E Books

A number of reviewers of this book have compared Benson's ghost stories to Montague Rhodes James - justifiably, since they were probably the two greatest Victorian authors of supernatural short stories after Sheridan LeFanu and Algernon Blackwood. But there are also differences, some subtle and some less so. For instance, James's stories, drawing heavily from his own experience, frequently have a whiff of the ecclesiastical or academic about them, while Benson's tend to center on the middle-class, often somewhat smug Englishman going about his daily routine with no greater concerns than what to have for dinner and what seaside resort to spend the summer in. James's supernatural creatures are almost always malignant and frequently solid, as in "Canon Alberic's Scrapbook" or "Mr. Poynter's Diary", while Benson's, while they can be heard, felt and occasionally smelt, tend to be more traditionally misty and sometimes more anguished than malevolent. As the useful introduction by Richard Dalby points out, the trademarks of Benson's stories (overbearing fathers, malice-filled women, men whose closest friendships seem to be with other men and for whom love of the opposite sex has disastrous consequences) tell us a great deal about him as a person, whereas about all one gets about James from his stories is that he had a great love of ancient manuscripts, was religious and was a profound scholar.

Another difference is that while James occasionally shows a bit of dry irony, Benson more clearly has a sense of humor. As other reviewers mentioned, he frequently inserts psychic interludes dealing with mediums, seances, and somewhat exasperated spirits, but he also points out that the mediums and seances depend on fraudulent tricks (especially in "Mr. Tilly's Seance," where the disembodied spirit itself gets irritated at the medium's chicanery). His attitude seems to be that mediums and spiritualists are less to blame than those who swallow their bait - if you want to believe that Aunt Martha has nothing better to do with her afterlife than answer your impertinent questions, he seems to say, don't ask me for sympathy! In stories like "Spinach," he betrays a clear affection for the likable young sibling mediums, even if they are clearly at least partly frauds. And in one of the book's most hair-raising stories, "How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery," centering on an ancient murder that will make any parent's skin crawl, he argues that the attitude of the other-worldly apparition may depend on how you approach it, not the other way around.

Having said that, the one thing James and Benson have in common that separates them from lesser hack writers is that in both cases, the persons who tell the story are likely to be pottering along in their daily lives, totally oblivious to signs of trouble, when something sudden and terrible comes out of the darkness and either almost overwhelms them and carries them off, or actually does so, never more terribly than in "The Face." For those whose acquaintance with Benson may be restricted to "Mrs. Amworth" and "The Man Who Went Too Far," both frequently reprinted in anthologies, this book will open up a whole new, and somewhat frightening, world.

Benson was a good friend of classic ghost-story writer M.R. James, and was among those present that Christmas Eve when James read aloud his first ghost stories.

Benson didn't have the genius or the highly literate background of James, but he did know how to write a good ghost tale, and he did just that. His stories, as has been mentioned elsewhere, deal largely with a man or two men going on holiday and finding horror instead. Women often get the worst of it in his stories, either being innocent victims or horrifyingly evil antagonists; it doesn't often happen that a woman in one of his stories is a regular person who helps to solve whatever mystery is entangling the characters.

One classic in the misogynist vein is "The Room in the Tower", in which a young man experiences a recurring nightmare of visiting a school friend, whose frightening mother always speaks the same words: "Jack will show you to your room; I've given you the room in the tower." Our protagonist knows that he must, at all costs, avoid that room, but he always awakes before the evil inside can overcome him.

"The Step" is one of the finest ghost stories ever written, about a heartless English businessman in Egypt who begins to hear someone following him down the street, at night... and what happens when he confronts his pursuer.

For those who, like me, love the ghost stories of the Victorian and Edwardian era, this is a must.

E.F. Benson, perhaps best known for his amusing 'Mapp & Lucia' comedy-of-manners stories also wrote a respectable body of ghost stories which are gathered together in this excellent omnibus anthology. All make for quality reading as examples of the English supernatural genre but a few stand out as darkly-luminous masterpieces, unforgettable in their haunting hold upon the reader and written with real verve. 'The Room In The Tower' is an undeniably chilling narrative of vampirism featuring a truly terrifying female revenant - the words spoken recurrently by Mrs Stone to the protaganist: "Jack will show you to your room: i have given you the room in the tower" are enough to instil a frisson of pervasive dread every time one reads this story. 'The Sanctuary' is a delectably macabre tale of damned souls and secret diabolism at an English country house complete with a hidden Satanic chapel for nocturnal celebrations of Le Messe Noir. 'The Man Who Went Too Far' unfolds by awful degrees the seductive but injudicious immersion of an artist in the deeps of nature mysticism which can only culminate in the most hideous revelation of truth and the sign of the cloven hoof - it is marvellously written, exquisite prose and descriptive passages and has a most beguiling undercurrent. 'The Cat' likewise is utterly engrossing and 'Mrs Amworth' stands as a unusual classsic of the vampire tale. But these are just a few of the delights this packed volume offers to the curious reader, there are many other marvellous tales to cause one to look over one's shoulder as the clock strikes twelve and a sighing midnight wind scrapes the twigs of an overhanging bough against the window. Quintessentially English, wrought with a delicious lightness of touch and a hint of a stylish insouciance but nevertheless conveying a genuinely disturbing charge of the uncanny these tales will be read again and again. E.F.Benson's contribution to the field of supernatural terror is of a very high standard. This anthology is well-worth obtaining.

