P Books

Lee: The Last Years

This is a wonderful book about a wonderful man. Although Robert E. Lee is most remembered as a General, for most of his adult life, he was an engineer and educator (although in the army). Mr. Lee could have become very wealthy after the war by simply allowing his name to be used commercially. However, he wanted to make a contribution and did so by accepting the position as President of Washington College. He seldom spoke of the war and brought no military flavor to the College.

There is an argument that Robert E. Lee is responsible for more American dead than any other single individual. The difficult part of this book is tying to tie that Robert E. Lee to the man he was in his last five (5) years. He played Santa at Christmas, broke up a lynching, stroked the ego of his horse Traveller, was a good family man, looked out for the under dog and took care of his students, even when they were in trouble. How he handled all these situations, often minor by standards of the war, brings out the essence of the man including his character, values, wit and subtle humor.

I have read/studied history and biography for 40 years. I have spent more time on Robert E. Lee than any other individual and this book someway brings all my study of Mr. Lee together and puts it in perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in American History. Thanks Mr. Flood.

Outstanding biography of the man. Much has been written about the general, this book brings the humble father, husband and Christian man to life.

I've long considered myself a student of Southern history and the Civil War. Heck, I've been a historian at museums so I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the Civil War era. Furthermore, I live in Virginia and have been to the campus of Washington and Lee University. However, nearly every page of Charles Bracelen Flood's work on Robert E. Lee's post-war years is full of information I've never heard about. Flood has used many differing sources to pull together a wonderful, highly readable account of Lee's years after the war, how he came to be President of Washington College, and his role in the reconstruction of this country. What jumps out off the pages is that for as much as Lee has been studied and idolized for his exploits on the battlefield, his postwar years as President of the college should get just as much press. While Lee did not think defending his native state was wrong, he did wish for both North and South to reconcile as quickly as possible. After reading the book, I still do not think Lee is the god that some people hold him up to be, but he does stand out as a good man who wanted to bring the nation back together while also helping his fellow Southerners get back on their feet. While Flood's writing can be unimaginative at times and I thought he threw in little stories and vignettes that he didn't need too, the book is excellent overall and should be a must read for anyone interested in Lee. However, the book is such an easy, good read that I think almost anyone should pick it up.

Bracelen Flood clearly does extensive research in order to render this intimate and engrossing portrayal of Lee.

Lee: The Last Years was well worth reading. A must for anyone who wants to know a little more of the Rest of The Story about a fine American, though much misunderstood.

A most comprehensive source of information on this tragedy. Well written and well organized. Nicely stocked with period photographs.

A must have for any library on this subject.

This is the most outstanding book I have ever read. The pictures, the information, it could not have been written better. Anyone would love this book. Those who are in search of unique pictures would find this book invaluable, likewise those who are in search of information, facts, nowhere else seen loss of property claims would too find this book invaluable. Upon seeing this book in the book shop (I did not buy it here) I gave it absolutely no second thought and regardless of price bought it. I am a Titanic historian and I'm picky about the books I buy, and this book is just about the best book in my collection. Don't hesitate, buy it, you will not regret it.

I found this book in my local library and took it out to read. However as soon as I got it home and looked through it I was enthralled by the pictures. The text was fairly standard fare although some of the earlier chapters had interesting info concerning the planning and construction of Titanic. The pictures steal the show and they made up my mind to buy this book for myself as such pictures need to be looked at and digested over months and years rather than the few weeks one has with a library book. If you have any interest in Titanic - BUY IT.

John P. Eaton and Charles A. Haas already known for their very involved Titanic research and dives in Nautile (IFREMER's Titanic submersible} have done a beautiful Titanic book describing stateroom's the voyage building and sinking in a beautiful 352 pages have put together a book which in itself is as good as Titanic: An Illustrated History. Gives insurance claims Philadelphia first class passenger mrs. Cardeza filed for 18 suitcaces , 3 trunks and a medicine kit . A book which many experts (Myself included ) Love . Excellent for any Titanic Buff!

I must say this is the most comprehensive book on the Titanic I have yet seen. Every facet of the liner's history from its origins to the wreck exploration is covered. Each chapter includes pictures of everything connected to the ship. Anyone with any interest in Titanic at all should have a copy.

