barnes Books

I never even considered the possibility that I would give up smoking...my Mother died of Cancer and I still puffed away....that is until 10 mos. ago...I read this book and quit for good. I never even think of smoking anymore...I am a non smoker.

If you are hesitating about buying this book and thinking it may not work for you...don't worry...I did the same thing...but here I am...FREE!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my soul Alan Carr for helping me reclaim my life again....best wishes to all of you future non-smokers out there-it is possible! In fact, just as he says...it's downright EASY!!!

I was a pack a day smoker for 12 years and had never quit for longer than 3 days. A friend who had quit by using this book gave me a copy, although I hid it in my closet for about 6 months because I was so afraid to quit. Finally I picked it up and read it. I have not had a single cigarette since then-- and it has been about 2 years. This is not the "willpower" method. Carr's main premise is to de-brainwash you and to put a positive spin on things-- so you realize you are really doing something great for yourself, not depriving yourself of anything. A good example is when he tells you to take 8 deep drags off your cigarette and ask yourself if you really enjoyed that. I gagged after 8 deep drags. He tells you to go ahead and smoke while you are reading the book (so there really is no excuse not to try it). Read this book with an open mind and it will change your life. And BTW the "physical" withdrawal from quitting with this method was NOTHING. I had a mild headache and backache for about 3 days. And that was it. Now I am free to make decisions for myself instead of having my life revolve around the next cigarette and it is wonderful.

I'm extremely skeptical about books like this-- but found that this one worked brilliantly. Here's what convinced me at first: Carr points out that smokers are often *afraid* to quit smoking, for a number of reasons. Exactly right: I feared that my non-smoking self would be miserable and unlike my usual self! (i.e. How would I survive in social situations? How would I get any work done?) Carr dismantles this fear piece by piece, and very persuasively. It has now been almost a year since I stopped smoking, without conflicts or cravings. Yes, I would even say it was 'easy'!

Unfortunately I have not finished reading the book. I do know a few people that read it. One is still not smoking a year plus later, the other went six months which is longer than I went using the patch, or the lozenge, or chantix, or any other method I tried. Already seems promising, and I cannot wait to finish it.

I was very satisfied with the book. The "EasyWay Method" is not as groundbreaking as the author makes it out to be but the majority of the points made were very helpful in quitting smoking. The author's method focuses on the mental difficulties we face when trying to quit smoking and he does a great job of explaining how to deal with and get past those. The difference in his method versus the traditional "Willpower Method" is that we have to get to a place mentally where we realize we are not sacrificing or giving anything up. We are only gaining. I do truly believe that his ideas helped me quit smoking and that I will not have a relapse. With that said I would definitely recommend this book to others trying to quit.

The Brothers Karamazov is first, a coming of age story of Alyosha Karamazov from a naive novice in the monastery to a leader whose rousing sermon at the rock is the culmination of the story.

Second, it is a complex allegory of the Russian nation and prophesy o Russia's future. The atheistic, rationalism and socialism of Ivan; the passionate nobility of the erratic Dimitri; and the Orthodox mysticism and humanism of Alyosha present three paths before the Russians at the end of the 19th century. Though Dostoevsky wishes his people to follow the model of Alyosha, history shows that Russia followed the model of Dimitri until the Revolution turned them down the road of Ivan.

Third, the novel is a critique of secular criminal justice. The punishment of the state is impotent, especially when compared to the reforming power of one's own conscience and contrition of heart.

At times the novel seems to have strayed off on a tangent, but by the end Dostoevsky threads them all together into a majestic tapestry. The book is made even more beautiful when read in light of Dostoevsky's life. His youth of socialism, his near execution, his years in the Tsar's work camps, his return to freedom, his renewed spirituality, and the death of his son just prior to his writing this novel, all appear as ghostly shades influencing and tormenting the author's work.

The chapters run from entertaining storytelling, to parables, and to depths of philosophizing comparable to the works of Plato. The broad expanse of the work displays Dostoevsky's virtuosity. This book is indeed Dostoevsky's crowning achievement and by all standards a world masterpiece.

This novel has moved and engaged me in a way only a masterpiece can. Mr. Dostoevsky, God bless your soul, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for The Brothers Karamazov.

