Book Description
From Bernard Cornwell, the undisputed master of historical fiction, hailed as "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brien,"* comes the third volume in the exhilarating Saxon Chronicles: the story of the birth of England as the Saxons struggle to repel the Danish invaders.
The year is 878, and as Lords of the North begins, the Saxons of Wessex, under King Alfred, have defeated the Danes to keep their kingdom free. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, helped Alfred win that victory, but now he is disgusted by Alfred's lack of generosity. Uhtred flees Wessex, going north to search for his stepsister, who was taken prisoner by Kjartan the Cruel, a Danish lord who lurks in the formidable stronghold of Dunholm.
Uhtred arrives in the north to discover rebellion, chaos, and fear. His only ally is Hild, a West Saxon nun fleeing her calling, and his best hope is his sword, Serpent-Breath, with which he has made a notable reputation as a warrior. He needs other partners if he is to attack Dunholm, and chooses Guthred, a seemingly deluded slave who believes he is a king. Together they cross the Pennines, where fanatical Christians and beleaguered Danes have formed a desperate alliance to confront the terrible Viking lords who rule Northumbria.
Instead of victory Uhtred finds betrayal. But he also discovers love and redemption as he is forced to turn once again to his reluctant ally, Alfred the Great. It is Alfred who sees opportunity in Northumbria's chaos, and Alfred who looses Uhtred and his stepbrother, Ragnar, onto Dunholm, the invincible fortress on its great spur of rock. A breathtaking adventure, Lords of the North is also the story of the creation of England, as the English and Danes fight against each other, but also find common cause and create a common language. In the end they will become one people, but as Uhtred will discover, their union is forged through the white heat of battle.
* The Economist
Customer Reviews:
Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell.......2007-09-19
In Lords of the North (coming January 23rd), the wonderful writer of great historical periods and characters brings us the third in his increasingly popular Saxon Chronicles series, as he tells the story of King Alfred the Great's life and his work in unifying the many kingdoms into the country we know today as England.
We continue with our hero, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, who has just helped Alfred save and maintain control over the land of Wessex, therefore preventing the complete invasion by the Danes. Angered with Alfred's piousness and making every decision according to God, Uhtred flees north to Northumbria, still hoping one day to defeat his uncle and take back his beloved Bebbanburg. It is here that he meets old Danish friends and before he realizes what's going on, a deal has been brokered to maintain peace in Northumbria in return for Uhtred's enslavement. With his blood-stained blade - Serpent-Breath - the many lords of the region are happy to get rid of this formidable warrior.
Uhtred, stripped of his title and power, then spends most of the book suffering the abuse and torture of a slave on a trading traveling along the Flemish coast, and back and forth between Britain and the mainland. On a number of occasions they face off again this "red ship" that is a trader like them. Upon returning to the original place where Uhtred was sold - so that more slaves can be bought - the red ship appears out of nowhere and beaches the shore. Foreign Danes stream out and Uhtred soon finds himself face to face with an even older friend who raised him.
Eventually he discovers that it is thanks to Alfred's help that he has received his emancipation. With his title, weapons, and armor restored, along with more allies from the south forming a considerable army, they set out to defeat these lesser heathen lords and regain control of the kingdom of Northumbria. The book ends with the reader contemplating what is next for Uhtred in the further Saxon Chronicles: Will he regain control of his land? Will he remain a lone pagan among the many determined Christians? Sadly, we will have to wait another whole year before we can read more about Uhtred of Bebbanburg, slayer of the great Ubba Lothbrokson, and his adventures with the pious Alfred the Great.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Just when you thought the saga could not get better..........2007-09-18
It gets better. This book finds Uhtred as not only a man and a warrior, but as a humbled (as much as the Dane in him will allow) crafty leader. He has recovered from his trials and is on his way to his destiny. His allegiance to Alfred has him hamstrung a bit...regarding his goal of re-taking his rightful lands of Bebbenburg...but he can see the future, and he knows that the tide is slowly turning in his favor. He will crush his enemies, and reign triumphant. This book is about Uhtred the man...and I believe is the FIRST step into his world as a Lord and warrior...with the first 2 novels having been merely an exciting prologue.
The Best of Uhtred's Saga, Not to be missed.......2007-08-11
If you've read books one and two in the Saxon Chronicles, it goes without saying that this is not to be missed. This is also the best of the series, and that's saying quite a lot. No, we're not talking literary masterwork -- although as always Bernard is engaging, often amusing, certainly disarming as a writer -- but there's just something about he way Bernard can bring to life the dark ages. Sure, I enjoy Sharpe novels, but where Bernard shines is in the dark ages, the time before we have "reliable histories." He manages to make everything from King Arthur to the "Vikings" -- which he explains just means "raiders" not Northmen -- come alive. It feels right. Sure, the dialogue is very twentieth-century, but it has to be for us to stay interested. Uhtred is, perhaps, his best hero yet, larger-than-life yet human and vulnerable at times, and Uhtred is a hero for both men and women to relate to, where perhaps some of Bernard's other protagonists are "macho man" heroes. This is a period in history very rarely touched in literature, and perhaps that's the charm of it. There are moments of satire as well, (anyone familiar with my work will know I thrive on satire), humor, adventure. What more can you ask in a yarn. Who else can make a slave a king, and a hero a slave then back to a hero all in one story? Who else can come across as a lover of all things British, yet create a character who is more Danish and Northman than Saxon or British? Just a lot of fun, great pace, humor, characters that you'll want to come back to. I'd say his best yet.
NOOOO!!!!! 6 months wait for the next book. This was GREAT!.......2007-08-06
Book three in the Saxon Chronicles is the best book by Bernard Cornwell that I have read. I had read his "Grail Quest Trilogy" before coming to this series, which I thought was a trilogy, but now know could go on much longer (it will be at least 4 books and I certainly hope for more).
