It's a safe guess that most people are familiar with The Arabian Nights or at least some of the stories from The Arabian Nights. However there are so many more stories than the few presented in fairy tale books or in the recent tv mini-series. I decided I wanted to read all of the stories.

I did some research into different translations and versions. I chose this one because it was a new translation and the translator was of Middle-Eastern origins. Haddaway explains in the introduction how his style of writing, the sentences structure, and word choice reflect the cadence and style of the stories he heard told as a boy growing up.

The language is beautiful, well written, and very funny. There is the occasional problem with vague pronoun use, but English pronouns can be very tricky for non-native speakers (and for native speakers as well). These problems are few and far between and don't detract from the stories. I highly recommend this edition of The Arabian Nights.

I will say that Husain Haddawy's translations of "The Arabian Nights" are the best you'll read for quite some time. I've had these books for awhile now and they're great. Haddawy has done a remarkable job and provides great introductions for both books. A map is also provided in each book showing the locales mentioned in the stories.

There are really two volumes you will need to get the complete collection. This volume has the earlier stories as told by Shahrazad, classic tales of mystery, fun, and excitement.

The second book " The Arabian Nights II" has the more popular stores most people are familiar with. Sinbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and the Fourty Thieves, Ala al-Din (Aladdin) and the Magic Lamp.

Be sure to get them both and you'll be transported to the mystical lands of Arabian Nights. Enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Haddawy's translation of "The Arabian Nights". It has a feeling of authenticity, as if it is truely an oral story being passed down through the ages, as it once was. The whole concept of the book is mind-boggling, with stories within stories so many times over that half the fun of reading the book is trying to follow the winding path that the stories lead you down. The physical book itself is also top-notch, as the Everyman's Library editions always are. For me, investing the few extra dollars for such a beautiful edition is well worth it.

This book may not be what you expect. It is not the Disney-fied, watered-down version that most of us were introduced to as children. Several of the more famous stories that most Americans would associate with "The Arabian Nights", such as Ali Baba or Aladdin, are actually not part of the work. They were added much later, by the early European translators. Also, the book contains bawdiness and violence (particularly towards women) that may not be appropriate for young children, so be forewarned. Overall, I feel that this an authentic, lucid translation of a fantastic story, wrapped in the most beautiful of packages. Highly recommended.

I read these books as a child, and loved them. Ramona deals with childhood tribulations (fear of going to the principal's office, worrying about her family when her father loses his job, having to play with her friend's little sister whom she detests) that most children experience in some variation, and so a child can identify with her as they read and feel reassured by the fact that they are not the only one who has gone through these things. Also, many of her mischevious adventures are so entertaining and wonderful (for instance, when she makes a "toothpaste cake" in the bathroom sink using the entire tube of toothpaste). Even as an adult, I still find myself reaching for these sometimes to be reassured by an old friend and to re-live a childhood comfort.

I have always enjoyed Beverly Cleary's books. The Ramona Quimby books are entertaining and captivating to the young audience. I would highly recommend Ramona Quimby to any parent or elementary school teacher that wants to give their child a great book to read.

My mom gave me my first Ramona books when I was a young child and they fueled my desire to read and to continue reading. To this day I am obsessed with books. : ) Thanks to the wonderful Ramona series which got me started reading. I recommend this to young children and to the parents of young children who wish to encourage their children to read and love books.

I had to stop by and read the reviews on "Bodyguard of Lies". Wow,of 8 reviews, 7 gave it 5 stars and 1 gave it 4. The 4 star review, submitted in 1996, griped that the book was "historically inaccurate" because it did not consult "recently released" material.

If that is the worst thing you can say about this book, then I'll take it. "Bodyguard..." was written in 1976 only a few years after the disclosure of ULTRA and other previously, highly classified secrets that did not come to light until decades after the war. In its humble defense, "Bodyguard of Lies" is not only the best book I have ever read on WWII or spies, but one of the best books I have ever read, period. I highly recommend this book to anyone with the slightest interest in not only WWII or espionage, but history and great writing; Brown is a writer and storyteller of the finest kind. Extremely well-documented and suspensefull, this book is far more gripping and compelling than anything Hollywood could ever come up with, and the best part is that the book is true, and "historically accurate". Read this book, then you too can write a rave review.

