"Charlotte's Web" was one of my favorite books growing up. My grandmother gave it to me when I was 9-years-old, and I read it so often after that, I would make tabulations on my bookmark of how many times I had read it per day.

Not only did I become a bookworm, but part of my love for animals came from this book. I mean, it's hard not to get attached to Wilbur, the runt pig 8-year-old Fern Arable "save[s] from an untimely death", or Charlotte A. Cavatica, the clever, imaginative gray spider who fools everybody into believing Wilbur is a special pig by spinning flattering words about him in her web so he's not butchered, or even Templeton, the sarcastic, self-centered rat who is somewhat of a help later on.

One year after it was published, "Charlotte's Web" was named a Newbery Honor book. During the 70s, it won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal and was later made into a movie. Although it's been several years since I've seen the cartoon, I do remember that I really enjoyed it. Not more than the book, of course, but it's worth checking out if you liked this story.

Recommended for readers age 8+.

This book was about girl name Fern and her pet Wilbur, the pig. I liked this book and it's the best book I read this year that I understand the most. The story was good and interesting and you just want to keep reading until a new chapter. It all starded when a lot of pigs were born in their farm and dad said that he will kill the smallest one, but Fern stoped him and that pig became hers. She named him Wilbur. After 6 monyhs Wilbur was big, so Fern had to give him away to her aunt, Mr. Zuckerman. Wilbur was bored and alone until he meets Charllote, the spider, and they became good friends. They play and teach each other different things. Then Wilbur got to meet all the animals on a farm and some animal tells him that Mr. Zuckerman will kill him when winter comes. Wilbur asked Charllote if thats true and Charllote said that it's true, so know they were thinking how to save Wilburs life.All long days passed and it seems impossible to save Willbur, but soon there will be a Country Fair. Wilbur talks to Charllote that if he can do tricks on the fair then maybe Mr.Zuckerman will keep him. Next morning when Wilbur was practicing his tricks Mr. Zuckerman came and saw them and thought maybe I'll win prizes if I go to the fair with him.Then he took Wilbur to the Fair. After the fair Wilbur came home proudly with a metal and a ribbon saying, Zuckerman's famous pig. Then Mr. Zucherman talked to his wife about taking good care of Wilbur and keeping him, so they did. Everyone was happy even the animals. Wilbur and Charllote lived there for long time and had a lot og fun together.

Charlotte's Web was checked out of my grade school library many times by a classmate of mine that I considered "dumb". I thought "If SHE likes it, then I surely wouldn't. So I never checked it out. When my own child brought it home as a part of a third grade assignment, I decided to read it. The surprise of my life! It turned out to be the most wonderful book! The subtle nuances of humor are missed by children,even though they love the book, too. The way the author transforms everyday farm-life into interesting tidbits of information (including the actual contents of Wilbur's feeding trough) is nothing short of ingenius. The way he makes you feel for the lovable Wilbur--I love the way Wilbur asks Charlotte, "How is your plan coming? (for saving his life) I'd be happy to help with the plan in any way that I can." Naturally, he would like to see the plan move along, for saving his life, but the way in which he offers his help is adorable! The emotions, the characters of the animals (goose, sheep, and of course, Templeton) all combine to make Charlotte's Web a one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

I recommend this book to any reader seeking adventure, fantasy, and fun. Aside from the fact that Louis the swan really coulkn't play the trumpet or write, it's hard to believe this book is fiction. This is because Louis' romantic feelings for the swan he loves are so realistic. The Trumpet of the Swan is about a young trumpeter swan who sets of to earn money, for his father has stealthily stolen a trumpet to help his son communicate. Louis ends up giving the people of Boston the time of their lives. I definitely think you shoulk read this book, for it is just busting with exitement.

Louis is a Trumpeter Swan whose species are nearly extinct.He is born without a voice and won't be able to woo pretty female swans or communicate with his parents and his siblings.Sam,an animal lover befriends Louis and helps him read and write.Very extraordinary! I have never heard of an animal who can read and write.When Louis comes home,he wears a slate and chalk pencil around his elegant neck.He wrote on his slate,"Hi,there!".Unfortunately,Louis's parents don't understand what he is trying to say.His father says,"But I must prolong my welcoming remarks a bit longer,for my curiousity is aroused by that odd litle object Louis is wearing around his neck and by the strange symbols he has placed upon it by rubbing that white thing up and down and leaving those strange white symbols".I really laughed my head out.Louis falls in love with a beautiful swan,Serena.He writes down on his slate,"I love you".Meanwhile,Louis's father steals a trumpet from a music shop to help Louis to communicate.Louis tries very hard to play the trumpet and suceeds to play a note"Ko-hoh".He asks Sam to cut his webbed foot so then he could play the trumpet better as there are three valves that you have to play so that you can make many tunes.Many adventures happen.But then will Louis will be able to woo the lovely Serena whom he has fallen in love with at first sight? I recommend this to all children who love animals like me.

