Science Books

I still cannot pick which one is my favorite - this one or the Order of the Phoenix - but I just love to reread these books. It was in great shape and would order again

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is a great book - and Jim Dale is unsurpassed in his characterizations, dynamics, and presentation. This audio book is highly recommended to those whom wish to listen to a good book on that long drive to work or a vacation spot!

So it is obvious that I am completely tardy to the whole Harry Potter trend.

My wife and I last November began making an effort to read the series and watch the movies as we finished each book. So far, just finishing GoF, each book is better than the last... and I thought Prisoner of Azkaban was amazing.

This book I feel is where I really connected and appreciated the series, where the whole world of HP takes a dark turn and jumps out of it's "kid's book" skin. The ending floored me completely, though I should have seen it coming, but I'll say no more so not to spoil the book for anybody (though, I do feel like the last person on Earth to read it).

There are the typical Harry Potter plot twists throughout the book, but the world of wizards and goblins and elves and hippogryphs etc. is still very fresh.

If for some reason you haven't read this book, do so now, and if you have yet to dive into the HP series you are extremely fortunate because you're in for some great reading.

I have read every book in this series multiple times. Goblet of Fire is one of my favorites. I think this book is the one where Harry starts to become an adult. Not only is he thrown into the Tri-wizard Tournament, he also starts to notice girls and experience jealousy. Awww, adolescence.

The book starts out with Harry spending the usual summer at the Dursley's, but we are quickly taken to the Quidditch World Cup. I love the comedy Rowling throws in here, with the tents and the different ways wizards avoid Muggles. However, Harry is soon back at Hogwarts and he faces his usual trials and tribulations, but he (along with the reader) faces horrors he never dreamed about. We finally learn about other schools in the wizarding world, which is great information for lovers of the series.

Following in suit of the other Harry Potter books, Goblet of Fire is full of action and spells and all the things the fans love. Unlike the other books, the book is fairly dark. However, any fan of the series will like this book. It has all the ingredients a good reader loves.

This is my favorite book of the series. It has the most action while still being a fairly upbeat book. Some of the later ones, especially book 5, take a much darker, woe is me kind of tone that took some struggling to get through.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire takes place in Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwartz. This is not an ordinary year though, this year the Triwizard Tournament is being held at the school. Delegations from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons visit the school to compete in the Tournament. It's an age old tournament where each school has a champion that has to complete three tasks. The champion who completes the three tasks the best, receives the most points, and becomes Triwizard Champion. This year, however, is a bit different. Someone it seems is out to get Harry and has put his name in the goblet of fire. They've ensured he becomes a champion and has to undertake the tasks set forth in the Tournament. Harry must watch his back because someone is out to get him. Voldemort's most loyal servant is at Hogwartz and has his eye on Harry.

This has been the best one (compared to the 1st & 2nd) so far. I liked how there were a few different plots & stories going on at the same time.

Everything was excelent: received the book in less than a week, I think; It was in excellent shape...it looked brand new; I was expecting a paperback for the price I paid but instead, it was a hardcover!

Love this series.... Jim Dale is one of the best narrators I have ever listened to!

This the second set I am Buying. My Grandson asked for mine And I just couldn't part with it. So I am buying one for him. I hope he loves them as much as I do.

How is it that every Harry Potter book I read is better then the one I read before? How does J.K. Rowling do it? I thought the first Harry Potter was so great that there isn't a word to discribe it. Then I read the second one and I'm in awe. The third one is so amazing that I don't want to take the time to write this review, I just want to start on #4. But I can't do that because I have a few books that I have to review and a couple of them I have to have them done on or by a certain date. So my Harry Potter adventure must end here for now. Not to worry though because my husband and I will be watching the movie tonight.

It's Harry's third year at Hogwarts and he cannot wait for school to begin. Living with the Dursley's, Harry's aunt and uncle who are Muggles, which mean that they are normal people, has been a nightmare that Harry has had to endure almost his whole life. Harry's parents were killed by the evil Lord Voldermort who tried to kill Harry, who was just an infant, but failed and in the process lost most of his power. Once Harry found out that he is a wizard and that he gets to leave the Dursley's behind to attend Hogwarts, Harry feels his life will forever change. And it does. Harry has made two very good friends Ron and Hermione who also attend Hogwarts.

Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison. Somehow he managed to outsmart the dementors, horrible creatures who literally suck the happiness from those around it. Sirius is the one who sold Harry's parents out and told Voldemort where to find them. And he's coming after Harry.

