Burnett Books

Wolfwinter, written by Thomas Burnett Swann, is based on Greek mythology. Erinna, the heroine, falls in love with a satyr, conceives a child by him, and leaves her human husband when he threatens to expose the child to the wolves. She searches for the father of her child with the help of another satyr. It is a fascinating read, as are all the Thomas Burnett Swann books.

Works of Frances Hodgson Burnett. (35 Works). Illustrated collection. Includes: The Secret Garden, Sara Crewe, A Little Princess, Little Lord Fauntleroy ... biography and Stories in the trial version.

A Little Princess is one of the greatest children's stories of all time.

The copy I have of this book is an original 1941 edition, it belonged to my daddy who would've been 11 when he got it for Christmas. I grew up with these stories of John Henry with his cheeks full of railroad spikes, Paul Bunyan with his bee-squitos and Babe the Big Blue Ox. My favorite by far was always Johnny Appleseed (he was never looking for a fight). Just recently, my seven year old discovered Davy Crockett and has completely abandoned the high tech world of Star Wars and donned himself a coonskin cap and has been talking about trackin' varmints out in our 'wilderness'-the woods out back. Now, one needs to bear in mind that there was no such thing as 'political correctness' in 1941, so if you are ready to teach your kids honestly instead of sugar-coating the way things were then and how they've changed up to now, so do it. It also provides an opportunity to address environmental issues, race relations and cultural clash when the kids are ready and asking questions. In our house there is no sugar-coating, not everything has a Disney ending, understanding that sometimes the bad guy wins and maybe the good guy has some bad qualities. I've been reliving some great memories of sitting at my daddy's knee listening to his deep bass voice tell about John Henry and the rest of Yankee Doodle's Cousins...

Frances Hodgson was very fond of her own family garden, but when her family moved to the center of Manchester, she began to write stories as a way to escape the ugliness of her surroundings. She was inspired by the old rose garden at Great Maytham Hall in Kent, England, her second home.

In this story, Mary Lennox is living in India when cholera takes the life of her parents. She then travels to England to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor on the edge of the bleak Yorkshire moors.

Mary is used to being waited on hand and foot and she soon starts to feel lonely and becomes very unhappy living in a manor filled with a maze of dark passageways and tapestry walls.

Soon she ventures outside and finds the key to the hidden door of the locked garden which has been shut up for over ten years. Once Mary meets Dickon she tells him she has: "stolen a garden."

"When Mary entered the secret garden she found Dickon already kneeling on the grass working hard. "Oh, Dickon! Dickon!" She said. I'm so happy I can scarcely breathe." They ran from one part of the garden to another and found so many wonders that they had to remind themselves that they must be quiet. There was every joy on earth in the secret garden that morning, and then came the most delightful surprise of all. Swiftly something flew across the wall and darted through the trees to an overgrown corner." Pg. 33

Soon she finds another project. The rather spoiled Colin, who is crying pitifully. Mary bewitches him and soon he is reading pictures books. Dickon also becomes a friend and soon the three of them are out in the garden teaching Colin to walk again.

A story about how one person can change the world they live in for the better.

The Secret Garden
is the best one I have seen so far.

~The Rebecca Review

The story of a 'frightful little girl', whose point of view changes as she discovers the secrets of her new surroundings.
A well-written story at times, but it definitely had its draggy moments. It seemed to promise more than it delivered(I expected more of a fantasy tale, along the lines of 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.)
The characters were well-developed, though Colin kind of took over what had been 'Mary's story' toward the end.
Perhaps not the best 'classic children's lit' out there, but it shows how life was at the time it was written, and it's best not to give up on it because it's not entirely 'PC'. Judge for yourself.

This book is awesome. I loved the story of this two neglected kids that find each other. Both were mighty in their own ways, yet lonely in their soul. That is until she found the secret garden in her cousin's home. In it, it grew more than plants, their lives intwine with that of the flowers and they too bloom at the end. Beautiful story.
Anna del C.
Author of "The Elf and the Princess"
and "Trouble in the Elf City"
The Elf and The Princess: The Silent Warrior Trilogy - Book One (The Silent Warrior Trilogy)

This was my favorite book as a child. Still love it today. MUCH better than any of the movies made!