This book is the best book E.B White has ever written, it's called the Trumpet of the Swan!!!!! This book is about a baby swan that is born with out a voice and he meets a boy named Sam Beaver! The swan's name is Louis, whose father steals a trumpet so he can talk for his loving Serena. So Louis wants to pay back the store keeper in Billings. Louis goes to many places to make money to pay him. Louis is taught how read and write and that is how he talks to people. The places Louis went for money are called Camp Kookooskoos, Boston at the Ritz, Philadelphia and the Red Rock Lakes!!!!!!!!!

...That said, The Cater Street Hangman is enjoyable. The mystery is good-it's genuinely unclear who has been killing women in the area around Cater Street. And the characters, at least in this novel, are actually somewhat realistic. Charlotte, her heroine, is a bit tedious in her self-righteousness but Thomas Pitt, the inspector who is investigating the murders in the neighborhood in which Charlotte lives with her parents and sisters, is a good foil. He is straight-forward, unapologetic and seems curiously immune from the usual fallout created by the Victorian class system. I especially liked Emily, Charlotte's younger and highly ambitious sister. The Ellisons, Emily's and Charlotte's family are genteelly middle-class but Emily intends to marry up-and she manages to achieve it-even as the world in which the Ellisons live falls apart when a killer begins stalking the Ellisons and their neighbors....

This novel is the first featuring Thomas Pitt and Charlotte (Ellison) Pitt, and set in Victorian London. In some ways, the novel is a standard mystery, with the victims, suspects, police and other interested parties all involved, sometimes to the detriment of the investigation! What makes this novel stand above other contemporary novels set in the Victorian era is the author's obvious knowledge of that era and her attention to detail which makes the reader feel as if s/he has truly glimpsed what it must have been like to live at that time. I also thought that it was critical to spend a significant portion of the novel on the class system in Britain (London society in particular) during the late 1800s. This is more than mere background--it is crucial because the class system determines how the characters act and react to the murders around them, to the investigation, and to eachother.

I also liked the romance which developed between Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt, and found it entirely believable. Anne Perry pulls it off, despite Charlotte and Thomas being from different classes, because she had the foresight to make Charlotte something of a social misfit. She was honest. She said precisely what was on her mind without considering what the listener wanted to hear. She did not accept the double standard of behavior that her family, friends, and neighbors subscribed to (one set of rules for men, another more strigent set of rules for women). She read the newspapers and "unfeminine" books on topics such as military history to the shock and horror of her family and friends. All of these things made her, as her mother put it, "a liability on the marriage market". She would not attract a suitor of her own class (nor of the aristocracy nor gentry). The only option (not spoken of in the novel) is for her to marry down socially, but she also gains far more emotionally from her relationship with Thomas. She has found someone she can love and respect, and who loves and respects her in return. Thomas is also something of a social misfit as well. Anne Perry accomplishes this by making him a member of the servant class by birth, but because he was educated side by side with the Lord of the manor's son, he, too, does not quite "fit" neatly into one class or another. A good example of Thomas being not quite in the class that people expect is how his voice and appearance are described. In the Victorian era, as well as now, voice (and diction) are a good indication of class. Thomas, because of his education, did not sound like a servant or a tradesman (which is how policemen were ranked socially). The development of their relationship was also well done. There is no rush to sexual relations. The dislike that Charlotte and Thomas initially feel for eachother changes to respect, admiration, and finally each acknowledges their love for eachother. It was nice to see how Charlotte came to change her feelings about Thomas. The main characters actually get to know eachother beforehand!

The ending was also a bit of a surprise--the murderer was not the obvious suspect, and the reason for the murders was unexpected. This novel was enjoyable all around. Highly recommended.

