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Olwen is sixteen by Earth years, but only ten by Isis years, which is more important to her. That makes sense, since she has lived her entire life on the planet Isis, far away from Earth. In a home carved out of the rocks she lives with her Guardian, who gives her everything she ever wanted, and her pet, Hobbit. Olwen's job is to keep the beacon, the light, up to date. It sends out signals to Earth about the planet, in case others from Earth ever want to colonize. Olwen is completely happy with her near-solitary life, and she feels grateful to have the entire beautiful planet of Isis to herself.

Then, shortly after her birthday, the settlers come to colonize. That is when the trouble starts. First of all, Olwen doesn't want anyone else on her planet. She is happy to live there just with Guardian and Hobbit. Then she begins to feel curious about these people, and she develops an attachment to one, a boy a year older than her named Mark. Olwen becomes frustrated with her solitary life and with the protective suit she has to wear whenever she is around any of the colonists. She is falling in love with Mark and would like him to be able to look at her face, rather than at a protective mask.

One day by chance, Mark and Olwen are together when she does not have her protective suit on. But it is not at all like Olwen imagined. Suddenly, she is forced to confront some scary truths about herself and for the first time she questions her Guardian about the reality she has taken for granted.

The descriptions of the planet Isis were really well done. It seemed very peaceful, yet strange that Olwen would not be lonely. I really liked the ending of this book. Olwen didn't do the thing I expected she would do, which pleased me. I was confused about Guardian, though. I wasn't sure who or what he was, since I only got hints about him from Olwen.

Well, my 8th grade middle school class is reading this book,Keeper of the Isis Light. So far I am the only one who has actually finished it. I, personally, thought that it could have been a little better. The romance didn't fit all too well with this type of book. I see where Mz. Monica Hughes was going with the story but I think maybe she could have pulled it together a tad bit more.

Maybe the only reason I didn't like it very much was because I was forced to read it. I had to read Johnny Tremain too and wasn't too fond of it either. I guess this isn't much of a summery but oh well. Well, if you have read this, thanks.

Of the many books I have read in my life, a few made a truly unforgettable impression on the way I see the world.
This short novel is a true gem - a simple, entertaining, economically written story that delivers an emotional punch that leaves the sensitive reader reeling.
Unfortunately, if you have read the "card catalog description" above, I'm not sure if I can recommend the book as you will have been robbed of much of the dramatic impact. That awful "description" is more spoiler dense than any almost any other sentence I can imagine.
Ms. Hughes, where are you? Please get them to at least hide that "card catalog description" from this site.
I'm so happy that I read this book years ago in another edition.

I got all three of the Isis books about four years ago. My mom reviews books and we get a ton for free in the mail. I never really got into them, partly because mine had terrible drab and depressing covers and next to nothing on the back. The I found the first one at my cottage with an extremely interesting cover and I was hooked emediatly.

I love this book the best out of the first two I've read (I plan to finish the third today so I can't comment on it at present) because it is so unlike your usual romance imbedded in a science fiction or fantasy. Usually the plot is so complicated already that any romance works out perfectly. I not going to give any thing away but lets just say that some of the characters weren't what they seemed. I loved Guardien because he was so eager to please but so determined to do what he thought was right for Olwen at the same time. I liked Jody as well even though he didn't really act like a nine-year-old.

I have placed this book on the shelf with the rest of my absolute favourites and I hope everybody will get to read as good a science fiction as this.

There are plenty of books out there about powerful young women. In these stories the female protagonists usually either have super powers or were born as magical semi-human beings. "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is a little different than partly because the main character spends much of the book in a complete fog about her life, her capabilities, and who she truly is. The book is as much about overcoming the prejudices of others as it is about the meaning of happiness and its importance. If you're looking for a book that explores deep emotional and spiritual issues in a sci-fi context, I think you've found your match.

Olwen Pendennis was born on the planet Isis ten years ago (sixteen by Earth's sun). Living alone with only her faithful companion Guardian to keep her company, Olwen leads a rich and exciting life on her planet's surface. As the official Keeper of the Isis Light, Olwen's job is to maintain the signal that radios information about Isis's surface to Earth for future colonists. When these settlers appear one day, Olwen finds her world strangely shaken. Guardian has done his best to keep Olwen safe and happy while living on Isis, but now she must deal with other people and all the good and bad things humans can do. Through it all, Olwen discovers truths about herself and her own inner strength and abilities that she might never have found while living contentedly on her own. In the end, the reader is left wondering whether or not it's a good thing Olwen met with these colonists and, if good, how.

