T Books

This is really two books. One a memoir of Leila Ahmed growing up in Cairo and how she finally settled in the USA. It is a fascinating story, involving and informative about life in Egypt, much more diverse and interesting than I had ever realized.

The second theme of the book is an analysis of the concepts of Arab identity and the experiences of Arab women. It is interesting,more academic in tone.

Well worth reading both for evocative descriptions of Cairo and growing up and for Dr. Ahmed's thoughts about her identity as an arab, as a woman and as a moslem.

I needed this book for a course I'm taking, and not one local bookstore had it in stock. I logged on to trusty Amazon, ordered it, and had it in my hands (with assigned reading completed) before my next class. The memoir itself had started pretty slowly (alot of Egyptian history), but has taken off quite nicely.

I thought that this book was amazing. I've read many books about Islam but I think that this book actually gave me a sense of what it means to be a Muslim. Sometimes when reading about religions we often only get an overview of the practices and beliefs of a religion but we rarely hear from believers of a particular religion and how they incorporate the beliefs of their religion into their everyday lives. For me, it was also interesting to read about Egypt during the 40's and 50's because it was something I have never studied before. It was interesting to see the religious diversity in Eygpt and how quickly that all changed with the rise of Nasser. Another thing I had never realized that Egyptians practically had the title Arab forced upon them, but most would never otherwise identify themselves as Arab. I think this book really exposed me to a world and a lifestyle that I had never known existed, and I think this is a must read for anyone who is open to seeing a new perspective on their world.

I enjoyed very much reading this book. The level of description used is capable of transporting you to Leila's birthplace and enjoy her life's journey. This book reads like a novel even though it is a biography. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Pre- and Post-Nasser era in Egypt and how it affected the Egyptian middle class of the time. Another book about Egypt during that era I would recommend is Samia Serag El-din's The Cairo House. Happy reading!

I wasn't sure what I would find when I chose this book. But Dr. Ahmed's thoughts on creating her identity and the societal forces that crafted her upbringing are astounding. Her tale of defining herself as a woman, an Egyptian, an Arab, a Muslim, and an American resonated very deeply with me.....

I found this book very intreguing. I have read The Chronicles of Narnia completely several times as an adult and this book is right up there with it. The story was spell binding allegory. The princess, a prophecy, a secret, everything about it kept me reading. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of his sequel, The Devil's Mouth, so that I can continue my journey into the seven kingdoms.

Thomas Williams is truly talented! This book got me from the first page till the last and I neglected much work while reading it as I couldn't put it down.Set in medievil times around two kingdoms and an awsome forrest it's fast paced , exiting and full of adventure.It has strong characters and a fantastic story line that I wished would never end. It will make you believe in love and honour and think about your own morals and strive to be better.I loved every word!

This book has wonderful allegory that compels one to be noble and pure. It is a page turner (especially the last half)that is in ways comparable to Tolkien's works. It has extensive characters which come to life and plot that is quite enjoyable.

I am excited about Tom Williams' new book, "The Crown of Eden," for several reasons. First, for those who enjoy medieval tales of brave knights and fair ladies and enchanted forests, Tom's story will thoroughly delight. The adventures of Princess Volanna and the gallant knight Aradon are woven together in twisting episodes of romance, terror, tragedy and triumph. The story begins by bringing the reader up to date concerning the great empire of Perivale whose victorious battle with the evil Morgultha united seven kingdoms. But Perivale disappears mysteriously and an ancient sage appears out of the enchanged Braegan's Wood to foretells the breakup of Perivale's empire. He delivers also a hopeful yet cryptic prophecy concerning the eventual restoration of Perivale's glory through an heir who will one day take the throne, reunite the kingdoms and reign over days even more glorious than those of his father. "The Crown of Eden" is the exciting story of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The best thing one can say about "The Crown of Eden" is that it is a wonderfully told story. The chapters are short, revealing just enough surprises in the unfolding story that it is difficult to stop. More than once, as the reader is gaining speed toward some seemingly inevitable conclusion, Tom inserts an unexpected turn in the plot which leaves the reader delightfully off balance. And though one senses near the end of the story how it might end, the twists and turns keep coming even to the last few pages.