I did think the authors could have done better with their chapter on the sinking itself though. As it is they wrote little text and tell the story through picture captions! It is as if a book on the Kennedy assassination covered details of the flight to Dallas and then said little about the shooting itself. I also feel the authors were a bit too soft on Lord of the Californian.

Whether you have an opinion or not about prostitution , I think it's a good idea to read this book. By reading Dolores' book I can tell she is intelligent and well educated and she tells a very interesting story about her life as a prostitute without trying to convince the reader of what is *right* or *wrong*. She eventually became one of the most recognized prostitutes in America at one point. She fought for women's rights and appeared on television shows. It's interesting to learn of the different types of *clients* she came across in different countries, as well as other hookers, and how she handled certain dangerous situations. I've learned that prostitutes aren't that different from a lot of women, they aren't just dirty, AIDS infected low life people. Many of them really do like their jobs and feel they are helping people. This is a great book, I think every woman should read it.

This book is all about the use of (sexual) power in the struggle for survival: 'Women choose to go into prostitution because they need money'; or, 'because it is the best way to make a living.'
As the author says: 'There should be laws forbidding poverty, but no laws forbidding a woman to accept money from a man for her company.'

The numbers are staggering: alone in the US, there are approximatively 1300000 prostitutes.

A main theme in this book is hypocrisy.
Of the people arrested in the sex trade only 10 % are clients.
Sexual 'entertainment' is written off as a business expense.
Condoms are distributed freely to the military.
In the Philippines doctors blamed prostitutes for introducing AIDS into the country ... not the American servicemen.

This book is a worth-while documentary about an important aspect of human behaviour. It shows that human beings are not primarily rational.

This is a great book. I met Dolores at a Mensa convention we were both speaking at. I am a member of Mensa; Dolores is not. I attended her lecture out of curiosity and then stopped for a chat afterwards. That chat turned into a friendship that lasted for most of the 12 years that I lived in Atlanta. I read this book: Working: My Life as a Prostitute, about 4 months after having met her and it is genuine. Dolores is also genuine. Don't ask her a question unless you want the straight truth as your reply. Dolores is a smart businesswoman who has led quite an interesting life. My many talks with her gave me insight into differing perspectives; many of which I wouldn't have had, had I not known her. I can honestly say that reading her book opened my eyes about many aspects of life as a woman. How men see us; even if we don't want to think that it is true. It is a MUST read for all women past the age of 16.

Dolores French is warm-hearted, wise and has much to say. This book should not be out of print, and it should be in stock... I hate it when a good book take 4 weeks to obtain! I hope it will be reprinted soon.

I fully agree with the author. I know best about prostitution as my mother was prostitute from age 15 to 61, my sister,wife,2 daughters are also in same business.We all are very happy & proud of this business.We have never cheated any customer. We donate for charity too.I hope that our future generation will continue this business with same honesty & dedication.We never refused aged or bad looking clients.

Mr. Parmar's book is an excellent guide for those who see the world from a very human point of view. His narrative is easy to place into a context of not just travel, but travel through cultures, personalities, lives, and life. There is a real sense of adventure that seems to be missing in most fiction, but also an element of curiosity and facination that some other travel writing lacks.

On a more practical level, this book has great value to would-be travellers (though seasoned travellers will certainly be rewarded with the text). By examining the small realities of world travel, those for whom attempting trips outside of comfort zones seemed unimaginable can see the potential of exploration of humanity through real travel.

PJ presented his trip at an REI store and I was really impressed. I ordered the book the next day and wasn't disappointed at all. He details his experiences traveling all across the globe and a keen eye able to pick out small cultural details that are often overlooked.

If you've ever wanted to do a long trip, this book will definitely help you plan from getting from point A to B and on to Z.

Great book! Highly recommended!

as a public school teacher, i'm grateful to finally have an insightful and unique text to get my kids excited about geography. the author's sense of adventure and reckless approach to conquering geography is just the key to unlock 7th grade boredom. i've already begun planning my trip to siberia.

Traveling for business all the time, I read a lot on Planes. Granted I don't get out of the country much, but this book made me feel like leaving work to see the world. It made flight time pass wishing I was on board for a few more hours to finish it in one flight... needless to say this book was awesome. Read it and then pass it on to your kids to give them some inspiration.

