Editors Books

Dominic Carter has written a deeply moving memoir framed around the horrific physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a young child. No Momma's Boy is not for the faint of heart. Some of the descriptions of the abuse that Mr. Carter suffered at the hands of his mentally ill mother, Laverne, are almost unbearable to read.

Yet, ultimately, Dominic Carter's story is one of triumph over adversity. Laverne sexually abused Carter and tried to kill him when he was a toddler. Born with heart defects and pneumonia, Mr. Carter grew up in poverty on the mean streets of Harlem and The Bronx. Under these circumstances, it is remarkable that he survived, let alone thrived. "Prisons and mental institutions are full of people with backgrounds similar to mine," Carter opines.

In a fast-paced, conversational style, Carter takes readers through the darkest days of his inner city childhood, his escape from poverty via graduate school in upstate New York, and his meteoric rise to journalist extraordinaire at one of New York's top cable television stations.

A key factor in young Dominic's survival was the support he received from his grandmother, Anna Pearl, and his Aunt Inez. Laverne was in and out of mental institutions, and Dominic's father was absent most of the time. Anna Pearl and Inez stepped in to fill the parental void, providing love and putting steel in Dominic's spine, which served him well growing up and later in the cutthroat profession of television journalism.

Mr. Carter is brutally honest about his volcanic temper and the subsequent emotional breakdown following Laverne's death which nearly ended his career. No Momma's Boy is not only an eye-opening read, it represents a cathartic healing of Carter's pain. After a lifetime of holding back powerful negative emotions relating to childhood trauma, Mr. Carter has found the courage to admit that "talking about issues that shame you is like giving CPR to your soul."

Mr. Carter proudly displays bravado and does a lot of name-dropping. This trait is a double-edged sword. It is initially off-putting, but as Carter cogently notes, it is also a critical source of self-confidence that enabled him to overcome extraordinary adversity.

He brags, but he has a lot to brag about. Mr. Carter is a top reporter at NY1, a premier cable television station in the nation's largest media market. He has interviewed world figures such as Bill Clinton, Rudy Giuliani, and Nelson Mandela. This would be a monumental achievement for anyone; it is absolutely amazing for someone who grew up poor and abused in The Bronx.

All I can say is thank you Dominic for opening up your heart and allowing me the opportunity to read about your family secrets. From start to finish I was captivated by this story and I must say what a delightful person he is when you meet him in public. This was one gem of a read......you go New York 1 Political Commentator!

NY1's top reporter/political analyst gives a painful recollection of his childhood with a schizophrenic mother and how he was able to overcome it to become successful, careerwise and personally. I thought his writing was sincere, not showy, and gave insights into the people and institutions that influenced him in a positive way. An interesting read.

Often the family history of some one who has a mental illness is covered up. This almost happened in this mans family. His story lets us all know that to seek the truth brings healing to deep hurts. Leaving the truth covered never gets to forgiveness. As a Black family member this is particularly true. The unspoken code of Black families is to not ever uncover mental illness, just pray to deal with the issues. Additionally, most men do not speak of a difficult past, espically one in the public eye as this important well known news personality. The book was easy to read, and tells of wonderful forgiveness, and can help anyone bring their own hidden truths of abuse and mental illness into the sunshine of healing. Thank you Dominic Carter for telling your story.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has included this as one of the best books of 2007. It probably did't hurt that Dominic Carter--a colorful media celebrity--served as grand marsal for the NAMI New York City walkathon, but the book deserves the distinction in its own right.

It is an incredible book by a person who has lived an incredible life, and overcome odds that would defeat most people.

Carter is a character written in bold and an inspiration. He grew from a childhood of poverty in the Bronx to become one of New York City's best-known news anchors and political reporters, interviewing Nelson Mandela and President Clinton and sparring with former New York City mayor Rudy Guliani. (If Guliani does become president, let's hope that one of the national television networks assign Carter to the White House press room; it would be great theater to watch and a service to the nation).

