Edward Books

Great stuff! The kids love it!

This book half magic is about 4 siblings with a very boring dull life. Especially ever sense there dad died, it's up to their mom to raise them. So that makes their life even more boring. But this summer was going to make them see things in a whole new way.This book is funny interesting easy book to pick up and read and a hard book to put down. I loved Half Magic because it was an enjoyable book and it is worth while!

E. Nesbit was one of J.K. Rowling's favorite authors when she was growing up. We've enjoyed her books as well as the Harry Potter books and the Narnia books. Apparently Edward Eager is a fan of E. Nesbit as well -- he mentions it in Half Magic.

This series was written some time ago (and the copyright was recently renewed by, I assume, an heir of the author), back when "Technicolor" movies were brand new, and people still commonly travelled in Pullman cars (on trains). They take place in the US, unlike the books I mentioned above. I love the fact that this author mentions other books, real works of literature that have been anjoyed by his characters, it's a really nice touch.

We have read Half Magic and just started Knight's Castle. I don't know if they are all sequential, but we were glad we made the attempt to read them in order -- we got them from the library and the order wasn't readily apparent without checking the original publishing dates. We found a completely new set of children in the second book, but then discovered that their Mom was one of the children from the first book. If you read them out of order, no major plot points are probably given away (I can't say for sure since we're not even finished with the 2nd book yet), but it's more of a treat to read them in the right order and see the kids from the first story all grown up.

I highly recommend these books!

love the book Half Magic, so I got the set of 6. just lovely!

but, had to laugh - Amaz said "reading level 4 - 8" uhh. dunno to many 4 years reading chapter books. I read it in 6th grade, that's about 10 or 12?

magical, buy it!

A very good children's librarian recommended these to me the summer that I was 9 years old - I remember being sad as I finished each one but later begging my Mom to buy me all of the books in the series so that I could enjoy them again and again. The children in the stories are witty, not easily fooled and have independent minds - so different from many other book children of the time. I think my favorite is the 7 year old spunky Martha in the first two. Of course we have all wanted to go on a Quest with knights and damsels in distress. I just introduced my husband to the series and he loved them as well - I say snap up this set as quickly as possible and enjoy the pure magic.

This is simply put an excellent Book. If you are Lutheran thinking about becoming one, or even if you are a Christian, You should really put this book high on you list of books to read. It sums up what Christianity is about and what it is to be a TRUE Lutheran...Not a Liberal Lutheran. If you are Liberal YOU REALLY NEED TO STUDY and learn to follow this book. - Not a slam just a fact!

Absolutely amazing, wonderful book. Concordia is an absolute must read, whether Catholic, Lutheran, or other protestant Christians. Please read and enjoy.

The Concordia book of Concord provides great resource material for working out your faith. It is however, a book for those looking for greater insight into doctrines and passages of scripture, but not a book initially for those unfamiliar with what the Bible says.

Sometimes it is difficult to use this version in a Bible study where other's have previous versions because page numbers do not match up.

It's been said that when the philosophers and scientists climb their mountains of knowledge, they find the theologians at the top waiting for them. If this is true then the reformation period represents the pinnacle of human intellectual endeavor, and this book stands at the top of any collection of reformation writings.

I'm not a theologian, I consider myself more of a historian. I don't read that many books on theology, but this is clearly one of the best. Some of it is over my (and I suspect most laymen's) heads. Yes, it can bog down in theological tedium for the average reader, but purely from an historical perspective, the book is invaluable in putting the events and characters of the 16th Century German Reformation in place.

The book is organized chronologically, starting with the Augsburg Confession. This simple statement of belief is a must read for any Christian, layman or clergy alike and frames the questions raised by the Reformation in easy to understand terms. It then goes into Melanchthon's Apology (defense) of the Augsburg Confession. Here it starts to bog down and is meant more for serious students of Theology.

Fortunately, it moves quickly back into laymen's territory with the Luther's Small and Large Catechisms. With no offense to my beloved Presbyterian brethren, the organization of the Small and Large Catechisms is superior to the Westminster Catechism, if not as broad in scope.