I have been soaking up horror anthologies like a sponge for well over two years now. I would have thought I would tire of them, but I just can't get enough of the atmosphere and the gloom these types of tales relate.

My current favorite is this dense book compiling the supernatural tales of E.F. Benson. At the moment I am only about of a third of the way through. Perhaps I should wait until I finish, but judging by the variety of stories here, I feel safe to say that I highly recommend this hefty volume.

Many may find some of these tales a little dated, for science may have disspelled a few of the subjects covered. But for the most part these are timeless tales, rich in description, drenched in dark moods and never failing to surprise with the seemingly endless ways Benson appears to construct a solid ghost story cleverly and elegantly.

I'm not given to superlatives, but I find it hard to express anything to say about this book where superlatives or comarisons to the greatest writers of this genre without seeming trite. There ARE a few contemporary authors of the Victorian-Edwardian Era, which the Benson Brothers bridged, who have a story or even several better than many in this collection, but just mentioning these names says more about how great E.F Benson is- I'm talking about J.S Le Fanu, M.R James, Villiers D'Isle Adam and in the modern era, the list is even more impressive: Flannery O'Conner, Thomas Liggoti, Clive Barker, Issac Bashevis Singer and Peter Straub(who has quietly taken over the crown as America's Horror Short Story king with two masterpieces "Houses Without Doors", "Magic Terror" and several novellas masquerading as novels). I urge you to read E.F Benson's Book of Ghost Tales, then demand that some publisher do a public serviced and re-publish Benson's two nearly(?)as talented brothers R.H and A.C Benson who, from the few tales I've read in anthologies and old magazines may well be as good or,dare I say it?...even better.

I bought about ten of these because they are so easy to carry around and are printed with easy to read type and sell at a very good price. I have many other editions of Shakespeare's plays but these are perfect for what I wanted. I have lots of other editions with introductions, evaluations, etc. and I don't really need that in my bag. These editions are a great way to read the plays without carrying around five pounds of book!

this is shakespeare's most accessible comedy. it's a farce about mistaken identities among identical twins. nothing complicated here. the play has it's funny moments. it's not the bard's best comedy; that's 'much ado about nothing', imho. but this is not a bad place to start.

Shakespeare's vision grew tremendously over the course of his writing career. However, this play demonstrates that his uncanny power as an artist grew quickly and was present in some form from the very begining. It is exceedingly hard to buy the common notion that this was his first comedy when it is so much better than "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" in nearly every way. The dialogue is fast paced and screamingly funny. The characters interesting if broad and there are some surprising touches that, aside from being interesting in and of themselves, point down the road to later, darker comedies. Chief among these is the amazing opening, perhaps still unequaled in all comedy for the level of grimness. These are the first words uttered in a play long seen as a kind of sitcom of Shakespeare's plays: "Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, and by the doom of death end woes and all." The speaker is Egeon, a merchant about to be put to death for simply coming from the wrong country. The whole first scene feels like a cloud is hanging over it and there is a sense of fear-infused urgency that catches the mind off guard and makes the joyous, lunatic story all the more welcome while at the same time coloring it with real drama, making it all the more exciting. To be sure, there is little real depth and much of the play is like a sitcom but only the best of sitcoms and perhaps "Monty Python" at their most absurd is a better comparison. The plot is well chosen (from the Roman comic dramatist Plautus) and well handled. For some reason the play is not well known even among the early comedies which is a shame. It is probably the best of them, even surpassing the wonderful "The Taming of the Shrew". Aside from being an easy read, keep in mind the play is good to perform as it holds up well and doesn't suffer from being tinkered with. I've seen one production that was mostly straightforward but did a few weird things that worked like magic. They would've sunk almost any other Shakespeare comedy. I must also mention the last moment between the two clowns. It is as heart-warming and humane as it is funny. The master is already present AND growing. Do yourself a favor and pick up this play, you'll laugh your head off!