This is a great read and I recommend it to everyone, young and old.

these books are a magical master piece! Once you start reading you can't (or won't want to) put them down! Stephanie Myers has written a wonderfull love story that keeps you yearning for more!

I purchased the Twilight Saga as a birthday present for our 13-year-old granddaughter. She loved the gift and will appreciate the books for years to come. As always, I was pleased with my purchase. The books arrived unharmed. I will continue to purchase for Amazon.com when it comes to books.

This is an awesome value. You get all the Twilight Saga in hardcover for a steal!!! This is the second set I have bought.

i bought the novels like three weeks ago, and i haven't put them down since. i am reading them for the third time. i love the way she puts the drama, but mostly is the humor, she finds a way on how to make u laugh, specially in book 3.

i don't know what else to write except. I love them, I love them

This series is amazing. I couldn't put it down. I read all four books in less than 2 weeks (and each book is at least 600 pages). Definately suggest it for anyone who likes to read.

One of my absolute favorites. I could read this book over and over again! This book is a fun twist on the Cinderella story that keeps me up all night reading, even the second time around. Every young girl should read this!

I really liked this book!! Gail Carson Levine is very talented, and she did a great job developing the characters and making them believable. This is weird for me to say, since "Ella Enchanted" IS a fantasy. Well written, thoroughly entertaining, and WAY better than the movie, this book is a favorite of mine.

This is a delightful fairytale that is fun for youth as well as adults. There were a few twists that I wasn't expecting, which made it all the more fun.

I LOVE this book! Way better than the movie, which does not follow the plot (or even the characters) at all! It is an easy read and you will not want to put it down. I do not even know how many times I have read it. It gives you that warm-and-fuzzy feeling deep down inside.

Retold fairytales, in which the characters and plots of traditional stories are explored in more depth, or told from an unexpected point-of-view, are a dime a dozen these days. But one stands out from the rest, and that is Gail Carson Levine's "Ella Enchanted", which takes the story of Cinderella and not only provides impetus for many of the nonsensical elements of the original tale, but builds a rich imaginary world around it and makes the titular character one of the best heroines to ever appear in YA novel.

If you secretly always thought Cinderella was a bit of a pushover, sitting and crying by the fireplace when she could have been raiding her stepsisters' wardrobes and hitchhiking to the ball, then you'll be pleased to find that Levine gives us a perfect acceptable reason as to why her Ella is so slavishly obedient to her step-family: she's under a spell. When just a baby, an idiotic fairy called Lucinda blessed her with the "gift" of obedience, in which Ella is forced to obey every command she hears.

A wish or a request has no effect on her, but a direct order, no matter how terrible it is, must be obeyed. Any attempts at disregarding it results in frightening nausea and dizziness. Levine takes this conceit and heightens the dramatic effect to its full potency. Ella's life is monopolized by her constant internal battle between obedience and defiance: "It was a tiresome game, but I had to play it or feel like a complete puppet." Because she's naturally willful, she makes an art out of finding loopholes in the commands she receives. When someone demands that she fetch almonds from the pantry for a cake, she responds by bringing back just two. When someone orders her to take off their smelly shoes, she counteracts by throwing them out the window directly afterwards. Although there are moments of comedy involved in her plight, Levine never shies away from the fact that Ella is under a terrible curse; such as the horror that comes with the command to: "be happy to be blessed with such a lovely quality."

Ella nurses the dream of one day being free of the spell, but until then, we're with her as she struggles with her self-control, hoping that one day she'll either get Lucinda to remove the spell, or come across a command that's too heinous to obey. But what command could possibly be terrible enough for her to withstand the pain and break the spell through sheer force of will?

Ella herself is a fantastic character, and tells her own story in first-person narrative (difficult to pull off without the narrator sounding too self-involved, but here it doesn't falter for a second). Ella is not perfect by any means, but she's intelligent and witty, gifted at languages, kind-hearted, and endearingly stubborn when it comes to dealing with her curse, clinging to her dignity even as she's forced into doing the most embarrassing things. One general thing does get on my nerves though, and that's the oft-repeated character trait among YA heroines: crippling clumsiness. Sure, we're all klutzy at that age, but the way the authors of YA novels write teenage girls, you'd think they couldn't perform the most basic physical tasks without skirting death itself. But where most YA fairytales/romances are dominated by the swooning damsel staring at the dreamy hero, Levine never looses sight of the fact that this story is all Ella's, culminating in a vindication of free will and inner strength.

