On-the-tape

In *All but My Life*, Gerda Weissmann Klein tells us the story of a young girl forced into the events of the Nazi Holocaust. The story of a family torn apart never to see one another again. The story of Nazi work camps and death camps and seemingly endless inhumanity. Sadly, this story was her own.

Klein provided a heartwrenching account of the events leading from her teens to her adult years. We met her family, lived vicariously through her relationships with friends and neighbors and hoped and prayed the Nazis never capturedd the Weissmanns. But the inevitable occurred.

Over the years that Gerda was a prisoner of the Nazis, we learned of the unspeakable acts the Germans performed. And we cried with Gerda through her experiences. And we finally felt the joy of freedom and the love relationship that ensued.

*All but My Life* should go up on our shelves next to *Schindler's List* and *The Diary of Anne Frank*. It's an absolute must read and a classic. Thank you, Gerda, for showing all of us what must not ever happen again.

On the hot June day that Gerda Weissmann left her home for the last time, her father insisted that she wear her hiking boots. Gerda resisted, but an unspoken plea in her father's eye convinced her to strap them on. During a death march from January through April of 1945, those boots saved Gerda Weissmann's life. Many other women died of cold and starvation, but most fell for simple lack of footwear. Her camp sister, with whom she survived the worst horrors in several concentration and slave labor camps, died of exhaustion at a water pump minutes after American liberators freed the women from the march.

Ms. Klein's tale about her boots, screened at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, led me to her book. I wanted to know every detail--although, over the years, I have been privileged to hear many personal accounts from Holocaust survivors I know. Too many still cannot not speak about what they lived through. Millions never had the chance at all. By itself, the silence of the majority makes Ms. Klein's testimony priceless, like every other personal Holocaust chronicle. So does her reminder not to take anything for granted. So does her gem of a soul. Alyssa A. Lappen

This book was assigned by my English teacher. The first page, i thought of reading it as a chore. After that, i couldnt put it down. i read the whole thing in two days. It was remarkable!! This showed what the Holocaust was really about. The Holocaust wasn't just about the millions of Jews that were killed- it was about real people being killed, real people losing all hope to live, among Gerda. When liberation day came around, it didn't mean much. The very few survivors still had a life to rebuild. Gerda told her own remarkable story of what happened to her. Gerda goes from camp to camp, hardship to hardship, but learning valuable lessons about life in gerneral on the way. This book deserves way more than 5 stars- everyone should read it.

John Walsh is a man of tremendous courage. He has helped countless victims, and in this book, he gives his own heartbreaking story. I cried when I watched the movie on TV, but the book gives all the details that a movie simply cannot. Everyone who cares about children should read this book, whether you are a parent or not. Reve Walsh went shopping at a local mall, and let Adam play in the toy department while she quickly went to pick up something. That is when a pedophile got a hold of Adam and took him. John takes us through this miserable journey of searching for Adam, and then the horror of learning about the way he was killed (they only found Adam's head). We find out how little law enforcement did in those days for missing children, and how one man, John Walsh, fought to change those laws. Many people would have had nervous break-downs if they went through what John Walsh did, but he chose to fight for all missing kids instead. He also gives advice to parents about keeping their kids safe. For instance, he said that parents should never hire a male babysitter, no matter how nice he seems. I thought this was a bit extreme, but he had a point. Since most child molesters are male, he feels it is best to always hire a female to take care of your children. John also gave advice on how to deal with extreme grief. He said that you should take care of yourself, eat right, work out, get enough sleep, etc. Too many people neglect themselves physically when they are in the midst of a tragedy. It is uplifting to see how John came out of the depths of despair to be the crusader he is today on America's Most Wanted. John Walsh won't rest until every last criminal and pedophile are behind bars. He is an inspiration to people everywhere.