I recently re-read THE COMEDY OF ERRORS prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this farce-like play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Based on Menaechmi by Plautus, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) produced this romantic comedy between the years 1592-93 and published it in the First Folio in 1623. While on its surface this early play may seem superficial and frivolous when measured against KING LEAR or HAMLET, it is not without its own unique depths. It also shows that the Bard had a sense of humor. It tells the hilarious story of two, identical twin brothers (Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus) and their identical twin servants (both named Dromio), all of whom were separated at sea during their infancy until redisdovering each other through a series of madcap mix-ups, mayhem, and mistaken identities in the apparently insane town of Epheseus. Meanwhile, Egeon (the father of the Antipholus twins), has been granted a day to raise local ransom for illegally entering Ephesus. In that day, the separated twins are reunited, Antipholus of Ephesus pays his father's ransom, and Egeon discovers his long-lost wife (Aemilia) living in the local priory. In the end, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS is as much about the power of family as the search for completing oneself. It is a play that reminds me that it is perhaps better to re-read and understand Shakespeare than to devour one bestseller after the next.

G. Merritt

One of the problems that great artists present to us is where to begin in getting to know their works. Their masterworks are often so full of what they have spent a lifetime developing that most of it is lost on those who have not yet put in a significant amount of effort becoming familiar with that artist's style and means of expression. Yet, if one begins with their apprentice works one may become discouraged because they lack the miracles of the masterworks. So, where does one begin?

Shakespeare offers the reader an additional challenge of an English that is removed in style and idiom from us by 400 years. It is not an insurmountable challenge. In fact, it is quite easy to overcome with a bit of time reading it and getting into the flow. It just seems strange in the beginning, but it really does become easy to read once you spend some time with it. However, getting over that small hill has kept many from enjoying the glories of Shakespeare.

This play, "The Comedy of Errors", is clearly an early work. It has many virtues, but despite them it does not offer much of what we really value in Shakespeare. It is a very fine play and is constructed very well. It is a wonderful first work to read of Shakespeare because it is short and has a very simple plot. The new reader does not have to spend much effort contemplating characters or the immense subtlety of language of the great works. Its charms are direct and what it has to offer is pretty much on the surface of the words.

The plot is, like all farces, ridiculous. It involves twin brothers who are served by twin slaves. They are separated early in life and when the play opens one set does not know the other exists. One set (the Antipholus and Dromio from Syracuse) visits Ephesus where the other set (the Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus) lives. The play involves people confusing the two sets to the bewilderment of those suffering from the confusion. It really is quite funny. Of course, eventually, all is resolved to everyone's delight.

This edition, like all of the individual editions Arden offers of these plays, has a wonderful opening essay that offers a great deal of background on the play including a discussion of its performance history, sources, and discussion of the play itself. The appendices in the back offer excerpts from the sources and some brief information on the Gray's Inn performance of 1594.

If you desire to study Shakespeare and are willing to spend time reading many of his plays, "The Comedy of Errors" is a good work to start with just to ease into the language and get a feel for some of the conventions of Elizabethan theater. Just don't stop here. Shakespeare has so much more to offer that you owe it to yourself to continue your exploration of this supreme artist.

He likes it!

This is essentially a book on traditional Taoist Yoga for health. The well-known exercises are all included: Five Animal Play, Eight Brocades, etc. Also included are the Chi/Energy theory and the Chakra/Hormonal theory.
There are specific exercises for various health conditions, like losing excess abdominal fat (belly rubbing) or eye exercises (which I appreciate, being a pretty avid reader). There are also some breathing exercises and meditations for those who have advanced past the health exercises.
One additional comment I can make is that the traditional exercises (Five Animal Play & Eight Brocades) seemed simpler and made more use of
imagination than the forms of these exercises you commonly see today (1986 vs 2008). Overall, a good book, which I'm glad I bought.

This book is an absolute gift for the spiritual seeker, and anyone else who wants to maintain a calm, vital good health.

It's also a book that is not without its problems, and perhaps I ought not to give it the full five star rating. The reason I have done so is that this is the only volume I have found that contains such a huge amount of helpful stuff all in one place, things that really have made a difference in my life. Perhaps there are other places to get this information but I don't know them, I have never seen precisely this combination of exercises and ideas. The things that work in this book have become indispensable to me.

What you get in this book is a system of 'Internal Exercises', as Chang calls them. These mostly consist of simple movements and breathing. The nearest thing you could compare them to is qigong or tai chi, but they are *not* qigong or taichi, nor of course yoga or anything like that. The purpose of internal exercises is to give you energy, as opposed to orthodox exercise which takes energy away. They are designed to make you stronger, more harmonious, and better supplied with vitality.