At this point I should mention one of this book's real hidden gems. Being simple minded, I like a book with lots of pictures. Most theology books are lacking in the graphics department. This one, however, is loaded with color plates of important people of the reformation, although it lacks color portraits of the opponents of the reformation. The black and white wood cuts and color allegorical paintings are fantastic, full of hidden symbols and nuances of 16th century life (remember - historian at heart). I spent hours just looking at the pictures, never mind the text.

Finally the book concludes with the Smalcald Articles and the post Martin Luther Formula of Concord written to delineate Lutheran as opposed to the "Phillipists" Lutheran/Calvinistic hybrid.

A big book - not easy reading. I bought it intending to keep it as a reference, not thinking to read it cover to cover as I did. But having done so, I recommend it to any Christian wanting to really think about their faith on a deeper, more intellectual level than is common in the 21st Century.

If you are a Christian and you want to read a book that explains the Holy Scriptures in great detail look no further than Concordia Reader's Edition. In this reader friendly book you have laid out before you a concise understanding of God's Holy Word - The Bible. In Concordia you will read about the Law and Gospel language that God uses in His Word to convey both the sinfulness of man and his salvation through the Messiah - Jesus Christ. But unlike many theological books, this one brings our heavenly Father's message of sin and salvation to light in layman's terms. In other words, you don't have to be a pastor to understand it. In fact, I have been giving this book to my God-children at their confirmation.

So if you are looking for a good book that explains the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, truly the Christian faith, in terms that are easily understood, look no further than Concordia Reader's Edition.

Rev. Raymond A. Smith
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
John 1:29

I bought this book for one story but it turned out all of the stories were great.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings always makes me cry. The other reviews of this book here describe it so eloquently and throughly that I don't feel the need to add to that aspect. The book has a strong emotional pull that made me cry and made long to go to Cross Creek and see it for myself. Rawlings is one of my all-time favorite writers, ever since my seventh-grade teacher read the newly published book The Yearling to her class, a chapter or two each day after lunch.

Wonderful view of an isolated place in FL (near Gainesville) circa 1930 written by a brave, independent woman.

Cross Creek is a series of entertaining if perhaps embellished anecdotes relating to Florida in the years preceding World War II told from the perspective of a educated emigré from the North. Some of the language, which was typical of the times, would no longer be considered politically correct and might be offensive to some. The book, however is totally delightful and gives some insight into life in rural Florida at the time. An excellent companion read is Tom Glisson's The Creek, which gives a native's view of the same time and area. Both books are a must read if you live or are interested in North Central FL.

Rawlings explores the lives and interations of the odd assortment of people living in Cross Creek, Florida in the early 1900s. It is often assigned reading for teens, but I doubt that most of them can appreciate it. Her accounts of neighbors feuding and subsistance living gives us many lessons in human behavior.
The lyrical descriptions of wildlife and the orange groves and wild landscape are very appealing. Your mouth waters as you read her essays on downhome foods like hush puppies. She turned those into a cookbook which I'll have to try out.
Modern readers squirm uncomfortably at her use of the N----- word and her characterization of blacks as irresponsible, drunken, immoral, etc. It is probably a faithful representation of common thinking at the time it was written, so recognize it as a snapshot of the times. Then move past that to luxuriate in the beautiful passages in the book. (I deducted 1 star for this)
The reader becomes absorbed in Rawlings' love of the land and the creation of a home. It gives much the same feelings as A Year in Provence or Under a Tuscan Sun.

This book should be read by every parent who has pre-teen/teen kids and should be made a mandatory book in every high school. It is a true eye opener and very insperational.

I bought this book for myself and my 18 year old son to read before he left for college this fall. I read it first and then let him read it. The Volkmann family did a great job of communicating to the reader the dangers of teenage drinking. My son went to numerous parties during high school where alcohol was present. Our son told us about the drinking going on at these parties and I began to realize what a serious problem exists concerning teenage drinking. I hope that many parents will read this book and realize that teenage drinking is not something to be taken lightly. Many parents do not realize what can happen to their teens who take part in this dangerous activity. I encourage any parents of a teen to read this book and then make their teen read it as well and then discuss the book with your child.

I found this to be extremly informative , seeing both sides of bing drinking and the perceptions of the family as well as the Alcoholic. I read this while my son (who also asked for help) was in rehab for his 21st birthday. He is now reading my copy. I found I could identfy with alot of the thoughts/situations as well as the codependent/alcoholic behaviors. As I work on my codependence and my son works on his sobriety I strongly encourage anyone with a teen/young adult afflicted with this disease to read this book.

