Even better with the ages
351266
Continues to combine the best of science fiction and historical fiction. Twilight meets GoT. Must read for all. Can't wait for sequel
1836817
I have had the pleasure of being many of the male characters in "Seventeen." My 17th year seems ages ago but while reading this book, I WAS 17. I am currently the father of teenagers--one of them is 17--and enjoyed the story from that point of view as well. Tarkington caught the essence of what "Dion and the Belmonts" would sing about 55 years later. ("Why Must I be a Teen-ager in Love?")
In my opinion that would be enough to make this a classic. But, as the book has stood still and Time has not, it has also now become a sort of time machine to the way we were in the early 1900's. Whether we have lost or gained something in almost 100 years is up to the reader to decide. But, whether the reader would want to stay 1n 1905 or not, I can almost guarantee a wonderful visit to that time and place.
4561400
Fantastic writing. Humorous, insightful, clues to how our society developed into the way it is today. Great for older readers, useful and enjoyable for nearly all ages. Can be read more than once. Think it would be superb in audio form.
2261014
Even better now that I'm older.  This movie has aged quite well.
4101083
This is a wonderful CD of the 'Golden Age' of English/Elizabethan music. I was really enchanted with the explanation the CD held that explained the style of melancholy and splendor in the Dowland pieces as so representative of the times. The artists strong appreciation for the history of the music shows in the sensitivity of the production. Thomas Dunford is a gifted lutenist.
3214272
I loved reading THE ALIENIST, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the cassette version even more.  Although still rich in period detail, some of the less essential material been removed.  This results in a clearer and more consistent flow to the marvelous story, and an even better sense of the key characters.  Edward Herrmann does a magnificent job with the prose and the dialogue, providing a beautifully modulated pleasure for the ear throughout.  If the novel is ever dramatised on film, one can only hope it will be nearly as good as this audio is.  Clarifying, rather than just abridging the original text of the novel, this is everything an audio version of a book should be.
4396604
I read aloud to my husband for relaxation for us both; we often read mysteries, but after Harry Potter, we discovered a whole world of books written for young people that we were too late to enjoy when we were those ages -- and what we find is that an imaginative, well-written book has no age limits. The Bartimaeus books are at the top of our list, wonderful characters, original plots, and unique historical what-if-magicians-ruled background. Good reading, and we're eager for the third book; and waiting for some filmmaker to decide to make great movies from these books, too.
2212105
Love these books.  My whole family listens along and they keep us all interested.  That includes an 11 year old, a 20 year old, and two of us in our forties.  The author does a great job of bringing in historical figures in a new and clever way.
172371
While digging through the treasure trove of nautical fiction available, I found this gem.
Written in the 1830s, this story is a sharp social commentary combined with the adventure of a midshipman in the Royal Navy.  I found this a delightful observation of society, which from today is even more humorous than it might have been 200 years ago.
The language isn't far off from today's (the sailing vocabulary hasn't -obviously- changed).  A good read for just about any age.  Footnotes (in the Heart of Oak edition) to help those unfamiliar with some 19th C. idioms or semi-obscure sailing terminology.
If you haven't read Marryat's work yet, this is a good one to get your feet wet.
4381567
There is normally no consistency in what I read, whether it be genre, age targeted, new, old, and bad or good...I just read.  I have though recently run across a number of wordless books, some for the younger set such as the one being reviewed here, and some for the older crowd.  One of the nice things about these wordless reads is that they quite often transcend the period from childhood and can be as enjoyable for old geezers like myself as they are for the wee ones.  This is certainly one of those works.

A little boy is kicking a soccer ball around the street in present day London.  As often happens with little boys and sports balls of all makes, the ball ends up crashing through a window; in this case the window of a very old theater.  Needless to say our young delinquent athlete removes some boards from the windows and goes in search of his lost ball.  He goes into an old closet and discovers costumes from an earlier age...he  tries  some on and then kicks the ball, which he has found, through a pair of curtains.  Again, he gives chase.

