter how small was detailed and brought such life to this story. I loved that her main character went against each and every rule because she knew in her heart what must be done, no matter what the old traditions were. Such a strong willed woman but still soft and feminine enough to feel comfort in the arms of a man.

I loved reading this exciting, adventurous work of art. Then next book in the series is called Last Shan-Sei and I can not begin to tell you how excited I will be once that book is released. I look forward to following Queen Shahzar in her quests to rebuild her city. 5 Hearts

'The Sheep Queen' (formerly titled 'I heard My Sister Call My Name') is a beautiful story of a western family (Idaho and Utah) by a writer who grew in the West and later moved to the East Coast, where he wrote a number of popular novels - now mostly out of print. Savage's 'Power of the Dog' is another powerful novel (has nothing to do with dogs) which sends readers scrambling to rare book dealers for his other works. The two books are related in many ways. Read 'Power of the Dog' first.
These are not cowboy stories.
Both 'Power of the Dog' and 'The Sheep Queen' are popular book-club titles in our part of Texas. Savage's attention to detail and mood, make him one of my favorite writers. If I could give these books six stars, I would.
Thomas Savage is a discovery you'll savor and share.

I have read and enjoyed these books by Thomas Savage:
2242 The Power of the Dog, by Thomas Savage (read 25 Oct 1989)
2244 Midnight Line a Novel by Thomas Savage (read 6 Nov 1989)
2245 I Heard My Sister Speak My Name, by Thomas Savage (read 8 Nov 1989)
2250 A Strange God, by Thomas Savage (read 23 Nov 1989)
2251 For Mary, With Love, by Thomas Savage (read 25 Nov 1989)
2252 The Corner of Rife and Pacific, by Thomas Savage (read 25 Nov 1989)
I believe this book is a new title for one of those books, and I believe its prior name was I Heard My Sister Speak My Name. If I am right, this book is a positively absorbing novel, telling of a family in Idaho, with touches in Montana, of the "I" in Maine, and of Amy Nofzigar, who is seeking her mother. It is an extremely poignant book which I found memorable and unforgettable.

This was good,but in the middle was kida boring with Artie. Merlin is a great character and my favorite character Gingy in in it more. I think Shrek is doing better with the beggining and end, but now they have to work on the middle. Donkey and Puss are still in it alot. Girls,Princess Fiona isnt in it to much if you ask me. They could easily cut her out from the book! A good guy dies. Dragon,6 babies from the Shrek 2 credits,pigs,wolf,poop scoopers,lies,no blind mice aww.But still a great book!

The best comedy-adventure in the Shrek series. Once you start reading you won't put it down. Shrek, Puss, and Donkey are on another action-filled adventure. This is a page-turning, hilarious and realistic adventure. It's worth the time and money.I highly recommend it!

Nice book. Very happy with my purchase

Just fabulous! Laverty captures magnificent detail and sparks contagious enthusiasm, complimented with both text and rich photos. Her obvious passion for these significantly historic mats is genuinely intoxicating. The reader cannot help but delve into this fantastic and long awaited book! A "must have" for every hooker!

It seems James Robert Parish churns out far too many books. However, his series of books dealing with films and stars of the Golden period of Hollywood are absolutely indispensible for movie buffs.

Anyone old enough to remember the old (now defunct) film magazine, ''Films in Review'', will recall the magazine's monthly career article on stars which covered their films in detail. The article was followed by a filmography and many photos.

The Slapstick Queens is in similar vein. It covers the careers of female comediennes - stars like Marjorie Main, Martha Raye, Joan Davis, Judy Canova and Phyllis Diller.

The great thing about this book is that all of the stars' films are covered in detail along with details about their personal lives (each chapter is like a mini book). At the end is a detailed filmography and a section on photos.

Anyone interested in old stars should immediately add this great book to their library.

If you are looking for information on 5 great comedic attresses who haven't always gotten their due, then this book is for you. It has information and photos on Joan Davis, Martha Raye, Marjorie Main, Judy Canova and Phyllis Diller. I particularly got this book for the information about Joan Davis. I've found very little information about her or her "I Married Joan" series. Although, it didn't have too many details about that program, it did have a lot of information about her and her films, as well as 33 pages of photos of her. The rest of them are covered the same. If you can still get this book, if you are a fan of any of these "Slapstick Queens" you won't be disappointed in this book.

My son and I both enjoyed this beautifully rendered book. The story is very interesting..a great example of children's literature.

I have two small children, and this has fast become our favorite read-aloud fairy tale. This version is very lyrical and well-told. The illustrations are very detailed and beautiful. The snowy scenes are anything but stark due to good use of color, and we actually get chilled and need to snuggle under the covers when looking at them because they are so full of life. This is a beautiful and treasured book in our household.

Great film version of The Snow Queen:
The Snow Queen
Our favorite new fairy tale series:
Periwinkle and the Cave of Courage (The Fairy Chronicles)
Great classic fairy tale book:
Rapunzel (Caldecott Medal Book)

A thoroughly enjoyable read! Jay takes a group of complex topics and not only makes them easy to understand but fun to understand. Fact is truely stranger than fiction.

What a great read. Makes you question your very existence. Wonderfully explained without heavy use of technical terms. You'll find yourself mulling over these amazing philosophical conclusions for months to come. I highly recommend it!