Few memoirs can have the kind of honesty, self-examination and disturbing insight into a horrific type of crime as found in "Tears Of Rage." Though John Walsh, best known as the host of "America's Most Wanted," has written recent books that deal with capturing wanted felons, this is his most stellar work because it is him stripping himself bare to show us the horror of losing a child and the heartbreaking struggle to move on. This is the story of the disappearance of 6-year old Adam Walsh, abducted in a department store and later found decapitated. Walsh describes in wrenching detail the anguish him and his wife Reve endured while searching for their son and wondering what had happened as well as dealing with a police force which in 1981, was ill-equipped when it came to finding missing children. It is fair to say that there might be no better book that tells the story of a family's loss of this nature, Walsh writes with a truth and bluntness that keeps the reader emotionally gripped onto the pages. But yet aside from a powerful story, "Tears Of Rage" also informs us with the evolution of missing children programs in America, it took the Walsh tragedy to wake-up America to the monster that is child murder and abduction. Beasts prowled the fields and no one noticed while many suffered in silence, not knowing where their sons or daughters were. Walsh takes us on an in-depth look at his own efforts which have taken him to congress to help the mothers of the disappeared. But the interesting thing here is the haunting story of Adam Walsh, when John Walsh describes in detail how he believes the murder took place one is surprised at the courage this father has to describe how the horrific murder of his son might have taken place. In essence Walsh takes us on a journey through emotions and scenarios many of us hope we will never have to live through, but the lesson here is that in his baptism of fire, Walsh came out a wiser, stronger man and from his story we learn we must all be careful, especially with something as precious as our children.

When I was thirteen years old, my mother showed me an article in the paper about a boy who told his mother he was going to play in the toy department at a store, and that was the last time she saw him. The police had just found his severed head in a canal.

This autobiographical story of John Walsh, and his murdered son Adam, is so tragic, and so heartbreaking to read. I have absolutely no idea how this man ever survived. Most people would have gone home and drunk themselves to death.

The true story is very well written. After he and his wife had found that their son had been murdered, he said that they had went home, but home was no longer home, it was just a building to keep your clothes.

There is nothing more that I can say about this book.

After reading Hansen's Motoring with Mohammed, I vowed to read everything and anything he writes or has written. So I had to read Orchid Fever (don't get it confused with Orchid Thief), a novel about greed, thievery, skullduggery, incomprehensible gov't regulations, and an underworld of orchid fanciers/growers that rivals the drug trade. Populated with eccentric characters and devoted fanatics, Orchid Fever makes for fascinating reading.

This delightful book charmed me from the first and kept me reading in amazement until the end. More bizarre than the most irreverant satire, Orchid Fever examines the incredible characters, situations and locales that make up the world of orchids. You don't need to know a thing about plants to enjoy this book, for it is the people and places Eric Hansen describes that makes for a fascinating read.

Eric Hansen's Orchid Fever is a quick, breezy and highly entertaining read. I just picked up a copy at one of the Orchid Gardens mentioned in the book, and will never look at the place the same way again. As with any avocation that stirs passion, the world of orchids has produced as many oddball varieties of aficionados as there are varieties of orchids. Hnasen brings them all wonderfully to life and you feel like a friend to many of them (except for the CITES nazis). Being relatively new to the orchid world I was able to appreciate the references to certain species, but by no means do you have to grow or even like orchids to love the book. I read the book in a day and my thoughts today have drifted to wondering about the characters that I had met, such as Xavier in Paris and the Harley-riding guys in the States that have been infected by the Orchid Fever.
The book wraps up with a heartwarming tale of Tom Nelson in Minnesota, slogging through blackfly and mosquito infested roadside ditches to save native plants from destruction. Not out of money but because it is the right and noble thing to do. It is people like him that give a glimmer of hope in a world that can often cause despair. Eric Hansen's book also serves the same purpose and I highly recommend it!

