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Awake and Dreaming is a book that helps us understand just how much we should be thankful for. It also helps us see that no matter how bad our situation, there is always someone in a worse predicament.
The story is about a girl named Theo. She and her mom live in Vancouver, Canada. It is safe to say that they are poor. Theo's life was very hard and she was going through a lot. So her mother decided that she needed to go stay with some relatives for the time being.
While aboard the ferry that Theo is taking to her aunt's house, Theo falls asleep and the real action begins. Theo goes into a deep sleep. She wakes up to find herself in a big comfortable bed. In a big house with a wonderful family. Theo
is confused at first,but eventually she grows accustom to her new family. She has everything that she ever wanted. Then all of a sudden she is awken by a strong gust of wind and her dream family is gone. She knows that she cant live without them so she goes in search of them and is amazed at what she finds.
If you like imaginitive books, then you'll love Awake and Dreaming!

Awake and Dreaming is a book that helps us understand just how much we should be thankful for. It also helps us see that no matter how bad our situation, there is always someone in a worse predicament.
The story is about a girl named Theo. She and her mom live in Vancouver, Canada. It is safe to say that they are poor. Theo's life was very hard and she was going through a lot. So her mother decided that she needed to go stay with some relatives for the time being.
While aboard the ferry that Theo is taking to her aunt's house, Theo falls asleep and the real action begins. Theo goes into a deep sleep. She wakes up to find herself in a big comfortable bed. In a big house with a wonderful family. Theo
is confused at first,but eventually she grows accustom to her new family. She has everything that she ever wanted. Then all of a sudden she is awken by a strong gust of wind and her dream family is gone. She knows that she cant live without them so she goes in search of them and is amazed at what she finds.
If you like imaginitive books, then you'll love Awake and Dreaming!

I recommend this book. I read it for a book report. It is very interesting. It teaches people what life is like for some in poverty. It also has the right amount of fantasy to go along with the realistic side of the story. It was a great read. Kit Person has outdone herself.

Awake and Dreaming is a book that helps us understand just how much we should be thankful for. It also helps us see that no matter how bad our situation, there is always someone in a worse predicament.
The story is about a girl named Theo. She and her mom live in Vancouver, Canada. It is safe to say that they are poor. Theo's life was very hard and she was going through a lot. So her mother decided that she needed to go stay with some relatives for the time being.
While aboard the ferry that Theo is taking to her aunt's house, Theo falls asleep and the real action begins. Theo goes into a deep sleep. She wakes up to find herself in a big comfortable bed. In a big house with a wonderful family. Theo
is confused at first,but eventually she grows accustom to her new family. She has everything that she ever wanted. Then all of a sudden she is awken by a strong gust of wind and her dream family is gone. She knows that she cant live without them so she goes in search of them and is amazed at what she finds.
If you like imaginitive books, then you'll love Awake and Dreaming!

Kids get to go on some fun field trips these days, and a couple of years ago I decided to tag along and chaperone when my son's grade 7 class was going to visit Ross Bay Cemetery located here in Victoria. It all had to do with this book they had read in class, whose plot involved the cemetery, a house across the street from it, and other nearby landmarks that I knew of.

Theodora and her mother live in Vancouver in utter poverty - if you can call it living. There's never enough to eat, and her shoes are too small and falling apart. Theo's mother is never home, either working or out with a boyfriend, and leaves the young lady on her own far too often. It's enough to have Theo taken away and made a ward of the court, but the secret is very well kept. Theo changes schools often so that nobody in a position to do anything about the situation can help. Sometimes she's lucky and the schools have meal programs, sometimes she isn't. Then she must try to learn while her body devours itself from the inside out.

Things suddenly change when Theo's mother runs into an old friend and the two begin a relationship. Naturally there isn't any room for Theo who wants a kid hanging out when they are trying to party anyhow?! So Theo is left on her own, more and more, until the day her Mother decides to move in with this new guy. The invitation didn't extend to Theo, of course, so she is unloaded on an Aunt in Victoria who she hasn't seen in years. The deal is that Theo's mom will send money, and that it won't be for long, only until she talks the boyfriend into accepting Theo.

Theo has dreamed of belonging to a real family for so long that it has become a familiar and easy dream to fall into. There will be four children, two older and two younger, so that Theo can be in the middle. Then somehow the oddest thing happens - Theo is very mysteriously adopted into her dream family. The Kaldor's are filled with love and warmth, and for the first time in her life, Theo is not only happy, but well dressed and fully fed. She even relaxes enough to build friendships with her new siblings.