I was aware of Anne Perry's historical mysteries and assumed I would not be interested in them since in general I prefer more contemporary mysteries. Then I saw A&E's production of The Cater Street Hangman and was captivated by it. I immediately bought the book and found it to be even better than the TV version - the characters have more depth and the plot is tighter and more credible. Anne Perry has a wonderful knack for creating characters. I feel as though I know (and like) Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt. Charlotte is a wonderful creation: she speaks her mind, almost unheard of in the Victorian well-to-do world she inhabits. Thomas Pitt is an equally interesting creation and seeing the two of them pass beyond instant dislike to attraction and admiration for each other is very entertaining. We SO want them to get together. This is edge-of-the seat stuff which, together with all the wonderful details of life in Victorian London and an intelligent love affair, makes for a thundering good read!

If you're brand new to Charlotte Mason and looking for a quick reference of the practical how-to's of Mason's educational methods, then this is the book for you! I believe that this book successfully accomplishes what it was written for--to present the reader with a step-by-step, topic-by-topic introduction to Miss Mason's methods. This book isn't an in-depth treatment of Charlotte Mason's entire philosophy of education, and I don't believe it was meant to cover anything more than just the practical how-to's. If you're looking at your home educational efforts and thinking something like, "How can I quickly and easily add art appreciation and poetry to our curriculum?", then you'll find the answers here. I find this to be one of the easiest to use, most helpful home education books on my shelf. I refer back to it often (ie: "I need more ideas for Nature study. I'll go back and see what Levison recommends"). The book is short, to the point, and written from the wisdom of a long-time homeschooling parent who spent several years digging through Charlotte Mason's original books and many out-of-print resources to distill Mason's vast writings on the philosophy of education into the practical nuts and bolts of how to do it at home. Presented in a manageable and readable format.

Contrary to some opinions, Levison's second book, More Charlotte Mason Education, definitely isn't a rewrite of this first book. More Charlotte Mason Education does go into greater depth on things like the life of Charlotte Mason, but none of the practical how-to's are repeated from one book to the next. Please don't start with Book Two unless you're already using CM methods almost exclusively in your home school, or I think you'll probably find yourself wondering why the author didn't talk about most educational topics that need to be covered in your homeschool (the first book gives the most information about what to do and how). I think it's probably best if someone buys both books. They're definitely a set that compliments and completes one another.

As a homeschooling parent I want to give my two children a great education. They are young, both in first grade. I was feeling so frustrated with my young daughter. She was not listening to me (tuning me out)and I was not sure how to deal with her. She would play around, not finish her lessons. A friend suggested the Charlotte Mason approach. I purchased Catherine Levison's book and read it through. Wow, it was wonderful. Right away I told the children there would be some changes at school. I reset our school classes. We read our Bible lessons 3 mornings a week, and classic literature 2 mornings a week. I started timing our classroom work, allowing only 20 minutes for each subject or paperwork. I told them that they each had 20 minutes for each subject, such as math, history, ect.. If they did not finish the paper that they would then stay behind and do their schoolwork "during their recess/play time". When Sarah had to stay in her seat and finish up during her recess/playtime she was not too happy. It only took two times for her to realize that mom was serious. I did not nag her. I just quietly reminded her once of the new rules. She is now listening better, finishing her work ahead of the time allowed on many days. Mom has been happier and our school days are so much more pleasant.
We went shopping for some whole,living books. We chose Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little,also Aesop's Fables to read during school time. We all three read together out loud. Then I have each child tell me what they read. I was amazed (embarassed too) when I read the list of great literature for suggested reading, in Catherine's book. Here I was a mom, and I as a child had never read any of the books listed. I soon purchased "Little Women, also Anne of Green Gables" for myself to start with. My husband gave me "Jane Eyre" for Christmas. I keep wondering why, when I was a child, that my teachers did not have us read whole books. It seemed so much of what we learned in public school was boring or I have forgotten it. My prayer is as a home school mom to give my children a better education than I received. To keep them excited about what we are learning. together.

Catherine Levison has taken Charlotte Mason's six-volume set and several out-of-print works, and condensed the practical applications into one easy to use book. The chapters are a subject-by-subject treatment of Charlotte Mason's philosophies and methods. I can't recommend this book highly enough for those home school parents attempting to implement these principles into their home schooling experience. For more information about Charlotte Mason, her methods, and this book, visit the Charlotte Mason Education home page: http://members.aol.com/beeme1/index.htm

