Get used to having an opinion and defending it: education in the United States wants to know what writers think, not how well they repeat the thinking of experts and great scholars. Muriel Harris says that good writing means being aware of and committed to purpose, audience and organization: everything between beginning and ending goes to support the main idea by passing judgment on each part of the thesis statement and on the sources. I like the way the author describes conclusions: looking backwards by summing up what went before and forward by giving advice or suggestions. THE WRITER'S FAQS reminds us that both Internet and nondigital sources need to be checked for reliability and that a particular course of study, such as anthropology, links with a particular handbook, such as CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE. Readers have no problems moving from this helpfully clear guide to specifics in Michael Alley's THE CRAFT OF SCIENTIFIC WRITING, Jan A. Pechenik's A SHORT GUIDE TO WRITING ABOUT BIOLOGY, Allan M. Siegal and William G. Connolly's THE NEW YORK TIMES MANUAL OF STYLE AND USAGE, and Joseph F. Trimmer's THE ESSENTIALS OF MLA STYLE.

After 2 years in Denmark this book still managed to provide insights into the Danes. I find myself quoting it when trying to discribe Denmark to others ... and even gave it to my Danish boyfriend to give him perspectives on what others see as 'Danish'. His constant 'you mean other people dont do that' where only interupted by his laughter.

What is more it has been used as a textbook in a Danish Business School's cultural understanding classes (not my classes :-) and the Danish AIESEC (the worlds largest student organisation) offers this series to all the students participating in their international traineeship exchange programme - both those arriving in Denmark and those traveling to a 'Xenophobe' country.. what more recomendation do you need...

Not sure the Bible is true or accurate? Read this concise and READABLE presentation of how we got the Bible and why Christians believe it is the authoritative word of God. It is an excellent reference for any Christian library, an excellent high school graduation present for Christian students going on to secular colleges, a good senior high or adult Sunday School study, and an excellent place to start for a true "seeker" with honest questions. Even though it was written by an Old Testament scholar, you don't have to be a college graduate or seminary student to understand this book, and because it's short and easy to read, the person you give it to might actually read it!

I had a copy of this book several years ago, but I have misplaced it. I was hoping to get another copy from Amazon, but it seems the book is out of print. I do hope that the publisher will consider re-issuing the book because it is well worth reading for the insights it lends into promoting a child's self esteem. I haven't come across any other books that approach the topic nearly as clearly and succinctly. In the meantime, I will try to find a used copy at Alibris or Bibliofind.

Intelligent readers who thrive on curiosity and yearn to learn more about this naughty, nutty world turn to books that inform, amuse, amaze and last in the mind and heart. We return to those memorable books again and again. YUKIKO is just such a book, and much more. This novel captures the essence of a wonderful writer who deserved much more from his publishers and readers.
YUKIKO describes the attempt by the U.S. Navy, towards the end of WWII in 1945, to land from a submarine a saboteur party that will destroy the Japanese heavy-water plant on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, home of the Ainu. The principal protagonists are the submarine skipper (Gus), his navigator (Angelo), a trained demolitions expert (Havenmeyer), and Sensei (the word is the Japanese for teacher but actually means much more). Yukiko (Little Snow Flower) is a person and a representation of a person who captivates Gus. Havenmeyer is today's modern CIA operative, trained and determined, focused to a narrow slit of activity and contemptuous of anything else.
Beyond his skills as a writer with exquisite taste and meticulous handling of the language, MacDonald Harris (who taught English Literature at U.C. Irvine) was an original who never wrote a genre novel in his 25-year/16-novel career. In every book he researched his material with care and created around it the essence of time and place, plot and character. YUKIKO is among his best, providing the reader with brilliant historical insights into WWII, into the history of the Ainu (who were treated by the 'mainland' Japanese much as the Native Americans were treated by the immigrants into North America), into the history of the atomic bomb and into the mysteries of love and connection between men and women who want more than mere physical coupling but long for emotional, intellectual and spiritual completion through the discovery of that wonderful 'other.'
In an era of so-called 'civilization' at the start of the 21st century, in which profound emotion has been debased and trivial sexual 'intimacy' placed on the pedestal of public approbation, YUKIKO dares to delve into the mind and heart in profoundly moving ways probably alien to much of the modern world (ironic that the book, a mere 25 years old, seems to have come from another century, and will likely apply a century from now).
Consider this passage, in which Sensei is talking about sexual intimacy:
"The important thing about doing this thing, he goes on to explain, is that each person should do it with the right person, but if you do not find the right person it is better not to do it at all until you find the right person. The way you will know when you have found the right person is that doing the thing then will be good. Not just that you will enjoy doing it, but you will feel that doing it is good."
Havenmeyer's retort: "Horsefeathers."
This is a beautiful and unforgettable book by a writing master whose skills will live for ever and whose books such as THE BALLOONIST, HEMINGWAY'S SUITCASE and HERMA are immensely worth reading. It provides a body of history for analysis and consideration, based on information vital to thoughtful men and women, and it delves profoundly into human feelings in powerful and important ways.