Tragically, something goes horribly, horribly wrong and Theo slowly fades from the life she has found. She finds herself back with her mother, traveling on the ferry to Victoria. The Kaldor's couldn't have been a dream, it was far too real to Theo, and she is filled with anguish at the loss. How could this have happened to her?

What really hits home is the reality involved here. Aside from the fantasy elements, this book holds some cold hard truths that children face today. It is well deserving of winning The Canada Council for the Arts Governor General's Literary Awards. This is a ghost story with some real substance.

Review Originally Posted at LinearReflections.com

I read this book for the first time when I was a horse-crazy little girl. I absolutely loved it then and I still enjoy re-reading it. It is a wonderful story, especially appealing to horse-crazy children.

I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone! :) This is one of my favorite books!

Bill Wallace writes this book as though it's real life. Once you start, you an hardly put it down!
Luke, a young city boy, is the son of divorced parents. he lives with his mom on his grandfather's farm. because his mom lost her job. Luke never wants to do anything at the farm because his mom made him leave all of his friends when they moved.
After a long summer, Luke befriends an old horse called Beauty. They share a special bond with late summer walks and secrets. But when a terrible accident happens, Luke does something that may break that bond.
This book is great for children and adults. It has adventure, suspense, and funny, laugh-out-loud moments, too. It shows that when you have a bond with a clase friend, keep it for it will become one of your greatest treasures. I give this book a four out of five star rating.

The best-known and best-loved of Robin McKinley's books is also one of the best of the fairy-tale retellings -- "Beauty," a more enlightened, fully-drawn version of "Beauty and the Beast." There's a depth and a richness to the story and characterizations, as well as a beauty of atmosphere and writing.

Beauty (real name is "Honour") is the ironically-named heroine of the story -- she isn't beautiful, but is very intelligent. She has two sisters, the beautiful Hope and Grace, and a benevolent, wealthy father. Then all their lives change suddenly: the ships their father owns are lost, and the money goes with them. One of the sisters marries a poor but worthy country lad, while the other lost her beloved fiancee who captained one of the ships. After selling their possessions the family moves to the countryside.

The father leaves on a trip -- and returns with a single rose, a gift for Beauty, which carries the price of either his life or his daughter. Beauty leaves to go live at the castle of the mysterious Beast, with only her plowhorse to accompany her. She arrives at a castle of invisible servants, magical books, friendly animals, and a melancholy Beast who asks her to marry him every evening...

There is nothing new in fairy tale retellings now, but when McKinley first wrote "Beauty," it was a relative rarity. And even now, few of them are as intelligently written and have such solid heroines. Rather than giving her story a contrived "twist," McKinley merely fleshes out the storyline and gives the characters personalities.

The writing is excellent; McKinley writes the more prosaic passages of cottage life and the surrounding friendly village, as well as the more dreamlike, fantastical scenes in the Beast's castle. Lots of atmosphere, either in the poor but warm surroundings of the house, or the eerie feel of the castle.The dialogue is nearly flawless: McKinley doesn't write ye-olde-formal prose, but the characters never sound -- or think -- like modern Americans.

Beauty is a great heroine -- brainy, kind, wry-humored, brave and strong. Though the "Beauty" element is discarded, it is done so with the apparent understanding that this "Beauty" has brains and guts rather than a pretty face. The Beast himself is a little more shadowy; we never get inside his head the way we do Beauty's, but then the book is hers, not his. Beauty's father and sisters are equally well-done, avoiding the cliches of nastiness in favor of being likable or haunted.

Robin McKinley's debut "Beauty" is still among the best-loved fairy-tale retellings. With the help of a gutsy, brainy heroine, it rises above a mere retelling and becomes THE retelling.

This book is a lovely retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I collect fairy tales and happened across this one several years ago. It is told in the first person. The writing is absolutely sure-handed and the characterization is beautiful. I have read most of the author's other books but none of them come close to the heights of storytelling she reaches in this novel. It drew me in from page one, and I was overcome with a rush of disappointment when I reached the end because there was no more.
This is also a great read-aloud book. It is too bad that it is out of print because I often loan my copy to friends. Fortunately all of them (so far) have returned it - with great praise. Everyone who is a lover of fairy tales should give this one a try.

Every public and school library should have a copy of this excellent resource. The research that Judy Freeman did to create this compendium of quality read aloud books is well worth the investment.

Ever wished you could keep up all the great children's books and pick the best ones to read aloud and recommend to your students? Need inspiration to liven up your lessons on library skills? Looking for more effective ways to collaborate with teachers? This book has it all!