Carter also lived with a secret of physical and sexual abuse as a child. After his mother died in 2001, he collected 620 pages of medical records and learned for the first time of her life-long struggle with paranoid schizophrenia. "I got hit with a double-barreled shotgun," he said in recent newspaper interviews. "As a child, I didn't know what was going on,"

His autobiography is therapeutic. "I've been running from the ghetto...I've been running from my mother, and I didn't want to run anymore."

In confronting the past, Carter comes to terms with his mother's mental illness and his own emotions. "My mother was not a demon, but she saw demons," Carter writes. "If a demon exists in this story, it is society's collective mistreatment and misunderstanding of mental illness."

"In spite of her tragic life, I celebrate my mother for this one thing," Carter concludes. "She was a survivor...I am proud of my mother for not giving up...You become a real winner in life when the winds of fate knock you down and you manage to get back up. Many people, rich or poor, cannot get back up, but my mother did."

"I am not ashamed to be called her son."

The book is self-published and candid. To his credit, Carter resisted suggestions by mainstream publishers to sensationalize his story, because the basic facts and description of his childhood are upsetting enough. It is a memoir marked by pain, but also, an enduring love. It details Carter's successful career, but the unifying theme throughout is one of family. Its candid disclosures are also an act of courage, not unlike Mike Wallace's disclosure of long history of depression, or that of actor Joe Pantaliano, whose 2003 autobiography similarly reflects his mother's mental illness.

Frankly, I'd love to see Dominic, Wallace and "Joey Pants" discuss their childhoods together sometime. They have much in common. They have much in common. They are larger than life characters, who love a good scrap and rarely censor themselves, except perhaps to usually hide the softer hearts of their nature.

After teaching English for several years, Judy Muller worked her way from small-town radio up to network television.

Her short, readable memoir is by turns poignant, moving, and hysterically funny. The copy that I checked out of the library had many dog-eared pages and I quickly grew to expect laughter -- that is, to hear myself laughing out loud -- when I reached one of these frequent waystations.

I knew that Judy Muller teaches a graduate course in broadcast journalism and I checked this book out of the library because I thought it might provide some good insights into the specifics of delivering the news. Beyond learning that radio reporters actually write their stories (but many TV reporters don't), which for some reason I found surprising -- you mean they don't just wing it? -- I learned very little about the mechanics of broadcast reporting, yet "Now This" is so accessible, and so funny, that I read the whole book anyway.

The editorial reviewers (above) have pretty much covered the topic areas of the book, so let me mention something other reviewers have not emphasized.

In anecdote after knee-slapping anecdote, Muller really captures a prevailing disjunction, a gap between the way the Big Media Powers that Be (back in New York) see the world, and the way the rest of us see it out here on the other side of William Penn's woods.

Judy Muller must have zillions of these stories under her belt by now, and now that she's gotten her memoir out of the way, it would be great to sit back and enjoy hearing her recount some episodes from her travels through small-town USA.

I look forward to a sequel, especially if it as as funny as the original ... Now This!

Judy Muller's unique combination of sharp wit, keen perception, brutal honesty, and personal courage gives us a glimpse into radio and TV journalism we can't get from just listening or watching. The book is a triumph, fleshing out the real people behind the talking heads. Her frank description of personal alcoholism is heart-wrenching, and her tale of the prices paid, and the gains made, in her profession should be required reading for anyone seriously considering a career in journalism. A fine read on several levels. Thanks for sharing, Judy!

This is easily one of the best written, most thoroughly delightful books I've read in many years. If you are a parent you will love it! If you're interested in radio you'll love it! If you're interested in TV you'll love it! One of the few books I've read in recent years where I truly hated to see the last few pages coming up.

Now, this is why Judy Muller is one of the very best correspondants on television--she's obviously a superb storyteller on the air, and when she's got some real time, boy can she ever write 'em down. Ms. Muller says up-front in her book that she comes from a whole family of storytellers. The lady's got great genes.

Judy Muller's wonderful book is a treat for anyone interested in an inside look at the whacky world of television news. Ms. Muller has a terrific sense of humor which keeps the reader doubled over throughout. I read the book cover-to-cover in one sitting, then gave it to a friend who also found it impossible to put down. We both had a good laugh together afterward comparing notes on our favorite stories from the book.