Being an avid reader of just about anything I can lay my hands on, I stumbled on this book quite by accident. And what a pleasure I found within! This book not only opened my eyes to parts of the world that I had never really given much thought but also revealed an inner strength and motivation of the primary cast - specifically PJ - prompting a desire for the opportunity to meet him some day.
If I was a grammar teacher, I would of course make some changes within the text, but that is certainly not the point of this book and actually lends to its charm. As I moved from chapter to chapter, I couldn't wait to see where he would go next, what his next challenge would be, and who he would encounter at his next oasis. It is the people and the cultures described within the places that makes this an excellent read and the fact that Mr. Parmar does such an exemplary job at making you feel that you are right by his side during the journey.

PJ, Where are we going next?

This is part of a (3?) volume set of corrected Lovecraft texts from Arkham House. Either this, or del rey's "tales of horror and death" is a good way to start if you've never read Lovecraft, although Dunwich Horror primary focuses on one side of his writing (poe-ish) and the other on the dunsday-ish. As far as the book iself, it looks like the publisher picked the best of materials, texts, and fonts, and then did a slapdash job of gluing it together :(

This is the ultimate book by Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937), being part 1 in a 4-volume series completing the editing and publishing of his entire known prose work, not including his poems. All you really need to know about this book is the names of a few of the tales included, we're talking the best of the best of horror, sci-fi & weird tales here, in my opinion; "The Colour out of Space", "The Music of Erich Zann", "The Call of Cthulhu", "The Dunwich Horror", "The Whisperer in the Darkness", "The Shadow over Innsmouth" and "The Shadow out of Time" among others. These tales represent some of my decidedly favourite literature, and I've been returning to these tales again and again for more than 10 years now. It is kind of hard to summarize the book, since it is mostly shorter stories, but Lovecraft takes you on a journey from the deepest bottom of the ocean to the highest mountainpeak, from distant planets and solarsystems to remote, dark valleys and towns, from the darkest parts of the inner earth to the fringes of the human mind, among other places.

Lovecraft is really experiencing a renaissance these days, and it is well deserved. Never really acknowledged in his living days, he is finally taking his place among the ranks of the great US authors. The tales are not dated at all, but paint a very vivid picture of Lovecraft's own period of time. Though you often "see" the ending coming before you finish a tale of his, you still get pulled into the tale, unable to close it before finding out the terrible and magnificent end you have in store for you. As I said, these tales are really the prime of his writing, although his two longer tales are to be found in one of the other 4 volumes, also sold here on Amazon, which I'll review in due time.

Film-versions of some of his tales have started popping up from time to time, recently some of them of quite well-made quality, which makes me recommend readers to read the tales, and then watch the films, a lovely experience. Joshi has done a great job editing the tales into what I assume will be the standard edition of the texts, as close to Lovecraft's original intent as possible. The introduction to the book by the liberal Jewish author Robert Bloch I found to be a worthless introduction that twists Lovecraft's mode of thought into something quite different from what he would have enjoyed. Yes, Lovecraft was a staunch racialist and conservative, but so what? Who can say he was wrong today, with the direction the West is taking, well on its way to its own death, as he foresaw.

To summarize; one of my decidedly favourite books, in a sturdy hardcover with glossy quality dustjacket written well before the madness of "political correctness". Give Lovecraft a spot on your shelf, you won't regret it. Highly recommended!

If you are a real lovecraftian fanatic buy this book ! It 's hard cover not cheap paper back

This book is without question an astounding piece of horror literature. With such classics as The Dunwich Horror, The Call of the Cthulhu and other shuddersome stories, H.P. Lovecraft creates a world in which the supernatural ingress the real world and makes its hideous presence felt.

No other author can adequately replicate H.P. Lovecraft except during the times when they're trying (often with great disappointment) to be like Lovecraft. They, at best, plummet in their endeavors as a feeble simulacrum of the real master of horror. If you like horror and have never read Lovecraft, you either don't like horror as much as you think you do, or you have been missing out on a formidable force who has influenced just about every horror writer alive today.

I will not try to write a complete review, since I see that there are already 17 reviews available here, several of fine quality.

This edition is of great interest because it issues from Arkham House. Arkham House publishing was founded by August Derleth, a protege of H.P. Lovecraft who himself wrote a rather large volume of pastiche material using the Cthulhu mythos of Lovecraft. One motive of Derleth's in founding Arkham House publishing was to find a medium to reissue all the writings of Lovecraft, since many were confined to the pulps like Weird Tales that had first printed them.