If you want to read a great book about murder and mystery read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This saga is a great book to read because it is an adventure. We'll start out by telling you about the three main characters. Charlotte is very tactful and shy young lady. She comes aboard the ship to go home to America to her father. Captain Jaggery is malignant and hostile. He is notable for being harsh to the crew and to Charlotte. Zachariah is known for his hospitality towards Charlotte since she is the only girl on the ship. He is never grim but always prudent and watches out for Charlotte. The whole story is mainly about a girl named Charlotte Doyle. On her voyage to America she faces the hardships of being part of the crew. She learns how to be more independant. She has to deal with her friend Zachariah and what happened to him. Also, she has to deal with being accused of murder. This book hold you in suspense. The details were put in chronological order. Mystery and mjurder on sea is very creative theme. The dialogues include understandable language. When the book mentions the parts of the ship, you will find there is a diagram in the back, so all you have to do is just flip back. You just heard our narrative part of the book. If you want to read the true confessions of Charlotte, Zachariah, and Captain Jaggery, you have to read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.

The year is 1832. Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is instructed by her family to travel from Liverpool, England to Providence, Rhode Island on board the Seahawk. Despite the warnings that Charlotte receives against boarding the ship, she does not wish to contradict her father (she is, after all, a young lady). Once aboard, Charlotte is horrified to find herself the only lady on the entire ship! Nevertheless, she quickly befriends both the highly refined Captain Jaggery and the old cook, Zachariah (tattered and crude in appearance, yet kind and gentle). After witnessing the captain's brutal behavior towards the crew, however, Charlotte joins the men in a revolt against him. The story continues as Charlotte and the crew brave a raging storm, fight the captain once again, and finally dock in Providence. At the end of the story, Charlotte must make a hard decision regarding her plans for the future (of course, I will not disclose her answer). Rarely does a book appeal to people of different ages, genders, and interests, but it is safe to say that this is one of them. When my sixth grade class read this book, I anticipated a boring and uneventful story ahead. I am now thankful that we read it, for it has become one of my all-time favorite novels. I highly recommend "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" to anyone looking for a book unlike any other...a book that has it all: adventure, suspense, mystery, and a riveting plot suitable for absolutely anybody.

Have you read a really good action packed book lately? Well, "The True confessions Of Charlotte Doyle" is the one to read; and is written by AVI, an awesome writer. This is just one of his many very far out books. He uses lots of author tricks, such as suspense , and cliffhangers,for example "There before me stood the looming head of Zachariah...", and foreshadowing. These tricks are really important to this double plot line story. The first thing Avi did well is tell about the main characters like Charlotte, Captain Jaggery, and Zachariah. One of the main characters (Zachariah) was based on a prophet from the Old Testament in the bible. Captain Jaggery's name perfectly fits his personality. Charlotte sounds like she could be like a real snob. When we first saw this cover we thought this was a girlish book but yet again, AVI comes to the rescue.This book is another reason looks can be deceiving. Another reason looks can be deceiving in this book is Charlotte's character change. What she is in the beginning is not at the end. Our opinion of Avi's wonderful words is a really optimistic one. For example, vexation means to be really mad or sad. Grotesque means ugly, ill-favored. Avi uses these wonderful words many times through the book to make the book interesting. In conclusion, we rate this book, " The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle," five out of five Huzzahs. The reason why we chose this is that AVI uses so many author tricks such as suspense, character change, double plot line , cliffhangers, and foreshadowing.

Charlotte Bronte's JANE EYRE is one of the most readable of Victorian classics. VILLETTE is something different. It could be a good bet for a reading group -- there's a lot to discuss in it. It's a deliberately slow and un-melodramatic story; the narrator, Lucy Snowe, evidently intentionally does _not_ tell about some of the most dramatic incidents in her life,instead focusing on her emotional privation.

In this book, it seems there are three levels of humanity. There is the majority, focused on material dazzle -- who are made of "vulgar materials." Superior to them are those whose hearts and minds are capable of some development, but who are spiritually limited. Lastly there is an elite, who, perhaps through much suffering and the tutelage of the wise, discover their own inner integrity, and so become free even while being bound to the "prison" of the body. In short -- don't be misled by the Christian terminology; this is a gnostic novel, even if Bronte never heard the term "gnostic."

It has a tough-mindedness that makes many novels seem sentimental. And it really is rather bleak, in seeing this world as unredeemable. For a Victorian fiction with obvious spiritual/religious relevance, what a Christless thing it is.

