S Books

I cannot imagine reading this and not being moved. I cannot imagine reading this and not being blown away by the wonder of existence and the wonder of the universe as you do so. I cannot imagine reading this and not absolutely loving Carl Sagan by the time you reach the last page.

COSMOS is an amazing read. At times, it may feel a little densely packed, but that's only because its every single word is important, is loaded with meaning. In 13 gorgeously color-illustrated chapters, Sagan takes his readers on an absolutely amazing tour through the entire history and geography of the universe, with exciting stops along the way--in Earth's distant history, on Mars, in ancient Alexandria, to the edge of the universe, to the insides of the stars, and the insides of our minds.

Over and over again, reading this, my jaw dropped in awe and amazement. I found myself quoting passages of it to whoever I was near. I found myself with a pencil in hand, marking every other line.

The perspective that Sagan gives to our lives on Earth, the wonder he imbues the pursuit of knowledge with, and importance he conveys regarding humankind's role as Earth's most intelligent and potentially destructive species feels holy, and needed. The whole books feel that way.

What more can I say? I love this book. I wanted to hang up a framed picture of its author by the time I was done with it. I wanted to buy copies for everyone I know. I wanted to watch the DVDs of its companion series, and I still do--it's nice in that way, in that you can recommend it to anyone, as a book or as a show, even to people who don't like to read. If you buy the book though, be sure not to get the mass market paperback version, as that doesn't have all the illustrations. Get it in hardcover, as you'll almost certainly want to keep it for further re-reading, and for your collection.

(Okay, I'm afraid this is more an essay than a review but I hope it's evident how this book and the views expressed are related.)

I remember the t.v. series from my childhood. It fascinated me then and I'd love to return to it someday. But I decided to go to the book first.

I got an original addition. No updates. I was worried that I'd slap my head a few times and think; Wow, THAT was off!

Nope. While the DATA may be out of date, the lessons taught in it were and still are spot on. Even the chapters focusing on the threat of nuclear war (say it with me: NOO-KLEE-ER) are still relevant because the driving force behind the arms race (to sum up; xenophobia) is unfortunately still so prevalent today.

People would rather shun/belittle/bully/kill those they don't understand or disagree with than live with them on this earth ... our Earth.

Sagan (as with MANY popular scientists) has drawn fire from religious groups due to his staunch atheism. Well, I'm not an atheist I find no threat it what he writes. Religion and spirituality in general came about to ease the minds of the general public concerning issues for which there was no understanding at the time. Science hadn't advanced enough to tell what was causing plagues or why the sun seemed to be eaten and gradually reappear every once in a while.

Now science can explain those things. Yes, there are questions it does not answer yet. Yes, there are probably questions it may NEVER answer. But questions of self-worth shouldn't come from science. Men and women around the world can decide for themselves what their "destiny" is and that personal voyage of self-discovery is the most spiritual activity one can participate in.

Science and spirituality (even religion) can coexist. Even the Dalai Lama conceded that if science should contradict the existence of reincarnation; "Tibetan Buddhism would have to change. But," he added, "you're going to find it pretty hard to disprove reincarnation..."

Thank you, sir, we'll see what we can do. :-)

... as there is nothing else to add except that this book is THE BEST book I've ever read in my entire life. Carl Sagan is a GENIUS. His memory will live on forever through his books. He made me love astronomy so much I bought a telescope! :o)

Carl Sagan's COSMOS is simply one of the best popular science books ever written. What sets this book apart from others on the subject is Sagan's poetic style and enthusiasm for the topic. By the way, the pictures in the hard-cover version are beautiful.

This is an incredible book, even if it is dated. I am a words person, not numbers, so when Sagan got into a lot of equations and chemistry, I had to kind of skim over those parts. I never could have understood them, and if I'd tried to force myself to, I probably would have gotten frustrated and gave up on the book. So I stuck with the parts (happily, that was most of it) I could absorb and easily understand. There were so many fascinating aspects to it that I would have missed had I given up over the math. This book is capable of starting you on a journey. It has made me find a book on Alexandria, which I am just starting. There is a fascinating history there, and I will continue on with books on da Vinci and Einstein. They are men I've heard about, of course, but never has my curiosity about them been so piqued. Being a book lover, the Library of Alexandria is something I want to learn more about. This book will make you want to learn more about a lot of things.

I read this book from cover to cover two times in a row and am still amazed at the clarity given by God in the messages for 'all of humanity.'

The only part I felt myself entirely change my view was regarding the death penalty, which I used to advocate. Since reading this book I no longer do, and the reasons are so simply put, I can't imagine anyone not changing their views.