Targeted at grades K - 6, the first 100+ pages include wide-ranging information about children's books and ways to use them. Topics include: how to be a great school librarian, evaluating children's books, read aloud and booktalking suggestions, fun library learning games, storytelling, creative drama, reader's theater, etc.

The next 600 pages contain wonderful annotated read-aloud lists divided by Easy Fiction/Picture books, Fiction, Folk & Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends, Poetry, Nonsense and Language Oriented non-fiction, Biography, and Non-fiction. In addition to standard information (author, summary, etc.) each of the 1,705 annotations includes grade level, related titles, subjects, and a "Germ." "Germs" are small, practical, do-able ideas to interject into lesson plans including ideas for sharing the books with children and incorporating comprehension, creativity, library skills, and cross-curricular ties, etc. Pick one book on the list and turn it into a great lesson plan!

The final 200 pages include a professional bibliography and 3 handy indices: Author/Illustrator Index, Title Index, and the index I find most helpful - the Subject Index including grade level of each book. Subject you can think of is covered - from Aardvarks to Bullying to Hispanic Americans to Zoos!

I cannot recommend a book more highly! It's not just for school librarians - teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and public librarians will also love it! I also recommend previous editions - Books Kids Will Sit Still For and More Books Kids Will Sit Still For - both have different hints on how to be a great librarian and annotated lists of older books. I use all three Judy Freeman's books almost daily to help me work with teachers and plan great library lessons.

I stumbled across this wonderful book while working my way through our library's books about books in search of more wonderful picture books to share with my toddler (who is nearly 19 months). It was mis-shelved in the local branch (took 4 tries for the librarian to find it) and since no one had noticed in the 6 months or so since the book came in, my friendly librarian slapped a due date sticker on it and let me check it out. I found myself immersed in it during the daughter's afternoon nap and checked to see if either of the previous volumes was available to check out. Alas no, although I found a cheap ex-library copy of the previous volume, More Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide (2nd Edition), which when it arrived looked like it had never been touched. I don't pretend to understand that - I think this is a treasure trove of ideas and books to share with young (and not so young) children. Although it's aimed at elementary educators, there's a huge amount to offer a parent or other caregiver...ideas for activities related to the books as well as related titles.

As the parent of a toddler, I confess that I prefer the overlapping mini-sections by age found in More Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide (2nd Edition) and Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide Second Edition (Books Kids Will Sit Still for) because it's easier to sift through a couple hundred titles than 800 for books short enough for a toddler to sit through, but that's more of a quibble, especially since the expanded entries offer so many ideas for making (or keeping) books interesting.

How does she do it? Another winner from Judy Freeman! More tips, annotations, bibliographies, storytelling, reader's theater etc.. The amount of material is superb and the format is clear and precise. She is marvelous at what she does and can help any media specialist or teacher sharpen their book skills.
A must buy for all elementary educators!

I've had the pleasure in the past week to read Judy Freeman's Newbery committee experience in her latest "Books Kids will sit still for 3" (c. 2006). She had to take the Librarian Oath, probably with a ceremonial blood letting to seal it, that she and the other members would never tell the secrets of the Committee dealings with the individual books. Ooooooh, that makes me want to be on the Committee even more!

I thought the listings alone in the book would be worth the book's weight in gold (which is substantial, with more than 900 pages), but it pales in comparison with the first 100+ pages of the book in which she shares her passion for reading, books, libraries, and children. What a treat! Reward yourselves soon by allowing time to read this.

Thanks, Judy! You made my day!

Liz Frame
Librarian
San Antonio Christian Elementary School

Jerry Smath, But No Elephants (Parents Magazine Press, 1992)

Cute little beginning reader about prejudice and the power that every member of a society (or a household) can bring to the table. Repetition will enable younger readers to get some of the words they might not grasp the first time around, the illustrations are fun, and the story is sure to keep the kiddies entertained. May strain parents' nerves after the hundredth reading, but it's certainly enjoyable enough the first ninety-nine times. *** ½

This was one of my very favorite books as a child and all these years later (I'm 25 now), my mother will still occasionally call and ask if I'd like to buy an elephant! :)

A great book that I can't wait to share with my children one day. I had several of these "Parents Magazine Press" books as a child and they were all wonderful.