"Villette" is a more complex, mature novel than "Jane Eyre" and, to many readers, a more unsatisfying one. Unlike "Jane Eyre", "Villette" is no Cinderella tale, and there is no Rochester to stir the heroine's -- and the reader's --emotions. In "Villette", Bronte gives us Lucy Snowe, whom she resembled in many ways: plain, prim, no-nonsense, practical to a fault, and suffering the pains of unrequited love. Unlike the happy ending which delighted us in "Jane Eyre", Lucy finds a hope of happiness at last with M. Paul Emanuel, only to have her prospects shipwrecked literally and figuratively at the end of the book. Many readers have a problem with Bronte's liberal use of French throughout the book which disrupts the narrative, and her forays into Gothic romanticism, which seem contrived and artificial. A more serious problem, for this reviewer, is Bronte's insularity and her narrow-minded frame of reference which rejects anything un-English and un-Protestant. Even with these flaws, "Villette" is a deep, thought-provoking portrayal of the pain of lost illusions.

its rather hurried and ambigious ending, which leaves the reader having to form his/her own version of the ending ie. whether a happy or sad one. (Read the Signet Classic, the afterword by Jerome Beaty explains that Charlotte Bronte actually wanted a somewhat sad ending to the story, but her father wanted it to be a happy one, so Bronte compromised by leaving the ending 'hanging' so that the readers can decide for themselves how the story ends.)

Apart from the above dissapointment, this is a marvelous classic and beautifully written, a great and indepth analysis of the workings of the human heart and mind. I loved it better than Jane Eyre (except for the ending: Jane Eyre's is more complete and satisfying). You'll love the character of M.Paul - despite his eccentric behaviour, he's really a darling with a heart of gold, which Lucy Snowe soon discovers!

I recommend that you buy the Signet Classic version which has the English translation to the over 400 French phrases found in the book.

Anna Sewell's novel Black Beauty is a timeless classic for readers of all ages, but has a main demographic of females from the age 9 to 16.
The story takes place in 19th century England. IT follows the life and experience of a horse named Black Beauty. The horse is born on a farm and sold at the age of four. His first owner Squire Gordon is a great loving man. Black Beauty is treated with respect and dignity. The story follows the horse as he is then sold from owner to owner. He becomes neglected and abused by carriage owners. A loving and gentle man finally purchases Black Beauty. He cares about the horses and treats them well. Black Beauty is finally happy as a carriage horse when tragedy strikes. His owner is struck with illness and is forced to sell the horse. Black Beauty is sold to a poor owner and is neglected. He longs to go back home to squire Gordon's farm and live a happy life once again.

The book is uniquely enough from the horse's point of view. This helps children connect with the horse, and makes the book more interesting and easy to follow along with. The heart breaking tale of a horse's life that will readers leave on the edge of their seat wanting to keep reading, dying to find out what happens next. The book goes into detail about how animal abuse used to be in the early 1900's. Older children have and will continue to enjoy this book for generations to come.

"Black Beauty," written by author Anna Sewell, is one of the most famous horse books during the nineteenth century. Part of its achievement consists that the novel is a classic for people with many different characteristics. First published in 1877, "Black Beauty" continues to enjoy people for new generations of American citizens around the world. Anna Sewell's brilliant account of animal treatment became a historic breakthrough because it was the first book that described a horse's experience in England. "An autobiography of a young stallion," this book follows the life of Black Beauty. Throughout the novel, it is told in a creative first person form, as if Beauty was describing and narrating his life. Ms. Sewell chose to write this book from the "horses point of view," and she remarkably was able to succeed with her novel. Since Sewell intended on writing this novel in Beauty's point of view, the reader begins to understand the impact of good and treatment towards the horse and his loyal friends. Starter of the Humane Society, the author truly captivates readers with this autobiography of a beautiful, friendly, loving black stallion. In a letter to her friend, Sewell expresses that she hopes "Black Beauty will induce kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment towards horses." From Beauty's happy, enjoyable youth to his pleasant retirement, Anna Sewell ingeniously wrote the book to remind the cruel treatment in the 1800's. Most importantly, Sewell wrote the book in a time where horses were not given the same respect today, and "Black Beauty" helped to open the eyes of many to the cruelty horses had to suffer. Although Anna Sewell's classic paints a clear picture of the society in London, England, its message is universal and timeless: animals will serve humans well if they are treated with consideration and kindness.

Since pictures & illustrations are as much a part of a child's imagination as the written word, then this book beautifully combines both, with the abundant B&W line illustrations by illustrator Lucy Kemp-Welch, in addition to the 12 colour plates included - all in keeping with the time period this novel is set in. A wonderful edition to any child's library. I've been reading horse-topic related books for as long as I can remember; but the very 1st horse story that left an indelible impression on me was ANNA SEWELL's " BLACK BEAUTY ".

