Wood Books

I was lucky enough to stumble across this book before the holidays, and promptly ordered it along with several other books that were influences to Tolkien. This book is the one I started with. It contains two stories, both of which are wonderfully written. They are written using an older form of English, but once you get used to the dialect you will become fully immersed in the story.

I gave this review 5-stars only because of how great the stories are. The formatting of this book is horrible. It is the size of a textbook with 2 columns per page. I think it would have been better using a standard paperback format, but this seems to be the only available edition out, so look past this and enjoy the amazing stories!

This book is a fantastic buy! The Well Beyond The World's End is usually published in 2 volumes, so this edition includes the text of 3 books that would normally cost you about $42 if purchased separately.

The text is printed in two columns, as in a magazine. It's very readable and aesthetically pleasing (don't judge by the unfortunate cover). The only downside is that Morris originally published his books in an elaborate illuminated manuscript style (like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kelmscott_Press_-_The_Nature_of_Gothic_by_John_Ruskin_%28first_page%29.jpg). Unfortunately no modern printing of Morris seems to include his gorgeous original format. On the plus side, this edition is definitely more readable.

As for the stories themselves, I think it's fair to say Tolkien (and to a degree C.S. Lewis) retained every innovation Morris made, more or less replacing him. It's likely that only hardcore Tolkien/Lewis fans will find these books worth reading. This and the companion volume are the closest thing to the LOTR prequel.

The text is widely available free online (though it's not fun to read on a screen), so you might test a few pages before committing to a purchase:
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a107

I gave this a present for my 3 yr old nephews and it immediately became one of their favorites. (In fact, I liked the book so much I got another copy for myself.) It is illustrated with a mix of photo-collage and drawings, and almost every page is a story within itself. This is much richer than the simple linear style of many children's books.
Separately, I'm an animal lover, and I love that it shows the shelter as a place of warmth, caring and dedication. A percentage of the book's profits is being donated to the Wood Green Shelter, so when you buy it everybody wins.

Come spend a day with Patricia Casey at Wood Green Animal Shelter. "It's a place in the city where sick, stray, or abandoned animals are taken care of." First let's meet the staff and their own pets who like to come to work with them. Then, let's get the shelter and clinic ready for business...preparing the waiting and examining rooms, feeding and attending to the animals who are staying there because they're sick, injured, or homeless, and need help. Finally at noon the clinic opens and the vet is ready to see patients. When the day is over, the staff feeds and prepares the animals for the night, and then go home, themselves, to eat and rest, because tomorrow is another busy day..... Patricia Casey has written a charming and informative picture book, full of fascinating and engaging stories about both the people who work at the shelter, and the many different animals who've come to stay or live there. Her simple and straightforward text is interesting and entertaining to read, but it's the busy collage artwork that really makes this book stand out. Ms Casey combines photographs, watercolors and colored pencil drawings to create a detailed smorgasbord of visual fun, and youngsters will enjoy poring over the illustrations and finding something new and exciting each time they open the book. Perfect for kids 5-9, One Day At Wood Green Animal Shelter is a clever and innovative story that your little animal lover will want to read again and again.

My Grandfather wrote this book before he began to go back to God. This is a true story of his journey with God and the miracles along with it. My Grandmother had always said that this is a book for all parents to read, and prepare them for what lies ahead.
A truly inspirational book!!

I found his story to be an inspiration to me. He showed me that yes someone can walk with God their whole life through. And that if we truely trust God and put it all in His hands it will be alright. What a wonderful example, we need HERO's like this.

What a gem! I was surprised when I discovered this book. The gist of the book is for the child (or adult) to mark off a square space in the woods and begin exploring and learning. This book is a real integration of activities, suggested observations, and fact. The learner is to explore, dig, look, observe and investigate every inch of this square area. While suggesting the learner look for this or that, the author provides factual information about various findings. The book goes into a lot of detail and there are many things that the author thinks may be found. I bet that the learner won't find everything that is mentioned but that is OK, at least the reader can experience it in reading about it in the book if it is missed "in real life".