Smerdyakov didn't do it. He confessed to Ivan, it's true, but why should we take his word for it? Perhaps it was Ivan and only Ivan who was the true object of his hate, and everything that Smerdyakov did in his life up to and including his taking it was meticulously calculated to push Ivan over the edge.

Like Smerdyakov, the anonymous narrator and biographer of Alexei Karamazov shams a falling sickness - in this case a fall from omniscience - precisely at the terrible instant of Fyodor Karamazov's murder. He shows us Mitya pulling the brass pestle from his pocket while crouching under his father's bedroom window, then all of a sudden a dotted line gets in the way, blocking our view, and the next time we see Dmitri, he is dashing for the garden wall with the servant Grigory hot on his heels. This blatant crevice in the narrative shouts to us in no unclear terms, "You do not, cannot, and will not ever know what happened here!" And we, miserable gossips and frustrated peeping toms that we are, believe the first person that claims responsibility.

What, are you saying that it was Mitya all along? That Alyosha was not the discerning judge of character that his biographer makes him out to be? That Smerdyakov's confession was a self-deluded tale of imagined resoluteness by a timid coward whose one true act of courage was suicide? That Dmitri was in fact a liar through and through?

This to me illustrates only one (and a minor one at that) of the numerous tantalizing complexities of this brilliant novel, which on my shelf now sits between Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and John Updike's "Rabbit Angstrom" tetralogy.

The Karamzov family came with a reputation of living life to its fullest with a reckless abandoned to wholesomeness and integrity towards another's well being. This manifested itself from the father and yet through three brothers in different ways. Alexi had a strong belief in God. Life in the monastery had taught him that man is guilty before all people on behalf of all and for all human sins. In recognizing this Alexi sees not that man has committed a crime but that his nature leaves him capable of sinning, which renders the ultimate hallmark of faith in God's forgiveness. Ivan's educated man left him with the ability to accept God from a perspective that the concept was likely an invention of man. He could not accept Gods world because his scientific mind could not fathom the parallel mind of Euclidian and those opposite minds of faith ever coming together. This exception leaves the reader with a third alternative, which is a notion that parallel arguments could exist harmoniously without conflict as was discovered in this book. He would sum up with a question: How could the notion of the necessity of God creep in the head of such a wild and wicked animal as man? Dimitri appears, like his father, to be a scoundrel full of enough deceit and selfishness to propel the Karamzov reputation to new lows (highs).¥

As a murder mystery unfolds through elaborate character introduction the reader begins to understand there is going to be a murder but does not know who will be murdered or whom the murderer would be. As the author blends his storyline into his message early on he brings up as he had in other books the question of the times in 1850's to 80's Russia. There existed the over arching argument of church and state; and later in the book science verses God. By the time his characters present their sides there are actually four positions. There is the argument of a separate church and state. There is the argument a cooperative Church and State. There is the argument where the Church evolves to a State. And finally there is the argument where a State evolves to a Church. In the end social values seam to be the common goal where the four arguments end up being the means. However there is one fundamental difference. Under the Church ideals, the individual must live with his conscience, whereas under the State ideals the individual can abdicate all his responsibilities (conscience) to the State. Dostoevsky does a nice job drawing parallels between the dichotomy in a family and that of a society.

Dostoevsky also uses many other characters to examine the conscious of man as he struggles with the concept of God. Is God an invention of man?

Please use a key word cigarroomofbooks.blog and look in the December 07 index for my conclusion and views on the book. I'd love for you to share your thoughts.

The novel itself is brilliant -- one of the best. To praise the novel would be redundant and pointless. I want to talk about the translation.

The Pevear translation has garnered a lot of attention and praise. I don't know Russian, so I can't speak to the original. It may be that Pevear translation an accurate representation of Dostoevsky's prose. What I can say is that, as a novel, this version of Brothers Karamazov is dense, leaden and awkward.

Many previous reviewers have suggested reading the Garnett translation instead. Anyone who loves Russian literature owes Garnett a debt: she was the first to translate just about any Russian writer you can think of (pre 1950) into English: Tolstoy, Turgenev, Chekhov, Gogol, Dostoevksy, etc. Critics have complained -- most famously Vladimir Nabokov -- that Garnett was prone to skipping words and using summary liberally. There are revisions that correct this (see the Norton Critical Edition, revised by Ralph E. Matlaw) but there is another problem: Garnett tends to render Russian novelists in a Victorian voice that reads like a heavy-handed imitation of Dickens.