If there is a main character for the book it is Misselthwaite Manor. If there is a present theme is that we (metaphorically speaking) can all unlock our secret garden and make it grow and make a world which we can invite others into.

The story examines a series of characters from Mary Lennox, Dicken Sowersby, Martha Sowersby and of course Colin Craven as they find their lives revolving around the gardens and the moores of a place located in Yorkshire England as they find 'the magic' of the place managing to provoke life changing lessons for all of them.

Like her other book 'The Little Princess', the book starts off in India, and like 'Little Princess', Mary suffers the death of her parents and finds herself trapped in England but that is where the novels part ways. Instead we are immersed into a world of robins, flowers, gardens and shimmering fog and springtime activities. Mistress Mary is cast among a world she barely understand but must learn to survive in. She unlocks mysteries, gets new friends and changes the life of another -- Colin forever.

Both my daughter and I enjoyed the novel until the very end where it decays a bit into endless exposition as Colin begins his scientific experiments. The ending itself almost leaves open a sequel as several character issues find themselves a bit hanging in a lurch but the focus is not on any one single character -- mistress Mary pretty much drops out of the novel halfway through it. It is on the world around us and how it can change us if we let it. We all have beautiful secret gardens in all of us if we are willing to find them and share them with others and in the world of today, that's a great message.

I can't believe I missed reading this growing up. My daughter and I just read this together. It was wonderful, and we both loved it. She likes to read books over and over, and I think she will appreciate reading this even more when she gets a little older. She loved the idea of secrets, twins, and the transformation of Mary. Having not had similar experiences to the characters in the books, such as losing close family members, she didn't quite understand the concept of a person having to learn to love and cry.

I loved the symbolism of the young girl blossoming with the garden, the relationship she develops with her cousin, the flower imagery, and the many little details like the birds nesting in the chairs in the run-down part of the manor. The mystery of this story is also wonderful and very suspenseful.

I think many adults who missed reading this growing up would enjoy this book. And I think all children, both boys and girls, should read this at least once. It is an absolute treasure.

I know there are probably a lot of people that would gag on the sugary sweetness of this book, but as a book for little girls it is absolutely enchanting. Even as an adult I still adore its sweet little heroine and her bravery and goodness.

The story is about Sara, a pampered little girl who travels to New York to attend school whilst her father does his work. She begins as the gem of the school, the administration falling over her, or more precisely Daddy's money. Then tragedy strikes, and Sara is left as poor orphan shuffled to the attic with the rats and the servants.

Good think she has such spunk to get through this hard time!

Don't worry, it's not entirely eye-rolling. Sara truly develops as a precocious character. While she was never villainous, we see her become kinder and more aware of the misfortune in the world around her despite her own problems.

It's an enchanting, dramatic story full of rich character and Burnett's signature gorgeous writing.

This book is about a rightly raised little girl and how she turns out - nearly PERFECT. This goes to show parents to BE NICE TO THEIR dependant and helpless little kids - brats are raised by @sshole parents, NOT by kind and loving parents, as Sarah's dad had been. It is about a very serious battle of the Self. Sarah says to every one "me and you are the same. it just so happens that I was born rich and you born poor." It doesn't make us WHO we are." which is true, but then her self-doubt manifests "who knows? maybe I am kind and generous because I have everything I could ever want. I give someone 100 pence and I don't lose anything because I have many many more. maybe if I was poor or had to work I'd be cruel and just a total Miss Michnkin or something." Note: these quotes are not exact from the book.

at this, "the Magic" steps in so that she DOES become poor and wretched, and thus proves to herself that she is who she is BECAUSE SHE IS, NOT because of being rich and doesn't work. Being poor and wretched gives the child the opportunity to manifest her inate kindness in unprecedented ways, like giving other people food when SHE herself had been so cold, wet and very hungry. See, she could not have proven this to herself had she stayed rich, and she apparantly needed to. All in all, a beautiful story of truimph of good over evil, abundance over poverty, exuberance over stale bread, and self security over self doubt (which she didn't have before). A truimph of the SELF shown where it always begins in life - in childhood. We are used to seeing this type of stuff in adults but adults do NOT have the same battles as children do. For one, adults are not helpless, dependant, and our battles are not as serious life-and-death. so, whatever empathy we have for other adults, should be increased a thousand times for children, like this soldier this little girl. yeay!

