literature

I have loved the Arabian Nights since I was a kid. But its fame as a "children's book" has often been a disadvantage -- most editions are simplified, hobbled and sanitized. The unedited versions geared more for adults are a hundred years old, and often show their age. Burton, for example, is an impressive edition but the language is almost a parody of High Victorian English. This edition by Haddawy is almost as perfect as it could possibly be. First, the introduction is wonderful and definately worth reading on its own -- how many times can you say *that* about a book? It sets the stage for understanding the work, the problems in translating it, and the world the Nights came from. It is clearly, smoothly written. These strengths are carried over to the main text as well. The writing is so direct, modern, vivid, and thrilling! It effortlessly takes you into this vanished world of danger, love, magic and adventure. Many expressions are modernized, such as "demon" for "genie" or "God" for "Allah," which work well, although I wouldn't have minded the the more "romantic" terms. Haddawy explains his choice of stories... the full original text only contains about 300 nights worth of tales. Most of the famous stories were added later (Aladdin, Sindbad, etc.) in response to greater interest in the work. Readers looking for these stories should check out Haddawy's companion volume, "Arabian Nights II," which has these famous stories and shares almost all the virtues of this volume. Finally, these books are wonderfully put together: great paper, type, binding... very satisfying just as a physical form. For those who loved these stories, or anyone with a sense of adventure, buy this! Buy it now!

I really had no idea how much I would enjoy this! I came to it with some vague recollections of some of the tales as they had been adapted into children's stories, but I soon discovered I actually knew almost nothing about the Arabian Nights.

The introduction was extremely helpful in explaining the history of the Arabian Nights, why there are different versions, and why those different versions may contain different tales. This volume collects the oldest, "original" tales. More familiar stories that were added later--such as Sinbad and Aladdin--are collected in a separate volume, Arabian Nights II.

This translation is an absolute joy to read. The language is vivid and alive--thoroughly modern, yet (judging from the effect on me as a reader) certainly successful in conveying the nuances of the original text.

I glanced at the Modern Library Burton edition after reading this. It reads like a King James Bible. Why subject yourself to a translation that you to re-translate in order to read--especially with a wonderful modern translation like this available? How terribly that must choke the pace of the stories!

I felt like the King himself as I read this, knowing that I needed to put it down to go to sleep, but constantly telling myself, "Well, maybe I'll push on for just one more night..." Funny, sexy, violent, and packed with magic and adventure, it really had it all.

Except for children, for whom the original tales are too sexual and violent, I can hardly imagine an audience this WOULDN'T appeal to!

¡§¡¥What an amazing and entertaining story!¡¦ said Dinarzad, the sister of queen Shahrazad. And she would reply, ¡¥What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive.¡¦¡¨ This dialogue ends every night of "the nights" and makes us all to wander and expect what will happen the next night. While anticipating the next night, the readers¡¦ hearts and minds goes ups and downs with the book. The Stories of "The Arabian Nights", or "The One Thousand and One Nights," are very entertaining and strange. It makes you turn those pages to find out what will happen and you will discover those stories (and stories within the stories within the stories within the stories), you never dreamed of, which made you finish the book fast and delighted.
Although I expected to read the story like ¡§the story of Sindbad,¡¨ and ¡§the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,¡¨ which are explained by the introduction, is later addition to fulfill the name of the ¡§one thousand¡¨ nights, I really enjoy this translation of the oldest version of the Nights. The translator, Husain Haddawy, even made this book more familiar to us. He changes ¡§Allah¡¨ to ¡§God,¡¨ and such. This book about four hundred more pages will bring you a lot fun time while you read it. I highly recommend you to read this version of "The Arabian Nights."

Frankly, the problem with most great writers is this: outside of their craft, they don't have a life. They look down their noses at us and treat us like pathetic ants, often with no insight into our lives and our work. Here then is Primo Levi, on one hand, an accomplished chemist, on the other, someone who lived to speak of the Death Camps. This experience allows him to write the twenty one gems in "Periodic Table". Each one of these stories crystallizes around a seed element. The seeds form the basis for a detective story into the chemical mystery of a failed paint, an ancient plumber's life ruined by lead, and work in a chemistry lab inside Auschewitz. Levi has a dramatic literary style built for the short story. His writing is pithy and to the point. He builds the stories to encapsulate and expose a single core idea. Each one is about something, entering into the experience of one of the millions of people who lead lives worthy of examination.

