Book

I'm not truly a wrestling fan, but my friends recommended this book to me, so I decided to give it a shot. Honestly, it was pretty darn good. Granted, it's not going to win the Pulitzer, but it's got to be one of the most original and well-written biographies I've ever read.

This book chronicles one of the most unique individuals in wrestling's history. He wasn't the best athlete and he wasn't the best looking guy either. He only had to things going for him - his persistence and his uncanny ability of take punishment.

Not only does it describe Foley's wrestling career, it delves deeply in his family and personal life, and describes the profession that is wrestling from a unique and accurate view. Often, the audience only sees wrestling as entertainment, but Foley exposes it as a full-fledged business, with employees and decisions, with economic implications for each show.

What is most memorable about this book is Foley's descriptions of some of his most gruesome matches. From getting slammed into razor wire and explosives, to tearing off half his ear, he captured my interest and instilled in me some respect for professional wrestlers.

The one complaint I have is that Foley kept describing match after match. This paperback is over 700 pages long, and it could have been cut somewhat. At about pages 300-500, the book becomes tedious and almost repetitve as he describes numerous wrestling contests that really didn't differ from other ones he describes.

Wrestling fans will love it to death, and non-wrestling will not be disappointed.

The World Wrestling Federation originally became an international phenomenon in the early to mid-eighties. Under the guidance of WWF owner Vincent K. McMahon, Jr., people like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant became household entities, and heroes for a generation. The success of the WWF, however, can be seen in all factions of entertainment and media, and this includes the literary world.

Mick Foley is a wrestling personality who earned a reputation for doing anything it takes to give the crowd a good show. He has wrestled for over 15 years, and is most known as either Mankind or Cactus Jack, though many fans will never forget his third in-ring persona, teenage heart-throb Dude Love. It is Foley's selflessness in the ring and his complete disregard for his body that has won the respect of fans and peers alike, and in his book, Mankind: Have A Nice Day - A Tale of Blood and Sweat-Socks, Foley reflects on his 15-year career, and the rest of his life as well. What surprises many, however, is how well he is able to recollect the happenings in his life, and produce work that is both funny and touching, painful and heart-wrenching. Foley makes you laugh as much as you cringe, and cry as much as you wince.

The book begins with Foley's most painful memory, when he had his ear torn off in a match in Germany, and then goes into the beginning of his life as a Long Island native who became infatuated with wrestling on television. Wrestling was not only a hobby, it was Foley's way of bridging the gap between he and his father, and for them it became a common interest that bonded them tightly as father and son.

He then discusses his college life at SUNY Cortland, where he traveled every weekend to Pittsburgh in order to train with old-time wrestler Domenic Denucci. Foley discusses Denucci's influence on his life, as well as his keen ability to live out of his car every weekend because of his undying passion. Mick Foley wanted to be the next Superfly Jimmy Snuka, but instead of being a high-flyer he became famous for having three different personalities who never ceased to stun or entertain his fans. The culmination of his career came when he won the most coveted prize in the business, the WWF Championship, against the self-proclaimed People's Champ, The Rock.

Aside from his in-ring adventures, Foley's book delves deep into his personal life, including his love-at-first-sight relationship with his wife Colette, and the life of a wrestler behind-the-scenes. He talks candidly about many of his colleagues, from the outrageous antics of Jake-the-Snake Roberts to the failures of Ric Flair as a wrestling booker. Most importantly, however, Foley discusses the impact of the death of fellow wrestler and family man Owen Hart's on his own life, and how it made him value his wife and children more than ever before.

All in all, Have A Nice Day is a touching tale that will leave you in stitches, and make you marvel at the amount of stitches used to patch up Mick Foley's battered body. Ultimately, he shows that a professional wrestler is not just an actor who follows a script, but rather an extremely tough competitor who takes pride in entertaining millions of fans every day, and being heroes to kids worldwide. His book is a winner, for all mankind.