Ms. Muller also infuses her book with fascinating tales from her vantage point on history and poignant moments about dealing with life's problems. Her story is told honestly and from the heart. This is easily the best book by a television newswoman since Linda Ellerbee's "And So it Goes."

Loved loved LOVED this book. Purchased it when we were trying to conceive, and it really helped me understand that what was happening to my body was normal. It reads easily, so I read it front to back, and then used it as a reference when I needed specific information. Highly recommend this book, and am now buying the Parenting Magazine guide to taking care of a newborn!

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any one who is pregnant. This was my first pregnancy and it walked me threw week by week and I totally felt prepared. I loved know when to expect movements and the heart beat. I felt more prepared when I went to the Dr. and all in all I loved the book

I absolutely LOVE this book, and no it's not just because I'm in it! I am unfortunately in the miscarriage section and since I was interviewed for the book in 96, I had yet another miscarriage. I have now had three miscarriages, but do have a healthy four year old daughter. I remain positive though. I was so excited to get this book home and see where I was in it, but REALLY found out how remarkable this book is. I was amazed with the amount of information on every subject, and will give this book to my sister Laura as soon as she finds out she is expecting. If you just found out your pregnant....this is the ONLY book you'll need! Sharon Heaps

I read sections of the book just ahead of what my wife was going through each week and found them very useful as they covered everything I needed to know. It helped me understand and as a result I became more patient with her. I found the "What if..." and "Is it true..." sections most enlightening as they clarify and debunk alot of the "myths" we in Asian culture believe in. The book is also based on updated medical research and practices. We are delighted to have received this as a gift.

Having bought a lot of books during my first pregnancy, this book clearly came out as the 'winner' in all categories. First, it is written in plain and simple english that anyone can easily understand. It is well-organized, so creatively in fact using a real pregnant model in its "four trimesters" chapters also showing the changes in her body each trimester brings. The topics progressively expand to those in which an expectant mom currently faces and the variety of 'new things' she experiences, in that certain time frame. The real-life stories of pregnant mothers, their experiences, challenges and how they've handled their trying ordeals makes any apprehensive and excited expectant mom feel positive and enthusiastic about herself. Also,it is very informative and exhausts all its efforts to do outstanding research. It is medically-sound and contains little or no biases. It even answers questions to old wives tales many infancticipating moms hear lots about. It is the most up-to-date pregnancy book among all I've read. My husband too learned much of what I've went through through this book. My only regret is that its fourth trimester chapter ended too soon.

"The Wanda" had influence and access that boggles the imagination, and that most journalists can only dream about. Yet, few people outside the upper reaches of the oil industry knew who she was, and the importance of what she did.
This book renders an important service by putting a spotlight on Wanda, and by laying bare some of what the oil industry has done to create dangerous tensions in the world, and a flaw in our economy that could turn out to be deadly.
It's too bad that the author didn't expose more of the dirt. But, as it is, this book is a fascinating read. It tells the reader a great deal of who Wanda Jablonski was, warts and all, and what made her tick. It also tells us a lot about how society's prejudices and ignorance spread into the oil industry, and in turn how the oil industry has influenced politics in America and elsewhere.
For whatever reasons, this book does not talk about Mexico, Italy, the mob, or any number of important aspects of the oil industry. Oh well, what it does have is worth more than the price.

Oil affects us all more and more financially, environmentally and geopolitically as time passes. This engaging biography provides wonderful insight into the incubation of our current oil markets. Rubino also gives us a memorable image of a unique brave pacesetter for investigative business journalism, her uniqueness amplified by the fact that she was a woman. You will never read another article about this vital resource in the same way after being impacted by this book.

While I expected to find Queen of the Oil Club to be an educational read, I wasn't prepared for the page turner I found. Rubino's first person and you are there approach to Wanda's amazing life was riveting. So far,I've recommended it to friends looking for a lively summer read, writer friends, my graduate student niece who is pursuing Women's Studies and a friend who grew up in Saudi Arabia in the 1960's. There's something there for each of them.