A relative "turned me on" to this book. Yes, it is out of print. But if you haven't read it - go find it. I found a copy through Amazon, and what a value ...! Brown takes his readers into the bowels of espionage, counter-espionage, and a host of "immaculate deceptions" concocted by those who became responsible for the success of Allied efforts during WWII. Beyond the riveting stories of mystery and mayhem created by MI-5, MI-6, the OSS, and even Churchill himself who loved this sort of thing, Brown explains WWII politics, including the cement-head of Charles DeGaulle, and the political implications of the post WWII era that were being considered in all quarters well before the end of the war. Not to mention an in-depth study of the "Shawarz Kapelle," the conspiracy within Germany to do away with Hitler.

The success of D-Day, the effects of D-Day not only on the soldiers who fought but also and especially upon those who planned the operation, the successes and failures of many deceptions designed to keep the Axis guessing, are all described in detail. D-Day was the culmination of the games, ruses and set-ups that had been going on for almost four years.

If you haven't read this book, don't let the 1976 pub. date deter you. This is a must-read for anyone interested in WWII, WWII politics and post WWII politics, and anyone interested in learning about the lengths nations would go to in order to achieve deception.

A relative "turned me on" to this book. Yes, it is out of print. But if you haven't read it - go find it. I found a copy through Amazon, and what a value ...! Brown takes his readers into the bowels of espionage, counter-espionage, and a host of "immaculate deceptions" concocted by those who became responsible for the success of Allied efforts during WWII. Beyond the riveting stories of mystery and mayhem created by MI-5, MI-6, the OSS, and even Churchill himself who loved this sort of thing, Brown explains WWII politics, including the cement-head of Charles DeGaulle, and the political implications of the post WWII era that were being considered in all quarters well before the end of the war. Not to mention an in-depth study of the "Shawarz Kapelle," the conspiracy within Germany to do away with Hitler.

The success of D-Day, the effects of D-Day not only on the soldiers who fought but also and especially upon those who planned the operation, the successes and failures of many deceptions designed to keep the Axis guessing, are all described in detail. D-Day was the culmination of the games, ruses and set-ups that had been going on for almost four years.

If you haven't read this book, don't let the 1976 pub. date deter you. This is a must-read for anyone interested in WWII, WWII politics and post WWII politics, and anyone interested in learning about the lengths nations would go to in order to achieve deception.

I first read Ebenezer Le Page several years ago when it was given to me by a friend in Arizona. Being English it wasn't too much of a stretch to picture the Guernsey that Ebenezer new and loved. Of all the books I have ever read in my life this is absolutely the one I would choose to take to a desert island. I've recommended it and passed it on to family and friends as a must read. GB Edwards was a master story teller and it's fortunate that the manuscript for this beautiful novel was not destroyed after his death, which was his wish. As I reached the last few chapters of the book I felt a little depressed that it was all going to end. However, the ending is so perfect that it makes this book a treasure that you will want to keep and read again.

I loved this book, me! I grew up on that little island, barely 5 miles long and 4 miles wide, but a whole country unto itself! The place defies the physics of Geography! It's tiny, but it's vast too. Like the story of our friend Mr. Ebenezer Le Page, the simplicity of the lives of the inter connected characters, colourful and quirky, defies the closeness of the shores. GB Edwards' posthumous writings capture the essence of the folk and the place as well, possibly better, than any book about anybody, anywhere. I highly encourage anyone who reads this story to find out as much about Guernsey as possible, perhaps even go there (visit Victor Hugo's house), then read it again for the first time. Utterly enchanting!

I loved this book, me!