It really openend my eyes as to the abuse and cruelty - and majestic fraility - that these wonderful creatures suffer at the hands of their human counterparts.

Ms Sewell opted to write this book from " the horse's point of view " and she was one of the very few authors that was able to pull this off with such great success.

This book also, laid the cornerstone for the ASPCA aims and goals, and brought to light the conditions and treatment of working horses in 20th century London, England ( and elsewhere ).

The story is such a wonderful tale of a horse's life from start to finish; told with a quiet dignity and warmth - and serves as a successful analogy also, as to how humans should interact with one another.

This book also laid the cornerstone for my interest and love of horses, and further spurred my interest in reading about all things Equine.

From there, and I went on to read all of Walter Farley's "The Black Stallion" series ( I used to collect the hardcover editions), and Marguerite Henry's books, and National Velvet(which really wasn't about a horse per se, but more about a little girl who's dreams come true), and anything else I could get my horsey-hungry hands on!

I now keep a copy of Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty" in my library at home, and have given a copy to my daughter to read.

This is a tale that sensitizes the reader to the plight of horses at the hands of their human caregivers, trainers, etc - all told from the horse's mouth ( so to speak )..!

And lest we think that the inhumane treatment of horses has abided since this book was written - one only has to follow the controversy surrounding the use of "Premarin", or abusive training methods of gaited horses, or the Thoroughbred racing industry, or rodeo...etc.

There is still much to be gleaned about the exploitation and abuse of animals from this book - which will always remain a timeless classic.

Kim C. Montreal, 05/2000

One nice thing about this book is that it doesn't get caught up in the whole male/female dating trap rules muck that clog the market. It asks you to be honest with yourself and others and to treat others with genuine love and compassion, which is something that is needed when it comes to male/female, straight/gay relations or any human relations. On the down side, it's mostly just a collection of common sense - there's nothing really unique in this book. Plus, as anyone who knows anything about Buddhism knows, the Buddha said nothing about romantic love. So, the book's premise itself is a little tenuous. I prefer "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom" by Taro Gold, which has taught me a great deal about the Buddhist view of life and has indirectly helped my relationships enormously.

One nice thing about this book is that it doesn't get caught up in the whole male/female dating trap rules muck that clog the market. It asks you to be honest with yourself and others and to treat others with genuine love and compassion, which is something that is needed when it comes to male/female, straight/gay relations or any human relations. On the down side, it's mostly just a collection of common sense - there's nothing really unique in this book. Plus, as anyone who knows anything about Buddhism knows, the Buddha said nothing about romantic love. So, the book's premise itself is a little tenuous. I prefer "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Book of Eastern Wisdom" by Taro Gold, which has taught me a great deal about the Buddhist view of life and has indirectly helped my relationships enormously.

I have read more than my share of self help books but this is the most helpful book I have ever read. It started out slow - in the first pages I was rolling my eyes because I felt like it was simple stuff I already knew, but by page ten I was engrossed and thrilled. It is simple, straightforward, fun reading, it makes complete sense and helps clarify the issues that come up in every kind of relationship, from partners to potential partners, to family and friends. I could not put it down. I had an 'aha' every few pages, found it joyful and affirming and incredibly helpful. When I was halfway through it I bought 8 more copies and gave them to eight friends. They all loved it and have all given copies to their friends and family. I quickly saw my relationships to others and to myself start to change, I actively used the theories to improve my dynamics with others and one day read just one sentence and completely let go of some pain I'd been carrying for days over a conflict with a friend. Poof - it was gone and I was looking at it from a whole new place and learned a lesson I have used again and again since that day. I also re-established contact with a friend who I'd parted ways with years ago and in one easy conversation we came together again resolved the problem, laughed over how big we'd made it and have had a healthier, happier and closer friendship than ever since. I am back today to order 3 more copies for three more people - one of them is the new man in my life whom I feel this book was intrumental in helping me find. I'm choosing differently, approaching things differently and what's more - I'm happier and feel more clear and peaceful about relationships than I ever have. Get this book and a few extras for the people you love - you won't regret it. And grab your highlighter- there are gems on every page.