But No Elephants (Once Upon a Time)

I had to read this story EVERY NIGHT until the book fell apart, and I LOVED every minute of it! This is a beautiful story of how one's heart can soften over time - and is now a classic family favorite. Shame on whoever decided to let this go out of print. I just bought three more, while I can still get them. 1 for each of my children to read to their kids (and they're not even born yet!) and one to donate to my local elementary school. Hopefully, that way hundreds of kids will get the same enjoyment as we have over the years. Long live Grandma Tildy!! :-)

This book is a childhood favorite for my three grown children. We cherish the one copy we have so I set out to order copies for all three children. This book is short and sweet with a cute story and great pictures. I treasure the memories I have of reading this book to my children.

Even with our children now in high school, college, and beyond, this book is still quoted at family gatherings. At the dinner table when someone is asked if they would like more roast beef (or salad, or whatever) a frequent response is "well, OK, but no elephants!" I recently purchased this book for my college-bound son as a graduation gift because he has such fond memories of reading it and having it read to him as a youngster. If you haven't read it, you're missing out on a real gem.

He is my favorite author when it comes in coding. Very systematic and structured. C++ templates is not yet a mature domain and it is not that easy to program. Still this book presents very well the theory and the implementation with plenty of examples and warnings about the traps of C++ programming. If you are into theory math, physics you will appreciate the smartness and completeness of templates. Check also other books from the author The C++ Standard Library: A Tutorial and Reference, Object Oriented Programming in C++

This is best book on C++ templates. C++ programmers who wants to learn modern template programming should start reading this book first, no more no less.

Vandevoorde and Josuttis have written by far the best book on C++ templates. Theirs is literally the only work out there that makes any sense of the utter mess that is C++ template programming. Absolutely essential for anyone using the STL or (especially) Boost libraries.

I like all those description and examples: the topic may be complex, but really an interesting thing when enjoying it slowly.

I used the book when I was working on templates. Book is very clear and concise with proper layout of chapters. I was able to read relevant sections and get clear understanding. It is possible to get all information by reading C++ specs and other sources, but having this one book is a real time saver.

If you work on templates and have some doubts ever then have this book next to you.

This is the fourth book in David Macaulay's series of how things in history were built. In both text and detailed drawings, the author describes the planning and construction of a typical castle and adjoining town in thirteenth-century Wales. In 1283, Kevin le Strange was named Lord of Aberwyvern in Wales by King Edward I of England. While Lord Kevin's castle is imaginary, its concept, structural process, and physical appearance are all based on several castles that were built to aid in the English conquest of Wales between 1277 and 1305. The town of Aberwyvern is also imaginary but is drawn from descriptions of towns founded in conjunction with castles in Wales during that time.

Anyone who enjoys learning about the Middle Ages will like this book. The description is sometimes technical but is written so that young children can become familiar with the terms, and the marvellous illustrations are very helpful in visualizing what is being done. From the choice of location, through the building of the walls and the inner ward, to the completion of the castle and the establishment of the surrounding town, the reader will follow, step by step, Master Engineer James of Babbington and all his workers in their labors. The story ends with a visit from King Edward, followed by an attack from the Welsh under Prince Daffyd of Gwynedd whose defeat leads to the decision by the Welsh to end their resistence, although the complete "conquest" did not occur until 200 years after Edward's death. This book won a 1978 Caldecott Honor award.
REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker

My 13 year old and I read this book together. He absolutely loved reading about the history and building of the castle. He has another larger DK book on Castles and as we read told me about his previous knowledge on the topic we were reading about and expanded our discussion. The images (drawings) being b/w are a perfect match so that details of the castle stand out. After reading this story, we watched the accompanying PBS special Castle by the same author. The movie is s a perfect tag-a-long going into further details and highlighting real castles and showing the details that were discussed in the book. To follow up on the book/movie, my son is now building his own brick castle. We ordered a kit and it includes everything to make little bricks from molds and then directions on exactly how to build the castle. I highly recommend purchasing the book, movie and castle building kit together if you or your child is interested in castles and/or medieval studies. All three provide great discussion, for both visual and auditory learners as well as a hands-on experience.

We bought this book for our four year old who always wants to know how things work. He, and his Daddy are both fascinated by this book. It is a work of art, and a historic fictional work in one. The pictures are all in black and white, but the line drawings are incredibly detailed. This book will be a favorite in our library for years, and I can see him reading it to his kids one day.

After reading this book, I gave it to my grandson for Christmas and he is enjoying it very much. It is interesting not only to him but to his father as well. It really makes history and social progress come alive.