Hey look, I'll help Amazon sell a book here, how much does it say you'll pay for it, $9.00 maybe? If you have a scientific bent, you'll surely find the stories here entertaining and interesting. Primo Levi was a unique person and that, coupled to his excellent style, makes this book a very good read.

"You got a new book? What is it?" my roommate asked.

"It's called 'The Periodic Table,' by Primo Levi. He was an Italian Jew who went through Auschwitz." I had just gotten the book in the mail; that was all I knew about it.

Later, she interrupted my reading. "You keep laughing. That book is supposed to be funny?"

I knew why she was surprised. Levi led a serious, sometimes troubled life, but "The Periodic Table" isn't limited to seriousness. It's fascinating and often funny to read his stories about his early obsession with matter (and the trouble it caused), his fiction inspired by alchemists and elements, and his anecdotes from a professional double life as a chemist and writer.

The Periodic Table by Primo Levi is quite a fascinating book. Although the first chapter is slow (as pointed out in other reviews) the other chapters are pretty interesting. Although only one chapter directly relates to Auschwitz there is another about Primo's involvement with the partisans in Italy (including the bit about the gun he doesn't know how to use), and a very interesting chapter called Vanadium which is the second last chapter. This chapter is based on Primo's dealings with a German chemist (Dr Muller) in 1967. Dr Muller was a head of the Buna Rubber plant at Auschwitz where Primo worked. Basically Primo has business dealings with this person as well as personal correspondence although it's not as insightful as you might think because by Primo's own admission Dr Muller does not make a perfect protagonist because he was a civilian (business chief of Buna which was part of IG Farben I believe) and not a member of the SS, and therefore Primo realises that he won't get answers to questions like "Why Auschwitz?" (Although Primo corresponding with one of the butchers of Auschwitz could be a bit too weird). Nonetheless Primo's dealings with this person are very complex/interesting/multilayered/etc.
The tale about the centuries long journey of a carbon atom from being part of limestone to being part of Primo's brain is pretty way out too.

When this book was recently re-published, I was thrilled to find one of my best childhood companions. Remi Charlip is a ray of sunlight, full of rainbows and beautiful imagination. There were things written in this book that my little brother and I were still saying 20 years later. The illustrations, which are colorful and sweet is a child's dream... and an adult's! I found that as a child of the 60's this book was a classic, quick witted and endlessly amusing. A book with no beginning or end, it's one of those hang out books that you can just sit and take in. Very much on the vein of Dr. Seuss books, but more elaborate and peaceful and pretty. Remi has the heart of a child and his books speak to all. Truly memorable and fun to read to kids, afterall, you are only as young as you feel! This book is a portal back to the innocence and sheer essence of imagination, truly a great book. Absolutely tremendous, not to be missed by child or adult. I thank Remi Charlip for helping me keep the child within alive. Amazing, amazing, amazing... My mum did a great job picking out books for us, thank you! And it is a steal at the price, the book is published beautifully, nice paper, colorful illustrations, a real keeper.

Sublime, inspirational, fun, funny, and ultimately, true.

That's what I now think of "Arm in Arm," the book that my grandparents gave me some 25 years ago. When I was young, I had no idea how much it meant to me - just that it was a cool book that I would read over and over. I loved the drawings; the fun rhymes; the inventiveness it carries.

Re-reading it as an adult, though, gave me a deeper appreciation of the themes. It has the social parodies found in between the lines of Lewis Carrol, the wit and humour of Wilde, the surrealist vision of Dali, and even more!

It remains, to this day, one of my favourite books to reread. (Thank you, Remy Charlip!)

About 25 years ago, I had a copy of this book. I remember reading and re-reading it for hours on end, mesmerized by the drawings and the round-and-round stories. I remember all the stories and poems being short enough that I could read them in a minute or two, but could ponder them for days. It was a fantastic experience for me at seven years old, and I can honestly say this was the most memorable book I ever owned. I still remember the pictures and writings in "Arm In Arm" like yesterday even though I have forgotten about some of the books I still have.