Fortunately, there is a third option: Andrew MacAndrew's translation from 1970. The tone of the MacAndrew is lively and earthy -- and the voices of the different brothers are distinct. Perhaps most importantly MacAndrew's rendition of the narrator's voice captures a great deal of the humor and wit that is lost in other translations. Dostoevsky often employs an un-named narrator, a sort of surrogate self, that allows him the flexibility of a 3rd person perspective but also intimacy of a first-person voice. MacAndrew makes great use of this.

But judge for yourself. Here is a web site that compares the three translations in questions by showing the same paragraph in the original and then in each translation: [...]
There are a few typos but it gives you a sense of the different translations

I bought this book for my 11 year old grandson and he loved it. He thought the story about Homer Price and the Doughnut machine was the best, but of course we had previously visited Krispy Kreme, and saw their machine, and sampled their doughnuts. I read this story many years ago and have read it since as part of a Read Aloud session.

I specifically remember reading this book in the 1950s, particularly the story about the run-away automatic donut machine.

This is a collection of short stories about a midwest community of the 1930-1950. Think Norman Rockwell type images. The author, who illustrated the book is best known for "Make Way for the Ducklings".

I was struck how politically incorrect stories were then but still good.

I discovered this book in my grandma's bookcase around age ten. It was my dad's old paperback and was already well worn. I devoured it and got hooked on novels. A few years ago I was elated to find a hard bound copy of Homer Price and Centerburg Tales (which was new to me). Now I am sharing the stories with my six and seven year old daughters. We all enjoy the endearing characters, entertaining and often hilarious events, and colloquial style. I grew up in the country and these books make me nostalgic for that simple life and those sweet people of my youth.

I grew up on Homer Price (along with Danny Dunn and Henry Huggins). I don't even own a copy of the book and haven't read it in 45 years but I can still recite from memory: "Forty two pounds of Edible Fungus, in the wilderness a-growin, saved the settlers from starvation helped the founding of our nation!"

Make sure your kids read this book. And "Centerburg Tales" too!

You'll roll on the floor holding your splitting sides when you read about Homer Price and the crazy doughnut machine. This is great midwestern 40s stuff, still suitable today for both early teens and self-actualized adults alike.

Homer Price is a kid who's oblivious to difficult challenges. His antics causes each of us to mentally return to the days when frutrations were few and obstructions to new dillemmas just simply did not exist. Homer just takes on each situation as it arises and, somehow, things always turn out okay.

Originally published in 1943, this is one of my two favorite books for young people, (the other being "The Trolley Car Family," by Eleanor Clymer, 1947). The six short stories in this Homer Price volume include:

1. The Case of the Sensational Scent

2. The Case of the Cosmic Comic

3. The Doughnuts

4. Mystery Yarn

5. Nothing New Under the Sun (Hardly)

6. Wheels of Progress

This book is also available in softcover, which is the one I own. You COULD get this book for your kids, especially for boys, but the heck with that idea -- get it for yourself and you won't regret it! My highest recommendation.

Not happy: saw nothing about this being a Navajo version of the book. Never knew there were different versions. I felt there should have been some more obvious text about the difference between this book and my childrens' favorite, so that I would order the original, not the Navajo version.

This was my favorite childhood book about horses that I had kept up until recently. My copy had been inadvertly thrown away and I just had to have another copy. I am still horse crazy and now have a collection of some of my favorite horse books from my younger days. The illustrations in this book inspired me as a kid to learn to draw horses. The copy I recieved was just as the seller said would be, in very good condition. I will keep this and share with my grandkids in the future.
Donna mcKnight

This was my favorite book as a child. It is a really sweet, heart-warming story about true friendship and would be a great addition to any child's library

Little Black, a pony - this was the only book I ever wanted my mother to read to me at bedtime. Now, some thirty five years later, I have just bought a copy of the book and it has bought back some wonderful childhood memories. I used to recite the book to my mother word for word and even today, as I flicked through the pages, I remembered the story ! It bought a tear to my eye reading it and it is a truly lovely book about the love a little boy has for his pony ! Jackie, Cambridge, England

I am angry that the reviews that are shown for this book are the ones for the original version, which appears to be out of print. This is *not* the original story with the wonderful pictures that I loved as a child, the ones that are mentioned in several of the reviews; this seems to be one "translated into Navajo" and with different illustrations. Judging from the cover, I don't like them. Be warned: This is *not* the book you remember.