I remember reading this book back when I was in Junior High and High School. I'm 30 now (ugh!) I have always been fascinated with history (especially why folks did what they did when they did it) and while characters are fictitious, the design and building practices as well as the situations involved in the story are truly as it happened. The pictures are highly detailed such that you almost feel like you leap into the pages of the story. I primarily purchased this for a bit of nostalgia but would highly recommend this product to anyone who might be interested.

I was given this book as a gift from my son. I read it on an airplane and laughed and cried so much that at the end of the flight, the man sitting next to me said, "you are quite an emotional lady!" I bought a copy of this book for the lady that helped me when I got stranded when the flight was delayed a day. She read one of the stories in it while I was changing clothes and I found her in tears when I returned. It's a great feel-good book.

In this collection of stories from and about mothers, there is something for everyone. Whether you need to be inspired, comforted, or amused, whether if you are looking for a laugh or a cry you can find a story for your mood. The Chicken Soup authors always know how to pick a collection of stories that truly brings the subject to light, a tear to your eye, and a smile to your lips! This time, what a worthy topic: mothers. As a positive psychologist in private practice I certainly know the powerful and permanent importance of our mothers in all of our lives!

I CAN NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! Some real tear jerkers too. A must for all moms.

my family got this as a gift about 8 years ago. I don't remember much about it but I remember the stories about the mother losing her son during a skiing accident, the girl who bought her mom bobby pins for her birthday and the story where they're celebrating a grandmother's birthday and she dies at the end of the party after seeing her entire family at the celebration.

AFTER READING THIS I AM REASSURED THAT GOOD HONEST BOOKS ARE FINALLY MAKING A COME-BACK!!!!!!

The book is so much better than the movie. It gives you a much truer sense of what the women went through. Which is to be expected, of course, but I was surprised at the changes in the movie.

I assume that you will have seen the Movie first. I would have never heard of this book, without references in the DVD. BUT it is not necessary that you see the movie first. AND if you see the movie after reading the book be prepared for differences. But aside from comparisons, this is a terrific read about the first successful Sexual Harrassment case in the USA. It is set in the North Country made famous by Mr. Zimmerman. In fact some of the scenes and some of the characters are from Hibbing. Hero is one of the many misused words in Americana. But hero could be safely applied to the Lawyers who defended Lois Jenen.

Throughout my college career, I have become more and more aware of America's history in regards to inequality. Class Action brought up one of the most publicized forms of inequality in our nation, which is the inequality between men and women, especially in the workplace. Today, women are still only making $0.74-$0.76 on the dollar that every man makes, but that is only a mild form of the inequality that occurred only 30 years ago.

On March 25, 1975, Lois Jensen begins work at Eveleth Taconite in the mines to earn enough money to support her young son so they both could get off welfare. While the pay was very good, Lois, and other women who worked at the mines, endured sexual harassment that ranged from sexual comments to inappropriate touching and coercion by the male workers. Twelve years later, Lois finally decides that the only way to deal with the sexual harassment is through legal action since none of her bosses in the mines will correct the male workers' behaviors. Unfortunately, Lois only endures more hardship through trying to gain support of the other women at the mines, retain her job, and keep her sanity while being harassed even more. Lois's commitment to "right the wrong" of how the men treated the women at the mines brings up many questions of our society and what is legal that reside within.

Class Action helps us evaluate male privilege in the workforce, laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) and how they were upheld, the immortal power of companies, and the human cost to achieve social change. It is astounding to read the type of harassment that these women endured and to realize that it happened in other parts of the country, and to some extent, still does today. The only things that Lois Jensen truly wanted was knowing that women would not have to live what she did through the company adopting a sexual harassment policy and an apology. She never got the apology, but thankfully, the former occurred on December 30, 1998.

The was a great book if you are interested in Civil Rights history and activism, women's rights, the jural system in relation to gender, and the economics of inequality. While Lois, other women, and the mines settled in 1998, the women essentially lost. After all that had happened, to achieve this precedent for sexual harassment law the women had to sacrifice their lives. This ultimately brings up the issue of how we have to be martyrs to make any social change truly happen.

I grew up on "da range" and I'm familiar with the mines. My hometown is Hoyt Lakes, not very far from Eveleth. My dad and one of my uncles worked at LTV Steel outside of Hoyt Lakes, I think even my brother worked there for a while. I don't remember hearing anything of the trial. Back in 1998 I was 9 years old. I became familiar with it, when they were filming the movie North Country while I was going to the community college in Virginia. I've watched the movie multiple times. Then this summer in one of my English classes we were required to read Class Action. By the time the class finished I hadn't finished the book yet, but that didn't stop me from reading it. This is a really great book, and I've had a hard time putting it down. Its so interesting to learn the facts of the case, and was even more surprised when I recognized some of the last names of the people. I haven't quite finished yet, I have about 60 pages to go. I keep finding myself getting irritated with the rulings of Judge McNulty. This is a very important book, and in my opinion everyone should read it.

