Students Books

This is a total gem of subtle hilarity. Imagine your average farm where the cows get a hold of a typewriter and use it to bend their poor farmer to their every whim. The tension that follows the various cow-typed notes leads to a farm animal strike. Who would have thought something so random could make such an intelligent book?

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type, written by Doreen Cronin and published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, is a humorous rendition of animal life on the farm. Understanding moo is important in this tale, where cows go on strike and chickens refuse to lay eggs, and a neutral duck delivers messages between the beleaguered farmer and his demanding farm animals. Negotiations are important in this witty story of typewriters and electric blankets, where the big, vivacious pictures grab hold of the imagination and bring the words to life. A book children can read over and over as they interact with the repeated "click, clack, moo" and learn to recognize those sight words to start the journey towards reading on their own. A little book full of great fun that should be placed within easy reach right on the nightstand.

You'll never look at a typewriter or barnyard animals the same again once you pick up "Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type" by Doreen Cronin (Simon & Schuster, 2000). This incredibly witty and humorous tale of demanding cows on strike sends readers on a journey from one side of the picket line to the other. Kids (along with parents) will laugh hysterically as the cow's quest for electric blankets unfolds and will enjoy reciting "click, clack, moo" along with the text. This Caldecott winner exudes with beautiful watercolor characters and barnyard scenes making the book a pleasure to the eyes along with the funny bone. As soon as you put this book down, you'll pick it right back up again for another read and will soon be hearing "click, clack, moo" in your dreams.

Farmer Brown's cows are on strike: no milk till they get electric blankets for cold nights in the barn. How does Farmer Brown know? The cows typed a note on the barn typewriter. "Click, clack, moo." Farmer Brown demands milk. The cows type a response: the hens need blankets, too. The barnyard standoff escalates to the increasingly familiar beat of "Click, clack, moo." Children will cheer as the cows' quiet defiance foments an Orwellian barnyard rebellion that brings Farmer Brown to his knees.

Told in straightforward language that captures the archetypal laconic farmer, Doreen Cronin's offbeat tale grows funnier with repeated readings. Betsy Lewin washes her black drawings with warm, earthy watercolors that echo the text's simplicity. Her deft use of shading and shadows evokes the sun-up to sun-down rhythm of farm life. The fluid lines and bright colors recall Matisse, while the cows' wide eyes and thoughtful expressions suggest Gary Larson (or perhaps Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park) and bring the barnyard to life. The cows, chickens, and duck stare dolefully but invitingly out from the page, transporting the reader beside the water trough to join the revolution.

Absolutely for preschoolers. My son loved this book almost as much as I did. Everything about this book was adorable- the silliness, the electric blankets, and the diving board. He and I couldn't stop laughing. The reader (most likely the adult) will love how often the neutral party isn't neutral at all. I'm an animal lover, so this book will always have a soft spot in my heart.

In this much anticipated sequel, Jessica Darling is back and more angst ridden then ever. Facing another year without her best friend, Jessica must make decisions that will affect her for the rest of her, including where she will continue her education. With her heart set on Columbia University in New York, Jessica must first convince her parents that the big city isn't set a scary place. Add to this, the stress of her "un-relationship" with Marcus Flutie, Jessica no longer seems to have any control over her life. I loved this sequel to Sloppy Firsts, and found it to be as compelling of a read. This book takes me back to my own highschool years, when the "cool kids" get all the credit, and the "smart kids" get all the labels. I love this series and look forward to reading the third book in the series. All in all, a solid read.

I loved "Sloppy Firsts" but I think I like "Second Helpings" a tiny bit more. I think it has more happening in it and there's more going on.

Usually when it comes to books and sequels, the second (or third, or fourth) is not as good as the first, but I think "Second Helpings" is one of those books that can stand on it's own. Even if you didn't read "Sloppy Firsts" I think you'd still like "Second Helpings."

There were a few little things I didn't care for in "Second Helpings" like how much Jess talked about 9/11 after it happened and how much it affected her. I think that was just kind of thrown in there because Jess was a senior when 9/11 happened, so Megan McCafferty might've thought that she should write about how 9/11 would affect someone like Jess. I don't know, that part kind of felt forced in my opinion. For a while it seemed like that was all Jess wrote about.

But "Second Helpings" took Jess out of Pineville and into the city for a while in the summer and I think that helped give it a fresh spin to the familiar characters and setting. Jess's senior year was filled with ups and downs, but it was a very fun journey to read along :)

In SLOPPY FIRSTS, Jessica Darling dealt with adjusting to life without her best friend, Hope, having feelings for the school rebel, Marcus, and finding who she really is as a person. You know, typical teenager stuff.

