From the time of her uncle's death, Jane Eyre's existence at Gateshead has become unbearable. Her aunt dotes on her own three children and never lets Jane forget that she is living off of the Reeds's charity. After frightening her Aunt Reed with her willfulness and ingratitude, Jane is sent to Lowood School where she continues to exist for eight years.

After placing an advertisement in a paper, she is hired on as a governess at Thornfield where she meets and falls in love with Edward Fairfax Rochester. But a series of odd and dangerous events which take place at Thornfield succeed in tearing them apart until Jane realizes that she must journey alone or else compromise her own sense of self forever.

Jane Eyre is a novel about a woman who comes to realize that she must hold on to herself. Bronte's heroine is strong, willful, and isolated. Her hero is constantly referring to her in an otherworldly sense. But what he sees is otherworldly is simply a strong independent streak. This independence is what the author seems to urge women to cultivate through the character of Jane Eyre. Bronte reinforces the strength of Jane's character by making her plain. By doing this, she forces us to realize the beauty of her character rather than her looks. She has none to recommend her and no fortune to appeal to a man so the reader is certain that it is her character which appeals to Rochester.

The road towards a happy ending is not easy for Rochester and Jane. In fact, even before discovering the truth about the woman in the attic, Jane has taken measures to preserve herself by writing to her uncle in Madeira even though she tells Rochester that she has no family aside from the Reeds, whose connection to her she is forced to admit when Aunt Reed calls for her. This perpetuates the unraveling of their happiness. From the point of separation, however, Bronte sets Jane on the road to self-discovery. With her Rivers cousins, whom she discovers after leaving Thornfield, she comes to realize her full capacity as a cousin, a teacher, and her potential as a servant of God.

By the story's end, when Bronte has led her title character back to a devastated Thornfield, Jane is truly independent in both character as well as finance. There is a role reversal which the reader discovers. No longer is Rochester offering to take care of her, it is Jane, rather, who is in the position of power as she becomes Rochester's helpmeet from the time of their reunion.

Uncommon story for the era. Imagine... an INDEPENDANT woman!

Great book to read in order to understand the thoughts and the fears of the revolutionaries both leading up to the actual revolution and the problems resulting from the new nation. It gives excellent insight into key thinkers and provides a good viewpoint to judge the legitamacy of the American complaints. If you love the thought processes of the intellectuals of the revolution you will enjoy this book.

This book is a pure jem. Colbourn presents an elegant treatment of the ideology of the Revolutionaries, with special emphasis on the role and use of history in their thought. Perhaps the most captivating pieces are those focusing specifically on John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. In addition to this, he includes actual listings of books in Colonial stores and libraries. Above all, this is an invaluable study for anyone interested in this subject.

The stories in this book are fascinating. It delves into the lives of many strange and colorful people. There are interesting and fanciful tales of adventure. It is a non stop look into the way many different authors weave their tales.

Adams, Robert: "Prologue" - This overview of the fair at Ithkar outlines its evolution from a simple religious festival, honoring the first appearance of the Three Lordly Ones in their Divine Egg, to a weeks-long fair. The temple makes good money, providing well-kept, well-policed fairgrounds.

Carter, Lin: "The Goblinry of Ais" - Lady Ais is a great beauty, whose fame has spread far over the years. But now she's interested in something more dangerous than politics...

Cherryh, C.J. "To Take a Thief" Sphix, like the small sly animal that's his namesake, is a 'good' thief: he never takes anything whose loss'll hurt the victim. But no one can ever keep to one level of evil...

Clayton, Jo: "Jezeri and Her Beast Go to the Fair and Find More Excitement Than They Want" When Jezeri's family took in Old 'Un, Tanu (a tiny little thing, whose like had never before been seen), crept out of his gear and won Jezeri's heart. Unfortunately, someone at the fair appears to know more about Tanu than Jezeri does...

Llywelyn, Morgan: "Fletcher Found" - The narrator, a "cuckoo's chick" among the mountain forge-folk, has in his loneliness become convinced that he's a foundling of those beings from another world, the Three Lordly Ones.

Mathews, Patricia: "Well Met in Ithkar" Master jeweller Corielle is reestablishing herself after what she can only now call 'the fortunes of war'. She'll never forget the voice of the man who ordered the beating that blinded her, even years later at Ithkar fair. But how can she formally identify him by voice alone?