Like some other reviewers I came across this book after seeing the movie North Country. The movie though is just good entertainment pulling at the heartstrings and very loosely based on the legal problems of single mother Lois Jenson.

The book, I'm pleased to say, is much more gripping and will keep you turning the pages until the end. I thought it raised various issues like:

*Why did the legal aspects of this case take from 1984 until a settlement in 1998? In 1997 a judgement from the Eighth Circuit court commented on the 'inordinate delay' and that it simply was not possible for the parties to get justice 'when a final outcome is issued more than ten years' after the case was filed and more than fifteen years since Lois started her class action.

*Why did the mineworkers union maintain such a male chauvinist view towards its female members? I always assumed that Minnesota folk, historically populated by hard working European immigrants in a hostile physical environment would have been much more sympathetic to the sexual harassment that went on year after year in the mines. In fact very few males come out of this story with much credibility, from the mine management down to the union, they are really shown to be sexist and ultra conservative when females start to (legally) work in their domain.

*Why did it take so long for the mines main insurance company, who were going to be the ultimate payers of any compensation, to get to grips with the case? When they did get closely involved in 1998 the problems seemed to evaporate and the ladies got their money

The authors write in a simple straightforward style fortunately avoiding flowery generalisations that seem a staple of non-fiction writing. The story unfolds in a logically time frame from March 1975 to the final financial settlement in November 1998. Early on there is an excellent historical overview of the Mesabi Range and the importance of the raw materials lying just under the surface. A nice touch I thought was the frequent explanations of points of law and how these affected the progress of the case.

A couple of points occurred to me as a read the book: I would have liked to see a listing at the start describing the principals, frequently a name popped up and I wondered who the person was having seen a mention maybe a hundred pages earlier. So much of the story describes the mine and other buildings, a simple diagram of the plant layout would have been helpful.

'Class Action' is a powerful narrative about a hostile working environment and the legal system and it reminds of a quote by Thomas Noon Talfourd:
Fill the seats of justice
With good men not so absolute in goodness
As to forget what human frailty is.

BTW. I wanted to see photos of the four heroes of the book, the wonderful Lois Jenson and her legal team Paul Sprenger, Jane Lang and Jean Boler and I found them all through Google Images.

If you can't afford the Oxford Edition of Shakespeare's complete works than this is the next best edition you can find.

This was the text for my college Shakespeare classes over 20 years ago (different edition of course) I still have it and still use it. A wonderful book for students and those who want not only the complete works but some well written and authoritative information about Shakespeare and the world in which he lived and wrote.

The texts of the plays are well foot-noted and the type is easy on the eyes. Well worth the investment.

While reading reviews of this edition elsewhere on the Web, I came across this review by David Allen White, professor of English @ the U.S. Naval Academy and editor (with Charles Boyce) of Shakespeare A to Z:

"Re-writing Shakespeare is nothing new. The Nahum Tate version of King Lear--with the happy ending--held the stage for nearly a century and a half. The great actors of the romantic age, Kean and Booth and Macready, not only spotlighted the heroes in the tragedies but felt free to beef up their roles. Directors began more than 50 years ago to monkey with the historical settings of the play, often with imaginative and instructive results. Scholars, critics, and directors have ridden various hobbyhorses through the plays for years, introducing us to Freudian Hamlets and Marxist King Lears and feminist Tamings of the Shrew.

"Recent Shakespeare production and scholarship, however, add a perverse twist to this long tradition. We no longer care what the Bard actually wrote. Years of deconstructionist theorizing have taught us that words are needy and we, readers or actors or scholars, have the right, indeed the obligation, to give them the gift of meaning--our meaning, the more bizarre the better.

"For the 23 years that I've taught Shakespeare at the United States Naval Academy, I have always used the same text, The Complete Works of Shakespeare, edited by David Bevington of the University of Chicago. Professor Bevington is an old-school scholar with a distinguished career. The book he edited had many advantages: large print, full character names before each speech, specific indications of settings, modernized spellings, solid introductions that connected the plays to the students' experience of love and politics, morality and order, passion and faith, and comprehensive but not overwhelming notes. Every few years a new edition would appear, and I would open it with interest and a little apprehension. But the changes would be minor--thinner paper (approaching the substance of tissue, a malady afflicting many recent books), hints here and there of encroaching academic perversity in the notes--nothing sufficient to make me seek another text. The 4th edition's introduction to The Tempest caused me to swallow hard: We learn there that Prospero's authority "is problematic to us because he seems so patriarchal, colonialist, even sexist and racist in his arrogating to himself the right and responsibility to control others in the name of Western and Christian values." But this is an imperfect world, and I soldiered on.