In the sequel to SLOPPY FIRSTS, SECOND HELPINGS, Jess finds herself dealing with even more problems as she starts her senior year of high school. After spending the summer at SPECIAL, a summer writing camp for (you guessed it) special high school students, Jess decides that she wants to 1). become a writer and 2). attend the prestigious Columbia University in New York City.

The only problem is that she now has the tough job of convincing her parents.

With Len Levy, her brilliant competition for Valedictorian, crushing on her, and her determination to get over Marcus with only the help of her blonde Barbie doll neighbor, Bridget, Jess gets more than she bargains for as she struggles to plan her future and rediscover her past.

In my opinion, SECOND HELPINGS is even better than the terrific prequel SLOPPY FIRSTS. Through her shocking and entertaining observations about everything from her high school peers to "hot" writing instructors, readers identify with Jess's plights as she tries to reach her dream of getting out of New Jersey suburbia. Another touching book, another realistic story, another fantastic read from Megan McCafferty.

Reviewed by: Amanda Dissinger

After a cliff hanger of an ending that we experienced with "Sloppy Firsts", "Second Helpings" is a welcomed read.

Jessica and Marcus's relationship is much different in this novel, than in the previous. Mostly due to the fact that Marcus had confessed he originally was interested in Jessica as a sexual conquest. I, once again, was thoroughly entertained by the character of Marcus Flutie. He has this inane ability to understand people and their motivations. And by people, I mostly mean Jessica.

Compared to "Sloppy Firsts", I think that "Second Helpings" has improved. We now are quite familiar with all of the characters, and yet McCafferty continues to surprise us with revelations about everyone.

While "Sloppy Firsts" ended in heartbreak, "Second Helpings" ends in a very different manner. I think that readers will be entertained to learn how Jessica deals with the changes in her life, and the discovery of different aspects of the lives of her friends. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick, and entertaining read.

I do not know if I liked "Second Helpings" better than "Sloppy Firsts" but I know I am awaiting to read the third (which I just ordered).
"Second Helpings," was LOL funny and very interesting. The protagonist has an awesome outlook and personality that keeps you glued to the book. This book is good for young adults, as well as adults (I am 22).
One of my favorite books!

This was my 8th grade son's summer reading. He could not stop reading it and it caused him to initiate a lot of conversation with us about the holocaust. Since it was from the perspective of a girl his own age, he really identified with it.

I have just started reading more accounts of World War II and really enjoyed this survivor story. It is a big account in a small package. It is not about the gory details, but more about the emotions behind them. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

this book was awesome. i read it in a day. very hard to read, but you have to do it. buy!!!!

The book shows plenty of emotions of their loved ones being lost. Livia wrote her memory into a book, like most Holocaust survivors did. Most people are unaware of the presence of the Holocaust or just were uninterested. Like most Holocaust books they show the nightmare they experienced. Elli gives the reader an idea that they have hope to survive.
Some people read certain Holocaust books that fits their writing style and her Livia gives the reader the first person point of view.
We chose this book for our English class and we presented how they were killed like if one person in the barrack did not cooperate with the SS officers, the entire barrack was sent to gas chambers.
I recommend readers read this book.

This book is so powerful. I have read many stories of Holocaust survivors, but few if any have presented such a vivid view of the horrors the Jews faced. Some parts were disturbing, but they describe true history, so they are definitely important to read. If you're interested in the Holocaust, this is a great read.

If you like adventures, this is the book for you! Deltora Quest is an adventure, mystery, and fantasy book. It is about a 13 year old boy, Leif, that is trying to protect his home town, Del, that has been captured by a person who calls himself "The Shadow Lord." The Shadow Lord has taken the gems from a belt called "The Belt of Deltora." The belts gems each have powers of protecting the city. Each gem has a secret power for the person wearing it. The gems have been scattered all over the land in scary places! Leif has to find all the gems to protect the city.
If you want to find out what happens read it for your self. The reason I like it is because you never know what is going to happen next! Your prediction might be way different!

I spent years avoiding these books--I honestly prejudged them as another lousy boyish fantasy.

But though they are simple and written to kids, the book is great writing and great characterization that can be read in an hour, if you want.

The land is Deltora, a once-peaceful place where the weakening monarchy has finally been overthrown by a lord of darkness.

A young boy named Lief and his guardian Barda take on a quest to find the heir to the throne and save the land. It's an exciting introduction into a fabulous series covered in puzzles and imagination.