There is a small amount of theory and then Chang goes right into the exercises. The first section of these, 'Living with the Whole Body', is by far the largest section of the book. Here you find a number of movement sets (five animals, twelve nerve exercises, etc.), three important foundational exercises (deer, crane and turtle), and a large number of other exercises covering the head, all the internal organs, and individual issues such as head or stomach aches, lower back pain, abdomen strengthening, meridian massage and so forth. Again all the moves are simple.

In the other section of the book, "Advanced Living", there are more advanced exercises, sometimes with a more meditative aspect. Finally, Chang finishes off with 'Immortal Breathing' which he describes as a very advanced form of sitting energy work, although it takes only a couple of pages to outline.

So much for the content. The important question is, does it work? And the answer frankly is that, for me, yes it does - but as I mentioned, I'm not without strong reservations, so I want to be very specific about what works versus what doesn't, and what is correct versus what isn't.

Number one, Chang sees himself as the transmitter of a huge tradition and therefore comes across as a bit of a knowall. He makes statements that are only half-true. For example, he states right at the beginning of the book that the Internal Exercises are 'not another form of meditation, because the objective of the most popular forms of meditation is to "empty" the mind - inactivate the mind. The mind cannot be emptied, for directing it to do so is itself an activation of the mind."

Well this is seriously untrue of course! As anyone who has ever meditated will tell you. But even more important, it is very very ironic that Chang would take this line, because I can tell you right now, if you have trouble with meditations from other traditions, and *especially* if you have trouble emptying the mind, the exercises in this book are *by far* the best thing I have found to help you do it. If you just can't relax the mind, if you want to do self-hypnosis or astral projection but you can't get your body to relax or control your mind or emotions - buy this book and do the exercises for a while. I guarantee this will help, and with blanking the mind not least - which obviously is really possible, needless to say, whole buddhist sects have been organized around such exercises and they do have real value.

Ironically Chang obviously represents a strain of taoism that does not focus on training the mind and is more 'medical' in its approach, but many forms of taoism do train the mind. There is nothing AT ALL anti-taoist about meditating to still the mind (read 'Opening the Dragon Gate' if you don't believe me). And of course it is amongst the most wonderful things you can do with your mind, to still the movement of thoughts - if you ever manage to do it properly you will see why it's so wonderful.

Chang is right to say that bad meditation practices can have very detrimental effects on health, but he is very wrong to say that, because of this, meditation should not be done! And he veers close to implying exactly that, based I think on zero experience. And there are other comments throughout this book where Chang plays similarly fast and loose with the truth about spiritual development in my opinion - have a care therefore to develop your own opinions when reading his.

This leads me into another problem with this book, namely, it is not authentically taoist in many ways. Particularly the movement sets at the beginning - zodiac, animals, etc. - aren't great. The 'Pieces of Brocade' have been treated elsewhere much better if that is what you are into. Also Chang focusses alot on the endocrine system and his 'big finale' Immortal Breathing is nothing more than a kind of yoga in my opinion - in other words he uses the endocrine system like yogis use chakras, in seven rising levels. Don't the taoists prefer to talk about their 'tan tiens' etc.? Well there's nothing about them here! :) And vice versa, working with seven rising levels of energy hasn't got anything taoist about it. So I don't see Chang as the purveyor of any kind of advanced spirituality. Frankly taoist energy work without tan tiens seems kind of laughable to me.

I'm no expert, but I don't think this is real taoism in actual fact, in any advanced sense. Chang *says* it is, and that the advanced things here are true taoist continuations of the basic stuff he sets out. I think he's totally wrong to claim that. If you want to work with advanced techniques for spiritual purposes you should look elsewhere, and in my opinion, you might as well look at Franz Bardon as at a taoist. My point is, these exercises are great basic conditioning for *any* spiritual practice - but they are not really a spiritual practice in themselves. They are just an intro. (I certainly don't do the exercises to 'be a taoist' - I do them because they work.)

So the 'advanced' stuff you will have to look for elsewhere, BUT - the basics on offer here in terms of the simple movements and breathings will have a real strong effect on your life. It's that simple, *those* work. I especially recommend the deer/crane/turtle triumvirate and adding in the solar plexus, then gradually any other organs etc. You will find that in a few months your health and vitality increase, and your ability to concentrate - at that point, do some meditating and see how easy it is, you will have put yourself ahead.

At the price you can get this book for nowadays, don't miss it. I'm about to get hold of some other Chang books, and I fully expect the same mix of useful stuff with over-egged 'orthodoxy'... I'll definitely review those too but it will take me a while as I like to test these things thoroughly. I've had this book two years before reviewing it, as there is no way to really get thoroughly acquainted with a book of this kind any quicker.


[PS Amazon is not treating this book well - all reviews for it should go to the pages for all editions of the book.]