I was incredibly disappointed that the book flap accompanying this little novella gave away too many of the book's delightful secrets. My advice to you if you want to read this story is to go into it blind. Don't read any more of the synopsis than the one I've given you above. It'll only ruin the surprises that dot this intricate book. There are many things to love here as well. The plot is tight and well formed. Olwen never questions her happy existence until the moment that things begin to change. In many ways she's like Miranda in "The Tempest". In others, she's Caliban. Author Monica Hughes is particularly good as conjuring up a visual sense of the Isis landscape. In this story you see the planet as the heroine does and you regret (as she does) that settlers have arrived to muck it up. I also loved the Guardian in this tale. A character that professes to not feel emotions, he often belies this idea by growing agitated, touched, or worried at key moments.

Now for my favorite part of any review. The flaws! Actually, there aren't many to complain about in this book. Originally published in 1980, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" suffers from a few pre-P.C. terms. A black child, for example, is referred to as "negroid" at one point. Later, that same child (though supposedly nine years of age) acts far more like a six year old. Thus ends my summary of all flaws this book contains. As you can see, they're few in number.

Great science fiction books use metaphors and grandiose plots to discuss universal ideas. In many ways, "The Keeper of the Isis Light" is very similar to the great Sylvia Engdahl book, "Enchantress From the Stars". Both books talk about prejudice and feature incredibly strong female characters. In this book, however, there are some uniquely emotional moments. The story is written in a crisp approachable style that will never go out of date. If you've a kid interested in sci-fi or just wants a low key introduction to it, this book is the perfect offering. A book that will be well remembered for years to come (I hope).

This book was of great help in the earlier addition and I passed the exam. I bought this one, not only as a review, but also as a reference to teach classes.

This was supposed to be a new book, but when I opened it I noticed it was damaged in the binding. I guess that is how they make their money. Selling damaged books.

If you are looking to pass the Extra class exam through your "learned" knowledge from this book--buy it and study. OR, you can pass this exam by downloading the entire question (with correct answer) pool at the ARRL web site (free). Highlight the correct answer then read each question and ONLY the correct answer 10 times--then go take the test. The question pool is nearly 800 question so it will take some daily dedication to prepare for the test. This technique takes about 2 weeks of effort (for 800 questions). It's how I passed the Technician, General and Extra exams the first time (all in the same month). KC9OFX

Ward Silver, N0AX did an excellent job writing this book. Good illustrations and size are just two improvements over the 8th Ed. Easy to read and study for the Extra exam. Only complaint is the Appendix of Tables and Formulas found in the 8th Ed. was deleted. Also recommend getting the Q & A book. Good luck & 73.

This is the ARRL's official resource for getting your Extra class license. Has the latest test questions and is very well written.

I saw Amar on PBS, read his book on the history of the Constitution, and was thus driven to read The Bill of Rights. Being neither an attorney nor historian, I still found this to be an excellent read. I suspect that Amar could craft a listing a postal zip codes into an enthralling book. Of course, the creation of constitutional law is a topic that sells itself (at least to me)... He uses a textual analysis. At times, it seemed that he made his point several pages earlier. Most of the time that I read this piece, I sat in front of Google and typed in a smattering of his plethora of referenced facts. The focus of his discussion is on the first 10 adopted amendments and how the 14th amendment then modified each. He mentions the others briefly. Amar might have cited books, newspapers, more speeches that would help the reader better appreciate the zeitgeist of the time and how it affected the framers of 1 - 10 and those who adopted 14. More discussion on the originally proposed 2 amendments that were not ratified and why not might have been interesting, too. I also wish that, someday, hint, Amar will take this to the next step and address current socio-political issues using constitutional textual analysis. I enjoy his work. I think that his writing continues to evolve and I look forward to future works by him.

...where the 2nd Amendment is concerned!

First, let me state that the book is an EXCELLENT piece of work for all the reasons stated by others. Buy it.

But:

Amar is a definate Liberal in the modern sense. He doesn't seem to LIKE where his research took him with regards the right to arms.

Towards the very end, he talks weakly about how "well yeah, maybe we DO have a personal right to arms - muzzleloaders such as circa 1792..." or words to that effect.

Sigh. Sorry professor, but you should have looked into the state of arms development circa 1868 when the 14th passed. The Gatling Gun had been invented in 1862. The North was fielding whole regiments armed with 15-shot (high capacity anyone?) rifles. At Gettysburg 2,000ish crack Union cavalry established a "defensive beachhead" early in the fight, holding off many times their number of Southerners with their Spencer 7-shot carbines. The Mormons had invented the snubnose revolver sometime after 1855. And with Smith & Wesson's patent on the through-bored cylinder about to expire in 1872, everybody *knew* that a revolution in handguns was in the offing - sure enough the Colt SAA "Peacekeeper" of 1873 revolutionized personal defense. Even back in 1868, percussion revolvers had been in use since 1837 and were hence common enough used for the Freemen to afford.

