EH Books

This is a wonderfull book with a great message. Got this for my grand daughter & she loved the book as much as I did years ago.

If you want to give your imagination a little workout, this is a fun read.

I was born in late 1970s. And a full 15 years to read & write English fairly well. That makes it around 1991. I picked up this book at a used book store in India when I was 16 years old. I was able to read it in under 30 minutes. But from then onwards I've bought at least 3 copies of this book and have read it umpteen number of times.

The book had a huge impact in shaping my outlook to life, instilling and reinforcing my desire to be better at what I do [its quite another thing whether I was able to achieve it :)]. I guess its important that you have lofty goals. Aim for the stars may be you'll reach 100 feet into the air. May be you'll learn to fly - if not like Livingston Seagull - at least like his lousy flying brethern.

Along with Ayn Rand, I'd rate Bach's this work at the very top of what one should read in one's formative years.

I'm a Software Developer by profession and I at least once in a day think: It always works, when you know what you're doing.

God they say is a process. JLS is a simple overview of the process. It shows the struggle to achieve oneness with the godself and having achieved it what to do with it. Do we stay in the oneness or elect to help other people find the path to this oneness.

JLS elects to go back and show others the way to the one. It is simply written but it illuminates a number of spritual truths one of course being -- IT IS A LONELY PATH HOME!!!

Nice to read that again, reminded me of many happy hours spent during my student days, back in the 70's. The cover had changed slightly from what I remember...must be a re-issue...unless I remember the colours brighter, but the message is still the same. Well worth a read for anybody seeking direction.

I'd been wanting to read this book for a while, having already sampled most of Murakami Haruki's work, and since I'd heard that this was his best work I was naturally compelled. Yet the reports were mixed - some non-Japanese had devoured it, while some Japanese had found it dull as hell. Certainly, it presents a very complete world, which not ever book can accomplish.

The book is very Murakami in the way that it shows a man - very dull, quite ordinary, yet somehow unconventional in his thinking and motivations - thrust into an odd situation where he must solve riddles, learn about other-worldly things that connect him with a fantastic history, while he makes sense of trauma in his own life. And what is that trauma? Like so many other Murakami characters, his relationship with his wife has deteriorated, and then one fine day she just disappears (can Murakami not find something else to write about?). Along the the journey he half-heartedly undertakes to find his wife, he meets many strange women. Okay. And why do we care?

The more interesting part of the book deals with a Japanese soldier who is stationed in Manchuria during World War II and the hell that he endured there. That might have made an interesting book standing on its own.

The book was published in three parts in Japan. I find the first two parts more interesting. In the third part, he abandons some of the characters, and moves on with others. I don't find this improves the book, and by the conclusion I am only partially fulfilled. Still, he does a good job of NOT tying the strings together, and building a metaphor/allegory of post-war Japan.

This book was truly gave me the bang for my buck!

I purchased this item around the early winter (December-January) of 2007, and finished it November 15 of 2008. (Yes I know I'm a very slow reader). However part of this had to do with the fact that I had almost given up on the book, I'd say around the half way mark.

So why did I give this book a five star? Should the fact that I almost gave up on the book send a message saying that: "if it doesn't hold your interest than the purpose of the book has failed you?"

I say absolutely not. I just gave the book time. After picking it up from where I left off, it slowly trudged it's way back into a great book. Sure there were what appeared to be "slow parts" or "irrelevant chapters", but everything by the end of the book grew on me.

I was surprised myself reading whole paragraphs or even pages, just describing certain things whether it be expressions people had on their faces, tones of voice, or descriptions of clothing. All of this made the characters and environments seem all the more real.

However not so much problems I had with the book, but questions. (SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!!!!)

1. Who was the boy looking at the men with shovels?
2. Why did Malta Kano test Toru's drinking water?
3. When did Toru get cut with a knife near the end of the book?

These questions however don't take away from the experience of the book. If anything the many different stories (such as the one in the first question), only enhance it.

If anyone if considering giving up on the book because it's getting slow, DON'T. This book will not fail you. You'll take away so much from this book, the characters, events, and emotions in this book will be with you for the rest of your life!

Excellent book. Very surreal writing. Murakami is probably my favorite author and this may be his best work.

