Chapters Books

The first and best of a family saga during the mid 1800s in England, when industry changes everyone's lives.

I first read this in 1971, and followed through with all Delderfield's later books. Now, through Amazon.com I can reread the entire series and and my husbands is reading it for the first time and is enthralled!

I have read God is an Englishman 45 years ago. It was a great book to read. I have enjoyed reading it so much that I have read it twice. There is a book 2 that follows this first edition and that too is great. I wish you they whoever can produce a movie of the story. It would make a wonderful masterpiece. Let the author know to produce a movie and let me know because I would be the first to see and then purchise it on DVD.
Thank you for a great site. I will be ordering a copy of this book again in the near future. I strongly recommend this book to all single ladies who enjoy reading a good novel and romantic story. Henrietta Netta, Exeter PA

Adam Swann has followed his family's tradition of military service for long enough to turn 30. He's seen a lot during those years, including a horrific massacre of civilians. When chance places a fortune in rubies in his hands, he's more than ready to make drastic changes. Back to England he goes, the England of a world just prior to the American Civil War, looking for a better way to spend his life. He finds it in two places. First, in a revolutionary business idea sparked by an encounter with a railway official; and second, in a runaway young woman. He marries the woman, factory heiress Henrietta Rawlinson (who's swiftly disinherited by her infuriated father), and he turns the idea into a hauling firm that deliberately fits itself into all the gaps the railway system cannot fill.

That's the bare outline. What makes this novel remarkable, though, isn't its plot. It's the characters, and the way author Delderfield lets them grow naturally out of the time and place in which he sets them. Adam Swann is in many ways a man ahead of that time, disgusted by what he's seen in war and determined to make his way in the world without committing outrages against basic human decency. In fact, he's determined to make a difference for the better while succeeding as a businessman. Henrietta, blessed with her enterpreneur father's sharp mind and quick wits for commerce, grows from a willful, uneducated and thoroughly spoiled girl into a worthy and even challenging partner for Adam in the course of the book's 800-some pages. Nothing seems forced, and none of the details of Victorian England ring false, in all of those pages. Some of the best reading comes from secondary characters who weave in and out of the main story, because each is well drawn and interesting - no matter how brief the appearance.

A tour-de-force, all in all. One of the best "family sagas" around, still, nearly 40 years after its publication.

R.F.Delderfield's "God Is An Englishman" begins a truly riveting history lesson of Britain's Victorian era and beyond. When I first read the book nearly 30 years ago fell in love with Adam and Henrietta Swann and their brood of children. You will, too!

I purchased and read this book because Harley is a good friend. Since Harley is a smart and personable guy, I expected the book to be interesting and well written. Even with these expectations, I was a bit overwhelmed at the depth of the insights contained therein (from both Harley and his father, who inspired the book). His father shared with Harley a passion for life and a desire to find meaning in the everyday. Harley added to that meaning by putting down on paper the wonderful thoughts, ideas, and wisdom passed onto him by his father. It is a must-read and is highly recommended. It would make a great, personal gift to a loved one.

A very enjoyable read. This is a touching and inspirational story of a loving family dealing with the illness and subsequent loss of their mother. It's filled with thought-provoking lessons on making a difference in your life and the lives of others in a small way every day. The world needs more people like Al Bernstein!

I have read every self improvement book under the sun! This book has all of the questions we ask ourselves about life and the meaning of...more importantly it gives the answers! It is like a big "AHA". So the light bulb goes off in your head, you finish the book and then want to reread it and take notes. How did Harley luck out and get Al as his Dad?

Its enjoyable and its a mini course on living life to the fullest! Who could ask for more than that?

I loved reading Happines on 7 Dollars A Week. The father and son conversations come to life over the course of several walks taken by the two. You can feel the morning air of small town Maine, you can sense the questions building from walk to walk, and you can hear the voices probing for answers. While the lessons presented may appear universal - they are offered in the unique form of a son distilling his father's written efforts of a lifetime. I'd suggest this book for anyone searching for an "answer" or looking for an uplifting story.

Mr. Bernstein has given us a book that makes one laugh and cry at the same time. He and his brothers are very fortunate to have been raised by a man who saw the world as good and by virtually being part of it made it a better place.
I will be taking advantage of many of the quotes when making presentations to non-profit organizations. It is a book that can be read and reread when going through both good and bad personal times. When the family was dealing with his mother's illness they were able to talk about issues that most people would not touch. I will be recommending this to our friends who are going through trying times knowing it will help them.
I also found it to be a good book for young families in that "Dad" was able to teach his sons why it is always better to be kind to everyone you meet.