Tom has created dozens of wonderful characters in the story including the noble King Tallis, the loyal servants Kalley and Olstan, and the pathetically evil prince Lomar.but the story centers around two main characters, Princess Volanna and the commoner Aradon. Through these two characters Tom is able to not only tell a great story, but teach profound lessons in an effective and unintrusive way. Which is the next best thing about "The Crown of Eden." It does more than just tell a good story.

Interwoven amidst jousting festivals, harrowing escapes through murky swamps, rescues from dark and foreboding castles, there are scenes and conversations which allow Tom's characters to give articulate expression to various truths. King Tallis expounds on the puzzle of balancing God's sovereignty and man's freedom. Father Lucidis eloquently expounds on the virtues of pleasure, delight and ecstasy. Lord Aldemar wrestles with the tension of obedience to law and loving his country. Bogard gives some of the best advice to be found on choosing one's life mate.

Best of all, we find in Volanna and Aradon the embodiment of what it means to be a womand and a man. Tom is at his best when he describes the beauty of Volanna, a beauty that does not inflame illicit passion, but awakens the legitimate passions which lie all too dormant within us. If there is a weakness in "The Crown of Eden," it is that these "philosophical moments" in the story may linger a bit too long and distract at times from the story.

One last observation which made the book enjoyable was the way Tom has blended his own fantasy with the history of scripture. These characters and their kingdoms exist only in our minds, yet they are christians and as such often look to biblical stories to make meaning our of their own experience. The most intriguing example of this is the use of the strange biblical story of King Jephthah and his daughter which finds in "The Crown of Eden" a narrative commentary.

This tale, which hopefully will be the first of many in the The Seven Kingdom Chronicles, is a wonderful addition to the rapidly growing genre of Christian fantasy and as enjoyable as such established authors as Terry Brooks (of recent Star Wars fame.) Though Tom's single story does not merit comparisons with his literary mentors, Lewis and Tolkein, clearly his writing exhibits the best of their influence and the tales of the Seven Kingdoms certainly deserve to be on the same shelves alongside the tales of Narnia and
Middle-earth.

Tom Williams has a marvelous way of telling a story. You will actually fall in love with the main characters--and right along with them--feel their hurts, fears, disappointments, as well as their ultimate joy and exhilaration. There are profound lessons woven into the story, but they emerge from the characters' wrestling with decisions and their actions rather than tedious, preachy dialogs and monologs. Williams addresses some knotty theological questions, such as how the free will of men and women fits into an unfailing providence revealed in prophecy. But not to the detriment of a beautiful love story.

This book is masterpiece. It comes in second to none, including the works of George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkein, and C. S. Lewis.

Don't Tell - A Ghost Story
by Rodney Labbe

This is a fascinating book by a new novelist who hits a home run with his new tale. Want to be scared? Want to leave the lights on all night? Then this is the book for you. Ever go to a Catholic school? Ever been taught by a nun? If not, it will be fine - nor have I. I was scared, anyway.

Although it is his first novel, Mr. Labbe has long been an author of articles in magazines dealing with supernatural topics. A fan of Dark Shadows, he has interviewed and written many articles about the actors in that beloved, by many, series.

As a reader of many books of all genres, I consider Rodney Labbe to be a writer of great skill with words, a weaver of intricate plots, and a developer of personalities
for his characters.

I would not have missed this book for the world, it is a wonderful read.

~Stephanie Morgan~

I'm not much of a horror fan, but I just could not put this book down. I attended Notre Dame for 8 years and I could
relate to alot of what Rodney wrote. He did a fantastic
job with this story. You want to keep reading to see what
is going to happen next. It is definitley a must read
book.