As a high school counselor and child of an alcoholic I found this to be a great resource both personally and professionally. Your candid account of your journey for information and for recovery has already given me insights to help my students and their parents.
Thank you both,

This book was very educational and informative. A MUST READ for anybody struggling with alcoholism or who has a loved one struggling with the disease. Very realistic and honest.

As other reviewers have already emphasized, this is an excellent English language resource for German grammar. An incredible amount of detail is given, and attention is paid both to general rules and specific exceptions, even down to the most obscure and archaic. Both difficult and simple grammatical terms are explained through examples in English, which makes this book an excellent tool for coming to a deep understanding of the German language.

As mentioned by others, this is no book for beginners. Only high-intermediate and advanced students should look into using this grammar, as it assumes a rather high level of proficiency on the student's part. However, for more advanced students, the explanations and detailed examples are priceless, shedding light on even the most complicated German passages.

A word of caution to teachers: please do not merely have your students read and memorize sections of this textbook. Hammer's Grammar is very complex and includes a large amount of exceptions, a number of which are no longer in common use. Classmates I've had have expressed frustration over having to memorize exception after exception to a rule that seems rare in itself. This book is best used as a reference for advanced learners, and ought not to be the setting in which general grammatical rules are taught. Rather than reading and memorizing, it would be better for students to study this book topic by topic, complete with class discussion, re-mastering the principles before moving on to the many exceptions.

There are also a number of slightly odd English sentences in this book that might confuse the reader. Beware, and proceed at a slow, steady pace.

I commenced learning German in college and concluded with enough credits to earn a minor. Two summers were spent in Germany taking intensive German language classes (Munich and Mannheim), while two additional summers were spent working as an intern with Deutsche Telekom in Frankfurt. Upon concluding my Masters in EE, I married a German and subsequently lived in Germany for 10 years. For 5 of those years I was general manager of my own consulting company. All of our business was in German.

Inspite of this background, on any given page of this manual, there are tips and tricks to assist me in refining my language skills. This book has it. If it is not there, you in all likelyhood don't need to know it. The themes are logically laid out. Any and every topic is easy to find. This book is highly recommended. Beginners should not resist having this gold mine in his library.

I'm a grad student who teaches elementary German. Born and raised in the U.S., I learned German as a second language. I've exhausted the grammars I own, but I know that there are still many constructions and subtleties I've never learned. This has become more apparent as I've worked in a department filled with Muttersprachler.

The reviews for Hammer's grammar made it sound perfect for my needs. They were right on! This grammar is 550 pages of DETAILED explanations illustrated by many helpful examples. I've only just begun the first chapter (less than ten pages) and I've already learned invaluable information.

Did you know, for example, that the gender of 80% of all German nouns can be determined just by looking at the form and/or meaning of the noun? I knew of a dozen or so clues, but after working through these first pages I have learned many, many more and am much more confident with using nouns I know for which I've never memorized the article. Only 20% of nouns actually need to have their gender memorized. I'm now working through similar tips for determining the plurals, which are equally easy to determine just by looking at the noun - once you know how.

There is also a small section tucked away in a corner that explains how to determine whether one uses an, auf, in, zu, or nach as a preposition to indicate going "to" a location. I thought these also just had to each be memorized for each possible case. Nope, it's very logical and this book will explain it to you along with countless other details that will bring your German much closer to a native level (like whether to use genitive, "von", or apposition in measurement phrases).

Now, if this is nothing new to you, Hammer might still be helpful (though if your German is really great and you only have problems that natives have, you probably just need to work through the various volumes put out by Duden). I know I've never learned this stuff, and I certainly don't teach it in my college courses. Hammer's grammar is likely too much for beginners (a bit like drinking out of a fire hydrant), but its perfect for intermediate and advanced learners who have questions that have just never been answered by their textbooks or by the grad students who teach them.

Also, the workbook is the newest edition, matching the grammar, even though the image here on Amazon is from the older edition (at least at the time that I am writing this). It has excellent exercises, and I do recommend it. For rounding out your vocab, I recommend Cambridge UP's "Using German Vocabulary." It is far more exhaustive than the vocab books by Baron and others.