Review for "The Queen of the Oil Club"
Anna Rubino takes us into the world of oil in the 1950's through the eyes of a remarkable woman, Wanda Jablonski. In this clearly readable book the reader is exposed to the personalities of the industry leaders, the look and feel of the Middle Eastern cities and the customs and concerns of its people. Filled with high drama, this book tells a fascinating and timely story, perhaps even more relevant in view of today's oil crisis.
Donald and Kathie Eppert

The seeds of today's oil crisis were sown during the five decades that Wanda Jablonski reported on industry events and, through that reporting, influenced their outcome. To understand the current surge of oil nationalism on the part of both producer and consumer nations that will determine the future of hydrocarbons for years to come, we need to go back to the earlier rise of oil nationalism that led to the creation of OPEC. This book takes us there through the life of an extraordinary woman. Wanda, her first name sufficed to identify her whether in the court of the King of Saudi Arabia or the Exxon executive offices, had access to the boardrooms and bedouins that created the oil machine. She spoke the truth to their faces and told her readers what went on behind the curtain. In an all-male oil world, she earned respect and fear for the power she wielded as a journalist who knew as much or more about this crucial industry than the men who ran it. Anna Rubino captures Wanda, a strangely reclusive woman who quietly re-wrote the rules of business journalism and influenced the world we live in today.

Initially I thought this book would be focused more on parenting, in the traditional sense. But this book is so much more: Maria's inner struggle as a Latina in America- wanting more of her own culture, and wanting to succeed here in America at the same time; finding a man who helped her know herself... how all of this and more molded her as a parent.
I am buying a copy for a friend who is not even a mom because I know she will enjoy it.

I read this book a few years ago and loved it so much that I am looking to buy a new copy so I can read it again. The writing is so VIVID and above all so HONEST, that you feel like she's sitting right in front of you. This book is definitely one of my favorites of all time and I would recommend it to everyone.

Raising Raul was such a refreshing book to read because of Hinojosa's ability to keep me glued. I read it in two days. How did she manage to do that?? Her struggle to achieve motherhood is narrated in such a frank manner,with such flavorful intimate details;you just can't help but be drawn into her world. While the book in itself is wonderful I did have an objection. The name, Raising Raul, is a bit of a misnomer. I thought the book spent too much time on Hinojosa trying to conceive Raul rather than focusing on when she did have him which is what the title suggests.

My mother gave this book to me right after my son was born. She liked the general mothering idea it proposed - sort of a "whatever you do, so long as you do your best, all will be OK." It was wonderful to read Maria's thoughts on motherhood (and all of it's ups and downs) while I was still adjusting myself. I read most of it while breastfeeding (the early months can be marathon feedings)!

Men have no reason to feel uncomfortable about reading and appreciating this book. I love Maria Hinojosa's memoir because it is easy to empathize with her efforts to become pregnant after past near misses. She writes about so much more than just pregnancy and motherhood, though. The book's richness resides in how honest and open she is about her struggle; and its impact on her relationships with her parents, husband, and friends. Even when she discussed painful topics and incidents, I detected no bitterness or sense of blame. Most of all, I appreciate Hinojosa's acknowledgement of spirituality as a constant pillar of her development. This is a rich, down to earth, and moving invitation into one woman's experience of parenthood, marriage, friendship, culture and love. Do not miss it!

I had to buy this book for a general education requirement this year. However, the class turned out to be my favorite (the teacher certainly helped) and I'm keeping the book after the semester is over. Reason and Responsibility contains essays from the greatest philosophers (and some not so great) in order to give the beginner a comprehensive overview of philosophy.