It gets wilder. In the South, any black spotted with a gun would have been shot on sight regardless. Only *concealed* arms would have afforded protection of the sort John Bingham (primary author of the 14th) preached for black defense against the proto-KKK and rogue state agents.

Amar also ignores much of the now-well-understood level of racism in arms control after 1868 and fails to link it to the general collapse of the 14th post-reconstruction. Interested parties should fill in the gap with historian Clayton Cramer's published thesis paper "The Racist Roots Of Gun Control" available all over the 'net.

In short: Amar is absolutely correct, but he doesn't like what he finds and seeks to minimalize it!

Genuinely comical.

~The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction~ is an informative historical exposition of the Bill of Rights and the rich republican tradition animating these protections from the impetus of the American republic. The Bill of Rights (specifically the first eight amendments thereof) are often misunderstood as it was not a positive grant of rights to the people, but it was rather a negative upon the federal government exercising restrictions upon generally-accepted common law protections, hence the phraseology "Congress shall make no law..." in the First Amendment.

When I studied constitutional law in college, I found this book to be valuable for surmising the original intent of the framers. Today, we understand constitutional liberties through the lens of federal judicial interpretation, which is often much different today than the prevailing interpretations at the time the Bill of Rights was framed. Amar opens the book by trying to remind the reader to take off their modern blinders in order to understand original intent, as the prevailing constitutional hermeneutic is rooted in nationalist ideology. Some have nationalism so ingrained in their psyche, they have difficulty fathoming that the federal government's day-to-day role in the lives of Americans was diminutive in the early years of the American republic. Concomitant to this nationalist ideology is the idea that the federal government is cast as the champion and guardian of constitutional liberties, whereas the states are viewed as the enemy of liberties that often need to be corrected by a wiser, more restrained federal government. However, at the time of the framing of the Bill of Rights, the fear was that the federal government would be the usurper. Amar succinctly explains the logistics of the incorporation doctrine and the Reconstruction Amendments which profoundly changed the application of the Bill of Rights. The great strength of Amar's book is his effort to distinguish between modern interpretations and original intent. It seems modern constitutional scholars are often apt to misconstrue original intent to laity so as to pragmatically vindicate their trendy modern interpretations of the Bill of Rights. Amar, on the other hand, is more focused on setting the Bill of Rights in its historical context while he documents the changes that came particularly with the incorporation doctrine ancillary to the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause.

Amar's book devotes considerable attention to the First Amendment. Therein, he elaborates upon the first constitutional crisis which emerged following the controversial passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. He succinctly presents the common law understanding of the freedoms of religion, speech, press, and assembly. In explaining the First Amendment, he advances the de facto states-rights reading that was prevalent in the 1790s when the Amendment was framed. Amar astutely illustrates how it was intended by the framers to essentially forbid the federal government from either infringing upon those rights, much less legislating upon matters concerning religious establishment, speech and press. Modern scholars often see the states-rights' gloss as somewhat of a nuisance, and they peel it off, and in effect disfigure the proper historical context of understanding the First Amendment, and most of the other subsequent amendments in the Bill of Rights. Amar also offers enlightening chapters: on the military amendments (i.e. Second and Third Amendments), on searches, seizures and takings (i.e. Fourth and Fifth Amendments), and juries (i.e. Fifth Amendment), and the protection of unenumerated and reserved rights (i.e. Ninth and Tenth Amendments).

Built on the Anglo-American tradition of liberties which traces itself back to the Magna Charta, the Bill of Rights was a desired Anti-Federalist counterweight to prevent a centralized state from trampling upon the cherished liberties of the people within the Anglo-American common law tradition. The application of the Bill of Rights has undergone a profound metamorphosis with the passage of the Reconstruction Amendments particularly the Fourteenth Amendment. Moreover, the subsequent incorporation doctrine emerged thereafter, and now the federal judiciary is seen as the final arbitrator and protector of the rights of the people. Ironically, the Bill of Rights was framed to prevent the federal government from usurping the rights of the people. Amar gives the reader a unique perspective on these protections around the time the Bill of Rights was originally framed. There is a cosmic irony in the fact the Anti-Federalists wanted a Bill of Rights to protect against federal usurpation of the common law rights of the people, and they like the Federalists saw the States as the protector of those rights. With the passage of time, the Bill of Rights has given the pretext that the federal judiciary is the defender and expositor of constitutional liberties. Originally, the Federalists contended that the federal government had no such powers, so the Bill of Rights was unnecessary. Alexander Hamilton even warned, "I go further, and affirm that bills of rights... are not only unnecessary in the proposed constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers which are not granted; and on this very account, would afford a colourable pretext to claim more than were granted." One wonders where we would stand without the Bill of Rights. Would we jealously turn to the States to be the guardians of our liberties? Or in the absence of the Bill of Rights, would the greatly bloated federal government have simply gobbled up those protections by now?