I grew up on that little island, barely 5 miles long and 4 miles wide, but a whole country unto itself! The place defies the physics of Geography! It's tiny, but it's vast too. Like the story of our friend Mr. Ebenezer Le Page, the simplicity of the lives of the inter connected characters, colourful and quirky, defies the closeness of the shores.

GB Edwards' posthumous writings capture the essence of the folk and the place as well, possibly better, than any book about anybody, anywhere. I highly encourage anyone who reads this story to find out as much about Guernsey as possible, perhaps even go there (visit Victor Hugo's house), then read it again for the first time.

Utterly enchanting! Haunting! Simply brilliant!

Morgan has just escaped-barely- from Cal, Selene, and their dark magick. Cal and Selene are gone, but no one knows where, or when they might come back, and what they may do when they return. Without Cal, Morgan is alone (for awhile). The Awakening describes Morgan's grief over Cal, her inability to deal with her feelings for Hunter, and the shaky rebuilding of her friendship with Bree. The reader will learn much more about Hunter's and Cal's father, and that he is still alive. Also, the subplot of the story revolves around how the store Practical Magick is closing due to money problems. Morgan, already having lost Cal, can't bear to lose her haven too. Soon, Morgan and Hunter discover that dark magick is being practiced? Has Cal and Selene returned? Who is the target of this magick? And is it possible that one of Morgan's dearest friends, as Hunter suspects, is responsible? By the end of the book, one witch will be stipped of her or his powers. Although this book is good, it is a dissappointment compared to the others, mainly because it seems to have drifted away from the main plot. However, Morgan's new romance is very cool. I recommend you read it if you have read the others. And if you have not read the first 4 in the sweep series, it is best to start out at #1. Don't worry- you'll "sweep" through them. You'll eat them up like potato chips. lol. This is a really good series, which I recommend to all.

This book was Fab. the main story is about morgan trying to get over the events of the last book(*4).she becomes better friends with hunter, and trys to rebuild her friend ship with bree.BUT... something upsetting hapens on a trip to pratical magick she finds out that it will be shut down, just in the nick of time its saved and hunter belivies that dark magick is involved. BUT WHOS?
Morgan starts stuidying wicca with hunter. we get to know a lot more about hunter and sky.andin the end everything is sorted out for the beter even though it may not seem that way and may be sad. a good thing that hapen is something between morgan and a certain Englishman. SO GO AND READ IT ITS WELL WORTH THE TIME!!!!

In this book (Awakening) Morgan has been torn out of a world where she understands anything and is forced to another place where nothing makes sense. Still suffering from the betrayel of Cal and Selene, Morgan is very stressed and emotionaly vulnerable. And when she discovers, Pratical Magick, her sanctuary, is in danger of closing. Morgan is horrified. And now her coven, Cirrus, is also changeing. Without Cal to lead it a new leader has to step up. And Morgan is shocked when she learns who it is.

Wow! I thought after Dark Magick the books couldn't get any better but it obviously has. Awakening is filled with suspense and mystery. And Morgan's possible realtionship with Hunter remainds me so strongly of Night World's (the series that pretty much started the whole teen supernatural/romance genre) Mary-Lynette and Ash. I wonder how Cate Tiernan can top this one! I can't wait till spellbound comes out.

I am not a native English speaker, so my vocabulary consists of what I learned in school (a long time ago), what I hear on movies/TV, and what I read. Books and films most often these days come from America, of course, so that is the version of English that I speak (albeit with an accent). Reading P.G. Wodehouse, this or any other book, shows that the English language is not confined to the transatlantic variant; it can be so much richer! Add to that the wonderful, sarcastic sense of humour the man had and you end up with a truly sensational reading experience. Of course, you do need to know a bit of the society of which he writes. It makes me wonder what youths in e.g. the U.S. today would think if they read this book.

I am still looking forward to many hours of delightful reading, as I have only read a few books yet. My own introduction to Bertie, Jeeves, and the others in fact came from the excellent British TV series starring Hugh Laurie (as Bertie) and Stephen Fry (as Jeeves). If you get the chance to see it, do so.