I recently purchased this book. The quality of the book is excellent. The print is clear and easy to read. The bookbinding quality is just excellent. This may explain why the book is not particularly cheap.

As for the contents, readers may be glad to know that this book contains much of the very finest writing Lovecraft produced. The short novels were written following Lovecraft's return from his years living in New York, and follow the breakup of his marriage. This "period" of about a decade marked the finest of Lovecraft's writings. In my opinion -- arguably -- "At the Mountains of Madness" and "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" are the best works in the Lovecraft canon. A few other words might come up to them, but nothing's better.

Those who find Lovecraft interesting should also check out the writings of August Derleth that incorporate Lovecraft's "Cthulhu mythos." There is also a board game entitled "Arkham Horror" which attempts to recreate the scary Lovecraft universe on your card table. Whacky as this sounds, the game is fun to play.

So have at it! Scare yourselves silly! I love this sort of material myself.

I've read this book several times. Every time I pick it up, I end up laughing until I almost cry. As a bachelor myself, I relate to the grains of reality underneath O'Rouke's great sarcasm.

Not as good as "Eat The Rich" or "Parliament of Whores" or "All The Trouble in the World" or "Holidays in Hell" or "Give War A Chance"; those books are thought-provoking as well as screamingly funny. This one is just screamingly funny, but this might actually be a plus for people whose response to some of P.J.'s better works is a defensive "That's not funny!"; P.J. has a tendancy to poke fun at EVERYTHING, including the sacred cows of people who he disagrees with (and sometimes those he agrees with.)

As a 32 yr old bacelor, this book had me literally HOWLING with laughter! I let my girlfriend read it. We aren't dating anymore, LOL. As ridiculous and as obscene as some of it seems, it is startling to realize that I have actually LIVED like that!

FIVE STARS,..!!!!!!

I've been on a tear of P.J. O'Rourke's books lately, starting with Republican Party Reptile and so forth. This is by far one of P.J.'s best. I'm on the other side of the coin politically (fairly liberal) myself, but P.J. usually spares no one, and I admire that (Rush and his wacko friends could learn a thing or two).

This book is just about how to get by if you're a bachelor. It's incredibly funny for the most part (the cooking sections should not be read if you've just ate!). This is a fantastic little book, very helpful if you plan to live like a slob or like a typical college freshman.

The Bachelor Home Companion: A Practical Guide to Keeping House Like A Pig written by P.J. O'Rourke is a very funny, keep you in stiches book.

You'll never keep a house neat and tidy after you read this book. Of Course, that's assuming that you already do. What its like as a bachelor in theory as to actually being one is, according to O'Rourke, a great disparity. If you want to laugh and be entertained at the same time then this little tome is for you to enjoy.

Humor abounds and your life will definately take a turn... for better or worse will depend on you.According to O'Rourke... "How often does a house need to be cleaned, anyway? As a general rule, once every girlfriend. After that she can get to know the real you."

This book is a great way to introduce children to the subject of opposites. Fred and Ted like to play different musical instruments. They like different foods. They drive different colored cars. They are even different sizes.

The problem ensues when, after a day of skiing, Fred and Ted rent rooms at a hotel and discover that their beds are unsuitable. Fred and Ted meet to discuss a solution to their situation. After they fail to arrive at reasonable solution, a wily bird resolves their problem. Fred and Ted go back to the hotel to enjoy a peaceful sleep.

I like the simplicity of the story. As a fun alternative, you might consider asking your child to try to find a solution to Fred and Ted's problem before reading the ending.

Like many of the other reviewers, this was a favorite story of mine as a child back in the 70's. I am THRILLED that it is still in print and, (judging from the reviews here on Amazon), has a strong "following." The sweetness of the story is in its simplicity. I have already bought one copy as a gift, and I intend to spread the word of 'Big Dog, Little Dog' as gifts in the future as well.

This was my favorite book when I was little. I read it so much the book was falling apart. When I got older I think my mom finally threw it away, it was in such sad shape. I'll have to buy a new copy of it now that I've found it again, just for memory sake. I would definitely recommend this book if you have kids, or just like some light reading to cheer you up once in a while.