Amar's book is good quality and a useful resource, but it is by no means profound. However, in an age where shoddy revisionism that maligns original intent is so prevalent, Amar's book is to be commended and is a worthwhile reference for any constitutional scholar and jurist. So, this book is useful a counterbalance to the often spurious notions of original intent purported by many modern scholars. It is for the most part objective and historically accurate. There is no revisionist spin on the Second Amendment which is so fashionable among modern statist liberals: Amar makes it very clear that republican ideology animated the amendment, and a well-armed citizenry was considered a requisite deterrent to tyranny and provided the means of throwing off oppressive and unjust government.

The The Bill of Rights by Akhil Reed Amar takes an original look at the Ten Amendments to the United States Constitution that became known as the Bill of Rights. Amar, a professor at Yale University Law School, is one of the most respected constitutional scholars in the country.

His study of the famed document brings him to conclusions that have previously been ignored or unheard of. The main thesis, that the Amendments were originally designed to protect the majority, rather than the rights of individuals and minorities, is not a common view, but he has substantial evidence and research to support this conclusion.

A main focus in the book is the difference in the Bill of Rights before and after the era of Reconstruction and the addition of the Fourteenth Amendment. The role of Anti-federalism, which is a main contributor to the first Ten Amendments, is explained and elaborated on, as is Federalism and James Madison's role in the shaping of the Constitution and its Amendments.

Amar takes a clear stance on two issues, that the Amendments should be studied as a whole document and the great effect the Fourteenth Amendment had on the Bill of Rights. The book itself is split into two parts, one details the creation and history of the Bill of Rights, while the other details it after Reconstruction, the incorporation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and its change to having a role of protection of individuals and minorities.

Understanding the Bill of Rights and its role in our country today is of great value and Amar's The Bill of Rights appears to provide an accurate and informative guide.

Amar shines when it comes to descibing the evolution of perspective regarding the Supreme Court and Congress' understanding of the first 10 amendments pre-XIV and post-XIV amendment. I would have preferred a little more underlying history in terms of the development of these amendments to understand strict constructionist logic, but in terms of how the Court itself post-1789 has interpreted the Bill of Rights, this book is par excellence.

For an understanding of the Bill from a textualist and from a abstract principalist perspective, this book provides a near perfect analysis.

This is a wonderful book. A touching love story. The book just leaves a mark on your soul when you're finished. It deserves all 5 stars.

Not the most well known of his novels, but one worth very much consideration. The technology my be out of date now, Mirage fighter aircrafts having been retired from service for so long.
What remains in the mind is the twists of fate for the main characters and how they master them.

The fate of the main character, his partner and how they find their happiness togehter, despite the cruelty of what they have to bear.

I doubt it would have come to the happy end implied, but Smith placed his characters in such a complicated situation that anything is possible.

Essentially it's a "love conquers all" story, powerful, sad perhaps no longer accurate in terms of today's "fast food living"
But a worthy book indeed

I have read all of Wilbur Smith's books. There was not as much to this book as the others. It was a pleasant, romantic story, but I usually like a little more intrigue in my novels.

A great tale for switching from one locale to the other in phases, and incredible descriptions of everything from epic jet dogfights during the war of Attrition to bloody terrorist attacks inside Israel, to desperate hand to hand brawls with psychopath poachers deeper into Africa itself, the spectacular and horrific change in fortunes of the chief character 2/3 of the way through the book,
and his final plight at the climax, will touch you.

the reprint edition of the book shown on the Amazon mainpage, strange how the camouflaged Mirage III does not have IAF star markings but plain tricolour roundels of some kind, like as if its French or Arab airforces.

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Fluff or not? Fluffy but with impact
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---- Comments ----
Africa, Israel, high-flying jet fighters, Palestinian-Israeli conflict, terrorists, villains, and ultimately redemption make this a relaxing read that's hard to put down. Good for an engaging quick break from reality.
---- What I liked ----
Great visual scenery, good depth and plot development

---- What I didn't ----
Predictable.