"Lords of the North" continues the fantastic, emotional tale of Uhtred, the fictional Saxon-born, Dane-adopted and raised warrior, that is fated to fight for England and a king that he does not like, Alfred.
Uhtred lost his family when he was a boy and was adopted by a Danish Viking warrior, Earl Ragnar, who he loved as a father, and from whom he learned of the pagan deities, especially the spinners, the three mythical creatures that weave the fate of every man; hence his repeated statement through the entire series, "Fate is inexorable".
Uhtred, after assisting Alfred the Great with the defense of Wessex against the Danes, marches north to regain his birthright which was taken by his uncle when Uhtred's birth father died in battle. But fate has other plans for Uhtred, including assisting another king, killing priests, killing Saxons, killing Danes, loving a woman who becomes a nun, loving another woman who is betrothed to another, betrayal, slavery and revenge. Not bad for six months in the life of a Saxon/Danish warrior in the ninth century.
The author admits in his historical note at the end of the book that this tale is more fiction than fact, mainly because not much is known about the history of the Northumbria, the northern Saxon province. Using the name of the king, Guthred, and the characters he created in books 1 & 2,(which I highly recommend you read before coming to this; not because you need to in order to understand this book, but because the entire series is fabulous and why skip the salad and appetizer to get to the main course when the entire meal should be savored?) to weave a more fictional tale that is still most definitely anchored in fact, so far as the customs, trials, dangers, life, religions and battles would have been in the ninth century; that is to say that, despite the fact that none of the characters are real (except Guthred of whom not much is known) the entire story is told in accordance with the period and should be taken as an authentic description of fictional people. The world which Cornwell writes is wonderful, historically accurate and vivid.
This book is the best of the "Saxon Chronicles" by far and I eagerly await the release of book 4, "Sword Song" which is slated for release early 2008.
Another great book in a fun, fast-paced series.......2007-08-02
Lords of the North is the third volume of Bernard Cornwell's "Saxon Tales", set in ninth-century England, and is every bit as enjoyable as the preceding books in the series.
In this entry, Uhtred goes north to settle a long-standing bloodfeud. With his customary flair for the dramatic, he disguises himself as the Dead Swordsman and heads toward Dunholm, the fortress of his enemy, Kjartan the Cruel. Along the way he frees a slave who turns out to be Guthred, king of Northumbria. Uhtred swears loyalty to Guthred and soon learns that, despite his congenial manner, Guthred will do whatever is necessary to preserve his kingdom.
While Lords of the North does not deal with any significant historical event, it does have political intrigue, betrayal and lots of swordplay. As always, Cornwell's battle scenes are visceral. Having been bitten by a dog as a child, I found his descriptions of attacking dogs particularly unsettling.
The book's main strength is Uhtred, an extremely likable and unexpectedly complex character. Born English, but raised by Danes, he is continually torn between his adopted people and his oath, given unwillingly, to King Alfred. Irreverent and insightful, Uhtred tells his story in the first person, describing moments of brutish violence and tender emotion with a slightly sardonic flair.
I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the next installment in the series. Thank you, Mr. Cornwell, for helping me release my inner Valkyrie!
Book Description
WASPs finally get their due in this stimulating history by one of the world's leading geneticists.
Saxons, Vikings, and Celts is the most illuminating book yet to be written about the genetic history of Britain and Ireland. Through a systematic, ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, Bryan Sykes has traced the true genetic makeup of British Islanders and their descendants. This historical travelogue and genetic tour of the fabled isles, which includes accounts of the Roman invasions and Norman conquests, takes readers from the Pontnewydd cave in North Wales, where a 300,000-year-old tooth was discovered, to the resting place of "The Red Lady" of Paviland, whose anatomically modern body was dyed with ochre by her grieving relatives nearly 29,000 years ago. A perfect work for anyone interested in the genealogy of England, Scotland, or Ireland, Saxons, Vikings, and Celts features a chapter specifically addressing the genetic makeup of those people in the United States who have descended from the British Isles.
Customer Reviews:
Genes and history.......2007-10-16
Last summer I read Sykes' The Seven Daughters of Eve, very much liked his insights into mitochondrial DNA research, but was turned off by his fictionalized Eves. In Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, his detective story is on much firmer footing as he sets out to validate historical events with DNA evidence. As a Scot, I had mixed feelings to find so many of the myths about Celts and Picts somewhat debunked.
important but disappointing.......2007-09-03
In many ways this is a very important book, as it does away with the old Anglo-Saxon myth. But it's also quite disappointing. Having read an artilcle summarizing Sykes' discoveries before I lay my hands on a copy of 'Saxons...' I was already familiar with its main conclusion - most British have very ancient origins preceding Vikings, Saxons, and Romans and perhaps to some extent this was the source of my disappointment. But mostly it comes from my too high expectations. In short, I hoped for a solid work with plenty of data, information and analyses of the genetic roots of Britain and Ireland. But the hard data filled only a few pages and the rest was a waffle, inflating the book to over 300 pages where 10 sentences would suffice.
If somebody wants to read page after page on how Sykes and his team struggled to collect the blood samples then it's a book for them. However, if you want to know the genetic background of peoples who settled in the Isles in more detail, then perhaps wait for a more informative book.
Sykes Latest Hit.......2007-08-16
Brian Sykes does it again with this most interesting book about origins of the people of the British Isles. He makes technical information understandable for the average reader.
More history than DNA.......2007-08-13
I got this book because Oppenheimer's Origin of the British is out of print and not available until 2008. This Sykes book is excellent history, but not as much about the DNA story as I expected. But it is a good read. What is surprising and intersting is that Oppenheimer and Sykes, both Oxford scholars, do not acknowdege each other existance. Does anyone know why?
The Key: Oisin = R1b, Sigurd = R1a, Eshu = E3b, ..........2007-08-09
The apparent result of Sykes' study is that the underlying genetics of the Isles is Celtic through all of the regions: England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This may not make Sykes popular with some people. The old stereotypes do not hold up.