Having been already exposed to both film versions of the book, I was finally curious enough to engage myself in this classic and this time with my seven year old daughter.

Needless to say this is a fairly direct departure from the films. Sara Crewe and her world is not the sappy musical world of Shirley Temple nor the melodrama of the more recent version. This is an exploration of character. Sara Crewe is struggling with her identity and the toolkit she had built up to cope with life and discovers that poverty and cruelty cannot repair a hungry stomach or a lonely heart. Readers may be surprised by the ending which is far less melodramatic than the film and frankly much better. This book is a more gentle Oliver Twist. It is a reminder to us all that we cannot hide from the torments of the world around us. Instead we must face the trials of society if we are to make them better.
At the end of the story, Sara learns the true meaning of being a Princess and the ending is as poignant as anything I have read for it is real drama based on real situations.

Just as a caution please be aware the language is a bit dated. The term 'queer' is used to describe strange long before other meanings were added on. The term 'oriental' and 'yellow man' were used as well but this is just a reflection of the time, not overt racism.

Good to see that readers are still enjoying this marvelous 1905 book which makes it a century old. Reminiscent of Dickens, but mercifully shorter, the prose flows in beautiful rhythms keeping young readers and readers like myself who are young at heart poised to keep on reading to find out what becomes of our tough little heroine.

Sara had a charmed life as an only and beloved child which fortified her through later immense difficulties as she fell from riches to rags. Her ability to tell stories and to help others saved her from the appalling treatment she received from the aptly named Miss Minchin. The author's own life (1849-1924) as a child parallels that of her heroine.

Young readers will find Sara a loving spirit to emulate. We are truly THERE with her on every page. When she eats her hot cross buns and tea we long for the same. Although drawn out at the end, the book ends at a surprising and perfect place.

My son and daughter were both enchanted by this story as I read it to them a few weeks ago. We all fell in love with Sara and her very active imagination. She inspired us to do good, as she did.

I thought it provided an excellent opportunity for us to discuss how important it is to treat others with respect, even when you think you will gain nothing from it. Sara seemed to be nothing more than a lowly pauper, but the man who chose to provide some beautiful things for the pauper next door was so immensely blessed by having done so. Conversely, Miss Minchin thought she could treat Sara in a humiliating demeaning fashion, but it ultimately brought her harm. Thus, there is value in being kind to everyone we meet. This point wasn't made in the story (I know that would turn some people off), I just thought it worth using the story to drive home the point.

Anyway, it is worth reading for more reasons than just that it is a great story, but it definitely is that.

It was by way of a fortunate accident that led me to this novel. I love B.K. because he is so outrageous. I'll admit I had to use my dictionary on occasion. That was because of his best characteristics, his clever wittiness and literary snobbishness. Who cares if he's not working, past his prime, has a psychiatric condition, is a homosexual, ugly, an alcoholic and alone. At times B.K. had me laughing out loud as he injects himself into his narration.

B.K.'s narration (I prefer storytelling) is flawless. As I read, I sensed this story wasn't essentially only about B.K., after all the title is "Christopher". The narrative of this novel on the back cover doesn't due justice to the words inside.

This novel is a must read for anyone (male, female, white, black, gay, straight and so on) who has suffered from a narcissistic parent as Christopher did. This story has a happy conclusion, as Christopher is victorious. His narcissistic mother is cut off.

I hope this novelist brings back B.K to tell more stories, as he (Allison Burnett) is a wonderful storyteller.

I've donated this book to my public library after I discovered they did not have a copy. I hope someone else with discover this gem.