Haruki Murakami has always been a favorite author of mine, and The Wind Up Bird Chronicle is a perfect culmination of every element of his work. He includes mystery, love, sex, politics, history, intrigue, philosophy, and more in this novel to make it a book that is nearly impossible to describe.

As Toru Okada finds himself searching for his missing cat, and soon, his missing wife, Kumiko, the reader is taken on Toru's personal journey by meeting several characters during the search. The lustful and intriguing Kano sisters, the subconsciously insightful Nutmeg and Cinnamon Akasaka, and the evil Noboru Wataya all shift the direction of Toru Okada's life in such a way that the reader finds her/himself also on this journey determined by outside forces. Through all of this though, Toru maintains his goal of finding his wife, and the delightful conclusions to this tale leave the reader questioning every aspect of her or his own life.

Just as Murakami's characters each experience the influence of a certain "something" in this novel, the reader is able to relate to a certain "something" in each of the characters. For some reason, Murakami is able to draw in his reader by using, quite possibly, the most obscure noun possible: something. It's not a frustrating ambiguity, but a helpful one. I loved it.

The common theme of defiling also forces the reader to question external forces that are unwelcome in our lives. This book manages to be philosophical without being obnoxious or trying too hard.

Also, May Kasahara. In my eyes, a perfect character, perfectly written with every flaw out in the open. I looked forward to the sections involving her.

I have a difficult time describing this book and every aspect of it, so all I can say is read it and judge for yourself. You'll be missing out on an amazing piece of work if you decide otherwise.

This is Murakami's masterpiece, it's everything they say, hypnotic, surreal, thought-provoking, mysterious and highly entertaining. I have a theory that the folks that realize Murakami's talent but still didn't give a good review are the type who want everything explained and resolved in easily understood and satisfying ways. I think that some people feel unsatisfied if an author doesn't come up with pat explanations for everything. I think that takes away from the fun of thinking and contemplating the mysteries presented for yourself, and is less realistic. As Alan Moore writes through the character of Hollis Mason in his great graphic novel, "Watchmen" "Real life is messy, inconsistent, and it's seldom when anything ever really get's resolved. It's taken me a long time to realize that." I think people can enjoy great modern authors like Murakami if they don't think it's his job or purpose as a writer to explain everything to them. Rather if he gets you to think and wonder about the nature of life and reality while entertaining you at the same time, he should be thanked for doing a great job.

Wherein the pace picks up, as the separated Baudelaires learn more about their parents and find the presumed-dead third triplet in the Quagmire line, in the course of which learning that there have been more than one fire that a presumed-dead victim could have survived, and the reunited Baudelaires are left hurtling down Stricken Stream out of the cold Mortmaint Mountains.

Followed by: The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11)

I really believe this is where the series begins to get a lot of its juice and lets the plot go full-speed. Excellent pacing and marvelous emotion and thoughts, as well as all the necessary action and quirkiness. I wouldn't say it's my favorite, and I have absolutely loved the series up to this point, but as far as plot-writing goes, this is where the books take off.

Slippery Slope is a good book. I would recommend it if you like books that are mysteries. This book is the 10th one in the Series of Unfortunate Events written by Lemony Snicket. I think the book would only make sense to you if you've read the other books in the series. The characters and events that happened in the other books are important to know before you read The Slippery Slope. The story seemed too predictable for me. The book is 337 pages long and didn't have a lot of action so it moved too slow.

My favorite book is The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket. It is a mystery about good vs. evil. My favorite character is sunny. She is a little baby who loves to bite and is always helping them get out of trouble with her very sharp teeth.
The author's writing style is smart because she makes them get out of traps in smart ways and she leaves lot's of suspense.
I love this book because at the end of each chapter you can't put it down; you want to keep reading. The further you get' the better the book gets. That is why I like the The Slippery Slope and other series of unfortunate Events books. Recommended to all readers.