DELTORA QUEST are a fantastic book series for juvenile readers, filled with action and magic and adventure. THE FORESTS OF SILENCE is anything but silent. It absolutely SCREAMS fine work and captivates readers on the first page. The Shadow Lord is a non-appearing villain in this book, much like the main villains in LORD OF THE RINGS and ERAGON & ELDEST, but Rodda makes up for it easily with Gorl the evil knight, the sinister Grey Guards and who could forget the absolutely wicked Prandine. This book is a true modern classic and will and should be remembered for years.

This is absolutely one of the best series. Sure they are short books. There are 15 books in all. The main story is Leif and his friends Barda and Jasmine have to go on a very important mission to save all of Deltora. I'm not going to give any of the plot away though!

I was rather surprised to see so many positive reviews of this book, but I guess I'm not the standard in this case.

When I bought this book I had never heard of Deltora Quest or Emily Rodda before and the only reason I paid money for it was because I wanted to read a marginally written children's fantasy. But this has nothing to do with my taste in books.

As I read it, I became increasingly embarrassed by the writing. The book's pace was unsettlingly quick so by page fifty the characters were already grown up and had families. It's meant as a children's story so the book is given some allotment of cheesiness, but it's taken to another level with the constant barrage of cliched phrases and cookie-cutter characters that are just plain boring. To be honest, it read like an unskilled preteen's idea of fantasy with a plot line thought up during third period math class.

The majority of my problem with this book doesn't lie with the plot because any plot can be made interesting with some crafty writing. This book didn't have crafty writing. The dialogue was weak at best and the occasional attempt at dated language was painful. The zooming plot line mixed with the excruciating descriptions make it hard to read.

I suppose in the end I got what I wanted, thus the two stars, but this book just isn't that good. Yes, it's a children's book and any child would like it, but even children deserve some quality writing and for a seasoned writer, this shouldn't be considered a huge success.

This is one of my favorite books from childhood! I especially love the way it reads in a sing-song manner. I purchased it along with others for a baby shower to help the new mom start her child's library.

I just love this book, its addictive! When choosing a book to read my daughter before bed I usually end up picking this one!

Great for pre-schoolers. Some of the rhymes are a bit forced but it is charming nonetheless. A very fun read!

This has become one of our favorite books for our 6 mo old son. Everyone thinks its funny when we read it, including him. If only he could eat the pages!

It bores my son after a couple of weeks and he's not yet three. At first though, he did really like it. Cute rhymes that are easy to remember, and he loved screaming the responses at first.

This book was hilarious from front to back! Most would consider this insightful, funny, and one could quickly forget that the author is speaking about a preppy cult! I can say that because I am southern belle, and people stereotype us southern's as well. I love the fact we all live in American and from East to West each culture is different! God Bless American.

I ran into this book in 1982, when I transferred from a small college to a major university-not because I wanted to be Preppy, but because how it had absolutely consumed the majority of the student body to BE as Prep as possible-and it couldn't be avoided, no matter how hard one tried to ignore it. While the book was meant to be somewhat satirical, the impact it had was huge at that time, increasing and encouraging an already present 'us VS them' mindset that I think persists to this day. It's a good book nonetheless, and I'm surprised that a updated/revised version hasn't come out by now. But I shudder at the possible impact that would have.

For those of us raised slightly below true "prep" status--good public schools, went to country club with friends (family too poor for own membership), prep clothes from consignment stores...this book helped us to fake it well. Everything in this book still holds...if one wants to fit into "good" society. Parts are good for a laugh, though, because in our thankfully diverse modern society, it seems antiquated to suggest that one needs to be either White, Anglo-Saxon, or Protestant (i.e., a WASP)to partake of the casually elegant prep lifestyle.

What an unexpected sum-up - I had a blast comparing all the parallels - its very true to preppy life - almost eerily so. from the moment I started this book I could not put it down - I ended up reading it in two sittings (it got late - 2am - and I had to get to sleep for squash).

This book is timeless. It was written before I was even born and much of it still holds true. Some of the references are dated, but most of the material is relevant and funny. It's a nice book to have out on your coffee table for guests to browse through for some light amusement.

I actually paid a little more for "nice" copy of the book. Perhaps it will be a collector's item someday. It is a perfect snapshot of the yuppie suburban family in the 1980's. Seeing as it was written in the EARLY 80's, the material was certainly ahead of its time. J.Crew is still selling madras today, and Lacoste polos are as ubiquitous as ever. The North Face has somewhat displaced LL Bean (mentioned a lot in the book as the "sporty" attire purchased for ski trips..etc). Also SUVs weren't yet on the scene when this book was published.