I'm not usually a horror fan, but I do enjoy suspense, and Don't Tell has plenty of suspense. When I read Don't Tell, I could close my eyes and visualize the scenes. They are moving and compelling. I wanted to sit and read the entire novel in one sitting, but I just didn't have the time. Thank you to Rodney A. Labbe for a "hold your breath and turn the page" novel. I look forward to the next one!

Whoa, this totally blew me away! A buddy gave me this book, promising that it would literally scare the s**t out of me, and he wasn't kidding! DON'T TELL is about a group of Catholic School children who are haunted by the ghost of their former teacher, a truly villainous woman named "Mother Emmanuel." In the second grade, she'd established the "don't tell" rule in her classroom--and once you read this book, you'll understand why she doesn't want anyone to tell! 40 years afterward, the school is being torn down, the walls of a classroom begin to spurt blood, and something horrifying is released! How do the now-grown children deal with it? Read DON'T TELL and find out! I've never heard of the author, Rod Labbe, but I can tell you that he's an undiscovered talent of the highest order. If you think Stephen King has lost his ability to frighten, turn your sights to Mr. Labbe. You won't regret it!

I had to read this book for my Creative Writing class. I found this book very thrilling and interesting, it keeps you on the edge of you seat. The twist at the end was the best. I also went to Catholic school after my regular school ended every day. So to me this book really hit home in some of the areas. I would like to see Rodney write other books, I would read his books.

This is by far the most thorough exegetical work I've found anywhere on the book of Romans. It is a masterful commentary full of pertinent insight and many nuggets of considerable import. My only negative critique is that this commentary is not more Pastoral. It is extremely useful (read "invaluable") for scholars, theologians, seminarians, etc., but is not nearly as easily digested and presented for Pastors or Sunday School Teachers or Church Bible Study teachers, etc. I only wish Moo had included more pastorally, but nevertheless this is a magnificent work and highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand Paul's message to the church at Rome. I would recommend that perhaps some other commentaries be included (even such trustworthy classics such as Calvins or Luthers).

Dougas J. Moo has written the greatest one-volume commentary on the Book of Romans!

Two other books by Moo on Romans are also helpful:
1. Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies)
2. Romans: The Niv Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life

This commentary is probably the most exhaustive and careful study of Romans I have ever read (and I have read quite a few books on Romans). Douglas Moo stresses that the overarching theme of the letter to the Romans is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He says that Paul wrote Romans for a number of reasons: to defend his gospel against those who were accusing him of saying things like "Let us do good, so that evil may result." He also wrote to show that both Jew and Gentile are in equal need of the gospel, and that one cannot boast against the other. Paul also wrote to galvanize support for his mission to Spain (Romans 15).

Romans 1-3 shows that both Jew and Gentile are lost in sin without faith in Christ. Romans 7 shows the futility that Paul and other unsaved Jewish people in general experienced under the law, and Romans 7:24ff depicts deliverance through salvation in Christ.

Romans 8:29 means that God foreknew us in relationship, not that God foreknew that we would believe in Christ (I disagree, but this is Moo's viewpoint, and he argues cogently).

According to Moo, Romans 9 speaks of God choosing certain individuals to be saved because of His own purpose and grace, and not because of any faith he foresaw in His people. Jacob I have loved means "Jacob I have chosen," and Esau I have hated means "Esau, I have not chosen."

In a tour de force of careful argumentation, Moo shows from Romans 9-11 that God is not through with the Jewish people, and that "all Israel" in Romans 11:25-26 means that all the Jewish people alive at the time of Christ's return will be saved.

Romans 12-15 has ethical material found in a number of other Pauline epistles, and Romans 13 was written because Paul wanted to show that submitting to governing authorities was part of the pleasing will of God mentioned in 12:2 (although he leaves open the possibility of Christians responding to the government when it goes against the clearly expressed moral and ethical will of God.

The list of people in Romans 16 doesn't make for the most scintillating reading, but it shows that Paul's missionary ventures were not solo performances. He relied on others, both men and women.