The first of the WWF (now WWE) autobiographies, and still the best. Foley, unsatisfied with the way his ghost writer scripted his book initially, decided to write it himself. Certainly, Foley should be credited with trying to write alone, rather than just let his ghostwriter do the work for him, but it is a testament to Foley the man that he wants anything with his name on it to be true to himself.
Foley proves himself quite literate, despite first impression from a guy who competes in matches with barbed wire and explosives, and taking over a dozen HARD chairshots to the head at the WWF's Royal Rumble 1999 Pay-Per-View. He also comes off as having quite a good sense of hunor, not only about himself, but about the wrestling business in general.
One might also think that due to his "King of the Death Match" label that Foley might be a little arrogant, as people might think all pro wrestlers are, but Foley again proves people wrong, as he is quite humble about not only his beginnings, but also his rise to the top, becoming a WWF World Heavyweight Champion. Sure, it's not real competition, but to get the title demonstrates the company's confidence in your ability as a performer to draw crowds. Certainly everyone strives to have the confidence of their company behind them.
As Foley has stated numerous times, both in his book, and in interviews, yes, he has sustained some bodily harm in his matches. Yes, he may never be able to walk straight, or stand tall again. However, he has lived his dream. How many people can say that? As Foley himself states, the damage that has been done to him physically is a small price to pay for living out his dream.
An excellent read, wrestling fan or no.

In the third novel of her epic Harry Potter story, J.K. Rowling weaves an even LARGER and more complex tale of mystery, betrayal, magic and fantasy. Far more gripping than the first two novels, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will leave you on the edge of your seat as Rowling takes you on a magical ride of mystery and shocking betrayals as Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermione, battle the forces of evil and search for the truth. As has become her M.O., not all is as it seems. The ending will leave you in complete shock and surprise.

The Main Story:

Harry's third year at Hogwarts of Wizardry and Withcraft is marked with danger as the infamous Sirius Black, believed to be the second most evil and dangerous Dark Wizard in the land and the right-hand man of Lord Voldemort, escapes from Azkaban, the Wizards prison, leaving a cryptic message, "He's at Hogwarts!!!" behind. Tensions rise as Black continuously sneaks into Hogwarts, leaving the students, faculty and even the government paralyzed with fear.

Supporting Stories:

-What is the mysterious power that the dementors hold over Harry?

-Harry continues to see images of a mysterious Black dog. What does it forebode for him?

-For the third year in a row, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Lupin, joins the Hogwarts faculty. A beloved and able instructor, Professor Lupin himself, however, holds a mysterious secret with his frequent illnesses. Is his illnesses caused by the strange potions Snape is giving him?

-After an elusive two years, will Gryffindor finally be able to capture the House Quidditch Cup?

-Hermione's new cat Crookshanks has an unusual and deadly interest in Ron's deteriorating pet rat Scribbles, leaving tensions high between Ron and Hermione.

-How exactly is Hermione managing to keep and maintain her impossible school schedule?

-Harry, Ron and Hermione come to the defense of Hagrid's hippograff who is sentenced to death

What We Find Out:

-We take a step into the past of Hogwarts as Fred and George bestow upon Harry the Marauder's Map, authored by four students from Hogwarts past.

-We learn a little about Harry' parents days at Hogwarts and the friends they had, and more importantly, the enemy they made.

-We discover the TRUE story behind Harry's parents' death and the startling story of betrayal behind it.

-We take a look beyond the walls of Hogwarts as the third year students visit the purely magical town of Hogsmeade.

-The mysterious Divination instructor, the seer Professor Trelawney makes a shocking prediction about the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!!!

Far more gripping and engaging than the first two novels, fans of Harry Potter will love and enjoy this third chapter in his epic story. Rowling continues to expand upon the world of Harry Potter at a great rate, slowly revealing more about his mysterious past and the world around him. At a little over 400 pages, the book reads fast.

Harry Potter mania has swept the nation, if not the world, for the past several years. Rowling's gripping stories of mystery, suspense, shock, fantasy and magic are a true treat. This book is another shining example of why her characters are beloved by both children and adults the world over.

My total read time: 11 hours, two evenings.

Highest Recommendation

This is the third book in the wonderful Harry Potter series (7 total, only 4 are published at the moment). Harry is to begin his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During the summers, he lives with his aunt and uncle. They are not at all fond of magic and keep Harry away in his closet, forbidden to use magic (by the school) or have any contact with his friends. Harry's parents were murdered by an evil wizard when Harry was only an infant. Harry survived, mysteriously, unscathed except for a scar on his forehead. Harry arrives at Hogwarts having learned that a man named Sirius Black has escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban. Presumably he wants to kill Harry Potter. Black was a convicted murderer and worked for the wizard who killed Harry's parents.