This collection of poems from various authors captures, for me anyway, the spirit of zen being. They have a immediacy which touches you directly transporting you by their power, to the situation or place they describe. Reading them is an act of meditation in so far as it directs the mind to a place of calm. Highly recommended

We have 5 of the At your fingertips books: Whales and dolphins,weather,Night animals,Jungle Life and Reptiles. We would like the whole series! Ages 2 thru 5 enjoy them!

I read the book, "The Silence of the Lambs", written by Thomas Harris. On a scale from 1 to 5 (with five being the highest) I give it a 5. It's definately a 5 because the details are extraodinary. The Silence of the lambs is a fast paced book, which makes it hard to put down. There is never a dull moment. Thomas Harris is an excellent writer. The charecters Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starlingare each unique, and the psycological aspects of this book, are outstanding. "well, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?" (Harris p.366). Harris' amazing use of words and interaction between charecters makes this book "spine-tingling" and "master of suspense," claims the Boston Herald. In this book you can follow Clarice Starling, a trainee of behavioral science unit of the F.B.I as she tried to find a deadly serial killer on the loose. As well as tracking the killer, she is beginning to learn the psycological games of the one and only Dr.Hannibal Lector as he is locked away in a dark prison chamber. If you are into suspenseful, scary, mystery-horror books, then "The Silence of the Lambs" is definately a book that you should check out. If you liked Hannibal by Thomas Harris or "Felony Murder" by Joseph T. Klempher, you will love this book.

When you read "The Silence of the Lambs" or hear about the book, you probably start immediately to remember some scenes from the movie starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. The movie comes pretty damn close! And it's rare that a movie follows the plot of a novel so closely.

It is difficult to write something about a story that is so well known, basically by its adaptation for the screen, which has been buried under a heap of Academy Awards. Like many others, "The Silence of the Lambs" proves the fact that the book is always better than the movie.

Clarice Starling is an FBI trainee. The FBI's chief of Behavioral Science has called on her to help solve a serial murder case. She must interview Dr. Hannibal ("the Cannibal") Lector, a psychiatrist jailed for killing and eating various patients, to get inside the mind of Buffalo Bill, a serial killer on the loose. Starling becomes close to Lector who helps her discover how to find Buffalo Bill, and how to find closure in her personal life.

"The Silence of the Lambs" is simply a superb, electrifying book. What a writer Thomas Harris is and what a character the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lector is. With Dr. Lector, Harris makes you look at the face of evil, and stare!

This book sets the standard in psychological terror. If you haven't seen the movie yet, read the novel first, then see the characters brought to life brilliantly by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. I thoroughly enjoyed the two principal characters Dr. Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling. And I look forward to Hannibal. I wish more novels were like this.