Series book. The large, readable print makes this good for children to read.

Summary
Frog and Toad are friends who share life together. I love the "To Do List," which includes "Wake up." Lobel wrote and illustrated more than 70 books. This book received a Newberry Honor Award.

Illustrations
I love the fresh and pleasant green and brown pictures, as did my children.

When Frog and Toad saw a snake, the snake said, "Hi,lunch!" Frog and Toad ran away.
Toad made cookies and Frog said, "They got will power." Toad made a list then when he got to Frog's house, Toad said, "We have to take a walk." They went on a walk. Suddenly, Toad's list blew away.

My daughter's nursery is decked out in Frogs, so the discovery of these books made them books we had to consider. They are fun and the illustrations are grest. At eleven months she is too young to read them herself, but we read them to her - and she enjoys them. The stories are simple with a central theme - do good for others, treat your friends with respect, help your firends when they need help, laugh, and aporach life with adventure. These are great virtues to instill in young minds. If the books were made in cardboard stock, Teah would be even more happy with them - as it is she frequently grabs one of them when it's time for her bedtime story - and great bedtime stories they are. By the time she starts to read she will know the stories by heart, but that's ok - fond memeories of bedtime stories like these should help her build a lifelong interest in reading on her own.

The Frog and Toad books were favorites of my daughters when they were young. I often give them to young friends, and was very happy to share them most recently with my two year old grandson

Learn the value of friendship with one of the most delightful duos in all of children's storytelling! Perfect bedtime stories or beginner's reading books, kids love the animorphed amphibians and funny adventures. Buy one and you'll have to get them all!

J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

In 1965 my young daughter bought this book for her father. Every night each of our four children would select a poem to read to him and me. Soon they had some of their favorites memorized. It is a selection of some of the greatest poems ever written. I recently purchased copies for my children, their children and their children's children. I still read one to myself every morning with my first cup of coffee and it brings back such wonderful memories and keeps my memory strong.

This little book changed my life!

My first copy of this book was a paperback edition given to me at the age of sixteen, in 1951 (I still have the original book, and yes, I'm now 74 years young), at a school in Los Angeles, California that specialized in improving speech problems--of which I severely had. I would read and reread poems and speeches aloud from this book, which was a break through, in its own right. Previous to this little book, reading aloud was absolutely out of the question--it just didn't/couldn't/wouldn't happen. It wasn't that I didn't want to; it was simply beyond my capacity. The school, per se, did not help me, but the One Hundred And One Famous Poems certainly has. I keep extra copies on hand to give away to people who might benefit similarly to the way it has helped me. From that beginning I have for all intents and purposes overcome the speech problem; enjoyed Toastmasters for four years, while reaching the Advanced Toastmaster Silver Level of achievement; wrote a book on golf and taught my subject material (my wife and I together) in three golf classes, averaging 26 students, per year for twenty years at the college level (extended studies). My life definitely took an upturn as a direct result of this little book. My favorites for reading aloud are two poems and two speeches: The Spider And The Fly, A Fable, by Mary Howitt (page 145); Home, by Edgar A. Guest (page 152) as read with a naturally acquired Scottish brogue, with much gusto; The Gettysburg Address, given by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863 (page 173); The War Inevitable, 1775, by Patrick Henry (page 177); the speeches have helped me develop a voice (in my mind, anyway) that closely resembles how Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Henry might have sounded. My gratefulness and thankfulness for having this little book in my life is literally much beyond description of mere words. Enjoy!

As a child my mother read from this book of poetry to all her children. It is a wonderful book of poems by many different authors. I believe it is a book to be shared by everyone who loves poetry. I was thrilled to find it was still in print so I could give it as a gift.

John Adams told his son, John Quincy; "You will never be alone with a poet in your pocket."

This is a wonderful little compilation. Just the right size and length. It includes simple poetry that touches the heart, some timeless verses from 'the grand old masters' and some from the 'humbler poets' (Longfellow). It also includes the Magna Charta, letters from A.Lincoln, The War Inevitable (Patrick Henry) and the Declaration of Independence.