One of the world's great authors kicked off his real career with two gripping novels; this one and "Eugénie Grandet". Though it contains much 19th century melodrama and Balzac could not resist lecturing readers on life's travails and included many of those romantic soliloquies so favored in his times, PÈRE GORIOT introduces us to the Paris of that period (early 19th century) with all its color and sordid social niceties. A mock headline could read "Balzac to Readers: Paris is a Pit of Passion". As in several other Balzac novels, the title character is not necessarily the main one. In this case, the author describes the ups and downs of an ambitious youth from the sticks, Eugene de Rastignac, as he makes his way into high society, seeking his fortune. Social climbing and grabbing the attention of materialistic, idle society engrosses the lad. He learns that the clothes and carriage make the man, that whom you know is everything, and the right invitations are a must. Père Goriot is a retired pasta maker living in the same boarding house where everyone is under the thumb of the penny-pinching, nosy Madame Vauquer. The old man has two daughters who have married into the Parisian upper crust and are now ashamed of their humble origins. As Rastignac slowly discovers, through his involvement with both daughters, their father is a martyr to his own children. They manage to squander his immense fortune while shunning him completely.

An interesting combination of romanticism and cynicism like many of Balzac's novels, PÈRE GORIOT explores the different sides of passion or `loves'---Père Goriot's love of his children, Vautrin (a jovial but wily, powerful criminal boss) and his love of power, and many characters' love of money, style, and social position. Balzac, as usual, lovingly explores the many aspects of annuities, stock transfers, bonds and landed estates, on the realistic grounds that money was the focus of French society at the time. A few people in the story actually love those with whom they are involved, but such individuals are rare. It's not a Harlequin romance after all ! The novel provides a number of unexpected twists and turns and some very clever dialogues. PÈRE GORIOT is one of the best novels in Balzac's vast series of books in which he attempted to describe French society in his times. If you have never read Balzac, you should remedy that situation forthwith; he is certainly one of the greatest novelists who ever lived.

When Balzac ins't wooing me with his beautiful descriptions, his dialogue reads like a play. Some scenes are genuinely funny, and the characters are memorable. The ending is too drawn out, but very much worth the read. Short and sweet. I loved it. Quote it in your English class to earn kudos from the professor. They love Balzac.

Balzac. Maybe it's the harsh sound of his name. Like Nietzsche or Exxon, it congers up big, tough, impenetrable. Truth is, he's none of those things. Nor is he a hopeless romantic. If Pere Goriot is an example, Balzac is simply an observer. You might not like what he sees, but it is difficult to deny its accuracy. Take the central character Pere Goriot. You can say that Balzac uses him to prove that no good deed shall go unpunished. Oft referred to as Balzac's King Lear, Goriot's troubles begin when he parcels out his fortune to his social climbing daughters; like Lear's girls, Goriot's bitches dump the old man when his money runs out. Sound familiar? Indeed, there's a lot of Shakespeare in Balzac. In King Lear, we hear "The art of necessities is strange, that can make vile things precious". Those words fit perfectly Goriot's fast learning young friend Eugene. As we see Eugene evolving from adamantine idealist to player, you can also imagine him mouthing from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale: "I am a feather for each wind that blows". So, is Balzac a cynic that sees no intrinsic good in humankind, or is saying we are merely products of our environment? Is Balzac a pessimistic Nietzsche who dismisses morality as the herd instinct in the individual? Or, is he an optimistic Helen Keller observing that tolerance is the highest result of education? You decide. But, please, please, please keep it real. For Balzac's sake, keep it real.

My French was in its infantile stages when I read this book, but opening a dictionary once, twice, or many times per page was a small price to pay for the stimulation I got from reading this book. The pure artistry of the writing not only inspired me to keep reading, but to have French as a double major. When you read this book, you are there.

I'm going to go ahead and ruin something for you, the potential reader, about Honoré de Balzac. It's nothing to do with plot or character, so you can rest assured that you're safe to get a fresh read from Père Goriot; instead it centers on the author himself. It's something you're going to pick up on as you read through this book.

You see, Honoré de Balzac is your best friend.

This sounds funny, I realize that, but it's the simple truth. You can feel it in the way that the man writes- He doesn't tell the story to you, so much as he explains it. It's like listening to one of those old men you find in a bar; you're so certain that you're going to laugh at him as he recounts his tale, you're so certain that when he tells you that it's a sad one, that you've heard that statement enough before to know it's a falsity...but then as things progress you begin to realize that you can trust him. You can feel the hand of Balzac on your back, guiding you forward. You begin to trust him...and it's all because he's talking to you as though you were an old friend.

Indeed, Père Goriot is a sad tale. Without giving away any more than the back of the book already does, I can say that it encompasses the tale of a man who has sacrificed of himself for his children's sake, as laid out in contrast to the story of a man who asks of his own family that they sacrifice for him. It is the study of both sides of that equation, all tied together through a boardinghouse where every boarder has a story to tell, where every turn and twist is an obstacle for some, an opportunity for others, and an escape for none. All are tied into this Paris that lives and breathes on the page.