After seeing the movie some time ago, I was really curious to read the book and see how it was. I am so glad that I read it, because I think it's a work of art. Thomas Harris has created a masterpiece of a frightening tale that will send shivers down your spine and keep you up at night. You will never forget the name, "Hannibal Lecter," no matter how hard you try.

Here is the story: Clarice Starling is a young and promising FBI trainee who is a lot more clever than she leads others to believe. She is sent to talk to Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. This evil fiend is so frightening and brilliant that it will scare the hell out of you. He loves to play mind games and get into the heads of others. He has an agenda of his own, and claims that he can help Starling become famous by catching the notorious woman killer, Buffalo Bill. As the plot gets deeper and deeper, the more evil and darkness lurks about. Killing is only part of the plan, as it turns out. Clarice just might not make it so graduate to an FBI agent if she's not careful.

This is a very suspenseful novel that is very well written. A classic, at that. I actually enjoyed reading this just a little more better than seeing the movie. Though the two are almost the same, the descriptions Harris gives us are unforgettable and horrifying. I especially like how Harris describes Lecter's great escape. Very well-constructed, indeed! The dialogue that spews from Hannibal's mouth is terrifying and ingenius at the same time.

I really enjoyed this novel, and I plan to read it again. I also read "Hannibal," but I didn't find that one as enjoying. All in all, this is an outstanding novel that paints a nightmarish world with evil so terrifying it makes us shiver with ever word that is read. This book will make you thank your lucky stars that it's only fiction...... or is it?

This book is absolutely wonderful. I wasn't "forced" to read it as some readers here said. It's a timeless classic and I recommend it to everyone who wants to have a glimpse of the Holocaust.

I read some negative reviews and for christ's sake, she was only 13! You can't expect her to be a Pulitzer-winner kind of writer. I think she was pretty smart for a girl in the 40s, in the dawn of her puberty and also during such a hard time as the Holocaust and WWII. You can't compare teenagers today with teenagers in the 40s, that's plain stupid.

Try to put yourself on her shoes: imagine to be hiding from the Germans with the constant fear of being caught. She never left the Annex for 2 years, what do you expected her to do besides writing? I would probably do the same. She never thought her diary would become a book someday. Everything there is based on her thoughts and feelings. If you want something more serious, get some history textbook and read the boring and dull stuff you can read anywhere else.

I'm 21 years-old now and I read this book when I was 14 and I understand her urge to write her feelings on a diary. Most girls need this kind of comfort and to let our feelings out on paper. During late childhood till I was 18 I wrote everything I felt on a diary. Most girls did it and it's easier for us to understand why Anne started a diary.

The diary of Anne Frank is an outstanding book written by Anne Frank, a girl of thirteen years of age. This book is chronologically written, starting on Sunday, 14 June 1942. The Diary of Anne Frank is a true story that tells how the Frank family, the Van Daan family, and an elderly dentist, Albert Dussel, lived while they were in hiding during the Second World War.
The diary of Anne Frank expresses to the reader the innermost thoughts and shows how she matured and grew in knowledge from the age of thirteen to fifteen. She spoke her mind and did not fear to tell the truth. Anne explains in her diary how she was forced to leave her Montessori school and attend the Jewish Lyceum. She tells when and why they went into hiding.
Anne's diary, which she called "kitty," tells of a life of Jews waiting in fear of being captured by the Nazis. She tells of her love and first kiss to Peter Van Daan. Anne's diary ends on August 4, 1994, when a Gestapo raid on the secret annex exposes their hideout. In March of 1945, Anne died in the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsenk, two months before the liberation of Holland.

Why does this little diary written by a young girl confined to an attic continue to fascinate the world more than fifty years after its writing? I think I know.

The diary of any young girl might have some appeal, if only at the level of the voyeur or gossip in us. The diary of a remarkably intelligent and articulate young girl like Anne Frank is interesting because she paints her reality with vivid hues and subtle shadings that bring us deeply into her experience.