I like how Mr. Braun stuck up for Jake when he tricked Barry Dunn and his friends. Jake's friend's Josh and Andy got in there and were as loyal as friends get to the very end. I think this book is excellent! At first I thought it was a true story! You did a great job Todd Strasser! ...

It's the bomb! I like this book because the gym teacher is always sticking up for Jake and tells Jake to stick up for Billy Dunn. The book is funny in how they switch bodies. I like the explosion; it was how they switched bodies. It is really neat. Justin Kelley, Grade 4.

Mr. Braun, the new gym teacher, has the biggest muscles anyone has ever seen. After another freak accident with the DITS, Jake Sherman switches bodies with Mr. Braun. Jake has switched with his geeky science teacher before, but this time he actually likes who he switched bodies with. Jake really wants to stay Mr. Braun forever. But there's a problem. Those huge muscles are causing him to be a real idiot.

This is one of the best HELP! I'm Trapped books, but not the best. There were more funny parts than not funny parts. What was strange about this book was that Jake used his gym teacher powers to be really mean--especially to his friends. I guess Jake thought that he would be Mr. Braun forever and could do whatever he wanted. Anyway, this is a great book if you're looking for a short and funny read. I read it an hour.

I love reading children's books. I love the most to read books with original plots that are unthinkable, yet innocent.

This book qualifies. The story line is so outrageoous, there is no way you will be able to guess what will happen next. And Todd Strasser is VERY FUNNY.

You won't regret reading this book!!

--George Stancliffe

Very Good! Very funny! I think the way Todd Strasser made it so reasonable for kids is great. He made it so funny and easy to understand, that it is reasonable for anyone. I think this book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. This book is about a 12 year old boy, Jake, who has 2 best friends, Josh and Andy, who like to fool around and get in trouble. But when Jake switches bodies with his new big muscular gym teacher, it can get worse and it can get funny. The best part was when the gym teacher's girlfriend went out with Jake instead of Bruno(the gym teacher)! I really enjoyed this book and so will you.

As a fledgling horror writer, I'm trying to digest some bits and pieces from masters of the genre. Consider this review more of a discussion of what I liked in the book. Like I said, I'm a fledgling writer myself, and once you start creating something, you realize how much easier it is to criticize than create--so I'm trying to keep it on the positive.

I enjoyed much of High Cotton. Personal highlights include "Mister Weed-Eater", "The Night They Missed the Horror Show", "Incident on and Off a Mountain Road", and my favorite, "Steppin' Out, Summer, '68". Each of these tales forced my hand, made me keep turning those pages to see what bizzare sight waited around the corner. Each contained just the right mix of black humor for my taste.

In this mix of 21 tales, the reader really gains a respect for Lansdale's style of storytelling. He is from East Texas, and you hear the voice throughout, even when the story might be a bit wide of the darkly humorous horror for which he's known. A warning to the squeamish: this book will offend your senses and offers enough racial ephitats to make political correctness roll around in it's grave.

Lansdale knows how to entertain, and when he's on his game, he's among the best.

I bought this book because I wanted to read the original story from which a first season episode of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" was built around. The episode was "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road", and both the television adaptation and- I was happy to learn when I received "High Cotton" from Amazon- the original Lansdale story are top notch. In fact, the TV show was excellent largely due to its sticking extremely close to the Lansdale original.

Happily, there are many other great stories in this collection other than "Incident". As other reviewers have pointed out here, the stories range from darkly humorous to dark & gritty, the dark & gritty ones being my favorites. There are also a few good stories of the ironic and darkly poetic variety, where some poor schmuck gets an undeserved ton of bricks dropped on his life for no other reason than fate sometimes does that (I'm thinking mostly of the story involving the guy who tries to help the seemingly pathetic blind groundskeeper). The outright "funny" stories, like the one about Godzilla being in the twelve-step program (he wants to stop stomping on tourists), and the story about the inflatable dinosaur who wanted to visit Disneyland so he could meet Mickey Mouse, are also okay, but less memorable than the dark & gritty stories, which usually involve hapless characters taking a wrong turn somewhere and in short order finding themselves in the midst of one form or another of earthly hell.