In this work, Sykes continues to use the names for the founders of the haplogroups that he created in "The Seven Daughters of Eve" but he does not list all of the standard equivalents. You cannot tell the players without a scorecard. However, I have found the answer on the web. For yDNA: R1b, Oisin; R1a, Sigurd; I, Wodan; E3b, Eshu; J, Re. For mDNA: J, Jasmine; T, Tara; H, Helena; K, Katrina; U, Ursala; V, Velda; X, Xenia.
The Isles were the subject of waves of invasion from Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Normans among others. One of the results of Sykes work is that two of the best known invaders left very little genetic trace. Sykes could find virtually no evidence of Roman DNA. Where was Titus Pullo? The Normans also left very little genetic evidence. It came as no surprise to me that my own Eshu or E3b yDNA was not significant, comprising a scattered percent or two. My E3b haplogroup is found mostly in the region of the warm and sunny Mediterranean, not the wet and cold Isles.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
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History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Customer Reviews:
"We would not let ourselves be burned to death for our opinions: we are not sure enough of them for that.".......2007-10-14
Nietzsche has been interpreted to represent the last word in a line of thought which begins with Socrates, generally referred to as the era of Western classical philosophy. Like enormous bookends, Nietzsche and the object of so much of his thought, Socrates, sit, at the crucial intersections of the flow and development of ideas, and adjudicate, with all that came between and after somehow in the radius of their influence. Nietzsche, father of existentialism, intellectual father of the 20th century.
The battle will always rage (Nietzsche, true to the fire of his Herakleitian habit, would have liked that): which is better, the Penguin Hollingdale anthology, A Nietzsche Reader, or Kaufmann's anthology, the venerable Viking Portable Nietzsche? I'll cop on that one. But, for the prospective buyer, I'll attempt a brief, opinionated comparison.
1) Translation: I was nurtured on the Kaufmann, which I used to carry around with me in my high school days, 40 years ago. Thus, for me, the Kaufmann translation rings truer to my tinny ear and limited knowledge of German. Besides, Kaufman was German. But, as Nietzsche gets down on the Germans at least as much as the English (a fact to which his Nazi misinterpreters liked to turn a blind eye), and, as Hollingdale's translations are accepted in the academic world to be at least as accurate as the revered Kaufman, pas differance there, or one merely of taste.
2) Organization: The Hollingdale is far better organized for quick reference or for the first time reader who wants an easily accessed guide to Nietzsche "from the horse's mouth" (with Nietzsche - this way is best, for so much of Nietzsche's power is in his enormous literary gifts). The creme de la creme of much of Nietzsche's most powerful work is arranged under the key rubrics: Philosophy and Philosophers; Logic, Epistemology, Metaphysics; Morality; Art and Aesthetics; Psychological Observations; Religion; Nihilism; Anti-Nihilism; Will to Power; Superman; Eternal Recurrence. The book ends with a truly neat 20 page collection of many of Nietzsche's best aphorisms and summary statements.
The Kaufmann, on the other hand, sprawls, and weaves a tapestry of the man's conceptions, which coalesce finally into a remarkably comprehensive summation of Nietzsche's basic positions. One could say that if the Hollingdale is the digital approach, the Kaufmann is the analog. The Kaufmann, however, has one insurmountable advantage: included are the complete texts of Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, Neitzsche Contra Wagner, and Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The Kaufmann translation of the latter is widely regarded as the best ever, and the book is an awesome masterpiece, at once hilarious and deep, a classic among classics, which says almost all that Nietzsche wishes you to hear in one loud shot.
3) Construction: Both have useful introductory sections, the Kaufmann is a bit better, including a helpful chronology. Neither has a particularly huge Bibliography, but the Kaufmann has been updated fairly recently by Viking. The Hollingdale is svelte, 285 pages, in the time tested Penguin format, tightly bound, light in the pack. The Kaufmann is chunky, 700 pages, a number of which are falling out of my 1968 edition bought for a pittance at a good, old fashioned, independent used bookstore.
My advice: Take the Hollingdale to school, but take the Kaufmann to that proverbial desert island.
Aphoristic truths.......2007-08-13
When Wagner became a cult, Nietzsche left him. Nietzsche resigned from the university in 1879. He went to Italy and Switzerland and had his breakdown in 1889.
Nietzsche tried to be empirical, to deepen the enlightenment. He felt that Spinoza had been a precursor. Aphorisms spring from the dialectic method of Nietzsche's thinking. The editor advises that ZATHUSTRA is the work of an utterly lonely man. Nietzsche heard about Kierkegaard too late to become acquainted with his work. He felt that Dostoevski was a great boon.
Write in blood, learn by heart, do not be tender--such notions are brought out in ZARATHUSTRA. Men want danger and play. They should fear women when they love. Out of victory and freedom one should long for a child. Man needs to be delivered from revenge. Nietzsche believed his greatest danger was pity. Dante and Spinoza accepted solitude. Writing to his sister, he states he adamantly opposes anti-Semitism.
Wagner has reflected on redemption, Nietzsche contends. Everything about Socrates is exaggeration, buffo. Use of the dialectic arouses mistrust. Morality and religion fall under the heading of imaginary causes. Educators are required because one must be able to see, to speak, to write. This is the goal of a noble culture.
Nietzsche holds that Sainte Beuve knows how to mix praise with poison. In idealizing the main features are brought out. Thomas Carlyle had a craving for a strong faith. Emerson possessed natural and gracious cheerfulness. Schopenhauer, like Goethe, Hegel, and Heine, represents a European event, not just a local one. The fight against purpose in art is always a fight against a moralizing tendency. Complaining comes from weakness. Read Thucydides between the lines.
This philosopher is a lifetime project. Thank goodness for the editorial and translating activities of Walter Kaufmann.