This is an excellent book for those working on learning German. * HOWEVER * If you are like me and were never able to gain a firm grasp of the English language while in high school you should get this book and a book called "English Grammar for Students of German" to use along side of this one to help you understand the basics in basic terms. You generally need to have a decent grasp of the mechanics of the English language before learning a foreign language. This book goes into great detail and is absolutely packed with information on the mechanics of the German language. Getting the workbook that goes with the book IS A MUST, as just reading about German is worthless. Get the workbook and work the exercises on a separate piece of paper. This makes it so you can rework the exercises again later if needed. Be diligent and work in the workbook everyday. As you go through out your day and have thoughts pop into your head try to think of how you would write a sentence in German that would equal that thought.

I am glad I bought this book as I will have to stretch myself to get through it. It's a great learning tool.

This is the best and most comprehensive english language German grammar reference you can buy. It is definately not for Beginners. If you are an Intermediate to Advanced German student, it is perfect. You should also seriously consider the companion workbook Practicing German Grammar. For beginners to intermediate level learners, I highly recommend Schaum's Outline of German Grammar. Its easier to follow and doesn't cover all the minor nuances of German grammar that you won't need to know at the beginner to intermediate levels.

This was a great read; wonderful story about African-American history that young children will understand and appreciate, and that adults may learn a great deal from. Good length, tone, and wonderful illustrations. I sent the author a note and she provided me with a great reading guide via email!

Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria was an inspiring story that reminds us to never give up on our dreams and also to dream BIG and leave the rest to God. As a freed slave, it seemed highly unlikely that Martha Ann would ever be in the company of Queen Victoria. But after 50 years of dreaming, PREPARATION and ridicule, Martha Ann got just want she wanted -an audience with the queen. Not only is the story true, it is inspirational to everyone not just children. Kudos to Kyra Hicks for bringing the story to light and inspiring us all to dream BIG!

Readers of all ages will find Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria a fascinating journey through history as told through the eyes of our heroine, Martha Ann, who both captivates and inspires her audience. Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria is a must read especially young people as it teaches the importance of setting goals and following through on the work necessary to achieve them. Bravo to Ms. Hicks who had the foresight and the passion to share this most remarkable story.

What a privilege it was to read Kyra's latest work to my 5 year old. She absolutely loved it, asking so many questions and commenting on the beauty of the book itself. This book was such a treat for both me and her! It's educational, uplifting and sweet. I encourage my daughter to always reach beyond the stars and this book reinforces that. We will read it again and again and share it with others! Thank you Kyra.

Martha Ann's story is not only an inspiration to all, it is also a true story. A story reminding us that with determination, hard work, and confidence even the most seemingly impossible dreams can come true.

Born about 1817 in eastern Tennessee, Martha Ann Ricks was a slave. Her father was a traveling preacher who learned about the American Colonization Society, an organization that assisted blacks in beginning again in a new place - Liberia.

When Martha Ann was 12, her family had finally saved enough money to buy their freedom and they moved to Liberia. Once there Martha Ann was able to go to school where she joyfully learned how to read. At home her mother taught her to sew. However, these happy times came to an end all too soon when African Fever took the lives of her mother, father, and sisters.

As an adult and a married woman, Martha Ann went to the market with her husband where she saw British naval ships patrolling the coast to stop slave catchers from kidnaping blacks. So impressed was Martha Ann by the ships and Queen Victoria for sending them that she determined to personally thank the Queen for protecting her people.

An impossible hope? Yes, but Martha Ann fulfilled her dream.

Highly recommended for young readers.

- Gail Cooke

This bible is everything the seller said it was. It has become a irreplaceable part of my library. Thanks for the great condition of the book and the speedy delivery!

This book brought a lot of things to light. I am very thankful for the time of the author. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Gods Word!

I am really enjoying my Chronological Bible. It is everything I expected and I can now sit down and read in the order things probably happened. I used to reference myself the order of events and skip around my Bible...I enjoy this a lot more. Great quality as well and price was the best on Amazon. Don't forget to sign up for the credit card, you'll get $30.00 off your order, I wound up paying $5.18 for this book and one other.