The school is almost in a lockdown with the frightening Dementor guards looking for Black and guarding the school. Harry, of course, gets into mischief anyways and winds up involved in finding Sirius Black. There are plenty of surprises and Rowling writes this book with fast pacing and an interesting story.

This is one of the strongest books of the four, and with this book, the series is beginning to get noticeably darker and less for children than it was before. While not very frightening for an adult, the book may be scary for a young child. Though these are marketed for children, the Harry Potter series is as much for adults as it is for children. Excellent reading.

Rowling did a wonderful job as usual. This book was full of action, adventure and mystery. Kept me hanging on the edge of my seat. Whether young or adult, whether this is your first Potter book or your third, you will be delighted and enchanted by this magical world Rowling has created.

Spoken by a Muggle!!!

My favorite book is Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul because the book is interesting and has a lot of true stories based on teenagers. Being a teenager is hard because we have responsibilites and its so much drama we'll have to deal with. What I love about the book is that it breaks it down into sections based on Friendship, Love & Relationships, Family, etc. The section that I truly inspire is Love and Relationships because most teenagers make some disgraceful mistakes over stupid stuff. My best friend had recommend this book to me because she told that book made her feel like she doesnt want to make the same mistakes as teenagers did when some got pregnant or they leave their friends and family behind. They're many consequences we as teenagers have to handle. After reading the book made me feel that I want to be successsful from what I'm particularly good at. I would recommend this book to some teenagers who never read Chicken Soup.

I bought this book be4 i even heard of this website so it was totally coincidential. But i heard of it from a friend who recommended it. the book said that it would make U laugh cry and smile at first i was all like, "I doubt it!" But after reading it be$ going to bed I couldn't put the book down and be4 i knew it it was 4:35 am Today when i read the chapter on "Tough Stuff " the stories were absoulutely effective. And U guessed it I even cried! This book makes U more appreciative of life and it's affected me like no other book has or could. It's amazing since I hate reading. most of my guy friends hate reading but by forcing my best guy friend Brendan to read it he ended up buying it . My friends think i'm an advertiser for the book becuz i've gotten so many TEENAGERS to buy it. It's just something to relate to when there's nobody to listen. I've ended upbuying The Chicken Soup Diary I've got lotz to say so you're welcome to emailme! LPH @-->--

The Chicken Soup for the Teenagers soul books I think are the best book to tell teenagers how it really is, the peer pressure, love, loss, friendship, and family. If I didn't have this book or any of the others I don't think I would make it through my teenage years. This book has helped me with the loss of my grandpa, my family problems, and my relatonships with guys especially with the ones that didn't work out.

"Ella Enchanted" is one of my favorite books. It's about a girl named Ella, when at birth was given a "gift" (more like a spell) to ALWAYS be obidient. No matter what someone says, Ella has to obey; if she doesn't, she gets dizzy, and feels sick. Ella is at danger at all times, because if somebody (for instance) told her to chop her head off, she would HAVE to do it! Anyway, in the begining of the book, Ella's mother dies. At the funeral, Ella meets a boy named Char, the prince. After awhile she falls in love with him but doesn't want to marry him in fear of putting him in her danger too. Well, that's all I'm going to say- other wise it will give a lot of stuff away. I really love this book, I have read it 2 times, in the middle of the 3rd. I would recommend this book to someone who likes romance, adventure, and suspence. Gail Carson Levine is a wonderful author. I would also recommend some of her other books: "The Wish" and "Dave at Night"

Ella Enchanted is a wonderful fantasy book by Gail Carson Levine. She puts a twist to the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. I would recommend this book to girls of nine to sixteen years of age. This book has every kind of creature: goblins, elves giants ogres fairy-godmothers, you name it! With a dead mother a kind a kind but misunderstanding father, Ella has a hard time. But on top of that, she has been cursed from the moment she was born. She can't say no! This truly is a fairy tale. It has it's sad parts, but a happy ending, too. I like this book because I can relate to Ella. We are about the same age, and we think similarly. I also like the way the author makes it seem realistic. Ella is learning things ad the book goes on and she gets older. This is a good book for peeole who like Harry Potter books, because they both have magic and strange creatures and a main character that has a speciality. And for those who don't like Harry Potter, or haven't read it and don't plan on reading it, maybe this book will change your mind