It's Nietzsche...only portable!!!.......2007-08-05
If you're anything like me, and if you're intelligent then you are, you can't get enough of Nietzsche. The only bad part is, I'll be walking around and I'll see some wimp in a christian T-shirt and I'll think of all those great lines from the books, but I can never remember them! I walk up to the kid and be like, "Hey Xtian(that's the cool thing to call christians) did you know that..." and I'll just trail off because I've forgotten. That happens to me all the time. That is, that USED to happen to me. Not anymore thanks to "The Portable Nietzsche." It's some of Nietzsche's greatest works in a condensed power-book! It also included the complete Zarathustra" which I admit is over my head. I like the simple meat and potatoes christian bashing that Nietzsche excels in. I like "The Anti-christ" the best because every page is just him making fun of christians. Well, actually that's how all his books are, that's why he was such a brilliant man. I just think it was so cool how he dedicated his life to attacking christians and I would like to be a person like that too.
PS: I've been trying to practice that menacing look he has on the cover of this book. I call this the Anti-christian gaze and I do it to every Christian I see. I'm getting better.
amazing.......2006-09-18
i cant say anythinng others havent said, if you like nietzsche then this is a must have. contains nietzsches best!
This is it.......2006-09-08
This is where you have to start if you're going to start reading Nietzsche. And you have to read the whole of Walter Kaufmann's introduction, front to back. It's an indispensible gateway into the work of this big, profound, tortured, hilarious, flawed, sensitive and misunderstood genius, and something you must read if you're going to say you really read Nietzsche.
Don't be like the myriad fascist creeps and pompous egomaniacs who latch onto a few of his provocative catch-phrases and controversial declarations to bolster their own sloppy philosophies. Read Nietzsche with a clear head and an open heart and take advantage of the excellent historical and personal contextualization Kaufmann provides. You'll find a lifetime's worth to think about in Nietzsche's work and be glad someone as intelligent and compassionate as Walter Kaufmann made it so easy to access.
Book Description
In the middle years of the ninth-century, the fierce Danes stormed onto British soil, hungry for spoils and conquest. Kingdom after kingdom fell to the ruthless invaders until but one realm remained. And suddenly the fate of all England—and the course of history—depended upon one man, one king.
From New York Times bestselling storyteller Bernard Cornwell comes a rousing epic adventure of courage, treachery, duty, devotion, majesty, love, and battle as seen through the eyes of a young warrior who straddled two worlds.
Download Description
"
From Bernard Cornwell, the
New York Times bestselling author whom the
Washington Post calls ""perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today,"" comes a saga of blood, rage, fidelity, and betrayal that brings to center stage King Alfred the Great, one of the most crucial (but oft-forgotten) figures in English history. It is King Alfred and his heirs who, in the ninth and tenth centuries, with their backs against the wall, fought to secure the survival of the last outpost of Anglo-Saxon culture by battling the ferocious Vikings, whose invading warriors had already captured and occupied three of England's four kingdoms.
Bernard Cornwell's epic novel opens in
A.D. 866. Uhtred, a boy of ten and the son of a nobleman, is captured in the same battle that leaves his father dead. His captor is the Earl Ragnar, a Danish chieftain, who raises the boy as his own, teaching him the Viking ways of war. As a young man expected to take part in raids and bloody massacres against the English, he grapples with divided loyalties -- between Ragnar, the warrior he loves like a father, and Alfred, whose piety and introspection leave him cold. It takes a terrible slaughter and the unexpected joys of marriage for Uhtred to discover his true allegiance -- and to rise to his greatest challenge.
In Uhtred, Cornwell has created perhaps his richest and most complex protagonist, and through him, he has magnificently evoked an era steeped in dramatic pageantry and historical significance. For if King Alfred fails to defend his last kingdom, England will be overrun, and the entire course of history will change.
"
Customer Reviews:
Action-packed, enthralling tale of the Danish and English ..........2007-10-14
Against the backdrop of the Danish invasion of England during the 870's, Cornwell introduces the fictional Uhtred - the latest son in several generations of sons by that name, who claim the right to rule Bebbanburg (Bamburgh Castle today). Uhtred is 10 when his father dies in battle and he is kidnapped by the Danes.
Eventually coming to love the family who kidnapped him, Uhtred stays with them until he is kidnapped again - this time by Alfred, King of the West Saxons - at around age 15/16. Through a series of manipulations, Alfred secures Ultred's loyalty. He becomes a warrior fighting for the king, but still dreaming of securing Bebbanburg.
While the fictional story takes precedence, Cornwell provides an overview of the history. Alfred is a sickly, pious man determined to hold his ground. The Danes are blood-thirsty warriors equally determined to conquer all the land they can. Other rulers throughout what is now England are weak. They fall to one or the other leaders.
THE LAST KINGDOM is the first in a promising series of books on the Saxons.
The Danes Commeth .......2007-10-10
What would you do if your lands were stolen, your father killed, and were taken prisoner by an invading barbarian army? I believe when doing the immense amount of research for this book, and the latter ones, Bernard Cornwell asked himself some of these questions.
I had read some really excellent historical fiction novels about the crusades when Amazon suggested The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell. Bernard Cornwell does an incredible job of pulling the reading immediately into the story, right in the prologue. The story is told in the first person by Uthred, son of Uthred, and so forth. He comes from the north, where his lands are taken, and his father slain, and his throne usurped by his uncle.
This novel, although told about the early life (This is part of a continuating series which is up to book 4) of Uthred, the story is really about King Alfred, later known as Alfred the Great, as he defends The Last Kingdom of England, Wessex. At the time England was divided into 4 kingdoms; which are each being invaded by the Danes from the North. Uthred gives in great, but flowing detail, his life growing up his new family, and "adopted" father Ragnar. As Uthred grows up, we see what is is like to be Pagan, and how literal God and Christianity was at the time. (I have no dissprect for anyone today, but at the time Faith was much more in Gods hands than I believe it is in our scientific times, today).