I got this at a library discard sale for $[...], and was sooo pleased that I'd found it at such a discount, and practiced the exercises for several months -- and they were no help. The exercises are tedious to learn (solar plexus exercise, 12 directional exercises), and were not helpful, even after doing them religiously for about 2 months. One exercise, clacking the teeth, my dentist (who is Asian) said it cracks/"crazes" the teeth, and does not make them stronger as the author claims. The author does not say how long a typical exercise routine should be, nor does he say how long it takes before results are seen. Chinese exercises are foreign to Americans, and it's tedious to learn them and disappointing not to see results within two months. I could not find several of the exercises online, even under different descriptions (such as the 12 directional exercises), which made me question whether the author invented them or several others. Even worse, the publisher, Tao Publishing [...], claims that a section of the book was cut (it dealt with rubbing the stomach for better digestion), and said they'd send the complete cut section if I filled out a form that required my workplace phone number, job title, and other details that seemed intrusive. I didn't trust them, and I don't trust this book -- or the author. Sorry.

I've had this wonderful book for over 10 years, but only really began to apply the Internal Exercises after a trip to China. I saw a Qi Gong demonstration there and was very impressed, especially by the fact that the Qi Gong master looked all of 25 years old (I'm sure he was in his 40's at least). I began to practice Dr Chang's set of exercises faithfully on returning from the trip and have experienced increased energy, suppleness, better sleep, and clarity of mind. I was able to abandon my use of prescription antihistamines for allergies and now have no symptoms whatever. My nightly headaches, which were requiring nightly Tylenol, have also resolved. My endurance in sports, particularly alpine skiing, has increased without requiring increased preparatory workouts; and if I am diligent at doing the exercises after a workout, I experience no stiffness or soreness (something I'm starting to appreciate as an aging Baby Boomer!).
Dr Chang is clearly familiar with both Asian and Western medicine, science and culture. Although his book is very clearly written, practical and accessible, the depth of knowledge concealed in its deceptively simple language is profound. The exercises themselves are for the most part quite easy to perform (some of them do require much effort and perseverance to master, but are not physically taxing). What is quite reinforcing about them is that they produce an almost immediate sensation of energy flow in the body. They feel GOOD to perform. They struck me as being almost like a cross between yoga and tai chi, but they are certainly neither (as Dr Chang points out) and they are much less complex.
Dr Chang's other books are excellent as well!

I purchased this book recently. I have found the information in it simply amazing. Within a few days I have noticed an overall sense of well being and improvement to my health. And no I am not connected to the author in any way. It is just a very good book.

This is an important and well written book about a hidden crime of the modern world. The author is brave and smart as well as street wise beyond imagining in his pursuit of information and illustration of the current status of slavery in the world.

The work is full of revelations that will educate, shock and dismay the readers. It should be widely read and understood, and could be useful in college level economics and sociology courses equally.

Benjamin Skinner traveled around the world to witness firsthand the drudgery, abuse and depravity of modern-day slavery; he probably saw a good deal more than could fit into his book, which is an unsparing account of just how horrible and widespread slavery is. Skinner's writing is evocative. He brings to life various places around the globe including Haiti's cities and countryside, Romanian slums, the desert of Sudan, night clubs in Dubai, rural mines in India, and a well-to-do American suburb; his descriptions of human degradation, cruelty and greed are sickening. He talks to slaves (both current and former), slave traders, slave owners, anti-slavery activists, and government officials; throughout the book he also tells the story of U.S. official John Miller and his uphill and exhausting battle against slavery worldwide. To get some of his stories Skinner actually had to pose at various times as a potential slave buyer, and he briefly touches on the ethics of that choice (as well as his decision not to buy people's freedom from slave traders).

He succeeds in conveying the complexity of slavery, how and why it continues to exist and the various forms that it takes. In addition to the harrowing accounts of slaves themselves, he writes about the role that individuals, institutions, cultural norms and socioeconomic factors play in the perpetration of slavery and the creation of circumstances and conditions that allow slavery to flourish. It's frustrating to read about the way governments around the world turn a blind eye to slavery, even while paying lip-service to the idea of fighting it and upholding human dignity. The UN's record on this issue is unsurprisingly disgraceful as well. Skinner relates how UN officials, for political reasons, often refuse to refer to slavery as slavery (preferring terms such as 'abduction', for instance), and half-heartedly spend money on anti-slavery initiatives that are proven failures (he also discusses the complete farce that is the UN Human Rights Commission).