I lost my copy 25 years ago, and at least once a week since then, the "dark and stormy night" story will pop into my head with the image of the ships going round and round in a circle, getting smaller and smaller as the story kept going round and round without end. I remember thinking that if I just had a magnifying glass strong enough, I could keep reading the story forever!! It was that kind of wonder that made this book so memorable and treasured.

I have kept telling myself that I was going to research the book and find it and get a copy, but never took the time. No disrespect to Mr. Charlip, but over the years I had forgotten the title and author, so I thought my chances of finding it were slim. Finally, today, I spend about 15 minutes on the Internet and found it. I am looking forward to getting my new copy and reading it with my three children (7, 5 and 2 years old). I can't wait to share this magnificent work of literary art with them. It is truly timeless. Thank you, Remy.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher is simply one of the smartest psychologists, long before Freud came on the seen. In her book, Understood Betsy, Ms. Fisher not only crafts a wonderful story of how a little sheltered and fearful girl under the care of one aunt, grows into an independent thinker, and joyful person under the care of her other relatives when the former aunt is taken out of the picture.

Elizabeth Ann, known as Betsy to her farm relatives, was orphaned as a baby. Her city relatives scoop her up to save her from being reared by the 'Putney Cousins' (our heros in Vermont). But fate sweeps Elizabeth Ann away from the only woman who *understands* her, and takes her to the dreadful farm in Vermont, where children have been known to *do chores*. How does Betsy fare?

That's the children's part of the story. For the adult, especially one who is unfamiliar with children, the lesson is given that you *can* love a child into the the fearful person you yourself are. But you *can* also love a child to let that child find things out for herself, and become aware, that she is aloud to find things out for herself. Isn't it amazing that children have brains, and they do not have to be programmed by 'pre-warning' them of every consequence to their behavior?

Please read, and see Betsy grow into a useful engine (for those of you who know Thomas the Tank Engine). Please read and learn yourself, how to help your children, by learning to leave them alone to find things out for themselves.....

I first received "Understood Betsy" when I was 8 years old, over 20 years ago, and I still remember some of the passages and characters as if I had read them yesterday. I read and reread this book countless times throughout my childhood.

Written in 1916, "Understood Betsy" immmerses the reader into rural life in the 1800's. Elizabeth goes from the city to live with farmer cousins, who call her Betsy. She then becomes a girl who learns to do things for herself, think for herself, and take care of others.

Most interesting, the book shows the older view of treasuring common day moments, such as making the applesauce or playing dolls. If you always enjoyed the "Little House" and "Caddie Woodlawn" books, then you will LOVE "Understood Betsey", which delves even more into the everyday life of girls in that time.

I have never forgotten this book! I am 37 and I believe this to be my very first favorite book. Over the years I have thought of this book and its simple charm. I recently found an old box at my mothers and was thrilled to find this delightful book. I read it right away and find I still love it as much as when I was a child. I have a 9 year old daughter and we are reading it together. The story reminds you of a simpler time and of the way you would love to of been raised. Hooray for Understood Betsy...still one of my comforting favorites.

Though I first read this book nearly 50 years ago, it still remains one of the best books I have ever read. Adults may feel that it is a kid's book, and of course it is perfect for kids, but believe me, it can be enjoyed by people of any age. All you need is love of a good story. For many years Ozma was my heroine--I dreamed that I would meet her somehow, somehow be transported like Dorothy to the Land of Oz. Though these dreams faded, I still often think that this book might be the favorite book of my life. Dorothy's new adventures, the rescue expedition from Oz that crosses the Deadly Desert, and the spooky confrontation between good and evil in the caverns of the Nome King. The Oz characters have accompanied me through life. Try them---you will never forget them.

After Baum's success with the first book, he penned the sequel "The Marvelous Land of Oz". It was a decent book, but it was missing one important element. Dorothy. He corrects that oversight in this one, and the book (and the rest of the series) is all the better for it. Dorothy makes her second trip to Oz, this time with her chicken Billina (don't worry, Toto would also return in later volumes) and the action is non-stop. If you planned on reading the series and had a tough time getting through book 2, don't stop. They keep getting better and better as Baum develops into a first-rate author. Read them in order and don't stop until you've finished book 14 (and then even dip into the books by other authors, none are as inspired as Baum's, but some of them are pretty good).