When you think of 'Cinderella' you think of a polite young lady. But, Ella is the exact opposite. Although all the MAJOR points are the same as the Disney version, most of the details are quite different. For example, Ella's curse. That was in none of the original tellings.
Ella gives you a real sense of what a real cinderella would be like. Char is a charming character, and I love the obviousness about the two of them ending up together.
All great cinderella stories have a time where Cinderella and Prince Charming are seperated (Like the movie EVER AFTER). And this book has it.
Although some times in the book it gets slow (rarely), it always picks itself up again.
This is one of the best Cinderella retellings I have EVER read!!

I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. I really liked this book because it had a way of creating an image in my mind. When Harry met up with the Mountain Troll, I could not only visualize the shape, but even the odor of the beast.
Harry Potter grew up living with his Aunt and Uncle. When Harry was about to turn 11, letters came from nowhere, addressed to where he sleeps. They are invitations to Hogwarts, the wizarding school. Harry finds out that he is a wizard and responcible for killing Lord Voldermort. Hagrid came to take him shopping in London so Harry buys all of his school supplies. So after that he goes to Hogwarts. He is sorted into Gryffindor. When he takes his first flying lesson Moganagle sees him and then he becomes Gryffindor's Seeker. Harry reads the paper and finds out the vault that he and Hagrid went to had been broken into but there was nothing there when the thief broke in because Hagrid took out the pacage that was in there. At his first Quiditch game, Harry almost is thrown off his broom. Ron and Hermione think it was Snape,so Hermione sets Snape's cloak on fire. Harry and his two friends take the wrong stairs and find out why that corridor is forbidden. They tell Hagrid about it and he starts to give away a ton of information about the socerer's stone. One day Hagrid gets a dragon. He raises him for a few weeks then sent him to Romania. Harry gets detention and had to go into the Forbidden Forest. In the Forbidden Forest Harry runs into Lord Voldermort. Harry and his friends think that Snape is trying to steal the stone to bring Voldermort back to full life. they try to tell Dumbledor but he is gone!
I would recommend this book to any one who likes a good book with magic in it. If you like the sound of this book READ IT!

A couple of months ago, I asked my ten year old grandnephew Joe what he'd been reading lately. He proceeded to tell me about an unbelievable game called 'Quidditch', a wondeful place called 'Hogwarts', and an out of place but very special person, Harry Potter.

OK, it's not Tolkien, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Gabaldon or Uris. J.K. Rowling communicates a remarkable perception of childhood fears, and the abdurd, out of place, self-defensive nature of early teenagers in an upsetting, unknown, uncertain and very dangerous world.

Sorcerer's Stone is a fun read, replete with magical family heirlooms, talented sturigiforms and other family 'pets', plot twists that are interesting and unexpected, and solid, growing friendships between characters of very different age, size, likes, personalities and abilities.

Remarkably, diversity and respect for the individual play a strong part in this and later Harry Potter adventures. Harry gets pushed, but doesn't push back too hard. His response to negative people and events is to wonder why, not to strike out - even when facing a deadly enemy.

The recommendation for 9 to 12 year olds must be based entirely on the reading level, rather than the content. Adult readers will enjoy Sorcerer's Stone as a relaxing 'between book' as much as young readers enjoy it as recreational reading.

But beware! If a group of kids sees you reading this book, expect to be quizzed on every detail!

While Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone doesn't really need yet another glowing review, I'm not going to let that fact stop me from reviewing a book I happen to love. I was a tad late catching Harry Potter fever, coming in about the time the first movie was released on DVD, but I'm now a quite devoted fan of J. K. Rowling and the magical stories she has given to us all, dazzling young and old alike in a manner quite unheard of before. Actually, I don't think I would have recognized Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as a children's book had I picked it up with no previous knowledge whatsoever about the phenomenon. It's a rip-roaring good story filled with amazingly lifelike characters set in a truly captivating setting. Harry Potter is, in a way, the ultimate underdog despite the fame he suddenly finds himself enjoying on the day of his eleventh birthday. Ron Weasley is the perfect sidekick, self-conscious of his family's modest means and forever moving along underneath the large shadows of his more successful older brothers. Then there is Hermione Granger, my favorite character in the Potter universe, a smart yet captivating know-it-all who eventually becomes the unlikely yet essential third member of Rowling's intrepid trio of heroic friends. All of the characters are rich and alive: Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, the unforgettable Hagrid, the fearsome Snapes, the incorrigible Draco Malfoy, etc. This book is so compelling that I can't imagine ever forgetting even the most seemingly unimportant of characters.

If you enjoyed the movie but haven't actually read the original novel, you really owe it to yourself to pick up the book. The movie is amazingly faithful to Rowling's novel, with only a few rather minor changes, yet the book offers so much more to the Harry Potter story. For one thing, his life on Privet Drive with the Dursleys is actually much worse that it appears in the movie. The story behind Snapes' immediate dislike of Harry is told in these pages, as is Harry's first and highly significant meeting with Malfoy early on in Diagon Alley. It's really quite amazing to see how many little tidbits of future significance are scattered throughout this original story, giving one the impression that Rowling had a pretty clear vision of Potter's future in mind quite early on. Perhaps most importantly, the ending works so much better in the novel; the movie ending just seemed to lack a little something, but the book not only fills in some gaps, it describes a much more trying set of warding charms and traps Harry, with the help of Ron and Hermione, must pass through in order to save the day. Not only is this story enjoyable from start to finish, it is also both inspirational and educational. Children can learn a great deal from Harry Potter and the way he fights for good against evil no matter what the risks, remains forever loyal to his friends, and never gives up under the most trying of circumstances. Brave, noble, and true even at the worst of times, yet humble and shy in his moments of success and achievement, Harry Potter is truly a hero for the ages.

In the first few pages I worried that this was going to be another David Halberstam kind of book - every character a giant, every problem a crisis. Add that to Hillenbrand's celebrated bout with chronic fatigue, and there's every reason to be concerned that it'll be more hype than content.

The book does start out a little too hyperbolically as she sets up the three main (non-equine) characters, but after the rough start she moves into a story that's as gripping as it is quick-paced. Some of the tidbits are fascinatiing: who would have ever guessed that a third of the entire country would have tuned in to hear the radio broadcast of a horse race? Or that a horse would be on the front page of every newspaper? It's a fascinating look at a time when the country was gripped by the spirit and fortitude of a great animal.

Who will like it: most readers of event-based non-fiction; people looking for a fun beach read.

Who won't like it: people who prefer their non-fiction to be straight biography; anyone who finds a predictable ending annoying.

Universal Pictures will open its "Seabiscuit" movie, based on Hillenbrand's book, on July 25, two days from this writing. If the movie captures the book's drama, excitement, detail, pace, and above all, its heart, then it will triumph.

Hillenbrand sets the tone of Depression-ravaged 1930's America perfectly: a nation struggling to regain a lost hope and eager for a hero. That the hero happened to be an undersized horse with outsized knees and crooked legs makes the story unusual, but all the more interesting for its improbability.

Seabiscuit was the force around which a trio of unusual figures came together with a common, almost mystical purpose. Seabiscuit owner Charles Howard, automobile seller extraordinaire who developed a passion for horse racing, brought together Tom Smith, an empathic mustang breaker from the Old West who makes Robert Redford's "Horse Whisperer" seem mute by comparison, with jockey Red Pollard, a half-blind, half-crippled ex-prize fighter whose career was going nowhere. This ragtag group took an underperforming, physically underwhelming thoroughbred, the unlikely scion of the great Man O'War, and through years of training, disappointments and failures, drew out the unconquerable heart of a champion, fulfilling the promise which Smith had originally sensed in Seabiscuit. The public response overwhelmed all the news of the day, and a legend was born out of the most unlikely of beginnings.

Hillenbrand writes with clarity and purpose, imbuing all her figures with an immediate presence which transcends history. She has been justly praised from not only the sports and racing worlds, but also by such standards as The New York Times and Washington Post. After reading her book and leaving it feeling ennobled, edified, and entertained, I can only add to the chorus of praise and give my strongest recommendation to all readers who appreciate a compelling story well told.