The book is detailed, complex and approaches slavery from different angles. In addition to discussing commercial sex slavery, his book brings to light agricultural, industrial and domestic enslavement (where, in addition to backbreaking work for no pay whatsoever, rape and brutality are also commonplace), and slavery in the context of war - as with the cultural and racial genocide waged on black Africans in the Sudan. Into this bleak picture Skinner also brings stories of hope - people who survived slavery, whether as children or adults, and who in spite of their scars have rebuilt their lives; he also profiles individuals who fight against slavery and actively work to rebuild the lives of former slaves and integrate them into society as productive members. Skinner doesn't write these stories with melodrama or sentimentality, but as a means of giving these people a voice and in hopefully motivating the reader to learn more and contribute to the fight against slavery; the conclusion of his book names what he thinks are effective anti-slavery organizations and non-governmental groups.

Overall, he's written an excellent book about an ages-old human condition that persists to this day, no matter how much we'd wish to pretend otherwise.

I believed that we, as a nation, where able to stand tall and be proud of our abolishment of slavery 150 years ago. This book gives lie to that belief and exposes the GROSS hypocrisy in both our government and more importantly the United Nations. Well written and documented, this should be a must read by leaders and citizens.

Skinner does a spectacular job of personalizing a terrible crime that is committed daily in countries all over the world, including our own USA. His accounts of real slaves are gripping, utterly believable, and absolutely heart-wrenching.

Completely nonpartisan, Skinner pulls no punches. Where officials do right he reports it with honor; where they fail to do right or turn their backs he justly condemns them with the evidence. There are plenty of rogues, and a few honorable warriors, among these pages. But the compelling stories are of those who live still in bondage, and those who have been freed.

Conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, if you don't come away from this book enraged and outraged, you aren't paying attention. The only thing more shameful than the lipservice and window dressing that are all the Bush administration has given to the cause of slavery, would be the fact that previous administrations from Clinton on back didn't even do the window dressing.

Brooklyn's Ben Skinner deserves a lot of credit for doing the legwork on this interesting book, but his youthful, jaunty tone wears on one, and his insistence on viewing slavery as existing outside the context of other forms of exploitation gives this book a kind of narrowness of scope that reduces its importance. After a while, you may find yourself skimming, but if you know someone who is completely in the dark about the existence of slavery in the modern world you could do worse than to give them this book.

The first shipment was wrong, I returned it with a picture of the cover showing the thumb hole stock. Second book arrived, the same as the first.
Not the thumb hole stock, but the none thumb hole stock which I had. I want the edition with a thumb hole stock on it, even if it is just a new cover on the one I have.
Why is it people do not think, read and pay attention to what or why things are returned? I'll go to Barns and Noble at the mall and try there.
The first book is very, very good if you shoot and own a Ruger 10/22! It has more information, how to, where to find, about the 10/22 than any book I have found to date.

This book is a 'must have' if you own a Ruger 10/22 rifle. Very informative!

This book was well written and organized. I found it very helpful in answering some questions I had about my Ruger 10-22. It was a good value.

Excellent presentation of both text and illustrations. Material very helpful to both inexperienced shooters as well as old pros.

I've read other 10/22 books but this one is the best so far. The book is broken down perfectly starting fairly general about the 10/22 then focusing on each component and fairly recognizing the many major suppliers of replacement or upgrade components. It really helped me with some decisions on upgrades to my "tack-driver". A must have for anyone building or modifying their 10/22.

Fun, nice dialog, nice characters. The story's conclusion just didn't carry much punch for me.

I found this book to be funny and fast paced. The characters were warm and witty. I absolutely loved Aunt Kate! There is one woman you don't want to mess with:) The whole atmosphere of the book held me spellbound. I finished the book in 1 day. If you have the time it's a worthy read.

I found this book to be funny and fast paced. The characters were warm and witty. I absolutely loved Aunt Kate! There is one woman you don't want to mess with:) The whole atmosphere of the book held me spellbound. I finished the book in 1 day. If you have the time it's a worthy read.

I've read this book several times. I love coming back to it after a couple of years and enjoying it all over again. The best thing about Elizabeth Peters/B Michaels is that she creates a cozy atmostphere, with every day occurences (such as eating lunch...sleeping...,) yet, there are not so every day occurences thrown in - ghosts, etc. It makes it feel like is business as usual to suspect that a ghost is inhabiting your house. I just love the atmostphere she creates! She doesn't write these types of books anymore, - not a dynasty - like Amelia (love those too, of course), but these single book stories, and I miss them!

Ellie has agreed to house sit for her Aunt Kate. Her pompous fiance drives her down to impress the rich old lady, who dislikes him immediately. After Kate's departure with the fiance to the airport. Ellie experiences all kinds of strange manifestations involving the six founding families of the area. A rare book telling of their boring scandals seems to be the trigger. A neighbor agrees to help her solve the mystery. It seems like a practical joke, until an old friend of Kate's gets seriously injured....

