I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FACINATED WITH SERPENT HANDLING.
I THINK THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST BOOK,IF YOU WANT AN HONEST
LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF SOME SINSERE JESUS LOVING PEOPLE AND THERE
LIVES.I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE ALOT OF IT WAS WERITTEN IN THE WORDS OF SAINTS THEMSELFS.BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.AND A GREAT BOOK,I HIGHLY RECCCOMEND THIS BOOK OVER OTHER BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ ON THE SUBJECT.PEACE BE.STEVE SPARKS

If only the whole world could experience the depth and passion of the faith of these people. Brown and McDonald do a superb job of segueing to the individual stories. The latter are the crux of the book. The accounts of and by "ordinary folk" like John Brown, Jamie Coots and Joe Elkins are fascinating. Will probably read this again and again. Perhaps even attend a service someday?

This is an excellent book. I liked it because it neither degraded nor exalted the followers of this faith, it was more like a documentary. Even though I am not a member of this faith I found this book very enjoyable to read. Extremely informative.

A.C. Bradley wrote these lectures in 1904, and the book has gone through at least 26 printings. It is significant that the Folger Shakespeare Library has republished these lectures. They are hugely important and vibrantly written. I am sure my father read these in college, and I know my son did, too. I'm glad I finally got around to them! You will be, also, for all the reasons that other reviewers have noted.

(Amazon should spell Macbeth's name correctly - not as "MacBeth"!) This has for almost a century been, and continues to be today, one of the most important books on Shakespeare's best and most popular tragedies. For much of the time since around 1930, it has been severely criticised: on the grounds, chiefly, that the author is too much inclined to respect or have sympathy for the heroes (which he is), and that he treats them too much like "real" people (which he does, and which they aren't).

Yet, for all that, Bradley's approach to the heroes as though they were characters we all know has revealed a great deal about what Shakespeare has made those characters, and those who see the characters as complex and psychologically worth exploring identify a more significant aspect of Shakespeare's interest in humans and his art than do many of Bradley's opponents. Moreover, the detail of his examinations of the texts makes it possible to probe much with him, even if one continues to question or quarrel with him on the way (and he is not infrequently demonstrably wrong). Thus this remains a work of criticism which is inspirational and searching even if at times quite wrongheaded; and every serious reader of Shakespeare (including actors and directors) should read this book and own it. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University, South Australia

I am so glad this book is still in print (it was first published in 1904, I think). My original copy was second-hand and it would be awful to think I couldn't get another! Bradley is so illuminating on Shakespeare's intentions, and on the characters of his great tragic figures. If nothing else, read his brilliant discussion of Macbeth - it will convince you that, for a perspective on human nature, for conceiving a dramatic character whole, Bradley was as great a critic as Shakespeare was a playwright. Don't miss him!

In this first book in a five-volume set collecting all the short stories of Philip K. Dick, we get a chance to see the first stories he wrote and published and can learn that from the very start, Dick was a great writer.

This is one of those rare story collections where there absolutely NO bad stories. Each one is a well-written and interesting piece; some have a dark humor, others are utterly horrifying, but each one is good or great in its own way.

Written in the 1950s, these stories are a refreshing change of pace from some of the more banal sci-fi pieces to come out of that era. The emphasis here is not on the science (which is often unexplained) but on the fiction: the characters, the mood and the plot. Adept at the plot twist, Dick often resolves his stories in logical but unanticipated ways.

From evil toys and malicious butterflies to trolls and lethal towels, Dick puts us in a number of worlds not far removed from our own and entertains us from first page to last. I look forward to reading the other four volumes in this set; some of the stories I have read before and others I haven't, but I'm sure I'll have a blast with all of them.

There are three consistent aspects to PKD's (Philip Dick's) work that I find compelling:

1. He constantly asks the (most important) question, "What is the nature of reality"?

2. He repeatedly states and offers evidence that the answer to the question "What does it mean to be human?" is the ability to feel empathy.

3. His plots involve such "ordinary" people, and have excellent character development - so you quickly get to understand them. Meanwhile, the story involves some bizarre science fiction device , idea, or condition, that he makes a part of this very normal human's world. You're quickly drawn in by the master.


PKD spent a significant amount of time thinking and writing about philosophy. In a way, reading his stories is an entertaining way of doing a survey of his take on the world's philosophical history without having to read (and understand) endless tomes of the great philosophers. You can see how this changes in PKD as you read different books in the Collected Stories series.


Philip makes it abundantly clear that he hates much of the stupidity that mankind inflicts on itself. War is a commonly expressed example of this. Of course, with the science fiction plot theme, he can easily spread examples of this through time, through the galaxy, and beyond (even to gods, other sentient races, etc).


As is tragically true so often with deep thinkers, Philip's life was far from carefree...As a consequence, and the fact that he's obviously a man bent on searching for TRUTH, his writing often has a dark underlying feeling. Comedy is sprinkled through the stories, but it too has a dark quality. Even the moments of greatest joy provide a somewhat bittersweet feeling, due to the background of the plot worlds. But again - reading PKD is not a dose of happy-pills, it is about TRUTH, whether pretty or not.


