Media Books

Dr. McConnell is extremely knowledgeable about animal behaviors and is able to intelligently and humorously help people to better understand their animal companions. I found this book to be her best ever.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a dog in their family. You will be amazed at how much it will help to know what your dog is trying to tell you.

For The Love Of A Dog
Patricia McConnell is an absoltely brilliant woman. I've been a breeder/owner/trainer of German Shepherds for most of my life as well as a trainer/behaviorist of different breeds for many years. This is the most complete information compiled I have ever read. I would even go so far as to say it's my "Bible" for truly understanding how dogs perceive all of life. To make it even easier to comprehend, Ms McConnell even gives analogies relating to human behavior. If I could've given it a hundred stars in the evaluation, I would've! A must read for ANYONE who desires to have a real connection with their canine companions.

Patricia McConnell is now my favorite writer. This book helps us to understand your dog more. Isn't that what we all want?

Obviously written by a new Author. The amount repetition in this book can become overwhelmingly irritating. The information it does give is certainly worth knowing, and is why I gave the book two stars.

Forget Caesar...Patricia McConnell has written some of the best, most informative books about dogs, language, and behavior you will ever read...hands down. Every dog owner should read this book, and even those who don't have dogs...a lot can be learned.

I purchased this book for my grandson who is just beginning to read. This Dr. Seuss book has become a classic. It's whimsical story line will quickly grab the attention and interest of any child. It's impossible to improve on great literature like this! I highly recommend it.

If you haven't seen "Suessical the Musical" by all means do so. This clever adaption of Suess books and characters is just wonderful. The Horton books are primarily the source of this children's musical. Horton again shows what a fine elephant he is by standing fast to his ideals. Children can learn a lot by reading this rhyming, entertaining book.

Very pleased with quick shipping, a quality product as described, and would do business again with Amazon. Saw the movie and read the book with grandkids. What a joy for them and me. Satisfied customer. psw - S.E.Oklahoma

The kids saw the movie and really enjoyed the book as well. What more can I say, it's Dr. Seuss!

Horton Hears a Who is a masterpiece. Often heralded as a book on friendship, it is much more than that. Theodor Seuss Geisel was an outspoken critic of Hitler and Mussolini, and Horton Hears a Who has been said to have been Geisel's call to support the fledgling democracy in Japan after World War II. But Horton is much more than that. Horton Hears a Who is a reminder of the importance of protecting those weaker than we and a timeless call for people to unite and speak up for themselves.

it's been over a decade since I read this and can't justify giving it 5 when it's been so long. That said, I enjoyed this quite a bit as I recall. What makes this a good read is that it is about an ordinary guy finding himself in an unbelievable scenario and how he faces the challenges. Many authors would be tempted to turn Joe Schmo instantly into James Bond or any other fantasy hero with all the smarts and moves. Fortunately, Saint avoids this and presents us with a story that we can almost believe is fact, not fiction. This is actually more a review of the film than the book. If you've seen the abomination of a film citing this novel as the source material and thought it was good, you should probably pass on giving this a read. Much like Bonfire of the Vanities, this was horribly miscast and butchered. How this ever fell into the hands of John Carpenter and Chevy Chase, I'll never understand. Someone else mentioned that Harrison Ford would have been better cast as the central character and I think that's pretty much dead on but the screenplay would have to have been trashed and put in the hands of someone who wanted to create something that actually represented the original and also in the hands of a more capable director. John Carpenter may be good at what he does but he was way out of his depth with this and was probably incapable of controlling Chase. Bottom line, the books very good if not great and the movie is a huge disappointment that really sucks.

Saint's narrative of how an invisible man survives in an urban setting is very credible because of the amount of details provided. Nick is forced to become a true survivalist because government agents are after him with the intent of making him a laboratory curiosity.
One reviewer commented that Nick appeared rather wimpy in his response to Colonel Jenkins' persecution (that is the best word for it) and this is the only aspect of the book that put me off slightly. If I'd been in Nick's place, Jenkins' life would have been much, much harder.