Ten-year-old Emily Starr always felt that she had the most wonderful life. She never felt lonely, as she was blessed enough to live with her beloved Father, her adored cats, Saucy Sal, and Mike, and a collection of fine books for her to read at anytime. It didn't even bother her to have Ellen, her somewhat wicked housekeeper around. But in one quick instant Emily's life is suddenly turned upside down. After having a fine life she receives the news that her Father is dying, and when he does finally pass, 10-year-old Emily is left an orphan, and is suddenly forced to move to New Moon Farm with her mean Aunt Elizabeth, who makes her choose only one of her beloved cats to accompany her during the move. Emily's only solace from her depression of her Father's death, and dealing with her stern Aunt are the new friends she makes: Ilse, a tomboy with an extreme temper; Teddy, a fantastic artist; and Perry, also a newcomer to school, who has sailed all over the world with his Father. Soon, thanks to her new adventures and friends, Emily realizes that New Moon isn't that bad at all, and maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to think of herself as Emily of New Moon.

This is my second L.M. Montgomery novel, and I was very pleased by the outcome of it. Emily is a strong-willed, hard-headed character, with a sense of adventure, whom stands up for everything, and everyone, that she believes in. Her Aunt is an exciting character, even though she is a bit cruel, and her friends are three people whom the reader longs to know and be friends with in reality. The descriptions are so vivid, realistic, and beautiful that you actually feel as if you are with Emily, running along the trails and through the gardens of New Moon. A must-have book for all fans of novels with a bit of history tucked into them.

Erika Sorocco

Since I was a little girl, I have been a devoted fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery and all she has written. I read Anne of Green Gables with enthuasiasm, and gratefully snatched up Emily of New Moon when it was offered. Emily of New Moon is a wonderful book for certain people of all ages. This is so because the book is chocked full of everything wonderful from the world as viewed by a child of one hundred years ago--if your reading style does not allow for whimsy and delight, I do not suggest it. However, I, as have many other little girls of past and present, slowly grew up right along with Emily, and part of what I am is thanks to Montgomery and her wonderful and inspiring characters. Even now, far past the "reading level" posted in Montgomery's books, and especially the Emily books, I read them over and over; each time, finding something new and wonderful to read back on!

After finishing Anne of Green Gables, I decided to pick up another L. M. Montgomery book. I was all set to pick up another Anne book, but then I found Emily of New Moon. I decided to try this book, to see if L. M. Montgomery could capture the beauty of words in another novel. She did.

Emily of New Moon tells the story of young Emily Byrd Starr, who is left an orphan at the tender age of eleven. Her mother's family draws lots to decide who should take Emily in, and the lot fell to the Murrays of New Moon. Stern Aunt Elizabeth, loving Aunt Laura, and simple Cousin Jimmy brought Emily to New Moon Farm, where she had all sorts of adventures and basically just learned the lessons of life. Emily is a young heroine who many can relate to.

L. M. Montgomery has written another beautiful novel. Emily's character is well-developed and lifelike, and New Moon seemed just like a real place to me. For anyone who is looking for a real piece of literature, Emily of New Moon or any of L. M. Montgomery's other works are the books for you!

Reviewing Hope for the Flowers is like trying to review a butterfly. Impossible. Granted, one can list features & salient points, but no collection of words can pass on the joyful experience of watching a butterfly alight upon a buttercup on a warm spring afternoon.

No better description than the one on the cover: "a tale--partly about life, partly about revolution and lots about hope for adults and others (including caterpillars who can read)".

Once again I find myself at a place in life where the struggle to climb to the top of the heap overwhelms me on a daily basis. Once again, I needed to take this book off the shelf (I have several copies--any time I see one at a garage sale or used book store, I buy it--ready to give away), blow away the dust, and inhale the refreshing message of liberation.

Hope for the Flowers does more to puncture bourgeois denial than any Marxist treatise ever could. It cuts to the radical more deeply than the Anarchists can approach. This blessed fable challenges us to embrace the truly important and to become who we really are, instead of pursuing the carrots dangled in front of us by our Corporate Masters.