Sensitive readers should note that there are many instances of racist humor, and many racist observations, throughout the book, as this or that character spouts something ignorant. In fact, there's so much of it that I started thinking that the author perhaps had a benign view of such things, or maybe even held those views himself. But, no, it ultimately becomes clear that Mr. Lansdale is just trying to accurately show how many people talk and think, and also demonstrate that such thoughts and observations can mean one of several things: that the character in question truly IS racist, or might just be a little ignorant and stupid but not truly bad. I say this because in several instances (especially in the last story), a couple of SEEMING racists meet up (after one of those wrong turns) with a group of true, hateful, monstrous racists, and... well, let's just say Mr. Lansdale makes it clear that there's a difference between dumb, ignorant spoutings and true evil.

With the exception of the occasional inflatable dinosaur and the not-as-friendly-as-it-seems housecat (and even the tales containing those offbeat elements were perfectly engaging), these are intense, dark, memorable stories, and I look forward to experiencing more Joe R. Lansdale in the near future. Just not quite yet. There's some grim stuff here, and I could use a breather.

"High Cotton" is representative of the period when Joe Lansdale was still writing hardcore horror - and no one did it better. The stories in this collection are truly disturbing and graphic, reaching splattery heights without ever straying too far from Joe's East Texas sensibilities. Plenty of sick twists and thinly veiled stabs at racial injustice to keep our more "sophisticated" readers interested. For those of us who like down and dirty country-fried horror, you can't do any better than this collection.

So, "High Cotton" reprints several of Lansdale's personally selected best stories. These stories, all of them except for one are also featured in his original collections "By Bizarre Hands", "Bestsellers Guaranteed", and "Writer of the Purple Rage", and are arguably the best of the stories featured in the original (and out of print) books.

Lansdale's follow-up, "Bumper Crop" collects many of the rest, but not very many stories from "Writer of the Purple Rage." If you can get a copy of "Purple Rage" get it. It has the original "Bubba Ho-Tep" novella, which is one of Lansdale's best stories and was made into the wonderful movie starring Bruce Campbell, which may be one of the most faithful adaptations of a writer's work ever put on film.

Anyway, "Booty and the Beast" is the newest (to me) story in this collection, which centers around a specific item associated with the Virgin Mary that brings doom to those who possess it. It is an entertaining story. The best stories here, however, are the ones his true fans have read before: "The Night They Missed the Horror Show" (his signature story), "The Phone Woman", and "Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back", "Not From Detroit", and many others. The stories also have introductions by Lansdale telling how they were conceived. There is also an introduction at the front of the book explaining how he came to write short stories and why he deosn't write as many anymore.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the stories again and I hope this one stays in print for a long time, so that readers don't have to track down out of print collections to see what a fabulous writer this man is. These are the stories that made him famous, using his unique blend of humor, horror, and gritty realism to form a truly effective story. Highly Recommended!

High Cotton by Joe R. Lansdale is the best short story collection I have ever read so far! The stories are funny and will make you laugh aloud -- so don't read this book in public places! Funny story: I was reading this book whilst waiting to board the plane in the airport, and I could not stop laughing! Security guards started to crowd around me -- just because I was acting in a 'peculiar manner' due to the loud laughing... so Joe R. Lansdale, it's your fault people are laughing out loud in public places whilst reading your book! Read this book and you will know what all the fuss is about.

The Hit is noir at its finest. A sharply written drive down a dark road. The driver knows that he will soon crash, it is just a matter of how and when. The Hit is a fast read, but one that you must make yourself slow down and savior!

Before Nam and wealthy Tom Morris, Kinnerly was Luke Carr's beloved. After Nam and her marriage to Morris, Kinnerly remains his passion upon his return to the back woods of Mississippi. However, though they share illicit moments she claims only occurs when he desires sexual release. Luke knows all he has in the world is his bow and arrow and Adel the bird dog.

Before Kinnerly reentered his life, Luke decided that Morris owes him for stealing her so he plans reparations by taking the wealthy man's art collection. However, his perfect crime fails to consider his need for Kinnerly, who claims abuse; nor the call for him, the Iceman, to perform a hit no different than the confirmed nineteen he killed as an LBJ grunt in Nam. However, the simple hit turns into a series of twisted fiascos as Luke struggles to hide the crime with more crimes.