No matter who you are, these stories will make you think and I suspect learn a thing or two. They cover such a variety of plots that almost everyone is bound to be pleased by some, alarmed or saddened by others, and to feel a surge of empathy for some situations and realize that (bizarre as the situation may be) - this too is human.


I think it would be truly impossible for any thinking person to read and reflect on the 118 stories in the 5 volume series and come away completely unchanged. And for the vast majority of us (to borrow a PKD novel title) "Cosmic Puppets" with empathic capabilities, I'm betting the change will be for the better...

Reading the collected short stories - Volumes 1 through 5 - is like watching the old Twilight Zone. Weird and wonderful stuff!

I read this wonderful book 10 years ago while planning to become an innkeeper. Now that I am a successful innkeeper, I refer to it constantly and am incredibly grateful to the authors. I credit the information learned in this book as a reason for our success. It helped us ask the right questions, particularly about whether or not we had the personalities to make it in this diffficult business. Also, it was invaluable in creating our business plan. Don't open a B & B before reading this.

Submitted by the author of: "I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner."

You betcha!!! My middle name is Innes (no joke!!!!!) but it might as well be "inns"(!!!!!), that's how much I wanted to be an innkeeper, and Mary Davies' book is "inn" (!!!!!!) the right place "inn" (!!!) my bookshelf. No, but seriously, with my sense of humour and my wife Marjorie's overly solicitous manner and ability to project her prurient judgmentalism and dissaproval wordlessly, we had a headstart in that we were the perfect couple to run a Bed-and-Breakfast. Even the best need a hand though, and this book is a must-read for those who don't want to make a dog's dinner of this rewarding career.

As an accountant, I really appreciated the financial planning section of the book. It has helped us to realistically assess different properties in making our investment decision. This book is a must for anyone seriously considering a bed and breakfast or a small inn. Being able to estimate costs and revenues up front is imperative for success.

I just loved this book when I was a hooligan, I can remember Captain Kangaroo reading this one to the camera back in the day. There's many a valuable lesson lurking in here, and tricksterism galore. Coyote would be proud (as was Mr. Moose). Plus, you'll find a generic but decent recipe for vintage village stew...er, stone soup.

"Stone Soup" is a favorite folktale in our elementary school library. I just had a class of second graders beg me to read this Caldecott Honor book to them, and--of course--all our copies were immediately checked out.

I'm continually surprised--but pleased--that modern kids still enjoy these older illustrations by Marcia Brown, with their limited colors (see cover). This tale is a true classic, and this version has been around for many generations. It's part of the folk tradition in more ways than one. Let's hope we keep "sharing" this tale about sharing for generations to come!

If this book has one downfall, it's that the story is a little long. But that is overshadowed by the fact that the story is so interesting for children and parents, and the illustrations are first-rate.

Watch the hungry soldiers use their cunning and imagination to make a meal out of nothing. They entice the local towns people to share their food in the making of stone soup.

Concepts include: sharing, imagination, the will to make things happen, etc.

I chose The Threee Billy Goats Gruff by Stephen Carpenter because it was my Mom's favorite story book growing up. The day I brought it home she sat down and read it to me and my sister. My favorite characters are the three billy goats because there funny and can play tricks on the troll. The troll was foolish to let the small and middle size billy goats go across the bridge, and then have to fight with the big billy goat. He ended up falling off the bridge and all three billy goats enjoyed the grass on the other side of the bridge. Now they will be able to come and go whenever they want. There is a lesson to be learned in this book. Don't let someone influence you by saying that something is bigger and better if you wait for awhile. Overall the book is alot of fun to read. I would definitely share this story with my children.

Many of the reviews listed here are for other versions of this story. I have checked out all seven versions of Three Billy Goats Grufff available from our library just to see which was best for a three year old. This one by Stephen Carpenter has large, clever, uncluttered pictures and tells the story in simple language. The troll is not too scary and, all in all, this one seems just right for little ones. Another version, the elaborately illustrated one by Janet Stevens, uses a colorful, imaginative vocabulary and would have more appeal to adults and older children (5 or 6 and up?).

This book has brought great joy to my daughters life. She is 2 1/2 years old and she just loves this story. I highly recomend this book to any parent who enjoys seeing their children envolved with a book.

I KNOW ALL THE CODES AND HERE THAY ARE

RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT LEFT LEFT MINON LEFT LEFT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT SWEET TOOTH UP DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN INFINATY SPEACIL L1 SQUARE X R1 STARTB GOD MODE

I need codes for darkside and primeve

To kid who needs code for Sweettooth and darkside- Sweettooth - left,left,left,right,right darkside - no code found for darkside

I have been looking for a copy of this book for years. While visiting my brother recently I discovered that he had the copy that we read over and over again when we were children. It's in poor shape, a testimony to the use it received. He wouldn't part with it, so I am so pleased to find it available again. I'm sure my 2-year old grandson will enjoy this sweet and gentle story as much as I did.