Mayhar, Ardath: "Esmene's Eyes" Esmene's magnificent embroidery is magical - when she pours her very life into it. Despite her illness (she's slowly dying of internal injuries), she answers the priests' summons the fair, to wield her talents one last time.

Norton, Andre: "Swamp Dweller" Kara is one of the Quatka, animal trainers whose companions are Second-Kin to them, cherished and communicated with. Even the ugly, abused reptile Kara found in a beast seller's cage at the fair deserves consideration. But Kara feels that he has hidden potential...If you like this story, try Norton's _Moon of Three Rings_.

Sampson, Judith: "Qazia and a Ferret-Fetch" The evil wizard Chond is more than a match for any hero, and his ferret-fetch familiar will never let a prisoner escape. But when blind Hoel fetches up at the Joyous Goblet in Ithkar, tavernmistress Qazia won't let her guest be dragged away. (The ferret-fetch, by the way, is an interesting character in his own right.)

Schlobin, Roger C.: "For Lovers Only" Brother Jerome "the Huncher" piously wears a hair shirt - concealing his thefts from the temple treasury. He was driven half-crazy (and into the monastery) when his lover dumped him *very* brutally for a richer man, and he's financing a suitable revenge.

Schutz, J.W. "Dragon's Horn" - Tonya's father left only debts and the Enchanted Doll Show. While the dolls move by enchantment, they need human voices; Tonya hires strangers to fill out the parts of Dragon and King, while Lord Caum licks his chops, waiting to enslave Tonya if she can't pay off the debt after the fair...

Schwartz, Susan: "Homecoming" Andriu fled his novitiate at the Temple of the Three Lordly Ones fifteen years ago. As a dream-singer, able to shape reality with his songs, he's been in and out of scrapes for years. Now suffering from lung-fever, he's come home. But someone has far worse trouble than he; Vassilka needs an exorcism for an unborn child...

Springer, Nancy: "The Prince out of the Past" Even spirits are drawn to Ithkar Fair.

Waters, Elisabeth: "Cold Spell" Eirthe the candlemaker refused a Thotharn priest's request to make candles in the likeness of wealthy merchants. He retaliated by cold-cursing her: her candles will no longer burn. But she can't prove he's running a protection racket, so how can she make a living?

A good required text for a Freshman English Composition class. A wide variety of selections that bring up a lot of ideas for in-class discussion or composition.

Truly an anthology for readers and writers, this book encourages students to think more critically about the world around them. It calls on a variety of timely themes and genres to satisfy numerous interests and tastes in literature. It also provides many helpful rhetorical strategies for arguing about literature. Freshman writing instructors should give Making Literature Matter a look; it will not disappoint.

An excelent book, it reminded me that historical figures such as Rilke, Nietszche and Freud were also confronted with fear and angst. I read this book in spanish and I guess some of the things I did't like from it (like the translation of Rilke's poems) had to do with the translator, not the author. Thou, I found the book quite interesting; the life or Lou Andreas-Salomé (her courage to live by her rules and believes) has to be known by every person who feels every now and then that life is some place else.

As a reader, I don't frequent the biography sections of bookstores. But I chose to buy and read this book, because Lou Salome's name was familiar to me from Irvin Yalom's book "When Nietzsce Wept". She was the infamous femme fatale who played a very signinficant role in lives of some of the most remarkable men, intellectuals of 19th-20th century Europe - Nietzsce and Rilke to name just two of them. Though she might have destroyed them emotionally, she also inspired and guided them intellectually and creatively. That's what makes this biography such a fascinating read - Lou Salome had a life filled with most exciting men and most extravagant choices. This book grabs you with its light writing style, eventful "plot", and interesting yet not overwhelming insights into the people and spirit of that era. This a book I enjoy to go back to, and re-read certain parts of it.