I first read Christopher a couple of years ago, and just reread it again very recently. Allison Burnett is one of those rare writers who not only possess the skills of a master storyteller, but also possesses a unique and powerful voice. It is unusual these days to read a novel that truly tells a story and holds our interest. Particularly in these post-modern days of the self-serving self-conscious confessional, it is such a joy to read something that is so well-written and makes me laugh and holds my interest and makes me want to turn the page.
Christopher is the story of middle-aged BK Troop, an hilarious and loveable bipolar politically incorrect gay man with the desire to seduce his new neighbor, the young Chris from across the hall. What begins as a shallow and desperate ploy grows into something moving and deep, without ever losing its light touch. The ending took me by surprise, and I was shocked at its power. This book has been marginalized as 'gay fiction', and though I'm glad it has been given something of an audience, it is not about homosexuality, or seduction, so much as it is a meditation on art and beauty and the nature of true love told by a masterful writer, and I urge you to read it.

I came across a review of Allison Burnett's new novel (The House Beautiful) and saw that it was a continuation of Christopher. So I bought both books and started at the beginning. I absolutely loved this book. The writing is intelligent and witty, just like the main character, BK Troop. Thankfully, though, Burnett shows the vulnerable side of BK and the juxtaposition is hilarious. My only concern is that BK is no spring chicken in this book and I'd like him to stick around for awhile!

Burnett, Allison, "Christopher: A Tale of Seduction," Broadway Books, 2001


Get It Now

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

Some of you may look at the book information of this review and wonder why I a reviewing a book that is 6 years when there is so many new books coming out. There is a reason. You may remember that I not long ago reviewed "The House Beautiful" by Allison Burnett. You may also remember that I gave it a very good review. Allison Burnett, the author saw my review after I had also posted it on [...] and sent me a note thanking me for it. One thing led to another and we are now what is called [...] friends. In one of his emails to me he mentioned that he had written another book named "Christopher" and I asked him to send me a copy. Not only did he send me a copy but he autographed it. I surely hope he becomes famous one day and then I can tell everyone that I have an autographed copy. (Ah the joys of being a reviewer!!!)
So who is this Allison Burnett? Well as of yet I do not know a lot about him except to say that he is a really good writer, His novel "Christopher; A Tale of Seduction" was a finalist for PEN USA's fiction award and it was not only a critical success but became somewhat of a cult classic. It is now being developed into a feature film so run out and get a copy of the book so you can boast to your friends after they see the movie that the book is better. (Don't you love that?
"Christopher" is about the adventures of B.K. Troop (the same guy as in "The House Beautiful" but this comes before the second book). He is an alcoholic gay man who lives alone in New York. He is bipolar and not very exciting looking (as Burnett says "unattractive"---which is disastrous in gay circles). Now Troop has other qualities as well--he is erudite and possesses a sharp wit and he is very lonely. Troop feels fate has dealt him an ugly hand and he does not look forward to living an exciting life but all that changes when his new neighbor movies in. (Of course his neighbor's name is Christopher). Christopher is young, (25), idealistic and an "aspiring novelist" getting over a bitter divorce. He is also straight. (I am not sure that being straight has ever been a deterrent for gay men--it is rather a challenge.) B.K. is dying to seduce Christopher even knowing that he is straight.
"Christopher" the book is B.K`s retelling of his yearnings to seduce Christopher but it also chronicles Christopher's coming of age, Christopher's main goal is to find meaning in his life and he earnestly travels a journey that he hopes will lead him to that goal. Along the way he has several misadventures--a bout with New Age philosophy, involvement in politics, failed attempts to start his first novel and a crush on a married waitress, all at the same time that he is trying to get away from a dominating mother who has plans to keep him as hr little boy.
So is B.K. successful in his seduction? That is for you to find out because I am not telling. I will say that the humor gets darker as the book progresses.
There is great dialog in the book and I found that once I began it, it was very difficult to close the covers. In fact, I did not close them. I turned off the phones, ignored the doorbell and missed teaching two classes because I was so engrossed in the book. Now that I have closed the covers, I can't get what I read off of my mind. Aside from the great and sparkling dialog and the wonderfully created characters, the story line is wonderful. Written in crisp prose, this is a book that will have you both laughing aloud and under your breath.
If you want to be more hip and cooler than the rest of your crowd, get yourself out and find a copy of this book. Then you can boast about it. The quick wit will bite you hard, the story will take you in and you will laugh your head off.