Balzac was a character writer. He tells you about the person, all the intimate little details that seem so trivial but that build up the image of the person in your mind. You can see Vautrin, the mysterious all-knowing boarder as he watches young Rastignac, the young law student, struggle inside of himself as he wrestles his way into an unforgiving society. In the process of doing so, you watch sometimes in horror, sometimes in fascination, listening to the man deliver speech upon speech, some of which seem to bear an eerie early foreboding to Dostoevsky's `The Grand Inquisitor' for it's sheer, unflinching look at some point of society. Like that writer, Balzac builds the man, then lets him be himself on the page, summoning only those talents that are necessary in a writer to get out of the way and allow the story to tell itself.

Is this book worth reading? Absolutely. Who should read it? Anyone who enjoys a tale with action, honor, and ethical, internal struggles. There are criminal men, unscrupulous women, love affairs, dedication, a betrayal...there are all the elements of the modern novel, told in an engaging and playful style that you come to trust and respect and that, in the end, leaves you with a mighty hunger for more...

Henry Reed does a great translation as well. His afterword helps to place the novel in the series that it belongs, putting into proper perspective in Balzac's La Comedie humaine, a series of novels and stories built around Paris during a certain time period. Balzac was a very dedicated writer, putting himself to the task sometimes for hours on end (up to 18 by some accounts). His works contain in them many characters that repeat into other works, as in the two that I mentioned above (Rastignac in particular).

Bottom line: I cannot highly enough recommend this book to anyone. It is fantastic and easily enjoyable.

-LP

What can you say about this book.........other than it's a collection of timeless sayings and thoughts from the mind of one of America's original great thinkers. This should be required reading (in all formats)for high school students if for no other reason than to have them explore humor without 4-letter words. Once read, some of these bits of wisdom will stay with you for life. Enjoy and pass along. You will be a part of re-braining this country!

Given as a gift so have no input. Recipient did not care for the format of the book.

Though Benjamin Franklin never suggests that all the words are his, his assembly of commonly used phrases and sayings provides the reader with material that will make them think. Do remember, that this doesn't read like a novel.

Ben Franklin's book is loaded with tips just as relevant today as they were centuries ago. You will truly be surprised at the amount of knowledge, useful knowledge, you get from this book.

So to start, there is a huge problem with this page. If you utilize Amazon's Search Inside feature for this version of the book it is actually showing you the inside of a different copy of Poor Richards Almanack. What you see is definitely not the inside of this book and I'll tell you why later.

Another problem with this page is the fact that people are reviewing the content of Poor Richards Almanack and giving you, the consumer, a history lesson on the book. But come on... the content of the book is pretty much a given. If you're not familiar with the Poor Richards Alamanack, then it's probably a good idea to check it out from a library before you buy it. You would want to own a copy simply for novelty's sake.

So onto the review of the actual product... This is a very poor copy in terms of quality (just like this review). This is just speculation, but it literally appears as if someone from the publisher went to the copy machine with an original copy of the book, pressed the "Enlarge 150%" button, photocopied the entire original book onto larger paper, bound it, put a cover on it, and sold it as the copy you see here. The black space you see on the cover is about the size of the margins within the book. This creates an obnoxious amount of white space around the paragraphs which in turn makes the book difficult to read. On top of this, some of the pages are slightly crooked.

So as I've stated, the content is exactly like the original, but you can easily find a better version than this one. Unless the book was intended for people with impaired vision, there is no reason the original book should have been blown up and placed on 2 inch margins. I would steer clear of this version and find a better one.

As a side note, there are several versions of Poor Richards Almanack. Some have his quotes reorganized into categories and some versions have his quotes re-written into more modern language. And there is, of course, the original. For Christmas, I got my Mom the original as well as the one with the organized quotes. So I guess it's whatever your preference is.

I am generally a romance/mystery reader and I'm not sure how I stumbled onto Ann Mccaffrey's books. This book is a part of my favorite of her series the first of which is The Rowan. I would suggest you purchase The Rowan first and then read the entire series. My favorite stand alone book of hers is Restoree which was originally written in 1977 I believe but has been reissued. Then the Dragonflight series is wonderful and her son is continuing that series and is doing a good job. He is improving each book he writes. There is also a reissue of 3 books which is named Three Women. Two of those books are ones I have read over and over again and still enjoy. Ring of Fear and the Mark of Merlin. They are both somewhat dated, like some of the early Ludlum books but are wonderful stories. Ann has also written some great teen books. She has written an unbelievable amount of really good books.

Waste of time. Take The Rowan, and how ordinary that was, with all the young reader girlish elements, and others silliness, and make it worse.
Have mother and father from that spit out a kid who exacerbates the problems found in that other novel.

Definitely don't waste your time with this one unless some sort of hardcore McCaffrey nut.