The Slippery Slope is "Book the Tenth" in the Series of Unfortunate Events featuring the Baudelaire orphans. Count Olaf has kidnapped the youngest orphan, Sunny, and Violet and Klaus must try to find a way to save themselves as well as catch up to Olaf and reclaim their sister. But they find themselves alone and without resources in the cold and scary Mortmain Mountains. To make matters worse, they are not sure to where Olaf has escaped. First they are attacked by snow gnats that sting for no reason, then they run into the horrible Carmelita who made their lives so miserable when they attended Prefrock Prepatory School. But all is not bad as they meet a mystery friend that comes to their aid and turns out to be an unexpected ally. But will the new friendship be enough to overcome Olaf and his evil henchman who grow in number with every installment in the series?

After a stretch of books that dragged, the tenth book finally picks the pace back up. It is clear that the plot is beginning to reach a climax and the story excites the reader to continue. The beginnings of the overall theme are finally coming together and mysteries are being revealed. However, just as it is for the Baudelaire children, the more mysteries that are solved, the more mysteries that evolve.

This series remains a highly imaginative and well written series. Unfortunately it dipped in the middle, but it seems to be making a comeback that will hopefully continue right through "Book the Thirteenth."

This is the first of Sarah Dessen's that I've read, and I'll definitely be reading more of her books in the future. I REALLY liked the style of the book, the way she wrote these characters, and the story here. I mean, this woman knows how to write teens in a way that many authors do not. Every word was just so completely real. It hasn't been too long since my teen years (I'm 24) and I can easily imagine how my friends and I would have felt and behaved in a situation similar to the one in the book, and what I imagine is pretty darn close to the way Halley and Scarlett were. I'm not going to lie to you people - the ending to this one totally made me cry. I have a love/hate relationship with books making me cry - on the one hand, it means that I got emotionally involved and really felt for the characters, which means it was probably a really good book; on the other hand, I don't much enjoy crying, especially if it's about something sad. I'm not going to spoil the ending, but let's just say that in this case, it was a worthy cry, and not one I felt resentment about. Go read this book, especially if you are a YA fan - it's a very good one.

I wasn't happy when I started reading this book becuase I figured out that this book is the same as the movie How to Deal with Mandy Moore in it. Character names and all. I thought that this book was a waste of money.

After reading The Truth About Forever, I backtracked to Sarah Dessen's second published novel, Someone Like You. Thinking back on this, I probably should have at least waited a day before plowing into more Dessen books, because I couldn't help making comparisons and switching so quickly between first person books can be disorienting. Of course, that didn't stop me in the least.

Someone Like You is very much an early novel, filled with firsts for Halley and her best friend, Scarlett. First relationships, first sexual encounters, first parties...right down to first pregnancies. This legion of firsts quickly pile up as an obstacle course for Halley and Scarlett's friendship, testing it to its limits as lifelong best friends switch roles and navigate through high school life with a baby on the way. Scarlett is the bold one, and Halley is the shy one, both suffering through reversals of very unexpected proportions, and while their circumstances shove them into different roles they are still very much pressing on each other and depending on each other at the same time. Halley is going through her first relationship with bad boy Macon, the best friend of Scarlett's unborn baby's deceased father (that, is quite a mouthful), and feeling the pressures of giving in to his relentless need for sex. Scarlett, with enough experience behind her to know better, stands as Halley's obvious moral compass, much to everyone's distress. When things start to come apart, the baby is on its way, and friendship is certainly the one thing that is going to keep them both on their feet.

This isn't as well done as The Truth About Forever, with a rushed ending only the miracle of birth can supply. Halley and Macon's relationship is left teetering on a cliff of will they/won't they, leaving it up to the readers as to where Halley stands on the issue. The book is mainly Scarlett and Halley, as it should be, and their new addition to the party. Which is just fine, just not as satisfying as it could have been in the end.

Have you ever had a friend who cared so much about you and would do anything for you? Well that's what the relationship between the main character (Halley) and her best friend (Scarlett).
Halley and Scarlett have been best friends since Elementary School, and now they are teenagers struggling through high school. With Halley getting a new boyfriend and the death of Scarlett's boyfriend there is a lot of drama surrounding the town of Lakeview. But there is quite a surprise that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This realistic-fiction book will take you for a full roller coaster ride.
I thought this book was good. It wasn't a book that you knew what was going to happen. It wasn't too wordy where your tongue would get twisted; there were enough words for you to visualize and not overwhelm you. I would recommend this book for young adults. It has situations that teens deal with today and I think they would make a good connection with the book. I also liked that the book was a good length, it wasn't too short or too long. It was just right.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the summary on the back of the book. It gave away too much information, which ended up ruining the big surprise of the book. So if you were to read the book, which I highly recommend, then don't read the back of the book you will enjoy it more.
Overall I thought Sarah Dessen did a good job writing the book. So if you're a teeny bopper looking for a good book to read then read Someone Like You!