It takes you on a journey in your mind. You feel like you are the character. Fighting for survival. It's an amazing book. Fascinating. Awsome, What else can i say?

Edgy, nail-biting, darkly humorous, sexy, paranoid, and brilliant speculation about what life might be like for a man who is accidentally turned invisible.

This is light-years better than any of the many other recent attempts to build stories on this theme, from books and TV to films, and sadly including the distinctly average Chevy Chase comedy which was actually inspired by this book.

The narrator and central character is Nick Halliwell, a 34-year old, single, securities analyst working for a New York firm, who is completely ordinary except perhaps for an overactive sex drive. As part of his campaign to seduce a beautiful New York Times journalist called Anne Epstein, Nick invites her to a demonstration by a company called MicroMagnetics of their new type of magnetic fields.

Unfortunately Anne has cartoonishly stereotypical left-wing/liberal views. She decides that the magnetic fields must be intended for nuclear fusion containment, and tips off a buch of lunatics called "Students for a Fair society" about the event. These idiots decide to stage the other sort of demonstration, which includes cutting off power to the building.

As Nick puts it later, he should have paid more attention to what the students were about to do and what effect this might have on the process which the head of the company describes.

"I knew that someone was about to shut off power to the building ... And this man was telling me that he had some loopy subatomic process roaring away, which sustained itself but whose control system used outside power. It is important to listen to exactly what people are saying ..."

Shortly afterwards Nick is in the toilet when the building is evacuated as someone realises what the students are about to do: perversely ignoring a security guard who asks if anyone is there, he remains in the building and consequently is still inside when the control system has its power cut off, and the equipment blows up, turning everything else inside the building invisible.

Nick is knocked out by the effect. He comes to his senses a few hours later, and realises that he has been turned invisible, by which time government investigators are looking at the building. He calls out to the nearest investigator, expecting them to offer help, and is astonished when the man speaks into his radio and even as he promises medical help, Nick can see that an ambulance and some paramedics are being told to leave. Then the investigators come towards the building with a net. Nick realises that they see him more as an invaluable asset than as another human being, and falling into their hands might be a very bad idea ...

The main plot of the story is about the determined efforts which the investigators, led by the horrible Colonel Jenkins, make to capture Nick, and Nick's equally determined attempts to stay out of their custody. The sub-plot is that invisibility does not affect Nick's considerable libido, and he misses female companionship more than anything else about his situation. And as if it were not difficult enough for an invisible man to find love, any attempt Nick makes to do so is almost certain to offer new opportunities for Colonel Jenkins to catch him.

The dramatic tension in the book is sometimes unbearably strong, and there are some very exciting action sequences: there are also some moments of extreme pathos and some hysterically funny or embarrassing scenes.

Contains a lot of speculation, much of it highly plausible, about how other human beings might react to an invisible person. He is still solid, still needs food, water, sleep & shelter, and has to open doors to pass through them, so he cannot avoid leaving evidence that a person is around. Some people confronted with evidence of Nick's presence assume he's a ghost, or that a burglar has been and gone, but other people who become aware of him react in much more dangerous ways.

"Memoirs of an invisible man" is one of the best novels I have ever read. As I prepare to post this I see that the number of Amazon.com reader reviews is now up to 64 and 62 including mine are five-stars, which must be almost unprecedented. But the book really is that good.

I first read this book almost 20 years ago, and remember at the time recommending it to everyone I knew who loved books. They recently had a re-run of the dreadful film ( movie) of this great book, which prompted me to get my 15 year old daughter to read it - she loved it!

ps anyone ever find out who actually was H.F Saint?

Sailor Moon is one of my favorite manga of all time. These books are so hard to get. If you can find one grab it !

I haven't read the manga(any of it) but I want to point something out. Who in this entire universe would want the name Bunny? I woundn't. Maybe that's why they changed it to Serena. Just a tiny clue, you know.