Let me say a few things up front: I have never set foot on a racetrack, I have watched the Kentucky Derby maybe twice on TV and I have little interest in jockeys, horse trainers or horses in general. For those who think this is a book about a racehorse, think again. It is a wonderful, descriptive work about the underdog, about triumph over adversity, about personality in animals and, most importantly, about a rarely discussed slice of America.

With a keen sportswriters eye toward detail as well as broader context, Ms. Hillenbrand has written a vivid description of an amazing animal, the three men around him and an era in American sports and history. Seabiscuit was a fascinating creature, not only for his deceptive power but for his playful, competitive nature. Ms. Hillenbrand helps us understand this horse as a person - a person you instinctively root for. His owner, a self-made success in the automobile industry, displays concern for the horse as if it were a child. Seabiscuit's trainer embodied the western spirit and had an uncanny bond with the horse - he was a real-life horse whisperer. Finally, the harrowing, rough and tumble life of a jockey during the 1930's is painted here with unsympathetic accuracy, as we learn about the trials of Red Pollard. Seabiscuit was the hub of these three lives and their extraordinary accomplishment on the racetrack.

The book builds toward two climaxes - the match race against War Admiral (which Ms. Hillenbrand desribes in such wonderful detail) and the ever elusive Santa Anita Handicap. Although historical, the book has a novel-like suspense that keeps the uninformed reader rapt and engrossed. This book, which describes the regional split between east and west coast race horses, really describes the potential and scrappy nature of the American west. Thank you, Ms. Hillenbrand, for such a terrific read.

The Book that I read, by force, actually turned out being a very good book. There are many reasons why this Agatha Christie novel was so great. Perhaps the most significant reason is the desire to know what is going to happen next. The book is about ten people who are invited to a weekend of fun by an anonymous guest. One by on they are eliminated until there becomes no guests left and a note from the mad host. This novel was actually HARD to stop reading. All the clues intrigued me to read on. For example, when the characters arrived to an unoccupied mansion you had to figure that something was going on. And as the amount of people on the island decreased the suspicion increased. This book was great from the start to finish -- from the invitation letters signed, "UNKNOWN" to the final intrigue of the last few deaths of the last remaining guests. If you can get your hands on it definitely read this book. It is great for those who like suspense. Agatha Christie is a great author who does a great job with mystery novels and this is perhaps her best work

Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE should be very close to the top of any mystery fan's "must read list." The novel concerns a group of ten previously unacquainted people who are lured via various pretexts to Indian Island, a resort home off the coast of Devon--and are promptly accused by their unseen host of having escaped punishment for past crimes. Cut off from the world and fighting rising panic, they scramble to unmask the killer even as their number is reduced in macabre accordance with the "Ten Little Indians" nursey rhyme displayed in rooms throughout the house.

Agatha Christie was already famous when AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (also known under the title TEN LITTLE INDIANS) was published--but this book put her career well over the top: nothing like it had seen before, it proved a sensation, and writers and film-makers continue to use Christie's basic idea to this very day. Some critics argue the novel is mechanical rather than organic, but I say if this is mechanical, let's have more of it! It is truly a can't-put-it-down, non-stop read, a spectacular turn by the genre's single most celebrated author.

The success of the novel inspired Christie to adapt it for the stage, where it was a tremendous success, and there have been several film versions (most notably the 1940s Rene Clair-directed AND THEN THERE WERE NONE) over the years. If you know the story only from stage and film versions, however, you are in for a surprise. Christie felt the novel's conclusion did not translate well to the stage, so she re-wrote it--and most film versions follow the stage script, not the novel. But whether you've seen the play and films or not, get ready for a shock!

This was a good book I read the whole thing in about two days! It was really interesting. And every page requires u to think. But the ending of it was not really what i expected. And the person who did the murders just ruined everything. It would have been better if it was all supernatural. Not just a parson of a block. His proffession and all didn't really go to the thigs he did. But aside from the ending which surprised me a lot, it was a good book and I would reccomend any1 that would enjoy a good game of Clue.

Firstly, as an adult reviewing Harry Potter, I must say that any book which gets children to read over 600 pages with such excitement and joy is a wonderful thing and must be applauded.

The reason for the success of the Harry Potter series is very simple - these are great books, and Goblet Of Fire is no exception. A thrilling read with lots of plot twists and moments of great joy as well great anguish.

J K Rowling has made it quite clear that this fourth book is vital in terms of the overall themes and plot of the Potter saga - one of the reasons for its great length. It certainly does develop the story but this is also the weakness of the book. You get the feeling that Rowling is focussing on the bigger picture here and I think the central story in this book suffers (albeit only slightly) as a result.

There are too many loose ends and unresolved issues for this to be a truly rewarding read but that is a small gripe. It is still an excellent story and it sets the next three books up wonderfully. It isn't in any way a disappointment and is a worthy instalment in the series.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I loved this book but preferred the others in the series.

She is still a wonder and this book is a marvel!

I started reading the Harry Potter series after my nine year old son, who read the three book series five times, said he was "simply addicted." I soon too became addicted to these books and "Goblet of Fire" has just fueled the addiction! This book is superb! I read the book straight through for ten hours and did not want it to end. The plot twists and character development are phenomenal! You will cry as you reflect upon the inherent goodness in Harry and his friends as they battle evil. Rowling's images are rich and powerful and quickly draw the reader into an absolutely stunning world. Buy this book and then share it with the children you love--you will give them an unforgettable gift! If you can, buy additional copies and donate them to a deserving school library or children's literacy program--there is no better way to encourage a love of reading! Now I ask can we survive waiting 365 for Book Five? :)

I thought this was one of the best books I have ever read and I thought it was very exciting and suspenceful. My favorite part was the part with the Yule Ball and Hermione is my favorite character in the series. She is just like me smart and friendly. I am reading the 5th Harry Potter book and I still think the 4th one is the best. So you should go and read the book. Trust me you will enjoy it!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second in the hugely successful series about the boy wizard. In this book, Harry Potter has just finished his terrible summer vacation with the Dursleys and goes back to Hogwarts for his second year of wizard training. He is visited by a strange goblin Dobby, who warns him not to go back to Hogwarts. Despite this unpleasing warning, Harry Potter is ready to start his new school year and Quidditch practice. However horrible things soon start to happen. The annoying cat of Filtch is attacked and petrified. Then a boy is attacked in the same way. Soon the whole school is in big fear. However some Hogwarts students are attacked and petrified- even one of Harry¡¦s best friends, Hermione, becomes a victim. The only thing that the victims have in common is that they are all Muggle-born. Can Harry solve the mystery and rescue his friends and Hogwarts? The reader follows Harry through his exciting adventures in which Voldermort must be outwitted again.

The plot is definitely full of interesting twists that pull the reader right into the story. Everything Harry Potter does is so heroic that makes the reader love him. However there is one part I am not much satisfied. When Hogwarts people find out that Hermione is attacked and petrified. Harry thinks of Hogwarts will be closed and he needs to go back and live with the Dursleys again, which his unfortunate future days can be imagined. That is why, as the book says, the reason why Harry needs to find out who is the headmaster of these terrible events, stop him and rescue the victims. But in my opinion, it is better for him to consider of his best friend rather than his own life. He should be more miserable and grieve when he sees the cold and stiff body of Hermione.

The first one of Harry Potter ends in a pretty unexpected way. The mastermind appears to be a man who is not suspected in the first place at all. So while reading the second one, I was thinking of somebody else to be the bad guy, not Molfoy. However I was wrong this time. The Molfoys is still the bad guys, just the big bad one shows up in a very surprising way. Dobby's ending is fun and brilliant too. I just cannot stop praising Harry, our young hero.

This book is certainly interesting. I could not stop reading it till midnight, though the finals were coming. It just stuck on my hand.