Love this book. Sarah Dessen is one talented writer. The story is captivating, truthful, and realistic. Funny, sad, and all together great!

The DragonLance world began back in 1984 when Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman wrote Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the first volume of the Chronicles trilogy. The book was an immediate hit with me and with millions of other readers. It has been followed by numerous other books with most of them being great fun to read and a few being somewhat hit or miss. We were introduced then to Tanis, Sturm, Raistlin, Caramon, Flint, Tas, Riverwind, Goldmoon, and numerous other memorable characters.
I just recently obtained the books from Margaret Weis' latest trilogy, The Dark Disciples. These three books are a continuation of the story of the mysterious Mina that was first told in The War of Souls trilogy by Weis and Hickman. It had been a few years since I read The War of Souls books so I decided to go back through them again.
Dragons of a Fallen Sun is the first volume in The War of Souls Trilogy. It was published in early 2000, but it still holds up well today. We are introduced to Mina without having any clear idea of who she is. We meet some of our old friends again - Caramon, Tas, Laurana, and Goldmoon, for example. We watch battles involving dragons, elves, ogres, a minotaur, griffons, mages, knights... The list could go on. We struggle to understand the implications of time travel. We laugh as Tas is up to his usual kender hijinks. I don't think that it would be fair for me to go into the plot of the tale. Basically, anyone who has been a fan of DragonLance should have an extremely good time reading this book.
It is really a good feeling to know that I still have five books to go before I reach the end of these two trilogies. On now to Dragons of a Lost Star.

Long, long ago, I abandoned the Dragonlance books, as they seemed too numerous and overexposed. But recently, I picked this book up.

Wow.

The storytelling is just fantastic. The interwoven plots are skillfully paced and after a while, I simply could not put it down, dying to see what was coming next.

If you are reading this, it is DEFINITELY worth giving a try.

I was a huge fan of the original Dragonlance Trilogy and the Twins Trilogy. Both of those were great!

However, this book is incredibly slow and NONE of the characters are interesting. They aren't heroic, villainous, funny, inspiring, or charismatic.

For hundreds of pages, they tell you that something is going to happen and they keep telling you that something is going to happen. I'd rather read about something happening. Preferably something exciting.

Where is the chemistry bewteen characters?
Where are the epic battles?
Where are the breath-taking landscapes?
Where is the action?

Oh, yeah... in the first 6 books, but not in this one.

Unless you are a serious die hard fan of Dragonlance, avoid this book.

It helps if you have read the Time of the Twins series, but not necessary, I hadn't but i could still follow the story very well. Fast read as it is very intriuging and entertaining.

I'm going to echo what I've read other people write about the series: the quality of the writing really went downhill since the last time I read a book by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It reminded me of the difference between the beginning of the Death's Gate Cycle and the end, when they seemed to be rushing through details to finish. I don't know if they needed to be edited a bit more or if they just focused too much on trying to move forward the overly-complicated plot and not enough on the actual writing. The second novel of this trilogy, "Dragons of a Lost Star," is by far the best: unfortunately, you have to get through the 600+ of "Dragons of a Fallen Sun" to get there. The characters are largely uninteresting and unlikeable. In fact, the only reason I liked "Lost Star" as much as I did is that Laurana play such a prominent role; but, I'm invested in Lauarana only from her role in the other DL books not from anything the authors have done here. The final book, "Dragons of a Vanished Moon," had a meandering plot and an ending that seemed completely contrived and overly simplistic. All in all, I should've just stopped with "Dragons of Summer Flame" and called my time on Krynn done.

I read this with my son for 7th grade and we both enjoyed it very much.

when i first read 'pictures of hollis woods', i was just starting seventh grade. i think that the main character not being able to fit in with the orphanages she goes to can also apply to teenage life, in a sense. some teens cant fit in with other classmates or friends, and they could kind of, confide, if you will, in hollis' character.
i also think its nice how the book goes from hollis' life with josie, and then to flashbacks, which help explain the book more fully.
all in all, its a good book; its worth the read.

