Destined to be a classic
346407
Beautiful and creative illustrations keep reader engaged in this delightful story with imaginative artistry. A true work of art. Brilliant.
4154195
Destined to become a classic. Beautifully written and illustrated. We own multiple copies and our kids of various ages all enjoy it.
4116492
I'm amazed to discover that this may turn out to be my favorite book ever. It sat around here for a couple of years before I read it; the title turned me off. What could possibly be interesting about the hair of the man who created some of the most powerful, affecting and effective music ever written?
However, the tale of what happened to a lock of Beethoven's hair, severed from his head the day after his death by a 15-year-old boy, is a story of honor, love, courage, hope, friendship, man's inhumanity to man, and man's triumph over the worst kinds of adversity. It's also a picture of how 20th century technology can penetrate secrets of the ages.
Martin interweaves several diverse narratives with a biography of Beethoven's health rather than one of his entire life because it's his health that is the issue here. The question involves what we can learn about the terrible physical suffering Beethoven endured from DNA testing of his hair. This question is posed against the background of what happened to the sample from the time of Beethoven's death until it reached the laboratory. The first is familiar; the second is amazing.
Martin treats his material with a sure hand, weaving the stories in and out as he takes us back and forth between the centuries and the characters. I found that I was holding my breath while reading about how the Danes helped the Jews as the Nazis breathed down their collective throats.
This is an amazing and unusual story, told with intelligence and finesse. It's not a book to be skimmed; if you do, it will look disjointed and you'll become confused. It's a book to be reveled in and thoughtfully digested. If you crave perfection, play a CD of Beethoven's last quartets while you read.
162653
I have been enraptured by this novel for a few weeks now, and I can safely say that it is definitely on the short list of the greatest books ever made. Now, I know, you might be tempted to write off reading the book (it's well in excess of a thousand pages) in favor of seeing the movie or watching the musical. However, having seen both, I can say that although both are great, they are based on the book, and as such, they must necessarily lack some of the material in the book. As an illuminating, cathartic, fascinating, poignant, and grand book in every sense of the word, one would be hard-pressed to do better than Les Miserables.
I know that books over a thousand pages daunt most people. The truth is, it mostly goes by quickly. There are a number of intersecting storylines, revolving around Jean Valjean, a good and honorable man brutally punished for a minor offense, and his arch-enemy Javert who sees him as less than human for stealing a loaf of bread and a gold coin. There are so many interesting personae in this tale: Marius, the melancholy romantic (and Hugo stand-in), Cosette, who develops an incredibly close connection with Valjean, the evil Thenardiers (some might not go that far, but I would), and more. There are so many characters here that the novel greatly resembles War and Peace, and the parallels are uncanny. More on that later.
As for the book itself, one couldn't ask for a better prose writer. Hugo's writing (even through translation) is clear and simple, yet can be eloquent as well. There is a profound quote or observation about every five pages, and his story unfolds at a perfect pace. The characters are often differing shades of gray rather than black and white: Valjean is a good man, and very sympathetic, but he can be selfish (as is evidenced when he is worried about Cosette falling in love with a man because he would be lonely). Javert is an unconscionable psychotic when it comes to tracking down Valjean, but he is not completely evil, as his quest is motivated for his search for justice. By this admission, he does have some integrity. All of the characters except Thenardier are very complicated and interesting, as well as tragic in their own specific ways. And in all of this, Hugo should be commended.
This book is similar to the quintessential Russian epic War and Peace by Tolstoy, of course. Both describe a dangerous and pivotal time in their respective countries, which are roughly situated at the same time in history. Both have the same honesty and penetrating insight, as well as scope and emotional impact. Both have the same flaws. Hugo (as well as Tolstoy) tends to digress from his story quite often in order to make some point about man or society, and both tend to tell long stories that have little to do with their plots. Hugo gives plenty of extraneous information, not to say that it is bad writing or uninteresting from the reader's point of view, but it is this meandering focus that hurts the novel (although some would contend that it enriches it). The fighting at Waterloo, while exciting and fascinating, amounts to over 60 pages, of which only a handful convey essential story information. There is another section covering the inner workings of a convent that goes on and on (and can just be skipped -- the actual content that takes place in the convent is less than the buildup). The stylistic convention of the time was to pause occasionally from the narrative to make an observation about humanity. Although this adds great philosophical merit to the work, sometimes we wish that Hugo would just get on with it, much like Tolstoy. It makes one wonder if they ever met. One could make the case, though, that the book's flaws make the story more appealing: it makes mistakes, just like its characters, and becomes more endearing because of them.
This is a book that is considered one of the greatest artistic triumphs in history for good reason. Read the book and understand.
4623183
The Hobbit is one of those rare books that can be read again again, from one generation to the next, without losing its sense of charm and richness.  Ed Strauss takes the beloved story one scene at a time, unpacking moral and biblical lessons along the way.  His A Hobbit Devotional may not break any great theological ground, but it provides a thoughtful look at some additional layers of Bilbo Baggins's adventures that most readers will not have seen.