The story is extremely easy to read, and I find that I have a lot in common with Uthred. While Christianity is very boring from Uthred's eyes, being 10 years old, a boy does not wish to be on his knee's all day, but going out and seeing the world, learning how to fight, forge and shape steal, and learn about the Pagan Gods.
While the story is told from Uthred's point of view, about half way through we're introduced to Alfred, and it is from this point that we see the destinies of Uthred and Alfred are closely tied.
Readers will not be disappointed, as this story flows easily, and naturally, and once started, you won't be able to put it down.
A fascinating fictionalized portrayal of the Danish invasions and Saxon response.......2007-10-01
This is the first book in Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles, which consists of four books and has at least one more coming. The Last Kingdom features warfare, cross-cultural encounters, romance, humor, religion, politics, and revenge. We meet our hero, Uhtred, when he is a child. He becomes involved in the wars between his own people and the Danes. This leads to his being raised by the Danes and with their values, but he never forgets his homeland; he is the rightful king of othe area in which he grew up but his uncle has usurped the position for himself.
Uhtred meets Alfred, who is determined to unite the Saxons against the Danes. Uhtred doesn't think much of him, but for various reasons finds himself entering Alfred's service even though his primary loyalty at this point is to the Danes and their gods. Arthur hopes to save his soul. For all of Uhtred's disrespect towards Alfred and Christianity, Alfred respects Uhtred as a warrior and thinks he is vital to saving the Saxon lands from the Danes. Uhtred, therefore, frequently has to re-evaluate his loyalties.
The characters are well written--so well that when characters mentioned in the first chapters are reintroduced towards the end, they are instantly recognizable and remembered. While many characters--such as Uhtred--are Cornwell's invention, many of the warlords who appear are historical and their engagements fit well within the historical context in which they actually occurred.
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell.......2007-09-19
I've been working on a novel for the last four years or so that's been going pretty slowly. I've been doing it in chunks, mainly because it's historical fiction and involves a lot of research and I've essentially been getting stuck at some point and needing to research more before I can get started writing again. Now I'm at a point where I need to read a few books to complete the current research. The book was called The Ruin, though I recently changed the title to Wyrd, which is Anglo-Saxon for destiny. While the book is set in the fifth century in England and has characters that may turn out to be Arthurian (I'm not sure yet), the intention of the novel is to encompass the feel and texture of the Early Middle Ages, at a time when society was essentially beginning anew for this forgotten island.
When I started reading The Last Kingdom by one of my favorite authors I got the chilling feeling that Cornwell had done what I was trying to do with my book. And after finishing it, there's a lot in it that I can see coming out in my novel, and yet Wyrd will go in different directions and achieve different goals. Nevertheless, The Last Kingdom was a great book for anyone wanting to get a feel of the ninth century and what it was like for the Anglo-Saxons living there and having to deal with the invading Vikings who were trying to settle and do essentially what the Anglo-Saxons had done a couple of centuries before to the Britons. While the main character, Uhtred, is but a boy at the beginning and the narrator, our hero is Alfred the Great (the only British king ever to be called "the Great") and while I'm not sure how long the series is going to be, the reader will see Alfred grow up and become the great king that earned him the title. I'm quite familiar with Alfred's history and life and how he emulated Charlemagne in a lot of ways, and it's really enjoyable to see this fictionalized account from one of my favorite authors, which has been well researched, and to see these historical characteristics in the people in the book.
I will freely admit that Bernard Cornwell isn't exactly the most in depth and complex historical fiction writers, and his characters aren't always the fully developed real people they should be, but he still does the job well and gets his point across in giving the reader a look into this life, just as he did with his Grail series set in the Later Middle Ages, and his Arthur series. It's also the kind of book that anyone can pick up and get fully sucked into without getting confused or lost along the way with heavy history and jargon. Cornwell is also sure to point out as much of the native languages as he can, with plenty of translations, to clarify it all.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to [...]
Dervel's return..........2007-08-27
Cornwell takes the old stones of history and fills in the gap with a mortar of boyish fantasy. Ever wonder what the steps in making a medieval sword were? Ever wonder how they got the charcoal? Ever wonder how the Danes constructed their ships? Well, that last one is the only one not answered or described in (too much?) detail. Nice for history addicts (ie me) but the general audience might tend to yawn through those parts of the story.
This first book is okay but Uhtred resembles Dervel in too many ways. And the story seems to drag. The Warlord series consisted of 6 shield walls, 2 in each book. It feels like this is book 4.
That said the action picks up at the end of the book but again, Uhtred's coming to Alfred who has been given a bogus story from Odda resembles Dervel's return to Arthur who has been given Lancelot's bogus story about St. Michel or whatever it was called in Warlords. Anyway, the beginning of the second book makes up for this short coming where we get to see a young noble start to build up his forces starting with nothing but debt. It's fun. In fact, it is every boy's fantasy of being a knight, lord, pirate, arrogant bastard nicknamed 'the Wicked'. And it is a little more realistic that this is how a man would develop having been taught to murder as a child and it is a pleasant deviation from the nauseatingly perfect Dervel.
That said, Alfred wasn't named 'Great' for nothing and Cornwell seems to question whether he deserved the title. There is a possibility that Alfred had Crohne's disease, however, honestly, how would a man accomplish so much with such a debilitating disease (I've known people who have suffered from Crohne's) in a time when it couldn't be treated at all (I'm pretty sure they didn't know to remove the scarred parts of his digestive tract let alone be able to prescribe anti-inflammatories). That said Alfred was a fan of the Christian church so of course Cornwell will make him into being a sniveling pansie while most of those priests around him are money grubbing careerists. I'm guessing the Hammer and the Captain were also sniveling men in Cornwell's eyes, because no where in the five books I've read has there been a character resembling the popular characterization of those men. *shrugs*
Average customer rating:
- Like New - Excellent Condition
- Dense and Obtuse, but Well Worth the Effort
- A Classic
- dense and yet...dense
- Nothing beats the classics
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The Portable Jung (Viking Portable Library)
Carl G. Jung
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
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ASIN: 0140150706 |
Customer Reviews:
Like New - Excellent Condition.......2007-09-18
The book was in excellent condition when I received it. So far I have had only good experiences with all books ordered through Amazon. I am very impressed.