It is a great book for children. My daughter is now 21 years old and is pregnant with our first grandchild. We used to read this book to her as a child. Along the way I misplaced the book, and she wanted another copy to read to her child. Her dad nicknamed her "Fred" after one of the characters in this book.

My son received this book on his third birthday - in 1977. My three year old grandson recently discovered the tattered and torn copy that I had saved. He immediately fell in love with it and proudly annouces that it is "Daddy's favorite book." I'm not sure which "boy" will be more excited when the new copy arrives but in the meantime it has brought back a flood of memories for this Grandma. What a joy!

I've been a fan of PC Hodgell's books since I first came across a paperback copy of Godstalk in my teens. I spent YEARS looking for a copy of the sequel, only to find one in my own public library. D'OH!
While not quite as gripping as God Stalk or Seekers Mask, this book illuminates much of the history of both Jame and the Kencyrath...a MUST read!

Although this book lacks the crispness, depth and beauty of God Stalk, it is still one of the better fantasy books I have read. Although the plot is disappointingly linear and stereotypical the characters, dialogue and descriptions make this a wonderful read.

Five or six years ago I was going through a stack of about fifteen or twenty books. They were SF Book Club monthly shipments that I had never gotten around to reading. There was one by C.J. Cherryh(sp?) but most of them weren't memorable. With one BIG exception.

Dark of the Moon from the very first chapter captured my imagination. This book was able to pull some deep chords in my psyche. Some of the written passages gave me the most indescribable feelings of having been through this before, in a nightmare. The plotline itself isn't as strong as some other books but it is good and the action is very good. The main attraction of this book to me though is the world it's set in. I could imagine countless stories set on this ghostly and fantastic plane. I liked the portrayal of evil in this book as what was once good but is now lost. Evil is sort of a distorted reflection of good so the beauty you see in one is also there in the other.

Even if the book doesn't resonate with you on a deeper level it's still just a very good read. In my opinion the best thing that happened in fantasy in the eighties(weis and hickman are good but I like resolution).

Unfortunately Mrs. P.C.Hodgell's name is so hard to remember, it sounds like an English historian, barrister, something other than a writer of fantasy. The books might come out again in paperback around this time next year. I hope so and I hope you can get a chance to read this book and find out for yourself how good it is.

Dark of the Moon is the fantastic second book of an outstanding trilogy from an author who certainly deserves to be better known and more widely published. The world created is vibrant and powerful, with characters that seem as real as family members. To top it all off, there is a wonderful sense of humour which adds to an already amazing read. This trilogy may be hard to find, but is certainly worth the effort! (There's also a set of short stories out there about Jame.)

If you're a real fan, look for the Kencyr website, which has interesting facts and some book-finding advice! (Reviews aren't allowed to list URL's, so you'll need to do a web search to find it.)

If you enjoy well-written fantasy, DON'T MISS THESE BOOKS!

Dark of the Moon by P C Hodgell is one those books that you put down after you've read it. And consider this burning question why the HELL! isn't she more widely known and acknowledged as one of the leading writers in fantasy? Her world building, construction of characters and plot and most importantly her beautiful fluid prose are matched only by the sparse brilliance of LeGuin's original Earthsea trilogy and Michael Moorcock's original Elric series. In recent times Only Paul Edwin Zimmer's world of the Dark Border rivals her creation for completeness of vision. Though it must be said despite some of the savagery of the action that takes place, it lacks his sense of relentless pressure that his heroes constantly face at least Hodgell has a sense of humour. To cut to chase it is a sequel to Godstalk, where we first met Jamie. In this book we meet her twin Tori mysteriously 10 years older than she. He now leads her people while she tries to link up with him bearing the symbols of heirloom that she has acquired. I found both characters engaging Jamie with her almost naive veiw of the world and strict code of honour and Tori an older version of her, age has given him a cynical sense of deprecating humour. Hodgell skilfully weaves their two stories into a flowing tapestry filled with battle, angst and a resolution of sorts. Its not often that you find a story where the heroes are every bit as interesting as the villians. Hodgell is to be complimented on her handling of magic it exists, it is powerful but it is not convenient. There are strict rules that govern it with echoes of LeGuin in the way it's used. I hope that more people read her books just for her writing...it's that good well enough of my rant guys- read it and enjoy!