The areas about parenting, suicide, same sex marriages, telepathic communication, abortion, fidelity, human cloning, space exploration, toxins in our foods and environment, all of them and more are profound.

I can see where much of the population can definitely benefit from this book. It took me out of the labyrinth of the media maze that covers our news, and gave me a fresh and enlightening perspective that harnesses the true meaning of God's messages. They are abundantly clear.

I would give this book at least 100 stars if I could. God really does speak to humanity through Barbara Rose. I listened in on one of her teleconferences and was taken back at what she said. I also love her other book "Know Yourself" which was life changing for me. "If God Was Like Man" is life changing for all!

In "If God Was Like Man", Barbara Rose wrote the words of God given to her for humanity in a way that is simple, and what God selected are the most heated present day topics facing every society and culture on earth.

The manner and language used to convey the solutions that plague life on earth are clear and cannot be misinterpreted. I found many areas and prejudices I used to believe vanish because of the clear and direct logic, and tell-it-like-it-is approach that made more sense to me than what I used to believe. This book opened my mind and turned around prejudices I used to have. It is the same prejudices that many people still have and fight over.

One thing is certain about this book; we do have one God who does not judge anyone. On page 134 God says, "All I can ever do is work through you. I am not physical as one being; I am physical inside of every being existing throughout the universe."

There are many topics discussed in this book. For each one God brings humanity the solutions for that topic. The solutions are a must for humanity!

"If God Was Like Man" is EXTRAORDINARY! This is one of the best books I've ever read.

Life on earth would be distinctly better for everyone if this book was read and applied by all. No matter what area of life has brought distress to humanity, it's all covered in a crystal clear manner for every side involved.

If God Was Like Man is one of the best solution oriented and mind opening books I've read. It's clear that the messages can only result in the most peaceful planet, where life on earth can actually be what it's meant to be. In short, If God Was Like Man is a gift to the human race.

God has things to say, Barbara Rose was one of the chosen vehicles to deliver the message. Once again her work is magnificent. A must read, a life-changing read, regardless of religious practice. God/our higher consciousness/ supreme power is non-denominational. When I first read this book, I was in awe! I thought, this is it, raw and to the point! This is all humanity needs to read, to hear, to understand and realize as truth! If each one of us would practice and live by this wisdom, our world would ONLY be filled with self-truth, self-love, inner and outer peace. Only love and joy would be in our lives. "If God Was Like Man" is about Unity, not You versus Me; it is about "All You Need Is Love", not love versus fear; it is about stabilizing our planet earth by meeting in the middle, not Left versus Right. It teaches us how clearing away all pre-conditioned judgment, accepting each other as equal and part of ourselves and God, there would be no right versus wrong, competition, greed, and hate. There would be no need for divide and conquer or forgiveness. Some of the most important subjects concerning our lives are covered. Any of my questionable beliefs that still existed, all vanished, and many of my perspectives changed too, after reading this book. "If God Was Like Man" is a true gift to all of us, humanity and beyond. You will want to read it at least twice!

I've read several other 'channeled' books and this is the first one I've read in which God is judgmental, shaming, crude and sarcastic.

'God' often scolds the reader with questions such as, "Why do you leave adult children alone when they are not mature?" When discussing honesty and using the example of a teen-age boy who wants sex, 'God' uses terminology like, "So he may have wanted to get laid." When discussing why prostitution should be legal, 'God' says, "I say to you: If you were to arrest every woman who remains with a man for financial profit when she is truly deceiving him in terms of her feelings, then nearly 80 percent of all women who share a bed with a man would be behind bars."

On some topics, 'God's' opinions seem nothing more than a convenient justification for Ms. Rose's shortcomings in life. On the subject of education, 'God' says that if students, "have no need to study a specific standardized area outside of their field, they should not be prevented from earning a degree..." 'God' goes on to say, "I bring this up because it is the reason Barbara does not have a degree."

In reality, this seems to be a book about Ms. Rose's opinions. Or, if she truly believes it was channeled in some way, perhaps she has another personality of whom she is unaware. In any case it hardly seems likely that the book was channeled from God. Perhaps that was the only way to sell it. Sad.

I read this as a young girl - too many years ago to admit but around the time when it came out - and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! It's one of the first books I can remember being torn between wanting to rush to the ending and not wanting to finish. As an adult I still remember the story very fondly and think about it from time to time. This year when my young neighbor (age 10) was looking for new books to read, I bought her this one. To my surprise she loved it every bit as much as I did! It's timeless!