At times, the essays were edited so that parts of the original selection were omitted. I had difficulty writing papers which criticized certain arguments become some claims can only be made from the entire text. However, if you are just reading this for fun as an introduction to philosophy, I highly recommend it.

this is an old edition. but practically there is no difference.
i saved a lot on this item. shipping is fast too

A straight anthology without sufficient background material to help students make sense of the essays. I would not advise it for an Introduction to Philosophy course. Essays in the books focus on issues of reason, the limits of knowledge, and ethics based upon human reason. The selection of essays show a bias toward American positivism and contrary philosophical views (of which there are many) are not represented. The amount of philosophy this book ignores on the book's chosen topics is enormous. This is also a reason not to use this text for an Introductory class. If this was the only text used in an introductory course, students would come away with a very stilted and erroneous view of philosophy. It would be good for an upper division course focused on American positivism where students already have sufficient background in philosophy to understand these specialized essays and understand the selective nature of the text's selections.

I have never taken a course in philosophy. But, I think this is not just a text book for Philosophy 101. It is a great collection of essays, on a variety of topics, written by some of the greatet thinkers the world has produced. The editorial introduction for each topic beautifully lays down the ground work. This is followed by writings from eminent scholars representing various positions that have been taken on the issue. It is hard to find so much material in one volume. A must-have book for anyone with even a precursory interest in some of the most fundamental questions posed by life.

I highly recommend Feinberg's 'Reason and Responsibility' to beginning philosophers. Feinberg presents various philosophical topics in an organized manner and selects text that is easy to understand for readers new to philosophy. Readers are weaned into the language of philosophy by first being presented with the jargon in the beginning of each section. It's a great book that covers a variety of topics, from arguments about God's existence to ethics to abortion.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a must read for the ones interested in his life as well as in his writings.

This book of letters tells the story of Steinbeck's life. As his third- wife the book's co- editor Elaine Steinbeck makes clear in her introduction Steinbeck was a life- long letter-writer. Steinbeck usually started his day writing letters to his friends, and business- associates. They were the warm-up for his real writing.
Steinbeck speaks frequently in these letters of his love of writing. He writes with a refreshing frankness and directness. The book tells in no doubt an incomplete way the story of his struggle for literary success, of his three marriages, of his relation to his parents, children and a number of friends.
Steinbeck seems in these letters a fundamentally decent, loyal , hardworking person. However one of the interesting elements in the letters is seeing how his relation to certain people, most notably his wives, changes in time. His first wife Carole in the early years is described and written about almost exclusively in superlatives. After his divorce from her he speaks about those years as ones in which each was angry at the other much of the time. His second wife, the mother of his children left him after five years, and his initial enthusiasm for her naturally cooled. Though he vowed not to marry again when he met Elaine SCott, who was then the wife of the actor Zachary Scott he found apparently the great love of his life. In one especially moving letter he will thank her for their life together and for her especially good relation to his two sons. Another exceptionally good letter is written to Elaine's daughter who is about to marry. His advice to her again shows him to be caring and non- conventionally wise.
One especially notable set of letters are those he wrote to his lifelong friend Carlton A. Sheffeld( Duke). Another are those to his publisher Pascal (Pat)Covici.
I have never been a special fan of Steinbeck, but reading these letters I have a sense I somehow did not fully appreciate his work. So these letters will probably move me to reading more of his work.

If you appreciate the art of letter writing, you'll be delighted with this collection of letters from John Steinbeck.

Wow! can this man, write. But perhaps "write" is the wrong term - "think" is better. Wow! can this man think. And then he is able to express those thoughts in a clear, eloquent and, most of all, honest way that is a treat to read.

The book begins with a letter from the young, penniless author to a friend. At the time, Steinbeck was in isolation when he took a job as the winter caretaker of a lodge in Lake Tahoe. From there, he takes us along on a life journey through three marriages, financial success that always made him uncomfortable, fame that he often detested, Pulitzer and Nobel prizes, adventure in settings from the Sea of Cortez to Saigon.

The insights are astounding. His lack of pretension in the midst of his success amazes.

Here was a sensitive, often gruff but completely honest man who was not afraid to reveal himself in total to the friends he cherished.

Steinbeck left an autobiography of sorts when he died, a collection of personal letters to his friends. His widow and his friend worked together to gather the letters from everyone they could. They edited them for clarity and published them in chronological order.