The first scripture in this chronological Bible is John 1:1 and rightfully so. In the beginning was the Word. Upon reading this I knew this was the Bible for me. The dates are nor arbitrarily set forth but rather determined through years of intensive study. If you enjoy the historical view in addition to spiritual nourishment of the Word you will thoroughly enjoy The Reese Chronological Bible.

I bought this Bible for the sole purpose of gaining a generally chronological orientation to biblical events and persons relative to the whole. It serves its purpose well enough. The reader ought to realize, however, that the interpretive chronological schema is dispensationalist, and that such a schema affects, for example, the date given (late) for the writing of Revelation, which in turn has definite implications for one's eschatological interpretations and expectations. In short, the chronological flow is useful, but I would not use this as a primary study Bible.

The text is King James Version, and the font is comfortably large.

If I had to name a favourite author, it would have to be Susan Howatch; her novels never fail to delight me and nourish my need for stories that do more than entertain. And if I had to choose a favourite Susan Howatch novel, it would have to be the Wheel of Fortune. This sumptuous novel drew me in from the very first page and soon I was lost in richness, following the drama of the Godwin family and living their lives with them in their fabulous Welsh estate, Oxmoon.
As in all of the Howatch family sagas which precede it, The Wheel of Fortune is written through a multiple third-person perspective, a structure which Howatch has mastered to perfection. Thus she leads us through the story by allowing us to identify first with one character and then with another, each time forcing us to rectify the opinions we have already formed on each indivual in turn. It's as if we move around each character, seeing him or her from a multitude of aspects, from the inside and the outside, and thus gain insight into the whole personality.

While reading Howatch I often felt that this is perhaps her way of showing her readers the necessity for compassion and understanding in our lives, for she whips away our prejudices and preconceptions about her characters simply by switching perspectives. For me this happened in the Wheel of Fortune with the character of Kester, who first appears as a thoroughly unlikeable, spoiled child, a misfit who never failed to exasperate those around him - and of course the reader. The moment Kester himself was allowed to speak, however, and I saw the situation through his viewpoint, he became my favourite character and I could identify with him completely, and appreciate him as the creative genius he is.

Then there is Robert Godwin, the personification of male chauvinism, an uptight London barrister who takes leave of all his senses when he falls for his cousin Ginevra. Ginevra herself is at first rather silly and self-absorbed, but as she grows in depth and self-esteem she develops into a warm, strong, well-rounded personality and a driving force in the novel. John Godwin is the epitome of good upbringing: his motto is "Here I have my standards, and here I draw the line!"; but then he meets Bronwen, a lower class Welshwoman who embodies the passion and mysticism that is simmering just beneath the surface of John's own consciousness, and John throws caution to the wind. Finally there is Harry, Kester's nemesis and greatest rival, the perfect public school boy . It's the rivalry between Kester and Harry, both of whom seem to mirror each other, each one having what the other most desires, rising and sinking on opposite sides of the Wheel of Fortune, which provides the foundation for this wonderful story.

Last but not least there is Oxmoon itself, their home; fabulous, haunting, living, Oxmoon: the orchestra playing the Blue Danube in its grand hall while the dancers dance beneath the glittering chandeliers. The magical atmosphere which pervades this wonderful story and draws us into the wonderful world teeming with rounded, living, breathing, characters we feel we have known all our lives.

I've just finished Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch. (1171 pages in 5 days it was so good!) What a fascinating book. The book starts with one person's point of view and then the story picks up at the end of that section with someone else's point of view. When they reflect back on something you already know about it gives you another perspective. I don't think I've ever read a book written like this one. What is so interesting about it is that it shows that what is seen by others is not the reality in the mind of the person being looked at. What we perceive to be an ideal situation is really not so ideal at all if we knew the truth of the matter. Behavior that seems dreadful from the outside makes perfect sense when we can look inside and see why someone behaved the way they did. If we knew what others really think of us we would probably be shocked at how far off the mark they are from what we think of ourselves. It's remarkable how things from past generations that we may not even know about effect us in ways that we are not even aware of.