And if you've read all the Oz books and are looking for other titles that are just as magical and just as inspired, try the Chronicles of Narnia, King Fortis the Brave or Abarat. All will introduce you to other magical worlds that are every bit as fun to visit as Oz.

If you've only read the first book and were thinking of trying a second, try the third!

I'm sure no one will be popping into the world of Oz without having read "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," but if one were to do so, this makes a better starting point that the somewhat disappointing second in the series.

This third book is, I think, the best of the Oz stories (which have a tendency to give in to an increasingly episodic nature and abandon storyline completely.)

Dorothy has returned to Oz, and ultimate ends up in the underground Kingdom of the Nome King (a marvelous creation), where her task is to discover whom he has transformed into chachkas, or be transformed herself (honestly, that's the plot!)

It's delightfully full of incident, the villain has real (comic) menace, and call me a heretic, but I prefer the elegant Art Nouveau illustrations of John R. Neill to the Denslow art in the first book.

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.

Pilgrim's Progress is without a doubt one of the true classics of time--an allegory that has remained a best seller years after its introduction.

My first introduction to Pilgrim's Progress was as a child in parochial school. I had to do a book report on it in 5th grade and ended up reading numerous times for various projects throughout grade school.

The reader follows the main character--aptly named "Christian"--on his journey to the Celestial City.

Along the way, Christian passes through the many trials of life, symbolized by intruiging characters and places along the way. An early temptation is the "City of Destruction", which Christian narrowly escapes with his life. The various characters are perhaps the most fascinating portion of the book--Pliable, Giant Despair, Talkative, Faithful, Evangelist, and numerous others provide the reader with a continual picture of the various forces at work to distract (or perhaps, encourage)Christian on his ultimate mission.

Of course, the theology (for those of the Christian faith) of Pilgrim's Progress is a constant source of debate, the book is nonetheless a classic of great English writing.

It's not a quick read--that's for sure--however, I certainly would recommend that one read it in its original form. Don't distort the beauty of the old English language with a modern translation.

A letter to Marvin Minsky about this book:

I urge you tolook at a remarkable book by the English Puritain John Bunyan(1628-1688), "The Pilgrim's Progress", which is one of the great evangelical Christian classics, though clearly that is not why it interests me and should interest you (although I AM interested in the puzzle that is the religious sense, which even the irreligious feel, and this book can give remarkable insight into that as well).

Rather its fascination lies in the pilgrimage it depicts, or in the fact that human traits, vices, virtues, &c are PERSONIFIED as particular individuals who are their living and speaking epitome, and who are encountered along the way in revealing situations.

Bunyan's hero is appropriately named Christian. Someone once wrote that "Christian's journey is timeless as he travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, meeting such characters as Pliable, Talkative, Giant Despair, Evangelist, Worldly-Wiseman, Faithful, Ignorance and Hopeful."

At first this personification is merely amusing, even a bit annoying (as caricatures or truly stereotypical people can be); but after a while I found myself enthralled because I realized that the effect of this odd literary device was to give unmatched insight into the nature of such traits. The force of the whole thing comes from the fact that one journeys about in - literally INSIDE of - what is both a comprehensive and finite moral and psychological landscape (a "psycho-topography"), very much as though one were INSIDE the human mind and your "Society of the Mind" was embodied in the set of actors. This is more or less the opposite or an inversion of the 'real world' of real people, who merely SHARE those attributes or of whom the attributes are merely PIECES; in "Pilgrim's Progress", by contrast, the attributes are confined in their occurrence to the actors who are their entire, unique, pure, and active embodiment, and humanness, to be recognized at all, has to be rederived or mentally reconstructed from the essential types.

The effect, for me, was something like experiencing a multidimensional scaling map that depicts the space of the set of human personality types, by being injected directly - mentally and bodily - into it by means of virtual reality technology.

So Bunyan's book has something of the interest to a psychologist, neuroscientist, or philosopher that Edwin Abbot's "Flatland" has to a mathematician.

I don't mean to overpraise "Pilgrim's Progress", of course; it was written for theological rather than scientific purposes, and has conspicuous limitations for that reason. But its interest to a student of the mind who looks at it at from the right point of view can be profound.

- Patrick Gunkel

This book is a true classic. John Bunyan spins a wonderful tale of the spiritual walk to heaven. The language may be a bit hard and it won't be that easy of a read, but it is definately worth the while!