This is one of the best volumes. Usagi and Mamoru and Serena and Darien and Bunny and Darien are my favorite couple. This volume is so romantic and touching. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are my favorite couple. This volume is so romantic and wonderful. I loved it. I read every volume and loved it. I've been a huge fan since 1995 and still love this series- the anime, manga and lvie action version. Usagi/Mamoru Serena/Darien Bunny/Darien Sailor Moon/Tuxedo Mask are the best couple and the main couple and have the best love story.

This is one of my favorite Sailor Moon volumes. In it, my favorite couple, Bunny/Darien, Usagi/Mamoru, Serena/Darien have lots of romantic moments. I loved both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version is my favorite and the English version is great. I use both the Japanese names, Usagi and Mamoru and the English names Bunny and Darien. In this book, Usagi, known as Bunny and Mamoru, known as Darien begin to date. When Usagi (Bunny) wakes up in Mamoru (Darien)'s bed, they reveal their secrets to each other. Tuxedo Mask rescues Sailor Moon from a battle and kisses her. Darien reveals his identity as Tuxedo Mask. He tells Bunny the truth about his past. Although at first they'd enjoy teasing each other, when Darien reveals his identity to her, she admits that she has strong feelings for him and they begin to date. Darien tells her about his childhood. Bunny finds a pocket watch and takes it with her, while Darien saves Bunny's handerkerchief. He gies her a new nickname, in the Japanese version, Mamoru's nickname for her is Usako. Usagi then calls Mamoru Mamo-chan. In this version, Darien's nickname for Bunny is Buns. Bunny becomes very happy with Darien's new name for her. The next time they meet, Bunny sees her new boyfriend, Darien, reading about crystals. Darien playfully teases Bunny as they talk together. Bunny gets excited as they begin to talk. Bunny decides to keep his identity a secret, so the others will let her stay together with Darien. Darien apologizes about before and Bunny smiles and tells him it's alright. Bunny tells Darien that she wants to return his pocket watch. Darien tells her to keep it and he tells her he has something for her and they can trade next time. They reunite when Sailor Moon is about to fall and Tuxedo Mask saves her. Sailor Moon kisses Tuxedo Mask. Darien begins to think about the different sides to her. When Sailor Moon is about to be attacked, Tuxedo Mask saves her. Darien takes the shard for Bunny. Bunny is in shock. She calls out to Darien. Then their past is revealed. Usagi and Mamoru, Bunny and Darien, find out that in the past they were two lovers, Serenity and Endymion. They were in love and reincarnated in the future to meet in the present. Bunny finds out that Darien is her true love. When she sees him in her arms, he is taken away. Bunny is heartbroken and stays in her room for a week as she begins to remember the past. This volume is romantic, touching and will make you cry. It is truly one of the best volumes ever.

Well, this book is when sailor V first appears. She is totally cool. Darien and Bunny (Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon) figure out eachothers true identities. And they find the silver imperium crystal(which is very very important). If you have seen Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network, just a thing. This is much different. Sailor Moon isn't as...clumsy. And the whole crystal thing is done way differently. Still an amazing book, well written, good plot. Any real sailor moon fan will absolutely adore this book.

This was one of my favorite books as a child, and i just gave it as a gift to another child. It is an excellent book - a true story about a famous horse who had to overcome tremendous struggles and his faithful groom who managed to accompany him and assist him no matter the personal cost, as well as a look at prejudice and genuine kindness.

I first read this book when I was in elementary school. That was many, many years ago. The thought of this book somehow crossed my mind a few days ago. So I procured one and read it through in a couple of hours. The re-read reminded me of how great of a book this is.

This book speaks of hope, trust, perseverance, and especially of undying love. Yes, it's a children's book but adults will benefit greatly from reading it as well. It's one of those books which will forever remain a classic in the hearts and minds of those who have read it.

This is one of my favorite horse stories of all time. It is about a young boy who makes a bond with an increadible horse. A must read for any horse lover!!!!