It's almost impossible to write funny about humor, and anyone who writes seriously about it is doomed to come off as a fuddy duddy. E.B. White, a funny writer himself, once said that analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog, in that the thing tends to die in the process and the results will be interesting only to the purely scientific mind. -Andrew Ferguson, Divine Comedy : P.G. Wodehouse's perfect pitch

Two things the critics generally agree on are that : (1) P. G. Wodehouse is one of the funniest writers in the English language; and, (2) it's almost impossible to explain why. Among the various authorities cited for the difficulty in analyzing humor are Evelyn Waugh and Sigmund Freud, themselves authors of hilarious fictions. Suffice it to say, and I mean this in the very best sense, the enjoyments of the Jeeves and Wooster stories are much the same as those of the great TV sitcoms. Wodehouse created these two great comic characters, surrounded them in each story with oddballs, plunked them all down in trying situations, and then had the inimitable Jeeves extract Bertie and his upper-class nitwit friends from their difficulties through various stratagems and diversions. Though Andrew Ferguson and others deny that there is any deeper meaning or political content to the stories, it is at least notable that the finest young gentlemen in all of England are hopelessly overmatched by life unless Jeeves steps in to save them. The resulting stories have a certain sameness to them--of course, just try watching ten episodes of Cheers in a row and see if it's still fresh and amusing in hour five--but read in moderation they are immensely enjoyable and their very familiarity becomes quite comforting.

GRADE : A+

Martin Jarvis' reading of Carry On, Jeeves runs circles around Jonathan Cecil's reading of anything (for more on Cecil, see Psmith: Journalist). He simply embodies the characters of Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Biffy, Corky, and all the cast (albeit with the same typical attempt at an American accent).

Carry On, Jeeves contains eight of the ten stories available in the print version (the remaining two stories appear on My Man Jeeves), so completists will want that, but for pure enjoyment, you can't go wrong with this. Even the titles Wodehouse writes are funny, my favorite being "The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy." They simply roll off the tongue.

The stories here include "Jeeves Takes Charge" (chronologically the first as it tells the story of Jeeves' entry into Bertie's life). The others, namely "The Artistic Career of Corky," "Clustering Round Young Bingo," "Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest" (about a young cousin of Bertie's who goes wild under his wing), and "Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg" are all classics of the Wodehousian genre and show Jeeves at his problem-solving best.

This would easily appeal to the casual Wodehouse fan, and is perfect for long road trips or any other situation where a laugh is needed. Wodehouse exceeds all others in humor and, one assumes, will remain that way for centuries to come.

This book is really cute! I have an almost-two year old son who has never sat still for a book since the day he learned to crawl at 6 months old. I was really getting worried that he'd NEVER like books, but I ordered this book because he likes ducks and it was cheap. Guess what--from the moment he saw the cover, he loved this book! He actually sits still to have it read to him two or three times in a row! The pictures are adorable and the simple text allows for a lot of spontaneous discussion. There aren't many pages, so it's easy for him to turn to whichever page he wants to see. I just can't believe how instantly he took to it after a year and a half of no interest in books whatsoever.

"Duck is Dirty" is the first book with a real plot that our twelve-month-old daughter fell in love with. Two months later, she still wants to hear this book ten times a day. The duck's expressions are hilarious, and this story is really fun to read aloud. I agree with another reviewer that this should be one of the classic books for babies and toddlers. Unfortunately, I couldn't even find it in our local bookstore and would never have discovered it had I not come across a reference to "Duck is Dirty" on one of the Amazon.com lists.

Duck Is Dirty by Satoshi Kitamura is a delightful book for babies. I bought it for my granddaughter who was three months old at the time. As a result of frequent reading, her first words were "Uh oh!" The language is simple, and the bright, colorful pictures reinforce the text. This is a wonderful first book! You can teach babies how to visually track how a book is read; you can teach beginning language; you can teach simple concepts. It will soon become one of your child's--or grandchild's--favorites!