While skimming through the pages, you try to imagine how could any person come up with such remarkable ideas. A massive serpent, a diary that writes back to you, and a secret chamber that opens from the girls lavatory. The majestic scenery and the wondrous incidents make the Chamber of Secrets an outstanding novel.
There is so much wonder and history behind this magical universe, and J.K Rowling sucks you right into it. Witchcraft and wizardry is such an interesting topic to write about, and Rowling approaches it in such an unusual way. She lets you learn and grow with the characters so by the end of the first book, you have to read on. Harry, Ron and Hermione are regular kids, but withhold a little secret. All born witches and wizards, they await their year spent at Hogwarts, the school that they attend. But every year strange, mysterious things happen to the trio, which cause the to take matters into their own hands. And this year it's the Chamber of Secrets, a very sensitive subject, no one is willing to talk about. Rowling's description and detail bring you right into Hogwarts, as if you are student enrolled there.
The Harry Potter books are definitely a read that you don't want to miss out on. Once you finish The Chamber of Secrets you will be anxious to start the next book. If you're feeling dull and want to jump into a new novel, I would strongly recommend Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. But be careful, you don't want to get too obsessed.

The second installment of the Harry Potter series is a wonderful story that continues the young wizzards at Hogwarts. Although this book stands perfectly on its own, I strongly suggest that you read the first book in order to understand all the background.

The second book follows Harry, Ron, and Hermoine through their second year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once again, strange things are happening. This time however, they are affecting the students a bit more seriously. People are being petrofied and no one knows what is doing it. Then the rumors start about a secret chamber hidden somewhere in Hogwarts. Once again, Harry and his friends set out to find the truth.

I am probably correct when I say that many of you people out there, mainly children, don't like to read. Well, I guess that i could say the same about me, too until I actually decide to pick up a book. But when you pick up this exciting book, you just can't put it down. This book is called Redwall. The adventures of Matthias and his Abbey against the great Cluny the Scurge, will leave you with an everlasting, curious thought on what will happen next. Matthias makes his way from being a clumsy mouse to an adventurous, brave mouse that is seaking the possesions of the great Martin the Warrior, the great warrior of Redwall. And Cluny goes from being the fear in everyone's mind and fire in everyone's eyes to, I think we can beat this guy and, ohhh wow, Cluny the Scurge, I'm so afraid. This well written book, by Brian Jacques, keeps you reeding as he brings you back to the olden' days and makes you feel like you're right there in the action fighting Cluny and Matthias yourself. He makes you feel like you are wondering through the woods just waiting for what will happen next. So pick up this bbok and enter the lives of the animals of Redwall.

This is a great book. I always sort of ignored the REdwall series but when it was recomended to me, and it was supposed to be very good, I read Redwall, the first one. This bookis just packed with events and plots. Action! Adventure! Sword Fighting! Bad Guys! Battles! A Deadly Snake! Even though it kind of starts out slow in the beginning, DON'T STOP READING IT!!! It's about an evil rat named Cluny the Scourge, who wants Redwall, which is an Abbey, home of many woodland creatures and is surrounded by a red wall. When the Abbot of Redwall refuses to give Cluny Redwall, Cluny gets very angry. He gets a huge army and they start attacking Redwall. Redwall has an advantage and a disadvantage. Their advantage is that they have a badger named Constance who is very strong and kills many rats. Their disadvantage is that they don't have swords like Cluny's army, they have wooden staffs that don't do much damage to the rats. Matthias, who is just a mouse, knows that he will need Martin the Warrior's sword, who is a great mouse that protected Redwall long before and all of Redwall adores him. Matthias's friend, Methuselah, finds a riddle on a wall. It tells Matthias that to get the case for the sword, then he has to go through this secret passage. There, he finds another riddle, if I remember correctly, telling him how to get the actual sword. Soon, Matthias is sent on a wild adventure, facing many dangers, trying to get Martin's sword. This book is now my favorite book and that's saying a lot, because I've read many of them. If you are making the mistake that I made (ignoring the Redwall series), then you should buy this book. It is just so good that I can't put how excellent it is in words. A great read and an excellent start to the Redwall series.

Do you know what I think about this book? I think it is simply AWESOME!!! I think this book is for those people who like murder and bloody and gory stuff like that. You know what I like about this book? The way they say that somebody died. In chapter 4 I remember how they said that Skullface lay in a red mist of death. And how Cluny said that tell the devil Cluny sent you,Skullface. This is only 1 reason I like Redwall. So I reccommend this book. But still there is mild language. Like hell and morons.