This is my favorite horse story ever! This book stands above all others for me and I will always remember it. My mom read this to me when I was 9 years old and still to this day, I have never read it's equal. Henry's writing is so beautiful, the story so touching and the characters so real. A plot unfolds about a young stable boy in Morocco and his golden-bay stallion who would one day be known as the Godolphin Arabian, who's bloodline still runs in race horses of today. It's quite possible a lot of this book is based on fact. A simply amazing story in all respects! I must warn sensitive readers however, there are some very intense parts of this book, some sad parts which are sure to make most people cry and a few parts where there is fairly harsh abuse and neglect of animals. Maybe not the best choice to read to very young kids, especially if they are the type to get scared easily. Overall, I would say the book has an excellent balance of tragedy and triumph. The ending is a beautiful one, both happy and a little sad but satisfying and well worth reading the story.

King of the Wind is a great book by Marguerite Henry. It is about a mute boy named Agba and his horse Sham. Agba goes with Sham on many adventures together. Agba goes with Sham from the royal stables in Morocco to Gog Magog. Sham also sires many winning foals and when he is gone, Agba goes back to Morocco.
I enjoyed this book very much. I liked it because it is about horses. I also liked it because it was full of adventure. It was sad and exciting and there were many parts where Sham and Agba were seperated. Agba was very brave for a young, mute boy and Sham kept him company with his firy spirit that only Agba could control.
My favorite part was when the cook tried to drive Sham. He wanted to show that he did not need Agba to drive Sham. He left Agba at the royal kitchens then set out. Sham bidded his time till the cart was groaning with goods and a young pig. Then "BAM!" He went wild and ran like the wind, sending the goods, the pig, and the cook into the air. The cook runs after first the pig, then Sham, then the pig, until he is so confused that he catched nither. In the end the apple woman cathes Sham and the cook is so fustrated that he sells Sham to a cruel man. I like this part best because it is so funny and shows Shams firy nature.

My title review is SO!!!! true. Although this book does put ALOT of pressure on Amy it's the best EVER!!!!. Romantically speaking Amy,Ty,Ben and Soraya were all invited to the Grant's every year christmas party that is the most popular.Ashley Grant only invites them because she likes Ben and because she knows that Ben won't go without them.During that party Matt tries to make a move on Amy since he likes her but she automatically backs off and repeats the message that she only wants to be friends then AMY and Ty get alone on the dance floor and ty sends the message that he in turn likes Amy. At the end the second last page of that lovely book is when finally ty KISSES amy and she is so shocked and confused because she has looked at him as a brother all her life and is afraid that the relationship they had before ty had feelings for her might change and so asks him to give her some more time.And also in other parts grandpa gets pneumonia and gets terribly sick and Lou travels to England in search of her father because of her desperate need to contact him.

I apsolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! I think it's the best book I have read out of the Heartland series I own! Ty and Amy belong together and I love their relationship!!!!! I give this book 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a GREAT book!!! It was the first Heartland book i read after that I couldent stosp! And like the person before me I go CRAZY when i Dont have a Heartland book!!!!(I dont have one now but im DIYING to get book 15!)

This book was AWESOME!!! Ashley invites Matt, Soraya, Ben, Amy and Ty to her christmas party becuase Ashley likes Ben. Matt tries to have Amy as a girlfriend but Amy just wants to be friends. Jack gets sick and it's sad but he gets better. Lou went to England to find their dad. The part I loved the most was when Ty and Amy KISSED in the end. I read it over and over again. They do go out in other books(#10). They make a perfect couple!

I discovered this book series in dec. 04' I bought the vol. 1 edition(and saved tons of money by doing so I recomed doing that)and LOVED it I read all 3 of the books in vol.1 in 3 days!
If that gives you any idea of how additing it can be! It made me cry when pegaus died:( Well anyhow I bought vol. 2 just the other day and have now finished the book! "one day you'll know" is the best one yet! Now I know how the web sites say ages 8-12
well im 13 and I think it just a little bit to "invloved" with the kissing and all(which was really cool I read it over and over agin)for 8&9 year olds no offense to you at all. The party at the Grant's was one of the best parts esepally when Matt tryed to make a move on Amy but she said they were only friends. than Amy danced with Ty (who really hot on the cover! I dont see why amy didn't like him before!)and Matt got mad and started dating Ashley(that was mean!). Then Jack got sick and lue went to londen and Daybreak being stubern and got sick too!
the drama never ends! But thats why Im so hooked! and as a final note read this sereies from the begining even though every book fills you in you miss a lot of drama! This series sould never end well I dont want it to be like the throghbred books there bad and they just keep comen' there's like 82 of them! After you finish heartland I suggest you read the phamtom stallion books there good too! But heartland will alway be the best ever!!!!!!!!!!