The book that I am reading, No Night Without Stars, takes place in the future, when the earth danced on its axes in turmoil and destruction concieved a new beginning. The main characters in the book are Sander and Fanyi. Sander is a young blacksmith`s apprentice, who is set to inherit his father`s position as Master Blacksmith. At the time of his father`s death, Sander`s uncle, Ibbert, who is also a blacksmith, denies him his rightful position as Master Blacksmith and assumes the role for himself.Sander will not accept his uncle`s decision, and leaves his nomadic tribe that dwells in the plains of the west. Sander set out to the east lands by the sea,in search of forgotten technology. To have knowledge of metal forging from the past would surely give Sander the power to overtake his uncle`s role as Master Blacksmith. On Sander`s way to the east, he teams up with a woman named Fanyi, who is a cross between Zena`s Linda Lawless and the talk show host Lezza. Fanyi not only has beauty and brawn, but also brains and finesse. I enjoyed reading this book, with adventure around every corner and a verity of mutant creatures. The reading is easy, and the author does not insist on technical terms that would have you reaching for your dictionary after each turn of the page. I would recommend this book to young readers or adults who get bored with lengthy, hard-to-read novels. Our characters end up finding more than what they seek. The way they find their sought knowledge is unexpected and exciting.Andre Norton is a exciting science fiction writer, with a down-to-earth technique that does not play on vulgar expressions to entice his reader. The cover page illustration does not do the book justice.I believe my daugther would have done a better drawing with a box of crayons and construction paper. PEACE.

This was the first novel I read. I was in the 3rd grade and my older brother was visiting out house, I picked up No Night Without Stars and couldn't put it down. It opened my eyes to the works of Science Fiction. I then started reading an average of one novel a week. My teacher in school said she'd never seen anyone in the 3rd grade reading regular novels. No Night Without Stars helped me greatly in my schoolwork, because I started reading so much, my reading skills improved so much! I still re-read the book at least once a year.

I bought this book because I was interested in the autobiography. I had just finished reading a few "shorts" in different anthologies, and I decided to do a search to see if there was anything larger out there. I found The Norton Book of American Autobiography and was pleased. I just finished this massive 711 paged book, and I would recommend it to anyone who's just interested in other people's lives. There are some stand-out writers included (Malcolm X, Benjamin Franklin, etc.), but also some contemporary writers as well (Julia Alvarez, Caroline Knapp, Paul Monette, etc.). This is a great book to read on your own, but I can really see it benefiting a lit. class at the same time.

Autobiography isn't always just the blathering of B-list celebrities. Much of it is some of the finest American literature ever produced. Some say Americans are egotistical and self-involved. Well, fine, maybe so, but it makes for great autobiography. And the informative and literary life synopsi (synopsises?) make for great reading by themselves!!! Huzzah to the editor and his minions!!!

I love nature writing, so to my mind, this is a grand book. All the great writers are here, with one exception: there is a signal lack of modern nature writers (last half of the 20th Century). Beyond that, the selection of great nature writers is first rate.

The real problem with this book is that it is so big and the binding so weak you really can't take this book into nature to read it. I took it with me during a trip to the north end of the Queen Charlotte Islands; the moment I found a spot to relax and got the book out, I found I was wrestling with a ten pound weight that flopped all over the place. So, a warning: this book is for the fireside or a cozy evening in bed, not the field. Otherwise, wonderful!

From Charles Darwin and Aldo Leopold to Edwin Teale and Laurens Van Der Post, this covers the history and tradition of nature writing in English. Essays and insights by some of the most famous nature writers in the language include writers of diverse ethnic backgrounds and from around the world. A widereaching collection, this will appeal to both science and literary collections.

"Norton's Hut" is definitely thought-provoking--I would recommend it if only for the questions it raises on perceptions/reality as characters question what they think they remember and what their friends remember. Marsden's characterizations of a group of teenagers are also so vivid that reading is almost like watching a movie in your head. Although not quite as much of a page-turner as Marsden's "Tommorow when the War Began" series, "Norton's Hut" is definitely an enjoyable read. A word to parents: if you have problems with some mature language and behavior, it might be advisable to read the book yourself before giving it to a child under 12.

As well as being a very creepy story, this book has some of the most beautiful illustrations that I've ever seen. The pictures are full of details which add to the impact of the story, and are a very accurate representation of the lovely Australian Alps (through which the kids are hiking) - they actually look photographic until you take a closer look.

I was surprised that this book wasn't shortlisted in the Australian Children's Book Awards, but did at least rate a mention in the notable books list.