Dense and Obtuse, but Well Worth the Effort.......2006-09-18
I have a Ph.D. in Comparative Religion as well as a Th.D., so I'm no neophyte when it comes to arcane and occult themes. Carl Jung, however, is the penultimate obscurantist--at least in English translation--exceeded only by Martin Heidegger. So be prepared for a ride through verbal molasses. That said, this book is well worth the effort because understanding Jung is well worth the effort. His insights go far beyond psychology into that which is today called "spirituality" as opposed to religion.
Grasping the theories and insights of Jung is one of the most empowering things a person can do for themselves because he provides you with insights that will enable you to guide your own self-transformation.
A Classic.......2006-07-18
This is a fascinating book on Jungian thought and his psychological concepts. If you avoid being intimidated by the size of the book, and you methodically go through each page from the beginning to the end, you will grasp the extent and depth of Jung's intellect and ideas.
The word "archetype" is used by Jung to describe the concept of the strong unseen influences that result in predictable psychological states. He describes an archetype as psychic in form where instinct and conditioned behaviour can be observed in the behaviour of people. This can be observed in religious symbols, fairytales and stories.
Jung describes the existence of three layered psyche consisting of the conscious or active part of the mind, the personal unconscious, that is thinking over which we have little or no control and the collective unconscious, which he describes as animal-instinctive mental activity. The collective unconscious tells us that people are the same at the lowest, biological levels.
The book is a must read for those people who want a deeper understanding of their existence and some tools to help them explore the unknown. I recommend reading Jung's works and then compare and contrast them with that of Freud, who uses a different style. Reading these contrasting works should enable one to have a fuller appreciation of their existence.
dense and yet...dense.......2006-06-27
I don't consider myself to be a total idiot. I've read a little psychology, a lot of philosophy, quite a bit of mythology, and have a fair grasp of history. At the same time, I'm also open to what today we call "New Age" or "occult" even if I am always going to be a bit of a skeptic. None of that really helped here. Ever read a paragraph and realize that you didn't really get what you just read? This might happen if you're tired, or lose your focus for a minute. Then you go back and re-read it and it makes more sense. Well, The Portable Jung reads like that initial scenario for me from start to finish, no matter how focused I am. The thing is, when I read a summary of Jung's ideas from another writer, I understand exactly what is being said. The collective unconscious,anima/animus, the shadow...it makes sense. Then I read Jung's own writing and can't connect the sentences. My grandmother says it just must be "bad writing." I don't know. Maybe Jung sensed in his own time the hostility and ultimate rejection of his ideas by the scientific community and always wrote and spoke that way to avoid the ridicule that plainer speaking of such unorthodox subject matter would provoke. (Wow, multiply the awkwardness of that sentence by 10 and you'd think I was channeling the spirit of ol' Gustav). Ironically, Jung has pretty much been ditched by the psychological community and embraced by English majors, such as myself, who would receive the written equivalent of a scowl from our professors if we ever wrote with the pretentiousness and virtually alien syntax of this book. Anyway, I worked and worked at appreciating The Portable Jung, reading as carefully as possible. I really wanted to like it. But first I needed to understand what I was reading sentence by sentence. I never did (however, the reasoning, when the clouds occasionally parted, seems to be pretty much what you'd expect from anyone trying to justify what is essentially parapsychology. Check out the references to the 300-something "random" interpretations of a patient's dreams, which, ta-da, remarkably revolve around the idea of alchemy and an Asiatic symbol called a mandala). 2 stars, though, since I did start keep track of my dreams a bit more (however I have concluded that a recent dream involving rollerskating had more to a movie preview I saw the day before of "ATL" rather than the Wheel Of Life).
Nothing beats the classics.......2006-04-22
I recommend this book to clients interested in learning about Jungian thought. Just the introduction by Joseph Campbell is worth the skimpy price of admission and the depth and breath of Jung's ideas remain as powerful and intriguing today as they were when he first wrote more than 80 years ago. Concepts such as the Self, the collective unconscious, shadow, and introvert-extrovert remain great tools for self-awareness. Because it can be read in sections I often go back to it for reference and I find that every time time I do so I am rewarded with a new, deeper, understanding. Warning! You may have to use more than two neurons to digest this but the effort will be worth it!
Average customer rating:
- MY BOY LOVES READING
- Very Good Book
- Viking at sunrise
- READ ME!!!!!!!
- Vikings
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Viking Ships At Sunrise (Magic Tree House 15, paper)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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ASIN: 0679890610
Release Date: 1998-08-11 |
Book Description
Jack and Annie are off in search of another story in jeopardy, this time at a monastery in ancient Ireland. Trouble arrives when Vikings land, and Jack and Annie must find a way to escape!
Customer Reviews:
MY BOY LOVES READING.......2007-01-07
My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!
Very Good Book.......2006-05-03
I read The Magic Treehouse # 15: Viking Ships at Sunrise. This book is very good. Whenever Jack and Annie want to visit a place, they point to a picture and say, "I wish to go there." Morgan sent Jack and Annie to Ireland to solve a mystery. They had many adventures. The most exciting part of the book was when the serpent rose out of the water.
I learned some interesting facts when I read this book. Ireland is a country in Europe. Each day there is a dark hour in Ireland. Vikings were very dangerous.
I would recommend this book for three reasons. It teaches you interesting things about Ireland and its history. The characters were realistic, and you can relate to them. This book was very funny. The Magic Treehouse #15: Viking Ships at Sunrise is a great book.
Viking at sunrise.......2006-03-23
I think you should buy this book because Mary Pope Osborne has great illustrations in this book.The book is about Jack and Annie.The story is set to Ireland a long time ago and they gt in truble with some vikings.You have to read the book to find out what happens.