Let's begin with Nabokov's "Lectures on Literature," where he introduces "Madame Bovary" as follows: "The book is concerned with adultery and contains situations and allusions that shocked the prudish philistine government of Napoleon III. Indeed, the novel was actually tried in a court of justice for obscenity. Just imagine that. As if the work of an artist could ever be obscene." Written over a five-year period, "Madame Bovary" was published serially in a magazine in 1856 where, despite editorial attempts to purge it of offensive material, it was cited for "offenses against morality and religion." Fortunately, Flaubert won his case and "Madame Bovary" remains to this day one of the masterpieces of French and world literature. Indeed, in Nabokov's view, the novel's influence is notable: "Without Flaubert, there would have been no Marcel Proust in France, no James Joyce in Ireland. Chekhov in Russia would not have been quite Chekhov."

The story of Emma Bovary is well known and uncomplicated. Set in the provincial towns of Tostes and Yonville (it is subtitled "Patterns of Provincial Life"), with adulterous interludes in Rouen, "Madame Bovary" narrates the life of Charles Bovary and Emma Rouault. Charles, an "officier de sante"--a licensed medical practitioner without a medical degree--meets Emma while tending to her injured father. Charles is married at that time to the first Madame Bovary, also called Madame Dubuc, a widow and thin, ugly woman who dominates the mild-mannered Charles from the very beginning. "It was his wife [Madame Dubuc] who ruled: in front of company he had to say certain things and not others, he had to eat fish on Friday, dress the way she wanted, obey her when she ordered him to dun nonpaying patients. She opened his mail, watched his every move, and listened through the thinness of the wall when there were women in his office."

When Madame Dubuc dies a few short years after their marriage, it appears that Charles is fortunate, for he is not only freed from the shrewish oppression of his wife, but enabled to court and marry the beautiful Emma. It is the eight-year marriage of Charles and Emma that embodies the tale of "Madame Bovary," a tale marked by Emma's ennui, her dissatisfaction with the unsatisfied yearnings of bourgeois marriage in a small provincial town, her steadily growing sensual insatiability, her adulteries with a series of men. It is this marriage, too, that gives us one of literature's great cuckolds, Charles Bovary.

"Madame Bovary" has often been described as a realistic novel and, insofar as it tells a seemingly ordinary tale of sensual longing and adultery while, at the same, time depicting characters and sensibilities typical of bourgeois, philistine rural France during the reign of Louis Phillipe, it is grimly realistic. It is also, however, a deeply psychological novel, one in which Flaubert brilliantly probes the feelings, the sensations, the romantic longings and dreamscapes of Emma Bovary. Above all, "Madame Bovary" is the apogee of the French novel prior to Proust's Parnassian achievement, a novel whose poetic language and artistic rendering transcend mere narrative and elevate Flaubert's work to that of high literary art, a novel for the ages. Read it in the original French if you can; if not, then read it in Frances Steegmuller's outstanding English translation.

It's amusing to read the few negative reviews of this book. One wonders what the readers would possibly consider GOOD literature!

As soon as I finished reading it the first time, I promptly started again from the beginning - something I've never done before. The bare plot is deliberately banal. It's Flaubert's execution, his insight into some of the more complex aspects of human nature and society, and the creation of Emma that mark this as one of the finest (and most engrossing) novels ever written.

What makes Emma tick is perhaps more relevant to our own culture and society - revolving, as it does, so entirely around consumerism, escapist entertainments and a credit-based economy - than it was even to Flaubert's. And I have to wonder about anyone who could get through this book and miss that point entirely.

To be sure, Emma is an extreme case - but there are plenty like her walking around. (I even saw myself in her, to some extent.) The syndrome is common, but seldom described as lucidly as here. I can see Emma, Mastercard in her hot little hand, fitting right into contemporary American society.

Flaubert's Bovary is perpetual, pervasive. Through her eyes, we see the world as it is: filled with universal virtues and vices that lead to either happiness or self- destruction. Madame Bovary captures the crystallized essence of the human spirit: unpredictable and changing, yet tangible and real. Her passions are those that move the soul, but not the mind; she never considers,she simply acts. Beautiful and uncanny, Emma Bovary's view of the world eventually becomes the harbinger of her own destiny, one that she always fails to accept. But, her own actions never deviate from reality; her character is the very re- presentation of human life. Immersed into a world that affects her own personality, Emma conquers a realism that is always perceptible, that reflects the nature of her own fortune. In effect, she becomes the product of Tolstoi's Anna Karenina and Shakespeare's Juliet, for her own destiny is controlled by passions that are never satisfied, never fulfilled. With Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert presents the strange reality of life. He moves through her his own vision, his own perception. In the process, he joins Dickens,Tolstoi, and Dostoyevski, thus becoming not a writer, but a window that enables us to see face to face what lies behind the apparencies of life,a gateway that connects us with all that moves us to and from our ambitions, our own desires.