If you've never read The Hobbit, I would recommend that you do so before picking up A Hobbit Devotional.  Each chapter tells a little bit of the tale, so that by the end you've read a sort of Cliff's Notes version of The Hobbit, but it does not match the experience of reading the original.  Each of Strauss's sixty short chapters has a similar structure: a quote from The Hobbit, a brief scene from the story, a biblical story, and a lesson to be drawn from the stories.  Strauss does a nice job of putting it all together.  I never thought, "Wow, that's a stretch."

I think Strauss has taken the devotional application much further than what Tolkien probably had in mind, but  the real strength of Strauss's project is his spotlighting Tolkien's deep moral vision.  Even though The Hobbit can be read as a fun adventure story, Christian, moral themes abound.  I especially like Strauss's point that unlike many fantasy stories, The Hobbit portrays magic not as a pagan power or spells and incantations, but as natural powers given by God.

Fans of The Hobbit will enjoy thinking about the lessons Strauss brings out from the adventures of Bilbo, Gandalf, and others in Middle Earth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy.
3892493
One has to wonder, when considering the vast amount of reviews that will surely emerge for this book in a few days, what one can say that could stand out in the middle of such a collection. And ultimately, there is nothing more to say than Rowling has once again outdone herself and produced a volume as magical as the characters within.
I won't waste words with a plot synopsis that would spoil the book for anyone, or nitpicks about the occasional grammatical mistakes, or the question of whether this book can even be considered as one written primarily for children (the story is bleak, and little ones may want to stay away). What deserves mention more than anything else here is the novel's wonderful and brave characterization.
Rowling is an astonishing, delightful writer and only improves with each successive volume. It is true that any good work of literature has characters that change and grow, but in Rowling's world that growth takes on a very literal and extremely powerful meaning. For better or for worse, as they age these characters continue to deepen and develop before the readers' eyes.  There is a sense of both familiarity and of change, of growing maturity and responsibility. And yet, at the same time this maturity brings a loss of innocence, a sense of growing uncertainty, and the horrible realization that must eventually come to us all: that even adults, grownups - the people in charge - are not perfect, that they make mistakes, and that those mistakes can be costly. That bad things do happen to good people, that evil is monstrous and unrelenting, that life is not fair.
Harry, in other words, finds himself facing what we have all faced, or what we someday must - the rebelliousness and confusion of young adulthood, and the questions to which there are no answers. The other characters, including the adults, find themselves struggling with similar responsibilites that illustrate how difficult life can be for all of us. They too grow and show us sides we've never before seen, and the reader walks away richer for it.
The magic is still here, the Weasley Twins still get up to plenty of uproarious antics, Quidditch games still thrill the school, and the climax is as action and magic-packed as ever, but at its heart this is a coming of age story. In that regard, it is a resounding, if bittersweet, success.
When I reached the end of the book, I was a little curious that Rowling never told the readers which house won the cup. Immediately afterward, however, I realized it no longer mattered. Not to Harry, not to his friends, and not to me. There are more important things in this world.
I only hope the characters have enough courage to face them, and Rowling enough to continue her unflinchingly accurate depiction of the trials that they, and all of us, must undergo.
4929949
While not perfection, the main lesson - words can do great harm - is woven through this thriller with very real characters. The lesson is learned without hitting us over the head. I rarely say "I couldn't put this down" regarding any reading material, but this rare gem fit the bill. I've been plowing through all of her books, but this one should become a classic. The talent of this writer to weave an intricate tale without confusing the reader while keeping us on the edge of our seat is very finely honed. Words, even in private, when spoken have power and Gutteridge (this particular lesson is for Christians) illustrates this fact remarkably well with her story-telling abilities. Very well done. I give it four stars only because I don't give out five star ratings that often - saved for the all-time classic stories or other exceptions. But if I could have given it 4 1/2 - I would have. Very well done.
4367895
I have to give this novel an ultimate rating. I was so moved by it, albeit depressingly mostly, but there is no denying how powerful it is. The heartache and heartbreak lead character Philip goes through is torturous in parts, but ultimately, he finds happiness ... sort of. I decided to go with a classic, and it paid off. The emotions and situations are as relevant now as they were in 1915. Although vast in length, Maugham writes freely and with flow, allowing me to turn the page with eagerness. It is exactly like life: black, white, neutral, ambiguous, indifferent, passionate, plain, sad, self-realizing. I never knew what to expect other than more emotion, and it delivers. I am glad I invested the time and effort in this masterpiece. And I knew nothing of the author's personal life prior to reading this. I've read since it is largely autobiographical. Very interesting. Highly recommended.
4500777
Of course this book is a classic so how cab you give it less than five stars? But being a classic I didn't expect to like it so much. I was on the edge of my seat during many parts of the book.  And it's impossible not to fall in love with Jane or admire her character and application of her morals. Lessons for us all can be found in this book.
3862297
For those people who are not familiar with this timeless classic, it is the charming tale of a humble Mole who wanders down to the riverside one day, only to meet a new friend in the local water Rat, and thus begin a series of adventures that will introduce him to the lovable but foolish Toad and the brave but aloof Badger, and a host of other woodland creatures -- all of whom dress and act like people.  Most of the action surrounds Toad's exploits and escapes, while most of the heart comes from the friendship between Mole and his friend Rat.