This Mississippi Noir could easily star McMurray and Stanwick as readers will enjoy the classic relationship between the disturbed vet and his femme fatale manipulator double crossing him. Through his first novel, Jere Hoar shows strong skills by writing an action-packed story line done in flashbacks using "notebooks" as chapters while Luke resides in a VA hospital driving his psychiatrist crazy. The cast is classic Noir and even the vividly descriptive rural setting feels right as this well written crime thriller should be a hit to sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

The author takes elements and plot that we've seen before, many times, and gives us a protaganist that we like to follow. Dumb enough to fall, smart enough to know he's hooked. We go along for the ride.

Just finished "The Hit" -- and it's a dandy. Hoar knows the genre well. So well, that he's unafraid of well worn cliched language, since he places it within a strong plot of cross and double-cross. For example, check out this late in the novel dialogue between the plotting lovers Luke and Kinnerly:

"You ever play chess, Luke?"

"I've never played the game."

"Answer this. If you put real mone in there, what are ou going to do if the worst you think is true? Track me to South America and kill me?"

"I wouldn't let ou get away with it. You're right about that and about me sending you ahead to see if I can trust you. But the money is real. It wouldn't be a test if it wasn't."

"We thought we were going to get through this, and still and love trust each other, too. But you're rotten, Luke."

"We're a pair. Don't tell me you haven't figured out that if we get caught I'll go to the chair."

"Yes, I thought of that." Her profile in the dash lights, with her hair blown back, looked as valiant as a ship's figurehead.

-- Sound familiar. You bet it does. Whether it comes from "From Out of the Past", "Touch of Evil", "Chinatown", or "Lost Highway", such dialogue captures best the dark romanticism of the night. Too often modern writers of noir mock their tradition through deliberately goofy plotting or the use of similar dialogue and setting done in a tongue in cheek manner (the over rated Crumley comes to mind.) With "The Hit" Hoar writes in the tradition with a select few of the past and present. I look forward to his future efforts.

I couldn't get over the style...so crisp and sparse but wonderful: great word pictures. I could have finished the book in a couple of days but decided to savor it like fine wine. It moves fast and takes you along inside the mind of Luke Carr as he tries to make sense of his past(Vietnam) his present(an old love with Luke's number) and his future, which may or may not include money, love and escape from the law. The plot has several twists and all along the way the book is filled with interesting facts and bits of information from art to scent-tracking dogs. Reading the last page was like having a good friend leave town. I hope this isn't the last we hear of Luke...sign me up for the sequel! Reader in Ocean Springs

I liked this book. It had an intricate plot and nice pacing. Dr. Chern could have used even more doctor speak as far as I am concerned.

I would have liked a bit more on the other characters, but that is hard to do when the story is told from the point of view of the author.

The story would have been better with fewer bodies. The author is too calm surrounded by so much death.
She takes unreasonable chances.

Still, I was left wanting more.

Excellent first effort. Please put more stories on the menu.

If you're looking for a book that will keep you turning the page, reading during your free time and late into the night, this one's it! It's got a great pace and every element is entertaining. Plus Ms. Chern's topic is fresh and intriguing. And her writing style is reminiscent of the best in the field. This is one writer that you will want to hear from again and again.

Waiting for the next one, Ms. Chern.

I particularly enjoyed the gact that although the baddies were fairly obvious, and the existence of a connection among the different occurrences fairly obvious, the explanation was actually, for a change, NOT obvious. (i can't speak to its plausibility, though). The relationship between tamsin and her significant other, while not as fully drawn as i hope it will become, was much above average in its level of interest. Tansin's fear of the "other Woman" was overblown, and the other characters were not fully drawn. however , I would expect ms. chern to get better at this, and i will be looking forward to the next one.

I particularly enjoyed the gact that although the baddies were fairly obvious, and the existence of a connection among the different occurrences fairly obvious, the explanation was actually, for a change, NOT obvious. (i can't speak to its plausibility, though). The relationship between tamsin and her significant other, while not as fully drawn as i hope it will become, was much above average in its level of interest. Tansin's fear of the "other Woman" was overblown, and the other characters were not fully drawn. however , I would expect ms. chern to get better at this, and i will be looking forward to the next one.