You can't go wrong with this volume, whether you are just dipping a toe, or you're steeped in the world of poetry.

This is a wonderful collection of poems. IT is a national treasure. I had this book and lost it, thinking that by now it was out of print. I love the variety of authors and the variety of each author's poems.

I was really impressed with the work that went into this book. You NEED this book for your library if you are serious about making products using essential oils for more than just a hobby. It is difficult to find straight reference material published on essential oils, and even more difficult to find published material on combining oils for perfumery.

This book is a great book to have on hand. It tells you everything about an essential oil that you need to know. To bad it's not in print anymore.

For quite some time I've been fascinated by essential oils. While they can at times be quite expensive to collect a few high-quality essential oils can go a long way.

This book is divided up into three main sections. In the first section there is a brief history of essential oils and an interesting picture to show steam distillation. There is information on why lavender and neroli stimulate new cell growth and how rosemary encourages healthy hair growth.

The second section is very helpful with ideas on which essential oils to use for a wide variety of common complaints. While it is interesting to note that cardamom and black pepper are good for heartburn, a recipe would be useful. If you want a recipe I can recommend the one for a chai tea in Savoring the Spice Coast of India: Fresh Flavors from Kerala. I made it tonight using soymilk and a rooibos teabag.

Part three in this fascinating book includes information on 165 essential oils. While I've read many books on essential oils there were numerous oils I'd never heard of before. In this section there are a few oils you want to avoid like wormwood that can cause brain damage. You may recognize bergamot if you have ever made Earl Grey tea. Could lemonade be part of a cure for arthritis? This book gives all sorts of new information and also has a helpful glossary.

While this book is comprehensive I think it would have been better to organize the essential oils according to their common name instead of their Latin name. Fortunately there is a good index so you can find your favorite essential oils fast. In the index you can find the common name (frankincense) as well as the Latin or botanical term (Boswellia Carteri).

If you are looking for any additional information I can also recommend anything by Connie Higley: Reference Guide for Essential Oils Tenth Edition, October 2006. I have the 1999 edition but have been considering the new edition to add to my collection.

~The Rebecca Review, currently wearing Aura Cacia Love Potion Essential Oil .5 oz. I love all the Aura Cacia essential oils.

This is the one book I would not be without.
It is very informative and helpful.
I am a soapmaker and use the information re: the essential oils to make aromatheray and therapuetic, skin softening soaps.

Gives uses for many plants and the essential oils but no complete details for making the remedies with the oils. Eg. how much of each oil to put into the natural remedies?

Through Michael McClay, we can have a wonder picture of one of the best shows on TV. Through MANY pictures (a lot in color) and words, we can learn how these four greatly made this show: I Love Lucy. The book takes you through all of their lives before, during and after the show. Three parts are in this facinating book; one is about the show. And the other two are thirty-five of the classic episodes (some of which were chosen by Lucille Ball herself!!); and the last section is ALL 179 episodes in order that they went on air.

The book is definitly five stars and you cannot read this book once. It is great to just look at and you can learn so much about Luciile Ball, Desi Arnaz and Vivian Vance and William Frawley. So get yourself this I Love Lucy treasure TODAY!!!!

Who doesn't LOVE Lucy? This book is THE definitive guide for all us die-hard, lifelong, Lucy fans. It is chock full of facts, anecdotes, black and white and colour photos, etc. By far, the most comprehensive book on the series I have ever read. Introduced by daughter, Lucie Arnaz, we are taken down memory lane and even allowed BACKSTAGE where we get glimpses of the REAL life Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Strictly for the fans, who will understand and appreciate the attention to detail here.

Very Good Book... Great Collectors Item.

This beautiful book introduced me to the world of "I Love Lucy" literature, and I must say I got off on the right foot! The photographs are beautiful, and the text is surprisingly thorough for a "picture history". This would make an enjoyable addition to anyone's Lucy collection (it's also a great place to start!).

AMAZING!! This is one of the best books written about "I Love Lucy." Michael McClay certainly knew what he was doing when he gave us this great book on the best show in picture history. Through many pictures (many in color) and words, McClay is able to tell you ALL about "I Love Lucy" and the great people that made it so great. He tells not only about the people at the time of the show, but gives, not much but accurate, information about the four wonderful people that made the show so successful before and after the shows were made. He gives you thirty-five classic episodes that are the hits in the "I Love Lucy" shows. And also a TV-ography of the 179 "I Love Lucy" shows in the order that they went on the air. And the "I Love Lucy" Theme Song music given at the beginning of the three parts that are in this book has been played many times on my piano.