BLAM!  Our little guy finds himself on the state of an open air theater in Elizabethan London in the middle of a play being directed by the Immortal Bard himself! We see at this point that there is another side to Shakespeare...he has a temper!  The chase in on!

Through the streets of Elizabethan London the boy is pursued by the angry play write.  Along the say he picks up a bear he finds locked in a cage and the two proceed across London Bridge (the heads stuck on pikes are an added touch) and on to the Tower of London where they happen upon an unfortunate Baron awaiting the headman's block.  The boy and the bear help him escape.  As chance would have it they jump upon a barge on the River Thames which happens to be the Queen's own.  The boy, the Baron and the bear are introduced to Elizabeth I and she is smitten by the young Baron.  They have a wonderful party.  Suddenly Bill shows up again and the chase continues.

I won't go on as I do not want to spoil the story by giving away the ending, but I will say that the entire book is hilarious and doses have a rather happy ending.

The art work here, in particular the facial expressions of the main characters and the people met in the streets are absolutely a delight.  Each drawing, all of different sizes some as large as a full page; others quite small, are executed perfectly and absolutely no words are needed to tell this amusing story.

 I like this one as even rather small children will be able to figure out the story line with little or now problem, but at the same time is an absolute delight for the older reader.  It allows little imaginations to soar and allows the adult to add bits and pieces here and there as they read this one with the child.

This is a fun book and is heavily used at the school and public library in our area...kids seem to be fascinated with it and I have seen many an older person setting smirking and grinning while going through it.  While it may not be historically accurate, it is a wonderful way to introduce the small child to the works of Shakespeare and give a very nice history lesson at the same time, rather twisted and tweaked though it may be.

Now reader take note.  There are aspects of this work that are pretty sophisticated and it might be wise to read this one with your child through the first time and give little words of explanation as to the context of the story.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
4472491
Hollister's history of medieval Europe is accessable, easy to read and abundant with detail.  More importantly, it does much to dispel the myth that the "middle ages" were a dark period in European history, instead bringing the richness of the time to life.  The ninth edition is a further improvement over previous eds, with its emphasis on medieval women.

Modern Europe is largly the product of its medieval roots - part Roman, part Germanic, part Early Christian.  Hollister's (and Bennett's) masterful treatment of the age (and his ability to demonstrate the relevance of the time) is a rare treat.
2430233
I thought this book was even better than the first book. It contained a lot more psychological head games. It may seem crazy to think humans can act so cruelly towards each other, but history shows us just how cruel we can be and how easily people fall to the will of others. This is a great sci fi book for all ages and even better because it makes you think.
2013171
Beautiful and loving it. First book was great and so is this. Great for any age. All ya need is a sense of wonder
3178572
Cowdery's older book on the same subject, the oversized version, was a beautiful volume, but this may be even better.  The pictures here aren't as grand as in the former, in terms of sheer size, but this book offers many new pictures and illustrations, and there is plenty of new material to consider.

There isn't much available about the New Reichschancellery, but of the books out there this is easily the best.  One can tell the Cowderys hold a special interest in the subject matter, and thus have put together a very thorough and fine book, meticulously researched and presented.

The New Reichschancellery was an incredible structure, built in a difficult time; unfortunately its value and historical significance are tainted because of the goons that commissioned and inhabited it.  If one can separate the two, then the building can be appreciated for its splendor.
1893686
This is a wonderful story for all ages. The vivid imagery of the characters and setting really bring you into this storyline and tell a wonderful tale from different points of view. I found the historical references and how they were threaded through the story to be terrific. I know my children and I will enjoy the future editions.
1761840
A must read classic for all ages; maybe the more you age the better you'll enjoy it!
465142
SeAson Two cements this period piece BBC series' reputation in the rarified stratosphere of timeless gems.
The story tightens and gets better and deeper. The addition of Tom Hardy and his wife complements and enhances an already stellar cast. This show and this season both rock.