I think this book was read to me in school many many years ago. I remembered it as an adult and purchased it for sentimental reasons. I think it reminded me of The Secret Garden in a way. The seashell cottage was the perfect hideaway that every little girl could dream of making her own. I loved the story of Mandy and found myself wistfully wishing that I had a place like that as a child. What a wonderful story that Julie Andrews has created. I will cherish it always and keep it to pass down to the young girls in my family.

I read and reread this book about 5 or so times as a child. I simply loved the adventure of it all about the protagonist discovering a home away from home that she could call her very own. This is a fascinating tale for children who love to live in their adventurous daydreams and who love secret hiding places of their own where they can just "be". Although this is a book I would reccomend to children, I wouldn't reccomend it to adults as the plot and drama is very minimal. Adults would be bored of this whereas most children, especially little girls, would be fascinated by the simplicity and beauty described within its pages.

Mandy is obviously the protagonist of this story. She is an orphaned child living in an orphanage with other children of the state. She has a friend that she bonds with over time and gets along farily well with eveyone else, as well as the staff, until the day that mandy climbs over the wall of the orpganage and discovers an abandon cottage! She decides from that moment thatthe cottage is hers and her secret hideaway. She begins to do things that are uncharacteristic of her such as lying about where she has been, stealing from the orphanage supplies to take and supply her new home with, and is suddenly secretive with everyone, even her best friend. Read on to find out about Mandy and what she goes through as a child trying to make a cottage into a home and keep her secret place just that... secret.

Although this book is aimed to appeal to girls approximately between the ages of 7-13, I was in college when Mandy was first released. Being a hugh fan of Julie Andrews, I of course bought the book and was amazed that I could not put it down! To me, a great book has the ability to transport the reader from their day-to-day life into another time and place. I was mesmerized by this charming story from beginning to end as I am sure every child who reads it will be. Mandy is not only a sweet, likeable orphan, but she is very positive role model for children, showing that if you try hard enough, you can make your dreams come true. I admire Mandy's spirit and courage to go after her dream of someday having a real family.
I had read that because Julie Andrews lost a bet to her teenage step-daughter Jenny, that her forfeit was to write her a story, which turned into this wonderful book! Lucky for us readers, the result of that bet gave us our first glimpse at yet another one of Julie Andrews' many talents.
It's been 30 years now since I first read Mandy and I still have my original version of this book in a prominant place on my bookshelf, along with a hardback copy of Mandy and each updated version that has been printed. All the young girls in my family have read this classic book and loved it as much as I do. I only hope someday a movie version of this beautiful story is produced.

I purchased this book with my own money when it first came out thirty-six years ago. I was eight years old. I still have it on my bookshelf and shared it with my own children. This is truly a classic and I hope that someday it will be adapted for the screen!

Foote is a novelist first, and the skill of his narration bears this out. Although the reader knows (or should know) what is about to take place (after all, this is the most written about war in literature), the author presents the events as a first rate novelist presents his plot twists and turns - with such subtlety that the reader is somewhat surprised when he comes face to face with such events as the assassination of Lincoln. And one has to remind oneself that the presidents, politicians, generals, officers and men of both sides are not literary creations but real men; they come alive to the reader as the best constructed fictional character comes alive to the novel reader. Being born and raised in Louisiana, I came to the book with some built-in biases, particularly against some of the Union generals like Sherman and Sheridan while harboring almost deistic sentiments toward Lee, Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson. Foote shatters these biases. By using primary evidence such as personal letters, public speeches and contemporary observations these men shed their auras and become merely flesh and blood doing what they had to do given the exigencies of the war. I gained a begrudging respect for Sherman who always knew what war was about and knew best how to go about winning one. I was shown another side of Stonewall as a cruel, lemon sucking, self-appointed messenger of God who could sincerely give prayerful thanks for allowing him to slaughter the enemy. Sheridan I still do not like. Also gratifying was the attention that Foote gave to the Red River campaign and the exploits of General Richard Taylor, a part of the war that is often given scant attention or ignored all together by other historians.

That it took Foote "five times longer to write the war than the participants took to fight it" only matures his work, as age matures a first rate single malt Scotch whisky. During the time of Foote's labor, several historical events occurred that reflected the actions of the period of which he was writing, some one hundred years earlier: the assassination of a president; the beginning and end of another war; a continuation of the civil rights struggle so intimately associated with the Civil War and the assassination of its leader; and a period of uncertainty as manifested by Watergate. These re-occurrences surely had its impact on Foote (he makes parenthetical references to these contemporary events throughout the book) and tempered his efforts to write the definitive book on a definitive period of American history.