Christy Miller thought that returning home from an intense experience working at an orphanage in Switzerland would be relaxing. However, in AS YOU WISH, the second book in Robin Jones Gunn's Christy and Todd: The College Years trilogy, she finds that settling into life at Rancho Corona University is far more stressful than she ever could have imagined.

Christy was looking forward to finally getting to have a more active social life and spend much more time with close friends Katie and Sierra. However, with her parents telling her to get a job and her counselor suggesting she take more classes, it looks like Christy's schedule is going to be full. When long-time boyfriend Todd informs her that he has volunteered her for yet another activity, Christy reaches a breaking point.

As she tries to sort out her chaotic life, Christy soon realizes that her problems lie far beyond her weekend social calendar. With less than a year until she graduates, and a long-term relationship, Christy must finally make some bigger decisions --- decisions that will last a lifetime. She knows that Todd is in love with her, and has been for some time. In fact, she's pretty sure that he would be ready to marry her at any time. But something is still holding her back.

As Todd reveals more and more about his background and childhood, Christy feels closer to him than ever before but also realizes what different worlds they come from. When her first childhood crush from Wisconsin comes to town, Christy begins to wonder if she might be better suited to someone with a similar background, or if she's really ready to commit to anyone at all.

Confused about her romantic future, Christy must also deal with ongoing drama in her family. Her erratic Aunt Marti is threatening to leave her husband and join an "art colony"; Christy must try to stop her before it's too late. As she grows more and more sure of her feelings and intentions, Christy gets ready to make a big declaration. However, a tragic accident occurs before she can reveal her true feelings, and it may be too late. As Christy's friends and family gather at the hospital, she becomes painfully aware of just how important it is to express your feelings while you still can.

AS YOU WISH seems to be an attempt to combine the worlds of all of Robin Jones Gunn's characters into the ongoing storyline of Christy and Todd. For fans of the Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen series, this will certainly make sense. However, new readers will experience some difficulty following the many different characters and plot lines that are thrown into the mix. The story comes a long way from its predecessor --- from Christy considering breaking up with Todd, to thinking about marrying him.

Although this (presently) final series in the world of Christy Miller is not Gunn at her best, and relies on quite a bit of recycled material, it is still very readable and will undoubtedly keep fans satisfied.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

I loved this book to pieces. Christy struggles with saying 'I love you' to Todd, because she isn't sure of her love for him. She makes a sudden revelation that Todd is 'the one' and feels she is confident to say those three little words, until a tragic event happens, changing Todd and Christy's life forever. Christy is having a hard time finding when she can confess that to her beloved, especially when the life-altering accident occurs. Christy and Todd both grow closer to the Lord, and Todd discovers that it is his calling to work in the church. Christy helps, and discovers she is in her element as well. The very end is beautifully written, and wonderfully romantic and sweet, which is another event that changes both Todd and Christy's life forever. Grab the Kleenex box, the end will have you wiping your eyes.

I think these books are the best I've ever read! Once you pick it up, don't expect to put it down anytime soon!! I've read them over and over, and still love them. They're clean, focused on God, and have a sweet romance in them. I also recommend the Christy Miller series.

You won't want to miss these books!!!
~Hope

I was very happy with the shipping time and condition of the book. It actually arrived before the date given to me, so I was very pleased. I would definitely buy again.

I just finished this book and loooove it! It is sooo awesome how Christy and Todd work things out. And Todd is so creative at the end when he... oops i almost said it!! But I won't give it away! You have to read it for yourself to find out what a superb novel this is! It also helps if you have read the other books in the series first.

All I could think after reading this book was HOW DARE YOU!

How dare you make me laugh, cry, and and get so involved in the story that I had to read it all in one sitting.

I couldn't put the book down once I started it and my kids kept asking what was so funny every time I would break out into laughter. I'm glad that nobody was paying much attention, they would have seen tears between the smiles and thought I was going crazy. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster.

Peggy, Mister, and Missus were all very real from the beginning and it was as if I was watching their lives unfold in person.

CONGRATULATIONS! It's a wonderful book....
Now may I please have control of my emotions again?

I could write so much about this wonderful book but to sum it up, it's one of the best novels I have read in at least the last ten years. Everything is neatly intertwined, and the author makes the characters loveable but still fawed. This book shows how race differences should really be handled--with love. Congratulations to the auhor for doing such a magnificent job. I loved the book!