I loved this book and I hope there are more to follow in the series. The storyline flows on at a great pace with loads of interesting developments.

The Hunting of the Snark is a whacky piece of poetical silliness by Lewis Caroll. Complete nonsense, no-one knows what a Snark is, or why Snark hunters hunt it, or why anyone would want to become a Snark hunter to start with. Anyway, the poem is definitely amusing at times with some of the humour he slips in.

The Hunting of the Snark seems to be a very, very short imitation of The Canterbury Tales. The first chapter (titled a fit) introduces all of the occupations of all the different people going on a journey. However, instead of going on a general pilgrimage and telling tales along the way, their trip is very specific to hunting.

The Baker actually attempts to tell a story, but the Bellman (who leads the group) says there's no time for storytelling. They have to catch the Snark before nightfall.

Along with the Bellman and Baker, a Banker, a Bonnet-maker, a Butcher, a Boots, a Billiard-maker, a Barrister, a Broker, and a Beaver tag along to hunt for the Snark. The Beaver is afraid of getting cut by the Butcher, so he puts on a dagger-proof coat and talks to the Banker about buying an insurance policy.

The Beaver is involved in a hilarious scene with the Butcher later, when the two attempt to compute sums. But perhaps the funniest scene of the entire book is in the Barrister's dream when the Snark declares sentence on a pig, only to find out the pig has been dead long before the trial even began.

I'd highly recommend this short poem for Carroll fans, even though it's not big enough to contain but a small portion of what's to be found in the Alice books.

I have read a great deal of nonsense in the past, but this was by far the best nonsense that I have ever read. There is no point, no meaning, no sense, and no boringness. It is a delightful poem (which is well written and very fun to read aloud) about a crew on a ship hunting a snark. The crew includes a captain who only rings a bell, a beaver, a cook who only cooks beavers (the beaver and the cook did not get along well), a man afraid that the snark would turn into a boojum and make him disappear, etc. As you can tell, this makes for an insanely silly poem. The subtitle is rather fitting, as my sides were definitely hurting from laughter when I was done. Well done Mr. Carroll.

Overall grade: A+

Nonsense poems can easily miss the mark
Yet, this masterpiece has that spark.

"How do you kill a _____?", you ask
To find the answer was the hunters' task.

"What was their fate?", you wonder
Did they ever catch their elusive plunder?

A paragon of haunting Carollian lore
Be in no doubt that you'll finish wanting more.

This poem is just great!

First, this one of the most delightful pieces of writing that ever appeared in (more or less) English. It succeeds as a sustained exercise in illogic. I am sure that only a mathematical logician like Dodgson could possibly have pulled it off - only someone with such deep understanding of reason could master unreason so completely.

Second, Martin Gardner's commentary adds depth and background to the reading. Gardner explains terms that are now obsolete, but also adds his own analysis and a rich history of the Snark phenomenon. It should be no surprise that Gardner is still best known as the long-time editor of Scientific American's column on Mathematical Games, a mathematician himself.

I can't add much to the scholarship or praise that already surrounds this incredible poem. I would like to point out, however, that most non-native English speakers are unfamiliar with this poem. Many of them have only ever seen the serious side of the English language, and have never seen English at play. I consider this short work to be the ideal introduction to the very best of English-language nonsense.

//wiredweird

Surely, if this man had any other surname, this novel would have received the acclaim it deserves... the cloud!

"Reading some of the reviews I notice a few individuals reading much further than the words on the pages - a word for those Millionaire virgins... try not to do this until say, your 5th or 6th read. It may interfere with your enjoyment "
- ME, just then

To think I stumbled on it by ACCIDENT, attracted to a 1984 re-print with a compass on the cover, having recently read a half entertaining nautical adventure! A read so enjoyable I'm almost relieved it did not receive its due - over-analysed masterpieces and authors often get spoiled through the process, or on occasion battered into a film... the silver lining! Enjoy!

"An Innocent Millionaire" is a bitter book and quite obviously the work of an angry man. Vizinczey gives vent to his hatreds on just about every page of his novel. Some of his targets are well-ventilated already: lawyers, taxes, junk culture, greedy corporations, etc. But it is his two main hatreds -- women and New York City -- that cause him to lose perspective and damage an otherwise rather impressive novel.