The result is the personal story of a very creative, complex writer who worked every day with his hands. When he wasn't writing novels using pencils and a legal pad, he was mending the fence or fixing the roof. He loved people as much as he loved solitude, so he began each day by reaching out with these letters to his friends around the world. He talked about his surroundings and his thoughts and his ongoing projects.

All of this would be enough to make a wonderful book, but there's the added benefit of Steinbeck's writing style. Steinbeck used as few words as possible, always trying for a poetic effect without pretension. He wanted to be honest and accurate, but he knew the value of capturing an image or feeling with a colorful use of words. As a result, this massive book is a pleasure to read, from start to finish. Steinbeck's writing style keeps you interested but never overwhelmed.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed a few Steinbeck novels. Aspiring writers should read it, as well. When you're done, read the Steinbeck chapter in 'Alcohol and the Writer' and Jackson Benson's books on Steinbeck. You'll be glad you did.

Can't put it down in any sense. This collection goes right through Steinbeck's life, from his twenties into old age, and contains many letters to key people in his life interspersed with helpful commentaries by his wife to give the reader a sense of what Steinbeck was facing when he wrote. Highly recommended, and very moving in many places, whether humorous, joyful, or passionately angry.

"I learn that all of my manuscripts have been rejected three or four times since I last heard. It is a nice thing to know that so many people are reading my books. That is one way of getting an audience." -- JS

"One very funny thing. Hotel clerks here [Monterey] are being instructed to tell guests that there is no Tortilla Flat. The Chamber of Commerce does not like my poor efforts, I guess. But there is one all right, and they know it." -- JS in the years before the Chamber of Commerce boosted Cannery Row as a tourist shrine

"I'm trying to write history while it is happening and I don't want to be wrong." -- JS before penning the Grapes of Wrath

I've been reading books like this since I was a kid. Always fun to read, interesting to read stories that have been forgotten, and other stories that may have been disproven. What's not to like?

In this book, you will learn interesting facts, for instance, that there might be living heirs of Marie Antoinette, the once ill-fated Queen of France, and that the man in the "iron mask," wasn't really imprisoned wearing a mask of iron, but of velvet!

If you enjoy folklore, hoaxes, eccentric people (e.g., a woman worth $100 million dollars, who did business on the floor of her bank), then you will enjoy this delightfully-entertaining book published in 1981 by Reader's Digest!

It's one of those books where you can just grab it and open it to any random page and be interested in what you find. There are some portrayals of violence and nudity, but nothing truly offensive (i.e. Dante's Inferno, Day of Judgement, etc.). A really good easy reader.

My 8th grade english teacher would stories out og this book on ocation. I loved the stories in it, and looked all over for my own copy. I checked it out of libary and could not put it down. It instently impaced my life. I even wrote a play in high school drama class using some of the stories surronded by a teen related sort of "Saved by the Bell" plot. Anyway, I love this book, and I know everyong can find something in it that they love too.

I found this book for the first time when I was 8 years old. My family had moved into the house of my father's godmother. I was an avid reader, and searching through her masses of books I found Strange Stories, Amazing Facts, with it's red cover and pages full of surprise and adventure. From trying to decipher the mysteries of the most haunted house in the world to traveling through the jungles to discover Angkor Watt, this book to me on a journey of imagination. I loaned the book several years ago to a young friend whom I thought could use the adventure. I'm glad to be able to buy it for myself again.

This book was very interesting if you are curious about how the tabloids get thier stories and pictures. I enjoyed it!

Terrific book. Unusual subject matter, highly entertaining, and thought provoking all at the same time. I couldn't put it down.

This is a facinating book. It lets readers into the world of the tabloid journalist, how they work and how they will do anything to get the story.
I see celebrities and journalists in a new light now.
Marlise is very funny and a joy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone!!

You aren't supposed to be able to reconcile Hollywood amorality and a tabloid writer's conscience, but Ms. Kast has done exactly that. She manages to entertain with typical tabloid-style titillating stories, but couches them all inside her own personal journey to a life of higher personal responsibility. A book set in Hollywood that is both entertaining and genuinely thought provoking? They said it couldn't be done...