This was a very quick read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I picked it up and didn't stop reading until the last page. The characters are quirky and entertaining. The atmosphere appropriately creepy, and the story line engrossing. A very good read.

As young teenagers, my friend and I laughed and laughed over this book. I have now paid $65 (if you can imagine) to buy a copy for my daughter and expected grandchild.

I wanted to buy the one we read as kids but my friend says they must have thrown it away. How sad.

I have read the review comments & was surprised that everyone seems to think this Eggbert & Eggberta was published in 1975...I was pregnant in 1969 & a friend of mine gave me the paperback book of this to read..I remember laughing with tears in my eyes, as this book was soooo funny..

I remember reading this book in the early '70's. One day while shopping with my daughter in a used book store, I spotted it in a stack of books. I did not remember the name just that it was really funny. While checking it out I notice original price was 75 Cents. I paid $1.25, after looking on the net, I see I got a real bargain. A Great Book.

I have a copy of both 'Eggbert' and 'Eggbert & Eggberta', and we read them everytime my wife is expecting. They never stop bringing the laughs. I remember reading them at my grandmom's when I was little (before I was supposed to be reading them, I'm sure)!!

Wonderful reading, everytime.

I remember reading this back in the late 70's and I was only a child at the time. The pictures and captions were great. It is still fresh in my mind. Wish they would reprint it.

I have just started to write plays and bought this book based on customer reviews. The reviews were right on, for this author gets his points across in a clear and concise manner. All of his suggestions are so valuable and useful not only for playwrining but fiction writing also. Mr. Catron has a passion that he realtes to the reader, giving them the incentive to start up and keep going to completion. Great book!

I only have one negative thing to say about Louis E. Catron's "The Elements of Playwriting," so I'll get it out of the way right off.

In various spots in the book, he makes critical remarks about both soap operas and the "Perry Mason" TV series that make me wonder if he's ever actually watched them. The writing cautions he connects with the remarks (respectively, always make sure your characters' emotions are motivated, and avoid a "deux ex machina" ending) are absolutely legitimate, but using these as illustrations are simply untrue.

In most other books such false reporting would seriously damage the writer's credibility in my view, and indeed it's the one thing that keeps me from awarding a full 5 stars. The one saving grace in Catron's case is that every other piece of advice is illustrated accurately, if not explicitly in the text. He shows quite well how to make your story appeal to directors, actors, and audiences, not only explaining what they look for but illustrating how to achieve it.

As with any book on writing, this is meant to be a book of ideas, suggestions, and recommendations to empower us as writers rather than restrain us. Where an accepted "rule" goes against the story we want to tell, we're expected to be true to the story rather than the rule. Every other book on this topic has taken this attitude, but Catron consistently takes the next step and cites plays that illustrate how nearly every rule has been broken by a successful play, and why that play succeeded in spite of breaking that rule.

Catron is a completist in other ways as well, taking the reader from the conception of a story all the way to a list of playwright's resources (such as directories of literary agents).

Whether your playwriting is a hobby, a sideline, or a prospective career - or even an established one - I highly recommend this book.

The Elements of Playwriting is a great book for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to write a play. Catron goes over everything a person needs to know including creating characters, building a plot, and constructing dialogue. I really liked the chapter on What Makes a Play.

Even if you are not a Playwright, but you are involved in the theatre in another capacity, such as an actor or stage manager - you would still benefit greatly by reading this book. It will give you a great understanding of what a Playwright must accomplish in order to get his play to the stage.

I completed the first draft of my play "American Brass" back in 1999. It was pretty awful. Then, I found this wonderful book by Prof. Catron. Following the guidelines and inspiration contained in his book I eventually transformed the draft into a stageworthy script.

Before reading his up front advice "Don't show anyone your first draft", I had given a reader a look at the play. The reader, an experienced theater person, tried to be helpful with constructive comments, which I came to understand after reading Catron's book meant - I had no plot, my characters were flat and I was writing narrratives rather than dialogue.

This book provides a clear understandable guide to the structure and dynamics of a successful play and how to write one. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.. and before each rewrite review Caron's book for insight and inspiration.

There's also practical advice - look to get your play on stage not necessarily on Broadway. So I had a high school do a reading and then a church group and now I have the area community theater interested in a full production.

Thank you Prof. Catron

I am a Midwestern physician by day and fledgling playwright by night. One year ago I decided to take an idea to paper and wrote my first play. The story was clear in my mind so the writing went easy. Within six weeks I had completed a rough first draft. At this point I ventured over to the local bookstore to see what books they had on playwriting. There were several, but Louis Catron's The Elements of Playwriting caught my immediate attention. Standing there, I skimmed the contents then read a few pages. The book was full of pearls gleaned obviously from a lifetime of experience in the theater. I bought the book and ordered a coffee to read more, (isn't that the way it always happens?)