Like most fairytale heroines, Ella looses her mother; unlike most fairytale heroines, we the reader actually get a sense of the love between mother and daughter, and the pain that Ella feels when she looses her. Eleanor of Frell may only be around for one chapter, but in that time Levine makes us almost as sorry as Ella is to see her go. As the story goes on, the tale veers closer and closer to the familiar fairytale, and Levine finds amusing ways to insert the traditional Cinderella tropes, such as the glass slippers, the pumpkin carriage, and even the fact that Ella has small feet!

Olga, Hattie and Olive (the evil stepmother and stepsisters, respectively) are rather cartoonish villains, being gluttonous, avaricious, and idiotic. Furthermore, Hattie snores, has smelly feet, is overweight, and hides a secret that exposes her to further ridicule. In short, they are grotesque, and although a part of me wishes that there was more to their characters, the greater part doesn't really care because it makes Ella's victory over them all the sweeter. And Levine compensates for this ugly-side of womankind by adding the characters of Mandy (Ella's fairy godmother) and Areida (a friend that she makes at school) as the more benevolent reflections of snotty Olga and vindictive Hattie.

There are some hilarious one-liners, and Levine is a wonderful humourist, very much in keeping with J.K. Rowling's ability to dryly poke fun at the ridiculous. When Ella arrives at finishing school (where all the chamber-pots look like decorative cabbages) she is told: "it's never too late to start being finished." When Hattie pens a letter to her mother concerning Ella's disappearance, she writes: "I hope she has come to no harm and has not been eaten by ogres or captured by bandits or caught fire or fallen into bad company, as I so often imagine." And my personal favourite:

"What a clever daughter I have." Olga beamed at Hattie.
"As clever as she is beautiful," I said.
They both began to answer me, and then stopped, confused.
"Hattie isn't pretty," said Olive.

The centerpiece of the story though, belongs to the love that blossoms between Prince Charmont (usually known as "Char") and Ella. Basically, Char and Ella make up the best YA romance...ever. There, I said it. But it's true. Whereas other authors-that-shall-remain-nameless rely on strangling their lovers with the red string (that is, trying to convince us that their characters are in love because the author *says* that they're in love) Levine takes the time to build a relationship between Ella and Char that's based on more than just physical attraction, and it's all the more powerful for it. In the YA genre, in which love stories between a hero and heroine are about as deep as a paddling pool, these two are a godsend.

Char and Ella learn about each other before they fall in love. They acknowledge each other's flaws as well as their strengths. They play silly games and share jokes. They converse via letters over an extended period of time, which include such reflective lines as this: "I trust you to see the good in me, but the bad I must make sure you don't overlook." They love the big things about each other, like their kindness and honesty, but also the silly little things, like each other's freckles and a mutual enjoyment of sliding down banisters.

And because it is a love that is based on friendship, respect, compatibility and intelligence, it makes the heartbreak twice as painful, and the declaration twice as rewarding. Just think, two people actually becoming *friends* before they become lovers! Who'd have thought?!

The book was adapted into a rather awful movie not too long ago, which obliterated all the reasons why this book is so special, and replaced it with a story that relied too much on the popularity of "Shrek" (complete with a contemporary soundtrack, anachronistic elements and crude comedy) than the charm of Levine's story. Avoid it if you can, and hope that in later years it'll either be more faithfully adapted, or left well enough alone.

As you can see, I've got nothing but good things to say about "Ella Enchanted," though admittedly it may not appeal to the average boy-reader, being essentially a rather feminine coming-of-age tale in a fairytale kingdom full of fairies and elves. But for everyone else, this is a wonderful book, with a spritely, loveable lead, and a mature and healthy understanding of romantic relationships (and I'm pointing this out, because it's unfortunately so very, very rare). If your eight-to-twelve year old daughter holds up Ella of Frell as her literary role-model, then you've got yourself an awesome kid.

Concise, logical, and consistent, this 'Manifesto' presents Ron Paul's ideas and message of personal and communal liberty in a way that any literate person can digest.

Whether you're a 'conservative' or a 'liberal' or anything in between, this book is a wake-up call to our inner American -- a citizen of a country founded on Liberty in the true sense of the word, not a compromised version to be accepted out of apathy.