The book starts off in autumn, assuming the learner begins in the fall and in an area of deciduous trees. A small sampling of what is addressed in this book is why trees lose their leaves, how trees store energy and make energy, examples of camouflage with animals, migration of birds and butterflies, insects, spiders and their webs, lizards and mammals big and small. As the book progresses winter then spring then summer is discussed.

The illustrations are drawn and in color (just like the cover), these are not photographs. There are loads of details in the drawings. At the back is an illustrated guide to creatures grouped by their classification (leaves, mammals, fungi) and an index.

The learner is encouraged to do creative projects such as leaf and trunk rubbings. Also keeping a nature journal or notebook to record the findings is recommended.

I am surprised that so much information and creative ideas packed into this small and very inexpensive book. This is one in a series of "one small square" books and I plan to buy more to use in our homeschooling adventure. Now this is science!

This book provides a small instant field trip to those students who might not have access to woods. It gives incredible details of what goes on in one small square of woods. For those who have access to wooded areas for exploration...safety tips are included as well as supplies needed for collecting data while exploring. I teach second grade and use all of the Small Square books in my teaching.

This is a good book for older children or as a supplement for science in the water cycle. It could be used in World Cultures or Sociology class to illustrate the connectedness to all of life on the earth because of our reliance on water. The illustrations are vivid and interesting. I found it insightful for myself and the number of uses it could have in the educational system is only limited to the teacher's imagination.

Award-winning author Rochelle Strauss presents One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, a picturebook for children with advanced reading skills, packed cover to cover about the need to conserve water. "Becoming Well Aware doesn't just mean using less water, it also means taking better care of the water we have. You can protect water from pollution by walking more and driving less, which keeps car exhaust from polluting water in the atmosphere. Organizing shoreline cleanups keeps trash from entering lakes, rivers and streams. Planting trees anchors the soil so that it doesn't wash into waterways and make them muddy." The gentle color illustrates are the perfect complement to this sober yet positive-themed children's book about the vital importance of fresh water. Highly recommended especially for public library collections.

(The numerical rating above is a default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

Author Wood, a Professor of Anthropology, brings his professional skills to bear on his brother's death at Second Schweinfurt (October 14 1943) and in the process has produced a remarkable example of military research.

In addition to the expected material on context, units, and individuals, Professor Wood's investigations turned up the manufacturing history of the airplane (down to the exact cost), the position of the plane within the ill-fated flight, the probable Luftwaffe pilot who shot it down, eyewitnesses on the ground, and more. Of particular interest is the brief history of the Graves Registration Command and its commendable work in a very difficult but unsung assignment.

Thoroughly researched, beautifully readable, Professor Wood's book is a fitting memorial to Lt. Elbert Wood, navigator of the "Wicked WAAC". With photos, maps, documents, diagrams, sources, bibliography, index. First rate work; highly recommended.

An excellent story of the author's research into the facts concerning his brother's dimly-remembered death during World War II. The author chases down service records, mission histories, eyewitness accounts, and battle participants to reconstruct his brother's story, using that as a window on the broader subject of the infamous "Second Schweinfurt" bomber raid. Especially valuable is the book's appendix, which lists addresses of U.S. Military and other government and private organizations which make available a surprising amount of detailed information about individuals' service careers and the events attending their deaths, recoveries, and post-war "repatriations". This book induced me, with my Father's help, to turn my Uncle's loss over Vienna from a mere War Department telegram into a rich and interesting story, much to the surprise and satisfaction of my family. (See also, 'Wings of Morning: the story of the last American bomber shot down over Germany in World War II' by Thomas Childers for similar content and treatment.)

I READ THE BOOK OUR BOONIES BY HUNTER WOODS AND I LAUGHED TILL I CRIED ,THEN I CRIED TILL I LAUGHED,,I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD BOOK.