It seems that reviewers either loved this book for the peerless color illustrations by Inga Moore, surpassing even the charm of Shepherd's original ink drawings, or they are deeply disappointed by the abridgement.

I have to say that I fall into the first category.  Moore's many charming and highly detailed pictures are a genuine treasure, and evoke the mood of the book and the personality of the characters pefectly.  In my opinion they add to the experience of the book considerably.

In the store, before I bought the book, I made a word-by-word comparison for some of the most memorable passages and found no differences whatsoever.  So, from what I can gather, the abridgment seems to consist of leaving out a few episodes entirely, rather than shortening here and abbreviating there.  I think this approach leaves far more of Kenneth Grahame's original voice intact - a very good thing indeed.  I would also add that, at 180 pages, it's not an extensive abridgement; most of the original is still there.

Why not all of it?  I don't know.  But don't let that stop you from buying this lovely book, another gem from the outstanding Candlewick Press.
1547038
This novel is definitely an up and coming classic, and is worthy of recognition on par with Shakespeare. While it is a bit rough to read at parts, it provides an incredible experience that everyone should have.
17474
I had to read a good part of "The Decameron" last quarter and I have gone back to read more stories from it even though the Fall quarter is over. This is a great book: funny, entertaining, subtly revolutionary, insightful, and superbly well-written. Approach it without fear. It is a Classic, but it will have you laughing, thinking, and learning far better than any current best-seller. Anyone with an interest in journalism and/or history will profit from Boccaccio's Introduction, at the beginning of the First Day. His description of the Plague in Florence is vivid and gripping, and this eventually provides the background for the setting of the one hundred and one tales that seven young women and three young men will narrate in a villa away from the dying city. Also, the Introduction to the Fourth Day presents the reader with an unfinished, but hilarious story about a man who has been kept away from women. This story is what my teacher called the 101st, and I have to agree with her.
  Do not think that all "The Decameron" deals with is sex. The mostly illicit sexual encounters depicted are some times funny, sometimes sad, but they share a common trait with the stories from the Tenth Day, for example (these ones are mostly about sacrifice, abnegation, and servitude), or with those of the Second: Boccaccio's concern for his society and the terrible tensions that had reached a breaking point by the 14th century. The Plague, in Boccaccio's universe, acts as a catalyst of emotions, desires, and changes that had to come.
  Read, then, about Alibech putting the Devil back in Hell, Lisabetta and her pot of basil, Ser Ceperello and his "saintly" life, Griselda and her incredible loyalty in spite of the suffering at the hands of a God-like husband, Tancredi and his disturbing love for his daughter, Masetto and the new kind of society he helps create with some less-than-religious nuns, and then it will be easier to understand why Boccaccio is so popular after 650 years. And although it may be skipped by most readers, do not miss the Translator's (G. M. McWilliam) introduction on the history of "The Decameron" proper, and that of its many, and mostly unfortunate, translations into English. This book is one of the wisest, most economic ways of obtaining entertainment and culture. Do not miss it.
432561
It's a little bizarre to me how few people I know seem to've read The Wind In The Willows; it was one of the defining classics of my childhood reading, right up there with&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Winnie-The-Pooh/dp/B002ZODPOW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Winnie The Pooh</a>and the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Oz/dp/B001EWRMVS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Oz</a>&nbsp;books, but for some reason it seems relatively less well known today. It's a shame, because there's a reason it was one of A.A. Milne's favorite books, and properly considered its as much of a hallmark of English literature -- not just English-language, but British national literature -- as anything else, slotting into the Great Bookshelf somewhere right between&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Hobbit/dp/0261102664/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Hobbit</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Watership-Down/dp/0743277708/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Watership Down</a>.