READ ME!!!!!!!.......2006-01-20
It was about Annie and Jack going to a island trying to find civilization and they meet some monks on the island. They go to their village and look at it and vikings come. I like the part when the sea monster saves them. I did not like the beginning of the book becouse they where not at the island.
Vikings.......2005-02-02
Main Characters:
Jack- keeps a notebook, carries a backpack, likes adventures, he likes information, he likes to study, solve riddles, and is a smart boy.
Annie- She likes animals, she likes imaginary things, willing to help, encourages Jack, polite, uses clues, and she's focused.
Mission:
Jack and Annie had to find the book of the sea serpent but they don't know where to get it.
I learned that Vikings were real, and I never knew that Vikings were real. I felt excited because they saw a sea serpent, and sea serpent helped Jack and Annie.The Viking ship book reminded me of Summer of The Sea Serpent because in both books the sea serpent helps Jack and Annie.I think elementary students who like to read, who like other Mary Pope Osborne books, and who like fantasy and adventure books would love this book.
Book Description
A lively portrait of a tumultuous period replete with conflict and strife, political intrigue and shifting alliances, assassinations and coronations.
Emma, one of England's most remarkable queens, made her mark on a nation beset by Viking raiders at the end of the Dark Ages, a period often neglected by conventional history. At the center of a triangle of Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans all jostling for control of England, Emma was a political pawn who became a power broker and an unscrupulous manipulator. By birth a Norman, Emma spent the majority of her life on English soil. She was married to two kings of England and outlived both; she was twice driven into exile; while mourning the untimely loss of one son, she was devastated by the murder of another; she saw two of her sons crowned; she was stripped of her powers when her eldest son became king; and she eventually retired from public life as a dowager queen whose land and wealth had been restored. Regarded by her contemporaries as a generous Christian patron, a regent admired by her subjects, and a Machiavellian mother, Emma was, above all, a survivor: hers was a life marked by dramatic reversals of fortune.
Customer Reviews:
VERY INTERESTING. IT MEET MY NEEDS. .......2007-06-05
There are a couple of facts we need to remember when reading this particular book. First, and this is important, it, the book, is not a Doctorial Thesis and it is not written as such. This is a popular historical work, meant to inform, but at the same time, to entertain. Secondly, I too, like a couple of other reviewers, was a bit disappointed that more was not written about the main character, Emma, her personal life, etc. This leads to the second fact we must remember. Source documents from this era, in particular personal histories, are very, very hard to come by. Most documents from this time have simply disappeared, have been destroyed, or are lost in some historical black hole. This being said and this being remembered, as the book is being read, might help.
The author has given us a fascinating look into the life and politics during the latter part of the first century. A very troubled time for England, and indeed, most of Europe. True, she, the author, does not go into the depth of her subject as many of us would like, but as I have stated, the author had very few source documents of refer to. This work is done in the "popular mode," and is quite readable. The author has taken great pains to let us know when she is stating documented facts and when she drifts into the realm of speculation. This is important to understand what the author is trying to do. I found the author's style far from dry, considering the subject matter. Queen Emma was indeed a complex and fascinating woman and the author has gone to great lengths to bring this across.
This is one of those book I like to call a "tickler," or "seed book." It gives information to those who are interested in a subject, but not fanatical about it. My primary interest is in New World History, but I do like to know where we came from. Works such as this give me as much information as I need for my purposes. Granted, if I were doing a research paper, or was extremely interested in the subject, I would indeed want more. As it stands though, this work gave me a wonder glance into those days and times. Now that I have this information, I find I do have an interest and this work has "tickled" me into checking other works out. This is a good thing. Perhaps one day I could land a nice juicy government grant, travel to England, and check out some of the source documents myself. Would not that be fun!
All in all, I found the work to be very well done, enjoyable to read and quite helpful. I do recommend this one for any individual interested in those days and times and the Queen Emma.
High quality popular history-biography.......2007-06-04
Emma of Normandy was the daughter of Richard I and his Danish "handfast" wife, Gunnor, whose origins are obscure. She married Aethelred II of England, was widowed, and married the Danish invader, Canute the Great the next year. One of her sons by each husband subsequently ruled England. She also became the mother-in-law of Henry III of Germany and was the great-aunt of William the Conqueror. But Emma wasn't the typical royal spouse. She learned how to wield power, played an expert political game, and suffered the failings of greed and scandal. Because of her wide and deep connections between the conquering Danes and Normans and the conquered English, this lively, well-written volume is more than a biography. Though the author is a journalist rather than an academic, she has produced a popular history with thorough source citations that is well worth the reading.
The Title Contains the Name EMMA, But Where's EMMA??.......2007-06-02
If you like Medieval history and the history of continuous Viking raids on England, maybe you'll find this book enjoyable. For me, it was a huge disappointment. The author appears to have no concrete evidence about Queen Emma's public or private life, reign, whereabouts during specific periods in British history, children, marriages, or anything else surrounding the book's main topic. Although a short read, it is dry and without enthusiasm. The book's main subject, Emma, is incidental throughout the entire "biography." Emma happened to be the English queen during Viking raids and that's about it. There is plenty of guess-work on the part of the author about what Emma might have done, might have seen, might have said or read, but there's nothing solid or concrete. There are, however, some interesting insights into Medieval life at the time of Emma's reign but that's about it.
Very enjoyable -- could have been deeper.......2006-12-23
The century or two leading up to the Norman Conquest is a favorite historical period for me, and I've read a number of books balanced roughly on the fulcrum of the year 1000, give or take. And Ms. O'Brien's was a very worthwhile addition to them. Like another reviewer, though, I wished for more on Emma -- or Aelfgifu as the Anglo-Saxons called her. Still, the book was quite a worthwhile and well-written portrait of the times and the characters involved in those fateful years.