Five stars for wonder. Five stars for beauty. Five stars for importance. If you haven't read this book lately, chances are you need it in your life today.

(If you'd like to dialogue about this review, please click the "about me" link above & drop me email. Thanks!)

I absolutely love this book! It breathes life into my sagging spirit and awakens that part of me longing to fly free and discover the joy of life. It has transformed my life and continues to provide me with hope every time I read it. Share this book with those you love and with those who need to know there is another way of life awaiting them. Discover the "butterfly" inside yourself!

A beautiful story - I want to say ahead of it's time. But that's not correct. Today. This is its time. Now - we are the flowers, and there is hope for us all :-)

Dragonsinger is the second book in the Harper Hall Trilogy and is the sequel to Dragonsong. It starts right after the previous book ends, with Menolly arriving in Harper Hall a-dragonback. There she begins her musical education with the masters of music. Menolly always thought that harpers would be different and that she would fit in among them, but she finds that people are the same wherever you go. All of the other girls are jealous of her musical talents and do not want her living in their cottage. The boys insist that she has no place with them and her nine fire lizards make her stand out even more. Still, she is Masterharper Robinton's special apprentice and he seems to believe in her and to love her new songs. As Menolly struggles to find her place among the harpers of Pern she will discover much about herself, as well as the remarkable secrets about fire lizards and eventually find an honored place among the Harpers of Pern.

Even though I have enjoyed all of McCaffrey's books, the Harper Hall trilogy has always been my favorite. I first read this book when I was in junior high school and simply loved it. I have read my copy time and time again. McCaffrey has a nice, smooth writing style with great descriptions so readers will have no trouble visualizing the life on Pern. She also does a nice job of throwing in little recaps so that those who have not read Dragonflight and Dragonquest can still understand what is going on. I simply loved the world of the Harpers and think that any reader of fantasy will enjoy this enchanting series.

Interesting to find out "Dragonsinger" is the fourth book in Anne McCaffrey's Pern series because I have always thought of it as the middle volume in the Harper Hall of Pern trilogy. In "Dragonsong" we met Menolly, my favorite character in the entire Pern universe. A musical prodigy who has been forbidden by her stern father to sing or play music, Menolly runs away and ends up impressing a clutch of nine fire lizards. But Masterharper Robinton has been searching high and low for her and having found her, brings Menolly to the Harper Hall. In "Dragonsinger" Menolly begins to learn her craft as an apprentice. The Harper Hall is not sure what to make of the island girl and her singing fire lizards, but Menolly is equally astounded by her new world. Menolly is one of the most enchanting heroines in fiction, mainly because the girl has not a clue in the world that she is so talented. After just about every test she is convinced she has failed, convinced that her only friend in the world is Piemur, another one of the young apprentices, and amazed that Robinton takes any interest in her at all. But it is Menolly's encounters with the other Masters, especially Jerint the instrument maker and Domick the composer, that stand out in this tale. Oh, and there is also Journeyman Sebell, who has also taken a special interest in her. "Dragonsinger" is a fitting conclusion to the story begun in "Dragonsong," and since the "next" volume in the trilogy, "Dragondrums," really focuses more on Piemur, this is really the climax to the story of Menolly. McCaffrey's conclusion is extremely satisfying and my only serious complaint about the Pern series after "Dragonsinger" is that Menolly has been reduced to a minor supporting character. One of the nice things about these books is that they are fairly self-contained, you do not have to read all the Pern books in order for them to make sense. I would think young girls who love music would especially enjoy reading these novels.

In Dragonsong we were first introduced to Menolly. But in Dragonsong we know her as the misunderstood girl at her father's sea hold. In Dragonsinger we come to know her as the happy girl at the Harper Hall, where all the best music is. Menolly is by far the best apprentice harper in Harper Hall, which may be her biggest trouble. When everyone but another apprentice named Piemur hates her for her ease at playing even the most difficult of songs jealousy begins to be a part of her daily life.