What else can I say except that this is an awesome commentary. The heavy duty Greek stuff is mostly in the bottom as footnotes, but this is still a commentary I would recommend mainly for pastors and educated lay people. Moo's NIVAC offering on Romans may be a better choice for beginners.

I do not quite agree with the Calvinistic interpretations of Romans 8:29 and 9:22, especially since 9:30-10:21 make it clear that faith plays an important part of the process. In my opinion, God does not choose apart from his foreknowledge of the human response, and I think Romans 9:30-10:21 brings this out.

But otherwise, this commentary is exhaustive (and exhausting if you try to read it in a short period of time!) and extremely helpful. Thumbs way up!

Moo's commentary is good not excellent. I find he tends to chase rabbits. I would have prefered to have read more of his own thoughts on the verses as to so many different opinions of others. Over all he has done a good job, but I would not say his commentary is better than Hodge or Cranfield or some of the other older commentaries on Romans.

Moo is officially classed as a dispensationalist, however, it is known that he disagrees with a lot of traditional dispensational thought, as he is more progressive than most. For one, he is post tribulational in end time thinking, and believes in the 'now and the not yet' of the Kingdom. This book clearly shows that.
I am not a dispensationalist at all and yet I was amazed at the clarity and balanced thinking of this commentator. As he, himself states - he believes more in 'fullfillment' theology. And that's where this book is at especially in the murkey waters of ch 9, 10 and 11.
If he was as dispensational as one reveiwer above says, then Fee or the NIC committee would not have had him, as the niether the series or Fee are at all dispensational.
What Moo does do is bring traditional reformed / replacement thought toward a more Christocentric understanding of Israel as a people, who together with gentiles form God's one fulfillment people, and yet he also deals with the traditional dispensational thought that says Israel are God's earthly people and the Church His heavenly people ( or less in some cases).
I think Moo deserves credit for this book - it is outstanding, and will hopefully clear up a lot of the terrible dispensational mess in the West, and bring Christocentric fulfillment views rather than dual covenant views into people's understanding.

I live in North Carolina and I have been able to identify all the snakes, lizards, turtles, and frogs that I have found using this book. Good descriptions and photos to help you tell the difference between different species.

This book features clear plates with apparently well painted views of probably all the species of amphibians and reptiles occuring in Canada and the USA east of the Rocky Mountains, apparently also including those of Puerto Rico and introduced ones. Unfortunately, the plates of the third edition from 1998 are printed badly, with the colour dots not completely blurring in front of the reader's eye, and the pictures are a little tiny anyway. On the page opposing the plates are the common and scientific names given, as well as some important details of their appearance. Many species are represented with several images (e.g. from the side, from below; adults, juveniles), but this would probably be warranted for even more species.
The species accounts are, however, usually much too short, giving almost no detail about biology and life history of the species. Among them are, however, some colour photographs, whose printing resolution is usually also somewhat too bad, though.
The range maps are in colour and show the different subspecies in different shades, yet they are also somewhat confusing, because water bodies like the sea or the great lakes are not shaded differently from the land, so that their borders look like the state borders, and because the range borders have also be drawn in black (maybe for copying?).
Laudable is the existence of a general section about amphibians and reptiles and their catching, handling and captive care. This section would be worth expanding, though.
The third printing (1998) is/was, as already stated, not very good because of its low colour resolution and its maybe somewhat too small size, and it is/was bind only as paperback with relatively thick pages throughout.

Thank you for your timely shipping of this brand new book. I ordered it for a friend who is looking forward to getting it soon.

I have had this book for several years and absolutly love it. Not only is it nicely informative, it holds up well in the feild. I can not begin to count the number of times I have slipped (I generally keep it tucked in my waist band) in creeks on outings. After years of abuse, my cover is a worn, spine wrinkled and paged stained, but it's still solidly bound.