There has been much comment regarding Foote's seeming disregard for the principles of academic writing; i.e., the lack of footnotes or other forms of citation, and the lack of a comprehensive bibliography. He is compared unfavorably to other Civil War historians who lavish much time on such niceties with the result that Foote's extensive labor has been somewhat castigated. Come now! Are narrative histories by Herodotus, Livy, Thucydides and even Homer any less valuable because the emphasis is on narration rather than on a slavish adherence to the rules of academia? Foote, in his bibliographical notes, remarks in summation, "Farwel my book and my devocion', my rock and my companion through two decades," and it was with the same mixed feelings of reluctance and relief that I turned the last of almost three thousand pages of these three volumes, my own companion for countless mornings and evenings.

Without a doubt, the greatest narrative ever written on The War Between the States. Anything else is just fluff. 'The Longest Night' and 'Battle Cry of Freedom' don't even come close.

I was initially intimiated about the prospect of launching into just one volume of Foote's narrative and so I made the mistake of buying only the first book -- I should have bought all three volumes at the start! It takes about 50 - 100 pages to get into Foote's style of writing, and at times he turns a quirky phrase from the '60's (1860's), but this is enjoyable reading, bar none. If there was ever a way to learn the history of the American Civil War, this would be the way to do it.

I've spent nearly a year making my way through the three volumes, sometimes on airplanes, some of it as 5 - 6 pages before going to sleep. My biggest regret is there is no Vol. 4. I will miss Mr. Foote. The richness of detail and the descriptive character achieved by Foote makes you feel as though he lived in the period and knew many of the characters personally. You will come away with vivid and lasting impressions of Lincoln, Grant, Davis, Lee, Johnson, Jackson, McClelland, Custer, Semmes, Porter, Sherman, Sheridan, and countless others who defined these years. The series is not a dry recitation of facts and figures, but a storytelling of the war with enough statistics to provide a sense of scale.

Imagine the year is 1899 and you are a young man or lady of 12 or 13, sitting with your aging uncle who had lived and fought through the major battles of a war on the verge of being forgotten. He shares with you his remembrances and vast knowledge of what happened on the major battlefields and political stage (and behind it) during the war. He is a master story teller. You are enthralled and look forward to each evening's session. That's what Foote offers to the reader.

The books have some flaws -- a lack of maps, no program of players, ambiguous chapterization, shifting time lines and locations. While there are large scale maps inside the covers to convey the flow of the entire war, there are not enough maps for the individual battles. You must dog ear those map pages for reference. I'm not a history buff, so I constantly had to keep asking myself "who was that general?" as Foote leaves one theater of the war and then returns to it several chapters later. A suggestion -- get an index card and each time you meet a major player, write the name, side, title and use the card as a book mark. The problem with shifting time lines and locations is unavoidable in such a vast work. Foote generally does a good job to tying overlapping periods to each other, but you need to keep alert on our own.

There are few books I would ever consider reading again, but these will stay on my bookshelf for just that possibility.

I am about half way through and find these volumes excellent. They not only address the battles fought, but also address the political climate how people from the North and the South felt about the war, their leaders etc. It is interesting to be made aware of the annimosity that existed toward the "press." It is also interesting to hear how the press on either side was willing to print information that may prove detrimental to military activity and probably help to contribute to the many deaths experienced on both sides. And I mean the southern press printing about the movements of southern forces and the northern press printing about troop movements of the northern armies. Also, it comes across to me that Foote presents a relatively fair and unbaised narrative of both the North and the South. Excellent reading especailly for you history buffs. However, be ready to have fun trying to keep track of all the different generals etc. It is a little like alphabet soup.

I wanted an objective account of the civil war and an objective description of the battles, but Foote's three volume books is anything but objective. He is an engaging writer and, as another reviewer points out, brings the characters back to life, but Foote makes confederate thugs like Stonewall Jackson look like lovable, eccentric and courageous heroes. He portrays the confederate soldiers as poor, under-equipped soldiers full of valour, but then paints the union soldiers as over-equipped soldiers, lacking in courage and drive, who are there only for the experience and who pillage civilian homes when they go into southern towns (see the battle at Federicksburg for an example).

I note another reviewer commenting that Foote's view is not apparent in the books, but to me it is very clear he is rooting for the confederates. For example, on page 19 of the second volume, he writes "Texas was decontaminated" and the only bluecoats were Magruder's prisoner (this was about Magruder winning the battle at Galveston for the confederates). Only those in support of the confederate would say that Texas was decontaminated when Magruder won. If the writer was objective, that phrase "Texas was decontaminated" would not have been inserted. It's not even necessary!!