In my opinion this is the very best of all the Pern books.

This special book opens the private doors into a warm, boisterous, Jewish home with five daughters, in New York's East Side in 1912. Although they were poor by external standards, this first-generation family was rich in more meaningful ways: loving, caring and sibling interaction. Imagine--5 girls sharing one bedroom in a four-room upstairs flat. It was quite a challenge to keep secrets from Mama and each other.

We are indebted to the author for the privilege of enjoying such an intimate portrait of her girlhood; this book is is the first of four All-of-a-Kind family stories, which bring us to the eve of World War I. It's fun to guess which girl grows up to be the author. The details of female interaction in a poor family may not appeal to elementary boys, but then this book may well have been written more for adults, in praise of Family Virtues. The girls have their own unique personalities, while Mama seems almost perfect (possibly idealized by her admiring adult daughter). Pity poor Papa who seeks refuge and male companionship in his basement Junk Shop, passing time with various immigrant peddlars.

We catch glimpses of the simple pleasures of their modest lifestyle; library days and the value of books, the Jewish marketplace, penny candy treats, choosing Papa's birthday gift, Roman candles on July 4th--even inadvertant matchmaking! We share their sorrows and trials as well: scarlet fever, soup tantrums and the consequences of juvenile disobedience, lost possessions and even kids. In all this turmoil of growing up in a large family, the emphasis is always on the human element and personal dignity, which mere poverty can not demean.

As a Gentile I find it pleasant to learn about another culture and faith in Taylor's gentle, unpreachy manner. She decribes Sabbath preparations and several major Jewish holidays, so that we are enlightened while being entertained. This family truly belongs to all of us, regardless of our ethnic or religious backgrounds. They reveal their foibles a! nd frailties with warmth-- international yet truly American in appeal. As Mama explains how they are All Of A Kind: "It means we're all loving and loyal, and our family will always be that." A charming book (decades before The Waltons) which will rekindle the best memories of home for readers of all ages.

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of going to my hometown library & I always checked out the 'All-Of-A-Kind Family' books. I loved & enjoyed the entire series! When I started working at my first bookstore, I finally bought the series for myself. I think it's a great series because it can be so different than a typical kids' life. I grew up in a Catholic family of six in a small, Midwestern town & where our relatives all lived out of state. This became such an interesting & different perspective of families & family life. The era was after the turn of the century New York City. The family was Jewish, poor & with five girls, but had a rich heritage & connection with the neighborhood & the extended relatives & friends all living nearby. It gives a great view of how life in a different era can seem very similar, but also so different from our current life. Each book is set up easily with each chapter devoted to a new problem or predicament concerning one of the girls. The five daughters throughout the series cover every age, so girls of all ages can & will identify with any of them at different times. All in all, a great series of books for girls, but boys might also enjoy these stories too!

As an elementary school teacher I rely on audiobooks a great deal as it helps struggling readers not only participate fully in the story, but works as a wonderful foray into the world of reading.I personally enjoyed this audiobook so much that I played it for my entire class. They loved it! The narration was excellent, calming even the rowdiest kids, and they were instantly drawn in. It was a great introduction to the Jewish culture and heritage, as well as an excellent discussion piece about immigrant America at the turn of the century! Consider this for your classroom, it has sparked curiosity, debate and learning for weeks!

THE hOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS.THE SETTING TAKES PLACE IN nEWNEBEE. THE MAJOR CHARACTERS ARE LOUIS, UNCLE JONATHAN, MRS. ZIMMERMAN,TARBY AND MR. AND MRS.IZARD. THE FASCINATING EVENT OF AN MAGICAL ECLIPS OF THE MOON AND THE RISE OF THE DEAD. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY ONE THAT LIKE WISARDS, MAGIC AND MYSTERY. THIS BOOK A BOOK THAT YOU PICK UP A WON'T PUT DOWN BOOK.
ASHLEY

..Lewis, the main character in the book, is FAT....just like me bhwahahhahaha. Seriously, i adore this book ever since i read it awhile back ago. It scare me alot like no other book ever did. I had nightmare where a clock is ticking inside the house and i was chubby Lewis, trying to find a way to save the world from destruction. I think i hid under the bed in my nightmares but that is another story. I saw the made for saturday movie based on the book but it was nowhere as scary. Read the book and be forewarn... it will scare you senseless. I am scared just by thinking about it.