The book is short, plainly written, entertaining, and enlightening. Regardless of your political or social stance, I believe it to be relevant and significant reading, especially now.

Give it a shot -- if you don't agree, it'll just be an hour or two of your time and you'll probably still learn some things before you put the book down. What's there to lose?

Check the ratings and reviews on this book -- you'll see that an overwhelming majority of readers have found its simple and insightful message to be one worth reading. You will, too :)

This book was very well written and engaging. Enjoyed and will read again. Dr. Paul is a brilliant man, wish we had more like him in Washington!

Consider yourself lucky to have the opportunity to live, vote, and contribute in the time of Dr. Paul. This man is the modern day George Washington. His presidential face will be on the currency of tomorrow and heralded in the history books for revitalizing what this once great country stood for: freedom, justice, and opportunity.

The only politician left in America who the Founding Fathers would approve of today. Excellent book covering the most important topics of today and the simple answered solutions to them if we started following the constitution once again. This book is the ultimate nightmare of the Left.

A true American! Audit the Fed! Tell your state representatives to pass HR 1207. Get out of the stranglehold they have on us! We are becoming slaves to the Government. They are slaves to the Bankers! Read this book.

I first read this book a long time ago in middle school and I still have the full series both Lioness and the Immortals they are no joke bound with duck tape because over the last 11 years or so I have read them soo many times that they are indeed falling apart and I just had to replace my In the Realm of the Gods copy because half the book fell out. Once my kids get a little bit bigger these books will be read to them and I hope that when they get even older that they will pick up these books and read them over and over again like I did!

Run of the mill fantasy book even with the twist of a girl becoming a knight. I bought it for my classroom but don't think it's all that interesting.

So, the first book of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness Series. What did I think of it? It was all right, better than most formulaic fantasy, but not quite great. An enjoyable, casual read.

I'll start with the faults. The prose is nothing extraordinary, and there often isn't quite enough description. At the same time, things always happened quickly, as if the characters were in a mad rush. If you like your fantasy quick and to the point, and just can't slog through heavily descriptive novels like the Wheel of Time, then this book may be perfect for you.

Secondly, magic was handled a little bit casually. Even children can use it, and its treated more like a handy tool to keep at your belt rather than a mystical, arcane force. The magic system was pretty basic and not much more complicated than you'd expect to see if you were playing an RPG like Dungeons and Dragons.

Thirdly, and this is the most criminal, Thom(the best character) barely gets any page time. I hope Pierce rewrites this series from his POV sometime, because that would make for an interesting read.

Finally, the climax was rather abrupt, quick, and didn't carry much weight. The Ysandir(the final enemies) were pansies, as easily dispatched as flies to be swatted, with the exception of the leader, Ylon. The final battle could definitely have done with being drawn out a bit more, given a bit more suspense. It would probably have been more dramatic if the fight was just against Ylon, minus the underlings who is uses as fodder.

Besides these flaws, however, this is a fairly good read. Nothing deep or groundbreaking, nothing fantastic, but consistently entertaining and adaquately written. The characters were pretty good, I can't recall ever being bored with the story, or wincing at the dialogue. Hardcore fantasy fans, however, might want to look for a series with a little more meat to it, though.

3.5 stars.

I love Tamora Pierce books I have all of them that are available on CD...Amazon was the lowest price around and I checked them all... I did have to return this book because of a flaw on one of the CD's and Amazon had another copy to in my hands within 48 hours... AMAZING

Alanna: the First Adventure by Tamora Pierce tells about Alanna's life as the only girl knight-to-be in the palace. Alanna lives in Tortall where only boys can be knights and she also has the magical gift, which means she can heal and do other things. Very few people know Alanna is a girl, and everybody who doesn't, knows her by the name "Alan." She has many friends and many enemies, whom she soon hopes to defeat. Alanna wants to be a knight and she hopes she is brave and strong enough to be the first girl warrior in a century. Will she ever make it?
Alanna: the First Adventure is an exciting read for girls in grades five and up. Alanna, the main character, will surprise you at every turn. The ending is perfect for this book and it makes you want to keep reading. This is one of my favorite books ever because every time you read it, you catch new information that you missed the first time, and Alanna keeps you entertained from the beginning of the book. Tamora Pierce's writing style is fairly easy to read and it will captivate you the second you pick it up! Alanna: the First Adventure, is the first book in the Song of the Lioness series, which is the first series of five, taking place in Tortall. This book has everything from romance to adventure to captivate your attention.