There is also a little too much detail. I can do without how many men are in each division and how many men were killed, wounded or captured.

I do not intend to read all three volumes because of his pro-confederate tone. It was a struggle to finish the first volume without wanting to throw the book at something (I am not pro-union, just anti-confederate). I am reading the second volume only so I can read about Stonewall Jackson's death. I am not sure how Foote has portrayed his death, but I'm sure with his pro-confederate feeling, it will be a glorious death!!! To me, Stonewall is a hypocritical thug and murderer and I will delight in reading about his death, however, glorious it might be to Foote.

Not every author invites readers into the intimacy of his own most personal and profound loss. But not every confirmed bachelor and university professor marries for immigration rather than for love, and later realizes that his heart belongs to the person to whom he is already married, only to formally take her as a real wife during her hospitalization and treatment for a form of cancer that will eventually end her life. But C.S. Lewis is special, and so are his readers.

This personal diary, originally published under a psedonym, offers reassurance that knowing God is good does not preclude feelings of deep sorrow, fear, and uncertainty in the loss of a loved one. Lewis explores the social, emotional, and spiritual earthquakes that are caused by the death of his wife. Losing his intellectual sparring partner, his bedfellow, his friend, and his lover shakes him to the core, yet he clings to Christ as the only source of eteral hope for himself and for his wife Joy.

During a season of grief, I read this book every few weeks. It's a classic and not to be missed, not because it's entertaining, but because it acknowleges deep longings and desires that are intended by our Creator to lead us to Truth.

Lost a child. C. S. asks me to work very hard. I can't do it. Kushner gets to the heart of grief.

This book obviously already has plenty of praising views, but I read this book and found it so great that I can't live with myself if I don't write a review. Coming from a kid who grieved a traumatic death, this book *IS* the book to buy if you're grieving, want to understand death, or want to find a book to help out a confused friend (no matter what age) who's grieving. It's worth the price.

I am new to the genius of CS Lewis. I read the Narnia series as a kid, but have not read books for years, until recently. This book was deep, and full of the genius Lewis is known for. He expresses the pain of losing his wife, and the questions that those who mourn often work through, but are too guilty to express publically. The work is awesome, and may help some who are going through similar feelings of greif. Skip the aknowlegement at the beginning by Madeline Engle, I am not familiar with her writing, but have heard the name. I am surprised she was chosen to write the aknowlegement, but it is an amusing contrast to Lewis' intellect and spiritual understanding. The aknowlegement exudes an attitude of confidence in spiritual issues, yet reveals a cluelessness and spiritual blindess found largely in todays new age books. It does not belong in a CS Lewis book.

CS Lewis looks death into the face; he does not flinch and does not console himself with platitudes. He had lost the love of his life and his pain is palpable to the reader. This is a raw and honest book but it is not at all depressing: At the end of the book, Lewis begins to recover: his wish is simply that, on his own death bed, his lover will come back to him and give him the consolation of seeing her face again.

Rather surpisingly, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer myself three weeks after doing this review. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord! If you read this, say a prayer for me that I may die with courage and joy!

Okay, so this is probably as preachy as Dr. Suess gets, and it just might get on the nerves of some people, but the tree hugger in me salutes him for it, even as he paints a grimmer picture of environmental destruction than Al Gore ever thought of.

Even so, it's clearly Suess with his imaginative worlds and funny characters.

It's a solemn book of warning that it pretty darn good into scaring kids into being careful with the environment.

And that's not a bad thing.

I could not wait to present this lesson to the class this year. Teaching seventh grade and the 5 themes of geography this book lends itself to many of those themes but mostly human-environmental interaction (how human interact and change the environment to fit their needs). Not only does this book show that but it really visualizes how we negatively impact the Earth for our own selfish needs. Again my students are in love with the facts that I am reading them a storybook and after the discussion they see that it isn't a plain, old storybook but it really does have a significant meaning.

Review by Sherry North, Author, Because You Are My Baby

While most Dr. Suess stories are pure fun without any heavy message, The Lorax delivers an extremely blunt lesson on ecology. What's amazing is that Dr. Suess does this with a narrative that is engaging, entertaining and ultimately inspiring. You might think a book with such a heavy message could be a turn-off to young children, but I have found the opposite. My preschoolers find this story absorbing. I think they understand there is something truly important at stake, so the book means more to them than other Dr. Suess titles.