This is truely the best book there is on the show "I Love Lucy" (but no "I Love Lucy" book can beat Lucille Ball's book "Love, Lucy;" it covers her whole life as well as the "I Love Lucy" shows.Get that one too because both are both greatly recommended). Some books don't give very much or very accurate information on this show. But this one gives you all of the information, accurately, about the show.

I greatly encoutrage you top get this book especially if you are a Lucy fan (and if you are not, reading this book will give you a great start). You will NOT be disappionted. You will have too much trouble putting it down that when you finish it, you will want to read it again--you will never get tired of it. Get yours TODAY and you WILL enjoy!

At this late date I'm not going to comment on the writing itself. This book is an acknowledged spiritual classic, and deservedly so. None of my inane "reviewing" of the work could possibly be helpful to anyone.
HOWEVER... the actual, physical book itself, in this Shambalha Press incarnation, is just gorgeous, AND very, very well-made. I've one other of Fr. Merton's books in this same series from Shambalha ("Wisdom of the Desert"), and they are light-years ahead of your average bookstore editions in both aesthetics and physical quality. Linen hardcovers, ribbon marker, etc, etc. And, a most reasonable price, too. A fine addition to anyone's library, and made to last. What more could we ask?

This collection of Merton essays on spirituality is inspiring and thought-provoking. Merton's insight and vision help me deepen my own spiritual life. They are beautifully articulated by Jonathan Montaldo who exhibits a thorough knowledge of the material.

This was the first book I read by Merton and that was 30 years ago. It had a significant impact on how I looked at things. Well, not things but life in general, people, and most importantly God. Merton writes in a style that reaches mind, heart, and soul. It is timeless. I recently gave it to my daughter as a gift. Then browsing for old times sake, I just had to have a copy. It still resonates. It makes you reflect on questions and ideas that may not surface without the read. Well worth the time. It is one that can be read front to back or in excerpts.

This book was an amazing read for me the first time through. I have since read again and it continues to reveal insights into my life and relationship with God and to others. Thomas Merton is amazingly timeless and contemporary throughout. These are not abstract views of spirituality, but real and meaningful looks at a life of faith in the world, our world, today. Merton looks truthflly at how we relate to God and to each other in a world that is filled with noise and distractions. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who is honestly seeking to deepen their own interior spiritual life. Merton is a man of our times, understanding the depths and treasures of faith as well as the pitfalls of our humanity. This book will help you to believe that goodness is very possible and that being a spiritual person is possible while living in the world. Merton shows that the religious life is not just for priests, monks and nuns, which is very compatible with the John Paul II vision that all lives lived in faith can be a vocation.

This hardcover is very nice as it is linen bound with a gold ribbon marker. Chapters are broken up into numbered segments, making it possible to read a little each day and to find favorite sections.

Every adjective title used to describe this book in the reviews so far i have found to be true.

"The truth i must love in my brother is God Himself, living in Him."
excerpt from this book (Thomas Merton "No Man is an Island"

Reading just that line is enough to contemplate for some while.

I found i had to read small sectionsm and re read to gain fuller meaning
because some concepts are difficult to grapple with, but grapple with them.
I will re read this book many times over throughout my life. It strikes richly at the core of Catholic teaching, its value universal for everyone.
Its a celebration of God and his creatures, it affirms the truth of His love as His gift living in us, for us also to share, for it is not ours to keep selfishly.