"Notified that a 5th Edition would appear this fall, I took time to examine it closely. Many of the introductions remain the same; but new editors and commentators have significantly altered others. Despite the myth of progress that reigns in all the disciplines of modern academia, "new" is often far from "improved." Apparently, Professor Bevington has either ignored the changes or allowed the young scholar-colts to have a romp. In some of the new introductory essays, especially under the guise of new brief histories of stage performance, questionable judgment, to put it mildly, has crept in. For example, the introduction to Othello ends with the following observation:

'In another recent development, Emilia has stood out in several productions as the raissoneur and heroic figure in the play, speaking as she does on behalf of maltreated women, urging Desdemona to stand up for her rights. One recent Chicago production went so far as to rewrite the ending: Othello and Iago both survive unpunished for what they have done, while Desdemona and Emilia lie dead as their innocent victims. This deliberate and provocative overstatement might seem extreme to some viewers, but unquestionably did signal the direction of recent performance history of the profoundly disturbing play.'

"It may be time to stop buying tickets to that great play.

"The current obsession in academia is "queer theory," and the homoerotic is everywhere, not just in Shakespeare studies. But this particular perversity fills the introductions to the new Bevington, especially the introductions to the comedies. Compare the following passages, the first from the introduction to As You Like It in the 4th Edition, essentially a carry-over from earlier editions:

'Rosalind's disguise name, Ganymede, taken from Jove's amorous cupbearer, has homoerotic connotations that are easily misinterpreted today. Shakespeare delicately acknowledges the suggestion, to be sure, both in Phoebe's pursuit of a young lady (but really a boy actor) in male attire, and in Orlando's courtship of "Ganymede" as though addressed to Rosalind. Yet this innocent titillation, found also in Shakespeare's source, is not meant to hint at homosexual attraction as we understand it. On the contrary, the point is that Orlando can speak frankly and personally to "Ganymede" as to a perfect friend, one to whom he can relate in platonically spiritual terms without the distracting note of sexual interest.'

"These are eminently sane and sensible remarks. Now from the Introduction to As You Like It in the 5th Edition:

'Rosalind's disguise name, Ganymede, has connotations that suggest ways in which human sexuality can be partly understood as socially constructed. If Rosalind in disguise as Ganymede wins the affection and eventually the love of Orlando, while her father and the others are equally taken in by the disguise, are maleness and femaleness chiefly matters of sartorial convention and superficial appearance? When Phoebe falls in love with Ganymede, is not her infatuation a way of showing that the roles of the sexes can be put on and off? Theatrically, the device of having a young male actor play Rosalind who then disguises him/herself as a young man adds to the witty confusion of sexual identities by introducing homoerotic possibilities. Not only can the roles of the sexes be put on and off, sexual desire itself is unstable...'

"This is ideology masquerading as interpretation.

"To be sure, the range of possible interpretations of Shakespeare's work is wide, for he encompasses all of humanity and tells profound and mysterious truths about human life. Such inexhaustible expansiveness invites discussion and dispute and differences. At the end of the Introduction to Richard II in this volume, for example, there is a brief but superb account of various interpretations of that rich role by leading actors. Professor Charles Forker of Indiana University provides that account; another old-school scholar, he knows more about that play than any other living soul. Too many of the revised introductions, however, are more interested in advancing the latest academic-political orthodoxy than in discovering and illuminating the natural and conventional moral order so abundantly on display in Shakespeare's works. Nothing is more orthodox--still--among contemporary literary critics than the alleged truth that there is no truth, that all interpretations are valid except the author's own.

"Thus Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream can be presented as "the denizen of a drug culture, with the love potion as the weed he gleefully distributes. The experience of the forest becomes a drug-induced 'high,' for audiences as for the actors. The fairies, sometimes played by adult and hairy males, can exhibit a streak of cruelty." And, indeed, in a recent production at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C., the fairies were hairy males who carried something like miners' lights. So much for lightness and charm and magic. This same Dream introduction gives the game away in words that are echoed in many of the other essays: "These modern interpretations are arguably neither more nor less 'true' to Shakespeare's text than earlier or more 'traditional' versions. What they do demonstrate is the play's remarkable permeability and openness to differing views."