Is it a coincidence that Thneed rhymes with Deadly Sin #3? Growth for the sake of growth is where we are today. This too shall pass, UNLESS....

Dr. Seuss, turned holier-than-thou by his elevated status in society, decides to preach to us about the evils of industrialization. Does he realize that the many millions of copies of "The Lorax" were all made in factories, using paper that came from trees?

This book is so sweet and filling. Its written by l.m. montgomery so it fills your soul up. What I like best about this book my Montgomery was that it was limited and finished in one book. It wasnt like Anne of Green Gable (which I do love but) in which the story was going over seven books. This book is about a shy and timid girl that when she hears that she has a year left to live, goes and lives her life to the full extent and enjoys it.

I am a faithful L.M. Montgomery reader; I've read all of the Anne and Emily books many times over. I've read many of Montgomery's other works, too - but I hadn't read The Blue Castle. I bought it on recommendations I read here.

First off, I was pleased that I wasn't just reading another "Anne" or "Emily" book, as much as I love them. The Blue Castle is truly different. The story is clever and very interesting. It was also refreshing that the heroine, Valancy, isn't a writer (also the case in the Pat books)! ; ) But, I felt that Valancy is the most self-absorbed "good" character I have ever read; everything (except that one instance, when she stepped out of herself to care for the dying girl) is about Valancy to Valancy. I take away half a star for how annoying that is!

Also, for anyone who is at all weak-willed, I highly recommend this story; to see how badly a life can be wasted when all a person cares about is what other people think of them!

"Spoilers, read at your own risk"

I can't even explain in words how this book touched, inspired, and warmed me.

A middle-aged old maid, Valancy Stirling, had problems with her heart. Because she doesn't want to raise a fuss, she visits the doctor which none of her relatives go to, and gets a check-up with him.

But the doctor gets news of his son being injuried in another town, so he rushes out the door, leaving poor Valancy alone, wondering again what's wrong with her.

The next day however, Valancy recieves a letter telling her that she had a uncurable heart disease, and if she takes care of herself, she will live for one more year.

Valancy is crushed. She has never really had a life, because of her over-bearing family, and a shy nature. She has never even been kissed, never loved anyone, and never actually BEEN loved.

So Valancy decides to make the most of the life she has left. Leaving her home, she goes to her friend Cissy Gay's house, and house-keeps for Cissy and her father. Valancy buys pretty clothes, and stops wearing stiff, ugly hair styles. She begins to become happy, loving Cissy, and being loved by her.

Barney Snaith, the supposed criminal of the town, (whose only real known crime is that he keeps away from society) becomes the object of Valancy's love. She wishes she weren't dying because of him, but she knows he probably wouldn't love her anyway.

Then Cissy dies of consumption (tuberculosis) and Valancy's relieved family expects her to come back home and act like a prim, boring person again. But instead, Valancy shows Barney Dr. Trent's letter, and asks him to give her one happy year, and to marry her. He agrees, and Valancy is more embarrassed then she would have been if he had said no.

The next day, they marry and go to Barney's island. The Stirling family is horrified, and give up on her completely.

Then, a surprise ending, and horrifying truths shatter Valancy's dreams, only to bring them back together again in a satisfying, well written ending.

This book is by far my all time favorite. It is not like the Anne of Green Gables series to me, although I love those. It is a seperate and sweet story of someone who is forced to see life in a completely different light when death is thrust upon them. I can relate to the character in a very personal way so this book moves me to want to be more of myself. Maybe that is why I love it so much. I find the light humor and the romance to be enchanting and I recommend this book to anyone that I meet. It is short, but I like that part too. It moves me every time I read it.

Though I love Anne, Emily, and Pat, I also love Valancy. I feel hands down that this is the best book LM has ever written, at least for adults. I felt myself so angry for Valancy at first for the way she is treated, but it was so awesome to see her stand up for herself and become happy. You go girl!

The accolades for this book you find here are extremely well deserved. I will add to the cheerleading only by saying that this book is without a doubt, the single best book I have ever read concerning any aspect of the war in the Pacific. And I've read a LOT of it. It is literally impossible to put this book down once the action starts. Too bad more of naval history isn't written by this author. I have read many books on the Battle of Leyte Gulf that left me scratching my head in frustration as the author utterly fails in his attempt to relate to the reader a complex and disjointed narrative of one of the most complicated battles in U.S. Naval history. Not so with this Last Stand. BTW, I have been trying to plow through Lundstrum's "First Team" for what seems like forever. Talk about a great story ruined by a guy who has no flair for writting. But back on topic and in conclusion I will say that this won't be the last time I read Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. As far as Lundtrum's book, well, I'm really looking forward to finishing it and making a paper weight out of it.