Another interesting thing is the idea of time. That time is not a straight line leading forward and behind us. But instead it is a circle and we can hear echos of the past and the future across the circle of time. I like books that make me sit back and say, "Hmmm" after I have read them and this one had that effect on me. The whole time I was reading the book I thought it a work of fiction. I was somewhat surprised to get to the end and read the author's note that it is a re-creation in a modern dimension of a true story involving King Richard II, King Henry IV, and King Henry V. Amazing. Wish I had read the author's note first. Oh well, I think my mind will be chewing on some of the concepts of this book for at least a few days. How well do we really ever know someone else that we think we know? Fascinating question.

I have just finished reading "Wheel of Fortune" and frankly I am exhausted. I literally couldn't put it down and by the time I was finished I felt emotionally drained. The best book I've read in many a moon.

Anyway, I read Wheel of Fortune in hardcover, two volumes. On the last inside page, S. H. says in Author's notes "The Wheel of Fortune is a re-creation in a modern dimension in which the following people play leading parts:

Edward of Woodstock, 1330-1376, The Black Prince
His wife and cousin, Joan of Kent
John of Gaunt, his brother
His younger son, later King Richard 11
John of Gaunt's legitimate son Henry of Bolingbroke, later King Henry 1V who restored England to her former military glory and completed the full circle of the Plantagenet family's wheel of fortune.

I didn't know all this when I was reading--- I just read it as a family saga that kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Susan Howatch is probably the closest approximation we have to a modern day Anthony Trollope in her character driven style of writing, and plot development. Howatch, like Trollope, is fascinated by the moral choices people make, and the reasons for making them (eg. religious belief, guilt, envy, etc.). However, where Trollope tends to use more wry sarcasm, Howatch relies on (often deceptively) romantic scenes, and generational bonds.

"Wheel of Fortune," 1171 pages long, revolves around the idea that people are tied to the mis-deeds committed by past generations, and, unless great effort is applied to break the destructive cycle, are usually condemned to repeat history. Most of the story takes place at an historic mansion known as Oxmoon in early twentieth century Wales on the Gower Peninsula. The main characters are frequently obsessed with "doing the done thing," "drawing the line," and generally keeping up appearances, often with tragic results.

The book is divided up into six parts, each of which is told from the perspective of a different character, and which, in total, spans over 60 years. Robert Godwin, the narrator of Part One, is the oldest son and heir to Oxmoon. Outwardly, he's a hard man, completely rational and highly intelligent. His obsession is his slightly older cousin Genevra, and the greatest moment of his life was waltzing with her, as a teenager, under the Oxmoon crystal chandeliers to the "Blue Danube," though Ginervra loves another. Howatch repeats this romantic scene over and over again, usually as a metaphor that things aren't as grand as they appear to be (anyone who reads "Wheel of Fortune" as a romantic novel needs to read it again). Through Ginevra's section (Part Two), we learn how vulnerable Robert really is, in more ways than one.

Parts One and Two of "Wheel of Fortune" are mere preludes to the heart of the book. In Part Three, Robert's younger brother John, who becomes the head of the family, narrates. John excels at drawing everyone's "line" except his own. The love of his life, Bronwen, is several stations below John, but John finds he can love no one else. John acts as sort of the family referee, especially between the greatest rivals of the story, Harry and Kester.

Parts Four and Five (repectively Robert's son, Kester [who in adulthood, bears some unsettling resemblance to Michael Jackson], and John's son, Harry) turn the book into a page turner, and make "Wheel of Fortune," into a terrific read. The relationship between Kester and Harry (and their rivalry with respect to Oxmoon) is always intriguing, and takes some unexpected twists and turns, to say the least. Their destinies intertwine, usually in a destructive manner, and both ultimately pay for their hatred of the other.

Howatch could have ended the book with a final struggle between Kester and Harry, but chose to look into the future with Hal, Harry's son, (but emotionally closer to his uncle, Kester) in a spell-binding part Six, where Hal attempts to unravel the last great family mystery. There is always hope and redemption, the author seems to say, and we are not necessarily condemned to repeat the past.

All-in-all, I found "Wheel of Fortune" to be engrossing and memorable. I didn't give it 5 stars, because I think Howatch can be heavy-handed and repetitious with romantic metaphor and pithy speeches. How many times do we need to hear about that waltz under the chandeliers to the "Blue Danube?" Do the characters necessarily have to say that they are "drawing the line" or "doing the done thing" on every other page?