Orphaned Hollis Woods seems destined to spend the rest of her childhood bouncing from one foster home to another. When she lands in the care of an elderly art teacher, Hollis begins to relax in the gentle and encouraging home. As Hollis's love for her new foster mother, Josie, grows, so does her awareness that Josie is losing her faculties - a fact which must be hidden from the dreaded caseworker's watchful eye. Interwined in the story of the present, Hollis reminisces through her artwork of the past that depicts another home that was dearly cherished. The pictures tell a tale of love, the hope of a family, and the shattered dream under mysterious circumstances. Will Hollis lose yet another loved one as her caretaker mentally fades? Why did Hollis leave the family she'd wished for? Will her caseworker succeed in finding Hollis a forever home? These questions will compel the reader to know the conclusions and hope for happiness for Hollis at last.

Wow, is the book over already? If you're looking for an outstanding book, I would definitely highly recommend the book called "Pictures of Hollis Woods". It is about a girl named Hollis. She is a foster child. Hollis runs away from almost every family she is brought to, even the family called Regans, who were respsecful and treated her like their real child. She is finally sent to a lady named Josie. After staying a while, she is pretty sure this is her future-to stay with Josie. This book is a book you wouldn't regret reading. Everyone would enjoy it. It's one of those books that warms your heart after reading every last word. This book is awesome. If you ever need to pick up a book and you don't know what to read, here's your answer; "Picture of Hollis Woods". See, it's only 4 words! So pick up the book and enjoy. You won't regret it!

Hollis is the girl every educator and social worker experiences frustration with. This story paints the entire picture of a troubled child's life and what it takes to "fix it." Often what kids need isn't something they can find in school. Every teacher and social worker should read this book!

Given her background--a television starlet, who didn't quite make it to the top--it was impossible that Jacqueline Susann had written a novel. It was even more impossible that she had written anything worth reading. However, as it figures out, Jacqueline Susann didn't care about logic, and instead of the smutty predecessor of the modern chick lit novel, we get a socially conscious, audaciously feminist literary novel underneath the veil of a roman á clef in the now infamous and classic 1966 Valley of the Dolls. Chronicling the lives of three friends in a twenty year period, from 1945 to 1965, as they strive to reach the top in the social world of men, Susann's novel is stirring and beckons the reader to turn the page--again and again. Yet most striking, and what makes its readers continue, are her characters: Anne, the plainly beautiful protagonist who just wants to make a life of her own; Neely, a small but powerful lady with a voice to match; and Jennifer, the gorgeous lady who wields her power with her youthful body, all of whom are drawn out so completely, in their flaws, perfections, and most of all their power and claim to it, that readers have not choice but to believe and most importantly care. Simply put, Susann is a masterful storyteller. Running through the plot are themes of woman empowerment, the ability to choose, and the disdainful society treat women who have mastered these concepts. Sadly, this is lost in Susann's legacy of shock and scandal and perhaps at her sometimes (very) unskillful and clumsy writing, or as Truman Capote phrased it "typing." However, in the same vain that Jennifer Weiner claimed that chick lit was an elitist term, perhaps holding and labeling Susann's novel as merely romance (which is it not for many reasons) and popular literature of no use for serious readers is an elitist practice that bars us from socially active literature such as this 400-page volume of a story.

Not overly impressed - disgusted by the way the women allowed men to use them - all I can say is eeeeeehhh...

This was one of those books where I wanted to go back and re-read it immediately. However, I don't re-read books back-to-back, so alas, I'm going to have to wait to do that. Needless to say, I loved this book.

Valley of the dolls follows three women--Anne, Neely, and Jennifer--over the course of twenty years, as they rise through the ranks of the entertainment industry, eventually becoming addicted to "dolls"--sleeping pills, you name it, they take it. The result is heartbreaking and tragic.

Ultimately about female friendship and love for a city (New York), Valley of the Dolls is the kind of book that stays with you for a long, long time after you read it. I recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of Sex And The City--so much of that show's premise is based around the same kind of themes as this book. Valley of the Dolls has been called chick lit, but its so much that that.