It is spiritually edifying and also quite captivating.

A must read!!!

The first thing I have to say is that this book is the most extraordinary book I have ever read. I began reading these books as a very young child. I am now 25 and it has left a wonderful impression on my soul. As a young child I was so amazed at Pippi's spunk and ability to do things on her own free will. It wasn't until I was older that I was able to reflect on her influence on my life. Pippi shows children the value of self esteem and the power to do anything once you set your mind to it. Pippi never cares what people think of her and speaks her mind adamently. She is so loved by everyone that the effect of her quirky personality is above everything you could imagine. There are so many "lessons" in her stories that are hidden in little bits and pieces. I fiercly believe that Pippi allowed me, as a child, to open up to my imagination and become a strong individual. As I said, I am now in my twenties and am scavaging all her books in hopes of showing my "future" children the delights of her incredible behavior. I HIGHLY suggest these books to adolescents-you wouldn't believe the magic enclosed. Pippi did to me what Harry Potter is doing to the world now. Harry, unfortunately is just a little late.

When I was a little girl and I got this book for the first time I couldn't stop reading it. Now I'm 26 years old and I have children of my own who love Pippi just as much as I did. What a great timeless classic. A must for every family !!!!

I always wanted a house that could fly. The Adventures Of Pippi Longstocking is a wonderful Story in every sense of the word.

Those who are hard-core Tolkien fans will revel in the lore found in this book. Though at first I found these books rather difficult to read, I have come to absolutely love them. The two volume Book of Lost Tales gives much information on the creation of Middle Earth and some of the important events that happened in the first age. In the Book of Lost Tales 2, a page has been included from Tolkien's original manuscripts. Seeing that made me appreciate all the work that Christopher Tolkien went to even more. I am very grateful to him for making all these stories available to Tolkien fans. Probably the thing I like best about reading these books is that I now understand the vague references to history that are included in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

The Book of Lost Tales 2 is a fantastic continuation to the first, taking place right where it left off this book goes in deeper than the first. The Book of Lost Tales includes 6 tales that where apart of the first but explains it with greater detail. This book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the author's(J.R.R. Tolkien) son. All of the six stories include many notes that help you with the story, and 4 of them include a commentary that Christopher Tolkien wrote. I found the commentary and notes to be very helpful and enjoyable although he refers a lot to The Simarillion so one who has not read that might not understand some of it, and infact the stories that are in The Book of Lost Tales 2 are briefly in The Simarillion, which is also a very wonderful book. These books can be at sometimes a little difficult to read given the ammount of detail and information that they give you, sometimes it is hard to organize all of it but as you read on more things fall into place.

I highly recommend this book, although suggest reading The Simarllion before hand, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world is quite enjoyable and his writings are full of detail. I also found the appendix and index of words quite useful and very nice to have, it tells you where all the names come from and have referances to where you can find them in this book and others. If you have read Lord of The Rings then you will find referances that are from this book and also The Simarillion that you did not get before.

Overall I thought this book was very enjoyable, although some what tedious at some points, and I recommend it to all fantasy and Lord of The Ring fans.

"The Book of Lost Tales 2" includes several tales which will be a classic part of "The Silmarillion", yet all of these are in a cruder, more rudimentary form, than what readers have seen in the latter work. Among the most important changes is depicted in the early version of the tale of Beren and Luthien, here entitled "The Tale of Tinuviel", where Beren was conceived first by Tolkien as a gnome, not a man. There is also an extensive recounting of "The Fall of Gondolin", the Elvish refuge from Morgoth, not seen in "The Silmarillion". This is an important book for both scholars and fans of Tolkien, since his son Christopher provides excellent commentary and related material (e. g. poetry) in which he compares and contrasts the stories in this volume with their later versions in "The Silmarillion". So if you not read "The Silmarillion", I strongly recommend doing so before reading this book.

The farthest-away mountain is an excellent story of a fantasy story that could really happen to someone if they really tried like Dakin (the main character). She is going to try to climb the farthest away mountain which no women or man has ever climbed. She starts to climb and she meets a couple of new friends. she has help on the mountain along the way but not any help her parents. she had lots of help from a frog and three gargoyles, zog, og and vog. she also has a little troll that lives at her house and helps her all the way until he freezes again. If you want to find out what else happens to Dakin then read the book. (Its a really good book.)