Found the mountain life to be facinating and would like to visit the real family described in the book.

Beautifully illustrated with gloriously vivid colors, this book and ALL the others in this series/collection are wonderful. The adaptations in text and in the illustrations are masterful and clever. I wish these books were available when I was growing up!

This book is wonderful, as well as all the others from this publisher. MY daughter goes to an African-American school and I let her take it to school. The teacher adored the book so much!

The Painted Word can be appreciated by any artlover, not only calligraphers. The book is filled to the brim with an incredible variety of unique calligraphic artwork. This is not just a book of words! It brought me inspiration and immense pleasure. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves fine art and beautiful words.

This book is a gallery of beautiful and creative calligraphic works. Some of the examples combine the written word together with other mediums such as sculptured paper words and figures, which gives the piece a three dimensional look.

A definate must for Calligraphy enthusiasts

The reasons for Theodor Storm's relative obscurity for English readers have always been a mystery to me. His novellas of poetic realism are gems of 19th century fiction, lyrical, beautifully written, full of psychological insight, and well-observed portraits of the northern German milieu in which he lived.

In Storm's stories, the central characters often seem prisoners of their circumstances and societal constraints, constraints that they might challenge, yet do not. Though written with ironic detachment, his stories often have a sharp edge of pain and loss and regret that produces deep pathos. It's hard to imagine the work of the young Thomas Mann without Storm's example.

"Paul the Puppeteer" might be thought of as artist's fable. It is an idyllic story of the vanishing world of the marionette theater. "Renate" is an historical novella where suspicion of witchcraft is an element. "The Village on the Moor" is a tale of the destructive effects of sexual passion. All of these stories are from Storm's mature phase, and two of them have never before been translated into English.

Denis Jackson has already given us two excellent volumes, with a translation of _Der Schimmelreiter_ (probably Storm's finest story), as well as several other works. Now, we get this volume, and it's every bit as good as the previous ones. The man has performed not only a service to Storm with these translations, but to all of us. I hope he goes on to translate all of Storm's major novellas.

Highly recommended.

Husum News 17 April 2004


"Pole Poppenspäler" in the English Language

Denis Jackson has translated the Storm 'Classic'

A few days ago the Theodor Storm Society (in Husum, North Friesland, Germany) received a parcel from England. Contents: Storm's Novellen 'Paul the Puppeteer' along with 'Renate' and 'The Village on the Moor'. Translator: Denis Jackson.

The English 'Storm-fan' has yet again translated the works of the German Realist into his own language. After 'Schimmelreiter', 'Hans und Heinz Kirch', 'Immensee' and 'Eine Halligfahrt', now comes 'Renate', 'Draußen im Heidedorf' and Storm's most successful story for the young 'Pole Poppenspäler'. The special feature of this publication is that never before has 'Pole Poppenspäler' appeared in the English language, although it is one of the most well-known works of the Husum author.

The most familiar Theodor Storm Novellen in English are 'Immensee' and 'Der Schimmelreiter'. For some time the author has been well known to the majority of English and American students of the German language. His poetry and prose have been an integral part of the curriculum for many. That also applies to regions in the world where English is the first foreign language. Many there, who are interested in Germany, learn German through the texts of Theodor Storm, as is the case in India, China and above all in Japan.

Through Denis Jackson's fine and stylistically sensitive translations other readers, besides those competent in the German language, can now read the most acclaimed works of the leading figure of Poetic Realism. And Jackson's translations are equally distinguished by another factor: they contain notes that explain to the reader the distinctive regional and historical aspects of the work. Storm's descriptions of the specific North German landscape and the portrayal of its people are thereby made the more meaningful to a world-wide reading public.

The translator lives on the Isle of Wight and has been closely connected with the Theodor Storm Society in Husum for many years. Through his association with the Society he has develops links with many in the region who equally share his enthusiasm for the author. The new translation is also available in German bookshops.

The Husum News (Husumer Nachrichten) 17 April 2004