The book is great. Wonderful range maps, nice pictures, generally good ID characters. Could use some more info on larval amphibian identification though.

Iam totally empressed with the contents of this book. But I think I knew I
would be. It points to the fact that what we receive from our pulpits all
across denominational barriors, influenced by our seminaries across the
nation are descreptincies in the interpitation of our rights as Christians.
If Jesus died for our sins on the cross, we are ready to grasp that fact.
However we are not taught that He also died for our sickness and all other
problums in our lives.We, as children of God, have the right to claim
what has been willed to us in His will & testament for us. But we have an
obligation to ourselves and our loved ones to gather around the table of
truth, to find for ourselves what His will is for our lives.so I urge all
christians to study the Bible, and know for themselves the truthes.
In Jesus name, Carl T. Coggins

This is masterfully written, solid, proven, best of the best, based on Scripture and years of God confirming His Word with signs following,just as He promised in His Word. The proverbial Philadelphia lawyer could not have laid out a more airtight case. Don't miss it. I sent a copy to a friend just diagnosed with cancer. He could not thank me enough.

I highly recommend this book for anyone , especially for those who need Physical or Spiritual Healing.

I am enjoying the book as a bibile study with my church. The book is easy to follow and understand.

This was a life changing book for me, as were FF Bosworth "Christ the Healer" and Norvel Hayes "How to Live and Not Die". I actually read the latter two first. While reading the scriptural teachings in those two books, I received healing and cancelled a scheduled surgical consult. While reading the scripture in "Healing the Sick," I received healing again from a different condition. Praise His Holy Name!

The latter two books are available on audio tape or CD.

A foundation from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, with the combination of teachings in these books, along with Kenneth E. Hagin Sr, Kenneth Copeland, and Keith Moore (all his are free on his website) have been invaluable healing resources for me. I pray you are blessed as well. Peace to you.

As a professional certified coach, I love this book and use it as a resource in the programs I facilitate on leadership development and business coaching. Tom has such BIG HEART and through this book he provides a wonderful road map on how managers and leaders can begin to create more high performance work teams.

This will become one of your go-to books re: the coaching process. I know it's one of mine! Incredible insights as well as lots of advice, tricks, tips, etc. A must buy for coaches, or those who aspire to become coaches.

In this three-part relational guide for the development of "a performance-focused, feedback-rich organization", consultant Tom Crane offers the reader his insights on three aspects of transformational coaching; the model, the coach, and the culture. The unifying theme, the heart drives relationships, and relationships drive performance, is evidenced by the title of the book and the statement, "If you chose to incorporate any of the practices described, pay attention to how your relationships are enriched and your results are enhanced."

The 'model' part is a three-phase methodology for coaching; starting with connecting, preparing, and establishing expectations (the Foundation); progressing into exploring and issues identification (the Learning Loop); continuing with options, commitment, and follow-up (Forwarding The Action.) The 'coach' element is an introspective piece including communications and style. The 'culture' part covers both `what it is' and seven principles for creating the change.

From reading the book, it is easy to see that Crane believes in intrinsic motivation and in people. He uses a most wonderful term, "positive regard," for how a coach or leader might look upon those they work with. I could not agree more with this sentiment. If you share this feeling, this is a book worth the read, as it gives wonderful guidance for how to bring out the best in people.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

This book does have some good background information about coaching. It is pretty dry though. If you want to learn about coaching, take an accredited coaching certification program. I did, and this was one of our required reads. It happened to be my least favorite and gave me very little practical information to use during a coaching session. If you want to read an inspiring, empowering book, read Breaking the Rules by Kurt Wright.

Tom Crane goes to the true essence of coaching. He developed a comprehensive coaching method to transform knowledge into performance and action into results. A must read not only for coaches, but also for managers and leaders.

While as comprehensive and extraordinarily detailed as a college text, and as fully annotated, this is a great example of a 'popular' history at the top of its game. The enormous amount of (often grueling) material is nicely organized across time, place, and category, the many significant characters are well-delineated, and there is a sense of narrative flow and pretty steady momentum to this highly readable book.