First the misogyny. Vizinczey's dislike of women leaps from every page of this book. Most of the women in his story are just the tools of the rich men in their lives. Almost all of them are faithless. The few successful women all slept their way to the top. Take, for example, the female character who publishes and edits a prestigious fashion magazine. Before we have a chance to waste any admiration on her, V assures us that she is no more than an ex-fashion model whose married lover bought the magazine for her just to keep her happy. Another successful woman whom V takes pains to keep us from admiring is the Chief Valuation Officer for the Bahamian Ministry of Finance. Despite the fact that the woman has earned a bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida, a masters from the University of Toronto, and a doctorate from the London School of Economics, V dismisses her as "Nassau's top she-bureaucrat" (note: none of the male bureaucrats in the book is ever referred to as a "he-bureaucrat") and assures us that she is nothing more than an overeducated secretary who acquired her government position by sleeping with her boss. As the main characters are leaving this woman's office, they deride her with an anecdote one of them believes is worthy of "Playboy" and dub her "Miss Passionate" -- a reference to another secretary they all disdain. In fact, V seems to have a special distaste for female secretaries. In a later scene, after the main character concludes his business with a female secretary who has never been anything but pleasant with him, V concludes: "If there is a hell, there must be a special pit reserved for nice, sweet, charming intelligent secretaries who have spent their niceness, sweetness, charm and intelligence on covering up for their bosses."

But even more than women, V hates, despises, LOATHES New York City. The last third of the book is nothing more than an extended diatribe against New York lawyers, New York art dealers, New York politicians, ad nauseum. It's a shame, too, because this bile poisons the book just as the shipwreck story is beginning to get interesting. But the shipwreck and its history pretty much vanish once V sets his sites on his real target: NYC. In fact, in many ways, the Note From The Publisher appended to this edition of the novel by the University of Chicago Press (and which, by the way, reads as if it were written by the author himself) is a small analog of the novel itself. The Note starts out interestingly enough by telling us that Vizinczey is a difficult name to pronounce, leading us to expect that somewhere before the Note's end we will learn that pronunciation, just as in the book we hope that somewhere near the story's end we will learn the final fate of the shipwrecked Flora. But, alas, the promise is never kept and the Note, like the novel, devolves into another cliched rant against NYC, which is taken to task for failing to fully appreciate Vizinczey's genius. Although we are assured that the book was reviewed favorably by the NYTimes Book Review when originally released, we are expected to share the author's outrage that it was reviewed in brief and apparently not given the kind of consideration that a major literary work deserves. We are told that when the author's first novel was published in 1966, it received so little notice in New York that it had to be remaindered after three months. As if New York City itself is responsible for the fate of every author who doesn't become as well-praised as, say, Graham Greene. Tens of thousands of novels get published in this country every year. Just to get mentioned in the NYTBR is a rarity for most writers.

At any rate, I for one had no difficulty understanding why the culturati of NYC (or anywhere else, for that matter) might have been underwhelmed by An Innocent Millionaire. For one thing, it is burdened by the author's blatant efforts to evoke the reader's memory of Heinrich von Kleist's tale "Michael Kohlhaas," a much better story of justice denied. Kleist's name is evoked about twenty times during the course of the novel, just in case we don't get the connection. It is almost as if V had been trying to write his own reviews of the book and became bitter when the NYC reviewers wanted disagreed with his self-assessment. This heavy-handedness combined with the author's troubling misogyny and blind hatred for NYC torpedo what could have been a really great novel. At one point in the book a character derides such schlocky plotboilers as Colleen McCullough's "The Thorn Birds" and Sydney Sheldon's "A Rage of Angels." V is a better writer than either of those two populists, but his novel is only slightly more worthwhile than Sheldon's and not nearly as well-realized as McCullough's. Ironically, it is V's hatred of NYC that does him in. He seems to be insisting over and over again that NYC isn't worth the consideration of any decent person, much less a true artist (one of his Ten Commandments for writers is "Thou Shalt Not Worship London/New York/Paris"). But if NYC is so beneath his consideration why does he fume so over the fact that his work hasn't been better received there? He should have stuck with his shipwreck story and left his hatred of NYC for some other venue.