"The new Bevington retails for $90; in good conscience, I cannot ask students to fork over such a sum of cash for a book that is now rife with nonsense. So next fall I'll assign The Riverside Shakespeare, which fortunately is still in its 2nd edition. I fervently hope it is not soon updated.

"Of course, the Bevington volume has come to reflect the universities it serves, where young students pay small fortunes to be taught that there is no enduring meaning or beauty to be found in the poetry of Shakespeare, no tradition worth preserving, no "truth" other than personal whim and innovative foolery. If the price of the new Bevington is petty theft, the tuitions charged by these institutions have become, at least for the study of the humanities, highway robbery.

"I know a father who gave his son the equivalent of a year's tuition and told the lad to go to Europe, to travel, to observe, to learn for as long as the money would hold out. The young man came back after two-and-a-half years, mature and educated, and instantly found a good job. The time has come for imaginative, alternative learning. I talked recently with a very intelligent young woman who loves literature; she is completing her sophomore year at Yale, where she had hoped to pursue an English Literature major. She informed me with sorrow that she was abandoning that plan. Her reason was quite simple: she had already sat through too many classes where lunacy prevailed. She mentioned the possibility of looking at traditional Catholic convents. Could this be the first refreshing drop of a wave of the future? It would not be the first time that civilization was preserved in the convents and the monasteries. Nymph, in thy orisons, be all of Academia's sins remembered."

(Allen, David White, "An Unweeded Garden," The Claremont Institute, http://claremont.org/publications/crb/id.959/article_detail.asp [originally published March 22, 2004])

I guess it's safe to say that, based on his review, Professor Allen'd give this edition 1 star...right?

I purchased this book as a birthday present for a graduating high school student who is a big fan of Shakespeare.
This volume has a lot to offer to both students and casual readers. In addition to very readable text of all the plays and sonnets, the fifth edition provides historical and literary context, including drawings and photos, as well as insightful essays on each of the plays. The essays include background, plot summaries and discussion of major themes and would be very useful to anyone seeing a play, especially for the first time. The helpful glossary is extensive, so the reader doesn't have to look up unfamiliar words or feel intimidated by the language. Professor Bevington's fifth edition of the Complete Works is a gem, authoritative and attractive. The birthday girl thinks so, too-- she gives it an A+.

This is truly a great book. Not only does it contain all of Shakespeare's works but it also has an enormous amount of information. There's a little bit on his life and a bit more about the theater during his time. There are also some great drawings in the beginning of the book.

Lifeguards in this book are never safe. This book is about a lifeguard club with teenagers who come every summer to the club house.One by one teenagers start to die.This one teenager,who thinks she's Lindsay,keeps finding her friends dead in parts of the club house.
I recommend this book to people of all ages who like stories.I think this book is to pruve to people that being a lifeguard is very hard.This book will wrap you in and never let you go.R.L. Stine has very good ideas for scary stories.His books are all different and interesting.

This Is one of my favorites i have a lot of favorites right now i am reading lights out and so far so good.

This Book is about lindsay who was a past life guard that shows up with a 2 year old i.d. card for lifguarding and cant remember why she has it instead of her new one, then mysteryious murders start to accurr and to life guards die. Some of the other charecters are danny cassie arnie may-ann spencer and another person whos name i cant remember. It is suspenceful and a very good fear street book!

this is one of the most suspenceful books I have ever read. I read the book all at once! this book is about lifegaurds who do work at a so called "haunted resort". one by one the lifgaurds start to die horrible deaths. one of the lifgaurs wants revenge on all the rest.the main character in this book is probably lindsay everthimg happens to her. there is also mouse he is the killer. mouse is the nickname of the killer lifgaurd.

The dead lifeguard is about a group of teens that sign up to be lifeguards for the summer. Everything is going fine at first until lifeguards start being killed.......


I read this book so many times because I liked it so much I bet you or your kid will to if you are into horror/spense books. R.L Stine did a great job.

I enjoyed reading the dead lifeguard. This is a very captivating book. It's alot like the normal horrors that you would see on television but it has a twist to it. I would recommed this book to people who like a good story of suspense and horror.
The Dead Lifeguard is about a group of strangers who spend the summer together lifeguarding at shady acres country club. One by one lifeguards disappear and no one can explain what's going on; but someone who knows is out to get revenge on the lifeguards... read the the book and find out what happens.