I CANNOT BELIEVE I FOUND THIS BOOK AGAIN. I READ IT WHEN I WAS EIGHT OR NINE AND LOST IT! IT WAS AND STILL IS MY FAVORITE BOOK FROM MY CHILDHOOD. WHEN I FOUND IT AGAIN AT AMAZON I ALMOST STARTED TO CRY. THIS BOOK IS WELL WRITTEN WITH A POWERFULL MAIN CHARACTER WHO INSPIRES YOUNG GIRLS TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND THAT THEY CAN DO ANYTHING. NINE YEARS LATER I STILL THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK AND THE WAY IT STILL HELPS ME, THAT IS WHY I WISHED I WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IT AGAIN. IF YOU WANT TO HELP YOUE DAUGHTER AND INSPIRE HER LIFE, YOU SHOULD PURCHASE THIS BOOK. I OWE A LOT TO IT. IT TRULY HELPED MOLD MY PERSONALITY AND WAS ENJOYABLE TO READ. I HOPE IF YOU DO BUY IT YOU WILL SHARE WITH YOUR DAUGHTER HOW IT HAS CHANGED ONE GIRL'S LIFE. ALLOW YOURSELF TO INSPIRE, UPLIFT, AND ENTERTAIN YOUR CHILD, BUY "THE FARTHEST AWAY MOUTAIN."

This book is the only book my mother ever read to my brothers and I out loud, not including picture books. I remember listening to her read it and loving the story. It's one of the few things I remember clearly about when i was very young.
Over time I forgot the title and author, and all I remembered was the story. (In fact, I went to look it up on Amazon only knowing that the title included the word "mountain".) This book is great for young readers, and it was my first serious introduction to fantasy, which I really love now. It led the way first to Ella Enchanted and then to Lord of the Rings, The Fionavar Tapestry, and more great books.

I love this book! Plain and simple. I always save it for the holiday season though and never read it at any other time. It's become a holiday tradition.

The three short stories all take place in holiday seasons during the depression and feature the same setting and characters, so they form a nice group for a single volume.

"A Christmas Memory" is my favorite short story ever. I've read it every Christmas for six or seven years now and I have the same powerful, emotional reaction every time. I smile, laugh, cry, and daydream about my own memories every time I read it. No other story affects me like this one, and I think everyone will see a little of themselves or their childhood somehwhere in these pages.

The other two stories are very well done. I'd probably rave about them much more if I could value each on its own merits, but they do get lost in the glare of "A Christmas Memory."

Excellent literary work, but I really value the beauty, simplicity, and truth in these stories. Highly recommended for a holiday evening with hot chocolate, a lit tree, and Xmas carols playing.

The three stories in this little book--it's a hardback only slightly bigger than a paperback, and barely 100 pages--are skilfully told and charming; all are based on Capote's southern childhood. "A Christmas Memory" is the most straightforwardly nostalgic, told in the present tense, and covering the Christmas rituals the narrator, a little boy, shares with Miss Sook Faulk, an eccentric little old lady who appears in all three of these tales. The narrator of "One Christmas" is six years old and the child of divorced parents. He travels to New Orleans by bus to spend Christmas with his father, and the story is about his coming to terms with reality, as much as he can. The third story, "The Thanksgiving Visitor", is the tale of how Miss Sook invited the school bully to Thanksgiving dinner one year, and what happened.

All three are perfectly formed short stories. The first two are sad, or at least nostalgic; the third, the longest of them, is surprisingly upbeat. Capote was witty, precise and talented, and these three stories are a wonderful showcase for his talents. Recommended.

I do love these people. I had a Miss Sook too and she taught me to be kind. I gave this book to my new daughter-in-law who really does like to bake and eat fruitcake, and does not use them for doorstops.

Miss Sook and Buddy are very real to me. I am tired of what goes for good writing these days. I gratefully pick up Mr. Capote's books when I need to read lovely words. I sit down, turn off the phone, and have some PEACE as I read these stories. Raise a glass to Miss Sook and Truman Capote, wherever they may be, and they are somewhere good. You have to be somewhere, you can't be nowhere. Cheers.