Stephen Vizinczey (sp?) is, in my estimation, the greatest living author I've read. Or at least my favorite. He is also a great hero of mine, and I do not have many heros.
Why is this? The man tells the truth. He isn't concerned with the consequences of revealing his thoughts to all comers. A previous reviewer accused him of misogyny, but I don't believe she's read "In Praise." I think what she was pointing to is a quality I regard as a virtue in Mr. Vizinczey. He is brutally honest in all things, and for a man playing at being omniscient, he does a pretty good job. One of these things he is honest in is the role that appearance plays in our thoughts and interactions. Some people use sex appeal outside of the bedroom. Sometimes the social progress people make in life is tied to their attractiveness, and sometimes this is not the case. Mr. Vizinczey is not the only one who finds this remarkable.
Mr. Vizinczey has also taught me a great deal about life. To get any lasting knowledge from a book is noteworthy, but the roles that two of his have played in my life seem more like the work of the Hand of God. I read this book at the age of 24, working my way up the economic and social ladder in NYC, and at the same time, hating the goals of success. The first 200 pages confirmed my beliefs about the cannibalistic nature of success, and then, as I contemplated giving up on my idea of success, my fictional alter-ego's luck got better. He met a lawyer who took on the case he had previously lost all hope in winning, and still was not quite convinced that it was worth trying. Mark Niven said something like, "The world is evil!" To which his attorney replied, raising his arms and looking at the sky, "But there is also chance."
Damn, that was a valuable lesson.

I read this book once in high school and once in my third year of college. When I first read An Innocent Millionaire I was intrigued by the adventure. As an adult I found that the book was really about life , of tragedy and the state of the world we live in. This book is a must read.

In difficult times we like to turn to books, especially to novels. But it would be a mistake to think that only light and syrupy stories bring us relief. On the contrary, we need the company of authors who, thanks to their perceptiveness and creative vigor, describe the world as it is, without false embellishment. We sense that these writers are able to face the worst of all possible worlds because they keep alive in themselves the promise of peace and goodness. For this reason we are moved by their vision.

Vizinczey's Innocent Millionaire brings us such a subtle solace. The novel is an enthralling roller-coaster of fortunes and passions, full of striking dialogues. It even manages to say something new about the birth of love. Marianne, the heroine of an ultimately tragic love affair, is one of the most lovable woman I have ever encountered in fiction, surpassing even the desirable and generous ladies of the author's previous masterpiece In Praise of Older Women. But this is a very different novel. Here the author weaves a tragic love relationship into the story of a fraud, showing how small and ridiculous are all those stupid and greedy people who make our life miserable or dull. If you are satisfied with the world as it is and approve its values, you will scorn this book. But for the dissatisfied reader, it is a rare treat and a unique source of comfort.

This (and Vol. 2) are both really good books that anyone with an interest in mathematics should own. Is it as good as Apostol's two volumes (Tommy I and II)? No. Is it as good as Spivak's "Calculus"? No. But it is still very good because the exposition is wonderful. I own both volumes and am glad - but if you only want one Courant book, please buy "What is Mathematics".

Those books (volumes 1-2) can be seen as a new edition of Courant's classical Differential and Integral Calculus, volumes 1-2 (that can still be used for general calculus courses). The first volume was written while Courant was still alive, and the second was postumous. I believe that they are the best work to start understanding analysis. Indeed, for the general scientist (as a physicist) it contains all the theory needed for any application. The book is not easy reading though. Much of the text can be understood on first reading, but there are pretty profound sections, mostly on the appendixes, that turn the book genuinely onto a book of analysis. The second volume requires some mathematical maturity, and I doubt whether it is suitable for beginners, but it is simply the best book of multivariate calculus that I know - and it is really difficult to think of a better presentation. Courant was a giant, and his concept of mathematics shines in every page of those books (although he did not see the publication of the second volume, his hand can be seen in every page). For the serious mathematician, a must-have. For the beginner, the best way to get in love. Courant and John don't lie, they give every proof and guide you most gently in this complicated garden called mathematics. I'd give it aleph stars if it was possible.

This is a rewrite of the great book by Courant, and it does justice to its origin. I prefer the somewhat more charming original book of Courant myself, but I have taught from this one too and learned something more.

Since the original Courant costs $120 for the 2 volume set, this volume at $33 is a bargain, so snap it up. This is 10 times as valuable as most current $130 calculus books.