The book was great. I ordered it for my Dad's 87th Birthday, he's a WWII vet that was at the Battle of Bastonge With General Patton, so I wanted him to read about some of the 101st airborne he met there...well I ordered it with 2nd day air shipping, I got it almost 3 weeks later!!!!! So much for my Dad's birthday present...Thanks for making an old soldier feel wanted!!!!!! It took 4 contacts for these morons to realize it never left their shipping warehouse 40 MILES FROM MY HOUSE~~!!??!!! They eventually relented and credited the extra shipping...whooppeee!! by that time 2nd day shipping was being offered for free!!!! They wouldn't even gift wrap it....Very Cheap...
Again the book was great, but AMAZON SUCKED. I have been ordering from them since they were a really young and crappy website...no more, now they are a big and crappy website with their fingers in everything...

So long and thanks for screwing up an important event.

An excellent book written by two members of Easy Company, 506 P.I.R. The stories of Easy Company told by two members from D-Day to VE day. "Wild Bill" and "Babe" tell of their experiences in their own words. They said it all when they said "the heroes are still over there" and "the real heroes are the ones that didn't come home".

This book is a great "read".

Very frank, honest and interesting, as you would expect from Bill Gaurnere. The book is well written and hard to put down. The contrast in styles between Bill & Babe give an exellent perspective on thier stories and the little bit of banter between them is priceless. The post war approach to life adopted buy these guys is inspiring and positive. Thanks guys, great read.

The biography of Babe and Wild Bill fills in the picture of the heroes shown in the "Band of Brothers".
Having read Malarkey's, Compton's, and Winter's, I find it fascinating how each remembers the popular events differently.
Their life stories just add to the whole picture. They help to fill in the picture from the enlisted man's view.
The more you read about these ordinary men doing extraordinary tasks, you can not help come away with a sense of gratitude for their sacrifice.

Easy Company from Band of Brothers revisited. Two of the men who became lifelong friends relate their stories. Easy to read and gives you a sense of war from men who were there. They were indeed a Band of Brothers.

My 3 yr old grandson loves this book. The "story" is so simple but allows the reader many way of expanding the story through sound effects, color recognition, parts of the locomotive, parts of the track bed, speeding train sounds, it's going,... going,... gone.

Freight Train/Tren de cargaSimple words with simple images. You can hear the "click clack" of the train coming down the track, the chugging sound of the steam engine, and the sound of the horn as it approaches and then moves away. My daughter loved this book before she could even say the words.

My oldest son loved this book. It was his favorite when he was little. It builds on vocabulary; you can count the cars, name the colors, and look at different scenarios. I learned a lot about trains by reading this book to them. I am raising my children bilingual and when I found it in English and Spanish I knew I had to get it for them. It also helped me remember the words in Spanish, which I had forgotten. I must have for any child that likes trains. Donald Crews again has delighted us with a masterpiece.

My 2 year old son is obsessed with trains - he loves this book. It is very short and the pictures are well drawn. This books shows the difference between a hopper car and a box car, etc so now when we see a real train he can tell me what kind of cars they are.

A must-read to share with kids! Freight Train uses simple text and clear illustrations. The book can be very interactive for little ones: count the cars, identify colors, make "whoosh" sounds when the train is in motion and find the smoke from the steam engine. Perfect for toddlers!

I love the message of this book, but it is sad when we look around at our world today and see so much "country" turning into city. Loved this one as a child and am reading to my son now.

This was my favorite book when I was little and still is one of my favorite books for children. I add this book to every gift I give at baby showers. A good book with a good lesson!