Catron goads our left and right brains into action in ten chapters that range from how to get the play started, formatting the text and incorporating Aristotle's six elements of live theater into the work, to suggestions on getting your work published and performed. Various exercises to get the point across are used along the way. The book is a joy to read; a superb "nuts and bolts" treatise for the novice and veteran writer alike. I pick up something new each time I read it. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on how to be a playwright, involving as much with how one "thinks" as what ones "does."

In my opinion, Louis Catron's The Elements of Playwriting is the best book on the subject out there. It helped me complete my play and make it a more polished work. The book would be perfect as the main textbook in any college playwriting class. Louis Catron's "Elements" certainly "plays in the heartland!"

Wow! I'm so glad this book is still a hit. I still have the one that was issued to me in 1975 in ninth grade English. I have used it ever since, including for my bachelor's and two master's degrees. The spine is faded pink from sitting in the sun on my reference bookshelf for the last 33 years. This book is single best source you can find for grammar specifics; language structure; expository writing; or tweaking your writing for the essay section on the SAT or a back-to-school paper. A true treasure that is as useful today as it was long ago.

This book was issued to me in my senior year in high school in 1976. I have kept it by my side, has helped me through my college years and then with my children, and now that I have decided to go back to school and am studying translation, I have taken it out of the bookshelf once again because the books we were assigned do not even come close to the perfection (in my idea) of this book. It has traveled with me through the different countries that I have lived in. It is truly a jewel of a book as far as how it is organized, explained and the exercises are very helpful to reinforce what you are trying to learn.

I purchased this book to add to my library after reading several reviews on Amazon. The book has some valuable information, but you can obtain most of the same information from Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style."

I have the 1965 (!) version of this book! I used it in GRADE SCHOOL. I used it as a reference in HIGH SCHOOL. I used it as a reference in COLLEGE. I used it as a reference in GRADUATE SCHOOL. My daughters used it (as a reference) in GRADE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE and now GRADUATE SCHOOL. My son is now using it! During homework, there was always a call for "Dad, can I borrow that red English book?" There isn't anything else like it, not today. It explains, illustrates and gives practical examples of English like no other textbook. it's built as a REFERENCE TEXTBOOK, something few books do today. Textbooks used to be like this once. I was on Amazon and wondered by chance if it were still available, I'd like to get an updated copy. I was stunned to not only find one, but find that every single reviewer felt that same way about this book! You absolutely MUST have this as part of your personal reference along with you home medical books and such! When your child asks, "So, dad, mom- is it "lay" or "lie?" - you'll go running for this book, I guarantee!

I picked up this book after it was recommended by Stephen King in his book "On Writing" pages 121-122 (hardback). Mr. King was right, this is a good book and it has everything you need to become a good writer. I have not reached that point yet, but I know I will eventually get there with the help of this book.

I really enjoyed Eye of the Oracle!
The story starts from the day's of Noah to modern day.
After only a couple of days, I had finished this book!
Any fantasy lover will love this book!

-Lindsay W.

This is the best of the series, but I suggest that you read the "Dragons in our Midst" books first. This book ties all of the lose threads together. As you read things click. It keeps you reading, a great page turner. I recommend this book to everyone who likes young adult books. Very well done and hooks well into the bible and doesn't sound cheesy like the others. Great for most ages. A definite read!

Bryan Davis has created a masterpiece that readers of all ages can enjoy. The book is very unique in the fact that it combines fantasy and Biblical events. Everything fits together so neatly that you wonder 'Is this actually real?' The intriguing plot is so lovely in its complexity. I love the spirituality in this book...I actually learned new things about the Bible that I had never known before! I have read this book countless times, it never gets old. Every time I read it again I catch something in the plot that I had not noticed during previous readings. This book is flawless, it should be read by everyone.

This book is great for both newcomers and old fans. If DioM was a movie, Eye of the Oracle would be the behind-the-scenes documentary. It's great for all those wishing to know more about such characters as Merlin, Morgan, King Arthur, Palin and all the dragons, as well as introducing wonderful new characters. You'll get a whole new perspective on the original books

A friend of mine lent me this book after he finished it. Truthfully, I was skeptical. I'm a fantasy novel/game type of person, but it seems that a lot of fantasy novels are like sci-fi, a good book is one in a thousand.

Heres the one in the thousand. Bryan Davis masterfully wrote this book, with a strong storyline, that follows multiple plots, and still keeping interest, and not getting jumbled together.

I couldn't put this down. It was almost the same as when "Deathly Hallows" came out after a 3 year wait.

I look forward to reading more Bryan Davis novels, and I doubt he will let me down, with his writing prowess.