Another quibble has to do with the character Bronwen (John's true love). Although many of the Welsh names and towns sound like they come from "Lord of the Rings" (perhaps the British Tolkien was influenced by this), does Bronwen really have to talk like the immortal queen of the Elves, or Yoda from Star Wars? Every time Bronwen would open her mouth and spout some celtic mysticism, I would almost groan out loud.

I also cannot accept how young children get over the death of a parent so quickly, and visa versa. I think I understand the stiff-upper-lip attitude of this culture, but the death of a mother to a young child surely would affect him more than, for example, a rivalry with a cousin over a piece of property.

Even so, I highly enjoyed "Wheel of Fortune," and recommend it, even given its length. If you like Susan Howatch, may I also recommend Gail Godwin, and Stuart O'Nan's "Wish You Were Here." And, of course, the master himself, Anthony Trollope.

This is the BEST book I have ever read. I know that many people place Gone With The Wind at the top of the list (and rightly so) but I consider this book the "English Version" of Gone with the Wind.

Instead of Scarlett and the Tara Plantation, you get to meet the Goodwins and their magical home Oxmoon. This book is divided into six chapters with each chapter being told by a different character. By doing this, the author gives the readers a chance to see other characters from different points of view. She also ends each chapter with a bang and the next character picks it up where the last character left off.

If you are looking for a book filled with love, hate, envy, greed, murder and so forth, you don't need to look any further. The book is over a 1000 pages long but it moves right along. I found myself wishing that it had been 2000 pages long. I did not want the book to end. Lucky for me, this author has other great novels.

PLEASE GET THIS BOOK AND READ THE FIRST CHAPTER, YOU WILL BE HOOKED!!!!!

I would go on but I don't want to bore any readers and anyways I am starting on another Susan Howatch book.

If anyone has read this book and knows of another great author such as Susan Howatch (I doubt it), please email me at mitzibilly@yahoo.com.

It was fun reading the original, after seeing both movies. Lots of details, inner thoughts not possible otherwise. Very thought provoking. Loved the Gory illustrations.

Ellie Lezak
October 9, 2007

This book was no doubt the best science fiction book I have ever read. H.G. Wells does a amazing job recreating a book that has been done by many authors, into the type of story that has you on the edge of your seat, never wanting to put the book down because you just have to know what comes next. In this book, the main character who stays anonymous by name is a normal simple man, not any really any different from any of the other people in this time, but there is one difference, this man happens to know, how to survive. What to look for and what to stay away from, who to trust and who has to go. And how to rebuild something that was destroyed, so that there was nothing left. One normal night but one twist, what seems to be smoke in space coming from mars? For ten days, at the same time every night, the same smoke appears. And exactly 10 days after he 1st say the smoke a green light heading right for earth not to far from his house. Days. The day after the asteroid land no one really pays attention to it but it is mainly the noises inside that attract them. Even if they new what the future had in store for them. There would probably be no preventing fate from doing what was going to be done. Battling the fate of everyone around him this man manages to live, and start over again just like everyone else.

In H.G. Wells's writing, he does a amazing job to capture the seen, and make it so the reader can actually imagine what the situation would be like. And put them self's in the moment. There were only 2 things that I did not like about this book. At some points it would just go on, about the same thing, just a list of different things, and than it would happen again. And the only other thing that I didn't like was the ending. I've always thought that the ending of a book should be fun and exiting, and wrap up the whole story. But the ending to this book wasn't the best it explained a few things and than there was one food scene and it ended. But over all I would rate this book 4 stars out of five and I defiantly recommend it for all ages.

First thing I have to say is what great scientific imagination for a book written in the late 1800's. I mean they didnt even have cars yet and Mr. Wells is writing about partical beams and biological warfare. 2nd is I was actually surprised at how much the recent movie used from the book. I didnt care for the movie as much as I did the original version but it was much more faithful to the book than I'd ever imagined. If you your a fan of either of the two movies or just want a very good sci fi book to read I highly recommend this book. The language at times is dated being written at the turn of the century but it's still a quick and easy read.