I was caught up in this book the second I read the back cover. How many novels do you know that actually make you feel like you're right in the story with them, that what's going on is real and true to life? Well, this one does, and I can tell you that after reading it, I had a whole new apprecaitation for racial differences. DeVincent-Hayes make this story real, and she made me look at what it might be like on the "the other side." I just love this story. I wish [...]would pick it up for her book club and her Harpo would make it into a movie, I cried and broke into laughter in so many places in this story. Peggy is such a likeable character, even with all her flaws. Mr. Ellen is just like James Earl Jones, and Mrs. Ellen is so cool. This is a wonderful family story.

Why is it that good books like this "22 Friar Street" aren't bestsellers? Is it because such a book isn't vulgar, profane, violent? Our society should want books like this that reflect on human relationships and show us not only in the good light, but also with all our flaws and shortcomings. The author of this book should win a Nobel for her superb writing skills and exceptional insight into humanity; more importantly, Oprah ought to celebrate it on her bookclub, and Ron Howard ought to make a movie out of it. It's a story that shows humanity in a clear light--what our expectations of each other are, what are stereotypes and preconceived notions consist of and how damanging they can be. Never have I ever run across a book that has gapped so many chasms as this book, such as blacks and whites, young and old, wealthy and poor, cultured and uncouth. This story just blew me away. In some places, I laughed so hard that people in the doctor's waiting room stared at me; in other places, tears rolled down my eyes. You have got to read this story! Great work, DeVincent-Hayes!

Whooowee! What a ride this story takes you on...unbelievable! Not only is it a roller coaster of a ride, but it has characters that you just fall in love with, even ol' meany Aunt Audrey who really doesn't hate Peggy after all. This book is like a wide beacon on dark seas because it shows how we can brighten up our beliefs and change society and fix all the inhumanity we often put on others. I loved Peggy and Mr/Mrs Ellen. This book sucks you in and keeps you glued to it without your even knowing it. Buy a copy for yourself; you won't be sorry. It's a true, wholesome family story and a quiet lesson in what it means to love each other despite cultural, racial, educational differences.

I read this book in high school...late 70's/early 80's. I see it's been rereleased. I loved it then and recently came across it while sorting through memorabilia so read it again and still love it. A truly timeless story that any girl who remembers the social and academinc pressures of high school can relate to. A must read!!!

I have read and re-read this book, along with the subsequent ones in the series (Snowy, Henrietta Snow, and recently The Husband's Bench) and never tire of them. I grew up in the 70's, but the town where I went to high school was very much a "small town", and was the town where my mother had grown up, gone to high school and yes, been a cheerleader in the 50's. Like Snowy, my childhood home now houses a business, our high school hangout was demolished, a new high school was built, and on and on. The characters in these books are so real that I always find myself loathe to finish the book and have to leave them. Snowy, Tom, Bev, Puddles, Charl, Darl, Dudley.... I feel like all of them are my friends. I cannot recommend this book, or the rest of the series highly enough.

My aunt lent me a copy of this book when I was about 15 years old. The Cheerleader came out before I was born and 2 of my aunts loved the story, so they felt sharing it with me was appropriate. I in turn passed it on to my friends and a revival of Snowy, Tom, Puddles and Bev began. Imagine the thrill of seeing a sequel 20 years later..Snowy! And then the books that followed "the gang". I haven't enjoyed this author's other stories (outside of the "Snowy") ones nearly as much as this, but once you read The Cheerleader, be sure to follow up with the rest of them!

Every once in a while a novel comes along that for some reason never seems to become a huge bestseller or make its author famous and renowned, but that is so note-perfect that the few who read it gobble it up like an addictive drug, pass it on to their friends (who never return the copy lent to them) and never forget it. THE CHEERLEADER is just such a novel. It captures right down to the smallest detail the way life was for an ambitious high-school girl growing up in a small town in New Hampshire in the 1950s. By doing so, it becomes a novel with which any woman (American, anyway) of any era can identify. Snowy's world, her parents, her school, her friends, her teachers, her hopes and her dreams are all drawn here with a truth that is almost painful. Once you read it, it stays with you forever...and you want more stories about her, which the author has supplied, thanks to fan demand, in the form thus far of SNOWY, HENRIETTA SNOW and, now, THE HUSBAND BENCH (which focuses on the life of Snowy's friend Bev, and which I have already pre-ordered). The book I can compare this to most is Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN--another example of a novel that hits a timeless chord with its readers yet, thanks to some strange quirk of fate, has failed to make its author as well known as she should be. If you've read TREE and haven't read THE CHEERLEADER and its sequels, do yourself a favor and start now. If you haven't read any of these books, what are you waiting for? Pull up a chair, a glass of your favorite beverage and lose yourself in the worlds of Francie and Snowy. It'll be some of the best reading time you've ever spent. Warning, though: don't lend out your copy of THE CHEERLEADER to anyone; chances are you won't get it back!