This is a excellent, outstanding and informative book, that every patriotic american should read. These men are real American Heroes, I needn"t say more.

Definitely one of the best books I every read. It's amazing what a man will do for honor, to protect the life and dignity of another, at his own peril. There are scores of examples of this in this book. On the down side, what men bent on tyranny and oppression will do to break the will of another. However, light truly shines through darkness. If you think you have it rough, read this book.

This is a lengthy but well written book. If you are looking for an excellent history of the POW's from the Vietnam war, this is the one to get. If you are interested in history or the human aspects of the Vietnam POW's this would be very valuable. I have read a number of books on POW's and this is by far the best of the lot.

This observer has followed the POW situation since 1972, when he was still on active duty. He is familiar with many POW memoirs, so the men in Messer's. Kiley and Rochester's voluminous work are no strangers. Most of the prominent POWs are well known to many and they are certainly all here: Ernest Brace, Robinson Risner, James Stockdale, Jeremiah Denton, Frank Anton and Everett Alvarez-plus many more. If this reviewer had to choose a favorite memoir, it would be Anton's "Why Didn't You Get Me Out?" Honorable mention certainly goes to "A Code to Keep" by Mr. Brace. HB goes into far deeper detail than do individual stories, yet necessarily lacks the personal touch folks like those two gentlemen provide. Those in the amazon community who have read no POW tales and are satisfied with one big picture have the perfect book in HB. The back cover noted that HB "combines rigorous scholarly analysis with moving narrative". That it certainly does, in fullest detail. All the torture, all the mind games, all the coming and going and transfers, all the gripping boredom and fear, all the gruesome details of prison life are here. It will be clear that the POWs were anything but one big happy family. Disagreements abounded, especially that nebulous subject regarding compliance with the Code of Conduct. Some favored active resistance, some a "cooperate-graduate" approach. The authors also do an excellent choreographing of the release of the Spring of 1973. They were not repatriated on one fleet of C-141s but came home in stages. We learn that a handful of guys were released through Saigon and 2 through Hong Kong (!). There are some caveats attached to this review: HB cannot be skim read. It demands attention and a substantial investment of time upfront. Casual readers are in the wrong place! They won't appreciate the 88 pages of appendices and notes/footnotes. HB also concentrates on prisoners held in the major North Vietnam detention centers. The missing in Cambodia, Laos and even China are outside the scope of HB. But HB is also silent on the fate of the discrepancy cases of those lost in the 4 countries. One hopes that the authors, writing a book that admits to being "an official publication of the Department of Defense", are not attempting a "Case Closed" on the 1,783 still unaccounted for. This observer will give the authors the benefit of the doubt here. Still. FAR more disturbing is a gratuitous remark on Page 589 that those who continue to press for a fullest accounting of the missing are "a swarm of polemicists and opportunists". This reviewer is one of them! He belongs to neither of those species! Since it is most likely that no offense was intended, none is taken but that comment demands an explanation! It certainly merits an unfortunate reduction in rank to 4 stars. That there even is a page 589 is the essence of HB. This one is not for those with a passing fancy on the Indochina War. A final note: There is a new, voluminous publication available on amazon-"An Enormous Crime". That particular 566 page volume-in small type no less-claims to be the "definitive account of American POWs abandoned in Southeast Asia". The different scope of EC should encompass what HB did not. Maybe these 1,000+ combined pages of text will shed a final light on the thorny question of POWs/MIAs in Indochina. Congressman King (R-NY) is also attempting to convene new hearings on the same subject. This painful matter will be with us for a while. The bottom line to "Honor Bound" is the headline above. This is indeed a great work of military scholarship and for that the authors deserve their due.

Cute book. Very funny and insightful. Helped me figure out that my neighbor was gay. I shared it with him. We both had a good laugh.

The best thing you can do with this book is to give this as a gift to a friend who is dating a gay man, and who thinks that she isn't.