The book is great--a long-time favorite of mine. Funny and touching at the same time.

The only drawback to my book: it was the English translation; not the American one.

John

I fell in love with both the priest Don Camillo and his faithful adversary, Peppone the Communist mayor, when I was only ten, and since then have read all of the books, several times. After my experiences of being in the USAF in Taiwan in the 1970s, and now a permanent resident in mainland China's Fujian Province, I can appreciate the kinds of clashes that can occur between Communists and Christians--serious, but at times quite humorous also. I appreciate the zany humor but most of all the down to earth warm portrayels of both Don Camillo and Peppone. The author shows good and bad sides of both, and Don Camillo's conversations with Christ, who speaks to him from the crucifix above the altar, are priceless. After a few stories, one realizes that neither Don Camillo nor Peppone are the good guy or the bad guy, but simple ordinary people--and though enemies, they each sometimes go out of their way to help the other (though secretly, to save face). The cast of supporting characters, like skinny Smilzo, is also a delight.
The line drawings of the angel Don Camillo and the devil Peppone are, of course, priceless. Simple and to the point, they are the icing on the Don Camillo cake, and probably the reason why I draw cartoons on everything from greeting cards to my books on China--Amoy Magic, Fujian Adventure, Mystic Quanzhou, deng deng (which is Chinese for "etcetera"). I highly recommend not only Little World but all of the Don Camillo books in print.

This little book is filled with quick-reading short chapters which each impart a bit of wisdom and a moral or biblical lesson, and always with humor.

The story format is short tales in the ongoing feud between village priest Don Camillo and communist mayor Peppone. One of them often ends up bruised (literally or figuratively). At first blush it would seem like a good vs evil scenario, but really they are very much alike, and secretly sympathize with (even love)one another. Each struggles through life's choices from the perspective of his own situation.

One of the best parts, for me, is that each battle-du-jour includes Camillo's "consultation" with and reception of "advice" from the Christ image at the church altar. Rich stuff. Of course the image is not really speaking, and this technique is the author's metaphor for the working of the Holy Spirit in Camillo (or "his conscience", depending on your own theological perspective).

The theme runs throughout the book. Each chapter in pretty much a stand-alone story, although a few chapters are coupled, dealing with an ongoing incident. An entertaining little read that is a superior choice to those "thought-for-the-day" motivational/religious pamphlets. I read mine a chapter at a time when going to bed for the night. It gave me a truth to ponder as I dropped off . . . zzzzzzzz. Or maybe install a copy in your bathroom book rack. This book is very Italian and very Catholic . . . but you needn't be either to enjoy it (I'm not).

I was at a summer fair recently and browsing on the book stall when I found a very old copy of the Little World of Don Camillo dating from 1953. I had no idea what it was at the time as I'd never heard of it but i was intrigued by the blurb. this book is HILARIOUS! I kept laughing out loud and getting very strange looks! but it was worth it! I am now determined to find the rest of the books and read them although I am aware that they may cost me slightly more that my 25p find at the Fete! It's a brilliant book that transports you into another world with ease and lets you meet characters that you can believe in and love. A very well spent 25 pence!

Having first entered Don Camillo's little world at 10, I have returned innumerable times over the decades, and frequently given directions to friends, too. This little work is a masterpiece. There is more wisdom, faith, hope, and love, to be found in its pages than in many far more "serious" works of fiction. All of that is accomplished in a deceptively simple gem of literary style. Like any great work of fiction, it captivates the heart as well as the mind. It is impossible to spend time in this little world and not come away with a smile on one's face and hope in one's heart. The Little World of Don Camillo is ideal reading for anyone, of any age or condition, anywhere.

I have been meaning to read Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field (illustrated wonderfully in what I assume is pen and ink by Dorothy P. Lathrop) for a rather long time. Several years ago my mother bought me a reproduction Hitty doll by Robert Raikes (big deal carver of dolls and bears though he no longer seems to be making Hitty dolls).

After buying the doll, and doing a bit of research, we found an edition of Field's novel with the original 1929 text and illustrations. There is another, newer, edition with updated text by Rosemary Wells and illustrations by Susan Jeffers. The newer book came out, I believe, to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of Field's original novel. I never read this version, actually sending it back upon realizing it was an adaptation, but other reviewers' outrage at the changes suggest I was right to do so. If you haven't guessed already, Hitty fans are numerous and loyal.