To encounter this book in 2007 is to be reminded why women needed a feminist movement to self-actualize and appreciate that they did not need a man to fulfill their destinies or validate their worth. The book is...tres yucky on other levels, as well. The writing has an adolescent twang that is grating and inescapable; the author's inability to render the characters with any depth results in cardboard facsimiles of characters that are not believable and impossible to care about; the circumstances the characters find themselves in are so utterly cliche as to be ridiculous. Enough already with the pills! This is even worse than "The Nanny Diaries" or "The Devil Wears Prada" - my first and last forays into contemporary chick lit. What a bore! Campy? Creepy! Not even ironic. Moronic, perhaps. Back to the Goodwill bookshelf from whence you came, dolls.

On the back of the book, there is a quote by a reviewer who spouts that most tired of cliches "I literally couldn't put it down" or something liked that. For once, I'd have to agree wholeheartedly - 450 pages and never a dull moment. The prose is lively, sensitive and articulate. The story itself - the trials and tribulations of three women in the entertainment industry over a 20 year period - captivating and engaging. Also dug the way Susann rejects explicit sex scenes and places sexual/personal politics in its place. Makes the whole thing far more believable and realistic (plus her ability to write 'romantic' scenes is more cheesy than sexual as the few ill-advised attempts here seem to confirm).

Actually, Valley Of The Dolls (the book, not the film) reminded me of Goodfellas in a way which may sound like a bizarre comparison but it has that same quasi-documentary feel, a whirlwind tour of 20 years in the lives of a small microcosm of people. Like the Scorsese masterpiece, significant events occur, are pondered briefly and then swiftly forgotten in a heady rush to get to the end of the gals' glamorous/sordid lives.

If there are drawbacks, it's to do with inconsistent characterisations. People's personas suddenly change totally at various points in the book and at times you feel as though you're dealing with a totally different person. Also, Susann doesn't seem to like her characters equally, or she starts with a concept about them (Jennifer) and gets bored midway through and ceases to bother developing them after a while. Of the three main characters, it's clearly Neely who seems to interest Susann most and she gets quite deeply into her. But I think it's at the expense of the other characters and does weaken the novel if we were to look at it from a technical standpoint (which I don't). On the plus side, super-tuff ending! Why don't we ever get stuff like this in the movies!?! Very dark and downbeat, again giving it a more realistic tinge.

Finally, don't dismiss this as chick lit or proto-feminism etc or whatever crass marketing terms are currently in vogue to describe writing by women. This is a great novel in its own right and just cos its written by a girl doesn't necessarily mean its FOR girls. Women may be the central characters in this tale of the ups and downs of the post-war showbiz world, but ultimately, it's a book about people.

So read it, everyone!

"Complete Sherlock Holmes" contains all the Sherlock Holmes stories.

I enjoyed Sherlock Holmes as a teenager and as a young adult and still dip into a Holmes mystery once in a while. Arthur Conan Doyle created a unique and enduring character when he first wrote of Sherlock Holmes.

However, I do not give these stories that one extra star because some of the stories just do not have any of the magic of the best of the stories.

If this book is taken in big, fast, gulps, the reader may tire of Sherlock's less social traits. I think this collection is best if taken a little at a time. There are some terrific stories here. But, if you insist on devouring several stories at a sitting, the terrific stories will not seem as terrific when ingested along with some of the less terrific stories and things may get confused in your head.

Do read the book.

This is an awesome book. It comes in hardback for a great price and it is huge. I already owned the 1st volume of sherlock holmes too.
The only dispute I had was that this volume and the first volume overlap.
So up to page like 400 or something were stories I had already read in the first volume. But, the second half of the book were stories I had never read, and all in all it was a satisfactory product.

As a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I really liked reading the four novels and fifty-six short stories contained in this book. However, the type is smaller than I would have liked so if you have poor vision I would advise you purchase the novels separately. Also, after reading through the book a second time, the binding started to warp and a few pages came out. Therefore, if you plan to give this book a lot of use, it might not last.

This is a classic. Sherlock Holmes is my favorite detective of all time and this book will have a permanent place in my library. I do not mind the small print. I love the convenience of having all his works in one volume.