B K Troop, the narrator, may not be physically attractive, he is gay, scheming, and yet has a certain style and a sharp wit. Initially he does not appear an endearing character, and it is hard to sympathise with his aim of seducing his new young attractive straight neighbour, Christopher. But as the story develops one can't help but be drawn to him, as he unwittingly learns as much about himself as he does about his quarry through his predatory intentions and plotting. I found this a funny and worthwhile novel.

They don't seem to require reading classic literature in the schools any more, so I decided to build a library for my 12-year old granddaughter. She has read them all, including this one, so it wasn't a bad idea. Now, if I could just get her to call her old grandfather more often....

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I purchased The Jungle Books. I am familiar with Disney's story of Mowgli, but was very unfamiliar to all the volumes and the other stories. These stories were very interesting and moving -- the stories of Mowgli were exciting, and I loved The White Seal, Rikki-Tikki, and all of the others as well. What a great collection.

Since it appears that Amazon is combining the reviews for several versions of this book under one, I want to stipulate that I've read the Barnes & Nobel Classic version.

Actually comprised of 2 books, The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book, this is a collection of stories surrounding the jungles of India. A central character is Mowgli - a boy left in the jungle when his parents are frightened away and who is raised by wolves. His adventures as he grows up in the jungle are intriguing, frightening, enchanting, and certainly adventurous! This is NOT Disney! The way Kipling presents this material, it is easy to suspend belief and one could believe a boy was raised amongst the animals.

There are a host of other stories in each books that have nothing whatsoever to do with Mowgli, and that is fine. A couple even take the reader out of the jungle and into the frozen north - talk about a change of scenery! Still, Kipling keeps the reader fully engaged with the lives of animals and the effects of their environment.

A book of true escapism, but certainly not "just" for adults or children. Though the language might be a little more difficult to follow for younger children, older children should be able to stretch their imagination. And adults can fully appreciate the language of Kipling, which is rich and descriptive.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!

The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895) are collections of children's stories and related poems by Rudyard Kipling, the Briton who was born in and loved India, and who wrote these stories while living in Vermont. The stories are written as fables, and teach some moral lessons. They are probably Kipling's best-known works.

Many of the stories in both volumes feature Mowgli, the child raised by wolves who becomes master of the jungle (the first three stories in The Jungle Book are very obviously the inspiration for the 1967 animated Disney film). Most of the other stories are also set in India, although "The White Seal" in The Jungle Book and "Quiquern" (which is about Inuits) in The Second Jungle Book are exceptions. In nearly all instances, Kipling anthropomorphizes the animals; they speak, and are always prominent characters.

Kipling does a good job of writing in the fable style, although he doesn't always keep things moving at a good pace, and so some stories are more engaging than others.

There is a subtle racism throughout both volumes. Kipling was a staunch imperialist (he wrote the poem "The White Man's Burden" - this phrase has been used by imperialists since to justify imperialism as noble), and when humans feature in these stories, English whites are often presented as culturally and intellectually superior to the native Indians. This racism is still relevant, as it indicates a popular attitude of the day.

Ultimately, the Jungle Books are well worth reading. They have, perhaps deservedly so, achieved a prominent place in the pantheon of children's literature.

Rather than being raised by apes, it is wolves that fulfill for the family role for the young boy Mowgli after he escapes being tiger snacks.

Shere Khan will continue to be his antagonist, and he will gain advice and assistance from other jungle denizens as he grows to manhood.

This also has the pretty cool heroic mongoose tale Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

I did read the beginning and decided to take it a month at a time (giving me a chance to read other books).
It would seem that the author's idea of frantic and mine are quite different. I read through January and most of what I read did not apply to me. Perhaps I'm not a normal wife/mother/employed person. I guess I was looking for something else.
But I no doubt will finish this book in hopes that I will find something I can use.
You may be different. Perhaps I was just trying to organize my social life vs my home life.