I first read this when I was 16, in the 1970s. I don't know how MacDougall got a drug-addled, school-vandalizing little punker to identify with a straight-A, student council member, 1950s cheerleader, but instead of resenting Snowy, I loved her and cared what happened to her. MacDougall does a fantastic job of giving the physical details of a 1950s adolescence: the smell of Noxzema and Cashmere Bouquet, the revolving fads of ice-cream bucket purses and turned-up collars. Maybe that's why I understood, even though my fads involved satin windbreakers, purple concert kits, and patchwork jeans: like Snowy, I simultaneously wanted to fit in with the crowd and to remain my own person. Ironically, by using the tiniest specifics of a mid-twentieth-century high school experience, MacDougall has given us a world and a character that readers from any era will somehow find recognizable.

I enjoyed this book very much. As other readers have commented, it really captures the WWII era, has beautifully written characters, and has a romanticism that is very reminiscent of F. Scott Fitzgerald. George Virdon is the sort that everyone would like to have as a friend.

My only real criticism of this book is the author's treatment of Chris and Nancy. Frankly, I became a bit nauseated by George's constant gushings about Chris's beauty, charm, etc. I realize that it adds to the books overall romanticism, but it got to be a bit much at times. This is only somewhat relieved at the end where she tells them all to stop putting her on a pedestal and treating her like the group's mascot. I also think the author's treatment of Nancy was a bit harsh. It seems like she does absolutely nothing right and while she and George aren't really right for each other, he could've been a little more even handed in his treatment of both characters. Nancy deserved kinder treatment and Chris needed a few flaws. It would not have robbed the books of its romantic flavor one bit. All of the other characters have a better balance of good and bad.

I also had to chuckle to myself when the younger generation tears into the older ones during the Harvard reunion. Boo-hoo for finding out the world is an imperfect place, kids. That generation, the Baby Boomers, is now running the show and is making a lot of the same mistakes that they used to rip on their elders about.

This is a great read, however, and it captures a generation that is quickly dying out.

I looked up this book because my dearly loved and tattered copy of the book I have read and reread over the years has finally gone missing, and I can treat myself to a crisp new copy to dive into again, read again, live again, love again.

I read "The Last Convertible" for the first time probably 20 years ago and I can still recite quotes, or passages, at any time. This book stuck with me.

Many other reviewers have stated very well what this book is about - 4 friends, Harvard, the War, the times they lived through. What I wanted to add is that this book truly stands out as a novel that you don't just read, you enter. The story shines a light on some remarkable people, but you feel that you know them, you are there. To some extent, like all remarkable works, you rethink your own life in context of the story, and it becomes part of you.

This story is a deep glowing ruby in my memory that still gives light and life to characters I know well. And I believe it always will.

I bought this book in hardcover form when I was 18 or 19. It sat on a bookshelf for a decade or more having never been read by me or anyone. Then it disappeared somehow through movings and such. Recently, some 25 years later, I found a used paperback copy at my local library and purchased it. This time I read it and kicked myself for days for having not read it so many years ago. I must agree with many of the other reviews. This is a wonderful book. Full of nostalgia and humor and so many other things. The characters become part of you and you don't want the book to end. I purposely did not read it quickly because I knew right away I was going to enjoy it. And I did. I love stories about nostalgia. I am nostalgic so I guess I identify with George. But all the characters are wonderfully illuminated by Mr Myrer and you feel like you know them personally. The use of the music of the 40's and 50's is great. A nice touch. Particularly if you love this kind of music. Which I do. A must read. Try it.

This book really encapsulates the experience of the World War II generation, and brings it alive for Boomers and Gen X readers. I would put this in the top twenty of the best novels I have ever read.

I first read this book probably 15 years ago, and I still pick it up and re-read it once in a while. It's so well-written, it makes me nostalgic for a time I didn't even live through! While it's about a group of college friends starting out in the 1940s, I think the story and its emotions are timeless enough to appeal to anyone. I saw parallels to my own experiences in college during the late 1970s, minus the war. The characters are so real, and they stay with you long after you've finished the book.