Here, in a single volume authorized by the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, are the definitive versions of the 56 short stories and four novels about Doyle's most famous literary character, Sherlock Holmes. Together, the stories and novels comprise what is still the finest collection of English language detective fiction in existence. Sherlock Holmes, whose first appearance in print was in 1887, continues to fill the public mind as the iconic private detective. Holmes and his friend and collaborator Dr. Watson enjoy a continuing existence in various film adaptations of the original stories, most notably Grenada Television's recent series starring Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke.

This volume opens with an excellent introductory essay by Christopher Morley, which puts both the Holmes legend and his creater in perspective. Following is the initial Holmes story, "A Study in Scarlet", which introduces us to Dr. Watson, formerly a medical officer in the British Army, now on half-pay convalescence as a result of a wound suffered in Afghanistan. Dr. Watson needs a roommate. A mutual aquaintance introduces him to one Sherlock Holmes, a self-styled consulting detective. Watson becomes interested in one of Holmes'cases, and we the readers are off and running. After "The Sign of Four", the "Adventures" and the "Memoirs", Conan Doyle tried to kill off his very popular character to make room for other literary projects. Popular pressure compelled Doyle to resurrect Holmes, who went on to star in the "Return", "The Hound of the Baskervilles", "The Valley of Fear", "His Last Bow", and "The Casebook."

The formula is familiar to Sherlock Holmes fans. A card, letter, or visitor to 221-B Baker Street typically introduces a new case with some unusual or bizarre element worthy of the eccentric Holmes's special skills and collaboration with Dr. Watson, his endlessly patient friend and nominal biographer to the British public. The story settings are typically London or some private home or school in England; two stories have flashback settings in the United States. If the stories are very much set in late Victorian and Edwardian England, they continue to translate well to a modern audience.

For this reviewer, perhaps the quintessional story is the short novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles" with its plot of a ancient family seemingly haunted by a deadly curse involving a spectral hound that turns out to have a very real presence in the physical world. This novel nicely balances first person and epistolatory narrative by Dr. Watson, building from the initial scenes in London to a thrilling climax on remote and wild Dartmoor.

This complete collection of Sherlock Holmes is very highly recommended to fans of the famous detective and to those persons who so far know Holmes only through movies or the TV series.

This book was just AWESOME! I had actually seen it on television, saying something about Clive Barker doing the artwork in it. I found it in my local library and just could NOT put it down. I'm used to Clive Barker being for an older audience, but when I read the book as a teen, it was EXTRMELY easy to follow and understand. It read like a kid's book, but had a story beyond that. It had me on the edge of my seat [and on my teacher's last nerve].

A friend of mine bought it for me for a present. It's one of my favorite gifts. I don't think my copy even has creases in it LOL.

"The Thief of Always" is deeply creepy. A young boy is persuaded to visit at Holiday House by a stranger called Rictus, where every day has all the fun of childhood's favorite holidays. As days go on, there is some really fishy about what is happening to his friends there.

Toned down from Clive Barker's most powerful horror, "Thief of Always" demonstrated the author's ability to inspire dread and unease by tapping into the common underlying existiential fears. To heck with the big words, Clive Barker uses lots of little bits of imagery to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Everything about Rictus seems too good to be true, but slightly wrong. Everything about Holiday House seems too good to be true, but slightly wrong. The depth of wrongness emerges as the tale goes on.

I enjoyed it, but it was written for tweens and teens. I'm not sure that the best balance between character development, plot development, and writing for younger folks was struck, but it was still pretty darn good.

E. M. Van Court

I've enjoyed other Clive Barker works. Recently a fellow teacher recommended The Thief of Always as a read aloud. I needed something that would keep the students interested and open them up to new ideas. This book fits that bill.

I just finished reading it myself and I can't wait to read it to them. I was hanging on every chapter; I think the students will be as well.

Once again Clive Barker has taken me on an amazing journey, perfect for adults and children (10+) alike. Definate recommendation.

Ten-year-old Harvey is bored. He is sitting in his bedroom one February afternoon, watching the rain outside, feeling as bored as he's ever felt. He feels like he might die of boredom. Then, to his surprise, a little person flies through his window. This little man promises Harvey a wonderful vacation where he'll have lots and lots of fun--as long as he doesn't ask any questions. Harvey isn't quite sure about going with the man.