Hitty, amazingly, was real. Hitty.org is but one site dedicated to chronicling the life and history of this amazing doll. The site includes the picture of a Daguerreotype actually mentioned in the novel as well as a variety of other interesting photos and well-researched facts.

As the subtitle suggests, Hitty is already a centenarian at the start of Field's fictionalized account of her adventures. Safely ensconced in a New York antique store equipped with quill and paper, Hitty decides it is high time to begin setting her story down for posterity. What follows is a children's novel that truly deserves the Newberry Medal it received in 1930 for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Hitty begins her life as a lucky piece of mountain-ash wood carried by an old peddler. In exchange for lodging during a particularly bad Maine winter, the Old Peddler decides to carve his piece of wood into a doll for the family's seven-year-old child, Phoebe Preble. Hitty and Phoebe have their share of adventures during their time together. More, it might be argued, than one doll could manage (including a section that reads very much like part of Moby Dick geared to a much younger audience). But, as readers realize soon enough, Hitty is no ordinary doll. As the story progresses, Hitty passes through many hands and a variety of owners. Like most things, some owners prove better than others in the same way that certain events of Hitty's life are more worthy of space in her memoirs than others.

When you realize that this book is from 1929, well before any other doll novels were published, it becomes clear that Hitty is something special because Field did it first. At first, I thought the novel might come off as dated since it was written so long ago. But I was happily proven wrong and found that the text stood up to my modern standards as well as Hitty's chemise survives her first century. Many of the insights that Hitty expresses throughout the book remain very accurate to this day. Hitty's calm demeanor and buoyant spirit also help to make this doll downright lovable.

Field's prose is wonderful. Even though I knew Hitty was safe in the antique shop, each new peril left me fearing for Hitty and in a state of suspense until I found out if she had survived. The people that Hitty passes during the course of her first century are equally well-realized in the text. In terms of classic children's literature (especially for a younger child), I can't think of many better examples.

If, you want still more Hitty, you can check out Gail Wilson's website. This very talented (and expensive) doll makers features her own version of Hitty available both ready-made and as a kit.

hitty....oh what fun we had reading this together as a family. i certainly did not know what i was geting in to when i started reading it aloud. very well written book; descriptive; memorable. after reading each chapter we wanted to rush to the library to find out about the place she had been. we also cooked a few things from different countries. we did not have a plan; it was so spontaneous; i think that is what i loved about it so much....learning at its best. my older children, after five years still remember vividly certain paragraphs. and we all smile thinking about how much fun we had reading this book together. i can hardly wait to read it to the younger ones. recently i purchased it for my shelf. it is certainly a keeper. copywork, narration, cooking, art, geography/history, a little science, etc... a years worth of curriculum in one book. all you need is a math book and your set. honestly, each chapter is like a springboard and it should not be hard to find a topic to learn more about. make some happy memories, read hitty aloud to your children. they will love it! (and you will, too...)

Many may remember Hitty from decades ago; I was introduced to her just a few years ago. Hitty: Her First Hundred Years is a wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated "children's" book that should be on everyone's reading list, regardless of age.

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, as originally written by Rachel Field in 1929, is delightful. The story follows the adventures of a doll, carved by a peddler from a piece of mountain ash, as told in her own words. From being proclaimed a "heathen" goddess on a South Seas Island, traveling with a snake charmer in India, being alternately a fashion plate and a demure Quakeress in the midst of the Civil War, Hitty and her story are truly captivating. Rachel Field has given the world a wonderfully exciting and deeply touching glimpse at history through the eyes of this remarkable doll. The charm of this old fashioned story is enduring, powerful enough to endear itself to each new generation of readers that discovers it.

This book was interesting and fun to read. Ride along with, the doll, as she tells her life story. Watch as she goes from one owner to the next. This book is an adventure to read. Hitty has seen so much you forget she is a doll. This book pulles you in like a vacuum cleaner. You'll love it when she travles to New York. You'll jump out of your seat when she goes whale hunting or when she gets stuck in a tree. There is a couple of settings but it doesn't jump around. The message that i got out of the story is live life to it's fullest I would recomend this book to preteen girls that like history and fiction. This book was fantabouls!!!!!!!!!!