John Bellairs knows how to write a good scarefest with exact detail and heartfelt suspense. I have read his other books on the Lewis saga and enjoy every one but this one started it all. Check out Edward Gorey's illustration...this guy is good!

Well that's enough...now give it a read....and be terrified!!!

Poor Lewis...He's recently lost both parents, he's fat, and he's going to live with Uncle Jonathan, a relative he's never met. Lewis discovers that Uncle Jonathan is basically a nice guy, but a little weird. And something about his house is weird too. It's full of clocks, but one of them in particular keeps ticking...and ticking...and ticking...and no one knows where it is.

'The House with a Clock in its Walls' is a genuinely creepy story with strange, likable characters. Several humorous, light touches run throughout the book, but the scary scenes really deliver. Any kid (or adult) who enjoys the Harry Potter books will find this book a welcome addition to their reading while they wait for the next J.K. Rowling outing. Although the book is for both boys and girls, the book will especially attract boys who may not be interested in sports. Highly recommended.

179 pages with great illustrations by Edward Gorey

Always looking for a new author I can get behind, I took the advise of many friends and read this book. WOW! Normally I am a "Romantic, man & woman meet fall in love have a problem get back together" sort of story-lover. This is more like a rollercoaster ride of life. For fear of giving anything away if you read the book but wanting anyone who will listen to read this and be inspired to read this book: Sheldon gives you fantastic character developement. You have a heroine who you can't help but want to cheer on, a supporting hero who you want to like but for the fact that he's married, and a lead hero who you want to hate but just can't because he's to dangerously enchanting. The book is about a lady lawyer and the trials (no pun intended) of her life. During the coarse of the story I kept thinking how is Sheldon going to fix "all this" by the end of the book, and the answer is simple: This is not a story where everything gets fixed. When I first read the back of the book the last line was " they find a love that is more destructive than hate". At first my interpretation was that it was a love that could destruct hate, but now after reading the book the hard part to handle was it meant the love itself was more destructive to the characters than hate was. There are a million love stories that are "Happy ever after", I've read hundreds of them, this is love with some twists and turns, but every bit as fantastic.

This book is very worth reading and grips you right from the start. Sheldon has a way with words that allows you to become part of the story. I hope that you give it a go. I look forward to reading more Sheldon novels! : )

This was my first Sidney Sheldon book, my parents urge me to read it, I though I would dislike it because I love romance novels with happy ending. Where love endures and my hero and heroine live happy ever after.

But this book was not about that it was about a strong and beautiful woman who endured a happy childhood and grew up to become what she wanted to be, a lawyer. And a great one at that. She fell in love with Adam who was already married with a child, and then a mafia boss who help save someone she loved. Both loved her but then no one could save her but herself. She suffer greatly and over come obstacles that only a strong and brave woman could. Love I believe was her major strength but also her greatest weakness.

In the end she endured it all and still held her head up high and did what she loved best.

Reader this is a great book for the people who realized life is not about happy ending only but about enduring and staying strong but above all being what u want to be.