This fascinating tome is an in-depth look the L. Frank Baum and his famous work, The Wizard of Oz. The book begins with a biography of Baum that turns into a biography of the book, complete with information on all of the plays and movies that were derived from it. Next comes the bulk of the book, a reproduction of the original 1900 edition of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with pages upon pages of notes sprinkled throughout. As an added bonus, the book ends with William Wallace Denslow's story, Adventures of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Little Girl.

This book is absolutely fascinating! The introduction (biography) is brimming with many wonderful photos, and even several of Baum's maps. As might be expected of the notes for the book, I found many long-winded and/or irrelevant, while others completely tickled my fancy. This, though, probably merely reflects my own tastes; another reader would probably cherish some notes I disliked and vice versa. Overall, I think that this book is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in the Wizard of Oz, and I highly recommend it.

Michael Patrick Hearn really has done a grand service to the American literary world. While the book Wizard of Oz in itself will be a classic of all time, Hearn's annotations breathes life into this book like nothing else I've ever read.

His exhaustive, extensive research illuminates this classic, and brings us into the life of L. Frank Baum in connection with his writing of this story. I also loved the reproductions of the the original color plates from the first printing, which Baum painstakingly wanted.

As a true devotee of the film, and a casual devotee of the book, I now considered myself converted and find joy equally in both, due to the reading of this new classic.

Take advantage of this low price while you can still get it!

This holiday season I am coming on strong as the Ghost of Christmas past and one of the things I am strongly advocating are annotated editions of beloved books. One title that has to be on any short lists of beloved books would be "The Wizard of Oz." As you know, this book is a potent political allegory representing a nation divided between an agricultural past, represented by the Scarecrow, and the industrial future, symbolized by the Tin Woodman. Baum's position on the free silver issue that dominated American politics at the turn of the last century is self-evident, from the silver slippers that Dorothy wears to the caricature of William Jennings Bryan as the Cowardly Lion.

Of course, this interpretation has been around for years and you can certainly make up your mind after reading what Michael Patrick Hearn has put together in this wonderful Centennial Edition of "The Annotated Wizard of Oz." For starters, we have all of the original illustrations by W. W. Denslow, reproduced in their correct colors. That alone is worth having, but this volume also includes lots of rare drawings, photographs, and maps having to do with Baum's classic tale. Hearn's annotations focus not only on where Baum got his ideas but where "The Wizard of Oz" fits into the grand scheme of folk tales and children's stories as well as Baum's collective writings. Obviously, Hearn knows about a lot more than just Baum's career and writings, but he avoids sounding like a scholar speaking from an ivory tower.

Obviously, "The Annotated Wizard of Oz" is not for the first time reader. I would contend that an annotated edition of this, or any other beloved book like "Anne of Green Gables," "Alice in Wonderland," or "The Hobbit," is for those who are in double-figures when it comes to the number of times they have read the book in question. This is a chance to discover new levels of meanings. There is really no need for persuasion here: if you know how you feel about this story and you see what is collected in this annotated version, that should be more than enough to convince you this is worth getting for yourself (or someone you love) even if you do not find it under the tree on Christmas morning.

Back in high school, I made a vow to myself that I would eventually read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels. A Bell for Adano was one of the first that I read. Now, a few years later, I have read around 30 of those novels, and while many have been wonderful, few have matched the experience of reading A Bell for Adano, and I continue to return to it.

The splendid novel is set during World War II, though it isn't really a war novel. The novel is about how very different people can, and should treat one another, especially when in a difficult situation. A Bell for Adano primarily concerns Major Joppolo. He is an American officer placed in charge of the city of Adano after the invasion. Joppolo is a wonderful, though flawed man. He's always practical but remains sentimental. He sets out to make the lives of the people of Adano the best he possibly can. He does so by not treating them as the enemy but as People. The "bell" of Adano refers his attempt to restore an historic bell to the city that it had lost during the war.