My first thought upon picking up this book was that I was NOT frantic... just sort of continuously running at a low level of mild panic. I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did. I was afraid this book would lecture me about being a perfect wife and mother (ha ha ha), but I found this was not the case at all. Instead of coming off like My Mom, I got a definite "girlfriend vibe" from the authors. For someone like me, the habit of planning ahead to avoid being overwhelmed later on is something utterly foreign and has to be learned. I'm one of those people who loves concise little tips - easier for me to digest and remember - and I've found the tips in the book to be very helpful and creative. Though my children are mostly grown now, I still have a lot of challenges for running my household and my life in general. I got the book at the beginning of 2005, and I think there is hope for me. I'm not quite ready to do "Christmas in July," but I think with the help of the Frantic Women I may actually get it done on time in December for a change!

As a professional writer, I've learned that if I say: "I'm going to write Chapter 1 today," chances are it won't get done. BUT, if I give myself a goal of "I'm going to outline Chapter 1 and flesh out my characters," I have a much better chance of accomplishing that "do-able" goal. Well, this book is the hallmark of listing do-able tasks--nothing overwhelming, nothing particularly difficult--but all designed to make your life less hectic, less distraught and of course, less frantic! So what if you don't get through the entire list?!? The authors understand you very well may not--but even if you don't, they're supportive and encouraging. You feel as if you're being helped--not lectured to or berated.

This is definitely a hands-on book, so feel free to break the binding, mark off the checklists (live dangerously--do them in green ink!) and even make liner notes as you add your own items to their checklists. And if you've misplaced your bookmark, don't fret. Bend the page to mark your place.

The authors will understand!

I would buy it again. It covers every month of the year from school papers to dust on the molding to your makeup and fashion to organization

This is a book that can be of help to frantic folks,both female and male. I first heard of it around the Christmas holiday, and it was helpful in sorting out the growing number of tasks that my wife Chris and I want to do, and to do that during the absence of the sun in our home town of Barrow, Alaska.
For example, maintaining and updating the Christmas card list is always important, but especially in the far north where blizzards and other weather can slow even the postal service.
Baking ahead is also important, because our one general store can run out of key ingredients just when you need them.
The authors also include the spiritual focus on Christmas, and hints at low-tech, low-cost ways to share the real meaning of Christmas with friends and family.
This practical, easy-to-read book continues with tips and approaches to chores and the like by month through the year, including -"Tax Time."
Also a growing concern - "The responsibility of caring for aging relatives."--including "Be respectful of their needs and wants" There is a tradition among the Inupiat Eskimo people of taking very good care of the elders, and respecting them. When we all become "aging relatives," we'll certainly want that, so let's give it now.
And let's not forget pets --dogs, cats, hamsters and more
The book includes "Planning a neighborhood dog show"
Here in Barrow, we'd have a lot of Huskies and even some sled dogs, but it would be fun!
A great book to read, from Barrow to Key West. Enjoy!
Earl

This book was first published many years ago but is still the outshines every book in my cookbook library of about 20 books. I've been using it for 10 years already because the recipes use whole grains and flours and other healthful ingredients in recipes that work with results that are super.

I like the recipes. They have all turned out very good. They are easy to make. I like the instructions in the front. They explain what each ingredient does and where to find it at. I only wish that the book was spiral bound. It would be a lot easier to keep it open while you cook.

Every recipe I have tried from this book has been delicious. The whole wheat recipes produce a loaf that is light, soft in texture & delicious. And they rise like white bread.

Most recipes include whey and/or gluten, neither of which is particularly healthy in their refined state.

I agree with another reviewer who mentioned that half of the pages in the book could be eliminated by listing the ingredients for both one and one and a half pound loaves on the same page.

There is not better smell in a house on a cold winter's day than baking bread. Nothing better to serve with a meal than hot, fresh baked bread. We back a lot of bread at our house during the colder months and I've been going back to this very good bread book for over five years now and I'm sure I'll be using it for five more.

Yesterday I did up the raisen bread on page 109, very tasty as are many of the bread receipes in this book. You know, I used to bake bread the old fashioned way before my hubby got me the bread machine for Christmas a couple years before the turn of the millinum, but I have to confess I didn't do it anywhere near as often as I do now. The machine was a gift I didn't know I wanted, or needed. But it's a gift I use often and if you're a lover of hot bread, it's a nice little machine you'll use often too and if you do, this book will go with it like a hand to a glove, a duck to water, and any other nice cliché you can think of.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne