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This book is really good it is a great story and has a lot of details. This book paints a great picyure in the readers mind. It seems like your in the book with the characters and you can really feel how they are feeling.

this book is amazing!!
so totally worth reading!
great book i couldnt put it down loved it!!!!!
recomended to any girl!!!

Imagine..Your best friend moves away and your father is somewhere in France, just when you thought your life couldn't get any worse you meet a boy whose life is even more messed up. Welcome to Lily's life. In the book Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff, Lily is 12 year old girl about to spend the summer in Rockaway, her favorite place ever. But her father is in France working as an engineer in the war and Gram is taking care of her for the summer. Albert is a boy who came all the way from Hungary to escape the Nazi's. His sister Ruth is stuck in France and his parents were both killed by the Nazi's. Lily and Albert spend the summer together and become the best of friends. Together they dream of swimming to France to find Ruth and Lily's father. Patricia Reilly Giff really captures the emptiness Lily and Albert both felt for their close ones. Will it end in a happy ending? You will have to read this extravagant novel to find out..

"He started across the sand not waiting for an answer. She sat there a minute longer, her heart pounding, thinking that this was truly the worst lie she had ever told." This passage is found on page 77 of Patricia Reilly Giff's exceptional novel, Lily's Crossing. This passage in the book shows that the naked truth is always better than the best dressed lie.

Lily's Crossing, a fictional novel, is based on the summer of 1994 in Rockaway. World War II was starting to change everyone's lives. Especially the life of 10 year old Lily Mollahan. Lily planned to spend the whole summer relaxing at her family's summer house spending time with her best friend Margaret. But nothing seems relaxing about the fact that Margaret and her family have moved out of town and her father is drafted into the military. Everything in Lily's life seems dreadful and dull until a special visitor arrives. The arrival of Albert.

I felt Lily's Crossing was an ingenious book where you had no idea what would happen next. The passage that makes me feel this way was on page 151, "There was another tremendous streak of lightning. It lit up the porch, and the whole of the sky, and she could see in the distance a rowboat at the edge of the bay, about to cross through the edge of the marshes. It was Albert." This passage took me by suprise, I was not expecting Albert to go off by himself into the ocean. I also felt Lily's Crossing was a sad emotional book. On page 39, "She didn't stop until it was a smudge in the distance, and then gone completely, even though she knew Poppy couldn't have seen her." This passage made me sad because all of Lily's anger towards her father evaporated when she missed his train and couldn't say good-bye.

Even after reading the book I still question Lily's life after the war and her relationship with Albert. But, overall I think Lily's Crossing would be age appropriate for children 10 and up. This Novel I felt was the most influential, fascinating book and I highly recommend reading this novel. Don't forget Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff, your definitely going to want to check it out!

This is a awesome book!!! Read it. Its about a girl named Lily, and she is staying at her summer home in Rockaway. Her father goes away to war in another country and she is very mad. Lily's neighbors have a guest over named Albert. Lily does some spying and Albert catches her. At first Lily thinks Albert is a bit...well..weird I guess, and then after Lily has gotten to know him, they become good friends. They have adventures together and get in a bit of trouble. If you love things with some war and touching moments this is the book for you! It even won a Newbery Honor award! :P

As an English professor who finds excellent vocabulary usage a thing of the past, this book provides the ultimate language high. The words, strung together like lights on a Christmas tree, give exuberance and thought to a novel that reads exquisitely. Reading many of the sentences over and over again to give myself the pleasures not often able to be achieved in this time period, I became lost in London, then at Blackwater Park, and everywhere in between. A true Anglophile and bibliophile's dream.

Because the book is written from the various persons involved in the drama, the reader is able to gain insight into each's personality, and oftentimes I found myself a little too sympathetic to characters who I felt may not deserve such recognition. (Count Fosco, for one...so revolting yet at the same time his enamor of Marian and his obvious detail to the care of his "pets" gave the reader a sense of humanity in an otherwise disgusting and subhuman man).

It took me a long, long time to read this book. However, I relished it like the final bits of cake... slowly and methodically, savoring every moment. On the one hand, the ending of the book would provide me with the answers I so emphatically desired, yet that would also determine the finality of the enjoyment of each word and sentence I came to treasure throughout the hours I spent curled in my bed, late into the early hours of the morning, drifting off to the picture of a dark lake surrounded by trees and a boathouse, with the whispering voices of the ghosts of all who live in the book.

A tremendous, tremendous joy to read. All hail Wilkie Collins.

Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was a good friend of Charles Dickens. Dickens asked him to contribute a serial to the journal "All the Year Round" of which he was the editor. This all occurred in 1859. The result is one of the first of the so-called "sensational novels" so fetching to middle class Victorian readers.
The Woman in White takes gothic elements and entwines them into a mysterious web of intrigue set in a middle class typically English landscape of nineteenth century life.
The book is told using the multiple narration method. Most of its over 600 small print pages is told by the artist Walter Hartright. Walter is hired to teach drawing to two half-sisters at an estate in Cumberland. He falls in love with the blonde Laura Farlie while he becomes good friends with the plain sister Marian Halcombe. Laurie disappears one night and is placed in an insane asylum by her evil husband Lord Percival Glyde. The motive is to receive Laura's sizable inheritance. Glyde is assisted in his evil plot by Count Fosco an Italian aristocrat. Fosco is one of the most fascinating bad guys in English Literature. He is witty, well-educated, rotund and has several exotic pets such as white mice, a cockatoo and canaries. Laurie is kidnapped and replaces the mad Anne Hathrick in the asylum where she is eventually rescued by Walter. Walter weds Laura and Marion remains a spinster.
The plot is very complex featuring forged marriage records, abduction, duplicity and murder
Twos are important to Collins. There are two evil men in Fosco and Glyde; two good women in Marian and Laura and two estates-Limmeridge in Cumberland and the sinister Blackwater Park the residence of Percival Glyde.
The book also has many interesting minor characters presnting a realistic portrait of life in upper middle class British society. The plot will keep you guessing and the various narrators keep the reader alert. Not all the narrators tell the truth!
The dullest person in the book is Laura! Walter is, in my opinion, a ninny for not marrying the much brighter and more loving Marian Halcombe.
Collins style is similar to Dickens and his novel will give you many hours of reading pleasure.

The first 100 pages are the hardest to get through, but once Collins ushers his readers and protagonist alike into the isolated gloom of Limmeridge House it becomes plain why this is one of the most celebrated mysteries ever written. The lead couple is rather bland, in particular the heroine, but that weakness is more than compensated for by the presence of such memorable characters as the clever, resourceful Marian Halcombe and the insidious Count Fosco. The tale of greed, murder, madness, revenge and conspiracy that unfolds is well worthy of being considered one of the best and most influential gothic novels of all time.

I am so glad I read this book. What a treat! The names even fit the characters. It was a wonderful book and I now look forward to reading Moonstone.

Similar to Wilkie Collins other masterpiece, The Moonstone, various characters narrate sections of The Woman in White and the story is told as the characters look back on what has already happened. This method of building a mystery is fantastic because we, as readers, also become sleuths in the mystery that takes place. Collins ability to get into characters heads enhances the level of suspense, and gives it a sense that we are right there with them.

In The Woman in White, Walter Hartright decides to take a job as a drawing instructor at the Fairlie House, where Laura Fairlie, Miriam Holcombe, and Laura's uncle reside. Once there, Walter is enchanted with the beauty of Laura, but discovers that Laura's uncle has already arraigned a marriage between Laura and Sir Percival, a diabolical man whose interests lay mainly in greed and deception. While there, Walter has a few strange incidents, one of these being an encounter with a mysterious woman in white who appears to have run away from an asylum. Walter is a little distraught after this encounter, wondering why she appeared and what she could have wanted from him. Things get more extraordinary as this random encounter seems to propel Walter into the Fairlie family secrets, and a villainous scheme by Laura's husband Sir Percival and his accomplice, the equally ruthless Count Fosco. Walter finds himself right in the middle of Sir Percival's plan, which is to not only take the Fairlie fortune but "rid" himself of various individuals one way or another. Walter, with the aid of Laura and Miriam, tries to foil this plan.

Collins has an extraordinary method of creating plot, tying all loose ends, all the while having intricate and complex narratives and twists. Moreover, he is a suburb storyteller, and although some may not like his deeply detailed methods, I feel that these give credence to character and story depth. There is a dark Gothic kind of feel to The Woman in White; it is a perfect read for a cold, rainy, thundery night. Heroes, villains, deception, twists, turns, secrets revealed, and supernatural elements: The Woman in White is a page turner despite its daunting length.

I bought this for my kindle..50 cents! Goodness I am almost ashamed. Sick with a cold, I read it almost straight through. Don't know how I missed this before. It is a joy. So much better than much of what is put out today.

Persuasion is Jane Austen's last completed work before her death. It differs from her other more well known works such as Pride & Prejudice, and Emma. It focuses on a relationship who have a second chance to re-ignite true love but whether or not they will depends on so many things that make a good story and are still applicable today.
A crazy family, social expectations, unforgiveness, competing love interests, and a little bit of that classic Austen wit that bites in just the right places.
It's shorter than Austen's other works as well, and the plot less complicated and detailed than Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park.
If for no other reason than the famous "you pierce my soul" letter, this should be a must on everyone's read list.

I have no right to review Jane Austen. I give this book 5 billion stars.

Persuasion is a small novel, but it is Jane Austen at her best. Her commentary on the English gentry and the restrictions of "society" are well presented in this story of Anne who was once persuaded not to marry a man with no prospects and no station in life, at least compared to hers as the daughter of a baronet. Jane Austen proves there can be passion without being graphic. A great lvoe story!

The story is good but I don't like the edittion, is to small and for me is hard to read.

Lily Bart lives in the House of Mirth, which according to a biblical passage, is the house of fools; the house of mourning is reserved for the wise. Lily Bart is no fool and she struggles throughout to hold on to her permanent truth (she won't "Bart"er her self, after all). Her permanent truth however, can not take root or give her entry into the house that she longs for, where luxury and sumptuous environs would satify her psychic need for material comfort. Hence, she is outside the realm of her longing and falls down on the cold realities and away from the comforts provided by the house of mirth. I was a teenager the last time I cried while reading a book. I did cry, however, several times while reading the final chapter of The House of Mirth, which in my world is a testament to the transient beauty that Edith Wharton captures in this remarkable tale.

Written in 1905, this novel brought me into the world of New York society at that time. Edith Wharton lived in this world and her writing dissected its pomp with a sharp discerning eye. The people she writes about own country houses where the party never stops. They travel abroad for months at a time. Their clothes are of the finest quality. And the only possible career for a woman is to marry a rich man.

We first meet Lily Bart at the age of 29. She has been trained from childhood in all the social graces. Unfortunately for her though, her father lost all his money when she was 12 years old and both her parents died soon after that. As she was beautiful, she assumed that her looks, quick wit and personality would attract a wealthy husband, and, indeed she did attract them. But in her youth she turned down several suitors and was now aware that time was no longer on her side; she needed to marry before she lost her looks.

She has her eyes set on Percy Gryce, a dull man who will be at a party in a country home and she flirts in such a way that he is soon smitten. He is desirable for his money but he bores her to death. But this romance never works out.

There is another man of course. His name is Lawrence Selden. He is a lawyer and lives a nice life but doesn't have the wealth she thinks she requires. They become friends and it is clear to the reader that they are in love. She still keeps looking for a wealthy man though and makes one mistake after another. Even though she remains chaste, she gets into some compromising situations. There is a lot of gossip and her rich women friends either turn on her or drop her.

Her prospects get dimmer and dimmer and she even considers marrying a rich Jewish man who she had once turned down, but even he rejects her. At one point Lawrence Selden tries to help her but she rejects him too. She's penniless and has no prospects. She is living in a boarding house and trying to work in a milliner's shop but even the spangles she sews on the hats are crooked and she soon loses that job. This novel ends in tragedy.

Lily Bart is a great character. She symbolizes the reality of New York society. She also is very human and deeply flawed and even though there were times she annoyed me tremendously, I could also sympathize with her. As a New Yorker myself, I enjoyed the setting as I am very familiar with the streets and the history. This is a really fine book.

This is an unusually good book with the familiar theme of the life of a single woman in times past. Lily Bart is an extremely beautiful but relatively poor woman who is starting to get older and is still unmarried. In this era, a woman's only hope for survival was to marry a wealthy man and only the most decorative types could hope for this. Lily,who counts on her beauty to get her what she wants, longs not only for a man with wealth, but also wants one who pleases her personality wise and in appearance as well. Her desire to have it all in an era when women were at mens' mercy proves to be her undoing. Financial debt, betrayal by both male and female "friends", and the hypocrital mores of the upper class society back then prove to be Lily's undoing. Selden, the one man she truly loves but won't marry because he is poor also eventually turns his back on her when false rumors about her and a married man surface. Lily finds herself alone, poor, and forced to work for a living.

Lily is a study in contrast-beautiful in appearance but with a shallow personality; intelligent but greedy; inclined to rich upper class snobbery, but herself rather poor; lacking good judgement, but blaming everybody else for her problems; convinced of being taken advantage of while seeking to take advantage of others; and lastly, likeable yet unlikeable, a strange mixture.

The book is well written although somewhat verbose, but not overly so. I enjoyed it much more than others of its type, namely Jane Austin novels. Recommended.

Two people telling a story: one has lived it while the other has not. Which would you believe? Most would say the first for there would be no bias, no lies, and no overstatements. This definitely applies to Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, a novel set in the early 1900's. When Wharton accounts the dismal life of Lily Bart and her continuous struggle to fit into upper crust New York, the reader senses that the author is writing an autobiography: the feelings, the thought process, and the actions of the protagonist are indeed too realistic for any reader to deny.

A look into the history of America during the writing and publication of the book is vital for understanding why Lily fails but still struggles. At the turn of the twentieth century, America was passing through its post-war era of the Gilded Age, a period of thirty years where extravagant displays of American wealth filled many cities. New York is no exception of course. Born and raised in New York aristocracy during this time, Wharton depicts the bitter and malice realities of living and partaking in it through the influence of Bertha, the antagonist, on Lily's life.

New York City had just become a world of extremes, with millionaires living on one block and homeless living across in tenements. Nobles would abolish their standards just to become more famous and richer. People did not follow their dignity or moral sense, but rather thought with stone hearts and money-driven minds. In this savage culture where feasting on others meant a better stature for oneself, there is evidently no room for mercy, love, or acceptance. Of course, in this sort of atmosphere, Lily finds it almost impossible to fit in or even enjoy her life.

A little research on the book title reveals valuable information. The title of the book is directly taken from the Ecclesiastes verse, "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth," illustrating that Wharton believed her society to be not only foolish but also vain. Besides the social issues, Wharton realized that money is an easy means of opening doors to those who have it, but a problem maker to those who lack it. Unfortunately, the protagonist does not have it, but the antagonist, Bertha, does.

Bertha is the antithesis of Lily, as one enjoys money while the other dreams of it; one becomes free while the other becomes enslaved. The extremity between both lives illustrates that aristocratic life during the early twentieth century was a mere cover that hid a more treacherous and villainous lifestyle.

Since this book does not only offer a great outlook of American history but also a female's struggle to marry and fit socially, I advice all those that face this problem to read it and learn from Lily's mistakes.

This best selling classic was written in 1905 and is a great portrait of how women perceived their financial role in turn of the century American society.

America was coming into the consumer age in the early 1900's - it was the dawn of opulence, excess spending and the obvious and glaring differences between men, women and money. The House of Mirth is an eye-opening account of how women could only be observers of the American Dream. They had to be content with watching men achieve financial independence all the while knowing that it was out of reach for themselves. This book is a glaring reminder that the only way most women could achieve financial security, was to marry it.

Personally, I've always believed that many of the beliefs and attitudes we women have about money, wealth and prosperity must be somehow locked in our DNA. Money attitudes are passed on to us from generation to generation. This book, to me, reinforces this. Our great, great grandmothers were brought up in this turn-of-the-century era. Their beliefs, observations and values have been passed to us consciously and unconsciously. Reading this book, I kept saying to myself, "No wonder so many of us struggle with achieving and enjoying financial independence."

The House of Mirth is the story of Lily Bart and her struggle for financial independence. From birth her role had been set and no matter how much she wanted to change it, her inner programming and her place in society wouldn't allow it. Lily believes in financial success, wants financial success and yet, she cannot achieve it the same way as the men within her social circle are able to. Men, she realized, have a financial freedom women were not allowed to achieve. The question becomes, did Lily ever make peace with this financial inequity?

This book is a powerful look at the traditional role of women in the early 1900's. Beauty, wit and charm were the acceptable methods by which women could achieve financial success.

The House of Mirth is a great comparison of how men and women were allowed to learn, grow and evolve financially. Men had the power and women paid homage to that power.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't believe it was written over 100 years ago. It was such an "aha" and insight into why many of the gender based beliefs and values women have today, are "throw backs" to the early 20th century.

The book "Red Scarf Girl" is an in-depth, moving memoir about a twelve year-old girl named Ji-li who was living her life to the fullest until the Cultural Revolution. "...I felt like the luckiest girl in the world" (17) Ji-li says. Then one day, China's leader, Chairman Mao, launched the Revolution, and Ji-li's life is flipped upside-down. Student inspectors begin to harass people who are wearing old fashions in public, and Ji-li and her friends are bullied in school because of their families and their routines. Ji-li and her classmates even have to write hurtful propaganda on posters, or da-zi-bao, about their teachers. Though Ji-li did nothing wrong, a da-zi-bao was pasted near a store about her relationship with her teacher. She was also cornered by the Red Successors; a group of elementary students who were training to become Red Guards. Red Guards were high schoolers and adults who rebelled against the old ways. After Ji-li's graduation, things turn for the worse; the Red Guards inspect houses to search for things that related to the "old ways", and leave houses torn apart and destroyed. People commit suicide, are beaten, jailed, and executed. People even revolted against their own families because they're status was "black". This book is a page turner, and with one event of insanity after another, it's hard not to ponder about the outcome, as well as see when all of it is going to end.

This book fits nicely in our homeschooling reading program. It is a wonderful addition to our classics collection.

A compelling memoir from a girl growing up during the Chinese cultural revolution. Filled with patriotic fervor for the Chinese communist government, Ji-li is at first ashamed to be part of her family, which is persecuted because of her grandfather's political beliefs. But as she sees injustices heaped onto the heads of many people around her, she gradually becomes disillusioned and no longer believes government propaganda. Ji-li's authentic voice inspires discussion about family loyalties, government betrayals, and China's history.

This is a great book to read with children. I read it aloud to my daughter, who could not believe that this life happened to this girl and so many like her in China. It prompted lots of discussion about families and government. Even kids as young as 10 or 11 should be able to appreciate the story, and it's fascinating for adults too.

I read this book quite a few books ago. What I remember was that it was very compelling. The author is forced to serve the "People" and endures many hardships while working in an Army production camp. Her description reminds one of Siberian memoirs on not such a grand scale, rather a Chinese adaptation.
The author begins by demonstrating her arrogance through stories of her childhood prior to service in the camp, she was selfish and cruel.
She excels as a patriot, and is promoted as a leader within her work group, she doesn't prove to have much compassion for others. Her colors most vividly show in one particular scene; when two people are discovered as lovers meeting in secret (male/female relationships are forbidden), with horrible consequences a result. The author eagerly participated in their punishment, only to suffer deep regret later. However, this experience, the enduring exhaustion of the camp, and lack of personal freedoms brings about a metamorphosis.
She realizes that there is no humanity in Communism, no true accomplishment in which one can truly take pride; her disillusionment brings about her own self-discoveries in the end making her a better person.
I found the narrative honest, in no sense was did it come across as embroidered to make it more compelling.

This book is about the cultural revolution. Through her own difficult hard times, the author tells the story of her and her family from the age of 12-14. This book is great for children and adults. It really tells what happened to family's during the cultural revolution

This was very disappointing -- the "analysis" of Middlemarch. The author simply took all his lectures to college students over the years about his interpretation of Middlemarch.

There are many, many better reviews of Middlemarch. Pass on this one.

Again, I'm not sure if folks realize they are reviewing Middlemarch or the Twayne Study, or if Amazon.com is putting the reviews in the wrong place.

As for the novel Middlemarch itself, yes, it's obviously a book that must be read by anyone serious about literature.

Father of the novel: Cervantes, Don Quixote
Father of the English novel: Defoe
"Father" of the first great modern novel: George Eliot

This is a wonderfully sophisticated, intelligent book with sharp commentary on multiple social issues of her time.(and ours in certain aspects) All of the characters are wonderfully imperfect, restrained and original and are caught in the intriguing webs of dilemmas but their behviors are very coherent with their characters and subcultures. This author truly deserves our utmost respect.

My comments are related only to the electronic version/aspect of this edition of Middlemarch rather than on the classic story. While this edition is readable it's a huge disappointment. There are so many typos that the reader is easily and regularly disturbed by trying to sort out misspellings, missing periods, or mangled sentences and paragraphs. Very unprofessional of Amazon to offer books that haven't been thoroughly edited. Kindle is a wonderful device - why not make sure the books are perfect? Why should a customer expect less in an e-versions than one does in hard copy?

Masterpiece? Greatest English novel? Well, I don't know about that -- it's very good, but it's not perfect. But it is funny, and it's a page-turner. Our heroine, Dorothea, is an intellectual stuck in a very provincial town, and she just wants someone she can have an intelligent conversation with, and whom she can help do some kind of serious work. A very marriageble but not especially bright gentleman courts her, and brings her a puppy as a present. Dorothea doesn't _mean_ to be rude, but she speaks her mind, that she doesn't approve of having pets just to pet them -- she thinks dogs are happiest when they have some serious work to do. I laughed out loud at this point, as at so many others. I know just how she feels! And I also understand the sighs that her friends sighed as they rolled their eyes. That's our Dorothea! The gentleman caller eventually marries Dorothea's sister, and they (and the puppy) live happily ever after. Dorothea lives happily ever after, too, but only after being very, very serious about things for several hundred pages. You'll love her, and you'll laugh all the way.

There are numerous reasons why you should not read George Eliot's epic novel of 19th century life in England, Middlemarch. First of all the book is quite long--700 plus pages depending on the edition. More significantly, the novel largely deals with the romantic, social, cultural and political life of a small English country town during the three years 1829 to 1832, with particular reference to the efforts to pass a Reform Bill. This subject is not likely to be everyone's cup of tea. Thirdly, the book is, to quote Virginia Woolf, "one of the few English novels written for grown up people." It is certainly erudite, but to a large degree it is esoteric as well. The grown up person should also be an English major concentrating on 18th and 19th century British and European literature, with a graduate degree in world history, a familiarity with Greek and Latin literary history, a firm grounding in British 19th century political history, be an expert Trivial Pursuit player and be on intimate terms with at least four George Eliot scholars! The book reads like a college student's term paper in English Lit 101 in which the student tries to impress the professor by using a big word where a small one will do nicely and by using every name and obscure reference the professor alluded to in the lecture in hopes of getting an A. Granted there are footnotes (some 300) in the back of the book to explain the more obscure references, but it is a pain to have to keep flipping back and forth to learn that Tully Veolan is a Perthshire estate in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Waverly, or that Grinling Gibbons was a 17th century sculptor and painter. Finally, given the large cast of characters and the fact that many of them are related to each other it is difficult to keep track of who is who and their relationship to each other. The book would have benefited from a listing of the characters (a practice with many such books of this scope, as for example the works of Dickens).

To be fair, the last half of the novel, when Eliot develops the human drama of the story and moves away from the social and political issues foci is gripping and compelling reading. Some people have criticized this part as being too negative, but it is when people are trying to deal with adversity, in real life and in fiction, that we most associate with them.

The plot centers around the comings and goings of various characters in the community of Middlemarch, but focuses on two main characters. Dorothea Brooke is a young (19), idealistic, religiously devote girl who chooses to marry the Rev. Edward Casaubon, a much older religious scholar of sorts inspired by the idea of developing mentally under the guidance of her wise husband. But Casaubon is a prig, set in his ways, and ultimately the marriage flounders as he is revealed as a venial and jealous man.

The second focus is on Dr. Tertius Lyngate, a young idealist surgeon who comes to Middlemarch and is installed, despite local opposition, as the head of a hospital by a wealthy banker with a dark past which comes back to haunt him. Dr. Lyngate marries Rosamond Vincy, the beautiful daughter of the mayor but that marriage also flounders because of her shallowness and material desires.

Sub plots abound: the affairs of Sir James Chettam, a wealthy neighbor of Dorothea who, after being disappointed in seeking her hand, marries her sister Celia; the political aspirations of Dorothea's uncle; the aspirations of Will Ladislaw, a seeming upstart with an attachment to Dorothea; the affairs of Fred Vincy, a likable but profligate young man who loves Mary Garth an unattractive but good hearted girl; the actions of Peter Featherstone, a rich old man whose money and estate many people aspire to, and ultimately the appearance of his mysterious son; the belated appearance of Mr. Raffles, an unscrupulous man with knowledge of the past that affects several of the characters.

Money and religion seem to be at the heart of most folks in Middlemarch and small town gossip abounds. If this sort of thing, wrapped in eloquent language, is enjoyable reading for you then Eliot's novel will give you hours of pleasure. But given the comments above, I really cannot give it more than three stars.

I read this one in one sitting and absolutely fell in love with the characters. The mystery unfolds gently - layer by layer - and grows more interesting with every page. I cheered for Bernadette and wondered more about Sophia's situation while hoping Heidi would get to the truth. This book had me from the blurb, and I will probably read it again over the holidays.

The book I am reviewing is So. B It. It is written by Sarah Weeks. This is a realistic fiction novel.
This book is about the life of a girl named Heidi. She and her mom showed up on the doorstep of a woman named Bernadette. Bernadette took them in and started taking care of them. The book describes the adventures in the lives of Heidi and her mom.
So B. It is a good book. I like this book because it is somewhat true. But sometimes it does get a little bit boring. I would recommend this book to fifth graders and up who want a good realistic fiction.