This is my favorite memoir of all time. I saw the film version "October Sky" in school several times then I read the memoirs. They are excellent! I was amazed that this group of boys made these successful rockets back in the 50s when space exploration first began. If you love a good story (and true story at that) I would highly recommend you read his books. Homer and the Rocket Boys are truly inspiring.

First of all this book cannot be classified as memoir, but should be read as a novel. Too many coincidences and situations are clearly created to support the story.
Second, the title makes you thinks the book is primarily about rockets but it's not. It's mainly about the life of some teenagers and their troubles, loves and families. Rocket building is just a filler and the parts of book describing the launches are the less inspiring.
Third, the story and location had a great potential: an isolated community where everybody know each other, the dangers of mine working, the role of the company as the villain exploiting workers. Also the fact that the main characters are kids, with their weakness and gifts, and the ability to be extremely cruel in their innocence.
Yet the author lacks the talent to really entertain , his writing being too light to detail the personalities and to make the reader relate to the characters.
I was expecting a lot more and after reading the book I was amazed at how this work can have truckloads of 5 stars ratings. After reading more than two hundreds reviews I understand they are mostly by heavily biased West Virginians readers and people involved (even if not directly) with living in mining towns near the area where the facts take place.
To summarize: 2,5 stars.

Simply a wonderful, heartwarming book and a page-turner, too. Homer "Sonny" Hickam tells the story of his youth in a small coal mining town. The wonderful characters he introduces us to throughout this marvelous tale are completely unforgettable. His father is the real hero in the tale, a tough, stern man with remarkable insight. I especially liked it when Homer, Senior, suddenly gives his unsubtle son a little special insight on the Cold War. "There are Americans I'm a lot more afraid of than the Russians," Dad said. "Like those who think it's okay to use the government to force you to do what's against natural law." When Sonny asks him what that is, he makes this prescient observation: "Some will tell you that greedy and compassionate men are in competition but I'm here to tell you they're not. They run in different but parallel packs, but both will destroy this country before they're done." Homer, Senior, also rails against entropy, a law of thermodynamics, to his puzzled son. "No matter how perfect the thing, the moment its created it begins to be destroyed." When Sonny asks, in effect, what's wrong with that, his dad replies, "Because even though I know it to be true, I don't want it to be true. I hate that it's true. I just can't imagine what God was thinking." Sonny's mom later tells him not to worry, that his dad was talking about his coal mine. But it later dawns on Sonny that his father is talking about the entire town of Coalwood and maybe America itself. Rocket Boys is often considered a young adult book, mainly because of the movie based on it, but in fact it is filled with wisdom that most of us can use and apply to today's various disasters. There are also characters often overlooked, the funny but sad Jake Mosby, the alcoholic jet ace, who befriends the Rocket Boys, Basil Oglethorpe, the gay reporter, and a host of others. After giving it some thought, I realized Rocket Boys is not really about rockets, although Hickam spends some time writing about the boys of the Big Creek Missile Agency and their gradual winning over of the tough coal miners to their side, but is really more about life as it was in a little, inconsequential place that holds so much wisdom for us today. In fact, I think that's its real strength and literary value. Read it that way and I think you'll get much more out of it.

I loved this story, and I don't have a scientific bone in my body! It's a great story about a boy becoming a man and wrestling with several aspects of his life. Well written!

As the first book of his "Coalwood Series", Author Homer Hickham garners this non-fiction book a "galaxy" rating, as it is easily the best book I have read in 2009. I intend to share it with my 14-year old son, who dreams of being a rocket engineer someday.

Set in the tiny town of Coalwood, West Virginia, (1957 - 1960) Homer Hadley Hickham suddenly discovers at age 15 that there is a whole world outside of the isolated Coalwood when he views the mysterious Russian satellite, Sputnik, pass overhead one night. The idea that the Russians could put a satellite in space inspires young Hickham to think beyond working in the Coalwood coal mine, as his father has planned for him. Encouraged by his science teacher and his wonderfuly free-thinking mother, Homer begins to build home-made rockets for the grandiose goal of someday working with the great German Scientist, Wehrner Von Braun, who leads the American space effort.