This was one of my favorites as kid. Then, sadly, I forgot about it until stumbling across it in the school library. It is once again one of my favorites. Cynics might roll their eyes at this tribute to good ol' days gone by, but I personally appreciate the nostalgia and the house with its subtle face parts is adorable. You feel so bad for the cute little house! It is also an observation at the change of time. I don't know how intense that is as a theme, but I found it touching and Burton tells the tale with such heart and care.

We live in a very old house in the country and this book was such a cute story about just that. We enjoyed it.

Another timeless classic by this author. It's an amazing story about appreciation. Completely entertaining and like the other books in this series, the artwork is phenominal!!!

All the reviews you find on this book are right. Straight up amazing story, BUY IT!!! You might as well since you are on this page. This is the paperback edition (I was actually expecting hardcover when I ordered it), and there actually are a few typos here and there. That shouldnt matter unless you are OCD though. But seriously, a wonderful and beautiful story, well worth whatever price you have to pay for it!

I've read this novel many years ago and left within me a certain fascination for the Viking Era.
Lastly books like Harry Harrison's "The Hammer & the Cross" trilogy, movies like "Grendel & Beowulf" (2005) and "Beowulf" (2007) had triggered again my curiosity about these times. So I decided to "pay a visit" (aka re-read) "The Long Ships".
And here I am reviewing this excellent book authored by Sweden writer Frans G. Bengtsson (1894-1954). The book was originally published in two parts first in 1941 and second in 1945; the present edition contains both of them.

The story follows the life & circumstances of Orm from infancy to old age at the same time describing daily life of that period.
Orm as teenager is abducted by a Viking war-party and joins them willingly after a short period. From their homeland they sail to Spain where they are captured by Moors and enter Almansur's service.
After serving some years as Caliph's bodyguards they are forced to fly and return home, yet not empty-handed.
They are welcome at Denmark King Harald's Bluetooth court where Orm fall in love with Ylva one of the King daughters and ask her hand. The King is quite accessible but asks Orm to ensure his wealth and return next year.
Orm & his friends join a mighty Viking army and sail to invade King Ethelred's the Unprepared England. After many battles and errands Orm rejoin exiled Ylva & marry her, returning then to his home.
Orm and his family are forced into exile to escape King Sven Forkbeard revengeful mood and finally root in his mother's ancestral domains.
After years of consolidating his position as a respected member of that frontier community, Orm sail for his last great adventure in Eastern lands.

This is a very entertaining book merging seamlessly historical characters as King Harald, Sven, Ethelred and Caliph Almansur with fictional ones as Orm, Ylva, Asa and Toste. The author is able to transmit to the reader the true spirit of those turbulent times. Another very interesting aspect of the story is showing the beginning of Christianization of Scandinavian communities.

Take a joyful romp thru Viking's world, you won't be disappointed!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I disagree strongly with many of the people who have reviewed this book.

There's nothing wrong with its cover. I've done book and magazine covers myself. This cover is a little dated in style, being an oil (or more likely acrylic) painting with visible brushstrokes in places, but it's perfectly acceptable in quality. In fact, the use of unusual pastel tones on the front (sea green and lavender) is interesting, and the texturing techniques used on the shield and the loincloth of the viking warrior are very nice. It's not a masterpiece, but I have seen far worse book covers. If I had the original, I would hang it on my wall in a heartbeat. It's kind of nice. I like it.

Oh, you probably want to hear something about the words inside the book. All right. What everybody else says is true, only they are probably underestimating this book, if anything. Man, is it ever good. It reminds me of "I, Claudius", which is generally considered to be the best historical novel ever written, only this one is actually better. Like "Claudius", it is full of dry humor, but at the same time, it is a perfectly serious and thoughtful historical drama. If you have the slightest interest in the Viking era you must plunk down however many dollars it takes to get this one as soon as you can; it is worth every penny of whatever inflated price you have to pay for a rare used paperback. And don't worry about the darned cover!