Being a voracious reader of world war ii novels,This is quite simply one of the most exciting and heart rending novels of naval warfare I have ever read.What make's it all the more interesting is my late grandfather served on a destroyer escort and even though he told a few tales himself reading this novel I truly almost felt I could smell the cordite and feel the deck as the Samuel b Robert's charged at the Japanese fleet.Next time you see a vet shake his hand and thank him.They deserve it!

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors chronicles "The Battle off Samar", possibly the most lopsided battle ever fought by the US Navy. Due to an inexplicable decision by the legendary Admiral Halsey, on October 25, 1944 a small flotilla of Escort Carriers and their escorting squadron of "Tin Cans" (Destroyers, and their little cousins, Destroyer Escorts, the smallest ships in the blue water fleet) were the only thing standing between a powerful fleet of Japanese battleships and the US invasion force sent to liberate the Philippines.

For the Americans, trying to stand up against the heavily armed and armored Japanese behemoths with the minimal forces at their disposal was suicidal. Still they were the only ships available to prevent the Japanese steaming into Leyte Gulf and slaughtering the soldiers and Marines still on the beach, so stand up against them is what they did. Incredibly, the Japanese retreated...but only after blasting two Destroyers a Destroyer Escort and one of the Escort Carriers into oblivion.

It was once said (by William Manchester, I believe) that military history often focuses on battles because, once so much blood has been shed we humans seem compelled to justify all the loss and pain by giving the event meaning. By the time the Battle off Samar took place, the Japanese empire was certainly beaten. Win, lose or draw, on that day in October they were not going to significantly alter the course of the war. And yet the willingness of the outnumbered and out gunned American squadron to stand and fight when they should have had no chance of winning does elevate 3 hours of explosive action to that point where stories and poems will be written about it for decades.

James D. Hornfischer's book captures both the events and emotions of the men who made what they knew would be a suicidal last stand vividly. It is well worth reading for anyone interested in World War II history.

This is an incredible story of true courage by the men of the U.S. Navy fighting in the Pacific during World War II. Words are not equal to the valor shown by the Tin Can Sailors who battled the best ships of the Japanese Navy and turned certain destruction into an unbelieveable victory. I dread to think that our nation may one day forget the courage and sacrifice of these men. The Tin Can Sailors are a shining examples of this nation's best. Highly recommend this book.

A couple of years ago, I read "Shattered Sword" (about the Battle of Midway) and proclaimed it the best WWII account of Pacific Theatre Naval history to date. I now have to say THE LAST STAND OF THE TIN CAN SAILORS by James Hornfischer ranks right beside it.

This is a brilliantly presented accounting of Halsey's folly when he let his enormous ego get in the way of following orders. The result is the death of some of the Navy's finest tin can sailors and the birth of legends in Naval history. Had Halsey been in position with the 3rd Fleet to guard San Bernardino Straits, it is quite possible that even more American lives would have been lost in the ensuing battle, but it is also quite probably that the Japanese Center Force would have also been dismantled piecemeal just as the Japanese Southern Force had been destroyed the day before.

But, as history has shown, Halsey couldn't contain his ego and went chasing after his own legacy, leaving the Straits to be guarded by the "little guys" a tiny group of escort carriers and accompanying destroyers and destroyer escorts. Hornfischer deftly tells the tale of the men of these greatly overmatched tin cans who faced down the Imperial giants. Many of them eventually paid the ultimate sacrifice.

This incredibly well researched story will have you glued to every page. The details are accurate to a flaw and riveting like no other account I have ever read. This is superbly written and also includes several pages of photos as well as maps of ship positioning during the battle. This is one of the best Naval warfare history books you will ever read.

For years I thought I was the only person on the planet familiar with the fairy tale of the Goose Girl. How thrilled I was to read a novel based upon the story!

Shannon Hale, as most writers of fairy tale retalings, goes an extra step to make a threat of warfare behind the simple story of a betrayed princess.

Ani is a princess with a load of responsibilities and loyalties, including an arranged marriage with the purpose of creating a union between two kingdoms. She also happens to have a special gift--speaking to nature (which fits very well into the original fairytale).

This is a story full of the usual romance and adventure, but it also packs an extra dose of magic and a surprisingly delightful addition of political strategy.

A great read

I loved this book. It was the fist Shannon Hale that I read and I have since read many more. I also read part two Enna Burning and I am working on part three, River secrects. This is a must read. She is a wonderful author.