Let me preface this review by saying that I absolutely LOVE Steinbeck. I would consider him one of my five favorite authors. I think East of Eden is one of my favorite books of all time. I especially like Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat. I even liked The Wayward Bus.

HOWEVER, having said that, I must say that I cannot handle The Grapes of Wrath. My tolerance for pain is not nearly high enough. I have to be honest - I've never actually read the entire book. It's much to difficult to read through the tears in my eyes. I am sure that it is, like most of his other novels, a well-written, fascinating account of the lives of some very interesting people. I simply cannot willingly subject myself to such abject despair. I read novels for enjoyment, and I don't enjoy the feeling of having my heart pulled apart piece by piece, page by page.

Undoubtedly it is to Steinbeck's great credit that he is able to draw that kind of emotion out of a person through simple words on a page. Only one or two books have ever been able to move me in that way. Unfortunately, it is not a feeling I desire. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive. The book made me want to open up a vein, but apparently millions of people loved it...

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the values upon which our country was founded. Yet history has shown that this has not been the case for many people living in the United States. Americans have been restricted from these rights because of unalterable circumstances such as race, sex, religion, or in the case of Grapes of Wrath, because of economic status. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck takes place during the 1930's, a time of nation wide economic hardship. Many books have been written about the great depression but this book is unique in its focus on another great tragedy effecting the country at the same time. The great dust bowl caused the migration of thousands of people from the Midwest US to the state of California in search of a better life for their families. This book addresses the hardships suffered by those families. This book is very effective in portraying these struggles both generally and personally. Steinbeck chose to alternate chapters between general descriptions of the country's struggles and the story of one specific family by the name of Joad. The general descriptions display the widespread difficulties people everywhere were suffering by describing the people as a general, family unit, "And the man, the leader of the family, leaned from the car. Can we pull in here an sleep?" (Steinbeck, p268) These chapters addressing the "big picture" were followed by chapters that brought the issue to life by displaying the struggles of the Joad family. This alternation of big picture, small picture story telling resulted in a well-rounded image of a time period in American history. So much can be gained from this book it is a definite asset to anyone's reading list. Not only is it a great chronicle of history, it is a story about the American dream, and the quality of life. The length of the book shouldn't provide an obstacle for a reader seeing as how it is neither exceptionally long nor short and it maintains a good amount of excitement and adventure throughout the novel. The only thing that may be distracting to some readers is the periodic breakaway from the main story line. However, if one can see this as a valuable literary device instead of an obstacle, it will actually provide a greater understanding of the time period. The Grapes of Wrath provides a great insight into a period of history. By reading the book, the reader is left with greater understanding and empathy for those who lived during the dust bowl of 1930. The bravery and strength that is demonstrated by the Joad family is both phenomenal and inspiring. It is a good example for people today who are suffering through difficult times. When these people where faced with hardship, they did not roll over and die. They picked up their lives and their families and they set out determined to find a way to protect and provide for themselves. At a time when everyday people in our country are turning to drugs, gangs, or crime as solutions to their problems, a great lesson can be learned from these families: The world is not perfect but that is no excuse to give up on life. And life was the picture John Steinbeck was trying to relay in his book. A raw, honest look at life during a time of great hardship and trial. The Joad family was an excellent portrayal of a typical family from the Midwest in search of the better life they had been promised elsewhere. Steinbeck characterized the family through dialogue that depicts both the diction and accent of a typical Midwest family in the 1930's, " 'You jus' goin wes'?' 'Jus' on our way.' 'You ain't never been in California?'" (278). Choosing to maintain the dialogue in this natural state adds to the authenticity of the novel and creates a better picture for the reader.

I will never forget how this book captivated me in so many ways. An American classic that will stand the test of time. I got the pleasure of being assigned this book in 10th grade as part of literature class. I was forever changed by this book, and helped fuel me to read more challenging books.

John Steinbeck helped me to realize the poverty, the trangressions, and some hope of the Depression. It helped put me in focus with the pride problems that the family had during the collapse of an entire society during America's most trying times. It is well written and very captivating. It had me in tears more than once. It also reads much like The Bible at times, in its prose and style. It catalogs a family's journey from farmers to migrant workers that is easily readable and a classic that helped define a generation.

A great book- and a must have.