I first discovered this book while teaching Kindergarten several years ago. The story and it's wonderful illistrations struck a chord of wonder and notalgia in me that I had not experienced in a long, long time. Thereafter, it became my favorite storytime book with the children. The book was lost one year to my distress, so you can imagine the joy I felt in finding it here, available to the publc once more. This is a book that should be read and enjoyed by all.

What can anyone say about this tender book. It had an enourmous influence on me as I grew up. I loved the language and the pictures. Today I have sold paintings and some of my writing. And writing poetry comes very very easy to me. This is a book that has made a difference.

Things seem to have finally smoothed out in Claire Cunningham's life. Her four-year-old son, Toby, has recovered from the death of his father, even though he still clings to Claire a little more than he should. And, Claire has a boyfriend, Michael. But when Toby expresses his doubts about Michael, "His mouth smiles at me, but his eyes look mad," Claire decides to end the relationship. Before she has a chance to inform Michael that their affair is over, Claire's life turns down a dark and devastating road - taking away everything that is important to her, leaving her with nothing but hate - and the need for revenge.

In the middle of the storm that rages around her, Claire meets a rancher, Glen Howell. Glen is kind and solicitous, but Claire reacts with fear because of his green eyes. What is it about green eyes that frighten her? As Glen and the Chief of Police try to put together the pieces of Claire's broken life, she discovers secrets that hold a horrible truth - something she will decide to deal with in her own way.

Claire's justice is fueled by revenge. And there will be a price to pay. SWEET REVENGE will search the hearts of all concerned - including the reader's. A surprise ending is delivered with finesse. You won't forget Claire's story for a long, long time.

Brown delivers SWEET REVENGE with excellent writing and masterful story-telling skills. This is an easy to read, but hard to put down novel that presents more than a story. It presents an experience.

I highly recommend SWEET REVENGE and can hardly wait for D.J. Brown's next novel.

D.J. Brown has done a bang up job with this unnerving story. It's focused, well-written, and not a book to be taken lightly. I expect to be haunted by it for quite some time to come.

Claire Cunningham and her delightful four-year-old son Toby are kidnapped from a mall parking lot and taken to an old abandoned house out in the country. As most mothers would, Claire fights with all that's in her to protect Toby, but her strength is not enough to hold off the inevitable. One of the foulest, most vicious bad guys I have ever seen described - Jake - repeatedly rapes and beats Claire into submission or unconsciousness. His simple minded sidekick Mickey joins in at first, until the shame of what he's done prevents it. God only knows what Jake does to the precious Toby while Claire is unconscious. The abuse and torture go on for several days, during which the captives get no food or water. Toby seems to be in shock at first. He sleeps too much, or stares into space, and then the seizures set in. Jake murders Toby and then Mickey in a fit of rage, then simply drives away leaving Claire wounded and dazed.

The kindly and concerned Glen Howell sees Claire stumbling along the highway carrying Toby's lifeless body. She doesn't know where she is or what has happened, only that her son needs help.
Then begins a painful trip back to reality, and the horrifying revelation that Jake and Mickey did not act on their own.

All I can say is that Sweet Revenge is aptly named. I doubt too many readers will sit in judgement when Claire takes matters into her own hands. The romantic in me wanted Claire to hook up with her long legged protector, Glen, but Ms. Brown stays true to the subject at hand.

I was impressed with this book. My compliments to D.J. Brown for telling this story with a single-minded purpose. She writes with such clarity that I had the sense of experiencing a true happening. I hope, however, that this story wasn't true..

Full of suspense and intrigue, Sweet Revenge is a real page-turner. D.J. Brown's words paint a vivid picture of loss, betrayal, and revenge. Her protagonist, Claire Cunningham, evokes sympathy from the reader - her story is heartbreaking and believable. This book is a must read for those who love mystery and suspense as well as for those interested in reading a finely-crafted story.

This book is simply incredible. Having read "Grandfather" and "The Tracker" before this book, I found myself on an incredible journey through the Vision Quest. I found that it deepened my desire to do as Tom Brown, Jr. has done. The Vision Quest in the cave towards the end was absolutely amazing. It is probably best to read at least "The Tracker" before this one, but it's not totally necessary. A must read at any rate.

I have read this book twice now, I enjoyed and learnt it both times. Better the the previous two books, in 'The Vision' Tom goes deeper into his personal spirituality. The book takes you through many of Tom's life lessons building nicely into where the later books will take you. It is the kind of book where you will find something covered which will add insight to your current life circumstances.

As Mr. Brown teaches, we are a society that kills our children to feed our Grandchildren. This book has many wonderful lessons. Although they take time (alone time)to digest, they are very rich in wisdom and make those who learn their teachings, wealthly beyond compare. I highly recommend his school as well. It will cahnge your life, not to mention your Vision