Goose Girl by Shannon Hall is like a realistic fairytale. Sure, it has its share of magic, but everything just feels so possible and there is such a struggle for finding one's place. Princess Anidora is such an inspiring character because her problems don't just solve themselves and she needs the help of others.
Ani, also known as Isi, is someone that you want to sympathize with because to be in her position just seems like there are so many obstacles to over come. And even though she seems shy and humble, she has such a strong soul and such perseverance. Her fight against someone who she once thought was her friend is so intense in every aspect. There are so many moments where you feel that Ani's fate is sealed, yet at the last moment where you realize that you are clutching onto something, she somehow escapes. Although many of her company were not so fortunate, she never forgets them and their devotion to her. I think that many of her traits such as these are so admirable. She is such a caring person when it comes to the people who have helped her in various ways. She never acts as though people owe her some sort of service, even when she is a princess.
One of the happiest moments to me was when she finally felt loved again from Geric, yet so sad when it seemed as though it ended. It broke my heart and I thought to myself that she is so lucky to at least have loved at all.
Although some parts seem gruesome and nerve racking, it makes you feel as though you are in the story itself and are in Ani's shoes. Ani is the kind of person a girl can look up to which I think is so important, and I think ads to the book's appeal to readers such as myself. The ending was spectacular however I won't go into detail, you'll just have to read it yourself, but trust me, the length may be daunting, but it is defiantly a page turner.
One last thing before I go, for those who have already read this book and are looking for another good read that is very close to the Goose Girl is The Book of Three series by Lloyd Alexander. They are just as captivating, but are still a different style of writing.

If this is a Grimm brothers retelling, Shannon certainly made it more famous than the Grimm brothers did. I can't stop reading this book! I got it when I was in 5th grade and every time I had to do a book report, I did on this book, EVERY TIME! If you are looking at this book and interested in it, NO MORE HESITATING! BUY IT! It is worth every penny you pay for it and every second you spend reading it. I got A 's on all the book reports I did on this book! Every scene and character is so well described, every action so well put and written and everything that happens fits perfectly! This is my favorite book and I am SO happy i bought it! Ani is and enchanting character and it was so fun to imagine what would happen to her after i finished reading the book.
Adventure, romance, sadness and a happy ending, THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL!

I love this book. Read it twice, finally own it. It is a YA book that actually teaches values. You can't go wrong with it or any other Shannon Hale book!

Books this long need to be way more interesting or it turns into a slog, I don't care how fast you read. This one really bogged me down. I am not saying it was not a good story, it just needed to be way shorter and keep moving a lot faster.

As a high school student, I first encountered this character in a series made up of five books. At the time, each book was released weeks or even months apart. I was so enamored with the story that I finished each book before the next one was released. But I eagerly anticipated each installment. It was like being hooked on a daytime soap. But mind you, this is no soap opera. This is perhaps the most captivating story I have ever encountered. I am pleased to find this edition contains the whole set in one book. If you are a fan of sword fights that begin with but an intent in the mind of the combatant coming to an end in the deceptively tranquil plains of feudal Japan, look no further. This story reminds you that however perfect the sword is as a tool for killing, the deadliest weapon remains the swordsman and not the sword. Musashi is the ultimate swordsman and his story has all the elements of an engaging epic containing betrayal, honor, struggle, unrequited love, death and much more. The duels of the sword depicted here are like nothing I have ever read or seen or heard about before back then as a high school student and now as an adult. Printing quality and paper quality is excellent as befits a treasure of literature.

Great story!! Full of action and wonderful details so you really feel like you are part of the story. My son who does not like to read cannot help but enjoy this one. Just when he seems a little bored the author has something exciting. A great read for boys or men.

I read this books while I was in the senior high school, approximately twenty years ago, but until now the story is still clinging in my mind and it refused to forget it because this is a best novel I've ever know.Extremely worthy to own it. It seems that Eiji Yoshikawa did a great deal of works to perfecting it.

I read Musashi 15 years ago, and I remember it vividly. It's such a sweeping, wondrous novel, I'm surprised it's not more famous than it is. I became a bit of a Yoshikawa fan from this, and visited his home, preserved as a museum, outside Tokyo. A beautiful serene place. Musashi, in retrospect, was highly inspirational to me as a writer, in terms of pacing, character development, and raw storytelling. I recently bought a copy for a fellow writer, who has samurai themes in his works, and I'm sure I will continue to gift this novel to my friends. Enjoy!