Many people are attracted to this book because of the celebrity factor. I was drawn to this book to read about the inner struggles of a young woman trying to to identify who she was between her conservative upbringing and the allure of Hollywood. Anyone who has walked the road of trying to figure themselves out can identify with the author. I will admit learning about the tactics tabloid reporters use to get their stories was quite entertaining as well. This is a great read not to be missed!

This set is a must have for all Tales from the Crypt fans everywhere. It is well put together and contains every Crypt comic book ever made. Granted the art is in black and white but its still beautiful. Great stories! (remember these were the 50's). Dont let the price or the Cryptkeeper scare you, its well worth it!

The comics as originally published were in color, not black & white (the first customer-reviewer may've been thinking of the 1960s Warren comics magazines such as CREEPY), and it's a pity that this series didn't replicate the colors, garish as they sometimes were.

This is it. Miles ahead of the mixed-bag television show, mediocre "Demon Knight," and god-awful "Bordello of Blood," these dementedly funny tales of violence and depravity ruled the comic book industry in the early 1950s until they were banned by the government in 1955. Vampires, werewolves, and mummies were not an uncommon sight in this magazine, but it was best known for vengeful walking corpses, live burials, and sadistic concepts. It was a very innovative and original publication, inventing and perfecting the horror-comedy genre later seen in movies such as "An American Werewolf in London." Story plots include:

-A living voodoo doll menaces a man who left his partner to suffer at the hands of a Haitian cult (remember, this was almost 50 years before "Child's Play")

-A practical joker accidentally causes his doctor's family to tradgecally die, only to be unwittingly given capsules with barbed hooks and tickled to death so he'll "die laughing"

-A murderer tries to evade prosecution by making his victim a human missile and "bombing" him right on the little square where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado meet so the states will argue over who should prosecute him

-Plenty of great vampire stories, including one about a restraunt full of vampires, a vampire who fools a victim because of different time zones, and the unforgettable taxi cab nightmare, "Fare Tonight, Followed by Increasing Clottyness"

Read it from the beginning and you'll see that the style of this comic got more and more bizarre until it was perfected. Great artwork and a sense of harsh justice are another advantage here. You can't call yourself a horror fan and not read "Tales from the Crypt." It's just too entertaining (not to mention influencial) to miss. If you like this comic, then I'd suggest you also checkout its sister publications (also by the legendary publisher EC) "The Vault of Horror" and "The Haunt of Fear."

Let me start by giving a short description of the set, since Amazon lacks any for this item. The set is very large and heavy, the box sleeve about 10" wide, 13" tall, and 5" deep. The 5 books are all hard cover and contain 5 comics, which each have a few stories. There are also some inserted pages inbetween, with odd little one page stories and such. The stories start off with obscure deaths and people killing people and then wander more into the supernatural later in the series. The artwork also gets more detailed and stylistic. The comics are black and white, except the full color front page of each comic, just as they were in the 50s. I recommend this set to anyone who liked Tales from the Crypt, or who even just likes cool creepy stories. The set looks beautiful, one of those you'd like to show to friends. Flipping through the pages staring at the art or reading the stories late at night, I say it was worth every penny.

Let me start by giving a short description of the set, since Amazon[.com] lacks any for this item. The set is very large and heavy, the box sleeve about 10" wide, 13" tall, and 5" deep. The 5 books are all hard cover and contain 5 comics, which each have a few stories. There are also some inserted pages inbetween, with odd little one page stories and such. The stories start off with obscure deaths and people killing people and then wander more into the supernatural later in the series. The artwork also gets more detailed and stylistic. The comics are black and white, except the full color front page of each comic, just as they were in the 50s. I recommend this set to anyone who liked Tales from the Crypt, or who even just likes cool creepy stories. The set looks beautiful, one of those you'd like to show to friends. Flipping through the pages staring at the art or reading the stories late at night, I say it was worth every penny.