Yet another McCaffrey book where I just fall in love with the characters and identify with their desires and dreams, in spite of the fantasy/sci fi elements. Beautifully written scenes between characters, building tension between them over the years, with tear-wrenching scenes and resolutions, both happy and sad. And as always, McCaffrey weaves her wonderful sense of humor and her sensuality throughout the story and characters.

This was the first Anne McCaffrey book I ever picked up, and I loved it! Ten years after I'd originally read it, I sought it out and re-read it, and I enjoyed it just as much as I had the first time. The characters are completely believable, and one can sympathize with them quite easily. I would recommend starting with The Rowan (the first book in the series), but Damia is also a good stand-alone novel.

McCaffrey's mastery of characters is evident, and she weaves a rich environment for them. This is one of those books I didn't want to be ejected from on the last page, I just wanted to stay immersed in the fantasy and see how the characters developped further. Definitely high on my list of fantasy favorites.

The Lyon family of "methody" Capella are Talented folk. This means that they possess telepathic and telekinetic abilities in varying degrees and combinations, although none has the power of a "Prime." Young Afra chafes under the emotional repression and strict propriety of his home-world, and delights in his beloved older sister Goswina's brief apprenticeship to the Rowan - the most powerful Prime Talent known to FT&T.

As a young man, Afra has his own chance to work with the Rowan. He and that lonely woman strike up a rare and wonderful friendship, destined to endure throughout their lifetimes. But romance isn't part of their synergy, and both yearn to find it with other partners. Which the Rowan does, eventually, with an equally powerful but untrained telepath from Deneb: Jeff Raven. Whom she marries, and partners with when FT&T's "Talents" are the only viable defense against an alien invasion.

The Rowan and Jeff Raven produce a family of Talented children, including a daughter named Damia. From childhood, this third in their brood proves herself the most Talented human yet born. She's also temperamental, strong-willed, and unpredictable; and the most important person in her life, from its earliest hours, proves to be her mother's friend and colleague Afra.

Although this book includes some thrilling passages of interstellar conflict carried out by telepathic and telekinetic means, the romance of Damia Gwyn-Raven and Afra Lyon forms its heart and occupies most of its pages. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this romance. The author handles Afra's transition from parental figure to suitor in Damia's life well enough, and there is certainly nothing wrong with a grown woman (even a rather young one) choosing to marry an older man. Nevertheless I came away with residual discomfort, because even McCaffrey couldn't quite convince me that this close friend of Damia's mother (in an emotional sense, her uncle) had any business sharing her bed.

I loved the "coonies" and the Barque Cats, though! And since I've read the rest of the Talent series already, I know that Damia and Afra's marriage is destined to mature into a genuine and healthy partnership. So I would advise other readers to be forewarned that "Damia" may disturb them a little, but I recommend it just the same.

I am a retired OB/GYN and this book started me on the course that led to about 4000 deliveries. I read this book in the 3rd grade and was inspired to follow in the footsteps of these great men. And I now will be purchasing this book for my grandchildren in the hope they will enjoy it as well.

Who knew that the inventor of the microscope was a janitor? This book reads like a novel and makes science exciting and personal.

This is kind of a history told by those who lived it - almost. First published in 1926 when this new science of biology (that we all now take for granted) was the thing of wonder and mystery Kruif writes a timeless classic about the first explorers of the microbe universe.

The writing is a bit heavy and the story is told in a dramatized fashion. Still, though, the book is a great read and very inspiring. A fascinating look into the world of science and discovery.

I believe I would have chosen to pursue an education and career in microbiology whether I had read this book or not. Nevertheless, I'll always remember how scientifically inspiring it was for me to read Microbe Hunters for the first time (and many years have passed since then). De Kruif has a talent for dramatizing the actions, thoughts and discoveries of the scientists, making them think out loud on the pages, and giving the book a feel that is more like entertaining fiction than the history of science.

Although I loved reading this book, I agree with the previous reviewer who advises that we should "...be aware that the author shares the racial and social biases of his time and class (mid 1920's)" as the book is marred by some passages that are (to say the least) objectionable in this respect, and highly distasteful by today's standards. This is a real shame, because were it not for such racial slurs this book would otherwise have been well suited to young people with an interest in science. Because of these issues, I don't recommend this as a book for kids. If you are among those who can overlook these shortcomings (at least temporarily, while reading the book), and take the book for what it is (i.e. a product of the very different times in which it was written), you will likely enjoy the spirited writing style that de Kruif uses so adeptly in portraying the history of microbiology.

This book has been in print for an impressive length of time, especially considering the fact that the topic is science. I believe that major reasons for its longstanding popularity include that de Kruif used great storytelling techniques which allowed him to engage a broad audience of scientists and non-scientists alike in reading and enjoying Microbe Hunters. Despite the troubling aspects of the book mentioned above, I enjoyed it far too much to give it anything less than 5 stars.