I read this book because I was curious how close or incredibly far the movie had stuck to it. I was quite surprised to discover, that while the movie's main character couldn't be more different, the plot is almost identical in spirit. Spielberg didn't create all those different modes of suspense, he just channelled them from Wells. First we have the discovery, then the initial panic, then the mob mentality, then hydrophobic, claustrophobic, and xenophobic situations that are chilling. Granted all these circumstances are updated into the 21st century. I was impressed by how many details were included (the redweed particularly).

The book is better than the movie in two aspects. First off, the scene in the cellar with the main character and curate. I've talked to a lot of people who felt that the execution of Tim Robbin's character in the movie was not just and unnecesary. The book handles this much better-"with one last touch of humanity"

The ending of the movie is absurd. You don't care that the son is still alive because he annoyed us so much with his whining. Then you are let down when there is no true reconciliation between the broken family. In the book (PLEASE STOP HERE IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET) you barely meet the wife, and deep down, you are just sure she is still alive, but their reunion does not seem fabricated, it seems somehow eerie and almost gives you chills.

I liked this book mainly because it's science fiction. I liked the martions and the detail the writer used. I liked the interesting words used by the writer. It was illustrated well.

The Epiplectic Bicycle ia a unique piece of literature and illustration. Such simple images, almost childish although not infantile or naive. Gorey's complex mind takes us though an amazing impossible world with infinite possibilities.

What is there to say about Edward Gorey's works but that he was a Dr. Frankenstein of reality. This book is Gorey to perfection, odd in all the right places.

My Dad bought me this wonderful little book when I was young, & I have always loved the truly off-center humor of it. In response to the query about the meaning of epiplectic, I found a quick online search produced the same type of results as reviewer RHS got--mostly references to epileptic & apoplectic. Oddly, I have a clear memory of looking it up decades ago (one of my father's favorite admonitions was "look it up!") and finding a definition that related it to apoplectic, and described it as referring to something that suddenly and somewhat violently falls to pieces. In fact I have often cited 'epiplectic' as an apt description when watching the Blues Brothers' faithful retired police car burst into bits once they make Daley Plaza, LOL--so this definition, though unconfirmable at the moment, has been clearly emblazoned in my memory for these many years (right or not)! Now if I could just find that dictionary of my Dad's to confirm...

THE EPIPLECTIC BICYCLE is one of the Gorey's usual stories told through ink drawings accompanied by pithy captions. This tale concerns Embley and Yewbert, two children who are distracted from their pastime of hitting each other with croquet mallets by a sentient bicycle that appears out of nowhere. Thereupon they hop on and go through various adventures, ending in a shocking revelation that seems right out of the "Voyage of Bran". The story is one of great whimsy and a love of nonsense, and amusingly contradicts itself at several points.

While THE EPIPLECTIC BICYCLE is quite funny, I don't rate it among Gorey's most substantial works due to the sparseness of the drawings and the fact that it lacks the macabre tone common to Gorey's greatest work. If you've never read an Edward Gorey book before, start with THE OTHER STATUE or THE BLUE ASPIC, grim stories whose drawings are of astounding quality.

I decided to try and find out more on this word and found a definition on http://www.willamette.edu/~blong/Words/EpiI.html

It is as follows:

"Epiplexis/Epiplectic

..the word behind epiplexis is epiplessein, meaning "to rebuke" or "punish" or "chastise." Epiplexis is then a Greek word meaning "criticism" or "rebuke." It was taken over into English, however, in a rhetorical context and first defined in 1678 as a "figure in Rhetorick which by an elegant kind of upbrading, endeavours to convince."

An epiplexis then would be a gentle chiding, or possibly a statement that seeks to shame the hearers into performing better next time or to spring into action right now. "His epiplectic address to the crowd backfired on him." Or, "epiplexis is one of the strongest motivators known to us." Or, to use words that we might be more familiar with, "Don't get apoplectic over his epiplectic fit." Also you need to distinguish epiplectic from epileptic. The latter literally means to "take over" or "take upon," and refers to a disease of the nervous system characterized by serious paroxysms. The condition just "takes upon" a person and often leads to falling on the ground and passing out. It was known in English of a few centuries ago as the "falling sickness."

Ultimately, it seems to me that epiplexis is really a form of asteism--a gentle way of trying to persuade others to see things your way and act accordingly."