So B. It is such a creative story. Telling the story of a girl and her dysfunctional mother, this is the kind of story that makes even the strongest eyes weep like you've just stuck them in a vat of the strongest onion juice.
Okay, that was lame. But, 'So B. It' is an amazing novel, especially to read to classrooms of YA readers. Even some guys I know have read the book and liked it!
'So B. It' is an exceptional book and I would recommend it to anyone. It's a short, quick read, and is definitely worth your time.

My twelve-year-old daughter loved this book and nagged me for months to read it. I wasn't expecting it to be so compelling and rewarding. Sarah Weeks has a great ear and heart, and her characters are eccentric and vividly drawn. I highly recommend this book for teens and their parents.

This book was on a reading list for my teenage daughter. She seemed to enjoy it.

My review for Charles Dickens' David Copperfield is long overdue. A year ago, I finished. This was my 'reality TV'. I spent one or two hours a night, every night, reading this book over three months. If you want characters and a plot that will keep you engaged, look no further.
There's a lot to be said about David Copperfield. The book felt more personal than the other books Dickens wrote. David's plight through life felt identifiable and personal. I got the sense that more of Dickens went into David Copperfield, the character, than any of his other characters.
Throughout his life, David met the good (Micawber, Ham, Peggotty, Clara) and the bad (Uriah Heep, Murdstone and his sister), made sense of it all, but didn't dwell too much on the bad. The bad for him were lessons learned. Hmmmm... Sounds like a lesson for all of us. You think??
Without spoiling the ending, I will say I left the book with a happy feeling.
And... if you find a hardcover copy with the original artwork, this will enhance your enjoyment.
I highly recommend adding David Copperfield to your library.

Charles Dickens' David Copperfield is said to be Dickens' favorite book that he ever wrote. Copperfield's and Dickens' childhoods were classically the same and many critics believe that David Copperfield was actually a Charles Dickens autobiography. He modeled many of the characters in this novel after people he knew; for instance, Micawber was modeled after Dickens' own father who was sent to debtors prison. However, Micawber becomes a humorous, amiable character who was quite different from Dickens' own father. This book is definitely of 5 star quality and I will teach it in my College English classes when I begin teaching.

What could be more prosaic? A physically abused child surmounts all obstacles through diligence, devotion, goodness, and terrific good luck at key moments. But within this simple frame Dickens paints a tapestry of pity and terror and epiphany. To encounter such a broad spectrum of good and evil - the pure femininity of a lover, the earthy sweetness of a nurse, the generosity of a mentor, the frivolity of a sweetheart, parental naivete and cruelty, the destructive arrogance of a best friend, the viciousness of a Uriah Heep - would be an object lesson in Humanity. But we encounter all this each day. This dawns on you with each passing chapter - and that you are confronting yourself as you confront them: Your own evil and your own goodness rising above the shadows. Copperfield is a quick course in religion and philosophy and psychology. By the end, you're transformed vicariously and like David Copperfield dismiss the shadows: "Thus I leave them; thus I always find them; thus they wear their time away, from year to year".

Please note: Dickens is not my favorite author. His style at times is too melodramatic. But David Copperfield is wonderful. If we had only this, it would be clear Dickens was a master who walked the talk. Highly commended even for those who are not Dickens fans.

I have read and listened to many of Dickens' novels, and this is, without a doubt, my favorite. In fact, this is my favorite audiobook bar none.

This BBC Radio adaptation is the perfect introduction to Dickens and to David Copperfield in particular for those who may be dissuaded from reading Copperfield because of its length. It is impossible to imagine that the BBC could have found better performers for the roles--I can easily hear their voices in my mind as I recall the story. Although the story is abridged, you don't get the sense that you are missing any of the important points of the story. In fact, it's a much more satisfying "read" than most books in their unabridged version.

For the price of the Everyman edition, one would expect the pages to be cleanly printed. Instead, the letters are faded and weak on many pages. On many pages, parts of some letters are missing altogether.

This book is a very good read for parents and children to talk about being nice to others, especially others who are different. It has some big words, but nothing too hard to explain. *Possible Spoiler* The ending is sad, so as a parent or teacher you want to be prepared to explain how things wont always end well. I would also advise reading it before hand so you know what's coming and how to best direct it to the child you are going to read to.