The best thing about this book is that it walks through the steps of a gay man/straight woman relationship, and talks about it from the woman's point of view. It has a section: "What the woman is telling herself," that is very informative.

I don't think there are any gay men who match up 100% to the checklist that this book ends up being, but like I said, I think that this book is more a tool for coping than for anything else.

Technical stuff: This book is written in a comic book format--mostly pictures. I finished this book in about 10 minutes. It's pretty small, too. Only 80 pages.

Overall, an excellent buy, especially since they are selling so cheap used on amazon now.

I received this book as a gift from my best friend, who happens to be a gay man. This book tells you all the signs (which are just general, but mostly true) to look for in a guy, and has some of the cutest illustrations. I would recommend this book to any woman out there who thinks she might have picked up a gay best friend instead of a boyfriend.

I bought this for a female friend who doesn't know I'm gay after we debated whether someone else was or not. (She assumes that all effiminate men are gay and that all gay men are effiminate, - I had to laugh to myself as she said this and I butched myself up even more than normal!)

The book has some annoying stereo-types, like all gay men are great dancers (I'm not), but since it's clearly tongue-in-cheek and a quick read, it's great for a few good chuckles to any one, gay, straight, male or female.

This book is a witty, entertaining, enlightening look at a quandary faced by so many young women who are plagued with wonderful guy friends that just don't seem to date ANYone. One of my best friends referred this to me who is a closeted gay man. This book not only made me laugh, but I didn't feel as dumb as I used to. Sometimes, gay men seem to be the answer to all of your problems; but then again, there is one thing that a gay man just CAN'T do for a woman...so we have to love them for what they can do for us...

Anyone who has read my Listmania "Escape Mass Market Fiction" knows that I touted this novel (tertrology actually) as having ".... the most exquisite language since Shakespeare". But it is truly beyond that. After 30 years and over 3,000 books read I can affirm that there simply has been no greater work of fiction produced in any century by man or woman. One of the reviewers for the Lowe-Porter translation was dead-on saying you keep wanting to go back and reread the last 20 pages you managed to finish just to savor the experience. Original editions are a little rare and expensive, but, like any treasure, it's rewards are transcendental, and once read, you can consider yourself part of the most esoteric world of the true literati. NOTE-- Beginners who are easily scared off and prefer to sample before committing might want to skip the Preludes and go straight to the main chapters.

One of the greatest books ever written.

Also the kind of service / support rendered by Amazon, when the first copy did not reach me, was truly touching and amazing. Within a fortnight of not having received the original book sent to me, I had the book finally in my hands ! Great customer service.

For all the great technological magic of our age we suffer the misfortune of living in a time where the depth of hyperbole rends the edge from language leaving us bereft when the time comes to describe something truly remarkable. Thus to say that John Woods' translation of Thomas Mann's Joseph and His Brothers offers readers a gift of almost indescribable value may leave one wondering if I am making a literally true statement or simply wallowing in the common puff of our day. In this case the latter is the case for Mr. Woods' translation of Mann's great opus offers the reader an experience both challenging and sublime.

Readers unfamiliar with Mann's work may feel a sense of vertigo beginning this even more than his other works. Much of the style of narration, unique with its perspective shifting through time, seems almost purposely designed to leave one doubting their footing. Increasing the sense of dread is the books sheer heft, with over 1500 pages of small type and weighing in at almost two and half pounds. Yet those brave souls who resist the temptation to lay down this load in favor of a more easily digested work will come to in the end appreciate the feast to come. Mann's work rests on its own unique rhythm, and once the reader grows acclimated they will surely appreciate both the work and the great skill of Mr. Wood as translator. This series of four novels expounding on the biblical tale of Jacob, his son of Joseph of the famous robe, as well as his brothers, often comes when people engage in the entertaining and fruitless parlor game of determining the greatest literary work of the 20th century. While no single work can claim such a title, the complexity of the work and the Herculean task of translation should be evident that this is only the second instance of its translation into English in the more than 60 years since it first appeared.