I can never do justice to my favorite novels when I review them, and this is one of them. I can't say enough good about it. The characterizations are strong and the interactions between the characters are touching and thought-provoking. Joppolo's relationship to the city's people is truly remarkable. It makes one think about America's relationship with foreign countries. The story is heart-tugging and humorous. There are few novels written this century that can touch a reader as much as this one does, and this one can make you think a little, too. A Bell for Adano certainly deserved its prize, and it definitely deserves to not be forgotten.

I loved this book. I will admit that I'm a fan of the 1940s, both movies and books. However, this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel transcends all that -- it's simply a fine story. Even though the theme is World War II, this is not a story of battle. Instead, it's about a compassionate major and his attempts to bring humanity to a war-torn town in Italy. The books is funny, charming and moving. It's a quick read and a worthwhile one. I highly recommend it.

This book is wonderful in its clear language and soft touch. You will instantly feel a part of the town and its inhabitants. The book tells the story of a small town in Italy occupied by the Americans at the end of WW2. It relates how the occupied village interacts with its human, caring "occupier", an American army officer. Much like Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres, this book puts a massive event in world history into focus. I highly recommend the book.

Most 'serious' reviewers of Robert Parker's Spenser books will argue that "A Catskill Eagle" is the best of the series. I won't disagree that it's very, very good, but I think Spenser (and by extension, Parker) is at his best in "Early Autumn".

Primarily, through the books, Spenser has deep relationships only with Susan, and to a lesser extent, Hawk. We really don't know much about him beyond the front he puts up for his clients and his opponents. "Autumn" is the exception to that; we see him treat Paul in much the same way he must have been treated as a child and the same way he would have treated a child of his own, if he'd had one -- with respect and decency. He drags the 'real' Paul out of the shell Paul had constructed to protect himself from his parents and the world and provides him with a sense of worth, teaching him, as Spenser says himself, "what [he] knows" -- boxing, running, carpentering and standing up for something.

The end of the book always gets me. I've always been glad, too, that Paul makes further appearances in other books: Widening Gyre and Playmates, among others. It's interesting to see the relationship between Spenser and Paul grow and develop. It deepens Spenser as a character and gives us one more reason to like him.

This is the seventh novel in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series and by now it is quite clear that whenever you start one of these stories the question is what is the new twist this time around. You can never call one of these novels an unconventional Spenser novel because they all tend to be unique in some key way. in "Early Autumn" our hero is hired by Patti Giacomin to find her son Paul, kidnapped by his father. Spenser finds Paul almost immediately and it quickly becomes clear that neither parent really cares about the boy, who is just a pawn in the wake of an ugly divorce. Paul needs someone to teach him, well, just about everything (except how to shrug; the kid does that really well in response to every question asked by Spenser). "Early Autumn," a metaphor for a 15-year old kid who has to grow up really fast, finds Spenser talking more than any of the previous books, although at the end his detective skills will again come into play. A large chunk of the book is Spenser and Paul talking about a whole bunch of different topics. In doing so, Spenser explains his view of the world, a task usually left to Susan Silverman. There is also an unforgettable twist as Hawk lends a hand at a key moment. As always, Parker's novels are quick reads, perfect for commuting or nice hot baths.

This is one of my two favorite Spenser books (The other is A Savage Place.) Early Autumn was the first Parker book I ever read and also the first suspense/mystery. My parents and brothers all read Spenser but I shunned them, preferring scifi. I was desparate for a read one summer night and my mother pressed this on me, saying "You'll like this if you just give it a chance" I was 15 and I read it that night, reporting back to her bedroom and saying, "Next Book! More! More!"

This book is about Spenser's surrogate fathering of a lost 15 year old boy named Paul who is a pawn in his own life. It is sort of a coming of age novel, but really not because it is told from Spenser's perspective like all the Spenser books.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I highly recommend it to any Spenser fan or to any one who remembers 15 and that lost in your own life feeling.