I like this book, because it teaches you a good lesson. The lesson of this story is do not tease people because its hurtful. This book is like the Chalk Box Kid.

This was a great book with a perfect lesson about bullying. I read it with my daughters aged 5, 7 and 9. They really got the lesson.

The lesson to be learned from this book is wonderful, poignant, marvelously expressed, and fascinating in the package. Though it was written long ago, it is timeless. The characters are just right for the theme, and the idea of 100 dresses fits the plot beautifully. Our Relief Society (worldwide women's organization) in Albuquerque, NM is collecting 100 dresses with the hope of lifting the hearts of 100 gals of a wide variety of ages and circumstances. This neat story was the inspiration, of course. It ranks right in there with the classics, Ginger Pye and Pinkie Pye, two other treasures.

The Hundred Dresses

I read The Hundred Dresses while I was growing up. Over the years I have often thought of poor Wanda, who wore the same shabby dress, every day to school.

Wanda claimed to have a hundred dresses, all beautiful and all lined up in her closet. Peggy would wait each morning to see Wanda coming from the poor-side-of-town. She would taunt her, "Wanda, tell us about your one hundred dresses. Maddie felt bad going along with Wanda, but she was poor herself and wearing Peggy's hand-me-downs. Maddie was afraid that if she said anything, the teasing would turn to her.

Wanda proudly described her one hundred dresses, the red one, the green one and the blue one. Each of the children wondered why Wanda wore the same dress each day, when she had so many beautiful dresses.

As a young girl from a large family, I wore hand-me-down clothing from others in my school or church. I could relate to Maddie, who didn't like the teasing, but was afraid to speak up.

For a church activity, the church women were given a copy of the book The Hundred Dresses. After reading the book, we would pass on our copy to the next person on the list. One month later, we had an activity where we brought in new or gently used dresses to donate to a women's shelter. The dresses were folded neatly, placed in large, sealed bags and marked with the size. These dresses will be donated to women, so they can look their best while job hunting.

We discussed this book, and how important it is to fit in. We also discussed the importance of acceptance.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat

This is a book I actually prefer to Colfer's Artemis Fowl series (which I never really got into). Maybe it's my obsession with death, but I always love reading a story about a dead person, and the star of this is as fun as they come. A girl is killed in an accident and is caught inbetween heaven or hell--not bad or good enough for either. So there is something of, well, a debate for her soul, and heaven will come if she can grant the final wishes of an old man. The relationship between the two characters is sweet and eventually turns into a father/daughter scenario, and the wishes are fun and touching--heck, some of them practically demand to be made into a movie. I also enjoyed the extra view of the almost-friendship between two representatives of Heaven and Hell. It's a sweet and practical view of the afterlife written with sure Colfer wry.

One of the few books that I've read twice. This book is one of my personal favorites, its light, funny and fun.

I enjoyed every minute of this book as did everyone I've lent it to. I can't wait to get it back so I can read it again.

This book, while not a heavy hitter, was a fun read with some poignant moments. Meg is a sympathetic character, and her path to (personal growth and) redemption is an enjoyable and significant process. Didn't drag, and had some interesting social commentary.

Before Artemis Fowl Colfer wrote a few books. This is one of them. It has a very Irish Christian view of the afterlife, the one handed down over the generations and seen on some films and tv shows. In the grand tradition of many of these it has the agents of the Devil and the agents of God fighting over a soul.

At first glance you have to wonder why it is that Meg Finn wouldn't go to hell, after all she died in an explosion while her partner-in-crime, Belch Brenann and his pit bull Raptor, tried to threaten her, after breaking into an old guys house. As the story unfolds you discover that in fact this was her first venture into crime and she had been treated badly by her step-father, leading her down the path towards uncaring and crime.

She has a chance to redeem herself, to bring her soul from balance between good and evil and commit to good. Help Lowrie McCall, the man they were trying to rob, fulfill his dreams. Lowrie and Meg go around Ireland to do this and find themselves learning more about themselves and about their lives that possibly they thought they would.

It's not heavy, it is cliched, but I enjoyed it as a fantasy story.

i had read artemis fowl and i expected the wish list to be just as good, but it was very disappointing. the devils are fun, but the main character isn't very likable. i didn't really care if she went to heaven or not. there was also this whole build-up about the horrible thing she did to her stepfather. i expected it to be twisted, but it wasn't that bad. it also seemed like the author avoided some big issues with her stepfather.