This is a most engaging and charming book. It captures the heart and soul of a teen-aged boy who has great plans, but has virtually no one to guide or help him achieve his dream. Despite daunting odds and obstacles, Homer gathers some like-thinking friends and they begin the Coalwood Rocket Club. The boys have absolutely no idea how to build or fuel a rocket, so they enlist the help of the high school math and science geek, who consistently guides the rocket boys in the right direction. Yet even the addition of a math genius is not enough, for materials for rockets are scarce. Homer enlists workers from the Coalwood mine to help him obtain the raw materials to build his rockets. The miners readily pitch in to help, but Homer's father, the mine foreman, strongly and disdainly discourages Homer from pursuing his dream, and instead tries to steer Homer to become a mine engineer, like himself. The central conflict becomes the straining tension between a father's practical expectations for his son, and the son's expnsive dreams of space flight. Is this not a universal conflict between all boys and their father's expectations?

Over the course of approximately 3 years, Homer and his rocket boys launch over 35 rockets, learning lessons from their failures as well as their successes. Along the way, Homer tenderly relates his experiences and thoughts as he makes his way through the tumultuous high school years: girls, girlfriends, sex, school dances, poverty, envy, jealousy, complex family relations, labor-union conflicts, and so much more. While rocket building is the framework for this book, the lessons and experiences of growing up in Coalwood fill out the framework in a very satisfying manner. Anyone growing up in the fifties or sixties will be instantly transported back in time to their own teenage years, for Homer's story is the story of the American Dream.

The book hooks you early on as every good book should, and then holds your interest to the very last page. I am already looking forward to devouring the remaining books in the Coalwood series.

Homer Hickham blasts off this first book and achieves a successful orbit that will keep you enthralled from start to finish. A great book, and most highly recommended.

Konedog

This book is great, and it was in wonderful shape. There were no real scrapes or dings on the cover, and no torn pages. It's an older copy, but that's fine-it still reads just like a newer one would. As for the story, well, it's FANTASTIC! Any sci-fi reader should definitely invest in this product.

I picked this up remembering the BBC series from my youth, and was pleasantly surprised to find (a rare thing) it every bit as funny as I remembered. I actually found myself laughing out loud at times. The last book in the series is the weakest, but all in all still a wonderful collection.

I'm an old school Douglas Adams fan. If you haven't read his work you should. Especially if you love satire and irony. That being said I think all the other review here do the book justice.

As for this product, the book itself is good quality, faux leather bound, bigger than a Bible and at times thick and clumsy feeling. Laying in bed and reading this will take some will power compared to your average paperback because of the size of the thing. This is no small "toss in the 'ol briefcase" tome here. It's big. The pages are thin and can tear easily but are of pretty good quality. There were some smudges here and there and some faint print in other areas but hey, there's a lot of pages in there so perfection shouldn't be expected at this price.

Overall a great value.

We follow the seemingly random and hilarious misadventures of the hapless Earthling, Arthur Dent, & his alien sidekick, Ford Prefect, as they 'hitchhike' around the Universe after Earth is destroyed in order to make way for an interstellar highway.

Even without all the philosophical, scientific & religious commentary (Adams was a fan of science and a vocal atheist) it is just a finely told piece of imaginative writing because of Adam's ability to communicate so eloquently & humorously many things we ourselves think & feel, but can't or don't vocalize (his understated British delivery is incomparable). And there are many moments where you will giggle in the warmth of kindred spirits or just burst out laughing at the ridiculous predicament of the lovably raucous characters.

Adams seamlessly weaves together a story that explores science, the mystery and purpose of life, religious faith, love, death & the Universe itself, while keeping you thinking and laughing to the very end. It is a classic because there is simply nothing else like it in terms of content and delivery, largely because there is no other writer like Doug Adams.

I recommend this for just about anyone who is willing to laugh at everyone (and everything), including himself.

It is amazing that a show that started as a radio show on BBC 4 around the late seventies has become such a classic of sci-fi literature.

The Hitchhiker consists of five books: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So long, and Thanks for all the Fish, and Young Zaphoid Plays it safe.

The original book is the crown jewel of the collection, and stands the test of time as one of the most original and brilliant novels written in the twentieth century.

Arthur Dent wakes up one day to a crowd of bulldozers who are going to destroy his house to make way for a freeway. Unbeknown to Arthur, the Earth itself was being destroyed by the Vogons for development of a hyperspatial express route through the star system.

Luckily for Arthur, his friend Ford Prefect is an alien who possessed a copy of the Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy and they were able to escape Earth seconds before it was destroyed. Thus start the adventures of these two, and many other characters--Marvin, the Paranoid Android, Zyphod Beeblebros, the ex Galactic President, Slartibartfast who was trying to explain the answer given to the answer of the question of our purpose in life, who are we? (The answer after a seven and a half million year wait was given bu a computer as the "number 42").