Beyond simply outlining the work's subject matter, in many ways it seems written with the express intent of defying further description. With a complex web of interrelated stories, occasionally taking subjects that the bible reflects on for only a sentence and expanded on them for a hundred pages and at the same time seeking to place this seminal tale in its religious, historic, and cultural context, the work often leaves the reader gasping at the audacity of Man's enterprise. Yet almost every one of his efforts comes as a remarkable success, leaving one much to ponder. Indeed, any expectation that one can rush through this work will surely leave you with only a headache and little to show for the effort. Instead, one must take their time and slowly chew on Joseph and His Brother's digesting each piece in turn. Like many great works this one takes effort and diligence, but the reward comes as more than just bragging rights for having read it. Far more, it will offer an often eye opening new perspective and beckon from the book shelf to be taken down again so that you may reread this section or that.

One last point: to end where I began, Mann's attention to detail and word choice often gives pause, making each of us consider the harm done when we rain down words on a subject when a mere drop would do.

I'm at a loss about how to begin a review of the titanic marvel "Joseph and His Brothers" because of its being so many things, adding fright to the one who tries to properly bring forth what future readers are in store for upon opeing its first page and delving into "Descent into Hell."

I have never before and doubt ever will again read a 1,500 page 'tale,' let alone one that includes a continuous barrage of gripping stories alongside psychological insight of God-like proportions. What's icing on the cake as to this book's sheer power and unforgettableness is its comic charm. I did not know I was going to be reading what is pretty much a comedy when being pulled into this marvelous Old Testament narrative.

If you have read the biblical account of Jacob and Esau on down to Joseph in Egypt and are worried that its contents couldn't stay intriguing for this many pages, there is good news, because it, for the most part, very much is.

In the preface, translator John E. Woods accurately proposes he thinks that "Mann ... wanted to make sure he had readers worthy of him" while explaining that some portions of this interweaving jewel are prone to be more difficult to read than what is, thankfully, the majority. And it is this truth, in which I agree with this stirling translator, that I breifly dwell upon.

In several used bookstores I've been to, the only part of this story that I ever saw available, and in a volume all its own, was H.T. Porter's translation of "Joseph in Egypt." Given its apparent availability over the other three parts, I suspected it would be the best - which Mann himself thought to be true. But, solely from the perspective of, as Virginia Woolf would aptly call me, a 'common reader,' I bring forth that those trickier 'riddles' that Woods forwarns, or maybe just mentions, occur most often in this third volume. The feel of being sidetracked a little too much continues on into the beginning segments of "Joseph the Provider."

Do these, I will dare to say, overly descriptive, meandering pages that include some repitition detract all that much from the sheer pleasure that dominates most of what is nothing short of this literary feast and party? Hardly not. For outside of this minor qualm over the author perhaps going a little too far about content that probably didn't require as much attention, there is no book I have read up until now that has offered more to a reader than this. I guess "sublime" is not a bad word to use when measuring the result of Mann's cataclysmic efforts that encompassed a time span of 16 years, no less, including a 5-year absence between the third and fourth stories.

He touches on such juicy, delicious insights about mankind, helping to devour the notion that life is different now compared to then. And while it is entirely varied in custom, how could our experiences be all that different due to the fact that we all have one monstrous thing in common, our humanity.

Mann had me wondering if he wasn't something more than human, though, his elegance, wisdom, humor and charm are in such top form. And while it could have been one of the great many gods of Baal that Mann includes throughout who could have helped guide his pen, I'm more prone to believe it was the God of the wanderer who possessed his wrist on occasion.

The new translation of Joseph and His Brothers is beautiful, as is the novel. Yes, it's long--about 1500 pages--but it's worth all the time it takes to read. Perhaps this isn't the place to start, if you haven't read Mann before, but if you already admire his work, you're going to love this book.