However, a week later, the man shows back up and Harvey decides that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go with him just for a little while. So Harvey walks with him across town through a high wall that isn't really a wall, into a place of magic. Here, at the Holiday House, everyone gives Harvey everything he's ever wanted. Every day holds all of the seasons--in the morning it's like springtime, in the afternoon it's summer, in the early eveing it's fall and time to go trick-or-treating, and in the later evening it's winter and Christmastime. There are two other children there with Harvey--Wendell and Lulu. Lulu, though, has started to go a little bit crazy, so Harvey and Wendell don't spend much time with her.

Harvey intends to only stay at the Holiday House for a few days, but after a couple of reassuring phone calls to his parents when they tell him they want him to stay, he begins to relax. However, he shouldn't relax too much. There are some strange things going on at the Holiday House that aren't fun and exciting. Will Harvey figure out what is going on in time to escape?

I liked the whole idea of the Holiday House--what a perfect vacation spot for little children! I also liked the characters of Rictus, Jive, Marr and Carna. They embodied all characteristics that would be useful for keeping children there. I thought a couple of things weren't believable, though. Harvey seemed to have an undue attachment to Lulu. He barely even knew her, but he was very concerned about her, more so than most ten-year-olds would be. I also didn't buy Harvey's thievery toward the end of the story. It seemed less possible than the rest of the story.

This is a great book. It really gives you the insight into our government that no one really knows unless you're the one making the decisions. I would recommend it to anyone that is a narcissistic about the American government and wants to know the truth about the last couple of hundred years with our foreign policy. It's a must read!

Chock full of useful and valuable information of how the USA grew to its present state of preeminence on the world stage. Great reference book for those who want to educate others who think America always does the "right thing".

Hawaii, Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Vietnam, Iran, Guatemala, Chile, Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan, and of course Iraq. 14 nations. Iraq was not the first "preemptive war". The justifications varied but basically it goes down like this: There is a perceived threat to US business interests, this is covered up and the press is fed a story about a great humanitarian mission and/or the protection American lives and security of our nation. What is shocking is that in every single case the imminent threat to the US was false and yet the media dutifully recycles the same old lines everytime. And what's more striking, even mind-boggling, is part of this regime change pattern are "unintended consequences" and ultimate disaster.

Americans tend to think America's history is an exception to the rest of the world. To be sure America's history is special in some regards, but of course our nation has been all too typical in many others. Maybe it isn't a surprise they don't teach the kids in school this stuff. Distasteful episodes are briefly mentioned in a text or in classroom discussion, sugar coated, explained away, or presented as an anomaly. But can we now admit it is more important than ever for citizens to come to terms with the past? Isn't it more clear than ever we cannot afford to go about business as usual?

I agree that it is useful that Stephen Kinzer is not labeled a "lefty" or radical because it is simply impossible for many people, especially in the media, to listen to such non-respectable leftwing crazies from the fringes. Too bad since many writers have been covering ad nauseam all that Kinzer does in _Overthrow_. But, hey, what matters is that people start paying attention, right? Stephen Kinzer has the right credentials, having won an award and worked for the New York Times (the NYT is sadly a bastion of the radical left now according to many patriotic conservatives so it will take writers from various backgrounds to reach the public I guess). Kinzer does have a truly winning style. I've seen him speak on Book TV a couple times and he's quite engaging and not depressing in the least! And this I think is key. Often commentators that are alerting the public, or at least speaking to their choir, are a bit depressing. Or well they might not have that optimistic, cheerful, American can-do spirit. Kinzer has this quality about him, that despite America's past failings we're still a great nation. In anycase, he's a good writer.

I just started reading this book & have read about 100 pages. This book gives a great overview of US involvement & its motive behind overthrowing other governments. I think, it will be a great read to get a good perspective on the past and present.

Those high school and college history classes that cast the USA in a glowing llight are called to question by Kinzer. Here we find the extent to which commercial interests have dominated foreign policy. To this domination we add a huge dose of stupidity and a ton of arrogance. This will give the recipe for USA regime change operations in foreign lands. Details are included along with excellent documentation.