I read this book as a child and it was fascinating reading. Some of what is described is still current (Pasteur's rabies vaccine) while some treatments are long out of use (Ehrlich's "magic bullet" for syphillis was actually derived from arsenic and had a fair amount of side effects-an accurate cure would not be developed until the discovery of Penicillin). Also some of the attitudes taken by the writer are racist such as the quip along the lines that "you couldn't tell the Africans with sleeping sickness apart from the healthy ones because they were all lazy". This should remind people of the dichotomy that existed in society then. Also biology then was like a manic gold rush. There were no restrictions on testing medicenes so that famous scientific figures would test the treatments on friends, family or if they were brave, themselves. One thing that was strongly prevalent then was the optimism of a cure for the various diseases. There was no sense of a pharmeceutical industry trying to quickly bring to market a highly profitable drug, whether or not it was safe or effective or even more than slightly different from other medications. There was no sense of cynicism then. Once the germ theory was developed, people realized what lived amidst their world and sought to find ways to have people live better and healthier lives. So you can dismiss some of the outdated attitudes and ideology and see this book as specimen on a microscope slide, frozen in time, to be examined from a new perspective

I have been always A Wilbur Smith, I used to think River God is his best in the Egyptian series. Now I think When the Lion feeds is the best of all. Best suspense and historic writer read easily!

Another novel in Wilbur Smith's Courtneys of Africa series of stories. Here he tells the tale of two Courtney brothers, Sean and Garrick. They are non identical twins, and one day, decide to play with firearms. Garrick becomes a poster child for why adults should keep their guns away from children.

He is shot, and has to have his leg removed as a consequence. This colors the brothers relationship, even with their women, for a long time, and through various African historical events.

I lived in Africa when I stumbled accross this book. Since then I have read every book ever published by Mr Smith. It's the kinda stuff that you could read over and over.

I know live in the south east USA and I am amazed that a lot of people here did not know about Wilbur Smith. So I am on a "Quest" for want of a better word to spread his work around . All my friends and co-workers love his writing. Although a big Steven King and Dean Koontz fan , Wilbur Smith writes more English -English which has a lot more passion than his US counterparts.

Other books I strongly recommend for new fans.

The Sunbird is easily his 2nd best novel and River God is a close 3rd.

But that's just my opinion. I hope you find out for yourself and enjoy the ride .

Brendan

I found this book in a second-hand book shop several years ago, ratty and falling apart, I absolutely devoured it! I am so glad it is being re-released, this is a true gem!

This was the first novel that captured the hearts of many, thought provoking and deep in both mystery and action, Wilbur offers provoking thoughts and a view to the past, once again not all of his writings are fictional in whole; there is a breath of reality invoked in each passage and chapter. It's a fictional work, with a tender side to fact.

I now have all his works, most I have read in the past, only a few have I missed. 26 large volumes, gives hours of great reading, only three books are short. A readers dream come true.

The last book, 'The Triumph of the Sun' is still waiting to be read, I prefer paperbacks; on this occasion I chose to accept the hard cover, rather than wait.

Such an Author, a grand epitaph of a great writer, indeed. Few will feel cheated by the many works he has created, though for some the confusion of where to start can be daunting. Almost all Wilburs works can be read as seperate works of Art, but, it it's far better to start at the beginning and much more rewarding.

I am amazed by the insight that Nik gives us of ourselves. His number is in the book and speaking to him (He called back)he is just a hero for our time. Marc

What a let down. Besides the poor grammer and editing in this book; the story was a real let down. At times the biker stories gleamed some hope of it actually having some biker philosophy, but that is short lived. And the ending; well, suffice it to say I would not recommend this book.

This is one of the few books that explores masculine reality with compassion and understanding without resorting to criticizing women. Rather it seeks to bridge the gap between men and women, honoring the differing approaches to life that men and women have and seeing that both are complements in the grand scheme of humanity. More than that, it points the way for men to take pride in being men - to show that masculine energy is strong and vital and needed in the world. It deals with the warrior/protector archetype, why women need men to be men, and why men need to be men, and male drive and anger and why this is frightening to women. And it does it all in the context of a good story. A good read, hard to put down.

Incredible book!!
An amazing combination of novel and sacred messages for learning, loving, and living!
The characters came to life and I felt their spirit as I read and following.
I'm inspired by this character and this novel!
I enthusiastically look forward to the next one in the series now - Channeling Biker Bob II, Lover's Embrace!

From the moment I started this book I was hooked. Normally I'm not to quick on reading novels laboring over them for a month or more, but this one I could not put down. After only a week I had gone through the book, and was left wanting more.

There is so much good advice packed into this book, aside from a great story, that any man or woman in a marriage could easily gain from this book.