And I still say Harold got a raw deal. Arrow in the eye (at least, according to the Bayeux Tapestry) -- that's gotta hurt! ;)
Twice Crowned Queen; Twice a Queen Mother.......2006-12-11
It's clear that Emma didn't passively attain this distinction. How did she do it? The records for the era are hardly extensive, so the biographer has a lot of work to do.
O'Brien did the work and has produced a solid bio. I particularly liked the parts on how Emma commissioned her book and how the assigned monk may have constructed her spin on history. I also liked the chronological chart at the end which sets Emma and her time within not just a European timeline, but also a worldwide framework.
The amount of research that goes into a volume like this is to be respected, but I held back a star because the question of how Queen Emma made her comebacks is only technically answered. You do not get the feeling you understand Emma the way you come to understand the central characters in a Fraser or Weir biography.
Amazon.com
It's not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to bring up their ducklings, but during a rest stop in Boston's Public Garden, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard think they just might have found the perfect spot--no foxes or turtles in sight, plenty of peanuts from pleasant passers-by, and the benevolent instincts of a kindly police officer to boot. Young readers will love the mother duck's proud, loving protection of her wee webbed ones, and those with fond memories of Boston will enjoy familiar locales, from Beacon Hill to Louisburg Square, and over the Charles River--often from a duck's-eye view. Robert McCloskey, creator of Blueberries for Sal, never fails to elicit happy story-time giggles from youngsters, and his soft, brown-toned, Caldecott-winning illustrations make this gentle world come alive. (Ages 3 to 8) --Karin Snelson
Book Description
This classic tale of the famous Mallard ducks of Boston is available for the first time in a full-sized paperback edition. Awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1941, Make Way for Ducklings has been described as "one of the merriest picture books ever" (The New York Times). Ideal for reading aloud, this book deserves a place of honor on every child's bookshelf. "Robert McCloskey's unusual and stunning pictures [have] long been a delight for their fun as well as their spirit of place." — The Horn Book
Customer Reviews:
A love letter to Boston.......2007-08-07
Mr. and Mrs. Mallard explore all the nooks and crannies of Boston and the Back Bay, before settling on the perfect place to raise their family. A true love letter to the Boston of 60 years ago (complete with Irish cops!), it is a classic that speaks to people from everywhere, and families worldwide, on the love and nurturing that parents show for their children.
A classic for a reason.......2007-06-25
This book was read to me, and I read it endlessly to my little sister and my daughter. Now I am reading it to my great-nephew, age three and a half, who fell instantly in love with it. He always lets out a little "whew!" of relief when Mrs Mallard and the ducklings make it through the gates of the Public Gardens. After about the fourth reading (there were two on that particular day) we went to a little park nearby where he insisted on playing out the story with me, complete with Mr and Mrs Mallard's dialogue. It is a ritual now.
This is an astonishingly involving book for small children. There is a practical but manageable level of threat (of traffic, which is very real and genuinely important for three and four year olds) with the assurance of adult help when it is needed, and the constant reassurance that they are being looked after. And adults can read it forever without getting bored!
Great value.......2007-02-15
This is the turtle back book. It is glued and stitched. It should hold up. If this book is going to get alot of use spend the few dollars more and get the turtle back.
Make Way for Ducklings.......2007-02-13
I grew up reading this book and when I became a teacher it was one of the first in my classroom. A classic. A must read for all young readers! Great drawings too!
Make Way for Ducklings.......2007-01-18
This is a great story for children. We bought the book for our daughter to use in the Speech and Hearing Clinic at OSU, and for her work with children at the public library story hour during the summer.
Average customer rating:
- A Classic
- good *MOJO* :)
- A piece of recent history
- Runes
- The Book of Runes speaks to me
|
The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes with Stones: 10th Anniversary Edition
Ralph H. Blum
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312097581 |
Product Description
Complete with The Book of Runes by Ralph Blum. Includes drawstring pouch for holding rune stones.
Customer Reviews:
A Classic.......2007-07-22
Although Ralph Blum's book has been around for a long time; it remains the classic on runes. Easy to understand and use. Makes a great gift.
good *MOJO* :).......2007-05-13
I found these runes to be an awesome prayer tool..... I'm not into a lot of the old "hoo-doo" touchey feely type stuff but this just works.... especially if like myself you have spiritual A.D.D. - my prayers usually consist of "dear God, I want to thank you for...... did I leave the iron on?..... AH CRAP!..... Dear God, I want to than...... I really liked that puppy... wasn't that a cute puppy that Marsha had for.... UUUGGGH! CRAP!......" ect.
They are what you make of them.... they're not magic or possessed.... you will just get back what you put into them.... read the directions/introduction and then do what works for you..... GREAT TOOL!
A piece of recent history.......2007-04-07
This book should be part of any collection for those interested in the recent (c 1980) revival of interest in the runes. It is still the highest selling rune book, but also one of the least researched.
When it was first published, the academic sources were not very available to the public, although they would have been available to Blum had he made the effort. Instead, he created a simple divination system, based more on his own readings of the I Ching than the known historical sources of runic knowledge.
There is a wealth of information in the old rune poems, and in the original futhark ordering of the runes. Blum ignores both. However, at least Blum never claimed to be reconstrucing an old system. On the other hand, unfortunately, most of his readers assume that there is some real historical content in the book.
For those who are looking for an esoteric book about runes based on the real available historical knowledge, this is certainly not it.
Sweyn
Author
The Rune Primer
Runes.......2007-03-16
This book is informative and easy to understand. If one is interested in reading runes, this is the book to read.
The Book of Runes speaks to me.......2007-03-03
I have tried many modalities in the past from cards, numerology, astrology, etc. The Book of Runes actually speaks to me whenever I lay the stones out and open the book. The words have hit on my situation every time whether I lay out 1 stone or 3. This book, with the stones has helped me in making important decisions where my life is concerned. I use them as a tool only and not as a total answer to my questions.
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