The nature of Anne's experience, sadly, is what makes this work so enduring. The diary of this young girl in the hurricane's eye of one of history's most notorious and inhumane political regimes and cultural upheavals is fascinating.

We admire Anne for her courage and her Faith in humanity. We grieve the loss of this bright young life. We shed tears at the tragedy this little book lays bare for the world to read --- a Truth hidden from the world while the diary was being written.

This little book also reminds us of Anne's suffering and death in a concentration camp. Though Anne was not able to chronicle that time --- or if she did, it did not survive --- we feel we know her there, too.

Anne reminds us, finally, to move beyond the tragedy of her life to live fully. That, not despair, is the central theme of this little classic.

"Red Dragon" is a wonderfully intense psychological thriller, with plenty of obsence violence and "typical" Thomas Harris plot twists. The story of the ex-FBI agent stalking the "Tooth Fairy" or "Red Dragon" is extremely interesting and detailed, right down to forensic and crime scene evidence. My disappointment was two fold. First, Hannibal Lecter is hardly in the book - there are references to what happened between him and Graham, and a few in-cell visits. But I was hoping for more "pre-quel" information about Hannibal. I'd love to see a book by Harris on the story of Hannibal and Graham. My second disappointment was the ending. It seemed a bit stagey and was not nearly as detailed as the rest of the book. The sub-plot of the difficulties between Graham and his wife seemed a bit unnecessary, as well. All in all, a good read and a good scare!

In some ways, this book is just as good as "The Silence of the Lambs." I guarantee that you'll remember Francis Dolarhyde long after you've forgotten Buffalo Bill. Hannibal Lecter is a supporting character in this story, but he's still as strong as ever.

The hero of "Red Dragon" is Will Graham, an FBI agent. To solve these murders, he must get close to the dark side -- so close that it's scary. He pays a heavy price for his work.

Thomas Harris often writes about horrible things, but without sensationalizing them. Maybe it's because of his journalism background, or maybe that's just his style. He's no slouch at characterization, either. Also, he doesn't underestimate the intelligence of his readers. He drops in cultural references without patronizingly explaining them.

Many other writers have tried to imitate Thomas Harris. They forget a few rather important things -- style, intelligence, characters, and psychological depth. A serial killer novel without those things is a dud.

Anne M. Marble Reviewer, All About Romance

I have seen both Silence and Hannibal, but I have read neither. I believe in reading series boks in order, so I picked up Red Dragon two days ago. Wow!

If you only liked Silence because you loved Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter, you may be a little dissapointed. He is not really a main character, even though he is now being played up to be because of his notoriety after its predecessors.

This book is about a serial murderer who the police have jokingly dubbed "Tooth Fairy" because of the bite marks he leaves on housewives after killing their whole family. The killer knows himself as the "Red Dragon" because he feels he has the Dragon from William Blake's painting "The Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in The Sun" inside of him, helping him "Become".

Will Graham, a retired cop who captured Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter and was almost slain by him, is called upon by the FBI to help capture this mass murderer before he strikes again at the next full moon. Graham has a great memory and imagination but a bad case of recurring fear. he must overcome this fear and talk to Dr. Lecter, who may know something about The Dragon.

Lecter manages to manipulate the killer and Graham from his cell, through a tabloid called "The National Tattler". He communicates with the Dragon through codes in the personals section and manages to get the FBI into a frenzy over the ads, getting a sleezy reporter named Freddy Lounds involved in the picture.

The killer is also tormented by his past. He has a cleft palate and sound funny when speaking, causing him to slash his victims with broken mirrors from the house. He also hears the voice of his dead nasty grandmother, who had total control of the killer as a youth.

This book is not the conventional horror story. It is more a psychological thriller than a blood and gore fest. If you are looking for a good way to have nightmares for months, this book is highly recommended. Enjoy!