Re-reading this as an adult, it not only keeps but surpasses its childhood charm. The structure alternates pastoral, contemplative chapters with chapters of action -- essentially, Mole chapters and Toad chapters -- and as a child, I typically skipped to the Toad parts just to read the exciting parts. Now that I've grown up a bit I'm much, much more able to appreciate the simply excellent writing in the contemplative chapters. Toad's saga still retains its charm, but the work as a whole definitely should have a lot of appeal to adult readers.

So, anyway, read this book, or read it again, or both. That said, you probably don't want to read the free Kindle edition. The lack of illustration is common to most kindle editions, and is somewhat forgivable since the text was first published unillustrated; I may be less demanding on that front since I found the illustrations from my childhood edition (Tasha Tudor's) popping back into my head constantly as I re-read the text. For me, this book is always going to be illustrated, no matter the edition.

But the real shame is the lack of the various songs. Normally, again, this might not be a crisis in a kid's book -- most songs in most kid's books, even most classic kid's books, are eminently skippable. Problem is, here they aren't; not just because the songs are well-written and funny, but because some of them are central to the story, and one at least -- "Toad's Last Little Song" -- is the emotional denouement of the entire book.

I'd recommend finding another edition, one with the songs and with good illustrations.
3008781
The relatively few Amazon reviews of this novel, combined with the length and depth of so many of them, alone tells us two things:  this is literary fiction, and it's among the very best of its kind.  A classic work, that advances the form even while standing on the shoulders of so many that came before it.  Several prior reviews have done it justice, some even without giving too much away--in particular Roger Brunyate's.  I'm not sure I could add anything important in the way of summary or analysis to all the worthy commentary this book has engendered.

What I will say is that the ride is a good one, the scenery excellent and the air fine.  You've no idea where you're going for a time--not just plot-wise, but in terms of the quality, the very "big"ness of the book--until you get there.  Not just at the end, but at several stages, it's as if you've come around a bend, and it's not the rustic summer cabin you took it for, but an elegant lodge at the edge of the pines, on a rise with a view to the lake that serves as a vast mirror on the sky.  To accomplish all this in a book built, not on crime or action or romantic intrigue (though there's all of this), but on the great mystery of the human condition, is nothing short of brilliant.

As just one example, near the middle is a passage running just over a page, that is worth the cover price of the whole novel (pp. 143-44, in ch. 6, US first edition hardcover).  A reflection that questions how good it is to be just busy, how well we've thought through how we're choosing to spend the relative "one and only half-second" we're given on this earth.  Perhaps 300 words, smack in the middle of a remarkable work of literary fiction, told absolutely truthfully by as compromised a character as you'd ever want to meet, it's worth 3000 shelf-feet of self-help mumbo jumbo.  Truly extraordinary.

If the question is "Why Literary Fiction?", the answer is between these covers.
4832451
Could this have happened ? Certainly. Did it happen ? Well, if it did that fact won't see the light of day for many, many generations still to come.

This is a classic, old fashioned, hunt/chase/race against time adventure. Extraordinary storytelling. Another reviewer noted that it reads like a Hitchcock movie. I couldn't agree more. I just wish that Hitchcock had had an opportunity to put this on film. Film, not videotape, not digital.

I detect similarities between Sean Miller and William Quest, another creation by the author. Notably, the disdain both characters exhibit for the current government of their respective times. For me, this adds greatly to the development of the story as it pointedly shows that when there is a need, differences can be set aside and awkward alliances can be formed.

I feel compelled, as I have done in reviews of other works by Bainbridge, to comment on his writing style. In short, it is tremendously readable. Quite a number of other authors could learn from Bainbridge's style that you don't need to beat your readers over the head. Give them credit for having intelligence, as Mr. Bainbridge does.

This deserves to be recognized for the classic that it is. I eagerly await Miller's next adventure.
2396730
Quite apart from, some might say in spite of Moby Dick's label as "a classic," it has become one of my favorite novels. It breathes with a life that the rest of Melville's work (with the possible exceptions of "Bartelby" and the "Lightening Rod Salesman") lacks.
The reason I'm writing a review of the book (my voice has little to add to what others have already written about the text) is to encourage readers to pick up the modern library version. The illustrations add so much texture to the story. They are not imagination robbing images, their semi-surreality expands rather than narrows mental freedom. Get it. You won't be disappointed.
618388
This book will become a classic of its gender, not just because its one of  the few (the only) book written by two people but because it shows what  sailing is really about: discovering new land within.
Somewhere I read  that this film rights were bought and would dearly love to see this tale  told on the big screen!