I finally picked up the Trigun manga (volume 1) after having been a fan of the anime for the last ten years. In some respects, I was thoroughly satisfied. In others, not as much.
First off in my mind, any Trigun is good Trigun. I love the story of Vash and all of the chracters around him. And this manga is good. Some of the art is hard to figure out but with a bit of squinting and turning the book this way and that you can generally figure out what's going on. Or you can just make it up on your own, especially if you've seen the anime already. I'm willing to overlook a bit of sketchy action here and there because for the most part the art is superb. Nightow has a wonderful style full of detail. Vash's outfit alone is worthy of awe.
Volume 1 of the manga covers about the first half of the anime so unfortunately Wolfwood has yet to make his appearance. That's probably my biggest problem (which isn't really a problem at all). From what I've seen so far, I'm glad I finally picked up the manga. I'll be running out to get the second volume soon.
So in conclusion, this is a pretty solid buy but may be more for those who've already seen the anime. Some of the sketchiness might confuse new readers. Either way it's certainly worth a try. I could eat these things up faster than Vash could eat a donut.

i found this to be a very good book. the story kept moving and everytime it began to wind down it lifted back up with another twist. never a dull moment. The character Vash the Stampede is more noble then one would think. it's an intense ride through the story as one reads as Vash risks himself time and time agian.Vash proves heroic when traveling on teh steamship and he sets standards for selflessness. not only does he risk himslef but he also takes on a child not so much as his own but to take care of in a sense. the storyline is excellent and it's improved by the cartoon format that it's written in. the pictures bring the book alive in you mind. it's incredible how this story can suck a reader in. what can be said about a book that both sucks the reader in and captures their emagination?...excellent.

I am a high school senior who enjoys manga, anime, and the like. The topic of this review is Trigun. This is the super thick volume 1 of Yasuhiro Nightow's masterpiece, Trigun. So you'll know a little more about Trigun's manga, it goes; Trigun volume 1, Trigun volume 2, and then it goes to Trigun maximum.
In this volume we learn of Vash the Stampede. A man with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head. The pacifist Vash runs into many adventures along his quest for a man. It all takes place on a sandy desert planet. .I won't tell you any more because it might ruin it, and this is such a great series full of surprises and I wouldn't want to mess any of it up for you.
With equal amounts of humor, adventure, action, and intrigue, this title shouldn't be missed. This is definitely one of my all time favorite titles, and I've read a lot of manga in my day. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys manga and has good taste.

This manga is great! It is the first manga I have ever read so it took me a couple pages to get used to it and sometimes I would still end up looking over a frame many times before I understood what was happening. This has a lot to do with how much action there is and what I am assuming are the sound effects (still in japenese because they are part of the actual artwork and would be difficult to switch to english). There are some things that I don't like but overall its great and well worth the money.

There are tons of manga on that I regularly collect. Dragonball/Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma 1/2, Case Closed(Detective Conan), Yu-Gi-Oh/Duelist/Millenium World, and others.... but there are a rare few that grab me, that are are real gems that contend for the greatest manga in existence, such as Akira, Nausicaa... and Trigun(and Trigun Maximum).

Most people are probably familiar with Yasuhiro Nightow's series through the 26 episode anime series that was released in the US by Pioneer(now Geneon) and has aired on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, and let me tell you, as good as it can be, does not do this manga total justice. Covering only about 1/3 of both Trigun and Trigun Maximumn, the anime was forced to not only cut the overall plot short, but also cut out the development of many characters. Vash, the tortured wanderer throughout the planet Gunsmoke, who endlessly searches for his sinister brother, Knives, has a slightly deeper history, as does his eventual traveling companion, the priest/gunman Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Millions Knives, Vash's bro, is far more vicious and cruel, as is his subordinate, Legato Bluesummers. Bernadeli insurance girls Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson are pretty much the same, although personally I found Meryl far more likeable in the manga. Most of the Gung-Ho Guns are also far more sadistic, screwed up, and crazy than the manga(particularly Zazie, although I won't spoil anything), shocking anyone who's used to their anime personas. Nightow's artwork is a true sight to behold, something people will just have to see to fully understand its beauty. The grimy, dusty, and decayed design of Gunsmoke truly is a marvel to look at, and I often spend minutes just staring at the art before proceeding on with the story. The fast-paced action sequences have a fantastic rush, although often they also cause things to become intensely confusing, wondering who's shooting at who and what's getting blown apart, and it does take some time getting used to Nightow's style during these action-packed parts, but once it does, you are in for one crazy yet entertaining ride.

The first volume is episodic for the most part, other than introducing Vash, Meryl, and Milly, the real plot doesn't really begin until volume 2(and continues on into Trigun Maximum), but the stories are a nice read and help us get to know our three main characters, thus setting up the main Knives/Gung-Ho Guns storyline. Overall, this makes one heck of a great read. Welcome to Gunsmoke, and enjoy your trip.