I loved this book!!!This is such a wonderful work of art!! Sidney Sheldon brilliantly captures the struggle of Jennifer Parker, a lawyer, through losing her job to losing family members, a lover and becoming the mafia's lawyer. Sidney Sheldon is THE GREATEST AUTHOR!!! I don't LOVE the way that most of his books end horribly but that's real life and i love the way he captures it in such an essential book in literature!!His books are so page-turning that they stop me from doing my homework or anything else that's not reading! His books cpture the sadness, love and terror in Jeniffer's life that it kept me from sleeping at night!! [{{I love Micheal Morreti!!! He might be in the mafia but he is soooo GORGEOUS!!! He is like a dream man come true (except the fact that he's a killer and stuff... LOL!!).}}] ***^**I also loved The Naked Face and Stranger in the Mirror (i still have to read the rest of his books)**^***

I first ran across Burroughs when I was about 11 or 12, back in
about '70. I think now it is the perfect age to encounter Burroughs, who is a workman-like but not stylish writer. He certainly knows how to tell an imaginative tale, that's for sure. But I think that for most people, if you read him too late, the magic isn't there. But at ll? All I can say: wow! The guy had an imagination. Great white Martian apes, red men and green men, sword battles, a dying planet...oh, it was good stuff! The first books in the series are the best; my favorite (because it's the first one I read) is "A Fighting Man of Mars," which was the fourth one. Still, they're all pretty good reads, but if you're going to read them, start with this one.

Princess of Mars is a fantastic, wild ride. I think everyone makes a mistake though of saying it's just a guys book. I'm a woman, and it was my mother who recommended Princess to me! I think any girl who's interested in science fiction or fantasy would really enjoy this book. Yeah, it was obviously written with adolescent boys in mind but I think anyone can enjoy this wildly imaginative page turner.

The characters are all extremely likable. John Carter is the perfect southern gentleman. Honorable, loyal, incredibly brave, respectful to women, extremely handsome; a perfect hero who is never boorish or conceited. Then there's Sola, one of the few green Martians to show compassion and kindness, and Tars Tarkas(aren't these names so cool?)a ferocious green martian warrior with a tragic past who is also able to feel compassion and love. And I dare anybody to tell me that they wouldn't want a Woola of their very own! Dejah Thoris though is mainly for the guys. Carter's love and devotion for her was really sweet. I didn't even know that this was part of a book series until I read it on amazon and now I am really eager to read the other books of the series. And wasn't the end cool? I don't think I've ever read an ending quite like that before. What Carter found in the cave at the end was very creepy and intriguing. (I won't give out a spoiler)

Although this is pulp fiction and sort of like a comic book in a way,(I can see mothers in 1912 scolding their kids, "That Edgar Rice Burroughs is going to rot your mind if you keep reading it!") it's still light science fiction at it's best! (I'll warn you right off though, please don't expect something deep and complex like Dune or Darkover and post a review whining about it. Princess is purely for fun.) And am I the only one that thinks Princess would make a really awesome movie?

You want imagination?..adventure?..a few dabs of science(remember it was written in 1912)?..an ageless hero?..an absolutely beautiful damsel in distress?..a whole new world?..with a language all it's own?..inhabited with strange new creatures?.. friends and foes?..battles royal?..This book, and all 10 or 11 sequels, have it all! ER Burroughs was the early master of science fiction, adventure, and imagination; a man ahead of his time, and he gives the reader a roller-coaster ride of incredible adventures. Join with us now as John Carter meets, rescues,and captures the heart of the INCOMPARABLE Dejah Thoris, Princess of Mars!, and eventually, along with his friend Tars Tarkas, follows suit with the entire red planet, Barsoom to its wild and whacky inhabitants.

Is this intellectual literature?..of course not. Is it non-stop fun and enjoyment, the original page-turner novel?...You bet it is! Pick this book up, start reading, and I guarantee: you won't put it down until you're finished!..and then you'll run out the door and be hunting for the 2nd book in the series, The Gods of Mars, and then # 3, The Warlord of Mars, and on through the series. Be warned: make sure you have access to #'s 2 and 3 before you start The Princess...you'll be sorry if you don't!

I first read the Burroughs Martian novels(there were 10 known to me then) as a graduate student studying Physics, some 40 years ago. They provided the perfect escape from the rigors of courses like Quantum Mechanics and E & M. Now I reread them,and I continue to enjoy. You will too.