More than the plot following our heroes Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect (and a cast of thousands), it is Adams' amazing ability to turn a phrase into something not totally unlike any other book. The book is not only brilliantly conceived, but glitters with a patina of dark humor which is utterly unique in literature, the only analog being the television and film productions of Monty Python.

The book sequence uses the author's knowledge of sci-fi to talk about the things that concerned him, the world he observed, his thoughts on Life, the Universe, and Everything. Using the Guide as a point of reference, we are exposed to people who thought that digital watches were a pretty neat thing, and Adams, with a curiosity for scientific things and an instinct for explanation, uses his laser-sharp sense of British humor, to explain, and to describe the most incredible journey though time and space.

The compilation of the five books are long (815 pages) filled with dry British humor, and hard to read simply because after the second book I started to see a bit of monotony creep into Adams' writing style, occasionally to the point that it almost seemed that he was forcibly imitating himself.

For those of you who have trouble sleeping, I highly recommend this book--it will put you to sleep every time you read it. Nevertheless, the Guide is, and will always be, one of the classics of the English language.

As a professional working with children in foster care through a supervised visitation program, I found that at times I had difficulty putting this book down and then at other times, I could barely stand to read more. This book gave me an insight into the lives of the children I serve that I did not have previously. I also read A Child Called It and am now reading the third book in the series, A Man Named Dave. Pelzer's story gives me renewed hope for the children I work with and reignites my committment to protecting these children.

Everything was basically fine with the book but some of the pages in the front were folded on the corners and the outside looks a little weathered.

This is the second installment in the memoirs by Dave Pelzer. After being rescued by social services, Dave faces the dynamics of foster care. Wanting desperately to be loved and accepted contrasted with an understandably guarded heart. It is interesting to hear the varied families that entered his life, the struggles to finally be free to be a "normal" child while trying to adjust to impending manhood. Beyond the sacrifices and work of workers and foster parents, the people who stepped in and mentored him are an inspiration. Like all "middles" to a trilogy this book only opened more questions than it answered.

This was an amazing story, told from a perspective only someone who lived through could say so well. An awesome awesome story.

This is the second book in the trio. I read Dave Pelzer's "A Child Called "IT" first, then his brother, Richard's book, then this book. There seems to be some differing details from Richard and Dave's books. For example when Dave writes about meeting Russell at school and nearly runs into his mother (but doesn't). Richard writes that it was he who met Dave at school (not Russell) and there was confrontation between the mother and Dave. Also Richard writes about dave showing up at their fathers funeral and having a confrontation with the mother at the end. Dave mentions nothing about his father's death or funeral. His father was his hero and meant so much to him, I would think it would have been part of his memories and story in this book. I don't know who is right and the differences in stories and people have me not believing the story.

This book is about Dave's struggles in different foster homes and how at the time society viewed foster children and parents as "trash". Dave writes about his fair share of trouble with the law and pranks he pulls with his friends. Again he spends pages repeating on something so minute and at other times spends only a few sentences describing weeks of time.

my heart was broken by this true story of courage and of the most evil acts that man can devise. I also strengthend my faith and while heartbroken I also felt a sense of victory for the survivors especially the author. Her ability to forgive the killers is beyond comprehension. The question I asked myself after reading this book is how could we (the USA) have ingnored this senseless slaughter? I have since read account of the lack of action by our country and the other world powers and I feel that we should be ashamed and do all we can to help these people. I would recommend this book to everyone

I pray a lot. Sometimes I think myself a little strange that praying has become such a constant. Immaculee Ilibagiza raises daily prayer to new heights and inspires/enhances belief that prayer really can save one's life--and sanity. The Rwandan holocaust was merely a story in the news magazines until I read this book. The hysteria and general craziness is brought home in this uniquely personal account of what happens in a society gone tragically awry. A must-read for anyone who wonders, "What would I do, if..."

I have had the pleasure of meeting Immaculee, she is a woman filled with grace. Most of the basics of her story I had already known, but the book really put the whole ordeal into focus, a truly riveting book, I couldn't put it down, and I'm not an avid reader.

I am enjoying this book very much. It arrived in a short time and in excellent condition.

Well written, about events in our life time that very few people are aware of, by a survivor.