Springer have reprinted the original 1960s Wiley editions of "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis" volumes I and II by Courant and John in three new volumes under their "Classics in Mathematics" title: "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis I (pages 1-661)" (ISBN: 3-540-65058-X), "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis II/1, Chapters 1-4 (pages 1-542)" (ISBN: 3-540-66569-2), and "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis II/2, Chapters 5-8 (pages 543-954)" (ISBN: 3-540-66570-6). The back section of Volume II/2 (pages 821-939) has solutions to the exercises in both the books comprising volume II, that is "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis II/1" and "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis II/2".

Note that when Volume I of the original Courant and John "Introduction to Calculus and Analysis" was published in the 1960s by Wiley, an accompanying solutions manual for Volume I was prepared by Prof. Albert A. Blank. When Volume II was published by Wiley, Prof. Blank's solutions were incorporated into the back of Volume II (in other words, Volume II comes with the answers to the questions at the back of the book... or in the back of Volume II/2 in the case of this Springer "Classics in Mathematics" reprint.) However, the Springer reprint of Wiley's Volume I lacks solutions to the exercises in the textbook.

If you buy Volume I, do a check on the Internet for an old 1960s copy of Prof. Albert Blank's "Problems in Calculus and Analysis", which is the original solutions manual to Courant's Volume I.

I give 5 stars to this book because it gives the reader the perfect combination between rigor and intuition. Volume 2 has solutions to almost all the exercises, which is great because some of the problems are very difficult. I really think this is a "must have" text for anyone who wants to learn calculus at a deep level.

Dear Karen Hesse,

Just Juice was a great book!It also taught me 3 lessons!You should try this book to have a fun time reading books.

Sincerely,
Emily Cheung

This is the first book I have read by Karen Hesse, and it probably won't be the last.

I am a sixth-grade reading teacher for struggling readers, many of whom are English language learners. I used this book in the classroom for the first time this semester, and my kids really enjoyed it. The language is approachable without being low, and the tone is sweet and simple without being sappy or emotional. And the plot? Well, we got to the last quarter of the story and the students, who will gripe and complain whenever they have to pick up a book, were on the edges of their seats with anticipation. It was a this-is-why-I'm-a-teacher experience!

The story of the Faulstiches is told from Juice's perspective: she is the nine-year-old middle child of five sisters, and she has trouble staying in school. Her Ma is pregnant; her Pa is out of work but an excellent machinist. They have very little, but are a happy family. Several challenges to the family's security and happiness come along at once, but in the end, they are all better for it. And the reader is better for having read it. I highly recommend adding this book to your library.

Have you ever felt worrried for your parents? To stupid to be at school? thats exacly how Juice the unfortunet pooor girl feels because of family troubles and does not have the ability to read or count. Juices family owes two years worth of taxes to the govern ment and stand to lose their house. Juice hates school so she often misses it. Juices mother Ma is expecting a new baby and is diagnosed with diabetes. Pa is trying to find work but is not having any luck. When Pa finally finds work as a metal worker he is too busy shaping metal and delivering it. One day Ma is in labour and Pa goes into town to find help and Juice is left to deliver the baby but not all goes to plan. This book is adrama and action story full of life and is easy to read. I reccomend this book for children who find it hard to read novels and children who are just developing their reading skills.

I think Just Juice was an interesting book because Just Juice had a lot of action and Just Juice never got boring. One of the exciting parts of the book Is how Juice's family is going to pay their taxes.Another exciting part of the book is how Juice could not read. So she got held back a year. She felt really discourage that she could not read. I thought that was interesting because I was thinking how is she going to learn how to read.The Last exciting part is Ma's blood sugar and how Juice helped her read the blood sugar when she was having her baby.
I would recommend this book to 5 th grader girls because there are not many boys in the story and to people who have diabetes because it shows how people can help them.
The theme of the book is how you works together as a family.

I used this book as a read aloud with my third grade class in New York City. A few of the children have been struggling with reading since they began school, and I felt that those students might connect with the main character in some way, shape, or form. I was not prepared for the profound impact this book would have on all of my students. As a class, they were moved to tears towards the end of this story. During our book talks, I watched children who have hesitated at speaking during literature discussions finally raise their hands and share their thoughts. They know a person like Juice, some are just like Juice. This book broke down an invisible wall in my classroom, allowing my children to have an open, honest dialogue about their own difficulties with reading and matters of the heart. "Just Juice" has changed the way many of my children view themselves as readers, students, and little people. I thank you, Karen Hesse. My students thank you.