War and strife make for good reading, at least for men pining for the (fantasy of) days of yore where heroes-to-be would gather fellow men to pillage far away lands for adventure and booty. This is among the best of such works I have read, ranking up there with the Homeric tales and the story of the Three Kingdoms from China. These Skanians (whom at that time considered themselves Danes, a far throw from the pacifist Europeans of modern Denmark) are savage men from a harsh culture, but they are also full of humor and a sort of stoic approach to both fortune and misfortune that despite their being seamen, would make a Spartan (from Laconia) proud. The story progresses through multiple kingdoms and conveys an accurate historical depiction of cultures at the cusp of the second millenium. Religion is dealt with in a tellingly humorous manner, and it reminds one that conversions were historically based on pragmatic choices and rarely some sort of spiritual epiphany. Adherents would switch from one religion to the next as their conditions (and fortunes) demanded. Buried into this amazingly rich (and incredibly fun!) tale of adventure like a vein of gold, it is a suitable reminder of what makes us human in this day of flaring religious strife and shameless demagoguery.

English literature began with a Viking story, "Beowulf," but have you ever tried reading it? My own "Beowulf" experience led me to believe Viking literature is right down there with Viking cuisine in terms of digestibility. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a novel about Vikings, written over half a century ago, to be as thrilling, fantastic, and engaging as "The Long Ships."

It's the story of Orm, a farmer's son in southern Sweden in the late 900s who one day finds himself a prisoner of a merry gang of Vikings. They quickly adopt him, and set out for adventures off the northern and southern coasts of Europe. Before the book is half over, Orm has found himself in courts from Spain to England, espoused three different religions, slain several dozen foemen, and found a princess to be his bride.

Frans G. Bengtsson's novel, originally published in Sweden in 1945, showcases two things I didn't expect from a Scandinavian academic, brevity and humor. Sure, the book is nearly 500 pages long, but Bengtsson crams a lot of incident in every page, describing events in broad strokes and letting the reader's imagination do the rest. Bengtsson's style, preserved marvelously by Michael Meyer's 1954 translation, is to consciously evoke the elliptical prose of ancient Viking sagas, but in such a way as to allow for a modern, tongue-in-cheek sensibility to come through, one that reflects a Viking world, however hard-bitten, of great wit and depth.

"The Long Ships" is marvelously quotable: "For no man complains of the weight of the cargo, when it is his own booty that is putting strain upon the oars." Or: "Only poets can win wealth with empty hands, but then they must make better songs than other poets, and competition spoils the pleasure of composition."

The book jacket includes an enthusiastic reviewer describing "man-size helpings of battle and murder, robbery and rape," which captures some of the tone of "Long Ships" but misses most of the point. Orm is no savage bandit, but a thoughtful, evolving character of great honor. The Vikings he travels with do some robbing and killing, but in a measured way. As the novel goes on, a sense of social responsibility, manifested in Orm by his adoption of a somewhat twisted form of Christianity, comes through.

You might say the story of Orm is the story of the Christianizing of Scandinavia, told from a rather neutral viewpoint that respects Christianity's mellowing influence without being blind to its flaws in practice. You might also call it a straight-up adventure yarn of many threads. After a battle, Orm and his comrades may retire to a feasting hall to hear stories of brave deeds that fill pages and then never come up again. Or else we might get stories like that of a pair of jesters, forced to entertain the slayer of the king they loved, who come up with a marvelous form of vengeance right out of Monty Python.

One thing you can't call "The Long Ships" is dull. Even when Orm is not actually at sea (he actually spends a good deal of time raising a family on a farm), the book stays busy. Some old enemy is trying to take his head off, or else he is having another marvelously circuitous exchange with his dyspeptic priest friend, Father Willibald.

And the voyages Orm takes are a lot of fun, encompassing as they do the whole of the known world at that time, from Ireland to the Dnieper River and many points in-between. While a work of fiction, Bengtsson finds ways of introducing a lot of relevant Dark Ages history, even if some of it, like an enjoyably arch Y1K scare, may not be 100% accurate.

Other books are fun to read. "The Long Ships" is a book to get lost in. You will feel like a teenager again as you take the long way home with Orm, enjoying his simpler yet wondrous time and wishing the world could have stayed so forever.